Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

For lying shamelessly about the consumable amount of Dorwinion: @Frostbite, the floor is yours.

you've never seen me run around whilst drunk on Discord

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts?
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones?
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore?

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? They're a tool that can help figure out character motivations, but are by no means the only or final tool.

2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? ... to be honest, the only other thing he's been in besides LOTR that I've seen in its entirety is National Treasure so I have no idea.

3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I have long been of the opinion that Melkor inadvertently created the snowflake. But I got chewed out for that opinion once on Old Plaza so... whatever.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? Tbh I dont really care for them as no character is that black and white
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? He is pretty good in anything he does, just a shame he always dies :P
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? That elves can just up and die if caught by orcs, as in just decide not to live anymore. Quite cool :P

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? They are thought provoking but I look at em like I do things like Myers-Briggs - they are most useful as frameworks for starting conversations or sparking ideas.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? Is there one where his character doesn't die? If so, maybe that one?
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I have always been morbidly fascinated by the fact that Ungoliant devoured herself in the end.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts ?
I would rather believe that any character can find themselves capable of a far less limiting potential under .. well, circumstances. Seeing quite how far you can push them in any given direction is part of what makes writing even a long established character extremely interesting.

2) What role is Sean Bean’s best outside of LOTR and Game of Thrones ?
‘Sharpe’. Without question. The heroic protagonist of Bernard Cornwell’s novels brought to life on tv. It was the first thing I saw him in and even as I type this, *that song* is now back in my head. If you’ve ever seen ‘Sharpe’, you know which song.

3) What’s your favourite bit of weird Tolkien lore ?
I have spent hours pondering the logistics and consequences of the Silmarillion’s theory that reincarnated Elves can be re-born to different parents than their original set, or even ‘reborn into their own children’ !!! If that is literal ?? Wow !

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? I don't recall using them. I don't really have a general plan/guidelines for a character. I kind of wing it and react to what other people are doing around mine, depending upon my mood at the time.

2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? Oooh, yay a Sean Bean question I can geek out on and put my fanboydom on display. What's kind of funny about this is at one point I think based on his percentage of movie/tv credits his character was killed the most. But he did an interview a while ago, saying one of his main questions before signing onto a film is "are you going to kill my character?" I guess he got tired of dying on screen, and he said one of the directors admitted he's just so good at dying, it's like an addiction, he just wants to see Sean Bean die on screen.

I digress, because he is in that movie where Matt Damon goes to Mars. So, he doesn't die in that, but his character takes the fall for one of the problems of the mission and gets fired...so kind of like dying? What's really funny in that movie, Sean Bean's character drops a bunch of Lord of the Rings references and name drops wanting to name one of the missions "Glorfindel."

Edit: I misremembered the scene in The Martian. Sean Bean's character named it "Project Elrond" and they have a brief debate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YmDT2BgI-0

That isn't my favorite non LOTR/GoT Sean Bean role though. I'd have to say it's Patriot Games. I mean Harrison Ford vs. Sean Bean in a climactic fight on a boat? Can't beat it.

3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I've always felt that Tolkien must not have liked cats...I mean the cat lady Queen Beruthiel, and the Eye is often described as being like a cat's eye. I don't think there's a positive reference to cats anywhere.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? I find them interesting; I especially like the way characters view themselves as one particular thing, and that circumstances can change it - characters' motivations vs their actions are my jam.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of LotR and Game of Thrones? Eh, I don't know. I've liked him in many things. 007 maybe? I liked him in Troy too, he was very pretty.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I am not sure if I know any weird lore. I'm a bit weirded out by Ercassie's though, since I never got that from reading the Sil.

@Lirimaer, admittedly it may have been from an early 1930's-ish version of the Quenta Silmarillion, rather than the later version.

'or else it is said, they are at times re-born into their own children, and the ancient wisdom of their race does not perish or grow less'.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts?
 Alignment can be fun when there's an actual mechanistic or in-world way to interact with it, or when it actually affects something. Think Poul Anderson's overarching Law v. Chaos being the overarching "which side do you come down on" type of thing. Alignment *charts*? Ehh...
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones?
Civilization VI.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore?
Maybe not what you're going for, but I always feel a mix of the giggles and Fredegar Yeah! when I recall that Prof. Tolkien said the Lord's Prayer in Old Gothic through the recording machine first before anything else.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts?
Fun, but not deeply meaningful, like horoscopes

2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones?
Martin Septim? Or 006.

