Ages of Arda IV: Mantle of Darkness - Historical RPG OOC Thread & Sign-ups

[Eriol]

@Almarëa Mordollwen , since you'll be focused, understandably, with the thesis for weeks, I'm subbing for Mablung since he's critically needed at the Council right now and border security during the Bragollach. Melian could be acting without Thingol while being motherly to Luthien and mentor to Galadriel without being essential at this stage but Mablung we need with immediacy. We'll need Melian at the time of the Silmaril Quest, she will be vital, so let us know by that time if you can still play her. Thanks!

I think you've got it all covered, @Ercassie !

Glad to know you're on top of things, Dwarrow and Moriel!

Gorgeous banners, @Aerlinn , thank you! I'll insert Thargelion and Himlad/Aglon in my last/forthcoming posts!

[Almarëa Mordollwen]

@Aigronding Mordagnir Please don't make assumptions about my schedule. Or, you know, ask first? I have a post partly written for Mablung that will be posted within the next two days.

[Eriol]

Two days then, gotcha. Good luck with your writing here and in RL.

[Almarëa Mordollwen]

@Laintaen Initial post as Mablung is finally up - sorry for the delay! If you'd like to plot / plan a bit in terms of how we handle the Council, I'm on the Plaza Discord if that works?

@Aigronding Mordagnir Do you also need me to time skip and post with Mablung for border security in the Bragollach?

he's critically needed at the Council right now and border security during the Bragollach.

If so, let me know a few details about where/when and what is meant to happen, and I can get that post up as well. Had a pretty thorough look back through the OOC thread and have not been able to find any instructions other than this from Sunday, which doesn't give me much to go on:

@Ercassie,@Laintaen , and @Almarëa Mordollwen , Doriath will be "encompassed" by Orcs Tolkien remarks following Sauron's possession of Minas Tirith later on in the RPG. When that happens, the marchwardens can protect the boundaries of the Girdle as well as Mablung's troops.

[Eriol]

@Ercassie and I were talking about this just now. We've decided that people can either plan their preparations in response to the council info or just skip forward to reactionary posts in current time of Bragollach since Morgoth initiated conflict before we knew he was plotting to attack more viciously than ever before.

So basically, @Almarëa Mordollwen , you can have Mablung return to Thingol (and Melian?) after we've finished the Council urging the king to permit the captain sending soldiers outside the Girdle to bolster the marchwardens....or we could have Beleg, @Laintaen , alert Thingol about the influx of refugees needing refuge in Doriath in present time soon which Tolkien mentioned in the chapter; Mablung then advises Thingol (and Melian?) that now would be a good time to have his soldiers help the marchwardens fight off the Orcs which will shortly be encompassing Doriath.

[Almarëa Mordollwen]

So ... (just to confirm, because I don't want there to be issues because I've misunderstood something that wasn't clear - I'm genuinely not trying to be difficult here!) - I should wait on the Bragollach-related posts until after we finish RPing the Council? They are not needed in the next two days?

[Eriol]

It's okay, @Almarëa Mordollwen , I'm sure that's not the case . We'll go with option two. I'll write a post with the first wave of Sindar refugees fleeing the Bragollach, coming through the Pass of Sirion to reach the outskirts of the Girdle near Neldoreth. @Laintaen can play Beleg encountering them then goes to Menegroth in one post, telling Mablung and Thingol about their presence and if he can let the Grey Elves in. You can have Mablung strongly advise the king that their presence can strengthen Doriath's power and urge Thingol to let Mablung send soldiers out to help Beleg's marchwardens patrol the boundaries of the realm in case of a minion invasion. This way once Minas Tirith falls to Sauron, the warriors and rangers of Doriath will already be mobilized outside the kingdom and ready to fend off attacks from Orcs infiltrating the lands of the west .

I hope that sounds well! I need to finish a post for @Ercassie in the Beyond thread tonight so I can get that post for you and Lain written tomorrow night after work. . You would only have to wait for us two to post .

[Celebrin]

Curious what our "canon" reason is for why it takes Caranthir so long the save the Haladin, or are we just skipping over that?

