May 5, 2013 Sunday Meeting
5pm EDT (UTC - 5)
AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace
Back to News
Transcript work by Ar-Pharazon and Varda.
Attending: (5)
ArPharazonV, EonweValar,
fladrifv, Indis-(V)/
karakedi25, VardaValar1 (presiding)
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership:
Ar-Pharazon's birthday
Web:
Gaming:
SCBW
SWTOR
flashgaming
SC2
Chess
WoW
LotRO
Tolkien:
RP (forum group story "Angmar Bound")
Topic: Illusion. The chat topic kept getting mixed with the rp discussion, but can be sorted out with effort.
After-meeting:
Indis arrived, so we continued with comments on the rp.
Before-meeting
You have just entered room "valarguildmeetingplace."
VardaValar1 has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Phar
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
VardaValar1: Things wrapped up early by much cooperation, huzzah!
ArPharazonV: Just finished my pet battles, so I'm ready :-)
VardaValar1: yay!
ArPharazonV: Got my last wild pet in Pandaria last night, and have now
been working on the quests and daily quest for the Spirit Tamers and
Beasts of Fable.
ArPharazonV: The last of which I finished around 5 minutes ago.
VardaValar1: Very nice! Grats on finishing.
ArPharazonV: They're pretty tough to beat!
ArPharazonV: Well I've now unlocked those dailies, so I will return to them each day.
VardaValar1: hehe - aye! It was pretty wild just doing earlier stuff.
ArPharazonV: At least until I have all the rewards I want. Which are - more pets.
VardaValar1: But of course!
VardaValar1: Digital pets that don't need fed, washed, given housing.
That don't bite the mailman, tear up the furniture, rip out the wiring,
etc. Wish fulfillment. :-)
Eonwe Valar has entered the room.
fladrifv has entered the room.
fladrifv: Aiya
Eonwe Valar: Heya.
VardaValar1: Aiya Eonwe and Fladrif :-)
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
fladrifv: Aiya Vada eonwe and the golden one
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VardaValar1: Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
VardaValar1: Membership:
VardaValar1: Thank you all for coming. Without you, there would be nothing.
VardaValar1: Thank you to Fangorn, Sauron, Bilbo, and Elwing for working with me to allow my presence at the meeting. :-)
VardaValar1: Any other membership news?
ArPharazonV: ...my birthday starts in an hour?
VardaValar1: Egad!
VardaValar1: Congratulations for surviiving another year, Phar!
ArPharazonV: Thanks :-)
VardaValar1: We'll try to wrap it up so you can go party. :-)
VardaValar1: Wrap up early.
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VardaValar1: Web:
ArPharazonV: Hehe, that's allright. Probably a bit of singing around midnight.
VardaValar1: Nice!
ArPharazonV: Can come right back afterwards.
VardaValar1: Nar said during LotRO that he and Mirabella go to an event yearly, about to come up again,
VardaValar1: International Congress on Medieval Studies
VardaValar1: May 9-12 in the USA, in Michigan at Western Michigan University.
VardaValar1: He says there's always a big Tolkien Society presence there.
VardaValar1: Searching through the website proves it's true. :-)
VardaValar1: Lots of Tolkien stuff.
VardaValar1: http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/congress/
VardaValar1: Any other web news?
VardaValar1: (that link could've been Tolkien section news, but you get it now.)
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VardaValar1: Gaming:
VardaValar1: Any gaming this last week other than WoW and LotRO?
VardaValar1: BroodWar for Fangorn and me, Star Wars the Old Republic for Bilbo and Sauron.
VardaValar1: Flashgaming? Other?
ArPharazonV: Some flashgaming with badges of the day on Kongregate.
Though I must say I'm starting to run into badges I've already done, so
it's getting a bit boring sometimes ;-)
VardaValar1: oops
fladrifv: I finished sc2 heart of the swarm
VardaValar1: O wow, grats on finishing.
ArPharazonV: Grats :-)
fladrifv: :-)
fladrifv: cant wait for the void
fladrifv: and moved on to the next round of chess
fladrifv: :-)
ArPharazonV: How many rounds are there?
VardaValar1: Bet they're watching you nervously this go-around.
fladrifv: fear the mighty tree
VardaValar1: sooo, how many rounds?
fladrifv: I guess 3 more
fladrifv: depends a bit on how many ppl will drop out underway or continue
VardaValar1: Varies then. Seemed like you had one at least with a ton of rounds.
VardaValar1: On to
VardaValar1: WoW:
VardaValar1: Eonwe, you had some news?
Eonwe Valar: Aye.
