March 2006 suggestions are CLOSED

[Michael O'Brien]

Welcome to another exciting chance to add your ideas and dreams to Mithril's LOTR miniatures.
Post your suggestions here. ONE per member.

This month is for single figures, or vignette, suggestions. These also include mounted figures. Please add some quotes about where it is mentioned or give descriptions to promote your suggestion. If you drum up support NOW, the you have a much better chance when it is time to vote.

Voting will begin on the 16th of March (first round).
Second round voting will commence on the 23rd. This will last until the 28th.

You may add comments about other members suggestions as well. If you post any suggestions elsewhere it may not be seen or credited. Please post any suggestions in English.
If you have any questions then post in the other thread provided for such questions.

GO TO GALLERY PAGE:
www.mithril.ie/Fellowship/gallery.html

[Hammershield]

Since I feel the Snow Troll was a popular runner-up among last month's suggestions I'd like to post it again. Since it is a fairly large miniature I don't think it needs to be a vignette.

[Deleted]

"I Can't Carry It For You"

My suggestion is for a single piece or vignette of Sam carrying Frodo up the slopes of Mount Doom. As described in the book, the stance is that of a child on "piggy-back" as opposed to the "firemans lift" pose used in the Movies. Ideally, I would love to see this as a Vignette with a steeply sloped base, but a single figure would work also.

"Now for it! Now for the last gasp!" said Sam as he struggled to his feet. He bent over Frodo, rousing him gently. Frodo groaned; but with a great effort of will he staggered up; and then he fell upon his knees again. He raised his eyes with difficulty to the dark slopes of Mount Doom towering above him, and then pitifully he began to crawl forward on his hands.

Sam looked at him and wept in his heart, but no tears came to his dry and stinging eyes. "I said I'd carry him, if it broke my back," he muttered, "and I will!"
"Come, Mr. Frodo!" he cried. "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well. So up you get! Come on, Mr. Frodo dear! Sam will give you a ride. Just tell him where to go, and he'll go."

As Frodo clung upon his back, arms loosely about his neck, legs clasped firmly under his arms, Sam staggered to his feet; and then to his amazement he felt the burden light. He had feared that he would have barely strength to lift his master alone, and beyond that he had expected to share in the dreadful dragging weight of the accursed Ring. But it was not so. Whether because Frodo was so worn by his long pains, wound of knife, and venomous sting, and sorrow, fear, and homeless wandering, or because some gift of final strength was given to him, Sam lifted Frodo with no more difficulty than if he were carrying a hobbit-child pig-a-back in some romp on the lawns or hayfields of the Shire. He took a deep breath and started off.

They had reached the Mountain's foot on its northern side, and a little to the westward; there its long grey slopes, though broken, were not sheer. Frodo did not speak, and so Sam struggled on as best he could, having no guidance but the will to climb as high as might be before his strength gave out and his will broke.

[Will the Fey]

Greetings fellows!

I suggest Belegond – Royal Guard of the Tower of Calimehtar.

He could be with Pippin. Both at the Citadel/Tower guard uniform.

[Gildor]

If I remember well, Sam holding Frodo on the slopes on mount Doom has been made in 54mm LO range (LO30) , the position could be the same in 32mm

As for my Idea, I'd like to resubmit my Idea of the "Crowning of King Elessar by Gandalf". The scene by itself would involve only the throne of Gondor (already made in M195 with Denethor) Gandalf the white (with a very clean and perfect robe and cape) holding the Numenorean crown of Dunedain kings in his hands, and on his knees before him, Aragorn, waiting to receive the crown, in his regal clothes (such as in MS298, idem for the crown)

This vignette would allow a great diorama of the crowning ceremony involving MANY personnalities from the whole Mithril range, that do not need to be put in the vignette itself (thus reducing the cost)
For example you could include Elrond, Faramir, Eomer, the whole remaining fellowship, some elf maidens as honor girls for Arwen... some Gondorians citizens... and a lot more

[presto247365]

Seeing the quality of the MX 436 troll, I think the snow troll would be very cool.

And also a shout out to Sweden's hocky team! Congrats Hammershield!

[barliman]

Well, I'm nothing if not persistent, so I'll suggest Eorl on Felarof at the Field of Celebrant.... again.

Out of curiosity, how would a 'Snow Troll' differ from other sorts of troll? Tolkien doesn't mention such creatures himself, so I just wondered exactly how he's envisaged. On skis, maybe? Wearing a parka and snow-goggles? Or am I showing the effects of watching too many hours of Winter Olympics?

