Roleplay Practice Prompts: Character Development

[Taethowen]

Advanced Track, Prompt #5

What is the most stupid or foolish thing your character has ever done? What were the repercussions?

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Lirimaer]

Character Name: Daehaeron
Track: Advanced
Prompt: #5 - What is the most stupid or foolish thing your character has ever done? What were the repercussions?

He considers this a foolish thing; he took off into the forest one day thinking himself alone, and went to his usual haunt, a cavern with great acoustics, to play his flute. And many times after that, he did likewise. He discovered long afterward that Liria had followed him, stalked him using all the skills her mother taught her, but she never said a word to anyone. He discovered the place where she did one time, and afterward looked out for her, not letting on that he knew she was there. It was a very strange etiquette-laden dance until one day she just asked him why we did not play his flute in the Elvenking's halls ... and that was an interesting discussion, because the whole truth was not laid out on the table, and he feels uncomfortable about it. This is partly why he is so eager for her to come to Imladris and study - he hopes she will join the dots, as it were.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Character Name: Éomund
Track: Combining Basic and Advanced
Basic Track Prompt 5: Does your character(s) have any pets/animal companions? How did they acquire them? What do they look like?

Yes, Éomund has, or rather, had, two animal companions. The first is his horse Sunbeorht. It was given to him by his adopted uncle Grimthain four years ago for his fourteenth birthday. The horse himself is about 8 years of age, since it was given to him trained. The horse is a light brown, almost golden colour, hence the same "Sunbeorht" which means "sunshine". The horse's name also relates to the fact that the horse is one of the few bright spots in Éomund's life, at least prior to joining the Cavalry. Éomund rode Sunbeorht when he travelled to Edoras to join the Cavalry While the horse not quite up to the standards for a Cavalry horse yet, Éomund will work on training him.

Éomund also had a cat when he was a child. Again, it was a gift from Grimthain. The cat had been called Darby. There was no real reason to the name, he had simply enjoyed the sound of it, which was a valid enough reason for a six year old. The cat was small, black thing and had lived for great many years, in part due to the fact that it was an excellent mouser. Despite it being a primarily outdoor cat once it outgrew the kitten stage, it had lived for many years. Éomund often snunk it into his bed at night, which likely contributed to its longer lifespan. But, age had eventually caught up to it and he had died about two years ago, around the age of ten. Éomund had been devastated when it passed, and had confessed to Grimthain that it felt like "part of himself had died" when Darby passed.

[Jenny Harper]

Character Name: Jenwyn
Track: Basic
Basic Prompt #1: What prompted your character to pursue their occupation? What do they enjoy most about it? What aspects of it do they dislike?

As Jenwyn grew up in a small village, it was not really her decision to become a farmhand, rather it was a question of necessity. When living in a small village with not much wealth, everyone had to contribute and as a woman, working as farm hand was an obvious job open to her, allowing her to contribute to both the village as a whole. Even as a child she helped out on the farm, doing chores like feeding lifestock, collecting eggs and so on. As she got older, she started taking on more physical activities, such as helping to harvest crops, ploughing the fields and other farming related activities, as well as working on her own vegetable garden to supplement the crops. From the age of 15, she would on occasion travel with her cousin to one of the other nearby villages to sell surplus crops and other produce.

Farming is tough and tiring work, but the thing Jenwyn most enjoys about it is the fact that quite often it allows her to work and be on her own, which gives her the opportunity to think and be alone with her thoughts, something which she appreciates.

While she does not shirk from the work, the thing she most dislikes about the work is how tiring and physically strenuous it is, but of course this is to be expected from agricultural work. Nevertheless, she carries out her work with no grumbling or complaint, being grateful for what little she has.

[Jenny Harper]

It's technically been 24 hours!

Character Name: Jenwyn
Track: Basic
Basic Prompt #3: What is your character's relationship like with their family? If their family is deceased/absent, who do they consider to be most like family, and why? If they have no one, is it by choice, and what was the catalyst behind that choice?

Jenwny's immediate family when growing up consisted of her mother, younger brother and elder sister. Their relationship was always close, forged by the struggle of living in a small village in the Westfold and all the difficulties that posed. Jenwyn considered her elder sister a role-model and Jenwyn strove to be like her sister when she was older. There was an 8 year age gap between her and her sister so while they were close, the age difference did provide a natural barrier for their relationship. Her brother was just a couple of years younger so they were quite close, sometimes doing chores together or playing various games. Her mother was as supportive as any mother could be and always tried the best for the small family, she was also close with her sister. Jenwyn's father died in battle when she was 2 in battle, she couldn't remember him but her mother often told her stories of him, from their courtship and eventual marriage, their life together and life in the village before he died. While these stories helped to bring him to life, in her mind Jenwyn still wondered what he was like.

Following the death of her immediate family, Jenwyn lived with her three cousins, initially in their own homestead and later they moved back to Jenwyn's village. Her cousins consisted of the son of her father and his own two children (technically Jenwyn's second cousins). Prior to the attack on her village, her cousins were a distant group whom she did not see with any regularity, however due to their kindness in taking her in and looking after her in her darkest moment, as well getting know them by living with them, she began to form a close relationship with her cousins. The father of the household became like a surrogate father to her while his children became like brothers to her. This was helped by the fact that one was just a few months older than her and the second one was just a year younger. For the last few years, they have lived together, with Jenwyn being considered part of the immediate family.

[Taethowen]

@Jenny Harper I honestly completely forgot I'd put the 24 hour/at least one other post rule in there. I'm going to take it out, because there's only so many posts one can make anyway if following the prompts, LOL. So feel free to do what you need from now.

[Jenny Harper]

@Jenny Harper I honestly completely forgot I'd put the 24 hour/at least one other post rule in there. I'm going to take it out, because there's only so many posts one can make anyway if following the prompts, LOL. So feel free to do what you need from now.

Thanks, that's good to know. I haven't posted in more than 24 hours but I will probably invoke that at some point. Though I must say thank you for these, they've really helped me understand my character much more than I did when I wrote her backstory in the hall of histories.

Character Name: Jenwyn
Track: Basic
Basic Prompt #5: Does your character(s) have any pets/animal companions? How did they acquire them? What do they look like?

Living on a farm, Jenwyn has a lot of animal companions but none which belong to her exclusively but rather are her family's property. When she lived with her mother and sibling, they owned two pigs and a number of piglets. The family kept them as a source of meat. Likewise her family owned three chickens which they kept mainly for their eggs. These were all killed when Uruk-Hai attacked her village. Following her moving in with her cousins, as they lived in an isolated homestead, they had a few more animals. As well as multiple chickens and pigs, they also owned a cow which they had bought from a farmer several years prior. When they moved back to Jenwyn's village, and the reconstruction began as survivors returned and others who lived in the scattered homesteads around the village moved in, her and her cousins brought their lifestock and built a home on the edge of the village. This home included a small field with grazing land for the cow as well as a chicken coop and pig pen.

While Jenwyn doesn't have any of her own animals companions she does care for the animals that she helps to look after even though she knows not to get too attached (she learnt that the hard way when she was 5 and a chicken she had grown attached to was slaughtered).

[Taethowen]

Basic Track, Prompt #6

Is your character known by any nicknames or pseudonyms? What is the origin of them?

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Taethowen]

Advanced Track, Prompt #6

What one thing* does your character want more than anything else? What are they willing to do to accomplish it?

*This can be a physical thing, or an idea or goal, or even something more ambiguous.

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Lail]

Character name: Lailyn
Track: Advanced
Prompt #3 - Who would your character die for? Who would they kill for? Are the answers for each question the same or different? Why?
The answers to these questions are nearly the same because she would do both in order to protect other people mainly because she has a strong drive, and need, to help others.

In the past, she would have died or killed to protect her friends, comrades or loved ones primarily in service of the Cavalry. She might be an optimist, but after her father died in battle, she had a very firm understanding of what she was putting on the line when enlisting. Protecting people was part of her reason for doing so.

