Númenórean Blood Runs Black Planning/Discussion Thread

[Amanaduial the archer]

Originally Posted by Alcarillo

no vacations, no visits from family, no anything well into spring, I think.

I envy your life.

Fordim, congratulations, that's wonderful! And twins! Any thought of names so far?

I'm very sorry about my absense - I realise those little words don't really seem to mean very much, but believe me when I say that I have reason, which I have outlined to Pio but don't really want to go into on a public thread. They're...sorting themselves out now, and I should have more time to post, theoretically, concerts and choral rehersals allowing, and I hope to read up as soon as possible. I'm not, never have been, in the habit of leaving RPG, this is probably the first time - just take that as some way of understanding that, yeah, things have been a little rough recently.

Fordim is certainly a rather...well, huge loss, certainly to my character in particular. Fordim, I don't suppose there would be any way of your finding a replacement? It seems a shame to 'carry' your character if you pull out, when he's so well written so far - could you possibly try to find a replacement? Failing that, I shall look for one myself. Ditto to other missing characters.

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* Anguirel *:

EDIT -- PRELUDE TO THE CHESS GAME:

(Anguirel, I put Aman's post in your #52 SAVE post on the game thread ~*~ Pio)


Here is the long-awaited post before they play chess. Unfortunately, due to the long-windedness of it, I haven't got around to the actual chess game yet - if you want to start it and put in what you will, I will elaborate, you follow up, and then I'll finish off as we get within sight of Pelargir. Sound alright? I'm sorry it has taken so long...:P As this may therefore take a while, I suggest that, instead of posting all of this in that save post that you have put up, that we instead put a sort of "see post #[whatever]" and continue further down the thread. If made clear, this shouldn't cause too much confusion, even if it does put the chronological nature of the thread somewhat out of joint. I'd just like to do this properly - no sense in rushing when you've got something potentially uite juice to write on. Did any of the rest of that make sense? I hope so.

~*~

Amanaduial the archer's post

After Chakka had left his rooms, barely moments had gone by before Rakin himself had been forced to follow the slave out of the door, but this time up to the deck, accompanied by the sound of the clanging alarm bells. A slave escape – no, a second slave escape, the second within twenty four hours. Finding himself in exactly the same position as he had been a quarter of an hour ago when he had dismissed Chakka from his presence, Rakin ground his teeth and glared once again out at the sea, rather more venomously this time. Of all the sheer bloody inadequacies! Forget the slave who had escaped: after two escapes within two shifts, it was his corsairs who’d be answering for this one…

“Captain, there…” The corsair who had entered thoughtlessly through the open door trailed away uneasily as Rakin failed to turn. Hesitating for a moment, he then rather belatedly shuffled a few steps back out of the door and, almost comically, knocked hesitantly. Rakin squeezed his eyes shut, then rolled them up to the ceiling and sent a vengeful prayer up to whichever god it was who was laughing at him. Give me clowns, give me jesters, but for gods’ sakes, give me strength – and don’t dress them up and pretend they’re able-bodied seamen!

Scowling darkly, Rakin swivelled around wordlessly to face the hapless messenger, a scrawny boy of about sixteen who quailed somewhat in the face of his sullen-faced captain. His adam’s apple bobbed uneasily as he mustered the words which had slipped out so carelessly a few moments previously. “C-Captain Rakin, there…” he swallowed and composed himself. Poor boy, Rakin thought, eyeing him critically: he only joined up to this ship a few weeks ago, and there were fully fledged corsairs aboard the ship who would quake to face Captain Chatazrakin when in such a foul disposition towards his crew. He raised an eyebrow darkly as he waited for the boy to stammer out the line. Am I simply getting old, or are we now to become a child-minding service? Finally, the corsair stammered out the words: Sangalazin was waiting.

“Lord Sangalazin? Well, we wouldn’t want to keep Lord Sangalazin waiting now, would we, hmm?” he replied, viciously. The hapless corsair in front of him, apparently unsure of whether to give a reply or not, bobbed his throat and quaked silently. Trying to contain his anger, Rakin ran his tongue around his teeth and took a deep breath, and strode towards the door. No…he would remain calm for now, he would keep his composure in front of Sangalazin. But after that… Rakin paused and turned elegantly in the doorway, only about a foot from the messenger, and snapping his fingers as if just remembering something, a noise that made the boy jump.

“Tell me, boy- name?” he snapped shortly. Gathering that yes, it was to him that Rakin was speaking and not to the walls, the boy replied, and Rakin continued. “—Menash, then. Tell me, Menash – do you know…who was on duty belowdecks with the slaves at about midnight, and then again at midday today?”

Menash hesitated, then replied slowly, “Well, last night it would have been…why, I’m not sure, one o’ them who—” his eyes lit up as he remembered. “Ah, it was Tachkan, wasn’t it? He’ll be resting at the bottom of the sea now though…”

Rakin treated Menash to the full glory of his cold fish stare, unblinkingly waiting for the boy to elaborate. “Well…I mean, after that slave escaped last night, he was found missing, along with another – the slave did for them, we reckon…”

Why, Chakka, you little- Chakka’s ancestors received a serious mental clouting from Rakin as he poured forth various vengeful thoughts upon everything to do with the slave from his forefathers to his fingers.

“…and then this morning, about midday – well, Cap’n, that would be me.”

“You, Menash? You were on duty at midday today?”

The boy nodded innocently. “Aye, Captain Rakin. Why, I just got off duty now…” he trailed off as Rakin gave a slow, grim smile and shook his head very slowly, his expression wolfish as he leant in towards Menash. “Oh, Menash, you have no idea how much that was the wrong answer.” And with that last threat, the Captain swept out of his chambers.

[piosenniel]

~*~ Announcement ~*~

You are all invited to post in The Yule Log in Rohan. Just read Bêthberry’s introductory post and join in at The Green Man Free House for the next few weeks.

Come share a story of ghosties, and ghoulies, and sharp toothed goblins for the days of the Winter’s Yule while the fire burns bright and warm and the drink flows freely.


~*~ Pio

[The Perky Ent]

They took my computer away again. I'm at the library right now.

*cries*

I'm really sorry guys for not being able to keep up to date on this. I just moved back to new orleans, and my house lacks vitals (heat, running water, internet).

[piosenniel]

Perky

We'll see you when you return, O king!

Until then, I've asked Folwren to take the lead and begin to move the game forward.

~*~ Pio, game moderator