Finarfin: Is this everyone who wants to go?
Maeglin: It appears that way.
Maeglin: *sips glass* Well...Let's get in with it.
Maeglin: Or on with it, even.
Maeglin: In...on...Oh blast. The wine is already gone to my head.
Elrohir: How many glasses have you had?
Maeglin: Erm...one sip.
Maeglin: *grins*
Finarfin: In this first display, you can see the origins of Elven life at
Cuiviénen.
Maeglin: *shrugs and eyes display*
Elrohir: *peers into the display* Interesting...
Maeglin: *looks round room rather disdainfully but says nothing*
Finarfin: Continuing on, to your left, is a rendering of Oromë speaking
to the three original kings of Elves.
Maeglin: *looks carefully* Not bad for three old geezers.
Finarfin: Speak more respectfully, dear.
Maeglin: *winks at El*
Elrohir: *sips his wine* They are so lifelike... Until now, I have only
seen the drawings in Adas books.
Maeglin: *bows* Forgive me. Wine.
Elrohir: *smiles* Be careful with your wine.... it is strong tonight.
Maeglin: Quite. But I like it.
Finarfin: Less wine, more respect.
Maeglin: *smirks* As you wish.
Maeglin: *sets glass atop glass display*
Finarfin: In the next display, the Eldar crossing Middle-earth as Oromë
leads them to the see. No Avari here!
Maeglin: Of course. I'm not much for sailing myself. Too much salt air is
bad for the skin.
Finarfin: Toward the back you can see Elwë and Melian meeting in Nan
Elmoth, separated from the group.
Elrohir: Tell me, how did you get the idea to make a museum that houses
so much of our history? Especially in statues and not dusty old scrolls....
Maeglin: Is that Melian with or without the girdle?
Maeglin: *grins at own joke*
Finarfin: Ask Thranduil about that.
Maeglin: *chuckles*
Elrohir: ...the museum or the girdle?
Maeglin: I must say that the museum is a nice idea.
Finarfin: The last display in this gallery is the founding of the Elven
kingdoms in the West. There you can see the Two Trees of Valinor.
Finarfin: Now we can move on to the next gallery...
Finarfin: It deals with the earlier part of the First Age.
Maeglin: *peers in*
Maeglin: Now, this should be interesting.
Elrohir: Mmm *sips his wine*
Maeglin: Not that the trees aren't just riveting...
Maeglin: *winks at Ell again*
Finarfin: Integral to First Age history is, shown here, Feanor making the
Silmarils.
Maeglin: *stifles a snort*
Maeglin: That's a good way to give the old boy a swelled head...As if he
didn't already have one.
Finarfin: Next, Feanor attacks Fingolfin in the streets. For this, he was
banished to Formenos.
Maeglin: *nods, making note to comment on Feanor's sword position later*
Finarfin: Following, a sad event. The murder of Finwe by Melkor and the
stealing of the Silmarils.
Maeglin: Sad indeed. *grins*
Elrohir: Oh... that is not a bad likeness...
Finarfin: Finwe or Melkor?
Maeglin: Pick your poison.
Elrohir: Finwe... but Ada told us this story when we were very young, I
remember... I was terrified of Melkor.
Finarfin: Yes, he is a frightening figure.
Maeglin: *sighs impatiently* Yes, yes
Finarfin: But, you'll notice the next display now, where Feanor addresses
the Noldor and swears his famous oath.
Elrohir: Ohh, I always liked that story...
Maeglin: *looks thoughtful* And how much of a role did Feanor play in the
design of this wax museum?
Maeglin: His hair looks impeccable.
Finarfin: None. But it is of course a House of Finwe wax museum. So he features
prominently.
Finarfin: Moving along, we come to the unfortunate Kinslayings at Alqualonde.
Elrohir: Yes, he was saying he showed up quite a few times...
Maeglin: Thank you for restating the obvious. *sniffs again*
Finarfin: Now we have a double display. On one side, the crossing of the
Helkaraxe. Across the room, the burning of the ships at Losgar.
Maeglin: *eyes both and wonders where his glass is*
Maeglin: *wanders back to find discarded glass*
Finarfin: And if you follow me through this door...
Maeglin: *finds it and wanders back in*
Maeglin: *follows*
Finarfin: You'll see Feanor being killed by Balrogs. Please stand back-
the wax flames are very fragile.
Maeglin: Now, this is spectacular!
Elrohir: The balrog is amazing....
Maeglin: *wonders if Glorfindel had a flashback*
Maeglin: *grins and sips* Yes he is, isn't he? Rather like a giant bonfire
with wings.
Elrohir: Imagine seeing one alive....
Finarfin: If you move on a bit, you'll see the host of Fingolfin arriving
from the West.
Maeglin: *immediately drains rest of glass*
Elrohir: You certainly do cover a lot of history.... Has Ada been yet? He
would love it.
Finarfin: Your father has not yet arrived.
Elrohir: Ah, a shame...
Finarfin: But here's a well-known scene. Fingon rescuing Maedhros from Thangorodrim!
Maeglin: *looks at empty glass* How many more rooms?
Maeglin: *chuckles* Hmm, yes. Close as close can be.
Finarfin: And now the Feast of Reuniting at the pools of Ivrin. That was
a grand time, I hear.
Elrohir: Would you care for the rest of my glass? I would like a bit of
food before I drink too much, you are welcome to it.
Maeglin: *smiles and takes it* May I? I'd be ever so grateful...
Finarfin: Then, many of the same characters appear at the Siege of Angband
in this display.
Elrohir: Of course *smiles* Do be careful, though. I would hate to be blamed
for getting you completely inebriated.
Elrohir: Ooooh... interesting...
