Storms at Weathertop. Shadow IV- Discussion Thread

[Valandil]

Jun 8, 2009 1:19:09 GMT Duilin said:

Well, this becomes more and more difficult. The original idea, I guess, was that there would have to be some sort of place from which Elendil could look out and await the coming of Gil-Galad.

I'm guessing he was looking through the palantir. That would be the smart thing to do.

[Duilin]

We seem, then, to be left without anything for anybody to do at Amon Sûl.

I don't see how it's so unreasonable to have some kind of observation deck on the top of the tower. It hardly seems very worthwhile to have a tower from which you can't actually see anything with your eyes.

And surely there ought to be something for the characters at Amon Sûl to do besides talk?

[Valandil]

Well... we don't HAVE to go with my sketches. BTW though - you can look out the windows with your eyes. The windows would open too - but are probably kept shut for most of the colder months.

[Valandil]

Jun 4, 2009 12:13:15 GMT Duilin said:

I seem to be the only one with any enthusiasm for bringing Gondorians into the mix, so we can drop it if everyone else prefers. There was no intention in my idea on that front to accomplish very much. Basic thought was that Castamir could arrive at Tharbad by sea sometime in the summer, start ordering everyone around, make a fool of himself trying to play politics in Cardolan and in the process uniting all of the factions in Cardolan against him, and then leave without ever getting anywhere close to Rhudaur. Kind of a tragicomic interlude that would probably mostly involve my characters.

Duilin - I forgot to reply to this.

Under the conditions you describe, it might be less of a problem to involve Castamir / other Gondorian 'intervention - than I had thought. If it was limited, and didn't get too widely divergent from everything else already going on. I suppose the biggest issue may become your own willingness to write that part as mostly a 'one man show'. There's a chance the rest of us will seee something in it that we like - and want to join in on the fun once you've started it, but otherwise, you might be on your own, as you suggest.

OTOH - unless we can sustain this bit of renewal we have going now, you might be just as well off writing major chunks yourself - as we may all have to do when our own interest/availability levels are high. But... hopefully we can sustain a little more than that for a time now.

Would you still be interested, or just as soon drop that idea?

[Voronwen]

Jun 8, 2009 1:19:09 GMT Duilin said:

The original idea, I guess, was that there would have to be some sort of place from which Elendil could look out and await the coming of Gil-Galad.

This is pretty much how i always imagined it, too.

[Duilin]

I would definitely still be interested in bringing Gondor into the mix in the summer of 1349, if it's feasible. Castamir has history with Duilin and Thurisind, which would be fun, and in general having an arrogant Gondorian general mucking about with things appeals to me.

My basic sense of what would bring it about is thus - Gimilbeth appeals to Romendacil for aid, and he promises some kind of small expeditionary force to help Rhudaur. She also asks if he'll talk to Galphant, which, by one means or another he does. He doesn't promise to support Galphant, but offers to act as mediator in the succession dispute, with the premise being that Gondor prefers that Malvegil not win out. To be his agent on the spot, he picks his grand-nephew Castamir, who I was envisioning as perhaps Vice-Admiral of the Fleet, or some such position (Castamir's unnamed father would be the Admiral, while Romendacil's younger brother would be either dead by this point or basically another unmotivated wastrel like his father and uncle).

So Castamir comes up. I haven't decided whether or not he's going to decide to advance his own claim to the throne of Cardolan (I was thinking either his mother or grandmother might have some distant connection to the line of Caryontar, which would allow him to plausibly make the claim). But, at any rate, he lands at Tharbad, demands that the claimants come and meet him and present their claims, makes an arrogant ass of himself. How exactly it would work out would be up to everyone else. If you all want to have him eventually make his way up to Rhudaur, that'd be fine, but if you don't, I'm sure I can find plenty of reason for him to stay in Tharbad and Harnost and never make it. I'm happy to take charge of it, although note that I'm also perfectly happy for anybody else to bring characters into the Cardolan subplots.

So, anyway, yeah, I'd love to have Castamir in it, and don't mind if it's mostly me entertaining myself.

[Valandil]

Duilin - that sounds good enough for me. Except that it's summer of 1348 that's coming up, and that will be the one you want. Is it OK with everyone else?

You could even have Romandecil's younger brother in the picture - some retired Admiral of the Fleet - or 'honorary' or 'emeritus' or something. Or - demote the son and grandson a step, and Castamir is in the position of waiting to move up to Vice-Admiral. Whatever works for you.

Now - I need to stop being so much of a referee/umpire and more of a player. ;D I have to say - it's helpful to my spirits that some of you others have started writing again, even though I was being the hold-up. I'll see what I can do real soon.

Say Duilin - isn't it about time we got you an avatar?

[Voronwen]

Jun 9, 2009 0:15:29 GMT Duilin said:

I'm also perfectly happy for anybody else to bring characters into the Cardolan subplots.

Duilin, i've send you a private message regarding one of my characters. It could provide you with a means of getting one of your secondary ones out of the way for now, more or less, freeing you up some so that you can play Castamir..? ;D

[Duilin]

Voronwen - I replied. Val - yes, we need avatars for Duilin and most of my other characters. I'm not really sure where to look for them, so I've kind of occasionally made a half-hearted effort, and then given up. Site recs?

ETA - the details of Castamir's role can be worked out later. We need to first have Gimilbeth and Galphant speak to Rómendacil. Then I might do a Castamir post to set things up. That could be delayed until ages from now.

[Voronwen]

Jun 9, 2009 1:20:32 GMT Duilin said:

Voronwen - I replied.

Thanks, Duilin I did read it, and i will be answering it soon, after giving it a good deal of thought about how to go about things.

ETA, Re. avatars - I find that looking to art history is very good for this sort of thing. All of mine come from the Pre-Raphaelite period or similar. Hope that helps.