The Taproom

This topic has 6,719 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 11 months ago by Barliman.

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September 2, 2010 at 4:21 pm #11743
Barliman
Participant
Master Tree, I didn’t say we shouldn’t have suggestions for generics – I just personally will always favour a named character when it comes to voting (so long as he isn’t yet another Witchking, of course, or Gandalf brushing his teeth or something…).

And yes, Master Gavin, I do seem to remember the Pechenegs/Patzinaks coming up in an earlier chat, now that you mention it, I just don’t always remember these things, alas (memory like a lumber room, etc). One oddity of it all, though, so far as JRRT and Variags/Varangians go, is that in LOTR he doesn’t join the dots as regards the Variags of Khand mentioned at the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the “Men of a new sort…broad and grim, bearded like Dwarves, wielding great axes” (as good a description of Varangians as any Saga might muster) that are reported by Ingold. Do you think he might have believed the link to be implicit?
September 2, 2010 at 4:35 pm #11745
Gavin
Participant
I suspect so.

The other thought I had is that they are described as the Variags OF Khand, not the men of Khand. So that these Variags are just one part of the forces used in Khand, or at least one of the tribes. And since the guys “bearded with great axes” attack Cair Andros, one could assume that they come from the northern approaches to Mordor. Which would lead me to suspect that there’s some sort of trade route or something, down from the north, past Rhun and Mordor to Khand. And the Variags come down that route to fight in Khand’s wars.

For the uninitiated, the Varangian guard, the viking defenders of the emporer of Byzantium were always described as being heavily beaded and they all carried these huge axes. The later English Huscarls were probably modelled on the Varangian Guard, and there seems to have been a lot of crossover. Certainly after 1066, lots of English elite soldiers fetched up in Byzantium. They even had a few replays of Normans vs English over there. (The Varangians lost)

So I do suspect the Variags are (or were, formerly) a tribe of Northmen, or even a type of Northmen, who fought alongside the forces of evil for money alongside the “proper” Easterlings and the “proper” Southrons.
September 2, 2010 at 4:55 pm #11746
Barliman
Participant
Bloody Normans (sorry, slipped into a bit of Bree dialect there).
September 2, 2010 at 5:03 pm #11747
Theobald
Participant
Huoommm … I doubt so.
At least about some that was said here lately …
September 2, 2010 at 5:41 pm #11748
Gavin
Participant
Barliman wrote:

Bloody Normans (sorry, slipped into a bit of Bree dialect there).

Been watching the Beeb’s Norman series, have we?
September 2, 2010 at 6:23 pm #11750
Barliman
Participant
Actually, not yet, though I’ve got it recorded on my Sky box to watch some time.
September 2, 2010 at 9:55 pm #11757
Turambar
Participant
Have you noticed the similarity of the new M released dunnish warrior and the M008 ?!
I think this is con-genious!
[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_m525-helmsdeep2.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_m525-helmsdeep2.jpg[/imgz]

[imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_m_008a.png]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_m_008a.png[/imgz]
September 2, 2010 at 11:10 pm #11760
Gavin
Participant
Good, isn’t it?

I do, eventually, want to collect a Mithril Dunland warband, complete with trackers, scouts, shamans, Carynx players and so on. These guys will have more Celt/Pict looking shields. If I am still willing, later, I’ll collect a Dunnish warband in Saruman’s service, with the big hexagonal White Hand shields.

Some of these guys might make excellent Beornings, too.
September 3, 2010 at 6:42 am #11763
Thingol
Participant
I have also notice this Christoph… this is the proof that master Man still have saved all memories deep into his mind drawers… like a Napoleon….

and about HD2 soon we would see another part of this release…. strawheads ! I’m really curious….
September 3, 2010 at 1:25 pm #11769
Gildor
MMP Elder
Thingol wrote:

I have also notice this Christoph… this is the proof that master Man still have saved all memories deep into his mind drawers… like a Napoleon….

and about HD2 soon we would see another part of this release…. strawheads ! I’m really curious….

(or that he is using my database when he has to look for prior ideas and releases to find inspiration *whistle…* (which he told me he was doing )
September 3, 2010 at 2:37 pm #11772
Barliman
Participant
Saves having to remember, which becomes steadily more difficult as the years go by. Why, I often get down into the cellar and can’t remember why I’ve gone down there. So I just pop a couple more dead rats in the scrumpy vat and come back up here until I remember. That’s why the scrumpy has more body these days. Literally.
September 3, 2010 at 3:04 pm #11774
Theobald
Participant
Huuooommmrhuoommm …. Ent enters …

Ent (*wistles, too, and smiles*)
Huoommm … I know, Master Gildor. There you had a qualified reaction for what such a
database might be good for. Rhuoohmmm.

( exit Ent)
September 3, 2010 at 3:06 pm #11775
Theobald
Participant
Huoommm … alas, might better keep from trying to write one-act plays, meseems …
September 3, 2010 at 4:20 pm #11778
Barliman
Participant
That or act better in them. Your performance was definitely wooden.
September 3, 2010 at 5:05 pm #11783
Theobald
Participant
Huoommmm … just a lack of rehearsal meseems, Master Barliman … anyway, I’ll try to improve … rhuoommm … not wooden … more energy, enthusiasm … better poses and gestures …
huoommm … that’s what you mean … but … give me time, please, as I cannot haste all this – as you might know … rhuuooommmmmmmmmmm …
September 3, 2010 at 11:13 pm #11798
Turambar
Participant
Enter Archer:
Set: the cellar:
“mmh , what is the reason of my stay here in the cellar . . .? “
September 4, 2010 at 1:43 am #11804
hsf62
Participant
Could it be, that scrumpy has anything to do with memory loss????
September 4, 2010 at 5:35 am #11805
Barliman
Participant
You’re after free scrumpy, aren’t you? Well, you’ll just have to go back upstairs and pay like everyone else.
September 4, 2010 at 9:28 am #11807
Theobald
Participant
Huoommmm …. alas, I knew that our barkeep would easily guess why we’re down here, Master Rita.de … huoomm … I told you before, you cannot fool with him … rhuoommm …
September 4, 2010 at 10:58 am #11808
Barliman
Participant
That’s interesting. Master Holger’s message wasn’t here when I replied to Master Archer, but now it has suddenly appeared – very odd!
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