Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Folwren]

Oh, I am quite prepared for any length of time for jumping. Whatever the next Day is, though, I'm bringing Thornden's sister in to visit, and the longer you have the time jump from now to then, the more trouble Thornden will be in for not visiting her earlier.

I don't care how far you leap the time, Elempi.

-- Folwren

[JennyHallu]

I'm ok with a time jump, as long as you and I, lmp, get together with a PM to see which of Marenil's changes are implemented in the meantime.

And I'll have to get my butt moving on my first "Letters from Lin" post.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by JennyHallu

I'm ok with a time jump, as long as you and I, lmp, get together with a PM to see which of Marenil's changes are implemented in the meantime.

Actually, I think it would be appropriate to have a time jump of perhaps nine or so hours, so that it is just before the evening meal when Marenil has had time to draw up his list with all his reasons, presents it to Eodwine, and they agree together what should happen first. And THEN start the next Day.

And since nobody has yet told me a cast iron date they need the game to move to, I'll offer up ONE MONTH. Thoughts?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I can do it. What I had planned might actually work better in retrospect.

[Folwren]

Hm, on second thought, let me talk to Tara about a time jump. I'm not sure what she wants to do or what she is able to do with her character Lys, who is, in a way, connected to Thornden.

-- Folwren

[JennyHallu]

Thought: a place is needed to exercise the horses: instead of a large paddock, could a small enclosure be built, large enough to exercise the horses on a lead?

[Kath]

I'm afraid Kara can't answer until her writer has a couple of things sorted in her head.

I just can't see how this is laid out. I mean, I understand it but I can't see it. Would someone with vague artistic talent mind drawing me how this is going to look?

[Celuien]

A time jump of any size works for me at this point.

I'd sketch something for the plans, but I don't have a place to post files, webhosting sites being strictly and frustratingly blocked until I go home.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Kath

I'm afraid Kara can't answer until her writer has a couple of things sorted in her head.

I just can't see how this is laid out. I mean, I understand it but I can't see it. Would someone with vague artistic talent mind drawing me how this is going to look?

Try out this plan ... except I don't think that the two angles for the hallway would be practicable. I'd like to see the doors into the alder courtyard be on the 'right' side of the alder, and the hallway a straight-shot from kitchen to Great Hall just the other side of the alder, so that the walls of kitchen, hallway, and Great Hall, form a continuous wall. Granted, it makes the courtyard smaller, but that could mean cozier. Hope that helps.

Jenny, your thought makes sense to me; I'd like to hear from Firefoot about it.

[Kath]

By the look of things that would actually make the walk from kitchen to Hall shorter, if only things were remaining in the same place.

About how far are we planning on moving the kitchens?

Oh, and thank you lmp that really did help. I'd completely forgotten we already had a map

[littlemanpoet]

As to dimensions, that's kind of tricky. I'm looking at Jenny's lay-out of the guest rooms. Imagining that the rooms are 10x10, and stairways 5 ft. wide, the "Residential Wing" is 70 feet long! Is that not a bit much?

Maybe the guest rooms are more like 8 x 8? and stairways and hallways 4 feet wide? That would make the RW 54 feet long and 20 feet wide. If those dimensions (which still seem large, but then we're talking about a former Inn) work, that makes the alder courtyard roughly 20 feet from Great Hall to Kitchen. Okay, we'll go with that for working purposes unless someone can give me better numbers.

By the way, Kara, the "plan" is not how things are, but how Garstan plans to make them. Right now, the kitchen is part of the Great Hall, and is therefore roughly 10 x 16. The new kitchen looks, according to the drawing, to be roughly 20 x 16 feet. You could therefore fit 2 of the old into one of the new. I think Frodides would like that, no?

That would put the Great Hall at about 60 x 24. Wow again. Rather impressive!

Would a White Horse Inn have had a common room of such dimensions? Seems a bit much; but we can conjecture that the humble Eorl decided to enlarge the Great Hall while he had it rebuilt..... I suppose...

[JennyHallu]

I had not designed or intended the size of the rooms to be regular.

[Firefoot]

The idea of a smaller walking paddock sounds quite feasible to me.

[Kath]

By the way, Kara, the "plan" is not how things are, but how Garstan plans to make them. Right now, the kitchen is part of the Great Hall, and is therefore roughly 10 x 16. The new kitchen looks, according to the drawing, to be roughly 20 x 16 feet. You could therefore fit 2 of the old into one of the new. I think Frodides would like that, no?