Now, I think she would be much more hesitant to either die or kill. She’s seen plenty of death and while she doesn’t want to believe anyone has died in vain, a part of her wonders if it was all worth it. She would probably only die for those same people if she knew for sure it would make a difference or if it would protect them from danger. Likewise, she would kill for the people she cares about only if she or they were in immediate danger and there was absolutely no other option. She doesn’t see bloodshed as a solution to problems and the only time she’s ever wanted someone dead is when she faced them in battle.

[Zôrzimril]

Oh my blob, I am so behind on these!

Thank you for your feedback, Taeth! The scene in her dream actually takes place before the scene with the baker. Taking the necklace was more an accident in the heat of the moment than purposeful theft. The chance of the necklace being there and aiding her in killing the other girl does instill in her a deep sense of the randomness of life and death, which informs her attitude toward relationships and motivates her to live in the moment. In contrast, killing the man lends her a sense of power and control against what she perceives as the chaotic indifference of chance in life, and so she chooses to capitalize on that angle of violence and theft.

Since the new scene below contributes to some timeline craziness, for clarity:

- The scene in response to advanced prompt #2 (below) happens first (she's about 12-13 at this point)
- The dream/flashback scene in response to advanced prompt #1 follows immediately
- The scene in response to basic prompt #1 happens a couple months later
- The scene in response to advanced prompt #3 (below) happens many years later (edit: have removed this bc I just remembered that we're doing 1 prompt per post - will post it later )



Character name: Zôrzimril
Track: Advanced
Prompt: #2 - What is the most truly selfless thing your character has ever done? Was it a conscious choice or an instinctual reflex? Did other people recognize it as selfless? If it happened publicly, how did it make your character feel?

* * *

The new cog lay at anchor just outside the harbor, music and laughter rising from it into the night. Zôrzimril detached herself from the crowd clustered in admiration around her father. It was simply too noisy. There were few other children aboard the ship, but Zôr had not deigned to speak to them. It was her father's night and she was his proud daughter; they were not worth her while. She would rather wander alone to look out on the sea than join their games.

Noting her daughter's absence from her side, Zôr's mother tailed her as the girl moved away from the group. The girl had walked to the bow and climbed onto the rail. Now, she was leaning dangerously over the edge, her dark curls cast forward around her face. Something unusual caught her eye.

"Mother!" Zôr called, beckoning her to the rail of the ship and pointing at the flickering flame drifting across the water. "Look!"

While the crowd had been focused on their celebration, a tiny vessel had emerged from the harbor and drawn near. It was no ordinary ship, though: it was unmanned and aflame. Curls of smoke rose from it into the low-hanging clouds. Her mother paced nearer and took Zôr's hand gently to pull her back from the edge. Ready to whine and plead in the joking way that usually made her mother smile, Zôr lifted her gaze to her mother's face. She held her tongue on seeing the familiar features, the lips and fine cheekbones and grey eyes she had inherited, tinged with fear.

The girl's delight at the brightly burning craft vaporized instantly. "What is it? Why is that boat on fire?"

Her mother's mouth dropped open, but she did not speak. Zôr watched her features intently. Something was wrong. Her mother closed her mouth and rushed back to her father. With a glance back at the approaching blaze, Zôr hurried after her. Now her mother had dragged her father to the rail and shown him what Zôr had seen. He gripped the rail, white knuckled with anxiety, and shouted an order to raise the anchor. The joyous shouts turned panicky and people scattered to respond to the orders, spilling drinks and tripping over themselves and each other in their haste.

The fireship had drawn within yards of the cog, guided forward by inertia and the gentle evening wind. There was a dull, anticlimactic thud of impact and then a slow crackle as the fire licked at the ship and caught. The flames crept through the hold where, unbeknownst to those aboard, barrels of pitch used in the sealing of the cog's seams had been left surreptitiously by the builders, who had been paid well for it. The barrels caught and the pitch heated through, leaking vapors into the air that hung over the steadily growing fire.

Zôr's heart pounded. People were scrambling now toward the two little rowboats that hung in wait of emergency, and her father picked her up roughly in his haste and hoisted her into one. For some reason, neither of her parents got in. She struggled and kicked at the people crowding around her, crying out for them with fierce desperation. The crowd jostled, and an opening formed between two men who had been among the loudest singers tonight. Zôr darted through it and back onto the deck toward her parents. She had just begun to tug at their hands to pull them onto a boat, too, when the heat from the fire and the vapors from the pitch in the hold finally embraced and exploded.

[Zôrzimril]

(I am inferring from the exchange above + the guideline to do 1 prompt per post that it's ok to double post! I promise this is not a giant spree )

Character name: Zôrzimril
Track: Advanced
Prompt: #3 - Who would your character die for? Who would they kill for? Are the answers for each question the same or different? Why?

* * *

The man lay under her, hands bound over his head, eyes moving back and forth in panic. She had given him what he wanted, and now it was time for him to reciprocate. Her knife at his throat, she leaned in to whisper, "Where is it?" The whole night - not to mention the work of many years - had been for this moment, and she was not going to let the opportunity slip through her fingers again.

He flicked his gaze quickly at a chest of drawers on the other side of the room. "Is that so?" she murmured. "You see, when I searched those drawers earlier today, they were empty. I think you can do better."

His eyes widened. "You - " he choked in his rage, but she settled in over him now, pressing her skin to his and bringing her lips to his ear.

"You think this is my first time in your rooms?" She laughed. "Come now, my darling. Where is it?" she repeated more forcefully, now tracing a fine red line on his neck with her blade. The man shuddered and grunted with pain; a heady sense of dominance rose in the woman as he squirmed uncomfortably beneath her.

"Behind . . . it . . . " he gasped.

In a moment, she moved off the bed and stepped lightly toward the chest of drawers. He was no threat to her now, tied up as he was, so she turned her back on him and slid the largely empty bureau away from the wall. And there it was: a little square inlay in which sat the most unremarkable - yet, to her, priceless - object.

Zôr pulled the book from its hiding place and flicked lazily through the pages, the light from a lamp on a nearby table flickering over the words within. She had come across counterfeits before - books designed in the last detail to look like The Book but filled with nonsense with no pertinence to the political families of Umbar. But this one, on first glance, looked genuine. It was age-worn and musty but intact. She would have time for a closer examination later. She snapped it shut and tucked it into her bag, which hung from a chair near the window. Then, she returned to the bed.

"Thank you," she said, kissing him firmly on the mouth to muffle his cry as she slid her dagger between his ribs. "May we never meet again."

She dressed, slipped into the streets, and vanished into the shadows. Now she just needed to find someone who bore her a passing resemblance to drown in the harbor.

[Taethowen]

Notice to All: The 'wait for one other person to post'/24 hour wait time rule has been removed.

I think with this thread, seeing how sporadic it might be at times, that it's better to let you all be able to post without worrying about that so you can move through your character dev prompts at a pace that suits you.

---

@Dimcairien Luiniel

Basic #3 - Éomund would, in theory, have the option of sending letters to his old tutor (my Aldith NPC) and having her read them to Leigh. I think Aldith would make time for something like that, even if she is busy as the new 2nd Marshal's ceorl. ;)

That transition from child-parental relationship to adult-parental relationship is a difficult one. No matter what choices Éomund makes in how he treats his relationships with his mother and with Grimthain, the outcomes of those decisions will be long-standing.

Basic #4 - He's keeping lots of stuff under his pillow in the Cavalry barracks, LOL! That pillow isn't going to be very comfortable before long. I love the medallion. Taeth has one of her own too, also a gift from her father.

Basic #5 - So Sunbeorht is a palamino? ;) And awww, poor Éomund losing his precious cat. That's hard. I hope Leigh took it easy on him.

