Hard Winters RPG - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Inziladun · 07-28-2015, 05:15 PM

As the man turned to him and uttered what seemed to be a genuine apology, Ladavan watched the other turn and walk away.

"Name's Áforglaed by the way", the remaining one said, extending his arm in apparent greeting. Then, withdrawing it, he added "Hey, you look quite Dunnish".

You aren't the first to notice, Ladavan thought sourly. Trying not to let his feeling show, he assumed a neutral expression and replied, "Yes, I am of that people. I have made this long journey to see what I can find here." He paused. This one looked young and rather reckless, but not necessarily hostile.

"I am a stranger here, of course. No doubt it will be some time before I learn the customs and laws. But the more I can talk to people, the more I will discover." The young man had something of a soldierly feel about him, as had his departed companion. Ladavan had the (probably) foolish beginning of an idea.

"Tell me, sir: what is your living?" he asked.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 07-29-2015, 04:12 AM

"Me? I am a guardsman, here. There aren't many of us, now." He made a vague nod in departing Hilderinc's direction. "Not that it's needed," he grinned. "It's been quite peaceful here, after our former eorl Athanar showed the neighbouring lords their place - I was there," he remarked, straightening himself proudly. "I also heard the local folk made quite a short work of the Easterling raiders who appeared when the rest of us soldiers were fighting out beyond the River last spring."

He surveyed the man from head to toes. "Are you a soldier? I mean, a Dunnish soldier? Man, I hope your people are not fighting ours anymore. I mean, obviously you're not, now that you are here. Right?" He grinned again, this time a bit more nervously, it started dawning on him that he had been babbling. "What is your name?" he asked quickly.

Folwren · 08-01-2015, 06:20 PM

The kitchen was flocked with people who had heard the summons to supper. They stood in two lines as Modtryth and Frodides ladled porridge into their bowls from the pots. Saeryn picked up two empty bowls and walked directly to the head of one line and held them out. She thought grimly about what she might say if someone questioned her right to cut to the front, but no one did, and she strode from the kitchen with two steaming bowls of porridge.

"Here we are," she said as cheerfully as she could when she came back to the room. "It's a bit hot yet. Let us pour some water into it. It will do it no harm." She poured a bit of cool water into Eoghan's bowl, while admitting to herself that water was a poor substitute for milk.

"Here, lad, sit up for me." She helped Eoghan sit up against the wall and pulled the blankets up about him under his arms. She set the bowl in his lap and put the spoon in his hand. "Eat it slowly," she instructed, leaning towards him and speaking in a low voice, so as to gain his closest attention.

"Now for you," she said, turning to Eodwine. "Do you want water in your porridge, too, or shall you eat it hot? Let's get you up on the bed, first, so you're not freezing on the ground."

Inziladun · 08-02-2015, 07:14 AM

He'd been right, Ladavan thought. He'd wondered if this man could give him the opening he sought, or at least point him in the right direction.
Now the man seemed wary and nervous, guessing he stood in the presence of a Dunland foreigner. Oddly, this brought amusement to Ladavan, and not bitterness.

"I am of Dunland, and I did fight in the war. And yes, I fought against you horse-people. I do not look proudly on it now, though at the time, I thought what I did was right. I am named Ladavan." He then plunged ahead.

"It is of soldiering I would speak, though. How does one gain entry to such service here?"

littlemanpoet · 08-04-2015, 05:39 PM

Maybe he had been a fool to starve himself in hopes that his children might then live. Well, thanks to the king, his plan had won out. Which was lucky, not good planning. So he was a fool. Well, he thought, better a living fool than a dead one. Saeryn came back and fed their son first. He watched her, enjoying her motherly ways.

She turned to him and became less motherly and more cool and about business. Maybe he deserved her coldness, if that was what it was.

"I'll have it with water."

He lifted his arms to be helped off the ground. Once he was seated on the bed, and she had poured some water in his porridge, she handed it to him and watched. He looked up at her before he took his first spoonful. Was she afraid he still would not eat? Or that he would not be able to keep it down? She seemed all anxy and worrity, as his mum used to say.

"I am sorry. It was a foolish thing to do. You married a fool, title or no," he added lightly, grinning ruefully. "If only you had known." He ladled some porridge onto his spoon and took a cautious sip.

Folwren · 08-06-2015, 01:48 PM

“It wouldn't have made any difference,” Saeryn said with a shrug. Then she softened a little and her hands came down from her hips and she sat down next to him. “You're only a fool when it comes to taking care of yourself, you know. I shouldn't be surprised about this.” She watched him slowly take another bite. Her mouth watered and her stomach tightened longingly, but she did not get up yet. She had to wait until her husband and son were finished and she was sure they were well enough for her to leave them.

She resumed talking to distract herself. “You always push yourself harder than anybody else. There was the time you got sick and had to go to Gondor.” She paused and reflected a moment. No one really believed he would come back that time. “I may as well get used to you almost dying on me every couple of years,” she said with a smile, and then fell silent.

It would not have made any difference, even if she had known. She knew his generous, kind nature, and that was enough. She had seen him accept people whom others had cast out, and she had watched as he influenced the most unsavory characters until they became good, upstanding members of their community. She knew firsthand his patience and his forgiveness, and she loved him for it.

“Just don't go too far one day and actually go,” she said quietly, turning and looking up at him.

littlemanpoet · 08-06-2015, 07:28 PM

What passed between the Eorl and his wife is a matter between them. Suffice it to say that they both had enough to eat, took care of the needs of their son, and eventually corralled their daughter.

Late afternoon passed into evening and the sun hid behind the western trees, what few there were in those parts.

That night, Eodwine's dreams were quiet and had not about them the rigors of leanness. He and his family slept well.

