A House Divided Discussion Thread

[elven maiden Earwen]

Sophia, ignore the PMI sent you. KK

I'll have a post up soon

(stupid)Forever~Earwen


EDIT: My post is up. Tell me if you need me to change anything. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ July 23, 2003: Message edited by: elven maiden Earwen ]

[The X Phial]

Hi all, I got an email from Gelion asking me to write her cats since she is out of town until this weekend. She also asked me to let everyone know here because for some reason her sister's school's firewall (where she is visiting) will not let her visit the downs herself. For that reason, the post I am writing now will include six cats rather than three. This is with permission.

[Envinyatar]

e m Earwen

Tarciryan has you riding a horse back to the palace with them, and has asked you to send a fast message to the King's residence that they will arrive shortly.

Follow up on that if you'ld like. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

I think he looks fine, Lyra, and I'm sorry about Morwen's lack of contact with the other characters [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]. It's a good time actually, for you to add a second character, as Earnil is just being added to the story. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Evinyatar- is this good for you?

Good posting everyone.

Sophia

[Envinyatar]

He sounds fine! I'll ask Pio to put his post up.

Note, I did edit my post where we head to the palace - Caeran is the guard who comes with us while the other goes to investigate.

[ July 23, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

[piosenniel]

Lyra

The post is placed.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Hey all-

I will be gone this weekend (YAY! Going to meet Downers!), but I will be back on Monday... after that I will have less internet access until next Friday, so I can't guarantee I will be around much.

TheXPhial, Alaklondewen, and Belin all know what is going on and should be able to keep things going without me. Not that you guys need much help anyway. Keep it up! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Sophia

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Hey! I’m going away on holiday for two weeks, starting tomorrow. I’m hoping to be able to check in on the 2nd of August, and probably post. Please continue to use my characters, so that they don’t drop out of sight. You can do pretty much what you like, as long as it’s in character. Use them as much as you want!
See you all soon. Well, kind of! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[alaklondewen]

I will be gone for the weekend. I will have the pleasure of meeting fellow Downers also. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] I will post as soon as I return at the beginning of the week.

[Envinyatar]

Eärnil is now 'safe' at the palace . . .

If you wish, I'll set up the small dinner party for the following evening.

[Envinyatar]

I took the liberty of moving us on to the evening of the next day.

The day following will be the one in which there is the small dinner party - King, Queen, Tarciryan and family, Gaeradan who will attend on the King, and ?Morwen is attending on the Queen.

I'll leave a couple of 'SAVES before my present post in case anyone needs to fill in something. I can also carry King Tarannon if need be for the dinner party.

_____________________________________________

elven maiden Earwen - nice post! Pelladal might want to overcome his shyness a little and let Gaeradan know about what he's heard in the marketplace. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

_____________________________________________

Anyone who wants a post put in one of the saves - you can put it on the discussion thread, and I can place it for you, or Pio can.

[ July 30, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

[elven maiden Earwen]

elven maiden Earwen - nice post! Pelladal might want to overcome his shyness a little and let Gaeradan know about what he's heard in the marketplace

Ok I will do that but when excactly?

[Envinyatar]

elven maiden Earwen

It is the evening before the small dinner party. Gaeradan should be in his quarters since he's left Eärnil - go up to his rooms and knock on the door, and ask to speak with him - then go on ahead and tell him what you've heard in the marketplace. I'll save a place right after your SAVE, and follow up on that.

- E -

[ August 02, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

[elven maiden Earwen]

Ok I filled in my save.

[alaklondewen]

Please accept my apologies. Life and work has unexpectedly left with only a little time now and then for writing. I'm so sorry, I haven't been able to post in so many days, and I hadn't posted this on this thread yet. I have kept Sophia informed, though. I will be back in full swing very soon I think.

Anyway, I would like this post to be entered into one of the saves before the scene with Huan. Thanks. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

********************

The palace kitchen buzzed with excitement as Habeth maneuvered around the other servants. The Queen was still refusing to leave her room since the night Miaama disappeared, and Habeth was determined to see her eat.

