Hard Winters Planning/Discussion Thread

[piosenniel]

** Please excuse this dusty old brain for not noticing the Downs had gasped to life once again....

Greetings, fellow players, here on the wide and rolling plains of Rohan!

This thread will be a place where we can discuss and plan the action and dialogue and what-not that is written on:

The Hard Winters RPG game thread -- happening circa Spring of 4th Age year 19, after a harsh winter.....

The new facilitators for this incarnation will be:

littlemanpoet, ably assisted by Nogrod

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NOTE:

All new gamers to the RPG (that is, those who don't already have established characters bios on the Scarburg Meadhall Discussion thread) must submit an Abbreviated Character Description form to this thread when they place their first post on the RPG thread.

Abbreviated Character Bio Form

NAME:

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM:

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be):

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish):


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Go ahead and start discussing your RPG plans here.

[piosenniel]

Players/Characters List (see below this part of the post for Thinlómien's list of characters according to profession/attachment)

("XX's" designating characters who won't be played from the Meadhall)

ArrySecg and Thystel - Fana's brothers/Granny Haesel's grandsons - WITHDRAWN FROM GAME

Envinyatar
Heafoc - WITHDRAWN FROM GAME

Firefoot
Scyld (aka Nydfara)
Léofric
Cerwyn
----------
Folwren -
Saeryn - Eodwine’s wife
Eoghan and Ruari - Saeryn and Eodwyne's twins
Thornden
Javan
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Galadriel55
Ledwyn(Her son, Theolain, died during the hard winter.)
Balan Bard
----------
Inziladun
Ladavan
----------
Legate of Amon Lanc
Hilderinc
Áforglaed
Stefnu
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littlemanpoet
Eodwine (First Eorl of the Meadhall)
Rowenna (Wenna)

Harreld Smith
Garreth Smith

XX Master Falco Boffin - has gone back to the Shire
XX Laerdil (Elf) - won't be around. He's probably over the sea by now.
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Mithalwen
Elfthain
----------
Nogrod
Cnebba - with Thinlómien
Stigend

XX Athanar – off on an away adventure with Durelin’s ‘Coenred (Coen)’
----------
Snowdog
Halcwyn of Rohan
----------
Thinlómien
Wilheard Please note: Wulfric is DEAD
Modtryth
Cnebba - with Nogrod
Brith (short for Brithiel)

Fréa and Caranthir - 2 soldiers traveling with Brith
Fréa and Caranthir are NPCs -- freely to be used by any writer.

XX Wulfric – will not be played in this game
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Undómë
Fana - WITHDRAWN FROM GAME
Haesel - the old herbs-woman - WITHDRAWN FROM GAME
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NPC's

Athanar’s soldiers - BALDWIC SON OF BALDWIN; FEARGHALL; SCYRR (NOT Áforglaed, who is being played by Legate of Amon Lanc)
Osmund - soldier in Eodwine's household/mentione a few times in Scarburg Meadhall thread
Fréa and Caranthir - 2 soldiers traveling with Brith

____________________________________________


Link to Thinlómien's list of characters according to profession/attachment -- HERE

[piosenniel]

Location/Description of Meadhall/MAPS - HERE

This includes (from the original Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread):

Scarburg Meadhall & surrounding area
Meadhall overview
General Middle-earth overview

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Useful Information about the Eorlingian/Rohirric culture

IN PROGRESS.....

From the original Scarburg Mead Hall Discussion thread: HERE
*[includes: Anglo-Saxon culture and horses; Rohirrim-Dunlending relations; On Bailiffs, Stewards, and Almbudsmen; Medieval boy/girl stuff (“rolling in the hay”); Eorling Mead Hall & Surrounds Plan; and also includes links to -
Lords and Vassals
Oven Building
Wattle & Daub Construction
Saxon Buildings
Anglo-Saxon Occupations
Dance!
Regia Anglorum (Anglo-Saxon & Viking Britain resources)
Ravensgard (Anglo-Saxon culture)
About the Rohirric language (from the Ardalambion site)]

Links to Rohan wiki-world: HERE and HERE

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Other links which might be of some use:

"An Appreciation of Weather in the Lord of the Rings" - HERE

From the PBS NewsHour - Science section:
"Climate models turn the weather in Tolkien's Hobbit into science" - HERE


The Encyclopedia of Arda - Old and Rare Words Used in Tolkien's Works - HERE

[piosenniel]

Reminders for the So Far Unnamed RPG in play:

• Please remove your signature from EVERY post to the RPG thread
  
  
• No SAVES on the RPG thread.
  
  
• Don't use smileys in your RPG posts or icons - e.g., etc.
  
