I have revised my "kill" post, and now you will understand what's going on. This is really going to be a lot of fun to write! :D

The errand rider from Gondor dismounted quickly and strode purposefully into the thread. He unfurled a parchment and nailed it to one of the walls:


Come to The Seventh Star Inn in Gondor and lift a glass to littlemanpoet.!!!

Helen, your writing is inspired! It takes my breath away! I'm really taken with how you used that song of Leafa and linked it into your post. (It's Festival of the Arts in G.R. this weekend, and a Celtic band performed that very song! The female fiddler in the band played the melody and then sang a verse, then played, then sang until the song was finished - I was enthralled!)

I'm thinking of Bellyn and Liornung. Do you have plans for them? So many songs, so many dreams between the two of them. If you don't have plans, I'm willing to try to work something up based on the links; it may take some time....

Thanks, lmp! *bows* But it was only natural, since I'm very fond of that particular song.

Bella and Liornung's many other songs: go ahead, and I'll follow best I can.

Whups, you beat me. THis is Amroth's response to Bella. Paste it at the end of your Bella post?? Or, I can put it up and you can leapfrog. Whatever.

Amroth responds to Bella:

Peace flooded into Bella's mind. She stood upon a steep mossy bank, with golden leaves scattered across it; the wind played with them, sometimes tossing them down into the musical water below. Upon the wind was borne a song of such heartbreaking loveliness she wept to hear it, and turned into the breeze to search for it. She would have run to its source, were she not rooted by its silver beauty.

Indeed you refreshed me when all seemed lost. Indeed, you traveled with me, far from home; we went where no one goes-- here, to this stream. You carried my load; you helped me tread for miles; you were my friend upon the road. Your songs were my road here, to this clear cool harmony, Bella. Your voice brought me here again and again. Do you not see that you were rest for my soul? Hope returned to me when you strengthened my faith, by bringing me back to this singing silver stream.

~*~*~

I'll paste it in when I get home. - Can't do it from this work computer.

K-dokie. FIlled my save.

Alak? Come play???

Additional bit in the Bella post now.

I'm getting very, very curious, Helen. I believe that you know for certain precisely what the eucatastrophe is going to be here, and each failure of it makes me hungrier for it. Your writing is at a height I haven't seen before. Poetic prose, it is. I'm not flattering, just stating fact.

I was wondering if Gwyllion and Aeron somehow play a part in the eucatastrophe? Or are they another step in the growing hunger for it? Let me know, and I may be able to write something for them. However, I do think it's time for another Tharonwe illusion; just gotta figure out where that's going. :p

Optomist!! THank you and I'm honored,. However, I'm following my nose, as I always do. As best as I can guess, God writes the eucatastrophes, not me. I just try to follow his leading and not miss 'em. Writing is as much prophetic for me as a church meeting...

I had no idea a balrog was going to land in that last post. Or the circle dance of death. It just happened. When I'm done, I think, huh, look at that.

Remember Forest Gump: "It was funny he said that, because right then!: God Showed Up." My favorite line in the whole movie.

You've not lost me. We've had a rough week, but I'm reading daily and waiting for my chance (and time) to jump in.

By the way, Helen, I agree with lmp...your writing lately has been wonderful and moving.

Huh. I missed the balrog reference until you pointed it out. Very suggestive. "Shadow and flame" should have been enough to clue me in. But that really raises the stakes, to an evil beyond Tharonwë, which, incidentally, I suggested long ago, you may recall; I just gave up on it. So is this balrog in their dreamland, or is their dreamland the spiritual dimension? If so, we've got no Gandalf. Am I flummoxed yet? Well, maybe getting there. Now what?

Regarding Roggie: Note that Erebemlin defeated him. It was, essentially, a nightmare. Just a really, really, really bad one, rooted in thousand-year-old fears. Roggie was the reason that they left Lorien, according to Unfinished Tales. Roggie on a Rampage was what the Lorienites all feared. (Eeew, my colloquialisms are uber-colloquializing.) And Nimrodel actually blamed the Noldorim for awakening All Those Shadows. It was why she initially refused to marry Amroth. And Fleeing the Shadow was why they decided to sail west, and then get married and live happily ever after -- somewhere much safer.

Having said that, that's just MY take. Feel free to have all the fun with it that you want, dreamwise. Roggie Revisited???

Alak: thanks. NOw would be a good time for Erebemlin's Reaction to CIrcle Dances, Ash, and Roggie.

Uh-- Dreamland, spritual dimension, or what. I think the answer is, sometimes one, sometimes the other, and sometimes both; Nimrodel is, after all, Mad. SOmetimes she is all wrapped around Pure Illusion. SOmetimes she is blind to Dangerous Truth. And sometimes, just sometimes, she Sees Things. Really.

I guess I would also expect INdil to have, depending on the day, either a bad dream, or a Nassssty VIsion of evil things, or... maybe both. Or neither. And maybe (just maybe) determining all that-- Symbolic VIsion? Deeply ROoted Fear? Manifestation of a Real Demon? Just a Bad Dream? What????-- could give the participants a bit of a headache, and Bafflement.

