* Glancing behind, the grey-cloaked wizard enveloped in pipeweed smoke mouthed the words "Are you certain the door is barred?" to the stagehand one last time. Then, with a none-too-assured nod, Gandalf strode brightly onto the stage bearing two crinkly scrolls of finest vellum. *
To quote somebody's gaffer, "Hard work always pays off after a time, but laziness pays off right now."
* Unrolling the first scroll: *
"The Procrastinator's Award for Best Performance in an RPG While Avoiding Writing a 2000 word Essay" goes to *Varda*. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
And now a bit of Varda's accompanying theme song, "Too Much Time on My Hands" by Styx.
Is it any wonder I've got
Too much time on my hands, it's ticking away with my sanity
I've got too much time on my hands, it's hard to believe such a calamity
I've got too much time on my hands and it's ticking away from me
I only wonder who would have won this award had the essay been 1999 words, or 2001? Seriously, the reason I feel comfortable presenting this gag award is because I can vouch for Varda's dedication and ability when it comes to hard work, as we shared adventure together in the "Castle Maladil" RPG.
* Gandalf bowed, smiling, to present the award, a small gold statue shaped like a king of old. The statue was lined up with others of its kind on a table of green marble. *
* But of course, for some in Middle Earth a barred door proved no obstacle. One of these now stood in a newfound hiding place under the stage. Thus it was that Daerohil thrust his ghostly self up through the oaken hardwood floorboards, laughed like windchimes on the edge of a distant cloud, snatched the statue, and ran himself to hand it to Varda. Since many in the audience were incapable of seeing ghosts, it looked to these baffled onlookers as though Gandalf were by some magic levitating the statue over to Varda! *
* Gandalf, seeing the whole thing down to the smallest detail, smiled relief that the gentle friendly mischief of the ghostly Elf Daerohil went no further. Then, unrolling the second scroll: *
"The Alter Ego Award for Best Supporting Role as a Student While Pursuing Death on the Barrow-Downs" goes to VanimaEdhel. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
And now a bit of VanimaEdhel's theme song "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult.
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain
We can be like they are
And how well VanimaEdhel balances her schoolwork with her many writing projects here at the Barrow Downs! I'm very happy to have personally worked with her in depth in two RPGs ... "On Patrol" and "Castle Maladil."
* Meanwhile, an out-of-place lad named Johnny stood thoroughly oblivious to the Downie Awards ceremony going on around him. Bereft of weapons and treasure, he still had what passed for his wits about him. He'd spent the entire time searching for secret doors, under the logic that none of the obvious doors would lead him back to the university and his waiting calculus exam. At this exact moment, a panel slid with a smooth stone click into a wall, revealing a passageway! *
* But out of this passageway sprang a madly hurtling dark shape, a black mass of legs and snorting. Johnny jumped down to a crouching position and rolled aside just in time. Midnight, the black war steed against which Gandalf had barred the door, surveyed the room with a shake of the mane and a soft pawing of hooves. Many people in the hall held small gold trophies, the horse noticed. Why, even the old grey man was picking one up now. Midnight trotted to the table and sniffed at the statues. Until, that is, he sensed a rider had leaped upon him. Midnight could see no rider, but someone was spurring him on with unseen feet, grabbing his mane to steer. Midnight ran back the way he came, to get outside once more. *
* Gandalf bowed smiling and held out the statue to VanimaEdhel without further ado. *
[ May 07, 2003: Message edited by: Gandalf_theGrey ]
|