A House Divided Discussion Thread

[piosenniel]

Sophia the Thunder Mistress invites you to play:

Title: A House Divided

Basic Storyline: Queen Beruthiel is a disillusioned childless woman, estranged from her husband who is cold and distant. For comfort she has turned to her ten cats- nine black and one white. They go around the city and keep an eye on all the local gossip for the queen. Her husband doesn’t know, but she is selling Gondor’s secrets to the enemy out of bitterness and spite. She makes contact with the Haradrim through her cats. Her husband, King Tarannon Falastur, must discover her treachery and decide what to do about it. Game will be about intrigues and interaction, there will be very little fighting and carnage, if any.

[piosenniel]

The purpose of the story is: To elaborate on the story of the Cats of Queen Beruthiel.

This means we will know the story is over when: When Beruthiel is abandoned at sea by her husband.

Starting Location: Osgiliath

Likely Destination: The Great Ocean

Timeframes:

This game takes place around Third Age 850
The storyline itself or plot covers 3-4 months.
This game requires a time commitment of 8 weeks from the moderator, game owner, and major players.

[piosenniel]

CHARACTERS NEEDED:

Characters for this game will be very specific.

MEN

King Tarannon Falastur – played by Orual

Beruthiel’s servant – played by Alaklondewen
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Aide(s) to Tarannon- 2 maximum must be males from Gondor

Aide(s) to Beruthiel- 2 maximum can be male or female, must be from Gondor


CATS

3 cat players, each of whom will play 3 black cats each (9 cats total)

Secondary character types

Haradrim- 1 only, Beruthiel’s contact (can be male or female)

Soldiers of Gondor – 2 maximum must be male

Only the characters listed above will be accepted for this game.

[piosenniel]

First Posts required from all players at the same time as the Character Description.

A First Post must accompany your Character Description. A Character description without a First Post will be sent back to the player, and can be re-posted on the Games Discussion Thread once there is a First Post to go with it.

This is not a ‘first come/first served’ game – the owner will look at the quality of the Character Description and the First Post to make her choices for players.

Once Again: character types which would not belong include -

Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, Ents or anything besides Men and Cats.

[piosenniel]

The game owner will play two characters.

NAME Queen Beruthiel

AGE 65- beginning to age

RACE Men (Gondor)

GENDER Female

WEAPONS Small decorative dagger, carried for protection, but she’s never used it.

LOOKS The Queen is tall, and was once beautiful, but her face is wrinkled now and she wears a sour expression. She is thin and has long black hair streaked with grey and large grey eyes. She has long fingernails. She always is dressed as befits a Queen of Gondor, but she never wears any colors but black and silver. Around her neck is a necklace with a silver pendant carved like the eye of a cat.

CHARACTER Beruthiel is clever, but she’s bitter and angry, and she’s turned her cleverness to destructive uses. She’s out for revenge. When she was first married she loved Tarannon desperately, but felt that he was cold and disinterested in her, slighting her for the duties of the kingdom. Now her love has become hate, and all she wants is to see him embarrassed and unfulfilled. Her treachery is just a blind reaction to her hurt, she isn’t evil at heart. She is imperious and dominating, tries to control everyone else. She is also a snob who genuinely believes she is better than everyone else. She has a strong mother instinct that never had a chance to be fulfilled and she loves and coddles her cats like they were her children.

HISTORY Beruthiel is the only child of nobles of Numenorean descent from a city in Near Harad. She grew up there as a pampered girly child, famed for her beauty. She was spoiled and everyone loved and made much of her. She was courted and wed by Tarannon, then the Crown Prince of Gondor, at a very early age. She truly loved him, but when it became obvious that she couldn’t bear children they were both crushed. Tarannon paid less and less attention to her (something she was unaccustomed to, to put it mildly), and Beruthiel buried her despair in nurturing other things. She worked the gardens of the King’s House at Osgiliath herself until Tarannon said it was unseemly and put a stop to it, after which she began “collecting” stray cats. Growing older, Beruthiel set out for revenge. Through her cats she has made contact with one of the Haradrim, her people, and her husband’s enemies. Expecting that her information would lead to Tarannon’s public embarrassment, she begins selling information on Gondor’s strength and defenses.


************************

NAME: Miaama

AGE: 14

RACE: Cat

GENDER: Female

WEAPONS: Teeth and Claws

LOOKS: Miaama is long and sleek, about average cat-size. She has short white fur, uniform all over her body, and wide blue eyes. She is double pawed.

CHARACTER: Miaama knows human speech and speaks it after her own fashion. She is very intelligent, and utterly loyal to Beruthiel. She is subservient to Beruthiel, hates Tarannon, and is the unofficial leader of Beruthiel’s other cats. She has good people (cat?) skills and is a good negotiator. She is ruthless when opposed, and is very sneaky.

HISTORY: Beruthiel found Miaama as a kitten in the street and took her in. She learned the speech of Men from the Queen, and became her spy. Miaama is the name she chose for herself. When Beruthiel began contacting the Haradrim, Miaama was very hesitant about it, but her loyalty to her Mistress won out.

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Sophia’s post

Miaama swished her tail forcefully as she came around the corner. Her blue eyes were sparkling with anticipation as she approached the Queen’s chambers. Two Aides came down the hall toward her, boots clicking on the polished stone floor. They were garbed in the Livery of the Tower, Tarannon’s men. Miaama hissed at them as they went by. One of the men stumbled back in shock. The other shrugged. “It’s just one of the Queen’s beasts.” He said, with obvious disgust. “Shoo!” he waved a hand toward Miaama as though she were under his command. She sniffed in disdain and held her ground, licking one white paw delicately. The men exchanged irritated looks and continued down the hall. Only when they were gone did Miaama rise and continue, slipping through the door to Beruthiel’s sitting room.

The Queen was seated there, six of the other cats writhing around her ankles, all trying to be the closest. Miaama leapt lightly over them, coming to rest in Beruthiel’s lap. Miaama rested her paws on the Queen’s shoulders and brought her pink nose close to Beruthiel’s cheek. “Miaama, pet…” The Queen crooned in her ear. Beruthiel had been busy that day. She had sent out three of her feline messengers to spy out the garrisons of Minas Tirith. They were expected back late in the evening. Just in time. “Miaama,” she whispered confidentially into the ear of the white cat on her lap. “Tonight you must go. He will be waiting at the usual place.” The cat on her lap squirmed with obvious discomfort. “Miaama, love, you agreed…” She pleaded.

The white cat’s mouth opened, and she spoke. It was a sound that never became less strange, even after hearing it many times. “Yes Mistress,” Miaama said, “But take care. The King suspects that he has been betrayed.” Miaama felt a jolt, as the Queen stiffened in disgust.

“Yes, Tarannon.” She spat out the word, “The betrayer is now himself betrayed.” Beruthiel rose from her seat and walked to the window, Miaama cradled in her arms and the other cats following, like black shadows drifting around her feet. Staring blankly out over the city she stroked the cat rhythmically. “Soon we will see him squirm love, soon…” she said. Miaama purred with delight at this thought.

[piosenniel]

Orual’s character

Name: Tarannon Falastur

Age: 67

Appearance: Tall and broad-shouldered, Tarannon commands attention just by entering a room. His thick hair is salt-and-pepper, his eyes stormy grey, and his skin is fair. He rarely smiles anymore, but he has wrinkles around his mouth and around his eyes that suggest that he had previously been a cheerful man.

Personality: Tarannon's major passion is the military and naval growth of Gondor, to the detriment of his marriage. He does not neglect Beruthiél out of spite or cruelty, but out of thoughtlessness. He can be oblivious of things that do not pertain to ships or soldiers, and though she was very much in love with him, once he learned that she could not bear children and would not give him an heir, he lost some interest in their marriage, turning all of his attention to running his kingdom. He can appear preoccupied, but he is actually very observant and shrewd.

History: Tarannon was the twelfth king of Gondor, succeeding Siriondil, whose reign was unremarkable, but, it can be assumed, peaceful. His zeal for the military showed at an early age, and much was expected of him. His training was intense and isolated him from other children his age, so his social skills are limited to what is necessary to run a kingdom. He met Beruthiél at a ball, and fell in love with her. He courted her and wed her, then found that she could not have children. Having been taught to believe that that was the purpose of a royal marriage was to produce a royal heir, he drifted away from Beruthiél.

First post:


Tarannon Falastur sat back in his chair, looking out the window into the gardens outside of the palace. He fiddled with the model of a new ship he planned to submit to the chief shipmaker, once he got around to it. Right now something else was on his mind.

