Treachery of Men Discussion/Planning Thread

[Lalaith]

Yes, I wanted to put that in too, but there seems to be a smiley limit in posts.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Yes, I wanted to put that in too, but there seems to be a smiley limit in posts.

Fortunately/unfortunately there is...

Celuien & Foley:I went through all your posts but sadly there was very little revealing the way these brothers go on with their daily life. But have you thought of it? Would there be some things in their daily bussinessess that might be known by people generally like A going to have a walk at time B almost every day or C paying a visit to place D regularly? Or anything like that? E's servant always making the groceries at place F, villager G visiting brother H regularly or known to have good relations with him...?

And I stress that I mean things that would be general knowledge in the town.

[Folwren]

Ulwarth likes to appear the bumbling idiot that hides in the hall day in and day out, shy of strangers, and all that. So, most people probably don't see him much. I am not saying that he never leaves the hall, he just doesn't do it so that many people know it.

Uldor, on the other hand, doesn't bother to hide himself, but I can't say that he has any set schedule. I've a feeling that he likes to go out for a lot of 'walks'. These walks probably have a lot of different purposes, but mostly it is to think and to plot by himself. Also, he likes to see what the common people are up to, where their loyalty lies and what their qualities are. Not that he talks much with them. He's more likely to silently observe. Whether or not he is observed himself doesn't bother him much. Though, occasionally, I don't doubt he walks the streets incognito and pretty much 'spies' people out.

As for servants...yes, there might be a few here and there now and again, but not really any personal servants right now, that I know of. You must understand, that this character of mine is much deeper and has a lot of history and a lot of friends that I don't know about yet. I think that Anguirel's character is pretty close to Uldor, but we haven't had a chance to figure that out yet in the game. I'm letting it rest until they meet in the game, as you've probably noticed.

The grocery shopping people are just hirelings of the hall in general. No one close to Uldor or Ulwarth.

Celuien will speak for Ulfast, I'm sure.

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

Okay. But in the actual thread it should be Khandr who gives the individual tasks. It's hard to see the relations between him and his retainer / servants / hunters as that democratic...

Nogrod,

Yes, I think you're right, but I was talking as Child rather than Khandr. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

Let me know what arrangement you two would prefer and I'll make sure Khandr says that in his instructions....either by editing my original post or by referring to it in one of his later posts. I just wanted to handle this in the manner you and Kath felt most comfortable with....

[Celuien]

I'd imagine that Ulfast doesn't have a regular schedule that brings him out of the hall. However, he does have a habit of taking nighttime walks. If he visits the town, it's usually to meet with his allies, but it's not on any particularly known timeframe.

Ulfast doesn't trust the general pool of servants from the hall - he thinks they're all spies for Uldor - so he keeps a few of his own to run any of his more personal errands, such as the sword commission. But I'd expect that things like groceries are more general hall business that he doesn't really concern his personal staff with.

[Nogrod]

That seems to be just as I feared it would be. Too canny brothers to have any weak spots...

Now what I see as important is the following: only Uldor seems to have a servant / servants. So maybe Kath and I should edit our respective posts to attribute the servant-stuff to Uldor... I'll do it immediately after this post myself.

And we might possibly make the person I mentioned, Crogulf, the man of whose wife Bergr knows so it's the one and the same servant and his wife.

Foley: would you like to have a guy named Crogulf as Uldor's servant, even though he seems to be a drunkard spending his evenings at the Dragontail Inn when possible?

Of course we can edit all the talk of the servants out if needs be.

Child: all this seems to be calling for at least some missions straight from Khandr ie. "official things" to contact the brothers. I'll put a post into the thread where Fastarr suggests one possibility.

[Nogrod]

Mith: please when you post your gatecrashing post, remove the save and post it as a new one as I have already posted something that happens before the Elves get in...

EDIT: Lalaith has also posted things that happen before the elves come in...

[Nogrod]

Child: I had to use Khandr a little bit to not make it a pure monologue. I tried to make it as obvious as possible. If there is something you wish to change...

