Epic WIP Wednesday: Unmasked Undead

 


Undead Unmasked

Ironing Out the Kinks

As Little John the Cockney ghoul and Yitzy the great snail-footed, two-headed extraterrestrial listened to Ketil the ghost tell his tale at the sumptuous table set out for them by Nyarlathotep, the infamous Organizer of the Outer Gods, Little John suddenly leapt to his feet, dropping the femur from which he had been feasting with a thud upon the table.

“Crikey, Lads, we need to bugger off quick sticks!” the stout ghoul insisted. “I just remembered the secret ingredient for me granddad’s Christmas cookie recipe!”

“And this was reason to break the table?” Ketil inquired. “I always enjoyed a draught of the mulled wine that my paternal grandmother made for the winter festivities, but you do not see me wrecking the furniture when I recall that it contained a hint of quince.”

“That's 'cause, Ketil, ya Daffy Dahn Dilly spook, quince is a common ingredient on Earf. Me granddad's cookies contained essence of the bloomin' peels from the Chuffin' apples of Yuggof.”

“Splendid. So, I suppose we’re off to Yuggoth, then,” Yitzy surmised, raising his pincers to begin creating a gate.

“Not so fast, Yitzy, old Currant Bun. Clock this. Ter create the chuffin' essence from the bloomin' peels is a very time-consumin' process. 'Owever, I kna where we can get a Randolph Scott of the finished essence.”

“I am all for having a Randolph Scott of the finished essence, or at least I would be if I knew why the bloody fuck we needed one,” Ketil sighed. “Please do enlighten me, John.”

“Why, ter make the cookies, of course, Ketil,” Little John said, looking at Ketil as if he wondered how someone so intelligent could be so dense.

“I realize that it is a key ingredient in making the cookies. What good will it do us to make these wondrous cookies?”

“Ketil old chap, chicken pen ya eat these cookies, they activate yer third mince pie ter take just the bleedin' wite paf through the bloomin' Netherworld and the chuffin’ Dreamlands ter reach your Sausage Roll. so, we ought ter be able ter find Robin and Rilpu and the wizard wif that blasted Brenda Lee!”

“I agree that this is a splendid idea, John. However, I have one question. Why did you not mention these cookies before?”

“Ter be quite 'onest wif ya, China Plate, I’d forgotten aw abaht 'em until I spotted that apple from Yuggof there in the fruit bowl. It's amazin' 'a many things ya can forget in the space of a century.”

 

Arguments in the Dark

“Fair enough. Now, I hope you’re going to tell me that you know a place where we can obtain this Essence of Yuggoth Apples quickly and painlessly.”

“'Eaven and 'ell, it will be quick and painless in the bloomin' buff, as long as we daan't get caught. That wouldn't normally be a problem for ya, I suppose, seein’ as yer a pillar and post and all, but we'll be dealin' wif those as kna eldritch magic. 'Opefully, we can get in and aahhht quick sticks. I'm in a bit of a quandary as ter wot ter do wif Yitzy, though. I daan't wanna leef 'im 'ere Jack Jones, but let's Chevy Chase it, aahhht of aw of us, 'e's the easiest wahn ter Randolph.”

“We are not leaving anyone in this place alone, and on this point, I will not be swayed,” Ketil insisted. “And what of you, Sir Ghoul? I am invisible to most living beings. You, on the other hand, are an Undead canid humanoid which smells like an open casket in the time before embalming was the norm. Do you think your state will not be a bit of an attention-grabber?”

“Not if I’m workin' behind the chuffin' scenes. Anyway, I found this clever gold mask wif which ter Duck and Dive me 'andsome yet ghoulish features. Also, I’ve a diamond idea. If we're spotted, Yitzy can pretend ter be a statue.”

“John, I don’t know when I’ve heard a stupider idea. I believe it was Dean Winchester what said, ‘of all the lame-ass ideas you’ve had, this has to be the lameassiest.’ In any case, this is a terrible idea. I, on the other hand, have a sensible idea. Yitzy can have a visit with Fortune on Uranus.”

“I would like to go with you to retrieve the Apple of Yuggoth essence,” Yitzy protested. “I possess the Interdimensional Carrying Satchel and will place it in there for safekeeping.”

“Yah, and if you are caught, the fuckwits shall remove the satchel from your possession, and then we will not only need to retrieve the Essence of Yuggoth Apple but the satchel. I believe you have been too long in the presence of impulsive fuckwits such as Robin, John, and myself. You and Fortune possess two of the greatest intellects in the Universe and have a companionable bond. I argue that we should contact Fortune forthwith and you will go for a visit with him while John and I fetch the Essence. Where is it that we are going anyway, John?”

