The Fellowship of the Fourth Age (Part 1): A New Beginning Discussion Thread

[Child of the 7th Age]

Tevildo,

I've deleted my save so you can piggyback after me as requested.....

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Carl's save has been filled in.

[Undómë]

My SAVE for Brenna is filled.

[Tevildo]

Folwren and Piosenniel,

If you'd like me to edit anything I've included about your characters, just let me know.

I am sorry it took me so long to post. I am still trying to get through a mess of work.

[Nogrod]

Sorry Regin!

I've made you wait for too long. I've been busy etc. (bad excuses), but anyhow the situation with the orcs felt a bit stagnated.

Well, now I've taken it a bit forwards with Gwerr addressing Ishkur for two topics. Hopefully you have time to pick on them as they look, at least to me, as ways of making this thing more interesting from the point of view of the orcs too...

[Regin Hardhammer]

Nogrod,

That's OK. Nogrod, I really liked your post.

I used your character twice. Could you look to see if it's alright? I wanted to say those things and I didn't know how else to do it. Tell me if I need to change anything. Thanks.

- Regin

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Carl's save is finally filled in.

Hey, is anyone else still noticing a certain slowness on the site? It has been taking forever for the pages to load for me today.

[piosenniel]

My save for Rôg is filled.

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

Hilde

The site has been a little 'iffy' - I though it was going to go down altogether at one time.

[Child of the 7th Age]

I have been running in circles today. I will be away with my family till Monday visiting one of our kiddos at college.

As soon as I get back, I'd like to do a post for Aiwendil that involves more tricks and schemes for the attack. I doubt the game will leapfrog out of the planning stage that quickly, but in the unlikely event that should happen I can always ask to "piggyback" on someone's earlier post. Either way it should work.

Everybody have a good weekend.

[Durelin]

Sorry, this weekend is crazy for me, too. Hopefully I can get a post in late on sunday, but with an english project, too, I can't garuntee. I will check up on things as much as I can, though.

[Folwren]

I will attempt to get a post up for either Athwen or Kwell (or if we're really lucky, both) tomorrow while I'm at work. It all depends on if I can think of anything to write. . .I don't believe either of my characters have much to do at this point. (Any suggestions?)

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Great Ishkur!

I loved it - and I have taken it forwards from your post. Hopefully it's okay with you. We seem to be at last making these orcs a group this game needs! It's looking very good indeed!

Slave-escapees & the Fellowship: I haven't got time to come up with the latest, but then again Hadith should not be the primary talker anyway... So some nice traps maybe? We'll see... (I can come up with suggestions if you lack ones but Hadith should not be the one to voice them)

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Thanks Pio.

[Folwren]

Well, I've written a post. It's a somewhat irrelivent post, but I think that it's not too out of place. Wouldn't any normal person be exhausted?

And, I need to double check, it is time for dawn, isn't it? All I know is that it's been an awful long night.

Let me know if anything needs changing.

-- Folwren

[Tevildo]

Piosenniel,

My post for Azhar is up. If you want me to change Rôg's comment, let me know.

- Tevildo

[Child of the 7th Age]

Save filled.

I figured our game needed a good kick in the pants, so I wrote a loooong post.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Shall we move the timeline forward to the point where we stop planning and start doing? I'll wait till Pio fills in her save to do anything.

If anyone has more ideas for the planning stages, could you put up a save for those in the next day or two? If people are comfortable with that, I'll then go ahead with a post by Lindir that summarises what we are going to do..... My post for Lindir will definitely agree with the idea of constructing torches but, since the vision of the slavers will be impaired with the coming windstorm (Aiwendil will tell that to Lindir), he will also advise digging a trench or two. Also, how quickly do you want to leap forward into the actual battle? Can we spend a little bit of time constructing the various torches and trenches and such?

Any other ideas or suggestions at this point?

[Folwren]

I think that we should go pretty quickly to the time of battle, once we make that time change. There should be one or two posts talking about the general preparations and whatnot, written by people who know what's being planned thoroughly, and then just go to where the slavers are coming in for the attack.

-- Folwren

[Durelin]

I think some posting for the preperations would be interesting, but I agree with Folwren in that moving on to the battle is probably best, particularly since things have been a little bit slow (I've been incredibly slow, but hopefully will have more time once I get at least one college app done, and have more energy once I get over sicklyness).

