Citadel of the Iron Crown - Burglars in Mirkwood

[Binder Fred]

Baran frowns, needled : "We're not due an out for another half a month, Ulfang. Forgive me for wanting to at least know what the - 'honorable' songbirds saw or heard or imagined they saw before I go running off to mountains high and leave my lifework to be overun by *vapors*!"

He then swivels to the *still* standing elf, "Well?"


[SBLOCK=Sensing away]
as usual, a wonderful 12.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1621013/[/SBLOCK]

Binder Fred, weight of duty.

 

[Fenris]

Baran frowns, needled : "We're not due an out for another half a month, Ulfang. Forgive me for wanting to at least know what the - 'honorable' songbirds saw or heard or imagined they saw before I go running off to mountains high and leave my lifework to be overun by *vapors*!"

He then swivels to the *still* standing elf, "Well?"

Thalion stands still for a long time, silent just staring at Baran.

Finally he sighs, "And here I thought the beards of Dwarves grew over their chins, not their eyes. I shall wait master dwarf, even if I must sit until the evil sweeps over you, consuming you, before you see the danger that is coming." And Thalion turns steps over to the perrianath, "Bring her outside to be healed Aranel. I need the light of the stars now." says Thalion as he heads outside.

 

[Dlsharrock]

OOC

I'm quite keen to move things on a bit, and it may be apparent that I've attempted to do that with the Thalion/thrush plot seed. At the risk of seeming authorial, my intention is to give the group a reason to leave the camp and set off to explore the setting (as was the original plan), thus opening the game a bit more to players who are probably getting mighty bored with sitting on the back benches. Whether this involves going in search of the one who sent the Hobbits, or going with Thalion, doesn't matter so much to me as the fact that the game progresses outside the limitations of the logging camp.

Having said that, Fred is playing Baran to character and there really is no underlying reason for him to take up with Thalion immediately and abandon his duties so far as I can see, so I don't particularly blame Fred for his character reacting this way, though I am a bit concerned that the way things are going the game will eventually dwindle to a premature end. I do, however, think that for the general good of the group, and if everyone wants to continue playing, the game needs to move away from its current situation and get a bit more dynamic, with situations that everyone can get involved in.

As I said, this risks me coming off as authorial, but I think in a pbp sometimes you have to be, otherwise things stagnate and some players get left out of the loop. I have tried to create an unusual setting here, rather than the more tried and tested combat pbp or a one off adventure set at the start of a known module, so I think in some ways I'm going to have to bite the bullet and lay down a few suggestions.

Therefore I suggest a compromise, somewhere between characterisation and adventure.

I suggest that we officially end this IC thread and assume that Thalion cannot convince Baran to change his mind. We'll use the rest of the thread to discuss what happens next.

I would suggest that the following may be a solution:

When it becomes obvious Baran isn't going to budge, Thalion sets up camp nearby and, over the course of the next few days, attempts to persuade others to come with him to the Lonely Mountain. Aranel agrees, because she doesn't like the sound of the vapour and wishes to learn more from the thrushes. Aerec and Ulfang also agree to go, but Baran continues to refuse to 'abandon his life's work' and life around the camp for him goes on much as usual (though he probably keeps his windows locked).

The Hobbits are held in the camp for a while and healed, but the male will prove troublesome and he will attempt several escapes and cause mischief in the process. Moreover, the superstitious logging folk are scared of the female after several of them witness a change in her demeanour one day (the same thing Aranel saw that one time) and swear blind she is possessed with dark powers. A meeting is called and Baran/Granthan preside.

It is decided that the Hobbits are not welcome at the camp, but nor can they be turned loose into Mirkwood, so the vote is taken to take them to Lake Town where authorities there can deal with them. Seizing an opportunity to grasp control of the logging camp, Granthan has been laying groundwork prior to this meeting (and Baran will likely suspect he's also played a hand in stirring trouble with the male Hobbit) and when it comes to voting for who should take the Hobbits to Lake Town, Baran's name comes to the fore and there is a general sense of uneasiness about the Dwarf. Many are unhappy with Baran, since the Hobbits came for something in his hut and have been inextricably linked with him. Furthermore, they believe there is something mysterious and evil about the parchment rumoured to be in Baran's possession. He also gets the blame for Elves hanging around the camp of late.

The two monthly trip to Lake Town is therefore brought forward and Baran is voted by the camp (much to his chagrin, no doubt) to take the Stoors and deal with logging camp business at the same time. Spotting his opportunity, Thalion suggests he accompany Baran to Lake Town in the hope he can persuade him to go the rest of the way to the Lonely Mountain. Aerec, Ulfang and Aranel go too. NPCs in tow will be the two Stoor Hobbits and probably Gellion.

How does that sound?

If it sounds ok, we'll pick up the next part of the game as a start-of-adventure thread with the group setting off north for Lake Town, presumably following the tributary to the lake. Once we're rolling along the game should unfold in a more non-linear way with the focus off any individual players and more open to everyone playing a character. I've set up possible adventure threads at journey's end, but there's no presumption on my part that anyone pick them up. My main concern is that we get the game moving outside the logging camp scenario.

