Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

@Aigronding Mordagnir @Moriel Finally up for some RPing this weekend, Aig! My Lindon guards are Nellethiel and Nostalion. They would be Tirno. If they're part of The Colony then this means they will be joining up from the direction of Lindon, right? Then the Lindon soldiers on the mission with Gellam is different?

I also have a couple of Mirkwood elves I enjoyed playing in the old plaza. They're younglings - only about 4-5 centuries old. If I want them in how might I get them engaged?

Basically, I have four elves right now (not counting the elves already in The Colony). Two Lindon guards and two Mirkwoodian scouts. I would actually like to tie in the Mirkwood elves with the father-daughter duo in The Colony, and maybe take my Lindon soldiers out into The Claw of the North RPG. If I'm doing this, how may I proceed?

It's late night for me right now. I'll await your answers before I proceed. Just need things to be a little clear in my head before I post.

Thank you!

@Aigronding Mordagnir Ah! I see! This sounds great! Then yes, I'll wait for your Colony post to see how I can get the Mirkwood scouts involved, Aig. They know Mistriel well. I haven't yet decided if they've heard about their running away or if they are going to be in for a shock. I've decided to simply wing it with all my characters.

And sure, I'll bring my Lindon guards over to Imladris.

@Moriel @Aigronding Mordagnir Okay. Thanks you two! Nellethiel and Nostalion are about to report in. ^^

@Lirimaer , there's a Mirkwood Free RP here: https://lotrfanaticsplaza.com/forum/vie ... ?f=10&t=55

Do you want me to post there, saying to RPers to go to yours for the Woodland Realm and include the link then I can change the title to Lindon Free RP (which is different than your Grey Havens one which is solely Mithlond)? I'll have to remove my Mirkwood pic from the OP as well.

Yes, I know it's there, and while I have posted in it in the past, I don't like it particularly (mostly because it mixes with Lindon - but I also wanted somewhere that didn't have Mirkwood in the title, since my personal headcanon is that the Elves who lived there never called it that). Perhaps the Mirkwood and Lindon title fits the theme of some folks' narrative - it just doesn't fit mine.

You don't have to change your whole operation for me. I honestly don't mind if you ignore it entirely! People are welcome to post in it, of course, but telling people to do so seems a little forced, Likewise with Mithlond - I was DAYS in the making of that thread, (mostly since I got distracted!) since I wanted a place to post journeying to the Undying Lands and beyond, and by the time I'd posted it, then noticed you had a whole 'everywhere else in ME and Aman' which would cover it and had to change it, but I like specificity ... clearly.

If I can get the brain working to come up with somebody who might fit for this mission, I will show up. About how many real life days will it be before the mission gets started?

Our (mine and Cassie's) Moles from a nearby outpost will be getting involved, Moriel, like I had planned while giving the mission so you soon! I'll be at Ost-Halatir this week as well.

Take your time, Dimmy, there's just a few of us.

@Moriel - duly noted; thank you for tagging me! I just found like three OTHER rangers I apparently played on OP and need to figure out which one to bring to the mission (if I'm feeling lazy it'll just be Tara who shows up ). Will try to post before the weekend!

I went ahead and threw an old character re-born on the NuPlaza in the thread. Full disclosure, I think this guy may have been invented in the margins of my 6th grade math notebook...

Glad to see you with us, @Androthelm ! I know what you mean. My Plaza (and novel) character Sillandhas was originally made as a Half-Elf paladin for Dungeons and Dragon meets back in My sophomore year of high school 19 years ago .

Oh yes @Aigronding Mordagnir, I am very glad that I had all but moved on from my first Dungeons and Dragons character (A half elf ranger named Haileth) before findind the Plaza

I just might be bringing a little ranger along. She's not hardy yet. Quite young and full of life, though she's out in the wild most of the time. I'd wanted to use this character, but had no idea how and where. I've now fleshed her out a bit in this handy new thread that has been started in the Cottage of Lost Play, and I'll be bringing her along! ....Probably this weekend only, though.

Got it in much earlier than I thought I would!!

@Androthelm Are you okay with my character recognising you somewhat? She's from Osdolen too, though she is very rarely there.

@Nen go ahead! Rhys has spent most of his life in Bree-country, but he's certainly visited Osdolen more often than Esteldin to see his mother.

@Frostbite I know I'm not in the group chat but you can still hit me up directly on discord if that's easier for you, or we can plan here for the cooking thing. Or we can just wing it, I'm good with whatever, I'm super into the "yes, and" improvisation approach.

@Fairy Nuff - I know you're mostly away from computer right now, but if you are able and want to do this collaborative round of the cooking contest, well, what Ducky said. I'm up for anything! And of course, no pressure whatsoever! <3

@KingODuckingham Normally I am all for planning things to the nth degree but I say we wing it this time. I'm already loving your reaction to Eldûrien's duck eggs.

