![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
OOC Information:
Name: Ardruna
Are you over 15? Absolutely.
Contact: AIM: Mirisa Erato,![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
Ardruna email: ardruna@gmail.com, PM to this journal also permitted!
Current characters in the game: Isabela (Dragon Age)
IC Information:
Name: Celebrían; Full reincarnated name is Ariana Regina West.
Canon and medium: Middle-earth/Tolkienverse. Primarily is seen in the Unfinished Tales, but briefly mentioned in Lord of the Rings.
Age: Difficult to define. Her birthdate is never specified, but can be estimated between 350 and 400 of the Second Age, and she drops out of the story after 2510 in the Third Age (a little shy of being 5,600, give or take a few decades), some 500 years-ish before Lord of the Rings. By the end of the LotR trilogy, she'd be roughly 6,100 years old. In her modern incarnation, she is a very-well-preserved 51.
Preincarnation Species: Elf (Eldar, as they call themselves), specifically half-Noldor and half-Sindar, but with some Teleri and Vanyarin bloodlines in her as well.
Preincarnation Appearance: Celebrían's appearance is never actually described by Tolkien, and so must be inferred from various clues and knowledge about her, and those who are her kin. Celebrían is descended from the Noldor on the side of her mother, Galadriel, and the Sindar on the side of her father, Celeborn.
By human standards, she is a creature of surpassing, even haunting, loveliness and grace, as are most Elves of Middle-Earth. Even among her own people, she would be considered a fine beauty, especially seeing as both her mother and daughter are said to be among the fairest women in all of Middle-Earth by the end of the Third Age.
The Noldor, in particular those with Vanyarin blood (most prominently, the House of Finarfin, who was Celebrían's grandfather), are noted for being tall, strong and fair (in fact, Galadriel was so tall that her mother-name translates to "Man-maiden"), and it is likely that the same is true of Celebrían, with pale skin, eyes of grey, and a slender, willowy frame with statuesque height. Although an exact height is never given for her, she is likely at least six feet tall.
Although Galadriel and Amroth (who, for our purposes, is her brother) are both said to have hair of gold, unique among the Noldor to the descendants of Finarfin, Celebrían's is presumed to be silver-blonde. Her name is literally translated as "silver crown-gift," or "silver queen," in Sindarin, and since she was not born to rule (though she is of noble birth), her name is most likely derived from her hair color, which she inherited from her father. She wears it long, usually at least partially fastened back.
She was kidnapped, imprisoned, tortured and wounded by Orcs (including a poisoned wound that could never fully heal so long as she remained in Arda), and though Elrond did his best to heal her, she still bears the scars from the ordeal, mainly on her limbs and torso.
Chosen PB is (a Photoshopped) Catherine McCormack.
Any differences: Her ears are not so pointed these days. Her hair, which began as silver-blonde and began to grey in her 20s, is now almost entirely silver-grey, but is closer to the color of a normal woman in her maturity, thusly lacking some of the lustre she had as an Elf. Though she could pass for being considerably younger than her current years, she is not entirely ageless, and it's obvious she's no longer a carefree twentysomething.
Starting Location: Locke City.
Preincarnated History:
Wiki up, loves.
As very little is actually mentioned of Celebrían, we must draw her history from a variety of complex and sometimes contradictory sources to paint the clearest picture of her experiences. Since much of this canon is not fully settled (called "Unfinished Tales" for a reason!), it may be open to interpretation in places.
The time and place of Celebrían's birth are not specified, but it is referenced in the Unfinished Tales that Galadriel and Celeborn's first child, listed originally as a son named Amroth, was born at some point between the years 350 and 400 of the Second Age during their sojourn near Lake Nenuial in Eriador (not far east from what would later be known as the Shire). Whether Amroth and Celebrían were twins, or if her birth came later in Eregion, or possibly even later still in Lórien, is unclear. Later versions give Amroth a different parentage, however, and since someone was born to them at this time, if it is not him (though in my interpretation of the canon, the two are, in fact, twins), then this date and place of birth must be hers.
Celebrían and her family came to Eregion proper from Eriador around the year 700 of the Second Age, and stayed there for quite some time, presumably building and subsequently residing in the city of Ost-in-Edhil by SA 750, with her parents serving as its rulers. While residing in Eregion, they enjoyed a robust trade with the Dwarves of nearby Khazad-dûm, exchanging a number of finely-wrought crafts and knowledge, which Galadriel welcomed, both as one of the Noldor (said to be of similar mind with the Dwarves, with a natural sympathy with their minds and passionate love of crafting) and having known the Dwarves on East Lindon who had transferred their power to Khazad-dûm. As one of the Sindar, Celeborn, however, had no love for Dwarves of any kind, never forgiving the part of their race in the destruction of his homeland, Doriath. It was also during this time that Celebrimbor, the famed "Silverhand" and renowned Noldor craftsman, forged the Rings of Power, along with the help of a mysterious man who called himself Annatar ("Lord of Gifts") and claimed to be an emissary of Aulë. Only the three Elven rings--Nenya, Vilya and Narya--were created solely by Celebrimbor without the aid of Annatar, later revealed to be Sauron, and so they remained untainted. One, Nenya, the Adamant White Ring of Water, was given to Celebrían's mother, Galadriel. However, with the creation of the Rings of Power, Sauron's influence in Eregion grew, causing disquiet to Celeborn and Galadriel, until they willingly ceded Eregion's leadership to Celebrimbor approximately around 1350 in the Second Age and brought their family into the valley of Lórinand, later to be better remembered as Lothlórien.
It is in regard to Lothlórien that the history becomes difficult to follow. Galadriel (and possibly Celeborn) is said to have had contact with its people as early as SA 1200 through her connections with the Dwarves of Moria, but with precisely whom she spoke is unclear. The area had been settled during the First Age by the Nandor Elves, the forerunners to the Silvan Elves which populated the great Woodland Realm, which included everything from the northern Greenwood to southern Lothlórien. Later during the First Age and early Second Age would come the Sindar Elves, many fleeing from the destruction of Doriath, including Oropher, the father of Thranduil, whom the Silvan accepted as their king and Lord of the Woodland Realm. Later-written stories also say that an Elf named Amdír, a prince of Doriath (just as Celeborn was), became the king of Lothlórien and was named as the father of Amroth by an unknown mother. Yet, it is also written that when Celeborn, Galadriel and their family arrived in Lothlórien, Oropher was displeased by their intrusion into the area, which makes little sense if Amdír was already in place as the king of Lothlórien. For our purposes, we are assuming Galadriel's contact with Lothlórien was with the local Nandor/Silvan residents and still part of the Oropher's holdings until their arrival in SA 1350, at which point Galadriel and Celeborn became the rulers of the valley. It's most likely that Amdír is a close kinsman to Celeborn among the Galadhrim and granted regency over Lothlórien until Amroth was of an age to rule on his own, although his name does not appear on the lineages of Doriath's royal houses.
As Celebrían's parents became the leaders of Lothlórien, a feat made easier by Oropher drawing his power further northward and away from the valley in response to increasing threat by enemy forces, including the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, there is no mention of them returning to Eregion for over 300 years. Yet, in SA 1693, having realized Annatar/Sauron's treachery in forging the One Ring, Celebrimbor begins his revolt, leading to the War of Elves and Sauron and the Invasion of Eriador. While Celeborn led a sortie into battle and fought alongside both Elrond Half-Elven and Celebrimbor (who would be slain during the conflict in SA 1697), presumably leaving Amroth in charge otherwise until he arrived with additional forces and Amdír the regency, Galadriel and Celebrían are said to have fled Eregion through Khazad-dûm and the Mines of Moria into Lothlórien... even though they'd been living there all that time already. The likely explanation is that, while the battles raged, Galadriel and Celebrían came to the aid of their people by helping the civilian population flee Eregion for the safety of the valley.
