Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Noggie, is Garmund the leader between he and Cnebba, being older?

Does one have leaders in three-legged races?

Well if there is to be a leader then Garmund it is. Also Stigend would insist Garstan is the leader in their pair as he is both older and lived longer in the MH. Garstan would naturally argue back that Stigend should be the leader as he has been left with the responsibility of all the buildingwork while Eodwine is away... But finally S has two points and G only one...

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Will lunch be a big scene - a sort of banquet?

-except it would make more sense to have a big celebratory meal after everybody's done running around.

Or will lunch be a sort of a 'and then we ate' and then moving on?

The latter.

To Noggie: it's a rare thing when there isn't a leader and a follower even between only 2 people.

Is this thread going to die when I'm not here anymore? I should hope not, but indications are....

[Groin Redbeard]

Kath and I have been working on a joint post together. We should be getting it up within the next day or so.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Is this thread going to die when I'm not here anymore? I should hope not, but indications are....

No... I think at least I will feel more of an obligation to post... but now it runs so smoothly without me that if I'm busy I can get away with not posting...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Is this thread going to die when I'm not here anymore? I should hope not, but indications are....

I've been wanting to simply take a quiet lead, except I know I'm not sticking around. For that reason, I don't want to become needed in any way.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

I've been wanting to simply take a quiet lead, except I know I'm not sticking around. For that reason, I don't want to become needed in any way.

Oh, do it, do it, do it! Even if you will have to step out of that lead very soon.

And Elempi, I am sorry I have not posted. I HOPE this thread doesn't just die off when you leave. I haven't been meaning NOT to post - in fact, I have been meaning to post.

*sigh* When I have time and brilliancy I'll write.

-- Foley

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Oh, do it, do it, do it! Even if you will have to step out of that lead very soon.

*hesitates*

I'll take the lead, but only conditionally.

Mostly, the condition is that I be more like an adviser than a boss.

See, the thing with collaborative writing is, multiple people are doing it. Which means that everybody has a say.

This can be either crippling or exhilarating, depending on which way it goes.

I frequently see it become crippling, because everybody (particularly 'new' or inexperienced writers, or those who don't feel like they've been around long enough to have an opinion) is worried that it's not really their story, that they're just contributing, and what if they write something nobody likes, and what if their writing utterly ruins the story!?!?

Solution?

O
M
G

I love editing.

I think everyone should love editing. Editing is what happens when you realize that you wrote a really spectacular four part poem about a crossword puzzle, except for some reason part three is actually about salmon fishing, so you strike a few things out, make it a three part poem that doesn't involve salmon fishing, and tuck the 'deleted' part aside to maybe use later.

My point? Write!

Write, write, write, write, write.

Don't just read everybody else's work and say, "They're so much better than me, I don't want to ruin it..." or "They've been doing this longer, so they must know what they're doing..."

You can't learn to play an instrument brilliantly by listening to somebody else's symphony. You've got to pick it up, hit some dreadfully wrong notes, tune it, practice controlling the speed and strength of your breath (forgive the specification here, I play woodwinds)... Learning scales can help if for no other reason than because it teaches you to hit the note right every time. Play songs you don't think you're good enough to play. Play the tough pieces, because yeah: you're probably going to massacre them, but once you go back to the 'easier' stuff, it's so much easier. Play it even though you don't know the notes: get what you can and ask for somebody to show you the right fingerings. But you must play!

So here's the deal: I'll take the lead so Elempi can bow out quietly as he's been meaning to do as long as nobody asks permission or hesitates to post or move on with the plot.

Just write it already! We can fill in blank spots later, and we can edit if there's a problem.

If you want advice on your writing before it goes on the story thread, post it up on the discussion thread and ask for a critique. Everybody is welcome to participate. What are you worried about? What are you trying to do? Do you think it's working? Once you've got it polished, cut and paste and move on to the next post.

No hesitation, kids. Just write and like it.

K?

[Kath]

Erm, Fea ... that's FrodidEs - with an E.

[Folwren]

Woah. I didn't realize that in encouraging you I was creating an easier way out for Elempi. Not that I've really been devising to keep him here longer.

No fear, though, Fea. Just as soon as I have time, I assure you, I'll write something.

-- Foley

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Kath

Erm, Fea ... that's FrodidEs - with an E.

I'll get right on that.

I didn't realize that in encouraging you I was creating an easier way out for Elempi.

I'd certainly like him to stay around... but I'd rather have him want to stick around than feel obligated to do so.

[Gwathagor]

If Eodwine weren't such a main character, I'd suggest that, for the sake of consistency, lmp kill him off.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

If Eodwine weren't such a main character, I'd suggest that, for the sake of consistency, lmp kill him off.

I'm afraid he's going to write him off after the games as he has already told us that lord Eodwine is going to an errand to the Golden Hall - and I'm afraid it's up to us to decide whether someone will write him coming back from there.

Well, at least that's the feeling I get from his posts and I hope I'm wrong, but...

