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I'm new and confused. Where do I go and what do I do?
What name should I choose? Can I still change it afterwards?
Can I change my password or email address once I've joined?
How do I join a Region, and which is the best one for me?
What are Fanatic Points and how can I earn them?
I can't enter the Derndingle of Mystery/Supporting Member forum. Why?
How do I activate and edit my signature?
What are plaza credits and how are they used?
How do you use the Battle Arena?
I've forgotten where the thread is I posted in. What should I do?
How do I add a picture or link to my post?
How do I report a misbehaving member?
People keep using acronyms like R/A/M that I don't understand. What do they mean?
First of all, you're in the right place! Reading through the information on this page will help you to understand a lot of the plaza, and hopefully help you enjoy yourself here. Also, be sure to read the Role-Playing FAQs for help with creating a character and other role-playing issues.
Another good place to check out is the Newbies and Introductions, where there are welcome forums, places where you can ask questions and make friends, and even recruitment threads for each kingdom, so you can recieve a bit of help choosing which icon you would like.
As well as this, most Region forums have their own Newbie help threads, normally found at the top of each forum called something like 'Visitors and Newbies'. These are great places to post to get help finding your way around a Region you have chosen to visit, and advice with threads and roleplaying.
Try to think about something that goes accordingly with your race. Don't use a dwarf name if you intend to be an elf! That will work only if you have a very good story to back it up. When choosing a name, try to be original. Names like Arwen234, Legolaslover or Frodo67 are very common. It is not wrong to choose such a name, but you will find that as you progress on plaza, your name will be lacking something.
You can change your username whenever you like, by clicking on the Member Control Panel and then “Change Username”. Each time you change your username, the cost of changing it again goes up by 10 points. Therefore the first change is free, the second costs 10 points, the third costs 20, and so on.
You are advised not to use your own personal name for a username.
You can change your password or email address through the Member Control Panel, at the top left of every forum page. Within this, click 'Edit Profile' and you will find options for your email address and password.
You should make sure your account always has a valid email account attached, as the Admins will use this email to contact you about account-related issues off-plaza. It is also important that you guard your plaza password, as sharing your account is against the plaza rules and may get you into trouble.
Its a website run by fans of Tolkien for fans of Tolkien. It contains a whole range of activities to get involved in, and you are sure to find something that you enjoy. Take a look at the break down below to find out more:
The forums:
- Discussion Forums
- Out of Middle-earth Forums
- Roleplaying in Middle-earth Forums
- LOTR Network Issues
The discussion forums are a great place for Tolkien Enthusiasts to discuss their passion with other like-minded people. There are a wide-range of areas and topics covered here on the plaza, so be sure to have a read through the descriptions below. Please also remember: everyone should be courteous and respectful to other members and Ad hominem (Latin for "at the person") arguments are not tolerated.
- Basic Lore
For the questions about Tolkiens tales that you’ve always wanted to have answered. If you want to know what Gnomes are, or whether Elves can be reborn, this is the place to ask. It is assumed here that you have read all of the Lord of the Rings, and probably at least the Silmarillion, so there will be spoilers. You are advised to read through several pages first to see if your question has already been asked and answered. You are also advised not to ask these questions: - Do Balrogs have wings? - Who is Tom Bombadil? These questions will surely cause a fit. Both questions have been discussed in great detail in the Advanced Lore forum. - Advanced Lore
This forum is for the more tricky Lore questions. You are not allowed to start a thread here unless you have special permission from the Admins overlooking the forum. The questions asked here are products of deep thought and much resource. Make sure you’re well read on Tolkien if you venture in here, for the discussions taking place are very detailed. - Middle-earth People & Races
Any questions about the various peoples who populate Middle-earth, their customs, and languages. Questions about the differences between Elves, how many meals a day Hobbits have or whether Rohan, Minas Tirith, and the Shire all had a common language are welcome here. - Middle-earth Locations
Locations are for discussion of the various places within Middle-earth - such as the Shire, Rivendell, Minas Tirith, or Mordor. - Middle-earth Languages
Discussions about the various Languages developed by J.R.R. Tolkien and spoken in Middle-earth. - The Books
The Books forum is for discussions of, and comparisons of, the various books, whether detailed or simply debating which is the best. - Children of Húrin
This forum is meant solely for discussions on the Master’s latest epic tale, put together by his son from his many writings. - Tolkien – The Man
We are all familiar with the tales of Middle-earth that Tolkien has shared with the world, but what about the author himself? In here you can discover more about the Man behind the Books. - Scholars Forum
The LotRPlaza is blessed to have the priviledge of many renowned Tolkien scholars sharing their different views on Tolkien’s world with us. Their intriguing essays can be read here. - Lotr Library
The Library is an ambitious project to collect as many information on Tolkien’s world as we can, to create the biggest and most detailed work of reference on everything Tolkien that can be found on the internet. This forum is dedicated to building this, and everyone is welcome to help. - The Movies
Any thoughts you have on Peter Jackson’s work of making the books into movies can be shared here. - Cottage of Lost Play
The Cottage is the place for all outbursts of creativity that is not roleplaying. Here you will find breathtaking art, intriguing pieces of poetry and wonderful stories, both fan and original fiction. You might even chance upon a song! If you have creative juices, you can let them flow here. - Roleplaying with Lore
Ever wondered if the character your roleplaying actually fits into the world as you thought he did, or whether it is feasible to come across Ents in Gondor? Any doubts you have while writing a roleplaying post, you can get them cleared away here; the knowledgeable will help you find the answer to your queries.
