Plaza
Trek - The Undiscovered Pages
by Roh-of-many-names
Recent searches on Google have led me to places on the Plaza that I never knew existed. This is of course my own fault as I have never bothered to completely explore the links on the navigation bar to the left of all Plaza pages. For instance, when one clicks on the Fanatics Site link on the left they are taken to a page full of options. The very first option is Lord of the Rings Fanatic Site - All Tolkien Research, Information, and Background. The forums are of course wonderful ways to interact with others, but I would encourage all Plaza members to check out the numerous options on this page. The knowledge one can gain here could be quite useful when discussing lore, when answering questions such as in Drill competitions, and definitely when participating in an RPG or building one’s character. The sitemap toward the bottom of this list is a great and easy way to explore, but not everything is there, sometimes one has to go deeper into the files to discover all the hidden treasures of this great place we call the Plaza.
One fabulous example is a site dedicated to the story of Beren and Luthien.This site has not been finished, and considering Eru’s current schedule, probably never will be, but I would be remiss if I didn’t share the beautiful flash movie he has created. If you have some time, please visit and listen to Strider sing the sad tale of these two star-crossed lovers. Believe me, it is worth your time.
But back to the “official” Plaza pages - if you want to know more about the Master himself, there are a few pages that might interest you. On the J.R.R. Tolkien: Introduction page, you can read a very brief history of his life, read snippets of a BBC radio interview he did in 1971, and what I found to be the most interesting of all - a picture of his grave. He actually had Beren and Luthian put on the headstone he shares with his wife!
Probably my very favorite of the undiscovered treasures of the Plaza is the Art & Media: Introduction page where you can view 29 of John Howe’s works, 53 of Ted Naismith’s, and 38 of Tim & Greg Hildebrandt. I must confess I hadn’t seen many of these drawings until just recently discovering this page. You can also link to the Plaza’s most famoustist 111-Question-Quiz, which is something that by itself has drawn many people to the Plaza. But for many others, it’s one of those buried treasures that if they don’t explore the navigation bar fully or find via a search engine they may not find at all! Artwork and the famous quiz aren’t all you can find on the Art & Media page. If you’ve always heard about the famous BBC radio broadcast of the Lord of the Rings, but have never been able to hear it, the Plaza offers 17 snippets for you to sample.
I remember my first introduction to the Plaza was through the Guided Tours of Middle-earth. These are no longer prominently displayed from the main Plaza page, but are easily accessible through the navigation bar (you just need to be willing to click a couple of times to get to them), but that does not lessen their luster in any way. If you haven’t taken one (or all) of the tours, I would suggest you get to skidaddling! You can take the entire tour at once (a rather long journey) or split your ventures up between Middle-earth locations, People of Middle-earth, Middle-earth creatures, and Weapons and Items. Bilbo leads all of these tours, and we all know he’s a rather friendly fellow - I just hope none of the minions in our midst decide to make him a snack, as I’m not sure Gollum would make a very good tour guide.
And something I think many of us forget - you can purchase several books (by and about Professor Tolkien) as well as several movies based on his works through the Plaza. How many times have I seen in the movie forums questions about the Ralph Bakshi version of LotR? I even remember asking myself what the heck this was. *g* Had I been a better Plaza explorer, I would have known not only what it was but also how to purchase it easily and quickly - right through the Plaza! You can find some of the many books referred to on the Plaza in this same way.
That side navigation bar also holds a link to ALL of the previous Plaza Newsletters (the precursor to the Middle-earth Messenger), which are a fun way to look back at the history of the Plaza.
