MIRKWOOD DISCUSSION
 

Edit: 06/30/2004

Please note that Gilthalion is no longer moderating this wonderful RPG. And it will not be edited into a fanfiction as far as I know.

All the rules found in The Red Book of Westmarch, the first topic in the Shire Forum, will now apply to the playing of this game.

At present I am awaiting contact from the last game owner for this RPG concerning re-opening it for play.

Refer all your questions to me, if you will.

Thank you for your patience!

~*~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

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Hello and welcome to the MIRKWOOD RPG! I am Gilthalion, your Moderator.

I've started this topic thread to introduce you to the basic rules and constraints of this RPG (Role Playing Game). You can sign in here and I will tell you how to best enter the tale! This is also available for OOC (Out Of Character) discussions about the game itself. This is the place for questions and answers. Please communicate here. I am slow answering emails, and generally do not answer game related questions by email. I am sometimes (Weeknights Central Time) available on the Barrow Downs Chat and will happily chat with you about the games on those occasions.

First of all, this RPG is a WRITING game. When we have "finished," the text will be edited and published as a collaborative Fan Fiction on the Barrowdowns.com website! With that in mind, try to write as well as you can, with the fewest errors you can manage and the most imagination you can muster. Try your very best (and we are not so very critical) to write in Tolkien's style and spirit.

Secondly, this RPG must work within Tolkien's Middle-earth as much as possible. There will be no 12th level Hobbit Mages, you can't be a wizard, and you can't play a major character from the books. As Moderator, I will handle any interactions with "actual" characters, such as King Thranduil or Legolas Greenleaf. I might assign such a role to certain individuals at my discretion. Wildly impossible characters or events will be deleted.

I will sometimes edit your posts. I am not being mean when I do this. I am not saying that I don't like you or your writing! But sometimes, for reasons that might only be known to me, I will add or subtract a little something from your post. Don't feel bad when this happens! When I have the time, I will correct egregious language errors. If I see a post that seems too far from the Tolkien feel, I will be certain to edit it. I might let minor errors or problems pass, and save those edits for the final product.

Be aware that this game will move a little slowly. Also, you will find that people tend to drop in and out. Some folk will write a lot, and some will write a little. Some folk post quickly, and others have to take more time.

Our story begins several years before the War of the Ring. Your characters will not be aware of the events surrounding that war, since they have not happened yet! Nevertheless, some of the characters from LORD OF THE RINGS are alive and active at the time, so you might meet one by chance.

Mirkwood in these days is largely inhabited by elves. There may be some men on the northwest fringes near the valley of the northern Anduin. Erebor is inhabited by Smaug and the lands about the Lonely Mountain are desolate. The Lakemen are in Laketown upon the Long Lake. The Elves of the Golden Wood are far away and have not been seen in centuries by their distant relatives in the Woodland Realm of Thranduil. The great forest has become unwholesome in many places, especially in the south. Dol Goldur is there, and the Necromancer has been vanquished. Yet, the evil place stands and has been left unguarded since that day...

Ill join! I'm going to play and elf girl named Sauche...more lata!

Rinurion, at your service. I was in the party that went with Legolas Greenleaf when we were attacked by the ruffians. Despite being young, i have shown good leadership skills in the few battles i have been in. I am proficient with all weapons, especially my bow. In hand to hand combat, i have excelled, winning the right to be the keeper of Angalath, a Halberd that is a relic of the elder days, reputedly made by feanor himself, although this cannot be verified.
The coming expedition needs a skilled leader, or maybe just a skilled warrior who can keep his head in danger. I hope it is possible for me to go.

Sauche the elf girl can join in at some point after the volunteers bring the prisoners to Thranduil.

Rinurion, I'm afraid that it is highly unlikely for a wood elf of the Silvan race to acquire the kind of weapon you describe. Glorfindel or some elf lord at Imladris might have such a thing. Certainly not a young brave of Thranduil's realm! Legolas carries a bow and a knife. You may have the same.

How young is "young?" Just curious! Welcome aboard. Hope you can get your prisoners back safely!

I want to be in it too! Legolas is my all time favorite character and I don't care what I am as long as I'm an elf girl named Taraancaiel. I've written my own fan fic before (still in process) and I have some pretty good ideas and can write fairly good too. Please keep me updated [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Name: Lhunaglar
Height:6'
Weapon:Bow and short sword
Description:5,000 year old Sindarin elf with greyish-blue hair.

lol, i knew that weapon was a long shot, but i had 2 try [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. Only a knife? no sword? or spear? not even a small elven sword? awwww....
Young, umm, well, ive kept my age consistant at 938 for a while now, but that can change...