“Well, Guv, we’re gonna be headin’ fer the pantry of Anant Mantovani.”

“That pompous cooking show arsehole? I have no tolerance for either him or his cooking. In fairness, I have never tasted his cooking, but my distaste for him leads me to believe that could only give me indigestion. How the fuck does that twat have in his possession Essence of Yuggoth Apple? Does he even know what purpose it serves?”

“Mate, Anant Mantovani is more than just a rich tosser with a cooking show. I don’t know if either of these names mean anything ter you, but ‘e’s the son of Jadhav Mantovani and Edna Anthony, both of whom ‘ave some renown in occult as well as culinary circles. Anant Mantovani ain't gonna bat an mince pie at seein' a ghoul workin' 'round 'is mansion, but 'e might recognize me. I took the bloomin' piss aahhht of 'im on wahn occasion, and 'e's the sort ter 'old a grudge.”

Dangling Dreamers

“Well, John, I should certainly enjoy hearing the tale of how you put the claimant to Talos Crystals in his place,” Ketil mused. “However, now is not the time. We need to spring into action. However, before doing so, I say that we should all take a trip to visit Fortune and request that he spill his advice upon us regarding this unfolding drama rather than behaving as our usual obstinate, spontaneous selves. This may prevent embarrassing moments from transpiring.”

“I think that’s a right smashing idear, Ketil,” Little John agreed. “Just one wee quibble. I believe that the word yer seekin’ in this particular instance is ‘bestow’ rather than ‘spill.’”

“Whatever, it matters not,” Ketil declared with a swish of his hand. “Let us be off to visit our feline friend who dwells beneath the surface of the ice giant whose name causes Beavis and Butthead to quiver with mirth.”

“Will we be meeting this Beavis and Butthead, Ketil?” Yitzy inquired.

“They do sound loike merry chaps,” Little John agreed.

“You could say so,” Ketil stated. “However, now is not the time to dive into the murky depths of the sea of pop culture references. To do so would only garble our intent. We must cast our sights on the Uranian lighthouse of Fortune to proceed in our quest to bestow the correct crumble upon the sacred cookie recipe of John’s grand-sire.”

“Does Fortune ‘ave a lighthouse?” Little John inquired. “I don’t recall seein’ one last time we visited his ‘ome.”

“This is a metaphor, John. I sometimes am filled with a sort of existential terror when I realize that I am the least out-of-touch member of our motley crew, and I have been in spirit for twenty-three Earth years.”

“Well, I do know about Mötley Crüe,” Little John retorted. “Bloody good band, them! Rob and I slipped into a few of their shows over the bleedin' Donkey's Ears. Sometimes we even went backstage, although that tended ter be a bit debauched for me likin'. I'm afraid we scared the bloomin' wits aahhht of that chap Nikki back chicken pen 'e was shootin' the smack, as they say. Poor geezer was quite confused. 'E thought that Rob was a goblin, and I was an ogre. We 'elped 'im Frank Bough ter 'is 'otel va va voom before 'e 'ad a chance ter encounter any actual goblins or ogres.”

“Well, there you see, you are the hero the Universe needs. You first save Nikki Sixx, then the entire Cosmos. Come along, let us stop chewing the fat and get to work. Yitzy, if you would be so kind as to open a gate to Fortune’s chambers, that would be splendid.”

“Speakin’ of chewin’ the fat, I’d best grab a chunk of this superbly cured borra and beg fer the road,” Little John declared. “Wouldn’t want it to go to waste, after all.”

“In moments like this I am terribly pleased that I am a ghost and not a ghoul,” Ketil observed.

Feline Good

As Little John, Ketil, and Yitzy emerged from an arc of cool blue light into Fortune’s crystalline chamber, the exuberant ghoul ran to embrace the Cat from Uranus.

“Fortune, old Currant Bun!” Little John greeted. “It’s always a treasure finer’n pearls ter visit you in yer hogamadog!”

“My friends, I am very pleased to see you,” Fortune replied. “But where is Robin?”

“There is no perfect answer to this query,” Ketil responded. “For all we know, he decided to swim to the moon as winter whispers on the fumes of a wickless candle. For although we advised him against it, poor Robin did surrender to the charms of a phantom appearing to be his long-lost love, Betsy. That he would say yes to one he had loved since 1878 comes as no surprise. Despite my reputation, I am not the sort of fellow to discourage such a reunion. However, the type of things oft found within the walls of the House of Lost Dreams leads me to believe that it may not have been Betsy leading Robin down the ever-changing corridors of that blasted property.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Fortune demanded. “Surely you must know that I would have immediately agreed to assist you in your search!”

