9-24-02 Latest News

THE TWO TOWERS TCG - Sneak Preview!!!
Lao_of_Gondor @ 5:52 pm EST

Greetings Lord of the Rings TCG fans! The countdown to the release of THE TWO TOWERS expansion has begun! On November 6th, 2002 Decipher, Inc. will officially release The Two Towers - a 365 card expansion set which is no doubt - the most anticipated card game expansion to date!

Kyle Heuer, Promotions Coordinator for Decipher, Inc. has summarized the release in this very exciting report:

"Here is a list of all the products that will be coming out for The Two Towers on November 6 (unless you are going to DecipherCon where we will be pre-releasing The Two Towers):

63-card Starter Decks: $10.99 USD
Aragorn/Dunland and Theodin/Isengard will be the deck themes.

Deluxe Starter Deck: $20.00 USD
Gandalf/Raider theme deck, an 11-card Booster Pack, and glass tokens.

There are three different boxes for the Deluxe Starters. Elf, Isengard, and Rohan.

11-card Booster Pack: $3.29 USD
1 rare, 3 uncommon, and 7 common cards in every pack.
A foil will replace a common card in every sixth pack on average.

We are also investigating the possibility of doing additional products, but we aren't ready to make those announcements just yet :)"

And finally, the moment you've been waiting for: Here is the first of many spoilers which will hopefully "wet your appetite" for the new cultures, mechanincs and strategies of THE TWO TOWERS TCG:

Today's card comes to us from the ever lovable SHIRE culture.

Pippin, Just a Nuisance
1 Twilight
Shire Culture
Companion, Hobbit
Strength - 3
Vitality - 4
Gandalf Signet
(card numbers and rarity have not yet been assigned)

Skirmish: If Pippin is not assigned to a skirmish, discard him to remove an Uruk-hai from a skirmish involving an unbound companion.

"'What good have I been?... a passenger, a piece of luggage.'"

"Cool card, first you can stealth your Pippin along the first part of the site path, then you can discard him to stealth for your other companions the rest of the way. Then you can play Pippin again next turn and do it again." - Kyle Heuer

As always, please visit www.decipher.com for the latest news and RFD (Radio Free Decipher) broadcasts regarding the latest Lord of the Rings TCG and RPG gaming products.

More to come...stay tuned!

Lao of Gondor

Universal's LOTR Game Press Release
Xoanon @ 7:23 pm EST

Vivendi Universal Publishing Announces New Titles Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's Literary Works 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit'

Games Division to Develop Online Massively Multi-player Role Playing Game Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivendi Universal Publishing (VU Publishing) announced today several new games as part of its Games division's (VU Games) long-term agreement with Tolkien Enterprises to develop interactive entertainment based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit." The new titles include The Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Online, an Online Massively Multi-player (OLMMP) role playing game, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring, a real time strategy (RTS) game, and additional PC and console titles based on Tolkien's "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King."

The new titles join VU Games' previously announced Tolkien line-up, which includes The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring titles due this fall from Black Label Games, and The Hobbit from Sierra Entertainment due for release in 2003.

The Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Online will focus on both the heroic adventures and well-known community of Tolkien's Middle-earth. Additionally, the OLMMP will enable gamers and Tolkien fans to experience the fantasy of the vast "The Lord of the Rings" world in a growing and dynamic environment.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Ring will allow the player to take on the role of good or evil forces. Focusing on the events leading to the formation of the Fellowship and the Ring Quest, the game will expand on the world of Middle-earth.

All new titles based on "The Lord of the Rings" will be developed by VU Games' Black Label Games studio.

"The works of J.R.R. Tolkien are beloved by generations of fans around the world and the development of these additional titles across new platforms underscores our commitment to the franchise," said Luc Vanhal, VU Games' President & COO, North America. "We have engaged some of our finest creative and technical teams to deliver a rich and diverse range of products to gamers and true fans of the Tolkien universe."

Additional information regarding the new Tolkien titles will be released in future months.

About Vivendi Universal Publishing

Vivendi Universal Publishing, a division of the world's second largest communications group (Vivendi Universal), publishes content in four major languages and has strong local brands. As the world's third largest publisher, the Company's key content areas include literature, reference, school, college, kids, games and consumer press. Vivendi Universal Publishing is a global leader in multi-platform interactive entertainment. A leading publisher of PC, console and online-based interactive content, its portfolio of development studios includes Black Label Games, Blizzard Entertainment, NDA Productions, Sierra Entertainment and Universal Interactive. Through its subsidiary VU Games, it distributes worldwide its interactive contents and co- publishes and/or distributes products for a number of strategic partners.

Sauron Has Arrived
DarthCaeser @ 5:21 pm EST

TheOneRing.net Staff member Ostadan writes:

It's a good time for LotR boardgamers. Only a few weeks ago, the fine two-player "Lord of the Rings: The Confrontation" was plubished in a U.S. edition by Fantasy Flight Games. Designed by Reiner Knizia (designer of the multiplayer boardgame and many outstanding games like Modern Art and Ra), this fine little game plays a bit like Stratego, with an interesting combat mechanism using cards that adds an intriguing element of bluffing and strategy into the mix. Each character on the board has its own unique ability, and there is just enough LotR "chrome" (including John Howe's artwork) to make this a worthwhile addition to anyone's game collection.

