For Those Who Died Today... Happy Deathday! - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Legate of Amon Lanc · 11-06-2016, 05:04 AM

Ha! I see, happy deathday to sally. And belatedly to you, G55, and also to Nerwen, as I just noticed!

Galadriel55 · 11-06-2016, 08:00 AM

Thank'ee!

And seconded, happy deathday to Nerwen!

Legate of Amon Lanc · 11-15-2016, 05:12 AM

I vaguely remember the time when I was imagining what it would be like once I have been on the 'Downs for ten years. Back then, even the oldest members were not that old.

But here it is. It's been ten years. And the 'Downs, and you Downers, have had such a significant impact on my life, that... probably half of you don't know half as much how much, and more than half of you will never even know. I at least hope I have been able to return the favour in some way.

If I may be allowed to recount a bit of that ancient history, I believe I haven't mentioned to very many of you how exactly did I end up here. The undisputable fact is, that I am here I owe to the Holy Spirit. That is an absolute claim I can make with certainty.

Here is how it went: About a month before my actual Death, I had heard somewhere about the idea that the "Flame of Anor" (mentioned by Gandalf in The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm) was supposed to be a reference to the Holy Spirit. I thought it to be a fairly daring claim, which could probably be successfully defended, nonetheless obviously not something that would be the primal intention of the author.

However, out of curiosity, I googled something along the lines of "Flame of Anor - Holy Spirit". The first thing that came up was the 'Downs. I started reading a thread, then another. The interesting thing is I didn't register at that point. Only much later, when I had a different question of my own, I started thinking whom to ask - and remembered the Barrow-Downs. That question became my very first post, already showing some of my signature traits - namely, it was fairly long, and I got several reps for it in that sense (but positive). You would be able to look it up fairly easily, I believe, it was the very first thread I ever started and it concerned my favourite character, Saruman.

Ten years later, here I am. And the small act of joining the Barrow-Downs that long time ago has influenced my life in such a profound way that, if I should leave here some memento for future generations of 'Downers, it would be this:

Quote:

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, making a post. You thank for a rep, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."

Inziladun · 11-15-2016, 08:17 AM

Cheers, Legate! You are an excellent representative of the spirit of the Downs that has kept me coming here for longer than I ever would have expected from an internet forum.

Here's to another 10.

Galadriel55 · 11-15-2016, 08:48 AM

Seconded! Congratulations on the double digits!
It's weird to think that I've been dead longer than you were when I first joined. It seemed like everyone has been around so much longer.

And I wonder what it says about me that I also found the Downs through an unrelated Google search, and had to stick my not too well thought out opinion into the first thread I saw.

Your story is way better, and as you say, you can always blame the Holy Spirit.

satansaloser2005 · 11-05-2017, 11:16 PM

Ten years ago today, and likely at about this time, a skinny fowl temptress convinced me to join some silly Tolkien website she'd been lurking on for a while.

"It's fun," she said.

"You'll like it," she said.

"Have you heard my one hour summary of the Silm?" she said.

That's probably when I tuned her out, but two and a half hours later, she was still talking, and I had joined my first Werewolf game. I don't regret a moment of it. (Well, maybe the phantom.

)

Cheers to all of you fine people! I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, but I've killed some of you exactly as much as you deserve.

Here's to ten years of being dead, and hopefully to many more!

Galadriel55 · 11-08-2017, 06:44 AM

Happy Downsniversary Sally!

Galadriel55 · 10-22-2018, 09:00 PM

it just struck me today that the oldest members of the forum (and in fact the forum itself) are turning 18 this year, a sort of Downer Coming of Age. Now we have a LOTR coming of age thread for becoming "mature" readers of Tolkien, but not really a way to recognize the coming of age of Downers. And of course it's more difficult to judge that. The Downs has many members who drop off never to return again, many of them barely making a couple posts before disappearing; it's easy to have made an account 18 years ago, it takes a bit more effort to actually be present for 18 years. And like in Fangorn Forest, some once active Downers become more and more treeish, but also some former lurkers become active posters. People come in and out as the currents take them. And sometimes you think that a Downer has become sleepier than Bilbo in ROTK and you're just about ready to give up on having a conversation with them, when out of the blue they wake up and make a Red Book-worthy post or score a record on the Fun and Games subforums.

So here's to all the Downers who are coming of age in their undead lives this year!

Pitchwife · 11-15-2016, 01:12 PM

Thirded! Happy deathday, Legate, rest in peace and may the Fff-, er, Flame of Anor always be with you! Thank you for the story of your first visit to the Downs - the subject of your query strikes me as characteristic of both yourself and the forum, which has always been a good place to explore the spiritual and philosophical ramifications of Tolkien's legendarium. I also took the time to dig up your old trhead about Saruman's interest in the Shire and couldn't help smiling at the discussion of Saruman's smoking habit, which reminded me of my own first post here, answering a riddle of yours about this very subject.

Belated condolences also to G55, sally, Nerwen and Agan (how could I have missed this

?)!

Legate of Amon Lanc · 11-15-2016, 02:27 PM

Thank you all for the warm, ee, cold wishes

It has been truly a gift to be in such a company.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

I also took the time to dig up your old trhead about Saruman's interest in the Shire and couldn't help smiling at the discussion of Saruman's smoking habit, which reminded me of my own first post here, answering a riddle of yours about this very subject.

