Combat Role-Play Tips and Tricks

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Elven Enchanter
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So, just found a really good post on how to role-play punches and kicks on the WayBack and figured it might be a good idea to have a place where all that sort of stuff can be consolidated. I know I found an archery guide that I sent to @Almarëa Mordollwen. Would you be willing to share that? I have no idea what thread I found it in.

In the interest of keeping this as an understandable guide, I would ask people to try and keep chatter to a minimum. But, if you have a RP tip or article that can help us improve in this or similar categories, please post it! I'll link the post in the OP to help keep everything organised and readable.

Combat
Unarmed Combat Companion
Horseback Combat Companion
Archery Basics

Armor and Weapons
Armor Guide
Weapon's Guide
Weapon's Guide with Pictures

Various RPG tools
RPG Tools - Thread courtesy of @Pele Alarion. I think most of the links work, though for some reason even if it is still on the interwebs, it takes you to a Wayback version. :confused:
Beginner's Guide to Role Play by Aduchil
Role Playing Manuel by Aduchil
Last edited by Dimcairien Luiniel on Fri Aug 07, 2020 2:52 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

Elven Enchanter
Points: 2 265 
Posts: 1451
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 2:15 am
- Unarmed Combat Guide -

(I have done my best to recreate the original formatting)

(Written by Sur Vanar Utírieste Sept 20, 2011)
Link to original thread

(Disclaimer: The following information has been created for roleplaying purposes only, none of the techniques shown should replace real self-defense tactics. Information has been gathered from various sources...)
Where to Strike
Eyes - Particularly vulnerable target, jabbing with fingers works, but putting your hand at the side of his or her head and using your thumbs is the best way, especially if you're very close.
Jaw or Middle of the Chin - Nerve you can hit by striking the jaw upwards to rupture it, and even knock your opponent out.
Back of the Neck - Here, a forceful blow can cause pain, numbness, and in some cases, paralysis.
Front of Throat - Hollow area where the windpipe isn’t protected, a forceful blow could cause serious permanent injury or death.
Adam's Apple - Though more prominent in men than in women, grabbing the projection of cartilage at the front of the neck of your opponent and either squeezing or pulling it can cause pain and restricted breathing.
Side of the Neck - Slightly above the collarbone, blows to this area can cause pain, temporary stunning, or if the blow is strong enough... death.
Muscle at the Base of the Neck - Right where the neck joins into the shoulders, the results of a blow here vary but include pain, muscle spasms that make the arm on that side temporarily useless, numbness and possibly even injury to the muscles themselves.
Collarbone - Practically useless as a target for a small person hitting a larger opponent but when the opponent is the same size or smaller, it can prove to be very effective. Can cause pain, jarring and a good chance of fracture since the bone is fairly delicate.
The Upper Back - Raised ridge area, located on the spinal column midway between the shoulder blades. A solid blow to this area can result in a loss of balance when used by a smaller person against a larger opponent. When the sizes are equal or the opponent is smaller, it can cause pain, jarring, shock and in some cases, injury to the spine.
Kidneys - Located a few inches on either side of the spinal column and right around the waist and just below the lower ribs. The most common attack comes from the back in the form of a hammer fist, elbow strike or kick. Extreme care should be used whenever practicing blows to this area. Pain, damage and even death are very real possibilities.
Very Bottom of the Rib Cage - These areas of the ribs are not attached at both ends, and can fairly easy to break away from the spinal column and cause a puncture to the kidneys or lungs. The internal injury will depend upon the direction of the blow itself.
Stomach - Strong enough punch will cause your opponent to lean forward, a kick can make them fall back. Depending on the force and angle of the strike, results against an opponent could include shock to the internal organs, be very careful if you are practicing with a sparring buddy using this technique.
Lower Pelvic Area - Few inches above the pubic bone but below the belly button is a soft area of the abdomen that is hard to condition and build up musculature. A solid hit to the soft area below the belly button can cause severe pain as well as the possibility of injury to the bladder and other organs located here.
Groin - Strikes to this sensitive area can cause extreme pain to both men and women.
Knee - If you’re on the ground and your adversary is still standing, one of the fastest ways to buy precious seconds and potentially disable him or her, is with a powerful and effective kick straight to the knee. To bring your opponent down, one of the most effective methods, is with a kick behind the knee. Hooking one your feet behind one of his or her legs at about ankle level.
Tailbone - To deliver an effective blow to this area requires both power and accuracy. If this is accomplished, pain will result as well as the risk of spinal cord damage.

Types of Punches

Arm Punch - Punch that acquires its force directly from the arm, to hit the same side of an opponent’s face from which the arm is thrown from, but notably weaker than punches where the body is used for leverage.
Backfist Punch - Performed by forming a fist and striking with the tops of the two largest knuckles. A spinning blow may be executed, by swiveling all round before landing the punch. That is, lunging and pivoting toward the side of the fist that will be used to attack, therefore adding momentum to the fight.
Casting Punch - Punch beginning with a forward motion of the shoulders, causing the bent arm to whip toward an opponent, and capable of putting an enemy in a clinch if it misses at close range.
Chambered Punch - Effective response against a sudden grab from behind, consisting of a sharp elbow strike backwards towards an opponent.
Cross Punch - also known as a "straight punch". Direct punch similar to the jab, but delivered with the rear hand. Power is generated through a rotation of the hips.
Diving Punch - Strike executed by lunging toward an opponent, pushing off the back foot, and punching with the opposite arm of the leg.
Hammer Fist Punch - Compacted fist brought down upon the target, usually using the side of the hand or wrist.
Haymaker Punch - Derived from the motion used to execute the punch, in which the arm is whipped sideways from the shoulder joint with a minimal elbow bend. Mimicking the manner in which a scythe is swung, it is the most frequent and effective cause of a one-punch knockout or kill.
Hook Punch - Punch requiring turning the core muscles and back, aiming toward the side of the head or body of an opponent, a powerful strike with the power to knockout an enemy.
Jab - Quick straight blow delivered from a distance, with the arm above the lead foot, and generally used as a distraction, for keeping a foe at bay, and defending oneself against an assailant.
Long Fist Punch - Executed by tucking the fingertips against the bottom knuckle of each finger, and offering decreased strength but increased reach. This creates a narrower striking surface, therefore allowing the first to dig between the ribs and other soft target areas of an opponent.
Overhand Punch - Semi circular vertical punch thrown with the rear hand, usually when an enemy is bobbing or slipping, relying on body weight to deliver a great deal of power.
Shovel Hook Punch - Close-range punch halfway between a hook and uppercut, most commonly used to strike the body of an attacker at an angle.
Uppercut Punch - Delivered with the fist raised vertically towards the target, usually the head or upper body, and used to avoid an opponent’s attempts at blocking.
Upset Punch - Punch starting with the first in a chambered position, with the palm facing downwards and delivered towards the abdomen or solar plexus of an opponent.

Types of Kicks

Axe Kick - also known as a "hammer kick" or "stretch kick". Straightened leg descending onto an opponent in an axe-like manner, beginning by raising one foot upward and then lowering to strike the target from above, either in an inward (counter-clockwise), or outward (clockwise) fashion.
Back Kick- referred to as a "reverse side kick", "donkey kick", "mule kick", or "turning back kick" as well. Directed backwards, keeping the kicking leg close to the standing leg and using the heel as a striking surface.
Butterfly Kick - Starts as a jump with one leg while kicking with the other, then moving the kicking leg down and the jumping leg up into a kick, and landing with the first kicking leg all while spinning.
Calf Kick - Kick by striking with the backside of the calf, or executing a jumping variation by leaping before the kick.
Crescent Kick - also called a "swing kick". Thrust in which the leg is bent towards an opponent, but the knee is pointed toward the left or right side of the targeted region, so that when the energy from the snap is redirected, the leg whips into an arc and hits an enemy from the designated side.
Flying Kick - Kick that involves a running start, jump, and then kick in mid-air, enabling a warrior to achieve greater momentum from the run at the beginning.
Front Kick - Involves raising the knee and foot of the striking leg to the desired height, and extending the leg to hit a foe. This kick is delivered by the ball of the foot, or utilizing both the heel and ball of the foot when shoes or sabatons are worn. Thrusting one’s hips is a common method of increasing both reach and power.
Hook Kick - Kick in which an opponent is struck with the heel from the side, intentionally aimed slightly off target in direction of the kicking foot’s toes. At full extension the knee is bent, and the foot snapped to the side, impacting the target with the heel.
Multiple Kick - Three kinds of multiple kicks are distinguished, the first involving two kicks executed one after another and in the same manner, the second involving two or more kicks executed one after another with the same foot but in different directions, and the third involving two or more kicks executed one after another with both feet.
Reverse Roundhouse Kick - referred to also as a "heel kick", "reverse turning kick", "reverse round kick", "spinning hook kick", or "spin kick". Traditionally using the heel to strike with, in which the leg comes from around the kicker’s back and remains straight.
Roundhouse Kick - called a "round kick" or "turning kick" as well. The most common kick due to its power and ease of use, in which the instep is used to strike most of the time. Executed by swinging a leg sideways in a circular motion and then kicking an opponent’s side with the front of the leg, instep, ball of the foot, toe, or even shin.
Scissor Kick - Though the term itself applies to a variety of kicks, the most popularized version takes place lying down or jumping, bringing both legs to the both sides of an enemy’s legs or to their body and head, before bringing both in as a take down.
Side Kick - Delivered sideways in relation to the body of the person kicking, with two areas commonly used as impact points, the heel of the foot or the outer edge of the foot. When executing a side kick with the heel, it is necessary to pull the toes back to make contact with the heel and not the whole foot.
Spinning Back Heel Kick - Spinning kick to the back of the head of the opponent.
Vertical Kick - also known as a "thrust kick" or "push kick". Involves bringing the knee forward and across the chest, then swinging the hip while extending the kicking leg outward, striking with the outside edge of the foot, delivering a considerable amount of power.

Things to Remember:
  • Remember to breathe. It keeps you calm and will help in the event of a continued confrontation.
  • When your opponent is down, do not walk away with your back turned! in case of a back attack or last minute strike.
  • When they are facing away, strike your opponent with great force.
  • A knee to the face, or a good uppercut, after a stomach punch can do the job.
  • Use your index finger and middle finger to strike them in the throat.
  • In any life or death situation you should use every possible means of defense to escape with your life.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

Elven Enchanter
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Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 2:15 am
- Armor Visual Aid -

(I have done my best to recreate the original formatting)
(The photo links did not work, so I deleted them. If anyone has good images for the described items, please let me know or send me a link to your image hosting site and I can add them)


(Written by Sur Vanar Utírieste March 12, 2012)
Link to original thread

(The following images and photographs are property of their respective owners and artists. Information has been obtained from various sources...)

Parts of Armor

a) Helmet - Protective head covering made to deflect or cause weapons to glance off the skull to avoid the full force of a blow.
(b) Visor - Piece of plate having holes or slits for vision and breathing, attached to or used with any various helmets.
(c) Chin piece - Piece of plate for protecting the chin.
(d/e) Neck piece - Piece of plate for protecting the neck.
(f) Gorget - Collar of plate, covering the neck and tops of the chest and shoulders.
(g) Breastplate - Device worn over the torso to protect it from injury.
(h) Backplate - Piece of plate for protecting the back.
(i) Tassets - Piece of plate designed to protect the upper legs, filling the gap between the breastplate and thighs.
(k) Pauldron - Laminated armor for the shoulder extending at the front and rear to protect the armpit.
(l) Epauliere - Piece of plate that protects the shoulder.
(m) Rander - Piece of plate, curving up from the pauldron.
(n) Vambrace - Piece of plate for protecting the lower portion of the arm.
(o) Rerebrace - Piece of plate for protecting the upper portion of the arm, above the elbow.
(p) Gauntlet - Armored gloves for the hands, either mitten-type or with individual fingers, particularly those with an extended cuff covering part of the forearm.
(q) Lace rest - Support device bolted onto the breastplate to help hold a couched lance, made detachable so that it could be removed when not using a lance.
(r) Cuisse - Piece of plate worn to protect the thigh.
(s) Poleyn - Piece of plate for protecting the knee.
(t) Greave - Piece of plate for protecting the lower leg, between the knee and the ankle, usually composed of a front and back piece.
(u) Sabaton - Device for the foot consisting of lames or mail, and ending in a toecap.
(v) Mail - Mesh of interlocking iron or steel rings.