This week, Fantasy Flight has announced the availability of the U.S. edition of the "Sauron Expansion" for the multiplayer Lord of the Rings boardgame, once again by Knizia and Howe. In this expansion, one player may take on the role of Sauron and play nasty cards of his own to defeat the Fellowship. There are also new event tiles and some new cards for the Fellowship; these can be used in a "modular" fashion with the original game, or with the previous Friends and Foes expansion. I have not yet played with this expansion, but UKers have been very positive about it. The following information is paraphrased from a review on Boardgamegeek.

The over 20 new tiles are all evil events -- no activity tiles -- but there is now a new rule whereby you can reject the first tile you draw from the bag (yes! there's a bag!) but must accept the next one. This should help reduce the feeling of being controlled by the draw, but on the whole, they make the game tougher.

The Sauron expansion itself comprises cards for Sauron, Nazgul cards, a Black Rider piece for the main board, and several new cards and tokens for the good guys. The new tokens represent resources picked up on the tracks _other_ than the main track, so the old 'sprint on the main track' strategy is now rather less attractive. Sauron gets to play (or draw) cards before the Fellowship player, and this will typically require the hobbit to discard a card, lose a life token, or move along the corruption line. Tough stuff, so those extra resources will be more important.

I'm really looking forward to this one. If nothing else, the Sauron part will help bring in players who disliked the non-competitive aspect of the original game -- let 'em be Sauron!

Sarumann's Report from LA's Birthday Party
Calisuri @ 3:13 pm EST

Sent to us by TORn bigtime helper/organizer/staffer Sarumann:

Does TORn know how to throw a party or what? With only about a month to plan, the final party was full of banners, people, food, music, and LOTS of incredibly cool gifts.

I got there early in the morning, being one of the party planners. Arwen2 was already there and busy putting up decorations. I arrived with my new roommate who still has yet to see LOTR (but, after yesterday, she's more intrigued than ever), and we all went to work setting things up. Calisuri arrived a bit later with a treasure trove of incredible Sideshow Weta and Games Workshop swag...along with his own custom-made "Happy Birthday Bilbo Baggins" banner which was nearly an exact replica of the one from the movie.

Can I just take a minute and give major props to this guy? I don't think he gets nearly enough credit for the work he does. Aside from running the website that we all know, love, revere, worship, and sacrifice small animals to, he also works tirelessly to make signage for TORn parties that are both professional and admirable, gets all that cool Sideshow Weta stuff that we love so very, very much, and, in this case, spent the entire night before wrapping gifts for the masses. And he does it all with a smile and a pleasant demeanor. So, in summation: Calisuri ROCKS!!!!

Anyway, as we're setting up everything, we begin to notice a rather large contingent of yellow jackets. We began setting up traps to lure them away from the food area, and risking the wrath of the swarm in the process.

People began to arrive at about 1:30, and this was where my official function at the finally came in. While the area we had picked was by far the most beautiful and Shire-like place in all of Griffith Park, it was not the most accessible. There was a road that lead up to the picnic area, but it was gated off for the use of brushfire patrol vehicles, and the walk was about a 1/4 mile uphill. Well, I wasn't about to have to subject boatloads of Ringers to the aggravation of making that hike with coolers, food, and other accessories in hand. So, after some begging, pleading, and talking with the ranger station, the allowed me to place my car on that road to serve as a "Hobbit Coach". For 2.5 hours, I did nothing but go up and down the road, loading and unloading people and supplies (my leg and arm muscles are still in pain). I had my car stereo playing David Arkenstone's "Music Inspired by Middle-earth" to help set the mood.

Also, I had volunteered my cell phone as a resource for those who might get lost or turned around on their way to the picnic area. Needless to say, my phone was ringing off the hook for most of the beginning of the picnic, as there were TONS of other picnics going on, and parking soon became an issue.

After that, I finally was able to relax and partake in the par-tay, which was in full swing. The first thing I noticed was the huge swarm of yellow jackets hovering around the food tables. Fat lot of good our traps did. There was still plenty of food, and we all ate like hobbits despite that. There were people in costume, which is always fun. There were hobbits, elves, wizards, and rangers.

And then there were the mathoms. The ever-entertaining Quickbeam gave us a bit of a lesson on what mathoms are: Hobbit birthday gifts that are given to the people in attendance. Usually, they are little things that get passed around from party to party, and you eventually find one that you gave given back to you (I made some wisecrack about how hobbits were fond of fruitcake or some nonsense). But, these mathoms weren't the kind you give away. They were Sideshow Weta Uruk Hai wall medallions and Bilbo Baggins figurines from Games Workshop. And everybody got one.

