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MR38: The Council of Elrond The light of the clear autumn morning was now glowing in the valley. The noise of bubbling waters came up from the foaming river-bed. Birds were singing, and a wholesome peace lay on the land. Elrond rang the warning bell, announcing that the Council would be starting soon. The faces around him were grave, and right to be so. The situation was far more dire than he wished it to be, but it seemed that such was ever the fate of Middle-Earth. At last, the ring bearer arrived, and Elrond bade them sit on his right in a place of honor. With every seat now filled, he rose to his feet, and the chamber fell silent. `You have all done well to come,' said Elrond. `You will hear today all that you need in order to understand the purposes of the Enemy, and how he has brought about the troubles which called you here. There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it. But you do not stand alone. You will learn that your trouble is but part of the trouble of all the western world. The Ring! What shall we do with the Ring, the least of rings, the trifle that Sauron fancies? That is the doom that we must deem. `That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say. though I have not called you to me, strangers from distant lands. You have come and are here met, in this very nick of time, by chance as it may seem. Yet it is not so. Believe rather that it is so ordered that we, who sit here, and none others, must now find counsel for the peril of the world. `Now, therefore, things shall be openly spoken that have been hidden from all but a few until this day. And first, so that all may understand what is the peril, the Tale of the Ring shall be told from the beginning even to this present. And I will begin that tale, though others shall end it.' Then all listened while Elrond in his clear voice spoke of Sauron and the Rings of Power, and their forging in the Second Age of the world long ago. A part of his tale was known to some there, but the full tale to none, and many eyes were turned Elrond in fear and wonder as he told of the Elven-smiths of Eregion and their friendship with Moria, and their eagerness for knowledge, by which Sauron ensnared them. For in that time he was not yet evil to behold, and they received his aid and grew mighty in craft, whereas he learned all their secrets, and betrayed them, and forged secretly in the Mountain of Fire the One Ring to be their master. But Celebrimbor was aware of him, and hid the Three which he had made; and there was war, and the land was laid waste, and the gate of Moria was shut. Then through all the years that followed he traced the Ring; but since that history is elsewhere recounted, even as Elrond himself set it down in his books of lore, it is not here recalled. For it is a long tale, full of deeds great and terrible, and briefly though Elrond spoke, the sun rode up the sky, and the morning was passing ere he ceased. Of Númenor he spoke, its glory and its fall, and the return of the Kings of Men to Middle-earth out of the deeps of the Sea, borne upon the wings of storm. Then Elendil the Tall and his mighty sons, Isildur and Anárion, became great lords; and the North-realm they made in Arnor, and the South-realm in Gondor above the mouths of Anduin. But Sauron of Mordor assailed them, and they made the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, and the hosts of Gil-galad and Elendil were mustered in Arnor. 'The Last Alliance was victorious, yet it did not achieve its end. Sauron was diminished, but not destroyed. His Ring was lost but not unmade. The Dark Tower was broken, but its foundations were not removed; for they were made with the power of the Ring, and while it remains they will endure. Many Elves and many mighty Men, and many of their friends. had perished in the war. Anárion was slain, and Isildur was slain; and Gil-galad and Elendil were no more. Never again shall there be any such league of Elves and Men; for Men multiply and the Firstborn decrease, and the two kindreds are estranged. And ever since that day the race of Númenor has decayed, and the span of their years has lessened. 'In the North after the war and the slaughter of the Gladden Fields the Men of Westernesse were diminished, and their city of Annúminas beside Lake Evendim fell into ruin; and the heirs of Valandil removed and dwelt at Fornost on the high North Downs, and that now too is desolate. Men call it Deadmen's Dike, and they fear to tread there. For the folk of Arnor dwindled, and their foes devoured them, and their lordship passed, leaving only green mounds in the grassy hills. 'In the South the realm of Gondor long endured; and for a while its splendour grew, recalling somewhat of the might of Númenor, ere it fell. High towers that people built, and strong places. and havens of many ships; and the winged crown of the Kings of Men was held in awe by folk of many tongues. Their chief city was Osgiliath, Citadel of the Stars. through the midst of which the River flowed. And Minas Ithil they built, Tower of the Rising Moon, eastward upon a shoulder of the Mountains of Shadow; and westward at the feet of the White Mountains Minas Anor they made, Tower of the Setting Sun. There in the courts of the King grew a white tree, from the seed of that tree which Isildur brought over the deep waters, and the seed of that tree before came from Eressëa, and before that out of the Uttermost West in the Day before days when the world was young. `But in the wearing of the swift years of Middle-earth the line of Meneldil son of Anárion failed, and the Tree withered, and the blood of the Númenoreans became mingled with that of lesser men. Then the watch upon the walls of Mordor slept, and dark things crept back to Gorgoroth. And on a time evil things came forth, and they took Minas Ithil and abode in it, and they made it into a place of dread; and it is called Minas Morgul, the Tower of Sorcery. Then Minas Anor was named anew Minas Tirith, the Tower of Guard; and these two cities were ever at war, but Osgiliath which lay between was deserted and in its ruins shadows walked. 