Types of Armor


Plate Armor - Derived from iron or steel plates that fit together by a system of rivets and straps. Excellent protection against everything, with a good distribution of weight, even though it is heavy and hot. The term “plate mail” has appeared in roleplaying games, but the proper term is simply "plate armor".
Mail Armor - Small iron or steel rings, interlocking to form a mesh. Flexible and tough, but a poor defense against thrusts and crushes. Most often used in the form of a hauberk, gauntlets, chausses, or coif. Often mistakenly called by the name “chain mail".
Scale Armor - or "Leaf Armor". Made of small scales (steel, iron, brass, bronze, rawhide, leather, boiled leather, or horn) sewn or riveted onto a backing of cloth or leather in overlapping rows. Most often used in the form of a cuirass, bracers, greaves, or tassets. Occasionally terms like “scale mail” will be seen, however, the correct term is simply "scale armor", or "leaf armor."
Leather Armor - Light, mobile, and quiet. May be worn entirely, but only good for certain pieces of armor (such as bracers, cuisses, or greaves). Does not protect especially well, and is susceptible to damage by weather and age.
Brigandine Armor - Made of small steel or iron plates, sandwiched between layers of leather or canvas and riveted in place. Most often used in the form of a cuirass, cuisses, or gorget. Protects against slashes and moderately against crushes. Fairly evenly distributed, resulting in medium weight. Only good for defending relatively large areas, not especially useful for arms or shins, and does not breathe very well. What many roleplaying games refer to as "studded leather" armor is likely a confused interpretation of medieval artwork that depicted brigandines.
Padded Armor - Produced with a sewing technique known as quilting, usually constructed from linen or wool and stuffed with different materials, such as scrap cloth or horse hair. Worn as armor entirely (often in the form of a jacket), or combined with mail or plate armor. Light, mobile, and quiet. Does not protect especially well, and is susceptible to damage by weather and age.
Ring Armor - Essentially leather with heavy metal rings (usually steel or iron) sewn directly onto it. Providing slightly more protection than leather alone. Most often used in the form of bracers and a cuirass. Light, mobile, and quiet - but only good for certain pieces of armor. Not very good against percussive or crushing blows.
Splinted Armor - Leather and plate hybrid, in which the leather is only used as a backing. Plates are long narrow strips (or splints) riveted onto to the leather backing so that they are exposed. Most often used in the form of bracers or greaves, offering good protection again cuts and mild protection against crushes. Fairly light and quiet, but not useful in defending larger areas such as the torso and thighs.
Lamellar Armor - Made of small thin scales of metal, horn, or boiled leather - similar to scale armor. However, scales in lamellar armor usually lace to each other. Their alignment is usually bottom-to-top, patterning in rows, instead of scale armor’s top-to-bottom pattern. Most often used in the form of a cuirass, bracers, cuisses, and greaves. An excellent defense against cuts and thrusts, providing decent protection from crushes. Moderately heavy and hot.
Banded Armor - Composite armor formed by combining mail reinforced with bands of leather.
Puffed and slashed armor - Characterized by embossing resembling the civilian style of dress where puffs of colored material are pulled through slashes in the sleeves and body of a contrasting outer layer of material. Etched and gilded, while the surfaces in between are etched to suggest cut velvet cloth.
Cloth Armor - Often in forms such as tunics and robes, light weight, quiet, and mobile, though not affective against most attacks.

Types of Helmets


Armet Helmet - Encloses the head while remaining exceptionally compact and light enough for the wearer to move freely. Provides good visibility, solid protection, and a comfortable fit adjustable to any size. Typically consisting of a hinged visor that supplies good air flow.
Barbute Helmet - Visor-less, with a “T”, “Y”, or arch-shaped opening for the eyes and mouth. Resilient and durable, extending all the way down to cover both sides of the face and the jaw. Rounded at the top and curved at the bottom to protect the head and neck. (T-shaped) (Y-shaped) (arch-shaped)
Bascinet Helmet - Pointed at the top to deflect the blows of an attacker’s weapon, elongated eye-slits provide good visibility, and multiple ventilating holes good air flow. May be worn without a visor, but commonly consisting of a removable klappvisor or side-pivoted visor, and often prevented from being lifted off the wearer’s head by being tied or strapped to the surcoat or armor. A bascinet with a side-pivoted visor is known as a “houndskull” or “pig-faced bascinet”. (w/out visor) (w/klappvisor) (w/side-pivoted visor)
Burgonet Helmet - Light and roomy, though not as protective as heavier helms. Cheek-guards, a neck-guard, and a brim for shading the eyes may yet provide an adequate and sensible defense. In many cases, a visor, may also be hinged and worn, but it is commonly open-faced. (w/out visor) (w/visor)
Cervelliere Helmet - Round, close-fitting skull cap. Worn either alone, under a mail coif, or under a great helm. Used by commoners and non-professional soldiers, quite versatile, with an adjustable leather lining and chinstrap. (alone) (under mail coif)
Close Helm - Encases the entire head, fitting closely, with a one-piece gorget that shares the pivot point with its visor. Swinging upwards to allow selectively more air than its ventilation holes can provide, and often consisting of a rondel in the back to protect any vulnerable strapping. The visor may be solid or have bars that could still offer protection but allow more visibility. Ideal for sport and combat, it is used in battle but also in tournaments. (solid visor) (w/bars)
Close Helmet - Covers the entire head and is usually worn with mail attached to the bottom for further protection of the neck. Normally has holes on the front, as well as additional holes on the lower front for breathing through the mouth. Not to be confused with the close helm!
Coppergate Helmet - Richly decorated with brass ornament, consists of two cheek-plates, a mail curtain, a nose-guard, and a brass band across a shaped crest that bears an inscription. Comfortable and practical to wear.
Corinthian Helmet - Made of bronze, covers the entire head and neck, with slits for the eyes and mouth. Protects the cheek bones, and consists of a large curved projection that guards the nape of the neck. Close-fitting and much adored by its wearer, allows for maximum protection, visibility, and air flow.
Great Helm - also called “pot helm”, “bucket helm”, or “barrel helm”. In its simplest form, flat-topped, with a nasal, plenty of ventilation holes, fully lined with leather, and consisting of a chin strap, it may seem a little odd but offers great full face protection. Sometimes more curved in its design, particularly at the top to deflect or lessen the impact of blows. Often hot due to its large cylindrical shape and cloth padding, it may restrict the wearer’s vision more than other helmets. For this reason, frequently worn with a cervelliere or bascinet beneath, so that the great helm could be removed but the head not left unprotected. Could also have an attached mail collar to guard the neck, throat, and shoulders, and adorned to suit the wearer’s taste. Blackened, lacquered or painted, decorated with ventilation holes in the shapes of symbols with attached with crowns, feathers, or metal wings. A great helm with a more conical top is known as a “sugarloaf helm”. (flat-topped) (classic great helm) (sugarloaf helm)
*Horn and Metal Helmet - Simple and shaped, a brow-band forms the foundation of its pointed dome with bands rising to an apex. Always consisting of a crest in the shape of an animal, gaps are filled with horn and metal plates, while the front plate has a downward-pointing tongue to protect the nose.
Kettle Hat - Shaped like a hat, fully wearable by troops of all types, but most commonly by infantry. Has many design variations, but always consisting of a wide brim to protect against overhead blows and projectiles. Not admired for their lack of extravagance, but worthwhile nonetheless.
Morion Helmet - also known as “pikeman’s pot”. Open-faced, consisting of a flat brim and a comb, front to back. Cheek-guards and removable faceplates may also be featured, to protect from sword cuts. May be engraved and include brass studs on the sides to display wealth and status. A morion with a stalk-like projection on the top resembling a pear is known as a “cabasset”. It is common among foot soldiers, but also worn by higher-ranking officers and guards.(w/cheek guards) (w/ faceplate) (engraved w/studs) (cabasset)
Nasal Helmet - Close-fitting, consisting of a domed or raised center with a single protruding strip that extends down to cover the nose, offers basic protection.
Sallet Helmet - Skin-tight, composed generally of an elongated back that forms a pointed tail and a slit in the front. The natural gap eliminates the need for breathing holes, but offers no real protection for the neck or shoulders, unless a gorget is worn. A sallet may also consist of a bellows-style visor. (w/bellows visor)
Spangenhelm Helmet - Takes a conical design that curves with the shape of the head and culminates in a point, consisting of strips of steel or bronze, and often includes cheek-guards made of metal or leather. May incorporate a mail curtain for the neck, eyeglass-shaped frames, a nasal piece, or full-face mask for added protection. A spangenhelm may also feature squinted eyes for an aggressive look and plenty of holes for ventilation, differing from the traditional shaping. (w/added protection) (w/squinted eyes)
*(Has been renamed by me for the purpose of making an understandable guide, but is actually the "Benty Grange Helmet")


Parts of Shields



Back - Reverse portion of the shield, padded with cushion where the hand rests, and featuring inscriptions or symbols of particular significance.
Boss - Metal dome in the center of some shields, serving as a defense for the gripping hand, integrated into a shield’s grip, and decorated, lacquered, or bejeweled.
Enarmes - Set of straps on the back of the shield through which the bearer’s arm and hand are passed in order to hold it. Shields generally have two or three such, the last of which is gripped, and they are not adjustable.
Face - Front side of a shield, made of plain wood, burnished metal, painted canvas, leather, or a combination of these. May be decorated with either metal ornaments, nailed or riveted designs, although not in a recognizable “heraldic” manner.
Guige - Long strap attached to a shield for the purpose of slinging the shield over one’s shoulder or back. Used as both a carrying device and as a system of stabilization to keep the weight from resting entirely upon the shield arm during combat.
Rim - Edge of a shield made of tough rawhide, iron, steel, or bare wood. Enemy weapons stick onto shields of wood, whereas those of steel or iron last longer and cause damage to an opponent.


Types of Shields


Buckler Shield - Small round metal shield, with a dome protruding from the center. May be hung from a belt and carried at the hip, reserved for hand-to-hand combat by allowing a wide range of off-hand maneuvers to be performed. However, it does not display heraldic designs and may be difficult to use without having acquired the proper training.
Heater Shield - Similar in shape to the bottom of a heating iron, consisting of a flat top and edges that come to a point like a triangle with curving sides, complimenting full suits of armor and suitable for horseback combat. Made of wood, sometimes braced with iron or steel, is a tough but light shield dense enough to grip an enemy’s blade and be moved quickly. Excellent for heraldic display, with a reasonably large surface area, but leaves the legs relatively unprotected.
Kite Shield - Rounded at the top with straight sides tapering to a long point, but may be sometimes rounded and feature a flat top instead. Protects a rider’s legs when held in a neutral position, the gap between the shoulders and knees of a soldier on foot, and may be used with spears and javelins rather than swords.
Oval Shield - Center-grip shield, oval-shaped rather than circular, versatile and instinctive to use. Fairly easy to be carried on the back, allowing for a quick-shift in position, featuring a broad surface area for protection, and appropriate for most types of combat. Predominantly flat, made of wood, either alder, oak, or linden, and features a boss of steel or iron that may be domed or cone-shaped. Heavier than a buckler nevertheless, and beginning warriors may block their own line of sight with it.
Pavise Shield - Tall long shield, providing excellent protection for crossbow bearers. Broad enough to cover their entire body as they reload, be carried slung on their back, and often painted with scenes depicting meaningful events.
Round Center-Grip Shield - Good all-purpose shield, round and made of wood, rimmed or unrimmed, plain or lavishly decorated, and incredibly popular among foot soldiers and mounted warriors alike.
Round “Target” Shield - Similar in shape and size to the round center-grip shield, except that it has no central boss under which it is gripped, but rather a set of enarmes. Preferred by mounted troops since it frees their shield hand, and thus they are able to hold onto the reins easily. Constructed of flat wood, iron-plated wood, leather-covered wood, or plain iron, and featuring a stuffed cushion or pad for the arm. Highly effective for striking and bashing, aligns itself back into place, easily carried on the back, and most often by professional warriors but civilians as well. May have visible text and heraldic display, be a bit heavy and less versatile than a center-grip shield, hard to cast away when broken, and easy for beginning warriors to block their own light of sight with it although not too badly.
Targe Shield - Concave shield fitted with enarmes on the inside, covered with tough cowhide on the front, and deerskin or straw packing on the back. Decorated with an intricate pattern of concentric circles, and sometimes nails, silver, or brass plates fixed to the face for strength.
Teardrop Shield - Not unlike a kite shield, but broader and bulging out as it narrows to a point; featuring sometimes a vestigial boss that does not protect the hand. Made of wood and faced with heavy linen or leather. Most often used by mounted warriors, due to its abundant surface area that aids in protecting the upper leg while riding. Infantry members also take advantage of its superior coverage and very good defense. Excellent for heraldic display, moderately heavy though and less versatile than a center-grip shield.


Parts of Armor for Horses


NOTE: Armor for horses is referred to as "barding".

1. Chanfron - Piece of plate for a horse's head and face, sometimes including hinged cheek plates, and commonly featuring a rondel with a small spike.
2. Peytral - Protection for a horse's chest, sometimes stretched as far back as the saddle.
3. Crinet - Protection for a horse's neck.
4. Pommel - Raised part on the front of a saddle.
5. Cantle - Hind part of a saddle, usually curved upward.
6. Crupper - Protection for a horse's hind quarters. May be made from any combination of leather, chain, or plate.
7. Tail guard - Protection for a horse's tail, to prevent bruising or rubbing that results in hair loss or other damage.
8. Flanchard
- Protection for a horse's flank, attached to the side of the saddle, then around the front or rear and back to the saddle again. Composed of metal plates riveted to leather (boiled or treated), and sometimes has openings to allow the rider to use spurs.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

Elven Enchanter
Points: 2 265 
Posts: 1451
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 2:15 am
- Weapons Catalog –

(I have done my best to recreate the original formatting)
(The photo links did not work, so I deleted them. If anyone has good images for the described items, please let me know or send me a link to your image hosting site and I can add them)

(Written by Sur Vanar Utírieste March 18, 2012)
Link to original thread

(The following images and photographs are property of their respective owners and artists. Information has been obtained from various sources...)