And now I understand! Thanks. Ok so, at the moment it's all together, after the renovations it will be like the plan but that the kitchen and Hall will be joined by a straight corridor.

I think Frodides can live with that, with some persuasion. I'll get that post done as soon as I get back from my meeting.

[Firefoot]

I'm going to be leaving tomorrow and won't be back until next Saturday; I don't mind if you make the time jump before I get back because as far as I'm concerned Leof doesn't really need to do anything more today. And any amount of time is fine for me - one month for the time jump works fine. I can tell you though, Leof's definitely going to be quite worried after that amount of time after still not hearing anything from his sister...

[JennyHallu]

We'll miss you Firefoot!

Some questions:

• What state is the Great Hall itself right now? We seem to be using it again (rather than the tent-hall), but it seems unlikely that it be complete. Is it being completed in sections, starting with the least damaged area? That might explain why some of it is usable again, and also how Eodwine is funding its expansion: a little at a time.
• How is Eodwine planning to deal with the security of his own people with the free-guesters in the Hall? Kara, in particular, will need to traverse the Hall, alone, in the wee morning hours, and she is a young and comely maid. In Beowulf's Mead Hall, lmp, sexual taboos were much less stringent even than they are now. I doubt practices appropriate in Beowulf's hall would have any place in Tolkien's world, especially with his seeming worship of a feminine ideal.
• As I get involved in the accounts and money-management of Eodwine's holdings, can we decide upon a standard monetary system? I assume no paper money, but what coins? Until further notice, I'm going to at least pretend we're using old English money: pennies and shillings and pounds, etc, but relative values and practical values should be established.
• Can I assume that the "Middle Emnet" is not merely the lands surrounding Edoras, but the government and ordinance of the city itself? I've got a number of ideas on how that could help Eodwine...fees and taxes that have gone unasked as Eodwine sets up his estate that Marenil will quietly reinstate and enforce. It could also allow for some daily duties of Thornden that would not call him outside the walls.

I've also been doing more thinking. (uh-oh )

I've reordered my list, LMP, into things Marenil wishes started right away and saved for later, and the main factor involved is startup cost.

1. First and foremost, the treatment of free-guests must be cost effective and standard: Marenil wishes to dedicate a cauldron to a pot of inexpensive, but hearty porridge. A porridge would make a warm and nutritious meal for any traveller, may be augmented by the traveller's own stores (it is easy and tasty to add dried meat or fruit to a porridge) should they choose, and can be made in large quantities easily. That way Kara and Frodides wouldn't have to worry so much about planning meals, because only the porridge has to serve an unknown quantity of people. Eodwine could provide a communal jar of honey for his guests to sweeten their meals with, which would last a long time at little cost. The porridge could also serve as breakfast for Eodwine's people on a busy day. Finally, the leftover porridge for the day could be sweetened and baked slowly overnight into a chewy waybread or cookie that can be given to guests as they leave, and snitched during the day by certain small and sticky hands.
   
   Marenil will also urge the hasty installation of benches such as you described, with old bedding from the Inn mended and stored within. (Perhaps they could find a lot of bedding needing minimal repairs when they venture to the attic?) He would also like to manufacture linen screens that can be stored against the wall and pulled out to provide privacy for a woman guest (or a man who feels uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements for that matter).
   
   With this basis for a standard and generous treatment of guests established, Marenil hopes to encourage Eodwine to take up some of the aspects of an Innkeeper without prejudice, since his obligation will have already been fulfilled. He wishes to make sure that Eodwine is not taken advantage of, also, something he fears is a definite possibility in dealing with this gentle, honest, and openhanded man. (He'll use that phrasing, too...nothing like flattery to help talk a man into something.) Except for noble guests, Marenil intends to ask a small price for passing guests to stay in a Hall bedroom, as available. He also wishes there to be a small fee for guests who wish to extend their stay in the Hall longer than...oh...three nights, payable by the night or sevenday, making them effectively lodgers after a certain point, rather than guests. He also will urge that those free-guesters who wish to share the Lord's evening meal (i.e. something with meat) pay a small fee, a penny or so only, and probably quietly waive that fee in the case of Harrold and Gareth (did I get the names right?) on the basis of long understanding.
   
