Here There Be Dragons - Discussion/Planning

[Ealasaide]

Child~

Then, again, I can't imagine why anyone would be referring to my character in such a way!

No offense intended!

Your plans sound good to me.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Esty,

Whoops, I have other questions. Does anyone in the Eagle camp know about the city that Wyrma is building? My impression was that this is still a secret, but I wanted to check.Wouldn't other maenwaith , friend or foe, be able to see a new city going up, or is it in a sheltered location that is not accessible to the eyes of either the SC or Falasmir's folk?

A related query --are there any of Wyrma's maenwaith followers currently living in that half built city, or within the area surrounding it? If Wyrma's adherents are not yet living there, where are they clustered? Is it within Umbar itself, or in the desert area close to Umbar (but not yet in that city)? If I remember correctly, we had initially discused placing them outside of Umbar, but quite close to the city in the desert. Is this still the case?


I do have a reason for asking this. Nerindel had mentioned she might be having her character ask certain questions of Ráma. My answer to at least one of those questions would be somewhat contingent on what I do or do not know about that city and who is living there. Secondly, if Wyrma's folk live in the desert close to Umbar, why didn't Ráma have any trouble on the first leg of the trip getting through the area with those clans? Or perhaps, Wyrma's folk lie slightly to the north, and Ráma's path takes her south?

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

I will try to make the request vague enough that you could actually do a later post between Narika and Thorn, or we could simply mention later that Thorn gave his assent to this.

Hmm...I think that I could write something up for that, but might have to put in a save if it comes up terribly soon. As Ealasaide mentioned, I'm expecting company!

[piosenniel]

Cami

I am going to try and figure out the likely length of such a trip by looking at Fonstead and calculating the distance. If anyone already has figures on this, let me know.

I don't mind doing this for you - but I'm a little unclear about where you are at the moment.

Pio - I believe you once mentioned that the Umbar storyline was chronologically "behind" that of Gondor. How large is that gap now? And how quickly would you prefer we "make up" that difference?

The Gondor story line is approximately 1 week ahead of the southern storyline. There is no hurry to make this up, as I need to fit in several posts for Rôg before Pio and Baran arrive.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Regarding Pio's kind offer to come up with calculations on the length of our route and how long it will take to travel that far.....

I don't mind doing this for you - but I'm a little unclear about where you are at the moment.

To tell the truth, so am I. Esty mentioned the waterhole as the place where the travellers would likely head, so I made a beeline for that oasis without looking where I was going!

I think we can assume that the oasis is due east of Umbar and about a six to seven hour journey from the city, since Esty implies it is the first real place to stop. We started out at the crack of dawn so it is likely mid-day to early afternoon now. My initial impulse was to have Ráma now veer off to the south. Does that help? Esty - If you had something more specific in mind, let us know.

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Ealasaide,

Actually, I chuckled when I read that 'thorny' description!

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Hilde,

The save sounds fine. I'll go ahead and put one up for the initial conversation between Narika and Ayar so you can put yours after that. If you need to use Narika or Ayar in your own post, of course, feel free to do so. Enjoy your company.

~Cami

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I think we can assume that the oasis is due east of Umbar and about a six to seven hour journey from the city, since Esty implies it is the first real place to stop. We started out at the crack of dawn so it is likely mid-day to early afternoon now. My initial impulse was to have Ráma now veer off to the south.

Sounds good to me.

Does anyone in the Eagle camp know about the city that Wyrma is building?

I would certainly think so! It doesn't seem that the Maenwaith are scattered so far apart, especially with their proximity to Umbar, that something like the building of the city wouldn't be noticed by others, who would spread the news.

Are there any of Wyrma's maenwaith followers currently living in that half built city, or within the area surrounding it?

Yes, the city has been growing for some years, so there are people living there - Wyrma's most devoted followers and those instrumental in building it at any rate, along with others with trades needed by the city dwellers. Those who do not yet live there are still in their desert dwellings for the most part, except for those who live in Umbar for trade reasons.

Why didn't Ráma have any trouble on the first leg of the trip getting through the area with those clans?

Well, not all of the maenwaith know each other by sight, and certainly not in their animal forms, so why should they recognize anyone unless it's a prominent person? Even then, without modern media, they wouldn't know the faces unless they'd met personally.

Perhaps, Wyrma's folk lie slightly to the north, and Ráma's path takes her south?

Fine with me.

As I understand it, the maenwaith are living in scattered tribes, and in their human forms, they don't know if another person is one of them or a "normal" human. Does that clarify the questions?

