Behind the Hedge? The Dueling Inn? or, gauntlet tossing on locale...
 

Hail and well-met, o my most quarrelsome foe! Quit thee, and have at thee, for I will have my vengeance!

Whoops. Not yet.

In several places during serious threads, we have gotten sidelined (Okay, I've sidelined) the discussion with various mock arguments, duels, satire, confrontations, etc. They've been good fun. (At least, I've enjoyed them.) They'v bordered on the satirical, whimsical, and (hopefully) comical. But alas, one must keep a thread on topic, and the (saintly, benifacent) mods do insist on stepping in and putting a stop to it. Well, so they should, or threads would never get anywhere.

Not being of Estelyn's satirical caliber, I seem to run out of steam in an hour or a day, but I always look back on the exchange with great fondness and contentment.
At first I thought of challenging my adversaries to meet me at one of the (existing) Inns, but there are rules against fighting in the Inns, so that won't work. Then I remebered Bethberry's "The Snowed Inn" and how much fun that was.

Wouldn't it be fun (would it?) to have a predetermined location where mock dueling and fighing was allowed, shenanigans and satires could be tossed about, and where our mock battles could take place til they run their course? Am I the only one who would enjoy such a duelling ground? Or does it raise a glimmer of interest in anyone else?

"The Hedged Inn", with Gauntlets Optional...

Methinks it might be an amusing read. Perhaps Mirth needs an inn of its own?

I rather like this idea, mark. And the separate thread for Mirth might be a plan, if either of you remember the war between the nerds and the Cheeky Brits in Lush's quiz thread. It would all depend on what our wonderful and understanding mods think.

Fea trots off to find some black clothes and eyeliner for the Halloween bash tonight...

Fea

A fine plan indeed, mark. *nod nod* It sounds like a lot of fun. :D

Abedithon le,

~ Saphy ~

Ooooooo. . .me likey.

Such a place will allow Mithalwen and I to settle some old scores. . .

Heh heh *whets his foil, readies gauntlet*

If it matters, I'm all for it. That...might...count for something.

I, of course, have an unfair advantage. All my gloves are made of pure, 100%, Made in Taiwan, Mithril!

The site does have a resident parody RPG (and an excellent one at that!) but perhaps we paupers, villeins, serfs, proletariat, commoners, peasants, waifs, vagabonds, impecunious, desititute, and impoverished Downers require a mock game of our own, to some degree...unless the almighty mods say or think otherwise. As always, we remain in the thrall of their benevolence.

The Grave Gauntlet
 

There is hardly a thrall of the mods, Kransha. Rather a dearth of game proposals from gamers who have not yet run the gauntlet into Gondor. ;)

Are you hedging any bets, Helen? I would think the more likely place for such an Inn would be Gondor, rather than Mirth, where the inimitable Rimbaud could employ his wit and judgement to ensure that the barbs fly true to wit.

I mean, there already are two Inns in Rohan ... :D

*Starts up a chant* Fight, fight, fight, fight...

Er, yeah. :rolleyes: ;)

Great idea, Mark. :) Now, who to pick a fight with? *glances around shiftily*

I will admit that Gondor shimmers as a possibility... Rimbaud permitting.

In the Quiz Room a pair of quizzers frequently have bouts firing trivia back and forth trying to outwit the other, espcially when they happen to be online at the same time and it starts going really fast. I can see these dueling duos deciding to "take it outside" or to this potential Inn, rather. :p :D

Perhaps it would be better to have our 'field of honor' actually outside thus avoiding unnecessary injury to innocent and not so innocent bystanders. Unless of course, your ‘seconds’ are to run along the lines of roast fowl and strong wine! ;)

Oh, I'd be keen on finding out the result of the Aragorn vs. Faramir exchange, though I would not place any bets. I do have my principles! :D

What happened to that air of ennui when considering another potential spat? I thought we had found some common ground rather than a heath for a change... agreeing on the might of the "Vandoos" if nothing else and I am not prepared to risk my skin for Mary Shelley... peace may break out if we stay away from the F word... (The seven letter F word ......). :rolleyes:

Helen,

Thanks for your PM, I have replied. I was having a discussion about a similar idea earlier, so this is ...apt. I've emailed BW/Mith with a couple of thoughts, wait and see.

~Rim

Edit: The Inimitable Perilous Poet, eh? Hmm...not as catchy...

Hey, sounds like a great idea! I'll be able to release some of that penned-up frustration. :D Then I'll show 'em. I'll show 'em all. ALL WILL TOLERATE ME AND BE INDIFFERENT!

Maeg

LOL. Some say the pen is mightler than the sword, but in this case we could well prove that the keyboard beats them all! ;)

I think Hilde's got it right -- everyone knows a duel should be conducted out of doors for the open air exercise and the convenience of spectators. Here's Mark Twain's account of his part in The Great French Duel to get you in the mood.