OK!!!
Sauche::
Age: A mere 300 years (The appearance of a sixteen year old)
Height: 5 foot 7 inches
Weight: 125
Weapon of choice: A bastard sword
Hair color: A light gold colour with crimson highlighty thingies.
Eye colour: One eye green, the other gold
Defining characteristics: A scar through her left eye (Teh gold one) that goes from a bit over her eyebrow to the top of her eyelid, and then from the bottom eyelid to the rise of her cheek that she accquired fighting off an orc in her wanderings.
BG: A rogue ranger, she does not know her parents or family, she is a skilled warrior, who has a dark interior. (You'll understand, I've played one chara like this before-difficult, but very very interesting!) She can be described as the yin, and untamed. She does fight for a justice, but she is by far no braveheart (Shes no goody-two shoes!)


Okay, I hope that passes. One more thing, after they bring in the prisoners...hmmmsa....should she also be a prisoner? Maybe for defying someone?

Ok, here's some info about Taraancaiel.
Around 700 years old, I don't know how old that is in elf years, but close enough for me [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] She's about 5'10 with long brown hair and large green eyes. She's an ok fighter, only with a bow though, but is well educated in elvish medicine and healing. She's kinda shy, but can be bold when need be. She also has a white mare named Moonbeam. That's all I can think of right now, so I'll write more later!

Good afternoon my fellow elves and elf-maidens. I bring good tidings from Lothlorien!(not quite sure if you meant Lothlorien by "Golden Wood" If you did, I'll be from Rivendell, or maybe I'm just from Mirkwood and have been there all my life?)

I'm so excited!!!! hopefully you all will let me join. Yes, I am a female, and maybe I can be friends with one or more of the other girls. In elf years I have just turned 2,900. My hair is ankle length black with purple/maroonish streaks. I have purple eyes and I am 5'10 1/2" My horse's name is Muse, she is more silverish in color than grey. I have a longbow, and when traveling, i take my walking staff made of mahogany wood with carved ivy winding all up it and at the top is a small chuck of emerald that, if held just right in the light, it seems almost to have flames inside. I also might carry a short elvish knife with moonwritings on it. (with approval) I am known in Lothlorien(or wherever{see above}) as the fairest of the young elves, seeing as Galadriel is the fairest. (If at all possible in any way shape or form, I'd like to somehow get some time with Legolas PLEASE!!)(sorry mixing OOC with IC) I have come to Mirkwood to establish residence in the great halls of the king. (don't quite know why I've come, yet). Thats all I can think of at the moment but if I find I forgot something, I will add it.

Oh, and P.S. I'm trying to shorten my name

[ March 08, 2002: Message edited by: Nefrodiel_the_fair_of_heart ]

Ok so I just posted a really long reply, but I wanted to let you know that I am trying to change my name. I'll try to get it to be Amaryllis or something very close to that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Hey, I just wanted to know when this whole story thing is gonna get started. I don't mean to sound rude or anything, I just want to start this thing cuz it sounds cool.

Well, even though i shouldn't I would like to join the mirkwood RPG. My charachter is the same as in the rohan rpg (dwarf etc.) with the exception that he is a bit older, seeing that this is a litte after the rohan adventure. That is if it would be pluseable for a dwarf to be in mirkwood during such times.

I would also like to apply for the job of writing for the king of lonely mountain should the need arise for such a charachter. All this being subject to Gil's approval of course.

At your service!

Dwarin Thunderhammer

Wow!

What a gang!

I see a lot of confusion about the elves of Mirkwood. READING ASSIGNMENT! Go back and read the descriptions in THE HOBBIT. There are other references to the Silvan elves in the SILMARILLION. I'm not the expert loremaster that you might find in the SILMARILLION FORUM, but I know this much about them:

They are a "rustic" folk. They never journeyed to the West. They don't know half of what the Rivendell elves know. They don't ride horses. They are even closer to nature than the elves of Rivendell. Only Thranduil has any great wealth or heirlooms.

In order:

Rinurion
Please jump in and volunteer with the prisoners! Try to remember that wood elves are not like the elves of Rivendell.

