The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien - The One Ring

by **wilko185** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 8:35 am

THIS POST - Introduction <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=56376#2">NEXT POST</a> - Biographies of adopters/adoptees <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=56376#3">THIRD POST</a> - Useful links to "TORC Guidelines, Rules and Help", "Tolkien Links on the Web", "Role Playing on TORC", "Other Useful TORC Resources" and "Great TORC Threads" <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> I N T R O D U C T I O N - (post 1 of 3) Welcome, welcome! So, you are new to TolkienOnline? Eager to discover, but not sure where to start? Don't hang back, now....... push open that rickety garden gate and come in! The winding path of blue-green pebbles will lead you through the fragrant grasses, past the many-coloured blooms, beneath the sun-dappled green boughs of the trees. Be patient, enjoy your meandering stroll and you will come at last to the elegant little arch which springs over the laughing stream and the garden will open before you... expanses of lush lawn with the peeping eyes of niphredil and elanor, rustic beds of flowers bobbing their heads in greeting with the gentle breeze beneath the open green canopy. Your eye will be drawn to the lovely sunlit rise from which the graceful trunk of our young mallorn rises and you will spy in its golden shade the capacious garden seat, its timber greying now but still lovingly maintained by the Bookworms. It is placed just where you would want it, with its delightful westward view over the distant parklands. There is a jug of home-made lemonade and clean glasses laid out on a tray for any new Bookworms who may wander through. To the east behind the foliage peeks the Bookworms' Lounge, reached by a cunningly wrought elvish stair of natural timber, delicately curving and finely enjoined, its knots and hollows a pleasure to the hand and the eye. The sounds of laughter and gentle music float down from the open windows and terrace of the Lounge... the Bookworms are at home and literary discussion has given way to the relaxed pleasures of friends well-met. Take a seat, help yourself to lemonade, breathe deep of the air redolent of green growing things and rest your eyes contentedly upon the horizon, where the misty outlines of the mountains ascend to the sky. We can see you sitting there, getting your bearings, enjoying the tranquility. We won't intrude until you are ready... just wave to say hello! <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <OL>The Bookworms' Gateway to the Lounge and Garden is a welcoming adoption thread run by a group of friends who have a love of books (Tolkien's especially) in common. We're a friendly, knowledgeable, kindly, expressive, good humoured and on the whole, a bookish bunch of people (we can probably boast more than a century of Tolkien reading between the lot of us!). We all frequent the Books (<a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=27">Tolkien</a> and <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=23">Other</a>) and <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=53">Virtual Tolkien Study Group</a> forums; several of us are immersed in Roleplay writing (both the <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=25">Prancing Pony</a> which is Tolkien based and the <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=55">Green Dragon</a>, which is Tolkien inspired). Between us, we probably have a presence in every other forum on <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil">The White Council</a>. We are: Alexandros, Armenelos, CaMinx, Carnimiriel, jeanelf, Mahima, Nessamelda, Novice, Prettygaladriel and wilko185. This is our adoption thread. We also have a <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=58464">Conversation Thread</a> running in parallel with this thread for any and all off-topic talk. And anyone who just wants to have some fun and chat about life, books or whatever's on your mind can usually find us and like-minded souls in <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=63971">The Lounge and Garden for Bookworms</a>, another conversation thread in the <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=24">Talk Forum</a>.</OL> In the next post we <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=56376#2">introduce ourselves</a>, and the post after that contains some <a target=new href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=56376#3">useful links</a> that should help you make the most of your time here at TolkienOnline, so please read the next two posts. If you like the look of our thread and would like to be adopted by us, just post a reply <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>. <pre>(Credit to Novice for composing the lovely opening)</pre>

