LLL discussion thread part III

[Varnafindë]

So they're both trying to be polite, each not really knowing what the other expects of them.

In the last two posts Tabril has displayed so many misunderstandings that Baru would love to clear up - if they had been displayed to her so she had been aware of them

Baru will talk more to Tabril about Gandalf, though - eventually.

[Aikanáro]

And it's that same politeness that stops Tabrîl from making her misunderstandings known!

Gandalf, however, would be fairly easy for Baru to explain. Tabrîl knew about Radagast, and there's even a Kindi word for 'wizard' already, so it's not an unfamiliar concept.

[Amael]

So I'm confused, is Earniel still playing Radagast yet playing someone else too?

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Amael

So I'm confused, is Earniel still playing Radagast yet playing someone else too?

Radagast remains my character, but I've also taken up to occasionally involve some characters that have been long abandonned but that may still be useful to use in the story instead of just writing them out. I don't claim these characters, just move them about a little. However, should their owners return, they naturally get their character back. At this point introducing new characters or writing out non-active characters will become difficult in this part of the quest.

The characters in question are:
- Branwyn, a Gondorean scholar, originally played by Tessar.
- Earthshaker the Ent, originally played by Nuelbar.
- Hedrim Valdaes, a northern king, originally played by Orithil.

And naturally some of the mentioned Ultai characters.

[Amael]

Oh, okay. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Acalewia]

Originally Posted by Aikanáro

I'm looking forward to the Lay of Leithian posts, too - Varna, we can finish up soon if you like. Either in your next post, or mine, whichever fits better.

Oh, and welcome back, Acalewia!

Thank you. Aika

[Varnafindë]

Tabril and Baru have finished - Baru is ready to play for Branwyn

[Earniel]

We'll do one more day of Celebration, before going back on our own towards the Iron Hills. If you still want to do an act for your character, better do it now.

[Varnafindë]

Great post, Amael! You're a good writer

Is this consistent with other plans for the story? It won't be needed until after we've been to the Iron Hills, I guess ...

Edit - after my own post:

So Baru has written a great song, and I won't ruin it by trying to make it and post it, I'll only refer to it
But that's the way I'm working when I'm writing funny songs (which I only do in Norwegian) - choose a tune, and then think rhythm. Rhyme comes second.

[Earniel]

Hm, most of Amael's post is new to me. There are a few minor inconsistancies with the plot as it has been established so far, but nothin worth going editing for. I mean, people have often been writing about several trees and forest edges lately in a land I described several times as flat and plains-like. Well, you can't expect everyone to remember every little detail, I suppose, not in a pretty large game as this one. So no worries.

But for one, we're going straight North now, instead of East. You can check on any Middle-earth map. The Iron Hills are above us in the North and Radagast at least seems to think the Entwives are -if anywhere- locked up somewhere in the Iron Hills and so far he has no reason to doubt the Dol Guldur papers. But eh, he's been misled before, the poor wizard.

But it is rather impossible for anyone unknown, either Elf or Man, to sneak unnoticed into the camp to deposit scrolls. Tabrîl is constantly on the guard as well as others occassionally. We're right next to a sprawling Ultai encampment, and the lands around us are vast and open. Any traveller, any stranger, would be spotted very quickly.

Which leads to the only possible conclusion: whoever put the parchment there, is one of us! One of the adventurers! Everyone else would be spotted, and no one else but us knows we're seeking the Entwives or by which route we've travelled. And clearly whoever put it there, has something to hide, or a specific, ulterior motive, or they would have approached Radagast with that information.

That certainly opens new possibilities, and hm yes, I think I can work with this.

[Coffeehouse]

The hidden parchment seems like a good idea, though I agree with Eärniel, it should be consistent with the plot.

