Barâz-felak Náli Part 3: Solo RPG Campaign—The One Ring Strider Mode Adventure

This is the third post of my new solo campaign using Strider Mode for The One Ring™ roleplaying game, published by Free League Publishing. It is unofficial fan-made content and not affiliated with or endorsed by Free League Publishing or Middle-earth Enterprises. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners. Shared freely, not for sale.

You can find a list of all posts pertaining to this campaign on my page The One Ring™ 2nd Edition.  

THE ALLIES FORM A BAND

To start my first adventure, I decided to make Frár I, Son of Felgrom an Ally to Náli using some of the solo tools from Moria™: Through the Doors of Durin, starting with an Ally Card.

Since Náli and Frár are a Band, I used the Moria Mission Worksheet, downloadable from the Free League website. 

Notice the Band is small and they have a medium Burden. It's only medium because I decided that their War Gear was more like Prepared than Geared for War. They will be going on a spy mission before the reclaiming begins. 

I also gave them a Shared Calling: Reclaimers. This gives me Inspiration when using the Expertise Disposition. A Hunt Threshold of 18 was set because on the first leg of their Journey toward the Greydelve they will be primarily travelling through the Northern Dalelands, which I would classify as Border Lands.

They have a shared pool of Hope, which is 5 points higher than what Náli's Hope would be on his own.

Since there is only 1 Ally, I thought of simply combining the graphics so that the Ally Card took up all of the space where the Mission Roster is located. Instead, I opted to keep them separate for now. Maybe I'll change my mind later. Who knows.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!

ᛒᚨᚱᚨᛉ ᚠᛖᛚᚨᚴ ᚾᚨᛚᛁ

BARÂZ-FELAK NÁLI

The Sacred Expeditions of Náli the Red-hewer

_______________________________

4th of September, 2964. We march out of Erebor with the mercenaries. A few short hours upon the road. Frár the Beardless halts us in the rich green fields of the Northern Dalelands. Orders given.

Some chosen as spies to go in twos, or alone. They must seek the land ahead, even unto Greydelve in the Narrows of the Grey Mountains. They are bidden to move in secret. Keep clear of Elves. Beware the Enemy’s eye. They are to return by November’s first day or sooner. The place: the hill-ruins above the Forest River, West Gap. Frár calls it Keldufast, the River-Fort. A council of war shall be held there, if tidings are brought. If none return… then the host will march. The siege will begin without them.

I have gone with Frár II, son of Felgrom. He wears furs, and is gifted in healing with herbs and salves. Grandson to our captain and my friend.

Winter is but a few short months ahead. Bitter and hard is the cold of the North to all. Yet Frár has waited long, and sees an advantage. He would strike when the Enemy is least prepared. Orcs, and worse, we will take unawares.

If fortune is kind, the citadel may be ours again by the 28th of October [1], and winter’s hand need not aid us. Then perchance Yule shall be brighter for our folk… if we endure to see it.

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[1] Travel Goals: 39 days to Greydelve (arrive October 13), 7 days inside the citadel (leave Oct 20), and 2 days travel to the meeting point (October 22) = 48 days in total. After that, 2 more days at the war council and 2 days march to the fortress. In this scenario, the reclaiming may start as early as October 28 in hopes to be wrapped up before the coldest months of winter.

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At mid-day we parted from the army. Packs heavy upon our backs. Food enough for a few days, hunting anticipated afterwards.

Not long into the afternoon, after a long march, young Frár fell behind [2]. I went to him. He spied a way ‘round the tilled field, muck clinging to our boots. He said it was a short-cut [3]. The path was hidden, narrow, full of holes and stones [4]. We stumbled many times, nearly cast to the ground [5]. Yet we stumbled forward, hearts set firm on our task, though sore of leg [6].

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Journey from Erebor to the Grey Mountains Narrows

[2] Marching Test: MANOEUVRE roll for the Band (TN 16). Failed. Lose (1d) on TRAVEL roll.

[3] TRAVEL roll Failed; travel event will take place 1 hex away in hex 2. Journey Event: Made a Favoured Feat die roll due to Border Lands; rolled a 9 (Short-cut). Note: See the Journey Log at the end of the post for a visual.

[4] Event Detail: Success die result 2 (Secluded Path).

[5] Failed the EXPLORE roll to navigate the wilds. Fatigue Points Gained: 1.

[6] RALLY Roll for the Band: TN 17. Failed. Frár becomes Fatigued.

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7th day of travel. Near the edge of the Narrows, close to Mirkwood [7]. We came upon a great lizard—basilisk, Fágwyrm to the Northmen, Sarnlug to the Elves. Spawn of the Enemy’s first forging—false drakes, yet deadly. I had read of them in old tales and seen their likeness in craft, but this was my first sighting. Boar-sized it was, but stretched in length, its hide dark, its underbelly burning yellow [8].

It struck at scouts, farmers of the Dalelands, who sought knowledge of the dark places to guard their lands. One man lay on the ground, paralysed. The creature threatened to devour him. The others strove to save their companion.

_______________________________

[7] Marching Test: MANOEUVRE roll for the Band (TN 16). Succeeded. Gain (1d) on TRAVEL roll. I spent 1 Hope to gain (2d) (Strider inspired) on TRAVEL roll. Passed with 2 Success icons, an extraordinary success! The travel event will take place 5 hexes away in hex 7. The Band is down to 15 Hope.

[8] Journey Event: Made a Favoured Feat die roll due to Border Lands: rolled a 6 (Mishap), but decided instead to go with (Despair) to make things interesting. I wanted a Noteworthy Encounter. Event Detail: I chose Servants of the Enemy to incorporate an encounter with a Basilisk!

For the Basilisk stats, I went to The Heart of the Wild supplement, p. 111, published by Cubicle7 and updated its Fell abilities. Here's what I came up with:

BASILISK
Fierce, Hungry
Attribute Level 6
Endurance 40, Might 1, Hate 3, Parry 4, Armour 4
Combat Proficiencies: Bite 3 (4/14, Pierce and Poison), Rend 3 (4/16, Seize)
Fell Abilities:
– Hatred (Elves). When fighting Elves, all the creature’s rolls are Favoured.
– Horrible Strength. If the creature scores a Piercing Blow, spend 1 Hate to make the target’s Protection roll Ill-favoured.
– Thick Hide. Spend 1 Hate point to gain (2d) on a PROTECTION roll.
– Venomous Breath. By spending a point of Hate, the serpent breathes out a cloud of poison. All player-heroes engaged with the creature must make a Protection test or be poisoned.

Basilisk Poison: A character poisoned by a Basilisk is slowly paralysed and falls to the ground after a number of rounds equal to his STRENGTH or HEART rating, whichever is lower. The level of Endurance loss is considered grievous (see p. 134 of the Core Rules). If not healed after one day, the character may make a VALOUR roll. If the roll succeeds, the poison wears off. Otherwise, the character is permanently frozen and will wither and die within a few months (Elrond Halfelven, the master of Rivendell, is said to know of an antidote).

