Dec 2013 & Jan 2014 1st Round Vote is CLOSED

[Michael O'Brien]

Please note that every member has 2 votes as this is a combined month. Please use one per month. I have added in brackets the months after the suggestions. So choose one with a (DEC) and one with a (JAN) after it. Please vote for BOTH ideas at the same time. There is no point in trying to vote for two ideas for the same month as they directly compete with one another. At the end of this vote I will select a few of the most popular ideas from EACH month to go forward to the final round. Eventually only ONE idea from each month will win. All ties are broken by Chris Tubb. Voting ends at midnight on the 15th.

Some ideas submitted were not chosen because of various reasons, please read your newsletter (Dec 8th) to find out more.

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

Due to the Christmas holidays, Mithril traditionally combines December and January together and gives all members the opportunity to submit two separate ideas, sometimes themed, sometimes not. This year it will not be themed but we do need to separate the two ideas so please insert 'DEC' and 'JAN' before or after your title so we can clearly identify which goes where. Failure to do this will result in my choosing which goes into which section when it comes time to start the vote.

This month's ideas is for single figures only, so no mounted or Vignettes (more than 2 people or a lot of furniture + two people) please. A mounted figure counts as two figures (horse/camel/warg/etc)

The only other restriction is that the figures MUST conform to our license, so NO Silmarillion based characters are allowed. They have to be in the Hobbit or LOTR books. The final say is ours and no argument will be allowed. Ask if you are worried about its eligibility.

Please submit ideas in the following format ONLY:

IDEA TITLE
"this is why I think 'Idea Title' is a good idea for this month..."

Make the title stand out (within reason) and separate from any supportive text by a paragraph. This will prevent Chris accidently overlooking it when he compiles the voting list later on. Otherwise it could be mistaken as a comment not a new suggestion.

Please add some quotes about where it is mentioned or give descriptions to promote your suggestion. Even add a picture or submit it to me to add to the gallery page. If you drum up support NOW, the you have a much better chance when it is time to vote.

Voting will begin on the 4th of January. We stop taking suggestions at 16.00 GMT on the 3rd.

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. (That is all I can respond in, sorry).

[Mornedhel]

DEC: Bandobras "Bullroarer" Took


Bandobras was famous for averting a goblin invasion of the Shire at the Battle of Greenfields of T.A. 2747 and personally slaying the goblins' leader, Golfimbul. He took the Golfimbul's head off with a club. The goblin's head flew through the air for 100 yards and went down a rabbit hole; it is said that this is how the game of golf was invented.

Bandoras was so large for a hobbit, he was able to ride a horse, Probably the largest hobbit even before Merry and Pippin drank the ent-draught.

His club, called "driver", is engraved on the end with a large number "1".

[Mornedhel]

JAN:
Meglinon (S- 'Honey-eater / Bear-like Person') - Bee-herald of Imladris

From [e-mail], Middle-Earth MERP module group

"Bees are infamously haughty, proud, self-important and touchy creatures, ever aware they are the only ones able to create the golden gift of honey. Even worker bees believe themselves to be on a social par with the heirs of an Elvish or Mannish household, and queen bees are as honoured as the head of the house. Thus, long ago, the Elves learned that to successfully keep and breed bees required ensuring they are kept happy and content, but most importantly feeling appreciated and respected. Thus one must speak to them regularly and always deferentially, almost as a supplicant, regularly informing them of all the doings of the house, and most importantly of all inviting them politely to attend important social events, such as weddings, funerals and so on. Even though the bees actually don't deign to attend most social functions, feeling they are far too busy working and can't spare the time, should they not be kept properly informed, or worse yet be left uninvited to a wedding for example, they will certainly become most wroth, and either leave in an angry swarm to find a new and better home, with folk who have manners more worthy of them, or worse yet attack anyone who comes near their hives.
So it is that Elves, who love honey like all sensible folk, keep bees in hives, a craft they first invented and perfected, before sharing it with Men, but always appoint a 'Bee-herald', (S- 'Glíwilnaror', 'One who tells the Bees') who spends endless hours talking and singing to the bees, keeping them abreast of current events, or recounting poems and songs for their enjoyment, whilst also of course tending the hives and collecting honeycomb from them with the gracious consent of the Queens.
The Bee-herald of the Rivendell Hives, which are located at the edge of the West Orchard in a neat white fenced area beside a small cottage where the herald lives, is Meglinon. An Avari Silvan Elf, who was once King Oropher of the Greenwood's Bee-herald, but who departed that land at the end of the last Age, when Oropher's son Thranduil assumed the throne rather than Bladorthin, whom Meglinon have favoured, of average height and stature, with long hazel hair upon which is set a golden circlet with an amber bee emblem at it's centre. His eyes are golden brown, and it is said they were once blue, but that they slowly changed colour over many long years of gazing upon the honey he collects and prizes. Dressed in rustic Silvan green and brown tunic and trews, Meglinon knows the name of every bee in the valley, and their lineage, and refers to them as; 'Master Nimbleflit, of the line of the Glimmergold Hive', or 'Squire Bumbledash', or 'Lord Antbane, of the Combwatch Guard of Good Queen Pollenrich', or 'Young Sir Farflight the Daring', or 'Old Strongwing the Flowerminer' and so on. The bees respect Meglinon more than they do anyone else at Rivendell, save Lord Elrond and his immediate family, and occasional important visitors such as the Lady Galadriel for example. The bees will not bother other Elves, but Meglinon asks that any entering the Hive Paddock bow as they approach the hives.
On some nights as Meglinon sings to them in Elvish, the bees will dance for him, soaring about the evening sky in amazing swarming patterns, their combined buzzing forming a rythmic accompaniment to Meglinon's songs"