Eonwe Valar: Darkmoon Faire is this week, so make sure you get your
exp/rep boosted, play the games, do the dailies, get the pets, etc.
VardaValar1: Good plan. Thanks!
Eonwe Valar: Children's Week ends tomorrow at 2pm, according to the in-game calendar.
Eonwe Valar: Make sure you get your last-minute stuff in if you haven't already.
VardaValar1: Good reminder, thank you!
Eonwe Valar: Next big event is in June: The Midsummer Fire Festival.
Eonwe Valar: That's it from me.
VardaValar1: Thanks. :-)
VardaValar1: Any other WoW news?
ArPharazonV: June. Seems so far away...
ArPharazonV: Well, as I said in pre-meeting
VardaValar1: heh - sometimes far, sometimes barreling in at high speed.
ArPharazonV: got all the wild pets in Pandaria now; the only wild pet
in the world I still need is the one only available summer (June,
probably, heh) and I've been doing the spirit tamer and Beasts of Fable
pet battle quests, got all the dailies unlocked.
ArPharazonV: So next phase of pet battling has begun :-)
ArPharazonV: *only available in
ArPharazonV: but other than that, not much to report
VardaValar1: but took many hours to do. : )
ArPharazonV: *grin* that it did, I think I spent like 7 hours total trying to find a rare quality of the last one.
VardaValar1: That's a lot. : )
VardaValar1: LotRO:
VardaValar1: People of level 85 are working hard to do the raids that now scale to 85 and get their gold (name is gold) gear.
VardaValar1: They're prepping for Update 11, possibly out in November, when we get Helm's Deep and the cap goes to 95.
VardaValar1: Those not at 85 and not fully traited are running hard to use this time to catch up also.
VardaValar1: And then there are a batch of us just having fun gaming
together, such at this week's steady group of Fangorn, Elwing, and
Varda. : )
VardaValar1: and crafting, of course, for self, group, and AH.
VardaValar1: The game can be played for free, with areas and functionality added on by earning in-game Turbine Points.
VardaValar1: Turbine Points can be bought with real dollars, but if a
person is going to be doing that, he might as well save back the
dollars and buy the full expansion for much less hassle.
VardaValar1: Any other news, comments, suggestions?
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VardaValar1: Tolkien:
VardaValar1: In the rp, we seem to have done a scattering of the group
again. We're going to have to pull us together and be strongly
motivated, shades of the Avengers.
VardaValar1: In other thoughts,
Eonwe Valar: We're not to the point wherre we *need* to be together yet.
VardaValar1: after going to the Iron Man 3 movie today (I recommend it!)
ArPharazonV: Was thinking of meeting a certain npc as I went.
VardaValar1: Sounds interesting, Phar. :-)
VardaValar1: And I was actually trying to get us all involved in
realizing the weapon was a staff hilt, working together, that we needed
to solve the mystery of. Not seeming to work out.
VardaValar1: We need to get the story moving in the rp, and that won't
happen until we can act as a unit, whoever that group is going to be.
VardaValar1: It looks like Auros, Meren, Calion, Frali, and Fainan are pretty much it.
VardaValar1: The Fabulous Five. : )
VardaValar1: Anyway, something our characters might bump into at
Rivendell is the use of illusion in entertainment. It might help us
realize we're looking at something hidden, give us a Eureka moment.
VardaValar1: The elven minstrels could do illusory visions for entertainment purposes.
ArPharazonV: I doubt the person I'm going to see will know many card tricks but you never know.
ArPharazonV: Actually he seems like the type who might.
VardaValar1: hehe - check in a Poker game?
VardaValar1: This use of illusion doesn't seem to be something we see
much in the stories, but perhaps it just didn't enter into the main
story line.
VardaValar1: We know Gandalf used illusion by adding ghostly riders to
the top of the waves when Elrond loosed the river on the Nine Riders.
VardaValar1: Possibly the illusions were too obviously not real.
VardaValar1: Saruman seems to have used some kind of illusion to appear
to be an ordinary old man, although that might have been by clothing
and lack of accompanying lackeys.
VardaValar1: After all, the Istari were originally sent with that appearance.
VardaValar1: In the music battles such as between Finrod and Sauron, there may have been illusions going on as well.
VardaValar1: Gandalf as Olorin used to walk unseen among elves and encourage them with visions.
VardaValar1: A sort of illusion?
ArPharazonV: Smoke and mirrors.
VardaValar1: Fire side product? : )
VardaValar1: Faramir and Boromir had dreams that felt like messages, mainly Faramir, but Boromir probably once anyway.
VardaValar1: Maybe one of our people will be sent a dream to help with
the investigation into the two parts of this magical staff.
