Valar Guild

March 17, 2013 Sunday Meeting

5pm EDT (UTC - 5)
AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace

Back to News
Transcript work by Ar-Pharazon and Varda.

Attending: (6)
    Arien-(Valar)/AriehnV, ArPharazonV, EonweValar (presiding), fladrifv, Indis-(V)/karakedi25, Varda

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership:
Web:
    Two new stories this last week from Jay of Lasgalen.
Gaming:
    StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
    WoW
    flashgaming: Plants vs Zombies
    LotRO
Tolkien:
    Item: The first Hobbit movie comes out Tuesday on DVD.
    Chat topic: What are some of the non-human intelligent races that we meet in LotRO and what role did they play in the War of the Ring?
After-meeting:
    The Return of Fladrif-(V)!
    Joining into SC2 together without worry about which continent we're on (Fladrif joins during the After-meeting), plus the SC2 folk using the forum (under StarCraft series) now with a note about getting together to play.
    Proboards (our forum provider) will be upgrading everyone's account to global automatically on April 29th.
top

Before-meeting:
You have just entered room "valarguildmeetingplace."
Eonwe Valar has entered the room.
Eonwe Valar: Heya.
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
Eonwe Valar: I hope it's not going to just be you and me for the meeting, hehe.
ArPharazonV: I don't see Arien in WoW, so no idea where she is. Did she say something last week?
Eonwe Valar: She was on vacation last week, if memory serves.
Eonwe Valar: She was off until Friday.
ArPharazonV: Should be back now then :-)
Eonwe Valar: We'll give it a couple more minutes to see if anyone else shows.
ArPharazonV: Indis seems online.
karakedi25 has entered the room.
karakedi25: Aiya
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
ArPharazonV: And there she is :-)
Eonwe Valar: Heya :}
Eonwe Valar: OK, let's begin. Anyone else coming in late can read the News tomorrow :}
top

Eonwe Valar: Elen Sila Lumenn Omentielvo!
Eonwe Valar: Membership:
Eonwe Valar: Varda's having some internet problems that are hopefully getting fixed as we speak.
Eonwe Valar: Any other member news?
karakedi25: non
ArPharazonV: me neither
karakedi25: none from me
AriehnV has entered the room.
AriehnV: aiya all
karakedi25: aiya
Eonwe Valar: Heya Arien.
Eonwe Valar: We're in Membership. Any member news?
ArPharazonV: Aiya
AriehnV: nope not really .. well i am back to work since friday
top

Eonwe Valar: Web:
Eonwe Valar: Two new stories from Jay of Lasgalen:
Eonwe Valar: "No More Confusion"
Eonwe Valar: "Making Jam"
top

Eonwe Valar: Gaming:
Eonwe Valar: Starcraft 2: Heart of the Swarm came out this past week.
Eonwe Valar: Remember we have a Group and Clan there for those who want to be able get together and play Starcraft 2, and climb ladders and stuff bearing our Guild tag.

Eonwe Valar: WoW: Lothar's at Phase 2 for the Isle of the Thunder King, will probably be Phase 3 by Tuesday.
Eonwe Valar: LotRO: Anyone happen to have a LotRO report?
Eonwe Valar: Anyone do any other gaming besides WoW and LotRO this week?

ArPharazonV: Bit of SCII after my collector's edition came in, but didn't get very far yet as I've been rather busy with WoW stuff. Also did some flashgaming.
karakedi25: sorry, can't type atm
ArPharazonV: And a few more levels of Plants vs Zombies :-)
VardaValar1 has entered the room.
ArPharazonV: 's it from me, btw
ArPharazonV: Aiya Varda!
VardaValar1: Woot, made it in!
Eonwe Valar: Heya Varda :}
VardaValar1: Aiya, don't let me interrupt. :-)
karakedi25: aiya
AriehnV: aiya Varda :-)
Eonwe Valar: Is this an indication your internet woes are over? :}
VardaValar1: Still waiting on the repairman. Managed to slip in.
Eonwe Valar: Ah.
VardaValar1: Intermittent problems are crazy things, heh.
ArPharazonV: So you might yet disappear.