_______________________________

With all my strength and wrath I hewed at the scaled beast with my mattock. Blows glanced off its thick hide. Useless [9].

The lizard raged. It spewed a cloud of poison. Bitter stench. I covered my face, flailed my arms, drove the vapours away [10].

The noise carried. Wolves stirred at the forest’s edge. Their howls came—long, threatening [11].

The basilisk lunged. Its jaws closed upon my arm. Pain seared me. I stumbled, near falling. Yet my mail held firm. Its teeth did not pierce. My arm was spared [12].

_______________________________

[9] Close Combat Round 1: To begin, I choose Forward stance gain (1d); rolled a 13, a miss!

[10] The creature spends a point of Hate (down to 2) and breathes a poisonous cloud. I roll a PROTECTION test and get a 19 with 2 Success icons—an extraordinary success. However, I rolled an Eye.

[11] I roll a Feat die on the Ill-fortune table and get a 1: Unwanted Attention. I determine this means that a pack of wolves by the edge of the forest hear the combat and start to howl.

[12] The basilisk attacks with a bite and rolls an Eye with 1 Success icon. This inflicts 4 damage. I choose Heavy Blow for the icon, taking 6 extra damage due to its Attribute Level. That’s 10 damage in one bite! I choose to be knocked back and take 5 damage instead. My current Endurance is now 24 and my Load with Fatigue is 13. Because I rolled an Eye, it is also a Piercing Blow. I choose to have the Basilisk spend another point of Hate (down to 1) forcing me to make my PROTECTION test Ill-favoured. I get a 26 with 1 Success icon anyway; easily passed!

_______________________________

It struck again ere I found footing. Bit my torso. Thrashed to rend my armour. Tore—if only a little [13].

_______________________________

[13] Close Combat Round 2: Because I was knocked back, the Basilisk attacks again while I recover my position. This time it tries to Rend and rolls a 17 against my Parry of 14—a hit. I take 4 damage, dropping my Endurance to 20.

_______________________________

I tried to defend with my mattock, all caution. I swung—and missed [14]. The great lizard battered me, seized my body in its jaws. Mattock useless. All that was left—frenzied attempts to break free [15].

_______________________________

[14] Close Combat Round 3: I choose Defensive stance, lose (1d), and attack with my Mattock. I spend another point of Hope to gain (1d) (down to 13 Hope). I roll an 8. A miss.

[15] The basilisk decides to continue to Rend, but rolls only 2 Success Dice due to my Defensive stance. Unfortunately, it rolls an 18 with 1 Success icon. This time is does 4 damage plus it Seizes me! I am down to 16 Endurance, approaching my 13 Load with Fatigue. Because I am seized, I can only brawl the creature now in Forward stance. I must get a Success icon to break free from the monster’s jaws.

_______________________________

From deep within I willed to endure. Drew my dagger, drove it into the beast’s snout, smote the hilt with my fist. Enough to weary it—enough to make it loose me. Yet the hide would not break [16]. No speed left in me to evade. Bitten again—shoulder. Mail held. I tired [17]. Knew not how long I may stand against the basilisk.

_______________________________

[16] Close Combat Round 4: I must brawl in Forward stance and gain (1d). I spend another point of Hope (down to 12) to roll the Feat die and 4 Success Dice and attack with my dagger. I get a 32 with a 10 on the Feat die (a Piercing Blow) and 2 Success icons. Wow! This means I spend 1 Success icon to break out of the creature’s mouth using my dagger and fists and the other icon to inflict my STRENGTH rating of 7 with a Heavy Blow, causing a total of 9 damage! The creature’s Endurance drops to 31. The basilisk uses its last Hate point to trigger its Thick Hide ability to gain (2d) on its Protection roll. It easily passes with a total of 27 and 1 Success icon. With 0 Hate, the creature is now Weary.

[17] The basilisk gains (1d) and attacks with a bite using 4 Success Dice and rolls a 19 with a 10 on the Feat die (a Piercing Blow). It inflicts another 4 damage, dropping my Endurance to 12 (below my 13 Load with Fatigue) so I am now Weary. However, I make a PROTECTION test and pass with a 23 and 2 Success icons anyway.

_______________________________

In the end, I swung my mattock at its neck, with care and guarded stance, hoping for a clean stroke. The blade found its mark, cleaving true, and the beast bled swiftly, falling to the earth in a heap, twisting and twitching. I beheld its death [18].

No more travel that day; it was time for rest and healing. I returned to Frár and the men from Dale, to recount the tale. Lodged with them through the night, taking shelter in an old farmhouse upon a hill for safety [19].

_______________________________

[18] Close Combat Round 5: I decide to remain in Defensive stance, lose (1d), to attack with my mattock. I spend a point of Hope (down to 12) to gain (1d). I roll a Gandalf rune! I inflict 7 damage, dropping the creature to 24 Endurance and I have scored a Piercing Blow. The creature rolls a 10 on its PROTECTION test, takes a Wound and dies!

[19] Because I overcame the Journey Event successfully, I do not suffer any additional consequences. However, I do gain 2 Fatigue Points, bringing my total Load to 15 with Fatigue. RALLY roll for the Band (TN 18). Failed. Frár goes from Fatigued to Faltering, so I check the Faltering box on the Mission Roster. 

The Band takes a Prolonged Rest with the men from Dale in a comfortable and safe house, and Náli recovers all lost Endurance and is no longer Weary. Yet Frár remains Fatigued after unchecking Faltering.

_______________________________

17th of September. Far into East Gap. The hills grew strange and perilous. Mists rose from the clefts; the wind cried in the stones. We sought the way but found it not, and dread fell upon us [20].

_______________________________

[20] Marching Test: MANOEUVRE roll for the Band (TN 16). Failed, lose (1d) on TRAVEL roll. TRAVEL roll: Succeeded with 1 Success icon. We move another 4 hexes. Event takes place in hex 11. Journey Event: Rolled a Feat die for Wild Lands. Result: 2 (Ill Choices). Event Detail: Rolled a Success die. Result: 2 (Disorienting Environs). I decided that this meant there were mists and winds that were causing disorientation. Failed the EXPLORE roll with an Eye. Consequences: Gain 1 Shadow point (Dread); gain 2 Fatigue points (now at 17 Load with Fatigue). I also raise Eye Awareness by 2 for rolling the Eye and for the Shadow point gain (raising it to 3).

To Be Continued...

JOURNEY LOG

CURRENT MISSION WORKSHEET

CURRENT ALLY CARD

CURRENT CHARACTER SHEET

If I have made a mistake somewhere, please let me know. I am just learning how to play the game using Strider Mode and combining elements from the Moria™ solo tools. There's a lot to it! But, I really love what the designers have done. There will be loads more to add when Náli and Frár actually go to battle together and the Clash rules are used.

Leave a comment and let me know how you're enjoying the adventure so far!  

