FÎĻÎ

A post for Fili's letters to his mother

PLAYER INFO

Name: Theta
Contact Information: gottheballs
Time Zone: EST
Characters Played: n/a


CHARACTER INFO

Character Name: Fili
Character Canon: Tolkien

History: more along the lines of the book, and more details of the movies

AU History: Fili spent his whole life in Caldera with his small family. As a child, he was hyperactive, a troublemaker just like his younger brother. But at eight years old, his father died, and the sight of his lifeless body was enough to change Fili’s mannerisms forever. Now feeling the weight of responsibility, Fili idolized his uncle Thorin, wanting to be just like him and to be able to provide for his family as Thorin could. He threw himself into any work he could find, working hard to continue the family legacy. The story of his great-grandfather wasn’t just a story to Fili; it was a reminder of what they had lost, and what they could yet regain. He wasn’t going to let his uncle and mother shoulder that burden alone.

Kili, three years his younger, kept Fili on his toes, dragging him into misadventures and all kinds of trouble. Without even meaning to, he ensured Fili still had the childhood he deserved, though as they both grew older, Fili’s desire to misbehave receded, turning instead into a need to protect his little brother, to shield him from the misfortunes that the world could bring. Fili enlisted as soon as he could, wanting to fight and help his people in any way he can. He also learned the family trade of mining, as well as taking after Thorin’s hobby of smithing. It had saved their family from complete destitution before, and it was good work that kept Fili’s mind off things.

The revelation of other places besides just themselves and Gigas honestly didn’t trouble Fili much. He was too busy to care, and was injured in battle shortly before aid arrives from Union in May. Thorin departed in October, and Fili had prepared to leave with his brother as well, but an accident in the mines reopened old wounds and Fili was forced to stay behind. Kili departed alone in January, Fili promising to follow behind as soon as he could, but bills made that impossible. He stayed behind longer, working long hours to ensure his mother would have everything she needed before he left. He would have perhaps stayed forever if it were not for the earthquakes. While Caldera was undamaged, it was enough to bring Fili’s thoughts back to his brother and uncle, how they were faring in Union. With his mother’s insistence, Fili finally left home to find his family.

Canon Personality: One major characteristic of Fili’s personality is that he’s incredibly selfless and empathetic. A natural-born leader, Fili has always been very aware of his role as Thorin’s heir, and perhaps even a future king. Because of this, he feels responsible for the people around him, particularly his younger brother. A troublemaker at heart, Kili has always acted the baby. While many of their shenanigans weren’t entirely fueled by Kili alone, Fili is far better at telling when a situation requires seriousness, to the point where he’s serious a bit too much. On the quest in particular, with no mother there to protect them both, Fili mother hens his younger brother, never leaving his side. In the last movie, Fili takes this to the extreme. When the two brothers are investigating Ravenhill, Fili works out very quickly that it’s a trap. He deliberately insists Kili take a different path, so that Fili is the one captured, in the hopes that he will provide enough of a distraction for his younger brother to get out safely. This of course leads to his death, but as long as his brother makes it out alright, Fili is more than willing to make that sacrifice.

While his relationship with Kili is the ultimate example of Fili’s selflessness, he also displays this same trait in many other situations, with many other people. While navigating the pass through the Misty Mountains, half the Company is seemingly crushed, Fili among them. A closer look reveals they are all still alive, though battered. Rather than rushing to his family or nursing his own wounds, Fili instead quickly gets to his feet to assist the others, helping Bombur up (no easy feat) and making sure he’s alright. Later on, the Company meets Bard the Bowman and his three children. Even though Kili is dying from a poisoned arrow, during the orc attack, Fili’s almost instantaneous response is to protect the two girls that Bard left in the house with them. It’s clear as the movie goes on that he has taken them under his responsibility, and ensure that they make it safely through the dragon’s attack and back to their father.

Fili is still young, still a bit naive, and betrayal is not something he knows well, or at all. His trust in others is utterly unswerving, as solid as rock. He has no reason to doubt in the honesty of others. His faith is simple and utterly pure. While he knows that bad things happen, and he’s had some suffering in his life, it hasn’t been on a scale to kill his hope for good. He believes in the very best of everyone, trusting them implicitly to keep their word. Fairness and honesty are an innate part of him. He is, in the truest sense, good, and it will take a lot to dampen that brightness in his heart. While of course he’s told his fair share of white lies, the concept of manipulating others or deliberately altering the truth to mislead is completely foreign to him.

This isn’t to say that he’s all business and no fun. Fili is definitely still a kid. While he has a tendency to overwork himself, he loves to play as well, and mischief will always be something he is a little too good at. He is playful and silly, and his laughter comes easily (though not perhaps as much as Kili). Fili is usually wearing a smile, even when things get tough. He likes to tease, the greatest example of this being when he and Kili are tossing about dishes in Bilbo’s house despite the hobbit’s protests. But like a kid, his timing on said jokes can certainly be...off, such as when he and Kili were laughing about orc raids.

