The Golden Hall III (Meduseld OOC)

[Pele Alarion]

@Melahny_oftheWoods , @Rillewen

Hmm, I think passing the mountains would place us south of the mountain range, without the road. lol... Go figure, without a good, marked road and crossing all those rivers. But why take the easy road when it can be difficult?

[Rillewen]

Lol that's how adventures are born! Right?

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Yes, that is how adventures are born.

[Melahny_oftheWoods]

@Pele Alarion @Rillewen
Oh, I thought we would be going back over the mountain pass, back onto the main road after visiting the village. It would make the most sense, I think. Haha. We can have as many mishaps and adventures either way, but the main road would make it easier for us writers to keep track of where our characters are located. That's my vote. What do you say?

[Pele Alarion]

@Melahny_oftheWoods , @Rillewen

Perhaps most sense but our youths are intent on adventure, Melahny. You'd have to put much effort into convincing them to go for easy rather than hard.

[Rillewen]

Yeah, the road is too easy for those seeking adventure, right? lol. Anyway, that was what they were discussing before running into Melahny but you can feel free to try and talk sense into them.
They just figured there's probably roads on the Gondor side of the mountains that would also lead them to Gondor's capitol, since that would be logical. But they don't actually know either route lol.

[Melahny_oftheWoods]

Ahh okay, if that was your plot that's fine, I'll not change it. Melahny should know the alternative routes as a seasoned traveller, though I will have to do some research on the map Lol.

[Merewyn]

Happy New Year everyone!

[Rillewen]

@Melahny_oftheWoods

I've already asked Pele in discord about this, but what are your preferences concerning the story we're writing? Do you want to write out the whole visit at the village, or just skip ahead to when they're leaving to move onward with the journey?
Also, is there anywhere easier to contact you for plotting discussions like this? I don't like using these ooc threads for stuff like this.

[Maeglin]

Hi! I have an idea about an RP I'd like to do in Rohan and would like others to join in :)
So the plot can be something like a sinister entity haunting bordering small settlement in Framburg, Rohan. Something like a werewolf that I'd like to play. So the Rohirrim sends some troops to sort out the problem to at least drive out the menace.
What do you all think?

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Fenrir: Sounds exciting. I have momentarily two characters slight active. I am not that much at home with who the Rohirrim really are. But I could put Utchuk in service? He is an independent Uruk from the north, hiding under a clever human disguise. He ventures around, just out of curiosity mostly.

[Maeglin]

Utchuk sounds great! We can cause some mischief and scoot before the troops come in, eh? :)

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Fenrir: Cool, we can go for that! What kind of mischief do you have in mind?

[Melahny_oftheWoods]

@Rillewen Sorry for the late reply, I've been super busy with work. I got into my old discord. So you can add me on there. MelahnyoftheWoods. I think we could stop in the village for a bit and Mel can get the flower she wants and we can visit Xyler's grandmother, then move on and do some time skip past some of the journey. Like time skip to a few weeks later, on the road and plan to have something more interesting happen. What do you guys think?
@Pele Alarion

[Maeglin]

@Aikári Salmarinian - I was wondering if we minions could raid bordering villages of Rohan, causing mayhem and such. Can Utchuk be a Warg rider? Warg Riders were shown in Two Towers :). So we cause enough trouble for a small Rohirrim troop to come in and save the villages. We all get an skirmish, Rohan saves the day and minions have to retreat. How is this? Do you have another idea, or want to to add something to this? :)
For best feels, it'd be great if some pple from Rohan join us too.

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Hey Fenrir: I think I Utchuk would be too heavy and too big for riding a warg. But I have Grasgnur also, he is proper smaller Orc, he could ride one. Sounds like a nice devious plot. . I don't know if there are people who like to join in as Rohirrim? But case not, we can also invent those riders ourselves.

[Maeglin]

@Aikári Salmarinian - Bring both of em. It'll be fun. We'll keep the RP open so anyone can join in as Rohirrim or more orcs and wolves. So Grasgnur leads a band of warg riders, Utchuk a band of assorted raiders, and Fenrir a few wolves. Fun :D
Plan is to have this RP in the https://www.lotrfanaticsplaza.com/forum ... .php?t=856, at the The Bogs of Aughiska. Or we can make our own fictional area within this thread.

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Fenrir: Cool, let's begin indeed. I'll begins with Grasgnur and his band attacking Framburg or getting in the town... Bogs of Aughiska? I have to google what those bogs are as I have never heard of it. I am not so familiar with Rohan. The thread is good for the RP. We can indeed also invent an area, that sounds logical in line with the story.

