Werewolf XLVIII: When Virtual Becomes Reality

[Brinniel]

The Barrow-Wight stared at his computer screen in frustration. His inbox was overflowing with various complaints about inappropriate behaviour on the Barrow Downs and difficulties accessing the site. It seemed that as soon as one problem was fixed, another one popped up. And lately he hadn’t even been able to fix some of the biggest problems of all. People hacking into members’ accounts? These weren’t just technical difficulties. A new email appeared in the Barrow-Wight’s inbox; this time from Estelyn:

B-W-

I seem to be experiencing some serious problems of my own here. While I can access the Downs, I am not able to log into my account. I’ve talked to morm and he seems to be experiencing the same problems. What’s going on?

-Esty

First all these problems, and now the mods can’t even log into their accounts? What’s going on…that’s a good question. The Barrow-Wight had been in contact with many tech people over the past several days, yet no one could figure out exactly how to fix these problems. Someone was behind these technical difficulties, that was obvious…but who could these culprits be? They left absolutely no tracks behind the chaos they created. For awhile the Barrow-Wight had been somewhat able to manage the messes made, but now with the moderators’ accounts blocks and him unable to lock him, he was losing all control. It’d only be time before he himself would lose access the website he created. Perhaps it was time the Barrow Downs was shut down. No…no, I can’t do that. Think of all the people I would let down. There’s gotta be another solution.

And that’s when he thought of it. A brilliant idea. These culprits…the way they worked, they weren’t outsiders…they were BDers. These guys knew the forum like the back of their hands. And the way things were going now, they wouldn’t miss an important Barrow Downs meeting for the world. Not if it meant causing more trouble.

So the Barrow-Wight wrote the post. Hopefully enough would see it before any more problems errupted. His last act of desperation to save his beloved forum:

An Announcement to All Barrow-Downers-

I am pleased to announce the first ever official Barrow Downs gathering. This is an opportunity of a lifetime to finally meet all your fellow Barrow Downs members you have been friendly with. Everyone is welcome, the more the merrier. The gathering will take place in a remote location in the woods, so please be sure to bring along tents and other camping supplies.

Be sure to RSVP. I hope to see many of you there!

The Barrow-Wight

P.S. Apologies to everyone for the technical difficulties we have been experiencing. We are still sorting it out. Please be patient.

It was a stretch…but there were enough Barrow Down addicts around for at least a dozen to show up. And the Barrow-Wight was sure of it that the hackers would be among them.

PLEASE DO NOT POST ON THIS THREAD

[Brinniel]

The day had come. The Barrow-Wight paced back and forth in front of his tent as he waited anxiously for the others to arrive. And they did. One by one, the BDers showed up hauling large backpacks. They greeted the Barrow-Wight and each other, then quickly went to business with setting up their tents. By nightfall, nineteen BDers had come. The turnout was even better than he expected. Dinner was served and BDers sat around the fire pit in different groups chatting happily with one another.

“ZOMG, the B-W is sooo HOT!!!” gushed Nerwen rather loudly.
The Sixth Wizard raised his eyebrows. “Can’t you even speak aloud with proper grammar? Who could possibly understand you?”
“I can!” Shasta jumped in. “What she’s trying to say is, ‘Oh my, the Barrow-Wight is incredibly attractive.’”
“Thx Shasta!!!!”

Meanwhile Formendacil was attempting to explain to Eomer of the Rohirrim how the Lord of the Rings films abandon the styles of Tolkien.
“Hey,” Eomer defended. “If anything, it’s Tolkien’s fault that he didn’t write about how Legolas skateboarded down the stairs on a shield at Helm’s Deep. That was a brilliant scene.”
“No it wasn’t,” commented The Elf-Warrior. “That was just plain silly. And totally impossible, by the way.”

“Did you know that Tolkien wrote a book about Elanor Gamgee and how she became a shieldmaiden of the Shire and married an elf?” Rikae shared. “It just never got published.”
“Really?” asked Sally excitedly. “Have you read it…and can I get a copy?”
Kitanna rolled her eyes. “That’s not true. And I would know because I’ve read absolutely everything Tolkien has ever written.”
“Well, not only have I read everything he has ever written, but I’ve met J.R.R. Tolkien himself,” commented Boromir88.

Eönwë was busy describing his latest dream to Mithalwen.
“And then…he ate me. Dreams are supposed to mean something right? I swear to you, those balrogs are no myth. They’re out to get me…and my family.”
Mithalwen jotted notes onto a pad of paper. “Yes, and why do you suppose that is?”

“Hey, I know this great Gandalf the Grey Uncloaked joke,” said McCaber. “It goes-“
“Oh please don’t,” moaned Kath. “Those jokes are getting so old…”

Durelin sat next to THE Ka dressed in a ranger outfit and carrying a rubber sword.
“You know, this gathering wasn’t supposed to be in costume,” informed THE Ka.
“I’m RPGing,” Durelin replied.
“Well, you look stupid.”
“Hey, you wanna start something? I’ve got a sword!” Durelin threw Ka a threatening look.
“Yeah...well..." Ka stammered. "Whoa- don’t look now, but I think I see an orc in the trees behind you!”

