The Fellowship of the Fourth Age: A New Beginning Planning Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

piosenniel · 06-17-2006, 12:04 AM

I've been looking over the proposal and it looks fairly well finished. Here are my thoughts on moving it along towards play:

1.) A title needs to be decided:

There and Back Again: The Fellowship of the Fourth Age
The Fellowship of the Fourth Age: A New Beginning

Frankly - I vote for the 2nd one. I like its reference to a new beginning.

-----

2.) Please look at the WRITER/CHARACTER LIST I put together from the posts and PM's. Does it look reasonable?

-----

3.) I think, since the opening post is done, if you two, as the proposers for the RPG, will just get your characters' bios and posts up on this thread, then the completed proposal can move onto a Discussion thread and your players bios and posts be taken on.

-----

How does this sound?

~*~ Pio

Child of the 7th Age · 06-17-2006, 10:16 AM

I have reset the date of the game to Fourth Age, year 19.

The length of the game in game terms is 50 days: 20 days for the journey and 30 days to begin planting, building shelters, dealing with water retention, etc. I used the figures from Fonstad to calculate how far we would get in a day (see notes in the proposal).

At the end of the 30 days, the little plants should begin to stick their heads above the soil.

I've listed the time commitment as 12 weeks. Is this ok with everyone?

I also prefer The Fellowship of the Fourth Age: a New Beginning. I think the other is a great title, but is a little too light hearted for this story, plus it's quite possible some characters may be staying in Mordor and not going "back" again, at least not for a spell.

I'll get back with a revised character list to both of you by pm. I've had additional contact with some posters.

Child of the 7th Age · 06-17-2006, 11:01 AM

Durelin,

Could you clear your mailbox? I think Pio and I managed to flood you out!

Child

Child of the 7th Age · 06-17-2006, 08:06 PM

Serious question: What are we going to do about the Orcs eating man and horse flesh, and possibly being cannibals (eating each other)?

This is much more explicit in the movie than in Tolkien but there are definitely references in the writing that can be interpreted this way.

Lindir does not want to end up in someone's stew pot!

Any comments or background material on this?

Child of the 7th Age · 06-18-2006, 01:38 AM

MOVED TO THE PROPOSAL ~*~ Pio

Child of the 7th Age - Noldorin Elf of Lindon

NAME: Lindir

AGE: Born 1258, Age of Trees.

RACE: Noldorin Elf

GENDER: Male

WEAPON: Lindir bears a well crafted blade with a cunning design of flowers and leaves engraved in silver and surrounded by an inlay of fine jewels. It is a weapon that he himself designed and forged with his own hands under the direction of his father, who was also a talented craftsman. He has had little use for this weapon since the end of the Second Age. By preference, he now uses a hunting knife and a long bow of simple, practical design in making his way from Rivendell to Minas Tirith, Edoras, or the court of Faramir in Ithilien, where he is frequently sent on various missions.

APPEARANCE: He has the face of an artist rather than a warrior, with grey eyes that hold a great depth of sorrow. His features are fine, and he is unusually short for one of the Noldor, standing just under six feet tall. His hair is black and straight, held back from his face in a single braided plait and secured with a simple leather band. His clothes are so plain and lack any elegance that some mistake him from a distance for a Man of common birth. Only an ornate silver brooch of unsurpassed workmanship that graces his shirt hints at his family and artistic heritage. This jewel at his throat is evidently a gift that Lindir holds dear, yet he does not say who gave it to him.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:

Lindir is a quiet elf who, in the past, was driven by his love to create beautiful things: weapons, jeweled necklaces, and rings. Over the years, he has become increasing closed mouth and secretive. Lindir's fierce desire to craft objects of beauty was both his great strength and his weakness. Because of his singleminded devotion, he chose not to take a bride. After his return from Eregion (see below), however, he laid aside his skills as an Elven-smith and learned a totally different trade: that of a scout who wandered alone beside the seacoast and into the mountains, hiring out his services to other Elves and Men. He now uses these same skills in the employ of Celeborn, the master of Rivendell since the War of the Ring.

