Discussion Thread Number 4 Of Wraiths-Kings-Friends-Rings Campaign

[Rían]

thanks, CS - I thought it fit!

[Butterbeer]

well, if the pub is inappropriate .. maybe aiwendis will join in with the dancing girls later for the cultural evening?

(if and only if, one presumes, the high king can be tempted into a cultural soiree?)

... my point though is after the potion ... little seems to be going on to ensnare him before it wanes - yet all manner of beauties are catching his eye ...

like the new character Gor ... Boom will be glad to have an enemy (or -albeit, lesser, rival) ...

[Udukhaturz]

Gordis, our posts almost crossed just a short while ago. I had written a post but I edited it to fit in with yours. If you think I need to do more editing, just let me know.

[Gordis]

Udu, , we have almost cross-posted! I understood you were unable to post today, but with the time difference, I see you referred to yesterday.. Sorry!

My concern is this, I am afraid you had to take away the first half of your ready post when you saw mine. Is that so? Do you wish me to insert something into my post, like the description of how Sapthan looks? Or edit it?


I feel bad to have gotten in the way of your wonderful post.

Please, Udu, I am ready to change anything! or stop my post at an earlier point, with the Chancellor opening the door.

[Udukhaturz]

Originally Posted by CrazySquirrel

Only one person REALLY matters to Lilly, and that is the beautiful, smart, bold, voluptious Lilaenwen! Poor Buz doesn't realize it yet.

I think Lilly became Buz' very own girl only right after the War. She always liked fine men, and made advances to all the men-nazgul. BTW, I loved how Serenoli made Tolvadok remember Lilly's flirting so many years ago. I don't think she ever got far with Tol, as well as with Khamul , though... As for the others, Udu, the Captain, missing Fourth... it is up to other players, actually to Udu and Gor.

CS, I think years ago Udu had figured out that Lilly was interested strictly in herself. Sapthan probably knows it, too.

[Lotesse]

Udu - just read your post; it's good but I'm wondering, why is Orrodel House being "gossiped about around town" as having wild parties all night etcetera? Who's hiding in the bushes on Orrodel property with their ear pressed up against the wall of the huge mansion? Or would that even pick anything up.

Even though I really like yours & Gordis' new guy Sapthan, in general I am sick of the gossip angle that gets overplayed to death in this RPG. In reality, I personally get disgusted with gossip. Wouldn't straightforward action be better? How many more months are we all going to keep playing the freakin' gossip card in this RPG? Just wondering.


Serenoli - awesome post! It's ironic; just last night the thought popped into my head that it would be cool to see a dwarf make an appearance, then lo & behold, you bring us one! And I love the interesting card game!

Rian - I went back & did some slight alterations in my Viv & Alagos post, incorporating your sentence & also adding a new thing for Viv, who's still learning about elves yet, and has just discovered how gross they smell. No offense! But after all, she IS a Nazgul, Ninth of the Nine.

Everyone - Shah's Post is #603 if you all are having a hard time finding it. See, this is one reason why I never liked the idea of placeholders. No one should miss that post!

AND - What's the idea with having Buz make someone else randomly knife Marty? I don't really care for this idea. Marty hasn't done anything at all major enough to warrant Buz losing his cool like that. Buz isn't Lilly; I don't want him bringing heat on the Nine for something trivial. If he sees a mortal or an elf raising a hand to Lilly, or gets his hands on someone he knows for certain has been spreading slanderous and damaging gossip about Lilly, now Eru help the poor bastard when Buz gets his hands on him, but Marty? No, I don't buy it.

Buz wouldn't mind getting his hands on a Sapthan type, for instance...

[Butterbeer]

mmm.. ok if we are going to nitpick ... i was suprised he hissed ... is there a reason for this ..or do we draw incorrect conclusions?

the bit at the end where they exchange knowing glances, reads, at least from the ML's part as if he considers him an equal - that bit i thought a tad odd ...

funny too how he knows absolutely everything but that the servant from orrodel is dead, that even Bumble's maid knew this morning?

though it's a development i like, spies all over tharbad seems exceedingly unlikely ... as does some of the level of details gleaned throughout the day ...

i fear without some circumspection here we are basically in a talking sword scenario again ...

[Lotesse]

I like that Sapthan's motto is "Trust No One." My homie Villain (yes that's his name) has that tattooed on the back of his neck. But then, there's always the thing that those who trust no one do not themselves merit trust... Great post, Gordis!

[Butterbeer]

just seen your post there lotesse ..yes this Sapthan better watch out ...

edit** the one above the one above ...

[Lotesse]

Originally Posted by Butterbeer

mmm.. ok if we are going to nitpick ... i was suprised he hissed ... is there a reason for this ..or do we draw incorrect conclusions?

the bit at the end where they exchange knowing glances, reads, at least from the ML's part as if he considers him an equal - that bit i thought a tad odd ...

funny too how he knows absolutely everything but that the servant from orrodel is dead, that even Bumble's maid knew this morning?

though it's a development i like, spies all over tharbad seems exceedingly unlikely ... as does some of the level of details gleaned throughout the day ...

i fear without some circumspection here we are basically in a talking sword scenario again ...

Pretty good points BB brings up here. But I don't mind a couple spies for our side, Melkor knows we need all the help we can get, but not millions of spies. Then again, how many elves are in Tharbad, does anyone know? Each elf is a potential big-time spy for the other side, so...

