OOC; Profile
[series]: Lord of the Rings (Book-verse!)
[character]: Frodo Baggins
[date of birth]: September 22, 2968
[names]: Maura Labingi, the Ring-bearer, Frodo of the Nine Fingers, Bronwe athan Harthad, Daur, Iorhael, Deputy Mayor, Master of Bag End
[family]: Primula Brandybuck (mother), Drogo Baggins (father), Bilbo Baggins (first and second cousin once removed), Pippin (second and third cousin once removed), Merry (first, second and third cousin once removed)
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: After the Scouring of the Shire, year 3020, S.R. 1420
[character history / background]: here at the Thain's Book
[character abilities]: Aside from common survival skills, Frodo is not a fighter at all. He may be foolishly courageous at times, standing up to enemies he could not possibly defeat, but he still would hardly win over them. He is stout enough to withstand physical and mental strains far longer than most humans can, and he possesses the quickness of feet and hiding skills of Hobbits. Frodo is very learned, able to even speak phrases in Elvish, and he is always thirsty for more things to learn. He is also good enough at writing, having been Bilbo's assistant at times, and he works persistently. It is quite evident that he holds a quiet authority over the other Hobbits.
[character personality]: Frodo is a common enough Hobbit aside from him being learned now in the ways of other races. He is wiser than most Hobbits, but he loves pipeweed, mushrooms, ale, lots of good food and good company just as well. He was a rascal in childhood, and he grew into a perky enough fellow. Even now, after the great journey he took, he still had an outward cheerfulness about him, covering most of the pain he still bears. Yet for those who knew him better, like Sam and Gandalf, he seemed almost translucent with a faint light shining from within him, his face finely chiseled. He is older now, and much wiser.
There is a Greek word called hupomone, patience, which describes Frodo better than any other words. More than patience, it also means endurance, steadfastness, constancy, perseverance. Despite all odds, he endures the burden he chose to carry and perseveres in his journey to destroy it. He has steadfastly believes in the good of the world that makes his efforts worth it, even if he always knew it would take his life. He also believes in Sam's loyalty, knowing his friend will never leave him. Frodo constantly rejects the Ring, so much so that one side of him completely despises it while the other desires it. His hope may falter but not his perseverance. After all, he was called Bronwe athan Harthad, Endurance beyond hope.
Frodo possesses a cheerful endurance. His quest may be bitter perseverance with no promise of reward, but he chose it and bears it to the end, questioning fate's choice but always moving forward. He never once thinks himself an innocent undeserving of such suffering, but one appointed with a life that he simply must live as best as he could. Once he described to Sam how it felt:
"No taste of food, no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower, no image of moon or star are left to me"
But it is not for pity that he said this, he was merely stating the horror of the Ring. The fragrance of a rose can be extracted only by crushing its petals --just like how good people suffer so that others may be blessed.
The Shire was saved but not for him. While others may reel from such an injustice, Frodo doesn't. He knows instead that it was the true cost he had to pay, losing the Shire so that others may keep it. He endures this patiently, with a smile on his face, even when old wounds keep coming back. He would never call himself a hero, knowing he had in truth failed his journey, and this knowledge gnaws at him more than the wounds. He has a new found love for mercy, for it was probably his mercy for Gollum that saved himself in the end. Yet the Ring has wounded him deeper than that, it has made him desire it so much that its loss leaves a gaping hole in him:
"it is gone forever, and now all is dark and empty."
Frodo knows, though he still tries to deny it, that there can be no healing, no rest for him in Middle Earth.
[third person / log sample]:
For some more time now, Frodo will have people shouting "the Ringbearer!" and falling to their knees in reverence. Men crawl on their knees to him, offering the most precious gifts that they can afford; choice meats, fine leathers, jewels, the first rose of spring, and, having heard rumors about the nature of Halflings, pipeweed and mushrooms. He takes the flowers, and the pipeweed and mushrooms for Sam and Merry and Pippin, but refuses to take the rest. They will insist, as politely as they can, but he will not give way.
They recognize him by his height, of course, and the mess of brown hair they noted during the King's coronation, but more than anything they recognize him by the stump on his finger. Merry joked that he ought to wear padded gloves to hide it, if he wants to walk around the White City in peace. Frodo thought it was an idea, but he never took it. They might think him proud for refusing to cover the symbol of his sacrifice, but it is not for thirst of praise, but for punishment for himself. Surely they know that the stump is no symbol of victory, but of defeat. Had he succeeded in his quest, he would return whole, albeit weary.
The full story of his journey and his failure at Sammath Naur is known by all, he never made any effort to conceal it. Why, then, do they still regard him a hero? Gollum, the despicable creature consumed by his own desire for the Ring, is the true hero. Without him, the world will now be in darkness. Frodo shudders at the image of the Ring on his own finger, ruling Middle Earth with hatred for all things living. Yet even now, he still longs for it. He will give up his very breath if it means a moment of the touch of metal against his fingers. Can there now be no joy left for him in Middle Earth?
Frodo sees the world as dulled, like living through a dream. Wakefulness has passed for him and all he sees now are but shadows of what they had once been. He, too, is a shadow of himself. Sometimes, he sees Sam or Gandalf, or Aragorn, glancing his way, and sorrow will cloud their eyes before they break into a knowing smile. Pitying smile. They see that he has not yet healed.
His cousins do not see, and for that he is glad. If nothing else, it is a moment of respite from admiration and pity. He can be the good ol' Frodo, perky and full of smiles, a bit too naive for his own good. Sometimes he can almost believe nothing has changed, though he knows it is untrue. Everything has changed under the surface, even Sam. He thinks his master do not see, but he is beginning to be torn between Frodo and his beloved Rosie.