[Eriol]

I have thought for years - and this belief I shared through Haldad in my latest Haladin update - that Caranthir wanted the mortals to live ungoverned by him or thriving on his aid. Give them autonomy. Now they're under attack and need his help, having just been given message of their plight. Haleth decides she still wants her people to be independent though the fighting is over and she wants relocate the Second House. I'm sure Moriel will cover the reason in her Caranthir PoV.

I have half of my Orodreth post done; I just need to finish the last segment with Prestiniel coming to the border of Neldoreth with a tide of refugees; she'll speak with Beleg so he can talk with Mablung who will also advise Thingol. I'll finish tonight after work.

[Laintaen]

@Almarëa Mordollwen, I loved your post as Mablung. And agree, it would be good to spend some time planning on Discord. I mostly just lurk there, enjoying reading everyone else's posts. I'll make sure I ping you on Discord when I get online tomorrow, hang around most of the day and keep an eye out for you. Being in Australia, time zones don't line up all that well but I'll make sure I'm around from 9am (+9.5 GMT) onwards.

Hopefully, I'll get my next Beleg post up Monday evening.

[Eriol]

I'll have my refugee post for you and her by Monday evening, too, @Laintaen .

[Celebrin]

@Aigronding Mordagnir I thought i might do a little Olorea and Niphredin segment about why Caranthir wasn't helping them since I think I maybe the only one with NPCs at Rerir (edit: ah i see Moriel has a couple, no wonder she also has Caranthir lol), but I don't want to mess with our uh canon lol Niphredin still youngish and learning things

Speaking of... I think I was the first to list my NPCs and I don't see them in that NPC post lol

Niphred and Celair - Doriath
Celebrin and Curancal - Tol Sirion
Melethril, Tinnuial and Aniron - The Falas
Naurlhir (rip) - Dorthonion
Olorea and Niphredin - Thargelion/Mount Rerir

I have those couple of dark elves but only because I felt bored before lol I might make others but these are my main guys. Niphred and Tinnuial die during unnumbered tears or abouts that time

[Eriol]

@Celebrin , it was just a thought of Haldad's so we still don't know why just yet in the RPG itself but I like to think that Caranthir gave the Haladin independence (it says in the Of the Coming of Men Into the West chapter: "The people of Caranthir paid little heed to them") and simply didn't know they were in trouble until a messenger came (I think @Moriel told me one is coming in her post) and Caranthir decided he should intervene.

Perhaps you'd like to to have Olorea and Niphredin find out what's going on (maybe they were checking on them, shocked about the raids) and report to Caranthir. That it's taken them days to reach Rerir from the southern woods of Thargelion and for Caranthir to come down with his force? If @Moriel is okay with it and could help her writing the Caranthir intro?

I have Herugon in Thargelion, a character I created which is shared with Moriel. I'm going to pick up using him again after the Bragollach War dies down in the spring which Moriel is letting me do, decided here a few pages back. I would love to RP him along side Olorea and Niphredin in the time to come, brother !

Tolkien says that Minas Tirith withstood the Orcs for a couple years until Sauron besieges Tol Sirion with the werewolves and wander far and wide in the westlands. Would you like to help me show Orodreth's defense of the Pass of Sirion before Minas Tirith falls? Celebrin and Curancal helping Orodreth and my NPC Caranfindel fight off the hordes, Celebrin ?

I have Tharmaras from the Falas, a nobleman who lives in the hills above the Brilthon River and is kinsman to the Mordagnirs (and Celebrin, a couple more RPGs and he'll meet Aig!) by his eldest daughter's marriage eventually. He could interact with Melethril, Tinnuial, and Aniron? Right now he's at Minas Tirith to help Orodreth direct the flow of refugees and soon going to help the soldiers beat back tides of Orcs before going back to the Falas; he'll serve Cirdan securing the border when the Orcs come. Hope this all means our NPCs can have some involvement with each other !

[Moriel]

I will indeed cover Caranthir’s reasoning in my post, which is in progress @Celebrin if you want to have your characters do as Aig suggested and bring the news of the attack on the Haladin to Caranthir, that’s fine with me! I was going to have some random NPCs do it since no one else is really playing in Thargelion, but if you want to instead, no problem here. I’m planning on posting today though so let me know please! and I can give you some info about where they can find Caranthir and how the city is laid out.

