Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Nogrod, I'd rather not put a time line on when we start the new day. We'll see if we're ready by Monday, but if not, I'd say we shouldn't rush it.

I have no reason to hurry either... I just caught a feel from some posting (especially yours Foley! ) that people were anxious to change the day.

But we should probably make a deal that those who wish to contribute to the day we're on should voice their wish to do so.

[Lhunardawen]

Thank you, Legate and Foley.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Lhuna, would you like me to change my posts a little bit, or do you want to add something to it? Feel free to tell me, or PM a change, or however you want to handle it... Also, didn't Harreld and Ginna become betrothed the day of Eodwine and Saeryn's wedding? I s'pose we had better think about that, as well as timing for a marriage if that's what will happen? And Ginna's father is not likely to warm to it either, come to think of it....

I sent you a PM. (I'm guessing it would be useless to say this. )

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I have no reason to hurry either... I just caught a feel from some posting (especially yours Foley! ) that people were anxious to change the day.

*blush* Yeah, sorry about that. I do often come across as impatient. Although I'm ready to move on, I'd like others to have plenty of time to post....I also really want to hear from Dury again.

-- Foley

[Folwren]

I went through all the soldiers that had players and couldn't find any that fit Athanar's bill, so I went to see what kind of NPC characters we had...none that would do that I could find in the little time I had, but I remembered that some soldiers had been played way at the beginning days of the Mead Hall, so I looked that old thread up and found Garwine. I believe he's a fairly mild chap, but I didn't want to create a whole new NPC who'd never been mentioned before -that just seemed wrong for some reason - so I grabbed him. :|

Too bad Crabannan isn't a soldier. I'd have chosen him in a heartbeat.

All that to say, I've posted and I think that we can move on if everyone wants to.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I think this is going nicely... and I have nothing against moving on. I am just popping in here mainly to say that I won't be around until Sunday, so that if anybody required me to post, or had any question during that time, don't expect the answer until then I think I might have something to post during the expedition to the foreign lords, but I am sure it can be inserted if need be, or if you moved so far forward...

And in case Dury appears, or even if she does not and we consider whom to send to Edoras (although that could also be inserted, if it came to that, as it is not so important if there are just NPCs going), Áforglaed might be a good idea still, at least if Coen has also noticed that he is not quite okay with Scyrr being wounded now... In fact, if Athanar wants the soldiers to have both-sided account of events to Éomer, then Áforglaed is probably the man to send.

[Folwren]

I personally thought that when Nogrod wrote the post, Áforglaed would be perfect to send, too.

[Firefoot]

Things have gotten busy here! And welcome back, Elempi.

I've been lurking on and off but have been too busy to try and make things happen... (this semester has been terrible in terms of workload). However, now that things are going on I'm definitely going to make an effort to keep with it. I have a lot to do this afternoon but hopefully by the weekend I should be able to get a post up.

[Lhunardawen]

Nogrod, in case you were waiting, I have nothing to put in for this day (game time). I'm just waiting for the next day - albeit still unprepared for it.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

Nogrod, in case you were waiting, I have nothing to put in for this day (game time). I'm just waiting for the next day - albeit still unprepared for it.

I'd say anyone willing should post for the next morning now as it seems no one has anything to add in to the evening.

I'll make a post as well for the next day tomorrow or the day after, but do not wait for me. Any posts on the new day are good.


Mnemo, go on posting if you have something in your mind - and if you need any help from me in regards Athanar, just PM!

lmp - trying to PM you back tomorrow... (too late now).


So the next day should be dawning!

[littlemanpoet]

It's great to be back, Firefoot!

And it's great to have a new day to write in. A couple of us have been discussing a great new mess of a plot development that I'm more than eager to get started on. Not telling yet, you'll have to see it unfold. :rubs hands eagerly:

EDIT: Foley, let me know if any of the words I put in Thornden's mouth need to be changed.

[Folwren]

Okay, Elempi...at first I thought maybe Thornden wouldn't mention that he stank, but then it occurred to me, maybe, if he knew him well enough. Then I thought, "No, probably not" but then I thought, "Well, it'll make what we have planned even better if we make it out that Thornden and Harreld are on very familiar terms with each other." So, keep it.

BUT I don't think Thornden is actually going. I think he is sending Garwine. I wish Thornden were going, but I don't think Athanar will allow it. Nogrod? Am I right? Harreld can ask if the messengers can drop by Garreth's place.