Nilpaurion Felagund sat on a log all by himself singing random songs. “Praise Eru for this blessed food,” he cried out with every bite he took.
Aganzir gave him a funny look as she wrote some final thoughts in her notebook before getting up.

“Here,” Aganzir handed her notebook to the Barrow-Wight. “Will you take these into consideration?”
The Barrow-Wight skimmed through her notes. “Aganzir, reputation only exists when you’re actually on the forum. Anyways, you only just met all these people…how can you have so many negative thoughts about them?”
Aganzir snatched back the notebook and returned to her seat, huffing and muttering.

“Barrow-Wight, I’ve heard you are in need of new moderators?” asked Nogrod. “You have received my PMs, haven’t you?”
“Yes, all twenty-three of them.”
“Well you will take it into consideration, won’t you? I just know I’d make a great mod.”
“Nogrod, now’s not exactly the time for this. I have a speech to make…so why don’t you sit down…”

Once everyone was finished eating, the Barrow-Wight cleared his throat and the chatting slowly died out.
“I am pleased that all of you could make it here today for the first annual Barrow-Downers gathering. What a great opportunity it is to finally meet each other in person. But this gathering was not planned just because…but for unfortunate circumstances. As you all know, lately there have been many technical difficulties occurring on the Downs. Unavailable servers, anonymous negative reputations, hijacked accounts…and most recently the moderators’ accounts have been blocked. I have been working on these problems for weeks, but have gotten nowhere. What I do know is that there are three Downers who are responsible for this mess…all of whom I suspect are among us right now. Of course, things would be much easier if they were to come and confess here and now…but I highly doubt such an event. So while you all may have thought this was simply a fun gathering, it is much more than that. It is up to us to figure out which of us are the hackers. We aren’t completely helpless against whatever evil plans these hackers may have. For one, you have me the creator. And secondly, I have assigned three members I trust most to become the newest moderators. I will not reveal their identities for the sake of hiding them from the hackers, but do know you have extra help. Now, it is getting late and I’m sure you are all tired from your long journey here. Therefore we will begin our discussions in the morning. So sleep well…and keep your eyes and ears open!”

Night 1 begins.

The Hackers/Wolves may discuss. The Seer may dream. Everyone else should remain silent.

Be sure to turn yourselves invisible if you haven’t already!

[Brinniel]

The Barrow-Wight could not sleep. His mind kept racing back to the events of the evening. He had sounded so confident in his speech, but in truth he couldn’t help but worry about the possibility that he could be wrong. What if the hackers weren’t even here? Then everyone would be accusing innocents. This whole situation could turn very messy. The what-ifs continued to flood the Barrow-Wight’s mind until a noise outside the tent caused him to freeze in his thoughts.

“Who’s there?” the Barrow-Wight asked, his voice wavering.

The Barrow-Wight sat up and turned on his flashlight. Large shadows surrounded his tent. No humans could possibly be so large. Were there bears in this part of the woods? Then the zipper of the tent door slowly slid open. The Barrow-Wight shook so hard he dropped his flashlight and the tent was consumed by darkness. The sound of evil laughter erupted into the tent followed by a “Surprise!” and the Barrow-Wight heard no more.

When the Barrow-Wight regained consciousness his head was throbbing. He tried to move only to discover his hands and feet were bound. The sound of shovels freeing dirt could be heard nearby.

“Hey, he’s awake,” said a voice.
“Well then, make sure he doesn’t shout for help,” said another. “We’re almost done here.”

One of the shapes leaned down towards the Barrow-Wight and a face came into view. A furry face. “You know, you’ve been causing us a lot of trouble lately,” it grunted.
“Yeah,” said a third. “It didn’t have to be this way.”
“What do you mean?” asked the Barrow-Wight. “You’re the ones who started all this.”
“Ah, silly B-W. It’s just a website…one that happens to discriminate against our kind. Whoever said that we were the bad guys? All we wanted was for you to step down. But then you to arrange all of this. And now, mobs will be coming after us with pitchforks and torches….just like the old days. So you have left us with no choice; if killing is what it takes to end all this, that’s what we’ll do.”
“You’ll never get away with this,” the Barrow-Wight said.
“Well, we’ll just see about that,” said the closest shape as it gagged the Barrow-Wight. “But I guess you won’t, will you?”
The last thing the Barrow-Wight ever saw was a set of large grinning teeth.

--------------------
The Barrow Downers woke to a cool, breezy morning. They ate breakfast as they waited for further instructions. But they did not come.

Finally Nogrod asked, “Where is the Barrow-Wight?”
“I don’t know,” replied Kitanna. “Is he in his tent? Maybe he overslept.”
“Nope,” replied Eomer. “I just checked.”
“Perhaps he just went on a walk,” said Kath.
“Without telling us?” asked Mithalwen.
“Hey guys…was that there yesterday?” Durelin was pointing to a large mound only meters away from the camp.

