Post in. :)

Jenny: Feel free to borrow the squirrel for farewells if you're writing Lin's departure. I might not be around as much as usual this weekend with last minute projects around the house that need completion before 4th of July parties...

Two things:

1. It's important that Eodwine speak with Linduial before she leaves the Mead Hall.

2. Pio, Nogrod's post # 395 & Celuien's # 396 belong in between posts # 386 & 387. Can you take care of that, please?

Do the posts have to go there, lmp? That gives Garstan the kids before he talks to Farahil. And he was looking for the children in 392...

You all take time to reach a final decision before I start moving things . . .

:)

~*~ Pio

The problem is that Noggie has written Saeryn into 395, doing things that she has to have done before 387.

This is a good transition point such that the part ahead of it can be moved to before 387, while the rest of it can remain where it is, allowing 396 to stay put. Does that make sense, or am I missing something?

I agree with Celuien here about the timing. They really met only later, after the other things / simultaneously to them. But surely Garstan can't be looking for his kids after he has met with them? :D

I see no problem in our characters meeting in the "middle of the night". They had all had a hard day - and the children couldn't feel their inner clock as they were so excited about the new company. To me this looks fine as it is...

And I guess at least on the part of our family (and I believe) also of Celuien's characters, we are ready to change the day now...

CROSS-POSTED WITH LMP - SEE THE NEXT POST...

Couldn't we just handle this as a flashback - as I think it is usual here. The things might have moved forwards and then someone just remembers what has happened before?

To me it would be no problem, but I'm surely ready to correct things if that is needed.

We could just cut my post from the middle (after Saeryn's gone) and move the first part to an earlier location and then leave the rest + Celuien's last one to where it is?

My only concern is the same as LMP's. Saeryn is crying in Eodwine's room at the time she seems also to be showing your folks their room/s. The rest of the post can really go anywhere, and I have no problem at all with anything Saer said (you got her quite well), it's just that one inconsistency.

How come you think she is doing it at the same time? If we would like to make the story unfold absolutely chronologically, we should then use a tightly targeted - and before discussed and dealed - saves-system to clear to everyone on what hour of their day thing one or two happens. How would that be made with all the time-zone issues etc.?

And that's the way I think these games have been played! There seemed to be no problem with this same thing as our family was fetched in to the Mead Hall, and still my post first looked back on things that had happened before we were called in and continued the story? (I think even the Mead Hall thread is full of these "going back a little" -instances, but as the sun already shines here and I am tired, I will not go searching for other examples)

And please, look at how the posts went:

Does your requirement mean that if you happen to have time to write these two things one after another, no one else is allowed to write of anything that has happened between these two posts including what your characters have done between the "jump" you have created by posting at certain hour of your timezone? I can't see that as a good RPG'ing, even I'm a novice in here.

So what actually is the problem? I don't see one here...

And I am sorry if my tone is sounding bad. I'm not meaning it 'cause I love to be in this game with you all. I'm just astonished about this discussion out from nowhere to which I can't see no reason...

But you might enlighten me about it if I'm totally wrong (and if I'm the only one, then just ignore my babbling).

It's not a problem with the writing or the story telling at all. It's merely a question as to whether or not it might help potential readers to shift sections around a little bit. Not deletion, not rewriting, just a little bit of movement to help it read more smoothly.

If Nogrod put the first part of his post into Past Perfect tense; then, a reader could assume that these actions had taken place earlier in the story line. The first part of the post would be more like a recollection of what had gone on.

Would this work well enough for everyone's concerns?

-----

They had run into Garmund and Lèoðern on their way to their chambers. Although the situation might be better described by saying that Garmund and Lèoðern had run to them.

“You must first come and see where our home is dear”, Modtryth tried to reason to Cnebba as he was intensively asking for a permit to go play outside with Garmund and Lèoðern still for a while. “How could you come home if you don’t know where it is?”

“You could come and get me, ... if you’d find me!” Cnebba had answered, looking at the siblings as conspirationally as an 8-year old is capable of. “Or we could sleep outside? We could play that we are great heroes on a dangerous journey!” he continued with his eyes flashing. Garmund and Lèoðern seemed to appreciate Cnebba’s zeal.

