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

[Child of the 7th Age]

Still around. Will try to post, but it will probably be late Sunday night.

[Durelin]

Um...not even sure where to start...

Hi... Sorry...

I really want to come back, and I will do my best to, if you will still have me.

[Nogrod]

Good to see you back Dury!

[Durelin]

Thanks!

I think I know what's going on, hehe...so here's my two cents worth:

I can see Khamir and anyone else who's typically "kill all orcs" taking the "exchanging hostages" route to avoid giving in, but also to avoid confronting fully the concept of Orc women and children, and Orcs who are "like them" in any way...and particularly to avoid dirtying their hands with killing them.

But then there's also the saving the children bit. Should everyone get involved with that? As in, should it be a mad rush to save them? Or should it be that some go to help, others stay to continue watching the orcs and stuff, and someone allows at least one of the orcs to go help (others don't notice or can't do anything about it cause of the confusion)?

I hope I'm not way off on what's going on precisely, and what the atmosphere is supposed to be like...I need to read through things more thoroughly.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Durelin --

Ach! It is good to see you. Take your time reading and let us know what you think. I have been equally remiss, but I do have a long weekend coming up.

[Durelin]

Thank you, Child! I'm sorry I've been slow with getting anywhere... I edited the last post I made (wayyy too long ago...) to fit more with Nogrod's. Hope it's alright. Now that I'm done back-tracking, time to move forward...finally...

Edit: *sigh* Sorry...but I have finally started working on a post! Finally! Yay!

[Durelin]

Okay, I am definitely going to finish that post I started like...3 months ago. ><

But I have a suggestion for the game in general. I think we should put the game officially 'on hold' (novel idea, eh?), by 'ending' it here as a Part 1. We can maybe make it seem wrapped up a little, if enough of us are able to and still interested, but leave everything sorta hanging as to what's going to happen between the slaves and the Fellowship, and the Orcs.

Then, we can discuss things for plot two, make periodic head-counts as to who is around and still interested, and maybe even bring one or two new players into the game if there is 'room' (there's plenty of room in regards to characters to be had, but obviously there can be too many players).

So kinda starting a new game, but not really. We could start off again with a narrative post (or two, or whatever) kinda bringing everything together from the beginning, and then plunge right back in...or we can just plunge right in from the start. I don't think there's any need for a new thread, unless people might like that (maybe to really make it seem like a fresh start again). I would kinda like to see us post another 400-some posts on our one thread myself...

Of course all of this is subject to mod approval, and Child's approval as game owner, in addition to of course to what all the players want. So...let me know what ya think.

(I guess this is also a sorta unofficial head-count, just to find out the status of people involved. Able to participate or too busy to even think, interested in continuing or not, full of creative energy or not... )

Edit: Holy crap, it was exactly three months ago today I started that post. Wow.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

[Child of the 7th Age]

I would be interested in doing this. There are some things that are wrapping up for me by next Thursday so I will hopefully be more available.

I would want to talk about how we end part I. Is it better to leave it as a "cliffhanger" with no decision made on the orcs, or to make the basic decision that they will be allowed to live, and then sent off into the wilderness with a few supplies (minus weapons?)? Presumably, they would still be in the vicinity and the early portion of part II would be to bring the two sides back together again to cooperate against some kind of joint enemy.

I am not wed to one idea or the other and am flexible but would like to hear your ideas on this.

Also, Durelin, should you (or I) send pms to the other players and see who answers?

[Firefoot]

I'm here and able to post.

[Durelin]

Hey Child! I hope life hasn't been treating you too badly.

Yeah, I'm not sure how we want to leave things, either. Though, thinking about it, I would like to have the decision made before Part II. Maybe it's a good note to end on, the slaves tending to feel they've seen the last of those orcs and vice-versa? But I guess how we wrap things up depends on who is around to wrap things up.