[Milo]

Great suggestions Master Mornedhel !

[Luthien Tinuviel]

DEC: Great Swan of Arda

After some reading on forums, I prefer to rename my proposition to best fit Middle-Earth canons. I underline below the importance of this beautiful bird in Tolkien mythology.

I don’t think to infringe any copyright as the term is still generic.

Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië
“Therefore Ulmo, submitting to the will of the Valar, sent to them Ossë, their friend, and he though grieving taught them the craft of ship-building; and when their ships were built he brought them as his parting gift many strong-winged swans. Then the swans drew the white ships of the Teleri over the windless sea; and thus at last and latest they came to Aman and the shores of Eldamar. “

“Finarfin was the fairest, and the most wise of heart; and afterwards he was a friend of the sons of Olwë, lord of the Teleri, and had to wife Eärwen, the swan-maiden of Alqualondë, Olwë's daughter.”

“And many pearls they won for themselves from the sea, and their halls were of pearl, and of pearl were the mansions of Olwë at Alqualondë, the Haven of the Swans, lit with many lamps. For that was their city, and the haven of their ships; and those were made in the likeness of swans, with beaks of gold and eyes of gold and jet.”

About Tuor and the fall of Gondolin
“Then he dwelt in Nevrast alone, and the summer of that year passed, and the doom of Nargothrond drew near; but when the autumn came he saw seven great swans flying south, and he knew them

the Fellowship of the ring
The swan ship ...
Eärendil was a mariner
that tarried in Arvernien;
he built a boat of timber felled
in Nimbrethil to journey in;
her sails he wove of silver fair,
of silver were her lanterns made,
her prow was fashioned like a swan,
and light upon her banners laid.

But also…

Tom Bomabadil wore in his tall hat a swan-wing feather.

Ted Nasmith drawing

[Luthien Tinuviel]

JAN: Eärendil the Mariner

The father of Elrond and Elros (mentionned in LOTR)

[Thingol]

December suggestion:

King Thrór father of King Thráin II and grandfather of Thorin Oakenshield sitting on small throne and holding arkenstone.....

January suggestion:

Thráin II was the father of Thorin Oakenshield lost King under the Mountain and King of Durin's Folk in desperation kneeling on his knees and watching the old map and holds the key in his hands...

....etc...

[Mornedhel]

Hobbit movie inspiration Master Thingol :-)

[Thingol]

Dec 17, 2013 8:56:34 GMT Mornedhel said:

Hobbit movie inspiration Master Thingol :-)

of course

[enheduanna]

December suggestion: Lossoth woman on skates

I made this suggestion sometime last year and decided to renew it.

"The Lossoth house in the snow, and it is said that they can run on the ice with bones on their feet, and have carts without wheels." - RotK.

ICE's Northern Waste has a wealth of inspiration and as far as her dress and hair style, I'm thinking specifically of the image of the Merimetsästäjät (or "Sea-hunters," a Lossoth division) on page 31. She would wear a long, thick coat with slits at the sides (not unlike MS469) and thick boots with skates at the bottom. ICE's Merimetsästäjät are fond of jewelry, so I would think a necklace of beads or bone around her neck and her hair half-pulled back, half-falling out of large hairpin. I have a whimsical pose in mind, where she's standing and slightly bent over at the waist, so that her hands are on her knees, with a thick Lossoth cap in her hands (to account for why she's out on the ice without any head protection on). She would be looking forward with a broad smile on her face.