And then we got into the activities. We started with a trivia contest. The questions ranged from really simple ones for the kids to incredibly difficult for those of us who have read and studied the books. The prizes were Visual Companions for the easier questions, and Bilbo Baggins busts for the more difficult ones. After that, we had the impersonation contest. People came up to impersonate a character or scene from the movie. Quickbeam got the ball rolling by performing his now-legendary Haldir and Celeborn impressions. There were a lot of people who participated in the contest, and I was one of the judges who then had to deliberate on who got what prize. The 1st place winner was this guy named Misha (I hope I'm spelling that right) who did a scene between Aragorn and Arwen entirely in Elvish.

After the contest was done, we were suddenly graced by the prescense of Gandalf the....Blue? Perhaps he was just one of the 2 lost Istari coming for a piece of birthday cake. Regardless, he looked good, and made one smashing entrance.

We were also treated to a nice recitation of Bilbo's birthday speech. It was the one from the book, a bit truncated but entertaining all the same. Of course, we had all sorts of crowd reacations: people screaming "ProudFEET!" and everybody letting out a very loud "HUH?!" when we got to the "I don't half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve" bit.

Then came the birthday cake. Arwen2 had a beautiful birthday cake made for the party, which was very quickly savaged by all those in attendance. I don't think I've ever seen a cake that big disappear that quickly.

At that point, the sun was beginning to set, and not a one of us had any tiki torches to keep the party going long into the night (note that for next year). So, we began cleaning up and taking all of our final group pictures in front of the "Happy Birthday" banner.

I met a whole slew of new people, and they were all just as fun to be around as everybody whom I have come to know and love. I think the highest compliment paid to this community came from my roommate after the party. Even though she didn't know much of what we were going on about, she said she never felt excluded and was just glad to be around such a happy, positive atmosphere. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about: fun, friendship, and good feelings. And this community has it in spades.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the next gathering!

- Josh aka Sarumann

Middle-earth Cookbook Recipes Sampled
Jincey @ 1:14 am EST

Barlimans regular Diamond_T is publishing a cookbook of Middle-earth recipes and sends us this report of this weekend's Open House at Mandala Books in Pittsburg, PA.

"As you can well imagine, it has been a crazy weekend! Here's a brief synopsis of what happened on our side of the street at Mandala Books during the Open House Saturday, 9/21 from 12 noon-6pm, in the Oakland section of the city of Pittsburgh, PA.

The bookstore opened at 11am, but we were there at 9am setting up and cooking. My daughter Areya made all the Lembas for the entire day, and she did a great job. I decided to make either vegetarian recipes or veggie versions of recipes for the occasion. Ekkaia normally has seafood in it, but for that day was a combination of colorful vegetables with brown rice and a variety of exotic spices... I also made Cirdan, named in his honor, a recipe of cabbages, onions and red potatoes that was hearty and filling, but not heavy. Culanna is a wonderful Shire recipe of a corn pudding and spices baked to perfection. It smelled up the entire block; it was very well received. The feature of the day of course was a birthday cake honoring Bilbo and Frodo. For the occasion, I decided on Minas Ithil the 'Tower of the Moon' cake which honors this once sacred area that was taken and then restored by having a three layer chocolate cake with a lucious chocolate frosting. Ur-dur Nahald (the dark secret) is my interpretation of the ancient Mayan hot chocolate recipe... made with two types of raw chocolate, a dash of cinnamon, no dairy, turbinado sugar and ground chili peppers. Yummy!

In addition to Areya and I, there were some other friends of the Shire who also helped work on the cookbook project. Zachary Jones assisted with the computer technology of putting the whole thing together, and was there to answer questions about some of the details of how that was implemented. Clayton Carlino is the book's illustrator, and he was there to answer questions about the artwork and embellishments. Both gentlemen assisted in some of the food preparation from time to time.

There were about 1100 people for the day, and it was so wonderful to spend the day with fans of Tolkien's works and discuss all the wonderful nuances of his writings. Poetry was read, songs were sung (some by yours truly), and many quotations were made. The Ent Draught, a glowing combination of fruit and vegetable juices was raised in glasses to celebrate the birthday boys in style. All in all, it was an exciting day, and I hope that we can continue the fun when the book is released and we have another party with a book signing! A very special thanks to Frank Carroll, the owner and operator of Mandala Books; to my co-workers, Frances, Elaine, Indigo; all talented practioners; and to Phantom of the Attic, to Scott, Jeff, and the rest of the crew for making this such a fantastic day! Can't wait to do something fun with them again!"

Weekend Round Up
Xoanon @ 11:41 pm EST

SHOP: Weekly Ebay Items

Weekly Cast Watch

Media Watch: What DVD Magazine

Just Be Sure You Turn It Off At The Cinema

Bilbo & Frodo Birthday Celebrations

More On Sala At Collectormania

Star Who Really Gives a xXx

Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo!

Fan Art Contest WINNERS...

More on Aragorn's horse "Brego"

Lord of the Tube?

Sala Baker Makes The Rounds At Collectormania II

SHOP: Toy Biz TTT Toys Galore!

