The Return of the Ring

[Nariel]

Hi guys, sorry abou the wait... had some login problems. But now I'm back, albeit with a different name... but here's the beginning of this story...

Dr. Kathy Martinez wiped her forehead and took a long sip of bottled water. Days in the San Andreas area were murderously hot. But she and her third year archaeology students had been out here for a week, investigating one of the many extinct volcanoes in the Los Angeles area. This particular one lay directly on the San Andreas Fault line and therefore very fascinating to archaeologists, considering that it had not erupted in about six thousand years, even though the area around it was extremely seismically active. She thought it time to remind her students of this. Picking up her bullhorn, she shouted into it.
"Remember that this area is still active. If you feel any tremors at all, no matter how small, tell me immediately." As if on cue, a large tremor shook the area, knocking her and several students off their feet.
"Dr. Martinez! I think you should look at this!" One of the students called. She recognized her to be Shuina Park. There were two others with her. One was Mara Atkins and the toher, a man about her age, she didn't recognize.
She wiped some of the dust off her clothes and headed in their direction. When she approached, she saw the three students staring intently into the dirt. A small crack had opened, and inside it sat a gold Ring. The Ring was placed on what had to be a finger bone.
"Fascinating," she mused.
"What is it, Doctor?" asked shuina
"There shouldn't be any traces of human activity here buried that deep. The only way anything could be buried there would be if it was thrown into the volcano while it was active. And if that happened, both the ring and the skeleton should have been consumed by the magma."
"Maybe someone buried it here after the volcano died," Mara suggested.
"Improbable. I inspected this area before we came out here to make sure it hadn't already been used. The ground was completely unbroken. And if this skeleton was buried thousands of years ago, it should have decomposed. No, this must have happened when the volcano was active, which is also impossible. But you all know what Sherlock Holmes said. Let's open up the area."
As they dug, it became evident that the skeleton was not human. It was strangely formed, almost like a dwarf, but not quite. Dr. Martinez was overjoyed to find that the skeleton was complete. Except for one thing... Near the skeleton, lay another finger bone. It wasn't like the others and didn't seem to fit anywhere. Odd. And the Ring... that Ring was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Upon the completion of their excavation of the skeleton, Shuina Park paled.
Placing a hand over her mouth, she stepped cautiously away from the area, whispering under her breath. "Sweet Illuvatar," she said.
"What is it?" Asked Dr. Martinez

[Nariel]

"So," Kathy said to her friend Dr. John Jenstad, a man a few years older than she, but with a youthful twinkle in his eye. "One of the students says that the way it was buried, the shape of the skeleton, and the extra finger makes it seem eerily like this trilogy she's read. But doesn't life always remind us of books?"

They both laughed. "Usually it does," said John.

"Although, I have read the trilogy and can't deny it's tempting to look at it that way. There doesn't seem any other explanation."

"Well," said John. "you know what Sherlock Holmes said. 'Remove the improbable and whatever's left, no matter how impossible, must be the truth'. Given how improbable it is that a professor of Anglo-Saxon and write of children's books stumbled upon the truth, for the time being, we have to assume that the skeleton was buried there after the volcano had silenced."

"I agree," said Kathy.

[Beleg Strongbow]

OOC:

Originally posted by Nariel
"Well," said John. "you know what Sherlock Holmes said. 'Remove the improbable and whatever's left, no matter how impossible, must be the truth'

Sorry, but that's backwards... "Remove the impossible and whatever's left, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

[Ms. Undomial]

Nicely done Nariel. Can I join? I think it will be tons of fun!!

[Claenoic]

Shuina was listening to the skeptical observations, then shyly spoke up. "Professors?"

Both turned around, suprised at the student's silent arrival.

Kathy was in maderate shock. "Why... how did you..."

Shuina smiled. "I take hints from the elves."

John recovered slightly," Alright, you're here. Any contributions?"

"First and foremost," Shuina started, getting a little more confident at the fact that both of the educators seemed to be listening for the time being, "The Lord of the Rings Series is NOT only for children. Why, my 7th grade teacher still likes the series. Secondly no one knows where Tolkien received the idea."

John said smoothly, "From his own head, of course. He was certainly brilliant enough for that."

"But then, where did The Silmarillion come from? The Unfinished Tales? By the Valar, where did the elvish language come from?" Shuina argued.

John countered, "Also from his own ideas. Why wouldn't he? He was a professor of Anglo-Saxon, he had enough knowledge to make his own languages."

Kathy cut in. "John and Shuina!"

Shuina giggled at the use of the Professor's first name.

