OOC THREAD

[Eclecticon]

Cool.  I'm about to head off camping for a week.  I'll have net access Thursday (my time), so look for a post from me on Wednesday-ish.  Tom, if things kick off before then, you wanna be Arbogast for a bit?

[Telcontar]

I'm on it.

[Eclecticon]

Cheers, mate.  Looks like things haven't been too arduous for you so far, though.

Good to have you back on board, Doug!

[Eclecticon]

I'm posting here 'cause it's off topic and I don't want to break the flow of the story.  Doug, about how old is Mogdred? He's definitely older than Arbogast and Grimbeorn, given that he was an established leader when they were just making their debut, but how old does that make him?  Late 30s?  40s?  Older?

[tomcat]

The book says he was captured by orcs during a hunt in his youth (green as the first leaves of spring - per HoW), so let's assume he was then in his late teens or early twenties.

When Sauron fled Dol Guldur, Mogdred escaped and made his home on Tyrant's Hill. (2941 TA)

Folk-moot 2948 TA.

Current Game year spring 2955 T.A.

So we have 18 years of youth before captured and 14 years since his freedom, so 32 years. He had a period in captivity that allowed him to grow in favor of Sauron - so let's assume 10 to 20 years for that to happen.

So I am going to go with 15 and make Mogdred 47 years old.

There you go! A lot of info for a quick answer. LOL!

[GandalfOfBorg]

At GenCon, I will be less communicative until Monday.  Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to check out.

[Eclecticon]

Find Shane Ivey at the Arc Dream booth and give him a hug.  I've read a bunch of Delta Green stuff lately and it sounds like he needs one. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

He appreciates the sentiment that we had a booth blocking us.

[Eclecticon]

Apologies in advance if the quality of my post slips a bit.  I've had sick kids all week and I'm trying to fit an evidence essay in around mopping up vomit. 

[Eclecticon]

I will update the story tomorrow, guys. I thought about getting something done tonight but I am exhausted.

Without meaning to sound unduly negative, this particular chapter seems to be going in fits and starts.  Given that it wasn't one you were particularly planning on, Doug, it may not be one that your heart is particularly set on.  If that's the case, would it be better for you if we just settled it with some narrative instead of grinding our way through something you're not enjoying?  That way we could skip to the next year (which, from what you've been saying, you seem to be looking forward to). 

[tomcat]

Hey Paul, no, I am fine with our current chapter and story.

In all truth, I am just having Lord of the Rings burn out. Back in the day before you began, when just Matt, Tom, and Shawn were my bed rock players - they had to suffer my ever-moving mind that would shift between genres from LotR, to Star Trek, to Star Wars.

Even the Darkening of Mirkwood campaign has become a repetitive thing for me, whether it be cross the woods and deal with spiders, or the River Maiden, or another shadow - and I am having a hard time keeping the story interesting - at least from my perspective. When we played our earlier LotR game, the campaign stretched across the breadth of Middle-earth from Arnor to Rhovanion and there were many options of threats.

That said - I do not want to end our game, nor am I losing interest in the DoM campaign. I am just having burn out. I do not want to lose any of you as players because my brain is muddled with weariness, so I hesitate to make a pause in game play.

Anyway - don't worry about me. And I apologize as to the game activity of late. Summer here in the States has also played a lot into my time in front of a PC. I also am running a Star Wars, D&D and Cthulhu game on Roll20 (not all at once, but I jump my players to different genres there as my mind creates). So it all has me just mentally drained. But I will push forward because I truly love this stuff and I really enjoy gaming with everyone.

So, if you can keep your interest here - even if I have the game moving in choppy bursts - I will keep the story moving forward. 

[Telcontar]

Doug,
 If you want I'll run us through this story arc and you can play Esgalwen?

 I personally would like to see the Mogdred Esgalwen story go somewhere as well as his struggle with Ingomer. I also think there is some serious cool sidebar stuff in this story too.

[Eclecticon]

I also am running a Star Wars, D&D and Cthulhu game on Roll20 (not all at once, but I jump my players to different genres there as my mind creates).

I was pleased to see you qualify that.  Before I read the parenthetical bit, I had a moment of panic as I saw you driving yourself towards an aneurysm! 

I am also fine with running games in principle, though as my recent foray behind the virtual GM screen proved, I tend to have a bit less time than I think.  That said, I'm an option to consider if you need time to recover from burnout.

[tomcat]

Although I would never want to keep any of you from having the opportunity to tell parts of our story, I am fine to continue with the current chapter.

That said, if it is something you really want to do, Tom, I am happy to turn over the reins. This chapter is going to dig into new threats to the Vale - not just the forest. ThePCs are going to experience the marshy Gladden Fields and danger within... so I have my story direction.

If you want to pick up with it, Tom, I am cool with it. Or, if either of you want to pick up the next arc with going north to Dale, I am good with that, too. Or I can continue as we have been, even though I seem distracted.

It is only a matter of time before my brain shifts full-throttle back into Middle-earth mode. 

[tomcat]

Maybe we should plan another Google Hangout video chat this weekend and discuss the upcoming year end with our game? I am available on Saturday, like before.