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Old 11-18-2021, 05:54 PM   #29
Inziladun
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Heaven's doorstep
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Originally Posted by Mithadan View Post
For the purposes of complete disclosure, I have or had three accounts. I would use the alter egos for various purposes. There were a few times, during quiet periods, when I would actually “talk to myself” in a thread in an attempt to encourage posting. There was one occasion when a member was caught by his friends using a second account. For reasons that I do not recall, his friends took offense. He apologized and even suggested that he would abandon the Downs entirely. I used an exchange between Mithadan and an alter ego to poke fun at the situation and, together with some PMs, encouraged the member to stay. He still posts.
I certainly recall a situation like that. I was PMing at the time with one who was genuinely hurt by it. I understood the reason the member had for the ruse, but also the feelings of the other parties. I felt it was only a matter of time before matters would rest, and it seems that was the case.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mithadan View Post
Obviously, I never left entirely. One event that helped draw me back, at least a bit, took place about ten (ish) years ago. The old, regimented, and structured RPG system was no longer working. The tiered forums and application process was discouraging and annoying potential participants. I stepped in and encouraged a dialogue for the airing of gripes and ideas. A contentious thread that reminded me of the old times. Ultimately, we did away with the old system and allowed a return, with some rules, of the freestyle RPG format. Unfortunately, while this was initially well received, by that time there generally was not a critical mass of enough interested members to resurrect RPGs on the Downs. Another casualty of social media, perhaps? Too many other ways to have fun online?
I was always interested in the RPGs, but had some doubt as to my ability to participate in one.
It was only after modding my first Werewolf game, and receiving a much appreciated compliment on my "storytelling", that I thought to actually try it.
Sadly, just as I was really getting into it, one of the main characters abruptly disappeared from the Downs, and it just petered out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mithadan View Post
So, the Hobbit movies? There was some speculation that those releases might inspire a revival in posting. My suspicion, that those movies would not, turned out to be correct. Maybe this was because those movies were played as a pure action tale with little depth and too much absurdity. The departures from the story as written may also have contributed to the relative lack of interest in posting, beyond criticism. In 2001, Arwen wielding a sword at the fords of the Bruinen generated debate. The appearance of Tauriel in the Hobbit movies barely caused a blink. I have heard speculation that the upcoming series may also generate discussion. Perhaps…
While I (grudgingly) did finally see the LOTR films, I saw too many previews, trailers, and discussions of TH to say, "no". And no. And no. Since all I was inclined to do was rail about it, it wasn't worth the effort.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mithadan View Post
I have tried to find enthusiasm in posting over the past few years. Sometimes I have inspiration and interest and, at other times I do not. This is apparently a common theme. At the tail end of last year’s birthday party (thank you Estelyn!) I made a toast to members departed. The list was distressingly long. Members have always come and gone here. Now, it seems, more go than come. This also factors into my lack of posts. Those that I deemed to be my comrades ten, fifteen or twenty years ago are now gone like wraiths in the wind or rarely appear and seldom stay. The analogy to the Elves departing as the ages progress is all too appropriate. Hmmmm, does that make me Cirdan, awaiting the last ship?
I find that recently a good deal of the discussions are involving "canon" and HoME type stuff. I seem to be getting more and more averse to that sort of speculation.
I have had a worry for quite some time, that delving too deeply into the "construction" aspect of the works will rub away some of the lustre, the elvishness, as it were. I hear Gandalf's admonition against breaking things to figure them out. As I get older, I only seem to want to enjoy Tolkien's works as stories, and take my own inner meanings as I like.
I'm always up though for the (no)wings Balrog debate, Bombadil's nature, or why Túrin really was to blame for his own fate and that of his family, Morgoth's curse notwithstanding.
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Last edited by Inziladun; 11-18-2021 at 06:24 PM. Reason: Corrected typos
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