Athrabeth

In episode 99, we discuss highlights from our recent trip to Oxonmoot 2026, and then present our session from Oxonmoot titled, “Odious Oaths, Pernicious Promises, and Vicious Vows: Athrabeth Podcast Live! ” with special guests Dr. Sara Brown and Dr. Kristine Larsen. One of the most dangerous things you can do in Arda is to swear an oath, make a promise, or take a vow. Join us to explore the unforeseen consequences and dire twists of fate associated with oath taking. 

Thank you to Sara and Kristine for joining us for this session! You are both are the Queens of Memes!

Thank you to the Tolkien Society for having us, and thanks to their volunteer squad who made the weekend fun! Thank you to our audience who joined us both in Oxford and online, and thank you to our amazing room steward, D. Scott Fortner! 

Listen to the show with accompanying slides on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/1HUBvRazbKU

Citations

Thank you to our special guests, Dr. Sara Brown and Dr. Kristine Larsen! 

Dr. Sara Brown: 

Email: [email protected]

Bsky: @aranelparmadil.bsky.social

Threads: @aranelparmadil

Signum University’s Everlearn page: https://blackberry.signumuniversity.org/everlearn/welcome/ (Accessed 10/6/26)

Dr. Kristine Larsen: 

Email: [email protected]

Congrats on being the new co-editor of the Tolkien Studies Journal! https://wvupressonline.com/journals/tolkien_studies/ (Accessed 10/6/26) 

“The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth” cast from Oxonmoot 2026:

Produced by: Mercury Natis

Directed by: Dennis Massmann

Torhthelm: Kit Hannah

Tídwald: Erik Jampa Andersson 

The work of Paul Corfield Godfrey

https://www.paulcorfieldgodfrey.co.uk/ (Accessed 10/6/26)

Jude’s tattoo artist: 

Gloria Notarangelo

Instagram: @dyrs_hjarta_art

[email protected]

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3f 

Join us for a special mini episode with guest Jeremy Edmonds chatting about the Tolkien Collector’s Guide’s 20th anniversary livestream coming up on October 3-4, 2026! We had a great time chatting with Jeremy about this epic 20-hour event! There will be special guests (including your favorite Athrabeth hosts) and giveaways throughout the stream. Listen in to learn more about the event! 

Thanks for joining us, Jeremy! 

Citations

Thank you to our guest, Jeremy Edmonds!

Jeremy’s Bluesky: @uruloke.tolkienguide.com

Tolkien Collector’s Guide 20th Anniversary Website: 

https://www.tolkienguide.com/TG20 

Find the Tolkien Collector’s Guide here:

Tolkien Collector’s Guide’s Bluesky: @tolkienguide.com

Tolkien Collector’s Guide You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@TolkienGuide 

Join us this month for a look at the final book in the History of Middle-earth series, The History of Middle-earth volume 12, The Peoples of Middle-earth. We delve into Tolkien’s unfinished story, Tal-Elmar, discussing themes of colonization, racial stereotypes, and the good guy/bad guy dichotomy. We also reflect on our Lesser-trod Histories Series as it comes to a close.

Citations: 

Hoiem, Elizabeth Massa, World Creation as Colonization: British Imperialism in "Aldarion and Erendis". Tolkien Studies, Volume 2, 2005, pp. 75-92 (Article). Published by West Virginia University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/tks.2005.0020 

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Peoples of Middle-earth. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 12. HarperCollins, London, 1996. 

Tolkien Gateway article “Númenóreans”

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/N%C3%BAmen%C3%B3reans (Accessed August 15, 2026)

Tolkien Gateway article “Tal-Elmar (chapter)

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Tal-Elmar_(chapter) (Accessed August 15, 2026)

Tolkien Gateway article “The Peoples of Middle-earth” 

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/The_Peoples_of_Middle-earth (Accessed August 15, 2026)

Join our Discord! 

https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3f 

Join us this month for a special Lesser-trod Paths episode with David the Ñoldo! Springing from our last Lesser-trod History episode about The War of the Jewels, David joins us to discuss the dwarves in Tolkien’s legendarium. Looking through a lens of source criticism of secondary world authorship, David challenges us to consider who in the legendarium is writing about the dwarves, where these authors get their sources, and what potential biases are present. David asks us to consider whose history is written down and whose is silenced, and question why. 

Citations: 

Thank you to our guest, David the Ñoldo! 

David’s linktree: https://linktr.ee/davidthengoldo

Voices of Arda Episode 65: David the Ñoldo, May 29, 2026, Season 1 episode 65

https://poddtoppen.se/podcast/1647183649/voices-of-arda-podcast/voices-of-arda-episode-65-david-the-noldo (Accessed July 9, 2026)

David’s Bibliography

Agøy, Nils Ivar, “Viewpoints, Audiences and Lost Texts” in The Silmarillion Thirty Years On, ed. by Allan Turner, p.149-163.

