Mahtan's Bride

One cliché solution for a missing role play parent is "she died long ago". I prefer to make the absence more interesting, with a hint that the role could be played when the player appears.

My dear friend Maralee plays Nerdanel, Fëanor's wife. Her character father, Mahtan, played on occasions by other players as suits them, merits several lines in Chapter 4 of "The Silmarillion".

While still in his early youth he [Fëanor] wedded Nerdanel, the daughter of a great smith named Mahtan, among those of the Noldor most dear to Aulë; and of Mahtan he learned much of the making of things in metal and in stone.

(note that Feanor is a youth, so she is therefore older than he!)

Bitterly did Mahtan rue the day when he taught to the husband of Nerdanel all the lore of metalwork that he had learned of Aulë.

Thus, Mahtan doubtless awoke in Cuiviénen and made the great march to Aman, became a magnificent student of crafts that Aulë taught everything he could, then taught the next generation of Noldor elves, including Prince Feanor, what he knew. One can even invent stories about Mahtan easily:

When the Teleri were welcome new arrivals and guests in Tirion for a year, Mahtan was torn because he dearly wanted to be the master architect of Alqualondë for the Teleri, but was newly wed. So in such a time, to choose between go and build, as he loved doing or to stay and be the husband his lady deserved was no easy burden to him. But it was the lady herself who resolved it by insisting that Mahtan teach her stone craft during the building of Alqualondë, so both they went and made themselves a home in Alqualondë as he and the Noldor and Teleri constructed the rest of the city. Then they returned to live in Tirion just before Fëanor's was birth and their home is still there near the palace on the hill.

And of Mahtan's wife, Nerdanel's mother? There is nothing, not even a name on JRR Tolkien's copious genealogies. "Mahtandil" [mah- "great" + tano "smith" + -ndil "beloved"] would be one of her titles. We can guess that Mahtan's bride was not royalty or she would have merited some mention if she were..and we can guess that she, like he, was among the first of the created elves, awoke on Cuivienen and had the urge and courage to make the trek to Aman with King Finwë and others. Without doubt she loves him deeply, not only for who he was, but what he made.

Perhaps the mother was like Nerdanel ["nerdo" strong man +"anel" daughter] .

Nerdanel also was firm of will, but more patient than Fëanor, desiring to understand minds rather than to master them, and at first she restrained him when the fire of his heart grew too hot; but his later deeds grieved her, and they became estranged. Seven sons she bore to Fëanor; her mood she bequeathed in part to some of them, but not to all.

Maralee suggests poetically:
My father loved her as one loves their next breath
yet they were never demonstrative with their love
I do not think I ever remember then holding hands, for instance
but she cared for him in ways that supported his creativity
He spoke of how he would spend long hours sharing his ideas with her
and how she had a gift to refine his ideas without him suspecting this
and she left a longing in my heart for the gentleness she possessed
I only know that my father kept her memory alive always with his enduring love of her
and he was never the same...
He seemed to take her loss and create a new energy with it
perhaps it is why some of his inventions were so intense..

Or perhaps she is something like Yavanna, (Aule teh Smith ::Yavanna = Mahtan the Smith :: [his wife]?), implying that she is intensely interested and skilled in plant and animal life and independent in her thinking and actions.

Perhaps she was close to Miriel and Finwë, the first King and Queen of Noldor, would have been her contemporaries. Perhaps she was like Miriel ["shining jewel daughter"] some in this story:

Míriel was the name of his [Fëanor's] mother, who was called Serindé, because of her surpassing skill in weaving and needlework; for her hands were more skilled to fineness than any hands even among the Noldor. The love of Finwë and Míriel was great and glad, for it began in the Blessed Realm in the Days of Bliss. But in the bearing of her son Míriel was consumed in spirit and body; and after his birth she yearned for release from the labours of living. And when she had named him, she said to Finwë: 'Never again shall I bear child; for strength that would have nourished the life of many has gone forth into Fëanor.'
Then Finwë was grieved, for the Noldor were in the youth of their days, and he desired to bring forth many children into the bliss of Aman; and he said: 'Surely there is healing in Aman? Here all weariness can find rest.' But when Míriel languished still, Finwë sought the counsel of Manwë, and Manwë delivered her to the care of Irmo in Lórien. At their parting (for a little while as he thought) Finwë was sad, for it seemed an unhappy chance that the mother should depart and miss the beginning at least of the childhood days of her son. “It is indeed unhappy,” said Míriel, 'and I would weep, if I were not so weary. But hold me blameless in this, and in all that may come after. She went then to the gardens of Lórien and lay down to sleep; but though she seemed to sleep, her spirit indeed departed from her body, and passed in silence to the halls of Mandos.
The maidens of Estë tended the body of Míriel, and it remained unwithered; but she did not return. Then Finwë lived in sorrow; and he went often to the gardens of Lórien, and sitting beneath the silver willows beside the body of his wife he called her by her names. But it was unavailing; and alone in all the Blessed Realm he was deprived of joy. After a while he went to Lórien no more.