"WHOOP-ie!"

Is this going to be the 'Downs version of Fight Club? Conducted in darkened rooms with membership invitations passed on by word of mouth? Or will it be more like the wrestling, well-rehearsed with souvenir T-shirts on sale outside the arena? Will there be Queensberry rules? Or a fair maiden who will drop her handkerchief to start off combat proceedings? Personally, I'm hoping for a return to schooldays when someone would suddenly yell "fight!" and 500 kids would stream to the opposite end of the playing fields. ;)

I think it will change flavor according to the participants of the moment, and that will be part of the fun.

Standards of fair combat (and RPG'ing) will still apply as between gentlemen (cough cough) and as they have in party threads in the past: for instance, no overt character hijacking.

If you are facing an earnest duel with a Balrog of Morgoth, for instance, one might make the effort to procure some genuine MarySue Armor or Mithril Undergarments (ooo, c-c-cold!) A magic horn or a cute pet dragon could come in handy. No Uzzi's. No Tanks. But downs-trained Trolls might be permitted.

Somehow that reminds me of D&D. ;) Thirty-five paces with dice, anyone? :D

Oh dear... I suppose now I'll have to get involved in the "RPG thing", as it is so aptly put. I really haven't the faintest idea where to begin...

Where would we put this? Mirth maybe? It sounds like it could be a lot of fun. (Hee hee, Mithril undergarments! Nice one, mark!)

There's no knife at your throat, Fea, at least not on my account. Can't answer for your threadmates, can I? :eek:

Normally The Downs periodically hosts some sort of party thread to give folk a taste of RPG'ing without the rigors thereof. This falls along those lines-- come and go as you please, be a reasonable citizen of The Downs, have fun while you are at it.

At least, that's how I see it thus far. But who knows in what form it will actually materialize?

That's highly reassuring. You see, I'm excited to take part in this, but I was afraid that my busy and ever-changing schedule would make it impossible to stick around, which is part of why I never managed to get into RPGing.

That's less reassuring. ;)

Fea

This thing sounds like fun, but who would I want to fight?

And what about?

And what loon would be willing to fight me?

And is there a way to sufficiently handicap me (to make it fair for my opponent)?

:p :D

Uhh
 

I've not yet seen Rimbaud's e-mail on this topic, but I am wondering how mock duels could be accomplished without straying from the theme of the Downs. They sound entertaining, but I'm just not grasping how they might fit into our fairly strict Middle-earth boundaries. Allowing members to go on random rants against each other may be humorous and even interesting, but where would it stop? If we begin with faux fights, would real debates follow? And then what? Rap battles? Beat poetry bashes? We've never had an off-topic section on the Downs before, and this idea looks like a first step down that road. Am I wrong? Am I misunderstanding something? If so, tell me about it and I'll give it some more thought.

Oh, I definitely think one should come in one’s own Barrow Downs persona and follow RPG rules. But on the question of what issues should be resolved… perhaps the would be duelists should be requested to submit a short form on the thread declaring their issue (which must be Tolkien related) and weapons to be used (must be appropriate). The proposed duel could be accepted or rejected or further refined at that point. After a submittal is accepted, a time limit might be set, or perhaps a limit on the number of posts allowed. Just some thoughts on how it might be kept on track. Of course a certain etiquette should be developed and adhered to.

I have not seen Rimbaud's recommendations and so have hesitated to reply. However, from my viewpoint and by my recommendation:

It would be no different than any other Inn or Party-thread except that fighting ( *in character* ) and using satirical elements would be expected rather than disallowed.

Tolkien-oriented themes, Tolkien-oriented topics of discussion, **and** arriving, engaging, and departing in-Tolkien-based character would all be requirements.

The thread would, of course, be in a moderated forum (Gondor, Rohan, and The Shire are dependably and capably moderated as is Mirth) and as usual the reigning moderator would have final say on all posts.

All of these elements have been put to good use in some form or other on the Downs since the RPG forum reforms were put in place. The Snowed Inn allowed for fighting (snowball fighting) which turned into Maia-snow-battles (as I recall Tulkas vs Balrog) with enjoyable satirical elements involved; no departure from Tolkien themes occured, although there was one character-hijacking which was immediately rectified as soon as it was pointed out.

In the current Inns, one may come and go (in-character) as one wishes, and be engaged by whoever else chooses to engage.

Satire is employed in the Entish Bow.

Well, there's always the 'Dragon, y'know ;) Good place for anyone wishing to start gaming whenever you can fit it in, although if there are any fights, there will be *cough* words with the Innkeeper. *evil* Yes, Mark, I'm looking at you ;)

The Innkeeper sidles a step or two away from Fea and hides the knife in her skirts. "Ahem..."