[Celebrin]

@Moriel Okay, sure, I can do that. I'm under the impression that Caranthir knows, though maybe not how dire the situation is? So he doesn't give his assistance until the Haladin are asking for help? If that's the case, then maybe a Haladin NPC was sent out and didn't quite make it to deliver his message and my NPCs find him??? Clear it all up for me You can hit me on discord if you like.

@Aigronding Mordagnir Celebrin and Curancal will hold the fight in Minas Tirith until it is overthrown I'm sure at this point Celebrin will never meet Aig
Niphredin is going to leave Olorea as well at some point. I don't have this all perfectly planned yet
My npcs currently in the Falas are not soldiers, but there is a complicated relationship uh... square going on there haha

Celebrin and Curancal are versatile warriors if you want to give them anything to do together.

[Moriel]

Left you some messages on discord

[Moriel]

Posted for the Haladin, and Thargelion in the time of the attack on the Haladin! @Celebrin left you the opening for your peeps to come in with the news

Baddies and Thargelion in the time of the Bragollach coming up next.

[Rivvy Elf]

@Aigronding Mordagnir @Moriel So I'll have my orc commander (who has been back-seating this whole time and not fighting) make it really easy for that messenger to break through the siege. He will have the orcs do an early celebration/drinking festival to commemorate the successful slaughter of Haldad and Haldar.

[Eriol]

Glad we've figured out what Celebrin and Curancal are doing for the near future, @Celebrin ! Oh, man, just Plaza brothers then? Brother of the heart, that's great to me at least! Will that love square get sorted eventually ? Let me know if you need help figuring when Niphred could leave Olorea .

Great posts, everyone !! My next will be for the Falas and Nargothrond about the refugees; I also have a Celegorm post (during our present Aredhel moment) coming for Tarawen and Aerlinn. I'll wait for Glaurung attacking Lothlann before I post Filrain and her lieutenants, @Moriel ! @Frostbite , will you be battling Dorthonion soon? @Ercassie will help you soon; she's just had her birthday weekend.

@Dwarrow Elf , will he be inebriated yet volatile ? By the way, I hope your vintner merchant will make an appearance at some point?

[The Good Hunter]

You bet hermano! I'm developing a rough draft post right now to show everyone involved so we stay nice cohesive unit.

[Eriol]

Gracias, mi amigo!

[Rivvy Elf]

Posted I have. As you can see, this orc commander isn't really the... frontline person as Haldad is.

@Aigronding Mordagnir Volatility would get him killed as a backseat commander. Best for him to constantly reward his soldiers for doing great deeds, like he's doing now.

You're speaking of Rivvy Elf, the person originating from Ossiriand and becoming a vinter merchant? Hmm, we shall see, he's more fitting of peaceful times. Maybe as it becomes more chaotic he moves east of the Ered Luin?

[Eriol]

Yes, Tolkien says in the Fall of Fingolfin and Ruin of Beleriand chapter that there are Elves fleeing over Ered Luin during the Bragollach; also he says that there are some who reach the East and tell Mortals about the breaking of the Siege.

[Celebrin]

@Aigronding Mordagnir Duuuuuuuude they have to meet at some point but I don't foresee it yet lol I don't wanna force it to happen. Maybe if this thread calms down at some point we can go back and make something up haha love square with be losing its glue during unnumbered tears, and don't mix up Niphred and Niphredin lol Niphred already left her, Niphredin is the son he doesn't know about, but yes Niphredin must leave her as well at some unknown time

[Aerlinn]

Sorry very not sorry about my post just now. In honor of...

"I fear that to me Siamese cats belong to the fauna of Mordor, but you need not tell the cat breeder that."
― J.R.R. Tolkien, Letter 219[14]

...if anyone else would like a questionably evil spy* cat cameo, I am your gal.

*Prone to ignoring orders and providing a great deal of useless information to the Dark Being they are spying for. Easily converted to chaotic neutral by the promise of fresh meat and cuddles. Morgoth/@Dwarrow Elf might not be actually be aware that they are his servants. Purring is rather a liability when it comes to ebil deeds.

