The chamberlain, the king, and the dragon (drobe)

[Campbell]

Before Thurgon's return Lucann turns his attention towards Theren, taking stock of the young half elf.

"Those men are hungry wolves. By wounding the leader of the pack you have unsettled his hold over them. They can no longer trust his leadership, but he is still their leader. Their desperation will lead them until someone else takes over. They are wolves no longer - now they are bit rabid dogs which will bite anything that comes close. They might be useful in the battle ahead, but are ruined as men."

After a moment he addresses Theren more directly: "I believe you would avail yourself well in the hunt. While I would have skewered those men if they were my quarry, it was your choice. You had first sight of them. It is your right as a hunter. What do you think will come of those men you allowed to live Theren?"

Insight: 1d20+21=31

Note: Lucann is testing the waters with Theren. He wants to see how much of an elf and how much of a man he is. If this is something you are not interested in playing out let me know sheadunne.

 

[Campbell]

Cool.

You might have noticed that Thurgon has a tendency to see situations very much through the prism of his own concerns! It does him good to be reminded that others have their concerns too.

I think they are in many ways men of the same character, shaped by very different philosophies and experiences. It would be interesting to see how their conflicting viewpoints would play out in a long term game. It would be particularly interesting to see how Theren might be influenced by both men.

By the way [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION] I'm very happy with the way this is turning out so far. It is reminiscent of the bits I enjoy in the Lord of the Rings. Excellent DMing so far. Also excellent play from everybody else.

 

[Manbearcat]

I think they are in many ways men of the same character, shaped by very different philosophies and experiences. It would be interesting to see how their conflicting viewpoints would play out in a long term game. It would be particularly interesting to see how Theren might be influenced by both men.

By the way @Manbearcat I'm very happy with the way this is turning out so far. It is reminiscent of the bits I enjoy in the Lord of the Rings. Excellent DMing so far. Also excellent play from everybody else.

Thank you for the compliment but after so many years of GMing, if there is one thing I've learned it is that GMing poor or uninspired players is worse than not GMing at all. Truly. I've never run a PBP. It has plenty of innate barriers that afflict pacing, coherency, general communication, etc. This has been extremely easy thus far, not because of slick GMing, but because of competent, clever, proactive, creative players who make strong inferences and move the action of their own volition.

I will never, ever GM for uninspired, poor players again. I've done it too many times in my years. It sucked the life out of me when I did. So I appreciate the opportunity to run something for good players any time I am able.

Amusingly, your character maps extraordinarily well to the Eladrin Bladesinger of my home game. Character build focus and secondary focus, race, ethos, deity. Its amusing. The other 3 have no analogue in my home game. They're all great characters though and a long term game would be a cinch for you guys.

 

[sheadunne]

Before Thurgon's return Lucann turns his attention towards Theren, taking stock of the young half elf.

"Those men are hungry wolves. By wounding the leader of the pack you have unsettled his hold over them. They can no longer trust his leadership, but he is still their leader. Their desperation will lead them until someone else takes over. They are wolves no longer - now they are bit rabid dogs which will bite anything that comes close. They might be useful in the battle ahead, but are ruined as men."

After a moment he addresses Theren more directly: "I believe you would avail yourself well in the hunt. While I would have skewered those men if they were my quarry, it was your choice. You had first sight of them. It is your right as a hunter. What do you think will come of those men you allowed to live Theren?"

Insight: 1d20+21=31

Note: Lucann is testing the waters with Theren. He wants to see how much of an elf and how much of a man he is. If this is something you are not interested in playing out let me know sheadunne.

Theren shrugged. "They will die, as all do eventually. But now they have a choice, which they didn't before, being men who feared. They can serve the city and perhaps die in battle or they can continue on the path they were currently traveling and die by my hand later." Theren glanced back at the boy and remembered his own path and the pain that accompanied it. "And I don't hunt. I present myself to men and let them come to me, on their own terms."

"Besides, six on one isn't a fight, it's a butchery and I'll have no part in that, especially when I'm traveling in the company of a Knight Commander, who has done nought to deserve that disservice."

Theren shrugged and whispered low to Lucann, "I think there may be more at play here than simple men of low morality. Magics may be at work."


-----

Theren doesn't have any issues between his elven and human sides. He is all about convictions and service. He viewed his father as a man without convictions since he did not acknowledge him and was generally a poor leader (at least in Theren's eyes). However, whether he's more elven or human in his actions and thoughts I'll leave up to elves and humans to decide. It's not an issue in which Theren thinks about. He probably came to terns with it years ago when he discovered larger issues with his father.

 

[pemerton]

[MENTION=16586]Campbell[/MENTION], [MENTION=27570]sheadunne[/MENTION], [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION] - I'm quite enjoying this, so thank you all!


Just to get the situation clear in my mind: as Thurgon returns to the staircase from the triage centre, he greets Lucann - who has just been talking to Theren (Thurgon won't have noticed this - he is neither perceptive nor insightful). So it makes sense that I would then acknowledge Theren. (Sorry Theren, I think you're always the one who gets acknowledged second!)

Theren, this is Blaine, our scribe and herald.

<Thurgon indicates the young man who has accompanied him out of the triage centre.>

He served with me in the Iron Tower, before its fall, and he knows the rites of the Lord of Battle. He will announce us to the gate guards and the chamberlain. He knows the words and customs well enough, though Kord knows none of us look the part!

<Thurgon tries to wipe some of the blood from his surcoat.>

Where is Quinn? I had hoped he might be here - just in case. He assured me that he knows something of the chamberlain's ways.​

[MENTION=386]LostSoul[/MENTION]? We need our tricksy mage if we're to deal with this pesky chamberlain.

 

[sheadunne]

Theren, this is Blaine, our scribe and herald.

<Thurgon indicates the young man who has accompanied him out of the triage centre.>

He served with me in the Iron Tower, before its fall, and he knows the rites of the Lord of Battle. He will announce us to the gate guards and the chamberlain. He knows the words and customs well enough, though Kord knows none of us look the part!

<Thurgon tries to wipe some of the blood from his surcoat.>

Where is Quinn? I had hoped he might be here - just in case. He assured me that he knows something of the chamberlain's ways.​

.

Theren doesn't mind being acknowledged last or not at all.

"I have not seen or heard from Quinn," Theren responded. "But his services might be needed. There is some evidence that magics have been used on guards in the city. I had a run in with some fellows who bore a concealed arcane mark. We may have larger issues than can be met with sword and spear alone."

 

[TwoSix]

Hopefully [MENTION=386]LostSoul[/MENTION] chimes in, this is very entertaining!

 

[Manbearcat]

Hopefully @LostSoul chimes in, this is very entertaining!

He updated his original. I think we're on Edit 3. Should be done in the next few days and onto the action scene. He was just MIA over the weekend because I've heard, don't quote me on this, there is a real world out there that is not inside of the internet. I think its bunk but who knows.

 

[TwoSix]

He updated his original. I think we're on Edit 3. Should be done in the next few days and onto the action scene. He was just MIA over the weekend because I've heard, don't quote me on this, there is a real world out there that is not inside of the internet. I think its bunk but who knows.

There is, but it's a dark and scary place.

 

[Manbearcat]

There is, but it's a dark and scary place.

I have to insert 3 characters or the message is too short so you get triple the smiley faces for your money. You're welcome.