It was also in SA 1697 that Elrond, having escaped the siege when his forces were decimated by Sauron's army, was forced northward and established a refuge and stronghold at Imladris (a.k.a. Rivendell). It is not entirely clear whether Celeborn, Galadriel or Celebrían were present for the actual founding of Imladris, but it seems that Celeborn, having refused to enter Moria to escape back to Lothlórien, may have headed north following the aftermath of the war, since in SA 1701 Galadriel and Celebrían came to Imladris seeking him (again leaving Amroth and Amdír in charge back home) and evidently found him there. This was the first meeting of Elrond and Celebrían, and while sources say he loved her from that very moment, Elrond said nothing of his feelings to either Celebrían or her parents. Rather, his attentions were occupied by the first meeting of the White Council (which likely included Celeborn, Galadriel and Celebrían all), which determined that Eregion would be abandoned in favor of maintaining a stronghold in Imladris, and his receipt of Vilya, the Sapphire Blue Ring of Air, from Gil-galad, who also named Elrond his vice-regent of Eriador.
For many years following the Council meeting, Celeborn, Galadriel and Celebrían continued to reside in Imladris (though not once did Elrond admit his love during this time). At an unspecified date later, because Galadriel's sea-longing had become so intense, Celebrían and her parents departed from Imladris and went to the sparsely-inhabited lands between the mouth of the Gwathló and Ethir Anduin, dwelling by the shore in Belfalas at the place that would later be called Dol Amroth, in honor of Celebrían's brother. Amroth often visited them there, along with a large company of Nandorin Elves from Lothlórien. Although it is said they made at least two return visits to Lothlórien prior to the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and late in the Second Age, and Celeborn joined in the Last Alliance along with Elrond, Oropher and Thranduil to battle the forces of Sauron in the Battle of Dagorlad (some references also say that Amdír, also called Malgalad, was slain in this battle, and without Celeborn stepping in, since he returned to Belfalas afterward, thereby passed the crown to Amroth), Celebrían never did return to a permanent residence in Lothlórien. Her parents only did so following Amroth's death by drowning in the year 1981 of the Third Age.
After Sauron's forces were defeated at the end of the Second Age and happier times came to Middle-Earth, Elrond finally was in a position to confess his love to Celebrían after nearly 2,000 years of silence on the matter. The couple was wed at Imladris in the year 109 of the Third Age. 21 years later, Celebrían bore Elrond twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir in TA 130, and a daughter, Arwen Undómiel, in TA 241. They led a happy, peaceful life there for many years, protected by the power of Vilya.
However, it seemed that Celebrían continued to travel at regular intervals to visit her family, usually with nothing more than a small entourage. In TA 2509, she was making one such journey to Lothlórien when she was waylaid by Orcs in the pass at Caradhras, and subsequently kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured, even to the extent of receiving a poisoned wound. Precisely where she was held, for how long, and why is never stated. The most likely reason is that those serving the Enemy were trying to use her to obtain information regarding the Elves and their strengths and weaknesses, though it does not seem that Celebrían ever gave them any information that could be used against her people. Nor is it said how they managed to find her, but she was rescued by her twin sons and brought back to Imladris. Although Elrond was able to heal the vast majority of her physical wounds, he could not undo the psychological trauma she endured, nor entirely rid her of the poison. Celebrían continued to suffer, no longer able to find any joy in Middle-Earth, despite her love for her family. Within a year, in TA 2510, she chose to go into the west and sail for the Undying Lands of Valinor to seek healing and peace. Many centuries later, she would eventually be reunited there with her parents, husband and sons, but as Arwen chose to remain in Middle-Earth as the mortal bride and queen of Aragorn, Celebrían was forever sundered from her daughter.
Reincarnated History: In the late 1950s, a young American soldier named Casper Elric met a young Englishwoman named Gloria Ford while on leave, and the two soon fell in love and were married. On December 8, 1962, their daughter, Ariana Regina Elric (and her twin brother, Amory) was born on an American military base in Germany, making her technically an American citizen, if not actually having been to the United States proper. As an Army brat, she moved around frequently, but this didn't bother her terribly much as she was fascinated by the different cultures and languages she encountered, absorbing as much as she could wherever she went. Despite her father's chosen career, both her parents came from wealthy families, so no matter how far and wide they went, there was always enough money to see the rest of the family for special occasions.
So enamoured was she with seeing history unfold before her eyes in different parts of the world, that she decided she wanted to help capture it, and when she went off to college at an American institution, she studied many things (history, language, literature, political science, music, etc.) but ultimately earned her degree in journalism. It was also around this time that she met a young man named Leroy West. Although they were very fond of each other during their college days, it wasn't until several years after they met that Leroy finally got up the nerve to propose to her. Ariana said yes, and the couple married in 1989. Two years later, they welcomed twin boys, Evan and Eric. The year after that, a daughter, Amanda, was born.
Meanwhile, Ariana continued working in journalism, first for local newspapers, and among her early assignments, she helped report on (and thusly promote) the charitable activities of young Teagan O'Reynne, recently graduated from college, whose family had known hers for many years. In return, he used his and his family's influence to connect her with better career opportunities, and steadily she worked her way up to more and more prestigious assignments in magazines, eventually earning her way to covering stories on an international scale. True, the assignments and travel sometimes took her far and wide from her family, but Ariana loved her work. When war broke out following the events of September 11th, Ariana was among those who helped document its course. The assignments were important, but became increasingly dangerous for a Western woman in an unstable region. Ariana tried not to stay any longer than necessary to get her stories, but her family often worried for her, and for good reason.
Then came an assignment that was to take her into Afghanistan for a few weeks. But Ariana didn't come home. While riding with some American soldiers to one of the base locations, they were attacked. A land mine went off nearby, killing a handful of the soldiers she was with. Ariana survived the blast, but still received shrapnel wounds from the explosion, along with some fortunately relatively minor damage to her hearing. In the resulting chaos, Ariana was kidnapped by enemy forces along with some of the other surviving soldiers, and taken to an unknown location in the mountains surrounding the region. where she was imprisoned. But, no one knew where she was, and she was presumed killed in the attack. The reality was actually far worse. She was subjugated to interrogation, humiliation and even outright torture, and did not receive proper care for her injuries.
Years passed, and all the while, Ariana was trapped in her own personal hell. Having no proof to the contrary, her family had her declared legally dead seven years after her disappearance. Yet, unbeknownst to them, Ariana was tough, and survived, though she never knew why she wasn't outright killed. Finally, luck came through. Eight years after the original attack, a contingent of British soldiers in the region found the prison where she and the few remaining other American soldiers had been held, and rescued them. Injured, malnourished, and traumatized, Ariana was in bad shape, and spent a considerable time hospitalized while the doctors did their best to fix her back up, though it is possible that some tiny bits of shrapnel still remain in her body. But by the time she was released, Ariana discovered she'd lost much more than she'd realized.
