(Ellisidil) the Eagle of Wilderland - Dan F

[Fieranor of Imladris]

Please read from here... viewtopic.php?p=14360#p14222 and answer the question(s). I am happy to help you, even over Roll 20 audio/video if you need me to.

[Fieranor of Imladris]

During the last adventure phase, for Don't Leave the Path, you acquired some items you may wish to dispense with. You have three options, here...

• Hang on to what you have; this does NOT mean it has to remain on your person, unless you have no place to send it -home, a Sanctuary of your choice, etc.- or store it -your home at your present location, the King’s storage, etc. You may also keep it on your person and you and I can determine where, in your Player-hero’s inventory, each piece you decide to keep will go,
   
• Sell it in this thread, without negotiation, for the street value of each item, or
   
• Role-play through selling it -which you and I can do in a separate forum post, if not the main thread of the game- and gain potential Experience as well as, perhaps, higher values for what you’re selling.

Tell me what you would like to do, and we’ll do it. The things you collected and have not already decided to move into your inventory show up in the Found Items block on the second/back page of your Character Record. Here is what you found during the course of that, and the previous, adventures...

• Spearman's Shield (buckler, LMBr 118, Elvish make, may use 2-handed)
   
• 1 Topaz worth around 27g
   
• 1 Lapis-lazuli worth around 3g
   
• Lion-head Long-sword, possibly part of Northmen culture, prior to Eorl the Young.

[Ellisidil]

Sell the 2 jewels at cost, no negotiations. I will hold on to the swords, and buckler until they have been researched

[Fieranor of Imladris]

Please open this post and scroll down to the title “Standing Upkeep” so you can read what standing is all about. In essence, to maintain your standing in Rhosgobel, you need to expend 1 Treasure/Gold.

Once you have decided whether you’re intent to spend Treasure or not, and how, please post your plan in this thread, so I can update your character sheet.

[Ellisidil]

Yes, raise my standing by just one

[Fieranor of Imladris]

Next, during each Fellowship Phase, when a player is done updating their character’s skills, Valor and Wisdom, and/or Attribute values, they may choose to undertake a task, to help keep themselves busy and/or to build some manner of skill or advantage that can be used in the future, for the remainder of the Fellowship Phase.

Players are invited to exercise their creativity and find new and exciting ways to spend a Fellowship Phase. Often, players need look no further than the recently concluded Adventure Phase, as the story that was just completed might have provided several leads worth following, like a new friendship to consolidate or a new sanctuary or patron to be built up. Any activity that could have a lasting impact on a character can be considered an undertaking.

Normally, a player is allowed to choose one activity for their character to undertake. During a longer Fellowship Phase, such as the one at the end of each year, if the LoreMaster agrees, or sees the necessity of a second undertaking, the player may take a second undertaking for their Hero.

If the Company agrees to stay together during a Fellowship Phase, the list of Undertakings for that phase will be listed in the OOC thread for the most recently completed Adventure Phase, and each player is allowed to select a separate undertaking, or the same as a fellow player. However, if the Company has decided to temporarily disband, the following list of Fellowship Phase Undertakings is designed to better fit your Player-hero, their destination and the culture amongst which they will live during the course of the Fellowship Phase.
 

• Go to the Market Pool ~ When spending a Fellowship phase in Lake-town, choose this undertaking and spend 2 Treasure to gain an item at +1, or 4 Treasure for a +2 bonus to one of the following:
  • Find a goldsmith to have precious stones set into your sword’s hilt, or gold wrought into a chain, torque, ring, or other piece of jewellery. Gain a bonus to Awe.
     
  • Visit an ironmonger or a woodwright to buy fine tools appropriate to your favourite trade. Gain a bonus to Craft.
     
  • Buy a musical instrument of superior make, be it a fiddle, a flute, a drum or a viol, or visit a master luthier to build you a new harp or lyre. Gain a bonus to Song.
     
