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EPISODE 1.11 - THE CREATION OF THE DWARVES
Visitors to Rivendell prompt Estel to ask some questions about the Children of Ilúvatar, and the Valar have some questions of their own.
CHARACTERS:
Frame: Estel, Gilraen, Elrond, Bilbo*, a dwarf (Gloin?)*
Main: Aulë, Irmo, Melian*, Tulkas, Nessa, Oromë, Durin*, dwarves*, Ilúvatar (voice)
OUTLINE
I. Rivendell, outside, summer evening
a. A party of dwarves make their way down into the valley of Rivendell.
i. The tra-la-la-lally elves sing and welcome them.
ii. A fascinated Estel watches their approach, but before they arrive, he is called in to his supper. He asks his mother about the newcomers, but she has not yet seen them.
b. The next day, Estel bolts out of their cottage, eager to meet the strangers he saw the night before.
i. So eager, that he runs around a corner without looking and bowls someone over - they get up, dust themselves off, and introductions reveal the newcomer to be Bilbo Baggins, just come from breakfast and off to explore Rivendell.
ii. Estel asks a question about what has brought them to Rivendell, and Bilbo gives an abbreviated, less riddling version of the description he will later give Smaug. Estel asks an innocent question (such as, 'do all dwarves live underground?') and Bilbo acts affronted for being mistaken for a dwarf. He identifies himself as a hobbit, and goes off on an epic rant about dwarves - clearly, these thoughts have been pent up for weeks.
iii. Confused, Estel apologizes for his error, and offers to show Bilbo around Rivendell.
iv. [Does Estel invite Bilbo to join him for his lesson in the library of Rivendell?]
II. Rivendell, Library
a. Later that day at his lesson, Estel asks Elrond about dwarves and hobbits.
i. Elrond mentions that hobbits are 'cousins' of Men, though he is not too certain of their origin himself, as they seldom travel and Bilbo is the first hobbit to visit Rivendell in a very long time indeed.
ii. Estel, recalling an earlier lesson, correctly identifies hobbits as being the Children of Ilúvatar, then, if they are related to Men. He asks about dwarves, if they also related to the Children?
iii. Elrond pauses, and gives a bit of a disclaimer. He can tell the story, as the elves tell it, but the dwarves very well may tell it quite differently.
iv. Estel might suggest they ask the dwarves, then, and Elrond would laugh a bit, saying, no, they wouldn't answer, and he has no desire to treat his guests rudely. Dwarves are secretive folk, and it does no good to pry.
III. Valinor, The Gardens of Lorien.
a. Aulë seeks out Irmo for advice with a dilemma.
i. If the Children of Ilúvatar were in the Song, but they haven't arrived yet, perhaps the Valar are supposed to do something to bring that about? Is it enough to just prepare Arda for the arrival of the Children?
ii. Irmo talks about possibilities, and does not say that something can't be done.
iii. As they are talking, others join their conversation, drawn in by the fascinating topic of the Children. As each new person chimes in, Aulë gets more and more uncomfortable.
iv. Tulkas and Nessa are in Lorien (for some reason - visiting those injured by Ossë? Giving dance lessons? Who knows), and they seem interested in the idea. Tulkas thinks it's a good idea, and says something rather obvious like, "Aulë, you're good at making things!"
v. Melian, or rather, an unidentified female attendant of Irmo, says something wistfully about how they've been waiting so long for the arrival of the Children.
vi. Oromë points out that Middle Earth is currently a dangerous place, and perhaps not yet ready for the Children.
vii. Nessa suggests that Aulë run his plan by Yavanna, as she will understand the growth of things better than the rest of them, and how it fits in the Music. Aulë agrees, but when he leaves, he does not seek out Yavanna.