Fimi, Dimitra. Tolkien, Race, and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits

Flieger, Verlyn, Interrupted Music: The Making of Tolkien's Mythology

Hynes, Gerard, "From Nauglath to Durin's Folk: The Hobbit and Tolkien's Dwarves" in The Hobbit and Tolkien's Mythology: Essays on Revisions and Influences, ed. by Bradford Lee Eden, p.20-37

Nagy, Gergely, "The Adapted Text: The Lost Play of Beleriand" in Tolkien Studies: An Annual Scholarly Review vol. I, ed. by Michael D.C. Drout, Verlyn Flieger, and David Bratman, p.21-41.

—"The Silmarillion: Tolkien's Theory of Myth, Text, and Culture" in A Companion to J.R. R. Tolkien, ed. by Stuart D. Lee, p.107-118

Sena, Kenton; Harris, Kaelyn, "Re-enchanting Built Spaces: On Dwarves and Dwarven Places" in Cities and Strongholds of Middle-earth: Essays on the Habitations of Tolkien's Legendarium, ed. by Cami Agan, p.55-81

Tauber, James, Digital Tolkien Project, https://search.digitaltolkien.com/?terms=Naugrim

Tolkien, J.R.R., Gnomish Lexicon in PE11 p.30; Qenya Lexicon in PE12 p.67; Words, Phrases, and Passages, in PE17 p.181, in Parma Eldalamberon, ed. by Christopher Gilson.

— The Silmarillion, ed. by Christopher Tolkien (New York: Ballantine Books, 1979).

— The Lost Road and Other Writings, ed. by Christopher Tolkien (New York: Del Rey Books, 1996)

— Morgoth’s Ring, ed. by Christopher Tolkien (London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2002).

— The Peoples of Middle-earth, ed. by Christopher Tolkien (London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2015)

Trouillot, Michel-Rolph, Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History, 20th Anniversary Edition.

Walls-Thumma, Dawn, "Attainable Vistas: Historical Bias in Tolkien's Legendarium as a Motive for Transformative Fanworks," Journal of Tolkien Research: Vol. 3: Iss. 3, Article 3.

Upcoming events

Tolkien and Middle-earth Online Art Exhibition- August 15, 2026

https://sites.google.com/breecrossroadsartexhibitionevent.com/home/home

The Big Read- Ongoing, every other Monday

https://erikjampa.substack.com/p/tolkien-society-seminar-and-tolkien

Oxonmoot- September 3-6, 2026

https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2026/

In this installment of our Lesser-trod Histories series, Stef and Jude explore The History of Middle-earth, volume 11, The War of the Jewel, specifically looking at the Grey Annals. The Grey Annals is the primary text for the structure of the history of Beleriand, and a year-by-year timeline of the First Age of Middle-earth. Jude muses on the etymology of the name “Beleriand” in regard to Ossë, and comes around to the tragedy of Túrin. Stef discusses the cruelty of Morgoth in paragraphs 80-82, and the conversation between Galadriel and Melian (and Melian and Thingol) in paragraphs 91-99.

Citations 

Tolkien, J. R. R. War of the Jewels. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 11. HarperCollins, London, 1994. 

Tolkien Gateway entry for “Bay of Balar”

https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Bay_of_Balar (Accessed June 27, 2026)

Tolkien and Middle-earth Online Art Exhibition

August 15, 2026. https://sites.google.com/view/bc-tolkien-online-art-exhibit/home?authuser=0 (Accessed June 27, 2026)

Tolkien Society Seminar: Tolkien's Invented Languages

November 21, 2026. https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/seminar-2026/ (Accessed June 27, 2026)

Join the Athrabeth Discord! 

https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3f

Episode 95 celebrates all things Westmoot, the American gathering of the Tolkien Society held from May 22-24, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota! We begin with a reflection on our experience at Westmoot. Then we present our live show from Westmoot, “Disasters, Downfalls, and Dives: Athrabeth Podcast Live” with special guests Clare Moore and Tori Owens. We each chose our favorite disaster to present to the listeners: Daeron, Finrod, Saeros, and Túrin.

Citations

Thank you to our guests, Clare Moore and Tori Owens!