And this, being almost everything JRRT wrote, leaves us digest it and imagine what might have happened to her. And since I don't play the role, I do not get to decide motivations and "speculative history", but can suggest fates:

1. "Mírindil" she chose to be called: Míriel's dearest and closest friend, from the first moments elves walked in the world. Since they were not sisters, they arranged that their children be married, even before thy had taken husbands, that they might become true sisters. Indeed, each took a fine husband, Mírindil naming her daughter after her husband's legendary strength. Nerdanel grew to adulthood, but as events unfolded decades later at Fëanor's birth, Mírindil finally escorted Míriel and Finwë to Lorien, staying behind happily, while Finwë had to return, his kingdom to guide. She sometimes appears in elvish dreams, happy under silver willows beside her sleeping, dearest friend.
   
   
2. Or we can go back to "she died."
   

How to Create RP

From Second Life's Lexie Lucas by an author who wishes anonymity (tell me is you change your mind, author!) but says, "feel free to post that note card on your blog".

OK!

USING YOUR CHARACTER TO CREATE RP
(or: 'How To Avoid Standing About With Nothing To Do')
reprinted with permission of author
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Huge sim-wide roleplays are all good and fun, but what happens on the side and in between? This is where your and others' characters come in. These are just some tips to help inspire players to keep roleplay evolving freely on a variety of levels.

1. Character flaws/habits/quirks.
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Your character's strengths are, of course, ever useful to the land, to friends, in battle and other circumstances. But the fun can often arise from a character's weaknesses or flaws. Consider these carefully and how you might bring them into RP.
Your character may have a phobia... Try putting them in a position where this phobia can manifest itself. Perhaps they are an addict... perhaps they are prone to jealousy... store these facts in the back of your head and play on them.
Give your character a habit or quirk to flesh them out. Not only does this give more depth and insight into them, but it gives them something to do. Think about yourself or people you know in real life for inspiration.

2. Goals.
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Set goals for your character, long term and day-to-day, from the most mundane routines of life to their grandest ambitions – this not only keeps them motivated, but gets them out and about in the sim where they may naturally bump into somebody and get into conversation. The smallest details in your RP can flesh it out. You are creating a life, and that life needs desires and purpose no matter how ordinary. Examples...
X is hungry. X wants to find a meal.
X is dabbling in potions and needs to find ingredients.
X has a friend who is unhappy. X wants to try to help them or cheer them up.
X ate some bad fish and seriously needs to find either a physician or an outhouse.
X is a demonic power-hungry being who ultimately wishes to overthrow the king. Today, X is going to work on turning the king's personal advisor against him.

3. Jobs.
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Everybody has a guild they are affiliated with, their main job. However there are work opportunities in the villages which can give you more play and lead to more and interesting RP. Consider having a skill, craft or trade on the side which your character can perform in times of peace. A strong-armed warrior could double as a blacksmith or butcher... a herbal healer might also run a farm... an apprentice mage could sideline as a tavern maid... etc. If there are players already fulfilling these roles, go and make up some excuse to need their wares or craft skills and go RP with them.

4. Variety - the Spice of Life.
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Be rounded and varied in your personal storyline. If others find you entertaining, they will enjoy RPing with you. RP isn't always about 'winning'.. it is about mutual entertainment.
Try not to make it kill after kill or tragedy after tragedy. If you are a 'dark' character, try to think of ways to be bad beyond relentless slaughter, as this can put some players off playing with you. Be creative and clever with it. How can you use people or play them off against each other? How can you trick an individual or make them conform to your whim?
Likewise, try not to find yourself in a cycle of getting captured/injured/in dire tragedy and having people rescue you all the time, as this too can become dull very quickly. If your character has been through a huge tragedy, try to find them a pleasant storyline.. see them happy. The more rounded the character's personal storyline, the more interesting they are for others to play with.

