Blue Wizard RPG

[Noldor_returned]

I haven't been online for months, but this is something I was thinking of before I disappeared. I don't know what activity is like in the RPGs these days, but we'll see how this goes.

Basically, my idea was that each post is a "chapter" or episode of one or both of the Blue Wizards (Alatar and Pallando). Each post tells a short story type description of an event that happens to them. Characters may be recurring, but nobody is one constant character. This then eliminates people who are not regular posters such as may happen to me, or allows someone who can only think of one event to only post once and have no obligations to continue a character.

However, before it begins it would be worth discussing with people who would contribute at least once or twice where they see this going, or if anyone at all is interested.

Things to consider: setting, possible event ideas, which RPG section to put it in. I'll leave it for a while, see what people say.

[HLGStrider]

I haven't done an RP in forever, so I want to try. Plus the casual thing appeals to me right now.

This is going to depend a lot on what theory we go for. I mean, did they start a cult in the east? Did one of them start a cult and then sacrifice the other? Did they get seduced by the ways of the world? By a woman? Did they get trapped in a tree somewhere?

[YayGollum]

It would be good to have one, more of those, or something else slated as the official story for this thread, but you could also employ all of the ideas. Have them be random legends told about some people who were most probably the Blue Wizards. Random lies told by people who were foiled by them. Or misinformation with some purpose told by the Blue Wizards themselves, towards some useful end, to be determined.

[HLGStrider]

So have people telling their stories?

We could have someone in search of them, a main character who for some reason needs/wants to find them.

[Noldor_returned]

Or not even a main character but a recurring character. I think the cult thing is quite interesting...sort of a Romulus and Remus type story.

When people post an "episode" they could make it completely original so long as continuity is not compromised. For instance if someone wanted to write from the perspective of a Blue Wizard, or from the Valar even, it would be acceptable.

Perhaps they began a cult to one of the Ainur who has not been introduced previously...?

[YayGollum]

There's always Makar and Measse, the deleted Valar, who hung out with Mel for a bit, then decided that he wasn't such great company after all. They were mostly martial. Hung around in Valinor and constantly trained with all kinds of weapons. Tulkas'd show up every now and then and easily best them. Not much else is written about them. Their favorite weapons, which I forget, at the moment. Or you could just come up with something different. But would would be the point of starting a cult to some random other Ainur? Attempting to steer a bunch of humans towards devotion of one of their old pals back in Valinor? For what purpose? It isn't as if any other Ainur are in the habit of showing themselves. Anyways, it sounds as if you are definitely leaning towards sticking to one of the Blue Wizard ideas. Got it.

[Noldor_returned]

But this RPG isn't just for me, so it's what suits most people. I would prefer having a direction before it begins as well though because then some confusion will be avoided.

And the reasoning behind new Ainur is that then we are able to have artistic license. If we used Manwe for example, he already has characterisation done and it restricts the "authors" as they have to follow what is already written. But, if we have new characters we are allowed to make them the way we want. The point of a cult towards new Ainur is just that. A cult, worshipping unconventional Ainur is much easier to maintain than one worshipping the Valar, because that already seems to be in place partially. Look at most cults in existence throughout history. They generally are about lesser-known deities or religions anyway. It makes it easier to con people that way :rolleyes:

[YayGollum]

Well, Sauron's reasons for making cults was to have fun with corruption and to obtain reliable sources of armies. But you write that the Blue Wizards are looking to make a quick buck. Okay. So, they could be making a religion even for some Valar type thing that people already know about. It isn't as if any of them would show up to demand tithes or redirection of prayers to Eru or anything. The Blue Wizards, in this case, were given the direction to manipulate people so that they'd do something about Sauron and not have to bother the beings who could easily put an end to all of the suffering. Mayhaps their cult was made to combat the one that Sauron made for himself over in the east? Or were you going for more of that ---> They're pathetic and just wishing to make a quick buck, probably planning on bolting as soon as they get caught.

[Noldor_returned]

No I wasn't even thinking that. I was thinking they'd created the cult to make themselves famous. Nobody is going to "catch them out", because they lead the cult and it isn't hurting anyone. Maybe cult is the wrong term to use...Religious group?

[YayGollum]

Well, they could get caught doing something other than what they were sent to Middle Earth to do. But you write that their motivation is fame. Fame because they're crazily narcissistic, mayhaps thinking that they are super great and worthy to be the Magical Pope Duo Of The Conquering East (Go Bluejays!)? Or fame with a mind to, as I wrote before, sway humans from the cult that Sauron already made for himself in the east, where they're supposed to have trotted off to?

[Noldor_returned]

That actually works really well. It carries on with what we know of the Blue Wizards, but also leads into what they've been doing. They started the anti-cult, but then got caught up in its success they began to propogate themselves a bit.

Just for you Yay, the cult is about the hero Gollum. (jk)

[YayGollum]

Got it. So! We have a base. Do stories have to go in chronological order? If so, how far back can I go? Plenty can be done back in the Void, when creativity was at its most creepily awesome. Or, since they weren't even necessarily around back then, plenty could be written the strange circumstances of their births. Other than that, is there some grand goal in mind? The evil torturer Gandalf gets to go back home after he fulfilled his quest of trading the job of offing Sauron to some random hobbitses. Do the Valar types ever remember that they've still got a few mayhaps still loyal but tragically out of touch Istari back in the less paradisical land of Middle Earth?

[Noldor_returned]

It could be interesting having several episodes "In the beginning..." as such. The only thing I'd be worried about starting it too early is it dragging on. But starting it in the beginning would be fun. And chronologically makes it easier for one-time contributors, because continuity is much easier to follow.

[YayGollum]

Hm. I would think that not having to wonder what Age we're in would be more useful to the randomly wandering writer. Why worry about order? Just keep an O. O. C. thread with all of the stories submitted so far, so that nobody contradicts anybody else. Those randomly wandering writers aren't about to read through everything, of course. Too much work. And their muse calls them to other planes. :rolleyes:

[Noldor_returned]

There's sense in both. Because if we keep it chronological, readers but not contributors will follow it easier, IMO. But, at the same time, if someone such as you or me or elgee wanted to write a series of episodes in succession but only had time for one at a time, it means other people can jump ahead or back to another time and leave it open for the sequence to continue.

This will have to be a joint decision between people who will contribute at least once. We can't make the final decision between the two of us

[YayGollum]

Of course. I hadn't even thought that anything else was set in stone. I await debate and having my own ideas proven idiotic. Anyways, readers would still be able to read chronologically, if they felt like it. Merely keep linkses in your O. O. C. thread. It'll direct readers from One to Twenty-Seven Thousand and let writers see what stories have already been touched on.

An example --->

Chapter One: In Which The Ainur Of Musical Criticism Reminisces On Pallando's Penchant For The Lost Art Of The Yodel (Tragic, That The elves Never Witnessed It)

Room for plenty!

Chapter Two: In Which Alatar Is Born, Quite Unexpectedly, To An Ainur Of Friction And A Follower Of Tulkas (His Infantile Tantrums Knocked Everyone Out, And He Was Too Slippery To Be Contained)

Room for a bit.

Chapter Three: Pallando And The Last Unicorn

These happen at the same time. Apologies.

Chapter Four: Alatar Meets Olorin. And Writes The Emo Poem, "Being Blue In A World Of Grey"