Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Firefoot]

Okay, I'm going to be out of town through August 1st, so if Leof needs to bring back some message from the king, feel free to handle that as you wish, Elempi.

[littlemanpoet]

Sounds good. Thanks, Firefoot.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

I did edit once. Is there something I missed?

In post #837 it says "Eodwine told [Harreld] to bring Ginna to Modtryth's room."

[littlemanpoet]

Thank you! Fixed.

Is there anything else anybody wants to write for this Day?

[Lhunardawen]

I would like to write something about Ginna and Harreld while Kara is with them in the kitchen, but with a plant taxonomy exam tomorrow (in nine hours!) and lab reports and plates and everything, doing so would be academic suicide.

I'm okay for a time jump.

[littlemanpoet]

The time jump can wait so long as there's something that still wants to happen this Day. I can wait.

[Lhunardawen]

I don't know when I'll be free enough to post my bit of nonsense, and what I want to write (probably) isn't really necessary. The others might want to get ahead with the events.

[Ealasaide]

Sorry I have been absent lately. I've been wanting to post, but it looks like I won't be able to write or get back online for any length of time until after August 12th. I'm leaving Friday for Pennsic (big Medieval Re-Enactment/War) and am in that last panic phase of packing for a week in a tent and building/strapping out armor, etc, for the battles.

I will be sure to post with Elian & Ghem both when I get back.

[littlemanpoet]

I'm just amazed that anybody got on this site the last two days. All I got was "Forbidden!"

Hmmmm.... I can wait, but I don't want my fellow writers bored waiting.

Is there anybody else who wants to write for toDay?

[Firefoot]

Psst, Elempi:

"I know of nothing, my king," Firefoot said in confusion.

Didn't know that Eomer kept his horse around as an active participant in court.

Anyhow, I don't have much else specifically to accomplish this Day. I'll probably write about Leof's return to the hall when I'm not so tired...

However, now that Sorn's land's are being brought up, I just want to check - nothing was done with the property at all? His stuff not gone through, nothing taken (what about living things eg horses?)? 'Cause if it was left... somebody *coughScyld* would very likely have returned to the estate to loot it for it's more valuable items... particularly coinage.

[littlemanpoet]

That's what I get for posting in a hurry. I'll fix it when I have time.

[Nogrod]

Sadly my hands have been full the few days I've been at home and I haven't had time to see what has happened here.

But like I said the last time I'm on my way to a summercamp tomorrow and will be back in a week just to start the school-season (the first days will be pretty rough). But I hope to turn back to this in 1½-2 weeks with at least some effort. I do have a few larger projects in the beginning of the season but it should ease a bit when September comes.

[littlemanpoet]

It seems that nobody has anything to post, or that we're waiting for Eala to post regarding Ghem and Elian. But that means waiting until 8/12, and that's a lot of days away.

If the rest of you want to do the time jump now so that you can write, I'm thinking that Eala could post retrospectively for her two characters, and then we could fill in the gaps as we go. Let me know.

[Kath]

Go ahead and time jump, my characters can deal with it.

Also, I won't be here for the next week as I'm going to France so don't write anything you need Frodides or Kara for.

[littlemanpoet]

Thanks, Kath. Anybody else?

[littlemanpoet]

Apparently not. I'll post the new Day sometime soon. I'm thinking one month into the future. Any problems with that choice?

[Folwren]

I just posted something that Tara had sent me through PM. She is currently gone right now, as I understand it. She wanted that posted before the time went on, but she wanted to know if Mith and I approved, but I never got back to her (I was gone on vacation before I received that) and I don't know if Mith did. Anyway, I popped it on before Elempi moved time forward. I will edit the post later and add a part for Thornden.

Mith and Tara, if I've done wrong, let me know.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Okay, I'm glad you beat me to it with that post, Foley. And I'm glad you intend to add to it with Thornden's reply.

If there's anything else that must happen in the old day, we can either add it to Foley's post # 852, or I can delete and hold back #853.

[Folwren]

Right, well, I noticed that you were replying to Eorling Mead Hall so I thought, "Hm, Tara would likely want that post up before he does..."

Anyhow, I've added my post to it, so you can go read that now.

Do we ever get to find out what passed between Eodwine and King Eomer?

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Do we ever get to find out what passed between Eodwine and King Eomer?

Yes. I have so much "up my sleeve" that it's going to take a few posts to get it all out there. One theme per post is how I've chosen to deal with things.

