The Fellowship of the Fourth Age (Part 1): A New Beginning Discussion Thread

[Durelin]

I took some liberties in my post, so I hope it's alright...but I am also completely prepared to change any of it.

First thing: I decided that Khamir and the 'rear' 6 of the fighters were toward the end of the tunnel opposite the one the 'front' five of the fighters are closer to, and are further away from where Athwen is. Khamir has no idea what's going on on that end.

Second: I had an NPC fighter named Tareef sort of 'disappear' he can either be dead, or he could simply have ventured farther away from the others.

Third: I had Khamir realize that there was something amiss, and think of their basically unprotected 'rear.' For now, only three men have been sent to cover the rear, and I imagine hopefully gather some others that can be spared. This was the part I was most uncertain about, because I didn't want to infringe on any plans you had, Child, or any plans anyone else had. So, just let me know if there need to be minor or major changes.

Fourth: Vror has been taken care of...well, sorta. He's at least above ground again. And I managed to mutilate Adnan. So, he's not dead. Just...in lots of pain.

Finally, I was really wondering how we're ever going to keep the slaver casualties realistic. (Just as an amusing thought I wanted to share, not actually as a concern.) We have determined there's 25 of them, but I wonder how true to that we will be able to remain in our posts about our characters killing them. I guess that's why I remained pretty vague except for Khamir taking one down with Adnan's help, and then Adnan managing (barely) to take one slaver down on his own.

Anyway...That is all, I think.

Edit: Oh...eight pages!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Finally, I was really wondering how we're ever going to keep the slaver casualties realistic. (Just as an amusing thought I wanted to share, not actually as a concern.) We have determined there's 25 of them, but I wonder how true to that we will be able to remain in our posts about our characters killing them.

Just my concern too. And yes, I began it with killing 2-3 in my first post (two definitive, one open case) but I must defend that with the argument that my post had the only moment when the slavers really were taken unawares and in clear disadvantage (both my "kills" were slavers who had just dropped from their horses and had had no time to come back to full capacity). Although I think the tally will change as we get the slavers running over the women, children and the elderly, though...

Durelin: good thinking concerning Khamir. And anyway, someone had to come up with it as otherwise there would have been a catastrophe there...

Tevildo & al.: Surely, as I said earlier, this opens possibilities and is good. I have nothing against Dorran riding a stranger horse myself... just mentioned it.

[Folwren]

I have no scruples against killing all the bad guys with few casualties on our own side. Consider movies and books in general - none of the important good fellows get hurt or killed. They simply plow through the bad fellows and kill them with a single blow. That is, until it's time for a little bit of loosing to go on and then suddenly it's the good fellows who can't fight and the bad fellows who can, and then it's the other way around with the bad guys plowing through the good and killing them with one blow.

Alright, so I'm kidding. We should definitely try to make things as realistic as possible. How we're going to do this, I really don't know. It should be possible, though.

One thing I would suggest is slackening the wind and sand force. All this sand blowing around is making it very difficult for me to figure out to make my little boy find his way to the battle and fight. Also, considering the circumstances, whoever has the most experience in fighting (which in this case is the slavers') will have the upper hand of a battle fought in such poor weather. Since we are the weather gods, we need to help our little band of slaves as best we can, needn't we? Has not the weather served as much purpose as it can, or did you have more thoughts on it?

I have no other suggestions at present. Sorry. And I sincerely hope I didn't sound grumpy. I don't want to be grumpy, but I feel so and I'm afraid it might come off in a post on accident.

EDIT: Question for whoever can answer! Are these slavers wearing chain mail shirts?

-- Folwren

[Folwren]

And my save is filled! So sorry it took all day. Was quite busy.

-- Folwren

P.S. Never mind the question about chain mail. I changed my mind and didn't need it.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Third: I had Khamir realize that there was something amiss, and think of their basically unprotected 'rear.' For now, only three men have been sent to cover the rear, and I imagine hopefully gather some others that can be spared. This was the part I was most uncertain about, because I didn't want to infringe on any plans you had, Child, or any plans anyone else had. So, just let me know if there need to be minor or major changes.

