The Threat of the Trees: Discussion Thread

[mark12_30]

Oh, What a bonehead I am. And here I've been wondering why Endereth isn't playing along with my posts. No wonder she's been quiet.

Erm...is anybody carrying Endereth for Ithaeliel? Mattius, you're coming back from the forge in a bit, right? Are you ready to mentor (or tolerate, or however you choose to handle him) an airheaded naive insecure young elf?

I beseech you all: please don't go into Fangorn without me! I had a few plans as for what will be happening once we leave Isengard. Meanwhile, I'll leave the game-owning duties of the Threat of the Trees to Mattius, Brinniel and Auriel. I'll be seeing you all in late May/early June, then!

[DayVampyre]

Hey! Aylwen! What gives?


How am I supposed to PM you back an answer if I'm on your ignore list?

Oh, did I offend you?


[img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Oopsies! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Wrong button. I meant to put you on my buddy list! Shows how good I am with computers...I'll try and fix it...

Aylwen

[VanimaEdhel]

I'm here! And I posted! Finally! Yay! Sorry: I'm just happy I had *some* free time.

[Lyra Greenleaf]

Could someone perhaps PM me with some tree guidance?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Lyra and Auriel,

Regarding the Huorn.....please see my private message. This is a copy of what Auriel and I discussed earlier with Envinyatar.

Let me know what you think and if we want to go in this direction.

Cami

[ May 14, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[mark12_30]

I've edited the list (on page 4, bottom) a bit, but could somebody tell me who else has dropped out that's still on the list? (if you know)

Thanks!

Also, I edited my last post so that it left the identity of the next tale-teller open.

Are we pretty much marking time and doing character development 'til Ithaeliel comes back, or what's the plan?

[Mattius]

Yeah, we can tell each other of our characters for a bit but not too much though, then we'll perhaps get a room at the inn and see whether Ith is back by then!

[VanimaEdhel]

Gotta love cross-posting! Don't worry: I edited so that our posts fit more.

[DayVampyre]

Errgrraaa!

That's such a pain [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]


BTW, Alywen, it still doesn't work, I'm going to go and try again though,

Your PM's are getting through, however.

[EDIT]
Tried again, no workie, your profile bein' dorkie
[EDIT]

[ May 15, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

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

I think I figured it out, DV. I'm pretty sure it's working now.

I'll post soon. Soon. How long has it been for Ith? Two and a half weeks? She should be back in another one or two weeks I hope.

Aylwen

[Mattius]

I see her on every so often but she doesn't post on the RPGs. If you read this Ith could you PM me about some of the ideas you had like what would happen when we entered Fangorn?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Mattius, Ith, Auriel, Brinniel,

I'm wondering if some of the "good guys" and some of the "bad guys" need to coordinate a little behind the scenes regarding the question you raise in the space just above.

Don't we need to briefly touch bases on what the Huorn are doing, why they're upset, what could potentially appease them, etc.? Potentially, the early posts the Huorn do could have a major impact on what direction your company ends up going and what they are trying to do.

At the beginning of the RPG, Auriel and I corresponded briefly with specific ideas about why the Huorn were upset and some general things that could possibly happen in the game. Nothing too specific to squelch creativity, but a general idea of what direction we were heading.

It was at that point that Auriel told me she'd play a particular Entwife character. I also said I was available to play an Entwife later in the game. We haven't been in touch on this for some time. I was kind of hanging low to let the story develop and have you guys get closer to us.

A few days ago, I wrote both Auriel and Lyra (the other Huorn--see 5 or 6 spaces above) when Lyra asked about what the trees were doing. I included copies of what Auriel and I had talked about earlier. I wanted to confirm that Auriel still intended for us to go in that direction. If so, I was going to do a post to introduce some of that possible intrigue. (I also suggested Lyra do the same.)

So, right now, I'm holding off until Auriel gets back to me. Maybe it would be helpful if I also sent copies to Mattius, Brinniel and Ith of what Auriel and I discussed earlier? I'll go ahead and do that.

I am itching to go ahead with a post starting to outline the intrigue that's going on within the tree community, and what kind of outside people are approaching them, but feel I should wait to see if we're on the same page. If you have other things in mind, let me know and I'll have my chaacter adapt accordingly....

sharon

[mark12_30]

VanimaEdhel, I put Kalir on the spot with a tough question. If you don't like it, I can edit, but I thought it would be a good place to show the reader something more sinister, especially if the Huorns and Ents are going to speak up and tell us what's up in the dark forest!

