A Tour Through The Mansions of Aulë – by Náredhil

Last call for the Guided Tour! Last call!….oh, you’re right on time! For what, you ask? Why, the tour through the very Mansions of Aulë. I’m Náredhil, and I’ll be your guide along this four hour tour…hmm, bad feeling, perhaps a 10 minute tour. Watch your step as we enter the Mansion, and don’t worry about the darkness, if your eyes don’t adjust at first, you have a headlamp attached to your helmet (have to take precautions, I don’t particularly like paperwork!) heh…heh…yes, well, the tour begins here at the main cavern. The place were Aulë, the Vala himself lived and toiled. If you would kindly follow me, you will see some *OUCH!*, it appears I have tripped over a…well I’ll be, it’s a dwarf practicing his blacksmithing, sorry, hope we uh didn’t…look over there!! *runs away*. Whew! You don’t wanna mess with dwarves, they have fierce tempers and we are known to have lost some very fine tour guides.

As we continue onward I think I see…yes it is, the famed Aulër Inn! A warm and comfortable place were Aulërs of all kinds come to talk, spend the night, and enjoy the company of others, the Aulër Inn is a gathering for any RPGers new and old alike. In fact my experience in the Inn was my first RPG ever, *sighs happily*. Let’s take a look, shall we? “We are currently closed due to house cleaning and that oven you accidentally blew up, Nár!” Orofâniel, the innkeeper proclaims. Maybe, we’ll come back later.

Entering the Cave of Wonders (why does that sound so familiar?), where only the leaders and head of the realm of Aulë gather to discuss realm ideas, situations, and projects. It is usually forbidden to most Aulërs, but since I am your most excellent guide, I have pulled some strings. It appears as though the Realm Leaders are having a very decisive and tense meeting, let’s get a closer look. Ringhilwen is about to address ~One_of_the_Dunedain~, let’s listen closely and we might catch something important and secret!….“What do you mean you don’t have any 3’s???” “You’re out of luck once again, Ring, GO FISH!” Erm…well, best not disturb a meeting of such pressure…let us head now to the Community Cavern.

As you see, this cavern is the social peak of the Aulë members. Is it here that they discuss art, social issues, musical interests, and anything you can think of. Oh, I almost forgot, arts ‘n crafts is held every Thursday night by the Dwarf Lord Kalûm Stoneskin, although don’t be surprised if he shows up late after a night of scourging for treasures within the massive halls of the mansions.

Please stay in single file behind me, we wouldn’t want another Valarauko “incident”, like a fellow by the last name of Stormcrow committed last year. We are now heading to what we call “The Garden”, a place where Aulërs come to to enjoy the beautiful scenery that we call home here in the Mansions: stalactites and stalagmites of every shape and color protrude from the walls here, a great place to pay homage to the environmental world Tolkien worked so hard to support as well. Well, if it isn’t Oddwen! “These plants looked as though they could’ve used some water, in the meantime I’ve been documenting the behavior of the Ents for our Ent Quiz to help support the Council of Entwives, but it appears as though every time I study an Ent, that old dwarf Kalûm appears and practices his axe throwing accuracy. Sometimes I wish Yavanna would come and give a woman’s touch around here. “Well, we can all dream, can’t we?”

Well, it appears that I’ve kept you for quite some time now, you must be heading back, I’m due in the Cave of Wonders for a wicked game of Twiste…I mean an important Head-Leader meeting, very important, cannot miss. Hope you enjoyed your tour and maybe we’ll see some of you within our caverns again one day. Good luck and ROCK ON!

by Náredhil