Sauche
You do like the wild-child bit! "Ranger" is not a good word to use in this context, because of its particular meaning in Middle-earth. Do you like to hunt? Well, you shouldn't do it in Thranduil's preserve! Go ahead and write about getting caught! I'll throw you in prison and tell you why. BTW: Your parents were killed by orcs. That's when you got your scar and your attitude. Try to work it into your introductory post.

Taraancaiel
I see that I will get a lot of elf girls! Join in after the party brings the prisoners to Thranduil. I don't think that these wood elves bothered with horses, not living in the meadows, but in the forest. How would you like to ride a magnificent White Hart?

Lhunaglar
Jump in and help Rinurion with the prisoners.

Nefrodiel-Amarylis
You can be the prettiest little elf in Thranduil's realm. Lothlorien/The Golden Wood has been a protected realm for a long-long time. It is very rare for any to leave, and few who enter ever return. Sorry, no horses.

Dwarin Thunderhammer
If you have business with Thranduil (who is SLIGHTLY more tolerant of dwarves after the Battle of the Five Armies) then I suggest you leave Erebor immediately and make your way to the Woodland Realm. Go ahead and write the scene between yourself and King Dain that sends you on your way.

Hiya Gil, Rin, et al. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I have neither the time nor the patience to be a large contributor to the RPG, but if and when the situation arises that you need a small filler character for a scene or two, let me know, and I shall be happy to do it!

Ok, I'm sorry if I don't know quite as much as the rest of you about this stuff, I didn't read the hobbit I only read the three lor books. And what is a white hart anyway? And I was thinking, maybe I could be like a servant to the royal family, preferably to Legolas but ok if not. Kinda like a Sam-Frodo thing would be cool [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Ok, all I can think of right now so bye.

Everything you said is fine with me. I guess I'll just be a native of Mirkwood so that its a bit easier to explain why I'm here. So much for the horse(I named it after a friend's screenname) [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] But do the weapons and walking staff sound acceptable? I'm quite flexible. Thanks for letting me be the prettiest! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] That makes me really feel "privileged" is the word I suppose. Oh and for everybody all at once, please forgive my posts that sometimes lack in grammatical finesse. I'm so excited about this. I just wanted to voice my emotions. this is the forst Rpg I have actually gotten into since i registered. Good luck to you all! Oh and I got a new acccount but I sent the password to a currently unavailable email address. the name is Elven Amaryllis. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Hey Gil, I'd like to join, too. Just a small part, nothing much. To add some comic relief or whatever, when needed.

IC: I am Tinuiel, a quiet wood elf of Mirkwood. I have long, raven dark hair and silver\gray eyes. I am a fairly quiet elf, ponderous and pensive. My demeanor sets me apart from the merry rustic folk of Thranduil's realm and thus makes me a little bit of a loner. I carry a bow and twin daggers.

OOC: Gilthalion, feel free to stick me wherever you wish. I'd like to contribute quite a bit to the RPG. I've taken some writing classes and written several fantasy stories. I'm currently working on a novel.

[ March 10, 2002: Message edited by: LúthienTinúviel ]

Ok posted.
Just so anyone and everyone knows, I am very fond of IC romances. I have no idea why....nayah, if ya could work that into itl, like a side part of the plot...that would rock, anyone. And how the heck am I gonna get OUT of the prison and join the party? Escape? Release? RRrrrrromance? (wink wik, nudge nudge, cough cough say no more.)

Ok, I'm sorry this don't really go along with the whole rpg thingy, but I have a question. I'm reading the hobbit now, just like you said we should do [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img], and I want to know if the elven king is thranduil. I'm pretty sure it is, but it never says his name, at least it don't where I am. Ok, sorry I know this is a stupid question but it was bugging me and you all seem to know a lot more about this than me, but I am trying [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

In no particular order:


~Thranduil is indeed the King of the Woodland Realm! Father of Legolas.


~I don't expect Legolas to be heavily involved in the story. But you never know, since the plot may change.


~Being a servant of the royal family is fine with me. But it would be a little more formal than a Frodo-Sam relationship. A bit less homey and familiar. More charged with honor and duty. But don't expect to pal around with Legolas all the time!

~I don't think swords are often seen among the wood elves. Knives and arrowheads are about the most iron I think you would see. I'm not altogether certain they would not use stone for arrowheads, since flint is sharper than steel. I am of the opinion that rustic wood elves are very close to nature. Perhaps only the royal household would have many items of metal. Things like staves, bows, arrows, knives, snares, nets, ropes, traps, animal calls, knowledge of terrain, speaking with animals, ambushes, feigned voices, sleep spells, etc. can all be used to great advantage.