If anyone else wants to chime in with thier own stories of loss, "while Kalir is considering his answer", go ahead. Or, Gamemasters, if I'm off-topic, just holler at me or throw something.

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

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Or, Vanima, if you don't like the question, Ajada can interrupt and cause more havoc with her suggestions of conspiracy and treachery. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Aylwen

[VanimaEdhel]

No, I'm good.

Wow: what an informative response. I say we start to break off and go to sleep soon because Kalir's getting *yawn* tired.

[DayVampyre]

hee hee, Avery's ahead of you on that note! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Mattius]

Hey everybody, I just got a PM from Auriel and she has said she will not be on for a quite a while but i am confident we will all be able to carry the Brown bumbling wizard!

[Bêthberry]

Greetings All,

I'm just back from an absence of ten days and have been trying to follow events here. It sounds like there is a bit of confusion which is bogging down the game's development, so I hope you won't mind a few suggestions.

First, people need a stronger sense of what is motivating the trees so they can position their characters accordingly. This discussion can take place on this thread or via PM. The actual situation does not need to be identified in the game thread yet, but such a plot device should be discussed and clarified--not to the point of ruining creativity, but to allow all posters some sense of where the game is going. Right now there are many vague posts all circling around the issue, but no clear problem is developing. This, I think, is confusing for both the gamers and the readers.


Second, while it is great to have a game co-owned, but I have the feeling that plans for the game are not being forwarded and discussed among all the owners. Is is the case or am I reading too much here? Especially in the extended absence of two of the owners, it would perhaps be best if the remaining game owners clarified excactly how the characters of the absent gamers will be handled as well as provide some explicit discussion of plot development. A list of who is still gaming would be helpful, with their characters.

Game owners, get your motors running! (That's a Steppenwolf reference, for all you youngsters. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img])

*curtsies*

Bêthberry

[ May 20, 2003: Message edited by: Bêthberry ]

[Bêthberry]

Fellow Rohan gamers,

Our gaming comes with a cost; it is time to reflect on this fact and make some changes to how we run our games.

We RPGers are the most voracious consumers of Barrow Downs resources. We use a game thread, a discussion thread, PMs to plan games, and are constant visitors to the site, often returning more than two or three times a day to keep up with developments in the game in order to prepare our own posts.

Why is this a drain on BD resources? Please take some time to read carefully and reflect seriously upon the Barrow Wight's recent posts in the "Announcements >> The Barrow Downs" forum concerning storage space and bandwidth, chat and discussion, and the costs of running the site, and then change your posting habits.

What are the most beneficial changes in our posting habits? For one, we need to stop using the discussion threads for idle banter, for personal comment. We must restrict our posts to discussion of the games only, that is, to issues of plotting, character interaction, clarification, and notification of absences. For most occasions, we don't need to make multiple posts about why we are absent or how we are doing and we don't need to make a string of 'see ya' posts in reply. For personal comments, we can use the chat room or PMs. A discussion thread that is far longer than a game thread is often a signal of a misuse of the discussion thread.

Please take the time to do several things: Delete posts or run of the mill comments in the discussion thread that have no bearing on the game. Refrain from such posts and comments in future discussions of the games. Limit your daily visits to the thread.

If we all help out, we can ensure that our games remain treasures in the Barrow Downs.

Thanks for being responsible gamers and credible members of the Downs!

Bêthberry

[Mattius]

Holy crap, all the other co-owners have seemingly dissapeared off the face of the Downs and left me(!) to run this game; the most inexperienced member of all. Dammit! Ah well, I am going to try my best although that is not so good.

Can everyone post about the night and then getting ready for Radagast's decision on what is to happen? When you have all done that I will post as Radagast/Mattius/Endereth and Calen too if Brinn's not posted (eek!).

Child of the 7th Age, I think we should go with your game plan, could you perhaps send it to me again in a PM as when I repiled to you it deleted the original copy! D'oh!!

All the best, Matt.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Matt,

I will resend the suggested game plan tomorrow,as I will be out this evening, and also contact Lyra and give her a copy as well.

Then I will do the first background post by sometime this weekend to begin paving the way for the action that Auriel and I discussed. As I noted, Auriel has given me permission to "carry" her Entwife character, but I will try to keep her mysteriously in the background for now.

Hope this helps.

sharon

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Hey Matt,

No worries, you'll do fine. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I haven't posted in a while, but I promise to do so tonight. Promise, promise, promise.

Also, Mattius, do you know when any of the other game owners will be back? Will we have to wait for all of them until we enter Fangorn?

