Middle Earth Ranger Forum

HEYA! I'm Arlyssen Arlussen as I'm sure you have heard. BUT I have multiple names! I am also known in the Araluen world as Lady Olivia a Courier in his majesty's Diplomatic Service. As such if you are a big fan of RA I offer a couple of things to you. On facebook (Yes, yes I know I know whats up with the facebook stuff?) I run a page/ group called The Diplomatic Service. From time to time I post trivia questions and contests and the like. Also on facebook there is a page dedicated to ranges called The Ranger Corps I am on that page and it is awesome! Also what might be of interest to you...well rather me...yeah mostly me.....
I also host a video competition in the fall for Rangers Apprentice, of course I'm trying to make it an annual thing but that can very hard. Last years was the first official year that I got to actually DO it. Soooooooo saying if you are interested in being part of the competition this year let me know so I can start "trying" to get people interested so we can do this! ( yeah yeah I like to plan waaayyy ahead) If you are interested I can give you a link to the page where it all takes place and I "think" the vids from last year are still up if you wanna check them out. I have also wanted to do a spring one but not sure if that will be a go or not. Either way I would very much like to know. Ummmmm oh yeah I don't suppose anyone here is (I doubt it though which is just my luck unfortunately) from MI?? Or at least real close by like I do not know. Cause I have a LARP group that I am DESPERATELY trying to get started BUT so far all the people live in different states. Ummm that's pretty much all I have to say soooo yeah.
Thanks you all are great!
Arlyssen Arlussen/ Lady Olivia

Hey Arlyssen!
I am not sure you are aware of it but Brandwyn and I are both Global Moderators on the rangers apprentice sight called "Halt's Playground"

You can find it at: http://araluenrpg.proboards.com/index.cgi

This a fairly long running web site that I joined about 2 years ago and met my lovely fiance there by chance. She has been a GM for quite some time.

The site offers a literarry RPG experience where Lady Olivia could be a very interesting character and you could have lots of fun. the age range is from about 13 up to old fogies like me in the 50"s (I am the oldest most are much younger)

But it is a lot of fun, you should go check it out and read through some of the stories then if you like what you see you are welcome to make a character (or several) and jump in. Arlyssen would make a great Ranger's apprentice!

If you have any questions you can shoot me or Brandwyn a PM on Halt's or on this site we are in both.

I was somewhat aware but didn't really look into it, maybe I will. Thanks.

So who's your guy's favorite character in Ranger's Apprentice? (not including Will )

Why...Ringulf of course!

But as far as canonical characters, I like Halt alot. My son is a very big Gillan fan. In fact he chose to be Gillan's apprentice on Halt's Playground.

GILAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE GILAN!! Me wants to marry him. Jenny might find herself in a fight for Gilans heart hehehehe.

I'm rather fond of Jenny myself. Plump, pretty, so easy on the eyes and easy to cuddle with, even tempered and easy to be around, and she can COOK! My kinda woman!

I've got to say I'm rather fond of Erak. I found him interesting when he was first introduced helping Morgorath.

I find a lot of Flanagan's characters endearing. That's one thing he really nails as an author, even from the beginning. Personally, I'm a big fan of Gilan myself. I feel Flanagan doesn't nearly utilize him enough in his books - especially his prowess with a sword. I thought for sure that this skill would prove to be a plot point in the first book in which Gilan was introduced, but I was disappointed when it sort of got forgotten.

Otherwise, Will works quite well as a sort of generic "everyman" protagonist, Halt is an excellent "gruff old mentor" type (if Flanagan wasn't imagining Jeremy Irons the whole time he wrote Halt I'll eat my hat), and Horace is a likable simple-yet-noble sort. I actually think the peripheral characters are often more interesting than the main ones though. Selethen was might have actually been my favorite. He was clearly based in part on the historical Muslim sultan and warlord Saladin, and he was a surprisingly complex character for Flanagan.

I agree! I loved Selethen! I also really liked Alyss. I thought that her character was very interesting. SPOILER ALERT: I knew that Alyss would marry Will since the fifth book!

SPOILER!!! careful on the reveals there are folks who have not gone throught the whole series yet!

It is funny you mention Jeremy Irons...I think he would be a good choice but I don't feel he has the physical toughness for Halt.

There was a casting call done on one of the other RA sights and they said who would you cast in the movie.

My pics for a few of them were as follows:

Halt-Hugh Jackman

Crowley-Liam Neeson

Duncan-Russel Crow

Gillan-Ewan MacGregor

Erak-Hulk Hogan (no really he would work!) Or at the very least Vladamir Killich from 13th warrior and Ironclad.(Bulvie and Captain Tiberious) see I think Erak should have a comic edge while still being dangerous....Arnold maybe?

Morgorath-Ben Cross

For Alyss, Chloe Moretz, who is consistently the very best thing in all her movies. Failing Chloe, Dakota Fanning is very good. Of course, nominating any children is risky, as they tend to be grown before a movie can get made! As long as we're fantasizing here, I nominate Oliver Reed in his prime for Halt. Yes, I know he's dead, but he would have been perfect. Since we can't have Reed, I think Dennis Quaid could pull it off, assuming he can do an Irish brogue. I agree with Liam Neeson for Crowley, but Gary Oldman would also be very good. I'd say Jake Gyllenhaal for Gillan. Get it? Gillan: Gyllenhaal? Perhaps an oddball secondary choice for Gillan: Rupert Grint. I think he could pull it off, and frankly, I miss him. For Morgareth, I think Rhys Ifans, who played Hook in Neverland would be excellent. He was the best thing in the movie, utterly believable, giving a complex, layered performance. Charlie Rowe, who played Peter was not bad, and could possibly do a creditable Will. (Neverland suffered from some poor casting, some terrible acting, and lackluster directing, but Ifans was brilliant, and Rowe showed some signs of untapped capability in this.) Bradley James, who plays Arthur in the BBC's Merlin is Horace inside my head, although he's probably too old.

Interesting pics! My son and I both had Bradley James as Horace!

Agreed on your casting choice for Alyss, for the most part, although any number of young assertive girls could play the roll. Chloe Mortez might also make an intriguing choice for Evelyn/Cassandra. Will could frankly be any fresh-faced, likable youth, as long as he was decent at playing the everyman. Perhaps he's getting a bit old for it now, but I'd definitely cast Jeremy Irons as Halt, no questions asked. Liam Neeson wouldn't make a half bad Crowley, but he's not at all who I'd pictured. Not sure who I'd choose, personally, but yeah, I suppose Neeson would do well in the roll. To be fair, Liam Neeson might actually make a decent Halt, if he got the whole sarcasm thing down. And he comes with the added advantage of already having an Irish accent.

For Morgarath I'd go with either Ralph Feinnes or Tom Hiddleston. Either one. Both would be brilliant in the roll. And since we're on the subject of actors from Thor, Chris Hemsworth wouldn't make a half bad Erak.

Had he not tragically passed away, Heath Ledger would've made a brilliant Gilan, in my opinion (just as he would've made a brilliant Robin Hood, but that's just another one of my whims that will sadly never come to fruition).

I knew Alyss would Marry Will since the first book call it a womans intuition.