Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

I can just see Leof getting upset with Coen about calling him 'lad' again and all, and Quin in the background just being like, "No, no, no!" Haha.

-- Foley

Aren't Athanar's sons the same general age as Léof and Quin? What if Lommy could be gotten to write a little bit of some kind of interruption?

Looking forward to some "sauce" aimed Hildrinc's way, too, Dury!

[Durelin]

I honestly don't see what the big deal is with the word 'lad,' lol. And Coen won't either. Of course age doesn't matter with Athanar's sons, they're lordlings (also the one is a bit older anyway)! But Leof is a stablehand, and quite a bit younger than Coen...thus lad. (He is around 16, right? I know that's not as young for a man in Rohan as in 'modern RL,' but still, enough younger than Coen to be a lad!)

Quin's a little older than Leof, so maybe he's not a lad. But maybe he is...again, just because of the age difference. They're so young in Coen's eyes!

[Firefoot]

For Leof, it's not so much the word itself as the way a lot of the soldiers are using it/treating him (aka he's super sensitive right now). Because under Eodwine, he was treated as the "stablemaster," and now the riders have all relegated him to "stableboy." The way he sees it, they don't respect him just because he's young even though he's totally competent. So any hint of that is likely to set him off. He probably wouldn't feel the same way, though, if Eodwine called him lad.

And Leof was 16 eight game months ago when I wrote his bio... so he's 16-17 now.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

For Leof, it's not so much the word itself as the way a lot of the soldiers are using it/treating him (aka he's super sensitive right now). Because under Eodwine, he was treated as the "stablemaster," and now the riders have all relegated him to "stableboy."

Except for Hilderinc, though, mind you. He keeps calling him "stablemaster" very purposefully since the very first day, since that was the first way he had heard people speaking about him (in fact, he had been directed to find the "stablemaster" and when the "stablemaster" came to him, he was surprised to see a... well, a boy ). It is, therefore, a bit of a private joke for him, too, but it might not be visible on the outside, so it is just up to Léof how he interpretates it, whether he sees it as genuine or whether he suspects Hilderinc of actually just being ironic about it or something like that. But Hilderinc certainly keeps a straight face when calling him that way, it's not like he's sniggering under his breath.

And Gwath, Crabannan is great - I mean, I hate him. If there was anyone trying to smoothen over the division between the "old" and "new" Scarburgians, Crabannan's generalising would probably make him wail in frustration.

[Firefoot]

Righto, Legate. It could well be that Leof's woes are as much imagined as real. It's hard to get this across when writing from a limited perspective, but Leof's still not totally secure in his position at the hall (though he hasn't really realized it). There's part of him that still feels that this is all too good to be true (since he ran away from a bad situation at home). When he came to Eodwine looking for help, he really wasn't expecting anything more than a very low level position - and then he got put in charge of the stables, so he's worked really hard to live up to that.

I think I took Hilderinc's attitude and sort of projected it onto the other soldiers, and then assumed not all of them would be quite so tactful about it. On top of that, a lot of the soldiers tend to their own horses a fair bit, so Leof feels like he's being cut out and he's not really in charge of "his domain" anymore.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

Righto, Legate. It could well be that Leof's woes are as much imagined as real. It's hard to get this across when writing from a limited perspective, but Leof's still not totally secure in his position at the hall (though he hasn't really realized it). There's part of him that still feels that this is all too good to be true (since he ran away from a bad situation at home). When he came to Eodwine looking for help, he really wasn't expecting anything more than a very low level position - and then he got put in charge of the stables, so he's worked really hard to live up to that.

I think I took Hilderinc's attitude and sort of projected it onto the other soldiers, and then assumed not all of them would be quite so tactful about it. On top of that, a lot of the soldiers tend to their own horses a fair bit, so Leof feels like he's being cut out and he's not really in charge of "his domain" anymore.

Rightly done, as I really think quite many will have the attitude "look, a little boy..." - of course again, maybe they wouldn't have minded that much had it been "at home", but with the general "we have arrived, we are not liked by the locals, this place literally sucks, and what's that, boys for stablemasters?"

Anyway, the situation outside seems to be funny - I don't have time to post right at this very moment, but I think I will check around some twelve hours from now, and if Dury does not post anything for Tyrdda in response to Hilderinc, or if she does not object, I think it would be logical for Hilderinc and Tyrdda to overhear Scyrr and Saeryn outside (in case Dury would post then we could of course even still have a part of Hilderinc-Tyrdda dialogue, "as if" it happened before Scyrr and Saeryn came outside, but otherwise, I think it would be logical for those two to overhear them soon...).

