Bloodstained Elanor Planning/Discussion Thread

[Durelin]

First off, I am afraid I have some bad news:

Linnahiril Tinnufinwen will no longer be able to take part in the planning of this RPG. She has many commitments and is a very busy person, and so she has most sadly, though most considerately, stepped aside, rather than committing herself further and not having the time to post. I have asked her if she would like me to perhaps keep a part for her when it comes time to play, if I may, Pio. Hopefully she will be much less busy (does that make sense...much less busy?) when the time comes to play this darn thing. Darn thing, as fun as it is.

She will be greatly missed!

~

Pio: Number 2 is what I was thinking, as well, and what I interpreted from all that Fordim spoke of the Houseless.

It does look like houseless are staying....

And here we go... (more and more quoting!)

And let's not forget Galadriel who came pretty darn close to taking the Ring for herself when given the chance

Again, I believe that was more of movie Galadriel. And, of course, we are dealing with a desire here, a desire to hold power, which is evil, yes, but it is a desire, not a complete spirit and mind, a bodiless being trying to convince someone to let it have their body.

If there's no 'real' danger of seduction by the Ring, then what's the big deal in her being able to resist it?

Yes, but, again, evil bodiless beings have nothing to do with the Ring, except for the fact that they're evil. It isn't like these spirits were created by Sauron. Plus, many people being able to resist seduction by a voice inside their head does not make it less dangerous. The fact is, a fight would rage between the owner of teh body and the bodiless for quite a while. As the houseless persists, fear and exhaustion could leave to giving in. But I will speak more about that, and my new idea that stems from that, later.

The Houseless plead for shelter and if admitted, will try to enslave both the will and body of the host.

See, the word 'plead' is used their. First this bodiless being must ask permission to get into the persons head! (I assume that's where they'd go...) Rather tricky, when the body you are trying to steal is that of an immortal whose soul is good (and probably rather clean, if you know what I mean).

they were 'made' by Morgoth who took some captured elves and then, and I think I'm quoting here, "corrupted" them!!

Ah, but that took Morgoth time, and a good amount of trouble, I'm sure, as I said the overcoming of a body holding an ultimately good spirit would.

Sure it's probably extremely rare -- especially in the Third Age -- for an Elf to be seduced by evil

I'm glad you recognized that, as well. So, hopefully, you will agree that one houseless is a good number? One houseless: one easy elf? Sounds pretty believable, I guess.

~

Okay, now I will wrap up my idea:

If we must have houseless, as it seems we must (or I will have a mutiny! ), I’d like it if we have only one, and...I believe it might be best if the Houseless does not gain entrance to the body, throwing out the spirit, right away. Perhaps a war could rage between the two spirits for much of the game. Also, the elf must be in some way easier to seduce than others. As Pio suggested before, this might be one of the elves in the outer border patrol, as the houseless would have more easily gain access to the mind, and so the entire body, without the original owner. Perhaps, in the end, once the Houseless has exhausted the other fëa in fear and struggle of the mind, it does not seduce the other fëa into departing from the body or anything, but moves onto #1 in Pio's clarification, ejecting the weakened spirit from the body.

But, the problem with this is that it brings in a tormented character, and 'voices in the head'. It brings in psychological nasties that can be interesting...but, they can also be, as I said, nasty. A story can delve too deeply into the tormented mind, and that, to me, is not an enjoyable thing to write or read about. So, this would be a very tricky thing to accomplish, if perhaps more believable and...as 'down to earth' ( or should I say 'down to Middle-Earth?) as these Houseless can get!

Of course, anything with the Houseless is going to be tricky to formulate and maintain.

possessed is x-filesish, yes, but seduced isn't really...correct

Yes, I know what you mean. I'm having trouble choosing. At first, I argued against possessed, and in this post (and I believe in my past one as well) I argued against 'seduced'...It doesn't seem right, does it?

You know what? You're going to hate me for saying this, but...I think it's a combination of the two!

I do like the Spider idea, though it would almost be a fun little tidbit just thrown in there...still, it does leave an option open for a cameo of someone as a Spider. That would be interesting...I hate real Spiders, but fantasy ones are interesting!

Welcome to the legacy of the 'Mary-Sue'.

Yes, elves are hard to play, without any evil spirits in the mix, as actual Tolkien elves. That is why I made this largely invitational, and part of the reason why I wished to go through all this planning. And why I am being so meticulous and perhaps disagreeable. I just have a great desire to do this right!

And that brings me to another bit that I must notify you of:

If the storyline of the game continues in the direction it is heading, then there will no longer be the option of female characters. Sorry, but right now there is no room for them, it seems. We can't have them traipsing around the woods where orcs might be lurking, and, of course, they can't be scouts or warriors, etc. Also, there has been no room left for any even secondary perspectives from back in Caras Galadon, or so it seems to me that this would make the story far too...cramped.

Anything I forgot? …Probably… Oh well. I’ll be back soon!

-Durelin

P.S. - I’m glad you’re having so much fun, Fordim!