3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? Celeborn’s infamous name translation, Teleporno. Other highlights: the Shibboleth of Fëanor; Tevildo Prince Of Cats; Trotter.

Sil Denafil wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 6:52 pm (snip) Trotter.

ROFL yes, Trotter.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? Better when they were first made. But now we're to the point where the people running the IPs that use alignment charts were raised on the media that used them decades ago, and it's sort of festered, like interesting systems usually do when unchallenged for any significant time. I'm more partial to systems with fewer axes (like Dungeon Crawl Classics Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic) or more modern systems that forego it entirely and instead have this aspect of a character become emergent from other parts of character creations (as in many Fate-based systems). The 3-by-3 standard system has this weird middle ground in that it provides enough options that are each too constructive to provide realistic characterization. Hate it.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? John Marlott
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? The chronologically-last dated event in Tolkien's mythos occurs in 2012. Yes, the 8-years-ago 2012.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? I mentioned it already, but I don't like being boxed in. I think characters, like real people, are much more complicated than that and fall in shades of grey. It can be useful as a tool but I don't like the expectation that someone fits in a certain category.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? I'm not sure I've seen him in much else except Goldeneye so I guess I have to say that. Must need to watch more Sean Bean movies...maybe one he doesn't die in.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I can't think of anything but my own personal theory is that Prince Imrahil was a vampire who drank elf blood.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? Misused and misunderstood by most players, but a useful and fun tool for those that use and understand them properly.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? Ehhh I don't know the answer to this question but I love the movie Equilibrium so I'll say that, even though he dies in like his first and only scene in that movie. Shout out to his voicing of the Emperor in Oblivion and narrating Civ 6 though.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? This is a dubious story, but I will quote it here anyway:

"Reportedly, during a meeting of the Inklings, the Oxford dons' book club whose members included Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, Tolkien read passages from his manuscript for The Lord of the Rings.

Tolkien was a terrible public speaker and reader, mumbling and droning, and his fellow English teacher, Hugo Dyson, promptly fell asleep. When he woke up and heard what was still going on, Dyson exclaimed, "Oh no, not another fredegar elf."

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? I think they’re boring.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? I liked him in Golden Eye, which I just rewatched actually, and also had forgotten how much I like Pierce Brosnan
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? Legolas and Gimli just up and sail to the west. They’ve done ME, so just sail off. No worries. Probably have some margaritas and are wearing their Jimmy Buffet concert T-shirts.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? They're fun as a general outline of how a character likely would behave, but I seriously doubt anyone fits their box 100% of the time. Context is really important for a situation. In fact, you can look at a character and come to a different conclusion based on different bits of context.

2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones?I have two: I really love his role in the Martian, and he did a great job in Equilibrium, too. I'd probably pick his Martian role though if it came down to it.

3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I have the absolute worst memory, so I know I had some for this and can't remember it now. I'm enjoying reading everyone else's though!

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? They can be a good resource for getting a quick idea about your character, but I think there are more in-depth ways to explore your characters internal way of life.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? I think The Martian is one of the few movies I've seen outside of LotR and GoT with him, so I'll make that my answer.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? I don't know if it's exactly lore, but the Screwtape Letters is dedicated to Tolkien.

1) What are your thoughts in general on alignment charts? I had no idea such existed until the previous set of questions here... Perhaps might look into them a bit more at some point.
2) What role is Sean Bean's best outside of Lotr and Game of Thrones? Bravo Two Zero? Not that I have seen any others... But at least his character doesn't die in this one, though gets some torture and such.
3) What's your favorite bit of weird Tolkien lore? Umm... dunno. Not the right person to dig into lore.

@Pele Alarion for having no idea what's going on, I gift the next set of question to you! Though bonus points to @Moriel for mentioning Sharpe!

Ahahaha! I get to ask questions because of not being knowledgeable? Coolness!

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like?

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza?

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why?

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Pretty much like when Lordi did it. https://youtu.be/gAh9NRGNhUU




2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? I'm going to cheat and pick something from the new Plaza. @Lirimaer's elderly hobbit Henna Lightfoot just cracks me up in general.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? The town I live in is full of hippies who kind of resemble jolly elves, and the surroundings are quite beautiful, so perhaps the version of Rivendell from The Hobbit. But the people here are also really quite dirty, so maybe a hybrid combination of Rivendell and Mordor or Rivendell and Dunland.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? To be honest I am... not really sure what Actual Eurovision looks like other than a total of now two screengrabs I have seen.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? I'm with @Moriel on this being an unfair question. I joined the Plaza *seventeen years ago.*

However, if we limit the criteria to NuPlaza... it's probably a 3-way 4-way tie between the Frost/Taeth relationship that started as an OOC prank on @Thalionwen Hunigfolm and then our characters took over and we don't even know anymore LOL or it's the Cheese Incident (1, 2, 3, 4) or the... Marshal Summoning incident (start here; total of four consecutive posts). Or possibly this, uh, embarrassing for Taeth bit. Pun intended.