HISTORY:

Lindir’s father was an Elven-smith of Fëanor’s house: Lindir followed in his footsteps. As such, he inevitably became involved in the wars of the First Age, seeing his blades employed in fierce and bloody battles in Beleriand, as well as in the Kinslaying. After the drowning of Beleriand, Lindir had turned from the crafting of weapons to the making of rings and jewels, thinking that it might be preferable to forge objects of beauty rather than destruction. He was perhaps moved by some impulse to make amends for the sorry events of the First Age.

In the Second Age, a time when many of his earlier companions had left the seacoast to journey eastward, Lindir remained in Lindon and joined the remaining Noldor Elves who were ruled by Gil-galad Ereinion. Lindir had been among those smiths who, led by Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor, moved across the Blue Mountains in 750 and founded the city of Eregion under the walls of Moria. These Elves had sought to make amends for earlier evils by helping to forge Rings of Power intended to heal the ills of Middle-earth. At some point, before the fall of Eregion, Lindir had fled back to the coast of Lindon. He generally keeps the events of this period in his life to himself, discussing it with very few. However, it was at this point that he decided not to continue his work as a smith and chose to work as a scout.

More recently, in the year 3021 T.A., Lindir journeyed with his former companions to Himling in order to explore the ruins of Himring, He thought that his time on Middle-earth was drawing to a close and that he should sail back afterwards to the Grey Havens to embark into the West. At the conclusion of his visit to Himling, however, his plans abruptly changed. Maintaining that he had "wasted" too many years, Lindir left the shores of Lindon to serve Celeborn and Elrond's two sons at Rivendell, frequently acting as an emissary to the court at Gondor and Rohan and also to Ithilien. At the start of this story, he is staying in Minas Tirith on personal business to search out information in the archives pertaining to the history of the Elves in Beleriand.

------------------------------------------

Durelin · 06-18-2006, 11:41 AM

Woo, sorry...cleared out my mailbox. Sorry I was gone all day yesterday and most of Friday... Today, I'll hopefully have a little time to go over things, and work on my bios and posts. Very sorry about the full mailbox...I remembered something where you could download your PMs into txt files but I couldn't find that option... I finally got around to just sticking a bunch of PMs into a document and deleting them out of my mailbox. Hopefully I'll be good now...

I'll be back hopefully soon once I've had a chance to look over everything... Very sorry.

piosenniel · 06-18-2006, 01:17 PM

About Orcs and their eating habits --- how about, besides making the land more arable for crops and such, the Fellowship introduces animal husbandry to the Orcs. That would seem to me to be a better fit for them -- as a sort of herdsmen people - goats perhaps to take out to pasture - meat, milk, hides; pigs and chickens at home. I think Orcs could grasp quite easily the concepts of raising animals in herds, safeguarding them. Goats could learn to adapt to the sparse Mordor lands. And if they fancied horses, I think they would soon find it impossible to sustain a herd there. Since slavery is now disallowed, raising humans for food crops would also be seen as an inadvisable move.

I would think the Orcs would be ones to position themselves for their advantage. They can grasp the idea that eating people or other peoples' horses would not be an advantageous move. And they could understand,too, how the radical actions of individuals would negatively impact their group. I would think their leaders would deal such individuals a hard blow, if not a final one. (Geez - I have the image of Orcs as Klingons running through my mind at the moment . . . old trekker here

)

Meat from their animals could be exchanged for the crop-foods grown by the other group. The concept of an open market place for the two settlements could be introduced, allowing them to become economically dependent on one another.

~*~ Pio

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDIT I reset the name of the thread - is that alright with everyone?

