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

Nogrod · 04-09-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hilde Bracegirdle

Could anyone fill me in on where the orcs the gold laden horse is at the moment? Just curious.

The horse laiden with gold is in the slaver-captain's tent with Ishkur and Gwerr who loaded it in the first place - and now also Makdush is in there. They are the three males (two orcs and the Uruk) who still are in their senses. The other males are sleeping their drunkenness off around the camp. And the females have disappeared...

We might still think together which way is the best. Should the females come to beg for mercy on the drunken and the three sensible males should then come to a rescue (which would fail) or would it be better that the three try to rescue their male-friends first and when they in the end are captured the females would come to beg for all of the males?

Regin Hardhammer · 04-09-2007, 01:49 PM

Save filled. Nogrod - If that's not a good lead-in at the end for you, tell me and I'll change it. Maybe we should take a minute to hide our gold? What do you think?

I kind of like the idea of us doing something very brave, almost escaping but getting caught....and the women and young boy coming to beg for our life.

Brinniel - I wouldn't mind if Shae tried to run me through later and then got stopped by Lindir.

It would teach Ishkur something about female fighters. He's never encountered one.

Hilde Bracegirdle · 04-09-2007, 02:00 PM

Thanks for the summary, Nogrod. Very handy to have!

Durelin · 04-09-2007, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nogrod

We might still think together which way is the best. Should the females come to beg for mercy on the drunken and the three sensible males should then come to a rescue (which would fail) or would it be better that the three try to rescue their male-friends first and when they in the end are captured the females would come to beg for all of the males?

Well, on one hand I think it would be neater to have the sensible males attack first and get overtaken (by pure numbers), and then have the females "come to their aid" last. I think it would be an interesting twist for both the orcs and the 'Free Peoples' that way. Plus it would leave the females pleading for the lives of the males to be spared (and putting themselves in harms way to do it) as the last thing in the Free Peoples' minds.

But then there is the issue of how much damage three male orcs could do. Well...unless they decide on a wild attack once the whole group of slaves and Fellowship is there...then I wouldn't be too concerned about how much more our poor battle-worn group can take.

Child of the 7th Age · 04-09-2007, 03:43 PM

Yeah....I guess I also favor the women pleading as well, but could adapt to whatever we decide to do.

But you're right about the fellowship group. Some members would be hard put to defend themselves at this point. On the other hand, if the orcs are trying to free the other "hostages", then those who were most "able" would rush forward with their swords to fight. We must have three characters in "ok" shape to do this. Lindir is hale and hearty. The trick will be to have no one, on either side, getting killed. (That would generate too much ill will for any kind of grudging cooperation to be possible.) If Shae attacked a sleeping orc, Lindir would stop her. But he is certainly not likely to tell someone not to strike a lethal blow to prevent the release of the other orcs or to protect themselves.

The question is this: are we still going with a two-pronged situation. First, Shae tries to strike a sleeping orc and is stopped by Lindir? Second, the male orcs try to attack and free their comrades?

If that is the case, I would assume that Lindir pens up the other orcs and keeps them that way overnight and sends a messenger back to the old camp to tell the others to come the next day. Then, wouldn't Ishkur, Makdush and Gwerr be more likely to stage a surprise assault in the middle of the night to free their companions? They would not so much be attacking members of the fellowship, but trying to get their own people free. But perhaps somehow, someway, Lindir has anticipated that possibility and has guards who raise the alarm and immediately ambush them so they also end up in the pen??

Is that possible, or are there other ways of looking at this?

Durelin · 04-09-2007, 03:53 PM

Is there the possibility of the orcs attempting only to free their comrades by trying to sneak into the pit...possibly by putting the tunnel that the Fellowship used to use again? Maybe Vror and the others didn't put the rocks back as well as they thought they had to cover it up? The orcs in the pit wouldn't be able to find it, and certainly not through the water, but the orcs outside might.