[Udukhaturz]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Udu - just read your post; it's good but I'm wondering, why is Orrodel House being "gossiped about around town" as having wild parties all night etcetera? Who's hiding in the bushes on Orrodel property with their ear pressed up against the wall of the huge mansion? Or would that even pick anything up.

Even though I really like yours & Gordis' new guy Sapthan, in general I am sick of the gossip angle that gets overplayed to death in this RPG. In reality, I personally get disgusted with gossip. Wouldn't straightforward action be better? How many more months are we all going to keep playing the freakin' gossip card in this RPG? Just wondering.

Maybe the dead maid talked a lot before she was silenced.

[Lotesse]

To whom? And at what point, exactly? The whole POINT about how we all orchestrated that scenario with the stupid maid was to avoid exACTly this sort of thing! Why'd we even bother to put like a month or more of co-planning and careful writing to properly and safely dispose of her if all those efforts were going to be for nothing?

[Butterbeer]

who to???????

basically if this seppy bloke can get any information we may as well bring back Val's talking sword and all get crystal balls ...

i say again, i like the idea and the new character ... but please ... this makes no sense and just goes FAR too far ...

[Udukhaturz]

Originally Posted by Butterbeer

mmm.. ok if we are going to nitpick ... i was suprised he hissed ... is there a reason for this ..or do we draw incorrect conclusions?

the bit at the end where they exchange knowing glances, reads, at least from the ML's part as if he considers him an equal - that bit i thought a tad odd ...

funny too how he knows absolutely everything but that the servant from orrodel is dead, that even Bumble's maid knew this morning?

though it's a development i like, spies all over tharbad seems exceedingly unlikely ... as does some of the level of details gleaned throughout the day ...

i fear without some circumspection here we are basically in a talking sword scenario again ...

Do not let one word lead to conclusions. Sapthan hissed merely because he was excited. It was sort of a mixture of a hiss and an excited whisper.

There is gossip, and then there is the exhange of information. Sapthan keeps his ear to the ground, and the news about Lilly would be making the rounds. Common knowledge, actually. Surely Orrodel has neighbors. Maybe some of them sit in an upstairs window with a ship captain's spy glass.

[Butterbeer]

...ere ...will you stop beating me to the point!

(goddamn 90 seconder --arrrgh! )

*gets into hair-trigger mode ala clint eastwood ... squints at lotesse with sombrero and poncho, chewing a cigar ...*

[Lotesse]

Orrodel's neighbours don't live any where NEAR enough to the huge grounds of Orrodel to have been able to hear conversations going on indoors. Just look at the map Gordis made, and the pictures of the place & grounds that I submitted last month. The only thing a random neighbour or passerby could have noticed would have been the scene outside that morining with Rian & Khamul, and that's it.

[Gordis]

Originally Posted by Lotesse

Pretty good points BB brings up here. But I don't mind a couple spies for our side, Melkor knows we need all the help we can get, but not millions of spies. Then again, how many elves are in Tharbad, does anyone know? Each elf is a potential big-time spy for the other side, so...

Who said millions? Tharbad has a population of about 20 ooo, I guess.

Now why numerous spies are unlikely??? The Chancellor has been in Tharbad for 3 years. Sure he has installed a network of spies! Ne has money, he had the spymaster, what else is needed?

Gossip: Please, note it is NOT Sapthan who spreads the gossip, he only REPORTS on everything his spies have overheard.

Orrodel: One of Sapthan's men was among the on-lookers during the quarrel. He must have overheard Mahtaliel's comment at the door of Orrodel. She was not trying to keep her voice low, I believe. Arabud also may have told someone aboutunusual activities at night.

The maid: probably the matter of the missing maid was already reported in the morning. It is evening report, after all.

Lotesse, If you don't like Buz attacking Marty, it is your right. If LSP wants Marty attacked, it could be by a random drunken sailor.

[Lotesse]

Well, the "millions" was my way of exaggerating to make a point. I do that a lot. No, I love a spy network in Tharbad, absolutely - what's not to love? Just not billions of them, I guess.

[Butterbeer]

Originally Posted by Udukhaturz

Do not let one word lead to conclusions. Sapthan hissed merely because he was excited. It was sort of a mixture of a hiss and an excited whisper.

There is gossip, and then there is the exhange of information. Sapthan keeps his ear to the ground, and the news about Lilly would be making the rounds. Common knowledge, actually. Surely Orrodel has neighbors. Maybe some of them sit in an upstairs window with a ship captain's spy glass.

"Do not let one word lead to conclusions"

but they do ... surely you as the writer should write it so that if that is not your intent, then they don't ...

maybe the little boy that lives down the lane is an expert nazgul hunter? ...

maybe little bo peep will end up marrying the high king?

maybe ... maybe ...

but it rather blows the whole thing apart doesn't it?

maybe godzilla will turn up?

the point is we choose not to write such stuff ... i just feel udu it goes far too far ..potentially unbalancing the whole situation ...

for him to be able to get the depth of detail and information etc that you purport him to have means the whole city is gossiping about unusual behaviour and dark deeds ... that everything in watched everywhere and that basically it is no longer Tharbad but the stepford style tharbad city of spies ...

[Udukhaturz]

Originally Posted by Gordis

Gossip: Please, note it is NOT Sapthan who spreads the gossip, he only REPORTS on everything his spies have overheard.

Gordis, correct. Sapthan is not a gossipmonger; he merely reports on what his spies tell him. The man seldom leaves the library. And why wouldn't the Chancellor's spymaster tell him everything that he has heard? Sapthan is not vouching for the validity of that information, only that this is the information reported to him.