Hard Winters Planning/Discussion Thread

[Firefoot]

I'm putting it in after my post 231 right now.

[Folwren]

Elempi, I had assumed Saeryn would go out with all the others. Unless she was told otherwise - that she should stay in and prepare things for when people were finished (heat water for baths, for instance, and get supper ready) - she would assume that Eodwine also meant her in the all able-bodied people. That's what I had thought, anyway.

Edit: Never mind. I'm figuring it out and writing a post.

I also appreciate the fact that Ruari took one and almost another step after Rowenna told her to stay put. Very Ruari-like. Always pushing the limits.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

I can work with whatever adjustments need to be made. Just let me know what you want me to change.

[littlemanpoet]

I'm enjoying the variation of points of view from other writers. Great stuff, Firefoot.

I hope other writers take the cue: just because Eodwine or Saeryn think or perceive a certain thing a certain way, doesn't mean it's actually right.

So have at it, folks.

[Galadriel55]

Sorry for the absence - I should know better than to think I would have time for any writing when I'm visiting family. I'm back to school now, and once the semester gets going a bit I will probably have more time to write. In the meantime, feel free to use or engage my characters as you please; I will be more motivated to find time for writing if there's something happening with them.

[Folwren]

I'm sorry. I feel I really dropped the ball there. Posts coming today.

Elempi, you had my eyes popping there for a sec. I was thinking, "No way! You did NOT introduce a monster!"

I was relieved when it was a dream.

[Firefoot]

^ seconding everything in Folwren's post.

[littlemanpoet]

I knew I was going to do the monster post. At first I thought I'd just raise hackles all over the place as the thing itself; then I saw a way to be able to keep it after all.

It was fun. Especially your reaction.

[Firefoot]

So Leof is sitting with unnamed people now. Scyld will similarly be coming in and getting cleaned up etc now as well if anyone wants to interact with him before I get to it.

[littlemanpoet]

I might as well use Harreld and Garreth as much as any of the other characters I write, as they are well drawn and easy to write for. They may be sitting near Leof, and/or Scyld, if you like. And there is also Rowenna to interact with. And, of course, Eodwine.

It comes to mind that I had intended to have an Easterling be part of the folk, but that just hasn't panned out. I think I even came up with a name. If I did, I don't remember it. But it could be interesting to pull him out now, as if he had taken part in the digging.

[Folwren]

Ok. I'm not sure what most of my characters are doing. I'll try to figure that out soon.

[littlemanpoet]

What are the children up to?

Maybe there are no monsters, but what might show up that is unwanted? Snakes? Orcs?
Brigands?

A sink hole unknown about that ruins the trenches?

A flood that comes crashing in from the River Entwash all unexpected? (this actually seems most likely)

Is any character's mood ready to break under the strain? Tempers flare?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

What are the children up to?

Good question. They've been quiet far too long.

Maybe there are no monsters, but what might show up that is unwanted? Snakes? Orcs?
Brigands?

Too early for snakes. Maybe later. What are the chances of orcs and brigands?

A flood that comes crashing in from the River Entwash all unexpected? (this actually seems most likely)

Yes. If this rain has been lasting for a long time, this is quite possible. I am not sure how far the Entwash is from them, but if the water gets there, they will be in sad trouble, since they're in such a low area.

Is any character's mood ready to break under the strain? Tempers flare?

I like this idea, too.

What about some folk getting sick, like Eodwine predicted, after digging in the muck? I was thinking of making Javan sick. How long would suck a sickness last?

[littlemanpoet]

The presence of contaminants in water can lead to adverse health effects, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people whose immune systems are compromised, may be especially susceptible to illness from some contaminants.

This quote above is based on the notion of drinking contaminated water. Nobody has done that, but if the people don't know to wash their hands before they eat, anybody's fair game; but Eoghan is in the greatest danger, having fallen in and possibly gulped a mouthful. Your call.

Check out post #3 of this discussion thread: it appears that other land holders are closer, but Scarburg is about 10 km away from the Entwash itself; however, just the other side of the Scar is all swamp land. It appears that Nogrod imagined this differently than I did. He has hills all to the south, and the scar surrounding Scarburg in an arc; my imagining of it was all flatland and the scar being more or less a straight line from just north of east to just south of west. My imagining makes flooding far more likely than Noggie's.

Orcs, not very likely at all. At least, not until later. Brigands, more likely, but still a bit early, I think.

[Folwren]

Firefoot, I don't want to cut in on the action with Rowenna unless you don't think you'll be posting soon. I have an idea what Saeryn would do, but it probably wouldn't be until after Scyld or Leof had a chance to respond.

-- Folwren

[Firefoot]

I'm working on it... tonight or tomorrow, I promise.

[Firefoot]

Sending Cerwyn Javan's way...

[Folwren]

I kind of feel like I'm poking at a hornet's nest. Rowenna's always kind of intimidated me.

Also, I will try to post for Javan later today.

[littlemanpoet]

Boy oh boy oh boy, a fight.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Boy oh boy oh boy, a fight.

Yeeeesh. No kidding.

Saeryn's matured. A lot.

But have Rowenna say one more thing....I'm not so sure how well Saeryn will respond.

[Firefoot]

Haha I sort of wish Saeryn had actually said the things she was thinking... loving it.

[littlemanpoet]

I sort of wish Saeryn had said what she was thinking, too. And it's lucky for her that she didn't.

I shall give thought to how Rowenna will respond. And you can count on it: she will.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I sort of wish Saeryn had said what she was thinking, too. And it's lucky for her that she didn't.

