LotR Challenges 7 by Dreamflower

Poll: LOTR Community Challenges

Hello! Your mods are trying to get LOTR Community Challenges out of the doldrums and back on track. We'd like to get some idea of what the members would like to see, so here is a poll to get things back on track.

Poll #2085653 Lord of the Rings Community Challenges
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All. Participants: 21

Would you like having self-prompting challenges instead of having the prompts emailed to you? (Self-prompting means to choose a prompt from a list.)

View Answers
Yes
18(90.0%)
No
2(10.0%)

Would you like to see a return of the Art Challenges?

View Answers
Yes
14(66.7%)
No
7(33.3%)

Which of the following annual challenges would you like to see kept?

View Answers
January-Potluck
7(14.3%)
April-Poetry
5(10.2%)
July-Fixed-Length Ficlets
10(20.4%)
November-Drabbles
8(16.3%)
December-Yule Exchange
8(16.3%)
All of the above
10(20.4%)
None of the above
1(2.0%)

Types of themes you like best

View Answers
Canon events or gapfillers (prompts from the books)
15(23.1%)
Seasonal (themes to match the month or time of year)
18(27.7%)
Specific genres (humor, angst, h/c, etc.)
9(13.8%)
Challenges to hone a specific writing skill (POV, characterizatio, dialogue, etc.)
13(20.0%)
Recycled themes (themes we've done before that you'd like to see again)
10(15.4%)
Other (suggestions in the comments)
0(0.0%)

Types of prompts you like

View Answers
Random sets or pairs of words
10(13.2%)
Sets or pairs of words to fit the theme
13(17.1%)
Starter sentences
12(15.8%)
Quotations from canon or other sources
14(18.4%)
Plot starters
12(15.8%)
Visual prompts, such as pictures
14(18.4%)
Other (please comment below)
1(1.3%)

Which (if any) of these would you like to see as future themes?

View Answers
Minor Canon Character
16(20.8%)
Original Character
14(18.2%)
Virtues and Vices (pairs of opposite traits, e.g.
10(13.0%)
Scenic Set (describe a setting within your story in detail)
13(16.9%)
Action! (a story featuring an action sequence such as a fight or a daring rescue or a chase)
10(13.0%)
Mini-AU (a short one-shot AU possibility)
14(18.2%)
Other (leave suggestions in the comments)
0(0.0%)


If you have other ideas or suggestions, please include comments with your ideas below. We would really love to see this community thriving again!
This was your idea!

Technical help/Webmaster needed for MPTT

We are looking for one or 2 people to come on board as technical help/moderation for running the group’s archive, MPTT. If you are interested or know of anyone we could ask please let the mods know! Dreamflower, Pearltook and Cathleen are still here and it looks like we have one new mod coming on board. More on this and other things coming up very soon! Your thoughts and comments would be much appreciated.
Thanks everyone!
This was your idea!

September 2018 Challenge: Recipe Fic

The September Challenge will be a recipe fic with the theme "A special dish for someone's birthday" in recognition of Frodo and Bilbo's birthday on September 22 and International Hobbits Day. Your story should include a recipe.

The stories will be due in the queue anytime before 9/22 and will be revealed on Mon, 24th. Please tag your story "challenge: recipe fic"and "month: 2018 September." Please remember to use the header template found on the community's profile page, and to put your name and the name of the story in the subject line.
If you plan to participate please leave a comment here!

Thank you for your patience while we attempt to get the community challenges reorganized!
Tolkien

"A Glory of Colours", by Himring

Author: Himring
Title: A Glory of Colours
Rating: PG
Theme: Rainbow
Elements: Blue
Author's Notes: Warning for brief references to canonical violence and alcohol consumption
Summary: Egalmoth, Lord of the House of the Heavenly Arch in the city of Gondolin, is asked how he came to adopt the rainbow as the device of his house.
Word Count: c.310 words

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Michael links lip

The End of All Things by Philstar22



Author:Philstar22/DragonofMordor
Title: The End of All Things
Rating: PG13
Theme: Rainbow
Elements: Orange (fire orange)
Author's Notes: This is a Silmarillion fic featuring Maedhros with a side appearance of Maglor. Please note that this features suicide and mentions of death and torture (just mentions of them happening, no specifics). This is all canon-based, but it is pure angst, so if any of this is going to bother you, probably best to stay away
Summary: When all is said and done, all Maedhros has left is the fire.
Word Count: 1016 (just a short ficlet here)

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LotR Challenges 7 by Dreamflower

August 2018 Challenge: Rainbow

The August Challenge will have the theme "Rainbow". Stories should feature a color of the rainbow. Since this challenge is being posted somewhat late in the month you will not need to wait for a prompt--choose the color you wish to feature, and comment below. Participants may choose the same color, or you may choose a shade of a color, such as lilac instead of purple, for example. Stories may be of any length or genre.

