Beleriand, muljed

[Xan]

[Iardacil]

Natuke pilte: http://www.dragon.ee/gallery/main.php/v ... li_pildid/

[Hellera]

[Die]

[Bango]

Kui kõrge kuningas Fingolfin esmakordselt oma ruumi astus, oli see orke täis.

Nii algas minu esimene tõsiseltvõetav larp, kus mulle oli usaldatud üks vägagi oluline roll. Kui alguses seda mulle pakuti, oli esimene mõte "jääb ära" , kuid kaks nädalat hiljem pidin ma alla vanduma Inwe vastupandamatule sharmile ja andma talle oma jah- sõna. GM-idel oli kõvasti julgust võtta sellisesse rolli täiesti tundmatu tegelane - esimest korda kohtusin ma mängujuhtidega silmast-silma alles mängul.

Laupäev oli minu jaoks üks korralik tulekustutaja tööpäev - audientsisoovijatel ei paistnud lõppu tulevat ja üks hull eriolukord järgnes teisele. Tulevastele kuningatele soovitan ametlikku kirjutajat, kes paneks räägitud jutu kirja (ühel saadikul, kes tuli tolkieniliku mõistujutuga, lasin selle igatahes kirja panna, kuna muidu poleks ma üldse aru saanud, mida ta rääkis - selleks ajaks oli ta seda sama teksti mulle juba kolm korda rääkinud). Eks ta nii läks, et kõikide nende asjadega, mis mulle ette kanti, ma tegeleda ei jõudnudki, kuna järgmine asi tuli enne valjuhäälselt peale (näiteks minu kallis tütar oma järjekordse suure hingehädaga)...ja mõni asi saigi ära unustatud - vabandaks vaese orki ees, kes kaks tundi lossi taga pingil istus, kuni ma otsustasin, kas ta lahti lasta või lühemaks teha...mul lihtsalt polnud aega selle peale isegi mõelda. Ja kui ma siis leidsin lõpuks aega korraks hinge tõmmata - avastasin, et söömise olin ka ära unustanud...kuna haldjate dieetlaua oli mu ihukaitse suurest igavusest tühjaks söönud, olin ma sunnitud saatma käskjala koos sõduritega kõrtsi toidu järele...nojah, seda, et toit oli otsas, sain ma teada oma kalli nõuniku käest, kes tuli ja rääkis kui täis ta kõht on ning siis möödaminnes mainis, et toit sai otsa. Sellel õhtul leppisin ma siis kilbil kantud moosisaiadega, mis kõrtsmik mulle haletsusest saatis kahest selleks ajaks kõrtsi allesjäänud toiduainest - moosist ja saiast.

Teisel päeval oli elu veidi rahulikum ja mina ettenägelikum - käisin enne kui hilja kõrtsis söömas. Samas tahtsin ma teada, kus see kõrts üldse asub. Tagasiteel lossi poole sattusime peale karule, kes oli otsustanud sõdureid rünnata - sellise lauslolluse eest sai ta muidugi õiglase palga. Selle peale tekkis mul vastupandamatu soov poliitika hetkeks sinnapaika jätta ja minna karujahile, metsa mõmmidega madistama - mõeldud - tehtud - lossi ja turvis selga. Nagu ikka - just siis kui turvise selga sain, oli päkapikkude kuningas mul ukse taga, et audientsile pääseda. Õnneks oli päkapikuisand mõistlik mees ja peale väikest asjaarutamist võttis rõõmuga vastu mu karujahi kutse. See oli tõsiselt tore üritus ja teeksin sügava kummarduse päkapikuisandale ülimeeldiva jahiseltskonna eest

Liidu sõlmimisest ja peost ma rääkima ei hakka - peale mängu maadejagamine ei muuda midagi ja peost said kõik ise ka osa.