“Yah, there is no need for a tirrivee,” Ketil countered. “It was quite a muddle taking place in that funhouse. Granted, we ought to have been more prompt, but during our search for Robin and Rilpu, we stumbled upon a splendid feast laid out for us by Nyarlathotep and felt it wise to sit and sup while we assessed the situation. Well, as I was sampling various non-rotting tidbits and Yitzy was imbibing in a goblet of violet vapor, Little John suddenly ceased his snacking on a putrefying femur and near to cracked the table in two in his exuberance to tell us that he had remembered the recipe for his grandsire’s Christmas cookies.”

“My friends, while I intend to assist you, I must confess that I am terribly befuddled,” the Cat from Uranus admitted, his red eyes wide and a puzzled expression on his face. “I would say that we should start at the beginning, but I believe that if we are to have half a hope of rescuing Robin and your new companion Rilpu, we do not have time for that. Thus, I would like each of you to tell me a particular little piece of information that you believe to be vital to the success of our mission. John, you go first.”

“Well, this is a mistake,” Ketil quipped.

Noting John’s glare, the snarky spectre put up his hands as if in surrender.

“But who am I to question the wisdom of a telepathic cat from Uranus?” he inquired. “Fortune must have reason for selecting you first. That said, go, Johnny, go. But do try to be brief.”

“I never 'ad any ovver plan. Wite, guv, the bloomin' reason I wanna collect the chuffin' essence of Yuggof apple from the bleedin' studio venue of Anant Mantovani is so we can make me granddad's special recipe for telepathic trackin' cookies. Once we've snacked on the cookies, we can find Rob and Rilpu and that blasted wizard wif the bloody silver Brenda Lee.”

Casual Injustice

“Wonderful! Now I have a clear understanding of our mission!” Fortune declared. “Ketil, have you any useful information to add?”

“Only that Anant Mantovani is a crazed cultist and not a mere prat with access to rare and exotic culinary enhancers from outside the Earthly realm,” Ketil explained. “It is our belief that he may have erected mystical barriers in his ostentatious chef’s chateau in the Swiss Alps. We hoped that you might be able to help us identify and circumvent these barriers.”

“It will be my pleasure. Yitzy, will you share your thoughts?”

“I wish to express my displeasure that this pair thought to leave me here in your care as if I were a newly hatched larva,” the towering conical extraterrestrial stated. “I must say that I believe that my contributions to this point have been valuable. I am a trained scientific expert many eons their senior. I do not require a nursery attendant.”

“Yitzy, old fellow, I apologize most sincere-like fer insulting you,” Little John demurred. “It ain't that I fin' ya can't 'andle yourself. It's just that you're a towerin' specimen of otherworldly splendor, and it would be quite difficult ter disguise ya. It ain't loike me 'oo can just put on a mask, or Ketil 'oo can fade into the bloomin' background, ya kna.”

“Understood. However, it is my belief that I will be more useful to you on-site than remaining beneath the surface of Uranus. Fortune, what are your thoughts?”

“As it happens, I agree with all of you,” Fortune explained. “There are mystical barriers as Ketil suggests, but together we will pinpoint their weak areas. Yitzy and I will accompany you. I can create a glamor hiding our true appearances, but we must all do our best to blend into the background, as an adept will be able to see through our disguises. Let us consult the scrying mirror to assess Chef Mantovani’s chateau.”

Fortune poured a dram of heliotrope liquid into a shallow bowl made of teal crystal. He added a small scoop of Uranian blue powder and two white stones, then stirred the lot with a clear crystalline wand while chanting.

A frozen mist rose from the bowl and the group beheld Anant Mantovani’s splendid base of operations.

“Bli-mey!” Little John declared. “That ain’t no mere chateau, it’s a bleedin’ palace!”

“More of a fortress,” Ketil surmised. “Chef Prat needs a place to stow his soldiers, adepts, and groupies. The man is a twat, but his troops are a force to be reckoned with. I suggest that we do our utmost to swoop in and out as shadows in the night and not engage anyone. John, you know the value of this Essence of Yuggoth Apple better than I do. How well is it likely to be guarded, and do you surmise that we’ll find it among his spice collection or in his mystical supplies?”

