The King's Players - Discussion/Planning Thread

[Mnemosyne]

Mnemosyne cordially invites you to share in the planning and play of The King's Players.

This game is an experimental offering which attempts to take into account some of the suggested reforms on the Measure of Success (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=5667) thread. It is intended to be a short, intense game, occurring in "half time": a day in real life will equal half a day in the game, and core players should be able to set aside two weeks to post regularly to the game thread and keep the plot rolling.

Ownership and plot-control of the game will be shared among the players, so that whatever events we decide will happen will make sense for the characters (who will, by and large, be driving the action themselves). Because the game itself is so intensive, I'm hoping that together we can come up with a bare-bones timeline, over the real-life time of two weeks to a month. We'd then flesh it out spontaneously in-game.

Finally, if you don't have the time to commit to the game for two solid weeks, you are free to come up with characters who can interact with the core group or with one another. As explained below, the premise of the game is such that introducing a new character in this way should be easy.



The Premise

It's Fourth Age 21, and the King's Peace has reigned over the Reunited Kingdom and Rohan for a generation of Men. We (the core players) are a travelling acting troupe that has sprung up in these times of peace, and every year for the past five years we've stopped at Minas Anor for Cormare,* to put on a theatrical rendition of the War of the Ring as popular entertainment in the First Circle. This year, however, we've run into a snag: the King has as his guests the Mayor of the Shire (who was himself esquire to the Ring-bearer) and his family. What's more, they've found out about the play, and have convinced the Court to attend. We've never meant any harm by our work, but we based the play on the tales others told us, and on what looks good on a stage. But if our show is to be attended not only by one who was present, but the King himself?...

How do we find out what's true and what's not? And we don't have much time to figure out...

*Yavannie 30 by the calendar in the Fourth Age. This day corresponds to Frodo's birthday and is a canonical Fourth Age holiday. Alternatively, we could choose the Gondorian New Year, which is the anniversary of the Ring's destruction.



Characters Needed - The Players - about 6, up to 8

People who play these characters should expect to post regularly each day on the game thread.

The Players can come from a variety of backgrounds, and even races (I don't see Elves and Dwarves as particularly likely, but if you can make it work, by all means go ahead! A hobbit from Bree is slightly more conceivable). They need not even be actors, as long as you can justify their presence in the troupe.

More important is the fact that none of the Players should have been important, learned, or connected enough in the time of the War to have any conceivable idea of the real story of what happened.

Brinn (alias Celebrindal) - Mnemosyne's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650204&postcount=51)

Amdir, son of Amrod - Formendacil's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=649829&postcount=10)

Branor - Boromir88's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=649968&postcount=33)

Harrenon - Dimturiel's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=649996&postcount=42)

Asta - Nerwen's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650031&postcount=46)

Characters Needed - Others - limitless

Therian - Feanor of the Peredhil's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650016&postcount=44)

Cirdacil, Lord of Burlach - Anguirel's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650280&postcount=58)

Vëandur - Inziladun's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650316&postcount=62)

Coldan - Pitchwife's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650483&postcount=66)

Rollan - Mnemosyne's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650535&postcount=67)

Aldarion - the phantom's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650610&postcount=80)

Sereth - Thinlomien's character (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650645&postcount=82)

People who play these characters need not post regularly on the game thread.

Minas Anor has gotten increasingly cosmopolitan in times of peace, and many visitors come by each year for the Cormare festivals. Thus, anyone who could justifiably be in the City at this time, except for canon characters, is up for play. They should have some reason to interact with the Players, even if only as an audience member.



Character Sheets

NAME:

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM:

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be):

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish):




Final Notes

I am using the short character sheet in part because I think it would be more fitting for the Players to develop their histories and biographies in tandem.

As noted above, the title is working. The Players will need a troupe name, and while the King's Players might work, presumably the King himself doesn't know, as he hasn't sponsored the group. (On the other hand, if we do a stellar enough job that we can secure his patronage...)

The players will also have to determine what sort of erroneous play we've been putting on for the last five years.

Currently I am considering playing the manager of the troupe, who handles the finances, etc. and is married to one of the actors? Still very foggy about her, and the history of the troupe, which is probably as it should be this early in the game.

As this is a collaborative RP, feel free to make suggestions about the gameplay itself. All ideas here are open for debate.


General Resources for Players, to be Heeded Or Ignored At Will

Political theories concerning Early Fourth Age Gondor: http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=12311 Players should note that at this time Elessar's edict that no Men should enter the Shire is in effect.

Possible real-world theatrical analogues: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_theatre
http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/medieval.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Renaissance_theatre

Gondorian Time-keeping: Pippin hears three bells (indicating three bells since sunrise) at 9:00 in the morning. This reflects the old church system of prayers, minus the prayers: 3 bells is 9:00, 6 bells is noon, 9 bells is 3:00, 12 bells is sunset. We're around the time of the equinox, so an hour is about an hour.

Meals in Gondor: May have changed in the early Fourth Age due to no longer being at war, a new King and new customs, but here's how things were done during the siege: one meal at daybreak (unnamed, but light--though this may be due to siege), one meal at noon (nuncheon), one meal at sunset (daymeal).

Miscellaneous canon: Rose is almost certainly pregnant with Gamgee #13, Tom, unless she's already given birth.

-------------------------------

from Pio:

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[Nerwen]

Ah, well, I like the sound of this.

As noted above, the title is working. The Players will need a troupe name, and while the King's Players might work, presumably the King himself doesn't know, as he hasn't sponsored the group.
Couldn't that become an interesting plot complication?

The players will also have to determine what sort of erroneous play we've been putting on for the last five years.
Actually, Mnemo, I think that's related to another question– what is theatre in Fourth Age Gondor like? How stylised is it; what conventions does it have? Does it happen to bear a curious resemblance to any real form of drama, modern or historical? All that would have a big influence on the way in which the players would treat their material. Maybe there's "standard" elements they've inserted in the story because they're crowd-pleasing, or just because, "you have to have a dragon, everyone knows that".

The other main factor would be their source(s) of information.

[Firefoot]

I don't think I'd have time to play in something this intensive as a main character (it would really depend on which two-week time frame we're talking about), but I'd love to at least play a couple of cameos.

Coming up with an erroneous plot line sounds like loads of fun. :D Something like... Frodo and Sam fight their way through 1000's of Orcs to win through to Orodruin where they discover a dragon is guarding the Cracks (love the bit about the dragon, Mnemo).

Or... Shadowfax actually had wings and Gandalf fought the Witchking in the air over the city.

Or a rumor that's a little more canonical (:rolleyes:): each one of the Rohirrim really did bring a hobbit warrior with him on his horse.

I feel like King Elessar would also very likely be blown way out of proportion (I mean, the guy summoned dead people, healed Faramir, Eowyn, and Merry using some plant no one knew had any uses, is way old, and was obviously in close cahoots with the Elves, not to mention Gandalf). Magic powers anyone?

[Formendacil]

Perhaps because I just finished reading The Way of the World in one class, and am covering Shakespeare in another, but I have a strongly Elizabethan/pseudo-Restoration image in mind. Perhaps the Restoration image works better, culturally, insofar as it was an era of peace and the flowering of the arts after a harsher, turbulent period--that and it allowed women on the stage (though it might be fun to use Elizabethan men-only rules in 4th Age Gondor, the co-ed version seems more manageable--and as canonical as what little we know goes).

Anyway, I was thinking, originally, when Mnemo first approached me, that I might sign up for the handyman/stage manager/props maker character--an older man, in his 50s (who would thus have been a young man during the War of the Ring, a veteran of the Pelennor and other battles), and I'm still calling dibs.

However, I wondered if the question of a patron might lead me in another direction. Working off the Renaissance model, it seems likely to me that some noble or other in Gondor would probably be the financial backer of the play--some patron of the arts (otherwise ignorant of how they work). While this might lead in a direction that would help replace the name, "The King's Players," would it be too forward of me to want to place said noble (instead of/as well as the above handyman)?

[Bêthberry]

Fascinating premise for a game! Nicely done, Mnemo.

Like Firefoot, I would not have time for an intensive game posting daily but would be very interested in cameo/s.

In response to Nerwen's query about what the drama would be like, and in contrast to Formendacil's sense of Restoration/Renaissance drama, I immediately thought of the Medieval Mystery Plays, where actors travelled 'round town on wagons, each wagon depicting a particular scene (a very early form of--wait for it--"movies") in a story, rather like a tableau. There are also plays called miracle plays, which recount miraculous interventions by saints, and morality plays,which used allegorical characters to educate the masses about good and evil.

In modern restaging of these medieval plays, actors are both men and women. I don't recall if the actual medieval productions employed female actors, but since Adam and Eve were prime movers in at least one of the stories, the gender issue must have been addressed somehow.

anyhow, just opening up some possibilties. I have an "Esmerelda Took" character who might be a costume designer/sewer and then there's always my "Bethberry" character (from early games here on the Downs) who currently is at the Seventh Star and so in Gondor. This character, however, is the daughter of Tom and Goldberry, so she might not be *cough* canonical enough for the current climate.

Lovely to see this proposal!

[Mnemosyne]

Ah, well, I like the sound of this.


Couldn't that become an interesting plot complication?


I like where you're going with that. :)

As far as historical theater goes, I have no problem whatsoever with curious resemblances. Of course, the great era for travelling theater companies seems to be the medieval period, and I do think that the presence of theater in Gondor is either a recent development or a renaissance of sorts.

Since I'm imagining this as "popular entertainment" I do think that there are standard tropes in order to appeal to as massive an audience as possible. Think Shakespeare's bawdy humor, even in serious tragedies, or the modern-day need to insert a love interest in every action film... The most extreme example of this that I can think of is Bollywood. And I love the idea of the dragon, Nerwen.

The other main factor would be their source(s) of information.

And for that, I'm taking this as my cue:

Why, cousin, one of them went with only his esquire into the Black Country and fought with the Dark Lord all by himself, and set fire to his Tower, if you can believe it.

That, plus twenty years. Of course, in that time I imagine some more official histories have come up (though Minas Anor does not yet have a copy of the Red Book)--otherwise no one would understand why the holiday is called "Ring-Day."

I do think that there would be both actors and actresses. We also might want to think about stock characters, and whether certain people would always play the same part--the clown, the ingenue, the tragedian, etc.

On patronage: I could see us functioning with or without a current patron. But whoever that is would have to not know, or not care about historical accuracy! That could also be taken care of by having the troupe originally having started out somewhere like Dale... after all, Elessar isn't the only King...

Thank you all for your interest and suggestions!

[Bêthberry]

I've just realised that there's someone else who role plays here who has had seamstress characters and quite possibly that might be her baliwik, if she chooses to join, so I withdraw Esmerelda the costume designer to work on someone else.

Is the game to be, say, a rehearsal for the show, with ensuing hilarity about how to correct historical inaccuracies? Or is it to be about how the players find out about the real history?

I'd love to see a Baldrick in the game (not a character I think I'd wite well).

[Anguirel]

Looks very good fun.

Who will play the canon characters?

Can I sign up as another flakey cameo? I would like to be an old, crotchety Gondorian noble in the King's retinue, who disapproves of frivolous theatrical pursuits and wants the players to be dispersed.

Ideally I'd like to have a gallant young son who's secretly really into theatre, if anyone wanted to play him...

I won't post all that often.

[Formendacil]

If I may continue the patronage discussion, I think that if we settle whether we're looking at a travelling troupe vs. a more sedentary company (ala. the Renaissance), we'll end up with a decision regarding the need for patronage.

I quite agree with Mnemo that an active dramatic tradition in Gondor is almost certainly a renaissance and recent development. It's hard to see it flourishing in the declining Gondor of Denethor, focused culturally on the omnipresent Mordor problem.

That said, just because it is a renaissance of drama in Gondor does not mean that drama in Gondor must follow the (capital R) Renaissance model--though, as mentioned in my last post, I like it. It seems equally plausible to me that travelling troupes would have been among the first developments after the War of the Ring. Perhaps some Hobbits, encouraged by the example of Messrs. Baggins, Gamgee, Took, and Brandybuck set out to Bree and started reënacting the Battle of Bywater after their purses ran out, and in the entrepreneurial spirit of the Restored Monarchy, this turned into a bi-racial travelling troupe making money in the Mannish lands of the South by mixture of having exotic Hobbits and stories that played off the popular sentiments of victory.

Or maybe (as Mnemo suggested), they have their origins in the Mannish cultures of Rhovannion (aka Dale), gone south to a more cosmopolitan setting where there's "steady" work and a larger affluent audience. Maybe it started in the cultured estates of Dol Amroth.

I think that even if we accept travelling troupes as the origins of 4th Age drama, that it's possible one or more of the travelling troupes could have settled more or less permanently in Minas Anor. As the main city of the Reunited Kingdoms--and a growing city, too--it would have been able to supply a regular audience, and would have had enough resident/visiting aristocracy to make patronage possible--and I would contend, based on the Renaissance model, that patronage would be needed to subsidize a sedentary company. What's more, I think that the climate of post-Ring war Gondor would have encouraged nobles to support the arts, and that there might even have been friendly competition in this respect.



Oh! And a random thought... perhaps the "dragon" is a not-always-functioning "toy" from the marvellous craftsmen of the Lonely Mtn/Dale, ala the toys at Bilbo's party?

[Formendacil]

NAME: Amdír, son of Amrod

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: Amdír is a Gondorian man, 56 years old, originally from Lamedon.

APPEARANCE As an older man, of mixed Gondorian descent, Amdír appears unremarkable. That is to say, he's pure Gondorian as far back as anyone can recall, but since he's no noble, the chances that he's pure-blooded Dúnedain are slim to none. In any case, he's just an ordinary Gondorian man in his later years. He's about 5'9", grey haired and balding, well-built as befits a craftsman, with a bit of a limp.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER Amdír was born in Lamedon, the youngest son of a prosperous farmer, and was married to a lass from the same region. In his mid-thirties, he served under Angbor of Lamedon in the War of the Ring in the Battle of the Pelennor, where he was injured. After the war, he settled his family in Minas Tirith, making his way as a carpenter. He eventually came into the service of one of the noble houses (if we decide the troupe has a patron, this might be the man), as a member of the household--sort of a general repairman. As he is good with his hands, Amdír picked up a number of general skills, and eventually found his way into the troupe as a set-designer [either when they came to Minas Anor for the current production or since his master started being their patron]. Though he was happily married, he has recently been widowed, and with four grown children, he is somewhat alone and looking for purpose.

Suggestions?

[Anguirel]

Your bloke has combat experience in the actual war; that seems dangerously close to knowing the truth! Maybe you could do a "man of few words quietly amused at the absurd exaggerations" dynamic...

[Formendacil]

Your bloke has combat experience in the actual war; that seems dangerously close to knowing the truth! Maybe you could do a "man of few words quietly amused at the absurd exaggerations" dynamic...

Well, it depends which part of the war you're interested in. I daresay he's the sort who wouldn't criticize the director/playwright's decisions--though he might take liberties in improving set-pieces and such--but in any case, the destruction of the Ring happened 25 March, and he would have been convalescing in Minas Tirith, rather than actually present at the Black Gate. Besides, even if he'd been at the Black Gate, who knows what those Halflings were doing exactly that brought down the Dark Lord:

"All I know is that that wizard Gandalf showed up on fire-breathing Eagles and forced a dragon to its death in the fires of Mt. Doom--no, I know it wasn't the Witchking, because he was killed by the Lady Éowyn, her that married our Prince Faramir, at the Pelennor, and I saw the carcass of his fell beast with my own two eyes, not more than a yard from where the King of Rohan fell. Of course, my leg was broken by then, and I'd lost a lot of blood, but Beren, who was my father's sister's son, carried me off the battlefield, and he saw it too. Where Gandalf was then, I don't know, nor his eagles either, but it would have saved us a lot of trouble if he'd have just flown into Mordor 1000 years ago and finished the dragon... but they say he wasn't a white wizard then. Maybe he couldn't wear white till the Lady Éowyn killed the Witchking. I don't know.

"Or maybe it was the halfings that he found in Mordor that made the difference. To be honest, I never did get the story straight, though I met the perian Mediadoc briefly while we both convalescing, waiting for news of the army that marched to the Black Gates--marched to certain doom, we thought. Polite enough, though strangely familiar with all those he met. But that's the way of the periannath, they say. Prince Peregrin was the same, or so my cousin Beren said..."

[Galadriel55]

The game sounds awesoe, Mnemosyne! I'm afraid I'll have to miss out on it, though, because I won't have enough time to participate properly.:(

[Mnemosyne]

On fixity or transhumance...

1). Having a patron does not necessarily mean that the players don't travel. There are some troupes around Shakespeare's time who finally "made it big" when they settled in town, and they called themselves by their patron's name even when they were still travelling.

2). The more "settled" the troupe is, the more advance notice we would have had of the Royal Guests. Which isn't necessarily a big deal, given that the event which sparks this whole thing is finding out that the Court is attending. After all, the King was there, and we've never bothered with that before.

3). We're still only 20 years into the Fourth Age, so there doesn't have to be a fixed pattern yet. One highly conventional way to go would be, if the final product is good enough, secure the Crown's (or a different noble's) patronage and thus become Minas Anor's first permanent group.


Taking other threads by the numbers...

Is the game to be, say, a rehearsal for the show, with ensuing hilarity about how to correct historical inaccuracies? Or is it to be about how the players find out about the real history?

Up to us, I'd say. But we have one to two weeks in-game to figure it out, so I don't see why both wouldn't work. Say, on the first day we're still outside the city, run through the rehearsal, on the second day one of us bumps into Elanor, on the third day a messenger from the Court shows up, and then we have eleven days to find out what's inaccurate, decide what to change, and then make and rehearse the changes. Then on the last to second-to-last day we'd do the revised (if it's revised) performance, with all the pompous types coming down? That was the fuzzy idea I had in my head, but if people want to make it more about one thing than the other then we should do that.

Anguirel, I'm currently thinking that the canons should be NPCs, and that whoever has to interact with them will write them for that interaction. And of course you're welcome to introduce as many flaky cameos as you'd like.

Formy, the mechanical dragon that always breaks would be a real delight. And Amdir looks great. Another idea to incorporate him into the Players' past is that, if we put on multiple shows while at Minas Anor, it might be helpful to have a temporary stage of sorts. So even if you haven't been travelling with us, you might have helped with building sets in the past.

Finally:

Your bloke has combat experience in the actual war; that seems dangerously close to knowing the truth!

Given the number of times Pippin had to explain that, no, he wasn't really the Prince of the Halflings, and no, he hadn't promised Denethor an army of hobbits that would be showing up with Rohan, I don't think we have anything to worry about on that count.

X-ed with Formendacil and Galadriel55

[Mnemosyne]

The game sounds awesoe, Mnemosyne! I'm afraid I'll have to miss out on it, though, because I won't have enough time to participate properly.:(

You can still write up a minor character who only shows up for a couple of days, though, if you'd like. At this rate, we're probably going to need a loremaster or three...

[Formendacil]

3). We're still only 20 years into the Fourth Age, so there doesn't have to be a fixed pattern yet. One highly conventional way to go would be, if the final product is good enough, secure the Crown's (or a different noble's) patronage and thus become Minas Anor's first permanent group.

Whoops! I had 31 F.A. in my head, rather than 21... so I may need to tweak Amdír's bio ever so slightly...

EDIT: ...and I have now done so.

Formy, the mechanical dragon that always breaks would be a real delight. And Amdir looks great. Another idea to incorporate him into the Players' past is that, if we put on multiple shows while at Minas Anor, it might be helpful to have a temporary stage of sorts. So even if you haven't been travelling with us, you might have helped with building sets in the past.

Glad you like it--and some sort of longer standing rapport with the players makes good sense for playing Amdír, whether he's a permanent fixture or temporary help.

[Galadriel55]

You can still write up a minor character who only shows up for a couple of days, though, if you'd like. At this rate, we're probably going to need a loremaster or three...

Even a minor character has to talk. I cannot post from school, and I have limited time at home. That won't give me enough time to have any conversation. Plus, things will be going on while I'm at school with real life speed, and my character will be rooted to the spot the whole time!:p:rolleyes: The most I can do is a character that will come and go right away...:(

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I've fallen desperately in love with the concept of a dragon, and based on research I've done in the past year, I'm distinctly interested in automatons. Anybody read The Invention of Hugo Cabret? :cool:

Would it perturb anybody if I was a mostly minor character (depending on my free time) with the role of Dragon Puppeteer? I don't wish to confiscate this brilliant idea from its owner, though. Nerwen? Mneminem?

"It don't matter if there was or wasn't, because Mount Doom and The Lonely Mountain both had rings and hobbits!"

Also, how will the time line work? Are there specific goals we should be playing toward each Day, or is it more loose than that? Two weeks is lovely, but how will each real life day correlate with the writing of the game day?

