Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Phew! I'm glad that turned out to be a dream! You had me really worried about how you were using my characters.

I wanted to squeeze everyone in, but I realised I didn't know what the others would do apart from coming in and giving Ginna a disapproving look.

[Folwren]

I wanted to squeeze everyone in, but I realised I didn't know what the others would do apart from coming in and giving Ginna a disapproving look.

What's she feeling down about? Or guilty about, rather... Is it all on account of Harreld? Poor Ginna.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Folwren

What's she feeling down about? Or guilty about, rather... Is it all on account of Harreld? Poor Ginna.

Uh-huh. Poor Ginna, indeed.

Oh, by the way, did anyone see the cat's colour and claw length?

[Folwren]

I have no idea what cat you're referring to, but with the luck around the Mead Hall lately, I'd guess it was a black cat with inch long claws. (What's the claw length got to do with anything? I heard black cats are bad luck, but I don't recall any legend about how long their claws have to be...)

[Folwren]

I sent Nogrod and Lommy both a PM and Nogrod said they'd both check into here and the game thread sometime in the next day.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

What's she feeling down about? Or guilty about, rather... Is it all on account of Harreld? Poor Ginna.

Wadaya mean, poor Ginna? - after leading Harreld on like that!

Thanks for checking in, Noggie and Lommy; and thanks especially to Foley for taking the initiative. If I ever need to move on, I think I know who to pass this rpg on to....

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Wadaya mean, poor Ginna? - after leading Harreld on like that!

Well, I can say poor Harreld, too, but you haven't written about him having nightmares. I feel sorry for both of them.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

If I ever need to move on, I think I know who to pass this rpg on to....

Oh, don't even suggest such an awful thing! The very idea of you leaving makes me gloomy.

You're welcome, too, by the way. I'm too impatient and far too busybody to just sit back and let someone else take the initiative. (And if they allowed another face, I'd put a winking fellow here...)

[littlemanpoet]

I have received word from Noggie & Lommy, and await word only from Kath and Formy. I don't expect it from Formy.

[Kath]

Oh my apologies! If it's about going to Scarburg then Kara and Frodides will come along for the ride.

[littlemanpoet]

ROFL! Foley, that was perfect. I cracked up. I'd rep you but, you know....

[Folwren]

Wow. I'm glad you found it so amusing. I wasn't sure if Javan should even dare say it. It was honestly the first thing I thought of when you described the burnt ruins and it took me a full day to decide whether or not I should write it. I'm worried how Eodwine will take it.

[Folwren]

What needs to be happen for us to move on? Elempi, are you waiting for more posters?

[littlemanpoet]

Yes. Though I certainly do appreciate your contributions, Foley, I really don't want this to become a 2 person rpg.

Do I need to start requesting individual players to post?

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by LMP

Do I need to start requesting individual players to post?

Hopefully not... I think i could write something either today, tomorrow, or during the weekend, but I don't think I have anything very constructive to write. So should I just write a short-ish reaction post, or should I actually do something to move on? Maybe it's better if we don't move on just yet, but wait a few more (or one more) reaction(s)...?

[littlemanpoet]

Reactions and movement can happen at the same time. In fact, people can write reflections on their characters' initial reactions as they move on. So post, please, if you have an idea.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Reactions and movement can happen at the same time. In fact, people can write reflections on their characters' initial reactions as they move on. So post, please, if you have an idea.

I actually don't have any ideas, but surely I may come up with something and if not, well, it would maybe be good to have someone else's than only Eodwine and Javan's reactions to the sight? For the things to actually move on, Eodwine needs to react to Javan's words, or something must prevent him from replying (or reacting in any way)... But I think I could write something today.

[Folwren]

I have not the slightest idea what is going to happen next with Javan. I'll let one or two other people post before continuing with him.

Let me know if anything needs to be latered with Stigend or with the preparations for building the baker. I've little idea how it will actually be done. I hope what I wrote was fitting.

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Let me know if anything needs to be latered with Stigend or with the preparations for building the baker. I've little idea how it will actually be done.

That looks fine! Someone should disturb the ruins that much as to check whether the ridgepole is still usable as that long logs are scarce...

I can write that possibly on Sunday but feel free others to solve that if you wish.

[littlemanpoet]

Rowenna for all her secrecy and eavesdropping has a rather rigid sense of right and wrong.

[Firefoot]

Quite alright, Nogrod.

Just... I'm a little confused about how they're doing this. So they're using trees to support the ridgepole (the long one across the top, right?)? And Leof's going to climb up into the tree, and then something with a rope...? Is it going to be like a pulley to get the ridgepole up that high?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

So they're using trees to support the ridgepole (the long one across the top, right?)? And Leof's going to climb up into the tree, and then something with a rope...? Is it going to be like a pulley to get the ridgepole up that high?

Basically like that.

They have three big trees in a row. Garmund and Cnebba will take ropes over the stout branches (somewhere at 5-7 yards high or something) and Stigend will take the hardest one where there will be no branch at the right level.

After the long ropes are taken over the branches by the three climbers (kids & Stigend) they will drop the other ends of the ropes down (so they make a loop over the branch). The ridgepole will be tied to the other ends left down in the beginning and then it can be "pulleyed" up pulling from the ends the kids and Stigend throw back down.

Then Léof needs to climb up and help pulling the weighty pole over the branch it should rest on - like Harreld and... well Stigend has a harder one as he needs to make it hang by a rope steadily at the same height as the other two. The kids will come back down as it might be dangerous to them and surely they don't have the strength to do it.

(Why I wish to make that third one a bit more problematic? Well it would be too easy and unbelievable if there just were three trees that had good thick branches at the exact same height so that they just needed to pull the pole over them...)