Mr Calm Within The Storm

Sala Baker At Collectormania Report

Elijah's 'Try Seventeen' Review

Aragorn's Horse No Longer Called Hasufel?

Bilbo's Big Finish

Hall of Fire Chats - Sept 21 & 22

Weekly Cast Watch
Xoanon @ 10:28 pm EST

To get more information, use the sites I use like the ones below. Simply find a movie or actor you want to see, go to one of the sites below and see if the film is playing in your area. mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com

Note: These are films that are listed as being on TV THIS WEEK ONLY, this is NOT a list of all the films the cast has done

Star Who Really Gives a xXx
Xoanon @ 5:52 pm EST

It's not unusual for prima donnaish actors to make specific demands -- like sparkling water with the bubbles taken out when doing press interviews.

But Kiwi actor Marton Csokas, who stars opposite Vin Diesel in the blockbuster xXx, has been making completely out of the ordinary requests during his round of media Q&A.

Real life nice guy Csokas (evidently cast against type in xXx, with a role as the lead baddie) is concerned for the people suffering from the floods that have devastated parts of Europe.

In particular Csokas is concerned about Prague -- where xXx was shot. Apparently the film locations are under water and total damage is estimated at $3.5 billion to $5.25 billion.

Csokas, who also starred in Lord of the Rings, has been hoping to focus more attention on the plight of the flood victims. In a bid to spark donations to the aid organisation being set up in the Czech Republic he did a photo shoot with its website printed on his forehead (www.floods.cz).

"xXx was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, which has since been subject to catastrophic flooding," Csokas, who is currently filming The Great Raid alongside Benjamin Bratt in Queensland, told Confidential.

"About 200,000 people have been displaced from their homes and cultural heritage, existing for centuries, has been damaged or destroyed.

"If you want to help, log on and donate at www.floods.cz".

Lord of the Tube?
Demosthenes @ 6:54 am EST

Ringer Spy Ataahua writes that the Sunday Star-Times in New Zealand is speculating that The Lord of the Rings could be turned into a television series.

Will it become Lord of the Tube too?

First there was the book, then the movies, then the toys, Holloween costumes, mugs, T-shirts, chess sets and jewellery. Could a Lord of the Rings television series be next?

New Line Cinema, producer of the Rings trilogy, is in talks with US networks about developing television dramas based its stable of films. Speculation about a Lord of the Rings series was sparked following an interview between Hollywood Reporter and a New Line television boss, Steve Tann.

"They are automatic brand names and franchises and can successfully lend themselves to TV," said Tann, speaking about the company's top films.

If the project eventuates, Wellington's Weta Workshop would probably be heavily involved. Weta has worked on the Lord of the Rings trilogy for five years, producing characters and sets, and most of director Peter Jackson's previous movies, including Brain Dead, The Frighteners and Heavenly Creatures.

Weta also has staff experienced in fast turnaround television, having worked on Hercules for more than four years and Xena, Warrior Princess. Weta, however, will be tied up until next year finishing the third of the Rings films. Filming would probably be based in Wellington, as the Rings trilogy was, with location filming done in the South Island and Auckland. New Line Cinmea and Jackson could not be contacted for comment.

Screen Production and Development Association chief executive Jane Wrightson said New Zealand would be a perfect place to film a series. Television projects were especially welcome because they provided work for years. Hercules and Xena ran for eight years. While Rings lured more that $350m to New Zealand until March this year, Pacific Renaissance - the makers of Hercules and Xena - spent $400m, cast New Zealanders in 3000 roles and employed 7000 people a week. Rings left a legacy of experienced crew and cast, equipment, technicians, extras and knowledge of locations.

Artists and craftspeople honed their skills after starting on the Hercules and Xena series, and could turn out swords, cottages, armour and boats with flair, she said. Hercules' and Xena's legacies are already paying off. ABC Cable Networks will begin shooting a children's television series, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in Auckland starting in October, with no finish date in sight.
Spokeswoman Patti McTeague said: "There's a trained crew and stunt crew there from Hercules and Xena, and it give us the opportunity for a diverse range of locations. And there are also cost benefits for us."

In the series, six teenagers turn heroic black, blue, white, pink, yellow and red power rangers, complete with futuristic armour and weapons to travel through space and time fighting evil inter-galactic characters seeking to take over the earth. The six will be cast locally, as will the baddies, who in past episodes have had names such as Goaten the Lion Goat, The Crystal of Nightmares and Chunky Chicken.

SHOP: Toy Biz TTT Toys Galore!
Xoanon @ 1:39 pm EST

Take a look at these great (well, excluding Arwen..what were they thinking!!! -Xo) pics from the Toy Biz line of TTT toys.

Sala Baker At Collectormania Report
Xoanon @ 12:27 pm EST

Yahweh70 writes: Sala Baker (Sauron) was in a line of people signing autographs, sat next to Ray Park (Darth Maul etc) and Temeura (sp?) Morrison (Jango Fett (he showed up around mid-afternoon)). By the time I got to the show, there were queues for Morrison and Park, but nothing really for Sala, unfortunately. I asked him which scenes he was Lurtz in FOTR. He said he didn't like to be known as Lurtz as it was really only 2 scenes where he played Lurtz, Lawrence was Lurtz 99% of the time. A few people managed to get the odd Lurtz figure signed by him, but he said he didn;'t feel right about it.