Tahaksin kõiki osalenuid tänada meeldiva mängukogemuse eest. Eriti meeldivaks tegid mulle mängu kõik need neiud, kes minu möödumisel mulle alati kummardasid ja naeratasid, minu soomlasest tütar (tõeline drama queen) koos teiste soomlastega, loomulikult minu meeskonnana toiminud haldjaõukonda ja minu lemmikpäkapikud (jah, ma mõtlen teid kõiki).

Tänud GM-dele selle võimaluse eest ja müts maha teie ees, et võtsite sellise ürituse vedada.

Esmakordselt noldorite Kõrge Kuningas,
Fingolfin

[Magnus]

Panen ühe episoodi veel kirja. Otsustasime orkisalgaga haldjapatrulle varitsema minna. Kaasas oli meil kolm vangi, kelle pealt me nõudmisi otsutasime esitada. Ühel vist võeti käsi maha rabelemise eest, vähemalt ma käskisin seda teha. Aga just siis, kui olime heale kohale jõudnud, hakkasid pealik ja teine ork keset teed üksteise peale karjuma ja läks vihaseks kakluseks. Kuulda oli kedagi eemal tulemas ja see varitsuskoht oli seega välistatud. Kuna vangid ja neid valvavad orkid olid natuke eemal ja mina olin üks neist, siis panin ma tähele, et nii vangid kui varandus on meie käes. Tekkis mõte liiga ülbe pealiku ja teised karjuvad värdjad kuradile saata, las kaklevad seal omavahel, kui tahavad, löögu või üksteist maha, saak on meie käes. Hakkasime siis vangidega vaikselt eemalduma.
Paraku jõudis aga kohe pealik ja tema kamp meile järgi, õnneks olid nad aga teadmatud minu ideest. Kuulda oli, et keegi on tulemas. Ootasime veidi, ajaviiteks torkisin vangi noaga (neil oli suu kah kinni, et karjuda ei saaks) ning ühtäkki jooksis meist mööda reeturist ork, kes varem meie seast põgenenud oli. Ei jõudnud aga seda raiska jälitama asuda, sest oma kannul oli ta päkapikud otse meie juurde toonud (tahtlikult). Nagu enne kirjeldatud, läks sõnavahetuseks päkapikkudega. Üritasime selgeks teha, et need, kes meil käes on, on üsna kõrged tegelased, kuid nagu enne inimestega kohtudeski, ei avaldanud see erilist mõju. Ei tundud keegi (lollid, nagu nad kõik on) ära ka eset, mille ettenäitamisel pidavad vangi ema meile palju andma. Siis hakkasid asjad allamäge minema. Kõigepealt pääses üks vang jooksu. Seejärel ma käratasin teisele orkile, et valvaks ise minu vangi, et ma saaks kotist piinamisvahendid võtta. Muidugi ta ei teinud seda korralikult(teistele orkidele ei saa kunagi loota) ja nii pistis ka see vang jooksu. Seepeale arvasid päkapikud, et oleks hea rünnakule asuda. Mind oleks peaaegu maha löödud, aga napilt pääsesin. Taganedes kohtasin metsas teisi ellujääjaid ja nendega tiirlesime tükk aega ümber päkapikkude, aegajalt mõne noole teele lastes.

[Svaha]

Oh no, no, NO!!!

I just wrote a long, long post trying to express my heartfelt thanks to you all for the game, but the forum managed to log me out and eat the draft!! I have to try again tomorrow, but I had to say something after going through that emotional ordeal that!

Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed my trip, my game and the enthusiasm and welcome of everyone I met. As I hope to be back soon, please let me know of any interesting games that might accommodate English - for now; I promise not to need the English for very long! By Sunday afternoon I was already back to figuring out a lot of the conversations around me.