   I still don't know how to deal with the security of the guests and residents, but that's Garwine's problem, not Marenil's, so I guess I don't have to figure it out.
2. Second, Marenil wishes to create bedrooms for the residents (and children) out of the Inn's attic space, which would not at all be uncommon for the times, or the architectural style (wattle-and-daub) we chose for the Hall. He intends to add dormer windows (probably simply built by Stigend out of the scrap lumber from the old hall and kitchen: thatch roofs should be fairly easy to alter), but put up simple partitions that do not need Stigend's handiwork for more than some basic planning. These rooms would be large, light, and comfortable in summer.
   
   My only worry is that they may be difficult to heat in winter, but if this is brought up Marenil shall point out that winter is a long way off, and there is plenty of time for something to be done about that. I wonder if cast-iron has been developed, either in Rohan or Gondor? If at least in Gondor, he can write his son to have purchased and sent with Linduial upon her return several small cast-iron stoves or braziers.
   
   This would free the regular rooms for guests, families, and officers, and for another little plan Marenil's got up his sleeve (to be detailed below). Those I think should be sent upstairs are Kara, Trys, Leof (who Marenil will give a room even if he doesn't use it to sleep in, as it might still be nice for Leof to have a more private space to himself, or to escape from the heat of the stables in summer), Merdha (when she arrives), and children or young people over the age of ten. There should still be plenty of space for later additions, and I don't think the children's space needs even to be partitioned off further than putting the adult rooms in between spaces for girls and for boys.
   
   All other householders and officers Marenil will move to the second story, (even to kicking Lin out of her room, and moving her downstairs if necessary for space) where rooms are larger. Only Frodides will stay downstairs, as her injured leg might prohibit her from getting up and down the stairs easily. This would create some separation between the household and the guests, fostering more of a family atmosphere (I hope). Rooms reserved for Gudryn and Aedhel (who are away on a rather long term basis) could be used as guest rooms for folks such as Degas or Thornden's sister: personal guests of the household, as opposed to the freeguests and visiting gentry.
3. There needs to be some space for livestock and to exercise the horses, and I don't think that would be too difficult to manage. The horses really only need a paddock big enough they can be released into it while their stalls are cleaned, and exercised on a circle-lead. There should also be a cow-shed, pigsty, and chicken coop, and these can be built all beside eachother, and indeed, the cows and pig can share a yard. If the Hall is not yet of the dimensions I have in my sketch, but is being expanded slowly, in stages, then there could easily be a great deal of space in front of it or in the courtyard available that is not evident on that sketch, and that will be available for a good long time, and probably Eodwine will be able to afford to expand his own estate (or set up a separate farmholding for his own table outside the city walls. or both.) long before that space is needed for building.
   
   A few livestock (2 dairy cows, one of them pregnant (so we can have steak later (steak...mmm...(nested parentheses are fun!))), a pig, oh...twenty laying hens, and a rooster) would be fairly inexpensive, and Marenil feels he can stretch the budget to cover them, or if not, he recieves a private pension (delivered him by a merchant-banker who has an arrangement with Farlen in many different cities) and, as he has little need for the money now, he may make some small purchases (at least at the outset) out of his own money without telling anyone...might be entertaining later for him to be found out.
4. Marenil wishes to institute a way for the farmers to pay their taxes in agricultural tithes, and/or set up a system by which Eodwine serves as broker for the goods of his lands for a percentage (freeing the farmholders to return to their fields and families rather than dealing with the sale of their goods.) He wants Eodwine to have a ready source of quality foodstuffs, and wants to start a caravan trade over the mountains (or perhaps just into the mountains...would Ghan-buri-Ghan be interested in augmenting the diet of his folk? Just a random thought...). This may (apparently) be difficult to convince Eodwine of, but Marenil has high hopes.
5. Marenil has noticed in his month of residence at the Hall, that although Eodwine seems to have the respect (albeit grudging in some instances) of the simple farmers, Eodwine's standing among his noble vassals seems dangerously low. None have come to pay him court, and he wonders if this is perhaps due to Eodwine's low birth, or to his harboring of Saeryn, a runaway, or to his favor with the King and rapid (and high) ennoblement. Whatever the reason, not one of the lesser nobles of the Middle Emnet have come to pay him court, and Marenil seeks a solution to this problem (which could become very serious).
   
