Eorling Mead Hall Planning/Discussion Thread

[Celuien]

Do the posts have to go there, lmp? That gives Garstan the kids before he talks to Farahil. And he was looking for the children in 392...

[piosenniel]

You all take time to reach a final decision before I start moving things . . .



~*~ Pio

[Nogrod]

I agree with Celuien here about the timing. They really met only later, after the other things / simultaneously to them. But surely Garstan can't be looking for his kids after he has met with them?

I see no problem in our characters meeting in the "middle of the night". They had all had a hard day - and the children couldn't feel their inner clock as they were so excited about the new company. To me this looks fine as it is...

And I guess at least on the part of our family (and I believe) also of Celuien's characters, we are ready to change the day now...

CROSS-POSTED WITH LMP - SEE THE NEXT POST...

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Celuien

Do the posts have to go there, lmp? That gives Garstan the kids before he talks to Farahil. And he was looking for the children in 392...

The problem is that Noggie has written Saeryn into 395, doing things that she has to have done before 387.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

They arranged their belongings to their new quarters and discussed this and that, but soon they felt really tired indeed. It was late and Cnebba hadn’t yet come. In the end Stigend took out to search for him. As soon as he got to the corridor he heard the door banging and then the joyous shrieks of children coming towards him from the downstairs. He settled himself to the upper end of the stairs and waited for the children to come up.

This is a good transition point such that the part ahead of it can be moved to before 387, while the rest of it can remain where it is, allowing 396 to stay put. Does that make sense, or am I missing something?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

The problem is that Noggie has written Saeryn into 395, doing things that she has to have done before 387.

Couldn't we just handle this as a flashback - as I think it is usual here. The things might have moved forwards and then someone just remembers what has happened before?

To me it would be no problem, but I'm surely ready to correct things if that is needed.

We could just cut my post from the middle (after Saeryn's gone) and move the first part to an earlier location and then leave the rest + Celuien's last one to where it is?

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

My only concern is the same as LMP's. Saeryn is crying in Eodwine's room at the time she seems also to be showing your folks their room/s. The rest of the post can really go anywhere, and I have no problem at all with anything Saer said (you got her quite well), it's just that one inconsistency.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Feanor of the Peredhil

My only concern is the same as LMP's. Saeryn is crying in Eodwine's room at the time she seems also to be showing your folks their room/s.

How come you think she is doing it at the same time? If we would like to make the story unfold absolutely chronologically, we should then use a tightly targeted - and before discussed and dealed - saves-system to clear to everyone on what hour of their day thing one or two happens. How would that be made with all the time-zone issues etc.?

And that's the way I think these games have been played! There seemed to be no problem with this same thing as our family was fetched in to the Mead Hall, and still my post first looked back on things that had happened before we were called in and continued the story? (I think even the Mead Hall thread is full of these "going back a little" -instances, but as the sun already shines here and I am tired, I will not go searching for other examples)

And please, look at how the posts went:

Lmp, end of #386
Saeryn as host and Lady, showed the family to their room, and Eodwine went to the hearth fire to see how Garwine had fared.

Fea, start of #387
Saeryn retired to her room for a few short moments to splash cold water on her face and change into soft breeches and a loose shirt long since stolen from Degas.

Does your requirement mean that if you happen to have time to write these two things one after another, no one else is allowed to write of anything that has happened between these two posts including what your characters have done between the "jump" you have created by posting at certain hour of your timezone? I can't see that as a good RPG'ing, even I'm a novice in here.

So what actually is the problem? I don't see one here...

And I am sorry if my tone is sounding bad. I'm not meaning it 'cause I love to be in this game with you all. I'm just astonished about this discussion out from nowhere to which I can't see no reason...

But you might enlighten me about it if I'm totally wrong (and if I'm the only one, then just ignore my babbling).

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

It's not a problem with the writing or the story telling at all. It's merely a question as to whether or not it might help potential readers to shift sections around a little bit. Not deletion, not rewriting, just a little bit of movement to help it read more smoothly.

