The Lingering Darkness Planning/Discussion Thread

[Ealasaide]

Thanks, Hilde & Elora!

I just noticed, however, that I had misidentified the post as Kaldir's. I went back in this morning & corrected the heading to read "Benia". Oops!

[Imladris]

Greaty post, Nerindel! I have a question: does Rauthain know about Dulrain and Kaldir's deep friendship? I wasn't sure and was going to use it in my post, but decided it would be best not to...

[Nerindel]

Thanks Imaldris [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] and good question, I'm not sure about that one myself, I think not but I could be wrong, Hilde would be the best one to answer that question.

Certainly Dúlrain did not know of Rauthain before this mission, as to how Dúlrain and Rauthain never met at Raven Falls, Hilde has pmed me the answer to this discrepancy, before Dúlrain arrived to meet the survivors Rauthain had rode off to tell Kaldir's father the bad news of his son's death.

hope this info helps.

Hilde correct me if any of this isn't right!

Ealasaide fantastic post! I was literally holding my breath through the whole scene with the dagger. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I am enjoying the reading as much as the writing of this tale, great posts everyone. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Imladris- Rauthain is just now starting to put this together in his mind. You made an excellent call. Hopefully his next post will explain more.

I agree that everyone has created a very gripping tale here. I find myself checking frequently for the next "installment"! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ November 04, 2003: Message edited by: Hilde Bracegirdle ]

[Ealasaide]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be away from my computer pretty much all day for the next three days, as I will be manning a vendor's booth at the annual American Indian Assoc Pow-Wow. I will be able to check the threads and PM's when I get up in the morning and when I get home at night. So... I won't be totally out of touch!

I hope to have posts up for Benia and Kaldir on Sunday, if at all possible.

[Elora]

Sounds fun, Ealasaide. Enjoy! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I'm in and out this weekend, frantically organising things and people for a December o/s jaunt to the States that is fast approaching.

I'm waiting on word back from Everdawn before I do anything by way of a post, so hopefully my level of non-web activity will not be an issue. Fingers crossed. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]


Have to say, superb writing Ealasaide, Nerindel, Hilde and of course Imladris. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Always a pleasure to read the latest offerings from you guys. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Hi, gang! I'm back. Just posted with Benia. I should have one up for Kaldir this evening, too, or by tomorrow at the latest.

Also, I have to agree with Elora - everyone's writing has been superb. I can't wait to see what happens next! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Elora & Nerindel - I think I might have gotten confused... didn't Naiore go back into Chetwood?

I thought so, which is why I had Kaldir & Co go in that direction. If I have that wrong, then I need to do some editing... and so will Nerindel since she was responding to me. Kaldir is following Naiore's footprints, so he would not go into Chetwood if her tracks did not lead there.

I tried to look back over Elora's posts but now can't find any reference to Naiore's location. Help!

[Elora]

Naiore struck out from her concealed location near the northern gate of Bree.

She made her way through the westerly parts of Chetwood as she planned to skirt the Barrow Downs and enter through Buckland and it's forested cover.

Right now, she's encamped north west of Bree in the thinning Chetwood as the woods skirt up the hills west of Bree.

Hope that helps.

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

[Nerindel]

lol Elora,

I think Naiore is holding her map upside down again!

Chetwood surrounds the east side of Breehill, with the town of bree on its western side, [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

From what you have just told us I would guess that Naiore is southeast of Bree under the thinning eaves of the chetwood ready to strike southwest towards the Barrow-downs, does this sound right. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

The Rangers Dúlrain, Maethor and Rauthain are about a mile east of Combe and I would think that Kaldir and co would be somewere in between does this sound about right to everyone?

Bear in mind that this only puts us about a few hours apart from each other! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Well, it depends on which map you are using. In Fonstad's Atlas of Middle Earth, the map on page 74 shows Chetwood completely surrounding Bree, Combe, Staddle, & Archet. The western side of the woods do extend to the north, which would give Elora's scenario credence.

On the other hand, the map of Bree on page 125 shows Chetwood lying east of Bree, Combe and Staddle, but surrounding Archet. This would lend credence to Nerindel's scenario.