This maybe brings up a question, Helen: would you come to The, however you name it, the 'Dueling Inn' in character or as yourself? Would the 'duels' be between the members themselves, or between devised characters?

Well that counts me out then. :(

Which is a shame since, being experienced in the resolution of disputes in my professional capacity, I might have been able to offer a service here - for a reasonable fee, of course. ;)

Fea shows off her strikingly beautiful Half-Elven self: a fiery spirited young maiden with a distinct love and respect for art and nature, but with Man's desire for scientific advancements. Even while she puts up with no foolery, Fea's sense of humor is legendary.

Cough, cough. It makes it easy when your screen name is ripped directly from Tolkien's world. But, Saucie, I suppose you could be a mimicry of Samwise Gamgee, if worse comes to worst. :p

Fea looks down at her tidily organized schedule of the next week: busy, busy, busy... day off!... busy...

Perhaps Thursday I'll have time... It's the homework... they keep piling it on, even on top of everything else that takes up my time.

Just as the Innkeeper backs away, Fea feels her own ankle sheath (made of the finest Gondorian leather) come loose. She quickly turns to one side, allowing her skirts to billow outward, covering her feet just in time. The blade has fallen to the floor, but Fea has cunningly hidden the mistake... "The Innkeeper will never guess," she thinks, "until it is too late."

Saucie, no need to give up hope so soon. Possibilities abound. I like the Pseudo-Sam idea. He must have clattered.

Well, if a fights-allowed satire-inn were to open (which has yet to be determined) then the characters who arrive to duel must be Middle-Earthy. But that can be accomplished either by creating a new character, or doing what is neccessary to make your BD identity Middle-Earthy.

Fordim Hedgethistle as a character name stands by itself and would be fine (especially if he's a hobbit.) "Sauron The Abhorred", no problem either.

davem might stretch his name to Davemir, or Davem Iron-Fist, or Davemolas The Other Prince Of Mirkwood, or... well, you get the idea.

So-- either start new, or morph what you've got to be Middle-Earthy and Tolkienish. Your choice.

All this is still under negotiation, so we'll see what happens. :cool:

Mark, with a screen name like mine, - meaning merry or mirthful maiden - the only fights I could have which would be in any kind of character would be tickling contests, or maybe playing 'sausages' - where your opponent must only say 'sausages' in reply to whatever you ask, the object being to make them laugh. And I wouldn't fancy having a tickling match with someone's evil persona! ;)

Well, I could be jumping to conclusions (it's been done before) but it is remotely possible that one of H-I's alter-egoes MIGHT be Roggie of Morgoth. Just a hunch.

If you haven't stopped by one of the Inns and checked out a few posts, why not do that soon? As far as I know, they don't shoot on sight, being rather pacifistic and business-oriented folk. Go have an ethereal ale.

One has to book beforehand, or all things would be taken.

But, if anyone is deadly thirsty after Roggie's screenname, I can pass it over for free. He was just a prank of mine, you know.

Provide me with your e-mail and password of your choice (by PM), and I will change settings. Than, after first log on, you are free to change password, and Roggie will leave my tutelage and be yours for good or for bad

I can fight as H-I, if anyone dares to toss their sock at me! :smokin:

cheers :)

Gee, lemme think about that.

Can I afford the time it takes to be fighting off screaming fangirls? Maybe if I just lose the eyeliner.

Gee, H-I, if you're fighting as five wizards, does that mean we get to meet them all??? **drum roll** The Blue Wizards are finally revealed...

There will be actually one of me - you know, those two blue robed off-beats are in the East, Saruman is a traitor and a coward, he won't come out, Radagast went off to the zoo, so it's basically Gandalf down here as a permanent resident. (Story behind the stage told in Nominations for best Nicks thread)

So be afraid, be very afraid - we won't get underfoot of each other, and the attack will be deadly and focused! Ha!

But, er, what attack I'm talking about? We are of defensive strategy, we are - toss a sock at us first.

Lawende, "sausages" isn't nearly Middle-Earthy enough. But if you do your elvish research, and come up with a Sindarin or Quenyan word for Sausages, the game might come in handy. One never knows.

H-I, I value my high-quality changing green/blue/brown/silver-grey Galadriel-woven SilkOfLorienSocks. I do not dispose of them quite so easlily, especially since being a servant of the Secret Fire, Gandalf is likely to incinerate such things. So it would have to be one heck of a disagreement.

And now that I think of it, why, pray tell, would you want to pick a fight with me??? Old meddling greybeard! Bonepicker! Lathspell!

Anybody know where to find the Marquis of Queensbury rules? Or is it Marchioness? Or am I wildly off mark?

EDIT: Found them; mostly boxing-related. Must find some old chivalry jousting rules...

BTW, davem may be Melben, and yours truly Barmudon the Highlander (ibid, my family name being the place name of the higland region of Georgia - Lashkheti (so Lashkhi - one from Lashkheti)