  
• Don't use the 'Reason for Editing' function on your RPG posts. If it's critical that other players know that you've changed something, then put a post on the Discussion Thread about your edit.
  
  
• No OOC (out of character comments) on the RPG thread - use the Discussion Thread.
  
  
• Swearing, sexual conduct, or obscenity of any kind are absolutely prohibited. There are no exceptions.
  
  

  . . . I always ask myself if any of these words or euphemisms for cursing would be found in Tolkien's works. So I always say no to cursing and to any 'pseudo-cursing'. They need to keep it clean. -- per The Barrow-Wight

[Firefoot]

NAME: Cerwyn

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 18 year old female, from the West Emnet. (As of spring F.A. 20)

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be): Blonde hair, green eyes, moderate height. Girl-next-door-type pretty.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish): Leof's sister. She was only seven when her mother died and had to take on many household tasks at an extremely young age. She has been dutiful and responsible, keeping her head low so as to keep her alcoholic father's attention away from her as much as possible, though she is by nature neither shy nor quiet. After Leof left, her father grew steadily more controlling and, correspondingly, feelings of resentment and rebelliousness have slowly been growing in her - a desire to be free of the life she has grown up with. She is afraid of being married off to a suitor of her father's choice.

-----------------------------------
LINKED ~*~ Pio

[Mithalwen]

Abbreviated Character Bio Form

NAME:Elfthain

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 17 years old, Rohirrim male from Upbourn in Harrowdale

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be):
Just under sixfoot and not quite full grown but much closer to reaching his full height than full strength. Still rather gawky, not quite beardless. Dark gold hair worn short in an attempt to defeat its curls, blue eyes.

The horse he has ridden to Scarburg, Safran is a 15hh mare bright bay, quarter cob,with a large white star and one white sock (near hind leg).

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish):
Only surviving child of Elfride (Darker Days) and Theodmund who died when he was seven while serving in the guard of Eomer in one of the post-War of the Ring expeditions to the South. His younger sister Matilda took ill and died aged five. In a much larger extended family, his closest relation is his uncle Elwin who is an ambitious and successful career soldier, married to a Gondorian lady who was in the retinue of Queen Lothiriel. Currently part of the garrison of Edoras.

A somewhat reluctant warrior in training, Elfthain will inherit his father's estate at Upbourn when he is of age but in the meantime his mother is a supremely competent regent.

Elfthain spent about a year in Gondor when he was ten as a page to his Uncle who was on secondment there so he is well off, well connected and has a wider experience of the world than most yet he is diffident and rather embarrassed by his privilege and wishes above all to be accepted on his own merits.

Has far more skill with horses than weapons and regards his military training in peacetime as little more than marking time until he can take up the reins at the farm. Basically good hearted but liable to thoughtlessness he often finds negotiating the debatable land between childhood and adulthood a struggle and feels his father's absence more keenly than ever.

Abbreviated Character Bio Form

NAME:Elwin

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 39 years old, Rohirrim male currently living at Edoras.

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be):
About 6"3 and strongly built. Strong but handsome features. Has the same dark gold hair and grey eyes as his sister but otherwise no great resemblance between them - he looks like his father while his sister favours their mother.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER Son of Eldred and Elflád. His father was a good soldier but a cold husband and father. His mother died when he was eight by which time he had already started his military career as a page. He has become a successful soldier and a significant figure at court helped by having a Gondorian wife, Gilwen. He has also spent time in Gondor. Unlike his father who was killed during the War of the Ring he is a devoted father to his large brood which currently numbers six (four girls and two boys) and uncle to Elfthain. Good natured and loyal, but has confidence bordering of arrogance and is ambitious and astute.


NAME: Elfride

AGE: Not quite 35
RACE: Rohirrim

GENDER: female

APPEARANCE: Tall (about 5"8)grey eyes, golden blonde hair prematurely showing a few threads of silver. Currently thin but not naturally or normally so but the result of the deprivation of the winter

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Elfride's naturally merry heart has been subdued by the losses she has suffered. She manages her farm and house, can handle a sword competently and a horse extremely well and as well as the usual skills appropriate to a woman of her kind (of a well established and prosperous though not noble family) she has a particular knowledge of herb lore. To those ignorant of her story her restraint and reserve can be seen as coldness. Inside she struggles with her instinct to overprotect her surviving child.

