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Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page |
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#1 |
Cryptic Aura
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,990
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Ranking of online Tolkien sites
There is a ranking of Tolkien sites available on the Tolkien Library site. However, there is no listing for the Barrow Downs as sites need to register first.
![]() What do Downers think? Should one of our Mods or Admins register us there? ![]() Fans vote on their favourite sites, so this is a popularity contest. The Tolkien Library Top 100 Tolkien Sites The Tolkien Library site is a very classy site, an excellent resource for Tolkien collectors and book enthusiasts.
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I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. |
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#2 |
Fluttering Enchantment
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Someone should sign us up, of couse we would win!
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Comme une étoile amarante Comme un papillon de nuit C'est la lumière qui m'attire La flamme qui m'éblouit Fenris Muffin
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#3 |
Wisest of the Noldor
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*scratches head*
Who or what is this "Tolkien" of whom you speak? ![]()
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"Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo. |
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#4 |
Wight of the Old Forest
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall
Posts: 3,329
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Nice acting, Nerwen! ![]() Seriously, of course we should be registered there and get one of those nifty "Vote for us" thingies on the main forum page. It's a shame we aren't in those Top 100 yet. Unless, of course, we're content to remain a forum for the chosen few who will find their way here by themselves sooner or later... and I don't actually mean that ironically, or at least not wholly. Speaking from experience, back in the days when my old love for Tolkien was rekindled by the movies coming out and I was browsing Tolkien websites by the dozen, the Downs just stuck out as something special by themselves, without any need for rankings or advertising, and I bet it's still like that for the people who come here newly these days. On the other hand, they can only find us if they know we're out there somewhere...
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Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI |
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#5 | ||
Gruesome Spectre
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Heaven's doorstep
Posts: 8,035
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Music alone proves the existence of God. |
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#6 | |
Flame Imperishable
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Right here
Posts: 3,928
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That's not to say that we shouldn't try to bring more attention to the 'Downs if you want. It's just an observation. This is definitely the case.
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Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place
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#7 |
Emperor of the South Pole
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: The Western Shore of Lake Evendim
Posts: 619
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The Barrow Downs ... just by its name ... draws interest from Tolkien book people who have read about the Barrow Downs. It wasn't mentioned or shown in the movies. In fact, the closest thing to come to it in the movies was the burial mounds of Rohan.
A good discussion on the finer aspects of Tolkien's written works can usually be had here, and the stability of the site not wanting to make changes to the latest gimmick or try to expand its scope to draw people in makes it what this Tolkien book geek loves! ![]() |
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#8 | ||
Wisest of the Noldor
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"Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo. |
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#9 |
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Back on the Helcaraxe
Posts: 733
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Sad but true, I fear. And in my experience, with popularity comes a reduction of civility. Cliques form, fights break out more often, and... Well, that's one of the biggest reasons I left TOR.n. When you're "the place to be," everybody comes, and it tends to make for a bigger, noiser, messier, less friendly place. You get noticed, but at what cost? Something to consider, I think.
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Call me Ibrin (or Ibri) :) Originality is the one thing that unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of. — John Stewart Mill |
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#10 |
Princess of Skwerlz
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles)
Posts: 7,500
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Ah, but you're both forgetting one thing - this forum has moderators! We may be dealing mostly with spambots for now, but we will be ready to keep things tidy when the rush comes. Just because the skwerlz aren't needed at this time doesn't mean they're no longer existent...
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...' |
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#11 |
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Back on the Helcaraxe
Posts: 733
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Oh, no, I'm not forgetting, but I was one of the moderators for TORn. It got ugly, I got appalled, and... Well, a long story, and I'm not here to air the dirty laundry of another site. Suffice it to say that over the years, I've seen too much of the seamy underbelly of fame, seen too many things that started well end badly because of a desire to become noticed and popular. I guess I just don't want to see it happen again. I may not be the most active member of the Downs, but I've come to appreciate the fact that it's a site where people can actually disagree and be civil about it. Not perfect, of course, but during my time here, the heated arguments I've watched have generally ended with at least an agreement to disagree, and then let go. It's harder for that to happen in a big crowd.