[Dimturiel]

I just read this game proposal today and I think it's a great idea. I think it is safe to say that I can commit myself to posting every day for two weeks, since I'm more or less free at the moment. Therefore I think I could try my hand at a main character, if that's ok with you.

I do have one question, though. What about the actors? Is it going to be an all male cast like in the medieval/ Renaissance period? Or are there female actors as well? I was just wondering so I could get a better idea of what a cast of actors in Gondor would look like:D.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

This is a wonderful game idea! It sounds like it will be great fun. My first spontaneous thought was to offer a cameo by my alter ego Estelyn Telcontar, the Loremistress of Minas Tirith. Alas, her backstory doesn't fit into the timeframe (she's Arwen's great-granddaughter), and my personal timeframe doesn't fit into the RPG either. I will be travelling in two weeks, so participation will not be possible for me. :( I will most certainly read the story with great interest.

(PS - I'm the writer who has done seamstress characters in a couple of RPGs, but as I can't write here, I would encourage Bêthberry or someone else to take on that role.)

[Boromir88]

Alright, can I say that I'm in love with theater troupes and how amusing they can be, especially one that's basically starting up with it's first "major" production (if I've got Mnemo's premise right).

As it is for me right now, I'm taking an extended break from WW, because I can't do any sort of commitment on the weekends. However, Mondays-Fridays, I'm anyone's who wants me. If someone will be able to pick up my character on Saturdays and Sundays, I can be a regular player. If not, then I'll begin thinking of some minor roles.

My thought for a regular character, would be the loud, arrogant member of the troupe, who thinks he's the biggest star of the show, and tries to hog the spot-light. I can imagine a character, who has as much humility as Denethor, playing Sam or Gandalf. That would go over well, in front of the King. :rolleyes:

And if I feel because of my inability to commit any writing saturday-sunday, for minor roles, I was originally thinking a theater critic from Minas Anor. However, since we're leaning towards the Renaissance model, I think it'd be too early to have any psuedo-professional theater critic.

Instead if you're looking for cameos to focus on the historical accuracy of the performance. I've had an image of Imrahil, in the "changing" Gondor would be fond of the arts. So, I'm thinking a Swan-knight of Dol Amroth, who went with Imrahil to Minas Tirith, would likely be interested in attending the big show?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

A thought...

Would a Greek Chorus equivalent be appropriate in this instance? Because I could see potential for some hilarity ensuing, and that would allow for some poetry to come into the mix in a very meaningful way.

[Durelin]

Well I'll be person #whatever to say that this is a very cool game idea but I cannot participate because I'm in a very busy part of the semester atm. I love the acting troupe idea and can't wait to see how it develops!

[Mnemosyne]

Taken by the numbers...

Galadriel55, that's a shame. I do hope you'll read the RP, though, and if you're following the general planning discussion as we try to zero in on theatrical culture and you have any ideas, feel free to continue.

That goes for everyone else who might be looking on with interest--obviously the people who are playing the game will ultimately decide what we are and aren't going to do, but I, at least, would not mind having more ideas to toss about than I can come up with on my own.

Fea, the Dread Dragon was not my idea--it was Nerwen's. Consequently I have no problem with your becoming our resident dragon operator, as long as she wasn't planning to do anything with it.

Dimturiel, welcome to the Players! At the moment we're much more in need of players who can commit to posting regularly, so I'm really pleased that you've expressed interest. Do you have any ideas for a character yet?

The nature of theater at this time is actually our current source of debate. Given attitudes towards women in Middle-earth in general, I don't see any reason that women shouldn't be allowed to act. (Gondor is remarkably sanitized from the kinds of professional women that actresses were often mistaken as or expected to be.) On the other hand, how many of the shows that the Players put on would require a large number of female parts? Of course, in a pinch, any of the actors (I think) would be comfortable enough playing someone of the opposite sex, especially if actresses take on the part of "youths" like any good mezzo-soprano.

Estelyn, depending on how long the planning takes, you may be able to hop in anyway... That's actually something for everyone to keep in mind--the two weeks of gameplay are going to start in the future... hopefully only two to three weeks from now, but maybe longer, depending on how long it takes for us to fill up our cast, get better acquainted with our characters, and come up with enough of a plot so that we're not floundering away.

Boro - If we can all make sure to plan things out now, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to take on a main part. Now that we're discussing the extent to which people can write others' characters on the Measure of Success thread, this could be a way of determining whether the sky will, in fact, fall down if someone takes over someone else's character for a few days. :p Of course, one of the weekends your character could get a bad stomach virus*, or, depending on how much we have outlined, you could give a player, in advance, a post of what your character might be doing during that time. The point is, as long as we have enough people keeping the plot rolling, having to miss out on the weekends isn't terrible. After all, any one of us could fall sick, or suddenly have to spend the next three days on the road because our job was cancelled early due to a swine flu outbreak.

*If, in fact, you decide to be our Leading Ham, getting ill right before the performance would make an even better plot twist, would it not?

The chorus - an interesting idea, and not necessarily limited to the Greek style. Having someone to serve as a narrator of sorts could easily work. As far as poetry goes, another model that we might want to keep in mind are the extended nights of theater that were so popular in Victorian times, in which you have a farce, some singing while the set is changed, and then a tragedy, etc. I was actually looking online last night for the video of the 1980's stage Nicholas Nickleby, in which the characters do put on such an entertainment--Romeo and Juliet with a sudden surprise happy ending, and I think the whole thing ends with a patriotic song. The point is, there are a lot of styles to choose from and mix and match.

When I get back to my computer tonight, I'll put up a post with some more concrete questions so that we can begin to narrow some things down. At the very least I'll need these answered so I can get a better feel for my character.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Estelyn, depending on how long the planning takes, you may be able to hop in anyway...

Perhaps I could come in toward the end, if the game is still going after March 15 - would I be allowed to take on a canonical character like Ioreth? She would be considerably aged by that time, of course, and her memory *might* not be entirely accurate, but I can certainly reproduce her voice! She could be approached by one of the troupe members for first-hand information...

[Mnemosyne]

Esty, if it's possible, that would be delightful.

And one other thing that I had wanted to put in that earlier post but quite forgotten about:

PANTOMIME!!!

Discuss.

[Mnemosyne]

Okay, some questions, the answers to which will (I think) help solidify the game or at least my character:

1). Where, and how, did the Players get their start? I'm planning on playing one of the founders, so--how many people started the group, and how did they know each other beforehand?

2). Do we have a patron at the moment? If so, who?

3). Where is our current circuit?

4). What sorts of real-world styles are we going to borrow, if any? In what ways?


Finally: currently, this is what I'm thinking for my character so far: 1). she's married to one of the founders. 2). She's in her 30's? 3). If we have another female Player, she takes the older female roles when necessary but prefers not to act, instead running things backstage, prompting, and (if necessary) ad lib entertaining (see 5.) if the players need to stall for time. 4). She's in charge of the finances and logistics of running the troupe. 5). She has a fiddle and a decent singing voice.


Nerwen, I couldn't tell by your initial post whether you were interested in joining the game as one of the Players or as a side character.

Dimturiel, any ideas yet on what sort of a character you'd like to play?

At any rate, anyone who's thinking of being one of the Players, please give me some feedback on the questions above, and suggestions as to how your characters could (or couldn't) fit into the framework for my character.

Oh, and she clearly needs a name. But that'll depend to an extent on where she's from, which might in turn depend on where the troupe was founded. Whew!

[Nerwen]

Would it perturb anybody if I was a mostly minor character (depending on my free time) with the role of Dragon Puppeteer? I don't wish to confiscate this brilliant idea from its owner, though. Nerwen?
As long as you're extra-nice to me...;)

1). Where, and how, did the Players get their start? I'm planning on playing one of the founders, so--how many people started the group, and how did they know each other beforehand?
Are you thinking of the founders as coming from a place that already had a traditional drama, or do you suppose theatre had died out altogether, and only been revived in the last few years?

2). Do we have a patron at the moment? If so, who?
This is just my suggestion, but I think we might have named ourselves, "The King's Players" out of hubris, either not knowing, or not caring, that in Minas Anor this would be taken as meaning we actually had royal sponsorship. Or maybe there's been a recent edict that you can't call yourself "The King's" or "The Royal" anything without official sanction, and we only just found out, much to our consternation.

Oh, and I'll be one of the players, if you please. I'll get back to you on the details. For the moment, I feel somebody other than Fea the puppeteer needs to be passionate about the need for a dragon, so I think I'll play one of the leads, and have made a great hit either slaying or being rescued from the beast.

[Dimturiel]

Dimturiel, any ideas yet on what sort of a character you'd like to play?

I have some ideas, yes. I've thought of a slightly over-enthusiastic young actor - perhaps around twenty or so - from somewhere in Gondor. I only have a rough sketch in my mind but I'll do some more thinking and come up with more information - and a name - by tomorrow.

1). Where, and how, did the Players get their start?

Somewhere around Gondor, maybe? While I agree with what some of you said that the theatre could not have flourished in Denethor's times, I think dramatic arts could have existed in Gondor before, if we take into consideration their level of civilisation and the fact that it was a society that vallued knowledge quite a lot. Usually such societies are the ones more artistically inclined. The way I see it, Gondor must have had theatres before the Stewards came to rule and things started getting nastier with Sauron, when it understandably started to decline. Maybe our troup was intending to reinstate that tradition?

[Boromir88]

Boro - If we can all make sure to plan things out now, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to take on a main part. Now that we're discussing the extent to which people can write others' characters on the Measure of Success thread, this could be a way of determining whether the sky will, in fact, fall down if someone takes over someone else's character for a few days.

Would that make me a guinea pig? :p

But, yes we can work around the not being here for the weekends thing, which means I'll be the troupe's Ham. I like the sound of a severe stomach virus, or tragic (depending on who you ask :p) loss of voice, right before the performace. That is fitting.

Basic outline of what I'm thinking then...Ideal stage voice and passionate. However, he never gets out of character. He remains boisterous and annoyingly dramatic, even when he's not performing.

I'll be one of the founders then, which leads me, when was the troupe founded? If we're a relatively new troupe, are we talking 1 to 2 years? Under a year?

2). Do we have a patron at the moment? If so, who?

I've got no problem with Form's character as our patron. And with regards to patronage...

This is just my suggestion, but I think we might have named ourselves, "The King's Players" out of hubris, either not knowing, or not caring, that in Minas Anor this would be taken as meaning we actually had royal sponsorship. Or maybe there's been a recent edict that you can't call yourself "The King's" or "The Royal" anything without official sanction, and we only just found out, much to our consternation.

I like. "The King's Players" gives the impression that we're legit, and could be interesting as we stumble around curious people asking what King sponsors the troupe.

3). Where is our current circuit?

Can't go wrong with Gondor. Bree is a cultural, lively hub, that would be a good place too. Or if we are going with the dragon-idea, perhaps Dale? They're familiar with Dragons and that sparked the need to insert Puppet-Dragon into the act. :p

[Bêthberry]

Formy, the mechanical dragon that always breaks would be a real delight. And Amdir looks great. Another idea to incorporate him into the Players' past is that, if we put on multiple shows while at Minas Anor, it might be helpful to have a temporary stage of sorts. So even if you haven't been travelling with us, you might have helped with building sets in the past.

Not to intrude on this idea for Formy as a set builder, but if this is a travelling troupe, would we travel via wagons? And could those wagons be convertible to stages? (Stage-wagon?) (sorry, bad I know).


Or if we are going with the dragon-idea, perhaps Dale? They're familiar with Dragons and that sparked the need to insert Puppet-Dragon into the act.

Well, if we are going to be canonical about it and use characters from the historical events ;) , does that mean we should have a Shieldmaiden in the story?

She could do an Ophelia or Lady of Shalott type death until she learns there's another ending . . . . (where's the smilie for pumping heart?) Or she could do a Joan of Arc burning scene. Pyrotechnics! We could work in some anti-witches/heretics stuff which is overturned (or not).

The actress who plays her could be the daughter of the founders, depending on their ages of course. Or an orphan picked up by the troupe, who has duties outside of acting. Selling oranges to the audiences?

*coughs* I've never played a shieldmaiden yet. :Merisu:*coughs*

[Mnemosyne]

Okay, so that means we're looking at five Players already! Wow!

Given the paramount importance that our dragon seems to have, allow me to suggest the following origin story, which (I hope) will take input from what everyone's said so far...

Every year, as part of the events surrounding Smaug's death in Laketown, Dale has put on a creative reenactment of the story. During the first years of the post-war economic boom, the king of Dale financed my character's (Brinn or some variant thereon) father, a skilled toymaker, to make a bigger, better, and grander dragon. As Brinn's friends (and betrothed) had taken leading parts in the drama, our feet were itching, and we'd heard that the South was getting loaded in cash, Brinn convinced her father to let them have the old dragon. After a few months of patching up and modifying some old defunct wagons, they decided to take an abridged form of the show on the road. They took on the name "The King's Players" because 1). it sounded grand, and 2). the King of Dale had been kind enough to give them a little money to fix up those wagons. ...Maybe.

Whilst touring among the fiefs of Gondor, the King's Players were astonished to find out that a theatrical tradition was already there, and that a few other small acting companies were making smaller tours in the fiefs. The largest one of these was the Swan Players in Dol Amroth, whom they had the misfortune of duelling show runs. These players had a patron (Imrahil), and they'd been running since well before the war--since the time of the Kings, they claimed, but Brinn at least didn't believe that. They seemed to look down on their nose at the more *ahem* popular nature of our entertainment, but they had to admit that they did not have a dragon, and if they had had one they would want to use it as often as possible too. After a bit of a fight, though, the two troupes decided to stagger their tours, so that neither group would be in the same place. They took Minas Anor for the New Year; we took them for Cormare.

The King's Players been touring the area for 3-5 years, now, long enough for a couple of our founders to have settled down with a local, and long enough for us to recruit some Gondorians. Dimturiel, maybe this is where your character came in--he or she may have gotten a start with another company, or was just a local who liked what we were doing.

We may have taken a break on these tours by going somewhere else for a year--Rohan, maybe, or back to Dale and over to Bree. Or maybe we went to Bree before we headed south. I want to leave these options open in case, say, we recruit a hobbit.

Finally, while in Gondor, Brinn (and I think Boro's ham would do the same) has taken on a more suitable stage name: Celebrindal. She obviously has no idea what it means, though, as she's a bit clumsy (which is why she doesn't act when she can help it. Especially near the Dragon).


Okay, how does that sound? Good? Good, but needs some changes? Bad? This is supposed to be a "shared authority" RP so I don't want to be making decisions unless people want me to. :)


One other question: how humorously (or seriously) are we playing this? I could still see it going either way, or switching between the two. But better to discuss it now than when the game's in full swing.


Bethberry, I was thinking that normally we use the Stage Wagons, but the festivals in Gondor are long enough that we thought to try to switch to a more permanent set. Or, maybe, one of the wagons broke down in a previous year and Amdir fixed it? At any rate we'll need his help again if any of our sets need to be different.

Or he might have been travelling with us on our circuits for a while. Up to Formy, really.

*coughs* I've never played a shieldmaiden yet. *coughs*

Are you insinuating something?

Boro, glad you're on board. For some reason I'm imagining this scene: "Surely, if Lord Samwise himself will be attending, he will want to see himself portrayed by no less than the best actor of them all!" And the rest of us trying to talk him down...

[Boromir88]

I wanted to get my character sheet completed (or at least mostly complete) before tomorrow. Having a stage name has given me an idea. :p

------

NAME: Branor

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 28, Male, Man, Esgaroth

APPEARANCE: By the standards of the Men of Dale, Branor is considered tall (almost 6'2''), pale-skinned, and slender, but healthy looking. He has dark brown, shoulder-length hair, and brown eyes.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Branor's dad, Bainor, was a weaponsmith and fortunately took Branor to Erebor where they found refuge when the Dark Lord's army came. Branor was too young to fight, but remembers the fear of being trapped in the Lonely Mountain, not having hope to escape.

After Sauron's defeat, and a great peace swept across Middle-earth, Branor did not want to be an apprentice to his father, afterall there wasn't much need for weaponsmiths anymore. It wasn't until Branor was nearing 24, when he figured out his life's passion. Branor's good friend, Brinn, pitched him the idea of creating a theater troupe, and doing an act celebrating the demise of the Dragon. He was quite familiar and always intrigued by the story of Smaug. Although, all he knew came from stories his father told him, who had heard the stories from his father. Branor had always been passionate and eccentric. His passion, while performing, tended to bring out the best in everyone else. However, off-stage, he simply looked boisterous and arrogant. In fact, Branor often saw new members of the troupe as a threat to his fame, and after the first couple performances, Branor would rarely ever get out of character! The only member of the troupe he would listen to (unless you were simply stating you agreed with him) was Brinn.

------

The troupe's background looks good to me Mnemo. I may have some questions or more to add, tomorrow or when I'm back on Sunday night. If there are any changes I'll adjust Branor's history/how he knows Brinn accordingly. :)

BB, yes, you know you want to be a shield-maiden. :D

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

BB, yes, you know you want to be a shield-maiden. :D

The only way I see this being more/different levels of amusing is if you go in the direction of a male-only or male-mostly cast, and the role reminiscent of EOWYN is played by a boy. A boy who doesn't even get the story right. And is a BOY. Playing the part of Eowyn. (With a royal audience.) (Point driven home? I'm sick again. AGAIN, I say! My brain isn't on top of subtlety. Just saying, you say shield maiden, I think bwahahaha gender bending swaparoo of epic!)

[Firefoot]

I had an amusing idea, if anyone would like to run with it. Seeing as Dale is a bit short on hobbits and rather longer on dwarves, perhaps they might have a dwarf or two in their troupe to play the hobbits? "What do you mean Hobbits don't have beards?" ;)

[Bêthberry]

Sorry, there's little time here for me to write, as there is a family issue that's taking up great time.

If the troupe is from Dale and the dragon is central (and rightly so, I like this), it sounds more to me like The Hobbit than LotR, so I'm not sure there would be much room for an Eowyn figure after all. Unless the dragon picks up Sam and Frodo from the volcano?


BB, yes, you know you want to be a shield-maiden.

I am uncovered! erm, uncloaked? ;)


The only way I see this being more/different levels of amusing is if you go in the direction of a male-only or male-mostly cast, and the role reminiscent of EOWYN is played by a boy. A boy who doesn't even get the story right. And is a BOY. Playing the part of Eowyn. (With a royal audience.) (Point driven home? I'm sick again. AGAIN, I say! My brain isn't on top of subtlety. Just saying, you say shield maiden, I think bwahahaha gender bending swaparoo of epic!)

Fea my love, I've never written a gender-bender voice and wouldn't want to try it here for the first time. If you like this idea, feel free to take the shieldmaiden character as you'd be a blast with it.

[Mnemosyne]

No, no, the Witch-King was riding the dragon in, and Eowyn had to slay it before she slew the Witch-King, and he nearly scorched her to death, because that's what did Theoden in, you know? (never mind his tombstone)

Or there were FIVE DRAGONS guarding Barad-dur when Frodo the Halfling went there to challenge Sauron to single combat, and while he was there he tricked them into setting the tower on fire and blowing it up and only survived because an eagle happened to fly by at that very moment...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Fea my love, I've never written a gender-bender voice and wouldn't want to try it here for the first time. If you like this idea, feel free to take the shieldmaiden character as you'd be a blast with it.

Hm. I'm extremely tempted and I have some very fun ideas, but I need to sleep on it. Given the significance the dragon puppeteer has gained (and delightfully so), would somebody else like to take it? I don't feel right now as though I could do it justice.

[Folwren]

This looks fun, but I don't feel I would do justice if I joined. I hope it turns out well!

-- Foley

[Formendacil]

No, no, the Witch-King was riding the dragon in, and Eowyn had to slay it before she slew the Witch-King, and he nearly scorched her to death, because that's what did Theoden in, you know? (never mind his tombstone)

Or there were FIVE DRAGONS guarding Barad-dur when Frodo the Halfling went there to challenge Sauron to single combat, and while he was there he tricked them into setting the tower on fire and blowing it up and only survived because an eagle happened to fly by at that very moment...

Wait... didn't the Battle of the Five Dragons take place in Dale. I could've sworn... :-p

For what it's worth, having the playwright/original troupe members originate in Dale could help explain why they know so little of the original story.

[Lariren Shadow]

Wow this sounds really cool. I've been talking with Fea and thought "wouldn't it be funny if some of the fake inspiration came from the movies?" I think this should happen.

I would also greatly appreciate a cameo as Éowyn, since talking with Fea makes me really want to do this.

[Dimturiel]

Ok, after much thinking I've come up with the following character:

NAME: Harrenon

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 21, Male, Man, Gondor, more specifically Lossanarch

APPEARANCE: He looks younger than his age and is not as tall as the usual Gondorian although he claims he still has time to grow, despite his age. Has long black hair that sometimes stands in all dirrections and brown eyes.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Is a bit over-enthusiastic and tends to get excited easily. Has periods of shyness although he secretly dreams of being adimred one day for his acting skills. He is much too young to remember the War of the Ring and the only things he knows about the events there come from rumours and vague reports. He watched a few representations given by the King's Players and was immediately taken in by their style, which is why he one day asked to join them.

