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The Walking Dead – The Game – Episode 5 No Time Left

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Finishing off the final of my Walking Dead the game reviews for season one, I thought it fitting to add the season finale trailer.

The first four episodes of The Walking Dead put the game into perspective of how in depth this game was really going to be.  This episode brings everything to a huge climactic head and you being in the main role of Lee Everett is overwhelming in this episode.  His story is packed full of emotions, suspense and very tense moments, and very terrifying all at the same time.  Unfortunately this is possibly the end of the road for Lee as he has been bitten, and Clementine has also been taken.

The sole purpose in this episode seems to be finding Clementine, no matter the cost! This episode throws you into what seems to be Lee’s final hours of life, and the split second decisions are more frequent as well.  In previous installments, you’ve had to make one or two major decisions, but Episode 5 has us making them left and right – deciding where the group should head, who to tell off, etc… Really there are only a couple choices that change the game drastically and affect the story (one of those decisions are very early on in the game, and it’s one of the most gruesome out of all the episodes), but Telltale has dones such a freaking amazing job at the story telling of the group that even the small decisions seem epic in this one.  We know that this is the end of Lee, and honestly this is such a fitting end to an epic story character.

This episode moves so fast mainly due to the way time plays out for Lee and being bitten by one of the nasties.  Basically you never know when the decision you just made will be your last one to ever make for this character.  This episode also does a good job weaving all the characters together in a emotional dance and when the fast pace of the episode does slow down, we almost get a chance to reflect on everything that’s happened up to this point.  Having a conversation with Kenny about Duck and Kat plays out differently based on who you tried to save in Episode 1.  A lot of the “He or she will remember that” bits from the previous episodes make an appearance once again.  This episode seems to be more personal in manner than any of the others to date and references a lot of your previous actions to build that personal touch.

Gameplay is packed full of action, but there is a ton of conversation building, and character development as well.  Again, the voiceover work is absolutely amazing as always and honestly is what keeps me coming back to this game!  The graphic novel style of the game is still beautiful in it’s own sense and still remains one of my favorite game designs ever!  This episode also holds one of the games largest zombie fights to date and some of the most emotional end game conversations you’ve ever listened to.  This end of the story honestly leaves you speechless, and really holds you on the edge of your seat all the way till the credits roll!

I can’t wait to start playing season 2, and Season 3 is to be announced on release date sometime this year!

 

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#thewalkingdead #seasonone #episodefive #finale

The Kings of Gondor – Part Four – The Great Ship Kings

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Hey everyone!

Last week we left off with the history and bloodline of the House of Anarion, and ended with the line of the Ship Kings which is where we pick up today.

numenor shipThe Line of Ship Kings

Tarannon, and his younger brother Tarciryan succeeded their father Siriondil after his death in 830 of the Third Age.  Tarciryan took his place as the High King of Gondor in which brought a peacful time for the lands.  His brother Tarannon became the first “Ship King” of Gondor in which started the construction of Gondor’s naval fleets, and under his expansion of the military forces Gondor was able to extend it’s borders both West and South of the Mouths of Anduin.  Tarannon was one of the two Kings of Gondor who had no children, which was a breaking point in the bloodline.  Even though he had no children, his rule was marked as so great due to the naval fleet expansions that he was named the “Lord of the Coasts”.

Tarannon had his own personal struggles outside of keeping the coasts of Gondor safe and building the great naval fleet.  His wife Beruthiel was manipulative and chose to spy on the people of the kingdom, eventually Tarannon had enough and exiled his wife into the South which is why he never had children.  Tarciryan had a son Earnil who took the throne after his uncle Tarannon died in 913 of the Third Age.

Earnil I took his place as the King of Gondor and the rightful place of the second Ship King. He continued his uncles great military expansion and during his time as King captured Umbar, but was lost at sea in 936 of the Third Age.

Harad port of UmbarThe Port of Umbar and Glory of Gondor

His son Ciryandil took the throne and became the fourteenth King of Gondor and the third Ship King.  Ciryandil continued his fathers naval expansions and spent his life defending the recently captured port of Umbar against the Black Numenoreans, and the Haradrim who tried to capture the port.  He reigned as king for 79 years and was slain during a siege on Umbar.  His son Ciryaher took the throne in 1015 and began reorganizing Gondor’s armies and declared war on the Haradrim in which he finally defeated them in 1050. The Haradrim were forced to recognize him as their lord and king and paid tribute to Gondor, and their sons where forced to live as hostages in the court of the king. After this victory, he called himself Hyarmendacil, meaning South-victor.

After the defeat of Harad, Gondor became very rich and under his reign the realm reached its greatest extent and power. The passes of Mordor were well guarded by well-kept fortresses, so evil had no place to turn during Hyarmendacil’s reign. No one ever dared to contest his power and Gondor was at peace for the rest of his long reign.  He died in 1149 after 138 years of keeping the lands of Gondor safe, and evil at bay.  He had one son Atanatar II who became the sixteenth king of Gondor.   It is said that Atanatar’s reign as king was the most prosperous of Gondor, and that his wealth was so great that historians remarked that “precious stones are pebbles in Gondor for children to play with”.

He was also known as “The Glorious King” but his actions as king were neglected and he made no attempts to watch the borders of Mordor or grow the armies of Gondor.  Atanatar by no means maintained the power that his father commanded and this time was seen as the start of Gondor’s great decline.

We pick up next week with the line of kings beginning to fail and a land who will once again face it’s greatest enemy.

Until then, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

The Journey of Writing a Fantasy Novel

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chapter 1Have you ever asked yourself what it’s like to write a novel, or how one goes about it?  So have I, and I’ve learned that each has to find there own way of bringing the inner creative writer to paper.