Advanced #4 - I very much identify with Éomund's fear of being without basic necessities. I grew up under the poverty line most of my childhood, and my husband and I have/are experiencing quite a bit of financial upheaval. From that perspective, what I learned to do was stockpile things I used regularly, how to invest in quality over quantity (even when it required saving longer for something), and how to improvise when I needed something I couldn't afford. Since he experienced such hardship as a child partially because of his mother's unwillingess to receive 'charity', it might also translate into Éomund being more willing to seek help.

I think Éomund's choice to join the Cavalry is going to drastically affect the type of man he becomes, hopefully for the best!


@Lirimaer

Basic #4 for Daehaeron - You said you wanted one of the things you tackle with Daehaeron to be, essentially, moving on from a lost love. One thing to consider will be what would make him stop wearing that blue riband.

Advanced #3 for Daehaeron - Oooh he seems so conflicted in so many ways right now! It's good that he has chosen to stay alive, but it doesn't yet seem like he's chosen to live.

Advanced #4 for Daehaeron - Eventually, something is going to yank him out of that. Something will happen to make him realize he wants to open up to at least one person (*wink*). As you start exploring the nuances of what makes him tick, you'll definitely get a grasp on what that something will need to be.

Advanced #5 for Daehaeron - That seems less foolish and far more *utterly embarrassing* ha! Hopefully Liria will pick up on the clues he's dropping eventually.

Basic #4 for Liria - Oooh, lovely items accompanied with backstory and bits of worldbuilding!

Advanced #4 for Liria - Since you said at the beginning that you wanted to explore more of Liria's weaknesses, her fear of not being good enough is also a place to explore that further. And even her irrational fear of dogs could play into that, if she reacts badly to a dog in front of someone she doesn't want to know that weakness.


@Jenny Harper

Welcome! Looking forward to getting to know Jenwyn!

Basic Prompt #1 - Is there any aspect of life Jenwyn feels she is missing out on because of the physical exhaustion she feels because of her work?

Basic Prompt #3 - You say "Her cousins consisted of the SON of her father and his own two children." Do you mean the BROTHER of her father? Or the nephew of her father? Also, did Jenwyn have any sort of mother figure present in this new family?

Basic Prompt #4 - Was Jenwyn's family of some wealth or nobility before the Uruk-Hai attack? For her mother to be able to afford a silver necklace with a gemstone suggests they were.

Basic #5 - Animal companions on the farm can be hard, especially when they're meant for food.


@Androthelm

Advanced #1 - I think it's perfectly on topic! Clearly the most selfish thing he ever did was leaving home, and maybe now he's beginning to feel a bit of regret for it. Or at least for how he left, rather than that he did leave. The children at the end are adorable though, lol.


@Pele Alarion

Basic #1 for Shamara - It seems like a drastic change for Shamara to go from being in a gang to being a woman who (sort of) quietly stayed at home. What was the catalyst for that?


@Lailorn

Advanced #3 - I think Lailyn has matured in this case. Death is so permanent, and while there are some cases where dying or killing for someone is, indeed, worth it, it's also easy to romanticize it.


@Tarawen

Advanced #2 - Oof, I'm assuming her parents died in this explosion? Losing her parents so young will definitely do a number on her, and depending on her mental state afterward could definitely affect her willingness to do anything selfless again.

Advanced #3 - So she would kill for herself, basically? (Which obviously means Zôr's not willing to die.)

[Zôrzimril]

@Taethowen - Duly noted on the 24 hour rule.

And yes, her parents died despite her efforts to get them to safety. She does indeed prize her own survival.

Very insightful for Advanced #3 - one could argue she would also "die" for herself in the sense that she'd be willing to fake her own death to throw off anyone pursuing her, implied at the end of that little scene. More on that to come someday probably.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

@Taethowen I had completely forgotten we had agreed that your NPC Aldith was Éomund's tutor! I need to go and add that to his character bio so I remember. And yes, that just might happen. The changing relationship as a child grow into an adult is so true. I have a better relationship with my parents now that I'm moved out, after having lived with them for two years after grad-school.

Eventually he should be comfortable enough storing his precious items in the footlocker (or whatever storage item Cavalry soldiers are given in the barracks). He simply doesn't want to risk anything happening to them. And I guess Sunbeorht is a palamino. I'm not very familiar with horse breeds/colouring (most of my knowledge currently comes from Wikipedia), so I will welcome any and all advice from those actually experienced with them.

I never experienced anything close to poverty growing up, but when I was young, we did not have much room for extras. The difference between a "need" and a "want" was something I was very aware of. Part of me thinks Éomund is a bit wary about asking for help, he does have some sense of pride after all, but I think he's also self-aware enough to realise how bad things can get when you're too proud to ask for help.

And I'm excited to see how joining the Cavalry (especially after the recent scene in the Throne Room) will change him. I have a few ideas in mind, so it'll be interesting to see how/if they'll play out.

[Taethowen]

@Tarawen There's so many fun ways to exploit faking your own death, lol. But it definitely is not quite the same as actually dying.

@Dimcairien Luiniel I'm planning to start introducing Aldith in RP soon, just not quite sure how yet. And my horse knowledge is by no means extensive, but I know several horse people (and growing up in Oklahoma, you encountered horses even if you didn't own them) and also know how to use Google, lol.

[Lirimaer]

Character: Daehaeron
Track: Basic
Prompt: #6 Is your character known by any nicknames or pseudonyms? What is the origin of them?

His actual name is not known to any now living excepting Thranduil. So yes, he is known by a pseud - although the ones who know him as Daehaeron do not know it is a pseudonym. He is mostly known by his title, the Ar-Golwen; it (and he) is intimidating enough that the lie of his assumed name doesn't come up, since he is less than sociable. In my writings of him so far, he has not even chosen the pseud Daehaeron yet ... in those posts he called himself Forsaken, and What is my name? because he needs the distance it affords him from who he perceived himself to be, and his actions. It is only toward the end of those meditations that he begins to heal, and in the next post, my plan is for him to travel west, meet some Dwarves and decide upon his new/current name - which will be influenced by the Dwarves' custom of not revealing their true names.

((I really do enjoy your assessment of the characters and what's going on, thank you for putting time and effort into commenting on all these aspects! I appreciate your insight and commentary into what's necessary or possible as a way to develop them further. I have to say that I am currently writing much like Tarantino films, with scenes at varying points in the timelines, so your comments on what I write here and now sometimes fit perfectly into the past, and it helps me to see where I need to plant the seeds of change for character growth over time, so that here and now is not such a giant leap to togetherness!))

[Lirimaer]

Character: Daehaeron
Track: Advanced
Prompt: #6 Advanced Track, Prompt #6 What one thing does your character want more than anything else? What are they willing to do to accomplish it?

His goal for two Ages has been to find out about the Peredhil, to learn about what befell those whom he knew and to be satisfied that all did eventually turn out for the best, despite it not ending how he had originally wanted. He has also been at great pains to remain unknown and unsought, so his thirst for full knowledge has not been sated by the half-truths and little-known events of those Elves outside of the Greenwood. The deplorable lack of curiosity in the Silvan Elves is something he despaired of for many years.
Since Liria came along, he soon realised she had a gift for the study of history, a great memory and a natural aptitude for composition. These he fanned into flame, and since he was an object of hero-worship to her, whatever he found interesting or praiseworthy became a fascination to her too. It was barely an effort to encourage her toward the legend of the Silmarili and its chief players, and it was not a very hard job to convince her to go to Imladris and find out all they knew - frankly it was harder to get the Librarian and the King to agree, and they only did that because she could travel under the auspices of the Golden Wood. It was only after he'd begun this course of action that he realised that he wanted Liria to know the truth about himself. As much as he wanted to find the truth, he also wanted her to see the things he'd kept hidden, and to understand, and not to change the way she looked at him. Since this is all out of his hands now, as she's in Imladris, he is a mess - doubting himself and his own wisdom (in choosing this path) and decrying it as hubris; doubting her - her empathy and her kindness. He is tying himself in knots, fearful of a bad result, but unable to put the brakes on ... he's taken a chance really, taken the opportunity to go for something he wanted (to live) and now he's vulnerable. So very vulnerable. (I love him so much.)

