The masks of inscrutability, or are you really you?

[HerenIstarion]

Hoho, I feel suddenly as if I hold great power. Am I the only one here with more than two egos in alteration! Ah, I see so far that I may be. How very...intriguing...yes.

Kransha, you forget that there are five wizards of quite different disposition, powers and mindsets behind my nickname

Mith, 'mithology' is quite a word, I like it

Durelin

but it's not supposed to feel like a big family, or even a group of classmates or workmates

I don't think it is. But this is as close to friendship as virtual thing may come to it. For one, we all share one common interest, that is, Tolkien. Than, there are a lot of inner smaller rings, expressing themselves by who and where is mainly to be found. And looking at familiar nicks for a lengthy period of time, the affection comes in. I miss my fellow [insert nick here] every time I'm away from my PC. Sure, I miss discussion, chance to express myself in a way I like, but I also miss those whom I express myself to. And not only because they are my audience, and I'm theirs, for I enjoy reading as much as writing, but because I find them (or at least them as they appear under their nicks) good in themselves, and wonder sometimes how lucky I am to have those great people around me who are able, maybe, of dragging me up to their level (did I mention 'mutual admiration society' already?)

And to an extent, it does not matter that they may be different in 'real life'. For one, I, probably, would never have chance to find out. For another, when we communicate here, it is their 'mask' that counts, and they (or should I say - me?) are transformed into persons defined by their nicks. So this is davem, Child, Mhoram I know, not David, Helen or [another] David, but it does not matter as far as we communicate online

I would be glad to meet you IRL (there was a whole thread by Esty (or Estelyn? ) about meeting of fellow BD-ers. But those people you meet IRL are somehow more, and other than, people who's gender, age and name are unknown unless revealed, but whom one is strongly attached to on the simple basis of their writing.