ISSN: 1081-8359 The International Journal for Middle-earth Gaming I S S U E 28 ELVES OF MIRKWOOD Other Hands ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ISSUE 28 JANUARY 2000 EDITORIAL: "DARO!" In this Issue They said it couldn’t happen, they said it (the Wood-elves) that forms the necessary A History of the Nandor ...... 3 wouldn’t last, but here we are once again, background to the linguistic portrait David like a naurnen blast. Welcome to OH2K! paints for us. Tatyarin Avari........................ 6 One of the many things in short supply for Jeff Erwin follows up with a kindred topic, Middle-earth gamers (and for Tolkien fans in Dark Elves, and includes a complete set of general) over the years has been accessible development stats for playing them in a game. A Grammar and Dictionary of and reliable language resources. For many, Next comes the grammar and dictionary Silvan Elvish ......................... 11 the list begins and ends with Ruth Noel’s proper - everything you need to create names, Languages of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, now quite form sentences, even compose poetry in the dated as well as being rife with errors. But Silvan tongue. Halls of the Elven-king ......... 18 even today, with the gradual expansion of our In the middle of it all you will find a beauti- knowledge of Quenya and Sindarin through ful rendition of the Elven-king’s court, follow- The History of Mt. Gundabad... 32 the History of Middle-earth series and Parma ing the designs and costuming of some classi- Eldalambaron, significant gaps remain in the cal Chris Tubb Mithril figures. My commen- linguistic map of northwestern Endor. Inevi- tary turns toward the subject of genealogy, Siriann's Song......................... 34 tably so, since Tolkien himself did not com- synthesizing various MERP versions of pletely detail all the languages he invented. Thranduil’s family and relations. To the student of Tolkien’s subcreation, Thomas Morwinsky comes to the rescue such lacunae simply come with the territory; with a last-minute space filler on Mount C ONTRIBUTORS they are limits to be recognized and accepted. Gundabad, bringing the MERP canon into But what of the player or GM bent on push- accord with the History of Middle-earth se- Jeff Erwin ing past the boundaries of the given? The ries. easiest practical solution is: fake it, use what Last but not least we have a creative piece Gen Larson information is available and improvise the by Gen Larson, player of the Dark Elf, Sir- rest. After all, that’s what subcreation (and iann, whose people’s story the poem recounts. Thomas Morwinsky role playing) is all about. Occasionally, Astute subscribers will note the reappearance though, it becomes possible to extrapolate of the enigmatic Muristil from OH 20. David Salo new linguistic data with a good deal more As for news from the wide world, there is precision, especially when the extrapolator is somewhat to report. According to Eric Dub- Chris Seeman David Salo. ourg, the French gaming company Hexagonal David has a long track record as a “con- will continue to translate and publish MERP sulting linguist” for both MERP and OH. modules. I gather from this that Tolkien En- EDITING Among his many distinguished credits is the terprises has decided to continue “sub-letting” creation of Lossidilrin, the Snow-elven dia- the foreign rights to MERP. Martin Burke lect from The Northern Waste. It was the prin- Thomas Morwinsky has just submitted a ciple behind this exercise, of following lengthy set of guidelines for adapting the role Chris Seeman Tolkien’s own method in plotting a set of playing game Harnmaster to Middle-earth, and transformations from a common ancestral this information is now available for Charles Watteyne Elvish tongue, that planted the notion in my download on the OH website. head that something similar might one day be Finally, as real life continues to erode my attempted on a larger scale for the language free time, I have been turning over in my PAGEMAKING of the Elves of Mirkwood and Lórien. mind the idea of publishing The Inland Sea The initial impetus for devising Silvan manuscript on the website (and via floppy for Ouentin Westcott names was actually occasioned by Jasna those without Internet access). Unlike The Martinovic’s Mirkwood-based adventure Oathbreakers, which still requires a good deal published in OH 20. The necessity reasserted of work before it will be presentable, The ARTWORK itself a year later as Thomas Morwinsky and Inland Sea is more or less ready to go. How- I started preparing the Inland Sea maps, with ever, I won’t be able to devote the necessary Jeff Erwin their coverage of Mirkwood. The final push time to a thorough editorial pass