Barrow-Downs Birthday Party at the Fields of Cormallen

[Samwise]

Sam: *winces* Ooh. What a perfectly good waste of food!

Stacey: Oh, brother...I'm going to go look for Frodo. *Ducks plate of lembas, then walks across the feild*

[Rose Cotton]

Rose flings a cake which lands on Samwise's head.
She then gets a plate of Lembas in her face.

"I'll get you Galadriel!" She tosses a punch bowl at Galadriel.

[Galadrie1]

The bowl of punch hits Galadriel, but she it has no affect on her dress. She doens't even feel wet! She grabs a huge chocolate-frosted cake, and throws it at Rose "give up! you can't win!" She screams, as the cake flies through the air

[Laiedheliel]

Accepting the coffee and sipping it slowly, not because it's hot but because Laie had a serious problem with coffee, she watched the fangirls chasing Legolas and laughs. It was nice to see, until a hobbit started loosing her bow on the girls. She cried aloud, but began again to laugh when it missed.

Laie dodged the spray of the punch bowl Rosa threw at Galadriel and wondered at Gala's dress (can I call you Gala? it's easier to type!), because no stain developed there. But, because her own clothes were not stain-repelling, she ducked under a table to sheild herself from the flying food, keeping an eye out for more of her friends and watching the food fight develop.

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel looks under the table quickly "sure, you can call me Gala. Can I call you Laie?"

[Samwise]

Sam: Oh, my.....*Lifts the cake off, shakes the crumbs out of his hair Oh dear....frosting.....I'll get that out, later then ducks behind a tree to finish it off*

[Laiedheliel]

"Of course, everybody does! My full name is just to long and hard to pronounce," she laughed, tossing the coffee slyly over her shoulder. Just as she did and said all this, another plate of mushrooms went whizzing by. "Awww, that was a waste of good mushrooms! What are we going to do now?"

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Laiedheliel ]

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel runs and picks up the mushrooms, and brings them back to Laie, shouting "five-second rule! they're still good!!!"

[Laiedheliel]

Laie giggles, and she and Gala start to wolf down mushrooms like they wouldn't be there tomarrow ('cuz they wouldn't!) Gala gets hit with another plate of food, and again leaves Laie in awe of her amazing dress-there was no stain! "Where did you get that dress? What is it made out of?"

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel gets up and throws some random food in some random direction, then comes back to Laie. "I decided yesterday that i didn't remember where i got this dress, or what it was made of. Sorry.". She gets hit with some cookies, so she runs out to do some more random throwing..

[Losthuniel]

betwen the braches of a tall tree, there came the glint of sun on eyes. the branche began to sway and with a slow CREAK began to crack. it landed with a crash and out of the tangle of brancheshopped an elf-maiden. she was wearing white, like all Lorien elves, and carried a silver harp. at the moment she was extremly red in the face, and looked around surreistiosly to see if anyone had seen her rather undignified desent. thankfully, no one was near. she got up, dusted herself off, plucked the majority of leaves from her hair, and set about to find her mistress. Galadriel was engagd in a food fight. Celebaewen ducked a punch bowl and apologized
" beg pardon, my lady, im so late"
suddenly, the sound of Smash Mouth's "all star" came over the feild. they left off their food fight and began to wander to the stage "your harp again?" the elf-maids ears went red. the blasted instrument had burst a string AGAIN, and celebaewen, being herself, didnt have any spares. Many of the guests were going down to the stage to dance, including Alathariel. she was disscussing high polotics with some elf that looked as if regecide was suddenly an option. Celebaewen snorted in an unladylike manner, and snorted something about dynamite and regicide.suddenly, a large pink rabbit appered. Celebaewen groaned. " i am going to talk to Mithdan about the random events generator! what if it suddenly decideds to bring Smaug back to life?" she heard an odd voice inside her head
" if you dont get off that computer RIGHT NOW i will permanently ban it!"
"ahhh! yes mum!"

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel, quite amused at the fact that she has a minstrel, decides to quit the food fight, and starts spinning again. "Join me, Laie?" she calls out to the table. "Oh alright. fine," comes a muffled voice from underneath it, "but if i get hit by any food, i'm outta here!" Laie and Galadriel grab each other's hands and start spinning, Titanic style, of course...

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ]

[Laiedheliel]

Though she had been hesitant at first (afraid of whizzing food bullets!), once Laie starting spinning again, she laughed merrily and bid Galadriel to spin faster. "This is so much fun!" she shouted as plates of food and bottles rushed past the pair. Gala looked longingly at the bottles, and Laie giggled again.

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel brushes a tear from her eye as she sees a bottle flying by (hey, great poetry). She just keeps on spinning, though...

[ElanorGamgee]

Elanor sees that the escape plan has been foiled and poor Legolas has been treed by the dangerous group of young ladies again. "Aarghhhh!" she screams, thoroughly frusterated, grabing a couple of pies and hurling them at the girls. "Keep away from him! My own! My love! My precioussssss!" She stops suddenly and scratches her head. "Did I say that?" Officially freaked out, she wanders off to get a Dr.Pepper to calm her nerves, leaving Legolas climbing as high up as the tree as he dares, screaming for help in Elvish. Elanor turns around slowly and sighs. "Ok, ok, I'll do my best," she says, picking up some more tasty ammo. "But if I turn into a Gollum-ish freak, you'll pay." Suddenly she has another idea. "Hey look, it's N*Sync!" she screams, pointing to a pavillion. It works! The girls run away screaming. Phew, close call!

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: ElanorGamgee ]

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel stops spinning long enough to watch the defeat of the fan-girls "YAY! GO ELANOR!!!!" she screams, then continues spinning...

[Samwise]

*Stacey walks past the remaining guests, noting a black tent, but not going near*
*Sighs* Oh, well. Sorry we missed Frodo. Wonder where Sam and Prim got to?
*Chuckles* I hope Prim hasn't gotten mad and speared anyone....
*She wanders to a tree away from the crowd, sits down and leans her back against it. A tear comes to her eye, but she blinks it away.*
Should have known this party would be a downer. Reminds me of the "I'm not popular days" in school, 'cept I haven't got my "geeky" friends to be with....
*Sighs and looks out over the un-vandalized parts of the fields.*
Oh, well, at least the scenery's pretty.
*Closes her eyes and chuckles*
A three....jeez, Prim, like it matters...
*Feels a bit sad again* Too bad we couldn't have run into the Barrow-wight or Mithidan, though. That at least would have made it more worth it....
*Leans her head back and closes her eyes again, thinking of how to go on with The Adventure of Primrose Gamgee....

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel notices someone sitting against her tree.. she leaves Laie "i'll be back soon," she promises before she leaves. She approaches the figure, it's a human woman, who introduces herself as Stacey. "Hiya, Stacey. Wanna spin? want some coffee?" she asks as she pulls a thermos full of coffee from some pocket on her dress, grabs stacey's hand, and pulls her back to where Laie is waiting...

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ]

[Samwise]

Primrose: *Yawns, thougroughly bored.* Tries walking, but nearly trips on the dress* Argh! Why did papa make me wear this horrid thing!?!?
*she tucks the hem of the skirt into the waist of her knee pants, and she can walk*
Whew! Now maybe at least I can find a coney to shoot so I can bring it home for dinner...
*looks at the food on the ground sadly*

[Samwise]

Stacey:*Feeling a bit out of place* Hi--I came with the Gamgees....*Looks around* Though I have no idea where either of them could be at the moment...

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel grins. "OK, now, Laie and stacey hold hands, and i'll hold hands with both Laie, AND stacey, making a circle, see? NOW, spin!!!!!" So they spin...

[Samwise]

Stacey:*chuckles*Whoa.....

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel steps out of the spinning-circle. the runs a bit around Laie and Stacey until she has them all fixed up in Titanic-stlye spinning.
"you guys can stop spinning whenever you want! See ya!"
She walks over to her tree, hoping the party will still be going on when she wakes up.
She closes her eyes, and begins to dream...

She's the teenage girl again...
She has to go to bed, then to school..
She hopes with all her might that the party will still be going on tomorrow, after school.....

[ May 21, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ]

[Thinhyandoiel]

Thinhyandoiel looks around the place, now covered in various dishes of good food. All her clean-up work for nothing! Hurrying to meet Niere in the middle, having gotten lost on the way the first time *nervous laugh* Thin shows her the full trash bag she was able to collect, and is rewarded with a brand new trash bag.
"Drat. Hey look! Someone brought more ale! I'll just pretend I'm 18, walk over there whilst I collect pies and such from the floor, and help myself to a pint!"

[Birdland]

Birdie leans over Piosenniel's shoulder as she reads the note from C.7.A. "Alright! She's in!" exclaims Birdie.

"Now wait just a minute", fumes Chile', "That's not what that note said!"

"But it's Contrary Day, Sharon! 'No' means 'yes', red means green, 'don't walk' means 'run like heck', AND..." Birdie beams, 'I am now a semi-respectable dweller in the Barrow-downs' means 'Up against the wall, Mithadan!!!'

Birdie watches as C.7.A sputters and rolls her eyes. "Well, if you didn't want it to be Contrary Day, you should have called it first." states Birdie huffily.

"Come to think of it, though", says Piosenniel, the REG seems to be not working on anyone but us, lately."

The three look around the party; people are primly bagging trash. Not a good sign. Some fan girls are chasing Legolas around the the fields, but that's nothing new. Samwise and family are standing in a corner, looking like they'd rather be planting taters then wasting their time here. Birdie's Essence of Entdraught seems to have no effect except to give people the spins. Even the dragons look a little forlorn.

"But what's wrong with the REG?" thinks Birdland. Then she sees a giant pink rabbit strolling by. Well, that's a start.

[Samwise]

Samwise: *Finally coming out from behind the tree, having finished off the last of the cake* Mmm. Well, that was worth it. Miss Stacey? Tiny Rose? smilies/eek.gif Oh, dear! I hope Primrose hasn't gotten mad and shot someone through! *Looks frantically around for his daughter*

[piosenniel]

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your soul it will creep . . .
. . . Step outta line,
The Man come and take you away . . .

The last strains from Buffalo Springfield come to a scratchy halt as Birdie took the 45 carefully, with fingers touching only the rim and edge, off the turntable and inserted it into the parchment sleeve. 'Sigh, cd's are nice, but these dusty discs have a really full character . . . ' she remarked fondly.

'OK, I'm with you, pio.' she says. 'What's the plan?'

'Well, I don't exactly have a Plan plan, I just thought in the spirit of things we'd improvise. Our first thing we need to do, though is bolster up the courage of C7A. She's just written me a very long note explaining what a respectable hobbit she is, and how Mithadan is some very important Lord of sorts, and how she wants to advance among the dead, and can't afford to offend the powers that be - read Mithadan here. Of course her syntax and sentence structure were much better done than the brief synopsis I just gave you.'

'Hmm!' replied Birdie ' I think she needs the same push out the door that Gandalf gave Bilbo the reluctant thief.'

'Great minds think alike!' exclaimed piosenniel. 'Besides, I was sort of half planning for her to ply those hobbity thief traits. & I also had plans for the Massive Tome to figure into the plan at some point.'

Night was drawing near, groups of straggling party-goers were seen settling in for rounds of stories by the bonfire and the occasional hot chocolate with marshmallows or draughts of what ale was left. Birdie handed pio some black grease paint to paint both their faces and each donned a black beret. Steering clear of the bright flames of the fire they set out in search of C7A, whom they found sitting at the back of a group of hobbits, in the shadows, hoping not to be noticed. Putting an arm through each of hers, and clamping a firm hand over her protesting mouth, they dragged her gently to a stand of rocks not too far away.

'Child', whispered piosenniel in her ear.'I have an inducement sure to make you change your mind about coming with us. Treasure!'

'Treasure!!' squeaked Child, removing the muffling hand from her mouth. A sudden gleam came into her eye. 'What exactly do you mean?'

'Well, three things actually,' replied pio thinking fast.'1.) I have enough silver pennies in this bag here to pay off the postage plus interest for all of the Shire. It's yours if you come with us. 2.) I've found a publisher for your Massive Tome - prepared to pay handsomely for the rights to printing it - red leather cover, gold lettering, your name in big, big letters. 3.)Birdie and I are prepared to go to each thread you make a reply to and enter into long debate with you until you've become a Ghost Prince of Cardolan, and beyond. Now how does that sound?'

C7A furrowed her brow and went deep into analysis of the problem.

In the darkness, piosenniel's elven eyes could see Birdie rolling her eyes at the promises made. Birdie hissed quietly at her 'You're not going to tell her *where* you got those pennies, are you?! I saw you wiping the mold off them just before you came to get me! Don't you think HE'll miss them?!'

'I'll deal with that later -- I think I have a few more Ages left in me. Some plan will come along!'

'Well, Child, you with us?'

A reluctant hand reached for the greasepaint and the beret offered; the other, more insistant hand grabbed the sack of pennies and secured them in the waistband sash of her pants.

Standing in a tight circle, and placing hands on each other's shoulders they swore to keep the rest of the party safe from random generated events. Tightening the black leather vambraces on her arms, and securing her bow to her back, pio stated firmly: 'Let us hunt some lordling!'

'Yessss' cried Birdie, Child, shaking her head bemusedly muttered -'You 2 have seen the movie far too many times!!'

::Later, down the trail toward the bar . . .::

'Just how important and powerful is this Mithadan' said pio to Birdie. 'Beats me!' came the reply.

In the trailing darkness, Child sighed, rolled her eyes at the folly of this venture, and, trusting in the Hand of Providence, hoped the consequences of 'evil' by choice would not be too disastrous.

[Samwise]

Primrose: *Coming back to the fire after an unsucessful hunt, finding her father and Stacey sitting down with hot chocolate and listening to stories*

Sam: *Looks at her sleepily* Prim, where have you...nevermind.

Stacey: *Glancing up at the stars* Oh, well. The party was probably too wild for me, anyway.

Sam: *Yawning* Me, too. I'm getting too old. This is rather nice, though.

Primrose: *settling down next to her father and leaning her head on his shoulder* Yeah...

[Rose Cotton]

Rose is satisfied with her attempt to liven things up.

She walks over to Sam to apologise for the Cake accident.

" I wish the Barrow Wright would come back out. Really, his own party and he spends almost no time enjoying it."she says to him.

Then she goes to spin with Stacy and Laie.

[Rose Cotton]

( Yes! Frodo still hasn't gotten his necklace back)

[Samwise]

Sam: *Smiles* Not a problem, Rosie. It was rather tasty, actually.

[Daisy Sandybanks]

Daisy accepts the asprin Sindacuion gave to her graciously and quickly gulps it down
with a glass of wine. “Wait a minute....” Daisy slowly and reluctently swallows before
realizing what she had just done. “”Uh-oh.... drugs and alcohol don’t mix......” Daisy groans and sits down in the grass next to a passed out, drooling Orc. Suddenly hearing twigs snapping and leaves rustling above her, Daisy jumps to her feet and starins her neck upwards. There, sitting all alone, is Sin. who had given her the asprin. “Sindacuion, darling, what are you doing up there all by yourself?” asks Daisy. “Come down from there, the least that we could both do is help clean up this unsightly joint.” Not waiting for him to make his way down, Daisy grabs a trash bag and begins to pick up bits of garbage here and there. “Well.... this is just fantastic” she grumbles “I came hopping to have a fun time, and what do I end up doing? Picking up trash and having what must be the worst headache I have ever had....” Though being just a bit angry, Daisy continues to do her part in helping out. As s

[Daisy Sandybanks]

(Heh, sorry, that last post didn't seem to quite make it....)

Daisy accepts the asprin Sindacuion gave to her graciously and quickly gulps it down
with a glass of wine. “Wait a minute....” Daisy slowly and reluctently swallows before
realizing what she had just done. “”Uh-oh.... drugs and alcohol don’t mix......” Daisy groans and sits down in the grass next to a passed out, drooling Orc. Suddenly hearing twigs snapping and leaves rustling above her, Daisy jumps to her feet and starins her neck upwards. There, sitting all alone, is Sin. who had given her the asprin. “Sindacuion, darling, what are you doing up there all by yourself?” asks Daisy. “Come down from there, the least that we could both do is help clean up this unsightly joint.” Not waiting for him to make his way down, Daisy grabs a trash bag and begins to pick up bits of garbage here and there. “Well.... this is just fantastic” she grumbles “I came hopping to have a fun time, and what do I end up doing? Picking up trash and having what must be the worst headache I have ever had....” Though being just a bit angry, Daisy continues to do her part in helping out. As she goes from table to table (or passed out creature to passed out creature...) Daisy catches bits of conversations going on in various tents, somthing about the Beatles playing here, spiked Dr. Pepper, food fights and other random weirdness that she decided to just overlook. “Hmmm.... this place has become somthing of a Middle Earth Woodstock it seems...” she mumbles to herslelf while plucking off a peice of toilet paper hanging from a nearby branch and stuffing it into her all ready full trash bag. Seeing that many of the creatures about are leaving, and that the party seems to be almost over, Daisy throws her trash bag onto a heap of other trash bags and walks over to nearby stream to wash herself off.

[Veritas]

As it seems that when she's awake, most people are resting, she dicides to play a game of chesswith with a little dwarf that's looking a bit angry.
"Why are you looking this angry?" the wizard asks.
"Me beard is not the longest of this party." he growls, "Gimli's longer."
Veritas thinks he doesn't like chess so asks him if he want to play a game of gambling.
"What have you to offer?" asks the dwarf.
"Nothing, a glass of wine for the winner!" the wizard replies laughing.
"Nothing to offer, I'm not in for playing!" cries the dwarf with a heard voice. A few people are looking in their way. Then the dwarf takes off to be not been seen again by Veritas.
"A pity, ah well, what does it matter, and she sits down at a table where dire Halflings are sleeping above their ale.
"Another wine please!"

[Veritas]

When one of the tree (sorry, last message was a mistake) Halflings awakes, Veritas asks if he wants to play a game of chess. This time the answer was satisfying, but halfway the game, the Halfling fals asleep again. The wizard thinks that she just have to wait until everybody's awake, and the party is rising again.

[Rose Cotton]

Rose stops spinning and goes to sit down,

"I must stay awake" She looks around hoplessly as almost everyone else is in a doze.

I thought this party was going to last longer than this.It hasn't been even 3 days yet. How pathetic.


She goes to play a game of chess.

[Rose Cotton]

After losing a game of chess Rose decides to take a look at the Random Events Generator.

The Random Events Generator:

-Silly Events

-Scary Events

-Suprising Events

-Imposible Events

"Hm, I think I'll try the Imposible Events."

SUDDENLY A HUGE MOVIE SCREEN APEARS.

THE MOVIE STARTS PLAYING.

THE TITLE SAYS:

THE TWO TOWERS


"Hey everyone wake up!!!!!!! This really is imposible. Oh well. Come on everyone, you don't want to miss this,"

Rose grabs a seat and some popcorn and starts to watch the movie.

[Estelyn Telcontar]

At the edge of the Cormallen Fields, Estelyn and Chrysophylax sat, talking quietly. A common love for all things Tolkien had yet again succeeded in reconciling two formerly hostile races; the princess and the dragon had become fast friends.