Well, that's it, so far. Let me know how it looks.

[Bêthberry]

No, no, the Witch-King was riding the dragon in, and Eowyn had to slay it before she slew the Witch-King, and he nearly scorched her to death, because that's what did Theoden in, you know? (never mind his tombstone)

Or there were FIVE DRAGONS guarding Barad-dur when Frodo the Halfling went there to challenge Sauron to single combat, and while he was there he tricked them into setting the tower on fire and blowing it up and only survived because an eagle happened to fly by at that very moment...

Sounds far more canonical than my scheme to use, very unTolkien-like, a helpful, good-guy dragon. :D

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

NAME: Therian

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 25, male, Man of Dale

APPEARANCE: Light brown hair, cropped close to his head. Clean shaven facial hair. A thin build. He walks with an exaggerated swagger.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Therian believes that there is no place for women in a traveling show. It is not that he believes women are incapable of performing; it is that he believes that a household cannot run without women, and a woman that leaves her household and her noble and natural duties to be an itinerant performer is making statements about herself that would shame any man that cared for her and her future.

He plays a shieldmaiden for the King's Players, and is not particularly enthused about the role's existence.

[Nerwen]

Hm. I'm extremely tempted and I have some very fun ideas, but I need to sleep on it. Given the significance the dragon puppeteer has gained (and delightfully so), would somebody else like to take it? I don't feel right now as though I could do it justice.

Okay, well, I'll take it then.

[Nerwen]

NAME: Asta.

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: Early twenties; Woman of Dale.

APPEARANCE: Medium height; skinny; long sandy hair; pale narrow face with rather sharp features. Light grey-blue eyes. Not plain, but nothing special to look at either.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Younger sister of Brinn; unlike her, inherited their father's mechanical aptitude and often assisted him in his workshop. Since the original dragon puppeteer declined to leave Dale, Brinn persuaded Asta to come along with her as the next best thing. (This caused quite a furore in their family.)

Asta is fiercely protective of her dragon-puppet and her sister, in no particular order, but is sometimes resentful of what she sees as Brinn's domineering ways. Although working "Smaug" is her crowning glory, in such a small company she is naturally expected to do many other jobs, such as looking after the props, running errands, helping with costumes and makeup, and playing minor roles when required. She is afraid of being overlooked, and is always eager to point out just how invaluable she is to the troupe. She is also a bit given to boasting in general, and to blowing everyday incidents out of proportion. (E.g. that spider she found in the wagon was HUGE and clearly deadly and would probably have killed someone if she hadn't squashed it first!)

[Mnemosyne]

Sorry I've been AWOL, folks. Character sheet for Brinn and some more questions for your consideration should be up tomorrow, if I haven't perished before then. :)

[Mnemosyne]

Lari, including some movieverse distortions would be fine with me as long as it didn't go into overkill. I've seen this done before in fan fiction to varying degrees of success, and it always threw me out of the narrative a little bit. But if it yielded just a chuckle and I was pulled back in I always liked it.

As far as cameo-ing Eowyn, I did put "no canon characters" for the bit part sheets, and while I might be willing-er to let that slide with Ioreth, who's a very minor character in Tolkien, Eowyn seems to be too big of a deal. I much prefer the idea of "joint ownership" of canon characters, written as NPCs as necessary. But if the rest of the writers like the idea I'm more than willing to yield.

Harrenon and Asta both look great. Brinn will be happy to have a sister who does not share her clumsiness. :)

I do have a question about Therian, though. If he believes that women have no place outside of the household, how does he reconcile that with the fact that we have two women in our company, one of whom helped found it and is running a household within the company perfectly well, thank you very much? And how would he have joined the group in the first place? It sounds like a lovely bit of conflict, and one that I'd be more than happy to play with, but I guess I'm a bit confused...

Brinn still needs a husband, btw. I can make him an NPC, or he could be Branor (although that would depend entirely on him as Boro sees him, and besides that would make for some fun domestic rows), or we should start PMing various other 'Downers and seeing if we can pull them in. We're still only at five Players right now and I wouldn't mind getting up to six or more.

Another thing that occurred to me, from Firefoot's Dwarf suggestion. I doubt that the Dwarves of Durin's line, at least, would be quite as willing to take liberties with the text that Men of Dale would, but what about children? Depending on how long this show's been on the road (literally!) Brinn could have a few wee ones who could be put to work as "Aww, aren't they cute" hobbit/child performers. Alternately, recruiting talented street urchins for the final cut could potentially be very touching.

I probably don't have time for the character sheet before my night class starts, but I'll get it up later this evening.

Oh, and our company might need a writer.

Oh, and our dragon does need a name. :)

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Lari, including some movieverse distortions would be fine with me as long as it didn't go into overkill.

I'm speaking for Lari only because I'm not sure she's done with her epic delayed travels yet, and because I know what she's got in mind since she and I were brainstorming together during our bouts of homelessness last week.

In terms of movie distortions, what we had in mind was in line with your idea of stage show plotlines that don't mesh perfectly with the actual events. So instead of having our 'real life' characters go with movie canon instead of book canon, the idea we had was to throw a few Easter eggs into the plot lines of the performances.

Confused Audience Member 1: "Now, I cannot say I was there for this, and I do not know for sure that my memory means a thing, or anything, and all, but I do not remember the minstrels singin' about m'lady majesty the Queen's father Lord Elrond climbin' up that mountain path with a sword!"

Confused Audience Member 2: "Now I heard m'lord Elrond followed the Fellowship to make sure they did it right, so that don't make no nevermind to me, but what I can't see is this: why ain't Tom Bombadil in the story?"

What we had in mind were passing comments that would get a giggle out of each other and readers, but without descending into movie issues as part of our actual story.

As far as cameo-ing Eowyn, I did put "no canon characters" for the bit part sheets, and while I might be willing-er to let that slide with Ioreth, who's a very minor character in Tolkien, Eowyn seems to be too big of a deal. I much prefer the idea of "joint ownership" of canon characters, written as NPCs as necessary. But if the rest of the writers like the idea I'm more than willing to yield.

We had this in mind for the following reason: Eowyn would only appear very [very] briefly during the final performance, basically seated silently in the audience somewhere, not actually doing anything. The only activity she would have would be an extremely brief and poignant (ahem, *snicker*) encounter with my Therian, who might just have reason to change his mind about his opinion on shieldmaidens.

So though Eowyn is, herself, a major character, her role in this game would be a bit part, no more than a post or two between me and Lari near the end.

Of course you may still veto it, since you did say no canon characters, but we were hoping you might let it slide because of how tiny and innocuous the role we had in mind was.

I do have a question about Therian, though.

:cool:

If he believes that women have no place outside of the household, how does he reconcile that with the fact that we have two women in our company, one of whom helped found it and is running a household within the company perfectly well, thank you very much?

I daresay there might be some tension, is what I say.

And how would he have joined the group in the first place?

He is a very fine actor, you see. But all the good roles were taken, and the need for a shieldmaiden arose, and nobody could do justice to the part and/or nobody wanted it, and Therian is just biding his time until he gets a promotion to the part he really wants, which is actually the role of Theoden, because he feels he would be slain with Shakespearean gusto.

I have been slain! he would cry. And then he would give a speech. And then he would clutch his wound, and cry, I am slain, I have died, I am gone. And then in the next scene, still clutching his side (or head, or leg, or heart), he would again cry, Death finds me now!

But until the Theoden role opens up, he's just biding his time, playing the role of shieldmaiden with irritating excellence, and ticking off the ladies with his unspoken judgment of their roving ways. After all, he's from Dale, where women behave like women, not from places like Rohan, where legend has it women give birth in the saddle on their way somewhere.

It sounds like a lovely bit of conflict, and one that I'd be more than happy to play with, but I guess I'm a bit confused...

He wants to be an actor, and he wants to be in the troupe, but he doesn't want to play the stupid shieldmaiden, and he might secretly be in love with someone, but I haven't quite worked that part out yet, and it's making him stomp around like a bull with a bellyache.

Brinn still needs a husband, btw. I can make him an NPC, or he could be Branor

Therian could attempt to court her? Obviously he'd have to come to terms with powerful women before it would ever work out, and then she'd still be well within her rights to both deny him and fire him... :Merisu:

Brinn could have a few wee ones who could be put to work as "Aww, aren't they cute" hobbit/child performers. Alternately, recruiting talented street urchins for the final cut could potentially be very touching.

AWWW!!!!!

[Mnemosyne]

I'm speaking for Lari only because I'm not sure she's done with her epic delayed travels yet, and because I know what she's got in mind since she and I were brainstorming together during our bouts of homelessness last week.

In terms of movie distortions, what we had in mind was in line with your idea of stage show plotlines that don't mesh perfectly with the actual events. So instead of having our 'real life' characters go with movie canon instead of book canon, the idea we had was to throw a few Easter eggs into the plot lines of the performances.

Confused Audience Member 1: "Now, I cannot say I was there for this, and I do not know for sure that my memory means a thing, or anything, and all, but I do not remember the minstrels singin' about m'lady majesty the Queen's father Lord Elrond climbin' up that mountain path with a sword!"

Confused Audience Member 2: "Now I heard m'lord Elrond followed the Fellowship to make sure they did it right, so that don't make no nevermind to me, but what I can't see is this: why ain't Tom Bombadil in the story?"

What we had in mind were passing comments that would get a giggle out of each other and readers, but without descending into movie issues as part of our actual story.



Passing giggle-worthy comments are more than okay, thanks for clarifying. :D

We had this in mind for the following reason: Eowyn would only appear very [very] briefly during the final performance, basically seated silently in the audience somewhere, not actually doing anything. The only activity she would have would be an extremely brief and poignant (ahem, *snicker*) encounter with my Therian, who might just have reason to change his mind about his opinion on shieldmaidens.

So though Eowyn is, herself, a major character, her role in this game would be a bit part, no more than a post or two between me and Lari near the end.

Of course you may still veto it, since you did say no canon characters, but we were hoping you might let it slide because of how tiny and innocuous the role we had in mind was.


Okay, I wasn't sure if Eowyn was going to have to act as a historical source or something. Of course, if anyone wants to run into her as part of our research (or any of the other canons), and can square the matter away with the fact that she'd probably be a busy, busy woman (and I trust all of you to have that kind of discretion), that's fine... I'd just like to limit the extent to which these are played as characters, if that makes sense.



On Therian: sounds good. :) I do think that Brinn should have gotten married before she left Dale, though, because--well, maybe they do things different in Dale, but I can't help but think that most people would assume something about a bunch of single ladies travelling with a bunch of single gents. If Brinn's married, then we have someone in the trusted position of looking out for her sister's "virtue."

Anyway, I'll write her bio that way for now, and I'll keep filling in the details as I get more input.

[Mnemosyne]

NAME: Brinn (stage name Celebrindal)

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 27, female, Man, Dale

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be): Brinn is pretty average size-wise: medium height, tends to the plump side but thins out during peak playing season (see below). Her hair is naturally auburn, but she dyed it black when the troupe first came to Gondor (she thought it would help) and has been known to do so again from time to time. Hazel eyes and a few freckles scattered across her nose.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish):

Personality: Brinn has a quick mind for ideas, planning, and management: the intellectual satisfaction she gets from being with the Players is dealing with the unpredictability of life on the road and its challenges. She is usually common sensical, but every once in a while comes out with a brilliantly stupid idea that she's headstrong enough to think will work even when everyone is trying to persuade her otherwise.

Her emotional satisfaction comes from making other people happy, and she can't rest if she's aware of unresolved conflicts among the Players--especially if it's going to start bleeding into their work.

When under stress, Brinn tends to pinch the bridge of her nose... a lot... and if it's an ongoing situation in need of resolution, she forgets to eat in her efforts to get everything worked out. She's gotten burned out a couple of times over the years and forced to sit down and be coddled by her family.

Brinn is somewhat clumsy, enough for her to be afraid of messing things up if she makes her way onto a fully decorated set. She has acted before and will do so in a pinch, but most of the time she gets props ready, helps with quick costume changes, etc.

She is possessed of one fiddle, which has been known to entertain the crowds through a squeaky intermission. Playing it is one of the few times that Brinn can lose herself to abstraction.

History: Brinn's father was a mechanical toymaker in Dale--one of the best. When he was commissioned to make the new mechanical dragon for the Feast of the Dragon* in Dale, she had an idea for something to do with the old one...

Talking with her friends and betrothed, many of whom were involved with the theatrical part of the festival, she devised a way to take the annual performance on the road and entertain the surrounding countryside. When the scheme actually looked pretty watertight, her father let her have the old dragon. Together, the soon-to-be-Players pooled together enough money to buy two travelling wagons and draft animals. A few more people were necessary for the scheme to be watertight.

After her father would not allow her more mechanically-minded sister to go with them, Brinn convinced Asta to join them anyway. This has led to tense situations whenever the troupe returns to Dale. Additionally, since many of the Players were better at playing one sort of role than another (whether they perceived themselves as such or not), she decided to see if she could recruit the more versatile Therian and was pleasantly surprised when he joined up. The group set out after Brinn and her fiance were married.

Since then, Brinn has travelled with the Players and considers them her family (though she may have one or two young ones of her own at this point). When they decided they were going to head to Gondor, she was the one to get a hold of a map and figure out which places were well off enough to give them money if they performed. She also helped settle a tricky dispute with the older and better-known Swan Players of Dol Amroth over their theatrical circuit. While in Gondor, Brinn took on the stage name Celebrindal, and this is usually how she introduces herself to Gondorian strangers, because it sounds more impressive.

*tentative title

[Boromir88]

Brinn still needs a husband, btw. I can make him an NPC, or he could be Branor (although that would depend entirely on him as Boro sees him, and besides that would make for some fun domestic rows),


Branor could be, I just didn't know how much of a functional marriage you wanted for Brinn. As you said, I could see some pleasant conflicts. I had planned for Branor to have a massive ego, and usually people like that don't get married, because they are too full of themselves to ever consider anyone else's happiness. :p However, he does have redeeming qualities, as he will listen to Brinn. That doesn't mean he listens to Brinn ALL the time. But I'll put it this way, the chances he would listen to Therian or Harrenon are nil, Brinn can at least get through his big head....sometimes.

[Mnemosyne]

Boro, thanks for your points. I had been wondering about the likelihood of someone like Branor getting married, but still wanted to punt the idea out there for consideration.

I'll think about it a little bit longer.

In the meantime, I wouldn't mind some input on the timeline for the game: do we want to go "real time" or "half time"? Which do you think your posting ability, and your characters, will be better for the game? (I have no preferences on my end.)

[Pitchwife]

Mnemo has been so generous as to draft an utter RP noob into this troupe (not that it took an awful lot of convincing:D), so here I am, and help me Eru. Since I'm new to this whole section of the Downs (as a participant, if not as an occasional observer) I hope you'll bear with me if I get confuddled at times.

Mnemo, I've just read your lengthy character bio for Brinn and noticed that, among her other duties as head of the troupe, she's supposed to take care of the prompting. This is quite a pity for me, as I have this character in the back of my skull wanting to be let out - the prompter cum poète manqué, who is convinced he could have done a much better job than the actual playwright (if only he had the stamina to ever get more down on paper than a list of dramatis personae and some disjointed snippets of dialogue) and is constantly fighting the temptation to 'improve' on the script during the performance (possibly succumbing to it at times). Do you think that might be negotiable?:Merisu:

While I'm at it, did Brinn write the play herself, did the troupe write it collectively, or do we have a playwright who's somehow involved in the production? Going with the Shakespearean/Elizabethan model, the playwright would probably be the director of his own play and an actor with a substantial role all at the same time, if I'm not mistaken?

As for theatrical logistics: with 6-8 players, I suppose all of us will have to play double or multiple roles (referring to the play, not the game, I mean)?

As for production style (i.e. Shakespearean, Greek, medieval or whatever): how much anachronism would you be willing to tolerate? Because I've got this mad vision in my brain of the War of the Ring as a Pantomime, complete with cross dressing, slapstick scenes, audience participation and popular song parodies... (Allright, I just notice Mnemo's been there before me (#26). Yes!!!)

Finally, speaking of anachronisms, I move that our mechanical dragon be nicknamed Puff.:p

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I move that our mechanical dragon be nicknamed Puff.:p

I vote Trogdor. :smokin:

[Mnemosyne]

Pitch, go ahead and take over the prompting. I'm thinking that we have one over-worked writer who will have to take all of our information and distill it properly. On the other hand, relegating that to an NPC (no matter who it is) would, I think, be a shame since much of the action will revolve around rewriting. I think that we would all have some input, but ultimately the decisions have to be made by someone or no one will get it done.

Has anyone read, or seen a really good adaptation of, Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens? The title character falls into an acting troupe as an actor-cum-writer, and has to juggle the multiple players requesting that their own favorite bits be inserted (i.e., a tragic character, preserving the Three Unities, etc.). The results can often be hilarious. Anyway, that was what I vaguely had in mind when thinking of what our poor overworked writer would do.

As far as the pantomime: were you thinking the contemporary panto, then, or the early pantomimes in which people actually didn't talk? (Say, you do a comical version in pantomime, a song for intermission, and then the serious spoken play.) I don't think we're limited to one performance, depending on what sort of theatrical era we're imitating. So we're also not limited to one style of theater (drama, melodrama, farce, etc.).

I, too, was thinking that multiple parts could be a necessity, but we can also have more NPC players if we need to fill out more parts on the stage at some point.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Apart from NPCs, it's possible (indeed, probable?) that traveling actors might have multiple roles within their community.

For instance, when not being Shieldmaiden, Therian is likely busy playing Gondorian Soldier #3, or Wedding Celebrant #7. The costume changes can be a bit daunting, but that's what wigs and cloaks are for...

[Anguirel]

NAME: Cirdacil, Lord of Burlach

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 88, Male, Man, Minas Anor (but originally Pelargir)

APPEARANCE: Lord Cirdacil is one of the most venerable of King Elessar's counsellors, but certainly not the most dignified. Though he is proud and stern and would certainly contest the point with fierce anger if anyone dared to tell him so, he is no Numenorean hero; his face is coarse and ignoble, his bearing relatively short and stooping. Only his acute mind and active personality at a great age confirms that the blood of Numenor runs in him strongly. Several inches short of six feet, his wears a long white beard and dresses in expensively made, but plain looking robes of black cloth touched with a little gold thread.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: No one has exactly heard of Lord Cirdacil's family before, which is perhaps one of the reasons he stands upon his honour with great pride. He is, in fact, of solidly mercantile stock. Decades ago in his middle years, he was noticed as a particularly shrewd, as well as sober-minded and trustworthy, merchant by Denethor, the last Ruling Steward. Denethor, whose genius was for war, diplomacy, and strategy, valued the help of a reliable domestic financier; Cirdacil was given the unimportant suburban fief of Burlach in one of the lower circles of Minas Tirith, and admitted to great responsibility in the Steward's treasury, where he worked long and diligently.

By the War of the Ring he was a long established presence among Denethor's highest ministers, long practiced in swelling the Steward's revenue; but becoming overshadowed, like all men of peace who served Denethor, by the overpowering threat of a greater Shadow still.

Since the return of the King he has been honoured and his employment retained, but in fact his power has greatly diminished, as King Elessar has a far more generous attitude to taxation than the old man and often restrains his more ingenious financial initiatives. He is an awkward figure at the optimistic young royal court, though the King is outwardly very kind to him and jokes that he is one of the few royal counsellors he has within two decades of his own age.

The Lord of Burlach acutely disapproves of too much spending on dancing, poetry, song, and especially the stage, but the King always overrules him on this matter too. Famously, he once exclaimed against a royal grant of a pension to a bard who wrote an epic poem in praise of the legendary Queen of the Golden Wood: "What? all this for a song?"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Burghley


and his son, Sador:

NAME: Goes by the nickname of Sador in reference to his lameness, apparently by his own choice. This might seem an odd thing to do, but then, you don't know his birth name. His legal title while his father lives is Lord Sador of Burlach, but as a second son, he has few prospects afterwards.

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: Twenty four year old Man of Gondor, born and bred in the Citadel itself (indeed, born into privilege within the Houses of Healing).

APPEARANCE: Handsome, but in miniature for the men of Gondor; shorter even than his none too impressive looking father, at about five feet seven inches. His bright, intelligent green eyes and long, very pale blond hair, however, are extremely attractive looking - if not at all reminiscent of the blood of Numenor.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Sador is the youngest of his four siblings; Ecsichil is in his forties, Aerwen mid thirties (these two are half-siblings from Cirdacil's prior marriage), Circilie twenty-eight. His birth killed his mother, Aerin. His leg failed to grow properly. He is his father's favoured son, easily outstripping his dull elder brother Ecsichil. He is jolly clever and perhaps rather inclined to show this compensation off, but otherwise very courteous. He seems to work very hard, and nobody - his doting father included - is ever quite sure what at.


and his daughter, Aerwen:

NAME: Aerwen, daughter of Aerin, Lady of Burlach

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: Thirty six year old Woman of Gondor, born in Minas Tirith at her maternal grandfather's house.

