Here There Be Dragons - Discussion/Planning

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, I will be happy to help as best I can, snail that I am. And me ask questions...never! (Child, I see you know me only too well! )

PS Surinen's post is up.

[piosenniel]

While Child is gone, I'll post for Aiwendil with her OK as far as any interaction between The old fellow and Rôg is concerned - with her permission of course.

~*~ Pio

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Thorn & Narayad's "Save" is now filled in.

[piosenniel]

Note for Mithadan and Ealasaide - from NERINDEL:


On hearing Korpulfr's name Sorona will become distressed as she remembers who he is. Kórpulfr is Sorona's son! she will not understand why the wolf clan ally themselves with the wyrm clan or why they would be in the city at all, before her capture and imprisonment in Mordor, The eagle and wolf clan had a strong friendship, brought about by her marrage to the leader of the wolf clans son. She will try to deny that her little raven would be part of Wryma's plan, and will likely wish to speak with either Aiwendil or the elders of the clan at once, I think she would do this through Surinen.

NOTE:

New post for Sorona is on the game.

[Ealasaide]

"A dream!" Airefalas interjected incredously, Sorona's looked at him sharply, but to her surprise it was Mithadan who spoke, "you should not underestimate the power of dreams my friend," he whispered sternly to his first mate, then turning back he urged her to continue.

"Sorry, Dad," said Airefalas, sheepishly twisting his school beanie between his hands. He bowed his head and took a seat in an out-of-the-way corner so that the grownups could continue their talk in peace...

HeeHee... sorry, Nerindel... I just couldn't resist!

[piosenniel]

Ealasaide and others-

Don't forget that Nerindel is unable to access the Forum for 2 weeks - so can you email her your comments:

Peco_uk@hotmail.com

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Ealasaide]

Oh, yeah... D'oh!

Thanks for the reminder.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Thank you Pio for handling Aiwendil. Please make sure the poor fellow does not come to any harm.

I have put in a save for Ráma's conversation with her mother. I will have intermittent access to the Downs but not to a word processing file where I can save things. So I may compose my response on the actual thread. I will let you know when it is complete and edited. Meanwhile, don't bother looking at the draft which may be very rough indeed.

~Child

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Child, should Narika and Thorn be away for a while yet? Or will it be alright to think about heading back as long as Narika does not meet Rama yet?

[piosenniel]

Child

Rôg will guard the dotty old fellow with tooth and claw if need be!

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde,

Please feel free to have Thorn and Narika return. In my last post Ráma had Claris send out a messenger to the couple. That messenger should get there very quickly since he is flying so you are welcome to latch onto this if it is helpful.

Pio,

That sounds most encouraging!

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EDIT: POST 244 is filled in. I have put up another save which should finish off the conversation.

Pio,

I'd like Aiwendil to have dinner with Mithadan and crew. Do you want to set that up (or even post it) or do you prefer that I handle that after I return?



~Child

[piosenniel]

Mith

Would you like to set up the dinner with Aiwendil? And I'll bring the old fellow in to it.

~*~ Pio

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Yes, I had noticed the messenger, Child , very nice!

[Child of the 7th Age]

I have finished editing post #244 and have made one addition worthy of note: the stipulation that Thorn and Narika will marry and jointly inherit the headship of the clan. I will wait till I get home to work on my last save space.

Thanks, Pio, for the note to Mithadan.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Just a couple of things I wanted to mention/question. I seems that Airefalas and Mithadan were on the verge of a conversation, and now Sonora is in the midst of one with the two of them, but I'm unsure if any replies are in the works, now there is a save for Aiwendel and dinner. Is it there something going on? I feel we are on the verge of appearing choppy. Surinen had wanted introduce Sorona and Aiwendel, is it acceptable to everyone to do this at dinner? And what are the health and hygiene ramifications?

[Ealasaide]

Yes, I had been wondering what is going on, too.

Mithadan - I was waiting for you to post before I stepped up to the plate again. Since it's been a little while, I'm assuming that you've been tied up with other things. Should I just pick up and carry on? Please advise! I don't want to tread on any toes. Thanks!

