Dark Prince

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Fanfiction
Title: Dark Prince
Author(s): Spiced Wine
Date(s): December 12th 2007 - ongoing (WIP)
Length: > 2690606
Genre: slash, AU
Fandom: The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion
External Links:

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The Dark Prince series is a series of Tolkien fanfiction by Spiced Wine that is written and completed. The first chapter of the first book of the series, Dark Prince ~ Book One, was published in December 2007, the last story in the series Magnificat of the Damned. Book IV: Anvil was completed in February 2019.

The series then branches off into a multiverse of past, present and future alternate universes beginning with Summerland. The stories in this series interconnect and the series is shared with the author Narya_Flame.

The total word count for the series so far exceeds 2.8 million words.

Dark Prince Book I was the second most read story, with more than 119 000 hits, on Lord Of The Rings Fanfiction.com, before the series was taken down and re-posted at Faerie, An Archive Of Tolkien Fanfiction in July 2011 due to issues with the purchase of LOTRFF.com as a for-profit site. It was the most read story on the Faerie archive before the archive was taken down in 2021 with a hit count exceeding 750,000

The stories are now hosted on AO3

[4]

Dark Lands and Dark Blood, books II and III of the Dark Prince series, feature chapters written by Anwyn who tells the story from the PoV of her characters Elphir and Anwyn.

One of the great attractions of the Dark Prince stories is the cast of characters, each of whom is unique and memorable. The enigmatic, tormented and dangerous main character and the Dark Prince of the title is Vanimórë, slave and son of Sauron, an OC whose life story from earliest childhood onward is told in Dark Prince. Other remarkable OCs include Elgalad, Vanimórë's ward and later beloved; Tindómion, the son of Maglor; Coldagnir the former Balrog, the beautiful Sindarin prince Bainalph, and Edenel, the twin of Finwë, whom was captured in the earliest days of the Elves and taken to Utumno. There, by torture, he was 'changed' although not in the manner Morgoth planned. In addition, Spiced Wine draws deeply from Tolkien's work, and other memorable canon characters include Fëanor, Fingolfin, Maglor, Finrod, Celegorm, Glorfindel, Legolas, Gil-galad, Erestor, Eluréd, Elurín, Daeron, Túrin, Beleg and Maeglin, as well as others. Unlike Tolkien, Spiced Wine explores the entirety of Arda and also portrays rich cultures in the south and the east of Middle-earth. Beyond Arda itself, the series explores the Timeless Halls on the ‘Outside’, beyond space and time, and other realities, and the ascension of Elves to Godhood by passing through Fos Almir, the Bath of Flame.

In 2018, Spiced Wine wrote a gift fic for the author Narya_Flame, called Summerland, where Vanimórë uses the Portal in the Timeless Halls to visit a modern-day world and meets Claire James, Narya’s amazing OFC from the wonderful ‘The Ways of Paradox’.

After completing the Magnificat of the Damned series, Spiced Wine is writing stories where her main OC, Vanimórë, along with Coldagnir and Edenel, visit other modern day worlds.

The author describes her work as containing slash, incest, violence, graphic sex, rape (het and slash) dub-con and torture.

Summary

map of Middle-earth as it appears in the Dark Prince universe, with all the key characters.

Author summary: Vanimórë, son of Sauron, was born in the shadows of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. A plaything, a slave, a warrior, he was bound to his father's mind, and tempered as a weapon of the Dark over thousands of years.

They forged better than they knew.

Trained in the pits of Angband, Vanimórë could command armies, kill without conscience, and he could hate those he served. But he would not break for them. The blood of the Eldar ran strong in him. His path was inextricably linked to some of the most famed and tragic of the Elves, and lead to a destiny he could never have imagined.

The Darkness – has its own Light.

Works in the Dark Prince Series

It was said that Fëanor had little love for his half-brothers, yet Fingolfin followed him to betrayal and, ultimately, to death in single combat against Morgoth. There were many lies handed down through the ages, and this lie covered something so forbidden and irresistible that no law could forbid it, neither could death or doom destroy it. The Arc of Fire, the blazing thread connecting the houses of Fëanor and Fingolfin encompassed three generations and thousands of years. It began in Valinor, in the Years of the Trees.

