Friends of Nimrodel: Tapestry of Dreams - Discussion

[alaklondewen]

Yikes...please accept my apology for such a long absence. I'm going through a real life transition, so I'm still figuring out time and such. Anyway, I tried to slip some ethnic conflict in there (taking cues from Helen's earlier suggestion). Let me know if any of it needs editing.

[mark12_30]

We do seem to have slowed down! Alak, the answers to Amroth's questions can all be found on the reference page. See my sig and click on the tapestry link....

Gondor? What's going on in Anorien? Mellonin is trying NOT to let Ravion into her heart. What's Ravion's move?

Amroth would insist that the Rohan group follow the river, so although it's tempting to shortcut across the bends, he at least will not do so. Even considering that, the two groups could meet up in maybe five or six days. WOW!!! Much faster than I had anticipated. Hey! You guys plot-twisted my plan! You rule.

Orual, how fast can your ranger cut cross-country and meet Ravion and talk about the (perfectly insane and raving) blacksmith? Mellonin goes moonstruck herself...

[Orual]

Ravion is stubbornly unaware of Mellonin's struggles...although he isn't a complete numbskull, so he will figure it out eventually. He has his own rather complex feelings toward Mellonin, though he hasn't figured out what they are yet.

As for Erundil, he'd be cutting across country as fast as his horse would take him to give Ravion the news, and considering that he's alone, he'd probably be reaching them pretty soon. Shall I post for him?

[mark12_30]

Post for him anytime you'd like once he could reasonably show up there. If he departed the Lorien border on (pause for timecheck) Dec 16, I think noonish.

I make it roughly 300 miles from the Nimrodel-Lorien border, to the Emyn Muil; mouths of the Entwash is further still. From "References " in the SHire:

Gandalf's and Pippin's ride took 3 days and covered 300 miles. (HRW: Incredible feat: only a tremendous athlete (Mearas!) could do this.)
The march of the Rohirrim by horse from Edoras to Minas Tirith had them going about 60 miles a day. (HRW: Another amazing feat. Use as maximum/ extreme.)

A cavalry travels at ~30 milies/day, or so. But a Lone Ranger (Hi-Yo Mithril!) could do the 60 miles/day, I guess. Tired horse!! But if you figure 60 miles/day and he rode *straight* for Ravion, he'd get there in about five days. So Emyn Muil on Dec 21, noonish at the earliest. Entwash is another 100 miles plus, so call it two more game-days, Entwash delta on Dec 23, noonish.

Sound reasonable?

[mark12_30]

Saturday is Aylwen's birthday! Happy Birthday Aylwen!!

(picture Heren-Istarion's avatar in triplicate, here...)





'*****************************************

(Speaking of avatars, Nuru, I love your new one!)


'*****************************************

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Awww, thanks Helen!

(pictures Heren's avvy three times in her mind)

-Aylwen

P.S. Wow! I just saw Nuru's new avatar! Pretty! Very nice. *clap*

[Orual]

Sounds perfectly reasonable, Helen. Mental note for an Erundil post on the 23rd, game time...

[Imladris]

Looks like I'm going to be gone longer than I expected and we're leaving a day earlier. I will definitely have a post up for Aeron and Gwyll by then, so no fear of that.

I have a very cool mom and she has agreed to bring me to the library every once in a while so I won't be gone completely....

Cheers!
Imladris

[mark12_30]

Place your bets now, folks! Will there be ANY singles left by the end of this quest???

[alaklondewen]

I can't see into the future, but there would really have to be a whopper of a plot twist for Erebemlin to find romance on this journey.

I have a post about half done, so it will be up in the morning...time for bed...

[Imladris]

I assume you mean single as in marriage, Bolco?

Then I lay my bets on Aeron and Gwyllion...

[littlemanpoet]

What can I say? Ædegard knows he needs a wife. And no, don't tell me I don't have to apologize; I'm not doing that!

Besides, you can't blame me that Nuru introduced a single Rohirric maiden! That was the stroke of doom for Ædegard!