I’ve been working on a book series for several years now, almost four to be exact, but I haven’t spent the entire four years just writing.  I learned a long time ago planning goes a long way in being successful when plotting a story, or any thing you write.  For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion and love for writing, but it wasn’t until a few years ago I even thought about trying to get any of my material published.  Honestly, I can’t even take credit for the idea of seeking a publisher, as my wife is the one who has talked me into it.

Currently I am working on book one in a series that I started years ago and as I said before….it has been a lot of planning, character plotting, long nights of staring at a blank screen with nothing other then a hot cup of coffee, or twelve that gets accomplished.  One might ask, after so long do you ever feel like giving up or even quitting?  The honest answer is YES and NO….yes it’s hard to find time to write when you work in another full time job, have three children, a wife, and other responsibilities that come before a hobby.  At times it is frustrating when you hit a wall and have absolutely no words, direction, or even a faint hint of where you need to go next in the story you so passionately want to get finished.

The biggest thing that helps keep me grounded in the perspective of writing, is my wife and three children!  My wife continually gives me feedback on my writing, both good and sometimes BAD, and these stories were originally birthed for my children as bedtime stories.  This idea kept in mind has pulled me through frustration, and the itch to quit at times and has allowed me to plot out the first five books in the series.  Having almost finished the first book I have noticed the light at the end of the tunnel syndrome…..and getting to see ones story come to life on the pages is quite overwhelming!

So, I write all this to say, if you are a writer of whatever genre then here are some writing tips I’ve learned along the way.  These have come from my own mistakes, my successes, and even mentors I’ve had over the years of how to put things in perspective and keep yourself on track!

Evaluate the Writing Style

If you have a love for writing, then you may find yourself slave to the writing itself. Remember you are the one doing the writing, and it is possible to create a schedule that doesn’t engulf your entire life around writing.  You do have a life, so go live it!  If writing is a job you wish to pursue and have as your job in life, then dedicate time to it, learn new ways of writing, evaluate how you come about writing.  Try writing in different areas away from the home.  A change in scenery can be a world changer for a writer as it helps open the creative flow.

Getting Ideas on Paper  

Do you have some good ideas or a potential story brewing in your head?  Sit down and make sure you write those ideas out on paper.  Typically you would have a character, or character in mind and a place in which these ideas would evolve over time.  They would be centered around some major events, like a war or even someones death.  Once you have the main ideas or plot of the story written out, start asking simple questions, like, “why?” “when did this happen?” “how?” and move onto more detailed questions like, “How did this affect the lands?” “Who is to take blame for this event?” etc…. Once you have these ideas sorted out, pass them onto a friend, fellow writer, etc to pick apart and ask them for a honest opinion.  In the end, this process can help you determine the the major plot lines of the story, where will the main focus of characters and development be, and even sub-plot lines.  All these things added together help you make the story become whole.

World and Places Come to Life

Where will your fantasy creations live? Is this a made up world that you’ve created, or is this some parallel universe with mystical creatures full of big tales to be told?  There are absolutely no limits on what the imagination can create.  Decide what places your story will be centered around and take into note the previous of letting another review your ideas. Go into detail when creating your world….the races, animals, plants, rivers, lakes, you name it and make sure you list it.

Keep a Notebook and Write it All Down

Never ever leave the house without your notebook.  You never know when you will have this amazing idea pop into your head for the fantasy novel to come.  Write it all down: Your main character, the major events, the kind of world it is, you name it, because all these ideas will come together and firm the story up.  Trust me it’s awful to have this fantastic idea pop into your head and find that you have absolutely nothing to write it down on.

Don’t Be Afraid to Change Things 

Always, Always, Always, take a look at the major underlying plot that everything centers around. Make sure that everything you’ve created centers around this plot because it’s easy to wonder off into a wild rabbit hole. Look at the major event or events and don’t be afraid to mold it, change it, as you have to make this event believable to the readers.  This is what your entire novel hinges on and if the plot line doesn’t make sense, or doesn’t hold the readers attention… well… I think we know what happens next.  Work on other characters who help build the plot line and your protagonist on his/her journey. Not every hero needs to be a loner and he/she could vary in anyway you want.  They may have a family, they may be cold at heart and emotionless until someone comes along they care about.  You name it! Don’t make your story revolve only around your character. Show the feelings of the people around your protagonist and how their decisions affect them. Don’t make a story of one person; make a story about the journey of one person.  Learn how to join sub plots and other events to the major plot line. These could be a birth of a child, or as in my book the birth of multiple children based around a prophecy.  These events will cause your story to have a sense of feeling, emotion, and building that brings the reader closer to the characters and story.  Make sure your characters grow over time in the stories, as the experiences should help mold and make them into who they are to become. After pulling things together, don’t be afraid to make changes (subtle or drastic) to your characters, and story. Make obstacles in your character’s life. Not everything will be easy for him/her. Make sure you’re writing a fantasy novel, not a walk in the park that becomes boring to read.

Creating Your Visual Fantasy World 

This is one of my favorite things to do in bringing a story to a visual understanding!  Grab a piece of paper and a pencil. It’s time to start drawing out what you see in your head. Do a ton of research on land, rivers, map creation etc… If you’re planning to build a world from root, start drawing simple lines. You can make seas, oceans, lakes, mountains, and other strange factors in your world. Draw the lines of kingdom’s lands and empires. Put post-its and other notes on your map to locate some events. Remember: your map doesn’t have to be well made. Be free to use any materials you like, and have fun!