Lúthien was not the only offspring of Maia and Elf born in the Elder Days, but Vanimórë's tale was never to be sung in glittering halls.

His mother was Elven. His father was Sauron. His birth was accomplished by the blackest sorcery of Morgoth Bauglir.

He was forged as a double-edged sword is forged, as lethal and as beautiful. And they tested him to breaking-point.

He would not break.

After the Last Alliance, Vanimórë traveled deep into the Harad, to the great desert trade-city of Sud Sicanna. He took the throne with violence, slaying the corrupt Sultan; he meant to rule until Sauron took form again and called him back – as Vanimórë knew he would.

Nowhere, even in the South, whose people worshiped Morgoth and Sauron, were women treated so brutally as in Sud Sicanna, almost, Vanimórë thought, as though they were feared. In the temple, overlooked by a statue of Melkor, lay a great stone used as an altar of sacrifice in blood rituals dedicated to the world's darkest, oldest God. The Azanti tribe said that before Men awoke he, whom they named the Black One Whom Enslaves, murdered the Mother of the Earth upon it.

Vanimórë came to know that something had indeed happened in that place, something so terrible it echoed through time. Nothing in Vanimórë's fated life was chance. Something had drawn him to the wealthy, vicious city, something that knew whom and what he was...


Title artwork for the Dark Prince series.

Vanimórë journeys south with Elgalad to a rich, corrupt city on the coast of Haradwaith, where an ancient darkness has the ruler under its hand. Death and madness unfold about Sauron's son; he was made Vala in the Bath of Flame, yet this old evil will flee from power, and Vanimórë is forced to endure slavery once more as he seeks to discover what dwells upon the Isle of Plagues.

He came out of Night, but he did not come alone. Now the darkest of powers seek to show Vanimórë that his path was laid before him long ago, and that his destiny is to aid Morgoth's return before the Dagor Dagorath, the Last Battle at the end of the world. If he falls, there is no way back.

Vanimórë's Imperium rises in the south, bringing order in the wake of conquest, and beyond it's might the Re-united Kingdom thrives in peace. Gil-galad returns to Lindon with a youthful Fëanor who has his own power and destiny. Yet an evil undermines Vanimórë's rule, and taints the kingdoms beyond. His subjects believe their Emperor demands blood sacrifice and name him the Dark God. And at the end there will be sacrifice indeed, and a breaking of the heart...

Tears unnumbered they would shed, yet still they would live, and love and defy Darkness. And they would die. Yet as Fëanor prophesied, their deeds would “be the matter of song until the last days of Arda.”

The Arc of Fire, the blazing thread of forbidden love and desire which began with Fëanor and Fingolfin spanned three generations and thousands of years. I Will Lead and Thou Shalt Follow told of the birth of that passion. This story continues the Arc, telling of the ultimately doomed love between Fingon and Maedhros, Fingon's son Gil-galad and Tindómion, son of Maglor, in an Arda where the love of one's own gender was seen as an offense in the eyes of the the Valar – and punished by banishment into the Everlasting Dark.

Glorfindel and Legolas talk to Finrod, Glorfindel's elder brother, in Valinor before the Noldor sail to their new haven in the east of Middle-earth.

At the end of the Third Age, Glorfindel and Vanimórë, son of Sauron, are the supreme Powers on Arda, having passed through Fos Almir, the Bath of Flame. The mighty dead have returned, and Glorfindel leads the Noldor to a haven in the east of Middle-earth, which they call their New Cuiviénen. Fëanor, released from the Void, will rule there as High King.

But the ancient loves, hates and feuds of the Noldor have not dimmed or been forgotten with the ages, and their new life becomes a tinder-box of passion, pride and power. Ancient dooms and betrayals arise, and both new and ancient notes of the Great Music are played across the Fourth Age of Arda.

They had been damned for their pride. Damned for their passions. Damned by the Valar and by Morgoth Bauglir. Hated and envied by both.

