Gontor, with Hel's help, calls in a Nightcrawler as a present for the Order—and miserably fails at remedial villain-quipping.
Cast[]
- Gontor Hammerfell (also as illusion) ◀ ▶
- Creed of the Stone Usher with Sandy Hair ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Curly Hair ◀ ▶
- Hel ◀ ▶
- Thrym ◀ ▶
- Council of Clans Guard with Blue Beard ◀ ▶
- Council of Clans Guard with Brown Beard ◀ ▶
- Council of Clans Guard with Grey Beard on Upstairs ◀ ▶
- Council of Clans Guard with Yellow Beard ◀ ▶
- Council of Clans Relief #1 ◀ ▶
- Giant Death Worm ▶
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Curly: I guess that sounds pretty good. But our master was really confident, and the adventurers found a way to—
Gontor: I'm not taking any chances with those savages, don't worry.
- Panel 2
Gontor: I was just waiting until our thralls were in the majority in there—which they now are, by my count.
Gontor: This body had a few scrolls on it when it died, and I see no reason not to use all of them to our advantage—
- Panel 3
Gontor: —and give our mistress a chance to send in reinforcements.
Gontor: Gate!
- Panel 4
Cut to the Outer Planes domain of Hel.
Hel: At last, this misbegotten wager will end and I will take my rightful place as queen of the Northern Gods.
Thrym: I am excited for you, because I am supportive of your professional achievements.
- Panel 5
Hel: And if those mortal heroes think vampire spirits are the worst things I can make, I've got a surprise for them.
Hel: Avenge my first priest, little one.
- Panel 6
Cut back to Firmament, as a Nightcrawler emerges from Gontor's gate.
Gontor: BEHOLD!
Gontor: Our enemies shall find naught but squirmy death!!
- Panel 7
Back in Hel
Hel: Are you kidding me? I set you up perfectly for a "worm food" quip!
Hel: Come on, people, this is basic villain stuff!
D&D Context[]
- Gate is a 9th level spell which creates an extra-dimensional portal between planes of existence, and allows the caster to summon a creature from the plane connected through the gate. Summoned creatures are controlled by the caster.
- The creature summoned through the Gate is a Nightcrawler, a powerful undead creature hailing from the Plane of Shadow.
- Gontor cast the spell through the use of a scroll. This spell is probably too high level for him to cast through his class spellcasting abilities.
Trivia[]
- The inscription above the door is written in Dwarf Spirits font by Blambot, the same font used for the Wall of Very Rich Donors in #1112. It reads: "ONLY DWARVES MAY PASS".
- The title plays on the term "gatekeeper". Instead of keeping the Gate scroll in reserve, Gontor "spends" it, making him a "gatespender".
- This is the first appearance of Giant Death Worm, the nightcrawler which Hel sent through Gontor's Gate spell. Belkar would give it a name in #1164.