The nineteen BDers approached the mound. It was covered with fresh dirt.
“Look, there’s a sign over here,” McCaber observed.
It read: Here lies The Barrow-Wight. May he not rest in peace.

“Oh dear,” sighed Sally.
“Why would someone do something like that?” asked The Sixth Wizard.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Rikae commented. “These hackers don’t want to be discovered.”
“Well now that the B-W is dead, what are we going to do?” THE Ka asked.
“The only thing we should do,” Boromir replied. “We must finish what the Barrow-Wight started and find these hackers.”

----------------------

The Living:

Nilpaurion Felagund~Ainulindalë Addict
Kitanna~the self-righteous know-it-all
Aganzir~non-anonymous neg-repper
Shastanis Althreduin~chatspeak translator
Nerwen~rabid fangirl
Boromir88~the one upper
Kath~artiste
Rikae~the person who tries to fake knowledge of the books and fails miserably
Durelin~Unreliable RPG Addict
Eomer of the Rohirrim~easily-offended trendy
Nogrod~the wanna-be moderator
The Elf-Warrior~nitpicker
satansaloser2005~a fan of everything but Tolkien
THE Ka~Artful Dodger
Eönwë~conspiracy theorist
The Sixth Wizard~grammar Nazi
Formendacil~Tolkien Canonist
Mithalwen~therapist
McCaber~does it 4 teh lulz

The Dead:

The Barrow-Wight~took up permanent residence in a barrow (mod)

---------------

Day 1 has begun.

Hackers/Wolves stop PMing. Everyone now may discuss.

[Kath]

Ah, hadn't realised this was already open. Well, as I said, won't be here much toDay so as I'm the first and only one here I'll just make my presence known and head to bed. Hopefully will be able to get a post in come morning (RL) and then I should be around for a couple of hours in the evening.

[The Elf-warrior]

We are in a heap of trouble, and no mistake about it. Ok, who among you all here is a murdering hacker? Anyone want to confess? Just thought a direct question wouldn't hurt. Hey, hackers, may The Barrow-Wight rest in peace. Can I have a second to this motion?

[Nerwen]

ware iz eVry1? hav teh haxOrs got U all??!!!1!!

talk 2 me plz ppl

EDIT: X'd with EW.

[The Elf-warrior]

Nerwen, you said for us to talk. Ok, here goes. Nerwen, are you a party in the murder of The Barrow-Wight? I want a yes or no answer. You too, Kath. Answer this same question. For the record, I am not a party to the murder of the Barrow-Wight.

[Formendacil]

Well, this is rather discomfiting, to be sure, but no one should be taking any alarm here. I mean, really... good guys die all the time in Tolkien--especially if they're leaderly sorts. Take a quick glance over the Silmarillion, if you don't believe me. In fewer pages than it takes Robert Jordan to waffle about whether or not one character is dead or not, Tolkien manages to kill off five High Kings of the Noldor, six sons of Fëanor (and his mum), the whole kingdom of Doriath, and more secondary and tertiary characters than you can count on an army's worth of thumbs.

What should really be taken as crucially problematic here is that the Barrow-Wight wasn't just the forum's Fingolfin or Fingon--he was more in the line of Manwë or Eru. If he's dead, what chance does any of us have.

Still, Melkor can't win. Or Sauron. Or Herumor. Or any of the other successive waves of evil that Gandalf predicted.

All the same, let's not find ourselves in a latter-day Kin-slaying, as I rather fear we have.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Repent! for was it not of old writ that:

Thou Melko shalt see that no theme can be played save it come in the end of Ilúvatar's self, nor can any alter the music in Ilúvatar's despite. He that attempts this finds himself in the end but aiding me in devising a thing of still greater grandeur and more complex wonder: -- for lo! through Melko have terror as fire, and sorrow like dark waters, wrath like thunder, and evil as far from my light as the depths if the uttermost of dark places, come into the design that I laid before you. Through him has pain and misery been made in the clash of overwhelming musics; and with confusion of sounds have cruelty, and ravening, and darkness, loathly mire and all putrescence of thought or thing, foul mists and violent flame, cold without mercy, been born, and death without hope. Yet is this through him and not by him; and he shall see, and ye all likewise, and even shall those beings, who must now dwell among his evil and endure through Melko misery and sorrow, terror and wickedness, declare in the end that it redoundeth only to my great glory, and doth but make the theme more worth the hearing, Life worth more the living, and the World so much the more wonderful and marvellous, and that of all the deeds of Ilúvatar it shall be called his mightiest and loveliest.