He sighed as he glanced at the portrait of his family--that is, himself, his wife Beruthiél, and her managerie. He did wish that she would not obsess over those cats like that, but he supposed it was better than her unseemly work at the gardens at Osgiliath. He could have gotten her nice cats, good, well-bred, decent cats, but she had to have her strays. He did not understand it, but at least it got her out of his hair, most of which was gray because of her moaning about wanting a child
.
He heard a mutter from outside his door about the "Queen's beasts," and frowned. If Beruthiél was going to insist on keeping those animals, the least she could do was keep them from being underfoot all of the time. One would swear that they followed Tarannon around, given how often he tripped over them.

A knock came at the door. "Come in," Tarannon called.

"My lord, the schematics you asked for are in," said a lanky young man, closing the door behind him and offering the king a small stack of papers.

"Thank you," Tarannon replied, and dismissed the man, going through the papers. Beruthiél and her cats were forgotten; military matters now consumed all of his thought.

[piosenniel]

Alaklondewen’s Character:

NAME Habeth

AGE 56

RACE Men (Black Numenorean)

GENDER Female

WEAPONS None

APPEARANCE: Habeth stands 5’10. Her dark brown hair hangs down her back with silver strands filling in around her ears. She wears two small braids on either side, while the rest of her hair hangs straight to the small of her back. Her eyes are brown and perfectly round. She has crow’s feet and a few small lines around her mouth that are deepened when she smiles. She wears simple black dresses that she has made with her own hands.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Habeth is a simple woman, and therefore relatively happy. Her love for Queen Beruthiel runs deep, and she would give her life for the Queen. She would do anything for Beruthiel, and when the Queen is harsh to her, she believes it is because of the Queen’s hard life and current stresses. Forgiveness is an important part of her nature.

HISTORY Habeth’s mother, Cameth, cared for Queen Beruthiel as a child and came with her to Gondor when she was married to Tarannon. Beruthiel became a role model to Habeth, and when Cameth passed away in TA 810, Habeth took her place as Beruthiel’s aid. At 16 years old, it had been tough to fill her mother’s shoes, but she took pride in the position because of her love of Beruthiel. She has cared for the Queen for forty years. She listens to Beruthiel when she needs to vent her feelings, and she takes good care of the Queen’s Cats.

FIRST POST

In the cats’ room, Habeth was busy scrubbing the floor. The light that came in the window across from her glistened in the fresh soap she applied to the hard, cold floor. She dropped the large brush back into the pail at her side and looked at her hands. They looked older than she remembered, and were calloused from her work. Her nails were short and dirty.

After drying her hands on her white apron, she reached up and took a hold of the shelf above her, using it to pull herself up. She paused and stretched her aching joints, and wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her right hand. She picked up the pail and put it on the shelf. The water could be used again if she needed it.

Three clean bowls were picked off the shelf, and Habeth carried them as she exited the room. She stepped into the hallway and turned to the right, where a side door that lead outside and to the well was located. The door was already open, and as the fresh air hit her, she smiled and breathed deeply. After walking down a short path, she came to the well, and filled each of the three bowls with fresh, clean water. She balanced two full bowls on her left arm and held the third in her right hand. It might have been an awkward task for many, but she had done this enough to be comfortable with it. She walked quickly back to the cats’ room and hurriedly placed the bowls just inside the door on the left side. Now the cats’ could have a nice drink when they returned from their errands.

It was almost time for Habeth’s duties for the queen, and being late was not an option with Queen Beruthiel. She made her way to the servants’ quarters and washed her hands and face. Beruthiel insisted on her aids having immaculate appearances. Habeth took off her dirty apron and placed it on the pile for the wash. Quickly, she left the quarters and headed for the queen’s chambers. When she reached the queen’s door, she smoothed her hair and her simple black dress before opening the door. She slipped through to her usual position just inside the doors of Queen Beruthiel’s chambers.

[piosenniel]

Please look at these links for a historical picture of Queen Beruthiel:

Beruthiel

Falastur

Kings of Gondor - See # XII

Ship King

You will need to be aware of this history as you plan your character.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

Again, here are the characters needed:

MEN

Aide(s) to Tarannon- 2 maximum must be males from Gondor

Aide(s) to Beruthiel- 2 maximum can be male or female, must be from Gondor

Haradrim- 1 only, Beruthiel’s contact (can be male or female)

Soldiers of Gondor – 2 maximum must be male

CATS

3 cat players, each of whom will play 3 black cats each (9 cats total)

First Posts required from all players at the same time as the Character Description.

A First Post must accompany your Character Description. A Character description without a First Post will be sent back to the player, and can be re-posted on the Games Discussion Thread once there is a First Post to go with it.

This is not a ‘first come/first served’ game – the owner will look at the quality of the Character Description and the First Post to make her choices for players.

[ June 05, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

It is a requirement that all potential game players will either have posted in one of the RPG Inns (preferably in The Green Dragon) or have played in an RPG on the Barrow Downs.

Please use this form for creating your character to post on the discussion thread.

Those who have not played before in a Barrow Downs' RPG will be given preference. Final preference, though, will be at the discretion of the Game Owner.

_____________________________________________

Character Description Form:

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES/NO – Which one?

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? - YES/NO

For your character please include:

NAME:

AGE:

RACE:

GENDER:

WEAPONS (No magical, super-hero, mithril weapons. Just good solid Middle-earth weapons and armor only that is appropriate to the race of the character and the time period.):

APPEARANCE:

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: (No half-Elven characters. No mixed-type characters. No super-heroes. No assassins. No one all powerful, martial arts proficient, or having any magical traits. Just regular characters with normal abilities for their races only):

Please note here that because Tolkien mentioned Beruthiel's use of the cats to spy for her, it is not considered a 'magical' trait for them to speak to one another - it would most likely be a form of the 'osanwë' (mind to mind communication) skill that was highly developed in the Elves and also surfaced in the Edain.


HISTORY:

_____________________________________________

First Post:


_____________________________________________

[ June 05, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

Open for business!

Have Fun!!

[The X Phial]

Character Description Form:

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? No

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES: Truth in a Dark Place

For your character please include:

NAMES: Pirro, Yawla, and Athel

AGE: 5

RACE: cats

GENDER: Pirro is male, Yawla and Athel are female

WEAPONS: teeth and claws

APPEARANCE: All three are lithe, sleek black cats with small builds. Pirro has a touch of white under his chin, but otherwise they are as black as midnight. As litter mates they resemble each other very highly, especially the two females, and Beruthiel is the only human able to tell Yawla from Athel from one another.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:
Yawla is the leader of the three cats. Sensible, bold, and loyal to a fault, she usually volunteers herself and her siblings for assignments when extra stealth is required. She knows her litter mates and herself are the smallest and sleekest of the cats, and therefore have an advantage in staying hidden.

Athel is a playful and cunning cat. She delights in playing tricks and has been known to put personal amusement over the goals of a mission, though never enough to put herself or her siblings in danger. When the troop is in need of a quick idea, Athel is consistently the one to provide it.

Shy and somewhat timid, Pirro is also the most sensitive of the three. His senses are far more acute than those of the others and he is an excellent lookout unless his nerves betray him. He is a favorite of Beruthial because of his lapcat tendencies. He would much rather sleep on a lap than prowl the night, but his talents (and his sister) keep him out more often than not.

All three cats are faster than the average cat due to their size. However, they also have lower than normal stamina and strength levels. Their strength lies in their sprint and their stealth, but all can be ferocious when need calls. They communicate with each other and Beruthial’s other cats through a thought language and cannot converse with humans directly.

HISTORY: Like many other street cats, Pirro, Yawla, and Athel were on their own early in life. Pirro, the runt of the litter, would not have survived without the help of the other two. In fact, their closeness is likely due to having to fend for themselves after their mother was killed by a soldier’s hunting dog. As soon as they were strong enough they swore revenge and managed to sneak into the royal complex undetected. Their revenge was exacted quickly and silently, and not even the dog himself knew why he was suddenly lame in three legs, tendons cut after waking from an accident with a falling planter.

Shortly thereafter the three were approached by an older white cat. She had a message from the Queen congratulating them for their mission and extending an invitation to join her in the royal complex. They were offered food, shelter, comfort, and affection for life and all they need do was put their amazing talents to work for the Queen. Thus began their life as pets and soldiers for Queen Beruthial. They valued their position and worked hard, grateful for the chance to pay Beruthial back for her kindness and simulntaneously work against the soldiers and their dogs, for whom they still harbor a deep hatred.
_____________________________________________

First Post:
The light was quickly fading in the streets and men were hurrying about their business. None noticed three small dark shapes as they slipped from shadow to shadow, silently making their way back to the royal complex. If they had noticed, they would not have paid attention; street cats were common. The three felines did not mind being ignored by the townspeople. In fact, they relied on it. If the men knew the secrets padding silently through the shadows they would likely kill the cats – if they could catch them.

