The Two Towers: Question about Poetry

[NoPunIn10Did]

Hello to my players and observers!

I have a question. As you've probably seen, I've included a bit of thematic poetry in each set of seasonal orders. This started as original works based on your troop movements, but I quickly ran out of time to keep composing those. For the past several game-years, I've found poetic excerpts from The Lord of the Rings to post instead.

My question is this: does anyone actually read it? My goal was to add to the feel of playing a Tolkien-inspired game, but I'm unsure of whether that is actually helping the atmosphere (or if it is just filler).

I write short headlines for my 1812 Overture games, but Middle Earth just seems the wrong place for a newspaper. Plus, I'm not quite as knowledgeable about Tolkien to avoid making serious blunders.

[Don Juan of Austria]

I usually read them.

[Gooderian]

I honestly do not read them, since I´m not much of a Tolkien guy.

[StarkAdder]

I'm just an observer, but I enjoy reading every one, and often wonder how you manage to match them so well to the gameplay...

[edmgrim]

I'm not following these games, but if I were, I would very much appreciate the commentary. My favorite games are those where the players embrace their roles in the games with imaginative personality.

[NoPunIn10Did]

I'm not following these games, but if I were, I would very much appreciate the commentary. My favorite games are those where the players embrace their roles in the games with imaginative personality.

To be fair, it's not currently "commentary" so much as just copied-and-pasted verses. But I agree with your sentiment: it's a lot of fun when players "roleplay" as their respective powers and submit creative press accordingly.

[NoPunIn10Did]

I'm just an observer, but I enjoy reading every one, and often wonder how you manage to match them so well to the gameplay...

The early ones are specifically matched to the most recent orders, but everything after that is slightly more of a grab-bag. Tolkien's poems are so thematic to the whole Middle Earth setting that it's easy to find unintended connections between the happenstances of the current orders history map and the verses.

[NoPunIn10Did]

I honestly do not read them, since I´m not much of a Tolkien guy.

I can totally appreciate that. I'm more of a half-fan. I generally like the setting, and I really like the dramatic BBC radio adaptation. The films are solid too, though they can definitely drag in parts.

However, I've only ever read The Hobbit. I gave up on Fellowship about halfway through.

The BBC version is on Audible, for anyone interested:
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King

[Don Juan of Austria]

Wait, just because I read the poems, doesn't mean I'm a fan of Tolkin. I just like reading it....whearas I haven't read his books, or watched the movies.

[JonS]

I'm a big Tolkein fan, and have appreciated the poetry throughout. But if it is a significant effort I would understand abandoning it