The heavy-set cook stood behind a long counter stirring a sauce when Habeth finally found him after a few minutes of being bumped around. “’ello, Habeth!” The man offered the servant a taste off his wooden spoon. “How’s the Queen treatin’ you?” Before she could reply, he went on. “I bet she’s none too happy about her nephew’s arrival this afternoon.”

Habeth could feel the color drain from her face. “Her nephew’s arrival? This afternoon? Are you sure?” This couldn’t be…he wasn’t due for two more days. Beruthiel would be devastated when she heard this.

“Yes, ma’ame,” he said nodding energetically. “The boy had some trouble too, I hear.”

“What do you mean…what trouble?” Habeth was suddenly sick to her stomach.

“You mean you haven’t heard yet?” The man’s eyes widened with shock and he rubbed his hands vigorously together with excitement. The stocky figure leaned far over the counter and told Habeth everything he’d heard about the boy’s ‘near accident’. What worried Habeth the most was the idea of it not being an accident at all.

“Oh, dear…that poor boy.” The cook shook his head sympathetically and returned to his sauce. “Do you have the Queen’s plate ready?”

The man exclaimed that he’d almost forgot and laughing he walked away only to return moments later with a wide silver platter. He laid it on the counter and uncovered the entrée to reveal a small roasted hen and fresh vegetables. Nodding with approval, Habeth re-covered the dinner and spun on her heels to return to the Queen’s rooms.

******************

Habeth needs to tell Beruthiel about Earnil's arrival. Sophia can do this, or I can. If the scene has not happened by late tomorrow, I will write another. I think it will be an important scene. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Evinyatar- for your second save spot.

***********************************
"Come in!" The command came from behind the sable curtains of the queen's bed. A lone hand protruded from between the matress and the curtain, beckoning toward where Habeth's anxious voice was calling. Inside the comforting darkness of her bed, Beruthiel felt the press of cat bodies all over her, from where Pirro's tail tickled the underside of her chin to where Miaama presided over her feet like purring royalty. The queen wanted no company but theirs, for it seemed that they alone understood her. But Habeth's voice intruded into her misery at regular intervals. Faithful Habeth who had followed her from her homeland. "Come in!" She called again. At least she could talk.

Habeth stood outside the curtains, only her voice breaking the solitude. "Milady, I brought some food." The sound of a lid being removed, and then Beruthiel could smell the meat and vegetables. She sighed heavily, she wasn't hungry. Habeth knew she wasn't hungry, she had only been told five or six times in the past few days. Mosi put his head through the curtains. Beruthiel knew he was giving Habeth a disdainful glare for interrupting. Hearing the Queen's sigh, her handmaid repeated, "But, Your Highness, you haven't eaten in two days... you must stay strong." Silence. Beruthiel heard Habeth replace the metal cover.

"Well, Milady," she was distinctly more nervous. Miaama moved to the opening as well, tipping her white head to the side, and thrashing her tail against the covers. "There is news in the kitchens. Your husband's brother and his family have arrived early." A second white face appeared in the opening, Beruthiel's.

"They are here today?" She whispered it under her breath, before emerging entirely from the four poster, disgruntled cats jumping to the floor all around her. "How could they be here already?" Her voice trailed off uneasily, and Habeth appeared to waver. Haltingly she blurted out the story of Earnil's near brush with death in the market square. Beruthiel sank into an upholstered silver chair, the blood draining further from her face, leaving it paler than before. For a moment her mind leapt from relief to disappointment and back again, before it settled on relief. She resented Tarciryan's son coming to interfere in her house, she resented the fact that Tarciryan's wife bore a son, but she had no wish for the boy to die. She gripped the arms of the chair with her fingers, trying to still their sudden trembling. Habeth stood to the side watching her with great concern, the cats drifting like silent ghosts across the floor all staring at Beruthiel with their wide green eyes.