[Taethowen]

@Lirimaer I'm so glad it's helpful!

Basic #6 for Daehaeron - Ooo, calling himself Forsaken brings to light so much many potential internal conflicts. I'm sure you've already contemplated some of them, but truly, it takes quite a betrayal of self for someone to willingly call themselves by a name like that.

Advance #6 for Daehaeron - Aww, hopefully he finds his courage to tell her the truth! I think a fundamental part of that might be realizing that it will change, in some ways, how Liria does see him, simply because the nature of truth always does that. But it may not be the death-knell for their relationship that he thinks it will be.

[Lirimaer]

Basic #6 for DaehaeronForsaken - It takes quite a betrayal of self for someone to willingly call themselves by a name like that.

Yes, it was a betrayal that caused his plight, and self-castigation that exacerbated it. His history explains much, hence why I'm keeping his real name under wraps, excepting as the story requires it. It is technically out there, but if no one reads it, it's still a secret, right?

[Taethowen]

Basic Track, Prompt #7

What are your character's money/financial habits like? Have they ever been wealthy or poor? Have they ever experienced a drastic change in financial status?

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Taethowen]

Advanced Track, Prompt #7

What moment in life did your character feel the most out of control and helpless? How did it end up shaping them? Did they grow, become stagnant, or regress?

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Taethowen]

Schedule Change Notice

Through mid-October, the prompt schedule will be changing
to once a week instead of twice a week.

This is because I have not one but two book deadlines I've been procrastinating on, and now I'm down to the wire. Sorry folks.

[Lirimaer]

Work is important! And, selfishly, it will give me time to write actual story posts instead of more responses to your thoughtful questions!! So, thank YOU!

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Best of luck with the book deadlines! (And as an FYI about the cat, after a change of plans for the purpose of Leigh's story, it is not dead)

Character Name: Éomund
Track: Combining Basic and Advanced
Prompt (Advanced #6): What one thing does your character want more than anything else? What are they willing to do to accomplish it?

Éomund wants to be someone he can be proud of. His whole life he has felt like he has been pushed down and not allowed to be himself. He was never the brightest or the strongest child and until recently has lived under the shadow of his father's memory (something he hadn't realised he had done). He thought he was honouring his father by always striving to make him proud, but after receiving a letter from his father Éodred (written on the eve of the battle in which he was killed), Éomund realised that his father was already proud of him (even as a four year old) and that perhaps his goal needed to change.

When he was initiated into the Cavalry, Grimthain gave him his father's sword, which Éomund received with great joy and sorrow, though he was still uncertain if he even deserved to own such an item. After an emotional moment at the Memorium in the Cavalry Courtyard, where he finally realised he couldn't spend all his life chasing the ghost of his father, especially when he had had a father in Grimthain the whole time, he's decided that the best thing he can do is to make himself proud. As such, (having no idea if the sword already had a name) he named the sword Ædsceaft (new birth).

While a part of him will always desire to honour his father's memory, it is no longer his only goal in life. At the moment, he isn't certain what he is willing to do to accomplish this goal of becoming someone he can be proud of, the last words in his father's letter give him a guide: "Be kind to others, listen to your elders, honour the king."

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Character Name: Éomund
Track: Combining Basic and Advanced
Prompt (Basic 7): What are your character's money/financial habits like? Have they ever been wealthy or poor? Have they ever experienced a drastic change in financial status?

Éomund grew up in a very poor home. After his father died, he and his mother lost their main source of income. They managed to eek out something that resembled a living by having a very small plot of land on which they were able to grow some vegetables. Leigh took up work as a seamstress, and while they tried to make ends meet, it wasn't always possible. Through her stubbornness and strong (and slightly misguided) desire to protect Éomund from the world, Leigh refused any and all offers of help, or "charity". This resulted in consistently not having enough food or fuel, especially during the winter months when the few chickens they could afford stopped laying eggs.

Due to this upbringing of never having quite enough, Éomund is very careful about how he uses things. The few items he does have are treated with great care and are frequently used until they are completely worn out. Even then he is hesitant to throw anything away. And he will sometimes sneak food from the Mess Hall and hide it either on his person or in his bed in the Barracks. He has never had coin to spend on anything that could be considered a treat.

While he hasn't been in the Cavalry long enough to have experienced a change in financial status, for the first time since he was four, Éomund does not have to worry about how much he will eat that day or if he will be able to breathe more life into dying coals. Even the simple Cavalry uniform is a luxury as it's the only article of clothing he has that isn't patched in a dozen different places.

(I'm really curious to see what Éomund will be like when he finally makes it to the Riddermarket. For the first time in his life he has some spending money, but will he splurge and get something that could be considered a luxury or hide all his money under his mattress?)

[Jenny Harper]

@Taethowen

Thanks for the welcome. I look forward to learning more about her myself, tbh!

To answer your questions:

Basic Prompt #1 - At times, Jenwyn gets tired with the tedium of life in her village and the monotony of her life. This isn't a regular feeling, but occasionally late at night when she's alone and sometimes wishes for more in her life. What exactly, she is not sure. Having never left her village (except for when she fled to her cousins') she doesn't really know what life is like in more developed places. So it's a case of not really knowing what she's missing out on because she's not experienced it.

Basic Prompt #3 - Oh yes, that was a typo on my part. I meant her uncle on her father's side's son. Unfortunately for Jenwyn, she didn't have any female mother figure in her life which made her early teen years in particular rather difficult. Her cousin tried to act like a supportive father towards her during this time, but having no daughters himself he wasn't well versed in the particularities of that time of life for a girl.

Basic Prompt #4 - They were comfortable. The land was good and her, her siblings and her mother worked hard to ensure they were never wanting. Her mother saved up over the course of several years for the necklace, which is part of the reason why it means to so much to Jenwyn, because she knew how much sacrifice was necessary to be able to afford it (though I may change it to a metal less expensive than silver)

Basic #5 - Definitely. I'm sure I would find it difficult if I ever had to slaughter my own animals.

[Taethowen]

@Lirimaer LOL, you're welcome! Depending on how things go, then, I might just keep the Character Dev prompts to once per week? It'd definitely be easier on my brain, long-term.

@Dimcairien Luiniel
Advanced #6 - I'm so glad Éomund has realized he has to become his own person, and not constantly wondering if he's become the type of person his father would want him to be! That's a very important realization for any young adult, and I hope that his mother will realize she has to let him spread his wings, too.

Basic #7 - Taking great care of items until they are too worn to use anymore is truly a skill, and that is nothing to be ashamed of whether poor or not. ...Éomund is going to send some money back to his mom, right? She can't really call it charity if her own son is helping to provide for her. That's just familiar duty.

@Jenny Harper Just so you know, you do not *have* to answer any follow-up questions here, they're more food for thought. That said, you are definitely welcome to do so!

Yikes, having to go through those early teen years without another woman reliably around must have been awful. I imagine her cousin knew just enough to let her know things were... normal. But not enough to actually be helpful. Poor Jenwyn.

As for Jenwyn's necklace, it could even just be silver-plated. Sterling silver is also not incredibly expensive. But Rohan would have likely had gold and silver coinage if people weren't straight-up bartering for supplies, so it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility that someone with a steady income would be able to afford a silver necklace after saving for a while.

[Taethowen]

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #1 - What prompted your character to pursue their occupation? What do they enjoy most about it? What aspects of it do they dislike?

Her mother taught her to sew out of necessity. They were well-off, but because they were frugal and prudent with funds, and it was unrealistic to commission clothing from a tailor or seamstress all the time. Taeth soon took an interest in designing new outfits, especially practical and pretty garments for womenfolk, and she was able to apprentice with a seamstress in a nearby town for a few years.

Taeth most enjoys creating garments that her clients feel comfortable in, no matter what the purpose of that garment is. Something fits correctly and is flattering imbues an unmistakable confidence in the wearer.
What she most dislikes about the work is how dry and chapped her hands get in winter. Fabric just sucks the moisture out of your hands when you handle it as much as she does.