HoME I 2

And later was it not inscribed
When famed most three-part masterpiece
Of him that wrought in mind the holy musics
Began he to fashion fairest tale of Phantasie:

[T]hou, Melko, shalt see that no theme may be played that has not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempts this shall but aid me in devising things yet more wonderful, which he himself has not imagined. Through Melko have terror as fire, and sorrow like dark waters, wrath like thunder, and evil as far from my light as the uttermost depths of the dark place come into my design. In the confusion of sound were made pain and cruelty, devouring flame and cold without mercy, and death without hope. Yet he shall see that in the end this redounds only to the glory of the world, and this world shall be called of all the deeds of Ilúvatar the mightiest and most lovely.

HoME V 2 iv

Alas! that in my hand I not
The later designs and histories have,
Or yet, that I should have misplaced
My copy of that which Christopher cobbled,
His son, out of his myriad manuscripts.
Yet I implore you, I entreat upon your soul
O hackers three, to turn from
Your treacherous treading and beg
Forgiveness from him who
This fair site founded.

Return I shall, when respite from
Academic abomination have I gained
and hope that here shall I find
Ravagers repenting of their wrack.

[Boromir88]

Elf-warrior, I wouldn't be such a Bleak Bill, let's look at the positives of the situation.

1. We have the numerical advantage
2. We have mods to help us
3. I have the best virus protection programs available and have been trained by hackers to know how they operate and thus am a far better hacker than these amatuers running around causing some tiny glitches.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Nilpaurion Felagund

Alas! that in my hand I not
The later designs and histories have,
Or yet, that I should have misplaced
My copy of that which Christopher cobbled,
His son, out of his myriad manuscripts.
Yet I implore you, I entreat upon your soul
O hackers three, to turn from
Your treacherous treading and beg
Forgiveness from him who
This fair site founded.

Return I shall, when respite from
Academic abomination have I gained
and hope that here shall I find
Ravagers repenting of their wrack.

*cough cough* Indulging in first-person Tolkien fanfiction? And poorly done blank verse at that? Bless me! I would not have expected that from you, Master Ainulindalephiliac.

The fact that you see the forest and utterly miss the individual Ents--that I do find typical of your limited perspecture. Certainly, from the point of view outside Time that is the Music of the Ainur, there is no need to worry that in the long run, all things shall redound to Eru's glory, but to leave it at that, as your quotes would seem to do, is to utterly forget the entire corpus of the Middle-earth canon, which expressly requires darkness and death to achieve eucatastrophe. And while I certainly look forward to the eucatastrophe, I think we should perhaps consider whether we would rather be the Entwives--enslaved and destroyed along the way--or like the Hobbits who persevere toward a victory. Mark me well, though: it is a long, hard road to Orodruin.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by The Elf-warrior

Nerwen, you said for us to talk. Ok, here goes. Nerwen, are you a party in the murder of The Barrow-Wight?

no IM not. r U? Y R U accusng oThr Ppl???!! u must hav somthn 2 hide!!!111!!!

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Well, this is rather discomfiting, to be sure, but no one should be taking any alarm here. I mean, really... good guys die all the time in Tolkien--especially if they're leaderly sorts. Take a quick glance over the Silmarillion, if you don't believe me. In fewer pages than it takes Robert Jordan to waffle about whether or not one character is dead or not,

mi bRuther thnks wot rocks he has all teh books

i tried to rAed teh i of teH world but its borng!!! evry1 dRinks T all teh time!!! LEGGY ISNT IN IT!!!111!!! IT SUX!!!111!!!

Originally Posted by Formendacil

Tolkien manages to kill off five High Kings of the Noldor, six sons of Fëanor (and his mum), the whole kingdom of Doriath, and more secondary and tertiary characters than you can count on an army's worth of thumbs.

waht r u takling abuot???!! tHat wasnt in teh movie??!!!

Originally Posted by The Elf-warrior

What should really be taken as crucially problematic here is that the Barrow-Wight wasn't just the forum's Fingolfin or Fingon--he was more in the line of Manwë or Eru. If he's dead, what chance does any of us have.

Still, Melkor can't win. Or Sauron. Or Herumor. Or any of the other successive waves of evil that Gandalf predicted.

Huh??!! suaron was taht big eVol dude but who r teh other gyus????!!! u R confsng me!1111!!!

Originally Posted by The Elf-warrior

All the same, let's not find ourselves in a latter-day Kin-slaying, as I rather fear we have.

i read that bit lews theriN killd hsi famly ppl called him teh kinslaer

EDIT: X'd with Nilp, Boro, Formendacil.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

waht r u takling abuot???!! tHat wasnt in teh movie??!!!

Taken phonetically, you just asked me: "wat er you tackling a-boat? That wasn't in tea movie"

Seriously?

"Water, you tackling a boat? That wasn't in Tea Movie."

First of all, my name is not "water;" though your spelling makes me feel like I've had a lot of it--cold--dumped all over me. Secondly, I've never seen Tea Movie. Is it a sequel to Bee Movie, perchance?

Caustic criticism of your appalling lack of English (Tolkien must be rolling in his grave, chair at Oxford that he was) aside, you appear to be asking if something I said was in the movies. Allow me to be as crystal clear as possible: No.

