Fanart: A LOTR Space AU

[Yeade]

Well, it's been a while. Re-reading my own posts from 2005 is at once a hilarious and rather humbling experience. Tolkien scholars much more qualified than I have since tackled LOTR's many genealogies, but I've come to present yet another harebrained project, lol, my interest in Middle-earth rekindled by the prospect of new films.

I'm drawing and worldbuilding a LOTR space AU, as the thread title says. Why? I guess because every fandom that isn't already sci-fi must have a few. Also, I've been meaning to dust off my artistic skills, such as they are, after years of letting them languish and didn't feel inspired by any other subject.

Two pieces are completed, linked to deviantART below, with at least half a dozen more in the planning stages. Both are accompanied by extensive notes on the setting that I'd be glad to receive commentary on, especially along the lines of how better to adapt Tolkien's universe. Granted, I assume forgiveness for raising a question as ludicrous as what LOTR might look like as a space opera to begin with...

Currently, I'm working on Lothlórien. It'll be some time before I can finish, however, as I'm experimenting with watercolor pencils. Lórien and Mirkwood I intend to place together on a forest moon orbiting the system's largest gas giant just past the asteroid belt, analogous to Jupiter and its many natural satellites. Esgaroth and probably Dale will be on another moon, though I've not yet decided where Erebor should go. I suppose it depends on what exactly Smaug is, lol, seeing as he must travel from the Lonely Mountain to Laketown without the aid of a spacecraft.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

That's very cool. I like it a lot

Excuse the uneducated person, but what in the name of Valar does "AU" mean?

[Nerwen]

"Alternate universe".

[Yeade]

I'm glad you like it, Legate of Amon Lanc! As Nerwen said, "AU" is short for "alternate universe." I forgot that the term is only common in certain fannish circles, namely the creative side that frequents sites like FanFiction.Net, LiveJournal, and Tumblr. In this case, my drawings are AU because I've adapted Tolkien's world to a setting that he probably never would've contemplated in a million years, lol, but AU is also often used to describe timeline deviations from canon. That is, "what if?" stories, such as Thorin Oakenshield surviving the Battle of Five Armies, which has grown quite popular amongst The Hobbit fanfic writers for obvious reasons.

At any rate, I'll keep adding to this thread as I finish more pieces. My venture into watercolor pencils is going well--it's a relief not to have to worry about smearing anything after the Paths of the Dead--but I've gotten a bit stuck on the issue of Smaug, not to mention Middle-earth's other creatures. I think I might end up taking a leaf out of Anne McCaffrey's Pern books and just make dragons psychic teleporters, lol. Well, perhaps only the great fire drakes, with the other types planet-bound. Then Smaug and his kin can retain their canon forms, wings and all, hopping dimensions instantaneously to be wherever they're supposed to be.

Unfortunately for Men, Elves, and Dwarves, teleportation significantly increases the already high threat level of these dragons. Ancalagon could literally crush armies whole simply by dropping atop them from out of thin air with his mountain-sized bulk, and Smaug would certainly have the element of surprise over Laketown's defenders. OTOH, I suppose the general technological upgrade means Bard and company can now scramble fighters in response, lol.

What to do about the Eagles is the next question. They need to be spaceworthy, too. And, unlike the dragons, they carry passengers at times. I feel a field of some sort is the answer, similar to the bubbles generated by spaceships in most sci-fi to travel at FTL speeds. I'm considering both races as truly alien species, as well. Maybe silicon-based lifeforms that can better survive the inimical environment of the interstellar void. They do have to be armored at least heavily enough to take the battlefield with futuristic vehicles and energy weapons. Suggestions are welcome, of course.

Balrogs? Er. I'll work on that?

ETA:

I've been considering the early history of Middle-earth and have a few questions.

First, I need a geography lesson, lol. I understand that Beleriand lay west of Middle-earth's most familiar lands, those of the Third Age, with Ossiriand becoming Lindon after the rest of Beleriand was drowned by the sea. Cuiviénen, where the Elves awoke, is in the distant northeast of ancient Middle-earth, the Sea of Helcar bordered on its western shore by the Blue Mountains. Where are Beleriand and Cuiviénen in relation to one another? Was Cuiviénen destroyed during the War of Wrath, too?