Here you will find a few forums that don't fit within the world of discussion or role-play.
- Out of Middle-earth
Out of Middle-earth should be used for absolutely anything you would like to talk about that isn't related to Middle-earth. Although for your own safety we would suggest that comments about Orlando Other books, films, role-playing games, weather, all can find a home here. - Newbies and Introductions
'Newbies' should make their way to 'Newbies and Introductions'. Here you can introduce yourself, and also ask for help with anything on the site you don't understand. - Legolas Love Letters
The Legolas Love Letters were created to have a place for all the random outbursts of fandom for certain characters from Middle-earth. They are named after Legolas, the character that seems to have spawned the biggest fandom. But the Letters are also used by fans of all the other characters as well as a few different fandoms, such as Jack Sparrow or Harry Potter. Member Fanclubs can be found here as well. - Battle Arena Forum
The Battle Arena Forum is the place where you can challenge people to a fight or discuss battles from the past. - Scene and Heard
Scene and Heard is a forum celebrating those plaza members who search each other out offline, with plans for meets, pictures, and chats about what goes on.
The Roleplaying in Middle-earth fora are a place for you to role-play within the world of Middle-earth. Set in the third age around 3014 (between the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings), it has a wide range of places to explore. All of the famous places are here, from the Shire to Mordor, and by developing your own character, you can step into the roleplay world and taste what it is like to live in Middle-earth.
The Roleplay in Middle-earth fora are divided into four Regions, each encompassing several Areas within that we know and love, such as Rivendell or Gondor.
- Eriador
The North of Middle-earth, encompassing the lands between the Misty Mountains and the Endless Sea, between Forochel and Lond Daer. The available areas in this region are:- Rivendell
The Last Homely House of Elrond, this is the Hidden Valley, where Elves find their home. Here you will find wisdom and lore, as well as the Houses of Healing. - The Lone Lands
The desolate lands between Rivendell and Bree. If you travel these parts, beware! Trolls and bandits may trouble you in passing, and the marshes are treacherous lands. - Bree
This town on the edge of civilization has the reputation of being a little dark and gloomy, but there is cheer to be found in the Prancing Pony. Men share the town and surrounding countryside with hobbits. - Buckland and the Old Forest
These two lands are seperated by the Hedge, but the adventurous brave the gloom of the woods to look for excitement. You might even run into Tom Bombadil. Buckland is the land of the Brandybucks, and Brandy Hall is a cosy place. - The Four Farthings
Across the Brandywine lies the Four Farthings, or the Shire as it is more commonly known. This is a land of sunshine, gardening, cheer, six meals a day (not counting various in-between snacks) and as much ale and pipeweed as a hobbit can want! - Lindon
Lindon is the land between the Blue Mountains and the sea. Its capital is Mithlond, or the Grey Havens, where Elven ships take those weary of Middle-earth West. Lindon’s Elves are lovers of the sea, and closely connected to it.