As for Jorje, I just noticed that everybody else forgot about him, and Raefindan can't really include him in posts right now, so I thought I'd get inside the dog's head. Hope that's okay! It's probably not the way Tolkien would have done it (I think of a certain fox in the Shire), and I could change it, but I thought it would be fun to try out a dog's pov. Never did it before!

[Nurumaiel]

Besides, you can't blame me that Nuru introduced a single Rohirric maiden!

Yes, the blame is on me. Apoligies! I actually introduced her with the intention of finding a wife for Liornung, who just won't find one no matter how much I pressure him. Nothing doing. He's stubborn, and I place my bets that if Argeleafa weds one of the company it won't be Liornung.

So, good Ædegard, if you eventually make your move, I, Liornung the skillfull bard, will not interfer.

Helen, I thought you'd be interested to know that baseball season is over. So I have more time but I'm going to miss it and all the lads! After three hard games yesterday, two of which they won, they were finally out of the playoffs when they lost this morning, which finishes them in third place. We were hoping for the championship but, alas, it was not to be. A trivial thing, one might say, but I had been praying and when the game was over I scowled up at the heavens... and then a smile started coming to my face and I knew I couldn't be upset with my Lord because He was too sweet... so I did not weep but rather laughed! I won't ramble on about baseball here, however.

[littlemanpoet]

Well, then, it looks as if Ædegard has found sufficient reason to stay on the quest. He was having his doubts, but not anymore....

[mark12_30]

Glad to have that settled! But we have a new problem in Anorien. I hope Gond went northwest?

Immy, I guess you are gone already? Sob! When you say you don't know when you'll be back.... ummmmm... what does that mean...? days? Months? (To quote Jorje: AaaWOOOO)

Nuru-- I am delighted to have you less scarce! And thank the Lord for the timing, too-- it would have been hard to have both you and Immy scarce at the same time. (yee..)

I'm one to talk, eh? I've been scarce myself! But that's over, and "I'm back."

Nothin' up my sleeve...

[Imladris]

Not completely gone yet, Balco. However, my brain is fried with exhaustion....I leave in about three hours...and then I still have to finish packing...*list of things to do crams in on my mind....suppresses rising panic* *cough*

Oh, I'll be back in a couple weeks -- did I make it sound longer than that? To me a couple of weeks is a very long time....and I'm going to miss this game a lot. But my mom is a very cool mom who has agreed to bring me to the library to use their computers a couple times a week.

Neat avatar LMP!

Cheers,
Immy

[littlemanpoet]

Thanks, Immy! I have Bolco to thank for the help. Smith is my favorite Tolkien character, bar none!

Meantime, I must ask if I understand what's happening correctly. Is it really true that Raefindan is still tied to Gond, hanging upside down beneath the horse, as the horse gallops madly off, its knees no doubt knocking what little chance of recovery the poor man has, clean out of him?!?! At least Jorje will be there to clean up the mess if and when Gond comes to a stop!

[mark12_30]

Actually, if they tied Raefindan on well enough (ankles around horses' barrel AND hands around horse's neck) , he's hanging against the horse's shoulder and hampering the movement of that leg.

He can't be comfortable. And his hands and ankles will not be happy. And the blood will be pounding in his head.

[mark12_30]

Aylwen, it's been quiet lately for Bella-- what would you like to see her up to?

Conflicts? Issues? Concerns? Archery contests?

Let us know!

[mark12_30]

I know who Raefindan finds. Or, who finds him.

Gond is going run a long way with Jorje following him... Or maybe not. Maybe this guy can live close, or Raefindan would be dead by the time he found him.... Okay. So he does live close. There's a dark elf nearby... Eol's cousin, in heart if not in blood. He lives in a place that other elves will never go, and men will hardly ever go. Swamp? Somewhere along the Entwash?

He has the arrogance and defiant attitude of Feanor without a tenth of the class or beauty or power.

Name, I need a sinister, lonely, bitter elvish name.... Raefindan's nightmare has only begun...

