Hmmm, a tough challenge this time. In order to thwart Luthien's and Beren's marriage we must make sure that Thingol will be as obstinate and narrowminded as possible so we must remove the sole voice of reason from his court, so that his bootlickers and lackeys can reinforce his own bigoted beliefs about Beren. Therefore I agree with Lalaith 's assessment: Melian must go! I never understood what a pretty Maia like her saw in that bloated oaf Thingol anyway. :p

++ Melian

If the goal is to make it difficult, but not impossible, to thwart Luthien's and Beren's marriage, then it would seem that evicting Huan would serve the purpose.
Melian would still be around to moderate Thingol's arrogance (rumor has it Beren once said "You can't do business with that hothead"). Without Huan it would
be humongously difficult to get even one Silmaril. So:

+ + Huan

(hope I did that right).

You're half way there, Tuor! Bold it as well next time...++HUAN, for instance. (Example, not vote.)

I have the following suggestions:

Melian and Huan, for reasons stated above, would both be good options

If Barahir were to be ejected, Beren would endure more danger early on, having to lead the Outlaws

Finrod Felagund (I know, I know, it hurts a lot) gave Beren aid and saved Beren's life

Maedhros (even worse) possibly kept his younger brothers Celegorm and Curufin under a measure of control

Telchar forged Angrist-but has probably given it to Curufin by now, so isn't much of a candidate

Tilion and Arien may be the only means of rescuing the lovers aerially...

Out of such a list, I shall back Tuor and vote for the irritating talking animal, which betrays its true master-

++HUAN

I thought of huan. It certainly seems like a better choice than Melian (to me). Although Melian is a bit expendable (as much as i hate to say it), i just can't seem to let her go.

But lets look at what will happen if we get rid of huan:

Celegorm will have a much better chance of killing Luthian, or Beren, or both. We what to make the marriage hard, not kill it off.

Sauron. Didn't Luthian faint? I might have made taht up, but i don't think so. So that would also be bad.

So i don't think huan would be a good idea.

What if we evict Arien (with Sun). This would make it much easier for teh forces of Morgoth to range far and wide. I suppose this would make it hard of Beren and Luthian, traveling through the wild as they do...just a thought.

Lord Melkor, I'm with you on the need to save Melian from further oafishness. However, I'm just a mite worried about the consequences of the loss of her girdle. Perhaps she could give her daughter some girdling lessons before she goes?
Anyway, now that Turgon's gone, I'm in a happy-go-lucky sort of mood and am open to persuasion from all quarters. Not darling Finrod though. Anything but that.

Actually, Luthien never did very well when being homeschooled by her mother. She was just a bimbo running after boys. It's well-known that her bookish cousin Galadriel surpassed her in girdling, divination, cookery and world domination classes...

I have a way that will allow Beren and Luthien to prevail (just) if Huan goes, but I'll keep it to myself to give you an incentive to vote him off...

Votes

Melian-1
Huan-2

Anguirel:Wasn't Orome his original master? In that case I believe Huan follows the unspoken will of his true master by saving the innocent.

Though I must admit Huan's not a bad solution. Better than Melian anyway. The elves of Beleriand needs a wise maia with some powers to resist evil for some time. Melians girdle makes Doriath one of the safe houses right now, even if only invited guests are allowed (and some very special non-invited guests :))

Ang again:True, but if we vote for Curufin, Beren might never find the knife. This would lead to some danger as Beren would have to bring a sledge hammer or hacksaw to pinch the Silmaril from Morgoth's crown. But I know this would be fruitless, so I'm not even going to try.

No, I'm afraid I'll have to go bandwaggoning :(

++Huan

But he sure is a nice, cuddly pet with a great, noble heart...

Huan was a gift to Celegorm from Orome. A gift. If the haughty Vala still claims he is his master, then it is a proof of the niggardliness of the Valar!

Hmm...I don't really want to vote for Melian and am intrigued by prospects of a non-Huanish Silmaril-plucking; but on the other hand I don't think it's very good for young Anguirel to get his own way *all* the time. If Saucie were here I'm sure he'd have a plan.

In that case, Lalaith, 'fraid it's time for this-

--HUAN, ++MELIAN

Ostensibly to remove the restraining influence on Thingol, with a menacing undercurrent of "Vote for the doggy or the purty lady gets it!"

