Dammit! Where was I in 2014? Writing an alternative timeline of the events of Rohan and Isengard from the eyes of of a young woman of Westmarch. Anyway, That may be posted in the 'stories' forum I saw yesterday. Anyway, Dnarion, I found it!
Dnarion wrote:
So, a long time ago while I was playing Battle for Middle-earth I and II; I realized something rather interesting. In one part of the game, you have the ability to reunite Arnor, and doing so allowed you to bring extra aid to the besieged free realms of Rohan and Gondor. From this game arose the idea of what would have happened in the War of the Ring if Arnor had indeed been restored by the time the Ring set out from Rivendell? To this end, the following thoughts have been explored in my own private writing, but I believe it can be explored better with other lovers of Tolkien's world. Thus, this interest check. Allow me to explain more...
The time frame is set to begin in 2956 of the Third Age when Aragorn meets Gandalf for the very first time. That gives those of us participating in this epic story quest some sixty-two years to whip Arnor into shape....the main events of the Lord of the Rings beginning mostly in 3018. The question is, can the heroes actually reunite the fragments of the old Dunedain realm, gather her scattered resources, and hopefully stop the Enemy from finding out too quickly about what they are doing?
Now, there is another part to this story...something unexplored by Tolkien....the Lesser and Minor Rings of Power. For in the Second Age when Sauron sacked Eregion...he laid waste to it. As none of the Great Rings were present, and that was what he sought...the Lesser and Minor Rings were likely scattered....much like the treasures of Gondolin Gandalf and Bilbo found in the HOBBIT. As such, I suggest that the Companions have the chance to find three Lesser and three Minor Rings...one for each member of the free people they were originally made for: Elf, Dwarf, and Man. This would give each character a chance to have at least one of these Rings later on as the chapters grow.
There is a lot of work to be done...none of it will be easy. The Companions would not only need to gather Arnorn's lost resources, but convince the Elves of Mithlond and Rivendell to no longer flee into the West...not to mention convince the reclusive Dwarves of Thorin's Hall in Ered Luin to help. The challenges the Companions would face are plentiful and many, and not simply going on various treasure seeking and monster slaying adventures.
No canon characters would be allowed...everything would need to be original in creation. Arthalion, the Dunedain responsible for setting this up, will be my character if this goes forward. As before, I look forward to seeing your thoughts on this idea.
I never got into the BFME games, but Arnor is one of my great loves of obscure Tolkien legendarium. One of my first RPs on a forum was called 'Mists of Arnor' set about 40 years before the War of the Ring. Good writers, good characters, great interaction. Sadly, the forum is no more and I only have saved notes from it.
So, late to the party I know, but I would be greatluy interested in writing in a tale set in Arnor in 2956 of the 3rd age. I can dust off an old character of mine and give her bio a tune-up. I think I left her standing at the dusty bar in a deserted Forsaken Inn drinking a bottle of aged red wine from The Shire.