And yes, I've been practising by reading the forum thread - you should not be so effusive with your praise when you never know who may be reading! I can hardly know which way to turn after all those kind words. Thank you, I guess, though I don't personally see myself as having played particularly well... *blush*

II met so many lovely people before, betwixt, and after the game that I wanted to set down the opportunity to stay in touch (and some people promised me photos of games we talked about). My email is svaha@iki.fi, and if you use Facebook, you can find me and friend me by my name, Kristiina Prauda. I can even be persuaded to chat if need be, though I don't use chat programs regularly.

All my love and thanks and very best wishes to you all,

Kristiina (Aredhel)

[Heart]

[Fea]

Kristiina's hint of you complimenting us here lured me into registrating even though I don't really understand Estonian - a word here and there and a couple more with a net dictionary

I want to thank you - especially Falathrim elves and GMs - for making my game enjoyable and interesting by creative improvising ;-) The party on Sunday was great fun, too! And I'm very very greatful to GM's for arranging that my forgotten make up bag is now on its way back to me!

Last weekend's experience encourages me, too, considering taking part in more larps in Estonia, if there are any played in English (I don't have the advantage of having studied Estonian, like Kristiina), so I, too, would like to hear about them. My email is paivi_vinni (at) yahoo.co.uk and I'm also in Facebook by that name.

Best wishes to you all
Paivi / Pelethien

[Magnus]

Most, if not almost all games are in Estonian, but it's not a big problem. Something could always be arranged, so if you are interested, you would have to talk to a game masters of the game you want to come to. Most game worlds are made of many nations and areas with different people (and different languages) anyway, so having for example in-game outlanders who don't speak common language well in otherwise mainly Estonian-speaking game would fit in fine, or there could be many other solutions.

There is a (incomplete) calendar at http://larp.ee/ with dates of some games.

[Tindome]

Tallinnas Nõmmel elavad sellised asjad (septembri lõpuks sulen väljastamispunkti ja jagan taaskasutusse kusiganes vaja)

1 valge linane särk
1 must T-särk punase kirjaga
suur punakaspruun juuksehari
2 riidest poekotti
1 tumesinine riidest kott tööriistade ja kokkukäiva noaga
pruun (ilmselt villane) kapuuts igavesti pika sabaga
must õhuke rihm/vöö
mingi punakaspruun karusnahavärk, õmmeldud
hallikasbeezh riidest üleõlakott, ilmselt naisterahva oma, sees oli hästi lössis next suitsupakk

Ühendus läbi priva

[Svaha]

Now, then – about the game and proper thanks.

I want to save the detailed analysis into my report for the GMs, because I really don’t know the Estonian larp culture and don’t wish to appear a moron. *grin* My impressions were of great enthusiasm and goodwill and the willingness not to mind little (or even big) disturbances: in Finland, you can be sure that cars, cameras and tourists would have been complained of muchly. But to want and have something, one must be willing to pay accordingly – in money, in effort, in compromise – or not have it at all. I don’t believe anyone in Finland would have the courage to touch The Silmarillion, because they would fear it all not being perfect enough… and so, we miss the glory and grandeur and sheer wish-fulfillment that Tolkien means and has always meant to so many of us fantasy freaks!

To me, this game proved that it is possible to reach that glory, that very special and unique magic, despite the disturbances and compromises, and I would not trade the experience for any price! I can’t stop complaining how badly I want to go back! There was a bit of confusion about where in-game ended and off-game begun, which is probably a matter of player culture. And there were practical matters that could have flowed more smoothly, but that is something that can only come through experience – long experience – in arranging big larps. So when you are a frontrunner (do I understand correctly that this was the first game this big in this type of surroundings?), you just have to muddle through and do your best and learn for the future! And considering how small the GM group was, the achievement is all the more remarkable.