Yawla, the shadow leading the others, glanced back to check on her siblings. Despite their talents, they required some looking after. She stopped short; one of her companions was missing. Her eyes were clear in the twilight but she did not need them to know that the missing cat was Athel, her sister. Pirro never wandered alone if he could help it, preferring the strength of numbers. She flicked her tail at her brother, asking him without words if he knew where the wayward follower might be. Athel liked to trail behind, but Pirro’s sensitive ears could sometimes track her movements even without visual confirmation. This time, however, he was just as lost as Yawla. He hated it when Athel played these little games, and wanted nothing more than to get back to their comfortable rooms and deliver their message.

Yawla hissed faintly, annoyed with her sister. She should know better than to play when serious work was to be done.

“Stay here,” she told her brother. “I will go find our prodigal sister.”

Pirro cut off his reply. He knew that was just what Athel wanted, and that Yawla was playing her game, but he also knew better than to argue.

Yawla retraced her steps, sniffing and hoping to catch the scent of her sister. Half a block back she found a small alley and knew that this must be her sister’s hiding place. She searched it thoroughly, growing more and more annoyed. Finally, she resolved to let Athel find her own way back to the complex, if she wanted to compromise the security of the troop, it would be upon her own head. She turned to go and nearly leapt out of her skin. A huge figure was attacking. A microsecond later she realized it was simply Athel animating a cast off coat and her fear turned to anger.

Athel was laughing, silently as only cats can. Yawla, on the other hand was poised for fighting. Her ears were laid back against her head, her tail was slashing wildly and she was crouched low. She hissed at her sister as she spoke.

“Athel! Why must you be so foolish? You know we have a job. Would you have us betray our mistress with amusements?”

Athel remained unfazed. “You take things far too seriously, as usual. You know, if you could laugh at yourself you wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun to tease.”

She turned to walk out of the alley, only to be pinned by her sister a moment later.

“I may be too serious, Athel, but your games could get us noticed and killed. Look at how easily I pinned you. Pay more attention or I cannot be responsible for what happens to you. Now let’s get back to Pirro before he gets paranoid.”

“No one asked you to be responsible,” Athel snapped back. Secretly, however, she regretted upsetting her sister. She sighed inwardly. Perhaps there would be some fun to be had back at home. She followed her sister back to Pirro’s hiding place, looking properly chastened but cherishing the look on Yawla’s face just the same.

The two became three again and melted into the twilight. They still had important news to deliver.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Hi Everyone. I'm here!

That looks great X! I'm excited to have you...

Sophia

[Beruthiel]

You'll never guess why this RPG caught my eye [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES– Green Dragon

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? - YES : Hobbits Gift , Escape from Nurn.

For your character please include:

I would like to play one of Beruthiel's servants if thats alright

NAME: Shumita

AGE: 25

RACE: human

GENDER:female

WEAPONS: none

APPEARANCE: Shumita is of medium height, her long brown hair is wavy and reaches her hips. The only clothes she has are old dresses which she had to make herself, most of them are plain black or white. Her face is oval and her eyes are deep green in colour.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Shumita only works for the Queen because she has too, it is the only way she can make a living. She works hard but does not feel that the Queen appreciates her enough. She is young and does not always follow instructions well and gets distracted easily.

HISTORY: Her family live in a town far away from Minas Tirith and she left them to find a better life, away from the farming community which she found boring. When she arrived in Minas Tirith however, she found that no one would take her in and she spent many days living in the streets. One day however, she was walked past the servant's quarters of the palace and she heard a row between some of the servants. They were arguing over who would help look after all the cats, since there were now so many. Jumping at the chance, Shumita voluntered and she gained a place in the servants of the palace.

She has not been working at the palace for long and she is still trying to fit in with the other servants.

____________________________________________

First Post:
Shumita opened her eyes slowly. The morning light streamed through her window. She sat up slowly and yawned. Looking outside the window again She watched the birds flutter about and sing. Then suddenly, a black cat pounced onto the windowsill, scaring away the birds. The cat hissed menacingly at Shumita and ran off. Standing up quickly she realised, she was late! Running through the house with her hair in a mess and her clothes all twisteed and scrunched up she dashed across the grounds and hurried into the kitchens.

Before entering she made one last attempt to make her hair neat and she pushed open the door slowly. Peeking in she saw all the others were already there. She slipped in as slowly as she could but just as she turned to close the door, it creaked and everyone turned around and stared at her. "Shumita! How many times do I have to tell you! You must be here before the sun comes up!" The head of the kitchens sighed. Shumita looked at her feet and muttered a quiet apology.The other servants looked back at her while some whispered to their neighbour. She was greatly tempted to smack them all on the face but she restrained herself. Remember why you’re here, don’t blow it now!

The servants were then given their orders for the day and left the kitchens. Shumita was cleaning the entrance hall, again. Three days in a row she had to clean it and this time if it wasn't clean enough she knew she'd be in deep trouble. The hall was ages away from the kitchens, making her work time even shorter. Come on, stop whining or you'll never get anything done She thought. She picked up the buckets and the cloth and walked over to the hall. Not a bad start to the day was it? She said to herself as she dragged her feet.

Behind her she head a cat meow, still angry at herself she turned around about to scream at the cat but before she did she realised who was holding the cat, the Queen. Dropping to her knees she bowed. "Good morning Your Majesty." she said quietly. The Queen nodded but had a look of disgust on her face, Shumita quickly tried to fix her hair again but it was no use. The Queen walked on and the cat she was carrying hissed back at Shumita and then seemed to whisper something into the Queens ear...

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Cats!!! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? Yes, The White Horse.

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES: An Audience with the King, Castle Maladil, Kidnapped!, Search for the Book, Search for the Lost Messenger, The Threat of the Trees, Betrayal of Trust, Brotherhood, Escape from Nurn, Swan Wood, In War, and Dark Seduction.

NAMES: Lassra, Mosi, and Arye

AGE: Lassra is six, Mosi and Arye are three.

RACE: Cats

GENDER: Lassra is female, Mosi and Arye are male.

WEAPONS: Teeth and Claws (Its so hard to be original these days [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img])

APPEARANCE: Lassra, Mosi, and Arye all have sleek coats of soft, black fur. Their eyes are a translucent green-yellow color. Lassra is a tad on the tubby side and is bigger than Mosi and Arye, as the other two cats are younger, smaller, and more agile.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:
Lassra is the self-appointed mentor to the two younger cats. She is wise, the type to think things out before acting. Thus Lassra is often slow to react to things, for she is always thinking about the consequences of her actions. Lassra, though she is loyal to Beruthiel and will go on missions for her Mistress, would sooner laze around and explain things than get up and show them. Her favorite past time is being cuddled and loved by Beruthiel. Lassra has a very keen sense of smell due to the many scents she has been exposed to with the cooks.

Mosi is a wild, romping sort of cat, always looking for something to do. He loves to explore things and run around getting his nose and paws in other people and animals’ business. He is impatient, and wants to live life to its fullest, for he has heard too many stories from Lassra about cats who die young of several reasons. Mosi always has energy to spare, and it leads one to wonder how he never runs out of energy. His loving, playful nature wins the heart of many.

Arye, though like his brother in many ways, is quite different from the wild Mosi. Arye is a curious cat, always interested in new things and old things. He loves to try and find out how something works. Though his curiosity often gets the better of him, Arye would sooner examine things from afar rather than directly confront or explore something. He is a very cautious cat in that manner, but it often keeps the trouble that Mosi gets into away from him.

HISTORY: Lassra was once the pet kitten of one of the cooks of the royal complex, and on one trip with her master to deliver dinner to one of the inhabitants of the palace, Lassra first set eyes on Beruthiel. The woman intrigued Lassra, for she had never seen her before. The kitten’s visits to the Queen became more and more frequent as the months and years went on, until Lassra was more of Beruthiel’s cat than the old cook.

Mosi and Arye were born inside the palace, their mother gave birth to them just inside the inner gardens to get out of the rain that had been pouring. Their mother died when the kittens were just old enough not to depend on her, and the two brothers considered the royal complex their home from then on. Mosi’s mischievousness was how Mosi first met Beruthiel, while the woman was brushing her stringy, once-wonderfully black hair. Mosi had mewed and brushed against the woman to get her attention, and the childless woman couldn’t help but take in the two motherless kittens.

FIRST POST:

Arye’s green-gold eyes were brimming with great interest as the relatively young black cat sat crouched on his haunches in a remote hall of the royal complex in Gondor. He easily lifted a paw, and let his claws scratch at the strange barrier. It was like woven metal, but the metal was extremely thin, and the weaves were loose. There were small gaps in between the crossed metal, which allowed Arye’s vision to penetrate to the outdoors but seemingly was too small even for Arye’s claws to cross through.

Arye’s nose twitched, along with his white whiskers, which held stark contrast against his black fur. His ears flicked backward as wind gently blew through the open wiring, and the scent of many unidentifiable things floated on the waft of air. It was so interesting to Arye, who had never seen such a door-like barrier in his home, the royal house in Gondor.

