The Embalmer's Apprentice by Lyra
Fanwork Notes
Contains references to corporal and capital punishment, a rather medieval law code and colonialist attitudes that may be upsetting to some readers.
Many thanks to Elleth and Dawn for their proof- and betareading patience on the first chapters! I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to Himring, Whitewave and Thai for their unflagging loyalty and encouragement.
- Fanwork Information
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Summary:
Faced with the choice between execution or working on the preservation of dead people, young Azruhâr finds himself drawn into an increasingly political struggle between faith and power, tradition and new ideas - and a journey beyond his wildest fears and dreams.
Major Characters: Original Character(s), Herucalmo, Tar-Ancalimon, Tar-Telemmaitë
Major Relationships:
Artwork Type: No artwork type listed
Genre: Drama
Challenges: Akallabêth in August, Arda Underground, Middle-earth Olympics
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Expletive Language, In-Universe Classism, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Mild), Torture, Violence (Moderate)
Chapters: 69 Word Count: 446, 654 Posted on 4 February 2010 Updated on 4 March 2024 This fanwork is a work in progress.
Table of Contents
Well, look who wrote a new chapter after almost three years! So, off to Andúnië!
Matters of great importance are being discussed, people are playing in the sand, and Andúnië continues to be highly idealised. Somewhere has to be.
Azruhâr has impressed the right people; time to pick a fight with the wrong people. Violence warning applies.
Azruhâr does some heavy thinking, and has to appear at the palace again. Amraphel covers the research.
Things progress uncomfortably, and Azruhâr's good deed has unexpected consequences.
Azruhâr enlarges his household, has some awkward conversations, meets the executioner and the in-laws.
Another happy Andúnië chapter.
There is a lot of crying in this chapter, some of it justified. -- Warning for the death of a supporting character.
Warning for some violence, and the death of a major supporting character.
Aaand we have a new King.
Story warnings apply to the second half of this chapter. Not a happy one, I'm afraid.
It's not getting better. >_>
Torture warning applies.
Trial time!
Warnings for the aftermath of the torment and vaguely suicidal thoughts.
Warning for discussions of suicide, and the off-screen suicide of a supporting character.
Warning for animal death. It's a hunting trip, after all.
Time to explore the darker sides of Umbar (and of Lord Herucalmo). Violence/torture warning applies, I guess.
The trip to the mines has unpleasant consequences. Help comes from an unexpected quarter.
Azruhâr finally meets the apprentices. Intercultural communications are harder than expected.
Warning for some violence and talk about human sacrifice. What are we getting ourselves into?
This chapter covers some prompts for the Middle-earth Olympics (athletics; boxing; wrestling - both literally and figuratively). That is accidental, but I'm going to take it.
Another difficult chapter.
The spring festival is there at last.
Warning for athletic injuries and unnamed background character death(s).
This is a grim one. Warning for (non-graphic) mentions of childbirth going pear-shaped. If that's a touchy subject for you, I recommend skipping this chapter.
Warning for dark-ish themes and background character death.
A (short) chapter of returns.
Azruhâr has to do some housekeeping.
Dârujan is in trouble.
Some letters home are in order.
Azruhâr's mind is quite occupied, thank you very much.
CW for non-graphic mentions of contagious sickness (bacterial gastroenteritis).
Lord Herucalmo comes to the morgue. Long and convoluted talking ensues. There even is an f-bomb. Oh dear.
Not a fun chapter despite the fun chapter number. My apologies.
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