I will gladly send some PMs out (I'm on summer break and don't have a job yet, I gots time...I have actually managed to be fairly busy somehow, but not that busy, hehe.). I know Folwren is still interested, but she will have limited ability to post, as she is working at a camp for 8 weeks and will only be home on the weekends. So I don't know if she will be able to commit to wrapping things up. I'll send her a PM though to see what she thinks.

Yay, we have Hilde and Firefoot!

[Nogrod]

I'm around as well... I've had the busiest springtime ever. But I'm very much interested in carrying this to an honourable end or at least a partial one.

My summer vacation starts tomorrow!!!

I'm hosting a DW ww game and I need to get a firm hold on the Scarburg Mead Hall as I'm going to be modding it with Lommy soon enough. But I'd think I have time for this as well the next week.

Let's give this the boost it needs!

[Durelin]

I cross-PMed with your post. Yay, Nogrod!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

I cross-PMed with your post. Yay, Nogrod!

Me too! I mean cross-posted with your PM...

[Undómë]

I'm here! My two sisters are good to go.

[Brinniel]

I like your idea, Durelin. Things seem to have been moving slowly for the past year or so and are now really at a complete halt. I'm kinda glad nothing happened over the spring as I was quite busy myself, but now I have time and would like to see this RPG started up again.

It's been so long since I've written for this game...I can quite honestly say I forgot a lot what was happening towards the end. I really need to reread...and I also think starting a part two will help recap things. Also I love the idea of bringing in new faces...it'll be nice to have more people with characters (especially when we have to carry so many NPCs). Plus, I think ending this game then restarting will bring back a much needed energy to the RPG...rather than trudging along like we have been, I'd like to see frequent posts and the excitement I experienced during the first months we started.

[piosenniel]

The errand rider from Gondor dismounted quickly and strode purposefully into the thread. He unfurled a parchment and nailed it to one of the walls:

***

Come one, come all, you denizens here and in far lands!!
All those who enjoy the reading of a good tale and the playing out of one.

A new name has been added to the list of storytellers in Gondor:

~*~ littlemanpoet ~*~

Come and give your congratulations to this wonderful wordsmith!

~*~ Free drinks/ free food/ & plenty of good company ~*~

***

Come to The Seventh Star Inn in Gondor and lift a glass to littlemanpoet.!!!

[Durelin]

So...I did something amazing, and finished my post started over four months ago.

I hope my (Khamir's) take on events is okay. Lots happened all at once...

I kinda feel prepared to just start this up again, but I still think it's best to do the two part plan. Part of what may determine how we wrap up 'part 1' is how much everyone is able to do and/or wants to do. Cause it's going to take a bit of posting still to get to a sort of reconciliation with the orcs, I think. Is anyone up for that?

Because I do think it would be best to bring things to a reconciliation. If we try to 'end' it quickly, picking it up again might be even harder, because we will all be trying to figure out what exactly is going on.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Good for you! Let me read the post over and see if there is anything I can add. I'll let you know if any ideas hit me.

[Durelin]

I tried to not do anything with anyone else's character, and not interrupt anything anyone had in mind. But I also realized soon after posting that we might want to get the orcs involved in this rescue. So, I was wondering if there should be a messenger sent to get help who would say that there are not only a number of the children of the slave group trapped in the pit, but also an orc child.

Azhar I suppose could continue to spread the word. Or I guess I could put forward Vror for this, as I've imagined him spending time among the wounded for a while and then helping Athwen when he was on his feet again, and it would be a little battle for him to remember precisely what Azhar or whoever told him to tell the others...but I don't want to monopolize.

I know we talked about the little disaster as really bringing the humans and orcs together as they all try to rescue the children, orc and human. Any ideas regarding how we want to go about doing this?

At this point, it would be easy for the orcs to just take off, if enough of the slaves are distracted by the children being in danger. I guess they could do that, but then be stopped by one who realizes that Gwella is missing?

[Durelin]

I am the last person who is justified in prodding (I mean, really.), but I do want to see if there can be anything done to help get things moving again, at least to wrap up a part 1. (No, this is not a prod!)

