Short Stories by Outcasts

[Arathin]

I know I have a lot of short stories that I can't put anywhere. so I am making a thread just for all those wonderfully insane short stories and such that some of you Outcast writers have for us all to read. I'll start... This is called "The Destruction of Satis House"... Upon reading "Great Expectations" at school, we were required to write a short story or essay about what happened in a given topic that wasn't written about in the book. I was given the destruction of satis house. so this is what I wrote. I love personification by the way...

I am very old. I have seen beyond the greatest lengths of time it had ever occurred to me that I could see, and this last half of my life has been more lonesome than it ever occurred to me that it could be. I remember in years long past when children came within my walls to play. At the time, an old woman, Miss. Havisham, lived here. I was well kept enough, but even then in slight disrepair. What I was then is nothing to what I am now. No young boys come to play here now. It has been a long time since anyone has even lived here.

After Miss. Havisham died everyone refused to come and live here. I was and still am alone. When they pass me on the road, all people can see is the wild and over-grown hedge leading, as it once did so often for little boys, to the now red-brown, rusted iron gates. These ancient gates, which had often allowed young ones of invitation to enter, now remain closed to all. They frown upon the road and all on it like a grim and unthankful old man dealing with a recurring disobedient child. The vines that have over-grown and covered much of these grim gates seem to reach out to the passers-by like the despairing hands of all the spirits of this world and the last. If the passer-by were to pause instead of rush by, they would see a sorry sight indeed. The once masterfully kept gardens are now choked with weeds of all sorts. Weeds that have taken over the entire grounds. Reaching high and broad, these weeds have nearly choked the withered and barely visible path that led to my front doors which once opened fair and proudly impressive. Now if one were to come to my door, my doors would be found both hanging on their hinges and flapping like the birds trying to fly in the wind. Inside all is dust.

All the rats and other pests that once lived here have also died or gone away in search of places of food. Nothing no resides within my walls, except for the forlorn and desolate vines that in choking the breath from me have sliced through my window panes like Miss. Havisham’s words used to slice through young boys egos. The only things left with in are a few meager reminders of human life and activity. Bits of glass from mirrors whose elaborate frames were savagely devoured by rodents, a bit of fluff left here and there that came from once grand chairs, a few cards left from the days when young village boys would entertain Miss. Havisham. This is all that is whole within my walls now. All else was eaten by pests or stolen by birds and other creature of the wild. I have nothing left.

A change has happened. A great, goings on is occurring now. Men come and go almost constantly. I watch them with great interest…and growing dread. The machines they keep bringing with them have ground the untamed and wildly clawing weed gardens into the ground. All I can now see are these men, their machines, and the brown, freshly turned up soil looking rich and new. The machines are bright and new. All is new but me.

Another change. The machines move closer and closer. They are closing in on me. I feel trapped by their pressing presence. I cannot escape the fate chosen for me by these machines and their men. They come.

I am dying. The machines have pressing in more now. The first have run right through my walls. I could feel the terror shrinking and weakening my wood. The great machines are slowly, mercilessly slowly, ripping me apart, plank by plank. Wood chips and splinters cloud the air. I am falling. I can feel the beams crack and shatter from the strain. My whole frame rocks and twists in the wild wind, which howls like the lone wolves at the full moon. Even now I can feel a sweet and soothing eternal welcoming to a far more different place from this world that I will soon leave behind.

Satis House fell to its death at the hands of a few men and their machines. As the house finally died and fell, leaving this world behind, a single piece of paper was swept up by the mourning wind and brought to the feet of the man that had led the destruction. A tall, lonely, balding businessman. He bent and picked up the paper. A playing card so worn and faded he could almost not see the marking upon it. Through the years of the card, he was able to discern which card it was. The card was the final reminder of what had once transpired in this old and now ruined house. A jack.

[YayGollum]

Very sad. oh well. Yes, the crazy personification thing is always fun. It's easier for me than the third person thing. I have all kinds of crazy short stories, but most of them are in my head. I don't like writing them down because it makes me analyze every single little sentence to make it way too achingly perfect. But then, I'd never be satisfied. oh well. Dictating would be nice. *sniff*

[Rhiannon]

That was excellent, Arathin- I love personification too.

[Arathin]

Well thank you all.. this one I wrote after reading about when Merry and Pippin met Treebeard... (It was like the hundredth time I'd read that, but this time I put down the book and wrote a very random essay)

On The Subject of Talking and Arguing with Trees.

Trees are the most complicated beings on the planet. They are by far the oldest and wisest of creatures, and yet it is a rare event that one will speak its mind to the outside world. When walking down the street you will hardly ever find a person who has spoken to a Tree. Even if they have accomplished the aforementioned feat, they will hardly ever mention it for fear of being called insane and put into a mental loony bin.

Consequently, I believe that people will stop trying to talk to Trees altogether. This in my eyes is a big mistake. Think of all the knowledge of centuries past that we are missing out on. If every person worried about what the rest of the world said this much, then no one would ever do anything for fear of offending someone. This fear would include doing nothing, so when you come down to it. Fear of expectance, not only blocks us from interesting actives; it also blocks us from existing at all in the first place. At this point, I would like to state that Trees are among some of the most interesting creatures that I have had the pleasure of conversing with. Admittedly I have only spoken with my own pets from the animal department, but Humans bore me so that I believe animals to be along the same lines of conversing. Trees on the other hand are full with the knowledge of times past and long forgot.

A Tree will sing of rain, sun, wind, spring, fall, and really anything else. Trying to speak to one in the winter is almost pointless. With the exception of pines, a Tree will wake up for a moment, if it wakes up at all, to yell at you to shut your loud trap. Spring is the best time to try to speak with Trees. In the winter, they are tired and snappy. In the fall, they are sad and depressing because they know what is coming. In the summer, they are drowsy from all the sun and rain. But in the spring! In the spring, the Trees are happy and cheerful and talkative for the most part. You will of course always find a few snappy and grumpy or harsh Trees no matter what the season. Fortunately, most Trees are quite pleasant in the spring. The more talkative months of most Trees would be from late March (sometimes) to mid-September (again sometimes). As you can see these month dates vary. Their variations are based on several divergences. Among these divergences are type of Tree, current weather, and placement of the Tree in comparison with the sunlight and sun’s course of the day. This last one is most important really because a Tree will never be talkative if it gets little to no sunlight on a daily basis.

Now on the actual topic of talking to a Tree, never try to SPEAK to a Tree. This will cause the Tree to think you are amazingly stupid, which you are, and never say a single word to you. In order to talk to a Tree, one must first let all things flow out of the mind. Then, once you are in the correct state of mind in which nothing resides, you must believe that the Tree of your choice can hear you very thoughts. You must believe that the thoughts the Tree can hear are only the ones that you want it to hear. Also do not let any thoughts be in your mind that go along the lines of, “This is so stupid.” or “Why I’m I doing this?” or “This won’t work.” If these thoughts reside within the mind at all then trying to talk to the Tree is pointless. Your mind isn’t highly evolved enough for you to pull off this feat.

If the Tree is at all inclined to answer you, you will hear a voice in your head. It will seem to come from everywhere and nowhere within your mind at once. The first time one experiences this it is highly confusing and might give one a more than slight headache. The words that your mind speaks to the Tree must be in a simple whisper. Trees have very good hearing and resent it when you, in their highly tuned in minds, yell. I know of no one who has ever encountered a deaf Tree, so please be quiet. That is be quiet, unless you want the Tree to hit you in the head with one of its heavier branches. Trees have nothing against hurting us, as we are only an inferior species compared to their infinite knowledge, know-how, and length of life. This happened to a friend of mine, who got a concussion for yelling at this really old Tree she thought was going deaf. For the most part, Trees are very sociable and love it when we inferior beings ask them questions.

Just never ask a Tree to tell you the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything. Their answer will invariably be, “You have the answer to that. Just get off your butt and read Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker books. Pathetic. Can you even believe this inferior creature asked me a question to which they themselves have already found out and published?” Then it will go off on this sort of tangent with its neighboring Trees for days on end, and ignore your very existence, which to it isn’t very important at all. Also do not ask a Tree what the Ultimate Question to Life, the Universe, and Everything is. This will get you yelled at and hit on the head because they “are not allowed to give away major secrets to your type of pathetically inferior maggots. Now shove off before I really have to hurt you.” This Tree will inevitably never speak to you again. Neither will its neighbors. By the way, for anyone here who has not read Douglas Adam’s Hitchhiker books, I agree with the Trees. Get off your butt and read this amazing, but inaccurately named trilogy.

I have now covered almost all there is to know about talking to Trees. I will now touch only ever so briefly and precisely upon the issue of arguing with Trees. If you do, you are stupider than I thought, and deserve to be killed of by prove of Darwinism. In reality, I could go on for a lot longer, but I have an appointment with a Tree to keep. Oh yes, one last thing. Never be late for an appointment with a Tree. Thank you for your time and consideration. Must scoot. Fare you well wherever you may fare, and do not tick off any Trees. You will regret it.

[Dragon]

bravo ara! well put, do not anger trees, yes, intelligent!!!:D :D :D

[ely]

Well, I thought I'll post one of my stories here. I translated it into English for a friend of mine and he absolutely loved it. But I'm still not sure if it's any good. So I would like you all to give me your honest opinions of this piece of writing. Say what you really think of this - I can handle criticism (at least I have to learn to do it in case I publish my stories one day).

