Darker Days Discussion Thread

[piosenniel]

The purpose of the story is to: Save Sandrina, help Mayonette in all tasks, bring the uncle and the murder to justice, and lay her father to rest.

This means we will know the story is over when: the Uncle has been brought to jail or killed - along with the murderer, Sandrina is home, and Mayonette and her comrades have returned home.

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Starting Location: Rohan – The White Horse Inn

Likely destination: Rohan – Sandrina’s estate

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General Plan for the Game

From the inn we will head back to Mayonette’s home where we can decide what would be the best plan of action. There will be a couple of horses in the stable in case a player doesn't exactly have one. About three. No more.

From Mayonette’s home we will be traveling into the woods. There we will be looking for clues, discussing what must be done to the murderer/kidnapper (who in the end will be played by me if no one else wants to wait that long to be that person).

Distance will be close by to Rohan. Out in the country side. We will find Sandrina and the kidnapper/murderer in a cottage in the deep thicket of woods.

There will be a scene where the murderer and Uncle Samuel will fight us.

Samuel and murderer may die at this point. Take Sandrina home.

At home I will give money rewards to everyone that aided in this quest. Then all that want to stay may stay where the father's funeral will occur.

[piosenniel]

Timeframes:

This game takes place in the 4th Age at around year 12.

The storyline itself or plot covers 2.5 weeks

This game requires a time commitment of 6 - 8 weeks to meet the goal from the game owner and from the major players.

[piosenniel]

Player/Character List

4-9 Human men and women from Rohan

• Crystal Heart – Mayonette Starnson
• Hama of the Riddermark - Hama Haukrsonn, General of Rohan’s Hawkshead Company
• Cordelia Harrison - Cordelia Smatherson, Mayonette’s best friend
• Dimturiel - Edhener
• Glirdan - Léoflic
• Witch_Queen - Thomas
• The Sixth Wizard – Garnae
• Mithalwen - Elfride

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No other characters than the type listed above are needed – human, male or female, of Rohan only

[piosenniel]

The game owner will play 1 character.


Crystal Heart’s character

NAME: Mayonette Starnson

AGE: 24

RACE: Human

GENDER: Female

WEAPONS: A dagger and matching battle sword that was once her fathers is all that she carries. There are no other weapons in her possession.

APPEARANCE: Dark brown hair that she has normally would hang loosely down her back. Now she wears it up in a messy bun for traveling. She has dark brown eyes that shine with her emotions. Gentle rose colored lips that once couldn't remain quiet are now still with the agony of her loss. She wears a simple white shirt that was once her fathers- tailored to her for more comfortable travel. She wears earth toned riding pants. Over her ensemble she wears a very simple green cloak. Over her riding pants sits the belted sword. It rests upon her left hip. She hides the danger inside her riding boot, ready for battle.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Mayonette is naive. She has always believed that people really are good and that good things happen to good people. However, the death of her father has changed those thoughts. She is beginning to see that the world isn't so grand, isn't so pure as she once thought it was. She is serious, but not subdued. She is level headed and can be stubborn. Her strength is using her emotion in a positive way. Her weakness is trusting far too easily.

HISTORY: Mayonette is the youngest in the family. Sandrina is the very oldest. At one time there were two brothers in between the two of them, but both died due to a strange illness. Their father always treasured his daughters. He helped them understand the ways of the world and his business. He saw Sandrina married off to Alexander Hitherford.

Mayonette's uncle is the oldest of three boys, but the grandfather knew that giving him any responsibility was a bad idea. Thus, he gave everything to Arthur (Mayonette and Sandrina's father) and the youngest son Henry. Now, Uncle Samuel is tired of waiting. He is going to get that estate no matter what the cost.

[piosenniel]

FIRST POST FOR THE GAME

Posted to the RPG Thread ~*~ Pio


Mayonette stood upon the porch of her home, arms clutching either side. Tears shone in her maple brown eyes as the memories of her father flooded through her small frame. Each and every breath felt like a weighted eternity, gathering even worse strength than before. She watched as the gentle breeze stirred the trees around their house.

She pondered on why her father had to die. He was so young, so full of life! Couldn't there have been a way to save him? Or her sister?

Her body shuddered to think what they may be doing to her. After seeing just what they did to her father, she was terrified to find her sister's body. She shook away the thought. No, she said to herself, it wouldn't end like that. She prayed that her sister would be okay.

