Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[littlemanpoet]

So, any ideas about what's going to be going on back at the Meadhall while everyone else is running around?

There is a little matter brewing of letters arriving; other than that, whatever you want.

[Folwren]

Mnemosyne, I'm glad to do something with Saeryn during the men's absence...

[Folwren]

I forget why I looked this up exactly...but anyway, I remembered we had a map of the Hall and the stables and all and I found it. Pio has it linked at the beginning of this thread, but if you all want to see it, it's in this post.

And I'm working on a post for Saeryn so that Wynflaed can be pulled into the story.

[Firefoot]

At about what age do you suppose Rohirrim come of age? Would it be the same for males and females?

[littlemanpoet]

Based on Old English or Scandinavian culture, females came of age upon puberty (childbearing and raising). Unlike modern times with healthy diets, etc., that occurred usually no sooner than age 13 or 14.

Males came of age when they had passed some kind of manhood test; if they were farmers/landholders, it might have had to do with taking responsibility and succeeding at planting and harvesting, which might be as early as 13 or 14; or if they were apprenticed to a smith or other artesan, upon achieving journeyman status, which would be later - perhaps 16 to 18 years old; if Eorling (warrior), then it might be perhaps around age 15 or 16, the test being able to demonstrate competence at fighting on horseback.

[Folwren]

Firefoot, I hope you don't feel I cut the conversation short. I figured I didn't see any reason Thornden would say more. I think Leof could come. Why shouldn't he? All the horses are leaving mostly, so he may as well come along. I'm afraid when Thornden said may sound something like, "Come act like everyone's paige and do our beck and call," but that's kind of the position I see Leof doing if he comes. Anyway, it's your call. I don't know what's going to be happening at the Hall during the day, so it may be just as well if you character comes along. If he does stay behind, I'm sure we can figure out something fun to get Leof involved in.

Elempi, it's all yours. Let me know if I need to change Harreld at all. (I thought the grin and the last clap on the shoulder of Thornden's may play right into your hand, by the way.)

[Mnemosyne]

Gah, I wanted to get something up tonight (cheers, Foley!) but I'm too wiped out now. If I haven't posted something by midnight tomorrow please attack me with rubber chickens.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Firefoot

At about what age do you suppose Rohirrim come of age? Would it be the same for males and females?

Firefoot, if you're thinking about Léof, I'd say he's already had his (literal) trial by fire (remember the burned stables back in Edoras?) and is considered an adult by those who know him.

Foley: “Did the messengers last night get permission to stop by Garreth’s smithy?” Please change this to "Will the Eorl let the messengers go to Garreth?" - - - it gets rid of the Latinate ("Gondorian") "permission".

[Folwren]

It has been done, as you wished.

[littlemanpoet]

Thanks. I probably won't get a chance to write that post until tomorrow. Just letting you know.

[Folwren]

Mnemosyne, Wynflaed's last comment cracked me up, as I had just been thinking about that whole arrangement.

I do not know when I'll be able to post. Maybe tomorrow, but more likely on Wednesday.

-- Foley

[Firefoot]

Thanks, Elempi. That's sort of what I was thinking but I wanted to check.

[Folwren]

Looks like things are moving on at an admirable clip. Next post from any of the outward bound posters can get the company moving, right? I will try to post tomorrow. Possibly for Quin...that sounds like fun...And Saeryn.

Elempi, which woman would Harreld hand the letter to? Kara, or Saeryn, or Modtryth, maybe?

-- Foley

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Elempi, which woman would Harreld hand the letter to? Kara, or Saeryn, or Modtryth, maybe?

-- Foley

If Kath is okay with me writing for Kara, I could go ahead and write the post using Kara.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Looks like things are moving on at an admirable clip. Next post from any of the outward bound posters can get the company moving, right? I will try to post tomorrow. Possibly for Quin...that sounds like fun...And Saeryn.

Elempi, which woman would Harreld hand the letter to? Kara, or Saeryn, or Modtryth, maybe?

