[piosenniel]

CHARACTERS FROM THE MEAD HALL


Folwren's character

NAME: Thornden son of Thrinlite

AGE: 25

RACE: Man (Rohirrim)

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: He has the ability to use a sword and spear if given to him, but he doesn’t carry any weapon.

APPEARANCE: Thornden is tall, roughly 6 feet 4 inches in height, and broad shouldered. He has straight, dark blond hair, the color of wet sand, cut close to his head. Hazel eyes that are often twinkling with his easy, quick smile.
His clothing usually consist of a plain white cotton shirt, sometimes with a vest over it, sometimes not. Brown breeches, fastened at the waist with a leather belt. Soft leather, mid-calf boots.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Thornden is a calm, quiet man, possessing both patience and good judgement (most of the time)(we all have our lapses, don’t we?). He is usually willing to think the best of people, so long as they haven’t proved themselves to be bad. He is often very easy going and is easily amused, but when it is necessary, he can be very immoveable and stern, doing what is necessary to get what needs to be done done. He does his best to be kind to everyone and hates to see anyone ill used, and his anger or temper is usually difficult to arouse (but it is possible).
His main weakness may be stubbornness. If he doesn’t want to do something, it takes a lot to get him to do it, and even ‘a lot’ may not succeed, depending on who you are. (For instance, if he disagrees with Eodwine, because he is Eodwine’s subordinate, he would probably end up doing as Eodwine told him to. On the other hand, if Gárwine and he were in disagreement. . .) Happily, he doesn’t often set his will on things that aren’t for the good of everybody involved, so generally his stubbornness is never confronted or trouble causing.

HISTORY: Thornden was born and grew up on a farm out in the country of the East Emnet. He was the oldest child of six, the youngest being thirteen years younger than himself. His mother taught him how to read and write and work with numbers, and his father taught him to farm. Thrinlite hoped to have Thornden eventually take over the farm, but Thornden had different thoughts in mind. He didn’t want to farm and so he didn’t.

When he was twenty-three he moved from home to Edoras. For two reasons, mainly - one was to find something to do (other than farming) and to establish some sort of living and the second was to escape his mother’s and his sister’s constant nagging at his not being yet married. He was not long in Edoras until he got himself into the guard of Meduseld and he stayed there for a little over a year. Then, when Eodwine became Eorl, and was in need of someone as steward, Thornden thought that he may as well try it, and went out at once to try his luck.

Eodwine took him for a month’s trial, and it has been roughly a week and a half since he went to the Mead Hall.

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Feanor of the Peredhil's characters

NAME: Degas of the Folde

AGE: 18

RACE: Rohirric

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: A heavy sword with distinguishing marks that he wields effortlessly, yet rarely carries; it matches a thin dagger possessed by his twin sister. His own dull dagger serves less for cutting or stabbing than for random prying; he’s been looking to replace it, but only half-heartedly, as it was a gift from his sisters that he received when he was about ten. Keen enough with a bow, but prefers no weapons. Trained by commoner friends to hand-fight when he was about 14. His lean muscular frame is suited for quick hits that carry a lot of power.

APPEARANCE: About 5’11”, broad shoulders, dark red hair that’s long and tied into a horsetail at almost all times. Handsome with devilishly twinkling eyes. Has skin that’s darkened slightly after a childhood spent wincing over sunburns.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: A sweet and caring musician, he loves his twin sister Saeryn more than anybody else, and would not have returned from his prolonged stay in Minas Tirith if it had not been for her continued residence in Rohan. Having been spoiled slightly by the attention paid to him by ladies of all stations, Degas is cocky and chivalrous, both suave and charismatic. He flirts with all women, only noticing that he is doing it if a woman does not flirt back; he is used to the attention. Usually likeable, the young nobleman can come across as arrogant, abrasive, and infuriatingly condescending when he is upset or impatient. As a younger son, he has been allowed to act irresponsibly, not having as much image to maintain as an heir might. This freedom has made him somewhat impulsive and sometimes thoughtless, though he is well-meaning.