Mnemosyne, I know your probably writing a post for the previous day. Go ahead and finish, if you're still planning on writing it and we'll work it in either at the end of my last post or beginning of Elempi's new day post.

And I think that's all I've got. I may try posting this evening, but I doubt I'll manage it.

-- Foley

[Mnemosyne]

Post is up; how do we want to work it in to the narrative?

Nog, let me know if I got Athanar wrong in any way, or if there are any other "behind the scenes" duties that I should have slipped in, or anything.

[Nogrod]

Mnemo: that was very good indeed! And I don't think we need to change anything timewise either - one or two posts on both sides of the night shouldn't be a problem.

Foley: you're quite right, lord Athanar would not let Thornden go as he needs him - but he would probably be okay with the messengers stopping by at Garreth's.

Adding more twists to the mess... well surely! Go on lmp!

[littlemanpoet]

Thornden staying - fixed. I'm glad you were okay with the "you stink" part. Guys will talk like that to their friends.

[Durelin]

So I posted a sort of general reflection/catch up post for Coen.

As for him finding out about Thornden hiding something...well, he suspected Thornden at least of wanting to protect Erbrand (and Lithor), but he had a fairly high opinion of Thornden at first so doesn't really want to think he's hiding something very specific, other than that he has a lot of sympathy for the two and thinks they have been mistreated. Which is enough to make Coen angry!

I suppose he does suspect him hiding something, though he doesn't want to. Apparently he's a strange combination of idealistic and bitter. Or rather he decides what he thinks about someone within a couple moments interaction and then it takes him months or years to change that image of someone even if it's wrong.

Anyway I'm rambling. So if Hilderinc or someone else spoke to Coen about it and got his suspicions going...well, if it was Hilderinc he might go straight to Athanar cause he trusts him so much. If it was someone else he doesn't trust as much, he'd go confront Thornden. But he also might feel he needs to confront Thornden and make *him* tell Athanar. Kind of like dragging a kid who's done something bad to apologize.

Er...anyway...I guess those are my thoughts. I see that you wanted to try to fit the reveal in possibly to the dinner the previous evening... I suppose Hilderinc could find Coen in the stables and inform him? That is if you both want to go through with that. It is up to you, Legate and Foley. Or we can hold off and keep building whatever tensions...

[Folwren]

Durelin, I'm so excited that you came and posted! Your post was really good. I like Coenred a lot.

It makes little difference that Coen and Hilderinc didn't talk the previous night. It can happen whenever. It happening this morning would be fine, or later. Legate, what do you think?

I wish I could post something tonight, but I can't. Besides that, I don't even know what I'd post about. Maybe Thornden asking Athanar if the messengers can stop by Garreth's smithy, but we've already said that'd be fine here on the discussion thread so I thought that maybe would be superfluous. But if others think not, maybe I'll post that. I dunno.

Anyway, I'll see about things in the morning. G'night, all.

-- Foley

[Nogrod]

Nice posts!

But I noticed a problem... Looking at the situation, lord Athanar would have wished to send the messengers to Edoras asap, meaning sending them into the back of the night (which I indeed wrote there in the thread), but now it seems people are asking about who goes and where in the morning!

The whole idea was that the messengers should go as soon as possible. What kind of a lord is that which gives the outlaws 12 more hours head-start?

Originally Posted by lord Athanar on the thread adfter his specch yesterday

"Tell them to meet me here in one and half hour to pick my letter to the king - and as I know anyone would be reluctant to go riding through the night, especially after this kind of a day, tell them they will have a day free tomorrow in Edoras and they will have to report to me they're back only in the evening meal of the day after tomorrow. That clear?"

So how about you lmp & Foley changed the time-setting of your posts making them meet in the late evening, like before going to sleep? That would also make Mnemo's post in it's due place... Dury's post I think would be unaffected.

It's a kind of a logic issue. If Athanar says in the evening "let them come here in one and half hour" - and we start to think who they are and what they would do the next morning...

EDIT: I thought of writing a short post for Athanar but will now withold it for a moment until you answer to my proposal so as not to write anything I'd need to edit heavily afterwards...

[Folwren]

Oooh. I missed that. For some reason I though tthey were leaving the next morning. Okay. Should I just delete my post, as it's set in the morning? It'd be just as easy to write a whole new one as rewrite this one.