[Deleted]

Hello!

I want to propose Shadowfax, the meara.

I am thinking in the powerful horse, calm in his lands, watching the skyline.

I think that Chris is a wonderful horse sculptor, and he can do a great job with a strong miniature.

Maybe it can be a vignete with other horse behind him.

Greetings!

[Hammershield]

Thanks, we are very proud of our hoeckey players.

There is very little written about snow trolls, there is only that on quote about Helm Hammerhand to go by. (In fact, snow-trolls could very well be a myth within the myth, like the Fastitocalon, but let’s suppose it is not). It is my not too farfetched interpretation, I think, that the snow troll is related to or even the same as the stone giants living among the mountain tops of the Misty Mountains (mentioned in The Hobbit). I picture a very primitive form of troll which has evolved in the icy north and/or among the mountains peaks, far from the better known world. They, like the Lossoth, should be dressed in fur and crude weapons of stone and bone.

I picture a troll similar to the existing ones, meaning it should have that distinct “silicate-lifeform” appearance: muscles are knotty, uneven and angular; certain skins sections look like shards of flint etc. Since it lives in cold areas I think it should have more hair than other trolls. The new olog-hai troll looks very good with its greasy hair draped down its neck and I think something similar can be achieved with the snow-troll. Thick rolls of felted hair, dreadlocks, could be falling down its back, perhaps a rudimentary beard could curl from its chin and the corner of its mouth. A rug of thick hair could protect its lower abdomen and groin. The ears should be somewhat smaller to prevent heat loss and the eyes slitted, beady and set deeply within its head to make it better suited to walk through blizzards. Large flat feet enables it to walk in deep snow. It wields a crude club of bone, a thigh bone of another troll or a rib from a beached whale. A bearskin is slung over its shoulder and it would be nice if it had a detail like a caribou or muskox calf dangling on its hip, recently slain for tea.

The colors are of course up to the painter, but I imagine it having a grey skin and a dirty, off-white hair color.

While it is easy to associate to big foot and the yeti, I personally don’t think that is appropriate. It should be closer to in looks to the trolls we’ve already seen in the Mithril range. Also, having it wield an icicle like some sort of dagger might look cool but it is not really realistic (if you can speak of that in these circumstances). It would be as effective as a glass hammer as even a dense troll would soon realize (if only very briefly…)

[Hammershield]

I have maqde a sketch of the Snow Troll and will send it to Adam once I've cleaned it up a bit.

[Hammershield]

Errata: Michael, not Adam... My apologies.

[khador]

I suggest Gandalf in the front of the Doors of Durin (at the west gate of Moria) with his staff pointed toward doors

[mshartmann]

Hmm, all worthy suggestions. However, I have an idea for one of two possible vignettes for the same (or close to it) scene.
From the Return of the King:
"At Pippin's side Beregond was stunned and overborne and he fell; and the great troll-chief that smote him down bent over him, reaching out a clutching claw. . . Then Pippin stabbed upwards, and the written blade of Westernesse pierced through the hide and went deep into the vital sof the troll . . . He toppled forward and came crashing down like a falling rock, burying those beneath him."

I imagine the moment, Beregond stunned, the troll-chief bending over just a Pippin's blade stabs into him. This, I think, would satisfy the hobbit lovers, troll lovers, and Beregond supporters. Also, Pippin never seems to get his moment - the killing of the troll was left out of Peter Jackson's film and was not present in the excellent BBC radio production done 20 years ago. Let's give him his due!

Alternately (and more humorously), the moment when Gimli finds Pippin buried under a "heap of bodies" by recognizing Pippin's foot. Picture the heap of bodies, crowned by the dead troll-chief with Pippin's foot sticking out. Beregond lies stunned nearby with gimil reaching for the corpses to begin turning them over.

What say you all?

[MBmotel17]

mshartmann, I think the first idea would be more powerful, to see Pippin in probably his most courageous moment.

I suggest a vignette of Gothmog, Lieutenant of Morgul, atop a large warg on the Pellenor Fields. His sword at his side, and his shield arm pointed out, commanding his troops to charge. Around or in front of him, Harad and Orc infantry charging out to battle.

[twrich]

There are some great ideas so far. An awesome vignette would be the culminating epic scene from the First Battle of the Fords of Isen.