Arathin, I liked your stories a lot! :D


Me and You

Well, I’m here now. I came through fire and water, through night and day, but now I’m here. My journey has been long, very long, but now I’m here.

When I set off, it was spring and apple-trees were in blossoms. The whole garden was full of the sweet smell as I stepped out of my lovely little house and started the journey. So many times I’ve thought whether it would have made any difference if I had changed my mind and stayed home. But I couldn’t do it, I really couldn’t for the whole world was open to me, the whole world waited for me.

So I went, soul full of expectations, hope and happiness. And I travelled for a long, long time. Many times I met Spring, that young maiden with light-green dress and a wreath of apple-tree blossoms on her golden hair. I greeted her merrily and every year I smiled to her and wished her good luck. And she always smiled me back and it made me even more happier.

I saw a lot and I heard a lot and I was happy. Living in my little fairy-tale house I never imagined that a world could be so big and marvellous. But it is. The whole world is one big and splendid miracle. There are so many things here that I couldn’t even dream about before, so many places which are more beautiful than paradise. But now I’ve seen them all and been to everywhere.

And that is actually the reason why I came here to you. I’ve been through the whole world, which has made my heart merry and my soul luminous. But now it’s time to move on. It’s time to see new wonderful things and be to new wonderful places. It’s time and only you can help me.

You’re so beautiful. So incomparably beautiful. I don’t believe that any other part of this world could be as beautiful as you. The way that water-drops glitter on your long azure hair, can’t be compared to anything else in this world. Though the world is big and magical, you are the most miraculous being in it.
Your long slender hands, which stretch over the whole world, help and aid the hungry and the thirsty. And when these long helpful hands play a harp, music is heard, which makes people happy and also sad but gives them hope and leaves a pleasant reminiscence. Your voice is loud but beautiful, listening to your song now, I’m happier than ever before.

You’re so good. You help everyone in this world and want no return or gratitude. You heal people and animals, take away the pain and restore the exhausted. There is no creature in this world that wouldn’t be thankful to you or didn’t love you. Everybody in this world loves you, me too.

I love you. I love your beauty, your goodness, your existence. And I’m so happy to be here now, with you.

I don’t want to think about the past, because the present is wonderful and so is the future. But for some reason I can’t help thinking about my past, my home, my little house in the apple-tree garden. The thought of it makes me sad, I don’t know why, but it does. But I don’t want to be sad, I don’t want it at all for I’m here and I’m with you. No, I don’t think about my past, I don’t want to. But still it all comes into my mind, all that I’ve seen, all that I’ve done and all that I’ve met in this marvellous world. I remember Spring, that young maiden with light-green dress and a wreath of apple-tree blossoms on her golden hair. I remember the smile that she recently greeted me with. And the thought that I’ll never see her again brings tears to my eyes. I cry, I really cry though I’m happy but still these aren’t the tears of joy.

Farewell is sad though a happy future is waiting for me. But without you. Yes, without you, because you can’t come with me, you can only help me to move on, and I thank you for that.

It’s time. It’s time to move on. I don’t say goodbye, I don’t want to. I just thank you, thank you with all my heart. And I go.

It’s late spring. In the distance there’s a big waterfall, the biggest in this world. Up, by the falls is standing a young woman. She’s young in her thoughts and in her heart, she’s young forever. And she’s happy to be with her blue-haired friend, the powerful waterfall. And she jumps. She jumps merrily into a new life. She’s happy, truly happy.

The mighty falls sings her endless song and she’s alone. Yes, she’s really alone.




The End :D

[Arathin]

That was beautiful, Ely. Truely moving. I definately think that should be published someday because it can be related to by many people.

I like the personification of spring and the waterfall etc. That was done very well, and you kept the same themes for each personified being throughout which is important. Consistancy, you know... The feeling of reminisence is very elegantly sown throughout the piece. It was truely elegant and beautiful.

[Dragon]

that was amazing ely. I loved it. it was...almost perfect, if someone can write that good...:D

[ely]

Thanks for your golden words :D You made me very happy :D

[Arathin]

I saw the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" yesterday and surprise surprise have become obssessed with Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and with the whole idea of pirates and the open ocean etc. so I wrote this in an effort to calm my obsession... didn't work, but I still thought I'd post it...

The Storm

Bitter and heady, caling to us all through our souls, the scent envelops me as a loving embrace. I am so far from all that is chained and bound. The old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm blows his salty breath in my face. The breath whips my hair and carries wild spray into my face. My old home was never this free, and I left it without regret. The old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm welcomed me with the sound of gently lapping waves upon the prow.

Now as I again stand in the prow, he sends a challenge to roar in my ears. Raging bulls twenty feet or more above me sail downward to claim the weak, but I laugh. I laugh long and loud in the bulls' faces. The ship lurches across the bulls' backs, leaping from bull to bull like the hare leapt across the allegators' back from island to shore. But this hare leaps farther from shore and deeper into the heart of the storm, the eye of the bull, the mouth of the old man with foamy white beard and eyes like this wild sea will be after the storm.


Maybe I'll add to it later, if people liked it... Please give me any critisum you can so I can improve upon it, and any ideas for adding to it will also be welcome.

[Rhiannon]

Those were both lovely. *really should post something soon*

[Arathin]

I said I would add more to it etc... So I did... I also kinda had to rename it... The Ocean.

I can even now remember the first time I ever saw the sea. I was five, and hardly remember anything else from that tender age. Somehow when I first saw the ocean struck me and live on in my memories for the rest of my life. We had just moved and I was lost and distraught because much of my life prior to the move had been left behind, sold, or lost somehow. My mother took me to the beach because she thought it might make me feel a bit better seeing something so large. I remember feeling called to the water, but some unseen force. I couldn’t help myself, and tottered toward the crashing waves every chance I got. I was enticed by the scent and movement of the water. I felt that some great being lived in the water, controlling the movements and making the scent. I have now learned that the scent is natural, and the moon and wind control the tides and waves, but whenever I enter the ocean again, I can feel this great old man calling my name.
One day, while going about my daily business at the market, a man handed me a flyer. It read, ‘Taste the adventures of the world! Sail the Ocean blue and gain the treasures you’ve never dreamed of. A pirate’s calling is in us all, can you feel it in you?’ I asked the man what this was about. He gave me a grin and a wink. “Isn’t it a bit obvious, lass? I’m a pirate and I’m trying to gather a crew.” “But most people can’t read, why give them flyers?” “I only give flyers to those that look educated, like you for example. The rest I talk to at certain port towns.” “Well why give me one? I’m a woman, and no woman is a pirate, merely a slave to the pleasures of the pirates.” “Well that is the usual way. See I’m not your normal pirate captain. I plan on a crew of half men and half women if I can get one. You look like you’d be very good on a ship, strong arms and such.” I blinked. “You mean, you’re willing to give women a fair share and all? Everything equal to the men aboard?” “Right down to the last shilling.” He grinned. “Are you interested?” “Why of course! Where can I join?” The captain gave me a great smile that would make a woman less strong of will swoon, as it was I was faint with the idea of the high seas and hardly noticed. “Right now and here, if you’re that certain of yourself. Just sign here and I’ll give you a list of things you’ll need and where the ship is docked.” He held a piece of parchment out to me and I signed my name with his quill. “There now.” He gave me a list of things, most of which I had never heard of, and told me where I could find them all. He also told me where the ship, the Black Pearl, was moored. I gathered what money I had and left that very day, for my home held nothing for me. Soon I found myself caught up in the taste of adventures as with all my new sea-faring belonging, I first set eyes upon my new home, the Black Pearl.
The Black Pearl is a massive ship. The largest to date, and the fasted. The most striking aspect of it is the sails. Instead of white, like every other ship I’ve heard tell of, the Black Pearl had sails blacker than midnight. No flag yet danced from the top of the highest mast, for to dance the Pirate’s flag while still in harbor would be folly. From prow to stern, the ship was of the blackest ebony wood none to man. As I mounted the gangplank, the captain met the rest of the crew whom I had come aboard in the midst of and myself. The captain’s eyes danced across each of us in turn. “I’m the captain of this here beauty.” He waved his hand to encompass the truly beautiful ship. “Captain Johnny Sparrow is my name, and piracy is the game. So come aboard and be all ye prepared.” We ‘land-lubbers’ were led to our bunks by the regular crew and taught our duties. We were told many stories about the captain. He was an odd sort of man to be a Pirate. Nothing seemed to get him down, and he struck himself a lady’s man, of course, but as I soon learned with a smile like his who wouldn’t? However, he was an honest man, and never attacked if there truly was no need. All innocent people were in his mind allowed to go free as long as they went with no money or jewels on their person. As I said, an odd sort of man to be a Pirate captain, but captain he was and we all listened to his orders.
I’ll never forget that first time we set sail. The regular crew had all the ‘land-lubbers’ hidden out of the way. That way they could watch, but not get in the way. I stood in the prow of the ship, and can almost see the Old Man of the sea that the crew has been telling us of. The old man with foamy beard and eyes like the sea after a storm blows his salty breath at the ship. The breath whips my hair and carries the wild ocean spray into my face. The old man welcomed me to his home with the sound of gently lapping waves upon the prow. I didn’t notice Captain Johnny Sparrow watch me from his place at the helm, nor would I have thought on it long, had I noticed. Later, an old regular member of the crew named Owens told me he had never seen that certain glint in the captain’s eye when he looked at a member of the crew and the captain apparently had made up his crew of men and women before. At the time however, I didn’t notice him watching me.
As the shore slipped away behind us everyone began to enjoy the feel of the sea under their feet. I remained in the prow, laughing at the salty foam spray that kept blowing about me. The captain asked for a song, and a woman from the regular crew, Tarlina, began to sing. Her silvery voice soared out over the ocean, which seemed to rejoice at its presence. After the song ended all that was heard was the lapping of the ocean waves. I could no longer help myself. I opened my lips and sang a short poem I had written in childhood. It seemed foolish afterward, but I could no more stop myself than I could have stopped the tide. “I look upon the sea, and it looks back at me. I look behind to the shore; it seems such a bore. The sea is full of life; the shore holds only strife. Into the sea I now go, to what end I do not know. Call me Sea-Star, Aerelen, for none will know where I have been.” Again that day, the young captain’s eyes lit with that certain glow as he handed the helm to Owens and came up behind me. “You sing beautifully. Very well then, you’re name will be Aerelen from now on.” He called aloud into my embarrassed silence while descending the stairs. I turned to him and smiled. How had he known of my desire for the name? “In fact, all the new crew needs names. We don’t go by our old names, but change them to match us.” He then went on to question the crew and name us all anew, but I he left Aerelen and would always call my name in a singsong way.
That night while almost the whole crew slept, I couldn’t sleep, despite how tired I was after the day’s duties. I stood again in the prow. We had weighed anchor for the night. The only shore visible was a tiny strip far behind us, and all I could see was the open ocean. I reveled in it. The old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm seemed to revel as well, only he in the silvery light of the full moon that glittered and glinted off his foamy capped swells. In the distance huge creatures swam just under the surface of the water, causing the water to swell and skim over their sleek bodies. I never heard anyone approaching from behind, but soon I hear a voice whisper in my ear as a hand came to rest on the rail, one on either side of me. “It is truly a breath taking and inspiring sight, isn’t it Aerelen?” Even if the voice hadn’t already been easily recognized to my ear, I would have known who stood behind me from the way my new name was spoken. “Aye, it is Captain.” I said softly turning. Captain Johnny Sparrow stood not half a foot away from me; his lips still lingered inches from where my ear had just been. The smile that played across his lips was alluring as any man’s I had heard tell of.