VardaValar1: There's a nifty article online about magic in Middle-earth:
VardaValar1: http://tolkien.slimy.com/essays/MagicEssay.html
VardaValar1: by Steuard Jensen
VardaValar1: Lots more Middle-earth stuff on that site. Interesting to look through.
VardaValar1: He does warn that he wrote that essay before reading Morgoth's Ring.
ArPharazonV: "Enchantment produces a Secondary World into which both
designer and spectator can enter, to the satisfaction of their senses
while they are inside; but in its purity it is artistic in desire and
purpose."
ArPharazonV: Well, that'd be our "illusion in entertainment" :-)
VardaValar1: There you go.
VardaValar1: Another version of story-telling, like a book or movie.
VardaValar1: Sorry, got caught up looking through the essays.
VardaValar1: Shall we call the meeting here, and let people go on about their business (and reading)?
VardaValar1: *raises mithril hammer*
VardaValar1: *tinnnnng*
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VardaValar1: After-meeting
karakedi25 has entered the room.
karakedi25: Aiya
VardaValar1: Aiya Indis : )
VardaValar1: Welcome to After-meeting
ArPharazonV: Aiya!
VardaValar1: The Tolkien chat was concerning illusions and similar things in Middle-earth.
karakedi25: was there discussion of the RP?
VardaValar1: A mention of it, aye.
karakedi25: So where do we go from here?
VardaValar1: Would you like to make a suggestion?
karakedi25: hadn't been thinking that way
karakedi25: do you think Auros and Meren will get along?
VardaValar1: This is After-meeting. Is anyone else still present?
VardaValar1: Please say aye
VardaValar1: Aye
ArPharazonV: aye
karakedi25: eye
VardaValar1: Common purpose is all that is actually needed for the group to get along, as all have a strong sense of duty.
ArPharazonV: I wasn't even sure how Auros and Calion got along these
days. I added a few remarks about it in my post but wasn't sure if it
was still outdated.
karakedi25: Yes,of course, Meren is professional, but she isn't going to put up with unnecessary rudeness.
VardaValar1: Was he really all that rude, or is Meren being over-sensitive?
karakedi25: He was rude.
Eonwe Valar: Auros has not been rude, from my intent or inadvertantly
Eonwe Valar: If he has been interpretted as rude, that is another matter.
karakedi25: He was rude when he demanded the sword.
ArPharazonV: He was certainly direct and to the point. Unsubtle.
ArPharazonV: Whether that's the same as rude...
Eonwe Valar: I gave no textual cues as to the tone of his voice.
karakedi25: Read back--an abrupt demand, no information on why so
urgent, an implication that Meren was holding on to the sword for her
own purposes
karakedi25: Don't Noldor say 'please'? The time it took to say he
didn't have time for pleasantries would have been enough for him to say
'There's some urgency; could you provide the sword for X purpose. ?
VardaValar1: Here's the actual quote, just for ease of looking.
karakedi25: And even 'thank you' for bearing the burden of it.
VardaValar1: Arriving, he looked around and found only a few people
examining books near the walls or amongst the shelves, but none near
the Silvans from Mirkwood. Seeing Meren sitting at a table, he
approached and said in a low voice, "I apologize that I do not have
time for the appropriate pleasantries, but I have come to take the
orc-sword into my custody, and it must be done immediately."
Eonwe Valar: "A handful of inquiries revealed that the delegation from
Mirkwood had been sighted returning to the library, and the Dwarf Frali
had gone outside somewhere. Determining this was the perfect time,
Auros made his way to the library." This indicates a sense of haste and
urgency on his part to get the job done while Frali is not around.
karakedi25: He could have said that. Meren does not read minds.
VardaValar1: I did not see an implication vs Meren in that personally.
karakedi25: n
Eonwe Valar: Which is not a problem. As I said, if he is perceived in
the limited scope of the characters as being rude, I'm not going to
complain.
VardaValar1: He did try to show urgency with "must be done immediately" but didn't say why.
karakedi25: no, not personal, just contemptuous of her--as she saw it--as a non-Nolde
karakedi25: Must be done immediately--but none of your business why.
Rather peremptory, in view of the fact that she'd been entrusted with
it before.
karakedi25: Sorry, Meren experienced it as rude.
Eonwe Valar: From outside the story, however, we have the knowledge of
the situation to say that he was merely trying to accomplish his task
quickly and, I would also like to note *did* apologize for the
abruptness. If he were truly being rude, he would not have even done
that much.
VardaValar1: Also, if she had asked, he would probably have answered.
karakedi25: By this time, she'll not give him the time of day, unless it's for 'professional' reasons.