I hope you got my plan...

[Folwren]

Blamed woman. Ruining all my beautiful plans of fun and adventure.

Well, there he is. This should be fun. Interesting, at least.

[littlemanpoet]

Foley, whereas "shut up" gave me fits of laughter, it isn't quite right for Rowenna. So please put this in its place and I'll be happy.

"Of course I do," was the curt rejoinder.

[Folwren]

Half a minute and it will be done.

-- Folwren

[Kath]

Well there's something of a post there. I want to try and get hold of Lhuna and see if she has time to write something from Ginna's POV. If not I'll just carry it on in a bit.

[Folwren]

Alrighty. This is an interesting situation, as I predicted. I'll wait for a couple other people to post before posting next. I don't know what to post until quite later in the evening of this Day, actually...as of now. I have little doubt something will come up for me to do before then.

I've one question, Elempi - how is Javan tied up? Is he spread eagled? Or otherwise?

[littlemanpoet]

Nogrod, you have done admirably in characterizing Eodwine. However, I don't really want Eodwine to come off as having completely "lost it". Therefore, where you have "said not a word" (or something to that effect), I need Eodwine instead to come back out of himself and say something self-conscious but to the point. How about this: Eodwine blinked hard once and cleared his throat. "I am sorry, Stigend. Your news has brought back nightmares from the War, if you understand me."

Also, you have Stigend talking to Thornden as if Eodwine is standing there having lost consciousness. I would appreciate it if you could make it a three-way conversation toward the end of your post.

I would not ask for these changes except that I have a rather refined idea of how Eodwine is processing this, and I need your post to reflect that.

[Nogrod]

I do appreaciate your points lmp. Will be done in a few minutes...

[Nogrod]

I hope it's better now.

And do as you wish. Stigend will go back to the ruins if Eodwine tells him to but there's the baker to be built as well and that might involve other characters as well - like digging the ruins would.

If we are in something like early afternoon we shouldn't have any hurry one way or another?

[littlemanpoet]

A splendid revision, Nogrod. Much thanks!

Foley, you can have Thornden speak first if you like.

It would be fine for Stigend or Thornden (or both) to suggest that Stigend's mastery in carpentry would be better put to use on the necessary projects, as anybody can go digging through a ruin.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Foley, you can have Thornden speak first if you like.

First come, first serve, in this case, me-thinks, Elempi. I'll post if I can, but if you can before me, don't wait up.

[Folwren]

Posted. Once more, just let me know if anything needs to be changed and I shall do so as soon as possible.

[Firefoot]

I just want to apologize for how long it's been taking me to post... I've been so busy. Tomorrow I should have time though - I'll get a post up then.

[Folwren]

What next, my hearties?

[Nogrod]

I could write something on the building of the baker in a day or two.

Does lmp have any ideas whether there should be things happening on the day we're in as if I write about the building and go so far as to finish it, it will mean the hour will be quite late indeed.

I could as well post for just the beginning of the construction if that would give chances for other writers to take part in those actions.

I mean in the end the question becomes who are around and what they'd like to post on this day in the story.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I mean in the end the question becomes who are around and what they'd like to post on this day in the story.

My attitude toward rpg's at the Downs has evolved into, "whoever is here and posting, drives the story." It's frustrating and a waste of time to wait for people who aren't around enough to carry a Day or a scenario. So, those of us who are here and writing and have ideas for our characters, do post.

I have plans for Eodwine to throw a fit that trees are getting cut down, since the row fronting the Scarburg land are some of the only tall trees around. He might just forgive Thornden for murdering a sapling or two, but with all the stone in this stony land called the Scar and Scarburg, he will want the buildings to be built of stone, with wood only where necessary. So go haul it from wherever your characters find it.

I'm missing Lhuna! (... and here big untold secret.)

Eodwine will also sneak into the ruin with a lantern or somesuch and look for the dead bodies himself. A little ghoulish and morbid, but well, he's got a past to deal with.

And of course there's the continuing dialogue/cross-examination with Javan to write - which I haven't had time to get going on, with so much other stuff (my car died, church planning and politics have been really occupying my time, et cetera).

[Folwren]

Whoops. I didn't think that Thornden would need to ask Eodwine's permission to chop down a tree for the baker.

And I just found out today (just made plans that is) that I'll be gone all next week, from Sunday to Sunday. I...doubt that I'll touch a computer in my absence, and if I do, I won't have time to write an actual post. I apologize in advance.

But Elempi, if you want to start and write that PM post before then, I am willing and able...at least to write part of it. However, don't feel rushed. At this point time, I know very well what it's like being crazily, insanely busy.

[littlemanpoet]

Many ages ago (like perhaps 2 years), Nerindel posted up a link to Regia Anglorum that I immediately bookmarked. The Downs being somewhat slow, of late, I was casting about for interesting old sites, and started reading the site's contents, and have found it quite engaging. If your character is a parent, the link below provides a couple of fascinating occupations for which the parent's children might go into apprenticeship for. The links are a little more than half way down the "page", to the left of the photo there.

Ango-Saxon occupations

[littlemanpoet]

I'm going to be leaving the Barrowdowns soon. Nothing wrong, it's just time. It may not be permanent, but I must treat it as if it is so. That said, I have 4 rpgs to which I have commitments, including this one, and I will fulfill these commitments as best I can.

How to do so with an endless rpg? Well, I'm going to have to pass the baton. I'm giving that some thought right now.

Be sure that I won't leave until things are sorted out.

When I leave, I'll be give you an email address and my xanga link so anybody who wishes to can keep in touch.

[littlemanpoet]

I think I'll find time to get an answer to Thornden today.