Teitho: October theme "Around the Fireside"
Posted By:
mirach_ravaia
Wed Sep 26, 2012 2:25 pm |
I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know.
The weather is already getting cold, Halloween just around the corner, and so we
chose "Around the Fireside" as our theme for this month.
In Middle-earth, fire was the only source of light and warmth during the long
winter evenings, and so the fireside became a gathering place, where people told
stories and sang. The most famous of such places would be the Hall of Fire in
Rivendell, where the fire never went out. Not that magnificent, maybe, but many
fires could serve the same purpose - the hearth in Bag End or in the Prancing
Pony, a campfire during the Fellowship's journey, maybe even a crudely built
fireplace in an Orc den... What stories and songs were told and sung around
these fires? Maybe someone even danced around, or leaped over them. Who did look
into the mesmerizing flames? Your story can be take place around the fireside,
or you can use this setting as an introduction to a story that is told there.
As October ends with Halloween (or All Hallows' Eve), it seems appropriate that
these particular tales could be of wights, wraiths, and other spirits. Surely,
the Rangers knew much about the Barrow-wights that ultimately captured the
Hobbits, and of the wraiths that existed more in a world of spirits than the
world of our heroes. Stories about "The Army of the Dead" might be more to your
liking. We know that as a group they were cursed to remain in Middle-earth after
breaking their oath to Isildur. But what of the individual men? Surely, some
devoted parents, widows, and children passed the stories of their loved ones
along to future generations. They might not have spoken of them in public, but
by their hearths with family and close friends, honoring the men they knew
before their courage faltered. The elves surely picked up many tales during
their long lives.
I look forward to the artwork in this challenge more than I have in any other.
Remember, while the stories must at least mention Aragorn or Legolas, that isn't
required for the art part of the challenge.
The deadline for this challenge is October 25th. If you need an extension, let
us know!
For writers: send your stories to- details at
http://teitho.waking-vision.com/modules.php?name=Intern&file=challenge93
As usual, the contest is anonymous and the story can't be posted publicaly until the results
of the challenge are announced.
For artists: Submit your picture into the Teitho gallery folder of Arda-Inspired
at deviantArt. The picture should be new, drawn specifically for the challenge.
State that you are submitting it to the contest in the artist's comments.
Happy writing and drawing!
Your Teitho-moderators,
nautika, StarLight, and Mirach