Prompt: Advanced #1 - What is the most selfish thing your character has ever done, and why? Did it hurt someone else, or were there few, if any, consequences?

Leaving her family to join the Cavalry when she was 18. There have not been any consequences that she wasn’t willing to pay. Her stepfather was overbearing and her mother was unwilling to stand up to him on Taeth’s behalf, and so she finally washed her hands of the situation, gave Grimbur permission to manage Ærn Anhyrne along with her mother, and found her way to Edoras to create her own life.

[Jenny Harper]

@Taethowen

Oh right, I didn't realise the questions were rhetorical, but to be honest, even if there is no obligation to I think I will still answer them in a written form as it'll help me figure out the answers myself if I am writing them down rather than just thinking of the answers in my head.

[Taethowen]

@Jenny Harper No worries! Whatever works best for you!

---

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #2 - Who was your character's first love? Why were they drawn to them?

A boy from the nearest town (Coinmheadh, Eastfold, Riddermark). She was 16 and he was 17/18. They’d been friends for several years, and he’d often come help during foaling season at Ærn Anhyrne. At some point, attraction grew between them, and they were an item for about a year. They contemplated marriage briefly, but realized they were wanting different things out of life and split amicably. They remained friends, but Taeth lost track of him shortly after her marriage and then his name was one of the things lost to her memory. She hasn’t encountered him again (so far) since her return to the Mark.

Taeth was most drawn to him for his kindness and stability. Her stepfather was not kind, and her home life was often in upheaval, especially emotionally, and he was a rock for her in a difficult time.


Prompt: Advanced #2 - What is the most truly selfless thing your character has ever done? Was it a conscious choice or an instinctual reflex? Did other people recognize it as selfless? If it happened publicly, how did it make your character feel?

It is tied with her decision to leave her family and join the Cavalry, but the most selfless thing she’s done was to give control of the estate to her stepfather. Her mother was not happy about Taeth’s decision to join the Cavalry, but refused to come to a reasonable compromise otherwise. Taeth would have been content with building a smaller home on the family land for her mother and step-father, if he would leave managing the estate to Taeth, but ultimately what Grimbur wanted was control of the estate. Fortunately, since it was deeded to Taethowen, there was little he could do except act as a steward.

It was definitely a conscious decision, one she struggled long and hard with, but she did it in an attempt to salvage any potential of an amicable relationship with her stepfather. Her mother didn’t see it as selfless, simply as Taeth giving Grimbur the respect he felt he was due. And since Taeth didn’t really tell anyone outside the family what was going on, there was no public opinion on the matter.

[Taethowen]

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #3 - What is your character's relationship like with their family? If their family is deceased/absent, who do they consider to be most like family, and why? If they have no one, is it by choice, and what was the catalyst behind that choice?

Taethowen has a tense relationship with her family. Her birth father died when she was around 9 (I’ve been trying to avoid pinning an actual date to things for Taeth, but I feel it would have been just shortly before the battle of Helm’s Deep. Like… a few months before.) Within a few years, her mother remarried, and the man she married ended up being the wedge that drove her and Taethowen apart over time.

Taeth’s younger brother and sister (they all have the same father; so far as Taeth is aware there were no children between her mother and stepfather) were quite young, and so while Taeth adored them, she wasn’t particularly close to them, especially as she got older and assumed more and more responsibility for keeping up the family land. In her early teens, she also spent a few years with a distant cousin (Eldreda) on her father’s side, and then when she returned home she was once again maintaining Ærn Anhyrne, as well as apprenticing with a seamstress in the nearest town.

While Taeth would say she loves her family (except for her stepfather, who she definitely despises), she doesn’t feel close to them by any means, except her cousin.

As for who she would consider to be family… Thalionwen and Culfinwen for sure.


Prompt: Advanced #3 - Who would your character die for? Who would they kill for? Are the answers for each question the same or different? Why?

She wouldn’t willingly die for anyone, not in a romanticized sense. As a member of the Cavalry, she is ready to lay down her life to protect her country and her countrymen, but she has no foolish dreams of an honorable death. As for who she would kill for… anyone who needed her protection. Including herself.

[Pele Alarion]

@Taethowen, I am really very interested to see how the tensions and estrangement in the family, and the illness has formed Taeth's character and identity, both in the positive and negative sense, so don't be surprised if you catch me stalking and reading. ;)

Also I will respond to this first, and take a bit more time to consider answers to the other questions...

Basic #1 for Shamara - It seems like a drastic change for Shamara to go from being in a gang to being a woman who (sort of) quietly stayed at home. What was the catalyst for that?

First of all, Shamara had stolen a very valuable dagger which was actually the reason why her brother - who was an assassin - was sent after her. Apparently he would not kill her when he found her and discovered her to be his missing sister, so he had insisted that she lay low for some time.
Secondly, she discovered that there was much more to life than a simple existence and lowly thieving to be done, so she happily obliged with staying at her new home, enjoying what seemed to her a queenly luxury. At the same time she decided not to return to her gang since she began to see it as something that was now below her honour and too simple, she longed for something more refined and sophisticated, and began to work towards it since she had all the time she wanted on her hands.

[Taethowen]

@Pele Alarion A lot of the fallout from the illness is stuff Taeth is currently dealing with, too. It's going to be so much fun to write. But so much less fun for Taeth herself, lol!

---

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #4 - Name 3 items your character always carries with them:1 sentimental, 1 practical, 1 luxury

Sentimental/Luxury – a medallion her father gave her shortly before he died. The Anhyrne house is not a noble one, so they don’t have an official crest or heraldry that is kept on record anywhere, but the medallion was passed on in the family for many generations. Here is the description:

It was silver, both the medallion and the chain it hung on. Engraved on the medallion was the image of a running horse. Its mane, tail and hooves had been carefully colored with gold, and a small emerald had been used for its eye.

Practical – a small sewing kit. As a seamstress by trade, she wouldn’t be caught dead without one.

Practical – a small journal. After her illness, she doesn’t dare be without a way to make notes, especially if she’s promising to do something for someone else.


Prompt: Advanced #4 - Describe two of your character's deepest fears: 1 rational, 1 irrational. Have they ever had to face these fears? What was their response?

Rational fear – Losing who she is.

Irrational fear – Cheese forgotten in her shop, ruining bolts of expensive cloth.

She faces the fear of losing who she is nearly every day. Nearly a decade ago she fell violently ill, and the fever took many of her memories. For a while, it seemed that she wouldn’t have any of her memories at all, but fortunately over time, they returned to her slowly, though there are gaps and sometimes even now she finds it hard to remember new things. Her response has been to develop the habit of keeping detailed notes about the most mundane things.

As for the irrational fear… it’s not so much irrational because it’s actually happened, but now she’s extremely wary of anyone (especially Thalionwen) who might be bringing food into her seamstress shop at the Riddermarket. Her response was to put a sign up that states “no food or drink.”

[Lail]

@Taethowen - Taeth should talk to Lail. She can tell her that joining the Cavalry is in fact NOT the most selfish thing you can do no matter what she's trying to leave behind or start.
Since she has difficult family relationships, would you say that her friends are her found family?

Re: Lail and dying/killing. Yes, its very much her maturing.
---
Character name: Lailyn
Track: Advanced
Prompt #4 - Describe two of your character's deepest fears: 1 rational, 1 irrational
Have they ever had to face these fears? What was their response?

Rational - feeling worthless/useless
Irrational - small spaces?? (or...cotton balls? see below)

Lail’s most obvious fear would be losing her loved ones, however she’s already lost her parents and brother. So she knows it’s survivable, but not easy. She still fears losing the people she cares about, but her other deep fear, though less easily recognized, is to feel worthless or useless because she values feeling like she is contributing and helping.