He had a few photos available, and a mini-poster of the TTT poster (1-sheet design). Saturday should be a very busy day for everyone. Even Dave Prowse (Darth Vader) had very slow periods. At a show in Birmingham in March, he had huge crowds, and he was charging more then!

FWIW, Sala's scenes as Lurtz were the run out of Isengard with the Uruk Hai and one hunting scene. He said that pre-LOTR he was a stunt man.

Aragorn's Horse No Longer Called Hasufel?
Strider @ 11:27 am EST

According to the newly-added Horses section on the Official Site, Aragorn rides a horse called Brego, named after the son of Eorl and second King of Rohan, in The Two Towers. However in the novel itself, Aragorn is presented with a horse called Hasufel.

Does this mean that Peter Jackson has made an unnescessary change to the original story by changing Hasufel's name to Brego? Maybe, but I believe that this indicates that Aragorn rides not one but two horses in The Two Towers. This theory is supported by (spoilers - highlight to read) extracts from a copy of The Two Towers script leaked on the Internet which describe Aragorn being left for dead on the plains of Rohan and watching the huge army of orcs marching towards Helm's Deep - the number of which he describes to Théoden in the latest TTT trailer. It is very likely that Aragorn's horse is killed in a skirmish, thus leaving him stranded. .

Hall of Fire Chats - Sept 21 & 22
Demosthenes @ 12:30 am EST

The hero and the heroic in Lord of the Rings

It's an intriguing question. Who is the hero in the Lord of the Rings? Who did Tolkien see as the hero? Is there more than one? What is it that characters such as Frodo, Aragorn, Sam and even Gollum do that make us regard them as heroes (or antiheroes)?

Is Gollum actually an antihero? What is it that makes many regard him as a heroic figure in LoTR? Is it rebellion against authority ... or an element of redemption, or is antihero simply another word for exciting villain?

And what are the traits and acts which make a man or woman a hero? Is it military conquest? Sheer physical strength and courage such as Boromir exhibited? The ability to inspire and guide that Arathorn and Gandalf show? Are quieter, less flashy traits the most important ingredients in heroism? Traits such as steadfastness and loyalty to a seemingly impossible cause or task?

Join us this weekend for what is sure to be yet another lively debate.

Upcoming Topics:
Sep 28 & 29 - TTT Book 4, Chap 3 - The Black Gate is closed

Place:
#thehalloffire on theonering.net server; come to theonering.net’s chat room Barliman's and then type /join #thehalloffire .

Saturday Chat: 5:30 pm ET (17:30) [also 11:30 pm (23:30) CET and 7:30 am Sunday (07:30) AET]

Sunday Chat: 7:00 pm (19:00) CET [also 1:00 pm (13:00) ET and 4:00 am (04:00) Monday morning AET]

ET = Eastern Time, USA’s East Coast
CET = Central European Time, Central Europe

Do you have a topic you think would be worth discussing in hall of fire? E-mail us at halloffire@theonering.net

-----

9-20-02 Latest News

LA Ringers: Last Minute Preparations
Calisuri @ 3:33 pm EST

Ringer Staffer Arwen2, one of the lead organizers for our Los Angeles Birthday Celebration, sends along these two final notes:

1) for Ringers coming from Hollywood: apparently Los Feliz Village's Annual Street Fair is on Sunday from 11am to 5pm on Hillhurst Avenue. When driving on Los Feliz Blvd you are likely to experience increased traffic. For directions please refer to our earlier post here.

2) A great number of Ringers will be attending the picnic (almost 100!) - so there definitely won't be enough picnic tables and benches to seat everybody. Again, we recommend you bring picnic blankets (or portable chairs if you prefer).

For complete details on the party, check out our earlier post. [More]

This is going to be a party of special magnificence! :)

- Arwen

DVD SE In The UK News
Xoanon @ 3:25 pm EST

Monkeyman writes: I have forwarded below an e-mail that I have received from the UK's BBFC (British Board of Film Classification) which I think conclusively answers the question of what cuts the UK DVD release of the special edition will include.

No - this is completely untrue (in regards to recent internet rumors, about a severe cut to the UK edition -Xo). The 'extended version' of the film has already been seen and passed 'PG' uncut. The extra material doesn't contain any additional violence beyond what was in the film itself - most of the extra footage is extra dialogue and narrative exposition. It may not yet be shown on our website, but this is probably because we are still waiting for the packaging to come in for approval. As for DVD extras, two have received cuts - one to remove uses of "f***ing wanker" that would be unacceptable at 'PG' and one to remove a sequence in which a character announces that, after a drunken visit to a piercing parlour, the one Ring has been attached to his *****. Clearly this was unacceptable at 'PG' and these extras have therefore been removed. the company were offered a '12'uncut for the extras but preferred to cut for 'PG'.

