It was Rúmil of the Noldor who first devised the skill of writing, and Fëanor who further created the system of Tengwar runes. You share this affinity for language and wordcraft, able both to quickly learn new languages and writing-systems, even when you share no language with the ones from which you are learning, and to devise your own languages and cunning scripts. Perhaps you might do so for the sake of keeping your messages secret, to describe things for which existing languages have no terms or simply for the joy of creation. Whatever the case, you have a talent for languages and writing - learning them, creating them, or weaving clever words - that cannot be denied. This perk even applies to magical languages, and although by itself it won’t allow you to create new magical languages, it might allow you to cleverly make use of existing ones.
00cpSanwe Latya
Meaning ‘thought-opening’, this is a capacity that all thinking beings in Arda possess, from the greatest of the Ainur to the least hobbit. In short, every thinking mind is at least potentially capable of sensing others, and both inserting its thoughts into other minds, and reading the thoughts of others. However, there are many limitations on this process, which prevent every Tom, Dick and Barliman from making use of - or knowing about - this ability (see Notes).
With this you, like every person in this world, gain the latent ability to develop this skill to at least some extent, to contact and read the minds of others and project your thoughts into theirs, whether to communicate or compel. This can be very useful for interpreting thoughts
others wish to reveal, and thus in interpreting unfamiliar languages.
Perhaps more importantly, though, you gain the likewise-universal ability to close your own mind, whether to particular individuals or to all. This barrier of ‘unwill’ makes it impossible for even the greatest and most powerful mind in Arda to perceive or alter your thoughts - but you can still be persuaded, intimidated, tortured or tricked into lowering it. By default, the unwill still provides a strong barrier against other means of intrusion from outside this jump (e.g. psychic powers), but is not entirely invulnerable. In future jumps, characters will be able to close their minds against your thought-reading and thought-sending in a similar way, regardless of the local metaphysics, and with time you may be able to teach them to close their minds against similar intrusions by other means.
You have the skill to perceive the thoughts of others or insert your own with some effort, so long as you have some advantages in doing so - familiarity, authority and urgency all help with this (see Notes). This is roughly the level that Faramir, Denethor and similar operated at, and could be learned by an otherwise-ordinary human with years of careful study and self-honing.
00cpSongs of Power
In the beginning, Arda’s history was foreshown in the Music of the Ainur, and although it was physically created afterwards, music still holds power within the halls of Ea. Befitting this world shaped by music, you have a talent for song and poetry; you can carry a tune or recite a poem easily, injecting appropriate emotion. Furthermore, you can easily memorise such artworks.
The power of your music and chanting goes beyond ‘mere’ poetry and song. Through such music, you can perform goetia, the magics of the mind. With a calming song you could quiet wild beasts and befriend furious horses, with an upbeat and merry melody imbue a party with an air of enchantment, wonder and joy, with a quiet rhyme help conceal yourself and others in foliage and shadows, or with a bellicose chant ignite courage in the hearts of your allies and intimidate your foes. Alternatively, you may sing such songs to counter similar enchantments of others; for instance a song of courage and resilience to help another resist the terror-spells of a Nazgul. On your own, the effects you can invoke with this are relatively subtle and will be tiring, but many such chanters together can magnify the effects and reduce the burden upon you, as can magical tools such as Rings of Power.
100cpWell-Formed
Your beauty, handsomeness or intimidating mien is truly impressive, the kind of appearance immortalised in poems and sung about long after you’re gone. A glance from you is enough to make the heart skip a beat—one way or another. Whether through breathtaking beauty, striking handsomeness or an awe-inspiring presence, your appearance naturally suits your wishes and leaves a lasting impression on all who behold you.
400cpSpirit of Fire
In you is come again the might of Fëanor son of Finwë, for better and worse. Your charisma and oratory skills are legendary, sufficient to convince an entire people to follow you out of paradise in pursuit of glory and vengeance, and this same strength of spirit fortifies your body and mind as well. You are, in short, a genius capable of mastering many skills at a great pace, and of bringing them to heights beyond what even masters of their craft would think possible. Meanwhile, your spirit burns through your flesh, allowing you to go beyond the conventional limits of your body to leap great chasms, match trolls for strength, endure great torments or lengthy exertions, and run at speeds matching a mighty horse - though sustaining such feats at the limits of your ability will drain your spirit and require recovery time in the aftermath. If you were to attain the heights of martial skill and armour yourself in the best crafts of the Noldor, it would take a small army of balrogs to slay you, and even then you would be able to land blows to remember you by.
Furthermore, once per jump (no matter how long the jump is!) you may stoke your spirit to its very height, in order to achieve something that can truly be termed a miracle. As Yavanna shaped the Two Trees of Valinor, and Fëanor wrought the Silmarils from their mingled lights, so you too may bring forth all your strength, skill, knowledge, magic and powers, no matter how disparate or normally-incompatible they may be, to achieve some truly incredible feat. This might be an object forged with transcendent enchantments that even the greatest wizards find impossible to understand, or a feat of might like defeating a god through force of arms. Whatever it is, it will be a feat the likes of which has never been seen before, and will not be seen again.
800cp Well of Light
Such a thing has not been seen since Ungoliant drank the Two Trees dry: A pool of the mingled dews of Telperion and Laurelin; liquid light that shimmers in countless shades of silver and gold, and sheds a holy radiance far beyond where it should reach. These sacred waters have many virtues, of which perhaps the least are their healing properties. To drink but a mouthful from this well of light is to banish all disease and weariness, and to set all wounds on a road to swift and sure healing without any lingering harm or pain.
A plant watered with a few drops of this sacred dew will grow sure and strong and bear fruits or seeds with healing virtues of their own, while a beast allowed to drink will grow wise and strong according to its kind, and sire children with similar strengths. If a sapient being drinks from the Well, they and their children shall have the light of Aman in their face; they will have something of the reflected radiance of the Two Trees, and will be blessed with beauty, longevity and great spiritual strength, though not necessarily with wisdom.
Even simply bathing in their light will help bring healing and respite from mental and spiritual pains, and ensure that disease and decay do not come near, and all but the mightiest of evil things will flee its radiance. The reflected glimmer of the light captured in a Silmaril was enough to empower the Phial of Galadriel, after all, when this is pure from the source.
Beyond these blessed qualities, however, the dews of the well are potent magical substances. It is said that Varda made the very stars from the nectar of the Two Trees - and even if you lack the power of the Valar to shape the world in such a grand fashion, these waters are nothing less than a divine reagent for light, healing and blessing, allowing for creations fit to match those of the Ainur. A blade quenched in these waters would be a bane to all evil things, and a crown anointed with them might impart to the wearer great beauty and radiance, as of the light of Aman. Perhaps one day you might even capture their light anew, and forge new Silmarils - if you have the skill, and can discover a substance fit to contain their light as a body would a spirit.
Your well of light is composed of two outer pools where the gold and silver dews slowly gather, and an inner where they mingle. They are not large, each the size of a medium-sized pond, but will slowly re-fill over time. If entirely emptied, they would re-fill over the course of a year.
Companions
00cpWordsmith00cpSanwe Latya00cpSongs of Power100cpWell-Formed400cpSpirit of Fire800cpWell of Light