Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Kath]

Guess Kara will take room 12 then please! Plans look really good Jenny.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

I have a question for LMP. What has happened to the banners that once flew from the rafters in the Great Hall? They commemorated old games completed in Rohan. Are they under the pile of rubble or has the Ostler put them away safely to await the completion of new construction

The banners and the old White Horse sign have been safely squirreled away. The roof and ceiling had already been removed, so any decorations will have been caringly dealt with.

No wall for security. Believe it or not. The old White Horse Inn (unless Bethberry corrects me) was a rather open establishment, ready for business. So the change to a Mead Hall will probably mean a wall, but the height thereof will be determined later.

Rest assured, Jenny, I'll let you know if there's anything I won't allow, so you don't have to keep saying "with LMP's approval".

[Folwren]

Thornden is fine where you've put him, Jen, unless someone else would like to complain about it. I don't know if he'll be particuarly used to a nicer room, if that's what you said it is, but he's a young man, he probably doesn't care too much really.

Alcarillo - nice post. I'll try to write something later on today.

LMP, have you any idea when we're moving time forward again to when we can start actually cleaning up and starting to build again? Alcarillo has kindly mentioned that the rain and clouds are beginning to clear. Perhaps a slight wind will pick up, and by tomorrow morning, the sky will be clean, the sun shining, mud less annoying, and we'll be able to work again?

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

LMP, have you any idea when we're moving time forward again to when we can start actually cleaning up and starting to build again? Alcarillo has kindly mentioned that the rain and clouds are beginning to clear. Perhaps a slight wind will pick up, and by tomorrow morning, the sky will be clean, the sun shining, mud less annoying, and we'll be able to work again?

I want to allow Celuien's character a chance to establish himself first. Then we can move to supper time and Garreth and Harreld get to come and be their typical annoying selves, and just maybe a little taste of Gob and Twiddle after all, and then a new day..... which might NOT be the very next day. Perhaps a few later, or even a week later. I'll think about that, and I'll take any suggestions on that too.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

So long as I get a chance to make Degas that much more amusing to me through the use of dinner time, I'm happy.

[Celuien]

If anyone talks to her, Léoðern is 5, going on 6, very giddy, and very cute.

[JennyHallu]

I still need to give Marenil his letter before the day is out, and reading letters from home is a nice after-dinner thing to do.

[Kath]

If you don't mind Fea I could do with Degas helping Kara and Marenil with the fire. I'll only keep him a few minutes during the afternoon though so it shouldn't interfere with your plans for him.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Go ahead. He's open to whatever needs doing. I'll pick him back up at "dinner time." 'Til then, papers. A never-ending pile of them.

Edit: Actually, he's currently in the stable. Feel free to remove him.

[Celuien]

What fun! I'm glad Linduial noticed little Léoðern.

Just one thing - Léoðern's hair has a reddish tint. Not bright red or anything, just sort of strawberry blonde or titian. I think it goes well with her personality. Her brother is golden blonde, though (so is Garstan). Don't think I mentioned that yet...

And a quick note - I'm out of town from tomorrow morning until Saturday afternoon. Special performance in NYC to attend, so I won't be able to catch up on anything after about 10 on Friday. I'll stay up late tonight to fix any loose ends so that the day can move on.

[JennyHallu]

From one unlearned in the lore of unusual letters:

What is "ð"? And how is it pronounced?

[piosenniel]

Jenny

It's the letter "Eth" in Old English.

Ð (capital letter); ð (small letter)

It has a 'th' sound - often like the 'th' in the word - the; but occasionally it has the softer 'th' sound as in the word - thing.

HERE

This is the other 'th' sound - called "Thorn":

Þ (capital letter); þ (small letter)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can access these letters and many others using a tool program on your computer:

Just click on these steps in this order.

Start --- All Programs --- Accessories --- System Tools --- Character Map

Or, you can do this:

Alt key+0240 = ð

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by piosenniel

Alt key+0240 = ð

That's good to know. I've been using the copy->paste method. Thanks, Pio.

[Firefoot]

And to make accent marks even easier... for those of you who use some kind of word processor, you can make it into an auto-correct option so you don't have to worry about accents at all. So to type Léof I can just type Leof and it automatically changes. In Microsoft Word it's under Tools -> Auto Correct Options.

[littlemanpoet]

Wow! After that flurry of posting all week long it's suddenly quiet as a dormouse around the thread. Which ain't all bad, since I was too exhausted to do anything yesterday anyway. So .... I've left an opening for Léof or any of the others to react to Eodwine's sudden presence in the stable. Any takers?

[Firefoot]

I won't have time to post until this evening some time, and if no one else has posted by then I can do so. I guess I was sort of waiting for Nerindel to respond before I posted.

[littlemanpoet]

That works too. I'm not going to be able to post for the rest of today after my current "flurry".

[Kath]

I was thinking of not posting again til the time change. There isn't much point really as it'll only be cooking. I can just mention that in retrospect at the beginning of the next post after the jump.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Um... ignore me. If somebody could mention my characters somewhere, I'd be very grateful. Me posting in the next few days isn't happening. Something important (it's okay! just important) came up.

