An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Aeveryja.

A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap is at 65. You change? Off 65 80.'
The gully continues 'Eyes hurt? Turn Color OFF!! (regular story dates)

Astinus says 'Enter the main library here to view only the author list.'
Astinus gently places a thread-bare book bound in cloth on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Aeveryja' scribed in brown ink.

Author:    Aeveryja       
Date:      Fri Aug 27 23:23:06 2010
Subject     Escape

"Will it hurt?" "I promise-not a bit. Just stop moving." Aevery
watched
her brother heat the needle again in the candle flame. "Now,
let's try this
again-" "You sure you know what you're doing?" He rolls his eyes
and turns
his head to show his piercing. In his left earlobe is a silver
hoops. He
holds the second of the pair. She stares at the needle as it
slowly heats
and glows a light then deep red- orange...

"There!" "That's it?" "Yup!" Reaching for the wash basin, Aevery
peers into
the murky water at her reflection. Under the warm glow of the
candles, she
turns her head to get a better look at the piercing. The silver
waves
slightly as she moves, and gleams brightly in the light. "It
looks cool, but
brother, shouldn't we-" "EVERYONE OUT! GET OUT OF OUR WAY FILTH!"
Angry
yells and terrified screams erupt outside. Sounds of breaking
glass,
splintering wood, and contact of steel-tipped boots upon
flesh-then breaking
bones-fill the night. 

Boots pound the pavement outside, vibrating the floorboards of
any shack
within range. Swiftly, brother begins packing what little
possessions they
have. He mutters under his breath and Aevery catches the word
"Purge". "Sis,
put that light out. NOW." She dumps the washbasin over the
candles, and
grabs her leather pack. While strapping on her boots, she noticed
brother
waving his hands over the door. Tilting her head to the side, she
asks "Uh,
what are you doing?" He doesn't seem to hear her. He continues
the strange
antics, passing his hands in intricate motions over the door and
does the
same for the windows. "That should do it." A question danced at
the edge of
her tongue but she held it.

Smoke floods the night sky-crowding whatever view the shack's
windows
provided. Carefully, brother pried apart a few loose boards in a
dark corner
of their abode. Aevery moves to help and just as the small
opening was
clear, the entire shack shook violently. She didn't have to turn
to know
that soldiers were outside. "You first. You're smaller." Not
willing to
argue, Aevery crawls through. Brother swifly follows and reseals
the exit.
Crouching, they maneuver adeptly in the dark and wet alleys
between the
shacks.

Brows furrowed, she finally asks "Brother, what'd you do back
there?"
Grinning, he replies "Just made their job difficult." Suddenly,
the walls
beside them explode-a limp bundle of rags flies out, followed by
a hulking
figure garbed in chainmail. "That'll teach-. Huh. Two little
punks sneaking
around eh? "What's that you got the-" Before he could get a
better look,
brother's leg lashes out-connecting with the mans's shin.
Reaching down,
brother gathers some dirt, mutters and throws it at the prone
soldier. The
ground shudders and shifts; it begins reaching for the man. "You
little
wit-" A slab of dirt slides over his mouth, silencing him. His
limbs are
similarly bound-underneath solid earth.

They resume their stealthy flight from the waterfront. No one
notices two
small figures behind dodging between crates and carts, always in
the
shadows. No one notices because the dark moon is in high
sanction-cloaking
the fleeing siblings in its dread light. 

Author:    Aeveryja       
Date:      Sat Sep 18 03:51:21 2010
Subject     Finally

"Find Wayreth" were Brother's last words before vanishing. "Who's
Wayreth?" were Aeveryja's last thoughts then and thoughts now.
Making her
way down Diamond Street, Aeveryja shadows a pair of scholars deep
in
discussion. They arrive at a magnificent marble structure-the two
disappear
among the steps and columns. Carefully, she ascends. The whisper
of robes
and soft leather sounds from behind-she whirls and crouches, read
for her
assailant. "Aren't you a jumpy one?" The Aesthetic chuckles and
smooths his
robes. "My apologies if I startled you." He picks some lint off
his sleeves.
"No offense, but you're obviously new here. May I help you?"
Standing up and
readjusting her black cloak, she nods stiffly. "Yes-uh, I need to
find
Wayreth. Where can I find him?" The Aesthetic grins broadly and
covers his
mouth to stifle a laugh. "Him? Child, Wayreth is a forest! It's
southwest of
Solace. Here-" He takes out some parchment and a quill. Curious,
Aevery
peers intently as the Aesthetic inks "Solace" in the center and
mutters a
few syllables. The ink in "Solace" spreads and reaches outward.
Line swirl,
twist, and turn to the edges. The Aesthetic hands over the
finished map.
"This should help you in case you get lost." She slips it into
her belt. She
turns to the steps. "Child. Wayreth is no ordinary forest-unless
you have
magical interests, I suggest you steer clear of it."

