Excuse me for interrupting this most interesting topic, but our fellow/galship has now entered the Park of Topfloorien. The next post will be a cameo by a new player, so please await it before posting. Further instructions will follow after that.

As always, I tremendously enjoyed reading all of your posts. Let me move backwards through them with my comments, which are by no means exhaustive!

Mith, shades of Lassie and Baywatch - I'm still laughing! Gravlox seems to have a soft side to him that we haven't seen before!

Child/Sharon, nice exit for Pettygast! We hope to hear of his further shopping adventures when you have time to post. As to the continuity problems your reference to the One Ring, Frodo and Bilbo could create, I don't think we have to worry about them. Our consistency is not quite up to Tolkien's anyway...

Diamond, the "Imbecile of an Elf" lines are great! Whatever shall we do if Vogonwë cannot write poetry after being deprived of his bottle?!

Birdie, your "Mithril-Munching Moria Mice!!!!" seemed to have made such an impact that all players were silenced in awe for a day or two! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Kuruharan, Chrysophylax' very secret diary cracked me up! I do hope he didn't lose it so that we will get additional chapters sometime!

B-W, what fun with the goblin ticket-agent! Can't say Orogarn Two didn't make an heroic effort!

Rim, nice contribution to the ongoing wings debate with your Porterog! My favorite pun this time is the one about not wanting to let decisions be made by a bush! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] The poetry was ... interesting.

Squatter, what a shame that we couldn't further our acquaintance with Errol! As always, it is a joy to read your skilfully written lines.

I look forward to all of your next posts! Hope you’re having as much fun as I am!

The 10 cent word for the day is "dichotomy". [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Roll over Shakespeare and tell Tolkien the news.

The first post for Saladriel, the Lady of Topfloorien, is made. Feel free to post your initial responses to Careless Gardenhon.

Saladriel will have two more posts, inviting all to look into her bowl, and, after each recounts his vision, then gifting each companion before the fellow/galship moves on.

Bethberry

[ January 29, 2003: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

Great introductory post, Bethberry, and welcome to the game! We're happy to have you with us, or more accurately, to be able to visit you. This is everyone's opportunity to explore the realm of Saladriel, get to know the handbunnies better [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] , or go shopping! I look forward to your posts.

Great post Bethberry. Logic and proportion have fallen. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I've left some scope at the end of mine for the joke that was mentioned to me on chat a while ago. You know who you are, all ye who planned it.

Most wondrous additions to the Tale, all. The ghost-writing continues, this time from the chapter The Mirror of Galadriel.

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Rimbaud ]

A perfect pickup on Saladriel, Kuruharan, if I may be allowed that term. It leads quite nicely into my next post. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Great work on the setup, Squatter. And wonderful to see someone familiar with Aliciel. I've decided to edit "White Rabbit" to "White Hare". Somehow seems to foreshadow better. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Bethberry

[ January 30, 2003: Message edited by: Bethberry ]

Bethberry-

I was not sure who was supposed to start on our little game, so I figured that I would wait for you.

Plot lines are being stirred, not shaken, and gamers have notified Estelyn that they won't be posting over the weekend.

Thus, I won't post Saladriel and Celery's next spot of entertainment for the Questers until Sunday, probably. Roll over Lewis Carroll and tell Tolkien the news.

Until then, enjoy the shops and hops of Topfloorien.

Bethberry

Whew, I got behind there, I know! Of course, thanks to Squatter that didn't mean you had to be deprived of an excellently horrible Vogonwë poem (it was perfect, loved it! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] ).

After reading my post you may just be curious to see what Pimpiowyn's dream dress looks like. It is still my stubborn belief that Elves don't wear red. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

*sobs* Precioussss dressss, we wantsss it! (Look here for another scrumptious view of that culmination of costume-making creativity!) It should have been mine! It will be mine! When's my birthday? And does it have pocketses, my preciousss?

Now why did I have to go and make my heroine a blond Elf?!

[ February 01, 2003: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]

I have up the second fit of Vogonwë's epic. I hope you can stand it, but you may need a horsehead pendant to survive. Or maybe it's just writing it that makes my brain feel like mush. On the upside, it's dinnertime now.

What? Me plagiarize?

Not a ghost of a chance.

Saladriel invites all members of the Itship to look into the Mirror of her Salad Bowl and tell what therein they do see.

Bethberry

My compliments to the writers. I could barely breathe through these last additions I was laughing so hard.

Bethberry-

Kuruharan will be making some of his business offers sometime tomorrow. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

I don't plaigerize either. I just borrow liberally. In this case, Act 2, Scene 2, Romeo and Juliet.

