The Reunification of the Entish Bow - Discussion

[The Saucepan Man]

I thought the Grey Havens were to be the Pay Havens. Hasn't this name already been used somewhere?

[Estelyn Telcontar]

You're right, Saucy - thanks! I guess Mithtake could still be used as the 'Elven' name, couldn't it?!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I've put up a save for my post. It's actually already written, but I'm not quite satisfied with it yet, so I'll allow myself a night to sleep over it and get it up after revision tomorrow.

Saucy, thanks for your terrific post! It was fun to read, and I especially chuckled over your name for the Elven deity!

[Lush]

I'm so confused...I just realized that I completely missed Diamond's questions about Leninia's dad. Diamond, if you want Leninia's dad, you can have him. On a platter.

*going back to read now because I'm SO confused*

*and so high on meds*

(have been desperately ill)

[Diamond18]

I rather suspected that Leninia's dad had been splattered over the inhabitants of the Mire....

Though if the mysterious Wizard in her lineage wasn't Sauerkraut, who does that leave? Pettygast?

I was just curious, actually. It's not very important, in the scheme of muddled up plotlines.

I still haven't figured out a parody persona for Varda. *bursts into showy tears*

[Estelyn Telcontar]

My post is up - I decided to divide it, giving the account of the ship's hiring later. That gives anyone who wishes to do so the opportunity to post an adventure or three in the Havens. Just don't name our ship or captain, please - I reserve that for myself!

Lush, Diamond, don't panic - I'm sure it will take us awhile to get to Valleyum, so you still have time to develop your characters. We have established them as kind of laid-back surfer dude types, although I imagine them to be like a bunch of bickering siblings as well. The BoLT should be excellent reference material for the latter! I also recommend a brief look at the Valaquenta for their individual characteristics and ideas on the relationships between them. You are free to add new aspects, of course.

[The Saucepan Man]

Hehe. Naughty Merisu. It would appear that Kuruharan's influence is rubbing off on her.

Just to be pedantic, though, it's Valleyum.

There is some indication of the lifestyles and inclinations of the Velour in my first post ...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Oops, my bad! Thanks, Saucy - I've corrected that mithspelling... Wouldn't want to be associated with brand names of addictive substances!

Yes, thanks for the reminder - your epochal first post is excellent reference material!

[Lush]

I'm pretty sure her dad is still alive, come to think of it (he was actually my own version of Radagast, but mostly a stab at aging hippies...God, those jokes never seem to go away for some reason).

So yeah.

[Diamond18]

I took down my save, since I have been able to come up with precisely no ideas to further the idea set down therein. I think my brain has been slowly turning to wax this week, or at least, my comedic faculties are failing. In other words, not to hold up the game any....

[Estelyn Telcontar]

OK, Diamond - perhaps you'll get inspired when other posts go up. Thena has promised that his save will be filled today, and if there are no further posts before then, mine for Merisu, procuring a ship, will be up within the next couple of days. After that, you all still have a bit of time (I should imagine a week or two) to post in the Havens before the Get-Up-and-Go-Ship gets up and goes.

[Mithadan]

Grrralph must be heard before all set sail, though I can tack my post onto anyone elses as an add on.

[Thenamir]

I am polishing my Sethamir post, but since Bethberry put up her save before mine, I wanted to wait until I saw those developments before posting myself, in case there might be another good hook on which to hang yet another plot complication. Please let me know if I should not wait for Bb. Thanks!

[Bêthberry]

We wait for no man but a sword and a lord, Thena. Esty and I are in conference about this little delay, as it depends not upon me, however much that save appears to have been made by me. In short, that rotter, Squatter.

[Thenamir]

We shall have to make things hotter for that rotter Squatter, lest the potted sot totter.

And Esty! How is it that Merisu-The-Unsulliable-and-Always-Perfectly-Coiffed managed to get covered with white dust? She to whom no mud can cling, whose style no rain can spoil, the Lady-who-never-needs-deodorant, whom the slightest dust mote would not deem to touch, she who bathes but once per year whether she needs it or not, is dirty??

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Thena, please go ahead with your post. Bb can move her save to go after yours, since we are waiting for the go-ahead from Squatter so as to dispose of his character in a suitable manner. Yes, fellow writers, it appears that we will soon have to mourn Etceteron's leaving or demise. Squatter has moved and will have less opportunity to be online in the future, so he is leaving us, alas!

As to the mystery of the sullied Elven maiden - there must be something supernatural about that dust, that's all I can say...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Diamond has found a very valuable linguistic source for our adventures in Valleyum: ValSpeak! For those who, like me, are not native speakers of that particular dialect, it looks to be quite helpful!

A reminder to those with saves - please get them written and up this week. I have my post for Merisu ready to go, but am waiting another day to see if continuity will be a problem. After that, I will put it up, and those with saves must take care of continuity issues themselves.