by **wilko185** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 8:36 am

B I O G R A P H I E S - (post 2 of 3) In this post the Bookworm Adopters and our Adoptees give a brief description of themselves. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> THE ADOPTERS As you might have guessed, we're all book-readers, but we have a wide variety of interests beyond that. We hope you get to know us better <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> <OL>Alexandros "I frequent most of the forums but mainly stay in the Philosophy, Talk, Lighter Side forums. I spend about 8 hours on TORC everyday (except for Thursdays and Fridays). My interests include Books, Cars, Speed Bikes, Discussions and debates of all types, sports (outdoors), Games (Indoor - Chess, Checkers), Movies, meeting different people from different places, making people laugh and smile. I also love all things Tolkien." <a href='mailto:mr@cv.org' target=_blank>Armenelos</a> (a.k.a. Mr. Enigmatic <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>) "A son of Los Angeles County, Armenelos was born in the small suberb of Santa Monica. Living in the desert north of LA for most of his life, he fell in love with many kinds of literature, including the subjects of Middle-earth, the Beat Generation, and Objectivism. He befriended and became one of the artists in the area who thrifted toys and made music from them, and even directed a short film. He made a living maintenancing computers at the only Youth Library in California, while acting as a Stage hand at a Performing Arts theater, and eventually a Master Electrician/Lighting Designer, where he worked with the likes of Ben E. King, Earth Wind & Fire, The Turtles and many other greats. He is now awaiting the call of his musical hero, Trey Spruance, to light an islamic, electronic, surf rock, musical tour, while selling baseball cards and designing web pages in Galax, Virginia, the World's Capital of Olde Time Mountain Music, with his significant other and her family, entering into his twenty-first year in less than thirty days from now. -Matthew Rooney; Sep 22 2003" <a href='mailto:CaMinx@aol.com' target=_blank>CaMinx</a> "Many years ago I heard of Tolkien and saw postings of 'Frodo Lives' all over school campus. However, it was not until I saw the movie 'The Fellowship of the Rings' that I actually read any of Tolkien's works. I read the Hobbit and then The Lord of the Ring (3 times) and loved them!! I mostly visit the Books and Movie Forums and read much more than I post. I am a mom with one tweenage son and a part-time bookkeeper at a law firm. I like gardening, karate, reading, and swimming. I love chatting and meeting new people. I adore this web-site and would be happy to help you find your way around or direct you in any way I can <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>." <a href='mailto:edenham@ameritech.net' target=_blank>Carnimiriel</a> aim: Wrexali yahoo!: Wrexali "I have been an enthusiast of Tolkien's work for almost 20 years and have read just about anything by or about Tolkien I can get my hands on, including most of HoME. On TORC I mostly participate in a few serious, long-running collaborative writing threads in the Prancing Pony, though I also spend time in Books and visit other forums. In 'real life' I am a classical singer and teach voice at a small college in the Midwestern U.S. I also dabble in writing and am an avid reader. I am a member of both the Tolkien Society and the Mythopoeic Society; at the latter I serve on the award committee for fantasy literature. Other interests include music, dance, baking lembas, hiking, yoga, and travel." jeanelf "I usually am in Books, both Tolkien and Other, and Films (Tolkien). I've also been known to comment in Philosophy and chat a bit in the the Bird and Baby and Welcome. I've read LOTR annually for 27 years, and the Sil 8 times. I've now purchased Letters and bought some of HOME though I haven't gotten too far along in those yet! There are too many other books that have been waiting in line ahead of them! My outside interests are traveling, photography, reading, gardening and riding when I'm able." <a href='mailto:mahima_hada@delmia.com' target=_blank>Mahima</a> "I read loads of books, humour, philosophy, sci-fi, fantasy. I frequent most of the forums, but tend to stick to Philosophy, Books (Tolkien and Other), RP in Prancing Pony, VTSG, Lighter Side, Bird and Baby. I'm an Indian,a Mechanical Engineer working as a "Product Lifecycle Management" expert, married, no kids, and like to do a lot of things, but not keep my life too fast-paced. And I'm not as old as I sound <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>" <a href='mailto:sestewart@internode.on.net' target=_blank>Nessamelda</a> "I first read LoTR around thirty years ago (yes I was rather young!) and I started to read Sil the day it was published. About the only place in the forums that you don't find me is Movies although I actually enjoyed the film immensely it hasn't really occurred to me to chat about it. I have a severe RP addiction and my disreputable alter ego Alfirin turns up quite regularly in the Pony - and she is a member of the Rings guild. Nessamelda is a Journeyman Bard. In real life I'm a very junior (in rank, not in age!), very part-time academic, (I teach economics) with two small children. I dabble in just about anything creative - writing bad poetry and fanfiction; calligraphy, painting, embroidery, sewing - Jack of all trades, mistress of none. I'm originally from London, but I've lived in Australia for the last twenty years." <a href='mailto<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0>rettygaladriel@hotmail.com' target=_blank>PrettyGaladriel</a> "I live in Sydney, Australia. My nickname is PG, so call me that<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>. I read LOTR two years ago, and ever since, I've been obsessed. Then I watched the movie, and after that was when I found TORC. I've been here for almost a year (as you can probably tell by looking at the date joined under my name<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>). I'm cheecky and sarcastic, but don't be intimidated. I'm a very,very nice person<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I'd like to be an adopter because I love meeting and helping out new people<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>" <a href='mailto:felagund185@yahoo.com' target=_blank>wilko185</a> yahoo!: wilko185 "I'm usually to be found in the books-oriented forums here on TolkienOnline (TORC), but also make appearances in Philosophy, Talk, and Movies. I've been reading Tolkien for about 18 years, my favorite book is the Silmarillion, my favorite film of last year was Fellowship of the Ring and I somehow won the White Council 'Tolkien guru' award in 2002. I've found the people on this site to be friendly, funny and intelligent - I try to be the same, and sometimes manage it <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>. Outside TORC I'm a scientist from the UK, and love reading, films, roaming the internet and the great outdoors, travelling when finances allow, and some more reading <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>."</OL> <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> OUR ADOPTEES New adoptees, please tell us a bit about yourself, and we'll edit it in here. <OL>Teremia "I read Tolkien to tatters as a child -- wrote music for many of the songs -- used the Elvish alphabet whenever possible -- pondered the mysteries of the Sil (would I trade immortality for anything, even love? One of the big shifts in perspective that comes from being older is that I now see that trade as perfectly normal) -- in short, all the usual things one does. Now my eldest child is the age I was when I first fell into Middle Earth. She's reading it, but hasn't yet become fanatically obsessed (must work on that). I no longer, I hasten to say, remember anything useful about Elvish, and in any case I think I was just borrowing the alphabet without understanding a thing about the grammar. Anyway, I'm a teacher who writes novels on the side. I would like to become the inverse of that: a novelist who teaches occasionally! (Shall we call that my darkest secret?<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>All the other ones would bore you dreadfully, I'm sure.) My username belongs to a character of mine. (So -- oh, dear! must fret about this right away!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-rolleyes.gif"border=0>-- should I become an Eminent Novelist, my cover here will have been blown.) I play some fiddle and piano in RL, too, but I notice the acoustics are better in the Lounge.<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>" striderchick "I live in NZ, i am under 18 so i can't tell you too much, i have a thread on this site about sarumans nails, i actually refused to read the hobbit when i was younger, and then last december i read the hobbit, i read the fellowshisp of the ring about a week before i saw the movie, then afterwards i read TTT and ROTK. i have now frequently read LOTR." Plual226 "My history with LOTR's so far is pretty standard i guess, i am 19 now and at uni and first read the hobbit when i was 11/12?? then i found LOTR when i was about 13 and am now into my sixth reading of the entire series. I love it so much, it really means a lot to me. If i ever feel lonely or unhappy i can just open it anwhere and find a feeling of fullness and vitality and pure joy that i cant find anywhere else. Its hard to describe really what it means to me but suffice to say i value it highly.. my old laminated copy is bent and tattered and at all times i have a page marked out as to where im at..." Lady_Galadriel786 "I’m 21 years old, a Bangladeshi by birth, but I have lived in Durban, South Africa for the past 11 years. I’m a bookworm, through and through. I first read The Hobbit in high school, when I was 12. It was the first day, and we were all bored stiff; with nothing better to do, I headed over to the library and discovered the book by chance, hiding between Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (our set book for that year) and Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer - I was immediately intrigued. Unfortunately for me, though I searched high and low, that’s about as far as I got with Tolkien’s work (our libraries were so limited it’s a wonder they were actually referred to as libraries) until early 2001, when I finally got to read The Lord of the Rings. Since then, the seeds of interest that had been sown 8 years before bloomed into an obsession. It was like meeting an old friend whom I had not seen for a long, long time and getting re-acquainted with all their little quirky bits and little things that made me love them. I read both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings at least once every month and also read The Silmarillion and The Road Goes Ever On. I haven’t been able to find the other books of Tolkien at the library (I really need to move to a country with better libraries)<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif"border=0>( and unfortunately cannot afford to buy the books myself (my parents haven’t discovered the thrill of Tolkien yet - I’m working on that). Anyway, when the movie came out in December 2001, it only confirmed what I had already known: Tolkien’s genius is one-in-a-billion. And it was nice to see that Peter Jackson had translated Tolkien’s work so beautifully onto the silver screen. I’m also glad to say, the movie release did something I had not been able to achieve before (though did I work awfully hard on it): it made my younger cousins and my university friends as interested in Tolkien’s works as I was, and happily, they are now as passionate and as fanatically devoted to all things Middle-Earth as I am! J I’m currently working on turning my brother into another obsessed fan. (He’s only 7, but hey! You’re never too young to start, right?