[character]: Frodo Baggins
[date of birth]: September 22, 2968
[names]: Maura Labingi, the Ring-bearer, Frodo of the Nine Fingers, Bronwe athan Harthad, Daur, Iorhael, Deputy Mayor, Master of Bag End
[family]: Primula Brandybuck (mother), Drogo Baggins (father), Bilbo Baggins (first and second cousin once removed), Pippin (second and third cousin once removed), Merry (first, second and third cousin once removed)
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: After the Scouring of the Shire, year 3020, S.R. 1420
[character history / background]: here at the Thain's Book
[character abilities]: Aside from common survival skills, Frodo is not a fighter at all. He may be foolishly courageous at times, standing up to enemies he could not possibly defeat, but he still would hardly win over them. He is stout enough to withstand physical and mental strains far longer than most humans can, and he possesses the quickness of feet and hiding skills of Hobbits. Frodo is very learned, able to even speak phrases in Elvish, and he is always thirsty for more things to learn. He is also good enough at writing, having been Bilbo's assistant at times, and he works persistently. It is quite evident that he holds a quiet authority over the other Hobbits.
[character personality]: Frodo is a common enough Hobbit aside from him being learned now in the ways of other races. He is wiser than most Hobbits, but he loves pipeweed, mushrooms, ale, lots of good food and good company just as well. He was a rascal in childhood, and he grew into a perky enough fellow. Even now, after the great journey he took, he still had an outward cheerfulness about him, covering most of the pain he still bears. Yet for those who knew him better, like Sam and Gandalf, he seemed almost translucent with a faint light shining from within him, his face finely chiseled. He is older now, and much wiser.
There is a Greek word called hupomone, patience, which describes Frodo better than any other words. More than patience, it also means endurance, steadfastness, constancy, perseverance. Despite all odds, he endures the burden he chose to carry and perseveres in his journey to destroy it. He has steadfastly believes in the good of the world that makes his efforts worth it, even if he always knew it would take his life. He also believes in Sam's loyalty, knowing his friend will never leave him. Frodo constantly rejects the Ring, so much so that one side of him completely despises it while the other desires it. His hope may falter but not his perseverance. After all, he was called Bronwe athan Harthad, Endurance beyond hope.
Frodo possesses a cheerful endurance. His quest may be bitter perseverance with no promise of reward, but he chose it and bears it to the end, questioning fate's choice but always moving forward. He never once thinks himself an innocent undeserving of such suffering, but one appointed with a life that he simply must live as best as he could. Once he described to Sam how it felt:
"No taste of food, no feel of water, no sound of wind, no memory of tree or grass or flower, no image of moon or star are left to me"
But it is not for pity that he said this, he was merely stating the horror of the Ring. The fragrance of a rose can be extracted only by crushing its petals --just like how good people suffer so that others may be blessed.
The Shire was saved but not for him. While others may reel from such an injustice, Frodo doesn't. He knows instead that it was the true cost he had to pay, losing the Shire so that others may keep it. He endures this patiently, with a smile on his face, even when old wounds keep coming back. He would never call himself a hero, knowing he had in truth failed his journey, and this knowledge gnaws at him more than the wounds. He has a new found love for mercy, for it was probably his mercy for Gollum that saved himself in the end. Yet the Ring has wounded him deeper than that, it has made him desire it so much that its loss leaves a gaping hole in him:
"it is gone forever, and now all is dark and empty."
Frodo knows, though he still tries to deny it, that there can be no healing, no rest for him in Middle Earth.
[third person / log sample]:
For some more time now, Frodo will have people shouting "the Ringbearer!" and falling to their knees in reverence. Men crawl on their knees to him, offering the most precious gifts that they can afford; choice meats, fine leathers, jewels, the first rose of spring, and, having heard rumors about the nature of Halflings, pipeweed and mushrooms. He takes the flowers, and the pipeweed and mushrooms for Sam and Merry and Pippin, but refuses to take the rest. They will insist, as politely as they can, but he will not give way.
They recognize him by his height, of course, and the mess of brown hair they noted during the King's coronation, but more than anything they recognize him by the stump on his finger. Merry joked that he ought to wear padded gloves to hide it, if he wants to walk around the White City in peace. Frodo thought it was an idea, but he never took it. They might think him proud for refusing to cover the symbol of his sacrifice, but it is not for thirst of praise, but for punishment for himself. Surely they know that the stump is no symbol of victory, but of defeat. Had he succeeded in his quest, he would return whole, albeit weary.
The full story of his journey and his failure at Sammath Naur is known by all, he never made any effort to conceal it. Why, then, do they still regard him a hero? Gollum, the despicable creature consumed by his own desire for the Ring, is the true hero. Without him, the world will now be in darkness. Frodo shudders at the image of the Ring on his own finger, ruling Middle Earth with hatred for all things living. Yet even now, he still longs for it. He will give up his very breath if it means a moment of the touch of metal against his fingers. Can there now be no joy left for him in Middle Earth?
Frodo sees the world as dulled, like living through a dream. Wakefulness has passed for him and all he sees now are but shadows of what they had once been. He, too, is a shadow of himself. Sometimes, he sees Sam or Gandalf, or Aragorn, glancing his way, and sorrow will cloud their eyes before they break into a knowing smile. Pitying smile. They see that he has not yet healed.
His cousins do not see, and for that he is glad. If nothing else, it is a moment of respite from admiration and pity. He can be the good ol' Frodo, perky and full of smiles, a bit too naive for his own good. Sometimes he can almost believe nothing has changed, though he knows it is untrue. Everything has changed under the surface, even Sam. He thinks his master do not see, but he is beginning to be torn between Frodo and his beloved Rosie.