Barâz-felak Náli Part 2: Solo RPG Campaign—The One Ring Strider Mode Adventure

This is the second post of my new solo campaign using Strider Mode for The One Ring™ roleplaying game, published by Free League Publishing. It is unofficial fan-made content and not affiliated with or endorsed by Free League Publishing or Middle-earth Enterprises. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners. Shared freely, not for sale.

You can find a list of all posts pertaining to this campaign on my page The One Ring™ 2nd Edition.  

NAME: BARÂZ-FELAK, THE RED-HEWER

Náli, son of Barzunâk the Hammerer, is one of the Dwarves of Durin's Folk. He is also known as Náli the Red-hewer, a proud cousin of Bofur the Miner (Erebor: The Lonely Mountain 21-22). He earned his name during the excavations and strengthening of Erebor under King Dáin Ironfoot, when the hammer-song echoed in the halls once again. 

I needed some inspiration to complete my character's backstory. I already knew (made up) that Náli was a miner who was named the Red-hewer after he split hard rock with his mattock and uncovered a treasure seam filled with rubies and garnet. However, I wanted to tell it in a way that felt Tolkienesque and incorporated a bit of Khuzdul (which I admit I am no expert in), so I asked ChatGPT for some help. Since this was entirely for brainstorming purposes and ideas for my game, I felt that it was completely appropriate. What I got back surprised me, so I used it (some of it word-for-word) to help me write the following to tell the story of his naming. 

Náli was skilled in hard rock and set to work in the old lower deeps, where the rock was black with age. There, his famed uncle Bofur was an overseer, and he had marked a stubborn wall of felak-zahar (axe-stone as the Dwarves called it), for he was sure that richer seams lay beyond.

For three days and nights Náli hammered, the head of his mattock ringing like a bell throughout the tunnels. The sparks leapt in the lamplight, and chips of grey stone flew like shards of ice. On the fourth day, as his pick bit into a stubborn seam, the rock split with a sound like a smith's anvil cracking, and out poured a scatter of barâz—rubies like frozen fire and dark-red garnet glinting like the heart of a smoldering coal.

Bofur, a hardy soul, led a rousing song among the miners that day. 

Barâz felak! Barâz felak!

(Red hewing! Red hewing!) 

And so it is told among the Dwarves of Erebor, that some win honour by the red of battle, and others by the red of the earth; but in both, the mattock writes the name in stone.

CHARACTER SHEET

Here is an image of my character sheet showing all the choices I made.

This is the official character sheet provided by Free League Publishing for the Dwarven culture. I opted not to use the fillable version as I am somewhat of an aspiring perfectionist, although I do fall short at times. Instead, I just marked the sheet using Adobe Photoshop.

I won't go through every decision about this character as you can see the results for yourself, but I will say that I followed Strider Mode recommendations and gave Náli a set of Target Numbers based on 18 − Ratings rather than 20 and I gave him 15 Skill points for previous experience rather than 10.

NOTE: His Hope score is elevated by 5 points due to having an Ally, which will be revealed in the next post. I am using some of the Solo tools given in Moria™: Through the Doors of Durin.

My choice to improve his ATHLETICS was due to how strong and agile I imagined him due to his work in the mines. Also, Treasure-hunter seemed to be a good pick for Calling because of his love of exploration and discovery of gems. His Calling is also shared with his Ally, therefore he is a Treasure Hunter / Reclaimer. The Fell mattock and Dark for Dark Business were perfect. I look forward to being inspired often with that Cultural Virtue and on journeys due to the Strider Distinctive Feature.

Eventually, Náli's fate will lead him to go on an expedition with Balin himself, but for now Balin was an obvious choice for Patron since he is “eager to know anything that can be learned regarding Dwarf-­holds fallen to the Enemy” (The One Ring™Core Rules 213).

And that's that. Let me know what you think of my choices. Would you have done something different? Why? I'm open to suggestions.

Barâz-felak Náli Part 3: Solo RPG Campaign

Barâz-felak Náli Part 1: Solo RPG Campaign—The One Ring Strider Mode Adventure

This is the first post of my new solo campaign using Strider Mode for The One Ring™ roleplaying game, published by Free League Publishing. It is unofficial fan-made content and not affiliated with or endorsed by Free League Publishing or Middle-earth Enterprises. All trademarks and copyrights remain the property of their respective owners. Shared freely, not for sale. 

You can find a list of all posts pertaining to this campaign on my page The One Ring™ 2nd Edition. 

In this post, I introduce my character and his background. When I am speaking or talking to the reader in game terms, I will use regular type, but when my character is telling his story, I will use italics for his journal entries.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

Image by Julius H from Pixabay.com,
modified by James R. Brown

Náli, son of Barzunâk (the Hammerer), from Erebor was the friend of Frár II, son of Felgrom the Stonecutter, and grandson of Frár I the Beardless, son of Fráen (see The Heart of the Wild 22). Their friendship began at Lake-town, when Frár the Beardless came to address the Council of the North (November 25-29, 2956, The Darkening of Mirkwood 42-43) requesting an army to reclaim the Greydelve.

When reading the award winning supplement Moria™: Through the Doors of Durin, I couldn't wait to try out the expanded solo rules and start my adventure there as a member of Balin's company. That led me down a path of research and the name Náli caught my attention as one the Dwarves who died in Moria as read by Gandalf from the Book of Mazarbul, but there was no other mention of him anywhere in The Lord of the Rings, nor anything about him. Tolkien only tells us his fate. In that same passage, he mentions Frár. This rang a bell. I remembered a Dwarf of the same name written about in The Darkening of Mirkwood and The Heart of the Wild. He petitioned for many years to raise an army and retake the Greydelve, his ancestral home in the Grey Mountains. I got the idea then, that perhaps Náli of Erebor crossed paths with Frár and maybe Náli's first great expedition, after the restoration of Erebor, was to join the mercenaries in retaking the Greydelve. This would give him the history and experience enough to catch the eye of Balin.

However, I didn't want it to be Frár the Beardless that went to Moria. If he survived the Greydelve, he would still be there enjoying it and protecting it. I wanted it to be another Frár, so I gave him a grandson. This Frár would be the one to join Balin's expedition because of his companionship and experiences with Náli. I will make Frár a member of Náli's Band.

From the journal of Náli, titled Barâz-felak Náli or The Sacred Expeditions (or Delvings) of Náli...

______________________________________________________________

“It was November 27, 2956, on the third day of the second Council of the North in Esgaroth, that I, Náli the Red-hewer, accompanied King Dáin in the Great Hall to hear a petition from Frár I, son of Fráen, a mad Dwarf of the Narrows of the Grey Mountains. While he was speaking, I caught sight of his grandson, who seemed to be a downcast figure; lonely and uncomfortable, even for a houseless Dwarf, and I wondered what it must be like for him to listen to his grandfather demand help from the King Under the Mountain only to be turned away and dismissed as a dotard and told to have patience. An army is what he asked for, to take back his ancestral home—the Greydelve, a once magnificent citadel that produced the finest steel in the North. But the King could not be persuaded, for the Dwarf-hold had been long overrun by trolls and goblins, and the House of Durin had not yet the strength to reclaim it, nor did it possess the will, having counted it as lost without hope of ever returning.

