Tapestry of Dreams, Part 2 Discussion

[alaklondewen]

Thank you, Helen.

Over the next day or so, I will go ahead and dig up the helpful resources we've had from the old thread on distances, geographical goals, times/dates, etc., which will hopefully put us all on the same day and help the new players so you all don't have to figure it all out on your own.

I am honoured to be the delegate in charge and will do my best to live up to the standards of Gondor and this game.

~Alak

[Celuien]

NAME: Sæthryd

AGE: 30

RACE: Human, Rohirric

GENDER: Female

WEAPONS: None

APPEARANCE: Sæthryd could be the perfect image of the Rohirric maiden – tall, blonde and blue eyed. From a distance, she appears beautiful. On closer inspection, she appears far older than her age and has what can only be described as a glint of manic intensity in her eyes, which tend to stare far away. What she ‘sees,’ she keeps to herself. She is unkempt and disheveled at home, but can put herself in order when required.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Insanity. But though Sæthryd is quite mad, she can hide her illness under reasonable words and actions when the apparence of sanity is needed to achieve her purposes. She possesses fanatical intensity over her obsessions, and she can be both ruthless and bold in their defense when threatened.

HISTORY: Sæthryd’s birth was an event of great joy to her parents, freeholders living near Dunharrow. At first, Sæthryd was an imaginative and playful child, and brought happiness into the lives of those around her with her gentle (if fragile) spirit and light-hearted ways. However, her imagination took a dark turn after she became lost on the paths leading to the Dwimorberg while rambling under the mountain's shadow. She was found three days after her disappearance, seemingly unharmed other than the expected hunger and fatigue of three days out of doors alone. Her rescue was a relief to her family, who feared the worst when she vanished. She never spoke of what had passed during those days, but it did not take long before the effects of her journey became apparent. While other children played, Sæthryd now wandered alone, talking and singing to herself of outlandish visions. At first her parents believed that she would outgrow what they thought was merely a wild imagination coupled with the terror of her three days at the foot of the Dwimorberg. But Sæthryd’s ‘imagination’ did not recede. Saying that the Dwimorberg and its inhabitants called to her, Sæthryd made numerous attempts to reach the Paths of the Dead, but was always stopped by her parents, who grieved for her shattered mind and hoped that she would one day be healed of her madness.

Sæthryd finally succeeded in reaching the Paths of the Dead a year after the War of the Ring concluded. With the curse removed and the Dead departed, no harm came to her, and she passed through to the other side of the Ered Nimrais safely. Having survived the journey, she developed a possessiveness about the mountain, believing that it belonged to her – and the visions she received of the inhabitants of the Paths of the Dead – alone. She then began the life of a hermit in the mountains and became a jealous guardian of the ways to the Paths of the Dead.

[Formendacil]

Okay, I'm still here... and still planning on being a part of this, at least as a minor participant.

I'd put up a character bio for Bergil right now, but it's late and it's so hard to get motivated when one's going through a rough night of the soul, so to speak.... but I promise to get it up within the next few days.

Oh, and on the Old Discussion Thread, Alak mentioned the possibility of Elessar having a cameo... if so, who would play him?

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Oh, and on the Old Discussion Thread, Alak mentioned the possibility of Elessar having a cameo... if so, who would play him?

A "canonist".

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

A "canonist".

But where would we find one of those.

[alaklondewen]

So...

Does Rugh know of Sæthryd? What do the Wild Men think of her if they do know of her? Are there tales of the wild-eyed woman in the mountains? Is she thought of as a witch? Will he try to change the women's minds from going toward the Paths of the Dead?

...just a few questions to raise discussion with the two characters we have.

Formendacil, how does Friday, June 23 sound as a deadline for Bergil? If that's not enough time, let me know, but it would be good to have by then.

Also, anyone who hasn't created a bio yet, feel free to post it when finished, and you all can work on first posts as well. If you have questions about locations or anything else, really. Just ask.

[Celuien]

I'd expect that Sæthryd would be rather well-known in the mountains. She's something of a fixture there, and is given to outbursts, so there would most likely be a warning to avoid places where she was known to appear. Warnings against the wild woman of the mountains. I like it.