Durelin --

Yes, this little diversion was something Pio and I cooked up along with Tevildo. We were going to bring Kwell in as well but he hightailed it out of the grove before we could get to him!

Our original plan was to have the slavers attack the rear unexpectedly. Aiwendil would contact Lindir by osanwe to ask for extra help, which is something Lindir mentioned in my last post. This would also set up a situation where Azhar would have to fight and then need rescuing. The girl would witness one child being slain and feel compelled to do something drastic, although she has no conventional weapon. (Also, sadly, you must add one slave child to the body count.) After this, Rôg must come in to save Azhar's tail. We'd very much like to preserve this subplot but I think there is a way we could do that and still have your men follow through on Khamir's observation.

First, I am assuming that the party of five slavers will split up as they search for the hiding place. Because the slavers aren't together in one group, it would be possible to slay two or three and still have at least two left alive that Azhar, Aiwendil, and Rôg must deal with.

Could you have Khamir's men go and discover two slavers heading towards the rocks where the women and children are hiding? Your men would kill them before they even reach the hiding place. Could your men then be held up, unable to search for any other members of that party because four of the slavers coming up from the south will break through and assault them. (The other six heading up from the south will head to the eastern edge of camp.) Your men will be occupied with the new threat and unable to break through immediately to the women and children.

That would give us the attackers we need for our subplot and supply some angst for you as well. You could put Imak with either group....the one in the east or the one in the west. Whoever fights him.....feel free to give Imak a licking and send him away injured but please don't kill the man. I am thinking he may still have some value in the storyline later on.

Will this work?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age

Yes, this little diversion was something Pio and I cooked up along with Tevildo. We were going to bring Kwell in as well but he hightailed it out of the grove before we could get to him!

Oh, golly, I am sorry. I said before, and I'll say it again, I really do hope his absence doesn't get too many people hurt or killed. It was a super dumb thing for him to do, but I needed to move him on account of something Hilde wanted to do. You'll see soon. P'raps once that's done, he'll be told to go back and if he does, maybe (just maybe) he'll be able to get back in time to fight a little bit.

Now, in the save that I filled, I was thinking that the group of horsmen that just about ran over Kwell was Imak and the men that had followed him. That means there is another group of horses running around looking for the women and children. The group of footmen who were on the slave's side is Carl with his archers. That make sense? I hope so.

We're about to leave to go from one Grandma's to the next. I do not know if, when, or where I'll next get access to the computer, so go on without me. It may be a couple days. Hope not. If it is, carry on! Use my characters as needed and I"ll catch up later.

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

Folwren,

Don't feel bad. Kwell's young and inexperienced so it's not surprising he would have done something impulsive like this.

I think it can work for Kwell either way. I am imagining one or two casualties among the women and children but not a large number. Whether those few casualties could have been prevented by Kwell staying where Lindir put him is impossible for anyone to say. And of course whatever Kwell is doing with Carl may prove very helpful. Feel free to keep Kwell on the eastern edge of camp or have him go back, whatever you prefer.

Lindir understands Kwell is facing a lot of hard decisions and challenges. He'll probably speak with him when this whole battle is over and quietly emphasize that next time Kwel let Aiwendil or Lindir know that he's going to be doing something different.

Will that work for you?

That means there is another group of horses running around looking for the women and children.

Yes, I haven't read your post yet, but that was what I was suggesting to Durelin. If we follow that idea, this would simply mean slicing that particular group of ten slavers into two---four will be fighting closer to the women and children, and the other six are where Kwell is.

Have a great visit with your relatives. We'll make sure your characters get dragged along, but I am thinking things will go forward steadily but slowly so you won't miss too much. You can always do a post when you return and Pio or I will slip it into someone else"s "box" earlier in the thread.