Estelyn looked down at her dancing shoes regretfully – she would have loved to keep going, but apparently everyone was either sleeping or cleaning up. The festivities would hopefully continue with the dawning of the new day, but until then, what was an enterprising princess to undertake?

“This will never do,” she thought. “I am Estelyn of the House of Telcontar – I do not get deserted by all of my dancing partners!” With a sudden gleam in her eyes, she whispered to Chrysophylax and kicked off her sliver slippers, hoping that some gallant gentleman/dwarf/hobbit/elf would find them for her later.

She carefully mounted the dragon’s back and held on while he spread his wings and circled the party grounds. They spotted Sindacuion in his tree; he was so startled when the dragon flew under his branch that he dropped right onto Chrysophylax’ back. “Hang on,” shouted Estelyn, “we’re going for a ride!”

Now for the other dance partner, who had basely deserted not only the princess but also the Barrow-Downs’ birthday party! “Beatles concert indeed!” she humphed, “who needs a yellow submarine when you can have a live dragon?!” Chrysophylax swooped over the concert grounds, where only a few stragglers lingered. One looked particularly apathetic and melancholy. “That’s Stephanos, alright!” Estelyn cried out, and the dragon landed next to him just long enough for Sind and Esty to grab a hand each and pull him onto Chrys’ back. Bewilderment gave way to recognition, then to fear, then to delight as they rose higher and higher above the party fields.

“Now for the show,” Estelyn urged, “or the sun will rise and spoil the effect!” Chrysophylax began producing the most wonderful fireworks, combining smoke rings with fire images for spectacular effects. The cleaning crews stopped and gazed in wonder; those sleeping awoke, frightened and thinking it was a nightmare at first, then awed in astonished appreciation.

A proud Chrysophylax was greeted by enthusiastic applause as he landed near the Barrow-Wight’s tent-encased mound. (“Do be careful not to come too close to Cimmerian,” Estelyn had admonished him, “if he realizes that you’re a talking dragon, he’ll pester you to take part in the RPGs!” smilies/wink.gif

As the sun rose to a new day of partying, Estelyn stood on Chrysophylax’ back and led the assembled Barrow-Downers in a rousing song:

“Happy Deathday to you,
happy Deathday to you,
happy Deathday, dear Barrow-Wight,
happy Deathday to you!”

[Rose Cotton]

Wow! That was great, but Um....if you didn't notice,

LOOK WHAT THE RANDOM EVENTS GENERATOR DID!!!!!!

*POINTS TO THE MOVIE SCREEN PLAYING THE TWO TOWERS*

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion, still startled from the dragon ride, looks at the fireworks in astonishment. "Wow.. That's just amazing.." he whispers to Estelyns ear. "Yes, of course." Estelyn replies. "Well, I think I'll head back to my tree now.." he says. "No way! You're not going back there!" Before Sind can say but, Estelyn has grabbed his arm. The princess drags him to the dance floor. Suddenly, out of the blue, there came music, music of the Elves. Sind grabbed Estelyns other hand, now holding both of her hands. They begin to spin as the music grows stronger. "Is this a party or what!!"

[Sindacuion]

Suddenly, the music changes... into a birthday song! Sindacuion adds his share to the singing.

"Happy deathday to you,
happy deathday to you,
happy deathday dear Barrow-Wight,
happy deathday to you!!"

smilies/biggrin.gif

[Rimbaud]

"Yes, well, that's just what comes from messing with royalty," muttered Stephanos, carefully brushing dragon scale glitter from his very very crushed velvet jacket. "I've really been taken for a ride on this one."

Seeing Estelyn beaming insouciantly at him, he managed a wan smile in return. He hoped no-one had seen his lunch, deposited with the fireworks some minutes earlier. He still felt rather shaken, albeit not stirred. Straining his ears, he found he could no longer discern the Fab Four and he supposed that the REG had cancelled that ill-fated reunion. A pity...they were playing songs that had never been played live before...

He bowed to Sindacuion, his dragon riding Padawan, who was murmuring softly about the need for pastries and muffins. He noticed Rosa Baggins sitting near-by staring blankly into space. Her could not discern what she was staring so fixatedly upon; he shrugged and looked around for other amusements.

Seeing that someone had dared to enter Bee-Dubya's tent, he emitted a low rasping chuckle as the sound of gnawing bones floated through the stiff black canvas opening.

He saw The Frodo Lives clan planning their folly against Mithadan. He adjusted his own badge, given to him in childhood by an older friend, who had clearly predicted the young man he would become with unerring accuracy, proudly and thought of joining them but realised that hugging trees in the 80s and writing faintly anarchial anti-globalisation texts in the 90s probably didin't match up to 60s and 70s student radicalism. Instead he retook his place under the tree, after flourishing an unnecessarily elaborate bow to the radiant Princess Estelyn, and opened a book of poems and other works by Arthur Rimbaud.

Who da poet?

Soon thereafter, zifnab came and sat beside him and Estelyn too. They sat in companionable silence as twinkle, Telchar and Glorfindel crossed the dew-sodden lawns towards them. The sun awoke, sending pink illuminations darting across the impenetrable depth of morning blue-black sky.

They sat and watched as Arien stained the canvas with lights fantastic. Stephanos smiled contentedly; he saw other companions come to sit beneath the canopy of branches. An amalgamation of friends and acquaintances all drawn together by this daily wonder. As he watched a young hobbit girl lower her tousled head into the Princess Tar-Miriel's lap with sleep, a poem came to mind.

He cleared his throat and gently quoted, words from the tortured young lady Emily Dickinson:


’T IS sunrise, little maid, hast thou
No station in the day?
’T was not thy wont to hinder so,—
Retrieve thine industry.

’T is noon, my little maid, alas!
And art thou sleeping yet?
The lily waiting to be wed,
The bee, dost thou forget?

My little maid, ’t is night; alas,
That night should be to thee
Instead of morning! Hadst thou broached
Thy little plan to me,
Dissuade thee if I could not, sweet,
I might have aided thee.

*********************************

The loneliest tear in a thousand years escaped his eye and travelled earthwards. Remembrance fierce within him, he gathered his friends in his sight and blessed them thricely.

Happy Birthday.

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Stephanos ]

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion is deeply touched by Stephanos' words. As the flood gates open, he retires to his tree. He gets out the box of tissues and sits on the branch, alone...

[Sindacuion]

"Oh! Now I remember!!" Sindacuion looks in his pocket. "Uh oh.. Pastry gone bad.. Nah!" Sind grabs the pastry and stuffs it in his mouth. "Hmm.. Ugh.. I think it had ants in it.."

[Mithadan]

As the new day dawns, Mithadan wanders back from the concert field. A pun wraith floats by bearing a fistful of citations for Stephanos (I warned him... $10 for the first pun, $25 for each subsequent offense). To his surprise, not only has the party wound down a bit but also a number of guests were cleaning...CLEANING! This will not do. He pulls a laptop from behind one of the bars, enters the administrators' area and clears the cache. Then...refresh...and the detritus of two days of partying have disappeared. He e-mails the catering company to send over more food and refreshments, then stretches. Behind him, a twig snaps. He spins around only to find Pio, Birdie and Cof7A standing together, each looking in a different direction with hands clasped behind their backs. Also, they are whistling innocently. He turns away. That wasn't suspicious at all...

[Kuruharan]

Estelyn, come back here with my dragon! You don't know what he's trying to do! He's lulling you into a false sense of security. When you are not watching he'll pounce and eat you!!!

You know how dragons are about princesses. Kind of like how Barrow Wights are always having to abduct and sacrifice people. It's their nature. smilies/wink.gif

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo has just finished stuffing his face (and pockets) with the overlooked toseed mushrooms *gasp* Sam?? SAM!!!! He does a little skip and jump over to where Sam, Primrose, and Stacey are. "Well you finally got here. Hehe I'd hug all of you but you'd get pie all over you *buisily brushing pie off his clothes with a red silk pocket-handkerchief* "I spent a whole day on this outfit and now look!! And I still don't have my necklace back *sigh* Well, at least youre here and Tiny Rose, I may say you look rather beautiful this evening
People this party is supposed to last 15 days we still have 13 to go, Stop asking if it's over!!!!!

[Niere-Teleliniel]

Niere stands in the middle of the chaos, wide-eyed. "Oooooooooh myyyyyyyyyy." Sighing, she suddenly notices the bulging trashbag in her hand. She shrugs, tosses it aside and goes to find her book. Retrieving it from beneath a pile of rubble, she dusts it off and heads for the nearest egress. "See ya'll back at the language forum!" She yells over her shoulder and then she is gone.

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Niere-Teleliniel ]

[Belin]

Much has been happening, but Belin has been going about her business in the background.. Sometime last night, she somehow managed to find a place to change and reemerged in the simple dress of a freakishly tall hobbit-maid. After a quick snack, a perfectly lovely dance with Stephanos (for which great thanks smilies/smile.gif ), and a chorus of "Happy Deathday," she wanders over toward the gift table.

Of course, it's a hideous and rapidly dimishing mess. Hobbits at birthday parties follow no rules but their own, and many have decided that the lack of labels on the gifts is due to the busy life of the Barrow-Wight, and that they should simply pick the gifts themselves. All around the field, in addition to Princess Estelyn's "party favors," can be seen hobbits decked out in belts, crowns, and some truly astonishing pieces of jewelery. What a generous and open-handed Barrow-Wight! thinks Belin, then stops to consider. Something about the yoking of the terms "generous" and "barrow-wight" strikes an ominous chord, or maybe that's just the organ music one of the Shirriffs has begun to play. Is he playing for them, Belin wonders, or for the fall of a semi-respectable hobbit into conspiracy? At any rate, he's very good, and seems to have missed his true calling in life, doubtless because of the lack of organs in Middle-Earth.

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]

[piosenniel]

Mithadan returned the laptop to it's place behind the bar, & flipped on the the neon welcome sign - a ghastly greenish hued hand with the index finger beckoning thirsty partygoers. A hastily scrawled sign,in runic characters by some passing southron, identified this particular watering hole as the Khumaun Inn.

His attention taken by setting up the bar and polishing pint mugs, he took no notice of the trio as they approached the bar in a studiously casual manner.

Entering the bar, the trio halted just inside the doorway, blinking the sunlight from their eyes. The interior was dark shading up to dim where pale sunlight trickled through the dense holly leaves making up a sort of portico at the cave entrance.

Pio poked C7A gently in the ribs, just enough to stop her from her now nervous sounding whistling. 'I think it best if you stop whistling the "Knife in the Dark" theme!', she whispers in her companion's ear.

C7A glared at pio, kicking herself mentally for agreeing to go along. Her eyes swept the room and fixed on Mithadan. Her short gasping intake of breath and a hasty step backward toward the door brought his attention to the trio.

'What can I get you, ladies?! Miruvor? Ale? A glass of water for the gasping hobbit? Take a seat at the the bar, there's plenty of room!'

The room seemed curiously empty. A little chill shivered up the back of pio's neck. Spying a familiar looking wizard sitting in the dim recesses of a booth, she nodded toward her and said to the barkeep, 'A round of dwarf spirits, if you please - and one for my friend here. We'll be joining her.'

'I live but to serve!' came the reply from behind the bar. A ghostly smile playing about the corners of his lips.

'Birdie, get Child into the booth, and see if you can do something about that whimpering. She's starting to sound like Bilbo before his adventures with the dwarves.'

Pio turned her attention to Veritas, who sat quietly taking in the scene and fingering the edges of an empty chessboard. 'So,long time, no see, my northern friend. What are you doing on this gloriously sunny day, sitting in this gloomy place?'

The long sad story of an ill-timed arrival at the party and the rude refusal of a dwarf to play a friendly game of chess without the promise of a wager took up the next 10 minutes, punctuated finally by the arrival of a large flagon of dwarven spirits and 5 silver goblets.

'5 goblets?' queried pio. 'There are only 4 of us here.'

Mithadan, his smile now in full bloom, poured the 5 drinks and raised one high in the direction of the trio. 'To your very good health, ladies; & a pleasant day for all!' '& to you, good wizard, you are in some *interesting* company. To your continued good health while you're with them!' & with those last words, he slammed back his drink and returned, humming, to the bar.

'Should I be sitting near you?', said Veritas. 'There seems a dangerous friction in the air!'

'Don't worry, Veritas. We have things well in hand, don't we girls?'

'I'm not so sure about that,' replied Birdie, fanning Child who had fainted dead away at the approach of Mithadan. Gulping her own drink down, she trickled a thin stream into the mouth of Child, who sputtered once, opened an eye for a furtive glance about, and then crawled under the table with her goblet.

'Why is he standing over there with a decidedly Cheshire cat grin on his face?', asked Birdie. 'Don't know.', said pio. 'But now's the time to put our plan into action.'

'P-p-p-p-p-plan?! What plan?' came the thin voice from beneath the table.

'Don't worry, I have one. Now get up here and listen to it.'

Three heads huddled together; the rise and fall of hushed arguing accompanied by wild gesturing and the slamming of goblets on the table filled the small corner of the room. Veritas leaned back in the booth, as if to distance herself as far as possible from the trio, but not far enough that the flagon couldn't be reached.

'We're agreed, then,?', said pio, looking pointedly at each of her companions. They nodded their heads mutely. 'Let's have another drink, and then we're for it!'

Birdie downed her drink and glanced toward Mithadan whose ghostly smile was now directed entirely at their table.'Why do I feel as if I've walked into Shelob's Lair?!, she shuddered to herself.

[Daisy Sandybanks]

To distraut to thoroughly read the last couple of posts, Daisy cleans herslef off in the stream. She makes a hasty attempt to comb her hair with her own fingers, and takes her leave, walking at a fast pace from the not so enjoyable party. Singing quietly to herself, Daisy disappears into a low mist on the ground.
"Happy birthday to you…
Happy birthday to you…
Happy birthday dear Barrow-Wight…
Happy birthday to you…"

(Great party everyone! I really enjoyed it! Keep posting! And, again HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARROW-DOWNS!!!!)

[Child of the 7th Age]

(LOL)

Treasure, did someone mention TREASURE? And my own leatherbound volume.....?

It's amazing how such things make one bolder. (Tears of joy streamed down Child's sweet face.) She had begin to relax noticeably and was no longer shaking. Pictures of a tall and vengeful Mithadan faded into oblivion, as she envisioned showing off this new tomb (er, tome)to her admiring friends.

Then, to the dismay of her companions Birdland and Piosenniel, Child began
speaking of several related and unrelated topics in quite loud tones. Birdland hesitated to stop her, but rolled her eyes upwards as she knew from experience that this might go on for some time.

Child fondly related: "I do have certain points in common with my relation Bilbo Baggins. Did you know I was his fifth cousin twice removed?.... He has promised me that I may add a very small appendix to the revised Purple Book of Westmarch which is due to be reissued later this year in connection with the retelling of the story of the Twin (that is, Two!) Towers."

"And, of course, Bilbo and I do like a bit of treasure now and then as long as there are no rings involved. Hobbits get quite nervous when it comes to rings. We far prefer bracelets and necklaces."

"But to be frank, I am a far better burglar than that rascal Bilbo. Despite what Master Tolkien implies, female hobbits have superior skills in this regard. We are always needing to hide our mushrooms and other food, since we have children who may sneak into the pantry and devour everything in sight. So we mothers have become extremely clever in the art of concealment."

"Now, when you first mentioned a conspiracy, I had assumed you meant that I should instantly go and steal Sting from Frodo(who by the way is my fourth cousin twice removed) and then run Mithadan though with this sword. This seemed a bit ambitious for one of my size and nature."

"Plus, I would not like to distress cousin Frodo unduly as he is already laying on the ground and hyperventilating in relation to some piece of jewelry which he has evidently mislaid."

"But, should you require the skills of an expert burglar, with no assasination thrown in, I am confident that something might be arranged. Any swordplay or other violent measures would, of course, have to be left to the two of you. (Looks at Piosenniel and Birdland expectently. They have huddled about her in a small circle and are attempting to get Child to lower her voice).

All voices now drop to an indistinguishable whisper....."Now, what sort of theft did you have in mind? Perhaps, the master key to the Barrow-downs, or perhaps something else........."

Mithadan continues to glare at the group from the adjoining table. He takes out a notebook and a writing instrument and begins to scratch slowly on the sheets. Elsewhere the party continues to spin onwards.

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion gets tired of sitting in the tree and climbs down. He doesn't spot very many people. "Where is everybody?! The party isn't over yet!!" He walks down to the buffet table now laden with new food and wine. "Ahh.. Wine." He pours himself some dark red wine and sat down on one of the chairs. As he sat there, he put his hand in his pocket. "What's this?" said he in his mind. He took the object from his pocket and looked at it. "Oh my! It's a necklace! There's some writing here.. 'To FrodoBaggins. Love, Arwen.' Hmm.. That's strange." As he pondered the subject, he decided to keep it for the time being. "I don't think anyone will miss it."
Now, that he had eaten, he wanted to party. "Come on people! The party's just begun!!" He runs to Kuruharan. "Hello! Nice to meet you? Is that dragon yours? Nice pet."

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[Mithadan]

Taking the opportunity to seize a little "down time" after the business of the previous two days, Mithadan elects to tend bar for a while. This will also give him an opportunity to monitor the intake of some of the "less restrained" guests.

Nearby, a large rabbit is engaged in an animated debate with a small balrog about the similarities between LoTR and 'Watership Down'. After several minutes of discussion, the balrog flies (the use of the word "flies" is not metaphorical; this balrog has wings) to seek less confrontational environs. He also notes that a silver tree has suddenly sprouted by the stage. Perhaps the gain on the Random Events Generator should be turned down?

Before he can decide about the REG, Piosennial, Birdland and Cof7A walk over and join Veritas at a table. He takes their strangely nervous order and returns with their refreshments (what is wrong with Cof7A?). Then he sits and pulls out a pen and paper. With a scowl, he begins to write 'Tales from Tol Eressea 5; Whatever happened to that Oliphaunt?' Then he growls and scratches out the title. Writer's block is a horrible thing... The REG is forgotten for now. One thing drives out another as they say.