[Turin Ringhûn]

I'll try to get a post put together for the rp later today. have errands to run in town and my kids are driving me crazy, so yeah. I'm glad I was able to get one post on my list of several done today so far.

[Zôrzimril]

Have just posted as Curufin in Himlad at the start of the Bragollach!

Aig - I haven't forgotten about the Morwen flashback, and can post as Curufin again at the Council if needed. For now, though, sleep calls me.

[The Good Hunter]

Finished a short (relatively speaking) pre-Battle Sauron post for @Moriel to work with, and now I'm busying working on Sauron readying to break loose his hell on Dorthonion for @Moriel, @Ercassie, @Sil, and @Krumhûr. And anyone else I forgot to mention. You all should have a rough draft by tonight(ish).

[Moriel]

Post with Glaurung setting out to burninate the countryside, Thuringwethil joining him with her vampires, and the intro to Thargelion for the Bragollach will be up tomorrow (Fri)! I wanted to finish it tonight but i'm 1200 words in and not even done with the elves yet and I have to actually be somewhere tomorrow so I'm going to bed

[Eriol]

Oh, yeah, definitely don't want to mix that up, @Celebrin , that would be cringey ! I'm glad that Aig and Celebrin will still meet but, I agree, we won't force it . ". "Enough! This is Fingolfin's besought war council not Thingol's disregarded tea party." Best line of your Maedhros yet!

I hope the kids will give their old man some time to write soon, @Turin Ringhûn ! Good luck!

I'm loving all the Curufin-Celegorm-Celebrimbor posts we and @Aerlinn are doing, @Tarawen ! I'm going to try getting both my Himlad posts up today for you both! Linny and I were plotting about the Bragollach one today. I'm anticipating your Morwen post ! Do you want to write first and then have me use Baragund & Beren for you in Ladros when Frost and Krum attack Dorthonion?

I'm excited for your Glaurung / Thuringwethil strike on Lothlann, the Gap, and Thargelion, @Moriel !!! I'll be posting as Filrain splitting her Orc forces to Aglon and Himring (and Krum will be with me). When you tell me you're done with Thargelion, I'll have Filrain invade East Beleriand with her Orc horde .

I'll have Gothmog hit Barad Eithel after Earcolante, Erfaron, and Nemir speak with Fingolfin and Fingon and Hador in the war room.

@Dwarrow Elf is now Treebeard and Nia is Fimbrethil (spoke to them on Discord last night)!

[Zôrzimril]

@Aigronding Mordagnir - Can't wait to read what you and Linny have plotted up! As for Morwen, I was going to do a childhood flashback, then a 455 scene with Morwen seeing the fires. Does that still work for you?

[Celebrin]

I felt like that little post was necessary for Finrod to react to Mablung saying that so this is what I came up with lol

Hopefully Thargelion tomorrow

[The Good Hunter]

Alright, Sauron in Dorthonion is finally done! I'm sorry that one took so long to hash out. Getting in the right, supremely violent mindset was hard to get into within the context of a narrative. I think I pulled it off quite nicely though. Now the wolves and orcs and balrogs can all have their fun.

[Rivvy Elf]

Very nice, @Frostbite ! If Melkor was the supportive type, I'm sure his mouth would twitch slightly upwards. Though I had an old saying that whenever Melkor smiled, the Grinding Ice grew ever bigger, tortoises would just drop dead, and the deserts would become more hot or cold.

It's time for part 3 of Earcolante's ride to Barad Eithel. That'll be up hopefully by the end of my Saturday.

[Ercassie]

Sorry @Aigronding Mordagnir, for the no show from me so far on the Bragollach front. I’ve already let @Dwarrow Elf know he can assume Erfaron was already at Barad Eithel, so there’s no delay to your War room post.

[Eriol]

@Moriel's marvelous emotionally charged post as Caranthir and Tavari got me like:

This RPG is already my favorite in our series so far, my friends. Keep up the stellar writing!