“I have a solution”, Stigend had broken in. Then he turned towards Garmund and Lèoðern, kneeling a little to be nearer the level of their faces and asked: “If your father and mother let you stay up this late, would you like to come with us to see our chambers? You could keep company with Cnebba and we could all see our new home. Okay? I think the Lady here would have other things to do than follow our discussions about who is to come home and when and with whom.” The last bit of his speech had clearly not been directed to the children only. They had been so well received that Stigend was somewhat worried not to cause any unnecessary troubles or inconveniences to their new masters because of them.

The children had looked at each other, smiled and nodded enthusiastically in chorus. Lady Saeryn had smiled at the kids and after nodding gently to Modtryth and Stigend, she turned to lead them to their quarters.

The room was clean and cosy. By their standards it was almost luxurious. Clean linens on beds, a table and chairs of well made handicraft, even a wardrobe and a rocking chair! And it was clean. That last one really impressed the three. Yes, it also impressed Cnebba.

“I hope to see you all downstairs in the morning to have breakfast and to discuss your duties”, Saeryn had addressed them from the doorstep. Noticing Cnebba’s little shiver when he heard the word ‘duties’, she added kindly, smiling at him: “Yes, you too Cnebba. You will have a duty to play with Garmund and Lèoðern everyday so that all your parents can do their work undisturbed by you three.” She had smiled at Stigend and Modtryth and left with the wishes of good night.

After Stigend and Modtryth had carried all their belongings to their room and Stigend had been shown where to take their horse and the cart, they both felt happy and tired. The children clearly were happy too, but unfortunately they seemed not to be tired at all. When in the game of ‘orcs and knights’ Cnebba and Garmund fell together over a pile of newly pleated clothes, Stigend and Modtryth realised, that the room wasn’t so big at all, at least tonight.

“You still would like to play outside?” Modtryth asked with a bit sarcastic tone that the children wouldn’t understand, but which Stigend enjoyed so much, when the point was not directed to himself. The children almost froze hearing her words. “Outside?” they yelled in chorus and were about to set out immediately.

“Hey!” Stigend called them loud enough to stop them at the door. “Cnebba, not for a long time. You’ll have to sleep tonight and you have all the days to play together. You’ll come back in an hour.” During his last sentence the kids had already turned around and run off. “You forgot the ‘no foolery’-part”, Modtryth said to her husband, smiling heartily. Stigend just smiled back and whispered in a laid-back tone “Nobody’s perfect...”, and winked an eye to her.

The two had taken each others hands and just felt happy. “We have been blessed today”, Modtryth whispered softly. “At least being fortunate”, Stigend answered quietly and ran his fingers through her hair. “We might even get these washed one day” he noted jokingly after a while, still smoothing her. Modtryth tugged him so hard that he fell flat on his back to the bed. “Oh, you!” she had protested, but they were both laughing. The first thoroughly happy laughs they had had in years.

~*~

They arranged their belongings to their new quarters and discussed this and that, but soon they felt really tired indeed. It was late and Cnebba hadn’t yet come. In the end Stigend took out to search for him. As soon as he got to the corridor he heard the door banging and then the joyous shrieks of children coming towards him from the downstairs. He settled himself to the upper end of the stairs and waited for the children to come up.

“Daddy, daddy, look what we found!” Cnebba shouted eagerly. All three gathered around Stigend as Garmund showed him the find. Stigend kneeled to see it better. It was a caterpillar, that much Stigend knew of it, but he had never been very knowledgeable with these things.

“It’s called a caterpillar. It will change into a butterfly one day.” He said to his keen audience. The children looked at him in disbelief. “This yacky thing will be a beautiful butterfly one day?” Lèoðern asked, hardly being able to hold back her disbelief.

“Yes it will my little ones” said the voice from behind them.

“Daddy!” Garmund and Lèoðern shouted and ran to him, Garmund still carefully treasuring the newly found wonder in his hand. Stigend rose up and greeted the man.

“You must be Garstan, the stoneshaper. My name is Stigend, I’m a carpenter.” They shook hands in eorling fashion, taking hold with their right arms of the others right arm just someway below the wrist and looked each other in the eye.