APPEARANCE: Tall and stately - both for her family and for a woman - but otherwise not very attractive; a big, beaky nose, lank dark hair never cared for, skin not so much luminous as unhealthily phosphorescent. Always dresses in plain blue frocks.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Aerwen is the second and final child of Lord Cirdacil's first wife, Aerin of Minas Tirith. Neither of her parents paid her very much attention until she forced them to do so, by being quite the most studious blue-stocking of her rank in the entire city. With reluctant admiration, Cirdacil made arrangements for the advanced education which has, to the present date, filled her life (or has it?)

But when Aerwen was seven, her mother, never particularly strong, was carried off by plague. To everyone's surprise, Cirdacil married again at once. Though his first wife, married just after his ennoblement, had been born of the city gentry, his second, Eadgyth, was quite different - the daughter of a Rohirric trader. Cirdacil enforced a veneer of respectability to what was obviously an improper situation by changing Eadgyth's name to Aerin, too.

Aerwen loathed her stepmother and the usurper of her mother's name, and wished her nothing but ill. When the second Aerin died in truth, bearing a living but sickly and crippled son, Aerwen could not but feel responsible. Partly because they are 'the clever ones', partly because of her guilt, she is close to Sador as she is not to Ecsichil or Circilie (ever so lovely as Circilie is).

Finally, Aerwen has a secret for which she herself feels bitter contempt. She has not given up hope of marriage, and is frequently subject to the inward pangs of attraction, never yet requited...

[Anguirel]

His dashing young son/son-in-law/nephew who likes players could be called Safilipsidne, or Eddevir, or Robessicse, or Sarfapton, or Pembrocil...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Sidney
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_de_Vere,_17th_Earl_of_Oxford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2nd_Earl_of_Essex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Wriothesley,_3rd_Earl_of_Southampton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Herbert,_3rd_Earl_of_Pembroke

(plus, some have claimed Lord Eddevir as the true author of the legendarium, obviously (thankyou, Mithalwen-like voice inside head))

[Thinlómien]

This looks awesome. I'd love to take part, but I cannot promise more than required activity. Thus, I'd like to have a "minor" character - I was thinking of a 11-12 year old girl who hangs around with the group (someone's daughter/sister/granddaughter/orphaned cousin or niece or something like that) and is a helping hand where needed. I was thinking she could be this "always lived in the theatre world" kid, of course dreaming to be a famous actress one day. How does this sound? Anyone want to adopt me? ;)

[Pitchwife]

Thanks for the prompting part, Mnemo! As for other duties, I don't see my character as much of an actor, but I think he can be trusted with a couple of minor roles - e.g. the sort of messenger who only appears on the stage to spew a line or two and exits again; and if there's any backstage chores that aren't being taken care of yet, just throw them my way.
I'm currently thinking about my character's background and will try to come up with a bio in the next couple of days. I don't think he's a founding member, but he's been with the troupe for a while. Any idea where they've been touring before coming to Minas Tirith, so that he could have run into them?

About the pantomime - I meant the modern version, the sort of Christmas pantomime of Snow White where the Evil Queen (played by a man, of course) bares her garters while singing & dancing to No Feelings by the Sex Pistols; which made me think of including a few song parodies of the kind that's so popular in some WW games (*coughLottiecough*). But maybe that's a bit over the top, and we don't want the game/play to go that far in the direction of farce?

As for our venue, with theatre being a new/lately revived art in Gondor, we may not (probably will not) have a professional playhouse, but I could see us performing at an inn-yard theatre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inn-yard_theatre) - maybe even at the Old Guesthouse in Rath Celerdain, where Pippin met Bergil*?

Ang, I love your character! (And I think Pembrocil son of Cirdacil sounds most Tolkienish in terms of Quenya phonotactics, if that's of any importance.)

And we definitely need a playwright!!! Otherwise, who am I supposed to quarrel with?


EDIT
*Let's have Bergil as a cameo/NPC character, possibly one of our sources of information. "No, there was no army of green shimmering Dead Men commanded by the Witch-King on the Pelennor! I watched it all from the walls, I think I'd have noticed!"

[Inziladun]

*splash*

If I'm honest, RPing has looked rather daunting to me over the years as I've occasionally glanced through the RPGs here. That hasn't stopped me from being curious and thinking it looked interesting, however, and this looks like a good opportunity to get one's feet wet. I'm going to keep it rather minor and low key.

Name: Vëandur

Age/Gender/Race/Where From: 30, male, Man, Pelargir.

Appearance: Rather young-looking in the face (though becoming slightly weatherbeaten), with light brown hair, about 5'11 with average build. His most notable feature is his piercing grey eyes.

History: Vëandur was born in Pelargir and is the son of a ship captain who lost his life fighting the Corsairs of Umbar during the War. Vëandur regrets bitterly that he had been too young to take part in that conflict, and in his heart he thinks the peace of Elessar's reign rather dull. He is a sailor like his father, and comes to Minas Anor with his ship on occasion.

[Boromir88]

Welcome aboard Pitch and Inzil. Ang, love the character. :D

Lommy if you can bear being related to Branor he'd accept you as whatever relation you'd like to be. He wouldn't be the type to take in an orphan, but would feel a sense of obligation to family. Your choice, and I'll adjust Branor's history a bit if you want to enter his family. :p

[Mnemosyne]

Lommy, if you decide to play a runaway, Brinn's definitely maternal enough to take you in.

I've settled on Brinn's husband as well. I'll be taking him on as a minor character, and he'll be the guy that takes on the stock comic parts (because I do think we need one of them). Fairly easygoing, unless you try to stick him in a role in which he can't make people laugh, or won't give him a role at all!

[the phantom]

I'm swamped with work for the next three days, but after a brief talk with Mnemo I've decided I will be playing. I don't have the time to complete my bio right now, but I have a pretty good idea of things. For now, the important bits- I shall be a primary (the primary?) playwright, and naturally with a troop this size I will also take on acting roles (I'll talk about my preferred roles and writing style later). I'm from Dol Amroth, and theater has always been my life.

[Pitchwife]

Yay! We have a playwright! Welcome aboard, phantom!

And here's my bio.

NAME: Coldan.

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 25, male, Man of Dorwinion*.

APPEARANCE: A few inches short of medium height, of stocky, heavy build; greyish eyes and short, thick, dark hair; speaks Westron with a marked accent and may occasionally be mistaken for an Easterling by ignorant Gondorians (much to his annoyance).

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Son of a wine merchant with long-standing trade connections to Esgaroth and the Wood-elven realm of Mirkwood, Coldan was supposed to inherit the family business, but his father's attempts to train him have been largely unsuccessful, as he's fond enough of wine but no good at all with numbers. He has a vivid imagination and a certain talent with words, both inherited from his maternal great-grandfather, who was court bard to some Dorwinian lord.
A few years ago, while accompanying his father delivering a shipment of wine to Dale, he had a chance to watch the Players performing and instantly decided that his true calling was the stage (it probably helped that he developped a huge crush on Asta - if that's OK with you, Nerwen). After a bitter quarrel with his dad (who promptly disinherited him) he stayed behind in Dale and joined the troupe.
It was soon discovered that his acting is too wooden for a substantial role, so he tends to get only minor parts, and his chief responsibility is prompting. His true ambition, however, is to write a historic tragedy, The Fall of King Bladorthin, and see it performed by the Players some day; he's been 'working' on it for a number of years (or so he claims), but due to his lack of discipline, the only parts written down up to now are a list of dramatis personae and a fragmentary prologue.

*I'm going with the theory (presented on this (http://lalaith.vpsurf.de/Tolkien/Bladorthin.html)site) that Dorwinion - situated on the north-western coast of the Sea of Rhûn - used to be a province of Gondor during the height of its power, but was cut off by the expansion of the Wainriders and subsequently became an autonomous kingdom, and that the mysterious King Bladorthin mentioned in The Hobbit was one of its rulers. Its later history is largely unknown, but we know from TH it was still independent and West-oriented enough to trade with Esgaroth and Thranduil's people in Bilbo's time. I suppose the Dorwinians, like the kingdoms of Dale and Erebor, were attacked by Easterling forces under Sauron's sway during the War of the Ring and just barely managed to resist until Sauron was overthrown. Several of Coldan's elder male relatives would have fought in the war and told him about it, but of the bigger events in Rohan, Gondor and Mordor he has only heard the vaguest of rumours.

[Mnemosyne]

NAME: Rollan

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 29, Male, Man, from Dale

APPEARANCE (very brief physical description/or as detailed as the player wishes to be): Darkish hair, brown eyes, nothing special to look at until you get to know him (you know the type). Nearly always has a smile on his face; wears age makeup very well.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER
(again, as brief or detailed as you wish): Rollan was always a bit of a prankster/trickster growing up, and only avoided becoming a serious troublemaker when a clever relative got him to direct his energy to the theatric way of making people laugh--comic songs, slightly horrifying slapstick gags, but, most importantly, taking on the comic relief roles in the yearly festivals in Dale celebrating the defeat of Smaug.

As Rollan aged, he had to learn to become serious enough to convince Brinn that he actually loved her and was not leading her on for a colossal joke, and once he succeeded the two of them were engaged to be married. It was around this time that Brinn's father was commissioned to make a new dragon, and the two of them and their friends came up with the idea to do a travelling theatrical troupe together.

The rest, as they say, is history. Rollan has been travelling with the troupe ever since, gladly taking on all the comic roles (as he's aged, he's gotten particularly adept at the Doddering Old Fool). He is fairly easygoing, but thinks that Branor needs to be taken down a notch, or several, and is more than happy to volunteer for that job. He can be very unpredictable, though, if he doesn't have an opportunity to play the roles he loves best and make people laugh, alternately sulking, getting angry, or getting even.

[Mnemosyne]

Brinn's husband is up; he'll be a minor character. I don't know how often I'll play him, and if anyone needs to write him for anything I'm more than happy to share him.

Pitch, your bio looks good--DORWINION!!! *grin* Are you going to be able to commit to the full two weeks, or is he a minor character?

Once the phantom gets his stuff up I think we can shift into planning the wrong play in earnest--if he's the playwright, he'd conceivably be the one negotiating all of the individual players' wants and needs in a script. I'm thinking (if Dol Amroth means that he's a late edition to the group) that we handed him our old script for the War of the Ring play, and he's been trying to make his changes ever since, but a lot of us have been too stubborn? What do you think?

Then, once we know more or less what we have wrong, we can start to get an idea of how much we can try to make it right. We don't have to have every day planned out in detail, but I'd like for everyone to be able to figure out what their character will need to accomplish, personally, by the time the game ends so that we have a somewhat cohesive story. But since the Measure of Success thread posters warned about planning things so much that no one actually wants to write, maybe we want to keep a level of spontaneity? Or do we think that knowing what our problems are, and what our characters are, we'll be able to figure the whole thing out in-game? That's certainly also possible.

[Pitchwife]

Are you going to be able to commit to the full two weeks, or is he a minor character?
I'd love to commit for the full monty, but that sort of depends on whether
1. Foley's WW game (which still needs a few players, btw [/recruiting advertisement] is going to start and end before we're done with the planning phase - knowing myself, I won't be able to do justice to both; and
2. we agree on 'real time' (1 Day = 1 day, to borrow a WW convention) or 'half time' (1 Day = 2 days), which I don't think has been settled yet. I think I can post regularly on weekends and probably most other days, but I'm not always that inspired after a long working day, and RL, that jealous bitch, may demand attention at times. I'll try my best though.
Of course, if anything untoward happens, I can always get involved in a bar brawl with some pure Númenórean racist idiot so the guards have to lock me up for a few days...:D

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Do we have a start date in mind? I ask because people's commitments change over time, and though planning is beautiful, so is playing.

[Mnemosyne]

Do we have a start date in mind? I ask because people's commitments change over time, and though planning is beautiful, so is playing.

I didn't, but was going to wait until we had enough people on board. Since we do... let's get one in mind, then! When is everyone thinking?

(Also, we should probably wait long enough for the Phantom to get his character sheet in before plunging in... but that should be pretty soon, now.)

[Thinlómien]

A question (I'm kind of planning my character) - how long has the troupe been in Gondor?

As for starting date, everything's fine for me, given that I intentionally took a kind of minor character.

[Mnemosyne]

Five or six years, I'm imagining.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

The sooner, the better for me. Though after this weekend would be pretty ideal.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm fine with starting next Monday, then. Does anyone else want to weigh in?

[Inziladun]

I've got a minor character, so no real worries on time.

[Boromir88]

My schedule is not changing anytime soon, so...whenever everyone's ready.

[the phantom]

Given the timing of my Spring Break, my best window for high participation is the 16th through the 27th. Before/after that I'll do what I can.

[Formendacil]

I'm fine with starting next Monday, then. Does anyone else want to weigh in?

If Monday means it's permissible to not actually weigh in until Tuesday, then it's perfect. Otherwise, whenever, with the caveat that I'm out of town this weekend (Fri-Mon).

[the phantom]

NAME: Aldarion

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 31, Male, Human, Dol Amroth

APPEARANCE: 6'1", lean and fit, dark black hair, blue-grey eyes

HISTORY: Aldarion grew up in Dol Amroth with his family. His father, Galador, was one of Prince Imrahil's captains in the great war, but Aldarion was too young to serve and stayed behind with his mother and older sister. He was always fascinated with performance and history, and at a very early age he got involved with Dol Amroth's fine theater scene.

His first promising role was playing the part of 8-year old Turin in The Swan Players' production of Narn i Chîn Húrin, but Aldarion considers his breakthrough to be playing the teenage Huor a few years later in an ambitious epic chronicling the history of Gondolin. By the time he was twenty Aldarion's status as a career actor was pretty well cemented, and he took every opportunity he could to learn under Gondor's finest actors and playwrights. He was uncertain of which he liked best, and so dreamed of one day both writing and starring in his own works.

When Aldarion was 28, The Swan Players put on a grand production entitled "The Rise and Fall of the Golden King", which told the story of Ar Pharazon's rise to the kingship and the subsequent fall of Numenor. Aldarion won the role of Ar Pharazon, and threw himself fully into his craft, winning great praise from common theater goers and critics as well. The final night of the drama was doubtless the high point of Aldarion's career, as the young actor received multiple curtain calls. His future looked to be brighter than the sun, but.... life doesn't go as planned.

The longtime master of Dol Amroth's royal theater (and primary writer/director for The Swan Players), Lord Imrazôr, retired after the triumph of his great play, and next in line was a man named Erchirion. He was a good writer and director, but he also had an aspiring lead actor as a son- Amlach. Aldarion and Amlach, as well as Amlach's sister Gloredhel, had always been great friends growing up, but Erchirion was not so kind, and did all that he could to diminish Aldarion's stature in The Swan Players and handing all the quality roles to his son. Amlach felt terrible about the situation and even threatened to quit, but Aldarion wouldn't allow his friend to give up his opportunity.

In fact, Aldarion was initially content to take to this change, as he saw within it the possibility of putting an increased amount of time into writing. But before long it was apparent that Erchirion would not let him contribute much in that capacity either.

It was at this time that The King's Players rolled through town. Curious about the group, Aldarion went to attend their show "The Halfling and The Trolls", a tale that the program claimed as a true story told to one of the members by a dwarf of the Lonely Mountain whose relative was present for the ordeal. It was immediately obvious to Aldarion that the tale was either untrue or that some key points had been left out by the dwarf, as the Halfing wasn't small and was gifted with all sorts of ridiculous magical powers- for instance at one point he allowed himself to be swallowed by one of the trolls and then turned himself into unbreakable stone and punched his way out of the troll's stomach, slaying it.

But despite such problems, Aldarion saw some promise in the group. For one, they planned to perform regularly in Minas Tirith, which was curiously devoid of any sort of theater scene. Second, their machine/puppet trolls were quite ingenious (and he heard fantastic things about their fake Smaug), which meant that they had at least one extremely talented engineer type- a must for any company. Third, there was talent there, even in the worst of them- talent that work and training could unlock! But most importantly, they were people who wanted to act who could most definitely use a member such as himself.

Perhaps this was the answer to his dreams! He could rewrite some of their plays, and help them punch up their performances. He could even write brand new plays! Over time they could become a powerhouse in Gondor- perhaps even rival the historic Swan Players! That would really stick it to old Erchirion! And so Aldarion went to speak with the troop manager Brinn, and with his experience he was quickly approved and put to work immediately.

CHARACTER: Aldarion is a decent enough chap, but his success in molding and influencing the rest of the crew has been slower than he initially hoped, and that makes him a bit grumpy at times, particularly when he remembers where he was such a short time ago and where he is now. In his darkest moments he fears he will never attain the heights he once knew, though he tries to keep plugging away, improving old scripts and playing roles here and there as best he can (which is quite good indeed if the role is actually one that allows him to shine- a rarity).

He has piece by piece corrected some of the most awful errors present in the The King's Player's historical plays (for instance, Angmar is no longer portrayed as a parallel dimension reached via portal, Carcharoth is no longer a badger, and Beren and Luthien no longer encounter one-foot high Tumhaden, king of the very-petty dwarves). But for the most part he has not been allowed to greatly alter the Smaug story, nor the War of the Ring tale, partly because in truth Aldarion would not be able to improve upon them greatly, as his knowledge of recent history is not nearly so masterful.

Despite Aldarion's extensive historical knowledge, by no means should he be considered a historical purist. Even the old stories that he knows well- he is more than willing to deviate here and there if he feels he can add some element of psychological drama and/or romance. In fact, though he's oblivious to this fact, he is a little too obsessed with such things- always wishing for every character to be dealing with some complicated issue or another, and always trying to insert love triangles or squares or whatever to "make things more interesting". He also is sure to include multiple fights/duels in every story, one way or another. Besides his stage experience in fight choreography, being the son of a war captain he naturally received a good bit of training through the years, particularly in fencing and sword-fighting which he has always loved. His horsemanship and archery were largely neglected however once he began performing in earnest.

For the most part Aldarion dislikes any sort of comedy- his fellows are forever telling him to loosen up a bit. He also has a great fascination and appreciation for Asta's tech work, and thus when he writes he is always thinking of how he can use her talent for putting together large moving contraptions.

[Anguirel]

excellent, o lean and fit one

I too was wondering when we'd start; I saw Lommy's "five or six years", misunderstood and sort of fell off my perch. But it's just a matter of curiosity for me, all times are equally terrible

I don't suppose anyone wants to play my dashing son or son-in-law yet?

[Thinlómien]

NAME: Sereth (most often called Seri)

AGE/GENDER/RACE/WHERE FROM: 12, female, Gondorian

APPEARANCE: Sereth is 5'3'' tall and of slender built. She has a tan, childish face with a turned-up nose and big brown eyes. Her long hair is black and wavy.

BITS OF CHARACTER/HISTORY YOU FEEL MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN DEFINING THE CHARACTER: Sereth was born the bastard daughter of an actress in a small troupe touring in the countryside around Calembel. She grew up living and breathing the theatre atmosphere, and could never even consider doing anything else in her life than theatre.

Three years ago Sereth's mother and the playwright of the troupe died, and soon after the whole troupe dissolved. Sereth stayed with an old actress called Aelin. After a bit of wandering they came across the King's players and managed to convince Brinn that they'd more help than trouble, and so they stayed. One year ago Aelin returned to Calembel to live with her niece because she had become too old for the travelling life, but Sereth stayed with the King's Players and under Brinn's protective wing.

With the King's Players, Sereth is a helping hand where needed - looking after the costumes and wigs, sewing, cooking, cleaning, collecting money from the audience or guiding them, acting child roles etc. She is resourceful and smart and gets along with most people effortlessly. She is dreaming of the day she can do the female lead role on stage, but her biggest ambition is to become a playwright and a director one day.

[Thinlómien]

Mnemo - tell me if anything needs to be changed.

Ang - I'd love to play your nephew but I know I wouldn't do him justice given that my time is very limited and I already have one character. :)

[the phantom]

Okay- no one has worked out a rough timeline and roadmap for the formation of The King's Players, have they? (The place and time at which each member joined and where and when they've performed?)

If not- here's a bit of stab at it. Please point out to me anything I'm missing and I'll edit the timeline, or discuss how we can work it out (as I actually found backstories of characters that conflicted with each other and we need to settle on just one version).