Clare can be found on Bsky at @clarelmoore.bsky.social

The Big Read dates and information can be found here: 

https://erikjampa.substack.com/p/tolkien-society-seminar-and-tolkien?utm_source=publication-search (Accessed May 30, 2026)

Learn more about the upcoming volume More Perilous and Fair, with Cami Agan, Clare Moore

Dr. Robin A. Reid:

https://dc.swosu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=mythpro (Accessed May 30, 2026)

Tori can be found on instagram @_toriello, and on Bsky @itstoriello.bsky.social

The Sillymarillion podcast can be found at:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sillymarillion/id1571617612

https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/thesillymarillion/

On Instagram at @sillymarillions

On Bsky at @thesillymarillion.bsky.social

Join the Athrabeth Discord! 

https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3f

Join us this month as we interview Kelly from themiddlepage, exploring her deep dive into Tolkien's lesser-read works in her Year of Tolkien Book Club project, and her passion for making Tolkien's complex themes accessible and engaging. Discover how her community-driven approach and love of Tolkien’s poetry, On Fairy-stories, and medieval literature bring new insights into the Professor’s work. 

Citations

Thank you to Kelly from themiddlepage for joining us!

Kelly’s links: 

Year of Tolkien Book Club Substack: https://themiddlepage.substack.com/p/a-year-of-tolkien-library

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themiddlepage/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/themiddlepage.bsky.social

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@themiddle.page

Find Kelly on these other great podcasts: https://beacons.ai/kelly.themiddlepage/podcastappearances

You can also find Kelly on videos with the Voices of Arda folks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh4nCiY805E

Join Athrabeth’s Discord: 

https://discord.gg/4rZynfWv3f

Hwæt! Bro!

Maria Dahvana Headley, Beowulf: A New Translation (MCD x FSG Originals, 2020)

https://bookshop.org/p/books/beowulf-a-new-translation-maria-dahvana-headley/9892043

This month, Jude and Stef explore Tolkien's complex thoughts on justice, healing, and the intricacies of Elven marriage and reincarnation through an in-depth analysis of the 'Laws and Customs Among the Eldar' in the History of Middle-earth Volume 10, Morgoth’s Ring. We delve into Tolkien's writing process, the philosophical debate of the Valar and the Statute of Finwë and Míriel, and the implications for understanding Elven mortality in Arda Marred.

Citations

Tolkien, J. R. R. Morgoth’s Ring. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. The History of Middle-earth: Vol. 10. HarperCollins, London, 1993. 

In this episode, Jude and Stef welcome Dr. Kristine Larsen as our guest host in this special lesser-trod paths episode. Kristine talks to us about Tolkien's use of caves throughout his legendarium, such as the Glittering Caves of Aglarond and Gollum's cave, while drawing parallels to real-world inspirations like Cheddar Gorge and Wookey Hole Caves. We chat about the significance of intention in Tolkien's writing, the impact of commercialism on the natural world, and the ongoing exploration of Tolkien's legacy in contemporary scholarship. 

Citations

Thank you to our guest, Dr. Kristine Larsen!

Contact Kristine: [email protected]

References: 

Larsen, Kristine. “Immeasurable Halls and Dreamlike Forms: Tracing the Caves of Cheddar Gorge Throughout Tolkien’s Legendarium (and Beyond).” Journal of Tolkien Research 22(2): article 15, 2025. https://scholar.valpo.edu/journaloftolkienresearch/vol22/iss2/15/ (Accessed Feb 15, 2026)

Soon to be published: Larsen, Kristine. “‘Deep Down Here By the Dark Water Lived Old Gollum’: The 1927 Public Opening Of the Wookey Hole Show Caves And The Hobbit”.

A list of Dr. Larsen’s publications can be found here: https://www.ccsu.edu/person/kristine-larsen (Accessed March 2, 2026)

Tolkien Reading Day 2026 https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/tolkien-reading-day-2026/ (Accessed March 2, 2026)

This month, Jude and Stef talk with Tolkien scholar, artist and calligrapher, Wizard Way Kris, Kris Piet, about their newly published “Elvish Calendar - 2026–2027: 14-month adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s Calendar of Imladris”. Kris, our favorite Resident Elf Boi, describes how the calendar developed, how elves measure time, and we talk about elvish holidays found in Tolkien’s legendarium. Kris also introduces the stunning artwork commissioned for the calendar. Despite the elves having only six seasons and six-day weeks, this beautiful calendar is synchronized to the Gregorian calendar and is available now!

Citations

Thank you to our guest Wizard Way Kris (Kris Piet)!

Kris’ website: https://elf-boi.com/

Kris’ Linktree: linktr.ee/WizardWayKris

Elvish Calendar 2026–2027” 14-month adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s “Calendar of Imladris” is available now! 

Purchase your 2026-2027 calendar here: https://elf-boi.com/products/pre-order-elvish-calendar-2026-2027

Artists commissioned for the calendar:

Anndr Pozyniuk: linktr.ee/AnnDR

Rami fon Verg: linktr.ee/ramifonverg

Calendar graphics designer and formatting by Kim Johnson

Lydia Croft Art: linktr.ee/LydiaCroftArt (Accessed January 26, 2026)

Paul Sarando’s “The Shire Reckoning Project”. https://psarando.github.io/shire-reckoning/ (Accessed January 24, 2026)