I'd always assumed that it's Beleriand the Elves cross in their westward journey to Aman but, if so, when was the rest of Middle-earth settled? By Men only, who spread west from Middle-earth's far eastern shore, until after the War of Wrath? And where does the Helcaraxë connect with Middle-earth? Northern Beleriand, I guess. Any relation to the Sea of Helcar?

Second, with the Lamps of the Valar ruined by Melkor, was all of Middle-earth in darkness except Valinor, which was lit by the Two Trees? Could the light of the Trees be seen from, say, Beleriand or, more generally, Middle-earth's far western shore? I seem to remember Arda was flat until the Downfall of Númenor, so Valinor might've been visible as a glow on the horizon no matter how wide the sea.

Tolkien's creation story for the Sun and Moon can, I think, be adapted for this AU of mine with relative ease by having Anor and Isil both be stars in a binary system. The difficulty lies in the westward migrations undertaken by both Elves and Men after their awakenings. Neither race could possibly be spacefarers so early, such advanced technologies taught to the Elves by the Valar and later by the Elves to Men. How then to situate the events of the Years of the Trees and First Age? I'm tempted to just dump everybody concerned on a single planet that encompasses Beleriand and more, leaving the rest of Middle-earth unexplored or perhaps even not yet in existence until well into the First Age. The Valar can send spaceships to ferry to Aman the Elves who answer their summons and, by the time Men are an issue, the Noldor would've returned to Beleriand with the knowledge to brave deep space themselves, establishing colonies on new worlds.

[Yeade]

I finished another piece, this time of Lothlórien, as mentioned before. Next, I'll work on, again using watercolor pencils, the Two Trees, which I'll add below when completed. (ETA: Done!) I think... one more picture before I stop editing this post and move on already, lol. Mount Doom is coming up on the to-draw list.

[Nerwen]

Cuivienen
It's not clear exactly where the Sea of Helcar lay, but it was it was in the far north-east of Middle-earth, effectively off the map as far as the rest of the story is concerned. (Tolkien did draw a map showing it lying right next to the Blue Mountains, but I think this was an early conception- it certainly won't fit the action of the published Silmarillion, anyway.) Cuivienen ceased to exist at some point, but it's not specified when or how.

The Great Journey from Cuivienen
No, this wasn't just across Beleriand, but right over the "known" lands (Rhovanion, Eriador, etc.), plus, presumably, some others that are, again, outside the borders of the maps. It is supposed to have taken two hundred years or more. Not all Elves took it, and of those that did, many dropped out before reaching Beleriand, and were therefore the first people to settle those areas.

The Helcaraxe
This lay somewhere to the north of Beleriand. No relation to the Sea of Helcar.

The Two Trees
These could not be seen from Middle-earth, which at that time was lit only by starlight.

[Galadriel55]

http://www.carpepm.net/images/2007_arda.jpg

On this map the locations are not too precise, I'd say, but it gives a general idea. The Two Trees are in Valinor (on the left), the Sea of Helcar is on the top right, way above the "known" map of ME (which is a pretty small thing in the middle of the right continent). Helcaraxe is that dubious passage on the far north, between the continents.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

http://www.carpepm.net/images/2007_arda.jpg

On this map the locations are not too precise, I'd say, but it gives a general idea. The Two Trees are in Valinor (on the left), the Sea of Helcar is on the top right, way above the "known" map of ME (which is a pretty small thing in the middle of the right continent). Helcaraxe is that dubious passage on the far north, between the continents.

That map is from infamous David Day's Bestiary and while in general it is okay, it messes up lots of things, and most of all, it creates confusion by putting things from different ages to one map. In reality, many of those should overlap. Lake Almaren should be in the middle of Arda, so basically somewhere in the sea - but the map puts it far to the east, because they still want it there. I like much better Karen Wynn Fonstad's map (from her Atlas of Middle-Earth), who also e.g. interprets Helcar as a huuge inland sea, which later shrunk and parts of it remained as Lake Rhun and Núrnen.

I found the First Age map from Fonstad's Atlas available here, so you can take a look for comparison. It shows Cuiviénen, Helcaraxë and you can sort of guess the route of the Elves (in the Atlas, there are actually some maps devoted specifically to that, and also a series of small maps of pre-First Age Arda, with Lake Almaren and all).

In any case, don't let details hinder you. I think the ideas you are coming up with for your project are fascinating, and I'm very much looking forward to see more.

[Yeade]

Thanks for all the information, Nerwen, Galadriel55, and Legate of Amon Lanc! I really appreciate the help!

