Shadow of the West Discussion Thread

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by Nurumaiel

That little person is me, Bethberry. I've unoffically started the banquet. (Hurrah?)

Question:
Are we (our characters, that is) just to stride in at our leisure, as we would do at an Inn, or will we be greeted and 'escorted' inside, and then left to mingle with who we choose?

Seems best to me if we treat it like one of the Inns. So come inside and make yourself comfortable. Be sure to pay attention to who is there ahead of you (or not), and as with the Inns, strike up conversations and begin those plot-lines!

Some info from an earlier post: the banquet is being held in a large hall just off the courtyard. The hall is filled with a number of smaller round tables and we can arrange ourselves around them with whomever we wish (although the Queen's table is, as Bb has pointed out, getting quite full).

Note: remember that this is an eastern country based loosely on the Persian Gulf region. If you want to get into food descriptions (I know I will) try to make sure that you catch the local flavour (pun alert).

[Bêthberry]

I was simply going to edit my previous post here but now with other posts, I probably should make a new one. So I will.

Fordim's question about whether the Emissary was using his Ring for invisibility has worked on my imagination this morning. I have gone back to edit my post yet again, to suggest some ways in which he was himself brought under Annatar's influence. And to suggest that he is as yet new at all this. I thought such a proceeding might give us more room to explore his own psychology. Fordim, since he is your character, I hope this is okay. I know you don't want him to overstep Faroz's own story.

And now I will simply wait for an appropriate point in the game where everyone else's posts will inspire me to decide what it was precisely he learnt about Bekah.

[Firefoot]

So come inside and make yourself comfortable. Be sure to pay attention to who is there ahead of you (or not), and as with the Inns, strike up conversations and begin those plot-lines!

I have a question then. The Queen sent word to the Prince and Princess to join her for the 'entrance'. When will this be - once people have drifted in for the banquet? I am assuming so, since it wouldn't be much of an entrance if there wasn't anyone there to witness it...

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Let's split the difference:

Faroz is already in his private garden, Bekah is on her way there to meet him. Let's say that the family will make their grand entrance from that garden (that is, the King's private garden has a door into the banquet hall for use by the royal family only).

So how's this: the royal family meets in the garden, everyone else heads for the banquet hall. When the crowd is there, the royal family will come in.

Note: the Emissary is wandering around the courtyard waiting for people to arrive. Can someone (not in the family) be sure to 'bring him along' and get him into the banquet hall? You can chat with him and invite him to sit with you, but he will inform you that he has been asked by the King to sit with him, so he will loiter about the hall until the royal entrance, perhaps chatting with others as you all wait?

Another Note: Bb has given us a nice look into his mind, but let's keep such things to a minimum -- he is, after all, supposed to be a figure of mystery to the Pashtians.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Bb has PMed me to say that she has once more edited her latest post to make it clear that the Emissary is NOT wearing the Ring -- so he's not quite ready to go that far yet apparently!

[Novnarwen]

I just posted.

Kransha and Aman - I hope I have handled your characters appropriately. If I haven't, please tell me and I will edit.

Nova

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

More Housekeeping.

Things were getting confusing for me about who was sitting where and doing what so I'm glad that the Chamberlain Jarult has clarified the situation a bit for us all!

It appears as though the royal table is set: King Faroz, Queen Bekah, the Emissary, General Morgos and Arlome. Siamak and Gjeelea are apparently free to sit there or not.

The table next to the royal table has Zamara and Tarkan, so it would appear as though there's lots of room left there.

EDIT -- I've pieced this together from the previous posts of myself and Bethberry. If there's something wrong with it, please do let me know.

[Firefoot]

I will be away for Christmas from Wednesday the 22nd to Tuesday the 28th. I should have computer access, but I don't know if I will be able to get a post up for the Game thread. I plan to have a post up today, and another before I leave. Aylwen - this falls over a time period in which Siamak and Gjeelea will probably be meeting with the Emissary, so how do you want to work it? I could start it off before I go.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Firefoot - that sounds fine to me, if it's not inconvenient for you to start things off. We can go as far as we can before you leave and see how it works while you're gone, carry Siamak along and whatnot.