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Well, it's no great shakes and is probably riddled with faulty logic, but the crew is getting out of the pit. Since I didn't know the exact catalyst for the co-operation between orcs and men, I had an orc as the rescuer mentioned. My humble rationale was that they are stronger and can see better in the dark.

Out of curiousity, is Tevildo still around? I have a distinct feeling he has been swept up by RL.

If anyone needs me to revise this, just drop me a line. I might not get back to you for a few days, but I will get back.

Here's wishing everyone a great Autumn!

[Nogrod]

I'll try to come back to this as well... It's been some time anything has happened around here to be sure. Thank's Dury & Hilde to get this alive!

[Durelin]

Woo, Hilde! Great post!

Hmm, it has been a while since I've seen Tevildo around (last logged June 1st it says)...everyone else has been very busy but around now and again at least, I think.

I need to get Vror involved again.

As Hilde said, I think the only thing we really need to sort out is how the men and orcs come to cooperate. Well, of course that's the whole point of this part, that coming together of the groups. But I guess all the circumstances that bring them together need to be fleshed out pretty completely.

I guess the orcs would find out that Gwella was trapped with the human children? How they should was something I was trying to figure out before. I guess if she's just missing...?

Yeah, I really want to do things other than homework right now...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

I'm wondering if the Men would feel comfortable leaving the orcs to rescue the children? I think not. But then again it would be harder to keep an eye on them during any sort of chaotic sequence, if they join them at the pit. But...if they did, they could simply hear poor Gwella trapped down there.
I could see an impatient orc implusively going in to the rescue, especially hearing Gwella over the confusion as the others waste time arguing how to go about the rescue and still guard the orcs.

[Nogrod]

I hope my decision to rush Gwerr and Ishkur to the place and fill the place of an orc bringing the people up (like in Hilde's post) is not too far-fetched. I was kind of counting on the idea that the people were too confused to act - and that they didn't have the ropes there.

Regin: I hope Ishkur is alright by you - and hope to see you post as well in here!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Nice Nogrod! Everybody, just let me know if I need to move my post down a bit. I'd be only too happy to.

[Child of the 7th Age]

You guys are great! I'm back in my house. The contractor is supposed to come Monday to make repairs. I got some internet and cable back a few days ago, though it keeps going up and down. I'll try very hard to read this over after the weekend.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yea! Glad you're back Child!

[Durelin]

So is it just the Orcs getting the kids out? I figured some of both the humans and orcs would end up helping each other do so? Just the way I was picturing it was that Khamir and probably others took off in the direction of the pit already (and some were already waiting around there to start).

Don't want to be picky or anything, was just feeling that leaving the humans out completely is a little much. And that being forced to work together is better for relations than the orcs doing all the work.

I may also be completely off on what's going on. ><

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Don't want to be picky or anything, was just feeling that leaving the humans out completely is a little much. And that being forced to work together is better for relations than the orcs doing all the work.

But wasn't that just what happened? The humans had to help the orcs making the rescue? Ishkur could not have held the rope alone - and I wrote there that some men came helping with it as Gwerr jumped in.

Sorry if I was hasty but I only wanted to get the ball rolling...

But anyone could now write on behalf of the humans involved pulling the rope and seeing people (and the orc-child) to come up from the pit - or standing aside and watching things unfold.

And after all we need to make the two parties to reach their hand over the aisle - and now the orcs have done something of their part and it depends now on how the humans react to it.

But if you Dury think that solution to the problem was too hasty I'm ready to delete it and construct it differently. As I said, I just wanted to make things happen so that we could go forwards.

[Durelin]

Argh, I knew this would happen. I'd only read the discussion thread, not the new game posts yet, sorry. Gave me a different impression. Was attempting to multi-task when I decided to post that - always a bad idea for me. Sorry. Really shouldn't have posted anything without reading the game thread, obviously. Bleh.

Hope I can stop being an idiot and post soon, but life is somehow really busy right now even though I don't feel like I'm doing anything. Ugh.

Sorry again. Was disrespectful to question things without actually reading anyone's posts.

