Barrow-Downs Birthday Party at the Fields of Cormallen

[Birdland]

"Neek-Breek!...(cough, cough)...I mean Mithadan!" yelped Birdie as she morphed from evil cricket to M-E Extra form. She scrambled through the wreakage of the party field to the side of the doughty moderator. Pulling the remains of Child's white flag petticoat from her pack, she tried to staunch the flow of blood on his brow.

"Don't just stand there everyone! Quick, get some athelas. Give him some of that phial, Frodo. Gimli! Do something with all that beer you've been drinking and put out that grass fire over there! Kettle, give him a whiff of the fish, see if that will bring him around. Is there a doctor in the field!"

"Oh, Mithadan, we're sorry! It just started out as a harmless prank to liven up the party. Who knew it would go so far. We're all so very, very...Saaaayy, is that the new REG 2.1? Ya know, I read about that on C-Net..."

"Sorry", said Child, stepping in and dropping a petticoat over the REG. "We're all very, very SORRY!, Right, Birdie?" She kicked the distracted Extra with her toe.

"Yes! Yes! Sorry!...I was getting to it..."

"Wait a minute!" cried Rose. "What about the Ents and Eagles? They were storming the forts of Rohan! Have they been stopped?"

"And even more important", intoned Pio. "What the heck ever happened to The Barrow Wight?"

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo saw the REG destroyed. He collapsed from weariness and pain and knew no more for a long time...........

[piosenniel]

ooc: aah Samwise and Frodo!! You brave little hobbits had me crying again!!!!! Back later!

[Birdland]

Birdie grabbed Child's skirt tail and the dragon's tail tail and pulled them back as they were about to skip merrily off to Hobbiton and out of our tale.

"Come back here you two! You ain't goin' anywhere until we find out what happened to the Ents and the Eagles. Besides, you never did deliver all those Birthday missives, Missy."

[ June 04, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]

[Mithadan]

Mithadan winced as his wounds were tended to. He smiled gratefully at Child and Birdland. "Yes, that is the latest version of the REG... with some modifications, courtesy of the Dwarves of Erebor. It operates in two modes: true random events with double-encrypted password protection; and instruction guided under which it accepts instructions from only designated persons, in this case Wight and myself. Its operating on instruction mode right now...REG come here." The silver device emerged from under the petticoat and buried itself in Mithadan's pocket.

He grinned at his friends. "While its on instruction mode it would be quite useless to you," he said. "No more ransoms, hmmmm?"

"Where have you been?" growled Veritas. "We've been chasing all over Middle Earth, nearly getting ourselves killed, while you've been on vacation?"

"Hardly," answered Mithadan. "You see, you created the bane of any RPG -- an ultimate weapon which morphed into a nearly omnipotent being. When it got the laptop, it also gained the ability to gain almost limitless information on the activities of its opponents. What could defeat such a thing? An army? A dragon? These things were at best a distraction, effective only due to its own overconfidence. The only thing that could defeat such an enemy is one of the same...another REG. So I went to get another REG, then took it to Erebor to add the instruction mode. On my way back I was distracted by two unopposed armies that were left on your flanks: the eagles and the Ents." He looked ruefully on his green stained and torn cloak and pulled the feather from his collar.

"Its difficult to battle someone you don't want to harm. Ultimately, I negotiated a truce and had Gwaihir check in on things here to convince them I hadn't gone bad. That barely left me the time to get here myself. If I had been a few minutes later, someone would have grabbed the REG and we would have been off again," he explained.

[Gimli Son Of Gloin]

Gimli drains his 175,635th mug.

[Samwise]

Stacey was still having trouble getting Sam loose. It distressed her to hear her little freind breathe, as which each breath there came a moan of pain.

Sam: *gasping* Mister Frodo...

Stacey: One thing at a time, Sam. Stupid. All of this was stupid. Sam could have been killed, and for what? Greed. That's all. Greed!
Wait, came the still small voice in her heart. You know very well that mankind are simply poor wretched creatures devoured by their sin. Sam is alive. Forgive as I would forgive.
Stacey: Of course. Of course....my this has been a trial to end all others....thank You, Lord, for Your teaching.
Calmed in her heart, Stacey looked over at Primrose, who was sitting by the opposite cave wall with her head on her knees. She was soiled from head to foot, and the little roses that had been in her hair at the beginning of it all were either out of place or gone.

