Valinor in general

Haakon

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How do we see Valinor? Is it as marred as Middle-earth, or was it somewhat more spared when the Lamps fell? I'm considering that it is less marred, and that could be one reason for the Valar to move there. But I don't see it as having total symmetry or being perfect in the way that the hosts described their view of Arda before the marring. Also, it seems that the Valar make some adjustments - for example, they make the Pelori higher, right?
So what are your thoughts?
 
I think Almaren sort of gets the worst of the fire, because (to my mind), the pillars fall inward towards it, and so both lamps smash and spill their fire all over it. However, I also sort of feel that Almaren is buried, that as it was the "middle", it becomes the "middle" as we see it on most world maps of Valinor/Middle Earth: that is, it becomes the sea separating the two continents (with some surviving mountain tops becoming broken and burnt islands so we don't have to have our Council of Almaren taking place over open ocean). So to me it sort of seems that the furthest East and West extremes sort of tilt up (because the world is still flat!) as a result of the pillars smiting the earth more or less lengthwise from pole to pole, and all the water rushes to the center, so most of what is scorched is then buried under the ocean. Based on that understanding of the physics involved (which is far from the only option, just my personal take), it would seem that at most the (new) shores of Valinor were probably under water in the heyday of Almaren), but considering the violence of the smashing of the pillars, there's bound to be a lot of rubble and wreckage regardless, overturned trees and what not. It should look like a magnitude 10 earthquake has hit the area, minus buildings. We can have a little scorching here and there if we want, but not much, and only along the shore-line.
 
Ssssssooooort of? I mean, Almaren is totally wrecked and on the bottom of the sea floor. Comparatively some rubble and new lands don't seem quite as finally wrecked. But, on the other hand, yeah, old mountains ought to be laid low, new mountains should be raised up, and some portion of what WAS on the sea floor in the uttermost east and west should be dry land now.

I mean, to me, I'm thinking back to the lines about Melkor working to thwart the Valar, how they raised up mountains and he laid them low, and they dug valleys and he filled them up again, right? That to me seems sort of the direction we ought to go with the destruction of Almaren, don't you think?
 
Ok. Well, I agree. The perfect creations of Arda Unmarred should be wrecked, then.
 
So, we need the Halls of Mandos, Taniquetil and the throne of Manwë, Valmar, the Máhanaxar (Ring of Doom), the Pelóri, the Gardens of Lórien (including Lake Lorellin with The Isle of Estë), the Woods of Oromë... what else? We got until friday? Let's post some ideas, then...! :)
 
If I understood correctly, Friday's discussion would be based on casting, and the March 25th discussion would be focused on sets, music, etc. But I may have misunderstood.
 
Ok so I'm doing my running ahead routine again? Well, we have to discuss these things anyway.
 
Yes, we do need to get this all worked out. I just don't know when the deadline is, for sure. It could be 3 days or 2 1/2 weeks :p .
 
Well, I've started discussions about Taniquetil and the Trees, and we also need to talk about the Ring of Doom, Mandos and the Woods of Oromë...
 
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The Halls of Mandos are important - we are going to see them in Episode 7. Not sure when we'll see the Ring of Doom for the first time, but definitely this season, I would think.

For the Halls of Mandos, I think dimly lit is almost a given. It's not like there's anything particularly noteworthy about them, but they should be somber, maybe a lot of grey stone. And, of course, tapestries on the wall, some too dimly lit to make out clearly. Maybe a really imposing solid stone/metal door at the entrance. Any other thoughts?
 
This season, the Halls will be empty. Except for the parts where Námo and Vairë live (and weave). So we need vast, empty, dimly lit halls, partly with tapestries on the walls. And also, a cell for Melkor.

Niennas halls?
 
Yes.
Ok, so....just the tiny thing about Nienna's place... The windows looking outward through the Walls of the World?

The Void again.
 
Valmar? Do we have Valmar already this season? I think we could wait. We have said repeatedly that we should wait with structures (not everywhere) and maybe Valmar is something that the Valar construct as a place to mingle with the Children in. I mean, I'm trying to figure out why the Valar should need a city, but can't come up with a good reason for them to have one at this point.
 
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Nienna has halls but her home is also called a"house". How do we picture that? (Along with the thing with her windows and the Void)
 
I have never had a clear picture of Nienna's house, so I have little to offer there.

If you want a model for it, I would consider Mara's house in Lilith, as Mara is a very similar character to Nienna. (I think Nienna should be veiled because Mara is, for instance.)
 
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