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Role-Players of The Order! Hear ye! Hear ye!
By the authority of Tur Casandir Amdirim and Officer Oweyn Theowar,
I suggest to you now the following role-play guidelines for the Order of the Tower Guard.

Introduction:
These guidelines are meant for those in our kinship who wish to role-play whether it be at kinship meetings, special role-play events, or at chance meetings in the "Wilderlands".

The Order of the Tower Guard is a medium level role-play kinship. As such the Order does not expect you to role-play your character, however you are asked by your kinship to respect those who do.

Kinship Meetings and Role-play: Generally at kinship meetings there may be some role-play, however you may speak OOC (Out Of Character) at these meetings also, as it is most important that you feel free to speak up at the kinship meetings. We ask that as a non-role-player that you please be patient and respect the role-play process if you find it exercised at the kinship meetings.
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The Guidelines (standards):
Each of these standards are presented in hierarchical relation to the others. They are to apply to role-players within our kinship. They are for us as role-playing members of the kinship to follow so as to respect those that role-play with us: our comrades, our kinsmen, our Allies, and all the free peoples of Tolkien's great Middle Earth! And also and not the least, to respect the Professor himself! Please use them when writing your character's background and when role-playing with other kinship members and other role-players in general.

The 4 Standards of Character Background Creation and Role-play:

I) Tolkien's Lore: defined as: Tolkien's writings, his WORLD. All RP in this setting (LOTRO) must of course fit in to Tolkien's Lore. This is not too difficult: no rocket-ships, laser-guns etc.

If our character backgrounds and role-play are faithful to our own interpretation of Tolkien's world, and how our race and class and nationality of character would act within his world, it should be enough. Individuals are be encouraged to provide "advice" to peers that they find are writing "outside" of Tolkien's world. All OOTTG role-players participating should read Tolkien's relevant works or please consult with those who have.

II) OOTTG Lore: defined as: all RP that involves OOTTG: its history, what it stands for, what its duty and goals are, its future (as known to us according to the eventual outcome of Tolkien's Lore). Casandir and her officers and other contributors are endeavouring to present a constantly updated and clearly defined post of OOTTG Lore on the forum. Please use the OOTTG Lore as your guide where your own character's background comes in contact it. Casandir and his staff are endeavouring to respect Tolkien's Lore. Please consult Casandir, the Lore-Master of our OOTTG Lore with any questions you may have. (October 21/2010 Edit: Please seek out and read the tomes of lore of the Heren Ecthelion which have begun to be accumulated and held within these very forums. They are a guide to the lore and history of the Order of the Tower Guard and will explain the Order's historical beginnings and purpose of import.)

III) The Individual Character's Background: defined as: back-story, bio. The farther removed from OOTTG Lore the background writing or role-playing subject is, the more license the player has to his own imagination in presenting his character. The closer such writing or live role-playing comes to the core of the OOTTG Lore the more that imagination must become respectful and flexible to that of the collective kinship. It is also very important to respect the character backgrounds created by other players. If your character's background story references a character owned by another player, please consult that player and gain their approval of the part which references their character.

An example: Tinda has come from Lorien watched his father Palandhir take to white ship and depart forever into as he puts it: "the far fair West". That background lore is well within the artistic realm of the player who presents Tinda to Tolkien's World. As Tinda draws nearer to the OOTTG and interacts with Casandir, Oweyn, Minbur, Saedir, and all participating role-players of the Order, the presenting player must respect the OOTTG collective Lore that is established for all members of the kinship. Where a conflict arises, the OOTTG Lore of the kinship must be held paramount.

IV) Alliance Lore: to be respected and honoured as long as it does not contradict Tolkien's or OOTTG Lore.
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Conclusion:
It is one thing to write storied lore and honour the standards set-out above, it is quite another to honour those standards "on-the-fly" in live RP. I think that many will agree that while written role-play lore: (charter's background, histories, stories, reports, etc.) may be the firm ground on which to stand; live role-play is the living entity, the real-deal, the adventure, the fun that is role-play.

Mistakes in submissions will be made from time to time causing lore conflicts, but these can be edited out. Tolkien himself made many and sometimes major changes to his works as he progressed. Let us try to get it right at the first submission or first role-play emote-speak, but forgive those, including ourselves, when we do not!

Remember: Let us not "rule-out" the fun:

As to written role-play lore: let that which we write be appreciated and gently scrutinized.

As to live role-play (emote-speak, adventures, etc.): let that which we speak be appreciated and forgiven! One might well conclude that silence is golden in place of spoken ignorance. But we are amongst friends, so speak and speak on! An argument over lore can be role-played too! Any role-played "emote-a-statement" can be challenged in role-play and don't forget to attach an OOC Tell to explain the challenge! It is all part of the experience. Our storied lore experience. We are actors upon a stage working together as a cast of characters.

Tolkien has provided us with such a vast setting and powerful story to which we may respectfully attach our own. When reading his great work, one feels the great distances and depths that exist all around the Fellowship of the Ring as they move forward into the Shadow. It is in these distances and depths that we may dwell and live, or perhaps die, valiantly.