Journeys discussion thread

[Rían]

Hi guys - please keep writing I hope to be back soon - got set back with an infection in the larger of the two incisions but it's on the mend now. Please help me feel better by doing some writing! [/guilt trip]

[Varnafindë]

(on guilt trip)I'm working on Rameldir's story - the first draft is finished on paper, and I need to type it up and PM it to Willow for comments(/on guilt trip)

[Rían]

*applies more guilt*

[Earniel]

I have an excuse that the last game-post is mine and I can't really go posting twice after one another. And I'm working on other short stories and a NK post, which may excuse me anyway.

Nice to see you again, RÃ*an. Were you so jealous of my infection that you wanted one for your foot as well? *sends healing vibes and a hug across the ocean*

[Rían]

Yes, I wanted to be just like you! *hugs back*

NK post, hey? I've given up.

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Yes, I wanted to be just like you! *hugs back*

Why didn't you say so! I could have easily sent you some of my bacteria! (We'd both ended up in prison under the patriot act, mind you, 'cos the administration doesn't know the difference between a biological weapon and a simple bacteria, but hey, details! )

NK post, hey? I've given up.

Yeah, it's sad it has gotten to such a grinding halt. But I've told myself: "I'm doing this post, if that doesn't help, then I'm seriously going to bug Gordis and Val for a post, and if that doesn't help, only then do I call quits." Game's too good to give up without a fight.

[Willow Oran]

I'm waiting for Varna's bit right now. If I end up not posting much this quarter it's probably because I've finally achieved a schedule where reading/writing overdose and eyestrain are possibilities.

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

Why didn't you say so! I could have easily sent you some of my bacteria! (We'd both ended up in prison under the patriot act, mind you, 'cos the administration doesn't know the difference between a biological weapon and a simple bacteria, but hey, details! )

Hey, that's downright friendly of you to be so sharing! And I'm sure it would have been fun to be in prison together! Think of all the writing we could do!

Too late now, though - rats!

Yeah, it's sad it has gotten to such a grinding halt. But I've told myself: "I'm doing this post, if that doesn't help, then I'm seriously going to bug Gordis and Val for a post, and if that doesn't help, only then do I call quits." Game's too good to give up without a fight.

A big part of the problem is that Angmar got so sick, but still, there's a lot we could do. I bugged for a long time, then just decided I was going to stop bugging. If you feel in the mood to bug, go ahead It would be nice to get going again.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Eärniel

And I'm working on other short stories and a NK post, which may excuse me anyway.

What's NK, precious? Is it something to read elsewhere?

*hopes to get her typing finished today*

[Earniel]

Originally Posted by RÃ*an

Hey, that's downright friendly of you to be so sharing! And I'm sure it would have been fun to be in prison together! Think of all the writing we could do!

Oh yes, we'd have plenty of time to write between our waterboarding sessions. If they'd leave us enough toilet paper to write anything on, that is.

Too late now, though - rats!

Alas, alas, we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way...

A big part of the problem is that Angmar got so sick, but still, there's a lot we could do. I bugged for a long time, then just decided I was going to stop bugging. If you feel in the mood to bug, go ahead It would be nice to get going again.

True, but I've got the impression that inspiration is more of an issue than actual time. The story has gotten so big and expanded, that it has become a bit of a daunting task to get back into it. Anyway, we'll soon see if we can bug them some more.

Originally Posted by Varnafindë

What's NK, precious? Is it something to read elsewhere?

NK is an RPG forum concerning the Arnorean kingdoms where RÃ*an, myself and some other mooters and non-mooters also have a large game running. It's on another site, with no relation to the Entmoot apart from the fact that it shares some members.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Varnafindë, ten days ago

*hopes to get her typing finished today*

What a vain hope ...

Today, however! I'm PMing it to Willow right now for beta reading - it's too long to go in one PM, and while we're complaining about the 90 seconds rule, there's a 120 seconds rule for posting two PMs.

Sorry this has taken me so long ...

[Willow Oran]

It's all right. I was busy being thoroughly obsessed with Batman during the last month and a half and the timing of this has been just right to kick me back into serious writing mode for the quarter. It's beta-d and ready for you polish and post now.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Willow Oran

It's all right. I was busy being thoroughly obsessed with Batman during the last month and a half and the timing of this has been just right to kick me back into serious writing mode for the quarter. It's beta-d and ready for you polish and post now.

Yay! Thanks a lot! That really helped
I'll have another good look at it and post tomorrow some time.

And good about the timing!

[Varnafindë]

Is it ok to double-post now, after a few hours?

I give you Rameldir the author!

I thought making it into a completely rewritten text would be better than him telling how he had been told by his parents.
To single out that text, I put it in a quote block.

Enjoy!

And again, a big thanks to Willow

[Earniel]

Wheee! Postage! I'm quite impressed at how easily you and Willow can come up with a complex history and fit both your characters firmly rooted in Middle-earth in just a couple of posts. Nice job.

[Varnafindë]

Thank you!

The idea (at least on my part) isn't new, though - I didn't come up with it for this RPG. I knew four years ago that Erufailon had saved Arindis from drowning, and I contemplated writing the story at some point. This was just the perfect occasion for finally doing so.

I think this is the main reason why I prefer to keep all my RPG characters within the same (extended) family, and reuse them - this is how I can give them a complex history. I know bits of what happens to them in different Ages, and can fit in new episodes in between, filling in with events from other family members as well.

It was fun to combine my characters with Willow's characters, too. We've given Elenwe and Lisseriel a brother which they didn't have before, defining the nature of that kinship between Rameldir and Glorfindel which I had also chosen four years ago, but where I've never worked out the details until now.

Willow's concepts fit so well with mine that there was only that little addition to make to combine them. I don't know whether she'll keep that new brother in her character family, but I'll keep Lisseriel in mine (with credit ).

[Willow Oran]

Did we ever come up with a name for that brother? I never get rid of characters once they're named. I never put my concepts for Glor into writing until I started playing him here and that made it very easy to tailor those concepts to fit.

I'll try to get a post up by saturday night at latest.

[Varnafindë]

Originally Posted by Willow Oran

Did we ever come up with a name for that brother? I never get rid of characters once they're named.

No, we didn't - that's why I only refer to him as Erufailon's grandfather. We decided over at Son of the Evening Star that he didn't need a name there, as he was only part of the background - but things might be different now?

He also has a daughter, Erufailon's mother, who hasn't got a name either ...

[Varnafindë]

That post is absolutely great, Willow. Rameldir's shock to realise that his friend never knew the details about those sad events - the fact that Rameldir's parents had only told him the sanitized version, he was after all only ten or younger when he was told - and Glorfindel's pain at having to hear the discussion of what a bother he is and who is going to be burdened with him. It must be giving him mental scars to last him all his life. Or lives.

I love how Idril takes control and takes Glorfindel in. I'm sure this is one major reason why she later does the same for her friends' son Rameldir, when Arindis and Erufailon are killed during the fall of Gondolin. I think now that the two women must have talked about it, when they have been worried about Gondolin's future, and Idril has made sure to have an escape route built - that if Rameldir's parents should both die, there should be no question of who he should stay with. Idril would foster him.

I didn't even know until now that this had happened. And it still fits right in with what I already know about them ...

[Willow Oran]

It's the characters doing the work, I swear.