Red Flows the Sirannon Planning/Discussion Thread

[Encaitare]

Hi, Firefoot, nice to be RPing with you again. And I look forward to a fun game with you all!

Durelin, that sounds like a cool way to start off the game!

[piosenniel]

Durelin

Arestevana will be PM'ing you to get some ideas about being a CAMEO.

I've put her on the list to post to this thread.

~*~ Pio

[CaptainofDespair]

It has been many moons since I have wandered the Downs. Like a shadow in the mist I come and go, vanishing, yet always there. Perhaps this will rein in this particular shadow, and give him a new body with which to walk amongst men...

Perhaps...

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

*snickers*

I slay myself. I'm too amusing for my own good. I'm sure "Durelin" can testify to that.

Anywho, this RP seems very nice, and I'm sure "Durelin" will do a wonderful job. She is such a creative, brilliant...umm...I'll stop before I rant.

I see my cameo role was accepted. Pio, do I need to submit a Character Description form? And if so, should I place it here, in a PM, or...?

[piosenniel]

CoD

hmmmm . . . why don't you send it in a PM to me. Keep the element of surprise intact.



~*~ Pio

[Durelin]

Wonderful, wonderful wonderful... I'll be PMing Arestevana, as well as others, shortly...

CaptainofDespair - Yes, please remain as mysterious as possible for now. And really I'm just talking about in relation to your role in the game. Otherwise, you can just lay off the shadow and the mist...

Oh, about this...

As to how the siege itself will unfold, particularly in the arrival of Elrond and the *escape* of the survivors, there's a lot yet to work out, and I've come up with several options. I'll try to describe those options in detail in my next post.

Well, I'm afraid I lied. Information concerning the details of how the siege will end and such will be withheld until further notice. In other words, until we get there in the game. I may be in contact with some gamers concerning this, but they will be asked to keep things confidential and all that.

Pio - Will it be possible to try and negotiate with you and Child concerning how long this RPG will take, both in game time and *real life* time?

[piosenniel]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Pio - Will it be possible to try and negotiate with you and Child concerning how long this RPG will take, both in game time and *real life* time?

Check your PM's, please (in a moment).

~*~ Pio

[Amanaduial the archer]

All of this talk makes me realize one very important thing…this game, if many of the things I discussed become realities in this, most likely is going to take more time than I originally predicted, and thus more commitment. I don’t want to ask that of people unless they really want to commit so much of their time

Nonsense. As much time as you like from this corner, darlin', so long as you can put up with me.

Ok, I had plans basically to carry on what you started from the PM/email discussion Durelin and I had, as I'd like to enhance a few ideas, add a few new ones and just lay them all out, as a chance for everyone to see and comment, but not sure how far I'm gonna get on this because it's kinda late and I have church tomorrow. But then, never having been one to shy away from a bad idea...

I agree, Durelin - it's probably better that Elrond and Celebrimbor are NPCs - too much historical weightiness, major Tolkien characters, etc etc etc. However, they are important characters, and so the possibility is opened up that, instead of directly playing the characters themselves, players could take the roles of fictional characters close to the characters - friends, advisors etc - so several different players get the chance to carry-along and, to an extent, 'play' Celebrimbor and Elrond - for example, as Durelin said, a few of the elves could be part of Celebrimbor's. It means he becomes an active part of the game, and therefore his importance is emphasised.

Also along the lines of emphasising Celebrimbor's importance and the importance of the Elven ringsespecially - bearing in mind the whole game is based on him, this is probably going to be a rather important device in the game (I'm sorry if that's the wrong word for it, I'm rather tired, not that that's an excuse particularly). So onto how to do this: the idea of 'setting the scene' so to speak that Durelin mentioned is one that I like. An idea would be to have an introduction style passage about the forging of the rings, and then skip to the buildup to the invasion of Eregion, beginning (?) with the hiding of the rings - you know, go for the whole darkness and mystery as a start, it could be a rather intriguing start. And then build up to the invasion and then so on. It would just get us off to a rather flying start and make the RPG altogether a bit different. Thoughts? (And Durelin, I love the way you phrased that - "rather than him simply starting out in the RPG as simply some elf who, basically, made Sauron angry." )

However, I would say that we should probably get to the seige fairly sharpish after the initial, I don't know, call it the 'introductory period' of the ring-forging and the character responses to it (like that idea very much btw, Durelin) - the seige is really going to be the main beef of the game, it would seem, so the two options would be to have it as a real climax or to have it as the main bulk of the whole game - so that depends really on how long we spend on how long is spent on the introductory period. I would favour having a relatively short introductory period, so that the action is fairly quickly reached. But it does really allow us to be more exploratory plot-wise, and so I think it would be very important - so hey, extending it is no bad thing. What do you think?

However...during the seige period, the seige will probably not be the only thing going on - how about two or maybe more stories going on at once? Elrond's elves and the elves of Eriador could both be played seperately but at once. This idea of having two or more lines going on at once in one RPG has possible advantages and, of course, possible risks, but on the positive side, it means that when Elrond's elves finally do arrive at Eriador, it reaches a real climax in the game because all the characters suddenly come together - this could work very well. Having two games means having more characters, of course, and this could affect the length of the game again, which may be a problem for some people...

