Why consort with the dead?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Snowdog

It's amazing the treasures one finds digging around in old Barrows! Trying to remember if I saw this thread back in the day some near 15 years ago, but can't say I have. Anyway, I may as well add on to the end of this thread, not that it is my anniversary here or anything. Can't really say when my anniversary is really, as I remember the old EZ Board. I'll accept whatever date I have here.

I don't remember ever seeing this thread before, but it started during my multi-year hiatus from this place, so that's not surprising.
The EZ Board days ended not long before that,because I recall being excited to lose the associated ads.

There were a lot of Tolkien fora on EZ Board, and I don't think the Downs was the first one I found. It stood out, though. And by the time the BW announced the intention to move to our own, independent software, I'd all but forgotten the other sites.

I guess what's mainly kept me here after so many years is just the people, and the quality of the discussions. Even when things get heated (Bombadil, anyone? Wingéd Balrogs? ), there's a certain restraint that endures. No YouTube-comment-type ugliness and name-calling. I largely credit Tolkien for that, for his works just don't seem to call to that type of Orcish personality.

But of course, the Chief Wight made it clear from the start that this forum was only about Tolkien. There are many RL topics (even more so today!) that always seem to invite acrimonious dissensions, no matter the venue. My view was that I could get that anywhere, if I wanted, and knowing that there was an escape from that I could always count on, means a great deal.