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 small leaflet to an Aesthetic standing by you. You note the spine bears the word 'Jose' scribed in burnt black ink. As you glance down at the page you read..
From the pages of Jose's book..
Author: Jose Date: Sun Aug 6 22:52:46 2017 Subject Chapter 1: A Beggar in the Streets
"Get over err boy! Yes you! You're not daft are ye?" Jose, his should stooped in shame turned slowly to the merry voice behind him. He expected berating, embraced it really. No one likes a beggar, he appreciated the ones who were at least honest about it. It was these interactions, the ones where they pretended to be nice that stung the most. They treated him nice sure, but almost as some sort of sub-human, a dog. Jose looked up at the man beckoning him over, the village healer Markus, a large hale man. Markus was one of those seeker priests, well liked and well off. A social man and kind, he would work long hours caring for the misfortunate. As a healer he found success, as much as one could these days. The seeker priests were a sham, but these days what isn't a sham. "Yes sirrah?" Jose met the man's gaze as proud as a beggar could, "Do you have coin to spare?" "Coin? Nar! I have work have you the will" Markus smirked, "I see ye here, in the streets of this fair but poor town, begging day in and day out. One would think the begging business would be a much more successful venture in say, Solanthus, Palanthas? Catch me drift?" "I ugh... what?" Jose eyes shifted side to side in confusion, what was happening? "Tell me why do you stay here in the royal dung heap of Tresvka? A young man as yourself could find work, success elsewhere" Markus demanded, "Go on tell me boy!" "My mother sirrah, she's not well. If I were to leave, she'd surely perish... I couldn't do that to her" Jose looked at his feet. "Not well is quite right, she spends her days sleeping... her nights... well there is many a bed in these parts that shes found comfort and coin in!" Markus grunted. Jose head shot up, his eyes burning with insult. "I meant no offence other than to offer the truth, as ye know it." Markus cuffed Jose on his shoulder, he flinched to the touch. "You are devoted and have a kind heart. Yer in the Muck day in and day out, the people around you need saving. Help me, help them. My assistant has recently moved on to Greater things." Markus took a moment to snicker, almost menacingly as he placed emphasis on the last couple words, "Do ye accept my offer? Pay starts at 50 copper a day." Jose gasped, "50 copper!" the offer was too fair to even consider debating, "That is more than I make in a week of begging!" "Is it a deal then son? Will you assist me at saving the poor wretches of the world?" Markus stuck out his hand, Jose flinched again but slowly grasped it. "It's a deal sirrah" Jose couldn't believe his fortune but for all the things that go good for him, much worse was always to follow. This was not an exception that rule. (To be continued...)
The next few months blew by in a flurry, Jose could never have anticipated how much sick and needing there was, even in the relatively small town of Tresvka. The flu here, a broken leg there, unknown diseases of the body and soul. Jose spent all of his time in the small semi-permanent healing tent setup on Bramble street. He learned how to mend bones, sew the body and sooth the forlorn souls. Markus was a fair teacher, mostly. He was jolly for the most part but abrupt when his patience was worn thin. Two days Jose was sent home without pay for failing to learn at the seekers expected pace, both because he was lacking sleep. When questioned Jose sheepishly admitted he had spent the last several nights dragging his unconscious mother home from unsavory places because she had stolen his earnings and spent it on spirits and lavish outfits for whoring. Markus had one privy conversation with Jose's mother after that, apparently putting her in her place and promising to have her tossed in a cell if another copper of my money was gone missing. Jose's mother had made the decision to emancipate him almost immediately after Markus's conversation with her, then outright denied Jose's existence in the weeks to follow. Now homeless Jose had nothing much more to occupy his time than his master's teachings. When it came to healing Jose was nothing less than adept. Markus was starting to mention Jose become a seeker alongside him, stating he was much more skilled than his last apprentice. Markus never much spoke about his last apprentice or what became of him, other than he went on to '{qgreater things', the way his face twisted with those words each time almost sent chills down Jose's spine but Jose was often so busy he did not have time for stray thoughts, he focused on his work. Several months had passed and Jose built up enough wealth to start renting a room in the 'Blind Goose Tavern'. It wasn't the nicest establishment, hell it was in one of the least desirable parts of town. The building was old, and rickety and the sign out-front needed some love but he had a room he could call his own, no more sneaking into the healing tent at night or hovelling under doorsteps when the weather was less than accommodating. In was in the grey goose that Jose learned of some unsavory news that lead to the most trying time of his life. 'Did ye hear about that whore, who turned up dead?' A short stocky patron with wild unkept hair and just past stubble facial hair slurred on 'Silvergown, was it? Nahhh Silvercrown.' He burped loudly after taking a swig from his mug. Jose's head perked up, all thoughts lost on the manuscript he had been reading on the healing of infections. His last name catching his immediate attention. This man was talking about his mother, Jose realized guiltily he hadn't thought of her in months. Standing Jose rose from the old dark stained wood table and walked over to inebriated ruffian and spoke in a slow emotionless tone, 'Tell me of this woman you said dead. It cannot be true, speak damn you!' His tone rose slightly as he noticed the man was starting to lose consciousness. Growling dangerously the man shot Jose an fierce look and shook his head 'Don't you speak to me in that tone boy!' Jose waited not so patiently. 'The woman, she dead alright. Caught some nasty plague they say. Found her dead in err own home, covered in her own vomit and excrements, face marred and covered in sores.' The man took a long swig of his drink before finishing 'They say she ended her life the way she lived it, screaming and moaning and at the end of the night, alone' The man laughed drunklike. Jose couldn't remember much of the next few hours after that, just the red. Eventually when coming to his senses he looked down at his swollen blood-stained hands, cuts on the knuckles, and more jagged sharp cuts down his hands. He was sitting in his mother's room, he was crying. His mother was dead and he abandoned her.
(Contined...) Jose sat there for a long while before he felt darkness descend on him. Slowly rolling onto his side Jose fell asleep. He woke up to Markus standing over him and the town sheriff at his side. 'Idiot boy! Wake up' Markus loomed over him and he was fuming, 'Do you know how long it took me to fix that poor sap up last night, you did a number on him, you did.' Markus nodded towards towards the sheriff. 'Imagine my surprise when I called this fine lawman in to report the crime to hear none other than yourself had committed it! Beating up drunks on your spare time! Why I'd never'. 'm... my... my mother is dead' Jose mumbled. Markus expression softened, 'I know lad, it was this information and my reputation that is keeping you out of a cell right now' Markus turned towards the sheriff and finished 'Are you okay if I take him from here sir?' The sheriff with a slight nod and still without any words shook his head at Jose's misfortune and left rather quickly from the room. 'I swear that man couldn't have left here any faster. I thought he was going to pass out from not breathing' upon seeing Jose's confused expression Markus continued, 'The plague boy, your mother had it and you are here. This is ground zero per say...'. Jose looked up pathetically at Marcus, 'The plague? Does this mean... I mean, do I have it?' Jose finished in nothing more that a whisper. He had read the books, he knew the answer. Markus looked at Jose and didn't bother to answer the question, he knew it was rhetorical. 'You'll be quarantine you understand this? Stupid boy. You had so much promise...' (To be continued...)
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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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