HISTORY: The younger son of a noble house of Rohan, Degas is the twin of Saeryn and brother of the recently deceased Caelwyn and current lord of the Folde, Fenrir. With parents of a liberal persuasion, Degas and his siblings were allowed to wander through the Folde, mingling with those of all stations, learning from the most distinguished guests of their parents as well as the roughest of wanderers, and playing. Taught both statecraft and how to deal with commoners on their own level, the children were fast able to act appropriately in all situations.

After their parents’ tragic death, Degas and his siblings were cared for by Fenrir, who is quite a bit older. Their freedom was remarkably lessened by Fenrir’s ambition and desire for noble propriety. The girls were kept within the walls of their home for the most part, though Degas was still allowed to adventure. With his twin sometimes disguised and in tow, he did so, consorting with all folks of the Folde and beyond, developing, as he went, many friendships and a strong love for music. He learned to play sad melodies of the forgotten South from traveling minstrels even as he learned quick fingered, skylarking dance tunes from country men around bonfires at night.

At age 17, Degas left home and traveled south to Minas Tirith to learn more about music while claiming that his travel was to educate himself further upon the details of statecraft. Successfully fulfilling both his claim to the public and his promise to himself, he much enjoyed life as a visiting lord in a country full of lovely raven-haired maidens fascinated by a fiery northern redhead with an enchanting singing voice and love of adventure.

When he received word at 18 that his elder sister had died, he left Minas Tirith and traveled north, seeking his twin. Reaching home, he found her gone, their brother enraged. Discovering that she’d run away, Degas left in search of her, throwing Fenrir off of his trail, understanding that if Saeryn had ran away from home, she had been running away from their brother. Serendipitously finding her settled at The White Horse Inn in Edoras, he joined her, leaving now and again to tend to business elsewhere. After one such disappearance, he returned to find the Inn in the hands of the newly lorded Eodwine and in the midst of being converted to a fully fledged Mead Hall. Shortly thereafter, he met one Lady Linduial of Dol Amroth and has spent much of his time since attempting to win her favor, though if one asked him, even if that one were Saeryn, he would denying it to the last breath.

~*~

NAME: Adrigil son of Farlen

AGE: 37

RACE: Gondorian

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: A scimitar acquired from a sleazily ethic'd Umbarian trader, a razor-sharp black dagger from Khand, a potentially Elven bow and quiver given as a token of thanks from an otherwise nefarious pirate whose lady Adrigil saved from near drowning on the high seas.

APPEARANCE: 6'5", well-tanned, straight black hair currently shaved bald from a far southern ceremony involving details that he refuses to divulge. High cheekbones and grey eyes. Impressively muscled upper arms play host to intricately designed tribal tattoos, black ink tracing delicate knots across and around his biceps.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Adventurous with a strong love of learning new things. Travels as frequently as his duties as father, husband, and heir allow, picking up new talents like wood carving, staff fighting, deep sea fishing and more. Speaks many languages fluently. Has friends scattered about Middle Earth with which he communicates by long letters frequently. Has no qualms about using profanity, but only when women and children (and in this category, he does not count his sisters or cousins) are not present. Having the first voice one hears when they walk into a room, Adrigil is rather booming, a bit intimidating, and immediately likable as he holds no noble pretensions. Rather is it that he is fully aware of the power that comes with his name, as are all, to be honest, and so he feels no need to compensate for it. Very strong, he has to take care not to hurt anybody accidentally. Has a strong love of tournaments and other such events that allow him to show off. Learned to ride among the Rohirrim, learned to fight from locals of every place he's been, and is very much a cuddly teddy bear of a man when in the privacy of his home, no matter what his gruff demeanor elsewhere. Madly in love with his wife, Adrigil has settled a lot in the past seven years; ever since his first child was born.

