The Hills of Evendim Planning/Discussion Thread

[Meneltarmacil]

When we get to the temple, would you mind if I didn't go through the main entrance (which is sure to be a disaster) but instead tried breaking down the wall, climbing in through the roof, things like that? That could do things like:

A) Surprising whoever's inside.

B) Avoiding the Master's super-elite guards lying in wait by the door, as well as the booby-trapped hallway of DOOM or whatever else is in store.

C) Causing some confusion by coming in from several different directions

Anyway, it's just some random thought that occurred to me at one point. If this interferes with the plot, I'd be perfectly happy to forget it though.

[Nurumaiel]

Imladris,
Would you mind doing another Gorby post? Frankly I have no idea what to make the growling creature be! Hopefully it isn't too scary-looking or all Anson's courage may disappear. Then again he might be astoundingly brave... Or then again maybe it isn't a 'monster' at all.

Thanks!

[Imladris]

Frankly I have no idea what to make the growling creature be! Hopefully it isn't too scary-looking or all Anson's courage may disappear.

Hmm...I have no idea what is either! I was just kind of posting on the spur...Hmm...*ruminates* This will be quite fun to discover what Gorby and the others find...

I hope to have one up tomorrow at the earliest...sorry that I haven't been posting...my evening is full and I'll be out of town or else I would have done it tonight.

[Alatariel Telemnar]

wow.. after a few days, does it stop sending you emails notifications or something?

[Esgallhugwen]

I think it does Alatariel I didn't even know about all these posts in the discussion thread. But anyway, I want to add a suggestion to Imladris and Nurumaiel, since my ranger character Kildirak has sort of butted in on your little trap door adventure, how 'bout you make it some big nasty drooling dog or something (if you want to be scary about it) or perhaps just some dog thats hungry. What do you think? could that work?

[Imladris]

Thank you Eswen for the idea. I made it into a snarling wolf -- I thought about making it rabid, but wasn't sure the disease existed in ME I wasn't sure if Kaldirik was armed, so I left the post open for you to continue. This is going to be good...

I also took the liberty of beginning the fight...

[littlemanpoet]

Menel, I like your ideas. Thoronmir's the leader. Do whatever you want to. All I ask is that you end your entry post with an obvious cue to me to describe what Thoronmir and party see inside, however they wind up entering. Okay?

Keep up with all the creativity, friends! It's great to see.

[Lumiel]

Okay, do we still have the element of surprise, as it were? Or is our prescence known? I didn't want to go further in my post b/c I wasn't sure, and I didn't want to intrude in case anyone had a specific plan for that.

Aw, don't kill the cute, loveable puppy you guys! He just wants to play... -_-;

[littlemanpoet]

Okay, I've set up the next sequence. Menel, I figure you want to take out the guards IN FRONT of the door to the temple before you try anything else. If that works okay for your ideas, great. If not, let me know and I can change my post.

Taking Menel's idea into account (which I admit I forgot over the weekend), I guess the idea is for the three different groups to do their parts, and then reconnoitre by the temple, and put Menel's plan to work from that point. If you have any questions or protests, please let me know.

[Esgallhugwen]

I finished up my post from yesterday. kildirak doesn't want to have to kill the wolf unless he absolutely has to. He's going to try to lasso the wolf (if such a thing exsisted in ME) so that he can tie it up and perhaps prevent it from killing them, so they can look in the bags and perhaps feed the poor thing. What do you think?, if not then I guess Kildirak going to have to kill it if it manages to get ahold of one of them. That could get messy!

[Meneltarmacil]

While Thoronmir and company enter by way of the front door as a distraction, I'm planning to send Lira, Eswen, Falowik, and Falco to break through the roof at the other end of the temple, the reason being that Eodwine is probably located as far away from the front door as possible. This would bring them almost directly to his location.

I had another idea. If Thuringwethil (sp?) is indeed the Master, then Falowik especially should take caution. I have heard (from one of my friends who happens to know about such things) that female vampires can take the shape of whomever their victim loves the most. If Thuringwethil takes the shape of Uien, Falowik may hesitate to attack and possibly order the others to do the same, which would definitely not be a good situation.

Of course, I shouldn't be making assumptions like this. The Master could be someone completely different.

[Imladris]

I hope that I did okay on my post...I wasn't really too sure what I was to do (I have a horrid blond streak)...

