I was never satisfied with Cuiviénen/Awakening Era stories, in part because of my amatuerish interest in physical anthropology, prehistory, and early Stone and Bronze Age civilizations - and wishing more fantasy used those as inspirations instead of just quasi-medieval. And how the Unbegotten on principle annoyed me (until, writing Imin, I got to have fun exploring the gulf between them and the 'begotten' elves). I love the Vanyar and found early on that through the slim evidence I could justifiy (or at least not have countradicted) who the primary farmers of Valinor were, and even finagle a warrior tradition lurking behind or alongside the monastic (the Spear Elves, with their Army that defeats Morgoth in 50 years). But yes, hard while writing not to tange off into the development of felt and then woven fabric, of glass-making and metal smithing and the domestication of dogs and livestock. And not have all the focus on linguistics.

I grossly abuse kennings and structures like that, so that is a most valid complaint. ;) And it will end ...soonish.

While the 'Valar convince the Elves to accept the invitation to move to Valinor' is critiqued as a mistake- and honestly, I don't think it entirely is, only the negilience of Middle-earth later- that it is treated as a terrible and stupid thing for the Elves to have left Cuiviénen for Valinor is one of those personal pet peeves that ranks up there with saying that the Elven Kings and Princes, especially the Noldor, wouldn't have servants. OF COURSE the majority of the elves would be interested in a safe location that actually had constant and reliable light, let alone food and shelter, even without bringing up the close support and contact with gods that only want to teach, protect, and serve them. Cuiviénen wasn't an actual Garden of Eden with the innocence and safety of mythic archetype, nor am I interested in versions where elven society in Valinor was more social restrictive than some idealized Cuiviénen (political manipulation suggesting otherwise? sure. fits with the vaguely fascist undertones I can't help from seeing in Unrest in Tirion). Migrations happen for less. And over-romanticizing of pre-civilization gets annoying.

With the tragedy of Ingwë's parents, it was partly to give a vivid example of the motivations to why more than half the elves take this promise of Valinor, but also the fallout from tragedy to the explain why Ingwë would be an expendable member of his tribe. Because I couldn't see allowing someone that would be important leave for an unknown location for an unknown amount of time, thus the genesis of this fic- and to explain why someone might be motivated to take this incredible but frighteningly uncertain chance to go with Oromë to this myth Valinor place off who knows where.

And I have to believe that knowing at least some, if not all, of their missing or dead family and tribe members were waiting with Mandos and thus reuniting was something that could happen was one of the key motivations for elves to make that Great Journey (and for instance, one of Olwë's reasons).

(... yes, I know, ignore for the moment Dreadful Wind and its sequel)

One of the delights of writing this fic is to dedicate long passages to describing the Valar while going hog-wild on metaphors and trying to capture an idea of a physical being that is also layers of symbolic concepts. And to try to find a way to invoking the supernatural Uncanny Valley without the inherent creepiness or malice (I dislike fan interpretations that go that route for non-Melkor-align Ainur).

I'm addicted to foreshadowing and dramatic irony. And the way the Sindar wait for Elwë -and how that loyalty was properly rewarded- resonates for me like the Arthur awaits in Avalon mythos, only better.