Deep Rooted History 

Do you plan on having a deep history and timeline in your story? Plot out a chronology of your story as this could help aid the reader and bring them closer to the events going on. Plot out the events that appear in your book, or just stories of other events that will indirectly explain the ones in your plot. Don’t think it’s a waste of time to build a world which, for the most part, won’t appear in the book. It’s important for the reader to know that the writer knows what he’s talking about and isn’t putting random things on the pages of his/her book. Make your characters tell a legend or mention some event that you have carefully planned out. As the writer, you have to know something that the reader’s don’t….and always make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Character Development 

Make sure you know the main character or characters, don’t just make a place holder in the story with a random name laying on the pages.  Plan everything about your character. This is where you put some deep well thought out time and attention into the story. Does he/she have fears (death, darkness)? Where/when was he/she born? Under which circumstances? Do they have siblings? Do they have someone they love? Be free as this is your story!

Things About your World 

Remember that chronology planning you read about earlier?  Not it’s time to take it a step further…. Be as detailed as you possibly can with the imagination you have!  What kind of homes do people live in? Jobs? Types of clothing? Government systems? Do they have schools, or some type of training grounds soldiers are sent to? Family bloodlines that rule the kingdoms, is there magic in the land, or some dark evil threatening the lands?  Can women fight in war too, or is it only for men? Are there any fantasy creatures roaming the lands? Don’t leave anything out as this will probably be the biggest step in your story. The base will be here. Everything you’ll come up with needs to be here. Don’t worry if you’re taking too long writing everything out. A good story needs to have a solid foundation that covers every base you could think of.

Plotting and Planning

This is one of the most time consuming and sometimes frustrating step in the process. Making the chapters of your story, and tying everything into itself. Define what kind of writer you will be. What will be the length of your chapters and book or books? Will you write in third or first person or take on the challenge of both?  Will you describe your characters and surroundings to make the story more personal to the reader, will you not care and just want to make an epic legend? This is one of those steps you can’t be afraid to change and touch multiple times, and sometimes with a very critical eye!  Reverse the roles at times and look at it from a readers standpoint!  I think I have spent more time plotting my books out then writing the stories and honestly that is what makes for a deep and rich story.  I spent the first few moths plotting out a simple book chart that lists (Years, Major Plot, Minor Plot, Characters, Etc…)  It is my go to before I ever even think of writing at times. Remember don’t be afraid to create, change, and plan!

Let Others Review 

Don’t forget to reach out to others and let them read your work. Print out your finished product and hand out multiple copies to people who may enjoy reading your novel. It can be a few close friends at first, but once you start getting feedback and start building confidence, you might want to consider trying to publish.  Accept any criticisms, good and bad as they will make you a better writer in the future. Fix anything that your editor tells you. Believe that you can be published if you put your mind to it, but try not to hope too strongly for your book to be published, since you could end up very depressed if all doesn’t go to plan. If your work is rejected by one editor, edit the story or send it to a different publisher.  Remember what drives you to write, and don’t lose sight of why you love doing this.  It’s easy to see the light at the end of the tunnel and get caught up in the moment of a job, instead of a passion for writing!

The Kings of Gondor – Part Three – The House of Anarion

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Hail and Well Met Everyone!

Last week we left off with Isildur, the high king of both the kingdom of Arnor and Gondor. Since the death of Isildur we see a direct split in the lines and the title of High King did not fall to the House of Anarion.

tyler-realms-in-exile-01A Kings Line Divided

Meneldil was born in Numenor a year before its fall.  He was the fourth child of Anarion, and was the last recorded child born of Numenor before it’s destruction.  He had three older sisters and became the King of Gondor in the second year of the Third Age, after the death of his uncle Isildur.  Meneldil was the first “King of Gondor” to rule independently from the High Kingdom of Arnor.

It is uncertain whether Meneldil was King by right, because his father Anarion was only co-ruler of Gondor under his brother Isildur, who was the High King.  Meneldil did have a cousin that could have made the rightful claim to the throne of both kingdoms, but he never stepped forward to make such claim.  The people of Gondor accepted Meneldil’s claim over Gondor, but King Valandil of Arnor never made any real attempt to take rule over both kingdoms until Anarion’s line had failed.  Meneldil did serve Gondor from Arnor for 156 years before his death in year 158, but the title of High King still remained with the northern kingship line.

A Rule of Peace in the Lands

Cemendur took the throne after the death of his father Meneldil, but little is known about his reign.  It was a peacful time, and he ruled Gondor for 80 years and died in 238 of the Third Age.  He had one son Earendil who continued the reign of peace in the lands. There were no major events recorded during his time as king, but ruled Gondor for 86 years and died in 324 of the Third Age.  Earendil’s son Anardil took the throne after his fathers death.  The only major event recorded during his reign is he was the last king to dwell in Osgiliath, and his son Ostoher helped rebuild and expand Minas Anor.  Anardil died in 411 of the Third Age and ruled Gondor for 87 years.

Minas-Tirith3Ostoher took reign of Gondor and during his time as king he turned Minas Anor into a great dwelling place for his people, and continued to expand Minas Anor until it bacame a city as well as his fortress.  This city is one of the most renown of all Middle Earth as most people know it as the captial city of Gondor, or better known as Minas Tirith.  The white city became the captial some 1200 years after the great plague that hit the city in 1636.

Ostoher faced some challenges during his reign as in the last two years of his rule the Easterlings planned attacks on Gondor.  Because of the advanced technology and fortified keeps the king sent his son Tarostar who commanded his armies and was able to ward off and the Easterling threat. Ostoher ruled Gondor for 81 years and died in 492 of the Third Age in which his son Tarostar took reign of Gondor.  Tarostar, fought the Easterlings for almost a hundred years before defeating them, and after the victory renamed himself Romendacil, which means East-Victor.