Cheers,
Imladris

[piosenniel]

I have heard (from one of my friends who happens to know about such things) that female vampires can take the shape of whomever their victim loves the most. If Thuringwethil takes the shape of Uien . . .

Please be careful about confusing modern day fantasy interpretation of vampires with Tolkien's few references to Thuringwethil.

See here - post #8. And here.

[littlemanpoet]

Hmmm...... I thought I left enough clues in Furman's second to last description - you know: from Mordor; having almost died in an earthquake; a lieutenant of Mordor; a sorcerer and black Numenorean. What more is needed to put it together?

Do you still need help figuring out who?

[Esgallhugwen]

Well perhaps we're playing with the idea of it being some other evil force. I know who it could be, but I'm still skeptical thinking its obvious so it could be right then thinking its too obvious can't be right. But I'm sure I know who it is, but my lips are sealed I have a feeling this confrontation is going to be a bit messy no matter who it is. hah. A bit messy thats probably the understatement of the century

[Meneltarmacil]

Hmmm...... I thought I left enough clues in Furman's second to last description - you know: from Mordor; having almost died in an earthquake; a lieutenant of Mordor; a sorcerer and black Numenorean. What more is needed to put it together?

So the Master actually is the Mouth of Sauron, is he? But you practically said he wasn't when I made my first guess! Why did you make me go off on a wild goose chase when I had been right about him?

OK, calm down, deep breath... *thinks about fluffy bunnies*

[littlemanpoet]

Sorry for misleading you, Menel, but your guess was just that, a guess, based on very stingy material, so I wasn't ready to give it out then, even though it hasn't really mattered much either way. Oh well. Live and learn. Messy? I dare say.

[Meneltarmacil]

Now that we know he is the Mouth of Sauron, would Thoronmir have enough information to warn them before everybody goes inside? He's the only one who would be able to recognize the Mouth of Sauron, having been the only group member present at the Battle of the Morannon, so I don't think anyone else would know who he is when they see him. Please tell me before I do the "inform people of plan and enter temple" post, so I can work it in there.

[littlemanpoet]

Make it so you can see the Mouth of Sauron first, then you can give warning.

Just remember, he is a sorcerer. Look it up in the dictionary and be warned.

[littlemanpoet]

Yowza! I am psyched! I can't tell you how badly I've been waiting to get to this point. So, now, does everybody see what's going on? If you have any questions at all, hit me with them.

Eswen, it's time for me to understand how your Dark Queen aspect really works, so that I can compare it to my understanding of the Mouth of Sauron's sorcery. Right now I'm not sure whether the Dark Queen is likely to overcome the MS's power, or play into it. I'm trying to base this, as much as I'm able, on Tolkien's milieu, which means everything he has ever written about barrow wights, ghosts, evil Maia, sorcery, and so on. Thanks!

Let's rock!

[Meneltarmacil]

Alright, judging from that last post, Eodwine seriously needs some help.

We're going in, and we're going to give them the fight of their lives. I'm sending the Dark Queen in right on top of the Mouth of Sauron, so he'll have a reason to be scared.

As littlemanpoet has just said, "Let's rock!"

[Esgallhugwen]

Mwahahahahahahahaa. If you could see the gigantic grin I have smacked on my face you'd run for your lives! Ok have to gain composure. Well according to my recollection I believe the Dark Queen has only been summoned twice, and during those times Eswen's been a really naughty little Elf She seems to able to conjure her alter-ego whenever she or the company are threatened, and I think they have a pretty darn good reason to be threatened very soon. But to go up against MS, he's been around for thousands of years but I'm sure Esgallhugwen can give him a good jarring to keep him busy. He probably won't be too terribly pleased about the unexpected guests.... unless of course if he knew we were coming

[littlemanpoet]

Just a couple things...

Eswen, I still don't know enough about the Dark Queen. Is she elven? Is Eswen inhabited by an evil Maia? What is the nature of the Dark Queen?

Lira's broken neck - um - means that she's not dead, being an elf, but is incapacitated, at least in body.

Elves: you exist in two realms at once. Think of Weathertop, of how Frodo perceived. That's how you will perceive. You will see many dark things that the humans can't see, but they won't be merely dark to you - they will be perilous, and revealed for what they truly are! Think about it, and try to write at two levels at once, in terms of what your characters perceive. Man, I wish Elora was here for this. It's time I contacted her. I'll try.

You guys have decided that there are guards, and many of them (exact number to be determined on the fly ), and that they knew we were coming. Okay, if that's the way you want it, that's the way you've got it! (sorry - lyrics running through my head today). Let's have at it, friends!