January suggestion: Fishing hobbit (or “fisherhobbit”)

He should be sitting or reclining, perhaps dozing off on a hot day. He would have his fishing pole of course, and a box nearby to carry his fishing paraphernalia. As far as his clothes, he would wear a wide-brimmed straw hat and pants with the legs rolled up.

[Gerold]

_____________________

DECEMBER suggestion :

FEMALE ROHIRRIM DEFENDER AT HELM’S DEEP, armed with sword
________________________________________

JANUARY suggestion :

FEMALE ELF OF MIRKWOOD, armed with bow.
I suggest that the elf would come without a base, so she can be placed into a tree for example.
_______________________

It has nothing to do with certain characters created by other people ; I just like female warriors…

[Halbarad II.]

December suggestion:

Gil-galad the last Elven High-King in royal garment

there are a mounted figure of Gil-galad and two on foot, all in elven armour.
I suggest him in fine elven robes, in the best time of his reign.

from I.C.E. lords of middle-earth:

Gil-galad was a great and wise leader, the last of the Noldorin high kings. he was from a line of powerfulrulers: the son of Fingon, who was the son of Fingolfin, who was the son of Finwe.
Gil-galad is one of Middle-earth's history's greatest, noblest, most honorable, and most consist leaders. His realm in lindon was the longest lasting Elven kingdom in Middle-earth. He was extremely wise, perceptive and a faultless judge of character and intent. physically he had the remarkable physique of the greatest Noldorin princes (7 foot, 6 inches), he had fair golden hair and the penetrating blue eyes of the Vanyar.
He is clad in silver-white Robes of Aman, the veil of Lindon, a cape that can change colour at any desire, and he has a white crown, woven from the sprigs of the white tree. he also possesses the Elven ring Vilya, which he gives to Elrond later. And there is the great spear Aeglos.

January suggestion:

The Lord of the Rings - The Lidless Eye
I'd like to try a rather wild suggestion: Sauron himself - at the time of the war of the Ring: in form of the burning, lidless eye - huge as a troll, but just the eye with a small slit as pupil like a cat's eye, surrounded by flames, and some swirling mists made of lead beneath it, like M108 the silent shadow, but not that bended and with more "body" that could be a horrible awesome addition to our fellowship specials!
and a very interesting piece to be painted!

[Milo]

December suggestion:
Glorfindel, Elf-lord of Rivendell, at council of Elrond

January suggestion:
Aragorn, Ranger heir of Isildur, at council of Elrond

Time for good friends to be together & join already existing MS...

[twrich]

December:
Dragon Hatchling

January:
Kine of Araw

[Shadyt]

January Suggestion:
Dunhere Captain of Rohan
He was the Lord of Harrowdale and the nephew of Erkenbrand. He survived the battle at the Fords of Isen, but fell in the battle of Pelennor Fields, to the great grief of Westfold.
He is mentioned by name three times in The Return of the King

"So the King of the Mark came back victorious out of the West to Dunharrow beneath the feet of the White Mountains. There he found the remaining strength of his people already assembled; for as soon as his coming was known, captains rode to meet him at the ford, bearing messages from Gandalf. Dunhere, chieftain of the folk of Harrowdale was at their head." ROTK p. 79
"there at a small table sat Théoden with Eomer and Eowyn, and Dunhere lord of Harrowdale" ROTK p. 83
Dunhere is also mentioned in the song "The Mounds of Mundburg" ROTK p. 152

[ddaines]

I will re-suggest Beorn in mid-transformation for December.

Given the fact that Beorn gets about 5 minutes worth of air time in the Desolation of Smaug movie, perhaps he can get a better showing here.

As before I see this figure part man, part bear, maybe top half man, legs bear, CT's choice.

For January, keeping to a Hobbit theme, I will resubmit another suggestion which is that of King Bladorthin who I think only gets a mention with regards to the spears laid in store for his armies.

I see a lanky individual with thin features and a long grey beard, dressed in war garb (helm and mail hauberk), shielding his eyes as he looks out over his kingdom awaiting the return of his army maybe. I have always imagined Bladorthin to be an older man rather than a young warrior-king.

Although a mere mention in passing, he is nonetheless a canon character.