Swan Wood - Discussion Thread

[Gandalf_theGrey]

Taralphiel invites you to ... Swan Wood.

Please do not post here until Taralphiel has.

Title: Swan Wood

Basic Storyline:

Taralphiel is a Mortal that after wandering for much of her young years has established a small dwelling in woods at a point in Dor-En-Ernil (if you wish to check this on the map, it is under Gondor and it has a view of the mouths of the Anduin. However, the forest isn’t a feature on the map itself.)

Recently it has been subject to raids by a mysterious force (most likely forces of wild men from the Southern regions of Gondor), but very hard to battle and defeat. In a last resort Taralphiel sends her granddaughter (for she is over 100 years old) to request the aid of what few people may be left in the regions of Mirkwood. It has been planned that she is to meet them at Calembel and take them back to Swan Wood, a few days journey.

The purpose of the story is to.... Stop the marauding foes in the woods of Taralphiel.

This means we will know the story is over when.... the raiders are defeated or leave.

Starting Location: Each of the characters' starting posts will be at Calembel, but they will describe where they came from. My posts will shorten the journey to the forest; to keep the storyline focussed.

Likely destination: Again, the Swan wood.

Timeframes:

i) This game takes place in the _4th___Age at around year _50______.

ii) The story itself or plot covers _1 year___ months (or years).

iii) This game requires a time commitment of _6 months____ from me, the game owner and from the major players. (Note: Games can run the gamut from 48 hours to two weeks, to a month, to approximately six months.)

Characters:

Main character types are .... Men and one or two elves (they must be those who stayed behind after the Leaving for Valinor) I would estimate that there should be as many as 10 mortals (Gondor Rohan, or other if case is convincing) should and only as many as four Elves.

Secondary character types likely are.... raiders, village people, elderly warriors to play the old comrades of Taralphiel, former heads of guards of Gondor etc.

Character types which would not belong… hobbits and dwarves. It would be too far a stretch to place them in the story.

The game owner will play _2___ character(s). Please describe each character in a way that brings the character to life, so that the Reviewer can really get to know the character.

Taralphiel:

Age: around 108 (she was born around 50 years before the War of the ring)

Place of Birth (house): Calembel, a town of Gondor, now deserted.

Physical features: about 5’7", waist length grey hair, deep green eyes. Always in a gown of grey, silver of white. Often wears a breastplate of silver and carries a sword with a moonstone hilt with her. Her name means swan-queen (Tar-queen, alph-swan)

Other: Taralphiel often has premonitions, but this was more prevalent in her younger years. This is what gained her friendship with the elves of Mirkwood. She married a Rohirrim named Eriador, and after searching for him in Mirkwood, finds him and aids the Free Peoples in the War of the Ring, she was in Minas Tirith when it was assailed. Now she lives in Alphirion (her name for Swan Wood).

Taralphiel is convinced that her forest has some magical power within it. Indeed to some viewers, she seems to be able to bend small feats of the forests weather and such to her will.

On her adventures Taralphiel gained much knowledge, of both languages and histories. This she was eager to bestow to her children. It is because of this that at times she is arrogant when deciding what is best for the forest and the people who have inhabited it. She will not abandon her home. She also tends to overestimate her own strength, and believes she can still fight with the skill of her youth (thus her wearing armour). This causes great distress to her granddaughter, who seeks to protect her. Taralphiel at times pushes this concern away. Of late, she has been brooding over the death of her loved ones and her own fate.

Laurel:

Age: 21

Place of Birth: The haven of Alphirion

Physical features: around 5’8", long brown hair, and similar green eyes as her grandmothers, with flecks of gold and silver. Clad in green riding pants and vest with a cloak, Carries a small long handled dagger and a sword. It is a custom all of Taralphiel’s house has a sword fashioned in the likeness of hers. This is a black handled sword, with a silver blade. Its grip curves at the top and a moonstone is set there. Runes of the name of the bearer are carved on the blade.

Other: Laurel is the granddaughter of Taralphiel. Laurels mothers name was Estelien, Maiden of Hope. The forces attacking the forest killed her and her father, Havor, son of Havlor. They also killed her uncle, Ithilien, and her grandfather Eriador. He was the first to die by these attacks. They began as the forest was being inhabited by remnants of Calembel. At that time the skirmishes were few and by one warrior instead of a group. Now the numbers of attackers has grown, and there is no-one save Laurel who know how to fight them.

Laurel is devoted to her grandmother, one of the few members of family she has left. When Havlor, her only remaining grandfather, is mortally wounded, a change comes over her. She falls to despair. This seems to be a great force to Laurel, one that has clouded her life. Laurel is haunted by the spirits of the past, and will not let them go. This makes her introverted and hard to earn her friendship. But, like her grandmother, her resolve is hard set, and when she agrees to go to Calembel, she honours her promise.

The first post for the game:

The sea was dark, and looked like a thin sheet of glass reflecting the sickle moon. Only a gentle breeze stirred the curtains. The trees still gave the sweet smell of summer through the open house, but it also brought the smell of evil.

