Stating J.R.R.Tolkien

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

A) Does Tolkien rate Atractive? To my eyes, he was always pleasant looking if no matinee idol. But Atractive simply means pleasant to look at.

Maybe he's not my type, but I'd rate him as merely "Average" in appearance even as a young man. But, he might merit a level of Charisma or Appearance (Attractive, Impressive) if he had the ability to hold people's attention or to make friends easily.

Originally Posted by Astromancer

B) Tolkien was born an outsider to English and especially Oxford society. An orphan from South Africa. He married a woman well above his social standing and successfully competed for the job of an Oxford Don. These facts suggest both high IQ and solid social skills.

He was born to middle-class British expatriates, returned to England as a small child, and went to school in the English Prep/Public School system. His accent is a mix between "RP" and generic "Northern". As such, he's solidly middle to upper middle class but "provincial." That, plus his quiet Catholicism might count as a Quirk level Social Stigma.

Listening to him read, I'm impressed by the timbre of his voice, so I'd give him Voice advantage.

Originally Posted by Astromancer

So far I've seen little in the way of social skills discussed and the only figure for IQ offered was 12. I can see 12 for the average College Professor, however, Oxford is an elite school. More importantly, Tolkien was an outsider in early 20th century Britain who earned the job of Oxford Don. He'd have to be well beyond a merely average professor in his field.

Possibly IQ 13 then. Definitely above average IQ, but I'd be reluctant to go higher unless he was doing ground-breaking stuff in a number of fields.

Effectively, his Reputation as a scholar comes from levels of Talent (Good With Languages) as Phil Masters proposed.

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Also, the stereotype of the social skills free academic could never have for Tolkien. Did he have a level of Charisma? Could he have had Politics(academic)? I'd like some details.

He appears to have been well-liked and witty, so a level of Charisma isn't unreasonable if you want a slightly more "cinematic" version of the man.

He was appointed as an endowed professor by the end of his career, but I never got the sense that he was someone who played academic politics. He probably got along with his colleagues based on his skills and levels of Talent. That said, a point in Savoir-Faire (High Society or Academic) wouldn't be amiss.

[jeff_wilson]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

He didn't do it when he was reading aloud. But listen to him in interviews. Here's the first one that came up: interview

The interview doesn't seem especially hyper, in fact he often ponders and drags. I think he's having trouble because he's wandered into some personal feelings about the material that he admits he is not ready to talk about just yet, and given his philia for philology he may be thinking in some English-conlang pidgin and is having to correct himself as he goes.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

Possibly IQ 13 then. Definitely above average IQ, but I'd be reluctant to go higher unless he was doing ground-breaking stuff in a number of fields.

Like creating new languages (Linguistics) and defining a new literary genre (Writing/Literature)? His criticism of Beowulf was also apparently deeply influential.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Like creating new languages (Linguistics) and defining a new literary genre (Writing/Literature)? His criticism of Beowulf was also apparently deeply influential.

All of those are still narrower than a general boost to IQ would imply. You could cover all of them with a modest IQ boost and a strong Talent for the humanities, or for language and literature, or for scholarly endeavors.

I don't think Tolkien would have supported your identification of him as defining a new literary genre. He was very much aware of his precursors, both in medieval literature and in the novels of people like William Morris and E.R. Eddison. What he did was to popularize an existing genre—and he did that a decade after LotR came out, really.

[Phil Masters]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

He was appointed as an endowed professor by the end of his career, but I never got the sense that he was someone who played academic politics. He probably got along with his colleagues based on his skills and levels of Talent. That said, a point in Savoir-Faire (High Society or Academic) wouldn't be amiss.

Reasonably well-off, public school upbringing aside, he was a don at an Oxford college, and not a willful rebel about it. He knew which way to pass the port. A point is Savoir-Faire (High Society) is mandatory.

Originally Posted by whswhs

I don't think Tolkien would have supported your identification of him as defining a new literary genre. He was very much aware of his precursors, both in medieval literature and in the novels of people like William Morris and E.R. Eddison. What he did was to popularize an existing genre—and he did that a decade after LotR came out, really.

