Númenórean Blood Runs Black Planning/Discussion Thread - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Anguirel · 01-31-2006, 12:48 PM

Greek fire burnt until it had worn itself out. Water had no effect on it it.

It was also psychologically damaging because enemies would hesitate on seeing its siphons.

Its only disadvantage was its fickleness-it sometimes set fire to ships on the same side as those firing it.

However, I think it would be a really nifty addition. It would stop the Gondorians from crushing us at once by superior numbers, and it could initiate some boarding action with Gondorians desperately swashbuckling across in order to silence the siphoners.

Its technological/chemical nature also makes it a suitable weapon for Tolkien villains. It'll be suspenseful reading in the RP...can our heroes silence the gunners? When are the flames going to stop? Oh, wow, it's been plastered across one of the Corsairs' own vessels!

About the boarding/slave freeing-all of the slaves in play are on the Fame and Fortune, so it needs to be boarded, or at least approached very closely, if some slaves are to be freed. Perhaps the Raca could come close, fighters on both sides swing across, a few slaves slip through the chaos, and then our xebec bring out the big guns-the fire siphons-causing theRaca to beat a hasty retreat?

In other words, to advance the slave plot and the soldier plot this may have to be an exception to your "generally"-the story put slightly ahead of the realism.

Or we could just cut that, but then I don't see how the Ferethor thing will ever be resolved...

Folwren · 01-31-2006, 01:02 PM

What you just said makes sense, I think. I apologize for being pushy and too realistic in this case. I know that Alcarillo and the others on the Raca want this Ferethor thing to work, and you Corsairs were desperately excited about the Greek Fire and fighting itself. I'm not about to squash too many people's toes to make me happy, and I'm open, too. . .so let's do what you think best.

-- Folwren

Anguirel · 01-31-2006, 01:08 PM

Thanks to a tip-off from JennyHalu, I have more Greek Fire information.

It can be put out with sand, earth etc.

I suggest that we use this to make burning Gondorian ships flee further down the coast to land, grap sand and extinguish the conflagration. This will once again facilitate the escape of the Corsairs...for now.

Folwren · 02-28-2006, 09:54 AM

Excellent!! Looks like we're onto some sort of role.

Alright, Gondorians. . .to your ships - man the ropes!

I'll get a post up later today, if all goes as well as I am expecting. I am guessing that it's alright now to bring the ships a little closer and hinting on the beginning of the fight? If I'm wrong tell me. You Corsairs were going to come up into the Gondorians a bit, yes?

Those on the Fame and Fortune: where is your ship going to be - which with Gondorian ship are you going to do most of your fighting? The Cuivie, or Raca?

-- Folwren

Arry · 02-28-2006, 11:35 AM

Aman -- Anguirel

A short post pretty please . . . just so we can know what the F & F is doing and get in a few shots or something . . .

Folwren · 02-28-2006, 12:02 PM

Can I please have a Corsair to board and take? Please, please? The none character ship? Perhaps the one with the hasty sailor who wants to board my ship and annoys Captain Rakin?

-- Folwren

Anguirel · 02-28-2006, 12:17 PM

I don't really have any authority on this, but yes. One of our ships is going to go too far ahead and get taken by you-wasn't that the plan?

I'll try and get up the adventures of the dissatisfied Captain Andlang soon.

Folwren · 01-31-2006, 02:13 PM

Ah, so it's something like a fire in the kitchen with your cooking or olive oil. . .excellent. I half suspected as much.

-- Folwren

Thinlómien · 02-01-2006, 09:32 AM

The Greek Fire certainly can't be called Greek fire, so shouldn't we invent a proper ME name for it? Any ideas?

Anguirel · 02-01-2006, 09:36 AM

I was going to bring that up, yes. Good catch Thinlomien. I think perhaps "wildfire", which is what the Greeks called it-"Wildfire of Umbar" if you want the Middle-Earth connection. I think it has a certain ring to it.

Thinlómien · 02-01-2006, 09:43 AM

I quite like that, Ang.

Another suggestion came by PM from this helpful newcomer, JennyHallu:

Quote:

Since Greek Fire was likely petroleum based, perhaps your name for Greek fire should be Haradrim Fire or something like, since the geograpy and geology of Middle-Earth place that country as the most likely source of oil.

Dunwen · 02-02-2006, 12:27 AM

Hello, I am checking in. I'll be catching up on my PMs as soon as I've sent this and checked the main story thread.