In her chair the old woman sat. Her eyes stared from sea to plain, watching the rivers flow. The winds moved through her silver hair. She stood, and the trees seemed to groan and strain as she came towards them. Her eyes were a deep green, and they searched the forests. At her side was a long sword that glittered in the darkness, banished only by a few lanterns.

Slowly a figure approached the old woman and bent low. The old woman smiled

'Laurel, I have missed you so!'

The figure removed her hood to show the same startling green eyes. Her long brown hair flew softly as she ran forward and embraced her grandmother. Stepping back her smile faded

'We could not outwit them grandmother. Havlor tried to ambush them in the Southern confines of the forest but was wounded in the shoulder. The townspeople are tending to him but...' she lowered her head.

Taralphiel looked with sympathy on Laurel, and tears came to her eyes. A chill wind blew through the trees and disturbed the still ocean far below. Taralphiel walked out of the house to the edge of a cliff, with the ocean at the bottom now awoken and beating against the rock.

'Havlor is my age, and he is one of the only warriors we have left, aside from you, my granddaughter. I do not know what they are, but they take this forest. It will mean great death and pain if they do my child I do not know where they came from, or what they are. I have studied all the works of men, but I must be able to see them myself!.'

At this Laurel spoke ‘I will not let you out there grandmother. You cannot fight! You have not the strength. I know here you are safe! Do not attempt it!’

Taralphiel strained ‘You do not know my full strength! So long you protect me! I can still wield a sword!!’ at that she lifted her blade and it shone. Laurel cried out in protest ‘Do not carry that blade around grandmother! It is not safe!’

‘Little is safe here’

She turned back to her granddaughter, who was leaning on a chair. She walked forward and put her hand on her shoulder 'I must ask you to do a great deed for me child. I have avoided this for many years, and it has turned against me. I did not wish that to happen, and it has brought so much death. I fear our craft cannot prevail against this force. From what you tell me they now attack in great number, covering more ground. They have studied our ways and can predict us. They are gaining more of the forest. This cannot happen! You know this, as do the villagers. They will slaughter them all if we fail, and then they will fell this forest and the grace in it will leave this world, which is a great tragedy.'

Taralphiel straightened 'I will do it grandmother, name the task, and I will complete it!'

‘You are brave, Laurel, very brave. And I thank thee for it. Your father and mother are to be thanked for that too… But this is not the time for that. This is your task. You must go out of this forest and town, out of this land. We must find help. I would much rather do it on my own, but my old bones do not will it' Taralphiel sighed. Her gaze became grave and set

'You must travel to Calembel. I have sent word to each of the free peoples I have had associations with. Rohan, Gondor, and the remaining in Mirkwood. You must bring them back here. I will not surrender this forest! Not while I live!'

'Nor will I!' said Laurel 'I will go'

Then Laurel paused

‘Grandmother, I see that the Free Peoples can help us, but few know of Alphirion. We are a place unknown. Who will help?’

‘The Rohirrim swore an oath to Eriador to help me and my children. They also swore to tell none of the forest of the Swans. Some of the town of Calembel now are nobility in Gondor. They too, remember my deeds. They will not cower form evil Laurel. And as for the Elves, they remember me in my youth as it were but a season ago. They will know the truth. They know what is in my forest and will aid us. If there are any of their fair folk left. For I fear that the boats from the Grey Havens are all but set out to the Undying Lands, the Blessed Realms of lore to our people. That was their fate. I can only imagine ours’ Taralphiel trailed off, and then looked back up

‘Do you understand my child? You must ride to Calembel at dawn tomorrow. The journey will be a few days, but when you arrive they will be there. Hold council if you will and come back as fast as you can. For then our forest will be unguarded. Then there will be forces to drive this evil out.’

That night Laurel rested in the open house of the Swan Lady Taralphiel. The next day she would set out on a journey that would be as great as her grandmothers and was of greater need than any in her mind. She was still reluctant. She did not want to leave the forest unattended, for the danger that would come. But no-one else knew where Calembel was, nor had the skill to get there. But if she did succeed, these people would help her, and that gave her strength. She would succeed; she would bring back her Allies to drive the last Dark Forces out of her grandmothers’ realm. With that resolve set, Laurel closed her eyes, falling asleep to the sounds of the Sea and distant song of the Trees.

Laurel rode over the Plains, the wind beating at her face, stinging her eyes. Ahead was her goal, Calembel. She had ridden for three days, seldom stopping to allow and to approach her. A strange sight she must have seemed, a loan armed shieldmaiden in this time of peace. But not in all places was there peace. Calembel soon appeared. The small town of quaint builings was long left. Its walls were crumbling and grass and moss clung to fixtures once proud. Entering the town centre, she saw a group awaiting. She dismounted her horse and spoke

‘I am Laurel of Alphirion. Who art thou?’

Proposer/Owner: Taralphiel

[ April 07, 2003: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]