 

[Redclaw]

I like the solution, personally. It makes a lot of sense, and it certainly suits Aerec better than questioning thieves.

 

[renau1g]

OOC - Sounds good to me also, Ulfang's been lucky with his rolls, but that can't hold out of long

 

[Binder Fred]

Whether this involves going in search of the one who sent the Hobbits, or going with Thalion, doesn't matter so much to me as the fact that the game progresses outside the limitations of the logging camp.

I was thinking of going with the former -- quite obviously, I think. Weedle a few more things out of the prisoners, cross-check with Aranel on her part of the interview, examine the grove Aerec remembered in the morning, send somebody more compatible to have a chat with Thalion, examine the broken scroll in great detail (and repair it), etc, etc... Ah well.

I suggest that we officially end this IC thread and assume that Thalion cannot convince Baran to change his mind.

A safe bet if there is really no more information to be had. "Evil is coming" and "go to the Lonely mountain" really need something to connect them together in Baran's mind. As it is...

I would suggest that the following may be a solution:

Good plan. Building up on it (suggestions all):

Aerec and Ulfang also agree to go, but Baran continues to refuse to 'abandon his life's work' and life around the camp for him goes on much as usual (though he probably keeps his windows locked).

If possible Baran would want to do most if not all of the actions described above. Baran recognizes that there is a hobbit problem and aknowledges that Thalion may be right in that it *could* be greater that it seems. He just strongly disagrees that turning tail and leaving the premises is the right thing to do at the moment.

The Hobbits are held in the camp for a while and healed, but the male will prove troublesome and he will attempt several escapes and cause mischief in the process. Moreover, the superstitious logging folk are scared of the female after several of them witness a change in her demeanour one day (the same thing Aranel saw that one time) and swear blind she is possessed with dark powers. A meeting is called and Baran/Granthan preside.

Scratch that, I think : not needed.... plus I see the camp as more of a business, not a village democracy (next thing you know, they'll be voting not to work! .

If the rest of the investigating has not given anything and several days have passed without further trouble, Baran would definitively start considering the fate of the hobbits. Frankly, his first instinct would be to render judgement himself (probably a caning followed by 3 months "forced labor", i.e. helping out around the camp).

Some object to a dwarf rendering justice in a country not his own though, Granthan and his followers for one, mostly for reasons of his own. No, they insist, human camp, Laketown jurisdiction, the hobbits MUST be judged properly (and gotten rid of). <i.e. same as before for this part, just adding another reason why the hobbits must go>

The logical thing to do at this point would be to send Ulfang and Aerec to guard the prisoner, with Baran staying in place to supervise the camp... Soooo, I think Baran'll need *something* that needs to be done in Laketown that only he can do. I'm thinking he could have a Fellowship of the Beam contact point somewhere near there, drop off a request for information on the scroll (works perticularly well if he's discovered something new about it in the meantime). Consult a (privately held) text regarding a nagging *something* he's half remembering about the business? Or, more proactively, he knows of a certain something that dogs can track for miles. He's thinking of secreting it on a hobbit/on the scroll and tracking away. As always, the more the mearier (all of the above?).

What do you think?

Binder Fred, shaper of small things.

P.S. Re any player-focus of the game, I really do think that everybody needs to involve themselves of their own accord. i.e. Make your own fun! If you're bored, then your character is likely bored; what would he do about it? Speak up, start a side-conversation, grab a friend and go patrol the perimeter, examine that bloody scroll that everybody seems so interested in. If you're bored and your character is fascinated, think up a scene in future or past and suggest it to the DM. We *could* have roleplayed the investigation of Aerec's grove concurently with players that had time for a second thread for example -- that's one of the neat things about fluid time.

 

[Binder Fred]

<OOC: Two loose ends that I'd like to tie-up before leaving this scene if I could (can I?) : everybodies reaction to Thalion's message (see below for that one) and the "what's His hold on you?" question to Handle (Baran would bring it back up afterwards, in the same guise as before http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=4269842&postcount=160).

Thalion stands still for a long time, silent just staring at Baran.

Finally he sighs, "And here I thought the beards of Dwarves grew over their chins, not their eyes. I shall wait master dwarf, even if I must sit until the evil sweeps over you, consuming you, before you see the danger that is coming." And Thalion turns steps over to the perrianath, "Bring her outside to be healed Aranel. I need the light of the stars now." says Thalion as he heads outside.

"Hm." Could say something about facing forward when bad things are rushing... but the temptation to speak isn't that great; or maybe it's the distance that's *too* great.

"You saw some merit in there, did you Ul boy? A solution to our hobbit problems?" Never get the hang of elves.

<Response Ulfang?>

Binder Fred, one end of the spectrum.

