News Archive

Aragorn became the hope of Middle Earth at the age of two upon his father Arathorn’s death. Since Aragorn was the heir of Isildur his mother, Gilraen, took him to live with Elrond at Rivendell for protection from Sauron. His name was changed to Estel, Elvish for “Hope”, to further protect his identity. When Aragorn turned 20 Elrond revealed to him that he was the heir of Isildur and the true King of Gondor and Arnor. He was given the Ring of Barahir and shown the shards of Narsil. This was the very sword that Isildur used to cut the fingers from the hand of Sauron, thus depriving him of the power of the “One Ring”.

This was also when Aragorn met and fell in love with Arwen, Elrond’s beloved daughter, a love that was frowned upon by Elrond, for she was immortal Elf and he a mortal man. From that time forward Aragorn wandered Middle Earth fighting the evil beside any race that was in need of his help. He met Gandalf and became close friends as he learned discretion and patience. After years of wandering in the wilderness known as Strider, he joined the Fellowship of Nine whose job it was to destroy the “One Ring” in the fires of Mount Doom. He became the leader of the Nine after the fall of Gandalf in the Mines of Moria.

Aragorn defeated the armies of Sauron at the Pelennor Fields by taking the Paths of the Dead and sailing into battle in the enemy’s ships. When Frodo destroyed the ring Sauron was defeated never to return to Middle Earth. Aragorn was crowned King Elessar of the house Telcontar, thus the “Hope of Middle Earth” fulfilled his destiny and could now wed his beloved Arwen and once again reunite the children of Elwing and Eärendil.

Aragorn and Arwen had a son, Eldarion and some daughters. He was a wise king that possessed both justice and mercy and he was loved among the people of Gondor and Arnor. Aragorn died on March 1, 120 of the Fourth Age at the age of 210.

by Atolkienhead

For all these long years, since I first read The Hobbit and The Trilogy in the summer of 1969, I have loved the books, cherishing the characters, the various places, and languages as if they actually existed. Well, in MY mind, they DID exist.

I knew exactly what Gandalf looked like, how tall the Hobbits were, the length of Aragorn’s strides; the beauty of the Shire, Rivendell, Lothlórien; the grandeur of Rohan and Minas Tirith; the horror of Shelob; the heat, dust and stench of Mordor; the weight of The One Ring.

I felt the determination and strength of many individuals in many different races who came together in a desperate need to destroy the evil that would otherwise rule their lives. And they performed their obligations with bravery and courage despite the possibility of failure. Despite the possibility of death…

For all of these long years I lived in this world by myself, knowing no one else who had read the books or, if they had, they did not have the obsession with them that I had. That obsession made me read them nearly every other year, nearly wearing out my paperbacks as time went by. Crying at the ending, not because it was sad, but because I was saying goodbye to dear friends… Because the story was over…

And so I felt a great apprehension when I heard that *MY* books were going to be made into movies. I admit I had refused to watch the other versions of them years before, not wanting to lose *MY* images of the many characters and various locations. And even though these new movies would be made with real people in real locations, I was very skeptical. How in Middle~Earth could anyone bring these books to life and do them justice???

Yet, I was also filled with curiosity and anticipation. And a long wait. It was spring of 1999 when I had first heard that they would be making the movies. Oh, such a long, long wait. But in the meantime, I had the books to read and wonder if the movies would even come close to representing Tolkien’s masterpiece.

When December of 2001 finally approached, I admit I was ready. I had seen enough trailers and read enough reviews to know this WAS going to be good. Maybe not entirely the same, but good! It was with that thought in mind, that they could not be the same and therefore I should not compare them to the books, that I went to see “The Fellowship of the Ring” on the day after it was released in the theaters.

I was amply rewarded!!! The wait, the anxiety, the anticipation were all met with a richness, a truth, and an obvious love of the books that I had. I walked out of the theater and bought tickets to the very next showing that wasn’t sold out – which was several days later. I also bought the sound track, only the second movie soundtrack I had ever purchased!

It was then that I considered Peter Jackson and his crew to be nearly as creative as Tolkien himself. Even though they had changed some things, such as leaving out Glorfindel and Tom Bombadil and expanding Arwen’s part, it didn’t matter to me. The film was a masterpiece and paid great homage to the books. Oh, the ship that Gandalf blew and floated through Bilbo’s smoke ring!!!