[Arathin]

He moved to stand beside me, turning me again to the ocean with a hand upon my shoulder. Still holding tight to my arm, he pointed out over the water. “Some where out there lies the Old Man. The old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm. Someday soon perhaps you’ll see what that unique shade of gray is like.” I turned to face the captain again as he stood beside me. He smiled at me again. “Would you like to know where we’re heading, Little Sea-Star?” He teased, and I couldn’t help but feel honored that he might tell me. I nodded and he took me into his private chambers. He showed me his maps and we talked long into the night. Finally in the pre-dawn hour, he turned to me. “You have eased my spirit, Little Sea-Star. That I must say. Never have I been able to speak with one from my crew so easily as with you this night. If you are too tired to go about your duties, I’ll excuse you of them for the day. However, if you would not mind, I would greatly desire a chance to speak with you again like this. Perhaps after dinner tonight for a short time?” My own smile met his easily. “Aye Captain. I would be honored to speak with you thus again. Tonight will be well, but I am perfectly able to go about my duties, which indeed I must now.”
As I went about my duties that day, I couldn’t help but think of the Captain and his words. Owens was teaching me to weave rope some time past the midday meal and leaned closer to me, presumably to show me what to do better. “I haven’t missed the way the Captain’s been looking at you lass.” He whispered. “Now I’ve known Johnny Sparrow longer than any other person aboard this ship, but he ain’t ever looked at a woman, crew member or no, the way he’s been looking at you. He says you two talked all night about the course and ocean and such. And then you’re still at your duties. I swear little miss, you’ve got a will o’ steel, you must have.” He left it at that, but ever after his whispered comment, I too began to notice Captain Johnny Sparrow’s eyes and how they kept straying to me as I worked. When I was at dinner, Tarlina taught me the song she had sung the day before when we had embarked. I learned it quickly and when I sang it after her the whole crew said I would be out singing my teacher soon. We all had a good laugh at this and Tarlina slapped me on the back saying it was probably true. Shortly after this I got up and went out on deck again. However rather than standing in the prow staring at the moon playing upon the waves sent by the old man with foamy white beard and eye’s like the sea after a storm, I made my way to the Captain’s private chambers unnoticed.
Captain Johnny Sparrow was sitting at his desk, the remains of his own evening meal laying scattered upon the table not five feet from where he now sat studying his maps. I could see him through one of the windows that he sometimes watched the crew out of. I knocked on the door softly and was met with a distracted, “Come in.” Rather daunted at the distracted tone, I entered; confident only that he had asked me to return this night only this morning though it seemed much longer. I could feel sleep creeping up in me, but it was dashed away when Johnny Sparrow looked up from his map and saw me. He gave a smile that I was coming to learn was just for me and rose from his seat. “Ah, Little Sea Star… I wasn’t expecting you this early to be truthful. I thought it was Owens again or someone else, or I would have come to open the door for you.” “No need of that, Captain.” I murmured, surprised at the sincerity in his voice. “Call me Johnny during such talks as these, please. Captain is so formal, only for around the crew.” “Yes, Cap—Johnny.” My words stumbled. I had never known a man to give up formalities with a woman so swiftly. He held out a chair for me, which I took and he sat again at his seat, but this time he turn it so he faced me. I noticed he wore several fine rings, all plunder most likely, and still yet wore that dazzling smile he had put on when he saw me enter. “I am glad you have come so early, Little Sea Star. I wanted to tell you a story about the Old Man.” I looked up, and my heart flew to my throat so I couldn’t answer. For all my vows that I would love only the sea, I could not fight down my growing love for this young Pirate Captain. He seemed the sea itself, and that is how I reasoned with my feelings. “What is this story of the old man with foamy beard and storm tossed sea-gray eyes?” Again Johnny Sparrow smiled his smile for me alone. “A special story about how the Old Man became a young mortal to walk the earth and sail his own high seas looking for a woman whose only love was the ocean that is his true form.
“Long ago when the earth was still young, the Old Man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm was not so old. He seemed very young to the eye, but still had his long foamy beard of white and the infinite depths of the ocean trapped in his stormy eyes. He let his ocean flow across the world, creating life and death to balance the world order. He was father of all as the Mother Earth is mother of all. However long ago, the Old Man became lonely. Fore you see he and the Mother created separately, never together, but always for the same goal, life and death. So the Old Man decided to transform into a young seeming mortal man. In this form, he could walk the land and find a bride for himself from the bosom of the Mother Earth. He traveled long upon the land, but found himself longing more for his precious sea than a companion. So he returned to the sea, sailing it as a ship’s captain, but no ships allowed women aboard. How could he find a companion to become his bride? The Old Man decided he would be different. He would make his crew half of men, to be normal, and half of women, so he could find a woman with the same love of the ocean as he had. He traveled for many long years, never aging, forever taking on new crewmembers so no one would notice. However one crewmember found out his secret, and was granted immortal life to accompany the captain in his search. This male crewmember became his most trusted companion, but still he found no one that he could take as a bride. So he continued on his quest until one day in a market he saw a beautiful young woman with eyes that shifted color in different light, and he needed to know how she loved the ocean. So he told her of his hunt for a crew, and she signed on immediately. This heartened him, but it wasn’t until the first day from port that he fell truly and deeply in love with the young thing. For as the sails were set and the winds of the world swept the ship out to sea, the woman began to sing a poem to the sea, a poem so lovely and pure in its love of the ocean that the Old Man knew she loved the sea best. Now he must win her to him. That night as she stood in the prow, watching the full moon dance gleefully across his ocean waves, the captain came to her and invited her to know their course amid other such pleasantries. She came and spent the night in his cabin with him talking of many things new and old. With every breath she took he fell more deeply enamored with the woman. So he asked her back the next night, having every intention of telling her his story, but when she came he found he could hardly push his words past a lump in his throat.”

[Arathin]