It is a screen door, child. It is designed to keep bugs out, but still allow fresh air to flow in.

Arye did not have to turn to know that the information had come from Lassra, the all-knowing elder cat who had taken Arye and his brother Mosi under her wing...or, paw. The bigger, older cat was as silent as anything as she came to cit next to Arye by the screen door.

What are those smells? asked the curious, but slightly aprehensive Arye, his pink nose sniffing the air once more. Lassra was the best cat to ask, considering her extensive knowledge of such scents and things in her time with the cooks.

Many spices, and perhaps one too many freely opened barrels of wine, as far as food goes. Lassra replied wisely, thinking her answer through. Her nose wrinkled slightly, her whiskers bristled a bit. Not to mention the extremely high amount of...sewage of some sort.

Just as Lassra finished, a tiny black shadow sprinted down the hall, not even stopping until it collided with Arye. It was a cat, just the size of Arye, if not smaller. Mosi, Arye's brother, had come prancing and romping home after a day of doubtless recreation or perhaps even investigation.

Well, well, Mosi. Did you take note of anything intereting or out of the ordinary on your little outing? wondered Lassra, her words spiced with a tinge of annoyance. Mosi nodded vigorously, tail flipping back and forth.

A mouse!

A mouse? repeated Arye, both shocked and not surprised at the same time at his brother's ability to get so easily distracted. But there are hundreds of thousands of stray mice in Gondor!

I know! But...this one was special! I named is Posy. Mosi replied, attitude not the least bit dampened by Lassra and Arye's disappointment and disapproval.

Lassra merely shook her head with distaste, and silently, wordlessly, led the two young cats away from the screen door that had mesmorized Arye.

You are both strange kits. But your interests and amazements never cease to amuse me. Come! To our Mistress! Lassra informed the brothers absently as she led them down the halls.
*~*

Hope that's okay!

-Aylwen [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

P.S. Post inspired by the way my cats always looks at our 'screen door' before they're let outside. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ July 21, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]

[elven maiden Earwen]

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES– Green Dragon

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES--- Hunt for the Dragon, Sailing Away

For your character please include:
NAME: Jesslyn, Carmina, Kavon

AGE: Jesslyn-8, Carmina-5, Kavon-10

RACE: Cats

GENDER: Jesslyn, Carmina- female, Kavon- male

WEAPONS: claws and teeth

APPEARANCE: All three cats have a sleek, and silky raven black coat with long tails of the same color. Jesslyn has amber eyes, Carmina has grey and Kavon has a bluish-grayish yellow-colored eyes. Kavon and Carmina are thin and small while Jesslyn is slightly bigger and chubbier.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:
Jesslyn- Jesslyn is very sneaky and wary. She is always alert and ready. She likes Kavon more than Carmina and is very loyal to Beruthiel. She has very good reflexes (but hey she’s a cat).

Carmina- is a wild and daring cat. She is fast but her reflexes aren’t as good as Jesslyn’s. She is the youngest of the three, and the least loved. She scratches and bites anyone that comes near her except her fellow cats and Beruthiel. She is very curious and learns many things when she spies on people.

Kavon- Is the oldest and wises. He is the most cautious and the most useful of the three. He is extremely loyal to Beruthiel. He isn’t as sneaky as the other to but he is much stronger. He like Jesslyn has very good reflexes.

All three cats can communicate telepathically and are very useful to Beruthiel. They all have different personalities and all have different ways of collecting information. They all have a special relationship with Beruthiel and will not let anyone else touch them.

HISTORY: The three cats once lived together on the streets. They hunted animals and stole things from people living in the city. Like Pirro, Yawla, and Athel a mysterious white cat had approached them. They were invited to live in the royal house by the Queen Beruthiel. They accepted this invitation and joined Beruthiel’s band of cat spies. They at first didn’t trust her or the other cats in her service but later came to trust them and have worked for Beruthiel for 3 long years.

_____________________________________________
First Post: Jesslyn, Kavon and Carmina sat next to their mistress. They purred softly, as they snuggled up to her leg. Soon we are going to be used for something really important, Carmina said tierd of being one of the last to be signed up for missions. Miaama sauntered into the room slowly, and leaped lightly onto the Queen’s lap. Jesslyn and Kavon exchanged a glance of pure disgust. Miaama was the Queen’s favorite and the unstated leader of the 10. The Queen whispered something into Miaama’s ears, and Miaama replied. Beruthiel got up and walked top the window, and the trio followed obediently.

Carmina slipped slowly out of the room followed by Jesslyn, and floated into the hall like small, shadows. They traveled a few feet until they reached an open door. They peered inside. No one seemed to be in the dimly lit room. Amber eyes searched the room. From the next room the two cats herd voices. They walked over silently and slipped into the room. Seconds later a man walked out and Tarannon Falastur’s figure was bent over papers. The cats walked under the desk and waited to learn something useful.

Kavon meanwhile sat in the room listening to Beruthiel. “Soon we will see him squirm love, soon…” he herd her say and he thought of what her plan would be. But it wasn’t Kavon’s time to learn; and he slipped out into the corridor and quickly scampered into the cats’ room. Soon they would be on a real mission.

[ June 06, 2003: Message edited by: elven maiden Earwen ]

[Orual]

Tarannon Falastur checking in. Can't wait to write with all of you!

~Orual

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Character Description Form:
Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES– Which one? The Green Dragon

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? - YES Holiday in the Sun, Search for the Lost Messenger, Reclaiming the City, Swan Wood, the Threat of the Trees, Quest for the Ainereg, Dark Seduction

For your character please include:

NAME: Morwen

AGE: 60- but reasonably pure Numenorean blood, so seems slightly younger

RACE: Men of Gondor

GENDER: Female

WEAPONS: None

APPEARANCE: Short and thin, long dark brown hair with little grey, wears dark colours so as not to outshine the Queen and no jewellery. She has deep grey eyes which were once beautiful but now as hard as flint.

HISTORY: Born of a noble family in Gondor, and was a reasonably nice child. This changed when she fell in love with Tarannon as a teenager, and he married Beruthiel. She was chosen for the “honour” of being Beruthiel’s Lady-in-Waiting, which she has absolutely hated ever since. Was secretly overjoyed when she discovered that Beruthiel couldn’t have children and still gloats over it. For the first ten years or so of the marriage she lived in hope that Beruthiel might die, but then gave up and married an old nobleman, they had one son, Caeran, who she can’t stand. The husband died soon after he was born. Pride won’t let her slack at her duties, or ask to be replaced so she is the model of what she should be, just letting her rage and spite out as gossip about the Queen’s “madness”, none of which can ever be traced to her. She is generally believed to be devoted to the Queen.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Almost all her good traits have been eaten up by years and years of hurt and jealousy, leaving her bitter and cynical. She is devoted to her job, out of pride that won’t let her show how much she is suffering. She hates cats- I’m not sure allergies were recognised in Gondor, but she seems to have a permanent running nose. She would do anything for Tarannon if he asked it. She is also loyal to Gondor- a trait which has been inbred in her throughout her life. She is very spiteful about Beruthiel behind her back. It’s not so much a hatred of the Queen as a person, but simply a blind jealousy of anyone who married Tarannon.
_____________________________________________
First Post:

“My lady Morwen, a letter from your son”

Morwen grimaced at the interruption. That boy was so slow to take the hint that she would much rather they dropped all pretence at a relationship.

“Yes, yes” she said dismissively, plucking the letter from the messenger’s fingers. He quickly departed at her glower. Finally certain he was out of hearing, Morwen turned back to her companion.

“I do not know who has been spreading this rumour” she said sadly. “Indeed it is not so strange that a woman as lonely as her should turn more and more to the company of those animals. Simply because she talks to them although they can understand, it does not follow that she is mad. And I am convinced there is no truth in the rumour that she eats with them from their dishes.”

Morwen looked from the corner of her eye at the effect this would have on her companion, and was gratified when her eyes lit up. There might have been no such rumour before, but now there certainly would be. After a few moments more chat, Morwen excused herself. Now that she had done what she intended she had no reason to make small talk. Soon the court would be abuzz with the news that the Queen- the mad Queen- ate with her cats. Once again Tarannon would be shown proof positive that he made a mistake with her. She failed her main duty, that of producing an heir, and now could no longer even attend to her minor ones of entertaining and organising. Instead she stayed closeted with those- those furballs! Morwen sniffed disgustedly. Whether she ate with them or not, it was disgusting. Animals belong in the woods, or the fields- or at the most, the stables.