[Durelin]

Ah, I didn't think he would be a 'stablemaster' for one thing, and not really sure what that means or entails. Like I don't know if that would have extra status in Rohan? But it's still about age to me (well, for Coen), and I don't think any of the riders owe even the 'stablemaster' a special degree of respect. I mean he's still a 'common' man like them and just has a particular position in the hall like them (he's not an equerry or the like). And as for the riders taking care of their own mounts, well, I always figured that's what riders of Rohan would do. That it would be typical, because they'd have a special relationship with their mounts. Not that they'd do all their maintenance or of course the dirty work unless they were ordered to ;p

Sorry, I don't mean to be argumentative, just like discussing this. Partly because it seems to keep happening in this RP that I find characters getting upset for reasons I don't understand/I have a different understanding of the circumstances and nature of the culture and such. If that makes sense? But no big deal obviously, I just don't want to be too far off on the wrong page when interacting with other's characters. You know, I don't want Coen to look like a jerk because everyone agrees it's wrong for him to call Leof a lad Not that in-character misunderstandings are a problem!

Btw, about Scyrr...is he ever going to stop being picked on? (I mean, made to look like a complete fool/jerk all of the time?) Speaking of looking for a fight...*cough*Saeryn*cough*...haha

[littlemanpoet]

It just occurred to me that we used to call Léof the "ostler", which was correct when the "Eorl of Middle Emnet's" Hall was "The White Horse Inn". Now, at Scarburg, he would of course be called "stablemaster", since ostlers are associated with inns and "hotels" or "hostels", as they used to be called. An ostler's job is quite different from a stablemaster's. An ostler is caring for the mounts of guests, whereas a Meadhall stablemaster is in charge of the stables, and therefore of the care of the horses in the stables. Well, perhaps not so different, but different enough; has a more military sense about it, I guess, instead of the market driven sense. It looks to me that some of Léof's issues derive from this very change, what?

Foley, what on earth does Saeryn think she's doing?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Sorry, I don't mean to be argumentative, just like discussing this. Partly because it seems to keep happening in this RP that I find characters getting upset for reasons I don't understand/I have a different understanding of the circumstances and nature of the culture and such. If that makes sense? But no big deal obviously, I just don't want to be too far off on the wrong page when interacting with other's characters. You know, I don't want Coen to look like a jerk because everyone agrees it's wrong for him to call Leof a lad Not that in-character misunderstandings are a problem!

I think a lot of characters are over-reacting. Saeyrn, for one, definitely is. Leof seems REALLY sensitive right now about being called a boy or considered one.

As for the culture, I actually think a stablemaster would get some special respect. No MORE than the riders, certainly, but some, just becaues of the manner in which they treated their horses.

Btw, about Scyrr...is he ever going to stop being picked on? (I mean, made to look like a complete fool/jerk all of the time?) Speaking of looking for a fight...*cough*Saeryn*cough*...haha

Nope, he's never going to stop being picked on. And yep, Saeryn is definitely scrapping for a fight.

Originally Posted by Elempi

Foley, what on earth does Saeryn think she's doing?

Being brave and standing up for her men. What does it look like?

[Firefoot]

Durelin, it makes total sense that the riders would take care of their own mounts, but like lmp said, it just represents a shift from what Leof was used to and he's not quite sure what it means or whether he likes it. Before, the stables were sort of like his private domain (others came and went, of course, but he was much more in charge), but now a much larger number of people are spending a significant more amount of time there, so that Leof no longer feels like he's the one running things. He'd gotten used to being treated more or less like an equal by others at the hall, and now he feels like he's been downgraded. So, yeah, he's overreacting. I don't think that Coen's been acting unrealistically at all. He's just coming from a very different viewpoint than Leof, and obviously he wouldn't know just what an adjustment that Leof's having to make, because he wasn't around before.

I feel like a new pair of acronyms are needed, BA and AA (before Athanar and after Athanar).

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

I feel like a new pair of acronyms are needed, BA and AA (before Athanar and after Athanar).

Or if we follow the Latinate for Anno Domine, AA = "In the Year of Our Athanar".

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Folwren

I think a lot of characters are over-reacting.

I would rather put it this way: I would like to see one character who is not over-reacting. Okay, there might be one or three.

Nope, he's never going to stop being picked on. And yep, Saeryn is definitely scrapping for a fight.

Oh my, being a jerk and drunk as he is, Scyrr is not going to hit a woman! Well, also because of one reason: it would put him too "low", I think he might even enjoy the fact and in fact humiliate Saeryn by not hitting her.

Originally Posted by Firefoot

I feel like a new pair of acronyms are needed, BA and AA (before Athanar and after Athanar).

Sounds good

By the way, a random remark about Scyrr. It seems he is constantly being portraited as a jerk, but I think he is more like "the" jerk, because he tends to get into trouble the most. But maybe just for counter-balance, I would like to point out that even he is, after all, only a man.