Eonwe Valar: From Auros' perspective, (as I recall) he had told her
earlier in the story that someone would take possession of the sword.
That person ended up being him. Elrond had also informed her he would
have someone take it custody. That person ended up being Auros.
Eonwe Valar: Minus one of those "That person ended up being" sentences.
VardaValar1: Another thought. Is the sword just very slightly affecting Meren? Maybe not, just a thought.
karakedi25: Yes, that's fine, and as she said, she was relieved to get
rid of it. As far as she's concerned though, the reason for the
immediacy was not apparent, and she thought Auros was abrupt. She
hadn't been all that impressed with him as a 'personality' from the
beginning.
VardaValar1: It might need to be passed around to prevent taking hold
of anyone, some being more resistant than others, like Meren's being
resistant.
karakedi25: No, she has no desire at all to keep it.
karakedi25: She would just like to be treated courteously, as she would treat someone else.
VardaValar1: With it away from her, she might notice an odd lightening of her mood.
Eonwe Valar: That's ok, from Auros' perceptions Meren's abrupt departure wasn't all that polite either, hehe.
karakedi25: It wasn't meant to ne.
karakedi25: *be
karakedi25: It was meant to give a message.
ArPharazonV: *enjoys the sunshine while everyone's angry with each other*
ArPharazonV: At some point everyone's going to be shouting and pouting
and Calion'll come in smiling and asking what's been going on.
karakedi25: Meren is only annoyed with Auros. A bit of courtesy and
perhaps an explanation of the urgency, plus letting her know her skill
is valued, would go a long way.
VardaValar1: He can't. She left in too much of a hurry for that.
karakedi25: He can find her later, no? She's gone looking for loremasters to talk shop with.
Eonwe Valar: Let's understand a baseline I've tried to follow with
Auros while we're here. If I write Auros to be angry, it's obvious. If
I write him to be directly discourteous, it's obvious. In most cases,
his "rudeness" as perceived by characters in these different situations
has been a attempt at a level of haste and/or formality, not rudeness
or discourteousness.
karakedi25: your and his intentions are not the same as others' perceptions
karakedi25: keep in mind that Meren feels that she was somewhat forced
on the company by Thranduil and has never been entirely certain of her
welcome
VardaValar1: Another problem is why would Auros seek out Meren, when he
doesn't know he did anything wrong? It would have to be for the mission.
Eonwe Valar: Fair enough, and again, I can accept that, but I'm getting
the distinct impression we as writers are starting to blur on that line
as characters.
Eonwe Valar: *or blur between characters' perceptions and was we as writers should understand.
VardaValar1: What would make Meren feel that the mission is worth her
discomfort? Would it be something she found in the lore she's been
studying? Maybe another lore-master could shed some light on something
she read and help her make a turn-about to needing to do the mission?
karakedi25: She knows she is to go on the mission unless she is
disinvited. It won't be comfortable for her, but as said before, she's
professional.
VardaValar1: The need to do the missiion needs to be internal, not just forced by Thranduil.
VardaValar1: Ok, so she would go from a sense of duty to Thranduil?
karakedi25: She wanted to go, if you remember.
karakedi25: And she'd still like to contribute her knowledge and skill
to the mission. But she isn't sure of her welcome, in view of how she
was brought into the group and Auros' behavior to her.
karakedi25: She's not planning to bug out.
ArPharazonV: So she thinks she was forced into the party, not to her own discomfort, but to the discomfort of the others.
karakedi25: That's right.
VardaValar1: What attracts her to the mission?
karakedi25: Knowledge, the desire to help her homeland, a chance to use and hone her skills.
VardaValar1: Sounds good.
VardaValar1: Fainan is trying to protect Mirkwood. Scouting this danger
and maybe helping the great ones destroy it is her intention. What
about the other members?
Eonwe Valar: Auros is also professional. Aside from his dealings with
Calion based on Calion's directly ignoring his instructions, and
something else I can't remember at the moment, he has been formal, if
distant, in his dealings with the other members of the company.
Eonwe Valar: Except in combat when formality usually gets shed for
expediency, and he has also shown his ability to be warm to others, as
in his last dealing with Estarion in Mirkwood, where he actually helped
him improve his combat skills.
karakedi25: I'd guess Calion is motivated at least in part by a desire to help his brother.
VardaValar1: Aye. Helping his brother, protecting Mirkwood.
VardaValar1: Auros doesn't have that same protecting Mirkwood feeling
the way the rest do, at least not with the same strength and deep
feeling.
VardaValar1: He is finding out that the danger is more than just to Mirkwood, in the course of this.
