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Silmarillion Awards – Winner of the Wisest Counselor Silmaril

Tracey Dyck 43 Comments



Me: Hello, everyone, and welcome to the final phase of the 2017 Silmarillion Awards! It has been a rollicking adventure indeed, and we can’t thank you enough for your enthusiasm and participation this year. To kick it off, I’d like to welcome up a very special character from Middle Earth to present the award for Wisest Counselor. *peeks over shoulder* Um, a very special character from Middle Earth. *clears throat* A certain wise counselor . . . to present . . . Ahem, it appears our presenter has yet to arrive–

*a pointy grey hat pokes out from backstage*

Gandalf: Not so, you fool! *strides onto stage and snatches mic* A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he intends to. I was merely arranging celebratory provisions for later.

Me: Apologies, Gandalf. We’re just happy to have you here. My friends, allow me to introduce Gandalf the Grey, also known as Mithrandir, the White Rider, Greyhame, and Stormcrow, among other names. He is certainly the wisest counselor anyone could meet in Middle Earth. *bows and exits stage*

Gandalf: Thank you. Now then. Where were we? Ah, yes, the time has come to award the Wisest Counselor Silmaril to the character deemed most worthy by all of you. *sniffs* You’re a much nicer audience than I find in Hobbiton, did you know? Taller, yes, but rather less noisy.

Ahem. Five characters of great wisdom contended for this Silmaril, but only one may receive it. And the fellow who secured the most votes is deserving indeed. I shouldn’t be surprised, really, but even the very wise cannot see all ends.

The counsel this gentleman has provided his friends has most certainly changed the courses of their lives, and perhaps even saved some. Like I always say, all we have to decide is what to do with the time that has been given us, and this man has decided to do a great deal of good with his. He knows that it is not our part to master all the tides of the world. Instead, he pours all of his strength and considerable heart into guiding the tides under his control, and surrendering the rest to his Master.

Though he has walked through times of sorrow and seasons of waiting, he has stayed the course. He is a beacon of light to those who follow in his footsteps. Others may claim the title of hero in his tale, but if not for him, the road would have taken a very different turn indeed.

My friends, may I present the winner of the 2017 Wisest Counselor Silmaril:

Professor Charles Hamilton!

*a smartly dressed older gentleman with wild grey hair rises from the front row and joins Gandalf on stage*
Professor Hamilton: *in a British accent* My, your fireworks get better every year, Gandalf.
Gandalf: I should say they do. Congratulations, young man. *hands over the Silmaril* This is yours to keep for a lifetime.
Professor Hamilton: Young? *smiles* Compared to you, perhaps. I am honored to receive such a prize, though I must that any wisdom I possess is thanks to the very Source of all wisdom. I merely listen to Him.
Gandalf: And that is precisely what makes you wise. Now, before we acknowledge the runners-up, I would like to take a moment to honor you, Professor, by calling up a scene from your past. *waves staff*
*translucent image appears over the stage*

The professor grasped [Excalibur] and limped toward the central pedestal. He knelt at Bonnie’s side and placed the sword in Billy’s hands, wrapping his own fingers on top and elevating the blade. Billy opened his eyes and tightened his grasp on the hilt.

“William,” the professor said, softly, “what now is your weapon?”

Bonnie could see Billy’s eyes reflecting the professor’s shining face, enhanced by Excalibur’s glow. She held her breath, waiting for Billy’s reply.

“Truth,” he whispered, his voice rasping. “Truth is my sword.”

The professor nodded, his eyes now flashing, and his voice erupted in deep, echoing tones as if Billy’s answer strengthened him. “And what now is your defense?”

Color returned to Billy’s face, and his jaw tightened. His voice surged with emotion. “Faith . . . faith is my shield.”

*image fades*
Professor Hamilton: *blinks back tears and beams at a row of young people in the audience* How well I remember that day.
Gandalf: As I thought. It was a turning point for one of your young charges. For using your wisdom to strengthen weary bones and direct wandering hearts, ladies and gentleman, I present to you Professor Hamilton!
*thunderous applause*
Professor Hamilton: *bows, then leans over to whisper* By the way, it is an honor to meet the namesake of a certain cat.
*sounds of a scuffle*
*a cat yowls and streaks away between chairs*
Someone in the audience: Walter! I told you to hang onto him!
*chuckling, the professor takes a seat*
Gandalf: I cannot forget the wisdom of four other magnificent characters, and I thought it might interest all of you to find out how they fared in the voting round. *pulls scroll out of his robe and consults a list*
Professor Hamilton from Dragons in Our Midst – 34%
Puddleglum from The Chronicles of Narnia – 23%
Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter – 21%
Prince of Farthestshore/Aethelbald from Tales of Goldstone Wood – 18%
Beana from Tales of Goldstone Wood – 4%
*a marsh-wiggle, wizard, prince, and goat incline their heads respectfully from the front row*

Gandalf: To all who did not win this year, I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil. You have all performed admirably. Once again, congratulations to the dear professor. *looks around* Now . . . what am I supposed to do? Just–leave? Introduce someone?
Me: *hurries back out* Not to worry, I’ve got it. Thank you, Gandalf! Make sure to follow along with the presentations, everyone. Tomorrow the winner of the Least Competent Henchman will be announced, an event you certainly won’t want to miss. Happy Silmarillion Awards 2017!
[Note: excerpt taken from The Candlestone by Bryan Davis]

EDIT: For your convenience, here are the links to the award presentations! (Will be updated as they are posted.)
Most Magnificent Dragon
Most Loyal Friend
Most Nefarious Villain
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We Have a Winner! {Silmarillion Award for Best Riddling and Poetry}

Tracey Dyck 50 Comments

Oh, hello there. It’s much too early for tea, do come back lat– Oh. Is it that time already? Well then.