... the moral of the story here is that if you want to have fun, RP with @Thalionwen Hunigfolm.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Honestly, Rohan probably is the most similar to Oklahoma. Lots of plains. Landlocked. A smattering of trees and rivers and even a few mountains in some parts of the state. Though Oklahoma definitely has a lot more tornadoes.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? much more focused on how effectively one can sabotage their opponents rather than showcasing any sort of "talents" an orc or goblin might have

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? Gondor going pink on the Old Plaza was pretty fun. On NuPlaza though I'd have to say the funniest thing I've done is Jorgy, hands down. Who doesn't love a good lava snake to hobbit story?

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? New Mexico is a desert so... Near Harad?

Awwwww @Dwim I have a lot of fun writing her.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? People not voting for Mordor are added to their Shirelist or killed instantly.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? Funniest? So very subjective, humour. I have enjoyed the caption competitions as certain people crack me up every time. I remember people rather than events, I think. Jess always made me laugh, Rohanna was hilarious, and wizzies ... wizzies were just so damn witty, I do have a weakness for smart.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? The Shire ... I live in the heart of Somerset, farm country, rolling hills and verdant valleys and always am amazed that Tolkien based his Shire on BIRMINGHAM?! (I suppose it was different back then!) Somerset is the Shire without the industrialisation.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? More death and/or different forms of torture

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? There are FAR too many to mention all of them here but the Potato Armada remains etched vaguely in my memory as a time of great chaos and hilarity.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? I'm in a big city so Minas Tirith, I suppose!

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Um, I thought Eurovision was something they made up for that Will Ferrell movie that just came out on Netflix (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXAoznWmuL8). So...Mordorian version there's lots of bribes and contestants trying to off each other, and the second place person offs the winner

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? We've done a lot...I don't know. Something for Halloween, probably. Or Caption contests I guess. I judged the Rohan one for years back in the day, so I'm biased that it was super hilarious

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Umbar I guess? It's the beach and it's hot. Odd hurricane here and there. Some odd people too. (Google "Florida Man", I dare ya)

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? I bet there would be a lot of dead contestants, and honestly the real contest may be just trying to survive until the end

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? Grobby and Ghost Horse's shenanigans in on the rocks was absolutely amazing

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Oh, that's interesting. According to a map I looked at, southern Rohan seems to fit the bill sort of I guess? I think the temperature may be right, and I do live in an area that's a mix of forest and farmland (though I live in a bigger town in the middle of it), but I'm not sure Rohan is as wet. That's a cool question though!

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like?
Not sure, but I think The Mouth of Sauron would be the host and the orcs performing this song would probably win:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdXQJS3Yv0Y

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza?
The crazy caption threads always make me laugh.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why?
Mirkwood. I'm in a more residential neighborhood now, but forests and tons of trees are close by. Excluding Seattle, where I live gets the least sunny days a year, it's usually pretty dreary and gloomy, which makes the woods look darker. Lately I've been seeing large bugs and insects, there's always mosquitos, flies and large moths. The black squirrels are everywhere, they were introduced in my area in the '70s and have pretty much taken over. Plus, I've come across more giant wolf spiders (which I have a picture of, but I'll keep it to myself for now. :-) ).

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? There wouldnt be one..

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? That Pele thinks there would be a Mordorian Eurovision :P

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Well I live by the beach, but the town is shire, so something near Sea of Nurnen? And instead of heavy ashes from a volcano, smell of weed..

