Re: Lord of the Rings Interest Check [Closed]

[Silvan Arrow]

At some point, I think it would be a good idea to open up an OOC with all of the information posts combined at the beginning as a reference, but this thread works just fine for now. I have a vague notion of a character based on my original one for Into the Shadow, but I'll definitely have to change the biography based on the timeline of this RP. I'm still a little confused about one thing, and I hope you'll forgive me if it's a stupid question. Where exactly do our characters fit into the "big picture," so to speak? Most of my RP experiences have involved characters being thrown together in a group and going on some sort of journey with a fairly linear goal, so I'm afraid such a vast story line like this is a bit of a growth experience for me.

Also, I feel like I need to come out and say that I'm probably the least-versed in Tolkien lore out of all of us. I've read The Hobbit, the trilogy, and part of The Silmarillion, but it's been years, and the lore that I've picked up outside of the trilogy is rusty at best. I hope you'll bear with me as I try to assimilate all of this information, but please know that I really want to stay true to Tolkien just like the rest of you.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Just say Woman of [country]
Or maybe Human, though Tolkien seems to avoid that in preference to "Man" and the "race of Men." *shrug*

Woman might not work, actually, because of "dwarf women." Maybe, yeah, just say Human if it's a female. Or Maiden. Maiden of Rohan?

[Kalon Ordona II]

OH MY GOSH!!!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT!

Can I have two characters?? One of them is a villain!
It's an already established character I had. He went to join up with Sauron in 1,100 3rd Age when Sauron was just coming back. I have his whole life story up to that point. xD

Since he'd be a bad guy though, I'd want him as a secondary character. He comes from the east, so he'd know about the Easterlings and things. He might even be partly responsible for their hatred of Gondor, like if he was used by Sauron to spread rumors and things.

This guy. xD

[Gadreille]

I just put Eotheod and then Female.

This story is going to begin with a set up of the battle of Celebrant. It will probably start a few weeks before hand, where Silvone will account the story of the Northern Army of Gondor being cut off without aid. If you were, say, an elf who for whatever reason was with that army at the time, your story would begin there, with his. Blackrock and I will be Eotheod (early Rohirrim), so our story will begin with daily life in the northern lands, setting up for the eventual ride to Celebrant where we would meet Silvone (and whoever else is with the army) and fight it together.

After that...I don't really know yet.

I haven't read the character yet, so I don't want to give a yes or no answer to you Kalon. However, I was entertaining the idea of letting there be secondary villian characters (I was even thinking of being an easterling myself!) So give me some time to go over it, and also I'd like to hear the opinions of the rest of the group, before I give my final opinion.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Sounds fine.

Well, since there'll be two from Rohan, maybe I should be from Gondor. So we'll have two Rohan, two Gondor, and one Elf. xD And, this way Silvone'll have someone to RP directly with without waiting for everyone to arrive.

Yeah, I'm liking the idea. ^^ I'll think about it over my work shift this evening.

Edit:
Maybe a 22-year-old member of Silvone's squad? The level-headed one, perhaps--less ambitious and not as noticeable as Magorthaen--though still plenty youthful to join in the same sort of activities. I imagine, over the course of the battles, we could develop a strong friendship. Just the thing for a middle-earth role-play!

[Gadreille]

I can't speak for him, but I bet he likes the idea

I forgot to say to you, Silvan...you are in no way behind! I haven't read much more than you have, I've only been recently researching this information, with the books I have on hand. I have not been doing much of anything fun of late...it seems that I was punishing myself for not having school or work by working extra hard everywhere else (parenting, family and friend time and needs, chores, job seeking). I finally decided to just relax a tiny bit and enjoy the time I have at home...otherwise I will go insane! That is where all of this dedication is coming from. If I had grad school and a job I would be in your posiiton (or worse!)

[Kalon Ordona II]

Here he is so far. I have to go to work, so I'll finish it later.
I might change some things. We'll see.

Edit:
There we go, pretty much finished and ready for the OOC. ^^

---

. : Anglad son of Anglond : .
. : Born in the year 2,487 of the Third Age : .
. : Man of Gondor : .