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[Samwise]

Stacey: *Stretches, yawns, and blinks* What...? oh, yeah...*looks around, then up sleepily into a friendly looking hobbit face.* Frodo? Well, hello, there! Glad we finally found each other!
*Glances at the two hobbits sleeping beside her* Eh...just a sec.....Sam, Prim! SAM! PRIM!
Primrose:*Draws back a fist to her chest, then opens her hand as if letting go of her bowstring* A three, eh? Take that, mister pious Barrow Wight!
Stacey: smilies/rolleyes.gif *Looks apologetically at Frodo* Agh...I think it's cause the story's about HER...
Sam: *Blinks sleepily* What....*His eyes fly open as he sees Frodo! Mister Frodo, sir! Yay! *Jumps up and gives Frodo a (possibly too enthusiastic) squeeze.
Primrose: Huh? *Rolls over. Seeing her father is up, jumps to her feet and yanks her skirt out of her waistband.* M-Mister Frodo? smilies/eek.gif *The tomboy does a nervous curtsey*

[Samwise]

*Stacey, Sam and Primrose get up*
Stacey looks toward the bar, wondering if they actually serve coffee. As she wanders over, she notes someone sitting at a table, appearing to be busily writing. He mumbles something about "Tales of Tol Eressa 5" and she stops.
*GULP* No way. Nowaynowaynoway. It can't be.... smilies/eek.gif

[Sindacuion]

As there was no response from Kuruharan, Sindacuion walked around. He noted the balrog had returned. "I wonder if the wine was spiked too.." He ignores the tiny balrog and goes along the path to the bar. "Could you give me one red wine please, Mith?" Mith fulls a glass on to the top with Oldwinyards. "Ahh.." He sips some of the fine wine and greets the women sitting by the table. "Hello, ladies!" The ladies murmur something to him. Sind sits down and sips more wine. "This party needs more action.." *sigh*

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[Veritas]

While the trio was making up a plan, Veritas sits back and thinks by herself what it could be: A kind of 'waking everybody up' song, or maybe to give everbody a free round of ale? But she thinks that the last one is not nessecary for Child of 7th Age, cuz she's so drunk that she didn't even know where she is. "Personally, I'll go for the first idea," she says to herself, "Although the last one isn't bad too."

After the 'another drink', wich was her 6th since she arrived, she lends over to pio, who seems to be the most awoken one of the trio. "What is that 'plan' of yours?"
"What do you think?" the elf says
"A waking up song, or a free round of drinks?" Veritas gisses
"Hmmm..." Piosenniel thinks loudly, "You'll see... Hé, Birdie, are you ready for the plan?"
"Yes I am!" She replies, "Just one for the road, please." And she gives her glass to Veritas, who took a whole bottle from the bar, just in case anybody was in the need for a drink.
"Well, if everybody's taking another one, I wont stay behind!" That was Child.
"Okay, I think we'll stay here then a lil while." Veritas says softly, still thinking about the 'mysterious plan'.

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel wakes up with a start. She looks around, puzzled. She has not idea what's going on, as she didn't bother to read the last page and a half. She shrugs, pulls a thermos of coffee from some pocket on her dress, and starts to spin around in circles...

[Frodo Baggins]

Never too enthusiastic, Sam! Good to see you. Well, I'm getthing something to eat *walks off*

True C7A hyperventilating is right, but i did not mislay it,(though I have a habit of doing that with my possessions)it was pinched from me by Rose.
frodo decises to qiut chasing Rose, as it seems imposiilbe to catch her anyway. He is sitting at a table over a glass of Old Winyards "My necklace and my jewel, all the pretty emeralds, and rubies, and amethysts, and dark opals, and chrysoberyl. *sigh* and my white jewel. My white jewel, my elven jewel.......
Well *shrug* at least Sam got here.

I got a picture!!!! yayyyy!!!!

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Frodo Baggins ]

[Laiedheliel]

Laie pops up again, probably coming from the dance floor or someplace (she honestly doesn't remember what has happened since last night, and she also didn't bother to read all that...), and glances around. Where is everyone?

She heads down to the tavern and takes a seat at the bar. "What'll ya have?" Mithadan asks.

"Ugh, iced tea please..." she replies. She had the biggest headache in all of Middle Earth, but she was sure it would go away soon...

[Nevfeniel]

Walks over and somehow manages to tap Galadriel on the shoulder (which was very difficult, since she was spinning so fast) and asks, "Galadriel? Aren't you getting dizzy? Or does your magical dress prevent dizzines?"

[Samwise]

Sam *Yawns* Well, perhaps something will get going, now...where in Middle Earth did Miss Stacey get to? Hm....
*He picks up a battered vessel and sets it on the smouldering fire, stoking it a bit.* Mmm...now where to find some coffee....

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel looks at Nev. "yes, it does prevent dizziness, actually." She spins over to Laie. "Hi there!" she exclaims, and sits next to her. She pulls a thermos of coffee from the Mystery pocket and takes a sip...

[Laiedheliel]

"Hi, Gala!" Laie exclaimed, and thanked Mithadan for her drink. "What have you been up to? And does that magic dress of yours have any asprin in it?" Laie smiled a rueful smile, "I think all that wine and spinning has finally gone to my head...but I'll be better soon, if I avoid alcohol..."

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo waves wildly " Sam! SAM!!! Over here!!!!!
HERE~!!!

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel smiles at Laie as she pulls some aspirin out of some pocket on her dress. "Here ya go," she says, handing Laie the bottle. "Luckily my wonderful Magic Dress repels hangovers as well. I simply LOVE it!" she adds, sipping her coffee..

[Laiedheliel]

"Oh, that's not fair..!" Laie cried, but stopped 'cuz it hurt her head. "Thanx for the asprin," she said, and swallowed the little pills, washing them down with some yummy iced tea. "What do you think those three are up to?" she asked, gesturing to the trio in the corner (now having read bits and pieces of what she missed).

[Samwise]

Sam: *gives up on the fire, and gladly goes to sit with Frodo* Well, sir, I'm glad we finally ran into each other. *Looks concerned* You were lookin' awful sad like a minute ago. Can I help? "

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel looks puzzled "Trio in the corner?" (she hasn't read most of the last page and a half) "do u mean Stacey, Sam and Primrose?" she asks, looking over her shoulder...

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Galadrie1 ]

[Laiedheliel]

Laie laughs at Galadriel. "Never mind, Gala. It was up there a little ways...Whatdya wanna do now?"

[Samwise]

Stacey:*After standing some time with her palms sweating, decides to give up on her own "Star Search", and thinks she should probably do some writing herself, since there seems to be nothing else to do at the moment.*
Where to get something to write with or on, though....

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel looks into the distance. "do...now..." she mutters... "Well, Laie, i think you're a bit too hung-over for spinning, how 'bout, uh.... uh...."

[Frodo Baggins]

Well you see... When I got here I was wearing a dwarf-necklace. A Gold one. It was decorated with emeralds, rubies, amethysts, dark opals, and cat's eye. I was also (as always) wearing the white jewel that Queen Arwen gave me (when she gave it she said "When the memory of the fear and the darkness troubles you, this will bring you aid) well I was sleeping and someone pinched them off me. I have a suspicion It was Rose Cotton. She didn't get ny mithril circlet frotunately. Unfortunately I believe she has taken them to the Barrow-wight, and he'll never return them. Not to mention a few are still poking fun at ne because I screamed when there was a spider in my wine glass the first day of the party.
smilies/frown.gif

[Nevfeniel]

Pats Frodo on the shoulder, saying, "Don't worry about it, Frodo. I hate spiders, too."

[Laiedheliel]

"Yeah, I think you're right about the spinning. On second thought, I think I'll go and find a nice tree to curl up under and rest my head. Why don't you go find another spinning partner? I'll come find you later." Laie told Gala this with a smile and a wink, then nodded respectfully (and painfully!) at Mithadan and wandered out of the tavern. She came upon a little apple tree, and fell into a dream rather like those Galadriel had been having:


She is a teenage girl; Her mother will be very angry if she doesn't get off the computer and go do her chores..."Coming, Mom!"

[Samwise]

Sam: Oh, dear.....that'll never do, Mister Frodo. *shivers* Ugh....I fear I'll never look at spiders th' same again after...well, you know. *Dosen't want to think of it, much less mention it.*
Believe me, if I come across th' young lady, or th' necklace, I'll have somethin' t' say about it! Callin' herself Rose Cotton, indeed... smilies/mad.gif

[Rose Cotton]

Rose Cotton has just been listening to Frodo and Sam's conversation.

"Don't worry Frodo. I'd never give these to the Barrow Wright (don't tell him I said that. I have been just wearing them because they go with my dress. You can have them back now."

Rose Cotton gives Frodo his necklaces back.
She takes a cup of coffie and sits down to chat.

[Frodo Baggins]

I know, Sam. When someone made a comment about it i asked them if they had ever seen Shelob *shudders*.

[Rose Cotton]

"Please don't be mad at me dear Sam. I promise never to do it again. And about the spider, well, I'm simply terrified of them."

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo lookes at the jewels opem mouthesd for a moment and then faints.....

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Frodo Baggins ]

[Kuruharan]

As there was no response from Kuruharan...

Sorry about that. Had to step out and kill a mamuk for Chrysophylax's dinner. The downside of having a dragon as a pet.

the balrog flies (the use of the word "flies" is not metaphorical; this balrog has wings)

(Pulls out axe and cuts wings off Balrog)

There much better. smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/biggrin.gif Dragons are much better than Balrogs anyway. smilies/tongue.gif

Chrysophylax sic him!

(Chrysophylax attacks Balrog, administers a severe thrashing, and then pitches the corpse in the Great River.)

There, that'll show 'em!

(Now we'll find out of Thingol has been reading this thread. smilies/smile.gif )

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Kuruharan ]

[Rose Cotton]

"Frodo?"

[Galadrie1]

With Laie gone, Galadriel has no idea what to do. So, she walks over to her tree, sits with her back leaned against it, and falls asleep...

[Rose Cotton]

Rose has been wanting to talk to Galadriel so she leaves Frodo to Sam for a moment and walks over to Galadriel

"Hi Galadriel!"

[Samwise]

Sam:*Blinking* Well, that was sure a different turn. *Calls out* Thank you, Miss Rose!
*Wonders where his daughter got to...*

[Samwise]

Stacey: *Lightbulb upon hearing Galadriel's name called out* Galadriel! That's it! She always manages to get something out of that dress of hers!
*Upon finding Galadriel, however, is disappointed to find her sleeping under a tree*
Oh, well. Maybe I can go talk to Frodo and Sam...

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo looks at the returned jewels for with an open mouth for a few moments and then faints........... smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Rose Cotton]

Rose is tired of trying to get Galadriel to wake up so decides to talk to Sam.

"I wish the Barrow Wright would come back. I mean really. His own party."

[Rose Cotton]

"Is my returning the jewls THAT much of a suprise?" smilies/rolleyes.gif

[Samwise]

Just grateful, that's all, Miss Rose. I do wish he'd come back, too. You're right--awful odd not to attend your own party.... smilies/confused.gif

[piosenniel]

Before he can decide about the REG, Piosennial, Birdland and Cof7A walk over and join Veritas at a table. He takes their strangely nervous order and returns with their refreshments (what is wrong with Cof7A?). Then he sits and pulls out a pen and paper. With a scowl, he begins to write 'Tales from Tol Eressea 5; Whatever happened to that Oliphaunt?' Then he growls and scratches out the title. Writer's block is a horrible thing... The REG is forgotten for now. One thing drives out another as they say.

'He's busy there, behind the bar. Scribbling some sort of authoritative work, no doubt. Whatever it is, he's very engrossed in it.' observed pio. ''Child, you go left and draw him down to the end of the bar. Engage him in some philologic debate about some obscure reference from the Silmarillion, preferably one with references to myriads of authentic letters from JRRT. Go on now.'

C7A's eyes lit up at the suggestion. Now this was something she could do, something abstract and free from any bloodshed. Advancing to the end of the bar, she cleared her throat and opened her much annotated Sil which she had pulled from her vest pocket. 'Excuse me, Mithadan, but I've just found something exceedingly interesting here and wonder if you could help me clarify a few points!'

The target advanced to required position, pulled out his own dog-eared copy with tiny notes written everywhere in various layers of colored inks, and proceeded to converse heatedly with C7A, who was holding her ground quite admirably, and in fact scoring points here and there.

'Birdie, come with me!' whispered pio. A feint as if going to the door was quickly followed by a turn toward the end of the bar opposite the dueling linguists. The 2 conspirators leapt over the end of the bar with an unusual grace and agility, Birdie drawing her blade in mid leap. Coming quickly behind Mithadan, bent over some of C7A's notations, she held the edge just under his jawline. You could see the blade move in and out slowly against his pulse point.

'What's this? An Administrator caught unawares?!, said Birdie to him. Restraining herself from launching into some Arwen-elven, she held the great spirit hostage while pio searched through his pockets for cell phone, beeper, and any other instruments of long range communication. From his keychain, she plucked a miniature, but working palantir.

Next order of business was to secure the laptop and then free up the REG unit for safekeeping - or perhaps ransom.

'OK! I think that's it!' cried pio, tucking the goods in a large sack she had gotten from Veritas. 'Child, give us the rope and we'll secure the prisoner. Child!! Child?!'

Child was nowhere to be seen from this side of the bar. 'I think she's fainted again.' said Veritas. 'Here, let me get the rope for you.' Handing the rope to pio, Veritas leaned in toward Mithadan with a rueful grin on her face - 'Yeah, I know, I know! I've sealed my fate by throwing in with this lot! But what's a wizard to do when faced with the choice between drinking oneself into oblivion and having a bit of fun with friends!'

pio secured Mithadan, hand and foot with the rope. Veritas got C7A up from the floor and looked expectantly at pio and birdie. 'Now what?'

'See that large barrel over there - the one that comes from Esgaroth. Bring it over here. I think it will do.' said pio.

'Do? Do what?! I don't recall us discussing this part of the plan.' demanded Birdie.

'Well, it's just sort of come to me. A sort of hobbity ending to this abduction. Now let's just get him into the barrel, plug up the holes, and secure the cask lid back on. Mithadan is going for a lovely ride down the Great River, mayhap he'll even make it to the Bay of Belfalas. That should give us plenty of time to figure out what we're going to do with ourselves and his stuff.'

'And just what will happen when he gets to the bay, is he going to float out to sea and hope for a swift wind to the West?', asked Veritas.

'Nah! We've got his cell phone. We'll place a call to my cousin Imrahil. He'll pick him up when he reaches Dol Amroth, near the Elf-havens.' returned pio.

The cask secured and with two other casks bound to it as outriggers, it was loaded into a large wagon brought round from the side of the cave. 'My gosh, he's a heavy one', said C7A pushing her shoulder against the casket as it leveraged into the wagon. 'Perhaps, such is the price of being the keeper of such weighty thoughts and words!', laughed pio, throwing a rope to Birdie and Veritas to help tie down the casks to the wagon.

It was just early evening and the mists were hovering on the banks of the Anduin as they reached a likely spot for launching their vessel. 'You sure he's going to be alright,' asked C7A.

'Of course he is.' reassured pio. 'He's a spirit, he'll float quite well.'

PLOP!!!! the barrels hit the water with a gentle thud, or as gentle as 4 puny ME's could manage. The current quickly caught the unlikely vessel and bore it down the river. Four figures raised their hands and saluted it good-bye and godspeed.

'Come on,' said Birdie. 'We'd better get the heck out of here and figure out how to cover our tracks.'

'Oh, fudge!' exclaimed C7A, patting down her pockets and looking forlorn. 'He's got my annotated copy!!!!!'

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Rose Cotton]

"What's Frodo's favorite food. Mushrooms? Lembas?"

[Samwise]

Sam: Mushrooms, if I do remember right--

Primrose: Papa!

Sam: Oops, excuse me, Miss Rose, I've got to go. I've been wondering where that daughter of mine got to....

*Gets up, bowing a goodbye, and scurries off in the direction of the voice*

[Rose Cotton]

"Mushrooms. I can work with that."
Rose takes a bowl of mushrooms and starts wafting it under Frodo's nose.
"I hope this works."

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel glides back in with her husband Legolas. She takes a bottle of miruvor to keep with her, for she feels there will be far more drinking going on, and she fears she will not get the chance to get her own. Not thinking clearly, she breaks back into Elvish:

Ya merna salk? Amin! (Who wants to dance? Me!

She dances in the middle of the field. She stops to see if anyone else is here...?

[VanimaEdhel]

No one is on, and Menelduliniel must leave, so she takes her bottle and her husband and goes back to her lake again! Until tomorrow!

[Losthuniel]

celeaewen shook her head to clear it, and returned to earth not a second too soon. a huge green crystal paperwieght came hurdling out of the sky and nearly took our poor minstrel's head off. she was fuming.
mithidan was going to hear this. and why did anyone need a REG to cause chaos when she was here? she set off to find mithidan when she realized that her surroundings had changed. Galadriel was nowhere to be seen, the pink rabbit was sitting on a tree apperently tring to devour it.'must have fallen asleep' she muttered. celeaewn wandered around tring to find Mithidan and give him what for. perhaps fortunatly for him a rumor reached her that Piosenniel, Birdland, and C7A had commited administrator-cide and that birdland had pulled an arwen. celeaewn snorted. " oh how nice of them! they didnt even tell me! hmph!"she decided that since noone was going to help, she might as well go disable the REG, she was going to have to do it herself, b4 another paperwieght decided to go and crush a hobbit. but first of course, there were tools. the light bulb went off. galadriels dress!! celeaewen heard that Galadriel was in the bar, so she hurried over, procured pliers, hammer and screwdriver, and hurried to find the REG. she asked a passing hobbit for directions "where's the random event generator?" the hobbit pointed behind her. there was a big neon green sign reading "RANDOM EVENT GENERATOR THIS WAY" and a arrow to the left. she thanked the hobbit, and hurried off, but not before she heard the hobbit remark on the amazingly low IQ of drunk elves. Celeaewen made a mental note to drop paint on the hobbit, and rushed off to find the REG. it was hidden behind a rock, by the treeline. wen she finally arrived Celeaewen was nonplussd (ooc: is that the right word?) THIS was IT? it was a little black box with four buttons. Celeaewen set to work. she turned it over, took the lid off, and began to mess with the wires. a pretty green wire caught her eye. she reached for it"i wonder wat this does?" she grabbed the wire and ZAP! an electircal shock. she grinned dazedly, hair slightly on end
" ooohhhh! its electtrical...."

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel wakes up. She looks around "huh? was someone calling my name a couple hours ago?" Shaking her head, she wanders around the field. "Is anyone left at this party?" she thinks. she's dissapointed by the fact that it may be over, she was hoping to get it to at least 10 pages long...
Sadly, she pulls out a bottle of wine from the Mystery pocket, and begins to spin, waiting for someone to show up...

[Losthuniel]

minature lighting flashes are coming from behind the rock where Celeaewen was tampering with the REG. Celeaewen, sensibly, decides that REGs are not to be tampered with, and settles for giving herself electrical shocks with the green wire. the novelty soon wore off, and a very fried looking elf staggered from behinf a rock. the party grounds appear emptey, and she is extermly dssapointed in her fellow barrow-downers. not even four days! pathetic. She decieded that the fried look was not the most flattering and went to the river a ways back from the treeline to clean up.

[Laiedheliel]

Laie wakes up under the fragrant apple tree she had dozed off under. "What a strange dream! I wonder what everyone else is up to." She walks off and comes upon a spinning Gala with a new bottle of wine in her hand. "Hey, I thought you gave up on the wine for coffee!" she exclaimed, falling into place spinning next to her.

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel grins at Laie "oh, i missed you! we must get this party up to 10 pages before i'm happy! oh, and i decided that wine is much more fun." She takes a drink, grabs Laie's hands, and spins Titanic style!

[Laiedheliel]

"Ten pages, here we come! Woo hoo! But I'm sticking to the 'safe' Dr. Pepper! Hurrah for ten pages!" Laie cried, laughing and spinning and grinning.

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel screams "TEN PAGES!!!!!" and spins even faster. She lets go of one of Laie's hands to grab some wine from the Mystery pocket and take a couple gulps..