*rushes onto stage*

*scans audience and clears throat*

Good morning! I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. But I am getting used to unfamiliar faces intruding upon my quiet routine, so here I am at the request of the fine folk in charge of the Silmarillion Awards.

You’ve likely already guessed it would be me presenting the Silmaril for Riddling and Poetry. For the sake of riddles, however, I’m inclined to introduce myself thusly. . .

I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led. And through the air. I am he who walks unseen. I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly. I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of a bag, but no bag went over me. I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider–better known as Bilbo Baggins.

It brings me great pleasure to present this award to someone nearly as skilled at riddles and rhymes as I am. Perhaps you can hazard a guess? Here’s a poetical conundrum to help you along.

Ancient I am
And enchanted too
With the power of four
I am magically imbued


With wisdom vast
I peer inside minds
Their thoughts and intentions
I sort and divide


September is when
My song will ring out
Then I hem and I haw
Then proclaim with a shout


The house you belong in
One out of four
My most famous student
I placed in Gryffindor


My name should be clear
I’m grouchy and grim
And I sing and I speak
Through a rip near my brim

*smiles a self-contented smile*

Not half bad, considering I’ve never met him–er, it–before today. Ahem. The winner of the 2016 Riddling and Poetry Silmaril is . . .

*consults a paper*

The Sorting Hat!

Congratulations, my dear fellow! You bear a striking resemblance to the hat of a grouchy wizard in my acquaintance. But that is neither here nor there. For your wise counsel to the new students of Hogwarts, and your guidance often presented in the form of poems and songs, you deserve this gleaming jewel.

Many notable poets and riddlers were contending for this award. You may be interested in seeing how they fared.

Best Riddling and Poetry
111 out of 123 voters answered this question.
The Sorting Hat (Harry Potter Series) 36 / 32%
Curdie Peterson (The Princess and the Goblin) 31 / 28%
Sir Eanrin (Tales of Goldstone Wood) 28 / 25%
Gummy (The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall) 8 / 7%
Leonard the Lightning Tongue (Tales of Goldstone Wood) 8 / 7%
Some close competition among the top three, but in the end, the famous Sorting Hat emerged the winner!
Thank you all for your participation. The Silmarillion Awards would be impossible if not for you! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve tea to steep, a pipe to smoke, and a book to read.
*awkwardly waves goodbye and retreats offstage*
Me: Thank you for taking time away from your comfy morning, Bilbo, to present this award. Congrats again to the Sorting Hat, and thanks to all of you!

Don’t forget to visit all the stops. You can see the schedule HERE. And please feel free to join the fun during the last weekend of July, during which time many of us will be celebrating with a Tolkien Party!

No veren! [Enjoy yourself/be joyous]
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Welcome!

Tracey Dyck 33 Comments

Well met, fellow travelers!

I suppose introductions are in order. My name is Tracey Dyck, and at the moment, all the clever ways I planned to succinctly introduce myself have scurried out the back window and left me with a blank page. So let’s start with the basics, in no particular order.

I am:

  • 19 years of age

  • Canadian

  • a homeschool graduate

  • a writer

  • a God-chaser

 

And now for some random facts.

I feed on words. The smell of spring is hope to me. My bookshelves are congested. I have awesome parents and three awesome younger siblings. I live in the Prairies. I read and write pretty widely, but fantasy is my homeland. I write because I need to, and because I hope that someone else needs me to. New notebooks call to me. I take pictures of shadows. I sketch. I am a slayer of evil dragons and a friend of good ones. I am an introvert. My space is organized chaos. I love the colors of the Caribbean, of watermelon, and of new leaves. Please take me to Narnia because I left my heart there. I love children. Dark chocolate trumps milk or white. Captain America is, without a doubt, my favorite Marvel superhero. Apparently my personality type is the same as Batman’s, though I fail to see many similarities. I laugh easily and cry easily. I am a paradox because a sunny optimist and a cynic coexist in my brain. I adore humor. I am a girl of strong convictions. Jesus is the difference in my life; He is my anchor, my shield, my fortress.

Now, what should you expect on this blog? Good question. Even I’m not entirely sure. But I think you’ll find a mix of the big and the small, the important and trivial. A blend of life and faith and anything story-related. I aim to post about once a week, but that schedule may change as I settle into it and find out what works.

Life truly is a grand adventure! I sincerely hope that this place will be a rest stop where you can brush off the dust of your travels, warm your hands by the fire, and find stories in the coals. I hope that this is an armory where you can sharpen your blade, shine your armor, and stock your quiver. Here is where our quests intersect. Let’s swap tales, remind ourselves of the light, and look for the story the Author is weaving in each of our lives. To the wanderers, the wayfarers, the voyagers—I bid you welcome!

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