Welcome Back Birthday Party!

[TheGreatElvenWarrior]

Lady Great had been off on her own, utterly drawn in by her private teas and curly headed singer men. She hardly noticed her old barrow on her way to rattle the teacups, but one day she noticed a big sign outside of her much loved home. She couldn't go in anymore. Distraught as she was, she didn't idle, she threw in what she had to enter again.

After months of waiting, here she is again in her dusty old tea shop. "TeaGew's is open for business again after a long absence.," she hollered from her front door. Some had already arrived at the party: curmudgeonly Lal, the crazy old newspaper man Hookbill, Morth sitting in his corner to name a few. Ah. The familiar sight of home.

Well, I'm back., she said.

[Kuruharan]

Look!

Up in the sky!

It's a bird!

No, it's a plane!

No, it's a, a....DRAGON!!!!

EVERYBODY HEAD FOR THE HILLS!!!

RUN AND HIDE! RUN AND HIDE!

Wait, there's a familiar figure sitting on the dragon among the...baggage..?

Dragons come with baggage?

That's a tale for another time, for Kuruharan had returned riding his magnificent pet dragon Chrysophylax.

Yes, Kuruharan, World Renown Raconteur and Traveling Salesdwarf had come bearing free(ish) drinks, along with games, inflatable bouncy castles, barbeque grills, swimming pools, and other such trinkets all at reasonable rates!

Form an orderly line please, no trampling each other in your excitement.

[Zigûr]

As, comparatively speaking, a more recently-interred inhabitant of the Barrow, Zigûr loitered nervously in the background, occasionally muttering something about the "fatuousness of modern culture" to reassure anyone who might be interested that he had not undergone a radical transformation over the intervening months.

[Thinlómien]

Lommy, too, had slowly tramped back, after having been evicted from her home and done a might tour of Middle-Earth. ("I saw penguins!" she liked to tell people. Or: "I held Orcrist! The real one!" Surprisingly few of these discussions turned into debates about grave robbery, which was fortunate.)

Now Lommy was looking around, paying little attention to all the shouting and dragons and whatnot - those were, after all, common occurrences at the 'Downs. She smiled. Everything looked as it had always looked, if the grass on the barrows wasn't even greener. "Awful thing that what happened," she muttered, peering into a barrow to see if there were any traces of damage. "I bet it was that Bombadil fella collapsing wights' residences again."

Then she nodded, pleased with herself for figuring it out, and headed out in search of food, drink and old friends.

[Mithadan]

A Man entered the room. His cloak was stained and threadbare. His boots were caked with mud. His shirt was torn and his trousers were more patch than cloth. And were those cobwebs on his hands? His fingers were bent and gnarled as if from long disuse.

His hair might once have been raven black, but now the dominant color was silver. His head hung as if weighed down with sorrow or great regret, yet he seemed familiar.

He walked to the bar and leaned heavily upon the rail. Then, as if with great effort, he straightened himself and raised his head. His eyes were clear and grey and a hint of a smile crossed his face. And with that smile, years seemed to fall from his shoulders. He reached for a flagon of ale and raised it up in a salute, before taking a long draught.

He turned about to face the room and scanned the many people around him. Some were familiar, others less so. He brushed the cobwebs from his hands and stretched out his fingers.

"I... remember this place," he said quietly. "I have been here before, but have been long absent." He drew a hand across his eyes, and his smile grew broad.

"I have been here before," he repeated. "And I have missed this place."

A person he did not recognize came forward hesitantly. "Your name, sir?"

The Man hesitated. "My name? I... I was... Nonesuch... and... other names." He frowned as if deep in thought. "Gravlox? That sounds familiar. Aelfwine? Grrralph... and there was another... another name."

Kuruharan stepped forward. "For five silver pennies, I will tell you your name," he said, extending a hand, palm up.

The Man reached into a pouch, rummaged about, then counted five coins into Kuruharan's hand. The Dwarf crooked his finger to the Man, who bent over to allow Kuruharan to whisper in his ear. Then he straightened, and a look of amazement passed over his face.

"I... I was Mithadan," he said. It was almost a question.

Kuruharan hesitated as if he was considering asking for another fee. Then he also smiled.

"No," the Dwarf said. "You are Mithadan."

[Kitanna]

It had been ages. Kitanna had traipsed here and there, thinking she could always come back to her beloved barrow and the City of the Dead. For a while it seemed the old dwelling had been lost to smoke and fog, fallen into complete disrepair. However, the dark days appeared to be over.

Kitanna laughed maniacally to see the city repaired. With the old crazed twinkle in her eye, Kitanna wandered through the gate to find old friends and partake in merriment. After all, everyone knew wights threw the best parties.

[Kuruharan]

After a spasm of panic at realizing he had turned down the prospect for an additional fee, Kuruharan decided to surrender to the joyous nature of the occasion.

"Here, have some complimentary fireworks," said the dwarf as he handed them to Mithadan. "Just make sure to set them off outside," cautioned the dwarf. "I wouldn't want to have to live through a repeat of the...nevermind."