I don't think he is being "purposefully evil" or anything like that, he is just the most grudg-y person around, most annoyed with stuff, and not having the restraints to express it (especially when being drunk); on top of everything, he is just stubborn so that he's unwilling to listen to the others and get convinced that things are not as he projects them to be. Since the beginning it's been like that. He arrived with the idea "we are moving somewhere to the middle of nowhere, that sucks". After his arrival, he was proved right: it is the middle of nowhere. People around there are disliking the new people. They want Eodwine back. Ergo, Eodwine wants to get back to power. And kick Athanar out. A simple train of thought, the problem with Scyrr is that unless something really powerful proves him wrong, he is going to stay with his opinion and interpretate everything through the lens of it. Circular reasoning, if you wish.

Anyway, on Foley's request I posted, but we will keep the Saeryn-Scyrr/Tyrdda-Hilderinc stuff separate for a while yet, so that there is time to unfold the dialogues a bit more. Then, if things really get out of hand somewhere, there can be intervention.

[Folwren]

Legate, good post. I like playing with different people because they make characters react in ways that maybe I wouldn't have it. This definitely turned the tables on Saeryn and for a minute I didn't know how she'd respond. I almost had her walk away, but I thought I'd give you another chance of saying something.

-- Foley

P.S. I'm pretty sure there are some characters who aren't over-reacting. I don't think Thornden has over-reacted about anything recently, and Eodwine seems pretty calm with things...Athanar's been cool lately, too. Coenred is a pretty level headed chap...so, yeah, I'd say we have quite a few characters that aren't. The only problem is, it's the over-reacting ones that we hear about.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Legate, good post. I like playing with different people because they make characters react in ways that maybe I wouldn't have it. This definitely turned the tables on Saeryn and for a minute I didn't know how she'd respond. I almost had her walk away, but I thought I'd give you another chance of saying something.

You're welcome. Now I posted, and seems we also got one question from Scyrr's past answered - i.e., how he got to Athanar's service in the first place.

Also, for further reference, if anything happens outside (now I don't know how likely it is, but still counting on that possibility), if Falco and/or Scyld want to rush in, then I think it would be funny (but absolutely logical) if Hilderinc/Tyrdda did the same at the same point (so, just for further reference, in case such a thing happened and LMP or somebody were to post, you could write your post counting on that happening).

P.S. I'm pretty sure there are some characters who aren't over-reacting. I don't think Thornden has over-reacted about anything recently, and Eodwine seems pretty calm with things...Athanar's been cool lately, too. Coenred is a pretty level headed chap...so, yeah, I'd say we have quite a few characters that aren't. The only problem is, it's the over-reacting ones that we hear about.

Yes, well, but then again, that's where the "action" comes from, right?

Of the "overreacting" people, I think Hilderinc in general isn't overreacting either - except for that one thing with the sheep-pen. I think he is more like, hmm, I wouldn't call that overreacting, but approaching stuff from wrong angles, so to say. Very often misinterpreting stuff (remembering even the initial fiasco when he kept thinking - actually, I think he had never been corrected on that issue - that it was Erbrand and not - whichever one it was - Matrim - who caused the brawl on the day of Athanar's arrival. What a pity this won't probably get to show at any point anymore).

[Folwren]

Yeah, Hilderinc, too, is a calm, steady fellow. I like him a lot.

Looking forward to seeing what happens next...I'm about to see if I can think of anything post. Scyrr is infuriating.

-- Folwren

[Firefoot]

Girls Gone Wild - Rohan edition?

[Firefoot]

Also, lmp, let me know if there's anything you'd like Falco to say before Saeryn and Scyrr burst in.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

Also, lmp, let me know if there's anything you'd like Falco to say before Saeryn and Scyrr burst in.

No need, Falco's just as dumbfounded as anybody at the moment.

Foley, what in holy aitch ee double tooth picks....?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

No need, Falco's just as dumbfounded as anybody at the moment.

Foley, what in holy aitch ee double tooth picks....?

It wasn't my idea.

I just happened to like the suggestion my friend gave me enough to do it.

Well, at least I didn't take his first suggestion and have her stab him.

-- Foley

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Folwren

It wasn't my idea.

I just happened to like the suggestion my friend gave me enough to do it.

Well, at least I didn't take his first suggestion and have her stab him.

-- Foley

Ugh, you should not listen to such suggestions. It could easily have ended far worse for the Hall than if she had stabbed him instead. Unforeseen consequences...

Anyway, this is really a nice mess we are getting ourselves into But it looks interesting, at least for now, and I hope it stays on the "personal level" and won't cause any uproar among the public, since then we'd probably have to ask Nogrod about whether he couldn't spare a line or two for Athanar, if it turned to be something big. But let's see

[Firefoot]

"If it turned into something big"? How do you define big if not bursting into the hall and yelling at everyone there?

Also, minor change, Legate, but Scyrr should observe Scyld as Nydfara.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

"If it turned into something big"? How do you define big if not bursting into the hall and yelling at everyone there?