~We want to keep a wood elvesy feel to things. Let your characters really get into the scenery around them once in a while.

~No problem with romantic subplots. You never know how they might wind up affecting the main plot!

Now I'm going to go read the latests posts!

Yes, the elven king is Thranduil. Don't worry, it was a perfectly valid question.

Oi! Gilthalion. I'll jump in once you've approved me.

Oh, and all newcomers are approved!

Ack, that question was stupid, I knew Thranduil was the king in lor, but I wanted to know if he was in the hobbit too. I think that guy was mean [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] Please don't think I'm too much of an airhead! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Hello, I'm a pretty quiet elven girl. I am neither very tall nor very short, not extremly beautiful or uglu (after elven standards) I'm pretty unoriginall, and I like thinking and philosophing about my surroundings. I carry a knife for my protection, but no other weapons. I'm allways in search for gaining more wisdom, and has also allways been atracted by the thought of the sea, though I have never seen it or had any plans of leaving ME..

I have dark brown hair, dark eyes and is about 6" tall.. I'm 3168 years old, that would be about 22 in elven years. I often sit silently, watching beautiful things and thinking elfish thoughs (the elven kind of sleeping) and may be found like that.

OOC: Ok, I thought I had to be a peaceful girl, because at every other RPG I've seen there's about eleventy-one girls that are elven warrior-maidens, so I thought a philosophing girl could be a bit of a contrast?? Oh well.. Please tell me where I should start posting.

I would like to be the silvan elf, Anarya, daughter of an archer of Mirkwood. actually I have never even been out of Mirkwood before. My basic deal is that I am young for an elf, 244 yrs to be precise, but I am very skilled with a bow for my young age. I can be very outspoken and loud and am somewhat niave. I am 5'7, with golden hair and greenish blue eyes. If you could fit me in on the story that would be great!!thanx [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ March 12, 2002: Message edited by: Anarya SilverBranch ]

lol, gil. werent u wondering if there would be enough interest? i think we have enough elves to form the entire honour guard of king Tharandil himself. which is a good thing. i just hope you have designed this plot to include a LOT of characters.
staffs as a wood elf weapon? i think that keeps with the theme, doesnt it?

Hullo! I hope I am not too late to join! Well, if I am thats okay, but I will just tell you who I am. My character is a young Hobbit (has not come of age yet, aroud 25). She has lived in Hobbiton her entire life, but the stories from the ouside has woken the Took in side of her and she now looks for adventure outside the vally. She is fifth cousin of Perigen Took on her fathers side.

Uh oh! This is going to be difficult! In no particular order:

Mayla Took:
I am having a difficult time seeing how a hobbit lass in her tweens winds up on her own so far from home! This is your scenario. Rather than simply giving in to wanderlust, you have been sent to Dale by your grandfather (tragically, your parents are dead, sorry) who owns Took Mercantile & General Store in Hobbiton. You are to buy various items, dwarven toys and tools, wine rafted up from Dorwinion, and bring them back to Hobbiton. He has put his entire life's savings into your hands. You travel with dwarves (acquaintences of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, who lives in Bag End!). You will meet Dwarin Thunderhammer after he leaves Erebor an passes through Dale...

Dwarin Thunderhammer:
Hey! Now you've got a hobbit waiting for you in Dale! The two of you should meet and interact there after you leave Erebor...

Taraancaiel:
A white hart is a deer. A stag. Big antlers. Wild. Solid white. Faster than anything in the forest. Very wood elvesy! What more could a healer ask for? Jump in after Thranduil issues a few orders...

[b]Gayahithwen:[b]
I'm afraid the pensive elf girl must philosophically attend to her duties in the kitchen. Don't you have to take some meals 'round to the prisoners soon? Especially that wild elf girl they finally caught? Wait for her to be incarcerated...

Sounds great gil! Somone to interact with, A hobbit no less! This could prove interesting.

Gil I must confes I have been holding off on writing my first post, firstly I must rerieve my hobbit from a friend, err wait my copy of the hobbit. Secondly you give some rather confusing information. First you say:

But in the very next paragraph you say:

But then a few posts later

I'm sure you see the problem. I'm sorry if this is taken nitpicking or criticizing, because it is not meant that way. I just want to make sure of the path down which I will be writing.

One last thing Gil, I would like to thank you for all the hard work you've put in in these RPG's. You have made a friendly enviroment and a quite absorbing storyline. Thanks for all your hard work, you're the best!

