Athelas - The Quest - Word Sleuth RP

Seven Stars and Seven Stones and One White Tree.
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Word Sleuth RP

...Then he called to Ioreth and he said: 'You have store in this House of the herbs of healing?'
'Yes, lord,' she answered, 'but not enough, I reckon, for all that will need them. But I am sure I do not know where we shall find more; for all things are amiss in these dreadful days, what with fires and burnings, and the lads that run errands so few, and all the roads blocked. Why, it is days out of count since ever a carrier came in from Lossarnach to the market! But we do our best in this House with what we have, as I am sure your lordship will know.'
'I will judge that when I see,' said Aragorn. 'One thing also is short time for speech. Have you athelas?'
'I do not know, I am sure, lord,' she answered, 'at least not by that name. I will go and ask of the herb-master; he knows all the old names.'
'It is also called kingsfoil,' said Aragorn, 'and maybe you know it by that name, for so the country-folk call it in these latter days.'
'Oh that!' said Ioreth. 'Well, if your lordship had named it at first I could have told you. No, we have none of it, I am sure. Why, I have never heard that it had any great virtue; and indeed I have often said to my sisters when we came upon it growing in the woods: “kingsfoil” I said, “ 'tis a strange name, and I wonder why 'tis called so; for if I were a king, I would have plants more bright in my garden”. Still it smells sweet when bruised, does it not? If sweet is the right word: wholesome, maybe, is nearer.'
'Wholesome verily,' said Aragorn. 'And now, dame, if you love the Lord Faramir, run as quick as your tongue and get me kingsfoil, if there is a leaf in the City.' ...
'And if not,' said Gandalf, 'I will ride to Lossarnach with Ioreth behind me, and she shall take me to the woods, but not to her sisters. And Shadowfax shall show her the meaning of haste.'

When the black breath blows
and death's shadow grows
and all lights pass,
come athelas! come athelas!
Life to the dying
In the king's hand lying!