-- Foley

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Folwren

It'd be just as easy to write a whole new one as rewrite this one.

Well, there are two of you posting about the morning, so I'd think just changing the setting into the late evening would be easier... but whichever you think is done with less effort... I mean I have no problem with the posts as such (they're nice indeed!), only the timing of them goes contrary to what should have happened.

[Folwren]

I actually think that what would be more likely is if Harreld didn't know that the messengers were going that night and he missed them entirely. But that's Elempi's call...plus, if Harreld misses this chance of sending a message, it'd be tough to come up with a reason to send a third rider to Edoras. UNLESS Harreld decides to take a holiday while the men-at-arms are off tax-collecting and he goes to Edoras himself.

[littlemanpoet]

I'll fix my post to come at night. I can alter Harreld's motivation a bit to account for him not knowing the messengers are going out that night - that he's just lucky this once. :P

EDIT: Okay, I've altered my post to come late that night. There are quite a few changes, so Foley you'll need to read it to see how to change yours. Let me know if anything doesn't work.

2nd EDIT: But now I've read Foley's post (didn't before) and I see that I've kind of messed her up. Do you think it would be best for Harreld to appear before Athanar too?

[Folwren]

Elempi, don't worry about anything. I'll just re-do my post to correspond what you wrote. As I said, it would be easier for me to re-write than edit a previous post.

-- Foley

[Folwren]

I rewrote the post and I think it's much better this way.

Nogrod, let me know if I handled Athanar right. I just figured that as we were in the editing stage, it would be much easier and more reasonable for me to just write it out myself and not try to do a back and forth. Particularly since you'd said it'd be alright with Athanar.

So, we're ready for this next day. Yay!

Firefoot, I am glad to see you around and posting. Does Leof get to ride with us?

[littlemanpoet]

Nice post Foley. Now I'm wondering if we want to wait until Garwine and friend bring back word from Edoras, including a certain letter from Ginna's father? Or do we want a separate messenger to deliver that note on THIS day? What do you think, Foley & Lhuna?

[Nogrod]

Foley: would you put this in your last post, like to the beginning of it (before Thornden meets Athanar)? I feel lord Athanar would need to have this to say before the messengers went off.


--- * ----

Lord Athanr looked at the empty parchment and wrote the words My King, to begin the letter. It felt preposterous and not himself. He took the parchment and folded it in parts, sending it to the fire.

My lord. He began the next one. He looked at the paper for a while and thought it would have to suffice.


I need to make a call for a tanner named Erbrand and a soldier named Lithor. This Erbrand tried to kill one of my men, Scyrr, if you remember the old warhorse; and Lithor joined Erbrand in escape after having been judged for trying to revolt against your rule. The two are armed and dangerous. Although I find it sad to call after them as they seemed like good men.

They ran away before noon this day and I sent men to go after them as soon as their desertion caught my ears. Neither was found around the premises within ten miles.

Do ask the two messengers I sent you with this message, why there were these troubles. You'll get the picture from there.

Yours truly,

lord Athanar


He eyed the parchment once more and then rolled it to a tube pressing his seal of wax on it.

Coming downstairs he met Aforglaed and Garwine waiting for him in the hall.

"So it is you two to carry the message?" Both of the men nodded. "Good..."

"Give this letter to the king - and do not let all the soothsayers get in front of you. Say it is important news from the Scarburg Mead Hall."

Lord Athanar gave the parchement to Garwine and stood back. "Go with my best wishes and come back later... and use your free time in Edoras well..." he smiled to the two and winked an eye to them.

"I'm waiting to hear your report the day after tomorrow.... Now ride as like the ghosts would pursue you... the earlier the king learns of your news the better chances there are getting these two caught."

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Nice post Foley. Now I'm wondering if we want to wait until Garwine and friend bring back word from Edoras, including a certain letter from Ginna's father? Or do we want a separate messenger to deliver that note on THIS day? What do you think, Foley & Lhuna?

I'm for using the same messenger going back...for fun. Or whichever works for our purposes. (Foley: )

Also I'm hit with a really bad case of writer's block (told ya I'm rusty ) and will be internetless for today and tomorrow. I hope that serves as a cure somehow.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Foley: would you put this in your last post, like to the beginning of it (before Thornden meets Athanar)?