First Class Christmas with Lord of the Rings
Xoanon @ 3:08 pm EST

Royal Mail unveils First Class Christmas with Lord of the Rings online exclusive

In support of its First Class Christmas stamp promotion, which will make one customer a millionaire, Royal Mail will unveil a website featuring some world-exclusive images from Hollywood's most eagerly awaited blockbuster - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.

This exciting Christmas First Class stamp promotion, (running from November 5 - December 21) and the high profile partnership with the film sees Royal Mail venture into the world of movies for the first time. The promotion offers customers buying a book of 12 First Class Christmas stamps the opportunity to 'Find the One Ring and win £1m' plus other first class prizes.

In another Royal Mail first, customers will also be able to buy books of First Class Christmas stamps with the instant win gamecards via the website's online shop and have the opportunity to win £1 million in cash.

Customers visiting www.royalmail.com will also be able to buy official, licensed film merchandise and have the opportunity to experience the film through participation, gaining insight into the characters, the film and the plot before the film's general release in the UK.

Selected images from the forthcoming sequel will also be unveiled for the first time on 5 November on 14 million instant win gamecards, which are wrapped with each book of 12 First Class Christmas stamps.

Paul Troy, Brand & Communications Director at Royal Mail, said: "Royal Mail is ready to deliver a First Class magical Christmas to all its customers. This promotion is a continuation of our new and innovative approach to marketing at Royal Mail, which began with our unique tie up with Sir Elton John and our £1 million promotion last Christmas."

"Joining forces with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and offering an exciting online presence gives our customers the opportunity to participate and win £1 million this Christmas by simply logging on and buying a book of 12 First Class Christmas stamps online. The partnership reflects our appetite to work with major, third party partners on large scale campaigns in the future", he added.

Royal Mail's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers website is being designed by Rufus Leonard and the web address will be featured on the promotional gamecards, as well as on outdoor posters, and in press advertising and PR activity. An online ad campaign (bought through Carat Interactive), using rich-media banners, will drive customers direct to the site.

Following from the success of last Christmas, Royal Mail will also be offering a free online Christmas last posting dates reminder service, where customers can register for email and SMS reminder messages.

In addition to the website activity, the First Class Christmas stamps and gamecards will be available through more than 55,000 retail outlets, including 17,500 Post Officeä branches

I went and searched for this after seeing the actual promotional material recently - the stuff I saw was still in the green colour scheme. It had a nice Frodo image on the front though. [More]

9-19-02 Latest News

Decipher Talks TTT
Xoanon @ 2:38 pm EST

DECIPHER TO LAUNCH LATEST ADDITION TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ TRADING CARD GAME TO COINCIDE WITH UPCOMING THEATRICAL RELEASE OF NEW LINE CINEMA’S THE TWO TOWERS™

The Two Towers™ Base Set To Provide First Glimpse of Scenes From the Upcoming Movie, Including Never-Before-Seen Characters

Expansion to Include Starter Decks, Deluxe Starter Sets and Booster Packs

Featuring New: Cultures; Site Path; Character Key Words; and Gameplay Mechanics

(Norfolk, VA, September 19, 2002)—Decipher will premiere The Two Towers™, the latest addition to its award-winning The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Game (TCG), on October 31st at DecipherCon in Chesapeake, Virginia. Offering a sneak peek of the movie six weeks prior to its theatrical release, The Two Towers™ expansion set continues the epic adventure brought forth in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy and will pick up where The Fellowship of the Ring left off — following Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship as they continue their quest to destroy the One Ring and fight the evil forces of the dark lord Sauron.

Scheduled for a worldwide release in stores on November 6th, this 365-card base set contains 121 rare cards, 121 uncommons, 121 commons, and 2 premium cards. The Two Towers™ showcases never-before-seen characters including Faramir, Éowyn, and Théoden, as well as new versions of Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin.

The highly-anticipated second installment of the trilogy from New Line Cinema, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, will premiere in December 2002.

“With new game mechanics, character types, templates, locations, and more, The Two Towers is both an exciting next step for players of The Lord of the Rings TCG as well as a jumping off point for new players,” said Game Designer Mike Reynolds. Game Designer Chuck Kallenbach added, “This latest base set of The Lord of the Rings™ TCG further proves Decipher’s commitment to the long-lasting game and provides a stable gameplay environment.”

Following the Fellowship as their destinies lie at two towers, this latest set adds exciting new cards for many of the previous cultures in addition to adding three new cultures – Rohan, Dunlending, and Raider. Also featured is an entirely new site path as well as a gameplay mechanic for controlling and liberating sites that will allow a greater range of tactics and strategies. Among the additional hot features are new character key words such as Unhasty, Valiant, and Ring-bound, new battleground sites, Shadowfax, and a new One Ring.