[Laiedheliel]

Laie throws her head back and laughs, and once Gala finishes gulping her wine, Laie slurps some Dr. Pepper from the can. Caffine without alcohol...yummy...
"Ten Pages!" she cries, and Gala and Laie spin even faster yet...

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel keep spinning. She thinks that she and Laie should think of something mor interesting to do to get to the ten pages, but she can't think of anything, so she keep screamin', drinkin', and spinnin'!!!

[Laiedheliel]

Laie noticed that her last post was her 105th post, and giggles. "I missed my 100th post!" she screamed, kicking herself. "Oh, well, I've had 106 posts! Yay for me, and Happy 2nd Barrow Wight," she shouted, spinning and raising her can of Dr. Pepper.

Laie agrees with Gala, they should find something more interesting to do to get to 10 pages. But since neither Gala or Laie had any ideas, Laie just kept spinning and sipping along with Gala...

[ May 22, 2002: Message edited by: Laiedheliel ]

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel screams "OH NO!!! I missed my 100th too!!!! o well, it was somewhere here in the party, so it was well spent!" She raises her wine bottle and toasts with Laie "HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARROW-DOWNS!!! I LOVE YOU! smilies/biggrin.gif "

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel looks at Laie seriously "Laie, we have to get to page ten quickly, i hear my dreams calling me... that's why i'm posting twice in a row, to try and get there soon...."

[Laiedheliel]

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I'm a wight!" Laie throws the can over her shoulder and grabs a bottle of mirovur from a table as they spun past. "Who worries about getting drunk once you're a wight? Woo Hoo! I'm a wight!" Laie does the happy *I'm a Wight* dance while spinning. It was quite entertaining to watch...

[Laiedheliel]

"Yeah, I don't know if we'll make it tonight..." Laie frowns as much as possible while spinning and doing the happy *I'm a Wight* dance. "I posted twice too, and this nagging voice that I recognize out of a dream I had earlier is screaming at me. Do you think it was the wine?"

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel spins faster "HEY! i'm a wight too!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"

(btw, laie, awesome picture!!)

[Galadrie1]

Galadriel screams "PAGE TEN!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" She stuffs her wine back in the mystery pocket, hugs laie, and starts walking off into the night "Buh-bye laie, i shan't be back to the party (unless i see something really exciting happening). Can i add you to my buddy-list? i'm going to, anyway, so naa naa!" She sticks her tongue out, turns around, and is gone..

[Laiedheliel]

"TEN PAGES! GALA, WE DID IT! WE MADE IT TO TEN PAGES! WOO HOO!" Laie screamed, slamming down the rest of her mirovur and spinning even faster! That nasty little voice called even harder.

*Thanks, Gala. It took forever to get it up. Thanx to Arlad if she reads this; she was the main reason it got up in the first place...*

[Laiedheliel]

Once Galadriel left, Laie figured there was nothing left for her to do at the party, so she found a can of Sierra Mist, raised it high in a final toast to the BW and the BD fourms, and disapeared into the woods on the far side of the field.

[Birdland]

C.7.A. is sitting in a corner, elven cloak clutched to her cheek, rocking back and forth.

"no way out...no way out...we've kidnapped Mithadan and sent him down the river...no way out...no way out..."

It's cool, it's cool, Child", mutters Birdie, "All we have to do now is write the note to the Bee-Dubya, and he'll shell out a fortune to get the REG back...and maybe a view bucks extra for Mithadan...but definitely a fortune for the REG."

Birdland shakes the keychain palantir and intones "Will we be successful in our endeavor?" She turns the milky orb over and reveals the answer: "Outlook not so good."

"No way out...no way out..."

"Get ahold of yourself, Child. You're hysterical!" screams Piosenniel, and she dashes a glass of miruvor in her face.

Sharon draws a deep breath, "OK, now I'm in pain...I'm wet...AND I'M STILL HYSTERICAL! (O.T. - Guess what movie C.7.A is quoting from, and win a prize!)

"So what did we get, Pio?" ask Birdie with a avaricious gleam in her eye.

"Let's see: cell phone, beeper, PDA, (no wonder his spelling is so bad,) a business card for 1-900-ELF-TALK, some silver pennies, badly tarnished..."

"The REG! The REG!" screams Birdie, "Where's the REG!!!"

Piosenniel looks up from the swag bag, her face suddenly ashen. "It's not here!"

********

Losthuniel crouches over the REG, and pulls loose a random wire, giving herself a shock. Hmmmmm, it's electrical.."

A sudden weight smote her, and she crashed forward. Then she knew what had happened, for above her as she lay she heard a hated voice.

"Wicked Elfffsss!" it hissed. "Wicked Elfffss cheats us; cheats Birdie! She mussstn't hurt the Preciousss REG. Give it to Birdie, yess, give it to us! Give it to uss!"

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[Samwise]

Primrose: PAPA! PAPA!!!!

Sam: *Finally reaching her by the bank of the Anduin* Tiny Rose--WHAT are you screaming about??

Prim: THAT!! *Points to an oddly-rigged trio of barrels floating down the river*

Sam: *Tilts his head* Eh?

Pimrose: PAPA--Mister Mithidan's in there!!!

Sam: *Scratches his head* What in the world are you talking about, child?

Primrose: *Jumping up and down, frantic* Papa, I heard voices, they were talking about how he'd be okay in there 'cause he's a spirit an' that someone'd pick him up later, and-----"

Sam: *Shakes his head* Okay, Tiny Rose, okay...*He reaches for his "belt" which is actually a length of rope wound around his waist several times* Odd how I thought I'm needing this at a PARTY of all places, when I didn't even think to bring one on our BIG trip....

Primrose: HURRY, PAPA!!!!
*She jerks the rope out of his hands, ties one end to the shaft of an arrow, and shoots...

THUNK!

Primrose: *Dropping her bow and grabbing the rope* PULL, PAPA, PULL!

Sam: I'm PULLING, Tiny Rose, I'm PULLING!! *He slides forward* Oh, dear....

[Thinhyandoiel]

Her garbage bag mysteriously gone, Thinhyandoiel blinks in wonderment. Then, she looks up and sees Mithadan on his laptop, a disapproving frown on his face. "Yeah, cleaning...at a party?!" She wonders aloud to herself. "Well, then again, it was getting kind of dead back there for a while, pardon the pun." She throws up her hands and wanders off to enjoy some lembas and wine, courtesy of the new food that Mithadan had just ordered in.
"Mmmmmmm...lembas." smilies/biggrin.gif

[Child of the 7th Age]

(Er, is this the Tolkien web site, or is it the one for Mutiny on the Bounty. I seem to be getting some things mixed up....)

Child seemed a bit distraught and quite ill, although she was attempting to conceal it. She groaned repeatedly and muttered: "It is gone forever, and now all is dark and empty." These words coming from her mouth sounded vaguely familiar to her mind, but she could not place their source.

Child dropped quietly out of all the festivities of the Party. Few people seemed to know or wanted to know about her deeds and adventures in this matter of Mithaden. Their attention was given to the more outgoing and articulate conspirators. C7A's eyes glazed over and focused on a distant point.

Birdland, seeing her enormous distress, came over to reassure Child that the missing REG would be found, and Mithadan would surely come to no harm.

Child turned fiercely on her. Missing REG? Mithadan? Do you think that is why I am this upset? (Sighs heavily.) It is my annotated copy of the Silm which I worked on so hard; it has taken me MONTHS to read that silly book. I could barely understand it. Now, you have locked up my only copy plus the notes in a barrel going nowhere. I can imagine what Mithadin will do when he discovers it!

She flounces away in apparent anger, then thinks better of it and turns to Birdland. By the way, you do know where that REG is, don't you? I mean a stray REG could be quite nasty. Birdland, why are you looking at me like that?

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Veritas]

Finally they got the REG, she still didn't know what it was. But suddenly:
"Give me my stuff Back!!!!" Mithadan was hole red of anger.
"O hell!" Pio wispers "Here, the REG, hide it." and she handels the REG softly over to Birdie, who puts it into her pocket.
"What's your problem, Mithadan? Lost something?" Veritas asks nice.
"YOU PUT ME IN A BARREL A STOLE MY STUFF!!!"
"Are you sure?" Birdie asks.
"Yes I'm sure!" and Mithadan begins to hussle C7A by her shoulders.
"Okay, it was a joke, here are your stuff." Pio gives him his bag with stuff.
"Hmm..." Mithadan searches in the bag to see if everything's there, and in a way, Gollum wouldn't do it better.
"Yet he's going to say; my precioussss."
"Where is my preciousss?"
"O god, I'm just dreaming." Veritas is back on Middle-Earth.
"Where is my REG!"
"Your REG?" Birdie sais, "We didn't see any REG."
"No, we haven't seen a REG." admits Child.
"You know, A lil while ago I was talking to a dwarf who was talking thate he could get one, but we didn't accept, of course." Revenche to the Rude Dwarf from Veritas.
"Where's that Dwarf!"
"He went that way, a half an hour ago, or so."
"Okay, thanks for the tip...O, no thanks for my capturing." And Mithadan disappears.

[piosenniel]

: smilies/redface.gifoc -- breaks in continuity of story line are simply residual effects from the loose green wire in the stolen REG!::

piosenniel needed an Excedrin(R). The plan, such as it was had quickly unravelled after the depositing of Mithadan in the river. She didn't know how much longer she could do the max and louis scene from The Producers with C7A and still maintain her own sanity. Birdie had gone a bit over the edge herself when she found the REG missing and a wandering spirit hunched over it getting her party kicks from the sparks of the green wire. Birdie's eyes had taken on a frightening luminescence and she looked like a used up ringbearer ready to bite the head off an unsuspecting fish.

'Veritas!' said pio in complete exasperation, 'For Eru's sake, get that unit away from that girl before she randomly reorganizes her biology and we have to explain that to the mythos committee'. Veritas approached the entranced elf from the rear, amazed at the arc of green light pulsing from the REG to her fingertips. Touching her lightly on the neck with her staff, she knocked the elf over and into a dreamlike trance. The green wire from the REG continued to arc into the air like a spitting cobra.

Birdie, having ceased her manic hissing at the prospect of losing a sellable item, quickly threw pio's elven cape over the REG and scooped the unit into a large fishing net lying on the bank of the river.

C7A had by this time pulled herself somewhat together. "We really had better get out of here and find someplace safe. We need to decide how to trade the goods for cash.' With the words 'trade' and 'cash' she reached into her mailsack once again and pulled out a calculator. Dreams of enlarging piles of silver pennies put a certain resolve in her outlook, and she marched briskly ahead of the others.

'What about little L, here?!' asked Veritas.

'Ah, load her in the cart. We'll take her near the party and leave her snugly asleep in the lower branches of one of the trees. She'll wake up when the sun hits her face and think she had too much of a good time.'

The trio marched off toward the main area of the party, deposited the sleeping elf, then turned toward the refuge they had agreed on.
A nice cave, not too far, and hidden -- Henneth Annun. From there they could send out the ransom notes for the REG.

pio rubbed her hands in anticipation of a little rest and good conversation in a safe place.

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child grinned and turned to meet the sunrise. Yawn. She really had not gotten enough sleep. Nevertheless, she was feeling immeasurably better.

The nightmares of the preceding evening had receded. Things were not quite so bad as they had first seemed. She had strange memories from the midnight before of lying on the floor and howling incoherent words.

She feared she had had some sort of hallucination where Mithadan had lost his Palantir and personally blamed Child for its disappearance. Now she discovered that the Palantir had not been lost. It was there and, wonder of wonders, that incredibly ingenious Birdland had located the REG.

Moreover, Mithadan had actually seen her, given her a glare and yelled at her, yet she was still intact and walking around the Downs. This was most reassuring. Most critical for her personal happinss had been the discovery of her dear annotated Silm.

In the remains of the infamous barrel, she had found the sodden pages of the precious volume. And, wonder of wonder, it was wet but still readable.

Altogether she was feeling much better. Birdland, Piosenniel, and Veritas also seemed to have recovered from the vagaries of the previous night.

Now, Child had a practical problem and one which was far more amenable to a hobbit who had a reputation of being an excellent bourgeois burglar. No more threatening people with swords, just the well understood business of counting up the anticipated pennies on the calculator and figuring out how best to ransom the REG for the largest possible sum. Oh, good, here was her calculator in the mailbag!

Oh, yes, this was quite up her alley and she was going to have fun. Her back stiffened with new resolve as she began to compose the
needed ransom note mentally in her head.

She scurried ahead up the trail until she reached the well concealed entrance of Henneth Annun. Turning around, she beamed at her companions: "Hey, come on, hurry up! I haven't got all day. I need those silver pennies to add on a new wing to my beloved hobbit hole since, as we all know, accomodations in the Downs are often less than desirable."

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Guo Si]

Suddenly, a lone figure in his mithril armor dashes in.

"Ack! How stupid of me to almost forget the party! Don't worry though, I made it!" Guo shouts, and he immediatly runs toward the buffet table, eating his fill. After his breakfast, Guo Si leaves the buffet table and wanders near a small tent "Well, lets take a look in here!" he mutters to himself...

[Mithadan]

Fuming, Mithadan stomped away from the refreshments stand with gritted teeth and an evil look in his eyes. "Yesss. I have been misssunderssstood and ill-usssed. But I will get my own back. Yesss, I will. People will sssee if I will ssstand being attacked, robbed then ssstuffed into a barrel! I have good friendsss now, good friendsss and very ssstrong. They will pay for thisss..."

Mithadan settled down to think by the edge of the Great River. He rearranged the dirty rags which covered his sickly pale white skin and ran his tongue over his six sharpened teeth. His bulbous lamp-like eyes glowed faintly green as he reached into the water and snatched up a trout. "Fisssh, nice fisssh. Yesss, they will all pay! I will sssummon Underhill, and Sharku, Gilthalion and the Barrow-Wight! We will change their passswordsss, give them sssilly sscreen namesss, delete their possst countsss, ssssend them endlesss private messsagessss. Yessss, nice fisssh..."

Mithadan shakes his head violently. His eyes shrink back to normal size and regain their grey color. His skin darkens to its usual healthy tan and his grey breeches and blue tunic reappear. "Wait a minute. I like sushi but this is ridiculous. No wasabi, no ginger, what's going on? Piosennial, Birdland and Child aren't thieves. They're respected adult members of the forum. Child's older than I am (one of the very few). What's happening?"

He turns to face the party field and his face turns ashen. A blue rain is falling from green thunderclouds. The refreshment stand has taken the aspect of the Netherworld from 'Beetlejuice". Mountains have reared up around the field blocking all exit. The party guests sit huddled on the grass guarded by two not-so-friendly looking dragons.

"The Random Events Generator," he whispered. "Someone must have reprogrammed it. But who?" To the East a large cage has appeared in which writhe a screaming mass of Orlando Bloom fans. Nearby, a figure dressed in a black cloak stands, arms raised high. She shouts "I have retaken what was mine!" Her hood falls back to reveal a wild mane of red hair... Mithadan's eyes narrow as he recognizes the figure.

[Durazor]

"Hmmm, if this is a party, THEN WHERE'S ALL THE MUSTARD!?!?" The large fat and hairy Gnoll howled, trying to scoop the hobbit he stood upon earlier from his foot.

[Guo Si]

Walking in to the small tent, Guo Si finds an extremly large, extremly hairy gnoll bouncing around. Guo Si, too surprised to think clearly, quickly mutters a few words in the Black Speech, and watches in horror as Gathblog, the Pink Balrog, appears. Howling in rage, Gathblog tickles Dur with his extra tickly whip of feathers. Unpleased with this success, Gathblog rampages off, tickling random party-goers.

"Oh dear Gandalf, what have I done?" Guo Si moans, and beats a swift retreat

[Mithadan]

"Take care in what you ask for, for your wishes may be granted," howls an otherworldly voice. 144 pounds of stale mustard drop from the sky onto Durazor.

[Durazor]

As Durazor is still recovering from the Pink Balrog's attack, and trying to lick the sticky mustard out of his furry hair smilies/frown.gif (That's going to make some nasty hairballs smilies/wink.gif), he summons his much feared Imp to deal with that little annoying Guo_Si, but much to Dura's displease the Imp is just going to dance at the party's disco:S:S:S...........

[Guo Si]

"Ack! Terribly sorry Dur! Its just bouncing gnolls are a bit scary!" Guo Si says as he tries to help Dur clean the mustard off. "But a bigger problem is... now that the Pink Balrog is loose... how are we going to defeat him? I was thinking a crusade against it...." Guo Si says as he thinks of a brilliant plan. "I know! I'll make a call to arms and get rid of that Pink Balrog and be remembered as the greatest general of all times! I'll be famous without fighting! Mwahahaha!" Facing a crowd of hobbits, Guo Si says "Thats right! A call to arms! Who here shall help me vanquish the evil Gathblog, Pink Balrog extroidernere?"

[Durazor]

(LOL, they could make a new "Disney Classic" out of this smilies/wink.gif )

Nah, Guo_Si, I don't think letting u get away with all the glory and fame seems all that right to me! I'll deal with that Pink Balrog!

As Durazor howls toward the skies a masterfull jar of Gnollish Mustard(C) falls out of the skies into Dura's paws. Armed for the worst with his jar of mustard Dura rages towards the evil Pink Balrog, as the demon is picking a few flowers and helping an old lady cross the street smilies/biggrin.gif ! Dura smeers the mustard all over the Balrog and eats it! The End! smilies/wink.gif

[Guo Si]

"Curses! Curses to Dur, curses to that Pink Balrog, curses to the fame I never had!" Guo Si screams as Dur eats the Pink Balrog. "Oh well, I'll write a movie about this and show Disney! Then I'll be rich! Mwahahaha!" Guo Si laughs as hi goes off to write his movie.

[Durazor]

What Guo doesn't know is that Durazor is actually Disney!!! Mwhuhahaha!!!!!!! I'm going to pay u nothing but a full jar of mustard!!!

[Frodo Baggins]

*the mushrooms have worked Frodo's eyes snap open*
Saaaaayyy! Noth that's what I'm taling about, GIMMIE!!

Oh, and Rose thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.
Porr Mithildan I hop he's all right.

[zifnab]

Zifnab cannot keep with such garrulous conversations, he had hoped that the 1420 would have made him a bit more expansive but it did not. Zifnab searches out for a less Insalubriousness climate. Stepping ouside for some fresh air and taking in some deep breaths, he feels rejuvenated and invigorated. 'Ah, much better now', he thinks as he strolls around the exterior of the party, wondering, if somebody had put something in his 1420. 'That Birdland!' he mumbles....

smilies/wink.gif

[Mithadan]

Drawing a deep breath, Mithadan saunters over to the black-clad figure. He is painfully aware that he is unarmed, but is reasonably confident that this intruder will not harm him. One of the dragons hisses nastily as he passes.

Mustering a smile, he speaks to her. "Princess! We haven't seen much of you lately. How is your kitten?"

Her red hair blowing in the wind, the figure turns and fixes her wild gaze on the man. "Mith! smilies/biggrin.gif How have you been?"