Aylwen

P.S. Ajada has never touched a weapon in her life (unless stabbing people with a quill pen is considered using a weapon) would anyone care to show her the basics before the troop enters the forest?

[DayVampyre]

Ooooohhhhh...

I sooo call dibs on that one!


Hee hee, lets have some fun with pointy objects [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]


Stupid Quill Poker [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Child of the 7th Age]

I have done the first background vignette from the Huorn.

Sorry for the doggerel, but those visitors in the woods couldn't do any better. This is actual fortunate, since I am no poet.

Lyra, please clear your mailbox so I can send you a pm.

sharon

[ May 25, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mattius]

I think I read somewhere that Brinn and Ith's school year finishes June 6th so maybe they will be back then. Auriel is another mater, it could be a few weeks or never.

[VanimaEdhel]

I also get out of school on the sixth of June. Then I will have an empty week of freedom to hang out with you guys. Then I will leave on June sixteenth for Russia, Finland, and Estonia. I'm not coming back for two weeks, so you will have to do without me for the fourteen or fifteen days I will not be on. I just thought that you should know my schedule and know when I will be away! As of now, I'm pretty much free, except that I have finals coming up (and SATII tests), so I have a lot of studying to do. I'll try to come in at least once a day, at least once every two days, though.

EDIT:

Auriel is another mater

Who's the pater? And was there an original mater? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[ May 25, 2003: Message edited by: VanimaEdhel ]

[Brinniel]

I think I read somewhere that Brinn and Ith's school year finishes June 6th

Actually we get out June 5, but I suppose one day doesn't make much difference. Finals are very easy at my school, so hopefully I'll be on more regularly during the first week of June. I do not know about Ith, though. I will have to check and see when she'll be able to get back on the BD.

BTW, is there any certain date we have to have this RPG finished? The proposal says we have three to four months (posted in March), and right now with all these busy schedules and considering we haven't even come close to entering Fangorn, I don't see that happening.

[dragoneyes]

Seeing as I haven't actually entered the game yet and that I'm busy as it is (what with being on holiday and all). I'm going to pull out of this RPG. Sorry!

[Mattius]

Thats okay don't worry about it!

[VanimaEdhel]

A-posting I finally did go. Now I think we should all wake up soon. Not long until I depart for two weeks to Russia (3 weeks).

[DayVampyre]

Battling little old me?


And I've already gone ahead and put in for a new day, cause it's been what a month? and we've covered all of one night in the RPG?

[ May 27, 2003: Message edited by: DayVampyre ]

[mark12_30]

Dear Storymasters,

What's up with the mysterious song by the mysterious man on the mysterious cart with the mysterious harp? Can somebody pretty-please tell me a bit about what's going on?

I'm hoping to have LinGalad ask some more innocently-stupid/ stupidly-innocent questions that help send the story more or less in the right direction....

--Clueless From Mirkwood

[Mattius]

Hey, seeing as though we seem to be procrastinating and Ith, is nowhere to be seen (she had the original ideas) I am going to post Child's PM (with a few minor changes) regarding the storyline. If Ith. comes back then we can change it accordingly but here goes.

In our minds the only way to get the Huorn from going beserk is to have the Ents come back and reassert their authority. In fact, my character's secret is that the Huorn will die off, become just non-sentient trees, if there are no Ents to guide them. The only way to have this actually work is to have the Ents stop fading. What this means is that someone has to rediscover the Entwives.

The Huorn are upset and not too bright and also hugely powerful. They are obviously in danger of being taken advantage of by some bad people, and this is what will happen in our post. There will be some agents from east of Rhun, a place that was under Sauron's influence. Sauron may be dead, but they still have large slave plantations and they are afraid The King will shut them down. The bad guys have decided to make life miserable for The King and defy his edict to get rid of the slaves. To do this, they will need a strong ally who can't be pushed around. The Huorn are perfect for this.

They will enter into an arrangement with the Huorn by conning them. These men of Rhun are not stupid. They know the best way to control a Huorn is through an Ent. They don't quite have an Ent, but they do have an Entwife. (I figure they are about the size of a tree in an orchard, smaller than the Ents.) Tolkien said if Entwives survive, they are enslaved in the south or east. This is just what we're assuming. The bad guys have threatened an Entwife into cooperating by telling her that otherwise all her people will die. She will be a tool that the evil agents use to get the Huorn to go along with their schemes. We don't want to spell out all the ins and outs in advance, since we would just see how the plot goes and how everyone reacts, and pitches in. But this one Entwife would be physically hidden by the baddies. Only when the good guys rediscover her would they learn that Entwives still survive and they desperately need rescuing out east. We would set up the bad agents and the captive Entwife in our first few posts, exposing the infomation a little at a time, so everyone could gradually see what was happening.