5. The Medieval Era.
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Medieval fantasy is set in... whaddya know... the medieval era. This is not only for human players - if you are playing a fantasy character from medieval folklore, be sure to do some research about the era. We all create the authenticity of the medieval world we play in. More so, the medieval setting is there to inspire your play. Explore folklore of the time to inspire character. Medieval folklore is littered with fantastic, imaginative storylines, which are begging to be put to use in RP.

6. Help Each Other.
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Take an interest in other people's characters and their personal stories and goals. Help each other's stories to develop. In a dull moment, why not share stories of your characters' pasts? Who knows... maybe some seemingly unimportant detail might inspire some further RP.

7. Go With The Flow.
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RP is more like improvisational acting than creative writing. Anything can happen, simply because there are so many minds together at once. Know your character well enough to adapt to any given situation while still remaining consistent and always keep in mind that other characters have their own agenda and motivations and will not necessarily do what you expect.

8. Have Fun. ;)
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Dawn of the Fourth Age - "Aule in Mandos"

When asked by the RP leaders in Second Life's "Dawn of the Fourth Age" RP why Aulë didn't appear in Alqulaondë more often, the obvious answer is that Aulë bases out of distant Valimar. When asked to provide an RP regarding what he'd been doing, I wrote something they liked well enough to post to their blogspot site with no changes at all (a rarity, I'm told). Disappointingly for me, they chose to have others continue the the story arc without my input. Good luck to them.

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This letter is carried by a maia in the form of a badger:

"To the High King of Arda, Manwë Sulímo
A letter from Aulë Talka Marda
Written in the Halls of Mandos, the ancient secret cells of Melko,
On this Spring Equinox of the year eleven of the fourth Age of the Sun and Moon

My dearest Lord High King, Aratar and Brother in the will of Eru Ilúvatar:

It is with regret that I find myself detained interminably in the duty of enlarging the Halls of the Dead in anticipation of the armies of the dead that would arrive here at the passing of the Third Age. Although I am weary of this work, I sending this letter at my first opportunity to explain my prolonged absence and request your further forbearance in the completion of my duties.

My duty is ever to oversee, if not construct personally, the major works and domains of the Vala in the World and the immortal souls that dwell there, and this project no less than others has occupied my thought and energies these many long months. A great deal of the needed space has already been hollowed and finished, nearly enough to accommodate all anticipated need for the next few centuries.



Now the trap of Melko, who dwelt for three long ages here in the Halls of Mandos, has sprung on me. He, while here, was not idle: he left what I can only describe as arcane and obscene graffiti on the dark walls and stones deeps around the perimeter of the caverns of the dead, hidden through four long ages until I and my people discovered the beginnings of them while enlarging the Halls. Some of these diagrams and paragraphs, scrawled in Black Speech, in Valarin, in Quenya and Sindarin and Common tongue, and even, frighteningly, in Khuzdul, describe horrible procedures and rituals for making natural beasts into fell creatures, for subverting fair plant-life into poisonous abominations, for devising destructive energies both physical and magical and emotional torments to break the sane mind. Some appear to be insane and demonic raving. Some are taunts written to me by name. Some are potent wards and spells that catch and bend the mind and body and spirit of those who happen on them.

These dark magics Melko left here are most dangerous and strong. On unexpectedly finding and opening these secret cells and the magics therein, six Maiar were quite badly damaged by the energies unleashed on the opening of the wards: those I sent with escort to the Lake of Estë to rest and recover. Three were rendered insane: those I sent with an escort to the Gardens of Lorien to find peace and calm. I dismissed almost all of the Maiar who aid me in this excavation and stone work in the Halls. The remainder I sent to complete the small remaining work of finishing the new Halls extension, then resume their duties in Valinor. There is some secrecy among us about this discovery, but a secret known to more than three is no secret, therefore I asked no oath of them for silence, only their wisdom in sharing what they know.

After hiding the entries to Melko's cell in Mandos, so that none of the wandering ghosts or spirits nearby will happen here, I and only two of the most magically adept Maia in my service are slowly and carefully dispelling the runes and enchantments we find, and wiping away the danger in the walls of the old cells of Melko in Mandos. The magics sometimes surprise me in the strength and subtlety, but I take grim satisfaction in seeing them dissected and dismantled one by one. We are carefully recording what Melko wrote and devised, for whatever else he is, he is clever and subtle. This prolongs the time it will take us to cleanse them all before we vacate this place for it is too fraught with peril until this work is done, thus I am effectively trapped and cannot anticipate the end of it since Melko spent many long idle years creating this ghastly and abominable testament.