“I reckon it's pretty 'eaven and 'ell guarded,” Little John replied. “Last I 'eard, a gram of the bloomin' stuff sold for free million Bin Lid, and that was Hammer and Tack in 1918. In fact, I was due ter get a Robin Hood payoff for pilferin' a portion for Granddad, but the influenza struck me daahhhn, and I was undead a Bubble and Squeak mashed potato.”

“Yes, it’s quite a nuisance when that happens,” Ketil commiserated. “Well, now we the Undead must pilfer a bit of the Essence of Yuggoth Apple for our noble cause. The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

 


Free Use Image from Pixabay

 Dear Fiends,

Now you can't say that I never gave you anything for the holidays. I am giving you this approximately 3000-word chapter from my WIP, The Key of Eidolon, for the fabulous price of Nothing.

I have been considering the thought that if my writing doesn't start making at least a little money by the end of the year, it's time for me to give it up. I create for myself, but it's frustrating to try and promote it when it generates no interest. However, the truth is, I don't know how to do anything else and I don't much want to.

I don't know how much my lack of sales reflects a lack of interest in my work and how much of it is just broke fuckers not up to giving unknown authors a try. I'd love to buy books from every one of the authors who participate in the blog hops that I participate in, but I am literally dead broke and have gone through most of my savings while waiting for the draconian devils in disability to make a determination in my case. Given that they told my ex-sister-in-law, who has had some fifty surgeries due to her rheumatoid arthritis, that they would not approve her for disability unless she were a quadriplegic, I am not terribly hopeful.

I do have a lawyer, which may help.

As the late Tom Petty said, the waiting is the hardest part.

Sorry to be a downer. I hope you enjoyed the story. Happy holidays however you may celebrate them.

~Cie the Ornery Old Bat~

Acknowledgments

Beavis and Butthead are the creations of Mike Judge for the eponymous television program.

Dean Winchester is a character created by Eric Kripke for the American television program “Supernatural.”

The Cat from Uranus is a creature created by Sandy Petersen for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. The character Fortune is the intellectual property of Naughty Netherworld Press.

https://petersengames.com/cthulhu-mythos/

Thanks to the Lovecraft Bestiary for helpful stats for the Cat from Uranus.

https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/5e-lovecraftian-bestiary.738564/page-6

The Great Race of Yith is the creation of H.P. Lovecraft, initially appearing in his story “The Shadow Out of Time.” Yitzy is the intellectual property of Naughty Netherworld Press.

Nyarlathotep is the creation of H.P. Lovecraft, initially appearing in his 1920 story of the same name.

In his book “The Heroin Diaries,” Nikki Sixx refers to disturbing hallucinations that he experienced while addicted to heroin.

Prompts Used

*The Daily Spur: Spring

https://thedailyspur.wordpress.com/2020/12/06/spring/

*The Daily Spur: Prompt

https://thedailyspur.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/prompt/

*Fandango’s One Word Challenge: Body

https://fivedotoh.com/2020/12/07/fowc-with-fandango-body/

*Fandango’s One Word Challenge: Fumes

https://fivedotoh.com/2020/12/08/fowc-with-fandango-fumes/

*Go Dog Go Café Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge: As Winter Whispers

https://godoggocafe.com/2020/12/08/tuesday-writing-prompt-challenge-december-8-2020/

Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie: Tale Weaver: Barriers

https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2020/12/03/tale-weaver-304-barriers-december-3rd/

Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie: Wordle #217

https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2020/11/30/wordle-217-2/

Ice

 

Spill

 

Bestow

 

Obstinate

 

Crumble

 

Lighthouse

 

Murky

Garble

 

Drama

 

Print

 

Quiver

 

Surrender

Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Wordle #218

https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/wordle-218-2/

Yes

Walls

Rhythm

Swim

Doom scrolling- the practice of obsessively checking online news for updates, especially on social media feeds, with the expectation that the news will be bad, such that the feeling of dread from this negative expectation fuels a compulsion to continue looking for updates in a self-perpetuating cycle.

