The Lingering Darkness Planning/Discussion Thread

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

I second (oops, third) that sentiment!

On the practical side what is to become of Maethor in the interim?

Looks like we are posting at the same time here, Imladris!

[Nerindel]

Namaarie Snowdog,

Sorry to hear that you are leaving us. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Your first person narrative, is always a joy to read and will be sorely missed, as will you by all here.

And listen to Ealasaid don't kill Hanasían of the Dunedain [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

[Snowdog]

Alright, if it is ok with the writers, I have recruited a daring soul from among the ranks of my workmates, who also happens to be a Tolkien book fanatic. He is willing to give it a go as he has written in RP before. I had told him about this site earlier when we were recruiting for people, but he never did get into it. Anyway, he is reading the story outline I had printed earlier, and he will hopefully post here as soon as he is registered. I gave him the freedom to use Hanasían if he wants to, but he may take your idea of a different character.

Well, I am officially 'off the internet'.

Namarie

[Ealasaide]

Okay - thanks, Snowdog! You probably won't see this, but, if you do, please feel free to pop in to the Discussion Thread & say hello if you get the chance.

Snowdog's Friend - please post here on the Discussion Thread as soon as you can so that we will know who you are and what your plans are in terms of a character, i.e. whether you will be carrying on with Hanasian or writing someone new.

If the character is new, I'm sure Snowdog will have told you how to go about constructing a character profile, which should be posted to this thread ASAP.

If you have any questions, please be sure to ask. We are all a bunch of enthusiastic busy-bodies who would be more than happy to help out... probably more than you would like! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Arveleg]

Hello all! I have taken the daunting task of writing for Snowdog, and as I have read much of what you all have done here, it will be a daunting task indeed. What I will do is carry on with Snowdogs character as that will cause less confusion in the thread. Also, I think I have a pretty good handle on it based on the character profile and what has been written so far. So I will try and construct a post, and please let me know if I am doing anything wrong or missed any details. I look forward to writing with you all!

[piosenniel]

Welcome to the Shire and to this excellent game, Arveleg! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Please do check your PM's (Private Messages).

~~ Pio, Shire Moderator

[ September 16, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Ealasaide]

Arveleg - Welcome to the BD, brave soul! You will be filling some big snowshoes! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]
I'm looking forward to writing with you. Any one of us would be happy to try to answer any questions you might have about characters, plot, etc.
In the meantime, feel free to jump in with Hanasian whenever you are ready.

[Imladris]

Welcome to the game, Arveleg!!

[Imladris]

Elora, what happens to Vanwe once Naiore dumps her as it were to her fate? Does she fall in with the rangers or...? I'm sorry if I'm jumping too far ahead, but I was just wondering...

BTW, do you have an answer for Naiore's question for where does fear spawn?

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Salutations Arevleg! And thanks so much for taking up Hanasian and helping all of us out here. Have fun!

Nerindel – Belated thanks for letting me know about Halwain. His name didn't look elvish, but then again I don't know the languages.

BTW, do you have an answer for Naiore's question for where does fear spawn?

Imladris & Elora – I certainly hope you don’t feel the need to research this question?! [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

[Arveleg]

Thanks for the welcome everyone. I will try and get something up today, and Piosennel, I will also do as you suggested. Thanks again.

[Ealasaide]

Looking forward to your post, Arveleg!

I also plan to have something up today for Kaldir.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Crikey Ealasaid! Does that mean Gilly should post? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Arveleg]

edit- sorry, I guess im not cut out for this.
To me it made sense since everyone left the Forsaken Inn in the morning, and everyone it seems is heading for Chetwood. It seemed that the other two rangers had the trail of Naiore and Vanwe well in hand. I guess that doesn't leave much for Hanasian to do but post something like, Hanasian followed the other two Rangers. I guess I will wait for Act 3 and post. Sorry to have muffed up the script.

[ September 17, 2003: Message edited by: Arveleg ]

[Ealasaide]

Arveleg - nicely written post but you screwed me & Hilde up in a major kind of way. Hanasian is not supposed to confront Kaldir until the end of Act 3, if you look at the outline. We are currently in Act 2.

Right now, Hanasian & Maethor are supposed to be on Naiore's trail, moving toward Chetwood. Naiore & Vanwe are to the north of Benia & Gilly.

**********************
Here is the outline:
ACT 1: At the Forsaken Inn
Lespheria departs, leaving Amandur at the inn, where he remains in the hopes of finding out where Naiore is.

Naiore & Vanwe meet somewhere near the inn.

Kaldir captures Gilly, who is trying to rescue Benia.