And there were so many good things! Of course, the beauty of the site, but also the costumes and many of the props… the bus arrangements… the dancing, which worked better than in most games I’ve ever seen! For one, there were enough men (instead of all the noblemen being locked up in negotiations while women wait and get bored and the dancing fizzles); and for two, the dances were simple and fun and repeated often enough (instead of a dance program that is only fun for the showoff of a few seriously dedicated historical-dance-enthusiasts). The feast was great, and if the food distribution was a little uneven during the game – well, that also is something that can only be learned by living it through. All in all, the feeling, the overall illusion, delighted and surprised me after the initial doubts over tourists and the like: I had no problem getting into character (well, actually, I didn’t play at all as I had planned, but for that I can only blame myself!) and into the story (I only wish I could have seen more of it! but don’t we all always?).

I am immensely gratified that I was allowed to enter this world of childhood longing and dream as a grown-up, and that you all made it possible and believable.

I don’t even know if it's right to single anyone out, as I had no bad experiences (well, maybe one could slightly count some of the guard talking back to Aredhel in a not-so-respectful manner, but I’m sure there were reasons). But I really, really can't help that I need to give some specific thank-yous:

- The GMs: for your courage, vision and hard work; for letting us come to your game, and for being so endlessly patient and service-oriented with our questions - my numerous ones in particular - and for never losing your good cheer and helpful attitude. (I'm very glad that the GMs were able to sit in and listen to conversations by not-being-there-mechanisms, because even that is rarely done in Finnish games - but I fully support the principle that if you go through the trouble of arranging a big game, the least you can allow yourself is to be able to follow it as much as you can; off-game ribbons etc. are easy to notice and to remember!) Thank you for taking on this saga that I never thought I might get to experience in my favourite hobby!

And thank you for trusting me with such a fabulous character! It’s not that canon characters are somehow automatically the coolest, no! But I’ve loved Tolkien’s characters since I was eight years old, so it is special to get to look into the mirror of one of them for a little while. But even more: I like characters that are very clearly defined and have a very clear position in the story, because deep inside, I’m a horribly insecure little thing that never knows if she’s doing enough or doing it right (which is also why I tend to overcompensate by overdressing, overaccessorizing, overintensity and whatever over-thingy ever). A clearly-defined character gives me a tight frame and therefore, security. But I didn't expect to enjoy this particular character this much: Aredhel is not exactly sympathetic in the book, even if she finally redeems herself by dying for her son without a heartbeat’s hesitation. Yet when I got to thinking of her and trying to find empathy with her, I really began to feel for her, and such deep insight into someone you might not have understood before is one of the greatest enjoyments I can get from a larp…

…as the poor GMs will get to see, once my half-finished game report is actually finished! Aredhel wanted to write it in her own voice, which was not at all in the plan… and I don’t generally speak of characters as having their own will, either! She lives for me now, like a friend I did not expect to meet and then certainly did not expect to become a friend. And so do your characters, my fellow players: you gave me a fantastic game experience (which I also did not quite expect after the Finnish player who was supposed to take on Eol cancelled so inexcusably late)!