Eonwe Valar: Did you happen to have anything LotRO related to report while we have you?
VardaValar1: Aye
VardaValar1: We have a nice working relationship for large group runs with Mosby, who runs the Palantir, plus with Harre (of various names) who has a good number of kins operating together.
VardaValar1: The Lhee group seems to mostly have disappeared for now, and were small to begin with although highly competent, so we needed more folks to work with.
VardaValar1: So we can still run high level, large number group content even with our current low numbers.
VardaValar1: That's all I had to mention on LotRO.
Eonwe Valar: Thanks.
Eonwe Valar: Any other gaming news? Now is the time to whisper me Tolkien topics if you remembered to go dig one up like I said last week :}
top

Eonwe Valar: Tolkien:
Eonwe Valar: First, a reminder that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be in stores this Tuesday, if you planned on getting one of the myriad packs that will likely be associated with it :}
VardaValar1: (Above group was Palantiri, pardon, didn't come down hard enough on the letter i.)
VardaValar1: *runs to stand in line*
Eonwe Valar: Now, Varda has a topic for us. Take it away, Varda :}
VardaValar1: hmm, was looking up your Hobbit movie, found this site if it is helpful:
VardaValar1: http://www.thehobbit.com/

VardaValar1: What are some of the non-human intelligent races that we meet in LotRO and what rold did they play in the War of the Ring?
VardaValar1: They can be humanoid, just not regular humans. : )
VardaValar1: *role
VardaValar1: Typo night, pardon.
ArPharazonV: Let's see... elves.
ArPharazonV: Not much participation in the war in the south, but they certainly had their wars to fight in the north, as well as providing refuges for the Fellowship as they came along.
VardaValar1: (I don't know if that's a good site, just a fast search.)
ArPharazonV: *their battles, might be more accurate
VardaValar1: They provided a queen for Gondor and an inspiration for Aragorn's heroics, as well as raising him. He was needed to decoy the Dark Lord from Frodo as if he were an upstart Ring-lord.
Eonwe Valar: The faction of the Noldorin Elves, some of which (Noldor) would've been met in Rivendell, were part of the reason the Ring was a problem in the first place.
Eonwe Valar: *The faction of = A faction of
ArPharazonV: Well, sure, if we're looking at the "war of the ring" more broadly...
Eonwe Valar: Well, Varda said "what role did they play" and certainly the Gwaith-i-Mirdain, by creating the Rings of Power in concert with Sauron, set the stage for the War of the Ring.
ArPharazonV: That's fair.
VardaValar1: They provided Elladan and Elrohir for the Grey Company, and Arwen's flag for the High King that identified him.
ArPharazonV: They provided Legolas.
ArPharazonV: I'm sure that was a good thing?
VardaValar1: The flying nazgul did not appreciate Legolas' being present.
VardaValar1: That incident could have gone much worse if the nazgul had remained flying overhead and directing the orcs.
ArPharazonV: Especially if he'd caught Frodo slipping away.
VardaValar1: Thinking about it, we didn't hear much about what the twins did either.
VardaValar1: Aye
VardaValar1: Just us three active?
VardaValar1: How about dwarves?
karakedi25: Don't forget eagles and ents :-)
ArPharazonV: Dwarves, eagles, ents, orcs, trolls, hobbits...
ArPharazonV: Take your pick.
karakedi25: (I'm in and out, raiding in lotro)
VardaValar1: Waiting for y'all to bring them up. What did they do in the War of the Ring?
Eonwe Valar: To take the easiest one: Gandalf killed the Balrog, depriving Sauron of a powerful weapon to use in the War, not to mention everything else he did to get the Free Peoples moving.
ArPharazonV: Dwarves... also participating in battles in the North, also sending a member south with the Fellowship, and instrumental in the One Ring switching hands to a hobbit.
ArPharazonV: And crafting the mithril shirt which saved Frodo's life :-)
Eonwe Valar: But they also awoke the Balrog, which killed Gandalf... :}