It was this attention to detail that drew me back three more times to watch it on the big screen, impatiently wait for the DVD to be released in August, watch it numerous times until the EE version was released in November, and THEN, the long wait, that long year wait for “The Two Towers” was finally over!

But a strange thing happened during the third viewing on the big screen of “The Two Towers”… I lost all of my mind’s visions of the characters and places of the books. Now, when I think of Gandalf, I see in my mind the film Gandalf. And Rohan is the film Rohan. And although it seemed strange at the time, to me it really didn’t matter because yet again Peter Jackson and his crew had performed the impossible and had, in fact, brought Middle~Earth to life! It was another masterpiece!

Yes, I bought the soundtrack and the DVD and the EE…

In February of 2003 that I realized there were now others who had the same love of the stories that I had and maybe they were out there on the internet where I could talk with them and wouldn’t feel so all alone with my obsession. One fateful day, while searching for “Tolkien”, I came across a site called “The Council of Elrond” where I found lots of people who did in fact have that same obsession and enjoyed discussing it. CoE was a place where I wasn’t ridiculed for my thoughts about certain parts of the books or movies or where I even shared my life apart from the books. I have met some wonderful people who have become dear friends.

This time, together we waited for the third and final movie. This time I wasn’t alone in my wait. This time would be one of the best experiences of my life! And I was not disappointed! If anything, the movies and CoE have greatly enhanced my love of the books, if that is possible. All three have enriched my life beyond imagination. For that I thank J.R.R. Tolkien, Peter Jackson and crew, and Rivka and her staff for all they have done to make my journey through this life one of the best anyone could every have. I learn and live and love through these books, movies and site and come away with a greater appreciation for life in general, and specifically, to live it to the fullest while I have the time.

by NenyaGold

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, there is an evident lack of female characters throughout the story, though the women who are presented represent strength in many different ways through the roles they play. The three major female characters are Galadriel, Arwen and Éowyn, each of which are very important characters who play important roles in the story as well as for their own people.

Galadriel is the Lady of Light, the Elf Queen of Lorien. She is a very powerful character because she is thousands of years old. She is a part of the White Council, and she holds Nenya, one of the Elven Rings of Power. Galadriel welcomes the Fellowship into her home of Caras Galadhon in Lothlorien. She offers them protection and provides them with food, clothing, and rare gifts of Lorien. Galadriel is considered one of the most powerful elves in all of Middle Earth. She represents a more political role in the story, rather than an emotional or a physical side of women, due to her knowledge and power in Middle Earth. A lot of her power lies in her mysterious nature
and her overwhelming beauty.

The storyline involving Arwen is the most romantic of the three female characters. Though her role in the novels is not very significant as far as content, she is still an important character to the story. Arwen is the daughter of Elrond, the granddaughter of Galadriel, and the princess of Rivendell. The love story revolving around Arwen’s character involves the character Aragorn, who is the heir to the throne of Gondor. The relationship between these two characters seems folly because Aragorn is a mortal man, while Arwen is an immortal elf. Arwen can be seen as a powerful character for her emotional strength rather than physical. Her inner strength is shown when she marries Aragorn, becoming the Queen of Gondor, forsaking the immortal life of her people. Arwen is an excellent portrayal of the emotional yet strong sense of females in the story.

Éowyn is the niece of King Théoden of Rohan. She is a character who has been brought up to fight and to ride in case she was to become the last of the lineage for Rohan. She is a powerful character, shown through her will and her physicality. She is a woman, living in a man’s world, and will not succumb to the duties of a house wife. Éowyn believes in herself and has confidence that she can achieve great things, while those around her may not. Her character is very important because it shows the resistance to female subjugation in The Lord of the Rings. Éowyn states that she does not “fear either pain or death”, and all she fears is “a cage, to stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire”. (ROTK, p.63) This quote definitely reveals the complexity and strength of her character. Éowyn proves her strength and abilities at the battle of Pelennor Fields, when she rides to war disguised as one of the Riders of Rohan, and slays the Lord of the Nazgûl.