[mark12_30]

Alak, can you think of a bitterly isolationist elvish name? ....please?

There's a new guy in the swamp, and I finally understand why Nimrodel got lost. (That always bugged me. An elf that gets lost??? Never made sense.)

[mark12_30]

Alak has named the dark elf Tharonwe-- corrupted faith.

lmp, if I got into Raefindan's head too much, let me know; I was trying to do not-inside-head but I slipped a bit I think. I may edit it anyway.

[littlemanpoet]

Raefindan's pov is fine from my point of view, but let's just say he remembers his dreams, which you can be sure he does, he's going to miss them!

[mark12_30]

I have been editing the timeline, and I have found sa problem. Good news and bad news: Good news is I dropped a day. Erebemlin's flet was Dec 16. I slipped and started calling it the 15th.

Bad news: now i have to track that thru and fix it. If anyone heeds to change a header I will let you know...

EDIT: maybe it was just one bad post.. Nevermind...

[mark12_30]

Hello Tapestry of Writers,

I'll be away today, but here's the skinny on the swamp-elf.

A thousand years ago, he was wandering in the White Mountains, and a lovely singing elf-maiden came his way. He fell for her, wooed her passionately, and was repulsed. Nimrodel stated that she was only interested in Amroth and would never leave him.

That elf, in his brokenhearted bitterness, cursed both Nimrodel and Amroth. Hence Nimrodel's wandering, despair, and insanity, and Amroth's drowning and isolation.

Of course, the forlorn and rejected elf then heard the songs and tales, and realized if anyone knew he was responsible he would never be popular again-- so, calling himself Tharonwe he went into voluntary exile. Not wanting to cross the vast lands of the East during Sauron's reign, Tharonwe settled for the cave in a swamp. He's bitter, lonely, angry, isolationist, and not exactly in league with the good Valar.

Once Tharonwe realises, or guesses, or intuits or Osanwes or whatever, that Raefindan has some (vague and distant) connection with Nimrodel (through Mithrellas), he will have someone to vent his anger on. Will he do that physically, mentally, or both? With what resources and what intent? I dunno. Have fun.

I've sent Ravion on alone after Gond and left the two ladies and Aeron collapsed in the middle of the swamp. (Alligators? Snakes? Watchers in the Water??)

Have fun! I plan to return tonight.

ps. I edited the timeline, it's at the link in my sig. I didn't put in the post numbers... I'll try to do better as we go.

[Imladris]

*plunges into a midst of posts and brushes herself off* Sure...when I leave the game speeds up. *sarcastic smile* Why couldn't the slow spurt have come during my vacation, hmmm?????

Anyways, the arrangement is this: I hop onto the library computers on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I may or may not have time to post as it's always hard to compose a post in an hour when one is also juggling mod duties as well. Yeah...all the excitement came at the wrong time.

My vacation might also be extended another week or two...or three...or four...

First thing tomorrow I'll post for Gwyllion's creeps about the swamp. 13 minutes just doesn't leave enough time, I'm sorry. *rolls eyes*

Cheers!
Imladris

[mark12_30]

...here I thought the game was taking off....

Questions? Suggestions? Tomatoes?

[Imladris]

Sorry Mark12-30.

I wrote a beautiful post for Gwyllion at the stupid library. Unfortuantely, I used a window where I wasn't logged in for some stupid reason. Therefore, the window asked me to loose in and I lost my whole stupid bloody post.

Very angry.

Imladris

[Orual]

Helen,

How soon can Ravion and Aeron meet up with the swamp-elf? I think that would move the story along some. I don't have any plans for their trip between now and their coming across the elf, so I'm afraid my posts are going to become inner-thought monologues and more boring stuff like that. (By the way, I finally saw your post on "Things Barrow-Downers Would Never Say"...bwah hah!!!!! Thank you!)

I think the sooner Ravion and Aeron can come to the elf, the sooner there will be some conflict. In fact, I'm kind of foreseeing a physical fight between Ravion and the elf, if that's cool with everybody. Ravion would definitely instigate, being of a somewhat jumpy mood right now. Any thoughts on that?