Going Southwest, however, would lead Naiore directly into the Barrow Downs. If her intention is to skirt them, as Elora said, and enter the Shire by way of Buckland, then she would need to be traveling north out of Bree.

It looks to me like Elora had her map straight. It just depends on which map you are looking at. So...which map are we going to go with?

[ November 12, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[piosenniel]

Those two maps show essentially the same orientation of Bree to Chetwood.

On page 75 of Fonstad, the small circle that denotes the town of Bree does lie just west of the forested area. Combe and Staddle are also just outside the bounds of the forest, being, like Bree on Bree-hill. Archet is the one town surrounded by the forest

[Elora]

Erm, I was using Fonstad's atlas but I can't say as I don't turn maps around when navigating either. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

May I make a suggestion?

Rather than get bogged down in the differences of various maps, why don't we say that Naiore is in a lightly wooded area northwest of Bree that may or may not be Chetwood (according to the map you are using). [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

How does that work for everyone? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Elora - Works for me! That way we don't have to get into a series of messy rewrites.

Thanks for the clarification, Pio. I guess I should put my glasses on before writing long treatises on small map details, eh? [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Nerindel]

Elora - Works for me too [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Elora]

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

OK, have decided to spice things up a bit with a Ravennor style interrogation.

Naiore's motivation: she's just discovered that Menecin is dead and suspects Vanwe of being in league with her father and her enemies to bring her mother in for capture.

Everdawn I thought this would give Avanill something interesting to watch. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Nerindel I'll leave it up to you to decide if Naiore's interrogation can be sensed by Lespheria. Certainly Lespheria would be familiar with such interrogations from her own exposure to it through her mother. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Ealasaide I don't know if Naiore's activity would somehow affect Kaldir too... nightmares or something? Just one of those random ideas that popped into my head just this instant. Up to you what you want to make of it. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Naiore is unable to offer a more skilled example of her craft. She's in the field, surrounded by enemies and time is short. So, she's gotten straight into it.

Perhaps at a later time, when Naiore has some leisure up her sleeve, she can really show us what she can do. [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Yikes! Poor Vanwe...

I'll have to think it over & see how or if it affects Kaldir. I had not really given it any thought as to how much he would be attuned to Naiore's actions. He did sense her presence in the woods at the Forsaken. Because he has been on the receiving end of so much of Naiore's attentions, it is possible that he might have that added edge of awareness.

Good idea! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Oh...one last thing...

she's just discovered that Menecin is dead

I think Elora means Naiore's just discovered Menecin is NOT dead!

[ November 14, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[Nerindel]

Elora *Shiver* truely a fascinatingly terrifying post! Léspheria will most certainly sense such a butal attack on the young elf, I'm in the midst of crafting a dream post for Léspheria and your new post has given me new possiblities.

I have actually been thinking on Naiore and Vanwe and the blood they share with Léspheria. In my bio and in previous posts I mentioned that Léspheria feels the pain of her mother and brother, but not her father! I was wondering if she would not also feel the pain of the rest of her family? I have been hesitant on this as it would make her quite vunrable, but it may help to strengthen the story between her and Amandur.

I would be grateful to hear what the rest of you think Especially Elora as it would involve her characters directly.

Thanks
~Nerindel

[ November 14, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[Ealasaide]

Elora, I hope I got Naiore right. If you see anything in my post that you would prefer I change, please let me know. Thanks!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

E-gads! Tonight is not a good night to go dancing in the moonlight, is it! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Very good everyone!

Just wanted to add a disclaimer here. I don't want to create the impression that I see Rauthain and Naiore ending this story, quite the opposite. At this point, if any character plays a part in the end of The Ravennor I would say Kaldir, Lespheria or Vanwe would be good choices. I myself am rooting for a certain bounty hunter. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Thanks, Hilde! Kaldir would appreciate that. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I know several people (including me) still have a post or two we want to put up before moving ahead to dawn, but looking ahead, I think that we should be moving in the direction of Rivendell very soon.

My question is this: do we want to document the entire journey from Bree to Rivendell with day to day detail? Or shall we sort of slide through the travel time and pick up the action again when Naiore gets into the close vicinity of Rivendell?