[Firefoot]

I have a request... Elempi, a little while ago you worked out the timeline for the Hall, and I just spent quite a bit of time (well... 10 minutes, probably) digging it up (I'm trying to figure out where Scyld's at) - could you link to it in your first post on this thread? It'd be very useful.

Here's the link, so you don't have to find it too: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...postcount=1595

Also, Folwren, I need to know what you decided about Javan before I can really post for Leof.

[littlemanpoet]

Good idea. Coming right up. And I'll edit that post too, because I keep an rtf copy on my home computer that I modify as I go.

[Folwren]

Elempi, if Javan is too mean and plagues her too much, I can have him removed quickly.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Foley, that post ... is .... hilarious!

So like a kid of that age, all whoopy about adventure, imagining the adventure is must have been like. I can't wait to post after that. ... but I'll have to wait until tonight.

[Folwren]

I'm glad you approve. Javan is extremely fun to write for. I can't imagine the pain it might cause, though, to a woman having gone through such things. I know Rowenna's pretty hardened, but all the same....to have her torments taken so lightly isn't nice.

I'm looking forward to your post.

-- Foley

[Firefoot]

Hope you two don't mind an interruption - Fol, let me know if you want Javan's bit of dialogue changed at all.

[littlemanpoet]

No problem, the more the merrier.

[Taralphiel]

Thank you Foley for chucking that in after my rushed PM. You're too nice to me!

Please give me a little time to read through the new updates. Jetlag seems to be taking a little longer to settle for me and I am a bit slow at the best of times.

- Tara

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by Taralphiel

Thank you Foley for chucking that in after my rushed PM. You're too nice to me!

Nonsense. It's the least I could do. I'm glad you're back.

Firefoot, don't feel shy to bring Leof back and take Javan away just because he and Rowenna are talking right now.

-- Folwren

[littlemanpoet]

Hee hee! Great plot turns and character development regarding Javan, Foley. I can't wait to have Eodwine come into the kitchen and ask the obvious question, "What was that all about?"

And soon enough I have a plot twist of my own, which most of you have already seen signs of, having to do with the lands formerly belonging to Sorn.

Well, I'll fess up. King Eomer and Eorl Eodwine have worked out an understanding that Eodwine is going to move his seat of authority to Sorn's former holdings; he keeps possession of the White Horse Inn, which may again be its name, and it becomes again a profit making venture. King Eomer retains possession and authority over Edoras and the immediately surrounding lands, and Eodwine moves to Sorn's former lands. Those who wish to, go with him. Those who do not wish to, stay at the Inn.

This rpg continues to unfold at the Inn, with the Eorl visiting perhaps once each month. Who runs it in Eodwine's absence has yet to be determined.

[Nogrod]

I'm so sorry I have been taken away from all this the last weeks - and will be hands full of work for a few days still.

Just work from early morning to over midnight every day...

But I'll be back as soon as I can. Within a week I hope.

[Formendacil]

I feel guilty asking questions about an RPG I'm hardly doing anything in... but I'm rather curious, and, who knows, the answer might prompt me to write here again...

Anyway, with the additional time now elapsed since the last Day roleplayed, has the construction ceased on the Mead Hall/White Horse Inn? If so, then nothing really occurs to me, except that it might be a graceful time for Náin to make his exit, and so relieve me of the guilt of leaving him postless.

On the other hand, if Eodwine pulls of the Hall without the renovations being complete, I can see a whole string of potential headaches (and headaches equals drama) for the new "manager", in not only having to rebuild a business that has been lost, while answering to the Eorl--and in a larger, more expensive, unfinished building to boot (to use more modern phraseology, perhaps).

Not being sure how long the renovations/additions were intended to take, and not having a clue what would have been normal in Anglo-Saxon times, I really have no idea where the building project sits at--though it occurs to me that making the Inn profitable may well be directly due to the costs of building (I live in a province where building costs are really high right now, and there is a lot of building going on in different corners of my life...).

Anyway, I was curious.

[littlemanpoet]

This is not an rpg per sé, and thereby does not entail the commitments obligating one to post every so often. This is a "home base" for Rohan characters, which can from here head off into rpg's, or not, depending.

Therefore, guilt simply does not obtain.

If you do not post for a while, your character is inactive. If you cease to post for more than a month anywhere on the Downs, then I'll write your character having moved on.