Done and done.

Lhuna, I hope you break your writer's block soon. Remember, Elempi offered you his help, and I'm sure if he isn't available, I'd be willing to help, too.

-- Fols

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Durelin

So if Hilderinc or someone else spoke to Coen about it and got his suspicions going...well, if it was Hilderinc he might go straight to Athanar cause he trusts him so much. If it was someone else he doesn't trust as much, he'd go confront Thornden. But he also might feel he needs to confront Thornden and make *him* tell Athanar. Kind of like dragging a kid who's done something bad to apologize.

Er...anyway...I guess those are my thoughts. I see that you wanted to try to fit the reveal in possibly to the dinner the previous evening... I suppose Hilderinc could find Coen in the stables and inform him? That is if you both want to go through with that. It is up to you, Legate and Foley. Or we can hold off and keep building whatever tensions...

Originally Posted by Folwren

It makes little difference that Coen and Hilderinc didn't talk the previous night. It can happen whenever. It happening this morning would be fine, or later. Legate, what do you think?

I think I can make it happen like you said, Coen and Hilderinc meeting in the stables. Indeed I originally wanted to write about it as part of the previous evening dinner-talk, but then I decided that the course of events was a bit, hmm, rushed for that, with the messengers being sent and stuff. But I think I can post it now - as it's getting late here, I am probably going to post sometime tomorrow my time.

But it really looks like you all did a wonderful job here, and I like all the posts, and looking forward to see what comes further

[Firefoot]

For clarification - are the Scarburg folk riding out to the homesteads of the local lords, or are the local lords coming to Scarburg again? I feel like I missed something.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

For clarification - are the Scarburg folk riding out to the homesteads of the local lords, or are the local lords coming to Scarburg again? I feel like I missed something.

I was under the impression that we are going after them, to their own homesteads.

And I have posted, seems at last it is out. Dury, let me know if I have handled Coen incorrectly, or if you want me to edit in some way his words - I wanted to post only as much as I needed to keep the conversation running the way it should. I have ended my post with the assumption that Coen will also figure out what had happened (or at least part of it, that is, that Hilderinc saw either Lithor or Erbrand or both riding away), and I made Hilderinc realise it himself too (as I wrote it, I thought that it seemed logical, it would be pretty dumb of Hilderinc not to realise at least the basic possibility). If there is a different way you want the things to unfold, or, more like if Coen reacts in some unusual way or does not react at all, I can edit the ending...

That said, I think it is not so bad yet, and in fact, the subject is already outdated, but this is upon Coen to handle now...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

For clarification - are the Scarburg folk riding out to the homesteads of the local lords, or are the local lords coming to Scarburg again?

Scarburg folk are riding today.

I'll try to make a post today... not to send us riding as yet, but to continue preparations...

[littlemanpoet]

Friends, you may notice (or maybe not) that my posts on this rpg tend to a certain type of language pattern, or "sense". I do this because I want my characters to sound like Eorling folks. When I write for this rpg, I "hear" the language of the post in my head, trying to make it sound authentic.

Here's my offer. If you would like me to offer word choices or phrase choices to help you make your posts more Eorling in style and sense, please say so. I will limit what I do to making suggestions, and it's entirely up to you whether you use them. You will not hurt my feelings if you choose not to take me up on this, and you will not hurt my feelings if you ask for my aid and choose not to use my suggestions. In fact, I think I'll probably have fun just offering the suggestions if you use them or not.

I will not offer my opinions about your posts unless you ask me to, because the last thing I want to do is offend a fellow rpg'r.

Just let me know that you'd like to have some suggestions from me, and either tell me which post you want help with, or if you prefer, I'm fine with PMing also. And if nobody responds to this post, that doesn't hurt my feelings either.

[Folwren]

Elempi, I'll take you up on that offer. I know you've pointed out some stuff to me before.

Durelin and Legate, great posts. I'm tempted to exacerbate the problem and send Thornden in there, all oblivious like, but I don't think I can do that right now.

-- Foley

[Firefoot]

Hmm... I'm not sure it would be appropriate for Leof to ride out with the soldiers to see the lords? If they're going out in full array, he'd stick out like a sore thumb, I'd think. Then again, I don't consider myself well-versed in feudal politics and policies, so he could go with if that would be an appropriate thing for him to do.

