What does Athelas smell like to you? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mnemosyne · 11-17-2009, 01:01 AM

The evidence we have is pretty scanty, but it seems that the smell of King-activated athelas changes based on who's getting healed. When Faramir's under treatment, it smells like roses, but Eowyn gets a clean mountain breeze and Merry gets heather.

Smell is a powerful thing--it goes directly to your brain instead of getting routed the way all the other sense are, and the part of the brain that processes it is closely linked to memories and their formation. So it makes sense on an innate level that in order to be healed of soul-hurts, athelas would activate on smell to make you feel comfortable and loved--the opposite, in a word, of the deleterious effects of the Black Breath.

So. Imagine that you've been plotholed to Middle-earth during the Siege of Minas Tirith, get whacked hard with the Black Breath, and get to experience the Healing Hands firsthand.

What kind of smells would the kingsfoil-steam give off?

Andsigil · 11-17-2009, 03:05 AM

Pine

Estelyn Telcontar · 11-17-2009, 07:02 AM

Minty - like peppermint tea. A very refreshing smell! As a matter of fact, I do have some natural peppermint oil that I use for rubbing my forehead when I have a headache, and it does me good.

Morsul the Dark · 11-17-2009, 07:13 AM

Hazelnut

mark12_30 · 11-17-2009, 08:29 AM

Wintergreen. Refreshing, calming, smells like home (grew all around our house) and thrives under the sun and the pines. It grows wild, and can be found in the winter....

Formendacil · 11-17-2009, 03:41 PM

A really good frankincense.

Some incense, however, can be absolutely foul--so not them.

Guinevere · 01-14-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark12_30

Wintergreen. Refreshing, calming, smells like home

Smells like Bengay, I'd say!

In my imagination Athelas would smell something like Basil leaves. Or aromatic like the Cistus, a flowering shrub that grows in the Mediterranian macchia.

Galadriel · 01-28-2011, 05:24 AM

Sort of a mixture between mint and eucalyptus

With a hint of fresh mist.

11-17-2009, 01:01 AM	#1
Mnemosyne Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Between the past and the future Posts: 1,159	What does Athelas smell like to you? The evidence we have is pretty scanty, but it seems that the smell of King-activated athelas changes based on who's getting healed. When Faramir's under treatment, it smells like roses, but Eowyn gets a clean mountain breeze and Merry gets heather. Smell is a powerful thing--it goes directly to your brain instead of getting routed the way all the other sense are, and the part of the brain that processes it is closely linked to memories and their formation. So it makes sense on an innate level that in order to be healed of soul-hurts, athelas would activate on smell to make you feel comfortable and loved--the opposite, in a word, of the deleterious effects of the Black Breath. So. Imagine that you've been plotholed to Middle-earth during the Siege of Minas Tirith, get whacked hard with the Black Breath, and get to experience the Healing Hands firsthand. What kind of smells would the kingsfoil-steam give off? __________________ Got corsets?

11-17-2009, 03:05 AM	#2
Andsigil Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Deepest Forges of Ered Luin Posts: 734	Pine __________________ Even as fog continues to lie in the valleys, so does ancient sin cling to the low places, the depression in the world consciousness.

11-17-2009, 07:02 AM	#3
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,499	Minty - like peppermint tea. A very refreshing smell! As a matter of fact, I do have some natural peppermint oil that I use for rubbing my forehead when I have a headache, and it does me good. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

11-17-2009, 07:13 AM	#4
Morsul the Dark Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 3,448	Hazelnut __________________ Morsul the Resurrected

11-17-2009, 08:29 AM	#5
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Wintergreen. Refreshing, calming, smells like home (grew all around our house) and thrives under the sun and the pines. It grows wild, and can be found in the winter.... __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

11-17-2009, 03:41 PM	#6
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,309	A really good frankincense. Some incense, however, can be absolutely foul--so not them. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.

01-28-2011, 05:24 AM	#8
Galadriel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: In Eldamar beside the walls of Elven Tirion Posts: 551	Sort of a mixture between mint and eucalyptus With a hint of fresh mist. __________________ "Hey! Come derry dol! Can you hear me singing?" – Tom Bombadil