<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>) I’ve only recently discovered Tolkien Online (as you can see by the date I joined), but already I feel like this is going to become another obsession.<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0>I can’t wait to go out there and discover!!!! In real life, I’m still studying (Software Engineering). I’m a writer of bad short stories and depressing poetry, and a dancer (now this I am good at<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>). I love music, although I’m a pathetic singer (I leave all my singing for the shower<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>)); calligraphy; hiking; swimming; movies; ice-skating; and- umm, books!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0> I have a weakness for cappuccinos and café lattes - give me one and I’m yours for life (oops! Maybe I shouldn’t have said that! J). I love hanging out with my friends and family, they always come first for me; going to the beach or to the theatre; and I love parties!!!J I love to travel and have already been to Zambia, Botswana, New Zealand, U.A.E and India; and of course back to Bangladesh for visits. The places I most want to visit are London, England and Florence, Italy. I’m quite a shy person around new people (for the first 5 minutes!), but usually I’m outgoing, cheeky, sarcastic, wacky and spontaneous; and I actually have a pretty nifty sense of humour (or so my friends tell me<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0>) and I love meeting new people and making new friends!" RavenX aka RidderMark "I live in Auckland, New Zealand (yes, another one!), um, i love legolas, and um yeah. Is that alright?" [Yes!] Luvn_Legolas_Girl Mr-Moony "I don't go to school. I live in Auckland, New Zealand." Andri "I was born in Greece, but spent most of my life in Cyprus. I am a music teacher, I teach both piano and theory of music to all ages, but I specialize in Music History. I am currently living in London where I study for a MA degree in Music. (Any people from London here?) I first came in contact with LOTR more than ten years ago after I graduated from high school (I am giving away my age here!). I remember browsing in the city library back home, when I came across a book that had the most remarkable name on its spine: Tolkien. I do not know whether this name sounds OK in English, but let me tell you, it has a most exotic and strange sound in a Greek speaking world!!!! It was Tolkien's TTT and after taking it off the shelf and reading that it was vol.2 of a trilogy, I decided to wait until vol.1 became available. It was only a month later that I managed to borrow FOTR and I still remember sitting in my garden on a cool Spring afternoon, listening to the birdsongs and smelling the new-born flowers, opening the book and reading about pipe-weed and the Shire and a race of strange (at the time)creatures called Hobbits and Bilbo Baggins. And olkien worked his magic on me. I was totally and utterly hooked !!!! I spent the following years reading again and again the LOTR. Every time I read it there may be a small detail that I haven't noticed before that makes the text even more interesting and magical. I also read the Hobbit, the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales. Even though I still adore the LOTR, I find myself more drawn these days towards the Silmarillion with its almost unbearable yearning and melancholy. A masterpiece." ~*ArwenEvenstar*~ I’m from New Zealand (and no, I did NOT get to see the filming of the movie… unfortunately!!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-crying.gif"border=0> ) and I am relatively new to Tolkien’s world. I only read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings after I had seen Peter Jackson’s The Fellowship of the Ring, and I loved both the books and the movie!! My favourite characters in the books are Sam and Aragorn, and in the movie Sam (although I do wish his part in the story hadn’t been cut down so drastically!), Pippin (because he’s really funny... I loved the scene at The Council of Elrond) and Legolas (because he’s HEAVENLY !!!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>). I cannot wait to watch The Two Towers (No, I still haven’t watched it!!!! But I will this weekend, hopefully!! *prays really, really hard* ). I have been trying not to listen to all the comments and reviews, because I don’t want to spoil it for myself, although LadyG has been dropping hints all over the place.. grrrr!!! Anyway, I think it will be just as exciting as the first movie, and I am especially looking forward to the battle scene of Helm’s Deep. In real life, I am still in high school. *sigh* But I am off to university next year to study Architecture. I have always enjoyed drawing and sketching, and I think it’ll be brilliant to study and later get a job in something I love to do. I love reading, TORC<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0>, movies and music… the average teenage stuff!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> karakie Faramirjam I'm Dutch (many of us on this forum?) and my father read me TTT when I was 7 (his own version, as I discovered later), I saw the Bashwhatever movie when I was 8 (and have been scared of the black riders until this day) and read LODR for the first time when I was 9. I'm not sure of the amount of times I have read LODR but it must be about 10 times- it's a part of my childhood and of my life. I enjoyed most of PJ's movie. Wicked_Wytch I'm a young woman from America and I love to read and write. (Writing is my passion). I also enjoy anime of all kinds (Esp. DBZ and Cowboy Bebop), as well as animals and children. Video games are one of my favorite forms of entertainment as well. Usually I live in a fantasy world (or two... or three). gwaedh Tobias_Red-tail SpawnOfSauron Marie Manheyn_Rawar lychee_goblin Uh...I'm new? Duh *slaps forehead* I don't really have much time on the net on account of school...which is doing it's best to make sure I never see my eighteenth year roll around @_@, weekends are pretty much it for me, but I would like to learn how to get around this place, at this point I add I am technology retarded ^-^. Ahh...I like to draw? And write? And read. I want one of those huge libraries where you wheel the ladder across with roof to floor shelves. I also like strawberries. Uh... I'm not sure exactly what I'm meant to be doing, I'm still trying to get a figure out the Adopter/Adoptee thing...oh well. Hullo! jwoolygirl ummmm... Hi? I'm new. Just so you know, you can call me jwoolygirl or Monica.(my real name) I will respond to either of them. The one big thing that you should know about me, is: I'm obsessed with rabbits. yes you heard me right, rabbits. I have five of them, show them and have done very well. They all have heard parts of LOTR. Although I have read them only once each, I did enjoy them. I am currentally reading 'Dune' and 'Raising better Rabbits and Cavies' and a few other rabbit books. I like all animals (with a few excptions) so I am looking for an adopter who likes them too. I am a little shy, but once I get framilar, I open right up. I am a big fan of LOTR, and am even bigger fan now. So you could call me a fan in training. Dovesong Greetings all! I live in Virginia in the USA and am a single mom of two little hobbits-and so have a need to converse with those at least pretending to be adults!LOL!I would like to learn all about this website and ya'll sound like the Most interesting group of people that I have encountered in a very long time!Would you please consider adopting this ol' southern girl? I don't have a problem admitting that I am lost and in need of directions!I love to laugh and I also love to delve into the deep serious side of things. arielmoonbow Hello Lounge and Garden-ers, You seem like a fun bunch, and I would like to be adopted! I have been lurking on the site for several months, but only really started posting last month, so I'm pretty darn new. I love the books; read 'em first when I was ten (after seeing the Rankin/Bass cartoon special at Thanksgiving, a friend of the family bought the set for me for Christmas), and have re-read them every few years since. Recently I tackled some of the HoME series, and am currently on The Treason of Isengard. I've enjoyed the movies, and although some of the changes in TTT were irritating to me, I'm hoping the SE of TTT and RoTK will solve some of my "issues". I hang out in the Gardeners Guild, the Faramir Fan Club, and sometimes venture into the philosophy and music boards--but I don't really seem to "belong" anywhere yet, and I'd like to. FrrodoLives My dad tried to read me The Hobbit when I was 8, the ringwraiths horrified me so he stopped. I read it on my own two years later, read it multiple times after that, then moved on to other Tolkien books. I am (hopefully no one will hate me for this) a fan of the movies, more or less. I find them acceptable to watch; I realize it is virtually impossible to stick to the books, so I deal with the changes and inconsistencies because they are enjoyable to watch. I only recently realized what a geek I am, but I'm proud of it. The only problem is, my closeted geeky friends are fans of Star Wars (so far no Trekkies that I know of). Therefore, I have sought like-minded people online. I love reading, I am an English major, so that is a good thing I guess. I've been feeding my obsession on my own for a few years now, but I hope to nurture it until it takes over my life, hopefully you all can help. That is all. Snapdragon_Brandybuck Snapdragon meanders down the path of blue-green pebbles. She has been this way a few times before, but only for a quick sip of lemonade. Today she has decided to actually venture up the curving elvish stair and into the lounge itself. Hello! I'm new around here, and, although I've been enjoying myself immensely, I'd like to take advantage of your adoption offer. A little about myself. I've been a Tolkien fanatic since I read LOTR at age 11 or 12. I've read them dozens of times since, and, finally, just read the Silmarillion (sp?). I am something of a bookworm myself, though I am usually more engrossed in children's literature, being an editor with a children's magazine. I live in the Northeast of the U.S. This site is incredible. But I really don't want it to take over my life! How do you manage not getting swallowed up in this huge and inspiring place? About my name: it is a flower name. Half the maid-children in the Shire have such names, and what could be better? But my parents obviously didn't follow the wise advice: make it short so you don't have to cut it short before you can use it. You can call me Snap if you like. Alassante_Estel I 1st read Tolkien about 10 or 11 years ago - stole the books from my dad and have never given them back<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> Read the Sil for the first time in ten years and wonder how in the world i got through it when I was 13 - I don't think that I did, lol. deluded myself on that one for a while<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0> anyway, I suppose I should say something about myself that isn't Tolkien related. I am a (3rd year) senior in college (I changed my major far too many times) and will be graduating on May 11 (my dads b-day<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>) with a degree in Archaeology. I'm 23, soon to be 24. ummm, I grew up in the Marshall Islands (its in the Pacific, half way between Hawaii and Australia, and about 2,000 miles from everything) till I was ten and then my parents had this brilliant idea to move to Wisconsin. They told me that blizzards would happen all the time, and that I would love snow. Then when they retired, they moved to Padre Island Texas and left me here. Course, i don't know if i would've wanted to move to texas