Stigend felt good with this man. His eyes were honest and open, revealing a kind of person he had used to appreciate. His grip from his hand was firm and strong, yet he seemed not to be one of those who wanted to impress others with too much force – or one of those whose hand felt like a cold dead fish.

That makes sense to me. :) My only concern was that if the meeting took place before my post in 389, I would have to edit that post and 392 to account for Garstan's having already met Stigend. And having already sent the children to bed. Nogrod put it well here:
Either change, whether by making the first half of Nogrod's post a flashback through use of the past perfect, or by moving the first part up to the transition point is fine for me. Whichever everyone else prefers. :)

I agree. Both work fine.

Let's go with the past perfect the way you wrote it, Pio. And thanks for taking such effort to help us out. It is greatly appreciated.

OK -- the Past Perfect form of the post is on the Mead Hall Thread.

I'm just going to park the original post here:

Yes. I truly and wholeheartedly agree with lmp here:
Thanks, Pio.

It appears that Feanor has deftly ended the Day. Nice writing! :)

We now move on to the next Day for a (somewhat) brief series of posts to tie up dangling loose ends, or at least to pin them onto the drawing board in ways that suit us.

Would anyone like to take dibs at starting the new Day?

Ooh, ooh, can I? Please? I have the most brilliant post... I wrote it a few days back talking to Kath and couldn't help but laugh a LOT while doing it. Pretty please?

PS: Thanks for the accolades. :D

Take it away, Fea. :)

Just to check, as a new writer to Eorling Mead Hall: am I able to post any time without entering a profile on this thread? Although I will wait until Feanor has done her post before doing so, if you prefer :)

-Lai

I think--and wait for littlemanpoet's confirmation, that you are free to post without a bio (I never wrote one)...but if you feel like giving us some clues to your character, no one would mind. Bear in mind that the in-game Day Fea will start will be rather abridged: probably only going through until mid-morning. Don't know how long (real life) that will take.

Oh yes Fea please do post, I can't wait to read this little masterpiece :D

Lai, you need to start in the Golden Perch I think, as you have to write in the Shire before you can write in Rohan - unless that rule has been changed?

You can write in the Hall straight off, but not in a Rohan RP.

Thanks for an excellent reply, Jenny! :) Laiuy (if I may so shorten your moniker), just to follow precedent around here, tell us your character's name, age, ethnic background (examples: Eorling, Gondorian; Dwarf from the Glittering Caves; Elf of Ithilien), and trade. Just to clue you in, we're currently in Fourth Age year 14. Go here for an introduction to all things Eorling.

'Laiuy'? Fair enough, I'm just wondering how exactly you would pronounce that...sounds kinda like eating toffee...;)

Thanks - will do so.

Yum, toffee...

And so this post isn't just about toffee:

Welcome, Lai! :) Can't wait to see what kind of character you come up with.

Post will be up shortly. Got suddenly bummed that I seem to have lost my flash drive before realizing that I PMed myself the post lest that happen. :D

Double posting... bad me...

The song that Degas plays and sings in my last post is this tune.
It ends a bit before his song does, sadly... I couldn't help but add two more stanzas... but it's the closest melody I could find to the one I had in mind.

Uh, Lay-oo-ee? :p Yeah, Lai is better. :rolleyes:

Fea, I love the tune! :D

Such a bright expectant morning.....

lmp

I just talked with Lommy on the phone. She's still in eastern Finland but will have a chance to get online on Thursday or Friday. It seems clear that Stigend will start working with Garstan, but what should Modtryth be assigned to? Lommy would be happy to write something relating to her work on thu-fri if there would be something to write on. So have you any ideas?

I can write us to the breakfast today / tomorrow, so we could then be ready to receive our instructions. Is that Okay with you? Or are we going to jump forwards earlier? Lommy said even that would be ok, for she could then post kind of backwards, remembering the beginning of her duties at the Mead Hall.