Alternately, I'd be happy to get some kind of storyline going with any other characters who might be hanging around behind? Who all would that be?

[littlemanpoet]

Okay, Foley, just let me know the Post number you want me to look at - or PM me.

By the way, it just so happens that Rohan is NOT FEUDAL in its governmental structure. It's Pre-Feudal. Feudalism means that anybody who is not a lord is a serf; serf = not free. Pre-feudalism means that everybody who is not a lord is probably a farmer working his own land. Back in the old days they were called "wights" until the Normans took over England in 1066. It didn't mean "undead" back in the day; it meant "human". But we can just call them either "freemen" or "farmers".

Feudal term - - Pre-Feudal (Rohan) term:

Knight - - - - Eorling (wealthy landholder, breeds & owns his horses)
Lord - - - - Eorl (there are 3, over East, West, & Middle Emnets)
Vassal - - - no such thing
Fief - - - no such thing

So the class structure in "The Mark" (their own name for their lands - Rohan is what the Gondorians call it) is:

King - ruler
Eorl - general in war, judge in his Emnet
Eorling - owns his horse, local judge for freemen nearby
Freeman/Farmer - owns & works his own land, not wealthy enough to own a horse


Suggestion:
The way things have become structured in the Middle Emnet, the three "lords" besides Athanar are particularly wealthy land holders who wield more power locally than the usual Eorling; this is, perhaps, due to the fact that laws have been, shall we say, cavalierly observed of late; and the new Eorl is there to re-establish a more just observance of the law, and maybe even return lands to freemen who have lost theirs to unjust Eorlings.

Just a note on the above: Nogrod and I have been discussing how this is supposed to work, and it has been a very interesting process. The above paragraph is strictly a suggestion by way of explaining how things have gotten to the almost Feudal condition in the Middle Emnet compared to how they are supposed to be in Pre-Feudal Rohan - and this suggestion is mine and only mine, and it's entirely up to Nogrod and others whether to accept it. It was really a bit of a brainstorm. Far be it from me to tramp on toes!

[Nogrod]

I'm warmly welcoming all help you lmp can give us on older language for as someone who in the end writes in a foreign language I just feel oftentimes amiss with how to say certain things, especially making them ring right in the context of people living and talking in some far past.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Suggestion:
The way things have become structured in the Middle Emnet, the three "lords" besides Athanar are particularly wealthy land holders who wield more power locally than the usual Eorling; this is, perhaps, due to the fact that laws have been, shall we say, cavalierly observed of late; and the new Eorl is there to re-establish a more just observance of the law, and maybe even return lands to freemen who have lost theirs to unjust Eorlings.

Just a note on the above: Nogrod and I have been discussing how this is supposed to work, and it has been a very interesting process. The above paragraph is strictly a suggestion by way of explaining how things have gotten to the almost Feudal condition in the Middle Emnet compared to how they are supposed to be in Pre-Feudal Rohan - and this suggestion is mine and only mine, and it's entirely up to Nogrod and others whether to accept it. It was really a bit of a brainstorm. Far be it from me to tramp on toes!

It has been an interesting process indeed - and we probably should have done better to go through that back when lmp left as I must say I have been thinking more or less along some feaudalistic lines of thought all the time (but can see the point of making Rohan and Gondor quite different on that issue - and that way more according to Tolkien-universe). But it is interesting to try and bring together both those things that have been written and how it should be... And actually I find lmp's latest suggestion quite good (the bolded one).

We'll have to work that out before lord Athanar and the Scarburg people meet the first lord. So maybe a few days (RL) still left. But as things are here in the open now, I'd appreciate any comments you others might have on the subject.

[Nogrod]

Oh, and sorry for not posting...

I spent the last night watching the US. election results & analysis program up to 4am from BBC and understandably have been both very tired and overtly busy today (needed to do also the stuff I would have otherwise done yesterday evening).

[Folwren]

I did post for Thornden, but I didn't interrupt. One of them might have seen him pass, though. I almost continued but I don't have time to just now. I may tomorrow and go ahead and have Thornden meet someone carrying the letter, Elempi and Lhuna.

-- Foley

[Firefoot]

You know, I hesitated over the use of the word "feudal." Rightfully so, it seems...

[Mnemosyne]

So, any ideas about what's going to be going on back at the Meadhall while everyone else is running around?