'So it has been for many lives of men. But the Lords of Minas Tirith still fight on, defying our enemies, keeping the passage of the River from Argonath to the Sea. And now that part of the tale that I shall tell is drawn to its close. For in the days of Isildur the Ruling Ring passed out of all knowledge, and the Three were released from its dominion. But now in this latter day they are in peril once more, for to our sorrow the One has been found. Others shall speak of its finding, for in that I played small part.' Then he fell silent, and the others began to tell their tales. Welcome to MR38! Housekeeping The game will begin Friday, November 8, at 8:00am Eastern Time. Cycles will last 47 hours and end at 7am Eastern, with the new cycle posted at 8. PMs: You may PM other players one-on-one so long as you include me. Group PMs are not permitted. Secrets: None Impartial Moderator: Contact @little wilson if you have any issues with the game. Lynch Rather than death, lynches (or 'elections') in this game result in the player elected being added to the Fellowship of the Ring. Upon election, their alignment will be revealed and they will be removed from the game. The game will end when seven members have been elected. Two votes on a player are required for an election to occur. A tied vote will result in all tied candidates being elected. If there are more players tied than seats left, RNG will be used to determine who fills the last slot(s). Alignment Free People of Middle-Earth: You have come to the Council of Elrond to ask counsel in these trying times, and have been asked to choose a Fellowship of the Ring to go east and destroy it forever. You win if the Corrupted have fewer than three members in the Fellowship at the end of the game. Corrupted Servants of Sauron: Perhaps you came to this Council, but the sight of the ring made you lust for its power. Perhaps you were already Sauron's before you set foot in Rivendell. Either way, you want the Ring, and will not let it be destroyed. You win if there three or more of your members are elected to the Fellowship. You have a private doc in which to communicate, but no kill - instead, you may nullify one player's vote as a group action. (This will be revealed in the vote count, including their name missing.) (Numbers are subject to change based on player count.) Cosmetic Roles This game is intended to be focused on RP, so below are listed some possible roles to get you started. Please let me know if you know you won't RP at all - you're perfectly welcome, and I'll have free reign over those characters in writeups. (You RPing would be better if you can, though!) There is no prize for using these roles, but you are encouraged to do so! We aren't using strict LotR canon (obviously), so feel free to make up your own story as to why you're here. (Eg, if someone wants the Ringbearer to be a dwarf, go for it! I don't care. ) Ringbearer: The One Ring hangs heavy around your neck. Through great peril, you've brought it here at last. Now you have been granted a respite from your travel, and are enjoying the peace and beauty of Rivendell. The Ring tires you to keep, but you will go on if you must. (Note: Only one person may claim this role, for obvious reasons. ) Ringbearer's Companion: You came here with the Ringbearer, defended them against danger beyond your dreams, and you're incredibly relieved to be safe at last. You worry for the health of the Ringbearer if they keep the Ring, but will follow them to the ends of the world if you can. Clandestine Attendee: You aren't supposed to be in this Council. You're currently hiding and watching, hoping no one spots you, but the stories being told are too fascinating to keep away! (Note: this role can stack with most others.) Ranger: You protect the Northern lands from the evils that stir in the dark. You are here because wicked things have been growing more frequent and more deadly of late, and the Rangers may need help soon in stemming the tide. Heir Uncrowned: You are the descendant of Elendil, rightful heir to the throne of Gondor and Arnor. You bear Narsil which is broken, and fate has brought you here to play a role which you do not yet know. (Note: again, best that this is only one person.) Dwarf of Moria: You, somehow, managed to escape the terror that is in Moria. You have come to tell of how that terror has been awoken again, and because you did not know where else to go. Dwarf of the Lonely Mountain: You come from Dain who leads the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain. Life has become more troubled of late, with dark things happening - perhaps a messenger of Sauron appearing, even. Elrond's Council: You live here, in Imladris, and have proven your wisdom over the centuries to Elrond. You are here for your wisdom, for Elrond trusts you and values your counsel. Man of Gondor: Something compelled you to come here, perhaps a vision or a dream. All you know is that here your questions will be answered, and perhaps you can find help as well. Gondor has been attacked in greater numbers of late, and Mordor is active again. You hold for now, but you know you cannot last forever. First Finder: You don't hold the Ring at the moment, but you are the one who found it first, and held it for many years before passing it on and coming to live in Rivendell. You feel a bit of obligation, now - you started this, you ought to finish it. Elf of Lorien: You have come from Galadriel in Lothlorien, bearing a message from her of great import. In her wisdom, she sees many things, and her knowledge will be important to the Council. Elf of Mirkwood: You come from the Mirkwood, from Thranduil, with urgent tidings. Perhaps Gollum has escaped - perhaps something else! Elf from the Havens: You are from the far west, from Cirdan in the Grey Havens. You came to Imladris to talk with Elrond about sailing to the West, but are invited to this council for your wisdom. One of the Wise: You are a great being, long skilled in the arts of magic and power, and have fought Sauron since the dawn of time. You are the one who recognized the Ring for itself, and ensured it was brought here. Player List Quicklinks