[littlemanpoet]

Sorry for not helping to move the story along. I'm kind of waiting for someone to do something with the Amroth group before posting for Ædegard. Maybe I should just start up on that, but frankly, I'm having trouble figuring out where the group is on the map!

I'm planning on a harrowing experience for Raefindan, coming up shortly. Should be written by the end of the night.

And now onto the special request, and please forgive the extended nature of this post!......

Friends, I'd like to ask your permission to add Elora as another writer for Tapestry. She and I would bring one new character each to the rpg: I would bring Falowik, and Elora would bring Uien. They have just finished their adventure in the Hills of Evendim, and in the months it takes for them to go to Eryn Lasgalen to see Lira buried (see Evendim for details), then go to Lorien, Uien's homeland, they would arrive there just about the time Ædegard's group is one day out of Lorien.

Why would Elora be a great addition to Tapestry?

Elora brings depth of character to all of her writing. She brings a unique perspective that involves the five senses and a well drawn point of view.

Elora writes Uien Aduial, a 579 year old female Sindarin Elf. Following is her character description, which is written by Elora, but edited by me in the interest of brevity. Uien carries no weapons of her own and avoids weapons, for they represent only pain, suffering and death to her.

Uien is a silvan Elf, tall and slender, with long golden hair that falls in a cascade to her waist. She has clear grey eyes and the timeless beauty of her people. Her eyes show her years of experience when she permits it. Uien has a light step and the innate grace of her kindred. Her hand is gentle. She appears ephemeral, giving occasion to the saying of her kin that twilight lives within her and her name.

Uien is a creative soul inextricably bound to the life and beauty of Middle-earth. Gentle of spirit, Uien is rarely given to anger unless it is on the behalf of those dear to her. She can be fierce when roused. As with many who hail from Lothlórien, she can appear lofty and insular, particularly when displeased with someone. Normally, she is given to quiet laughter. She is introspective and given to dreaming, with a love of all things living or growing.

Uien is particularly enamoured of twilight. It is the time of day she most loves, when the world can become magical. She is given to dance at such times, when she believes herself alone and unwatched. Once a creature of much mirth, Uien has quieted. A sadness lingers beneath the surface that many mistake as aloof pride. Yet her generosity of spirit has not been broken entirely and her friendship once given is true and eternal.

Uien is a healer. She is also a painter. Clever with her hands, with deft and quick fingers, Uien is capable of most tasks that she comes across. She can be swift and silent as a shadow and can see the true natures of those around her.

Quiet, Uien’s strength of will and determination often comes as a surprise. She is often mistaken as meek or distant. She will speak her mind when she thinks it necessary and follows her own will and instincts. She has acquired the wisdom of one who has observed those around her over the years. She had the blessing of a loving family in the closely knit community of the Galadhrim and formed close attachments to her parents and siblings. These attachments have remained with her.

Uien struggles with alienation and abandonment as well as shame. She can sometimes wander unwisely and this has led her into grave peril in the past. She is alone utterly, her kin gone, and found it hard initially to make her way in the mortal lands. She had a protected childhood that little prepared her for the harsh realities of life beyond Lothlórien’s protected borders.

Uien overcame this over time, but carries with her the shadow of a turbulent period of adjustment. She thrives when home, but has none in these later days to call her own. As a result, she is troubled by her itinerant state and wonders if she would have made the same choices had she known what the future held.

Uien was amongst the last generation born in Lothlórien. She was treasured by her people. Sauron returned to Mirkwood six years after her birth and the Watchful Peace ended.

In the War of the Ring, Uien's father and eldest brother fell in Mirkwood. Her younger brother returned, haunted by the death of the War of the Ring. It was then that she developed her aversion to weapons and things of war. Uien’s mother too saw only grief and death now, having lost her husband and her son and endured Three Ages in Middle-earth. Thus the decision was made to seek the Grey Havens.