Stacey: Prim, I could use your dagger.

The little hobbit looked up. She looked completely drained. "Sure thing."
She got on her knees and crawled over to her father. With tears in her eyes, she removed the dagger,Nuinfalath, from the belt she wore and began hacking at her father's bonds, occasionally stopping to wipe away a tear. When they were finally off, raw red skin was revealed around Sam's wrists and ankles.
Sighing, Stacey gave Sam as tight a hug as she dared.

[ June 04, 2002: Message edited by: Samwise ]

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel puts down her ale and goes over to the small band in the corner.

She signals the band to play a happy tune.

She goes to the floor and starts dancing.

"Come on! Stop drinking and dance with me, Gimli!" Menelduliniel laughs.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo is semi-concious. he has been still for a while but now stirs and smiles ever so slightly and says one word "Sam....?"

[Samwise]

Stacey leaves Primrose to care for her father, and walks across the cave to where Frodo lay. Getting down on her knees, she slips her arms undermeath him and stands.

Stacey: He'll be okay, Frodo. He'll be okay.
Heck, he's a Gamgee--where does anyone think Primrose got that spunk from?
She turns and walks to the other side of the cave, where Prim is tending to Sam.

[Samwise]

ooc: aah Samwise and Frodo!! You brave little hobbits had me crying again!!!

Aw...I'll take that as a compliment, pio. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Sam stood by him, his round eyes wide open - for he was looking across lands he had never seen to a new horizon.

[piosenniel]

Pio watched closely as the new REG secreted itself into Mithadan's pocket. It was a tempting little treasure, but she felt too worn out to devise a ploy to get it. 'Besides', she thought to herself, 'I need to do a little research on double encrypted password protection and instruction guided from only designated persons devices.'

She slid her hand into her own pocket, looking for her flask of miruvor. 'What's this ?' she said, feeling something cool and metallic touch her fingertips. Turning from the group gathered around Mithadan, she drew out the object. It was silver, and she cradled it easily in the palm of her hand. 'How interesting, I still have Mithadan's cell phone with internet access. This could prove very interesting, but later much later. I need some food and drink and a good long time relaxing with some friends.' She slid the phone back into her pocket and walked over to the group just catching the last of Mithadan's grinning admonishment of 'no more ransoms'.

Extending her hand she helped him to his feet and off went the group to the last standing tavern on the Field. The Flounder Inn, run by one Kettle of Fish, who had only a few dents to show for his adventures and no loss of finny friends.

Frodo and Samwise were there, & Gimli sat in a corner booth with yet another flagon in his fist.

'Drinks for all, good Kettle!' cried Pio ' & one for yourself, too!'

She stood on a table and raised her glass "Here's to good friends and great adventures! May there be many more!!'

[Birdland]

"Hear-Hear, Pio!" cheers Birdie, as she raises her own glass.

Suddenly a perky little trout face pops from the the top of Kettle of Fish. "Gilgore!" squeals Birdie, "you pulled a Glorfindel!"
Birdie begins a sprightly Springle Ring with the resurrected flying fish.

[Frodo Baggins]

It took Frodo a mintue to realize Sracey had set him next to Sam. (He was having trouble thinking straight) Frodo looked over st Sam, took his hand and said "Sam, dear Sam" he smiled at Sam, and then thought to himself 'There I go quoting myself again'

(I ahve to go to bed people, see you tommorow)

[Veritas]

Her sleep had done well, and Veritas seemed to be totally awoken up. She looked over the fields, and everybody was just relaxing. Only Mithadan, Child and Birdie were still standing besides the REG, or whatwas left of it.

She walked to them and looked at the thing. It was black, and stinking, but also it seemed to rtadiate a great power, she could feelit. It made her feel miserable and she went to the bar and got an ale.

