The Final Thread

[Rowenna]

I was going to wait before I put this here, but the wheels started turning, and I got excited--so I'm throwing this out for discussion. Nothing is urgent, and we have the luxury to just talk about it, so let's have some fun here.

Possible plot: I say 'possible' because, at this point, I'm open to change. In a thread with Scott, Byron's history was told as a boy whose family was taken by an assassin called Tomah Goshawk. Goshawk forced upon him a necklace he still keeps as a memory of what happened. The plot of this thread was to be Byron finding Goshawk again. He storms in on Lerris and Rowen and demands their help--even threatening to turn Rowen in if they do not comply. As far as I know, they do.

Then, for awhile, we're open. It has been said that all of the main characters should make a return in this thread. That includes Grohn, Henrogene, Byron, Lerris, Rowen, and possibly Aouri, if Kaltrak is up to it. I believe all of our original writers should be in on it, to see this story's end. That may or may not happen, but I would definitely like to see it.

In the end, it has been discussed that we tie things up as followed (again, subject to change): Rowen dies, killing herself in the belief that her death will save Byron's life. I've been at odds as to how to do this smoothly, but I know that the danger of Byron is very clear and concise, rather than simple paranoia. At her death, it is my wish that she and Lerris are alone, as her last words are for Lerris and Lerris alone. It is then believed that Lerris will take Samuel across the sea, never to return, that Byron wants to go with Lerris, but upon rejection, finds his place with Henrogene, and that Grohn ends up a drunk in prison and commits suicide.

After that, I had a thought. That's why I'm posting this, really; I got excited about it. Say, at the end of this story, when we've written the very last sentence, we contemplate it. It is important that we really think about it after the story is done, so we can look at it in its completion. We think about what the story means--what it's lesson was, why it's important. Then, when we've summed up our thoughts, one of us collects the ideas of all of the writers, and then produces a soliloquy based on the thoughts of all of us from the point of view of the characters. This soliloquy will sum the ideas of this story as a whole, from the very first thread to the last, and the lessons to be learned from it. At the end, we will have a "~" where normally writers sign their messages--and we will have all of our characters on it. Not just the important ones, like Lerris, Rowen, Byron, Grohn and etceteras, but EVERYONE. From Ty, to Abbot, to Philip, to Fain, every single character mentioned by name in the whole story, because it's not just about the ones who appeared more often, but a story of the tangled lives of many people that came together and affected one another in some way.

What do you think of that?

[gluey]

admin said:

What do you think of that?

I think you're a cornball.

...cornball.

*scoffs*

[Rowenna]

A different idea that's almost related to the last one:

So, in my creative writing class, we're working on imagistic poetry. I was thinking... at the end of our book... we can have a sort of "epilogue". And it would be an allegorical poem about the story--I mean, pretty much 100% symbolism, but focusing on the main points of the story nonetheless. What do you guys think?

By the way, speaking of poetry, this is the one I wrote for the class:

A live nest on a dead tree
The black tree reaches out
A wicked hand at the sunset roost.
The branch’s sable spindle fibers grasp
But never touch, like distance is always halved
And units reach the infinitesimal
But never zero.
The fingers are withered and writhe,
Still stretching when the roost is gone
Hoping to gain an extra inch in its absence
Through summer, juicy pumpkins, and snow.
Back again, the sunset nest
Filled with eggs like blue-dotted marble.
There is a heartbeat in the beads,
Warm to the touch and smooth on the surface.
The dead tree ever grasps and never gets
A touch of life, nor even
The floating umbrellas of cotton dandelions
As they pass by.

[Lerris]

I'm not against it, you are sure going to have to write it.

I have no poetic talent, at all.



Seriously.

[Rowenna]

I had an interesting title idea. We may or may not use it, pending whether or not we all agree to a poem at the end--but for the entire book, we could use the title of whichever poem we use. That way, we can be totally certain that the title is unique, and it still applies to the story, only in a subversive way. What do we think?

[gluey]

I like how you don't even tell us the title idea.

[Rowenna]

More on the title for the book at large later. I just had the most hilarious thought occur to me. What if we called our fabled "Final Thread"... wait for it... "The Final Thread". Turn thine accusing eyes! Just think of it! To us, it would be an inside joke of what we mockingly called it for lack of a better title, and to our readers--they don't know we mean online. To them, it would be an analogy involving strings, like when we use the metaphors "grasping at strings" or "hanging by a thread".