Agreed, but I'd allow that he changed its default form -- or rather, gave it one new default form, along with the other new one defined by Howard and his pulp peers. The stylistic shift from the likes of Morris and Eddison is substantial.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

I would give him attributes of ST 12, DX 12, IQ 12, and HT 12, making him physically and mentally capable. I would further give him Fit, Language Talent, Language (N/N) in Latin, French, German, Middle English, Old English, Finnish, Greek, Greek, Gothic, Old Norse, Welsh, and Medieval Welsh, Language (A/A) in a Danish, Dutch, Lombardic, Nowrwegian, Russian, Serbian, and Swedish, Status 1, Tenure, and Wealth (Wealthy). Finally, his skills of note would be Linguistics-16, Literature-16, Research-16, and Writing-16. I think that would make him between 200 and 250 points, depending on disadvantages and secondary skills.

Did he warrant raised ST, DX or HT?

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Did he warrant raised ST, DX or HT?

Good point. Most of his strong points for physical skills seem to involve recreational endurance sports like hiking, soccer, and rugby.

Keep in mind that Tolkien's physical prowess was being compared to that of other Oxford dons, which is a bit like comparing his aerobic fitness to that of Discworld Wizards.

DX could be dropped to 11 to represent overall good balance and decent reaction times.

ST could also be dropped, especially if he was relatively short-statured.

HT could also be dropped to 11. He was well known for his hiking, but on the other hand, he worked at a mostly sedentary job and he was a chain smoker. Additionally, his health was absolutely shattered by trench fever to the point where he was declared medically unfit for service. [edit] Actually, placed on "light duty" and given administrative and light supervisory duties back in Blighty.[/edit] While it's clear that he regained much of his health after the war, that doesn't speak to a particularly robust constitution.

But, all these suggestions depend on his role in the campaign. If he's actually going to join the party in an action-heavy campaign, by all means, beef up his stats and skills! He should be an ally and an inspiration, not a drag on the PCs' freedom of action.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by The Colonel

Did he warrant raised ST, DX or HT?

Tolkien was athletic into old age. It was commented on fairly widely.

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Tolkien was athletic into old age. It was commented on fairly widely.

Would Fit be a better way to model that? He was pretty robust but not exactly a noted athlete that I recall... as Pursuivant notes, athletic by the standards of a tenured academic needn't be that much of an achievement. These were still the days of the regular three bottle dinner IIRC.

[Pursuivant]

Putting it all together:

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, Professor (209 Points)
Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon, Pembroke College, Oxford University
ca. 1935 (Age 43)

5'8" ~150 lbs.
Thinning brown hair, grey eyes, slightly built.

ST: 9 [-10]; DX: 11 [20]; IQ 13 [60]; HT 11 [10]
HP: 9 [0]; Basic Speed: 5.5 [0]; Move: 5 [0]; Will: 13 [0]; Per: 13 [0]; FP: 11 [0].

TL6

Advantages: Claim to Hospitality (Oxford University) [2]; Contact Group (Inklings and other academics, Effective Skill 15 (Administration), Somewhat Reliable, 9-) [10]; Fit [5]; Omnilingual (Limitation: Broken rather than Accented Knowledge of known languages, -60%) [25]; Reputation (+2, Scholarship, Fellow Academics (Small Group), 15-) [1]; Status 1 [5]; Talent 2 (Born Linguist - Linguistics, Literature, Poetry, Public Speaking, Writing) [10]; Tenure [5]; Voice [10].

Optional Advantage: Charisma 1 [5]; Rank 2 (Administrative - Endowed Professor) (Limitation: Limited Scope, -50%) [5].

Optional Perk: Courtesty Rank 2 (Endowed Professor) [2].

Disadvantages: Addiction (Tobacco) [-5]; Bad Sight (Far-Sighted, Limitation: Mitigator, -60%) [-15]; Code of Honor (Personal, based on Catholic religious beliefs mixed with elements of the Gentleman's, Professional Ethics (Academic), and Soldier's (Officer's) CoH) [-5]; Dependents (Family (Group - 50% of value)(Loved Ones), 6-) [-5]; Duty (Academic and Family Responsibilities, 12-, Non-Hazardous) [-5]; Skinny [-5]; Susceptibility 2 (Blood-borne diseases) [-1].