You guys are awesome to get this going again.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Sorry again. Was disrespectful to question things without actually reading anyone's posts.

Don't blame yourself Dury! We've all being lazy for a long time. But let's now get this under action! It was nice to see you post Undomë! Let's hope others "not seen around for a while" will stick in as well...

[Durelin]

Hope my post is alright and follows with what's going on...about 2:30 am here so who knows...

Let me know if I in any way 'stole the show' or ruined someone's plans. I have all 3 of my characters involved somehow which is kinda obnoxious. Heh.

Nogrod - I had Beloan tell the orc to "grab the rope." Not sure why exactly, just seemed to work. I pictured him as one of those helping with the rope, though he doesn't need to be and I didn't specify. Let me know if you think I should change what he says or that he says it at all. At first I thought Hadith should say it, but then I thought Beloan needed to be involved, so *shrug*. Either way they are your characters so let me know what you think.

Of course, anyone could say it, I'm just throwing out what was in my head. All I know is it seemed someone needed to say it.

Hope that covers everything. Going to bed!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

It was nice to see you post Undomë!

Much agree!

Nice post Durelin! I did so like the recognition of the pitfalls of pride . (Sorry, bad pun.) And the hint that it is a trait shared by more than just orcs.

[Durelin]

I hope I didn't totally kill the momentum. Just as long as it's not me doing something very wrong and it's simply that people are busy...or not interested? Have things gone totally stale? (Personally, I know it was difficult for me and rather daunting to try and come back to things after so long...) Is there any way to fix staleness?

Or is it just plain people are busy? Cause I definitely understand that.

(Once again, this is not a prod! Nooo way.)

Anyway, we're actually rather close to a point where we can wrap up a 'Part 1' like we talked about - if that's still something everyone wants to do. Really we *could* do so in just a few more posts...though of course it would be nice to give everybody a chance to get in on the action here.

I see the (new) decision to let the Orcs go as pretty much just the former-slave's/Mordorian's decision, and I see it as more of a quiet consensus than the earlier debate concerning the orcs' fate. Any opinions on that? Any ideas in general about how to handle that, where to go now?

Is there anything (else) anyone wants to accomplish before we wrap up a Part 1?

If we do continue to move slowly but surely toward wrapping up, perhaps we could have a 'save' spot or two put in in case people want to get their characters involved(-ish)? I don't want to cut people out of the 'end' here completely because they can't post in the (at all) near future.

Originally Posted by Hilde

I did so like the recognition of the pitfalls of pride . (Sorry, bad pun.) And the hint that it is a trait shared by more than just orcs.

Hehe. Well thank you, but Nogrod was the one who set that theme up very nicely!

[piosenniel]

Undómë

I've left an opening for the two sisters to interact with Rôg.

Run with it as you wish.....

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Hehe. Well thank you, but Nogrod was the one who set that theme up very nicely!

Nice job, Nogrod then!

I have another post for Carl started, but don't let me hold you up. I might be able to squeek it in before the close of "Book I". In the mean time I will put in one of those dreaded SAVEs. Apologies for that, but I have been way too busy for my own good!

[Undómë]

Ball in your court, Pio!

[Undómë]

I took the song lyric from this page on Arwen-Undomiel.com - HERE

----------

“O Queen Beyond the Western Seas” (song of the Wood Elves)

A Bereth thar Ennui Aeair!
Calad ammen i reniar
Mi 'aladhremmin ennorath.
A Elbereth Gilthoniel
I chin a thûl lín míriel...

Ah Bare-ehth thar ehn-noo-ee eye-are
Kahl-ahd ahm-men ee rehn-ee-are
Mee ahl-ahth-rehm-meen ehn-nore-ahth
Ah Ell-bare-ehth geel-tho-nee-el
ee heen ah thool leen mere-ee-ell

O Queen beyond the Western Seas!
O light to us that wander
Amid the tree-woven lands of Middle-earth.
O Elbereth Star-kindler
Your eyes and breath [are] like shining jewels...

---------

Use it as you will...