OOC THREAD

[tomcat]

Okay guys.

I agree that there is a long time period that needs to pass if we are to stay in line with the Darkening of Mirkwood campaign timeframe.

To bullet once more:

• The two years 2954 and 2955 are two very weak chapters - but they gave the purpose for the companions to cross the forest - to find a new passage through the Narrows for Ceawin.

• The year 2956 takes us straight to Lake-town and Dale, if we follow the book.

• If we Fellowship Phase back to the Western Eaves at the end of this current junket, there will be absolutely no reason for the companions to cross back to the East Bight. In fact, there was little reason to follow the campaign phase as written and I could have saved all the PC's the suffering and travel.

• If they return west, they should just wait around until the Council of the North is called and then be sent directly there as emissaries, or if personally invited.

• Anar is an NPC that I do NOT want to have to play and so this was my way of writing him out of the game - he takes the north road from Sunstead to Erebor.

• If you guys return to the Western Eaves, then I have no reason to write content for Sunstead and Dorwinion (see bullet 4).

So...all of the above said, what is the purpose of returning west? Why return back east again? I can understand why Arbogast would want to go back - he has a family. I can understand why Grimbeorn should go back - he is soon to lead the people of Beorn and there is a LOT of trouble going on around there. Anar is in the perfect place for him to head north. Hathcyn would follow Grimbeorn's lead.

To remedy the time issue, I could simply retcon the calendar and say that you guys started later in time than what we have written and that we are in the mid-of-year 2955 TA. instead of 2954 and leave things as they are. We would just make this Fellowship Phase the 2954 YE phase. Essentially, this would have made 2954 a non-adventuring year.

If we leave things as they are time-wise, than I need all the bullets resolved above. Again - it would make no sense for the company to cross the forest again and we have no need for the Sunstead/Dorwinion adventure seeds.

I hope all this makes sense.

[Telcontar]

Doug,
 I think we can make it make sense and work it out however we want to as long as in the end we are in the right place at the right time.

The duration of time and the method of our departure would cause problems for Arbogast for sure. Everyone would assume he was dead, and without a pressing need to stay in the east even taking the long way around the wood would be in his best interest.

Option 1. We drop a hook here in Sunstead. We can discover that Ceanwin is using the money from the cairn for his road endeavor and that something is clearly wrong with him. The drive for the characters is to go back east and figure out what their options are. For instance, is there a precedent in council to usurp his lordship? What advice does the Brown Wizard have on this matter? What advice does he have on the fact that the ancient evil spiders are now targeting people and places?

Grimbeorn and Arbogast could easily be elected the ambassadors of the council and sent back to Sunstead to summon Ceawin to a moot and that would put us in the east wood and allow this story thread to steep. Does he go, does he not, does he go insane? 

Or

2. Fellowship phase here to rest up, send word to the east that we are alive, and head north to see the elves and be in a position to be near Dale. We can use a deus machina to be where you want us.

Staying in Sunstead this long just doesn't seem to be in our interests as it stands right now. Especially since we would be able to finish the forest road in that time and is a huge boon to our character's desire to unite the area.

Ceawin is a dick and Hathcyn will have burnt his hall down in 24 months... THERE IS PRECEDENT!

3. Tell us where and when you want us and let us fill the time with character specific stuff and Fellowship Phases.



Anar can still say peace out and leave from here.

I think the story of the spider and the hall was worth telling. I think this did a lot for character development even if you don't think it was a huge narrative boost.

[Eclecticon]

Yes, I have to say that I enjoyed the opportunity to play through a story where we were in over our heads and just trying to get out alive! 

I like all of Tom's options (not least because they align with what I already wrote).  But when in doubt, option 3 is a good standby - tell the players where you need their characters to be and then ask them why they're there.  If it's good enough for Robin Laws, it's good enough for the likes of us. 

EDIT: Also, if it wasn't clear, I want to recover whatever's in that chest before we head back west. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

I think at least we need to figure a way to get word back to Rhosgobel as to the status of our mission and maybe what we're doing next.  As to *what* we do next, the options are good for me.  Traveling north, at least to the Old Forest Road, does give us the ability to respond to whatever the direction the story takes as well, giving Grimbeorn and Hathcyn a quick means to get back to their lands (a little longer for Arbogast).  Provides, in my opinion, a narrative means to give options for trading our characters too.

[Eclecticon]

So, to sum up: we all want to turn around and head home, but the opportunity is there for a story to arise along the way.  We don't want to winter on this side of the forest, but that's alright, 'cause there are plenty of good reasons to come back next year. 

[tomcat]

Okay, sounds good.

I will call this the place to start our 2954 (2955?) Fellowship phase and will open a new thread in a bit.

I will give you guys the narrative control as to what, how, and where you guys head.

I will get the new Fellowship phase thread up later tonight.

[Eclecticon]

One last thing before you do - what's in the old chest under the oak tree when we go and dig it up?

[Eclecticon]

   

I thought Arbogast's poor Weal and Woe roll would be for his leg, or something.

Doug, I'll throw it open for you to impose any mechanical consequences you consider appropriate.

[Eclecticon]

On a much more serious note, I've had to save both my children from drowning at one point or another.  It's a particular horror of mine. 

If you have pre-swimmers near a body of water, you keep. Your. Damn. Eyes. On. Them.

[Telcontar]

Where are we at in terms of progress on the forest road we must be close to being complete.

[Eclecticon]

1. clearing the road
2. restoring the wayforts
3. restoring the road (in progress)
4. patrolling the nearby woods, and
5. acting as messengers to drum up trade. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn is updated

[tomcat]

Hey guys, I am here and will look into getting these threads caught up and audited today.

Plus, I will have a new chapter narrative - unless you guys are still working through your FP content.

Let me know.

[Telcontar]

I'm ready to move on. Anything else i tiink can be back filled.

[GandalfOfBorg]

I'm good to go, barring the resolution to Hope but that's not something to hold back narrative.