Lonely Star: Fanfiction/RPG discussion

[mark12_30]

So, Mith, did I just add insult to injury then? (I just filled in a save.) [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hang on Mith! I didn't like Cami and Gamba's talk so I have totally redone it. Just have to type it in, but will be interrupted by carting kids around.

Then I'll be ready to sail.

sharon

[piosenniel]

Helen - Gamba can't tie Pio's hair to the bed post - she is on deck on watch.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Helen,

I have totally redone that post. It is going to require a brief reply from Gamba. Either jump in the lake or I'll try....

Then I'm ready to move on.

sharon

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

I posted in my save - let's scrape the barnacles off the Star and get the ships on the move soon. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[mark12_30]

I'm there, I think. Anchors aweigh.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Mithadan said we had to work out details. What are those?

sharon

[piosenniel]

Some details which we are working on:

Can the Star actually sail up the river to the Falls.

Where will we say our final good-byes?

How will we work around the inattentive 'Pio' who spaced out during the negotiations and thought we had bought the ships. (After all, in her opinion, those knives could have bought the entire city of Minas Anor.) Good thing one of us (Mithadan)in this marriage has can focus on the details of business transactions!

Will 'Mithadan' let 'Pio' pilot one of the ships upriver to keep her out of trouble. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ December 19, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Veritas]

Strange to see this all, really. I feel like I have abandon it a long time, and I feel a bit homesick to it.
Well, I can't turn back time, just one question: Why is the RPG stopped?

[mark12_30]

Veritas!!!! WOW!!!! I wondered if you'd ever come back!!!! Welcome, welcome! Did seeing TTT bring you back?

[piosenniel]

Veritas!

It's not really stopped - we are working out a few necessary details (seeing what will work and what won't) before we proceed.

Things like - Can a ship the size of the Lonely Star actuall sail up river beyond the port of Harlond.

[Mithadan]

Welcome back Veritas! You have some reading to do! I think we sent you off to the Undying Lands about a month ago. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[piosenniel]

Sharon

Once I get the ships to the bay - can you get the Hobbits loaded up? I'll probably post later tonight.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Will try to do something with this tomorrow, though I go to TTT in the afternoon with my children who are out of school and clamoring to go.

Veritas, it is good to see you. How are things in the West?

sharon

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

Wagons ho!!! (oops, wrong story!) Well, the hobbits are on board the Mannish ships.

Mithadan, Pio, or whoever, please get the fleet turned around and headed towards the Anduin.

I will be away Dec. 25- Jan. 1 so it would be nice to get Cami's part done by then, if possible.

[mark12_30]

Wow. Tearful goodbyes and all. Guess I'd better hurry up and go back and write Gamba & Loremaster's parting before the whole thread closes down!

[Veritas]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, although I seem to be dead.. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]. By the way, it's all fine in the West. I like it there [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].
I don't think that the Lonely Star can sail up there. The Anduin (That is the river we're speaking of isn't it?) is a great river, but the size of the Lonely Star is a lot, I think the river is too undeep for such a seaship.

TTT has made miracles come out...

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[mark12_30]

Hi all,

I keep fussing at Gamba's Epilogue, and I'm not sure anybody has the same copy now... so I figured I'd post it here instead of spamming it around? That way I can edit it in one place, keep one copy, and simplify, and anybody can comment that wants to. So please delete your other copies.

Gamba's epilogue

Timeline notes:
Year Event
1000 Rescue
1017 Gamba comes of age
1027 Asta, Roka come of age & go north
1031 Asta's first son born
1035 Gamba returns for Maura
1037 Lindo, Maura's first son, born
1050 Gamba marries Opal
1052 Phura, Opal's first son, born
1062 Asta's first son comes of age
1084 Gamba passes away
1085 Phura, Opal's first Son, comes of age
1087 Phura's first Son, Doldo, born
1115 Doldo meets Mallie
1120 Doldo Marries Mallie
1121 Noldo born
1127 Sindo born
1148 Noldo begins to court Lily
1150 Fallohide Migration and tale of The Fairy Wife

Gamba's Epilogue

Gamba and his four boys lived with Cami and Rose in Greenwood peacefully for twenty years. Three years after he came of age, Gamba began exploring up north, especially the Langwell river, saying that he wanted to go settle there.

Ten years after Gamba came of age, Asta and Roka came of age. At that time Gamba left, taking Asta and Roka with him, and went up the Anduin til he found a fair-sized wood along the Langwell River. There he built three flets, fished, and gathered mushrooms, and learned to hunt in the north, where deer ran differently and the rabbits had a whole other way of life, and even the fishing was different. Roka became a fair gardener, and learned which roots and leaves grew well in the far north and which did not. Both Asta and Roka returned half a year later, to visit Cami and Rose and their sweethearts, and before three years had passed, they each brought a bride to the Langwell.

