Payment in Spears

[tomcat]

Esgalwen stood after both Rorin and Hathcyn's words.

"You both talk as if we are the ones on the end of a thread. These are our lands the invaders have entered. Our lands where allies can be quickly found and summoned. The Blood Moon Raiders - if they be Toft-men - are at the very end of a long supply line. If anything, it is they that must hunker down for the winter and hope that Stánford will have sufficient resources to see them through. If they be locusts, like you say, Hathcyn, then they must stop and wait before moving on, lest they die from the exposure.

"You talk of miles and distances...it was Magrac, our Dwarf-friend's raven that found me and Tate, bringing Grimbeorn's message. Where are our winged allies? Rorin? Cannot Magrac serve to carry word south? Or north? Can we recruit new such allies? As Grimbeorn asked, what of the Eagles? What of the wizards? Send word! A pair of riders can cover great distances at need."

She shook her head in confusion at what has been said thus far.

"If you fear that your current allegiances are not strong enough to bear this burden, then the people of the vale have achieved nothing in the five years that have passed. Daughters married to sons from Woodland Hall and Sunstead to Mountain Hall - combining of families - and it all for naught?" She looked to Rorin, "Dwarves were taken as slaves! I would think the sons of Durin would never allow such an offense."

Esgalwen surrendered to the movement of opinion in the room, but she added one last, "It has always been the plight of the people of the vale to be weaker then their neighbors to the south, the north, and east - all due to the weak allegiances that you keep. If not now, then when? If this threat cannot bring you together, then you can never achieve the security that your neighbors enjoy."

Her somber mood had gotten the best of her. Esgalwen did not return to her seat. Instead, the Dúnadan turned from the Hall of Beorn and walked out into the chill air of the new autumn day. Let me see how I can aid in bringing the tactics of Ithilien to these folk, she thought to herself.
I think that I have at last found the perfect imagery for this character.

[GandalfOfBorg]

"The call will go out to all our allies and those with whom we hold tenuous relations.  Aye there are those with whom we've aid but a call to any as the year ends is a great favor to ask indeed.  Time is what we need for response and receipt of help if any is made and that is just what is against us.  We will march on Stanford as soon as enough strength is mustered to drive them out but the words of loss even in victory are true.  For the present we must wait for word from abroad and prepare for any strike against us.  If nothing can be resolved within the week, then we will quietly disassemble until such time as need comes."

[tomcat]

I post this just to stress one more time the point Esgalwen is making, but she will be making no other counsel regarding it.

Y'all realize Stánford, though its a Beorning town, sits in the middle of the Woodmen clans - closer to them than to Beorn's house, right?

All right then, where are those straw dummy targets and hay bales?        

[EDIT] Aww...I thought those little icons were whistling, not snoring. Oh well!  

[Eclecticon]

"The call will go out to all our allies and those with whom we hold tenuous relations.

Cool, so we have a decision.  I'm going to have to crunch some numbers around travel times, and I'm too brain-fried from work and assignment-writing to work it out right now.  I'm going to try to get something together tomorrow morning (my time). 

EDIT: And Doug, that's a very cool picture.  Ought we expect that the portraits of the company will be updated sometime? 

[tomcat]

EDIT: And Doug, that's a very cool picture.  Ought we expect that the portraits of the company will be updated sometime?

I am happy to update the character profiles, I just need pictures of the PC's - new and old (in case some of you want something different).

If you want to email me the pics, I will update the Tale of Years.

And damn those time differences! 

[Posterboy]

  Love the pic for Esgalwen... with her changing demeanor, I almost wonder if you should spend a phase changing her Fair distinctive feature to something other. (Hardened, maybe?)


Tate listened 'round the room as others chimed in until finally the Beorning Prince made his decision. Like Gwen, Tate felt the Wolfslayer was making a mistake. And, while his heart desired desperately to follow after the ranger, he stayed and approached Grimbeorn. "My Lord, tell me where I may be of service to you and I will depart at once."

[tomcat]

Truthfully, it is my hope that something happens by the end of this adventure phase that restores Esgalwen to her former self.

She has 5 Hope and 4 Shadow - so I am waiting on a sign. Some kind of evidence that the things they have achieved have been for the good. An alliance of friends would be that sign; Oderic returning to Beorn's house and showing his better nature would also have worked. The slaves being freed has bolstered her heart, but there appears to still be a constant squabble between friends (at least in how she is perceiving it all), while the world presses in on all sides.

Mechanically, if I feel it justified by the story and she achieves 8 EXP, she will take the Mastery Confidence to restore her to herself. As it is, she will be taking on another Shadow Point at the end of this phase due to Tate taking a wound during the river attack - he is her Focus. If she can't get Confidence, she is officially Miserable and will stay that way unless she takes a Fellowship undertaking to reduce Shadow.

We'll see.

[Telcontar]

"What you others dont realize is that unlike your homes this is not a kingdom and we have no king. Personal loyalty and faith are glue, not bound circlets of gold."

[Eclecticon]

West and east the riders speed, bearing the tidings and pleas of Grimbeorn.  Thereafter, there is little to be done but wait and keep ready.  Hathcyn and Harhold busy themselves once more with the work gangs, and their youthful enthusiasm for the task proves infectious.  Before long, each and every man present has joined them, and Tate lends his voice to theirs as they sing the reaping songs of the vales.  Even Esgalwen, after reassuring herself that her quiver is full and her eye and sword-arm remain keen, finds herself joining in, though she tells herself that it is for the good of the Beornings and not merely for the sight of Tate stripped to the waist, the sweat of his brow cutting channels through the grime on his face. 

