Wight Fright: "Fog on the Barrow-Downs" Discussion Thread

[Durelin]

Please! It's the holidays. I shouldn't be on here either.

[Mithalwen]

I have added a post for Jessamy to my last one as an edit...

[Mithalwen]

Gagh computer ate post .. should be thurs at latest ..fingers crossed... sorry

[Mithalwen]

I have a post on my data stick for Jessamy's brothers on the look out but idiot me saved it in the wrong non Windows friendly format but I hope to get it sorted tonnight and post tomorrow.

[Durelin]

Boo, seems like computers hate you.

I'm sorry I've been so very very slow to post.

[Mithalwen]

Well I should know by now that the library pc won't open my Appleworks file... but I am too used to screaming for the technicians at work

Anyway becasue of length and timing I split that post and edited into my two previous posts .. Shall I have Jessamy and Karl find Edwin or have you got something planned for him first?

[Durelin]

Ah I love the brothers! I love their interaction. And Filbert as sort of the Edmund type...

Yes, feel free to have them find Edwin! Or run into something else if you'd prefer, first.

I'm going to try to come up with something else going on in Bree...at least maybe I should do something with Edwin's parents...

Perhaps another kiddie who went out to the Downs could run into the brothers as he/she is on his/her way back to Bree, if the brothers decide they must go looking for Jess?

[Mithalwen]

Yes I thought that might happen ..hope rise at the sight of small figures on the road but Jessamy not among them.

Cheers, I feel a bit mean regarding Filbert but that is how he is little skunk. But I am sure Jessamy can be a right royal pain in the whatsit... I am having such a blast with them. The elder brothers will go looking.. I guess word will spread in Bree quite quickly. I imagine in a small place like that. filbert will have to stay behind as a punishment ..feel free to make things more difficult for him.

Only other idea was if there might be a ranger at the pony that could be enlisted but maybe with Karl + dog that isn't really necessary. Hmm... what might they find.. *ponders*

[Mithalwen]

Can't believe I have neglected this so long. I have so little online time that I have been trying to write at home but have needed about 4 goes to get windows to recognise what I have done on the mac.... gah! Anyway.. seem tohave found a way after a fashion so will put the brothers post up Thursday...

[Durelin]

Please it is no problem...as you can see I have been quite active here...lol. I will post asap!

[Durelin]

I know you write a lot and only get the chance to type up and post periodically, so I wanted to ask before I did this:

Would you like me to write as another one of the children coming back on the Road, whom Jessamy's brothers run into? Or do you have the next installment written/planned out?

[Mithalwen]

I had meant to put that at the end of my last post but it slipped my mind. It wasn't earthshattering so you can do it if you like..else I will put it on the beginnint of next post which should be soon.

[Durelin]

So I just realized we're at Halloween time of a new year...haha!

I wish I had more time to put into posting and just more creativity to put into this in general...but maybe I'll come up with a post just for the sake of it.

[Mithalwen]

Sorry Dury, I didn't realise it had been quite so long - I still ahve my post to do but my dad has been very ill and I haven't been able to concentrate. But I can do it this morning I hope.

[Durelin]

Please don't apologize! Nothing to apologize for. Only post if you want, when you want, etc! I've neglected the Downs in general lately... Anyway, it's just good to...'see' you? Haha.

And I am very sorry to hear that your dad is still doing poorly. My prayers are with you.

[Mithalwen]

Well it has been a bit of a rollercoaster...he got better got worse has just spent three weeks in hospital and should be out monday much improved ..though nothing can be odne about the underlying condition or Anno Domini.. Anyways....

[Mithalwen]

Gah ..I did the second part of this in the reply box not in word and have jsut lost it... could weep but too late here now to retype tonight. But I have posted teh bit I did do in Word before I lose my nerve ...

So sorry for the delay but I haven't felt up to it til now. Bereavement isn't conducive to creativity. Not over it but hopefully getting better at coping with it...

[Durelin]

Nooooo...losing things tends to end with me screaming and throwing things

And please, no apologizing.

*hugs*

[Mithalwen]

I would have done if I weren't so damn tired. I nearly did the same thing with my Measure of Success ramble but managed to get it back. My mother used to say the sign of an optimist was doing a crossword in ink - I am beginning to think doing a post of any length straight on reply is more so. gah and I was pleased with that bit too.. hopefully I will remember most anon.

Thanks for the hugs.. I do feel guilty. I love these characters and I feel I am letting them down as much as anything. Anyway... I'm getting my weird back

[Envinyatar]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Karl looked around him. He knew what direction the Old Forest was in even if he could not make out any of the trees on its edge. It was strange; it was not so dark yet, but everything already seemed to be a little hazy. He got his bearings and headed in what he determined to be south toward the East Road.

I'm looking at a map in the Atlas of Middle-Earth - Karl, Jessamy, and the non-responsive Edwin are heading south, right, from the Barrow-Downs, right?

South is actually toward the Old Forest - yes?

Just trying to clarify the "where" of the present plot . . .