When the final answer was given, the countenance of Frár II, son of Felgrom the Stonecutter, darkened even more and the last bit of light in his eyes faded as he perceived that his grandfather’s dreams were nothing more than that.

And then I knew what had to be done. A fire awakened in me and I determined in my heart that I should go unhindered to kindle a friendship with young Frár. I was a Longbeard, the favored nephew of Bofur, the famous Dwarf of Thorin’s Company. I knew what it was like to re-enter the rich Halls of a lost house. In those days, I wrought much to my honor when leading excavations into the Lower Halls and the Deeps of the Lonely Mountain. Each night, I enjoyed warm pillows and a comfortable bed in my lavish house in Stángard. Why should these exiled Dwarves be deprived of the same enjoyments?

That day, I pledged to Frár I, son of Fráen, my mattock and promised to speak up as often as I could, in favor of the expedition, no matter how many years it would take. 

At last, Yuletide 2963, the King agreed to help and in spring 2964, I joined Frár I and II as we traveled the breadth of Wilderland to hire adventurers and warriors to build an army. After months of recruiting, we marched to the Greydelve to finally reclaim it. Here follows a record of those times.”

______________________________________________________________

ᛒᚨᚱᚨᛉ ᚠᛖᛚᚨᚴ ᚾᚨᛚᛁ

Tell me what you think so far. In my next post, I will walk through my choices during character creation and upload a picture of my character sheet.

Barâz-felak Náli Part 2: Solo RPG Campaign

The Overture of Creation

Ainulindalë by ralphdamianiart.com https://artstn.co/pp/KelZX

“There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad. But for a long while they sang only each alone, or but few together, while the rest hearkened; for each comprehended only that part of the mind of Ilúvatar from which he came, and in the understanding of their brethren they grew but slowly. Yet ever as they listened they came to deeper understanding, and increased in unison and harmony.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion. Edited by Christopher Tolkien. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1992.

I decided it was time to start reading the Silmarillion again, so I cracked open my beautiful hardbound copy of The Silmarillion Illustrated By the Author edition that I received for Christmas a couple of years back. The opening, titled the Ainulindalë: The Music of the Ainur is always so beautiful and intriguing. The following are some of my observations. 

First, anyone familiar with the Bible would have a difficult time not seeing Silmalarities...I mean similarities with the book of Genesis, an account of how God created the heavens and the earth. Tolkien named the Creator—Eru, the One. On earth, he is called Ilúvatar by the Elves, a word that means “All-Father” or “Father of All” in Quenya.

So, how are they similar? Well, here are a few of my unpolished ramblings. Feel free to post a few of your own.

It is traditionally accepted that Genesis was written in ancient Hebrew by Moses, somewhere between the 15th and 13th century B.C. The very first verse is translated, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Moses uses the word אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) for God. Interestingly, it is the plural form of El, which means God or mighty one. Of course, this does not mean Moses meant “Gods” or “Mighty Ones.” Rather, his grammatical use of the plural form with singular meaning was meant to intensify and emphasize the majesty and supreme power of God as Creator. Moses absolutely believed there was only One True God. He wrote in Deuteronomy 6:4 (English Standard Version—ESV): “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” By using Elohim, he was pluralizing God's majesty, if you will.

So, both The Silmarillion and the Bible begin with a Creator who is powerful and singular (One). 

Eru makes the Ainur from his thought, thinking them into existence, while Elohim makes the angels by his command. Psalm 148:2, 5 (ESV), “Praise him, all his angels... Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created.”

Both the biblical account of creation and Tolkien's story tell about a Creator who places his will and purpose into his creation. For the Ainur, we see a calling for them to understand who they are and their place among other created beings. Ultimately, they were called to be in harmony with Eru and with the other Ainur. They were to sing the same music. Some—the Valar—were even to become sub-creators, creating and embellishing on what already exists.

The angels of the Bible have one calling: to praise their Creator and serve him as messengers to mankind.

Tolkien's story is not an allegory of the Bible, but it sings the same music by starting off with ‘the One’ Creator and the words ‘Holy Ones’ for his Ainur, or angels. And this is just the beginning...

The Sacred Duty of Being Creative

I haven't posted anything here for months. To those who have been paying attention, please accept my sincerest apologies. In fact, I haven't posted anything on this site since June, 2020. According to the stats, however, I think most of you come to this blog because of your interest in The One Ring roleplaying game, which is a good thing or I might not have any visitors at all!

Given that a vast majority of you are J.R.R. Tolkien fans, I try to keep most of my posts related to him in some way. This post will be no different.

Let me begin by asking you a couple of questions. When was the last time you really worked on improving your creativity? Did you know you have a sacred duty to be creative?

A couple of years ago I picked up a book called Caffeine for the Creative Mind by Stefan Mumaw and Wendy Lee Oldfield. It was during a time that I was re-discovering drawing again after a long absence. I wanted to start my creative juices flowing again and I needed some practical exercises to kickstart the process. The book did not disappoint. Not only was it filled with practical and creative exercises, it was filled with teaching about creativity in general. Very inspirational.

Here is a sample of the kinds of things taught in this book:

• Everyone on the planet is creative.
• The only difference between you and those you think are truly creative is execution.
• Creativity is a muscle.
• Creativity is producing something original which has value to others because it makes them laugh, cry, or think.

I named this Blogger site Advancement Points because my goal is to provide thoughtful content to anyone desiring to improve their life. One sure way of advancing your life is to exercise your creativity. Tolkien believed that we are all sub-creators; that we are a reflection of our Creator.  

In his book The Proverbs of Middle-earth (1981), Author David Rowe provides this take on the subject: 

"Tolkien’s original hope, to provide a mythology for his beloved but generally legend-free England, was far more than a quest for exciting stories. He believed that the creative process of myth-making is nothing short of a sacred task; that humans have a special responsibility to reflect their Creator by becoming sub-creators. As a result, Tolkien sought to bring into being an internally cohesive sub-creation, credible in every way; having the air of being well-worn and lived in, not fresh from the oven. When sub-creation is successful, the inner consistency of wholly fictional environments is so convincing, so real, that the imagination is enchanted and the reader under the storyteller’s spell. But this ambition (in Tolkien’s estimation, at least) could only be fully realised by the handcrafting of an entire world—from the minutiae of geology and regional flora to the dealings of characters and cultures over the course of millennia. Each intricately detailed leaf on Tolkien’s Tree demonstrates this tireless pursuit of depth and a convincing ‘inner reality.’ The Council of Elrond, for example, begins with an extended history lesson before showcasing a range of cross-cultural disagreements, all packed with authentic-feeling historical and anthropological detail (and not a few proverbs). Likewise, when Pippin corrects King Théoden’s Holbytlan to Hobbits the narrative is not advanced, but the exchange has an underlying etymological integrity that serves to provide (what Tom Shippey calls) the ‘illusion of historical truth.’"