The Line of Stewards Created

It was Romendacil, that created the line of Stewards for Gondor, as they were to be the men of wisdom and learning that would serve as high councilors to the king.  This bloodline of men were known as the House of Hurin, and they would later become the rulers of Gondor when the line of kings failed in 2050 of the Third Age.

Jan_Pospisil_-_Dale_units_vs._RhunAlmost 500 years of peace is what the land of Gondor saw but that was about to come to an end as the Easterlings invaded the land once again in 541 and killed Romendacil.  His son Turambar took the throne at a very young age, probably as a young teenager and avenged his fathers death.  Turambar expanded the lands of Gondor as he took his armies and conquered large parts of Rhun from the Easterlings.  This land became known as the East Land province of Gondor.  Turambar ruled Gondor for 126 years, which was the longest reign since king Meneldil.  He died in 667 of the Third Age at which his son Atanatar took reign over Gondor.

Not much is recorded of Atanatar’s reign other than it was a peacful time of Gondor.  He passed in the year 748 of the Third Age and had one son.

Siriondil took the throne after his fathers death in 748 and had two sons, Tarannon, and Tarciyan.  There were no major events recorded during his reign and was probably a continued time of peace for the land.  He ruled for 82 years and died in 830 of the Third Age.  Tarciryan took his place as the King of Gondor after his fathers death, but his brother Tarannon became the first Ship King of Gondor as he built the kingdoms great naval fleet!

Next week we will continue taking a historical look at the kings line of Gondor, and the great Ship Kings.

Until then, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

Brothers A Tale of Two Sons – Game Review – Episode One

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download (10)Ok so yesterday I picked up a fantastic game that has been in my “Want List” for a while….Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a beautifuly designed game with a rather dark underlying tone that has a fairy tale look to it.  I’ve played about five hours of the game so far which for me is un-heard of.  The game has such a great story, the game play itself is quite unique and took me a bit to get used to.  Throughout the journey I’ve seen so far of these two brothers trying to save their dying father is a fascinating interaction with the world in some very unique ways.  You get to experience themes of death, adventure, teamwork, and a very in-depth story that pulls you in.  The controls for the game are very unique, as you have to use both joysticks to control the players, and it frequently caused me some hand eye coordination issues.

Much of the story and the attraction to this game for me is the Brother’s language they speak in.  It’s an imaginary language that has no subtitles, so it’s all up to us to watch body language and pull the story from the visuals being shown.  All the characters I’ve seen to this point have a stake in the story being told, as does the interaction of items in the world, locations you visit, and landmarks you are asked to find.  You have to pay very close attention and piece together all the bits of this fantastic visual story being told.

Brothers-A-Tale-of-Two-SonsThe game kicks you off in a small village with pleasant townsfolk and honestly I spent a lot of time just looking at the stunning landscapes, and environment I was just immersed in.  One complaint I have of the game so far is the lack of detail you actually get to see on the Brothers themselves.  They have a bit of lack luster compared to the world around them, but still that is minor because to me the game play and unique style makes up for that miss.  Brothers is one of the most unique games I’ve played in the last year with it’s control system, and the non-verbal language system that leaves the interpretation of the story up to you.  I love that the game has options as well, because you can jump right into game play and fight your way to the end of the game, but I’m also noticing that if you don’t pay close attention to details around you, a lot of side stories that seem to help build the story and adventure will be missed.

I’m anxious to continue on in this story, and I hope practice makes perfect with these controls because they are a challenge to get the hang of.  While the movements of the game can pull away from some of the game at times, overall the visually stunning surroundings and interesting world interactions pull you back very quickly.

More to come on this game as I’m excited to see where the journey goes and how the story plays out on this game.

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#episodeone

 

The Kings of Gondor – Part Two – A Bloodline Continues

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Hail and well met readers!

Week before last we left off after Elendil and his people had settled in Middle Earth and raised the two great Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.  This week we kick things off with his son Isildur.  Everyone enjoy!

numenor23The Numenorian Line

Isildur was born in Numenor in the second age year 3209.  He had a younger brother named Anarion, born in 3219. They lived at Romenna on the east coast of the island of Numenor. Their father was Elendil and their grandfather was Amandil, the Lord of Andunie. The Lords of Andunie were descended from the Kings of Numenor through Silmarien, the daughter of the fourth King of Numenor, Tar-Elendil.

Elros, the Half-elven and the first King of Numenor, had chosen a mortal life of men, while his brother Elrond chose the immortal life of elves. Over time, the Kings of Numenor grew to resent their ancestor’s choice and desired immortality for themselves. They became estranged from the elves and from the powers called the Valar and they neglected the worship of Eru, who created them. Though a small group of Numenoreans remained friendly with the elves and faithful to Eru and the Valar. They were called the Faithful and among these men were the Lords of Andunie.

In year 3262, King Ar-Pharazon took Sauron captive and brought him to Numenor.  Sauron the deceiver allowed himself to be taken because he wanted to corrupt the Numenoreans in order to bring about their downfall. He used their desire for immortality and power to convince them to renounce Eru and worship Morgoth.

Isildur learned that Sauron wanted Ar-Pharazon to cut down Nimloth, the White Tree that had come from the Undying Lands. Isildur disguised himself and went secretly to the King’s Court and took a fruit from Nimloth. The guards discovered and attacked him and, although receiving grave injuries, he managed to escape with the fruit. For this deed, Isildur received much praise. He stood near death for many months, but when the fruit of the White Tree began to sprout, he awoke and his injuries had healed.

As Sauron’s influence increased, the Faithful began to prepare to leave Numenor. They filled their ships with their families and many of their prized possessions, including the Palantíri. Isildur had three ships of his own, and he brought aboard the seedling of the White Tree as well as his wife and his son Elendur.