Kathy continued, "We never were against the idea that Tolkien made the trilogy contrived from another source, but we were never for it either. I suggest that we all get some sleep, the hours are flying by. In the meantime, all three of the artifacts are being kept in my office; they will be perfectly safe until tomo-"

Shuina shrieked, "WHAT!!!!"

John rushed over to pacify the panicked student, "She just said that the arti-"

Shuina stamped a foot, not unlike a child half her age. "I KNOW that! But she can't be near it!"

OOC: Good way to finish, I think. I have high hopes for this RPG.

[Finrod Felagund]

An old man entered the room.
"Ah Mr. Emrys" smiled John. "This is Mr. Emrys, he's a generous benefactor of our (University, College?)"
Mr. Emrys nodded and said in a british accent. "If I may say so, I knew professor Tolkien and he himself admitted that he didn't completely write them himself. Meaning he wrote them but he didn't come up with them himself. And..." his brow furrowed in concentration, "Somehow, I feel that not all stories are just stories. And Dr. Martinez, if you would allow me to keep the artifactas in my home, I have an extensive security system and a safe rivalling any of the government's. I do have extensive knowlege of archaeology and I think all here would be put more at ease."
John nodded slowly and Shiuna seemed eager to kep Dr. Martinez from the artifacts.
Dr. Martinez, after a moment, replied...

[Earniel]

OOC: If I'm taking too many liberties, please tell me, okay?

But before Dr. Martinez could reply, one of the students interrupted. "Sorry to interrupt but shouldn't we take photographs first before we remove any of the articfacts?" said Mara timidly. This was her first dig in America and she was still unsure how excavations were handled here.

"No one should touch it!" cut in Shuina.

"I agree." said Mara with a shrug.

Shuina looked surprised, she hadn't expected to convince any one so soon.

"Not without gloves anyway," continued Mara "it's quite an important find. Not the mention nearly the only find. If we touch it with our bare hands, we contaminate it and it'll ruin any chance we have to date it."

Dr. Martinez nodded slowly. "Mara, Shuina get the photo-equipment. We need to photograph before it gets too dark."

Mara nodded and ran off to get the equipment ready. Shuina followed less enthousiastic.

[Claenoic]

A strange feeling rose up in Shuina's gut as she got the tripod. *After all*, she thought *Anyone who touches them immediately get attracted to the Ring, trying to retrieve it until the last of their lives ebb away.* She shivered as she grabbed an extra roll of film. But then a horrifying thought came into her head. *I know if the Ring perished, the foundations of Barad-Dur and Sauron himself would have been completely destroyed, unable to return. And so would the Nazgul. But if the Ring wasn't destroyed...* She gulped. *That means Barad-Dur still exists, and Sauron is still out there. And the Nazgul would stop at nothing...*

[Nariel]

When they got to her office, Dr. Martinez was shocked to find the ring not where she had left it. Shuina immediately paled.
"I don't understand," Kathy said. "I left it right here on my desk."
"Oh no!" Shuina cried. "The Nazgul have got it! It's the end of the world! There's no hope now!"
"Now calm down, "Dr. Jenstad said. "It could just have fallen somewhere."
They all started looking around. Kathy crawled under her desk and shouted, "I found it! Here it is!" She took out her handkerchief and gingerly picked up the Ring, then laid it back on the table.
Shuina relaxed a little. Then they started taking pictures.

[Earniel]

Mara briefly wondered about the carelessness Dr. Martinez just displayed with the ring. Now here you had a very valuable artefact, the most intriguing object on the whole site and it's simply left on a desk in an office. I would have taken better care of it, Mara thought aggrieved. Wow, where did that weird thought come from? Mara shrugged mentally as if to put aside the last thought. Dr. Martinez had a degree in archeology, something Mara herself didn't have just yet. So if any one knew how to handle artefacts, it would be Dr. Martinez. Still... it was odd how the ring had fallen of the desk when there was absolutely no one around.

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr Emrys walked into the room and questioned, "Do you have the skeleton as well? I would like to have it and...if there was a finger with it as well, if I coul take them over night to my laboratory..."

[Allorien]

OCC: Can I play the ring? I think it would be cool to show how the ring has a mind of it's own... This is an AWESOME storyline!!!

IC: The ring sat on the desk as the people took pictures of it. It had been found, at last!!! Now it could return to power after so long being forgotten. It was already affecting some of those present, it could feel it. That Doctor would make a useful servant... take it to Sauron....the ring hissed quietly. Mara turned her head sharply to look at it, but she couldn't be sure if she'd really heard it, so she said nothing. The ring felt as though if it had a mouth, it would smile triumphantly. It was great to be back.

