LotR: 1st Age

And tonight marked our first real session. My character Aranor, son of Eranor, princeling of the House of Beor and liegeman of Malarin (sp?), Nualdor. Also a dwarven master smith, human woodswoman and elven healer (none of whose names I can remember right now). As we were feasted by...some other high elf guy, the fortress of Angbad exploded in magma, balrogs and orcish hordes. So we were sent by high elf guy to first check on my people and then maybe to go to the other Nualdor elf guys...

We ended up scouting ahead for the refugee remnant of my people on the advice of my cousin, Eganor? Something like that. Ended up breaking up a potential ambush, fighting a werewolf and then interogating an orc officer. Who reveals that Eggy is a traitor. And something about a cave to the south east. Which is where we should be picking up next week...

I can see where Josh is trying to go with this campaign. But its hampered in part by my and spoonyone's large lack of knowledge of 1st Age stuff. Also by the fact that the two of us (and kafeixuesheng also) inability to treat everything with the gravity Josh wants to imbue it with. Because, well its a game. Yeah, its a game meant to explore some big, epic themes. But still a game meant as a social gathering...

Also I think Josh might need to worry less about system mechanics. Not abandon them. But rely on them less. Because if there is one thing that can drag down a feeling of grandiose story its worrying about how many feet you can move in a round to close with some orcish sword fodder. But still, I'm hopeful for the game. Its good to have an enthusiastic GM and players willing to work around character flaws to work together...

Edit: Also kafeixuesheng reminded me that high elf guy gave everyone gifts. spoonyone got a big helping of lembas. The healer got some magic elf herbs. Dwarfy got himself a super-smart elfsteed. Autumn's woodsy woman got an elf blade. And me? My combat monkey? He got a harp. Its a really nice harp. But it soooo doesn't fit my character. Josh mentioned later that 1) it was always a planned gift for someone, but no one made a minstrel/bard type and 2) he's hoping I phase out the noble part of my character class and go for a warrior-poet kind of thing. Unlikely. Still, its a very nice harp...

Infamous

I had to stop this at only a half-hour in. Toby Jones' Capote is just...grating. I mean I wasn't expecting anything as good as Phillip Seymour Hoffman's performance. But this? Ugh. Though I was almost willing to keep going for Bullock's Tara Lee Harper. But then there is Jeff Daniels. He just seems mean and petty. This was disappointing. I mean Daniel Craig as one of the killers SOUNDS good, but I don't know when he'll even be showing up. So far this movie seems to want to focus more on Capote rather than the story...

Studio 60 burn off

*Attempts to watch episode*

Ow ow ow

Sooooo heavy handed. And goody, poorly written political dialogue combined with yet MORE Danny/Harriet melodrama...