My concern is that we may get bogged down in the travel, since there will be very little interaction between the three groups until we reach Rivendell... unless someone has something planned!

Everyone, please let me know what you think.

[Imladris]

I personally think that we should skip the travel time, maybe have one person from each group post a short/long little thing that will describe it or something. That's me. Travelling is so boring no matter what form you're doing it in.

[Elora]

I reckon we speed through the travel too.

I'll need to halt Naiore and group prior to Imladris so as to set up their plan, which is to send Vanwe in to betray Imladris and give Naiore access.

Then there's the betrayal of Avanill and Barrold of Naiore too. That could happen at Imladris, as I don't think either one would care to tag along with Naiore when she flees south once she fails at Imladris.

There's been some talk of Kaldir, Lespheria, Benia, Naiore and co all bumping into each other around Imladris.... Vanwe being waylaid by one of the following parties on her way in to do her mother's bidding.


So there's lots that will be happening once Imladris nears one way or another. I think we should cut to the chase rather than dally with the miles between Imladris and the surrounds of Bree.

Just my opinion. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I'll edit Naiore too, as she's just discovered that Menecin is Alive (doh [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] )

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

[Everdawn]

Then there's the betrayal of Avanill and Barrold of Naiore too

And ive been pondering this as well. I had some thoughts, Avanill well knows that he owes no alliegance to anyone, but himself.. it has always been, its what his mother taught him. He can be just as crafty.

If Naiore betrays them... Avanill could
1) Betray her back, revealing her plans.
2) Do nothing and go into hiding, (that is unless they are caught or surrounded.
3) damn.. i cant remember them all right now... anyway...

I have been thinking of ways that Avanill coudl proove his 'innocence' Avanill can twist the truth to make it suit him...

I had a menta image of him the other day saying to rangers about his charge of capturing Vanwe (hypothetical), "Well, Vanwe is Naiore's daughter, what makes you think she hasnt fallen in with her mother by now? The are like old friends, It is not I who is the villian here now." **evil laughter**

OK its sounds rushed i know.. But ive been playing around wiht ideas.. All i know is I dont want Avanill to die, i want him to escape somehow or something.. which is why i have been planning diffrent situations so that this might be possible.

Who knows, Avanill at the end may be able to lie thorugh his teeth.. I dont know... And after that i think im going mad..

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Moving quickly on to Rivendell sounds very good to me.

But I do have this question I need to answer first. Or rather Gilly does. Sorry for the delay. My computer was acting up and I lost what I was working on. I will try for this evening or tomorrow. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[Nerindel]

Sorry everyone, I had planned to post for Amandur et all yesterday, but I had some surprise visitor's I will try to get the posts up when time allows. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

As to the journey to Rivendell, I think that some of the hunted being hunted should happen during the journey and not at Rivendell, I'm not suggesting we do a day by day account but as Imladris suggested each poster covering two or three days in one post.

Ealasaide if we are still going with the scenario you suggested? If so Dúlrain will need to hook up with Kaldir et all at some point, so that the relationships between the three can develop.

Also as soon as Léspheria realises Naiore's change of course she will make straight for Rivendell to warn her kin and prevent Naiore from passing, something I would think Naiore would anticipate? [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img].

[ November 17, 2003: Message edited by: Nerindel ]

[Ealasaide]

Nerindel - I've been wavering on that. I will send you a PM later today when I get the chance. If you get the chance, send me a PM with your thoughts, as well. Thanks!

Everyone - I was already leaning toward Imaldris' & Nerindel's suggestion that each of us write a transitional travel post that will carry that character (or group of characters) into the area of Rivendell. If a situation comes up in the transitional posts, we will have the flexibility to develop the situation.

When we get to that point, if you do not intend to write a travel post, just notify the rest of us on the Discussion Thread so we will know not to wait for you.

How does that sound?

In the meantime, we are still at night. Nerindel, Hilde, and I all have posts that need to be placed before moving into dawn. Unless anyone else speaks up, we can advance the time frame as soon as those posts are up.