If the general consensus is that I ought, I can change it. I'd be more than happy to. I so love conflict.

And, honestly, if she says it, it is more what Eodwine will say and think that I would worry about than what Rowenna will do.

[Folwren]

It's kind of funny. When I first read Elempi's post, I thought Rowenna said that Eodwine should serve everyone, and having interpreted it that way, I wrote the post accordingly. But when I went back and re-read it, I saw what she actually said. I decided to leave it, thinking that perhaps Saeryn, in her current state of mind, could have misinterpreted the words, too.

[Firefoot]

For the record... Léof's always made it sound like he chose to leave. He never told anyone his father made him go.

[Firefoot]

Considering Scyld's next move... lmp, where would Rowenna have gone?

[littlemanpoet]

Considering Scyld's next move... lmp, where would Rowenna have gone?

Out to the scar and beyond. About to write a post about it.

I have a nasty habit of holding down the shift key when I'm thinking of the next thing to write, and my stooopid computer decides to ask me a question I barely notice, and then all H*#l breaks loose and I have to reboot. Grrr. It looks like I was able to post what I had composed up to that point at any rate.

[piosenniel]

Enjoying reading along as your story-line progresses!

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I have a nasty habit of holding down the shift key when I'm thinking of the next thing to write, and my stooopid computer decides to ask me a question I barely notice, and then all H*#l breaks loose and I have to reboot. Grrr. It looks like I was able to post what I had composed up to that point at any rate.

lmp - I thought I was the only one who suffered from this most irritating quirk! You might try this:
Press shift key 5 times; this opens a dialogue box with instructions on how to set-up stickykeys (or to cancel same). Choosing the cancel option did the trick even though Control Panel showed stickykeys as NOT activated.

[Folwren]

This week has been crazy busy, as well as just strangely out of whack schedule-wise. I will give a shot at posting for Javan today or tomorrow. I want to see how things continue with Leof and Cerwyn.

[Folwren]

I wasn't going to post tonight....I was too tired....but then I saw Elempi's post. You're really scrapping for a fight, aren't you?

For some unknown reason, I didn't see your previous post, either, about Rowenna on the scar, and Eodwine waiting for Saeryn. Things are going to be interesting for a while, I see.

And, Firefoot, I am sorry I didn't post for Javan and the rest at that table. I will tomorrow.

-- Folwren

[Firefoot]

No worries, Folwren... I've been a bit short on energy and creative juices myself this week. Yesterday I tried to write for Scyld for probably a half hour and all I ended up with was word mush.

[littlemanpoet]

Sorry, I had meant to have Rowenna looking above Saeryn's head in my previous post but forgot the detail.

I'm pretty much following this character rather than dictating her or planning her. So it goes.

[Folwren]

Again, I missed Elempi's post on the game thread. Not sure why. Anyway, thankfully I checked before going to bed.

Elempi, I don't know if Eodwine is showing his bad mood at all, but Saeryn is oblivious if he is.

Firefoot, I brought Leof into the circle at the younger people's table.

-- Foley

[littlemanpoet]

Yes, Eodwine is waiting and not showing a thing, and Saeryn is oblivious. Perfect set up.

[littlemanpoet]

I'd like us to wrap up this Day soon, if we can.

What still needs to happen?

I've just been scanning a little bit about Anglo-Saxon culture, such as sleeping arrangements. Apparently, actual beds were very unusual, reserved for lords and ladies. Most everybody slept on straw mattresses that lay on the floor.

Does this fit your imagining of Scarburg?

[Firefoot]

I was going to try and set up a fight between Léof and Cerwyn but that might be set up better for the next day. Unless Folwren has anywhere she'd like to go with this I could easily edit my last post to wrap that up. Scyld is fine for the night as well.

[Galadriel55]

I am very sorry about my lack of posting lately. I sort of regret introducing a new character to the Hall because I had such grand plans for him but can't get enough time and energy to compose something other than lab reports (second year chemistry labs suck). In addition to everything, I am also in the process of a lot of paperwork for hopefully going overseas for a semester. I'm not sure how long this craziness will last, but in the meantime feel free to treat my characters as NPCs and use them however you want, since they story will probably develop quite a bit before I have my creativity and time back.

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I am very sorry about my lack of posting lately. I sort of regret introducing a new character to the Hall because I had such grand plans for him but can't get enough time and energy to compose something other than lab reports (second year chemistry labs suck). In addition to everything, I am also in the process of a lot of paperwork for hopefully going overseas for a semester. I'm not sure how long this craziness will last, but in the meantime feel free to treat my characters as NPCs and use them however you want, since they story will probably develop quite a bit before I have my creativity and time back.

So long as you come back SOMETIME.

Originally Posted by Elempi

I've just been scanning a little bit about Anglo-Saxon culture, such as sleeping arrangements. Apparently, actual beds were very unusual, reserved for lords and ladies. Most everybody slept on straw mattresses that lay on the floor.

Does this fit your imagining of Scarburg?

Yep, that's fine.

I'm good with the day ending. I am a little curious about the twins' whereabouts, but we don't have to worry about that.

[Firefoot]

Post edited; I'm ready to end the day whenever everyone else is.

As far as sleeping arrangements, it's not what I had imagined but that doesn't mean it doesn't make sense... seems especially reasonable in a country like Rohan that is more field that forest and wood relatively scarce (I think?).

[Folwren]

Well. I guess we writers were duly warned. *sigh* Poor people.

Probably won't post today. Maybe tomorrow evening.

-- Folwren