After a length of time, the queen rose to her feet. "Help me Habeth." she said quietly, a look of desperation on her face. "Tarannon will summon me to dinner tonight, and I haven't anything to wear." Her voice was dazed. Shaking her head slightly, Habeth went to fetch the Queen's hairbrush.
************************************

Nice posts, Alak and Earwen. Three weeks till the end date, everyone.

I believe (though it is not yet final) that SusanDelgado will be picking up the part of Tarannon in place of Orual. Hopefully she'll jump in soon and then perhaps things will really take off! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Sophia

Hi and apologies all. I am sorry for my long absence, but I'm afraid it will now have to become permanent. I have had a family emergency come up and so I am moving and doing other things. I won't have time for the game. I am very sorry, especially to Sophia and Pio. I have already talked to The X Phial and Sophia, and they will be taking over my cats. I know they will be in good hands. Thank you all for a wonderful gaming experience. I am sorry I cannot see it through.

[alaklondewen]

Lyra - I'm not sure whether you're back yet or not, but I wanted to include Morwen. Let me know if you think everything is okay with what I've done with her. I thought it would be interesting to have a little 'showdown' between Morwen and Habeth. They have such different personalities and feelings for Beruthiel that there is no way they would get along.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Alak, wonderful post! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] I have one thing though... could you clarify when you are talking about "the boy" Earnil and when it is "the boy" Tarannon's page? I was confused the first time I read it, because I thought you had Earnil in the room.

Other than that, wonderful! I liked how you showed Morwen and I think (*hope*) Lyra will approve. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Sophia

[elven maiden Earwen]

Glad to have you with us SusanDelgado

Gelion : You will be missed. So sorry you couldn't stay with us.

interactions between Earnil and the other characters, particularly the soldiers.

What kind of interaction are you looking for and when should I post some of it?

[Belin]

I wrote this post, looked at it, and decided it needed to be earlier. I'm putting it here until we can figure out where it goes.

*******

“Was he seen?” asked Farucan, slipping unconsciously into the detached voice he used with customers whose requests were entirely absurd, in the very moment when, were he less disciplined, he would have been shrieking at them as they told him his mad great-uncle had done once, when he had been in power. Farucan had always been of the opinion that the man was no more mad than he was, simply more public. He had never bothered to apply these principles to Berúthiel’s madness, and did not at this moment; the servant was by far a greater concern.

His cousin smiled faintly. “How do I know? He was not captured, and he was not successful. You can hardly expect me to hear what they are saying of it at the palace.”

“I don’t see what good you’re doing me then,” snapped Farucan, dropping his professionalism for a moment and stalking over to the table. “If they blame a lazy merchant, that’s one thing, but if they know we want to kill the heir they’ll hunt us down. They’ll hunt me down. And if they saw that it was a man of Harad…” Farucan stopped suddenly, and shuddered, not wanting to give voice to the ugly possibilities that suddenly crowded his mind. There was no telling what Tarannon might do to find him among the many Haradrim in the city, or how much more bothersome the Gondorians would become, or what the king might do with him if he were forced to return to Umbar under such circumstances. He would have to flee into the wilderness, he was doomed, doomed…

“On the other hand, they did succeed in drowning somebody at the docks,” put in his cousin helpfully. Farucan stared at him.

“Who?”

The man shrugged. “Some lord. You told them to look for a ship from the south. Maybe you should have been more specific.”

Farucan waved this away. “The point is, you’re right. I need to hear what the palace thinks. Thank you for the news.” The other, correctly interpreting this as “goodbye,” took his leave in something less than the formal court style used in Umbar. Dense as he was, thought Farucan, even he seemed worried. This was serious. He walked purposefully through his store, trying to decide how many people he could find that he could both trust and spare. Counting the assistant to the caravanner who regularly brought him news and an exiled farmer he had often spoken with of late, perhaps four or five. It would have to do. With a sigh of annoyance he set out to find someone who could carry the message. Perhaps that irritable young clerk of his would do, though it might be something of an effort convincing the man that, at the moment, he was there to observe and not to act. The next step would have to be considerably more circumspect. Poison? Well, perhaps. Access to the kitchen would be a good idea whether or no.