Hanasian returns to the inn from Bree.

2 Shady Underworld Types arrive at the inn. (Or they may already be there -- writer‘s choice.)

2 New Rangers arrive at the inn, meeting Amandur and Hanasian.

ACT 2: Meetings & Departures
Kaldir returns to the woods, where he had earlier sensed an ominous presence, and discovers that it is indeed Naiore. He picks up her trail.

Naiore & Vanwe fall in together.

Hanasian & Amandur also learn of Naiore's presence by chance, intuition, or whispered rumor.

Having been intercepted and turned back by a messenger from her twin brother, Lespheria returns to the inn, where she rejoins Amandur.

Hanasian joins forces with the other two (as yet unnamed) Rangers.

Hearing somehow of Naiore’s presence, the Underworld Types decide to seek her out, leaving the inn before the others.

The rest of them depart (in separate groups) in pursuit of Naiore.

Gilly and Benia accompany Kaldir as his prisoners (sort of).

Act 3: Intrigue
Naiore & Vanwe take up with the two Shady Underworld Types

The Hunters & the Hunted all stalk each other a bit. There are run-ins & confrontations as Naiore attempts to take out her pursuers by whatever means she has at her disposal.

Gilly & Benia try to decide whether to assist Kaldir, escape from him, or attempt to redeem him.

Hanasian catches up with Kaldir.


Act 4: The Noose Tightens
With Rangers and bounty hunters closing in, Naiore changes her focus from killing the Rangers to pursuing Menecin, using any and all means to conceal her path.

The Rangers (all of them) and Lespheria ride together.

Shady characters start to realize Naiore may be setting them up for a fall and so plot against her.

Gilly & Benia manage to free themselves or Kaldir loosens his grip as he becomes increasingly focused on the hunt for Naiore.


Act 5: End Game
Naiore makes her attempt to kill Menecin. She fails & flees to the south, deserting Vanwe to her fate.

Naiore tries to take down anyone she can as she attempts to escape the closing trap.

The shady characters make their move against Naiore, either on their own or together.

Naiore is trapped somewhere near the Gladden Fields, where she is either captured or slain.
****************************

Also, before attacking other Major Characters, please clear it with the other writer either here or by PM before posting.

Also...Kaldir would not be caught by surprise like that. Be careful before taking him on. He is dangerous and would kill your character as soon as look at him if attacked like that.

[ September 17, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Wow, Beautiful writing there Arveleg! Unfortunately, though, Benia doesn't have outside help at this stage, nice though it would be.

I will wait until tomorrow morning to see if I should post Gilly. It runs slightly counter to Arveleg's, so I didn't feel right posting it yet. Though Gilly's eye-sight isn't the best! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Snowdog]

Sorry it didn't work out. Arveleg was used to freestyle and was rather annoyed at the response he got. He said he remembered why he quit RP writing in the first place, "because the freestyle creative writing form was a thing of the past."

I posted a short bit writing out Hanasían from the story. My apologies.

[Ealasaide]

Thanks, Snowdog. Sorry, everybody. [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

[Imladris]

So does Maethor join Amandur and Rauthain now? This is so messy...no offense to anyone.

[Ealasaide]

No offense taken, Imladris. It is messy. I should never have invited someone in, sight unseen, who was not familiar with the dynamic of the game, much less the protocols of the BD. My apologies.

Yes, Maethor will now be riding with Rhauthain & Amandur. I will have to check the previous posts, but I think you may be able to carry on with those two from where the game currently stands. (Later) Okay, I just checked. Maethor will have to ride a little to catch up with them, but you can take care of that with a sentence or two.

Again, My apologies. My bad. I am kind of new at this.

[ September 17, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[Imladris]

Elesaide, I was just going to apologize for my comment. I mean, you and Snowdog and the others thought up of this game and made it work and now this is happening! I had no right to complain. Bad me!

Okay, I think I'll take care of Maethor right now. This will sound pathetic, but I've missed him. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[piosenniel]

Okay, my understanding is that Hanasian and his writer are permanently gone from the game.

Do you think you will be needing another Ranger character to come on board? Or can the present writers handle this absence - either by carrying on without Hanasian . . . or inventing an NCE that the other Rangers can use as needed . . . or someone picking up another secondary Ranger character (you all seem rather loaded down with characters at this point, however) . . . or do you want to look to recruiting someone to play a Ranger? (Which would work out best if you could find someone on the BD whose writing you liked and felt was compatible with yours and then invited them to read the game so far and see if they felt they could jump in.)

What do you all think would be best to do?

