Númenórean Blood Runs Black Planning/Discussion Thread

[Alcarillo]

I've filled in my old save. It's about time we heard about the Ráca!

Originally Posted by His Lordship Azaryan

Perky: I was thinking of maybe having some NPC ships for the Umbarians. Ones that could be involved in the battles and strategy and stuff but wouldn't have any main characters on them. Do you think that would be okay?

And NPC ships for Gondor, too? I assume this would be okay, but His Royal Perkiness needs to put his royal stamp of approval on it.

[Dunwen]

Alcarillo , looks like Nimir's in trouble with the Captain already. Should I be worried, lol?

And Pio

Always the Cubs!

YESSSSSS!

[Folwren]

Well. . .if I were you, Dunwen, I'd be worried, considering what Captains are.

-- Folwren

[Anguirel]

Perhaps we could parallel the punishments of Nimir and Chakka or Ferethor as a commentary on the cultures of Gondor and Umbar...

[Thinlómien]

Maybe we indeed should make that comparison...

But don't worry, Dunwen; Lingwë and Curamir are in the same trouble with Nimir, so he won't at least suffer alone...

[Dunwen]

Oh yeah, the boys are in for it now. And Nimir so wanted to make a good impression on Vórimandur.

[Hiriel]

Perhaps we could parallel the punishments of Nimir and Chakka or Ferethor as a commentary on the cultures of Gondor and Umbar...

That sounds like a very cool idea. The more comparisons and contrasts we can make between the two armies, the better, I think.

Also, excuse a newbie's ignorance, but how do you do the 'Originally Posted by' thing when you create a quote box? I'd like to give my esteemed cousin and everyone else their proper due.

[Amanaduial the archer]

Just click the 'quote' button in the bottom right hand corner of the post that you want to quote from. You can then delete surplus text or alter the name if you want.

Perhaps we could parallel the punishments of Nimir and Chakka or Ferethor as a commentary on the cultures of Gondor and Umbar...

A good idea...but I'm going to be rather stupid here I fear, and say how exactly? Chakka's punishment would presumably be a helluva lot heavier than Nimir's (I can't find it in the text...what for? I am being fearfully dim here, I suppose, so I'm very sorry - it's late, shush), so I don't think this would work - in this instance. However, the idea of drawing parallels between Curamir and Ferethor may be an interesting one to follow up - not so much for cultural similarities as for sort of sub family ties. Could be an interesting line to follow up.

Anguiriel - ah, so Sangalazin guessed about his dear half-brother? The peacock shines brighter than we might have given it credit for... Rakin will be over directly, he just has a little brief potential torture to deal with. Once I work out how to deal with Chakka that is - as soon as we work out he's taken the antidote, Rakin and I are a little stuck...*scratches head*

[Folwren]

Well, you can either hit the quote box at the end of each chap's post that you want to quote, or you can type it in yourself...put the Quoted box around it, and then type in Originally posted by Whoever...or, as you get more comfortable with things, you can even change it to more exciting things like - Originally observed by............

-- Folwren

[Thinlómien]

Spawn and Kath haven't posted anything yet. I really wait for them also to participate. (This is not a complaint. )

Do these RPGs always go on this slowly?
(Again, I'm not complaining, but I'm really curious what'll happen. And I know that some people don't get access to internet as often as I do, but... And actually I - for example - needed to gather my courage before daring to post anything. )

[Kath]

Ok I'm back! I'll read through the posts so far and then write up a post at some point tonight. And yes Thinlomien they do go pretty slowly, but that's ok because it means you have time to write stuff! Also, do you mind in particular if I call you Lommy? It has been your name in my head for a while now but I felt I should ask.

[The Perky Ent]

Do these RPGs always go on this slowly?

It's a build up. In about a week, I'm introducion our first fight scene Now's just a time to have fun on your ships, and get out anything you want to get out. Rest assured, the action is comming.

[Anguirel]

Oh, exciting...will we get to carry out a raid on some innocent Gondor riverdwellers before the King's navy nabs us, I wonder?

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

Are Chakka and Ferethor going to come back to row some time soon? I'm so lonely...

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Kath

Ok I'm back! I'll read through the posts so far and then write up a post at some point tonight. And yes Thinlomien they do go pretty slowly, but that's ok because it means you have time to write stuff! Also, do you mind in particular if I call you Lommy? It has been your name in my head for a while now but I felt I should ask.

Great that you're back (as well as spawn)!

I just wanted to ask that because I didn't know. Actually it took me something like half an hour to write the post I wrote, so I understand it takes time...