For now, he stored the idea in a corner of his mind and hurried about his business. If he didn’t finish quickly, he would be late for his meeting with the cats, and he prided himself on punctuality. On the other hand, it was not a meeting he looked forward to.

************

I'll put up a profile for one of the kitchen guys soon.

--Belin Ibaimendi

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Awesome post, Ibai. How about we put it before Alaklondewen's post (which is in Evinyatar's save spot of July 30). Could you please post it in there, Pio or Evinyatar? Thanks.

EVERYONE There are only two weeks until the end of the game, so we need to hurry the plot along as we are not very close to the end of the story yet.

The next major incident is the dinner where Beruthiel, Tarannon, Earnil, Tarciryan, Miriel, Gaeradan, and Morwen (and Huan [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]) will be in attendance.

Shumita- you will be the server/attendant at the dinner, as cook couldn't find a good replacement).

Athel and Lassra- will be at the dinner sneaking about.

Pelladal- you should be investigating the sources of the rumors... mention seeing a black cat around you. Probably one of Gelion's bunch.

Aylwen- check pms. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Sophia

[ August 07, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[piosenniel]

Belin's post is placed.

[Susan Delgado]

I am here, and posting. Glad to be aboard. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[piosenniel]

Please remember to remove your signatures from every post to the Game.

[piosenniel]

from SusanD

****HALF POST****
It is now nearly 5am, and I have been working on this thing since midnight. I will finish the meeting between Tarannon and Tarciryan as well as the meeting between Tarannon and Beruthiel after I have not been up for 20 hours.

[Susan Delgado]

I have now completed my post.

[Envinyatar]

Gaeradan will not attend the dinner with the royal family. He has sent another aide in his place - Andrus, whom you may use as you wish.

[ August 09, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

[Envinyatar]

Eärnil and family are now in the dining room, awaiting the arrival of the King and Queen.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Thanks Evinyatar. The King and Queen are now arriving!

[Envinyatar]

Sophia

I tried to PM you - but your PM's are full:

How quickly do you want to move through dinner? What needs to happen during this scene? the King I'm sure will need to post - how much back and forth will there be between the King and Queen?

I will post something from Eärnil's point of view, and will include Andrus, Tarciryan, and Miriel in the post. I'm just trying to decide when to do it.

Sorry if I seem pushy - but I am used to faster paced games than this.

[ August 09, 2003: Message edited by: Envinyatar ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Evinyatar- My pms are clear now.

The dinner party isn't going to be a major affair, just something to show some interaction between the king and queen (as we haven't had any yet). I have just posted, one post from you (as soon as you like) and one from Susan ought to be enough and then I will finish it off.

Sorry about the slowness of the pace as well, I have had a lot more than I expected to do this summer, including several moves and taking up ownership (unexpectedly) of another game. I am now settled in for the next few weeks and the original owner of the other game has returned, so we can expect the pace to pick up a little bit from here until the end.

Also, expect a schedule of events with completion dates to go up on this thread sometime this evening or early tomorrow.

Very very nice posting everyone.

By tonight or tomorrow I intend to have Miaama's post of the arrival at Farucan's warehouse up. Belin should be ready to respond with some plans for Earnil's death [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img].

Habeth is doing a little investigating on her own.

SusanDelgado should post ASAP with Tarannon's input on the dinner, and a little announcement.

Sophia


Eek! I forgot Beruthiel/Shumita should post at the dinner party too.

[ August 09, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Important update!

Beruthiel's ultimate downfall (the evidence that leads the King to tie her to the assassination attempts) will be Farucan's written return message to the Queen.