HISTORY:

Elfride is the daughter, sister and niece of career soldiers. Her mother died when she was four and her brother already being a page and her father having little interest in girl children, she was raised by her mother's brother and his wife mostly at Edoras. Aged seventeen, she married, Theodmund, a friend and fellow officer of her brother, who took her to live on his family's farm at Upbourn which he had become heir to after his elder brother was killed in the War of the Ring.
There she bore a son, Elfthain, and a daughter Matilda. Elfride's relationship with her mother in law had a difficult start but they overcame this and Theomund's mother passed on her knowledge of healing and midwifery.
Ten years ago, Theodmund was killed on an expedition in the Southlands. Her daughter and mother in law were killed by the strange fever that had afflicted the village two years later, which was beyond her skill to heal.
She spent some time in Gondor when Elfthain was there as Elwin's page but has otherwise lived quietly on her estate and has resisted or repelled all suggestions or offers of remarriage.
--------------------

LINKED ~*~ Pio

[Snowdog]

Name: Halcwyn
Age: 30 (in 4th Age 20)
Gender: Female
Race: Mixed Rohirrim/Dunedain
Appearance: Somewhat tall and lithe with long sandy blond hair and grey eyes.
History: Born in Eriador, she first came to Rohan as a child when her mother returned to her family home near the foothills of the White Mountains by the Anborn River in Westmarch. This was where her grandparents raised horses and tended crops When they both became ill, her mother and father inherited the land, but her father being Dunedain, was not much for settling down in Rohan. So her mother tended to the place and the herd as best she could. In the year before the war, her mother passed away in her sleep, so Halcwyn and her brother inherited the land. But her brother's heart was in the north, so gave his share to his sister, making Halcwyn sole owner. Halcwyn lived there tending to the herds and fearing troubles from Dunland when the war started.

---------------------------------------


LINKED ~*~ Pio

[piosenniel]

Nogrod's post from the Meadhall Discussion thread (#3986)

--- A spelled-out timeline of the jump from the Scarburg Meadhall storyline ---

Jumping to the present Mead Hall from late year 15 to spring 19... (only four years!!!) So this is my first version of it - and I will send it to lmp to especially add things from the POV of the Mead Hall itself and to correct / change any bad ideas I have not thought through - and to make it a more consistent narrative.

But now is the time to say your word for what happens. These could be the general outlines, but what say you?


~*~

Year 16 of the Fourth Age saw the finishing of the Mead Hall. Not all wounds were healed inside the Mead Hall but with Saeryn giving birth to twins even those discrepancies seemed to be set aside by most people for the time being. It did help the two lords seemed to get along well enough and seemed content with a kind of sharing of responsibilities. Lord Eodwine still being convalescent and a father of the newborn it was just natural lord Athanar took care of most of the things at the Mead Hall – but it seemed he was actually hearing lord Eodwine with his decisions. And that helped many original Mead Hall residents to trust him a bit more.

The summer then was far busier anyone could have expected. With king Elessar’s trip to lake Evendim all the areas under the rule of the king received a host of visitors taking their trips to areas they had never ventured as they were deemed safer with the king himself showing it was safe to take the road. The Scarburgians were even forced to build a two-storey shed for visitors who were happy with a more modest accomodation.

The local lords saw this as an opportunity to thrive and lost their interest in the Mead Hall – and the people of the Mead Hall just had no time to worry about the local lords in turn.


As the spring of year 17 of the Fourth Age came on it carried with it troublesome news. There were increasing number of reports of raids by Easterling tribesmen and groups of orcs from Wold, East Emnet and North Marches.

King Eomer wasted no time but called for a partial muster of northern and north-eastern Rohan to face the challenge. As the most senior commander of the region lord Athanar was called to lead the party of the rohirrim from Mid-Emnet – and was summoned to take most of his men with some of lord Eodwine’s soldiers as well. His sons Wulfric and Wilheard were mustered too alongside most of the local lords and their sons.

Lord Eodwine had not fully recovered but was forced to take the full responsinbility of the Mead Hall once again – with only a handful of active-duty soldiers left to defend the Mead Hall.

[A group of scattered easterlings flee away from the battle in East Emnet and will cause trouble at the Mead Hall which the deplenished Mead Hall wins?]

The riders of Riddermark did drive the scattered enemies away from the eastern parts of Rohan but before they could return more serious news were brought to Edoras. King Elessar had come back from the north and was building an army to ride north-east, to Rhûn, to fight the source of the raiders that festered the eastern borderlands of Gondor as well – and of which the raiders to northern Rohan were only a small part.

Lord Athanar and his troops were mustered with the larger call to arms and they rode beside king Eomer to the east led by the high king Elessar himself and his Gondorian army late in year 17.