The Return Of The King, The House Of Healing

There is a sudden urgent need in the City for the healing plant, athelas (also known as kingsfoil and also by its ancient name in Valinorean Quenya as, asëa aranion). The trying times that all have been living through in the past year have totally depleted the herb-masters supply. The 'living freshness' and invigorating fragrance are needed now more than ever to heal and bring the fair world of Spring into everyone's hearts. And so, a group - a melting pot of different races from all corners of Middle-earth joined together on this special quest - have volunteered to make the journey to Lossarnach. For the plant now grows sparsely and is becoming rare in the lands and their goal is to find and cultivate it, if they can.
May the Quest be a success!
~~~~~
This is Word Sleuth with a twist. WS RP meaning, one must RP in character in game posts instead of just posting a play.
A plot line will be posted (like the one above) at the beginning of the match and prompts will be given at each update to keep the match interesting and the RP going.
Last edited by Drifa on Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Khazad Elder
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Lossarnach - Lotro-Wiki.com

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RULES OF WORD SLEUTH
  • The object of the game is to make interlocking words (in a crossword style, across or down) on the board. These words score points
    depending on the letters and their placement on the board. At the end of the game the team with the highest score wins.
  • The players will have a rack of letters that they play from. The starting rack will have 7 letters.
  • The first player sets a word upon the board with one of the tiles on the center square (which is a double word tile). The word is scored and that team receives new tiles to replace the ones they used. Then the second player must create a word (or words) using at least one tile already set on the board and so on and so forth for each player.
  • The players alternate play, receiving new tiles to replace those used. The game continues until one of the players either uses all their tiles or is unable to make a play. Once that happens the round is completed.
  • Words must be placed either horizontally or vertically, reading left to right, or down. Diagonal words are not allowed. Words reading from right to left, or up are not allowed. Words requiring apostrophes or hyphens are not allowed. All words must be found in the Word Sleuth Dictionary , unless quoted from Tolkien's works.
  • When a word is placed on the board any letters they touch in adjacent rows must form complete words. The score includes all words formed or modified during the turn.
New words may be formed by:
Adding one or more letters to a word already on the board.
Placing a word at right angles to a word already on the board, using one of its letters or adding a letter to it.
Placing a complete word parallel to a word already played so that adjacent letters also form complete words.
  • No play will be accepted after the 48-hour deadline has passed. No tile may be shifted or removed after a play is posted. Neither can a play be edited or deleted in an attempt to alter a play. However, if a player wish to clarify an issue, such as adding a source to a quote, or correcting misspellings of words, they may do so in a separate post.
  • You may use a turn to exchange all or some of your letters. If you exchange letters, that is your turn.
Challenge:
If a player thinks a play is invalid, they can ask the Moderator to rule on it and either allow or disallow the play.
Scoring:
Each play will be scored by adding up the tile values of all words formed, adding any applicable ME Bonus, applying the Board Bonuses. Words that use all seven letters will receive an additional Bonus of 50 points.
  • The value of any tiles left in the racks at the end of the game will be deducted from that team’s score. Blank tiles have no score value.
A Middle Earth Bonus:
A bonus of 10 points will be applied to scores for Tolkien words and 5 points for generic words (i.e., words not specific to Tolkien works), played that are supported by a valid quote from the approved list of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings of fiction:
The Hobbit
The Lord Of The Rings
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
The Children Of Húrin
The History of Middle-earth (HoME)
A Tolkien word is defined as: A word not found in the Word Sleuth Dictionary, yet found in Tolkien, or a word that, although found in the Word Sleuth Dictionary, has a unique meaning in Tolkien's works, for example, the word Shire.
In the case of using a quote, it can be no more than 250 words in length, and has to be one single quote. If you play the same word twice in one turn, then the word must be found twice in the quote. For example, if you play AN and AN in one turn, the word AN must feature twice in the quote you provide in order for you to get the bonus for each word.
The Bonus will be added BEFORE any additional increase (Triple Word Scores, etc.) The word being quoted must appear exactly as you have played (i.e. "jumped" cannot be used if you only played "jump").
If you wish to play a Tolkien word, yet a quote on another word in the same play with gain you a higher score, (for example, you play ARAGORN under an E also forming EA, and ARAGORN falls on a TWS, then quoting ARAGORN will obviously get you more points than quoting EA) you may give a separate quote verifying that it exists in a Tolkien book, but obviously you won't score points for it.
  • There is a 48-hour deadline each turn. ( The deadline is subject to change depending on how the game unfolds and the amount of participants)
Posting Format:
For actual plays on the board the following format should be followed, please:
Team A Playing Post
GET vertically with the G at the end of JO so also making JOG and DOPE
GET=2+1+(1*3) = 6+5ME = 16
JOG=8+1+2 = 11
DOPE=2+1+3+1 = 7
Total = 34
Quote:
"That settles it!" said Frodo. "Short cuts make delays, but inns make longer ones. At all costs we must keep you away from the Golden Perch. We want to get to Bucklebury before dark. What do you say, Sam?" (Fellowship of the Ring, A Short Cut to Mushrooms)
A polite notice: if using a Blank Tile, could you please indicate this when making your play. For example, Team A wish to play EXIT, with the Blank Tile being T. This just makes it easier for our mod. Thanks!
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TO BEGIN:
All letters have been placed into a small leather pouch and shuffled about. I have drawn the letters in this order:
Teams
@Pele Alarion and @Call of Cthulhu
@Fuin Elda and @Moriel
@Tarawen and @Lailyn
The team drawing the letter nearest the beginning of the alphabet plays first, and so on and so forth. I drew P, I, 0. The letters were re shuffled and seven tiles were drawn for each players rack.

Fuin Elda and Moriel
*T E V R G O S*
Tarawen and Lailyn
*P N O G H D A*
Pele Alarion and Call of Cthulhu
*C A D N I C U*
@Fuin Elda and @Moriel you have 48 hours to make your first play. Good luck!