And yes, you may call me Lommy, if you wish. (Strange nickname...) I actually prefer it to Thin (which has a meaning that doesn't describe very well) and to Thinlo (which sounds too gangsta-masculine).


P.S. It just like me starting to wonder (read:complain ) about things just before they change. Sorry, Kath and Spawn. I seem to be too impatient.

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

Ah, I'm being shamelessly banished from computer because "it's too late". Right. I have to leave posting for tomorrow, then.

I actually prefer it to Thin (which has a meaning that doesn't describe very well) and to Thinlo (which sounds too gangsta-masculine).

J-Lo... Thin-Lo ... sorry.

P.S. It just like me starting to wonder (read:complain ) about things just before they change. Sorry, Kath and Spawn. I seem to be too impatient.

Nah, don't worry. Isn't there a saying that "impatience is a virtue" or something? No?

[Thinlómien]

J-Lo... Thin-Lo ...

Hmm... Well maybe it isn't that masculine... Anyway I prefer Lommy; I'm not such a big fan of J-Lo's. (And please don't tell me that Lommy sounds like Tommy or something...)

And I know, this is for me.

[Folwren]

Oh, Lommy is a cute nick-name! Hope you don't mind my saying so. But that's really sweet.

Hoi, Perky! Firefoot made out your character to claustraphobic. . .if that's the case, is the King going to have problems with his lodging?

It was funny reading your post, Firefoot. His thoughts of Captain Hereric were most insulting, particularly the one about his own quarters being twice the size, which cracked me up, but I wanted to leap up and defend him. It's a pity that Menelcar thought all those things instead of speaking them. . .Hereric doesn't even have a chance of defending himself.

Out of curiosity, what's everyone elses opinion of the size and room in the ships? I'm reading all these Corsair posts and it sounds like their ships are just massive with tons of room to spare. I understand and that Galleys are considerably larger than regular sailing war ships that Gondor might have had, but I had no idea that they were that much bigger. I, on the other hand, am thinking that this ship of mine is going to be ram packed full of soldiers. The quarters are tight. Captain Hereric has given up his own cabin which has to be split up into two parts...but all this is in the post that you can read. Either I'm thinking the ships are smaller than they are, or you think your ships are bigger than they are. Or, there is the other alternative that the Corsair ships don't have as many people on them as athe Gondorian ships, and they are also galley ships, which are larger, by nature.

Did any of that make sense? If not, let me know, and I'll have another try at it later. If it did make sense...maybe some of the Corsair Captain or lordling players can answer the question.

-- Folwren

[Anguirel]

An interesting question, Folwren...

My answer is that the Lords of Umbar are despots, and Sangalazin in particular doesn't go for the fraternising with sailors democratic bilge. If he wants nice spacious quarters with frescoes, he will have them, and he doesn't care if the Corsairs are sleeping nineteen to a bunk as a result. As for the slaves...animals, my dear...

This means that in my view the Corsair vessel doesn't have to be that much larger than yours. It's just that the space allocation is rather lopsided...

[Amanaduial the archer]

Lol, nicely put, Anguiriel

To address your point, Folwren...ah, now, I was thinking about this just now as I'm writing another post which will give a brief-ish description of Rakin's quarters.

On the first page, there is a description of the corsair ships - 'behemoths' they are described as, i.e. pretty darn impressive, size-wise. However, to keep my ship nice and nifty in the water, we decided on something a little smaller - See, originally we decided upon the xebec as the model for the Fame and Fortune - which is, technically, quite a small ship, or so it was described as being; on the other hand, however, the description did say that it can be crewed by about two hundred. Now, I have no such aspirations to a crew of that size - too many to split the pickings among, even if Rakin would get a lion's share - and rather had ideas of a crew of, say, fifty to seventy. Seems a fair enough estimation of crew size? Include Sangalazin and Azaryan in that number. Plus the slaves - shall we say eighty to one hundred of them? And yes, I am aware it is risky to have more slaves than there are corsairs aboard the ship, but then, we have weapons, they have planks of wood. (However...) This still gives us a fairly hefty number aboard the ship, but not quite the two hundred that was estimated, allowing dear Sangalazin room to stretch his claws out and get comfortable. it isn't the 'behemoth' that is described on Pio/Perky's section on corsair ships on page one of this thread, but we aren't stretching the boundaries too much, as our xebec roughly follows the description, but is slightly smaller.