Reborn into an older world and freedom, they had discovered that the jealousy of Gods does not fade, and that damnation has an agelong reach. In dark Angmar, the Mouth of Sauron feeds his ambitions with unspeakable acts. Coldagnir the Balrog begins to learn what freedom is, and in New Cuiviénen the Noldor battle with their own pride and passions.

Thousands of years after the destruction of Old Earth, Sauron, with Ungoliant, is welcomed into Valinor, to make the Halls of Waiting a place where souls are devoured. The ruling Valar of Aman wish to use her to lure Vanimórë, Glorfindel, Fëanor and all those they call the Rebels to uttermost destruction unto the very dissolution of their souls. Vanimórë must destroy himself to become coeval with Eru to save the Noldor and guide them to apotheosis. But Dagor Dagorath is coming...

But thus do the Gods forge weapons; with hammers of pain and sacrifice – and the fires of undying love.

A collection of smaller ficlets written in response to the Silmarillion Writers Guild Back To Middle-earth Month.

The Once and Future Kings

After the destruction of the old universe, Vanimórë, sitting outside ‘Time’ in the ‘Monument’, believes himself a failure for creating new universes that are too much like the old. His mind is a desert, the hurt of Eru’s revelation driving him into isolation.

Eventually, he decides to look into one of these universes, where the Valar’s hand lies heavy on the Elves and in particular a youth growing toward maturity and numbed by the heavy control of the Valar, who did not bring the Quendi to Aman to aid them or because they loved them — but because they wanted to control them.

A story of Fëanor, and Fingolfin, the secrets woven into Valinor, the cold calculation and lies of the Valar, the forbidden passion that nevertheless grew between the half-brothers, and their determination to break the chains that were wrapped about them — with a little help from an unknown ally.

They were Fireflower and Starfire, their lives linked over countless universes, drawn together by a bond that neither death nor Power could break.

Chronologically set after Magnificat of the Damned IV: Anvil.


A Time of Thunder

Sequel to The Once and Future Kings

There are rebels in Valinor but Fëanor knows they have not the power to defeat the Valar. They have to leave. Yet more sons are born to he and Fingolfin and they will not subject their children to the probable dangers of a wild and unknown Endor.

Fëanor, however, has touched the totality of the Flame Imperishable and more wonders and brilliance are born from his mind and hands.

And now is the time for Melkor to be released, apparently penitent. Or does his probation serve a different purpose?

In the modern world, Vanimöré means to return to the Monument to track down everyone involved the child trafficking ring but Edenel and Coldagnir are concerned that he will never return.

These are Times of Thunder


The Splinters of Steel series.


Splinters of Steel


Gap fillers within the Dark Prince/Magnificat ‘verse.

AUs and Fanfiction including Spiced Wine’s Original Characters

What would have happened had Legolas not been able to flee to Imladris and Glorfindel when he found he was pregnant? What if he fell into entirely different hands?

After the Last Alliance, Vanimórë, freed for a time from Sauron's control, made himself the ruler of Sud Sicanna, a wealthy city in the Harad. Five hundred years later, he journeys to Szrel Kain on the Sea of Rhun where rulers of the East are meeting to discuss renewing their attacks upon Gondor. Vanimórë goes to gather information, to keep his finger on the pulse of events.

Legolas, banished from his home, wanders into the hands of a clan traveling back to Rhun after a summer of trading. The Men, afraid he will bring ill-luck on them, mean to sell him, and in lands where the Dark Gods are worshiped Legolas' uniqueness would mean sacrifice, the death of both himself and the child he bears: Glorfindel's son.

He falls instead into the hands of the Dark Prince, the son of Sauron, who understands neglect and abuse only too well...

A Far, Fierce Sky

Following on from events in A Light In The East, Legolas continues his journey south with Vanimórë, Maglor and the warriors of Sud Sicanna. Sauron hopes to separate the young prince and his son from Vanimórë, and continues to hide behind his assumed identity, and unbeknownst to him, the Mother's concealing power.

Further north, Glorfindel travels with Tindómion, and Legolas' brother Celeirdúr, with Bainalph, the Beautiful Swan. Thranduil, knowing he is acting unwisely, nevertheless sets out on his own, with, he believes, one aim in mind.