Oh, I'm brilliant

Am I a cornball now, Gluesph, old chap? EHH?! AM I?!

[Rowenna]

Just posting other plot ideas that were discussed amongst us in passing but never laid on the table--as well as ideas I've had on my own but can't remember if I voiced or not. Actually, to be honest, I don't know which has been discussed, which came from other people, and which came from my own head. It's all just... there. Moving on.

Possible plot updated: I don't think I need to remind anybody, but just in case, all of the below is subject to changes based on what you guys feel should be altered, what you recommend, etceteras, etceteras. Anyway. I think we're all fairly set that Lerris has decided to spend his time hunting for Grohn after the death of his son. As per discussed, Lerris would leave for weeks at a time, touch home, then leave again after Grohn. In the interest of giving Lerris and Rowen a decent period of peace, a year on the hunt sounds fairly solid. I know Rowen would openly challenge his actions, having adopted the mentality that she still has a family that she wants to enjoy, and that she does not want Lerris to die. It was left unknown what made Lerris stop and realize he still had a son to take care of. I think it would be interesting if the final stroke to end his hunt would be to witness Rowen in tears over the state of the family. Given that Rowen never cries, or tries to never cry, I think it would be a significant blow to change his mind. Thoughts on that?

Now, all of this would be in the description at the beginning, a look into the past. The actual story would begin ten years after Lerris stops hunting--eleven years after the death of their son. I think it would be interesting if we open the story with Lerris already on familiar terms with Theredor, who has also had his family hurt by Grohn. My thought is that Lerris never truly gives up on finding Grohn, but finds other ways to reach out, by gathering contacts like Theredor who can be his eyes and ears in other places, and can provide information he doesn't already have. In effect, he stays with his family. That being said, a business meeting between Theredor and the new-and-angry-vengeful Lerris might be an interesting way to start.

Enter Byron. Byron's history was told as a boy whose family was taken by an Assassin called Tomah Goshawk. Goshawk forced upon him a necklace he still keeps as a memory of what happened. The plot of this thread was to be Byron finding Goshawk again. He storms in on Lerris and Rowen and demands their help--even threatening to turn Rowen in if they do not comply. They do.

For awhile, we're open. I imagine part of the story revolves around hunting down Goshawk and his band of Assassins, and I know we want to include all of Grohn, Henrogene, Byron, Lerris, and Rowen. Given that A Question In Life must be rewritten (d*mn LotRO, I know), we may or may not have an Assassin from there included, pending how the story is addressed.

Now, at some point in the story, Rowen and Co. come across Tomah. Here's where it gets shaky. I get the feeling Rowen and Co. get their asses kicked. In the end, Tomah has Byron, or has done something to Byron that leaves Rowen with a choice: if she lives, Byron dies, and if she dies, Byron lives. It is beyond paranoia, and somehow, it is fact. Rowen chooses to poison herself. At her death, it is my wish that she and Lerris are alone, as her last words are for Lerris and Lerris alone.

After Rowen dies, Byron is distraught. He finds a way to get Tomah, forces him on his knees and makes him wear the necklace he was made to wear, and kills him.

After this, Lerris is done with that life. He wants to take Samuel to the sea, never to return. Byron wants to go with him, but upon rejection, he finds his place with Henrogene. At the same time, Grohn finds that he has nothing left to live for now that Rowen is dead, and he drinks himself to inebriation. Theredor finds him and sends him to the jailhouse, where Grohn takes his own life. I think it would be interesting if the scenes of Grohn being apprehended and jailed mirrored the moments of To Dream In The City Of Sorrows.

All that being said, Lerris (or Kyle, or Moosey, or whomever) we might want to start thinking of a character for Samuel. Not that he'd have a huge part, but I figured he'd need a personality. As with every lesser child character I've ever had, I haven't been able to get beyond "yeah, sweet kid... done." Thoughts?

[gluey]

Any objection to Grohn beating dead Rowen up?

[Rowenna]

Ha, are you serious? I have no personal objection, but I think it really depends on what Lerris would do with the body. If you are so desperate to deface the empty vessel of my sweet, sweet gentlewoman, I'm sure we can arrange something.

[gluey]

Maybe Grohn walks in on them, beats the elf away from her and starts punching her like a punching bag.

[Rowenna]

Aw, not even a moment for Lerris to mourn? Meanie

[Rowenna]

Just throwing this out there. It's an old idea and I didn't like it at first, but it's a viable possibility, if we want.