Quirks: Devout Catholic [-1]; Enjoys hiking and recreational sports [-1]; Enjoys writing and performing poetry and literature [-1]; Mildly Intolerant of Non-Christians and Non-Europeans [-1]; Slight tongue damage which makes it difficult to speak articulately for very long periods of time (Quirk level "Stuttering" due to old rugby injury) [-1]

Features: Chain Smoker - pipe smoker. Compulsive rewriter and literary perfectionist. (He was notorious for abandoning projects if he was dissatisfied with the results.) Cynical about democracy. Dislikes being thrust into leadership positions. Dislikes excessively disorganized or saccharine fantasy, or fantasy with overt Christian symbolism. Dislikes industrial settings and industrialization. Dislikes political extremists, especially communists, fascists, and demoguogues. Occasionally haunted by memories of the Western Front; Retains a slight Birmingham Area "Northern" accent. Slightly technophobic - lacks Typing skill, refuses to learn to drive, bicycles to work by preference. Sometimes worries about money.

Skills: Administration (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Area Knowledge (Birmingham Area) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Area Knowledge (Oxford University and Surroundings) (E) IQ+1 [2] - 14; Area Knowledge (Leeds University and Surroundings) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Area Knowledge (Somme Front) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Area Knowledge (British Isles) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Artist (Drawing) (H) IQ [4] - 13; Artist (Watercolorist) (H) IQ [4] - 13; Bicycling/TL6 (E) DX+2 [4] - 13; Boating (Oared/Poled) (A) DX-1 [1] - 10; Brawling (E) DX [1] - 11; Carousing (A) HT-1 [1] - 11*; Cryptography/TL6 (H) IQ-2 [1] - 11; Electronics Operation/TL6 (Communications) (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Environmental Suit/TL6 (NBC Suit) (A) IQ [2] - 13; First Aid/TL6 (E) IQ [1] - 13; Games (Cricket) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Games (Riddles) (E) IQ+1 [2] - 14; Games (Rugby) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Games (Football/Soccer) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Geography/TL6 (Physical) (H) IQ-2 [1] - 11; Guns/TL6 (Pistol) DX [1] - 11; Guns/TL6 (Rifle) DX [1] - 11; Hiking (A) HT+1 [4] - 12; History (Ancient Greek & Roman) (A) IQ [2] - 13; History (Christian) (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; History (Dark Ages British) (A) IQ+1 [4] - 14; History (English) (A) IQ [2] - 13; Hobby Skill (Fantasy World-Building) (E) IQ+1 [2] - 14; Leadership (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12*; Linguistics (H) IQ+2 [12] - 17**; Literature (H) IQ [4] - 15**; Mathematics/TL (Applied) (H) IQ-2 [1] - 11; Meteorology (Weather Sense) (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Philosophy (Catholic Christian) (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Poetry (A) IQ-1 [1] - 14**; Public Speaking (Storytelling) (A) IQ [2] - 18***; Naturalist (H) IQ-1 [2] - 11; Navigation/TL6 (Land) (A) IQ [2] - 13; Research/TL6 (A) IQ+1 [4] - 14; Savoir-Faire (High Society) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Savoir-Faire (Military) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Singing (E) HT [1] - 13****; Soldier/TL6 (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Sport (Cricket) (A) DX-1 [1] - 10; Sport (Football/Soccer) (A) DX-1 [1] - 10; Sport (Rugby) (A) DX [2] - 11; Swimming (E) DX [1] - 11; Teaching (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Theology (Catholic Christian) (A) IQ-1 [1] - 12; Writing (A) IQ+1 [4] - 16**

Optionally: Area Knowledge (Middle Earth) (E) IQ [1] - 13; Geography/TL6 (Social) (Middle Earth) (H) IQ [4] - 13; History (Middle Earth) (H) IQ+2 [12] - 15; Savoir-Faire (Middle Earth) (E) IQ [1] - 13.

*+1 due to Charisma.
**+2 due to Talent.
***+1 due to Charisma, +2 due to Talent, +2 due to Voice.
****+2 due to Voice.

Languages (free due to Omnilingual): Anglo-Saxon (A/N), Danish, Modern (A/A); Dutch, Modern (A/A); English, Middle (A/N); English, Modern (N/N); English, Old (A/N); Finnish, Modern (A/N); French, Modern (A/N); German, Modern (A/N); Gothic (A/N); Greek, Ancient (A/N); Greek, Modern (A/N); Icelandic, Old (A/A); Latin, Classical (A/N); Latin, Vulgate (N/N); Lombardic (A/A); Norse, Old (A/N); Norwegian, Modern (A/A); Russian, Modern (A/A); Serbian, Modern (A/A); Swedish, Modern (A/A); Welsh, Modern (A/A); Welsh, Old (A/N).