It was there that Grimbold, leader of a garrison protecting the west bank of the Isen, and then Elfhelm, a Marshal of the Mark, came to help the besieged Theodred and his party on a small eyot in the midst of the Isen. Out-pacing their men, Grimbold and Elfhelm reached their Prince just as he was struck down!

'. . . he heard Theodred's great voice crying "To me, Eorlingas!" At once Grimbold, taking a few men that stood near him, ran back to the eyot. So fierce was his onset from the rear of the attackers, that Grimbold, a man of great strength and stature, clove his way through till with two others he reached Theodred standing at bay on the knoll. Too late. As he came to his side, Theodred fell, hewn down by a great Orc-man. Grimbold slew him and stood over the body of Theodred, thinking him dead; and there he himself would have soon died, but for the coming of Elfhelm.'

'. . . Elfhelm himself, however, sprang up towards the knoll; and there he found Grimbold fighting two great axemen for possession of Theodred's body. One Elfhelm at once slew, and the other fell before Grimbold. They stooped then to pick up the body, and found that Theodred still breathed; but he lived only long enough to speak his last words: "Let me lie here--to keep the fords till Eomer comes!" Night fell.'

I envision Grimbold and Elfhelm kneeling over a prone Theodred, who struggles to prop himself up upon an elbow. Two great Uruks are laying nearby, slain by Grimbold and Elfhelm. As mounted leaders, Theodred and Elfhelm would be attired accordingly, whereas Grimbold would be armed and armored as a leader of foot soldiers.

Elfhelm and Grimbold (now also elevated to Marshal of the Mark), went on with Theoden to Gondor's salvation and great valor at the Battle of the Pelannor, where alas Grimbold fell. After the war, Elfhelm became Eomer's first lieutenant when he became King.

This vignette would finally do justice to Theodred, while also bringing to attention two prominent characters in the trilogy, Grimbold and Elfhelm, neither of which appear yet as an M figure (Grimbold does exist as LT15, and could be fashioned in a like manner). After Theodred's death, the actions and heroism of Grimbold and Elfhelm delayed Sauruman's armies from reaching Helm's Deep long enough for Rohan's defenders, Gandalf, and the Ents and Huorns to turn the tide in favor of the West, denying Sauruman control of Rohan.

Thanks for your consideration.
twrich (buhman)

[Halbarad II.]

hi there, very nice suggestions!

Here is my one:
I am thinking of the fellowship after all that Rohan, Mordor and Gondor scenes!
How about the final farewell scene at the grey havens?


Gandalf the white with the Ring Narya visible, Shadowfax standing behind him,
In front of him standing Frodo kissing his beloved Sam on him forehead and his hands on Sams shoulders
(with missing finger on his left hand of course)
– or hugging Sam
maybe Pippin and Merry with sad expressions also are included in the scene
The base could be a piece of a quayside floor with a elven style bollard

Elrond, Galadriel and old Bilbo whould complete the scene, Cirdan is already on the move,
but I think that whould be too big for a vignette. And they are already existing to be fitted in a nice diorama.

Namarie – a grey ship passes into the west, and all turns to silver glass...

otherwise that whoulk also be a very nice theme for a 10 package release, if my suggestion doesn't touches your hearts...

And I whould just mention my suggestions from the beginning of our gold status fellowship in July last year again:
(As you can see in the gallery page from july 2005)
Standing Eomer figure,
Eowyn in royal gown (golden hall)
Cirdan the shipwright (grey havens)
Beregond, Citadel guard,
Gandalf the white with Ring Narya,
Lady Galadriel with Harp,
Standing Denethor with Palantir
Merry as esquire of Rohan on Pony Stybba,
Legolas & Gimli on horseback, Arod,
Strider on horseback, Hasufel,
Thorin, Balin & Bilbo talking to Roac, the Raven & the trush.
Gandalf & Bilbo talking to Beorn on his veranda or in the yard with horse,
Mayor of Laketown sitting on his chair.

Thanks for reading, Harald

[estel]

Mae govannen,

so I try it again:

I would like to see the three Elven guards: HALDIR; RUMIL and OROPHIN.
I would like to see a mixture of Thingol, Lorien Elven guardsman and Elrohir already existing as miniatures. They should be armed with bow, spear and their nice Elven swords. I would suggest a little arrogant and aristocratic look, like Thingol, but friendly on the other side.
Please NOT in a fighting pose, more in a "I am watching"- pose. Chris would do it perfectly the best way!!

