Tol-in-Gaurhoth XLIX - At the Source of Darkness - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Rikae · 08-21-2008, 02:00 PM

Long after the last adventurer had been overtaken by sleep, the absent-minded professor tossed and turned, haunted by the nagging fear she had lost something important.
Finally, she reached into her bag for a piece of chalk, planning to write her thoughts down on the stone floor, and thus, clear her mind...
Horrors! The chalk was missing. How would she ever think clearly without it?

Lalaith scrambled to her feet, plucked a torch from the wall, and made her way clumsily back along the passageway, searching the floor for her precious writing implement. She rounded the corner and walked on several yards before, putting up her hand to push her hair out of her eyes, she discovered the chalk tucked behind her ear. Turning, she found herself face to face with two massive creatures whose twisted, inhuman shape made her step back in alarm.

Don't hurt me! She gasped. The wolves gave a hoarse laugh, ending in a growl.

Not tonight, old woman. But never fear, your turn will come soon! Melkor has decreed that none of you shall leave this place alive.

The professor retorted:
Do you not know that Melkor's nihilism will in the end destroy you as well?

What? No, no, no. Melkor gives strength!

Only strength to conquer his enemies. And when his enemies are conquered his slaves will be destroyed.

Slaves? That is not true. Morgoth is the Giver of Freedom.

No, Melkor gives no freedom. See, as slaves of Melkor, you have no choice of your own, apart from the choice to follow him, although some might say that this choice alone is enough exercise of free will, and that those who choose good over evil make the same sort of choice... where was I? The choice to follow Melkor... is the choice to forgo further choice. Unless you take back that choice, you have no choice but to do as your master chose. Right now, I assume you are wandering about in order to take out your master's orders and kill one of us. You are not free to deviate from this plan. Of course, whether or not you would want to is another matter, because as creatures of supernatural strength, perhaps you must kill weaker beings in order to exercise your will to power, and thin the herd, ensuring the survival of the fittest - however, you cannot even do this freely, because as slaves of Melkor, you kill only on his orders.

Well, we do have the choice to kill whomever we want.

No, that is not true. Let me prove my claim. If you didn't have to follow your master's plan, you could just change your target at will, couldn't you?

Yes.

Therefore, if you had the choice, you could now simply choose to kill me instead of your scheduled victim.

Yes.

Thus I have proven my claim. You cannot kill me!

The wolves exchanged looks.

Go on, kill me and disprove my logic.

Well, I suppose we can forgo our decision to follow Melkor for just a little while...

The professor looked pleased. The first step had been done.

...and follow your command, just once.

The professor now no longer looked pleased at all, but only for a very brief while. One wolf leaped onto her with incredible speed and one powerful bite of his jaw severed the professor's head from her body.

When the expedition awoke the next day, only a blood-soaked piece of chalk on the floor indicated what had happened during the night.

*~*

Dead:
Macalaure and Rikae (mods) - killed by wolves and turned into faulty quenya in Night One
Kitanna (ordo) - lynched by a pointless mob on Day One
Lalaith (ordo) - severed from her chalk, and her head, in Night Two

Alive:
Feanor of the Peredhil - visionary whose visions lean toward the abstract
Shastanis Althreduin - loner roane
Formendacil - snowbird
Eönwë - seller of pointless fakes
Nerwen - treasure-seeker
Kath - unemployed bum
Nilpaurion Felagund - aged tale-seeker
Durelin - eccentric, misanthropic archaeologist
Brinniel - junk collector
Gwathagor - warrior librarian
Nogrod - pointless philosopher
A Little Green - blind astronomer who sells stars at the stock exchange
the phantom - obtainer of rare antiquities
Thinlómien - marine zoologist
Groin Redbeard - dwarven miner
Mithalwen - factotum

Day Two has begun. Wake up and talk! And vote. Especially those of you who didn't yesterday...

08-21-2008, 02:00 PM	#11
Rikae Mellifluous Maia Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A glade open to the stars, deep in Nan Elmoth Posts: 3,489	Long after the last adventurer had been overtaken by sleep, the absent-minded professor tossed and turned, haunted by the nagging fear she had lost something important. Finally, she reached into her bag for a piece of chalk, planning to write her thoughts down on the stone floor, and thus, clear her mind... Horrors! The chalk was missing. How would she ever think clearly without it? Lalaith scrambled to her feet, plucked a torch from the wall, and made her way clumsily back along the passageway, searching the floor for her precious writing implement. She rounded the corner and walked on several yards before, putting up her hand to push her hair out of her eyes, she discovered the chalk tucked behind her ear. Turning, she found herself face to face with two massive creatures whose twisted, inhuman shape made her step back in alarm. Don't hurt me! She gasped. The wolves gave a hoarse laugh, ending in a growl. Not tonight, old woman. But never fear, your turn will come soon! Melkor has decreed that none of you shall leave this place alive. The professor retorted: Do you not know that Melkor's nihilism will in the end destroy you as well? What? No, no, no. Melkor gives strength! Only strength to conquer his enemies. And when his enemies are conquered his slaves will be destroyed. Slaves? That is not true. Morgoth is the Giver of Freedom. No, Melkor gives no freedom. See, as slaves of Melkor, you have no choice of your own, apart from the choice to follow him, although some might say that this choice alone is enough exercise of free will, and that those who choose good over evil make the same sort of choice... where was I? The choice to follow Melkor... is the choice to forgo further choice. Unless you take back that choice, you have no choice but to do as your master chose. Right now, I assume you are wandering about in order to take out your master's orders and kill one of us. You are not free to deviate from this plan. Of course, whether or not you would want to is another matter, because as creatures of supernatural strength, perhaps you must kill weaker beings in order to exercise your will to power, and thin the herd, ensuring the survival of the fittest - however, you cannot even do this freely, because as slaves of Melkor, you kill only on his orders. Well, we do have the choice to kill whomever we want. No, that is not true. Let me prove my claim. If you didn't have to follow your master's plan, you could just change your target at will, couldn't you? Yes. Therefore, if you had the choice, you could now simply choose to kill me instead of your scheduled victim. Yes. Thus I have proven my claim. You cannot kill me! The wolves exchanged looks. Go on, kill me and disprove my logic. Well, I suppose we can forgo our decision to follow Melkor for just a little while... The professor looked pleased. The first step had been done. ...and follow your command, just once. The professor now no longer looked pleased at all, but only for a very brief while. One wolf leaped onto her with incredible speed and one powerful bite of his jaw severed the professor's head from her body. When the expedition awoke the next day, only a blood-soaked piece of chalk on the floor indicated what had happened during the night. ~ Dead: Macalaure and Rikae (mods) - killed by wolves and turned into faulty quenya in Night One Kitanna (ordo) - lynched by a pointless mob on Day One Lalaith (ordo) - severed from her chalk, and her head, in Night Two Alive: Feanor of the Peredhil - visionary whose visions lean toward the abstract Shastanis Althreduin - loner roane Formendacil - snowbird Eönwë - seller of pointless fakes Nerwen - treasure-seeker Kath - unemployed bum Nilpaurion Felagund - aged tale-seeker Durelin - eccentric, misanthropic archaeologist Brinniel - junk collector Gwathagor - warrior librarian Nogrod - pointless philosopher A Little Green - blind astronomer who sells stars at the stock exchange the phantom - obtainer of rare antiquities Thinlómien - marine zoologist Groin Redbeard - dwarven miner Mithalwen - factotum Day Two has begun. Wake up and talk! And vote. Especially those of you who didn't yesterday...