- Rivendell
- Western Mountains
All the Lands between Dunland and the White Mountains, the Western Mountains region contains the land of the Horselords, as well as that of the Ents and Wizards.- Isengard
Situated in the southern crook of the Misty Mountains, Isengard is the home of the tower of Orthanc, where Saruman lives as head of the White Council. - Edoras
The capital of Rohan, home of the Horse-lords. Daily life in the capital is exciting and ever-changing. - Easteanmearc
The eastern part of Rohan, with great sprawling green fields where the herds of horses roam, and wild woods that offer up mysteries to explore. - Westeanmearc
The western part of Rohan, with many homesteads and farms of the Rohirrim, and bordering both Isengard and Fangorn. - Fangorn
The Entwood, an ancient forest where the Ents herd the trees and the forest is bustling with life. - Moria
This is a special area, mainly targetting the unique situation of a battleground where goblins run amock, combined with the ever present danger of the Balrog…
- Isengard
- Wilderland
Wilderland are the lands east of the Misty Mountains, dominated by the Great Greenwood, now more commonly known as Mirkwood. It is home to Dwarves and Humans as well as Elves, and the occasional spider as well.- Lothlórien
The Golden Wood, where the mysterious Galadriel reigns. The Galadhrim are a private people, and few have pierced the mysteries of its borders. Curious? Take a look, if you dare. - Mirkwood
Home of the Silvan Elves under the guidance of King Thranduil and his son, Legolas. These Elves are not wanting for joy even if they live in a dark wood, and the occasional spider attack will not faze them. - Dale
This human town lies in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain and is flourishing once again after the death of the Dragon. It is ruled by Brand, the grandson of Bard the Bowman. - Lonely Mountain
The Lonely Mountain of the Dwarves. After Thorin and Company, with a little help from a certain hobbit and Bard the Bowman, managed to defeat the Dragon, Erebor was once again inhabitated by dwarves, who flourished there under the rule of Dain II Ironfoot.
- Lothlórien
- Shadowed Lands
The southern lands of Middle-earth, and the most interesting contrast. Light and dark, white and black. These lands are in ever-present war, and it shoes.- Mordor
The Black Land, home of Sauron, the Dark Power. It his home to many evil creatures, from the frightening Nazgûl to the lowliest Snaga. Expect no kindness here; you will not find it. - Umbar
Home of the Corsairs, the pirates of Middle-earth. They have a never abating hatred of all that is Gondor, and often sail to plunder Gondor’s coasts. - Ithilien
The disputed lands between the Anduin and the Ephel Dúath, where Faramir and his Rangers try desperately to clear the lands from Mordor’s influence. - Minas Tirith
The capital of Gondor, the White City, where Denethor reigns as Steward. It is a city under the constant awareness of war, and loyalty and steadfastness are welcome traits for those who live here. - Dol Amroth
The city of that takes its name from the Elven prince Amroth, where it is said that in some of its inhabitants flows Elven blood. It is the home of Prince Imrahil.
- Mordor
- Derndingle of Mystery
The Derndingle of Mystery, or DoM, is as the title suggests a mystery. It is a roleplaying project that spans across the plaza, and where it leads, nobody knows... If you want access, learn how elsewhere in this FAQ.
- Administrator Messages
Important messages for and by the Administrators. Check this forum regularly to make sure you are up to date with the latests changes developement. - Inter-Regional Leagues and Planning
The Regions have competitions amongst one another, such as Racing, Drill, Word Sleuth and Debate. These competitions are planned here. Each Region also has a private subforum here to plan amongst themselves. - Lotr Site, Shop and Plaza Related
Discuss any of the Sites in the Lord of the Rings Fanatics Network. This is also the place for the Plaza Families to have their Family threads. - Abuse and Spammers
Use this forum to report Member's bad behaviour. The Forum itself contains the procedure to report a spammer use it to guarantee the swiftest handling. - RPG and other games
This is the forum to start any and all RPGs that do not take place in Middle-earth. You can also start a game here; the rules for this can be found in the forum. - Public Relations
The Strategic Plan has been formed to make sure the Plaza will continue to exist in the future. This forum coordinates this effort. - Supporting Member Forum (Private)
Only accessible for those who support the Plaza through monetary donations, this forum is for them to discuss matters unknown to the rest of the plaza. - Valinor (Private)
The private forum for all Valinorians. This forum is only accessible to the Administrators, Rulers, Librarian and Cottage Maiar. It is the place for them to discuss Plaza matters in a private surrounding.Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How do I join a Region, and which is the best one for me? Joining a Region is easy. Once you have 20 fanatic points, you can go to the career centre and click the ‘Join a Region’ button. This will take you to a list of options, and you pick the one you want, press enter, and earn your shiny new icon and rank.