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Afird Splitax stood outside the great gates admirering the stone-work. It had been dwarven stonewrights that had repaired the gates after the war. He himself had never worked on anything as big as an ax head but, he knew that great skill had gone into repairing the gate and he was proud of his kin.
Dressed in sturdy dwarf-boots and a hooded traveling cloak and still sporting a bandage on his forehead from his rambunctious escaped in the Old Guesthouse pub upon his arrival in Minas Tirith (he had drunk to much ale and thought dancing on the edge of a table was all the rage in the Stone City), he was ready for an adventure. He had signed up as a recorded keeper for a group that were heading to Lossarnach, a vale in the southern White Mountains. They were on a quest to find a healing herb called, Athelas. He had never heard of the herb before and wasn't much into healing potions but, the job paid and he needed coin to survive.
Hoisting his heavy pack onto his back, he stood waiting for the group that would be joining him. Looking out across the land, he wondered what type of folk he would be traveling with on this quest and from where they would be coming from.
Last edited by Drifa on Mon Mar 15, 2021 11:44 pm, edited 5 times in total.

High Lord of Imladris
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Fuin had been a recent guest of the House of Healing recently and despite her cheery nature, she had seen full well that the stores of Athelas were low even for that house where they did grow it in the gardens. More was needed, perhaps not as much as in days past now that there were fewer wraiths in the world with the fall of Sauron, but one should not get complacent. Occasionally she was still a bit shaky while walking having had a fairly bad concussion upon her arrival but she was strong enough now that she was able to give the healers the slip. She was certain Nessa would have her head if she found the elf clambering up steep mountainsides and mucking about looking for a plant while she was not fully healed.

She'd at least been nice enough to leave the healers a note saying she'd be back she'd gone for a walk.

Team Fuin and Moriel
GROVES horizontally with the R on the center tile (Double Word)
GROVES= 2+1+1+4+1+1=10 +5(Quote)= 15 *2(DW)
Total = 30 pts

‘Curse him, root and branch! Many of those trees were my friends,
creatures I had known from nut and acorn; many had voices of their own that
are lost for ever now. And there are wastes of stump and bramble where once
there were singing groves. I have been idle. I have let things slip. It must
stop!’ Page 475, Tree Beard, The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition, Harper Collins, 2005

Khazad Elder
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Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:32 pm
UPDATE
Fuin Elda and Moriel - 34 points
*T I E N W B I*
Tarawen and Lailyn
*P N O G H D A*
Pele Alarion and Call of Cthulhu
*C A D N I C U*

@Tarawen and @Lailyn you have 48 hours to make your first play. Good luck!


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A female elf @Fuin Elda (well she looked female in the dwarf's eyes) had arrived. She seemed preoccupied with her thoughts and didn't greet Afird. Not sure what he should do, he shrugged off his pack and began to rummage through it in a nonchalant manner while watching the elf out of the corner of his eye. Maybe she was one of the elves who held a grudge against the dwarves. Maybe she was shy. Maybe she hadn't seen him, although, one would have to be almost blind to miss the dwarf and his grand beard and large pack. Yet, one never knew these days.
Finding his boot brush, he took it from his pack and began to brush his boots vigorously dislodging some dried mud and dust. It would be best to start the journey with clean boots. Looking back at the elf, he wondered if he should offer her the brush.....

Ent Ancient
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Ljúfa
A young woman made her way down to the gates to embark on a little adventure. Her coat was buttoned all the way up to her chin and the green hat pinned upon her head did little to tame her wild chestnut curls. When she reached the group, she surveyed them before setting down her pack down to rest her shoulders before they set off for the mysterious Lossarnach, where she had never set foot before.

"Good day! Are you all headed to look for kingsfoil? I hope someone knows what it looks like!" When she spoke, she betrayed both her lack of herblore and her Dalish accent. She was not daunted by this - how hard could it be to pick some plants?

Team Tarawen and Lailyn
HOPED vertically off the 'E' in groves hitting a DW
HOPED = (4+1+3+1+2) + 5(ME) = 16 * 2(DW)
TOTAL = 32

“The Sackville-Bagginses won’t never see the inside of Bag End now, or it is to be hoped not.” - A Long-expected Party, Fellowship of the Ring

Khazad Elder
Points: 3 027 
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Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:32 pm
UPDATE
Fuin Elda and Moriel - 34 points
*T I E N W B I*
Tarawen and Lailyn - 32 points
*N G A S T L E*
Pele Alarion and Call of Cthulhu
*C A D N I C U*

@Pele Alarion and @Call of Bearthulhu you have 48 hours to make your first play. Good luck!


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Bowing to the curly headed lass who greeting him and the elf quite cordially, he said.
"Greetings! Afird at your service! I have never seen the herb either. And, I have never been to Lossanarch. I was told that it was a two-day walk by some and by others, a week. I am new to this area and do not know who to believe. " He grinned at the young lass and continued. "What I am really concerned about though is, will there be food. I have brought some refreshments, but not enough to see me through a week. Have you heard whether or not there will be a food wagon?"

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Pele was informed that the collection of athelas at the disposal of the Houses of Healing was very much depleted, and she happily agreed to join in with whoever was willing to go to Lossarnach in search of the plant. It would give her a great opportunity to leave the city and enjoy the nature while doing a rather pleasant task.

She had procured a team of two horses and quite a spacious wagon which had some boxes and baskets for the plants, while some were filled with food and similar provisions for any people willing to go on this quest. Dressed in a comfortable set of leggings tucked in a pair of black boots, and a grey long-sleeved shirt under a warm vest she was all prepared for roaming the meadows and climbing mountains if need be. The ever-present (almost) dagger rested in its sheath on her belt, and the sword, cloak and some other belongings collected in her pack were stored in the wagon among other things.

She halted the horses near the great gate and assumed that the small collection of gathered people were the ones who would be coming on this adventure. However, she only recognised Afird from among them.

"Good day!" she called, jumping down from the wagon to approach the small group. "I am Pele Alarion, the Master Healer of the Houses of Healing. Am I right to think that you would be coming to hunt for some athelas?" she asked, just to make sure.

