The Return of the Entish Bowventurers - a Fourth Age Epilogue - DISCUSSION

[Estelyn Telcontar]

As to the whereabouts of the Dwarf Kuruharan, we know this:

Kuruharan used his gaming license to re-establish the great kingdom of Hazard-boom. He expanded the resorts and casinos until they exceeded in size and gaudiness even those of the Ancient Days. He also made King Gain Lotsamoola an offer he couldn’t refuse and got a hefty share of the take from the Trebor Resort and Casino.

His companion Reeperneep

... signed on as Kuruharan’s hired muscle and enjoyed a life of continually getting into brawls, battles, and total wars. However, he was always agitating that they hadn’t “gone far enough east!!”

[Estelyn Telcontar]

And what happened to the title hero, you ask? The Ent-That-Was-Rent-But-Is-Now-Reunited had remained in Valleyum, for Yawanna had revealed to him a sapling of his line, and Deeproot (the short version of his true Entish name) wished to raise it to be a good Ent who would carry on his labours in the forests. Alas, it never occurred to him that the sapling might possibly not be an Ent after all...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Among the final companions of Merisuwyniel was also Gateskeeper, the technical expert wizard, and his recently acquired virtual-but-somehow-real sidekick Tara Craft. He had turned over a new leaf - or perhaps one should say he had downloaded a new program - and was looking forward to different, possibly even honest, ways to earn a living in Muddled-Mirth.

The wars would have to cease, there was no question. The soft wares he created would have to become friendlier to those who used them. But, loathe to give up his high-spending lifestyle, he had to contemplate whether there was a souce of profit that could be as successful as the threatening and extortion with which he had hawked his Great Window. It was time to do a 360 and find new vistas, though he found taking advantage of the hype odd without those impy three players with whom he once associated back at the Networkgaard of Dorktank. But he’d severed all connections with the jobs and the buffets of days gone by, and there was no way to reset his way thru the tangled net of the ether of his past. He would have to shift, to escape, to enter a new line and rid himself of the numb lock that prevented him scrolling to a new page. In short, he would have to delete his past and find the key to getting himself home in CTRL of a new destiny. And then it came to him like a politician to a fundraiser – he could make people happy and make money at the same time by offering music on demand from Mantoes’ gift*!

*Mantoes graciously gave him the gift of unlimited royalty-free access to the complete music vaults of the Lords of Khopy-wight...

Whether these valiant purposes will succeed remains to be seen...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Remember Leninia, former player of the Entish Guitar and at home in the Marrow Bones Studio? After kind of reforming and joining the adventures, she remained in Valleyum following the final battle to prepare for a new profession. Vairsacë and Chanessa made her an offer she could have resisted, but it was certainly better than no prospects for the future at all. Besides, she had resolved never to say never...

"...we have some boutiques here in Valleyum, and they do pretty well, but we’ve been thinking about expanding to Muddled-Mirth. You see, there aren’t a lot of new customers here, except for those who go to Vair’s husband’s halls, and it takes awhile before they have a body and want some new clothes again.”

“We noticed that you have a good fashion sense and a great figure – bit short, perhaps, but definitely thin enough – and wondered if you’d stay here for a bit, learn the business, and then set up some chain stores in Muddled-Mirth for us. You see, we’re not allowed to go into business there ourselves, so we need a franchise taker. What do you think?”

Who knows what competition there may now arise for the GAP of Rohan and other smart shops?!

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Last but not least - well actually, he was least in height - comes Squire Windsor Gummidge, the reformed Hobbit formerly called Soregum. He was pledged to the custody of Gravendil, per decree of Mantoes:

"OK, I hereby declare the Hobbit dude, Windsor Gummidge, formally redeemed for a probationary period of five years,” said Mantoes. “Subject to good behaviour during that period, said redemption shall become permanent."

He therefore returned to Topfloorien with Gravendil and Merisuwyniel and there serves them faithfully. Alas, the lack of wartime activity leaves little scope for a squire to prove himself, but he has his hands full trying to keep track of their twin sons and provide them with a semblance of educational discipline...

[Thenamir]

As I am *always* late wherever I go, I just stumbled on this. Thanks for remembering ol' Gateskeeper, he was fun to write.