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? What Dwim said.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? On new plaza, probably Hobbit Insanity. On the old plaza, hard to say. There was the StarQuality Designs thread where I played entertainer while Sil made Lali uncomfortable, there was Team Hank Jr Drill, there were several very funny plaza weddings, the Court of OoME, kung fu fighting in Isengard, sparring contest as the Michelin Man in Mordor, gosh there was a lot of funny stuff.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Gosh this is tricky. Maybe some other PNW folks will have some good ideas? I'm of a mind to declare it similar to the lands of the Beornings, to try and reflect the open rolling hills with giant forests and mountains surrounding me, but I'm not sure that's the best fit to be honest.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like?
I mean, let’s do it and FIND OUT

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza?
On OP, halfir RPing being kidnapped by Loony, doing a dance and getting a baguette stuck up his nose, all in first person. On NP, Hobbit Insanity, close runner up some of the Cooking Shenanigans

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why?
Probably Bree, one of those towns people travel through but nothing super interesting happens there of itself except that one time

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Probably a cross between Eurovision and Survivor. You need to make some music, but you also need to prove that you can survive the horrors of Mordor.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? On NuPlaza, probably Hobbit Insanity or the Cooking Contest. Though I have a feeling the On the Rocks pyjama party might also be a close runner up. On OldPlaza, maybe the Caption Contests? I ran the Wilderland one for about a year.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Probably Umbar. I technically live in a desert area with lots of beach nearby.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Like the Hunger Games, obviously.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? Oh this is hard, there have been some wild antics over the years. I've enjoyed reading the cooking contest and some of the responses to Sil's Tower challenges.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Probably Minas Tirith I guess, but red. Because brick, and a city.

1) What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like ?
Well ours tends to devolve into a night-long drinking game. So it would probably be similar. Though the drinks of Mordor might mean somewhat less survivors the next morning.

2) What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the Plaza ?
I have enjoyed reading the Insanity Hobbit Productions. Long may they reign !

3) Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why ?
Hmm .. probably Lindon ? Because here is a sleepier version of what it once was, is now known mostly for it’s coast, and we’ve had at least two mass emigrations leave for far abroad !

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Nazgul quartet covering 'My Lovely Horse'.
2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? I'm not going to play favorites. Also, I don't want my sense of humor attacked.
3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Lindon. Good mountains. Good water. Good people.

1. What would the Mordorian version of Eurovision be like? Seeing as I just googled Eurovision because I really didn't know what it is, I don't think any answer could top @Dwim's so I am not even going to try! I know when I've been beaten.

2. What has been the funniest thing you have participated in/read on the plaza? Oh a lot of things have made me laugh out loud which I love but I have to say memes and caption contests just for the consistency.

3. Which Middle-Earth location you would compare your real-life location to, and why? Somewhere in western Eriador or Lindon because I've got farming, mountains, forest and sea all pretty close by! PNW for the win!

Righty... Too many good and fun answers to choose one. So - whoever gets here first takes the floor!

I'm here early (for me)!

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie
3. How well can you multi-task?

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 42
2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie
Song: Vigil, Zeal and Ardor just came out (10 hours ago) and it's powerful
Book: The Croning, by Laird Barron
Movie: The VVitch
3. How well can you multi-task? 5/10

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? All of it

2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie. 1. It’s 5:00 Somewhere (theme song for life). 2. Ready Player One (to clarify, talking about the book, not the movie) 3. Goonies.

3. How well can you multi-task? Super well. Would suck at my job if I didn’t.

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? As much as it could lift
2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie
Song: Andrew Bird's cover of "If I Needed You" if only for the harmonies
Book: His Dark Materials (it's a trilogy, whatever, fight me)
Movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
3. How well can you multi-task? Very well when I have to, but I much prefer deep focus on one thing

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? As much as it needed.

2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie
A) Our Solemn Hour by Within Temptation (it took a while to narrow that down from All The Options but oh well).
B) Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers but you like... have to read the first two books in the His Fair Assassin series before you read that one.
C) LOTR:EE. Yes, the trilogy counts as one movie. It's blasphemy to say otherwise.

3. How well can you multi-task? About 2/10. It used to be about 11/10, but then I very nearly had a nervous breakdown after 3 1/2 years in a high-stress food-service job (where my manager liked to call me less than 8 hours before my scheduled shift to see if I could come in early--you know, calling when I was already asleep) and then I got a very nasty upper respiratory infection that I *probably* should have gone to the ER for after Day 3 of a 104-degree fever, and my multitasking abilities have been pretty much non-existent ever since.

1. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? About 70 times its own body weight. Animal facts.
2. Give me a) a must listen song b) a must read book and c) a must see movie
Song: Starlight by Muse
Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Movie: Skyfall
3. How well can you multi-task? Not very well. The old saying about men not being able to multi-task is definitely true for me anyway. At work if I don't have a to-do list and work through it in order of priority, I get a bit stressed!