Of Winding Ways and Cunning Devices

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I don't think the issue our men have currently is boredom. Instead they need to come to terms with the loss of everything they've ever known. Some peace and space to think seems like exactly what's needed.

They're medieval sailors. They don't "come to terms", they drawn their losses in ale!
 
[x] Try to get directions to a larger settlement where you might trade some of your silver for supplies at a decent rate
 
nice update. It seems they recently lost a battle or man are off to war/viking. as there are old people alive - likely the latter. so keep that in mind.

trying to cut through proper chainmail.
through proper, riveted, steel chainmail? pretty much impossible.
shape of a dragon's head
metal grandpa. would look tad weird to a Numenorian tho. With how dragons are in Middle Earth.

[X] Try to get directions to a larger settlement where you might trade some of your silver for supplies at a decent rate
 
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nice update. It seems they recently lost a battle or man are off to war/viking. as there are old people alive - likely the latter. so keep that in mind.

Not is you have a Numanorean sword, Merry cuts right through the Witch-King's chainmail in the final confrontation and he is a Hobbit with what is by the standards of its makers a dagger. That is the standard for smithing that Eriol is using here, one that other men would count magical.
 
Not is you have a Numanorean sword, Merry cuts right through the Witch-King's chainmail in the final confrontation and he is a Hobbit with what is by the standards of its makers a dagger. That is the standard for smithing that Eriol is using here, one that other men would count magical.
sure, that's pretty much magical for humans.
 
Does that imply that our weapons are that good as well and can Numenorean chainmail resist those weapons?

Yes they are as good as what would have been tomb goods for a prince in the latter half of the third age. Keep in mind your people were taught how to forge metal by Noldor who were in turn taught by a god (or archangel depending on now you want to take it). Also The Numenoreans had far longer lives to perform the arduous and complicated task of learning a craft 'the elven way'. The armor is about on the same level, it can obviously be overcome, enough orcs with rusted cleavers will kill a Numenorean, but that is a lot more orcs than you would think.
 
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Awesome, honestly the improved mail is the biggest gain here. During this time period the percentage of combatants with serious armour was quite low so improved armour piercing capabilities are nice but not critical. However, there's always the risk of spear or arrow you didn't see getting through and armour that can really reliably stop those will significantly reduce the risk of us loosing one of our irreplaceable men.
 
Hmmm I do wonder if larger settlement wins the vote, where will they direct us? I think at this point Staraya Ladoga might actually be bigger/more important than Novgorod. It was founded much earlier in the mid 8th century whilst Rurik supposedly just founded Novgorod around 5 years ago. Things to ponder OOC.
 
Depends on what's closer, I doubt these villagers are going to know the exact sizes of these 2 settlements.
Edit: @DragonParadox how much coverage does our mail provide? Is it just a shirt or have we got full sleeves + mail chausses (leg armour)?
 
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Depends on what's closer, I doubt these villagers are going to know the exact sizes of these 2 settlements.

I mean they will not know population sizes, but they will have some idea of which is stronger, this is still the early middle ages, people still moved around a lot more on average especially near the coast or a waterway and this village is both.

Edit: @DragonParadox how much coverage does our mail provide? Is it just a shirt or have we got full sleeves + mail chausses (leg armour)?

Just a shirt, no leg armor since you are supposed to be able to swim in it
 
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Merry cuts right through the Witch-King's chainmail in the final confrontation and he is a Hobbit with what is by the standards of its makers a dagger. That is the standard for smithing that Eriol is using here, one that other men would count magical.

Merry got his sword from Tom Bombadil, if I recall. And it was an ancient, powerful item from the times of elves' wars against Melkor. That dagger was magical by anyone's standarts. But otherwise your point stands.

E. Apparently, those swords were made by Arnor against Angmar, so not quite anti-Melkor caliber, but still.
 
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Merry got his sword from Tom Bombadil, if I recall. And it was an ancient, powerful item from the times of elves' wars against Melkor. That dagger was magical by anyone's standarts. But otherwise your point stands.

Not quite, he got it from the barrow of a petty Cardolanian prince of a dying kingdom forged at some point between 1600 TE and 2000 TE. The caft of Numenor had long faded in those days, so I think it is fair to say you have about that quality of arms and armor as a minor noble at the fall of Numenor.

Historically it doesn't seem like different armour was worn for naval vs land combat. The general assumption seems to be have been that if you fell over board you were dead anyway.

