[Elora]

Must say that it feels grand to be back amongst such fine company. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Everdawn, an Aussie indeed I am. I think you're a Sydney-ite. I'm up in Northern Queensland, a veritable country away. Hope you fare well in bushfire season.

Just some notes on my tenuous plans for Naiore, Barrold, Vanwe and Menecin (did I forget a character on my writing list.....)

I plan to have Vanwe reach Rivendell in late dusk. The place will be in uproar with the orc incursions at the Ford and hence she will find Imladris remarkably quiet, with most attentions diverted to the impending threat. There, she shall wander close to her father's "cell", he shall sight her, raise hell thinking it Naiore, and bring to Imladris' attention the intruder. Vanwe shall be taken into custody in the resultant confusion, and there fall into a tried and true habit when jailed through mistaken identity: say nothing, do nothing, and let them figure it out for themselves as they tend to do with enough time.

What Vanwe does not know is that her mother's compulsion cannot be lightly set aside. It has it's barbs deep into her. Penned as she will be, Vanwe will be unable to eat or rest. No relief or succour until she has delivered her father to her mother. As a result, Vanwe's refusal to eat will be seen as a manipulation by the sons of Elrond and further count against her.

Menecin will be the only one who in the end frees Vanwe, establishing that she is not Naiore and is, in fact, his daughter.

Meanwhile, Naiore will move into action with the orcs. Battle is a dangerous thing for her. She will not fare well and will fail, driven off to hide and await the only iron she has left in the fire - Vanwe. When Vanwe fails to return, Naiore will take flight and so the hunt will be afoot again.

Barrold will endeavour to preserve his hide and make a profit by selling out Naiore to the first available person willing to pay something for the information. I was thinking of having him bump into Kaldir, which in turn would lead him to Naiore's whereabouts. Naiore will be after Lespheria predominantly, and will direct the orcs towards Kaldir's location.

Confronted by both Lespheria and Kaldir, spectre of her past, Naiore pulls back when she realises that this catch is too big for her with such an undisciplined force. The treachery of Barrold will have undone her, as will have Toby's. Everdawn, I don't know if you want Avanill to buy into Barrold's latest money making scheme or not. I'll leave that up to you.

Naiore's only consolation will be to kill Barrold herself, with her bare hands, before she is driven off to await Vanwe.

Now, they're just tenuous plans at best. Hope they make sense and fit overall with other plans.

Let me know if you think there's a snag or want to weave something into that for your own characters. Always happy to do that. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]