~~~


Team Pele & Frost will play this:
RANCID vertically, making good and proper use of R in GROVES:
RANCID = 1+1+1+3+(1x2) (DL) +2 = 10
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Khazad Elder
Points: 3 027 
Posts: 2112
Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:32 pm
UPDATE
Fuin Elda and Moriel - 34 points
*T I E N W B I*
Tarawen and Lailyn - 32 points
*N G A S T L E*
Pele Alarion and Call of Cthulhu - 10 points
*C U A E N H I*

@Fuin Elda and @Moriel you have 48 hours to make your play. Good luck!


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Whilst waiting for a responses from the young lass, a wagon suddenly exited the gate and pulled up. Two horses came to a halt not far from where he stood. He step back and distanced himself for he was, like most of his kin, not overly found of the large beasts. He was quite please to see that the Master Healer, Pele, was in the driving-seat. As she jumped down and called a greeting , he made his way over towards her (avoiding the horse, naturally). Nodding and bending and bowing and waving his hood before his knees (in proper dwarf fashion), for he was very pleased to see her, he said.

"Greetings Master Healer! It is wonderful to see you again! Wonderful!" he was so pleased he actual blushed with pleasure as he looked at the tall women. Touching the bandage on his brow he continued.
"I have been putting an ointment on my wound and it appears to be slowly fading. I keep the bandage on so that the sun wont bleach it. I am not really a vain dwarf but one less mark on my rugged old face can not be a bad thing would you not agree?" He grinned and put his hand casually on the rather spacious wagon.

"Yes I believe," he said turning and looked at the elf and the young lass - still unsure of what to call them, "that we are all here for the quest. My main concern," he said as he knocked on the side of the wagon with his large hand, "is food. I pray this spacious wagon contains some victuals for the journey? And how far away is this Lossarnach?"

High Lord of Imladris
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Fuin realized very shortly afterwards that one she'd not actually said hello to the dwarf that was there, and two that one of the healers... wait was that the head healer? Bloody concussions, was also there. She gave a small wave to the dwarf and came up. How likely was it that the Master Healer knew who she was? Act. Natural. Something like that yes. She hadn't said anything so far or seemed to have recognized her so that was probably for the best if she stopped trying to hide.

"I'm sorry I have the worst manners I'm Fuin it is lovely to meet you Afird, and Pele." She gave a smile, "I"m afraid though I missed our other companions name, it's quite nice to be going on another adventure for something as soothing as Athelas." She knew full well what Athelas was she was also a master healer similar to Pele, though she was trained by the elves of Imladris. Looked at the wagon, she'd not brought her bow or weapons since those were currently in the care of the healers after her fantastic entrance into the House of Healing and that would have been quite suspicious. She did have a small pack of food with her and a knife to help with harvesting... Yes that is what it was for, not at all to ease her untrusting mind that did not like to be utterly unarmed outside of the city. That was what she told herself at least. At least it seemed the guard that had helped her get to the House of Healing was not on duty either or they might have questioned her.

Team Moriel and Fuin are playing

ISEN using the S off of Groves vertically along HOPED
ISEN = 1+(1*2)+1+1= 4 +10(ME only bonus) = 14
PI = 3+1 = 4
DE = 2+1 = 3
TOTAL= 21

The host turned away now from the road to the Fords of Isen and bent their course southward. - Helms Deep, The Two Towers

Khazad Elder
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Joined: Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:32 pm
UPDATE
Fuin Elda and Moriel - 55 points
*T W B I Z E BLANK*
Tarawen and Lailyn - 32 points
*N G A S T L E*
Pele Alarion and Call of Cthulhu - 10 points
*C U A E N H I*

@Tarawen and @Lailyn you have 48 hours to make your play. Good luck!


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Bowing low to the elf, the dwarf said. "Afird Splitax at your service! It is a pleasure to meet you, Fuin. I am quite sure Drifa has mentioned your name to me before. I now have a face, and may I add quite a attractive one, to go with the name. " Grinning good-natured, he bowed low to the elf and the Master Healer once more then turned and looked around at those who had gathered.
It appeared that this was all that would be heading out. If there were more, surely they would be able to follow. He was getting eager to get on with this adventure. His right knee was aching. That could only mean one thing, the weather was changing. It was already nearly as hot as it had been the day before; but clouds were beginning to come up from the West. It looked likely to turn to rain. He was still unsure how far this location was and whether or not they would have to camp before they got there. He preferred to be under shelter if rain was coming. Turning to the group he asked.
" I do not mean to rush us along, but are we ready to depart? It looks like it may rain. And my knee, being a proper weather vane, tells me it will be a soaker." He laughed. I for one would like to be in a comfortable shelter when it does!"

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