The Taproom

This topic has 6,719 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 2 months ago by Barliman.

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March 22, 2008 at 3:33 pm #1772
regalrick
Participant
I would like to caution anyone making armour out of Dragonskin to be careful of the beast’s toxic blood while cutting off the scales and underlying hide from the Drakes body.
The more I consume of this wonderful drink of Master Barliman the faster I feel the death-throes of mine own grey cells.I hope it is not through some influence of the Dark Lord.
March 22, 2008 at 4:12 pm #1773
Gavin
Participant
Essentially, early on in MERP’s development, Pete Fenlon sat down and drew a continental map of Middle Earth.

Some people adore it (our own Master Tolwen has done some interesting work with it), and some people (like me) are not so fond of it. I personally think it looks like a big bushy head. Anyway, the big continental map was filled with place names, which didn’t really have a whole lot of context: places like Waw, the Isle of Dogs and so forth. Later, when ICE created their Lords of Middle Earth series, they created a back story for each of the Nazgul.

Some of those stories were decent – the Witch King of Angmar’s, Akhorahi of the South and Adunaphel. Others were less so: Ren the Unclean, Indur Dawndeath and so forth. Khamul’s was particularly lousy. (He’s the Easterling, so lets make him the easternmost of the poppermost! Whee!). Personally I’ve an idea to salvage Adunaphel’s story and have her as a Mouth of Sauron type minion, rather than a Nazgul.

The nazgul were described, and Mithril portrayed them, in their time of power – as dark kings during the middle of the Third Age of Middle Earth. Since that era, as described by MERP, owed more to traditional fantasy RPGing and sword and sorcery, their visualisation is pure fantasy (as in fantasy as genre). “Dragonscale” armour almost assuredly comes from one of the early 80s editions of Dungeons and Dragons, for instance.

So, me, I’d ignore a lot of that.

Gavin
March 22, 2008 at 8:15 pm #1775
twrich
Participant
Hello,

Yes, these nazgul names are creations of ICE. And in the MERP books there are occassional sketches in black and white to give an idea of their apperance. Then in the late ’90s ICE created their Middle-earth Card Collectable Game (MECCG) where they hired several of the best fantasy genre artist, many of whom had already done Tolkien related illustrations, to create a remarkably beautiful set of pictures for these cards; many of which had little or no basis in the actual works of JRR or Christopher Tolkien. This is where the image of Khamul with dragon-skin armor originated. For a long time the works of ICE via MERP were refined and spread about the internet on sites such as merp.com (still in existance, although in a much reduced format due to TE’s cease and desist orders) as well as long-running publications like that produced by Chris Seeman called Other Hands (also forced to cease publication due to TE). Gavin, cantact me if you are still interested in contacting Mr. Seeman.

So regarding Dragon-scale armor, etc . . . there is really no way to say based on the actual words in the books. But that allows us to use our imagination, and I think that JRR Tolkien would like that, even if Christopher does not!

Now Gildor, regarding Master Tubb, I can tell you that Theo and Barli are absolutely correct. You can not take his silence personally. I also have had the same experience. PA keeps him very busy, and with kids in college (at university, as he would say), he really just doesn’t have time to respond to every email. Also, he often is asked the same questions by more than one person and relies on us to keep each other informed. there are times when we trade a dozen emails in one week, and then I don’t hear from him for three months. All of a sudden, he sends me another email as though we just talked the day before! So do not think it is personal, I believe he tries to spead things around so that we all get a piece of his time once in awhile. Of course, he has long-time friends who he has known for many, many years who he tries to keep in more regular touch with. I will be patient (he owes me an email for two months now), and suggest you should also.
March 22, 2008 at 8:24 pm #1776
Barliman
Participant
While you’re here, you might as well have a drink on the house (well, in a jug, but you know what I mean).

Incidentally, who was it that was once asking about dead orc figures for gaming purposes? I really can’t recall. Anyway, if it’s of any interest still, I’ve just noticed that Thomarillion now produce one – but only the one, sadly…at least at the moment. Who knows, more may follow.
March 24, 2008 at 3:11 am #1779
Theobald
Participant
Huoommm … I saw that dead orc … rhuoommm … but who’s in need of dead orcs? …. ahem.
You will not use them as substitute doormats, Master Barliman? … rhuoomm …
… had some trouble with one of the new GFMs …. had to comment …. RHUOOOMM … hom …
no bowl, alright, I’ll go to the forest to bed by now … snow now there is … alas … huomm.
March 24, 2008 at 6:58 am #1781
Barliman
Participant
Well of course there’s snow, Master Tree – it’s Spring! Good idea about the doormats, by the way, though I suspect dead orc wouldn’t be as hard-wearing as wargskin.

I’ve added a comment of my own regarding Gavinorandon (or whatever)’s remark. His choice of the term ‘unacceptable’ was certainly unnecessarily terse.
March 24, 2008 at 11:00 am #1782
Theobald
Participant
Huoommmm …. thanks for your support in that matter, Master Barliman … hom … and as for using orc-skins as substitute doormats …. rhuooommm … it was a jest, so to say …. huoomm.
March 24, 2008 at 12:49 pm #1783
Barliman
Participant
Having just read his other posts, I suspect that Gavinradon (or whatever) is probably quite young and, er, lacking in tact and subtlety. It seems that he expects all Mithril figures to be designed entirely for use in wargames.
March 24, 2008 at 3:22 pm #1784
Theobald
Participant
Huoommm … that’s what I guess … hom … but let me add that your reply was more than polite … rhuooommmm … but, alas, that’s just as you are as long as matters are not about those obscure tab-things …. rhuoommm … may I have a bowl of that clear clean water, please, Master Barliman? ….
March 25, 2008 at 1:42 pm #1785
Gavin
Participant
Well, I said nice and calm things to my namesake.