Maybe the vignette could depict Frodo in the back, while the Elves are talking to each other, but I would prefer three single miniatures in ON pack.



Give the Eldar a chance.

[aelfwine]

I'd go for the three elves too.

What you could do, however, is have three very different expressions/poses - but based on the same model. One watching, one with bow drawn, one greeting.

If Chris and Mithril wanted to have me worship them for forever, you could make them all a little more conversion friendly by having detached limbs, and maybe some different weapons - so you could "set" the scene if different ways, or even have them as warriors preparing to defend Lorien.

Gavin

[aelfwine]

Though indeed, Strider on Horseback (to go with Halbarad) or Eowyn in her robes would be delightful, also.

Gavin

[shadowspawn1]

For this month, I'd like to re-suggest a Lorien flet. I failed to describe it the last time and that may have caused a bit of confusion.
Out of the shadows a ladder was let down: it was made of rope, silver grey and shimmering in the dark, and although it looked slender it proved to be strong enough to bear many men. Legolas ran lightly up, and Frodo followed slowly; behind came Sam. The branches of the mallorn tree grew out nearly straight from the trunk, and then swept upward; but near the top the main stem divided into a crown of many boughs, and among these they found that there had been built a wooden platform, or flet as such things were called in those days: the Elves called it a talan. It was reached by a round hole in the center through which the ladded was passed.
The flet itself could be the base with a portion of the tree trunk off in a corner. estel has suggested Haldir and his brothers and I think that if they could be incorporated into the flet scene as guards, two members could have their suggestions combined, with estel's agreement of course.

[bombadil1963]

I would like to see on of the greatest craftsmen ever: Narvi of Moria together with a famous friend of him: Celebrimbor of Eregion!

"Ennyn Durin Aran Moria. Im Narvi Hain Echant."
"The Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. I, Narvi, made them."

You could picture him while carving stones for the door with hammer and chisel. Celebrimbor watching his skillful mate thinking his own thoughts about the moonletters for the spell.

[elfhelm]

twrich said:

There are some great ideas so far. An awesome vignette would be the culminating epic scene from the First Battle of the Fords of Isen.

YYYYES !
I´ve been waiting for this suggestion.
Very impressive discription.

The Battle of the Fords of Isen is one of my favorite stories from the Histories of Middle-Earth. What would be happened, when Theodred and his eorlingas did´nt try to stop the army of isengart at the fords?

I wish You good luck - my vote is clear.

Elfhelm

[Axel]

Gandalf and Pippin an Shadowfax, on their way to Minas Tirith...

"Shadowfax tossed his head and cried aloud, as if a trumpet had summoned him to battle. Then he sprang forward. Fire flew from his feet; nicht rushed over him.
As he fell slowly into sleep, Pippin had a strange feeling: he and Gandalf were still as stone, seated upon the statue of a running horse, while the world rolled away beneath his feet with a great noise of wind."

I think Shadowfax should be in full gallop, while Pippin is sleeping before Gandalf. If Chris can work wonders, he will make Gandalf and Pippin as a seperate piece, so that we can also use the galloping Shadowfax all by itself.

[Axel]

If Chris and Mithril wanted to have me worship them for forever, you could make them all a little more conversion friendly by having detached limbs, and maybe some different weapons - so you could "set" the scene if different ways, or even have them as warriors preparing to defend Lorien.

I would definitely love to have a set of parts to configure my own band of warriors. This should, however, be part of a general release, so that I can afford a dozen or two of these generic warriors. I foresee that license problems might prevent such a release in the Mithril-range, so perhaps this should even go to supplement the PA-moulds.

[narmacill]

I would like to see a vignette of Gandalf fighting the Nazgul's at Weathertop. Maybe three Nazgul's, with one of them prone and the other two advancing

[Wendy]

I've been researching this with just the LOTR books. If Queen B. can have a figure made, I see no reason why Feanor cannot be made (besides TE just being picky). Here are the relevent passages:

"And the Star of the House of Feanor..." - Fellowship, Ch. IV

"The palantiri came from beyond Westernesse, from Eldamar. The Noldor made them. Feanor himself, maybe, wrought them...(next page)..."and perceive the unimaginable hand and mind of Feanor at their work, while both the White Tree and the Golden were in flower!'. He sighed and fell silent." - Two Towers Ch. XI

"Feanor was the greatest of the Eldar in arts and lore, but also the proudest and most selfwilled. He wrought the Three jewels, the Silmarilli, and filled them with the radiance of the Two Trees, Telperion and Laurelin, that gave light to the land of the Valar..." LOTR Appendix A

Short of naming him, I might suggest "elf lord with jewel". Or perhaps as Feanor creator of the palantiri. The phrase "it's easier to ask forgiveness than ask permission" comes to mind. Tis worth a try...