The movies are not canon. Nor are the movies even capable of covering the entire Lord of the Rings, let alone the entire Silmarillion. Though, now that it's brought up... there should be a High King of the Noldor getting killed off in the Prologue. If they're going to mess with the order of the tale and take the recounting of the Last Alliance from its proper place at the "Council of Elrond," the least they could do is include a quick sideways visual of a dead Gil-galad as a hint that they have a clue what actually takes place in the work they're butchering.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

The movies are not canon.

thier wAsnt any canons in teh movies!!111 IT wAs mideval with sords & arrws!!!111!!! tehy didnt hav canons then!!!111 U R stpid!!!1111!! u dont no anythn abuot lord of teh rigns!!!111!!

[Boromir88]

Formen, have you met JRR Tolkien? I have.

Are you the creator of the Boromir Dictionary of Everything? The most comprehensive dictionary ever written. With every word known to man, in every possible language; even Latin, Pig-Latin, and Jumbo-Latin. It is also the only dictionary to have cracked every secret friendship language, and definitely the only one to include chatspeak. It has been adopted as the official dictionary of every country except France. Well, I am.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Formen, have you met JRR Tolkien? I have.

Are you the creator of the Boromir Dictionary of Everything? The most comprehensive dictionary ever written. With every word known to man, in every possible language; even Latin, Pig-Latin, and Jumbo-Latin. It is also the only dictionary to have cracked every secret friendship language, and definitely the only one to include chatspeak. It has been adopted as the official dictionary of every country except France. Well, I am.

Perhaps you can answer a question I've long had, then, Master 88, if you're so generally knowledgeable. Do Balrogs have wings, or not? Surely, you must know, if you are so skilled a linguist and personally acquainted with JRRT (Requiescat in Pacem).

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

3. I have the best virus protection programs available and have been trained by hackers to know how they operate and thus am a far better hacker than these amatuers running around causing some tiny glitches.

Oh really? So you can keep those viruses out? I bet then you can toss them into a forum so modest as this...
And trained by far better hackers, eh? I bet holding that sort of knowledge easily corrupts one.

Originally Posted by Nerwen

thier wAsnt any canons in teh movies!!111 IT wAs mideval with sords & arrws!!!111!!! tehy didnt hav canons then!!!111 U R stpid!!!1111!! u dont no anythn abuot lord of teh rigns!!!111!!

What is a sord? And a rigns?

[satansaloser2005]

Where's Shasta when you need him?



Wow. Poor Barrow-Wight. You know, I have a feeling that there are some Fenrir Greyback fangirls/boys in our midst. And who's the only self-professed fangirl here? That's right. I think Nerwen's a blasted little hacker. I mean, what does it take, really, to be a hacker? A normal person. An idiot. Micke....I mean, Nerwen. Anyone else on board with my theory?


Or the butler did it. WADSWORTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *pause* Oh wait. We don't have a butler, do we? Shoot. Well, let's go with the evil fangurl theory then.




EDIT: x'd with Form and Kit

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Kitanna

Oh really? So you can keep those viruses out? I bet then you can toss them into a forum so modest as this...
And trained by far better hackers, eh? I bet holding that sort of knowledge easily corrupts one.

i didnt see taht kitanna!!111!! boro siad he is a haxOR!!!

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

You know, I have a feeling that there are some Fenrir Greyback fangirls/boys in our midst. And who's the only self-professed fangirl here? That's right. I think Nerwen's a blasted little hacker. I mean, what does it take, really, to be a hacker? A normal person. An idiot.

thEn it must be u cuz ur an idjit. hary potter sux!!!111!!! LOL!!!111!!!

EDIT: fixed bolding. Even fangurls need to get that right.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

*cough cough* Indulging in first-person Tolkien fanfiction? And poorly done blank verse at that? Bless me! I would not have expected that from you, Master Ainulindalephiliac. (FormenDAGA)

It has been foresung that I should do what I have done. Dare you take arms against fate, Master Canonist? Know you then what befell Túrin, who in his ignorance called himself Turambar, but was caught in the fate he thought he had mastered?

The fact that you see the forest and utterly miss the individual Ents--that I do find typical of your limited perspecture. Certainly, from the point of view outside Time that is the Music of the Ainur, there is no need to worry that in the long run, all things shall redound to Eru's glory, but to leave it at that, as your quotes would seem to do, is to utterly forget the entire corpus of the Middle-earth canon, which expressly requires darkness and death to achieve eucatastrophe. And while I certainly look forward to the eucatastrophe, I think we should perhaps consider whether we would rather be the Entwives--enslaved and destroyed along the way--or like the Hobbits who persevere toward a victory. Mark me well, though: it is a long, hard road to Orodruin. (FormenDAGA)

Why have we been called here together? Are we not all here to take the selfsame journey to Orodruin, using to the utmost all the strength of our wits and intuition, and trusting Eru that he will step into the resounding theme of evil and repay our estel?

No, actually. You're here to get rid of the hackers.

