Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[Folwren]

K, I'll see if I can get all my thoughts straight.

Nogrod, from what you said in your post listing all the character's you'd like to see played, you mentioned a new right-hand man for the new eorl. Does this mean that Thornden will be replaced? The new eorl is bringing in his own steward? I guess that's fine, especially if he comes from a large household or estate where there would be a steward. Just means more interesting reactions for my characters to have.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Yes. And Mnemo will write my wife - and Lommy our two trouble-maker sons...

Oooh! More boys! This will be GREAT!

About Saeryn:

You're right, Fea. I feel that Saeryn would travel with Eodwine, pregnancy or no, unless some circumstance kept her from it. Well, I guess if she was nine months pregnant she wouldn't travel, that's true. Or.........she could be having a delicate pregnancy, so they decide that she shouldn't travel and then when she gets the news about Eodwine's death, she could go into early labor. But come to think of it, that sounds really ... cheesy? So I dunno.

I agree with Fea, by the way. I think Eodwine should not be kept alive indefinitely. If Elempi wishes to return, I really, really think he'd just as well like to create a new character than try to resurrect Eodwine.

Back to Saeryn:

Twins sound insanely fun, though I've heard the the gene skips a generation. So, according to Earth's scientific reasoning, Saeryn could not bear twins. But, according to Middle-earth - who knows?

Originally Posted by Fea

As far as an appropriate end to a beloved character, I think it would be more fitting for him to die in the pursuit of an exciting story than for a hesitant writer to try [and probably fail] to continue his existence. I've taken on other people's characters before, and I promise, they never entirely feel like yours. No matter how good you get at them, no matter how long you do it, there's always a nagging feeling that you're not doing it quite right, because you're not doing it the way the original writer would have done.

This is true. I was wondering, are you wanting Saeryn back? If you were to ask me, I'd say I don't really want to give her back, because I'm looking forward to this, but I'd give her to you willingly, because I'm like that.

But if you intend to just play Degas and Rowenna, that's awesome.

This idea is very intriquing about Degas fighting for Saeryn's rights as land-holder. I had not even thought of the implications of a new eorl and what that would mean to Saeryn or her children.

K....I think I've said all that I need to. If I've missed anything, I'll write again, sometime. I would like to see what manner of man the new Eorl is. Are you going to get up a Character Bio of him sometime?

Are we writing in detail about Eodwine's departure, or just skimming over it?

Are we still deciding whether he should die from an accident or a sickness? Falling off the roof just occurred to me. That sounds reasonable.

Is there any new part you would like me to play? I currently have three characters, all of them very different from each other, and may be willing to pick up a fourth, if it can also be different than the other three. We'll see.

I'm off.

-- Foley

P.S. I'm glad you're back, Fea.

I'm glad new players are coming in.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Fea

But wouldn't somebody tell Saeryn for sure whether Eodwine lived or died? While it's good to keep it ambiguous if LMP wants to come back at any point, it's not entirely plausible in terms of characters. Surely somebody would inform his pregnant wife that he was either alive or dead.

I don't think this should prove to be a mjor problem... Let's say it takes a few days to get into Edoras, then they try to cure him for for a few days, then traveling to Rohan, a month or two in the houses of healing... Do you see where I'm getting at?

It would take at least two months before there could be anything to inform anyone about - and the message would have to come back as well, first to Edoras and then from there to the Mead Hall. So we would have at least three months (game time) ahead of us with no knowledge of his destiny.

Now we managed to write one particular day in the story for one year real-time!
(okay, we'll probably not be that slow anymore as there will be no huge games to be organised etc. but anyway we could sort out Eodwine's fate later - like the next year (RL) or something. And even if the message would then be that he died in Minas Tirith, you know how stories and rumours are... they might not be true...

By sending in a new eorl king Eomer surely has sent a strong message about how he feels about lord Eodwine's chances of making it... and we should take the attitude that he will die and dies.

Originally Posted by Fea

I'm trying to figure out if it's plausible that Saeryn would stay if Eodwine was going. I'm thinking if she was pregnant and they worried that her traveling would be disruptive to it?

What would you think about the following suggestion: If it's the morning (or the night before) the landlords come when Eodwine takes ill, then people would advice Saeryn to stay and take her place in receiving the quests while Eodwine is taken to Edoras. She could then ride after him the next day or something like that - and get her last moments with him in the city where the doctors decide he should be sent to Minas Tirith - a trip too much for a pregnant woman...?

Originally Posted by Fea

Sorry, Nog, love, but a new Eorl is just asking for trouble.

That was actually the original idea. Isn't it some drama we need?

Originally Posted by Foley

you mentioned a new right-hand man for the new eorl. Does this mean that Thornden will be replaced? The new eorl is bringing in his own steward? I guess that's fine, especially if he comes from a large household or estate where there would be a steward. Just means more interesting reactions for my characters to have.

Possibly even replaced, but at least challenged with his position... But as you say the intention is to open up new possibilities and tensions to make it more interesting to write.

Originally Posted by Foley

Oooh! More boys! This will be GREAT!

Well, these two played by Lommy will be 17 and 21 so a bit different kind of troublemakers... but I would love to see more kids to join the MH as well! Think of a spoiled kid of the new eorl getting along with Garmund, Cnebba, Leodthern and Javan...