. : Ancestry : .
Anglad is the son of a stone mason. His family lives on a farm on the southwestern edge of Calenardhon, very near the fortress of Aglarond. Some of Anglad's sires had labored on that stronghold. His father Anglond was often there, either tending the stones of the fortress itself or working in the system of caves behind it, under the White Mountains. Anglad's elder brother Amrond was like their father, strong and minded toward the shaping of stone, his sights set toward the mountains near their home. Anglad's mother was called Ilia, and she loved best the care of the animals they kept, and the wide, green fields where they lived, under the open sky.

Anglad went with his father and brother to Aglarond sometimes, but he was more likely to be found up in its towers than along its walls admiring the stonework, as was Amrond's wont. Their father Anglond knew not what to make of it, but Ilia knew Anglad's heart better. Anglad oft would run across the grass with the dogs they kept or stand on their rooftop watching the stars, and on clear nights his mother would join him sometimes, teaching him the names of the brightest lights and the heavenly figures they formed.

. : Biography : .
Though a mason's son, Anglad was not strong like his father or brother, and his mind was not on the mountains or on the splendor of Gondor's grand fortresses. Leaner of build but fleeter of foot, his heart was on the fields beneath the sky, where he could watch the things that moved, hear the faint sounds in the distance, smell the fresh earth and the crisp air from the mountain peaks.

As Anglad grew, he came to long for the horizon, as if the wide fields near his home called him to cross it in all directions. His father Anglond didn't know what to do with him, so, after some discussion over the course of several months, and with Anglond's connections to the stronghold of Aglarond, it came to be that Anglad was to be trained as a watchman to guard the fortress of Angrenost--close by so he would not be overmissed, but where Anglad could see new things and watch the world as much as his heart might desire.

Anglad has been at Angrenost for just over three years now, making rare visits to his home and family. He has developed a rapport with most of the regulars there, and is friends with many, as much with those his age as with the older veterans, who appreciate his cognizance and amiability even if he isn't one of the strongest fighters.

. : Appearance : .
Anglad is a tall youth, lightly built but of a sturdy and well-balanced stance, quick in movement and alert in stillness. Hair the color of wet sand frames a newly maturing face, already with a firmer jawline, more-prominent cheekbones above a thickening beard, and with a slight hook to his nose. His deep-set eyes are gray-green, like moss seen through a mist.

. : Occupation : .
Soldier of Gondor, a spearman at Angrenost, most often occupied at the watch. Anglad's proper capacity is as an ehtar, fully trained to be a regular member of the army, under squad cainenhîr Magorthaen Tunneth.

. : Skills : .
Anglad was trained by the men of both Aglarond and Angrenost in the use of a spear. Though relatively inexperienced, he is respected well enough for quick learning and potential. Anglad can read and write westron speech, and he knows some words in Sindarin elvish. He also has better than average knowledge of the night sky. It has crossed his fancy to one day learn to become a scout or a ranger, and to learn to read the ground and the signs in the surroundings. He learns a little here and there because he is watching for the knowledge, but he has not yet commit himself to it as an active pursuit. Yet, though he is no ranger, he can at least read the sun and moon or tell one footprint from another.

. : Weapons : .
A nine-foot spear, two feet of which is taken up by the pointed steel edge.
When on watch, he also has a bow and quiver of arrows close at hand, though he is a sub-average marksman.

. : Gear : .
Anglad wears a standard infantry helmet, open around the face with a pointed crest. He wears a suit of chainmail, covered by a long-sleeved white vest bearing the standard of Angrenost: a tall black tower crossed by a sword and axe, and a black key floating within the pinnacle. He wears hardened leather bracers and greaves, and dark leather boots that rise almost to his knees. Anglad never carries any personal effects with him on military assignments, since most of them are too fragile to be brought out of doors: quills, writings, things found in the wilds, and other such tidbits. He may carry a few coins in a small, formed pouch on his belt, but otherwise he keeps his money--which he tends to hoard rather than spend--with the rest of his possessions in his quarters.

. : Personality : .
Quiet at times and unambitious, some have thought of him as a no-account--until they face him in a sparring match. Anglad might lose as much as he wins, but his tactic--to prolong a bout through positioning and dexterity and then rush unexpectedly and violently forward--is respected for its ferocity and tax of stamina. Among the friends he has made thus far, he is as energetic as the next. Anglad is not shy but observant. Often cast as the voice of reason in a group, Anglad finds there is ample use for his level-headedness, which also serves him well when on the watch.