But again, Lindir could have been anticipating this, and they get caught as well in the pit. (They get into the pit to help free their companions and then a bunch of guards pop up above the pit, and there are some at the other end of the tunnel as well.) Then there isn't a direct confrontation, so neither any orcs or any of the fellowship will get harmed...?

Hope that made sense...

Basically what you're saying, Child, just fleshed out a little differently...I think.

Child of the 7th Age · 04-09-2007, 04:03 PM

Hmm... Interesting.

I originally wasn't thinking of the pit as the holding place, but this does make sense from a logistics standpoint. I am assuming that an individual orc would be able to do more than an individual man in terms of shifting large stones. The three orcs are able to move aside the one stone that is blocking their path. Once they are inside the actual prison, they are discovered.

The orcs would get into the inner prison but couldn't get out as folk with arrows could be positioned at the other end of the tunnel. The Fellowship could just pen them all in together. We'd just have to replace the one stone that the orcs have moved to make sure they are all trapped inside. (Maybe even use horsepower to do this?)

I think this would work for Makdush. Regin and Nogrod, how about you?

Nogrod · 04-09-2007, 04:13 PM

Regin: your lead-in was really good. Thanks!

About the situation overall: I think I'm going to fill my save with Gwerr demanding all of them to get out of the tent (with the horse - no mention to Makdush w´hy the horse is so important) and make themelves safe first. Calling for Ishkur to stay calm for a moment: it would be better they tried to sneak than just go to a full frontal attack with a dozen of humans...

So I could leave them outside the camp where the scouts can do whatever they will to the drunken orcs. If you wish I could already start the planning of the attack with Gwerr. It shouldn't be anything lengthy but a post or two and then the orcs would make their assault to save their fellows - and get caught...

I do think that Child is right that if someone gets killed the tension might be too high for any reasonable settlement thereafter. But we also have a lots of NPC characters among the scouts (some of them have only been named) so if wished for, we could also produce a dead or two ob both sides if we wished so (there are several NPCs within the orcs too).

What I was thinking is that the orcs; Makdush, Ishkur and Gwerr are real fighters. Two are thousands of years old warhorses and one is an Uruk. They would not be trapped easily... They would make a fight and not be bad at it, at least if we compare them to wounded slaves.

So any ideas?

I will post for Gwerr (and the the two others) within 24-hours as it's getting time to bed now. Happily all the rest of my questions can await as I will only post them out of the tent and possibly prepare for a rescue mission...

Let the females come forwards after the males have made their futile effort?

04-09-2007, 01:49 PM	#2
Regin Hardhammer Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tumunzahar/Nogrod Posts: 364	Save filled. Nogrod - If that's not a good lead-in at the end for you, tell me and I'll change it. Maybe we should take a minute to hide our gold? What do you think? I kind of like the idea of us doing something very brave, almost escaping but getting caught....and the women and young boy coming to beg for our life. Brinniel - I wouldn't mind if Shae tried to run me through later and then got stopped by Lindir. It would teach Ishkur something about female fighters. He's never encountered one. __________________ For once I myself saw with my own eyes the Sibyl at Cumae hanging in a bottle, and when the boys said to her: 'Sibyl, what do you want?' she replied, 'I want to die.'"

04-09-2007, 03:43 PM	#5
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Yeah....I guess I also favor the women pleading as well, but could adapt to whatever we decide to do. But you're right about the fellowship group. Some members would be hard put to defend themselves at this point. On the other hand, if the orcs are trying to free the other "hostages", then those who were most "able" would rush forward with their swords to fight. We must have three characters in "ok" shape to do this. Lindir is hale and hearty. The trick will be to have no one, on either side, getting killed. (That would generate too much ill will for any kind of grudging cooperation to be possible.) If Shae attacked a sleeping orc, Lindir would stop her. But he is certainly not likely to tell someone not to strike a lethal blow to prevent the release of the other orcs or to protect themselves. The question is this: are we still going with a two-pronged situation. First, Shae tries to strike a sleeping orc and is stopped by Lindir? Second, the male orcs try to attack and free their comrades? If that is the case, I would assume that Lindir pens up the other orcs and keeps them that way overnight and sends a messenger back to the old camp to tell the others to come the next day. Then, wouldn't Ishkur, Makdush and Gwerr be more likely to stage a surprise assault in the middle of the night to free their companions? They would not so much be attacking members of the fellowship, but trying to get their own people free. But perhaps somehow, someway, Lindir has anticipated that possibility and has guards who raise the alarm and immediately ambush them so they also end up in the pen?? Is that possible, or are there other ways of looking at this? __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

