Treachery of Men Discussion/Planning Thread

[Durelin]

I will certainly try! Though I can't guaruntee it will be a proper Scandinavian way.

[Nogrod]

Child: Hopefully, what I have said about Khandr and Briga in my history / first post are okay by you. If not, I'll change the things you think should be changed...

[Child of the 7th Age]

Nogrod...a really good job. Somehow, I don't think you'll get along very well with Embla!

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

yes good work, too good!

I just want to say that this is my first seriouse online Role Playing Game, save for a bit of posting in the Green Dragon. . . I am very exited to play with you guys, judging from your first posts you are all very talented, it is however a little intimidating as well.

Ehm yeah, hopefully I will stop being nervouse soon, so that I won't have as much trouble writting as I had with my first post.

[Folwren]

Take heart, Rune! My first game was played among some of the best players here. Pio and Arry were two that I played side by side the whole time, and I can tell you - it was intimidating at first, but it's all good. Everyone here's nice and I'm sure you'll do just fine.

-- Folwren

[piosenniel]

Bringing this forward


CHARACTER/PLAYER LIST


*Caranthir*, Prince of the Dispossessed Noldor (*CAMEO*, end of game) – Player Needed

Lachrandir, Caranthir’s Envoy - Anguirel - a proud but essentially good-hearted Noldorin Elf, impressed despite himself by what he has seen of Easterling prowess. Can’t help being condescending.

Tathren, Lachrandir's Page - Mithalwen

~*~

Ulfang - (born 400 FA – 71y/o) aging Ulfing chieftain (*CAMEO*) – CaptainofDespair

Ulfang's Sons:

Uldor - (born 425 FA – 46y/o ), the new power in the land – Folwren

Ulfast - (born 428 FA – 43y/o) – Celuien

Ulwarth - (born 430 FA – 41y/o) – Folwren (Carry-along character)

~*~

*Brodda* - Easterling chieftain under Morgoth's rule after the war (*CAMEO*) - CaptainofDespair

~*~

Ulfings

(Should be equal numbers of men and women. Ordinary Easterlings trying to survive in a hard world. Might be established families or recent immigrants.)

1.) Grímr & family - piosenniel (Father, Mother, 2 sons old enough to soldier, 2 younger children.)

-o-

2.) Anydor, male - Volo
3.) Adbrandr, male - Garen LiLorian
4.) Erling, male - Rune Son of Bjarne
5.) Dag, male - bill_n_sam

-o-

6.) Tora, female - Dimturiel
7.) Dulaan, female - Noinkling
8.) Gausen/Drenda, female w/son - Anguirel

~*~

Borrim Hunters

(A party from the north, these Easterlings are not made to feel entirely welcome among the others. They would never consider a pact with Morgoth.)

1.) Khandr, male - Child of the 7th Age
2.) Briga, female (minor character) - Child of the 7th Age
3.) Embla, female - Lalaith
4.) Hunta, male with a dog - Fordim Hedgethistle
5.) Bergr, male - Kath
6.) Fastarr, male - Nogrod

~*~

Thuringwethil, Morgoth’s Spy - Durelin - Has the ear of Uldor

~*~

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


ANGUIREL

Please look at the First Posts and let me know what order you want them in - by Player name.

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age

Somehow, I don't think you'll get along very well with Embla!

That might be counted as a fact anyhow...

We just discussed this briefly yesterday with Lalaith and decided that it should not be just a simple "I hate you because you do belong to a clan I despise" -thing, but it should be more complex, possibly involving people we both knew (Aud? Starkadr? others...?) or the two characters themselves. I just opened this gambit with the idea that Fastarr was thinking of her... in what way? Well that is not said yet.

We'll see how it develops...

[Anguirel]

My dear company of players,

I crave your indulgence on deciding your posts' order for a little while...expect detailed dispositions tomorrow. Dean Swift attacks from one side, and Chaucer from the other...

[Anguirel]

Right. Sorry I'm so late.

I haven't yet decided the order - though I am busy doing so, I promise, and will edit this post today with my decisions.

I do, however, have two points -

I had envisaged a much larger ratio of Ulfings to Borrim. To impress on our readers that this is an Ulfing settlement, I freely encourage everyone to make up Ulfing NPCs at a rate of knots.

And...Celuien, your post is a little tricksy, as it has that beautiful description of the stars which sets it the night before my first post for the game. Could you edit in a heading The night before the Envoy's arrival, or something similar?

Now, the order, which will be updated as it firms up -

[My post]
Celuien's post
Mith's post
Folwren's post
Durelin's post
Noinkling's post
pio's post
Rune's post (Rune, you haven't put in the scenic bit yet - please write it up or leave it out, whichever you prefer)
bill_n_sam's post
Dimturiel's post
Volo's post
Garen LiLorian's post
Child's post
Nogrod's post
Lalaith's post
Kath's post
Fordim's post
My post as Gausen and Drenda

There, I think that's it...actually, it wasn't, I forgot bill_n_sam, but everything's decided now.