"Pretty good," he replies. "I see you've been rather busy though. May I ask what you have been doing here? This isn't the chatroom you know."

"I have captured the newbies and Orli-lovers! I have seized back what was once the province of the established members. All shall be as it was before the accursed Movie. The Old Times have returned!" she cried. "We may now chat without interruption and post on weighty matters again. No more inane threads on who your favorite character is! No more a/s/l inquiries! The Barrow is ours again! Bwahahahaha!"

"But at what cost?" asked Mithadan. "If not here, then where shall Tolkien fans congregate and speak freely, learning such lore as they may and acquiring wisdom with the passage of time?"

"Wisdom?" screeched the Princess. "There is no wisdom that they can learn; they are incapable! They exchange instant message addresses and engage in senseless quests. They speak of homework and teachers and MOVIE CHARACTERS! Join with me. We will use the REG to restore this site to its former greatness!"

"Some would say that the site is greater now than it has ever been," he replied quietly. "So, where is the REG anyway?"

She laughed. "I have it not! I control it from afar and the Ring --I mean the REG--is the key to the restoration of what was. It is my tool, my Precious."

Way too many Gollum references, thinks Mithadan. "Uh yeah. Right. Um. Would you like to read a draft of the latest Tales from Tol Eressea? Elrond's in it."

With a squeal, the Princess follows Mithadan to the former refreshment stand. Evil shapes loom and leer from the shadows, yet she seems to not see them. He hands her the draft then heads back out to the fields. The REG must be destroyed...

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[Birdland]

(Pioseniel wins! "The Producers" was correctomundo! Just pick a prize off the Bee-Dubya's gift table. Hmmmm, not much left except the 1978 LoTR action figures. Seems we're not the only larcenous party-goers here...)
Everything had gone wrong with the beautiful plan, since that horrible hobbit-child Primrose had so unexpectedly appeared in the darkness. ("Wait a minute", thinks Birdie, "I usually think hobbit-children are absolutely adorable! What's going on here?")

C.7.A. is crouched over a sodden, dog-eared margin-scribbled copy of "The Silm", crooning "my precious, my precious" under her breath. "Ya know," thinks Birdie, "I really should try reading that someday, and find out what all the fuss is about."

Pioseniel, whistling nonchalantly, as if she wasn't the one to come up with this cock-a-mamie scheme in the first place, has grabbed a bottle of vin ordinaire and is wandering off with Veritas, perhaps to seek the truth.

And where is the REG? "In my pocketess?" Birdie pulls out some lint, 47 ticket stubs to LoTR:FoTR, a book of matches from the Prancing Pony, and a cheap gold Elven ring that she flips into the bushes. No REG.

In the fishing net? She rummages around, but it has disappeared from the supposedly "safe place", but all that remains is some bones and scales.

All she knows is that Mithadan is looking decidedly mithed...errr...miffed. "I better make like a Balrog and fly", thinks Birdie. Suddenly a whimpering Balrog with bloody stumps where his wings were runs by. Another not-so-good sign.

Suddenly, all REG heck breaks loose! A mysterious, thundering, red-headed who's-it looms above the party-goers, covering the fields in a not-so-nice cloud of doom and destruction.

"I have reclaimed what was mine!!!!"

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion looks at Durazor. "You're Disney?! Uh oh.. Where is this world going to? A lunatic making childrens cartoons! What next?"
Sind feels the need for intelligent company and goes in search for Zifnab..

[Frodo Baggins]

Oh and I'm not intelligent company???!!!! FINE!!!!!! smilies/tongue.gif

[Sindacuion]

Who was talking about you not being intelligent? smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/wink.gif smilies/biggrin.gif

[Durazor]

Yes, IM DISNEY, Im brainwashing young children like u Sind (Yes, even such mentally unstable) and turning them into my army of zombie servants FOR MY EVIL PLANS, WICKED, YES, UTTERLY WICKED, TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! and perhaps even the galaxy and the Netherlands, who knows! Wait! HOLD ON! Who called me insane?... Err... Ehm, mustard?...

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Durazor ]

[Durazor]

Sind? is that long poem underneath your far shorter post's perhaps supposed to make u actually look intelligent, like you are actually posting something? smilies/wink.gif

(BTW, u want some mustard?) smilies/biggrin.gif

[Sindacuion]

No thanks.. No mustard without pork!! smilies/biggrin.gif smilies/wink.gif

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion gives Durazor the jar of mustard. "Uh oh.. No thanks.." Sind leaves to search for Estelyn. "She would sure lighten up the party.." As no Estelyn is seen, he goes to greet Zifnab. "How are you, carpet man? smilies/wink.gif " After a long discussion about the ins and outs of quantum mechanics, Sind is very thirsty. He heads for the buffet table, but he is halted by Durazor. "Are you sure you don't want any mustard?" "No thanks.." he replies and goes to the buffet table. He fills his glass with wine and retires to his tree. HE climbs it up and gets out his FotR. "Now, where was I.."

[Durazor]

"R u really, really, absolutely sure u don't want any mustard? I mean, REALLY? Just like that, like u don't want any at all? Or r u just pulling my leg, or paw, or whatever? So... No mustard 4 u then?"

"Alright..."

Durazor takes a seat at the buffet table and looks for some hobbits to smeer some mustard on. "Can't believe somebody doesn't want any mustard, hmm, I wonder, maybe Thali would want some?" While thinking such deep thoughts (believe me, 4 a Gnoll thats very deep thinking) Durazor sees a hobbit passing by. "Hey, ain't that Frodo?! Yummm!!" smilies/biggrin.gif

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion glares at Durazor, drooling after a Hobbit. "Erhm.. Is there something you haven't mentioned me?" smilies/wink.gif

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child, Birdland, and Piosenniel raced out of the confines of the cave and stood in amazement. Everywhere they looked there were ashes and doom. The party pavillion was wrapped in a circlet of dark cloud and shadow.

Giant birds, black and red with long evil beaks, skirted dangerously low overhead, making harsh, raucous sounds. They swooped down intermittently onto the site where the party had taken place just a few minutes before.

But where, oh where, was everyone now? Where were Frodo and Samwise and his sweet little girl? What had happened to the spinning Galadriel? The tables, the food, the half tipsy guests? Even the carts filled with supplies and provisions.

It was difficult to see anything, but Birdland strained her eyes. She surveyed the scene with utter amazement and a surprising sense of detachment and calm. As the senior member of the trio of conspirators, she seemed to have an instinctive understanding of what had occurred.

For the first time in her entire existence, Birdland was unable to come up with a joke. She whispered softly to Child: "I'm not sure if there's anything left."

"What do you mean?," Child replied, "Nothing left. Those are my friends down there. Even that dreadful Mithadan. There has to be something left! We're already dead, so we can't be killed. Dead bodies don't just fly away."

Birdland and Piosenniel nodded slowly to each other. They at least understood.

Birdland gently explained to Child who seemed to be near the point of tears: "She,....she did it. She of the flying red hair who claimed to control the REG. Perhaps, for once in her life, she was not lying. And it might be possible, it just might be possible to sweep away everyone attending the party into an alternative universe, perhaps the universe where Sauron still rules."

"So what do we do now? I may live on the Barrow-downs, but I do not want to have that nasty Sauron as a neighbor. He was quite miserable to Frodo and Sam." moaned Child.

Birdland queried, "I can still see some possibilities. We, the three of us, could go retrieve the REG and either attmept to reprogram it or thrust it into the void."

"Also, there may have been some inhabitants of the Downs who weren't at the party, who were off posting on the boards. If some of them returned, they could help us search for that REG. And look, down below!"

A few miserable survivors were crawling out from under the dark cloud which had been the party pavillion. Vaguely, Child made out the form of Mithadan who appeared to be hobbling along on one leg. Who was that beside him? Perhaps Frodo Baggins and Rose? And look, her own pony was coming up the hill.

Child looked straight at Piosenniel and Birdland, "You two are the smart ones. Now tell me what should we do next?"

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Rose Cotton]

After reviving Frodo, Rose goes to help Sam and Primrose.

[Samwise]

*Primrose and Sam sit on the bank of the Anduin next to a destroyed barrel. Both are breathing laboriously.*
Prim: How do you like that? Goes storming off without so much as a 'thank you'!

Sam: Well, Tiny Rose, he was awfully upset.

Stacey: *Running up* What happened to you two? *Looks at the three barrels, one in peices, quizzically* Mithidan's back there yelling, and everythings--well, weird. "

Sam: *Shakes his head* I'm not really sure, Miss Stacey, this just has been one odd party.

Stacey: *Frowns and helps the two up* Well, let's at least go find Frodo. The last I saw he was awake.....

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewn is woken by blue rain on her fave and, a wild figre in a black cloak sceaming " i have come to reclaim what is mine!" celeaewen swore under her breath as many lound flashes, bangs, etc, followed thius announcement. then, suddenly a good deal of the people at the party dissapeared. Celeaewen swore again " i KNEW i shouldnt have touched that wire." Celeaewen tried vainly to collect her thoughts, but all she could peice together was that she had been playing with the pretty green wire, whenb someone had rudely innnterupted her by slapping her on the neck with a big heavy stick. beyond that, there was very little, propbably due tot the fact that her tender elvish brain had been totally overloaded. since there was nothing for her to do, and since the dissaperance of many partygoers did not bother her overmuch, she decided to get even with the ruder person who had inttereupted her tampering. being still slightly frazzled, she charged up to the hill where everyone else was heading, to give somebody what for.

[Mithadan]

Mithadan swiftly marshalled such guests as he could find who were not being guarded by the dragons. He explained the situation quickly. The Princess, a disgruntled member who wished for a return of the "Old Times" before the Movie had come out, had seized control of the REG and used it to capture many of the 'newbies'. The REG (Random Events Generator), normally a harmless plaything used to create humorous situations in RPGs, had become very powerful and dangerous. He had last seen it in the bar just before Piosenniel, Birdland and Child of the Seventh Age had assaulted him. The three, normally upstanding members of the Downs, had somehow become convinced he was evil, likely due to the effects of the REG. The REG, a simple black box with 4 buttons, must be destroyed, or the red-haired one would forever dominate the Downs.

Looking up, he spied Pio, Birdie and Child and ran toward them. To his surprise, they seized rocks and branches and raised them as he approached. "Ladies," he said. "We have a problem."

"Darn right," responded Birdland. "And if you come any closer, you'll have a big problem!"

He shook his head. "You don't understand. The Princess has seized control of the REG and greatly increased its power. It is very dangerous and must be destroyed. Do you have it?"

"If we did, you'd be the last person we'd give it to," replied Piosenniel swinging a branch at Mith's head. Mithadan ducked (after two years at the Downs, he has become very good at ducking) and stepped back holding his hands open and raised up.

"Listen," he began. "Its me! Mithadan! Child, you recall when I supported your controversial thread? And Birdland, I helped you identify your rare set of LoTR! And Piosenniel... uh, hi, pleased to meet you. Anyway, reprogrammed, the REG can generate virtually anything [a pun wraith appears and hands Mith a citation before disappearing in a puff of noxious smoke]. You name it. A troop of hill trolls, anything."

Behind him, a troop of hill trolls appear, weilding clubs and knives. With a roar, they advance upon the group of Barrow-Downers who turn quickly and run.

"Puff, puff, I think I dropped it over here somewhere," cried Piosenniel.

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewn sblushed, as mithidan babbled on about increasing power in the REG.
"umm Mithiadan, i think i know why the REG is doing that, and its not scary people in black cloaks..." Celeaewn described her little, ah, grudge against the REG, and the events that came after

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Losthuniel ]

[Samwise]

*Stacey, Sam, and Primrose come running in upon this*
Stacey: Yike! It's gotten worse!!

Sam: If only I had thought to bring my Barrow-blade.....

Primrose: *Grins* Ha! But at least I brought my bow!! *Gets on her knee and begins spearing hill trolls as they go by*

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel comes back in.

I am here! And I am a bit more sober! Miss me? What are we discussing? Intelligence? "Well, the way I be seeing it, you're going to be needing someone of intelligence for this mission ... quest ... thing ..."...heehee: couldn't help it! But we all know that I am the symbol of intelligence, me being an Elf and all!

Menelduliniel bows, then goes and gets herself a pint of ale ("This, my friend...is a pint." "They come in pints? I'm getting one!"), since she has not yet had any!

[VanimaEdhel]

Yay! We're on page eleven! Go us! Let's see how far we can get!

Everyone come join the celebration!

Menelduliniel picks up the hem of her flowing gown and dances to the music with joy at the eleventh page.

[Samwise]

Sam: *Runs up* erm....Miss Vanima, if you'll look on the last page, you'll see things're in a bit of an uproar. I think you'd best hide! *Runs off to find Frodo*

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel stands on top of a table (hey: I'm still a LITTLE drunk!) and says quite loudly:

What have I to fear? I am an Elf! Muahahahaha!

Well: gotta go out to dinner then to my concert, so back to the pond with my character! Nice seeing y'all!

[Frodo Baggins]

a troll picks up Frodo by the coat-tail


"EEEEEP!! HELP!!!!! Leggo! let go! SAM!! GAladiriel!! Rose!!!! someone????

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child put down the long branch she had been waving in order to club Mithadan over the head.

Her own brain was splitting. Half of it was advising her to advance with her comrades and do away with the Barrow administrators.
The other half was saying this couldn't be real. She had never had any particular grudge against them before, so the whole thing was quite strange.

It was as if something nasty was leading her on which she was powerless to halt. For the first time in her quiet and uneventful life, Child began to understand some of the problems cousin Frodo had talked about on his Ring quest. And this was only one little REG. She swore, if she got out of this mess alive, she'd never call Frodo a "chump" again, even behind his back.

Things were certainly in an uproar, but at least the situation seemed better than Birdland had feared. Most of the party site was battered and broken, but still in this universe.

More and more frightened guests came crawling out from under the overturned tables and fallen trees. She looked around--Stacey, Sam, Rose, Primula, Celeaewen, Frodo and Mennelduliniel were all in sight. The ones who had disappeared did seem to be newbies along with a few of those daft Legolas fangirls.

If it had only been the fangirls, Child probably would have advised forgetting the whole thing and letting them remain imprisoned for the next 200 years. However, you can't desert newbies. They tend to be very vulnerable, to say nothing of the fact that she had been a newbie not so very long ago.

There did seem to be one other problem. A few of the party guests were so inebriated that they didn't realize the music and dancing had stopped, and that the Barrow-downers were in a desperate situation. These few individuals were still attempting to initiate festivities and finish up the remaining pints of ale. Rose was going around trying to sober them up explaining the gravity of he current situation.

Thank goodness, the alternate universe Sauron was nowhere in sight. But there was one contingent of hill-trolls who looked rather threatening. It was obviously important to destroy the REG. She hoped Piosenniel could remember where it was. Even with her splitting head, she sensed that a enraged Mithadan would probably be better to deal with than an alternate universe Sauron.

"OH NO, hey, Hill-troll, you put Mr. Frodo down." Child begins beating the troll with her much battered mailbags that were still emblazoned with the insignia of the Shire messenger service.

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Mithadan]

Mithadan listened carefully to Celeaewn as he ran from the Trolls. An errant arrow whizzed by his ear as Primrose valiantly assaulted them. "You played with the wiring? Then the Princess may only be a contruct," he panted. "For that matter you all might be constructs. Maybe only I am real. Or maybe I'm an illusion also. If a tree falls in the woods... Forget it. Either way, we still have to find the REG. Everyone! On the count of 3, split up and go in different directions. 1...2...3!"

The group abruptly split up and the Trolls, dim witted beasts that they were, ran afoul of each other with the entire troop tripping and stumbling into a writhing pile. From above, a mighty voice boomed out, "Pigpile!" Chrysophylax plummeted down to crash atop the troop of Trolls. The dragon turned a golden eye towards Mithadan and winked. Mith pulled out his dictaphone and recorded, "Note to self, thank Kuruharan for bringing the dragon."

He turned and ran back to Primrose, who had just nocked an arrow and was taking aim at Chrysophylax. He snatched the bow from her hands. "Never annoy a live dragon, dear," he said. "Now, the REG..."

[Samwise]

Sam: Mister Frodo!!!!!

Primrose: Not a problem, Papa! *With much speed, whips several arrows one at a time out of her quiver and very soon the hill troll looks like a pincushion. It stands a moment, still holding Frodo, then both fall to the ground.

Sam: *Running forward after he's sure his daughter has stopped shooting* Mister Frodo! Please tell me you're all right! Please, Mister Frodo!

[Samwise]

Primrose: All right, NOW I'm mad!!
*Runs after the administrator, jumps on his back and yells in his ear.*
Sir, for your information I was aiming at the trolls underneath, and for another, that bow was a gift from my "uncle" Legolas, so you'd best give it back right now, as I know you've got other buisness to attend to, and you don't want to see me MAD!!

Stacey: *Behind a tree, and who has had all of one conversation with Mithidan before, sees all of this and bangs her head against the tree* Aw, Primrose, no....

[Frodo Baggins]

OOPH!! OW! Frodo is on hi back, not fully concious ...........sam?................................

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child finds a small container of water and rushes it over to Sam. "Here, here, give this to Frodo. He looks really dreadful." Hands Samwise the water.

[Samwise]

Sam: Mister Frodo! Please wake up! Everythin's all crazy like, and Primrose just... smilies/rolleyes.gif ai, I think we're gonna get kicked out of the Barrowdowns....

[Samwise]

Sam: Thank you so much, Miss...erm, c'n I just call you Child? I have such trouble with names....

[Frodo Baggins]

Oohhhh.... Sam??? Speaking of the hammer and the anvil....
och!'

[Samwise]

Sam: *sighs with relief* Oh, Mister Frodo, you're okay!

*hears Primrose yelling: "And another thing, Mister Mithidan...!"

Sam: Oh, Mister Frodo, I'm afraid this is goodbye. smilies/frown.gif

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Gimli drains his 254th mug.

[Samwise]

http://www.plauder-smilies.de/party/bdaysmile.gif
Stacey: *Wondering what to do next*......

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child again moans: "Oh, dear, there are still partygoers roaming the site who have had one too many, and don't realize the grave situation we are in." Child goes to help Rose make a large pot of black coffee in hopes of sobering them up.

"And, oh Samwise, 'Child' is fine."

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Samwise]

Stacey:*Seeing Sam and Frodo, runs over* Need a hand?
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/birthday.gif

[Mithadan]

"Please, Primrose, I'll give you back the bow, just don't point it at anyone," says Mithadan, while wondering if the site's liability insurance is paid up.

Mithadan turns to his 3 kidnappers. "Which one of you had the REG last," he asked. Child and Piosenniel turned to look at Birdland, who was scratching in the dirt with the toe of her shoe. Mithadan clears his throat and taps his foot impatiently. Behind them in the party field several orcs have discovered the Barrow-Wight's tent. This does not bode well...

"Well I had it by those bushes, there," said Birdland as she pointed to the West. "Then we walked that way back towards the river and it was gone..."

