The Fellowship of the Fourth Age (Part 1): A New Beginning Discussion Thread

[Durelin]

I like the 'fire trench' idea, Hilde. A trench might be enough to contain it well enough...maybe...at least believably enough? What does everyone else think? Should we go with the fireballs, the fire trench, or neither?

Besides my opinion, you don't need acohol or lighter fluid to start dry grass and plant life on fire.

I actually meant to be used to set on fire rather than the grass and plant life, as *technically*, just the alcohol will burn and not the ground. But yes, your points about 'controlled' fires are very very true.

Edit: Save filled. I only talked about the tunnel. Any other ideas (like the fire ones) can be added in, if anyone would like, or they can simply be covered by anyone else who would like to.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Carl's save is filled. I mentioned the trench but not the fire, incase it does not seem feasible.

I also thought the stones could be piled in the blanket and snapped to send them showering on the approaching slavers.

[Brinniel]

Are we still on a weapon shortage for the ex-slaves? Even with the traps, the ex-slaves who choose to fight will need someway to defend themselves, and I know not all of them own knives.

How many of the ex-slaves would be able to use a bow and arrow? And how many of them would already own one? Arrows can be quite deadly, especially when used as an element of surprise. The slavers do not expect the ex-slaves to be prepared for attack, so I was thinking, if several archers hid in the brush and shot at the slavers just as they approached, several riders could easily be taken down. The ex-slaves, particularly the fifteen more experienced, have learned how to use the resources around them, so a few bows and several arrows could easily be made. I'm sure Shae could be quite crafty when it comes to weapon making...

Just a thought...

[Nogrod]

I have an idea.

How many horses do we have? There is seven in the fellowship, have they all a full grown horse or do Vrór and Carl have something like ponies? Would it be plausible that we might have caught one or two horses from the slavers last attack?

The writers of the fellowship should speak for themselves, but is there anyone else who would make a formidable warrior on horseback than Dorran in the fellowship (I ran through the BIO's and was left uncertain about it)? Of the escapees at least Beloan might be decided to be one with with experience fighting as a rider and also on the basis of what I wrote the last time, Joshwan might be a candidate also (maybe Khamir too - even he would have to be a real pro to make it one-handed?). And surely some of those people who we have not yet named, especially among the people who were with the initial "Khamir's bunch" - or some of us writers making their character a fluent rider? (Hadith will not be one)

A group of let's say 5-7 riders, led by Dorran, might prove an asset the slavers could not foresee! A nice flanking movement on a tight spot might make a difference causing damage and confusion.


I also like Brinniel's reminder of projectile weapons. As we have described the surroundings, there shouldn't be suitable materials for any new bows (and anyway, it's pretty hard to make a lethal bow in a matter of hours - all the soaking & twisting & stuff that really turns a toy into a real weapon takes days and weeks). But why shouldn't we have some bows already? And surely there would be slings! The number of arrows and sling-pebbles should be limited: maybe 4-5 arrows/bow and about 8-10 pebbles/sling, or something? With something like 4-7 bows and about 10 slings we might have a "ranged attack -party" of 14-18. Add to that a 5-7 "cavalry unit" and we have clearly boosted our defence!


The tunnel-idea is a good one (if there is enough soil over the bedrock!). The horses rushing in at full gallop will surely stumble and the rider will be thrown off. That's just what we will need to happen. No army made of these people & their equipment will stand a full frontal cavalry attack. No way. We need to unsaddle the slavers and gain whatever momentary advantage we can. Dropping them from saddle by making the horses to stumble surely is a good way to that end.

If there is going to be a storm, then the fireballs will be a bad idea. In heavy rain they won't alight, in strong winds they will be next to impossible to throw anywhere in particular as they will be so light.


Anyhow, what say you?

PS. About this "cavalry" of ours. Surely there shouldn't be any real champions in our riders - except Dorran. One or two might be good riders (with some actual experience) and the few rest would basically know how to ride and be formidable fighters in general. Dorran might teach them some basics before the engagement?

[Regin Hardhammer]

Save filled. The slavers have just left their camp. Ishkur has dragged a small barrel back for all the orcs to enjoy.