ArPharazonV: Their excavation of Moria also- yes, that.
VardaValar1: Gandalf killed him back. ;-)
Eonwe Valar: hehe
Eonwe Valar: :}
ArPharazonV: Perhaps it was for the best. If Gandalf had not died and returned as Gandalf the White, he may not have had the power he had as the White, later in the war.
VardaValar1: Woses haven't been listed yet.
ArPharazonV: Eh, woses are technically human, are they not?
VardaValar1: Agreed, Phar. He was changed to more of a fighter, had to fill in for the the other four Istari.
VardaValar1: Not all humans seemed to think they were quite human.
VardaValar1: The line gets tough.
VardaValar1: Wild men maybe?
ArPharazonV: Hmm, I suppose.
VardaValar1: Offshoot of Man, sort of like Hobbits?
ArPharazonV: What about the Oathbreakers, do they still count as human? :-)
VardaValar1: When they turned to ghosts, they might not be considered garden variety human
VardaValar1: Losing internet again, going in and out
Eonwe Valar: I read you loud and clear :}
Eonwe Valar: Oathbreakers are a tough one. They're not living humans anyway, hehe.
VardaValar1: How about Ringwraiths then?
VardaValar1: Not your ordinary guy, at least.
VardaValar1: Get too picky here and we'll have to call Hobbits human, as they seem to be an offshoot.
VardaValar1: How about orcs?
ArPharazonV: If you're getting really picky orcs are likely an offshoot of Elves.
VardaValar1: Saruman's orcs had a little human mixed in.
Eonwe Valar: And can Trolls really be called an "intelligent" race? ;}
ArPharazonV: hehe
VardaValar1: Are humans? ;-)
ArPharazonV: The ringwraiths didn't seem too clever :-)
VardaValar1: Ringwraiths pretty much did what Sauron's will told them too, made creative thought difficult. But the Witch-king seemed to have some independent thought.
karakedi25: technically they were Men, at least originally
VardaValar1: I heard a person in LotRO aksing about half-orcs. Wouldn't that actually be Saruman's mixed orc? None actually mentioned?
VardaValar1: Aye, but not normal men while being Ringwraiths.
Eonwe Valar: The term "half-orc" appears twice in LotR, if memory serves.
VardaValar1: ahh, thanks. I'll have to dig that out and correct myself, thanks. :-)
Eonwe Valar: Some half-orcs were apparently passable enough for human that they could be used as spies, such as in Bree.
VardaValar1: Like Bill Ferny
Eonwe Valar: No, pretty sure he was human, but his "friend" wasn't.
VardaValar1: yellowish skin, slanty eyes, passed for human enough to be in human towns?
VardaValar1: That's it, thanks.
ArPharazonV: Yes, I remember that too. Weren't there also supposed to be half-orcs in Saruman's forces in the Scouring of the Shire?
Eonwe Valar: At least we have no reason to suspect Bill Feryn wasn't 100% human.
Eonwe Valar: *Billy Ferny
VardaValar1: (Caution, typos may be contagious.)
Eonwe Valar: I think so, Phar.
Eonwe Valar: No reason to waste uruk-Hai on the Shire :}
ArPharazonV: Actually, before "Sharky" was Saruman, in an earlier version he was in fact an orc :-)
VardaValar1: It would be overkill.
VardaValar1: Agreed, seems like that rings a bell, Phar.
VardaValar1: Ents as mentioned earlier, what did they do?
ArPharazonV: They took a bit of time and insistence to get going, but did come to the rescue of Helm's Deep and cracked open Saruman's fortress.
Eonwe Valar: All except Quickbeam, hehe.
VardaValar1: Once they realized what was really happening, they woke up. Quickbeam was already very aware.
VardaValar1: It was hitting his rowan trees already.
VardaValar1: Not always good to wait until the baddies are already kicking down the door to get started.
karakedi25: oh well, he was 'hasty'
VardaValar1: hehe
VardaValar1: Thus "Quick" beam, aye. : )
VardaValar1: Eagles?
Eonwe Valar: Search and Rescue ops :}
VardaValar1: Nice :-)
VardaValar1: Barrow-wights?
ArPharazonV: Very good, about the eagles, they did do it 3 times that we know of.
ArPharazonV: Make that 4, if you include the battle of five armies.
VardaValar1: That was the perfect definition of the eagle's role. : )