I try to sneak in a post for the kids... if Lommy doesn't want to do it? I have a host of essays to read for the few days to come and Lommy said she would like to post something, so please go ahead if you wish. I'll do it if you say no.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I try to sneak in a post for the kids... if Lommy doesn't want to do it? I have a host of essays to read for the few days to come and Lommy said she would like to post something, so please go ahead if you wish. I'll do it if you say no.

I could do it - although, you have to tell me first what did you have in mind in general about it...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I could do it - although, you have to tell me first what did you have in mind in general about it...

Consider it done...

[littlemanpoet]

Yay! I'm back!

That was miserable.

Hee hee. It's funny that you would speculate that I intend to kill of Eodwine. I suggested something like it to Fea and Foley but was roundly denounced as a macabre tyrant. Or something like that.

Anyway, after this Day of celebration, my time here is done. Except for a certain Tapestry story that is currently on hold but not done.

So as I find time I'll throw together a three-legged race.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I suggested something like it to Fea and Foley but was roundly denounced as a macabre tyrant. Or something like that.

My mental response was a lot along the lines of: "Oh no you don't! Not after all the effort it took to finally get him and Saeryn together! There needs to be a PREGNANCY and BABIES and HAPPILY EVER AFTER after all that work we put in!" and my written response was more like "Um... I'll need to think about that..."

Anyway, I intend to write out Degas after the day's festivities as well. Decisively, but open-endedly. He'll head to the Folde to do some cleanup work for an indefinite period of time. He can then come and go as I please.

[Gwathagor]

Babies?? I, for one, think we could do with more WEAPONS.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Babies?? I, for one, think we could do with more WEAPONS.

Hmm... is it possible to include both?

[Gwathagor]

This, Groin, is why God created both men AND women.

[Folwren]

Weapons? Why on earth would you want weapons when babies are the other option?

And you notice how Fea said 'a' pregnancy and then 'babies' That clearly means that Saeryn will bear twins. Identicle twins, to make it more interesting...

Yes, when Elempi dared to whisper his idea about killing Eodwine (not to mention a couple others), I, for one (I've no idea what Fea said), protested loudly.

In all seriousness now - I thought that somebody was going to take over Eodwine's character? Was I incorrect in this impression?

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Folwren

In all seriousness now - I thought that somebody was going to take over Eodwine's character? Was I incorrect in this impression?

I certainly hope so, it would be a shame to have LMP's wonderful characters die off so quickly.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

It's funny that you would speculate that I intend to kill of Eodwine. I suggested something like it to Fea and Foley but was roundly denounced as a macabre tyrant. Or something like that.

I see that my attempt at humor struck all too near the grim truth. Like the fellow who made a joke about cancer only to discover there was a cancer patient in the room, I will now trail off into an awkward...embarassed...silence...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Folwren

And you notice how Fea said 'a' pregnancy and then 'babies' That clearly means that Saeryn will bear twins. Identicle twins, to make it more interesting...

Well there's certainly precedence, what with Saeryn and Degas being twins... Just imagine, two absolutely innocent and adorable itty bitty strawberry-blond bundles of dramatic tension-- er, I mean love. Bundles of love.

[littlemanpoet]

I believe Noggie was going to take over Eodwine. Rowenna is going to accompany Degas to the Folde, and will be given back her lands, which will probably be a source of income for her while she serves as a lady in waiting for Linduial. Anyway... twins!?!? Heck, why not? But I'll be gone by then and will not have to endure the little screaming devils.

By the way, sorry to throw a wrench into Degas' plans for the race, but I fear Lithor has a point....

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

By the way, sorry to throw a wrench into Degas' plans for the race, but I fear Lithor has a point....

Oh certainly. I wouldn't want them to lose due to such a thing, and was rather hoping it would be noted and commented upon. She can have a leg loose, of course, but who wants to make things easy the first time?

Some of the best writing advice I ever got was something like, "If it gets boring, kill off a major character."

Okay, so I hate killing off major characters. But the point of the advice centers around the necessity for tension (which can be big, like death, or little, like a mis-tied rope) and the fact that sometimes one of your characters has just gotta take one for the team in order for the story to succeed. A dramatic plot that's fun to read and write has events followed by consequences which in turn spawn more events.

Seriously, I love writing the middle section of stories. It's ending things that's hard for me... I can never seem to leave well enough alone...

Anyway... procrastinating on a midterm paper...

[Gwathagor]

I'm all for conflict, particularly if it entails WEAPONS and FIGHTING.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

I'm all for conflict, particularly if it entails WEAPONS and FIGHTING.

And babies?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I believe Noggie was going to take over Eodwine.

That was the plan and I think I'm ready for it when the time comes but we should probably discuss it here as well. I mean there are sides to this coin.

When lmp leaves I'm going to host this Mead Hall with Lommy - and with a more concentrated effort I can promise you as now I have merely enjoyed lmp's lead before it's our turn.