But guilt is unnecessary. So stay and post as much or as little as you like. Something can always be thought up to make your character more useful according to your lights.

As for construction, I'd say that it is more or less complete in its basics. There may be detail work to be done. However, the new holding (Sorn's former holding) will need lots of work.

[Thinlómien]

I've finally read through everything that has happened since the men returned from the ruins. I must say that you've all written awesome posts and I truly mean it. It was really enjoyable to read through the thread.

So, now I'm here and at last able to participate. I will hopefully write something next week, but if not, I'll be anyway following the thread actively.

Keep up the good work everybody, you're gorgeous writers!

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

This is not an rpg per sé, and thereby does not entail the commitments obligating one to post every so often. This is a "home base" for Rohan characters, which can from here head off into rpg's, or not, depending.

Therefore, guilt simply does not obtain.

If you do not post for a while, your character is inactive. If you cease to post for more than a month anywhere on the Downs, then I'll write your character having moved on.

But guilt is unnecessary. So stay and post as much or as little as you like. Something can always be thought up to make your character more useful according to your lights.

As for construction, I'd say that it is more or less complete in its basics. There may be detail work to be done. However, the new holding (Sorn's former holding) will need lots of work.

Ssssh!!

While all you say is well and good, if you ever want me to post again (and I would prefer to be wanted than not), a little guilt is mighty powerful incentive. After all, the satisfaction of a post well done only comes AFTER the post is written.

[littlemanpoet]

Ah but guilt as motivation is a poor step-sister to the interest of the story and character, and much more likely to hinder creativity than engender it.

I am still seeking comments on the problem of Sorn's former lands. Which I think are going to be renamed Scarburg, for the "Scar" of rocky land nearby, as the locals call it. ..... makes it reminiscent of Scarborough, which is simple linguistic coincidence.

Anyway, as for Scarburg. Eodwine is going to go there to live, at some point. He will request that certain people come with him to his new "seat of governance", or some such. Rowenna is very likely to go with him, considering her motivations. Falco, I don't know. Eodwine is considering asking one of the Smith twins to become his Black Smith at Scarburg. Who joins him depends, perhaps, on where Ginna goes.

I don't really like moving Eodwine off center stage, but the idea of the Eorl of Middle Emnet having his seat of government right under the nose of Meduseld just doesn't make sense, at least not for the long term. King Eomer can see the problems with it: the King ought to be the authority of even local affairs in his own town. So he wants Eodwine to move, regardless of what Eodwine wants. What Eodwine really wants is to "shuck off" the Eorldom and become the tavern keeper at the old White Horse Inn, but that's not one of the choices available to him.

So where do you want your character to live?

[Folwren]

Eodwine, by rights, should be the one to choose. Everyone at the Mead Hall works under him and answers to him and in essence, does what he wants and will live where he wills them. Wouldn’t the Eorl’s entire household go with him? He will need an ostler and cook, at least, in his new holding, not to mention a few other random servants.

I honestly don’t know about Thornden. An inn would not need a man-at-arms, and if Eodwine does not need him at his new place, he may go back to Meduseld.

As for Javan – well, his father wanted to find him a place in Eodwine’s service, so I’m guessing that, if you’ll have him, Javan will go where Eodwine goes. However…..heh…..don’t make up your mind too fast. We always have an option of sending him home if he doesn’t work out.

My main question is, does the main play have to stay at the White Horse Inn? And my next main question – why?

-- Folwren

[Lhunardawen]

Ginna definitely goes with Eodwine; it was to him she was entrusted by Randvér, after all. But I don't see any reason (yet) for Ginna to be visiting the Inn every once in a while, so if the RPG is centered there, what would Ginna do?

[littlemanpoet]

So what I'm "hearing " is that it's probably best to keep this thing "The Eorling Mead Hall" with its cooks, ostler, servingwenches and men at arms, and just move the location to Scarburg, and have the White Horse Inn be a source of livelihood the Eorl has in Edoras. That actually sounds pretty simple and a lot less bothersome.

And that means that Harreld wants to become Eodwine's Smith, leaving Garreth brotherless and miserable back in Edoras, unless Garreth decides to offer his services too. Hmmmm! I'm beginning to like this direction. What do others think?

Just a thought: Frodides stays in Edoras, unless Kath really wants her along.

Now we need to start thinking about the layout of Scarburg.....

[Kath]

Aww, but she's such fun to write. I'll have a think about it.