She faced this fear after resigning from the Cavalry. Without the structure and purpose it provided her, she felt a bit lost and aimless. Because she didn’t want to stay and watch her comrades move on without her, ashamed of her weakness, she traveled to Gondor. While there, she didn’t do much of anything and life was just stagnant for a while. Not having a purpose while being there was difficult for her.

She was forced to snap out of it when word reached her of her mother’s declining health back home. She returned to her aunt’s house in time to say goodbye and while devastated to lose her mother, she also realized she had wasted much time in Gondor doing nothing. She didn’t stay home long but this time her journey had a purpose. This is when she decided to become a beekeeper, starting out on her aunt’s farm before traveling Middle-earth in search of new and interesting plants to provide nectar for her bees.

I struggled to come up with an irrational fear partly because I feel like I personally could justify being afraid of almost anything...although I read a bit about phobias and I saw there there are phobias of cotton balls and balloons. Maybe small spaces would be one not that she has experienced being stuck somewhere. I would imagine that with Rohan being a wide open landscape, small spaces might feel suffocating to her.

[Taethowen]

@Lailorn (I'll respond to your comments about Taeth in my next Taeth-prompt post.)

Advanced #4 - Yeah, fears that you know are survivable, while still miserable to face, are... not quite as impactful anymore once you've lived through them a few times. Feeling without purpose is a hard fear to deal with, but I love that Lail turned to beekeeping! I think it suits her personality, though. Lail is such a gentle soul.

As for the irrational fear... HA! The cotton ball one would be hilarious, though in Rohan I'm not sure Lail would often come across cotton balls? And hmm... the small spaces thing. Is Lail old enough to have lived through the Helm's Deep battle? Maybe some of the small spaces thing could stem from that, if she had to shelter in the Glittering Caves?

[Taethowen]

@Lailorn Oh, there's many more selfish things will do, but for her joining the Cavalry feels the most selfish because it's the first decision she ever made for herself and by herself. And yes, Taeth would consider her friends to be her found family.

---

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #5 - Does your character have any pets/animal companions? How did they acquire them? What do they look like?

As of the most recent Cavalry mission, Taethowen has reacquired one of her family’s horses. The full post is here: viewtopic.php?p=25519#p25519, but here’s the description of the horse:

She barely heard Allacan saying that the horses were her gifts to the new marshals… because her gaze was fixed on the blue roan, and she found herself caught in the midst of a memory long-forgotten. It was not one forgotten because of her illness, though. It was one she'd forced herself to forget because it hurt too much.

A memory of a night in a stable, at Ærn Anhyrne, just a few months before she left for Edoras to join the Cavalry. Away from the harsh words and overbearing gaze of her stepfather, tending to one of the last pregnant mares of the season. A memory of a long, tedious labor, without even a stablehand to help her, because even though she owned the lands, the breeding lines, and even the very house the whole family lived in, she was trying not to ruffle her stepfather's feathers, for her own sake, and so she'd not fought when he dismissed all the remaining staff--what little there was--that remained who had served her late father.

She and the mare had birthed a little filly that night, some fourteen years ago. A little blue roan, with the purest blue coat she'd ever seen, and one other defining feature that would let her know if this blue roan was that same filly.

It was obviously malnourished, and she wondered where Allacan had found it for it to be in such a state, but even so the conformation of it was very, very familiar. The blue coat was as solid as she could have hoped for it to be, with none of the white leakage that was so easy to slip through. But the feature her father had been working toward breeding, the one that she'd thought she'd finally started to crack, would be the final identifier. The filly... it hadn't been nearly there by any means, but it had been a step closer.

Carefully, so as not to spook the mare because it wouldn't know her after so long of a time, Taeth stepped back up to it and ran her fingers through its mane, searching. There. Something that most other breeders would consider a flaw if they were looking for a true blue roan, but in this case it was the beginning of what her father and she had been working toward. A blue roan with a solid blue coat and a white mane and tail, instead of the traditional black.

"It is you!" Taeth breathed, stroking along the mare's neck with a steady hand, exposing several stripes of white, not skin but hair, scattered through the underside of the mare's mane. "It really is."

Taeth found that she was suddenly blinking back tears, even as soft laughter escaped her. The mare was still, waiting patiently, and Taeth came around to stand in front of her, reaching up to stroke her soft, dark nose. "I never thought I'd see you again," Taeth murmured as she gazed into the mare's dark eyes. "But what shall I call you? I never had the chance to name you then, and I'm sure that any name you had is long lost now." Then a silly thought occurred to her, and she smiled just a little mischievously. "What about Gefyrst?"

The mare snorted and stamped a hoof, but it didn't pull away from Taeth's touch, and she smiled. "Gefyrst it is."

---

Prompt: Advanced #5 - What is the most stupid or foolish thing your character has ever done? What were the repercussions?

Wandering into Umbar on her own, in search of a source of Haradrim silk. She nearly ended up being sold as a slave, but these days she can’t regret the incident too much as it was what brought her to her first meeting with Frost.

[Taethowen]

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #6 - Is your character known by any nicknames or pseudonyms? What is the origin of them?

Her most common nickname is Taeth or Tae (the origin of that nickname should be obvious). However, a lesser known name she goes by is Lomiel—it is the name she used in Gondor when her memories and identity were still lost to her, and sometimes she now uses it when it’s less convenient for her true name to be known. Like in Umbar.


Prompt: Advanced #6 - What one thing does your character want more than anything else? What are they willing to do to accomplish it?

She wants to be able to have something—anything—that she wants without having to fight tooth and toenail for it. And not ‘anything’ as in ‘any little thing’ that she has a fancy for. She just wants one thing to go right. For all the pieces to fall in place in her favor, just once. At this moment in particular, she’s feeling like this about Frost. She walked away from him once because of conscience, and now that he’s very unexpectedly back in her life and she’s actually free to explore what she feels for him this time around, she’ll fight whatever she has to for him to be a part of her life. She just wishes she didn’t have to fight for it. That she could enjoy being in love.

As for what she's willing to do to accomplish it? I'm honestly not quite sure yet. It'll depend on how some current things play out. There's a few different ways it could go at the moment.

[Taethowen]

Character Name: Taethowen
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt: Basic #7 - What are your character's money/financial habits like? Have they ever been wealthy or poor? Have they ever experienced a drastic change in financial status?

Taeth is very frugal and very knowledgeable with money. She learned to manage money at an early age, since she was the heiress of her father’s estate, and over time she’s expanded her skills and made prudent investments. But that doesn’t mean she’s never been without funds. Her family has had hard times, and while they may have been wealthy in terms of land ownership, they didn’t always have actual money on hand.

Her biggest financial struggle was likely when she fell ill in Gondor, and had limited funds, and then she had no memory of who she was for quite some time. Fortunately, her seamstress skills were more muscle memory than actual memory, and she was able to provide for herself that way once she re-discovered that talent and had regained enough strength to sit up for hours at a time.


Prompt: Advanced #7 - What moment in life did your character feel the most out of control and helpless? How did it end up shaping them? Did they grow, become stagnant, or regress?

Most likely when the first of her memories began to return after her illness. Taeth began to see just enough glimpses of who she was, and what her life was like before, that she knew she was not well and barely in control of anything anymore.

It… shaped her in a lot of ways. Partly because she had to begin to figure out who she was as a person with practically no context—just the garments she’d been wearing when she was found, and a very sparse journal that she’d not even written her name in. Only the bare basics of important things that had happened to her. Like her marriage, some highlights from her time as Ærest Pæthfindian, her promotion to Third Marshal, and having to bring her adopted son back to his family in Gondor.

What she did discover about herself, though, was that despite not knowing anything about herself, she had a very strong will to live. Not just to be alive, but to find things she was passionate about and to pursue them and make something of herself. It was a relief when she was handed needle and thread several weeks into her recovery and she discovered a natural talent that she hadn’t hinted at in her journal, and as she let muscle memory take over, she found that it helped to pull some lost memories out of the murky depths of her mind as well.

So overall, these circumstances led to her growth, even if she personally felt stagnant or that she was regressing at times.