  • Learn how to prepare salves and healing herbs and acquire the necessary materials from a hospital healer. Gain a bonus to Healing.
     
  • Buy robust rope, walking staves, comfortable sleeping cots and a regular supply of cram from a baker (biscuits the Lake-men prepare for long journeys). Gain a bonus to Travel.
     
  • Visit the shop of a tailor or shoemaker to have a rich dress or a pair of quality shoes made. Gain a bonus to Courtesy.
     
  • Search the market to find a rare book or old map, or parchment, quills and ink for you to write. Gain a bonus to Lore.
     
  • See a master hunter to get all you need for your hunting exploits. Gain a bonus to Hunting.
   
• Heal Corruption ~ Heroes reduce their current Shadow rating attempting a Craft or a Song roll with TN 14. On a successful roll, they reduce their score by 2 points on a success, 4 points on a great success, and 6 points on an extraordinary success. Characters spending their Fellowship phase in a sanctuary are entitled to two rolls, while heroes who returned home are allowed a single roll instead.
   
• Raise Standard of Living ~ It costs 1 Treasure to spend one month at a Prosperous Standard of Living, and 2 Treasure to spend it at a Rich one. At the end of the month, the character must spend the amount again or revert to his previous Standard of Living.
  
  Players may invest as much Treasure as they like to maintain their characters at a higher Standard of Living for longer periods of time.
   
• Raise Standing ~ The more adventurous members of most cultures indulge in the tradition of gift-giving or public spending, as a demonstration of their worth, affluence and loyalty to their culture, and as a mean of acquiring influence among their own folk. Players spend Treasure points to raise their Standing rating, using the costs indicated in the table below. Players can also buy multiple ranks, as long as they pay the cost of every new level individually.
  
  To raise your Standing among the Woodmen, you would need to spend 24 of your 38 Treasure/Gold for that honor. Then, at each Year's End Fellowship Phase, you would need to spend two Treasure/Gold to maintain it.
   
• Receive Title ~ An adventurer’s travels may take him far from home, and the deeds he accomplishes might be for a folk other than his own. But a hero will always be recognised as such, even in a foreign land. A character who has performed appropriately valiant deeds during the Adventuring phase within the territory or realm of another Culture may — with the Loremaster’s permission — choose the Receive Title undertaking. In game terms, Receive Title means generally two things:
   
  • The Standing rating of the adventurer now measures also his repute among another people. The hero may now affect the narration of a Year’s End Fellowship phase as if he belonged to that Culture. Additionally, when a companion spends a Fellowship phase within the home settlement of that Culture, his score is not reduced, as if he returned home.
     
  • The companion is granted a tract of land or a house to dwell upon. The size and features of the land or house are proportionate to the character’s Standard of Living.
   
• Write a Song ~ See Rivendell Pages 23-4 for more information.

 Once you have decided which undertaking you wish to embark on, please post your plan in your character’s journal thread, so I can update your character sheet. If a second Fellowship Phase Undertaking is to be allowed, I will determine that and let you know so you can make a second choice from this same list. For your Fellowship Phase Undertaking(s), if you would like to write a story in your character’s journal thread about what they did for the phase, according to your understanding of it, may also benefit them with extra experience. As always, if you have questions about clarifying one or more undertakings, post them in this thread and let’s get out the bugs. Also, if you have an idea you glean inspiration from one of these undertakings for, write it up or let’s discuss it and I’ll see what can be done to alter the existing undertaking, or create a new one just for you; all of the existing FPUs are easy examples, but more can always be created.

[Ellisidil]

During this fellowship phase, I expect this will help me the most. Learn how to prepare salves and healing herbs and acquire the necessary materials from a hospital healer. Gain a bonus to Healing.

[Fieranor of Imladris]

Consider it done. I'll have your sheet edited and uploaded in a minute or two. Thank you for helping me help you to knock this out.