[Guest]

Alright, I am here to participate in the conversation!

First of all, I think it might be wise to create an OOC thread so that we can post the information, since we now have it all, and post our characters, even if we continue discussion here. But I'm not that worried about it, so if no one else is eager for it don't bother.

I will change the race of my character to Man of Gondor, so that it fits in better and is less...vague.

I don't really know what to say about the character, Kalon. While I don't mind us having villain characters for a second plot (I originally wanted to anyway), I am not sure about that particular character. He is just too powerful, and I don't like players having that much power over other players. I know you aren't Raptorman, but it can create issues. Not to mention, he is just a hard villain for our heros to ovecome.
But, I don't want to just make the decision. I would like for the other players to read the cs for that character and voice their opinion as well. I do like the character, but I just don't know if it will be good for this story.

I think it is a great idea for your character to be a part of the squad. It keeps me from having to role-play all by me onezees. Silvan just needs to decide if she wants her elf to be a part of the Gondorian party, or the Eotheod party. It is really up to her, based on how she wants her character to begin. We can also try recruiting one more member as well.

[Gadreille]

I was thinking, if she were from Mirkwood she would be more likely to be with the Eotheod, and if she were from Lorien, then perhaps she would be better off starting in Gondor. But I haven't read much on elves of that time period, so that is all guesswork and assumption!

[Silvan Arrow]

I think my elf will be from Mirkwood, since I think I can work the biography to more easily fit her into the story that way. So I'll have her with the Eotheod first. I'm pretty slammed with work this week because I'm trying to clear my weekend for a major dance event that'll take up most of my time, but I'll try to squeeze in parts of her CS as study breaks.

Thanks for the kind words, Ryona! That really helped.

[Kalon Ordona II]

I could level him down, make a derivative character instead of bringing that exact one in. I'll probably want to do that anyway.

[Blackrock]

Woah guys, you sure have done a lot of work while I was sleeping!

Yeah, just wanted to throw this out here. Due to time zones, your prime working time is my night and vice versa. So don't be surprised if a couple of posts go on and I don't manage to put a reply in, most likely than not - I'll be fast asleep. Still haven't managed to read Kalon's CS's and I don't have time for it at the moment, but hopefully when I get back I'll manage to do both that AND give you the Tradition of Isildur.

[Kalon Ordona II]

I've added the rest of my character profile.
Silvone, should I add anything to my bio in regard to a friendship between our two characters as well as among the squad?

[Blackrock]

Nice character Kalon, I like him!

Now, I've finished with The Tradition of Isildur as well. The first three paragraphs I copied straight from the book, in the last two I kinda summed up the remainder of the events. I didn't go too much into details as, realistically speaking, none of our characters will even know of this. Without further ado, however, I present you the fourth and last part!

---

3.2.iv: The Tradition of Isildur (Unfinished Tales)

It is said that when Isildur returned from the War of the Last Alliance he remained for a time in Gondor, ordering the realm and instructing Meneldil his nephew, before he himself departed to take up the kingship of Arnor. With Meneldil and a company of trusted friends he made a journey about the borders of all the lands to which Gondor laid claim; and as they were returning from the northern bound to Anórien they came to the high hill that was then called Eilenaer but was afterwards call Amon Anwar, “Hill of Awe”. That was near to the centre of the lands of Gondor. They made a path through the dense woods of its northward slopes, and so came to its summit, which was green and treeless. There they made a level space, and at its eastward end they raised a mound; within the mound Isildur laid a casket that he bore with him. Then he said: “This is a tomb and memorial of Elendil the Faithful. Here it shall stand at the mid-point of the Kingdom of the South in the keeping of the Valar, while the Kingdom endures; and this place shall be a hallow that none shall profane. Let no man disturb its silence and peace, unless he be an heir of Elendil.”