Types of Swords

Arming Sword - often referred to as a “knightly sword”. It is the standard blade given to members of the Lindon Guard. Wielded with one hand, allowing for the use of a shield on the other hand.
Backsword - Favorite sidearm of the infantry, characterized by having a single cutting edge and a flat “false edge”, which may be sharpened to facilitate thrusting attacks. Fitted with a knuckle guard, it is often worn slung around the waist or tied to the saddle of a horse.
Broadsword - Basket-hilted, with a substantial two-edged blade used to cut rather than stab primarily. Capable of cutting off the limbs or head of an enemy in one fell stroke!
Claymore - Two-handed weapon, particularly effective and feared due to its large size but light weight. Quicker and more effective than other swords requiring the use of both hands, the section above the handle is often wrapped or covered.
Cutlass - Short slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade, and a sharp cutting edge. It is a common naval weapon, often featuring a hilt with a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard.
Falchion - One-handed single-edged sword, with the combined weight and power of an axe, and the versatility of a sword.
Flambard - Undulating flame or wave-like edges, contribute to this distinguishing blade. While it is largely decorative, it is quite useful in combat.
Katana - Curved, slender, single-edged blade, with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate the use of two hands. Quickly drawn and suited for combat depending upon a fast response, capable of striking down an enemy in one motion.
Longsword - also known as “hand-and-a-half sword” and “bastard sword”, though the term itself is ambiguous. Straight, double-edged, consisting of a grip that provides enough room for two hands, though it may also be wielded with a single hand as well. All parts, including the pommel and cross-guard, are used for offensive purposes such as hewing, slicing, and stabbing.
Panabras - Consisting of a single cutting edge curving forward, narrowest near the hilt, and dramatically thicker near the tip. Large, may be held with one or two hands, delivering deep butchering chopping and thrusting motions. (
Rapier - Sharply pointed sword with a slender blade, providing protection for the hand wielding it. Ideally used for thrusting attacks, may cut to some degree but not to that of wider heavier swords. While specific hilts may vary, a fat pommel provides balance for the long blade.
Sabre - Usually curved, single-edged, with a rather large hand guard covering the knuckles as well as the thumb and forefinger. Mounted warriors often carry it in a scabbard hanging from a shoulder belt, or waist-mounted sword belt.
Scimitar - Curved blade used in horse warfare because of its relatively light weight compared to that of larger swords. Good for slashing opponents while riding on a horse, and beheading enemies.
Side-Sword - Functioned mainly as a weapon for civilians, it is also used by warriors to some degree. In the hands of a skilled sword-wielder it can prove very effective for handling a mix of armored and unarmored opponents, dispatching enemies, and responsive to quick changes.
Smallsword - also referred to as a “court sword” or “dress sword”. Light one-handed weapon, designed for thrusting, typically with a “shell” type guard.
Spadroon - Light, straight blade for cutting and thrusting, often with a beaded or “five-ball” hilt. Popular among seafaring warriors, it is single-edged or double-edged.
Spatha - Straight and long, broad and powerful, used by mounted warriors and infantry members.
Twin Hook Swords - Thick, unsharpened, with prongs or hooks near the tips. Often used in pairs, to trap and deflect other weapons, slash opponents, and block incoming strikes.

Daggers and Knives


Baselard - Fast, light, and capable of both cuts and effective thrusts. It is a large dagger, with an H-shaped hilt.
Cinquedea - Primarily used as a thrusting weapon, it is a well-balanced double-edged blade, tapering sharply to a point. Could defend civilians and warriors against enemy swords, pass for a dagger, and be carried around in cities, at court, while traveling on horseback, or on a hunt.
Dirk - Long, thrusting dagger for hand-to-hand combat. Used by warriors, naval officers, and occasionally a ceremonial weapon.
Ear Dagger - Consisting of a distinctive pommel, not unlike the human ear, it is a relatively rare and exotic dagger. With a single sharp cutting edge, and ending in an acute point.
Golok - Broad, cleaver-like cutting knife, often used for bush and branch cutting, and easy to sharpen.
Grosse Messer - also known as a “great knife” or “war knife”. It is a stout wide blade, featuring a generously-sized handle, and could be wielded with one or two hands. Used to protect against the ravages of brigands, cutthroats, and outlaws, because it is capable of shearing through mail armor or cutting a man in half with a single strike!
Katara - Short, wide, lightweight, triangular blade. Distinguished by its H-shaped hand grip made of two parallel bars connected by two or more cross-pieces, and thickened point that prevents it from bending or breaking. Capable of piercing textile, mail, and even plate armor!
Machete - Ultimate outdoor and survival tool, that makes a truly deadly weapon. May be used to cut, chop, slash, hack, split, scrape, scoop, hammer, dig, crush, carve, crack, smash, gut, filet, skin, and butcher about anything. Rugged enough to resist every sort of damage, it is a hair-shaving sharp blade that can last practically forever.
Misericorde - Narrow, long knife, used to deliver the final stroke of death upon a mortally wounded enemy. Thin enough to drive through the gaps between armor plates, against an opponent’s face, and pierce the heart of a foe.
Poniard - Acutely-pointed blade, lightweight and long, used for thrusting and as a backup weapon on the battlefield.
Push Dagger - Popular close-combat weapon, for civilians as well as warriors. Short-bladed, with a T-shaped handle, protruding from between the fingers when properly gripped in the hand of its wielder.
Rondel - Principally designed for stabbing and cutting, it is a weapon ideal for puncturing mail armor. Diamond or triangular-shaped blade, with a cylindrical handle made of wood or bone, and a sharpened point.
Sais - Pointed dagger-shaped metal batons, with prong-like side guards, which are usually symmetrical. Generally, used in pairs for rapidly striking, trapping, and blocking attackers from all directions.
Scissor - Hardened steel tube, with a capped off hand end consisting of semicircular blade, encasing the wearer’s entire forearm. Deadly and versatile, though a bit strange, used to block an opponent’s blows and counterattack with savage slashes.
Seax - General purpose weapon, with a long broad blade, suitable for all sorts of camp work, shipboard, or fighting. Etched on both sides, capable of taking a razor-sharp edge, and consisting of a long grip that allows for two-handed use. Tied onto a waist belt, it is used in the event in which a shield or primary weapon is lost to the warrior.
Sickle - Hand-held agricultural tool with a curved blade, typically used for harvesting grain crops but also used as a weapon. Consisting of either smooth or serrated edges, mainly for the purpose of cutting, whatever or whoever it may be.
Stiletto - Long slender blade, with a narrow cross-section and needle-like point to penetrate deeply. Intended primarily for stabbing, not designed for cutting or slashing.
Sword-Breaker - Sturdy blade featuring slots on one side resembling the teeth of a comb, capable of standing up to substantial forces, catching an opponent’s sword, holding it fast, and breaking it.
Trident Dagger - Designed so that a portion of the blade springs outwards on each side, trapping the weapon of an assailant and dispatching them with the other hand.

Blunt Weapons


Aklys - Equipped with spikes, and attached to one arm of the wielder by a strap of adjustable length, which enables the weapon to be retrieved after being hurled and snapped at an enemy.
Brass Knuckles - called “knuckles”, “brass knucks”, or even “knucklesdusters”. Pieces of metal, despite their name, shaped to fit around a warrior’s knuckles with an extended or rounded palm grip.
Crowbar - Metal bar, generally consisting of a small fissure and a single curved end. Commonly used as a lever to pry open objects, remove nails, and break things; also serving as a weapon capable of creating wounds a knife can’t.
Cudgel - also known as “singlestick”. Carried by civilians and used to train soldiers in swordplay, substituting an actual blade, for a stout wooden stick. Functions as a walking staff and as well as a weapon for both self-defense and war.
Flail - Jointed armor-fighting weapon, featuring one or more spiked or knobbed steel heads, attached by chains or hinges to a short wooden handle. Versatile, suitable for close-contact fighting, striking with tremendous force when struck against the protective covering of a foe.
Flanged Mace - Strong, heavy, with a head consisting of protruding symmetric edges of stone, copper, bronze, iron, or steel; it is capable of denting and penetrating armor with a single blow and reducing the effectiveness of a warrior’s shield.
Jutte - May have a small spear tip or blade attached to the handle and hidden in the rod shaft. Captures enemy swords, hooks onto clothing or parts of the body, and penetrates the joints of an assailant. Allows for the use of different techniques, such as punches and strikes to large muscle groups, and may be used in pairs.
Kanabō - Constructed out of hefty wood or iron, featuring spikes or studs along a round or multifaceted shaft, and a slender handle.
Knobkierrie - Good for throwing at animals in hunting or clubbing an enemy’s head, often ornately carved with faces or shapes that have symbolic meaning. Serves as an excellent walking-stick in times of peace, but may be wielded as a weapon in a moment’s notice.
Mere - Short leaf-shaped club, featuring two smooth sides and a broad rounded apex narrowing to form a handle. Featuring a wrist cord to prevent the weapon from slipping during thrusting and jabbing.
Morning Star - Resembling a mace, usually with small spikes around the particle of the head. Characterized by a wooden shaft, long two-handed form, reinforced at the top with an iron band, and wielded by both infantry and calvary.
Pickaxe Handle - Unofficially used as a weapon, without the perpendicular head attached. It is quite strong and heavy, made of wood or metal, and used to jab (not swing).
Sally Rod - Long thin wooden stick, generally made from willow and used chiefly as a disciplinary implement. Also used like a club, without the fencing-like technique of stick fighting in fights and brawls.
Shillelagh - also called a “loaded stick”. It is traditionally made from blackthorn wood or oak, hollowed at the heavy “hitting” end and filled with molten lead to increase its current weight. Used for parrying, striking, and disarming an attacker.
Slapjack - Flat profile outer skin, containing a hard weight material within, and a long strap that allows for a flail-type swing at any part of an opponent’s body to inflict injury. Crafted of various materials, the preferred being leather for the outside and lead for the inside.
Sledgehammer - Though not intended to be wielded as a weapon, it is nevertheless, capable of generating enough force to cave in a man’s skull when swung fully. Consisting of a large flat head, typically made of metal, can apply more force than other hammers due to its abundant size.
Tonfas - Single-handle batons made customarily from red oak and handled in pairs, gripped by the short perpendicular handle or by the longer main shaft. To catch and stop the blunt or sharp weapon of an aggressor, strike a blow in return, or break objects.
Waddy - referred to also as a “hunting stick”. Curved and short hardwood club, could be painted if desired, and feature a stone head attached. This curious weapon is capable of splitting shields, stunning, and killing prey and assailants alike.
War Hammer - Versatile close-combat weapon, made up of a head and a handle, not unlike a hammer. Often featuring a spiked side that could grapple and pierce the heaviest armor. May also be used to bash an assailant’s head in with a strike to the helmet, and knocking riders off their horse to fight them more easily off their steed.