HISTORY: Adrigil spent his childhood playing pirates and King's Guard with his cousins on the high walls of Dol Amroth. With a special knack for discovering adventures where parents had hoped there to be none, Adrigil often found himself in the midst of a good story to tell later, when mother wasn't around. His younger sister Azranala often took it upon herself to keep Adrigil behaving even as she continuously bossed young Farahil around. Farahil listened, sometimes, and Adrigil humored his motherly little sister until she left him alone more than a few seconds.

As soon as he could, Adrigil talked his mother and father into allowing him to travel at sea with their men. Spending his teenage years in and out of Dol Amroth learning to fight and to command with the captain of the fleet, Adrigil was self-sufficient early. He spent his time at home teasing Azranala, who retorted quite as quickly as she received her brother's taunts and sharing travel stories with Lothiriel who he was always very fond of.

At 20, Adrigil was already experienced in the ways of the world and so when his mother died in childbirth, he was crushed, though not as heart broken as his 12-year-old brother. He humored the 15-year-old Azranala more now, seeing her attempts to fill the void, and he cossetted the new baby, Linduial, named for their dead mother, always more gentle with her than with any others.

He rode with Imrahil's forces to Minas Tirith during the War of the Ring, though he did not ride to the Black Gate. Instead he followed his uncle's very firm advice to stay and guard the city lest it fall. After the war, seeing the fatherless children weep and the husbandless wives carry on heartbroken with their lives, Adrigil resolved that no child should feel the loss of a parent and began to spoil the very young Linduial all the more, buying her pretty items that had no particular use, but that he knew his mother would have cherished and shared with the fussy little girl.

Through his 20s, Adrigil explored Middle Earth, taking Farahil along with him, finding true adventures and acquiring stories only half-believed by those left at home. Always an excellent fighter, he honed his skills with local secrets after gaining acceptance no matter what it took, no matter where he went. Though loud as well as tall and muscular, Adrigil's dark eyes and burnt golden skin were welcoming more than alarming and he was well-liked.

Marrying a pretty young woman when he was nearly 30, Adrigil began to slowly settle, giving up his life on the road (or at sea) to enjoy the quiet family life that he noticed many men enjoying. It lasted about a year before he went nearly stir-crazy and his wife told him to go on an adventure or she would. Kissing her passionately goodbye, he sailed the coast of Middle Earth for several months, dealing with pirates where they were causing trouble, helping rebuild where storms had caused damage, and generally being helpful to the coastal cities and merchant sailors. Returning home, he discovered that his wife was right in telling him to go; he could never be content without a struggle. Loving her all the more, he settled into an almost structured life of stay at home and be a good husband and heir and go out and be a good man of Gondor.

At 30, Adrigil's first child was born; a son. In the following years, his wife bore him two daughters and another son, all black haired and all cheerful, the girls slender and pretty as their still young aunt Linduial, the boys much like Adrigil's father, wise and doting and strong.

As years passed, Adrigil continued to adventure and to stay at home in intervals, coming home with lavish gifts and wonderful stories, loathe to leave for long stretches of time where he was content to do little but play with his children, dote upon his wife, and spend time with the residents of his home.

~*~

NAME: Farahil son of Farlen

AGE: 29

RACE: Gondorian

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: Trained in the use of every weapon he comes across, Farahil is proficient in all, studying to perfect each before continuing to the next. He is an extremely formidable opponent on the battlefield and his reputation tends to precede him.

APPEARANCE: 6'1", muscular. Broad shouldered, but not imposing. Walks silently, with footfalls especially light for his large frame. Often seen with a small child on his shoulders when at home, whether a relative or one of the wee ones of the household. Straight black hair that falls past a strong jaw line. Usually combed into a horsetail like those of the Rohirrim of the north, though if a strong wind blowing across the deck of a ship happens to pull his hair from its tie, he will let the wind take it. Farahil presents a rather dashing image of a sailor. A quiet smile often adorns his lips, his dark grey eyes lighting softly. He is most comfortable in commoners' clothing and wears it when adventuring, though even a blind man could see blood of the noblest lines in his visage.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Though he is a younger son, Farahil has never begrudged his older brother the position of heir. He appreciates his ability to adventure with nearly unlimited funding, yet he owns the sort of disposition that might have been happier in another life without the obligations that come from carrying certain blood within his veins.