They made a stone stair from the fringe of the woods up to the crown of the hill; and Isildur said: “Up this stair let no man climb, save the King, and those that he brings with him, if he bids them follow him.” Then all those present were sworn to secrecy; but Isildur gave this counsel to Meneldil, that the King should visit the hallow from time to time, and especially when he felt the need of wisdom in days of danger or distress; and thither also he should bring his heir, when he was full-grown to manhood, and tell him of the making of the hallow, and reveal to him the secrets of the realm and other matter that he should know.

Meneldil followed Isildur’s counsel, and all the Kings that came after him, until Rómendacil I (the fifth after Meneldil). In his time Gondor was first assailed by Easterlings; and lest the tradition should be broken because of war or sudden death or other misfortune, he cause the “Tradition of Isildur” to be set down in a sealed scroll, together with other things that a new King should know; and this scroll was delivered by the Steward to the King before his crowning. This delivery was from then onwards always performed, though the custom of visiting the hallow of Amon Anwar with his heir was maintained by nearly all the Kings of Gondor.

This tradition was continued long after the time of the Kings. While the Stewards were not “heirs of Elendil”, they had all the rights and duties of the Kings. And since the tradition was known to them only (due to the absence of a King), they judged that, as with other matters, the custom of visiting Amon Anwar was theirs to perform as well. Thus like the Kings before them, each Steward brought his heir to Elendil’s tomb, until such a time when “the Great King returns”. This carried on until the day of Cirion, the twelfth Steward, and the coming of the Rohirrim.

After Eorl had sworn his Oath and returned to the North to prepare his people for the great journey, Cirion had Elendil’s casket removed and placed within the Hallows of Minas Tirith. This he did, because he considered the Tradition of Isildur to be void. No longer was Amon Anwar the “mid-point of the Kingdom”, it was now on the borders of another realm, allied with Gondor. Despite that, even after the mound was no more and the hill was used as a beacon – it remained a place of reverence to both Gondor and Rohan. The horsemen named it Halifirien, the Holy Mount.

---

While sifting through the Unfinished Tales, I also came across a note which deals with measurements and, going on a tangent, with heights of the various peoples. I thought it would be useful to provide:

“…Thus two rangar were often called “man-high”, which at thirty-eight inches gives an average height of six feet four inches; but this was at a later date, when the stature of the Dúnedain appears to have decreased, and also was not intended to be an accurate statement of the observed average of male stature among them, but was an approximate length expressed in the well-known unit ranga. (The ranga is often said to have been the length of the stride, from rear heel to front toe, of a full-grown man marching swiftly but at ease; a full stride ‘might be well nigh a ranga and a half’.) It is however said of the great people of the past they were more than man-high. Elendil was said to be ‘more than man-high by nearly half a ranga’; but he was accounted the tallest of all the Númenóreans who escaped the Downfall [and was indeed generally known as Elendil the Tal]. The Eldar of the Elder Days were also very tall. Galadriel, ‘the tallest of all the women of the Eldar of them tales tell”, was said to be man-high, but it is noted ‘according to the measure of the Dúnedain and the men of old’, indicating a height of about six feet four inches.

The Rohirrim were generally shorter, for in their far-off ancestry they had been mingled with men of broader and heavier build. Eomer was said to have been tall, of like height with Aragorn; but he with other descendants of King Thengel were taller than the norm of Rohan, deriving this characteristic (together in some cases with darker hair) from Morwen, Thengel’s wife, a lady of Gondor of high Númenórean descent.

[Kalon Ordona II]

Oh wow! I had a feeling Gondorians were tall. ^^
I didn't know Galadriel was 6'4" though. That's awesome!


So does this mean our relevant info collection is complete??

[Gadreille]

Yes! and Blackrock and I are putting the finishing touches on our character sheets

[Kalon Ordona II]

Whoo-hoo! And all in only two weeks from the beginning of this topic to now!

[Silvan Arrow]

I'm currently brainstorming my character. I think I'm going to revive my elf from Into the Shadow but make some major tweaks to her biography to fit better with where we're starting this role-play. Her primary role will be a healer. I'll chip away at the CS today and hopefully get it up soon. I teach for six hours straight tomorrow, so that day is pretty much shot in terms of free time.

