'Who Am I?' - Persona Creation Worksheets

For discussion of Dunedain culture, what it might have looked like and how it worked.

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Elendur Amloth
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Re: 'Who Am I?' - Persona Creation Worksheets

Post by Elendur Amloth »

Saw this post and thought I would place mine here as many of Udwin's additional questions gave me the inspiration to complete my persona narrative. Hopefully, I'm putting this in the right place. If not, please move it appropriately.

For my Middle-earth Ranger of Ithilien persona, I have taken the name Elendûr Amloth. Elendûr roughly translates to "dark star" in Sindarin as I was born during a solar eclipse. My surname Amloth means the "crest of a helmet". I was born in the Third Age of Middle-earth in 2986 T.A. in the city of Dol-Amroth in Belfalas, a coastal city associated with shipping. My father was a noble merchant shipbuilder, building ships and then using them in the merchant trade. At the age of 15, my father was lost at sea while visiting another city for trade negotiations. It was expected that I would then take over the family business, me being the son of my father but I had a fraternal twin sister named Amra, who favored the ships much more than I. Much to my mother Ivorwen's disappointment, I relinquished this to my sister and set off for Gondor with a letter of introduction from the Prince of Dol-Amroth, Imrahil. I traveled to Minas Tirith, thinking I would become an officer in the Gondorian army. It was fate perhaps that I would meet the Steward's son Faramir who was visiting his father, Lord Denethor. I was timid to approach but finally I mustered the courage and approached him, offering my letter with trembling hand. He read it and offered it to his father, who gave his consent. "We'll make you a Ranger lad!" Faramir said, slapping me on the back and took me under his wing. I traveled with him and his escort of Rangers to the forests and glades of Ithilien and to the secret caves of Henneth Annun.

I had grandiose dreams along the way of fighting Orcs in the forest or perhaps rescuing a wandering traveler from certain death but my dreams were shattered when Captain Faramir ordered me to ride with a small escort of Rangers back to Minas Tirith, escorting supply wagons. This drudgery went on for a few years but I came to know the routes into and out of Ithilien and did have a few encounters with trespassers to the forest.

In March of 3018 T.A., the War of the Ring came to Ithilien. Halflings had come to Ithilien with a strange creature that we learned later had originally possessed the One Ring of Sauron. Faramir hosted them learning of their journey and then sent them safely on their way, much to many of the Ranger's surprise. By now, I was going on forays against the Haradrim and had cut my teeth on a few Orcs. As time went by, we were called to the ruined city of Osgiliath, where Sauron's forces evidently planned to cross the great river Anduin. We fought valiantly there but were forced to retreat to Minas Tirith, losing many Rangers in the process. We were then mustered for the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and then back to Ithilien where we engaged a large force of Orcs and Easterlings attempting to ambush the Army of the West on its way to the Morannon. Some of us then formed a rear guard for the Army of the West and fought at the Battle of the Black Gate.

I was present for the Coronation of our King and accompanied other Rangers and the new Prince of Ithilien to Emyn Arnen where Faramir was to build his keep. But much work still remained to be done. Settlers were arriving in Ithilien and we had been ordered to escort them safely to new ground. As time went by, Emyn Arnen grew as did the settlements and a varied culture started to develop there. Legolas came with some of the Elves of Mirkwood to settle and many of Gimli's Dwarves came as they were repairing the gates of Minas Tirith. To the common folk of Gondor the Elves still brought much fascination and one would see them staring at a group of Elves as they passed through the White City.

In the 6th Year of the King's Reign, I came into some controversy when I found an Orc who had stumbled into one of the old traps set in the forest of Ithilien. The Orc was alive and could speak some of the Common speech, telling me his name was Morag. I freed him of the trap but kept him bound until I could further sense his motives. I found the Orc not to be vicious at all but willing to communicate. He said he was a good tracker and would offer to help us if we freed him. After some time, I did. When I did this, some of my men left me for they would not befriend an Orc under no circumstance. But I remembered my Lord Faramir saying "I would not ensnare even an orc with a falsehood". And by this time, I had read in a manuscript where the Orcs were no longer under the spell of Sauron and could perhaps make free choice, although many still suspected their nature to be an evil one. That quote is:

"But the Nazgûl turned and fled, and vanished into Mordor's shadows, hearing a sudden terrible call out of the Dark Tower; and even at that moment all the hosts of Mordor trembled, doubt clutched their hearts, their laughter failed, their hands shook and their limbs were loosed. The Power that drove them on and filled them with hate and fury was wavering...; and now looking in the eyes of their enemies they saw a deadly light and were afraid."

and

"The creatures of Sauron, orc or troll or beast spell-enslaved, ran hither and thither mindless; and some slew themselves, or cast themselves in pits, or fled wailing back to hide in holes.... But the Men of Rhûn and of Harad... saw the ruin of their war and the great majesty and glory of the Captains of the West. And those that were deepest and longest in evil servitude, hating the West, and yet were men proud and bold, in their turn now gathered themselves for a last stand of desperate battle. But the most part fled eastward as they could; and some cast their weapons down and sued for mercy."

But Prince Faramir heard of my plight and allowed me to bring on the Orc as a tracker with our small company of Rangers but if I visited some of the settlements or even the White City, some of those who knew of me would angrily call me "Orc-Friend" or "Orc-Lover".

Now it is the 17th year of the Reign of the King and I am still in Ithilien. We have begun our move towards Minas Morgul, formerly known as Minas Ithil and I feel that Morag, my Orc tracker will help us defeat the last remnant of evil that resides there.

My Mother is now into her elder years but we Dunedain have long lives so it is my hope that she will remain in this world until I am able to return to my birth city. My sister has grown our family business with over 40 ships now that engage in trade and bring new connections between the different peoples of Middle-earth. I sometimes think that my father and his father before him, all shipbuilders and men of the sea would not be proud of me now - the Ranger - the forest dweller who lives not on the coast of the sea but on the banks of the River Anduin. But I know that fate has brought me here and I have no regrets.
'I would see the White Tree in flower again in the courts of the kings, and the Silver Crown return, and Minas Tirith in peace. Minas Anor as of old, full of light, high and fair, beautiful as a queen among other queens, not a mistress of many slaves.'
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Peter Remling
Athel Dunedain
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Re: 'Who Am I?' - Persona Creation Worksheets

Post by Peter Remling »

well thought out, well written...Well Done !
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Iodo
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Re: 'Who Am I?' - Persona Creation Worksheets

Post by Iodo »

That made good reading, I enjoyed it, thank you :mrgreen:
Gimli: It's true you don't see many Dwarf-women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Dwarf-men.
Aragorn: It's the beards.
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