[Amanaduial the archer]

Aman, arriving late, attempted to quietly slip in a side door under the stage without anyone noticing her. She had been more than a little busy in the Shire, attempting to sort of a few homicidal characters and sending enough PMs to collate a small novel in the Green Dragon. As she entered quietly, she heard the first award be presented and hoped it was only the first, smiling to herself when she heard what it was for. As the balrogs descended, she looked around for a place to sit as the next one was being announced. But she had no such luck...

"Ladies and Gentlemen," she heard Mithadan announce. "RPGs have become a popular part of the Barrow-Downs experience. But some take it a bit more...seriously than others. This next Downie Award is for one of these people. The I-can-quit-anytime-I-want-I'm-not-addicted Award for the Member Stretched Too Thin in Her RPGs is....Amanaduial the Archer!"

Aman froze behind the stage, stuck between cheering and cursing.

"Ar-cher, Ar-cher, Ar-cher..." She heard from in the main part of the auditorium. She ran her hands quickly over her dress and the balance shifted to cursing. Oh, and she didn't have her speech with her..

'Paperback Writer' came on and Aman took a deep breath before coming around the stage and climbing onto it, smiling slightly nervously, butterflies doing summersaults in her stomach. Butterflies....lumpin' great swans wouldnt do these justice. She walked across the stage and took the award from Mithadan, shaking his hand, then thinking what the heck and giving him a small kiss on the lips. The crowd roared with laughter and Aman was rather relieved she couldnt see Helka anywhere nearby.

She held the award up gratefully to the private box high in the auditorium, where she accurately guessed that the Barrow-Wight sat, although she could only see tendrils of green smoke behind the glass, then turned to the rest of the auditorium. She ran her fingers through her hair, which had worked itself loose and took a deep breath, smiling as she saw Piosenniel sitting in the front row, waving a pair of cheerleading pom-poms energetically.

"Thankyou everyone for this award. I really didnt expect to receieve a Downie at all in this its first year, but hey, its always good to be appreciated!" She said, then inspected the inscription on the trophy once more and mock-frowned slightly and added, "I think.
"Thanks to everyone who has been in the RPGs I have taken part in, for being so great, and for making them all so special, every one of them, all..." She stopped, doing a quick calculation in her head. "...twenty one of them. Thanks to the moderators, especially Mithadan, Piosenniel and Child who have been so great recently, especially Pio, for lending me her beautiful Inn." She grinned at the pom-pom waving elf in the front row. "And to Marileangorifurnimaluim" Aman managed the correct pronunciation and recieved another cheer before she went on. "who, although she may not know it, got me into RPGing one year ago. Oh, and thanks also to, and from, Aman, Bhanaka, Elanor, Huina, Escara, Hreeza, Tallin, Aenara, Nariah, Arthain, Nuhrive, Kane, Raven, Tanwen, Fionel, Tafferis and Brando. Thankyou!" She kissed the trophy and went, still grinning, over to Lyra to sit in the seat next to her.

[ May 05, 2003: Message edited by: Amanaduial the archer ]