[Gadreille]

Cool, Silvan. If you need any help with it just let me know. I don't know much about the elves but I'm sure I can figure it out

Blackrock and I made a town called Greybarrow, along the western shore of the eastern leg of the Greylin river. Your elf may want to make her way there, at some point.

[Gadreille]

.:Aethylwyn:.

.: Born in the year 2484 of the 3rd Age :.

.: Éothéod :.

.: Female :.

.: Ancestry :.
Aethylwyn is the daughter of Léohelm, son of Aethelred, and Holdwyn, a descendent of Fram. Her mother was a fiery woman with a skill in archery, however, being the mother of three she never attempted to actively fight, rather just defend. Her father’s family traces its descent back to the days of the Wainriders, to one Eohelm who was a renowned warrior and carrier of a famous horn. Her grandfather was a man of much wisdom, a gift he granted to his family. Her father has a brother, named Helmgar. Aethylwyn’s parents had three daughters: Aethylwyn, Léohild, and Helmwyn. Aethylwyn is the oldest, and took control of caring for the others after the death of her mother.

.: Biography :.
Aethylwyn’s family settled in Greybarrow, a small but populated settlement on the western shores of the eastern leg of the Greylin river, near where it meets the Grey mountains. Aethylwyn is the oldest of three daughters. Her mother died only a year after the birth of her second sister; Aethylwyn was eight years old at the time. Her mother was killed defending their home against a surprise invasion of orcs while the main army was away; she killed many enemy before she was slain. Aethylwyn was raised by her father, and being the eldest was expected to take upon the responsibilities of woman of the household, since her father did not remarry. Though she had this responsibility, she still found time to practice the art of war through archery, just like her mother had done. She had begun practicing early as two years prior to her mother’s death, and found solace in learning to fight. As a young woman she has ridden in three separate emergency orc skirmishes, and is proud to say she has slain foe. Her father was recently maimed in battle, he lost his right leg. This injury was devastation to the family, for there were no sons to take up his mantle, and warriors were ever needed. Aethylwyn had the most practice and skill in battle (though all three daughters were at least somewhat trained with a bow, and all great riders), so she enlisted as a mounted archer in place of her father. It was not a hard decision, except for the realization that she would probably never have a family of her own. The second daughter , Léohild, recently got married and left the household; now that Aethylwyn is in the service of the éoherë, her youngest sister, Helmwyn is in control of caring for her father and home.

.: Physical Description :.
Aethylwyn is shorter than most men but tall for the stance of a woman of the Éothéod. She is lengthy, with long arms and legs suitable for riding and archery. Her eyes are dark brown in color, she has dark brown hair which reaches midway down her back; this is kept plaited. Her face is heart shaped, with wide set eyes and sharp, angular cheekbones. Her skin is light olive and splashed with freckles. For ease of riding, Aethylwyn has altered the hem of her dresses to be the length of a tunic, and wears trousers like the men underneath.

.: Occupation/Rank :.
Aethylwyn is a mounted archer of the éoherë.

.: Skills :.
Aethylwyn is a skilled archer both on foot and horseback, she is of course a skilled rider, like all of the Éothéod. She has rudimentary skills with a sword and dagger, and none with a spear, for she is not strong enough to throw it with any muster. She also has many of the skills a woman needs to care for a family; she can cook, keep her belongings and horse well maintained, and mending with a needle (clothes, leather items, even wounds if necessary).

.: Weapons :.

• Short Bow
  
• Short sword
  
• Dagger

.: Gear :.

• Sleeveless chainmail
  
• leather breastplate, gauntlets, boots and cap
  
• Quiver with arrows
  
• Small wooden shield

.: Personality Description :.
Aethylwyn is fiery like her mother, but with a wisdom that was granted to her through her father’s line. While a part of her wants to be rash, emotional and passionate, she always makes her decision with sound reason. She has a natural knack for archery, like her mother did, but did not choose the path of motherhood. In her eyes, her two sisters can and will take that mantle, but no one will be a warrior for her father when his time came to put down the sword, which has come. She is a hard worker who has learned to balance the realm of woman and man hood, making sacrifices on each side. She has already fought as a mounted archer, but she has only just been enlisted as a rider of the éoherë. She is nervous of this position; she takes it with great pride, being one of the few women who have undertaken this same task. While it is not unheard of for a shieldmaiden to ride to battle, it is rare and still looked on with unease by fellow male riders.