First post coming over the weekend.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by alaklondewen

Formendacil, how does Friday, June 23 sound as a deadline for Bergil? If that's not enough time, let me know, but it would be good to have by then.

More than doable...

but be warned that it may be Thursday night....

Seriously, I should have it done well before then, but lazy is as lazy does... and lazy does little.

[Formendacil]

NAME: Bergil, son of Beregond

AGE: 24

RACE: Human, Gondorian

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: Bow, Sword, dagger.

APPEARANCE: Canonically stated to be tall, Bergil is going to clock in at 6'4". Dark-haired, clean-shaven (when able), fairly lean, he's more-or-less a typical son of Minas Anor.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Bergil is easy-going, a trait that goes back at least as far as his befriending Pippin. Matured by living in Minas Tirith through the Siege, Bergil is a confidant, successful young ranger. His greatest weakness would probably be that, possibly as a result of the War, he tends to see things in black and white. I'm also going to say that he's rather stubborn- once he makes his mind up.

HISTORY: Bergil is the elder son of Beregond, Captain of the White Company, the personal regiment of Prince Faramir in Emyn Arnen. Bergil was born in Minas Tirith, and was among the few boys permitted to remain their through the war. His adventures and life at that can be found in the Return of the King. Following the war, he moved with his father to Emyn Arnen. Bergil has a younger brother, Borlas, who was presumably with their mother in the White Mountains at the time of the war. Upon coming of age, Bergil joined the Rangers, who readers of the Two Towers will remember as Faramir's company. These Gondorian counterparts of the Aragorn's Rangers in Eriador would likely have been much-occupied in the early years of the Fourth Age with patrolling the still mostly-wild Ithilien, and as that became more settled with Faramir dwelling in Emyn Arnen and Legolas' Silvan Elves coming from Mirkwood, would likely have been the bearers of the King's law and order upon the unsettled eastern marches of the realm: in Harondor (South Gondor), between Poros and Harnen, and northeast of Ithilien, towards Rhovannion.

Bergil served with the Rangers in Harondor, a dry and uninhabited land, for half a dozen years, from the time of joining the Rangers until the current time, when he has returned to civilized Gondor to visit his family and childhood friends. At the moment he is in Minas Tirith as a part of the Steward Faramir's escort.

[alaklondewen]

Can you guys believe it's been about two and a half years since we started?

Wow! It's no wonder I feel like Erebemlin and Taitheneb are a part of me, and I missed them when we took our break.

Yes/no?

Yes!

Firefoot, I really like it. I'm looking forward to seeing where you go with the strange feelings and happenings in the mountains, and the scultpure is a nice touch.

Formendacil, great bio. I always find it interesting to come across characters from the books and then seeing how they've grown since the war. Well done.

I'm enjoying the surveys as well. I must say I envy you photographers. I've always wanted to take it up, but I've never had the time/money. Would you say that photography effects your writing? Do you see your posts as images before you write them, like photos readied to be played out?

I'm considering filling one out as well...I figure that if I don't know you very well...It would be a likely assumption that you don't know me either. We'll see.

[alaklondewen]