Trust me, I went through many scenarios before making the post. I could still be bigger and worse. Scyrr could have, for example, accused Eodwine of treason rightaway, but I figured it does not make much of a sense for him really, as that's not the most pressing issue in his mind right now anyway.

Also, minor change, Legate, but Scyrr should observe Scyld as Nydfara.

Oh yes, sure. Although maybe it is sort of "the narrator's perspective", and not really Scyrr's at that point, so in that case it won't matter?

[littlemanpoet]

Oh great. Now I have to come up with something for Eodwine. thanks heaps. I may post yet tonight. Whatever I post, I assure you it will be off the cuff because I have no idea how Eodwine's going to react to this. Maybe he'll "take a firmer hand with his wife". ha ha

[Gwathagor]

...something which rarely works out for the best.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

...something which rarely works out for the best.

But clearly we haven't been doing a very good job lately of doing anything that works out for the best anyway, so what would be different?

Oh, and Elempi...you're welcome.

[littlemanpoet]

Well, the words were aimed at Eodwine, not Athanar, so I'm going to have to write a post. I won't have time until this evening.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

No hurries. And, well, LMP, sorry for casting the hot potato on to you, but at least you have something to write. Don't think it was any easier to write for Scyrr in the previous situation. The mess is all Saeryn's fault anyway, as we all know

[littlemanpoet]

Well, if that was overdoing it, so be it. It would appear that lord Eodwine (small 'l') can muster some political yack yack when he needs to....

[Folwren]

Very well handled, Elempi. I think he not only salvaged the situation but also saved the whole evening from caving in.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Very well handled, Elempi. I think he not only salvaged the situation but also saved the whole evening from caving in.

-- Folwren

Thanks. I had to orchestrate Saeryn's behavior without asking you.

[Firefoot]

"Horn of Helm" - that's a good one, lmp.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Thanks. I had to orchestrate Saeryn's behavior without asking you.

Good move. Otherwise the situation may not even have been salvaged.

It's fine, actually.

-- Folwren

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

That was fun! A splendid move from Eodwine. Saving probably more than his own "skin", so to say, what more, a good way to introduce himself, I'd say...

I have written something to wrap it up from Scyrr's (and the soldiers') perspective. And what do we do with the meeting of Hilderinc and Tyrdda outside, Dury? We can still continue with it on "another timeline", pass by the events inside the Hall, and I have been actually thinking of something that could happen near when we want to end the discussion, the question is only whether/when/what/how much you plan to post for Tyrdda.

[littlemanpoet]

How funny, Firefoot! Foley and I were just chatting today about a possible punishment for Scyrr to be meted out in the morning.

[Folwren]

I can't rep you, Firefoot, but I wish I could, because your post made me laugh out loud quite heartily. "It's the baby." That cracks me up.

-- Foley

[Folwren]

I posted for almost all of my characters! That's exciting.

Thornden is addressing anyone who wants to have a conversation with him. I am not sure where Captain Coenred is, but if you want to have him there, Durelin, that'd be cool.

And Quin said something, too.

-- Folwren

[Firefoot]

Ha, thanks. I've noticed that the reputation system doesn't work so well when you're only interacting with the same four or five people...

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Posted for Hilderinc - by the way, just so that things are clear, because to me they were not: I am coming from the assumption that Rowenna had not been present in Scarburg during the time after Athanar had taken over, therefore Hilderinc does not know her.

I used the logical conclusion: it seems that those who have ever mentioned Rowenna lately (namely, LMP) have been counting on her not being present in Scarburg in the first place. Likewise, her name had popped up like three times since the coming of Athanar, and one of those (the latest) was in one post of Lommy's, where some character had said, "she is gone now, I don't know where". Before that, there are a few posts of Fea's and one of Lommy's which seem to indicate that Rowenna was present during the first day(s?), but there is no evidence of her being around later. Therefore, my general conclusion would be that game-wise, she probably was there very shortly in the beginning, but then she had left, and during the short time of her stay, most people didn't get the chance to really get to know her. Therefore, Hilderinc, for example, does not remember her.

I am just saying this in hope this does not conflict with anybody else's perception of the situation (in general, I think most people probably won't have more or less any perception of the situation, "out-of-the-game"-speaking, I'd say we had simply forgotten about her earlier completely).

[littlemanpoet]

You are pretty much correct, Legate. Rowenna left Scarburg shortly after the wedding of Eodwine & Saeryn, returning with Degas to "the Folde". She returned to Scarburg with Eodwine when he came back from Minas Tirith.

[Firefoot]

Hey all - sorry I've sort of disappeared in the last week but my classes have suddenly gotten very busy... and combined with that I'm not feeling terribly creative. I may have some time to post something tomorrow morning, but if not it probably won't be until Sunday night sometime.