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Call me Ibrin (or Ibri) :) Originality is the one thing that unoriginal minds cannot feel the use of. — John Stewart Mill |
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#12 | |
Cryptic Aura
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,990
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Of course, Downers themselves often "policed" matters and strenuously proclaimed the quality of the conversation here. That could well happen again. Consider this chestnut: Rimbaud's (sp?): The Phantom Menace. It is quite amazing what a well-aimed trout and a little humour can do.
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I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. |
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#13 |
Dread Horseman
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Behind you!
Posts: 2,743
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Actually this thread takes me back to the pre-movie days, when we used to compete for the top spot on the Tolkien-ranking site 25hobbits.com with (the now defunct, I think) Minas Tirith. Then one day the Spanish language site El Senor de los Anillos rose up through the rankings and whipped everyone by a wide margin. There were accusations of voting irregularities; it got a little ugly.
![]() After the movie rush (we fared better than some sites, at least in part, I think, as Snowdog mentions, because of our book-oriented theme) we were less eager to seek out extra attention. The movies will probably bring an influx of new members which could make things bumpy for a time, but if last time around was any indication, after the wave recedes many treasures will have washed up on our shores. The new films might also reactivate some long dormant members (fingers crossed). |
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#14 |
Curmudgeonly Wordwraith
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Ensconced in curmudgeonly pursuits
Posts: 2,506
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The Barrow Downs, antecedent and cognomen of a subterranean Wraithish hold, is a 'found' treasure. One doesn't merely walk into the Barrow Downs lightly based on a frivolous whim or, worse yet, due to some silly poll. One takes one's time and becomes acclimated to the dim surroundings and eccentric twists and turns the discussions wend upon. This place is not for the faint of heart.
![]() Even I eased into these famed fora. Why, it took me nearly a week of getting my bearings before I got into an argument with davem! ![]()
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And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision. |
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#15 | |
Wisest of the Noldor
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![]() I have to tell you, though, I was actually inspired by my search for Questionable Thread Titles– those early threads are a goldmine.
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"Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo. |
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#16 |
Dread Horseman
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Behind you!
Posts: 2,743
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Yes, treasures all in that thread. In my experience there's nothing like a swooning Legolas-lover to inspire creativity. The Scandalous Incident of the My Pretty Pony RPG may serve as an illustrative example.
I doubt that the wave inspired by The Hobbit will have quite the same quality, however. It hardly seems likely, for example, that Thorin Oakenshield will inspire legions of fangurls. |
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#18 | ||
Cryptic Aura
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 5,990
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![]() Some of those goldmines belong to a very primitive age while others clearly show the consequences of bad oaths and desperate searching after gems. But the eldar have faded and so now we have the Age of . . . Werewolves. ![]() Quote:
EDIT: My Pretty Pony led directly to REB, did it not?
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I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away. Last edited by Bêthberry; 12-08-2010 at 04:09 PM. |
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#19 |
Dread Horseman
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Behind you!
Posts: 2,743
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Did it? Miss Esty will be able to answer that more accurately than I can. I remember there was another animal-themed RPG which started in '02, The Simian Shadow of Far Harad, but I can't recall for sure now if that was a sort of act of penance or just a coincidence. Anyhow, after a promising start on what I thought was a very intriguing premise, it petered out rather quickly. This was back when our RPG section was still the Wild West. The first post of REB went up shortly after the New Year in '03.
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#20 |
Spirit of Mist
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Tol Eressea
Posts: 3,353
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Did somebody say Ponies? Fine bit of writing there, ayuh!
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Beleriand, Beleriand, the borders of the Elven-land. |
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#21 | |
Pilgrim Soul
Join Date: May 2004
Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle...
Posts: 9,451
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“But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.”
Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace |
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#22 | |
Dread Horseman
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Behind you!
Posts: 2,743
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Anyway, since I wrote the above the latest rumor to break is that Orly is set for a return that's "more than just a cameo", so... ![]() |
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#23 | |
Emperor of the South Pole
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: The Western Shore of Lake Evendim
Posts: 619
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Yes, with the new movie there will be a wave of interest washing over Tolkien cyberworld, though not as big as the tsunami of 2001-2003. After the mayhem and destruction, gems will remain when the rest washes back out. One thing this coming new wave of 13 year olds will do will be to show the twenty-somethings how annoying they were back in the day with the rabid fandom ... that is if they have an actor as popular as Orlando was then. In the end, it's all good. It could be interesting to see what would happen should this place get on board the popularity poll, and again, maybe not. |
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