critique and suggestions please

[afro-elf]

Just found out that Dechiper is doing the LOTR rpg.

They are even doing an INTRO game for those new to role-playing.

Check out their site and click under middle earth.

They even have a board where you can talk to the game designers NOW.


ANYWAY, the point of this is: as you can tell from my online moniker what I wish to play; however, there is no precedent for it in Tolkien's work.

I've a couple of ways out of it below, but I would like input from other minds as well, be it a negative, positive, or you own ways out of it.

The point is not to RADIACLLY alter Tolkien's world to make my character fit. I really dislike it when people wanna play people like Glorfindel's brother. Wouldn't it be a little bit more realistic to just play a blonde Noldo warrior.


These are the non-chessey ones of some of the ideas I've thought of.

1) I BELIEVE that it stated somewhere that the AVARI were a many splintered group. If that is the case I could just be a very dark skinned avari

Question are Silvan and Avari the same?

2) Perhaps after the WOTR ,with their forces weakened, Sauron's lackeys were overthrown by the "good guys" in the south. And perhaps someone in the ambassdor's party from the south met with one of the Elves Legolas brought down from Mirkwood to Ithellinn and had a mulatto 1/2 elf.

After those two ideas I get a little stumped and the others things I think of get a tad chessey for my taste.

So I ask my fellow entmooters for some insight that I may be lacking.


thanks

[afro-elf]

I thought of a Noldarian twist also:

The house of Finarfin was known for their blonde hair.

The character could be from another house.( i think there were 11 houses in gondolin, such as the House of the Golden Flower which Glorfindel was head of and the House of the Harp).

This house could be known for their "rich brown" skin as House Finarfin was known for their golden hair

[Bregalad]

I think you should go for it. A dark skinned elf does not seem at all outlandish to me, nor does it seem direspectfull to Tolkien's work. Of course, I know less about the Elves than I do the Ents. The Ents are as varried as the trees in the forest. And it's not like you want two heads or something equally rediculous. You just want a darker shade of bark!

[Ñólendil]

1)The Avari and Eldar are of the same origin. That is, there were originally three tribes of Elves (these names are given in Quenya btw): Minyar ('firsts'), Tatyar ('seconds') and Nelyar ('thirds'). All of the Minyar went on the Great Journey and were called the Vanyar. Most of the Tatyar went and became the Ñoldor. Half of the Nelyar went and were called the Teleri. The remaining Elves (some of the Tatyar and half of the Nelyar) were the Avari. They did have many divisions (the names of six of the tribes can be found here). As far as I know, there were no swarthy Teleri or Noldor. That does not necessarily mean there were no dark-skinned Tatyarin or Nelyarin Avari. That is to say, it is possible there were dark-skinned Elves in those tribes that never went on the Great Journey.

Silvan Elves do not = Avari. Or not exactly. As far as Northern Mirkwood is concerned, they were of mixed origin, but mostly Nandor (Elves of the Teleri who never passed the Misty Mountains). They had mingled with Nelyarin Avari in the Second Age, and later some Sindarin princes came among them and brought politics; they ruled them. The Galadhrim of Lothlorien were also a mixed lot, the chief difference being the presence of Noldor from the fallen Eregion. I guess the Avarin peoples among the Wood-elves were of the Penni.

For what it's worth, there was a House among the Noldor that had ruddy skin (Nerdanel, wife of Feanor, was of this house). This might give you hope for brown-skinned Elves somewhere. But the Avari may be what you're looking for, I don't know.

[rashbold]

While most of the Quendi have dark hair, there are those who have golden hair, predominant among the Vanyar, and those of silver hair (many among the Teleri). However, red-haired Elves are not unknown: the family of Nerdanel, Fëanor's wife had red-hair, inherited from her father Mahtan (also called Urundil "copper lover"). Her family is also notable for having a ruddy complexion, which she passed on notably to her son Morifinwe (amilesse Carnistir = Caranthir). Furthermore the red hair of her family was passed on to many of sons, notably Nelyafinwe (Maitimo Russandol = Maedhros) and her last two the twins Pityafinwe and Telufinwe (Ambarussa and Umbarto or Ambarto = Amras and Amrod). Note: In fact the twins (Q. ónoni, S. gwenyn) were so much alike that they were called Ambarussa.