As a result of these beliefs and unwavering dedication to them, we have The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. These are great works of sub-creation.

What sort of beliefs do you have about your own creativity and responsibility to create? What will you create next? Are you willing to work hard at it and dedicate yourself to it? 

I will end this post with a final comment about Tolkien. I have read many times that Tolkien struggled to finish The Lord of the Rings, "the new Hobbit." He began writing it in late 1937 and wrote in stages until he finished in 1949. Twelve years is a long time, but he didn't give up. With the encouragement of C.S. Lewis, he kept going. And even after he finished writing, he failed negotiations with Collins to publish it in 1952. Tolkien would have to wait until July 1954 before The Fellowship of the Ring was finally published by Allen & Unwin.

The lesson? Never give up on being a sub-creator and make sure you surround yourself with encouraging friends. You will need them!

Snapdragons!

Tonight, I am sitting up thinking about the future of The One Ring Roleplaying Game now that a new partnership has been formed between Sophisticated Games and Free League Games (Fria Ligan). I was highly involved with Cubicle7 Games, helping them at GenCon for many years, and just being a devoted fan, commenting on their forum until it came down, but then on BoardGameGeek for awhile. Now, I'm happy to report that Free League has started a forum for the game. It feels like going back home after a long while. In fact, the forum setup is very much like the old C7 one.

Enough catching up! Let me get to the point of this particular blog entry. It has to do with a word that Tolkien used in the opening chapter of The Hobbit, and that word is snapdragons.

"They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons...and hang in the twilight all evening!"

Funny thing, for many years I have used the term "Snapdragons!" as an exclamation like one would say the word, "Shoot!" But, I never remembered where I got it from or what it meant...until now.

There's a great book I'd like to recommend to you by Oliver Loo called A Tolkien English Glossary: A Guide to Old Uncommon and Archaic Words Used in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. You can download it on Kindle for free here.


Here is the the definition of snapdragons:

A plant of the scrophulariaceous genus Antirrhinum, esp. A. Majus, an herb long cultivated for its spikes of showy flowers, of various colors, with a corolla that has been supposed to look like the mouth of a dragon.

That sounds like a pretty cool looking plant to me!

Tolkien's attention to geography and flora, especially, has always impressed and intimidated me. I'm no botanist and I feel very uneducated when it comes to the science of geography and ecosystems, etc. When I write, I have to study so much about flora and fauna and recently I found a website to help with this called iNaturalist.org. I highly recommend it to anyone writing adventures for The One Ring or Adventures In Middle-earth roleplaying games and you want to add some interesting descriptions to give your gaming sessions a more authentic Tolkienian feel. If anyone finds a geography site with land and water descriptions, please let me know!

Oh, look here! I found a picture of snapdragons. Beautiful.

The Terrible Battle of Five Armies

As many of my friends and readers know, I am a huge fan and contributor to The One Ring Roleplaying Game (see my page on this blog dedicated to unofficial materials I've created for the game). In my view, it is the greatest roleplaying game ever produced for a number of reasons that I won't jump into in this post, except to say that one of its greatest strengths is how it was designed around the source material: the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Cover art for The Battle of Five Armies board game published by Ares Games.

As I was thinking about how characters develop in a roleplaying game versus how characters develop in a novel, my thoughts turned to The Hobbit and imagined if Professor Tolkien were a Loremaster running a game of The One Ring based on that adventure story. Particularly, I imagined how he would handle the climactic battle at The Lonely Mountain. What would be his true focus and why? Would he set up hours and hours of rolling dice and testing the prowess of his players' weapon skills? In the end, would everyone go away exhausted, yet thrilled with the glory of battle?

Looking at The Hobbit critically, The Battle of Five Armies is perhaps the second most important event in the story, second only to Bilbo's finding of the One Ring; the defeat of Smaug is probably third. Yet, in a game of The One Ring, this battle would probably be handled best as a prolonged event in narrative time, rather than as an episode of combat round by round. This seems to be the way Tolkien treats the battle in his book as well. Rather than long and detailed reports of the action, he only gives us broad and general descriptions, leaving much more to the imagination of the reader.

Let's pretend the game is underway. Tolkien, the Loremaster, calls the battle "terrible" and then gives an overview of the situation: the history, the geography, and the importance of the unity between Elves, Men, and Dwarves against a common enemy.

Bilbo is a player-hero and his player grabs storytelling initiative to tell everyone his thoughts. He says that the battle is the most dreadful of all his experiences and he hates it more than anything else. Tolkien allows Bilbo's Merciful trait to keep him off to the side, where he remains "quite unimportant" in the battle at the moment and out of harms way.

Tolkien then retakes the narrative and describes the rocks as being "stained black with goblin blood" and that "many of their own [the goblins'] wolves were turning on them and rending the dead and the wounded." Their bodies "were piled in heaps till Dale was dark and hideous with their corpses." In general, he describes the Battle of Five Armies as being filled with blood, betrayal, and death.

Because of such anguish, Tolkien requires a Corruption test. Bilbo's player fails the roll and gains 1 point of Shadow. He says, "Misery me! I have heard songs of many battles, and I have always understood that defeat may be glorious. It seems very uncomfortable, not to say distressing. I wish I was well out of it." Because he plays his character's qualities well, Loremaster Tolkien thinks of a way to let him out.

Tolkien tells Bilbo he can see Eagles approaching. "The Eagles!" Bilbo cries, informing his allies. The player suddenly has hope that the end is near. Maybe the glory of victory will remove his misery. 

But that is not how Loremaster Tolkien decides to end it. Instead, a stone hurtling from above smashes into Bilbo's helm, he falls to the ground, and is knocked unconscious. When he finally wakes up, he is all alone lying on the flat stones of Ravenhill; no one is nearby. It is obvious that the battle is over and the victory has been won, but he missed it all. Tolkien says, "A cloudless day, but cold, is broad above you. You are shaking, and chilled as stone, but your head burns with fire..." 

Bilbo's player reveals his thoughts. "Victory after all, I suppose!" But the Loremaster reminds him that his head is aching. "Well, it seems a very gloomy business."

At this moment, the second most important event in The Hobbit is upstaged by an even more significant development: Bilbo's growth as a hero! 

You see, war is a terrible and gloomy affair, and the Battle of Five Armies teaches him that there is not much glory in either defeat or victory. Yet, long afterwards, Bilbo would recall the battle with fondness; he was proud to say that he took part in it. Certainly not because he enjoyed violence, but for the unity of the Free Peoples.

I'm not going to lie. I enjoy combat in roleplaying games. I like defending the good, the innocent, and righteous while vanquishing evil enemies. This is heroic to me. I see it as a form of compassion toward the weak and helpless. Tolkien, however, was a bit more familiar with warfare than I. If it were always so clearly good versus evil, he might agree with me. But, he saw corruption at various stages. He also saw that God could even use evil to bring about good. Therefore, we should not be so quick to kill, but to show pity. Look at how he treated Gollum.

