Rimsilval

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The Rimsilval: the theme.

1) Name: Rimsilval

2) Overall alignment: "Neutral"

3) Races: no racial preference

4) Professions: no professional preference

5) Thematic group we strive to emulate:

We are slightly *more* than simple librarians. We do not just preserve the scrolls and books, we research and discover. In some ways, we are similar to any librarian group to be found throughout arda: whether it be in the libraries of Minas Tirith or any smaller grouping.

Silmarillion p262 (the rise of Numenor): And the loremasters among them learned also the High Eldarin tongue of the Blessed Realm, in which much song and story was preserved from the beginning of the world; and they made letters and scrolls and books, and wrote in them many things of wisdom and wonder in the high tide of their realm...

In the Fall of Numenor, I find the inspiration for our group: to be lorewardens, to search, discover, and preserve, but also to learn from the lessons of the fall, and be wary of corruption, pride, and treachery.

6) Do we serve any being or kingdom? No, though this has a more complex argument attached.

7) Do we defend or assault any region? Outside of the immediate area of our guildhall and library, no.

8) Describe the conceptual view of the guild's theme, including guild history references. Describe the basis for your group.

The overarching basis for the guild is the simple formula: Knowledge equals Power

However, even simple phrases are laden with meaning. "Power" is as easy to define as "knowledge". Power is, at the very least, dependant on "knowledge" for its own definition, for power gained from knowledge will depend on what the knowledge is.

So, our definition of "knowledge". There is no one set form of "knowledge": it's holistic, all-encompassing. A ranger's herblore, a dwarf's knowledge of mining, the art of assassination, magic, history, geography... all that, and more. Thus do we not bias ourselves against race or profession, because all have something to add to the great store of knowledge within these halls.

At this point, I'd like to return to the question of alignment. I find tags such as "neutral" to be unhelpful in describing the position of Rimsilval. We are gatherers of knowledge. Knowledge must be accurately recorded, if it is to be recorded at all. The recorder must therefore be unbiased in his recording. Anything else is, to the guild, irrelevant.

However, our position is complicated: orcs mingle outside our guildhalls. The shadow moves west. Whether we like it or not, we have been included in this conflict, and if the west falls, we will fall with it, and our goals and efforts will all have been in vain. All this might have passed us by: by a strange twist of fortune, however, we have been frequently assailed by evil guilds and individuals. I say again: we are what we are. We did not oppose Sauron. He, through his minions, opposes us, and thus we react as best we can.

Our duties, as a guild, are: 1) To protect what we have saved.

2) To save what else we can.

3) To do our best to ensure that Sauron does not win the conflict.

Consequently, our members can be found in all areas of Arda, exploring, discovering, and recording, and doing what we can to survive.

[edit] History

Rimsilval was created to be the "wizard guild", when guilds and professions were intended to be linked. They later accepted other professions, and later still became the Rangers of Ithilien.