 The Guardian, 1647 GUE The Guardian after Morphius defeat (A) / (B) / (C) The Guardian Artwork |
Also known as the Highwayman, the Guardian was once a hero whose fame prompted the erection of the Hero's Memorial at Shanbar. When the curse of Morphius struck the land in the mid-1600s GUE, he vanished and was thought to have been defeated by the adversary or to have fled in cowardice.
Becoming a mysterious figure semi-shrouded in secrey, he roamed both levels of the Valley of the Sparrows on horseback, preying upon any foreigners for cash and possessions. Most found him too clever to be over-powered.
But in reality, the Guardian, who served the will of the great Implementors, was do-gooder embarked on a mission to gather wealth for the future of the valley-folk. His ideal purpose, though, was to keep Zorkian citizens and visitors honest and upright, and to punish the fallible and fling their belongings to the four winds whenever the Implementors deemed appropriate.
When unknown persons had attempted to rewrite Zorkian history and were circulating a revisionists versions of the Encyclopedia Frobozzica, the Guardian roamed the countryside and confiscated bogus versions.
While the name of the Guardian has been lost to time, he partake was one of the celebrants who honored the unknown Sweepstakers Winner after his defeat of Morphius in 1647 GUE.
| SOURCE(S): Return to Zork (game, Encyclopedia Frobozzica, design documents) |