[Jenny Harper]

Character Name: Jenwyn
Track: Basic
Basic Prompt Basic #7 - What are your character's money/financial habits like? Have they ever been wealthy or poor? Have they ever experienced a drastic change in financial status?

As a peasant girl, growing up in a small village in the Westfold, Jenwyn's family were never what you would call wealthy. They were however, comfortable by the relative standards of rural Rohan. This was due to the hardwork of all the members of the family which contributed to the running of their homestead and the business acumen of Jenwyn's mother. The family were fortunate that they had good land and a small number of lifestock. As well as growing food for themselves, they would regularly generate a surplus which Jenwny's mother would trade or barter with in the village. Her elder sister also contributed to the household finance through her skill in needlework and sell the products of this

Once Jenwyn went to live her her cousins, her wealth surprisingly did not change much. As with her immediate family, her cousins were relatively comfortable. Living on an isolated farmstead, they had more land for growing crops, as well as lifestock. Unlike Jenwyn's family, her cousins owned a cow, whose milk they used to produce baked goods which they then sold. Once a month they would travel to one of the local villages to trade and sell. Upon moving to Jenwyn's village (I really need to think of a name for this village), her cousins took their lifestock with them and set up a home on the edge of the village. This meant they were able to trade with more regularity and as they had a larger lifestock her than Jenwyn's immediate family had, they were able to use this to establish themselves in the village.

[Taethowen]

@Jenny Harper

Basic #7 - my modern day mindset thinks that pretty much all the Rohir are exceedingly wealthy, honestly! They have land. They have the ability to grow, raise, butcher, and prepare their own food, and the skills necessary to build homes and clothes themselves. In Rohan, the power to barter skills and goods would have been potentially as valuable as actual gold.

As for your village name, in the LeóÞ swá Worð thread in Rohan, we have a map! There's several towns/villages, etc, already on it, and basically anything except private estates are up for grabs for character backstory purposes. If there's one in the right spot for you, feel free to use it!

[Pele Alarion]

Character name: Pele Alarion
Track: Advanced
Prompt: Advanced #1 What is the most selfish thing your character has ever done, and why? Did it hurt someone else, or were there few, if any, consequences?

After the loss of her husband, Pele still considers herself to blame for his death and thinks she had acted awfully selfish by waiting around for him and not setting out in search for him when he did not return by the time he should have. It is very much difficult for her to accept that there was nothing that she could do to save him, even if she did set out in search of him immediately when she suspected that something must have gone wrong. This feeling of guilt makes her afraid that something might happen to other people she holds dear and that she would not be able to do anything about it, needless to say that she is afraid it would happen because of her failure to do everything to prevent such misfortunes.

(Info: Pele's husband, Maldir, had been missing for several years, and eventually what remained of him was found on the mountains; apparently he had been overwhelmed by snow storm while there)

[Taethowen]

The next set of prompts will likely go up tomorrow.
My migraine triggers all decided to converge today and thinking is very rapidly becoming difficult.

@Pele Alarion - I'll respond to your prompt later today/tomorrow.

[Taethowen]

Basic Track, Prompt #8

What is your character's favorite memory? Drawing from that memory, what are some of their other favorite things?

It would be lovely to see a story/RP of these favorite memories, but if you don't have the time or inspiration, I more than understand! A basic description of what happened in that memory is fine.

For determining your character's other favorite things through this memory, I want you to use your senses. Do they have a favorite meal because it's what their mom always cooked? What does that meal smell like? Do they seek out that smell when they need something comforting?

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Taethowen]

Advanced Track, Prompt #8

If your character could go back in time to one moment in their life and change something, what moment would that be and what would they change?

This is kind of piggy-backing on Advanced #7, but I'd like you to really stop and think and determine if the moment when your character felt the most helpless is truly the moment in their life they would wish to change. Sometimes we learn things in our most vulnerable moments that we couldn't learn otherwise, even when it has a long-term negative effect.

You may simply answer these questions, essay-ish style, or you are welcome to role-play it in a short scene, whichever helps you most.

[Taethowen]

@Pele Alarion Definitely sounds like she's still in denial about her husband's death, in some ways. If she acknowledges that nothing would have changed, whether she acted or not, then she really has to let him go. Has she developed any control issues beyond just the fear of failure thing? Such as making sure her loved ones have plenty of provisions, know what to do in case of fire, etc?

[Lail]

Beekeeping stemmed from me logic-ing if Meduseld means mead-hall, who's making all the mead? But also thought it seemed to fit her well.
Yes apparently she was alive then but who knows with funny time-passing. I'm not too fussed either way. Her dad could easily have died in a different battle. I thought the Glittering Caves were added for movie drama, but wouldn't an irrational fear be something you can't quite justify anyway?

Character name: Lailyn
Track: Advanced
Prompt #5 - What is the most stupid or foolish thing your character has ever done? What were the repercussions?
She’d definitely think the most foolish thing she’s ever done is have a relationship with a married man while in Lake-town and then essentially get robbed at knife-point by his angry wife after she found out. (I won’t write too much here because I’ve already written the drama unfolding). The fact that she was unaware of his status (which should erase some of her guilt) really does not make her feel any better about it because she feels like she should have somehow known or realised it.

The repercussions are many and still unfolding. Besides just being hurt, she feels guilty for possibly ruining a marriage, taken advantage of and uncertain if she can trust herself and her own feelings in the future, embarrassed about her mistake and worried about what others will think of her if they find out (it’s not in her nature but she will lie to keep it quiet). Being robbed was a more immediate repercussion but that was the least of her worries since objects and money can be replaced.

Between this, her cousin and her lasting regrets of leaving the Cavalry, she is being squished by a big pile of guilt. I should probably ease up on that soon...

Taeth's been through the wringer, too! Losing her memory is no small thing. Do you think she will be more frugal with money after her experience in Umbar or less frugal, wanting to live it up and enjoy life now?

[Taethowen]

Oof, ok, swapping out one of the characters I had planned to do because I need to figure out some things about this character ASAP. So, Eldreda instead of... probably Sighard, for now.

Basic Track Character Beginning Questionnaire

Name: Eldreda
Race: human, Rohir
Age: mid-30s
Appearance: Dark blond/dirty blond hair. Green eyes. Same smile as Taethowen. Probably about... 5' 6" and with a few curves, but not heavy.
Sex/Gender/Pronouns: Female, she/her.

Where do they live? Is it different from where they were born? Eldreda currently lives in Abrocanfla, East Emnet, Riddermark. She was born on a small family farm in the Westfold, but her family had moved away from there by the time she could walk.

Do they have any living family members or close friends? Eldreda is an only child. She has a distant, slightly younger cousin, Taethowen (Taethowen's father was Eldreda's father's uncle). She's had some close friends over the years, but most of them have moved away as they married or became skilled in certain trades, and she's not had anyone she's been close with in her direct vicinity in at least a year.
If not, how long has it been since they died? Her parents died six or seven years ago.

What does this character do to survive (occupation and/or lifestyle)? How do they feel about it? She is a seamstress. She loves the work, but is looking now to expand her experience and clientele, and Taethowen's request for help running her shop in Edoras came at just the right time.
What is their favorite way to relax? How often do they get to indulge in this? She enjoys walks outdoors, getting to see the plants (and often foraging) that are in season, and also watching wildlife.
What is the best thing that has ever happened to them? Learning how to sew. She loves it, and it gave her something to bond with her cousin Taeth with when they were young, tumultuous teens.
What is the worst thing that has ever happened to them? When she heard the news about Taethowen's family, with no way to contact Taethowen about it.

[Taethowen]

@Lailorn Lail is business savvy! She should definitely be making the mead for Meduseld! Someone's gotta do it!

I'm pretty sure that the people took refuge in the Glittering Caves in the book as well. I think just the location of the entrance changed in the movie (the entrance being inside the fortress in the movie, when in the books it's not). But yeah, at this point, we have our pick of random battles for conveniently killing off parental figures, LOL!

