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 large tome to an Aesthetic standing by you. You note the spine bears the word 'Taliesin' scribed in deep brown ink. As you glance down at the page you read..
From the pages of Taliesin's book..
Author: Taliesin Date: Mon Dec 28 22:12:28 2015 Subject The Breaking of the Tides (part 1)
The coral reef dances yellow, blue, green, and red about Tali's shoulders, the seaweed tickling his back as the water currents -distant echoes of a storm somewhere miles off to the west- roll by. He sits on an ocean shelf that looks out on the ruined town of Shalidon. A single shift of the foot could turn his toes out over a cliff at least half a mile steep. A rogue wave could easily shove him over the edge if he isn't careful. But he is careful. Careful is practically his middle name, or so he might say if he had the arrogance to supply himself with such a title. He is accustomed enough to sitting at this old perch that it is second nature for one part of his awareness to always be monitoring the sway of the sea flora, the paths of the fish as they go about their daily business. Should a rogue wave come rolling in, the flora in the distance would abruptly and in unison strain against their roots, the fish would dive for cover or be suddenly swept off-course, and of course, the sand would kick up and cloud the view of what had once been a great and humble Dimernesti village. Tali crosses his ankles and sighs as he looks down on it. He can see the field where his father and mentor had him study the sea life for patterns and awareness. Down from there, he could see the road -now clogged with rubble and being taken over by patches of kelp and seaweed- where he had swam laps to build up endurance and agility. And tracing that road with his eyes, he could just about make out the spot where his own home had stood, where he had listened to tales of heros and endured lectures about the importance of humbleness and introspection, where he had sat down with his family to meals and discussions about the worldly happenings, where he had cried and laughed in his sleep and prayed for strength of spirit on his knees next to his bed. The same bed where had been when the first earthquake rolled across the ocean floor... That had been same bed where he had woken, alarmed and confused, to the deep rubble of shifting grounds, breaking stone, voices in the street - crying voices. His mother had swept into the room without a doubt that young Tali was already awake. He can remember her yanking back the blankets and pulling his shoulder to speed him to his feet. "The tides are breaking, Tal," she said in answer to his questions. "We need to leave before they get here." He could remember the numb panic that had threatened to overwhelm him as his mother and father packed up the bare necessities and then guided him and his brother out into the street. Some of the older buildings were already beginning to crumble, and they had to pick through the rubble as they made their way toward the plains. He remembered how the currents had pulled at them as they crossed the plains, growing stronger and stronger and then suddenly cutting out. He remembered how they were nearly to the ravine when the first wave surged into them, bringing with it dust and debris - how the seaweed whirled and threatened to entangle them - and his father shouted - and rocks and bones and thoughts broke and shattered - shattered-- Fingertips brush lightly over his shoulder. At first he doesn't notice, disregarding it as the whisper of seaweed. But then a presence slips around to take a seat at his side. {o"I'm going to miss your company here, you know."
Koem. A smile that could make the heart dance and the stars weep in very the same moment. {o"You're a positive force in this world, whether or not you acknowledge it." "Thank you," Tali feels the words leave his mouth as if from a distance, he had retreated so far into his own mind. The meditation dulled the pain enough that he can keep his composure in the presence of his brother. The prospect of breaching the surface and going to travel among the land walkers is intimidating to say the least, but he feels a duty to visit Majere's temple and, from there, to grow his own spirit by way of travel. The hardest part is the first step. {o"At least you can stop torturing yourself by coming back here, eh?" Koem grins that same sad grin, but it fades when he sees the distance in his brother's smile. {o"...Or...you can visit us with that imagination of yours. Always wandering, even when you're holding a conversation with your favorite brother..." A couple pointed nudges of the shoulder draws Tali's focus back to the present. "Sorry," he sighs, "That wasn't my intention." Koem shakes his head. {o"You going to be alright?" "I'll be okay," and here he draws himself out of his reflections enough to meet his brother's eyes, a sudden sharpness in contrast to the haze that had been there a moment before. "Look after the people here, though, alright? If anything happens, pray to Majere that our paths will cross soon. I'll come back at the first winds of trouble." Koem nods and leans back with a sigh, letting silence settle over them. The kelp sways and the fish dance, and the ruins of their childhood lay before them like so many thunderclouds marring the horizon, neither coming nor going but just being. It was a storm that they both had weathered and moved away from. One took those experiences and used them to fuel a good humor, a hearty laugh that could burn off any ill temper be it that of a friend or foe. The other took those experiences and internalized them, becoming obsessed with reflection and self-betterment, determined to honor the past always and in everything that he did. The two brothers balanced each other out: gave one piece of mind, gave the other hope. It's Tal who breaks the silence, his voice quiet and distant once more: "I'll miss you." Koem grins. {o"You'll know where to find me," And this time their conversation drifts off with a note of finality. They would watch the sun set and retreat to camp for supper, tell stories over the campfire that would spook the children, and then settle down to sleep. In the morning, Koem and at least ten other of their tribe would wake early to join Tali for one last breakfast before sending him off toward the shore. Tali has been on land before, of course. He knows the docks of Schallsea well enough, and it is in that direction that he heads. Perhaps there are some chapters of his life that still need finishing, but he is ready to start a new one. Finding Majere's temple will give him direction; he believes it in the very depths of his spirit. He whispers a quiet prayer as he climbed up onto the docks and drifted into the city.
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He states simply 'You might start with that one.. or you could take a look at the latest story..'
The Latest Entry
The Outsider - Public Version by Saitou, posted on Mon Oct 1 20:58:27 2018.
This is the public version of my formerly private note series that the imms had access to, The Outsider. I've done so(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.
Authors: All|A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z
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