(And now I will stop this flood-posting)

[Anguirel]

Mith, I've pre-empted your gate-crashing...sorry. Hope you like my post...felt we had to get there otherwise we wouldn't catch anything interesting!

It's occurred to me that with a formal feast to receive us later, we Elves are going to have a pretty busy night. Also, how and when are we to be told about the feast?

I suggest that someone in the employ of the Chieftain or one of his sons should have seen us making our way to Khandr's tent, and that a messenger from the Hall (played by, say, CoD -could perhaps be Brodda himself, or even Ulfast who's close by at Dag's smithy) come to ask us Elves to the Hall...but slightly pointedly, not Khandr.

Dimturiel, I haven't forgotten our plans. Do you want to create an NPC for Tora's father, or shall I?

[Mithalwen]

OK..... will fit in..... was confined to barracks dsomewhat over the weekend then couldn't access the downs... sorry Tathren will get more active I promise

[Anguirel]

I have no doubt of it Mith. All completely fine.

On the other hand, Volo and Garen LiLorian have yet to post to the game. I think I will PM both of them; if they're too busy, their characters can be claimed by other players, given to new players or made into NPCs.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Foley: would you like to have a guy named Crogulf as Uldor's servant, even though he seems to be a drunkard spending his evenings at the Dragontail Inn when possible?

Of course we can edit all the talk of the servants out if needs be.

I think it's brilliant. When I read about him in your post on the game thread, my first thought was, "Golly, when Uldor finds out that Crogulf's been spreading talk and information about him when he's drunk, he's not going to be happy."

I don't know how much Crogulf will know of anything important, understand. He may not know too much. It depends on what sort of information you're expecting to get out of him. :P

Anguirel, as Uldor has been prodded into actually preparing the feast, I guess he can be the one who sends someone to invite the elves. Does CoD want to play the messenger?

-- Folwren

[CaptainofDespair]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Does CoD want to play the messenger?

Perhaps. I am getting involved with our dear Jord, as Durelin's last post indicated. If I can wrap that up fairly soon (which may take at least a week, given the amount of papers and reading that I must do for my courses) then I would certainly act as the messenger to the Elves.

[Dimturiel]

Anguirel, you won't mind if I left Tora's father to you, would you? I sort of lack inspiration for such a character, and anyway, I'm quite busy at the moment, so Tora is as much as I can manage right now.

[Anguirel]

Dimturiel, nothing would give me more pleasure. Though handing Tora's father into my power may put her in more danger of Drenda's suit!

Volo has resigned from this RP; the role of Anydor is open for a new player; until someone comes forward he is an NPC, up for grabs if anyone thinks he could be useful.

[Nogrod]

Anguirel: I think Khandr lives in an actual wooden building - and not a small one - not in a tent. I think I recall some discussion about this issue from a long time ago (and haven't just now the time to check it) where Child said she preferred an actual house. And at least I myself have after that written about a gate that is opened to get to the "yard", about stables on which wall a kicked pebble would hit and about stairs one needs to climb to get in... but check Child about this.

Foley: I didn't think Crogulf would tell us "everything"... What I was thinking was mainly stuff like how the brothers fare together in general or some possible hints of how his master had behaved as the ambassadours visited or something. So don't be afraid, I try to make this somewhat realistic anyhow - you know me in this...

All: What say you? How general knowledge it is in the Ulfing settlement that the brothers don't come some well together / the bitter relations between the father & the sons? What is general knowledge and where goes the line where their plottings are known only to themselves and us writers here in the thread?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Thanks, Nogrod. for catching that. Ang, yes, Khandr and his household are in a house. Nothing grand, I imagine. Just a serviceable wood and stone structure of a decent size.

The post is grand!

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Foley: I didn't think Crogulf would tell us "everything"... What I was thinking was mainly stuff like how the brothers fare together in general or some possible hints of how his master had behaved as the ambassadours visited or something. So don't be afraid, I try to make this somewhat realistic anyhow - you know me in this...

Haha! Yes. lol!

Don't suppose that Crogulf won't tell more than you might think, especially if he's drunk. But even if he doens't give too much away, it will be more than Uldor will like. No fears, though. Nothing will happen to him until things begin to get more heated. We'll have to see...

