[Child of the 7th Age]

Everyone --

I am having serious problems writing posts for Cami. It's not a matter of writer's block. I can string words together but they have minimal relevence to our central plot. This has been going on a long time, but I've finally reached the impenetrable wall. Let me explain.

Since Beleriand, Cami's role has been essentially that of observer. The hobbit has spent hours reflecting on her own situation and commenting on what others have done. The problem is that she has resolved most of her own personal issues and is left with little to do. I have also kept Cami busy by activities that lend background to the plot: inventorying the storerooms, gathering supplies, discussing history, crafting quilts, writing journals, tutoring children, etc. (Sounds like a college dorm!)

She and the other hobbits on the Star find themselves restriced by their own mental and physical limitations as well as the circumstances in Numenor. The complex strategy and planning of the rescue was mecessarily above hobbit heads. Like the hobbits in the tombs, Cami's job on the Star is to wait and remain hidden. She can not be seen by anyone outside the ship. (Mith had this problem in Gondolin, but it disappeared after a two-day visit.) Nor does she have the physical ability to fly or swim away a la Bird or Pio or Levanto, or to engage in fierce battles. And, unlike Mithadan or Pio, there's no possibility for a romantic entanglement, because of the promises Cami's already made. Given the lack of activity, I have pushed her character as far as it will go.


If it were earlier in the plotline, I would have her do something crazy at this juncture to get herself in serious trouble, i.e. ground the ship on a sandbar, steal a skiff and sneak into Numenor itself and get thrown in prison, fly off on Angara's back to do some spying, have the ship encounter an enemy in some form or disguise. But none of this is possible or believable given that we're near the end of our tale and have clearly nailed down the direction we're going, and the necessity for secrecy.

All the hobbits on the Star are in the same predicament (including Rose), with the exception of Daisy. Kali does have the possibility of some romantic reflection as well as adjustment to the other hobbrim.

While both the hobbits on the Star and those in the tombs must sit and wait, there is an important difference. Just as in the camps of Beleriand, every action in the tombs is set against a backdrop of danger. Everyday life assumes an importance that is stirring in itself. But such is not the case within the peaceful refuge of the Star, where Cami's most difficult problem is worrying whether she has enough fresh fruit!

One of the things that has struck me about this tale is how different a land and sea tale are. Except for the actual battle or rescue scenes, the ship itself acts as a refuge, almost as an insulator. Unfortunately, Cami has been in the "insulator" so long she's fallen asleep.

In view of my inability to write out of this impasse, I will be cutting back on Cami's posts. I will use her only when and if I feel she can make a contribution. You can assume that, like Veritas and Khelek, she is going about her job on the Star in the best way that she can. She will, of course, come out of mothballs at the end of the story to adopt her children, attend the wedding, and sail off into the horizon.

sharon

[ October 07, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]