She saw Menelduliniel dancing on the dancefloor with Gimli. She laughed, it was strange to see Gimli dancing, his beard hopped up and down. She dicides to make some music and walks over to the band.

"Need a pianoplayer?" She asks. When the answer satisfies her, she takes place behind the poiano and plays with the band. Everything seemed to be in peace again.

After a few houres she stops and walks to pio, who is sitting at the bar, and is having a conversation with Kettle.

"Good day to you all, please give me a drink, Kettle."

[Child of the 7th Age]

Hey, Birdie, here I am again. It's Child. I delivered those 423 mailbags in record time due to my speedy pint-size dragon.

I haven't the slightest idea what Mith is going on and on about! Can't a hobbit have a little peace and quiet without being invaded by those nasty machines and all that techno-babble?

Poor Frodo and Sam. I think they came out of this the worst of all! Mr. Frodo did keep my Silm quite nice, and he returned it to me this evening. Perhaps, if I make a nice rabbit stew for them, they will regain some of their strength.

I did hear Mith muttering something in his tent about checken-fried hobbit. That can't be me, can it?

[ June 05, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]

[piosenniel]

It's late, the partygoers are retiring to their tents and blanket-rolls under the stars. Mithadan is sleeping on one of the padded benches at the tavern. Birdie has gone home with Child and Angara.

Pio steps out of the tavern and takes a stroll underneath the stars, searching for her favorite constellations on this clear night. She finds herself in the area where Mithadan had cleaved the REG in two.

She pauses to look at a clump of late blooming Niphrodel lit by the pale moon. 'Such simple beauty on this field of now gone horror,' she murmurs to herself. A small red gleam catches her eye - on closer inspection, the cover of the glowing light on the REG is revealed. 'How interesting that this should still survive. I'll take it for a souvenir!'

She pick it up and puts it in the small leather bag hanging from a thong around her neck. There is a faint electricity in its touch, but she shrugs it off as just some cool passing breeze.

Sitting down, back against a tree, by the river, she watches the water flow by and wonders where it's been and where it's going.

[Kettle of fish]

Kettle whistled happily, then frowned for a moment.
Gimli was still downing ale in his sleep. But the strange thing was, no matter how much he drank, the ale level in the barrel beside him remained level.

There was a hiss from Kettle's shark intake of breath as it came to the realisation that Gimli, throughout the entire adventure, had been drinking the same tankard of ale over and over again - caught in a time loop.

But this was a problem for tomorrow. With a contented toot, kettle settled itself on the surface of a barrel of water, where deep below, its fish were sleeping. Bobbing up and down, it resigned itself to dreams.

[Birdland]

A small red gleam catches her eye - on closer inspection, the cover of the glowing light on the REG is revealed. 'How interesting that this should still survive. I'll take it for a souvenir!'

Camera zooms in on the REG light cover, nestled in the small pouch around Pio's throat. Suddenly, it glows evilly, like a single, red Eye. Cut to black. Credits roll.

(To Be Continued.)

[Rose Cotton]

Camera zooms in on the REG light cover, nestled in the small pouch around Pio's throat. Suddenly, it glows evilly, like a single, red Eye. Cut to black. Credits roll.
(To Be Continued.)

Don't end the story without me!!!!

Everyone was recovering now and getting ready to celebrate. They didn't pay any attention to Rose. She didn't know if she liked being ignored or not. She had tried apoligizing to Sam and Frodo but they didn't have the streanth to answer her.

For awhile she just watched as they were cared for.

It was her. Rose. All her fault.

Rose walked over to the river and watched it in a misrable silence.

[Losthuniel]

<<sorry i havent posted 4 a wile. i was banned from the computer>>

Celeaewen was lost. one minute she was fighting orcs, then they just dissapeared, which was odd, considering that they had absoulutly nothing in the way of magic. then there was the huge creaking pile of metal armour. there were a bunch of people crowed abotu, and losthuniel saw a little hobbit be ing jerked around by a beserk knife. Celeaewen rubbed her eyes, anbd when she opened them, the armoured thing was gone. she sighed, and got up, to see what on earth was going on

[Birdland]

Rose sits on the riverbank, trying to deal with her overwhelming sense of grief, guilt, and failure. She suffered from the wounds of 21 pages worth of posting, and wondered just how she could ever fit into into the light-hearted world of Hobbit cyber parties again.