[ November 17, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[piosenniel]

“Might as well jump in with both feet if I’m to drown,” she said. “I just realized that here I’ve been rattling on and I have not any idea which side you fought on during the War. Please tell me your sympathies didn’t lie with the Dark Lord, or I may have just as well slit my own throat and Benia’s too. Oh what a thought!”

Got to love Gilly! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, I wonder if Benia heard that one! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[Nerindel]

ok, everyone I have finally found the time to put up Dúlrain's (Who I only remembered today needed a post [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] ) Amandur's and Lespheria's posts and am ready when you are to move foreward! Enjoy [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Imladris, Hilde I have put in my post that Amandur and Léspheria hope to catch up to the other rangers, but I have also suggested that the trail they are following is growing thin, therefore they will not catch up but overtake as they try to second guess Naiores new course, but don't worry they will eventually have to meet up. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Yes Hilde I have to agree with Pio I too loved that line. so Gilly [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Many thanks Pio & Nerindel! I can't what to see what Kaldir feels about her rambling! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

No unfinished business for Rauthain to tidy up before Imladris. So all's clear from his quarter.

[ November 18, 2003: Message edited by: Hilde Bracegirdle ]

[Ealasaide]

I have posted with Kaldir and am ready to move into morning.

Imladris, Everdawn, & Elora - do you need to post before we advance the time frame?

[Imladris]

Hmm...?? What's that, Elesaide? You want to know if Maethor needs a post? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Actually, no he doesn't...I think that if I did I'd end up babbling...

[Everdawn]

Imladris, Everdawn, & Elora - do you need to post before we advance the time frame?

I dont, but you'd better get the ok from Elora.


BTW... This is getting really good! .. im excited to see what happens next.

[Ealasaide]

Okay, then, I guess we are ready for morning!

Elora - since the rest of us are chasing Naiore, she would be the logical one to get us started. Also, if you have any unfinished business from the nighttime, please feel free to include it.

Let's roll! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Elora]

Ok, point taken. I'll get busy. Sorry for the delay. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img]

I'm going to do a transitional post that will carry Naiore et all through to the immediate vicinity of Imladris... [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

Nerindel, Naiore would expect Lespheria to attempt to warn Imladris and will make good use of her "helpers" on that score.

I am aware that in the surrounds of Rivendell a lot will be happening. Location of individuals will be a bit of an issue. I'll be more than happy to edit this post to solve any geographical problems, should they arrive.

Naiore, for her part, will be prepared for: Rangers desceding upon her in pursuit; Kaldir, whose troubled mind she will also pick up as he sets pursuit of his own; and, rising dissention within her own camp.

Everdawn, what I was thinking was that Avanill and Barrold would start to have grave doubts about the venture as soon as Naiore announces the change in plans. They were both sold on the idea of pillaging the Shire. A detour via Imladris is time consuming, risky and dubious and I figure neither man would like the idea much.

Therefore, Naiore will be on the watch also for trouble from her own group. Barrold, for his part, will sieze upon any opportunity to make a gain. If he thinks he stands to make more from turning Naiore in to the pursuing Rangers than siding with her in an assault on Rivendell, then he will not hesitate to do so.

In fact, I think that is the path Barrold will take. He'll attempt to wheedle a trade on Naiore, and Toby the thief for good measure, in return for a reward and his own survival. He's never claimed to be anything other than a scoundrel and coward. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Ealasaide]

Great post, Elora! I'm sure we will all be making use of that plume of smoke on the first morning from Tallas' burning books...

[Elora]

Thought that would come in handy. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Also thought it was about time we heard from Menecin too.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Nice post Elora!

[Ealasaide]

Hey! I have a question:

Elora mentions Naiore sending Toby out to scout the terrain once her party is in the vicinity of Rivendell, following two weeks on the road.

Hilde mentions a long set of hobbit prints in the vicinity of the Ranger camp in Bree prior to the journey eastward.

Did I miss something or is this just a slight miss as far as continuity? Someone please clarify! Thanks!

Also, Elora, I am trying to plan an incident that happens in transit between Bree and Imaldris. Can you tell me in rough terms (using Fonstad's map) what route Naiore took? Or does it not matter?

If it doesn't matter, I'll just wing it. Please let me know! Thanks!