I might put up a save for Khamir to be filled in hopefully even tonight, to catch him up to things before we head forward. But I think moving things forward is best.

[Folwren]

I, too, have been extremely slow due to outside business. Am sorry. Saturday I am taking the ACT and after that, I hope to have more writing time.

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

Looks as if there are a number of people on this thread "applying to college". Good luck Folwren with the ACT, and Durelin with the application.

I agree that we can probably cover the preparations in just a few posts. Anyone out there who'd like to volunteer to do one of these brief preparation posts? We've still got a few days before we get that far so there is no rush to decide.

Rôg and Aiwendil will be moving out to the 'no man's land' between the two camps before the main rebel force to harry and delay the arrival of the slavers so I'll be tied up with that. The weather will help even the numbers but there should still be plenty of fighting with the ones who get through.

[Durelin]

I should be able to do a preparations post, though I feel like I'm horrible with technicalities. I imagine the fact that I'm supposed to be a Dwarf (in addition to a grumpy ol' ex-slave), I should know what I'm doing, though, and have Vror helping quite a bit with whatever 'excavation' goes on.

Edit: I'm about to fill in my save, and I just wanted to ask if everyone would let me know if Vror's suggestion makes sense or not...he's the expert, but I'm not.

[Brinniel]

Ugh...ACTs, college applications...I'm glad to be forever done with those. *shudders* Durelin, Folwren, I can totally sympathize with you. This time of year can be extremely stressful to any prospective college student. Doing all that stuff on top of other schoolwork really can be crazy. Good luck to both of you. I'm sure you'll do well.

I'm all for moving forward towards the battle. Shae is not really a say-er, but more of a do-er. Though she's still listening to the conversation intently and probably taking mental notes, there really won't be enough action from Shae to post until it gets closer to the battle.

[piosenniel]

Tevildo, Child

Bad me! For taking so long....

I've finally filled in my SAVE - adressing both Azhar and Aiwendil.

~*~ Pio

[Child of the 7th Age]

Save filled.

If anyone wants to describe the camp preparations in a post or two, that would be great. If not, we can push forward....whatever people prefer. Just put up a save or a post to hold your place.....

The one thing that still needs to be posted before the actual battle takes place is the monkey business by Rôg and Aiwendil to delay the approach of the slavers. Plus, Regin has also promised to do a generic post or two to describe the slavers as they leave the camp and head west.....

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age

If anyone wants to describe the camp preparations in a post or two, that would be great. If not, we can push forward....whatever people prefer. Just put up a save or a post to hold your place.....

So what is the actual plan?

And really, should we all share something like the basic structure of the plans the escapees and the fellowship are going to put up and running? That would ease everyones writing a lot...

[Child of the 7th Age]

This is just a suggestion...not written in stone....but maybe you could simply share the particular activity your own character has chosen to do. This could be any of the ideas various posters have mentioned (including the ones Lindir lists) or perhaps even have your particular character being given some last minute lessons on use of a weapon. (You're welcome to use Lindir for that if you need a "teacher" or of course one of the other rebels.) If I recall, your character made the suggestion about the flaming brands, so that is another possibility. Because of the winds, the brands would need to be used early before the storm blows up and probably a good distance away from the camp.

I know Durelin has a save in for camp preparations as well, but I'm not sure what she will do with it.

If anyone has other ideas, feel free to chime in.

[Durelin]

Well, I don't think any of us are quite as knowledgable as our characters, so the actual plan is probably going to remain pretty vague. If I can, I'll try and find some things, but I actually searched for some info recently, and found it too difficult to find for my tastes.

So, essentially we're setting up a number of traps, probably both defensive and offensive ones. (Defensive being things like holes the enemy can fall into, and offensive being like logs rolled down a hill, which of course we couldn't do - 'tis just an example.)

Vror was thinking that rather than actually digging holes, they could make collapsing tunnels. Now, I have no idea if this is plausible at all, but he's a Dwarf, and knows, so...if he says so, and no one objects... I imagine they could find some things to use as tunnel support while they're building it, but he will carefully remove them himself when they make their way back out of the tunnel. So, basically, he would do a straight(ish) tunnel across wherever they are somehow going to have to lead the slavers into attack. Which isn't too hard...have people waiting for them, perhaps have a fake camp set up - the slavers run in, feeling cocky, the slaves who are acting as sort of 'bait' will take off (and go around or, if they can, jump over the tunnels), the slavers run into the fake camp and after them, and the tunnels are somewhere to 'swallow them up'...really they'll only slow them down and confuse them (unless we want to put some spikes in the tunnels? too ambitious, I'd think).