Uhm…wasn’t the new MX meant to go on sale today?

And why is it still winter (though we have cool icicles!)?
March 25, 2008 at 1:59 pm #1786
Barliman
Participant
Yes, our flourishing spring flowers didn’t look too clever under a layer of snow yesterday either…
March 25, 2008 at 4:45 pm #1787
Theobald
Participant
Huoommmm … about the MX-release I learned that it was sceduled for the early spring … hom … but as we all witness at the moment it’s still winter outside, isn’t it? … rhuoommm … well, then we all know that the Company’s reputation is of being not hasty at all …. huoommm …
I did not receive any news about that rider for many days … or weeks? …. huoommm.
Oh, Master Gavin, cool icicles are better than cool bicycles …. huom
March 25, 2008 at 5:03 pm #1788
Gavin
Participant
Well Master Michael said thusly:

Quote:

Apart from the Vote this month, Mithril Miniatures is proud to annouce the release of Imrahil MX463 next week. I will have it up on our website by this Friday.
The Christmas figure (’07) will be released at the same time.
However we have decided to provide the first 50 subscribers with a special offer.

“This Friday” is the question. Did he mean last Friday (it was sent on Thursday), or as I now suspect, the Friday coming?

Oh well. I have husbanded my money. I will be able to afford Imrahil, and the new Thranduil (which will have that base removed immediately). Whee!

Gavin
March 25, 2008 at 7:10 pm #1789
regalrick
Participant
Not to be hasty but you can order MX463 now from the website.
March 25, 2008 at 9:03 pm #1790
ddaines
Participant
Yes it is ordered (Imrahil) assuming I turned off the correct Firewall as per the web site, but the autoshipment process seems to have broken down (I have not had a request for Anduril Yet) so I thought I’d best be hasty and order it straight away just in case.

Ah it is good to be back, even if it is a lot cooler here and it takes a long time to go through all the emails and read the various posts.

The Corsairs are finished and images sent to Michael, although I hope he has recieved them as he has not acknowledged having received them. Still, for me it was a record to paint a complete range in such a short time!

Any chance of a drink kind host, I have gold in my purse and stories to tell of far off lands.

David
March 25, 2008 at 9:18 pm #1791
Gavin
Participant
And ordered.

I was going to get two Corsairs if there was a decent enough lead time – like two weeks or so. But I couldn’t really justify two orders in one month.

Anyway, its done. These look great!
March 25, 2008 at 10:15 pm #1792
Barliman
Participant
Ah, you may have your purse with you, Master Daines, but I’ll wager there’s very few coiny things left in it. Otherwise you wouldn’t dare to mix with the riffraff and cutpurses who frequent the common room here on a busy night.

Still, I can always chalk up another mark on your slate if you’re really thirsty.

Sadly I just haven’t got the time myself to paint up any of the Corsairs in time for this contest, which may be just as well – Bob’s cat hasn’t forgiven me for relieving his tail of a few hairs when I refreshed my brush last time.
March 25, 2008 at 10:33 pm #1793
Theobald
Participant
Huooommmrhuoommm … hom …. so this company surprises me for being right in time to offer that Imrahil … huoommm … what I can say is that I agreed with The Man to release that MX-metal thing before the Swan Knights follow …. rhuoommm … then Master O’Brian suggested to have those figures released the end of March … hom … so it works … but we had to be sure that The Man will finish the figure in time …. rhuoommm … but he managed and I’m more than happy about this … hom … he did a brilliant job and the figure is superb, methinks …. hom ….
Friday …. rhuoommm … I thought about next Friday (28th) …
Well, the coincidence of releasing the Christmas figure at the same time was just meant to start the …. huoomm …. “new” year with massive releases from the Company … hom …
As for those MX-variants I already recieved a lot of queries within the last weeks …. rhuoomm…
But let me state here again that they were not produced for commerce … so they are not available … rhuoomm … just gifts for good old friends …. huoommmm … I hope you understand that …. huoommm … nice pics in the newsletter ….
so I’ll sit back awhile and taste some of that more honey-coloured liquid … hom … I could give you a tab for that, Master Barliman …. as that seems to be the currency used here …. hom
March 26, 2008 at 6:42 am #1796
Barliman
Participant
I’ll let you have this one for free. Master Tree, since you have something worth celebrating. So, do you believe the Swan Knights will be out before the end of this week? After all, that’s all of the month of March that’s left to us.
March 26, 2008 at 7:00 am #1797
ESTEL
Participant
Barliman wrote:

Sadly I just haven’t got the time myself to paint up any of the Corsairs in time for this contest, which may be just as well – Bob’s cat hasn’t forgiven me for relieving his tail of a few hairs when I refreshed my brush last time.

Hey Hoo!!

All this talk about riff raffs!
I was given some information by some secret sources, that the deadline of the painting contest could be put at the end of April instead of March. Seems that many more folk had problems with the delivery of the corsairs and then glueing them (undercoat them in necessary) and then paint paint paint.

So please another drink to drown my woe about that snow!

NAMARIE
estel
Author

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