Here Johnny stopped talking. I had been enthralled in the story. Now I wanted to know the ending. When he had paused for a full five minutes, I decided to speak up. “Well?” I asked. “Well what?” “Well how does it end? Did the Old Man get his bride in the woman?” Johnny, who had been very solemn, smiled once again; his eyes lit from within. “That part of the story is yet to be decided, Little Sea Star.” It took several moments for the truth of this to sink in. “Y-you… you mean that you are the old man of the sea? That would mean Owens is the one who found you out and I…” I faltered. “Yes, Aerelen, Sea Star, you are the one.” I couldn’t breathe. How could I be the one? How could the old man, now this young appearing sea captain before me, have fallen in love with me? “You have guessed the actors correctly, Little Sea Star.” Johnny Sparrow, the Old Man of the sea, smiled with a melancholy airs about him. “Why so sad then, Old Man, if you have found your companion.” His eyes never left his hands. “I have told you my tale, now I must leave this world before a year has turned or I will die. I would like to leave this world with you beside me, but I do not wish to impose this decision upon you… You will become immortal if you leave with me, and you will never be able to leave again. Please think on this for me? I want you more than can be expressed, but I want even more for you to be happy.” I sat in thought for a long while. “If you are the old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm, then you must prove this to me. Prove this and I will leave with you.” My voice and conviction were both firm. “What proof would you like, Aerelen?” I already knew that which my heart desired. “There is no storm due for tomorrow is there?” “No, indeed. There is no sign of a storm to hit tomorrow.” “Then a storm shall me my proof. A great fierce storm coming on the morrow will be all the proof I will desire that you are the Old Man.” Again Johnny Sparrow’s eyes seemed to glow, and he smiled broadly while he spoke. “Very well then.”
Johnny reached out and rang a small silver bell. The door creaked open to allow Owens’ head entrance. “Owens, I want you to spread mild warnings among the crew. There will be a very fierce storm on the morrow. It will grow and hit after the sun rises full in the sky, and we will be riding straight through it.” Owens looked from me to the captain. “You may assure them as needed that the ship and captain will not fail them. We will not sink.” Captain Johnny Sparrow, Old Man of the sea, smiled reassuringly to his ancient friend and Owens nodded. “Aye, aye, Captain. I’ll let ‘em know real discrete like then.” Owens’ head disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and Johnny rose from his seat. “Come, you look tired. You haven’t slept in two days and have continued about your duties. You’ll need sleep to brave the storm that will come on the eve. I will wake you just before dawn so you might watch the beauty of a storm swept sunrise.” He led me to his own large captain’s bed and I lay down amid the soft feather down quilts and linen sheets. He left me to sleep and stood beside a porthole that opened to the sea. As I watched him, he seemed to transform into the Old Man working his magic to call his fiercest storm.
I awoke to find a tired looking Captain Johnny Sparrow smiling as he leaned over me and kissed my forehead. As he pulled back a bit, he saw I was awake. “There you are, Little Sea Star. I have been watching you for a hour or so now, but come, dawn will come very soon.” True to his word, Owens had informed the crew of the storm and now everyone was scattering about on deck preparing for it. Indeed, the sky was a harsh iron gray in the pre-dawn chill. I moved to help Tarlina with some rigging, but Johnny placed his arms firmly upon my arms and steered me to the prow. “You will stay here, Aerelen. I want you to see the full beauty of it.” He whispered in my ear before he left for the helm. I watched him in puzzlement for a moment, but it seemed no one thought oddly of it. As no one sought my help in preparing the ship, indeed most of the new crew was down below and out of the way, I stayed where he had placed me and turned again to the sea before me. The ship cut through the waves as a few brilliant rays of light pierced the storm clouds in radiant colors of gold, orange, and red. The sky seemed painted over with gold-tinged blood. Finally, as I gazed upon this beauty, the sun hefted itself up and out of the water entirely and was lost to sight behind the clouds. Now I could see them. Growing in intensity and viciousness. Suddenly the storm hit us. Exactly at the moment, Captain Johnny Sparrow had said it would.
Rains pelted down to drown the world by the boat-full and thunder streaked across the sky in jagged forks and spears of yellow-white. Wave rose twenty to thirty feet above the highest mast of the Black Pearl. All I could think of was a verse of a ballad a minstrel had once sung, and through the rain I sang the verse aloud. “Now as I again stand in the prow, he sends a challenge to roar in my ears. Raging bulls twenty feet or more above me sail downward to claim the weak, but I laugh. I laugh long and loud in the bulls’ faces. The ship lurches across the bulls’ backs, leaping from bull to bull like the hare leapt across the alligators’ backs from island to shore. But this hare leaps farther from shore and deeper into the heart of the storm, the eye of the bull, the mouth of the old man with foamy white beard and eyes like this wild sea will be after the storm.” And laugh I did. I laughed long and loud for I knew Johnny was the Old Man, and I had come to love the master of the sea, the sea himself. I was so enthralled in the storm that I never noticed the crew’s stares at me. Captain Johnny Sparrow, the Old Man of the sea, came up behind me. “Have you had your proof then?” His hands were resting gently upon my arms and his chin upon my shoulder. I turned my head slightly. “I have my proof. You are the Old Man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after the storm.” I whispered, barely to be heard over the roar of the waves and howl of the wind. “I will go with you now.” He again smiled his smile for me alone and kissed my cheek. “Then let us leave.”
He turned to the crew. “Owens, the first mate, is now captain of the Black Pearl. Never may this ship sink for you sail with the blessings of the Old Man of the sea.” He turned again to me and kissed me long and passionately. When I opened my eyes he was no longer the young appearing Captain Johnny Sparrow. He was the Old Man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea have a storm. Yet in his eyes and smile I still saw some of the Johnny Sparrow I had come to know him as. The Old Man nodded to me and smiled; then he leapt into the raging waters that were his home. I stood in the prow a moment longer and watched the sea for the last time with mortal eyes. I could see him swimming the waves before the ship waiting for me. So I stepped up onto the railing of the ship and stood in the prow. Suddenly I was engulfed in light. As it faded a bit, I was clothed in a dress of sea green-gray and wore a small black pearl around my throat. I spread my arms and dove into the water after the Old Man, and the storm broke. The old man with foamy white beard and eyes like the sea after a storm welcomed me to his home with the sound of gently lapping waves upon the prow.
As the crew of the Black Pearl stared over the edge of the deck, the skies were instantly clear. The two figures had vanished, but no one aboard thought of them as dead. Owens brought the Black Pearl to harbor and had a likeness of Aerelen, the little Sea Star, had for the prow. So from this place she could forever watch over the ship and guide them through the fiercest storms. The crew never broke up, and sailed the high seas with the old man’s blessings for it was never lost in a storm. The Black Pearl finally did sink in a navel battle against a ship from the British armada. Not one member of the crew survived. The Black Pearl sank stern down so the last thing to sink was the prow with its likeness of Aerelen. It is said among the crew of the British ship that when only the head and shoulders of the likeness was left the black pearl around the throat began to glow with a lovely light. Also that as the last of the ship sank beneath the waves and Old Man and young woman, who looked like the wooden one on the prow, appeared upon the surface and bobbed there a moment before disappearing. With them also was what looked like a new born infant whom the woman called Owens. As the crew of the British ship watched, a hundred or so men and women, each a member of the crew of the pirate ship swam in a thousand directions. Each of these people had the torso of their human life and the long and glittering tail of a fish.

[Arathin]

Why do I write?

I write for the sheer drama of it. I don’t have to be in love to write a love story or to write of a couple in love. To me love is a dream, a desire, a wish, a thought, a saga, and nothing more or less. Writing is a tragic piece. I don’t try to learn how to write. It comes naturally to me. It is my one true love, my boy or girl friend, my husband or wife, my brother or sister, my pets, and my home. Writing is me. It is my way of expressing my deepest desires or tragedies. If writing doesn’t come to you, it isn’t writing. It is some foreign invading force instead of a part of you. The pen, quill, pencil, typewriter, or computer is your outlet for self-expression. Even as the brush, charcoal, paint, graphics program, colored pencil, wax crayon, oil crayon, or marker is to the artist. Through our writing you can look into the soul and see the light, darkness, beliefs, disbeliefs, fears, and passions of it. What about every writer’s worst nightmare, writer’s block? Nothing can stop it. No one can see it coming. Many try to overcome it by taking courses and reading books to try and remember how to write once again. However, writer’s block is the very reason I write. The sheer terrifying trauma of it is exhilarating. It moves someone in its breathtaking beauty if they allow it to take its course. Fore it isn’t writer’s block itself that I write for, but the relearning, the natural rediscovering of the gift. Rediscovering the art of writing after a stint of writer’s block can only be compared to a majestic sunrise on the open sea without any land in sight after a vicious storm raked night. Nothing can be more breathtaking and relieving than that. Even as the sailors cheer and shout for joy at being alive to see the sunrise after such a night, the writer’s soul takes flight from its earthly bounds in celebration as the body lets flow the tidal wave of new things to write. Things that were trapped in the reservoir without escape because of the dam now seem to flow so easily since the braking of it, but they even then are beginning to bring forth the residue that will form the next dam of writer’s block. Thus it occurs again and again bringing forth-fresh new ideas and styles while allowing us to return ever to the old. That is why I write.

[Arathin]

Alright... please tell me if you can't get to the page... it is just that this is nine pages and that is far too long for a post on here... so please go to

http://www.fictionpress.com/read.php?storyid=1358372&chapter=6

Please tell me what you think. I am despirit for a bit more than 'very good' or 'wow'

[YayGollum]

Well, I was bored, so here's a story about a couple of R.P.G. characters I have. If anyone knows anything about the R.P.G. site for this place, where do you think would be a good place to put this in there? I tried making my own guild that it would be perfect for, but noone cared. Anyways, here's the story. It's a little long, but I wanted it to be longer. Whoops. I would normally give this to you post by post just to be sure that people were reading it, but it's just too beautiful. I gots to do it all at once. Whoops.

Middle Earth. A land of wonder and mystery and excitement. We know much of the elves and hobbits and Dwarves and humans. But what of the more benevolently challenged? The less savory peoples have tales that are just as moving. Try this on for size. All Wargish (Wargian? Warg-speak? I don't know.) and Orcish has been translated just for you.

A pack of Wargs slumbered in the foothills of the Misty Mountains. They huddled together to stay warm, but one who slept alone heard his Greek letter titled male leader pick his way out to speak with an Orcish messenger. He overheard their plans to attack a large city of Woodmen nearby. Halfway through, his leader spotted him watching and listening. "Get back to sleep, Raoul! You'll have your chance to fight tomorrow!"

Raoul knew that these Woodmen had been slowly hunting them into extinction, but thought that it would be folly to attack them now. Humans seemed to be multiplying faster and faster in the recent years. More and more packs of Wargs had been wiped out. Orcs, too, but that mattered little to the lone Warg.

As the leaders droned on, Raoul brooded to himself. He wondered why they would sacrifice themselves so readily for their land. The city they would attack that night was full of humans who wanted to make names for themselves as they conquered everything on Middle Earth.