With hundreds of men at work, the fields of the nearby farmsteads are soon cleared, and so the gangs venture onwards to the next, and the next again.  With such enterprise going on all about, it becomes easy to forget the promise of war, and so it is almost a shock when a week later, while clearing the steading of Gelvira Pot-Stirrer near the Old Ford, armed strangers are sighted, and the gangs working the fields dash to arm themselves.  But no raiders are these, but a half-dozen Woodmen from Woodland Hall, bearing the strong bows and long-hafted axes of their folk.  Young men are they, long of limb and firey-eyed.  The following day, as the news is sped to Grimbeorn, come still more: four men of Woodmen-Town and a further three who have made the trek from Mountain Hall. 

All bear the same tale: days ago, the brown wizard came out of the wild lands, burrs in his beard and a dour look on his face, bearing counsel (who could say from where?) that war was come to the kin of the Woodmen, and that no man who volunteered his sword-arm would be turned away. 

Those that the folk of the wood can spare are making their way to their allies.

[tomcat]

Esgalwen feels her heart fill with the sight of armed Woodmen coming to the aid of the Beornings. The numbers were still unknown, but the folk of the vale were joining together under one banner to face a threat. She breathed in deep and smelled the cut hay in the air.

"It is a good day," she said to no one in particular. The ranger then looked to Hathcyn, "It does not take a king to bind a people, my friend. We of Gondor have not had a king for the lives of generations. It is love of family, land, and freedom that will be the call-to-arms."
No changes needed to the above, Paul, as she has taken to Tate and so would venture out into the fields to see his sweat - but she has been focusing on Grimbeorn's request in teaching the ways of the sword and bow to all who need.

[Posterboy]

"What you others dont realize is that unlike your homes this is not a kingdom and we have no king. Personal loyalty and faith are glue, not bound circlets of gold."

"You others?" Tate did little to hide his indignation. "You others, you say, Master Hathcyn. I will not speak for Lady Esgalwen, though her deeds alone should speak loud enough to silence your witless tongue.

"But I will speak for me, for you speak as one who is ignorant and lacks understanding.

Pulling off his shirt, Tate reveals his fresh scars from his recent battle with the Blood Moon Raiders. "These scars here, pay close attention, Master Hathcyn. These scars here were made when my blood mingled with your people's, trying to rescue one of your own from these raiders, nearly drowning in the Anduin whilest trying. For one of your people, I did this! Why? Did I ask for a promise of rich reward? Tracts of lands or circlets of gold?

"We are not some vagabonds, Master Hathcyn. While Lord Grimbeorn's hospitality is warm enough, Lady Esgalwen and I have not stay alongside your  master for piece of the spoils. We have homes of our own that we can return to.

"Personal loyalty and good faith are exactly what keeps us others here. They are all that keeps us here. Love for your Lord and your people -- that is why I bleed out in bogs far from home, that is why I offer my services. Did you think I counselled your Lord to strike out against those who have taken your people's land without counting the cost on my life? Did you not hear in my counsel, the offering up again of my blood to be spilled out again in service of your Lord and your people? Are you quite deaf, Master Hathcyn?

"Bound by circlets of gold, indeed. I'll tell you a tale of circlets of gold. One I only heard told last night. Stop me if you know it, Master Hathcyn. It's of a young ruffian, drunk on the spoils of war, looking to buy up loyalty with offers of treasure taken from another man's house.

"Tell me, when the gold runs out and the storehouses are empty, what loyalty will you have gained, Master Hathcyn? Who then will be bound to your Lord."

Turning to Lord Grimbeorn, "Pah! Lord Grimbeorn, tell me how I may be of service, and I will depart at once."

[Eclecticon]

Looks like it's back over to you, Matt. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

"The bickering is pointless, serving none but our enemy.  We all bear scars, visible or no, in service to one end or another, and yours are no less worthy than the other, Tate.  All of you have given much for me and my people alone."

"But think not I do not chafe at the thought of leaving those of Stanford in the thrall of the raiders while we gather strength and knowledge.  I alone bear this charge and will suffer the what slings and arrows are  sent for this decision.  But hasn't been for naught for we are seeing the fruits of our patience."

  How much time has passed since the call went out?  By how much have numbers swollen?  I will finish my post after I get this info.

[Telcontar]

"Minstrel, you misunderstand me. Those men out there are bound by no oath and no law. Only their personal relationships with Beorn lord of this hall make them a people. They are not to be ordered here or there by commands. The thegns of the north have only to decide that Viglund better matches their temperment or provides better securtiy and like that the Viglunds have grown. Is this a problem in Dale or Gondor?

Perhaps you can relate a tale of the number if bellies a song filled in winter? Your accusations against me are unjust, and they will be remembered."

[Posterboy]

  I am also double-checking on the timing of Hathcyn's words... originally, I had thought Hathcyn spoke after Esgalwen had left the council hall and while Tate was waiting for his orders from Grimbeorn (just as the calls for help were going out). Tate's response came in that setting.

But then I read Doug's post better and Esgalwen seems to be addressing Hathcyn in the field. If Hathcyn's comment was made in the field as we are reaping, Tate's words would not have been as strong. The minstrel would not look to call the Beorning's loyalty into question in front of these work gangs. In fact, if Hathcyn's words had been said in this context (the fields), and Esgalwen had already responded, Tate would have likely remained silent, or made some good natured retort about their sweat mingling together to water the soil.

Regardless, thanks Tom for throwing in the bait.  If this conversation took place in the field, then it will be simply fun banter. If this conversation happened in the hall, especially with Grimbeorn's words added... I imagine Tate will, for the first time wonder, why he's out in here.

Anyway, let me know where Hathcyn's comment was made in the flow of time.
Peace,
Ayrn

Edit:Just seeing that Hathcyn is replying, Tom. Nice! Heh... love it