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by Anguirel

Could you edit in a heading The night before the Envoy's arrival, or something similar?

Can do.

Editing in a notice that I'll be away until Monday night because interview season is taking me out of town. See you then!

[piosenniel]

The posts will be on the game a little later today. I'm off to do a little holiday shopping.

~*~ Pio

[piosenniel]

The RPG is now open for play.


Reminders for an RPG in play:

• Please remove your signature from EVERY post to the RPG thread - including SAVES
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• SAVES should be filled within 24 hours/48 at the latest and may be removed from the game at the discretion of the moderator.
  
  
• 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

Have fun!!!!!


~*~ Pio

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Anguirel

I had envisaged a much larger ratio of Ulfings to Borrim. To impress on our readers that this is an Ulfing settlement, I freely encourage everyone to make up Ulfing NPCs at a rate of knots.

Would you encourage us to bring forwards something like minor characters as well? Just ask people around, I'm the maniac for bringing in NPCs, but should we halt them as being NPCs or would you encourage us to make them minor characters? I mean both of the ways might do it and surely the storyline will propose some choises, but as a general point?

[Durelin]

Yep, he's crazy about those NPCs.

And I will be happy to take care of any you create that you want to get rid of...

[Anguirel]

Nogrod,

Good question. Hmmm. Well...it depends how far things go. If you look at ATM 2, what has basically developed is each player running around with an entourage of NPCs. The results are hilarious, but rather out of hand from the game founder's point of view!

So...never let NPCs dominate too much. They're there to give a sense of a wider community. I wouldn't, for instance, get inside their heads except in a very unusual situation.

My lady Thuringwethil, it's very good to know you're at my service...!

[piosenniel]

About NPC’s and Minor Characters

Because this is a more formal RPG than the Assigned to Mordor/ATM games, all NPC’s and Minor Characters need to have a very brief Character Description done ( so the Moderator and the game players can refer back to them as needed).



NAME:

AGE:

RACE/GENDER:

APPEARANCE:

PERSONALITY:



Please, each of you, do keep track of any NPC’s or Minor Characters you create in a single post box and I’ll link it to the CHARACTER/PLAYER LIST.

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

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Child of the 7th Age]

If any of the townsfolk would like to deliver foodstuffs to prepare for the Borrim feast, it would be much appreciated.

[Noinkling]

piosenniel & Rune

I've left an open-ended question to both of your characters.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Thanks, I will give it a good look tomorrow. (a bit to late for me right now)

[Folwren]

Anguirel, do you want to play out the meeting between Ulfang and his sons and the two elves at the very beginning? I think that first introduction would be fun to write and important for the story.

-- Folwren

[Anguirel]

Well, I was planning on it, but it didn't really sync with the first posts as it turned out. Shall we write some posts and stick them in earlier?

[Folwren]

Whatever you think best. But that seems awkward. Which later posts are obviously after that? Does the time have to be exactly the same in all places?

[Anguirel]

Well, Mith's post ends at the entry to Ulfang's Hall and your Uldor post is after the elves and Ulfang have waited for half an hour...

We can solve this by filler posts that pio can insert between them or, I suppose, by a flashback. Or I could post a long post from Lachrandir's view now, from his entry to the arrival of Ulwarth and Uldor...

[Mithalwen]

Let me know if I have to edit ....

[Folwren]

Go ahead. I will pick up from wherever you leave off, or do whatever you ask me to do.

Is the Captain going to be able to post for Ulfang during this scene?

-- Folwren

[Nogrod]

Pio: I noticed that in your first post where the hunters come home you mention a hunter named Fastarr to have been on the hunt and present. Have we just bumped into the same name or had you something in mind?

I'm all for there being something like knowing people and having a scenario where to play that out, but then we should decide how they know each others and how that falls into the general plot of Borrim-hunters being kind of outsiders there... and we might come up with some timing-issues as I have kind of described my Fastarr's whole day (the day before the elves come in?) and it did not include a hunting trip with Grimr.

As I said I'm all for it, but surely there might just be two guys in a village sharing a name too.

What do you think?

[CaptainofDespair]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Go ahead. I will pick up from wherever you leave off, or do whatever you ask me to do.

Is the Captain going to be able to post for Ulfang during this scene?

-- Folwren

I am certainly able to post as Ulfang and, if needed, Brodda. I will keep my eye on the discussion thread and RPG thread to see when you need me.

[Folwren]

I am uncommon glad to hear it!

No doubt, you'll be needed fairly soon, actually. Anquirel will write his bit and then probably his character will hand the letter to you. Uldor will be most anxious to read it himself and fairly snatch it out of Ulfang's hand when he's through. (I've been thinking about that snatching of the letter since the very beginning...)

-- Folwren

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Maybe I read something wrong, but it appears to me that Grimir is both in the town and in his house at the moment. . . atleast that is the impression I get from Fordim's and pio's posts.