QUOTE]However, I think it [Greek fire] would be a really nifty addition. It would stop the Gondorians from crushing us at once by superior numbers, and it could initiate some boarding action with Gondorians desperately swashbuckling across in order to silence the siphoners.[/QUOTE]

Greek fire (or Wildfire of Umbar or Southern Fire or whatever it ends up being) sounds quite exciting. As far as making the story interesting, maybe a non-role-playing Gondorian ship could catch fire and then sacrifice itself by sailing into the Corsair fleet. The Fame and Fortune and other Corsair ships could get away in the ensuing confusion/smoke/flames etc? Just a thought.

Thinlómien · 02-02-2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunwen

Greek fire (or Wildfire of Umbar or Southern Fire or whatever it ends up being) sounds quite exciting. As far as making the story interesting, maybe a non-role-playing Gondorian ship could catch fire and then sacrifice itself by sailing into the Corsair fleet. The Fame and Fortune and other Corsair ships could get away in the ensuing confusion/smoke/flames etc? Just a thought.

i second. nice idea, if the word can be used for such a nasty event.

Folwren · 02-02-2006, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunwen

Greek fire (or Wildfire of Umbar or Southern Fire or whatever it ends up being) sounds quite exciting. As far as making the story interesting, maybe a non-role-playing Gondorian ship could catch fire and then sacrifice itself by sailing into the Corsair fleet. The Fame and Fortune and other Corsair ships could get away in the ensuing confusion/smoke/flames etc? Just a thought.

That's a very good idea, actually. I say we keep it until the main battle, where there is more of an Umbarian fleet.

-- Folwren

Amanaduial the archer · 02-03-2006, 03:43 PM

That is indeed an excellent idea - but as for leaving it until the final battle, I'm not sure. If there was more of an Umbarian fleet, there would be enough of them to cut off any escaping ships, thus rendering the point of it being as an escape somewhat useless. Unless that could be the final straw, showing the somewhat hopeless situation that the corsairs would then be in...

However. We could always bring back the Gree- sorry, the 'Wildfire of Umbar' (nice one, Anguirel

) for the last battle and have lots more deliciously pyro battleness with it. But for now, I like that idea for this battle - it allows swashbuckling, a chance for slave freeing (a few of them, anyway - and I really like the Ferethor-Curamir idea) and then a suitably, well, not too unrealistic escape.

What say ye all? Shall we stick by that plan? I don't want to make a post until we sort out what we're doing, for fear of toe-treading...

Anguirel · 02-03-2006, 03:53 PM

I'm all for it.

To give Sangalazin something to do, perhaps I'll have him throw a wild party below deck during battle...

Alcarillo · 02-03-2006, 11:09 PM

The plans seem great to me, except for the Greek fire. I think it should be kept till the main battle, else all of our battles from now on would use it, as it wouldn't be very logical for the Corsairs to use this weapon once and not use it again untill Umbar. But using it in each battle (as a ship with such a weapon probably would do) is too often; once each fight began, it would turn into a retreat from the Wildfire of Umbar.

Is there another way the ships could come close enough to exchange some blows without the fire?

01-31-2006, 12:48 PM	#1
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	Greek fire burnt until it had worn itself out. Water had no effect on it it. It was also psychologically damaging because enemies would hesitate on seeing its siphons. Its only disadvantage was its fickleness-it sometimes set fire to ships on the same side as those firing it. However, I think it would be a really nifty addition. It would stop the Gondorians from crushing us at once by superior numbers, and it could initiate some boarding action with Gondorians desperately swashbuckling across in order to silence the siphoners. Its technological/chemical nature also makes it a suitable weapon for Tolkien villains. It'll be suspenseful reading in the RP...can our heroes silence the gunners? When are the flames going to stop? Oh, wow, it's been plastered across one of the Corsairs' own vessels! About the boarding/slave freeing-all of the slaves in play are on the Fame and Fortune, so it needs to be boarded, or at least approached very closely, if some slaves are to be freed. Perhaps the Raca could come close, fighters on both sides swing across, a few slaves slip through the chaos, and then our xebec bring out the big guns-the fire siphons-causing theRaca to beat a hasty retreat? In other words, to advance the slave plot and the soldier plot this may have to be an exception to your "generally"-the story put slightly ahead of the realism. Or we could just cut that, but then I don't see how the Ferethor thing will ever be resolved... __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

01-31-2006, 01:02 PM	#2
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	What you just said makes sense, I think. I apologize for being pushy and too realistic in this case. I know that Alcarillo and the others on the Raca want this Ferethor thing to work, and you Corsairs were desperately excited about the Greek Fire and fighting itself. I'm not about to squash too many people's toes to make me happy, and I'm open, too. . .so let's do what you think best. -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