I took the liberty of painting (figuratively alas...) a picture of Dorwinion in the last post, I hope nobody minds the description (but I doubt the rest of the company will end up in Dorwinion)

[Amael]

Although it's pointed out in my post that A'mael even thinks this map is for the purpose of finding the Entwives, I'd spoil it if I were to say that wasn't the case. And so I just spoiled it! There is more to this than consistency to one plot. There are many happenings going about. Who said that the mysterious intruder wouldn't have been allowed entry, particularly if the intruder was not really an intruder at all? My post was mainly dialogue, nobody really knows what's going on with this mysterious letter or scroll other than A'mael and her husband, and whoever gave the scroll to Ingwionis first. And he did go along with this idea, so I'm not getting someone else involved in something that they didn't agree upon firstly.

As I discussed with someone else here, the plot never truly ends even if we either end in failure of finding the Entwives, or succeed in finding them. I'm quite aware we're heading somewhat north too. But I'm also aware that we're probably off the trail a little bit. A compass would be convenient in times like that, but the rise and set of the sun does well enough on its own. The Iron Hills is quite a ways along indeed! Any further east than where I'd imagine we are would end up being the either present or former locations of great statues the traitorous men of the east built to worship "their" deity of choice, none other than Morgoth. And much further north would be even more so evil relics to be found.

Coffeehouse, I liked your description of Dorwinion. It's very imaginative but loyal to the plot, and opens the eyes to the massive size of the Sea of Rhun! On a map the sea looks not much larger than all of Mirkwood itself, but that all in all is quite huge! I like it! It includes wine too, a favorite of Thranduil ... to save on costs I imagine that it wouldn't be beyond him to send agents to steal from Dorwinion before. Thranduil's much unlike his son, for certain!

Rhun is a spectacular place, and not enough was written about it, because Tolkien like all of us only has so much time before the end. Go south from there, you hit mountains to the southwest of the sea, further south and a bit east, the northeast entrance into Mordor, and it isn't a less-dangerous entrance either. Variags from Khand, Easterlings from Rhun, all defended those passes, along with giant animals, the same that carried Grond to the Gates of the White City. From Dorwinion, go quite further east and north and you hit dense forests to the northeast of the sea. As vast as the Sea of Rhun is, some maps depict Palisor or the Far East to be immense. It's hard to imagine that whoever or whatever was acting in Rhun in the Third Age to hinder the Easterlings could hinder them enough to provide them only with a small contingent to join Mordor in battle against Minas Tirith. The east seems to be one of those places that have a population far spread out, so thin that there's little resistance just about anywhere you go. I'm sure at one time it was much different, a sprawling landscape of villages further than even the best eyes could see!

Looks like the main group is about 360 miles or so from Amon Lanc, and Coffeehouse is 400 miles from Amon Lanc, the group and Coffeehouse and his companion are about 200 miles away from each other. At least, a guestimate. The Carnen originating from the Iron Hills, then flowing into the Celduin, separates Rhovanion from Rhun. So hypothetically if anyone in the group were to cross the river at a narrow point (if there is a narrow point), they could jump back and forth saying "I'm in Rhun, now I'm in Rhovanion, Rhun, Rhovanion!"

[Aikanáro]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Tabrîl is constantly on the guard as well as others occassionally. We're right next to a sprawling Ultai encampment, and the lands around us are vast and open. Any traveller, any stranger, would be spotted very quickly.

Originally Posted by Amael

There are many happenings going about. Who said that the mysterious intruder wouldn't have been allowed entry, particularly if the intruder was not really an intruder at all?

I've posted a couple of times about Tabrîl being conscientious to the point of paranoid when it comes to strangers/intruders approaching the group. And, as Earniel said, the land is pretty open, it wouldn't be easy to sneak up on us.

That said, Tabrîl obviously can't be on guard 24/7, she could have been sound asleep when all this happened, and if nobody else was keeping watch, and the 'intruder' was known to the Ultai, he/she could possibly have got away with it.

I much prefer, however, the notion that it was someone within our own group. Intrigue. Shiny.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by Amael

There is more to this than consistency to one plot. There are many happenings going about.