Another defining characteristic of Fili is his bravery. Where Kili is reckless, acting without thought, Fili thinks out what he’s doing and deliberately makes the choice to put himself in danger. He chose to come on the quest because of what it would mean for his people, and more importantly, for his family. If they could succeed, it would mean a realization of all his uncle’s hopes and dreams, and the lost Longbeards of Erebor could return home. This outweighed the risk of danger. Unlike Kili, Fili was well aware that he might not return. He knew that he may very well give his life for a quest that could, and more likely than not, would, fail. Fili always keeps the needs and wants of the people around him in mind, weighs every angle and all the possibilities. More often than not, he still chooses to be brave and make the hard choice. He is willing to give his life for the hard things, like the life of his brother, or the happiness of an entire people.

AU Deviation: There’s not too much different about Fili’s personality in this AU. While he no longer has a royal bloodline, he still has a lot to live up to. Thorin has always been a leader in Caldera, and many of the people there are familiar with Fili’s family. He still wants to be just like his uncle; a strong, capable leader that can take care of his family. Fili grew up working, both in the mines and in the military, but that’s not much different from his canon background. The only significant difference is that he will be a bit more relaxed. While he still has a lot of responsibility (most of which is imagined), he’s quicker to laugh. Having a pokemon around certainly helps.

At the point where I’ll be taking him, however, he’ll be more tight-lipped and stressed. He’s overworked himself nearly to the bone, reinjuring himself likely more than once (but keeping quiet about anything after the first time), and he feels like he’s abandoning his mother in Caldera. It was on her insistence that he came to Union, but she has no one to look out for her now. Not that she really needs it, but after his father’s death, Fili feels very responsible for his mother’s well-being.

Canon Abilities: As a dwarf, Fili is strong and sturdy. He can handle intense weather easier than any of the other races, though he may not particularly enjoy it. Dwarves are also less easily corrupted by evil, as seen by the dwarf lords given rings crafted by Sauron. While it increased their greed, they did not undergo a transformation like the Nazgul, who were once Men. He is fluent in the Common Tongue (Westron) and the sacred language of the dwarves, Khuzdul, as well as the dwarf sign language of Iglishmek.

Fili is a skilled blacksmith and can both read and write. Having been trained from his childhood, he is dangerous with weapons. His weapon of choice is a pair of swords, though he’s quite literally armed to the teeth. Throwing axes and daggers are stowed just about everywhere he can possibly hide them, with which he is deadly accurate.

Fili can also play the fiddle.

Enlightened Abilities: I’d like Fili to be Steel/Electric with the Kindred Soul ability, stemming from his original dwarf form, his frizzy yellow hair, and of course, his empathetic nature.

Fili’s first form will be about average strength. He tends to accidentally shock others upon contact and his hair is always frizzy thanks to the constant static electricity around him. He also has the ability to detect the presence of metal.

His second form is when things start to get interesting. His internal structure changes slightly, his bones changing composition into steel. He can now tell the composition of the metal he is detecting, identifying the strength, durability, etc, which can come in very useful. The beginnings of his hedgehog final form will start to appear, a handful of small steel quills covering his upper back. As far as his electric abilities, he will now be able to temporarily paralyze upon contact (Nuzzle).

His third form entails Fili now distinctly resembling a steel hedgehog. His entire back will be covered with the steel quills, which are soft when he’s relaxed and become dangerous when he is stressed. (See this link for more details re: quills.) Said quills will also discharge electricity when he’s stressed, giving him a chance to paralyze his attacker (Discharge). I'd also love to have him be able to do something similar to King's Shield, where he can defend himself from most any attack for a short amount of time, perhaps in exchange for a great deal of energy.

It would make me immensely happy if his Enhanced item could be a matched pair of swords, one Steel and one Electric.

Starter Pokémon: A female Shinx named Dagny

Notes/Special Considerations: He's 5'6" and 20 years old.

SAMPLES

-What do you seek for humanity’s future?
Safety. Knowing my little brother doesn’t have to enlist like I did. I just want my family to be safe and happy. Everyone has the right to know their family is gonna be okay.

-To what lengths would you go to rescue your allies if they were lost in the wilderness?
I don’t like the word ‘ally’. It seems too formal. But my friends? My family? I’d do anything for them.

-What aspects and traits do you respect most in your individual fellow man?
Honesty. Responsibility is a big one. Patience, especially if you’re dealing with Kili. [He laughs.] If you treat my family right, I’ll respect you.

-What do you look for in the Pokémon with whom you bond?
That makes it sound like there’s ‘Mon out there that aren’t worth bonding with.

-What do you think your Pokémon respect most about you?
[He laughs and turns a little pink.] Why don’t you ask her?

-A human has attacked a wild Pokémon who retaliates in defense. How do you respond and whom do you defend?
This is a loaded question. ...Obviously there’s something going on here that I don’t know. I can’t say who I would defend because I don’t know the whole story. I would figure out what was going on and help them to resolve it peacefully.

-No Enlightened chooses their abilities - and not all are Enlightened. What type abilities would you most desire to manifest and why?
You know, I used to think that there were some types that were better than others. But then Kili found out he was Fairy, and that changed everything for me. I am what I am, I’m happy with that, and I don’t have a right to judge others for what they are or wish I’m something I’m not.

-What would you say is your greatest duty, and why?
[He doesn’t even hesitate.] Protecting my family. There’s nothing more important to me than my family.

-What would you say the role of Pokémon is in your life?
They’re my friends, first and foremost. They’re people the same as we are. Why should I treat them any differently?

-What does the story of the Savior mean to you?
Not much. It’s nice to have something to believe in, but it’s just a story.