5 replies to this topic

[Helper01]

I wonder if there would be a good way to incorporate good ol' Tom Bombadil's wife Goldberry into the game, somehow. I've always felt that having Tom but not Goldberry makes the game a little lacking and incomplete given how AOTR has expanded so much upon the vanilla game. Anyone have any suggestions? The only ideas I can think of right off the top of my head would be to further supplement the Tom Bombadil power for Rivendell so that he has a button that lets him spawn onto the map his house, with Goldberry sitting outside or something, and maybe the house would have a healing ability and fear effect nullifier. Or maybe, to spread the wealth a little, have her as a separate power in the Rivendell spellbook? Maybe replace the normal heal ability? Not sure. Thoughts, anyone?

[Pestum]

I think in something subtle like Tom calling her Goldberry and when she shows Tom is happy and (some power/health increase) that is. As an ability from Tom she will follow him for a while and then vanish.

 

To be honest i never liked Tom Bombadill in the game not in vanilla not in aotr. Is a misterious character on nobody size. I think Tom could be a landmark in some scenarios or a creep like Durin´s bane who sometimes attack and sometimes is idle or helping.

[Nerevar42]

Tom Bombadil isn't supposed to be that mysterious. He was the hero of Tolkien's stories for his children, not that much more. I assume Tolkien found funny and somehow deeply interesting to implement this hero in his main book, LOTR. But I'm not sure the goal was to create a mystery, it was more about showing wonderment and an "out of logic" character, coming from childhood, in my opinion. One thing for sure, he can't be compared to Durin's Bane, he clearly is a protagonist and helps the Free Peoples against Sauron. The fact that he doesn't give a shift about the Ring is precisely due to him coming from childhood stories, not to some sort of ambiguity regarding his feeling about Good and Evil.

[Pestum]

I mention the balrog as a creep we don´t see often not in comparision from characters between him and Tom. Just for practical purpouse for Bombadill to be on a scenario or map.

 

Tom helps the hobbits only because they are in his domains at first instance. I don´t know what would happened if they were orcs, we really don´t have a hint for an interaction between Tom an some evil character.

Regardless Tokien´s life i don´t care i only care about the story and how the characters are presented and i don´t see Tom beeing a heroe for any kid as it is presented in lotr.

 

I apologize if i desvirtue the post talking about bombadill. The main character here is Goldberry but we know little to nothing from her.

[Nerevar42]

Tom helps the hobbits only because they are in his domains at first instance. I don´t know what would happened if they were orcs, we really don´t have a hint for an interaction between Tom an some evil character.

Why do you think there is not a single orc or a single sign of evil in his domain, given the amount of malevolent spirits that are lingering in the region of the barrows and the Old Forest ? Tom is not actively participating to the War of the Ring, just like the Valar, but he's helping kind people that are in need nonetheless, just like the Valar did by sending Gandalf. He's not a Vala though. He's just Tom Bombadil. And he's a good guy.
 

Regardless Tokien´s life i don´t care i only care about the story and how the characters are presented and i don´t see Tom beeing a heroe for any kid as it is presented in lotr.

Well, you should care a bit more about his life in order to fully approach his books. People's lives (and former stories) often help to understand what they intend to do or explain with their later stories. Tolkien's experiences of industrialisation, World War 1, and many others drive a lot of his narrative choices to be more meaningful. Tom Bombadil originally was a character that lived great adventures in the stories he told to his children, a simple and joyful man dressed in many colors, no wonder he became that reassuring figure in LOTR before Frodo litterally walks towards the Great Evil.

 

I apologize if i desvirtue the post talking about bombadill. The main character here is Goldberry but we know little to nothing from her.

No problem, a forum is also made to discuss. I agree on the fact that we know almost nothing about Goldberry, but she's also a benevolent spirit or at least character, as peaceful as powerful. She's just like Tom : not involved in the direct fight against Mordor, but kind enough to help hobbits to clear their path before going on their quest to teach to the reader the ultimate lesson of JRR Tolkien : as common, weak and simple we may all be, we can counter evil by being kind to one another and protecting what is good in this world.

Edited by Nerevar42, 18 June 2021 - 07:49 PM.

[lonkipt]

I like what the original poster of this topic says, even if the ideas he presented are a little vague. For Bombadil to be incorporated, it seems only necessary Goldberry should be included, as well. She has a good line in the books, "Heed no nightly noises," that puts me in mind of the nature of the house of Tom Bombadil: That there is a power there which keeps evil at bay. The Hobbits also seem to have been rather well rested and refreshed from their stay with Bombadil and Goldberry.

Having Tom be able to summon in Old Man Willow works. But what if he could summon in his house with Goldberry? Make Tom a major unit support. Goldberry could be a major buff; the house of Bombadil could be a fear nullifier and provide healing. Or maybe Goldberry herself could provide healing, instead? Maybe she could set up that iconic imagery she's known for: All those bowls of water with the white water lilies floating in them. This could be a way of replacing the heal power for Rivendell: Just Goldberry. I don't know. Something along these lines, though.