ArPharazonV: something else you can't remember, eh? :-)
Eonwe Valar: Yeah, lol.
karakedi25: Of course not, though he does desire to help Imladris and elvendom.
karakedi25: and of course to please Lord Elrond :-P
Eonwe Valar: Either Auros should be mad at Calion for something, or mad
at someone else for something, I'm trying to remember who was late to
the muster at Erebor. :}
ArPharazonV: I have a pretty good idea why he was mad at Calion. But
let's say.. water under the bridge, or however that saying goes.
Eonwe Valar: I wouldn't say it's an active hostility toward him, mind you.
karakedi25: just a resentment?
Eonwe Valar: Auros is a soldier. If I may paraphrase.. "A man under
authority, and having others under his authority. Telling this one,
come, and he comes, and this one, go, and he goes."
VardaValar1: Maybe a feeling of lack of being sure he can be counted on?
VardaValar1: A civilian has a hard time relating to the way soldiers operate, aye.
karakedi25: And vice versa?
Eonwe Valar: If he recieves an order, he does everything to carry it
out. If he gives an order, he likewise expects the same result.
VardaValar1: Right, and vice versa.
Eonwe Valar: But he would not asking something that he himself would not be willing to do.
VardaValar1: The communciation styles are different.
ArPharazonV: Good thing I'm not in the military. I tend to question everything.
VardaValar1: That only gets to last so long, hehe.
ArPharazonV: As for your last statement, what one person is willing to
do does not make it allright for another to do the same ;-)
karakedi25: Very different, but in a very long life, dont you suppose
he would have learned something about communication, especially as he
reports to a master of communication
Eonwe Valar: Depends on how you want to define "communication." Saruman communicates quite well too.
ArPharazonV: I'd say Saruman communicates better than Auros. Just with different motivations.
karakedi25: You've indicated that Auros can change style for expediency. It is expedient to keep one's group's morale.
VardaValar1: Saruman is a master of persuasion, and has a Voice magic to help, although becoming a boss has marred his ability.
VardaValar1: It's not actually a group at this point or one that he is in.
Eonwe Valar: From Auros' perspective, his mission is over. He's not
going to Angmar at this point in the story. His reason to go isn't
strictly defined in-story.
Eonwe Valar: That's also not to say that he doesn't care about morale,
just that it's not his concern as related to any mission to Angmar at
this point.
karakedi25: OK, so he doesn't have to be nice to those pesky wood elves any more (to the degree that was nice before)
ArPharazonV: haha, pretty much
karakedi25: *degree that he was nice before
VardaValar1: To his way of thinking, he's still being nice.
Eonwe Valar: His mission at this point was to take the sword into his
custody, and he succeeded in that. Once it was safely placed outside of
Frali's reach or knowledge, what he explained and to whom would've been
of more bearing.
ArPharazonV: I think the point is that he does not need to act as a leader anymore.
VardaValar1: Culture clash.
karakedi25: apparently so
Eonwe Valar: He is being cordial and courteous. He had intended to see
how the Silvan's first night in Rivendell was, before being called to
speak with Master Elrond.
Eonwe Valar: *Silvans'
Eonwe Valar: "Formality" and "cold formality" are not necessarily the same thing :}
karakedi25: true
Eonwe Valar: I would also like to note, for the record, that Auros
showed trust in Meren by placing the sword in her keeping, giving her a
moment to prove herself, as he has done with.. I think just about
everyone in the company.
Eonwe Valar: And each one with interesting results :}
karakedi25: and as far as I know, she did so
ArPharazonV: "Everything is a test."
VardaValar1: :-)
Eonwe Valar: I can't quite recall if Frali had a chance for a proving
moment yet, unless one counts the reaction to the sword, but if he
hasn't, he would get one, under Auros' leadership.
Eonwe Valar: From a strict in-story view, of course. I never really had
to plan any of those moments. You all provided those yourselves, hehehe.
Eonwe Valar: *I as a writer.
VardaValar1: Fainan can't really see herself as a potential leader,
because all but Frali are very much her seniors. This started out
because this story was to be fill-in while waiting for LotRO, and the
game said all player elves would be young.
Eonwe Valar: I of course had to be very different, lol :}
VardaValar1: So she looks up to the nobles and teachers of Mirkwood and this ancient (to her) Noldo.
karakedi25: I've always figured I can RP my elf any way I want to
VardaValar1: Frali is almost easier for her to relate to.
VardaValar1: Yes, you can. :-)
VardaValar1: It's just how it happened to happen. ^^
VardaValar1: I like how it turned out. A nice spread of types.