04-09-2007, 04:03 PM	#7
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Hmm... Interesting. I originally wasn't thinking of the pit as the holding place, but this does make sense from a logistics standpoint. I am assuming that an individual orc would be able to do more than an individual man in terms of shifting large stones. The three orcs are able to move aside the one stone that is blocking their path. Once they are inside the actual prison, they are discovered. The orcs would get into the inner prison but couldn't get out as folk with arrows could be positioned at the other end of the tunnel. The Fellowship could just pen them all in together. We'd just have to replace the one stone that the orcs have moved to make sure they are all trapped inside. (Maybe even use horsepower to do this?) I think this would work for Makdush. Regin and Nogrod, how about you? __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.

04-09-2007, 04:13 PM	#8
Nogrod Flame of the Ainulindalë Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wearing rat's coat, crowskin, crossed staves in a field behaving as the wind behaves Posts: 9,308	Regin: your lead-in was really good. Thanks! About the situation overall: I think I'm going to fill my save with Gwerr demanding all of them to get out of the tent (with the horse - no mention to Makdush w´hy the horse is so important) and make themelves safe first. Calling for Ishkur to stay calm for a moment: it would be better they tried to sneak than just go to a full frontal attack with a dozen of humans... So I could leave them outside the camp where the scouts can do whatever they will to the drunken orcs. If you wish I could already start the planning of the attack with Gwerr. It shouldn't be anything lengthy but a post or two and then the orcs would make their assault to save their fellows - and get caught... I do think that Child is right that if someone gets killed the tension might be too high for any reasonable settlement thereafter. But we also have a lots of NPC characters among the scouts (some of them have only been named) so if wished for, we could also produce a dead or two ob both sides if we wished so (there are several NPCs within the orcs too). What I was thinking is that the orcs; Makdush, Ishkur and Gwerr are real fighters. Two are thousands of years old warhorses and one is an Uruk. They would not be trapped easily... They would make a fight and not be bad at it, at least if we compare them to wounded slaves. So any ideas? I will post for Gwerr (and the the two others) within 24-hours as it's getting time to bed now. Happily all the rest of my questions can await as I will only post them out of the tent and possibly prepare for a rescue mission... Let the females come forwards after the males have made their futile effort? __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...

04-09-2007, 02:00 PM	#3
Hilde Bracegirdle Relic of Wandering Days Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: You'll See Perpetual Change. Posts: 1,480	Thanks for the summary, Nogrod. Very handy to have!

04-09-2007, 03:53 PM	#6
Durelin Estelo dagnir, Melo ring Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,063	Is there the possibility of the orcs attempting only to free their comrades by trying to sneak into the pit...possibly by putting the tunnel that the Fellowship used to use again? Maybe Vror and the others didn't put the rocks back as well as they thought they had to cover it up? The orcs in the pit wouldn't be able to find it, and certainly not through the water, but the orcs outside might. But again, Lindir could have been anticipating this, and they get caught as well in the pit. (They get into the pit to help free their companions and then a bunch of guards pop up above the pit, and there are some at the other end of the tunnel as well.) Then there isn't a direct confrontation, so neither any orcs or any of the fellowship will get harmed...? Hope that made sense... Basically what you're saying, Child, just fleshed out a little differently...I think.