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Fenrir: I have posted and hope it gives a good oversight what is all around the north. The Bogs of Ausgiska lay close to Framsburg, in the old lands where the Rohirrim once dwelt. I'll edit in a map of the area tomorrow in my post, so it is more clear what is all out there. It is not exactly Rohan, but a corner where definite a lot of Orc activity is garanteed, and not obly Gundabad is there, we could do something with?

[Maeglin]

@Aikári Salmarinian Sure, any village will do :) Thanks! Getting a post up tomorrow Aiks!

[Aikári Salmarinian]

Fenrir: Sure, I am looking forward!

[Melahny_oftheWoods]

@Pele Alarion @Rillewen Are we continuing with the RP in Rohan? No worries, just wondering because I haven't heard anything in a while.

[Rillewen]

Sorry, I am. I just got busy, but I'll post back to it soon

[Pele Alarion]

@Melahny_oftheWoods Did you find our discord chat? I left you a note in the general plaza chat, and wrote a private message. :)

[Melahny_oftheWoods]

@Pele Alarion Yes I did! I have it on my computer only though, not on my phone. I will check out the message now.

[Chrysophylax Dives]

Earane Ancalime
In the henneth idhrin, the palantîr's plinth stood proud and empty; maybe that was for the best, she mused, moving on upwards.

This fragment of a page somehow ended up lost in the inter-kingdom mail system but, because there is now a Lore Post Office, was rescued. Knowing my interest in old manuscripts, the Lore post-mistress passed the fragment on to me.

It seems that a party of wizards went off to Orthanc long ago, but all are now lost, or were blown away in the wind and now talk only of cheese. This fragment that appeared in the postal void of the plaza gives a clue. These wizards of old were hunting palantîri, but that is not what one seeks these days in Orthanc...

I am going off to explore. Anyone who wishes may join me.

[Chrysophylax Dives]

A follow up to the Orthanc occupation. I worry about the Rohan post office. Khazad-dûm is in the process of issuing new postal stamps for all the kingdom post offices. Does anyone know how we might contact the post-mistress of Rohan?

[Lirimaer]

It seems that a party of wizards went off to Orthanc long ago, but all are now lost, or were blown away in the wind and now talk only of cheese.

lmao ... you are cracking me up in bi-monthly bursts

[Drifa]

Is the Rohan post office still called Riddermark Ærendgewrit—Rohirric Mail?

[Chrysophylax Dives]

The Riddermark Ærendgewrit—Rohirric Mail is soon to close its doors. The post-mistress has given her blessing to my opening a new post office!

The new post office will be based in Helms Deep. The fact that so few of the Rohirrim can actually read means that Helms Deep makes more sense because of the Dwarves and Elves who have settled there. Indeed, Helms Deep is like the Bree of the early 4th Age, thanks to Gimli and Legolas. So these folk really need a post office!

The new post office will be staffed by one of my agents, possibly Vorem Tsung, a huorn friend of mine who is presently a guest in Orthanc. Vorem is dedicated to the cause of peace and the fraternity of all folk. The idea is to use the Helms Deep post office to foster mutual good will and build alliances between the various local towers around the Gap of Rohan.

[Chrysophylax Dives]

On reflection, I am thinking that the new Rohan post-office may as well be located in the Hornburg. May as well bring this tower into use now as later. But I need to read up again on the Hornburg before I have a sense of architecture and appropriate decour.

Suggestions are of course welcome!

[Arnyn]

@Chrysophylax Dives As long as you keep in mind the post office is a place for letters!

[Chrysophylax Dives]

@Arnyn, @Drifa, a Post Office is of course a place for letters - a place, one might say, for the circulation of letters. We see a Post Office as an extension of a Library, which is a place for circulating books. As such, a Library-Post Office is the very foundation of culture and civilization. It is through the efforts of a Library-Post Office that ideas circulate, rude manners are polished, and a people progress out of the primitive pastoralism in which they are stuck. Unfortunately, so few of the Rohirrim can actually read that the Edoras Post Office made little headway in this great work of civilization. Drawing on the knowledge of alphabetical scripts of the Elvish and Dwarvish colonies of Helms Deep, and uitilizing the resources that Orthanc has so generously lavished on our venture, we believe that the new Post Office of the Hornburg will provide the perfect opportunity for the circulation of many letters and hence the gradual rise of the Rohirrim out of their state of Homeric primitivism.