[piosenniel]

I have removed the SAVE for Aiwendil at dinner with Mithadan.

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Mith

When it seems timely, please go ahead and start the scene where Aiwendil comes to sup with Mithadan and Airefalas.

Either Child or I can then pick up on it as needed.

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Child of the 7th Age]

Save 246 has been filled in. I have done one more save. I take a solemn oath that this will end the conversation between mother and daughter!

~Child

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Thanks Pio and all for the feedback. I will wait a little longer for Mithadan and Ealasaide before attempting to write for Surinen.

[Child of the 7th Age]

My last save is finally filled in. I would ask your help regarding Ayar. No one else is to talk with her. She will fall into a deep sleep and will not waken in the morning.

In the long run.....Once Ayar dies and other story lines are resolved, we will need to arrange for a funeral, the marriage of Narika and Thorn, and their assumption of the leadership of the clan....as well as some discussion concerning the fate of the strangers. At some point, I will have Ráma share her mother's words with Thorn and Narika.

Hilde -- Did you have some ideas on the wedding?

Pio -- Please refresh my mind. How long (game time) till your namesake arrives in Umbar, floating in on that disgusting ship?

Also, am I correct in saying that we should each mail all our posts to Nerindel?

[piosenniel]

Everyone will need to email their Discussion Thread Posts to Nerindel - if they need her attention.

I'll email all the Game Threads.

As to the timeline - I'll have to forage about for my legal pad - I haven't a clue 'when' we are . . .

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Hilde -- Did you have some ideas on the wedding?

I did a little browsing of desert and tribal weddings, almost all of which were North African or from the Arab Peninsula. In what was dug up, most of these things were/are long drawn out celebrations with henna parties, fixing a bride price and so on. I think some of this could be adopted such as camel races, drumming, drinking, sword dances and so on. But then again they could always have a sparse and simple to do, viewing the circumstances. Or they could elope. I think an lively celebration would give the characters time to intermingle and talk easily, though. And give everyone the opportunity to see another more fun loving side to these folk.

Does anybody else have other thoughts or ideas? Perhaps modeling after a different area of the world? Ealasaide, would it be appropriate to model this after a Native American marriage? I have no idea what that might be like.

Do we have a funeral ritual picked out then, Miss Cami?

[Child of the 7th Age]

Do we have a funeral ritual picked out then, Miss Cami?

Not in the slightest. If anyone has ideas please share them on the thread. I am running around trying to pack to go out of town.

I will be away for the coming week, July 16 through the 23rd (Friday through Friday). I should have some computer access starting next Monday, but less time to write than usual.

At least I am going where it is cooler. It hit 110 degrees on the heat index today. Sometime I feel as if I'm living in Umbar!

~Miss Cami

[Ealasaide]

Hilde - I will look into Native American marriage ritual. There should be one we can borrow from. I'll get back to you!

Child - But at least it's a dry heat!

[Ealasaide]

Traditionally, Native American wedding practices were treated as a contractual agreement, usually involving the negotiation of bride price and occasionally dowry. Also, not that it necessarily has any bearing here, but most tribes practiced polygamy, as, due to hardship and warfare, there were usually more women around than men. Also, it helped to break up the workload for the women and gave them someone else talk to when the men were away at war or on prolonged hunts. Again, not that it matters here!

Some Upper Plains Tribes - a thumb of each the bride and the groom was cut slightly and the two thumbs tied together. As the blood mingled, the person officiating declared that the two were now as one, just as the blood was one. They were commanded to to "live as one flesh" ever after.

Sioux - The groom makes a gift of horses and clothing, which he sends to the bride's brothers. Then groom's family gives a feast. The bride's brothers put the bride on one of the gift horses and bring her to the feast. Many people attend the feast, but there is no formal speech or ritual other than the gifts and feasting. Once the feast is over, the couple is considered married. (Cheyenne, Shawnee and Shoshone custom is very similar, as is Apache, except that the bride would be delivered by female relations and there would be a formal speech.)

