Shade is questing! Episode 1/25

The day was drawing to an end as the gnomes Black­spindle, Writhe­­riddle and Good­heart, who was wear­ing his special Christ­mas tree hat, finish­ed their work. Shade had joined them for the day.

Shade is questing! Episode 2/25

It was a long walk home and Shade was eager for its supper. "Come on, chaps," it urged. "There's a plate of sausage rolls and baked beans with my name written on it at the café!"

Shade is questing! Episode 3/25

But it was destined to remain hungry a little longer that evening! Whilst trek­king through the snowy park, Shade and the gnomes heard a plaint­ive wail­ing! It was the Diaphan­ous Fairy, perched on a park bench, weep­ing. They all gather­ed round the lachry­mose sprite, keen to help. They would have patted her on the shoulder but fortun­ately re­frained as it was un­likely the fragile creature would have surviv­ed any such gesture!
"What's up, petal?" asked Black­spindle gruffly.

Shade is questing! Episode 4/25

The Diaphanous Fairy revived a little. "My grand­mother gave me a beauti­ful new house," she said. "All the family are flitting over for a house­warming ceremony at the week­end, but I've nothing to decorate the house with and they'll be so disappoint­ed. I don't know where to look for decorations!"
They all accompanied the Fairy back to her pink-roofed home. Privately Shade thought the house was lovely as it was, but kept its thoughts to itself.
They all pledged their support. Diaphana revived wonder­fully!

Shade is questing! Episode 5/25

Early the next morning, the Christ­mas gnome awaited his colleagues at their usual meeting place. Shade joined him, but after ten minutes there was no sign of the others. Grumb­ling, Good­­heart the gnome went in search of them, Shade in his wake.

Shade is questing! Episode 6/25

They found the errant gnomes absorb­ed in lay­ing a false trail of animal tracks and marvell­ing at their own ingen­uity, say it them­selves who shouldn't.
"C'mon," urged the Christmas gnome. "We've decor­ations to find!"

Shade is questing! Episode 7/25

With Diaphana's Christmas orna­ments top of their agenda, the gnomes and Shade set off on their hunt, but with no clear idea how to go about this. They en­counter­ed a swan. "What's the best thing you could find?" they asked it. "Frogs and small fish," hissed the swan.

Shade is questing! Episode 8/25

Their next meeting was with a grey squirrel. "What would you most like to find?" they asked it. "Acorns!" declar­ed the squirrel and scampered off.

Shade is questing! Episode 9/25

An owl was the next pet they came across. "What would you most like to see decor­ating your home, Mr Owl?" queried Shade.
"Worms!" said the owl.

Shade is questing! Episode 10/25

Further along they encounter­ed a horse, nosing around amongst the snow­drifts for clumps of grass. "What would you most like to see as a Christ­mas decor­ation, Ned?" asked the gnomes.
"Hay!" replied the horse succinctly.
"I've never met such a mono­­syllabic bunch of pets in all my born days," complain­ed Good­heart as they trudged away.

Shade is questing! Episode 11/25

The gnomes went to town that snowy evening but were bewild­ered by all the bustle and loud merri­ment. They were invited to pur­chase roast­ing chest­nuts and ginger­bread in various shapes and sizes but saw nothing that seemed suit­able for the decor­ation of a small lady's dwelling place.

Shade is questing! Episode 12/25

The next morning, they proud­ly spread out all the items they had collect­­ed which in their opinion would make admir­­able Christ­­mas decor­a­tions for Diaph­­ana's new house! Thanks to the advice of the various creat­­ures they had discuss­­ed it with, there were choco­­late frogs, a charred fish, a half-eaten apple, an old teapot, a can of peas, some candy corn—­they hadn't been able to find any real corn—­a ginger­­bread fish, acorns, a can of worms, a discard­­ed door, a bale of hay, an old boot and a selection of nuts.

