# Ever have something like this happen to you?



## 33Peregrin (May 4, 2004)

I was just wondering, did any of you ever have something like this happen to you? 
Well, this summer I am going to Volunteer somewhere, so last Saturday I went for my interview for what volunteer job I want to do. It was at a place very near the mountains, so after I was done I walked with my mom behind there. Well, the air was so cold and so clear, you could smell the trees, and you could hear waterfalls all around you. So I was thinking... Rivendell! I was even singing- "To Rivendell where elves yet dwell, in glades beneath the misty fell...." It was great.
Then we were walking back, and I saw something in the trees. There was a girl, sitting by the water under the trees and by the bushes. I didn't want my dog to bother her, so I went over. She was wearing a green cloak, burning insence, and she was reading... The Hobbit! She had other Tolkien books around her. So when I was there with my dog and she saw us, she put on her head, a crown of golden leaves! So I guess someone else thought it was like Rivendell too.  I got my dog as quickly as I could, trying not to bother her. 
But one thing that was weird for me was... she probably cannot imagine _me_ the intruder, being a Tolkien Fan the way I am. Or anything! It's just weird that that happened.
So... I'm not really sure what I'm asking. But, did anything like this ever happen to you? Or, have you ever met a Tolkien fan more obsessed than you, who just doesn't know you love it to?


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## Sarah (May 4, 2004)

wow, that's awesome. If it were me, I would have gone back the next day to see if she was there, but I wouldn't have said anything. I'd just plop down at a tree near her and start reading one of my tolkien books, and see what happens from there.


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## 33Peregrin (May 7, 2004)

Yeah...and who even knows? Maybe she _was_ an elf!  I wish I could come back... but when I do, it will be really busy there. I am going there tomorrow for this hummingbird festival thing, and there will be a ton of people there.

Well this is nice, people. I guess I'm just a weird Tolkien freak who finds other Tolkien freaks in weird places... Hasn't anyone had anything like this happen to them? Can't you guys at least comment on this?


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## Niirewen (May 10, 2004)

Hmm.. well I know this isn't exactly what you're talking about, but oh well, I'll share anyway... A few months ago I was picking my brother up from his friend's church and I got a bit lost.. (I had bad directions) but anyway, I missed a turn and after driving a few miles down the road I decided I needed to turn around and try again. But before I turned around I saw this neighborhood called "Hobbit's Glen," and I thought that was really interesting, and then a second later I saw a street called "Rivendell Lane." Then a week or two ago I saw this article laying around my house- I just had a glimpse of it- and it was about that neighborhood, and the title was something like "Neighborhood Modeled After a Classic," with a picture of that neighborhood on it. I didn't read it, and I don't know where it is if we still have it, but, I don't know, I thought that was sort of interesting.

Anyway, I know this isn't really the same type of thing, but it just came to my mind. And I think that your meeting with that girl was really cool/weird, 33Peregrin.


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## Ol'gaffer (May 12, 2004)

I'm one of those weird people you meet in forests. 

I've been participating in live action roleplaying games for nearly four years now, and I've many times had people come to me in different places asking do I know lord of the rings due to my clothes. Last time this happened was in a Finnish land mark, Suomenlinna, where a young tourist couple came and asked me about this, at the time I was dressed in a goblin outfit and was eathing a apple on top of a old crumbling stone wall.


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## 33Peregrin (May 17, 2004)

Wow.. that's awesome about the ME street names!!!!!!

But O'lGaffer... that's cool! I feel so bad when I am around people who obviously love LOTR... and have no idea that I do to. I wonder, you probably would never think that I loved LOTR, and had read it six times if you met me! The problem is is that I am a 16 year old girl, and I lot of my friends only care about things like clothes and boys and things. So... it just bothers me when I hear like the kids in my math class always talking about LOTR (and Matrix and Star Wars..) and I can't. When I say anything at all about LOTR to them, they just look at me weird! And if they do think I like LOTR, they think I am just another girl obsessed with Legolas. But I am NOT.


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## joxy (May 20, 2004)

Ol'gaffer said:


> I'm one of those weird people....live action roleplaying games....due to my clothes.....a young tourist couple came and asked me about this, at the time I was dressed in a goblin outfit....


Well, you said it....
Intriguing - and very surprising!
These are games are based on Tolkien's characters?
People dress up as the characters?
Where are the games played, and by whom?
Is this a purely Finnish phenomenon, or does it happen in other countries?
You go around wearing the clothes even when not playing the games?
A tourist couple at the fortress asked about it; does this mean that local people take no notice of it?
What a fascinating world you have opened up here.