By the time their pack came to meet with the combined armies of Orcs and Wargs from all over the Misty Mountains, Raoul had been paired with a foul-mouthed, bloodthirsty, and annoyingly pointy rider. "Hey, Warg! It's time we burned that city to the ground already, eh?"

Raoul, sounding annoyed ---> "Eh."

"Fine then! Keep it to yourself. You want to see those human maggots' blood just as much as me, though, huh?"

Raoul, muttering ---> "Oh, desperately."

"I wouldn't mind starting the killing early just for you, ya know? It's too late to get another Warg now, though. You'll be useful enough when the time comes!"

As the armies quickly travelled through the hills, the pointy Orc hadn't noticed the Warg slowing and moving away from the rest. When they reached a copse of trees from which they were hidden from view, the Warg let his slowly rising growl reach it's peak while he rolled over to knock the Orc off. Shaking his coat to rid himself of the pointy feeling, the Warg grinned, then pounced. Even the noises it made while being eaten were annoying.

Since the Warg wasn't very hungry, and he heard a few others heading over to investigate, he ran off to find a safe place to relax. He hadn't gotten much sleep while brooding.

[YayGollum]

Meanwhile and back in Goblin Town, a small and hunched over and weaselly looking Orc speared a blind fish with a poisoned arrow. Some bigger and stupider looking Orc's head poked out from a nearby tunnel. "Bugburz, you useless maggot! Hurry up with those fish! We're late to meet with the others!"

Bugburz glared at the thing until it left, then went back to spearing fish. When he had plenty of fish for the fighters ready, he grinned wickedly as he delivered them. Since all but the last few hungry and soon to be dead fighters were gone, Bugburz had plenty of time to lounge around.

He had noticed the growing numbers of humans, too. That kept him from his dream of being able to live alone and not have to deal with the constant stupidity of most of his kind. Maybe next to a nice small community of humans that he could steal food from, but a chance encounter would be the only interaction he'd get.

Since humans loved bursting into his caves all the time, the smaller Orcs that he felt more comfortable with were dying out. He was very discontent with having to stay with these stupid and huge things for protection. Which is why he had decided to poison them and block the entrances.

There was water and fish down there. Goblin Town had been one of the oldest and most well hidden homes of the Orcs. He would be nice and safe from now on. Walking with what might be called a spring in his step up to the first of the hidden entrances he was about to block, he missed the last group of large fighters until they caught him.

"Where do you think you're going, Bugburz? We saw you getting our fish! You only use poisoned arrows! Think we're stupid, huh? We've been generous with you for a long time, Bugburz, but no more! You're not even a decent fighter! All you're good for is sniffing things out! Our enemies don't hide anymore, Bugburz! Why don't you use you only ability to hide from them? You'll get no more protection from us!"

He was then thrown out the back door and buried in the poisoned fish he had caught. He knew not to try opening the door. After digging himself out and huddling in a corner from which he glared at the fish, he whimpered and ranted himself to sleep.

[YayGollum]

Raoul dragged his feet as he made his way up the sharp rocks to the first cave he had seen. Orcs and Wargs worked with each other a lot. If he was caught by either of those things, he'd be killed. He wasn't very worried about having lost all ties to the least hostile people he knew.

Until he remembered that living in a pack of Wargs meant working together to survive. He felt bad about not eating more of that annoying Orc. He knew that he couldn't go back and ask for forgiveness. He made it into the cave then slumped onto the floor to try holding back the first pangs of hunger. When he opened his eyes, though, they widened with all kinds of hope at the sight of a huge pile of fish.

About two seconds before he pounced on them, he heard a small but achingly hateful voice. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You don't want to poison me, do you? Nar!"

Raoul glared at the pitiful looking orc holding up a pitiful looking sword and shield. "You can't stop me, Orc! And what do you mean, poison you? Do I look poisonous?"

Bugburz pointed to the fish and grinned. "You will be if you eat those fish. So just sit still so I can carve you! I never was too good at this!"

Raoul stood up and made ready to pounce. "Well, you won't be getting any practice out of me! Why aren't you attacking Woodmen right now? Or is tantalizing Wargs with food that might be poisoned more fun?"

Bugburz sneered. "Garn! You Wargs aren't worth my time! I'll have you know that I poisoned those fish to kill a rival clan of Orcs!"

Raoul stepped back to laugh while still looking wariful. "Oh, that's intelligent! Kill yourselves off! Save the humans some time! You'll be happy to hear that I ate one of your kind just before I came here, then?"

Bugburz narrowed his eyes at that, having given up on Orcs a while ago. "Yes, I would! I'm in a tribe of my own! You could eat every Orc in Middle Earth as far as I care!"

Raoul relaxed a little since he was a little confused. "Wargs, too, then? Orcs share their killings with Wargs enough."

Bugburz lowered his sword and looked achingly and openly confused. "Ar! What's your problem with Wargs? You're a Warg! They stick together more than we do! I hate all of them!"

Raoul stepped forward and grinned. "Me, too! My pack ran off with your Orcs to get themselves killed by the Woodmen."

Bugburz backed up hesitantly. "And you don't care? You're a strange one."

Raoul noted that and nodded sadly. "I've been told that before. Are you going to eat me or not?"

Bugburz finally relaxed and pointed to the door. "You look hungry, too. Why don't you help me break down this door and I'll introduce you to your supper?"

Raoul's eyes lit up as his stomach groaned. "Supper, eh?"

Bugburz, automatically ---> "Eh."

Raoul couldn't help feeling very attached to the guy already. "Ha! Direct me, then, Orc!"

Bugburz glared, but with nowhere near the intensity he had before. "Nar! Bugburz!"

Raoul blinked with open confusion this time. "What's that?"

Bugburz puffed his chest out to state matter of factly ---> "Bugburz. Not Orc."

Raoul rolled his eyes at the crazy Orc. "Oh, right. I am Raoul. Here's the door. What's the problem?"

Bugburz stepped up to the door to prove that it wouldn't open. "They locked it or blocked it or something. You're big. You can bash it down."

Raoul got ready to ram the door, but pulled back to look at the fish longingly. "And there's no other door? Alright, Bugburz. You're sure that fish is poisoned?"

Bugburz stepped between Raoul and the fish. "Oh, it's poisoned alright! I used to work in Mordor where they know their poisons!"

Raoul blinked with all kinds of surprise since this Orc still seemed pretty pitiful. "Mordor? That hellhole that even you Orcs despise now? You're lucky to be alive!"

Bugburz impatiently waved his sword at the door. "We won't be for long unless you can open this thing!"

Raoul nodded and swiped at the Orc. "Right. Move away."

As soon as Bugburz was far enough away, Raoul rammed his shoulder into the door. It held but cracked. After a couple more hits and Bugburz had helped, they were in. Bugburz led the way to a storeroom where he guessed the fat Orcs were feasting. Raoul barely fit in the tunnels, and couldn't get in the door of the storeroom. Bugburz slit the throats of the sleeping Orcs, then dragged one over for Raoul.

[YayGollum]

While they were eating, Bugburz told Raoul about his plans to hide in Goblin Town and block all the doors and live in peace.

"I don't think that I can stay here, Bugburz. I'm cramped enough already."

"Nar! There's plenty of bigger rooms for you! Don't Wargs like caves?"

"This is a long system of tunnels. If I didn't get lost or stuck, I'd go blind always having to hide from either of our people when they get back."

"I don't think that too many will come back. This was the biggest effort I've seen in years."

"Even so, the safest thing to do would be to leave. You, at least, have travelled. Is there a safer place?"

"Alright. Well, there's always Mordor. Noone lives there now."

"Mordor? Even without the big boss who used to be down there, wouldn't it still be dangerous? There's a lot of land to get through, too!"

"Garn! I know the way! And it's not even that bad there. Well, we had slaves back before the war. oh well. Nar! It'll be safe enough! I made it through the war down there!"

"If you say so. Well, I'm full. We should leave soon. You never know when they might come back."

"Ar! You're good to have around, Raoul! Let me grab a few things first. We won't have much to eat on the way, though. Most of the Orcs have gone to the battle."

While the Orc is stocking up ---> "Trolls, Bugburz. Don't forget the trolls. We'll be so fat by the time we're through these mountains that we won't even want to go to Mordor anymore! We'll just collapse at Fangorn!"

"No, thanks! I know enough to avoid that place! Okay, back up. You can't turn around, can you?"

The Warg tried turning around a couple of ways, but gave up and awkwardly walked backwards until they were back outside. "There. Lead on, Orc!"

"Bugburz. Sit down or something!"

"What's that?"

"You know what I mean! Bugburz, not Orc!"

"No, why do you want me to sit down? Let's go."

"Garn! You're a Warg! I'm an Orc! I ride you! Get down!"

Raoul then growled and stepped forward menacingly. "You should know better than that! Never ask me to do that again! I've had too many Orcs just jumping on my back without thinking anything of it! I am not a horse! Unless you're going to let me ride you, you won't be touching my back!"

"Alright, alright! Calm down! No, you don't get to ride me. Will you at least carry my packs?"

"That's better. Sorry. Tie them on so we can go."

After tying a few packs full of useful Orcish travelling type things, the two set south. A bit of conversation --->

"Mordor was a hell. It's good now, though. We'll just have to get by the guard."

"What guard? Since when is there a guard? You didn't say anything about a guard!"

"There's always a guard. Humans again. They wreck everything."

