Closed RP (Grima, Beowulf)

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

After skulking about and avoiding others as much as possible, Gríma had finally been ordered by the great and powerful Hat to report to the computer lab for his duties as Councilor. Heart full of dread, he crept into the brightly lit room, full of strange, boxlike palantiri. They disturbed him greatly.

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[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

A mighty Geat sat before one of the glowing boxes. With his forefingers he was pecking out a message: ANY HOT MONST

At the sound of the door's opening, he stopped immediately and shoved back his chair to stand. "HWAET," thundered he.

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Gríma drew back at the sight of the Geat who had delivered such a vicious taunting. Still, he had to learn to use the magic. "Good day." He leaned closer "What are these devices that you sit before?"

[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

Beowulf had not stuck around Grima's sorting long. The false-speaking þyle had lied to Beowulf, claiming that there were monsters called Uruk-hai outside the castle, and the monster-keen Geat had bounded off at once to search them out. He crossed his beefy arms and scowled at the wormy little man. "THEY ARE MAGIC BOXES THAT DO THE WORK OF RUNE-STAVES. WHY DO YOU ASK, FALSE ONE?"

Even as he spoke, a doubt wriggled through the certainty of his warrior worldview. Had Tarvu (http://www.tarvu.com/wiki/doku.php?id=tarvu) not issued as his first and greatest command Umfitty noonah, that was to say, be nice? Beowulf had found this commandment not entirely compatible with his personal lifestyle and ethos.

He ought to be nice to Grima Wormtongue. Even though the man reminded him of nothing so much as a slimy serpent, and not the sexy gold-coated MILF variety either, Beowulf needed to remember the words of Tarvu, who was properly everyone's Lord.

"I WILL HELP YOU USE THE BOX," he rumbled, albeit somewhat begrudgingly.

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Gríma had used rune-staves. Even paper. They were that advanced in Rohan. "These boxes are the work of wizards. Surely they are beyond the comprehension of mortals?" Surely they are beyond your comprehension? In Gríma's opinion, some people should not be allowed to learn the art of reading. It would only confuse them.
"I appreciate your help."
He moved closer to the boxes- hoping that the evil inside would not pay too much attention to him.

[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

Beowulf snorted. "MAGIC IS NOT BEYOND THE MEN OF THIS CASTLE. THEIR INNER WORKINGS ARE UNKNOWN TO US, THAT IS ALL. DO NOT WRITE WITH A QUILL OR ETCH WITH A CHISEL INTO THE SURFACE WHERE YOU SEE THE RUNES GLOW. IT WILL NOT BE GOOD AND ALL THE GHOSTS WILL FLY OUT. TOUCH THE RUNE BLOCKS WITH YOUR FINGERS --" he demonstrated by mashing keys on the keyboard, again using only his forefingers -- "AND THE RUNES WILL SHINE FORTH BY THE BOX'S MAGIC. WHEN YOU PRESS THE BLOCK THAT SAYS 'ENTER', THE RUNES WILL ENTER THE MAGIC BOX AND BE SENT FORTH TO ALL OTHER RUNE BOXES."

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Gríma nodded seriously and tried to pick up one of the "rune blocks". He pushed it instead. "hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

"I see." Probably there was a program that would fix capital letters and punctuation for him. "How do you appease the ghosts?" He looked with dread into the glowing surface, which was reflecting 'hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh' back to him serenely. There were no open windows, otherwise he would have been sore tempted to dispose of the thing if Beowulf left.

[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

Watching Grima's ineptitude made Beowulf feel very un-Tarvuistly superior. This in turn put him in a somewhat better mood. His superiority was a natural fact, and should always be in continual affirmation! Or something.

"A WRONG RUNE CAN BE CALLED BACK BY USING THIS LATIN CHANT." He pressed the button marked delete. "THERE. USE IT ONCE FOR EACH WRONG RUNE. BE WARNED, ONCE YOU HAVE COMMANDED THE RUNES TO 'ENTER' THE OTHER BOXES, YOU CAN NO LONGER REMOVE THEM EVEN WITH THE POWER OF 'DELETE'!"

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Wormtongue nodded seriously, his irritation at being bested by the Geat crowded out by desire to master the fearsome rune-shower. He finished deleting the rest of the H's. "I may simply push Enter and send a question to all the other boxes by means of ghost?"

[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

"THAT IS WHAT I SAID." Beowulf nodded. The strictures of Tarvu's word chafed! "THE GHOSTS WILL NOT HURT YOU UNLESS YOU BREAK THE GLASS. DO NOT BREAK ANYTHING LEST YOU TASTE THEIR WRATH, SMALL MAN."

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Please, Sauron, let the Age of Men be over for this one soon.
"Very well" he said, giving the smallest bow politely possible. He vowed future petty vengeance. "I must use these as the hat directs."

[iam-beowulf.livejournal.com]

"GODSPEED YOUR HOLY ENDEAVORS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD TARVU." Beowulf figured if the Hat was behind it, it had to involve Tarvuism in some way.

This was all that kept him from wanting desperately to mash Grima's face into a nice soup-dish full of gruel.

[g-wormtongue.livejournal.com]

Puzzled by Beowulf's words Gríma turned to the screen and took a deep breath.

There was no gruel about, luckily.