Though the Elves clearly journeyed across the other known lands of Middle-earth in addition to Beleriand on their way from Cuiviénen to Aman, I'm afraid that's just not going to be possible in my sci-fi adaptation. I've got my heart set on the Valar being the source of the general technological upgrade, which in turn means nobody can take off as interplanetary explorers until the Noldor return in pursuit of Melkor and their scientific knowledge has a chance to disseminate.

So, Anor and Isil are binary stars separated by, say, a mean distance of 200-500 AU (astronomical unit), with Beleriand and later Númenor in orbit around the latter. Elves, Men, and Dwarves can travel between the two planetary systems throughout the First Age, perhaps to escape the ravages of Morgoth, and for most of the Second Age before the Downfall of Númenor renders hyperspace inaccessible except for the Straight Road. I rather like that this gives the Elves and Númenórean exiles an additional reason to honor Isil in their iconography. Isil, while still visible as the brightest star in the night sky, and the worlds of their origins are forever lost to them by the Third Age.

A couple more questions:

The mearas or their ancestors are supposedly brought to Middle-earth by Oromë, right? I've brainstormed some preliminary ideas for the Rohirrim already and need to work out how their most famed horses fit in. Another alien species?

Are there any canon descriptions of the Havens of Umbar? The harbor must be deep and wide enough to stage a fleet of warships, and there are presumably extensive quays, upon which Aragorn as Thorongil fights the Corsair captain. A poster over on LJ mentioned that there's a white pillar with a shining crystal globe set at the top--a sort of lighthouse, I guess? I admit I've never heard of any such thing. Is this maybe referenced in The Silmarillion ("Akallabêth"?), HOME, or elsewhere, like Tolkien's letters?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Yeade

The mearas or their ancestors are supposedly brought to Middle-earth by Oromë, right? I've brainstormed some preliminary ideas for the Rohirrim already and need to work out how their most famed horses fit in. Another alien species?

Yes, it's said they are basically the creatures of Oromë. How do you handle "normal" horses? How about just some sort of intelligent carriers (vehicles)? Or is everything you make still more of the "organic" type? You could just make them similar to your Eagles, of course (the basic idea behind it is the same - clever animals specifically "made" by/for one of the Valar).

Are there any canon descriptions of the Havens of Umbar? The harbor must be deep and wide enough to stage a fleet of warships, and there are presumably extensive quays, upon which Aragorn as Thorongil fights the Corsair captain. A poster over on LJ mentioned that there's a white pillar with a shining crystal globe set at the top--a sort of lighthouse, I guess? I admit I've never heard of any such thing. Is this maybe referenced in The Silmarillion ("Akallabêth"?), HOME, or elsewhere, like Tolkien's letters?

Aragorn does not fight the Corsairs in Umbar, he fights at the Mouths of the Anduin, in Pelargir. Umbar is much, much more south from there, but it used to be the greatest Númenorean port there. There is supposed to be the pillar with the shining globe - it is not really a lighthouse, but it's a monument build by Ar-Pharazon to mark the victory over Sauron (sort of boastful thing, since we know how the captive Sauron managed to corrupt the rest of the Númenoreans and that was the end of it). I think it's mentioned either in Akallabeth (in fact, pretty sure it's there) or in the Unfinished Tales, or both.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Yeade

Thanks for all the information, Nerwen, Galadriel55, and Legate of Amon Lanc! I really appreciate the help!

Though the Elves clearly journeyed across the other known lands of Middle-earth in addition to Beleriand on their way from Cuiviénen to Aman, I'm afraid that's just not going to be possible in my sci-fi adaptation. I've got my heart set on the Valar being the source of the general technological upgrade, which in turn means nobody can take off as interplanetary explorers until the Noldor return in pursuit of Melkor and their scientific knowledge has a chance to disseminate.

What about having the Valar provide the Elves with a sort of movable habitat, maybe a hollowed-out asteroid, in which to make the journey? It would be more-or-less an equivalent to the island on which they're towed across the ocean in The Silmarillion- and then it could remain in orbit around Planet Aman (or whatever you have in mind) as Tol Eressea, the Lonely Asteroid.

A poster over on LJ mentioned that there's a white pillar with a shining crystal globe set at the top--a sort of lighthouse, I guess? I admit I've never heard of any such thing. Is this maybe referenced in The Silmarillion ("Akallabêth"?), HOME, or elsewhere, like Tolkien's letters?