Each of these women plays an important part in the story, as they add a female dynamic to the books. All of these female characters are strong in their own way, and it is important to show the strength and complexity of women through characters like Galadriel, Arwen and Éowyn in The Lord of the Rings. Even though the story is dominated by male characters, the females play just as big a role, and are held in high esteem throughout the story.

by Daughter_of_Kings

eCards

Holidays? Invitations? Just a Note? Birthdays? Anniversary? Mother’s Day? Do you need to send a greeting to your favorite person? Then send a CoE eCard! Check out the list of nearly 800 eCards.

Before sending, they can be enhanced with background and font colors of your choice, along with font type and even a song if you wish. You only need the person’s e-mail address and you are on your way to sending them a greeting they will not soon forget.

Do you have a desire to MAKE your own CoE eCards? If you have a graphics program such as Paintshop or Photoshop, then grab your creativity and have some fun!

First, I suggest you read Ringhilwen’s Tips for Making eCards which will help you to make the best eCards that Ringhilwen, the Multimedia Admin, will validate readily. If not, she will reject your submission and tell you why. And then, carefully read the Submission Rules, which are on the eCard Upload page. It is a good idea to check out a lot of the cards to see what other members have created, not just for ideas but so you don’t create a duplicate card.

Is there a particular card you like and want to see other cards by this same artist? One of the newest features that Rivka recently added to the site is when you click the name of the card creator that appears below the card, all of the cards that the artist has created will appear.

So get creating and sending!

Wallpapers

Have you ever wanted Legolas or Orlando or Aragorn or Viggo (and for the guys, Éowyn or Miranda, Arwen or Liv…) smiling at you from your computer background screen while you slave over your school or work assignment? Then you need to download a wallpaper or two! You will find over 500 LotR related wallpapers and over 60 LotR Cast Wallpapers under the Main Menu in the Multimedia Section. Besides being able to search for your favorite character or cast member, there are various sub-categories, including Aragorn & Arwen, Boromir & Faramir, and even old Bilbo Baggins himself!

Our very creative members of CoE have produced a lot of these wallpapers. Do you think you can create a wallpaper that other CoE members would like to download? Here are some tips from Ringhilwen on “How not to have your wallpaper rejected”:

– Do not upload any wallpaper that you have not made. It will be rejected immediately.
– Always upload your wallpaper creations to CoE, through the download submission form. Linking to a wallpaper off-site does not always work, and it will take the admin longer to validate it (since the thumbnail isn’t created, she has to upload everything manually).
– If you have no idea about what kinds of quality are accepted, check out the wallpaper gallery and see what types of wallpapers have been archived.
– Wallpapers should all be either 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 pixels in size. If you have a larger wallpaper that you’d like to submit (1280 x 1024), PM Ringhilwen, since it can’t be uploaded automatically.

As far as actually making the wallpapers:

– Collages made with just a haphazard arrangement of pictures are rarely accepted.
– Wallpapers with distorted or over-pixilated images will not be accepted.
– Use your creativity and imagination by combining appropriate fonts and background colors with the particular photos to enhance the photos, not overpower them.

Lastly, consider what YOU would want to see on YOUR screen. Most likely there are other CoE members who would want to see it too!

And here is the good news: Both eCards and Wallpapers will garner you points. You will receive 2 points for every accepted eCard and 1-2 points for every accepted Wallpaper. Remember, you do max out at 20 points for any one category, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop making and submitting your creations. And please, do not pester Ringhilwen for the points. She, like the rest of the CoE staff, is a busy admin and will award them in due time.

So fire up your graphics program and unleash your creativity!

by NenyaGold

Big screen to small screen: what will be lost

The Lord of the Rings is an amazing big screen experience. There are many good films and even some great films released into cinemas every year. But with the high cost of movie tickets now, what makes a film worthy to see on the big screen as opposed to waiting for the DVD release? For some it’s to see their favourite actor, or an awaited story, or big budget special effects, or even just for the amazing panoramic scenery. I know for me, before I pay to see a film in the cinema, I first decide whether it will lose much in the translation to the small screen. So when the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring was released, it was for me as well as for many, “All of the above!”

There were many scenes in all three films that just weren’t the same when viewed on the small screen. Before I list some of them, I want to add that I find the best position in a cinema for watching big scenery and big effects films, is 2nd row from the front centre stage. In this position, you are forced to move your head around to look in different directions, in order to see the whole screen, as it fills your whole field of vision. This gives you more of a feeling of being there, and lends a more intense realism to what you are watching. This is not something that can be done on even the biggest television screens.