Maeglin: *raises glass* Blame the wine, my dear friend. *sips*
Finarfin: And here, very important, the foundation of Nargothrond.
Finarfin: That's my dear son Findaráto there.
Finarfin: Alas he's not present in the next scene, the foundation of Gondolin.
Maeglin: Ah, Gondolin.
Maeglin: *wry smile*
Elrohir: That I should like to see... I have heard so much from Glorfindel...
Finarfin: There's another display of it further along as well
Maeglin: It's not as lovely as you might think...though parts of it were
glorious.
Finarfin: But if you keep going through this door now, you get to the Dagor
Bragollach.
Finarfin: And, next to it, Fingolfin's famous duel with Melkor. You can
see him being squished.
Elrohir: Sometimes I wish I was not born so late... I did miss so many things,
or was too young to understand them.
Finarfin: I missed them too, young Elf.
Finarfin: I was here in Tirion the whole time.
Maeglin: *smiles at El* You don't seem so young. Not really.
Elrohir: *smiles* Well, no... not so young anymore...
Finarfin: Here's my son again, with the mortal Beren, struggling against
a werewolf in the dungeons of Minas Tirith.
Maeglin: *raises glass and smiles* To a finely aged Elf.
Elrohir: *bows* thank you. Oooh, werewolves....
Maeglin: *wrinkles nose at the word 'mortal'*
Elrohir: Beren wasn't all that bad, was he?
Maeglin: All mortals are ghastly.
Finarfin: Now Maeglin. Elrohir is part mortal.
Maeglin: Maybe not quite so bad as the werewolves, but still.
Maeglin: *has the grace to blush a tiny bit*
Finarfin: Aren't you, Elrohir? Beren was his great-grandfather.
Maeglin: Oh. Oh my.
Elrohir: Indeed, I hope you do not find me too ghastly.
Finarfin: And Tuor was his father's father.
Maeglin: *swallows rest of wine and smiles* Well, you certainly have been
blessed with the grace of the First Born.
Maeglin: *snortcoughsputter*
Elrohir: *pats his back* Are you alright?
Maeglin: *looks round for a bottle of something strong*
Maeglin: I'm suddenly feeling out of sorts.
Elrohir: I'm sorry... has my lineage offended you?
Maeglin: *is at a loss*
Finarfin: Let's not think of such things, and move on.
Finarfin: Oh look, here's the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
Maeglin: Let's just say that Tuor wasn't exactly a friend of mine.
Elrohir: I did not know him...
Finarfin: Nirnaeth Arnoediad, boys. Please pay attention.
Maeglin: A rash human who acted out in most unbecoming ways.
Maeglin: *sighs* Oh, very well.
Elrohir: Well, they are rash... but they are young...
Elrohir: We are watching, forgive us..
Finarfin: This is a very important part of Elven history.
Maeglin: Yes, well...I was dead by then.
Finarfin: No you were not.
Maeglin: *huffs*
Finarfin: Gracious, Maeglin, you must pay attention.
Finarfin: Your death is coming up soon.
Elrohir: I am afraid I have no such moments in this museum... I suppose
I have not done anything very exciting.
Maeglin: *frowns* I'd better not be all covered in dirt and blood.
Finarfin: I believe there is a nice one of you rescuing your mother in the
south gallery.
Finarfin: Right now, though, it's Fingon being killed by Balrogs.
Elrohir: Oh... *pauses a moment* I would like to see that...
Maeglin: *sighs a bit*
Elrohir: More balrogs!
Maeglin: I think I will return to the main hall and refil my glass.
Maeglin: *smiles* It was a pleasure.
Elrohir: I think I've offended him...
Elrohir: *sighs*
Finarfin: Oh. Well that is very sad.
Finarfin: Do you still wish to continue?
Elrohir: Yes, I would. It is a shame, though. To hold something like that
against a person...
Finarfin: Well, Maeglin is not very forgiving.
Glorfindel: That surprises you?
Finarfin: Ah, another guest!
Elrohir: A little... I did not even know anyone he still holds a grudge
against.
Finarfin: You're just in time. We're looking at the Nirnaeth Arnoediad,
and Fingon being killed by balrogs.
Glorfindel: Ah! How... Lovely...
Elrohir: *concerned* Are you alright with the balrogs? We could skip those...
Finarfin: No no no! Not lovely! Horrible.
Glorfindel: I see they have not burnt HIS hair off! No, no, no... I am fine
with balrogs! In fact, I came specifically to see them! I have been told I
must simply see mine
Finarfin: Oh, yours is very nice.
Elrohir: Quite amazing work, the balrogs.
Finarfin: It's coming up right away.
Elrohir: I do want to see my mother as well, please.
Glorfindel: Excellent! *whispers* They didn't show me AFTER the creature
had removed my hair, did they??
Finarfin: No, no
Finarfin: We try to make everyone look good here.
Finarfin: Except the orcs.
Elrohir: *snickers*
Glorfindel: The only thing that can make Orcs look good is a bucket on their
head
Elrohir: Well... you really can't make THEM look good....
Elrohir: *grins*
Finarfin: But right here is the Fall of Nargothrond. Very sad, it is.
Finarfin: You have to imagine the dragon. His tail is over here, though.
Glorfindel: Why is his tail all the way over there??
Elrohir: Imagine if you made the whole dragon.... Of course, you would need
a bigger building....
Glorfindel: It's not really the Fall if there's no dragon though!
Finarfin: *an alarm sounds down the hall*
Elrohir: What is that?
Glorfindel: What was that??
Glorfindel: Shall we investigate?
Elrohir: *rubs his ear* What an awful sound. Maybe we should.
Glorfindel: Let's!