Name (that you go by): Alak, here. Summer, there.
Age: 27
Occupation: I work in the mental health field assisting the chronically mentally ill increase the skills they need to be able to function in society. The individuals I work with live in a facility much like a dorm.
Future Aspirations: becoming a Clinical Psychologist and letting God use me to touch the lives of those that are unable to help themselves.
Goal in life: Living my life as God would have me live, and following His plan for my life.
Short term goals: Taking the GRE; applying to grad school; teaching my daughter to swim; washing the dishes, mowing the lawn…
Passion: My God, my daughter
Hobbies: writing (), reading, gaming, painting
Famous for (brag about yourself): Attempting humour and people getting it later. Appearing to be on top of things. Always smiling.
Fave book: Ahem, LotR…also Pride and Prejudice, the Odyssey
Fave movie: Return of the King, Star Wars, The Thorn Birds, Finding Nemo
Fave sport: Oh, dear, I‘m not athletic. I would say dance (yes it is a sport). I used to dance years ago. It still makes be happy and watching others keeps me on the edge of my seat.
Fave store: Used book stores and boutiques.
Fave music: Contemporary Christian, Reggae, Classical
What you can't stand: rudeness, tailgating, pointless interruptions, The Wiggles
What you plain dislike: Racism (cliché, I know, but it hits too close to home), gossip, dishonesty, drama (not the enjoyable to read kind, the stressful real life kind)
Who you admire: People who live in a way that you can see God’s love in their lives.
What you most love to do: Have picnics in the yard with my daughter, actually anything that includes her; tree hugging, riding in the country with the windows down.
Your self-confessed flaws: I lack confidence to do things I know I am capable of doing. I procrastinate. I bottle my anger until it erupts.
What intrigues/fascinates you: People. I want to know why people do what they do. Mental illness, trees, flowers, shiny things…
What scares you: The responsibility that comes with parenthood.
Quotation to live by: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” ~Psalm 139:14


Value-specific:
What do you want most in a friend? Loyalty, honesty (I want a friend who will tell me without hesitation that there‘s broccoli in my teeth), acceptance, and humour
What do you want most in a teacher? Patience and creativity
What do you want most in an ally? Trust
What do you want most in a team-mate? Telepathic abilities
What do you want people to remember most about you? That I shone with the love of God, and that by him I made a difference.

Writer-specific:
Your favorite work you've written so far: Wow, each of the works I’ve been blessed to be write have been so unique that I cannot choose. Oh, and my thesis, if you can call that a ‘work’ as it certainly was work.
Your favorite character so far: Erebemlin (Tapestry, of course); Pelien (Corsairs and Corsets); Lyshka (Land of Darkness); Collothion and Cuilad (Resettling the Lost Kingdom) -- Can you tell I can’t choose?
What you plan to write soon: A dinner post for this game and the loads of paperwork from work.
What inspires you to write: Driving, music, birds, colors, sounds, images that form in my mind…
What makes your writing stall: exhaustion.
Do you get writers' block and how do you overcome it? Definitely. I take my writing away from the computer and to my notebook. I just start forcing it, even if it’s bad, and then eventually something will click and I’ll roll with it.

Middle-Earth specific:
Your favorite ME character(s)? Bilbo, Luthien, Feanor, Aragorn, Barliman Butterbur; Goldberry
What do you like about them? Bilbo was a “real” character, insecurities and all, and I became attached to him. Luthien was so strong and passionate, and really, look what she did with Beren to get the Silmaril…she rocked. Feanor is just a fascinating character all around…troubled, dark, flawed. Aragorn, I was moved to watch Aragorn come into his own and see him rise in his kingliness. Butterbur always made me laugh and I can relate to his forgetfulness. Goldberry is from pure fascination.

Your favorite moment(s) from the Trilogy? The hobbits’ first encounter with a “Black Rider”. Tom and Goldberry’s home. Gimli asking for a piece of Galadriel’s hair (I’m a hopeless romantic). How long the greeting took at the Entmoot. When Aragorn stood on the wall at Helm’s Deep and commanded the attention of the Orcs below. Aragorn’s choice to not enter Minas Tirith as its king until after the battle at the Black Gates. When Frodo sees Arwen coming to Minas Tirith (see my signature). Oh there are just too many to name them all!

Your favorite plot twist(s) from the Trilogy? Frodo lives!

Looking at your personality as it is, what race do you belong to in Middle-Earth and why? Probably a hobbit, I’m a simple person with simple ways and I like it that way.


What race would you *like* to belong to in Middle-Earth and why? I would be an Elf for their grace and appreciation of beauty in the smallest things.

What place(s)would you live in Middle Earth and why? Lothlorien, my happy place. Just the thought of walking beneath the golden leaves and hearing the melodic voices rising and falling in the trees surrounding me, calms me.
Where would you want to visit? Why? Rivendell to sing in the Hall of Fire. I’d also like to see Ithilien because of how it kept it’s beauty and had Elvish qualities despite how close it was to Mordor.