It's mentioned in the Lord of the Rings Appendices (for real- though I feel saying that is becoming a bit of a joke).

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Aragorn does not fight the Corsairs in Umbar, he fights at the Mouths of the Anduin, in Pelargir. Umbar is much, much more south from there, but it used to be the greatest Númenorean port there.

Ah, but he does fight the Corsairs in Umbar at a different time. It's one of my favourite Appendix stories (and unlike some others *coughPJandcocough* I can actually provide a quotation):

At last [Aragorn/Thorongil] got leave of the Steward and gathered a small fleet, and he came to Umbar unlooked for by night, and there burned a great part of the ships of the Corsairs. He himself overthrew the Captain of the Haven in battle upon the quays, and then withdrew his fleet with small loss.

[Yeade]

Yeah, I was referring to Aragorn's exploits in Umbar as Thorongil, Legate of Amon Lanc. Which is one of my favorite stories from the appendices, too, Galadriel55! Tolkien intended to write more of Aragorn's time in Rohan and Gondor, IIRC, but either never got around to it or misplaced whatever he managed to finish. Ah, well! I suppose that's what fanfic's for!

At any rate, thanks for explaining Ar-Pharazôn's monument. I'll look it up in the appendices and try to incorporate it whenever I finally start on Umbar, since it's apparently one of the very few descriptions given of the Corsair port. Though, recently, I had a sudden brainwave and realized I don't yet have any underwater cities in this AU. That's kind of a sci-fi tradition, along with all the planets and moons that rather improbably have only a single habitat, lol. Having a submersible base and vessels is a pretty good way for the Corsairs to both elude the Gondorian navy and launch surprise raids on the southern fiefs, IMO.

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

How do you handle "normal" horses? How about just some sort of intelligent carriers (vehicles)?

With the general technological upgrade, the Rohirrim can't very well ride horses into battle, true. As an alternative, I'm thinking speeder bikes, which you can see in action in Genndy Tartakovsky's awesome animated microseries Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003). Swoops are basically the sci-fi equivalent of cavalry, I figure, with similar speed and mobility compared to infantry, artillery, and more heavily armored vehicles. They're often employed as scouts, too, and would naturally be in the vanguard of an army or screening the flanks of a force on the march.

However, I also feel the Rohirrim are too associated with horses to do away with the animals entirely, so horses still exist in their familiar forms, native to Rohan. I'm now developing the notion that, as you propose, the Rohirrim's speeder bikes are intelligent and that this AI is partly derived from some sort of digital imprinting process done on their prized horses, which copies or even transfers intact the animal's consciousness with all the instincts and training. The Rohirrim can then retain their canon status as horse masters, with their children and soldiers learning how to ride horses so as to better understand how the AI in their most critical technologies would react to stimuli. Being programs, though intricately complex, the AI can be uploaded from the swoops to starfighters, as well.

Perhaps the adaptation loss I regret most here is that, when Théoden arrives to relieve the siege of Minas Tirith, there's no euphonious "Ride of the Rohirrim." 'Cause, you know, the Rohirrim are flying about in spaceships and all.

Originally Posted by Nerwen

What about having the Valar provide the Elves with a sort of movable habitat, maybe a hollowed out asteroid, in which to make the journey? It would be more or less an equivalent to the island on which they're towed across the ocean in The Silmarillion - and then it could remain in orbit around Planet Aman (or whatever you have in mind) as Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Asteroid.

LOL! What a great idea! I hadn't really thought past the Valar sending spaceships with hyperdrives. I do already have hollowed out asteroids in Rivendell (and Moria), though, so maybe just an impressively large starbase? Not so cramped and utilitarian as a spacestation but housing a giant terrarium and many other airy structures. The massive construction isn't the fastest thing in space, lol, and there's a delay in disembarking the Vanyar and Noldor when they reach Aman, then resupplying, so it takes a while before Ulmo can return to Beleriand for the Teleri. I like it! Headcanon accepted!

I'm redrawing the Two Trees, being most dissatisfied with my first attempt, so that picture's going to be unavailable except at deviantART for now. Mount Doom is already conceptualized--I decided relatively early on how Frodo's quest would end--but I've yet to put marker to paper. In the meanwhile, I'm so very happy to be able to discuss my crazy project with folks here! It's been informative and inspiring.