Etymological notes:

RUS stem used to refer to the red- or copper-color, esp. to hair. Derivatives:
russa adj. Red-haired, copper-colored, esp. used for animals, as fox, deer, etc.
russe n. Head or pelt of red hair.
rusco n. Fox. ruscuite adj. Foxy.
calarus(t) n. Polished copper.

RUN "red, glowing". Most often applied to embers, thus these primary derivatives:
runya adj. "Fiery" red.
urun n. copper.

[afro-elf]

inoldonil

The Avari choice would be the LEAST likely affect precedents in Middle Earth.

However, because I like the Noldar, I think that I'll aim for a Noldarian solution. I'm leaning toward the idea of using one of the 11 houses of Gondolin. Since most are unnamed, I'll probably use the name I used in the "what would you name your house thread" Autumn Dream and state they where known for their deep skin.

I think that it gives me an in and as Bregalad said

A dark skinned elf does not seem at all outlandish to me, nor does it seem direspectfull to Tolkien's work.

as always appreciate your post

[Vanimdil]

Afro-elf, I think your idea is a neat one. I like the dark-skinned group of Avari theory above the Easterling/elf theory because it would leave room for other dark-skinned elves as well. I see no reason why there couldn't have been a darker-skinned group of elves. There were many different kinds of elves in various places and just because Tolkien the Historian didn't make record of elves with rich brown skin doesn't mean there weren't any. I've been picturing them in my mind and they look really, really cool. Now you've inspired me to try drawing some.

----Vanimdil

P.S. I just read your newest post, Afro-elf. I think if you are more like the Noldor that's what you should be. A darker-skinned Noldorin house doesn't seem incongruous to me. Also, I heartily second Bregalad's statement.

[afro-elf]

Perhaps my particular Baranavair could have an Calaquendi parent and an avari one.

[afro-elf]

NAH

an avari is a better character to play than an uber-elf

[bropous]

I don't quite see how any of tolkien's elves would have been dark-skinned. There is always the "drow" one finds in D&D, the black-skinned "elves", if you want to go that route. Actually, I don't see the need to create a dark-skinned elf for rpg, since I've never had problems playing dwarves or halflings or half-orc assasins, even considering I have no resemblance to the Children of Aule, periannath nor human-urku crossbreeds. But hey, whatever floats your boat .

[Elvellon]

I once read an ICE module named “Shadow in the South” about the Far South, were a group of avarin elves dwelt, coexisting with native human peoples and the descendents of numenorian colonists. The idea was interesting.
Anyway, as I see it, you have several possibilities:
Your character can be an avari from some southern group with darker sin, or it could be that one of his parents (or other ancestor) was a dark skinned human.

[afro-elf]

I don't quite see how any of tolkien's elves would have been dark-skinned

There are ways out of this

as I mentioned above the avari where the most diverse of the elven tribes

the Prof was try to create a mythos for europe and concentrated on the "whites" of the world.

however other cultures across the planet have "elves" in their myths Djinn (genies) are the 1st ones to come to mind that have flesh tones along the lines of the culture it is from

simply the "elves" of these people could be avari who went in other direction than NW ME

There is always the "drow" one finds in D&D, the black-skinned "elves", if you want to go that route.

I hate D&D and its arse shooting magic

I don't see the need to create a dark-skinned elf for rpg

I may have a Capt. Kirk Philo on dating BUT when gaming I like my
creamy chocolate color

[afro-elf]

speaking like Capt. Kirk in pain


changing... mind... again... SPOCK!!!!


playing a whoop ass afro-quendi maybe kinda cool

since non of the other future players know ME as well as me ( not to say i know that much) I think one of those unnamed houses in Gondolin is calling "Shadowskin... Shadowskin"


but it would be a means to provide answers in characters

Yes I recall when the Rohirrim rode out of the North



The Calaquendi and moriquendi struggle within...


as for dunedain the house of bor were swarthy eastetlings who were good guys perhaps they wnet to Numenor also

and were increased my eonwe


haradrim and khand ould be options for the blacks, asians and latinos in ths group.

[BeardofPants]

"Excuse me...Why... does... 'god'... need... my... ship?"

Ai! There goes another red shirt...


If I were you, I'd go either with the avari thing, it seems to provide loopholes, or go with the Southron human parent thing.

[olsonm]

How about half-elven. Your 'parents' could be an elf and a Haradrim or which ever people you feel best suits your needs.