[Elora]

Firstly, apologies for my absence. It is owing to extenuating circumstances that cannot be avoided.

Presently, I can only offer brief discussion. I won't be posting for some days for my characters but I have not disappeared. I expect to be back in some fashion by Monday (board time).

As for the matter at hand, I had hoped to use the bond that was developing between Hanasian and Vanwe as leverage for when Vanwe decides to throw her lot in with the Dunedain later on in the RP.

I ask that, whatever you decide, some scope for that impetus for Vanwe be developed in some other way (be it with a new character, NCE or an existing character).

If you decide not to recruit another ranger and not create Hanasian as a NCE, I'll need to create a bond for Vanwe over the course of the RP with another existing character. Perhaps Maethor, as Vanwe is not quite so terrified of him as she is of Amadur.

I hope the above makes sense. I'm sorry I can't be of more help right now.

Arveleg I'm sorry I missed your arrival and the opportunity to extend my greetings. Seems the chance has well passed and you've left us. Sorry about that too.


Belated as this is, and likely pointless as I suspect you won't read this at this late stage, Mae Govannen and Namarie.

[Nerindel]

Ok,
I have been busy reading over Hanasíans Bio and his posts past and present and I think his character is to deeply involved in the plot to let him go, So if everyone agrees I will take over his character [gulp] [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

But I will need the assistance of everyone else who is linked to this character, ie Benia, Vanwe and Naiore, ok [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Thanks!

I will pick Snowdogs character up in bree, once everyone gets there,

The only flaw in my plan is my up coming absence, but I can write a forwarding post for Hanasían and PM it to one of my fellow Co-owners and they can edit it to fit with what is actually happening at the time (if you know what I mean?)

Snowdog if by any chance you get to see this do let me know if there is anything you think I should know about Hanasían.

[Ealasaide]

Wonderful, Nerindel! Thanks for stepping into the breach. If Elora & Hilde are agreeable to that solution, I am all for it! Bravo!

As for your upcoming absense, it's really not that long of a time. We will able to work around it pretty easily. If you would like to post ahead for one or more of your characters, that's fine. Or, you can PM your posts to me. I would be happy to do any necessary edits & see that your post is placed on the thread for you at the appropriate time.

Elora - we've missed you, but we all understand "extenuating circumstances". Post when you can! We will look forward to seeing you back on a more regular basis after Monday.

A couple of questions - do you still intend to write your bad guy character, Barrold Ferney? If so, when & how will he be joining the story line? A thought: perhaps Everdawn's Avanill could meet up with him in Bree. Then the two of them can hook up with Naiore.

[ September 18, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

Of course Hilde is agreeable, she is delighted! Bless your heart Nerindel and many thanks!

[Imladris]

Ah, confusion strikes again (or it may be that blonde streak...whichever), but why is Naiore making for Bree? Why doesn't she just go and take Vanwe or whatever. Am I just being stupid? And if I am, let me ask some more questions that may be considered stupid:

Why is Vanwe such a threat Naiore?
Why is she so upset with Menecin?

I'm sorry...but these have been bugging me and if I missed the answers to these questions in the Discussion Thread, don't hesitate to slap some sense into my head. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Imladris

[piosenniel]

A very quick note about Hanasian:

I received a PM from Snowdog. He would like the name of the Ranger changed, and I am supposing the Horse, also.

Nerindel - can you choose the names and can everyone please edit them into your posts (I'll do the ones under my name).

Thanks!

~~ Pio

[Ealasaide]

Pio - thanks! Also, could you do the ones in Snowdog's posts, as well? I think he just mentions the horse by name, since he writes in the first person.

Nerindel - since we are changing names, I guess this leaves it open for you to change or elaborate on any aspect of the character bio you would like & make the character your own. Actually, I think this would be advisable, at least to a small degree.

Imladris - I think she is heading to Bree so that she can hook up with the other two bad guys. Then she will double back toward Rivendell once she hears about Menecin's presence there. As for your other questions, I think I will leave those for Elora to answer.

[ September 19, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[piosenniel]

Yes, I'll also do any changes needed in Snowdog's posts.

[Everdawn]

Ok well this shouldnt complicate things too much, sing Avanill hasnt begun his proper part in the game yet, but i am flying south to Sydney for 5 days so i wont be near a computer, i hope thats ok.

I will post so that Avanill is in Bree, ELORA If Naiore gets there in the time i am away, could you just put something in for Avanill? Thats only if you get to that stage, if not theres nothing to worry about. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[Nerindel]

er! Do you know what you are asking by having me change Hanasian'a name???