[piosenniel]

If Nogrod put the first part of his post into Past Perfect tense; then, a reader could assume that these actions had taken place earlier in the story line. The first part of the post would be more like a recollection of what had gone on.

Would this work well enough for everyone's concerns?

-----

They had run into Garmund and Lèoðern on their way to their chambers. Although the situation might be better described by saying that Garmund and Lèoðern had run to them.

“You must first come and see where our home is dear”, Modtryth tried to reason to Cnebba as he was intensively asking for a permit to go play outside with Garmund and Lèoðern still for a while. “How could you come home if you don’t know where it is?”

“You could come and get me, ... if you’d find me!” Cnebba had answered, looking at the siblings as conspirationally as an 8-year old is capable of. “Or we could sleep outside? We could play that we are great heroes on a dangerous journey!” he continued with his eyes flashing. Garmund and Lèoðern seemed to appreciate Cnebba’s zeal.

“I have a solution”, Stigend had broken in. Then he turned towards Garmund and Lèoðern, kneeling a little to be nearer the level of their faces and asked: “If your father and mother let you stay up this late, would you like to come with us to see our chambers? You could keep company with Cnebba and we could all see our new home. Okay? I think the Lady here would have other things to do than follow our discussions about who is to come home and when and with whom.” The last bit of his speech had clearly not been directed to the children only. They had been so well received that Stigend was somewhat worried not to cause any unnecessary troubles or inconveniences to their new masters because of them.

The children had looked at each other, smiled and nodded enthusiastically in chorus. Lady Saeryn had smiled at the kids and after nodding gently to Modtryth and Stigend, she turned to lead them to their quarters.

The room was clean and cosy. By their standards it was almost luxurious. Clean linens on beds, a table and chairs of well made handicraft, even a wardrobe and a rocking chair! And it was clean. That last one really impressed the three. Yes, it also impressed Cnebba.

“I hope to see you all downstairs in the morning to have breakfast and to discuss your duties”, Saeryn had addressed them from the doorstep. Noticing Cnebba’s little shiver when he heard the word ‘duties’, she added kindly, smiling at him: “Yes, you too Cnebba. You will have a duty to play with Garmund and Lèoðern everyday so that all your parents can do their work undisturbed by you three.” She had smiled at Stigend and Modtryth and left with the wishes of good night.

After Stigend and Modtryth had carried all their belongings to their room and Stigend had been shown where to take their horse and the cart, they both felt happy and tired. The children clearly were happy too, but unfortunately they seemed not to be tired at all. When in the game of ‘orcs and knights’ Cnebba and Garmund fell together over a pile of newly pleated clothes, Stigend and Modtryth realised, that the room wasn’t so big at all, at least tonight.

“You still would like to play outside?” Modtryth asked with a bit sarcastic tone that the children wouldn’t understand, but which Stigend enjoyed so much, when the point was not directed to himself. The children almost froze hearing her words. “Outside?” they yelled in chorus and were about to set out immediately.

“Hey!” Stigend called them loud enough to stop them at the door. “Cnebba, not for a long time. You’ll have to sleep tonight and you have all the days to play together. You’ll come back in an hour.” During his last sentence the kids had already turned around and run off. “You forgot the ‘no foolery’-part”, Modtryth said to her husband, smiling heartily. Stigend just smiled back and whispered in a laid-back tone “Nobody’s perfect...”, and winked an eye to her.

The two had taken each others hands and just felt happy. “We have been blessed today”, Modtryth whispered softly. “At least being fortunate”, Stigend answered quietly and ran his fingers through her hair. “We might even get these washed one day” he noted jokingly after a while, still smoothing her. Modtryth tugged him so hard that he fell flat on his back to the bed. “Oh, you!” she had protested, but they were both laughing. The first thoroughly happy laughs they had had in years.

