The Great Library of Palanthas
Astinus' Office
Dominating the center of this room is a massive birch desk. Legend claims this desk has supported the thousands of volumes of history Astinus has recorded. A large pot of ink, a container of sharpened quills, and a candelabra complete the desks decorations. Small windows line the room, allowing light to trickle in and gently illuminate the entire room. A comfortable couch rests against the west wall. Tapestries hang on the walls between the windows. Shelves line the walls, filled with tomes of the more recent records of heroes and villians upon the face of Krynn.
The librarian notices you aren't reading anything... Astinus hands a miniscule pocket book to an Aesthetic standing by you. You note the spine bears the word 'Amyrei' scribed in black ink. As you glance down at the page you read..
From the pages of Amyrei's book..
Author: Amyrei Date: Mon Sep 21 07:10:28 2015 Subject Journal Entry #20
Today is the last day of my stay here at Solace, a town built on top of and within the great trees of Vallenwood. One would think the elves live here but it's a human town! A fortnight ago, while I was sitting in the darkest corner of Tika's place, a man of age came crashing through the doors panicking. He begged everyone to help rescue his two daughters who were taken after an ambush of their caravan. Having encountered such thugs numerous times, I wasted no time and slipped out to hunt. While following their trails, I came by the tribe of Que-Kiri. A fierce warrior tribe in Abanasinia of about 800 nomadic Plainsmen. They pointed me to the right direction, and here I thought they would not even talk to me -- their reputation and all. No sooner after I left them, I felt this was no ordinary quest. Slowly, I can sense of familiarity and peace in the land. But I pushed these away, I had to concentrate. This was when I chanced on another tribe, the Que-Shu, my people. As this was the first time I'm meeting them, a part of me was eager. I wanted to leave then but at the back of my mind, I knew this is where it all leads. As I was about to enter a warrior blocked my path, "You are not worthy to enter our village, Amyrei," said a broad, man. "Would you like to prove your worth?" I was a bit surprised that he knew my name. But as they are my people, I agreed, and he showed me to their arena where I have to face the current Que-Shu Champion. It was a long match, he truly deserved his title. I almost lost but a battle can be won in many different honourable ways, it was not all weapons and bruteness, it's brains too. Suffice it to say, I emerged victorious and I was given a traditional fur cloak of the Que-Shu tribe. After this, they led me to the Temple, not one answered my many questions. It was here that I learned more of my people, was given a prophecy (which I do not believe), and became a true Que-Shu, not just by blood. (I want to write down what we talked about but I was told not to. Perhaps in time I can, I must, for record keeping.) Oh, the two daughters? They're safe. Before I arrived in my people's town, they already hunted the thugs. I brought the two ladies back to Solace and their father. Still I cannot shake the feeling that they knew I was coming... - Amyrei WhiteLight Aisiele, the wayfarer. ### Amyrei closed her book and placed it back in her satchel. She stood, worn her cloak, and pulled her hood over her head. She took one last look in the room that she spent more than half a month, smiled, and sneaked out in the shadows. A sack of gold coins left on the table.
How long has it been? she thought. It has been some time since she entered the infamous evil capital, the City of Neraka, bastion of the Dragonarmy, and if rumours were true, there were {phonourable changes sweeping through their ranks. "Hah! As if that will ever happen," she whispered to herself. "{pHonourable and Dragonarmy are a contradiction." Draconians, goblins, and humans were very common in the city. Sadly, as much as she wanted to explore every inch of it, there were places she had to avoid, like the temples of the evil pantheon. She expected them to see her and accuse her of disrupting their version of peace and order. Though their gods respected her god, it was not something she was willing to risk. Mortals, after all, will never live by their Holy, or Unholy in this matter, Will. It was yesterday when Amyrei finally received a missive. She followed the instructions, and arrived at the agreed location. At first, she thought it was a trap. It was quiet, eerily quiet. Have they discovered me? she wondered. Her guards up, she examined the immediate area. She sneaked from one house to another, hiding behind barrels, stalls, and the darkest shadows. Eyes wide-opened for any slight movement, ears in attention for any small sound. Nothing. Time was of the essence. She decided it was a risk she must take. Slowly, she approached an abandoned house from the back. Expecting an ambush, instead she found a brown package partially hidden under a chair. She brushed-off the leaves and saw a label with words she was too familiar with, Est Sularus oth Mithas. It was signed, Oth Nikkas. Uth Paranaith. "Our truth. From friends," she said in common. She looked behind her, scanned the vicinity, and checked the package for any traps. None. She picked it up, curious and tempted to open it when she heard a commotion not far from her. In a quick move, she opened a tear in spacetime and placed the package inside, all the while, she ran fast through the town. She sneaked past the guards and patrols at the northern gates and out the City of Neraka. Uth Paranaith...