Spears, Axes, and Polearms


Battle Axe - Lightweight axe intended specifically for combat, consisting of a narrow slicing blade, and wielded with one or two hands (depending on the size). Capable of severing the limbs of an enemy, and very well suited for repeated strikes against an adversary.
Broadaxe - Flat large-headed axe, featuring a broad and curved blade, which is also thick and sturdy. Intended solely to kill, and wielded with one hand.
Dane Axe - Characterized by a thin blade, superb for cutting, which can be thrown if needed and is quite handy in close combat, with or without a shield.
Double-Voulge - occasionally called a “pole cleaver”. Made up of blades bound two-thirds of the way in the both ends of a broad shaft, and intended for hacking opponents.
Glaive - Single-edged blade on the end of a pole, with an affixed blade in socket-shaft configuration similar to an axe head and used to pierce or slice through flesh as needed. Variations with a small hook or spike on the reverse side are known as “glaive-guisarmes”.
Halberd - called “halbard” or “halberd”. Two-handed shaft topped with an axe blade, always with a hook or thorn on the back portion of the spike head. Quite versatile, it is used for grappling mounted enemies and blocking adversary weapons, and particularly effective against plate armor plus reducing the effectiveness of a shield.
Harpoon - Elongated spear-like instrument used to catch fish or large marine mammals such as whales. Impales the animal in target, allowing the fishermen to use a rope or chain attached to the butt of the projectile to catch it, but may be also wielded as a weapon.
Javelin - Constructed first and foremost, for casting as a lightweight ranged weapon, by hand without the use of a mechanism. An effective hunting weapon as well, additional throwing straps increase standoff power and aid in taking down large game.
Lance - Long, heavy, spear-like weapon made of wood. Designed to be used by a mounted warrior to catch and hold on to the shield of an opponent, as well as throw an adversary off of his or her horse. Featuring a steel or iron metal tip, and recognized as the weapon of jousting tournaments.
Pike - Very long thrusting spear, varying considerably in size, with an iron or steel head affixed. Used extensively by members of the infantry for aggressive attacks to stop incoming mounted enemies and charging opponents on foot. Not intended to be thrown.
Pollaxe - Polearm consisting of a wooden handle and a mounted steel head, widely used by members of the infantry. Can be used to piece plate armor, hack down an enemy as well as trip, block, disarm, and slice him or her.
Quarterstaff - also referred to as a “short staff” or simply “staff”. Traditional pole weapon, consisting of a long and thick hardwood shaft, sometimes reinforced with metal tips. Used in close combat to thrust, sweep, club, or even strike opponents in regions unprotected.
Shepherd's Axe - Long and thin light axe with a metal butt, serves as a walking stick and combat weapon, wielded in a hammer-like fashion.
Spear - Pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually made of wood, with a pointed head that may simply be the sharpened end of the shaft itself. Used for hunting or combat, featuring additional barbs or serrated edges in its apex, some may be designed for thrusting and some throwing.
Spontoon - Extremely long weapon featuring an elaborate head, often with a pair of smaller blades on each side, and used as a primary weapon of foot soldiers, but also as a signaling tool.
Swordstaff - Made by placing a blade at the end of a staff, thus getting the same benefits of a sword with the range of spear or polearm. Helps fight enemies both on foot and mounted, while the blade is still handy enough to use in close combat as opposed to a spear.
Trident - also called a “trishul”, “leister”, or “gig”. Three-pronged spear used for fishing and combat, prized for its long reach and ability to trap other long-weapons between its prongs to disarm their wielder. Trident users may also cast a net to wrap their adversaries first, and finish them off with the trident. Please note, this is not a pitchfork!
War Scythe - Improvised pole weapon, created from a standard scythe by extending it upright from the shaft and forming an infantry weapon both practical in offensive and defensive actions against a mounted enemy. Characterized by its long range, powerful force due to leverage, and slashing or stabbing attacks.

Ranged Weapons


Arbalest - also referred to as an “arblast”. Large weapon with a steel prod, not unlike a crossbow, but larger and capable of greater force.
Bolas - Throwing weapon consisting of weights on the ends of interconnected cords, designed to be swung and then released to capture enemies by entangling their legs. Featuring two or three heavy balls, but capable of up to eight or nine.
Boomerang - Flying rotating wing curved and usually flat, crafted of wood or bone. Used a weapon or for sport, its uses vary abundantly, capable of killing small game such as birds and rabbits when used for hunting.
Cable-backed Bow - Bow reinforced with a cable made from animal, vegetable, or synthetic fibers on the back. Tightened to increase the strength of the bow, and thus, relieve tension stress from the back of even a bow made of the poorest-quality wood.
Catapult - Device used to throw or hurl projectiles a great distance without the aid of explosive devices. One of the most effective mechanisms during warfare, and though it is not used typically by the Lindon Guard, remains ever a key siege weapon against fortifications.
Composite Bow - Bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together. Provides shape and dimensional stability, all while storing energy, and convenient for a warrior on foot or horseback.
Crossbow - Bow mounted on a stock for shooting bolts and other projectiles, consisting of a mechanism in which the bow string is drawn, playing a significant role in battle, but also used for shooting sports and hunting.
Darts/Blowgun - Needles used as projectiles, which can be coated in homemade poison for effective killing and hunting, and fired with the aid of a small tube known as a blowgun, also called a “blowpipe” or “blow tube” that uses the force of a warrior’s breath.
Flatbow - Relatively wide bow, narrow and becoming deeper at the rounded non-bending handle, which is for made easier to grip. Featuring flat, wide, non-recurved limbs, approximately rectangular in cross-section, this bow is usually made of wood.
Laminated Bow - Particularly strong bow, in which different materials such as wood and fiberglass are coated together, to form the stave of the bow itself. Not to be confused with the composite bow!
Longbow - Tall bow, roughly equal to the height of the user, allowing for a fairly long draw, at least to the jaw. Used for hunting and warfare, not significantly recurved, and consisting of relatively narrow limbs. Lighter, quicker to shoot and more quietly than other bows, but not as fast and accurate.
Recurve Bow - Bow featuring tips curving away from the user, a string that touches a section of the limb, giving greater amount of energy and speed to its arrows. A very good choice for beginning archers though preferred generally by warriors of all levels, for environments of brush and forest terrain, or while on horseback, since longer weapons may be burdensome.
Reflex Bow - Bow with arms curving or curling away from the archer throughout their length, resembling a “C” when unstrung. Long variations of this weapon may be more difficult to string and reverse themselves suddenly, which is why a reflex bow is seldom used for hunting, but shorter variations ideal for horseback use.
Self Bow - Fairly straight bow made from a single piece of wood, approximately the height of the archer, and less efficient in the specialized art of flight archery.
Sling - Projectile weapon typically used to throw stones or lead “bullets”, placed on a small cradle or pouch in the middle of its two cords. Swung, its projectile is released with a flick of the user’s wrist at the precise moment.
Straight Bow - Weapon crafted of all natural materials, completely straight despite its minor curves. Simple in design compared to other hunting bows, but requiring more skill to use, hence it is wielded by only the most experienced archers who can aim and shoot quickly.
Throwing Axes - Missile weapons thrown in an overhand motion, in a manner that causes them to rotate as they travel through the air before penetrating the target.
Throwing Knives - Missile weapons that require accuracy, calculation, and a sufficient amount of force to be effective. May be thrown in a variety of spin or no-spin techniques, allowing for great accuracy and range.
Throwing Stars - Hand-held sharp concealed weapons, generally used for throwing and sometimes stabbing or even slashing. Taking many shapes and designs, and not primarily intended to kill but rather to support a warrior’s main weapon, as a nuisance or distraction.
Meteor Hammer - often referred to simply as a “meteor”. It is a weapon of flexible construction, featuring either one or two weights connected by a rope or chain. Wielded by its user for defensive and offensive purposes, true masters can unlock its full potential, and do almost anything with it.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

Elven Enchanter
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- Horseback Combat Companion –


(I have done my best to recreate the original formatting)

(Written by Sur Vanar Utírieste April 1, 2012)

Link to original thread

(Disclaimer: The following information has been created for roleplaying purposes only, and should not replace real horse caring and riding methods. All images are property of their respective owners and artists. Content has been obtained from various sources...)

Parts of a Horse

(Anyone have a good image they could share for this?)

Care and Maintenance


Grooming - Regular and thorough grooming is essential for maintaining a horse in peak condition, it is no mere cosmetic process! There is not a horse in existence that does not require a minimum of care to function properly. Stable masters will see to grooming the horses in their care every day, but such service may not always be available to a warrior. For this reason, every rider should posses and travel with the following items, and perform the full session listed below once a day, every day:

Body Brush
Comb
Curry Comb
Hoof Oil
Hoof Pick
Pot or Small Bucket
Ropes
Sponge
Sweat Scraper
Water Brush


1. Remove the horse from its station and bring it to an open space with good light, this way residue does not dirty the area in which the steed rests or sleeps.
2. Secure the horse with two ropes, wrapped around its neck and descending to the ground from both sides, so that it does not turn and nip you or run off.
3. Remove any mud, dust, or caked sweat from the horse in circular massaging motions with the use of a curry comb. Be sure however, to use a body brush for the head, between/lower legs, belly, and mane.
4. Remove any bedding or mud from the horse’s feet in turn with the use a hoof pick. Please clear the cleft of the frog carefully, this is a sensitive area.
5. Scrub the horse lightly with a water brush, by dipping it in a bucket or pot of warm water. Remove excess moisture with a sweat scraper, and allow the steed to dry completely before continuing.
6. Dip a sponge in fresh warm water and wring it out, before wiping the horse’s mouth, nostrils, ears, and backside gently.
7. Softly stroke the roots of the mane with a comb, and undo any hair tangles with your hands.
8. Apply hoof oil to the inside and outside of the hooves, to improve their condition.

Trimming/Plaiting - For a clean cut mane, simply make your way down from the top of the neck, taking hold of a few hairs at a time with a comb and swiftly pulling out the longer hairs. For a tidy tail, simply pull and clip hairs carefully to about one-half or two-thirds of the way down, and cut the tail straight just below the level of the hock. For a plaited mane and tail, simply section the hair as desired and braid, securing the plaits with bands or even needles and thread.
Foot Care - For a horse to be able to walk through city roads, rocky paths, and cope with being ridden, it must undergo a process known as “shoeing”. Every four to six weeks, a blacksmith should trim and shoe the hooves of your steed. Upon request, additional studs may be added to the horse’s shoes, to prevent slipping on wet ground.
Feeding - With a complicated digestive system, it is important to understand that the meals for a horse should consist largely of forage. That is, hay or pasture twice a day. Stable masters will see to providing both for the horses in their care, once in the morning and once at night, but such service may not always be available to a warrior. For this reason, every rider should take the time to allow their horse to graze under careful supervision, and compensate the essential foods if necessary, for the following varieties:

Apples and Carrots
Boiled or Soaked Barley
Bran
Chaff
*Cod Liver Oil
Cooked Linseed
Crushed/Cooked Oats
Cut/Shredded Root Vegetables
Eggs
Flaked and Cooked Maize
*Salt
Seaweed


Temperature, Pulse, Breathing, and Weight - It is important to inspect various aspects of your steed on a daily basis. To check the temperature and pulse, simply feel the sides of the horse’s neck and press your fingers lightly under its jaws. To check the respiratory rate, simply feel the rise and fall of each breathe by placing your palm below the nostrils of the horse and feeling the air blow over your hand. Drastic changes in weight may also be signs you should take your steed to a veterinarian.

* (Just a hint in their food, excessive amounts can make horses ill!)

First Aid and Emergencies


Choking - Shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian, and while waiting, feel for the obstruction lodged within your horse’s throat and massage it gently. Do not give the horse water, as fluid could go straight to the lungs! Horses cannot vomit, but it is highly unlikely that it will suffocate.
Wounds - Clean by flushing away any mud or debris with water, and instantly check to determine the extent of the wound. If the wound is shorter than an inch, simply bandage it. If it is longer, shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian, as the wound will require immediate stitching.
Bruising and Swelling - Rinse continually with cold water, splashing one of the horse’s feet first so that it is accustomed to the idea, and then the region that is bruised or swollen. Do not simply apply ice, as this will cause a cold burn to the area! You may however, use ice to make the water you are using cold, to rinse the bruised or swollen region.
Bleeding - Immobilize the horse, as movement will encourage further bleeding, and ask someone else to help you hold the horse in place. Apply firm pressure to the gushing injury with a cloth, and shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian. If the blood is flowing slowly, you may be able to stop the bleeding on your own. By applying pressure firmly for 10 seconds, removing the cloth, and checking to see if the bleeding has stopped. If it has, simply bandage the wound. If not, attempt several more times before calling for the veterinarian in your company.
Tying Up - Weakness, pain, and damage to muscles that shows through a horse’s reluctance to move, cries of agony, or even trouble passing urine/urinating a dark red color, requires immediate dismount. Put anything handy (such as your jacket) over the horse’s loin area to keep it warm and get to the nearest stable if possible, then put a rug over the horse and keep it warm.
Caught in Barbed Wire - Shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian and acquire wire cutters immediately, as your horse is liable to panic, causing more injury to itself and possibly to those around it. If the horse has fallen down, kneel on its neck and hold its head down to stop it from struggling. Once the wire has been cut away, be careful to get out of the way when the horse jolts back up. Wash the cuts and cover them with clean dry bandages or gauze pads. If stitches are required, keep the horse calm while the veterinarian does so.
Foot Punctures - Remove the object, if it is clearly visible and diminutive like a nail, but remember where on the foot it came from. Otherwise, leave the object in place and call for your warrior veterinarian. As you wait, clean the area with water, if you can please place the foot in a bucket of warm water, and then cover the area with a pad and bandage.
Fractures - Broken bones occur most frequently in a horse’s legs, but any fracture may be indicated by a sudden acute pain and swelling, often accompanied by the bone lying in an odd way. Shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian and keep your horse still, while you wait for help to arrive.
Poisoning - Diarrhea, distressed breathing, and sweating are indications that your horse may be suffering the symptoms of poisoning. If the horse has been grazing in a field, bring it into the nearest stable. Either way, remove all food, and seek the aid of the warrior veterinarian. Poisoning most often occurs from the ingestion of poisonous plants, therefore after your horse has mended, remove these harmful plants to avoid your steed from eating them in the future.
Severe Tendon Injuries - Severe strain can cause the tendon fibers to tear or snap, which will drop the fetlock low to the ground. Keep your horse as still as possible, restrict its mobility and shout for the aid of the warrior veterinarian. While you wait, rinse the leg with cold water to reduce pain and swelling, and bandage it for support.