And ooh, I just had an idea for an offensive trap - taking the fire idea, we could use the dry vegetation stuffs, put it all over the ground, and then have those few people with bows shoot fire arrows (fire arrows...egh, that sounds so...not smart) into the dry brush. Most likely the slavers won't notice some vegetation on the ground? Or they might not notice something odd about the concentration of it until it's too late sorta deal?

What does everyone think of some of that as part of a vague plan?

Edit: Woops, cross-posted with Child!

I think simply posting what you have in mind for your individual character to do will work out fine, and we'll just all play it by ear with each other. If anyone objects to anything suggested in someone's post...well, the discussion thread is here for anyone to post about the problem.

Also, I have forgotten what exactly the fire suggestion was originally, sorry...I will go back and read again! I also forgot to take the wind into account in my fire idea. Probably not the best idea to just set a bunch of stuff on fire, however tempting it might be...

Editx2: Okay, so, lighting the ground on fire...yeah, been there, done that, not doing it. And fireballs...they might work better, though, as Child said...before the wind storm.

I still like the idea of lighting the ground on fire...ME had coffee...might it have lighter fluid? Or might anyone happen to have brought alcohol with them into Mordor?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Also, I have forgotten what exactly the fire suggestion was originally, sorry...I will go back and read again! I also forgot to take the wind into account in my fire idea. Probably not the best idea to just set a bunch of stuff on fire, however tempting it might be...

I need to go to bed now (3.30AM here and work tomorrow), but Joshwan's idea was a bit more elaborated than that...

The "dwarven tunnels" sound right to me - better than open holes that can not be disguised as there is no wood around to spend.

But yes, it's better we all just come in with any choises we come up with, using the suggestions of others and maybe coming up with new ones? We'll see how it turns out then.

In that case, please leave saves to minimum, or describe what there will be in your save with some detail, because otherwise it will tie the hands of the others too much and stall the posible new ideas to come forwards.

I'm looking forwards to the clash.

[Durelin]

I need to go to bed now (3.30AM here and work tomorrow), but Joshwan's idea was a bit more elaborated than that...

I'm sorry, I was trying to keep my post from being too much longer. I didn't mean to belittle it or anything.

But yes, bed sounds good at 3:30 am!

In that case, please leave saves to minimum

Yes, and there seems to be a rush of saves - but when someone puts up a save, they have to understand that the game goes on without them, so just post away, and people will have to write their saves or adjust their saves accordingly. At least, that's how I view it.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Editx2: Okay, so, lighting the ground on fire...yeah, been there, done that, not doing it. And fireballs...they might work better, though, as Child said...before the wind storm.

I still like the idea of lighting the ground on fire...ME had coffee...might it have lighter fluid? Or might anyone happen to have brought alcohol with them into Mordor?

I would strongly advise against burning the ground. Besides my opinion, you don't need acohol or lighter fluid to start dry grass and plant life on fire. Besides that, grass fire is too small to do any great damage to a group of people. As soon as you pass the ring, your beyond danger, it's not like a forest fire that will continue to burn behind the fire line. Also, if you start a fire and do not control it, how long does it last? It goes on until it reaches some water, or bareness, or it rains...fires are horrible.

Sorry. Mom's started several "controlled" burns, and those having gotten out of hand to the point of nearly setting our woods on fire, I'm rather prejudice against them.

But you all decide. I am so glad that neither of my characters have anything to do with the planning. . .

-- Folwren

[Folwren]

Save filled! I am glad to say. Tell me if I did anything wrong. How near were the tunnels going to be to the original camp? Wel, I put them pretty near. I hope that's not too bad. Just let me know and I'll change it.

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

Folwren,

I'm no tunnelling expert but "pretty near" sounds good to me. Aiwendil and Rog will be further out on the plain to do their mischief. Once the baddies get past that, they should draw near the camp and encounter the various traps we've set up before the actual hand-to-hand combat.

Just remember that visibility will be quite bad because of the problems with the winds, but at least our guys will have advance warning.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Just trying to catch up here. How about having the tunnel just behind a trench filled with dry grass etc. The trench would afford protection from the storm and once lit (by arrow) any slavers trying to jump the fire trench would land squarely on the hidden tunnel. Yet the fire would be more contained. If the slavers tried to go around the trench they could be met by armed settlers.