Amyrei woke up tired. The room is lit by a lonely candle on top of her table. She doesn't remember leaving it there though. Confused. She stood, yawned like a bear who had just awoken from a deep slumber. "That felt good", she said to the air. Her bones cracked as she stretched her legs and arms. The door opened slowly, "Mistress, I can hear your bones from afar. You need to oil those joints lest you become like those poor souls stoned by renegade mages", a young woman said. "I am Mayari", she bowed, "I've been looking after you. I see that you are feeling well, Mistress Amyrei?" 'Mistress Amyrei?' Amyrei is deep in thought as she assess the beautiful creature before her with long black hair reaching to her waist. She also noticed, for the first time, that her silk dress was of a color no mere maiden would ever wear. This piqued her interest more... "Thank you, Lady Mayari", she replied. "No, please, just Mayari, my Mistress." "Then call me by my name only, Mayari." "A fine compromise, Amyrei", she smiled. 'Schooled in manners and speaks with confidence.' With the pleasantries out of the way, "Mayari, you said you've been looking after me, what do you mean by that? How long was I asleep?" She gestured over the table with the slowly dimming candle, "I don't even remember leaving a candle there, and that table was not there last I can remember." Mayari went over to the table and placed a new lit candle on top of the dying light. She then turned to face her mistress and looked straight into her eyes, "This may sound crazy but you have been sleeping for well over a year." "Over a year!" She could not believe it. She could not even think it is possible. Was she cursed? Was she attacked? Then pain hits her hard and she sat down on her bed, holding her head. "Amyrei", Mayari rushed to her aid and conjured water on her palms, "Here, drink this. It will help you with the pain." She drank the water and it tasted sweet as honey and smelled like apple. Her pain subsided, yet the memories she was trying to remember are still beyond her reach. "Good, good. You still need to rest, Amyrei." "Thank you. I'm thinking about the last memory I have before I fell asleep but it was not there." She looked at Mayari, begging for answers. "You will remember in time. What is important today is you finally woke up. But, you have to rest for now, we will find the answers to your questions together when you have fully recovered." She let Mayari helped her lie on her bed, when her bones cracked once again. They both giggled like little girls. When she was confortable, Mayari bid her leave and left her alone to her thoughts. And she fell asleep once more.
"What do you think?" asks Mayari, pointing her fingers to a line on an old scroll, "Could this be the spell that put you into slumber?" Amyrei walked towards the table and looked over her shoulders, "A good find my dear Mayari", she tapped her shoulders. "Could you..." Bells rang outside of her home, "Are not those the warning bells of the city?" "The city is underattack!" shouted by what sounds to be a boy, probably early in his teenage years. "The Dragonarmy is invading us, run!" Amyrei and Mayari looked at each other and quickly took into action. Amyrei went to her wardrobe and took out her garments for times like these. While Mayari rolled-up the scrolls on her table and put it in a chest. She then placed the locks and casted protection on it. "Hand me the chest", Amyrei said as she puts her white shirt with a washed out emblem of their family crest, on her body. Mayari looked at her, measuring her, and handed the chest to her. She placed her hands on top of the chest and whispered words only those in her profession has knowledge of. The chest glowed green and yellow as she moves her hand around it and finished her whispers. "There we go", she handed it back to Mayari. "You know where to hide it?" She nodded as she took the chest back, and went in the other room. Amyrei opened her warchest and took out her weapons. Two thin daggers that she threw up and caught with her hands, testing the weight, familiarising herself again. She then took her sword and placed it on her back. She checked her belt, pockets, bags, and everything seems to be in order. The last thing she wore was her favourite cloak. Crafted from the finest material long lost forgotten. It was light and yet strong, saved her life from fatal blows many times. The colour adapts to its environment which helps her to hide and listen to conversations, or sneak behind her prey to capture, or worst, end their lives if it is for the greater good. A cloak handed down from generations of the Whitelight family, a clan she remembered she was digging into before she was put to sleep. She was trying to remember more when Mayari went back to the room wearing what looks like an elven light armor with an emblem of a gryphon feather on her chest. Her hair was tied up in a ball, exposing her smooth brown neck. Down her neck, there is a glowing green pendant, one she has not seen her wear before. On her sides are two swords, one long and the other short. And behind her, she saw a handle with a red gem, with what could only be a dagger, placed horizontally on her back at a level to her waist. No longer is Mayari wearing her white robe, she is in full battle gear. Which only made her more curious as to who she really is. But the emblem. The emblem. It looks familiar to her but she can not pull her memories of it. She has seen it somewhere before but there is only pain in her head whenever she starts to see clarity to it. She swayed... "I'm so sorry, Amyrei, I haven't told you", she rushed towards her to give her support. "Here, sit down and take deep breaths." Amyrei allowed herself to be helped sitted on a chair. 'Told me what?' she thought to herself. "Now's not the time to remember. We have to help the city." She realised she was right. "No, not the city. We are going to help the people." She took one last deep breath and stood up, "We are going to save those that can not defend themselves." "A noble ideal, Amyrei", replied Mayari. "But, alas, I am called to report first before I take part in this." She can not believe what she's hearing, "Report? What are you saying? Is saving the defenseless not important enough?" "They are important and my brothers and sisters are on their way. My task is different." "Are they your patrons? Are they the ones who sent you hear to watch over me?"