All are unaware of the power and love that links them one to the other, and what, in the end, it may come to mean.

This is their journey to A Far, Fierce Sky.


The Summerland Series are works written by Spiced Wine and Narya_Flame, both modern-day and Middle-earth.


“How does it end for them?”

“If things remain unchanged, then in sorrow.” Vanimórë gave a bleak smile. “How else could it end, between an Elf and a mortal woman?”

“Indeed.” Elgalad brushed the surface of the portal. It hissed faintly, and the air tasted of salt and metal and ice. Maglor and Claire and their pretty town vanished into darkness. “If things remain unchanged.”

A crossover between Spiced Wine's Dark Prince AU, and Narya's series 'The Wanderer.'

In the Portal in the Timeless Halls, Vanimórë sees a vision of a different Earth - one where the Fëanorions were not reborn, and there was no apotheosis by the shores of the sea. Maglor has wandered alone for thousands of years, but in twenty-first century Scotland, he meets a young woman named Claire James. Vanimórë watches their lives, and makes a decision that will change the future of their world...

Summerland series


The Blood Harvest series.


The Stormbringers Trilogy


At the Monument, after Dagor Dagorath, Vanimöré wakes from a dream. Anything is better than doing nothing and so he returns to the world beyond to Summerland — to help a son and mother fled from a life of abuse and bullying.

But things are never as straightforward as they seem...


Spiced Wine’s OC Vanimöré and his Khadakhiri appear in AnnEllspethRaven and SonaBeanSidh’s 5 million plus fanfiction

At the Edge of Lasg’len

This story is the longest Tolkien fic ever written and appeared in Slate Magazine

[5]

and Vanimöré also appears in AnnEllspethRaven’s Chiaroscuro

[6]

Spiced Wine’s OC Tindómion, the son of Maglor has appeared in Ziggy’s More Dangerous, Less Wise, part of her The Sons of Thunder Lord of the Rings series.

[7]

Fredbasset writes a fix0it set in A Far, Fierce Sky, dealing with the aftermath of the battle with the Horde, where Vanimöré loses his war stallion, the foul-tempered, magnificent Seran.

Black as The Wings of Night


Spiced Wine’s permission statement for use of her OC’s is that she just be asked and contacted via email.

Comments

  • "HOLY...FUCKIN...WOW. This is absolutely magnificent. I love how earthy and pagan all of this feels; you have a nice firm grasp on mythology and how it functions and you aren't afraid to wring every last beautiful aching drop out of it. Brava, my dear. :-)"[1]
  • "To find a work of art, whether it be writing, or a movie, or anything else, that causes me to cry, that causes my heart to constrict at the weight of it, that sticks in my mind long after its conclusion, is a rarity. Those are the kinds of works that change something in me. To experience something so deeply it has an impact on who you are, how you view the world, well that's true writing, true art, and I am happy to say I can fit your writing into that category."[2]
  • "This is so intriguing! I just love the richness of your additions to Tolkien's lore which always fit so seamlessly into the world that Tolkien describes that I always catch myself thinking that canon should have been exactly the way you describe it!"[3]
  • "I think we tend to forget from time to time the sometimes feral nature of the Elves-almost as if their ‘civilized’ manners are merely a thin veneer, but we have you to magnificently remind us! They would not be the warriors they are without that essential core." [4]
  • “I love the way youn write them all, and your original characters are the meat and bones of the story and the canon ones the blood that courses through the narrative. They are all of equal importance to the story. As ever, your talent and imagination are awesome!” [5]
  • “Oh my goodness. Such a magnificent ending. It’s hard to think that the series has concluded. Where to start? I first was attracted to the series because it expanded the Tolkien world into a whole other universe and introduced such incredible, original characters. I was immediately hooked and happily dove in to better understand what you were creating. Through the years it was always so exciting to see an update on the latest adventures and appreciate the depth and breadth of the characters you created (Vanimorë, Coldagnir, Edenel, etc.). You were able to bring new understanding and insights into both your OCs as well as the original Tolkien characters. Many of my musings around the Tolkien characters like Sauron, Celebrimbor and Maglor revolve around and weave in your universe as to how I interpret them.