01-31-2006, 01:08 PM	#3
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	Thanks to a tip-off from JennyHalu, I have more Greek Fire information. It can be put out with sand, earth etc. I suggest that we use this to make burning Gondorian ships flee further down the coast to land, grap sand and extinguish the conflagration. This will once again facilitate the escape of the Corsairs...for now. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

02-28-2006, 09:54 AM	#4
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Excellent!! Looks like we're onto some sort of role. Alright, Gondorians. . .to your ships - man the ropes! I'll get a post up later today, if all goes as well as I am expecting. I am guessing that it's alright now to bring the ships a little closer and hinting on the beginning of the fight? If I'm wrong tell me. You Corsairs were going to come up into the Gondorians a bit, yes? Those on the Fame and Fortune: where is your ship going to be - which with Gondorian ship are you going to do most of your fighting? The Cuivie, or Raca? -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

02-28-2006, 11:35 AM	#5
Arry Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 704	Aman -- Anguirel A short post pretty please . . . just so we can know what the F & F is doing and get in a few shots or something . . . __________________ If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world – J.R.R. Tolkien

02-28-2006, 12:02 PM	#6
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Can I please have a Corsair to board and take? Please, please? The none character ship? Perhaps the one with the hasty sailor who wants to board my ship and annoys Captain Rakin? -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

02-28-2006, 12:17 PM	#7
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I don't really have any authority on this, but yes. One of our ships is going to go too far ahead and get taken by you-wasn't that the plan? I'll try and get up the adventures of the dissatisfied Captain Andlang soon. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

01-31-2006, 02:13 PM	#8
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Ah, so it's something like a fire in the kitchen with your cooking or olive oil. . .excellent. I half suspected as much. -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

02-01-2006, 09:32 AM	#9
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	The Greek Fire certainly can't be called Greek fire, so shouldn't we invent a proper ME name for it? Any ideas? __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

02-01-2006, 09:36 AM	#10
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I was going to bring that up, yes. Good catch Thinlomien. I think perhaps "wildfire", which is what the Greeks called it-"Wildfire of Umbar" if you want the Middle-Earth connection. I think it has a certain ring to it. __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

02-02-2006, 12:27 AM	#12
Dunwen Wight Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 107	Checking in Hello, I am checking in. I'll be catching up on my PMs as soon as I've sent this and checked the main story thread. QUOTE]However, I think it [Greek fire] would be a really nifty addition. It would stop the Gondorians from crushing us at once by superior numbers, and it could initiate some boarding action with Gondorians desperately swashbuckling across in order to silence the siphoners.[/QUOTE] Greek fire (or Wildfire of Umbar or Southern Fire or whatever it ends up being) sounds quite exciting. As far as making the story interesting, maybe a non-role-playing Gondorian ship could catch fire and then sacrifice itself by sailing into the Corsair fleet. The Fame and Fortune and other Corsair ships could get away in the ensuing confusion/smoke/flames etc? Just a thought.

02-03-2006, 03:43 PM	#15
Amanaduial the archer Shadow of Starlight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: dancing among the ledgerlines... Posts: 2,347	That is indeed an excellent idea - but as for leaving it until the final battle, I'm not sure. If there was more of an Umbarian fleet, there would be enough of them to cut off any escaping ships, thus rendering the point of it being as an escape somewhat useless. Unless that could be the final straw, showing the somewhat hopeless situation that the corsairs would then be in... However. We could always bring back the Gree- sorry, the 'Wildfire of Umbar' (nice one, Anguirel ) for the last battle and have lots more deliciously pyro battleness with it. But for now, I like that idea for this battle - it allows swashbuckling, a chance for slave freeing (a few of them, anyway - and I really like the Ferethor-Curamir idea) and then a suitably, well, not too unrealistic escape. What say ye all? Shall we stick by that plan? I don't want to make a post until we sort out what we're doing, for fear of toe-treading... __________________ I am what I was, a harmless little devil

02-03-2006, 03:53 PM	#16
Anguirel Byronic Brand Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: The 1590s Posts: 2,778	I'm all for it. To give Sangalazin something to do, perhaps I'll have him throw a wild party below deck during battle... __________________ Among the friendly dead, being bad at games did not seem to matter -Il Lupo Fenriso

02-03-2006, 11:09 PM	#17
Alcarillo Shadow of the Past Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Minas Mor-go Posts: 1,007	The plans seem great to me, except for the Greek fire. I think it should be kept till the main battle, else all of our battles from now on would use it, as it wouldn't be very logical for the Corsairs to use this weapon once and not use it again untill Umbar. But using it in each battle (as a ship with such a weapon probably would do) is too often; once each fight began, it would turn into a retreat from the Wildfire of Umbar. Is there another way the ships could come close enough to exchange some blows without the fire?