"Yes, they ordered me to help you recover. And no, if you are thinking I am spying on you", she smiled. "I will be going where I will be of most use in this... war." 'War.' "Very well, if you must go, then go. May Branchala keep your life, dear Mayari." She bowed deeply before her, "Thank you, mistress Amyrei." When Mayari stood, she embraced her and left. "Who is Mayari?" she said to no one. "And that emblem, it looks very familiar." When she started to feel the beginning of the pain, she focus on the task at hand, to defend the defenseless. She realised, the Knights of Solamnia have probably retaliated, or they started this escalation of hostilities, by attacking Neraka. She decided she's going to help in Palanthas as best as she could and head to city of Neraka. If she has to kill the Solamnics to save the innocents, she will. She strongly believed that through her actions, the people of Neraka, evil they may be, will see the light of good, and perhaps, introduced them to her family, her home.
Homes of families simply living their lives were burning left and right. Little children were running with their mothers already burdened by babes and things she can take with them. She sneaked from one house to another, saving men, women, and children trapped. When she got inside one house that has barely a scorched from fire, what assaulted her sight was a mutilated family, even a little kid dead while holding a bread knife. She took the knife from the kid and arranged his body as if he was sleeping. As she looked around, on the far corner lies the kid's father, on top of what looked to be a Solamnic soldier. I only hope that he was not a knight, she thought to herself as she pulled the father and laid him beside his son. Then she took the body of the Solamnic and placed him on the right of the kid's father. Seeing that there were no other bodies and sensing that there was no immediate danger, she took her war flute and played a soft music for the dead. The sound was calming and sad. As she reached the crescendo, tears fell from her eyes which rounded over the bodies after falling to the ground. When she finished her music, she felt power and life around her. The blood on the floor and the walls disappeared, as the three bodies turns into tiny wisps of light and moved up, passing through the ceiling. Her offering was accepted and her hope that they move to a happy life granted. This was what Amyrei did whenever it was too late for her to save anyone, in the hopes that they can move on to their new life wherever it may be. Offering them up to Branchala, the Song of Life, is their greatest hope for a new life. She can not let Chemosh capture their lifesong and trick them with his promises of a new mortal life. Which she already lost as much. Where there are deaths, the priests of Chemosh -- ironically alive -- are but around the corner, patiently waiting for their chance to capture the lifesong of the dead as well as their bodies. These were the most challenging encounters she had in this invasion. She had to retreat many times, against her will, lest she falls and become one of Chemosh's vile creations. Turning another corner, she heard a desperate cry, "No! Let my mother go!" She quickly ran toward rows of burning houses all the while dodging from the falling debris. In the distance, she saw a woman being dragged. As she got closer, she heard laughter and the sounds of steel hitting steel. She casted one of her spells to improve her vision, and she saw a teenage girl fighting a Solamnic. She wasted no time. She concentrated to harden her skin and improve her speed further. She sneaked behind the soldier and pierced him from the back directly to his heart. She sensed the men behind her tensed, surprised, and the teenage girl hacking the dead soldier. "Enough!" She held the girl's arms. "He is dead, calm yourself!" The girl wailed and sat, punching the soldier's body with her shaking fists. Amyrei looked and assessed the situation. The other Solamnics are closing in. She pulled the girl up and whisphered to her ears, "Get a hold of yourself or we will both die here." She pushed her behind her while she firmly held on her dagger. "You!" A mounted knight of Solamnia arrived, his black warhorse burning with more fury than his master, "Why did you kill one of your own, woman?" Amyrei raised her eyebrows, "Are you that blind even atop of your horse?" The knight's warhorse roared, standing on its two legs, almost causing his master to fall to his shame if not for his quick reigning of the creature. She noticed how its eyes were flaming red, she wondered if this knight accepted help from a mage or he was a victim of a misdirected spell. "Has the Solamnics truly lost their honour?" She continued. "Killing the defenseless?" The knight raised his visor and stared intently at her, "I recognise you, woman." Then his face lit up as realisation sets in. "Yes! You are the granddaughter of one of our own, Rose Knight Whitelight!"
