NAME: Athanar son of Hereweald

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 44, male, Eorling, from Edoras; a noble and proud descendant of Aldor the Old (not too straight a line but enough to claim a lineage).

APPEARANCE: Normal height and build. A muscular person but one could see the last fifteen years have not been spent fighting or in toil but rather in leisure. Looks like a lazy tiger that could either just rest and build his belly or attack with might and unleash a sleeping power. He’s handsome for his age, “boyish” in a way, but stern when needed. Wears the emblem of his family, the right-looking eagle, everywhere he goes.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER:

His father Hereweald was a counsellor of Theoden King and was raised to a high esteem during the time of Wormtongue. Athanar hated Wormtongue from the very beginning when he was quite young and never accepted the power-broking deal between the aristocracy of Edoras and Wormtongue. But he knew his place and never challenged him for the sake of his family and the status it had.

He fell in love with Wynflaed, the daughter of a mighty family boasting their roots to Brego himself (well, there were many families claiming for the awkward inheritance by measures or half-measures there) and after a few interesting twists of both luck and planning they were wed under the acceptance of both the families.

After receiving a primus nomination at the youth camp Athanar was named a sergeant of a group of riders, but after his marriage he advanced into a lieutenant. And then the war broke in.

He fought in the Pelennor fields with honour. His forefathers could be proud if him. Nine people testified him to have saved them in the last minute, and he had a belt filled with tokens from the enemy… but the real tokens for him were his children who had been born just before the war. It was for them he fought the war, and it was for them he thought a new world would arise bringing back the order of the world the ancients had. The world of the stories his uncle and grandpa had told him… the world of serenity and bliss.

A world were the good were separated from the bad, a world were the master and the slave knew their places, a world in which Rohan would prevail…

It would be the world for him and his children. The world that was their home to be now that Sauron had been defeated..

------------------------------------


LINKED ~*~ Pio

All these new characters are making my head spin!:eek: I'm going to have to double check I'm talking to the right characters when they start interacting.:)

Question, Nogrod: should Lithor stay in Edoras until Eodwine dies/heals (what happens to Eodwine)? Also, should I get the post up as soon as possible or give people more time to write for their characters?

The times they are a ' changing... :)

Lithor would be accompanying Eodwine to Edoras with Balvir and a few men at arms. They should come back like soon - unless you decided the other way.

It's up to Fea to decide whether Saeryn will follow you to Edoras to see her husband - and whether you might meet there or / and come back together. Up to you.

But that would be a side-story anyway (it could be written if you wished and had time to post it at the right time) as we'd now wish to get some reactions to Eodwine's ordeal - and then the landlords would come in.

That would happen in a day or two (RL).

Then, when the landlords have left, the new eorl would come in and we could actually start going the normal way without restrictions or plans from "above"...


Thanks Pio, once again...

Ooh I will try to write a short post for Modtryth/Cnebba soon!

And since no one has said it on this thread yet, Nerindel, if you're around, please note that not only Balvir but also Aedhel is to accompany Eodwine. But I guess that's ok as you have Iomhair and Matrim still around in the main action... :)

Thanks Nog for your kind invitation to join. I'm contemplating it at the moment. I'm a little hesitant just because I've never really written anything like this and I don't know if I'll be any good at it. I think I'll take a look over the thread and check it out. If I do pick up a character I'd probably only want one for the moment.

WAAAAAAH!!!

(Sorry, right now - 1:13 AM with a four-hour Histology exam in less than seven hours - that's all I'm coherent enough to say. Nudge me again within the next few days to say more. And oh, could someone please ask Celuien for me how she managed to write for three characters in the Mead Hall while being a medical student? kthxbai.)

I think you mean Foley, dear.

Ni- come on. You know you want to. Coooooome on.

Caught up reading-
 

Nog, in post 491 you mention Rowenna telling Eodwine he needs to stop work, and then she freaks out when he gets worse, but Rowenna left with Degas for the Folde the morning after the wedding. She won't be back at the Folde until I bring Degas back as soon as he gets the news. (Which will be ASAP since the Folde is barely outside of the Midemnet, on the far side of the Snowborne, and he's a very swift rider).

Foley: that is a wonderful post for Saeryn. I love seeing my babies grow up.