-- Foley

Actually, I think he's going to try to surreptitiously lay it somewhere that it would be found by any of the ladies. Actually, why don't we assume that he did that, and feel free to write that the letter is found on some table top, desk top, or something by one of the ladies.

[Lhunardawen]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Actually, I think he's going to try to surreptitiously lay it somewhere that it would be found by any of the ladies. Actually, why don't we assume that he did that, and feel free to write that the letter is found on some table top, desk top, or something by one of the ladies.

Yeah, I figured that if he handed it to Kara (or any other woman), she would tell Ginna it came from him anyway. I don't have time to write tonight, so I'll put up my post tomorrow night.

[Nogrod]

I've written us off the yard of the Mead Hall. That doesn't mean you couldn't continue things that have been left unfinished in there - or what the soldiers will talk on the road (or what happens at the Mead Hall meanwhile).

I need to exchange a PM or two with lmp to finally decide whether they will start from Tancred or the gammer who has given his reign away from him... there are good ideas on both directions I think. Also we need to hammer down the situation "behind the scenes" so that we have a shared understanding of the situation. With me that will mean like the weekend the earliest.

So there is ample time to put things forwards even if the men have now hit the road.

[Firefoot]

Hmm... it might make more sense if Folwren's post came after Nogrod's? Maybe not a big deal but right now it's a little backwards chronologically.

I'll have a post up either later tonight or early tomorrow.

[Folwren]

Well, kind of, but I think I would have to really revamp my post to move it. So, just presume that Quin spoke before Athanar started his speech and Hylath asked Leof his question and all, and then Athanar talks, and then Leof can answer. How's that sound?

I'm back to class now, folks. See ya later.

-- Foley

[Firefoot]

Post up. Folwren, I left the conversation pretty open from there. Quin or Hylath can either respond, or Leof could ask about how Hylath had come to be there. I can't remember - has Hylath shown up before or did you just make him up now?

[Folwren]

I just made him come up now. We needed another random soldier character floating about. He's one of Athanar's men.

I may post later today.

-- Foley

[littlemanpoet]

I'm a little uncomfortable with my post. It reminds me of moments in real life when you've said things you wished you hadn't, and it's too late to change it now. However, this is an rpg and it could be changed. But maybe it shouldn't be. In any case, there are going to be consequences in the story line no matter what is said and done, and that can be scary and fascinating.

Lhuna, what do you think?

[Folwren]

Haha, that's funny, Elempi, 'cause when I read it, I said to myself, "Oooh, ouch - he's going to regret that!" I considered mentioning it to you, but then I was like, "No, Elempi knows what he's doing. He's just trying to make this interesting."

[Mnemosyne]

To me it read like a bit of inspired luck that surprised even the author. I'd say keep it; in my experience (which, granted, is when I have control over all characters concerned) the characters usually know what they're doing more than we do. Though Harreld's going to be regretting this!!

I'm looking forward to seeing the fallout, and how this eventually gets resolved.

Getting some other writing done tonight, but if I'm on a roll I might get a post up for Wynflaed. At the very latest I'll get something done by Sunday.

[Lhunardawen]

I must say I expected that reaction from Harreld, but his words had me saying ouch out loud. Really. If you would change anything maybe it could be just his reply, because from my perspective this is going the way I think it should. But of course, as much as I think I know Harreld after all this time, you still know him better.

I already had a response in mind and was going to run it by you (because the post would have needed an input from Harreld), but I decided to write it differently because my original idea might make things a bit easier to resolve. Wouldn't we want to make this situation as complicated for them as in-characterly possible?

[littlemanpoet]

Thanks for your reflections, Foley, Mnemo, & Lhuna. I'm going to leave it the way it is. Harreld is really hurting at this point and is already in mourning, and believes that he has already lost Ginna. So his words come out of this wrenching pain of loss that is bigger than he knows how to put into words. So the only thing he knows how to do is push her away, because if he allows her to see his true feelings of deep, deep love for her, he's going to be swayed by her view of things and knows it, and that must not happen because her father's will must come first . . . and in the next post he will hate himself for this, but be determined to hold true to his purpose no matter how much it hurts.