[piosenniel]

About this: in their human forms, they don't know if another person is one of them or a "normal" human

I don't know if they know for certain - but Baran (Mith) recognised a 'vaguely familiar' scent about the assassins who were in Gondor.

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Cami

My camel source says that camels walk at @ 2.5 mph; trot/jog (very easy for them to maintain over long distances) @10mph; and can do short distances at a canter @ 17mph.

So 6 or 7 hours east of the Umbar city is around 70 miles.

From there to where the Eagles are along the foothills of the mountains south of the mannish city is about 250 miles

So how about 3 days of travel from the oasis - giving time for pit stops and sleep.

How's that sound?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Thank you Esty for that information and also Pio for the camel calculations. I have gotten bogged down with any number of things so my save is still vacant.

However, I hope to make some progress over the weekend.

[Nerindel]

As far as I can tell Korpulfr is still several hours ahead of the rest of the Umbarian contingent, my plan is to post after Child has posted for Rama, (no hurry I still have several posts to do for Lingering Darkness) so that I can carry him forward to almost the same point. but I will need a few things answered first.

Child is it alright if Kor runs into the caravan Rama spoke to at the oasis?

Also there is the matter of the elusive SC Bird, I planned to have Kor stop at several nomadic camps during his search for the Gondorians and Tinar. For info as well as to inquire if any of them had seen or heard of a female stranger wandering the south lands. It would be useful if I could have one of these tribes mention something about her that he could use when he is trying to convince Mithadan that he knows where she is. Is there any thing distinguishing about her or a vague description that would give a little credability to his deception would be helpful.

Thanks
~Nerindel

[Child of the 7th Age]

Nerindel,

I see no reason why they couldn't run into the caravan.

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I've filled in my save for Narika and Ayar and will start working on Ráma's post....

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ráma and the men are now within an afternoon's ride of the Eagle camp.

If anyone needs to do an earlier post, just let me know and I will hopscotch over you.

I hope to fill in my one remaining save tomorrow....

~Child

P.S. I gathered some excellent recipes for rattlesnake from the internet. I assume that we could use a similar method of cooking on our particular snake. And just a side issue.... If you step on the fangs of a dead snake, you can be poisoned for up to 3-4 hours later, or so the websites say!

[piosenniel]

Just a suggestion for the snake's head:

It needs to be buried. If a protein eating wasp of some sort eats the head it can take in the poison, then pass it on if it stings someone or something.

~*~ Pio, from rattlesnake country

[Nerindel]

I have put up a save for Sorona and Korpúlfr and hope to have it filled some time tomorrow.

However I still need to know if it is possible for Kor to hear some word of Bird. Unlike Rama he will not be avoiding dessert camp's as he will be using his position as trader to gain fresh supplies and information.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Ooh, Pio. That's interesting. I will dig a hole. What a great thing to remember for an RPG where you want someone to bite the dust!

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Nerindel - I will try to check on the other.

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Later edit: Snake head buried. I also added a sentence that Ráma is looking up in the sky for sign of the eagle but has not seen anything so far.

[Mithadan]

FYI, everyone, I will be on vacation from 6/14-6/21 and will have no internet access.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Nerindel,

On the other question you raised, I touched bases with Pio and Mith. We would all prefer that you hold off on this for now. (Not that it wouldn't be possible at a future date...)

We're still trying to nail down some things on the characer "Bird" and her possible whereabouts and will let you know as soon as we figure it out!

Hope this helps.

[Ealasaide]

FYI, everyone, I will be on vacation from 6/14-6/21 and will have no internet access.

I hope you'll remind us all again shortly before you go - I for one will probably forget by then & start wondering what has become of you! Have fun!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Whew! Save #212 is now filled in for Thorn.

Pio/Child do you have plans for that gruff voice Rog heard? I'm sorry that I am running behind here. Hope to catch up soon. (One can always hope can't one?)

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde,

Check your pms.

[Child of the 7th Age]

My save is filled in. In order to make the sequence fit better with Rama's later post, we may want to continue this discussion as a series of posts within my single box. What think you?

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Child, I have edited #212 for Thorn so that it fits in with Narika's.

And Pio I'm very interested to hear Rôg's explanation of himself. Narika's not the only curious one!

[piosenniel]

Poor Rôg has dithered a bit and missed the train of thought Narika was trying to get across to him. The poor dear is flustered . . .

[Nerindel]

Child I pm'd you Sorona's post.

I will fill Kor's post as soon as possible.

[piosenniel]

I'm going to start moving Piosenniel and Baran south toward Umbar. Faragaer and his ship will accompany them.

Piosenniel will speak with Elessar before they leave.