Um...is there anything I'm supposed to be writing right now?

-- Folwren

[Celuien]

Save filled. Let me know if anything needs changing - I wasn't sure how to introduce the idea of Mem's coming to the party.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ang, Mithalwen,

I thought the Elves might appreciate being met by an armed posse.

As I understand it, although the Borrim are the "good guys", the Elves will not appreciate our loyalty or true worth, being deceived by the treacheries of the "Ulfang boys". I thought this would get our relationship off on the right foot. Believe me, Khandr will be apologetic and embarrassed once he's realized his gaffe. And, yes, you will get your invitation to the Hunt.

I don't know why, but for some reason this game gives me the feeling that we are playing out a tragic "western"......

[bill_n_sam]

CEL I had been thinking that perhaps Mem had something of a reputation in the settlement for her storytelling and songs, and that Ulfast would simply have heard of that and suggest she come to entertain. It's been a little hard for me to get a handle on the size of this "town". I know there was some discussion way back at the beginning, and I think it was like more than a village but not a big bustling metropolis (like Minas Tirith). I'm picturing something like a market town, with lots of outlying farms and fields and woods. So maybe Anguriel or Pio could be more specific. But still, I think it would be reasonable just for Ulfast to hear about Mem's "talents" and this might just be one more way for Ulfast to try to gain Dag's committed loyalty, or force it.

NOGROD I have been posting with the assumption that most of the Ulfings know something of the unhappy relations of the three brothers, especially Uldor and Ulfast, as Ulfast was somewhat in charge until Uldor returned. But I would think generally speaking they would not know much about actual plots or schemes, just the general dislike and distrust among the three. It seems to me in that situation, all the Ulfings would be on their guard and nervous because they could get caught up in that unwillingly but with no way to stay "neutral". Again, I guess that would depend somewhat on the size of the community, as to who knows what about whom. Those are just my thoughts.

[Celuien]

I had been thinking that perhaps Mem had something of a reputation in the settlement for her storytelling and songs...

Okay. I can make that edit. Will be done shortly.

[piosenniel]

This sounds good to work with for me.....but, Anguirel, please chime in here with your thoughts.

Originally Posted by bill_n_sam

CEL.....I know there was some discussion way back at the beginning, and I think it was like more than a village but not a big bustling metropolis (like Minas Tirith). I'm picturing something like a market town, with lots of outlying farms and fields and woods. So maybe Anguriel or Pio could be more specific.

[Anguirel]

I compared the settlement earlier to early mediaeval London; that's overegging it, but I think that, say, Saxon Nottingham, Oxford or Guilford wouldn't be far out...a more eastern feel I suppose, perhaps a bit like Buda, Hungary, or something similar.

Cobbled streets give way to mud. Older houses and huts give way to groups of tents, large and small. Like Edoras, the settlement's centre is the Hall of the Chieftain.

Many more Ulfings would live in the country than the settlement; perhaps a few thousand would be "urban" (not the right adjective) as opposed to agrarian farmers.

I'm uncertain in my mind myself and would appreciate the opinions of the rest of you...

Now, an NPC who will be needed for a nasty little subplot...

NAME: Torguar, father of Tora

AGE: Believes himself to be about fifty, but is uncertain

RACE: Human, Ulfing.

GENDER: Male.

WEAPONS: Torguar has lived the life of a farmer, not a fighter, but his people were nomadic marauders not so long ago, and if pressed he could handle an axe sufficiently.

APPEARANCE: Torguar stands about four inches above five feet, medium height among the Ulfings. His body is wiry, muscled and burnt by the sun; his face wrinkling and hair greying prematurely due to his hard outdoor life. His voice is deep and slow. He wears simple garments woven from flax, or a white robe if more formal attire is demanded.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Torguar is a very shrewd businessman, and has got a reputation as a man who should not be double-crossed; but he is aware of this, which sometimes makes him bigheaded. He is proud of his children, especially of his fine sons and his grandsons, twin children of his oldest boy; his daughter is slightly overlooked. His wife is extremely quiet, and Torguar probably likes it that way. He is talkative himself, inclined to tell long, inexorable stories which his audience has usually heard before.