Optionally:

Black Speech of Mordor (A/N)

Dark Languages (all A/N) (Melkian family - Goblin, Orcish, Trollish, etc.)

Dunlendish Languages (all A/N)(Hobbit tongue)

Dwarvish Languages (all A/N) (Aulëan family - Khuzdul)

Elvish Languages (all A/N) (Avarin; Doriathrin; Eldarin, Common; Ilkorin; Goldogrin; Noldorin/Sindarin, Telerin, Quenya; Quendian, Primitive)

Mannish Languages (all A/N)(Oromëan family - Dale tongue, Dunlendish, Drûg, Easterling, Haladin, Haradrim, Numenorian, Rohirric, Rhovanion, Westron)

Nevbosh (A/N)

Valor Languages (all A/N)(Valarin)

CF: Western [0]. Optionally: Dwarvish [1]; Elvish [1]; Entish [1]; Goblin [1]; Hobbit [1]; Orcish [1]; Westron [1].


Notes:

AK (Birmingham), Artist, History (Christian), Naturalist, Philosophy, Poetry, Theology, and Writing from upbringing.

Boating, Games, Geography, History (English), Mathematics, SF (High Society), Sports, Swimming from Prep/Boarding School.

Bicycling, Carousing, Public Speaking, Teaching, various academic skills from Oxford education and teaching experience. Teaching skill is at a minimum because "he declaimed beautifully, but was otherwise inaudible".

AK (Somme), Brawling, Cryptography, Guns, NBC Suit, and other "soldier" skills due to military training, but at low levels due to lack of use and lack of realistic training.

Meteorology (Weather Sense) is a necessary survival skill for just about any outdoorsman in the British Isles.

Mildly Intolerant is just about expected for anyone of Tolkien's social class and era unless they specifically go out of their way to prove otherwise. Usually, it takes the form of well-meant patronization rather than overt hostility.

I've given Tolkien Average wealth and Dependents since it was the middle of the Depression and most of his wealth was absorbed by his family, and to a lesser extent, his addiction to tobacco. Lack of wealth to meet Social Status 1 is, in part, offset by a minor Claim to Hospitality, in that his college and the university will generally provide food and space for formal events.

His Catholicism and "provincial" upbringing will occasionally expose him to prejudice by snobs and anti-Catholics but don't count as a Social Stigma.

An old rugby injury to his tongue made it difficult for him to speak articulately for long periods of time and he often mumbles as a result. Treat this as Quirk level Stuttering which gives a -1 penalty to relevant skills, but only after he has been speaking for at least 15-30 minutes straight or when he doesn't think to speak clearly.

Tolkien's writings on his height, build, and overall physical capabilities here:

http://thetolkienist.com/2013/08/28/...j-r-r-tolkien/

My choice to give Tolkien accented level fluency for most of his languages comes from the fact that he mostly studied their written forms without the cultural immersion necessary to get full native fluency. Of course, for his created languages he might well have Native fluency, assuming he can quickly bring himself up to speed on Elvish/Orcish/Whatever slang, metaphors, local accents, etc.

I'm not sure when Tolkien's eyesight started to go. As a young man he had normal vision and he appears to have retained decent distance vision until his death. He is, however, shown wearing half-glasses or reading glasses on occasion which I take to be far-sightedness. Since that affliction usually hits in middle to late-middle age, I've taken the liberty of giving him Bad Sight as a symptom of age.

As a young man, Tolkien would have ST: 10 or 11, and no Bad Sight.

While recovering from Trench Fever, his HT might be reduced to HT 8 or 9 and he will lose the Fit advantage, and possibly even have Unfit.

Starting in the early-1960s, add:

Attributes: Reduce DX to 10 [-20]; Reduce HT to 10 [-10].
Advantages: Remove Fit [-5]; Add Reputation (+2, Famous Author, Everyone, All the Time) [10]; and Wealthy [20] or Very Wealthy [30].
Disadvantages: Overweight [-1].