[Silvan Arrow]

Thanks, Ryona! One thing I'm still pondering is the exact nature of my elf's healing abilities. I'm assuming they at least use herbs, but I don't know how much information Tolkien gives in writings outside the trilogy. Does anyone know if they use some kind of "magic" or healing chants, etc?

[Gadreille]

All quotes taken from LOTR wiki Magic Page

"both Aragorn and Glorfindel are able to tell the severity of Frodo's injury and to a certain degree heal it by mere touch"

"All Elves themselves have greater spiritual powers than humans, as well as immortal unless through murder or loss of will to live, possessing many gifts that humans would not have; Legolas is said to have far greater senses than most other non-elven living beings, capable of seeing and hearing at far greater scales than men could, while capable of resting his mind (equivalent to human sleeping) even while physically walking, while Glorfindel was able to ease the severity of Frodo's cursed wound through mere physical contact and urge his white elf-horse on at high speed with words in his tongue (Noro lim, noro lim, Asfalof!). Even more significant instances include... Elrond, ... "a master of healing" and capable of greatly mending even near-fatal cursed injuries... "

"Even Aragorn, descendant of Númenor and rightful heir to Gondor's monarch throne, was said to have "the hands of a healer" and enable others to recover with greater speed and efficiency."

My guess would be to balance out knowledge of herbs and such things that can heal, ability to cleanse and stitch wounds, and perhaps have a healing "touch" that can be used sparingly for the most grievous of wounds, or perhaps wounds inflicted with dark magic or poison.
edit: there might be certain chants, but I'd have to look harder. I'll let you know if I come across anything.


You may want to look at these wiki pages as well:

http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Woodland_Realm
http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Wood-elves
http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Thranduil

[Kalon Ordona II]

Just don't say "what grace is given me, let it pass to him; let him be spared..." Unless it's like a loved one or someone very, very important. Some LOTR role-players (and game creators) have no imagination.

By all means talk to them in elvish. If she knows any Quenya, it might be stronger than Sindarin. If they can teach trees to talk, their language can probably reach a person's spirit much more effectively than the common tongue. Also, I imagine you would only say "tolo dan na ngalad" if they were cursed or under some shadow. Though "lasto beth nin, [and then more]" seems more routine and would probably be said all the time in healings.

If it feels like Tolkien, do it. If it feels like a MMORPG, don't. xD
We should gather references of all the places in the book where people were tended to or healed.

Edit:
Also, I found this:
http://www.istad.org/tolkien/healing.html
A nice article about healing.
Since Silvan's character is an elf, we want to think Glorfindel and herbs, I guess.

[Gadreille]

Soo....I WAS going to open the OOC....

But I still don't know what to name it!!!!

Thoughts?

[Silvan Arrow]

Whew...DONE! *passes out* That CS was a bugger of a long one! Please feel free to suggest corrections/revisions. I'll just lurking while tackling my students' grading, planning my thesis, and studying for a test next week.

.:Elendyne Amandil, maiden of Mirkwood:.

.:Born in the year 1033 of the Third Age:.

.:Elf Maiden of Mirkwood:.

.:Ancestry:.
Elendyne descends from the Silvan line of the Eldar race and is the only daughter and child of father Aerandir and mother Nienna. Aerandir was born in Mirkwood, at the time called Greenwood the Great, in the year 2954 of the Second Age and trained from childhood to join the ranks of his brethren that protected their kingdom’s borders. He was one of the youngest elven warriors to join Gil-Galad’s army and engage Sauron in the Last Alliance of Men and Elves. After the banishment of Sauron, he returned to Greenwood the Great and married his long-time love Nienna. The couple had decided to wait until the conclusion of the war so that should he fall in battle, she would be able to grieve properly and hopefully find a new love with time.

For the first millennium of the Third Age, Aerandir and Nienna enjoyed a peaceful, happy marriage. Nienna, from the time of her birth in 3285 of the Second Age, was possessed of a gentle, compassionate spirit and a love of the arts, particularly of singing and the recitation of poetry. In fact, Aerandir claims that he met Nienna after hearing her sing under the moonlight during a warm summer’s night when he had just completed his training to join the army. Aerandir was well respected of his brothers-in-arms for his skill with the blade and fiercely loyal devotion to his mate.

