Hard Winters Planning/Discussion Thread

[Firefoot]

So Leof is sitting with unnamed people now. Scyld will similarly be coming in and getting cleaned up etc now as well if anyone wants to interact with him before I get to it.

[littlemanpoet]

I might as well use Harreld and Garreth as much as any of the other characters I write, as they are well drawn and easy to write for. They may be sitting near Leof, and/or Scyld, if you like. And there is also Rowenna to interact with. And, of course, Eodwine.

It comes to mind that I had intended to have an Easterling be part of the folk, but that just hasn't panned out. I think I even came up with a name. If I did, I don't remember it. But it could be interesting to pull him out now, as if he had taken part in the digging.

[Folwren]

Ok. I'm not sure what most of my characters are doing. I'll try to figure that out soon.

[littlemanpoet]

What are the children up to?

Maybe there are no monsters, but what might show up that is unwanted? Snakes? Orcs?
Brigands?

A sink hole unknown about that ruins the trenches?

A flood that comes crashing in from the River Entwash all unexpected? (this actually seems most likely)

Is any character's mood ready to break under the strain? Tempers flare?

[Folwren]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

What are the children up to?

Good question. They've been quiet far too long.

Maybe there are no monsters, but what might show up that is unwanted? Snakes? Orcs?
Brigands?

Too early for snakes. Maybe later. What are the chances of orcs and brigands?

A flood that comes crashing in from the River Entwash all unexpected? (this actually seems most likely)

Yes. If this rain has been lasting for a long time, this is quite possible. I am not sure how far the Entwash is from them, but if the water gets there, they will be in sad trouble, since they're in such a low area.

Is any character's mood ready to break under the strain? Tempers flare?

I like this idea, too.

What about some folk getting sick, like Eodwine predicted, after digging in the muck? I was thinking of making Javan sick. How long would suck a sickness last?

[littlemanpoet]

The presence of contaminants in water can lead to adverse health effects, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people whose immune systems are compromised, may be especially susceptible to illness from some contaminants.

This quote above is based on the notion of drinking contaminated water. Nobody has done that, but if the people don't know to wash their hands before they eat, anybody's fair game; but Eoghan is in the greatest danger, having fallen in and possibly gulped a mouthful. Your call.

Check out post #3 of this discussion thread: it appears that other land holders are closer, but Scarburg is about 10 km away from the Entwash itself; however, just the other side of the Scar is all swamp land. It appears that Nogrod imagined this differently than I did. He has hills all to the south, and the scar surrounding Scarburg in an arc; my imagining of it was all flatland and the scar being more or less a straight line from just north of east to just south of west. My imagining makes flooding far more likely than Noggie's.

Orcs, not very likely at all. At least, not until later. Brigands, more likely, but still a bit early, I think.