It's sad and dramatic @Tarawen but let's keep reminding ourselves Celegorm shows his true colors when he abducts and tries to force Luthien into a marriage later on . I'll still my Baragund segment in two halves, past and present, so I can pair well with yours, so this still works out perfectly, yes ! I love how layered you're making Curufin, Tara, like I said on Discord messenger. Seeing him upset about how his son's personality is at polar ends of the spectrum compared with his own is fabulous writing. One of the most important things about AoA is exploring canon characters in ways we haven't read about. What they could have felt, what they could have thought. Amazing job!

Frostbite, excellent warring Sauron intro! @Tarawen and I will have Angrod and Aegnor be murdered there soon. You and Moriel can have the option of which brother to kill, just let Tara and I know here. I'll have my tower, another lone one called Mindo Manheren, attacked by @Ercassie 's Balrog before she destroys my Woodmere Village. @Krumhûr , you can begin attacking Ladros with Gorgol the Butcher. When Moriel launches her fiery strike as Glaurung at Lothlann, I'll have Filrain split her forces and send Lug to his battleground.

I'll have Celegorm, Amrod, Orodroth, Fingon, and Maglor voice their opinions at the Council soon, @Celebrin !

Okay, @Ercassie , I'll post as Crabanel and Fingon in the war room as soon as @Dwarrow Elf posts soon. I'll have Gothmog en route in the same one. Do you want me to post as Rincion and my guys at Mindo Manheren before you posts the twins?

Right now I'm almost done with Celegorm and Huan in the Aredhel subplot for Tara and @Aerlinn ! It'll be up today!

[Moriel]

Glaurung's initial assault on Lothlann is up now also!

Anyone playing or wanting to play in Thargelion (and all are welcome!) please be aware there are now currently two timelines going on: FA 375, during the seige on the stockade and covering the Haladin storyline, and FA 455, for the Dagor Bragollach!

[Ercassie]

Okay, @Ercassie Do you want me to post as Rincion and my guys at Mindo Manheren before you posts the twins?

Yes please @Aigronding Mordagnir. Start things off at Mindon Manheran. I’ll catch up. As for Lothlann, I have Herumacil guarding home at Carminfose rather than out with your riders. So don’t worry about waiting for me there either.

[Eriol]

Glaurung running....that's terrifying, thinking of a gigantic firebreathing crocodile charging...

Okay, @Ercassie , I'll set us up at Mindo Manheren and Woodmere!! Now that Moriel has triumphantly posted at Lothlann, I'll have Earenolwë posted for you and @Aerlinn coming up as well as Filrain with her Orcs for @Tarawen , @Krumhûr , and @Celebrin . She won't attack East Beleriand yet until Glaurung destroys the Vale of Gelion and bothers Thargelion with Thuri.

Things are heating up, quite literally ! Beleriand is blazing in the north ! ! When the second round of refugees come to Doriath, @Thalionwen Hunigfolm , Galadriel can speak to Treebeard - @Dwarrow Elf - warning him of the fiery devastation of forests so he can summon an Entmoot in Ossiriand.

[Zôrzimril]

@Aigronding Mordagnir - Morwen flashback and 455 scene is up! Big thanks to @Moriel for whipping up that icon for me.

Oooh yes @Frostbite and Moriel, let me know at whose hands Angrod will die. Regardless of who, let's plot!

[The Good Hunter]

@Tarawen I do love me some good plottin'! It's gonna be a party! (yes that was just an excuse to use the party blob)

[Krumhûr]

Ladros begins to burn, and butchers have been set at work. Multiple edits done in succession to final post as late night addled some of the proof reading attempts on the post.

[Rivvy Elf]

I have posted, and everyone in the war room should now know that very serious things have indeed happened in the North.

[Aerlinn]

So many epic posts this week! It's so exciting to see this take off again. I need to start printing it out so its easier to find and reference things. I'm making myself dizzy with all the scrolling.

Anyways, non-Bragollach Dorthonion banner for @Tarawen and anyone else over there. Treebeard (@Dwarrow Elf) will eventually be headed to a part of Dorthonion with more trees, I presume, but I didn't think of that till later.

[Zôrzimril]

Oooh printing stuff out is a great idea! Wish I had a printer...

@Frostbite you know I live for plotting parties

Thank you so much for making this banner, @Aerlinn! Edited it into my Morwen post <3

[Celebrin]

Sry, I don't have more time. I wanted to get it all in one post but I gotta get some my sleep in. Enjoy Darman's journey north as the Haladin's messenger for now.