A bell rang, interrupting her thoughts. It was time to present herself to the Queen, to do her duty. How she wished she could have refused the post of Lady-in-Waiting all those years ago when it had first been offered, but it was a duty and an obligation, and Morwen, unlike some others, would live up to what was expected of her. She had no room for fancies and stray animals. Savagely she snatched up the scarf she wound around her hair when doing her duties. It was not right to outshine the Queen, and if she would wear black then Morwen, also, must dress as if she wished to fade into the shadows at night. It was yet another example of obligation. Obligation was all that was left to her, and dreams that were nightmares now. Vaguely she could recollect what hope felt like, but it had been decades ago and nothing to her now. Duty awaited.

[ June 07, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[ July 23, 2003: Message edited by: Lyra Greenleaf ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Hey all,

Thanks to those of you who have put down bios so far. I would like to make sure that anyone who is reading along knows that you may still post a bio for whichever part you like, even if all the spots seem to have bios posted for them already. Because this is a fairly complicated game, I am going to take the characters that show the best quality writing. So please don't think you don't have a chance to get whatever part you want because however many people have already posted in that group of characters. There is always room for a great writer (within reason).

Thus far (but far from finally) we have:

Cats- XPhial, Aylwen, Earwen
Aides to Beruthiel (of various sorts)- Lyra, Beruthiel (this could become confusing very quickly [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img])

May the best man (er, woman... cat...) win!
Sophia

[ June 08, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[The X Phial]

*bump*

We need more players! I want to get started, lol. I suppose I might be able to play a soldier as well, Sophia, if you thinkg that wouldn't be too much of a power play.

[Salix]

I'd like to play the Haradrim if it's possible. I'll post the profile as soon as I can.
__________________________________________

Salix - A first post is required to be submittted at the time you post your character description.

~~ Piosenniel, Shire Moderator

[ June 09, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Phervasaion]

Hey!

Id like to play a soldier of Gondor if thats ok. Iv almost finished the profile but i cant think what to put in my first post at the moment but ill get it done as soon as possoble.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Howdy!

Salix, I'm looking forward to reading your profile and first post.

Phervasion, hello old Reclaiming the City pal! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] This game is going to be a lot more organized and a lot more intense than that one was. For example, you had a lot of typos in the post you just put up in this thread. If you play in this game, you'll have to be a lot more careful with your grammar and spelling. Also, I'm going to be expecting you to post a little more than we did in RtC. That said, I'm looking forward to reading your bio and first post.

X- that might be a possibility. I'll get back to you. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Sophia

[Envinyatar]

Character Description Form:

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES - Which one? The Long Winter; Search for the Lost Messenger; Holiday in the Sun; Escape from Nurn

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES – Which one? Both

For your character please include:

NAME: Gaeradan

AGE: 55

RACE: Man (Dúnadan, of the line of Anárion so it is rumoured, a descendent of one of his unnamed children.)

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: Broadsword and long-knife

APPEARANCE: Tall, trim, well muscled, not bulky. Hair dark black, eyes grey. Neatly trimmed mustache and short beard. Given to wearing dark colors. Dresses to suit the occasion so that he might blend in seamlessly and unnoticed.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:

He is a reserved, quiet man with an air of easy self confidence and approachability that attracts people, leaving them open at times to being lulled into a certain sense of security when around him. He has a keen eye to the weaknesses of others. A quick thinker in situations which require it, he prefers having the leisure of time enough to work through problems in his normal, detailed manner.

Gaeradan is fiercely devoted to Tarannon, with whom he has served at sea, and to Gondor. He has often put the concerns and wants of his King above that which he thinks might be best for Gondor, but now he is struggling with the fact that he believes Tarannon chose his Queen unwisely, and that the choice may yet prove gravely perilous to Gondor. Aside from the fact that she will never bear an heir for Gondor, he believes that she is now actively engaged in something which imperils both his King and country. He wishes to have her put aside, and is carefully maneuvering the King’s own inclinations in that area.

He has sent word out through his own network of informants that he desires any news great or small concerning the Queen and her activities.


HISTORY:

He grew up at court, a friend to Tarciryan, Tarannon’s younger brother. Gaeradan’s father served the former King, Siriondil as an advisor, during his long and peaceful reign.

At the age of eighteen, Gaeradan joined the crew of The Eagle of Gondor, under the command of Tarannon, who was then serving as his father’s Captain of the Hosts. Fighting alongside him in the battles in the regions near the mouths of the Anduin, Gaeradan grew to admire the man who would one day take the throne of Gondor. Tarannon, for his part, grew to rely on the clear thinking and straight forward advice this younger man offered. A friendship grew between the two men, and when Tarannon took his position as King, he asked that Gaeradan stay by his side.
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________

First Post

The door to his study was slightly ajar. 'Strange,' he thought, his brow furrowing. 'I'm certain that I closed it as I always do.' Gaeradan drew nearer and leaned in close to the opening, his senses alert for any sounds within. It was quiet, not even the sound of a breeze through the small leaded window rustling over the papers on his desk. Ominously quiet. A palpable silence that made the hairs at the back of his neck stand up.

‘What is wrong with me today?’ he murmured to himself, his hand sliding to the knife at his belt. He had been uneasy all day, a feeling of being watched prickling at the edges of his mind.

Gaeradan nudged open the door with his foot. The light from the window fell in a bright bar across the room, puddling on the braided rug in front of the room’s small fireplace. Dust motes danced in the light, stirred up by the passage of the door as it arced open. He stepped in and looked carefully about, his eyes sweeping the room for anything out of order. He found nothing amiss.

He let out the breath he’d been holding with a relieved sigh. ‘Spooked my self,’ he said aloud, shrugging his shoulders as if to twitch off the feelings that had chilled him just moments before. Assured, he unlocked the drawer in the desk and removed a sheaf of papers bound with a blue cord and bearing the seal of the King. Directives to his captains concerning the next phase of his campaign.

Gaeradan closed the window above his desk and turned to leave the room. His eyes caught a movement near the door as a plump black cat jumped from the floor to the straight-backed chair that served as a catchall for his cloak and what ever other oddment he found in his hands as he entered his study. The cat's green-gold eyes regarded him coolly as he looked toward it.

Without thinking he strode to the door, and picked up the cat to set it outside as he left. Indignant, or perhaps simply ill tempered, the cat protested the eviction. Wriggling in the confines of Gaeradan’s free arm, she hissed and squirmed, scratching his hand until he dropped her in disgust.

Sucking at the bloody scratches, he cursed silently at her dark retreating form. ‘Berúthiel!’ he hissed, hurrying down the long hallway to the conference room.

Behind the large potted palm in the hallway, in the shadows it made against the stonework wall, another pair of green-gold eyes stared out, noting with interest where he was bound.

[ June 29, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

Okay, I am brand new, but I've been lurking as a guest for a while, and this RPG convinced me to register, so I hope you guys have room for me. I know there are already three people who posted for cats, but I really want to play some, so I am going to throw my hat in.

Character Description Form:
Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? Yes, Green Dragon

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – No

For your character please include:

NAMES: Huine, Lome, and Morna

AGE: Huine is 2 and the others are 9

RACE: cats

GENDER: Female

WEAPONS: teeth and claws

APPEARANCE: Primarily fighters, Lome and Morna are large, powerful cats whose black hair is starting to turn slightly grey in places. Lome has grey eyes and Marna yellow. Huine is smaller than the other two, a normal sized cat, if a little bulky. She is jet black from nose to tail with blue eyes, an unusual combination.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES:
Morna is a cat who has seen it all. She is world weary and a bit on the depressive side. She is also an amazing fighter. She is fast, despite her bulk, which is all muscle, and has a good deal of stamina. She is known for the reach of her scratch. Her biggest weakness is her attitude.

Lome, like Morna, is a fighter. She is a bit smaller, but also faster, than her companion. She is also more upbeat. Unlike Morna, Lome prefers to use her teeth in a fight. Her jaws are like iron. Despite her fighting ability, Lome is laid back. She often tries to cheer her companion, but it is often to no avail.

Huine is the youngest, smallest, and weakest of the three cats. Though the others treat her with respect, she usually feels they are making fun of her for her lack of abilities as a fighter. As a result she is always picking fights with them to try to prove herself. She has never won a bout, but improves a little each time. Despite these problems, she loves the other two very much. She is a bit stand-offish with Beruthiel, as with the other cats, because she is afraid of being rejected by them.


HISTORY:
Morna has been with Beruthiel since she was a kitten. She was born in the royal stables, the child of a mouser, but liked to wander. The Queen, coming in from a ride one afternoon, found Morna asleep in her good cloak, which the kitten had pulled down out of curiosity and then gotten lost in. She was immediately adopted. She soon grew into a very large cat, but still liked to wander. On one of her outings she met two other female cats. After fighting with them, and nearly being beaten, she invited them back to the palace with her. Those two cats were Lome and her sister.