F.A. 12-
*The father of Brinn & Asta constructs a second Robo-Smaug for Dale's Feast of the Dragon
F.A. 13-
*Brinn, Rollan, and a few friends put on performances in Laketown, Erebor, and other small villages near Dale
F.A. 14-
*Brinn and Rollan marry
*Asta joins the group
F.A. 15-
*Branor joins the group
*The Players perform for the first time in the Iron Hills and in Thranduil's hall
F.A. 16-
*Therian joins The Players
*The Players cross Mirkwood to perform for the Beornings
F.A. 17-
*The Players make their first visit to Minas Anor
*Amdir joins The Players while they're in Minas Anor
F.A. 18-
*Coldan joins the group in Dale
*The Players visit Minas Anor again, and also perform quite a bit in Lossarnach
F.A. 19-
*Harrenon joins The Players during their third trip to Minas Anor
*The Players hit Lossarnach again, and Lamedon for the first time
*While in Lamedon they are joined by Sereth and Aelin
F.A. 20-
*The Players visit Minas Anor for the fourth straight year
*Aelin leaves the troop
*The Players go to Dol Amroth for the first time and have run-ins with The Swan Players and its members
*Aldarion defects from The Swan Players and travels with the group to tour in Rohan
F.A. 21-
*After performances back home in Dale and for the Beornings and Rohirrim, the group makes their fifth trip to Minas Anor's Cormare celebrations

TYPICAL OR PREFERRED ROLES IN GENERAL
Brinn- minor roles if necessary (manager, props, effects, etc)
Asta- minor roles if necessary (mechanical, costumes, props, etc)
Rollan- comic roles
Branor- major roles, primarily dramatic
Therian- prefers warriors & kings, but always plays ladies
Amdir- minor roles if necessary (set design, construction, etc)
Coldan- minor roles (prompting)
Harrenon- semi-minor roles, usually young
Sereth- child/youth roles
Aldarion- dramatic, tortured soul, romantic lead (playwright)

ROLES IN WAR OF THE RING DRAMA
(Mistakes purposeful- we have some serious correction to make before the performance!)
Brinn- random Hobbits, Orcs, Soldiers, Sorceress of Lothlorien
Asta- Mary the Elf of Rivendell, Gollum the Orc
Rollan- Saruman the dementia suffering wizard, Denethor Steward of Gondor
Branor- Aragorn the returning King of Gondor
Therian- Eowyn, random Orcs, Soldiers
Amdir- Pippin the Hobbit Prince
Coldan- Gimli the Dwarf, Sam the Hobbit servant
Harrenon- Legolas the Elf
Sereth- Frodo the Warrior Hobbit
Aldarion- Boromir prince of Gondor, the evil King Butterbur

[Dimturiel]

I was wondering about something: I imagine the troupe hasn't been performing the same play all this time since it's been founded, right? And if so, is the play being performed for the first time in Minas Anor? And do the actors know already what characters they're suposed to be playing?
The timeline looks good, by the way, but then again maybe I shouldn't be the one to talk since I'm quite aware that I've provided a very sketchy and maybe even a bit unhelpful bio:o.
Oh, and whenever we decide to start is fine with me, my schedule does not change from week to week

[Anguirel]

actually I've had a thought that requires a deal with the Force of Darkness himself...phantom, could Amlach, your friend and professional rival, be married to Cirdacil's daughter?

[Formendacil]

F.A. 15-
*Branor joins the group
*The Players perform for the first time in the Iron Hills and in Thranduil's hall


Although it is often difficult to tell where the early Mnemonic scholar (dubbed "the phantom" in popular contemporary accounts) gets his information, his reconstruction of the Dale King's Players performance history gives us a rare glimpse into his sources, a fascinating suggestion of the dramatisation that surrounded dramatists themselves in the early 4th Age.

More recent scholars have debated the possibility that the Dale King's Players ever performed in the Iron Hills, as no Dwarven manuscript from the 3rd Age or the first five centuries of the 4th ever attests to dramatic performances being held in Dwarven environs*. However, the majority of scholars think it is quite possible that the Dale King's Players would have played in the Iron Hills, since their is ample evidence of close collaboration with the Dwarves of Erebor in their early years. Dwarven craft is universally held to be the source of the Players' "Smaug" and other early mechanical effects, and the close, even symbiotic relationship of the Dwarf-realm to the Mannish realm of Dale is well-attested, and has parallels throughout Dwarven history**. Given that the Iron Hills were a major centre of Dwarven activity (the chief settlement of Longbeards at that time outside Erebor itself), and probably had its own closely related Mannish ally in kinfolk of the Dalemen who dwelt farther down the Carnen (perhaps also related to the little-studied Kingdom of Dorwinion), it seems that the Iron Hills would have been a logical first place to travel away from Dale.

Greenwood the Great, however, is another case, and although a few scholars believe "the phantom's" chronology in this respect, comparison with other historical records suggests that this is highly unlikely. Although the Red Book indicates there was trade between Thranduil's people and the Lakemen, this trade does not seem to have extended to full-fledged cultural cross-pollination. Indeed, apart from venturing out in the hopes of claiming Smaug's treasures, a situation that led to the Elvish presence at the Battle of Five Armies, we do not see the Elves of Greenwood taking an a strong interest in the doings of the Men of Dale. During the War of the Ring, Thranduil's people were focused on the threat of Dol Guldûr, while the Men of Dale, together with the Longbeards of Erebor, faced invasion from Easterlings.

Furthermore, apart from a temporary situation in Gondor, where Legolas son of Thranduil started a short-lived colony in Ithilien, little about the early 4th Age suggests that the millennia-long situation of Elves and Men having less to do with each other as the years passed ever changed. While the Elves of Rivendell, the last Noldorin presence in Middle-earth, were open and welcoming, and indeed closely partnered with their local Mannish communities (the Rangers of Arthedain, and to a lesser extent the Woodmen and Beornings over the mountains), this model was not as true of the Sindar/Nandorin-dominant communities of the Grey Havens, and certainly not in the Sindar/Sylvan communities (which also seem to have had strong Avarin influences) of Lórien and Greenwood (although it is to be admitted that Greenwood was less closed off than Lórien, nonetheless that was the model Thranduil's realm followed).

Furthermore, the close relationship of Dale and Erebor makes it even more unlikely that Men of Dale would have been visiting Thranduil's halls. Although relationships between the Elves and Dwarves were not marked with quarrels in the known accounts of the 4th Age, the historic grudges borne between these two peoples would still have been present, and even the stellar example of Legolas son of Thranduil and Gimli son of Glóin would not have reversed this aversion completely--indeed, it is noteworthy that both these personages moved with colonies to lands far beyond the influence of Erebor and Greenwood.

What is most likely, according to F. Ormen Dacil, is that "the phantom" derives his information about the Dale King's Players performing in Greenwood from the promotional literature being put out in their later career in Gondor (about the time that Andarion of Dol Amroth joined their company--approx. F.A. 20). Since this promotional literature was produced for a Gondorian audience, it was most likely composed by a newer member native to Gondor, who would not have been present in the earlier travels. In promoting the Players as a respectable troupe, it is possible that their résumé was padded by suggesting more kings and courts before whom they had played. In reconstructing his chronology, "the phantom" probably used near-contemporary accounts derived from this promotional, but exaggerated literature, offering us a fascinating glimpse into the "no holds barred," competitive world of drama in early 4th Age Gondor.

:p


* Actually, recent excavations in Moria may suggest otherwise, as tombs previously believed to belong to 2nd Age Dwarven dramatists connected with the Elven kingdom of Eregion (where the theatrical arts flourished best in western Middle-earth in the 2nd Age) may include later burials from the Guild of Playwrights--as late as the first couple centuries of the 3rd Age. However, this is not pertinent to turn-of-the-4th Age discussions of the Iron Hills.

**Cf. the essay "Of Dwarves and Men," by pre-eminent scholar J.R.R. Tolkien (HoME XII, The Peoples of Middle-earth).

[the phantom]

Form- I can understand why seventh age scholars would reach that conclusion only having a single line to work with ("The Players perform for the first time in the Iron Hills and in Thranduil's hall"). But the troop has a story behind the performance that they tell....

Aldarion only heard the tale once, but later in his memoirs he could still remember the gist of it. There was a group of Elves down in Laketown to discuss some details of river trade and the like when The King's Players rolled through to perform their Smaug drama. When they heard some Elves would be in attendance they seized the opportunity and enlarged the part of Thranduil to epic proportions. The Elves naturally knew it was complete bunk (especially the bit where Thranduil rode upon Smaug's head), but it amused them somewhat, and they thought that their lord would be especially tickled by the performance, and so their leader extended an invitation to the troop to come and perform at the upcoming Autumn festival.

Now, the reception their performance(s) received in Mirkwood is certainly debatable (note that they never performed there again), but the discovery of Aldarion's writings surely adds some amount of believability to the claim.
And do the actors know already what characters they're suposed to be playing?
That's something we'll need to settle soon. But first we need to be certain about who all is actually acting in this troop. These are the ones I know about-
Brinn, Asta, Rollan, Branor, Therian, Amdir, Harrenon, Sereth, Aldarion

Are there any other actors/actresses that have been introduced that I missed? Are there going to be any more (more Downers joining that you know of) or do we need to have more (create some members to be controlled by those already playing)?
Phantom, could Amlach, your friend and professional rival, be married to Cirdacil's daughter?
Well, I don't see why not. He's the same age as me, he's from Dol Amroth, his father is the director/manager of The Swan Players, and his sister is also a member. So long as that all fits, go ahead.

[the phantom]

Okay, I made a couple of changes to this post (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650654&postcount=84). I now have included a list of the known players and their typical type of role and the role they currently own in the LotR drama. I'd say we could perhaps use a couple more players (either real Downer controlled ones or side ones controlled by one of us, such as Brinn's husband controlled by Mnemo).

Just like with the timeline, please tell me if my label of your character just doesn't work.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Therian actually would rather have almost any role but that of a warrior woman. His ideal role is Theoden, so under preferred roles, maybe 'kings and famous warriors'? And perhaps the reason why he's saddled with Eowyn's part is because in some way he irritated the playwright a few too many times?

[the phantom]

Well then, I would say that Therian should definitely have a word with Aldarion then, because he's under the impression that warrior women is Therian's preferred role seeing as when he joined the group Therian was cast as such in nearly every play Aldarion took to edit.

Hmmmm.... Perhaps Therian's attitude towards women in theater led to Brinn and Asta purposefully putting him as a woman in all the plays? So if you go around their backs and try to get Aldarion to rewrite you... Suppose that would cause problems? We can always find out.

[Nerwen]

Well then, I would say that Therian should definitely have a word with Aldarion then, because he's under the impression that warrior women is Therian's preferred role seeing as when he joined the group Therian was cast as such in nearly every play Aldarion took to edit.

Hmmmm.... Perhaps Therian's attitude towards women in theater led to Brinn and Asta purposefully putting him as a woman in all the plays? So if you go around their backs and try to get Aldarion to rewrite you... Suppose that would cause problems? We can always find out.

We can indeed...:D

[Mnemosyne]

the phantom, thanks for your timeline. Formendacil, thanks for your exegesis. Everyone, thanks for your feedback.

Due to the feedback on a starting date, and due to my own busy-ness on that Monday--

The King's Players will be starting on Tuesday, March 8.

That gives us five days to work up our wrong script to whatever level of detail we want, and, more importantly, decide whether we're playing in real-time or half-time. I need people's thoughts on this matter so that we can come to some kind of a consensus.

What I am thinking for the first two days of in-game time:

Day One: The Players arrive in Minas Tirith. We learn that the pheriannath are present. One of the party (who?) encounters Elanor (or if someone wants it to be Sam or Rose, that'll work, too) during the day. During the night, we do a dry-run rehearsal of the War of the Ring play.

Day Two: Early in the morning, a messenger shows up letting us know that the Court is attending our performance on Cormare. The Plot develops from there.

[Boromir88]

I would prefer doing the full-days, since right now I'm more able to contribute in the mornings and afternoons, and less so at night.

As far as my general idea for Branor. I don't know how 'redeeming' he'll end up yet, that's going to probably be a spontaneous 'let's see what happens' thing. However, he will have likable qualities once you get passed the arrogance business. The big one being, he can put any back-stage disputes out of his mind, while performing and always does his best out of love for the play (but this also means he always likes to think himself the star, even if he's not). He's just one of those guys that doesn't let back-stage shenanigans contribute to the success (or failure) of the performance.

[Pitchwife]

Commendable research and scholarship, phantom and Form! *applauds*
I suppose during the years when the Players started to tour abroad and play in Minas Anor, they also continued to perform in Dale & surroundings, right? Because that's where Coldan met & joined them, which I imagine happened around F.A. 17 or 18 (probably not later, as they seem to have been quite busy extensively touring in Gondor and Rohan from F.A. 19 onwards).

Anyway, since Coldan is, after all, a member of the troupe, I'll do my best to post at least once a D/day. I probably won't have time on Tuesday the 8th (this being my wife's birthday), but from Wednesday on there should be no problem.

phantom's assignment of roles looks good to me, especially this:
Aldarion- dramatic, tortured soul, romantic lead
[...]
Aldarion- Boromir prince of Gondor
Do the wave for Aldarion the disco king and Therian the disco queen?:D

Only a few minor quibbles:
Amdir- minor roles if necessary (set design, construction, etc)
[...]
Amdir- Pippin the Hobbit Prince
Come on, you can't make the Ernil i Pheriannath a minor role! Didn't he lead a whole host of five thousand halfling warriers to the Pelennor, one of them riding with every Rider of Rohan? Or so I've heard...
Aldarion- Boromir prince of Gondor, the evil King Butterbur
:D Lovely idea to recast old Barley as the Dark Lord, but somehow I doubt that any of our sources has heard so much as his name.
And I notice we have nobody cast as Gandalf/Mithrandir. Now while it would be quite consistent for us to be totally ignorant of the part he played in the War of the Ring, he was a prominent and well-known figure both around Dale/Erebor and in Gondor, so I don't see how we could have failed to include him in the play.

Concerning our script, how about including some of the plot ideas the Prof considered in his early drafts but rejected later, such as:
Frodo gets captured by evil!giant Treebeard (who is in league with Saruman) at some stage of the quest;
Boromir isn't slain at Parth Galen but survives to duel Aragorn for the throne of Gondor (ok, probably not, as somebody from our Minas Anor audience would likely have corrected us about that already, or what do you think?);
...(can't remember any more at the moment and don't have the pertinent HoME volumes to look up, but I'll try to wring my memory over the weekend.)

[the phantom]

Ah, sorry Pitch- I completely left out your character! I was going off of the first post of the thread (the one with the links to various characters) and yours wasn't on there so I didn't get it. I'll do something about it later today.

[Pitchwife]

No worry, phantom, my vanity was hurt just the tiniest of bits.:)
On further consideration, "Vat's up with zis Frodo fellow I've heard folks here in Gondor mention? I zought ze halfling who burned down Barad-dûr vas ze same as stole zat magic ring from Smaug's hoard - vasn't his name Bingo or Dildo or some such? Unless of course it vas ze Ernil i Pheriannath himself..."

[Inziladun]

On further consideration, "Vat's up with zis Frodo fellow I've heard folks here in Gondor mention? I zought ze halfling who burned down Barad-dûr vas ze same as stole zat magic ring from Smaug's hoard - vasn't his name Bingo or Dildo or some such? Unless of course it vas ze Ernil i Pheriannath himself..."

Channeling "Eorache" from Bored of the Rings? :D

I'm not quite sure yet where Vëandur's going to make his entrance. I think I'll just look at how things start to play out and take it from there.

[Pitchwife]

Channeling "Eorache" from Bored of the Rings? :D
"Vat do you mean, ve have a funny vay of pronouncing ze Vyestron in Dorvinion? *mutters* Arrogant Númenórean suprematists..."
Actually, I imagined Coldan's accent to sound somewhat like Star Trek's Chekov. "Keptin, ze Ringvraiths are penetrating ze Rammas Echor!" (The German sync speaker in Star Trek 2009 had the awesomest fake Russian accent I've ever heard, palatalized vowels and all. [/OT])

I'm not quite sure yet where Vëandur's going to make his entrance. I think I'll just look at how things start to play out and take it from there.
Spontaneous idea which may not appeal to you and I don't know what Ang thinks of it, but couldn't Vëandur be Cirdacil's nephew or something? I mean, with Cirdacil originally being a merchant, he could have a younger brother who went to sea, couldn't he?

phantom, I think Coldan is beyond himself with pride to be cast as Gimli - usually, he only gets roles with little stage presence and next to no text (think of characters like Ceorl or Hirgon in the book), having to hide behind the sets and prompt most of the time. But I suppose Gimli's part in the play - which must originally have been quite substantial in order to please our Dwarven fans back home and would have been played by someone else then - was cut a lot when Aldarion adapted the play to suit Gondorian taste?

[the phantom]

Okay, so I decided to make some lists here. As we discuss and add more, I can edit in the changes and we can use the post as a reference point.

sources of The King's Players information

a couple dwarves from the Lonely Mt that heard stories from other dwarves who heard things from Gimli
men of Laketown that heard stories from Elves of Mirkwood who heard stories from Legolas
farmers & such from Gondor & Rohan that saw/heard things here and there
a pair of travelers from Bree they met in Minas Tirith during their first visit

I don't think it would be difficult for us to have received awful information about the story and characters, if we consider that many of the people wishing to tell tales were lying drunkards, or perhaps just inventing scoundrels looking to get a free meal. Plus I think some of us might be prone to believe the most fantastical/interesting stuff we hear given that the events were so big and the stakes high, not to mention as actors we'd want the story to be crazy.

some possibilities for The King's Players version of The Lord of the Rings

Gandalf shows up mysteriously at random moments, doesn't say much, and is just sort of around behind the scenes (role played by several people in heavy costume & makeup).
Whoever heard about Merry mistakenly thought "Mary" and after that the group filled in blanks with the assumption Merry was a lady. The thought that "she" is an Elf stemmed largely from "her" ability to speak to the trees (Fangorn). It was later decided to make "Mary" a love interest for Boromir, which added nicely to his death defending "her".
Gollum is an orc. After all, he's an evil creature that knew his way around Mordor. What else could he be?
From what we've heard, we know that the Hobbits ran into lots of trouble up around Bree, and we know that Aragorn helped them get out of Bree alive. Regarding their near deaths, we heard that the attempted murder was while staying with Butterbur (who must've been some sort of ruler if he had dozens of guest rooms), and that he had their ponies stolen, and that Butterbur was an evil man. (The travelers from Bree the King's Players met were full of crap and had a grudge against Barliman.)
Frodo was a mighty warrior and a bit of a wizard too. He did fight Sauron after all- what else could he have been?
Since we believe Sam to have been a somewhat stupid and unimportant servant, we decided to have him die earlier in the tale to add some drama (somewhere between the Shire and Rivendell). Imagine our surprise when we find out the visiting Hobbit-Mayor is Sam!

[Mnemosyne]

Sorry about not adding Pitch to the character list--I was holding off because I didn't know what list to put him in, and rather than do the sensible thing and add him to the minor one for now, I had quite forgotten...

I was going to suggest that we had forgotten that Sam existed entirely!!

And I will put in a second plug for Frodo going to Barad-dur to challenge Sauron to single combat, since that's pure canon.

Also, if we're still looking at aborted plots for ideas, I would love it if we had a Trotter...

I'm going to try to get a First Post up on this thread tomorrow so we all have a general idea of when and where the game is officially starting.

Oh, and this is now officially morphing into the Discussion Thread as well as the Planning thread. :)

[the phantom]

I was going to suggest that we had forgotten that Sam existed entirely!!
That's fine with me. I can change it if you'd like.
And I will put in a second plug for Frodo going to Barad-dur to challenge Sauron to single combat, since that's pure canon.
Oh, definitely. And as far as Saruman's character description, that's due to what you said about Brinn's husband wanted to play comic roles- I figured Saruman had some comic potential if we portrayed him as a rather ineffective crazy wizard. He couldn't have been very powerful after all, as the rumor is he and his works were ended by some walking plants.
But I suppose Gimli's part in the play - which must originally have been quite substantial in order to please our Dwarven fans back home and would have been played by someone else then - was cut a lot when Aldarion adapted the play to suit Gondorian taste?
Yes, I think that would be appropriate.

And what do you guys think about Lothlorien? How should we portray it and Galadriel?

[Boromir88]

And what do you guys think about Lothlorien? How should we portray it and Galadriel?

If we want an insanely twisted romance plot, Branor's Aragorn would totally have the hots for Galadriel. A powerful beautiful elf-lady, who gives Aragorn gifts, as opposed to the sappy elf-maiden he's supposed to shack up with.... :p

Of course it might be one-sided, as he attempts to court Galadriel, but Branor's Aragorn does not want to be with Arwen. No way. (Edit: Oh wow, and I just realized the whole grandma thing, that may be tooooo messed up)

[Formendacil]

And what do you guys think about Lothlorien? How should we portray it and Galadriel?