-----

06-17-2006, 12:04 AM	#1
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	I've been looking over the proposal and it looks fairly well finished. Here are my thoughts on moving it along towards play: 1.) A title needs to be decided: There and Back Again: The Fellowship of the Fourth Age The Fellowship of the Fourth Age: A New Beginning Frankly - I vote for the 2nd one. I like its reference to a new beginning. ----- 2.) Please look at the WRITER/CHARACTER LIST I put together from the posts and PM's. Does it look reasonable? ----- 3.) I think, since the opening post is done, if you two, as the proposers for the RPG, will just get your characters' bios and posts up on this thread, then the completed proposal can move onto a Discussion thread and your players bios and posts be taken on. ----- How does this sound? ~~ Pio Last edited by piosenniel; 06-17-2006 at 12:08 AM.*

06-17-2006, 10:16 AM	#2
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	I have reset the date of the game to Fourth Age, year 19. The length of the game in game terms is 50 days: 20 days for the journey and 30 days to begin planting, building shelters, dealing with water retention, etc. I used the figures from Fonstad to calculate how far we would get in a day (see notes in the proposal). At the end of the 30 days, the little plants should begin to stick their heads above the soil. I've listed the time commitment as 12 weeks. Is this ok with everyone? I also prefer The Fellowship of the Fourth Age: a New Beginning. I think the other is a great title, but is a little too light hearted for this story, plus it's quite possible some characters may be staying in Mordor and not going "back" again, at least not for a spell. I'll get back with a revised character list to both of you by pm. I've had additional contact with some posters. __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

06-17-2006, 11:01 AM	#3
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Durelin, Could you clear your mailbox? I think Pio and I managed to flood you out! Child __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

06-17-2006, 08:06 PM	#4
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Serious question: What are we going to do about the Orcs eating man and horse flesh, and possibly being cannibals (eating each other)? This is much more explicit in the movie than in Tolkien but there are definitely references in the writing that can be interpreted this way. Lindir does not want to end up in someone's stew pot! Any comments or background material on this? __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

06-18-2006, 01:38 AM	#5
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	*MOVED TO THE PROPOSAL ~~ Pio Child of the 7th Age - Noldorin Elf of Lindon NAME: Lindir AGE: Born 1258, Age of Trees. RACE: Noldorin Elf GENDER: Male WEAPON: Lindir bears a well crafted blade with a cunning design of flowers and leaves engraved in silver and surrounded by an inlay of fine jewels. It is a weapon that he himself designed and forged with his own hands under the direction of his father, who was also a talented craftsman. He has had little use for this weapon since the end of the Second Age. By preference, he now uses a hunting knife and a long bow of simple, practical design in making his way from Rivendell to Minas Tirith, Edoras, or the court of Faramir in Ithilien, where he is frequently sent on various missions. APPEARANCE: He has the face of an artist rather than a warrior, with grey eyes that hold a great depth of sorrow. His features are fine, and he is unusually short for one of the Noldor, standing just under six feet tall. His hair is black and straight, held back from his face in a single braided plait and secured with a simple leather band. His clothes are so plain and lack any elegance that some mistake him from a distance for a Man of common birth. Only an ornate silver brooch of unsurpassed workmanship that graces his shirt hints at his family and artistic heritage. This jewel at his throat is evidently a gift that Lindir holds dear, yet he does not say who gave it to him. PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Lindir is a quiet elf who, in the past, was driven by his love to create beautiful things: weapons, jeweled necklaces, and rings. Over the years, he has become increasing closed mouth and secretive. Lindir's fierce desire to craft objects of beauty was both his great strength and his weakness. Because of his singleminded devotion, he chose not to take a bride. After his return from Eregion (see below), however, he laid aside his skills as an Elven-smith and learned a totally different trade: that of a scout who wandered alone beside the seacoast and into the mountains, hiring out his services to other Elves and Men. He now uses these same skills in the employ of Celeborn, the master of Rivendell since the War of the Ring. HISTORY:** Lindir’s father was an Elven-smith of Fëanor’s house: Lindir followed in his footsteps. As such, he inevitably became involved in the wars of the First Age, seeing his blades employed in fierce and bloody battles in Beleriand, as well as in the Kinslaying. After the drowning of Beleriand, Lindir had turned from the crafting of weapons to the making of rings and jewels, thinking that it might be preferable to forge objects of beauty rather than destruction. He was perhaps moved by some impulse to make amends for the sorry events of the First Age. In the Second Age, a time when many of his earlier companions had left the seacoast to journey eastward, Lindir remained in Lindon and joined the remaining Noldor Elves who were ruled by Gil-galad Ereinion. Lindir had been among those smiths who, led by Celebrimbor, grandson of Fëanor, moved across the Blue Mountains in 750 and founded the city of Eregion under the walls of Moria. These Elves had sought to make amends for earlier evils by helping to forge Rings of Power intended to heal the ills of Middle-earth. At some point, before the fall of Eregion, Lindir had fled back to the coast of Lindon. He generally keeps the events of this period in his life to himself, discussing it with very few. However, it was at this point that he decided not to continue his work as a smith and chose to work as a scout. More recently, in the year 3021 T.A., Lindir journeyed with his former companions to Himling in order to explore the ruins of Himring, He thought that his time on Middle-earth was drawing to a close and that he should sail back afterwards to the Grey Havens to embark into the West. At the conclusion of his visit to Himling, however, his plans abruptly changed. Maintaining that he had "wasted" too many years, Lindir left the shores of Lindon to serve Celeborn and Elrond's two sons at Rivendell, frequently acting as an emissary to the court at Gondor and Rohan and also to Ithilien. At the start of this story, he is staying in Minas Tirith on personal business to search out information in the archives pertaining to the history of the Elves in Beleriand. ------------------------------------------ Last edited by piosenniel; 06-18-2006 at 02:40 AM.