In year 18 of the Fourth Age the spring came late and the northern parts of Rohan missed their first sowing. Most of the men were waging a war in the east under the banners of king Elessar of Gondor. It was a time of troubles as it was clear there wouldn’t be as much harvest this year. Many thought these were ill omens indeed.

The rohirrim came back from the war in the east in early autumn. It was a reason for some optimism and there were celebrations in the Scarburg Mead Hall as well with so many returning from the campaign – and tears wept for those who didn’t. Lord Athanar’s older son Wulfric had fallen on the last battle of the campaign. [we could add here a name or two from some soldiers we have already named from both Eodwine’s or Athanar’s men]

Lord Athanar had been rewarded by king Eomer for his bravery and leadership in the war in the East with an eorlship nearer his native lands in Edoras – and a lot more prestigious post as well. Thus king Eomer also nicely resolved the problem of the unhappy double leadership in Scarburg seeing that lord Eodwine was good enough to claim back his seat as the eorl of the Scarburg Mead Hall.

But the worst was to come. The men came back just in time to help with the second harvest and everything looked a bit better, but just after two days of harvesting the winter came. And it was just October.

With the temperatures falling well below zero for several consecutive days it was clear the rest of the harvest was not going to be resurrected. Lord Athanar decided that his people would be too many mouths to feed while not able to produce enough in return by hunting or other means, and took a large party with him back to Edoras and to his seat of eorlship, promising he would ask for king Eomer for any supplies the kingdom could send them. He left a few soldiers behind to help lord Eodwine though as the number of active duty soldiers of the Mead Hall had become thin indeed.

But then came the snow. Had lord Athanar just barely gotten away the snow filled the fields, then the forests, then the roads. The Scarburg Mead Hall was surrounded by snow – heaping over two meters where the wind stacked it outside the perimeters of the buildings of the Hall. The Mead Hall was completely isolated from the world – it was even isolated from the nearest local lords and their dwellings.

By time the snowbanks hardened and made it very hard to dig through them – but new snowstorms also kept the surface of the snow treachery so that it wasn’t every day people of Scarburg could walk on top of it either. They manged to establish a narrow path to where they had chopped wood for the buildings but there was not that much wood left.


In year 19 of the Fourth Age the winter took even firmer grip of the Mead Hall.

In February they burnt the wood of the sheds they had built just two years ago just to keep warm. They send a few soldiers to find help during sunny cold days of low temperatures in March when the snow drifts now almost three meters high around them carried a walking man – but none of them returned.

In late March the death-toll started rising when the weakness and cold did their job and exhausted those weak enough. In April they were eating bark of the trees boiled in snow by burning the logs from the upper stories of the guest wing.

In May the spring finally came. The snow melted fast with the temperatures rising above 20 C.

Five days after the sudden warming of the weather the people of the Mead Hall heard a remarkable sound from far away: something very noisy was coming through the snow.

The carts filled with food were spotted first by the kids who ran back to the hall screaming in joy. They were saved!

Leading the convoy was lord Athanar’s son Wilheard.

[piosenniel]

Firefoot's post from the Meadhall Discussion thread (#3994)

Just to be clear - we're now starting in F.A. 19? So more of a 4 year jump?

I think I'm the last person on the thread who will argue with that ( ) but want to make sure we're all on the same page.

[littlemanpoet]

Much thanks to Nogrod for stringing together a lot of great ideas. All I added was Rowenna's banditry and a new character, Jian. I think he'll be an npc, and who knows how long he'll stay?

I also tried to do as much as I could by way of using terminology that fits our milieu.

Just a quick note: it has been mutually decided that Athanar becomes a chieftain on the frontier of the Rhun, guarding the Lands of the West from further attacks.

Short general introduction to the Scarburg Mead Hall

Scarburg Mead Hall had had a stormy beginning. By king Eomer’s word, Eodwine was made Eorl of Middle Emnet to bring it under king’s peace. This was done because it was known in Edoras that some of the stronger and wealthier local landholders in Middle Emnet sought more to add to their own wealth than to rule well, show loyalty to the king, or work for the common good.

Finding only smoking ruins at Scarburg Hall, the folk who joined Eodwine began the hard task of rebuilding the old Hall and establishing the new Eorldom. Sadly, Eorl Eodwine took ill before he had time to see either task finished, and was deemed beyond healing.

Believing his loyal servant to be dying, king Eomer chose as new eorl for Scarburg, Athanar, a renowned hero of the War, battle tested chieftain, a man strong enough of fiber to make firm the King's rule. Although given to quick wrath, he was reliable, trustworthy, stern, and strong.

