OOC THREAD

[Telcontar]

  paul, i was thinking of a combination custom. The raising of mounds seems pretty standard for ancient peoples. In fact the Numenoreans turned to them as well in the form of mausoleums. I was thinking were individual mounds were not possible or feasable that the bodies would be burned like the Orcs in Rohan, but that earth would be raised over them after.

[Telcontar]

I gave this some more thought and I am convinced the Beornings, even though they are not a single entity, would share a common burial custom with the Roharrim. They have a similiar cultural antecedent. The Woodmen potentially would have a different culture, but for our case I would say cairns and mounds would be appropriate with cremation for mass burial and mound raising for the honored dead. This jives with First Age customs and Edain, Northman norms. 

[Eclecticon]

If anything, I would say that the Beornings and Woodmen would be culturally closer to each other than with the Rohirrim, given how the source material goes on about them being closely related.  Of course, the practicalities of living in Mirkwood might change things up a little. 

But all three are, of necessity, practical cultures.  Cremation and mounds over the remains seems like an acceptable compromise when there's just too many to bury individually. 

[Eclecticon]

For those keeping track at home, the mound-builders are a day ahead of the outlaw-chasers - i.e. the confrontation with Williferd takes place as they were discussing their options the night after the skirmish. 

It'll take them another full day to finish the job, assuming they don't leave before that. 

[Telcontar]

Did Cubicle 7 ditch their forum page?

[Eclecticon]

Yes, they had to for reasons relating to the new EU privacy regulation.  Why they had to ditch the whole thing rather than put out a new privacy policy isn't immediately clear.

I hear tell of a substitute forum, but I haven't gone looking.

While I'm here, I'll take the opportunity for the slow pace lately.  The usual excuses of uni work and work work apply.

I'm expecting things to be pretty hectic between here and mid-June, but I will continue to post when I can. 

[Telcontar]

Ahhh , that explains why I have gotten bombed wiht new privacy policy emails the past couple of weeks. So what's the new policy? If you own a knife or post anything someone is upset at they send a 10 digit grid to Golden Eye?

[Telcontar]

Our current thread 

[Posterboy]

Hey Paul and Friends,

I don't think I posted my summer schedule here yet, but June is nearly upon us and my work/life schedule changes quite a bit for the next 3 months.

I'll be away during the following dates:

June 2 - 24 -- I'm travelling and visiting family and will likely have spotty internet connection. Feel free to NPC Tate immediately.

July 13 - 30 -- I'm travelling with work, crazy long days and limited access to the internet. Feel free to NPC Tate immediately.

July 31 - August 12 -- I'm around, but single parenting 8 kids for a bunch of that time. If I get some quiet time in the evening, I'll try to post. Maybe give me 36 hrs and, if I haven't posted something, feel free to NPC Tate.

After August 12, I go back to my regularly scheduled programming.

Peace,
Ayrn

[Eclecticon]

Okay, cool. 

I've just fired off a bunch of papers that are ultimately bound for a Parliamentary committee for approval, so I will probably have time to actually get posts up tomorrow.  Assuming they don't blow up in my face. 

Then I just have essays to write and exams to study for, until I hit the 12th of June and become a free man again. 

[Eclecticon]

Finally, there are further developments.  Sorry to keep everyone waiting so long.  The lesson for me here is that I have the capacity to run things up until the end of semester, when I suddenly really don't. 

[Telcontar]

Paul,
 As we talked about earlier in terms of Callings  I think Hathcyn has developed into the Slayer as a result of the recent defeat at the hands of the Orcs. In the next fellowship phase I see him developing the enemy lore trait for orcs and a burning desire to see them slain wherever they are found.

From a long term goal I think he is going to set his sights on one day becoming the War Chief of the Beornings as a life goal. His companionship with Grimbeorn may be a good avenue to that goal if he can prove himself to the aetheling as being doughty, wise, and courageous. We have never mentioned that there is such a position, but as the cultures develop as we play them I could see the Beornings having or developing a War leader akin to the concept of the Gaels, a leader who's authority only existed in a time of war and was exected to take the field. Beornings being less warlike and less organized i think would have a looser structure than say the Rohirrim First Marshal of the Mark position.

[Eclecticon]

I approve this message.

[GandalfOfBorg]

FYI, on vacation this week... Participation will be spotty as will be the wifi.

[Eclecticon]

That's good news, as I'm still only at the 'hoping' stage of getting more posts up. 

In related news, I'm also hoping that I'll be able to fit a lunch break in tomorrow.