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Scoopers
Posted: 29 Jun 2004 12:54 PM |
"So, what's so special about a shovel? Can you not find another one?," asked the elven priestess, unsure of the mental state of her present company.
" Missus Calia, Model No. 0000-3 is no ordinnery shovels. It is stronger, faster, smarter, and shinier than all other shovels--and it was our bestest friend. When Model No. 0000-3 was with us, we could cleans the waste chambers, digs a bone pit, grabs the scraps and bugs for food, and scoop a handful of rocks for dessert in less than half a candle."
The Arosian, even in her wisdom, could not grasp the nature of the creature before her. Hungry for answers, she pressed further. "I don't see how this shovel could be your only friend. Did you not have a family?"
"Yessum, we did," nodded the gnome. "We hads our papas and mommas and brothers and sisters in the tunnels. Scoopers had been with the skaly masters since before our papa's papa's, we finks. It was our papa Scoopers that gives us Model No. 0000-3. He tells us, 'Scoopers, we are not feeling so well anymore. We are very sad and we must go away. We are sorry. We have something very special for you, and you alone.' Then papa Scoopers gives us a bundle with his shaky hands and sez, 'Scoopers, this is 'Property of Port Royale Sanitation Department, Model No. 0000-3.' It was given to us by our papas and now we gives it you. It is the bestest of shovels in the whole of the tunnels, and even the world, and was very special to us.' Then, papa's eyes did not sparkle anymore, and we knew he was gone, just like the rest of us."
"The rest of you? Do you mean that all of your family died in the tunnels? How could this be?"
*pondering arduously on the subject* "Well missus, two of our sisters wer bitten by the swamp spiders. Then we had us our brother and momma get sick from the waste chambers. Den a brothers and a sisters gets crushed by rocks. *counting on fingers* The skaly masters beat and whipped and cut 1,2,3,4,4,4 of us till we dint cry out or bleed no more. When the spiders bit us, we bit dem back. When the waste chambers was overflowing, we were the only ones able to go in over our noggin. And when the skalies gots to us, we would always mend back by next candle. Den there was only papa and us, till he dint sparkle no more cause of a broked heart. When papa went, it was just Model No. 0000-3 and us, alone and only. Sometimes we wish that we weren't so strong, and that we had gotten sick or beaten or poisoned or crushed like the rest of us. Cause we miss them very much, and it is so hard being alone and only." *snifs*
"Then you were slaves to the 'skaly masters'?" asked the priestess.
Scoopers nodded solemnly, squeaking out a "yessum," as tears began to form.
"How is it then that you escaped? And how did you lose your treasured spade?"
"Well missus, years after papa had gone we were still workin in the tunnels, and we were doings a good job. But since we were alone and only, the work was hard, so very hard, and we missed the rest of us. We only had Model No. 0000-3 to keeps us company. It gaved us strength. One candle, as we digged a tunnel near the shroomers, a skaly came up and started beatin us as they always did, for "insubbordinashun". He was beatin us really, really hard, and it hurt us. He dint fink it was enuff to use the whip, soz he tuk the bottle he was drinkin and cracked us in the noggin and it cut us rill bad. We fell down, holdin Model No. 0000-3. We watched as the whip split ar back and sprayed the air wif our blood, an fings gotz very dark, and very cold, and very hurt. But, we could still see Model No. 0000-3. Oh how bright he got, so bright that it was the only thing we could see in the cold and in the dark. And he spoke to us, and told us the word that would give us ar strempf."
"A'fore we knew it, we had gotten up and spun 'round, crushing the noggin of the skaly that beat us. We screamed the One Word, so that all the skalies would hear us. They were afraid, but we were not. We ran to the the Tunnel of the Outside, smashing and splitting skalies along the way till we gotz to the openin', where the King of the Skalies stood. It dint matter, we were not afraid. The King Skaly attacked us, soz we hit him back--where he'd feel it fer a long time. We turned to run, but was stopped. The King Skaly, on the ground so curled up, had grabbed ahold a Model No. 0000-3! We had to choose a'tween our freeness er saving ar bestest frend! We could see other skalies in the tunnel gittin ready to come after us, but we still dint know what to do! Then Model No. 0000-3 spoke to us again, from the clawred hand of the hurtin' King Skaly, and told us to go, coz it would be all right. Soz, we let go, and with tears in ar eyezes we ran outside into the swamp. We ran past the spiders, past the eddercarps, past the boars, past the sea, past Jusin and his funny Oxen, and gotz to Docta McGillicutteries, where we cried arselves to sleep."