[Celuien]

Garstan has room 11, if that's okay with everyone. I'm thinking that the children can share the room. They've been living out of that cart for some time, after all...

[littlemanpoet]

I've closed off the Day. If there's anyone who wants to post something having to do with the Day, please do so.

I'm wondering about how far into the future to recommense the story. We could go with a week, or three days. I don't want any less than two days, nor more than a week. Thoughts?

[Firefoot]

Lalwende did bring up the idea of a horse fair in one of her posts - I don't know how much we want to do with that, but it could be a consideration in deciding when the next day begins (I almost capitalized it Day, then realized this wasn't WW... ).

[JennyHallu]

(I almost capitalized it Day, then realized this wasn't WW... ).

Look up...lmp did.

I have finished off Marenil's day, as he was the only one I needed to do more with. I don't think he is likely to tell anyone for a while what the letter said (including Lin), and instead wait for a reply to the letter relating his illness, and a letter he will write and send secretly tomorrow (whether that day is narrated or not) and send with one of the King's messengers (for speed). (Aren't connections awesome?)

I have also updated the Room assignments.

If anyone wishes to email me pictures they draw of their characters or anything else connected with the Hall, I will post those there as well. Then we will be able to keep all the things that help us to visualize our story and the people in it together.

[Taralphiel]

My character comes in with the new day, so I really have no preference as to how far along that day is.

I was wondering about the timing of my post. I have the setting of it to be dawn. If you like lmp, I could start the day with my post. I do have most of my day coming up away from the computer, and I have a few little adjustments to make (I have the weather as lightly drizzling, so if you want I'll change that). I leave that decision up to you

[littlemanpoet]

Let's start three Days hence. I have not yet marked the Days as seven in a week, nor do I feel the need to. Such things were observed amongst preChristian Germanic tribes, but what would you call them? So we'll not worry about that.

Three Days later, and the Horse Fair starts this Day.

Taralphiel, go ahead and post the next post.

[Folwren]

LMP: Does the horse fair have any affect on us people here at the Mead Hall? Thornden will likely have little interest in the horse fair, because he doesn't work with horses, and he's not a little girl like me who would like to go to simply admire the beautiful horses. Can he get permission from Eodwine to go visit his sister? She lives a few miles outside Edoras on a large farm and he hasn't gone to visit her and her new son yet. . .

Besides that, I need an excuse to get Thornden outside of the Mead Hall so that he can find Tara's character.

What do you think?

-- Folwren

[Lalwendë]

A Horse Fair could bring lots of interesting people to Edoras, not all of them entirely trustworthy. I think Larswic might have some dealings with some of them - a little horse trading, then maybe a bit of gambling, a drink or two....

I'm going to think out some scenarios and get something on here as soon as possible - hopefully in the morning if I get up early and write.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

LMP: Does the horse fair have any affect on us people here at the Mead Hall? Thornden will likely have little interest in the horse fair, because he doesn't work with horses, and he's not a little girl like me who would like to go to simply admire the beautiful horses. Can he get permission from Eodwine to go visit his sister? She lives a few miles outside Edoras on a large farm and he hasn't gone to visit her and her new son yet. . .

Besides that, I need an excuse to get Thornden outside of the Mead Hall so that he can find Tara's character.

What do you think?

Good ideas. Let's add to it that Eodwine finds himself in sudden need of coin with which to pay for the demolition that is now required from the fallen wall, as well as to pay his workers and feed and room and stable everybody. So go ahead and write Eodwine commissioning Thornden to go into the Middle Emnet in his almbudsman role to drum up some coin. On his way he can visit his sister and find Tara's character. Sound good?

Lal, I think I goofed by not having Eodwine interact with Larswic at all on the first Day. We need to have that rectified somehow. And here is it three Days later already. I have an idea that Eodwine chooses to interact with Larswic and the two boys on a purely circumstantial and light level for these early Days, during which time they observe him and he observes them, sort of a "walking around the battlefield" before engaging, as it were. Not that a battle needs to take place, but I'm imagining a wariness each toward the other. What think you?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Good ideas. Let's add to it that Eodwine finds himself in sudden need of coin with which to pay for the demolition that is now required from the fallen wall, as well as to pay his workers and feed and room and stable everybody. So go ahead and write Eodwine commissioning Thornden to go into the Middle Emnet in his almbudsman role to drum up some coin. On his way he can visit his sister and find Tara's character. Sound good?

Alright. . .I'll go ahead and do that. I'll get the post up in just a little time. . .from you're saying "go ahead and write Eodwine commissiong Thornden" I guess that I get the next post and you don't have to write first? If the assumption is incorrect, then when you arrive, you can tell me, and I can remove the post, which will likely be up by the time you come.

-- Folwren

[Anguirel]

I have a cunning plan. One of the horse traders will claim to recognise Manawyth's horse...

[Folwren]

I have a cunning plan. One of the horse traders will claim to recognise Manawyth's horse... ~ Anguirel

*groans* Oh dear. Here comes trouble. What's the punishment for horse theiving?