NB. Along with chosing your Region, you also have to chose which Area you wish to belong to. The Regions and their Areas are listed above.
If you ever want to change Region again, just go back to the career centre and click ‘Change Power’ at the bottom. This will cost you 50 fanatic points, but if you really want that new icon and a new Region allegiance, its well worth it. Changing Areas within the same Region can be done without cost. For Example, you can change from being a member of Minas Tirith to a member of Dol Amroth without penalty.
Choosing which kingdom you want to join is much harder. Everyone loves their own kingdom, and thinks theirs is the best. The truth is, each one has a different character and style, and you may have to do a bit of investigative work beforehand. For some people, its an easy choice, they’ve always loved horses so choose Rohan, they have a dark-side they’d love to develop, so Mordor is an easy choice. A few kingdoms are known for other things: Minas Tirith for its base in canon role-play, Isengard for its silliness and games. The best place to go is the kindom recruitment threads in Newbies and Introductions, where members from each kingdom are there to help you choose and make you feel welcome.
In the end, only you can choose your kingdom. Try and find a place that feels like home, that you enjoy and have fun in. And don’t be worried about getting it wrong first time, lots of members will change two or three times before they settle, and changing kingdom can even be a fun way of making new friends and trying new things.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What are Fanatic Points and how can I earn them? Fanatic Points are used to measure one’s progress on the plaza. Each member can earn Fanatic Points during their membership and thus achieve higher Ranks. How to earn Fanatic Points and information on the Ranks will be explained in detail further in this FAQ.
These are the common ways to earn Fanatic Points:
- Post Messages
By posting messages on the Lord of the Rings Fanatics Forums, you will earn either 1 or 2 Fanatic Points per message posted, depending on which Forum you are posting in. To earn points your message has to be longer than 200 characters and in a Forum where Points are given. On the default Forum page you can see which Forums earn you points when posting. Beware however: Administrators are watching and spamming the forums will result in Points Deductions, Temporary Suspension or even Banning from the Plaza. - The Halls of Knowledge
The Fanatics Plaza features a couple of Halls of Knowledge in which you can earn Fanatic Points by answering questions correctly. Though beware, every test can only be taken once so make sure you have a good knowledge about the world of Tolkien before taking each test. - Tribute
All members that are part of a Plaza Kingdom are eligible for Tribute. Each Kingdom Ruler has a specific number of points that he/she can distribute amongst his/her subjects weekly. It is up to the Rulers to decide which members are to receive tribute, and if so how much. In practice Tribute is often given for writing a Kingdom Newspaper or for other Kingdom or Plaza services such as overlooking activities and making sure they run smoothly or writing up an excellent roleplay post. - Awards
The Plaza features a special for Prose, Poetry and Art and there are special Rulers (The Cottage Maiar) who can give members points as a reward for posting exceptional expressions of Fandom. - Contribute content to the Lord of the Rings Fanatics Library
Depending on the quality and quantity of the content the Administrators or the Librarian will credit you with a certain amount of Fanatic Points. In this way you are rewarded for adding material to the Library. - Special Actions
Sometimes the Administrator will throw in special actions that allow you to earn points. These could be contests Lore challenges or other actions in which you can participate. The Poetry Contests that are given occasionally in the Cottage of Lost Play are good examples, where the winners are rewarded a certain amount of points. - Salary
Members who obtain special ranks, them being Administrator, Ruler, Librarian and the Cottage Maiar receive a monthly symbolic salary for their efforts in the form of Fanatic Points.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What are Ranks? This Plaza works with a detailed Ranking System in which every member gets to choose a certain Middle-earth Region he/she wants to join and start a career in. Every new member starts as a "New Soul" with 0 Fanatic Points. As you acquire Fanatic Points and experience you might reach levels where you can promote yourself to a higher rank. Once you score 20 points you will first have to choose which Region of Middle-earth you wish to join. The Unique Positions, being Administrator, Ruler, Librarian or Cottage Maia are given to special members who have proven their worth over time. Appointments for these Ranks are made by the Valinor team. For an overview of the Ranks visit:
The Special Character Ranks, or SCR, are Awards given to Region members by their Rulers. They are awarded every month to members of a Kingdom that have been very active and/or did a lot of work for the Region. The Members who receive this honour earn a special icon that portrays the face of a book character, and have the privilege to be able to role-play with this character for a whole month. After that, the rank is given to the next deserving member. For example, one of the Elves in Wilderland could receive the Legolas icon for a month, while a hobbit can sport the face of Pippin around the plaza.