At that moment, a tall, proud, Elven Ship slid silently up to the dock on the riverbank. On it's sails, in Elvish script, was written: "Undying Lands. Express Route. (Please have exact change ready.)"

A tall, bearded Elf stepped majestically down the ramp and stood looking down at the forlorn, heartsick halfling.

"Well, are you coming or not?" he asked. "I have a schedule to keep, you know."

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen, realizing that she had accidentally overlooked a whole page of postings, crept around the party feild, trying to find Veritas, to finish what she had begun.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo sat up like a shot, careful to not to disturb Sam.

"Rose!!! NOOO!! Do not leave!!!! Cirdan!! If she tries to follow you don"t let her!!!"
Frodo would have chased Rose but was too weak.

[Veritas]

As Veritas heard that Celeaewen was looking for her, she put her mug back on the bar and said goodbye to Kettle.

She walked outside and sees something she might not would want to see: Is that Pio putting the REG in her pocket? It can't be! Not her too! Veritas thought. She runs towards her but then suddenly Pio has disappeard.

Confused looks Veritas around but there's no sign of Piosenniel...

She sees Celeaewen sitting underneath a big Oak, and walks towards her.

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen, seeing Veritas coming towrds her, shut her eyes and appeared to be sleeping. Veritas was standing over her, when she lunged, knocking Veritas off her feet.
"teach ya to knock THIS elf out!"

[Veritas]

"Okay, now you have gone to far!" sais the wizard and rises as high as she can, a lightflash and Celeaewen lays this time on the ground.

"And now you may tell me why you're knocking me down!" sais Veritas with her little sword pointed at Celeaewens' neck.

Was this a joke or somethin,or seriously, thought Veritas, when the Elf was staring at her like she had seen a gohst.

[Frodo Baggins]

Despite his weakness, Frodo ran to Rose and fell into her arms weeping.
"No Rosie!" he said, "You can't leave, I was never angry with you, but with the REG. Please don't leave! It would kill Sam and me both. I don't want you to leave."

He held on to her, sobbing as if his heart had been broken in two.

[Frodo Baggins]

(not part of story)

HOLY GREAT OLIPHAUNTS!!!! I AM A SHADE OF CARN DUM!!!!!!!!!!!! yayyyyy!!! Woooo hoooo! I'm getting there, ya hooo!!!

I'm soooooo happy!!!

(back to story)

[Losthuniel]

Celeaewen was cursing inwardly. of course the wizard was armed! and then there was that staff to contend with. Celeaewen cursed her ineptitude with the telepathic messages that others seemed to get so well. she wondered how on earth she was going toi get herself out of THIS one, when a great dark shape cast a shadow over Veritas. Celeaewen's eyes grew big and she squeaked. she only hoped the end would be swift.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel looks around: I'm confuddled. Oh well!

Menelduliniel runs out of her tent:

"What did I miss? What did I miss? Can I fight or anything? Hmmm...?" She looks around, expectantly...

[Samwise]

OOC: Holy-- [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]? Wait a minute, I thought I was the sidekick? Ah, never mind. Bad joke. Back to the story.

Stacey went outside, Sam still in her arms. She left Primrose in a booth, snoozing.

Stacey:Man, this has been some party......

She looks down at Sam, who is asleep with his head against her shoulder. He is breathing a bit funny, but she hoped that was just from the broken ribs. Stacey took a deep breath of the night air herself, when she heard Frodo's voice. She thought he was shouting something about, "Don't go!!"

Sam: *Stirs in Stacey's arms, opening his eyes slightly* The little hobbit murmured: Mister Frodo?

Stacey: *Running toward the River* Crimeney, Sam, do you have Frodo radar or what?

When the two reached the River, Stacey saw Frodo there, his arms around Rose Cotton. Behind them in the water was a large ship, aboard which stood a very impatient looking captain.