The Star and the The Scuppered Gull won't dock south of Umbar's bay until the gametime has moved forward somewhat.

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Hilde and Child

About Rôg - Thorn and Narika can always press him for a more complete answer. They may not get completely what they want, but they may get something to chew on.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Child I have PM'd you a post for Thorn. Hopefully, Rog will give us a little something more substantial to chew on!

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde,

Many thanks. Your post is up in square #214. I have also inserted mine immediately below yours.

Pio,

I think my post covers everything we had discussed. You are welcome to finish out the conversation or to open it up to other things, whatever works best.

~Child

[Child of the 7th Age]

Nerindel,

Please check your pms.

[piosenniel]

OK, then, Rôg has put in his two maenwaith-dinar's worth!

~*~ Pio

[Nerindel]

Kor's save (#216) is now filled, sorry it took so long.
Korpulfr is now at the same time as Rama and the Gondorians and about half a day behind them.

Child check your pm's

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Wow Pio, that 2 maenwaith dinar's you mentioned must be in Rôg's time! Worth quite a bit more these days. I think post #214 is going to keep right on growing!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Tinar has joined Kor and Hasrim at the watering hole and will proceed to the Eagle encampment with them. It is very unlikely that anyone would recognize him there, but it might be a good idea for him to assume a different moniker, if Narika is so good at remembering Maenwaith names...

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

The save for Surinen (#219) has been fulled in.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Nerindel and Hilde,

Remember those posts I promised to send you and/or get up on the thread??? Eeer, well, I guess I'll have to write them over the weekend. (Child slinks off with a guilty look on her face.)

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Rumor has it that Child was playing hookey at the Harry Potter movie along with her kids (who begged and pleaded with her to go), standing in a long long of crazy people who wanted to get into the theater the first day it was showing since they were handing out freebies to local moviegoers.....

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Serious edit:

Hilde -- I will send my post to you by pm.

Nerindel -- Do you want me to put both our posts up on the game thread, or will you put up your own first and I can then add mine?

[Nerindel]

lol Child,
Potter mania strikes again! my two are driving me crazy harry this and harry that!

But back to business, I thought you were going to add both posts to Rama's last post, but if you rather we open a fresh post thats ok, I can do that.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

No problem Child. Actually, it is debatable whether I will get Thorn's post done this weekend, due to an unexpected visitor. (Also we will probably be making our long trip to the theater shortly! )

[Child of the 7th Age]

No problem, Hilde. I'll pm the post tomorrow. Enjoy the movie. I do think it's better than the earlier ones....

EDIT ON CHANGE OF PLANS: Nerindel - Since my post is done, I'll go ahead and put yours up under your name with mine coming immediately after. Hope that works for you. Since the time line in the desert has not advanced, I'll put it at the end of the current posts.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Two more posts -- Hilde's and mine -- have been added to the lengthening conversation in space #214.

Pio - You may have a smile on your face when you see the end of Thorn's post. I know Aiwendil does!

[piosenniel]

I posted to #214. Rôg hopes he has answered the bulk of your concerns . . . but probably not, eh?

[piosenniel]

Cami

I need to clarify a timeline point with you:

Since the dinner at Korpulfr's and the escape of The Star - how many days have now elapsed?

I know Rama and party are within a few hours of the Eagle encampment.

Has it been 5 days? A week perhaps?

I need to know this to coordinate a report from the failed assassin to Wyrma.

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Child of the 7th Age]

Pio,

I am going to address this question purely from the view of Rama and the two travellers with her.

I know that it is just three days from the morning when Mithadan and Airefalas reached the caves where Ráma was. That would make it three and a half days from the dinner with Korpulfr.....

Actually, I based this on the information you had given me concerning how fast camels could travel and how quickly they were likely to reach the encampment in the foothills of the mountains.

As to how time is spinning out within the Eagle clan, that is less clear. I am hoping we are all on the same page!

If there is a problem with this or something else, we could conceivably alter a sentence or two in the earlier posts to make Rama's journey somewhat longer. Let me know what you prefer...

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Hilde and I are agreed that, for now at least, we will wrap up the conversation with Rôg. We're just consulting on how best to do that and will post or let you know shortly...

Can we now push forward into the Eagle camp itself? It would be about the dinner hour. I was waiting for all the earlier loose ends to be tied up, but I think that has happened. The only other possible loose end is the incense pot itself. Do we need to deal with that before the arrival of the travellers, or can further discussion of the pot be pushed off till after Rama and the men have arrived?

Ealasaide - Would you be able to incorporate our movement into camp in the save space you've put up? Or shall one of us do that with a post after your own?

~Child