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Mithadan ]

[Samwise]

Primrose: Thank you, sir. *Drops off his back* Now, what can we do to help? *Notices her father and Stacey running over*

[Losthuniel]

Celaewne joins the conference between Mithidan, Birdlan and Poisenniel. "welll, i was playing with it behind that rock there. and i assure you, sir Mithidan that i am very much alive. i can tell because currently, i am wondering if we will get out of this alive." she spied the orcs goig for the Barrowwight's tent. " o crap. this is not good. all i have are daggers. butthats beside the point the question is, where is that blasted REG? Mithidan, since you seem ti be , the er, leader of sorts, perhaps you could inform us of how exactly are we going to get out of this alive? we must find the newbies! my friends are caught in some starnge alternayte univers, no doubt, and we have to do something! though that fangirls-in-a-cage-clause is not so bad" Celeaewen continued in this rather jumbled train of thought for some time before noticing that her elders were glaring at her.she shut up rather quickly, and tried to listen attentivly as they continued their concil, in a much more organized fashion.

[Belin]

Belin hasn't had anything to drink so far, so she's as clearheaded as she ever is. She eyes the fearful apparition, considers her options, and decides, useless as ever, that her best course of action is to cower, as abjectly as possible, and hope she won't be noticed. She could be easily overlooked, it happens all the time. Right. She looks around to see if perhaps there's some kind of bush she could hide under.

THe princess's cry of "There is no wisdom that they can learn; they are incapable! They exchange instant message addresses and engage in senseless quests. They speak of homework and teachers and MOVIE CHARACTERS! Join with me. We will use the REG to restore this site to its former greatness!" is still echoing through the fields. Belin's search for a hiding place becomes more fervent; she begins to feel that she has been making rather a nuisance of herself in the chat room lately.

Ah! Here we are! The West side of the fields. Belin carefully crawls under a holly bush, wincing but silent. There's something behind her,something small and hard. Her heart leaps. If this is the REG.. If this is it....

No, no, drat it all, it's just a stupid, useless bag of gold. She decides to stick to cowering; it's more in her line.

[piosenniel]

'I like this,' she mused to herself. Reminds me of the parties from my youth. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds and red hair and multicolored skies, and great stomping beasts from out of Monty Python!'

Taking a last look at the mayhem in progress, Piosenniel used her stick to scratch her back in a decidedly unladylike manner. Something kept pricking at the small of her back, relentlessly. She turned, sword drawn, only to find Veritas nudging her repeatedly with the crystal in her staff. 'What are you doing here, my grey wizard of the North? You heard the MAN we're supposed to split up and find the REG. It's apparently gone haywire and is causing all this hooplah.'

Veritas put her finger to her lips and motioned with a jerk of her head for pio to follow her.

In a hollow behind a large rock formation, Veritas motioned for pio to sit beside her and proceeded to take a familiar looking laptop from beneath her robes.

'You've got Mithadan's laptop!', good wizard, keeping your head like that. 'But what good is that going to do for us?'

Veritas smiled and entered the startup program for a new icon that apparently had appeared following the fiasco of the boosted REG. The initials MEGPS appeared on the screen.

'What's that?' asked pio, the letters pulsing on the screen in neon blue.

'It's how we are going to find the REG, my dear! It's a Middle Earth Global Positioning Satellite link, and you'll never guess what it's tracking for us!'

Veritas punched in the letters, REG, to the query box and hit enter. There pulsing like a wildly lit Silmaril was the REG.

'We've got it now!', cried pio, 'Let's go!!'

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen, tired of listening to endless debate over the REG, decides to do something about it, instead of hearing people blather endlessly. rather foolishly, she decides that since she messed with the wiring in the first place, she might as well go fix it. she wanders off in the direction indicated by birdland, fogretting that she is armed with nothing but her throwing daggers, and that wayward REGs are extremly dangerous. fifteen minutes into wandering, she triped over a rather large holly bush, which squaked indignatly at being stepped on. bending down, she helped Belin out of the bushes, apologizing profusley for the minor accident, and explaining her intent to miraculosly find and re-wire the REG, using only her "wits" and throwing daggers. Belin just stared at the elf, thinking her slightly unstable. not that she was incredly far off. Celeaewen babbled on until she threw Belin for a major loop " want to help?"

[Losthuniel]

suddenly, as Belin was still ponering the bizarre question, there came a wild pulstating blue neon light came from where Celeaewen had just left a while ago. "its the REG!" she yelled, and charged off across the part feild, dragging Belin behind her. when she arrived back at the spot, shen was incredibly dissapointed, seeing it was not the REG, but Poisenniel and Veritas at a small laptop, which the source of the light. coming stand behind them she saw a map of M.E. and a blue flashing point labeled "REG". well, this certainly made things easier.

[Samwise]

Sam:*runs over, falling on his knees before practically crashing into Mithidan, practically crying* Mister Mithidan, sir, whatever Tiny Rose has done, I apologize! I swear she'll be by my side the rest of the time we're here (if you allow us to stay, that is) I swear, sir, I swear! An' I'll shine yours an' th' BarrowWight's boots both fer th' rest of my life! er--well, you understand me, don't you, sir?. http://www.plauder-smilies.de/cry.gif

Stacey: *Is silent, one because she probably couldn't get a word in edgewise with Sam blabbering, anyhow, and two because the last time she "opened her mouth" around Mithidan, she promptly stuck her foot in it by showing her LOTR ignorance. He had been quite gracious about the whole thing, but she figures she'd better just keep quiet.
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/yellows/sad.gif

[Belin]

I'm in the main plot??? Belin blinks at the suddenness of this development, not sure what to do.. she shrugs, grins, and decides to participate. She pats Celebaewen on the shoulder to comfort her for not finding the REG herself... "At least you tried," she points out, "and now we have...me! We'll see whether you're to be thanked for that soon enough, I suppose, but I thank you, anyway..." Belin gets lost in what she was trying to say, gives it up, and turns to offer her services to Piosennial and Veritas.

"So, um... where is that anyway?" she asks, referring to the blinking blue dot, and wondering vaguely how Veritas happened to come by Mithadan's legendary laptop.

[ May 23, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]

[Losthuniel]

"well, i did try. o well. at least this saves a lot of pointless wandering over the party field. and dont you dare ask me to rewire it Mithidan. generally wen i say oops, it best to duck, becuz it is shortly followed by a loud BANG! and that had to have been one of those times. ill probably screw it up again, and end up electroucuting the entire what is left of the field. well, actually, it quite fun, but maybe some of you wouldnt like it" Celeaewen, by some strange virtue, managed to exhale all of this in two breaths, and stood glaring at Poisenniel, Mithidan and Veritas. hopefully, seeing as they were senior members, they would have the good sense not to let her within 10 feet of any REG ever again.

[piosenniel]

Little did Losthuniel understand that the 'Mithadan' she thought she was addressing was not really there. Veritas had incanted a small spell and produced a lovely, if slightly wavery, replica of Mithadan which lured the young elf in like a swaying cobra by nodding at her in a very affirming way at her speech.

'Quick, Veritas! Give her another nudge with your wand and I'll grab the REG.'

The elf fell with a graceful swoon to the ground and smiled happily at some passing deep dream. From down the trail, came the voice of Losthuniel's companion "Hey! Where are you? Wait for me!' A simple wave of Veritas' fingers and the words 'Sleep, now, little one!' dropped the would be rescuer in his tracks.

Pio, REG well in hand, motioned for Veritas to follow her. 'Let's make tracks before we lose this thing again!'

'Once we get to a safe place,' said Veritas hiking her robe up above her knees in preparation for the impending run, 'I'm going to email the BW with a ransom demand, and I'm thinking it should be a big one!'

'What an unlikely pair of thiefs we are', thought pio as her feet ate up the rocky terrain. 'I hope Birdie and C7A remember our alternative rendevous point!'

[Birdland]

Birdie watches, mouth agog, as little Primrose lays into Mithadan like one of Berúthiel's cats. "Boy, that Primrose is one tough cookie!" marvels Birdland. She smiles fondly, remembering that she was just like that, back when she was a little whatever-the-heck-she-is lass. But age has brought, if not wisdom, then the ability to play along, until the time when she can get what she REALLY wants.

So Birdland joined in the general rejoicing as Belin and Veritas nailed the location of the REG, using Mithadan's MEGPS. Let them rejoice. But when the time was ripe, she, Birdie, would step in and see that neither the red-headed who's-it, NOR the hanging-by-a-thread (Pun wright appears and issues another citation) newbies would have the wonderful, life-enhancing box.

"No one will harm the REG. NOBODY" swore Birdie silently.

For you see; Birdie loved the REG. Yes, she did.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child raced up to Birdland with a relieved look on her face. Being a typical hobbit in a stressful situation, she was blathering on and on at the mouth, with one word following another in a string which could barely be comprehended.

Out of this avalanche of nonsense, Birdie did manage to decipher one or two salient points. Veritas and Pio had snarfed the REG and expected to meet up with Child and herself at the alternate meeting place which was down on the banks of the river. Moreover, they had managed to elude all pursuers and were in sole possession of the REG.

It did not appear that Mithadan or the Barrow-wight had yet caught on to the fact that the precious REG had been recaptured. So much the worse for them, Birdland mused.

Birdie turned her head and looked down towards the river. "So, it's to be the river?" she thought. "What a wonderful place. No Mithadan, no Barrow-wight. Only my 'dear' companions whose sole desire seems to be to rectify the so-called errors generated by the REG."

In spite of herself, Birdland laughed. Child had caught hold of her hand and was quite literally pulling her in the direction of the river. For one terrible instant, Birdland almost lost control. She had an almost unearthly desire to make the string of words issuing from Child's mouth abruptly cease. Then she regained her composure, and pretended to accede to Child's wishes.

Oh, well, this charade wouldn't have to go on much longer. Hobbits could be so annoying at times. Worst of all, when one of their number got in trouble, the others tended to rally around to help the offended or aggrieved party. That was scarcely what she wanted.

In her world, the world of Birdland, only a select few of these pesky hobbits would be allowed any privileges. You know, she thought, that child Primrose does have potential, hobbit or no. If I could only get her away from her father, that goody two-shoes Sam, I woud develop her into something really worthwhile. And, once I have the REG, a little problem like that should be no problem at all........

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

The sweet, low sound of an alto sax was weaving through the darkness, sliding up the bank like a cat crawling on its belly. Bird was in the house, and no wizard could match the magic of his playing. 'How High the Moon' bebopped it's way into the ears of Birdie and C7A and wound itself tight and cool around their brains. The hobbit's foot started tapping the rhythm - Max Roach on the drums, Miles Davis on the trumpet, and Charlie 'Bird' Parker on the alto sax. It was Birdland, and the All Stars were jamming.
Birdie, her eyes glazed over, approached as if in a dream, her finger snapping out a counterpoint beat.

Pio and Veritas sat at a small table with a large bottle of wine and 4 glasses. Two filled; two empty, beckoning.

'Come on over, you two! See what we've done. We tweaked the REG a bit, hotwired in a couple of modifications, programmed in a new access code, and got this on our first try! Cool venue, eh? A party at Birdland tonight, tomorrow the world!' exclaimed pio.

'Or at least the BW's treasure trove.' added Veritas. 'I've sent off emails to BW and the Red-haired princess and Mithadan. We should get some action soon.'

Soon seemed like an eternity away as the four settled back in to groove to the music and drink wine. C7A was taking notes on the structure of the phrasings, and Birdie had settled back in her chair with the ease of a soul gone West. Pio smiled at Veritas and thought to herself, 'Perhaps this unlikely foursome will work out after all!'

But the REG had a will of its own . . .

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Estelyn stood somewhere on what used to be Cormallen Fields and watched the rapidly changing environment. Bizarre as things seemed, they could not daunt genuine royalty! Just as she was beginning to enjoy the cool jazz sounds coming from the riverside, she saw a sudden movement in the bushes. What was that?

"Why, I do believe it's a Snar-"
and in the midst of the word she was trying to say,
in the midst of the laughter and glee,
she softly and suddenly vanished away...

[Rose Cotton]

Rose Cotton (who decided to actually read what was going on and now knows what has been happening the last few pages) gets her witts together. She was angry that she had let herself miss out on such a cool plot.

But she would need a sword. She looked around and saw a long asleep elf with a long knife at his belt. That would do nicely.

Rose went off in search of Birdie, C7A and Pio.

[Rose Cotton]

Rose quickly found where the girl's hiding place was.

There were some bushed nearby that would be a perfect place to eavesdrop.

Rose hid herself behind the bushes.

Uh-oh thought Rose. She thought she had seen C7A look her way. Had she heard Rose?
But Rose decided just to wait and see.

If these three thought they were going to get rich they had another thing coming.

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion woke up as there was too much noise for him to sleep. "5 more minutes, mom.." As the minutes passed, he went back to sleep.. But then suddenly, he woke up, discovering that his Elven dagger was gone. "Where is it?!" He quickly stood up and looked at all the bizarre things: the princess was missing, the three ladies were dancing as the jazz music played and there were Trolls to be found. He began to run, as a Troll pursued towards him. "Gah! Somebody help!" Suddenly, an arrow went by his head. The troll fell. He looked behind him: a little hobbit girl was standing with her bow. "Thank you!" he said and gave the hobbit an Elven necklace. "I need to reward you, so here it is.. Wear it proudly."
He was very troubled, as the princess Estelyn, from the house of Telcontar, was missing. Many other guests had disappeared, along with most of the Lego-fans. He ran towards Zifnab. "What can we do? This is madness!"

[Durazor]

As the big ugly 'n smelly hairy Gnoll Durazor had finally finished the entire buffet he stumbled up to Sindacuion. "Me thinks me could try eating the Trolls?" Durazor replied to Sind's question. "But me be all out of mustard..."

[Rose Cotton]

The girls Rose is watching seemed to be waiting for somthing. This gave Rose time to think.

'Alot has happened. This isn't really a party anymore. It goes deeper than that now. I like it. I hope I get more involved in these RPGs. That REG is somthing. I guess my best course of action is to try and get it to Mith. I hope Sind dosn't miss his dagger too much. I might need it. I should have brought my knife but I didn't know this would happen. And besides. (Rose looks at the dagger) this is a really cool knife. And that red headed person. I don't like what she stands for. I like newbies.'

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Kuruharan]

Note to self, thank Kuruharan for bringing the dragon."


I knew that he would come in handy! smilies/wink.gif

(Gathers up his belongings and disappears into the woods to bury them, protecting them from klepto hobbits.)

[Rose Cotton]

We interupt this RPG to make an anoucement:

PAGE 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHOOHOO!!
LETS GET ALL THE WAY TO 20!!!!!

You may now resume play.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo still has a headach from being dropped by the troll "ow! Hey! Just exactky what is going on here?? What happened to the party?" *Frodo begins sobbing uncontrolably* "Please!! Please!!!!! Don't kick Sam out!! Or Prim, or Stace!! NOOO!!"
smilies/frown.gif smilies/frown.gif smilies/frown.gif smilies/frown.gif smilies/frown.gif smilies/frown.gif

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen awoke with a splitting headache and reason to kill. LAst she remembered the dratted wizard had hit her AGAIN with whith that evil stick. she dragged herself up, shook her head at the evilness of wizards, and found poor Belin lying as Unconsious. Celeaewen shook her awake, explained her intent to find and kill Veritas. SHe looked around and discovered that evil Veritas had Stolen the REG and scarpered. knowing the REG far too well, Celeaewen and Belin ste off to the sound of Jazz music, not doubting that the evil Conspirators would be behind it. They reached the clearing where C7A, Veritas, Birdland and Poisenniel were drimking and listening to the jazz band. unbeknowest to them the REG, having a mind of its own, was now flashing and sparkilng with green lighting.
the REG was obviosly not happy, and unhappy REGs were highly dangerous. especially when the caretakers were drunk. all of this escaped Celeaewen, because she was seeing red, and at the center of it, Veritas.
she lunged, at the same time belin went for the REG, which seemed to be rather tempermental. Celeawen tried to throttle Veritas. Belin, unnoticed as chaos regined, had the REG upside down, and was trying to pry the lid off.

[Rosseiliantiel]

In that instant, Rosseiliantiel, a close friend of Celeaewen, enters the clearing. She surveys the scene with a mixture of confusion and amusment. Then she joins the fray & attempts to clonk Veritas in the head.

[Veritas]

Veritas was thinking about her past: stealing al repetitions for school and more of that sort of things. "I thought I bettered my life, but this is more fun than on school." The big smile on her face lasts long...
She dicided to take just on more look at the laptop to see if she programmed it right. Power on, lets start up... No responce...
"F*ck!" Veritas knows already what it is. "Has somebody in coinsidence brought a reloader with? I think the power is up."
"O, nice, but wait a minute, the REG, there must be enough power from that to make it work." Birdie sais.
"Yeah, great idea, that REG thing must have some power over, were did we put it... ah, here it is." Pio gives the REG to Veritas, who makes a little cable between the REG and the laptop. *Flash*
"Power's up again. Now lets see if BW, Princess or Mithadan already send something back." Veritas is typing with about 220 ticks a sec.
"One message: Mithadan I suppose." Child lends over the laptop and reads the e-mail.
"Could you tell us what's in the letter, cuz your head is in our sight." A bit sarcastic, but true, and Child begind to tell what's in the e-mail.
"Hmm, nothing serious, only... what the hell's that!" Suddenly the screen lights up and there is another REG to be seen on the screen, another one, no the one that had just a minute ago!
Child almost falls over the laptop by seeing the image.
"Why's that thing always lost!" growls Pio, "quick, we must find him before the others are coming, or find him themselves!"
"Why is nothing always working the way she wants?" Veritas sais to herself, and goes after the rest.

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[Cimmerian]

Free Lembas and Fish in the corner shop!
Hurry !

[piosenniel]

The REG had vanished in a puff of oily green smoke, knocking out Belin (who falls very nicely. 'just like elijah wood', remarks C7A to no one in particular). The power cord link between the REG and the laptop stretched out into a smokey void, but did not break. Pio held onto the laptop for dear life while her co-conspirators gathered their wits & gathered round her to give her a hand. Veritas was the last to join them, having deftly deflected the swordplay of a very angry elf. 'Sigh!', said Veritas holding the elf at bay. 'Don't you know we wizards line our robes with mithril? And with that she tapped her on the top of her lovely head and sent her to dreamland.

Veritas joined the group and assessed the problem. 'Ok, every one put your finger on a point of that 5 pointed star icon on the screen, fingertips touching, now hit the *enter* key,and hold on!'

Nothing happened. After a few seconds, pio cracked open one tightly shut eye and asked 'Now what's the plan?'

'We need another finger to complete the link,' said Veritas.

Birdie stepped a few feet to the side of the group and snaked her arm quickly into a quivering bush. Out came a wide-eyed Rosie held fast in Birdie's grip. 'Here's a hobbit with itchy fingers I'll bet, but she'll do nicely I'm sure!' Rosie's expression looked like a hamster confronted by a wickedly smiling cat.

Five fingers covered the star, points to center. Veritas pressed *enter* and the now five companions followed the laptop into the darkening vortex, stretching out like wraiths called home to Minas Morgul.

Pio's las thought as she entered the spinning void was, 'Very cool!'