Oh dear... [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]

Eeeuuuuuwwwww! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] I'll bet Halfullion and Orogarn will be just seething!!! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Ye gawds, great golliwogs and eeeeyyyaaa, Mithadan, you are SICK!

*shudders*

Come on, people, haven't you read all the "Are orcs immortal?" and "Can orcs repent?" threads?? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Who knows what *may* have happened? [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

I don't think Diamond is concerned so much about whether Gravlox can repent. I think she's more concerned about whether that unfortunate skin condition - that all Orc-flesh is heir to - can be cleared up.

"Oh we are livin' in a Material World,
And she is a Material Girl!"

Me? Material? *innocent look* I have a vivid imagination, and am plagued with the ability to visualize the written world very well. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] And anyway, even if he does repent, I don't know what you are going to tell Pimpiowyn. She's been looking forward to her revenge for a looooong time.

I have up Vogonwë's encounter with the salad bowl. Pimpi's will be separate post.

[ February 04, 2003: Message edited by: Diamond18 ]

Hey, ya gonna let a carbuncle or two stand in the way of true love?

Does this mean Pimpi doesn't get to kill him or watch him be killed? *pouts*

Maybe Pimpi can kill him softly with Vogonwë's song, Diamond. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

There's a nominal prize for whoever gets the poem quoted. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Alas, alack and welladay:

Bethberry, with a little help from her friends

Wow, I am impressed. Good sleuthing, Ms. Drew! Your prize is...to be announced later.

Umm... Why is it that neither Earnur nor Pimpi got to look into the salad? I was waiting for Squatter's post so I could make Pimpi look last (she was going to eat the salad, if you must know...but after Mith's post I had some new ideas. Eat my pathos, Gravlox!!!!!) but we seem to have been skipped. There was going to be a big to-do with Lopitoff whinnying too, so it just won't be the same recounted in the light of a new day.

But right now I have to be off to work and won't be home till tonight (B-D time).

There's no skipping, Diamond. You can still post. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] And we are expecting Squatter to post later today. This hare thing is just a little subplot. The plot lines of the Bowl and the Romance and the hares can run together.

If you like, I can edit it into someone else's post, Diamond. Just PM it to me and tell me where to put it.

I thought from Estelyn's post that it was the morning of the next day, already. http://forum.barrowdowns.com/ubb/icons/icon5.gif

But that's alright; it doesn't really matter, 'cause I can add Pimpi's vision to my Vogonwë post, as I won't have her eat the whole salad as I'd originally planned. Or maybe she won't eat any... I haven't decided yet. I'll edit it later tonight and let you know. It shouldn't effect the posts that come after it, and I'll leave something for Earnur to look at (a leaf, a crouton, a puddle of dressing, who can say? [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img] )

Done and done. I appended it onto the end of Vogonwë's vision, complete with product placement.

Do forgive the demented nature of the humor. And a disclaimer: whatever adjectives I used to describe a certain character does not extend to the opinion I hold of the author of said character. God bless you, every one, and especially the wonderful people who invented the thesaurus. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Great posts, everyone! If I were to attempt a summary of everything I enjoyed, I could just copy and paste the whole thread, a convenient but rather redundant undertaking. I will limit myself to some highlights, in no particular order, and some general comments on the plotline.

Yes, Diamond, Pimpi will see her parents revenged in due time and probably differently than expected… She is a bloodthirsty little Quarterling, isn’t she?! Looks like she’s seen too many R-rated dreams at a much too early age. As to Vogonwë, we now know who’s to blame for his awful poetry! Fit the Second was amazing as always; wonder what the topic of Fit the Third will be!

Recommended reading for Dead Mother’s Month: Tolkien the Matricide, started by our very own Birdie.

Yes, the timeline is not quite coherent, but that’s because of the switches in point-of-view between the various characters, so it’s not really a big deal. We can edit if there’s a genuine problem somewhere. Besides, we can blame any inconsistencies on the Midsummer Night’s madness that has befallen the company – it’s all the Salad Bowl’s fault! *points at Saladriel [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] * Though we eagerly await Earnur’s halluci – um, I mean, vision, those who wish may continue to post any musings, wanderings or sidetrack plots they can contrive.

I’m not sure how quickly we will wrap these developments up, but the culmination will be a gift-giving scene before we leave Topfloorien and head for Mirkwood, destination Gol Dulldor. Let’s hunt some Orc!

As for Orcs – my, my, Mithadan! If that Hammock had windows, they would be steaming! Well, the ‘borrowed’ poetry gives Gravlox class; we certainly don’t need more original poems in this story! [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] But who will have the heart to execute Pimpi’s revenge on this sympathetic foe?