Votes

Melian-2
Huan-2

But without Melian, there will be no girdle!

++Huan

The journey to Angband will be much harder, but as long as Luthien and Beren use their heads and stay out of trouble, they should make it there and back all in one piece (not counting Beren's hand).

I really don't want to vote for Huan and I want to vote for Melian even less. So let's throw someone new into the mix...

++BARAHIR

...to make Beren the new outlaw leader. He won't have much time to wander around Doriath or to go on outlandish quests if we keep him busy with the outlaws. It should at least delay the marriage.

++HUAN

as much as this galls me, someone said something about the consequences of voteing him off, and they were good. so...

melian is a bad choice. we dont' even know (and i don't dare guess) waht thingol will cook up if left to his own devises. plus no girdle, thats' bad too.

Hmmm. I'm extending the voting time for this to 7:00 pm GMT, since I've been ambushed by Italian learning and haven't got time to do awrite-up now, and because I'd like to see more votes...

Votes so far

Melian-2
Huan-4
Barahir-1

++Huan.

Sorry, but your the best choice. Eru can always intervene.

Besides, I'm still ticked that Morgoth kept me up all night yelling "Damn it Sauron, damn it! You lost to a dog!" My trip to Middle-Earth was a lot less pleasant because of that. :mad:

Sigh. I'm starting to feel like I'm trapped in a Jasper Fforde novel.

Resistance to the AngMod is clearly useless, particularly without trusty Saucie to back me up.

++HUAN.

Actually, there may be a chance to wrest power from me!

After my Friday morning update (so, the challenge after the one after this one) I'll be off for a few days-I'll ascertain how many precisely before I leave. I want the show to continue apace, so I need a replacement mod to take over write ups for a bit if poss.

Are you up for this, Lalaith? If my usual updating and closing times don't suit, feel free to change them.

If you don't feel able to do it, then I offer the position to Gothmog. Which I know means that, most likely, all my favourites will be summarily killed off by my return. Still, he's made some excellent contributions and perhaps deserves a wee comeback.

Otherwise...Saucie? Or, if absolutely necessary, a hiatus.

Incidentally, votes:

Melian-2
Huan-6
Barahir-1

I'm flattered by your offer, sir, but alas must refuse: I'm off myself from Saturday to Tuesday.

I'm leaving Friday to Wednesday.

Which means I would miss a vast chunk of the Silmarillion. Oh dear. I may call a pause after all till Wednesday, if no one minds...

Ha ha ha...

Right. Decision made. The AngMod shall cling to power and after voting closes on Friday morning I shall do the write-up but announce the pause until Wednesday. Then on Wednesday I'll post the new challenge.

Is that alright with everyone?

Ahhh *mouth watering*... Curufin and the other Cs would go in the first write up. They would all die a horrible death! But alas... I don't think I have enough time, there's an upcoming major test taking away most creativity right now. Though I'm truly flattered and might even stop trying to resist ever move you make...or maybe not! ;)

I guess we can manage a few days without new exciting tasks to deal with.

As I said I'm really honoured by your proposal (NOT that kind of marriage-proposal thingy)...

you really should take over, you know. they deserve no less... ;)

Voting closing slightly early due to an evil English essay...

Melian-2
Huan-6
Barahir-1
Saucepanmanowen-1

Huan is no longer best friend to Eldar or Edain. Say goodbye to Poochie...he's off to join Manwe, Osse, Gothmog and Curunir in the Void...

Write-up following.

RESULTS OF DAY FOUR (M-e)

Celegorm and Curifin were hanging about in Nargothrond, relaxing after a hectic wolf-hunt. They were whiling away the morning with a friendly debate.

"Dogs," Celegorm said, "are so much better than cats. They're loyal, and friendly! They never let you down!"

Huan barked happily.

"That's as may be," said Curufin, "but you have to admit they're quite thick."

Huan suddenly collapsed through a cunningly contructed trap into a vat of extremely hot boiling oil. His yelps grew louder, then, at length, ceased.

"He lasted some time," noted Tevildo the Prince of Cats, sauntering in. He had the ability to talk whenever some serious gloating needed to be done. Curufin had bribed him from the dark side by use of a potion, called in the Elvish tongue Whiskas...