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[Birdland]

Birdland listened to the smooth riffs of Charles, Miles and the Roach drifting through the chaos of party field, a soothing balm in the midst of menace of the red-headed stranger who was wracking her vengance on all things "newbie".

Birdie briefly considered telling Piosenniel that her Mama had only named her "Birdland" because she thought that the name was "cute", and that the closest Birdie had ever come to listening to jazz was the theme for "The Rockford Files", but decided to let it go.

Veritas has discovered a mysterious missive from Mithadan (clever Mithadan, communicating with the theives through his own laptop). Suddenly, Losthuniel and Belin burst into the clearing, vengance in their eyes, and descend on Veritas. Belin scoops up the REG and starts to make off with it. It admits a firey stream o green sparks. The drummer on stage immediately become a 6-foot insect and scuttles off into the bushes. The Sax player turns into a pink flamingo and flaps squalking into the air. Miles starts riffing on "The Road Goes Ever On and On." (Sorry: only pun I could think of that went with "Miles".)

Child and Piosenniel rush to defend Veritas. A strange elf named Rosseilantiel strolls into the clearing, quickly assesses the major cat-fight between the four combatants.

"Ooooh, a lovely fight!" Rosseilantiel dives into the fray.

Birdland stands on the edges of the donnybrook, chair raised over her head, wondering just where in the jumble of arms and legs she should strike first. But when she see Belin tampering with the REG, all thoughts of former alliances evaporate from her head.

"Nooooooo!!!" screams Birdie. She charges at Belin, chair raised high...

[Veritas]

In a heavy struggle with her atackers, Veritas sees Birdland raising a chair above her head. She trows all her attakkers off and wants to run to Birdland, but struggles over her clothes and falls on Belin. "Why don't I wear jeans?" She asks herself. She sees just the chair come done and then it's all black...

(I make a few edits in this post, to make things more fit in the story)

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[piosenniel]

Birdland stands on the edges of the donnybrook, chair raised over her head, wondering just where in the jumble of arms and legs she should strike first. But when she see Belin tampering with the REG, all thoughts of former alliances evaporate from her head.

"Nooooooo!!!" screams Birdie. She charges at Belin, chair raised high...

With a !WHOOSH! of air screaming past her ears, sounding like Birdie yelling 'NOOOO!' C7A opened her eyes to a greyish twilight. It was hard to tell where the REG had pulled them. The gradation from sky to land was non existent in this place, and no sounds livened the heavy air. C7A went quickly to the side of her friend and knelt beside her, jiggling her arm gently. 'Birdie, you can open your eyes now. It wasn't real what you were seeing. It was a weird trip, but it's over now . . . sort of!' C7A recalled her own visions of stepping up to accept a very prestigious award for a paper analysing the moral dilemmas of the main protagonists in the FOTR with a definitive section on one Frodo Baggins.

She looked around, checking for the other companions. pio was up and listening with full attention to any sounds she might pick up in the area. Veritas was hunched over the laptop, trying to get a fix on their position with the MEGPS. Rosie's eyes were fixed in anger on a spot just inches from her face and her hands spasmodically tightened around something at a point just below her gaze. 'Take that you red-headed newbie hater! Now say *welcome to the downs, newbies!' . . . or die!!!!!'

'Where are we?' asked Birdie. 'I don't recognize this place.'

'Well neither does the MEGPS', said Veritas in frustration.

'Oh oh, Toto, we're not in Kansas any more', quipped pio, who had not a serious bone in her body.

Meanwhile, the REG sat benignly in the midst of them, an almost palpable feeling of anticipation and satisfaction exuding from it.

[Sindacuion]

Sindacuion looks at the ladies fighting. "Ladies! Settle down! No fighting!" he says and gets hit by a chair. "When will I learn to keep out of other people's business.." he mumbles and crawls to his tree..

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Sindacuion ]

[Belin]

"AAGGGGHHH!!!!" screams Belin, as Birdie charges toward her. She holds up the REG to fend off the attack, but the faithless device vanishes in a puff of smoke, sending her sprawling. "Help!" she cries, sticking up her feet instinctively, since she has to have something to ward off the chair, but Celaewen and Rosseiliantiel pay no attention, lost in the frenzy they're aiming at Veritas. Belin is sure that they and Birdie have taken on a similar, terrifying expression, but she can't say for sure since she can't see anything but the legs of the chair. Spending time with half-crazed questing-elves is beginning to seem less and less like a good idea. She looks for a way to escape, but she's caught between the chair and the spinning vortex, neither of which is terribly comforting to her at the moment.

And here comes the chair, but fortunately for Belin, Birdland's fury is interfering with her aim, and she misses. Belin thinks frantically, but "I'm getting the worst of this..." is all that comes to mind. "I have to talk to her! Maybe she'll understand if I--" races through Belin's mind, but the only vocalization that accompanies it is, once again, "AGGGGHHHH!!!"

And then, suddenly and without thinking of it at all, she blurts out a sentence that she's sure to regret:

"I found out how it works!"

[Rose Cotton]

(Rose's view of events)

What were they doing with the laptop. There was so much Rose didn't understand.

Birdie came towards Rose and she had no time to run. Birdie caught Rose by the arm and she tried to look brave but could only register fear.

Then before she knew it she was sent into a vortex with the other four.

They came out somewhere. But where? Rose stuggles to get her witts about her and brought out her elven dagger.

Than there was that red headed newbie hater. Rose pounced on her. "Take that you red-headed newbie hater! Now say *welcome to the downs newbies!* or die!!!!"

Then Rose backed away. She felt her last words before her like a thretening darkness. What was she doing? Why was she making death threats. It totally wasn't her. It must be the REG.

Then Rose heard someone shout:

"I found out how it works!"

Rose spun around to see Belin cowerding as Birdland came at her with a chair. But she stopped at these words.

Rose ran over to Belin.

[Birdland]

("eeeek!" thinks Birdie wildly. She missed Piosenniel's first post, and now seems to be in two places at once. And I gotta go to work!. Oh well...)
Just as Birdie raises the chair over Belin's head...POOOF!!! She disappears!
[I]Sorry, guys[/I}

[Rose Cotton]

Rose runs up to Belin.

"Are you o.k.? Where's the REG?"

Rose tried to make sence of the last page of posts but things are getting very confusing now. She figured she'd wait for somone to do somthing.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel comes running.

"A fight? A fight? Where? Where? Can I join?"

She sprints over and tackles Rose Cotton for the fun of it.

"TACKLE!" she shouts.

She immediately feels sorry for tackling the little hobbit and gets off...

"Err...sorry...very sorry...erm...sorry..."

She gets up, brushes herself off, and looks for her next victim. She sees her husband, Legolas, going to pick up a mug, so she sprints over, and tackles him. She pins him on the ground.

"Haha! Gotcha!"

She immediately gets flipped and pinned by Legolas.

"Oh...okay...you can get off now."

As Legolas gets off, she grabs him by the legs, and pulls him over.

"Your fault for not seeing that one coming!"

She pins him for the count of three, then gets up and goes back over to the conversation.

"I let you win!" shouts Legolas as she leaves.

Menelduliniel tackles him and wrestles with him until she has him pinned.

"Owow! Let go!" Legolas says.

"Okay!" Menelduliniel says, climbing off.

She goes over to the others:

"Anyone else want to wrestle?" she asks hopefully.

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen awoke very confused, and twice as murderous. it seemed that five people had dissapeaered, leaving her, Belin and Rosseiliantiel. and a spinning vortex. seeing as her brain has been fried, she's been knocked unconsuis three times, Celeaewen's judgement is obviosly not very good, and in a fit of madness, jumped into the vortex, intent on having Veritas's head

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel shakes off her strange tackling fit (hey: I was wrestling with my friends on the Quad of my school this afternoon...I still have bloodlust smilies/wink.gif ).

She gets up and goes to see if she can help her friends get out of the Vortex...

"What may I do?" she shouts.

[Veritas]

After a few minutes (and after a lot of posts who all tell a different story) Veritas tries to make up what happened:
First they had the REG;
Then it dissapeard, and after a few tricks she had done, didn't even know what kind of, wathever, they had it back;
Again in the Bar-room, Losthuniel and Belin hit her down and a heavy fight began.
Then the turning point: Birdie rises a chair, Veritas stands up and falls down again, and is a little while not on Middle-Earth.
Then suddenly Rose was full of anger, not mentioning the reason. O yeah, something with a newb.
It seemed that Belin wasn't hit at all, but used the REG to telleport.
Untherwhile this all, the REG seemed to be first in the middle of all this, until Belin takes it to defend herself.

"What are we going to do?" Birdland seems to be very confused.
"My head is spinning, and I see tree Piosenniels, two Childs and five Birdies, and about thousand other people. O, and I got fourthy fingers." Veritas is a bit dizzy.
"Maybe we must forget about the REG, don't you think, Child?" Pio's the most clearly of all people involved in the struggle. "Child???"
"Gone, just gone, impossible" thinks Veritas.
Suddenly the here a yell from outside the room...
"HELP!"

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Veritas ]

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel gets offended:

"I am NOT a newbie! I have been posting since the beginning of the party! Can I help it if it is sporadically, as I have school and such?"

She goes and tackles Veritas (also: check out the number of posts: not a newbie, darling).

[Veritas]

Suddenly Veritas is tackeled by VanimaEdhel, and lies on the ground again, for the second time a day.
"Hé, can we stop now, the struggle is over, and the REG is lost!" Veritas is a bit annoyed by this unexspected tackle, and climbes up again, wich is not easy, cuz Vanima lies on her.
"O, stop, you stupid idiots!" Birdie sais, "We were looking for Child, who seems to be lost, and somebody outside screems 'HELP!' So lets found out who.
"Wise words..." Pio is already moving outside.
"Bye, Vanima! We're going to look for Child, see you later!" And Veritas runs after the other two, our four...

[Samwise]

*Stacey is at work. How in blazes did she get there? A child yells something in Spanish, another says something about someone hitting him, while she tries to decipher another sentence in Spanish, yet another child comes charging behind her, head down, and slams her in the back.*
Stacey: Wha.....?
*A little person is leaning over her, but the language coming out of his mouth is not Spanish.*
Sam: Miss Stacey, you fell asleep! How could you sleep at a time like this! Primrose's run off, and everything's all crazy, and....*he looks as if he is about to cry*
Stacey:*Sits up* Okay, Sam, okay...we know, however, that your daughter can take care of herself smilies/rolleyes.gif *Remembers what happened with Mithidan before she nodded off*. Let's just find her....*looks around* http://www.plauder-smilies.de/yellows/ohplease.gif And http://www.plauder-smilies.de/yellows/sad.gif wheredoes Frodo keep disappearing to?

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Samwise ]

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Samwise ]

[Rosseiliantiel]

Rosseiliantiel i gradually edging over to the vortex.
"Hmmm...might as well, i guess!"
She shrugs & dives in.

[Samwise]

*At that moment, Primrose comes running over. Sam's jaw drops as he notes the array of jewels around her neck*
Sam: Tiny Rose, where'd you get those jools?

Primrose: *Shrugs* An elf gave them to me for knocking down a "nasty thing" that was chasing him. *Looks around* Where'd Mister Frodo go?

Stacey: *Shakes her head* I don't know, but he generally always finds us again...what's going on?

Primrose: http://www.plauder-smilies.de/sad/conf.gif Eh...not sure.

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Samwise ]

[Rose Cotton]

READ THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
READ THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


(There has been some confusing plots going on so I'm hoping this might get us all straight again)


Whether the people at the party have, wanted to or didn't want to go through the REG created vortex is not an option anymore.

Because suddenly the vortex expands. It swallows up all the parters and throws them into passages of time and space. All activies are interupted as it is hard to do much when you are spinning through space.

But where will we all come out?

What will happen when we do?

Where is Child?

Where is the REG?
???????????????????????????????????????????

[Veritas]

(This message is not in th story-line)

Yeah, I don't understand it, I was in a Votrex, whatever that's supposed to be, and I thought we were back, but Sam said not and AAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAH! I'm going crazy! Please, please help me us everybody, this is realy f*cked up!

[Samwise]

I did? OOP. Didn't mean to....Never mind the message above! Pleasee go about your general buisness, whatever that may be! smilies/eek.gif

(A minute later) Okay, message edited. Hope that helps.
smilies/confused.gif

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Samwise ]

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen was walking through a timless space between worlds, looking for Veritas, so she could relive her of the burden of her head, when a rather heavy something fell on her. it was Rosseiliantiel.
" welll that wasnt very smart, Cel, jumping into a big dark, spinning vortex."
Celeaewen looked at her " yet another case of you not being able to talk"
" thats my line!"
Celeaewen smirked " i know"
they wandered aimlessly through the void, looking for any sign of intelligent life, seeing as the elves considered each other not of that highly priveleged category. they wandered for some time, until they came upon a group of people. there was on thing that was slightly odd about them-"there sitting on nothing!" Celeaewen was indeed, right.
" so are we, dumb@$$"
"oh"
they regonized many people from the party (well, Celeaewen did. Rosseiliantiel wasnt there for very long) there was a great shouting match going on, at the center seemed to be the issue of a missing hobbit, and the wayward REG, which no doubt, was very pleased. the elves, seeing nothing for it, joined the fray

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Losthuniel ]

[Losthuniel]

*message not part of storyline* explain to me xactly wat is going on, and xactly WHERE the bloody H*ll we are. plz. cuz i just went to all the trubble of the above post smilies/frown.gif

[Rosseiliantiel]

*<not part of plot, this is a message 4 Celeaewen> Basically, we've all been sucked in2 a void, but u knew that, didn't u? frankly, i don't really know*

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Rosseiliantiel ]

[Rose Cotton]

(Not part of story)
What I tried to do was no matter where you were in this messed up story you are now all, including me, in a vortex being pulled somewhere. Make sence?

[Belin]

This much is clear to her, anyway: Belin lies on the ground, gasping in relief. The terrifying, chair-wielding manifestation of Birdie is elsewhere. Rose is here, also lying on the ground after being knocked over from out of nowhere by VanimaEdhel, who seems to have gone elsewhere.

Rose is asking questions.

Belin groans, turning her head to stare blankly at Rose. She hit her head in the fall and isn't at her most lucid (however lucid that may be), although the chair seems to have hit Veritas instead of her. "Ughhh," she says, thoughtfully.

Celeaewen, at any rate, seems to have forgotten about her, for which she is grateful. Irritating as it is to be put to sleep by Veritas, there are more important things to worry about.

For instance, the void seems to have sucked everyone in, or at least, that's what she thinks Rose is saying. "Good," she thinks vaguely, "that means I don't have to stand up." She wonders briefly what it is that she's lying on--she must not really be lying down at all-- but gives this up for an unworkable conundrum.

Rose is still asking questions.

"I don't have it," Belin mumbles. She thinks about the REG and its recent activities. "Good riddance," she decides. "No wonder everyone's confused." Hopefully Child can explain all this once she gets rescued.

She decides to add another question to the bristling legion of them: What, exactly, has happened to Mithadan?

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: Belin ]

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel looks around, not in the Vortex.

Suddenly, she sees something. She pushes her husband, Legolas, out of the way and sprints through the woods, and stops in a clearing.

"Yrch!" she whispers, "Would I that the others were here, but...they are not, so..."

Menelduliniel prepares for battle...

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel gets out of her party dress and into her mithril battle armor. She gets out her daggers, Tinuithil and Tinuanar (the burning blade: burns flesh other than mine when it touches it) draws them and prepares for battle. She also grabs her bow and quivor of arrows.

She slips through the woods, and fires a few shots into the orcs. As they look around, she sneaks up and fights them.

She gets slashed across the leg, but keeps fighting.

Soon, 30 Orcs lie on the ground. Menelduliniel looks around, seeing Legolas in the tree with his bow and arrows. She nods to him, not too happy that he helped, but...putting up with it, and stalks towards camp, happy that she got to fight.

[Samwise]

Primrose:*Looking around at the swirling vortex* http://www.plauder-smilies.de/sad/ponder.gif Eh--what happened?

Sam: I--DON'T know, Tiny Rose... http://www.plauder-smilies.de/sad/nervous.gif

Stacey: Ai... smilies/rolleyes.gif *Pulls up her sleeve, revealing an odd-looking communicator/teleporter thing on her wrist that looks like it came out of an old Sid & Marty Kroft show (which it did). *Reaches out and grabs Sam's hand* Sam, grab Primrose.
When he does, Stacey pushes a red button on the side of the device, and the three disappear from the vortex http://www.plauder-smilies.de/happy/xyxwave.gif
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/scatter.gif
http://www.plauder-smilies.de/wave.gif

[Child of the 7th Age]

Child stared about in disbelief. Things had become very confusing. She had a clear mental picture in her mind--every single soul from the Barrow-downs had been sucked into a vortex. Now this vortex did not look too good. It looked like something she had once read about.

Now, Child was still carrying her annotated copy of the Silm, and when she looked at that volume something in her mind woke up.

Oh, no, this can't be, she sobbed. This isn't the vortex, it's the void. THE VOID!!! Now, she had not been very attentive when she had read the Silm, and, to tell the truth, she hadn't understood a lot of it. (We don't have to tell that to anyone else!) But there was one thing she did remember.......

Someone else was in the void, and that someone was not a creature you would care to meet up with......MORGOTH, MELKOR, whatever.....She was so scared she couldn't even remember how to spell his name.

Child's brain began to click. There were many things she was not good at, but she was good at understanding stories. Think, Child, think. Why are we here? Maybe the red-haired Princess was just an agent of someone like Morgoth? Maybe the newbies were just a plant to get us here?

What would Morgath want with most of the posters? Probably absolutely nothing. But wait, there were one or two he might hold a grudge against. Oh, oh, Sauron was the chief assistant of Morgoth, right???? Now, admittedly, two villains like that would never completely get along but Morgath still might not be thrilled to have seen Sauron go up in smoke.

Oh, dear, I am afraid some of our posters are in big trouble--if your name is Legolas or Gimli or Galadriel, you'd better look out. And if your name is Frodo Baggins or Samwise, you are in even bigger trouble. And if you happen to be Primrose Gamgee, you may be in the biggest trouble of all. The easiest way to attack a father and an honorary uncle is through their little one.

Child felt sick to her stomach. But what happened to me? I'm not in the Void, so where am I? Child had no idea until she turned around and saw the strangest site she had ever seen. For striding up to her, with stars swirling and golden aura, was the figure of Elbereth.

Oh, no. I can't be here. Mortals aren't supposed to be here. I'm gonna die. Wait a minute, I'm already dead. Maybe that's why I can come here .......What am I going to say to her? Child faints dead away!!

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[Samwise]

Stacey/Sam/Primrose: WHOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Thud. Boff! Ugh!

Stacey: *At the bottom of the two hobbits* Erg--could you two get off of me?

Primrose: *Rolls off of her father, who in turn climbs of off Stacey's back and helps her up* What in the name of Middle-Earth is going on here!?!?

Stacey: *Straightens her glasses* Y'got me, Prim.

Sam: *Looks up into the dark sky. Most of it is full of a slowly twisting purple mass, assumedly the vortex they just fell out of. He looks at Stacey's wrist.* What exactly is that contraption, Miss Stacey?