Eorl Athanar’s efforts at bringing the Mead Hall under his rule were doomed to failure from the very beginning, for the folk of Scarburg were loyal to Eodwine's memory and light-handed rule, and chafed under the more stern authority of Athanar. They had no wish to be ruled by the new eorl. Amid much mayhem, with great resolve Eorl Athanar did finish the mead hall, and by a set of bold moves brought the local landholders under the king’s rule – at least for the time being.

Then, unforeseen by all, like one risen from the dead, Eodwine came back.


Jumping to the present Mead Hall

Year 16 of the Fourth Age saw the finishing of the Mead Hall. Not all wounds were healed inside the Mead Hall but with Saeryn giving birth to twins even those ills seemed to be set aside by most people for the time being. The two eorls seemed to get along well enough and seemed content with a sharing of responsibilities. Eodwine still healing, and a father of the newborns, Athanar oversaw the daily life of the Mead Hall – but was hearing the counsel of Eodwine. Thus, most of those loyal to Eodwine came to trust Athanar a little more.

The summer was far busier than anyone could have expected. With king Elessar’s trip to lake Evendim, all the lands under his rule received many visitors journeying where they had never dared to go before. The Scarburgers built a two-story shed for visitors who were happy with a more modest bedding.

The local landholders, eager to line their pockets, set aside their dislike of the new masters in Scarburg.

As the spring of year 17 of the Fourth Age carried with it troublesome news. There were more raids of Easterling tribesmen and groups of orcs from Wold, East Emnet and North Marches.

King Eomer called a muster of eorlingas from the northern and north-eastern parts of the Mark. He called upon Athanar to be chieftains over all of the eorlingas from the Middle Emnet. He took with him most of his men and some of eorl Eodwine’s as well. Athanar's sons, Wulfric and Wilheard, were mustered alongside most of the local landholders and their sons.

Having not fully recovered from his illness, Eorl Eodwine was charged with sole rule of the Mead Hall once again – with only a handful of eorlings left to defend it.

A not so small group of easterling fugitives from the wars in the east, stumbled upon the Mead Hall. By lucky chance, Cnebba and his friends were puttering about amid the outskirts of the Scar, and spied the undisciplined rabble before they knew they had been seen, and well before the easterlings realized what kind of easy booty lay before them.

Cnebba brought the news to the Eorl, who mustered the few eorlings in his charge. They took their places in defense, and by means of a sudden rain of arrows upon the enemy, made it seem as if there were more of them than there were.

However, the easterlings' sudden losses did not lessen their desperate greed to take this prize and what loot it might have to offer. They laid siege. A sense of dread set in among the folk of Scarburg, for they were badly outnumbered.

Rowenna came to Eodwine and asked leave to gather any boys, girls, and women who were willing to be given quick and basic training in banditry, and do what damage they could. Eodwine thought the request odd, but given their dire straits, saw no reason to say her nay.

Between night raids, baiting, and other means, Rowenna and her makeshift gang of bandits picked off one, two, or three easterlings at a time. It was a mere few days before the easterlings were demoralized, according to the reports from Rowenna's well placed spies, and in the face of an eorling sally at dawn, the easterlings broke camp and fled, or sued for mercy.

Knowing that the Mead Hall could not feed and house so many captives, Eodwine charged them to leave the Middle Emnet, going he cared not where, and that any found within a day's walk on the morrow, would be killed on the spot. Whether Eodwine meant his threat or not, became a matter of debate among the folk of the Mead Hall, for he would not say.

The following day, search parties were sent out, and only one easterling was found within a day's march; this one was found sitting cross-legged, not two stone's throws from the Mead Hall beyond the Scar. His weapons were laid down and he rose, his hands held above his head. In broken Westernesse he said that the unmercy of the mead hall, whether death or imprisonment, was better than any other fate that awaited him elsewhere. Eodwine took pity on him against the heated objections of Rowenna. This one proved his worth over the following months and years. His name was Jian.

The riders of the Riddermark drove the scattered enemies away from the eastern parts of the Mark, but before they could return more serious news was brought to Edoras. King Elessar had come back from the north and was mustering an army to ride north-east, to Rhûn, to defeat the source of the raiders that festered the eastern borderlands of Gondor, of which the raiders to the Mark were only a small part.

Lord Athanar and his eorlings were mustered with the larger call to arms and rode beside king Eomer to the east led by the high king Elessar his Gondorian army late in year 17.

In year 18 of the Fourth Age the spring came late and the northern parts of the Mark missed the first sowing. Most of the men were waging a war in the east under the banners of king Elessar of Gondor. It was clear there wouldn’t be a good harvest this year. Many thought these were ill omens.

