The trend makes sense since Tolkien had rather conservative view towards technological progress. He witnessed the english countryside being destroyed by industrialization and war, and he had a deep love for nature, so it figures that he is more or less reluctant to progress and machines, and it really shows in his works. That's an aspect of his literature that, depite being called old-fashioned or too conservative, still makes it relevant in today's world.

I would say even more relevant today than before, now that more people tend to realize how precious certain things are.

I don't think Tolkien would have been against progress in general but the words of Gandalf to Saruman seem to sum it up perfectly: "He who breaks a thing…"

And yes, this post has been totally derailed but it has been one of the better ones, I feel. It is good to see many Tolkien enthusiasts here.

i will say do not weep. For not all derailings are an evil.

This has been good reading as a Silmarillion fan

Yes, subcreation can easily lead to evil. It indeed matters with what purpose you create. As Raven1015 said, it was really importamnt that Aule offered to destroy the Dwarves himself, because that showed humility and that is why Eru didn't destroy them after all. Feanor was a subcreator and created things which he became proud od and possessive. This eventually led to his death and a lot of worse things. Celebrimbor on the opposite didn't create to posses. He wanted to create just to create and to buy Galadriels love maybe or at least create something beautiful for him. The endgoal was way different the. sauron had for his Ring.

Yes, I loved the part of the Druadain. Ever since I met Ghan in LotR I want him as ally/hero and some normal wose allies. The story of Cirion and Eorl and the part about the memorial stone of Elendil is also really cool.

Oh, I totally forgot about him actually, Ghan-buri-Ghan, not as a character in the books, but as a potential ally for the saga. However, I feel box V may already be too heavy with candidates. Still, I would love to get Woses as allies -- and Ghan as a hero in the future. I was very intrigued by their culture.

Oh man, Wose allies would be *so great*!

Time to end speculations, Escape from Mount Gram is shipping now!

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/upcoming/

Exciting! Looks like we are in the period where they come out one after another woo! Can't wait for some more spoilers for Mount Gram. The few player cards we have seen glimpses of have a lot of potential and the quest itself sounds really fun and flavoursome.

If history repeats itself, we should see spoilers up on CardGame DB maybe next Tuesday. I think that is what happened for Wastes.

Yes, Tuesday it has been many times already, I feel. The Tuesday after it is known as shipping, with the original release date being that Thursday, I believe.

Lore hero. I am super excited about him. I hope it is Gildor Inglorion, one of my all-time favourite characters (it sounds weird from the couple of pages but it is true). And yes, encounter deck manipulation, please! I like it a lot. It would be great if it somehow works with hero Denethor as well.

I don't want to derail the thread or anything, but I think it's funny how we get so attached to these characters that have basically no role in the books. For me, it's DEFINITELY Rumil and Orophin, but particularly Orophin. I was excited out of my mind when we got a player card of him!

For me it's Cirdan. I've never been able to figure out why, but he's one of my favourite characters.

For me it is Cirdan - cause I think of him like someone who has witnessed everything, he is strong enough to oppose everything, but like all the wise people he stays in his corner waiting for the big need - , then Gildor - cause he is a mystery - and above all Glorfindel ... because he slew the Balrog

It may seem strange to say that the character I'm attached to is the dead Haradrim soldier remarked on by Faramir, perhaps curious is a better word. Either way, the point is that I've always been fascinated about the Haradrim and Easterlings both and would have loved to read more about them.

Although in the case of that particular scene, the mystery about them is what lends the gravity to Faramir's words.

I'm also really fascinated what drove them. What happens beyond the borders of the 'known' world? How are they capable of capturing and sortof taming Oliphaunts?

Agree 100%! I can't wait to go south-easth in a future cycle!

It may seem strange to say that the character I'm attached to is the dead Haradrim soldier remarked on by Faramir, perhaps curious is a better word. Either way, the point is that I've always been fascinated about the Haradrim and Easterlings both and would have loved to read more about them.

Although in the case of that particular scene, the mystery about them is what lends the gravity to Faramir's words.

I think that it is a case that "better to save the mystery", thats why so little are known ... I believe that they were intended to resemble African or Asian tribes of the Ancient, who seemed savage but also were thought to have a culture of their own, maybe a bit extreme culture but generally uknown to other people.

