The Taproom

Rhuoomm … but mortal we are, Master Barliman, aren’t we? …. hoommm … but that’s no reason to provide your liquids with those ingrediences to cut it short … huoommm … life, I mean … huoommm … anyway, it’s time for me now to take my place outside your premises
to guard … rhuoomm … I’ll not be seen outside the Pony among all those wildflowers and trees in the rotten garden … huoommm …

Seems for me, that the company we trust in did some practical training at our honourable Master Tree !
They do not haste . . . Not at all !

isn’t it possible to have some “diabolo grenadine” around here?? (grenadine sirup + lemonade) with a straw and lots of ice cubes

Huooommmmm …. rhuoommm … alas … remember that I called this a place for facts & rumours back in the old days of the good old MMP? … huoommm … that’s what the Pony always was and has been … rhuoommm … now look at that …. gruuhuoommm … grenadine, syrup, pineapples, fancy umbrellas, ice cubes, straw, lime slices, fur balls, mulch wine, monolithic paperweights … rhuoommm … rat tails served with fork and spoon … alas … how did it come down to that? … huoommm …
… huoommm … as for you, Master Rita.de, yes, I let them to do so, because it’s always better to produce finest quality at a certain time than rather haste production as some other company does … disregarding quality …. rhuoommm …. just for them coiny things … huoommm …
huoommm … anybody around here who could lend a hand? … those wargskins need to be brushed … rhuoommm … the tap is dropping …. where’s the spoon? … alas … busy I am …. rhuoommm … busy, I said, not hasty, …. rhuoomm …

Rhuoommm …. huom … but he’ll charge me for that … Master Caster… huoommm …

Speeches about umbrellas? Did I miss anything while I was in the Bree non-smoking area?

What (other) news in the mark? Is the company now planning to do anything after the debate or is it again the “wait and see-tactics”?

Anyway, after the boycott, the GF’s come back to suggest things, strange to me. Sorry, I am disgusted, like Master Gildor was often, when he was talking about FG-figures. Why the hell do the GF’s not want to suggest miniatures of the trilogy (which is allowed!! 😆 ) of characters, we have not a mere shadow cast in lead????? Why are most suggestions so far from the story of Hobbit and LotR? I do not mention figures like Angmar-related stuff or non-named figures, but figures that are so far from the “ring-tale”.
I personally do not need a mounted figure possibility to suggest, if the figure goes not in the direction like Halbarad, Gothmog, the dead rider of Dunharrow, Harad on camels or Arnorian knights (ya know, it is Angmar stuff).

O.K. Dear Barliman, another ale please and a ‘short one’. No I do not mean Nob, but something more heavy for killing my thirst…….

Well after a long absence (at least by Pony time) I’m back. I won’t bore you with the details of my journey, they are neither interesting nor enjoyable.

To catch up since a wek ago when I last visited the Pony I’ll say first, Gildor, I give you a great deal of credit for voicing discontent at the significant rise in Mithril’s new M series prices. And the boycott achieved what you hoped it would, without killing the FG.

Now as for the survival of Mithril, I think we worry too much some times. Lars is a shrewd businessman, or so it seems. This is not to say that he wouldn’t cut off Mithril if he felt he needed to, remember, as much as we “care” about Mithril, it is a business, and we have no control over it.

As for the production of M series vs FG figures, well, it has been a steady shift by Mithril to marketing to us as we are spending money with little or no advertising on their part. I doubt more M releases vs FG releases would benefit Mithril financially without the needed advertising and the increase in customer base that would follow. But an upfront investment must be made which might be difficult for PA before any M series would sell at high enough levels to justify a low price.

And that’s the point. The sale price has to exceed the cost of production with a reasonable profit margin. There are many customers out there buying M series releases at (now) e7 who are not GF members, but we also purchase many of these figures. The company can not make FG figures for 50-75 people and charge less, so no matter what happens with M series releases, our cost are likely to remain the same, or a little higher.

I agree that it is better to have fewer FG pieces each year and more members who suggest ideas and vote each period instead of losing members due to expenses. But instead of once a year, which I think would cause a lack of interest (afterall, we need things to communicate about), If we have to reduce the MS figures lets move more slowly, say once every other month to start. Of course all of this is up to Mithril and Chris, and we vote with our purchases. I worry that too much time between suggestions will cause a loss of interest.

Finally, regarding the subject of FG suggestions that are strictly within the books (Trilogy, Hobbit, even Silmarillion and HOME) I like many favor named characters ( I notice Bombur is up again), but I believe that the more suggestions that are made for us to consider, the better. So it happens that many times when one of us is thinking of who/what to suggest, all of the named characters we like have been suggested already. So then the choice is: don’t suggest anything, or come up with an idea. Well I choose the latter, as do many. And amazingly enough, some of these win. So does a fifth or sixth rendition of a main character, and, sometimes, a named one whose never been produced before. Also, Chris sometimes takes matters into his own hands by producing a named character in an M series (Malbeth recently).

Good night all, this should be the best sleep I’ve had in awhile. Ahhh, yes, Barli, thanks for topping off my ale.

PS. I’ll be leaving again soon, and may not be back for several days