The eorlingas came back from the war in the east in early autumn. Their return brought hope, and there was a night of singing and dancing to celebrate the victory. The dead, including Athanar's oldest son, Wulfric, who was cut down in the closing battle, were honored and buried with song.

Eorl Athanar was awarded for his bravery and leadership in the war in the East with a chieftainship on the frontier of the Rhun, answerable directly to the Prince of Ithilien - a prestigious post indeed. Thus was ended the unhappy double leadership in Scarburg since seeing that Eorl Eodwine was whole enough to claim back his seat in Scarburg.

But the worst was to come. The men came back just in time to help with the second harvest, but just after two days winter came. It was October.

Biting cold settled in upon the Mark for many days. The ground froze. The crops died in the fields. Athanar deemed it wise to take leave, with his folk, so there would be fewer mouths to feed in Scarburg. He took with him a large party back to Edoras, vowing to ask king Eomer for any goods that could be spared. He left a few eorlings behind to help Eodwine, for their number at the Mead Hall had become thin indeed.

Then came snow. Athanar and his folk escaped the first blizzard in thenick of time. Wind swept fields, forest, and roads were covered. When sunlight finally glared over the vast white, the drifts were man-high. The Mead Hall was cut off from the rest of the Mark, even the nearest landholders..

The snowbanks hardened and were very hard to dig through. New snowstorms added more layers of snow. Walking on the face of the desert of snow was treacherous, for one never knew where one might fall through and land a few feet below. The folk dug narrow, high walled paths to their store of chopped wood, the meat shed, and the smithy. They were soon low on firewood.

In year 19 of the Fourth Age the winter took even firmer grip of the Mead Hall.

In February they tore down the sheds they had built just two years ago for firewood. They sent a few eorlings to find help during sunny cold days in March. The men made makeshift shoes of cross-cut wood, tied to their boots, so they could walk on the top of the man-and-a-half high snow. The men never returned.

In late March, the Mead Hall began to feel the pangs of starvation: the old and infirm were dying, first one then another a few days later, then another a day more .... until a pall hung over the Mead Hall, and it seemed that death and despair might win the day as well as the night. In April they tore apart the upper story of the guest wing, and used it for firewood, and ate bark from trees boiled in snow.

In May, spring came suddenly. Days and days of balmy sunshine warmed the air and melted the snow quickly.

Five days after the sudden warming of the weather the people of the Mead Hall heard a remarkable sound from far away: something very noisy was coming through the snow and the rising flood waters.

Carts trundling down the muddy road, filled with food, were spotted first by the children, who ran back to the hall screaming in joy. They were saved!

In the lead wagon was Athanar’s son Wilheard.

[Nogrod]

This is pretty cool lmp!

I love the way you make the sentences flow in that style. *hats off*

I also loved the addition of the little bandits... and how we can use that as part of our characters' new future as well.

We were just discussing (myself, Lommy and Legate) about the starting of the actual thread, and came up with the idea that Lommy might send the first post from the POV of Wilheard leading the convoy to the Mead Hall.


PS. I sent lmp some ideas about lord Athanar's next appointment, but like I said to him in the PM, it's more or less okay to me whatever it will be...

[Firefoot]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

We were just discussing (myself, Lommy and Legate) about the starting of the actual thread, and came up with the idea that Lommy might send the first post from the POV of Wilheard leading the convoy to the Mead Hall.

Yes! So ready to start!

Well, almost. My post about Scyld's time away is turning into another novel.

[Nogrod]

I need to upgrade Stigend - and we have to do to the same to Cnebba with Lommy as well.

And I'm not sure we're the last ones needing to have this or that done or checked.

But we're getting there...

[piosenniel]

Would someone like to let Inziladun know the RPG may soon be starting and now is a good time to get a Character Bio on board and tweaked as needed...

Thanks! Pio

[Galadriel55]

Speaking about character lists, I updated Theolain's bio to reflect the fact that he is now officially dead.

Speaking about other things, I will try to get a post in for Ledwyn in the next few days, but no promises. Nogrod mentioned sawdust in his post; I was gonna suggest another "last resort" - bleeding horses slightly to thicken broth/soup/whatever's for lunch. As far as I am aware, cows were bled a little bit each day during famines for this purpose, so why not horses?
_____________________________

Noted and changed Theolain on Player/Character List ~*~ Pio

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Speaking about other things, I will try to get a post in for Ledwyn in the next few days, but no promises. Nogrod mentioned sawdust in his post; I was gonna suggest another "last resort" - bleeding horses slightly to thicken broth/soup/whatever's for lunch. As far as I am aware, cows were bled a little bit each day during famines for this purpose, so why not horses?