Mnemo, I think I've found you a maidservant. She should post on this thread sooner or later (unless she cowardly runs away at the last minute ;)). :D

And just for others - recruiting is still in process, I have been PMing with one possible new writer and Nogrod also. So, look out for new faces! :)

If you're talking about Nienna, tell her I'll beat her up if she runs away. If you're not and your person runs away, Nienna has been considering the part of maidservant and merely needs a little encouragement.

Actually I'm not but - I think a high lady like her could even have two maidservants (for some reason I'm seeing them as two incredibly stupid giggling young girls which would be quite a lot of fun, but of course it's totally up to the writers!).

Yes! More people I can order around!!!

Great posts people! I was almost weeping when I got to the end of Lommy's post... Way to go!

Then to a small problem...
Okay, I have now edited Rowenna out from that post and can now see where the misunderstanding came from.

I just had the idea that Degas and Rowenna had left but when you started talking about writing them again I thought that I had just remembered it the wrong way and you had only discussed about them leaving and not made it a deal - and so presumed they were still at Scarburg.

Well, now we just have to make a decision together.

I'll suggest we take one of the following routes...

A) The landlords come and there is de facto only Saeryn and Thornden to greet them. Maybe some others might rise to the occasion and try to defend the king's claim - which probably would not do any good to their claims if the landlords are questioning the authority of the Mead Hall which so seemingly is without a lord now... why to pay taxes to some outlanders, plain workers or a pregnant woman? What kind of mötley crew inhabits this place? ;)

B) We edit basically my post and decide the landlords are only coming in a week or so, so that Degas (and Rowenna) have time to come back to defend the Mead Hall with Saeryn? In that case you might also wish to write Saeryn to go with her husband to Edoras now as there would be time for her to come back (maybe hoping to come back with her husband who is healthy and well again?).

C) We decide that Degas and Rowenna had not gone away after all (they have been delayed by fex. promising to help with the rushed building project) and are at the Mead Hall as we speak...


So what do you think?

I think I would suggest the choice A), but I'll be happy with any of the three - or if someone comes up with even a better plan.

I thought of writing the landlords in this evening but will now postpone it until Friday (this week, in two days that is) when I'm back from our summer cottage. I hope to have your views on the subject meanwhile, especially those of Foley and Fea whose characters the results would affect the most.

And please continue the great posting the next two days (well one and a half day).

When I come back home on Friday afternoon (+3GMT) I'll write the landlords in.

I vote option A. Particularly because I could see the landlords actually having something to do with getting a new Eorl into place. If they're already irritable about having to pay taxes and they show up to find a motley crew of misfits inhabiting an incomplete mead hall, perhaps they themselves would go to the king, perhaps with the motive to delay having to pay out, but only succeeding in getting a new eorl into place?

Landlords: "Why should we have to pay out to this group of people who can't get their acts together?"

King: "I see your point. I assign this guy to the task. Pay out to him. Now."

Voila: Eodwine is replaced, Saeryn is deposed, landlords are angry with Saeryn/Eodwine, but possibly angrier with new eorl who kills their hopes of indefinitely delaying their need to give up power...

What do you think?

Hello. I'd like to join. :) I'll play Wynflæd's maid, Lilige.

NAME: Lilige

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 34, female, Rohirrim, from Edoras

APPEARANCE dark blonde hair that is often mistaken for brown; she is slightly taller than many others, but her quiet demeanor often causes others to overlook her. She is perceptive, however, and devoted to her mistress's wellbeing. Despite her perceptiveness, she usually doesn't bother to try and understand how others might react to her, and ranks the people she interacts with mentally and subconsciously.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Lilige came from a fairly well-to-do family with many children. Her parents, hard pressed to find occupations for all of their children, sent her to live with her aunt and uncle, who worked at Medulseld. She soon caught the attention of a young noblewoman, who trained her as a lady's maid. When her mistress married and left to live at her new husband's home, Lilige stayed behind, and passed through the employment of several ladies before finding Wynflæd, whom she currently serves.

----------------------------

LINKED ~*~ Pio

I vote for plan A, along side with Fea. It looks fun. :D Options B and C seem like too much work, and not as interesting as A.

I'm glad to see you here, Loslate! I hope you have fun in this more crazy busy atmosphere (compared to the Golden Perch, I mean.)

-- Folwren

Plan A sounds good to me too. :)

Nice to see you joined, Loslote! And your bio looks promising. Wonderful. :D

I really enjoyed reading your post, Groin!