In keeping with Boromir's feeling about the Golden Wood, as corroborated by the Rohirrim generally, I think something of a "Midsummer Night's Dream" take might be appropriate. In that case, perhaps Galadriel should be modelled on Titania and Celeborn on Oberon?

In which case is Legolas a Puck who has gone along with our "human heroes" ? :-p

[Anguirel]

ha good one Formendacil. I was thinking along similar lines but via Spenser not Shakespeare (note last line of my character's profile)

Inziladun and Pitchwife, I'm definitely open to having a sailor cousin (whom the newly minted Lord would be quite ashamed of)...might be a bit coincidental that my character just happens to intersect with Veandur and Amlach from Aldarion's cast though? reckon we should have one such link and not the other?

[Galadriel55]

Galadriel is of course a powerful witch, and all witches are bad. She tries to stop the fellowship (it was her that sent the dragon to the mountains, but he was defeated by Gandalf), but then orcs come (randomly) from the Misty Mountains and assail Lorien and the fellowship. Boromir is killed. The orcs are driven off. Galadriel humbles herself and helps them.

Something to echo the Battle of Five Armies, which men of Dale will be more familiar with. :p

And... just sayin'. Yeah. No need to change the scenario if this is a stupid idea.:D

[Inziladun]

Inziladun and Pitchwife, I'm definitely open to having a sailor cousin (whom the newly minted Lord would be quite ashamed of)...might be a bit coincidental that my character just happens to intersect with Veandur and Amlach from Aldarion's cast though? reckon we should have one such link and not the other?

Well, I'm fine with the kinship, and maybe the double link would still work out, as I'm thinking Vëandur has been to Minas Anor on several occasions, but never when the King's Players were in town. As a matter of fact, I don't think he really knows what to expect from a "play". He might be looking for a stiff, reverential, "historical" drama. :p

And phantom, I think it's neat that Aldarion and Vëandur have such similar backgrounds and yet took completely different paths. Might be an opportunity for some drama between them, at some point?

[Dimturiel]

So Harrenon's ended up with the role of Legolas, eh? Nice, that's a character that leaves a lot of room for exaggeration ("Well, of course he could shoot ten orcs with a single arrow and of course he could fly over snow. What do you mean it's absurd? He's an Elf. Don't Elves always do that?";))

If we want an insanely twisted romance plot, Branor's Aragorn would totally have the hots for Galadriel. A powerful beautiful elf-lady, who gives Aragorn gifts, as opposed to the sappy elf-maiden he's supposed to shack up with.

Ouch. Imagine the look on Aragorn and Arwen's faces if they saw something like that in the play:D

Of course it might be one-sided, as he attempts to court Galadriel, but Branor's Aragorn does not want to be with Arwen. No way.

Double ouch.:eek: I don't suppose those of Gondor had something like the death penalty, but I think they might have just made an exception with the King's Players after seeing such a story unfold.

[the phantom]

Galadriel is of course a powerful witch, and all witches are bad. She tries to stop the fellowship
Actually, that bit would totally fit with what typical residents of Gondor and Rohan and such thought, wouldn't it? I can easily imagine the players initially writing in the Sorceress of the Golden Wood as a force opposed to the quest that ensnares the fellowship. There could be a great escape sequence, yes? But we could maintain some sort of romantic undercurrent if we want, with the enchantress trying to weave spells of seduction about Aragorn (or if need be someone else or perhaps several fellowship members).

[Galadriel55]

But we could maintain some sort of romantic undercurrent if we want, with the enchantress trying to weave spells of seduction about Aragorn (or if need be someone else or perhaps several fellowship members).

Like Gimli?:Merisu::D

[Mnemosyne]

Actually, that bit would totally fit with what typical residents of Gondor and Rohan and such thought, wouldn't it? I can easily imagine the players initially writing in the Sorceress of the Golden Wood as a force opposed to the quest that ensnares the fellowship. There could be a great escape sequence, yes? But we could maintain some sort of romantic undercurrent if we want, with the enchantress trying to weave spells of seduction about Aragorn (or if need be someone else or perhaps several fellowship members).

We could turn the entire "testing" sequence into a dream-dance, featuring comely lasses (or lads, if we're going with Merry) of each member's various race (the Gimli/Dwarfette would be played for pure laughs)... but I don't think we have enough Players to pull that one off.

[Pitchwife]

I was going to suggest that we had forgotten that Sam existed entirely!!
Absolutely plausible, I think. Self-effacingly devoted to Mr Frodo as he is, he probably won't even mind being left out that much, but we shouldn't expect Rosie and Elanor to be as lenient with us.
In keeping with Boromir's feeling about the Golden Wood, as corroborated by the Rohirrim generally, I think something of a "Midsummer Night's Dream" take might be appropriate. In that case, perhaps Galadriel should be modelled on Titania and Celeborn on Oberon?
I like this a lot. For maximal comedy, Gimli as Bottom.
In which case is Legolas a Puck who has gone along with our "human heroes" ? :-p
Nice idea, but wouldn't Brinn and the other Dale people at least have an idea who he is?
Galadriel is of course a powerful witch, and all witches are bad. She tries to stop the fellowship
Not bad either, and like phantom already said, it fits her reputation in Gondor. Couldn't we combine this with Form's idea somehow? Like, I dont't know, maybe she isn't evil but tried to stop them because Celeborn/Oberon enchanted her to fall in love with Gimli/Bottom and she wanted to keep him, so the others had to break the spell somehow. But maybe this would over-complicate our plot?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

If we Players have offended, think but this, and all is mended...

[the phantom]

As far as Celeborn, he may have to be left out. For one, I believe it was the Lady of the Golden Wood that was more commonly known anyway, and then also we are limited by the number of actors and actresses we have.

(Mnemo- for now I edited you in as Galadriel on the role list, as you were pretty much the only choice.)

[Mnemosyne]

Sounds fine to me, phantom.

Due to people's various commitments across different times of day, and since not too many others have spoken about it, let's make this Half Time--i.e., the first 24 hours of play or so (I don't want to be so precise as to have a set deadline, especially with time zones) will take up from midnight till noon; the next 24 from noon till midnight, of the first day. That'll give the Players one week to get their act together (pun intended), and should make for a much more hectic situation. If anyone objects, speak now or forever hold your peace.

In the meantime, here's a tentative first post. I have probably messed up my harvest times and Sereth. Lommy, I hope you don't mind my having borrowed her, and let me know what I need to do, if anything, to fix her.

I'll post some notes later on stuff that should be useful to the RPer--the Gondorian time-keeping system (this first post is at about 8:00 a.m.)



Yavannie 24, F.A. 21

A sudden gust of wind brought the sound of two faint bell-strokes to Brinn's ears, as she walked alongside the painted waggon. That was good, then--she was a terrible judge of distance when it came to big cities nestled in the mountains, but surely they were close if they could hear the bells of Minas Anor. The lands of the Pelennor smelled ripe with harvest--fruit from the orchards, bleached barleycorn, punctuated with whiffs of the Anduin itself. Behind and before them were the carts of merchants and farmers for the markets in the first few circles of the City, laden with casks of wine and oil from the Emyn Arnen. Every so often they were passed by one of these, for they were in no real hurry, and the mules that pulled their carts were not meant for speed. A few of the folk stared at the lettering on the sides, recently repainted in the style of letters that Gondor seemed to favor--

The King's Players!

Tales of Joy!

Tales of Woe!

Tales of Derring-Do!

feat. the Finest Dwarven-made Mechanicals you ever did see, so true-to-life you'll jump out of your seat

Not that that last bit was entirely true, but Father wasn't there to see it and Asta hadn't complained yet. It drew more people, anyhow.

"Hear that, Rollan?" she called up to the man driving the first cart.

"Loud and clear, my love," Rollan called back. "Maybe we'll actually have time to settle before we rehearse tonight!"

"Ah, wouldn't that be a lovely change of pace?"

"'Course, now that I've said something, and knowing our luck--"

"Don't say anything further, then!" said Brinn, laughing. "I'd like this to be a peaceful run, thanks, maybe pull in enough money that we can take a holiday for a couple of weeks."

"Well, Cormare always brings in plenty, from all over. Don't reckon those merchants that just passed us could make a profit on silk otherwise. Have you got everything ready to get in the city?"

"I think so," said Brinn. She looked down at her dress, which was rather more respectable than most of their costumes--just right to make the first impression. And she had run over in her mind the exact location of the inn-yard where they would be staying, and the innkeeper's name, and the official she always spoke to when they needed that particular market square that was right along one of the main streets, and she had the papers...

The papers.

They were still in the cart. "Half a minute!" she cried, and climbed up the steps in back of the cart to get inside. There, sitting on the trunk where the papers were, squished among racks of costumes and crates of props, was a maiden of about twelve years, reading over a script.

"Seri, dear," said Brinn, "why don't you come outside? The light's much better out there."

It took the child a moment to realize she was being spoken to. She put down the script and looked up. "Do you think I'll make a good Frodo the Warrior Halfling?"

"Well, the audience loved you last year--I don't see why not."

"I'm taller this year."

"The better to charge the gates of the Dark Tower with, then. Do stand up; I need to get our papers out of that chest."

Sereth complied, and Brinn opened the chest. On top were the papers they had procured last year, authorizing and easing their return to the White City to perform for the Ring-Day festival. "Thank you," said Brinn. "Now, come outside and take the air with me."

Sereth did so, leaving the script behind, and immediately began launching into a dramatic recitation of her cues and lines. So passed the next half-hour, until they reached the great and majestic mithril gates of Minas Anor.

Brinn made a full courtesy to the guard on duty and presented her papers. "I am Mistress Celebrindal," she said, "of the King's Players, requesting admittance to the City to prepare and perform our annual play for the Cormare celebration."

The guard looked through the papers, and nodded. "You may enter," he said.

"Thank you." Brinn nodded and waved at Rollan, who started the line of carts on their way into the city.

"You should have a fine attendance this year," said the guard, as the waggons passed through. "The preparations for Cormare this year have been twice as splendid as any year I can recall, on account of the King's special guests."

"I am sorry," said Brinn, "but we are a travelling group and were not aware of any special guests. Who might these be?"

"Why, the pheriannath, of course! I am certain you'll see them some time while you are here, for the people love to see them--the lord Samwise, and his wife, and his daughter, who is a lady in waiting to our beloved Queen. And since it has been many years since we have had those people to whom we owe so much in our midst, everyone wants to make the celebration this year especially grand. Your show, no doubt, will be a boon to our City."

Brinn thanked him for his kind words--he was a younger sort and not half as dour as so many of Gondor's men were--but she could not help but feel a little troubled. Halflings belonged in the Breelands, or beyond, in the Shire, not in Gondor! What in heaven's name could they be doing here?

[Pitchwife]

Lovely first post, Mnemo! I'm getting first tinglings of stage fright already...

I have probably messed up my harvest times
Well, in most of Europe barley and other grain would have been harvested in July/August, but with Gondor's southern climate, I suppose they could have one harvest in late spring and a second one in autumn, so no prob, I think.
Here (http://www.strangehorizons.com/2001/20010212/agriculture.shtml)'s a nice article on the agricultural year, and another one here (http://www.foxearth.org.uk/TheFarmersYearr.html).

While I'm at it, some links about medieval/renaissance theatre which may be helpful (should have posted these way earlier):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_theatre
http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/medieval.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Renaissance_theatre

For historical background, I've discovered an old Downs thread (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=12311) about the political situation in and around Fourth Age Gondor which may be of interest to some of you.

[the phantom]

Just so everyone knows, pretty much every hour of the next three days is owned by a paper, test, or work. There's a slight possibility I'll be able to look in on the thread early this evening, and I may also get a chance late Wednesday afternoon, but don't count on anything from me until Thursday.

[Mnemosyne]

Thanks for the links, Pitch! I'm going to include some general resources in the beginning of this thread, under the character sheets. If anyone else has any good resource ideas, go ahead and post away!

First post will be going up in about 3 hours because that will be midnight EST.

Also, all character sheets that haven't been linked will be linked as "minor characters," even if the people who play them are going to try to post regularly and often.



JUST BECAUSE THE GAME HAS STARTED DOES NOT MEAN THAT NEW PEOPLE (or old people) CAN'T WHIP UP A NEW (or another) CHARACTER TO JOIN!

[Boromir88]

Writing post now, but wanted to tell everyone I'm making a slight adjustment to Branor's character sheet.

He will not have a stage name, instead he rarely ever gets out of character. So, have fun with Branor acting like Aragorn most of the time...erm or, how Branor thinks Aragorn would act. :rolleyes:

[piosenniel]

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[Nerwen]

Thanks, pio. I forgot about the signature business, but I've fixed it now.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm picking up a friend from the airport, but as soon as I get back I'm going to move the caravan to the inn, around 9:00 in-game. Call for the evening's rehearsal will be at the ninth bell, or 3:00 p.m., that gives all of our characters six hours to interact with each other or the populus. And because it extends past noon, that gives us, the players, tomorrow to wreak as much havoc as we'd like.

Who wants to bump into Sam, Rose, and Elanor?

[Boromir88]

Who wants to bump into Sam, Rose, and Elanor?

Hmm...well if Amdir is planning on meeting up with us at the inn and with Branor wanting to explore the City a bit more (given that the troupe has down time). I was thinking, once getting settled at the inn, perhaps Amdir could show new parts of the city to Branor? And of course, any of the other members are welcome to go on a down-time excursion.

Keep in mind Form, Branor will ask Amdir to show him the city. Amdir is of course free to agree to this or not, Branor will still probably go along without him. :p

[Anguirel]

Formendacil, nice post but it needs a bit of working out in terms of...you've made my character into your character's master, and some kind of patronly figure?

Lord Cirdacil/Burghley is a Puritanical type who disapproves of wasteful dramatic expenditure. I was envisaging him as a reluctant tagger along in the royal retinue, not as a key organiser...

Would you mind having another Lord as your master, a more distant NPC, or would you rather I adjust Cirdacil to this more accepting role? I suppose the poor old geezer could have been ordered into it by royal fiat, but if so could you change "took an interest in the dramatic arts" to be more mordant and ironic?

one of the reasons I wasn't myself going down the "noble patron" route is that I think that part might be bigger than I have time for. An absolutely and constitutionally reluctant noble patron, though, might be quite funny and not too big a part either

think of the (utterly unfair) portrayal of Sir Edmund Tilney in Shakespeare in Love...on such a basis I'd be willing to write the role you've laid out for me. Is that ok?

[Formendacil]

Formendacil, nice post but it needs a bit of working out in terms of...you've made my character into your character's master, and some kind of patronly figure?

Lord Cirdacil/Burghley is a Puritanical type who disapproves of wasteful dramatic expenditure. I was envisaging him as a reluctant tagger along in the royal retinue, not as a key organiser...

Would you mind having another Lord as your master, a more distant NPC, or would you rather I adjust Cirdacil to this more accepting role? I suppose the poor old geezer could have been ordered into it by royal fiat, but if so could you change "took an interest in the dramatic arts" to be more mordant and ironic?

one of the reasons I wasn't myself going down the "noble patron" route is that I think that part might be bigger than I have time for. An absolutely and constitutionally reluctant noble patron, though, might be quite funny and not too big a part either

think of the (utterly unfair) portrayal of Sir Edmund Tilney in Shakespeare in Love...on such a basis I'd be willing to write the role you've laid out for me. Is that ok?

My most abject apologies, Master Anguirel, for leaping into the post without rereading the planning thread thoroughly. Somewhere your previous statement of "don't have enough time to play a patron" turned into "Anguirel's character is patron" in my head.

As to rectifying that, it's probably easiest if I just rename said patron than try and rework what I wrote--not because it's that difficult to rewrite the post, but because I don't want to back you into an unpleasant corner... but if you find yourself *wanting* to be a reluctant and disdainful patron, I can be easily persuaded thither.

And, as I've never seen Shakespeare in Love, I'm afraid the reference is quite lost on me.

Boro--feel free to have Branor ask Amdír. I'm not sure yet if he'll say yes... that'll undoubtedly depend on the outcome of first rehearsal/meeting.

EDIT: Okay, Cirdacil is gone, and one Lord Hallas is in, as the Players' part-time patron when they're in Minas Tirith. I would emphasise the "part-time" bit because: 1.) he's an NPC no one quite planned on making and 2.) he really only supports the Players when they're in Minas Tirith, and does so in more of an offhand "here's some money, make me look good and cultured for supporting you" than because he's got any keen interest drama.

EDIT II: Never mind the last edit... 'tis all undone.

[Anguirel]

actually Formendacil seriously don't change a thing

I've had an inspiration. Lord Cirdacil will indeed be Master of the Revels for hideous, deficit cutting motives of his own, bwaha

I'll have the post ready tomorrow, in the meantime everybody enjoy yourselves proceed with your fripperous and vain mummery...BAH HUMBUG


EDIT: oh no! Argh! Change it back! If you don't mind. ha this is so silly

[Formendacil]

actually Formendacil seriously don't change a thing

I've had an inspiration. Lord Cirdacil will indeed be Master of the Revels for hideous, deficit cutting motives of his own, bwaha

I'll have the post ready tomorrow, in the meantime everybody enjoy yourselves proceed with your fripperous and vain mummery...BAH HUMBUG


EDIT: oh no! Argh! Change it back! If you don't mind. ha this is so silly

Your wish is my command. 'tis easily done.

Lord Cirdacil is looking for tax benefits? :p

[Anguirel]

it's best if I don't be more explicit till I've written it; but it involves court intrigue, money, a family dispute and a very minor dastardly plan

[Boromir88]

Form, I brought Amdir to the rest of the troupe. That's what I judged you had in mind doing next? And while Branor does not seem to give Amdir any choice in the matter, I remind you that he DOES have one. :p

[Mnemosyne]

Also also, before I forget.

I am fine with people moving Brinn and/or Rollan around if they need them for some reason.

[Formendacil]

Form, I brought Amdir to the rest of the troupe. That's what I judged you had in mind doing next? And while Branor does not seem to give Amdir any choice in the matter, I remind you that he DOES have one. :p

Indeed--'twas the plan.

I'll hold off a bit on having Amdír reply, in case someone else wants to get involved in the sightseeing, or in case Brinn decides he's needed on-set.

[Dimturiel]

I've had Harrenon express his desire to join the sightseeing,if that's ok. And, Boro, if you have any objection with how my character views your character, feel free to tell me and I'll alter my post.

[piosenniel]

Bringing this forward

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[the phantom]

Okay- generally everything is off my back now. I will try and read through the gameplay thread while I'm at work this evening and I'll make a post after I get home.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Why yes, there was just a magical disappearing post from me. I crossposted with Master Formy, and his post contained nearly the exact same thing I'd written!

So instead of redundant information, I merely request: Form, could you include that Therian comes along, specifically intending to find a tavern?

[Pitchwife]

Nerwen, what you wrote about Asta and Coldan is exactly what I had in mind for them. Nice!
As you see, I'm letting you decide how Coldan is going to spend the time until the rehearsal starts, as he'll try to stay around Asta unless strongly rebuked - I hope that's OK. Whatever you do is fine with me, and if you find a way to get rid of him, well, the poor darling will just have to sublimate and maybe add a line or two to The Fall of King Bladorthin:D.
(As far as 'explaining himself' to Asta goes, I doubt he will anytime soon - he's had lots of chances before...)

[the phantom]

Okay everyone, QUESTION!!

When I get home tonight and can finally post, do you think it would be appropriate for me to write up a sort of cast of characters info sheet, containing major points as to how we portray the various characters in our play and list important things they do? It seems to me that, after finding out that the King himself might attend, a playwright would become a bit more concerned about accuracy and seek to ammend major errors (particularly those involving the King), and one way to do this would be to distribute small character bios to everyone in the crew and ask that everyone keep his or her ears open for any information that contradicts our sheets.

Then as corrections are added each day (some true, some false I imagine), we would naturally produce a new sheet to work from. Doable, or too contrived? Either way I think we ought to have some sort of master list so that we don't keep adding plot points that contradict each other.

[Mnemosyne]

I approve of consistency, although I think at this point what each Player thinks (from what's in the script) is actually true and what is "creative theatrical license" may up to each player. But it'll be a nice setup for the future, especially since we do have to know what we're doing for the dress rehearsal later "tonight."

[Boromir88]

Harrenon's fine, Dimturiel. I'm glad I'm making the pompous d-bag personality come out well enough, and he picked up on Branor's lovable...enthusiasm? But honestly it's only going to get worse, and I would be surprised if Branor makes it through the day without someone (whether it be a troupe member or a NPC person from the Rohirric Unicorn) socking him in the face. :p

[the phantom]

He had briefly met Master Meriadoc
Well then- I'd say we're going to be mighty ticked at you when we find out that you've known about "Merry the Hobbit" all along, seeing as due to a couple of misunderstandings from sources in our play he has been replaced with "Mary the Elf (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650654&postcount=84)".

I can just imagine Brinn or Branor bellowing, "Why have you never corrected us?!!"