[Ellisidil]

Ellisidil is in the same Inn that everyone else is at, drinking and eating with the dinner crowd, but no one seems to see him much during any other time for at least a couple of days. He goes to his room afterwards and starts working on his gear. He also takes stock of what he has and what he might need in the upcoming journey. While he is doing this, He thinks about what has happened in the past few months, who he was with, how he reacted to situations, what he might need in the future. Especially if he goes back out with another group (wanting to be a little bit more helpful). He thinks about the spear thrust that he made and just how clumsy and lucky he was to have placed it so well, while doing this he goes over his stance for that particular move and what happened as a result.

He then begins to think about everything else that has happened in that marsh and the trek out. He also begins to think about the Eagle's and what they gave him and how that armor is holding out. Especially how he was hurt during the last voyage. But what clouds his mind, and makes him want to think about what he did an dhow that was accomplished was the feat that he did while using his bow. How his stance was, what string did he use, how long was that arrow, and how well that it was made. He thinks about what he did, breathing, pulling the string back, what he was thinking about and what helped him make that shot. During the Bow & arrow tournaments, I am watching the stance, the way the bow is pulled back, how the finger placement is on the string and how the breathing happens with each and every shot.

During the 3rd day He finds himself wandering around the bowman's guild asking pointed questions on stance, type of bow used (including string), arrows, for near impossible shots. I speak with the head of the bowman's guild and the guards that I knew from working with them before we left on our mission. I keep thinking back to that shot and wondering exactly how to practice for another shot like that. I think that all I can do is practice, practice, and practice some more. I here rumors that some of the Elvin archers can make those types of shots on a regular basis and I begin wondering why and how that could happen. I wonder if that is because of their long life and more practice, magically imbued weapons, and maybe there is something on how they make their arrows (imbued with magic?).

I conclude that it would take another magic moment and that as a human I am doing the best I can with my practice, stance, and equipment. I also believe that this shot was one of an impossible nature and that I should keep this to myself and a few people that knew what really happened and like all rumors it would grow and become something that it wasn't and I don't know if that is what I want.

[Fieranor of Imladris]

Ellisidil is in the same Inn that everyone else is at, drinking and eating with the dinner crowd, but no one seems to see him much during any other time for at least a couple of days. He goes to his room afterwards and starts working on his gear. He also takes stock of what he has and what he might need in the upcoming journey. While he is doing this, He thinks about what has happened in the past few months, who he was with, how he reacted to situations, what he might need in the future. Especially if he goes back out with another group (wanting to be a little bit more helpful). He thinks about the spear thrust that he made and just how clumsy and lucky he was to have placed it so well, while doing this he goes over his stance for that particular move and what happened as a result.

He then begins to think about everything else that has happened in that marsh and the trek out. He also begins to think about the Eagle's and what they gave him and how that armor is holding out. Especially how he was hurt during the last voyage. But what clouds his mind, and makes him want to think about what he did an dhow that was accomplished was the feat that he did while using his bow. How his stance was, what string did he use, how long was that arrow, and how well that it was made. He thinks about what he did, breathing, pulling the string back, what he was thinking about and what helped him make that shot. During the Bow & arrow tournaments, I am watching the stance, the way the bow is pulled back, how the finger placement is on the string and how the breathing happens with each and every shot.

During the 3rd day He finds himself wandering around the bowman's guild asking pointed questions on stance, type of bow used (including string), arrows, for near impossible shots. I speak with the head of the bowman's guild and the guards that I knew from working with them before we left on our mission. I keep thinking back to that shot and wondering exactly how to practice for another shot like that. I think that all I can do is practice, practice, and practice some more. I here rumors that some of the Elvin archers can make those types of shots on a regular basis and I begin wondering why and how that could happen. I wonder if that is because of their long life and more practice, magically imbued weapons, and maybe there is something on how they make their arrows (imbued with magic?).