Receiving an SCR does not mean you earn the right to act in any way like a Ruler or Administrator. You will not receive special powers when you get the rank; you are still a normal member.
The Admin Tribute Ranks, or ATR, are Awards given to plaza members by the Administrators and Librarian. Just like the SCR, they are rewarded every month to members of the Plaza who are very active and/or did a lot of work for the plaza in general. They are generally given out to plaza members who are active in places outside the Kingdoms, mainly the Lore forums and the Cottage of Lost Play and Library.
Receiving an ATR does not mean you earn the right to act in any way like a Ruler or Administrator. You will not receive special powers when you get the rank; you are still a normal member.
Each of the Middle-earth Regions has up to four or five Unique Positions that can be considered as the rulers of that Region. Members who receive these positions are honoured as head of their Power and get Administrative Powers over their own Forum, the Subjects of their Region and the Region Pages (ReP, special web pages) of their Region. All members that belong to their Region automatically become their subjects. Unique positions are appointed by Valinor to those members they deem deserving of such honour and responsibility.
The Administrators are appointed as the Valar that aided Eru to take care of Middle Earth, which is more or less what they do in the plaza. Pay due respect when encountering one (except on battles) and ask them any question you may have concerning the working of the plaza. You may find some Admins are closer to one Region than the other, and questions regarding these Regions will sooner find an answer if you ask these admins.
Of the admins, there are two who hold another special position:
The Technical Administrator has direct access to the server and the power to make changes to the entire plaza.
The Financial Officer controls all the Plaza Finances. She overlooks the Support Membership program.The Rulers are the people holding the Unique Positions as mentioned in the Ranks section. They have administrative powers over their own Region Forum and over all their subjects. The rulers are those from the Region who Valinor deems most fit for this position of responsibility. The rulers are there to clear any doubt you may have and to enhance and contribute to the beauty of the kingdom. Share your ideas for the Region with them!
The Cottage Maiar are Unique Positions comparable to being the Ruler of the Cottage of Lost Play. They have all the administrative powers that Rulers have, and are able to award Fanatic Points to members who have written excellent Poetry or Prose, or portrayed good Art.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What is spam? Spamming is something that can be difficult to understand. Essentially, it means anything that doesn’t fit within a thread. Since each thread on the plaza is designed for a specific purpose (whether a role-playing game, a discussion thread or even a newbie help thread), then being sure you contribute to a thread in some way will make sure you aren’t spamming. General chattiness, for example, is often spam, but in a thread designed for such chatting and making friends, it may be perfectly acceptable.
If one of your posts unfortunately falls under the category of spam, it will most likely be deleted by a ruler or admin, but they will often do their best to help you avoid this again by sending you a PM or explaining how to avoid it. You will only get into trouble if you repeatedly spam, so don’t be afraid of asking questions and trying things out. And of course, when in doubt, reading the Opening Post of a thread or other people’s posts is a great way to see what’s acceptable and what’s not.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What is a supporting member? A support member is someone who helps to fund the plaza by donating financial aid. There are many ways of doing this, from a one-off paypal payment to a standing order, and a range of different prices. Supporting members gain benefits, including their own private forum and advanced PM system. You can tell who is a supporting member from the shiny ring icon in their profile.
To become a supporting member, click on the link on the left-hand side of your screen, or go here: Become a Supporting Member
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I can’t enter the Derndingle of Mystery/Supporting Member forum. Why? These forums are known as ‘Private’ forums. Only members can enter these. You need to be a supporting member to enter their forum, and similarly, you need to be a member of the Derndingle of Mystery to enter that one too.
