Scarburg Meadhall Discussion Thread

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...I'm not the politics kind of person, so I can't think of political issues that could arise that would involve fighting. :/

Shoot. If only this was set in - like - 50 4th age instead 14 4th age - then we could play with the generational change of a whole generation that has no appreciation for the War of the Ring. It could start with the Red Eye being painted on walls, and blow up into a cultural phenomenon with violence and ugliness. Sort of what Tolkien foresaw... but then, he felt it wasn't worth writing. Hmm..

[Folwren]

Yes, but we ARE in year 14, so we can't. Would there be any roving orcs still? Dunlendings seem a potential people to use, too - one that the Eorlings are used to distrusting. Hey - Wormtongue was a Rohanian. What if there were others like him that had fallen prey to Saruman and decided to cause some trouble? I don't know how feasible that is, and it would probably take a long time to develop in order for it to be of any use to us.

If it had not been that Javan had been improving, I would put him up for a possible plot twister - make him steal something and run. But he has been improving and I don't want to make him digress.

Nothing else now. Maybe I'll think of something.

[Galadriel55]

Theolain can run away.

[littlemanpoet]

The land is called The Mark.
The people of the land are called Eorlings.

Gondorians call it Rohan and the people living there the Rohirrim; but never "Rohannians".

Theolain running away? He wouldn't get far on those little legs unless he was abducted, but that's already been done.

Orcs don't go where the risk is too great compared to the reward.

Maybe I'm ready for an adventure in which Eodwine or someone leaves Scarburg with the expectation of coming back.

[Nogrod]

I think both orcs and Dunledings are a bit far fetched - and I think the Mead Hall has had it's due of renegades and outlaws.

But how about the local lords and the peasants / basic farmers?

It seems the local lords have had it their way before the Mead Hall was introduced at Mid-Emnet and round 1 has been taken place just "recently". But things seem quite far from settled in any way. I could check back for those lords during the weekend to look for scenarios...

Also, I would think there should be locals hating the way their lords have conducted their ways and maybe they have had their fill? A kind of local rebellion might be an interesting idea, especially when Athanar and Eodwine need to stand for order while they probably also understand the claims of the rebels to be justified?

One added scenario could be that the local farmers take the Mead Hall as just one extra-load of the "twisted lords"?


I think there is a wealth of opportunities.

[littlemanpoet]

These seem like good ideas. I think that Eodwine and Athanar may have conflict erupt between them as to how to handle rebellions. This could be interesting.

[Nogrod]

If the main problem would be whether to, in shorthand, "call for law and order" or to "understand the possible rebels", I think the roles are pretty much given between Athanar and Eodwine, not probably so much because of their personalities (even if there probably is something of that there too), but especially because of their status: Athanar has the official position and is responsible to his king as the lord of the Mead Hall, a representative of the king and the realm, whilst Eodwine can take his stance more freely not being in charge officially or judicially.

But if that is about the scenario we'll start building I'd suggest we make the rebels do something relatively serious as otherwise it might be a real pain to write Athanar demanding law and order in the face of probably quite righteous claims of the rebels (heh, I'd hate to be on the "wrong side" all the time - even if writing for a person who is not like you yourself is always rewarding in other ways...).

I'll try to check the local lords for any ideas how they could fit in during the weekend as I said, but just as food for thought to everyone let me recount them as my memory serves me.

There's this "great lord" who was I think Eodwine's and Athanar's superior in the great war: a great soldier and commander who has grown somewhat greedy as a lord amongst "nobodies" and is very mindful of his stature. I wouldn't say he is evil, but maybe thinks himself superior (in many cases that might be true) and takes his new luxury-"retirement" as given.

Then there's this one I'd call the "evil one". An intelligent, mindful lord who's not talking or doing openly even half of what he actually thinks and does. To him I'd be willing to give some really nasty motivations - or at least egoistical ends he'd be ruthlessly pursuing. An obvious central-plotter for us - or the obvious target of the rebellion?

The third is actually third and fourth. There is this old lord who was fighting at the Pelennor Fields and was at least known by A & E (needs to check), and it seems he has stayed true over the years - as was seen in the first confrontation where he saved the day by overriding his son.

But he has given the lordship to his son who is reckless, hot-headed and wants to show-off to the other two lords. The last time we left them the situation was quite delicate between the father and the son, so maybe it should be revisited and we should decide how matters went after Athanar and his soldiers left?

But it seems they all (except perhaps the third one) have misused their status by levying taxes or tax-like payments, making partisan judgements in the absence of a Mead Hall to speak the law, and basically taking advantage of the local people.