OCC: How was that??

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr. Emrys went up to Shuina and whispered something in her ear, she gave him a strange look and he continued, she smiled and he handed he a binder. Dr. Martinez was suspicious but Shuina opened the binder to reveal a title page "The Fellowship of the Messageboard".
"I found it on the internet," smiled Mr Emrys. "It is a parody of the Lord of the Rings and considering...I thought she would like it. Are you nearly done?"
As the photography finished, Mr. Emrys grew impatient.
"Alright" he said, his voice rising, "If I am not allowed to take the artifacts home, just for one single night tonight, I will be forced to withdraw my monetary support of the University!"
Everyone else was shocked.


(OOC: Hope that FOTMB thing wasn't considered advertising)

[Earniel]

Mara raised an eyebrow. Was this the way things went in american excavations? They let people who were simply moneyshooters of the UCLA take unstudied artefacts to their homes? Her professors back in London would have had a cardiac arrest if they heard such a thing. "Withdraw your support just because you can't take the artefacts home with you? That's pretty..." Mara quickly bit her tongue and swallowed the 'stupid' that was to follow. This wasn't her place to say something and saying things like these could get her kicked out of the excavation. Her cheeks flushed, she quickly wrapped up the photo equipment and with a soft 'excuse me' she nearly fled from the office. As she walked through the corridors she could have sworn that she heard very soft, very faint laughter but since no one else was around, she simply atributed it to her imagination.

[Claenoic]

Shuina blinked. Two very important events at a very rapid pace had happened. First of all, Mr. Emrys (who was very friendly, considering the binder, and patient) had just threatened to withdraw support from the University. Secondly, when Mara rushed down the hall, Shuina thought she heard some extremely faint laughter. Shuina bit her thumbnail worriedly (a bad habit). Could Mr. Emrys be already under the influence of the Ring? And if so, what would the Ring do if he brought it to his house? Put it on? Discover it's writings by fire? Or even worse, take it to the one thing that would mean the end for all... she didn't want to think about that.

She sighed. She would have to think in the valley after class...

[Finrod Felagund]

"Listen," said Mr. Emrys, "I know the stories. I believe, as Professor Tolkien himself believed, that there is more to the stories than even he knew. I am both an Archaeologist, a historian and a Literature expert, as well as very old." he smiled, "I believe my background in all of these areas makes me quite qualified to take the artefacts for one night and my threat still stands. You don't understand how important this could be to myself, the Tolkien Family, the entire world. Christopher needs to hear of this and I would more easily be able to describe it and...I have a hunch. Please allow it, just for a night."

[Allorien]

The ring was shocked at how much that little girl knew of Middle Earth and itself. Th Proffessor must take it home, it must!! Without that, the young ones would keep it too safe. Not safe enough, but still, make it's job harder. Sigh. Sauron has been waiting, waiting all these long years, what a shame to keep him from power any longer. It hissed and it's sized shrunk slightly. No one seemed to notice, but one of the younger girls suddenly shrieked! 'Look at this' she cried. She was shrieking something about how the poloroid pictures showed the ring's changing in size. If the ring had had eyes, it would've rolled them. Stupid amateurs.

[Finrod Felagund]

Mr. Emrys whispered again to Shuina
"I know of the ring's power, I will be careful, the Doctor must not take it with her."

[Claenoic]

Shuina bit her thumbnail harder. It helped to relieve stress. If Mr. Emrys knew what he was doing, the Ring should be safe... right?

Right?

She smiled sadly. If the teacher didn't know what he was doing... and the Nazgul were still there...

"Ok. I trust you."

[Nariel]

Kathy's eyes widened. She couldn't believe this breech of conduct. Let Emrys take the ring home? SHe didn't think so. No. She wouldn't stand for it.
"Absolutely not. Mr. Emrys, If I may remind you, this University is sponsored by the state of California, and does not require your contributions. I will say that the Archaeology department is very grateful to you, however, you may not be allowed to take this artifact home with you."
Dr. Jenstad agreed. "Yes, it must stay here at the school. Never in the history of the University has an artifact this important been taken off the grounds simply for safekeeping. this University has one of the best security systems in the nation."
Emrys started arguing with them, when Mara ans Shuina stepped in. As the group argued, Kathy positioned herself in front of the Ring and leaned on the table behind her. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, she placed her hand over it and closed her fist. Then, not by her will, but by something else, the Ring slipped onto her finger.
The others, who were arguing, didn't notice until Mara looked around. "Hey," she said. "Where's Dr. Martinez?"