The defence of the Hold, defence of an honoured ally, upholding of an oath sworn or striking of a grudge (if the Clan has a personal investment in the oath or grudge.)
Given the dubious effect Fire might have on non-Mallus Troll regeneration and the lack of flammable targets, I was wondering how you might describe the general advantages and uses of the Rune of Fire @Warkeymon as opposed to other weapon runes (only Rune of Cleaving in our case)
Given the dubious effect Fire might have on non-Mallus Troll regeneration and the lack of flammable targets, I was wondering how you might describe the general advantages and uses of the Rune of Fire @Warkeymon as opposed to other weapon runes (only Rune of Cleaving in our case)
Isn't fire generally good against creatures of darkness like ringwraiths? Seems like the rune of fire would be handy there.
On another topic, assuming our farmers are successful in getting the Noldor to train them I'm assuming we'll need to pay. While we could pay in silver I'm considering paying with a turn of Gutfroy's die if that's an option.
Not committing to such but they'd only be able to use the Rune of Courage. Certainly not something to scoff at, especially in Arda where fear is used as a weapon so often, but yeah.
Gandalf burns Weathertop when confronted by the ringwraiths, and Aragorn drives them off with a Torch
Edit:
'Perhaps,' said Strider. 'For myself, I believe that he was here, and was in danger. There have been scorching flames here; and now the light that we saw three nights ago in the eastern sky comes back to my mind. I guess that he was attacked on this hill-top, but with what result I cannot tell. He is here no longer, and we must now look after ourselves and make our own way to Rivendell, as best we can '
I don't have time to check the actual books right now but a quick google provided this page which confirmed what I remembered:
Aragorn said:
Sauron can put fire to his evil uses, as he can all things, but these Riders do not love it, and fear those who wield it. Fire is our friend in the wilderness.
Not to mention that Gandalf added flaming weapons to the watery riders Elrond made in the Ford of Bruinen when the Nine were chasing Frodo on Glorfindel's horse.
Not to mention that Gandalf added flaming weapons to the watery riders Elrond made in the Ford of Bruinen when the Nine were chasing Frodo on Glorfindel's horse.
Seems i was misremembering. Elrond caused the river to swell, and Gandalf made the Horses with Shining White Riders.
The fire i remembered was this:
With his last failing senses Frodo heard cries, and it seemed to him that he saw, beyond the Riders that hesitated on the shore, a shining figure of white light; and behind it ran small shadowy forms waving flames, that flared red in the grey mist that was falling over the world.
Are Elves susceptible to the Nazgûl's aura of fear, and Glorfindel an exception by dint of being exceptional @Warkeymon ? I noticed it had some effect on them at Lothlorien, but that could have been their dark sorcery as opposed to their terrifying aura.
Are Elves susceptible to the Nazgûl's aura of fear, and Glorfindel an exception by dint of being exceptional @Warkeymon ? I noticed it had some effect on them at Lothlorien, but that could have been their dark sorcery as opposed to their terrifying aura.
Elves are more sensitive to the other side of the world than men and feel the aura of the Nazgul more keenly. Although millennia of developing their selves affords them a greater ability to resist it.
Captain Hagrim longed to share a tankard of the incredible Bronzeplait ale with his fellows, and discuss their young master. But he stood with the King in this ceremony. The people of the Eotheod arrayed before them. Only three Dawi stood witness, King Gatrim, Queen Daungrumm, and Matron Gorgissa.
The Eotheod was scattered or dead, but what was here, in the lands of the Dawi, was healing and growing stronger.
These mountain folk, not to be confused with the hated dwarves, were generous to a fault. Respectful. Helpful. Exacting. Their King Gatrim had sworn an oath to Gisilhari King, and the whole of the Ankor moved to enact his will. The Lord of the Karak was having success in teaching the young Horse Master kingship.
And now that more of the Dawi learned Rohirric, and more of the Eotheod spoke Khazalid, there were more exchanges and friendships blossoming.
"Mine Foster-Father, Good King Gatrim of the Dawi," the well spoken seven year old called out to his people, his voice the high pitch of all boys but full of his righteous anger, "Has taught me much this year, of the core of good kingship. Of the importance of oaths, and the nature of debts. Of what I have or will swear to you, of what I owe you and what you owe me. Of what we owe the kind Dawi who shelter us in our time of need despite knowing us not, and of what we owe the foul Urk-things who despoil the lands of our forefathers."
Hagrim was impressed with his young lord's delivery. Then again Hagrim had practiced this speech with Gisilhari King for a few weeks now.
"He also spoke to me of a tradition of his people. The Dammaz Kron. The Grudge Book. A repository of all who have wronged the Dawi, and the method of restitution. A book of mighty oaths. I cannot yet judge fully what would be a proper restitution for I do not know the extent of what has been wrought against us, but I do give you an oath. I call for a Dammaz. Against those that hold the Framsburg and defile the Horse Lands. And, here, let it be recorded."
