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| Brethren by Ecthelion of the fountain | 2 Review(s) |
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| Mirkwoodmaiden | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/17/2025 |
| Ecthelion! "Gríma, as it happened, practised the trade that the Rohirrim loosely named that of a wandering leech. The term was not used in scorn. Much of the Mark still followed a semi-nomadic life and lacked the learned healers or established houses of medicine known in Gondor. When illness came, folk turned to seasoned men of the road—herb-wise and hardened by long years of wandering." I love this idea! Interesting description of Rohirrim life. I love the gap filling idea of Grima and how he wheedled his way into Theoden's inner circle. Wonderful. Thanks! (hugs) Mirkwoodmaiden Author Reply: Hi! Thanks again! For Gríma, I mentioned my reasoning in the notes of the Éowyn-centered fic Steelsheen: There is very little personal background about Gríma—only that he was a counsellor to the King, and that his father’s name was Gálmód. Drawing on what is given in Unfinished Tales, and the use of the word “leechcraft” in LotR, I chose to make his heritage that of a leech, as was his father’s before him—a role through which he gained easy access to the King’s daily life, and thus rose in time to the position of counsellor. Per Unfinished Tales: “But it may well have been induced or increased by subtle poisons, administered by Gríma.” As the ideal state of such poisoning is not death—for Théodred, a man in his prime, would have been far more difficult to manipulate as King—I believe Gríma would have needed to test his dosage over time to reach this optimal balance. In doing so, the King’s condition would likely have fluctuated, with many ups and downs along the way. My sense of the Rohirrim’s semi-nomadic life comes mainly from the overall impression I gathered from LotR and UT :) I also touched on some of this in another fic of mine, Dark Horse—it’s not yet translated, but I plan to do that once I’ve finished translating this one! :) Best, Ec | |
| Lindelea | Reviewed Chapter: 2 on 5/16/2025 |
| How embarrassing for all involved! Gríma sounds almost human here; but I wonder if he deliberately set the King's son and nephew up to be humiliated? Was he Saruman's agent by this time, or was this before he was corrupted? Author Reply: Embarrassing—for sure 😂 There’s clearly a gap in their education… Gríma does appear in this story—inevitably—but he’s not nearly as insufferable as he was in Steelsheen, which is Éowyn centric. That’s mainly because Théodred and Éomer aren’t the ones most affected by him. Their way of handling him is always direct and unflinching; they were never forced to endure his presence long, nor were they trapped in the Golden Hall under his sway. Exactly like Gandalf said, "you had horses, and deeds of arms, and the free fields." I’ll leave it to readers to interpret his true intent in this incident :D But for my part, I intend it that he’s not yet acting as Saruman’s agent at this point in the timeline. | |