IV. Aulë's Secret Workshop in Gundabad
a. Aulë leaves Valinor, to get away from the business of his workshop to think. He goes to a private (secret) workshop that no one else knows about.
b. He sits pondering for awhile, and then begins with a block of marble.
c. Montage with ominous dwarf theme music
i. He crafts Durin, which results in Aulë having a fully formed (and clothed
) dwarf who blinks its eyes and responds to the question Aulë asks him.
d. Delighted, Aulë gets to work on the other dwarves, using Durin as his assistant/student.
i. He explains what he's doing as he works, saying things about how he is choosing the materials to make them strong, hardy folk, because Arda has become a dangerous place, and he does not want them to get ensnared, etc.
ii. As he works, he becomes more and more dwarf-like himself (losing the vestiges of his elemental form - perhaps his stony skin becomes smooth.)
iii. He is very impressed at how apt a pupil Durin is, always understanding what is said to him, knowing what tool to get, nodding at all of Aulë's explanations. He praises him for it. But... when Aulë's attention is on his new dwarves, Durin loses some of his animation. He stands idly, waiting for Aulë to look back at him.
e. When Aulë has crafted 13 dwarves (The seven fathers of the dwarves, and wives for everyone but Durin), he is quite pleased with himself, and very enthusiastic about this project.
i. He enthuses that, why stop there, he can make MORE!
ii. He teaches his dwarves to speak, and they respond with doll-like recitation.
f. Suddenly, Aulë is interrupted by a voice from the fire in his Forge, which blazes brightly.
i. Ilúvatar asks him: "Why have you done this? Why do you attempt a thing that you know is beyond your power and your authority? For you have from me as a gift your own being only, and no more; and therefore the creatures of your hand and mind can live only by that being, moving when you think to move them, and if your thought be elsewhere, standing idle. Is that your desire?"*
ii. Aulë, who had looked up in surprise when he heard the voice, looks back at his creations and is devastated by the realization that they are puppets and he wasn't teaching them anything. Aulë's responds that this isn't what he wanted and he speaks with humility and regret, turning over his work to Ilúvatar, and ultimately resolving to fix the problem. He picks up a hammer and turns to his creatures.
iii. Sparks from the fire light in their eyes, and the dwarves cower and beg for mercy.
iv. Ilúvatar reveals, "Your offer I accepted even as it was made. Do you not see that these things have now a life of their own, and speak with their own voices? Else they would not have flinched from your blow, nor from any command of your will."*
v. Aulë asks Eru to fix his work; Eru declines. They hide the dwarves under mountains to await the awakening of the Firstborn, as Eru is quite insistent - elves first.
V. Rivendell - Library
a. Estel asks some questions about the dwarves. He maybe also tries to figure out if what Aulë did was wrong.
V. Rivendell - Stables, evening
a. Estel meets a dwarf for the first time. He is visiting the ponies in the stable, and there is a dwarf on guard duty (possibly Glóin).
i. He gets some kind of gruff 'who goes there?' greeting, but then has a civil conversation.
ii. He is surprised that the dwarves need to guard their ponies in Rivendell, but there was some minor disagreement with the elves trying to let the ponies out at night, and the dwarves wanting them to stay in a barn while they have one.
iii. There are some words about elves and dwarves.
VI. Rivendell, outside, morning
a. The next day, Bilbo and company are leaving Rivendell, and Estel and his mother are there to see them off.
i. Bilbo sees Gilraen, looks between her and Estel in some surprise, and then says that he thought Estel was an elf.
ii. Gilraen is not pleased by this observation, but having cleared everything up, Estel gives Bilbo a gift of maybe a dozen eggs and some bacon. Bilbo then considers Estel the most wonderful human boy he's ever met.
b. The dwarves on their ponies leave the valley of Rivendell, with Estel asking his mother if she thinks they'll ever see them again?
*Keeping the 'thees, thous, thys and hasts' is left to the discretion of the script writer - keep Ilúvatar's language style consistent with Episodes 1 and 3. Also, DO NOT ALTER the dialogue from his side; Aulë's can be malleable as needed, but do not alter the word of God in this story.