Clump

Outside

Type

Tirrivee- tantrum

Perfect

Answer

Down

 

October Spooky Writing Challenge: Undead

https://thewritershandbook.tumblr.com/post/630699213481705472/this-years-october-spooky-writing-challenge-is

Putting my Feet in the Dirt

http://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com

Ironing out the Kinks

Arguments in the Dark

Casual Injustice

Dangling Dreamers

Feline Good

*Ragtag Daily Prompt: Swish

https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/rdp-monday-test-post/

*Ragtag Daily Prompt: Pearl

https://ragtagcommunity.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/rdp-monday-pearl/

Submitted to the Reedsy Prompts challenge on 9 December 2020 for the Write about someone trying to recreate a grandparent’s signature baked good from memory prompt.

https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/

Three Things Challenge: Venue, nothing, often

https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/three-things-challenge-441/

V.J.’s Challenge: Embarrassing Moments

https://onewomansquest.org/2020/12/07/vjs-weekly-challenge-124-embarrassing-moments/

WEP Writing Challenge for December: Unmasked

http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com

*Word of the Day Challenge: Spontaneous

https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2020/12/07/spontaneous-2/

*Word of the Day Challenge: Hogamadog

https://wordofthedaychallenge.wordpress.com/2020/12/08/hogamadog/

Words for Wednesday

https://myjustsostory.blogspot.com/2020/12/words-for-wednesday_9.html

Bent

Icon

Never

Quiet

Half

Hope

Other

Mean

Particular

Little

Life

Anthem

Yeah Write Week 504: Why didn’t you tell me?

https://yeahwrite.me/weekly-writing-challenge-kickoff-504/

The Key of Eidolon is the second book in the Tales from the Dreamlands series. The first book in the series is available on Kindle and LBRY.

Buy the Kindle version of Ketil and Yitzy's Adventure in the Xura Dream House for $3.99  https://bit.ly/KetilandYitzyAz

Buy the PDF version from LBRY for 75 LBC (approximately $2.25)

https://bit.ly/KetilandYitzyLBRY

LBRY is a decentralized content marketplace. I price the PDF versions of my work at approximately half of the Kindle price because I receive the entire amount rather than a royalty percentage. 

You can get a free LBRY account through this link. You can earn LBC for viewing content on LBRY as well as from selling your content.

https://bit.ly/LBRYCard

I'm on a mission with no permission. You can support me on LBRY.

For weird and wonderful stories Netherworld style, slide on over to the official Naughty Netherworld Press channel.

https://bit.ly/nnpLBRY

For a unique poetic experience, take a break in LBRY's finest poetry tea room.

https://bit.ly/ponLBRY

Most of my work is free. A tip as small as 5 LBC (approximately $0.15) really helps, and it all goes to me.

For more information about getting the best from Naughty Netherworld Press, follow this link:

https://bit.ly/morennp


This story was posted to these places:

http://www.naughtynetherworldpress.com

http://bit.ly/nnpLBRY


The Icky, Sticky, Nit-Picky Legalese If You Please (Or Don't Please)


Creative Commons License

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8 comments:

  1. Thank you - and good luck with your Disability Claim.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry my "gift" sucked. Count gift-giving among the things that I suck at.
    Let's face it--I suck.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the free excerpt from your WIP. These days very little sells without a lot of money pumped into promotion. There's just too much competition out there. You're a very good writer, but these days writing is a business, a very competitive business. I hope you get your disability claim and continue to write.

    All the very best Christmas wishes. Thanks for bearing with the WEP team through the ups and downs of 2020.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a bizarrely quirky story. It made me smile.
    I hope you get your disability.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fun and complicated entry. Nice pop-cultural references. Thanks for sharing it. I aggree, it is hard to create when you're unsure others are interested. Hope your claim turns out better than you expect.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No you don't! Your gift was lovely but at this stage people are just overwhelmed! Trying to pull off a 'merry' anything is asking a lot for so many. Unemployment, hunger, ILLNESS, it's taking it's toll everywhere.
    I hope your lawyer can turn things around for you!
    But don't give up on writing. I say that as I too have considered it seriously. I read the reviews and just get so down. I'm not selling books either. I put some of them up for free, but that invites lousy 1 star reviews because people who wouldn't normally read it get it only because it's free. Then they post their 1 or 2 star reviews even if they don't read the entire story. Anyway, I do know how you feel!
    If you try to keep the faith, so will I!!
    Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This reminded me of both Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz I haven't the faintest clue why! :)

    Best of luck with the claim and the best of the season to you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good luck with your claim. I hope you continue writing. It can be a struggle for all of us.

    Thank you for taking part and sharing your writing with us all! Your writing is clever and your story is intriguing.

    ReplyDelete

I try to get comments published as quickly as possible. I have ADHD and anxiety and sometimes I need to work myself up to be able to respond to comments. I don't always reply to comments on my blog, but I do try to visit as many people as possible when I participate in blog hops. I share your work on the monthly Roost Recommendations posts at ornerybookemporium.blogspot.com so others can discover your work. I do read and appreciate your comments.
Sorry, the Captcha is back and this time it's staying. I was inundated with spam comments when I turned it off. I wish butt rash on all the spammers out there.

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