Excert from an Apache wedding ceremony:

Now you will feel no rain,
for each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
for each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons
but there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling to enter into
the days of your life together.
And may your days be good,
and long upon the earth.

Commanche - The prospective groom delivers a gift of horses to the girl's door. If she rejects the gift, the boy goes away. If she accepts the gift, they are considered married.

Navajo - The ceremony must start at sundown. The groom enters the hogan (ceremonial dwelling) and walks to the south. His relations sit by him on his left. The bride and her family enter, carrying food. She wears her finest clothing and all of her jewelry. The bride carries a shallow yucca basket in which there is a layer of cornmeal mush. The bride sits on the groom's right, with her family on her right. The guests brings gifts of food and other items, which they place on the floor. The medicine man tells the couple to wash their hands in a cup of water he has brought. Then he takes corn pollen from a pouch and makes lines representing the four directions in the mush. Some lines are in white cornmeal, some in yellow. As the medicine man tells the couple of the responsibilities of marriage, he shifts the position of the yucca basket in order to turn the bride's and groom's minds toward each other. Then the couple eats some of the pollen.

Eastern Cherokee - a wedding vase, one with two spouts, is filled a liquid important to the tribe. The bride drinks from one spigot, the groom from the other. A blanket is tied around the couple, biding them together as one. (Pueblo marriages are very similar to this only don't use the blanket.)

This is probably more than you really wanted to know, but that's all I could come up with on short notice. Please feel free to make use of any combination of rituals as you see fit! I hope it helps.

Also, don't forget that Child mentioned in an early post, something about wrists being bound together and walking around the fire as part of the wedding ritual.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Goodness! Thanks Ealasaide, that should be most useful. And thanks also for the reminder.

Have fun Child! Hope you enjoy the change.

[piosenniel]

Esty

Ball in Wyrma's court . . . Wasim has made his report . . .

~*~ Pio

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Wyrma has reacted to Wasim's failure and has left the city to return to her own. As to Wasim, his situation is not enviable!

[Mithadan]

I have added on to Ealasaide"s post 237 and filled in my save at 249. I apologize for my absence. Unfortunately, I had to deal with a higher authority for about ten days and it took longer than I thought.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

The save for Surinen as been filled in. Sorry for the delay.

[piosenniel]

Hey, Miz Bird, if you're still checking in every so often . . . Post 253's for you!

~*~ Pio

[piosenniel]

Child

Dinner is ready whenever you and your Gondorian guests . . . and the eagle(?) arrive.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hilde, Nerindel,

Please check your pms and/or e-mails. I have sent you a synopsis of my post with Sorona and Surinen. See if there is anything you'd like to change.

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I hope to have both saves filled in by tomorrow evening.

~Child

[Child of the 7th Age]

Since I received a reply from Hilde, I have gone ahead and filled in save 226. I do believe Aiwendil will have an apology and explanation to give Sorona before our game ends!

Nerindel, Hilde -- If you see anything that needs changing, let me know, please.

EDIT: Nerindel - I received your e-mail. Your comments were very helpful and I have made a few changes to bring the post even closer in line with what you said....

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Mithadan, Airefalas - Would anyone care to take up the dinner conversation?

[Nerindel]

Thanks Child.

Hilde something else you need to be aware of is that Sorona is prone to muttering, usually to herself. A result of only having herself for company for so long and in a language none of the desert people will understand. It will sound to them vaguely like bird calls.

[Mithadan]

I will be travelling Tuesday through Thursday. I may or may not have internet access.

[Ealasaide]

I can take a shot at picking up the dinner conversation! It's been a little while since I posted with Airefalas & I'm beginning to miss him.

Please PM me (anyone) if there is anything you would like me to include or avoid in my post. THANKS!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Sorona is prone to muttering

Thanks for the tip, Nerindel!

[Ealasaide]

I have now filled my "save". Let the dinner conversation commence!

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Surinen's post is filled in. Sorry that Sorona didn't have the chance to mutter.