It is like a land of Mystery. like the Tuareg Sahara or something

It may seem strange to say that the character I'm attached to is the dead Haradrim soldier remarked on by Faramir, perhaps curious is a better word. Either way, the point is that I've always been fascinated about the Haradrim and Easterlings both and would have loved to read more about them.

Although in the case of that particular scene, the mystery about them is what lends the gravity to Faramir's words.

In the book, it is Sam who talks about him. And the passage became one of the classics to me right away. Very well done in the movie as well.

Tolkien's experience with war played a part here, obviously, how could it not. Empathy prevailed -- which is not that obvious, of course.

Ah yes, it was Sam indeed, I had the movie scene in my head. Although I think it is equally fitting given Faramir's character for him to say the words as well.

I think it's definitely a moment when you can see Tolkien's experiences shining through. It really stands out though, because for the most part, the Harad and Easterlings are otherwise a faceless and monolithic enemy, but that one moment gives them some humanity. I think the mystery about them works well for the story and also fits in with the world that has been depicted, a pre-modern world where you wouldn't necessarily know much at all about these people from a far off land.

From the perspective of someone who wants to know more about everything in Tolkien's world, I'd like to know more.

For sure. The Easterlings, Haradrim, Variags, and the Pirates of Umbar are all very fascinating to me. We get so little information on them in the books, other then war scenes and such. But their culture and motives aren't mentioned at all. And it would be so amazing to see how Tolkien imagined them in his mind. This is also what drives me to know more about the Blue Wizards, because obviously they had something to do with the Easterlings. And like Tolkien says, they could have fallen and become leaders of the enemy, or they could have succeeded somewhat and stopped many more foes from arriving to aid Mordor. Of course, I like to think the latter, but I guess we will never know.

Also, if we ever get to go to the east, there would be so many scenario possibilities. The heroes helping to stop evil Blue Wizards, helping the Blue Wizards stop the Easterlings, helping the wizards by trying to get the Dwarves from the Orocarni mountain range to help in the fight against Sauron, etc.

I think Gandalf wanted to ask for the Blue Wizards help. So one cycle could be go to the South for them, despite heroes didnt fount them. Could be a good cycle.

It is speculated (or rather more than that) that it was indeed the task of the Blue Wizzards to gather allies from the Southern and Eastern lands (especially Eastern, I believe). In which they most likely failed, and later might have even started cults (not unlike Sauron's or Saruman's).

Of the four mentioned above, I think we know least about the Variags of Khand.

Maybe not to gather allies. Maybe to persuade that Sauron is not that great a people should not listen to his lies and promises. Maybe without Blue Wizards attacks on Dale and Erebor and Even Gondor would have many more Easterlings. Maybe they persuaded some of the tribe leaders not to follow Sauron. Just maybe...it is how I see them.

Maybe. But I think Tolkien seemed to indicate (whether that be considered canon or not) that they have failed.

Tolkien's view on the Blue wizards changed during his life. His early writing mention that they most probably failed, but later writings color them in a more positive light:

Their task was to circumvent Sauron: to bring help to the few tribes of Men that had rebelled from Melkor-worship, to stir up rebellion ... and after his first fall to search out his hiding (in which they failed) and to cause [?dissension and disarray] among the dark East ... They must have had very great influence on the history of the Second Age and Third Age in weakening and disarraying the forces of East ... who would both in the Second Age and Third Age otherwise have ... outnumbered the West.
—J.R.R. Tolkien

From Tolkien Gateway.

It seems they did help a bit after all. In fact a few weeks ago I was planning on creating a deluxe box for my Blue Wizards custom cards, and it was about starting a rebellion and overthrowing an evil leader of Harad and replacing him by the rightful king who was not allied to Sauron (represented by an objective ally). I had already many pieces of art and was about to design the quests but got lazy in the process. We'll probably see Harad the next cycle anyway.

Just to clarify.... They went to the East, right? I've seen some mentions of them being in Harad, but that's the South.

Well, Harad, even Near Harad, are very eastern as well as southern Harad lies further east than Mordor, so it makes sense to group them altogether as nations of the east.