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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Steverooo" data-source="post: 1792031" data-attributes="member: 9410">Goodness, gracious!  Have you ever read the books?You're right, Fatty Bolger didn't...  Merry, Pippin, and Sam did.  Aragorn was in the middle of an adventure when he did.  Boromir pushed Faramir out of the way to.  Legolas and Gimli just "happened" to be in the right place at the right time, and willingly joined the Nine Walkers.Pshaw, Sir!  Aragorn was a shirker ne'er a day in his life!  He was hunted by Sauron (who had long sought to wipe out the line of Elendil), and used secrecy to his advantage... until it was advantageous to reveal himself to Sauron (through the Palantir of Orthanc) at the battle of Helm's Deep!Aragorn could have tried to claim kingship of Gondor and Arnor, and been turned down, just as one of his anscestors was, after the death of King Arvedui.  This would have helped no one, and revealed Aragorn to Sauron, who would then have sought to wipe him out.Instead, after his father's death, he was raised by Elrond, who didn't reveal his heritage until he turned 21.  He began by riding with Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir, in their long war against the Orcs.  He protected Bree and the Shire, even getting up into the Trollshaws, on occasion, served with the cavalry of King Thengel in Rohan, then, when Denethor's father sought good men to replenish Gondor's waning strength after the War of the Kin-strife, Aragorn went to Gondor, where he served in the army & navy as Thorongil, for many years.  It was probably there that he met Gandalf.After many years, he went to Ecthelion (Denethor's father) and told him that the ever-growing power of Pelargir was bothering him, and the Steward gave him permission, and a fleet, to break the power of the Corsairs (this is important because, if they existed in LotR, they would have backed up Umbar, which Aragorn and the dead had to sack in order to break the siege of Gondor).He did, then left the service of Gondor, and went into Mordor...  We're not told why, but I suspect that Gandalf had him tracking Gollum, by this point.  We know that he did search Mordor for Gollum, at some point, but only picked up his trail on the return trip.He also went far into the east (possibly during the wars against the Balchoth and/or Wainriders), and far into "the south, where the stars are strange".  He learned much about not only the friendly kingdoms and their arts, but also the hearts of men, and unfriendly kingdoms and their arts, as well.We're also told that he helped Gandalf on many unnamed adventures, and had even been into Khazad-Dum before the LotR, for some reason (and didn't want to go back).  He mentions that "the enemy has set traps for me, before", and knew much about the Nazgul.Sorry, no shirking, there.  He knew Gondor was weak, and that revealing himself would draw all Sauron's might.  He waited until The One Ring was revealed, and on its way to be destroyed, and Denethor was dead.  Then he revealed himself to Sauron (to draw him away from Frodo), and assumed the kingship only after Boromir, and Denethor had been lain to rest, Faramir had acknowledged him, and the people had had time to accept him.Again, pshaw!  It didn't take several decades!  Gandalf didn't know that the ring was The One until he found the scroll of Isildur in Minas Tirith, and tested Frodo's (Bilbo's) ring in the fire.  From there, it was less than a year (and Frodo would have gone sooner, had Barliman Butterburr ever remembered to post Gandalf's letter)!Frodo was also VERY proactive!  He made plans to slip away from the Shire (fooling everyone but Merry & Pippin... and maybe Fatty).  He also took steps to leave the rest of the fellowship near Rauros, and go into Mordor, alone (but Sam was wise to that)!Faramir was the one receiving prophetic dreams, but Boromir pushed him aside, and went, instead.  Yes, he was rarin' ta go!The Hobbits would have stayed home, true enough.  Aragorn would have become King, or Gondor (and the Shire) would have fallen.  Boromir might have TRIED to become King, but wiser heads would have prevailed.If adventure never presented itself to your PCs, they wouldn't be heroes, either, in most cases.  Not many go wandering off, SEARCHING for danger!</blockquote>

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