Uien set out with her family with the last party to leave Lothlórien. Uien could not bear to leave earlier and still her heart misgave her as they departed. Moria was still closed to them and her people did not take that dark road. As with those before them, they made for the Pass of Caradhras. Her brother was eager to ensure they remained together on the pass and shepherded Uien on.

The urge to linger was still strong within her. Already she had begun to consider remaining at Imladris. The choice was never presented to her. Sauron may have been defeated, but the Misty Mountains continued to be plagued by orcs. They knew that the Elves took the Caradhras pass and would wait for their opportunity to strike at them.

A sudden storm crashed upon them once they entered the pass. Cutting snow and ice was hurled, the wind shrieking as if it sought to pluck them up and cast them either into the ravine or the clutches of the waiting orcs.

The party took cover, forced to wait out the raging blizzard. Uien found herself separated from them, forced to take shelter beneath an overhang. Her last sight was of her brother reaching for her through a gap in the snow that closed before she could take his outstretched hand. Caradhras spared neither Elf, Man nor orc it’s anger.

When the storm passed, Uien was alone. She searched, frightened for her family. Uien found orcs instead. They snatched up the lone Elf eagerly and made off with their prize. Uien found no trace of her party and could not know if they had perished or been forced to go down from the pass to escape the storm and the orcs.

Uien found herself in the darkness of an orc den. She endured torment and cruelty, and was saved from death by unexpected Dwarves cleansing the mountains of orcs. They discovered Uien badly injured and almost beyond recognition.

They took her with them and she slowly recovered in their care, alienated as an Elf amongst Dwarves. Uien took many months to heal, and not fully. It was difficult to live amongst Dwarves and once healed, took leave and set out in search of her kin. She found her way back to Lothlórien and found it almost empty. She told her tale of horror to Erebemlin and others. Though she knew them, she could not remain until she was certain of the fate of her family. Possessed by great grief, she wandered aimlessly. Her travels took her into Rhûn and once the people got over her Elven nature, for Sauron had told her many lies, she found temporary home. It was her first encounter with the Edain and she was little prepared for them.

A wasting illness swept through the village, and Uien healed one little girl. The villagers demanded that she cure the rest of them too, but she could not, and they condemned her. She was forced to flee. She went north and west, staying away from people until she arrived at the Prancing Pony Inn in Bree, penniless and exhausted. She felt too shamed to seek her people at Imladris, the orc pits surely hanging over her in their eyes. In Bree, Uien was somewhat of a novelty. Elves did not frequent the settlement. She managed to secure work in the stables, her ability with horses as with all living things emerging. She found she could heal them, and that they did not react with anger or hatred.

There she met Falowik Stonewort, a wanderer of the lands north of Bree, who had come to Bree for the first time in twelve years of self-imposed exile, to report a man captured by a party of evil doers. Falowik was a man with as troubled a soul as Uien's. Somehow, by a grace unknown to either of them, she was able to heal the despair in his heart. And by a grace neither of them foresaw, they came to love each other. Falowik was sure that he did not deserve it, but once given, her heart's love was his. Since then there paths have been interlaced, mainly through the adventure of the Hills of Evendim. And now they go to Lorien so that she can show him her homeland. There they will meet up again with Erebemlin's friends who remain in Lorien, and he will tell them the story of Amroth with its latest wrinkles. Uien immediately believes in her heart of hearts that if Amroth has returned, seeking Nimrodel, then Nimrodel must still be alive, somewhere, somehow, in need of being freed. Uien thinks of her ordeal with the orcs, and fears the same or worse for Nimrodel, and is urgent to follow the party of Ædegard and Amroth, and catch up to them.

Please let me know if it seems well to all of you to include these two characters in Tapestry. Thanks for considering them.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Uien is a healer. She is also a painter.

Bellyn says 'yes' to Uien!



-Aylwen

[mark12_30]

Very quickly:

Elora & Uien look promising to me!

