TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

The Out of Character Forum for the Fellowship of the Last Realm One Ring game.

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silverfoxdmt73
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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by silverfoxdmt73 » Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:05 am

We just need a little background for Targon and Nyrad, then we're good to go.

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ManWithDoor
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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by ManWithDoor » Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:37 pm

I could really use some help in crafting a Backstory for my Ranger warden. While I've watched the movies and read the main books (Hobbit + LOTR Trilogy), albeit a long time ago, I don't feel up to crafting something particularly insightful.

My main role-playing goal with this character is to show a different part of the Dunedain. Aragorn is out there fearlessly fighting the good fight, charging the gates of Mordor, being a big damn hero. Targon ... isn't Aragorn. He's living around Bree, protecting hobbits from wolves, and keeping the trading roads free of bandits. Normal threats that a mortal man can face, rather than facing off against freaking Morgoth. He doesn't feel like he is enough to directly fight the Shadow, and so is in the hinterlands.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by silverfoxdmt73 » Sat Mar 04, 2023 9:51 pm

A reluctant hero, plagued by self doubt. Perhaps he feels he's living under the burden of his people's history, unsure he is worthy of his lineage?

It doesn't have to be particularly epic, a down to earth life of patrolling largely empty roads and quiet hobbit hamlets is a perfectly acceptable background.

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by Bohemond » Sun Mar 05, 2023 12:47 am

Maybe you could play off the trouble you're having with the backstory. For example, Aragorn is kind of a poster boy for epic warriors with hidden special ancestries/chosen one prophecies, and that vibe is strong in the Dunedain. So what the heck does a warden do when everything's peaceful? Given our characters have some experience, but aren't full fledged heroes, maybe your warden is having this same issue? 'Why am I doing this? Where's the scary danger that I was told is always just around the corner?'

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by RorytheRomulan » Mon Mar 06, 2023 9:57 pm

Being a ranger, Targon is likely to have firsthand experience with the enemy's spies and other agents, because of the covert cause his people have taken up. If he knows the signs, he knows what to look for, and may have seen it already.

I don't remember much of the Silmarillion so I don't know what it's like to live life as a ranger, but to give Targon a boost and set him off, maybe the rangers have seen wargs riding out, those would be in and around Mirkwood. They have their own language and often ally with orcs and goblins but they also live independently from them. Targon may have even caught one. If he has a decent Lore rank, he could have spoken to it and gotten a few answers out of it.

The Warden's distinctive feature provides him reason enough to head towards Tharbad. Tharbad looks like a trade hub in between the Shire, Bree, Gondor, Moria, and Rivendell, so you may have headed there to meet with someone who would be interested in what Targon has to say.

Maybe you had a first-hand encounter with wights. The leader if the ring-wraiths reanimated the dead in some ruins of the old kingdom of Cardolan to delay the ringbearer. It's not unlikely that the wraiths would have done the same in other parts of eriador to wipe out all rangers. Just to be absolutely sure Elessar's not coming back.

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by Muskrat » Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:23 pm

In a previous game, I played a Ranger who was less than a model Ranger. He did the job and wanted to restore his people's heritage. But he had a deeply patronizing view both of the people they were protecting in the Shire and Bree and of the elves of Rivendell, who he saw as soft and living in safety. I'm not suggesting you play your character that way, but your character could have doubts about the Rangers' mission or the like or be resentful of the lack of recognition they get from those they protect.

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by silverfoxdmt73 » Fri Mar 10, 2023 8:15 am

ManWithDoor and JerryJ, how are we doing? If anyone needs more help with their backstory just let us know and we can help out.

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by ManWithDoor » Sun Mar 12, 2023 3:22 pm

Much appreciated, everyone! I'm incorporating pretty much all of your ideas, and inputting it into the Bio section of my character sheet.
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by silverfoxdmt73 » Mon Mar 13, 2023 9:39 am

Okay. I'm anticipating starting a little later this week.

So, hopefully everyone is ready to begin.

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Re: TOR2: Gathering the Fellowship

Post by Jon » Mon Mar 13, 2023 10:04 am

Looking forward to it!

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