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Form, on the game thread
He had briefly met Master Meriadoc
Well then- I'd say we're going to be mighty ticked at you when we find out that you've known about "Merry the Hobbit" all along, seeing as due to a couple of misunderstandings from sources in our play he has been replaced with "Mary the Elf".

And killed off, as of my last post. You see, we weren't sure exactly what had become of the "real" Mary the Elf anyway, and Asta needed to be free to do her puppetry later in the play, and we thought the action was flagging at that point...

...What point? I haven't specified, but we probably do need to decide that pretty soon. I doubt very much if Mary makes it as far as the Pelennor. I mean, what need to have two people involved in killing the Lord of the Nazgûl? How undramatic.

[Pitchwife]

phantom, if you're willing to take the trouble of being our Keeper of Consistency, power to you; I think we're going to need something like this the more the game progresses.
(Oh, and are we going to treat Gimli as a minor comic role? "Nobody tosses a Dorvinian!":D)

[Boromir88]

I was planning on doing this last night, but couldn't bring myself to think in great detail with the exhausting day. But will write the post now.

Amdir will inform Branor the hobbit in the Rohirric Unicorn is Master Sam. At Branor's complete shock to discover this is Sam of the War of the Ring, he goes to chat with the hobbit. And then will head back to tell the news to Brinn immediately.

I think I've got a nice idea for when Branor tells Sam, when in fact Sam was supposed to die.

[Formendacil]

Why yes, there was just a magical disappearing post from me. I crossposted with Master Formy, and his post contained nearly the exact same thing I'd written!

So instead of redundant information, I merely request: Form, could you include that Therian comes along, specifically intending to find a tavern?

Great minds think alike, I guess. 'tis an easy enough amendment, and I shall do it momentarily.

...and I'll put off posting again until Branoromir88 has had a chance to post an interaction with Sam.

Btw, Anguirel, from your post I would deduce that Cirdacil has only just now become the financial sponsor of the King's Players. In that case, perhaps I shall amend my first post to suggest that Amdír is in the service of the Master of Revels, which until recently had been Hallas, since he has a few years-long association with the players on behalf of "the Lord" (which, I guess, is not actually one Lord, but the office of the Master of Revels).

[Boromir88]

...and I'll put off posting again until Branoromir88 has had a chance to post an interaction with Sam.


just posted. I brought it to the point where Branor specifically tells Sam how he should have died already, of course trying to wipe his hands clean of the problem, by blaming it all on Aldarion. And was just going to ask if Form, Fea, or Dimturiel could pick up the rest.

[Formendacil]

just posted. I brought it to the point where Branor specifically tells Sam how he should have died already, of course trying to wipe his hands clean of the problem, by blaming it all on Aldarion. And was just going to ask if Form, Fea, or Dimturiel could pick up the rest.

I could probably take a brief crack at it, but I'll try to leave lots of room for Therian and Harrenon to have some fun.

Meanwhile, my edits are done. Fea should take a quick look at Post 12 (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=651057&postcount=12) and Ang should see how the Hallas/Cirdacil continuity looks in Post 5 (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=650954&postcount=5)

EDIT: My new post is up. Amdír has had a stroke of genius, and Sam has delivered some wild-sounding information about Black Riders (what are they? Nothing says the Players have any reason to think them the same as beast-riding Nazgûl), Gandalf and giant eagles, and the fires of Mt. Doom. Perhaps the playwright will decide to flatter the royal guests in the audience by rewriting the script to make Samwise the Strong the true hero of the story (well... after the King)... In any case, it's back to someone else.

[Anguirel]

looks really good to me, also establishes Hallas as consistently a chiller on his estate, whereas my Lord remains a city slicker...

[Formendacil]

looks really good to me, also establishes Hallas as consistently a chiller on his estate, whereas my Lord remains a city slicker...

Probably not an estate far from the city (the Pelennor's fertile fields maybe), since the set-pieces need to be close, but handy enough.

Glad you approve.

[Thinlómien]

Finally caught up with reading. Love the way it looks this far (cracked up aloud at Boro's latest post :D), and will post still today. Mnemo, your handling of Sereth is absolutely fine. :) Also for everybody's further information - you can borrow her if needs be because I have a suspicion I will be busy and not necessarily around enough to carry her along...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Form- looks good.

Boro- yes, I'm setting up Therian as a passive-aggressive antagonist, and a bit of a sycophant.

Anybody that wants to take over that conversation, feel free.

[Thinlómien]

Fea, Therian makes me laugh. I was wondering though if it's intentional Branor is sometimes called Branor and sometimes Brandor when you're describing what's happening because that makes the reader about as confused as Therian. :D Meaning for example:
"I would fight gallantly!" Branor boasted.

"No doubt you would, Brandor," Sam said. "Some did. Princess Eowyn fought better'n most, and that Witch King was dead as they come!"

"Branor," Brandor corrected.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Fea, Therian makes me laugh. I was wondering though if it's intentional Branor is sometimes called Branor and sometimes Brandor when you're describing what's happening because that makes the reader about as confused as Therian. :D Meaning for example:

Quite intentional. I was riffing off of a few posts up when Boro had Branor call Amdir 'Amdil' and doesn't care when he's corrected. Therian called him 'Brandor' when talking to Sam just to see if Branor would pick up on it and cause a scene. :cool:

[Inziladun]

I would be surprised if Branor makes it through the day without someone (whether it be a troupe member or a NPC person from the Rohirric Unicorn) socking him in the face. :p

Vëandur volunteers. :D

I find myself extremely busy, but I'm looking at scenarios in which Vëandur could cause a little drama. I'm thinking that he could meet Aldarion during the troupe's down time (possibly in a tavern). They could start talking about their backgrounds, and Vëandur might want to talk Aldarion out of his acting career?

[Thinlómien]

Quite intentional. I was riffing off of a few posts up when Boro had Branor call Amdir 'Amdil' and doesn't care when he's corrected. Therian called him 'Brandor' when talking to Sam just to see if Branor would pick up on it and cause a scene. :cool:Haha, I figured he's doing it intentionally but was not so sure about you. :D Anyway, great post. ;)

[the phantom]

All right then.... A reference post for plot agreement! (Some bits copied and pasted from the previous page.)

Initial War of the Ring Drama Character Roles & Important Bits

ROLES IN WAR OF THE RING DRAMA
Brinn- Hobbits in Shire, Orcs in Moria/Anduin/Rauros/Rohan/Gondor/Mordor, Sorceress of Lothlorien
Asta- Mary the Elf of Rivendell, Gollum the Orc
Rollan- Saruman the demented wizard, Denethor Steward of Gondor, Orcs in Moria/Anduin/Rauros/Mordor
Branor- Aragorn the returning King of Gondor
Therian- Eowyn, various Orcs in Moria/Wilderland/Rauros/Mordor
Amdir- Pippin the Hobbit Prince, various Orcs in Mordor
Coldan- Gimli the Dwarf, Sam the Hobbit servant, Orcs in Mordor
Harrenon- Legolas the Elf, The Witch King
Sereth- Frodo the Warrior Hobbit, various orcs in Rohan/Gondor
Aldarion- Boromir prince of Gondor, the evil King Butterbur, King Theoden, Prince Imrahil

IMPORTANT CHARACTER POINTS OF THE RING DRAMA
Gandalf- Gandalf flits in and out of the tale, sometimes walking slowly behind a scene and back offstage without saying a word. We try to give an impression that he is a great mover of important events without making his role in anything clear- he is very mysterious! He can be played by nearly anyone in the troop, as we use heavy makeup and costume for him. His most active scene is battling a giant flame-breathing tentacle monster in the mines of Moria, where he appears to fall to his death only to reappear later.
Frodo- He is basically a more active version of Gandalf, and is said to be Prince Pippin's trusted general and friend. During most fights he merely watches as the rest of the group battles, but towards the end he usually inserts himself in some grandiose fashion. (E.g. In Moria during a fight he bursts out "Stop!!" and when all turn to look at him he declares, "With this ring I command the very breath in your lungs!" at which point all the goblins fall to the ground gasping and die.) In general non-human characters receive fewer lines in the drama, as they are less relatable and more mysterious to both the audience and the King's Players.
Aragorn- The returning king is commanding, loud, and over the top- a perfect fit for Branor. During fight scenes he often pauses the action to pose heroically (which the troop doesn't mind terribly) and sometimes to adlib something Branor thinks is clever ("If your quaking spirit manages to get back to your dark master, tell him The King is returning!" *stab*) Aldarion has been trying to get Branor to stop deviating for months, with very little success. As far as Aragorn's "romance" with Queen Arwen- it is treated instead as an arranged marriage (made at the council in Rivendell) to ensure the support of the Elves in Rivendell and Mirkwood.
Boromir- Aldarion's Boromir never challenges Aragorn openly, but in several soliloquies he expresses his true feelings. In the first, at Rivendell, he doubts Aragorn's claim. Later, while boating the Anduin, he agonizes over whether or not to move aside for Aragorn at all since he himself is such a great captain and knows Gondor better, and even if he should move aside he doubts that during a great war is the time to switch leaders. In his third speech he acknowledges his overriding love for Mary and decides that the throne means little to him in comparison, and so he will let her decide his course. It is then that the Fellowship is attacked and Boromir falls defending Mary from capture in a marvelously choreographed fight scene. The killing blow is struck by the Witch King (adds to WK's villainy and makes the later confrontation more powerful).
Mary- She is an Elf from Rivendell, and carries a magical elf sword which she uses well against the various monsters and orcs we face. It is made evident early on through meaningful glances and awkward pauses that there is a great deal of romantic tension between Mary and Boromir. It finally comes to a head at Rauros with the pair declaring their feelings and kissing just as the forces of Saruman and Witch King attack. As she is carried away by Saruman's henchmen Mary sees WK strike down Boromir and declares that she will avenge her lost love (at this time WK gets driven off by an unexpected visit from Gandalf). After Mary and the Hobbit Prince Pippin escape from the Orcs, she convinces the trees of Fangorn to grow over Isengard. She then joins the Rohirrim and rides with them to the rescue of Minas Tirith. Upon the battlefield WK descends to kill Theoden, giving her a shot at him. As WK moves in to slay Eowyn, declaring "Prophecy has declared that no man can kill me!" Mary cries "For Boromir!" and leaps at his back, but he whirls around and impales her. Mary tosses her magic sword to Eowyn (now behind WK) and pulls herself further onto his sword, getting close enough to hurl her magic cloak over him. As he staggers, vision obscured, Eowyn declares, "But I am a woman!" and brings the magic blade down upon WK's head. Both he and Mary die.
Eowyn- See latter portion of Mary's entry above. (It should be noted that every time Therian yells "But I am a woman!" Brinn can be heard chuckling backstage.)
The Witch King- See Mary's entry above.
Pippin- He is the strong, wise, and merry ruler of the Halflings, and has the most lines of all the non-humans, plotting and planning the route with Aragorn and Boromir and fighting bravely in all encounters.
Denethor- Since he is played by Rollan, Denethor is played in a comic fashion. He is grumpy and clumsy (always injuring those around him), and in the end he is doomed by his klutziness as he accidentally spills oil all over himself and sets himself ablaze.
Saruman- Another typical Rollan character, Saruman is an utter loon and overreacts to everything. Watching him dash about Isengard screaming in a panic with a bucket of weed-killer is often the favorite scene of the children in attendance.
Butterbur- The evil ruler of Bree is the first major obstacle encountered by Pippin, Frodo, and Sam. In their travels they are invited to rest in his gargantuan house, but during the night they are attacked and discover Butterbur has invited a Nazgul to stay with him as well, and also he has killed their ponies. They are attacked again while trying to escape, and this time WK and all the other Nazgul are there. With the element of surprise WK and friends are able to gain the upper hand, but Aragorn comes dashing into the tale for the first time and manages to help the hobbits escape.
Gollum- He is an orc scout from Mordor. He is captured by Frodo somewhere in northern Ithilien and forced to guide the hobbit into/through Mordor. He nearly gives away Frodo's position several times, and finally as the journey nears its end Frodo decides he can do without him and slays Gollum.
Legolas- Harrenon's primary job as Legolas is to look graceful and shoot an endless stream of imaginary arrows (and make the sound effect with his mouth).
Gimli- The dwarf is a very flat character, doing little except expressing love for gold and jewels and lust for battle.
Sam- Depending on the number of available cast and crew, Sam is either killed at Weathertop or left out completely.

TYPICAL OR PREFERRED ROLES IN GENERAL FOR THE PLAYER'S
Brinn- minor roles if necessary (manager, props, effects, etc)
Asta- minor roles if necessary (mechanical, costumes, props, etc)
Rollan- comic roles
Branor- major roles, primarily dramatic
Therian- prefers warriors & kings, but always plays ladies
Amdir- minor roles if necessary (set design, construction, etc)
Coldan- minor roles (prompting)
Harrenon- semi-minor roles, usually young
Sereth- child/youth roles
Aldarion- dramatic, tortured soul, romantic lead (playwright)

TIMELINE OF THE PLAYERS
F.A. 12-
*The father of Brinn & Asta constructs a second Robo-Smaug for Dale's Feast of the Dragon
F.A. 13-
*Brinn, Rollan, and a few friends put on performances in Laketown, Erebor, and other small villages near Dale
F.A. 14-
*Brinn and Rollan marry
*Asta joins the group
F.A. 15-
*Branor joins the group
*The Players perform for the first time in the Iron Hills and in Thranduil's hall
F.A. 16-
*Therian joins The Players
*The Players cross Mirkwood to perform for the Beornings
F.A. 17-
*The Players make their first visit to Minas Anor
*Amdir joins The Players while they're in Minas Anor
F.A. 18-
*Coldan joins the group in Dale
*The Players visit Minas Anor again, and also perform quite a bit in Lossarnach
F.A. 19-
*Harrenon joins The Players during their third trip to Minas Anor
*The Players hit Lossarnach again, and Lamedon for the first time
*While in Lamedon they are joined by Sereth and Aelin
F.A. 20-
*The Players visit Minas Anor for the fourth straight year
*Aelin leaves the troop
*The Players go to Dol Amroth for the first time and have run-ins with The Swan Players and its members
*Aldarion defects from The Swan Players and travels with the group to tour in Rohan
F.A. 21-
*After performances back home in Dale and for the Beornings and Rohirrim, the group makes their fifth trip to Minas Anor's Cormare celebrations

[Boromir88]

I'm afraid my post crossed with you Dimturiel. The approaching winter storm is making my internet connection go fritzy, but we do have some work to make the two stories flow together. I'll try to work in Harrenon's post, but ideas would help...?

Edit: silly me didn't think about the simplest plan, by just cutting out Sam's reply about Eowyn to Branor, and having what he tells Harrenon about Mary the Elf lead into my last post. Making the edit now.

[the phantom]

Nice job of picking up on Asta's role involvement with Boromir, Pitch. I was hoping you might do that.

Are you guys after your visit with Sam still going to be unclear that Merry & Mary are the same person, and thus think we need to add another character to the cast, or are you planning to discover the completely mistaken identity in full at this time?

[Pitchwife]

Everybody abroad in the city, your scenes with Sam are gorgeous! Rock on!

phantom, your character points about Mary, Boromir and the WK were quite helpful for my post, and I've briefly summarized them there. (Hope you don't mind Coldan's less than flattering opinion of Aldarion - it's all jealousy, of course.;))

Nerwen, when you write dialogue for Coldan, would you mind giving him just a hint of an accent? And if you'd like anything about Asta modified, just say so.

OK everybody, I'm under the impression our rehearsal should start soonish, is that right? I'm off to bed now and won't be back until tomorrow evening real European time. If you need Coldan to do anything at the rehearsal, go ahead.

[Boromir88]

Thanks Pitch, I've had a lot of fun with it, and thanks to Mnemo and the 3 travelling companions for making this whimsical playfulness possible. :D

So, we do need to get back to rehearsals, which I will work on and finish now. There should be enough confusion and panic caused by this meeting with Sam, and well the 3 will have to get an intoxicated Branor back safely.

For myself, phantom, Branor is completely obsessed with trying to convince you that Aragorn's part needs drastic revision, and so obviously when he returns all he's going to inform you about is himself and Aragorn. He'll completely forget the business about Sam actually not being dead, Mary or Merry...so that will be up to one of the others.

[Boromir88]

I go to West Virginia today around 3-ish (roads should be cleared off by then me hopes) be back on Sunday. I may be able to peek on the internet at the hotel, but there won't be any expanded time that I can be on and post.

Before I go, I'm gonna write a post where a tipsy Branor tries to convince Aldarion that he needs to make major changes to Aragorn's part.

Fea can use and write for Branor in whatever way she needs him for Therian's trouble-making purposes.

Anyone feel free to mess with him, play pranks and generally whatever way suits your amusment (my only request would be nothing violent, Branor's a prick, but he's pretty harmless). Maybe everyone can decide to just get Branor to go sleep it off, if anyone can convince him that is :rolleyes:

Inzil, when Veandur meets Branor, I'm sure Branor will do and say something that'll warrant someone knocking him out. :p

[Nerwen]

phantom, your character points about Mary, Boromir and the WK were quite helpful for my post, and I've briefly summarized them there. (Hope you don't mind Coldan's less than flattering opinion of Aldarion - it's all jealousy, of course.;))

Nerwen, when you write dialogue for Coldan, would you mind giving him just a hint of an accent? And if you'd like anything about Asta modified, just say so.
Nah, that's great. And I've edited Coldan's previous dialogue to bring it in line with yours.

And Mnemo, my apologies for not doing more with Asta yet, but the last 24 hours have been quite difficult IRL. Although anyway, we at the Inn are just marking time, pretty much.

[Formendacil]

I've dragged the sorry lot back to the waggons, only a few minutes late--hope that's alright with everyone. Hopefully, B88 will forgive my abusive use of his most noble character. :p --and anyone else I might've maligned.

[the phantom]

Has it been specified- are we set up and practicing in the courtyard at the inn? (And what's the name of the inn?)

[Formendacil]

Mnemo: please consider my Amdír-explains-all post to Brinn as strictly provisional until and unless you decide that Brinn has been treated fairly. You may have intended her to already know the news of Elessar's attendance, or may have wanted to play this out differently. In any case, it's up for scrutiny.

[Mnemosyne]

Looks fine, Formy--I think my earlier post made it abundantly clear that Brinn doesn't quite realize how "big" the Players have gotten, or why any of the nobility would want to attend. She has had no clue about the King's being invited, or wanting to attend, or anything... and in fact, probably won't go into full-panic mode until a messenger of some sort shows up tomorrow (in game).

If everyone's ready to start the rehearsal, please do so without me; I'll post again when it's time for Brinn to do her Galadriel impression.

[Anguirel]

the arrival of that messenger will I suppose be my next intervention...actually I think a full on, very obnoxious call from Lord Cirdacil plus retinue will be in order

[Boromir88]

Don't mind the treatment at all Form, but Branor might in the morning. :p

I was hoping to have the drunken Branor inform Aldarion about what he must do to Aragorn's part, but I'm running short on time and can't get anything done to my liking. Sorry, phantom, but don't worry Aldarion will have to deal with a Branor demanding changes to his part at some point.

[Pitchwife]

Sorry, I'm too tired to write anything today, I'll try to make amends during the weekend.
Just in case the Mary/Merry question is discussed before I can post tomorrow: I probably don't need to tell you that Coldan will grasp at any chance to get rid of the Mary/Boromir romance like a drowning man at a straw, while on the other hand he won't want to offend Asta by arguing for her role to be cut out. There's a nice dilemma for him, I'm curious myself how he's going to deal with it.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm trying to move things along here, so I've started the rehearsal; anyone who wants to finish up their conversations beforehand can do so--I don't mind if our chronology in-game is a little fuzzy, and in the meantime I can always copy/paste later. I encourage any and all funny wrong play-isms.

[Thinlómien]

I cross-posted with both Dim and Mnemo so I had to edit quite a lot when I was previewing my post but I hope it's ok now. Sereth seems more disturbed by the news than I expected. :D ps. I thought our game could do with a small teenage crush, Dimmy don't kill me. :Merisu:

[Pitchwife]

Well done getting down to business, Mnemo; this Day has probably been prolonged enough already, and we'll have enough time left to discuss the situation over the following week. (Dim, thanks for picking up from my post - I was thinking we could perhaps assume that Harrenon had filled Coldan in between posts, but never mind, you couldn't have known that.)

Unfortunately, it's bedtime for me just as the rehearsal begins, but as Coldan doesn't have much text, that shouldn't be a problem. If anybody feels like making use of him, he's yours.

PS. - Lommy: LOL!

[Thinlómien]

Ahahaha Fea. I like Therian because he's so disgusting. :p

This post is also just to say that I enjoy everybody's posts a lot. :D (And I'm amused that Pitch's character has a German accent!)