One idea was that Tomah captures Byron for ransom. Now, Tomah isn't just a solitary man, he has this band of Assassins backing him up, and as I previously stated, at some point, Rowen and Co. get the tripe beaten out of them. So, here's the idea. Maybe, after Tomah's men have utterly defeated our guys, he takes Byron and says he will be dead by such-and-such moment unless he receives x amount of gold coins. He deliberately names the price on Rowen's head. In the story, I've mentioned that there are two prices for her capture--one for alive, the other for dead. She's worth more dead, and he names the price for her dead body.

Therefore, Rowen commits suicide and trusts Lerris to deliver her body to the authorities in exchange for the ransom money. Voila.

This falls short on the idea of--why not steal the money? Why not collect money from friends at Aryan, etc., etc., but this was the only thought I had. We could always argue they're far from home, too beaten to fight for much longer, but the argument feels a little thin. Again, just throwing one old idea out there. Feel free to come up with a better one. Actually, please, throw out your ideas. Preferably beyond kicking dead bodies.

[gluey]

Preferably beyond kicking dead bodies.

What about punching them?

[Rowenna]

Further thoughts on The Final Thread:

ArtWarriot (10:06:55 PM): So, let's see... Grohn obviously holds a grudge against Ro-by (heh) but isn't found for another ten/eleven years... I'm trying to see if we can make that play into the Final Thread. Lerris is definitely looking for Grohn at the time, and some time around the time they cross again, the assassin that murdered Byron's parents is tracked down. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe Byron is unconciously following disturbing dreams that are really visions, what with Henrogene did. Maybe?... mebbe not. Hm.
P2R7A7 (10:07:37 PM): Hmmm
P2R7A7 (10:07:41 PM): So
P2R7A7 (10:07:43 PM): are you saying
P2R7A7 (10:07:54 PM): that Byron is having "visions" but doesn't realize it
P2R7A7 (10:08:07 PM): as a result of Henrogene helping him/whatnot?
ArtWarriot (10:09:37 PM): Well, that's what we decided earlier. Hex really introduced the concept, but you introduced the idea that Henrogene may have caused it. So far, Byron doesn't seem to totally realize that his dreams and reality cross, and maybe he shouldn't. But, that's what we have
P2R7A7 (10:10:51 PM): Maybe
P2R7A7 (10:10:53 PM): that assassin
P2R7A7 (10:10:59 PM): is working in cohoots with Grohn?
P2R7A7 (10:11:12 PM): (cohoots is such a great word)
ArtWarriot (10:11:59 PM): Could be. Yeah, what I was wondering if there was any possible link between the two that allowed them to show up at approx. the same time. Have you seen what I have on Tomah (the assassin) ?
ArtWarriot (10:12:52 PM): He's a loon. Aka, so awesome.
P2R7A7 (10:13:09 PM): No, I haven't.
ArtWarriot (10:13:41 PM): He's on Genesis. I never got very far because Scott left it, but I got to play with a pretty cool character
ArtWarriot (10:14:24 PM): By the time the Final Thread starts, he'll be older... maybe late fifties, early sixties, but still crazy as ever
ArtWarriot (10:14:54 PM): I'm bringing him up because, if you want to have Grohn working with him, you might want to know about his character.
P2R7A7 (10:16:10 PM): Hahaha alright.
ArtWarriot (10:17:16 PM): Yeah. So, think about it. Does Henrogene happen to hang with Theredor, or how does he enter the plot?
P2R7A7 (10:18:15 PM): Maybe Byron has a vision of Henrogene as well?
ArtWarriot (10:21:21 PM): Possibly, but what would Henrogene be doing in the story do you think? Just stuff to think about. I like the idea of Byron going off with Henrogene in the end. Maybe... hm... what's Henrogene's history? Maybe Tomah was working against him somehow... his angle is typically power and profit, so I dunno
P2R7A7 (10:21:59 PM): Henrogene probably returned to Mirkwood
P2R7A7 (10:22:04 PM): and has been living there.
ArtWarriot (10:23:08 PM): Hm...
ArtWarriot (10:25:05 PM): Well, there's something to consider. Maybe Henrogene was somehow drawn by his foresight, but I don't know what'd truly compel him to enter the story
P2R7A7 (10:25:29 PM): Well
P2R7A7 (10:25:34 PM): Henrogene is an open-end.
P2R7A7 (10:25:43 PM): We never finished Broken Alliance....
ArtWarriot (10:26:37 PM): I know. I was going to see if I could work through that story to make it stand on it's own, but I never got around to it