A Bagginshield Fanfic
Plot bunnies are the bane of any author’s existence. They breed at an unnatural speed, leaving us grappling with what to write next even when we haven’t finished our current WIP. For As the Raven Flies, one such plot bunny took hold and refused to let go, driven by two powerful inspirations: the deep, enduring bond of Bagginshield and the haunting, immersive world of a survival video game called The Flame in the Flood.
Anyone familiar with my fics knows my love for the Bagginshield pairing. The relationship between Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield has always struck me as one of the most compelling in Tolkien’s universe. In As the Raven Flies, I wanted to delve deeper into that ship, imagining how it might evolve in a world transformed by catastrophe.
Enter The Flame in the Flood, a survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world where rising waters have reshaped the landscape. The game’s protagonist navigates this treacherous environment, constantly battling the elements, hunger, predators, and the remnants of civilization.
In The Flame in the Flood, the protagonist is accompanied by a loyal dog named Aesop, whose role is to help guide them on their journey to find a sanctuary. Aesop, as it turns out, is more than just a companion—he is a rescue dog, sent out from the true sanctuary to find and lead survivors back to safety. This concept fascinated me, but casting Thorin in the role of a dog didn’t seem quite right.
Instead, I drew inspiration from the crows or ravens that are a recurring element in the game. Given Erebor’s unique relationship with ravens in Tolkien’s lore, it seemed only natural to reimagine Thorin in this role. In As the Raven Flies, Thorin isn’t just a regular skin-changer; he has been gifted special powers by Mahal to aid in the ongoing war against The Enemy. His mission is like Aesop’s—to find survivors and guide them to safety—but with the added weight of his growing feelings for Bilbo.
The world being reshaped, or remade, isn’t new and fits perfectly in Tolkien’s world. As I played through the game, I couldn’t help but imagine what a flooded Middle-earth might look like. The beautiful city of Rivendell turned into ruins, the Lonely Mountain as an isolated island amidst a literal sea of death, and the survivors—those who could adapt—struggling to rebuild their lives in this new world.
While the art in The Flame in the Flood was deeply inspiring, my own artwork for As the Raven Flies deviates from the game’s style in a significant way. I’ve always been drawn to black and white art, and I wanted to continue practicing a new style that has an “etching” look to it. This style not only allowed me to explore a different artistic approach, but also seemed to match better with the mood and themes of my story. But I adore the artwork in The Flame in the Flood and I highly recommend the game as it is one I come back to often when I move on from whatever game I end up fixating on.
I hope you enjoy reading As the Raven Flies as much as I’m enjoying writing it. It’s been a journey of imagination, inspiration, and deep love for the characters and world that have come to mean so much to me.
-Mordelle