Of course, she tried to reunite with her husband and children, but they had already grieved her and tried to move on with their lives. By now, her kids had all graduated high school and moved off to college themselves, and her marriage no longer existed. Although Leroy had never remarried, reuniting with Ariana after so long was difficult for him. She had changed from the vivacious woman he had married, and she refused to talk about what she had been through, which only made things harder. Despite their best efforts, they just couldn't make things work again. Her children were slightly more welcoming to their mother, but found it difficult to reconnect with her, and contact steadily dwindled. She did learn her sons had considered entering the military themselves in hopes they'd be able to take revenge on her captors, but their father had dissuaded them from doing so.
With no marriage, no kids nearby and no work, Ariana decided to try and start fresh. She had a cousin through her mother's side, Jonathan Gabriel Ford (serendipitously better known professionally as Gabriel West), who had moved to Locke City in the early 2000s, and, upon being initially contacted by her, was sympathetic to her situation and offered to let her stay with him while she got back on her feet again. A few months later, Ariana arrived quietly in Locke City in early March of 2014, but was nervous about rushing to reunite with her cousin again, and instead checked into a hotel at first, not far from the business district. But, in the wake of the snake attacks, she's decided she'd best stick with the safety of someone familiar and is now seeking him out and hoping to find additional help in regaining a normal life.
First Echo: [Tier 2, prompted by Wise Snake] The appearance of the Really Big Snake not far from where she was staying prompted her to want to seek out the safety of her cousin, and triggered the memory of an Elven safe haven in a hidden valley (a.k.a Imladris, better known as Rivendell), and along with a string of numbers in her head, also granted her an elegant set of pointed ears, easily hidden by her long hair. (Tier 2, memory + physical, residing in Imladris and elf ears. Because Elves founded it and live there.)
Preincarnation Personality: Again, Tolkien doesn't give us any direct insight into her personality or behavior, so we have to infer from what we do know about her nature. In other words, this is pretty much all headcanon based on the available clues.
The Noldor were a proud, restless and ambitious people, and indeed, all the descendants of Finwë save Finarfin himself were said to be "proud, strong and selfwilled." Celebrían's mother, Galadriel, was a particularly prominent example of the pride and willfulness of the Noldor, though she was also tempered by the gentleness and insight of the Vanyar, the fairest of the High Elves, and whose bloodline was passed down through the marriage of Finwë and his Vanyar bride Indis, the mother of Finarfin and Fingolfin. It is sure that these traits have been inherited by Celebrían as well. She travels a great deal with her family in her youth, and in her adulthood seems to travel regularly between Imladris and Lothlórien, seemingly proof of her natural restlessness. The fact that, even after a great deal of fear, torture, torment and injury at the hands of the Orcs, she continues to survive and chooses to sail westward to be healed rather than succumb to her pain and grief and eventually go to the Halls of Mandos (where dead Elves go to await their final fate) speaks of her immense force of will and inner strength. Although she is well-mannered, ladylike, gracious and demure when appropriate, Celebrían is often willful and determined, with twin streaks of stubbornness and independence. She may come across at times as being haughty or arrogant in her own way, and she does not take kindly to having her pride injured.
The Noldor were the finest craftsmen among the Elves, and easily as fond of their craft and the materials required for it as any of the Dwarves, giving them a certain predisposition to greed. Celebrían, too, has no small love for items of great beauty and fine wrought. She enjoys luxury where she can find it, and rarely goes without adornment in some fashion. But the Noldor did not limit their craft strictly to the workings of metal and jewels--they were known as the Deep Elves for their passion for knowledge of smithing, warfare, lorecraft and language and everything else and that "great became their knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers. They were changeful in speech, for they had great love of words, and sought ever to find names more fit for all things they knew or imagined," but also that "they needed room to quarrel in." Thus, Celebrían, like her forebears, is an intelligent, clever and logical woman, wise in many ways, curious about a number of subjects, and deeply fond of reading, history, culture and scholarship. She can also be competitive under the right circumstances, and, if sufficiently provoked, become argumentative or even exhibit flashes of sharp temper.
While all Eldar have a deep fondness and respect for the natural world, the Noldor, far more than any other of their Elven brethren, enjoyed the building of true cities--Celebrían even spent much of her youth in one: the Eregion capital of Ost-in-Edhil. As much as she loves the great outdoors, Celebrían genuinely enjoys the comforts of a more urban lifestyle. Also, having passed twice through Moria and been treated to Dwarven hospitality and spent the majority of her life residing in Imladris, where virtually everyone is welcome regardless of race or class, she is also much more tolerant of non-Elves than many of her kind.
But let us not forget that she is half-Sindar as well. While perhaps not as wise as their Calaquendi cousins, the Sindar had a rich and thriving culture of their own. They were especially renowned for their love of music, and Celebrían, too, has a deep fondness for music, dance, and similar cultural pursuits. The fact that Rivendell is often described as having music in it is likely due to her influence, even after her parting from Middle-Earth.
For much of her life, Celebrían was a vibrant, spirited, fearless woman, with little caution for her own well-being. She was fiercely loyal and protective of her people and her family. All of that changed when she was ambushed and abducted by the Orcs. Although the precise nature of the horrors she endured are largely a mystery, the experience was deeply traumatizing for her, and left as many mental and emotional scars on her as physical ones. Prior to arriving in Valinor, she has kept her elegance and dignity and thus tried to keep a stiff upper lip about it, but suffered constantly in both body and soul. The poison's effects were not strong enough to kill her in the end, but it was difficult for her to find joy in the world around her while she continued to be in pain, and she was prone to withdrawal, melancholy and general moodiness. If startled or caught by surprise, she may have flashbacks to her attack and reflexively lash out. She does not like to talk about her ordeal, as it brings back too many horrific memories, and will try to dismiss inquiries unless it is important for someone else to be aware of the nature of her injuries. Pressing her on the subject is likely to cause her to snap at the querent. Not until she reached the blessed shores was she able to find respite from her suffering and know joy again, though she remained haunted by what she endured and missed her loved ones terribly until they were ultimately reunited. She would always grieve the loss of Arwen, however.
It is worth noting that the Eldar mate for life. Celebrían's love and loyalty for her beloved is absolute and unbreakable. She may take pleasure or comfort in the company of others, but so tightly bound is her heart, that her affection will always be strictly platonic for anyone who is not her husband, regardless of the circumstances. Otherwise, she does her best to be polite, diplomatic and hospitable, showing kindness and generosity to those who deserve it. Those she does not feel she can trust, however, will be met with chilly aloofness.
Any differences: While Celebrían was largely shielded from the horrors of war and revolution, remaining in safe havens far from the battle sites, except for when she came to the rescue of her people during the War of Elves and Sauron and her own suffering at the hands of the Orcs, Ariana has seen them up close and personal, and it has affected her deeply. She is a staunch advocate for peaceful negotiation and cultural sensitivity.
As an Elf, sleep was not something she required, and so never suffered from bad dreams or disrupted sleep/wake cycles. As a human, she is prone to nightmares, night terrors, and waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being attacked or hurt. And if that weren't enough fun, she is periodically plagued by insomnia.
Though Celebrían lost her brother due to his drowning, Ariana's brother still lives in Europe. Although contact between them is sporadic, it is one less tragedy that Ariana has had to endure along with everything else, and even if contact tends to be spotty, it does bring her a measure of comfort.
While the Eldar are normally very strict about their marriage customs and sexual mores, determining that, with extremely rare exception, there is no sex outside of marriage, no divorce, and no remarriage even in the event of spousal death, Ariana is somewhat more flexible. Although she disapproves of intimacy outside of a firmly-committed relationship, she recognizes that divorce is a reality and might be open to dating again or even remarriage if the right person came along.