 

[Shayuri]

(I'm fine with ending the scene, if we're ready to. Aranel would definitely make an attempt to track the ones that got away at some point, and would suggest that Mythia might benefit from a trip to Thranduil's healers, who might also know more about the mark. She'd definitely want to compare notes with Baran and let him know what she learned. In the end, she regards the prisoner's fates as a camp matter, and won't make a fuss about it...though she is keen to know more about this 'evil' that's encroaching. If possible, she'd want to send a messenger (via Thalion's Animal Messenger spell perhaps) to the wood elves to keep them apprised of the situation so far)

 

[Dlsharrock]

Can we end all roleplay please, just for now, so that we can focus on the end scene decision. If loose ends remain we can tie them up with the remainder of this thread as I'll be starting a new thread when/if we go ahead with the next part of the game.

Ok, so fairly straight forward yays from Redclaw and renau1g.

I appreciate your comments about boredom and fluid time, Fred. I think what you say is true, but I also appreciate that the emphasis seems to be on one or two characters for most of this thread with other players feeling they are being relegated to back-bench play. And also, I did make it quite clear in OOC that I didn't want to moderate too many concurrent threads. So this is really my fault.

The emphasis on one or two players is also my fault, and springs from two things: my failure to insist Baran take a less commanding role in the camp, and my choice to award the parchment to Baran (the dwarf as a fish out of water just seemed like too good an opportunity to waste tbh, and the game is more heavily influenced by the Hobbit than LotRs, so a dwarf themed adventure seemed befitting).

Actually, the focus of the game has always been on the parchment. But it does look like the focus has always been on Baran and I completely appreciate that. Unfortunately, once I made the decision to place the parchment in Baran's possession all the other threads (the hobbit attack, Thalion and the thrushes etc) snowballed and placed the spotlight of the game firmly on Baran. So, anyway, I apologise if I made any player feel like background scenery. It really wasn't my intention. And the admittedly suspicious fact that Fred's handle is Binder_Fred really is coincidental

Based on suggestions/preferences, here's a revised suggestion for what to do next:

When it becomes obvious Baran isn't going to budge, Thalion sets up camp nearby and, over the course of the next few days intends to persuade others to come with him to the Lonely Mountain (this can be done IC now, as you'll see below).

Aranel and Baran compare notes regarding their interrogation and reach whatever conclusions you guys decide (Shay and Binder you may want to go back over the interrogation and figure out the contradictions and obvious lies).

In the next few days, Aranel leads an expedition into the woods to track the Hobbits. Ulfang, Aranel, Thalion, Aerec and Baran would go along with NPCs Gellion and Mythia (Smeagar will remain in camp to do forced labour until their return), though they would only follow the tracks (if they can find them) to the known limits of Mirkwood's dangerous areas. After certain points, doom is pretty much assured for travellers in Mirkwood, but as all PCs have a sound knowledge of the local woods they won't be in danger of getting lost or exploring too far. Following the tracks, then, would be more an exercise in finding clues, maybe discarded items of food, or clothes, or items, unless of course the tracks hit one of Mirkwood's safe through roads, in which case they can follow them as far as they like. When the group reach the safe extremity of their tracking they can go on to Thranduil's court where Mythia can be healed and her mark examined by those in the know. Thalion may have his own feelings about this part of the adventure as it entails a return to Thranduil's fold.

So this would be the plan, and when they return to the logging camp the fate of the prisoners will need to be decided and the stuff I suggested previously (discussions about the stuff Fred didn't like notwithstanding) can unfold, making the Lake Town sojourn the next leg of the adventure. This isn't set in stone, just the plan. If anything happens during the trip to Thranduil's court or the tracking of the escaped hobbits to change the plan, then we'll roll with it.

Thoughts?

 

[Shayuri]

Just wanted to address the 'background' thing for myself and myself only.

I realize Aranel fell quiet there towards the end...this was not because I was frustrated, however. At least not with the game. Enworld has become extremely difficult to use during the hours that I traditionally use it, so a slowdown in my posting was inevitable. Not to mention, under the circumstances, it felt natural to me for Aranel to defer to an elder...especially one who's skills better suited the situation. Rest assured that I, and therefore she, was paying attention.

Generally speaking, if I am having a problem with a game, I will let it ride for a bit to see if it fixes itself, or if I can fix it myself...then I will bring it up in an OOC thread. I am not the sort to suffer in silence, then abruptly quit in frustration.

Conversely, if someone else has a problem with what I'm doing in a game...or not doing, as the case may be...I appreciate candor (though tact is nice too ). Especially in the written medium, intents can be hard to divine, and I usually err on the side of not inferring it when there's any doubt. This means that subtle allusions to things I do, or don't do, that are causing a problem may not be acted on, or even noticed by me. It's not because I'm callous or insensitive or don't care though. I'm a big boy. I can take some criticism.

With the above observations and comments, I'm not trying to say I feel picked on either. I don't. They're really 'just in cases.'

Getting back to the game at hand, while Aranel would be all for taking the hobbits to Isen...er...Thranduil, I the player wouldn't be offended if the others disagreed and/or if it was decided not to. Just to be clear on that. It's merely what she would think is best, given the situation.