The three were a team from that time on, working together for Beruthiel. Two years ago Lome's sister, Bruin, died. Lome and Morna still mourn her loss. Luckily, she had just had a litter of kittens before dying, and her daughter, Huine, was taken in her place. Since that time the older two have done their best to make Huine feel welcome, but neither is very maternal.
_____________________________________________

First Post:
Huine stalked through the other cats at the Queen's feet and off into a corner. She was tired of begging for attention, just to be ignored. She watched her two companions purring and weaving and envied them their easy compatibility, both with each other and the Queen. Huine just couldn't settle in. Any moment she was sure that Morna and Lome would find a better third. A quicker, stronger cat who didn't sulk.

Huine was also tired of waiting around. She knew the other cats were sent out because they were smaller and could fade into the shadows better, but she envied their freedom. Her companions rarely ventured out unless trouble was afoot. Admittedly, that had been pretty often recently. Also, there was no rule against wandering on your own, it was just sort of frowned upon among the troop.

For their parts, Morna and Lome were content to wait for orders. Though neither was lazy, they had lost that youthful urge to roam the streets at night. Morna felt it tug at her sometimes, but quelled it with her cynical outlook that the city would just be the same as always. Nothing was ever new. Lome noticed Huine's distress but could not bring herself to comfort the young one. She just couldn't understand the problem. Huine had friends, food, warmth and a kind master, not to mention an occupation. How many times had she told her niece to walk with pride?

Miaama entered and spoke with the Queen. Though the others could not understand her human speech, they knew what was being said. Miaama usually translated for them in her mind. Another mission was on for tonight, then. Morna yawned, Lome quirked an ear, and Huine wondered if they would be sent as backup like they sometimes were. She decided to sharpen her claws.

[Phervasaion]

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES– Green Dragon.

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES-Reclaiming the city.

NAME: Armendur

AGE: 28

RACE: Man (Soldier of Gondor)

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: Armendur has a long sword and a small shield which he carries around with him the most. He also has some small throwing daggers that he doesn’t use that much.

APPEARENCE: Armendur is a rather tall man with short dark hair. He also has a small amount of facial hair


PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Armendur is very skilled with his weapons as he started learning from a small age and has never stopped practicing. He is always kind and tries to do his best for other people rather than thinking about himself all the time and is also very eager and willing to do things that he thinks is right.

HISTORY: Since Armendur was a small child he was always interested when people were talking about tales and legends and always wanted to become a soldier from a small age. He started to learn his fighting skills when he was very young and always asked for tips and hints from the other soldiers. His father was a soldier and his mother looked after his brothers and sisters but Armendur preferred to look after himself rather than making his mother do it. At the age of eighteen he became a soldier and over the years the other soldiers came to respect him of his enthusiasm to help others. A year ago his Father died tragically while training with the other soldiers and his mother died not long after. Armendur was saddened from this for some time but lately has been beginning to lighten up again.

_____________________________________________

First Post:

Armendur had finished his shift on guard and it was late at night as he began to make his way back to his cabin. He walked up the side of the path quietly humming and whistling to himself as he caught sight of someone else in the corner of his eye and looked to see it was the soldier of Gondor taking over his shift after him.

“Good evening,” Armendur said to him as he walked up to him

“Yes the evening is beautiful,” the soldier said back to him. “I presume you’re the soldier that was on guard of the town before my shift began, are you not?” He asked Armendur eagerly.

“That I am, and now I am going back to my cabin to get some rest,” Armendur replied.

“In that case I am late for my duty and must be on my way. I hope to see you again soon, my friend. Goodbye,” he said this and rushed of in the way that Armendur came. Armendur sighed and made his way slowly up the path to his cabin while continuing to hum and whistle. He opened the door to his cabin and lit the candle in the corner.

He then took of his armour and removed his sword and shield and tucked himself under the sheets of his bed and not long after fell into a deep sleep.

[ June 12, 2003: Message edited by: Phervasaion ]

[Phervasaion]

Sophia, if any of my first post or profile dont fit in well then just tell me. Id be more than happy to change it.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

A few points of clarification.

The year is approximately TA 850. Tarannon has been on the throne approximately 20 years. The king who reigned before him was Siriondil. The reign of King Siriondil was apparently peaceful. ( Phervasion, your character's father would have to have been dead for at least a hundred years to have been killed in battle.)

The Enemy (so to speak, as Gondor's not in open war with anyone at this point) are the Haradrim and the Easterlings. King Turambar (Tarannon's great-grandfather) fought and defeated the Easterlings, King Earnil I (Tarannon's nephew who reigns after him) fights the corsairs of Umbar. Sauron, at present is not a threat. This is after the Battle of the Last Alliance, and before the rise of the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I doubt that orcs are a problem either. This is a more political game, of character interaction. Soldiers are included in the game for the purposes of being spied upon by the cats.

The Capital of Gondor is NOT Minas Tirith at this point. The Capital is Osgiliath.

Tinuviel-Beruthiel doesn't use human messengers, what Gondorian would carry them? She makes contact with the Haradrim through her cats. I have no idea how the first contact was made, and since the game doesn't deal with that, lets just assume that our Haradrim messenger is familiar with this, and expecting message by cat. Written message is fine. At future points, Miaama may speak to the contact as well.

The kind of information that Beruthiel is finding and passing on are things like this: Who is powerful in the court, who are Tarannon's advisors, who are his political enemies? Where are the soldiers stationed, how many, who is the commander? Where are the ships built, how many, where are they stationed? What is embarrassing, scandalous, or covered up in the court?

Current Roster of those who have Submitted Characters

Cats-
TheXPhial, Aylwen, Earwen, Gelion

Aides to Beruthiel-
Lyra, Beruthiel

Aides to Tarannon-
Evinyatar

Soldiers-
Phervasion

Haradrim Contact-
Tinuviel of Denton

Note- this is not the final cast of characters. Things may be shuffled at any point [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img].

Sophia

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Since we had four cat bios turned in and only three cat spaces, Earwen has graciously agreed to play a soldier instead.

elven maiden Earwen's bio and first post:

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? – YES– The Green Dragon

Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – YES- Hunt for the Dragon and Sailing Away

For your character please include:

NAME: Pelladal Telagar

AGE: 32

RACE: Gondorian (soldier)

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: Pelladal has a long silver sword. Its hilt is made of gold and inlaid with two large Sapphires, like deep blue eyes. Its sheath is leather. It was a gift from his father and a heirloom of his house. He also carries a large round shield. It is blue with the design of a raven on it, set with sapphire eyes. He has a leather breastplate, with the white tree of Gondor on it. He also had a smaller knife for cutting.

APPEARANCE: Pelladal is tall, with black, wavy hair. He has no beard or mustache. His eyes are a sapphire blue and his gaze is intense. He wears clothes in shades of brown, black, green, and blue. While on duty he wears the official uniform.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Pelladal is strong-willed and smart. He says before he thinks so most of the time he says things he doesn’t mean. He is skilled at riding horseback and wielding his weapons. He has a horse named Oiolairë. His coat was a silvery-white, and his mane and tail was grey. He is very fit and strong. He is kind but shy and some people mistake that as rude.

HISTORY: Pelladal lived in Osgiliath all his life. His mother died young leaving him and his father alone. He is an only child. His father taught him how to wield the sword and to ride horseback. His father encouraged him to become a soldier, and so he did. The symbol of the Telagar family is the raven. It got that because one of Palladal’s ancient ancestors named Ravenna was said to resemble a raven.
_____________________________________________
First Post:
Pelladal was on the late shift. His job was to stand guard long through the night. It was already late night. The moon was high in the midnight sky and stars twinkled in the distance. A few feet away stood to other guards. He could hear them talking about Queen Beruthiel’s cats. Those cats, always lurking and what seemed like spying on the citizens. So loyal to Beruthiel. Quite annoying really. Soon someone came to take over his post.


Pelladal headed to his house. He was extremely tired, and went to bed immediately after changing. As he lay down he looked out the window and stared at the moon. He noticed a black shadow staring into the room. Yellow eyes. Soon it disappeared. Pelladal uneasy about the feeling of something watching him as he went to sleep. But his sleep was uneventful, except for those yellow eyes dancing in his mind.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Sophia

Could you put down what characters you're actively seeking at this point? I know that your list may change. I'm asking this because I had an inquiry on one of the other threads, and I'm directing her over here.

Just thought this would help over the weekend to pinpoint what you think you may still need.

Cami, Shire Mod

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Cami (and other interested parties):

The only spot left that has not had a bio posted for it is for the second aide to Tarannon.

I think all the cat spots are full. Anything else is still negotiable.
Sophia

[ June 13, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[Belin]

Gah. I can't decide. I've written two characters, one Harad spy (I realize one has already been submitted, but there are so many directions one could go with this character!) and one aide to Tarannon. Choose whichever you prefer.