   The easiest way for a man to affect another may (arguably of course) be through his children, and Marenil plans to encourage Eodwine to seek out a few high-born fosterlings to add to his household. These would allow Eodwine's nobles to take advantage of Eodwine's high standing with the court, foist off some of their mouths to feed, and tentatively align themselves with their new lord without risking anything more precious than a few of their younger children, who may be able to easier find a way to support themselves living in the city anyway. At the least, Eodwine's background and connections might help them rise in the Guard, surely not a shameful place for a younger son to go...
   
   And while the nobles take advantage of Eodwine's generosity, Eodwine is entrusted with the education (and foster fathering) of their children, and that cannot help but increase his standing, as long as the children are well-taught and do well in the future, and are fond of him...
   
   I just had this idea, and it isn't as polished as the others. Forgive me.

Marenil's building plans will be put on hold until Eodwine's money issues are dealt with. Which could be a lot faster depending on the answer to question 4. What do you think, lmp?

[littlemanpoet]

Sorry, I've been away more than I intended to be...

I've posted up the conclusion to the meeting on the kitchen, and given Marenil his entrance regarding the list.

If you have anything you'd like me to edit in my last post, please let me know and I'll change it.

Now I'll read Jenny's most recent post on this thread.

[JennyHallu]

Could you change your post so that Marenil isn't carrying a list, lmp? With paper such a precious commodity, I don't think he would have written it down, rather than just prepare to give his plans and reasoning orally. He's not as anal as I am, anyway.

Didn't realize quite how long that was. heh.

[littlemanpoet]

Good grief!

A slight rearrangement so as to put one particular issue to rest:

Originally Posted by JennyHallu

Marenil wishes to institute a way for the farmers to pay their taxes in agricultural tithes, and/or set up a system by which Eodwine serves as broker for the goods of his lands for a percentage (freeing the farmholders to return to their fields and families rather than dealing with the sale of their goods.)

You may consider this to already be in place.

Originally Posted by JH

Marenil wants to start a caravan trade over the mountains (or perhaps just into the mountains

The White Mountains may not be impassible, but they're not easy to get through or into. Trade would have to be around them.

...would Ghan-buri-Ghan be interested in augmenting the diet of his folk? Just a random thought...).

Might need to check with the Eorl of the East Emnet for that.

What state is the Great Hall itself right now? We seem to be using it again (rather than the tent-hall), but it seems unlikely that it be complete. Is it being completed in sections, starting with the least damaged area? That might explain why some of it is usable again, and also how Eodwine is funding its expansion: a little at a time.

The shell is in place. It is currently 30 feet long by 24 feet wide, so it is half the length shown on Jenny's map. The kitchen and downed wall went up first. Given a period of a month to do the work, our builders were rather fast, I suppose, in getting as far as they did. Oh well. I'm no judge of how long such things took. But just the walls, roof, and rafters. The firepit still needs to be finished. The original tables an chairs are set in the Hall.

How is Eodwine planning to deal with the security of his own people with the free-guesters in the Hall?

Thornden and Garwine are in charge of keeping the peace on the Grounds of the Eorling Mead Hall.

Kara, in particular, will need to traverse the Hall, alone, in the wee morning hours, and she is a young and comely maid. In Beowulf's Mead Hall, lmp, sexual taboos were much less stringent even than they are now. I doubt practices appropriate in Beowulf's hall would have any place in Tolkien's world, especially with his seeming worship of a feminine ideal.

Well, it was only in seeming, I suppose; but that's a quibble. Kara would be most unwise to walk the Hall at night, or she may find herself considered other than she intends, or worse. This may be seem rather harsh on my part, but we are writing about a feigned time and place where it was men's world.

As I get involved in the accounts and money-management of Eodwine's holdings, can we decide upon a standard monetary system? I assume no paper money, but what coins? Until further notice, I'm going to at least pretend we're using old English money: pennies and shillings and pounds, etc, but relative values and practical values should be established.

Let's go with Tolkien's system. In the absence of any clarity there, let us say the following:

a copper = 1 day's wage
a half silver = 10 coppers
a silver = 20 coppers
a gold = 4 silvers

Can I assume that the "Middle Emnet" is not merely the lands surrounding Edoras, but the government and ordinance of the city itself?

Yes.

I'm going to get this settle once and for all. The extend of the Middle Emnet is as follows:

Southern border: the slopes of the White Mountains
Western border: 50 miles west of Edoras
Northern border: the fens of the Entwash
Eastern border: the Entwash

To the south and east of Edoras, is the land known as The Folde, which is part of East Emnet. So roughly 5000 square miles of land (50x50).

