The Yule Log Discussion Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Envinyatar · 04-12-2006, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I'm a little befuddled by the comment from Stamo (?) about someone calling for someone's aid. Um, huh?

This is in reference to Undómë's post #125:

Quote:

The old woman turned back to the fire. Her face seemed more tired and worn. Hot as they were now, the flames did not seem to warm her, but instead seemed to draw out her little store of energy. Leeching her until she seemed almost translucent; the shadowings of her bones moving or still beneath her pale, drawn skin her only solidness.

She too whispered low as the embers flickered and shifted in their dance of renewal.

Hunter, Rider . . .
Lord of Trees, Master of Hounds . . .
Winter’s Lord, Woodland Spirit . . .
We smaller spirits call to you

Speed now to us on silver shod with gold
And recall some pity for us in our need.

She is calling on The Hunter; though I doubt she knows his name as Oromë. He is the Huntsman of the Valar. And the Valar who sent the two blue robed istari and the one who hunted the creatures of Melkor in the early days.

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

If you want to make this a fairly close call, then perhaps the two istari should go back to the Inn for some reason while Arato goes to protect Wenda and Mara. I can't see the creature lasting long against the two maiar.

What do the other gamers think?

littlemanpoet · 04-12-2006, 07:57 PM

Put it this way: a close call for Wenda. Mori and Stamo could with Arato be chasing the Maiar (what's his name?) and get to him just in the nick of time as he's trying to wrest Wenda's twin souls from her.

Child of the 7th Age · 04-13-2006, 10:21 AM

Littlemanpoet,

My sincere apologies. I will erase my save. I am bogged down with real life but there is a secondary problem here. To be truthful I have been stalling on this post because I am totally uncertain what to do with Owl. The way the story has panned out, there is no comfortable place for the animal creatures, since they are not the intended victims, nor do they have the power/clout to make any kind of positive contribution to killing the shadow thing. The best they can do is lie low or comment on what's going on.

Pio's and Tevildo's beasts have also stayed low (as have the hobbit folk at the actual Inn.) I don't know about Pio's characters but I do know Tevildo is hard put to come up with a meaningful way to involve the cat in the plot line and is therefore "sleeping it out".

From my personal perspective, there are two possibilities. Finish up the game quickly on the lines you've suggested...i.e, have a fast show down involving the major characters with the istari getting there after a near miss. The other option is to do what Envinyatar is suggesting. That idea looked interesting to me: that there be some kind of diversion that momentarily leads the wizards and the animal creatures back to the Inn. This would delay the wizards from confronting the nasty shadow, give the beasts and others at the Inn a chance to actually do something, presumably against some kind of threat. Once the Istari saw that the Inn folk and animals could stand up and fight on their own, they could even race back to help do in the shadow thing if that was desirable.

I am willing to go with either option, though the latter obviously has more leeway for my character. The advantage of option #1 (just focusing on the current central characters and plot) is that we get things tied up quickly. I can definitely understand if that's the preferred path. The advantage of inventing a sub-plot, by contrast, is that the original characters in the Inn would be able to lend a hand in some small way in the fight, plus Mori and Stamo would have an excuse for not being there right off to dispense with the shadow. The disadvantages of option #2 are that it would take longer to wrap up the story (even if we're careful to keep things short and sweet), and, sadly, I can't seem to come up with any credible notion as to what the threat to the Inn might be.

I would be quite happy to play this out along either of the lines outlined above but, like Envinyatar, would be curious to hear your thoughts on this.

P.S. For the moment, I will leave the save there until I can confirm the direction we're going. I will erase it later if it's not needed.

Envinyatar · 04-13-2006, 11:54 AM

The creature's names:

Tauramá (Mighty Hand) - original maiar name

Fëaricië (Soul Twister) - post corruption name

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

Either way is fine with me to progress with the story.

If the istari do go back to the Inn, we could use the plot line that some of the dread-wolves (like the Wargs from the Hobbit) have become emboldened and are sweeping down from the hills toward the village . . .

Owl could get a message from wren about it, then the istari and Arato could split up . . .

Just a thought

littlemanpoet · 04-13-2006, 03:24 PM

Child, I am so sorry for not having even considered the story writing problems the animal and other character writers might be having!