Mounting and Riding


Leading - To guide a horse, begin by taking the reins gently over the horse’s head and stand by its left shoulder. With your right hand hold the reins together below the mouthpiece, and take hold of the rest of the reins with your left hand to ensure they don’t dangle free. If you have to turn a horse while leading, do so to the right so you have more control and the horse is less likely to step on your toes. Safety is ensured by encouraging it forwards as you stand by its shoulder, walking with you, not being pulled by you!
Getting On - To mount a horse, stand on its left side with your back facing its head. Hold the reins in your left hand with slightly more contact on the right side in case the horse starts to move, and place your left hand on the base of the horse’s neck. Put your left foot in the stirrup and grasp the back of the saddle, push off with your right foot and swing it over the horse’s back, landing gently in the saddle. Hold the reins in a way that they run up between the third and fourth finger of each hand and out between the thumb and index finger, with the thumb on top.
Starting - To send the horse forward, apply the lower portion of one of your legs just behind the saddle as a nudging action. Once the horse starts to move, hang your leg relaxed and maintain light contact with the horse’s side.
Walking - Manner of steeping in which each of a horse’s legs move individually, equally-spaced, to a one-two-three-four beat. The rider maintains the basic seating position, keeping a straight line between his or her shoulders, hips, and heels. While the lower back, hips, and forearms are relaxed and able to move with the horse’s natural rhythm. The horse uses its head and neck more significantly during each walking stride than any other pace. If the rider prevents this, it can spoil the rhythm.
Turning - To turn either left or right, pull back the rein on the turning side, with a gentle pressure of your hand. Make sure the rein on the opposite side, is neither limp nor held too tightly. As you cue with the turning side rein, apply pressure with the same side leg on onto that horse’s side, so the horse is turning around your leg. Once the horse has turned, relax that hand and leg.
Trotting - Manner of stepping in which a horse’s legs move in diagonal pairs to a two-time pace. The rider sits and rises in time to the up and down movement, or allows his or her body to absorb the movement by sitting deep in the saddle in the classic position. The horse moves straight, with even strides in which both fore and hind legs are used equally, moving freely from the shoulder, with a supple back, active hindquarters and hocks.
Cantering - Manner of stepping in which the horse moves from the leading foreleg to the opposite diagonal fore and hind leg, followed by the remaining hind leg, and a moment of suspension when all four legs are off the ground, before the sequence repeats itself. The rider should maintain the classic shoulder-hip-heel line while keeping the arms and lower back relaxed, following the forward movement of each stride.
Galloping - Manner of stepping in which a horse moves to a fast flowing four-time beat, including a moment of suspension when all four legs are off the ground. A good gallop consists of speed and lightness, covering a great deal of ground with each stride. To ride a horse at this exhilarating pace requires a secure seating position and confidence in your ability to control your horse. The reins should be shortened, so that your body lifts more easily out of the saddle, allowing your weight to come forward. Your heels should be well down, while the lower portions of your legs remain in their normal position.
Jumping - Bend your upper body forward while maintaining your vision and focus forward towards your obstacle, to achieve the necessary balance in yourself and your horse. During take-off, lift your weight off of the saddle with a straight back and a ‘bottoms up’ position. Allow yourself to fold forward without flinging your weight, pressing down into your head to keep your lower legs stable. Upon landing, adjust your upper body smoothly, and continue to ride forward in balance.
Fighting - Hold the reins with one hand and wield your weapon with the other, pivot and bend forward from your waist to cut down foes on your left and right sides or block incoming blows and arrows with your shield. Maintain your legs firm while mounted and fighting, and dismount if you must wield a two-handed weapon. When using a bow however, remain mounted and release your hands from the rein, but only in dire circumstances.
Cooling Down - The last part of any riding session, for pleasure or for combat, should be spent in walk pace to cool the horse down and stabilize itself, on the way back to the stables or designated station.
Stopping - If you stop a horse without doing them any injury or damage, in a gentle way, your horse will be more willing to go forward when you ask it again. Deepen your sitting position, gently squeeze the reins to ask your horse to slow down, and then squeeze again to make your horse stop. If this fails, do so again with a little more pressure. In an emergency or in a situation in which your horse is not listening, use the amount of force required to pressure the reins.
Getting Off - To dismount a horse, rest the left hand holding the reins on the horse’s neck. Put your right hand on the front of the saddle, take your feet out of the stirrups and swing your right leg carefully over the back of the horse. Your body should turn towards the saddle as you slide gently to the ground in one smooth movement.

Things to Remember:
o It is important to understand that the bond between a warrior and his or her horse(s) is an enduring one, lasting as long as both shall live.
o The natural instinct of horses in a threatening situation is flight, but proper training can change their reaction to suit the needs of combat.
o Young horses learn by example, and require special upbringing before they can be trained at the age of three years.
o Your commanding officers will order you to shift the pace of your riding according to battle, therefore be sure to understand each manner of stepping.
o Upon the field of battle, if your horse suffers and injury you may summon the aid of the equine specialist of the Lindon Guard, Vanathna Ondolithe.

(In the spirit of not editing, I kept the name, but it should be easy enough to figure out who that should be in your particular RP)
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

New Soul
Points: 799 
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Archery Basics
compiled by Almarëa
(For RP purposes only - not a substitute for instruction from a qualified teacher if you want to learn in real life!)


Major Types of Bow:
- Longbow
- Recurve
- Reflex
- Crossbow
(see descriptions in "On Weaponry")



The Ten Steps of the Shooting Sequence

Step 1: Stance. When shooting at an practice range, or whenever circumstances permit in battle conditions, the correct shooting stance is as follows:
- The archer should stand with their body facing 90 degrees away from the target. Right-handed archers will stand with their left side facing the target and the bow held in their left hand. Left-handed archers will reverse this. The feet are positioned hip-width apart, and weight is distributed evenly on both feet.
- The archer should maintain good posture, with shoulders, hips, knees, and feet all aligned. There should be no unnecessary tension in the archer's body, and a proper warm-up is key to achieving this.
- When shooting from trees, horseback, or from other positions, the archer should keep in mind that it is very important for their upper body to be aligned correctly, and that unnecessary tension will interfere with their shots.
- At a shooting range, one foot should be in front of the shooting line and one foot should be behind it.

Step 2: Nocking the Arrow.
- The bow is held in the left hand by right-handed archers, and in the right hand by left-handed archers.
- An arrow is pulled from the quiver with the right hand (by right-handed archers) and laid across the bow on the arrowrest.
- Rotate the shaft of the arrow so that the index/cock/odd-coloured feather is perpendicular to the bow, pointing towards the archer.
- Nock the arrow on the bowstring so that the arrow shaft is perpendicular to the ground. (Some bows will have a nocking point on the bowstring which indicates where to nock the arrow.)

Step 3: Bow Hand and Arm.
- The "bow hand" is the name for the hand that holds the bow.
- The bow should be held with a loose, fairly relaxed grip.
- The point of the elbow should point away from the bowstring.
- The bow arm should be straight, but not overextended, and the archer should not raise or contort the position of their shoulders, which should be lowered and relaxed.
- Often beginners will encounter difficulties with having the bowstring hit their arm if their bow arm positioning is not correct. The temporary solution to this is to recommend that they wear a long-sleeved top and/or bracer so that practice will be less painful; however, the underlying problem with technique will certainly still need to be corrected.

Step 4: The Drawing Hand.
- The bowstring is drawn with only three fingers. The thumb and the little finger are not used, and should not touch the string.
- The fingers are hooked around the string, so that the string rests in the first crease or joint, the one nearest the fingertips.
- The index finger is placed above the nocked arrow; the other two fingers are placed below.
- The back of the hand, wrist, and forearm should form a straight line.

Step 5: Drawing the Arrow.
- Extend the bow hand towards the target
- Pull back with a constant, steady pressure with the drawing hand, keeping the elbow of the drawing hand high and perpendicular to the ground.
- The bow should be drawn until the index finger of the drawing hand touches the side of the mouth.

Step 6: The Anchor
- A good and consistent anchor point is essential to developing consistency in shooting.
- There are two main types of anchor point: the side of the mouth, or under the chin.
- An anchor point under the chin is preferred when the archer is shooting with a sighting aid.
- To use an anchor point at the side of the mouth, the archer should keep in mind that:
- The exact same part of the index finger must touch the exact same place on the face each time.
- Do not pull the bow back so far that the anchor point is farther back on the face - the cheek, or the ear, or such. This will inevitably result in the bowstring scraping the face when the arrow is released.

Step 7: Holding and Aiming
- Line up the arrow with a point on the target.
- Judging distance and height will take much practice, especially without a sighting aid.
- Once the bow is drawn, do not hold it anchored for too long - no longer than a count of three.
- Depending on the preference of the archer, they may choose to shoot with either one or two eyes open. Using both eyes is particularly useful when one must judge distances; however, using one eye is likely provide substantially more consistency when shooting at known distances. If the archer elects to shoot with one eye open, they should use their dominant eye.

Step 8: Release
- The release consists of the simple relaxation and straightening of the fingers of the drawing hand. They should not be pulled away from the string.

Step 9: Follow Through
- It is natural to relax as soon as the arrow has been released. This tendency must be fought.
- Often archers will relax before the arrow has completely left the bow, which means that the bow hand and/or drawing hand drops (greatly affecting both aim and consistency.)
- Ensure that both the bow hand and the drawing hand remain in place at constant elevation until the arrow has hit the target.

Step 10: Relax
- After the arrow has been shot and hit the target, the archer should relax the muscles used in shooting.
- Each arrow shot should consist of a single, individual set of movements.
- No tension from a previous shot should remain to interfere with a subsequent shot.
- No concern over the result of a shot should remain to interfere with a subsequent shot. The archer should shoot one arrow at a time, and not dwell on any past errors.



Safety and Etiquette at a Shooting Range:
- If you are shooting with multiple people at a shooting range, there should be a designated person in charge of supervising and safety. Obey all of their instructions (e.g. when you may start shooting, when you may go to collect your arrows, etc. In the event of a safety issue, the command of 'BOWS DOWN!' or 'STOP!' or similar should immediately bring a complete halt to shooting until the safety issue is resolved. Put your arrows down/back in your quiver, and your bow down, and wait for further instructions.)
- Do not, under any circumstances, pull back a bow without an arrow on the string. The potential for injury is too great if you accidentally were to let go of the string, since the power in the bow would have no outlet. The bow could twist around on your bow arm and quite possibly break it. This is referred to as "dry-firing" a bow and can also do significant damage to the limbs of a bow.
- When removing arrows from a target, arrows should be pulled straight back with one hand. The other hand should be placed on the target, with two fingers on either side of the arrow. The archer should take care to look behind them before pulling an arrow out to ensure that no other archers are in the way.
- Check arrows regularly for damage: cracked or damaged nocks and points, cracks in the shaft, worn or missing feathers, etc.
- Check bows and bowstrings regularly for damage: frayed bowstrings, twisted or warped limbs, cracks in the varnish, loose arrowrests, etc.
- When at a shooting range, only point an arrow at the target (not up at the sky, behind you, to the side, etc.)
- Do not run when retrieving arrows from a target, or when carrying equipment.
- Do not cross the shooting line to retrieve arrows when someone else is still shooting. If an archer is waiting for someone to finish, they should put their bow down and back up at least five metres behind the shooting line.
- Spectators should remain well back from the shooting line.
- Please do not talk on the shooting line or distract others who are shooting.
- Unless asked to, an archer should not remove another's arrows from the target, only their own.
She/her. Almarëa - Rivendell / Jaena - Lone Lands (T.A.) and Gondor (F.A.) / Layna - Mordor

Elven Enchanter
Points: 2 265 
Posts: 1451
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 2:15 am
So there might be some overlap between this thread and the previous weapons one, but this one had a few picture that got saved! So, it warrants its own post.

Link to original thread

@Almarëa Mordollwen, since this was originally your post, could you please clarify if I got the photos in the right spot? And would you or perhaps @Karis Ziranphel have photos for some of the other mentioned items? Other people with the knowledge may share as well, but you two are the ones I can think of. I could probably find photos, but I'm not an expect and wouldn't want to use an incorrect image.

On Weaponry
compiled by Almarëa


(OOC note: Not all of these weapons would necessarily have been used by Mirkwood elves; some are included here to provide inspiration for not only elven armaments, but enemy weapons.)

Bladed Weapons:

Longsword. This is not a particularly precise term - as it can used to describe several types of weapons - but longswords do share the following characteristics: 1) A long, straight blade, that can be used for both cutting and thrusting. 2) A cross-shaped ("cruciform") hilt. 3) They are generally designed to be used with two hands.

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Broadsword. The broadsword is a long, straight weapon, with a broad blade. May have a quillon-based or a basket hilt. There is plenty of debate amongst scholars as to the precise, technical differences between a longsword and a broadsword; for RP purposes, the techniques used to wield either are quite similar.

Arming sword. Similar in shape to a longsword, but somewhat smaller and lighter. Wielded with one hand only; often has a cruciform hilt. Often used with a shield or buckler.