However...well, you said that maybe the corsair ships were galleys, but I don't suppose this is technically true if we are sticking with the xebec design. But the xebec...well, come on, it's pretty darn snazzy, and I like it. So I propose that we could maybe...stretch it slightly. Give us three levels rather than two? It would allow us the extra space, but I don't think it would slow the ship down or dramatically alter the ship's design, allowing us our sleekness and speed still.

Was that at all clear? If so, what do others think, stretch the ship a bit? It isn't a dramatic difference, but it allows us that extra space that has apparently been alluded to in corsair posts. Although as for the everyday shiphands - well, maybe not quite 'nineteen to a bunk' as Anguiriel phrased it, but they probably ain't gonna be quite so comfortable. And the slaves - well, couldn't have phrased it better myself, my dear

[Firefoot]

Folwren - I'm sure that what you have is fine as far as sizes go. And I'm also sure that it's not quite as small as Menelcar perceives it... See, Menelcar already had his mind set against Hereric, so it would have had to be luxurious indeed for him to whole-heartedly approve. And what other people have said about space allotment makes sense as well.

It was funny reading your post, Firefoot. His thoughts of Captain Hereric were most insulting, particularly the one about his own quarters being twice the size, which cracked me up, but I wanted to leap up and defend him. It's a pity that Menelcar thought all those things instead of speaking them. . .Hereric doesn't even have a chance of defending himself.

Oh, don't worry, I'm sure there will be opportunity... but Menelcar is far from stupid. He's not going to pick a fight he is going to lose, and he's certainly not going to do it in front of Telumehtar. But he sure will keep jabbing away, those subtle things... and in time...

[Eorl of Rohan]

Originally Posted by dancing spawn of ungoliant

Are Chakka and Ferethor going to come back to row some time soon? I'm so lonely...

Actually, Esau, I was waiting for your post. I have my rough draft all written up that involves your character (I thought you might feel left out - how nice is me? +ravels in narcissist pleasure+) I was going to PM you and see if you had enough time to take an active role in the roleplay, whether it would be all right for my character to contact yours, but now I'll just go for it because I take this as an unspoken permission. I'll assume that your character haven't moved. I'll have the post up by tomorrow at the latest.

[dancing spawn of ungoliant]

Actually, Esau, I was waiting for your post. I have my rough draft all written up that involves your character (I thought you might feel left out - how nice is me? +ravels in narcissist pleasure+) I was going to PM you and see if you had enough time to take an active role in the roleplay, whether it would be all right for my character to contact yours, but now I'll just go for it because I take this as an unspoken permission. I'll assume that your character haven't moved. I'll have the post up by tomorrow at the latest.

Ah, how nice of you, indeed, thanks very much! You know, it's hard to make a conversation for an introvert character who is sitting alone.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Spawn and Eorl

Chakka's proposition to Rakin may mean that he spends some time out of the slavedeck, but I am sure that he's not going to get away from the oars, totally (if at all)! So you may soon have some company down there...

[Hiriel]

Originally Posted by Aman

But the xebec...well, come on, it's pretty darn snazzy, and I like it. So I propose that we could maybe...stretch it slightly. Give us three levels rather than two? It would allow us the extra space, but I don't think it would slow the ship down or dramatically alter the ship's design, allowing us our sleekness and speed still.

I see no reason why we can't stretch the xebec. After all, Rakin could very well have had it fitted out to his particlar likings and needs when the Fame and Fortune came to him, or it's even concievable that his favorite despots mandated the ship to be fitted a certain way, just as a function of the navy's needs or because Sangalazin really wants his frescos. Which would be kinda an interesting conflict between them, I think. But His Royal Perkyness gets the final word on that, I suppose.

[piosenniel]

Please remember:

Don't use smilies or icons (eg: etc.) on your posts to the RPG thread.

Save those for the Discussion Thread.

Thanks!

~*~ Piosenniel, Game Moderator

[Firefoot]

Perky - just curious, how much time will pass (game time, that is) before the first battle? It would be at least a couple days, right?

[The Perky Ent]

Hoi, Perky! Firefoot made out your character to claustraphobic. . .if that's the case, is the King going to have problems with his lodging?

Indeed! Let the madness begin

[The Perky Ent]

Well, I'm planning for us to spend the first day on the river (we're currently on our first day), then our first night, then our second day, and we arrive at the city at night. As for the Umbarian forces, you will reach the city at day to start your attack. The time from Umbar's arrival and Gondor's arrival will be fairly short, but there will be a period when Umbar is fighting and Gondor doesn't know. Might get a little confusing, but it's only for a couple of days

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by The Perky Ent

Indeed! Let the madness begin

Good heavens above!