.:Biography:.
Aerandir and Nienna rejoiced over Elendyne’s birth, believing that they would be able to raise her in a time of peace. Alas, their hopes were in vain, as the shadow of Sauron returned to Greenwood the Great around 1050 of the Third Age, gradually plunging the mighty elven stronghold into darkness and earning Sauron the title of Necromancer. Fell creatures such as spiders and wargs harried King Thranduil’s borders, forcing his people to retreat northward and the warriors to regularly patrol the forests to protect their women and children. During one such routine patrol, Aerandir’s group was ambushed by a den of spiders and was nearly overwhelmed from the sheer numbers. He sustained a venomous bite in his right arm and would have passed to Mandos’ halls had the healers not amputated the limb. However, remnants of the spider’s potent venom still coursed through his veins, and none of Mirkwood’s healers had the skill to completely purge the toxin. When it became clear that he would not recover fully without outside aid and that his spirit was grieving the loss of his ability to fight, Thranduil sent him with his family and a small armed escort to Imladris to beg the aid of Lord Elrond.

Elrond remembered Aerandir’s youthful valor during the Last Alliance, and under his ministrations Aerandir was purged of the spider’s taint and slowly regained his strength. Elendyne, having just barely entered adulthood, marveled at Elrond’s ability to save her father and begged him to teach her the healing arts. She dwelled in Imladris for the next 400 years as Elrond’s apprentice, after which time Aerandir decided to sail to Valinor so he could finally rest from a lifetime of war. Nienna sailed with her mate and encourage Elendyne to accompany them, but she refused, saying that none needed healing in the Undying Lands and that she did not want to waste the skills she had devoted her life to learning.

Elendyne returned to Mirkwood, the shadows over the land a stark contrast from the light of Imladris, with the healing arts she had learned from Elrond and spent the next two centuries working alongside the rest of the healers. However, she realized that some of the warriors that perished under the healers’ care might have survived if they had been tended on the battlefield instead of waiting until their brothers could bring them back to the safety of the protected borders. However, when she expressed interest in accompanying the warriors on their patrols, they adamantly refused to allow such a young elf maiden to subject herself to such danger. Not to be refused, Elendyne began studying archery and one-handed swordsmanship so she could protect herself, and eventually the warriors reluctantly consented on the condition that she stay away from the frontlines and remain under armed guard at all times.

The warriors quickly learned the usefulness of having a healer accompany them to the battlefield, as Elendyne was able to save a great number of wounded who would have passed to Mandos’ Halls from fast-acting orc and spider venom or blood loss if not treated immediately. She continued in this capacity of a healer during the centuries that followed, while threats from orcs, Easterlings, and wild men slowly became more numerous. In the year 2509 of the Third Age, word reached Mirkwood of wild men crossing the Anduin to threaten Gondor. Fearing that the invaders would set their sights on Mirkwood should Gondor fall, Elendyne departed Mirkwood with the well-wishes of her kin and made her way to the town of Greybarrow, along the western shore of the eastern leg of the Greylin river, in the hopes of allying herself with the armies of Men.

.:Appearance:.
Elendyne stands at 5’10”, shorter than males but average for females, and bears the pale, slightly luminescent complexion of her brethren. Her hair is raven black and falls in straight, soft sheets just past her shoulders, though she twists the front section of her hair and ties it up on top of her head to keep strands from falling in her face. Her facial features are also characteristic of an elf, though softened because of her sex. She has high cheekbones that give her a full, yet narrow face, a nose that tapers to a delicate point, a small chin, and the trademark pointy ears. Her eyes are a deep, forest green with dark, rounded pupils. Her build is delicate and lithe, which conceals the toned muscles in her arms and legs obtained from her combat training and years spent in the field tending the wounded.

In terms of clothing, Elendyne favors practicality and functionality when she is working as a healer in the field. Her typical outfit is a forest green tunic that ties in the front with leather strings and a brown leather belt that circles her waist. Light beige pants fit close to her legs, made out of a soft, weather-resistant material. Over that she wears a calf-length, moss-green cloak with a hood made out of a material that repels rain. When in the field, she wears lightweight, leather armor over her attire. She will wear the long, flowing gowns usually favored by female elves on occasion, such as during a festival.