[Lhunardawen]

Elempi: *sniff*

This looks like it's turning out better than I imagined.

And even though I wanted to delay writing until Tuesday, I'm excited enough to write tonight. Studying can wait.

[Lhunardawen]

Because I feel like I have to explain my post...

I know I could have written more, but that's all Ginna left me with for now. Apparently she doesn't think studying can wait.

[littlemanpoet]

"You know I'm always here for you, Harreld," she said loudly enough, not letting his hammering drown out her voice. And she left.

Ooh you stinker!

That's exactly the last thing Harreld is capable of dealing with! ... so of course that's what she'd say.

I'm going to let this one simmer for a bit...

[Folwren]

What has happened to everybody?

[Mnemosyne]

Here. Sorry the post took a while. It has a few too many Latinisms in my mind for an Eorling, but at least it moved the tour along.

I was going to have Wynflaed ask how Saeryn met Eodwine, but that might be considered insensitive, and she has a lot more tact than I do.

Oh! And I love how Harreld's digging himself into a hole!

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Mnemosyne

Oh! And I love how Harreld's digging himself into a hole!

Do you now? I'm here. I've been waiting for someone to move things along. As far as I'm concerned, we could move this Day along as quickly as we like, or not, depending on what we rpg'ers consider worth writing about. If it's just "keeping time" type posts, bother them! Keep it interesting.

As for a little Latinate - maybe Wynflaed had been sent to Minas Tirith or some other Gondorian court during her youth, and her personal thoughts sometimes took a more learned turn? Or not? Eh.

[Folwren]

I agree that those of us at home can move time along as we need, definitely.

-- Foley

[Mnemosyne]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

As for a little Latinate - maybe Wynflaed had been sent to Minas Tirith or some other Gondorian court during her youth, and her personal thoughts sometimes took a more learned turn? Or not? Eh.

Honestly, the problem is that I tend to maintain class/education distinctions through the use of Latinate words, and it's hard to make the shift when writing about the Eorlingas. I'm pretty proud of some of the adjustments I've made earlier, but I realized I'd put this one off long enough to get too hung up on the matter and just posted. I may go back and revise, though, as soon as my brain is in better working order.

[Firefoot]

That post took much too long to write... it sat half-finished on my desktop for about two days. Some combination of getting busy and writer's block...

[Durelin]

I guess I'll actually check-in as well! I have really wanted to post for Coen as the soldiers have set out and might do so tomorrow.

My senior paper is due on monday, so...things have been a little crazy this week. It's going okay though and I'll not disappear on you completely. Though since I have been putting off my other papers till after this is 'finished'...bleh.

Anyway...less whining and more posting in my very near future.

[Lhunardawen]

I'm having trouble with time and internet connection lately, but I'll try to get a post up this weekend. Is Lommy around? I think I'll need her.

[Folwren]

Sweetness. Everyone is rallying up. That's great.

Lommy is probably around somewhere on the Downs, but I don't know if she checks this regularly or not. I'd PM her if I were you to let her know you needed her.

I do not know when I will be able to post next. I'll try really hard to do it in the near future, but I have lots of things due today and Monday plus a wedding this weekend, which means rehearsal, dinner, wedding, and reception. It'll be crazy.

-- Foley

[Lhunardawen]

I know I said I will be posting this weekend, and it's already weekend for me, but it's been a really tough week. Two of my professors back in undergrad passed away (within 36 hours of each other), one of them was caught in a crossfire (EDIT: "crossfire" was the press release, but many - including me - believe that it was a case of mistaken identity) while doing field work and the other had hepatocellular carcinoma.

I never imagined how much this will affect us who have already graduated and haven't seen them for a long time, but somehow it still hurts a lot. It's been hard for me to focus on studying, which is not good considering I have an exam on Monday. I hope it doesn't sound like I'm making excuses. I'll try to post as soon as I am able, hopefully within the week.

[Folwren]

It's okay, Lhuna. We understand. I'm sorry to hear about the deaths of your professors. Don't worry about this RPG until you're ready to think about it again. Good luck on your exam.

-- Foley