The Docks of Midor began their early morning hours maintenance, with ships and crews cleaning their vessels and preparing for departure. The gruff calls of sailors, both common and obscene could be heard about the area, forecasting the imminence of the day.
"I'm so sorry Scoopers, that is quite a sad tale," said priestess Qu'Estreal. "I must say that I've never heard anything quite like it before. I must ask you, what was that one word that made them all so afraid?"
"No, missus Calia, no."
Dawn broke the water of the Midoran Docks, cleaving the horizon into a focused beam of brightness above, and a sparkling dance of light below. As the two travelers boarded the Aegea, Scoopers muttered something about being sleepy from all the running around the day before. As he placed his head in the lap of the priestess, he quietly snored a dream of sweet-smelling butterflies swayed only by the rocking of the boat on its way to the Port. |
Do not ask of them questions. You will receive three answers, all of which are true and horrifying to know. |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 29 Jun 2004 01:06 PM |
| ((this is great! interesting backstory and well written, thanks for the read :D)) |
~ Kriayna Wildberry ~
-this post has in no way been paid for nor endorsed by PAJWT, The Broken Mask tavern, The Black Hand, or any other completely unrelated group- |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 29 Jun 2004 01:08 PM |
| *applauds* |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 29 Jun 2004 01:10 PM |
love it... another totally mad PC
i dont know where you find em. |
If you catch a butterfly.
You can either keep it and watch it die.
Or let it go and watch it fly away.
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 29 Jun 2004 04:01 PM |
Calia looked down at the sleeping Gnome.
What a horrible childhood indeed, but even though it wasnt a childhood wanted buy anyone it was filled with love and family. She smiled as her strange new friend snored the hours away. He seemed a little deeper in his sleep then during the trip. She wondered if she should go and find a model 0000 - 3 spade and leave it in the swamps to give this poor man some closure.
She felt bad for getting mad at the childlike gnome the first time they met. It was some weeks ago when she was walking along with Alarwen in Ferein. The cheeky little scamp ran up and pulled up Alarwen's dress and giggled and went to run away. Calia thinking quickly and attempting to save the little man's life cast hold on him stopping him in his tracks. She ran over to him and pulled his pants down and gave him a smack across the backside with the flat of her sword.
Saying he was shocked is an understatment but after that they seemed to get along well enough, as long as you worked out he was like a well armed child.. Still he was kind of like a pet. ahh bless. |
Its easy clinging to your moral high ground when you have everything, try it when you have nothing left.
Cain Angus |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 30 Jun 2004 03:50 PM |
The cheeky little scamp ran up and pulled up Alarwen's dress and giggled and went to run away.
Arent you confusing gnomes? I know they all look alike |
Never argue with an idiot.
They drag you down to their level
and then beat you with experience.
Akril
Quinellieth. 20th Circle of the Order of the Ring |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 30 Jun 2004 05:42 PM |
| No |
Its easy clinging to your moral high ground when you have everything, try it when you have nothing left.
Cain Angus |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 30 Jun 2004 10:35 PM |
| Hmm... Didn't really want that choice piece of information spread about. Guess it's too late now. Oh, and by the way, the cheeky little scamp nearly got himself killed. Jessminda doesn't take kindly to aggressive actions towards her master. |
Alarwen Emeria - Patience and time...
Ranger/Sorc/AA
Jessminda (companion) |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 01 Jul 2004 08:46 AM |
| Hmmm...I'm trying to remember that as well. I don't recall Scoopers ever meeting Alarwen, nor has he ever traveled to Ferein. But, I can dig it either way. |
Do not ask of them questions. You will receive three answers, all of which are true and horrifying to know. |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 17 Nov 2004 07:11 PM |
| *bump* May want to check this one out mister balfer, see what you're getting yourself into. |
Do not ask of them questions. You will receive three answers, all of which are true and horrifying to know. |
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Re: Scoopers
Posted: 17 Nov 2004 10:25 PM |
| (( Brought a tear to my eye. I liked it. Very well done, sah. )) |
- [Rob], Balthor, Jake, and Thomas. |
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