If I change the name then I will have to change the history and the personality as these things are unique to Hanasían,then all Snowdogs posts will have to be edited, Essentually deleteing the Character from the rpg.

I know this is what Snowdog wanted me to do, But I'm sorry, In all good consciousness I can't do this, He took the time and effort to write this character and that should be recongnised!

I would rather see The character leave than delete him entirely [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]
I hope you all understand what I mean.

This can work two ways:

1/ Hanasian has left a note in bree, explaining his need to leave! (Something about his father, as this is the only thing I think would cause him to abondon the search for Naiore)?

2/Amandur meets another ranger who is to take Hanasian's place, as he is called away on another matter?

If you wish to have another Ranger replace Hanasian, I am quiet happy to write a bio for this character [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Sorry for being a pain [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

Nerindel.

[Snowdog]

I appreciate the sentiments Nerindel, and after carefully re-reading the whole RP, I see that changing the names will not really work without starting alot of other complications, not to mention alot of unnecessary work on everyones part. Since I, and everyone else had a bit of time to think, I pondered that which I am doing to all of you here, and again apologize. I want to make it easy to keep going, and the doubts can impede the creativity everyone in this Story has, so I propose for your consideration two alternatives to keep things flowing smoothly:

• 1. Hanasían meets another Ranger he knows along the road to Bree and gives him the pouch & belt (forgot about this), and any information that he had, and this Ranger that Nerindel (or someone else) creates takes over, so the RP dynamic from this point will have him in it instead of Hanasían. I can post the exchange bewteen Hanasían and this Ranger, then Nerindel or if an NCE, anyone can write from there for this Ranger. This accomplishes two things. One is it effectively writes out Hanasían from the story without causing much, if any, problem with the back-story, and also introduces the other Ranger.
• 2. Hanasían stays in the story as an NCE, which I am have mixed feelings about. I am somewhat loathe to do this as NCEs usually are handled with less care than one's own character, and I am afraid he would be made out as somewhat of a dolt. Hanasían is a character born out of an RP I was in for a couple years (He was born at the end of Shadow over Arnor, which has more the story of his father and mother in it) so I guess I am quite protective of him. On the other hand I am sort of interested to see what other people would come up with when provided his Character bio. Like I said... mixed feelings.

Either one of these two alternatives would make the transition much easier for everyone involved. Any thoughts/opinions?

[Imladris]

I hope nobody minds my two cent's worth, especially since I'm not a game owner, but I don't really think that you should have Hanasian as a NCE because Snowdog had several good reasons for not wanting that, and I think it would just seem kind of odd for readers of the game. It's like, you start getting to know the character, and suddenly he's just gone...disappeared as it were. Having him as an NCE would break the flow a lot more than just simply writing Hanasian off somewhere.

[Hilde Bracegirdle]

I would opt for choice one as well, but I'm also not a game owner. Since Vanwe and Kaldir have more of a back story going on, Elora and Ealasaide should be the ones to decide it would seem. (Also Nerindel as she might wind up writing the character!)

[ September 21, 2003: Message edited by: Hilde Bracegirdle ]

[Elora]

My, my, so much to respond to.

I'm not confortable with Hanasian as a NCE. SNowdog has put a great deal of work into developing that character and his history. Whilst we could perhaps approximate something in line with his creative vision for Hanasian, I doubt we could nail it as he could.

Knowing how attached I get to characters that I've created, I wouldn't like to contemplate writing someone else's as a NCE and muffing it up. So my opinion, for what it's worth, is that we arrange a passing of the torch from Hanasian to another character (passing on necessary info). This way, the story line can flow forward with this new evolution and Snowdog's Hanasian is not eroded by NCE activities.

Evolution and change is the lifeblood of collaborative writing, be they free form RP or planned ones such as this. Change is necessary. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

OK, here are the responses to questions:

1) What happens to Vanwe once Naiore abandons her?

Well, interesting question. Vanwe is abandoned by Naiore at Imladris, as she will send Vanwe in to do her dirty work and hence Vanwe will fall into the waiting net. What happens to her depends on whose hands she falls into. If she falls into Kaldir's, I cannot yet predict what comes to pass.

If she falls into the Dunedain's or Imladris', then she will face the gruelling process of learning the truth of her mother.

Regardless, the plot outline is clear enough that however this comes to pass, Vanwe learns the extent to which she has been betrayed by her own mother and sets off after her for a reckonning. Being the daughter of two formidible Noldor, she is something to contend with despite her habit of minimising and underestimating herself.