~*~

They arranged their belongings to their new quarters and discussed this and that, but soon they felt really tired indeed. It was late and Cnebba hadn’t yet come. In the end Stigend took out to search for him. As soon as he got to the corridor he heard the door banging and then the joyous shrieks of children coming towards him from the downstairs. He settled himself to the upper end of the stairs and waited for the children to come up.

“Daddy, daddy, look what we found!” Cnebba shouted eagerly. All three gathered around Stigend as Garmund showed him the find. Stigend kneeled to see it better. It was a caterpillar, that much Stigend knew of it, but he had never been very knowledgeable with these things.

“It’s called a caterpillar. It will change into a butterfly one day.” He said to his keen audience. The children looked at him in disbelief. “This yacky thing will be a beautiful butterfly one day?” Lèoðern asked, hardly being able to hold back her disbelief.

“Yes it will my little ones” said the voice from behind them.

“Daddy!” Garmund and Lèoðern shouted and ran to him, Garmund still carefully treasuring the newly found wonder in his hand. Stigend rose up and greeted the man.

“You must be Garstan, the stoneshaper. My name is Stigend, I’m a carpenter.” They shook hands in eorling fashion, taking hold with their right arms of the others right arm just someway below the wrist and looked each other in the eye.

Stigend felt good with this man. His eyes were honest and open, revealing a kind of person he had used to appreciate. His grip from his hand was firm and strong, yet he seemed not to be one of those who wanted to impress others with too much force – or one of those whose hand felt like a cold dead fish.

[Celuien]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

This is a good transition point such that the part ahead of it can be moved to before 387, while the rest of it can remain where it is, allowing 396 to stay put. Does that make sense, or am I missing something?

That makes sense to me. My only concern was that if the meeting took place before my post in 389, I would have to edit that post and 392 to account for Garstan's having already met Stigend. And having already sent the children to bed. Nogrod put it well here:

But surely Garstan can't be looking for his kids after he has met with them?

Either change, whether by making the first half of Nogrod's post a flashback through use of the past perfect, or by moving the first part up to the transition point is fine for me. Whichever everyone else prefers.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Celuien

Either change, whether by making the first half of Nogrod's post a flashback through use of the past perfect, or by moving the first part up to the transition point is fine for me. Whichever everyone else prefers.

I agree. Both work fine.

[littlemanpoet]

Let's go with the past perfect the way you wrote it, Pio. And thanks for taking such effort to help us out. It is greatly appreciated.

[piosenniel]

OK -- the Past Perfect form of the post is on the Mead Hall Thread.

I'm just going to park the original post here:

Originally Posted by Nogrod

They ran into Garmund and Lèoðern on their way to their chambers. Although the situation might be better described by saying that Garmund and Lèoðern ran to them.

“You must first come and see where our home is dear”, Modtryth tried to reason to Cnebba as he was intensively asking for a permit to go play outside with Garmund and Lèoðern still for a while. “How could you come home if you don’t know where it is?”

“You could come and get me, ... if you’d find me!” Cnebba answered, looking at the siblings as conspirationally as an 8-year old is capable of. “Or we could sleep outside? We could play that we are great heroes on a dangerous journey!” he continued with his eyes flashing. Garmund and Lèoðern seemed to appreciate Cnebba’s zeal.

“I have a solution”, Stigend broke in. Then he turned towards Garmund and Lèoðern, kneeling a little to be nearer the level of their faces and asked: “If your father and mother let you stay up this late, would you like to come with us to see our chambers? You could keep company with Cnebba and we could all see our new home. Okay? I think the Lady here would have other things to do than follow our discussions about who is to come home and when and with whom.” The last bit of his speech was clearly not directed to the children only. They had been so well received that Stigend was somewhat worried not to cause any unnecessary troubles or inconveniences to their new masters because of them.

The children looked at each other, smiled and nodded enthusiastically in chorus. Lady Saeryn smiled to the kids and after nodding gently to Modtryth and Stigend, she turned to lead them to their quarters.

The room was clean and cosy. By their standards it was almost luxurious. Clean linens on beds, a table and chairs of well made handicraft, even a wardrobe and a rocking chair! And it was clean. That last one really impressed the three. Yes, it also impressed Cnebba.

