May 2023 1st Round vote is CLOSED

[Michael O'Brien]

Two of the ideas did not pass Chris's scrutiny. Elros for license reasons and the Happy Ent for complexity reasons.
However the other seven ideas are included and you can vote on them today.

This is a blind vote for the first round, as we normally want all ideas to get an equal shot from the start. You will see the status of the poll after submitting your vote.

Please include comments on why you like your idea or why you think it should get priority over the contenders. Such actions can sway undecided voters.

[Haldir Rhovanion]

I'm going to try something different this month. Since all canon characters have been already portrayed, and we have generic characters for most of the folks and factions of Middle-earth, it would be cool to create new characters that made sense within the context of Middle-earth.

GOBLIN HAND COLLECTOR

So my idea is that of a large Goblin war chief from the Misty Mountains. He would be dressed in relatively good Orc mail armour and would have a fancy helm with horns or crest. He would have a large curved blade, a wide and heavy falchion, and he would be arrayed in a collar of severed hands of Men, Dwarves and other Goblins. The figure would stand in a proud position, shoulders back, to display his collar and his blade as a way of threatening bystanders.

This could work well as a single piece, a leader of a warband or even in a diorama of a duel or an Orcish scene.

[cjbowser]

The bounders have been represented, the named hobbits have been represented, but what about those hard-working hobbits who keep the Southfarthing connected with Scary and Stock talking to Little Delving? Plus, they make sure all the invitations to Bilbo's party arrive on time!


Hobbit Member of the Quickpost

"Before long the invitations began pouring out, and the Hobbiton post-office was blocked, and the Bywater post-office was snowed under, and voluntary assistant postmen were called for. There was a constant stream of them going up the Hill, carrying hundreds of polite variations of Thank you, I shall certainly come."
-- Fellowship of the Ring, book 1, chapter 1

This hobbit's in a hurry. He has a satchel of mail over one shoulder and a parcel under his other arm. His waist coat flutters behind hiim and his hat poses a serious risk of flying off. He has a concerned look on his face. Is he running to build up steam to get up the Hill or because he got a little too close to Bamfurlong and Wolf, Grip, and Fang are in hot pursuit?

[Thingol]

Eomer as King of Rohan, sits on the throne and reads the scroll that's delivered to him by the Hobbit Member of the Quickpost...

[Gildor]

I don't know if it could be covered by the licence, so please Michael could you investigate beforehand? :

Elros Tar-Minyatur (brother of Elrond... and first king of Numenor)

the name is mentionned in the appendices and is big knowledge even for LOTR only. I just dont know how much it is linked to the LOTR to be included in the licence (things are a bit complicated when it comes to appendices...)

[gondolin]

I suggested Elros four or five years ago thinking it would be ok - after all Elros is mentioned in the Appendices. If I recall the suggestion was liked by other members as well.

But unfortunately it wasn't allowed to go through to the first round. A bit difficult to understand as Tar-Minastir had been given permission.

[Gerold]

My suggestion of the month:

King Amdir at the Battle of the Last Alliance.

If I'm well informed, Amdir was an Elven king who marshalled the Galadhrim to the War of the Last Alliance and fell in the Dead Marshes. He was the father of Prince Amroth, who we know as Mithril no. M208.

[twrich]

We still are missing a figure that was important in helping the Army of Rohan reach Minas Tirith to aid Gondor.

Woses Drummer

King Theoden and Company were unlikely to make it to Gondor without the aid of the Woses. Drummers helped send signals to the Rohanians as they used an old path to come through the Woods in full force.

This a single figure version of my previous suggestion. I envision the Wose Drummer to be standing behind a waist-high, wooden, barrel-shaped drum with a hide and sinew covering. Woses are gnarly limbed and hunched over somewhat, even at a younger age, so the drummer would crouch over the barrel, while still able to strike it with shorter, clubby arms.

[Michael O'Brien]

We are still short at least one idea. Some of the ideas are potentially risky so perhaps supply a few more to keep within the seven idea rule.

[olivier]

Wainrider man with whip


The appendices mentioned incursions of the Wainriders in Gondor from 1851 TA, for almost a century.

The appendices A mentionned that the Wainriders were a people, or confederacy, of Men from the East. They journeyed in great wagons, and their chieftains rode chariots in battle.

In the Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", it states that they camped in fortified camps of wagons. Their young women were also trained in arms, and they, along with old men and youths, stayed behind, able to defend their homes from attackers.

The MZ670 Wainrider girl mounted is the very first miniature representing this people (2018 December votes).

To complete, I propose (again and again) another Gypsy member : a man this time.

He is bearded and has long hair. His head could be covered with a bandana tied behind and he could wear a thick leather bolero, a wide fabric belt and boots. He could be armed with a whip that he wields in front of him and have a short scimitar passed through the belt.

[ddaines]

The Happy Ent

The idea behind this suggestion was for an Ent-Father, or Ent-Wife, in the happier days before the Entwives departed, to be proudly holding up a new member of their family in the form of an Enting.

I am again ‘sailing close to the wind’ with putting this idea forward as a ‘single’ figure, but the accompanying painting is purely a concept idea (which I fancied painting in any case) based upon the ability to 3D print the figures, which does allow for some extra scope and flexibility.

Should Chris pass the suggestion I would envisage the Enting being a lot smaller/slimmer (I took my eye off the ball a bit), and more integral to the larger figure’s body to keep it more in-line with the single figure concept (much like the Treebeard and Hobbits figure), the Ent figure would obviously need to be simplified for practical reasons.

I would be more than happy for the suggestion to be ‘edited’ and put forward as a plain ‘Happy Ent’, maybe holding a jug of Ent-draught in one hand and pouring it into a bowl in the other – having seen the Sam and Troll figure, I would anticipate a very detailed Ent figure using new production techniques.

[gilgaladtolkien]

Gorbag, orc of Minas Morgul