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## HLGStrider (May 21, 2004)

Hmmm. . .I don't suppose the guy I work with suddenly starting to talk like Gollum counts? I didn't know it was possible to talk Gollum about pizza toppings. . ."Pineapplessssesss."

Anyway, I once WAS the Elf according to one guy. I was sitting under a tree writing up at the community college, a cute little flowering tree with a concrete square under it that capped some sort of plumbing (I think), watching people walk by, and a guy from one of my classes said, "You look like an elf sitting there." That's somewhat close.


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## 33Peregrin (May 30, 2004)

That's awesome! There's a guy I know who I call Smeagol.... he's tall and skinny and weird with big blue eyes, and he has a rat tail, which he died blue. I just say 'Hi Smeagol' and he laughs. But... he says he has plans for a book to write that's _better_ than The Lord of the Rings. 
I would want to be the Elf one day too! If only I had a car... I would go somewhere good to read LOTR, rather than in my noisy house. I was just thinking and planning that yesterday. But it's just that no one who hasn't talked to me for long would every think me to want to be the Elf. 
And those games! Do you guys like dress up in armor and have swords and have battles? Sorry- I have no idea how to say it. But a while ago, maybe a year or two ago... my family went hiking and when we were driving back we went by a field of people as I just described. I wondered if it had anything to do with LOTR, and what they were doing. Is that what it is?


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## Ol'gaffer (May 30, 2004)

joxy said:


> Well, you said it....
> Intriguing - and very surprising!
> These are games are based on Tolkien's characters?
> People dress up as the characters?
> ...



Well, the phenomenon is called LARP, Live Action Role Playing. It started to my knowledge in the states in the early 90's and then eventually spread across the world. As far as I know, it's very popular in the eastern parts of Europe as well as in the more western parts.

The games span from everything from Cyberpunk to Tolkien. Last summer I took part in a LARP called The Two Towers that took an alternate look on the war of the ring, from the point of view of a group of people who have escaped the war and are heading towards Bree. But they still have to pass the river Isen before somekind of safety is theirs.

My normal clothes are most of the time quite normal, but I do like to wear different kind of clothing than others, it's easier for women since there is a lot more clothing that can be used in normal wear.

People usually notice us, but most of the Finnish population still doesn't really approve of us, there have been many newscasts on us, and many have unfairly made us out to look like Satan worshippers and the sort. We are constantly trying to improve our stature in the public.

Tourists tough are always very interested in us, and many times we are captured on film.

The games usually take place in forests or at old castles, preferably in places were we won't be bothered, so that the game can run smoothly. But landmarks such as Suomenlinna, which is a big old fortress from the war, but it's mostly in ruins now, but many games are still held there, as it serves as an ideal location for some games.

Also, in the late 80's a Finnish theatre group held a performance there that was their interpretation of LotR, and even to this day it's revered and honored among many people, of which many are Live Action Role Players.


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## Ol'gaffer (Jun 22, 2004)

Just to save this thread from dying...

bumping it back up again


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## Starflower (Jun 23, 2004)

i'm one of those strange people you meet in the forest as well 

my husband intorduced me to LARP, we play in the Forgotten Realms fantasy book setting, so there are a lot of dark elves and dwarves etc... 
it is a lot bigger phenomenon here in the UK, in the yearly Gathering about 3000 people turn up on a remote field in the middle of Yorkshire and make a lot of noise. we do walk around in costume even when not actively roleplaying, the event takes place over five days in August


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## 33Peregrin (Jun 26, 2004)

Wow... LARP actually sounds really cool! It just doesn't seem like there is much of it here in Colorado. And besides, I'm only 15, so I don't know how much good it would do if there was a lot here. Oh well.


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## Ol'gaffer (Jul 8, 2004)

Starflower, that's just awesome to hear! It would be really cool to be in a big game like that. The biggest one that I've been to had 'only' 200 players, a medieval war set over two days.

Peregrin, you should google it, you'd be surprised to see how many people play. And the age is not a problem, all that matters is the dedication that you put into the role that is given to you. 

I just got my recent charecter that I'll be playing in August. I'm playing a 15 year old slave who is mentally retarded and is at a 6 year olds level. Possibly the toughest charecter to play yet.


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