Ok, I created another Ranger character sort of out of the blue to join in on the Ranger mission. It'll be interesting to see what sort of character Gaeron becomes. All I know so far is he is a red-head.

I look forward to his journey, @Dimcairien Luiniel . Proud of you. It's always thrilling for me to observe a friend's character creation.

@KingODuckingham So I though this weekend I'd come up with some ridiculous and/or brilliant way to use the bat crap crazy item I used to go along with yours and... well needless to say I have not.

Alright, when the children go down to nap I'm going to initiate a volleyball metaphor and set you up, all you'll have to do is spike it and we'll score big.

(By it I mean the dish, obviously)

(except I don't think we have any alcohol in our ingredients, darn)

I had to read through the rules a couple of times to make sure, but cactus would take too long to ferment into pulque and we're not allowed anything else. Still, if you set me up, I can spike (just without the alcohol)

As a friendly reminder, everyone still has the ability to sabotage another team’s dish.

I know I missed the deadline for posting in the cooking contest. I've been the only parent in the house this weekend, and it's sucked away my motivation to make posts. I don't really want to continue. You can all just imagine that Ducky snuck away in shame without a word after the embarrassing fiasco that was last round, since that's basically what happened in real life lol.

@KingODuckingham I'm sorry to hear that! We'll miss your ridiculous posts (they have always made us judges laugh), but family and your mental health come first. I hope you get your posting motivation back soon.

Hey everyone! So the member of the month voting is nearly up and there haven’t been many votes. I would like to implore you all to take a quick 5 minutes to do so. Even if you are not active, I still implore you to take the time and vote. You don’t need to have been super active the last month to stop by and tell the admins who you think is the coolest or the best or your favorite writer. Why am I so invested you ask ( okay you didn’t but I’m gonna say it anyway). I came up with the idea to let us, the non admin members of the Plaza pick someone special. I really want to see that idea succeed because it can help draw us together more as a group and can say to someone that we as a whole enjoy their work and their company. We’ve got a few more days, and you all have 5 minutes to push the envelope button on the bottom of the page.

I’m also just posting this in the OOC threads because it’s not an announcement so much as it’s a plea to engage with.

To draw attention to one of our most brilliant members and with the hope of avoiding being devoured by Windy the Dragon, I have just sent in my nomination. Cheers!

Good man!

Think you have what it takes to beat the best Mordor has to offer in a fistfight? Come prove it at The Necromancer's Guild

Per my plan, @Aigronding Mordagnir, I found my intro thread to the Dale Mafia family, and its a good base. I actually like the idea of the family expanding, so no need to re-create it from scratch, and Mother Czarine can move to Bree and set up shop.

The Taiah Crime Family Home
We're Not Sauron Evil, We Just Get What We Want, When We Want It...

Let's face it, if everyone was a goody goody two-shoes, the nine rings Sauron gave the Mortal Men wouldn't have turned them into into Ringwraiths, slaves to the Dark Lord. Greed wouldn't have made Thrain and Thror go mad, and we've all heard tales of elven kinslaying. So, in this family, we don't turn our backs on each other because you used your five-fingered discount at the market. In fact, every family has to make a living.

We are:
What We Do:

We make an honest wage, well, maybe a not-so-honest wage in the cities of Dale, Lake Town, and now Bree. We have enterprises in protection of local businesses from ruffians, the collection and return of lost items for a fee, and give the citizens an opportunity to enjoy themselves in a game or two of chance, among other enterprises.

Our Family:

The Boss: Mother Czarine Taiah (corlisswyn) Mother Czarine sits behind a cherry wood desk, carefully calculating the next family move. She has eyes and ears all around Middle earth as if her livelihood depended on it. It did, in fact-her family has grown because of her calculating and ruthless efficiency, and she has earned the devotion and loyalty of all in her family. She rewards those who serve her well, and punishes those who disobey her, to the death if necessary.

She is currently spearheading the establishment of a Bree household on the advice and recommendation of her former Underboss, Victor Alphonse. Victor was killed, not on the road or on family business, but by the Consumption. Until his dying breath, he insisted that Bree was viable, that ruffians were destroying the town, and that the Taiah family could fill a void, restoring normalcy to the crossroads town.

The Underboss:
He assists Mother Czarine in keeping the Capos informed of her plans. Past Underbosses earned such favor with Mother Czarine that she put them in charge of large operations, including expanding the family beyond the River Running. The Underboss is a Made Man or Woman in Mother Czarine's Family. A Made Man or Woman is one who has proven his loyalty by spilling blood (killed) for the family. To go after the Underboss or any Made Man or Woman is to go after the entire family and to incur their collective wrath.

Consigliere:
A Consigliere is a close family member who is kept out of all criminal enterprises for the express purpose of legal protection. He is an expert at protecting the family against all outside forces, whether other criminal enterprises or the legitimate government of the people. By definition a Consigliere cannot be a Made Man, but he takes an oath to the family, earning his protection.

