The Unexpected Unparty!

[alatar]

alatar quickened his pace. He didn't want to be late for the Barrow-Downs' Birthday party this year, unlike the one last when he'd almost missed the whole event...pretty embarrassing for a moderator, even though he a minor one at that. He made his way up the hill. The much-trampled grass path that led to the door was obvious beneath his feet - no need for any signposts or any finding spells to locate the Downs this day.

Not that that was always the case.

The Door. Finally alatar made his way to the great stone door that shuttered the barrow from the un-undead world. The slight grimace on his face bespoke his thoughts. What would it be this time? Would the Door open as expected, or would he try in vain to get into the Downs until weariness led him off to camp elsewhere, awaiting a sign that the Door was open once again? Surely the Door would open on the day of the Birthday party, wouldn't it? But wouldn't that be a little funny, the Door stuck and all...though perhaps the party could still be held just outside upon the lawn. What would it be? Those that knew alatar knew that he doubted everything. He gave the door a nudge with his staff, ready to start the fight by preparing to shove even harder, and yet, unexpectedly, it opened with ease. Phew! He had gotten into the Downs and made it to the party on time. 2-0.

Just what was the problem with the Door anyway? Too many old bones jamming up the works? Wasn't a dwarven dead repair crew here just recently checking over the hinges and frame, updating the Door (or so they said), or whatever it was they did with all of that hammering and knocking about? Newly smithied mithril hinge pins and an iron threshold were good things, weren't they? Or maybe it was all some ruse...

Bah! Such thoughts on the Downs' Birthday were better left outside the doorway. He continued into the Downs, stepping over the threshold, hearing muffled sounds of other Downers further within. "Wonder what wonders this year's party will bring?" he muttered as he walked...something was different!



No! No! No! Surely it was a joke.

A comment box!?!

Well, not a box, but a barrel, and the barrel that wasn't a box had been placed just inside the doorway. The shiny silver sign above reflected the outside light, and it was this that caught his attention. It read:

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with the Barrow Downs Door, please fill out a note card and place your comments in the barrel below.

Thanks. - The Webmaster

alatar's grimace this time was accompanied with rolling eyes. "Spiders! Figures..." What use is a comment box inside the place, he thought. "If I can get in..." He shook his head. Regardless, the barrow barrel seemed to be a popular thing, seeing that all of the note cards were used up, and those along with other scraps and bits of paper were stuffed to overflowing in the barrel, and lingered about the floor, which, as he looked, alatar noted were around the back of the Door as well. The slight draft that accompanied him through the doorway whisked more of the comments about. That might explain why the Door got stuck at times. He immediately considered graphing the number of comments with the times that the Door got stuck, but then thought the better of the whole idea - it was nitpicking tangents like this that made him late for parties.

He stooped low to pick up a few of the note cards - curiosity always got him. What was all of this? Mixed within the comments like "I can't get into the Downs!" and "Help!" were others - long-winded tomes regarding what some members did while the same members cooled their heels at the closed Door and other short notes like "Come over to my camp until the Door gets fixed." There were even a few birthday greetings in the pile. Seems that some of those already here at the birthday party used the cards to well wish the Downs on its birthday, while others complained about the Door.

Hmm...what to do, what to do. On the ground there were a few blank note cards about dropped carelessly. alatar took one and thought that it would make a fine birthday card...and yet the urge arose to mention, backhandedly of course, the issues with the Barrow-Downs Door. It would take but a minute, and using the pen chained to the wall next to the comment box, he began to scratch away.