Abilities: The short answer is, we don't fully know. Tolkien never says anything about her skills or talents one way or another, and so we must conjecture what they might be through cultural inference. So, yeah, by virtue of not having anything established in the source material specific to her, this is all headcanon here.
Like all the Eldar, she is ageless and immortal, already over 5,000 years old by the time she sails westward. She possesses the great vitality of her kind, which renders her body hardy and resistant to many physical injuries (for example, light shoes being enough to protect her feet from rocks or the freezing cold of snow) as well as toxins, hunger or thirst, and a tirelessness well beyond that of a human--like other Elves, she is light of foot, can travel long distances without leaving tracks, and can walk lightly across snow where the boots of Men would sink. She doesn't require sleep, but is able to enter a waking meditative state to regain her strength and vigor, which she can do even while walking or riding. However, it is possible for her to be slain by weapons (though the Elves can generally heal from most wounds that would kill mortal Men due to their natural resilience) or to die from wasting away (some Elves in the First Age living near Angband died from a wasting disease, for instance) or the loss of will to live.
She possesses the keen senses of her people, with extremely sharp vision and hearing, and a superhuman ability to perceive the things around her. It is likely, though unconfirmed, that Celebrían may possess a gift of insight even beyond that of most Elves, inherited in a lesser form from that of her mother, which enables her to intuitively understand (if not actually "read") the minds, hearts and intentions of those around her, and maybe be able to communicate brief messages to others through telepathy. She also would have a preternatural sense of the presence of dark creatures in her vicinity (These seem to be traits common to those of Noldor descent). As the child of two very old and powerful Elves, one Noldor and one Sindar, she may have further talent for so-called "elf-magic," but it is unclear what it would be. Such a talent would be limited only to herself and her immediate surroundings, however.
She does a great deal of cross-country traveling throughout her life, we presume on horseback generally, so she is almost certainly an excellent and swift rider.
Being of Noldor descent, she likely has some crafting skill of her own, though this would be limited to traditionally feminine arts, such as weaving and sewing. But, also as a Noldor scion, she likely possesses the ability to imbue her crafts with subtle magic, such as making a cloak that might keep out the sight of unfriendly eyes. Tolkien states that history and "all matters of kinship and descent" are held by the Noldor women, almost certainly including Celebrían. It is also likely that she possesses the knowledge to make lembas, as was probably taught to her by her mother, who learned it directly from Yavanna, but otherwise has only basic cooking skills (as everyday cooking is evidently a skill set more in the provenance of the male Noldor, although the preparation of lembas is exclusively female).
Although language study appears to be a more traditionally-male skill, she is almost certainly proficient in Sindarin, Quenya and the Common Tongue.
Her Sindar heritage indicates she likely is an accomplished singer, musician and dancer.
Elvish healing is said to be without parallel in Middle-Earth, and Celebrían's husband, Elrond, was exceptionally gifted in the healing arts and may have taught her some skill. It is also stated in the Laws and Customs of the Eldar that healing is a traditionally feminine skill set, so she is likely an accomplished healer in her own right.
Celebrían is not a warrior by any means, but she probably knows some rudimentary techniques of how to defend herself, either unarmed or with a small blade.
Roleplay Sample - Third Person: No more tears. Those were Celebrían's last words in Middle-Earth. It seemed to her that the last year had been nothing but tears and shadows. While a single year meant little to one of the Eldar, it was more than long enough to dwell in darkness and despair. She pressed at the knot of athelas bound tight against the wound that would not heal, trying to draw the poison from her blood. It still burned in her veins with a dark corruption that felt as if it left oil and ice in the wake of the flames, and she remembered too well the cold metal biting into her pale flesh in a starless dark.
Elrond had asked her not to go. Pleaded. Begged her. His foresight had warned of dangers on her path, but she had simply laughed and assured him that her horse was faster than any Orc mount, and promised she would return before the anniversary of their marriage day. The call back to Lothlórien had been too great to resist. She never made it that time. It was a sharp pain in her heart to think that she would never lay eyes on the golden wood again.
Celebrían could not remember how many times she had cried out in the darkness. A hundred? A thousand? A hundred thousand? But they had been answered. Her sons had come, their fury unmatched against the Orcs until the last one lay dead, and they bore her home. Her promise was kept--they arrived in Imladris on the very day she had taken Elrond as her lord husband precisely 2,400 years before. It should have been a day for merriment and celebration. But on that day there was no laughter, no music. No cherished memories, nor sweet kisses under the starlight. Just pain, and poison, and blood, and laments... and tears. So many tears. Tears she could not stop. Tears that seemed to blot out the light of sun and moon, and every star until she could only see the darkness, and sorely did she grieve that loss. They had tried so hard. Her sons had sung songs of healing. Arwen did what she could by the grace of the Evenstar. And Elrond, her beloved Elrond, who stayed with her day and night, who lent her his strength even when she felt sure he had none left to give, he had tried everything within his power. The loving touches of his hands, the soothing cadences of his voice were for the first time hers in sorrow rather than joy. And try though he might, he could not bring the light back to her as he hoped, which pained her surely as much as it did him. Too well, she remembered the grief in his eyes, watching her fade from him, the fear that he might lose her to Mandos.
Celebrían could not let that happen. If she fell to the Halls of Mandos, too soon might he follow her, and this Age, nor any Age, was not one for him to perish. So, she had fought. Fought the poison, clawed for the light to come back into her life, but she did not have the strength to win. There was but one hope left to cure her, but she could not have it in Arda. She would have to sail into the west to find the healing she so desperately needed.
And so, they had come to the western shores, all of them, to see her off. Celebrían received tight embraces from Elladan and Elrohir, both saying they wished she didn't have to leave, but understanding why she could not stay. No more tears, she had instructed them. Sweet Arwen, with her eyes great and round had whispered a last goodbye and sang one last song with quivering lips. No more tears, she had said to her daughter, brushing away one crystalline drop from Arwen's pale cheek. And lastly, Elrond. Already there seemed a hollowness in him, a void left in his soul where she could no longer stay with him. His touch lingered, not willing, not ready to let her go, and he bowed his head in sorrow as she sang him her final farewell, a song as bittersweet as the last of a swan. She granted her beloved one last kiss, a promised him that when a star shone upon the moment they would be reunited at last on the distant shores, there would be no more tears.
As the ship sailed westward and Arda faded from her sight, Celebrían thought perhaps she saw once again a star, faintly shining in the sky.
Roleplay Sample - Network: [She looks a little dubiously into the screen. She's a lovely woman, with a slight familial resemblance to the person she's trying to get in touch with.]
Excuse me, hello. My name is Ariana West. I'm trying to get in touch with my cousin. You may know him as Gabriel West? Cousin, if you're seeing this, kindly get back to me so we can meet up.
As for anyone else, I would so appreciate your help in telling me where I might find him.
In an unrelated matter... I seem to be experiencing some rather unusual physical changes... [She tucks her silvery hair behind her ear, revealing a newly-acquired point.] By chance could someone recommend a physician, or anyone really, who might be able to explain it?
Thank you kindly.
Any Questions? Not from my end, but I do solemnly swear that I have worked out the CR connections in advance with the other members of the Middle-earth cast and have received their approval. I also promise to treat the admittedly-ghastly aspects of her backstory with delicacy and respect and not force them on any other players. It's not a subject Ariana will want to revisit or share in any detail, unless to a licensed health professional for treatment purposes or otherwise on a need-to-know basis.