The challenge stories may be entered into the queue at any time this month, and will be revealed on Friday, August 31. Please tag your story "challenge: rainbow" and "month: 2016 august". Please remember to use the following header template (also found on the community profile page), and to put the name of your story and your name in the subject line.



You will not need to ask for a prompt. Please leave a comment to this post if you plan to participate. If you have not participated before, you can email the mods at manypaths@lotrgfic.com with any questions you may have.

I hope we'll have lots of participants for our August challenge!
LotR Challenges 7 by Dreamflower

Hobbitlad, Hobbitlad by Pearl Took



Author:  Pearl Took

Title:  Hobbit-lad Hobbit-lad

Rating:  G

Theme:  Fixed Length Ficlet

Elements:  the line “Where have you been?”

Author's Notes:  I’m back and hoping that my little story pleases. :-)

        Thank you to Dreamflower for doing a beta read and edit.

Summary:  A new nursery rhyme is sweeping the Shire, but Thain Peregrin isn’t happy

                 about it

Word Count: 393


******************************************************************

Hobbit-lad Hobbit-lad


“Does it really matter, Pip?”


“Of course, it does, Merry! Would you want them messing up what happened between you and Theoden?”


“I suppose it would depend on how badly they mucked about with it,” Merry said, trying to stay calm. “You’re right, I wouldn’t want it meddled with too much. But, seriously, Pippin. This isn’t all that inaccurate . . .”


“Not that inaccurate!” His cousin’s green eyes flashed. “There’s not a grain of truth in it, Merry.” He added, struggling to control himself. How could Merry be so thick.


“Think about what happened to the story of Bilbo’s journey.” Merry countered. “This isn’t nearly so bad. Aren’t you a bit old to behave so childishly over something that’s for faunts and small children?”


“Ah . . . Well, yes, but . . .” Pippin hated it when Merry was right.


“But?”


“But that just makes it worse, don’t you see, Merry. All the hobbits of the Shire will be learning the wrong information from the time they’re little. I didn’t go to Gondor to visit the King. I didn’t even go to visit Denethor. And while I bowed, I most certainly didn’t smile before I sang.”


“Alright, the details are wrong. But, at this point I think you’re flogging a dead pony, Pippin. It has spread about the Shire already. Why don’t you just take some satisfaction from it.”


“Satisfaction? Over a misrepresentation?”


“A minor one, after all, Pippin. And you know how these things hang on. That small part of your story will most likely be remembered long after anything about the rest of us. Children’s rhymes are enduring, Pip.”

“Well . . . maybe someday I’ll be able to see it that way.” The Thain knew when he was beaten, especially by the Master. “You’re right. Maybe I’ll have it engraved on my gravestone.”


Pippin turned on his heels and walked out of his cousin’s private quarters in Brandy Hall.


Merry waited a few moments, his cousin still had excellent hearing and he didn’t want to be overheard as he recited.



“Hobbit-lad, Hobbit-lad, you have been where?”

“I’ve been down to Gondor to visit the King.”

“Hobbit-lad, Hobbit-lad, what did you there?”

“I smiled and I bowed and for Him I did sing.”


“Actually,” Merry said as he started to laugh, “It is rather catchy.”


The End




The inspiration for this story is from the old English nursery rhyme “Pussycat Pussycat.”

"Pussycat pussycat, where have you been?"

"I've been up to London to visit the Queen."

"Pussycat pussycat, what did you there?"

"I frightened a little mouse under her chair"

"MEOWW!"

First published in London during 1805 in the book "Songs for the Nursery"

The origins of the "Pussycat Pussycat" rhyme dates back to the history of 16th century Tudor England. One of the waiting ladies of Queen Elizabeth I had an old cat which roamed throughout Windsor castle. On one particular occasion the cat ran beneath the throne where its tail brushed against the Queen's foot, startling her. Luckily 'Good Queen Bess' had a sense of humour and decreed that the cat could wander about the throne room, on condition it kept it free of mice!

Boromir Life is Good by fifmeister

Waiting and Worriting by Linaewen

Author: Linaewen
Title: Waiting and Worriting
Rating: G
Theme: Where Have You Been?
Elements: 110
Author's Notes: Based on Farmer Maggot's comment that he needed to get home quickly, because "Mrs. Maggot will be worriting with the night getting thick."
Summary: Farmer Maggot's wife waits for him to return on a foggy night.
Word Count: 110 as counted by Jarte

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