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 massive tome bound in dragonskin to an Aesthetic standing by you. You note the spine bears the word 'Hilgrid' scribed in rich orange ink. As you glance down at the page you read..
From the pages of Hilgrid's book..
Author: Hilgrid Date: Sun Mar 19 18:11:58 2017 Subject Change Is Good
Hilgrid stood on the edge of the cliff, staring out at the stormy sea. The spring tempest that was brewing in the distance would spell disaster for any boats unfortunate enough to be caught out there, among the melting chunks of ice. Soon the coast would be lashed with needles of icy rain. The rest of the fishing party had retreated inside skin tents, their wooden skiffs safely fastened to the jetty at the shore. Hilgrid wanted to climb to the top of the cliff before the rocks became hazardously slick.
The changing of the seasons always brought violent storms. The storm would bring destruction to those foolish enough to disrespect the strength of the sea, but it would also bring great schools of fish close to the shore. Catches would be bountiful for the coming days -- plenty to eat, and enough excess to trade with the plainsmen in Rigitt for the goods they couldn't make themselves. She touched the turtle shell she wore at her waist, saying a prayer of thanks to Zebyr Jotun. Change was good.
She turned her face to the sky and relished the feeling of the frigid wind in her face. The last cleric in her tribe had worshipped the Fisher God. In fact, most of the clerics in her tribe's history had done so. There were those that opposed her nomination for the position. A greater number, though, had placed their faith in her, hoping that her influence would protect them from the raging storms that seemed to be getting stronger every year. They'd lost many fishermen and women, young people, to the sea. Old Havard's appeals to Habbakuk were apparently ineffective. The people began to see him as a charlatan, and his god as a weak one. When he died, they turned to Hilgrid, and to Zebyr Jotun. Times were changing, and change was good.
She could feel the approaching storms in her blood. Silly, cowardly old Havard. His fear when a storm approached had been palpable as he begged Habbakuk to make the storm stop and to keep his people safe. Hilgrid felt no fear, only exhilaration. She made no such demands from Zebyr Jotun. It was Hilgrid's job to keep her tribe safe, not the goddess'. Instead, she thanked Her for the gift, and praised Her for Her might.
Of course, sometimes the sea demanded a sacrifice, too. But every small community has its ne'er-do-wells. There are always people who can disappear while the rest of the village looks the other way. Pilferers, brawlers, troublemakers...well, they might not be informed of an impending storm as quickly as everyone else.
In a community as small as theirs, though, you tended to run out of expendable members. The threat of being swallowed up by the sea maintained law and order a little too well. No one had been given to the sea for some time now, and the thought weighed on Hilgrid's mind that it was only a matter of time before the Goddess simply took what she was owed.
She turned around and began to head down the path leading back to the shore. Hard pellets of ice were beginning to sting her face. In the distance, one of the great white dragons was landing at its Dragonarmy encampment. She sneered and spat on the ground.
Many in the tribe praised their Highmaster Nestos. He'd brought peace, they said. Some of the younger men and women in the tribe were even talking about going to join them. They didn't remember what it was like before. Hilgrid remembered. It was easy to bring peace when you'd brought chaos first. Perhaps this Highlord was keeping a rein on his men's more bloodthirsty impulses for now, but that wouldn't last. And an occupier was still an occupier, no matter how nicely he did it.
Perhaps one day some bumbling, inexperienced soldier would wander a little too far from his camp and disappear...and Zebyr Jotun would be appeased.
But that was a project for another day. For now, she crawled into her tent, tied the flaps shut, and prepared to wait out the storm.He was a boy, really. He stood out a mile away on the tundra -- taller than a spear shaft and just as skinny -- but when Hilgrid came closer to his body, she could see that his face was smooth, apart from an angry crop of pimples on his forehead. Were the Dragonarmies so desperate for men that they were resorting to kidnapping? A red stain was spreading on his pristine uniform. His eyes were wide and glassy, staring forward into nothingness, but when she pulled the javelin out of his chest, she saw his eyes twitch, and when she looked again, the boy was looking back at her. A shiver ran through her, starting in her chest and sending goosebumps along the skin of her arms. Perhaps Zebyr Jotun would appreciate the sacrifice more if it was still alive.
As it turned out, soldiers went astray all the time, especially when the weather was bad -- the fog and the unexpected, furious snow flurries of spring in Icereach meant peril for anyone who came here as an outsider. All she had to do was follow the patrols at a safe distance, and wait for one or two of them to be separated from the group. For someone who had stalked ice bears across the tundra since she was a youth, it was child's play.
She hoisted him onto her broad shoulders. She'd caught fish that weighed more than him. Still, it was a long way back to the beach, and she took an indirect route to avoid passing through the encampment. She carried him to the spot where the waves crashed and roared against the jagged rocks of a sea cave entrance.
"Great Zebyr Jotun, may the blood of this youth strengthen you. May his soul feed your fury. May his flesh fatten your creation. Accept this gift from the Fallowfields Clan, and in return, may you protect us and strike out against our enemies." At the conclusion of the prayer, she tossed his body into the sea. She looked away before it was dashed against the rocks, and hiked back towards the camp, feeling blessed by the true mistress of the seas.
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He states simply 'You might start with that one.. or you could take a look at the latest story..'
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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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