“I hope to see you all downstairs in the morning to have breakfast and to discuss your duties”, Saeryn addressed them from the doorstep. Noticing Cnebba’s little shiver when he heard the word ‘duties’, she added kindly, smiling at him: “Yes, you too Cnebba. You will have a duty to play with Garmund and Lèoðern everyday so that all your parents can do their work undisturbed by you three.” She smiled to Stigend and Modtryth and left with the wishes of good night.

After Stigend and Modtryth had carried all their belongings to their room and Stigend had been shown where to take their horse and the cart, they both felt happy and tired. The children clearly were happy too, but unfortunately they seemed not to be tired at all. When in the game of ‘orcs and knights’ Cnebba and Garmund fell together over a pile of newly pleated clothes, Stigend and Modtryth realised, that the room wasn’t so big at all, at least tonight.

“You still would like to play outside?” Modtryth asked with a bit sarcastic tone that the children wouldn’t understand, but which Stigend enjoyed so much, when the point was not directed to himself. The children almost froze hearing her words. “Outside?” they yelled in chorus and were about to set out immediately.

“Hey!” Stigend called them loud enough to stop them at the door. “Cnebba, not for a long time. You’ll have to sleep tonight and you have all the days to play together. You’ll come back in an hour.” During his last sentence the kids had already turned around and run off. “You forgot the ‘no foolery’-part”, Modtryth said to her husband, smiling heartily. Stigend just smiled back and whispered in a laid-back tone “Nobody’s perfect...”, and winked an eye to her.

They took each others hands and just felt happy. “We have been blessed today”, Modtryth whispered softly. “At least being fortunate”, Stigend answered quietly and ran his fingers through her hair. “We might even get these washed one day” he noted jokingly after a while, still smoothing her. Modtryth tugged him so hard that he fell flat on his back to the bed. “Oh, you!” she protested, but they were both laughing. The first thoroughly happy laughs they had had in years.


They arranged their belongings to their new quarters and discussed this and that, but soon they felt really tired indeed. It was late and Cnebba hadn’t yet come. In the end Stigend took out to search for him. As soon as he got to the corridor he heard the door banging and then the joyous shrieks of children coming towards him from the downstairs. He settled himself to the upper end of the stairs and waited for the children to come up.

“Daddy, daddy, look what we found!” Cnebba shouted eagerly. All three gathered around Stigend as Garmund showed him the find. Stigend kneeled to see it better. It was a caterpillar, that much Stigend knew of it, but he had never been very knowledgeable with these things.

“It’s called a caterpillar. It will change into a butterfly one day.” He said to his keen audience. The children looked at him in disbelief. “This yacky thing will be a beautiful butterfly one day?” Lèoðern asked, hardly being able to hold back her disbelief.

“Yes it will my little ones” said the voice from behind them.

“Daddy!” Garmund and Lèoðern shouted and ran to him, Garmund still carefully treasuring the newly found wonder in his hand. Stigend rose up and greeted the man.

“You must be Garstan, the stoneshaper. My name is Stigend, I’m a carpenter.” They shook hands in eorling fashion, taking hold with their right arms of the others right arm just someway below the wrist and looked each other in the eye.

Stigend felt good with this man. His eyes were honest and open, revealing a kind of person he had used to appreciate. His grip from his hand was firm and strong, yet he seemed not to be one of those who wanted to impress others with too much force – or one of those whose hand felt like a cold dead fish.

[Nogrod]

Yes. I truly and wholeheartedly agree with lmp here:

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Let's go with the past perfect the way you wrote it, Pio. And thanks for taking such effort to help us out. It is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Pio.

[littlemanpoet]

It appears that Feanor has deftly ended the Day. Nice writing!

We now move on to the next Day for a (somewhat) brief series of posts to tie up dangling loose ends, or at least to pin them onto the drawing board in ways that suit us.

Would anyone like to take dibs at starting the new Day?