Name: Ardruna
Are you over 15? Absolutely.
Contact: AIM: Mirisa Erato,
Current characters in the game: Isabela (Dragon Age)
IC Information:
Name: Celebrían; Full reincarnated name is Ariana Regina West.
Canon and medium: Middle-earth/Tolkienverse. Primarily is seen in the Unfinished Tales, but briefly mentioned in Lord of the Rings.
Age: Difficult to define. Her birthdate is never specified, but can be estimated between 350 and 400 of the Second Age, and she drops out of the story after 2510 in the Third Age (a little shy of being 5,600, give or take a few decades), some 500 years-ish before Lord of the Rings. By the end of the LotR trilogy, she'd be roughly 6,100 years old. In her modern incarnation, she is a very-well-preserved 51.
Preincarnation Species: Elf (Eldar, as they call themselves), specifically half-Noldor and half-Sindar, but with some Teleri and Vanyarin bloodlines in her as well.
Preincarnation Appearance: Celebrían's appearance is never actually described by Tolkien, and so must be inferred from various clues and knowledge about her, and those who are her kin. Celebrían is descended from the Noldor on the side of her mother, Galadriel, and the Sindar on the side of her father, Celeborn.
By human standards, she is a creature of surpassing, even haunting, loveliness and grace, as are most Elves of Middle-Earth. Even among her own people, she would be considered a fine beauty, especially seeing as both her mother and daughter are said to be among the fairest women in all of Middle-Earth by the end of the Third Age.
The Noldor, in particular those with Vanyarin blood (most prominently, the House of Finarfin, who was Celebrían's grandfather), are noted for being tall, strong and fair (in fact, Galadriel was so tall that her mother-name translates to "Man-maiden"), and it is likely that the same is true of Celebrían, with pale skin, eyes of grey, and a slender, willowy frame with statuesque height. Although an exact height is never given for her, she is likely at least six feet tall.
Although Galadriel and Amroth (who, for our purposes, is her brother) are both said to have hair of gold, unique among the Noldor to the descendants of Finarfin, Celebrían's is presumed to be silver-blonde. Her name is literally translated as "silver crown-gift," or "silver queen," in Sindarin, and since she was not born to rule (though she is of noble birth), her name is most likely derived from her hair color, which she inherited from her father. She wears it long, usually at least partially fastened back.
She was kidnapped, imprisoned, tortured and wounded by Orcs (including a poisoned wound that could never fully heal so long as she remained in Arda), and though Elrond did his best to heal her, she still bears the scars from the ordeal, mainly on her limbs and torso.
Chosen PB is (a Photoshopped) Catherine McCormack.
Any differences: Her ears are not so pointed these days. Her hair, which began as silver-blonde and began to grey in her 20s, is now almost entirely silver-grey, but is closer to the color of a normal woman in her maturity, thusly lacking some of the lustre she had as an Elf. Though she could pass for being considerably younger than her current years, she is not entirely ageless, and it's obvious she's no longer a carefree twentysomething.
Starting Location: Locke City.
Preincarnated History:
Wiki up, loves.
As very little is actually mentioned of Celebrían, we must draw her history from a variety of complex and sometimes contradictory sources to paint the clearest picture of her experiences. Since much of this canon is not fully settled (called "Unfinished Tales" for a reason!), it may be open to interpretation in places.
The time and place of Celebrían's birth are not specified, but it is referenced in the Unfinished Tales that Galadriel and Celeborn's first child, listed originally as a son named Amroth, was born at some point between the years 350 and 400 of the Second Age during their sojourn near Lake Nenuial in Eriador (not far east from what would later be known as the Shire). Whether Amroth and Celebrían were twins, or if her birth came later in Eregion, or possibly even later still in Lórien, is unclear. Later versions give Amroth a different parentage, however, and since someone was born to them at this time, if it is not him (though in my interpretation of the canon, the two are, in fact, twins), then this date and place of birth must be hers.
Celebrían and her family came to Eregion proper from Eriador around the year 700 of the Second Age, and stayed there for quite some time, presumably building and subsequently residing in the city of Ost-in-Edhil by SA 750, with her parents serving as its rulers. While residing in Eregion, they enjoyed a robust trade with the Dwarves of nearby Khazad-dûm, exchanging a number of finely-wrought crafts and knowledge, which Galadriel welcomed, both as one of the Noldor (said to be of similar mind with the Dwarves, with a natural sympathy with their minds and passionate love of crafting) and having known the Dwarves on East Lindon who had transferred their power to Khazad-dûm. As one of the Sindar, Celeborn, however, had no love for Dwarves of any kind, never forgiving the part of their race in the destruction of his homeland, Doriath. It was also during this time that Celebrimbor, the famed "Silverhand" and renowned Noldor craftsman, forged the Rings of Power, along with the help of a mysterious man who called himself Annatar ("Lord of Gifts") and claimed to be an emissary of Aulë. Only the three Elven rings--Nenya, Vilya and Narya--were created solely by Celebrimbor without the aid of Annatar, later revealed to be Sauron, and so they remained untainted. One, Nenya, the Adamant White Ring of Water, was given to Celebrían's mother, Galadriel. However, with the creation of the Rings of Power, Sauron's influence in Eregion grew, causing disquiet to Celeborn and Galadriel, until they willingly ceded Eregion's leadership to Celebrimbor approximately around 1350 in the Second Age and brought their family into the valley of Lórinand, later to be better remembered as Lothlórien.
It is in regard to Lothlórien that the history becomes difficult to follow. Galadriel (and possibly Celeborn) is said to have had contact with its people as early as SA 1200 through her connections with the Dwarves of Moria, but with precisely whom she spoke is unclear. The area had been settled during the First Age by the Nandor Elves, the forerunners to the Silvan Elves which populated the great Woodland Realm, which included everything from the northern Greenwood to southern Lothlórien. Later during the First Age and early Second Age would come the Sindar Elves, many fleeing from the destruction of Doriath, including Oropher, the father of Thranduil, whom the Silvan accepted as their king and Lord of the Woodland Realm. Later-written stories also say that an Elf named Amdír, a prince of Doriath (just as Celeborn was), became the king of Lothlórien and was named as the father of Amroth by an unknown mother. Yet, it is also written that when Celeborn, Galadriel and their family arrived in Lothlórien, Oropher was displeased by their intrusion into the area, which makes little sense if Amdír was already in place as the king of Lothlórien. For our purposes, we are assuming Galadriel's contact with Lothlórien was with the local Nandor/Silvan residents and still part of the Oropher's holdings until their arrival in SA 1350, at which point Galadriel and Celeborn became the rulers of the valley. It's most likely that Amdír is a close kinsman to Celeborn among the Galadhrim and granted regency over Lothlórien until Amroth was of an age to rule on his own, although his name does not appear on the lineages of Doriath's royal houses.
As Celebrían's parents became the leaders of Lothlórien, a feat made easier by Oropher drawing his power further northward and away from the valley in response to increasing threat by enemy forces, including the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm, there is no mention of them returning to Eregion for over 300 years. Yet, in SA 1693, having realized Annatar/Sauron's treachery in forging the One Ring, Celebrimbor begins his revolt, leading to the War of Elves and Sauron and the Invasion of Eriador. While Celeborn led a sortie into battle and fought alongside both Elrond Half-Elven and Celebrimbor (who would be slain during the conflict in SA 1697), presumably leaving Amroth in charge otherwise until he arrived with additional forces and Amdír the regency, Galadriel and Celebrían are said to have fled Eregion through Khazad-dûm and the Mines of Moria into Lothlórien... even though they'd been living there all that time already. The likely explanation is that, while the battles raged, Galadriel and Celebrían came to the aid of their people by helping the civilian population flee Eregion for the safety of the valley.