Isildur’s grandfather Amandil hoped to plead with the Valar to spare the Faithful. He sailed westward toward the Undying Lands, but what became of him is not known and he was never seen again.

As Ar-Pharazon felt the approach of old age, Sauron’s lies finally convinced him he could achieve immortality in the Undying Lands. In 3319, Ar-Pharazon set out with a great fleet to take the Undying Lands by force, but when he set foot on the shore, Iluvatar caused the Seas to open up and Valinor was hidden. The fleet sank and Numenor was destroyed by a great wave.

 

minasmorgul2Kingdoms Forged in Middle-Earth

The ships of the Faithful were spared, and a great wind from the west sent them to the shores of Middle-earth. Elendil landed in the north, while Isildur and Anarion came to the Mouths of the Anduin in the south. Elendil and his sons established the North-kingdom of Arnor and the South-kingdom of Gondor.  Elendil was the High King of both realms, but he dwelt in Arnor and committed the rule of Gondor to his sons.

Isildur and Anarion had their thrones side by side in the Great Hall of Osgiliath, the city they founded on the Anduin. Anarion lived in Minas Anor on the western side of the Anduin, while Isildur made his home in Ithilien on the eastern side of the Anduin. Isildur built Minas Ithil in a valley of the Mountains of Shadow on the border of Mordor. Minas Ithil was a beautiful white city, but it was also a stronghold to defend against the evil that might still dwell in Mordor.  Not knowing that Sauron had already returned there in secret and had begun rebuilding his strength.

Isildur had one of the Palantír called the Ithil-stone, which he used to communicate with his brother and father. He planted the seedling of the White Tree in front of his house. Isildur and his wife had two more sons while living in Gondor – Aratan and Ciryon.

In the early days of Gondor, Isildur went to the Hill of Erech at the entrance to the Blackroot Vale in the White Mountains. On the hilltop he placed the Stone of Erech, a great black sphere that he had brought from Númenor.  Isildur met with the King of the Dead, who swore allegiance to Isildur upon the Stone, but later when Isildur called upon the Men of the Mountains to join the fight against Sauron, they refused. Isildur cursed them and said that they would never rest until they fulfilled their oath, so from that day forth they haunted the Paths of the Dead.

Sauron did finally attack and capture Minas Ithil in 3429 but Isildur escaped with his wife and sons and another seedling of the White Tree. Isildur and his family boarded a ship at the Mouths of the Anduin and sailed around the coast of Middle-earth to Arnor, where hit father lived. Elendil consulted with Gil-galad, the last High King of the Noldor in Middle-earth who lived in Lindon west of Arnor. Gil-galad and Elendil formed the Last Alliance of Elves and Men to oppose Sauron in 3430. That same year, Isildur’s youngest son Valandil was born at the home of Elrond in Rivendell.

 

images (33)The Last Alliance

The army of the Last Alliance gathered at Rivendell in 3431 and marched to war to defeat Sauron. Isildur and his three oldest sons – Elendur, Aratan, and Ciryon – went with the army, while Isildur’s wife and their infant son Valandil remained in Rivendell.

The War of the Last Alliance began in the second age of 3434. Sauron’s forces were defeated in the Battle of Dagorlad on the plain outside Mordor, and the army of the Last Alliance entered Sauron’s realm and laid siege to Barad-dur. The siege lasted seven years and many died, including Isildur’s brother Anarion.

In 3441, Sauron himself came down from his black tower to fight Gil-Galad and Elendil at the base of Mount Doom.  Both Gil-galad and Elendil died in the battle and Elendils sword broke during the struggle.  Isildur took up his fathers sword and used the broken blade to cut the One Ring from Sauron’s hand. Sauron’s spirit fled from his body, but as long as the Ring that held much of his power survived so would his spirit. Elrond tried to convince Isildur to cast the ring into the fire of Mount Doom and destroy it, but Isildur refused and left.

The power of the Ring was such that no one could willingly destroy it. The lure of the Ring began to act on Isildur as soon as he took it. The great heat of the Ring burned Isildur’s hand, but he still thought it was beautiful and precious.  Isildur noticed that there was writing on the Ring that showed when it was still hot, but disappeared when it had cooled. He wrote a description of the Ring on a scroll that he left in the archives of Minas Anor for future generations.

 

gladden_fieldsThe High Kings Death

Isildur assumed the Kingship of both Gondor and Arnor, but he intended to return to the North and leave Anarion’s son Meneldil to rule in the South. He remained in Minas Anor for a few years to give counsel and instruction to Meneldil. Together they took a journey through all the lands belonging to Gondor. On the summit of Halifirien in the Firien wood, Isildur entombed the body of his father Elendil. Before leaving Minas Anor, Isildur planted the seedling of the White Tree in memory of his brother Anarion.

On the second year of the third age, Isildur set out from Minas Anor with his three elder sons and two hundred of his knights. They marched up the Vales of the Anduin on the eastern side of the River, heading for the High Pass over the Misty Mountains.

Thirty days later, Isildur’s company was attacked by Orcs near the Gladden Fields. The Orcs did not know that Isildur had the One Ring, but they were drawn by its power. Isildur’s men were outnumbered ten to one, and though they initially managed to repel the attack, the Orcs renewed their assault after nightfall and the men were overwhelmed.

Before the battle had begun, Isildur had sent away his esquire Ohtar with the Shards of his sword. Isildur kept the One Ring, but it was useless in defending his men against the Orcs. He realized now that he did not have the strength to wield the Ring and could not even put it on without great pain to himself. Isildur regretted the foolish pride that had led him to keep the Ring.  Isildur’s son Aratan was wounded, and his son Ciryon was killed. His eldest son Elendur begged him to flee in order to prevent the Orcs from capturing the Ring. Isildur agreed but his son Elendur was killed during the battle.