[Mnemosyne]

phantom, I hope you don't mind that I rerailed the rehearsal (even though derailing it would have worked elegantly)--it's in Brinn's character, plus I need to get her back on-stage for the Sorceress scene long enough for her to sprain her ankle...
:smokin:

(It's the only way I can keep her from trying to fix the whole thing by herself.)

[the phantom]

No, no, I don't mind- I just wanted to encourage a spirit of panic, and wanted to establish that Aldarion in general is always very down on performing anything remotely recent. It's sort of his moment to say, "I told you! This is the sort of thing that can happen when one does not stick to fiction or ancient history!"

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Nerwen, love: siggy.

[Nerwen]

Sorry! I've had literally no more than three hours' sleep in the past two days.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Obviously this is not an apocalyptic problem. Figured you just forgot. Hope life gets mellow again soon, full of good sleep and happy things...

[Nerwen]

Thanks! It's not that bad, really, it's mainly just that I've been working to a horrible deadline.

[Anguirel]

loving it. The very short post exchange was funny and effective

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

"Therian, you could take over the rôle?"


:eek:


:cool:

[Pitchwife]

Highly amusing posts, everybody (especially Boro and Mnemo)! What a sorry lot we are!:D
Also, Nerwen and phantom, I love how Brinn's sprained ankle leads to the Houses of Healing. (Wasn't Esty going to do a Ioreth cameo, by the way?)

If somebody else would like to look for a healer, feel free - I just felt it was time for Coldan to do something useful for a change instead of just moping about Asta and feeling sorry for himself.

(Afterthought: just realized that if we're going to bring in Ioreth here one way or the other, we should take Brinn to the HoH after all - the old woman won't be so mobile any more. What do you think? I can change the end of my post, if we decide to do that.)

[Anguirel]

and the herb-master (as the professor of the apothecaries is known by the vulgar), the most comic being in Middle-earth...

[Formendacil]

Just a guilty notice that I am reading along regularly, but have mostly avoided posting because Amdír would have but a small part during rehearsal, and I'm conserving my energies. However, if we're still rehearsing this time tomorrow (March 15th), I could probably add something--but don't delay the action on my account.

EDIT: Actually, if you want Amdír to be the one who leads the way to the Houses of Healing, that would be quite appropriate--feel free to have him do that, and anything related.

[Mnemosyne]

Sorry about the posting delay--the site was down when I wanted to post last night.

This is a friendly reminder that those who said they could post every day for two weeks should be doing so.

The ultimate goal, after all, is to finish this RPG successfully, and at the rate it's going, it's going to run over the original deadline. I don't want this to run on so long that everyone's schedules change and no one can post.

Once Brinn is safely treated at the Houses we should be ready to bring the day to a close, and I hope that the more free-form "for the next few days, everyone gather as much accurate information as possible" will help speed up in-game time.

[the phantom]

All-righty- new post up! Read it and decide if we're sending Amdir.

Also, I've made some slight alterations to the role list here (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=651165&postcount=155) (the top list "ROLES IN THE WAR OF THE RING DRAMA"). It should be more complete and realistic now (many characters listed in multiple minor roles).

[Mnemosyne]

Fine by me, but we'll have to wait till Formendacil stops by and see what he does.

[Formendacil]

Fine by me, but we'll have to wait till Formendacil stops by and see what he does.

*cough*

Well, Amdír is unlikely to make the decision go or stay, given the way things have been set-up, without Brinn's say-so. One thing about him, he's good at taking direction.

And I don't mean that to flippantly escape posting... I honestly don't think I can post for him without that having been decided by "the powers that be." Amdír's not a leader, in the context of the theatre, and with things "stuck" at the moment, he'll wait for marching orders. He's a former soldier and servant, after all.

[Pitchwife]

Writing post right now. Coldan wants to go, but I say don't let him. (I'm thinking about having something happen to him in the city, but this is not the time for it.)

[Boromir88]

Well with all the commotion you lot are making, I'm sure Branor can be aroused from his stupor...probably not too cheerful :p

[Mnemosyne]

Formendacil, I only just got back... I guess I was leaving the initiative with you and not Amdir--namely, if you want him to run off and grab it, then let Brinn tell him.

[Formendacil]

Formendacil, I only just got back... I guess I was leaving the initiative with you and not Amdir--namely, if you want him to run off and grab it, then let Brinn tell him.

But that's so... OOC!

:p

Apparently my instincts run in the direction of character-driven RP.

I shall post anon.

EDIT: Well, that turned out a lot longer-winded and backstory-driven than I anticipated... but it's done. We can have Amdír and Inbeth show up whenever--I don't think we need to see anything between my post and their return--but it opens the door for Ioreth appear later, if wanted.

[Inziladun]

I haven't forgotten about this, though it may appear that way. Two people are on vacation in my office this week, and the work load hasn't obliged by slowing down. I'm reading, though.
I still think it would be interesting if Vëandur had a tangential encounter with Aldarion and tried to talk him out of his acting profession.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm ready to move everything to the next day, if our rehearsers are.

Formy, let me know if I wrote Amdir fine.



And so everyone knows, here's what I'm thinking of with the pair work...

The players will be investigating, at least for the next day, in pairs specifically chosen so that their self-interests don't dovetail into a nice little package. I'm almost certainly thinking Therian and Branor, since they've worked so well together already, but that's up to Fea and Boro. Coldan and Asta will be split up, if Brinn is not blind. ;)

Further thoughts?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

I'm all for Therian and Branor.

[Boromir88]

Aye, I think so far the only people Therian and Branor would be able to put up with are...Therian and Branor.

[Pitchwife]

I'm ready to move everything to the next day, if our rehearsers are.
OK with me.

Coldan and Asta will be split up, if Brinn is not blind. ;)
Good idea, the poor fellow can do with some distraction. I think he'd get along reasonably well with Amdír or Harrenon - maybe Sereth too, but I guess she'd find him boring, he's not much good with kids. No idea what would happen if you teamed him up with Aldarion; I'd like Coldan to overcome his animosity towards A. in the end, but I feel he still has quite a way to go.

For planning purposes, how many Days (in-game) do you think we will be investigating? Just this coming one, or maybe two or three?

[Dimturiel]

I've had Harrenon ask Coldan whether he would like to join him in their search for information. I hope that's ok with you, Pitch. Of course, if you have other plans for Coldan you can have him say no:).

[the phantom]

All right- Aldarion has just revealed part of his position on Branor to Asta. In case you need to write in reactions for Aldarion, he's agreeable to the fact-finding missions, and approves of the idea of pairing actors (to make sure no one fudges on his or her report).

When it comes to sending him off to find leads, Aldarion would probably do fine speaking with Tower Guards and certain nobles. Given what his family is in Dol Amroth, it's likely Aldarion could find a captain or two that met his father during the war. And if there are any theater-going influential sorts in the city, doubtless they saw or at least heard of The Swan Player's "Rise and Fall of the Golden King" in which Aldarion starred. And of course Aldarion definitely has an in with Cirdacil as a close friend of his son-in-law.

(I gave all that info so that someone can write me into their post(s) if need be. I'm not entirely certain when I'll be able to post tomorrow.)

[Mnemosyne]

Ugh, I was going to move things to the next morning tonight, but I've been caught up in Application Woes and only just remembered this, and I have to be up and at 'em in 4 hours. Expect a post sometime around 10 or 11 am Eastern; in the meantime, anyone else who wants to move things ahead, please do.

As for how long the investigating should go, we'll need to give Aldarion time to work up the script and ourselves time to rehearse. So I'd say two days of this kind of work.

[Boromir88]

I haven't forgotten about this, though it may appear that way. Two people are on vacation in my office this week, and the work load hasn't obliged by slowing down. I'm reading, though.
I still think it would be interesting if Vëandur had a tangential encounter with Aldarion and tried to talk him out of his acting profession.

Can I say, I so want you to do this, perfect time with the troupe out investigating and Aldarion getting the script together. :p

P.S. Nerwen I died reading your last post, but died in a good way. :D

[Inziladun]

Can I say, I so want you to do this, perfect time with the troupe out investigating and Aldarion getting the script together.

I think it's the best opportunity to cause a bit a mischief. ;) Let's see where Aldarion goes in his wanderings that would also be a likely location for a transient sailor to be.

[Nerwen]

Just a note: if it's Therian + Branor and Herrenon + Coldan, then remaining we have Asta, Aldarion, Sereth and Amdir. Mnemo, how do you suppose Brinn would distribute them?

[Pitchwife]

Dim - Coldan has no objections, and neither have I, but were we quite there yet? I thought we were still at the rehearsal. Shall we just pretend Harry asks after Brinnosyne or somebody has moved us to the following morning, and I'll have Coldan reply to him then?

And Ang, I forgot to say that your Cirdacil scenes are splendid!:D (I didn't know rubicund was a word - thanks for enlarging my vocabulary.)

[Formendacil]

Just a note: if it's Therian + Branor and Herrenon + Coldan, then remaining we have Asta, Aldarion, Sereth and Amdir. Mnemo, how do you suppose Brinn would distribute them?

A suggestion vís-a-vís Amdír: in all probability, he's going to be busy getting the sets out of storage, and then doing some hefty modifications to get them suitable for the new tale. As such, if Brinn decides to pair him with anyone, it should probably be someone conscripted to help with the manual labour, and any "research" they do would be incidental or accidental.

[Dimturiel]

were we quite there yet? I thought we were still at the rehearsals. Shall we just pretend Harry asks after Brinnosyne or somebody has moved us to the following morning and I'll have Coldan reply to him then?

Sure, we could do that, Pitch. I had gathered from Nerwen's post in the game that the Players were just deciding to go into the city for information. I might have got it slightly wrong, though.

[Mnemosyne]

Brinn and those who were with her were planning the next day. Everyone else should have still been rehearsing but I assumed it just kind of petered out. So my latest post takes place after all of that's done and we're maybe an hour from sundown. Have no clue how good or bad the City Watch is, but it's not a good idea to head out after dark to gather information, plus everyone's still reeling a little from the day's events.

Brinn has made her assignments; you are free to follow them--or not follow them--as you please. If any character sternly objects, speak now or forever hold your peace. Or better yet, hold your peace and then go and do something else on the next day.

Whoever wants to move things ahead to the next day and set off--please do!

[Pitchwife]

Dim, sorry, but my mind is a little blank at the moment, and its past 1 a.m. here. I'll post sometime tomorrow, only I don't yet know when I'll get to it, so in the meantime, if you feel like making Harry and Coldan set out in the Morning (in-game time), that would be wonderful, and I'll take it from there. As a born Gondorian, would Harrenon have an idea where to start investigating?


EDIT:
:D :D :D for Rick Cottontree!

[Dimturiel]

No worries, Pitch. I've written my post and you can take over whenever you have time. I hope Harry's (how come we've started to call Harrenon Harry, anyway:D?) proposal to visit armouries and smithies isn't too far-fetched and also doable, since I'm afriad I can't think of anything better at four in the morning. To be honest, I initialy thought of a place where records are kept - sort of like Gondor's version of a library, if they had one, which perhaps they did given their level of civilisation - but then dismissed it as much too convenient and easy. I also hope I've got Coldan's speech right. Imitating accents is not really my strong point so if you have anything to correct, feel free.

[Anguirel]

was originally going to arrive in the morning but as you can see, I couldn't wait and neither could angry angry Cirdacil. I'm afraid I'm going to be away for the rest of today, so I hope this isn't too much of a roadblock. If it is, maybe pretend it hasn't happened, roll on and I can delete it and post it later?

assume as it stands I've caught the lot bar Branor and Therian. Cirdacil has news, desires, questions and orders that principally affect Mistress Celebrindal, Aldarion and Amdir...

[Nerwen]

Um. We seem now to have to have two separate timelines running.

[Pitchwife]

Indeed, Amdír as well as Harry and Coldan are on their way already; plus if Cirdacil arrives in the evening, Day One is extended ad infinitum. Maybe, Ang, the simplest solution would be to have it happen early next morning, after Amdír, Coldan and Harrenon have set out, but with the rest of the troupe still at the inn? Luckily, Nerwen's post was ambiguous enough about the daytime to allow for that, if we decide on it.

Dim, your post is fine. I'll take us to an armourer's shop, and we'll see who we run across there. I think I have an idea...:cool:
(As for Harry, it seemed a natural abbreviation to me. Looks like you've caught the virus:D)

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

In terms of time line, just bear in mind that Branor and Therian won't have returned by morning, so anything they've done or are doing won't be known yet by the others.

[Mnemosyne]

I'm assuming for now that it is the next morning, and that a number of our party have already left to do their info-gathering.

One other thing--the carts are still in the courtyard; someone, at least, is probably sleeping in them for security's sake, but those who wanted to jump at the opportunity of getting better beds had the chance to do so. Post coming shortly.

[the phantom]

Indeed, Amdír as well as Harry and Coldan are on their way already; plus if Cirdacil arrives in the evening, Day One is extended ad infinitum. Maybe, Ang, the simplest solution would be to have it happen early next morning, after Amdír, Coldan and Harrenon have set out, but with the rest of the troupe still at the inn? Luckily, Nerwen's post was ambiguous enough about the daytime to allow for that, if we decide on it.
Yes, I think that's the most workable solution. I will edit my post to take place after the sun has risen and if Ang does the same thing it should be fine.

I suppose Branor and Therian can decide whether or not they returned to their rooms or the carts before Cirdacil arrived.

[the phantom]

All right- I've changed my post. The sun has just come up and Amdir and Coldan/Harrenon left just before Cirdacil showed up. I don't know where Branor and Therian are.

Ang- if you could just do a very slight edit to change your timing we should be fine.

[Pitchwife]

We're not quite at the armourer's yet, because I had the idea to take Harry and Coldan to Lamedon Square Market, which I assume would be somewhere near our inn. Fea and Formy, if you feel like writing a cameo for either of your characters from that game, that would be nice, but if you don't have the time I'll just have us continue on our way.

[Anguirel]

ok - I'm changing from evening to morning?

EDIT: done. Funny, when I posted I didn't have Formendacil's previous one to go on, even though according to the times he got in a while before I did. Sorry about the slight chaos. Still, remember we're in good company, Othello has a double time line etc...

[Nerwen]

I've edited mine slightly to make it clear it's already light.

[Nerwen]

By the way, Mnemo, you've got:

very pompous-looking *** of a man standing just inside.

If this was, as I assume, a synonym for "donkey", it's on the censored words list.

[Pitchwife]

Somehow, Branor and Therian seem to have travelled five years into the future now...:D
Lovely job, Fea!

[Galadriel55]

Somehow, Branor and Therian seem to have travelled five years into the future now...:D

Time paradox? ;)

[Mnemosyne]

Nerwen, Pippin calls Merry one in RotK, and if we're not allowed to use words whose older, less offensive meanings have changed, then that throws out "queer" and "gay" in their original contexts as well--both of which were also used by JRRT in LotR itself. (So yes, I did intend "donkey." So did J.M. Barrie, no doubt.)

Thanks for the heads-up, and if a mod wants me to change it, I shall--but I was already thinking about it as I posted and decided to go with it since this particular word has a slightly different historical status from the others.

[piosenniel]

a ss

You can always put it in this way.

Any curse that appears in The Hobbit or RotK is fine with me - but apparently not with the Barrow-Downs programming. (Not even a mod can put in the original word as you can see because I tried to edit it in on your post.)

~*~ Pio

[Mithalwen]

Interestingly you could post what we brits use when we don't mean donkey.... ;)

[Anguirel]

Somehow, Branor and Therian seem to have travelled five years into the future now...:D
Lovely job, Fea!

they've gone forward in years but backward in season, lurched up in autumn and woken in spring...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Yep, I've completely neglected all coherent timeline. Pay no attention to continuity. :)

[Pitchwife]

they've gone forward in years but backward in season, lurched up in autumn and woken in spring...
... and they don't even have the excuse of having been in Lórien inbetween.

Fea, let me know if I need to change anything about your alter ego and Erchan in my post.

[piosenniel]

Pitchwife

Tried to PM you

Pitchwife has exceeded their stored private messages quota and can not accept further messages until they clear some space.

Please edit off your signature on your most recent post.

Thanks!

~*~ Pio

[Pitchwife]

Done, pio, thanks for the reminder! I try to remember unchecking that box, but sometimes I'm so eager to get something posted I forget. I'll be more careful from now on.
And I suppose I'd better clean up my PM box...:o

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Fea, let me know if I need to change anything about your alter ego and Erchan in my post.

You've written them marvelously. :)

[Anguirel]

... and they don't even have the excuse of having been in Lórien inbetween.



actually maybe they have been...a wild night indeed...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

I love how Brinn's sprained ankle leads to the Houses of Healing. (Wasn't Esty going to do a Ioreth cameo, by the way?)


Yes! I'm back home from my trip and have just caught up with reading the game and discussion threads. Needless to say, I was delighted to see the above development. I am tremendously enjoying reading the excellent posts by all!

Now, who's going to go back to the healer's house and talk to Ioreth? I'll start thinking of how *helpful* and *accurate* her memories can be...

[Mnemosyne]

pio, didn't even realize it was edited out! And I'm sure as Shiretalk I've seen a few 'Downers slip a Big Big D which made it past.

I'll try to get up a response to Anguirel's post later this evening; unfortunately, I have a lot of other writing on my plate tonight, and this time it's for RL.

[Nerwen]

Just to make this clear about the censoring business: I wasn't saying, "bad Mnemo!", I was letting you know the word had been edited out automatically. The program evidently just has a list of words it checks for, regardless of context.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

As a matter of some interest, I just made a list of the first fifteen or so 'bad' words off the top of my head, and only two were censored.

[piosenniel]

Anyone who can find a Tolkien canon use of a swear word should please PM me the reference.

See HERE (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpost.php?p=316198&postcount=20) for a ss

And, I wouldn't try using this word outside the RPG's in this forum. The other mods will not look kindly on it, I'm sure.

~*~ Pio

[Boromir88]

It's been quite a busy weekend for me, I should learn not to pack everything into a 2-day period. I'm beat but caught up on all the action.

Post of Branor and Therian running into Coldan and Harrenon at the Lamedon market will come when I wake up tomorrow, unless we're moving up the time line?

[Mnemosyne]

Anguirel, just as a warning, Brinn is not going to come to the common room on Cirdacil's terms--she's not going to be able to negotiate nearly as well after being bodily carried into the common room, and I doubt that Cirdacil would want to negotiate in such a public setting anyhow--which would mean she'd have to be moved further.

It was so tempting to pull Rollan out of there before before you could write Cirdacil intervening. But I restrained myself. I suspect that he shall, but would really appreciate it if he didn't--hate to see this come to an explosion so early on before we figure out what the other has to say.

The conflict might be inherent in our characters, though.

(And they say Werewolf is stressful! ;) )

[Anguirel]

Looks like Rollan got lucky...

phantom, if and when those letters ever get to Aldarion, shall I PM you what they say?

[Boromir88]

Pitch, I did the best I could with Coldan's accent and representing his general feelings. If I need to make any edits, let me know. :)

[Nerwen]

On the same note– Mnemo, please let me know if I'm writing Rollan all right in my last post.

[Mnemosyne]

Nerwen, Rollan looks just fine.

I won't be able to post until later tonight, likely.

[Formendacil]

Amdír has made it back as far as Lamedon Square, and could return with Branor and Therian--assuming they are sober and compliant enough to head back to the Inn with him.

And, in an interesting twist of fate, my character on the Lamedon Square Market is played by me for the first time in this "alternate" reality. :p

[the phantom]

phantom, if and when those letters ever get to Aldarion, shall I PM you what they say?
Aldarion has approached Rollan, so I'd say he's about to have the letters handed over. Go ahead and PM any time.

[Pitchwife]

Dim, I'm afraid I got carried away a little and left us in another nice pickle. Good luck with trying to keep Coldan out of a fight!
And you'll like to know (although our characters don't yet) that the customer in the white livery is none other than Bergil son of Beregond - now a man of thirty, serving in the White Company of Ithilien under his father, and currently on leave to visit his relations in the city for Cormare. Involve him in any way you please.:smokin:

[Anguirel]

Really excellent post Pitchwife. I'm speculating the mysterious fellow in white is a member of Faramir's White Company? Possibly a grown-up Bergil?

I love and share Coldan's outrage

phantom, I shall send you Aldarion's letters in a minute

EDIT: ha ha ha we honestly crossed

[Boromir88]

Form, while I'm sure Amdir would make sure Branor and Therian do return back to the inn in one piece, they would also like to keep their jobs. So, Branor will at least deny you so he can continue the investigation of hobbits, what Therian does will be up to Fea.

[the phantom]

Btw, I'm trying not to read posts too closely if they don't involve my character, as I believe it will be easier at the end of things to truly be in the dark than to try and fake it (in short, if your report to the playwright gets some details wrong, he won't know to correct it). I'll be rereading sections only after we reach what I consider to be a good point of reflection.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

But you're missing out on some well crafted misogyny!

[Anguirel]

Well...your last post was just pure wind-driven snow Truth