It was also in SA 1697 that Elrond, having escaped the siege when his forces were decimated by Sauron's army, was forced northward and established a refuge and stronghold at Imladris (a.k.a. Rivendell). It is not entirely clear whether Celeborn, Galadriel or Celebrían were present for the actual founding of Imladris, but it seems that Celeborn, having refused to enter Moria to escape back to Lothlórien, may have headed north following the aftermath of the war, since in SA 1701 Galadriel and Celebrían came to Imladris seeking him (again leaving Amroth and Amdír in charge back home) and evidently found him there. This was the first meeting of Elrond and Celebrían, and while sources say he loved her from that very moment, Elrond said nothing of his feelings to either Celebrían or her parents. Rather, his attentions were occupied by the first meeting of the White Council (which likely included Celeborn, Galadriel and Celebrían all), which determined that Eregion would be abandoned in favor of maintaining a stronghold in Imladris, and his receipt of Vilya, the Sapphire Blue Ring of Air, from Gil-galad, who also named Elrond his vice-regent of Eriador.
For many years following the Council meeting, Celeborn, Galadriel and Celebrían continued to reside in Imladris (though not once did Elrond admit his love during this time). At an unspecified date later, because Galadriel's sea-longing had become so intense, Celebrían and her parents departed from Imladris and went to the sparsely-inhabited lands between the mouth of the Gwathló and Ethir Anduin, dwelling by the shore in Belfalas at the place that would later be called Dol Amroth, in honor of Celebrían's brother. Amroth often visited them there, along with a large company of Nandorin Elves from Lothlórien. Although it is said they made at least two return visits to Lothlórien prior to the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and late in the Second Age, and Celeborn joined in the Last Alliance along with Elrond, Oropher and Thranduil to battle the forces of Sauron in the Battle of Dagorlad (some references also say that Amdír, also called Malgalad, was slain in this battle, and without Celeborn stepping in, since he returned to Belfalas afterward, thereby passed the crown to Amroth), Celebrían never did return to a permanent residence in Lothlórien. Her parents only did so following Amroth's death by drowning in the year 1981 of the Third Age.
After Sauron's forces were defeated at the end of the Second Age and happier times came to Middle-Earth, Elrond finally was in a position to confess his love to Celebrían after nearly 2,000 years of silence on the matter. The couple was wed at Imladris in the year 109 of the Third Age. 21 years later, Celebrían bore Elrond twin sons, Elladan and Elrohir in TA 130, and a daughter, Arwen Undómiel, in TA 241. They led a happy, peaceful life there for many years, protected by the power of Vilya.
However, it seemed that Celebrían continued to travel at regular intervals to visit her family, usually with nothing more than a small entourage. In TA 2509, she was making one such journey to Lothlórien when she was waylaid by Orcs in the pass at Caradhras, and subsequently kidnapped, imprisoned and tortured, even to the extent of receiving a poisoned wound. Precisely where she was held, for how long, and why is never stated. The most likely reason is that those serving the Enemy were trying to use her to obtain information regarding the Elves and their strengths and weaknesses, though it does not seem that Celebrían ever gave them any information that could be used against her people. Nor is it said how they managed to find her, but she was rescued by her twin sons and brought back to Imladris. Although Elrond was able to heal the vast majority of her physical wounds, he could not undo the psychological trauma she endured, nor entirely rid her of the poison. Celebrían continued to suffer, no longer able to find any joy in Middle-Earth, despite her love for her family. Within a year, in TA 2510, she chose to go into the west and sail for the Undying Lands of Valinor to seek healing and peace. Many centuries later, she would eventually be reunited there with her parents, husband and sons, but as Arwen chose to remain in Middle-Earth as the mortal bride and queen of Aragorn, Celebrían was forever sundered from her daughter.
Reincarnated History: In the late 1950s, a young American soldier named Casper Elric met a young Englishwoman named Gloria Ford while on leave, and the two soon fell in love and were married. On December 8, 1962, their daughter, Ariana Regina Elric (and her twin brother, Amory) was born on an American military base in Germany, making her technically an American citizen, if not actually having been to the United States proper. As an Army brat, she moved around frequently, but this didn't bother her terribly much as she was fascinated by the different cultures and languages she encountered, absorbing as much as she could wherever she went. Despite her father's chosen career, both her parents came from wealthy families, so no matter how far and wide they went, there was always enough money to see the rest of the family for special occasions.
So enamoured was she with seeing history unfold before her eyes in different parts of the world, that she decided she wanted to help capture it, and when she went off to college at an American institution, she studied many things (history, language, literature, political science, music, etc.) but ultimately earned her degree in journalism. It was also around this time that she met a young man named Leroy West. Although they were very fond of each other during their college days, it wasn't until several years after they met that Leroy finally got up the nerve to propose to her. Ariana said yes, and the couple married in 1989. Two years later, they welcomed twin boys, Evan and Eric. The year after that, a daughter, Amanda, was born.
Meanwhile, Ariana continued working in journalism, first for local newspapers, and among her early assignments, she helped report on (and thusly promote) the charitable activities of young Teagan O'Reynne, recently graduated from college, whose family had known hers for many years. In return, he used his and his family's influence to connect her with better career opportunities, and steadily she worked her way up to more and more prestigious assignments in magazines, eventually earning her way to covering stories on an international scale. True, the assignments and travel sometimes took her far and wide from her family, but Ariana loved her work. When war broke out following the events of September 11th, Ariana was among those who helped document its course. The assignments were important, but became increasingly dangerous for a Western woman in an unstable region. Ariana tried not to stay any longer than necessary to get her stories, but her family often worried for her, and for good reason.
Then came an assignment that was to take her into Afghanistan for a few weeks. But Ariana didn't come home. While riding with some American soldiers to one of the base locations, they were attacked. A land mine went off nearby, killing a handful of the soldiers she was with. Ariana survived the blast, but still received shrapnel wounds from the explosion, along with some fortunately relatively minor damage to her hearing. In the resulting chaos, Ariana was kidnapped by enemy forces along with some of the other surviving soldiers, and taken to an unknown location in the mountains surrounding the region. where she was imprisoned. But, no one knew where she was, and she was presumed killed in the attack. The reality was actually far worse. She was subjugated to interrogation, humiliation and even outright torture, and did not receive proper care for her injuries.
Years passed, and all the while, Ariana was trapped in her own personal hell. Having no proof to the contrary, her family had her declared legally dead seven years after her disappearance. Yet, unbeknownst to them, Ariana was tough, and survived, though she never knew why she wasn't outright killed. Finally, luck came through. Eight years after the original attack, a contingent of British soldiers in the region found the prison where she and the few remaining other American soldiers had been held, and rescued them. Injured, malnourished, and traumatized, Ariana was in bad shape, and spent a considerable time hospitalized while the doctors did their best to fix her back up, though it is possible that some tiny bits of shrapnel still remain in her body. But by the time she was released, Ariana discovered she'd lost much more than she'd realized.