Further, I must confess to you now, my Lord, that your brother Melko anticipated that I would be among those who found these writings, and his writings to me personally do pierce my heart. In example, there is one long quarto laying at my feet the troubles of the Noldor: He writes that my dealings with the Noldor was detrimental to them, that my attitude of teaching the most willing while neglecting the unwilling cultivated elitism among them, that my favoritism of some among them harbored alienation among them, that my teaching metallurgy directly brought about the Banishment of Fëanor and therefore the Kinslaying of the Teleri Elves of Alqualondë, that my renouncing my love for them separated them from the Vala who would aid them in Middle Earth, that they would be better and truer Children of Iluvatar had I not meddled in their affairs, that I did a fine job of molding them to be haughty and dangerous, nearly as well as he might have himself. These are clever deceit and false causation in sooth, but also in sooth these echo some of the fears in my own heart. Even now how can I face the Noldor who have returned to Aman when I forswore my friendship and patronage to them in ages past? I would not treat them with enmity, but my heart is broken still, and I cannot face those I once called "Aulendil". I am uneager to walk under the sun or moon or stars of Aman yet for my heart is too heavy for now.

Now I know that I am missed and loved in Aman and I miss these dear ones also. Yavanna or any of the Valar or Maiar would rush to aid me and even dwarves and elves also at even a hint of my request and need but I would not wish this. You know that this news will dismay many into pointless turmoil and rash actions, thus I must invoke your circumspection regarding it, if you will. I fear that even this outcome, of either isolating myself from my loved ones or placing them in peril, is one that Melko devised as an energy draining and time-consuming, delayed and poignant revenge on me for his own chains. It is only a matter of some finite time, though, before this, my fated work, is done and well done.

In the meanwhile, I pray and request that you will advise me as you will. The maia bearing this letter knows the way to me, and can return safely to me on your order. I further pray that you will find some way to relay something of my situation without alarming those we love, and to convey my best wishes and hopes for a speedy return to those who care for me.

I remain ever yours, in the building of Arda,
Aulë Talka Marda

High Elvish marriage

Researching High Elvish weddings is a relatively fruitless task. JRR Tolkien's trilogy and Hobbit contain none of them. The Silmarillion, often detailed, give no details at all about ceremony. "While still in his early youth, [Fëanor] married Nerdanel" is about the longest Elvish description you will find. The only Valar wedding described is thus:

Now it came to pass that while the Valar rested from their labors, and watched the growth and unfolding of the things that they had devised and begun, Manwë ordained a great feast; and the Valar and all their host came at his bidding...
And it is sung that in that feast of the Spring of Arda, Tulkas espoused Nessa the sister of Oromë, and she danced before the Valar upon the green grass of [the island] Almaren.
Then Tulkas slept, being weary and content.

One unusual wedding website quotes extensively from a "Morgoth's Ring" chapter: "Laws and Customs among the Eldar"

"At the end of the feast the betrothed stood forth, and the mother of the bride and the father of the bridegroom joined the hands of the pair and blessed them. For this blessing there was a solemn form, but no mortal has heard it; though the Eldar say that Varda was named in witness by the mother and Manwë by the father; and moreover that the name of Eru was spoken (as was seldom done at any other time). The betrothed then received back one from the other their silver rings (and treasured them); but they gave in exchange slender rings of gold, which were worn upon the index of the right hand.

Also, among the Noldor, it was a custom that the bride's mother should give to the bridegroom a jewel upon a chain or collar; and the bridegroom's father should give a like gift to the bride. These gifts were sometimes given before the feast. "

I extract these elements from the entire quoted text:

Courtship

♥ usually with familial approval
♥ sometimes since childhood
♥ no pre-marital conjugation

Handfasting

♥ in early adulthood, soon after age 50
♥ the father physically giving the daughter's hand to the groom
♥ the families announce betrothal.
♥ the two exchange silver rings
♥ handfasting lasts one year at least, often much longer.


The return of the rings signals revocation of intent to wed. Recall "one year" in age of the Trees is about 9.5 sun-years, so that is a nice long hand-fasting. In modern parlance, the "engagement" is similar: a time where the couple and their families learn to deal with each other and a large project of arranging the wedding celebration itself.