And last but certainly not least, I want to highlight our great Plaza Library created by dedicated members and continuously being updated and added to. I have to admit that it’s not the most easiest place to quickly find an answer in, but there is definitely a wealth of information stored there. I recently inquired why the search engine in the library was so “un-useful” and was told it was a coding issue. I can certainly sympathize with that, as I know coding not only takes a long time, but has to be “just right” to work with the complicated Plaza coding. Surely there is someone out there willing to help our new librarian, Istâréndil, with the task of making all the wonderful entries in our Library more readily accessible for those of us who are constantly searching for answers. Imagine if one could use the Plaza library to help answer lore questions, research for drill and debate, or to set up or participate in RPGs. Of course we should still use the books, but online research is a valuable tool for most of us, and since we’re all here on the Plaza anyway, wouldn’t it be wonderful to just be able to stay here and quickly find out information, instead of bopping over to the Encyclopedia of Arda or the Annuals of Arda? I say we shoot for an even better Plaza than it already is! So if you’re of a loreish/writing nature, why not volunteer to help write, help organize, and help promote the great Plaza library? Even if you aren’t able to contribute, you do all the writers and the Plaza librarians past and present a huge favor by just reading and enjoying what they’ve all worked so hard on.
Which brings me to the last part of my editorial, which no isn’t supposed to be “Guide to the Plaza for Dummies” - there’s also an opinion here! Actually more of a lament than an opinion, and that is why more people don’t get involved with the Plaza Library or the Middle-earth Messenger. Is it because the Library and Newsletter forum is a non-point earning forum so no one ever goes there (even though those who contribute articles are tributed?) or is there a fear that you won’t be “good enough?” Whatever the reason, I can say unabashedly THE PLAZA NEEDS YOU. Please visit the Library and Newsletter forum and offer your services. I’m sure you can find somewhere to contribute. Remember - even the smallest person can change the course of the future!
Redefining the conceptual limits of Role-Playing
by Star Flower
For those of you who know me, you’ll know I hate to censure. For those of you who really know me, you’ll know the above statement is not a whole truth. This editorial will serve this proud assistant editor to put forward certain ideas very close to her heart, and I hope - yours.
Let me explore my plaza character – Star Flower. She is a Black Númenórean who lives in Fangorn. She speaks Sindarin and has occasional frequent outbursts of friendliness, kindness, and compassion. Star Flower conducts herself in the exact manner I need her to. I can’t role-play someone I don’t feel comfortable portraying. And I love her for that sense of uniqueness that she seems to possess.
I am aware that certain
people complain about the inaccuracies in Star Flower’s character,
maintaining that her race does not belong to the appropriate region of
Tolkien’s world, in this case a servant of Mordor living in Fangorn.
Indisputably, there is a detailed history of Star Flower, and if your
character were to come around and say, “Hey, Star Flower, why
are you in Fangorn?” I would give you an answer so thought-out
and calculated that even the best Tolkien-realists might be swayed into
believing her story.
And just because she lives in Fangorn I wouldn’t throw in your face
“Hey… You’re an uruk-hai and you’re visiting
Lothlorien. Give me a break.” While rolling my eyes and giving
you the very same superior snobbish look of which I have been entertained
with for the past few days since moving to Fangorn, I wonder how best
to communicate what I feel about the role-playing or how do I propose
to define the concept of role-playing. One can overcome through communication
various differences in opinion, and this is where I think the problem
lies when we are faced between Tolkien-fans and Lore-Tolkien-Fans.
I remember when I first created Star Flower the Black Númenórean, I had just moved to Mordor and she was everything a good minion ought to be– cruel, intolerant, selfish, witty, and a warrior to the bone. Around those days one would not have seen a flicker of foo, a smile, or even a heart-warming glimmer in her emerald green eyes; but I changed as a person in real life and so did my character. We go through life fearing change, yet it is inevitable.
No one can deny that they’ve change throughout the years; I used to be timid in real life, now I’m an extrovert. Star Flower used to be pure evil, now she’s just slightly evil. For me changing her character seemed almost like second nature, I knew that she could not go on being the evil incarnate as she was before. If you think about it, the elves did not want to interfere in mankind’s business, yet they did when push came to shove. This is just another instance where we might honestly say that even Tolkien might have welcomed change. Reform, as I’d like to call it.