Gamba stayed at the Langwell for seven years, and mastered the local fishing and hunting, and homesteading, and learned to avoid dragons and trolls. But when the seven years had passed, leaving Roka and Asta to take care of their tree-homes and their families, he jouneyed home hoping to convince Ban and Maura to join them.

On the way, Gamba walked southward along the riverbank, and some thirty leagues into his journey he came to the first tributary below the Langwell, called the Rhimdoth, or the Rushdown. He crossed it on a clear summer night, and he saw a darkhaired young lass come out of the river after swimming fully dressed; without seeing him, she climbed up onto the bank, and lay gazing at the stars.

He wept when he saw her, and softly cried out to her, calling her Esta; she answered gently, and said that was not her name. He told her the story of his lost love whose grave lay buried beneath the sea, and trembling, asked if she was Esta's ghost; she told him plainly that she was not. He sang for her that night, old lullabyes and laments and histories, and she listened with delight, for his voice was husky and strong. He sang on until her parents missed her, and following the singing, found the two of them on the Rhimdoth riverbank.

Her name was Opal; the name suited her well, because her skin was always pale and translucent and shone stark white in the starlight. But Gamba called her Esta for the rest of his life, and said of Opal that she was just as wild at heart as Esta had been. Her new name became dear to her, and her heart turned quickly towards him. She was eighteen years old.

Gamba stayed for several days, and sang for her often. Then Gamba reluctantly continued his journey southward towards Cami's home, still desiring that Maura and Ban should join him at Langwell. Neither Cami nor Rose relished the idea, and they fought him long and hard; but Ban and Maura were both of age, and Gamba persuaded Maura to go. In the end, Ban stayed with Rose and Cami, and Maura married his sweetheart and went north with Gamba.

Parting with Maura was hard on Cami, and she made him promise to visit, a promise which he kept faithfully, even visiting her yearly when she retired to Rivendell. When they were old enough, his two elder sons accompanied him on his yearly trips to Rivendell; there she taught them herblore and healing, and found them her most apt students.

From then on, Gamba travelled south to the Rhimdoth to see Opal every season. Opal's father was skeptical of Gamba's Langwell settlement at first. But wherever Gamba went, he told his tales of the abundant fishing and hunting, and seeing that neither he nor his sons nor their wives or children were by any means famished, other hobbits went north to join his community. Learning this, Opal's father softened, and Gamba was more welcome after that.

Gamba's heart did not rest from the time he met Opal until she came of age, fifteen years later, when she married him and joined him at Langwell, in 1050. By the time Gamba wedded Opal, Langwell had become a large community, and to her surprise, Opal found herself the young matron of it; Gamba shared the decisions with her, asking her opinion; and when she would have rather not have given it, he would remind her that Nitir would want him to ask her. When he was away, she acted as his steward.

He made friends with the elves that came his way, rarely travelling into the Greenwood to search for them, at first. Only after he had made several good friends did he travel one summer with a guide all the way back to Thranduil's groves, and joined them for a woodland feast during the berry season; they were glad to see him again, but they did not invite him to their underground palace, nor show him the pathways through the woods that led to it. Of that he was glad, having no desire to see Thranduil's cave.

Together Gamba and Opal had three sons and three daughters, Phura, Mitha, Leva, Azraph, Nitir, and Waterbird. The sons when married all reverted to normal hobbit custom and lived in burrows in the riverbank. But to the end of his days, Gamba could never abide being underground for very long; and when he was too old to climb up into a flet, his Opal built him a sturdy hut on the ground, in the forest, between three young, close trees. Of course it had no glass, but two of the walls had wide doors, and the third wall had a shutter over a large opening; so even in his dotage, Gamba could ask for the shutter and doors to be thrown open wide, and see the wind in the branches and feel it in his hair.

One windy summer night, with torn clouds racing across the sky, he earnestly begged Opal to take him to the riverbank. She wept, knowing all too well the story of her namesake and knowing what was in his heart; but she called for his grandsons, and they carried him out. He lay with his head in her lap, and watched the stars winking in and out behind the clouds; and he pointed down the river, and told her again the story she knew so well, of the hobbits swimming out to the white ships that came and took them from the caves. Finally he told her that together they would see the stars again. By the time the moon rose, he had passed beyond the circles of the world. He was buried by his sons and grandsons in the forest below the flet that he and Opal had raised their family in; and she planted a beech tree beside his grave.