I see . . . then to arms, my fellows! Let the cowards keep the site! Follow me to the dread fortress of the hackers, and we shall wrest from them what is rightfully ours!

[Eönwë]

Wow, I can't believe the Barrow-Wight is dead. How will we survive without him? How will this forum survive without him? What are we going to do?

I say we get these hackers!

[Eönwë]

As for who is a hacker... I have an idea:

It was the first three people who commented (After Kath). Because....

Two of them have the word "dead" in either their title or signature. Why would they do that? I think it's code so that they can recognise each other, but not make it tooo obvious. Also, they happen to be followed by only one word. Is that their hacker nickname? (s3r10us and r1gh7 possibly).

And the ringleader is... the fangurl. She has "evil" in her signature does she not, and it even implies that now she is evil.

I rest my case.



Another brain-busting theory from your friendly neighbourhood Eönwë.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

It has been sung that the environment has an effect on a person's mind. Why, look at Morgoth; he started camping in the shadows, and thus darkness he brought to the Ainulindalë. So where would our mysterious hacker come from?

Almost, but not quite, Aman:
Kitanna
Shastanis Althreduin
Rikae
Durelin
The Elf-Warrior
satansaloser2005
THE Ka
McCaber

Almost, but not quite, Araman:
Nerwen
Boromir88
Formendacil

Almost, but not quite, foundered Beleriand:
Kath
Eomer of the Rohirrim
Eönwë
Mithalwen
The Sixth Wizard

Almost, but not quite, the land of Quenya:
Aganzir
Nogrod

And then there's me, the Easterling. *gulps* Is it that Eru has ordained an early death for me?

[Nerwen]

now this fangUrls radar iz going PING. (i was jokng abuot sally. haRy potter stil sux tHo)

ppl who do lots of loNg posts sayng nUthing & then maek liSts taht dont maek sence r up 2 sumthing IMHO.

[Durelin]

The sun had risen high into the sky by the time Durelin arrived at the town square (OOC: the center of town, whether it is square or not…or wherever the action is taking place), tossing her cloak over her shoulder to leave her sword's hilt uncovered. She absent-mindedly placed her hand on the hilt every so often, as she observed carefully the world around her using all of her honed senses. Normally she would be relatively at ease in a village such as this, especially in the light of day – though she never let her guard down – but…werewolves were among them. Nothing was what it seemed, day or night.

The villagers were beginning to gather, as word spread of the untimely demise of their mayor, the great Wight, and Durelin came to offer her abundant knowledge of the things of the wild and things of the Dark Lord. But besides her undeniable desire to help others, Durelin was driven by the icy-hot passion of revenge. Whenever she thought of her parents and what had been left of them when she found them that morning, her fiery soul froze over. They had murdered, mutilated, and masticated her parents in the night, those creatures…those werewolves.

She had been but thirteen years old, when she was left an orphan. She wandered for several days, perhaps hoping that the wolves would take her as well. But it was not to be, it was not her time. On the third day, she heard a gorgeous vibrato among the trees of the forest she wandered, and stole carefully toward the voice. She had come upon a group of elves traveling to the western shores! The elves took Durelin to Rivendell, to Imladris, to see Elrond himself, in the Last Homely House, and there she stayed for five years. She quickly grew fluent in the Elvish language and became skilled with a bow and sword, as well as with the lyre and harp, as well as with making lembas and braiding hair…

Durelin resisted a sigh. Oh, the memories…the sweet nostalgia of those happiest days after the loss of her parents…they gave her hope, even now, to save the children of this village from becoming orphans themselves. ‘Estel, o entulien mellon orlien larenia namarie mellon dagnir,’ she whispered an elfish prayer in her parents’ memory.

“My name is Durelin,” the wanderer of the wilds introduced herself, “and I hail from down the block. I am bound not only by my oath of revenge but also by my inherent good nature and benevolence, which beseeches me to help others, to aid this village in its struggle with these howling creatures of the darkest night. You have my one-handed sword of suffering and my bow of piercing, as well as my heavy shield of the stalwart, and my cloak of the shadows with +1 to my stealth level and detection.”

Last edited by Durelin : 07-05-08 at 3:45 am. Reason: signature.

(Really OOC: It’s almost 4 am here. All I can manage is silliness. Yes, yes, got carried away.)

[Nogrod]

Now please Form and Nilp, even if the situation is grave we shouldn't forget the basic principles the B-W has established. So no flaming or personal vendetta's here. They are not only against good manners but also tend to confuse our preliminary task of finding out the villains.

And even if everyone has a right to his or her personal expression it would be most convenient if the others were able to understand what you say in the first place.

And to make a third point. Hiding behind the role surely is the best option the hackers have toDay as this is so hilarious. It would be most fun to do as well.

I'm going to my tent and will try to come up with some handy rules for this outside-Forum discussion so that everything runs smoothly and no one gets offended or anything. Try to behave meanwhile. I'll be back late in the Day with hopefully a thing or two to say.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

Oh dear, it seems that, due to my late(ish) arrival, the board has already been inundated with chatspeak!