Her sister had far more to live for than she did. Sandrina had a husband, a new life, and a barely blossoming child within her. Why had she said she would stay behind when Alexander had come to ask her if she wanted to come and find Sandrina with him? She knew these hills, knew these paths! What selfish thing had she done? Could she have sent Alexander to his death?

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Her stance strengthened as new thoughts filled her head. No, she wouldn't stand here waiting for her sister's return or for the capture of her father's murderer. She was going to go and do something!

She ran inside, changed quickly, and then went out to the barn. Her father's chestnut mare neighed softly as she approached.

"Be still Maple. We are going to The White Horse," she instructed the mare. It neighed softly as she saddle her. As soon as Mayonette was done she jumped up and headed for the inn.

--- Crystal Heart

[piosenniel]

Hama of the Riddermark’s character


NAME: Hama Haukrsonn, General of the Hawkshead Company of Rohan

AGE: 42

RACE: Human

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS AND ARMOUR: Ornately crafted sword. Ornately crafted shortbow with quiver of arrows. Ornate shield. Ornate armour. Throwing spear.

APPEARANCE: Tall, handsome and muscular with a neatly trimmed beard, the same straw color as his hair. Wears a green cloak with the Hawkshead emblem embroidered in gold on its back. Intense dark blue eyes.

PERSONALITY/STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: Hama is a jovial yet deadly man, inclined to laugh whenever possible, but vicious in battle. He can always find the good in a situation, even if he doesn’t say it. His gruff voice and laugh make people feel instantly comfortable, and he doesn’t hesitate to say exactly what he means.

He is recklessly brave, taking risks that other men would pale to take, yet somehow always coming out alive with another story of heroics and bravery to tell. He is incredibly loyal, protecting his own like they were his children and fighting mercilessly to defend king and country. He is masterful with the sword, although less so with the bow and spear.
He is stubborn, and once convinced of a course of action, nothing can dissuade him from it. He is also blunt, sometimes to the point of rudeness.

HISTORY: Hama was born in Rohan, son of Haleth Haukr, a respected warrior. He led an unremarkable childhood, but by the age of eighteen was already prodigiously skilled with a sword. He joined the Rohirrim soon after, and rose quickly from a boy into a feared and respected man. He was soon given the position of second in command to General Dorian Heart, a man who Hama despised. Heart was a wife-beater who had driven his child, Crystal, into exile in the Shire. After the War of the Ring, he had seen many friends killed, and had comforted their grieving widows. He returned to Rohan to find his homestead destroyed by bandits. His wife brutally violated and mutilated, and his children slaughtered. After this, Hama’s reckless enthusiasm for battle was replaced by a cold and measured aggression.

The general, threatened by Hama’s strength and popularity, falsified a charge against him and forced him into exile. He headed for the Shire, hoping to find Crystal. Find her he did, and it wasn’t long before reports reached the Green Dragon that General Heart had been killed by assassins and Eomer had officially pardoned Hama, and wished him to succeed into the rank. He could not, of course, refuse the offer, and traveled back to Rohan.

When Hama was made General, the company officially changed its name to the Hawkshead company in honor of Hama’s father, who by this time had died. He was given a grand funeral, fitting for the sire of such a noble son. Since that day Hama has led his company in many successful skirmishes and battles in the outlands of Rohan, and has become something of a folk hero. His unwavering sense of honor and duty combine with his immense physical prowess into a man both feared and loved by his soldiers.

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Hama of the Riddermark’s post


Hama looked up towards Edoras, the sunset was beautiful. He sat on his horse and watched the orb sink below the hill, the last beams catching the roof of the Meduseld in a glorious display of reflected light. A cool night-wind blew against his face, and he breathed deep, savoring the fresh taste of the cool air. Running a hand through his hair he gazed into the dark sky, sighting the stars and simply watching them sparkle. It had been a long while since he had last done this, and he regretted immensely that he had not been able to do it again sooner. The night was the one place where he could be at peace, alone. It was all very well for him to be the great hero, savior of the borderlands, in public, but he needed time away from all of that.