Phura's first son was an exceptionally tall hobbit-lad named Doldo. Doldo travelled south in his tweens to trade for southern orchard produce, and met a girl from the far south near Lorien. Her name was Mallorn, and he courted her for five years and wedded her when he came of age, and brought her north to the Langwell. Like his grandfather, he loved the woods best, and was a hunter. He built his burrow high up on the hillside under the eaves of the forest; from his front door-step, a great wide sweep of the Langwell valley could be seen. Doldo and Mallie had two fine sons, tall like their father, and named Noldo and Sindo; it's said that Mallie chose their names in tribute to her father's elvish friends, south away in Lorien, where the mallorns grow.

After Noldo and Sindo migrated over the Misty Mountains fleeing from the Shadow, and after their parents' mysterious death, Noldo and Sindo wandered far west; but they returned, and settled on the western bank of the Hoarwell, on a southfacing slope just below a wood, building many tunnels as their clan expanded. That wood was said to be teeming with game and mushrooms; if the clan expansion was any indication, that clan never lacked for provender. They were a hunting clan in the midst of a fishing community, and they went out to the woods most often, and it's said that they had dealings with elves, though few discuss what kind, and those that do, speak what they shouldn't as often as not. That south-facing slope had the odd name of Little Valinor, and many folk wonder why; to their dying day, Noldo's sons called it that. Noldo was as tall as his father; most of Noldo's children were tall and slender and golden-haired, and some even had eyes that were a deep and clear October-blue, and it's said by some that that's where the Fallohide fair blood comes from. But it's said that they took after their mother, Lorien, Noldo's wife, whom few ever saw, fewer knew, and fewer still, understood. Some rumored that she was a fairy wife; but if you ask Noldo's descendants, they will tell no tales concerning her. But folk observe that whenever her name is mentioned, her descendants fall silent, and more often than not, they look to the west.

[ December 20, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[ December 30, 2002: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

...uh... what or who is next?

[Veritas]

I like it.. but just a few questions:
1. Who/what are Gamba, Roki and Asta, and the other names?
2. Do I need further explanations?
Well, now I'm going to break my brains at the continue of the story.

[ December 22, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[mark12_30]

Veritas,

They are all hobbits rescued from the Tombs of Meneltarma where they were imprisoned by Ar-Pharazon (and previous kings, too, I guess.) Loremaster was, well, the Loremaster; Gamba and Phura were orphans, and became his adopted sons before we met them. Five more children were orphaned in the course of the story: Kesha (a 12 yar old), Asta, Roka (both 6), and toddlers Ban and Maura. Those children basically started hanging around with Gamba and Phura, so Loremaster adopted them too, by default, sort of. But they ended up being Gamba's children, going with him on the ship.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Helen,

I think someone has to get us up the river. I can do a description of the landing and who is there, but I'd prefer someone else do the sailing.

Here are the dates for Cami and Rose, as well as Rose's descendents. Do you want to add this to your chronology, or keep it separate?

Just as Gamba and his brothers are founders of the Fallohide line, Cami's blood kin, Rose, leads the earliest Harfoot migration into Eriador. Their lineage joins up with Hamfast of Gamwich who is listed in the family tree in LotR.

1016 Rose comes of age and marries Hamlan Galbasi
1020 Daisy, Rose's first daughter born
1030 Halfred (Hal), Rose's first son born
1046 Cami retires to Rivendell
1053 Daisy comes of age and marries
Holman Greenhand
Cami passes away
1054 Daisy's first daughter Camelia born
Rose and all her kin head to Eriador,
settling near Weathertop (Harfoot
migration)
1063 Hal comes of age
1073 Hal marries May Hlothram
1092 Hal's youngest son Gamba born
1125 Gamba comes of age
1130 Gamba marries Rose Smallburrows
1130 Gamba settles in Gamwich
1160 Gamba's youngest son, Halfast of Gamwich born

sharon

[ December 22, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

I can do the rest of the sail up the river tonight - or we can leave it for Mithadan tomorrow.

Which do you prefer? I stopped it part way up the river just incase anyone wanted a last bit of reflection. Otherwise, we'll hoist anchor and off we go to finish the last three days of travel to Rauros.

*sob . . . sniff*

Of course, I could delay us with an attack from the east on our anchored ships . . . [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Child of the 7th Age]

I am fine either way. BTW, when do Cami and Pio get to say goodbye?

sharon

[piosenniel]

At the final landing - yes? - no? Or would you prefer I came back to the Star for the last 3 days of travel and we do it prior to the landing? Let me know, before I write the final travel post.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Pio,

I am amenable to either scenario, but we need to do it Monday or Tuesday. It would be hard for me to do that from the road.

sharon

[piosenniel]

Pio will come back to the Star for the final day of the journey. I will post tonight, after work, I'll do the next two days of the journey then have Pio come to the Star.

Cami can then approach her and begin the farewell. Pio will respond. There will be tears, of course. This could all be done by Monday or Tuesday.

Then, either Mith or I could actually anchor us for the offloading - the aftermath of which I'm thinking will not occur until you return after the first of the year - correct?!