...Oh, no, wait, that's just Nerwen. Repeat offender, but she's mostly harmless.

...Although now, with the Barrow-Wight dead, some of us are indeed not "harmless" at all.

If anyone needs help understanding our resident chatspeaker, give me a shout!

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Manwë has whispered to my ear that I should find the following to be suspicious of hearkening to Melko's overwhelming musics:

• Durelin
  
  
• Nerwen
  
  
• Nogrod

You are not without a chance to defend yourselves. The Aratar shall convene at Mahanáxar, and they shall hear your pleas of innocence.

May Mandos have mercy upon you.

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Right guys, I mean, whoa, I just switched off my Leona Lewis CD, bangin' as it is, because this is, totally serious, and deserves, attention, y'know?

I have a suggestion, to help catch the hackers, because I am currently doing, a business psychology class, which is really cool, and useful, and it'll totally get me a fast career, know? This pshycology class basicaly says that, like, people, will show themselves if ur clever enough to see inside their souls. So because I've been taking these classes I think I could really help us find the hackers.

Firstly, Nilpaurion Felagund and Formendacil are totally making my brain hurt!?!?! Srsly guys, what are you talking bout? I thought this was a LotR get-together, or something, because, all that hocus-pocus stuff?!?!?! Srsly dudes, whatever.

I don't like the way Nerwen talks. She is showing, no respect, for the English language, or something?!?!? She cud be trying to confuse us?!?!?

Boromir88 sounds pretty amazing. Dude, I cant believe you did all that stuff!?! lol

Durelin, I feel sorry for you, I hope you can get thru this dificult time.

Gawd, I wish I could hang out with my peeps at the mall!!?!! I don't like it here, much, y'know?!?!??

[Nerwen]

if ppl th1nk oth3r ppl R evul they should say Y.

1f they dont it looks liek their hiding beh1nd th3ir r0les.

shaSta iz here n0w & wil transl8 4 u all

EDIT: x'd with Eomer.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

I have a suggestion, to help catch the hackers, because I am currently doing, a business psychology class, which is really cool, and useful, and it'll totally get me a fast career, know?

u will hav 2 run fast bringing reel biznusmen thier coffee!!!11!! ROFL!!!! u geddit????!!!

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

This pshycology class basicaly says that, like, people, will show themselves if ur clever enough to see inside their souls. So because I've been taking these classes I think I could really help us find the hackers.

O RLY??!!!?? whats ins1de my sole then??? u must be able 2 see since ur so cl3ver!!111!!! LOL!!!!11!

[Eomer of the Rohirrim]

Wow, Nerwen, I'm seriosly not LOLing here, how can you just, like, say stuff, about ppl on the internet like that, it's really not cool and quite offensive, so seriosly, get off my case, y'know?!?

And it totally doesnt take a rocket scientist to see inside you're soul, because your posts are quite stupid so, like, get what I'm saying?!?!

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

Nerwen, Mandos has told me, looks rather innocent.

I wish to hear from those whose melodies have not been hear.

I shall be back, Eru willing, ere the closing of this DAY.

You'll really wake up at 5 in the bloody morning for this?

The doom of timezones has been upon me since the creation of Eä. It is my duty to do what I could to overcome this hard fate.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

Wow, Nerwen, I'm seriosly not LOLing here, how can you just, like, say stuff, about ppl on the internet like that, it's really not cool and quite offensive, so seriosly, get off my case, y'know?!?

And it totally doesnt take a rocket scientist to see inside you're soul, because your posts are quite stupid so, like, get what I'm saying?!?!

UR ST00PID111!!! ROXCET SCEINTSTS DONT SEE INSIDE PPLS SOLES THEY MAKE ROKCETS!!!111 PWNED11111!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

Originally Posted by Nilpaurion Felagund

Nerwen, Mandos has told me, looks rather innocent.

u said i was listening to melko & now u say mandos says im inocent. who r they??? is melko a band? y did u change ur mind so qu1ckly???

Y doesnt any1 here talk abuot teh lord of teh rings??? i thought this was a fanclub ware we cud talk about our favrit chars!!!1~!1 mines legalos he is soooo hawt!111!!!

but evry1 just goes on & on abuot wierd stuff that isnt ev3n in teh movies!!!!1 i thnk sum of those ppl cud be sneaky warewolfs

[The Sixth Wizard]

Originally Posted by Durelin

Yes, yes, got carried away.

The correct grammar is I got carried away. If you use a fragment in the place of a sentence again I may have to hurt you.



Wow, Nerwen is making my brain hurt. I say we vote her because:

a) Reading that kind of text will be really annoying later in the game for everyone.

b) Nerwen knows this and if she really is a wolf and she survives, she will go under the radar later in the game. (I personally am NOT going to read that in a longer post than three lines, it hurts my head)

and

c) I've got nothing on anyone else.