I have responded and moved on. If I have moved on too much too quickly, someone let me know. Otherwise, all is in order for Nogrod to move on tomorrow! Yay!

Groin, I had Lithor drive the wagon, which means that he probably didn't have a horse prepared for him. I think you indicated that he had in your post when Matrim rode up. You may want to change that..? Or not. Whatever you think best.

-- Foley

No problem, I'll simply have Matrim bring two horses instead of three.:)

That was a good post, Folwren. :) I don't think you've moved too fast, if someone wants to still post something that takes place before Eodwine leaving they can write it in retrospect, I think. And surely for most if not all the writers who still want to write before the arrival of the landlords (if there even are such wirters) it would be okay even to just write about their characters' feelings after Eodwine's departure.

No, don't. I'm so sorry, but when I wrote the post, I forgot all about Adhel. I'll go fix my post so that she is driving. I am so sorry.

-- Foley

*bangs head on the keyboard*

Sounds good.:) I'll get a post up for Erbrand soon.

Yeah!

And plan A chosen.

I need to make a late dinner but after that I'll write the stuff in.

If someone still wishes to send in a post describing a character's feeling for Eodwine leaving in such a state, that post can always be linked into the story afterwards.

And there surely is at least two or three ours time to do that counting from now on.

Heh. There you go!

Even if it's most important for Foley to answer that (via Saeryn and Thornden), feel free to write your reactions as well everyone! Just don't try to attack them as that would be a bloodbath and probably the end of the Mead Hall as such... :rolleyes:

We'll get into the "free'er pastures" as soon as this transition-writing is done and then anyone can do what he/she wants to.


Also as the new eorl's entourage is starting to gear up we should probably exchange a few PM's - or discuss it here - what are the relations between the different people in it.

And btw. I had to use Thornden quite a lot. Please Foley correct me with any wordings or reactions I wrote for him...

Yes and some of the new writers have to say a definite yes instead of a vague one and sll of them except Mnemo, Legate and Lossie need to do their bios... so no hurry.

Nogrod, I'll let you know how I want things changed tomorrow. I will also post at that time. I wanted to do it this afternoon, but time got away from me. So sorry.

-- Foley

Now that it's the weekend, I may be able to post some stuff later today and tomorrow.

edit: on second thoughts, tomorrow it is.

Groin, apparently Saeryn didn't need Thornden to speak up for her. ;) I love her so much.

Nogrod, I'm taking your post and re-writing what I need re-written for Thornden:

It was the most quiet breakfast Scarburg had witnessed since the advent of the new settlers there. Some of the people had not slept at all and most others had only dozed off in anguish. Lord Eodwine was loved and admired – and almost newly wed! There had been optimism beyond any dream in the Mead Hall. Everything had looked so rosy! And now he was just gone and none knew whether he was coming back.

It had been more bearable in solitude or in company of just your nearest ones, but now the people had to face it together. It was so much harder to share it as no one knew what to say or do. They just emptied their plates slowly, everyone waiting for someone else to relieve them from the situation; to say something encouraging or soothing.

Finally it was noted that Saeryn and Thornden were having a quiet counsel together and soon Thornden arose and called for attention.

"Friends, this is a dark day for all of us, and I know all our hearts are going with lord Eodwine right now." His voice trembled and he paused and bent his head for a moment to regain control of his emotions. He looked up again, and his eyes were clear and his face hardened. "But we have an important day ahead of us, and he would have insisted that we do our best to accomplish all that must be done."

Thornden let his gaze wander around the hall looking at every person.

“I do not know what you know or what kind of stories you have been told, but lady Saeryn and I have discussed this with lord Eodwine. We know what to except and what to do. The lords coming will not be pleased with what we have to tell them and we must be ready to face adversity. Let us try to make this hall look as great and grand as we can. Let us give them a brave face. Lord Eodwine counts on us today to succeed in carrying out his and the king's wishes. Let's show we are worthy of his trust, so that he can look on us with pride when he returns!"

It was not just one or two minds that changed the “when” into “if” while hearing the end of the encouragement-speech, but they all cheered and nodded to the general effort Thornden had made. Not that the cheers were too convincing. But they all knew none could have done more in that situation.

The slowed-down breakfast turned quickly into a busy morning. Everyone tried their best to get the places looking as fitting to a king’s hall as they could. Stigend even decided to bring down the two shortish flagpoles they had hoisted to the wall around the front door of the Mead Hall itself and started carving them hoping to make them look like decorated ones – and thus more worthy - before the landlords would come.