I've got a number of ideas on how that could help Eodwine...fees and taxes that have gone unasked as Eodwine sets up his estate that Marenil will quietly reinstate and enforce. It could also allow for some daily duties of Thornden that would not call him outside the walls.

Marenil will have to provide specifics to Eodwine.

I've reordered my list, LMP, into things Marenil wishes started right away and saved for later, and the main factor involved is startup cost.

First ... Marenil wishes to dedicate a cauldron to a pot of inexpensive, but hearty porridge. ... Eodwine could provide a communal jar of honey for his guests to sweeten their meals with, which would last a long time at little cost. ...

Eodwine would be agreeable, and of course willing to make exceptions as the mood hits him.

Marenil will also urge the hasty installation of benches such as you described, with old bedding from the Inn mended and stored within. (Perhaps they could find a lot of bedding needing minimal repairs when they venture to the attic?)

Good.

He would also like to manufacture...

Manufacture is far off in the future; at least as we know it. But they could be made

.... linen screens that can be stored against the wall and pulled out to provide privacy for a woman guest (or a man who feels uncomfortable with the sleeping arrangements for that matter).

What an odd notion for the commons; it's as if they thought they was highborn. (wink)

With this basis for a standard and generous treatment of guests established, Marenil hopes to encourage Eodwine to take up some of the aspects of an Innkeeper without prejudice, since his obligation will have already been fulfilled.

The Eorl is no Innkeeper. This is the Mead Hall of a lord, albeit a rather wistful and (somewhat) carefree one. Without prejudice? What do you mean?

He wishes to make sure that Eodwine is not taken advantage of...

The Eorl and his steward are quite likely to have pointed conversations about this.

Except for noble guests, Marenil intends to ask a small price for passing guests to stay in a Hall bedroom, as available. He also wishes there to be a small fee for guests who wish to extend their stay in the Hall longer than...oh...three nights, payable by the night or sevenday, making them effectively lodgers after a certain point, rather than guests. He also will urge that those free-guesters who wish to share the Lord's evening meal (i.e. something with meat) pay a small fee, a penny or so only,

Eodwine will say 'no'.

Harrold and Gareth (did I get the names right?)

Close. Harreld and Garreth.

[quote]Second, Marenil wishes to create bedrooms for the residents (and children) out of the Inn's attic space, which would not at all be uncommon for the times, or the architectural style (wattle-and-daub) we chose for the Hall. He intends to add dormer windows (probably simply built by Stigend out of the scrap lumber from the old hall and kitchen: thatch roofs should be fairly easy to alter), but put up simple partitions that do not need Stigend's handiwork for more than some basic planning. These rooms would be large, light, and comfortable in summer.[/qutoe]Good idea.

My only worry is that they may be difficult to heat in winter, but if this is brought up Marenil shall point out that winter is a long way off, and there is plenty of time for something to be done about that.

Heat rises. With small hearths in the downstairs rooms, the attic would most likely be rather cozy in winter, and downright suffocating in summer.

I wonder if cast-iron has been developed, either in Rohan or Gondor? If at least in Gondor, he can write his son to have purchased and sent with Linduial upon her return several small cast-iron stoves or braziers.

The late 3rd Age is well into Iron Age technology. So yes.

This would free the regular rooms for guests, families, and officers, and for another little plan Marenil's got up his sleeve (to be detailed below). Those I think should be sent upstairs are Kara, Trys, Leof (who Marenil will give a room even if he doesn't use it to sleep in, as it might still be nice for Leof to have a more private space to himself, or to escape from the heat of the stables in summer), Merdha (when she arrives), and children or young people over the age of ten. There should still be plenty of space for later additions, and I don't think the children's space needs even to be partitioned off further than putting the adult rooms in between spaces for girls and for boys.

Except that you'd think they was nobles with all these highfalutin partitions. Children and parents room together.

All other householders and officers Marenil will move to the second story, (even to kicking Lin out of her room, and moving her downstairs if necessary for space) where rooms are larger. Only Frodides will stay downstairs, as her injured leg might prohibit her from getting up and down the stairs easily. This would create some separation between the household and the guests, fostering more of a family atmosphere (I hope). Rooms reserved for Gudryn and Aedhel (who are away on a rather long term basis) could be used as guest rooms for folks such as Degas or Thornden's sister: personal guests of the household, as opposed to the freeguests and visiting gentry.