RESULTS OF THE CHALLENGE

Tevildo had a weakness. He loved to be stroked from his neck to the base of his tail by beautiful, dark haired Elven maids. This meant that Luthien quickly won his assistance.

With the help of the ruthlessly resourceful Prince of Cats, Beren and Luthien's quest was a great success. Unfortunately Finrod still died, Daeron still vanished, Celegorm and Curufin still got thrust from Nargothrond, and mostly things fell out as you might expect. However, Tevildo-as cats will tend to-completely stole the limelight.

He persuaded Draugluin and all the wolves of Sauron to try eating Dragon, with predictable results. He sat out the fight between Celegorm, Curufin, Beren, and luthien, then scratched Celegorm's horse when it was clear who was going to win.

At the taking of the Silmaril, Tevildo persuaded Arien-a cat-lover-to help rescue the fleeing love-birds. But the cat was by now a double-agent for Curufin, his services re-ensured by Whiskas, and after beren and Luthien's marriage, he attempted to steal back the Silmaril. Unfortunately his nine lives had run out and Beleg-a dog-person-caught and drowned him.

The contestants:

Tribes

VALAR

Elbereth
Ulmo
Mandos, Doom of

NOLDOR

Maedhros
Maglor
Celegorm
Celebrimbor
Caranthir
Curufin
Fingon
Idril
Aredhel
Maeglin
Orodreth

TELERI/SINDAR

Olwe
Thingol
Celeborn
Galadriel
Mablung
Beleg
Eol

MAIA/ELF

Luthien

MAIA

Melian
Uinen
Tilion (with Moon)
Arien (with Sun)

DWARVES

Azaghal of Belegost
Telchar of Nogrod
Mim the Petty-dwarf
Khim
Ibun

MEN

Beren
Dior
Hurin
Huor
Morwen
Haldir
Handir
Bor
Borlach & co.
Ulfang
Uldor & co.

FORCES OF EVIL

Morgoth
Sauron
Eonwe
Glaurung
Ancalagon (baby...)

Task the fifth: maximise destruction, death and disaster for both sides to the greatest extent possible in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

Oh how sweet! And what a pet! You could use him to grill your marshmallows and as an effective fly catcher!

And now to the subject... You have an ability to write some really devilish tasks Ang. Maximum destruction for both sides, and I guess Curufin won't die in the turmoil this time either? ;)

What we must do is create two equal armies to fight til the end (or almost). If one army gets superior to the other, there will not be " destruction, death and disaster for both sides to the greatest extent possible". Nirn was won by the dark side, but it was a close call. The fury of Noldor and the men who stayed true combined with the toughness of the dwarfes made Morgoth tremble upon his throne.

It is said:So what if we eliminate those forces? Does that mean the elves (it was mainly elves) would win? If so, what will the rest of this game be about? No, an other solution is to be found.

If Uldor the accursed and his lot wasn't around, Maedhros would join the battle earlier which should make it a lot bloodier. Still, the victory of the good side is far from secure. Ulfgang, Ulfast and Ulwarth is still there to lead the forces of turncoates and traitors.

So men still turn around and start chopping at elves AFTER a bloody battle at the doorstep of Angband were the sons of Feanor join in. That might do the trick.

++Uldor

If we took out for example Azaghal of Belegost, Glaurung and his fellow dragons will be free to exterminate the noldor and that won't make much of a game either. It is said literaly that the dragons would have done this if not for the dwarfes.

If we take out any of the elves or good men, the host of Good will have less striking power and loose even worse than they did.

Therefor I choose Uldor, but I'm sure someone can come up with something else. I'm not totally stuck on Uldor, I'm feeling quite flexible on this vote...

++Uldor.

(About the write-up, Beleg? Strange choice,and wouldn't it be hard to drown something as big as a tiger/lion? I don't think he was small. Good writing, though. I'm not insulting you.)

Actually, Gothmog, that sounds like a very reasonable plan. I can't really think of a better way to cause more death and destruction.

++ULDOR

Excellent reasoning Gothmog ! In order to maximize the number of fatalities on both sides we must make sure the meatgrinder lasts as long as possible, so no side must get a distinct advantage over the other one.

++ Uldor

Clarification-the sons of Uldor and the sons of Bor are both single entities for the purposes of voting. If you eject Uldor, Ulwarth and the rest go too, for instance.