"You Orcs are just the same. Humans used to be afraid of you!"

"Yeah, well, look who's hiding from who now. Garn! I remember when a human would scream at the sight of me! Now they grab a sword and try to slice my head off!"

"At least they didn't hunt you down. They like to think that they're big and brave when they try to kill one of us for a trophy!"

"Good luck to the fighters, eh? May they take down twice as many as they lose! Even though that won't even take care of half of them."

"Eh. You're right. It's hopeless. Mordor is our best bet. It'll be the last place that humans would want to live!"

"See, I said it was nice!"

[YayGollum]

Many caves and many trolls later, they arrived at Moria. The entrance had been blocked with all kinds of easily removeable things from the inside. The sun was just coming up, so it took Bugburz a few tries to get the attention of the sleepy guards. ---> "Who's there? What do you want?"

"Garn! It's Bugburz! Open up!"

"Bugburz? We don't know a Bugburz! He never travelled with a Warg, either! Always said he hated them!"

Raoul looked at Bugburz with all kinds of confusion since what the guard said definitely sounded like the Orc knew him. Bugburz waved his questioning look off. "Nar! I still do! This is just a present for your boss!"

There was an eager sounding whoop, then a few crashes and curses before there was enough room for two guards to come out with their spears ready. Not too ready, though. It was getting brighter and they didn't expect any trouble. Bugburz led a nervous Raoul into the darkness. There were only the two smaller guards and one large and crafty looking Orc there.

When the entrance had been blocked again, the large Orc reached out to poke Raoul with his sword. "This is a fine gift, Bugburz! You can run along to your quarters now. Maybe we'll pass some scraps down there for you when we're done."

Bugburz had to hold Raoul back when the Warg got poked. "Ar! Maybe? Scraps? He's not that kind of present! You can't be the boss here, anyway! This close to the front door? Only two guards? Nar! Take us downstairs!"

The large Orc then smacked Bugburz aside mostly with the hilt of his sword. "Your brothers have fallen on hard times! If this Warg wasn't meant to be a snack, I don't have to call it a present, do I? I'll just take it!" The smaller two just shook their heads and went back to trying to look alert and ready for anything.

Before Raoul could pounce on the thing that seemed to grow in front of him as it advanced with it's wicked looking sword, Bugburz shot it in the back of the neck. Raoul looked almost as shocked as the smaller two Orcs. At first, but even more when the assumed to be dead Orc got back up and continued to advance.

Raoul, not especially prepared for the supernatural, wasn't ready for it that time and started to back off. After getting swiped at with a sword a few times and finally running into the door, Raoul thought about leaping over the Orc, but Bugburz, after getting over his own shock, shot three more arrows into the thing's back. It obviously felt all three, but still wouldn't die.

Bugburz started to back off with his small shield raised when the thing turned around to pursue him. Raoul finally pounced on the thing and ended up crushing it's head. They all felt some kind of thick mist hover there as if angry, then dissapate. Raoul sneezed and shook off a still clutching hand, Bugburz backed away, looking like he had just seen a ghost, and the two guards froze, afraid that they'd be next.

Thinking that they'd bolt soon, Bugburz pointed to the guards, then let his knees give way. Raoul wondered why the Orc seemed so frightened, but quickly dispatched the guards and snacked on them while he waited for his partner to compose himself.

Said without much breath ---> "Do you know what that was, Raoul?"

"That was us saving each other's lives?"

Bugburz stood up, looking especially agitated. "Nar! That choking mist! We just killed a powerful spirit! I mean, you just killed a powerful spirit! I didn't know what I was doing! You killed it, not me!"

"What's the matter with you? It's dead now. Can't hurt us anymore. How's your face?"

"Garn! Nevermind my face! You killed those two guards? Good! You thought we were in trouble before! Now we'll have worse things after us!"

"Why do you say that? What, was he some kind of special Orc? You didn't seem to recognize him."

"I knew those two, but not this one. Who knows how many of them there are? I never thought I'd run into one! I kind of guessed that I was being told what to do by a few over the years. I probably was when I stayed here before the war."

"You're babbling, Bugburz. Why don't you just relax? Calm down. You said that you knew these two. Would it kill you to settle your stomach with a few bites?"

The Orc walked shakily over, then plopped down next to one of his old acquaintances. "Tough. He always looked like a tough one."

"That's better! That's the Bugburz I know! Eat some of that. Get some sleep. I don't think it's wise to stay here very long. Wouldn't want to run into anything else like that."

Bugburz nodded absentmindedly as he nibbled numbly. "Find an empty room and wait for me. It has to have a door and something we can block it with."

Raoul was still confused, but nodded and started looking, hoping that a good day's rest would be enough.

[YayGollum]

When Bugburz finally gave up trying to sleep for more than an hour without having nightmares, Raoul was still watching him, sitting between him and the door, starting to look a little sleepy, though. "It was a spirit, Raoul. An evil one. In disguise. They were given Orcs to command so we'd think we were taking orders from one of our own."

"Hm? You're awake? It's not time to go yet."

"Garn! You didn't hear a word I said! Yes, it's time to go! It's not my fault you stayed up all day! Let's go! I don't feel safe in here!" The Orc then began to unblock the door.

"I heard what you said, Bugburz. Who gave them Orcs to command? How do you know about this if - well, it sounds like it was supposed to be a trick - it was a trick?"

"You don't want to know about who gave them the Orcs to command in the first place. Believe me. Anyway, I just know, okay? He had that mist. You felt it, right? It wasn't just me, was it?"

"I felt the mist. Thought it was strange. Didn't think it was strange enough to turn white, though."

"Garn! I didn't turn white! I was being smart. You don't want things like that mad at you."

"Fine, fine. I'm afraid of evil spirits that look just like Orcs, who I am not afraid of. Happy?"

"Yes. Hm? Nar! Just don't kill any more bosses, alright? It's good that there weren't a lot left in this place. Noone will know."

"You worry too much. They can't be that bad if we killed it that easily."

The two argued some more while Bugburz rooted around to stock up on a few more supplies, then unblocked the main door. The clear night air relaxed them both after the memory of the mist. Bugburz found himself wondering if he'd be able to carry Raoul for very long.

"Ar! What's your problem with letting me ride you? I'm not that heavy!"

"I thought that you knew better. It's disrespectful. Orcs have enough endurance to walk for days. You probably have more endurance than me. Orcs usually only ride Wargs to look more fearsome. We are equals and should treat each other as equals."

After a little bit of automatic mumbling ---> "Huh. My feet still hurt, though."

"Stop whining so much! If your feet hurt, sit down until they don't! You know these mountains. Find a spring or something!"

Bugburz plopped down on some rock. "Too much work. I'll just sit."

While listening to the Orc grumble a little more and gulp down half a bottle of some foul-smelling drink ---> "You should hurry up with that. I think I hear someone coming."

Bugburz stowed the bottle back in some pack, then looked like he was about to dart away. When he heard a noise, too, he nodded and started swiftly and silently loping ahead while trying to make himself as small a target as possible.

Raoul almost laughed at the sight, but reprimanded himself and followed. When they found nice little hidey-hole, they waited. Raoul tried to catch up on some sleep while Bugburz stood at the entrance with an arrow ready.

[YayGollum]

Take a wild guess at what Bugburz saw when whatever it was that they heard walked by. Yes, it was a human. A nasssty and evil and boring and way too popular and overpopulating human. The thing wandered off after a while. Raoul had fallen asleep.

Bugburz snuck out and shot the guy in the back, then went down to try finding where it came from. There were a few other hunters around who didn't see him but were killed, too. You can see by now how noble Bugburz is, right? Humans are evil. After a while (I'm not a great expert on distances) he ran into their city.

Guess where it was. Yes, in Lothlorien. It would be a great place for humans to live now that the evil elves have left. Oh. My stories are set a little more into the future. Not a huge deal. Bugburz had never been in the forest, but he knew where it was and decided that the humans and elves were getting to be good friends again.

That sickened him and he had no reason to be there anyways, so he left. There were a lot more hunters around since they'd noticed a few deaths. Bugburz hand't been counting on this many being out so late at night. He eventually had to climb a tree. He was just thinking of coming back down when he heard a scream a while away. Humans came scurrying from directions he hadn't noticed them hanging out in.

Just after heaving a sigh of relief that he hadn't gone down yet, he remembered Raoul. "Too bad. He was fun." When he saw the Warg being herded by laughing humans with spears and swords and things, though, he felt what might have been called a twinge of guilt for leaving the guy.

Bugburz made his way back down and followed the humans stealthily. They planned to torture the Warg to find the locations of others. Pretty informal torturing. They were mostly having fun. The humans in charge were asleep. There were a few torches still lit. Most were held by the hunters, though.

Bugburz had plenty of arrows. The humans had a surprise waiting for them when they awoke. Probably some confusion, too. Oh, all of these talented hunters got killed by one Warg and one Orc? The two laughed about most of what I just wrote. They had to toss excuses at each other for why they were both in danger, though.

They decided that humans tasted better than Orcs and trolls. Bugburz found a spring while being lazy, too. Fangorn was ahead. Bugburz wondered if the humans had been able to tame the forest. He hoped not, but confused himself when he remembered that he hated the forest, too. Raoul decided that the humans had probably taken over anyways. There were plenty of small villages to snack from every night.

They were content until they reached the edge of Fangorn. It had been cut away over the years. It wasn't as wild and dangerous and mysterious looking. There were quite a few villages nearby that smelled like it. The two almost felt sorry for the forest. They decided that travelling through it was safer than getting too close to the humans. Probably not the wisest choice.