So you woud have an active lord Eodwine there when he finally comes back. But I also understand that lord Eodwine has been so tightly identified with lmp that it might feel a bit strange for some people if he were to be written by someone else. One thing: people tend to get over with new things during time. Another thing: it wil not be the same anyway.

But there is also the problem that if something happens to lord Eodwine the Mead Hall needs a new lord - being a personal position given to Eodwine from king Eomer it is questionable at least whether there would be a Mead Hall under someone else in the first place. But if there is - and why not because we wish to write this - it would be natural the lord would be written by me or Lommy as hosts of this thread but then again do we wish to have a new one sent from Edoras? Thornden might be a possibility but is his standing high enough to the king? Anyone else now residing in the MH coming to mind to fill the shoes of lord Eodwine if needs be? (My personal opinion: either Eodwine comes back, king Eomer appoints a new one or Thornden takes it over... but I'm open to arguments other than these as well)

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

It's a fair question, Nog. No matter how well you know another person's character, you never really do feel that they're yours, or that you're getting it just right. I would prefer that Eodwine remain the lord or the hall with or without a few minor character glitches (assume he fell off the horse on his way to Edoras and is forevermore afflicted with the occasional personality change? ), as the hall has traded hands so many times in recent game-time history that it's starting to seem a little unbelievable that some emissary of the king hasn't shown up to ask why people have been dropping like flies. Of course it's always an option for Eodwine to delegate responsibilities to his people, thereby being a permanent fixture without being directly responsible for day to day things. That way he'd still be lord of the mead hall, but wouldn't necessarily need to be in the spotlight all the time.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

Of course it's always an option for Eodwine to delegate responsibilities to his people, thereby being a permanent fixture without being directly responsible for day to day things. That way he'd still be lord of the mead hall, but wouldn't necessarily need to be in the spotlight all the time.

That is indeed a good idea - and also one that might add for the general suspense in the game. How about lord Eodwine comes back a bit changed and more or less retires to his quarters? I mean not too openly to make everyone just talk about him from dawn to dusk but in a way leaving more and more of the responsibilities to others... and it would only gradually be realised he has changed (a year, a half a year RL or something as while things are rolling smoothly)? And I might come up with a nice raison d'etrê for that with lmp before he goes.

[Gwathagor]

Eodwine could be an NPC. But he's probably far too much fun to write for.

Or, we could just narrow the focus of our posts so that they deal less with events surrounding Eodwine and more in depth with the activities of our other characters. That way, Eodwine need not become a recluse or take on any less responsibility (though he might do that regardless, I don't know) as much as simply have less screen-time. His involvement would be more assumed and discussed second-hand than depicted by the writers.

[Kath]

The post I've just put up was the joint one written by Groin (and my but I nearly called you Erbrand then! ) and myself. Groin, I added a paragraph or two on the end just to catch us up with events, hope that's ok.

[Groin Redbeard]

Looks great Kath, thanks for adding that bit at the end!

[littlemanpoet]

Regarding Eodwine after I'm gone, don't feel you have to relegate him to the sidelines for fear of messing him up somehow. Make him yours! So what if he's a little different, or a lot different under your "pen" compared to the way I write? It really doesn't matter, so long as you enjoy the experience. So whatever you decide to do, don't worry about it, have fun with it, and Eodwine becomes what you make of him. Besides, he's probably going to be better written by you since you, Noggie, have experienced fatherhood, somethiing I have not had the priviledge of having done.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Besides, he's probably going to be better written by you since you, Noggie, have experienced fatherhood, somethiing I have not had the priviledge of having done.

For all that you've been a very paternal mentor to me for years now...

[Groin Redbeard]

Let's not talk so much about LMP leaving, we still have half the day to finish in Scarburg! We'll have plenty of time before the day is done, and besides, it depresses me to see that we're going to lose our best writer.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Besides, he's probably going to be better written by you since you, Noggie, have experienced fatherhood, somethiing I have not had the priviledge of having done.

Which kind of brings it to something I wanted to say earlier, but didn't really want to at the same time. I'd like Eodwine to be played by somebody because I think that Javan's character will now be quite influenced by Eodwine's character, and it is so much more fun if there are two players involved in such a situation.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

Let's not talk so much about LMP leaving, we still have half the day to finish in Scarburg! We'll have plenty of time before the day is done, and besides, it depresses me to see that we're going to lose our best writer.

Hear! Hear! *sniff*

(Aye, that's it, let's all give him a guilt trip.)

(I'm kidding, Elempi. Don't be mad. Or sad for that matter.)

[Groin Redbeard]

I just wanted to let y'all know that I'll be gone for the next couple of days. If the rope-tie race is done before I get back could you please do a game that someone else is hosting, I don't want to hold the RPG up in my absence.

I'll see y'all when I get back, and I look forward to reading lots and lots of your posts when I get back!

[Thinlómien]

Groin, I hope it's ok with you what I wrote about Lithor.