All of this teaches me that roleplaying games do not have to glorify violence in order to be entertaining or satisfying. A change of focus to the heroic development of the characters and the overall advancement of good makes for a much deeper game than spending hours rolling dice and killing the bad guys. 

They Stand Tall in Our Dreams

‘I need no map,’ said Gimli, who had come up with Legolas, and was gazing out before him with a strange light in his deep eyes. ‘There is the land where our fathers worked of old, and we have wrought the image of those mountains into many works of metal and of stone, and into many songs and tales. They stand tall in our dreams: Baraz, Zirak, Shathûr.

‘Only once before have I seen them from afar in waking life, but I know them and their names, for under them lies Khazad-dûm, the Dwarrowdelf, that is now called the Black Pit, Moria in the Elvish tongue. Yonder stands Barazinbar, the Redhorn, cruel Caradhras; and beyond him are Silvertine and Cloudyhead: Celebdil the White, and Fanuidhol the Grey, that we call Zirakzigil and Bundushathûr.

‘There the Misty Mountains divide, and between their arms lies the deep-shadowed valley which we cannot forget: Azanulbizar, the Dimrill Dale, which the Elves call Nanduhirion.’

—Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings: One Volume (p. 283). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition.

Deep into their hearts and minds the Dwarves engraved the images and names of these special peaks, the mountains where their fathers worked in days long past, so much so that Gimli didn’t even need a map, though he had only actually seen these lands once from afar. They did this through the arts of metalwork and stonework, as well as oral tradition.

In our world, remembering is something we no longer work very hard to do. We have technology to do our thinking. Google it. Ask Siri. Ask Alexa. We can retrieve information in seconds. To be honest, it’s annoying at times. Anyone can act like an ‘expert’ after reading a detailed online article. (I’ve been guilty of this myself, so I’m not pointing fingers.) But, how quickly that information disappears from our minds! Heck, I’ve even memorized scripts, maps of locations, and pieces of foreign languages, but now I forget them. I guess they weren’t that important.

Where am I going with all this? We remember the things we love, and we find ways to honor them. 

The Dwarves loved their mountains and they stood tall in their dreams. What stands tall in your dreams? Who, what, or where would you never need to ask Siri about? How do you honor those things in your life?

This small portion of The Fellowship of the Ring has reminded me to honor the things I love and to cherish them through the arts. God gave me the desire to draw and write and speak and he has gifted me in those things. Through them, I think I can do more to show honor. So often, I am focused on creating new things or fresh ideas. This has given me a new approach to art: to honor and memorialize what I love and to share them with my family and friends. After all, those will be the remembered things, the mountains that stand tall in our dreams.

A Good Sermon

Professor J.R.R. Tolkien

In The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, entry 63 is addressed to his son Christopher Tolkien and dated 24 April 1944. The letter begins with reports about what the Professor ate for breakfast (toast and home-made marmalade) and the warm weather. But after awhile, he gets around to a topic that any pastor or preacher of the gospel could benefit from: what constitutes a good sermon.

"But as for sermons! They are bad, aren't they! Most of them from any point of view."

Have you ever heard a bad sermon? They're tough to sit through.

Tolkien offers two reasons for the problem of bad sermons, and one comment about what makes a real sermon.

First, he explains that delivering a good sermon requires art, and a bit of virtue and knowledge. His critique is that most preachers lack these things. Ouch! In other words, they bore their listeners with unprepared and ignorant remarks while showing off. When I was young, I once heard someone describe an unskilled preacher like this: "He couldn't preach his way out of a wet paper bag." Tolkien compares the bad preacher with a pretender who sits down at a piano to play, yet doesn't know a thing about the piano or maybe even music for that matter.

• A good sermon requires preparation and training, because it is partly a performance.

For many people, these comments alone would suffice and there would be no need for further explanation on the problem of a bad sermon. Yet, Tolkien goes deeper. He sees things beyond the performance:

"But preaching is complicated by the fact that we expect in it not only a performance, but truth and sincerity, and also at least no word, tone, or note that suggests the possession of vices (such as hypocrisy, vanity) or defects (such as folly, ignorance) in the preacher."

Now, he enters into the personal realm of the preacher. Not only should the message be delivered artfully, but the messenger who delivers it should be a person of Christ-like character (no suggestion of vices or defects).

• A good sermon requires a good messenger, because it is partly a demonstration of truth.

I think that it is quite clear Tolkien's sermon satisfaction would have been at 99% if the preachers in his day had simply performed well and showed truth and sincerity. Sadly, that was not his observance. To describe the epitome of a good sermon, he offers one last comment that reaches beyond the natural realm.

"Real sermons require some special grace which does not transcend art but arrives at it by instinct or 'inspiration'; indeed the Holy Spirit seems sometimes to speak through a human mouth providing art, virtue and insight he does not himself possess: but the occasions are rare."

Art and virtue and insight are still part of the equation of a good sermon, but now enters the Holy Spirit who provides it all the more. This special grace leads to what Tolkien called a "real sermon." In other words, when God speaks through a human mouth, it carries a weight of truth and grace that is felt by all who listen. They know that something special is happening and that God is assisting the performer.

• A real sermon requires a special grace, because it is a timely message from God to the listeners.

So there you have it. According to the Professor, a good sermon needs three ingredients:

• Preparation and training in knowledge and art
• Truth and sincerity from the preacher
• Special grace and help from the Holy Spirit

I like that. I humbly desire to preach good sermons, real sermons, whenever I am afforded the opportunity.

Lembas, the Bread of Life

Now as the blackness of night returned Frodo sat, his head between his knees, his arms hanging wearily to the ground where his hands lay feebly twitching. Sam watched him, till night covered them both and hid them from one another. He could no longer find any words to say; and he turned to his own dark thoughts. As for himself, though weary and under a shadow of fear, he still had some strength left. The lembas had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die. It did not satisfy desire, and at times Sam's mind was filled with the memories of food, and the longing for simple bread and meats. And yet this waybread of the Elves had a potency that increased as travellers relied on it alone and did not mingle it with other foods. It fed the will, and it gave strength to endure, and to master sinew and limb beyond the measure of mortal kind.

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Book SIX, Chapter III, Mount Doom

What an amazing power Tolkien has given to lembas! A quick study of it will tell you all about its origins and how it was made. Check out Lembas on the Tolkien Gateway website for an interesting read. One of the things you'll find is that the word lembas is Sindarin (one of the languages of the Elves) from the older lenn-mbass meaning journey-bread. In Quenya (another language of the Elves), it is called coimas which means life-bread.

Outside of the Elves, other races were seldom given lembas; but Frodo and Sam obtained it from Galadriel, who gave it to them at the beginning of their perilous quest. It would literally keep them alive and feed their will to carry on. Otherwise, they would have given up and died!