[Mithalwen]

Hello, fancy seeing you here! This is completely my fault. In post 22 where Jessamy planned to turn her back to the sunset, despite the fact that I had been gawping at a map ("Journeys of Frodo" in my case) I actually originally wrote that she would bear right not left - which would put the downs and forest north of the East Road rather than south. I much later and noticed it and changed it but didn't ask Dury to change her post either because it seemed a pit nit-picky or because I was embarrassed that I still struggle with left and right after all these years..possibly a bit of both.

So actually Jessamy, Karl, Edwin & mutt are heading North with the Forest to the West not south of the Downs (at least according to Mrs Strachey)!

And when it is real light morning rather than insomniac morning I will try to remember the lost post..

[Mithalwen]

Oh and Master Envinyatar are you planning on joining us or just correcting our geography?

[Envinyatar]

I was thinking about joining when I thought you were lost in the fog and somehow headed toward the Old Forest. Now I'm not quite sure what sort of character I could think up if you're headed back towards the Road.

Let me think . . .

[Mithalwen]

Oh I wouldn't let that inhibit you . I have the feeling on the Downs where you think you are heading and where you are going aren't necessarily the same thing. Especially in the dark and snow and all.. They may have a way to go yet. But certainly they were close to the Forest and aren't moving fast. However strong Karl is, Edwin even if slight is going to be a deadweight . Unless Dury objects of course...

[Envinyatar]

I think I've sorted out the characters now - working on a post which will hopefully be up no later than tomorrow.

[Envinyatar]

I know this isn't required, but after slogging through all the posts to get an idea of what the characters might be like, I think this will be an easier way to get that sort of info.

Name: Willem

Age/gender/race/where from: Mid-fifties or so/male/Men/forgotten

Appearance: Tall, ‘thin as a beanpole’, wiry muscled, craggy face. Scraggly dark hair usually tied back. Short, dark beard. Old, well-worn leather hat, favors dark breeches and shirts, has a dark blue thick woolen cape

Bits of character/history you feel might be helpful in defining the character: Wanderer, itinerant peddler, mender of all sorts of things; silversmith/jewelry crafter. Has a light dappled grey female horse named Catkin. A scruffy mongrel of a dog named Jumble – fox-like ears, longish snout , bushy tail. Lives on the road. Drives a small caravan – painted dark blue; rough shingled wood roof. A bright red door at the rear of the van set with a small jeweled window – a window on each side of the van each flanked by bright yellow shutters adorned with curious curlicues of red and green.

[Mithalwen]

Shall I have Jessamy Scweam and scweam and scweam until she is sick? But presumably it is Karl & Jessamy you are going to catch up with?

[Envinyatar]

I left it somewhat vague as to where Willem was. So, it might be plausible if Karl and Jessamy somehow got turned about a bit, that they might hear his van. I think, besides the crunching of the leaves and the horsey snorts, they might also hear the clink-clanking of various tools, pots to be mended, chains, whatever, that are probably hanging on nails just under the van's eaves.

Could sound like some old wight or other creature rattling chains or sword as he clomps along in search of a victim. That could set the girl off screaming and possibly raise the hair on Karl's neck.....

[Mithalwen]

Indeed... it probably won't take much at this stage... full Violet Elizabeth Bott mode...

OK wilco

[Envinyatar]

I had completely forgotten Just William!! Perhaps I should write in that scruffy dog, Jumble!

[Mithalwen]

Fox terrier ears, retriever nose, collie tail... I happened to buy a copy as a present yesterday and haven't got around to posting it yet...

[Envinyatar]

^..^ Right then.....Jumble is on board.

[Mithalwen]

Splendid... *grins* and congratulations..Jumble is possibly the only creature in Middle Earth to be in possession of a bladder.

[Durelin]

Hey Evinyatar! Glad to have you jump in. I'll try to post ASAP, but feel free to move things along as you both see fit.

Also, to respond to the earlier question -- I'm totally cool with them actually being lost in the fog (and not that I was just lost in the fog when writing my posts). But I guess you've probably already moved on from that idea.

Anyway....yay, posting. I'll do that soon too! :x

[Mithalwen]

Jessamy has freaked out. I don't think she is cowardly just been a bit of a day and she is on the edges of hypothermia. She has only fainted and prolly just turned her ankle but it isn't going to make Karl's life easier.

[Envinyatar]

Durelin

Do you want to jump in here with something from Karl????

[Envinyatar]

Now i'm the laggard!!!

Will try to get something on board tomorrow.

[Mithalwen]

Was beginning to worry you had been mown down by a marauding caravan

[Durelin]

Obviously I'm in no rush... lol. Btw, sorry I didn't take things any further in my post, but I wanted you to be able to write your own official entrance rather than have Karl take some of the dramatics away by seeing Willem first. (PS, try not to run over Duke, the dumb dog)

[Envinyatar]

Hey - we've made it to Page 2 of the RPG!!!!

So, I've made it that Karl and Willem are acquainted. You can make that part up as you wish.

Originally Posted by Dury

I'm not really sure about Karl. He's from Bree, but I have him in my head as an oddball, old enough that he should be married but lives alone, no family connections that anyone knows of, etc. He ventures regularly into the Old Forest, he's got to be a bit of an odd duck.

Willem's an odd duck, himself.