Can I come live with you guys that live in Australia? Its pretty close to where I grew up - only about 2,000 miles away, lol. Elessar15 Arwen1989 Bit Of Info on me: obseesed with books, love Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter and stuff by Tamora Pierce. Also Obsessed with Buffy and love most types of music. Have Read the LOTR Trilogy + the Hobbit and the Silmarilion. From Scotland. Argumentative and sarcastic most of the time but very shy, Pretty sure you'll all hate me by the time you get to know me SiriusBlack A few things about myself.. I get my name from my favorite character of the Harry Potter series obviously, which means I love books, Rowling and Tolkien mostly, though I enjoy reading other fantasy books, Midevil fantasy in particular, do not care much for the sci fi, other planets type thing, but I love the stories, with Kings and knights, swords, even elves and dwarves, that type of thing. Weis & Hickman, G.R.R Martin are some of my favs. Tar-Elestirnë I love Tokien and his works. Took my name from one of my favorite stories in the Unfinished Tales. Umm, I think the movies are ok. The second one made me a bit mad just because some of the changes that they made (Osgilath in particular) would have actually messed the whole plot up. But I've been told not to go into the movies area until I am not a newbie anymore so I guess that I won't<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0> Ummm, I am 23 years old, still live at home, and am taking summer classes. I don't know. Umm, I really can't think of anything to say really. I love Tolkien and I signed onto the website after reading some of a Tolkien Virgin so that I could find other people to talk to about the books, especially the ones like the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. So, yeah, hi <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> Dad-human I first read Tolkien in high school about 30 years ago but then somehow didn't until about 4 years ago when I rediscovered his books. I've been visiting another site for about 3 years and just thought I'd drop in here to see what it's like. I'm married with two teen-age children. My family all like Tolkien but are not as fanatical as I am. I live in Northern California and work managing a gift store in a mall. Finnabhair Salve...I'm a newbie to this site. Are you still taking adoptees? Anyhow, my name's Finnabhair and I'm from southern California. I became a Tolkien addict after I read "The Hobbit" when I was 9. Since then I've read and re-read "The Lord of the Rings," and "The Silmarillion." I love fantasy books (though Tolkien is still the king of all fantasy writers!). I enjoy writing, history, and archery. What else...I play the harp, am taking Latin, and am a newbie to the local SCA group. Ave, Finnabhair mytherielle A bit about myself? Well, I'm an Aussie chick, working in the Sydney region. I've always been a bit of a fan of the fantasy genre, and for a while wondered why the greatest review accolade was usually something like "x is the next Tolkien" or "Not since the Lord of the Rings have we seen such literary mastery!" etc etc. So I read it, and now I understand! Dev I've just discovered LOTR -like many people- when the Fellowship movie was released. I've always heard about tolkien and LOTR but I believed (wrongly) that it was some tale about witches and fairies, just like, you know, all those 80s movies like neverending story, willow and stuff, that seemed very childish to me. When the movie premiered I finaly gave the books a chance and when I saw the Fellowship I was more or less on page 150 on the book. As any bookworm knows, the book ALWAYS tops the movie! Right now I'm reading the Sil as I told you and it's great to know there are many other people who have read it too, since it's not so easy to find readers in the neighborhood with big toolkien knowledge. Thanks for your welcome! I think it's time to start the journey!!! mar Hi, I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina and I would like to be adopted by you. I read Tolkien books about 7 years ago and since them I have not left the Middle Earth. I never joined any group, I always kept this sacred treasure to myself. I started looking for information when the movies appeared to learn about the opinions of other fellow Tolkien readers and here I am, ready to learn and share and enjoy. I like reading very much, Literature from every part of the world. I also love travelling around the world when ever I get the chance to do so. BigMama My first introduction to Tolkien was over 35 years ago when my high school advanced biology teacher decided to write all the extra credit questions on his exams in elvish. We had to learn Tolkien's elvish alphabet and respond in kind to receive extra points. Since that time, I have read the Hobbit and the LOTR at least once a year, and often more than twice. By conservative estimate, I believe I have read these works 60+ times! Since I am able to quote long passages from memory(at my age that is all I can remember!), I find some of PJ's changes quite difficult to rationalize, but I have enjoyed the films in spite of this. Since I am extremely bookish and a speed reader, I will read anything worthy of print. My other favorites in this genre include Kristin Britain's Green Rider books, but I also enjoy Jack Higgins and Clive Cussler--all great mind candy! niphredilmaiden Hullo! *waves enthusiastically * From as far back as I can remember I have been into books, and even now my friends think I'm a freak when I go into the library or open one up at lunch time... haha. Well that's why I would like to be adopted into the book worms! I started reading Tolkien's works after LOTR - FOTR came out, and now I have a severe passion for both. The books are sooo better though. More passion I reckon. I'm under 18 (awwe I feel so young and stuupid!) and final exams are coming up so I have to be studying for those instead of being on the computer, like I am now. uuuuummmmmmmmmm. I live in New Zealand (i didn't see no filming *sob*) but a couple of days ago I bungee jumped off the bridge above the Kawarau river that the fellowship were supposed to have rafted from. Or something like that. The water looks soo like the River on the movie, I was buzzing! OOOOOHHHHH YEAH! I just finished reading the Silmarillion!! I am so proud of myself and happy cause it's such an awesome book - I can't believed why I hadn't read it before! The tale of Luthien and Beren caught my heart the most... oh so sad and yet oh so brilliant. And most of all I can't wait to actually talk with people who know about Tolkien, since nobody will listen to my ranting and ravings about Ungoliant, and Beren, and how I finally know why Elrond is called 'half-elven' haha duur!!! Ok so after that I was a tad excited... Sandorf As you must notice, I´m a newbie to this land but also a book-eater (specially Tolkien works, The Silmarillion rules!!!!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>)so I decided trying to find an adopter in here. By the way, as you surely notice, I´m not an english speaker. I´m from Argentina so spanish is my foreign language. So I beg your pardon in advance for my idiomatic mistakes. ErynofLasgalen I'm a 26 year-old French-Canadian girl (there's your explanation about the origin of all those nasty mistakes I make or even the weird words I invent.