I have set it up so that Farucan gives a return message to the black cats in the warehouse. Miaama will entrust this message to Yawla to see that it is safely hidden.

However, during the investigation following the second assassination attempt it will be found, providing the ammunition for Tarannon's subsequent abandonment of Beruthiel.

Belin, please make the contents of the response sufficiently incriminating. This will be, of course, the first Beruthiel has heard of any of it [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img].

Sophia

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Hey, I'm back! I'm definitely happy with Habeth and Morwen's conflict. I've actually extended it a little, so if Sophia agrees with what I've put for Beruthiel, could this be placed after alaklondewen's 6th of August post?

“And anyway, the Queen wants privacy. She’s asked to be alone.”
Morwen's heart fell. For once in her life she wanted to see the queen and this servant would not let her? Suddenly a thought occurred to her.

“Is that so?” she replied with a patronising smile. "Well I am afraid that there are too many things to organise. I have been notified that I am to attend the queen to a dinner for her nephew tonight. I suppose she has left all the details with you?"
Morwen looked at Habeth with eyebrows raised.
"No?" she added in false surprise at the woman's blank look. "Well if you will excuse me..."

**********************

Morwen found the queen staring blankly at nothing. She couldn't see or hear any of the cats, and relief warred with a feeling that they were just behind her, about to pounce... Grimly she resisted the temptation to turn around.

"Your majesty" she began, then gave the merest hint of the required courtsey, "I have to attend you to the dinner. I don't know if you've been told?"
The words of dismissal that Morwen could see had been forming on the queen's lips died, and her eyes unfocussed.

"Very well" she said resignedly, no emotion entering her voice.
Shall we see how calm you are after my news, your majesty? Morwen taunted silently.
"I am sorry I was late, your majesty" she continued evenly "but it seems that my son is one of the guards of the heir, your nephew, you know."

With pleasure Morwen heard the intake of breath at the mention of her son, and another as she talked of the heir.
I still do not think that memory is enough to get me through an evening with you and T-, the king, she thought viciously.

"Of course my son is a very good boy. I believe he takes after his father, although he has my-" Morwen cast around for a feature, "hair" she concluded.
"He is getting married soon. I suppose that in a few years I will be a grandmother! How old that will make me feel, indeed." she added with a false chuckle.

"Come back to me in an hour" Beruthiel said, turning away. There was a hint of strain in her voice that had not been there before. Excellent, Morwen thought as she left politely, exchanging false smiles with the queen's servant outside the door.

Also, you didn't mention Morwen posting at the dinner- do you want me to?

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

That's excellent Lyra, and of course, more posts are never a problem. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] Could you paste it in Pio (or Alak)?

Pio has agreed to let us have two extra weeks to finish this game off, the new end date is September 9. Even with the extra days it is important that the game keeps moving at a fairly good pace. So toward that end, here is a:

***Tentative Schedule of Events for Finishing the Game***

• Beruthiel and Tarannon's dinner Party- Finish by 8/13
• Miaama's meeting with Farucan and trip home- Finish by 8/14
• Second Assassination Attempt Planned and Exectued- Finish by 8/21
• Rescue of Earnil and Resultant Aftershocks- Finish by 8/23
• Investigation and Discovery of "Beruthiel's" Involvement- Finish by 8/30
• Tarannon Deliberates on what to Do- Finish by 9/3
• Tarannon Abandons Beruthiel (& Cats) at Sea, Farucan Escapes, Final Wrap up Posts- Finish by 9/9

And that, of course is our game. There is a little leeway here, not with the end date, but with the dates in between. However, for the most part I would like to see people posting within the timeline given. If you can't make it back in time, I will be putting up the occasional SAVE spot along the way, but try not to use too many. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Sophia

[ August 10, 2003: Message edited by: Sophia the Thunder Mistress ]

[piosenniel]

Lyra's post is on the game now [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[elven maiden Earwen]

Sorry everyone I've been really busy but I'll try to fill in my save,tomarrow at the latest.