Isildur put on the Ring though it pained him and headed for the Anduin. He removed his armor and waded into the River intending to try to cross it. The current was strong and despite his great strength, it pulled him toward the marshes of the Gladden Fields. Then the Ring slipped off Isildur’s finger and was lost in the waters. Isildur felt an overwhelming loss, but was then relieved as if a great burden had been lifted from him. He rose out of the water, but he was spotted by orcs who shot him with arrows killing him.

The One Ring remained in the Gladden Fields until Deagol found it in the year 2463 of the third age.  Isildur’s body also lay in the waters, undiscovered by his kin.  While searching for the One Ring, Saruman found the Elendilmir that Isildur had been wearing.  Some have even speculated that Saruman may have found and even burned Isildur’s remains in one of his furnaces, but whether this is true is not known.

Until next weeks episode!

I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell

The Walking Dead – The Game – Episode 4 Around Every Corner

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Hey Everyone,

WalkingDead101_2012-10-11_14-47-29-79We kick things off this week with a review on Episode 4 of the Walking Dead Game.  Around Every Corner brings a suspense to the game like no other, and sets up some amazing plot points.  This in turn made the anxiousness of finding out what happens in Episode 5 even worse.

Episode 4 picks up up right after the end of Episode 3 as you find yourself and the rest of the survivors in Savannah, ready to make way for the river to escape.  As always this episode is packed full of surprises that keep you guessing as to what will be around the next corner.

I love that all the episodes have kicked off with a foundation goal that always helps drive the story, but also gets more complicated as the chapters come through.  Episode 4 is a bit different in this case as you leave off with a big question mark in Episode 3, it’s a mysterious voice that comes over the walkie talkie you are carrying…Oddly, this voice on the other end of the walkie wasn’t the main focus of Episode 4.

4022

The Walking Dead has been a ton of fun to play but something is different with Episode 4 as well…. though you are still playing as Lee, and building relationships with the others and taking care of Clementine…..There are more zombies than ever, and the game puts us behind Lee’s gun in a first-person perspective.  The choices that came along with that perspective really set a new tone for the game but again it feels different, like something changed that made it less emotional than the other episodes.

One of the major things that pulled the emotions out of this episode were the new cast members.  The new cast members don’t seem to have as deep of a background and story building plot as the original crew.  This episode still has some very epic challenges and big decisions you have to make, but they lacked that “Spiz-az” of the first few episodes I’ve played so far.    As always, the vocal performances are amazing, and the comic book style artistic flare they use is mind blowing.

f566718d5b4cf0387301308dbc3be17dI may not have felt as connected to the story this time around, but the story overall was still very engaging and game play was still awesome as always.  The true test of this game has been the story line and plot building as it keeps you waiting for that next moment to happen, and holds you just at the right moment.

Overall, Episode 4 has been my least favorite of the bunch so far as it didn’t have that big “WOW” factor to it.  That doesn’t mean it wasn’t an awesome episode, or that the story lacked, no, just the opposite, it’s bigger than ever.  Just like a big plot in a movie, or a massive book you will always find something you don’t like….but the good in this game dominates the bad by a long shot.  I can’t wait to play the big Finale of this chapter of the game and finish up so I can move on to Season 2.

Until next time, I bid you a fine farewell readers!

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#thewalkingdead #seasonone #episodefour

The Kings of Gondor – Part One

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Hey Everyone!

This week starts a brand new lore series on the line of Gondorian Kings.  We kick things off at the roots of how the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor were founded.  Ok readers buckle the seat belts and keep all arms, hands, and legs inside the vehicle at all times because this is going to be a fast, crazy ride!

High King of the Two Kingdoms

king elendil

Elendil was the first High King and founder of both the Gondorian and Arnorian kingdoms.  Elendil had two sons, Isildur, and Anarion who helped him found these two great kingdoms after the downfall and destruction of Numenor.  Elendil was not only the first high king, but he was also known for being extremely tall, as history recalls him to be around 7’10”.   Elendil was born in Numenor. He was the son of Amandil, Lord of Andunie and leader of the Faithful Numenoreans.  Like his father before him, Elendil wanted to keep a strong relationship with the Elves and kept the old beliefs in Iluvatar and a high reverence for the Valar.

Elendil’s father is the one who warned him of the coming destruction of Numenor and is the whole reason we now have the kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor.  Elendil gathered nine ships and had them port on the Eastern shores so they could be loaded with goods, his people and all the possessions they could hold.

 

main-qimg-4dfdef82e8810e9b87211202a272a60aThe Great Ships of the Faithful

When the destruction of Numenor happened Elendil was already prepping his ships to leave Numenor, his sons Isildur and Anarion, and their supporters set sail for Middle-earth. Some of the items they took with them were the Palantiri,  “Great Seeing Stones”  which were given to the Lords of Andunie by the Elves of Tol Eressea, the Ring of Barahir, the Sceptre of Annuminas, Narsil the great sword of the King which Elendil claimed for his own, and a seedling of Nimloth which later grew into the White Tree of Gondor.

The ships became separated during the long voyage to Middle-earth.  While Isildur and Anarion landed their ships in the southern regions of the lands near the haven of the faithful at Pelargir, Elendil landed in the northwest corner near Lindon.  This is why we see two high kingdoms in the books, Arnor in the north and Gondor in the south.  Elendil lived in Arnor, where he founded the city of Annuminas.  His son Anarion established the city of Minas Anor in Anorien, and Isildur founded Minas Ithil in Ithilien. Across the Anduin the city of Osgiliath was built.  In both regions they built great holding towers for the palantiri, this is how they kept in contact with each other.