Re: Taeth's financial status - she is frugal in her everyday choices, but doesn't mind splurging and being generous when it's worth it. In addition to the funds she's accumulated over the years, even as she traveled, she had stashes of coin hidden away on her family land, away from her stepfather's sticky fingers. She's starting to dip into those funds to re-establish the family estate and her shop, but she would have to spend quite extravagantly to deplete it terribly quickly. Of course, getting a Marshal stipend from the Cavalry now is going to help quite a bit.

[Dimcairien Luiniel]

Character Name: Éomund
Track: Basic/Advanced
Prompt (Basic 8): What is your character's favorite memory? Drawing from that memory, what are some of their other favorite things?

@Taethowen I love getting to know your character a bit more through the prompts! It's also fascinating how many of our characters regard joining the Cavalry as a selfish action.

Also, You asked for an RP for this prompt! Well, here's 1500 words to enjoy.

(I have no idea how to ride a horse as it’s been at least 15 years since I’ve gotten on one, so hopefully this is sort of accurate. Let me know if anything is extremely wrong and I’ll correct it.)

It was a cool morning in the early summer. While it was likely to get hot as the day progressed, for now, the weather was wonderful. Éomund lay in bed in that wonderful state of mind that was neither entirely awake or asleep. But a moment later he found himself wide awake. Two days ago he had celebrated his 8th birthday and yesterday he had arrived at the Hornburg to spend the week. It was his first time travelling to the fortress with Grimthian and he was going to be there for an entire week! Nothing so exciting had ever happened in his short life.

Due to Éomund’s young age and small size, and the fact that there was only one horse between the two of them, they had ridden double on Grimthain’s trusty steed, Norman. Éomund was so excited about the trip that he completely forgot to tell his uncle that he hadn’t ridden a horse since his father died. While he had been very nervous about the trip, Grimthain’s constant presence had helped him stay calm for the journey. The one long trip he and his mother had taken, when they went to Edoras for the memorial, had been done in a wagon. Other than that, Éomund had no memories of leaving his village or being in close proximity to horses.

But now he had travelled all the way to Helms Deep. Grimthain had promised a week of fun and spending time together, but Éomund had no clue what that would mean. Simply being in a different place and spending time away from his mother was going to be great fun.

After a delicious breakfast in the mess hall (and Éomund had never seen so much food in his entire life) the two set off for the day. When Grimthain asked what he wanted to do, Éomund stopped in his tracks, not used to such a question being asked of him. “C-can you teach me how to ride a horse?” he asked, stuttering a bit as his cheeks turned slightly red. The fact that he was now eight and had not yet learned how to ride a horse was slightly embarrassing. He had an extremely vague memory of sitting on a horse in front of his father, but after his father died, his family no longer owned a horse and ever since there had simply never been an opportunity for him to learn how to ride.

Grimthain looked down at him and placed a hand on the lad’s shoulder. “Of course,” he said with a smile, though he was struggling to suppress his surprise and concern that his Nefa had not yet learned how to ride a horse. While Norman had been able to handle the two riders for the fairly short journey from Sceornbeorg to the Hornburg, he knew that such a feat could not happen for much longer.

The two made their way towards the stables and approached Norman’s stall. Éomund fed the horse an apple. As Grimthain saddled the horse, he asked, “Have you ever ridden a horse by yourself before?”

Éomund shook his head. “We don’t have one,” he said simply. And left out the obvious (to him) fact that they couldn’t afford one anyway. Their plot of land was small enough to farm without needing a plow-horse and it would be a waste of precious resources to have one if it wasn't need for working purposes. Not to mention that his mother was terrified that he would get himself injured falling off of one. Éomund didn't know much about how his father had died, but knew that it somehow involved him falling off of a horse. Ahd while that did scare him, he also knew he was a Rohir. He was supposed to be good at riding a horse and if his mother wouldn't let him learn, he needed to do it somewhere. The only person he could ask and trust to do such a thing was his uncle, so here he was trying to do just that. Éomund didn't quite know why he felt such a close bond with his father's sword-brother. He barely knew the man, but ever since the memorial when Grimthain had given him his father's necklace, Éomund had a strong desire to get to know this man, despite (or perhaps because of) his mother's disdain for him. He was so happy to for this chance to finally spend time with his uncle without his mother's overbearing presence and hoped that he wouldn't mess things up too badly by admitting this shortcoming.

Grimthain shook his head and muttered something about Rohirric values that Éomund couldn’t quite catch, but he got a vague feeling that his uncle was disappointed he didn't know how to ride. “Sorry,” he mumbled, kicking at a clod of dirt, as his cheeks once again grew slightly red.

Before too long, the horse was saddled and Grimthain led them out to the Training Field. Grimthian looped the lead rope around a fence post and turned towards Éomund. “Now, it’s very important for you to stay calm. You and Norman already know each other, so I don’t think that will be a problem. But, it is still important to introduce yourself to the horse before getting on.”

With a nod, Éomund approached the horse’s head and held out his hand, “Hello, Norman,” he said softly, reaching up to stroke the horse’s neck. Norman bent down and nuzzled him in the cheek, causing him to giggle. A few minutes later, Grimthain picked Éomund up and placed him in the saddle. Éomund tightly gripped the front of the saddle as Grimthain fiddled with the stirrups for a bit before they were at a satisfactory length for the lad. Éomund carefully placed his feet in them, and still gripping the saddle tightly, looked down at his uncle and asked, “Now what?”

“We walk,” Grimthain said simply. “Just hold on and I’ll lead Norman around the training grounds. I want you to get used to sitting in the saddle alone. But try and relax. Horses can tell when you’re nervous.”

Éomund nodded and did his best to release some of the tension in his body. He knew Norman wasn’t likely to bolt and Grimthain would be next to him the entire time, but he was alone on a horse.

Grimthain slowly began to lead Norman around the training grounds and as they walked, Éomund felt himself begin to relax bit by bit and a huge grin began to cross his face as he began to get into the rhythm of the horse. Before long, Grimthain stopped and looked up at Éomund. “Ready to try yourself?” he asked.

Éomund nervously bit his lip as he nodded. Grimthain handed the reins up to him and smiled. As he took them, the older man said, “I’m right here and will walk beside you as long as you need me to. If you need to turn, gently pull on the reins in the direction you need to go. Norman will take care of the rest.” With great hesitation, Éomund gently kicked at the horse and Norman set off at a slow and stately pace. Grimthain held true to his promise and walked alongside the horse.

Éomund lost track of how many times they circled the paddock, but each time his grin got wider and wider until he thought his face would split in half from happiness. But as he rode, the sun was also getting higher in the sky and he was getting hot and tired. And if he was tired, that probably meant the Norman was as well. With a gentle “Whoa,” Norman came to a stop and Grimthain helped him dismount.

Together they led the horse back to the stables where Grimthain showed Éomund how to brush down Norman. After the task was completed, Éomund turned to Grimthain, gave him a quick hug around his middle, and said, “Fædera, this is the best day ever!” And he truly meant it. Éomund could not recall a time he had been this happy. He had actually managed to do something! Deep inside, he knew that this day would remain a special one for the rest of his life.

Even now as a new member of the Cavalry, that day at the Hornburg has always remained his favourite memory. It was the first time he could recall feeling confident. Besides the intensity of the emotions, the heat of the sun, the smell of the horse, and the soreness that he felt after a day of riding will always be a part of him.

Receiving his very own horse for his fourteenth birthday is a close second. Ever since learning to ride, spending time alone with horses has always been comforting and peaceful. As he got better at riding and after he received his own horse, he loved having the ability to get away from the village, even it just for a few hours. Whenever he was distressed or felt overwhelmed by his mother, Éomund would go and either ride or simply stroke Sunbeorht. The comfort of the animal and the opportunity to be alone with his thoughts are the two things Éomund loves most about going on a ride.

(Use of Grimthain done with @Allacan ob Burzum's permission.)