Orual: Aeron and Ravion are almost there and can arrive ASAP. The Swamp Elf's cave is in the middle of the marshes, or so. Conflict? Sure! Physical fight? Sure! Just don't kill him off, we need him later too.

lmp-- Aedegard's group is just at (or just past) where the Limlight and Anduin meet.

Immy-- Alas for the lost post! I hate it when that happens. (Why I like WordPad...)

I have band tomorrow (surprise!-- ack) and so must get some sleep now and won't be able to post til tomorrow afternoon. Ædegard's troop should continue down the Anduin, gaining time as they go (we have a few days yet to catch up.) Then Ravion's group and Ædegard's group can meet somewhere along the Anduin; the existence of the swamp elf can become known, and Erebemlin, Taitheneb, and Amroth will hunt him down again.

[Orual]

I hope my post wasn't too much of a cliff-hanger...I had to leave it open-ended, because I wasn't exactly sure how the elf would respond to the intrusion, except "not well". If I need to extend it, just let me know

~Orual

[Nurumaiel]

Bring Elora, Uien, and Falowik by all means! I'm sure there will be a hearty welcome for Elora from all of the players, and perhaps and equally hearty welcome for Uien and Falowik from the characters. Anyhow, I'd like to see them again.

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

News...news...news...

First off, welcome to Elora! Yes...well...

I have vacation notices to inform you all of, so that you don't think I've disappeared on you or anything!

From Sunday, June 20th to Thursday June 24th I will be away at the Naval Academy (running, no less). That Thursday and Friday I'll try to post if I can (hopefully!) because the afternoon of Friday, June 25th I leave for Quebec and I won't be back until June 29th. After that I'm here until August, so these are the only posting troubles for now. So for about eight days I'll be away.

Until then...I shall be posting and waiting the arrival of Uien and Falowik.

-Aylwen

[mark12_30]

Greetings, Tapestry of writers!

I just had an idea crazy enough that I had to post it, although I think its come up before.

What if the first person to post in the morning would do the dawn (usually the wakeup) post; posts throughout the day would be the travelling posts, fighting/ stopping for lunch/ whatever; and the person who posts last on that day (for instance Orual, or Alak) would write the campsite post?

If we were in the middle of a Big Event we would agree to stretch it out further.

Crazy, no? But somehow it seemed like great fun when I thought of it... Have I posted this same idea before now? Perhaps I have...

Immy, are you out there still? I miss you!

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Your crazy idea seems just crazy enough to work (doesn't it always? And where have I heard that before?), Helen!

Although, as summer begins and waking comes late to sleepy students...I can see myself making far more daytime and campsite posts.

I love your ideas.

-Aylwen

[Imladris]

*collapses at mark12_30's feet* Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday strange magic brings me here...

Yay to Uien! Missed her in Evendim...

[littlemanpoet]

I have informed Elora of the unanimous acceptance of Uien and Falowik in Tapestry.

One minor request I must make of Nurumaiel: please revise your post in which Ædegard is following the Elves, and Argeleafa is trying to follow him but is too in awe of the Elves, such that Ædegard does notice, and falls back to ride with her. Sound good? Sorry I don't have the post #....

[mark12_30]

Hey, lmp, you've passed 1000 posts.

Aylwen: thanks! Bella is in the thick of things, and Amroth is coaching Nethwador to behave as a gentleman. Five thousand years of experience does help.

Immy-- A great black broot, eh? Methings you meant "brute". Either way: Wow!! I was kidding about the watcher, and now here one rises out of the reeds! I better not joke about a balrog!! How are we going to get poor Gwyllion out of this one? Yikes! Does she have something she can jam into his throat, and make him gag...? Where's Jorje when we need him?

Elora: welcome!

At the beginning of the discussion thread there was a questionnaire (for fun) that you are welcome to fill out if you'd like. What are your (and Falowik's) plans for diving in here? Would you like to do first posts on the discussion thread (which would be fine) or do you have other ideas for weaving in to the story?

I'm looking forward to the plot twists you will bring! Welcome to Tapestry Of Dreams.