Character Description Form:
Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? Yes, the Green Dragon.
Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – Yes- Blue Sky, Night Thunder: The Fool’s Errand, An Audience with the King, Castle Maladil, My Crow Management

For your character please include:
NAME: Farucan

AGE: 25

RACE: Haradrim

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS (No magical, super-hero, mithril weapons. Just good solid Middle-earth weapons and armor only that is appropriate to the race of the character and the time period.): A pair of throwing knives. They are hidden well, and his aim is good, but in his line of work, he has seldom needed to use them—there are far more effective ways of unexpectedly stabbing people in the back.

APPEARANCE: Shorter than most of the Gondorians, he is very slim and dark, and looks even younger than he is. His face bears the merest hint of a mustache under his rather impressive nose, as well as a calm expression that the Gondorians seldom know how to read. His bearing is confident and infinitely polite, and his hands are long-fingered, elegant, and beautiful, and some of the Gondorians forget that his purpose is other than ornamental, an impression that his meticulousness in dress encourages.

HISTORY: Farucan’s childhood was spent in the court in the city of Umbar, where his parents were tolerated—barely. He never succeeded in learning the details of how they had come to court, but the king, Farucan thought, seemed to regard their presence as some kind of a trap from which he had not been able to escape. Certainly there had never been much love lost between their families; the relatives of Farucan had had connections, though distant ones, with the previous regime. Farucan spent a great deal of effort in learning how to make himself scarce, since he disliked being part of a dispute that he did not understand, and he resented the stares and the suspicion. This did him little good, however, since the more reclusive he became, the more suspicious people became about him. Eventually, under the instruction of his mother, he learned to put off insinuations or questions with irreproachably polite remarks whose sting their victims did not always notice until later.

This did not make him any more popular, and when a new king came to power in Harad, he wished to get rid of Farucan as quickly as possible. Rather than simply have him killed, which is always rather messy from a political point of view, the king decided to send him to Gondor as a spy. In this way, his talents could be exploited; the Harad military is not at its strongest at this point, having been greatly depleted by the war, but they want to discover as much as they can about Gondor so that they know how they should build themselves up. There are a few other Haradrim in the city, distant relatives of Farucan’s, who help to carry and catalogue all this information. At the same time, being assigned to such a petty task, and one so far from Umbar, was a subtle and rather vicious insult. Farucan understands, of course, and is looking out for a chance either to return the insult or to prove that it is unmerited.

Upon his arrival in Osgiliath, he met Berúthiel and he easily gained her confidence. He was immediately certain that she was mad, and therefore treated her with the greatest consideration and listened closely to everything she said, whereby she became convinced that he was her best ally at such at time and began to tell him all her secrets in exchange for information about trade and certain small manipulations of it. However, she often seems bored with these details and Farucan wonders sometimes what her true motives are. On the other hand, most of her information is useless, simply malicious gossip, but he listens patiently for the sake of what else he could learn.

He is living quietly on the edges of the city now, posing as a merchant managing trade from the South and often receiving messages from the queen.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: (No half-Elven characters. No mixed-type characters. No super-heroes. No assassins. No one all powerful, martial arts proficient, or having any magical traits. Just regular characters with normal abilities for their races only): Farucan is quiet and difficult to read, but very good at reading other people. An acute observer, he pays careful, almost paranoid, attention to small details and hidden meanings. Nobody could be a better source of gossip, but he is trusted here because he never gossips at all, finding silence a much more effective way of hearing more. He is known for his caustic wit and his insistence on perfection in his appearance. He dislikes seediness excessively, perhaps because he is well aware of how easily he could have been some kind of cheap fraud. He is more insecure than he appears to be.

He is also very much focused on himself and what he wants. He is not very considerate and he tends to underestimate the cleverness and capability of others. But he is charming, in his way, properly soliciting and tastefully humorous, and those that don’t dismiss him immediately as a fraud tend to be easily drawn in to giving him what he wants. He does not, in fact, consider himself a fraud, and takes real interest in whatever he learns; it is simply that he does not wish to divulge many secrets of his own. He isn’t particularly traitorous, but he knows where his interests lie.

_____________________________________________
First Post:

Farucan left the warehouse with some satisfaction. He cared little for trade, with all its distastefully obvious struggles for gain and position, but this had been a good day, and a certain tactic of his had yielded far more than he had expected, much to the chagrin of the southern caravan leader with whom he’d been dealing, an irritating man who glared at Farucan more fiercely than did any of the native hagglers. At moments like this he could understand the smug bearing of the Gondorian merchants, and, for a moment or two, he amused himself by attempting to imitate it. The parody was a bit too obvious, he thought; a small, graceful man of Harad who has spent his life in the shadows can hardly hope to capture the essence of bulky, unabashed pride the way the Gondorians did, at any rate not without years of practice. Perhaps he would make a study of it if he didn’t hate them so much. He shrugged and continued down the street in his normal gliding fashion until he reached the appointed meeting place, another warehouse of his and one that he hardly used for purposes other than this. After shooing away his servants, a pair of slack-jawed youths he’d picked up on the Osgiliath docks and who really ought to have been more grateful, all things considered, he settled down to wait for the messenger. These meetings still unsettled him, in a way. He had his share of what the Gondorians would call superstitions, and there was something unnatural about these extraordinary messengers. He did not like their silent stares or their graceful disdain. They were more like him than any living creature he’d met in this city and he didn’t like it. But who was he to argue with a queen?

The three messengers, unable to open the door, moved silently around its corner, and Farucan, quickly and politely to the extent that it was possible to be both, closed the door behind them. They wandered around the warehouse for a few minutes, pretending to be interested in boxes of coffee and yards of fabric.

Farucan cleared his throat. “What does the queen have to say to me today?” he asked in his driest and most professional voice. The messengers turned and stared at him, and then at each other. The smallest of them sat down and gazed philosophically into the distance, while the other two moved toward him, silently as ever. He could not suppress a shudder as he took the written message from them. “Give the queen my thanks,” he said, controlling himself, “and tell her that I will send her some fine carpets in the morning. Here, I will write it down.”

The smallest messenger jumped up and ran over to him as he wrote, and it was to him that Farucan gave the message. And then they left, not walking in straight lines the way everything else seemed to move in this city, but wandering through shadows and turning for trifles. To be sure it was clever. Nobody would expect such important news as they carried to be in the hands—or, to put it more properly, around the necks—of cats.

_____________________________________________


Or, alternatively:

Have you posted in The Green Dragon Inn or in The White Horse in Rohan? Yes, the Green Dragon.
Have you ever played in an RPG at the Barrow Downs? – Yes- Blue Sky, Night Thunder: The Fool’s Errand, An Audience with the King, Castle Maladil, My Crow Management

NAME: Merethion

AGE: 73

RACE: Gondorian

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: A sword and a dagger.

APPEARANCE: Merethion is tall and strong, a former soldier of partly Númenorean descent. His hair is in the process of changing slowly from black to the color of iron and his face is slightly lined. Like most of the court, he wears dark colors, since he would hate to offend anyone or to seem out of step with the others. The grace with which he moves belies both his age and his awkwardness in speech.

HISTORY: Merethion has been in the service of the king for many, many years. He was born on a feast-day in Osgiliath, and he was brought up to be loyal both to Gondor, which is, as his parents have carefully taught him, the pinnacle of (current) civilization and the pride of the world, and to its king. Never one to question such principles, he entered the service of King Sirondil as early as he could, and has risen slowly over the course of his life and the reign of two kings to the position of an advisor whose loyalty can be trusted.

He was still young and not at all prominent when Berúthiel came to court, and he was deeply impressed by her beauty and touched by her love for Tarannon. He was very proud to have such a queen, and if he seemed to study her somewhat more carefully than was strictly necessary, what harm was there in that? After Merethion’s own marriage a few years later to a strikingly engaging woman who was perfectly willing to take care of all his public appearances for him, his attention to the queen decreased somewhat, but he continued to admire her, and, though he is usually slow in following the intricacies of gossip, he was among the first to notice that she seemed to be frequently sad and withdrawn. He did not think to blame this on Tarannon until many wagging tongues had informed him of it, however, and he still doesn’t really believe it, not really. But he pities the queen, and he would jump at any opportunity to reconcile her with her husband, though her odd relationship with her cats worries him a little.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Merethion is a cheerful conformist who has never had much reason to question his loyalty to the king. He is not brilliant, but he has become a trusted advisor because he is dependable and just, and also in deference to his many years of service. He occasionally speaks with a slight stutter, and he feels uncomfortable with all the scheming going on in court, but he is not very good at detecting it and often stumbles unluckily into the webs of others. When this is not happening, it is in his disposition to like everyone as much as he possibly can and to mind his own business. Naturally enough, most people regard him with contempt.

In physically dangerous situations he is able to keep a cool head, but in awkward social situations he does not know what to do, and making decisions is not his forte. However, he is spoken well of if not actually liked, because he is pleasant and inoffensive, and when he is properly relaxed he can tell a good story or a good joke. He enjoys spending time with many of the soldiers, who do not put him under as much pressure, and many of them have a good deal of loyalty to him. At major public events, he is never seen without his wife Aeleth, who does most of the smiling and the greeting and gives him the chance to fade into the background.