He is uncomfortable at formal occasions. While he attends those events deemed important by his sisters, and dresses impeccably for them, Farahil is no more social than strictly necessary and eagerly awaits any opportunity to leave. If he happens to be away from home during such things, he is not in the least bit perturbed. He is most comfortable on a ship, sailing in the late afternoon sun while lazily glancing at the endless waters, pondering what new treat will most easily draw a smile from his younger sister. His discovery that she is a fair shot inspires his continued collecting of bright feathers for quiet evenings spent fletching while she chatters happily away.

Though quieter and more reserved than his older brother, Farahil's very presence is reassuring and he is a favorite of all. Many people do not fully understand him, yet children are drawn to him and strangers find themselves telling him their life stories over a quiet drink. The men that sail under him are loyal beyond the understanding of most, confident in his ability and trusting in both his leadership and friendship. Though Farahil has noble bearing, he treats all as equals and is more comfortable laughing over bawdy jokes in sea-side taverns than politely discussing the state of the weather with visiting dignitaries over dinner. He has a knack for seeing people's strengths as well as their weaknesses and placing them in situations where they will flourish.

HISTORY: The younger son of Lord Farlen, Farahil spent his childhood as the youngest child in the family. With his brother, Adrigil, eight years his senior and his sister, Azranala, three years so, he often struggled to keep up, though if they had been matched in age, he certainly would have matched his siblings in strength and wit, respectively. As playmates of Imrahil's sons and daughter, the children often shared tutors and had adventures within the ancient walls of the castle when they were kept indoors.

Trained early in both statecraft and weaponry, Farahil immediately preferred the latter, studying diligently with the arms masters in hopes of perfecting each weapon. With his twelfth year came the birth of a baby sister, Linduial, and he was fascinated by her. While his older sister was lovely in her own hard-edged way and was certainly proper and could negotiate a horse from beneath his rider while convincing, whether the rider liked it or not, that it was for his own good, Linduial was tiny and porcelain. He was nervous holding her, afraid that she would break, but her bright eyes and happy gurgle instantly stole the very heart that the death of Farahil's mother had broken. From the day she was born, Farahil was protective of her, finding excuses to spend time with her, delighting in eliciting smiles from her. Teased by his peers for his constant thought of his baby sister, he began to keep more to himself, surprising Linduial as she grew with small treats and the like, while beginning to adventure further from home.

As Farahil entered his later teens, after the War of the Ring, his brother, already grown, began to take him on sailing adventures and Farahil developed a keen love of the sea, more even than he had had for the view from the castle walls of the glimmering blue. Whether working in the sweltering sun on the deck of a fishing ship or captaining a crew of traders or adventurers, Farahil was happiest on the water. As he got older, he became less tied to his home and began to enjoy the freedom of the sea more and more, yet he still thought of his little sister, strong as steel and fragile as silk. He brought her tokens after every adventure, sharing stories even as she told him of her latest exploits at home.

These days, Farahil avoids marriage, fearing to bind a woman to him in troth and still feel the call of the sea. When home, he plays with his nieces and nephews, spoiling them with gifts from distant lands, and he seeks out his baby sister, now grown. Hearing of Lin's desire to travel, he wished to ride with her as a guard, but knew that it would defeat her purpose to escape the constraints of home for a time. She had spoken to him of her wish to escape the lad that Farlen had in mind for her, and Farahil knew that his beloved little sister would fade if forced to stay. Secretly he sought out his father and spoke with him, asking leave for Lin to go even before she asked it herself

Though it was partly of his doing that Linduial was allowed to travel to Rohan to visit Lothiriel, he misses her terribly. He sees clearly that which surrounds him: his older siblings married with families, his baby sister having adventures of her own. Even now he is seeking a new crew with which to sail further south than he has ever yet gone, searching desperately for something, anything, but unsure what it is or if he will find it no matter where he goes.