Indeed, that would be pretty much the way I imagined it being said - sweet, toffee goodness...;)

Not really sure how to lay out this character introduction, although I\'ve looked through the last few pages of this discussion thread: I\'ll just give a brief run down of him here, then make a post on the game thread (although I\'m waiting for a response from Firefoot by PM before I do so - but may just get impatient and leave the end open, as I\'m not sure what time zone Firefoot is in...)

Ok, basically, my character\'s name is Trystan, a 19 year old Gondorian boy (or man, depending on how you view it, I guess: he\'s older than me, but in my head he\'s more like a boy - kinda scruffy, shady). He\'s basically a vagabond, a runaway, a petty thief; generally he\'s only ever been in trouble for minor offences, a broken window, a couple of minor crimes - but recently he\'s found himself on the run from rather higher authorities as involvement with a nasty individual caused events to rather spiral out of his control. That was in Dol Amroth, just under a month ago: now, after a few weeks on the road, the skint Trystan has found himself at Eorling Mead Hall - and while it must be stressed that he really isn\'t a bad character, he is, however, one in need of money, and fast...

Anyway. Hope that\'s an alright introduction to Trys - I\'ll get a first post up as soon as I can, or as soon as Firefoot replies, whichever :)

EDIT: I\'ve changed it to \'Dol Amroth\' not \'Minas Tirith\'. Thanks for reminding me, Feanor

Lai...all my characters are from Dol Amroth, albeit very high in the nobility, and are about to return there for a time. Would we have heard of the lad or his escapades, or would rumor of that not have reached the upper echelon?

Woopsie, I just changed it to Minas Tirith - although if you wish, I can keep it as Dol Amroth, I guess it would be better for interaction. In fact, yes, yes indeed, I shall change it back to Dol Amroth! And I think that yes, it might well have done, maybe...I will PM you with details if you wish, although they are fairly sketchy at this point?

PM me when you have details. It shouldn't be important for a while, perhaps not until Lin's return to Edoras. While she may indeed have heard the tale while at home, I doubt she would think much of it until confronted with the lad himself.

I have a thought. Would you be interested, Lai, in having your Trystan already have met (and possibly not in the best of circumstances) my Farahil, who is, scarily enough, in the stable right now with him?

You see, Farahil's past is simply waiting for me to write it down. It's not solid yet, though there are certainly a few outstanding features. But he and his brother, Adragil, are the types that find themselves right in the middle of most anything interesting, and would have been in and out of Dol Amroth frequently at just about all times up to a few "days" back. There's every chance, if you're interested, that they might have met this young trouble maker, or at least have heard about him. It could be interesting and terribly fun to write the details of, if you're interested.

Of course, if you've already got things in store, don't feel at all bad about ignoring me.

Shall we adjourn to PM, dear lady? ;)

We can. Do you have AIM or MSN? Or heck, even Yahoo IM? That might be quicker.

Announcement
 

Tomorrow morning, I'm leaving town and will be away until approximately July 28. While away, I may or may not have access to the Downs depending on firewall restrictions in the place where I'll be staying. Needless to say, if this site is blocked I won't be able to post.

However, even if I can't get here directly, lmp has my e-mail address and will be keeping me informed of MH events. Thus, I'll still be able to write responses and send them back to be posted. *Round of applause for our good Innkeeper* Jenny is doing the same for AiE. *Applause for Jenny* No fear that my characters will suddenly stop responding to events. Am I obsessed enough? :D

If I can get here, I'll be back to my usual posting routine by the 8th. And if so, so much the better. If I can't, that will be okay too, though I'll miss coming here to check in, of course. :)

That is all.

If you see an 'edited by piosenniel' on your Mead Hall post, I've removed the signature from it.

~*~ Pio

Eodwine assigns that particular matter to Saeryn. Feanor? :p But seriously, Modtryth would certainly be most helpful as a general around-the-Hall launderer, cleaner, go-forer.

That's fine.

Thanks for the character intro, Laiudanama. Looks good. Trystan. Hmmmm..... That looks like a Dunlending name, does it not, Anguirel? :p Just a joke, Lai, we've sort of adopted a general notion that Dunlendings are to the Welsh as the Eorlings are to the Anglo-Saxons. But that's just for fun.

Good interplay there, Jenny & Feanor, picking up on the Dol Amroth connection!