An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Derdus.

A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap 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 well written novel on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Derdus' scribed in light yellow ink.

Author:  Derdus
Date    Thu Dec 12 03:26:47 2002



Subject  "Flight" to Solace 1.)



Reaching the Docks of Palanthas, Derdus walks around,trying to find a canidate
for a vessel to take him to Solace.  The ships were all tied to large pegs
sticking from the dock.  Much as you tether a Dragon, scanning the ships, he
noted some for their sleek design and some for their large sails, he finally
decided upon a cutter, not too large a ship, but it's lines were sleek, and
it's sails were ample.  He started to walk the plank to the deck when a man
with scruffy white stubble and crusted salt on his eyelashes stopped him. 
"Arr, young lad.  And just where in The wild sea do ye thank yer goin'?"  He
said with a rasp, and a not too unfriendly look on his face.  Derdus stopped
and turned, as he did he noticed writing painted on the face of the ship. 
"Habbakuk's Joy" was painted on the planks.  Derdus faced the man saying,"sir,
are you the captian of this vessel?"  "Aye, that I be."  He said with a smile.
 "In such case, would you happen to need an extra hand on deck," Derdus asked
with an innocent smile.  The captian stopped for a second studdying the
knight's visage.

"Aye, I need one more deckhand, but ye better be worth yer weight in limes, ya
maggot," The old Captian said spitting a bit.  Derdus didn't know quite what
to make of this degradation, but needed the ship to make time, on his way to
Solace.  He nodded and asked that his mount be stowed int the cargo deck
below.  The captian looked beyond Derdus, noticing his mount, A Huge Silver
Dragon.  The dragon eyed the ship care- fully.  "It will give some time to
rest," Derdus said to the hesitant dragon.  "Plata, we do not have time for
this.  Please go in the cargo doors," said Derdus, pleading with his dragon. 
Plata barred her teeth, then took flight, landing in the cargo bay.  She
curled up to the smallest size she could, she wouldn't get a sleep worth the
uncomfort, but she would get a nap, and she needed one.  The rest of the ship
was loded, while Derdus entered the ship, not noticing the something slipping
by him, and on to the ship.  He got to the deck and heard the captian's voice
boom out,"ahoy, to the can of sardines, ye might want to off with tha weighty
armor, lad."

Derdus made his way under the deck, nearly falling quite a few times.

Re-emerging, as the ship picked up anchor, in leather and linnen clothes.

Soon his head was reeling, and looking quite green he held to the rail with
all of his strength. (cont)



Author:  Derdus
Date    Thu Dec 19 07:45:07 2002



Subject  sorry this is late, trip to solace fin.



As he scanned the deck, trying to keep his feet from comming out of his mouth,
Derdus noticed a housecat.  The cat was mostly white, with black paws and
tail.  The thing which supprised him were the eyes, the red eyes.

Feeling a bit more confadent he puts his hand out and pet the cat on the head.
 The purring is easy to fell thru his soft fur.  The spry animal jumps to the
deck and says,"hello."  Derdus, truely caught off guard nearly falls to the
deck.  "you can..," he manages to get out.  "What's wrong, haven't you ever
seen a cat,"The feline boldly questions.  Derdus hurriedly gets over his
shock,"Well, never one who could speak."  "Fair enough," the cat said purring
as he circles Derdus twice.  "what business sends a Knight of the Crown on a
clipper ship," The talking cat asked.

"I am on a mission, to help friends in the mountians south of solace.", Derdus
stated without shame.

"Get to work, ya Scurvy Dog," The voice bellowed over the slick deck. 
Hurriedly Derdus headed to the first mate, who instructed him to fix the main
sail's pully.  DraanAkar, the speaking cat, put his tail in the air, and
headed off deck.  The smell of fresh fish was lingering in the wind.