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Hand-and-a-half sword. Sometimes called a "bastard" sword. A long, straight weapon that could be used with one or two hands. May be slightly shorter and lighter than a longsword/greatsword.

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Backsword. A backsword is a straight sword with a blade on one edge. The back of the sword is typically the thickest part of the blade.

Rapier. A long, slender sword, specifically designed for thrusting attacks, with a tapering cross-section and a narrow, sharp point. Wielded with one hand. Lengths and hilt configurations can vary widely.
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Smallsword. The rapier eventually evolved into this weapon, a very light, fast, slender, one-handed weapon used almost exclusively for thrusting attacks. Shorter than a rapier.

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Shortsword. The term "shortsword" can be used to refer to any number of mid-length blades (straight or curved) that are significantly shorter than longswords and broadswords, but are longer than a dagger.

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Flambard. "Flame-blade". An ordinary blade that has been forged with wave-like, undulated edges.

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Flamberge. Very easily confused with a flambard. The difference is that the blade of the flamberge is actually wave-like, or undulating, as opposed to merely the edges of the blade.

Curved Blades:

Sabre. A curved backsword with a (usually) large handguard.

Scimitar. A curved backsword.

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Cutlass - A short, broad backsword/sabre, with a slightly curved or straight blade. A slashing weapon.

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Falchion - A single-edged, one-handed sword with a characteristically-shaped blade:


Daggers:
Dagger
- Stiletto. Has a long, narrow blade, and a very sharp point. Used for stabbing or thrusting; not generally designed for cutting or slashing.

- Dirk. Has a long blade, significantly wider than a stiletto. Designed for thrusting.

- Parrying dagger. Usually used as an off-hand weapon, together with a one-handed sword. Often used for parrying; can also be used for attacks, usually thrusting attacks, although the blade may be forged in such a way that the edges are sharp, in which case some cutting attacks may be practical. Blade and hilt designs vary widely.
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Knife

Polearms and Related Weapons:

Quarterstaff

Glaive

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Halberd

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Poleaxe

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Swordstaff
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Throwing Weapons:

Spear

Javelin

Throwing knives

Throwing darts

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Bows:

Longbow.
There are all sorts of classifications of longbows but the basic principle is that, when unstrung, the limbs of the bow are not particularly curved. Because they are not curved, the bow must be quite long (in proportion with the height of the archer) in order to have sufficient power.

Recurve bow.
A traditional recurve is a one piece bow where the tips of the bow curve away from the belly of the bow when unstrung, and form an S-shape when strung. A recurve can thus produce more power for less work, as compared with a longbow. A shorter recurve may produce the same power as a larger longbow.

Composite bow. A composite bow is any bow (often a recurve or reflex bow) that is made in multiple parts, often with different types of material for each part (horn, wood, sinew, etc.).

Reflex bow.
This takes the principles of physics that give a recurve its power, and exaggerates them. These bows were often used on horseback, because they are quite short, but nonetheless have a lot of power. The basic shape looks like this:

Crossbow. A type of bow, mounted on a stock, that shoots darts, bolts, or other projectiles.

OTHERS:

Sling. Used to throw stones or other projectiles.

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Blowgun. A small tube used for firing darts or other small projectiles. Only useful for short ranges, generally, since the power is generated by the user's breath.

Meteor Hammer/Dragon’s Fist. Two versions of this weapon exist. The first consists of two spherical weights connected by a rope or chain. The second version consists of one spherical weight which is attached to a rope or a chain and then attached to a handle. Can be deadly but is also difficult to control.
War Fan. There are several types of these. One noted type is the tessen, which are folding fans which can look entirely ordinary but in fact are partially or entirely made of metal and may have sharp edges for attacking, or may be used to deflect direct attacks/arrows/etc.

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Knuckles. Pieces of metal shaped to fit around the knuckles of the hand. They increase the damage done by punches and some other unarmed attacks.

Gloves/Gauntlets. These come in a wide variety of forms. Although most are designed for defense, they can also be quite useful at enhancing the force and damage of unarmed attacks.

Katara. A dagger-like bladed weapon, characterized by its unique grip, that results in the blade sitting above the wielder's hand, pointing upwards.

Battleaxe. These come in all sorts of sizes and styles, but they are all axes designed specifically for fighting. They may have a double or single axe head, and may be wielded with one or two hands. Perhaps they are most famously used by the dwarves, but both elves and men use them as well (One famous battleaxe was Tuor's Dramborleg.)

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Mace. A blunt weapon, usually consisting of a heavy "head" on the end of a handle.

Morningstar. Not unlike a mace, except that the head has sharp metal spikes protruding from it.

War Hammer. A hammer designed for use in warfare. Typically somewhat heavier than an ordinary hammer. Lengths of the handle may vary widely.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

Elven Enchanter
Points: 2 265 
Posts: 1451
Joined: Thu May 14, 2020 2:15 am
Another gem I stumbled upon today. It might be too basic for most of us, but figured it might be wise to have it on hand for easy reference if necessary. Thank you @Aduchil for writing it back in the day.
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ROLE-PLAY
an introduction to basic role-play


Link to original thread

by Aduchil Lómëaryon Winter 2010

(I've removed the table of contents as I have no idea how to make links within a post)
Introduction

This is a guide intended for those who are new to the plaza and are curious about role-play, but need an explanation and a definition. This guide attempts to give that and provide you with a basic understanding of role-play (RP). Hopefully after reading it you will know enough about RP to be able to attempt it, either on your own or with the help of other plaza members. The guide is divided into 3 chapters. The first has as its focus to explain how RP takes place, in the form of posts made by the players or posters involved. The second chapter looks at the character you need to invent in order to participate; the character whose role you will be playing, to explain the term. The third chapter is a few last pieces of advice on how one should RP with others, which is after all an essential part of it; make sure you know its contents.

To introduce the topic: RP is basically when various posters each post a part of a story, the overall role-playing game (RPG) taking place. Typically, each poster is in charge of their own character, made by themselves, and nothing more. In this way, each post made is a part of the story, moving it forward or adding to it. It should appeal to all those who delight in making stories and in writing. It is like taking part of an adventure. You may not know what will happen next, but you will get to experience it all as well as share it with the rest of the people involved in the same story. It is hard to describe and you should rather try it for yourself; hopefully you will wish to do so after reading this guide. My thanks goes to Serkemírië for her help with making the layout of this manual and making it presentable.

Chapter 1: Aspects of Written Role-play

If we consider a RPG or a thread as an overall story, then the RP post is the primary unit it is composed of. Everybody who is participating in the RPG can post in the thread; and each post adds a piece to the puzzle, adding to the story. We will delve into specifics in this chapter, but the basics that you need to know are these: your RP post is what adds your character to the story. You write about their actions, thoughts and feelings as they take part of the story going on. You do this interacting with the other posters in the thread. When they act, when they respond to your presence, you must react to it. When something happens in the story, you must react to it; that is, write about how your character reacts. Depending on the thread, your character can help move the story along. The idea is that you put yourself in your character's place, and write about how they experience the story; what they do, how they feel. The better you become at imagining being your character, the easier and more vividly you can write about them.

What should you write? There is no given set of specifics, nor any designated style you must write in. But generally, you need to read what is going on in the story and imagine what your character would do, placed in that situation. It is hard to specify it closer than that or give specific instructions. The main thing is to imagine yourself as your character, and write how they act as they take part of the story. A good idea is to read others' posts for ideas and tips on how to construct your RP post. Otherwise I refer you to my RP manual, which shows an approach on how to write good RP.


1.1 One story from many writers

'Out of all things, one,' as the ancient philosopher said. This principle holds true for RP as well. The thread is only the frame of the story; it is the posters who fill that frame and bring the story alive. This has a few consequences any new RP'er should know about. First and foremost, your post has to be in tune with the other posts. Everybody needs to be on the same page about what is going on, and where; whose characters are involved etc. The top post of any thread will outline most of the necessary information, such as where, why and when. Of course this is the beginning of the story; as people post, the story progresses. When entering a RP thread, read the previous posts so you know which direction the story has taken and where your character fits in.
When writing your post, you need to know where the other characters are, what they are doing and how this relates to yours. When your character first arrive, you need to work yourself into the story in a way that makes sense, and which fits with what others have posted about so far. For instance, if entering an inn, you should know who else is present in the room and if something particularly is going on, that would attract your character's attention (has a bar brawl broken out? Your character can hardly ignore this). As you continue to post, others will include your character in their post and interact with you. So you also need to read their posts carefully to find out who is addressing you or otherwise involving you, and respond as befits your character. The interaction between characters is one of the key elements of RP, and can only be done by carefully reading others' posts. Together, their posts and yours is what create the story.


1.2 From your perspective

What makes RP different from reading or writing an ordinary story is that it is the combination of many posters' input. Each add their character to the story. Your part as a RP'er is thus not to write the overall story, but to write your perspective on it; or rather, your character's. A thread will typically have a thread-runner or gamemaster (GM), who makes sure the overall story progresses and controls bigger events. As part of that story, your character will be involved in these events, as well as what the characters around you are doing. Your character's perspective is the viewpoint from which you write your post; and the actions of your character is what you add to the story. Whenever something happens in the thread that your character would notice, include it in your post and have your character react to it. Not necessarily physically react, but if nothing else, add that they notice it, what they think and feel about it and whether they take action based on it or not.
So, whatever happens in the story, you should make your character react to it one way or the other. After all, if your character is present, anything else is unrealistic. This is one way of describing what a RP post contains. One half of your post is describing what is beyond control; the larger events of the story, or the actions of others. The other half of the post is what you do control; the actions and reactions of your character, what they do and say to affect others or in response to what is taking place. You should include both halves; write about what is going on in the story, and write about your character's place in the story.


1.3 RP Threads

There are a few different kinds of RP threads, and I will try and roughly define the categories that most fall into. First, to quickly describe them: as mentioned before, they are the frame in which all RP takes place. Their top post will always outline what kind of thread it is; the kind of RP found here and its purpose; as well as most information on geography, timeline, particular considerations to make etc. All the following posts are made by the players of the thread and the GM, working together to write out the story designated by the thread.

Some RP threads also have a corresponding out-of-character (OOC) thread. The purpose of that is to discuss the RP without cluttering up the actual thread. This is referred to as making OOC-comments. If in doubt about whether and how you can join a RP thread, check the top post first. If it does not clear up the confusion for you, send the threadrunner (usually who made the top post) a private message (PM).

One kind of RP threads are what we also refer to as RPG's; the -game part means that it has a set structure for its story and how it will progress. It has a GM who controls the story and ensures every player works within its frame. These kind of threads usually have the more complex stories, with larger events taking place and affecting the characters. Since they are firmly structured, they often require people to join from the beginning (though if you are late but would like to join, ask the GM to fit you in), and they are also the kind of threads that typically have a corresponding OOC-thread.

Another kind of RP thread are those called free-RP. This means the thread acts only as a frame and nothing more. It covers a certain geographic area (usually a vast one), which means all RP that is posted in this thread must take place in that geographic area. Other than that, there is no story beyond what the posters themselves invent. This is what is meant by free-RP. There is no set story and a structure by which it progresses, no GM to prompt events and make the story move along. In these threads, you can make up your own story and RP it with whomever has agreed to RP with you.

There is a kind of thread which sits in the middle. Some threads are free-RP, meaning you can join the thread when you want and typically you post your own story there. At the same time, they are often confined to a small geographic area and have one or more thread-runners who participate in the story going on. Since it is a small area (inns and taverns are popular settings), even if you are enacting your own story, you are still in the same location as the other characters in the thread; so you still have to take notice of them and interact with them if your various stories demand it. They thus have elements of the RPG, because there can be many characters who have to interact with each other because they are located at the same place; and elements of free-RP, because there is no set story and you usually have to make up your own to join the thread.


1.4 Layout

A purely technical issue, this section is about the layout or format of your text. You may have noticed that some people put names in bold and parts of their text in italics. Here is a quick explanation why and to help you decide on your own layout.
Not all names are put in bold. The only names put in bold are those belonging to a character in the thread. The purpose is to make it easy for others to see when their characters are mentioned in a post, so they know they should respond to that post. You should also put your own character's name in bold, to make it obvious that it is a character. Some players may control more than one character due to the nature of the story; all those characters' names should be in bold. The names of anybody in a post who is not a character controlled by somebody need not be bolded.

Italics are primarily used to distinguish between text that is dialogue and text that is not. The idea is that the separation makes the dialogue stand out; much like with bolding, it points out to other posters that your character is speaking and they should react to it. Should dialogue be in italics or should it be non-dialogue, you may ask? There is no consensus on this, and generally, layout and format is up to you as you prefer.

As a post scriptum, I could also add that many choose a colour they primarily post in. That is fine, just make sure the colour is not excessively bright and hard to read. Some use several colours in a post, if they are controlling more characters to show that this part of their post is about this character etc. That is fine too, but I suggest avoiding changing colours when writing about the same character. It does little but disrupt the reading.