Partly out of perversity, I feel a need to set up an altrenative candidate. Of course Morgoth's army has to be weakened, and Uldor and the other traitorous brothers are an obvious option.

However, it was not the treachery men which meant that the Union of Maedhros was destined to end in defeat. No; a darker power lay behind it.

The time has come to finally be rid of ++MANDOS, THE DOOM OF, which will allow great Noldo leaders like the High King Maedhros, Fingon and Maeglin, Prince of Gondolin, to show their quality...

What's the deadline today, O AngMod the Great?

Weeell...it depends. Probably tomorrow morning, 7:30am; I was hoping to squeeze in another Day but time is too short now I think. So this challenge will be the last before the pause. The aftermath of the Nirnaeth changes everything, will kill off an unprecedented number of contestants and seems a suitable point for the interval.

So, yup, I've persuaded myself. 7:30 am tomorrow.

Votes so far

Uldor-4
Mandos, the Doom of-1

Ok, here's an idea, what about Azaghal of Belegost?
If we evict him, he doesn't wound Glaurung and drive him off the battlefield, so Glaurung gets to kill more of the host of elves, elf-friends and dwarves. And also, if he isn't slain, then the dwarves don't do their dirge-singing, bearing away the body of their slain leader from the battlefield thing - I know that was a pretty cool scene but if they stay and fight for a bit longer then more of the host of Morgoth will be slain.
Plus we haven't evicted any dwarves yet.
++Azaghal

i thought of that. another would be hurin or huor, for allowing the armies of gondolin to escape. if we take him out, maybe gondolin will have to make a last stand...

ill go with ++HURIN, as much as it freaking galls me. :mad:

*glares at Eonwe*
You leave my daddy alone, you hear?

Lalaith, one problem with your idea is that without Azaghal-who owes Maedhros a life-debt-to lead them, will the folk of Belegost even turn up?

And Eonwe, I can't really see your reasoning at all. Hurin was the absolute bulwark of the Elven/Human front-line. Ejecting him would probably be the second-most damaging thing you could do to the Forces of Good, second only to evicting the even greater warrior and general Maedhros...

The only explanation is that, true to your new position as Morgoth's lieutenant, you're working to make his victory still more absolute!

I still say vote to drive off the nasty old Doom...

Lalaith: as I said in my earlier post, Silm. says literaly that if it were not for Azaghal and the dwarfes, "Glaurung and his brood" would have destroyed the noldor.
I agree with Ang-not a good idea.

I'm also against the idea of voting on Hurin as it would reduce the forces of good, and they're already on the loosing side. If the forces of Gondolin wouldn't leave, there would be a lot less elves left which may contribute to the sake of today's task, but make the future less interesting. Plus Hurin is needed in the battle. One, if not the, mightiest warriors of men ever walked the Middle Earth turf.

And for Doom of Mandos, are we sure that this doom makes every Noldo weaker? I've rather thought of it like something that shows itself in bad luck and "fate".

No, I'm still for Uldor. If it means Ulwarth and his people go to, so be it. Ulfgang is man enough to lead those cursed men. Plus Bor with sons will stay, right?


My 100th post. Feeling newbidity fading... Soon even wight :) everybody is welcome on a party with virtual cake in my PM inbox ;)

If the Gondolodrim (?) can turn up without Turgon, I don't see why the Belegost posse wouldn't show without Az. Of course, it all lies in the hands of the AngMod.
*shrugs*

Happy hundredweight, Gothmog... :smokin:

The "Gondolodrim" still had leaders worthy of a name in the books, which the dwarfes lacks ;) Who would lead them in battle? Any 3 feet short, bearded, axe-maniac won't do. I doubt anyone but the great Azhagal could manage to hurt Glaurung so bad he decides to retire from battle, and that's what stopped the dragons.

But true is that it all lays in the hands of our much beloved Mod. I'm truly worried about the coming write up. Probably most of those we hold dear will perish, but the scum will be heroes ;)

And thank you!

And lo people! Now I'm a wight too! Double cakes for everybody!

My chance to get rid of the Doom of Mandos has come at last if the pattern of Ang-mod victories continues!

--ULDOR
++MANDOS, DOOM OF

An entirely unfair sanction against the great Noldor tribe. They don't deserve this persecution.