Subject: The Illian-Simses do not know the meaning of 'short'.
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Posted on: 2025-07-08 09:44:26 UTC

1. What is your name?

I am Sam; Sam I am.

Dafydd...

Oh, all right. My name is Dafydd Illian-Sims, named in my youth Kanafinwë Makalaurë.

And I'm Constance Illian-Sims; I'm married to him.

2. What does your name mean? Did your parents/guardians or whoever named you have anything in mind when they gave you your name?

I thought you said these were short questions.

They are. Mom called me Constance; Dad doesn't seem to know why. He's told me at least three historical or fictional characters he thinks I'm named after; from what I remember of Mom, none of them sound plausible. See? Short.

For a mortal, maybe. All right, I will take them in order: I was named first Finwë by my father, after his own name and Grandfather's. As I grew, he augmented my name, making me Kanafinwë, Strong-Voiced Finwë. At that time, my noble mother bestowed on me the name Makalaurë the Forging Gold, for she foresaw my skill with the harp.

She foresaw something, at any rate.

If you interrupt this will take even longer, you know.

I don't have anything better to be doing.

Than watching me flounder? Very well. I never actually used the Grey-Elven form Maglor; my own language was far superior. When I decided at the end of the Age to take some time for myself--

You mean when you threw a rock into the sea and ran off crying.

Quite -- I took the name Illianda the Most-Distant for my own. A certain nephew of mine amended it to Illiand, which I accepted when a debased form was required.

Dafydd, your Noldo is showing.

Just be glad I don't have a TH in my name. After my kin departed, I lingered on the western shores, still bearing the name Illiand. It was long ages later that I chose to join mortal society; I chose the name Dafydd myself, to fit in amongst the poets I sought out.

Is this when you wrote smutty love poetry?

My love, I have always written smutty love poetry.

I'm not sure you're supposed to admit that in interview.

Then you shouldn't have asked. I returned at intervals to the circle of the bards, keeping the name of Dafydd but declaring different fathers - Gwilim, Edmwnd - or hometowns - Nanmor, Tywyn. I was planning another return when a certain Suvian snared me, smashed my names together, and threw me in front of the PPC.

Oh, you poor thing, getting to indulge your pyromanic tendencies. How did you bear it.

Well, I had you around as a consolation. And that is the last element of my name - Sims, given by my beloved wife at our wedding.

Okay, you were right - that's not short.

3. What memorable experience did you have involving your name?

Trouble here getting it wrong. What was it, 'Constant Sins'?

Something like that. Mine has to be you calling me 'Daffy'.

Only because you called me 'Connie' first.

You like it when I call you Connie.

Sure, now I do. But back then you didn't have the right.

4. Do you have a nickname? Did you choose it for yourself or did someone else?

Daffy.

Connie.

Don't use them.

Or you'll regret it.

5. What would you name your pet(s)?

'Would'? My fire lizard is Hera, because she is a golden queen.

And mine is Ilwion, the Son of the Sky.

You haven't considered giving him another six names with complicated backstories?

Considered it; realised my father would approve; threw the idea out of the window as hard as I could.

Good boy.


Did I fill this out just as an excuse to finally get Dafydd's complete timeline down on paper? Maaaaybe. Dafydd ap Gwilym, by the way.

hS

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