Another pointer on characters which I kinda ran past Durelin - the idea of having other 'perspectives' i.e. other than soldiers. This is a city: so maybe we could have other roles being played, such as a female elf/elves and/or a younger/non-fighting character. It just opens up to give more variety to the game by introducing someone who is not directly fighting but who is, of course, directly affected by it.

Um. Yes. Anyway. I feel my sense-making...thing...brain! Yes, that's it! I feel that my brain is having issues processing in any sensible fashion any more with such lo-ong paragraphs, so I shall sign off. All feedback on aforementioned ideas is...good...

Oh, and Durelin - about telling me to stop apologising...it's a RL habit that kinda seeps into the Internet as well. It's kinda an inferiority complex, mainly borne of being inferior. Which is, you know, fun. *shrugs*

[Durelin]

Aman - You just summed up so many things I was trying to say in a much clearer and more concise way...I owe you.

And yes, dwelling too long on all the setting up, as much wonder and mystery as there will be to have fun with, would be a mistake. I'd love to take at least some time, though, while still keeping the siege as a very large climax.

how about two or maybe more stories going on at once? Elrond's elves and the elves of Eriador could both be played seperately but at once.

I really think that would be an excellent way to go. I've really enjoyed RPGs that go that way, as you know. And, as you suggested before, Aman, the Lindon Elves could really start right into the story as their own little *plotline*. Early on, I'd expect Gil-galad and Círdan would call a Council, in which the characters from Lindon (and of course Elrond) could participate, if they choose to go in this direction. This Council would be concerned with the matter of hiding the Three Rings, and the rise of Sauron and the threat he is to Eriador, particularly the Elven region of Eregion. One of the decisions it would make would be to send Elrond to Ost-in-Edhil. From here, the Lindon Elves would be a separate group making their way to the city, in haste.

Another pointer on characters which I kinda ran past Durelin - the idea of having other 'perspectives' i.e. other than soldiers. This is a city: so maybe we could have other roles being played, such as a female elf/elves and/or a younger/non-fighting character. It just opens up to give more variety to the game by introducing someone who is not directly fighting but who is, of course, directly affected by it.

That's what I forgot to talk about! *smacks herself* I loved this idea, and I want to make this a proposition: how about the addition of a couple more Elves of Eregion as more 'secondary characters', and as non-fighters? I hope this might open up more interest for those gamers who would prefer playing a female role or a non-fighter as opposed to a warrior.

Oh, and Durelin - about telling me to stop apologising...it's a RL habit that kinda seeps into the Internet as well. It's kinda an inferiority complex, mainly borne of being inferior. Which is, you know, fun. *shrugs*

Hehe... Well, don't worry, I have the same problem much of the time. It's just when I'm posting that I put on my *business hat* and pump myself up for sounding a little less inferior than perhaps I should, just so I can sound like I know what I'm talking about.

And, as Aman said: responses to all ideas, suggestions, and any other ideas anyone might have...we encourage very much that these be voiced.

-Durelin

[piosenniel]

Originally Posted by Durelin

And, as you suggested before, Aman, the Lindon Elves could really start right into the story as their own little *plotline*. Early on, I'd expect Gil-galad and Círdan would call a Council, in which the characters from Lindon (and of course Elrond) could participate, if they choose to go in this direction. This Council would be concerned with the matter of hiding the Three Rings, and the rise of Sauron and the threat he is to Eriador, particularly the Elven region of Eregion. One of the decisions it would make would be to send Elrond to Ost-in-Edhil. From here, the Lindon Elves would be a separate group making their way to the city, in haste.

This would be interesting and doable IF there is a strong writer on the Lindon Elves team. Do you have one in mind that you could recruit, cajole, bribe?

~*~

Originally Posted by Durelin

. . . how about the addition of a couple more Elves of Eregion as more 'secondary characters', and as non-fighters? I hope this might open up more interest for those gamers who would prefer playing a female role or a non-fighter as opposed to a warrior.

I'll put up a couple more Eregion slots designating them as "female character preferred". Let's just call them "characters" without the designation of "secondary" . . . I've found that unless players are just waiting to do a CAMEO, they tend to just fall away from the game if you don't keep them engaged.

[CaptainofDespair]

Originally Posted by piosenniel

CoD

hmmmm . . . why don't you send it in a PM to me. Keep the element of surprise intact.



~*~ Pio

It will be delivered to you within a timespan of no less than...soon, but not later.

In other words, sometime this week, before I forget.

[Durelin]

Pio - I'm still in the process of *digging up* some players, so hopefully, I will have a strong player who can take a fairly active role as a Lindon Elf soon.

And, of course...absolutely beautiful bio.

Please add Nurumaiel to the list of people that may post on this thread, as I'll be working with her concerning what kind of character she'll be playing as soon as possible. Thanks.

And the last piece of business for now is that I'm still waiting to hear back from Gwydion...

Now, to get working on that bio and first post... I meant to do that yesterday, but I ended up being at my grandmother's all day. Excuses, excuses, I know.



-Durelin

[piosenniel]

Leaving this post in simply as a post space holder.

Carry on!

~*~ Pio