If you want to experience this kind of AwakeningI've given some of
my ideas and suggestions below.
-
Read Lord of the
Rings to start with. Remember it and keep it handy,
maybe not on your desk, but certainly not buried in a box at the bottom
of a pile of 6 other boxes.
- Read
anything else concerning Middle Earth that you can find. The
Silmarillion
is invaluable for putting everything into historical
perspective. Maybe difficult reading for some but it is truly
worthwhile if you
want to understand how to behave as any of the races and know how rivalries and
friendships formed.
- Ensure you have an appropriate
name
. Do not
choose a quenyan (language of the High Elves) name for a dwarf or Hobbit.
There
are a few places where you can get help choosing names. The first one is the
appendix to Lord of the Rings . This has the genealogies of most
'people'
in Middle Earth, you will find many of them already taken but it is a start.
Secondly, there are sites that have the etymology (listing and origin) of
different words as Tolkien himself devised eg. www.geocities.com/athens/parthenon/2196
or www.mume.iwarp.com. Thirdly, there is a name generator associated with
this site and there are similar ones in other places on the internet but
please dont ask me for addresses, I have no idea!
- Understand that becoming who you are means you
have to know who you are first. Make a history or story behind
your character and make this accurate for your race and sub-race.
That means you don't have a half-elf that has two elvish parents and
neither would a dwarf have been brought up in Lothlorien, since the
elves of that land have no trust for dwarves.
-
Roleplaying (the art of appearing as if you are your character living in the
land of Middle Earth as if it is reality.) is for enjoyment. As Londriel so
wisely pointed out to me "Respect each others roleplay and do not try to force
another to roleplay the way you want. Roleplay only works if all participants
play together, with each other rather than against each other."
- Develop a personality the suits your
race
, your past and your goals for the
future. For example a dwarf that lost his kin in the mines of Moria and has
vowed to avenge their blood should be courageous, possibly aggressive yet have a
sort of distant sadness in their eyes. You should take on an accent or word
pronunciations that once again suits your race, etc. A hobbit would seem to
mutter to themselves a lot and be often 'befuddled' etc if you wish to take on
Bilbo's example. Likewise also if you take on a wise and noble elf an ol'
English type speach may be appropriate, as seens when Galadriel speaks to
Frodo.
This would also include social actions. It would not be uncommon to
hear a dwarf curse or see them spit, but to see a high elf do such you may start
to wonder just how noble they were.
- If you decide to adopt your character and make
them real keep in that frame of mind constantly. Stay
'In-Character'. Use the comment or -- for
'Out-of-character'
statements or
information.
Hmmm... there are many more ideas and things
to think about to truly 'live' in Middle Earth. I will endeavour to have a new idea for you
regularly. And if you have ideas let me know.
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