-- Folwren

[Thinlómien]

Save - Captain Vórimandur on deck and in his office, scolding those who wandered the pier earlier.

Sounds quite creepy...

[Firefoot]

Okay, Menelcar has proposed a plan for an attack. While he may be an experienced tactician, I certainly am not, and if you all don't think this would work, I can take it out/change it. Let me know.

[Thinlómien]

“What the hell are you doing around here?”

*cough* Spawn, I'm sorry to point out but I don't think that's very middle-earthian language... What about "What the Morgoth are you doing around here?" ?

[Eorl of Rohan]

Aman: Please tell me if I've carried the events on Fame and Fortune too far without you joining in, and I'll delete the latest posts. Was it all right to make Ferethor's escape the cause of a ship-wide alarm?

[piosenniel]

Please Note:

It is the Barrow Wight's request that there be no swearing in posts on the Barrow Downs. This is a family-friendly site.

No more "damn"s or "hell"s on either the Discussion Thread or in the RPG itself.

Please go back and edit your posts as necessary to remove the swear words.

Thanks!

~*~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

[Eorl of Rohan]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

*cough* Spawn, I'm sorry to point out but I don't think that's very middle-earthian language... What about "What the Morgoth are you doing around here?" ?

Er, that was MY sentence in MY paragraph, not Esau's, so don't go blaming her.

Pio, I apologize. I thought those two were too mild to be restricted, that I didn't think of forbearing from using them. So, instead of damn, darn is okay, right? And I will look over my posts and rectify the use of these two words. If I missed something, please tell me through PM or discussion thread.

[Folwren]

I'm hesitant to even put my opinion in since my character is in no way involved in all this, but in reality, I don't see why Rakin would even care if Ferethor comes back aboard ship or not. In his mind, it may be just as wel for the rebelious slave to drown as not, considering the trouble he would cause if he were kept alive on board. What's more, the ship under full sail could be going at a rather swift clip of at least eight miles per hour, and anybody who drops off it is soon left behind, and unless they tack the sheets and pull sharp about, he stays behind. And even if they do that, he's going to be in the water for several minutes. That being the case, Chaka wouldn't have much time to ask Rakin if he could save him because by the time he got to Ferethor, the poor chap would be drowned. On the other hand, if Rakin wants to keep Chaka alive, he might forgive him if he jumps over board without permission.

It would definitely be exciting if you did that. And you don't have to pay any attention to anything that I just said, seeing as, after all, they aren't my characters.

-- Folwren

[Eorl of Rohan]

Actually, Fol, you're perfectly right. I thought it would be exciting, but that's out, then. Why do I always make mistakes?

[Folwren]

Don't take it too hard, Eorl. There's probably a way to do this. I'm a bit too technical, though, maybe. You can work around the problems I put out there, I'm sure.

I mean, take the idea that Ferethor leaps in without Rakin noticing, perhaps. . .and then Chaka decides that he wants to save him (and this rests with Fordim), so he jumps in, too. Rakin, oblivious of Ferethor's break, wonders why on earth Chaka just jumped over board, unless, of course, he intends to free himself. In which case, he'll want to haul Chaka back up into the ship, so he turn about, or send a boat out, and in the process of capturing Chaka again, will also bring Ferethor back to the ship.

However. . .Rakin may not be too kindly disposed towards Ferethor, but that is up to Aman.

There are actually a few ways to make your idea workable. Perhaps not altogether realistic, but maybe believable (there's a great difference in the two, you know). Just think about it, and maybe if Fordim and Aman are enthusiastic about it, you all can figure it out.

-- Folwren

By the by, you don't always make mistakes.

Ah, and another P.S. - I've been wondering ever since I got onto the BD's when someone would call me Fol.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by piosenniel

Please Note:

It is the Barrow Wight's request that there be no swearing in posts on the Barrow Downs. This is a family-friendly site.

No more "damn"s or "hell"s on either the Discussion Thread or in the RPG itself.

Please go back and edit your posts as necessary to remove the swear words.

Thanks!

~*~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

For the record, I agree with the Wight's stance on this, but it does make for some funny possibilities considering we are aboard a pirate vessel:

"Arrrr, Mateys! Darn my eyes if it isn't that son of a so-and-so Black Pete! Why he royally messed with my business the other day, and I'll be snookered if I don't see him dead soon! And gosh golly gee-whiz and cheerio to him, I says!"