VardaValar1: Much more interesting.
Eonwe Valar: I like the way, overall, the story has developed. I would
rather our primary lore for it be based on what we can get from the
books that from the game.
Eonwe Valar: As far said though, as a historical note, it started out as a lead-in for what was MEO at the time, hehe.
Eonwe Valar: *As far = As Varda
ArPharazonV: Which I've not played, so I don't have much of a choice as far as my source material is concerned ;-)
Eonwe Valar: :}
karakedi25: My writing is more book than game, but I think game has some influence (don't ask for specifics)
VardaValar1: Agreed. We decided a while back to try to keep to the book lore.
VardaValar1: (being a lore-master in-game for you and being a hunter for me of course has noooooo influence. um)
karakedi25: none at all
karakedi25: heh
Eonwe Valar: Auros was going to be a melee guy no matter what, hehe.
VardaValar1: Having no relation to champion Auros in LotRO, of course. :-)
Eonwe Valar: Doesn't mean he can't use a bow at need, and I like that Champions in LotRO can at least fire a bow.
VardaValar1: Aye he should have some ability with any weapon, even if not total mastery.
karakedi25: on the other hand, Meren doesn't throw fireballs
Eonwe Valar: Back in the day, if MEO had gone through with its system,
Auros would've probably been what I think was called an "Avenger."
VardaValar1: Just burning embers from a fire-pot? : )
ArPharazonV: So would there be something even close to Calion in LotRO/
karakedi25: Not so far
ArPharazonV: knives, short swords, affinity with nature?
Eonwe Valar: Burglar? :}
VardaValar1: In WoW, that might be a druid. No one class like that in LotRO at the moment.
VardaValar1: Lore-masters have the animal pets.
karakedi25: and an affinity with the wild
ArPharazonV: So a bit of a burglar/loremaster.
ArPharazonV: Dualclass, wooh.
VardaValar1: The dependence on dual wielding up-close melee is more champion.
ArPharazonV: I always did like the idea of multiclassing rogue/druid,
whether it's the WoW rogue, the D&D rogue, or whatever.
VardaValar1: A burglar uses a lot of tricks as well as being good with the dagger.
karakedi25: though not the interest in knowledge of the LM
karakedi25: Also, burgs dual wield, esp with daggers
VardaValar1: Aye
VardaValar1: Hunters dual-wield, but mainly use the bow.
VardaValar1: No pets.
Eonwe Valar: A quick note of what I was forgetting: I just dug through
the Erebor chapter of Scouting Ahead, and Calion was the one late to
the muster at Erebor. He just likes getting on Auros' bad side, lol :}
ArPharazonV: Right. I think he had an errand in town with stolen daggers.
VardaValar1: hehe - lack of being prompt, aye. Doesn't show a strong
investment in the mission, it would appear from that. Even if that's
incorrect.
VardaValar1: So we have to show we are reliable, good at our jobs, into
the mission in various ways. This helps our rep with everyone in the
group, easier to say than do.
VardaValar1: If not good at it, trying to get good at it.
VardaValar1: For instance, Frali's determination to better himself says a great deal for him.
karakedi25: Frali is a good soul
VardaValar1: Aye.
VardaValar1: He needs soem successes to help him gain confidence.
VardaValar1: *some
VardaValar1: Houseful of people over here, pardon.
Eonwe Valar: Lol: "Auros sat upon Sulenar, glaring angrily as he
watched Calion ride up from Dale. As Calion nonchalantly took a spot at
his side, Auros said "It is about time you decided to grace us with
your presence."" Not sure I wouldn't written that quite the same way
were I to do it again.
ArPharazonV: Hah. If we had the chance to do it again...
Eonwe Valar: Sets Auros' mood towards Calion at that specific moment quite nicely though :}
ArPharazonV: I wonder if a single word would remain the same.
Eonwe Valar: Aye, hehe. I think most of it would stay, but there's some
ideas in my earlier posts I wouldn't have in there on a rewrite. It
sounded good at the time and now it doesn't. Alas, that's the danger of
reading one's older work :}
VardaValar1: Too true. : )
VardaValar1: As we go along, we start understanding the characters and
story direction. Thus most stories require revision, a luxury a story
like this doesn't have.
VardaValar1: This is a sort of game, not just a story.
VardaValar1: Others say something and you *have* to find a way to work with it. An intellectual and enjoyable challenge.
Eonwe Valar: How Calion dealt with Auros in the above situation:
"Knowing that continuing any argument with Auros would do him no good,
Calion let his comments pass as he accompanied him to the group and all
departed to the west, back to Mirkwood." Hehe.