If the Rohirrim would do such a thing... I mean, it crossed my mind whether they would eat horses and the answer was cathegorically no, "they treat them like their own children". Obviously if they did do the bleeding, they'd know how to do it painlessly, but still, it's more the question of principle?

Anyway, now I am really off for a while, but things look good here

[Firefoot]

I'm with Legate, bleeding the horses seems like it would be uncharacteristic of the Rohirrim.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

If the Rohirrim would do such a thing... I mean, it crossed my mind whether they would eat horses and the answer was cathegorically no, "they treat them like their own children". Obviously if they did do the bleeding, they'd know how to do it painlessly, but still, it's more the question of principle?

True. Ah well.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Nogrod mentioned sawdust in his post; I was gonna suggest another "last resort" - bleeding horses slightly to thicken broth/soup/whatever's for lunch. As far as I am aware, cows were bled a little bit each day during famines for this purpose, so why not horses?

I think even the Mongols would have bled their horses - or at least eaten those who fell - if there was a major famine. Some Hindu-communities might have died rather than touched their cows though... So I think it is a question of their "practicality". As I think the "Rohanites" were not revering their horses in a deeply religious manner thinking they were the embodiment of the divine and possibly the vessels of their fellow-humans' upgraded souls, they should have at least eaten those horses who didn't survive the cold.


Thanks Pio for correcting that with Stigend. I might have just been unclear about my ideas about what I'm willing to do...

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I think even the Mongols would have bled their horses - or at least eaten those who fell - if there was a major famine. Some Hindu-communities might have died rather than touched their cows though... So I think it is a question of their "practicality". As I think the "Rohanites" were not revering their horses in a deeply religious manner thinking they were the embodiment of the divine and possibly the vessels of their fellow-humans' upgraded souls, they should have at least eaten those horses who didn't survive the cold.

I don't know. It seems more likely to me that they would bleed them a bit in the worst of times than eat the fallen. Their relationship was not religious, true, the Rohirrim didn't worship horses or anything but I imagine they did treat them like friends. People don't eat fallen friends. That's just wrong. But sometimes you have to exploit friends to the last bit, and I think they would have understood it that way. But we could leave the horses out of it altogether and avoid this problem. It was just a suggestion.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

But we could leave the horses out of it altogether and avoid this problem. It was just a suggestion.

If it turns out a problem, then we should just let the question pass...

I might think that kind of thing would add to the "realism" of the story, but if we're writing fantasy, then why try to be "realistic" in the first place?

[Mithalwen]

Eating horses is a cultural taboo in England (though it has happened). I have heard the fear of unwittingly eating horse being cited as a reason not to travel and proof of the barbarity of foreigners. I have known others whose Tolkien reading ended with the dwarves ponies being eaten by goblins.

Very much food of last resort but the scarburgians may have got there. Maye they would have got like the Andean plane crash survivors who regarded it as sacramental.

[Galadriel55]

Done! Lommy, I avoided any specific descriptions of Brith, but if something is inaccurate, please let me know, or if you want to change anything at all.

[Folwren]

If the question "Is everyone sort of running amok?" refers to me, then the answer is decidedly, "Yes."

I'll try hard to post today. I think Javan will hop in and help with the horses, and Thornden can direct the traffic stuff.

-- Folwren

[Thinlómien]

Also, usually medieval ladis didn't just sit around and do embroidery but actually run the household. So if something needs organizing, where is Saeryn?

[Folwren]

Where is she, indeed. Not quite certain yet.

Thornden has finally shown up on the scene. He gave Cnebba and Garmund a job, directed Javan to help Leof with the horses, and sent a few men to stack wood (I didn't name anybody, but if someone wants to do that, that'd be fine). Oh, and he send Leodthern to find Modtryth. So...that should give a few people something to do.

I'll try to write something for Saeryn today, too. Sorry it's taken me forever to get on and start. I found it surprisingly rough to break the ice and write a post. And then when I did, I felt maybe Thornden was being too bossy, but then I thought this was probably his job, so it's ok. Tell me if I'm wrong.

[Thinlómien]

Amazing posts and I love all the new characters! I have to say Legate may have stolen the show though with Áforglaed talking to the chicken.

LMP, I decided to continue Wilheard and Eodwine's dialogue after all. I'm afraid Wilheard is even worse at niceties than his father...

Gal, I had Brith reply to Ledwyn. Language troubles ahoy. Brith speaks very little of Rohirric, mostly what she picked up in Edoras over the winter. I don't know how many Rohanians would speak the common tongue? Everyone seems to speak it in The Lord of the Rings, but the "everyone" we see are soldiers, often officers. It sounds a little odd that a majority of the peasants would know a second language. Brith might need her "uncles" - or *nudge nudge* maybe someone else eventually? - around to translate with some people!