To join the Derndingle of Mystery, all you have to do is fill up the form which is found here and email those details to Hoth at banecookie@gmail.com
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How do I activate and edit my signature? Go to your Member Control Panel, located at the top left hand side of any forum page. Within this, you will find a section called 'Edit Profile', where there is an area for you to type details for your signature. You can edit your signature further using BB coding.
For example, to make your signature appear in the centre of the screen, use [ center ] without the spaces.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What are PMs? The PM (Private Messaging) function allows members to send messages that can only be read by a specified recipient, in a similar manner to an e-mail. The Private Messenger can be accessed by clicking the ‘# New Messages’ link at the top left of the site of the forum, or through the Member Control Panel.
Alternatively, PMs can be sent to a member by visiting their profile and clicking the link that says ‘Send Private Message’, or by left-clicking on a username in a thread and selecting ‘Send Private Messaage’.
Whilst the PM function is open to all, there are some restrictions in place for non-Supporting Members. The inbox of Non-Supporting Members is limited to storing five messages. If the inbox is full, you will not be able to receive any more messages. There is also a limit of one per hour on the number of PMs that a non-supporting member can send. Supporting members are able to store up to five hundred messages, and have no restrictions on the amount of PMs that they can send.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What are plaza credits and how are they used? Credits are the Plaza’s form of currency. They can be collected once in every 24 hour period by visiting the Salary Office, via the Finance Centre. The amount of credits you receive is the same as, and increases with, your rank number.
Credits can be used to purchase items for the Battle Arena. They can also be transferred to other members, subject to approval by an administrator.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How do I use the Battle Arena? The Battle Arena is the engage in a friendly sparring match with another plaza member. Each fighter can choose upon their turn which part of their adversary to attack, and a dice roll will decide the outcome of the attack. The outcome of the dice roll can be influenced by the gear the attacker or defender is wearing; a better sword will give the attacker a higher chance of success, but a better armour will give the defender a higher chance of survival.
NB. The Battle Arena is currently still under construction. The Technical Administrator will make a Plaza-wide announcement when the Battle Arena is once again open for business.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Can I start a new topic? Most forums have clear rules about opening new topics. You should check the rules of each forum before you open a thread there. But to help you out, here are a few general rules:
In Regions, you need the permission from the rulers. The Regions have a thread where you can suggest new thread ideas.
The discussion forums are different. You are welcome to open a new discussion as long as it is on a topic relevant to that forum, and you are not opening too many threads at once (there is no limit, but be sensible). You should also be sure there isn't already a discussion open based on a very similar topic to your own, and you should make an effort to get involved in other threads too. And remember: Everyone should be courteous and respectful to other members.
No-one should open a thread in Advanced Lore, as this forum is only for those threads that have grown into a high level quality discussion, and threads will be moved here by the forum administrators.
In Out Of Middle-earth - you are limited to open three active topics at once, though most individuals will never need three active topics unless heavily involved in the forum.
Some forums simply expect you to be sensible when opening new topics, such as Administrator Messages, Battle Arena, and Newbies and Introductions.
Remember to check out each forum's rules if you aren't sure.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've forgotten where the thread is I posted in? What should I do? First off, don't panic! We understand this place is big and scary and easy to get lost in, so we added a fancy feature to everyone's forums to help you search for people's posts. Just go to your profile and click the 'Find members posts' link on the right. Here you can specify dates and forums within which your post may be, and use Key Words to narrow down the search. try a few combinations and you should find what you're looking for.
If that doesn't work, try broadening the search parameters by looking in other forums. Your thread or post may have been moved to a different place. Changing the 'Search forum' option should help with this.
If you still don't find it, then there's a chance your post, or the thread, has been deleted by a ruler, maiar or admin. If this is the case, it won't appear in the search. A post can get deleted for number of reasons. It may not be suitable for the plaza, it may be spam, or it may have been off the topic of the thread. A ruler and admin always tries there best to give a reason for deleting a post either in the thread, or through a Personal message (PM). If you still can't find your post and don’t know if its been deleted, try contacting the forum administrator or a ruler, and they may be able to explain.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How do I add a picture or link to my post? For a link, first highlight the text (or picture) you wish to link. If you don't, you'll just end up with a random web address in your post. Then click on the option above your post. You can then type in the http address of the page you are trying to link to (remember to remove the http:// from the beginning of the address if you've copied it directly from the web-page bar).