ArPharazonV: Sounds like me.
VardaValar1: And it worked.
VardaValar1: It also helped endear him to Fainan, although I don't think that's mentioned.
ArPharazonV: I'll be honest with you. When it comes to the forum RP I
don't have a clue what I'm doing right now. I've forgotten most of what
we've learned and discussed over the years, I vaguely have any plans
for the story except some key sequences that'll take place all the way
at Angmar...
VardaValar1: Aye. At this point we're all a bit fuzzy about what we're doing, much like our characters are.
ArPharazonV: I'm doing what I think my character might be doing, even
if it's inconvenient, and I've no idea what he knows about the
possession thing, even though I did put it in a post that things are
clearer to him now.
ArPharazonV: Basically, I'm just having fun with the entire thing.
VardaValar1: The group needs a defining moment and it seems to be
wrapped up with what we find out about the staff from this "sword".
Eonwe Valar: Calion dealing with Auros after leaving Mirkwood for
Erebor: "He turned now to Auros, who had unnerved him with his violent
and slightly hostile tone. He would have slapped him in the face for
this insolence, but since Auros was their leader, it was his duty to
obey, and Calion was, as any honorable Elf, never violent against a
fellow Elf. So he held back, and merely spoke words."
ArPharazonV: I'm just hoping it'll all work out. Maybe I'll get an
inspiration when we discuss things about the sword, and he will
suddenly be able to fill a few gaps with what he's learned.
VardaValar1: Currently, the nearest grouping thing we have is being
Mirkwooders inside Rivendell as our commonality. Auros doesn't even
have that except perhaps a feeling of having helped bring them to the
place where they don't fit in but have to be.
VardaValar1: Calion is no ordinary Mirkwooder who just fell off the
flet. He's a noble, has some classified info in his head, plus an
unusual ability to work with animals.
VardaValar1: He may be able to help with some part of an "Eureka!" moment too, just as Meren and Auros could.
ArPharazonV: Indeed.
ArPharazonV: Classified info? I'm sure he does, but I've not noted anything down or anything.
VardaValar1: Just stuff he happens to know that the normal bunch of us don't, especially concerning politics, other races.
fladrifv has left the room.
ArPharazonV: Right. I can work with that. If necessary.
VardaValar1: Just like Meren has specialized knowledge, a lot relating to history and current new discoveries written down.
Eonwe Valar: This could've been taken in an interesting way: "You may
know all of the Dark Lords from present and past there is to know,"
-----------(NOTE: THIS PART NOT IN THE STORY): Auros: "How dare you
accuse me of running in the same circles as Sauron and Morgoth!" :}
VardaValar1: "It's...the dark outift?" ;-)
ArPharazonV: Pff, you First Agers are all alike.
Eonwe Valar: Hey, Auros isn't that old :}
ArPharazonV: He's Second Age?
VardaValar1: *takes a handful of candles off Eonwe's birthday cake and slips them onto Calion's"
Eonwe Valar: I don't think it's come up in the story yet, so the
characters wouldn't know it, of course, but I think I've mentioned
before he was born
Eonwe Valar: *nearer the end of the Second Age.
ArPharazonV: So what exactly is his war-trauma you keep mentioning, caused by?
Eonwe Valar: I keep mentioning war-trauma?
ArPharazonV: Well. Grimmer nature. Old war-buddies. The idea that you
know more about the evils that plague our world than we do.
ArPharazonV: Speaking as our characters, that is.
ArPharazonV: Let's say, more military experience.
ArPharazonV: I always thought Auros was a First Age war veteran, maybe even born in Aman.
VardaValar1: I got that he was an old vet too.
Eonwe Valar: Well, part of that is his age. He would've fought in the
first War of the Ring at the end of the Second Age, the Angmar
campaigns, the Long Winter when it was said Rivendell was beseiged, at
least.
ArPharazonV: Angmar. That's true.
VardaValar1: The Angmar campaigns. He's been in that area before.
Eonwe Valar: The "old war buddies" thing mentioned first in this
chapter of Angmar Bound, I intend to go a little more into either in
the story or through side-stories for the Stories page, so I won't
explain it too much now.
Eonwe Valar: But part of it is filling in the gaps of a 3-thousand-year life.
Eonwe Valar: Just because he's formal with the Elves from Mirkwood doesn't mean he's not or hasn't been close to anyone.
Eonwe Valar: The story introduced the names of 9 Elves he would consider himself close to, and hints at a 10th.
Eonwe Valar: I believe earlier parts of the story mentioned he had friends among the Silvans of Mirkwood at one time.