[Bêthberry]

About that deadline, folks: Three to four months really does mean three to four months. It represents a committment and a promise to your other game participants and to your readers.

Don't assume that you automatically can just keep posting. The game owners will need to discuss that possibility with the Moderator. Receiving an extension isn't a foregone conclusion.

Please work very hard to find your direction and move rapidly. Incorporating Child's suggestions into the game is an excellent idea, particularly since one of the game owners has removed herself without giving much aid or direction.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ith, I wish you were here.....

Hope this is alright, but we really need to go ahead, as Bethberry says.

I have made the following assumptions about the baddies.

1. They are descendents of the Easterlings, a general term given to a number of different cultures/nations supporting Sauron in the War of the Ring.
2. They live in the region east of the Sea of Rhun.
3. Their culture and method of fighting bear a resemblance to that of the Wainriders, although the latter all perished at the end of the Third Age.
4. They are followers of dark cults, apparently involving the worship of Morgoth, similar to the story depicted in the fragment "The New Shadow" which appears in HoMe, XII.
5. They have something very interesting in the wagon which they have brought with them.

If anyone has additional ideas, suggestions, or such, please feel free to send me a pm or spell out suggestions on the discussion thread.

sharon

[VanimaEdhel]

I have a question to the game-owners: do you have any idea as to how we are going to progress so that we are actually out investigating, or were we supposed to wing it? I would deliver a post advancing the plot, except that I don't really know exactly what plans you had for getting us going.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Important Notice

Bear with me. This will be long.

I am not a game owner, as you can well tell! However, at the beginning of the game, I wrote to the founders. Since I was a huorn, I wanted to have some idea why I was running about murdering people!

Ith and Mattius referred me to Auriel, who is a game founder. This is what we discussed.

1. First, as Mattius has stated above, the bad folk" have been inciting the Huorn to riot with lies and half-truths. Now, they are coming into the forest to make a formal alliance with them. They are doing this because they wish to strike back against Gondor. BTW, these are the same people who have held the Entwives captive on large plantations for many years.

2. The bad folk or Easterlings are using one of the captive Entwives to try and control the huorn. This is the figure hidden in the wagon. Auriel agreed to play this character.

3. Auriel said the company should come into Fangorn and find and free the captive Entwife. Exactly how you would do this would be up to the good people in the company. But please don't kill the people from Rhun. Let them escape.

For now, the baddies are going to be camping in Fangorn. Once freed, the captive Entwife would pesumably beg the company to rescue her sisters in Rhun.

4. Without guidance from the Ents, the huorn can not control their behavior. They would wreck havoc not only within the forest, but eventualy march out (as they did in LotR) and begin attacking others.

5. To forestall this, the company would head east and look for the Entwives. Auriel felt the main body of the game was not in the quest to get to Rhun, but in what happens after the company arrives.

The freed Entwives will be able to awaken the Ents. By implication, the Ents would resume their traditional role and the huorn would both survive and behave.

6. Neither the company or the captive Entwife know anything of the Easterlings' wider plans. It would be up to the company to ferret that military information out, once they get to Rhun, and then warn the King in Minas Tirith.

Mattius, (and everyone else) would this be alright? If you've got other ideas in mind, I'll gladly defer/delete.

Perhaps, as the company escapes, the Easterlings could give chase. The company would warn the King, with all coming to a head in a final battle.

Do we want to folk from within the game adopt these baddie characters (my preference), or go outside for others to join?

Here are some possibilities:

I've already created two characters of Rhun---the prophetess/priestess Saelonia and a warrior who is yet unnamed. They are both servants of the Khan who, in my mind, rules over the Easterlings in Rhun.

We would also need captive Entwives back on the plantation.

Finally, we need an Ent or two to come along with the company when they leave for the East.

Anyone have additional ideas?

Cami Goodchild

[ May 29, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Ithaeliel]

Hello everyone!

I'm not quite "back" yet... right now I'm the busiest I have been all month, what with studying for end-of-course exams and tons of commitments- daily, almost twice a day there's something going on after school. I'm going to try and obtain a balance between life and here, though, during this home stretch to summer. I promise that I will post in the RPG and give my input on all that needs it as soon as humanly possible. Don't worry; I'm coming home soon!

With love to you all,
Ith

[VanimaEdhel]

Mattius, I have PM'ed you with a question about the immediate development of the game. If you could post it in here, that would be great, as I think it pertains to basically everyone here.