[Nurumaiel]

Alak, a great idea for us 'oldies' to fill them out as well. I was just going to ask if that might not be a good idea. I don't know about the rest, but since starting the game over two years ago I've changed a bit, and, considering that I was a rather young thing back then, I've also matured.

Would you recommend the group from the first book putting up a new-and-updated survey if they wish?

[alaklondewen]

Absolutely, Nuru! We can then take a step back and see how we have changed and how we can relate and work within the new team.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by alaklondewen

Would you say that photography effects your writing?

Without doubt. I'll tell a story, if you'll forgive it.

I took only two classes for my third term. It was a six week term and they were intensives. One was creative writing and one was a workshop in which we combined image and writing to make something "even more". I've never had so much fun doing school work.

My final for the writing class was to compose a short story. My final for my other class was to make a book or something else that combines image and word.

I had no idea where to start for each, so I was flipping lazily through some of my favorite pictures and spotted this image of Lucy. I glanced out the window and realized that the late afternoon light was brilliant. Unwilling to let it go to waste, I dragged a friend with me and we went on a crazed photography adventure that included the art studio, dead trees, and a graveyard that we had to pass many creepy townies to reach (I refrain from calling people creepy until they say or do things that make me nervous... they did, which is why I brought a friend).

In any case, I got some fantastic images like this one and this one and while looking through my memory card's contents, I had a stroke of genius that I should combine my final projects into a short story that has something to do with Lucy and a book that illustrates the thematic story. No children's picture book, that; I was fully aware of how dark and creepy both would end up being, but it was so sunny out that I couldn't resist.

After many spontaneous changes, I ended up with a 15 page story and a small hand-made book illustrating Psalm 23.

The whole combined project, the two most important grades of a semester, was of a creepy nature, but ended up with a lovely moral and was inspired almost entirely by one randomly taken image of a skeleton in the drawing studio. Formendacil helped, though he's probably unaware.

Do you see your posts as images before you write them, like photos readied to be played out?

I combine image and word in my thought, striving to capture the image as clearly as if I held a camera in my hands with perfect lighting and an unmoving model before me. That's easy, when you're photographing Lucy or others like her... she doesn't move.

What's more fun is to work in such a way as I would if I was making a movie. With constant characters, it's like having a moving stream of images at the speed of a Sony Handicam's capture rate. You can watch their life stories play out in real time, showing everything that seems important until you have a full story in a series of images, all transitioned beautifully into words and phrases that describe action as well as light and motion ever could.

Cameos are more like a cool indie flick made of stills. You can start with one post: a solid image, and describe it ad nauseum, if that's what you want. Next post can easily be something vastly different, and you continue on with enough transition for clarity and continuity, but without worry over what happens in between. Even if you know it, why put it in? Cameos are more thematic than continuously created.

You can Ken Burns Effect your way in for a closer look once you've started, or you can even introduce your character zoomed in with a description of her startlingly blue eyes, eyes that look out at you as though from worlds away, aware of both you and things beyond your imagination, and you can slowly expand into more of her character: a dreamer, an uncertain wanderer in a land of strangers, seeking for adventure like those her grandfather, now dead, once told to her... afraid to find it, afraid not to; all the same image, just portraying it one piece at a time.

So yes, in short... photography is like a vile disease that makes my writing illness that much more deadly. If I had any sense, I'd drop my crazy shenanigans and get a real job.

[Imladris]

Interesting read about your photography and writing, Fea.

Since it was suggested that the 'oldies' redo the survey here is mine (new and hopefully improved as it were >.<):

Name (that you go by): Immy on the Downs, Sonja in RL.

Age: 18.

Occupation: I don't have one as of yet -- unless one would like to count writing short stories and trying to compose a soundtrack for my brother's movie an occupation.

Future Aspirations: Becoming published, or becoming a jeweller. Or an editor of a fiction magazine. I'd like to be famous too, or, barring that, something like a Queen of Pulp Fiction much like Jack's mother was Queen of the B's in The Talisman.

Goal in life: Living life. I don't want to plod on through the years...I really want to live. This sort of living, mind you, doesn't include doing stupid things like getting drunk all the time...but truly enjoying the life that has been given me and not wasting it away.