Of course, she tried to reunite with her husband and children, but they had already grieved her and tried to move on with their lives. By now, her kids had all graduated high school and moved off to college themselves, and her marriage no longer existed. Although Leroy had never remarried, reuniting with Ariana after so long was difficult for him. She had changed from the vivacious woman he had married, and she refused to talk about what she had been through, which only made things harder. Despite their best efforts, they just couldn't make things work again. Her children were slightly more welcoming to their mother, but found it difficult to reconnect with her, and contact steadily dwindled. She did learn her sons had considered entering the military themselves in hopes they'd be able to take revenge on her captors, but their father had dissuaded them from doing so.
With no marriage, no kids nearby and no work, Ariana decided to try and start fresh. She had a cousin through her mother's side, Jonathan Gabriel Ford (serendipitously better known professionally as Gabriel West), who had moved to Locke City in the early 2000s, and, upon being initially contacted by her, was sympathetic to her situation and offered to let her stay with him while she got back on her feet again. A few months later, Ariana arrived quietly in Locke City in early March of 2014, but was nervous about rushing to reunite with her cousin again, and instead checked into a hotel at first, not far from the business district. But, in the wake of the snake attacks, she's decided she'd best stick with the safety of someone familiar and is now seeking him out and hoping to find additional help in regaining a normal life.
First Echo: [Tier 2, prompted by Wise Snake] The appearance of the Really Big Snake not far from where she was staying prompted her to want to seek out the safety of her cousin, and triggered the memory of an Elven safe haven in a hidden valley (a.k.a Imladris, better known as Rivendell), and along with a string of numbers in her head, also granted her an elegant set of pointed ears, easily hidden by her long hair. (Tier 2, memory + physical, residing in Imladris and elf ears. Because Elves founded it and live there.)
Preincarnation Personality: Again, Tolkien doesn't give us any direct insight into her personality or behavior, so we have to infer from what we do know about her nature. In other words, this is pretty much all headcanon based on the available clues.
The Noldor were a proud, restless and ambitious people, and indeed, all the descendants of Finwë save Finarfin himself were said to be "proud, strong and selfwilled." Celebrían's mother, Galadriel, was a particularly prominent example of the pride and willfulness of the Noldor, though she was also tempered by the gentleness and insight of the Vanyar, the fairest of the High Elves, and whose bloodline was passed down through the marriage of Finwë and his Vanyar bride Indis, the mother of Finarfin and Fingolfin. It is sure that these traits have been inherited by Celebrían as well. She travels a great deal with her family in her youth, and in her adulthood seems to travel regularly between Imladris and Lothlórien, seemingly proof of her natural restlessness. The fact that, even after a great deal of fear, torture, torment and injury at the hands of the Orcs, she continues to survive and chooses to sail westward to be healed rather than succumb to her pain and grief and eventually go to the Halls of Mandos (where dead Elves go to await their final fate) speaks of her immense force of will and inner strength. Although she is well-mannered, ladylike, gracious and demure when appropriate, Celebrían is often willful and determined, with twin streaks of stubbornness and independence. She may come across at times as being haughty or arrogant in her own way, and she does not take kindly to having her pride injured.
The Noldor were the finest craftsmen among the Elves, and easily as fond of their craft and the materials required for it as any of the Dwarves, giving them a certain predisposition to greed. Celebrían, too, has no small love for items of great beauty and fine wrought. She enjoys luxury where she can find it, and rarely goes without adornment in some fashion. But the Noldor did not limit their craft strictly to the workings of metal and jewels--they were known as the Deep Elves for their passion for knowledge of smithing, warfare, lorecraft and language and everything else and that "great became their knowledge and their skill; yet even greater was their thirst for more knowledge, and in many things they soon surpassed their teachers. They were changeful in speech, for they had great love of words, and sought ever to find names more fit for all things they knew or imagined," but also that "they needed room to quarrel in." Thus, Celebrían, like her forebears, is an intelligent, clever and logical woman, wise in many ways, curious about a number of subjects, and deeply fond of reading, history, culture and scholarship. She can also be competitive under the right circumstances, and, if sufficiently provoked, become argumentative or even exhibit flashes of sharp temper.
While all Eldar have a deep fondness and respect for the natural world, the Noldor, far more than any other of their Elven brethren, enjoyed the building of true cities--Celebrían even spent much of her youth in one: the Eregion capital of Ost-in-Edhil. As much as she loves the great outdoors, Celebrían genuinely enjoys the comforts of a more urban lifestyle. Also, having passed twice through Moria and been treated to Dwarven hospitality and spent the majority of her life residing in Imladris, where virtually everyone is welcome regardless of race or class, she is also much more tolerant of non-Elves than many of her kind.
But let us not forget that she is half-Sindar as well. While perhaps not as wise as their Calaquendi cousins, the Sindar had a rich and thriving culture of their own. They were especially renowned for their love of music, and Celebrían, too, has a deep fondness for music, dance, and similar cultural pursuits. The fact that Rivendell is often described as having music in it is likely due to her influence, even after her parting from Middle-Earth.
For much of her life, Celebrían was a vibrant, spirited, fearless woman, with little caution for her own well-being. She was fiercely loyal and protective of her people and her family. All of that changed when she was ambushed and abducted by the Orcs. Although the precise nature of the horrors she endured are largely a mystery, the experience was deeply traumatizing for her, and left as many mental and emotional scars on her as physical ones. Prior to arriving in Valinor, she has kept her elegance and dignity and thus tried to keep a stiff upper lip about it, but suffered constantly in both body and soul. The poison's effects were not strong enough to kill her in the end, but it was difficult for her to find joy in the world around her while she continued to be in pain, and she was prone to withdrawal, melancholy and general moodiness. If startled or caught by surprise, she may have flashbacks to her attack and reflexively lash out. She does not like to talk about her ordeal, as it brings back too many horrific memories, and will try to dismiss inquiries unless it is important for someone else to be aware of the nature of her injuries. Pressing her on the subject is likely to cause her to snap at the querent. Not until she reached the blessed shores was she able to find respite from her suffering and know joy again, though she remained haunted by what she endured and missed her loved ones terribly until they were ultimately reunited. She would always grieve the loss of Arwen, however.
It is worth noting that the Eldar mate for life. Celebrían's love and loyalty for her beloved is absolute and unbreakable. She may take pleasure or comfort in the company of others, but so tightly bound is her heart, that her affection will always be strictly platonic for anyone who is not her husband, regardless of the circumstances. Otherwise, she does her best to be polite, diplomatic and hospitable, showing kindness and generosity to those who deserve it. Those she does not feel she can trust, however, will be met with chilly aloofness.
Any differences: While Celebrían was largely shielded from the horrors of war and revolution, remaining in safe havens far from the battle sites, except for when she came to the rescue of her people during the War of Elves and Sauron and her own suffering at the hands of the Orcs, Ariana has seen them up close and personal, and it has affected her deeply. She is a staunch advocate for peaceful negotiation and cultural sensitivity.
As an Elf, sleep was not something she required, and so never suffered from bad dreams or disrupted sleep/wake cycles. As a human, she is prone to nightmares, night terrors, and waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being attacked or hurt. And if that weren't enough fun, she is periodically plagued by insomnia.
Though Celebrían lost her brother due to his drowning, Ariana's brother still lives in Europe. Although contact between them is sporadic, it is one less tragedy that Ariana has had to endure along with everything else, and even if contact tends to be spotty, it does bring her a measure of comfort.
While the Eldar are normally very strict about their marriage customs and sexual mores, determining that, with extremely rare exception, there is no sex outside of marriage, no divorce, and no remarriage even in the event of spousal death, Ariana is somewhat more flexible. Although she disapproves of intimacy outside of a firmly-committed relationship, she recognizes that divorce is a reality and might be open to dating again or even remarriage if the right person came along.