BUt ministry/counselling is like that.

Regarding Nimrodel, every now and then she might even say something Nice.

You asked (and my dear, beloved husband Keeps Asking) when this thing will be Done. I guess I'm thinking that, at least, each person in the crowd should get a chance (Maybe two, for some individuals) to Play Dead in Nimrodel's dreams, like Nethwador and Liornung already have. To participate in her wild dreams, and get called an oathbreaker or something, and have something of theirs woven (into or out of?) Nimrodel's journey (and Amroth's). To drag all of us through each and every dream or song would take more than I think I have to give. Does that sound unreasonable?

How does that sound?

Roggie? Wherever did you pick that nickname up? ;)

Uh, what are you suggesting? Do you think Raefindan can do something I haven't thought of? (Elempi scratches his head, mystified but intrigued)

Follow the link:
http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...1&postcount=56

I dunno, you tell me. HE keeps doing the "more than meets the eye" thing, so I never quite know what to expect. Perhaps he's growing bigger than life.

Ah. I see. There was a "Roggie" in 'Assigned to Mordor I & II' also. I was beginning to think maybe you'd peeked in on that without telling anyone.

As to "larger than life" Raefindan, there's a rule I'm following. I'm modeling him a little after myself, and a little after a what a friend of mine has the strong potential to become. I know that sounds a little crazy, but believe me, this friend actualizes the NT in our day.

That said, "rain making" is not outside the realm of possibility: "'Even the wind and the waves obey him!' they said to one another."

Characters and themes that have yet to be worked in:

Note: everything below is suggestion, not certainty.

• Aeron and Gwyllion are there to aid them, being ghosts, and this has been their destiny from the get-go.
• Raefindan brings rain into the spirit realm where Amroth and Nimrodel hold their drama
• Mithrellas - osanwë? Should she be Nimrodel's aid the way Erebemlin is for Amroth?
• Ædegard - he's here for Mellondu - but what can he do?
• Leafa - wow, I really don't know what to do with her past singing.
• Jorje - I'm kind of lost here too.
• Taitheneb returns - this is alak's task
• Indil/Angela - I'd almost forgotten about her! What might she do?

Meanwhile, Raefindan continues to hold Tharonwë in check. Maybe I need to work on finding ideas for these characters from your posts, Helen. I'm really struggling with everybody but Tharonwë right now, and him soon too. I guess I like to know where things are headed in order to know what's happening now; not so good at just "following my nose". Hmm... not so good at prophetic writing. :( Any ideas?

EDIT: well, that worked in Gwyllion and Aeron after all, and Ædegard and Leafa a little bit; but they need more. I'm still thinking about that Raefindan/rain thing...

Adding their "sulkiness" to Tharonwe's "sulkiness" could prove really hellish. Nice touch.

Washing away all that ash... Ahh, soo sweet. Bringing spring back again? Hold off, don't do it for a while. BUt it will be wow when it does happen.


So far she's been signposting: standing back and pointing out what is going on. "Playing Captain Obvious", so to speak,. "She heard you, my lord!" I agree that more would be good but she's been with Nimrodel for a thousand years and has never gotten through yet. BUt Mithrellas knows Nimrodel like the back of her hand and is an invaluable reality-check. EDIT [Maybe she's Raefindan's GUide for part of this.]
Avarien departed too quickly, perhaps. COuld she be lingering Osanwe-wise somewhere near? Hadn't thought of that. Maybe she gets "sent back for a time"-- if she's needed in some way. Gah. Shelving that for the moment.
Build wheels. I'm only partly kiddling. THe essence of who he is should play the strongest part. Maybe some fundamentally Rohirric thing will Matter. Maybe just his original befriending of Amroth/Mellondu. THe snowball fight.
See above. She was a gypsy? Wisdom about drawbacks of the wandering lifestyle?
He's been center stage thus far! He's been great, with Tharonwe.
Taitheneb returns - this is alak's task
What would Raefindan expect her to do?

Thanks. I like how it's kind of comical. :)


Okay, I like that too. And Mithrellas being his guide - well, does he need one, considering how I'm writing him?

That Mellonin is mind communicating to Ravion and he back, tells me that Avarien is not really gone.

In other words, friendship plain and simple. Okay.
Okay, but I'm no good at gypsy lifestyle. Drawbacks of wandering? Okay, maybe I could do something with that.

That actually doesn't help at all because she's still a mystery to Raefindan; but on second thought that actually helps, because then I at least know that whatever she is going to do is going to be a surprise to everybody. After all, we're dealing with a very unique construct at this point, a little girl who is descended from Mithrellas combined with the soul and spirit of a 21st century young woman who has already experienced both earthly love and paradise, and knows it. (trampling all over Hebrews "only once to live" here, but so did Tolkien I guess).

So I think my next post is probably going to be something more with Tharonwë, which makes it your turn. Anything from Indil/Angela is down the road a bit, just like Raefindan's rain.

Helen, I felt lost through more than half of that last post. I suggest providing content at the front of the post similar to that at the end of the post, creating a pair of book-ends to serve as references or points of entry for the reader.