[Mithadan]

Please do not place the Itship on a ship until Grrralph has a chance to speak. I have not put up a save because I want to see what everyone else says before posting. If someone else's post hinges on boarding a ship, PM me and I will get a post or a save up, or simply advise what should or should not be said about Grrrralph.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Understood, Mith. My post for Merisu is up; she is now negotiating for ship's passage. The saves preceding my post should take place on the evening before that; otherwise, please move them to follow if you wish to post for the next morning, and remember that Merisu isn't at the inn.

The ship and captain are hereby duly introduced. I assume Cirkdan will have an Elven first officer (pointy ears, remember?! ), a healer (someone has to say "He's dead, Dim" ) who could conceivably be human, and an engineer - perhaps a Dwarf? I think this generation would not yet include orcs...

PS - I must mention that my post was brought to you without harming a single save!!

[Kuruharan]

That’ll teach me to be eating my noontime breakfast while reading the REB. The “moon was full” comment prompted much orange juice to be sprayed upon the monitor. The reply of the Oathbreakers caused much cereal to follow.

Don’t be too surprised if we accidentally pick up an unexpected stowaway. The comedic possibilities of forlorn hopes, death-or-glory charges, last stands, continual argument about the Somethingship in the sinking ship sailing in the wrong direction to reach the end of the world, unrelenting castigations of the cowardice of most everyone else around, and a final climatic duel for the honor of Merisuwyniel between a reformed orc and a mouse are just too good to pass up.

[Thenamir]

Many thanks for not harming my save, Esty. I'll be glad to pick up your dry-cleaning bill for the milk and cereal, Kuru.

And so is posted my longest post yet, none the worse for the wear of the delay. I kept re-writing it, and it still didn't meet my own standards, but hopefully it will bring a less-messy chuckle or two to the remainder of the group.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Hmmm, Kuru, does that annoying Elven maiden have yet another pining admirer?!

Well done, Thena! You wrote an enjoyable post! Aside from the funny song parodies, I was very amused over the comparitive description of the dust-covered Gangship! Introducing Sethamir in person was a great idea, and you managed to come up with a book passage that hadn't been parodied yet - 'Queen of the Dead' indeed! And then the 'Hair of Isuldir'! Did O2 inherit Greatgreatgranddaddy's toupee?

Now, who'll be next to post?

[The Barrow-Wight]

Unfortunately, it won't be OT2. Work just dumped a pile of reports on me that will preclude all RPG efforts. You might as well leave the poor fellow behind.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Oh dear, BW, what a bummer! If we must lose your participation and O2 as a member of the What'sUpDocShip, how would you like to have us 'dispose' of him - dead or alive?

[Kuruharan]

It looks like the Gallowship is going to set sail in the fine tradition of Hannibal.

[The Saucepan Man]

You know, it kind of seems a shame to leave anyone behind in the Pay Havens. But, given the noble, courageous and (of course) downright silly deeds done by Earnur and Orogarn Two in the service of the Quest of the Entish Bow, anything other than a heroic (albeit comedic) end for them in a glorious final confrontation seems somewhat inappropriate to me.

Since it's worked very well so far with other posters including the endeavours of these characters within their posts (witness the prominent role of Orogarn Two in Thena's brilliant latest post), I don't see any reason why they shouldn't stay with the Doomed-Ship ( ) until the bitter (or, more likely, not-so-bitter) end on that continuing basis.

Of course, it means that people will have to take on the role of two or more Velour each (or cut down the number of Velour involved), but I'm sure that would be manageable. (Although I was immensely looking forward to the appearance of Tulk Hogan .)

What does everyone else think?

[Thenamir]

I have to agree. After over two years of sticking with the REB crowd, to lose any of the principals at this late hour would be highly disappointing.

Having said that, knowing how difficult it is for me to make time to do my own Gateskeeper posts, I can hardly volunteer for it myself, my latest post notwithstanding. It was just an idea I had to finally personify Sethamir, and with the Paths-of-the-Dead storyline, Orogarn Two (2!) seemed to take the forefront more so than Gateskeeper.

Speaking of Gateskeeper, there was a long period where I could not post, and still Gateskeeper managed at least a passing mention in the rest of the posts from others, keeping the character alive until I could return, for which I am grateful. I think the same could and should be done for OT2.

[Bêthberry]

But, given the noble, courageous and (of course) downright silly deeds done by Earnur and Orogarn Two in the service of the Quest of the Entish Bow, anything other than a heroic (albeit comedic) end for them in a glorious final confrontation seems somewhat inappropriate to me.

Since it's worked very well so far with other posters including the endeavours of these characters within their posts (witness the prominent role of Orogarn Two in Thena's brilliant latest post), I don't see any reason why they shouldn't stay with the Doomed-Ship ( ) until the bitter (or, more likely, not-so-bitter) end on that continuing basis.