[Laintaen]

Post is up for Beleg.

Also, I am not good at making up names but I would like one for Beleg's horse. Can someone suggest one for me and I'll edit it in?

[Eriol]

Sadron means "Faithful" in Sindarin, @Laintaen if you'd like to use that !

I wonder if we need to request an evil-looking forest banner for when Sauron pollutes the forest with his evilness and it becomes Taur-nu-Fuin, @Aerlinn .

It broke my heart to see Earcolante burnt up like Mustafar Darth Vader, @Dwarrow Elf ! I'll have Fingon get a healer to attend to him like we decided on Discord and I'll have some soldiers guard his ward when Gothmog assails the tower with Shytha and the minions. He's out of the action but Barad Eithel will narrowly win the day and push Gothmog back. When Fingolfin and Fingon ride out with Hador trying to reach the Feanorians and get repulsed, hopefully Earcolante will be recovered by his High Elf strength and best healers. The war doesn't technically end to the spring so there's still time, several months, for him to recuperate?

@Thalionwen Hunigfolm , would you like to begin posting as Emeldir the Manhearted now ? @Krumhûr 's Gorgol Orc captain (the future slayer of Emeldir's husband) has penetrated Ladros at its wooded fringes. Barahir is not at home right now but afield near the western environs of the realm (so I can get him meeting Finrod soon in the Fen of Serech). You'd be at home in the family fortress with your son Beren and your brother-in-law Bregolas; your nephews Baragund and Belegund are there with their daughters Morwen and Rían. You could jolt awake, hearing the alarum bells which never sounded until now. Rush out to the courtyard where you see the rivers of fire scorching Ard-galen and flowing toward the northern foothills of Ladros. As the wooded hills of your fiefdom begin to burn, decide that the worst is yet to come perhaps. Marshal your household guards and take Baragund (me) with you to the outskirts...when we reach the slopes within the hour (concluding your post), we clash with Gorgol's host . Tolkien says that "Beren the Renowned had hair of golden brown and grey eyes; he was taller than most of his kin" in The Peoples of Middle-earth. Would you like to make Emeldir a blonde and I'll have Barahir brown-haired? There's no icon of her yet but you could have one made. No named mother is given for Emeldir but we can imagine that she was a woman of the House of Hador which is reputed to have many blonde mortals. Emeldir was born in FA 406 so she is 49 years old now.

@Tarawen , I'm going to have Beren stay with Morwen in the fortress like we had planned. I'll have one of Gorgol's lieutenants split from his captain's forces to assail the fortress. Morwen can witness the slaughter of many of her people there... Once Emeldir inevitaby retreats with her reduced force from Gorgol's attack, I'll have her draw back to the fortress. We can escape to Foen, a tall peak in Dorthonion's center (east of Rivil's Well and west of Aeluin), which Tolkien mentions in War of the Jewels. There Emeldir will set up base camp and start sending out riders to collect many Beorians as she can to the mountain (and sets a guard around it because of all the Orcs and evil spirits of Sauron and Gorgol) up until the time Barahir urges her to go to Brethil and Hithlum with the refugees . Morwen and Beren can be a couple of her message riders if that's good with you ?

Question for all: Is anyone playing Rían yet? And if not, does anyone want Rían? She becomes the wife of Huor and the mother of Tuor. She's in embattled Dorthonion right now with Morwen. Rían is a little girl at the time of all this craziness, just 5 years old . Daughter of Belegund and has an unnamed mother.

[Rivvy Elf]

Yes, Earcolante will recover from this assuming that the ward is successfully defended.

@Nia Shall Fimbrethil be with Fangorn right now or be apart right now? As in, I'm having Fangorn be in the Forest of Neldoreth, but Beleriand has a lot of other areas that are more palatable to the Entwives, like Ossiriand, at least before the Long Peace was broken. What do you think?

[Aerlinn]

@Aigronding Mordagnir A five year old girl with a penchant for song-writing who eventually dies a tragic early death and is, unknowingly, the grandmother of Earendil? I mean, I'm not not interested.