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 leather bound tome with glowing glyphs to an Aesthetic standing by you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Sylvarina' scribed in unearthly black ink.
As you glance down at the page you read..
From the pages of Sylvarina's book..
Author: Sylvarina
Date: Tue May 4 20:14:41 2010
Subject Sylvarina the monk:part 1 beginnings
Sitting at the alter of Majere, Sylvarina meditates, seemingly peaceful
to all those who look upon her. But within her mind, flashbacks of the past
are speeding past her closed eyes, a story of her beginnings......
(12 years ago)
"Mommy, where are you?", young sylvarina yelled upstairs, "The clan Elder is
here for you"
"That's grandfather to you young one" the clan elder, Kromaros Draconis said
laughing as he tussled his granddaughters' hair. "Now why don't you go out
and play";
"But grandfather, i'm waiting for daddy to get back so we can spar
together"
"A young girl shouldn't being sparring at your age. Now listen to your
grandfather and go out and play sylvarina!" her mother, Ashlynia Draconos,
said as she descended the stairs.;
"ok mother" sylvarina pouted as she sulked out the door.
(Later that night)
"Mommy, why isn't daddy home yet?"
Looking at her young daughter with tears in her eyes, Ashlynia pulled
sylvarina onto her lap and said "Well honey, daddy isn't going to come home
anymore. Paladine has gathered him to his side."
"What? Are you saying...daddy's......daddys' dead?" Sylvarina exclaimed as
tears welled up in her eyes as well
"Yes honey. I'm sorry, but daddy was killed while out hunting today. The
other hunters found him by the creek, and brought him home to be laid to
rest"
"I don't believe you! My dad can't be dead! He was a knight!" With such a
bold statement, Sylvarina fled her house, disappearing into the dark night
"Wait Sylvarina! Stop!" her mother called after her to no avail.
Glistening sunlight upon her face woke Sylvarina, her bloodshot eyes
squinting against the harsh glare. Looking around, she was alarmed to see
smoke rising from the direction of her clan. "What is that?" she wondered as
she started running home. Upon reaching the clan's perimeter, the sickly
sweet smell of roasted meat reached her nose. however she didn't recognize
the distinct smell until she stumbled upon the center square, in which a
huge bonfire was burning, fueled by the corpses of her family. "No! Mother!"
Sylvarina ran blindly through the smoke to her house, bashing open the
ruined door in her haste, and fell upon her knees, grabbing her mother's
bloody locket of the floor and clasping it to her chest as tears ran down
her face. "No...how could this happen?"
"Syl.....va....rina...." a faint voice croaked her name from her
grandfathers house, next door. Running out, she saw her grandfather on his
porch, gashes on his stomach running red.
"Grandfather, what happened? Where's mother at? Why?" a stream of senseless
questions ran from her mouth as she knelt beside her grandfather.
"Hush child. I dont have much time left in this world. I can feel Paladine's
pull as we speak." her grandfather whispered, coughing up blood "It was a
troop of dragon like beings, bent on destruction. You mother, she was one of
the first to go, thinking that the enemy had already taken you, she charged
them."
"But the didn't! They never came near me grandfather!"
"But child, your mother didn't know that. Quiet and listen love. you are the
last living Draconos . Take this my child, as your legecy." Take this my
child, as your legecy."story + Her grandfather pressed a ring bearing the
seal of House Draconos into her hand. "Remember our clan child, and be
proud. Carry on ourr legacy and name, as generations before you have."
"I will grandfather. I swear i will be worthy of carrying the title of 'Lady
of House Draconos'. And i swear i will avenge our family!";
"No child, you would have no chance against these creatures. Swear to me, on
your mother's name, that you will never bear arms against these creatures!
Swear to me, or may Paladine forgive me, I will never let you carry on our
name!"
"Ok grandfather. I swear i will never take up arms to fight these creatures,
be it sword, axe, or mace. I swear on Ashlynia's name"
Author: Sylvarina
Date: Tue May 4 20:28:43 2010
Subject Sylvarina the Monk:part 2 the training
(2 years ago)
Sweat dripping of her brow, Sylvarina surveyed the man before her. He was a
knight, wearing full plate armor, and carrying a axe that would surely cut
her in two if he connected. Just another person helping out with her
training. Standing off to the side, GrandMaster Thalonial watching the match
as a judge. Nodding at Sylvarina and the Knight, he said "Continue."
The Solamnic knight charged at sylvarina, axe swinging and slashing as he
advanced. Closing her eyes quickly, Sylvarina focused and ran through her
repitoire, coming up with a combination that would let her neutralize her
opponent. 'Dodge right, feint left, spin kick right, duck, punch left knee,
right thigh, roll left, punch left ribs, behind left ear, headlock, match'
Opening her eyes, She smiled as her opponent swung at his previously
unattentive target. Dodging, feinting, kicking and punching, sylvarina
quickly neutralized the knight, forcing him to concede defeat at the hands
of this agile woman.
"Well done Sylvarina. You can let the poor man go now." Her Master said
smiling as he advanced.
Smiling, sylvarina did just that, offering her hand to her opponent to help
him up. "Nice match sir knight. Thank you for the help with my training"
"Glad to be of service. Now, if you don't mind, i have some duties i must
attend to. My lord, My lady." Bowing, the knight left the training grounds.
"Well sylvarina. I believe this is the end of the training I can give you.