Good.

There needs to be some space for livestock and to exercise the horses, and I don't think that would be too difficult to manage. ... If the Hall is not yet of the dimensions I have in my sketch, but is being expanded slowly, in stages, then there could easily be a great deal of space in front of it or in the courtyard available that is not evident on that sketch, and that will be available for a good long time, and probably Eodwine will be able to afford to expand his own estate (or set up a separate farmholding for his own table outside the city walls. or both.) long before that space is needed for building.

That makes 50 feet from Hall to road in the front by 100 feet wide. Plent of space. What on earth did Bethberry do with it all?

A few livestock (2 dairy cows, one of them pregnant (so we can have steak later (steak...mmm...(nested parentheses are fun!))), a pig, oh...twenty laying hens, and a rooster) would be fairly inexpensive, and Marenil feels he can stretch the budget to cover them, or if not, he recieves a private pension (delivered him by a merchant-banker who has an arrangement with Farlen in many different cities) and, as he has little need for the money now, he may make some small purchases (at least at the outset) out of his own money without telling anyone...might be entertaining later for him to be found out.

Interesting. Eodwine would be humiliated.

Marenil has noticed in his month of residence at the Hall, that although Eodwine seems to have the respect (albeit grudging in some instances) of the simple farmers, Eodwine's standing among his noble vassals seems dangerously low. None have come to pay him court, and he wonders if this is perhaps due to Eodwine's low birth, or to his harboring of Saeryn, a runaway, or to his favor with the King and rapid (and high) ennoblement. Whatever the reason, not one of the lesser nobles of the Middle Emnet have come to pay him court, and Marenil seeks a solution to this problem (which could become very serious).

This is based on a misunderstanding. If you read the posts on court day, you will see that folk of all stations did come; it's just that we have nobody writing noble characters, so their stories didn't get told. We can still conclude that many nobles did show up. That said, the level of respect is probably still less than it could be.

The easiest way for a man to affect another may (arguably of course) be through his children, and Marenil plans to encourage Eodwine to seek out a few high-born fosterlings to add to his household. These would allow Eodwine's nobles to take advantage of Eodwine's high standing with the court, foist off some of their mouths to feed, and tentatively align themselves with their new lord without risking anything more precious than a few of their younger children, who may be able to easier find a way to support themselves living in the city anyway. At the least, Eodwine's background and connections might help them rise in the Guard, surely not a shameful place for a younger son to go...

A nice idea, but Eodwine is not at all sure he's ready for such a venture.

And while the nobles take advantage of Eodwine's generosity, Eodwine is entrusted with the education (and foster fathering) of their children, and that cannot help but increase his standing, as long as the children are well-taught and do well in the future, and are fond of him...

ditto.

Well thought out, Jenny. There's enough here to fill the agenda for an entire year or more.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

For those that don't stalk me and therefore don't know already, I'm soon to be a lot less active.

From tomorrow until the first week of September, I'll be having the life that I've spent all summer working myself exhausted to have. The times in between my travelling, I'll be just as busy as I regularly am, with the additional work of packing to move back to school.

I'm not positive; I might be able to keep up. But in case I do fall out of contact, here's what's up with my characters after the time jump:

Farahil's with Lin. Use him how you will, Jen. I have nothing planned for him until he returns to Rohan. He can do pretty much anything, so long as he stays alive.

Degas should be considered gone from the Hall. He gave Saeryn and Eodwine a couple days' warning, but nobody else, except maybe Garstan's daughter. He left a week after Lin to do a few things that he needs to do. If Lin gets back before he does, so much the more entertaining. "I'll wait for you forever!" and he's gone. We should really petition B-W for an evil smiley.

Saeryn will be the hardest to keep up with, since she's the only one particularly active in the actual hall right now. I'll try to be around often enough to keep up with her. If I do fall out of contact, use her.

I think that's everything...

[littlemanpoet]

Thanks for the heads up, Fea.

Are there writers who want to post as soon as the new Day begins (which will be precisely one month after the current Day)?

These past few RL days seem to have been pretty dry across the Downs. Let me know.

Jenny, do you plan to write for Marenil in the next day or so, or should we give you all the time you need, and have Pio insert Marenil's response when you have time to write it?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by lmp

Are there writers who want to post as soon as the new Day begins (which will be precisely one month after the current Day)?