Thanks so much for bringing it up. I'm completely in favor of the evil maiar going back to the inn instead of straight to Wenda.

If everyone else is okay with it, I just need help knowing what I might need to edit in a few posts.

Envinyatar · 04-13-2006, 03:29 PM

We don't really need the creature to return to the Inn, do we?

Can we make it a more handleable problem and use the wolves?

littlemanpoet · 04-13-2006, 03:35 PM

Well, that's true..... they could be wargs...? (not werewolves)

04-13-2006, 10:21 AM	#3
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Littlemanpoet, My sincere apologies. I will erase my save. I am bogged down with real life but there is a secondary problem here. To be truthful I have been stalling on this post because I am totally uncertain what to do with Owl. The way the story has panned out, there is no comfortable place for the animal creatures, since they are not the intended victims, nor do they have the power/clout to make any kind of positive contribution to killing the shadow thing. The best they can do is lie low or comment on what's going on. Pio's and Tevildo's beasts have also stayed low (as have the hobbit folk at the actual Inn.) I don't know about Pio's characters but I do know Tevildo is hard put to come up with a meaningful way to involve the cat in the plot line and is therefore "sleeping it out". From my personal perspective, there are two possibilities. Finish up the game quickly on the lines you've suggested...i.e, have a fast show down involving the major characters with the istari getting there after a near miss. The other option is to do what Envinyatar is suggesting. That idea looked interesting to me: that there be some kind of diversion that momentarily leads the wizards and the animal creatures back to the Inn. This would delay the wizards from confronting the nasty shadow, give the beasts and others at the Inn a chance to actually do something, presumably against some kind of threat. Once the Istari saw that the Inn folk and animals could stand up and fight on their own, they could even race back to help do in the shadow thing if that was desirable. I am willing to go with either option, though the latter obviously has more leeway for my character. The advantage of option #1 (just focusing on the current central characters and plot) is that we get things tied up quickly. I can definitely understand if that's the preferred path. The advantage of inventing a sub-plot, by contrast, is that the original characters in the Inn would be able to lend a hand in some small way in the fight, plus Mori and Stamo would have an excuse for not being there right off to dispense with the shadow. The disadvantages of option #2 are that it would take longer to wrap up the story (even if we're careful to keep things short and sweet), and, sadly, I can't seem to come up with any credible notion as to what the threat to the Inn might be. I would be quite happy to play this out along either of the lines outlined above but, like Envinyatar, would be curious to hear your thoughts on this. P.S. For the moment, I will leave the save there until I can confirm the direction we're going. I will erase it later if it's not needed. __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

04-13-2006, 11:54 AM	#4
Envinyatar Quill Revenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through the Downs..... Posts: 849	The creature's names: Tauramá (Mighty Hand) - original maiar name Fëaricië (Soul Twister) - post corruption name ------------------------------------------------------------------- Either way is fine with me to progress with the story. If the istari do go back to the Inn, we could use the plot line that some of the dread-wolves (like the Wargs from the Hobbit) have become emboldened and are sweeping down from the hills toward the village . . . Owl could get a message from wren about it, then the istari and Arato could split up . . . Just a thought __________________ ‘Many are the strange chances of the world,’ said Mithrandir, ‘and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.’ – Gandalf in: The Silmarillion, 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age'

04-13-2006, 03:29 PM	#6
Envinyatar Quill Revenant Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wandering through the Downs..... Posts: 849	We don't really need the creature to return to the Inn, do we? Can we make it a more handleable problem and use the wolves? __________________ ‘Many are the strange chances of the world,’ said Mithrandir, ‘and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.’ – Gandalf in: The Silmarillion, 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age'

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04-12-2006, 07:57 PM	#2
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Put it this way: a close call for Wenda. Mori and Stamo could with Arato be chasing the Maiar (what's his name?) and get to him just in the nick of time as he's trying to wrest Wenda's twin souls from her.

04-13-2006, 03:24 PM	#5
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Child, I am so sorry for not having even considered the story writing problems the animal and other character writers might be having! Thanks so much for bringing it up. I'm completely in favor of the evil maiar going back to the inn instead of straight to Wenda. If everyone else is okay with it, I just need help knowing what I might need to edit in a few posts.

04-13-2006, 03:35 PM	#7
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Well, that's true..... they could be wargs...? (not werewolves)