The Two Towers will be available in the following product configurations:

· 63-card Starter Decks: Starter decks will be available in two versions, Aragorn and Théoden. Each deck — which only contains cards from The Two Towers — has 60 fixed cards, 3 random rare cards, and a rulebook. MSRP: US $10.99

· Deluxe Starter Sets: Packaged in a sturdy collector’s box (which is designed to hold 200 cards and stones), the deluxe starter contains one starter deck, one booster pack, 15 black glass Twilight tokens, 10 red glass Wound tokens, 6 colored glass player markers, plus both a starter’s rulebook and a deluxe rulebook. There will be three collector box versions of the deluxe starter: Isengard, Rohan, and Elven. MSRP: US $19.99

· Booster Packs: 11-card packs will include 1 rare, 3 uncommon, and 7 common cards. One diffraction foil will be found in approximately one out of every six packs. MSRP:
US $3.29

As with all Lord of the Rings TCG cards, all cards in The Two Towers will receive a foil treatment in a parallel set.

The Lord of the Rings™ TCG: The Two Towers set continues the mission introduced with The Fellowship of the Ring — the top award-winning trading card game of 2001 and 2002. Players try to win the game by: successfully and safely advancing the Ring-bearer to the end of the adventure path; killing the opponent’s Ring-bearer; or corrupting the opponent’s Ring-bearer.

Look for expansions on The Two Towers base set in March and July when Battle of Helm’s Deep and Ents of Fangorn release in stores worldwide!

Serkis' Review In Othello
Xoanon @ 12:44 pm EST

Janet writes: Andy Serkis as Iago had a terrific review in yesterday's (London) Times

"But more terrifying is the utter determination of Andy Serkis's pyschotic Iago to destroy both the woman he desires and cannot have and the man who stands his way. Serkis's remarkable performance presents us with a terrifying, repugnant picture - and one thta is worryingly familiar to modern eyes. This Iago is a fiercely intelligent, tough-nut squaddie, disguising his malevolence with blokeish affability. His hatred of Othello is as virulent as it is ludicrous and Serkis points up the double-edged comedy of Iago's irrational behaviour by delivering his soliquies with an intimacy that draws the audience into colluding in his scheming."

9-17-02 Latest News

Lord of the Rings RPG Competition
Flinch @ 6:55 pm EST

More than a year ago members of the EN World community began discussing a Dungeons and Dragons 3E conversion of J.R.R. Tolkien¡œs Middle Earth. These discussions led to the creation of many game conversion documents and the hosting of the Middle Earth D20 website by EN World. Now, in the interest of promoting the creation of new and original content for the site, we are proud to announce the Middle Earth D20 Best Original Character Contest.

Please design an original character (villainous or heroic, mundane or epic, PC or NPC) suitable for campaign set in Middle Earth. Provide enough detail about the character (including stats, personality, background, and hooks) so that a DM can incorporate them into their existing campaign. Submit your character in text or html format to MiddleEarthD20@yahoo.com with subject line ¡§MED20 Character Contest¡¨ by October 22nd, 2002.

Entrants are strongly encouraged to use the Dungeons and Dragons core rulebooks (including the Epic Level Handbook). If material is drawn from other sources, please cite the source. Please refrain from using house rules in your submission.

The contest judges are Jeff Black (colonelhardisson@hotmail.com), Derek Poppink (dpoppink@yahoo.com), and Scott Holden-Jones (sholdenj@uwo.ca). They will rate each entry on a scale of one to ten in three categories:

Suitability ¡V Does the character fit in with Middle Earth themes and settings? Creativity ¡V Is the character interesting and well developed? Flexibility ¡V Can the character be used in a variety of storylines with few changes?

The results of the contest will be announced November 12th, and the winner will receive a copy of the Fellowship of the Ring DVD (Platinum Series Extended Edition). All submissions will be archived on the Middle Earth D20
website.

Many thanks to Morrus for hosting the website and putting up the prize. Thanks also to the Spelljammer Mailing List for the inspiration.

TTT Theatre Posters!?
Xoanon @ 4:54 pm EST

Earlier today we reported that the following images were posters..baffled by the oddity of the images we doubted the authenticity...only to find out from up on high that these arent posters, they're popcorn bags!

LA: Bilbo's Birthday Party Details!
Calisuri @ 4:23 pm EST

LOS ANGELES RINGERS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TORN’S PICNIC FOR BILBO’S BIRTHDAY

Dear Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and ProudFEET!!!, Sunday September 22^nd is our dear friends Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ birthday. So please join us at 2pm under our very own party tree in Bag End, The Shire (aka Old Zoo Picnic Area, Griffith Park, Los Angeles) to celebrate!

DIRECTIONS

From the North:

Take I-5 S to Los Feliz Blvd. Take Los Feliz Blvd. West. Stay in the far right lane, and make your first right onto Crystal Springs Dr. Follow Crystal Springs Dr. for about 1.5 miles to Griffith Park Dr. Make a left on Griffith Park Dr. It will curve to the right twice. The parking lot (Old Zoo Picnic Area) is right at the second curve.

From the South:

Take I-5 N to Griffith Park (lucky you, you get an actual exit for the park). Make a right at the first (and only) stop sign onto Crystal Springs Dr. Follow Crystal Springs Dr. for about 1.25 miles to Griffith Park Dr. Make a left on Griffith Park Dr. It will curve to the right twice. The parking lot (Old Zoo Picnic Area) is right at the second curve.