- Fingolfin and Fingon: you caught on so marvellously after only learning of my presence a few moments before the game began! I’ll join the general adoration for Fingolfin as the most elven-king-looking of all elven kings ever, but even more, you were a loving, kind father who always found the time for me even though I must have been such a pest! It was nearly impossible to be as severe as I had planned to, when you were so understanding (if only I’d managed to also assure you that I had a brain in my head! but well, there was the slightly life-upsetting issue with my lost son to deal with… that issue of parental love over which we bonded so beautifully, and so surprisingly!). And Fingon: now I only wish I had pushed for more interaction between us, because only now do I understand how much chance for more great family drama I missed! But what we had was good.
- Maeglin, my son: I have no words for you, just ridiculous amounts of big heart signs. I’m struck dumb by how lucky I was to have such a wonderful, thoughtful, dedicated player with whom to create this tightly tangled, incredibly codependent relationship (with such a tragic future, even!). Our interplay was just flawless, based on just a bit of discussion and nonverbal clues (glad you didn’t mind my fussing over you as I did!). I’m gratified and humbled. Thank you.
- Tange, my sweet, sweet friend: you were a constant delight.
- Randiel: so were you! Our conversations were some of the ones where I got the best insights into Aredhel’s character, even if it was unusual for her to open up so much. But it was an unusual day, and besides, we clearly “clicked”. We three made rather a good “outside observer group”, don’t you think?
- All the people of the castle: of the ladies, Ambalin was welcoming and helpful, and the younglings were wide-eyed and impressed, and everyone was sweet and supportive (and spoke English conscientiously). And so were the gentlemen, and they were also willing to tell me practically anything I could ask, even if I was not really in the most central counsels (Ivren in particular was a fountain of information). And since I can’t remember the herald character’s name, but for once, happened to remember to ask the player’s: Kristian, thank you for being so helpful and patient with my fumbling through the dances!! Also, as I said, you have an amazing heraldic voice technique!
- The falathrim ladies: you were adorably social in-game, and I’m really glad we got to talk so much in person on the way home! Your singing will stay as one of the brightest single memories of the whole experience (particularly “I Am The Voice”, which was so perfectly fitting for the game situation that I just sat there in transfixed elation, trembling and trying not to cry, since Aredhel does – not – cry!).
- Amrod: the conversation we had at breakfast table was also one of the very special moments of my game! The halting attempts for expressing sorrow and compassion, and for trying to recapture some of the old friendship, and then surprise at your recount of recent events, and the sudden opening of floodgates about the disappointment and frustration of Aredhel's life with Eol (who else to trust with such intimate matters than an old friend, no matter how changed and broken?)... and the inescapable truth of the Doom, but trying to reassure you that it still matters what we do before it reaches us... It was difficult and conflicting and very, very special.
- My dear fellow travelers. Päivi and Jonni: you were just as dependably great fellow players as I knew you are, and it was deeply satisfying to interact with you and follow your character drama, which was spot-on. Salme, my dear, thank you for taking on a difficult role, and in being so helpful beyond any call of courtesy before and on our trip – and for letting us know of this opportunity in the first place (and extraspecial hugs to your mother!).
- The dwarves, who were amazingly impressive (including Durin, who seemed almost eerily accurate for the role!) and courteous and in-character (my most surprising moment must have been the dwarf lord Uzbad’s affectionate description of Eol’s mood when they had met: that he liked my sourpuss of a husband enough to joke about him! Aredhel was dumbfounded!).
- Everyone whom I got to meet far too briefly, particularly among the humans! The innkeeper and his wife (you were most polite!), Haleth (so beautifully matter-of-fact and self-effacing), everyone… if only I had had more time to know you! Every lord who asked me to dance: thank you for your tolerance! And if I've forgotten someone I really should have thanked, please forgive me: I tried to keep the faces and impressions in order in my mind, but it was all so much to take in and the character was driven by such extreme and extremely unfamiliar emotions that I'm thankful for you simply tolerating me at all!

And off-game, once again thanks to everyone I talked to, joked with, and was welcomed by (the last group including all I came in contact with!). It was a pleasure and a priviledge to meet you all and to take this stroll in Middle-earth with you.

With my heart, and hoping to see you again soon,

Kristiina
(who now sort of regrets she chose visiting family instead of Sotahuuto - not that I fight boffers anyway, but...)

[Irve]

[rene92]

ega kellegi käte ühte väiksemat sorti metssea alalõuga ja jänese nahka ei jäänud??

[Tindome]

Oleme mailile saanud mõned kroonikad, kuigi me neid ei küsinud, ja need on väga toredad lugeda.

Pole teile midagi pakkuda tagasivaate eest "mis tehtud, kuidas tehtud, miks tehtud, mis tegemata", sest sai ju lubatud, et viimane seda tüüpi suurkolakas Beleriandi mäng, ja kogemuspunktid kah rõõmsalt ära kaotatud ja...

...aga kui keegi tahab meile rõõmu teha -

me hindame informatsiooni.