Marriage Ceremony

♥ brides mother and grooms father join the couple's hands.
♥ those parents bless them, solemnly invoking Manwë, Varda and Ilúvatar
♥ the silver rings are returned to one another
♥ gold rings are exchanged

Júli meldanyan, cuilenya ar melmenya

'To Juli my beloved, my life and my love'

The Wedding Feast

♥ occurs before or around the ceremony
♥ the king and/or father usually presides
♥ jewel and jewelry gifts are given to the couple
♥ food and music and dancing and vast attendance

♥ then sleeping happens and life goes on.

Now, to locate some elvish "solemn form blessings" to make a ceremony.

May It Be

Before releasing the 2001 "The Lord of the Rings", director Peter Jackson asked Enya to write and sing a song for soundtrack. Thrilled at the prospect, Enya headed to New Zealand to see the preliminary edits of the film.



May it be;

May it be an evening star Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road Oh! How far you are from home

Mornie utúlië (Quenya: darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (Quenya: darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

May it be the shadows call Will fly away
May it be you journey on To light the day
When the night is overcome You may rise to find the sun

Mornie utúlië (Quenya: darkness has come)
Believe and you will find your way
Mornie alantië (Quenya: darkness has fallen)
A promise lives within you now

A promise lives within you now





Enya worked with long-time collaborators. Roma Ryan, her lyricist. Nicky Ryan produced, arranged, and managed while Roma Ryan wrote the lyrics. They recorded the song through Enya’s contract with Warner Music in the Ryans’ Dublin studio, Aigle Studio. Like most of Enya’s music "May it Be" is classified as New Age.


Enya performed her song at the Academy Awards on March 24, 2002. She was “absolutely” excited about the performance. For her it was the “first time to be nominated, and to get to perform, it’s just wonderful, absolutely wonderful.”

Human - Elvish Marriage

JRR Tolkien seems to enjoy the theme of mortal man to elf-maid romances leading to marriage. His wife's grave even bears one of these names.

After many alliances in battle and peace, Tuor (a human prince) and Idril (an elven princess) are married by King Turgon (Idril's father) and the entire city celebrates in an early draft. In the final Silmarillion, JRRT only celebrates them with a feast thus:

"the heart of Idril was turned to him, and his to her... So high did Tuor stand in the favor of the King that when he has dwelt there for seven years Turgon did not refuse him even the hand of his daughter;.. Then there was made a great and joyful feast, for Tuor had won the hearts of all that people, save only of Maeglin [a rival suitor] and his secret following; and thus there came to pass the second union of Elves and Men"

The first such was Beren and Lúthien wed in the Silmarillion. In pages and pages of trials, these vows are these:

"as she looked upon him, doom fell upon her and she loved him. But she slipped from his arms and vanished from his sight into the city, even as the day was breaking... and long ago in the Hidden Kingdom she laid her hand in his. Thereafter often she came to him, and they went in secret through the woods together from spring to summer; and no others of the Children of Ilúvatar have had joy so great, though the time was brief"

After Lúthien led Beren before the throne of Thingol, as if he were an honored guest despite her father's outrage at her consorting with a mortal, Beren declares:

"here I have found what I sought not indeed, but finding I would possess for ever. For it is above all gold and silver, and beyond all jewels. Neither rock, nor steel, nor the fires of Morgoth, nor all the powers of the Elf-kingdoms, shall keep form the the treasure that I desire. for Lúthien your daughter is the fairest of all the Children of the World"

Thingol, seething, still echoes his daughters "laying her hand in his" when sending Beren on a deadly quest for a Silmaril from Morgoth's crown, saying: "then, if she will, Lúthien may set her hand in yours."

Later, Lúthien makes her intent clear while Beren is vacillating to continue or end on this quest: "You must chose, Beren, between these two... but on either road I shall go with you, and our doom shall be alike" At last, when Luthien and Beren return to Thingol, 'hand' imagery returns:

"Therefore, at the last he yielded his will, and Beren took the hand of Luthien before her father."