Well, consistancy with what has been written would still be nice. And for the sake of the central plot, I do like to be informed about other plots that may or may not overlap. I'm not preventing other plots, far from it, but if you intend to go places with that document, I as GM, just like to be told what the general idea is so I can adapt the central plot to fit or coincide if need be. You can PM me if you don't want make your plot public, I asked this of Coffeehouse too when he took Quickleaf for a spin down the river. Or if you are certain your plot has no connection whatsoever to the current Entwife-plot, you can just tell me that and then you don't have to tell me another word about your plot.

Who said that the mysterious intruder wouldn't have been allowed entry, particularly if the intruder was not really an intruder at all?

Not an intruder in our camp? That would still mean it's one of us. I don't really mind how the document got there, just make it plausible. Either it's someone from us, either someone from the Ultai who is very darn lucky to have been unseen, or the scroll has been dropped by an owl for all I care. It has to make sense.

For those who kind of lost track what route we have travelled and where Radagast is planning on going next, I've got this nice map readied.

[Butterbeer]

LOST!!!

one unfeasibly large OLPIPHAUNT ...answers to the name of er...

um - Daisy was it?

..anyway, had some beer kegs strapped onto her back... and er a pub landlord...and a Gaffer i believ.. well, at one point...

as i recall.. seemed to like doughnuts ..or was it iced buns?

IF FOUND...

Please return to the Prancing Pony, Bree.

.................................................. ......

Old characters NEVER die... they just er..get forgetful...and run off in wild abandon to the nearest iced Bun shop


anyway - hope you are all well - esp Earniel

Best BB

[Amael]

Don't worry, Earniel. I will not be an idiot and start posting a second plot. I'm not implying anything by that. I know I don't seem to be one to follow with any sort of convention, but I will not knowingly derail the plot. If that last post has done this as most of my ignorant asinine posts do, then by all means, it should be removed, it must be removed, if it harms the plot.

[Earniel]

I'd never accuse you of such things. I don't mind sub-plots, or secondary story-lines, they can be fun.

But as I said, it looked like you have a certain plan with that scroll and so far your post has implied it had to do with the Entwives. You've said here later that is what your character A'mael is thinking, but that she isn't necessarily right about that assumption, but that doesn't really tell me in which direction you plan to take this sub-plot. But if as you say it won't influence the main plot, and if you keep it plausible, then we'll leave it at that.

[Amael]

I don't intend to get air-headed about it, or become implausible with it. He ("Ingwe") went along with it as some sort of split journey idea, but again this incurs spoilers and so now we all know exactly what this is going to involve. Yet I explain myself so that anyone else may understand me, not that anyone will see eye to eye with anything I say. I'll try to remain plausible. I can promise that. If however the plot becomes implausible on my part, everyone already has my apology in advance, and it's nothing as you said the edit or delete button can't change. I don't take posts being deleeted or edited personally. It's something that sometimes needs to be done. If Ingwe starts posting again however unlikely as that may be anytime soon (because of his work), I can't speak on his behalf. The sub plot could just as easily become implausible by anyone if the plot becomes too compllicated. That's what I'm trying to ensure.

"Ingwe" said that the person 'intruding' on the camp is indeed not an intruder. And since I can't reveal it, I can only pose hypothetical questions. Is the intruder indeed an intruder? What of the capabilities of some within the camp? What of the intentions of some? Is this map going to lead anyone who dares follow it do something good ... or doom? Does the intruder or not intruder necessarily have to 'walk' or even 'fly' into the camp? Did it even need to come from under the ground? Or another question is ... was any message delivered at all? Was it all a dream? Had the message been present yet hidden all along? What of the magic seal on the scroll that simply evaporated? Could this have something to do with the nature of the message itself? What of the nature of the lands south of the Iron Hills as we move upstream toward the hills? In conclusion, anything's possible. Anything plausible that is. And anything that will not conflict.

Feel free to message me, anyone who is concerned.

[Thorir Orcbane]

this sounds fun. Will anyone tell me how to play?

[Earniel]

Unfortunately we're currently not taking in any new players, they'd be too difficult to integrate in the current stage of the game. However, if you were planning on playing a Dwarf-character, let me know, as I might be able to get you in at a slightly later time.