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littlemanpoet's character

NAME: Eodwine (formerly of the Gap), Eorl of Middle Emnet

AGE: 43

RACE: Rohirrim

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: sword, hunting knife

APPEARANCE: blonde, tall, long legged, blue eyes, his face is fair, with a high forehead, and a not overly strong chin. He is strong, but not muscular.

PERSONALITY: He is quick to laugh, friendly, curious; a student of the War of the Ring; he is musical, a singer of songs and teller of heroic tales, (but he lost his harp in the Hills of Evendim). His voice is tenor and strong. He tends to be bashful and slow to put himself before a crowd, so he needs to feel at home and among friends before he will play or sing. Once he does feel at home, he is quite personable, funny, conversant, interested in other people, and almost - not quite - the life of the party.

STRENGTHS: he is compassionate, courageous and loyal. he makes friends easily and keeps them long. he is courteous to all, and considerate of other people.

WEAKNESSES: Not a good scout, mind wandering when alone. Hard on self when things go wrong.

HISTORY: He lived in the Western Emnet, close to the River Isen, serving in the forces of Theodred. He witnessed Theodred's fall, and came with Erkenbrand to turn back the rout of Helm's Deep. He marched to the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and also with the small army that stood before the Black Gate when Sauron fell. He came back home to find that his wife and two children had been murdered by Dunlendings, his crops and farmstead burned to the ground. He joined the forces that hunted the Dunlendings down and brought them to justice, and having no family left, nor caring to start a new one, he went to Edoras and sought a place among Eomer's guard. He became one of the King's Messengers, traveling all over Rohan, and to Minas Tirith, as well as to Isengard, and places farther afield now and then.

In the year Fourth Age 14, he was in the Shire on a secret errand for King Elessar, on loan from King Eomer. Under the guise of researching the War of the Ring as it affected the Shire, he was to learn why, for four years running, craftsmen and smiths sent from Gondor to Annuminas were not heard from again. Leaving Bree, heading northwards, he was captured by a party of ruffians, and imprisoned by an unknown brigand lord and his growing army. His capture had been witnessed by a wanderer formerly of Bree, named Falowik Stonewort, who reported his capture in Bree. Falowik and a party of rescuers, including the Hobbit, Falco Boffin, went north to Deadmen's Dike, and to Lake Evendim, where they discovered enemy strongholds, and were able to overcome by skill and strategem. An informant then led them to the northernmost edge of the Hills of Evendim where the stronghold of the new brigand lord was. The brigand lord was the former Mouth of Sauron, who had renamed himself Herugor, who was about to sacrifice Eodwine on his altar to Melkor in order to take his blood and use it to gain more years to his life (not having Sauron's power to do this anymore). Long story short, they defeated Herugor's plans and his life was ended, and Eodwine was rescued. Thus began the friendship of Eodwine of West Emnet and Falco Boffin. They came down from the Shire to Edoras, for Falco wished to see the places the famous Hobbits of the War had been to.

The Man and Hobbit took lodging at the White Horse Inn, owned by Bêthberry. While there he became the foster father of an orphaned girl, Gudryn, who has since been handed over to the seamstress Gedd for tutelage.

Bêthberry left and turned the place over to Eodwine after King Eomer released from service as King's Messenger only to create him the new Eorl of the new Middle Emnet, the former White Horse Inn his Eorling Mead Hall. News of the change attracted attention and before long, Eodwine found him the happy master of a bustling mead hall filled with likeable, loyal, and interesting folk.