Firefoot, Folwren and whoever else is writing about the stables, just a heads-up that you've got to newcomer veteran soldiers bringing in horses, first an Eorling with two horses and the a Gondorian with one. They are NPCs so do what you will with them, but just so you know there's traffic that way.

Nogrod, I just wrote a little filler for Modtryth. If Stigend is too weepy, please let me know. He just seemed quite rattled (and I'm not saying it's not for a reason. I find it very amusing how he's always so much more emotional than Modtryth). Now it looks like Leodthern has been told to tell Modtryth to take care of the arriving things in the kitchen, so I think she'll be busy with that and doesn't have time to chat with her husband, so I guess you can figure out something else for Stigend to do?


PS. I actually found more old Brith posts back from 2006! Turns out she has even worse tolerance for alcohol than Wilheard and becomes very self-pitying when drunk. Can we have a feast so my characters can embarrass themselves? Also apparently her horse is called Grayday (what a silly name!)

PPS. Added Heafoc to my list and updated Wilheard's bio a tiny bit. He now has a nasty war scar.

PPPS. Don't you worry Folwren. It is Thornden's job to boss people around.

[littlemanpoet]

Eodwine is sound asleep.

[Galadriel55]

I was looking at the NPCs the other day, and it seems the list is a bit outdated. As per Legate's post here, Scyrr and Fearghall are departing with Athanar in the fall, with nothing conclusive said about Baldwic. He may have remained in the Hall initially. What about the other two? Fearghall might have come back with the caravan. I doubt Scyrr would have volunteered (but who knows? If you guys can think of a backstory/motive for his return, all is possible). Also, in her post here, Lommy mentions an Osmund. Does anyone know who he is or any background on him?

Hence, we only have these guys:

BALDWIC (FEARGHALL?): http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...postcount=2390

FREA and CARANTHIR: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...6&postcount=85

OSMUND (???)


Should we find a good grumpy replacement for Scyrr?

PS: Pio, your links to Frea and Caranthir in the first post seem to attempt to take me to a forbidden page. I looked up those guys through Brith's bio.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Should we find a good grumpy replacement for Scyrr?

Other than Wilheard, you mean?

-- Folwren

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Other than Wilheard, you mean?

-- Folwren

Hah! Good point. Though I always tell my campers that it takes two to make a fight. Well, a big enough fight at any rate.

[littlemanpoet]

Honestly, this is way too much fun.

Firefoot, please inject Rowenna laughing (good naturedly) at Scyld's "solemn" words, and edit as you like accordingly.

I'll wait for that.

[Firefoot]

Change made.

Folwren, congrats on 5000 posts.

[littlemanpoet]

Nice touch, FF.

And yes, congrats on 5,000.

[Folwren]

Thanks! I hadn't even noticed I'd reached 5,000.

I hadn't remembered Athanar disinheriting his son. What was it for? I feel bad now for Javan's insult.

[Mithalwen]

Being a git? If he was anything like his baby brother

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Being a git? If he was anything like his baby brother

Well, naturally. I was wondering more specifically....WHICH crime was it that caused him to be disinherited?

[Thinlómien]

I'm sorry I've been neglecting this, I'm catching up today/tomorrow!

But I'm fine with wrapping up the day; everything my characters do is either not important (Modtryth will do her job and Wilheard will shirk his responsibilities and sulk) or can be filled in in retrospect (Brith talking to Saeryn and asking to stay; likewise I assume Fréa and Caranthir would talk to Eodwine and offer their services so they could stay for a while, maybe over the summer for starters...? that would totally happen "off screen" though as they are NPCs)...

edit: AND I promise to keep an eye on the RPG every couple of days from now on so I won't find myself in a similar situation again. Typical summer craziness with a million things to do.

[Thinlómien]

Okay, caught up with the game thread! Lovely posts, everyone! I quite adore our new crew - and the old as well. I'll read the discussion thread (I saw talk of a flood ) tomorrow and try to write something for my characters, but definitely don't wait for me. I'll also poke Nogrod like I've done several times before but I wouldn't be too hopeful as he's now back to work and I've been harassing him about his paper telephone too... but I'm sure the plot is not hanging on Stigend or Cnebba.

[piosenniel]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

PS: Pio, your links to Frea and Caranthir in the first post seem to attempt to take me to a forbidden page. I looked up those guys through Brith's bio.

The link has been corrected

It was a link to my editing page....