Shadow of the West Discussion Thread

[Amanaduial the archer]

I also said I would back off on the games for a while, but people keep bullying me with all these lovely looking game proposals. Stay away, ye tempters of RPG! Not that I'm complaining...

Fordim, for some reason I am having some problems with the PMs at the moment - it's just my server, I suspect, it's being difficult with certain pages for no apparent reason. But I shall send my answers for the priestess to you as soon as possible

Later, yer majesty.

- Ax

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Originally Posted by Amanaduial the archer

Fordim, for some reason I am having some problems with the PMs at the moment - it's just my server, I suspect, it's being difficult with certain pages for no apparent reason. But I shall send my answers for the priestess to you as soon as possible

Could I ask that everyone post the answers to their questions here in the DT, as everyone else will need to see where the others stand.

Thanks.

[alaklondewen]

Here is a short description of the General's wife...

Arlomë is an Avari, a Dark Elf, who never saw the light of Aman. She is tall with a thin frame. Her black hair falls nearly to her waist and is kept in a single braid with three strands of gold wire twined throughout. Her sharp blue eyes can pierce many a heart and their intensity cause many to become uncomfortable when they are the target of her gaze.

Arlomë enjoys her position and takes her reputation seriously. She holds herself and her family to a high standard of decency, and she is proud of their status.

Arlomë identifies deeply with the femininity of the earth goddess, Rhais, and therefore refuses to accept Rea as supreme, although she does recognize him as a deity. Arlomë would be greatly concerned about the building of a temple to the sky god, and she would pray to Rhais for mercy on the kingdom.

The controversy of a limitation being placed on the Avaris’ service is a personal issue that the elf woman is passionate. Arlomë is fiercely loyal to her husband, and the idea of his service being limited infuriates her. She knows of the importance Morgos sees in his position, and she would not have it taken from him. The mortals should be thankful they have him to lead and would be hard-pressed to fight the Alanzians without him.

Arlomë cares little as to who the heir will be, although if her opinion was requested, she would simply reply that tradition should be upheld and King Faroz’s son is the rightful heir.

~*~*~
I must say I'm looking forward to this game, and I thank Fordim for giving me the opportunity to write this part.

[Firefoot]

Looks like a fun game - I'd be interested in playing the king's son.

Siamak is not very confident in himself, or very outspoken. He prefers to listen to others and keep his own opinion quiet. He tends to be kind-hearted, but he will do what he thinks is necessary in a given situation, and if that means lie, cheat, or steal, so be it. He is intelligent, and gives a lot of thought to things, not liking to make quick decisions. Average height, broad shoulders, black hair and a long beard with a few small braids twined with gold wire.

Siamak thinks it would be a wise idea to build a temple to the sky god Rea. He doesn't understand religious issues very well and is therefore rather afraid of the gods. Rea hasn't punished them yet for not giving him his due honor, but who's to say that he won't? He thinks the gods should be worshipped equally so that neither will be angered for not being honored properly.

Siamak feels that the most qualified individuals should hold positions in the army. If that is the Avari generals, then they should be allowed to keep their positions. However, if after 99 years a more qualified Pashtian who wants the position comes along, they should have it. Siamak wants the law to be passed with those provisions.

Siamak harbors hopes of being the king's heir, but he doesn't have enough confidence in himself to think that he will be. Whichever way the king decides, Siamak wishes that he would make up his mind soon so that he could feel secure in his own position. Siamak tries to remain in his father's good graces so that he might be named the heir.

~*~*~

Hope this works!

[Aylwen Dreamsong]

The Princess has arrived...



Gjeelea (Jill-laya) is cunning, smart and quick thinking. She will be personable if the need arises, but sly and gossipy when it suits. Gjeelea holds strong, unchanging opinions on certain matters even if she does not know much about them – makes decisions only because she thinks she needs to. She is clever and sly, and likes to have her say in things. At times she can be witty, but more often Gjeelea can come off as brash and cheeky. The princess knows well the way people work, and how people act in certain situations, and can easily manipulate a conversation. She is good with words. Gjeelea hates having her long black hair in her face and keeps in back in a multitude of tiny braids. She is just short of average. Her big bones contrast a tenuous, gaunt build that stunts any physical grace.

1) She would feel that if men and women are equal in society then both the god and goddess could be worshipped with equal reverence. Gjeelea would support the building of a temple, but not with the purpose to ‘overshadow’ Rhais.

2) Gjeelea would wonder why they do not have such high positions be given for certain terms of years, regardless of race.

3) The princess would prefer having her betrothed rule (even regardless of personality/manners/ etc.), for it would give her more input and say into how things are done within Pashtia when her husband becomes the king. Ultimately, Gjeelea would rather have her say in matters of state than have her little brother making all the decisions. However, in public she most certainly supports her brother.

