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

Tevildo · 07-07-2007, 09:30 AM

This is all good to me. I'd kind of like to leave it open whether Azhar is in the pit or at the top with Grask (assuming Grask is at the top). I'll just see how the story unfolds.

Would anyone mind if I handle the girl orc character at least for this scene? I think she's a NPC.

Nogrod · 07-07-2007, 12:40 PM

As I went back to find out who the orcs actually are to help me writing the next posts I thought of reminding you others of them as well as the research has now been done anyway.

So there are ten male orcs in the pit right now. Three of them are Uruks: Makdush (Child), Illak and Kurrak. Seven are "regular orcs": Ishkur (Regin), Gwerr (Nogrod), Colagar, Zuhut, Griwzan + two orcs with no names yet (or then I have missed the post where they have been named).

Outside somewhere there are the four females: Zagra and Mazhg (Undómë), Ungolt (Regin) and one unnamed (the girl, that is...). And of course the male-child Grask (Firefoot).

I think you could well take the orc-girl Tevildo. Give her a name as well...

Firefoot · 07-07-2007, 01:37 PM

Wow, this RPG seems to have gotten more attention in the last week that I was gone than in the entire previous month!

Nice to see things moving along.

I agree with Nogrod, Tevildo, you can go ahead and take over the female child Orc.

As far as the plotline goes, it seems that right now, without the influencing factor of the females and children, the side advocating letting the male Orcs live would probably win out eventually - so the appearance of the females and children will not be so much the deciding factor as the way to convince those who are arguing strongly for killing the males. That's how it seems to me, anyway.

Now, Grask's typical way of dealing with situations is to stay unobtrusive and hope things work out for the better without him becoming involved. He won't do anything so impetuous as run out into the midst of the Men unless it looks strongly as if the males will be killed - as in, they're at sword point. This doesn't look particularly likely with the direction the plot is heading right now.

On the other hand, I could see the females maybe showing themselves (perhaps telling the female child to stay hidden 'just in case'?) - this would take the focus off the children and allow them to get into some trouble. Additionally, if the male orcs burst out of the pit to protect their women, it would show a more 'human' side to the Orcs. Somewhere in here it would be useful if they moved away from the pit a bit so that the children are unnoticed.

In the meantime, the children (as Grask watches... he still hasn't come out of hiding) get into trouble in the pit. He comes out to see what's going on, realizes the trouble and gets help...

OR... when Grask sees the women go out, maybe he finally gets up the nerve to actually approach Azhar. (Are Azhar and Kwell the only human children we're working with?) If the female child orc is hidden, he could show her to Azhar (and Kwell)... otherwise, they could just wander off together to leave the adults to work it out. If it goes this way (and I think this is more interesting), I think it would make more sense if they were all down in the pit, and then maybe Grask was the only one able to make it out rather than just having him stay at the top.

Thoughts?

Nogrod · 07-07-2007, 02:42 PM

When the male orcs make a run (to the females, to run away, whatever) there will be three ropes left that are attached to the gaging and hang down to the pit. So it will be both easy and fascinating for the children to go down with the help of the ropes...

Btw. my last post on orcs (in the thread in five minutes) shows that Gwerr has a misunderstanding of their overall situation and that might make the orcs to act more aggressively than they would otherwise have done at least in the beginning... I think it's still possible that when they get all up they might understand the situation better before they charge... and thence wait.

But just to build up some suspense I've decided to make the situation look gloomier to the orcs for the time being.

Child of the 7th Age · 07-07-2007, 09:21 PM

Quote:

(Are Azhar and Kwell the only human children we're working with?)

Some of our early battle scenes suggest there were quite a few human children in the group. Rôg mentions taking 4 or 5 older children over to the side to show them how to use pointed sticks as weapons. All of the human children except the older Kwell and Azhar are NPC's. Grwell was the older child that Aiwendil appointed to be in charge of the others. Azhar also had several scenes with seven-year old twins Lisel and Liriel and their younger brother Tom, who was a real imp! Perhaps we could use some of those as NPCs? I don't know what kind of numbers people were thinking of, but maybe a group of 4-5 trapped in the pit?

Nogrod - I like Gwerr's misunderstanding. It's very realistic. Words would have been flying a mile a minute up above. The orcs could undoubtedly speak the common tongue, but it would not have been their native speech.

Folwren · 07-08-2007, 09:20 AM

Child's answer about the number of children sound right. 4 or 5 is fine. Quite honestly, I would expect a lot of the kids would be tired and not necessarily up to exploring and getting themselves half drowned.

-- Folwren

Tevildo · 07-08-2007, 01:50 PM

OK, my save is filled. I tried to answer Hadith...to say that the King would be more than willing to help but there are real practical problems that prevent that. I got my geography stuff out of page 92 of Fonstead's atlas. Secondly, I've tried to give a lead in to the female orcs. Dorran said the orcs should die but that he might reconsider if he understood what they were doing out there on the plain. Conceivably, if any of the female orcs heard this, they might be willing to come forward and try to explain to save their lives.

Could we do this? Have a vote.....and the vote is death. But then one or more female orcs comes out of the bushes to talk. I'll put up a save for Azhar to go off with the kids once the sentence of death is given. She doesn't want them to see what will happen.....

If you like this, who wants to do the post where the vote is death? It could be from the perspective of any character...one who likes it, one who doesn't or one who has mixed feelings. (Even from the perspective of an orc!)

P.S. It's vaguely possible that Ellessar's troops could arrive at the end and help us out of a jam if those reinforcements show up after we killed the others. A nice eucatastrophe or whatever they call it....