First Post:

The conference had ended, and so Merethion sat listening with half an ear as some lord whose name he couldn’t seem to remember droned on about his plans for some ball in the small town he ruled. He nodded vaguely, wondering why such people found these things so fascinating that they needed to talk about them in their off hours to people to whom they were totally irrelevant. Wouldn’t it be easier to simply stay at home? He attempted to recall why this person was here in the first place, but nothing came to mind. No matter, somebody had to listen to these people and it made up for the inadequacy he often felt when required to answer questions for the King. Here, he needed only to listen, or to appear to listen, and nod once in a while, as if he understood…

The lord did not seem to notice when a large cat nonchalantly strolled into the conference room, jumped heavily onto a nearby chair, and curled up comfortably, blinking at them as if encouraging them not to mind its presence. Merethion glanced at it quickly, uncertain what to do. Gaeradan’s rule concerning cats in the conference room was perfectly clear, but the cat, who, he imagined, must have been expelled from the room many times before if the rule were stringently followed, seemed to be perfectly at home, and in any case Merethion was hesitant to disturb it. It was not only the fact that this particular cat was known as a rather fearsome creature, though Merethion had been scratched before and preferred not to be scratched again—it was, after all, rather humiliating attempting command soldiers while sporting wounds inflicted by a common household pet. There was also the wrath of Berúthiel to be considered. She did not seem to understand that there were some places where cats did not belong, and the loud complaints of her cats upset her deeply. Certainly she had troubles enough without having to worry about their treatment of her cats.

Merethion looked around. Perhaps someone else would be able to resolve this problem. Unfortunately, most of them had abandoned him the room as soon as everything was answered, and it was only he who had been trapped here by this well-meaning bore. The cat gazed at him for a moment and began to purr, slowly closing its eyes.

The lord was still talking, though Merethion had by now lost all track of his subject matter. Was it possible that he hadn’t noticed the beast yet? Or was he politely ignoring its presence, unfamiliar with the ways of Queen and of Gaeradan? In either case it would be rude to interrupt him, and ruder still to do so for the sake of a lowly cat, particularly one that was causing no disturbance. But he kept his eye on it warily, listening for some kind of a pause in which he could do something or at least ask for some advice in the matter.

But the pause had not yet come when Badhor, another aide, and one who adhered, almost too strictly for Merethion’s taste, to whatever Gaeradan said, returned for his papers. Seeing the cat, his glare immediately found Merethion, and with no regard whatever for the delicate feelings of the heretofore oblivious lord, he demanded an explanation.

“Well,” began Merethion, “I didn’t know what I should…”

“We have rules here, you know! Rules!” He turned to the lord. “Do cats counsel where you come from?” The lord, confused, made some confused sounds, but he was interrupted again as Badhor scooped up the cat, whose appearance of sleep instantly vanished into loud, irritable yowls, and carried it from the room.

Merethion was almost certain that it had looked at him speculatively over Badhor’s shoulder. He shuddered. What would everyone think when they heard this?

****************

Anyway, this looks like a very exciting game and I'd love to participate, so I hope one or the other of these will be useful. Also, I suppose I should make public thanks to Phrim, who gave me a chance to talk these out with somebody when I got stuck.

--Belin Ibaimendi

[ June 28, 2003: Message edited by: Belin ]

[piosenniel]

Sophia:

Please check your PM's.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Semi- Final List of Characters Submitted:

Beruthiel- Sophia the Thunder Mistress
Tarannon Falastur- Orual

Miaama- Sophia the Thunder Mistress
Pirro, Yawla, and Athel - The X Phial
Mosi, Arye, and Lassra- Aylwen Dreamsong
Huine, Morna,Lome - Gelion

Habeth- Alaklondewen
Shumita - Beruthiel
Morwen - Lyra Greenleaf

Gaeradan- Evinyatar
Merethion- Belin Ibaimendi

Jevela- Tinuviel of DentonPLEASE SEE YOUR PM'S ~~ PIO
Farucan- Belin Ibaimendi

Armendur - Phervasion
Pelladal - elven maiden Earwen

Sophia

[ June 15, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[ June 15, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[piosenniel]

We could still use a player who wants to try for the second aide to Tarannon, the King.

Anyone interested?

[Phervasaion]

We could still use a player who wants to try for the second aide to Tarannon, the King.
Anyone interested?

I would but at the moment I really cant find the time. I’m trying to concentrate on putting in more effort with my posts for Armendur and couldn’t find time for another character unfortunately.

So, does this mean all of the posts are filled and we can start soon? Sorry guys, I have been out of town, I'm a camp counselor over the summer, but I got my laptop now so it's all good.

[piosenniel]

I'm going to ask that you take your short, chatty, posts to PM please.

Sophia will post on the Discussion Thread when all the characters have been chose and accepted, and when the game will open.

She will also let anyone know if they need to edit a post.

Everyone do read the request below please:
__________________________________________________ ________________________________________

Fellow Shire Gamers:

Please read before posting further on the Discussion Thread

Our gaming comes with a cost; it is time to reflect on this fact and make some changes to how we run our games.

We RPG’ers use the most Barrow Downs resources. We use a game thread, a discussion thread, PMs to plan games, and are constant visitors to the site, often returning more than two or three times a day to keep up with developments in the game in order to prepare our own posts.

Why is this a drain on BD resources? Please take some time to read carefully and reflect seriously upon the Barrow Wight's recent posts in the "Announcements >> The Barrow Downs" forum concerning storage space and bandwidth, chat and discussion, and the costs of running the site, and then change your posting habits.

What this means is that our Games, because we need to be so active in them, and because the Shire has so many going at once, cost the site much more money thanother topics and forums on the Barrow Downs. In order for us to continue to have a good number of quality games for Shirelings to play in we need to make some changes:

What you, as participants in this game can do, personally:

What are the most beneficial changes in our posting habits? For one, we need to stop using the discussion threads for off-game-topic chatting, for personal comment. We need to restrict our posts to discussion of the games only, that is, to issues of plotting, character interaction, clarification, and notification of absences.

For most occasions, we don't need to make multiple posts about why we are absent or how we are doing and we don't need to make a string of 'see ya' posts in reply.

For personal comments, we can use the chat room or PM’s. (It’s ok to say a short ‘Nice post!’ or ‘Great post!’ if it is included with a post that has some other on-topic game information/requests on it.)

Please take the time to do several things:

Keep on topic for the Game.

Delete posts or run of the mill comments in the discussion thread that have no bearing on the game.

Refrain from such posts and comments in future discussions of the games.

Limit your daily visits to the thread.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ *+*

READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. ALL GAMERS WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR UNDERSTANDING THESE CHANGES.

What we, as Shire Moderators, will be doing to insure these changes are being made:

We will be following the discussion threads more closely now. When we see an off topic post – we will give the poster a warning by PM and place a post on the Discussion Thread with the poster’s name on it and a request to remove that post.

Once the warning is given, all future off-topic posts by that poster will be deleted, and that poster runs the risk of being asked to leave the game by the Moderator if such behavior continues.

The Moderator also has the option to close the Game and Discussion thread if gamers cannot stay on topic in the Discussion Thread. It will then be up to the Owner and the players to sort out problems, by PM or email, and make an agreement to keep on topic. Owners may then contact the Moderator to reopen the Game.

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ *+*

If we all help out, we can ensure that our games remain treasures in the Barrow Downs.

Thanks for being responsible gamers and conscientious members of the Downs!

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Thanks for the reminder, Pio.

Gelion- Check your PMs.
Delian (ooh, it rhymes)- Same.

Cast of Characters (those appearing on this list are accepted once and for all)

Cats
The X Phial- Pirro, Yawla, Athel
Gelion- Morna, Huine, Lome
Aylwen- Mosi, Lassra, Arye

Beruthiel's Aides and Servants
LyraGreenleaf- Morwen
Beruthiel- Shumita
Alaklondewen- Habeth

Aides to Tarannon
Evinyatar- Gaeradan

Soldiers of Gondor
Phervasion- Armendur
Earwen- Pelladal

Creepy Haradrim
Belin- Farucan

Plus Orual and myself as Beruthiel and Tarannon and Miaama.

The spot for second aide to Tarannon is still negotiable. Delian and I are working on her (his?!) character, but as always, bios are still welcome. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Excited-
Sophia

[ June 19, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Bringing this to the top in the hopes that it will attract some attention, as we can't start this game till the last spot is filled. Come post! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Sophia

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

The list in my above post is now the absolutely final cast of characters! I'm pm-ing Pio to let her know we're ready to start whenever she's ready to start us, and then... we're off!

Sophia