I guess both Stigend and Modtryth would like to post something as both myself and Lommy will be away again (from July 28th / myself, and July 30th / Lommy). I'll contact Celuien about the children and wish her to send her responses to both of us.

There is no hurry in a sense that we would need to have an immediate post, but it would be nice to manage writing something before we go off-line again for a week... Anyhow, our family has been at the Mead Hall a day and then we jump a month.

Please all the others, send us your thoughts via this thread or PM of what do you think or how do you wish to relate (or not to relate) to our family during that month. That would help making the leap...

[piosenniel]

Just a small request for those who might want posts placed - do give me the post # and tell me whether you want your post before or after the post already there.

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

I guess both Stigend and Modtryth would like to post something as both myself and Lommy will be away again (from July 28th / myself, and July 30th / Lommy).

If you want to post first on the new Day, please do.

Anyhow, our family has been at the Mead Hall a day and then we jump a month.

If you need a shorter time period, please say so. I asked everyone what was the longest time jump they could handle; nobody said anything specific, so I offered a month as a possibility. We don't have to go with a full month if you need something less; just say so.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Please all the others, send us your thoughts via this thread or PM of what do you think or how do you wish to relate (or not to relate) to our family during that month. That would help making the leap...

Saeryn will probably not interact much with Stigend beyond what is friendly or work-related. But I suspect that she will like Modtryth immediately as more than a mere acquaintance and she likes all children, so Cnebba is likely to find himself in the happy possession of more sweets than strictly necessary.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

If you need a shorter time period, please say so. I asked everyone what was the longest time jump they could handle; nobody said anything specific, so I offered a month as a possibility. We don't have to go with a full month if you need something less; just say so.

There probably is no problem with a month's leap. Any leap with someone who has just entered the place opens certain things that has to be thought of. How did the others relate to them after their arrival and their being there the first day, the second etc.? Were there any mishaps or incidents (positive or negative) during the time? How did they themselves adjusted to the people around them etc...? So we face the same questions with a jump of a week or a month.

And surely, that seems to be no problem. I think the relations between Stigend and Garstan seem to be right - and we have some nice plans for the kids' mutual relationships with Celuien. And what Fea wrote seems to confirm my positive expectations in relation of Modtryth taking her place in the Mead Hall.

But what about the others? At least people who would come to interact with us during the month should already have an idea about us (as we should of them). So how is Marenil or Nain going to see the newcomers, or Thornden, or Frodides and Kara, or others?

Or how is Trystan fitting in?

It would be nice to have a short idea from everyone actively writing, how they see all the newcomers. That would ease up writing the first post after the jump?

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

So how is Marenil or Nain going to see the newcomers, or Thornden, or Frodides and Kara, or others?

Nain, likely enough, would interact little with Modtryth or Cnebba. He's rather uncomfortable around women he doesn't know (and sometimes even those he does), and he'd have little enough reason to be around Modtryth, save insofar as he'd become familiar with her face. Much the same with Cnebba- I really don't see Nain being all that comfortable around human children.

Likely enough, he'd get to know Stigend fairly well. Though more of an ornamental sculptor than a practical stonemason, Nain is skilled enough at the latter, and would probably toss in his Dwarven two bits while Garstan and Stigend while they laboured, and would probably assist somewhat himself, while waiting for the fireplace to rise, so that he could "ornate" it.

I figure Nain would like Stigend, to begin with anyway, as a hard worker and level-headed man.

LMP- It had been my hope to get Nain to apologise to Saeryn and Eodwine before the Day was up. Mainly, I was waiting for the "council" to disperse... Since Nain is more of a recreational character than a "major" one, it's no biggie, but we should perhaps resolve where things stand at the moment.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Nain, likely enough, would interact little with Modtryth or Cnebba. He's rather uncomfortable around women he doesn't know (and sometimes even those he does), and he'd have little enough reason to be around Modtryth, save insofar as he'd become familiar with her face. Much the same with Cnebba- I really don't see Nain being all that comfortable around human children.

Likely enough, he'd get to know Stigend fairly well.
......
I figure Nain would like Stigend, to begin with anyway, as a hard worker and level-headed man.

That sounds fair and reasonable enough.