One of the most important aspects of proper role-playing is being content with one’s character. Self-satisfied, content people are happy with the substance and criteria of their character and present them to the world with integrity and confidence. I believe I have done this. I am simply ecstatic about how my character has grown and changed since I first started the Plaza. She is no longer an idea inside of my head but she has a history, a present and a bright future. Respecting each others’ creation is the biggest honor you can give another writer, another RP-er.
Another dimension of role-playing which I would like to discuss is whether we are to remain completely realistic to all of the facts and dictations Tolkien had given us. I doubt many would have stayed on the Plaza if this had been the case. We can’t be part of the books, but we can grow from them. If I wanted to stay completely realistic, I wouldn’t have role-played at all – I would have picked up my book and read Lord of the Rings over and over again, because that truly is the only way one will ever see something being portrayed in a completely Tolkien fashion.
Tolkien was a master. He had vision. He inspired people to be creative, he inspired the world to pick up their heads from their dull day-to-day life and explore a new world with endless possibilities. Can you honestly believe he would have thrown a tantrum if someone decided to role-play a Black Númenórean in an incorrect way? I don’t know what your thinking about him is but I trust he would not have.
To end off let us
summarize how one can redefine role-playing:
1. Evolve your
character – just because you have created your character a specific
way today does not mean that she or he cannot change.
2. Push the
boundaries when it comes to Tolkien’s world, be influenced by it
but don’t copy it.
3. Be confident
when you role-play your character. Don’t be ashamed by his or her
flaws, our imperfections make us perfect - each a unique individual in
their own rights.
I truly believe
that if more of us redefined role-playing to a point where we can feel
comfortable around each other that role-playing will be more of a pleasurable
activity.
With this I have nearly come to the end of my Editorial, but I would like to focus more on the latest Plaza Newsletter rather then the plaza itself. I feel so honored to have been part of the process of creating this new and improved Plaza Newsletter. Rowanna, one of the most creative and brilliant people on the plaza, has taken this and allowed it to grow to such an extent that I sometimes find it hard to believe we’re here. After a few months of planning, we’ve finally launched the first edition. I am so proud and I would like to thank Rowanna for giving me this chance to be able to create, write, and promote the dream of which we all believe in at the Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza.
To all of you reading this, continue to believe!
Friends Without
Faces
by Firefly
Some days I can’t help but thinking that many people are seen through rose-colored glasses. What are the fundamentals that dictate the way we see other people? Lately more people have come to the conclusion that I am a male. Why this is happening is beyond my sight, and I would not have thought that my name had masculine overtones to it. So what is it that makes people think that I am a male?
Perception. I love this word, for I believe that it has a lot to do with how we see each other on the internet. There are many who seem to think that the icon a member wears beside their username reflects on their Real Life personality. Long have we heard that we are all equal, but it would seem that there are some who are more equal than others (and no, I am not talking about Administrators and Rulers here). So what is it about them that makes them seem more important than the rest of the few thousand active members? Perception, yep there’s that word again. The way in which we interpret a member’s post is different for each of us. This difference in opinion is most likely the reason why some of us clash against each other and why others soon become good friends.
Friendship. Now this is another doozy of a topic. Within a site the size of the Plaza there will always be groups of friends formed. This is a normal thing for us - all need friends - but I do find it interesting that friendship is often the biggest cause of arguments and public blow-ups on the site. Some seem to care seriously about who they are friends with, some appear to only want to be friends with people who are perceived to be in a position of power, while others seem to be just happy being friends with everyone. The issue of cliques and elitist groups pops up in random conversations, and let me tell you, I was shocked to hear that another member thought I was fairly high up in a social circle once. As I said to them, I was really pleased that they had brought it to my attention because I am unable to know how I come across to other people if others do not tell me these things.