<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> Sorry about that. A friend of mine is trying to help me polish my English, but well progress as never been a fast thing... So for now, you'll have to suffer at the hands of my appalling grammar!). I've been a translator for the last 4 years and a public servant, and have a graduate certificate in localization, which is where I've discovered myself a love of computer sciences and Webdesign. So besides French (obviously) I've learned English (even more obvious <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0>), German, Russian, Spanish and Italian (does Latin counts? <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>), most of them I have lost now, at least let's say my ability to carry a conversation is now "dormant". But it still amazes me how I haven't lost all of it totally even seeing since how long I haven't practice in anyway. I love travelling and went to Europe twice and many times to the USA. I like, no love, no adore, no worship all things Tolkien, whether they are the original thing or the new modern version. Meaning that even if I didn't read much on the Tolkien front yet (sorry to disappoint you all, I'm afraid I'm not a veteran Tolkien reader), I'm getting around to it, as fast as real life and the movies will permit it (I'm careful not to read anything before seeing it, since that tactic as worked for me for the first movies. It's not a matter of not getting spoiled, but rather not imagining things for myself and then getting disappointed - Cause I have one majorly rampant imagination <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0>). Somehow, I manage to love the books AND the movies, without any preferences. Maybe it's a lack of discernment on my part, but I prefer to see it as being open-minded <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0>. I'm also always seeing the glass as half-full and is absolutely incapable to be angry or depressed. I do have my melancholia episodes, but they never last as I'd do anything to have fun and laugh and make everyone happy around me. I'm crazy about art, crafts and costumes (which explains the fact my house looks like a war zone in preparation for the Gathering of the Fellowship <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>). I tend to try everything and learn about anything I can, which makes me a beginner at all sorts of thing but never mastering anything I've undertaken (just look at how many languages I've studied). I know, I know, I have to work on this and learn some measure of focus. I've recently discovered or rather rediscovered fanfiction and I've even been trying my hand at it, with inconclusive results. Well at least it's a great deal of fun, is an excellent opportunity to meet people and is a really good mean to improve on my English writing skills. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> So that's about it. That's me in all my silliness, with my red hair and my crazy dream of buying a motorcycle next year... Sky4 soul_warrior i'm from the good ole usa lol......i discovered tolkien by going through my mother's bookshelves and reading the hobbit and then i had to read it again for class a few years later and i ended up reading the whole series. lol actually i found TORC because a little cousin of mine who frequents the sites was picking on a friend because of some of her rp's and somehow i ended up finding the site one day when i was bored............ummmm...........there's these two guys who keep chasing me and pumping me full of chemicals whenever i start to act......"odd" lol. i did roleplay 101 and 102 the opening statements to role players and i've scrounged through a few rp's and threads that were closed and figured out exactly what caused the mod's to get on there butt's about there post's lol and i've already started in on an existing thread lol(i dont think i jumped the gun) Chizala Since I have an insatiable appitite for books, I thought that this would be the best group to get into! I love mostly non-fiction books, because I love to learn new things. I particularly have an appitite for books on Egyptology or archaeology in general. Tolkien has got to be the first fiction writer that really caught my eye and held it. What I love most is the history that he created for his world. As for my own intrests (besides reading)they lie in drawing, writing fiction (though it's funny cause I don't really like to read it...lol), dancing, daydreaming, learning new things, RPing (which I'm intrested in doing here...though I'll need help to develop my character...hee hee) and tons of other stuff that I won't bore everyone with here! Misty (A.K.A Chizala) seren Umm, hello. I'm a bookworm who's been here for some time already but have not yet found the place to flop down and bury my nose in a book. Would you mind if I came in? Is there any room here? (eyes longingly the comfortable sofas and armchairs just made for sinking into with a favourite tome and a cup of tea) I'm quiet and well behaved and I won't make a lot of noise. Plus I clear all my debris away when I've finished with it. You won't find sandwich wrappers and chocolate bar paper strewn all over the place along with dirty half finished cups of coffee. I also put books back when I've finished with them. I love talking about books and enjoy role playing, though I haven't really tried any out 'cos there's such a mass of threads devoted to that. I was hoping someone would take me under their wing and show me the ropes, as it were. I also like writing and have ventured into the Scriptorium of Imladris to take up the pens and paper lying there. I have submitted a couple of my efforts too. I've watched the big screen in Movies and joined in some of the 'debates' going on in there. But I'd really like to have a safe haven I can retire too when I need some peace and quiet. This sounds just like the place. Can you squeeze in one more? Mrfrodo Thanks very much. About me...I'm from London (born West, now living East. Not quite Mordor East. Unless you consider Hoxton finns to be Orc-worthy haircuts.). I'm a copywriter at the moment. Did Illustration before that. So, a general words and pictures theme in my life. I studied English at university(Tolkien's old college). I'm 25. Anything else you want to know about me in general, Just ask! But on to the important Tolkieny stuff: When I was six I had a fever. My old gaffer told me the story of the Lord of the Rings. Read the Hobbit, and then the LOTR about a year after that, and I was hooked. I don't have the same Elijah-Wood-eyed conviction that he's the greatest writer in the world, but he's embedded in my head like a silmaril. More recently, got into Buffy, and have been discussing the similarities between Tolkien and Whedon on a Buffy forum recently - Spike as Gollum, anyone? I've always been a comics fan (Halo Jones and Maus are two particular favourites). But Tolkien's my first love, and watching the films (ROTK in particular) has rekindled the old flame. So now feel the need to talk about it with people who won't glaze over after ten minutes. What else? I can never resist a subtext discussion: "If that’s being queer, then we could do with a bit more queerness in these parts." elatan A bit about myself. As most of the Aussies have guessed that is where I'm from. Melbourne, Victoria to be exact. Also partly the reason why i asked for adoption here. Anyway, I've just finished my last year of school, being 17, and hope to do medicine in the coming year or as soon as i can get in. I'm reading LOTR for the fourth time and read it for the first time half a year before the Fellowship came out. I didn't even know they were making the movies till about a month or two before it came out. I love all the detail involved and hence i love the silmarillian, unfinished tales and the hobbit. haven't managed to get hold of HoME, but i hope to soon. celebalqua I have lurked around TORC for about a year, but finally signed up last December. My friend who I usually discuss my Tolkien concerns, in particular the PJ movies, has sadly left me to go to a better place, and so I decided to have a go at these forums. I am also in Melbourne Australia, have been reading Tolkien since I was 17 (20 yrs!), and try and pick up at least one book of his each year. I am a mother of three kids, aged six, five and three, wife to a kid aged 34! I work and am studying my matsers. I love reading, in particular SF, I don't usually read any fantasy other than Tolkien but I don't class this as fantasy any way. </OL>