[Axel]

Unlike Beruthiel, Feanor features prominently in the Silmarillion which is not licensed. With big companies around who would love to get this license I would rather not dare any violation to the intend (if probably not to the wording) of this precious. Just imho, naturally...

[twrich]

Hey Wendy and all,

I think it would be great if Feanor (and dozens of others mentioned in LOTR, but featured prominently in the Silmarillion) could be produced. But here I must agree with Axel--Tolkien Enterprises, which is really Saul Zantz and Co, do not "forgive." And I would imagine that they really can't--they, too, have specific agreements as to what they can license to others! In the past, those who perhaps straddled the gray area, and felt they were O.K. because nobody said anything for awhile, all of a sudden found their licenses yanked, or received cease and desist orders. Mithril would not, in my opinion, be served well by doing anything that might need TE's "forgiveness" down the road. Just ask the people at ICE!

Also, big outfits like Games Workshop would love to see Mithril shut out, and you can bet they'd bring any indiscretion, real or perceived, to the attention of TE. Chris and Michael know best what is able to be produced, and any suggestion we might make, if borderline in their minds, I would hope they pass on. I'd rather see dozens or even hundreds of future Mithrils without a few good ideas, than a dozen or so more and then nothing. And even generic names like "Elf Lord with Jewel," if an obvious reference to a character explicitly outside of the license, might carry a little risk.

Chris, being very creative, could find a way to create any "generic" character he'd like. But we will have to be careful not to refer to them in posts or other forums as a named Silmarillion character, or other designation outside of Mithril's license. Remember Michael's strong denial that the Lossarnach "M" series had anything to do with war bands--which they obviously are not, even though some members mistakenly refereed to them as such.

Naturally, we don't know what the exact licensing agreements between these parties are, so we can suggest anything we'd like, and let Mithril inform us of what is possible or not.

[Gildor]

The problem is double. Not only the silmarillion prominenent characters are not covered by the licence but they simply can't. If Tolkien Entreprise themselve could have "the licencing possibility" for Silmarillion, they would haved added it to their trademarks long ago. No, the other and main problem in this comes from the Tolkien Estate which will not forgive Mithril for this work nor Tolkien Enterprise to have not foreseen that. Christopher Tolkien does not like MERP and anything related to it. Not to mention he may even Hate the idea... (I have been in phone contact with Michael Tolkien I know what I am talking about...)
The fact that materials around Silmarillion cannot be done comes from the fact it is denied and hunted down without mercy by Christopher Tolkien and the Tolkien Estate (they even made trials to people who attempted to release a "chronological Lord of the Rings" which was unauthorized by them)
Christopher Tolkien may be quite upset that his father could not foresee what happened with the licence for his first "novels" when he sold them to Allen & Unwin which then was bought by Saul Zentz... And he tries to keep the rest of his father work "unspoiled" by "fanatics who reinvent his father work" which is for him, some kind of "author rights violation"... Now that was for the little history of what I know about Tolkien Estate and Tolkien Entreprise... I am not really aware of the Mithril licences and licences terms in general, but as a Tolkien fan (not mithril related) who belongs to different Tolkien communities with official writers in contact with the Tolkien Estate and Tolkien Entreprise here are the little info I can give you...

[Wendy]

It seems I opened quite a can of worms...
Yes, we don't want to "rock the boat" in regards to licenses. I had tried to look up the TE website to get a better idea of what was and was not allowed, but the link did not work. Sad. Though, I too do not want to see anyone "reinvent" Tolkien's work, I do not see that (especially given Mr. Tubbs previous works) making little metal figures would reinvent anything. Still, I must respect that the T Estate is not money driven in their decision.

I will withdraw "Feanor" as a suggestion and submit "Elf Lord with Jewel", because after all, should TE (either one of them) ask, it could be Glorfindel leaving the token at the last bridge.

I'm assuming therefore that the Turin series was an aberation....