I don’t really have words to describe how I feel about Vanimórë—such an incredible, almost mythical character. You really brought him to life in my eyes and I enjoyed so much seeing how he evolved through the years.

I will miss this series (though I know I will frequently revisit it as I tend to do.) I do hope that this won’t be the last time we get a peek into your wonderful creations. Thank you again for all that you have brought to us.” [6]

  • “Mother.… Or should I say Father of all Universes! Holy… Unholy

Van! I don't know what God's name to invoke at the end of this enormous and mind blowing read. Perhaps the holy name of Feanor?

Perhaps that is it, perhaps I can fully praise your work as the Feanor of all writing. That is to say, superlative in every way.

I have read all the Dark Prince and Magnificat stories this past week, I lived in them every moment and now I don't know what to do with myself. I am on sick leave and for some reason took it into my head that I might kick the bucket in the immediate future (fortunately, this idea is fully groundless).

And I could not kick the bucket without first finishing Magnificat (and the rest of Van's epic tales). I guess that says something about the impact of your writing.”

[7]


  • “My pleasure! It is incredibly well-deserved, and truly, you are deserving

of far more :)

Thank you so much for your response. I've been meaning to tell you that no one will EVER be able to convince me that Tindómion is not a canonical character. He is truly, utterly, magnificently brilliant, and I simply adore him :)

[8]

  • “When first I heard of

your stories I saw the tags and wasn't certain I could stomach reading dark material; I'm an HSP and retain imagery very strongly…too strongly, but I overcame my timidity and could not turn away. It's part of why I stopped reading for a time after Dark Prince, but those images wouldn't stop flitting around my inner space. Not in a bad way, but with magnetism. And I started to ask myself, why. What was going on here that such dark material created positive impressions? I feel it can only be the essence of your lead character --bloodied but never broken, the light that cannot be stamped out. Hope that endures in the face of everything has real power that carries out (of the world of First Age elves that never existed) into the realities with which we all contend. Mired in blackness, fictional stories shine as a beacon of light and endurance. I don't care what anyone says, it takes courage to write this stuff and lady, you have a lot of it.”

[9]

  • “My introduction to this Verse and the character Vanimórë. I don't usually read 'darkfic' and the ratings gave me pause but...this isn't gore, violence or prurient material for its own sake. This is a serious examination of the limits of endurance, the effects of trauma, what it is to be subject to power and to wield it...and love. There are so many themes and archetypes that summarizing is difficult. This is written at the level of literature and while the content is difficult I have felt extremely rewarded from having done so. I cannot recommend this author's grasp of Tolkien, Judaeo-Christian mythos and complex psychology enough. Her OC Vanimórë is a towering achievement and in my opinion the greatest character to spring from this canon.”

[10]

Fannish Activity

Son of Eru, Son of Love by Esteliel

Several fans have written stories that take place in the Dark Prince universe or use its characters:

  • Two series by Beruthiel's Cat (further links to be added due to moves from LOTRFF.com.) including

Remembrance Of Days To Come.

A crossover between Pink Siamese's

(Incomplete.)

References

  1. ^ Pink Siamese. Review, 04 April 2010. (Accessed 7 May 2011)
  2. ^ Encairion. Review, 07 February 2010. (Accessed 7 May 2011)
  3. ^ Esteliel. Review, 21 August 2009. (Accessed 7 May 2011)
  4. ^ Beruthiel's Cat. Review, 21 September 2010. (Accessed 7 May 2011)
  5. ^ Fredbasset. [1], 22 August 2022. (Accessed 28 August 2022)
  6. ^ Baileyboybee. [2] 06 February 2019. (Accessed 27 September 2022).
  7. ^ Ann_arien. 03 March 2020 (accessed 12 November 2022).
  8. ^ Enigma Rising. 18 January 2020 (accessed 12 November 2022).
  9. ^ anon. 6 January 2020 (accessed 12 November 2022).
  10. ^ AnnEllspethRaven. [3] 02 November 2017 (accessed 26 December 2022).
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