TWO QUESTIONS AND A COMMENT:
I. CHILD'S NAME: Child's "proper name is "Camelia Brockhouse". For the purposes of this fanfiction, should she go by "Child", or by "Cami" in everyday situations on the ship? Any preferences? (Either is fine with me.)
Child is obviously a strange name for anyone in Middle-earth (indeed for anyone anywhere!). If "Child" is used, do we need an early reference to explain how she acquired this nickname?
II. KALI'S SPEECH In the early RPG, Kali spoke in "baby talk" with broken sentences and incorrect grammar. This was based on the assumption he knew little Westron. Yet all other sea inhabitants, e.g. Levanto and his folk, had no trouble with Westron or grammar.
Plus Kali has a Westron name--from "Kalimac"! Would his parents give him such a name if they didn't know Westron?
In my opinion, we need to correct this. Perhaps, at the beginning of the story, Kali will use simple words and short sentences, but not "baby talk". He had been living alone, and not used to conversation, or having so many people about. But, for the sake of his self respect, and to present him as a serious character, the baby talk has to go. Would you agree?
III. LAND HOBBITS VRS. SEA HOBBITS This is something I briefly discussed in a few pms, but I wanted to bring it here so everyone could see it. These two groups seem to have had a very different evolution.
From Tolkien's brief allusions to early Third Age hobbits in the Anduin, it is clear they were quite "primitive." With the second choosing, those few kudk who were more inclined to lore and poetry and the music of the sea must have made the choice to become hobbrim. Perhaps, those who had such mystical leanings were also entranced with the idea of helping out in some way at the end of time.
These sea-hobbits will, in effect, become the "keepers of Eru's Mount." It is in the hobbrim line that all the tales of Beleriand and Numenor survive as well as Lindo's poetry, the memory of Nitir, etc. We are given a brief taste of this when Kali is able to sing some songs that no 4th age land-hobbit would know.
It's no wonder that the hobbits of the Shire were such a prosaic lot! Most of the mystics and Elven types, i.e, the "malcontents", would have separated off at the second choosing.
Some of us have seen Frodo as having some kind of Elven leanings, but here's another angle:
Quote:
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Gandalf gazes at Frodo: "Ah, he reminds me of Kali and the other hobbrim. What a throwback he is! No wonder he loves the sea so much.
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The history of the hobbits then remains with the "hidden" hobbits. The only exception are the events of the later 3rd age which Bilbo and Frodo wrote down. I think this differentiation will be made clear to Child when she speaks with Ancalimon.
[ September 11, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]