by **wilko185** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 8:36 am

U S E F U L _ L I N K S - (post 3 of 3) Here are some links to help you use this message-board, learn about role-playing here on TORC, and find out about Tolkien on the web. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> TORC Guidelines, Rules and Help Almost everything you need to know about getting the most from your time on this messageboard should be found by following these links. But there's a lot of facts and guidelines to take in here, and we don't expect you to learn them all before posting. Don't be shy of just asking in this thread if you're not sure about something, that's what we're here for <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> <UL><li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=23795' target=_blank>For New Members.. A COMPREHENSIVE INTRODUCTION to this Messageboard</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=70297' target=_blank>Frequently Asked Questions</a> about this Messageboard. <li>The TORC Moderators can be collectively contacted by emailing to mods@tolkienonline.com, for any problems you have (or observe) here on TORC. Or see <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=56025' target=_blank>Who are the Mods?</a> for a list of TORC's Moderators and their individual email addresses <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/tos.cfm' target=_blank>TERMS OF SERVICE</a> for this family-friendly messageboard. <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=44204' target=_blank>Message of Welcome to New posters and guidelines of conduct</a> <li>There are forum-specific posting guidelines in "sticky" threads at the top of the <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=56280&ann=1' target=_blank>Books</a>, <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=54639&ann=1' target=_blank>Movies</a>, <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=48&threadid=66772&ann=1' target=_blank>Fandom</a>, <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=54902&ann=1' target=_blank>Languages</a> and <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=23&threadid=56922&ann=1' target=_blank>Books(other)</a> forums, and both the <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=54648&ann=1' target=_blank>Middle-earth based</a> and <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=55&threadid=55074&ann=1' target=_blank>Tolkien influenced</a> RP forums, which should be looked at before starting new threads. <li>See the <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=49718' target=_blank>Thread Rating FAQ</a> for an explanation of Renown and Votes (Note - the thread-rating system is currently inactive)</UL> Two more points worth emphasising: <UL><li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=51&threadid=43107' target=_blank>Under 18s</a> should not reveal their age or specific location on TORC (or online in general, IMHO) for their own safety. <li>TORC has a helpful <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/search.cfm' target=_blank>search function</a> available at the top of the page. Before starting a new topic it's worthwhile doing a search to see if it's been discussed before. As well as helping to conserve TORC's precious bandwidth by avoiding starting redundant threads, you might find some fascinating insights from the TORCers of yore. Complementary to the message-board search is the <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/search/' target=_blank>Front-page search</a>. Although it cannot filter by username or specific forum of the message-board, it can also search TORC's articles, newsletters etc, and presents the results in a more convenient format.</UL> <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> Tolkien Links on the Web The internet has thousands of Tolkien-oriented sites. Here are some of our favorites: <UL><li>The best general reference resource is probably <a href='http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/' target=_blank>The Encyclopedia of Arda</a>. <li><a href='http://tolkien.slimy.com/' target=_blank>The Tolkien Meta-FAQ</a> answers many Middle-earth queries. <li><a href='http://lotrmaps.middle-earth.us/index2.html' target=_blank>Here</a> and <a href='http://www.fortunecity.co.uk/library/fantasy/11/maps.htm' target=_blank>here</a> are two of the many Middle-earth map sites on the web. <li>TORC has a <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=53' target=_blank>Virtual Tolkien Study Group</a>, a systematic study of Tolkien's writings starting with the Silmarillion, which we encourage people to look at it and hopefully contribute to. It is indexed <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=53&threadid=51612' target=_blank>here</a>. <li>Two of the best Tolkien language sites are <a href='http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/' target=_blank>Ardalambion</a> and <a href='http://www.elvish.org/gwaith/language.htm' target=_blank>elvish.org</a>. <li>Still can't find what you're looking for? <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=53&threadid=46812' target=_blank>The Tolkien Virtual 'Resource' Library</a> is a wonderful list of Tolkien-related links maintained by Parador~J here on TORC.</UL> <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> Role Playing on TORC Even if you've RPed elsewhere, the role play here at TORC, which is collaborative story-telling rather than a role-playing game, may need some introduction. Here it is. <UL><li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=62276' target=_blank>The Bookworms' Character Development Studio </a> <li><a href='http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/erinhue/torcroleplayfaq/' target=_blank>TORC Role play FAQ</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=63271' target=_blank>To All Newbies - An Open Letter from an RP Addict</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=54648&ann=1' target=_blank>Rules and Guidelines for Role Playing</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=54678' target=_blank>The Lucky Fortune Inn - Your First Taste Of RP Fun</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=26445' target=_blank>Role Playing 101</a> and <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=49391' target=_blank>Role Playing 102 Advanced Class</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=71627' target=_blank>RP resources A-Z</a> <li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=34533' target=_blank>Character Archives</a></UL> <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> Other Useful TORC Resources <UL><li><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=20241' target=_blank>THE LIST of Guilds - Find a Guild/Group here!</a> <li>Have a look at your fellow TORCers' <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=57907' target=_blank>stats</a> and <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=27378' target=_blank>photos</a>. Find out who is <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/whoson.cfm?ALL=y' target=_blank>logged in</a>, and contact them by <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=28742' target=_blank>Instant Messenger</a>. Or drop by the TORC chat-room: on <a href='http://www.mirc.com/get.html' target=_blank>mIRC</a> connect to channel #c2_lotr on a dalnet server. <li> Have a look at the <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/gallery/highest_rated.cfm' target=_blank>Gallery</a> and <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/reading_room/' target=_blank>Reading Room</a> <li>If you have some spare $$$s you can support TORC by <a href='http://www.cafepress.com/tor' target=_blank>buying some TORC stuff</a> or <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/enthusiast/index.cfm' target=_blank>becoming a Premiere Member</a> (read <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/enthusiast/pm_info/' target=_blank>this FAQ</a>)</UL> <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> Great TORC Threads Here are some threads, old and new, from various forums of this website. If not actually of classic status they are all well worth reading (in our humble opinion <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>). Books - Here are some of the longer, more discursive, threads on Tolkien's Books (more <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=65006' target=_blank>here</a>).<OL><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=34583' target=_blank>Who is THE hero of LOTR?</a> Well? Who do you think it is? <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=39798' target=_blank>The Darkness - how deep?</a> Some very thought-provoking posts on the darkness at the heart of The Lord of the Rings. <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=36267' target=_blank>Was Turin at Fault?</a> An interesting question with many answers <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=48833' target=_blank>Frodo's Kitchen: A Safe Haven for Devotees of the Books</a> A looong thread, but containing some good insights. If you want to get to know the Hobbits of LOTR better, this is the place. <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=45019' target=_blank>Gandalf's nature???</a> An interesting perspective on the nature of the Ainur. <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=45672' target=_blank>Veiled Vistas</a> The wondrous nature of Middle-earth. <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=56303' target=_blank>Sea-longing</a> Tolkien's recurring fascination with the sea. <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=37332' target=_blank>What really happened at Mt. Doom, part 2</a> Examining the climax of The Lord of the Rings</OL> Movies - Some examples of the two things which tend to distinguish the Movies forum:<OL>the long-running and hard-fought "purism vs. revisionism" debate (maybe <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=63356' target=_blank>get inducted</a> before plunging in): <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=21794' target=_blank>Changes As Guardians of the Themes and Characters</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=16929' target=_blank>The Leonides* and Kelannar Debate</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=20124' target=_blank>Tyranny of the Text</a> <a href='http://href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=4700' target=_blank> Why should PJ have creative license?</a> very funny parodies: <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=21258' target=_blank>Son of W.I.N.K.L.E.!!!!!</a> <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=11581' target=_blank>Whistler's Golden Oldies</a> <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> and others... <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=62024' target=_blank>Ooh, those awful Elves!</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=3638' target=_blank>The Casting Scripts</a> </OL> Roleplay - Before posting to any role play thread, please check in at the relevant out-of-character (OOC) thread (apart from <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=54678' target=_blank>The Lucky Fortune Inn</a>, where you can jump straight in <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>).<OL><a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=10803' target=_blank>The Gathering Storm</a> Winner of TORC's 2002 Silver Thread Award <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?start=0&catid=25&threadid=12167' target=_blank>In Search of the Ringbearer</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=49206' target=_blank>The TORC Conspiracy</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=50583' target=_blank>The Wandering Inn</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=24468' target=_blank>BELERIAND</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=5211' target=_blank>The Inn at Long Lake...a journey ended</a> (formerly known as In Search of Hunter's Rest) <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=7522' target=_blank>Elbren's Challenge: The Pillar of Heaven</a> <a href='http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=49733' target=_blank>Caravan to Khand</a></OL> <pre>Please tell us about broken links. Suggestions for (even) more links will be gratefully received <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0></pre>

by **Carnimiriel** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 9:04 am

A wonderful start, Wilko! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I just wanted to pop in here to wave hello to anyone reading this thread, and to bring by some of my homemade lembas for you to snack on while you're reading. I've never adopted anything before except two adorable cats, but if they could post here, they would probably put in a good word (or meow) for me!

by **wilko185** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 9:13 am

Hi Carni <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> Ah, lembas, I hope the lovely smell tempts some people in (shall we put out some drinks as well?) I should point out that of course, the opening posts are not all my own work. In particular, Novice wrote the lyrical opening post, but this thread is a joint effort (meaning, don't expect me to do all the work<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>) <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **Alys** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 3:07 pm

Hello everyone and welcome to the Adoption forum <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I'm sorry I'm not a newbie (although for a suitable offer I will pretend <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>). I just popped in to say hello. I'm sure they will start turning up soon - Good luck <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> PG you're still welcome in MAAMA anytime - but no poaching! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0>

by **Armenelos** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 7:15 pm

a bio, he? i like the enigmatic part. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> here it is. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Qiyamat a tawil': The Great Resurrection of the Beginning Qiyamat insan al kamel: The Great Resurrection of the Perfect Man Haqq: Truth. These are the things that I believe in. If you understand then I may be the perfect person for you to talk to. ** I am nineteen years old, I live in Lancaster, California, USA. I am a writer, a musician, a lighting designer, and a web designer. I have read Tolkien's work every year (even the History of Middle Earth series) for I love his work very much. I yearn to bring happiness, joy, and sincerity to the experience of this website. You can find me in The Books, People's of Middle Earth, and The One Ring Forums ninety percent of the time, while i spread out occasionally as well. That is all." - Mr. Enigmatic ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *lays out a large, soft blanket around a tall tree off to the side and back of the area and has a seat there* come and sit with me and relax.