 

siege of baradurThe Siege of Barad-dur

Elendil, and his people were not so lucky as to escape the evil that closely followed though.  Sauron had lost his physical body in the destruction of Numenor, but his spirt was still well alive and returned to Middle-earth as a great shadow.  That shadow came to Mordor , and Gondor, where Sauron sought after a new shape to take.  In the second age year 3429 Sauron attacked Gondor taking the hold of Minas Ithil.  Isildur fled north to his father, leaving Anarion in charge of Gondor. In 3434, King Elendil and Isildur returned south together with the Elven High King Gil-galad forging the last Alliance of Elves and Men to take on Sauron and his great hordes of evil followers.  Towards the end of the Siege of Barad-dur, Sauron came forward to battle the Elves and Men. Gil-galad and Elendil fought Sauron but were both slain, and Elendil’s sword Narsil was broken when he fell. His son Isildur used the broken sword to cut the One Ring from Sauron’s hand. However, despite the council of Elrond, Isildur chose not to destroy the Ring at Mount Doom and was eventually betrayed by the Ring in the the Gladden Fields, and was slain by Orcs.

I hope you enjoyed the start to our new series!

Until next week, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

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The Origins Of Evil – Part Four – The Death of Morgoth

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Hail and Well Met Everyone!

You might have been wondering where in the world I had vanished…. well I won’t lie, it’s been a nice little three week break over the holidays and beginning of the new year.  I’m finally back on a regular schedule of writing, planning, and getting new topics lined out for the website.  This is a rather long article of lore….So let’s not dilly-dally any longer and get to it shall we.

When we left off last time we had just seen the Battle of Flames and a small band of men called the Edain who were able to withstand the corruption of Morgoth and began feeding the elves information about the dark lords every move.

AnghbandSiege of Angband

The siege of Angband was broken 455 years after Fingolfin came to Middle-earth, when Morgoth started the War of Sudden Flame or it’s Sindarin name “Dagor Ballogach”. One cold winter night, when the Elves were off guard, Morgoth brought terrible rivers of fire and lava from Thangorodrim and poisonous fumes from the Iron Mountains. The Elves were completely unprepared for such an assault, and many Noldor perished on the Ard-galen, as the fires consumed it and transformed it into a lifeless wasteland, forever after known as the Anfauglith.

With the exception of Maedhros and his fortress upon the Hill of Himring, the sons of Feanor and Finarfin were overthrown and defeated. Fingolfin and Fingon only just barely managed to defend Hithlum from Morgoth’s onslaught, as the mountains surrounding it provided an effective barrier against Morgoth’s fires. The Elves were completely driven from the forests of Dorthonion, and many of the Grey elves forsook the war altogether and went to Doriath. When news came to Fingolfin of the defeat of the Elven forces, a great despair came upon him. Believing the Noldor to have been defeated beyond any hope of recovery, he rode forth from Hithlum to the gates of Angband in a wrath so potent that he was said to have resembled Orome himself.  When he arrived at Morgoth’s fortress he challenged the Dark Lord to come forth and fight. Though Morgoth did not wish to, Fingolfin’s challenge was heard by all in Angband, and was given in such an insulting manner that to ignore it would have been to lose face before his captains.

Morgoth came forth dressed in his black armour from Angband to confront Fingolfin. Wielding the terrible hammer Grond in which he attempted to kill the Elven-king repeatedly, but succeeded only in carving many fiery pits in the ground from his missed strikes. Fingolfin managed to avoid Morgoth’s blows, and wounded the Dark Lord seven times. But at last, Fingolfin grew weary, and Morgoth brought him to his knees. Fingolfin arose each time to continue the fight, but eventually he fell backwards into one of the many pits formed by Morgoth’s missed attacks. Morgoth took his foot upon Fingolfin’s neck and killed him, but not before Fingolfin, cut Morgoth’s foot with his sword.  Morgoth enraged broke the Elven-king’s body, but Thorondor, the King of the Eagles, swooped down on Morgoth, marring his face with his talons, and rescued the body of the Elf-king.

Fingolfin’s last stroke gave Morgoth a permanent limp, and the pain of his seven wounds could not be healed, nor were the scars ever erased.

After the battle, Morgoth sent out spies to watch over the Edain men, but when the Edain refused his false offers of peace he summoned the Easterlings over the Blue Mountains. However, he soon realized that he had underestimated the resolve and valor of his foes, for the Elves and Edain, recovering from the initial shock of Morgoth’s onslaught, had begun to make small gains against his outlying forces. He therefore checked his advances, and withdrew the main groups of Orcs to Angband.  Though Morgoth’s victory had been great, his own losses had been as numerous as the losses that had been accrued by the Elves. Seven years passed before Morgoth renewed his offensive abilities. He assailed Hithlum with great strength but just as he was on the verge of victory, Cirdan and a large army under his command came at the last moment and helped Fingon to turn the Orcs back.

Morgoths CourtThe Quest of the Silmaril

Some time later, the Elven-maiden Luthien and her human lover Beren, seeking to recover a Silmaril, came disguised to Morgoth’s court. Morgoth was able to see through her disguise, but she was undaunted by his eyes, and offered to sing for him. As she sang, Morgoth conceived a lust and an evil more abominable than any he had yet committed, and allowed her to continue singing. This was his downfall; suddenly shadow hid her, and she sang a terrible song of power that cast a spell of sleep.