Short term goals: Finishing that silly soundtrack...

Passion: Story

Hobbies: Writing, playing computer games, and here I must add the obligatory "wasting time" and "being lazy" sentiments, adding that if one were to laze, then one must laze beautifully (taken from An Evening of Long Goodbyes).

Famous for (brag about yourself): Getting the highest score in the German 1 final and only reciving a 90 something ish percent on the final of German 2? Being somewhat smart isn't easy, because I always seem to fail to meet expectations.

Fave book: Singular. Tsk. The Keys to the Kingdom books by Garth Nix, Neverwhere by Neil Gaimon, The Ender books by Orson Scott Card, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, various short stories by the authors listed above, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard, The Hobbit by Tolkien, That Was Then This Is Now by S.E Henton, Peter Pan, The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber and the list could go on...

Fave movie: Again singular....tsk tsk. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Benny and Joon, PotC, X-men (I love mutants so this shouldn't be a surprise), Phantom of the Opera, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride (should have ended differently though), Spiderman 2, The Princess Bride, and of course the list could go on...

Fave sport: Sports = ew....

Fave store: Book stores and coffee shops. Pure heaven if the two are combined.

Fave music: Rock, Techno (I guess)....um...German Bands....Oldies...I'm not really too familiar with what all the different types of music are called.

What you can't stand: Arrogance. Usually people aren't as great as they think they are.

What you plain dislike: Hatred.

Who you admire: I admire people who know what they want in life, and will strive to get it, but, in the striving, they won't become obsessed with it. Also people who know when and how to simply let go...

What you most love to do: I love to read and write. I love to play World of Warcraft. I love to simply lie on my back, stare at the wall, and to simply take time to think and dream.

Your self-confessed flaws: Hastiness.

What intrigues/fascinates you: Stealing an answer here..but People.

What scares you: Many things.

Quotation to live by: My life matters because I'm alive, joy or pain, whatever comes, I'm alive and that's meaning enough. -- Orson Scott Card.

Value-specific:

What do you want most in a friend? Honesty. The ability to share comfortable silences.

Mia: Don't you hate that?
Vincent: What?
Mia: Uncomfortable silences. Why do we feel it's necessary to yak about [stuff] in order to be comfortable?
Vincent: I don't know. That's a good question.
Mia: That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.

-- Pulp Fiction (slightly edited >.>)

What do you want most in a teacher? A love for their subject. If a teacher does not love their subject, then it becomes boring. And the world ought not to be boring, yet so many teachers manage to make it so simply because they do not understand/love their subject.

What do you want most in an ally? Common sense.

What do you want most in a team-mate? A willingness to teach if I'm not as good as he is.

What do you want people to remember most about you? Wow...not really sure how to answer this question...especially since I've been quite a jerk on these forums at times and I'm really rather sure that's what the Downers remember here...herm...I'm going to be cliche and just say I'd like people to remember me as a relatively good person.

Writer-specific:

Your favorite work you've written so far: Works or ideas...sometimes the ideas don't flow to the paper so well...however, to answer the question, any of my Vampirish stories.

Your favorite character so far: My favourite characters don't turn out so well on paper. Sometimes I'm tempted to just keep them safe and pristine in my head.

What you plan to write soon: An editing of my first attempted piece of horror fiction that was spawned from a rather interesting "nightmare".

What inspires you to write: Story and music

What makes your writing stall: Fear

Do you get writers' block and how do you overcome it? Oh yeah. What writer doesn't? Usually I let it sit in the depths of cybor space for a year or two, have a flash of inspiration, take it out, write feverishly, read it a few days later, and then realize that it actually is still poor quality and then once again despair of ever writing anything really good.

Middle-Earth specific:

Your favorite ME character(s)? Bilbo, Smaug, Gandalf the Grey, Faramir.

What do you like about them? Bilbo just seemed more real to me, more relatable as well...Smaug for his cleverness (though I could do without the arrogance), Gandalf the Grey for his wisdom and his...I want to say taciturness but that's not the right word. Whatever it was that made him say, Fool of a took! Faramir for his sadness and then happiness with Eowyn.