Welcome to LG53: The Fate of the Forum. This is a Semi-Blackout game of Spambots vs. Eliminators. Our dear Admin Chaos has given me the information about several Spammers who have infiltrated our forum, and are impersonating members of our community. He has tasked us with removing them. Luckily, we Eliminators have an advantage. We know all about the abilities of the Spammers, but the Spammers are unfamiliar with us. Spammer Roles: (Not all roles will be included) Vodiyehi: Has a script that can make thousands of posts per day. If Vodiyehi targets you, no one else will be able to do so. Only Votes and Lynches will be able to target a player. Babaji: Has access to Near Eastern magic that can inspire love or hate. If they target you with love, you will end up joining them. Luckily the cooldown for this is yearly, so they’ll only be able to get one of us before we get them. If they target you with Hate, you will die, no matter what. This can also only be used once. SookeSiled: Posts lots of corrupted URLs and infects computers. If they target you, everyone on the forum who didn’t use their computer will also target you that night. Beirst1928: Built one of the Best Firewalls known to man. Immune to everything except the Lynch. Temptation: Absolutely terrifying with Code. They get into the code and corrupt it. If they target you, your action will do exactly what you didn’t want. You will accidently ban a player instead of protect them. Or you will accidentally reveal your IP address instead of PM them. Or something. And then they will know what and who you are. Vashikaran: They’re rather good at deleting code, so if they target you, there is a good chance that your account will be temporarily disabled. The Spammers do have their own server to talk in, and as a group can get an account deleted every Weekend. I’ll be doing my best to hunt them down myself, so hopefully they won’t all be in play. But I will check in at 11:59 PM PST every Week to check who you guys have vote on, and that player will be banned. Mechanics and House Keeping: Open PM’s. Cycles are split into 2 Turns: Weeks which have a lynch, and Weekends when the Spammers get their Kill. Tied Lynches are decided at Random. At least 0 votes are needed for a lynch. Not all village roles are unique. Quick Links:

I have a theory that the Shards correspond with the 16 Metals of Allomancy and Feruchemy. I have no idea if this applies to Hemalurgy, I'm assuming for now that it does not. Anyway, the method I have used to gain evidence to support my claim is to take the different ways metals are classified and try to equate them to factors influencing Shards and their magic systems, such as Connection. After an epiphany while studying the Feruchemical table, I have figured out how Shards can be Realmatically oriented, as is done in the Feruchemical table. I'm not touching the Spiritual Feruchemical aspects, as the Spiritual Shards have not had enough screen time to get any conclusions. Anyway, a Shard's Realmatic orientation affects what people do to use the magic system. Honor, the Shard I have equated with pewter, has people interact with the Surges by physically inhaling Stormlight. Preservation's magic system involves physically swallowing metals, while Ruin's involves physically stabbing someone with a metal object. That's all for the physical Shards, Cadmium and Bendalloy being the Shards of Preservation and Ruin respectively. It should be noted that Cadmium and Bendalloy are in fact Feruchemically physical metals. Cognitively, things get interesting. Endowment is a Cognitive Shard, requiring Awakeners to form a picture in their minds of what they want their Awakened objects to accomplish. Devotion, also a Cognitive Shard, requires that Elantrians occasionally put themselves into the correct frame of mind, like Aon Omi requiring people to have positive feelings for the people in the room. Dominion, interestingly, equates with brass, which is a Feruchemically Physical metal. The symbols that seem prevalent among all forms of Selish magic seem to be more important here, being essentially branded with the symbols. Forgery also has physical symbols, but all Selish magic is a mix of Devotion and Dominion, AonDor and Dakhor are simply the most pure forms. I actually had this theory for a while, but the Selish Shards were messing me up. Also, if anyone has any theories about the relationship between Shards and the metals, PM me. I will be more than happy to examine your theory.

LG19: Twinborn City After seeing your peaceful village collapse- literally- with infighting and treachery, you fled to a nicer place with many companions. You attracted other twinborn with your promise of equal rights for everyone with allomantic and feruchemical powers. Although you had to exile a few dissidents, it's been quiet here. But then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. you found a dead body in the city, stabbed through the heart. Were you the murderer, or will you be a victim? There's only one way to find out. Factions Day and Night Map Actions Items Powers Allomancy Enhanced Allomantic Powers Feruchemy Kandra Blessings and Info Very Rare Occurrences Quick Links If you were in LG11, most of the rules will be familiar to you, however, a few have changed. Kipper and Elbereth and I are GMing this game. The game will start one week after this was posted, on Tuesday 29 March. Rollover time will be determined then or between now and then.