LMP

[Imladris]

Wait -- doesn't a broken neck usually mean death? She fell from quite a height (at least, I imagine she did if she needed a rope -- also, the word temple does conjure up a grand building in the imagination) on her neck...but no matter.

So, in her incapacitated state, can she still fight in the "spirit" world of the elves?

[littlemanpoet]

A broken neck doesn't necessarily mean death, but usually. If the blood flow to the brain is stopped, or the air passage is stopped up, then we're talking death.

From there, there's still the spirit world. My guess is that Lira's spirit would end up in the halls of Mandos... but I'm not sure if that would happen until after she faced the evil spirits under the MS's control. What do you think? It's up to you.

[Imladris]

Ooo....fighting in the spirit world and then going to the Halls of Mandos. Nice. How would it be like fighting in the spirit world? Forgive my ignorance...

[Esgallhugwen]

Hmmm, sorry LMP. It would be rather interesting for the Dark Queen to be an evil Maia or at least a Maia that likes battle and bloodshed a little too much.

I don't know if the Maia in her would be considered a true evil considering Esgallhugwen hasn't killed any of her companions yet, she's only gone after the bad guys, of course she could be trying to destroy the Mouth of Sauron before she deals with them.

So, since the Elves live in two realms at once they would be attacking things that the humans wouldn't be able to see, (that might be funny, watching someone swinging at nothing) and if thats also the case then Eswen will be able to see Lira fighting off the invisible evils in the spirit world.

I don't know if this is right I'm sort of taking it from the books and the *gulp* movies (please don't throw rocks at me ) But when Frodo percieved the Ringwraiths he saw these decrepid old men who were white and glowy;the white Kings I believe he called them, now from what I remember, or think I remember, his vision was smeared and blurred sort of dreamlike, but since these are Elves we're talking about maybe their vision might be clearer.

One last thing before I stop blabbing, since I've sort of been going on and on. When the Elves see through the MS's facade, I'm assuming he'll be wearing a cloak just for an example, he is not going to be a very pretty boy, try to keep from spilling your lembas girls.

[littlemanpoet]

I'm not sure you'd be swinging a sword at an evil Maia, Eswen. Not unless your sword was from an Elven smithy, and had been forged for such a purpose. The absence of wizards is quite a problem, I'm thinking. When it comes right down to it, once all the bodies are lying about, that's when the real battle begins, and I'm not sure how well the party can stand up against the MS's minions and slaves. Especially without any phials of Galadriel hanging about!

Here's how I see it for Lira:

Lira sat up, and was immediately aware that she had left her body behind. The head was at an odd angle from the shoulders, but this meant little to Lira, for she was fëa now. She had little time to think of it, for she was assaulted by a sudden awareness. A dread being stood between two of the black pillars, chained by strands not of bodily making, as if its very essence had been used against it to hold it as slave there, at the beck and call of the Master. It was not a Balrog, but it was evil and strong nonetheless.

Okay, use that as a basis if you like. Most of what's going to happen, seems to me, is battle of wills.

I take it, Eswen, that you're still feeling your way with the Dark Queen. Fair enough. We'll see how this goes.

[Esgallhugwen]

Its sort of ironic that I can't figure out where the Dark Queen comes from and I'm the one that made her But don't worry I'm in the continual process of poking her to find out. Her sword was made in an Elvish smithy but it wasn't forged with the intention of running around trying to hack apart evil Maia or any Maia for that matter.

But I think I might have confused you with my erratic way of speaking, I had no intention of attacking any Maia, I thought the MS was a Black Numenorean who had spirits and the like under his sway. I know I'm probably re-stating the obvious but I'm just trying to tell you what I know.

What I'm getting LMP in your last post is that once we kill all the living gaurds we're going to have to fight their spirits, along with all the other minions that the MS controls (which includes the multitude of slaves he has killed in sacrifice)

How are the mortals going to be able to fight if they can't see the spirit world? Will their weapons do anything to the MS's minions? The Elves that are still alive they'll be able to fight them off, right?

Sorry I've just become confuzzled!

[littlemanpoet]

that is.... I shall try to split apart into two separate branches, your confusion.

Answering in the order of your comments:

I'm not at all surprised or distressed that you don't know as much as I thought about the Dark Queen. Characters are like that. I've been writing for almost 20 years, and I'm still finding things out about my oldest characters!