ArPharazonV: Barrow-wights... well, they did waylay the 4 hobbits. The clothing and possessions of the other 3 hobbits had been removed and it would've been rather bad if they'd done the same to Frodo and the Ring.
VardaValar1: Also provided weaponry, although not intended.
ArPharazonV: True.
VardaValar1: Spiders?
ArPharazonV: In Mirkwood, not so much. Bit of a hindrance, but no permanent consequences that I recall, except for Bilbo naming his sword. But Shelob did cause some interesting events.
VardaValar1: The Mirkwood spiders helped bring Bilbo to prominence with the dwarves too.
VardaValar1: Shelob for sure!
VardaValar1: Capturing the Ring-bearer could put a real stopper to the quest. Good thing we had Sam.
VardaValar1: Sam took the Ring before Frodo could be searched, then got Frodo back, and got the Ring back to the right Ring-bearer.
VardaValar1: That was essential or the story would have been over.
ArPharazonV: Also pretty big development on Sam's part, to hold the Ring for a while.
Eonwe Valar: So Shelob helped sneak the Ring away from Sauron, hehe.
VardaValar1: Aye Phar
VardaValar1: Shelob was quite a gate warden. Just hungry.
VardaValar1: If Sam hadn't been there, Sauron would've had the Ring with Shelob's help.
VardaValar1: So, did we cover all the non-humans? : )
VardaValar1: Wargs seemed intelligent enough in the Hobbit, allied with goblins.
ArPharazonV: So were the thrushes :-)
ArPharazonV: Intelligent enough, that is.
VardaValar1: Thanks. And we had ravens too.
Eonwe Valar: And Bill the Pony :}
VardaValar1: hehe
ArPharazonV: was the Watcher intelligent?
ArPharazonV: It did wait until they all had contained themselves on a narrow strip of land between the water and sheer wall :-)
VardaValar1: Good one. It was apparently one of the ancient or nameless evils?
VardaValar1: One wonders what its origin was.
VardaValar1: Where should we file the Watcher on our Encyclopedia? : )
ArPharazonV: Dunno, where'd we put Ungoliant?
ArPharazonV: Probably a similar evil creature.
VardaValar1: We shoved her under Maia
karakedi25: Ungoliant was in roughly the same power range as Melkor
VardaValar1: Then there were the Watchers in the stone gate-posts of the orc tower past Shelob
karakedi25: though not a Vala
VardaValar1: The Watcher in the Water we do have listed on the Maiar page too, needs an article.
ArPharazonV: ...I'd hesitate to put Ungoliant in the same power range as Melkor. She bested him in combat, but only after he'd already squandered most of his power into Arda.
VardaValar1: Some Maiar were nearly as powerful as Valar
ArPharazonV: By that definition, you could almost make an argument that Fingolfin was nearly in the same power range as Melkor.
Eonwe Valar: Melkor gave her some of his power, he had expended some, plus she had just sucked dry the Two Trees and all the dew from them saved in vats.
VardaValar1: but he was an Aratar, and I wouldn't put Ungoliant in his league. What Eonwe said.
Eonwe Valar: On top of that, he kept feeding her until all that were left were the Silmarilli. Then the struggle came and it was too late to think about what was going on.
VardaValar1: Watcher in the Water, thrush, raven all need articles.
Eonwe Valar: Ungoliant at least was smart enough to realize if she expected to get what Morgoth promised, she couldn't wait until they reached lands under his control.
VardaValar1: That's all the types I can think of right now. I have to leave (repairman is driving up). Feel free to keep talking. : )
VardaValar1: After-meeting:
ArPharazonV: Allright, good luck with the repairs!
VardaValar1: Thanks!
VardaValar1 has left the room.
ArPharazonV: *curiously picks up the gavel Varda left behind, and gives it a small ting*
ArPharazonV: There, now aftermeeting is official.
ArPharazonV: Certainly a creature of intelligence then, Eonwe.
Eonwe Valar: Actually, I was chairing :}
ArPharazonV: Ah, then Varda was out of place :-) [Note: oops! Sorry, Eonwe!]
Eonwe Valar: I think it'sa safe place to go to Aftermeeting anyway :}
ArPharazonV: *hands over gavel*
Eonwe Valar: *Bangs Gavel*
top