07-07-2007, 09:30 AM	#1
Tevildo Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Curled up on Melko's lap Posts: 425	This is all good to me. I'd kind of like to leave it open whether Azhar is in the pit or at the top with Grask (assuming Grask is at the top). I'll just see how the story unfolds. Would anyone mind if I handle the girl orc character at least for this scene? I think she's a NPC. __________________ Now Tevildo was a mighty cat--the mightiest of all--and possessed of an evil spirit,...and he was in Melko's constant following; and that cat had all cats subject to him, and he and his subjects were the chasers and getters of meat for Melko's table.

07-07-2007, 12:40 PM	#2
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	As I went back to find out who the orcs actually are to help me writing the next posts I thought of reminding you others of them as well as the research has now been done anyway. So there are ten male orcs in the pit right now. Three of them are Uruks: Makdush (Child), Illak and Kurrak. Seven are "regular orcs": Ishkur (Regin), Gwerr (Nogrod), Colagar, Zuhut, Griwzan + two orcs with no names yet (or then I have missed the post where they have been named). Outside somewhere there are the four females: Zagra and Mazhg (Undómë), Ungolt (Regin) and one unnamed (the girl, that is...). And of course the male-child Grask (Firefoot). I think you could well take the orc-girl Tevildo. Give her a name as well... __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...

07-07-2007, 02:42 PM	#4
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	When the male orcs make a run (to the females, to run away, whatever) there will be three ropes left that are attached to the gaging and hang down to the pit. So it will be both easy and fascinating for the children to go down with the help of the ropes... Btw. my last post on orcs (in the thread in five minutes) shows that Gwerr has a misunderstanding of their overall situation and that might make the orcs to act more aggressively than they would otherwise have done at least in the beginning... I think it's still possible that when they get all up they might understand the situation better before they charge... and thence wait. But just to build up some suspense I've decided to make the situation look gloomier to the orcs for the time being. __________________ Upon the hearth the fire is red Beneath the roof there is a bed; But not yet weary are our feet...

07-08-2007, 09:20 AM	#6
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Child's answer about the number of children sound right. 4 or 5 is fine. Quite honestly, I would expect a lot of the kids would be tired and not necessarily up to exploring and getting themselves half drowned. -- Folwren __________________ A young man who wishes to remain a sound atheist cannot be too careful of his reading. - C.S. Lewis

07-08-2007, 01:50 PM	#7
Tevildo Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Curled up on Melko's lap Posts: 425	OK, my save is filled. I tried to answer Hadith...to say that the King would be more than willing to help but there are real practical problems that prevent that. I got my geography stuff out of page 92 of Fonstead's atlas. Secondly, I've tried to give a lead in to the female orcs. Dorran said the orcs should die but that he might reconsider if he understood what they were doing out there on the plain. Conceivably, if any of the female orcs heard this, they might be willing to come forward and try to explain to save their lives. Could we do this? Have a vote.....and the vote is death. But then one or more female orcs comes out of the bushes to talk. I'll put up a save for Azhar to go off with the kids once the sentence of death is given. She doesn't want them to see what will happen..... If you like this, who wants to do the post where the vote is death? It could be from the perspective of any character...one who likes it, one who doesn't or one who has mixed feelings. (Even from the perspective of an orc!) P.S. It's vaguely possible that Ellessar's troops could arrive at the end and help us out of a jam if those reinforcements show up after we killed the others. A nice eucatastrophe or whatever they call it.... __________________ Now Tevildo was a mighty cat--the mightiest of all--and possessed of an evil spirit,...and he was in Melko's constant following; and that cat had all cats subject to him, and he and his subjects were the chasers and getters of meat for Melko's table. Last edited by Tevildo; 07-08-2007 at 01:54 PM.

07-07-2007, 01:37 PM	#3
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	Wow, this RPG seems to have gotten more attention in the last week that I was gone than in the entire previous month! Nice to see things moving along. I agree with Nogrod, Tevildo, you can go ahead and take over the female child Orc. As far as the plotline goes, it seems that right now, without the influencing factor of the females and children, the side advocating letting the male Orcs live would probably win out eventually - so the appearance of the females and children will not be so much the deciding factor as the way to convince those who are arguing strongly for killing the males. That's how it seems to me, anyway. Now, Grask's typical way of dealing with situations is to stay unobtrusive and hope things work out for the better without him becoming involved. He won't do anything so impetuous as run out into the midst of the Men unless it looks strongly as if the males will be killed - as in, they're at sword point. This doesn't look particularly likely with the direction the plot is heading right now. On the other hand, I could see the females maybe showing themselves (perhaps telling the female child to stay hidden 'just in case'?) - this would take the focus off the children and allow them to get into some trouble. Additionally, if the male orcs burst out of the pit to protect their women, it would show a more 'human' side to the Orcs. Somewhere in here it would be useful if they moved away from the pit a bit so that the children are unnoticed. In the meantime, the children (as Grask watches... he still hasn't come out of hiding) get into trouble in the pit. He comes out to see what's going on, realizes the trouble and gets help... OR... when Grask sees the women go out, maybe he finally gets up the nerve to actually approach Azhar. (Are Azhar and Kwell the only human children we're working with?) If the female child orc is hidden, he could show her to Azhar (and Kwell)... otherwise, they could just wander off together to leave the adults to work it out. If it goes this way (and I think this is more interesting), I think it would make more sense if they were all down in the pit, and then maybe Grask was the only one able to make it out rather than just having him stay at the top. Thoughts?