SpM, if you wish to carry Lord Etceteron, I will happily relinquish my post and the plans I've made for his, um, er, manly withdrawal from the Somewhat Leaky Ship. Oh heck, I will do so if anyone here wants him. Leninia? oh,Leninia?

In fact, Iwill assume that you've got 'im now and delete that save.

[The Saucepan Man]

SpM, if you wish to carry Lord Etceteron, I will happily relinquish my post and the plans I've made for his, um, er, manly withdrawal from the Somewhat Leaky Ship.

Er ... like Thena, I find it hard to make time to do my own posts (and I do have two characters already - well more if you count Greedhog, assorted Orcs and villains and yet more planned), and I am most certainly no Squatter, so humbly I must decline.

But I don't think that anyone has to specifically "take over" O2 and Earnur.

Originally Posted by Thenamir

Speaking of Gateskeeper, there was a long period where I could not post, and still Gateskeeper managed at least a passing mention in the rest of the posts from others, keeping the character alive until I could return, for which I am grateful. I think the same could and should be done for OT2.

That's exactly what I meant. They can be "kept alive" in other people's posts ... and, who knows, perhaps BW and Squatter might be enticed out of "retirement" to participate in the long-awaited (and probably a lot longer yet-awaited) final confrontation.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I've thought about your suggestions and made following decision: No one can write for another character, true - the styles are much too individual. We could take all of them along for the ride, but is it necessary? Some of the characters are essential to further developments, but not all are. Squatter will have limited internet access for the next year, and I do trust that we shall finish this story within that time. That means he won't be back to take over Etceteron anymore - as a matter of fact, I'm not even getting e-mail responses from him now.

Bêthberry came up with a good plot twist which concerns her cameo character in Part 1 and gives Earnur an appropriate ending. I'd like to have her go ahead with that. Since there was a plan for O2's further involvement, we can keep him going along; Thena's post made good use of him, so I agree that it's a good idea not to lose him as well.

I do hope there will be further posts by the rest of you - things are going along with the speed of molasses in the winter!

[Diamond18]

Well, Vogy is most definitely going to write a eulogy for Earnur. He was after all the only living admirer of his poetry for a while there, in his less sober moments.

[Kuruharan]

I do hope there will be further posts by the rest of you - things are going along with the speed of molasses in the winter!

That's customary.

(By the way Diamond, that sig is hilarious.)

[Mithadan]

If someone can tell me who will live and who will not, I can post immediately.

[Lush]

Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I think Linny will live.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Except for Earnur, with whom Bb will deal in her post (coming to your local RPG soon!), it looks like we will keep everyone with us. The GangwayShip is not yet getting on the SailingShip though.

[Mithadan]

I have completed my post. Grrralph will not be waking anytime soon. If someone would remember to drag him along onto the Ent's Surprise, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Fantastic posts, both of them, Mith and Saucy!! They were (and still are) so much fun to read! In the first scene, Grrralph definitely reminds me of Puddleglum - will he feel like a "Respectowiggle" when he awakes? I chuckled over the full name you made of Cirkdan's nick - even using the right middle initial! And the Doc with the appropriate name and all of the good running jokes! For some reason, Grrralph's source of courage reminds me of the member of the "A-Team" who needed similar "help" to overcome his fear of flying... Very funny - thanks, Mith!

Saucy, your epic account is wonderful - great descriptions, amusing movie references, clever dialogues - all that, and Aerophaunts too!! Shades of Dumbo... Somehow I got the impression that the Aircorps commander was already practicing the right way to talk in Valleyum. And I can't help wondering what legal loophole there could possibly be to provide for a suitable end for Greedhog?! (I nominated your post for 'Best Post of the Week' on Bêthberry's thread. )

Great stuff, guys - I look forward to the next posts!

[The Saucepan Man]

He's dead Dim

The inter-weaving of a parody of one genre into another is a skilled art, and Mith has mastered it brilliantly here. The meter of Captain Cirkdan's sentences conjures up his voice perfectly. I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of the crew. It's the ones in the red outfits that need to watch out when they make landfall in Valleyum ...

Many thank for your nomination, Esty. It makes me feel a bit better for the bleary-eyed state I found myself in the next morning, having stayed up to some ridiculously late (early) hour finalising the post.

Somehow I got the impression that the Aircorps commander was already practicing the right way to talk in Valleyum.

To visualise Cap'n Ar-Kidd, think Noel Gallagher from Oasis dressed up like Timothy Mouse from Dumbo. Shine on, man ...

And I can't help wondering what legal loophole there could possibly be to provide for a suitable end for Greedhog?!

It doesn't mention wraiths ...

[Thenamir]

It doesn't mention wraiths ...

Nor wizards.

[The Saucepan Man]

Nor wizards.

Hey, Gatesy and Grrralph can fight it out over who kills him but killed he will be, I have no doubt. That's the Achilles Heel with Senior Loyers, you see. They lose focus on the detail.

Doesn't mean Mogul won't win, though.