Child -- I've moved the time to the afternoon as you suggested.

- Regin

[Folwren]

Athwen has the ability to ride almost as well as her husband (she beat him in a race once, when they were younger ) - not fighting, of course - but if you need someone to simply do interesting and wild horse maneauvers, perhaps to lead the slaver's on, Athwen can do it.

Otherwise, she won't be doing anythng besides staying back and helping the wounded and hurt.

-- Folwren

[Child of the 7th Age]

I think there are a lot of good ideas here.

Hilde - The stones in the blanket are a nice touch. They are heavy enough to fly true even with the winds.

Brinniel - Your point about the bow and arrow is a good one. My guess is that some of the "older" runaways would already have made a bow for purposes of catching game, if nothing else. They can certainly be used as weapons, and the skills and extra weapons can be given to the newcomers. You'll probably need to get in very close, however. With the winds blowing so hard just as the attackers come in range of the camp, there is a possibility of arrows going far astray. The advantage of the winds and sand is that the slavers will be hard pressed to see you, especially since they won't be wearing any protective covering. You might want to consider taking shelter behind some boulders and keeping your heads down, then darting in very close to shoot as the slavers come roaring by you.

Nogrod, Folwren -- This sounds good too. I'd love to see both Folwren and Dorran part of an "advance" horse guard. I especially like the idea of using this advance guard to spook the other horses and run some of them off. Any character who can sit a horse is welcome to borrow a horse and join. (We have enough horses between us, and I doubt that characters like Carl or Vror will want to fight on horseback!) Of course, if Dorran or someone wants to finish up with a blade to the rider they are chsing that is fine too!

Because of what Rog and Aiwendil are doing out on the plain, some of the slavers' horses will aready be running away and/or partly spooked. This will only be a small number, however, so further help in this department when the slavers actually reach the outskirts of camp would be good.

I think there is one thing we are all going to have to be careful about. We have 24 or so slavers so we should probably resist the urge to take out 6 at a time! Rather than describing large numbers hitting the dust at once, we will probably need to have the focus be the single individual and the particular enemy he/she is facing.

***************
Regin and other orcs---

I know I haven't posted as an orc in a long time. I'm sorry, but I will get up something for Makdush. And now that the three groups are coming together, I expect to be doing a number of orc posts. It would be good if we could have some other orcs post in that scene as well as the later episode in the slaver camp.

The general idea is to have the main body of orcs be slightly (totally?) soused by the late night when the freed slaves triumphantly arrive to take over the slavers' camps. That is when the confrontation of the three groups will finally occur! (YAY!)

Regin came up with this, and I think it is a good idea. There is a basic problem here in terms of that first meeting. The natural instinct of the slaves would be to try and kill an orc if he/she was pillaging and stealing, which is what the orcs are doing in the camp. But it is a lot harder to kill someone if they are tipsy and not able to stand up straight. You have a choice...you can kill an orc who isn't capable of fighting back, or you can stay your hand and see what happens.

At the same time, we need one or more sober (or semisober) orcs who can make a plea for mercy to the followship and the slaves for their fellow orcs....explain how the group plans to settle in the foothills of the northern mountain and how they ran off rather than fight in the war against the Easterlings.

Maybe one or more of the female orcs could do that? In Morgoth's Ring, Tokien once said that, in the entire history of Arda, an orc had never made a plea for mercy, but if they should happen the free peoples of Arda would be obligated to take the plea seriously. We're going to take Tolkien at his word and see what happens....

I know we're still a ways from those scenes but I wanted to give you an idea which way this is leading. I have a feeling that different characters will respond to the orcs/slaves in different ways. It will presumably strain the unity of the group.....in fact probably both groups! It won't be easy for either side to forgive or at least to learn and live with the situation. In the end however mercy will gain the upper hand. (It better or the game will be over a lot quicker than we had planned! )

[Folwren]

I am to write the next post, am I not? Just let me know. In the mean time, I'll be preparing it.

-- Folwren

[Durelin]

Just as a note: Carl I believe has a pony, and Vror has nothing in the way of a mount.

Love all the ideas!

And yes, finally we get to meet up with the orcs! Shall be more than a little interesting!