Originally Posted by Foley

I would like to see what manner of man the new Eorl is. Are you going to get up a Character Bio of him sometime?

I think it would be fair that the writers of all the new characters would supply a bio for their characters.

But of the new eorl I could say at least the following right now. Firstly king Eomer wouldn't appoint just anybody to such a position so he will be a war-hero from the Pelennor fields, about the same age as lord Eodwine (a few years older actually). Also he comes from an aristocratic family, kind of old nobility... and as he knows his stature and place among any group of people he demands others to know their place likewise. So do not expect to see a person like Eodwine who would like to make personal friends with all his staff...

It will actually be quite a challenge to me to write him as he seems to be an almost polar opposite of me... But that's one of the reasons I'm really looking forwards into writing him. A challenge indeed.

Originally Posted by Foley

Is there any new part you would like me to play? I currently have three characters, all of them very different from each other, and may be willing to pick up a fourth, if it can also be different than the other three.

As you say, let's see. If we get a few more new writers we could go with that. I mean writing three characters is alrady quite a lot. But I'm in no way saying you shouldn't take a fourth one if you wish that yourself.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Folwren

Twins sound insanely fun, though I've heard the the gene skips a generation. So, according to Earth's scientific reasoning, Saeryn could not bear twins. But, according to Middle-earth - who knows?

Ooh, an invitation to google something biological? <3

Okay so having just run a quick and reputable search of twins, I've come to discover that identical twins seem to be more or less random, but that doesn't matter since Degas and Saeryn are fraternal (of course, being different sexes). As for fraternal twins, scientists are leaning toward the theory that it's caused by hyper-ovulation in women (the tendency to release multiple eggs during ovulation). Which is an inheritable trait. Thing is, since guys don't ovulate, they carry the gene but it doesn't do anything to them, but they can pass it on (so say a woman was a twin and had two boys, they probably won't have twins, so each of them has one daughter, but they passed on the recessive hyper-ovulation tendency and both girls have twins; it's not so much skipping generations as skipping genders). So guys with a family history of twins, excluding marrying a woman with a family history, aren't all that likely to have twins, whereas a woman who is a fraternal twin is substantially more likely to have inherited the trait.

Long story short, Saeryn can have twins if you want her to, Degas can't.

This is true. I was wondering, are you wanting Saeryn back? If you were to ask me, I'd say I don't really want to give her back, because I'm looking forward to this, but I'd give her to you willingly, because I'm like that.

Oh god no, she's yours. I have too much fun reading what she's doing from this side of the page. Just tell me if I'm tampering too much in your plans with my suggestions.

But if you intend to just play Degas and Rowenna, that's awesome.

Them, and maybe a couple others. I'm thinking about Degas putting in a call to the girlfriend's family to build up a thoroughly tactful and diplomatic show of power. Mostly I've just missed writing Lin's brothers and this is a wonderful excuse to bring back the loud and huge older brother and the cat-like ninja-ish younger of the two.

[Nogrod]

Hi Mnemo!

I just realised I have sent you two PM's... They're basically identical but the end is different as I added things on the latter one.

I mistakenly pressed something that took me out from the PM-writing mode but didn't realise it was the send-button... Well, now I can see it was that.

Sorry for flooding your account (it's actually full now...).

[piosenniel]

Nice to see the transitioning is going well and with much enthusiasm!

Looking forward to continuing my read of this enjoyable tale.

~*~ Pio

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Wanna join us, Pio?

[Folwren]

That would be awesome, if you joined us, Pio.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Well, these two played by Lommy will be 17 and 21 so a bit different kind of troublemakers... but I would love to see more kids to join the MH as well! Think of a spoiled kid of the new eorl getting along with Garmund, Cnebba, Leodthern and Javan...

That was what I was thinking. Can it be arranged?

A 17 and 21 year old will be interesting enough, though, depending on how they're played and just what sort of characters they are... You mentioned 'troublemakers', though.

The new Eorl sounds interesting. He's not quite the 'normal' bad guy who is bad just for the sake of being bad. I'm looking forward to this. Fellows who are used to authority are tough to work with....and that means fun for us writers.

Fea, I see I was wrong. That is interesting. She could have twins. Hehehe.

Originally Posted by Fea

Oh no, she's yours. I have too much fun reading what she's doing from this side of the page. Just tell me if I'm tampering too much in your plans with my suggestions.

I'm glad you enjoy reading my stuff for Saeryn. You are not tampering too much in my plans at all. I like it when you comment on things that 'could' happen with Saeryn, because then it gives me both ideas and insights into Saeryn's character that I may not have thought of before.

Nogrod and Lommy, if we are skipping to the day Eodwine leaves and if it is before the new Eorl arrives with his extra, new characters, can we start writing that day now? We could all make a pact to make the day as short as possible and so get on to the new eorl as quick as possible.

Looking forward to start writing again!

-- Foley

[Thinlómien]

Join, pio, join!

I'm rather sick at the moment, so I don't know how I'll manage stuff but you guys are making me enthusiastic with your enthusiasm. Maybe I'll even post my character bios today? I have a very clear idea of these two rascals in my head, and I'm afraid they won't be too gentle to the current staff, especially the womenfolk...

I promised Nog I'd spam some people with invitations but I haven't had the time/health to do it yet. I think I could do it now. Like, right now. *hurries off*