Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[Folwren]

Formy, good catch. I didn't think Marshal was right, but I couldn't think of the proper word.

I, too, wondered about whether or not a court martial would actually be present in Rohan, but I am not an authority on such matters. Elempi was always catching stuff like that and letting us know when to alter stuff. If we decide to try to make things purely Rohirrimic (that's not a word, I don't think), then we could figure out what would be more proper. I actually think that in Rohan there would be no higher court - a soldier would be first subject to their captain and then subject to their lord, and maybe, if the offence were bad enough, could be hauled off to court before the king. That also seems pretty much the exact thing that would happen to a civilian, so I don't know.

----

Fea, I found your post very interesting and from a neat perspective. I had never considered such a reaction from Degas before. I liked it.

And I think it's humorous that you keep putting little tidbits of Saeryn's past into your posts through Degas' memory....do you do it on purpose, to give me insight to her character. Thanks.

As for Javan, what do you think if he were made to help Aedre, and not Wynflaed or Lilige? His crime wasn't against the mother or maid. I wrote a story once where one character beat up another pretty bad and then the captain made him be the other boys personal butler for two weeks. It worked pretty well...mostly....

Honestly, we don't have to avoid corporal punishment either. It would probably be perfectly natural and acceptable for that time and place. Plus, it doesn't bug me. But then, if it's Saeryn who's dealing out the punishment, she may not be likely to do that. I could actually see it being more appropriate to happen if they gave him another punishment and he either refused to do it (if he was being made to serve Aedre or something) or, in doing it, he did not do a good job on purpose, or they got into another fight. But then, come to think of it, a second fight would not be left up to Saeryn's jurisdiction but would go directly and almost immediately to Athanar, and then things would be in Nogrod's hands.

I am looking forward to later posts today and seeing how this scenerio in the hall works out.

-- Foley

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Folwren

You do realize, Nogrod (and everyone, for that matter), that all this was in jest? To my eye, Groin writing for Lithor meant Lithor to mean no harm, or at least little harm. But the way that other writer's appeared to take it and have their characters take it goes to show that even a jest may be taken terribly, terribly wrong.

Well sure, as it has been said already, we as players understand how it was meant, however, the characters' reactions are completely different. And it isn't even the point of what the character is like (in personality), not even how we (as players) see him, but what the other characters see of him, from their perspective, given their experiences from elsewhere and their view of things in general. For example Hilderinc encountered (or noticed) Lithor for the second time now, and both times he has drawn negative conclusions from that about Lithor's personality. First impressions are first impressions and one is going to carry them as a note in his mind about the person unless proven otherwise. Had he seen twenty times before Lithor saving children from burning houses or being nice to people, he would feel sympathetic now and think "sure he didn't mean anything bad, he is a good person". But without further knowledge, one may easily think "now this must be an arrogant fool, saying things like that in front of the lord".

But such misinterpretations of character, even though they are really pitiable when we look at them, are what makes the game interesting, aren't they? If everybody understood everybody, there won't be that much to uncover in the characters' relationships.

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

You know, I really didn't see that coming, but then I realized that the two characters are really foils for each other.

But that's nice! That's what I think is brilliant about having new characters to interact with - you are going to discover (also for yourself, things your own character may not even realise consciously) many qualities which relate your character to another, in one way or another.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Fea, I found your post very interesting and from a neat perspective. I had never considered such a reaction from Degas before. I liked it.

My first thought was what my own reaction would be: that Athanar's seriously over-doing it just now. But it occurred to me that Degas has just dealt with this sort of insolence in his own home, and he's completely unlikely to step in in somebody else's household unless there are women and children being mistreated.

He's there solely for his sister, not for her peasant soldiers that can't hold their booze.

And I think it's humorous that you keep putting little tidbits of Saeryn's past into your posts through Degas' memory....do you do it on purpose, to give me insight to her character. Thanks.

Haha! You caught me. Since they're twins, and she's his only living relative, he thinks of her in relation to just about everything, as a matter of course. But there was also an awful lot I knew about her that never got written, so this is a fun way to give you insight into who she was as a kid, even though who she is now is all yours. If you start minding, let me know.

As for Javan, what do you think if he were made to help Aedre, and not Wynflaed or Lilige? His crime wasn't against the mother or maid.

That was my first thought, but I was thinking Aedre might take serious advantage of Javan being told to do as she says. And if Wynflaed's as reasonable as she seems, I think she'd realize that.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Haha! You caught me. Since they're twins, and she's his only living relative, he thinks of her in relation to just about everything, as a matter of course. But there was also an awful lot I knew about her that never got written, so this is a fun way to give you insight into who she was as a kid, even though who she is now is all yours. If you start minding, let me know.

Nope, I don't mind it at all. It's great! It is perfect to be able to see what the original writer had in mind for her past, because I currently have an empty canvas right now in my head about her background, and you keep filling it for me. That's superb. Keep it up.

