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Old 07-29-2003, 02:25 PM   #26
Thenamir
Spectre of Capitalism
 
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Battling evil bureaucrats at Zeta Aquilae
Posts: 990
Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!Thenamir has reached the Cracks of Doom and destroyed the Ring!
Sting

After circling the rapidly-decaying city, well out of reach of the citizenry pushing over the basalt-cum-flour-paste walls, Gateskeeper, his newly "acquired" steed Kebab, and Mersuwyniel's horse Falafel, finally arrived at what was left of the back gate, conveniently ignored by the Citi-zens of the Minus-Now-Toothless. Gateskeeper surveyed the ground from his mount, wondering aloud, "I wonder which way they wandered? "There seems to be a trail of crumbs, apple cores, and food wrappers leading off in that direction."

Falafel looked around, then spoke up. "That would be Pimpi, the former half-halfling, ridding the Gallowship of any unwanted (or unwatched) comestibles. And where Pimpi is, Merisu can't be far away."

"Well, then, my good Falafel, let us follow!" cried Gateskeeper with a sly smirk half-hidden behind the cloak. They were indeed some miles down the rather-unmistakeable trail when Gateskeeper's Cell-antir suddenly started trembling in his robe's hip-pocket (the one usually reserved for his flask of "Windex"). "Mother-boards!" he muttered using a gutter-slang of the Geeks. "Who in the name of Peter Norton's Spectacles knows I'm here?" He sureptitiously reached for the Cell-antir, hoping Falafel, a bit ahead, would not notice, and spoke furtively to the glowing orb. "Yes, who is it?" he said, not hiding his nervousness or his annoyance.

A singular evil hiss whistled back to him over the device, one that sent a chill down the yellow stripe on his back. "Gatesssssey," the voice of Mogul Bildur oozed like a fetid steaming toxic-waste accident, "long time no ssssee."

"Umm, ah, oh! Your Towering Evil Malevolenceship! How...how...nice of you to call! I, err, thought you were still in the slammer!"

"No," Mogul replied in a slimy croon, "I managed to crawl away from my prissson and I'm back in my old digsss in Moredough. How are you doing? I thought you were

Away, away, away down South in Pea Sea!

Oh You wish you'd won down in the land of Eunuchssss
You just need a couple o'new tricksss
Look thisss way! Look thisss way! Look thisss way, Pea Sssea Man.

That Pea Sssea land, it's a land of money
But the O/S there is not your sssonny
Look thisss way! Look thisss way! Look thisss way, Pea Sssea Man.

You want to win the Pea Sssea,
Away, Away
The Pea Sssea trassssh I'll let you hasssh
If you will just help ME, ssssee?

Away, away, away down Sssouth in Pea Sssea!


Gateskeeper listened to his old mentor sing, mostly becuase he had no choice, though Mogul couldn't carry a tune in a cauldron. Quickly he interrupted at an opportune pause to relate the story of the strange speaking Bow he had seen.

"Hmmm," smoked the voice on the other end of the connection. "This is an unexssspected but mossst welcome revelation. It seems that you are already doing my work for me...again." Gateskeeper bristled. He knew all too well the prophecy about the ent that was broken, and would almost be willing to help the Gallowship out just to be rid of his stiff and strong competition. But his eyes perked up at his offer to let him have the Pea Sea in exchange for his help.

"Gatesy" pondered awhile. "If I help you, will you allow me to keep that unerring bow to conquer the Pea Sea? And loan me a few more of those Korprat-Loyers?"

"Done," the black voice said with a cold finality. The orb went black as the final words were spoken, "Instructions to follow." Gatekeeper nearly dropped the Cell-antir, for as the dark words were pronounced Mogul had caused the device to tattoo a fell black trademark into the palm of his hand...the mark of the Cloz'd-Dheal. Now Gateskeeper must not fail, or he himself would be turned over to the Korprat Loyers to be tortured in the pitiless Dungeons of Default.

He had little time to ponder this, as Falfel emitted a joyful whinny, for the gallowship had come into sight, still a bit miffed for the useless detour. Gateskeeper quickly put away the cell-antir and rode up in time to see the joyful reunion of Merisu and Falafel.

"I thought you'd been burnt in the fire," Merisu gushed as tears wet her magnificently porcelained cheeks. "There was no way I could come back for you. How did you manage to escape?"

Falafel pointed her ample nose at Gateskeeper. "If it had not been for this simple...err, I never found out what it is you do for a living, Gateskeeper."

"Allow me to answer for myself," Gateskeeper said to the assembled quest-ians. "I am called Andotiruves in the Quixotic, or Gateskeeper in the common tongue. You all look as if you are about to embark on a quest, and yet have come away ill-prepared due to the ruination of the Wight city. I have many trades and excel at many things. For instance, I am a passable cobbler, and I see by the worn condition of your footwear that many of you need to re-boot. I am also quite learned in modes of travel and lodging, posessing much Expediant information. I have been an Explorer on some occasions, and I fish well with my inter-net. I keep my outlook expressly positive. I see sharp, and I run well without crashing. Perhaps I can be of assistance on your journey...?"

Thus Gateskeeper joined the Gallowship and comes into the story of their comings and goings. But he ever wore a black glove, to hide the Cloz'd-Dheal upon his right hand.

[ July 30, 2003: Message edited by: Thenamir ]

[ July 30, 2003: Message edited by: Thenamir ]
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