Eonwe Valar: Give me a sec, I'll provide a quote/post.
Eonwe Valar: Correction, friends among the Sindar. Chapter 4 of Scouting Ahead, post 43.
VardaValar1: I wonder if any of our older party members would have known those friends.
Eonwe Valar: http://valarguild.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=MEORP&action=display&thread=467&page=3
Eonwe Valar: Funnily enough, it's part of a story/plot theme I wouldn't
go with were I to rewrite it, but I suppose this part in and of itself
would stand.
ArPharazonV: I wonder how old Calion is. It could be anywhere from 200 to 1500.
ArPharazonV: Biggest war he's been in was Bo5A, I guess.
ArPharazonV: So yeah, he wouldn't have known any of Auros' friends in Oropher's army, unless they survived :-)
Eonwe Valar: Here we go, an in-story hint at to Auros' age, provided in
Angmar Bound, Chapter 1, Post 31: " They spent the rest of the night
singing old songs, recounting stories of their friends, reliving the
bold plans made in their youth to retake Eregion as a domain of the
Noldor."
VardaValar1: Good one.
ArPharazonV: Ah, nice.
Eonwe Valar: So you can see there hints that his "youth" would've been
after Eregion was lost and Celebrimbor was slain, or at earliest during
this period, though I've told you enough outside of the story to
indicate that he was not around/old enough to fight in that particular
war.
VardaValar1: But he has fought?
Eonwe Valar: One second, I've got the scariest part in the story right here...
Eonwe Valar: One more sec, thought I had it, I need to find it again.
VardaValar1: Scary already
Eonwe Valar: Bah, it was right there.
VardaValar1: Snuck up on you.
Eonwe Valar: Bah, this one will do. It's at least as scary as the other one...
VardaValar1: heh
Eonwe Valar: "Bidding farewell, he added with a small smile, "As for
you, Lady Fainan, I hope you have some experience in dealing with
kings, for you shall most certainly be called before him as well. ""
-------- Oh no! Auros smiled! Everybody run! :}
VardaValar1: *gasp*
Eonwe Valar: After trying to re-find an example of Auros smiling, I
realize one thing: Of course Auros is going to look grumpy. Everyone
else is smiling on every page of the story! :}
ArPharazonV: *smiles*
VardaValar1: Auros is a grump, Auros is a... /duck
karakedi25: and that was a rather nasty smile anyway
karakedi25: yeah, Auros is a grump!
ArPharazonV: Auros is a duck?
VardaValar1: Fainan didn't get it as a nasty smile, heh.
VardaValar1: Fainan has learned to duck when misbehaving around people with sharp objects.
Eonwe Valar: I wrote it more with Elrond's comment to Sam in mind:
"Indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is called
to a secret council and you are not."
VardaValar1: Fainan got it more as encouragement, or his amusement, not as nasty.
Eonwe Valar: I took that as a bit of humour on Elrond's part, and the movies showed it that way too.
VardaValar1: Aye
Eonwe Valar: I believe, but can't be absolutely sure at this point,
that bit of humour from Auros was related in some way to protests
earlier in the story by Fainan that she was "simply a scout" or
something along those lines.
VardaValar1: Sounds right. He's been encouraging that way.
Eonwe Valar: In any case, he wasn't cackling maniacally :}
VardaValar1: hehe
Eonwe Valar: Heh, Haran dancing in Thranduil's Halls.
VardaValar1: ^^
Eonwe Valar: For those mildy curious or who don't remember it:
http://valarguild.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=MEORP&action=display&thread=466&page=3
Eonwe Valar: "Without thinking, Fainan patted the coughing Estarion on
the back. "Breathe air, drink liquid. Better now?"She tried not to
wince as she suddenly realized she might have embarrassed the warrior.
She smiled and stepped away, trying to let him regain his abused
dignity. "
Eonwe Valar: :}
VardaValar1: ^^
Eonwe Valar: Another fun one: "At the friendly back pat, Fainan blushed
slightly, very glad that the fierce warrior had not minded her action.
But then her eyes widened and her mouth opened a little in shock as he
downed a full stein! No! What was he thinking! Was he trying to prove
that he was powerful? Was this...her fault? She would try to watch out
for him and try to make amends, as this could not be good!"
VardaValar1: ^^
karakedi25: goodnight gentle folk
VardaValar1: Namarie Indis :-)
karakedi25 has left the room.
Eonwe Valar: Sleep well, belatedly :}
ArPharazonV: Namarie Indis *waves from transcript*
VardaValar1: Yay for transcripts :-)
Eonwe Valar: :}
ArPharazonV: Speaking of which, saving and sending.
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