You will always be welcomed here, but no longer as a pupil. Instead, i will
welcome you as a fellow monk." Her Master said, congratulating her, as he
handed her a gift for her ascension to full monkhood. "As a mark of your
success, please accept this gift. As monks of Majere, we are required to
live humble lives, but in this case, I feel an exception should be made. I
hope that you like it"
Opening the plain wooden box, Sylvarina felt her breath catch in her throat.
Inside was her mothers' locket, which she had cast aside at the beginning of
her training, beautifully retooled with the signet of house Draconos, a
dragon's eye, and a single rose within the dragon's iris, a complement on
her nature as a monk and as the lady of house Draconos. Inside, on one side,
was the portrait of her mother. On the other, was a portrait of her.
"Master, It's beautiful." Crying, sylvarina knelt at her master's feet one
last time, silently thanking him for his consideration and caring.
"However, i must let you know one thing Sylvarina. This quest of yours, a
quest for revenge, no good can come of it. I know you feel as if it is your
duty as the last surving member of your family, but think on this child.
Revenge can only breed more sorrow. If all you live for is revenge, what
happens after you exact your revenge? You be even more lonely than you are
now, but without a purpose for living. Is this what you want for yourself?
Is this what your mother would want for you? Medititate on that my child."
And with those words, Grandmaster Thalonial left sylvarina kneeling on the
practice field, and went inside the temple.
"Mother.....what should i do?" Silvarina whispered as she struggled to
harness the demons inside of her. "Should i avenge you, and father, and our
family? Or should i let go of my hate, of my rage, and live for myself? Help
me Mother, I know not what to do!".......
Author: Sylvarina
Date: Tue May 4 20:43:05 2010
Subject Sylvarina the Monk:part 3 A Purpose Reborn
(1 year ago)
Slipping quietly through the underbrush, Sylvarina scanned ahead, and seeing
no one, stepped into veiw onto the plains. Softly, she made her way through
the tall grass, following a path known only in her memories. Feeling the
ground change under her foot, she stopped, looking around at what had once
been the home of the proud House Draconos. Here and there, timbers of
rotting wood could be seen poking through the tall plain's grass, the only
reminders of a tragic past. Tears glistening in her eyes, she made her way
to what used to be her house, stepping into the center of the rotting room.
"Mother, i am lost. I've spent the last year wandering Ansalon, always
honing my skills, searching for the draconians that murdered you. Finally i
found them, inside a bar in neraka, bragging over drinks about how many they
murdered here. I followed them as the left the bar, followed them down the
street, and when they entered a dark alley, i killed them, with my bare
hands. I did not break my vow, and Mother, i avenged our family. But now i
feel so empty inside. Please, Mother, Majere, someone tell me, what is left
for me in this life?" Exhausted from her journey, Sylvarina sets up her
hammock and falls asleep, comforted by the familiar presence of home.
Screaming, woman and children are slaughtered by bloodlusting draconians.
Men die protecting their loved ones, as the draconians indescrimately
slaughter everyone the see. Piles of bodies burn in bonfires, the
sickeningly sweet smell of human flesh polluting the air. Laughing, the
troop splits the belongings of the deceased, chomping down on what looks to
be human thighbones, as the scene of carnage is replayed over and over
within her mind. Screaming, Sylvarina wakes up, sweat and tears running in
rivulets down her face. "Why am i seeing this? Why am i seeing these
people?"
"Because my dear child, you have the power to prevent this. You have the
power to protect these innocent people from suffering from the same pain you
must live with every day."
Looking around wildly, Silvarina attempts to find the origin of the words.
Seeing nothing other than a copper colored spider in the corner, she wonders
aloud "Am i losing my mind?"
"No child, your not." Descending in front of her face, the copper spider
expands to become an elderly monk, as an aura of peace surrounds her "You
don't recognize the symbol of your god, dear child?"
Bowing, Sylvarina exclaims "Forgive me Lord Majere, I have had a rough day.
I did not recognize you at first. Why are you showing me these images my
lord?"
"As i said dear child, you have the power to prevent this, the power to
protect the innocents you see. You asked for a purpose, you asked for a
reason, I am giving you one. Seek out those who protect the innocent, and
join them. You suffer everyday from what you have lived through, do you
really want others do to the same?"
"No, I don't........" In a blinding flash, Sylvarina wakes up, looking
around, seeing no spider, no monk. "It was all a dream." she whispers.
However, the peace she had felt still remained, leaving her doubting. "I
must have faith. Whether it was a dream or no, the point was still valid. I
have the power to protect those who would suffer as i have.".....
(Present day)
Opening her eyes, Sylvarina stands, and bowing to statue of Majere, prepares
to set out. For she had found those who protect the innocent, The Holy Order
of the Stars, and she was intent on joining them. Grasping her silver
amulet, the only show of wealth on her body, she whispered "Mother, i will
become someone whom you can be proud of..."
Read More
He states simply 'You might start with that one.. or you could take a look at the latest story..'
The Latest Entry
Irulan
by Irulan, posted on Thu Jan 5 00:40:10 2023.
Irulan, the noble wanderer. She was a child taken from her parents during a raid on their home. The young one was found (read more)....
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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Authors:
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Astinus sighs as he recants 'We saved 856 books from Ansalon
from before the great Cataclysm through today.'
\n
