The conclusion of the Battle of Zirakzigil...
The Beercart Pony trudges on! Get that Beercart movin! Butters the Beercart Pony nods and snorts. Lets get this caravan rollin!
Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them dawwgies rollin', Rawhide!
Through rain and wind and weather
Hell-bent for leather
Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on
Move 'em on, head 'em up, Rawhide!
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, ride 'em in, cut 'em out
Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, Rawhide!
Goldberry faces the angry Wyvern! What can one Goldberry do against such reckless hate?
The Hobbits unleash another salvo of rocks and everything misses. Alpha uses another Disintegrate Bolt and wounds the Wyvern again! But now, the Wyvern looks even angrier! Xanthia fires off another Ice Blast and miscasts.
Xanthia: Oh no, sorry Goldberry. You are on your own now. I cant watch whatever process is about to happen.
So it comes down to Goldberry herself. If she wants to survive this, she better take control of her destiny!
Goldberry casts her Banish spell... and succeeds! The Wyvern squawks and reels away flying off for a turn. Another turn that Goldberry survives. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
Goldberry: In spite of it all, I gotta admit, Wyverns have a sweet dino-bird song and they do have lovely plummage!
Xanthia: Its a grating sound they squawk. And it has no feathers to be considered plummage... its like Nazgul Fell Beast leather rotting batwings.
As if a Wyvern was not enough to contend with... another monstrosity appears swooping into Goldberry and friends area.
Alpha: Hostile airspace is hot, today! Hobbits arm yourselves@!
Hobbit Militia: Sir, yes, sir!
Verbal, Zoltar, and Bortai watch a strange creature floating/swimming towards them.
Verbal: It looks fascinating. Kinda like a sky whale of some sort. Maybe its friendly?
Zoltar: I got 100 gold pieces that says it aint friendly!
Zoltar: Its a Manta Mind Enslaver! If it gets close it can take control of our minds!
And another monster appears! Its a Nightmare. Or should we say a Night Mare? And its coming along like a horse on fire! But from which direction?
Sir Solaire: Its a fire-horse! A sign from the Sun Gods! Awww... we cant just shoot it.
Imperial Handgunners: They shoot horses dont they?
The mere proximity of the approaching Nightmare sends waves of heat in an aura and one of the Handgunners spontaneously combusts!
Sir Solaire: Oh never mind! Kill that fire-horse now! Before we all suffer heat stroke!
And near the Occulum, two terrifying beings speak in hushed tones. One is a vulture-like Demon Lord of Tzeentch and the other is an avatar of Dagon the Fish God.
DemonLord Skeksos: OK, you go around that way and I will go this way. Slay the Pony-ling! It must not reach the Occulum! Got it?
Avatar of Dagon: Glub glub!
But the Beercart Pony gallops full speed between the fish creature and the vulture creature!
Lord Skeksos: Stay! No! Stay... Stay... *motions to self* friend. Stay, am friend. Prophecy, prophecy cause all this trouble. Show Skeksos you want peace.
Goldberry: Dont listen to him, Butters. Its a trick!
Lord Skekos: Wait! Please! Please make peace! Please!
And the Beercart arrives at the destination!
But um... what now?
Butters the Pony looks around nervously, wasnt someone supposed to unload the Beer or something? Im just a pony. I dont have hands. I have hooves. I pull the cart, thats my job, Im a beercart pony not a beercart unloader...
But suddenly the Occulum gives off a low humming sound. It is powering up anyway, the mere presence of the power of Bugmans Brew is enough to charge it up!
A red glow begins to emanate from within the crystal.
Suns, moons, stars.
Yes, the angle of eternity.
Thats how I know its coming.
The Great Conjunction!
Suddenly all lights dim and everyone stops fighting and looks towards the Occulum...
I don't know what to do
I'm always in the dark
Living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
(Forever's gonna start tonight)
Disembodied voice: We leave you the Crystal of Truth. Make your world in its light.
When single shines the triple sun
What was sundered and undone
Shall be whole, the two made one
The Dagon avatar screams in silent fury! Next time, pony! I will get you next time!
Butters lives to deliver beer another day!
And all the monsters flee from the light! The day is won and the game is over.
Zoltar: I knew it! I knew we would win this one! They all predicted a TPK, but I never doubted for a second!
Goldberry: So, Bullywug King. The lights are pretty and all, but... what was this all for?
Bullywug King: Concentrate... feel the Force flow. Yes. Good. Calm, yes. Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future. The past. Old friends long gone.
And everyone backs away from the Beacon. Something is happening. Some great celestial event. It truly is the Great Conjunction! A gate between dimenions opens up and...
...the veil between worlds are torn asunder as the rift widens. Short stocky silhouettes come marching out. With great big bushy beards, an axe in one hand and a tankard of beer in the other, squat beings squint at the brightness of the world of Middle Earth.
A voice booms out among them: Who summons the Dwarves of the Void? Who disturbs our Great Eternal Slumber?
Bullywug King: Brave Sons of Durin! You all once swore an oath to keep your word, to uphold justice, and to be loyal in friendship. Middle Earth requires your duty and service once again. What say you? For Oath and Beer?
Someone yells: Mhinz Abeir?
The rest yell: Zyor Rond! *cheering*
And just like that, after two long ages, the Dwarves of Moria have returned! Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!
~~~
And there is the Battle of Zirakzigil.
Moria is a state of mind...
There is a certain something that keeps me returning to this blog. The painting, gaming, storytelling? Its not one of those things in particular. Is it the trope of Dwarves? Something about them - finding a home in their world. Maybe. But its just a fantasy. Still, that doesnt discount it less. Does their journey mirror my own. Smarter minds than mine would know. And its probably best summarized with these two songs. One was used in the movie Brazil, perhaps one my favorite movies. And the other covered by This Mortal Coil perhaps one of my favorite music collaborations. So I leave these lyrics here at the end of this post...
WITH TOMORROW
Then, tomorrow was another day
the morning found me miles away
with still a million things to say...
Now, as twilight dims the sky above
recalling thrills of our love
there's one thing Im certain of...
Return, I will to old...
Brazil.
Cheers my friends and return we will to Old Moria,
Mar
Wow, old buddy. There ain't no one who can bring it like you can. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteThanks buddy. Exactly the point of my lil soliloquy at the end of the post there. I dont know what "it" is. But if Im indeed bringing "it"... Im bringing it completely by happy mistake and grateful for it. Much respect, friend.
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