Your favorite moment(s) from the Trilogy? It's been a while since I've read LotR (don't hurt me), so I think I'll just go with the Death of Boromir and then Frodo and Sam bravely going on ahead.

Your favorite plot twist(s) from the Trilogy? I am no man!

Looking at your personality as it is, what race do you belong to in Middle-Earth and why? Looking at a race as a whole, and not at certain people within the race, I'm going to go with human. Humans seem to be ordinary and I'm an ordinary girl.

What race would you *like* to belong to in Middle-Earth and why? I'd like to be a hobbit -- a hobbit because they know how to enjoy life.

What place(s)would you live in Middle Earth and why? The Shire for it's simplistic beauty.

Where would you want to visit? Why? I don't like to travel usually...may I skip this question?

[Orual]

Name (that you go by): Orual is good for now.

Age: 18.

Occupation: Student of theatre, assistant playwriting teacher.

Future Aspirations: A professional career in theatrical performance, ideally musical theatre; a loving family of my own.

Goal in life: I think I said this last time, but as Mark Twain said, "to live so that, when I come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry."

Short term goals: Doing well in my university's production of Godspell.

Passion: Theatre.

Hobbies: Acting, singing, playing piano and guitar, writing, dancing.

Famous for (brag about yourself): Being the last one to get the joke and making it look cute, making a 4.0 my freshman year, being the theatre major who helped all the biology majors pass Bio 101...

Fave book: I can't pick just one!

Fave movie: "A Christmas Story". Just to be old-school.

Fave sport: Olympic gymnastics.

Fave store: A local store that sells incense, crystals, and stuff, and has yoga lessons in the back.

Fave music: Showtunes, especially anything written by Stephen Sondheim.

What you can't stand: Intolerance, arrogance.

What you plain dislike: Know-it-alls.

Who you admire: My family for putting up with me, my teachers for their passion to educate me, my friends for always being there for me, and my friend Alex for all that he gave me (I miss you).

What you most love to do: Perform, and be with people that I love.

Your self-confessed flaws: Shyness, difficulty trusting people, and an inclination to frustration.

What intrigues/fascinates you: Passions--the things that really get people going.

What scares you: Losing people who are close to me.

Quotation to live by: "You can stop being anything." - Neil Gaiman

Value-specific:

What do you want most in a friend? Trustworthiness.

What do you want most in a teacher? A real passion for teaching.

What do you want most in an ally? Loyalty.

What do you want most in a team-mate? Like Immy said, somebody who will smack me if I'm wrong and let me know!

What do you want people to remember most about you? My loyalty; that I was always a good friend and there when people needed me.

Writer-specific:

Your favorite work you've written so far: In light of recent events, a short story called "Forever" that I wrote for a creative writing course about a girl who loses her best friend to a hate crime. It's really depressing, but I love it.

Your favorite character so far: On the 'Downs? Ravion. In all my writings? Eli from "Forever".

What you plan to write soon: A play about a young Hispanic girl and her matriarchal family.

What inspires you to write: Events in my own life.

What makes your writing stall: Poor planning.

Do you get writers' block and how do you overcome it? I get writer's block all the time, and the two things that force me past it are 1) just writing and 2) last minute PANIC!

Middle-Earth specific:

Your favorite ME character(s)? Sam.

What do you like about them? He's the friend I've always wanted, and I am so blessed that I am finally finding Sams in my life now.

Your favorite moment(s) from the Trilogy? It always makes me cry when Sam has to abandon his pots in Mordor.

Your favorite plot twist(s) from the Trilogy? Wow, I can't even choose.

Looking at your personality as it is, what race do you belong to in Middle-Earth and why? I'm a Hobbit, but I like to think of myself as a Took.

What race would you *like* to belong to in Middle-Earth and why? Hobbits are fine with me!

What place(s)would you live in Middle Earth and why? The Shire, because I spent my childhood years curled up in bed hearing stories of it.

Where would you want to visit? Why? In Middle-Earth? Lorien, for its sad beauty in the dwindling of its people.