07-28-2015, 05:15 PM	#1
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Ladavan As the man turned to him and uttered what seemed to be a genuine apology, Ladavan watched the other turn and walk away. "Name's Áforglaed by the way", the remaining one said, extending his arm in apparent greeting. Then, withdrawing it, he added "Hey, you look quite Dunnish". You aren't the first to notice, Ladavan thought sourly. Trying not to let his feeling show, he assumed a neutral expression and replied, "Yes, I am of that people. I have made this long journey to see what I can find here." He paused. This one looked young and rather reckless, but not necessarily hostile. "I am a stranger here, of course. No doubt it will be some time before I learn the customs and laws. But the more I can talk to people, the more I will discover." The young man had something of a soldierly feel about him, as had his departed companion. Ladavan had the (probably) foolish beginning of an idea. "Tell me, sir: what is your living?" he asked.

07-29-2015, 04:12 AM	#2
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Áforglaed "Me? I am a guardsman, here. There aren't many of us, now." He made a vague nod in departing Hilderinc's direction. "Not that it's needed," he grinned. "It's been quite peaceful here, after our former eorl Athanar showed the neighbouring lords their place - I was there," he remarked, straightening himself proudly. "I also heard the local folk made quite a short work of the Easterling raiders who appeared when the rest of us soldiers were fighting out beyond the River last spring." He surveyed the man from head to toes. "Are you a soldier? I mean, a Dunnish soldier? Man, I hope your people are not fighting ours anymore. I mean, obviously you're not, now that you are here. Right?" He grinned again, this time a bit more nervously, it started dawning on him that he had been babbling. "What is your name?" he asked quickly.

08-01-2015, 06:20 PM	#3
Folwren Messenger of Hope Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a tiny, insignificant little town in one of the many States. Posts: 5,076	Saeryn The kitchen was flocked with people who had heard the summons to supper. They stood in two lines as Modtryth and Frodides ladled porridge into their bowls from the pots. Saeryn picked up two empty bowls and walked directly to the head of one line and held them out. She thought grimly about what she might say if someone questioned her right to cut to the front, but no one did, and she strode from the kitchen with two steaming bowls of porridge. "Here we are," she said as cheerfully as she could when she came back to the room. "It's a bit hot yet. Let us pour some water into it. It will do it no harm." She poured a bit of cool water into Eoghan's bowl, while admitting to herself that water was a poor substitute for milk. "Here, lad, sit up for me." She helped Eoghan sit up against the wall and pulled the blankets up about him under his arms. She set the bowl in his lap and put the spoon in his hand. "Eat it slowly," she instructed, leaning towards him and speaking in a low voice, so as to gain his closest attention. "Now for you," she said, turning to Eodwine. "Do you want water in your porridge, too, or shall you eat it hot? Let's get you up on the bed, first, so you're not freezing on the ground."

08-02-2015, 07:14 AM	#4
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Ladavan He'd been right, Ladavan thought. He'd wondered if this man could give him the opening he sought, or at least point him in the right direction. Now the man seemed wary and nervous, guessing he stood in the presence of a Dunland foreigner. Oddly, this brought amusement to Ladavan, and not bitterness. "I am of Dunland, and I did fight in the war. And yes, I fought against you horse-people. I do not look proudly on it now, though at the time, I thought what I did was right. I am named Ladavan." He then plunged ahead. "It is of soldiering I would speak, though. How does one gain entry to such service here?"

08-04-2015, 05:39 PM	#5
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Eodwine Maybe he had been a fool to starve himself in hopes that his children might then live. Well, thanks to the king, his plan had won out. Which was lucky, not good planning. So he was a fool. Well, he thought, better a living fool than a dead one. Saeryn came back and fed their son first. He watched her, enjoying her motherly ways. She turned to him and became less motherly and more cool and about business. Maybe he deserved her coldness, if that was what it was. "I'll have it with water." He lifted his arms to be helped off the ground. Once he was seated on the bed, and she had poured some water in his porridge, she handed it to him and watched. He looked up at her before he took his first spoonful. Was she afraid he still would not eat? Or that he would not be able to keep it down? She seemed all anxy and worrity, as his mum used to say. "I am sorry. It was a foolish thing to do. You married a fool, title or no," he added lightly, grinning ruefully. "If only you had known." He ladled some porridge onto his spoon and took a cautious sip.

08-06-2015, 01:48 PM	#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	Saeryn “It wouldn't have made any difference,” Saeryn said with a shrug. Then she softened a little and her hands came down from her hips and she sat down next to him. “You're only a fool when it comes to taking care of yourself, you know. I shouldn't be surprised about this.” She watched him slowly take another bite. Her mouth watered and her stomach tightened longingly, but she did not get up yet. She had to wait until her husband and son were finished and she was sure they were well enough for her to leave them. She resumed talking to distract herself. “You always push yourself harder than anybody else. There was the time you got sick and had to go to Gondor.” She paused and reflected a moment. No one really believed he would come back that time. “I may as well get used to you almost dying on me every couple of years,” she said with a smile, and then fell silent. It would not have made any difference, even if she had known. She knew his generous, kind nature, and that was enough. She had seen him accept people whom others had cast out, and she had watched as he influenced the most unsavory characters until they became good, upstanding members of their community. She knew firsthand his patience and his forgiveness, and she loved him for it. “Just don't go too far one day and actually go,” she said quietly, turning and looking up at him.

08-06-2015, 07:28 PM	#7
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Eodwine What passed between the Eorl and his wife is a matter between them. Suffice it to say that they both had enough to eat, took care of the needs of their son, and eventually corralled their daughter. Late afternoon passed into evening and the sun hid behind the western trees, what few there were in those parts. That night, Eodwine's dreams were quiet and had not about them the rigors of leanness. He and his family slept well.