Interestingly, lembas is vile to evil creatures such as Gollum and the Orcs. They cannot stand it.

When I think of how lembas works, I cannot help but think of how Christ Jesus and his Word play the same role in my life. In fact, the Bible records this declaration of Jesus: "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35).

Jesus feeds my will, gives me the strength to endure, and helps me accomplish things beyond mortal ability. Seriously, when I am serving people in my community, there are times in my natural body I have felt completely drained, having worshiped God with all my strength, and yet I gain a divine second or third wind to carry forward until the work is done and I can finally rest my head.

The potency of lembas is increased when it is not mingled with any other foods. I see this true also when I adhere to the authority of Holy Scripture and do not mix Truth with worldly philosophy. When I doubt and debate with God, I get weaker in spirit; but when I believe by faith what God has said, and press ahead through prayer and trust in him alone, his power increases in me.

I have also found that those who oppose the will of God are offended by Jesus Christ and his Word. It is vile to them and they cannot stand it. They will not have it. Even the mention of Biblical truth brings up distaste in their mouth (and I'm not talking about shoving it down their throat, only the casual mention of it). I've even heard some express it in that exact way. "I think I just threw up in my mouth," they say in response to any traditional or fundamental interpretation of Scripture.

But there are many, like myself, who are well blessed to have found the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Spiritually I am more satisfied than I've ever been and I would never want to go on this long and perilous journey called life without him. If you haven't already, you should try coming to him and believing in him. I believe you'll find his promise to be true! You will never go hungry or thirst again.

The Power to Follow

Then Aragorn led the way, and such was the strength of his will in that hour that all the Dúnedain and their horses followed him. And indeed the love that the horses of the Rangers bore for their riders was so great that they were willing to face even the terror of the Door, if their master's hearts were steady as they walked beside them. But Arod, the horse of Rohan, refused the way, and he stood sweating and trembling in a fear that was grievous to see. Then Legolas laid his hands on his eyes and sang some words that went soft in the gloom, until he suffered himself to be led, and Legolas passed in. And there stood Gimli the Dwarf left all alone.

His knees shook, and he was wroth with himself. 'Here is a thing unheard of!' he said. 'An Elf will go underground and a Dwarf dare not!' With that he plunged in. But it seemed to him that he dragged his feet like lead over the threshold; and at once a blindness came upon him, even upon Gimli Glóin's son who had walked unafraid in many deep places of the world. 

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King, Chapter II


Following Aragorn was the errand of the Rangers, Legolas, Gimli, and the horses. It was not their duty to face the terror of the Door and take the Paths of the Dead; it was Aragorn's. So, why did they go with him? How did they muster the courage to follow him into a mountain haunted by ghosts?

In the passage above, several things are made plain about each follower:

• The Dúnedain and their horses followed because of Aragorn's great strength of will.
• The horses of the Rangers followed because of great love for their riders.
• The horse Arod followed only after the touch of Legolas upon his eyes, along with words sung to him.
• Gimli the Dwarf followed when he couldn't bear the thought of an Elf being more courageous than he to go underground; Dwarves were made for such things!

Earlier in the chapter, the Lady Éowyn gives one more motivation for the followers of Aragorn. She says to the returning king, They go only because they would not be parted from thee - because they love thee.

In life we will take up many errands to follow. We won't always play the role of the leader, nor should we. Others will have duties that do not belong to us, yet we will give ourselves to aid them because of our relationship and bond with them. We will let them lead us.

Love is one of our greatest motivators. It gives us the power to follow a leader. But before that, comes strength of will demonstrated by the leader. It is hard to follow someone who is not resolute, even when we love them. Therefore, the full power to follow is only realized when there is love for a leader who demonstrates great strength of will. Or is that really the full power?

Gimli gives us one more ounce of motivation: knowing who we are.

It has been said that the two most important moments in a person's life are the day they are born and the day they find out why they were born. When we begin to understand deeply how we entered the world, why we are here, what we are capable of, and where we are headed in the future, our fears can be overcome.

Following is scary business. Why? Because the quest is not ours to lead. We are not in full control. We have limited influence and knowledge, which makes things very uncomfortable for us. But, if we have a leader who is sure, a leader that we love, and a healthy understanding of who we are, we can face our doubts, overcome our shaking knees, and plunge into the dark right behind our leader.

On a spiritual level, I believe God created us to be with him and he invites us all to follow him on a great quest to tell everyone, everywhere, about his wondrous love. Jesus said, Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be (John 12:26, New International Version). But what will motivate us to serve and follow him? Fear is a certainty. Evil abounds and actively opposes God's righteousness.

I would propose that our power to follow God flows from the same things we see in the Grey Company that followed Aragorn: we can endure our fears because God is resolute; our love for him compels us to follow; and we know who we are!

Listen to these words that God spoke to Joshua, the successor of Moses who would lead the ancient Israelites into the Promised Land: 

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. 

- Joshua 1:6-9, NIV

God commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. He tells him exactly what he will accomplish. He gives him precise instructions on what to fill his mind with and how to act. He commands him to be strong-willed by saying not to turn from the law of Moses to the right or the left and by not letting it depart from his mouth. Finally, he tells him not to be terrified or discouraged. Why? Because God would be with him wherever he went. Jesus' words centuries later would be an echo of this, And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20, NIV).

Not everyone could have had the power to follow Aragorn. Tolkien tells us, But when the dawn came, cold and pale, Aragorn rose at once, and he led the Company forth upon the journey of greatest haste and weariness that any among them had known, save he alone, and only his will held them to go on. No other mortal Men could have endured it, none but the Dúnedain of the North, and with them Gimli the Dwarf and Legolas of the Elves.

"Only his will held them to go on." It will ultimately be only those who recognize and submit to the will of God and his leadership that will follow him to the end. Love for God and self-awareness are key powers to begin the quest of following him; but when the darkness and gloom settle in, and the demons of the unseen realms manifest themselves, wreaking their destruction, the only power we have to endure is the unquestionable truth that God is with us and in him we place our hope and trust.

Today, will you accept the presence, leadership and authority of Christ in your life? Will you love him and commit yourself to serving by his side? And will you let him reveal to you who you really are?

I will end by leaving you a verse of Scripture the apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus while he was imprisoned for spreading the message of Christ.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

The original Greek word for workmanship is poiema from which the English word poem is derived. If translated literally, it means "work of art." Think about that. We are God's work of art - his greatest poetry! 

Even so, that marvelous truth may not be enough to keep us following. Our power to follow God will be found in submitting ourselves to his strength of will and doing the good works he has prepared in advance for us to do. 

The Love of Galadriel

Galadriel

'Dark is the water of Kheled-zâram, and cold are the springs of Kibilnâla, and fair were the many-pillared halls of Khazad-dûm in Elder Days before the fall of mighty kings beneath the stone.' She looked down upon Gimli, who sat glowering and sad, and she smiled. And the Dwarf, hearing the names given in his own ancient tongue, looked up and met her eyes; and it seemed to him that he looked suddenly into the heart of an enemy and saw there love and understanding. Wonder came into his face, and then he smiled in answer.