She'll either set out alone, fleeing Kaldir, or with those who set after Naiore from Imladris, all depending on the above.

2) [I]Where does fear actually spawn?[I]

This question of Naiore's is the root of much of her choice. She is, aside from all else, a philosopher. Her empathic senses detected an undercurrent of fear behind the culturally advanced and sophisicated facade of the Noldor. I chose fear based on my own exploration of the nature of primal motivations, instincts and so forth in my student days.

There is no defined answer to this riddle, hence Naiore fruitless search through all the years. Fear spawns in an unknowable place deep within us all. She cannot possibly extract it as it's interwoven throughout us. It cannot be measured or quantified. She's become a master at eliciting it, and detecting its presence. She can control it to a fine degree. But the essense of fear is unpredictable and wild.

So Naiore will never have her answer. All her choices will be in vain, all she sacrificed (and she gave up much to freely pursue this question of hers beyond the moral bounds of her restrictive, civilised, society where base emotions such as fear, lust, rage and love are tightly controlled). For all her intelligence and ability, Naiore made fundamental errors in judgement that reflect more of herself than that which she pursues.

3) [I]Do I still intent to write Barrold Ferney?[I]

Yes, I sure do. He'll join the RP at Bree. He has a safe house and an past acquaintance with Naiore Dannan. Naiore will make for Barrold immediately once she gains Bree. She'll be sending Barrold out to earn his extortionate gold. She'll want supplies, horses, poisons... so therein lies the opportunity for Barrold to encounter the other underworld figures for the people of Bree are justifiably reluctant to do business with Master Ferney.

4) [I]Why is Naiore making for Bree?[I]

Naiore is running low on key provisions. She's been on the run in the wild for quite some time. Her push north into the Shire has been foiled, and now the Dunedain are hot on her trail and she has a hostage to manage.

In short, Naiore is under some pressure for provisions, time to plan and a place to lay low for a while. She much prefers to pre-plan, being an analytical creature. So, Naiore is making for the only safe place she knows of in the North - Barrold Ferney's. Even that's not so safe, but she has means of keeping Ferney in some semblance of control.

She needs food, fresh horses, and she needs to replentish the stuff of her trade. Poison and toxins, hone her weapons, scout the land and draw up plans. That's why she's making for Bree.

Plus, it works well for the story as characters need a place to converge and meet up.


When I next post for my characters, it shall be nightfall and at Bree that I open at. So, if you have plans for your characters that occur prior to Bree or nightfall, let me know so I don't gazump you (as in, pull the story out from underneath you).

[Ealasaide]

Okay...let me see if I have everything straight...

Nerindel will not be taking over Hanasian or changing his name? If that is the case, then we need to write Hanasian out of the story. I don't think it would work to use him as an NCE.
Whether we bring in another Ranger character or not really depends on whether Nerindel would like to write another Ranger. Frankly, as long as we can fill the holes in the plot that Hanasian leaves behind, I really don't think we need to add another Ranger...although another Ranger would be nice!

Here are the plot problems that arise with writing Hanasian out...
1) The growing sympathy between Vanwe and Hanasian. Perhaps we can work out a way for Maethor or a new Ranger to fill this gap.

2) The connection between Benia & Hanasian. This is not central to the plot & can be dropped. I can always come up with something else.

3) Vanwe's pouch. With a little editing, I think Hanasian can hand it over to Maethor or the new Ranger.

[ September 22, 2003: Message edited by: Ealasaide ]

[Snowdog]

Since I had to agree with Imladris and Elora, I went ahead and wrote a post to pass the pouch to a Ranger. I used the name Dulrain, but if you wish another name for the NCE Ranger, then it will only be an edit if a couple spots in my post for Pio to do. This new NCE Ranger has allthe information that Hanasían knew for he told to the Rangerin their meeting, and he is now on his way to Bree and can arrive anytime anyone wants to write him in. Hanasían departs on his personal quest, and leaves the story with everything written beforehand still intact. I closed his part in the story and there will be no further posts from me. I think this was the simplist and easiest way to take care of this. I would like to wish all the writers Happy Writing, and I will miss interacting with you all.

Namarie,
Hanasían

[Ealasaide]

Thanks, Snowdog! We will carry it forward from here. Happy trails!

[Ealasaide]

When I next post for my characters, it shall be nightfall and at Bree that I open at. So, if you have plans for your characters that occur prior to Bree or nightfall, let me know so I don't gazump you (as in, pull the story out from underneath you).

Elora, can you hold off until I get one more post up for Kaldir? I just need for him to round up Gilly & Benia once & for all, then find Naiore's trail.