Stigend would be somewhat reserved with Nain as he has never actually met a dwarf in real terms (seen one or two in his life), but the qualities Nain is praising Stigend would be the ones Stigend would identify in Nain too. And surely he would be taken by the craftsmanship and the sheer wideness of the experience with all kinds of building he possesses. So with a slow start Stigend would have learned to appreciate the dwarf very much.

Is it alright with you if we share some funny incidences during the month we jump over? Stigend could remember a case where they had to bring a stool to help Nain to hoist a log high enough - and Nain could remember any occasion where Stigend had been a fool with Nain's trade or anythnig? That would bring some life to the relationship of these people, in a good sport-way.

It's seems more than easy seeing these crafters getting along with each other... Maybe we come up with some real disputes later - or find something to groan with others than us craftsmen / craftsdwarves?

[littlemanpoet]

Running out of time till roughly noon today: I'm happy to leave Day time for Nain. I still need to hear from Laui (?), Trystan's writer, before making any jump at all. Thanks for the reminder on that, Noggie. I've only scanned posts, so I'll respond better in a few hours.

[JennyHallu]

Sorry I haven't been around! Meant to write up my post Saturday but a catastrophic leak means I have no internet at home for a while. Trying to fix it, but my time here shall surely be somewhat curtailed.

[Thinlómien]

I'm back

...but just to be gone again on 30th.

Hopefully I will be able to do at least a post or two before I leave (for a week only this time).

(Then, I promise, I won't go anywhere... )

I read through both of the threads... I must say, you guys have been... well, productive. But things seem to be going along fine. That's good.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Running out of time till roughly noon today: I'm happy to leave Day time for Nain. I still need to hear from Laui (?), Trystan's writer, before making any jump at all. Thanks for the reminder on that, Noggie. I've only scanned posts, so I'll respond better in a few hours.

With Fea on but irregularly, I'm thinking it might be easier to deal with Saeryn in retrospect.

As regards Eodwine, though, I'll interrupt his conversation with Marenil... sometime after Jenny has Marenil reply to that dangling salute Eodwine made him.

[Laiudanama]

still need to hear from Laui (?), Trystan's writer, before making any jump at all.

Oh, I'm so sorry - of course, any jumping is fine with me

I'll attempt to get up some kinda post before the end of the week, of course, as I'm going on a tour of France with my choir on Saturday, and so probably won't have internet access; however, with 9+ hours of singing each day, I'm sorry if I don't manage it.

[JennyHallu]

Guys, go ahead and keep going. I'm at Taco Bell for free WI-FI right now (Taco Bell for WI-FI. How weird is that?) and I don't have time to get together as involved a post as I had planned right now. I'm not even on myown computer, just hubby's laptop.

I'll have Pio insert my post when I get it ready, or PM it to lmp so he can respond and edit it in. Go ahead and keep going.

Gah I miss internet. 3 whole days!!! (I am really spoiled)

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

With Fea on but irregularly, I'm thinking it might be easier to deal with Saeryn in retrospect.

If you post, Marty my dear, I'll respond. I've actually got a little more time than I expected for the next two days. Not infinite, but certainly enough to post for Saeryn if you can get a post up any time soon.

[JennyHallu]

OHMYGOODNESSI'MHOMEANDTHERE'SINTERNET!!!

Whew. I'm going to try to get a post up.

[littlemanpoet]

Wonderful! Things are falling together rather better than it seemed they would. Thanks for being so helpful, everybody!

So we're looking at Jenny, Formy, Feanor, and me posting once or more each, then we're done with the Day.

And Roggie does the first post on the next Day, a month later than the current Day, which will be May 22, Eorling time. Spring in the air, la dee da dee da.. and all that....

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Wonderful!

And Roggie does the first post on the next Day

Roggie?

???

But if you meant me, sure I try to do that before I leave to the youth-camp for a week on Thursday evening (+3GMT). If the thread is not at that point of time then gamewise, I might send it here to be placed on the thread or something.

And if I have not sent anything by the time, do not wait for me. I will be without any net-access for a week from Thursday.

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Roggie?

I didn't know you were a Balrog. Surprises are plentiful on this thread.

Apologies for my recent decrease in posting! I'll be home and ready to post this weekend, so I can pick up on the developments with Garstan and Stigend/the children then.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Celuien

I didn't know you were a Balrog. Surprises are plentiful on this thread.

Ack. Noggie. Am I in too many rpg's, or what?

"Roggie" is from ATM2, Noggie.