Your principal job was to be sailors not soldiers though and when you did go soldiering it was against with far less advanced weapons and in a limited capacity. It makes more sense to me that you would not have full coverage and prioritize freedom of movement and being able to get out of the armor fast if you did fall overboard
 
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Your principal job was to be sailor not soldiers though and when you did go soldiering it was against with far less advanced weapons and in a limited capacity. It makes more sense to me that you would not have full coverage and prioritize freedom of movement and being able to get out of the armor fast if you did fall overboard

Fair enough, your the QM and it's a fantasy setting anyway and certainly not dealing with leg armour does make things more convenient generally.
Regarding the specific issue of getting out of armour if you fall over board historically though it seems like you'd be dead anyway if you fall overboard during a battle. Your ship wouldn't be able to pick you up and even if you could swim for a while you wouldn't be able to keep it up for ever also getting out of even a mail shirt is not easy. You need to get your helmet off, take your belt off and then bend over and try to wriggle out of it with the help of gravity. It's ungainly, fairly slow and would be really, really difficult to do while in water. If you look at latter battles during the late middle ages and Renaissance for example the soldiers generally seem to wear the best armour they can afford which during the time period is often plate which of course is even more difficult to get off quickly.
 
Fair enough, your the QM and it's a fantasy setting anyway and certainly not dealing with leg armour does make things more convenient generally.
Regarding the specific issue of getting out of armour if you fall over board historically though it seems like you'd be dead anyway if you fall overboard during a battle. Your ship wouldn't be able to pick you up and even if you could swim for a while you wouldn't be able to keep it up for ever also getting out of even a mail shirt is not easy. You need to get your helmet off, take your belt off and then bend over and try to wriggle out of it with the help of gravity. It's ungainly, fairly slow and would be really, really difficult to do while in water. If you look at latter battles during the late middle ages and Renaissance for example the soldiers generally seem to wear the best armour they can afford which during the time period is often plate which of course is even more difficult to get off quickly.

Worth noting a few things:
  1. These are not quite ordinary people, they are fractionally tougher and stronger on average
  2. Also their armor is lighter and better made, enough so that it makes sense to plan for getting out of it rather than shrugging and wearing the heaviest thing you can
  3. One of the Dunedain in any kind of specialist role is worth more than they otherwise would be, because it takes more years for them to reach their (higher) peak skill but they do not actually have that many more kids on average. Numenor as a society cared more about its people dying than comparative renaissance-era societies
 
Worth noting a few things:
  1. These are not quite ordinary people, they are fractionally tougher and stronger on average
  2. Also their armor is lighter and better made, enough so that it makes sense to plan for getting out of it rather than shrugging and wearing the heaviest thing you can
  3. One of the Dunedain in any kind of specialist role is worth more than they otherwise would be, because it takes more years for them to reach their (higher) peak skill but they do not actually have that many more kids on average. Numenor as a society cared more about its people dying than comparative renaissance-era societies
Fair enough, I guess the real question for soldiers is will the additional protection I get from extra armour outweigh the increased risk of drowning. Not being a medieval soldier I can't say for sure but knowing the extremely nasty and close quarter nature of naval hand to hand combat as well as the fact that I don't have to hike 20 km carrying my armour (since I'm on a ship) I'd probably opt for as much coverage as possible.

This is all just historical speculation on my end though and I don't intend it as an argument for why our men should definitely have a particular set of armour.
 
I think at this point Staraya Ladoga might actually be bigger/more important than Novgorod. It was founded much earlier in the mid 8th century whilst Rurik supposedly just founded Novgorod around 5 years ago. Things to ponder OOC.
According to the legend, Rurik was invited into the existing town. But it'll probably be Staraya Ladoga, because if you go to Novgorod by water, you can not miss Staraya Ladoga.
Also, some sources say that Rurik rooled in Novgorod, some - in Staraya Ladoga, so it's for QM to decide.

@DragonParadox , will there be satas for Ular, or it is below the level of abstraction?
 
According to the legend, Rurik was invited into the existing town. But it'll probably be Staraya Ladoga, because if you go to Novgorod by water, you can not miss Staraya Ladoga.
Also, some sources say that Rurik rooled in Novgorod, some - in Staraya Ladoga, so it's for QM to decide.

@DragonParadox , will there be satas for Ular, or it is below the level of abstraction?

Your officers will get stats, but right now they are still bellow the level of abstraction, you do not have anything to use say Ular's intrigue on (not that you should Ular's intrigue is quite bad hence why he needed young Eriol to bail him out :V )
 
Hmm I wonder if any of the ladies will try and seduce Eriol lol. And if so given that he is lustful but also unflinchingly pideful wil his +20 to resist will apply to seduction?
 
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