"And what does that has to do with the atrocities committed here?" Having been interrupted and taken back to reality, the knight replied, "Nothing." Confused and unsure, he continued, "Yes, nothing! Even if you are the granddaughter of Lord Knight Whitelight, it doesn't entitle you to anything!" "I didn't asked for any, " she murmured. The girl behind her laughed quietly and she noticed his soldiers smirking. Shamed and red, he ordered to release the girl's mother and left. His men marched with him, although some stayed. They looked at each other and declared, "We want to help you." Surprised, she asked, "You want to what?" "Help you. Assist you with what you're doing. Helping people." "You will be court martialed and I will have nothing to do with that." "We are not the only defectors, we've been hearing about it." She had heard as much, even met and talked with them. But this can be a trick, to help find those who defected, hoping she will lead them to where they're hiding. "Do whatever it is you want. I heard whispers but it is none of my business. I work well alone." She turned around and looked at the girl, "Go get your mother." She shook her head, looking at the remaining men. "If these men touch as so much as a single strand of your hair, their throats will be their new mouth." The looked fiercely at the men while she made a move of slicing her throat, then she laughed. She then embraced Amyrei and ran for her mother. And so it was in Neraka. The Solamnics left the city during the cover of the night, ending the siege on the city. Or, as the Nerakans and Dragonarmy will write down in history, the Solamnics retreated after their might. No one will ever know. But it is none of her business. It is time to get back to Palanthas and help there as well. Although she knew the Solamnics defending the city probably wiped out the Dragonarmies already. She sneaked at the guards holding the northern gate. Once she was away from the city, she looked back and heard someone shouted, "A worshipper of Branchala helped us! Thank you!" Then a voice of a minotaur boomed, "Have a taste of the Solamnics you killed! Yum!" Laughter followed. Knowing they are watching from an advantageous position, she bowed in respect. She left in haste, moving through the deepest parts of the forest, and whispered to herself, "If only you knew how many lives of your kind I ended before going here, and I did this for the people you don't care much about." ### Amyrei woke up from her bed, in her home in Palanthas. She sat up and leaned on the wall. The invasion ended abruptly in both cities as it had started. She recalled the Solamnics who defected. She remembered they told her that there are commanders who were only in it for the money and the looting, and they can not take it anymore. She wondered what will happen to these soldiers. She hoped and whispered to her god, to help these good men start a much needed change in their order. A new war is brewing. If the light has to shine, a strong Knights of Solamnia is needed. A knighthood true to its Oath and Measure, and not its coffers.
Sitting under the shade of a lonely oak tree in the middle of a vast farm, Amyrei observed how lovely this day was. The sun high up shining on the crops while the farmers patiently provided life giving water to the growing produce. Ordinary people. Men, women, and children, simply living the lives given to them. The embrace of the oak tree's shadows made her relax and closed her eyes. She listened as the birds sing and the leaves played its music as it moves through the soft breeze of the cool wind. "Amy..." She opened her eyes and looked around. No one around. The farmers had already left for break, and the shadows had gone longer. She closed her eyes again and listened intently. "Amyrei..." There it was again. "Get ready for war..." She quickly rolled to her left inches before a flying knife struck her eye. She stood up and turned to her right, with the tip of her sword stopping at the throat of the intruder. "Who are you?" The human smiled, "Well done." Then he turned into a mist and disappeared. Amyrei concentrated and made her skin like diamond, while she slowly pulled her dagger. She looked around and noticed she was no longer in the safety of the oak tree and there was a growing thick fog blocking all her senses. She cringed as she felt a knife cut her left leg. In quick succession, she turned around, lowered herself, while her sword slashed against the empty fog, and thrusted her dagger upwards upon returning to the same direction she started... blood dripped down her thin dagger. "Perfectly executed, Amyrei, " the human said, showing his hands holding her dagger's blade. "The drums of war are sounding! Look in the direction of Schallsea." The human disappeared as a blinding light exploded. "It is time you pick a side, Whitelight!" Amyrei was blinded even after she covered her eyes. She started to feel her diamond skin protection waned and felt her skin burn. But as abruptly as it happened, it stopped. When she opened her eyes, she was once again under her favourite lone oak tree with dusk breaking as the sun sets. She looked down on her left leg and saw the cut the human made, the only reminder that her mysterious encounter was not a figment of her imagination.
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The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD
Astinus points to the massive wall of books behind him and bids you to make a selection.
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