Eonwe Valar: Aftermeeting :}
Eonwe Valar: Hmm, you're right. I just saw she said "Aftermeeting" hehe. I look away from the screen for a second... :}
fladrifv has entered the room.
Eonwe Valar: Anyway, we're in aftermeeting now, you all know the drill :}
ArPharazonV: Aiya Flad!
Eonwe Valar: Heya Fladrif :}
fladrifv: Aiya!
fladrifv: been a while :-)
fladrifv: incoming sc2 with 12MB/s :-)
Eonwe Valar: :}
fladrifv: oh phar activated a 7 free days for catalyst
Eonwe Valar: We've got a Group and Clan for SC2 if you want to join the Group or both and be able to easily find guild members hopefully on to play SC2 with :}
ArPharazonV: So you've got Heart of the Swarm too then, Flad?
ArPharazonV: And Cataclysm? Not bad.
fladrifv: well not yet
fladrifv: still have to finish part 1 :-)
ArPharazonV: Yeah, you might want to finish that first, or it'll be a bit of a spoiler :-)
fladrifv: plus I have to wait for my fav race, the protos
ArPharazonV: But the zerg are a lot of fun too! And Protoss can still take years :-)
ArPharazonV: At this rate, it'll be 2016.
fladrifv: takes me already a few years to finish part one ;-)
ArPharazonV: But you do have Heart of the Swarm? Because I'm not sure you can still do the same multiplayer.
ArPharazonV: You'll have less units, in any case.
ArPharazonV: If you don't have the expansion, that is.
fladrifv: hmm didnt all the races have all their units already from the start?
karakedi25 has left the room.
Eonwe Valar: Heart of the Swarm adds new units.
ArPharazonV: There are new units. Viper, Swarm Host, Tempest, Warhound... I can't even remember all of them.
fladrifv: what is the valarguild clan named?
Eonwe Valar: The Group is Valar Guild.
Eonwe Valar: The Clan is Valar
Eonwe Valar: Everyone should at least be a member of the Group.
Eonwe Valar: *Everyone = everyone playing SC2.
fladrifv: valarguild has 3 members?
ArPharazonV: So far, yes :-)
Eonwe Valar: Right now, Aye. Me, Phar, and Gwaihir are the only ones right now.
Eonwe Valar: In the Group. me and Phar are in the Clan.
fladrifv: knocks gently on the door, would you be so kind to let me in Eonwe?
fladrifv: Fladrif is the name
Eonwe Valar: One sec, I'll need to leave WoW to run SC2.
Eonwe Valar: Join channel Valar so I'll see you immediately on login :}
fladrifv: oh no need to do it imediately :-)
Eonwe Valar: To late, already switching :}
fladrifv: yay
Eonwe Valar: I wasn't in the middle of anything at the moment anyway, so a good time to do it.
Eonwe Valar: Let the record show Eowyn and Fladrif got into the Group and Clan in SC2 today :}
ArPharazonV: *scribbles it down*
Eonwe Valar: Hmm, I guess we could actually use the Forum to discuss days/times for getting together for SC2, and maybe have something a little more solid by the meeting.
Eonwe Valar: I know it's a crazy idea, putting that "Forum" thing to use and all, but it might just be crazy enough to work :}
ArPharazonV: I'll admit right now that I'll be checking the forum more often than the US Starcraft II server.
Eonwe Valar: Wow, we haven't put the SC2 forum to use yet...
Eonwe Valar: Time to change that.
ArPharazonV: Is it even there?
Eonwe Valar: Aye, under Starcraft Series.
Eonwe Valar: Let the record also show there's a post on the Forum about setting up a day/time for SC2 get-togethers.
ArPharazonV: *scribbles furiously*
Eonwe Valar: http://valarguild.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=sc2general&action=display&thread=1278

Eonwe Valar: Hmm, looks like Proboards v5 is getting closer to launch.
ArPharazonV: What does that mean for us?
Eonwe Valar: For the general user? I'm not sure off the top of my head if you'll notice much of a difference.
Eonwe Valar: Actually, I take that back.
ArPharazonV: It'll apply automatically, and nothing is lost?
Eonwe Valar: Proboards is going to "global accounts"
Eonwe Valar: Other than that, probably not much different for the average user.
Eonwe Valar: http://support.proboards.com/thread/430242/all-proboards-global-accounts-video for more info on Global Accounts.
Eonwe Valar: Looks like the date is set: April 29th, everyone will be upgraded.
Eonwe Valar: http://support.proboards.com/thread/415589/open-beta-faq
fladrifv has left the room.
AriehnV has left the room.
Eonwe Valar: That's it for me for the night. Take care, good night, sleep well, and have fun :}
ArPharazonV: Namarie!
Eonwe Valar has left the room.
ArPharazonV: saving and sending transcript

top