[Sophia the Thunder Mistress]

Whoa, I'm back from my business... I have put a whole bunch of saves on the RPG thread for the winding up of the dinner party, so those of you who want to post a bit toward the next event may begin to do so at any time.

Beruthiel (Shumita)- I put a save post up for you, even if you havent been planning to post [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] we would like your input on the dinner party.

Even with our big delays, I would like to try to stick to the times listed on the original outline as much as we can (perhaps move the deadlines back two or three days?) so lets move the plot along ASAP.

I have Beruthiels next post written up to the point where I need Tarannons post to continue.

Sophia

[Envinyatar]

Let me know if I need to move my post further down the line - it will be a late night post following the party.

[Susan Delgado]

Earnil’s exit was met with a profound and embarrassed silence. Everybody looked at their plates, or the ceiling, or anything except each other. Tarannon could not understand how his brother could have raised such an ill-mannered little brute, but he supposed he would have to deal with the boy as he was. Perhaps with further training Earnil would learn not to storm out of formal meals with his king. Finally he turned to Andrus and said, “Andrus, please go fetch the boy back here. I have an announcement he should hear.” Andrus nodded and left the room smoothly and silently.

“Well,” he said with somewhat forced joviality, “Shall we continue our meal?” He tore into his game hen as delicately as his station and his stomach would allow, and the others could hardly do likewise. They all ate eagerly and heartily for the minutes it took until Andrus returned.

They heard the two returning long before they actually arrived; Earnil had not chosen to go quietly and was howling and yelling as much as any common-bred and much younger child would do. Tarannon would have to put a stop to this. The boy was ten years old! Much too old for him to be carrying on this way, even if one did not consider that he was a Prince of Gondor as well. They could hear Andrus trying to quiet the boy with reason, but it seemed Earnil had no thought for anything but his puppy, and was imaging all manner of slights and hurts done to it that Tarannon, quite frankly, had not witnessed. Finally Andrus fell silent and after the sound of something soft being struck, Earnil stopped howling as well, and a few moments later they entered the room, with no indication that there had been a delay. The guests followed their lead and did not acknowledge the ruckus they had heard. When Andrus and Earnil resumed their seats and had both eaten a bit, Tarannon rose his glass in a silent plea for attention.

“Well,” he said, smiling warmly, “We would like to formally welcome our visitors.” He nodded simply to Tarciryon and Miriel, who returned his salute. “Now, I know only Earnil will be remaining with us, but I sincerely hope our dear brother and sister will remain as long as they wish, and offer them the use of the castle as if it were their own.” He smiled again and drank from his still upraised goblet, then put it down and glanced directly at his nephew. He acknowledged the dessert when it was served, a delicate pastry filled with chopped fruit and some sort of creamy yellow sauce. He delayed his announcement until after everyone had finished and the after-dinner wine was being served, so it would have maximum impact without distractions. Not that everyone didn’t know it already, but he had learned in his years as king that the manner and timing of an announcement were nearly as important as the announcement itself. So, he waited until everyone was relaxed and calm to announce that Earnil would officially be made the heir tomorrow; he would draft a proclamation and send it through Gondor with the fastest runners he had. He glanced around the table, beaming. Everyone seemed happy except Beruthiel: she was staring at her plate (had not finished her pastry, in fact, but was swirling her eating utensil inside it, disrupting the delicate balance of the fruit and the sauce). Tarannon frowned. She would have to get used to it someday; all her moping did not look good. She had known this was coming, and had had plenty of time to get used to it. It was her own fault if she hadn’t allowed herself to accept the reality of Earnil being the heir. She would never have a child, and that was that and he was very tired of watching her sulk. To get his mind off his Queen, he instead watched Tarciryon and his family. They obviously could not be more pleased, and it occurred to Tarannon that, despite his earlier histrionics, Earnil really was a good child, and very clever for his age. He would make a fine king when he grew up.

[ August 15, 2003: Message edited by: Susan Delgado ]