This being said, some of my favourite scenes were:

– The vertigo inducing plunge off the top of Orthanc into the cavernous depths below at the transformation of Isengard.
– The pan back after the escape from Moria.
– The opening scenes of TTT.
– The view from the wall at the beginning of the Battle of Helms Deep.
– And my absolute favourite, the charge of the Rohirrim at the siege of Gondor. This scene on the big screen had so much impact, that you literally felt the force of the horsemen colliding with the armies of Sauron. It took my breath away! This scene more than any other lost most of its impact when viewed on the small screen, and in this alone, without considering all the other scenes, I would recommend watching it in the cinema. (I have seen a pirated copy of RotK on VCD, and believe me the Ride of the Rohirrim just didn’t have the impact).

There are few other films that can compare to LotR for its epic grandeur, and for this reason it is a must to see it on the big screen. I only hope that we won’t have to wait 20 years for the extended edition to be shown in the cinemas, and that perhaps LotR EE marathons can become an annual cinematic experience the world over. Here’s also hoping the Hobbit is made with the same breadth of vision.

by Wulf_Sternhammer

It was brought to my attention a few days ago just how lucky I was to have stumbled across The Council of Elrond website. As I was feeling really bad, many friends pulled together and cheered me up and reminded me that we are family here, not just nameless faces and this got me to thinking.

We all came to The Council of Elrond out of a common love for The Lord of the Rings whether it was the movies or the books, we all loved the story, the characters, and the various places that were created in our minds by the story. I then asked myself what made us stay. We came, we checked out the site, visited the chat room, looked at the humorous pages, possibly even enjoyed some of the various recipes, so why after investigating, what made people stay? I found my answer with one simple word: FAMILY! While we wrote a brief journal entry, or chatted in the chat room, something was happening to each of us. It wasn’t something that was visible, but it happened none the less. As we shared jokes, hugs, tears, and laughs, we not only became a person who had come here to share about LoTR, we were sharing a part of our lives. This is what other Council Members have to say about the site:

Shieldmaiden23 states: “I love CoE because it gives me a place to tell people about my Tolkien thoughts and fantasies (not yucky kinds, just general musings) without being looked at weird or greeted with blank stares. I guess this place feels like a family because we listen to each other and help each other when we need it. I’m really glad I was introduced to this site.”

Elda_mellon states: “I LOVE this place! It can be personal when you want and public when you want! Everyone is seriously nice and totally cool! Yep it feels like a family to me.”

Lady_Nienna states: “I don’t remember how I found the Council of Elrond website, but I am so glad that I did. I have never felt so welcomed, so a part of a family of LOTR fans as I do here. Everything on this website is fascinating. I find that I cannot tear myself away.”

ElfElbereth states: “I came to CoE because I was looking for a Sindarin course. CoE just pulled me in like a fish on a hook. It was loaded with information, pictures, and most of all great people from all over the globe. I love the chat room, forums, and most of all, the journals. It’s fun just getting to know people and participate in their lives on a daily basis from so far away.”

Musicalgal123 states: “We are a family and a home here. If you think about it, we don’t discriminate people here because we can’t see our differences. We can only see our similarities.”

Lady_of_Rivendel states: “Here at CoE it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you live, or what you believe in. Here all that really matters is that you love the LotR and are willing to meet new people with new perspectives. Family is the perfect word.”

Atolkienhead states: “CoE has given me a place to share my love of Tolkien and the movies in an environment that is both friendly and informative. It is a wonderful feeling to know that no one here is going to laugh or make one of those remarks “she’s ate up”! I love reading the journals. They help to tie us together with little bits of ourselves and I love to define myself further in the forums and realms. Knowledge and talent run rampant on this wonderful site!”

Aislynn_of_Osgiliath states: “There is indeed a family feel here, where we have a lot more in common than just our love for LotR. This isn’t just a site with funny pictures (though it has them!) or even where you can read some peoples’ thoughts on their day (though you can do that, too!). At CoE, you interact with genuine people, who can talk about more than just LotR. That makes the difference, I think. We’re not just fans here. We care about each other. We’re family.