I think I'd like to play one of the villains in this one. If you have any special requirements for such a character, let me know -- I'm not particular.

It sounds great to me Gilthalion! Thanks, I am sorry if I have caused any trouble.
Dwarin, I am looking forward to working with you! Please feel free to put words in my mouth if you need to! Ha ha ha

Gil, since this is my only chance to ever "set foot" in Mirkwood... here goes!

I am Rûdhchamion. A youthful male elf around 2500 years old. Blue-black hair (shoulder-lengthed) and grey eyes, stands 5'10". Clad in green and brown leather. Witnessed the killing of his parents by a group of orcs and men when our small elven village near the Vale of Anduin was raided. Had a twin sister, Pennnauriel who died in my arms after being hit by an orcish poison tipped dart during that same raid.
Since then I've been wandering alone. Or perhaps it can be said that I've been hunting alone.
My favored weapon is a longbow (a gift from my father) and a jewelled hunting knife from my sister. Well used have these been hunting orcs and orc allies!
Though I've hunted game before, my arrows now are reserved for my enemies. I've developed a bond with the woodland animals (as often as elves usually do), and I love watching and "speaking" to them.
(Okay, more later... and now let me prepare to jump in!!) [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ March 15, 2002: Message edited by: Thalionyulma ]

Hey, Gilthalion, who will post next? I've come up with the conclusion that I might get into trouble if philosophing to much in the kitchen..

: [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]ances around like a regular idiot.::
Yay.
Whoopee.
Yay.
ANYWHO...
I dont know how Im going to get out of jail, and I WOULD rather lke to add a bit of a romance to this, so if anyone is up for a little challenge...well...then, my chara is Sauche, and we're lookin' for a lil' love up in hea! LoL.
I feel sorry for Gil. ::Hugs Gil:: Too many Elf girlies. I pwomise Ill be intervesting! ^^ Yah-huh! Okay, so if anyone wants to play wuvvy wif meh, tell me and we can start working on it I guess. Or if we tend to make these things happen spontaneously in RPG, we can do that, too. I'm confused as to how Sauche will get out of the slammer in order for these things to happen, but we can't worry about that now because technically she hasn't even been thrown in yet. GIL::Couchhackwheeze:: Who said that? Somebody's sayin stuff.

OH HEY!!!

Thalionyulma, I think, that if you get in the RP, your char and Sauche should become friends. (IF NOT MORE! ::Coucgh: [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] After all they have a lot in common and stuff, and it seems they would understand a lot about one another. That's all. I'm done. Pwease rate me, I just realized nobody has! WHICH MEANS I SUCK! ::Cries::

Leighlei,
its ok wid me if Gil thinks it'll help the story (make it interesting)- if you don't mind me being a dark elf. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
I wonder how you get out of the slammer though.... hmmmm

GIL,
the jewelled hunting knife was from my twin sister... its dwarven made (some elves did have trades with the dwarves before, right?).

Whoops! Sorry Dwarin. Yes, Smaug is dead! The Battle of the Five Armies has long since been won, and Dain Ironfoot is King Under the Mountain. You start from Erebor, and pick up the hobbit in Dale. (Do you have some trade in the Shire? Are thes dwarves that accompany our young hobbit lass working for you? Has Dain got anything to do with it, or does he have something else up his sleeve?)

When the opportunity for romance comes, take it. But right now our dark elf (how dark?) is in the forest and our wild child (how wild?) is locked in the slammer.

just thought I'd add in
my char is Novannoniel(Mist Maiden)
she's about 2,000 years old, she could be either Tharanduil or Legolas's sister
she carries a knife in a scabberd on her leg,but it's concealed by her dress
she's brave when she has to be,but not the warrior type,what kind of instrument would a wood elf play?(not a harp or anything like that I assume)
maybe for an introduction(only ideas)she could take over the kitchen a second while a servent delivers food to Sauche,or,ask about the prisoners and talk to them that way or something else

Gil, I've written and re-writen but I just can't write the beginning of my involvement. Today I talked to shieldmaiden a bit and we came up with an idea that might be easier to work with. Instead of Dwarin Thunderhammer,my charachter will be his brother who is married. His nagging wife (Smrda) has decided to come along for the trip for some reason that hasn't been decided yet. We will still be sent by Dain and we will still pick up Mayala at Laketown. This way any entalgments with other events (such as may happen in th other rpg) will be avoided, ad a avenue for comic relief is opened.