That was my first thought, but I was thinking Aedre might take serious advantage of Javan being told to do as she says. And if Wynflaed's as reasonable as she seems, I think she'd realize that.

Of course she'd take serious advantage of it. That's what would make it so insanely fun! But, you're right...Wynflaed will probably realize that. I think I have enough to go with when the time comes to write something.

Originally Posted by Legate

But such misinterpretations of character, even though they are really pitiable when we look at them, are what makes the game interesting, aren't they? If everybody understood everybody, there won't be that much to uncover in the characters' relationships.

Yes, this is so. I know it...and I don't mind the misunderstanding. I just felt it necessary to voice the fact that I knew he wasn't trying to be evil. I'm a peacemaker like Thornden is. I also put myself briefly into Groin's shoes. He will be very, very surprised I think when he finds out the uproar his post caused and sees the trouble his character is in. I doubt he's expecting it.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Nope, I don't mind it at all. It's great! It is perfect to be able to see what the original writer had in mind for her past, because I currently have an empty canvas right now in my head about her background, and you keep filling it for me. That's superb. Keep it up.

It's particularly fun because Elempi and I talked at great length about her background, deciding what was acceptable for a woman of the time period, what she would do that was unacceptable.

Her childhood is fun to fill in, since it's background that won't necessarily directly impact her behavior now, but her recent history is a little tougher, because for me it's scattered over the past six years, but for her, only a year or two has passed, so it will be closer to her memory than to mine.

Like, it occurs to me that it really wasn't so long ago that Saeryn was convinced that Eodwine was still in love with the ghost of his dead wife. But for me? Years have passed.

One of the first action scenes I ever wrote was Degas kicking the crud out of a not-very-nice person whilst in the White Horse. Rand, I think his name might have been.

So really, it's just amusing for me to trawl through my memories of the character and her world and give you insight into her background, which you can then use however you want, including contradicting what may well be a false memory on Degas's part.

Saeryn: "I don't remember that."

Degas: "No, it really happened."

Saeryn: "Not to me, it didn't."

Degas: "Oh, I must be thinking of Caelwyn! My bad."

[Groin Redbeard]

Holy mule fritters! What in the blue blazes happened when I was gone?! I expected a couple posts showing approval or disapproval of Lithor's challenge, but nothing like him being accused of treason! This makes for an interesting turn of events. Unexpected and fun.

I wrote a post for Lithor that expresses his confusion. He has never been reprimanded in such a sever and public way before and he is not use to rebelling to authority. Lithor is very depressed at his merry making going wrong and being accused of something so sever as treason, so it is expected that he takes the path he did.

[Gwathagor]

Not sure how Crabannan feels about being compared to a doe in the springtime - but nice touch with the Henry V quote. May as well borrow from the best!

[Nogrod]

Well, well, well... we seem to have some problems in our hands.

Okay, first things first. Sorry Groin, but you will have to actually edit your post a bit.

For two reasons: first of all lord Athanar would have stopped Lithor's speech very soon, probably already when he started it. Secondly lord Athanar would not have ordered his men to take him out as a martyr: that would be the most stupid thing he could do on that situation (and with his experience he would sure know not to let happen).

You have written a nice post for Lithor making him a much richer character he has been and thence I think we should let that part stay - even if lord Athanar would have stopped him as I said.

But the ending is more problematic and I do suggest you edit it. If things went like you have described them, lord Athanar is not only a fool but an evil fool - and Lithor's move and the fact that Athanar accepted it just like that, without a word - will leave us a situation where there is little good to be done. And with one post you have decided on my character's characteristics a great deal - into a direction I really wouldn't like to take him.

It leaves us to decide how to settle that ending... I'll go back to re-read it and try to come up with suggestions that would fit lord Athanar's profile.


But on a general note, it's great to see roleplaying getting this intense! Hurray to everyone!

Then let's just find a way out to our characters...

And I wish to underline what has been in a way said already, that we really should keep an eye on separating us the writers (and our knowledge of the situation and of each other) from our characters (who are only perceiving things from their POV) - while guiding them forwards.


PS. I only checked the word "treason" from a dictionary while reading the latest posts a while ago... I see now that I wasn't actually meaning that... (I had always thought that "high-treason" was the big one). Well no use crying over spilt milk. I'll just have to use some imagination if lord Athanar will be pressed on that...

[Nogrod]

OMG... I don't like what I see. For the closer I read the last post the clearer it is that lord Athanar would have had basically none of it...

But however I try to read it, it's quite clear Athanar would have interrupted at least Lithor coming back to the issue of temporary lordship and especially to his own oath of loyalty. I mean that is the absolutely last line lord Athanar would just listen silently.

I'll PM you some suggestions Groin if we could incorporate some dialogue there... as soon as I can.

It would be sad to keep you others waiting because of this. (With waiting I mean "not knowing the outcome".)