I think that pretty well sums up what most of the members here feel about joining this wonderful home. We find that between the chat room and the journals, people have opened up and shared their lives and become a family. If that is not enough there are also the smaller families inside of this really large family in the realms. We have 14 realms called: Aulë the Smith, Estë the Gentle, Lórien, Mandos, Manwë Súlimo, Nessa, Oromë, Tulkas Astaldo, Ulmo, Vairë the Weaver, Vána the Ever-Young, Varda Elentári, and Yavanna Kementári. I am a member of the Yavanna Kementári realm where I have found the people are friendly and fun. We are a close family and we share our joys, sorrows, laughs, and hopes with each other. We have a lot of wonderful activities in our realm that brings us even closer. We have a great RP going called “The Long Winter” where our precious Yavanna has been kidnapped and a group of newly found friends set out on a mysterious adventure, seeking what was precious to them and lost. There is a great thread called “The Lord of the Huggles” where we exchange words from the movie or the book for huggle. Example: One huggle to rule them all, One huggle to find them, One huggle to bring them all and in the darkness huggle them. We have a recipe thread where we exchange our own ME recipes with the realm of Vána, then there is our “Virtual Garden”, this is the realm’s own virtual place to keep all of our flowers. So as you can see as a person gets active within the realm they get very much involved in the “family” of Yavanna. This is what the Realm Head and Leaders of the Yavanna have to say:

Abraon is our Realm Head. She states: “I took over Yavanna with slightly mixed feelings, not really knowing what to do, say or present. Step by step I slowly put to work all of my ideas I brought in and I turned back to see many friendly faces that looked up to me as their leader. I think that moment was worth it all. I love this place above anything else; it’s my true second home. I don’t think I can say thanks enough to people that were patient with me and supported me in every way. I would not give up that job for anything! Oh, and have I mentioned that the people are great? It’s like having a second family, here on CoE, and not needing to fight over their personal space. It’s truly an honor for me to be where I am right now.”

LadyAdaneth is one of our Realm Leaders. She states: “Why is CoE like a family? Well as much as anything, because unlike real life out there, people are highly tolerant of an individual’s beliefs, interests, hobbies and their need to communicate them! What’s it like to be a Realm Leader? The Realm of Yavanna is truly a happy community. I’ve enjoyed helping the occasional person who has needed pointing towards a way to do something or other, even to just get started in the Realm. Mostly, my only problem is to keep up with reading the new posts, since Yavannildi are a creative and productive lot and there is always something happening.”

Nauma is our other Realm Leader, she states: “What is it like being a Leader: It rocks! I like to think of my role as being the one who starts trouble: I help set up activities and then watch as y’all run from there. And just being around to help when I’m needed, which I love, because it means I get to be involved in just about everything.”

So the best thing I can say to anybody is, pull up a chair and stay for awhile. Join us in chat, the journals, realms, or whatever else catches your fancy. I promise you will be made welcomed and a part of the family.

by Lannorui

-an interview with morwenna

How did you find CoE?
I was either looking for pictures of Legolas (blush) or followed a link for the Very Secret Diaries. I “lurked” for quite a few months before finally joining the site. I love the way that CoE combines both the movies and the books in one site and the sense of community that we have here.

What are your duties here at CoE?
Along with Beleg_S I’m the News Admin. We seek out news items about LotR and Tolkien on the internet and post it on the front page. As News admin I also read through the CoE members news submissions and deal with these. This involves checking out the story, testing the links and seeing if the news item has previously been posted. Also, along with Keterai I also do the front-page polls.

What are your favourite areas of the site?
Number one has to be News! My other favourite parts of the site are (in no particular order of favourites) Elrond’s Library, Humour and the forums. I also like looking at the members websites, although as there are over a thousand I’ve a good few still to look at!.

How often do you visit CoE?
Every day (unless I’m on holiday or away for work and even then I’ve been known to go to an internet café so I can visit CoE) I’m online in the morning and evening and depending on my work schedule I’m quite often on in the afternoon too.

How many times have you read the books?
I’ve lost count! However, nowadays I tend to read sections of the books rather than reading them from start to finish

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
This is a difficult one but it would have to be Aragorn.

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
So many to choose from, but it would have to be Aragorn’s coronation in RotK. Gosh I feel all teary even thinking about it!

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
Glorfindel.