[mark12_30]

Sharon, I think you should do a "Cami and Rose Epilogue". --Helen

[Child of the 7th Age]

Yes, I think it would be hard to get the offloading completely done in the next two days--the scenes with Radagast and the Elves. Do folk mind waiting? The alternative is to save a bunch of spaces, and let you folk go on later on, and then come back and fill in the empty spaces.

What do you think?

Are you folk going to get out and spend one night camping with the hobbits? Or will you stay on the ship and head straight out? I thought the first, but either way is fine.

Helen will also have to do a goodbye with Gamba and Phura. Helen--did you ever do Loemaster's goodbye to Gamba?

sharon

[ December 22, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

Sure - Pio loves to camp - and wouldn't mind hobnobbing with a few more Elves.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Pio,

Good, bring out the camping gear!

Helen,

That last post was lovely. You sure love shapechangers. How can you resist our next story? Maybe play one of the shapechangers from Harad instead of the crew going with Pio and Bird and Mith to search for them. That would give you a breather, since their part wouldn't pick up for a bit.

Just an idea.

sharon

[mark12_30]

Sharon, yes, I finally went back and filled it in. Loremaster's and Gamba's goodbye, and Kesha's plot to sneak aboard, both done. THanks for the reminder!

[Veritas]

I was thinking, can I jump back into the story? It seems that this chapter is almost ending, but that there will come another story soon. And I don't want to miss that one too.

[mark12_30]

Sharon,

My husband has been asking when The Lonely Star is going to end since a week after I joined it...

On the other hand, he thinks I should start my own game, for the experience... Sometimes he puzzles me.

(!!!)

Time will tell.

Love, --Helen

[piosenniel]

Sharon

Pio and Cami are in the pantry negotiating what to fix for supper on the Star.

Tomorrow, game time, they will be at the disembark point - can you write us to there and get us off-loaded.

How long a camping venture do you see us all doing, before the Hobbits go their way and we go ours?

[Child of the 7th Age]

I'll try.

What do you think? One night, or two?

sharon

[ December 26, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

Let's really try for one night! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [which means it will stretch to two, I'm sure!]

[Child of the 7th Age]

He, he.....all you Mary Sues out there. Cami gets to be with Legolas, but she also gets a real loser of a wizard!.........

OK, I got us up to the landing, and have described the party on shore. I have no books at all here (except for The Hobbit which my daughter is reading), so I'm doing all the geography by memory. If I goof, someone please correct me.

Also, I need geography help. When Cami eventually leaves, I don't think it's realistic that her large party would go up the north stairs. Is it?

Mith or Pio, geography experts, please help me here. Would they veer west to cut north across the plains of Rohan, near the base of the cliffs? Since they have an Elvish escort, they would presumably be allowed to cut through Lorien itself, then cross over to the East at the Great East Road? Then north to Greenwood? As I said, I don't have a map here. This basic path would presumably be discussed at the campfire before you folk clear out.

sharon

[piosenniel]

Are you eventually making for Greenwood the Great?

I would not go up the North Stair. I think much of the travel along the Anduin north of the Argonath would be high rocky cliffs and and highlands and very inhospitable travelling.

Better to to go around the western base of the Emyn Muil (the East Wall of Rohan), and then travel along the river all the way north. You would pass the Downs, then between the Wold and the Brown Lands, past the River Limlight and up to the Silverlode and to Caras Galadon. Then up the river, north as always, past the River Gladden, to where the Anduin narrows (just south of the Carrock), this will be known as the Old Ford, and it is there you can cross the river.

Radagast will know this place. If your company travels east from the ford a short distance to Greenwood Forest, you can pass by Rhosgobel, the dwelling place of Radagast in the vales of the Anduin.

Travelling along the river as much as possible will afford you fresh water, fish, and small game.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Yes, we will make for Greenwood the Great. I chose the location for several reasons--woods, Elves, and Radagast's home, close to the Anduin. I suspect that the hobbits will eventually do some kind of seasonal migration, perhaps the Forest in the Summer and the River in the winter.

Thanks for the routing help. That's the general route I was thinking of, but, without a map, I was not sure.

Pat---I'd certainly have no objections if you did that part of the campfire talk which outlined the route the hobbits will be taking north. (Please do it, pretty please.)

Cami has already been thinking in terms of Greenwood so the suggestion won't come as a shock to her. Gamba, in fact, begged her to go there because of all the trees.

Presumably, Radagast would make this suggestion, and there would be discussion by Cami and the various elders. (That guy Tuka who was Azraph's father is one of them.)

What will come as a 'shock' is Radagast's presence. He was apparently sent by Gandalf, since G was unavoidably detained. You know wizards! G send word by Radagast that he intends to see her at a later time (unspecified).

sharon

[ December 27, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]