Abilities: The short answer is, we don't fully know. Tolkien never says anything about her skills or talents one way or another, and so we must conjecture what they might be through cultural inference. So, yeah, by virtue of not having anything established in the source material specific to her, this is all headcanon here.
Like all the Eldar, she is ageless and immortal, already over 5,000 years old by the time she sails westward. She possesses the great vitality of her kind, which renders her body hardy and resistant to many physical injuries (for example, light shoes being enough to protect her feet from rocks or the freezing cold of snow) as well as toxins, hunger or thirst, and a tirelessness well beyond that of a human--like other Elves, she is light of foot, can travel long distances without leaving tracks, and can walk lightly across snow where the boots of Men would sink. She doesn't require sleep, but is able to enter a waking meditative state to regain her strength and vigor, which she can do even while walking or riding. However, it is possible for her to be slain by weapons (though the Elves can generally heal from most wounds that would kill mortal Men due to their natural resilience) or to die from wasting away (some Elves in the First Age living near Angband died from a wasting disease, for instance) or the loss of will to live.
She possesses the keen senses of her people, with extremely sharp vision and hearing, and a superhuman ability to perceive the things around her. It is likely, though unconfirmed, that Celebrían may possess a gift of insight even beyond that of most Elves, inherited in a lesser form from that of her mother, which enables her to intuitively understand (if not actually "read") the minds, hearts and intentions of those around her, and maybe be able to communicate brief messages to others through telepathy. She also would have a preternatural sense of the presence of dark creatures in her vicinity (These seem to be traits common to those of Noldor descent). As the child of two very old and powerful Elves, one Noldor and one Sindar, she may have further talent for so-called "elf-magic," but it is unclear what it would be. Such a talent would be limited only to herself and her immediate surroundings, however.
She does a great deal of cross-country traveling throughout her life, we presume on horseback generally, so she is almost certainly an excellent and swift rider.
Being of Noldor descent, she likely has some crafting skill of her own, though this would be limited to traditionally feminine arts, such as weaving and sewing. But, also as a Noldor scion, she likely possesses the ability to imbue her crafts with subtle magic, such as making a cloak that might keep out the sight of unfriendly eyes. Tolkien states that history and "all matters of kinship and descent" are held by the Noldor women, almost certainly including Celebrían. It is also likely that she possesses the knowledge to make lembas, as was probably taught to her by her mother, who learned it directly from Yavanna, but otherwise has only basic cooking skills (as everyday cooking is evidently a skill set more in the provenance of the male Noldor, although the preparation of lembas is exclusively female).
Although language study appears to be a more traditionally-male skill, she is almost certainly proficient in Sindarin, Quenya and the Common Tongue.
Her Sindar heritage indicates she likely is an accomplished singer, musician and dancer.
Elvish healing is said to be without parallel in Middle-Earth, and Celebrían's husband, Elrond, was exceptionally gifted in the healing arts and may have taught her some skill. It is also stated in the Laws and Customs of the Eldar that healing is a traditionally feminine skill set, so she is likely an accomplished healer in her own right.
Celebrían is not a warrior by any means, but she probably knows some rudimentary techniques of how to defend herself, either unarmed or with a small blade.
Roleplay Sample - Third Person: No more tears. Those were Celebrían's last words in Middle-Earth. It seemed to her that the last year had been nothing but tears and shadows. While a single year meant little to one of the Eldar, it was more than long enough to dwell in darkness and despair. She pressed at the knot of athelas bound tight against the wound that would not heal, trying to draw the poison from her blood. It still burned in her veins with a dark corruption that felt as if it left oil and ice in the wake of the flames, and she remembered too well the cold metal biting into her pale flesh in a starless dark.
Elrond had asked her not to go. Pleaded. Begged her. His foresight had warned of dangers on her path, but she had simply laughed and assured him that her horse was faster than any Orc mount, and promised she would return before the anniversary of their marriage day. The call back to Lothlórien had been too great to resist. She never made it that time. It was a sharp pain in her heart to think that she would never lay eyes on the golden wood again.
Celebrían could not remember how many times she had cried out in the darkness. A hundred? A thousand? A hundred thousand? But they had been answered. Her sons had come, their fury unmatched against the Orcs until the last one lay dead, and they bore her home. Her promise was kept--they arrived in Imladris on the very day she had taken Elrond as her lord husband precisely 2,400 years before. It should have been a day for merriment and celebration. But on that day there was no laughter, no music. No cherished memories, nor sweet kisses under the starlight. Just pain, and poison, and blood, and laments... and tears. So many tears. Tears she could not stop. Tears that seemed to blot out the light of sun and moon, and every star until she could only see the darkness, and sorely did she grieve that loss. They had tried so hard. Her sons had sung songs of healing. Arwen did what she could by the grace of the Evenstar. And Elrond, her beloved Elrond, who stayed with her day and night, who lent her his strength even when she felt sure he had none left to give, he had tried everything within his power. The loving touches of his hands, the soothing cadences of his voice were for the first time hers in sorrow rather than joy. And try though he might, he could not bring the light back to her as he hoped, which pained her surely as much as it did him. Too well, she remembered the grief in his eyes, watching her fade from him, the fear that he might lose her to Mandos.
Celebrían could not let that happen. If she fell to the Halls of Mandos, too soon might he follow her, and this Age, nor any Age, was not one for him to perish. So, she had fought. Fought the poison, clawed for the light to come back into her life, but she did not have the strength to win. There was but one hope left to cure her, but she could not have it in Arda. She would have to sail into the west to find the healing she so desperately needed.
And so, they had come to the western shores, all of them, to see her off. Celebrían received tight embraces from Elladan and Elrohir, both saying they wished she didn't have to leave, but understanding why she could not stay. No more tears, she had instructed them. Sweet Arwen, with her eyes great and round had whispered a last goodbye and sang one last song with quivering lips. No more tears, she had said to her daughter, brushing away one crystalline drop from Arwen's pale cheek. And lastly, Elrond. Already there seemed a hollowness in him, a void left in his soul where she could no longer stay with him. His touch lingered, not willing, not ready to let her go, and he bowed his head in sorrow as she sang him her final farewell, a song as bittersweet as the last of a swan. She granted her beloved one last kiss, a promised him that when a star shone upon the moment they would be reunited at last on the distant shores, there would be no more tears.
As the ship sailed westward and Arda faded from her sight, Celebrían thought perhaps she saw once again a star, faintly shining in the sky.
Roleplay Sample - Network: [She looks a little dubiously into the screen. She's a lovely woman, with a slight familial resemblance to the person she's trying to get in touch with.]
Excuse me, hello. My name is Ariana West. I'm trying to get in touch with my cousin. You may know him as Gabriel West? Cousin, if you're seeing this, kindly get back to me so we can meet up.
As for anyone else, I would so appreciate your help in telling me where I might find him.
In an unrelated matter... I seem to be experiencing some rather unusual physical changes... [She tucks her silvery hair behind her ear, revealing a newly-acquired point.] By chance could someone recommend a physician, or anyone really, who might be able to explain it?
Thank you kindly.
Any Questions? Not from my end, but I do solemnly swear that I have worked out the CR connections in advance with the other members of the Middle-earth cast and have received their approval. I also promise to treat the admittedly-ghastly aspects of her backstory with delicacy and respect and not force them on any other players. It's not a subject Ariana will want to revisit or share in any detail, unless to a licensed health professional for treatment purposes or otherwise on a need-to-know basis.