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
No – I know the language resources at CoE are really good but I’ve always found languages really hard to learn so I’ve not tried.

What are you looking forward most to in ROTK: EE?
The Houses of Healing. It’s one of my favourite chapters in the book and I was disappointed when the news broke that it was being left out of the theatrical edition of RotK.

Short Bio
I was first introduced to the world of Tolkien in 1972 when I received LotR as a Christmas present from my parents and I’ve been a Tolkien fan ever since. I remember going to parties over that Christmas and taking my copy of the book with me and sitting in a corner reading it because I really wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I still have that copy of the book (it’s a bit battered now though).

I didn’t watch the movies when they first came out as I was worried they would destroy my view of Tolkien’s world. However, another Christmas present, this time in 2002, of a video of FotR made me realize my fears were groundless. PJ’s movies did not destroy my own personal images of the characters and locations and I can enjoy them both.

In real life my other interests include reading, travel, dance and surfing the net.

-an interview with iLikeLOTRaLittle2much

How did you find CoE?
I was always on the look out for a good LOTR site, and I’d always find myself coming back to CoE for different reasons, but I didn’t actually join until quite some time after. Finally, I just gave in and joined… and now I wonder how I made it as long as I did without an account, LoL.

What are your duties here at CoE?
I mod the Casting Forum, Games Forum, and I’m the Head of Nessa – all of which I enjoy a little more than I should, considering it’s supposed to be “work” and all. 😉

What are your favourite areas of the site?
The Forum has always been my first love, but I also love the Gallery (who doesn’t?) and Elrond’s Library. I’m more likely to come look up any LOTR question I may have here than in the actual book, LoL. Go figure.

How often do you visit CoE?
Everyday, for the most part. It’s a tad bit addicting.

How many times have you read the books?
I’m almost done with #4. Or, wait… 5 maybe. You know, I honestly am not sure anymore. That’s kinda sad.

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
Galadriel. She’s enamored me since I first saw her in Fellowship of the Ring. She’s everything I could ever want in a character, or could ever want to be myself. She’s beautiful, wise, learned, perceptive, and that whole “Lady of Light” thing is a big plus for me, too. Not to mention her rulership over Lothlorien, which happens to be my favorite place in Middle Earth. She’s just cool in general. But Aragorn and Sam are a close second.

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
From FOTR, the scene where the Fellowship meets Galadriel and the entire Amon Hen sequence have always stood out to me. Sometimes I’ll go back and watch just from where the Fellowship enters Lothlorien through the end. It never gets old for me. As for TTT, the part where Elrond is talking with Arwen about her future if she stays in Middle Earth is wonderful. That whole situation is just so bitter-sweet and has this enthrallingly cynical beauty that I just love. When it comes to ROTK, it’d be easier to just say the movie as a whole. But, if you must know, I’d probably have to go with the Coronation and Gondor bowing to the Hobbits, Sammath Naur (including outside on Mt. Doom with Sam and Frodo’s little chat), the Hobbits at the Green Dragon when they return to the Shire, and everything about the Grey Havens. There are many more, but those are just the highlights.

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
Hmm… that’s a toughy. I’m going to go with Beregond, though. He was a neat guy.

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
Not yet, but I really want to try Sindarin. As a matter of fact, I remember now that that was the reason I joined in the first place. I went through this stage where I really really wanted to learn Elvish, and I had heard a lot of good things about CoE. So I join and all that good stuff, but I completely forgot about Elvish when I saw everything else this site had to offer. Perhaps I’ll get to it eventually.

What are you looking forward most to in ROTK: EE?
Call me unoriginal, but definitely the House of Healing. That was one of my absolute favorite parts in the book. But, really, anything extra will make me just as happy as can be.

Short Bio
Hello, all. My name is Christy (more commonly known as “little2”) and I’m the Casting/Games Mod and Nessa Head here at CoE. I’m 15, going into the 10th grade, and I live in Alabama here in the good ‘ole USA. Aside from wasting away my years here on CoE 😉 my hobbies include dance, acting, singing, and just about anything else that involves the stage. I practically grew up on stage to begin with because my parents are in the music business and I’ve spent my entire life on the road doing that sort of thing. Oh, yes… and TPAMing. But we won’t get into that, LoL. 😉 Well, that about covers it for me, and I hope to see you around. It’s been great to work with and for each and every one of you guys and I thank you all for everything you contribute to and make this site. 🙂

-an interview with Fíriel

How did you find CoE?
Hmm. I can’t remember, it was so long ago… I do remember coming for the Sindarin lessons at first.