until May, so came when my own campaign began detailing I won’t make any promises more definite than Quentin Westcott the upbringing of a Dark Elven PC among “sometime this summer.” the Elves of Mirkwood. It was only a matter of time before this issue’s feature piece, “A Chris Seeman 22 NEXT ISSUE: Grammar and Dictionary of Silvan Elvish,” January, 2000 SOUTHERN would become a reality. We begin this issue with a short but re- MIDDLE-EARTH lated historical overview of the Nandor 2 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Issue 28 January 2000 A HISTORY OF THE NANDOR David Salo: 2601 University Avenue The Nandor became a separate people. choirs of birds whose fair voices had taken #103, Madison, WI 53705-3750, USA They were not like the other Eldar, or even thought and meaning.” But even in this they ([email protected]) the Teleri, except that they loved water, and were secret, and they did not sing at night when the creatures of Morgoth might walk “The Nandor are the Host of Denweg, the tended to dwell beside running streams and abroad. They were a peaceful people, if left Wood-elves, the Wanderers, the Staff-elves, the waterfalls. They knew more about living undisturbed; they did not hunt beasts, nor Green Elves and the Brown, the Hidden People; and things (trees, herbs, birds and beasts) than did they hew their trees (which they held those that came at last to Ossiriand are the Elves any other Elves. But they were not simply dear) or light fires in the woods. Neither of the Seven Rivers, the Singers Unseen, the King- peaceful; some, when provoked or dis- did they willingly permit strangers m their less, the Weaponless, and the Lost Folk, for they are turbed, might show an evilness of temper land. They did not for the most part mingle now no more.” which to the Eldar was reminiscent of the Avari. with the Sindar; but they did not forget - Pengolodh (HoMe X.164) their relatives who had remained beyond Long years after, evil creatures remain- the Blue Mountains, and from time to time THE FIRST AGE ing from the reign of Morgoth began to stir some would cross back into Eriador and in Middle-earth, Orcs and wraiths and Among the Eldar who set out upon the have dealings with their kin. They pre- werewolves, and they came into Eriador Great Journey from Cuiviénen, some were served their own tongue as long as the First and even to Beleriand. But the Nandor who lost on the way, some turned aside, and Age lasted, though almost all the rest of had entered Eriador were a weaponless some remained on the shores of Middle- Beleriand spoke Sindarin. earth. Whether they wandered in the woodland folk, and they were much afraid Not long (as the Elves measure time) woods and vales of Middle-earth or dwelt of the creatures of Morgoth. Therefore after Denethor came to Ossiriand, Mor- by the Sea, still they were Eldar, and their Denethor son of Denweg, ruler of the Nan- goth returned to Middle-earth and attacked hearts remained turned toward the West. dor of Western Eriador, who had heard that westward over the Blue Mountains King Beleriand (VY 1497). Thingol then called Most of these Eldar were of the Teleri. Thingol ruled a peaceful realm in power upon Denethor and his Elves for assistance, It is said that when the host of the Eldar and majesty, gathered together as many of and together they fought the Orc-host in had passed through Greenwood the Great, his dispersed people as he could and led East Beleriand. But the Green-elves were they came to the broad river Anduin and them across the mountains into Beleriand light-armed, no match for the heavily- saw beyond it the towering peaks of the armed Orcs, who surrounded Denethor on 1 (VY 1350). Misty Mountains. With Oromë, the Van- Amon Ereb, slaying him and all his rela- The Sindar soon saw that the Lindi (‘the yar and the Noldor departed for the moun- tives before Thingol could come to his aid. Singers,’ as they called themselves) were tains; but the Teleri looked upon the icy Thingol slew the Ores; but the Green-elves their near relations, of the clan of the Teleri, crags and were afraid, for they were a returned lamenting to Ossiriand. The news whose language (despite great differences) people of woodlands and rivers, and they of the battle filled the Green-elves with fear, was still clearly related to Sindarin. Thin- longed to stay by the banks of Anduin. and they never again took a king or went gol therefore welcomed the Nandor as Then one Denweg arose, and he was of the to open war with the hosts of Morgoth, long-lost relatives, and gave them a coun- host of Olwë (which was the hindmost of staying a wary and secret folk while the try of their own on the western side of the the hosts of the Teleri on the road); and he First Age lasted.