What was Eswen's sword forged to be able to do?

I thought the MS was a Black Numenorean who had spirits and the like under his sway.

Quite right. Well said, even.

...once we kill all the living gaurds we're going to have to fight their spirits, along with all the other minions that the MS controls.

Right again!

Your question is apt: how will the mortals be able to fight if they can't see the spirit world? They can't. They will be unable to. Of course, spirits will be unable to directly affect them, either. Therefore, the Mouth of Sauron will have only one way to deal with this: give the spirits corporal forms so that they can attack, and once the mortals have been rendered corpses, then the spirits that are powerful enough, can start having at them, as it were. (yeesh! kinda gruesome, eh?)

The Elves have it both ways, and have a clear advantage. Um, I hadn't thought of this when I went and left Uien behind. You guys could use her right about now; not waying that Lumiel and Eswen can't do some valuable damage to MS and his ilk, but Uien still would have been a good asset right about now.

Any more questions, hit me with them.

[Imladris]

No no no! I'm still here...just a bit busy as it were...I was planning on getting a post done today for Lira...

Edit: I got the post done. Is it okay? If it is, many thanks to mark12_30 for helping me with it...

[Esgallhugwen]

Thank you very much LMP for that much needed info It all seems so much clearer now.

So to answer your question:

What was Eswen's sword forged to be able to do?

Let's see her sword is named Nàrkir, which means flame cleaver it can become heated up by a fire very quickly but it is capable of withstanding the heat so it doesn't warp. I've mentioned it in an earlier post, when Eswen plunged her sword into our campfire and it became red hot still retaining the strength it had when it was cold, she then use it to skewer the men that ambushed us, mmmm human-cabobs, sorry my morbid sense of humour kicks in from time to time.

I'm not sure yet if it was made specifically for dispatching the undead, but its an Elvish blade and they might fear it none the less.

[Meneltarmacil]

I'm sorry to leave you at this critical stage of our journey, but I have been grounded and cannot get online until next Friday.

You may do what you want with my character, just don't kill him.

See you all next week.

[littlemanpoet]

Okay, Menel, we promise not to kill off Thoronmir, which may mean that he's the only one left standing! Just kidding.

Eswen, I can see Narkir being most effective in rendering the undead as Undead Kabobs, but we shall have to see if that actually stops them......

Imladris, that was one heck of a post! Yowza!

It's kind of interesting to see how this melee has divided nicely into two separate sets of events happening simultaneously. I look forward to further developments! Love the creativity, folks!

We're rockin' now!

[Imladris]

Erm...I hate to be a real pain...but I do have one small question. What will happen to the spirit now that Lira has called upon the name of Elbereth. I was just going to have flee...but then I realized that he was chained between the pillars. Which then leads to another point: how can he fight if he is bound to the towers?

Cheers,
Imladris

[Esgallhugwen]

Well I'll assume it'll just qauver and try to hide, I don't think it could vanish still being bound by the MS's power. But in the post I'm writing up at the moment I'm letting him/it loose if thats ok, if not then I think its about time that those evil spirits start coming up and they could just start fighting with Eswen and the other Elves both living and dead.

That of course is just my opinion, what do you think LMP?

[Imladris]

Yeah, the MS could release the spirit.

Forgive my ignorance, but can spirits die? Can Lira and Esgallhugwen and Lumiel kill the with human blades? Or is it still a battle of wills? And if it is still af battle of wills, is there a way that the three elves can kind of combine their wills?

Again, forgive me of my ignorance.

Cheers,
Imladris

[littlemanpoet]

Eswen, awesome answer to Immy's question. It stands as far as I'm concerned.

Spirits are immortal, but can be enslaved. This Maia is enslaved to Herugor; it intends to enslave, and feed upon, Lira, and Eswen, and Lumiel.

The three elves can use Osanwe Kenta (mind communication of the elves) to merge their wills and combat the Maiar. It may not be enough. Plan on it. But there's Uien back at the stockade, and there is no spacial limit upon Osanwe, as far as I've been able to discern from the great and wise Mark 12_30 aka Helen. If you have any questions on its use, I refer you to her.

[Imladris]

After great pondering I mustered up a very small post. Let me know if it is alright, LMP and Lumiel, and Eswen.

Cheers,
Imladris

[piosenniel]

Hi

I had planned for this game to be done by the end of May.

How is the storyline coming along with regard to this deadline?

~*~ Pio, Game Moderator