Stacey: *Covering it up again with her sleeve* Ah--to tell you the truth, I forgot what it's called. Let's just say it's what they call in my world "technology"--granted, 1970's technology, but... smilies/wink.gif

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen wandered around the Vortex, trying to find someone intelligent to talk to, who was not already engaged in a shouting match. all of a sudden, a burst of colour appeared. it seemd to be the party ground. Celeaewen leapt, thinking it was a way out. how wrong. her nose connected with something solid, even though nothing appeared to be there. she shook her head, and backed up. it seemd to be showing an image. it was of an elf maiden, she was dressed in a beautiful party gown, and was walking through the woods, when she came upon a band of orcs. five minutes later she magically reappered, fully clothed in Mithril armour that would have cost King Elessar his treasury and something besides. Celeaewen shrugged it off, and the fact that the elf maiden had reappered in full plate armour in five minutes, when really the orcs would have had time to lay waste to the enitre party field before she arrived. Celeaewen continued watching with mild interest. she heard the mithril- clad maiden yell something to Legolas, who climbed upa tree as the battle began. he looked uncertain as to wether to shoot the amromued maiden or the orcs. she drew her daggers, and seemed to be laboring under the delusion that they were magical weapons, when Celeaewen, who had learned a bit about magic in her centuries with Galadriel, could see that there were absolutly no runes on them, and that they were ordinary, as ordinary as her own throwing daggers. by some strange Virtue, the maiden managed to sneak up on the orcs, even though she was wearing plate armour. somehow, the elf managed to shoot orcs, knife them, and not get killed, even though they have scimictars, and she hasd 2 knives. yet stranger, the elf got slashed across the leg, EVEN THOUGH she was wearing armour, and did not twich. Celeaewen was shaking with silen laughter when a snort came behind her. it was Rosseil.
" thats an MS and no mistake" Celeaewen nodded. the thing she had seen definitly had the makings of an Mary-Sue. H*ll! it WAS a mary-sue. Celeaewen's train of "thought" was innterupted by a very worried hobbit walking around muttering about "voids"as Celeawen and Rosseil's eyes met and they blached. if child was talking about wat she thought she was talking about, they were all worse than dead.

[Lindolirian]

Lindolirian finally leaves his corner and walks out....

see second page close to the bottom... thats when i come in

[ May 24, 2002: Message edited by: Lindolirian ]

[Samwise]

Primrose: Well, this is definitely sobering.

Sam: To say the least.

Stacey: *Looking at her soiled dress* Well, it seems we're not really needed, here, you two. *Looks up at the swirling vortex* Let's go back to Bag End. I'm a mess.

Sam: smilies/frown.gif

Stacey: *Placing a hand on his shoulder* Frodo's okay, Sam--I'm sure he is.

Sam: Okay, Miss Stacey, if you say so.

*The three start walking off the feild in the direction they came*

Stacey: If anyone decides they actually need us, they only need to read this post to find out where we are.

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen saw the glittering figure aproach Child, and saw her faint dead away. Celeaewen, decided, sensibly, that since she had a certain talent for offending people, having any kind of conversation at all with one of the Valar was DEFINITLY not a good idea, so she broke and ran, trying to find a nice convenient place to hide. seeing as it was a Vortex, aka The Void, incredibly dangerous to ANYONE, Living or Dead, and ever-changeful, there is nowhere to hide but in the mass of people. Celeaewen only hoped that some one with a civil tounge in their head would do the talking. now where in the name of E-wait, best not do that she's right there, Was MITHIDAN?

[Birdland]

After Birdie finishes LOLing through the last page of posts, the confusion (caused by her and Pio's inadvertent dual posts) seems to resolve into:
THE VOID!!

Birdie float/walks in nothingness. Absolute, complete, utter nada. The mother of all Voids Void.

Birdie has heard vague rumors of the Void in the discussion room, but is not real sure just what it is, since she pig-headedly refuses to buckle down and read the Silm. Frantically she pulls out Mithadan's PDA and signs on to her favorite cheat-sheet "The Encyclopedia of Arda"

"Void. Void. Void", she quickly scans the "V's". "It's not here!"

Thinking fast, she swing over to "Google" and types in "Tolkien+Void". The mighty search engine quickly supplies 20 pages of links.

"Let's see...Void...Ilúvatar...singing...Melkor...discord ...DISCORD!...more singing...more Void...more discord!" Birdie gets a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I'M LOST!!!!"

"Child! Pio! Mithadan! Rose! Primrose! Lidarose! Tuberrose! ANYBODY"

A chair floats slowly by. Other than that, the Void is null.

OK, thinks Birdie, what did Ilúvatar do to get rid of the Void? He sang! That's it! I'll sing!

"Give my regards to Broad-way,
Remember me to Harold Square."

No, No! That can't be right. What to sing? What to sing?

And then softly to her own surprise, Birdie began to sing:

"In western lands beneath the Sun
the flowers may rise in Spring,
the trees may bud, the waters run,
the merry finches sing..."

[Rose Cotton]

Alone.
Completly alone.

Rose stood in the void. She had not relized it was the void because she had only started to read the Sil. But she felt afraid and lost. There was a thretening air about the place.

Then in the distance Rose hears a cry. It sounded like Birdland. She was going to go try to find her when she stopped for a moment.

Why did she want to help Birdie? Wasn't she one of the people ploting to use the REG for ransom? Nomater. They were all in the same boat now. She'd forget what had happed before.

As Rose searched she started to hear singing. Not knowing why Rose started to sing too. Her sweet voice (sorry to brag) in harmony with Birdie's.She felt her tension leave her as she sang:

"In western lands beneath the Sun
the flowers may rise in Spring,
the trees may bud, the waters run,
the merry finches sing..."

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Rose Cotton]

Rose kept singing as she tried to find Birdland. She tried to keep her voice as loud as possible. Maybe then others would hear and sing also. Rose didn't understand it, but she felt it would help.

[Rose Cotton]

(Not part of the story)
Yay we're on page 13!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Back to the story)

[piosenniel]

Veritas and pio stood back to back - pio her sword drawn and Veritas brandishing her now blazing staff. The time space continuum had stretched itself out and folded over and rejoined itself like a giant mobius strip. No place to get off. From somewhere near she could hear Birdie singing. It seemed a hopeful song, and pio wondered what phantasms had prompted such a bright refrain in so grey a world. In counterpoint, she heard a harmony echo Birdie's song in a clear small voice. That must be Rosie, she thought.

'Where's Child?', she wondered out loud. Veritas motioned with her free hand toward a small heap just on the other side of the REG. 'Fainted, again?!', she said.

The two surveyed the area as best they could, before putting away their weapons. Stepping toward the now still and silent REG, Veritas prodded it with her staff to see what would happen. It looked normal, and somehow innocent just sitting there, its toggle switches now in the 'off' position.

'Veritas, let's get the laptop hooked back up to the REG and run some diagnostics. I think I see the cable link up dangling from your pocket.'

Once engaged, the REG seemed to develop a low level hum, desafinado, slightly off key. The laptop ran its dignostic check, but could find nothing wrong.

'Oh look!, said pio. 'There's a new ebony icon down there on the left. Looks like a Gate of some sort with the letters DoN inscribed on it. Click on it - let's see what we get.'

'You sure you want to do this?!' said Veritas. 'Remember the last time we clicked on an icon?'

'How much worse could things get?' replied pio. 'Besides, this is still a party, let's have some fun!'

'For an elf, your ideas of fun are very strange -- and dangerous.' pio just smiled and clicked on the icon. A vibrant sable screen appeared with 2 large, locked doors in the center, edged in silver. On each was a large star, and in the center of each star were set gems of pure dazzling light. Below the doors was set a many branched luminescent white tree and at its roots was inscribed the invitation - 'Do You Want To Play?'

Birdie, Rose in tow, and the now awakened Child had made their way to the scene at the laptop. The five looked at each other, and then looked back at the enticing screen. Child, ever the voice of reason, opened her mouth to urge caution. Birdie and Rose leaned toward her as if in agreement.

'Of course, we want to play!' said pio, finger moving toward the enter key. She winked at the others and motioned them nearer with her free hand.

'Click!'

The logo screen for the game came up.

DOORS OF NIGHT

click HERE to open

Such an innocent invitation. How could she refuse the choice.

The sound of that small 'click' was overshadowed by the collective gasp from the remaining four companions, swallowed up in darkness.

****************************
meanwhile, back at the ranch, er. . . um Fields of Cormallen, a small group of expert trackers led by Mithadan were preparing to pursue the REG and its abductors.

[Veritas]

This time it was not a great void they came in, but it was like they landed on antoher planet;It is a village, with big houses, two under one roof, with a small park on the other side of the road.
"This can not be!! This is the place were a lived my childhood!!!" Veritas is screaming.
"No, you're mistaken, this is the place were my school used to be, that building over there!" Pio points at a little field with grass and trees.
"I don't see any school, nor two houses under on roof, this is Minas Tirith!" Child sais.
"Can it be, that we're all seeing something different? My eyes say that this is a forest." Birdie.
"I'm home! I'm home!" Rosie is dancing all over the place.
"No, you're not home, you're seeing an image from your memory." Pio's the first who dares to say what they were all thinking.
"What are we going to do now?"
"Make fun, that's were we came for!" Veritas tries to be a bit optimistic, but she isn't.
"How can you make fun, if you're all seeing different things?"
"If there's a way we came here, than there must be a thing that can take us back, or make that we see all the same."
Pio points at a laptop, the wizard programms it again, an dthey go into the forest of Birdie.

***************
After a while, when the group was in the forest, Mithadan comes to the laptop with a few people...

[Veritas]

After have walked for an hour or two, the Party comes to an old temple, overgrown with plants.

"Is this where we're looking for?" wishpers Child. The place seems to be so quiet and peaceful, they don't dare to talk loud.

Veritas walks over to the entrance, and the rest follows her.
In the tempel hall shines the sun through the high windows, and they see in the middle a grave.

Rose is the first one who talks:"Look, it is the grave of a person; 'Died on fourth Forelith 1119, in the First Age' I can't see wich name." She's wipes with her hand over the stone, but it seems as if the name's distroyed by someone.

"Why would the REG take us her?" Birdland doesn't understand, "And why is the name gone?" She looks around and walks over to a door, hidden after an old curton.
"Come over here, I see a light."
The Party follows her into a little room, only Pio stays by the grave, thinking about who it could be...

In the middle of the small room floats a shining thing in the air.
"It looks like a Silmarill, how strange..." Veritas can not make a clue out of all these things.

"Hé, guys, I think I now who it is!" The elf sais, "Come back, I'll show you."
When the rest of the party just steps into the big hall, Veritas sees a very known face at the entrance of the temple...

"I know who it is as well." Mithadan and it's trackers...

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen and Rosseil were in a bit of a fix. they were trying desperatly not to be noticed by the shining white figure, and trying not to arouse anything that might be living there. the only thing for it would be to band the remaining party surviovors together and- do nothing and hope that someone found a way out soon. Rosseil and Celeaewen wandred around, looking for other guests. instead, they found the laptop. it was pulsating AGAIN, and there were big black doors on the screen.then Rosseil and Celeaewen did the sensible thing. they broke and ran. as they were running, celeaewen tripped over a little black box-the REG. ROsseil picked it up, and tey ran some distace away from the evil laptop before setting it down and turning it over. Celeaewen's idea was to use the green wire to amuse herself until someone rescued them. Rosseil's ideas were a little more complex, running along the lines of rewiring the REG to take them all home. Celeaewen wrenched off the lid (which came quite easily after all it went through) and was elecrocuting herself with the wire. Rosseil pushed her out of the way, and began to mess with the wiring, trying to find out how it worked, while Celeaewen sat and sulked, plotting Veritas's extreme injuries

[Frodo Baggins]

"OOOOO" Frodo's head is spinning and he almost feels like throwing up. "Sam??? SAM????? SAM!!!! Where are you?"

OK a few questions, what has happened, what is a REG, and why am I in trouble??

[Losthuniel]

<<a REG is a Random Events Generator. they add strange things to the RPGs. i have no idea why you are in trouble.>>

[Samwise]

Well, Mister Frodo, the short of it seems to be that most of the folks from the party are stuck in some kind of vortex or void. These are the last two quotes from our little group, thought up by Miss Stacey, who wanted to get out of it:
Primrose:*Looking around at the swirling vortex* Eh--what happened?
Sam: I--DON'T know, Tiny Rose...

Stacey: Ai... *Pulls up her sleeve, revealing an odd-looking communicator/teleporter thing on her wrist that looks like it came out of an old Sid & Marty Kroft show (which it did). *Reaches out and grabs Sam's hand* Sam, grab Primrose.
When he does, Stacey pushes a red button on the side of the device, and the three disappear from the vortex

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stacey/Sam/Primrose: WHOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Thud. Boff! Ugh!
Stacey: *At the bottom of the two hobbits* Erg--could you two get off of me?

Primrose: *Rolls off of her father, who in turn climbs of off Stacey's back and helps her up* What in the name of Middle-Earth is going on here!?!?

Stacey: *Straightens her glasses* Y'got me, Prim.

Sam: *Looks up into the dark sky. Most of it is full of a slowly twisting purple mass, assumedly the vortex they just fell out of. He looks at Stacey's wrist.* What exactly is that contraption, Miss Stacey?

Stacey: *Covering it up again with her sleeve* Ah--to tell you the truth, I forgot what it's called. Let's just say it's what they call in my world "technology"--granted, 1970's technology, but...

Stacey: And you're not in trouble, that I know of, sir, Sam was just concerned 'cause he hadn't seen you since before everyone was supposed to have gotten sucked up. He, Prim and I were heading back to Bag End, but seeing as how you seem to have gotten missed by the vortex/void thing, we'll come back!

[piosenniel]

Pio perused the wizard who was standing apart from the rest of the group, apparently caught in a different time loop. Veritas was gesturing and pointing and her lips moved as if talking with someone. The problem is, assesed pio, that the wizard dropped her staff on transport. 'This is going to hurt!', thought pio to herself, 'And me more than you!!'

Handling a wizard's staff is always a tricky situation. One can never know how it will react to the touch of someone other than its chosen wielder. Bending close to the staff, pio extended her index finger to within a fraction of an inch of the smooth wood. She could feel the thrill of electricity, like a living current, caress her fingertip as if tasting the intent. 'Mellon', murmured pio, as if incanting a protective spell. The wand extended it's power to engulf the elf and raising itself, positioned itself firmly within her grip. Pio raised the wand and touched Veritas, whose startled expression had just accompanied the word: Mithadan.

Veritas closed her eyes briefly, the power of the wand flowing into her, and then opened the to refocus on the here and now. Pio sttod looking at her own intact hand with amazement, and Birdie, Rose, & Child had gathered near to offer her their support if needed.

'Where are we?', asked the wizard, now fully restored to herself.

'Funny you should asked that question,' came a mellifluous voice from the shadows to their left.'I've been pondering that question for a very long time - a timeless time you might say.' 'But where are my manners. Welcome to my world, such as it is. It's lovely to hear voices, that is, other than my own ringing about in my head. Come tell me of the outer world? And how fares Middle Earth in this Age?'

It was a casually asked question, and Child, being the great elucidator that she was stepped forward to detail a short (for a hobbit, that is) history of events.

Her mouth opened and the wheels of thought were just about to be set in motion for a good long dissertation, when pio, her sword drawn stepped in front of her and hushed her with a shake of her head.

pio's eyes had grown large - to accomodate themselves for the lack of light in this place. She turned to face the Being in the Shadows and motioned the others to stand behind her.

'Give us your name, O Seeming Fair One', she demanded. 'If we are pleased, we will exchange information with you. Come forth and let us see you.'

'Such bravery for so such a small creature', mused the voice drawing nearer. 'But you are intruders in my world, and by courtesy should reveal yourselves to me.'

A dark figure stepped closer into the shading greyness. 'And as for 'choosing' to exchange information, we'll discuss that later. We have all the time we need to learn about each other.'

[Rose Cotton]

Rose,as she sang found Birdie.

They both stopped singing. Then before Rose could say anything Birdie put her finger to her lips. Then she grabed Rose by the arm and dragged her to where Pio and Veritas were sitting with a laptop. Child was walking over too. The screen said 'Do You Want To Play?' Rose was nervous but she found that she was curious too.Then they were transported again

For a moment Rose was happy to find she was back in Hobbiton. Then Pio said that it was just a projection of her memory. Rose then found herself in a forest.

They came to the unnamed tomb and Rose grew unesay. When she heard a voice behind her she quickly put her hand on her dagger. Rose wasn't about to trust the stranger.

Pio had motioned for Rose to stay behind her but when the stanger had spoken Rose rushed forward, her knife out.Her normally pleasant face was now suspitious.

"What do you mean by that?" she said."You better tell us whats going on or you'll be in trouble. It's five ageinst one as you see."

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[ May 25, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[Rose Cotton]

The figure in the shadows laughed softly at the young hobbit girl confrunting him.

"You better silence your miget or I might grow angry."

[Child of the 7th Age]

Midget, Child fumed, what do you mean by midget?

Child was making up all kinds of insulting responses inside her brain, but decided it might be better to keep her mouth closed and refrain from speech, at least for the moment. She had a sinking feeling that this was not going to be very good.

Her brain was splitting in half. She remembered waking up from her faint with the beautiful gold and silver Valar nodding over her. Never had Child felt so small. For the first time in her life,Child wished she was an Elf so that she might stay in this beautiful place they called the West.

Elbereth had bent over her. Child had thought she would be blasted to the ends of the earth. But the strangest thing had happened. Elbereth had leaned over her and laughed, a sweet and clear laugh like a tinkling bell.

Then she had said, "Well, little hobbit, you have definitely fallen into the wrong story. Go back with your friends and help them."

Then, all had gone black and she had woken up in the Void with her friends, and now this miserable large thing was calling her a midget!!

[Birdland]

"Well, Rose, we were obviously singing the wrong song."

At least Birdie seemed to have found most everyone she started out with, but the hardy Piosenniel seemed to view the shiny, mist shrouded stranger with the same trust you would afford a talking snake offering to sell you a used car. The usually erudite Child stood in tongue-tied dismay. And Birdie had one heck of a tension headache.

Had her singing summoned this creature out of the Void? If so, it was the first time Birdie's singing had ever drawn an audience.

"I should have sung something Elvish...or Valarish" Suddenly the song "Volare" got stuck in Birdie's head. Now she knew why she had wanted the REG in the first place. She'd been seeking more stability to her thought processes.

And all our petty thievery and prankishness had led us here, to the Big Kahuna. Or at least one of the Bigger Kahunas.

"Uh, excuse me, sir." squeaked Birdie, You're name wouldn't by chance start with an..."M"?

[Rose Cotton]

Rose was fumeing. Miget? She could tell Child was angry too. But who was this? Who did Birdie think it was?

Well that didn't matter. Rose wasn't going to trust him. She silently thanked all that was good that she had had the sence to snach a weapon beforehand.

Then Rose tried to think of all the people she had read about in the Sil so far that had names that started with 'M'. Then she froze. It couldn't be HIM? Could it?

Then the stranger stepped from the shadows to where they could all see him clearly.