He didn’t think that Eomer would grant his request, but the outlands of Rohan had been quiet for many weeks, mainly thanks to Hama, and so the King had been unusually charitable in dealing with Hama’s petition for a few weeks’ leave. The first thing he had done was to saddle his horse and ride into the wilderness, settling down and camping under the stars by a small fire, cooking his own food for the first few days. He smiled wryly; it had almost tasted better than the fancy meals that his cook prepared for him. He had never much cared what he ate, as long as it kept him alive, and the over-indulgence practiced in the court had placed a few extra pounds on Hama’s waistline that he was eager to lose, and fast. It was no use being a Hero General if you were too fat to mount a horse or use a sword, and though Hama was at the peak of physical health, even at the age of forty two, he could feel the fat dragging him down like so much lead. After a week alone, he had lost most of his extra poundage, and began to ride around the Riddermark, visiting the people under the protection of the Hawkshead Company. Many of them were gracious, but some were uncivilized to the point of barbarism. It was a sobering experience for Hama, rich and handsome General of the Mark, to see a deformed beggar eating dirty meat cast out of the butcher’s shop and intended for the dogs. Hama gave the man a small pouch of silver coins, telling him to buy himself new clothes, a bath and a decent meal. The beggar threw himself at Hama’s feet, kissing his boots, and the General realized that his was likely the only act of kindness that this poor man had ever received.

Hama felt more at peace than he ever had done before, sitting under the black blanket of night on his noble stallion, Valuk. It was two weeks since his encounter with the beggar, and Hama had revisited the town and found the same man sitting in the street, looking certainly less disheveled, and with a bowl of hot stew next to him. The warmth of his embrace when he rushed at Hama, throwing his arms around the General’s chest, was a startling experience. After a second or two Hama returned the embrace, patting the man gently on the back. He still found it incredible what a difference a single bag of silver could make to a man’s life.

In any case, he was headed back to Edoras now, his leave over and his duty about to begin again. He was using his last night to lie with the world and enjoy it before he returned to his usual bed. Thirst struck his throat like an axe after about an hour, and he nursed his horse into a slow canter towards Edoras, the gates opening slowly at his command. He tugged Valuk’s reigns to ease the horse up the path that led to the White Horse Inn, ale was starting to sound like a joyful prospect to a man bereft of his luxury, albeit voluntarily, for a month…

[piosenniel]

Dimturiel's character

NAME: Edhener

AGE: 25

GENDER: Male

WEAPONS: One sword, being a gift from his elder brother.

APPEARANCE: Tall, with shoulder-length light brown hair and keen grey eyes. He looks much younger than his real age. He sometimes has a vacant expression, that could make him seem unapproachable.

PERSONALITY/ STRENGHTS/ WEAKNESSES : He prefers solittude and tends to mistrust people, but when he does become attached to someone, he shows unwavering loyalty to that person. He knows what to do in difficult sittuations and is quite good in battle. Still, he is slightly impulsive, and tends to do rash things when provoked. People who do not know him well, despise him, considering him arrogant and odd.

HISTORY: He was born in a family of four others- three sisters and one brother- of which he was the youngest. He and his brother took part in the battle of Pelennor Fields, where his brother was killed, and he was wounded. He lives together with his parents and one of his sisters, the two others being married. He is courting a maiden renowned for her beauty, but for her pride also, and would do anything to win her.


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Dimturiel's post

Edhener was standing in front of the White Horse inn, watching the setting sun. Evening was his favourite time. It was pleasant to watch the sinking sun, as it carressed the geen fields of Rohan, making them blush scarlet. Evening brought memories into his mind, memories which he cherished as if they were some wonderful things crafted with great devotion by his own hands. But even the memories could not make him forget the happenings from the last few days. And whenever he thought of them, his eyes flashed with anger.

Where had he gone wrong to recieve such cold treatment? Was there anything he could do, in order to bring a twinkle of delight in the eyes that lately flashed with distaste at the sight of him?

The thought of brave deeds sprung to his mind. He saw himself riding to meet a large army of enemies, or battling with all the fiends ever spawned in the world, untill he fell, worn out and wounded. Then he pictured himself being brought home in the arms of one of his companions, and he saw the proud disdainful eyes filled with tears of regret and concern...

Edhener tried to still his fantasies. The war was long over. Gone were the beasts that brought terror and ruin into people's hearts, gone with them the chance of young men winning renown by fighting them.

Unless the rumours were true, and then he might have a chance of proving his worth. But who would take him? True, he had friends that could reccomend him for his valour and his fighting skills, but too many people considered him odd and unfriendly, an unsuitable companion for any expedition.

"I would prove them wrong, were they to give me a chance."he thought. "I would prove everyone wrong, including her"

His head bowed with the burden of so many thoughts, Edhener turned his back to the darkening world and entered the inn.