Chapter 2: Your Character

Hopefully now you have some idea of what a RP post is. But you cannot write one until you have a character to participate with. There is no limit as to how many characters you can have, actually; most have more than one they RP as regularly. But nearly everybody has one primary player character (PC), often bearing the same name as their member name. Other characters beside that one are called non-player characters (NPC). Basically, the character you primarily play and often bears the same name as yourself is your main, your PC; any other character is your NPC.

NPC's come and go, and you can invent one on the spot. But the reason for having a PC is that the better you flesh out that character, the better you can RP them. You know their background, their personality, their behaviour etc. so well that you can easily write about them. This chapter is about constructing that main character and help you make them seem so alive, you feel confident about role-playing with them. Since Elves are what I primarily know, my examples will be biased towards them; I hope my advice is useful nonetheless to those playing other races.


2.1 Background & History

The first thing to do is to decide their race, gender, age and home. Their race and home is often the same as the kingdom you belong to as a plaza member (another reason why the PC is often almost synonymous with the plaza member), since people join their favourite kingdom and probably want their character to be a part of it too. Gender is typically the same as your actual too, since it can be difficult to RP as the opposite gender; but there is no rule, and lots of people do try out the other side of the road. Age however is often a much more open subject, especially with immortal races like Elves or Ents, or even just the Dwarves who can live for centuries. Choosing the same age for your character as yourself is not always advisable; while a human is often considered adult at the age of 18, an Elf is still a child.
You need to consider the history of the race you have chosen, as well as the history of their home. Ask for help in the lore fora for instance if you need to know something specific. But otherwise use your knowledge of Middle-earth to decide an age that works for you and which fits the history of Middle-earth. Consider if there are particular places or events you want your character to have experienced. The possibilities are endless and cannot be told here, so some quick general advice: try and construct a brief timeline of what you want your character to have participated in, or where you want them to have lived. Do not worry if it is sketchy and full of holes; you will, as you develop your character, also develop their background. The only rule is that it should fit within the history of Middle-earth from the books, so that your character's history is compatible with the history of all the other characters running around.


2.2 Character Traits

Your character needs more than a background, of course, they need a personality to be a character. It can be useful to develop their background along with the personality though; it is a good idea to make the two correspond and work together. For instance, does your character like to craft, they might belong to the Noldor, who are great smiths and craftsmen. Do they like to sing, being one of the Teleri is plausible. The benefit of this is that you can use your background in your RP to explain why your character is the way he or she is. If your character suffered traumatic loss in their early lives that would probably haunt them and perhaps fuel their anger for revenge, make them introvert and prone to melancholy or whatever you can think of.
Most, if not all of us, use much of our own personality in our PC. This helps us to imagine ourselves in our character's place, make it more realistic and enjoy the RP more. There is nothing wrong with that either; it can be very beneficial as well to add skills to your character that you yourself possess, since you can accurately RP using those skills in a post. The only thing to remember is that there are differences between you and your character; even if you RP a human, that is still a human born in a medieval society in a world full of fantastic events, whereas you are a 21st century human being with technology and knowledge that has evolved tremendously since the Dark Ages. The point of my warning is to try and avoid your character having knowledge, skills or behaving in a way that befits a person from 21st century Earth, rather than Third Age Middle-earth.


2.3 Behavior

Once you have an idea of whether your character is melancholic, incurably optimistic etc. you need to take the last step in completing your character. Their behaviour should reflect their personality after all, as well as their background. Are they well-educated and born to high standing, they will most likely use sophisticated language and be taught to keep their emotions under control, always be polite etc. If you are a crude soldier with an equal crass personality, you might rattle your sword whenever you feel insulted and be quick to hurl insults around yourself. If you can make background, personality and behaviour come together, you have a well-crafted character.
Again, it is up to you to decide the personality of your character. And you can of course change and develop it as you become more experienced at RP and understand it better. Eventually though, you should try and make your character consistent in their behaviour. If it changes too much and too often, for little reason, your character will not seem like an independent person; more like the entries in a journal of a person who suffers from severe mood swings.


2.4 Advice on Character Building

The history of Middle-earth is vast, rich and full of places and people your character can become attached to. It is easy to go overboard and have your character participate in every important event, know all the celebrities of Middle-earth etc. It is not altogether wrong either; having your character take part in great battles and wars, for instance, gives them a timeline and some experiences to develop their character. My only warning would be that you should not feel a need to make your character special based on their background. Your character does not need to have slain balrogs and built Gondolin on their own. Your character becomes special through how you write them. Anybody can spice up their background, but only those who make an effort can make their characters seem alive, independent and realistic. That is what good RP is all about: making your character come alive in your post through good writing.
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Chapter 3: Do, Do Not

Finally, a raised finger on what you should take care to do and take care you do not. Since RP is essentially cooperative (if we were writing alone it would just be fanfiction), there are a few guidelines that are important to know to avoid problems when RP'ing together. Otherwise you may find that the thread you participate in does not progress smoothly and the RP becomes interrupted.


3.1 Do include others

When you post in a RP thread there will be others present; the only exception is in the free-RP threads, which cover so large an area you can enact your own story undisturbed (though I imagine you would still be RP'ing with a friend or two). As I have stressed above, RP is cooperative. It is this important that you read the posts of others in the thread, even if they do not always directly involve you. And if they do mention you and involve you, make sure you react to it in your own post. Ignoring others, even if not on purpose, can quickly ruin a RPG and make it pointless to post there. Also, make an effort to involve others in your posts if you can; even if they have not mentioned you in theirs. If nobody takes the initiative to approach other characters, it becomes very hard to RP interactively; and lonely RP is not particularly interesting.

3.2 Do not control others

There is, however, an important rule to know, so I hope you managed to read all the way through this guide. Just as you are in control of your character, so are the other players in control of theirs. And just as you would dislike having another assume control of your character, so do others dislike it. To put it bluntly: do not decide in your post what other characters do, say, think or feel. To do so is called 'god-moding', because you assume the power of a god to control others. But you only have that power over your own character. So make sure you do not cross the line and decide for others what their characters do. There is only one exception to this rule, which is to gain permission from the player of that character. When you find somebody you enjoy RP'ing with, then perhaps you will eventually both be comfortable enough with each other to allow god-moding. Until then, make sure you avoid it.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

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And part two, also from @Aduchil.
ROLE-PLAYING MANUAL
a guide to written role-play on the Plaza


Link to original thread

by Aduchil Lómëaryon Winter 2010

(I've removed the table of contents as I have no idea how to make links within a post)

Introduction: What is role-play really, and how do I improve?

The following is a manual of sorts; a helpful guide to those looking for ideas on how to improve their writing. If you are reading this, you probably have some idea of what role-play (RP) is. It is a major part of the plaza and particularly the regions. To cover it briefly: RP is having a frame for a story (the thread), into which you write your own character from their perspective. Everybody usually has a main character (PC), often synonymous with their plaza name. Besides that, one could have any number of extra characters (NPC), permanent ones or merely invented for a specific thread and purpose.

The purpose of this manual is not to explain RP in the most basic details. Rather it is intended for those who already have at least a rudimentary idea of how to role-play, but feel they are not as advanced as they could be. Parts of it deal with somewhat simple concepts of RP, while other sections are more advanced; the reason for this is my wish to be as thorough as my approach allows. Consider this a study in what RP consists of, transformed into a manual that explains what a good RP post is and how to write one; all based on experience gathered since the first year of the plaza.

The first chapter breaks down the aspects of RP; all the things that a RP post could and often should contain. The second chapter explains how to utilize this knowledge by combining them into well-crafted paragraphs. The third chapter deals specifically with how to improve role-playing an Elven character; what is particular to that race and what one should know about them. Over time, additional chapters on the other races will be added by role-playing experts on those particular races. Special thanks to Serkemírië for her help with making the layout of this manual and making it presentable.

Chapter 1: Aspects of Written Role-play

The first chapter will break down into categories what can be included into a RP post. This is not necessarily exhaustive, nor a definitive way to look at RP. It is meant as a constructive theory to help analyse RP and make you aware of what your post contains, as well as what it lacks. Everything here is presented for you to read, consider, accept or reject at your leisure; in the end, the only purpose of this manual is to be a collection of advice for burgeoning role-players.

The following categories are each things that could and often should be included in a post. How much and how often? That is something you will figure out with experience. The general idea is that by keeping these categories in mind, and including them in your post, you will guaranteed be writing complex, interesting posts that do not exclude anything important. On the contrary, you will give your readers a vivid picture of your character and what takes place in your post.

1.1 Physical description of oneself

If others are to be able to picture you, they need a good description of you. Physical features, clothes worn, possible weapons. You should not necessarily stop there though. Countenance, facial expressions, how do you hold yourself when standing or sitting down. Everything needs not be in detail; but including some details at least is useful. You can use those details to add extra information about yourself, and use your own description to indirectly show what kind of person you are. Worn clothing indicates long journeys, poverty, or disregard for physical appearance. Lack of shoes could indicate a carefree spirit running barefoot. This is useful for others posting with you, since it gives them something to notice about you and respond to.

1.2 Physical description of others

Just as you describe yourself in your post, so do others in theirs. One might think that reiteration in your own post would be superfluous, but not necessarily so. There are a few effects from describing others in your post that are to your advantage. Of course, you cannot merely invent things about them. It is their character; you have to follow the description they set out themselves. This is why detailed description of yourself is important; otherwise other posters will have nothing to go on when describing you.

So what are these advantages I mention? First off, everybody likes being noticed. Using details from others' posts, you show that you have read them carefully. Just as in return, you would naturally like them to read yours attentively. This is a good start for combining your post with the others in the thread; making one story from different posters. Secondly, just as with details about yourself, it gives you a chance to add extra information. When your character notices something physically about the other characters present, they will have a reaction to it. If nothing else, at least a brief thought about why on earth is that guy running around without shoes. You have a chance to display your own character through these reactions, as well as binding your post together with previous posts by reacting to them and posting in response to them.

1.3 Mental description of one’s thoughts and feelings

This leads to another kind of description; the thoughts and feelings of your character. This will often come into play as a reaction to something. During conversation, a reference is made to fallen lands which make your character reminisce; during battle, tempers flare at the sight of the hated enemy. The thoughts and feelings of your character go a long way towards determining what kind of person your character is. Maybe this is way this tends to be something that often has too much weight in posts, at the expense of physical description. It seem could we are all very fond of explaining the moods and opinions of our characters to great length.

However, the philosophy behind this manual would be that all categories should be included in moderation. A post consisting mostly of the private thoughts of your character may explain their opinions in great detail, and be very interesting to you. Just remember it should also be interesting to your reader. My advice would be to be careful not to let the description of thoughts be launched into a soliloquy; let thoughts be described as reactions or ponderings to something specific, and add writing from the other categories in between at short intervals. Your character's reactions will just as potently display their personality as longer descriptions of their thoughts would, and you keep your audience interested.

1.4 Physical description of actions

This may sound suspiciously like item no. 1.1 or 1.2, and it is not that far removed either. Nonetheless, I make the distinction in order to point a few things out. The distinction would be that while 1.1 and 1.2 can be considered as description of the static (such as the general appearance and clothing of a character), this section is anything physical that is not static. Moving your arm to pick some fruit and take a bite out of it; make a frown at a comment from somebody, or smile when seeing an old friend. Most RP on plaza is relatively peaceful, or relatively stationary at least (with exception of combat, which is covered in 1.6).

Often you will find yourself standing in the same spot, or moving within the same room. Or even if you are not, such as walking or riding in a caravan, such can be very quickly written in and then forgotten about. After all, once it has been established that you are walking (which most likely will be obvious to everybody in the thread), there is little point in repeating that for repetition's sake. In other words, the description of actions is often downplayed and seems less prominent in most posts. If you recognise this from your own posts, this is a good opportunity to spice up your posts.

The smallest details can add much realism to your post. Remember how important body language is; do not forget to add gestures to your dialogue, show the unconscious facial expressions that rapidly pass over your features when annoyed or pleased, shift postures while listening to others talk etc. As said, small details, but they make your character seem real and come alive in the imagination of your readers.

1.5 Dialogue

Since an integral part of RP is interacting with other characters, dialogue fills its share of many RP posts. There are two things to consider about dialogue. The first is how choice of words, speech patterns and such mannerisms define your character. Their vocabulary and speech must match their background, first of all. Education and the social circles they move in determines this to a great deal; and in return, complex vocabulary and eloquent phrases are indicators of high standing and intelligence. Likewise, a crude or unsavoury person would have the language to go with it. Same goes for colloquialisms, phrases, proverbs. A mariner would express himself by using nautical metaphors and phrases related to the sea. Consider how you can express your character through their speech.
The second thing to consider is of a more cautionary nature. As with thoughts, it is easy to write dialogue in abundance. For some reason it seems that people on the plaza rarely lack anything to say. The problem is, however, that a paragraph which is nothing but one long speech can be rather monotonous to read. Dialogue becomes monologue. This becomes a vicious circle, because the character you are talking to feels compelled to answer with equal lengths of speech, which makes for very one-sided posts. A good idea, as with thoughts, is to lessen the amount of dialogue in your posts and insert small breaks. When your character has spoken a sentence, add some lines about what gestures they supplement their speech with, or if maybe they are really thinking something else than what they are saying. Keep the dialogue mixed up, add details from the categories previously mentioned and it will all help to underline the characteristics and personality of your character.