by **Novice** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 8:53 pm

Hello fellow adopters, and hello Alys my dear <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I thought I might refresh the jug of lemonade.... Novice picks up the near-empty jug and ascends the elven stairs, disappears behind the french doors on the terrace and wanders to the kitchen. She soon reappears with the re-filled jug of lemonade in one hand, ice-cubes tinkling as she makes her way carefully down the stairs. In her other hand is a huge bowl of fresh strawberries----Mmmmmnn.... She sets them all up near the garden seat, pours two glasses of ice-cold lemonade and joins Armenelos on his blanket. Here you go, Mr Enigmatic. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> It's hot out here without a drink.

by **Armenelos** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 9:37 pm

aw, thanks, i love lemonade *he lovingly states as he takes a sip*

by **Teremia** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:14 pm

*ahem* *shy cough* Am I technically too old to be adoptable? After all, this is my twentieth post, and (another strike against me) I already know where the lounge is, and (even worse) I have even figured out how to use italics. But I bet there's still a thing or two I don't know. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> Your humble fiddle-person, T

by **Armenelos** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:24 pm

of course you can be adopted. did you have anyone in mind? by the way, welcome to our thread. it is wonderful to have you here, please join us for some lemonade *moves over to make a place*

by **Novice** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 10:48 pm

Hi Teremia! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> Our first adoptee! You know Mr Enigmatic, of course.....So nice that you decided to swell our ranks here as well as in the Lounge....seeing you know your way about the lounge and kitchen, please feel free to add something more interesting *cough vodka cough * to the lemonade <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> Teremia, if you'd like to provide a bio (you don't have to if you'd rather not) then wilko will edit it into our bio post. Tell us how you came to Tolkien? What you do in Real Life? Which part of the world do you hail from? Do you think Balrogs have wings? What tweaks your interest across this wonderful world called TORC? How did you decide on your name? What is your deepest, darkest secret? ....erm....sorry, got carried away there.... <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif"border=0> I settled on being 'Novice' because this is the very first message board I've ever been involved in, so everything required a steep learning curve....and I feel I am always open to learning something knew...especially about Tolkien. One never knows it all (except perhaps wilko, who is officially the TORC Tolkien Guru, of course <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> ) I still feel like a novice everytime I log in...actually I never have to log in, I'm permanently and umbilically attached. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-rolleyes.gif"border=0>

by **Armenelos** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 11:07 pm

just don't put any of that in my lemonade please. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **Teremia** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 11:15 pm

Thanks for the swift welcome and moving-over-to-make-room-on-the-bench, Armenelos and Novice! Is it true that one has to be adopted by someone in particular? I liked the idea of being a Ward of the Lounge-as-a-Whole. I read Tolkien to tatters as a child -- wrote music for many of the songs -- used the Elvish alphabet whenever possible -- pondered the mysteries of the Sil (would I trade immortality for anything, even love? One of the big shifts in perspective that comes from being older is that I now see that trade as perfectly normal) -- in short, all the usual things one does. Now my eldest child is the age I was when I first fell into Middle Earth. She's reading it, but hasn't yet become fanatically obsessed (must work on that). I no longer, I hasten to say, remember anything useful about Elvish, and in any case I think I was just borrowing the alphabet without understanding a thing about the grammar. Anyway, I'm a teacher who writes novels on the side. I would like to become the inverse of that: a novelist who teaches occasionally! (Shall we call that my darkest secret? <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> All the other ones would bore you dreadfully, I'm sure.) My username belongs to a character of mine. (So -- oh, dear! must fret about this right away! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-rolleyes.gif"border=0> -- should I become an Eminent Novelist, my cover here will have been blown.) I play some fiddle and piano in RL, too, but I notice the acoustics are better in the Lounge. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> Back to work, now! (That's a note to self -- doesn't apply to you)

by **Mahima** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 11:31 pm

Hi Teremia, Welcome. Here have some Chocolate Cookies. They go SO WELL with Lemonade. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> And sure, you have been adopted by all of us! Your wish is our command. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> And we won't blow your cover, Teremia. All of us are very truthful, honest, and loving people. And would NEVER think of Blackmailing you for a Million Dollars <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> (how much would that be for each of us?? <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>) Both my sisters are in the teaching profession, and I feel its very rewarding. Right?

by **Armenelos** » Mon Oct 07, 2002 11:58 pm

yeah, that's right. and your welcome for the welcome. we'll all take you under our wings. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> let us know if you need anything.

by **Alexandros** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 1:21 am

Alex zooms in throught the (closed) window!! Ladies and gentlemen, Alex has arrived! she announces herself and is quite pleased that her name has her placed at the top of the alphabetical listing of Adopters..<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0> Mr. Enigmatic can also be described as the one who always has a blanket and a book...and the one who, in case of a pillow fight, is the invisible attacker!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif"border=0> Hey! Tere!<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>.. Nice to have you here...too..<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> Well, since you know us all very well by now, I don't think we will need to pull you out of any shell, so any questions, and quiries, you know what to do..<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **wilko185** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 5:41 am