.:Occupation:.
-Healer of Mirkwood

.:Skills:.
Elendyne’s primary skill lies in her healing abilities, which are based mainly on herblore. She has an extensive knowledge of which herbs, plants, and roots can be used to treat a wide array of diseases, infections, burns, or poisons that afflict humans, elves, and dwarves and can stitch and cleanse wounds to prevent infection. Elrond also took care to teach her to speak fluently in Quenya, which sometimes reaches the spirit of the wounded more easily than Sindarin. She speaks to the wounded in Quenya and Sindarin, encouraging their spirits to hold to the light while she works over them. She can rarely use a “healing touch” on those on the brink of death to hold them to life while she treats them, but it does not work if their spirits have already lost the will to live.

Her compassionate side leads her to loathe combat, but she will fight in defense of herself or those under her care. Since she lacks the physical strength of her male counterparts, her fighting style is to evade the enemy’s attacks, often taking to the shelter of trees when possible, and striking from a distance with bow and arrow. If the fight becomes close-range or if she exhausts her supply of arrows, she wields a one-handed sword with both hands for maximum speed and maneuverability.

.:Weapons:.
-Lightweight longbow made of treated oak wood
-One-handed elven sword with runes etched along the sides
-Two daggers, one in each boot

.:Gear:.
-Hardened leather vest
-Leather forearm gauntlets and greaves for the shins
-Two pouches of healing herbs
-Sturdy leather quiver of goose-fletched arrows

.:Personality:.
Like all elves, Elendyne has an instinctive love of nature and all its living creatures. Her passion lies in healing and alleviating others’ suffering, though this drive borders on suicidal. She would rather spend all of her energy and abilities healing another than protect herself. This tendency gives her a knack for sensing the emotions of others. However, that kindness of heart has also been tempered and subdued over time because of the Shadow that has been growing in her home of Mirkwood. She faces daily life and problems alike with the grim reality of the Shadow’s presence at the forefront of her mind. She guards her compassionate side and only lets it show to people that she trusts and the injured that need her healing abilities. Love for the arts was not a priority for her, but the time she spent in Imladris learning the healing arts gave her a healthy appreciation for music, dancing, and writing, and she would spend most of her free time in the generous libraries of Elrond reading ancient tomes regarding healing and herblore.

Elendyne often wonders if she will ever marry and raise children of her own, but she realizes that her duty as a healer comes first. Very few elf women in the history of Mirkwood ever joined the ranks of the warriors, and she believes her habit of riding onto the battlefield makes her less than desirable as a wife and potential mother. She entertains the idea of one day sailing to Valinor once she can safely lay down the mantle of healing to rejoin her family and possibly earn the favor of a mate.

[Gadreille]

Wow, that is a monster of a CS! Lol, I mean that in the most positive way possible! It's beautiful! I love how much detail you gave to her biography.

[Silvan Arrow]

*blushes* Thank you kindly! Part of the reason the biography came out so long was because I had quite a few more centuries to cover, and I wanted to make sure it fit smoothly into the timeline. Silly elves and their immortality

[Guest]

Great work on your character sheets everyone! And I can't wait to see Blackrocks! I will be editing a few things on mine, to add clarity and depth, but nothing drastic. We'll be writing this story in no time!

[Kalon Ordona II]

AWESOME, Silvan!

Edit:
Oh, thinking of a name?
I'll help!
*goes off to ponder*

How about...

Orthad Rohirrim

(Rise of the Horse-Lords)
or, if we want to focus more on our perspective...

Celebrant

because that's the main place of the battle, right?
Or, if you like longer titles (I do have a penchant for the Title:Subtitle type)...

Celebrant: Rise of the Horse-Lords

Or, I suppose we could even get away with...

The Oath of Eorl

[Blackrock]

I'd call it Wrath of the North, but then again, I'm dreadfully cliche

Still working on my CS and just preparing to go out and get bored in class; so it will probably come quite a bit later on today. :/

[Sponsored content]