[Mithalwen]

Good afternoon, Dr Mithalwen, here. Not so many..err .. case notes as there might be given the size of the therapy group but it is still early and I expect there will be a lot more going on later when I return after this afternoon's case load. Does mean at least I have been able to read through. My conclusions? Excellent humour but as I am sure we all know humour is often used as a facade to cover childhood trauma, insecurity, low self esteem maybe even hacker/lycanthropy?

Maybe we need a group therapy session - perhaps some people have things they would like to share? No?

I think one or two of us could benefit from one on one sessions.

Eomer is clearly an HSP which could result in anger management issues.

Nerwen is clearly profoundly dyslexic (I am too old to cope easily with chat speak - Shasta, I may need your help).

Then we have the battle of the egos - Formy, Noggin Boro and probably others.

Nilp and Durelin are well .... to use a layman's term, away with the fairies.

Enough material for an entire conference from half a village!!!.

But not a lot to go on for the task in hand - well I will be back in a few hours a will try to make a more significant contribution.

[Nerwen]

this IC stuff maeks it hard 2 get a grip. most ppl havent posted enuf anyWAy.

sum thuoghts:

teh n00b eönwë casts random suspic10ns on ppl. probaly just his r0le. he mite be usng it as cover tho.

sally & kitanna do this a bit 2 but looks like first post joking.

durelin has made 1 long long post all about her char. cud be snaeky but its only her first post.

nogrod looks vary smooth. cud be role??? cud be using role??? has only maed 1 post.

formendacil and nilp hav argued a lot withuot rly saying anything, paticlrly nilp. he says things about ppl & doesnt xplain & he makes lists withuot any r3soning behind th3m. i dont lyke that. but cud stil be role. or using role???

hed huRts!!!!1111!!!

not enuf 2 go on yet. 6 ppl (Aganzir, THE Ka, The Sixth Wizard, Mithalwen, McCaber) havnt even posted.

WARE R U GUYS??!!!111!!!!!

EDIT: fixed bolding

EDIT 2: x'd with Sixth Wizard & Mithalwen.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Nerwen is clearly profoundly dyslexic

UR MEAN!!!111! I AM NOT DISLektic!!!! SPELLING SI BOR1NG!!! IF LEGGY WAS HEAR HED SHOOT U FULL OF AROWES!!!!1111!!1

Originally Posted by The Sixth Wizard

Wow, Nerwen is making my brain hurt. I say we vote her because:

a) Reading that kind of text will be really annoying later in the game for everyone.

ur mean too. my sp3ll1ng & grammer will get lots better soon. its hard 2 keep th1s up u no.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

formendacil and nilp hav argued a lot withuot rly saying anything, paticlrly nilp. he says things about ppl & doesnt xplain & he makes lists withuot any r3soning behind th3m. i dont lyke that. but cud stil be role. or using role??? (N3rw3m)

Need I explain my thoughts?It wouldn't hurt anyone for me to tell, so . . .

Despite the headache you give to most of this gathering (fashioned as I am by Eru's hands to discern the thoughts of Elves and Men, it hurts me not), you seem geniune in your endeavour to aid this community.

I should warn you though that the shape your thoughts take form on our screens makes you vulnerable to those confused by Melkor's discord, or perchance you know it already. Votes for you for 'IC reasons' may well disguise the perversion of their thoughts.

[Aganzir]

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

I think Nerwen's a blasted little hacker.

What do you think of satansaloser2005's post?
( ) I approve
(x) I disapprove
I think she's rather the spammer. -Agan

I am too lazy to come up with reasons to neg-rep you all right now so maybe I just try to talk something and neg-rep only when I really feel like it.

Originally Posted by EW

Anyone want to confess?

Me! Me! Me!

Originally Posted by Formie

Still, Melkor can't win. Or Sauron. Or Herumor. Or any of the other successive waves of evil that Gandalf predicted.

Oh why do you think so?

Originally Posted by Boro

3. I have the best virus protection programs available and have been trained by hackers to know how they operate and thus am a far better hacker than these amatuers running around causing some tiny glitches.

*sits back and eagerly waits for Boro to demonstrate his skills by outing the hackers in a minute*

Guilty:
Elf-Warrior. Two posts, requiring yes or no answers to the question "Did You Kill The Barrow-Wight?". Somehow secretive attitude and claims to have no part in BW's murder.
Kitanna. One post, jokingly accusing Boro about his hacker post. Ends her post by inquiring about Nerwen's typos, for it would have felt suspicious if she had only talked about one thing before disappearing again.
sally. Feels too comfortable.
Sixth. One post and speaks only of Nerwen, telling why we should vote for her.

In general I don't like half-accusing one person and barely mentioning anyone else in the first post.

I hate to be a spoilsport, but funny as posting IC is, I think it could be done to a lesser extent. For if the day keeps going on like this, I might have to *shudders* vote randomly. And I just noticed I can't take Nerwen's posts seriously when she's talking like that.

edit: xed with Nerwen and Nilp