It is a lot of digging, I know, and a lot of dirt, but the dirt could be used also.

[piosenniel]

Child/Aiwendil


SAVE filled.

~*~ Pio

[Durelin]

I like the 'fire trench' idea, Hilde. A trench might be enough to contain it well enough...maybe...at least believably enough? What does everyone else think? Should we go with the fireballs, the fire trench, or neither?

Besides my opinion, you don't need acohol or lighter fluid to start dry grass and plant life on fire.

I actually meant to be used to set on fire rather than the grass and plant life, as *technically*, just the alcohol will burn and not the ground. But yes, your points about 'controlled' fires are very very true.

Edit: Save filled. I only talked about the tunnel. Any other ideas (like the fire ones) can be added in, if anyone would like, or they can simply be covered by anyone else who would like to.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Carl's save is filled. I mentioned the trench but not the fire, incase it does not seem feasible.

I also thought the stones could be piled in the blanket and snapped to send them showering on the approaching slavers.

[Brinniel]

Are we still on a weapon shortage for the ex-slaves? Even with the traps, the ex-slaves who choose to fight will need someway to defend themselves, and I know not all of them own knives.

How many of the ex-slaves would be able to use a bow and arrow? And how many of them would already own one? Arrows can be quite deadly, especially when used as an element of surprise. The slavers do not expect the ex-slaves to be prepared for attack, so I was thinking, if several archers hid in the brush and shot at the slavers just as they approached, several riders could easily be taken down. The ex-slaves, particularly the fifteen more experienced, have learned how to use the resources around them, so a few bows and several arrows could easily be made. I'm sure Shae could be quite crafty when it comes to weapon making...

Just a thought...

[Nogrod]

I have an idea.

How many horses do we have? There is seven in the fellowship, have they all a full grown horse or do Vrór and Carl have something like ponies? Would it be plausible that we might have caught one or two horses from the slavers last attack?

The writers of the fellowship should speak for themselves, but is there anyone else who would make a formidable warrior on horseback than Dorran in the fellowship (I ran through the BIO's and was left uncertain about it)? Of the escapees at least Beloan might be decided to be one with with experience fighting as a rider and also on the basis of what I wrote the last time, Joshwan might be a candidate also (maybe Khamir too - even he would have to be a real pro to make it one-handed?). And surely some of those people who we have not yet named, especially among the people who were with the initial "Khamir's bunch" - or some of us writers making their character a fluent rider? (Hadith will not be one)

A group of let's say 5-7 riders, led by Dorran, might prove an asset the slavers could not foresee! A nice flanking movement on a tight spot might make a difference causing damage and confusion.


I also like Brinniel's reminder of projectile weapons. As we have described the surroundings, there shouldn't be suitable materials for any new bows (and anyway, it's pretty hard to make a lethal bow in a matter of hours - all the soaking & twisting & stuff that really turns a toy into a real weapon takes days and weeks). But why shouldn't we have some bows already? And surely there would be slings! The number of arrows and sling-pebbles should be limited: maybe 4-5 arrows/bow and about 8-10 pebbles/sling, or something? With something like 4-7 bows and about 10 slings we might have a "ranged attack -party" of 14-18. Add to that a 5-7 "cavalry unit" and we have clearly boosted our defence!


The tunnel-idea is a good one (if there is enough soil over the bedrock!). The horses rushing in at full gallop will surely stumble and the rider will be thrown off. That's just what we will need to happen. No army made of these people & their equipment will stand a full frontal cavalry attack. No way. We need to unsaddle the slavers and gain whatever momentary advantage we can. Dropping them from saddle by making the horses to stumble surely is a good way to that end.

If there is going to be a storm, then the fireballs will be a bad idea. In heavy rain they won't alight, in strong winds they will be next to impossible to throw anywhere in particular as they will be so light.


Anyhow, what say you?

PS. About this "cavalry" of ours. Surely there shouldn't be any real champions in our riders - except Dorran. One or two might be good riders (with some actual experience) and the few rest would basically know how to ride and be formidable fighters in general. Dorran might teach them some basics before the engagement?

[Regin Hardhammer]

Save filled. The slavers have just left their camp. Ishkur has dragged a small barrel back for all the orcs to enjoy.

Child -- I've moved the time to the afternoon as you suggested.

- Regin