1.6 Special Mention: Combat RP

In a way, Combat RP is a realm of its own. There are two kinds, which can be described as NPC-fights and duels. The first is when there is no human opponent, so to say. You are fight-ing an opponent that you yourself are controlling. Note that this only applies if you control the NPC yourself; if it is controlled by somebody else, it is still a duel (even if technically they are using an NPC. Confusing, I know). Just remember the distinction between whether you or another controls your opponent.

Both types of fights require the same. You should still include the various categories mentioned earlier in your post. The addition is that you will also be writing a lot of movement: your character fighting, trading blows, avoiding them etc. In a NPC-fight, since you control all the action, it is up to you to write these actions well and interesting. Keep realism in mind; try to objectively measure the skill of your own character and your opponent, and write the fight thereafter. Also remember that you are not Ares, and you should not be slaughtering enemies left and right without breaking a sweat. It cheapens the efforts of other posters in the fight and makes you seem like a braggart.

Duels are more complicated because everything really hinges on you and your opponent understanding each other's posts. Usually they are done by each fighter making a move in their post; the other fighter responds in their post, allowing the attack to hit or parries or evades it. Because you are not allowed to write the actions of others, you cannot technically do more than attempt a blow and leave it to the other poster if it hits.

There is one thing you can do and one thing you should do. What you should do is be very specific and detailed. Make sure you distinguish between using your right or left hand for something, if you are aiming for the other person's right or left shoulder (do not forget, since they are opposite you, left and right is reversed), detail exactly which foot and how far you step forward with it etc. Otherwise your opponent will not be able to figure out how you are moving, and how they in response should be moving.

What you can do is also be as realistic as possible. Be very clear in your mind about your position, your opponent's, what moves are available to you, what moves they might do, how your attack could or should affect them. You cannot include that it takes place, but you can include what you hope happens. If your opponent is fair or they realise you made a great move, they might follow your suggestion and allow it to happen. This extends the other way; be realistic about the attacks made against you and acquiesce if realism dictates you should probably be hit.

Chapter 2: The Balance of Posting

A post will usually be broken down into smaller units, called paragraphs. If not, it is either far too short a post or far too long a paragraph. While the first chapter was about the categories of RP, this chapter is about combining them into making a good post; the easiest way to manage this is to think of your post in paragraphs. Of course, nearly all do this more or less unconsciously. The point here is to learn to do this consciously; to shape each paragraph into a cohesive, interesting piece of RP that together with its brethren make for an exciting post.

2.1 Masking Mechanics

When dividing our post into paragraphs, the natural way is to make related content into one paragraph. For instance, the first paragraph might detail your character's arrival and their appearance. The second paragraph has them addressing and conversing with others. The third paragraph details their musings on some subject etc. This is not a mistake either; it would not make much sense to divide your post up in a different manner. However, the purpose of a paragraph can become painfully obvious because of this. This is what the title of this section refers to: when the mechanics of your post become obvious, making it less fluently written.
Of course, you have to have a paragraph with your character entering the thread, and you have to describe them. This is what I mean by post mechanics; the gears that drive your post and necessitates how it looks. However, making this too obvious can make your writing seem forced; the purpose of the paragraph is clear, and our goal is to make your reader convinced that your purpose is nothing but beautiful writing. Thus, we must mask our mechanics and make it seem natural that your post begins with introducing your character.

When describing your character's outfit, make it natural that you mention it. Refer to the dust and mud on their cloak, which happens to have that and that colour. Let them adjust their belt, which makes the scabbard by their side clash against their leg. Let a hand run through their dark hair as they contemplate something etc.

In a post, there is lots of information that you must include. But rather than see it as a necessity, consider it an opportunity. Make it a principle that when you add something because you must, then make up a good reason for adding it. This makes your post seem much more complex, it adds layers of extra information while being subtle about it. And the attentive reader will be surprised at how much you can tell them in such few words.

2.2 Multi-faceted Paragraphs

The previous material builds up to this post; the categories of RP and how to make your mechanics seem natural. The things I have warned about: avoid letting one kind of category take dominance in a post or paragraph and mask the mechanics of your posts. All of this can be achieved by approaching your paragraphs as multi-faceted pieces of texts. The facets are, of course, the categories of RP. Let me try and put it more plainly.

I have described 5 categories of RP. Except for dialogue, the remaining 4 should always be found in your post to a certain degree. I will go one step further and say that your paragraphs should always contain 2, and probably 3. To ensure this, whenever you have made a paragraph, read it through. Consider which categories are present. Is it practically one long piece of dialogue? Is it nothing but a physical description of yourself? If so, chances are that your paragraph is not all that engaging to read. It is simply too monotonous.

The answer is, of course, to revise the paragraph by adding the other categories. I have tried to show a few examples of how to do this; generally, the idea is that when you have given one piece of information, you should tag one more onto it. Has your character just spoken? Write whether their words are reflected on their face or in their posture. Have you described their outfit? Then remind us why they are wearing particularly that. A few very simple examples, but the general idea can be applied broadly.

2.3 How to Include Others & Play Along

As this manual has made evident, the whole purpose of RP is to interact with other posters and entwine your posts with theirs. Still, a few things has to be mentioned for good measure. First, do not underestimate the delight others will find when they see themselves mentioned in your post. Even if you do not directly interact with them. Simply mentioning them, taking notice of them by referring to the details in their post will go a long way. It helps to make sure your post is read carefully by them, and hopefully they will return the favour.
Now, a term I dread to speak must be mentioned, which is that of 'god-moding'. It means to control the actions of others. This is not allowed, because we are all in charge of our own characters. You probably already know this, but just in case. Interact with other characters, but do not decide their actions, speech, thoughts etc. for them. There are only two exceptions for this. The first is that the thread-runner may decide to control what happens to a character in their thread, if the story requires it. Or if you are just making a lot of noise in the pub and needs to be escorted outside by the bouncers.

The second exception is if you gain permission from whomever controls the character. If so, you can of course write what you intend (though it might be a good idea to tell them exactly what you intend to do, so they know what they are agreeing to). Another example would be if you have RP'ed often with somebody and are on such good terms, that permission is implicit. This is of course rare and it should seldom be used for anything but minor things and events. I will encourage it, however, simply because it adds a whole extra dimension of possibilities for how much you can interact with another character. And that is, as said, the essence of RP.

2.4 Special Mention: The Introductory Post

This section has been hinted at, but just for good measure and to add a few tips. The first post in a thread, what I have called the introductory post because it introduces your character to a thread, has a few extra considerations. Some have been mentioned. You should always, at least in some degree, describe your own character in your first post. Otherwise everybody posting between your first and second post will have a hard time interacting or just respond-ing to your character's presence.
Besides that, you should also include a reason for your character's presence. It need not be the full reason, but give your readers something so they understand why your character is present. You can always expand on this reason in future posts, of course.

Since it is your first post, it is also a natural post for making lots of observations. Your character is present for the first time, after all; or at least you the writer is present for the first time. Use the categories to expand on these observations. Also, this gives you the opportunity to mention several of the other characters present, as I mentioned in the section above.

2.5 The Creed of the Role-Player

This is the last section of the manual that deals with general RP. The previous sections all have the purpose of making you reflect about your posting and make you conscious about how you write. They have all dealt with the various pieces that together make up a RP post. This section is not so practical, but rather what I consider the abstract principle behind well-written RP. The secret of role-playing, so to say.

The purpose of this manual is to help you improve as a role-player. Apart from all that has been written previously, this is the piece of advice I would like to leave you with. To truly make your character real, the trick is to separate their personality from your own. Of course there may be overlap; if you like knitting, it makes sense that your character does too because you can write about their knitting passion in a believable fashion. But we are humans living in the 21st century, while our characters are creatures of various races living in a forgotten past which is a mix of fantasy and medieval Europe. And your character can easily seem like an extension of yourself, rather than as an independent character, if you forget this.

This may seem self-evident and a rather unnecessary piece of advice. But once you read about Elves who philosophize about Enlightenment ideals, it might seem a little less unnecessary.

Chapter 3: Elves and You

So you want to RP an Elf. As probably the largest minority on the plaza, you are not alone in this choice. However, with so many golden-haired archers running around wielding dual knives, it can be hard to stand out. The purpose of this chapter is to give those with Elven characters some advice on how to do it best, as well as avoid some of the pitfalls that those unfamiliar with Elves might fall into.

3.1 What’s in a name?

If there is such a thing as namophilia, Elves as a race suffers from it. It is hard to stress how much importance Elves place on names, though I suppose I just did. What does this mean for you? Well, you probably want a name that sounds like it belongs in the Elven languages. It may not actually do so, it may be some random syllables stringed together with a few dots over the e. Given that few people on the plaza actually understands the Elven languages, that is not a problem. Just consider if you truly want to get into your character whether their name should be a reference to an obscure 80's heavy metal band or not.

Secondly, humans have a fondness for making nicknames, usually by shortening the actual names. If Morgoth was a character on plaza, somebody would be calling him Moggy. But this is a human practice. Given the extreme importance Elves attach to names, and more importantly the meaning of the names, consider whether it is natural for an Elf to throw all meaning away and refer to somebody by a syllable only. You may reach another conclusion than me; but it is my belief that an Elf would always refer to somebody by their proper name, rather than shortening it in a way that makes it into just a meaningless sound.

3.2 Languages of the Elves

Spicing your posts with Elven words is popular, so this section is just to help clarify a few things about the languages. There are two Elven languages; Quenya and Sindarin. Sindarin is the lingua franca of the Elves in Middle-earth, whereas Quenya is a more ceremonial language, only in ordinary use by the more high-born of the Noldor. Thus if your character is speaking Elvish, it is most likely they will use Sindarin; an exception would be more formal circumstances, or if you are an old-school Noldo.

You should not, however, mix the two. It just seems silly. With that in mind, you should know that the words Vanya, Noldo and Teler are all Quenya words. I say this because they are definitions we use constantly about our characters; but they are not Sindarin and so should not be used together with Sindarin words. For that matter, the names of the languages, Quenya and Sindarin, are Quenya words too. Just consider this when using Elven words if you really know what they mean, where they are from and if it makes sense in context.

If you are curious where to learn more, the plaza language forum has a translation desk which can help with your Elven needs. There are also several sites which has language courses, such as ardalambion. Otherwise, you may want to know the following: Vanya, Noldo and Teler are singular. The plural would be Vanyar, Noldor and Teleri. The adjective is Vanyarin, Noldorin and Telerin.

3.3 Speech & Mannerisms

Although we probably all play Elves because of their differences from humans, it would still be true to say that the two races have more similarities than differences. This means they share our spectrum of feelings. In other words, if you can imagine a human behaving this way, it might not be all that impossible for an Elf to do as well. Still, the Elves are products of another society and civilisation. This will naturally affect their behaviour and mannerism. Always consider the background of your character. If they are an elder lord of the Eldar, it might be odd to see them launch into giggling fits.

Given how the Elves love language, they have a tendency for expressing themselves more elaborately than others. And with their deep reverence for Eru and the Valar, they would hardly use them as curse words, as I have seen some do. If you want to punch up your charac-ter's language, consider what an Elf does actually dislike and would use to express their anger.

3.4 History: what every Elf should know

You can of course read about the history of the Elves on your own, and you probably have. This is just a few pieces of information to keep in mind when constructing your character's background, or role-playing as an Elf.
There are three races of Elves. The Vanyar are all in Aman. You can circumvent this if you wish, but if you want to stick to canon, you can at most have Vanyarin blood in you. The Va-nyar are also the ones with predominant blond hair (except for Elwë and his kin, and possibly some of the Avari); the Noldor and Teleri usually have dark hair. Otherwise there is little to say about them, since they have had little influence on Middle-earth.

The Noldor are generally the tallest and more heavily built of the Elves. They brought Quenya back to Middle-earth, and are revered as craftsmen and gatherers of lore and knowledge. The oldest of the Noldor, before the First Age, would have seen the light of the Two Trees which has ennobled them greatly. The sword is their typical weapon, along with the spears they wield on horseback. Their primary stronghold in the Third Age is Imladris, though many also live in Lindon, and a few followed Galadriel to Lórien.

The Teleri are the most numerous and are split in two categories. The Sindar are those who lived in Menegroth or are their descendants, and they are mostly found in Lindon; some would have followed Celeborn to Lórien or Thranduil's father Oropher to Mirkwood. In culture, they are more alike to the Noldor than the other Teleri. The other category are the Silvan, who make out the major population of Lórien and Mirkwood; their culture is what could be considered the simplest, for they do not make cities or strongholds but lead simple lives in the forests. The typical weapon of the Teleri are spears and bows, weapons of hunting. They love singing, water and the sea and are famous as silversmiths.
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Artanis / Éomund / Brandor / Zarâm

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