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Celuien's characters

NAME: Garstan

AGE: 35

RACE: Human, Rohirric

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: stoneshapers’ tools, handy with a knife

APPEARANCE: About 6 feet. Blonde, blue eyed. Weathered appearance from years of working outdoors. Hands thickly callused from laboring over stone. Wears plain, simple clothing.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Garstan is a quiet, retiring sort, more accustomed to the company of his stonework than of people. For that reason, he tends to be uncomfortable in crowds or among strangers. However, once he finds a friend, he is deeply loyal and, while still reticent with regard to expressing emotions, can be warm and open if his trust has been gained. He has gradually learned to put himself forward to others, though his sense of awkwardness can ironically make him appear impulsive or overbearing when he makes the effort too strongly. He makes up for this failing by trying to be proper and polite. He is analytical and precise, both in his work and thought processes – he is a classic perfectionist. That coupled with his quiet manner can give the false impression that he is cold and distant, though in reality, nothing could be further from the truth, which is that his careful exterior masks deep feeling. He is devoted to and highly protective of his two children. On the downside, he can be gloomy and pessimistic if the mood strikes him, and if sufficiently provoked while in such a mood, can lash out unexpectedly.

HISTORY: Garstan was born and spent most of his life in the distant reaches of Rohan’s Wold region. Always possessed of a wandering spirit, he gladly went for an apprenticeship in stoneshaping near the borders of Gondor as an adolescent. After completing his training, he returned to the Wold, plying his trade as best as he could in a sparsely settled area. The low demand for his craft caused him to take on a nearly nomadic existence, always in search of work, and to learn the skills of other craftsmen he encountered. Thus, by the age of 22, he was something of a jack-of-all-trades, though his true gift remained remained in stonework.

Garstan’s wandering existence made it difficult for him to settle into a family life. However, at 23, he wed the daughter of one of his employers and set up a small shop as a general handyman and stoneshaper. The desire to roam the countryside was always in the back of his mind, but he didn’t feel the inclination to do so while his family was growing.

His wife died after ten years of marriage. After that, the old wandering spirit returned to him, and seeing nothing left to keep him in their old home, he sold off his household effects and took his children on a wandering path through Rohan.

After a year and a half of unsettledness, Garstan began to realize that roaming the countryside was not the best life for the father of two small children. He then set for Edoras, planning to settle there and hoping to make a reputation as a stoneshaper. A broken cart stopped his journey as it neared its completion, and he found his way to Lord Eodwine’s Mead Hall.

~*~

NAME: Lèoðern

AGE: 5

RACE: Human, Rohirric

GENDER: female

WEAPONS: none

APPEARANCE: About 3 and a half feet tall. Glossy, strawberry ringlets that run wildly over her shoulders. Bright, twinkling blue eyes. A bundle of motion. Can be located quickly by her constant talking and laughter.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Lèoðern is adorability taken to its furthest extreme. Chattery, friendly, and energetic, she has a way of endearing herself to almost everyone she meets. While doted on by her father and brother, she’s not the stereotypical spoiled child. Any trouble she causes is unintentional, usually the result of her irrepressible high spirits; she is unfailingly and genuinely sorry afterwards. Warm and affectionate to anyone who treats her kindly.

HISTORY: The daughter of Garstan the stoneshaper, Lèoðern has little memory of life before her father’s wanderings in their cart. While she has had few contacts other than her father and brother, she has never been lonely or unhappy thanks to her unfailingly sunny disposition and their constant attention. Life at the Mead Hall has been a new experience for her, made all the more exciting and wonderful by her instant friendship with Linduial.

~*~

NAME: Garmund

AGE: 9

RACE: Human, Rohirric

GENDER: male

WEAPONS: none

APPEARANCE: Blonde, blue eyed, tall for his age at 5 feet even. Has a thoughtful, introspective manner with occasional hints of sadness, unless Lèoðern’s infectious cheeriness has caused him to adopt her energy.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Garmund is quite strongly the younger version of his father, with a little more impulsiveness and more of a tendency to join in Lèoðern’s fun and games. Tends to be very protective of Lèoðern, has something of a ‘man-of-the-family’ complex. Bright. Gifted in stonework.

HISTORY: Garmund is Garstan’s oldest child. He has memories of the home the stoneshaper’s family inhabited before the death of his mother. This accounts for the occasional sad, far-away manner he takes on. His gift for stoneshaping was discovered by his proud father two years ago, and he eagerly looks forward to taking on the role of an apprentice in the next few years.

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