~*~


”Look!”

”What?”

”Over there! Coming from behind the corner!”

“Wow!”

“Ooops!”

“That’s an…”

“…army!” Garmund finished the sentence left by Cnebba.

“We’ll have to warn them!” He cried and ran back towards the Mead Hall.

“Wait, wait for us!” Cnebba yelled from behind him not sure whether the flashing of the weapons and banners in the bright October sun was more awesome than him joining the warning-party.

“C’mon Cnebba! Run!” Javan shouted at him and brought him back to reality. “We must go!” He grabbed Cnebba by the hand and yanked him up. “Run!”

Cnebba had time to glance backwards before he ran. The banners were flying from the speed and they made sharp snapping sounds that were so loud he couldn’t realise how they did that. The tips of the spears were bathing in sunlight glimmering in competition with the helmets and armour the oncomers wore. And all this with the background of red and yellow leaves in the trees and the cold autumn breeze. It looked fascinating.

And there were many… far more Cnebba could have imagined when they had decided to go to the edge of the woods to see them coming from the road. And they came with fair speed towards them. The thunder of the hooves startled Cnebba. He knew how a horse or two sounded when they galloped but this was something different, it was like a thunder coming towards them. He ran through the ground filled with piles of dropped colourful leaves…


~*~

The tumult had been heard around the Mead Hall as well when first Garmund and then Javan and Cnebba came rushing in.

“They’re coming!” Garmund yelled.

“It’s an army!” Javan added panting.

“Fly!” Cnebba screamed coming a little after the two others.

Stigend and Garstan stepped forwards to grab their sons and even Thornden made a move towards Javan but then draw back from it.

“No one is attacking us. Do not be afraid, Javan. They just want to show their might,” Thornden said, speaking loud enough for the others to hear it too – and hoping he could fully believe his own words. “This is the king’s hall and they wouldn’t dare attack us,” he added.

But he instinctively looked around the entourage he had around him to make a quick calculation. After Lithor, Wilcred and Balvir had gone to see lord Eodwine to Edoras they were even less a force to fight against the landlords and their men if it came to that. Raedwald was the most experienced soldier around, Osmund and Aethelstan were good lads… and there was Matrim. But after that? Just a few young soldiers Thornden had never thought of too highly – keeping with their own company and playing their own games.

He knew Crabannan was a warrior and Erbrand, Dan, Harreld, Stigend and Garstan would prove hard fighters if it came to it… but still. They were real soldiers, riders of Rohan, they were facing here.

People, stop writing good posts more than I can rep them. :p In other words, I might write something sooner or later and I'm hoping I won't get a devilish stroke of inspiration and let Cnebba and Garmund cause a disaster... :eek: ;)

Yay. That sounds good. It will be positively HORRIBLE! (I'm sure.)

-- Foley

Thanks Foley for the corrections. I'll edit those in a moment.

And Cnebba & Garmund running loose there... *oh my!* :eek:


Groin! I liked your post on Erbrand but there are some things we might reconsider. I'll need to read it again (I read it a few hours ago) and I will shortly make a few comments...

Heh, you Foley had posted as well... I had thought the landlords would stay in the saddles and show their superiority that way and be away quite quickly, but as you both have unmounted them, then let's go with it and write them inside.

We're in no hurry anyway.

Okay. A few things in general but taking as examples two parts of Groin's post and one from Foley.

Let's just remember these soldiers are the riders of Rohan... They're not just a bunch of baddies roaming around bloodthirsty. And they serve their legally appointed lords with honour as good as they can. That sure doesn't include a thirst to get a chance to impale women and children of their own kin... or just kill anyone for pleasure.

And the same goes - with a lesser extent - to the landlords. They are appointed by the king to their settlements and are war-heroes from the Pelennor Fields, coming from noble families. With them there sure is the fact that power may have corrupted them during the years and they would not be so "good" anymore in everything.

But if a band of orcs - or any dark or foreign force - would try to invade West Emnet you'd see these lords fight with their riders in the first row - and to fight valiantly for home and country.

So let's make this a little less black and white among the Rohanians?

Also, I think you might wish to change the tone of this just a bit - looking at the things I've said above.
First of all I don't think the nobles would be that foolish to be like that when talking of a lady that clearly seemed to be in charge of a place in that way. I mean it is a different thing to mock a gathering of a crowd in general than to make harsh remarks on someone in particular. Not to speak if that particular person is a woman of clearly higher stature than just a peasant's wife.