Et Tofu too, Rim?? We do have some mighty intelligent horses on this Quest, though Halfie shows more of the same quality when discussing literature than we had expected from him! And our pun specialist was busy as always…

Kuruharan, thanks for the explanation of the Dwarven origins of that most necessary of male accessories, Duck Tape! What a great marketing opportunity, in addition to the replica of Lopitoff that we will be manufacturing. Look for these items in the Barrow-Treasures Store! (Orogarn’s T-shirt already available)

Double, double, B-W – while we’re waxing Shakespearian! Great dialogue between Two and Too! Now we’re curious – who is ‘he’?? As to your previous post, wonderful eloquence from Orogarn!

Birdie, your fox posts are always a treat! Your clever names for shops and description of the Mall are so cute! Special mention goes to your Old Forest scene, with the appearance of TB! Let no one say we left book characters out of our story – who knows, maybe even Glorfy will show up!

“the Lay of Lús-scrú”, Squatter – wonderful! And ‘wondrous’ poetry too, while we’re at it. Looking forward to Etceteron’s next post…

Last but by no means least, I would like to thank Bethberry for setting up the whole atmosphere, scenes and plot development in Topfloorien. A special favorite line of mine is the one about Saladriel’s ‘historical revisionist writer’ – wonder if Tolkien would recognize himself in that description? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] Great name inventions and some very clever ghost writing adaptations make your posts enjoyable reading. Since Bb will be doing more cameo appearances, we won’t be losing her when we leave Topfloorien, fortunately!

Looking further into real life future, I would like the first part of our story, which mostly concerns the revenge on the Orcs, to finish some time before Easter, to give us all a well-deserved holiday break. After that, we can continue with Part Two, which will be about the search for the Entish relics. I’d appreciate your ideas of RL time planning for that – I do hope you are enjoying this as much as I am and want to keep going!

[ February 05, 2003: Message edited by: Estelyn Telcontar ]

Yes, well, I thought this RPG needed a bit of good old-fashioned gratuitous violence and cheesy B-movie horror schtick to keep the attention of the American audiences. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] It's the repressed Shieldmaiden of Rohan side of her heritage coming through, as well: blood and glory in battle and all that. She eagerly and unsympathetically awaits the opportunity to observe the death of her foe.

Hey Estelyn, don't blame me for this state of, um, affairs. I had a little help from friends setting it up, and, anyways, it was all your idea in the first place, right? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Bethberry

Hurray for Pimpiowyn! Queen of the Adjectives!

I say we blame Shakespeare - he won't mind!

Bethberry has written a great post finishing off our adventures in Topfloorien! Now we can comment on the gifts and ride off in the general direction of Workmud, the Sullied Silvan Realm, wherein lies Gol Dulldor. We do have to cross the (insert punny name for Anduin River here) to get there. Any ideas?

The adventures in the Forest will be less structured again, so feel free to plunder the Hobbit for ideas on foes and other happenings. We don't have to get to Gol Dulldor too fast. Will we meet with Orcs on the way? Will there be giant spiders? Tune in and post for further adventures of the Fellow/Galship!

Something leads me to the conclusion that the spiders will lack some of the intelligence and organisation shown by Tolkien's arachnids. Several ideas suggest themselves, and now I need only a word that spiders might use for an embarrassing phobia.

Thanks for the flask, Bethberry. Lord Etceteron will treasure it always, as will Wylkynsion, which has never liked its annual sojourn at the pawnbroker's. I shall endeavour to make something of the inscription later: I expect it has to be read at closing time in the maker's favourite tavern to work properly. That's why these mithril flasks never really caught on: nobody wants to read cryptic and doom-laden fragments when they're drinking.

[ February 10, 2003: Message edited by: Squatter of Amon Rudh ]

Vogonwë thanks you from the bottom of his heart for the indispensible raspberry wreath, good Bethberry. Now nothing shall stand in his way of a good long recitation, lest it be actual violence done to his personage.

I'm not quite sure what Pimpi should do with her beans. Are they for snacking or planting or music? I'm feeling quite dense at the moment... [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img]

Estelyn, do you want me to edit my previous posts in which I used the name "Mirkwood"? I didn't alter it because I've always found it quite amusing just the way it is. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] But we must have consistency, eh? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Not only will we meet spiders, methinks, but a misbegotten kidnapping at the hands of a hapless cousin of Thranduil might be in order. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Well, since we've changed the other place names, I thought it would be a good idea to alter Mirkwood too - not quite an anagram, but something similar... Yes, please do edit the previous posts - sorry, I didn't come up with a good name earlier. I will try to update the list of names to make it easier to ensure consistency.