The Capos:
The Capos are Made Men and Women, proven members of Mother Czarine's family who have served her well. They run her day to day enterprises. They report to both the Underboss and Mother Czarine on activity within their assigned region. Capos are the heads of teams of soldiers to run their enterprises.

Soldiers:
Soldiers report to Capos for their orders. They carry out orders and do anything and everything that is required of them by a member of the family. In return, they are considered members of the family, and are accorded benefits as such.

Associates:
Associates are friends of the family who have worked with the family. They may have done or may owe the family favors. They are not members of the family and receive at best minimal protection if and only if it is at the benefit of the family to provide such protection. Associates may earn family status through deeds done in service to the family and attain the rank of soldier, Capo, or Consigliere.

Locations:

The Dale Compound
Mother Czarine has a large compound on the edge of the river in the city of Dale, fortified and heavily protected. It has two entrances, one by boat, and one by land leading out in the city. Soldiers stand watch, though trained to stand casually to not catch the attention of walkers-by. Soldiers are also trained to recognize all family members on sight before being granted such an honorable position as a guard of the compound. Once you enter through either gate, you quickly find that the family can maintain itself for a considerable amount of time. Stables are well maintained and stocked with supplies, and a small secondary stable is kept with dairy cows, cattle, and pigs for slaughter should the need arise. The main house is warm and inviting, decorated in rich woods and edged in metals traded from the dwarves of Erebor. Kitchens are well stocked, and a full time cook always has food ready should a family member need a meal. All family members are expected for dinner nightly with Mother Czarine if they are in Dale. Her dining room holds an impressive sixty people, with room to expand. She has multiple sitting rooms for the family, though she retires back to her office with Underboss, and the family frequently has other tasks to perform. All family members have a bed in the compound, and all Made Men and Women have earned their own quarters.

The Lake Town Compound
Though only a satellite operation, Mother Czarine ensured her family members were protected and well outfitted. The house she purchased for her family is centrally located in the city with a moor directly underneath with a direct outlet to the long lake. Should it be necessary, they could escape by boat to the Dale Compound with little vulnerability. Serving any family member stationed in Lake Town is Toki, a former associate who came to the rescue of Mother Czarine and took an arrow in the head meant for her. In honor of the service, Toki was named a member of the family and stationed in his home town of Lake Town as the compound keeper at his request. He's dim-witted, but loyal and eager to continue serving the Taiah Family. All Family members stationed at Lake Town are to show Toki the utmost respect, and should the need arise to evacuate, he is to be protected and evacuated with the team, per direct orders from Mother Czarine. The house's exterior is comparable to its surroundings, though well furnished inside and well stocked, and it is fortified from the inside with metal plating and armaments.

Bree Compound *NEW*
Seeing a nice profit over the past few years, Mother Czarine, on advice from her Underboss, has travelled to Bree to start a cross-mountain supply chain and expand her empire. For now, she is in the beginning stages of quietly purchasing property. Until a proper compound can be purchased and built, Mother Czarine a moderate size house on the northern edge of town. It can currently hold ten people comfortably. Given the distance and current paths to Dale, Mother Czarine believes a compound similar in size to the Dale compound will be necessary, and she will have to invest time and money heavily in recruiting young, impressionable soldiers with little familial ties and earning their loyalty.

Markets and More
The Dale, Laketown, and Bree markets are where we conduct our enterprises. We interact with our clients, whether they be shoppers, gamblers, or shopkeepers, directly in the markets themselves. Eron is the shopkeeper of the Green Launderer in Lake Town, the family's legitimate organic soap and not-so-legitimate laundry services shop. Rumor has it around Wilderland that if someone needs to make contact with the Taiah family, they should visit the shop. Their soaps are quite nice.

The family is currently looking into the types of businesses that will succeed in Bree and establishing a legitimate business in the heart of town.

Rules:
This should have an IC thread and an OOC thread...
Looking to join the Family? We exist in the shadows, so we don't have recruitment posters around. Post in the OOC thread, and we'll let you know how to show us you're interested in joining.

@Aigronding Mordagnir I love all of this. You'll also see Arnora in Breeland eventually reveal herself to be a Capo, recruiting streetkids as she once was.

I do need an underboss Czarine can trust. I'm kinda geeky excited about this! LOVING it!

As to the permanent compound, I was looking to the West and just south of the Greenway, butted up against mountains?

@Quill This is for Abad Nestad - I don't know what level I was I know I was Nestor for sure, so if it's okay if I return at that rank am happy to do so.


Also @Aigronding Mordagnir I will take on the Tingdain it was very much my baby before and I don't have a lot of the original art anymore but I'm sure I can make something up in the next day or so as I don't see it up yet.

I'm behind on nearly every thread I'm supposed to be posting in but I would love to have the Tingdain back @Fuin Elda. It was one of my favorite places!

@corlisswyn This isn't a promise but that looks super fun! I hope I can find time to come join the mafia.