He rose clumsily and bowed in dwarf-fashion, saying: 'Yet more fair is the living land of Lórien, and the Lady Galadriel is above all the jewels that lie beneath the earth!'  —THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, THE MIRROR OF GALADRIEL

What beautiful language to describe the melting of hatred through the generosity of praise. J.R.R. Tolkien has given us yet another scene we can all benefit from. It is the lesson of Christ — to 'love your enemies.' 

There is power in love! Power to transform the most stubborn of evil persons into a good friend.

If we could only be like Galadriel, we might be surprised at how many who would respond like Gimli. Yet, we are afraid, too fearful to say anything complimentary or sympathetic to those with whom we have profound disagreements. We are so caught up in our differences and deep seated emotions against them, that we will not allow ourselves to be charitable. God help us! What a foolish trap to be stuck in.

Let us break free! Let us open up our mouths and permit understanding to roll off our tongues. May our words be sweet. May we offer a smile to counter the sadness and gloom of our enemies. Let us gaze into their eyes and let them see that our hearts are bigger and purer than they had imagined.

Wouldn't it be wondrous?

An Unexpected Journey

On December 14, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will arrive in theaters. I have been looking forward to this film all year, believing that it will be one of the greatest movies of the year. Peter Jackson did a fantastic job with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings stories, adapting them to film and exposing the world to the professor's most beloved cast of characters. The third film, The Return of the King, was for me, emotionally rousing. Even my wife teared up in the end when Frodo and Sam are overcome by exhaustion on the side of Mount Doom. The Ring had taken a tremendous toll on Frodo and his best friend Sam talked to him about home.

Sam: Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?

Frodo: No, Sam. I can't recall the taste of food... nor the sound of water... nor the touch of grass. I'm naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil... between me... and the wheel of fire! I can see him... with my waking eyes!

Sam: Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!

It was a beautiful picture of friendship, endurance, and fighting for the restoration of uncorrupted times. In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the lesson will be about courage and maturity. Bilbo Baggins, comfortable in his hobbit hole in the Shire, will venture out into the Wild on a quest. But he won't be alone. He will be accompanied by a band of dwarves, but he'll also have the wise Gandalf coaching him.

I call this blog, "Advancement Points," because I believe we all need to get out of our comfortable holes and go on a journey. That is how we mature and become everything that our Creator intended for us to be. The good news is, like Bilbo Baggins, we don't have to go alone. We have a wise teacher - Jesus Christ - who will guide us if we'll listen, and he'll even come to our rescue once-in-awhile! I know this, because that has been my life. God called me away from my family and home when I was a teenager to pursue His purposes. I said "yes," and it has certainly been a grande adventure!

If you go to the movies to see the film, enjoy the story first and foremost. That's what J.R.R. Tolkien would want. Then, go and buy the book and read it. He would want that even more! But, he also believed the power of mythical fairy-stories lies in the fact that they speak to the listeners (and viewers - in this case) about their own lives. Look for the good lessons and the values that shine through. With Tolkien's stories, it's really not that hard to do. But, if you would like some great book recommendations to help you sort through the lessons, try the following resources:

Finding God in the Hobbit by Jim Ware
A Hobbit Devotional: Bilbo Baggins and the Bible by Ed Strauss
A Hobbit Journey by Matthew Dickerson

Finding God in The Lord of the Rings

Many of my closest friends know that I am a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. I am very excited about the new Hobbit movie trilogy coming out by Peter Jackson. The first movie will be here December!

A few years ago, my wife bought me a book called Finding God in The Lord of the Rings by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware. I thought I would share an excerpt with you...

"What's the matter, Mr. Frodo?" said Sam.
"I am wounded," he answered, "wounded; it will never really heal."

It had been two years that day since Frodo received the terrible wound in the dell under Weathertop.

A new year came, and Mr. Frodo continued to conceal his pain with great effort. Until one day, entering Sam's study with a look of finality, he invited his dear companion to accompany him on another journey. Uncle Bilbo Baggins had reached his 131st birthday, surpassing the Old Took, and the two would travel to Rivendell for a visit. "I wish I could go all the way with you," came Sam's reply. But they knew he could only go part of the way. A new father, Sam knew that long adventures were a completed chapter in his story.

While preparing to go, Sam was presented with the book begun many years earlier. The book, in which Bilbo and Frodo tell tales of the parts the hobbits had played in the downfall of the Lord of the Rings, was now nearly complete. "I have quite finished, Sam," said Frodo. "The last pages are for you." It was now clear to Sam what was happening. Mr. Frodo was finalizing details as he prepared to leave Middle-earth along with other Ring-bearers. He had received a mortal wound during his quest, and the sad reality of his departure was at hand. Approaching the place of their separation, a tearful Sam spoke.

"But I thought you were going to enjoy the Shire, too, for years and years, after all you have done."

"So I thought too, once. But I have been too deeply hurt, Sam. I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved, but not for me. It must often be so, Sam, when things are in danger: some one has to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."

Great sacrifice was necessary to defeat evil. Frodo had been chosen to carry a load none other could bear and fulfill a task none other could endure. Though Frodo was only one of many who had given up something for the greater good, none had suffered such direct confrontation with darkness or remained as faithful when tormented by the terrifying, possessing power of wickedness. Such was his role, to lose so that others might gain. And so, by completing his scene in the story, Frodo Baggins also performed the most heroic part.

Redemption. What a beautiful word! The lost regained. The ruined restored. The sick healed. The broken repaired. The enslaved set free. Wrong made right again. The deep yearning for God finally satisfied by the restoration of goodness!

But redemption can only occur after evil is defeated. Freeing captives requires entering enemy territory. Giving life may mean facing death. The paradise of peace is often secured through the hell of war. In every instance, someone must be willing to give up his or her self for the sake of others. Someone must be a hero.

The essence of every heroic act is self-sacrifice... From soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy to free Europe from tyranny to a frightened hobbit willing to destroy the Ring of Doom, every heroic act is a reflection of the ultimate hero in history, Jesus Christ. He left the respect and comfort of his rightful place for one reason: to redeem you and me from evil. He faced death to give life, endured sorrow to restore joy, confronted hate to show love. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross to pay for our redemption. He was chosen for a burden none other could bear and a task none other could endure. In his words,

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16-17)

And in the words of one he redeemed,

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

And in the words of the jubilant song our story reveals,

"You were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. . . . Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:9-12)

Someday, the rightful King will once again sit on the throne. All will be as it should be. In a strange twist of providence, our joy will be greater for having endured sorrow, turning even the intentions of evil into a greater good. And when that day arrives, the song of all ages will culminate in a chorus of redemption, a redemption made possible because the story includes a hero willing to sacrifice himself. Someone who was, in the words of Frodo, "willing to give them up, lose them, so that others may keep them."