Lmp, I love the involvement of Aeron and Gwyll.

Helen, the elven circle was beautiful.

I have a sprig of an idea I'm going to chew and develop. In the meantime, I'll get a post ready for Erebemlin.

As to my sporadic-ness...we found out last week that my mother has cancer, so lift prayers for us...we really need them.

Er, okay. BUt it was just an echo of Aeron and Gwyll. Or maybe Aeron and Gwyll were echoing what had happened long ago (sort of how I interpreted it.) Did I ever figure out what Avarien's original name was...?

Anyway I added a couple sentences at the beginning.


Lord, please lift Alak's mom, and encourage her, and encourage all her family. And please provide all the care and wisdom that she needs.

Amen.

Thinking of you, alak. May the Lord give you grace and peace, and may hope abound towards you in the power of the Holy Spirit.

lmp, I left you room for some more Aeron and Gwyll.

Alak, thinking of you. God's grace be abundant to you, and his peace. Keep us posted how you are, and how your mom is?

I'll see what I can do. My posting has tailed off dramatically in the last week and a half, due to other projects. I'll find time Friday or Sunday.

I'm just popping in briefly to say hello to you all. I'm so glad the story has been progressing well. I've really missed it, and missed all of you as well.

Alak, prayers going up for your mother, for you, and for all your family.

God bless!

You posted the same day I did! I never noticed! Of course, I was going through a spot of selfish not-caring so I wasn't looking very hard. I have repented.

Games. I'm thinking that Gwyllion and Aeron want to make up a game that makes Nimrodel stop thinking about her misery and despair and moves her into experiencing Amroth as real before she can stop herself from doing so. I'm not sure what kind of game for them to make up. Can you help?

Hmmm. That sounds like a great idea.

The problem is that in four days I depart for almost four weeks.

I was kind of relieved that you seemed too busy to reply...

How about we continue to pray for alak and alak's mom but put other Tapestry things on pause until Aug 7 or 8?

THen Gwyll and Aeron can have some real fun.

Wow. I'm still working on closing things down here at the BD. God told me to do this back in Feb. And here I am still resolving the close-down. I'll keep my commitment to this, including waiting for a month. My involvement is greatly limited already, so it's not like this is eating up my days anymore. Okay. I'll wait and say the prayers.

They buried my auntie last week.

God's grace to you in abundance. How are you?

Pretty raw, mostly because my dad is the last one of his family, and he knows it. He's pretty sad. And they're leaveing for FLA in another couple of weeks.

He's forgotten more than most of us ever know. And it's hard to watrch...

But I'm coming back, so to speak. SO even though I'm grim, I'm better than I was.

In the next week, I ought to put together a book of memories for my dad, regarding my aunt. Scrapbooking a life... Strange.
Wish I had more of her memorabilia. She always did beautiful silk-screened cards.

Take care, then. As you can see, I'm still hanging around here more than half a year after announcing my departure. I'm only in this and the Scarburg Meadhall threads anymore, and my involvement in that is winding down. When you're ready to start up, just post here. I'll set up so posts here send me an email.

Helen, you are certainly in my prayers.

I thank you both for your prayers regarding my mama...we've just received official word, she's now cancer free after surgery and doesn't need radiation! Glory be to God!

In other news, this mama is going to have another little one coming in May :D, so I'm finding more time in the evenings when I wish to sit with my feet up. I'll not guarantee anything as to amount of time, but when you get started again, I'll attempt to put some into it, so it's not just the two of you.

Alak?!?!? Oh, is it good to 'see' you!

I amdelighted to hear about your mom'
s good news. Praise God for that!

And a munchkin on the way??? Does it get any better???

Well, then. My folks leave for FL in a week or so. Work has calmed down, a little. And I think I can start thinking about poor Nimrodel again...

Thinking about having to reread all the back posts and remember what we've resolved and not-resolved and... er, it was a little overwhelming. And then it hit me: MIcrosoft Reader, with text-to-speech add-in! Yeah, it 's flat and atonal, but when I was listening to Phantastes, langsyne, that actually made the suspense more intense, and the grimness more grim.

I'll have to install it on my laptop-- let's see how it goes...

EDIT

Haven't installed it on the laptop yet but I did install it on the desktop; sound is a little warbly but not bad. However the big news is that I converted Tapestry Book 2 (thus far!) to a cleaned up txt file in order to be able to convert it to a lit file. (MIcrosoft Reader reads lit files.) So now I have a cleaned, spellchecked file, both in txt format and lit format. It was a lot of work. Ever spellchecked an entire RPG? Hoo boy. Our threads are a bit of a mess. Anyway it is done, and if you would like a cleaned up, readable version of the story (book 2) thus far that you can either print, or have read to you by Microsoft Bob, let me know.

Spellchecking Tapestry Book 1.... Jorje
 

Eeermy. Aroooo. Onetoedog. Mancub.

AROOOOOOOO pant pant pant WAUGH

Done. Both TapestryBook1.txt and TapestryBook2.txt are now available.
TapestryBook1: 665 pages.

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