Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[littlemanpoet]

Hee hee! Great plot turns and character development regarding Javan, Foley. I can't wait to have Eodwine come into the kitchen and ask the obvious question, "What was that all about?"

And soon enough I have a plot twist of my own, which most of you have already seen signs of, having to do with the lands formerly belonging to Sorn.

Well, I'll fess up. King Eomer and Eorl Eodwine have worked out an understanding that Eodwine is going to move his seat of authority to Sorn's former holdings; he keeps possession of the White Horse Inn, which may again be its name, and it becomes again a profit making venture. King Eomer retains possession and authority over Edoras and the immediately surrounding lands, and Eodwine moves to Sorn's former lands. Those who wish to, go with him. Those who do not wish to, stay at the Inn.

This rpg continues to unfold at the Inn, with the Eorl visiting perhaps once each month. Who runs it in Eodwine's absence has yet to be determined.

[Nogrod]

I'm so sorry I have been taken away from all this the last weeks - and will be hands full of work for a few days still.

Just work from early morning to over midnight every day...

But I'll be back as soon as I can. Within a week I hope.

[Formendacil]

I feel guilty asking questions about an RPG I'm hardly doing anything in... but I'm rather curious, and, who knows, the answer might prompt me to write here again...

Anyway, with the additional time now elapsed since the last Day roleplayed, has the construction ceased on the Mead Hall/White Horse Inn? If so, then nothing really occurs to me, except that it might be a graceful time for Náin to make his exit, and so relieve me of the guilt of leaving him postless.

On the other hand, if Eodwine pulls of the Hall without the renovations being complete, I can see a whole string of potential headaches (and headaches equals drama) for the new "manager", in not only having to rebuild a business that has been lost, while answering to the Eorl--and in a larger, more expensive, unfinished building to boot (to use more modern phraseology, perhaps).

Not being sure how long the renovations/additions were intended to take, and not having a clue what would have been normal in Anglo-Saxon times, I really have no idea where the building project sits at--though it occurs to me that making the Inn profitable may well be directly due to the costs of building (I live in a province where building costs are really high right now, and there is a lot of building going on in different corners of my life...).

Anyway, I was curious.

[littlemanpoet]

This is not an rpg per sé, and thereby does not entail the commitments obligating one to post every so often. This is a "home base" for Rohan characters, which can from here head off into rpg's, or not, depending.

Therefore, guilt simply does not obtain.

If you do not post for a while, your character is inactive. If you cease to post for more than a month anywhere on the Downs, then I'll write your character having moved on.

But guilt is unnecessary. So stay and post as much or as little as you like. Something can always be thought up to make your character more useful according to your lights.

As for construction, I'd say that it is more or less complete in its basics. There may be detail work to be done. However, the new holding (Sorn's former holding) will need lots of work.

[Thinlómien]

I've finally read through everything that has happened since the men returned from the ruins. I must say that you've all written awesome posts and I truly mean it. It was really enjoyable to read through the thread.

So, now I'm here and at last able to participate. I will hopefully write something next week, but if not, I'll be anyway following the thread actively.

Keep up the good work everybody, you're gorgeous writers!

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

This is not an rpg per sé, and thereby does not entail the commitments obligating one to post every so often. This is a "home base" for Rohan characters, which can from here head off into rpg's, or not, depending.

Therefore, guilt simply does not obtain.

If you do not post for a while, your character is inactive. If you cease to post for more than a month anywhere on the Downs, then I'll write your character having moved on.

But guilt is unnecessary. So stay and post as much or as little as you like. Something can always be thought up to make your character more useful according to your lights.

As for construction, I'd say that it is more or less complete in its basics. There may be detail work to be done. However, the new holding (Sorn's former holding) will need lots of work.

Ssssh!!

While all you say is well and good, if you ever want me to post again (and I would prefer to be wanted than not), a little guilt is mighty powerful incentive. After all, the satisfaction of a post well done only comes AFTER the post is written.

[littlemanpoet]

Ah but guilt as motivation is a poor step-sister to the interest of the story and character, and much more likely to hinder creativity than engender it.

I am still seeking comments on the problem of Sorn's former lands. Which I think are going to be renamed Scarburg, for the "Scar" of rocky land nearby, as the locals call it. ..... makes it reminiscent of Scarborough, which is simple linguistic coincidence.

Anyway, as for Scarburg. Eodwine is going to go there to live, at some point. He will request that certain people come with him to his new "seat of governance", or some such. Rowenna is very likely to go with him, considering her motivations. Falco, I don't know. Eodwine is considering asking one of the Smith twins to become his Black Smith at Scarburg. Who joins him depends, perhaps, on where Ginna goes.

I don't really like moving Eodwine off center stage, but the idea of the Eorl of Middle Emnet having his seat of government right under the nose of Meduseld just doesn't make sense, at least not for the long term. King Eomer can see the problems with it: the King ought to be the authority of even local affairs in his own town. So he wants Eodwine to move, regardless of what Eodwine wants. What Eodwine really wants is to "shuck off" the Eorldom and become the tavern keeper at the old White Horse Inn, but that's not one of the choices available to him.

So where do you want your character to live?

[Folwren]

Eodwine, by rights, should be the one to choose. Everyone at the Mead Hall works under him and answers to him and in essence, does what he wants and will live where he wills them. Wouldn’t the Eorl’s entire household go with him? He will need an ostler and cook, at least, in his new holding, not to mention a few other random servants.

I honestly don’t know about Thornden. An inn would not need a man-at-arms, and if Eodwine does not need him at his new place, he may go back to Meduseld.

As for Javan – well, his father wanted to find him a place in Eodwine’s service, so I’m guessing that, if you’ll have him, Javan will go where Eodwine goes. However…..heh…..don’t make up your mind too fast. We always have an option of sending him home if he doesn’t work out.

My main question is, does the main play have to stay at the White Horse Inn? And my next main question – why?

-- Folwren