Now you made me look it up, and I got sort of stuck reading the surrounding couple of pages. What fun! What a thread! And what an entry from you

Thinlómien · 11-15-2016, 02:28 PM

Well, I'm very glad you decided to join.

Kuruharan · 11-15-2016, 09:56 PM

Three cheers for Legate!

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

Galadriel55 · 11-15-2016, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Three cheers for Legate!

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

\o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/

For some reason this reminded me of the scene in Macbeth where the three witches make their prophecies.

Hail Legate, the guest of Galadriel in Lothlorien.

Hail Legate, who passes beneath the Argonath.

Hail Legate, who shall be... I don't know what's the next reputation level, and couldn't find it anywhere. Well, that wasn't a very good prophecy, was it?

11-06-2016, 05:04 AM	#1
Legate of Amon Lanc A Voice That Gainsayeth Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In that far land beyond the Sea Posts: 7,431	Ha! I see, happy deathday to sally. And belatedly to you, G55, and also to Nerwen, as I just noticed! __________________ "Should the story say 'he ate bread,' the dramatic producer can only show 'a piece of bread' according to his taste or fancy, but the hearer of the story will think of bread in general and picture it in some form of his own." -On Fairy-Stories

11-06-2016, 08:00 AM	#2
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,493	Thank'ee! And seconded, happy deathday to Nerwen! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-15-2016, 08:17 AM	#4
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Cheers, Legate! You are an excellent representative of the spirit of the Downs that has kept me coming here for longer than I ever would have expected from an internet forum. Here's to another 10. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-15-2016, 08:48 AM	#5
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,493	Seconded! Congratulations on the double digits! It's weird to think that I've been dead longer than you were when I first joined. It seemed like everyone has been around so much longer. And I wonder what it says about me that I also found the Downs through an unrelated Google search, and had to stick my not too well thought out opinion into the first thread I saw. Your story is way better, and as you say, you can always blame the Holy Spirit. __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-05-2017, 11:16 PM	#6
satansaloser2005 The Sweetest Spoiler Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: from beneath you it giggles incessantly Posts: 5,789	A Composition on Decomposition Ten years ago today, and likely at about this time, a skinny fowl temptress convinced me to join some silly Tolkien website she'd been lurking on for a while. "It's fun," she said. "You'll like it," she said. "Have you heard my one hour summary of the Silm?" she said. That's probably when I tuned her out, but two and a half hours later, she was still talking, and I had joined my first Werewolf game. I don't regret a moment of it. (Well, maybe the phantom. ) Cheers to all of you fine people! I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, but I've killed some of you exactly as much as you deserve. Here's to ten years of being dead, and hopefully to many more! __________________ "My heart always cowers behind the defense of my wit." Friendship is two pals munching on a well-cooked face together. Fenris bookworm.

11-08-2017, 06:44 AM	#7
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,493	Happy Downsniversary Sally! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

10-22-2018, 09:00 PM	#8
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,493	it just struck me today that the oldest members of the forum (and in fact the forum itself) are turning 18 this year, a sort of Downer Coming of Age. Now we have a LOTR coming of age thread for becoming "mature" readers of Tolkien, but not really a way to recognize the coming of age of Downers. And of course it's more difficult to judge that. The Downs has many members who drop off never to return again, many of them barely making a couple posts before disappearing; it's easy to have made an account 18 years ago, it takes a bit more effort to actually be present for 18 years. And like in Fangorn Forest, some once active Downers become more and more treeish, but also some former lurkers become active posters. People come in and out as the currents take them. And sometimes you think that a Downer has become sleepier than Bilbo in ROTK and you're just about ready to give up on having a conversation with them, when out of the blue they wake up and make a Red Book-worthy post or score a record on the Fun and Games subforums. So here's to all the Downers who are coming of age in their undead lives this year! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-15-2016, 01:12 PM	#9
Pitchwife Wight of the Old Forest Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall Posts: 3,329	Thirded! Happy deathday, Legate, rest in peace and may the Fff-, er, Flame of Anor always be with you! Thank you for the story of your first visit to the Downs - the subject of your query strikes me as characteristic of both yourself and the forum, which has always been a good place to explore the spiritual and philosophical ramifications of Tolkien's legendarium. I also took the time to dig up your old trhead about Saruman's interest in the Shire and couldn't help smiling at the discussion of Saruman's smoking habit, which reminded me of my own first post here, answering a riddle of yours about this very subject. Belated condolences also to G55, sally, Nerwen and Agan (how could I have missed this?)! __________________ Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI

11-15-2016, 02:28 PM	#11
Thinlómien Shady She-Penguin Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: In a far land beyond the Sea Posts: 8,093	Well, I'm very glad you decided to join. __________________ Like the stars chase the sun, over the glowing hill I will conquer Blood is running deep, some things never sleep Double Fenris

11-15-2016, 09:56 PM	#12
Kuruharan Regal Dwarven Shade Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: A Remote Dwarven Hold Posts: 3,593	Three cheers for Legate! \o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ Huzzah! \o/ \o/ \o/ __________________ ...finding a path that cannot be found, walking a road that cannot be seen, climbing a ladder that was never placed, or reading a paragraph that has no...