[YayGollum]

Wanna know why? Oh, okay. Why not? What else am I here for? The two kept to the edges of the forest since Bugburz knew not to try his luck at going straight through no matter how populous the humans had become. There was plenty to drink. They never had to go far to find a town with humans. After a night of successful hunting of a few humans, Raoul made himself comfortable in the roots of a tree --->

"Why don't we just stay in this forest, Bugburz? I still don't know why you're so afraid of it. You're afraid of everything!"

Bugburz stopped stalking around to find a comfortable spot so he could look at Raoul with all kinds of annoyance. "Garn, Warg! It's sensible! You never heard any stories up there? Fangorn ate Orcs back in the war. At least I think they were Orcs. Might have been some of those Uruk-Hai maggots."

"A forest can't eat Orcs, Bugburz. I lived in the forests in the foothills of the Misty Mountains my whole life. Not threatening at all. This place doesn't look much different. It's just a little bigger."

"Nar! It's spirits again! Nobody's too sure about this place. I think it's spirits. Disguised as trees here. I've never seen one, but it was told that an army walked into this forest and never came out. The humans have beaten it back, but not enough. I'd burn the whole thing down if I could!"

"What do you care if you don't like other Orcs? Or Uruk-Hai maggots, as you call them. It sounds like a story somebody told you just to scare you. Doesn't seem too hard. Who believes in trees that eat people?"

"I do! I've seen stranger things. And Nar! I don't care that it ate them! I'm just looking out for us. Humans have to cut trees down all the time. When they get into the heart of this forest, they'll see what I'm talking about!"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Bugburz. Are all Orcs this superstitious? oh well. If you're always so careful, why are we going to Mordor? Is this secret path you're taking me to so secret that these humans couldn't have found it by now?"

"Garn! Don't believe me! You wouldn't walk into the heart of Fangorn, either! And I'm not sure about the path. It's not a secret. It's just the way I went before. We'll be careful."

"I'll bet. oh well. Why should I walk any deeper into the forest? The humans live outside. I haven't seen anything to hunt inside the whole time we've been here."

"That's better! It's best not to tempt the tree spirits. Or to eat the Orc looking ones!"

"Uh, huh. I feel really bad now."

"Garn! You aren't asleep yet?"

After going back and forth a few more times, they started to settle down for sleep. Bugburz, who was still a little nervous about sleeping there, woke up not too early in the day when he heard a wagon passing by. After flattening himself to the ground, he saw the thing a while away. It seemed strange to him that it was heading into the forest, so he followed from a distance. Until he remembered not to leave Raoul again.

"Do you always have to wake me up at all hours? Is that some Orc thing? Do you ever sleep? What is it?"

"Not so loud! You can sleep if you want to. I'm just following this wagon."

"Fine. I don't care. Need sleep. Superstitious Orc."

Bugburz then ran in his crazy looking way of running. With his sword out this time. He and the wagon ended up a little too far into Fangorn for his liking. There was a huge walled city larger than any of the villages outside. Since he never got too close the wagon, he hadn't noticed that it had been on a road the whole time.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he walked sleepily back to the tree he left Raoul at. He got lost on the way. I'm not trying to copy the Old Forest and I don't want to make Bugburz's tracking skills look bad. So how should I do this? Oh, okay.

Bugburz, a little too sleepy after running for a while, tripped on a root and grumbled about having to get up again. He dragged himself over to lean against a tree, but didn't get much peace since a giant eagle whooshed by. It expertly dodged every tree, which made Bugburz a little dizzy. After clearing his head of the dizziness, he shot an arrow at the thing. It hit a tree.

Well, they both did. The giant eagle had to swerve and hit it's back. Bugburz marched up to retrieve his arrow, then pointed his sword at the downed and giant eagle. The thing shook it's head, then launched itself at Bugburz, who yelped and ran up a tree from which he shot more arrows. Raoul showed up, looking hungry and tired and annoyed.

[YayGollum]

"Nice shot! That thing tore past me back there. Woke me up. Don't let it get away!"

Bugburz hopped out of the tree, intending to land on Raoul's back, but remembered at the last minute that he'd probably get killed for it. He grabbed for the tree, but only ended up knocking his arm in a weird way and landing on his head since Raoul moved anyways. "What are you doing to yourself, Bugburz? I'll go on ahead. It definitely looks tasty!"

While the Warg loped off, Bugburz sat and nursed his head and arm for a while. Lots of ranting. He walked with his head held high since he had embarrassed himself and didn't care what anyone thought of him. "Dumb Warg and his sensitive back! Garn! Why am I even following him? There are all kinds of humans to eat! We don't need some bird! Humans are easier."

Raoul found Bugburz thanks to his constant streams of rants. "There you are! I just gave up on following the thing. He stirred up a lot when he passed by, though. You could always track him, right? You were the one who said it'd taste good."

"Nar! Too much work. Let's stick to humans. We're too close to the center of this place. I don't even know why we've stayed this long!" The Orc brushed himself off and tried pointing himself in the right direction. "Which way did we come?"

"What? You're the tracker, not me. I was just chasing the thing, not marking trees as I passed."

"Garn! It's too early to be tracking! Wait here." He then hiked his way up another tree with difficulty to find where the evil sun was. He remembered not to try jumping down this time. "Follow me. This is the fastest way out. That wagon went to a city. We'll go around the quick way. Tomorrow, alright?"

The two found another place to rest, then collapsed. Later that night and when they were a little more refreshed, but Bugburz's arm and head still hurt, they started off again. At one point, they ran into a clearing full of huge stumps and one very strange looking tree that reminded them of a very natural scarecrow.

Not too much later, they heard voices. Since they were hungry, they approached cautiously, but only found the same giant eagle perched on a tree. The eagle seemed to be talking to itself until another voice came from the tree it was perched on. Bugburz's eyes widened and he started smacking Raoul with his shield. "Ar! What'd I tell you! It's a tree spirit! We should keep away from both of those things!"

"Don't get scared so easily, Bugburz. It could just be some kind of trick. Oh, you can't shoot the eagle, can you? Don't you have any unpoisoned arrows? That would be smart."

"It's not a trick! Look at that tree it's on! It's got eyes and arms and legs and a mouth! That other one we saw must have been a dead one. A warning from the humans to the spirits. I told you they'd get too close! They're probably planning to kill the humans right now! Let's go!"

Raoul allowed himself to be herded away, but he still wanted to taste the giant eagle. They contented themselves with a few human hunters on the other side of the city. When they finally got to the edge of the forest, all they could see was mostly rolling hills. No protection anywhere. Raoul looked at Bugburz expectantly. "So? What's your great plan for getting past all of these humans?"

"Well, actually, I only got across the first time with a larger group of Orcs. With lots of weapons. Back when there weren't so many humans."

"Great. Thanks a lot. Have you done some recruiting that I don't know about?"

"Nar! I got back by hiding in the back of wagon! I hid in Mordor for a while. Humans were coming in and out all the time. Plenty of wagons. One was carrying slaves. It was easy to hide my face and jump out when I was able."

"Oh, now it's so much easier! We'll just wait for someone to deliver some slaves to Mordor! I'm sure that happens all the time! I'll easily pass for a human slave!"

"Well, I guess I should have thought of it a little longer, then."

"Really? Oh, you're so bright!"

"Garn! You're the one who wanted to stay here! Go ahead! It'll be easier for me to go alone!"

[YayGollum]

"No, Bugburz. You won't get rid of me that easily. You always have to be safe, right? No need to get rid of me, then. This problem requires brains, not luck, this time. I'm a little big, but I think I could hide in a wagon. Probably not disguised as a human slave, but hiding under something, maybe."

Bugburz almost smiled, but sat down and started to think instead. "Nar! I have a better idea! It's still dark. If we walk far enough, we're bound to run into another bunch of humans! I wouldn't be surprised if one's right behind one of these hills! You're about the right size. We skin a cow. You're in disguise. I have my own disguise with me."

Raoul, with an achingly obvious grin ---> "Oh, but don't you remember? You're not good at skinning. We'll just have to think of something else, eh?"

Bugburz threw his hands in the air, hurt his injured arm again, then remembered and glared at the Warg. "Eh. Lead on, Warg!"

They quietly conversed about the Orcish and Wargian (that's what I'll stick with) religions on the way. Just as Bugburz suspected, another town was on the other side of a hill. There were outposts on a couple of the hills nearby, though, that they had to sneak around to avoid. When they found a herd of cows, they sat and wondered how they could kill one without stirring up too much noise.

Raoul stayed away while Bugburz walked up to a sleeping cow almost as big as the average Warg. He slit the thing's throat, then knocked it over. Most of the other cows were asleep, but a few wandered sleepily off when this one fell. Bugburz hadn't been lying about not being good at skinning. It was by no means perfect, but it was good enough for him.

Raoul complained. The smell wasn't very nice. The Orc draped the skin on him. It didn't fit very comfortably, but it hung well enough to fool someone from a distance. Bugburz couldn't drag the meat over for him, and he didn't want to startle the cows. They sat and snacked on bits that Bugburz could drag over. Before it got to be too early in the morning, they ran off, leaving about half a cow and all kinds of bloody trails. Bugburz put on his disguise of a large and black cloak that twenty-seven thousand people might where and that hid his face and hands and things.