The work was good enough to pass the time until Derdus could see the sun
diving into the unforgiving sea.  The feeling of a furry little creature
rubbing on his leg was enough to break his trance-like gaze at the sun.  "I am
ready to see more of this ship, uh.. I am sorry," Derdus stumbled.  "I never
got your name.  Mine is Derdus Sivstar, Sceptre Knight of the Crown," he said
partially ashamed that he had forgotten.  Shaking his head, the cat looked up
and said,"That is allright, I know you "knight types" are not good with
introduction."  "Please call me Catar'ri."   "Shall we," Derdus asked as he
looked around the mostly empty deck.  "Let's,"

Catar'ri said twitching his tail, and circling Derdus's leg.

The duo walked across the deck while Catar'ri explained some of the workings
of the ship to Derdus.  "What about this room," Derdus asked peeking into a
circular window in a door.  The Cat winced, knowing this was the mate's
quarters.

As suddenly as Derdus had looked through the window he started to back away
from it.  The door swung open with the force of a kick, and struck the knight,
causing him to fall.  An enormous man wearing mate's clothes lumbered through
the door.  "I'll run ya thru!"  "What d' ye thank yer doing, lookin into my
here quarters?"  The man scowled and started for his weapon.

"Ye scurvy... The mate started as Derdus jumped to his feet in fron of him
bringing his fist into the man's sternum.  The next strike was to disarm the
beasly mate.  With both arms Derdus grabbed the man's arm, struggling.  As he
did this the mate lifted him from the deck with ease.  "And it's over board
fer ya, land lubber," he said lifting Derdus almost over his head.

The cat which had been sitting idle, enjoying the show now considered
assisting the helpless knight.  Four claws popped from his paw, shiny and well
kept.  "I wouldn't do..

Derdus struck again before the words could finish coming out of the cat.

His knee struck the enormous man square above his nose.  The sound was like
the dull crack of distant thunder.  The two men collapsed in a pile.  The
rapier hit the deck and slid off the side, splashing down in the cool deep.

Catar'ri smiled a sly feline smile, watching the brawl.  Derdus attempted to
get to his feet, but the mate had used the sway of the ship to assist his
footing.  With a swift kick to the ribs he sent Derdus sprawling again.  The
knight arched his back in pain and looked up thru salty strands of hair.  "I
will not be dispatched so easily, you sea ape," he spat rising in time to see
the mate swinging his fist at his head.  Dodging quickly Derdus grabbed the
over extended arm, and threw the mate into the mast.  The man struck it with
quite a force, but the mast didn not give.  "Do you yeild,"Derdus asked wiping
blood from his lips.



Author:  Derdus
Date    Thu Dec 19 07:52:01 2002



Subject  Continued.



The mate shook his head, rising to his feet,"You will be sorry," he said.

"I already am," Derdus said looking around at the gathering group of men.  The
mate rushed him, Derdus quickly sidestepped and the charging brute crashed in
to a cabbin door.  As he attempted to rise Catar'ri spoke words of magic,
pointing one claw at the man, a projectile of magic appeared and knocked him
across the head.  The mate slumped down unconcious.  "That's enough show for
today," Derdus said wanting the crowd to dispurse.  "On your way, you are
dismissed," he said in the most authoratative voice he could muster.  The
crowd turned and left the three quickly, obviously none of them wanted to
taste the magic of the cat, or test the steel of the knight's resolve.

Derdus helped the big lug to his feet waking him with a sharp slap. "Good
fight, for a sea beast," Derdus said smiling.  "Aye, and you have the
quickness of a silver fish, even tho ye are a landlubbin weakling," the mate
said also smiling.

They retired to the mess deck for food and drink, allowing the cat to eat
first.

The days then went by quickly, there was much work to do on a clipper. The cat
spent most of his time basking in the sun, next to Derdus as he worked on
lines, ropes, pullies, sails, planks and such.  The sun set on the eve of the
eighth day and the shores of south solace were visable on the distant horizon.

(this is the point derdus starts off to catch the group of Samual, Kilandara,
and Vaidus) (He catches up with them, losing his dragon and gettin word of the
death of his patron) (there is a battle between the party and a dracolith, and
undead solamnic knight) (and the group heads off after the heathens, trying to
find aide along the way.)

(this catches my story up to the roleplay:) sorry it took so long to post.

The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD

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