Walking clear of the entrance, Aeveryja takes out and unfurls the
map.
Committing it to memory, she crumples the parchment and clenches
her fist.
There's a brief flash of red-orange, and she opens her fist.
Ashes trickle
down and drift away from her palm. "Magical indeed" she thought.

Fog and mositure cling to the cloak, dying it a cool grey. An
occaisional
silver gleams from the rune filigree along its lining. Mist and
the
occasional blade of grass slide along the soft cloth. A dark
shape looms
ahead. Summoning words she heard brother recite so many times
before, Aevery
clutches her cloak and melts into the wispy tendrils. "Damn
trees..."
Skirting danger, she continues under her veil-emerges from the
fog, trips
over a low boulder, and nearly collides into the gates. Metallic
sheen
giving them away, they soar, only to be swallowed by the sea of
foliage
above. Metal bars shimmer and waver-insubstantial. Aevery reaches
out a
dirt-covered hand and hovers near the bars, feeling the air shift
and
spark.

Too exhausted to care, she shoves. Nothing happens. Her mind
screams and
thrashes. "Open damnit! I sacrificed too much for this. I'm
tired. I'm
hungry, and I really need to pee. I'm lost in these freaking
forests-one
tree tried to trip me and another tried to crush me with its
swinging
branches, and cut me with dagger-like leaves. Just open already!"
The gates
remain impassive before the silent venting. They just didn't care
about
animated trees and the danger they pose. Growling, Aevery throws
her pack
down and sits against the boulder.

Fatigue sets in. "What is 'this' you have come for?" a voice
intones in her
head. Muttering a few choices words, she says outloud "I don't
know..." and
surrenders to rest. Chill air swims across her still form as the
gates open.
Silk robes glide over grass and earth and settle before her.
Aeveryja
vaguely remembers getting up as she finally drifts away. 

Author:    Aeveryja       
Date:      Wed Nov  3 00:14:24 2010
Subject     Sorcery-Part 1

Pus oozes, drips, slides from various gaping pores. Boils swell
and
burst-yellow fluid wells. Barely any skin and fur left; remnants
bubble and
cling to the bones-slightly marred and cracked. Pan over.
Healthy. Slightly
red and swolled around the eyes-but alive. Nodding once, Aeveryja
dispels
the magically heated cage, opens it and grabs the rabbit. Check
pulse-quite
fast-examine pupils, breathing, etc. One thing left to do.

Holding the animal with both hands, she mentally summons an image
of home: a
burning waterfront flooded with smoke, screams, and steel upon
bone. Flames
erupt from her hands and instantly engulf the rabbit. It endures
the initial
5 minutes before its resistance is overpowered-still another hour
before the
solution wears off. The form squirms helplessly-red orange
tongues turn
crimson as they eat through fur, skin, and organs. Nearby flasks
fog up as
condensation takes over; a beaker of water begins to boil.
Brother gives a
wry grin before vanishing towards the barracks.

An explosion rocks the barracks, jolting Aevery out of memory.
Hands
weightless-save for ashes trickling in a staccato towards the
stone floor.
Moisture clings to and slides down necks of flasks, and water
pools around
the beaker's base. No bloody mess-fire consumed even the life
fluids. Echoes
reverberate off the obsidian wall outside her room. Aevery
hastily covers
the oozing cage and gathers the ashes into a vial. The door
opens.

Deszie stands there in flattering blue-silk. She's a year older.
Shoulder-length red hair cascade in waves down her face and
settle lightly
around the neck. Sky-blue eyes glare at her grey-robed friend.
"Aev, have
you-Why's it so hot in here?" "Because you walked in." She puts a
hand on
her hip and purses her lips. "Funny. Have you seen my spellbook?"
Aevery
cocks her head to the side, assumes a mock expression of deep
thought. "Hm.
No. I haven't seen a red leather bound book covered with runes
and stretched
lamb skin." Deszie growls in frustration. "Gosh Dez, I can see
the steam
pouring out of your ears." Grinning, Aevery mutters a few words.
"Ok. Ok.
Behind you."

Deszie whirls around to face a book floating and twirling in the
air. She
grabs it and storms out. Humor gone, Aevery wonders why so
mad-not like she
needs the spellbook anytime soon. Blue silk renters the room- "By
the way,
Highmaster Falkore will be lecturing in 2 minutes. I don't think
he'll
appreciate late apprentices." "Like I care what you think."
Smirking, she
disappears. Aevery places the ash-filled vial among similarly
filled tubes
in the tube rack. Grabbing a black-white quill, she sketches the
remains of
the failed rabbit and burns the remains-collecting its ashes in
another tube
and placing it in another group.

Rearranging her linen tunic and dusting off her wool pants,
Aeveryja takes a
gray leather bound journal, an ink well, and the quill, and races
out of her
room. She ticks off a silent spell locking her room and turns the
corner.
"Lateness be damned" she thinks. "I'm more interested in the new
apprentice." 

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
Astinus sighs as he recants 'We saved 890 books from Ansalon from before the great Cataclysm through today.'