Eä Tolkien Society Meeting Notes for July 2018
Notes for JULY MEETING below (please read the very end *(point 6).*
Meeting of the Ea Tolkien Society in Spokane, an Official Smial of the
Tolkien Society (UK).
at Tolkien Moot XIV
July 21, 2018
Attended in person: Daniel, Katy, Hawke, Bill, John, Lillian, Ashleigh,
Corey, Jacob, Ryan, Brian (in absentia: Drake & Austin). Online: Jeremiah
Burns.
1. Hawke greeted everyone at Tolkien Moot XIV, the role-playing convention
at Hawke's house (originally MERPCON for years 1-5, then TOLKIEN MOOT
thereafter).
2. We all took turns introducing ourselves and our initial contact with the
legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien.
3. Brian read notes from June 2018.
4. Long discussion about the Middle-earth TV series being produced by
Amazon. If you were hired as consultants, what would you propose?
- The Sackville-Bagginses (a "reality-TV" show showing the nasty
politics of the family)
- Aragorn's childhood in Rivendell
- Hawke: The 5 seasons Amazon's promised don't have to be connected in a
linear way with the same main character.
- Tom Bombadil, with cool flashbacks as he tells stories about all the
things he's seen or heard of
- The other 19 Rings of Power: 3 for Elves, 7 for Dwarves, 9 for Men.
The backstory for each & what happened after.
- Easterlings--all those perspectives
- The stories of the Istari (Five Wizards) before the LOTR
- The Silmarillion, if the Tolkien Estate is willing! (but what to
choose for 5 seasons? Vast amounts of stories)
- A new monster showing up in one of the above-mentioned plotlines. New
monsters always attract attention: Carcharoth, Vampires (Thuringwethil?)
5. Voting on the theme for Tolkien Moot XV. Ideas nominated with the most
votes are:
FIRST ROUND
- Khazad-Dum (Moria) 11
- Bombadil, including his wedding 8
- The other Rings of Power 9
- One of the Great Wars 5
- Into the 4th Age, exploring the Sunken Lands that may still be above
water (islands) 4
- Liquid Light
- Famous Sword(s) 7
- Silmarils (8)
- The Fall of Gondolin 11
- Eagles 6
- Maiar/the Lieutenants of Morgoth 6
- Music 4
- Craft
- Serial Longevity
- 7 Gates of Gondolin
- Tuor's Journey to Gondolin
- Betrayal as a Theme
SECOND ROUND (at end of Tolkien Moot)
- *The Fall of Gondolin 9*
- *The Rings of Power 7*
- *Tom Bombadil 7*
- *Moria 5*
- *Silmarils 4*
- *Swords 3*
- *Eagles 3*
6. Next meeting was not set, but usually would be on the 3rd Sat of
August. *However,
the Secretary respectfully suggests that we cancel the August meeting and
resume on September 22.*
Reasons:
- Neither Hawke, Brian, nor Chris will be able to attend. Hawke is on
the Great RPG bus & trailer tour, Brian will be in Texas visiting family,
and Chris is moving away to the Tri-Cities.
- I suggest Sept. 22, not Sept. 15, for two reasons: I will be away
Sept. 15, but more importantly, Sept. 22 is Bilbo and Frodo's Birthday,
also known as Hobbit Day
http://www.americantolkiensociety.org/hobbit_day_and_tolkien_week.htm
- This would give us a good reason to make a festive occasion and try to
invite extra folks.
- The Fall of Gondolin, edited by Christopher Tolkien, will be just
available right before then, and those of us who have read it can share
some highlights, as well as the curious connection between the Hobbit and
Gondolin. It would be nice to have an extra week to read and prepare.
- I think I can convince my wife to make a Dragon-Tail Cake again, as
she did on Hobbit Day in 1994. (Ah, those were the good old days...)
- If everyone's OK with the change, I suggest we get the message out
that August is canceled and it's Sept. 22 we meet again (4th Saturday in
Sept. only).
Brian
Smial Secretary
On Fri, Jul 20, 2018 at 4:19 PM, Brian Huseland <bhuseland@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ea Tolkien Society meeting. June 16, 2018, Spokane, WA.
>
> Attended: Corey, Brian, Richard, Chris, Hawke. Online: Odd Glorfindel,
> Sauron, Lextrucks.
>
>
>
> 1. Chris read April Minutes. Discussion:
> 1. Corey question... how did LOTR movie get received in other
> countries, if those languages didn’t have the LOTR books already in their
> own language?
> 2. Chris commented on being in Japan when FOTR came out in cinema.
> Lore not as well known there. End of movie without resolution... people
> didn’t know what to do with that.
> 3. Corey found that in general, fantasy as a story genre is well
> received in Japan.
> 4. Richard and Brian commented on how that cognitive dissonance
> also was experienced here in the USA.
> 5. Applicability: how mythology of Middle Earth has appeal. Hawke
> refers to how Tolkien explores the human condition.
> 6. Fall of Gondolin publication in August.
> 7. Hawke has made a decision where to stream. Twitch not working as
> much because it’s a gamer audience. Real time interactive video = Jitsi.
> 8. We began reading the Valaquenta last time (April).
> 9. NEW ITEMS: I recommended the podcast “The Prancing Pony”:
> https://theprancingponypodcast.com/
> <https://theprancingponypodcast.com/>
> 10. Hawke read Tolkien’s Letter 152. To BBC. What dialect should
> the “Homecoming of B” be in? The difference should be only age, etc. but
> not of class. West Midlands accent had at that time only referred to place.
> 11. Discussion of British accents and classism.
> 12. Science fiction and lack of accents in Other Worlds. Stargate
> SG1 pilot episode struggled through language barriers to make it more
> realistic.
> 13. Update on Middle Earth TV series in the works with Amazon.
> 14. Can a “slow” vs. episode-centered show happen in America?
> Binge-watching subscription model helping.
> 15. Rumor of a amusement park.
> 16. Babylon bee link: Middle-Earth puts tariffs on Narnian steel:
> https://babylonbee.com/news/middle-earth-announces-heavy-
> tariffs-on-narnian-imports/
> <https://babylonbee.com/news/middle-earth-announces-heavy-tariffs-on-narnian-imports/>
> 17. Odd Glorfindel comment/question.
> 18. Hawke references “Tales before Tolkien”. Smith of Wootton Major
> vs. The Golden Key.
> 19. We took turns reading more of the Valaquenta in the
> Silmarillion: Yavanna, Namo/Mandos, Este, Irmo, Nienna, Tulkas, Nessa,
> Orome. Vana.
> 20. Next time we will read “Of the Maiar”.
> 21. Talking about Tolkienmoot next month.
> 22. Next meeting is July 21, 2018, 1-3 pm
>
>