Check that your link works by using 'preview', and finish off by clicking 'ok'. This should add a shiny link to your post. You can add links to text and to images in this way.
For a picture, click on the tree image above your post. You can then enter the URL of your image. For the url, be sure to save the image to your computer and upload to an image hosting site such as photobucket.com, rather than 'hotlinking'.
Hotlinking is where you link an image directly from its original site, without saving it to your computer and using your own storage space. This isn't allowed on the plaza as it steals bandwidth from the other site.
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How do I report a misbehaving Member? If you see a member spamming, writing offensive messages or in anyway break the rules given above then you can report this member to the Abuse & Spammers forum. An Administrator will then try to act as quickly as possible. In case of a spammer emergency try contacting the administrators at admins@lotrplaza.com
Back to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ People keep using achronisms like R/A/M that I don't understand. What do they mean? The plaza is full of shortened terms such as R/A/M and LotR that newer members might not know, and older members take for granted. Here is a detailed list of many of those that may appear on the plaza:
Forum and Region Abbreviations:
BL: Basic Lore
AL: Advanced Lore
AM: Administrators Messages
COLP: Cottage Of Lost Play
OOME: Out of Middle-earth
N&I: Newbies & Introductions forum
LLL: Legolas Love Letters forum
AM - Administrator Messages
BA (BA forum): Battle Arena (Battle Arena forum)
WM: Western Mountains
SL: Shadowed Lands
Immy/Rivvy: Imladris/Rivendell
MT: Minas Tirith
DA: Dol Amroth
WC: The White Council, and old name for Isengard
Lothy: Lothlorien
DoM: Derndingle of Mystery
SM forum: Support Member Forum
Vali - Valinor, the Ruler and Admin planning kingdom, hidden from normal membersBook abbreviations:
LotR: Lord of the Rings
FotR: Fellowship of the Ring
TTT: The Two Towers
RotK: Return of the King
TH: The Hobbit
TS/Silm: The Silmarillion
CoH: The Children of Hurin
HoME: History of Middle-earth
UT: Unfinished Tales
BoLT: Book Of Lost Tales
ME: Middle-earthEveryday Plaza Terms:
R/As: Rulers/Administrators
RAMs: Rulers/Administrators/Maiar
Admin: Administrator
NKR: Normal Kingdom Rank, the normal members
SM: Support Member, a member who donates financial aid to the plaza to help with its running costs.
IC: In Character. On the Plaza you create your own character. In certain threads you post "In character", meaning you play as that character.
OOC: Out Of Character. The opposite of In Character
RL: Real Life
RP/RPG: Role-Play/Role-Playing Game. This is an example of where you post IC.
NPC: Non Player Character - a character that you role-play that is different to your normal character. Your normal character, for example, is the one you might share your plaza name with.
GM: Game Master. The person who runs an RPG and provides the players with prompts.
IR: Inter-Region, activities that take place between one region and anotherOther Plaza Terms:
ReP: Region Page, a web page where information for a certain Region is stored.
NP: New Plaza
OP: Opening Post, the first post in a thread, which normally contains the thread instructions, explanations and rules. Also, Old Plaza, referring to an earlier version of the site.
FP: First Post, another name for opening post - the first post in a thread, which normally contains the thread instructions, explanations and rules.
Suspend: if your account is suspended (by an Administrator), you won't be able to post anymore but the posts you have made earlier will remain.
Thomas: if you are Thomassed, your posts AND your account will be deleted.
PM: Private Message, a forum messaging system within your profile
Trib: Tribute is points handed out to members by the RAMs, normally as a reward for good posts, exceptional involvement, helping out their kingdom, winning a contest, etc.
Sig: Signature, which appears at the bottom of your posts when turned on.
Bump: a word meaning to 'bump' a thread to the top of the forum by posting thereGeneral Plaza chat:
LOL: Laughing Out Loud
LMAO: Laughing My *Bottom* Off
TY: Thank You
Glomp: A super hug that involves some jumping
*g*: grin or giggle
poke: used to get somebody's attention
IM(H)O: In My (Humble/Honest) Opinion
brb: Be right backBack to top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ By Állàcan Beorhtlig and Merl Moriestiel.
Special thanks to Brandybuck, Eledhwyn, Thali, halfir and LOTR.Forum Jump
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