Stacey: That ship....Mister Baggins said 'Don't go...' It couldn't be......

Evidently, Sam recognized the ship, too, because he drew a deep breath, wincing in pain, and shouted, "Miss Rose! Nooo!" Afterward he passed out.

[Samwise]

OOC: Let's see,Menelduliniel, from what I can gather, Pio found the little light off the old REG and decided to keep it for a souvenir (BAD idea, methinks), Rose is still feeling guilty and getting to leave for the Grey Havens if I'm not mistaken, Frodo's trying to get her to stay, and Sam and I just discovered them. There is some fighting going on, but I'm not sure what it's about... [img]smilies/confused.gif[/img]

[Rosseiliantiel]

Meanwhile, no one had noticed that Rosseil was lying on the floor behind the table, for the obvious reasons that a) no one notices her. ever. and b)no one really cares what happens to her. But oh well, I'm used to it.
So when Rosseil opened her eyes, she was still on the ground.
"Ow! major headache! Do I have a hangover, why am I on the ground? I don't remember getting overly drunk (not like certain people, ahem, anyways). Hm, puzzling. Maybe it was the food? No, the poisoning was over at the elf party. Well, I'm alive, and thats all that particularly matters. To me, anyways. Hm...where's Celeae?"
Thats when she noticed that Celeae (Losthuniel, for those of you that don't know. I thought you people knew that...) was being threatened by an angry looking Veritas who was brandishing her sword. Rooseil was quite used to getting Celeae out of trouble, so she only pondered for a minute before she ran towards the two and threw herself at Veritas, trying to knock her over so Celeae could get away. Unfortunately, Rosseil was still a bit unsteady on her feet and still couldn't see quite properly (a fainting symptom; i have experience), so she didn't have much luck.

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel notices Rosseiliantiel, and goes over to her and shakes her.

"Rosseiliantiel? Mellonamin? You okay?"

She shakes her until Rosseiliantiel wakes up.

"What happened to you? Are you okay? You need anything?" Menelduliniel asks as she helps Rosseiliantiel up.

She goes and looks for some water...and finds some (amazing! Something that isn't liquor). She gives the water to Rosseiliantiel.

"Here...maybe getting something into you will make you feel better..."

She watches as Rosseiliantiel drinks.

"Feeling better?"

[Rose Cotton]

Rose looked up and saw the ship coming toward her. She was in awe of it. It was so beautiful like a giant swan. And when the elf captain on board spoke to her his voice was kind and comforting. At first she didn't realize what he ment. Then she realized this was the boat that could take her away from Middle Earth forever.

Rose loved Middle Earth but guilt and new loneliness ran through her and made her look for comfort in the vessil and captain.

But as she walked to the ship she heard a cry behind her. She turned and Frodo flung his arms around her. "Don't go Rose." Then Sam came over and he and Frodo told her healing words. Words that forgave her, and told her how much they cared for her.

Fresh tears filled her eyes. But they were not for pain or hatred or sadness, or lonliness. They were for great joy and relif. Her heart ached with love for the two hobbits.
Her friends.
Her heros.
And she returned their embrases kissing them on the forheads.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. My dear friends. I would never leave you for all the riches in the world." Then she could not speek anymore because her throut was choked with sobs.

[ June 05, 2002: Message edited by: Rose Cotton ]

[VanimaEdhel]

Menelduliniel helps Rosseiliantiel some more, then she sees Rose.

"Do stay Rose!" Meneduliniel shouts over, then goes back to tending to Rosseiliantiel.

[Samwise]

Stacey smiles, glad that Rose is going to stay.
She looks down at the unconcious hobbit in her arms, then tells Rose:

Stacey: Come on. Lets go start over.

[Frodo Baggins]

Frodo was shivering (it was a chilly night) and he could barely stand, but he held Rose tighter.

Oh Rose! Rose, Rose, Rose. Thank you, thank you fro staying. Sam! she's staying!"

he could think of no ohter words to say.

[Rose Cotton]

(Not part of story. Um...am I going mad or did Child just post here? Cause her post isn't here anymore.)