Have fun for Christmas!

-Aylwen

[Orofaniel]

Sorry for the long wait, but my post which was "under construction" is now finished.

[Novnarwen]

Due to Oro completing her post, I thought it would be better if I divided my own post (the one above Kransha's latest) into two short posts. There is some new stuff in there though, in both the 'old' and the new. Please let me know if they need edits!

I hope everyone is having a grand Holiday!

Nova

[Kransha]

Speaking of table manners, I have a few obligatory questions which I think it might be appropriate to pose here on this thread.

On the matter of food: what fauna and flora, besides that already mentioned, is edible or important in Pashtia. Obviously some meat is eaten, but is the wildlife in Pashtia (not in Kanak, I assume) reminiscent of wildlife in the Persian Gulf? Would there be any particular manners, utensils, or other objects on the table, or ought we to improvize and be creative as far as such things go?

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by Kransha

Speaking of table manners, I have a few obligatory questions which I think it might be appropriate to pose here on this thread.

On the matter of food: what fauna and flora, besides that already mentioned, is edible or important in Pashtia. Obviously some meat is eaten, but is the wildlife in Pashtia (not in Kanak, I assume) reminiscent of wildlife in the Persian Gulf? Would there be any particular manners, utensils, or other objects on the table, or ought we to improvize and be creative as far as such things go?

Good questions. Obviously, as with all aspects of the game I want us to find these sorts of things out as we go, but I do have some ideas of my own, since you ask

I've already said that Pashtians eat a diet high in grains and vegetables. I doubt they eat any kind of dairy other than yoghurt (the heat would not do milk any favours). They probably have some kind of beer and wine. I suspect they eat a lot of fish, as they live in the fertile plains between three mighty river systems. Kanak is also not too far from the sea and vessels from their port are able to sail to the ocean along the river in less than a day -- so probably lots of seafood.

The one thing I suppose that's important is that this culture be different from those of the West, so I would think that the absence of chairs probably means the absence of utensils: everything is finger food. It's also probably pretty spicy.

(Anyone getting an idea of my personal favourite kind of cuisine yet?)

At any rate, I'm actually a little happy to see things slowing down a tad after something of an insane beginning. That having been said, I don't want you all to feel that you have to wait to start posting about the dinner. If there's things you want to say to somebody else, or stuff you want to to, then go for it.

NOTE In addition to the food, what sort of entertainments are there in the hall? Can't wait to see.

[Bêthberry]

Stepping in as Moderator here:

I notice that Orofaniel posted a save Friday night and said it would be filled by the ubiquitous "tomorrow" but it is still not filled in and it is now nearly Sunday midday (by BD site time).

This game requires that gamers take their ideas and cues from the preceding posts. Thus it is even more important that if at all possible saves not be used. I have asked Fordim, as the Game Founder, to decide if he thinks saves are workable in this game and how long they should be allowed to stand unfilled.

For now, Oro, please fill in that save today.

Thanks for a speedy response,
Bêthberry

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

I had been pondering the issue of saves in this game -- and had not really achieved any resolution for myself. I'm glad that our esteemed Mod has stepped in.

I think it might be best if we do NOT have saves in the game, as we do need to keep things moving forward, rather than back. That having been said, if you do need to go back, we can still do that in one of two ways:

1) a flashback sequence, or remembering something that happened earlier -- my preferred method as it will allow a character to cover ground, but to focus on the present action

2) if it's imperative that there be a post inserted earlier in the action, then we can ask someone to insert it at the end of their post at the logical point.

My apologies for not working this through earlier, particularly to Oro.

[Bêthberry]

Oro, please clear out your mailbox so you can accept PMs. Thanks.

Bêthberry,
Moderator for Rohan