Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on May 12, 2020 17:32:42 GMT -5
Good discussion, guys. Thanks.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on May 8, 2020 20:07:51 GMT -5
What would you like to suggest as a general guideline?
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on May 8, 2020 15:10:50 GMT -5
Fainan:
Fainan stroked the fur of Hithceleb's neck, wondering how long she would be able to do that, as they walked back to the group to report. She nodded to fellow scout, Calion, gave a reassuring smile to Frali, and stopped by Auros. She gave him a hello, reporting hand-gesture as a way of showing her pleasure that he used the hwerme with them. Aloud, she said, "This time we have sightings of undesirable traffic. Well to the east is sign of a small foraging party of goblins and Wargs. On their return to the north, they were met by heavy tracks of a few orcs who must have worn armor even in this lightly traveled area. The group went ahead towards some small ruins, so we can expect company upon reaching them. Since this campfire was recently used, I made a short check ahead. Two sets of good boots as of Men walked side by side towards the ruins, the tracks light as if wearing leather but not armor, possibly scouts unconcerned that they might be seen. The land rises steeply ahead as expected, considering the mountain ridge running from here towards the east."
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on May 8, 2020 11:52:49 GMT -5
Recap plus. Feel free to correct.
The sword may be one of several, merely the one we picked up. The appearance of being a sword is camouflage as it is actually a device for extending the reach of the staff and aiming it, somewhat like "painting" a target. During the fight with the silvan elves, the leader carrying this sword may have died (pesky arrows near the Gate) and a minor orc looted the weapon unaware of what it really was. When we killed that orc, the "weapon" was passed to Frali who needed one.
The staff's main intent is to send a dread into the shadow of Mirkwood, causing deep fear and depression, enough to make the recipient stop wanting to do anything at all, making them easy to kill. The dread effect can lead to suicide in anyone or to an elf's death by augmented grief. This aiming of the effect was tested against a known location of elves at Thranduil's gate, with some hope of breaching it.
The dread taint remained on the sword that we picked up. The sword needs one of the minions of the big bad to hold it and read aloud the Black Speech inscribed on it for the runes to activate. It will not operate for an elf, which is the enemy, as the weapon is especially aimed at Silvans and Sindar of Mirkwood.
The staff is kept deep in the ruins of Angmar, although part of it may have been refurbished somewhat for the big bad that we so far only refer to as a Lieutenant of Mordor. His activity began when the Ringwraiths needed to leave Dol Guldur to set up Barad-dur and later to find Baggins. Since Dol Guldur no longer has the previous might, aid is sought to come in from the north to increase the danger of the mirk of Mirkwood, making it potentially lethal to the Free Peoples, especially the elves of Thranduil. Aid would not be able to enter from other elven homes.
The big bad seems to be a lesser Maia, like one of those that activated the dead bodies in the Barrow, called the Barrow-wights, who was reposing in Angmar until called. This greater wight is the strongest of the available wights. It attempted to operate the body of a necromancer from Dol Guldur but that body is dying. The wight then used a lesser ring built by Saruman to put part of itself within until finding an injured silvan noble, Calaron. The ring (built as an experiment by Saruman) was set up for the noble to find, and strengthened by the presence of Helvy, infected with the augemented dread in the reek and the staff on the other side. The wight jumped from the old dying one into the weakened elf's body with these aids but the elf fought back. The wight is barely keeping the elf "fascinated" with the ring, unable to concentrate, so that the wight controls the body.
After Rivendell, our party is trying to use the "sword" to help home in on the staff, although it might be homing in on other swords of which we may not yet be aware. Oops. The staff should be deep down in the ruins, and this is could be a clue that all is not right when the sword pulls towards the ones near the surface. The staff is in the possession of the Lieutenant wight currently in Calaron's body who must keep wearing its ring to hold Calaron in check. This may lower the wight's ability to use the ring for other purposes, but it has so many other aids to call on that it is not concerned. If Calaron dies, the wight will have to operate a dead body as the Barrow-wights do, but that would not be strong enough to control all that it is working with.
The other swords should be about ready to move out again, after their test and refurbishing, to go back to making the Mirkwood mirk lethal, as the staff rituals and place of its standing should be near readiness.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Dec 22, 2019 17:05:13 GMT -5
Great to hear from you, Elatan! So much going on, very good. We are still around, on servers Landroval (main), Ithil (secondary and Legendary), and Anor (occasional). You would be very welcome on any, on Discord, and of course on this forum. : )
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 23:55:04 GMT -5
Update on WoW Classic servers:
Elrond Today at 4:35 PM I hit 60 on my warlock in wow classic. Celebrian and I took the free transfer to Windseeker.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 23:53:43 GMT -5
Update on WoW Classic: Celebrian and Elrond took the free transfer to Windseeker server.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 23:38:35 GMT -5
Lord of the Rings Online is active on Landroval regular server and Ithil legendary server, hardly at all on Anor legendary (on purpose so we wouldn't be so scattered). WoW Classic is also active. Westfall server and Bloodsail Buccaneers are two active servers for us that I know of. Our Discord chat program is one of the easier ways to help each other to get together across various games, if you use that.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 23:33:52 GMT -5
Aiya,
Celebrian, Elrond, and Gorlim game together on WoW Classic on Westfall server. When not there, Gorlim is on WoW Classic Pagle server.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 13:28:29 GMT -5
Aiya fellow story writers,
The new chapter needs to run us into the problems reaching the big bad in going through the "yard trash" around the fortification and other obstacles. We could make another chapter just for that boss encounter including our setbacks until we reach a resolution, then end with another chapter showing the results from the encounter.
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Oct 6, 2019 13:22:21 GMT -5
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Aug 2, 2019 10:12:30 GMT -5
Fainan:
Fainan stood and gave a small bow. "Your pardon, Auros, if offense was given." She sat again. "I will go. My gear and horse have been ready for long as this task is necessary for the protection of Mirkwood on which this attack first came, and to stop the danger from spreading past us to potential future targets such as Erebor and Rivendell." With a smile she added, "Besides, seeing new places in the wide world would be a joy, if only for bringing new tales to future campfires whether or not we are fortunate enough to be the tellers."
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Jun 23, 2019 17:39:19 GMT -5
Fainan:
"You believe this awful thing has more parts? Why is it calling to you? Why did it pull Frali? I found it repulsive, instead. Could it be that it is because neither of you are of Mirkwood?"
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Mar 31, 2019 17:07:14 GMT -5
Right! Your turn, Arien. : )
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Varda
Vala, Council
Posts: 1,042
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Post by Varda on Mar 31, 2019 17:01:48 GMT -5
We live in the woods, yet we throw poisoned wood. We are unlovely, but trustworthier than a family of handsome Noldor. We guided the horses to stone.
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