Kingdoms. Some would say that there is too much Inter-Kingdom Competition and that we should get along more; others say that there is too much crossing over of the Kingdom members and we need to become more closed off to outsiders. Positives and negatives there are for both sides of the proverbial coin, so which one is right? I believe that there is no right or wrong answer - we can only hope to continue in the direction we are heading in with the Kingdoms each having Kingdom Only threads and Open Kingdom threads.
Also on the Kingdoms topic, as I slightly touched on earlier, another interest of mine is watching to see the different ways that individual kingdom members are treated. What makes some people appear to think that simply because I wear the Eye of Sauron as my icon, that means that in regards to anything not Mordor based I know nothing. My favorite of all the wanna-be insults thrown at me was during a discussion about the horses that were used in the Movies, whereupon posting my own thoughts I was told, “What would you know about horses, Minion?” I nearly fell off my chair laughing at that one, and the urge to post back, “Obviously a lot more than you do, Rider Wanna-be.” But manners got the better of me and I didn’t.
Often our Real Life details get confused within our Plaza Lives, which leads people to thinking that some of us are horribly nice while others of us are rotten and mean. I believe that we often do get deceived about other peoples’ personalities, for when we talk often it is done In Character, or if it is off the Plaza in an Instant Messenger program, how are we to know what the other person is really like? We form friendships through thought and opinion, sometimes through posting and action, yet we do not see the faces of those who we talk to. Secrets are spilled and tales are told, for maybe that is what keeps us bound so tightly together. In time we become friends with a select few, for what reason, that is not clear for us to see, yet form these friendships we do. I know it is with excitement to sign onto MSN and see who is online and what kind of name they are currently using.
Names are another interesting thing about the Plaza. There is such a wide range of names being used. There are those that are true to Tolkien’s books, and then there are those that range from lovers of characters to inanimate objects. Yet the characters are believably role-played regardless of what the characters name is. This rage of diversity brings a whole new dimension to this wonderful place called the Plaza. We can visualize each other through their character, yet we know not their real faces. We can often feel like we know the person even without ever knowing their real name.
Now here at the end of all things, I have come to my conclusion: We are friends without faces with odd little names.
Any head of a far-reaching evil empire will tell you that about sixty percent of the organization is built on a sound name. A classic example is Darth Vader, five simple letters. Names of evil figures are usually short to ensure that those who consider themselves good can remember them. Otherwise, their brains are all a twitter with promoting peace, drinking tea, and waving the hated banner of foo. Not to drift off into a galaxy far far away rampant with anecdotes, I’ll get back on track...though I wouldn’t mind having one of those red lightsabers. Anyways...
Any self-respecting
evildoer will tell you that nothing disgusts a dark figure more than some
lowly maggot changing or blatantly disregarding the wording of a name.
An occurrence that has entered into my dark days is the adding of a certain
letter to my name. Whether an attempt at a compliment by some or merely
some twisted joke, I find myself being called Vulgar. I fail to see how
the name Vugar can become Vulgar.
Remember that a solid evil organization is based on advertising, plus
a snazzy acronym. Nothing works better than hiding behind some acronym
that the masses will never suspect. However, if you’re of a different
school of thought, nothing works better than E.V.I.L. Good advertising
is a solid platform in global evil. Politicians are practically the top
pier of those skilled in this art.
What needs to be taken into effect is a massive campaign for the Free Peoples. Shower them with fatty foods and sugar-enriched carbonated sodas. Before you know it, obesity will be on the rise among Elves. No more slim figures, nor agility, nor any other Elvish abilities. Just alone, most free people are far hyperactive than can be logically explained. Sugar shall only aid in eventually blowing their minds, becoming zombies of sorts. We’ve been thinking too small. Start with this kind of campaign, and then crush the Free Peoples when they can’t even lift a finger. Get them hooked on our products, and we will run the show. As anyone should know, advertising is mainly a core evil operation.