Most well known of all, Aragorn marries Arwen ("the likenes of Luthien") in Minas Tirith in Gondor (image below by the Hildebrandt Brothers) near the end of "The Return of the King":

"last [of the arriving elves] came Master Elrond, mighty among Elves and Men, bearing the scepter of Annúminas, and beside him upon a grey palfrey rose Arwen his daughter, Evenstar of her people.
"and Frodo when he saw her come glimmering in the evening, with stars on her brow and a sweet fragrance about her was moved to great wonder, and he said to Gandalf: "At last I understand why we have waited! This is the ending. Now, not day only shall be beloved, but night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear pass away!"

"Then the king welcomed his guests, and they alighted, and Elrond surrendered the scepter, and laid the hand of his daughter in the hand of the King, and together they went up into the High City, and all the stars flowered in the sky. And Aragorn the King Elessar wedded Arwen Undómiel in the City of the Kings upon the day of Midsummer, and the tale of their long waiting and labours was come to fulfillment"

JRRT writes a precursor to this in "the Fellowship of the Rings" in "Farewell to Lorien", when Galadriel, Arwen's maternal grandmother, asks Aragron's desire:

'Lady, you know all my desire, and long held in keeping the only treasure that I seek. Yet it is not yours to give me, even if you would; and only through darkness shall I come to it.'
'Yet maybe this will lighten your heart,' said Galadriel; 'for it was left in my care to be given to you, should you pass through this land.' Then she lifted from her lap a great stone of clear green, set in a silver brooch that was wrought int he likeness of an eagle with outspread wings; and as she held it up the gem flashed like the sun shining through the leaves of spring. 'This stone I gave to Celebrían my daughter and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. I this hour take the name that was foretold for you, Elessar, the Elfstone of the house on Elendil!"
Then Aragorn took the stone and pinned the brooch upon his breast, and those who saw him wondered; for they had not marked before how tall and kingly he stood, and it seemed to them that many years of toil had fallen from his shoulders. 'For the gifts that you have given me I thank you,' he said, 'O Lady of Lórien of whom were sprung Celebraín and Arwen Evenstar. What praise could I say more?'
The Lady bowed her head...

The gift Aragorn dared not ask for was, of course, Arwen herself who dwelt long in Lórien. The hopeful brooch was doubtless the elven marriage gift of a jewel, from the mother of the bride to the groom.

Ring of Doom

Let's say you are to represent the "Ring of Doom"

Here's how to make your representation reasonably close to the ideal:

First, Look up every quote you can find a about it, starting with online wikis and libraries:

Tolkien Gateway:"Ring of Doom" gives:

Máhanaxar also called Rithil-Anamo was the Ring of Doom outside the golden western gates of the city of the Valar. Here the Powers gathered to hold their great councils, bathed in the light of the Two Trees while those Trees still stood, and here some of the most momentous decisions of Eä's history were made. It contains the word Máhan "chief Vala", derived from Valarin Mâchananaškad.

Tracing Mâchananaškad's link gives the Valarin word mâchan "authority, authoritative decision" and *(a)naškad as "ring" whence Black Speech nazg "ring", whence "Nazgul" [Ring-wraith]. A little more work is needed for "Rithil-Anamo" since the link is circular, but you can find risil (or riþil or rithil) "ring" + anamo "of doom" "juridical decision" or "(legal) justice", from nam- "to judge" whence "Námo" [Judge])

Other favorite sites, Encyclopedia of Arda and Lord of the Rings Wiki add a bit more:

Within the circles of the Máhanaxar were the thrones of the Valar and where they pronounced their judgments. Here the great villian Melkor was judged and sentenced for his evils. It was also where the great Ñoldorin elf Fëanor was judged for his deeds in Tirion and where he spoke to the Valar of his intentions, after the killing of his father at the hands of Melkor.

While searching Mahanaxar, you find the image above image by Jacek Kopalski showing tall stone chairs, each with an elvish letter. A central globe shines under the starlight sky. There are eleven lines in the floor, six going to the visible chairs with their gauzy occupants. This suggests eleven chairs. There are Eight Aratar, or 14 Vala that JRRT named that should be there. I cannot justify eleven. No sign of a green mound. No sign of light from Trees. This is a lovely rendering, but not fitting for what we know already.

RULE: Read the actual Tolkien for yourself.

