Chronicled in Ost Guruth of the Nain Enidh in the Lone-lands of Eriador,
On this the 10th day of Echuir in the Year 3018 of the Third Age.
Long under the guidance of Melian the Maia did my mother and father learn the ancient elven arts in Menegroth of old; and many were the teachings shared with them by the Queen of Doriath. During my childhood in Mithlond, my mother shared one such teaching with me, though I was young and lacked the strength of mind to apply it. This is the gift called ósanwe in Quenya, and indeed, even now I cannot send forth my thought to another's mind. But from her I did learn sanwe-latya, and could thus oft faintly hear the voice of Ulmo, or the echo of the Music of the Ainur, in the waters of Belegaer.
But here in the darkness of the early watches in Ost Guruth, with naught but the soft warm light of a single candle holding back the blackness of the starless night, I needs must recall those days of childhood bliss in the lush forests of Lindon, when she would take me with her under the shade of those ageless trees to collect the herbs of her craft; and here I recall her words as best I can, from memory, to aid me in understanding the vision in my sleep.
Her tender face smiles at me from within the candle's flame, as in my recollection she holds my small face between her long, soft hands, saying,"Angollon, my gentle child, you have not yet met the sámar of the Hildor, but know this: all sámar are equal in quality, though they differ in skill and strength; be they the minds of the Hildor, or Casar, Periandi or Eldalië. For they all have the same skill, but it is in itself weaker due to the strength of their hröar, over which most have small control by their will."
(Ever will I recall the manner of her private speech with me in those days of joy, for though she always spoke Sindarin in respect for the bygone decree of Eru Thingol, Lord of Doriath, she loved the music of the Quenya tongue and would oft bestrew her speech with its melodious words.)
"By its very nature, one sáma perceives another directly, but it cannot perceive more besides, save by the consent of both. But when your sáma is in a state of látie, knowledge may be gained from another. Alas, my sweet son, once it was that látie was the natural state of all sámar, but that was in Arda Alahasta; but even in those blissful days of yore, by avanir could a sáma be pahta; for from its first making, it has the right to close and the power to do so is by your will, and nothing can penetrate the fence of avanir. And this I shall teach you, though mind you well, no sáma can be closed against Ilúvatar, either against His inspection or against His message... should ever you receive such, heed it well!"
Such is my recollection of that one bright morning in the forest, and it was only afterwards that I realised I had not seen her lips move all the while she had spoken with me! However, there is more that I recall of her teachings upon this subject as I grew older...
The perception of the mirröanwi is dimmed by the hröa with which the fëa is united; indeed twice-over, for thought must pass through both the hröa of the sender of thought and then through that of the recipient; and thus transmission of thought requires strengthening by affinity, urgency, or authority.
And it is the strengthening by affinity that holds my thought, for I deem that is by the friendship that I hold for my Hadhod friend, which is a likeness of fëa unto fëa, and which we perhaps share; and also the urgency of his great need and the authority of my duty to him that lends force to the thoughts between us. For these causes may strengthen thought to pass the veils of the hröar and reach the recipient mind, and distance in itself offers no hindrance to ósanwe; and my dream was but the reception, and interpretation by my receiving mind, of the impact of thought emanating from the mind of my lost friend.
Perhaps it is because my thoughts were with him ere I slept, but while sleeping I dreamed, and it was of my friend that I dreamt. All around was darkness, save his face; broad and stern, his beard immaculately combed as always. No fear could be seen in his eyes, nor anger, but worry creased his countenance, and he was muttering words I could not hear. Then suddenly light dawned upon him, and I could see the road upon which he travelled, and saw the smoking air of Bree behind him in the distance as he followed the East Road with the Sun in his face and his shadow falling behind. Clearly he was travelling eastwards towards... where? Does he journey hither to Ost Guruth? Shall I dare to hope that I need not retrace my course to Bree?
I am not gifted with foresight as my mother was, so I deem this is not the future that I have seen. I can only hope that what I saw in my dream was the truth of Todsi returning to Oth Guruth unlooked-for.
My thanks to Ósanwe-kenta.
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