What are your favourite areas of the site?
My fave areas (beside the Languages section!) are the Gallery, and the Last Homely House, where I can admire all the pretty things, and occasionally try my hand at making something.

How often do you visit CoE?
I check in once a day, but I fully ensconce myself at COE during the weekend.

How many times have you read the books?
LOTR, I’ve read three times, I think. However, there are parts of The Silmarillion I’ve read over and over again.

Who is your favourite LOTR character?
Faramir and Pippin — I like them both for many different reasons, although they share the same courage that I admire.

Do you have a favourite scene from the trilogy?
The Mines of Moria scenes, because of the action and its aftermath, and of course, Frodo, Sam, and Gollum’s scenes at Mount Doom — unforgettable. However, the _single most memorable and poignant scene_ for me is from TTT, when even the boys of the Rohirrim prepared for battle.

What character left out of the films do you miss most?
Book Faramir 😉 Otherwise, I can’t say I’ve really missed anybody.

Do you know any Sindarin or Quenya?
I know Sindarin well enough, so I help out in the Languages section of COE. I also know a smattering of Quenya.

What are you looking forward most to in ROTK: EE?
More scenes exploring the tensions during the Siege of Minas Tirith, and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, or more scenes involving Faramir, Éowyn, and the hobbits. Anything is good enough, for I really don’t want the cinematic experiences to end just yet. 🙂

What makes someone want to write a Journal on-line? What makes someone else want to read it?

These were my first reactions when, about 18 months ago, I stumbled across CoE and hit its Journals section.

Since then I have found several answers to both these questions, though there are no doubt many more.

There are many practical reasons for using the Journals section. It’s a good place to hide “works in progress”, especially if you’re linking to any of the amazing images to be found on the site. It’s a good place to share pictures with other people, either if you want to limit circulation to a few chosen souls (or a Realm) or if you want to share with the CoE world but your pic doesn’t quite fit in the Gallery. It’s a good place to say “Help, does anyone know where I can find…..in CoE?”

But there are many less pragmatic and possibly more interesting reasons for writing a Journal. The habit of writing a diary is an ancient practice, and some of the most interesting insights into the lives of our forebears can be found in the published diaries of the famous and the not-so-famous. Think of people like Samuel Pepys, writing about the Great Fire which destroyed most of London in the 17th century – he wrote about this huge event as it happened, yet he also wrote about the little details of his life and it is these that we relish the most. It is endlessly fascinating to see recorded the thoughts and aspirations of another human, yet also somehow equally intriguing (especially when in a different time and place) to read about eating, sleeping, buying things, how he got on with his relatives and so on. I like to think of Samuel Pepys in his old age, reading his diary and remembering what his life was like at an earlier time. No doubt when he wrote about some of the trials and problems he had to face, the simple fact of recording what he felt made him instantly feel better.

I think many people writing CoE Journals are using the section as a diary, where they record their hopes and fears, their joys, failings, successes, problems. Unlike a traditional diary though, where the thoughts are generally for the writer alone, in a Journal you can go one better, you can allow feedback! This ability to seek, comment, and start off discussions immediately opens up a whole new area of activity. Now a problem shared really can be a problem halved, as interested readers chip in with their experiences, suggestions and support. It’s like sending out a message in a bottle from your desert island, and finding that there’s a whole fleet of boats out there passing the message around and all responding to you in a very short space of time. Feeling lonely? There are friends out there. Feeling angry? There are people out there to talk you down from the ceiling. And this goes on 24 hours a day, because CoE is worldwide and there will always be someone out there ready to answer your cry of triumph or cry for help.

I think I’ve already largely answered the question about why people read Journals. What a window on the lives of so many interesting and varied individuals it is. Some of the better writers describe their daily lives in such detail that you can picture them at home and it’s like watching a soap opera except that the main character will have a conversation with you.

So if you aren’t already a devotee of the Journals section, do stop by and have a look. The content and length of the individual entries is extremely variable, but you are certain to find something to interest, charm, aggravate, amuse or generally grab your attention!

by LadyAdaneth