[Drifa]

So, is the post office located at the Hornburg? Do you still want the banner to feature a Hornburg, a white hand, and Orthanc tower, with the hand in the middle? What time period is the post office set in?

[Chrysophylax Dives]

So, is the post office located at the Hornburg? Do you still want the banner to feature a Hornburg, a white hand, and Orthanc tower, with the hand in the middle? What time period is the post office set in?

Difra, thank you! I think so yes. The time is early 4th Age (same as your Moria!) But on the rest, could you give me a couple of days to think on it please?

[Chrysophylax Dives]

@Drifa, so the location is indeed the Tower of the Horburg. I think on the ground floor. But if the post office is in the Horburg then we can discover the Orthanc Stone left by Aragorn in a high chamber, and so the Rohan post office becomes the first visible post office of the kingdoms to house a palantír (and as such will enjoy a special relationship with the Lore post office).

[Drifa]

I have not been reading today, but I did play in my paint program. I'm unsure if this is what you want, @Chrysophylax Dives, but it's a start.

[Chrysophylax Dives]

O lovely! @Drifa , thank you!! Love all of it. I still have not read up on the Hornburg properly for the OP, so please be patient. The Rohan Post Office will be opening some time later this week.

The banner is lovely but those stamps are absolutely amazing!

[Drifa]

The Riders of Rohan by Tad Nasmith

[Chrysophylax Dives]

The Riders of Rohan by Tad Nasmith

This one I really like, but... it seems to me that these ancient English horsemen are wearing the helmets of the Norman invaders. Anyone else see this?

[Drifa]

According to Wikipedia



In response to a query about clothing styles in Middle-earth, Tolkien wrote:

The Rohirrim were not "medieval", in our sense. The styles of the Bayeux Tapestry (made in England) fit them well enough, if one remembers that the kind of tennis-nets [the] soldiers seem to have on are only a clumsy conventional sign for chainmail of small rings.[T 15]

[Chrysophylax Dives]

Nice on the Bayeux Tapestry - it seems like it is the English as well as the Normans that have the silly helmets. I like the chain mail as drawn in the images of Farmer Giles of Ham.

I am going to open the new post office. On the assumption that it will take a few edits to get the OP right, I'm going with your first image. Do please (everyone) let me know what you think on both image and text.

[Drifa]

Spangenhelm

The helmets worn in the Tapestry are all very much alike and are the type known as spangenhelm, consisting of a wide band that encircles the head attached to which are two narrow bands—one from front to back, the other from side to side—which go over the head. The resulting triangular-shaped spaces are then filled with iron plates though the example from Benty Grange, admittedly much earlier in date, is thought to have been filled with horn. A projection, called the nasal, extends down from the front of the encircling band to cover the nose. This form of helmet shows some similarities to those found at Benty Grange and the Coppergate site in York, England, as well as helmets from Scandinavia, and appears to have been widespread throughout Europe from the late Roman period. Unfortunately, the haphazard way colors are used in the Tapestry means it is not possible to be clear about the materials used in their manufacture. Unlike the helmets mentioned earlier, those shown in the Tapestry are less rounded and come to a point at the top of the head.

[Chrysophylax Dives]

Stepping back a bit @Drifa, I reckon the Soviet propaganda image should be avoided - a bit too close to a Real World that we still live in. Here we see the context of Saruman in Orthanc, or glimpse one part of it; but probably best kept hidden on the plaza, at least as image. So I have removed the image from my own posts. (Sorry about that!)

[Chrysophylax Dives]

Just a heads up that sooner or later some skirmishes are likely to happen around the Fords of Isen as the Hornburg post office liases with myself in Orthanc. We are expecting (hoping for) casualties and so looking for a few of the walking wounded to reach the Edoras Infirmary. As I will no doubt need to write the NPC medical staff as well as the NPC wounded Rohirrim as well as anyone else, and have never attempted such an ambitious post, I would appreciate pointers.

But I do learn. Before any post I am reading the OP 7 times.

[Rillewen]

I have a healer apprentice who might be available, if you need him.
assuming it doesn't conflict with the year that he's away in Minas Tirith

[Chrysophylax Dives]

Thank you @Rillewen :)
We are away away. I have yet to make a Hornburg post after setting up the new post office. We need some Stone-to-Stone mischief first of all between the two Towers, and then some action down by the river. A few moons away still.