I've placed my post.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Interesting! No need to change your post, Folwren.

So do we immediately jump to the conclusion of horse thieving?

As to punishment, I'm betting that that website may have info on that; you know, the one Nerindel supplied and that Bethberry got the wattle and daub info from. I can't remember what it's called off hand, but I have a link to it in my introductory post which you can link to in my sig.

[Anguirel]

Well, I'm hoping you'll allow Manawyth a fair defence. Maybe a boring old trial by a jury picked by the Eorl, maybe an ordeal by fire or ordeal by combat...

In terms of punishment, here is a pertinent link. Open theft of something as valuable as a horse, particularly in Rohan, might well be death or mutilation as a bootless crime...though Gandalf seems to have got away with it, admittedly...

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

So do we immediately jump to the conclusion of horse thieving?

As to punishment, I'm betting that that website may have info on that; you know, the one Nerindel supplied and that Bethberry got the wattle and daub info from. I can't remember what it's called off hand, but I have a link to it in my introductory post which you can link to in my sig.

If somebody recognizes Manawyth's horse as their own, who's not to jump to horse thieving? Anquirel said in his first post that that horse didn't belong to him!

We'll allow Manawyth a fair defence, have no worries about that.

Not trial by ordeal, please. I hate that. It's so stupidly unfair.

Gotta run.

-- Folwren

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Lal, I think I goofed by not having Eodwine interact with Larswic at all on the first Day. We need to have that rectified somehow. And here is it three Days later already. I have an idea that Eodwine chooses to interact with Larswic and the two boys on a purely circumstantial and light level for these early Days, during which time they observe him and he observes them, sort of a "walking around the battlefield" before engaging, as it were. Not that a battle needs to take place, but I'm imagining a wariness each toward the other. What think you?

That sounds good! Larswic is not going to want to pay his dues, or at the very least he might try to wriggle out of paying the full amount! He may try to divert Eodwine from his intentions by use of simple charm though. He's about to display some honest horse trading, which might make some think he's thoroughly honest, though he will of course get the very best price possible for his horses...

I didn't get to post this morning as a. I was trying to find an engineer to fix the door on my washing machine (davem broke it... ) (and he'll kill me if he reads that...) and b. I had a ton of flipping project charts to get my head around. Tomorrow Im hoping that I'll spend a lot of the day sitting around waiting for reports to come in late.

[Celuien]

Any priority list for Garstan's part of the rebuilding? I was thinking of working on that stove.

[Folwren]

LMP, can Thornden please not be sent away quite immediately? Please, please? He'll go almost as soon as the boy comes 'round. I promise he'll get all his work done! (Sounding like a begging child here )

He'd like to see that he's got a chance of surviving. And Taralphiel and I had an idea, in which it's somewhat necessary that Thornden and Lys meet eachother sometime in the early part of his arrival. . .

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Folwren, Thornden can do whatever you want him to do. There are always consequences for actions, but they can be headed off. For example, if you want Thornden to stick around, have him do it, and have him put together a set of reasons why he needs to stay around, armed with which he goes to Eodwine and gives the Eorl his speal.

Originally Posted by Anguirel

Well, I'm hoping you'll allow Manawyth a fair defence. Maybe a boring old trial by a jury picked by the Eorl, maybe an ordeal by fire or ordeal by combat...

The way Anglo-Saxon law worked was by witness. The highest rank witness always won the case. Plain and simple. So if a freeholder brings an accusation against Manawyth, and Eodwine, an Eorl, speaks in Manawyth's defense, Manawyth is considered innocent. If Eodwine speaks his guilt, he's considered guilty. If Eodwine chooses not to speak, then Manawyth's fate is in the hands of the highest ranking person he can find to lend support to his case. That's how Anglo-Saxon law worked. Scary, eh? Now, here in semi-enlightened Rohan, things may fun not quite so deterministically.

Originally Posted by Folwren

If somebody recognizes Manawyth's horse as their own, who's not to jump to horse thieving? Anquirel said in his first post that that horse didn't belong to him!

But of course. But it's not the only thing one may think. However, it is the most likely.

Celuien, yes on the stove. Please!

Oh! One more thing. Firefoot, I'm choosing not to post right now as all I have in mind is Eodwine's answer to Léof's query, which is that if Æðel requests it, he is to ride to Meduseld and ask for the aid of the Healer (who as a nonplayer character is beginning to gain a rather substantial "non"-role, and ought to have a name ... .any ideas?)

[Alcarillo]

Originally Posted by lmp

(who as a nonplayer character is beginning to gain a rather substantial "non"-role, and ought to have a name ... .any ideas?)

A while ago, when Marenil had his heart attack, Garwine ran to Meduseld to fetch a healer. I think I named him Hrethel, if I remember correctly.

Edit - Check out what I just found! Leof's got his own trading card!

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Alcarillo

A while ago, when Marenil had his heart attack, Garwine ran to Meduseld to fetch a healer. I think I named him Hrethel, if I remember correctly.

Hrethel it is. Good name.