Here are some questions commonly-asked by TORC newbies, and what we hope are the correct answers. Additions and corrections are welcome. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What does "TORC" mean?</pre>A. It is the commonly-used name for this site, and stands for TheOneRing.com, which was the original web address. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How can I change my username?</pre>A. You can't. If you don't like your username, just sign-up with a different one. In exceptional circumstances, you can ask the Admin to change your username for you. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I change my Alliance (the picture above my name)?</pre>A. Click on the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/enthusiast/my_settings.cfm"]My Settings[/l] option at the top of each page, which gives you various ways to personalize your message-board settings. The default alliance banner is the blue wizard. You can change it to whatever you like, the only restriction being that some "Alliance threads" in the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/categories.cfm?catid=37"]Alliances & Guild forum[/l] might require you to choose a certain alliance before you can join them. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I get the swords and symbols under my Alliance Banner?</pre>A. They just represent your post count. Eg, you get a Sword for every 10 posts, a Diamond for 50, and so on. See the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=68142&ann=1"]newbies' introduction thread[/l] for more details. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I change my title? eg Petitioner to the Council etc</pre>A. Unless you are a Premiere Member (see next question), your title changes as your post-count increases. You start off as a "Petitioner to the Council", until you get to 50 posts, when you are promoted to the level of "Citizen of Imladris". And so on, until you reach 10,000 posts and become a "Ringbearer" (it can be done!). See the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=68142&ann=1"]newbies' introduction thread[/l] for more details. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I get a signature picture below my posts?</pre>A. By paying $5 a month to be a "Premiere Member" (PM), the money going towards the running of the site. As well as a Signature, PMs also get to choose a personal title (appearing in red below the banner) and access to some some extra features, such as a Buddies messaging system. See <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/enthusiast/pm_info/"]here[/l] for more details. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What is the easiest way to navigate around this site?</pre>A. On the right side of your screen you will see a drop-down menu titled "Navigation" which allows you to jump to a view of the titles of threads in this forum, or to the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/"]main message-board page[/l] which has links to all the different forums. Above the Navigation menu is a larger one titled "Category" which you can use to skip to other forums without having to go to the main forum page. Clicking the big "Tolkien Online" logo at the top left of the page takes you to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/"]TORC's front page[/l]. From there you can use the cascading menus on the left of the screen to get to every part of the site (the message-board forums, the Reading Room etc). <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. I have a problem with something that’s going on, what do I do?</pre>A. Contact a Moderator (Mod). The fastest way is the common email address <a href="mailto:mods@tolkienonline.com">mods@tolkienonline.com</a>. You should generally avoid discussing problems or continuing arguments in the public forums. Letting the Mods handle disruptions is always advisable. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. And who are the Moderators? How can I tell who is a Mod and who's not?</pre>A. Mods are members of TORC who are in charge of making sure that the site remains clean and family friendly. The smooth sailing of this ship is in their hands. Most Mods have the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/i/authorsicons/large/tolkien_online.gif"]TORC symbol[/l] for a banner and have the title Steward of Imladris written underneath it. There is a complete list of current Mods <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=56854&ann=1"]here[/l]. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I delete an unwanted post, eg a "double post"?</pre>A. You can't, only the Moderators can completely remove a post. Messages can be edited by using the "Edit" option at the bottom right corner of the post, so you can remove all the text from a message if you like. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What does "bump" mean?</pre>A. Threads are sorted in order of the most recent post. If a thread hasn't been posted to in a while, it will therefore slip down the forum. A new post will "bump" it back to the top. A post that has no other purpose than bringing a thread back into view is called a "bump". Be careful what threads you choose to bump, eg bumping 10 old Harry Potter threads all at once will not make you very popular in the Other Authors forum, as all the other threads will be swamped and pushed off the first page. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What is "spam"?</pre>A. "Spamming" on TORC is defined as posting lots of short chatty posts, often just for the sake of getting a higher post-count. This doesn't get more you more status or respect, it just annoys people and is strongly discouraged. Chat belongs on Instant Messenger programs. TORC is a message-board, not a chat-room. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What does "OOC" stand For? And other abbreviations?</pre>A. OOC = "Out of Character". Most role plays (RPs) have a parallel OOC thread where plot direction and so on can be discussed. Or an RP post itself can include OOC comments at the beginning or end. OOC threads help maintain the flow of the RP and also enable the players to make up a plot before posting anything to the RP thread. Other abbreviations and acronyms you might see on this message-board are listed <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=68111"]here[/l]. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. What does "subscribe" mean? How do I subscribe and unsubscribe to a thread?</pre>A. Subscribing to a thread means you'll be sent a notification email every time that thread is posted to. When you are replying to a message in the thread, you will see a "Subscribe" box below the reply window. Tick it to subscribe. You can also subscribe to a thread by clicking the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/i/icons/toolbar_sub.gif"]"paper-with-an-arrow"[/l] at the top right of any post in that thread. This takes you to a page showing all your subscribed threads, which also gives you the option to unsubscribe from any or all of them. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I start my own thread?</pre>A. Click the "new topic" button on the black bar at the top of a forum. But not so fast! First, make sure you are in the appropriate forum for your thread, by reading the forum descriptions on the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/"]main forum page[/l]. Then, have a look at the individual forum guidelines, if there are any (they will be an announcement thread at the top of the forum). Make sure there isn't a currently-active thread on your topic, or the Mods may well lock yours. Also, consider doing a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/search.cfm"]search[/l] for any previous threads on your topic. You may find some ideas for your thread, or you may want to continue a previous discussion rather than start your own. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. How do I edit my thread's title?</pre>A. Just edit the first post by clicking the "edit" button at the bottom-right. You will will then be able to edit both the main message body and the title. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike> <pre> Q. Got any more helpful links?</pre>A. Why yes, glad you asked <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=68142&ann=1"]Newbie Introduction Thread[/l] which expands on some information from this post; some more advanced <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=69820"]tips and quirks[/l] for this board. The <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/tos.cfm"]Terms of Service[/l] (a.k.a. The Rules, both ancient and just). <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=30&threadid=44204"]The Guidelines of conduct[/l]. Check out the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tolkienonline.com/thewhitecouncil/messageview.cfm?catid=54&threadid=65538&ann=1"]list of Adopters[/l], where you can choose someone to mentor you while you find your feet here. <strike>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</strike>

by **wilko185** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 5:41 am

Teremia, welcome to the thread <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> (any questions yet? Um, want to know what those swords under your name are? <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>) I've edited your bio into the 2nd post, let me know if you want to change anything. Adopters please note:, those of you with public emails in their profiles, I've taken the liberty of adding the address to your bio. I will of course remove it if you'd rather not have it on display. And if anyone wants me to add chat program ids to their bio, let me know (this goes for adoptees too). Begins repairing the window Alex crashed in through.... we want to keep this place clean and tidy, not like the Lounge <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>

by **prettygaladriel** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:20 am

PG zooms in through the window, right behind Alex. It smashes into peices. Wilko shakes his head, annoyed. hehehe...sorry! I'll fix that in a sec<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> ooohh...we alreday have our first adoptee!! Teremia, (((((HUGS!!!))))<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif"border=0> Alys, it's good to see you dropped by<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0><img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **Nessamelda** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:54 am

Hi Teremia, Hi other adopters, just saying I am reading this thread, and I'll pop in and try to answer any questions that adoptees have - but Real Life has got a bit busy, and I might not be indulging in chat for a few days. (And I'm sure that the other adopters can provide erudite information in a timely and complete fashion anyway, so my absence will not be missed!)

by **jeanelf** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 6:55 am

Hi, Teremia and welcome!! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0> I'm sorry I'm a little late to the lounge myself, I've been playing in the garden getting it ready for the fall. We are very happy that you've come to our little sanctuary and look forward to chatting with you and answering any questions you may have! Jeanelf grabs a few cookies herself after her long day of planting bulbs and weeding.

by **Armenelos** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 8:19 am

welcome Nessamelda. <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **mnemosyne** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 8:51 am

Hi, Teremia . . . I'm an unofficial adopter. You may have seen me in the Lounge, I've only just started posting more regularly again (wow, was that confusing or what?). And at times I can be somewhat incoherent. Hey, Armenelos, didn't I just see you in the Lounge?

by **Armenelos** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 8:59 am

yes, you did, and here, in return of the cider in there *hands a glass of lemonade* have a seat, and enjoy the fresh air.

by **CaMinx** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 9:31 am

CaMinx enters with kittycat Slick in toe. Welcome Teremia!! I seem to recall you sharing a birthday with Bilbo and Frodo if I am not mistaken. It is soo nice to see you here! Hello all ~ Love the intro Wilko! Ohh Yummy I will have some Lemonade Armenelos! <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0>

by **Armenelos** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 9:37 am

*pours a glass for CaMinx* here you are, my lady. it is good to see you.

by **mnemosyne** » Tue Oct 08, 2002 11:34 am

Thanks for the lemonade, Armenelos . . . it's pretty good!

by **Alexandros** » Wed Oct 09, 2002 12:14 am

Ooops!..Alex apologises and helps Wilko clean up the mess that PG had RE created..<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif"border=0> Here.. I made some fruit cake. She says conjuring up a cane basket full of fruit cake, sqaurely cut. I usually have it with tea, but it also tastes good with warmed milk..for those who can have it..<img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

by **Teremia** » Wed Oct 09, 2002 1:18 am

My goodness, what a nice welcome! (Forgive the chocolate crumbs I'm shedding as I jump up to greet you all -- the cookies are delicious.) I'll bite on the "swords under my banner" question: I see that we have an ancient accounting system here, but does the sword have any particular meaning? And what do the other signs represent, apart from their numbers? I recognize the ring for 10K (such good eyes I have <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-rolleyes.gif"border=0>), but I'm not so sure about the other pictures. And congratulations to Wilko for his accounting milestone! Back to the Lounge for more fireworks and lemonade, and then pretty soon I'm off for a week hunting dragons (just to study their nesting behavior, not to do them any harm). <img src="http://www.tolkienonline.com/mb/i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif"border=0>

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