I think what Foley wrote would be just at the edge of believability: One of them might say that, but probably not all. I'll take it now for granted one of them will say it... it will probably be the young Faramund (and Tancred or Alboin will let him know how wise they thought that comment was afterwards)

Secondly, making degrading personal remarks on Saeryn would not help them in anyway if they would be forced into real discussions and they would know it. They're no fools. If they were, they would not have been landlords for too many days. But these ones have affirmed their reign around these lands for a long time.

It doesn't mean they would honour Saeryn or think highly of her, on the contrary they might scorn her in their thoughts, but it would temper their actions in public anyway.

Remember, they're not a bunch of brigands or bandits but noblemen from Rohan (with their vices to be sure).


Sorry if I sound like nit-picking here - and I will not do that later when we are once again writing together as the Mead Hall... But I just hope you wouldn't make the landlords just plain evil scum... or make the Riders of Rohan willing bloodthirsty butcherers of their own kin.

Or if it is a majority feeling we should do that, then we could go for it. But I think the oncoming twists our characters face (fex. their loyalties to the new eorl etc.) would be much more interesting if the neighbouring landlords were not just simply Morgoth's servants... :)


~*~

And if the main thing has been lost here with all this, then let me say it openly.

I liked the way you Groin took advantage of the situation writing Erbrand going for Kara to protect her - and I liked the way you Foley made Saeryn collect herself to play the role she is required to play.

On these more important issues you are doing great! Much better I could have ever imagined myself to write them. So even if this was a long post the issue is small after all... or a kind of a general one relating more to the general settings of the Mead Hall.

Heh, a little add-on... :o

I was looking back at the posts and saw I had written especially Faramund as quite a rotten apple - and he will be one to be sure!

But then again Tancred had wisdom to call him to cut it... and in the end (after the general scorn) he called for listening what the Mead Hall people had to say.


So it was probably my fault as well to give a too harsh picture of these noblemen in their first post - even if I thought they would all have different personalities and backgrounds and act accordingly. It's clear that can't be known by you if you just read one post...

They're not nice guys anyone, I can tell you. But let's just assume they're no fools to make their position unbearable (well, Faramund might be stupid enough but the other two would hold him back and let him know about it afterwards).

Okay, then one word from me - sort of in defense of Groin - I don't think what the writers write is the objective truth, rather their character's subjective interpretation. Erbrand, a common man could find a not-so-happy-looking bunch of warriors threatening and get a bloodthirsty impression of them. And likewise, if there was just a little talk when Saeryn had sort of taken the floor (or whenever it was) Erbrand could just imagine they're talking about her in an ugly way (Groin said he didn't hear the words) even if they were really talking about the general condition of Scarburg or even grumbling about the lousy weather. :D So I wouldn't take these subjective hostile/bad impressions as the truth, especially from characters like Erbrand who is slightly paranoid and hot-headed anyway. :p

So in short - I would say, Groin, of course edit your post if you feel Nogrod's description/explanation made you feel you should, but if it's characteristic of Erbrand to take this kind of view, just ignore his whining. :p

See, the boys aren't up to making too much trouble... yet. :p

It just occured to me that it might be more helpful if the player/character list was arranged so that the old and the new folk would be separately. Does anybody else think it should be so, or is it good the way it is? (Because if many agree with me, we can ask pio to change it, but if not, let's let it be, it's understandable enough like that. :))

I would call it discrimination :p But really, I don't have a preferrence, but then, if somebody thinks it will be somehow helpful... but then again: you "old" people would know who is "new" and who is "old", and for the "new" people, everybody is new anyway, so it does not make much sense.

Also, it would be slightly confusing if somebody, f.ex. Nogrod, has characters in both the "old" and "new" bunch, and how would you want to do that - you would only have two Nogrods on the player list, which will just create confusion.

Heh... exactly.

*"Whining"? :)*

Okay, I might have taken Erbrand's description of the scene also containing some "objective descriptions" of it, but it's just fine and dandy to think of them as Erbrand's POVs. So no problem there.

But it was probably good that I had the reason to write what those landlords and their soldiers are so that we'd all be at about the same wavelength with them (and that doesn't mean all our characters would have to share the same POV - just that we writers see it).

Nice post Lommy...