They slept in the shadow of a hill from which they could see no outposts or towns or anything. Any human who might have passed by during the day only saw what they thought was a poor old man and his only item of any value left in the world uncharacteristically lying on it's side. Maybe the cow was dead. They couldn't tell and knew better than to approach the smell.

That was how they got through Rohan. There were plenty of other herds of cattle for them to snack from. Lots of humans, too. When they were almost through, though, a group of humans who had apparently been tracking them from town to town finally caught up with them one morning. The two were sleepy and just settling down with full stomachs.

They got surrounded. Bugburz wouldn't have gotten far with his sword or bow. Spears were right in their faces. They thought that they'd get captured and tortured like the time before, but these humans seemed to be concentrating a little more on revenge. Silly little things like ---> "You ate my daughter!" Or ---> "That was a prize winning bull!"

Ignoring the humans behind him, Bugburz pulled the skin off Raoul and heaved it at the humans in front of him. Before the ones behind him could do anything about it, Raoul leaped over them and started to look scarily impressive. You know. Pouncing and slashing and clubbing and shredding. Bugburz ran at the ones covered in the skin with his sword. The skin got ruined. A few humans ran away, but Bugburz shot them down.

They had had fun, but they were too sleepy and knew that they had to get out of Rohan soon. Walking in the middle of the day wasn't too fun for Bugburz. The cloak helped, though. They finally stopped when they ran into a river. Raoul washed the sickening smell off himself. Bugburz had been headed straight for the ruins of Osgiliath, but all of the towns they ran into made him veer a little to the east. The Dead Marshes were close.

[YayGollum]

Bugburz knew better than to try running around in there, though. They skirted around the area. Still plenty to eat. The humans had become so numerous that they had small villages near the marshes. Bugburz ran out of supplies after a while, though, and had to share what they caught. When they got to Osgiliath in a roundabout way, Bugburz was surprised to see that it had been rebuilt. He should have been able to figure that out after all of the other humans they'd run into now that I think about it. oh well.

He knew that trying to get into Mordor would be a lot harder, but he led Raoul in as straight a line as he could manage with all of the humans around. In a town not too far away from Mordor and not too far away from Osgiliath, they ran into a pack of thieves. A very strangely diverse group. Black humans and swarthy humans and Uruk-Hai and Orcs.

The two watched the group as they efficiently emptied a storehouse of all kinds of supplies. They followed the group into Mordor. There were human guards and things that were supposed to be watching, but the group of thieves had very exact and well-timed movements and paths.

When Raoul and Bugburz tried to follow, though, a couple of guards noticed the Warg's size and starting shouting for help and shooting arrows. Bugburz stepped up with his shield while they forgot about being cautious and ran to keep up with the group.

When the group saw that they'd been spotted and figured that the guards would find them soon since these two new people were running right at them, they burst out of hiding and attacked. It was quick and quiet, and they wasted no time in getting back to their secret paths to avoid the incoming guards. The two were told to keep quiet and follow without question.

There were none of the gates or well-beaten Orc paths that Bugburz remembered. just a lot of sneaking and weaving in and out of sight. After travelling until it was almost dawn, they stopped at an old and almost toppled stronghold. The thieves tossed all of the supplies into a storeroom, then herded the friends up some stairs and into a throne room looking place.

Guess who they saw there? This is fun. It was the Mouth Of Sauron. A lot older by now, though. Still looking sharp and intelligent and full of himself. "Identify yourselves! You are Remnants Of Evil called here to be in my service! My Remnants Of Evil must be loyal and obedient to me at all times!"

Raoul was fed up with this guy already and started to growl low in his throat. Bugburz cowered and hid behind his shield, though. He had heard stories about the Mouth Of Sauron, but had never actually seen him or heard his voice. "Bugburz, uh, boss! This is my friend - er, Warg, Raoul."

Raoul nodded with satisfaction when he was called the Orc's friend, but his eyes blazed when he was called his Warg. He couldn't really help pouncing on the Orc, but refrained from ripping his throat out or anything. Bugburz closed his eyes and expected death from one of these people, but the Mouth Of Sauron started to laugh.

"From what part of Middle Earth do you two hail? I have never seen such a thing! Orcs are designed to take orders. Nothing more. You have changed, Bugburz. Raoul, was it? You will be renamed. You must be subservient to Orcs. Bugburz will name you. Now, I will have no more of this unnatural and rebellious nature out of either of you! Take them to their quarters. They will be trained tomorrow evening!"

The thieves bowed and herded the two back down to the soldiers' barracks. Raoul didn't fit very well. They moved him out to the training grounds in a small and courtyard looking place.

[YayGollum]

The end. Also, Arathin person, that link to the last thing you did ---> I'm sorry that a long and achingly in-depth type critique doesn't come instantly to mind, but I didn't see anything wrong with the story. Well, except that I'm not a huge fan of sad stories. oh well. I'm guessing that you're a fan of pirates for some reason? Craziness.

When it just started to get light outside, Bugburz was feeling miserable stuck in a room and having to sleep anywhere near these people. Especially the Uruk-Hai types. Including the small group of thieves, there were only about fourty or fifty Remnants Of Evil. Bugburz got to sleep after staying up a little later since he was a little uneasy.

Raoul was used to sleeping outside and in the cold by now, but without Bugburz anywhere nearby, it seemed much colder. He felt a little bad about having pounced on the Orc earlier, but he knew that it was just a reaction. He wondered about the changing of names he had to deal with.

He had noticed how readily Bugburz decided to show his loyalty to this new boss. Even though it was just some old human. He hoped that his friend wouldn't become so evil just because of a little intimidation. He went to sleep with all kinds of bad dreams since he saw the Mouth Of Sauron watching him at one point.

The training they were being ordered to go through was more like torture for him than training. Bugburz was used to it. The supplies they had seen the thieves stealing were used to make tasteless food for all of them. Even though it sustained him, Raoul missed hunting humans and thought about eating the Mouth Of Sauron.

He learned better. It seemed like this strange human could read his thoughts every now and then. He was always kept away from Bugburz. He tried to get anywhere near the Orc, but he was always detained and punished. Bugburz seemed nothing like himself and never even looked at Raoul.

There was no socialization. The training never ended. He was being brainwashed. It almost got to him, but the Mouth Of Sauron left with almost half of his Remnants after a couple of months. Raoul wasn't chained or anything, but a guard was set for him.

Bugburz usually stayed inside, but the night after their boss left, the Orc showed up to bring some food out for the guards and their prisoner. Raoul was actually afraid to talk to him since his eyes looked so dead. He forced his meal down, then started to think about taking a nap when the guards collapsed and Bugburz ran over with a couple of full packs of supplies. "Let's get out of here, Raoul! I poisoned all of the food! The boss will have a big surprise when he comes back, eh?"

just before pouncing on the Orc with all kinds of relief and almost licking him ---> "Eh! Yes, let's get out of here! Put those packs on me! I almost feel like letting your ride me! Don't push your luck. Oh, I actually thought that Mouth guy got to you!"

"See, noone gives me enough credit! Garn! Mordor is almost as bad as it used to be. Think if we went back to the Misty Mountains, they'd still be mad? We could always find an empty cave near some humans."

"Yes, humans that would eventually find us, you know. I think it's time for something different."

"Lead on, Warg!"

[Rhiannon]

Bringing this thread up to the top where we can find it...

[YayGollum]

And did no one read the thing? It was achingly beautiful, I thought. oh well. Should I have held off just to toss this thing at you one post at a time? *sniff* :rolleyes:

[Arathin]

not at all, yay! that was very nice, and very unique look at that type of story and those characters. I just guess I got so bogged down in reading it I forgot to post what I thought of it... I'm sorry... I thought I had...

[YayGollum]

I thank you muchly, lady. Why not? Yes, I love these characters and the way they interact. I had to come up with a balrog character to be especially evil after this since I think I made Bugburz look like too much of a nice guy. oh well. :rolleyes:

[Arathin]

I would definately enjoy reading that!

[YayGollum]

Enjoy reading what? I haven't written any stories with him yet. I gots to get through maybe three others and then I'll get to him. I could always toss him into an R.P.G. thing since I have his profile ready, though.

Name: Mothbol

Race/Sex: Balrog/Male

Appearance: taller than the average humn but pathetic next to another balrog, no power of fire, so he's just very black and smoky, has hard to see eyes and everything, dagger-like steel claws, but that's a lot smaller than a normal balrog

Weapons: just his claws and a minor fear ability that just might make some weak-willed types a little nervous, but that's about it, he could spread smoke to blind people or run away in, or he could turn himself into slime and make people sticky (gasp!)

Personality: very weaselly and treacherous and cowardly, loves bullying and torturing those that he can, leeches off powerful types, and is very fun for me to play

History: he was an especially young and inexperienced and stupid balrog when he went with some army to fight those Gondolin type elves, he was a little too nervous and things to get too close and ended up getting left behind, he had all kinds of fun with acting like a dragon and gathering all kinds of treasure to sleep on, no one really missed him, and he ended up sleeping until that part of Middle Earth sunk, he turned into slime and made his way to some land where he ended up running into the Mouth of Sauron, who's still recruiting and has renamed himself Gargul, of course.

[Arathin]

looks interesting... and I said that I would enjoy reading any stories you wrote about this balrog character, yay... in other words, I look forward to reading about him.

[YayGollum]

Yes, yes, yes. I guessed that, which is why I wrote when I would be able to write anything about him. Unless an especially and achingly original R.P.G. thing comes along. That crazy website for them is losing my interest. Maybe I'm just crazy. oh well.