Shade is questing! Episode 13/25

Diaphana, summoned to receive these objets d'art, survey­ved them closely, now and then touch­ing one item or another in a wonder­ing fashion, then putting it quick­ly back down. "You have excell­ed your­selves, my friends," she murmur­ed. The gnomes beamed and patted each other on the back.
"However," continued the Fairy, "I wonder if we could perhaps try again, this time with a little help?"

Shade is questing! Episode 14/25

Before the gnomes had time to react, Diaphana waved her wand and the trio of gnomes and Shade were swept away with the enchant­­ment of the spell.

Shade is questing! Episode 15/25

They all tumbled from a portal, fortunate­­ly into a soft bank of snow.
Bewildered, they picked them­selves up and looked at each other.
"What are we doing here?" asked Writhe­­riddle.
There was a pause. "We are here to look for suit­­able decora­tions for the Fairy's new house," replied Black­­spindle.
"Haven't we done that already?" queried Good­heart. "No ... perhaps we haven't."
"We haven't done a thing! We must hurry!" urged Shade.

Shade is questing! Episode 16/25

The gnomes started doing what they were best at: tunnelling and mining for treasure.

Shade is questing! Episode 17/25

In the diamond mine, they soon un­­­covered and hewed out several magnifi­­­cent cry­stals, which blazed with light even in the dim back­­­ground of the mine.

Shade is questing! Episode 18/25

Back on the surface, they split up. Black­spindle and Writhe­iddle went hunt­ing over­­ground, where they bumped into their colleague, Green­gage They were having fun racing their scooters along the snowy path when they came across Santa, with his rein­­deer running loose and all the care­fully select­ed and finely wrapped gifts scatter­ed on the snowy ground! Green­gage leapt up to restrain the largest rein­deer while Black­spindle and Writhe­­riddle park­ed their scooters and coax­ed the smaller ones back.

Shade is questing! Episode 19/25

Soon the reindeer were back in their traces and ready and willing to continue their journey, partly en­ticed by a large juicy carrot held out to them by Writhe­­riddle.

Shade is questing! Episode 20/25

The gnomes had told Santa they were looking for the most beauti­ful decor­ations for the Fairy Diaphana. "Go to my work­­shop!" boomed Santa. "Tell them I sent you!"
The grateful gnomes assembled at Santa's work­­shop and found many glorious decor­ations fit for a magical Fairy house.

Shade is questing! Episode 21/25

Diaphana, able to fore­tell the future, as all fairies can to some extent, was having a wonder­­ful day summon­­ing the most fabulous presents, which, with a flick of her wand, she wrapped in gorgeous paper and art­­fully tied bows, and with another spell, made the gifts stack them­­selves on top of each other beside a simple but lovely Christ­­mas tree.

Shade is questing! Episode 22/25

The gnomes turned up at the Fairy’s house with stacks of decor­ations and orna­­ments. The Fairy was ecstatic with the decor­ations set out for her approval!

Shade is questing! Episode 23/25

Before they set to work drap­ing the lights and hang­ing the orna­ments around the Fairy house and near­by trees, Diaphana waved her wand another time, and Good­heart the Christ­­mas gnome found his Christ­­mas tree hat lit up with spark­­ling lights!

Shade is questing! Episode 24/25

Great merriment accompan­ied the decor­ation of the house and trees. The crystals were a partic­­ular success, especially the levita­t­­ing jewels, which were great fun for the small­­er pets present to ride on!

Shade is questing! Episode 25/25

"It's been the best day ever!" declared Shade, who was look­ing for­ward to being re­united with its family for the fest­ive season. Clutch­ing the various colour­fully wrapped gifts be­stowed on him, he bade fare­well to Black­­spindle, Writhe­­riddle and Good­­heart, who cere­moniously doffed his multi­­coloured, flash­ing hat and waved till Shade was out of sight.
Shade has found all the baubles it can carry! Please select another pet as visitor, so it can find some more!