From Hollywood:

Take Western Ave. North. It will become Los Feliz Blvd. Make a left at the intersection with Riverside Dr. Riverside Dr. will become Crystal Springs Dr as you enter Griffith Park. Follow Crystal Springs Dr. for about 1.5 miles to Griffith Park Dr. Make a left on Griffith Park Dr. It will curve to the right twice. The parking lot (Old Zoo Picnic Area) is right at the second curve.

At the back of the parking lot is a gated-off road. You can walk past the gate. Follow the road to a big tree in the center of it and make a left to enter Bag End. For those of you carrying large items, or who cannot make the walk because of physical problems, there will be a Bag End Coach going back and forth to take you up to the picnic area. If it's not there when you get to the gate, simply wait, and it will be along shortly.

If you get lost or have trouble finding the picnic’site, please call Sarumann at 213-248-4994 who will help you find your way through the darkness when all other lights go out…

FOOD AND DRINKS

Please contact Arwen at labirthday@theonering.net for food/drinks contributions. Most of you have already done that, but if you haven’t please don’t hesitate to do so now, as hobbits are notoriously and constantly hungry and there’s still room for more food at our picnic.

FUN AND GAMES

Besides eating, drinking and enjoying each other’s company, we will also have two contests:

• a Trivia contest, where you can all test your knowledge of the books and win great prices
• a Best Impersonation contest, where Gandalf, Legolas, Aragorn, Frodo or any other character wannabes will be given the opportunity to step into their hero’s shoes and perform any line of their choice from the movie. Prices will be awarded to the most impressive/accurate/funny delivery. So, pick your favorite line, rehearse and get ready to play!

COSTUMES

Costumes are not mandatory, but we encourage every Middle Earth inhabitant to come in their best regalia to honor Bilbo and Frodo.

MISCELLANEOUS

There is plenty of shade in our little corner of The Shire, but if the weather remains as nice and sunny as it has been lately, we recommend wearing hats and sunscreen.

Also, there are some picnic tables and benches available, but they may not be enough to seat such a great company of many excellent and admirable guests. So we encourage you to bring picnic blankets.

Any other questions you may have about the picnic, please contact Arwen at labirthday@theonering.net

Hobbit Party Crashers?
Xoanon @ 1:18 pm EST

HOBBITS PLAN TO CRASH PARTY EVICTED GROUP TO MAKE NOISE AT PARK'S BASH
By David L. Beck
Mercury News

A celebration just wouldn't be a celebration without a protest. Not in Santa Cruz, at any rate.

This weekend, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the foundation stone of California's state park system, completes a 100-day celebration of its 100th year. There will be two days of music, speeches and theater. Bluegrass bands will play. Dancers will dance. Tree-sitter Julia Butterfly Hill will speak.

And a group of human-sized Hobbits will protest their current lack of welcome in the park, the result of a long-running squabble that boils down to fun vs. rules. These Hobbits arose in 1978 not from Middle Earth but from San Jose State University.

What began as a birthday party at Big Basin -- it was the birthday boy who named the party after J.R.R. Tolkien's forest-dwellers -- has evolved into an annual gathering. ``Just regular folks,'' said Hobbit Party organizer Gregor Nelson. ``We're not rabid Tolkienistas,'' although he admits they were back in '78. Nelson added, ``It really just became a way for people who are far-flung and having busy lives and families and careers and all that stuff'' to know that there's a time and a place where they can still get together. The parties continued without interruption for more than 20 years, attracting in excess of 80 people, children included, each fall. But in 2001, their run at Big Basin ended.

Liz Burko, supervising ranger, described a series of permit violations involving primarily noise, trash and excessive numbers of cars and people that culminated in her order that they take their Hobbit Party elsewhere. The Hobbits will still have their party -- later this month in Mendocino -- but some of them also will be at Big Basin today.

``We'll have signs,'' said Janet Swanson of Sunnyvale. ``We'll play our whoopees,'' which she describes as ``little plastic things'' like party favors. Nelson thinks ``protest'' is too harsh a term. ``We might go and make a little noise,'' he said.

``They're welcome to purchase tickets,'' Burko said.

``Anybody is. This is a celebration for us, and we want to celebrate it with the public.''

Lordy, the plot's too bawdy
Xoanon @ 11:12 am EST

IT looks like Miranda Otto's role in the next instalment of The Lord Of The Rings film trilogy may be a controversial one.

The Two Towers, which is to be released on Boxing Day, reportedly involves a love triangle between three central characters which does not appear in the book.

Tolkien purists already enraged by the passion between Aragorn and Arwen, played by Viggo Mortensen and Liv Tyler respectively, are likely to be further upset with the introduction of Otto's Lady Eowyn.

The character will spice up the clandestine relationship by diverting Aragorn's attention from Tyler's Elvish princess.

"There's going to be a romantic triangle in the next one. We sexed it up a bit," a source told imdb.com

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