-Aylwen

[Kransha]

Huzzah! Hooray! Hosanna! Hooplah! Halitosis!
The thread, she is open! Long have I awaited this...
Here, friends, O-mans, and countrymen, is my 'profile' (note the semi-quotation marks, peoples), for the Elven General of Pashtia

_______________________________

Morgôs (his Pashtian name, pron. MOR-gōs) - called Elrigon by family and other Avari (Avarin name, meaning “Star-Crowned Man” from Primitive Elvish, pron. EL-rig'on) - is an Avari, considered the mightiest general of Pashtia. Many say that he is, in fact, the greatest commander to ever lead an army in the east...

Morgôs, like all of his kind, is great in stature and fair to look upon, though he is less so than many of his kin because of his age. His face holds a pale, whitened complexion, framed by long and silky raven hair, braided and tasseled with silver filaments. His eyes are grayer than they are blue, dusky, and always murky and vague, like a slowly whirling eddy encompassed in each orb. Many who see him claim that it is near impossible to tell where his gaze has settled, because of the mistiness of the eyes and their nature, flashing like white flames, glistening like radiant stars. Morgôs’ sharp, chiseled features have dulled over the years, and the first meager signs of age have marred his Elven beauty. He is not muscular, but instead is slender and quick, though not extraordinarily nimble or sprightly. He rarely runs, and his manner is very slow and collected, so he is not thought of as swift, but his presence is often considered imposing purely because of his reputation.

He bears a regal air, one possessed by only the noblest of men and Elves. His gait is stately, as are his mannerisms, and his class and gentility are renowned, though such qualities virtually evaporate during combat. He is stern, often, but is jovial when it is appropriate to be so. He carries himself in a commanding fashion, and his voice of gruff and loud, with barely any residual Elven melody left in it. He is ever polite and sophisticated, thought to be the last of a dying breed in Pashtia, but his is far from perfect. He is ruthless and without mercy whenever his orders require such feelings. He has no qualms about war, or killing, as his years of subjugation and warfare have desensitized him to bloodshed in all its forms. He is capable of compassion, but only for his family, and sometimes his King. His own people are no longer favored by him, as he has placed service to the throne and desire for power above all else. He does not hesitate to follow royal orders, nor does he question them except under the most extreme conditions.

Once, long ago, when the Avari Elves were in the thrall of eastern men, he was more righteous, rebellious, and vigorous. Now, his methods are more tactful. His former thunderous luster is now lost to the royal court, but is retained on the battlefield. Morgôs is infamous for his ‘furies,’ as his semi-psychotic combat spasms were dubbed by some soldiers beneath him. He has been known to (only in direct, face-to-face combat, and rarely even under those circumstances) nearly lose grasp of reality, and berate the very borders of sanity with his incendiary anger and warrior’s rages. Strangely, he remains fully in control of his faculties during these bouts, and fights with dignified grace, and a simple Elvish temperament, but his vision of morality and soldiery ethics are blurred, causing him to become overly ferocious, and nearly unstoppable. He never loses his composure off of the battlefield, though. When given an objective, Morgôs pursues the ends doggedly and without relent. His view on achieving such ends is that all means used to obtain them are fully justified, which has led him to commit great atrocities against the Alanzian troops in the last war. He is not easily manipulated, merely loyal to a fault. His one weakness is that loyalty, which is so unflinching that it could easily result in something truly horrible. Morgôs is mightily ambitious, and lets nothing stand in his way.

i) The King has been asked by several of his nobles to erect a new temple in the city to the honour of Rhais. This party hopes that such a temple will help their cause to have the sky god worshipped above the goddess of the earth. Does the player’s character support or oppose the construction of the new temple?

Morgôs opposes the building of the new temple, but not greatly. As someone who’s only memories contain faith in Rea and Rhais, and the roots of both their worshipping, Morgôs is against any change, in favor or against his kindred who might disagree, and the two deities. He is dutifully accustomed to his routine and his station in life. He is, though, more an advocate of Rea, since he has his own link to the sky, as far as his beliefs go, and identifies with Rea. Of course, he finds that deity equality is best. His position of power might be compromised by a national transferal of faith, suddenly. Morgôs has never been very religious, as a military leader cannot afford to end up supporting a belief that has become dated or impolitic. Whenever approached about his opinion, he feigns objectivity, but has slipped enough visible messages on the matter to make clear his position. He is generally behind King Faroz in his actions, and will support what he supports, regardless of his own beliefs. If the King ever changes his position, chances are, Morgôs will as well. He has always been known for his staunch and sometimes violent support of royal actions, primarily because of his desire to remain close to King Faroz on the political spectrum.

ii) For the last few years there have been calls for a law that would limit the term of service of any Avari in a royal posting to ninety-nine years. There are many amongst the nobility who feel that too many of the highest positions in the kingdom are closed to humans by the immortals who currently occupy them. Does the player’s character think that such a law would be just?