When Gisilhari had spoken to Hagrim about this, the captain knew that the Eotheod was going to have a king like no other, and that King's choice to make for the Dawi who had spoken of peace and reckonings was a brilliant one. With determination the Huskarl had gone to source a book.
When asked what the book was for, the grumbling of the Longbeards had decidedly changed, and he was asked to come back in a month.
A month later Gisilhari King was presented with a large book, with many pages, bound in fine dyed goat leather. Embossed with mounted horses off to war, and mighty Fram, who personally hunted for two years a bane of his people, slaying the dragon Scatha. The detail was so exacting it brought tears to the eyes.
Now, it would serve it's purpose as the boy had his hand cut open. Not a single sound of pain left his lips as he dripped blood into a bowl. As soon as there was enough, the wound was quickly bound.
With as steady a hand as he could, and in his best writing, Gisilhari wrote of the need to avenge the Eotheod, to retake the Framsburg, and to slay orcs and more.
The Eotheod stood silently as he wrote. Seething, stewing. When at last Gisilari blew on his blood ink to dry it, he turned back to his people.
"I might not be able to give a full accounting, but I know what the foe will pay the debt they owe us with," the boy took a deep breath.
"Death!" the boy screamed.
"DEATH!" they all shouted back.
Eventually everyone calmed and the human crowd slowly dispersed back to their tables to grumble in their own umgi ways, proud of their boy-king and his resolve.
Hagrim smiled to himself at the sniffs of approval from the Dawi present, Matron Gorgissa stepping over to the boy he was sworn to, to fix his hand with a proper bandage.
This onake gives me an idea for Rohan. What if they make a Tome of Deeds where Rohan records the great acts of done for Rohan by those not of it. It doesn't log Rohan's debts but rather logs how a person or nation has proven themselves a Friend of Rohan.
If the Dawi made such a tome it would be a record of those who have been named Dwarf friend.
Elves are more sensitive to the other side of the world than men and feel the aura of the Nazgul more keenly. Although millennia of developing their selves affords them a greater ability to resist it.
They should have some resistance (to magic that alters psychology) Sauron expected the Dwarfs to succumb to the magic rings like the humans. Sure it made them more greedy but they still retained their freedom.
I should have my Omake finished by tomorrow, don't let it interrupt the update, even if the content is related to some of the rolls.
I just don't want to leave the writing I started unfinished.
This onake gives me an idea for Rohan. What if they make a Tome of Deeds where Rohan records the great acts of done for Rohan by those not of it. It doesn't log Rohan's debts but rather logs how a person or nation has proven themselves a Friend of Rohan.
Tales of Karak Drekfut (part 1)
Sorry if the Drawing are a little basic, still recovering from my motivation collapse.
Song of the Trees
When the Noldor first walked through the gates of Karak Drekfut, Drindut did not know what to think of them. They were tall, fair haired and dainty like the few Elgi she remembered seeing in her youth, but while Elgi walked with an air of arrogance and derision, the Noldor did not. They felt different and the more she watched them the more differences she could see.
The Noldor were proud, they walked with confidence, each movement was poised and elegant. But unlike the Elgi the pride of the Noldor felt earned, it was a pure type of pride like a craftsmen confident with his hands or a mother confident in her cooking. And while many of them were a bit aloof, and had a strange aversion to the holds hospitable halls they were patient folk, skilled and hard working.
Pity that many of the menfolk in her clan did not feel the same way.
When the Noldor started tending to the crops some of the Elders and Greybeards saw it as a slight on their skills a stain on their honor. The Noldor showed skills in farming which even she begrudgingly admitted far surpassed her own clans.
But the menfolk could not see beyond their beards, aye its true that wisdom is measured by the length of ones beard, all Dawi knew this. But womenfolk don't have beards, and neither do the Noldor.
She had long learnt that age brought wisdom, some of the wisest Dawi she ever knew were beardless womenfolk like her, none would dare disrespect an elder matron so she extended that respect to the Noldor.
One should always listen to their elders she was taught, and the Noldor were old, so very very old. The light of wisdom born through endless toil shone in their eyes, she could see it everyday as they worked in the fields. So when the Noldor spoke, she listened like a Plaitling to an elder.
Every day she watched and listened as they tilled the earth, removed the rocks, tasted the soil and eventually sowed the seeds each given a healthy serving of pure mountain spring water.
That is when they began to sing.
It was a strange thing at first, some of the Beardlings even scoffed as the Noldor dirtied their knees and hummed gentle lilting songs before the buried seeds. But the mocking was soon replaced with awe as the first shoot pushed its way out of the earth a mere hour after the Noldor started singing.
She watched them every day after that, listened to every intonation. The Noldor sang and everyday the seedling grew stronger, taller and more vibrant.