06-18-2006, 11:41 AM	#6
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	Woo, sorry...cleared out my mailbox. Sorry I was gone all day yesterday and most of Friday... Today, I'll hopefully have a little time to go over things, and work on my bios and posts. Very sorry about the full mailbox...I remembered something where you could download your PMs into txt files but I couldn't find that option... I finally got around to just sticking a bunch of PMs into a document and deleting them out of my mailbox. Hopefully I'll be good now... I'll be back hopefully soon once I've had a chance to look over everything... Very sorry.

06-18-2006, 01:17 PM	#7
piosenniel Desultory Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Pickin' flowers with Bill the Cat..... Posts: 7,779	About Orcs and their eating habits --- how about, besides making the land more arable for crops and such, the Fellowship introduces animal husbandry to the Orcs. That would seem to me to be a better fit for them -- as a sort of herdsmen people - goats perhaps to take out to pasture - meat, milk, hides; pigs and chickens at home. I think Orcs could grasp quite easily the concepts of raising animals in herds, safeguarding them. Goats could learn to adapt to the sparse Mordor lands. And if they fancied horses, I think they would soon find it impossible to sustain a herd there. Since slavery is now disallowed, raising humans for food crops would also be seen as an inadvisable move. I would think the Orcs would be ones to position themselves for their advantage. They can grasp the idea that eating people or other peoples' horses would not be an advantageous move. And they could understand,too, how the radical actions of individuals would negatively impact their group. I would think their leaders would deal such individuals a hard blow, if not a final one. (Geez - I have the image of Orcs as Klingons running through my mind at the moment . . . old trekker here ) Meat from their animals could be exchanged for the crop-foods grown by the other group. The concept of an open market place for the two settlements could be introduced, allowing them to become economically dependent on one another. ~~ Pio ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EDIT* I reset the name of the thread - is that alright with everyone? ----- __________________ Eldest, that’s what I am . . . I knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless - before the Dark Lord came from Outside. Last edited by piosenniel; 06-18-2006 at 01:30 PM.