New Characters

[Voronwen]

Indeed, just friends!


Vorondariel's first post is up. Please let me know if i need to change anything!

[Tamyris]

OK Tamy's all ready to go!

[Valandil]

Great! Are you going to use her at Amon Sul, or at Cameth Brin?

[Voronwen]

She'll be at Cameth Brin.

As soon as i get the green light, i'll post something.

[Gordis]

Jun 13, 2009 20:22:29 GMT Voronwen said:

Still, there is the element that she has lost it all, so there will still be things to work out there (perhaps with a bit of help from Nimraen - does anyone actually play Nimraen? Gordis?).

Nimraen is a public character, maybe even less than that, as she has never been registered, has no avvie etc. You can provide her with all this, Voronwen, if you like, and use her.

I think Nimraen was little mentioned before: a well-trained maid from Gondor, with a pronounced Southern accent, prone to gossip and quick to anger. Should be around 65-70.
That's what I have found about her:

1.

Fortunately it was raining at midday on the Seventh of Narbeleth, so Gimilbeth caught the three frogs in the garden herself. She had sent Nimraen, her Gondorian maid, to the market to buy the black cockerel. The faithful maid, hearing this strange request, managed not to flinch, but Gimilbeth was sure that now loose tongues would start wagging with renewed vigor.

2.

Unknown to Gimilbeth, the Palace was astir with gossip. The very upset Gondorean maid, Nimraen, let her tongue wag freely in the Maid's Common room upstairs. She was not well-loved by the other servants, being a foreigner, and a haughty foreigner at that, but this night almost all the servants in the Palace were there to listen.

"'They told me to leave my room and go sleep here, upstairs!" complained Nimraen. "And my Lady is closeted in her study below. Afraid of MURDERERS she is! And that in the very Palace! Never has such a thing happened before, I tell ye!" she cried, shaking her head in horror. "Royal ladies and their maids unable to sleep in their beds! and an AMBUSH set in my Lady's rooms! What are we coming to?"

3.

Feeling new confidence, Gimilbeth called Nimraen and ordered a bath. She had to repeat her orders twice, as the bewildered maid stood gaping at the golden and silver runes that appeared magically on the walls in one night. Her mistress had no illusions about the gossip this happening would entail, but she knew from bitter experience that no threats could prevent maids from talking.

4.

She heard the thud of running feet in the corridor. Without so much as a knock, several guards with drawn swords burst into the room, followed by a bleary-eyed frightened Nimraen.

"What happened, Lady?" asked Vardir, the captain of the night guard. "Who was here? Are you hurt?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," snapped Gimilbeth. "How dare you enter here unannounced and uninvited?" She pulled the blankets up, covering her shoulders and bosom. Morgoth be praised, she thought gruffly, at least she did not put a herbal mask upon her face this night!

Visibly taken aback, Vardir stammered: "But you cried for help, did you not? We clearly heard your cry!"

Gimilbeth lowered her thick eyelashes. So it was she herself who shrieked... Oh, the shame of it!

Ever helpful, Nimraen chimed in, "As you surely know, my lady had been ill and is not yet fully recovered. Perhaps she had a bad dream. Anyway, there was no need to bang in here with no warning. You see for yourselves that Lady Gimilbeth is safe. Leave now and guard the doors!"

Uncomfortable and visibly suspicious, the soldiers bowed and left, some of them making a sign against evil behind their backs.

When they left, Gimilbeth shook her head to clear it and yawned. "What time is it?" she asked Nimraen.

"'An hour before sunrise, my lady. But Lady Arien is so late to show her face in autumn in this cold country. Most people at the Palace are up already. Today there will be the Council held, they say."

5

"Where is my lady's nightdress, I ask ye?" Nimraen hissed dangerously, scaring a group of lowly maids assembled in the room. The Gondorian maid, Gimilbeth's favorite, was quick to anger, and at such times her southern accent, which usually caused many a laugh in the kitchens, became even more pronounced.

"We did nothing wrong! We weren't in here since the morning!" pleaded a small, white-faced Hillmen girl. The others nodded in approval.

"You better look at this open window," said another maid, pointing an accusing finger. "Anyone could have sneaked in!"

Nimraen shrugged, and shut the window with a bang. In doing so, she noticed a large, dirty footprint on the spotless windowsill. The geraniums in a flowerbed below the window looked trampled, even in the feeble light falling down from the lighted room.

Frantic now, Nimraen dismissed the maids and searched the room. Everything was in place... except... yes, the golden jar with a lid studded with gems, heirloom of the House of Dauremir, was unfortunately missing. About two hours ago, Nimraen prepared Gimilbeth's green herbal mask in this jar and left it on the dressing table as usual. Close to tears, Nimraen cowered silently in a corner, anticipating the inevitable reprimand from her lady.

Gimilbeth, however, was in no position to reprimand anybody when she was finally brought back to her room, battered and hardly conscious. Nimraen helped her lady out of the wreck of her once elegant dress and into her bed. The old surgeon who followed Gimilbeth looked concerned, especially when a thorough examination revealed no wound, either on the head or the body. Nimraen spent all night by Gimilbeth's bed, bathing her forehead and chest in athelas infusion.

6

As Gimilbeth finally reached her rooms in the Palace, she smiled as the scent of crushed mint and lavender drifted towards her. Her maid Nimraen anticipated her needs so well… A hot bath and a herbal mask first, then some rest and then to battle, for that is what this evening reception was all about.

7. Orc ambush:

In the aftermath of the blistering rain of arrows, wild pandemonium had broken out through the cavalcade. Wounded men and horses screamed and moaned. Downed horses thrashed and men maddened by their pain tried to pull arrows out of their bodies. Nimraen screamed a long, loud, piercing shriek as she saw one of her wagon's horses go down with an arrow in its spine. She screamed hysterically as she heard the dull thud as another arrow embeded itself in the thigh of the driver.

Apart from that there are only mentions of Nimraen in passing.

To start with you could probably take Nimraen to the Amon Sul kitchens to have a nice chat with old Kirael (played by Earniel) .

[Voronwen]

Thanks for this!

But, that's right, she'd be at Amon Sul right now with Gimilbeth... so nowhere near poor Tamyris. Perhaps interaction between them would need to happen once Gimilbeth returns home.

But i'll give this some thought!

I think Nimraen was little mentioned before: a well-trained maid from Gondor, with a pronounced Southern accent, prone to gossip and quick to anger. Should be around 65-70.

Haha! She does seem like a viable relative for Tamyris.

[Gordis]

Jun 15, 2009 17:11:40 GMT Voronwen said:

But, that's right, she'd be at Amon Sul right now with Gimilbeth... so nowhere near poor Tamyris. Perhaps interaction between them would need to happen once Gimilbeth returns home.

It seems natural that Nimraen had left the care of Gimilbeth's cats in the competent hands of her niece. ;D

[Voronwen]

;D ;D ;D

Good, then!

[Voronwen]

If you want, i can write a post for Nimraen. I'm not sure that i want to register her as my own permanent character though, as i think i've got enough on my plate with my two right now!

But i think doing so will (maybe) help move Tamyris' plot along.

[Voronwen]

Gordis, i've sent you a PM re. Nimraen.