Her clans Menfolk desperately tried singing their own songs, chants of war and sagas of glory.
But what do plants care for glory, what does a seedling care for blood and battle. The Noldor were not demanding or aggressive, they were encouraging, nurturing and gentle with the seedlings.
When the trees grew over her head was when her kin did the unthinkable, bringing shame to all her clan.
A group of surly greybeards skulked in the night and attempted to kidnap one of the Noldor.
She still shuddered with rage and shame just thinking about her own kin violating guest rights. They had shamed her clan, her king, her hold and her ancestors, she was in complete agreement when the guilty greybeards took the slayer oath, at least they had enough honor not to shame themselves and their clan any further.
She watched in sadness as the Noldor left through Drekfut's gates, but while the Noldor were gone, the fruits of their toil remained behind. A great orchard extended before her eyes, tall strong and vibrant, dripping with ripe shiny fruits. When she took a bite out of an apple, she shuddered at the delicious taste, the juices were nourishing, sweet & refreshing, truly the best fruit she had ever tasted.
So she gathered the seeds from the apples core, five seeds were gathered and then planted in five stone pots. Four were left to grow alone, with plenty of sunlight and water, the fifth she kept for her self.
She sang to it every morning and every evening, but instead of songs and sagas of glory & battle she sung Valayan lullabies, songs of encouragement, songs of nurturing like a mother to a child she wishes to grow healthy and strong.
Bit by bit the young seedling grew, much slower than what she witnessed under the Noldor, but out of the five seedlings it was the tallest and most vibrant. Perhaps just perhaps she could sing to the trees much like the Noldor did, if only she could have learnt more from them before they departed.
Perhaps if she was chosen as clan leader she could restore her clans honor and learn from those much wiser in the way of plants than her.
Pride of the Eotheod
Elder Vodder gazed into the eyes of the Umgi sitting before him. He'd called the young lad to a private meeting in hopes of getting some answers regarding his kin.
Out of all the Umgi training under clan Shatterspear, Folmund was the most dedicated, while other Umgi walked away Folmund stayed, while other Umgi fell in exhaustion Folmund continued working.
He hoped the young Eotheod could provide him with a bit of perspective, he wanted to know why the other Umgi were leaving their apprenticeship that his clan so generously offered.
Vodder had a lot of pride in his ability to teach, he had turned more than one generation of Beardlings into fine craftsmen.
But while the Dawi tolerated endless hours of practice and hard work, these manlings quickly gave up and walked away the minute he applied little extra pressure.
They did not appreciate his stern lectures, instead of taking his helpful criticism to mind, they seemed to wilt under his reasonable scrutiny.
A poor teacher would turn around and blame the manlings for being shoddy and lazy. But he was used to teaching Dawi, a Beardling was expected to take a tongue lashing, learn his lesson and keep working. Umgi and Dawi were different, when he pointed out every mistake the Umgi made, they seem to grow frustrated and saddened instead of motivated to improve.
Could they not see he only wanted to impart wisdom to them? some of the Umgi were even becoming half decent masons by Beardling standards, yet when Vodder pointed out their flaws instead of jumping to correct themselves they seem to just grow disappointed.
Settling into is carved stone chair he decided it was time to get some answers.
"Good of you to come Folmund son of Falrim, you've come along way since starting your apprenticeship last year, do you feel the clan has treated you well within my halls"
The young Umgi nodded "Aye, no complaints"
"And how have you found your training?"
"Tis hard work, but good work" he stated simply.
Vodder could see he was a man of few words, better to be blunt.
Vodder sighed "The reason I called you here is to know why the apprentices are leaving, your closer to your kin I would like to know what you think"
Folmund seemed to ponder for a moment "They are grateful, they want to help, but they don't really know why they have to learn"
"what do you mean?"
"They don't know why you want to teach them and rather work on other less harsh work" Folmund elaborated. "Also some extra rations and shorter working hours would help"
Th Elder considered his words, it seemed the Umgi lacked proper motivation to keep learning, disappointing, but he knew Umgi could be tenacious when given proper purpose.
"Perhaps I should have explained that the training was to help your kin learn how to rebuild your homes when Framburg is reclaimed"
Folmund let loose a smile "Aye that's what I gathered, bigger wall more protection, less Orcs safer home"
"Anything else you think would help training your kin?"
"Give them some encouragement, my people respond better to positive reinforcement" Folmund elaborated
"Positive reinforcement" the words sounded foreign in Vodders mouth, but if it would help with these Umgi, so be it.
He should let his fellow Elders know what he learnt lest they fail like him.
Comments: Right, first half done, Tired now.
Still need to finish two more short stories to complete the set.
Very nice. Not overt in the direct conversation or how much conversation is outright used, allowing it to maintain the style of Tolkien's more historical LOTR works and Warkey's own, and not getting bogged down in nuances.