HISTORY: Torguar’s father was among the first wave of settlers in the west under Ulfang, but his son, born late in his father’s life, remembers little of him. Nothing much has changed in Torguar’s life, and he probably doesn’t expect that it ever will. He sees the world as a slow, upward struggle, and suspects that although great things will not come to him, they are destined to fall to his descendants, whether grand-children or great-grand-children. With this slow-burning ambition comes piety, and Torguar makes regular offerings of grain to a small ancestor-shrine commemorating his father, and by extension the fathers before him.

[Mithalwen]

Save filled - I may have jumped you gun slightly Ang - Tathren hasn't quite got the hangof diplomacy .

I will probably need to tidy a little ..I have edited so much I can't read or type straight now..

Let me know if I need to change stuff - I seem to have got over my mental block so should be quicker now..

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ang,

Shall I have Khandr respond to Tathren now or wait till your own save is filled? As Khandr is standing with a blade near his heart, he is feeling a bit nervous. But perhaps you intend to do something else to make us poor Borrim miserable? Either way is fine.

[Anguirel]

I'd rather go first, Child, if you don't mind. Mith preempted me a bt, though in excellent fashion, so Lachrandir may be more conciliatory...or at least, may think he's more conciliatory...

[Mithalwen]

Sorry ..I hadn't fully grasped the situation when I put up my save and then when I did I didn't want to scrub another save and realised that my lad's patience would have surely reached it's limits. He is a loyal pup but like all good guard dogs his bark is worse than his bite .

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ang,

Exellent. I await your post with interest.

[Noinkling]

Pio

Saved filled at long last.

I've left you the lead in you wanted.

[Child of the 7th Age]

My dear Elves,

You are welcome to enter!

Child

[Mithalwen]

Free cheese? how could we resist! But I had better follow my master's lead...

[Anguirel]

I've been v. quiet of late due to a history dissertation. Will try to post this evening, or failing that tomorrow...

[Anguirel]

Everyone,

Easter Holidays are about to commence which means four weeks of extremely irregular access for me, oddly enough, as I shall be in various locales...

So...I plan to write one post for Torguar, Tora's father, and maybe one for Lachrandir before I go home tomorrow. I hope things can muddle on for a bit mostly without me after that.

[Nogrod]

It has been pretty quiet the last weeks and I admit I'm one to blame for it. But then again the elves visiting the Borrim -scene is in a situation where it's pretty hard for us others than the elves and Khandr to put anything in but inner thoughts as it would be inappropriate for the "servants" to break in...

So please Anguirel or Child if you'd wish to give us others some loose ends to bring our characters into the discussion as well so we could also carry the story forwards?

[Lalaith]

yes, I feel the same, right now Embla is just lurking about. Not much else she can do, until her elders and betters have finished their business....

[Child of the 7th Age]

I have definitely been part of the roadblock... Sorry! A combination of heavy workload and a definite writing block. One way or another, I'll get something up by Tuesday that throws things open for us so we can start chugging ahead.

Hopefully, neither ang or Mithalwen will mind if I drag the Elves over to the table and start some kind of conversation. With Ang out of town, we may have to be clever to somehow move things ahead.

[Mithalwen]

No that would be great Sharon, as a visitor, I would prefer one of the Borrim to do the next post - seems a bit presumptious ot describe someeone else's house! But I follow up if I can...bearing in mind that Tathren is the monkey not the organ grinder .

[Child of the 7th Age]

Loose ends?? That should do it. I have tried to leave it open enough that anyone can talk.

Khandr is playing Cassandra, and I suspect he will meet with a smilar fate.

[Nogrod]

Sorry for my part. We've had the annual national exams in the senior secondary high-schools during the past couple of weeks and then my choir had three performances this weekend accompanying a movie from 30's in a movie theatre (making the sounds, ie. sound-effects and music live on the spot). So I have been more than busy.

But I'm coming back again now as my schedual eases considerably this week. So if nothing else is possible, I will be burdening you with Fastarr's private thoughts in a day or two and would love to catch up with anything that actually happens...