All Morgoth’s court was cast down in a deep sleep by her song, but the Silmarils burned, and became so heavy that the head of Morgoth sagged upon his chest. He fell from his throne, the Iron Crown rolled away with a clang, and Beren cut a Silmaril from the neck of Morgoth.  However, rather than leaving immediately with his prize, he tried to take another of the Silmarils.  As he attempted to pry the second jewel loose, his knife snapped.  One shard struck Morgoth’s face, and he began to awaken. Beren and Luthien fled, but the dreaded werewolf Carcharoth bit off Beren’s hand. Then Morgoth awoke, and in a rage he and his court roared up in pursuit, only to see Thorondor carrying off the raiders. Morgoth’s rage at the loss of the Silmaril caused the Iron Mountains to begin erupting, but Morgoth wasn’t able to recover the Silmaril.

Soon after, Morgoth became aware that Maedhros was making a great army against him, and driving his orcs off the northern heights.  He took council against them and prepared his forces for a major confrontation. When the Elves made it to Angband, the Battle of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, began. Ultimately, the battle was a complete and decisive victory for Morgoth. The power of the Elves and the Edain were broken against Morgoth. The Noldor from the north of Beleriand, and all their great kingdoms besides Gondolin were destroyed. The Edain who did not flee were enslaved by Easterlings, and Hurin was taken captive.

tumblr_static_tumblr_static_bbp7i3c1334gos0wsc0o88k8w_1280The Cursing of Hurin

Morgoth was also well known for the imprisonment of Hurin of the House of Hador during the Nirnaeth Arnoediad. In the last hours of the battle Hurin and his kin defended Turgon, for he was the last heir to the throne of Gondolin and of Fingolfin after his brother, Fingon, died in battle. Turgon narrowly escaped the clutches of the orcs due to the valor of Hurin and Huor and their men.

Unfortunately, all but Hurin fell after the onslaught of Morgoth’s forces. After slaying untold numbers of Trolls and Orcs, Hurin was captured by Gothmog and sent to Angband. Morgoth knew that Hurin had been to Gondolin, and knew of its location. Morgoth sought to extract the information from him but, despite inflicting terrible torment upon his captive, was unsuccessful.

hqdefaultMorgoth sentences Hurin

From a distance Morgoth put the son and daughter of Hurin, Turin and Nienor, under a species of diabolic oppression: his thought followed them and gave them bad luck, though they were not possessed. By this means he drove them at last to madness and despair; though there is doubt as to whether in the extremity of his malice he cheated himself, as their madness saved them from damnation.

Morgoth brought a great curse upon the people – “Behold! The Shadow of my thought shall lie upon them wherever they go, and my hate shall pursue them to the ends of the world.” But all whom you love my thought shall weigh as a cloud of Doom, and it shall bring them down into darkness and despair. Wherever they go, evil shall arise. Wherever they speak, their words shall bring ill counsel. Whatsoever they do shall turn against them. They shall die without hope, cursing both life and death.

And so Hurin stayed and was chained atop Thangorodrim, forever watching his homelands fall under the shadow of Morgoth until he released him. Turin, who was valiant and powerful, nearly escaped the curse, as feared by Morgoth, but could not leave it. He and his sister perished and the curse of Morgoth on the Children of Hurin was fulfilled.

howe_gondolinNZThe Fall of Gondolin

Though he had been unable to force Hurin to reveal the location of the last great Elven kingdom, Morgoth eventually captured Maeglin, son of Turgon, the King of Gondolin. Threatened with unimaginable torment, Maeglin offered the secrets of Gondolin’s defenses in exchange for his own wellbeing. Additionally, he made a promise to kill Tuor personally, and was given permission by Morgoth to take Idril for himself.  With the promise of having Idril, Maeglin became Morgoth’s servant and sent him back to Gondolin to aid the invasion from within when the time came.

Soon after, Morgoth assaulted Gondolin, the last great realm of the Noldor, and with a superior force and Maeglin’s treacherous information, the city was destroyed without hope and quickly fell.

 

angliflin the blackFinal defeat and War of Wrath

However, Morgoth’s triumph was relatively short lived. Due to the plea actions of Earendil, the Valar were persuaded once again to take up arms against Morgoth’s tyranny. Morgoth himself did not expect that the Valar would ever help the Noldor after the terrible sins they had committed, and did not foresee the assault from Aman. But the Valar took pity on the Noldor, and a great battle began between Morgoth and the Host of Valinor. Morgoth emptied all of Angband, and his devices and engines and armies of slaves were so various and powerful the fighting spilled across all Beleriand.

In the end, Morgoth’s forces were completely defeated. The Balrogs were destroyed, except a few that fled and hid themselves in the caverns of the earth, and the Orcs were slaughtered. Morgoth hid in fear, and dared not come forth himself, but he had one last weapon at his command; the monstrous Winged Dragons. From out of the pits of Angband he called them to battle, with great power and fire, they drove back the Valar. But then Earendil came with Vingilot, accompanied by Thorondor and all the great birds, and killed Ancalagon The Black, whose great body fell upon the towers of Thangorodrim destroying them. Morgoth, utterly defeated stood and watched. He fled into the deepest of his mines, but his feet were cut from under him, and he was cast down upon his face. He was bound with the chain Angainor, his Iron Crown was beaten into a collar for his neck, and he was thrust through the Door of Night into the Timeless.

This concludes our lore series on the dark lord, but next week we kick off a brand new series (The Kings of Gondor) so until next weeks episode, I’m your host Iogro Merrybelly and I bid you a fine farewell!

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A Years Journey With A Hobbit – 2014 Review

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Hail and Well Met Friends!

I just want to say thank you to everyone for a year full of community, gaming, making new friends and its been a huge pleasure connecting with you all! I wanted to share the journey and how you all helped keep things fun and exciting!  Can’t wait for what 2015 holds and the new connections awaiting to be made. Everyone have a fantastic New Years and I’ll see you in 2015.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 7,100 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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#2014 #ayearinreview