Wilderness, Weathertop, and Wild Things Discussion Thread

[Nuranar]

• Sarin Mithrilanger has had some issues come up and will not be on the Barrow-Downs for some time. Kransha, your first post in writing for the Orcs was so excellent; do you think you can take care of Ugwakh?
• My school schedule this fall is a little peculiar, so I want to offer a little explanation: I have 4 to 5 class sessions a day Monday-Thursday. I have breaks during those days, but not long enough to write much of a post. However, Friday-Sunday I have very little going on, as a rule. I just want to assure you that I don't regularly disappear the first half of every week.

Now for some planning.

5. Information from the Breelanders. We will make a general announcement in the Inn the next day saying we’re interested in any stories people might have to tell of the ‘happenings’ around Bree and its outlying communities. These “happenings” could include anything from the unexplained to murder: lost livestock, travelers who say they’ve ‘been followed,’ etc.

In my last post, I had Thoronmir volunteer to speak to Butterbur about what's been going on. The landlord of an inn like the Prancing Pony knows probably more news of the surrounding country than anyone else, so he's the logical place to start. Being the talkative cove that he is, the rest of the Bree people will learn that the travelers are seeking information.

To fit in with the next step of the plan, we will need 3 different "crime scenes" to investigate. One will be the Whittleworth farm, which our worthy Trolls obliterated so effectively while our King's messengers were consulting at the Pony. Fen Shepherdspurse will volunteer information about this one in his own time, so please, don't anyone jump the gun and beat him to it. So we need to learn from Butterbur and/or other Bree people about 2 other sites. Of course there will be more, but these will be probably the most recent; our goal in investigating them is to see who's responsible.

Therefore, in your next posts, please discuss these matters with the natives and invent specific stories about what's been happening. This phase can take either one or two full days, so you don't have to limit yourself to one beer's worth conversation in the common room.

Remember, we have no reason to think Trolls or Orcs or anything non-human is behind this. If you need to speculate, it's most likely to be evil men, brigands left over from the War and the Scouring of the Shire living in the Wild. However, I can easily imagine that the Breeland peasants have come up with any amount of wild "ghost stories" and things of that ilk to explain what's been happening.

6. The company breaks into smaller scouting groups to check out the stories. Veryadan has added these stories to his map, and the companions start to see that the attacks are beginning to happen in the outlying communities to the NORTHEAST of Bree now – the unknown perpetrators have moved their focus.

7. One group will be led by Fen to the Whittleworth farm. All the groups will rendezvous on Weathertop in 2 days to compare notes. The first group to arrive will be set upon by orcs.

8. The attack; a battle is fought; three companions are wounded – one severely.

9. The company is saved by the arrival of the other scouting groups.

When we have enough information, either Envinyatar or I will post and bring the group together to share information and plot sites on the map. Then we will decide which ones to investigate and divide into 3 groups: 2 groups of 3, and 1 group of 2. The group of 2 will be led by Fen to the Whittleworth farm. One of the groups of 3 will be the first to arrive at Weathertop.

I need to know if any of you want to volunteer your character for an injury. Meneltarmacil has already volunteered Thoronmir to get hurt later along the road to Rivendell (although you can change that if you like, of course). I just need to know what preferences you have before I decide how to divide us up. Otherwise, I'll just make assignments.

We've made a good, swift start on this; keep up the good work! Carry on!

~ Nuranar