And I got ahead of myself... "Green Mound". From The Silmarillion, Chapter One:

And when Valinor was full-wrought and the mansions of the Valar were established, in the midst of the plain beyond the mountains they built their city, Valmar of many bells. Before its western gate there was a green mound, Ezellohar, that is named also Corollairë; and Yavanna hallowed it, and she sat there long upon the green grass and sang a song of power, in which was set all her thought of things that grow in the earth. But Nienna thought in silence, and watered the mould with tears. In that time the Valar were gathered together to hear the song of Yavanna, and they sat silent upon their thrones of council in the Máhanaxar, the Ring of Doom near to the golden gates of Valmar, and Yavanna Kementári sang before them and they watched.

A lovely description of the Two Trees follows. Well skip over that, other than to note that the Two Trees are very nearby. We're working on the Ring of Doom.

Rule: Look up the word-parts of all Tolkien elvish.

• Ezellohar (Quenya [eˈzelːoxar] from Valarin Ezellôchâr) "the Green Mound". From ezello "green" + ?har (Quenya -sar from Valarin -har)(1)"stone" (2) "hard" (3) "trusted".
  
• Corollairë (Quenya[ˌkorolˈlaɪre]) Green Mound where the Two Trees of Valinor grew. Also called Coron Oiolairë ("Koron"), place-name: the "Mound of Eversummer" where the Two Trees grew. Contracted to Corollairë and Corlairë; or spelt with an initial k. From coron (1) "mound" (2) ("Koron"") "globe, ball" + oio 1) "an endless period" 2) "ever" + lairë (1) "summer" (2) "poem" (3) "meadow".
  

My Quenya Wordlist writes that it's doubtful lairë word carries three meanings, doubting "meadow" as ligitmate. Helge K. Fauskanger also includes some Valarin entries in his Ardalambion (Arda Languages) site

• mâchanâz, pl. mâchanumâz "Authorities", used of the greatest Valar, called Aratar in Quenya. The Valarin word was also adapted to Quenya as Máhan pl. Máhani.
• machallâm properly one of the seats of the Valar in the Ring of Doom, the source of Quenya mahalma "throne" (WJ:399, cf. UT:305, 317
• mâchan "authority, authoritative decision" (WJ:399). The source of Quenya Máhan, one of the eight chiefs of the Valar, though the translation Aratar was more usual. It is an element in Mâchananaškad "Doom-ring", Ring of Doom, adapted to Quenya as Máhanaxar or translated as Rithil-Anamo. (WJ:401)

All this points out that the thrones in the ring are for the Eight Aratar: Aratar ('The Exalted'; arat "high",+ -r = plural). These are named in the Valaquenta:

Nine were of chief power and reverence; but one is removed from their number, and Eight remain, the Aratar, the High Ones of Arda: Manwë and Varda, Ulmo, Yavanna and Aulë, Mandos, Nienna, and Oromë. Though Manwë is their King and holds their allegiance under Eru, in majesty they are peers, surpassing beyond compare all others, whether of the Valar and the Maiar, or of any other order that Ilúvatar has sent into Eä.

In "The Silmarillion" chapter 9, when the Two Trees are extinguished, we learn the area around the Circle is very large:

After a time a great concourse gathered about the Ring of Doom; and the Valar sat in shadow, for it was night. But the stars of Varda now glimmered overhead, and the air was clear; for the winds of Manwë has driven away the vapours of death and rolled back the shadows of the sea. Then Yavanna arose and stood upon Ezellohar, the Green Mound, but it was bare now and black; and she laid her hands upon the Trees, but they were dead and dark, and each branch that she touched broke and fell lifeless at her feet. Then many voices were lifted in lamentation;

Further searching for our keywords, "Ring of Doom" and the elvish words, variations and place names brings up nothing not already covered. At this point, it's

DIGEST ALL THE INFORMATION and USE YOUR IMAGINATION

What were the eight thrones made of? Who sat where, exactly? What decor did they have? Where did the other Ainu and Eldar sit or stand to witness? What was the floor and ceiling? What marks the edge of the circle?

My imagination supplies these answers:

On grassy, green hill, under the starry sky, at perfect triangle point to the boles of the Two Trees, an open circle of eight stone thrones and a space for a ninth toward Valmar gates is surrounded by larger circles of stone seating, ringed about with rivlets of light. Each throne is inscribed with motifs of the intended occupant in this order: Melko (the missing throne), Oromë (trees), Yavanna, (animals), Aulë, (mountains), Varda (stars), Manwë (wind and globes), Mandos (lines), Nienna (tears), and Ulmo (water). Other named and unnamed Ainu and Eldar will have seats nearby, not so grand but equally personal.

When and if it gets built, I'll share an image or two.