[piosenniel]

Rune


Time is flowing a little loosely here at the beginning of the game

So . . . hmmm . . . let's do this:

Grimr's house/tent (I'm thinking something like a yurt here actually) is on the edge of the Easterner settlement. Let's assume that this incident

Originally Posted by Fordim

Indeed, as he walked along he heard some malicious folk taunting the man Grimr, asking him if he had ever seen a buck of the size and majesty brought in by barrakar. Hunta winced at the name but did not react.

happened just before Grimr's party reached the house. Grimr will have shrugged off the taunting most likely. Perhaps made some comment to bring some humor to the situation.

Rune, if you'd like, I'll write a short post for Grimr's two older sons as they enter the tent talking about the incident and their opinions on how they would have handled it.

Or . . . Erling can make some sort of comment about it.

What do you think?

~*~ Pio

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

It is not necisarry, I just wanted to make sure I did not make a mistake when writing my post. It would be pretty weird if I start talking to a person who was not in the room. . .

If you feel like writing a passage about it, it is fine by me, but I am good either way.

[piosenniel]

Go ahead!

~*~ Pio

[bill_n_sam]

I have some general questions

- are we calling the place where the Ulfings live a village or is there some other term?

- can we take a stab at how many people live there - are we talking 100 or 1000? And would there be other settlements near or far or only farmsteads, or individual abodes? I'm just trying to get a sense of the importance of this particular "place" to the Ulfing "tribe/clan" (?) as a whole

- would most of the people in the "village" be aware of the elves arrival, pretty much as soon as they show up? would the common folk be aware of why the elves are there? would the common folk be aware of Ulfang's earlier pledge of support to the elves?

I hope I'm not covering ground that has already been addressed but I don't recall having read anything exactly about these issues.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by piosenniel

Rune


Time is flowing a little loosely here at the beginning of the game

So . . . hmmm . . . let's do this:

Grimr's house/tent (I'm thinking something like a yurt here actually) is on the edge of the Easterner settlement. Let's assume that this incident



happened just before Grimr's party reached the house. Grimr will have shrugged off the taunting most likely. Perhaps made some comment to bring some humor to the situation.

Rune, if you'd like, I'll write a short post for Grimr's two older sons as they enter the tent talking about the incident and their opinions on how they would have handled it.

Or . . . Erling can make some sort of comment about it.

What do you think?

~*~ Pio

Sorry if I caused problems. I tried to keep the reference really non-specific as I was also unclear about the timeline here -- is it even day or night at the moment?? The only reason for the reference to Grimr was to establish some sense of the connections between Borrim and Ulfings -- they are aware of each other, but not really on speaking terms.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I think it is just me that confuse easily. . .

So no worries Fordim

[Anguirel]

Some answers...

The town - for it is more town than village - is large but rustic and "barbaric", hardly prosperous, but maybe room for a few markets and traders. I would estimate its population at about 10,000, about the size of mediaeval London. Many more Ulfings live outside it in smaller villages and farmsteads, with a total population not far short, in my mind, of a million. Of these, Lachrandir has been required, as it stands, to recruit seven thousand able-bodied warriors.

The town is simply known as "Ulfang's Settlement" or "Ulfang's Capital" - appropriately pragmatic and avoiding canon issues, I hope.

People would be aware that they lived under the protection of and at the service of the Elves - specifically Caranthir - though few will have seen Elves often. News of the envoys' arrival will travel vast.

And last but not least, it is coming up to late morning.

I'm glad to be asked questions like this; makes things clearer in my mind as well as yours...

[Anguirel]

pio, I love the way we contradictorily answered at the same time...

Main points of conflict - size and nature of the settlement. I was thinking, how are 7000 men to be recruited if the centre is a village of a few hundred? But pio, your reference to the Atlas is helpful. Shall we compromise...?

The time...pio is right to point out about the hunters in the late afternoon...but I think I said the envoys arrived in the morning? Argh. No matter, some time may have elapsed, let it be afternoon indeed.

Ho hum!

EDIT: Alas, pio, there was no need to vanish your post...I liked it a lot...I shall summarise its contents as best I remember

-Small settlement
-Late afternoon
-News travels quickly
-Ulfings have settled only for 15 years
-Probably rather fewer Ulfing sin general than I envisaged

[Folwren]

My dear Anguirel,

Are you planning on filling your save any time soon? I can't tell you how impatient I am to begin writing. Please write it soon?

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

bill-n-sam and the Borrim posters,

Thanks for that great post and future "latch" re the Borrim feast.

I hope it's alright if I mentioned inviting the Borrim for a meal, since we'd briefly discussed it on the thread. I purposely made it the next day to let people establish their characters other ways first.

Later this weekend, I will do a very brief post with a NPC -- not a minor character but just an anonymous servant --where the invitations are dropped off at the various tents and give the text of the message.

[Anguirel]

Folwren,

Done but I think perhaps CoD should post before you do...though Ulwarth is in the room and you can play through him if you like.

V. sorry about the wait, by the way...