Morgôs is completely against such a law, for obvious reasons. He has served in a royal post for hundreds of years, and such a law would force him to immediately relinquish his position. Ever since his days as a volatile activist for Avari rights, Morgôs has been opposed to the idea that Avari deserve less than their fair share. Though many Pashtians believe that the Avari receive that share, Morgôs still yearns for more, but no longer for his people, simply for himself. A law like this would severely impede the progress of the Avari towards further power in the Pashtian government and limit Morgos' power drastically. Morgôs is prepared to defend this position as long as the matter is discussed, and plans to use his control of the Pashtian military as a defining factor in the final decision if things get out of hand.

iii) The King has yet to declare his heir. Does the player’s character think that it should be the King’s son, who is the younger child, or should the King choose his daughter, in which case the noble she is promised to in marriage will rule?

Publicly, Morgôs is supports the younger son, because the law of Pashtia clearly states what should occur in such a situation. Morgôs, though not in complete support of Pashtian law, extols its virtues constantly in an attempt to keep himself from falling out of political favor. Privately, he is also for the son. Even though he values the experience that comes with age, both the King's daughter and the lord she is betrothed to are dissolute, in his opinion. Either way, he plans to support the son fervently, unless he is ‘swayed’ by the other party. Secretly, he hopes to secrete a political alliance between himself and the Prince, affiliation and support in exchange for furthering of his own career. Despite his endorsement of current law, as long as Morgôs remains in power and prospering, he doesn’t care what minor or major amendments are made to it. The King can’t live forever, and neither can his ways…Morgôs, on the other hand, can.

___________________________________

Master Fordim, O Lord, King, Ruler, and Etcetera, I hope this is all good. I look forward to the beginning of the game - a lot. I know my 'basic description' is too long, but I have neither the time nor the proper number of primates to pruduce anything *terse*.

[Bêthberry]

A couple of points:

posted by Fordim:

Perhaps Bb could edit the first post accordingly. . .? *inserting the imaginary "hopeful" smilie here*

To be clear, the question that I would like gamers to answer is:

The King has been asked by several of his nobles to erect a new temple in the city to the honour of Rea. This party hopes that such a temple will help their cause to have the sky god worshipped above Rhais, the goddess of the earth.

I've also caught a spelling error in the first post. There the male sky god is identified as "Rae", but it should be "Rea" (RAY-ah).

I have made the correction to the question here, for the benefit of potential gamers, Fordim, but I will let you make any changes to the first post when you open the game thread.

Yes, that's right, Writers of the Mark. Game founders in Rohan can start the game thread, once they are satisfied everyone is ready to start the game.

On to the other point:

posted by Fordim:
While I do have some specific plot points, gamers will be expected to move the plot along themselves. The development of the game should closely resemble the Green Dragon Inn and the White Horse Inn, where gamers interactively create a story rather than passively react to events as outlined for them by the game owner. Plot twists and new developments will not only be tolerated but actively encouraged. Gamers will be asked to use the Discussion Thread to discuss possible plot developments with one another: alternately, if a gamer would like to spring a surprise on everyone else, they can contact me via PM. It is my sincere hope that the intrigues and relationships in this game will become nothing less than Byzantine in their complexity. As a consequence, gamers will be allowed and expected to take the initiative in gameplay.

I want to support Fordim's point here and encourage you all to take him up on his offer. Byzantine but of course not labyrinthian--unless of course gamers all follow Ariadne's thread.

As Fordim says, this game will live or die upon the quality of the interactions between the game players. He has specifically designed the game to allow for this and to be an intermediate level, Rohan game and I am very excited by this possibility. This is different from the kind of organising principle which the first level gaming forum, The Shire, quite rightly uses, where the game founder identifies the plot developments and the gamers simply respond to them.

Rohan gamers, however, are experienced gamers who understand plotting, character development, and interactive writing. They thus have earned more independence and responsibility--and are expected to demonstrate both. They are expected to recognise the stages and nuances of rising and falling action, helping to build up suspense or the drama of particular events as well as develope complexities of characterisation and interactions.

Gamers for "Shadow of the West" thus are expected to read closely the game posts, to attend to the cues and hooks and ideas written into the posts, and to respond to them in their own posts rather than through elaborate talk about the posts in the discussion thread (although of course such talk will still occur when the need arises, rather than routinely). This game is not like a piece of modern art, which appears meaningless or confusing without the the artist's verbal explanation. Like a good short story, it should incorporate its own meaning within itself and even the unexpected plot twists (which of course will be discussed with Fordim via PM or on the discussion thread with each other) will not be random events but will have some groundwork laid within the game itself. Reading back, we should be able to say, 'Oh, of course, why didn't I see that?' But of course, if we had, that would also defeat the fun!

In short, look to the posts! Read well and write wisely, as of course you all know how to do.

Now, to change hats and get my character's responses to Fordim's issues...