I conclude that it would take another magic moment and that as a human I am doing the best I can with my practice, stance, and equipment. I also believe that this shot was one of an impossible nature and that I should keep this to myself and a few people that knew what really happened and like all rumors it would grow and become something that it wasn't and I don't know if that is what I want.

 

LoreMaster Note

Dan, I am NOT offering criticism, here, perhaps just some clarity...

1) Magic is not a word used in Tolkien literature, as it doesn't really exist in Middle-earth. What the Elves can do they do as a result of training and practice that makes the things they do seem magical to others, while the Elves themselves do not consider it to be magic. Only the Maiar, folk like Gandalf, Sarumon, Radagast, etc. can use anything that could be considered as magic, though they are actually little more than boon's from the "gods" of Middle-earth, those who had power after Eru Illuvatar (God) made them. Gandalf and the rest are considered to be angels or, in the case of the Balrog's, demons.

2) Have you read anything in the main thread from your last post forward? You might find yourself intrigued to participate in some of these things that you might regret not doing, later, for Ellisidil...

3) Whether you choose to participate, a la #2, above, or not, it IS possible to gain some training over the course of the Winter while you're more or less stuck in the Northern Dale-lands (Esgaroth and Dale), and we can handle some of that as we're moving along, but I need to hear what it is you want to do, please?

Also, I know this is a game and it's supposed to be enjoyable, and it's not supposed to be work to do it, but I would still like to hear from you in the MAIN THREAD of our game at least once every 3 days, please?

[Ellisidil]

I understand what you are saying...I did account for that with the practice, the longer life span, and though magic is not a word used in this universe, we have imbued weapons, and wizards, whether angels, gods or anyone else when it was originally used "gifts" were given to some of the makers of the weapons...that is what I was trying to say and have since figured out that it was mostly the longer life and more practice that seems to be the answer to my own question.

[Fieranor of Imladris]

{thumbs up} Gotcha!

[Ellisidil]

With the train of thought going on at the table, I am going to role some lore for the area I am in.. I believe that I would have some history of the men of Westernese, their weapons and the ability that those weapons have. Spread through rumors from all of the rangers that I would have met and listening to Gandalf and Radaghast talk of such things in their quest for knowledge and possibly what could help on future quests.

[Fieranor of Imladris]

I believe that I would have some history of the men of Westernese, their weapons and the ability that those weapons have.

No, not really. The amount of knowledge Ellisidil already has compared to EVERYONE else -and that's only because, for whatever reason, I rolled exceptionally well when determining his knowledge of Middle-earth-, but knowledge is still fairly restrictive, especially among the Woodmen. To be honest, Ellisidil would be considered something of a prodigy when it comes to the history of Rhovanion. Knowing anything about anything outside Wilderland/Rhovanion is something he's going to actually need to study for. It's not that Woodmen are stupid or disinterested, just more interested in survival, especially against the minions of the Shadow. So, knowledge about Westernesse, not likely.

Spread through rumors from all of the rangers that I would have met and listening to Gandalf and Radaghast talk of such things in their quest for knowledge and possibly what could help on future quests.

Again, I'm afraid not. The ONLY Ranger you've actually met is Artorious, though you've likely heard tales, as you expressed, from Gandalf and Radagast. So, again, this is knowledge you're going to need to seek, and that's going to take some role-playing during your Fellowship Phases, or some story-telling of your own that I will have the opportunity to read and provide experience points for.

The 11 you rolled just isn't going to cut it this time around, except to allow you to remember that Ellisidil really has little more to remember than a knowledge that Rangers even exist or that there were materials made of Westernesse that were, during the first and part of the second ages, legendary in their construction. You've never seen a blade or shield of Westernesse or Beleriand, and you may never see their like. Spending a Hope point here is not going to help. However, you have three-and-a-half months of Winter you're about to endure here in the Northern Dale-lands, and I will likely allow all of you to perform further research, so keep your eyes peeled.

[Ellisidil]

well at least I tried...if I come up with something else I will try that route, other than what you place before us...