The Great Library of Palanthas
An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Kadhura.
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 large tome on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Kadhura' scribed in deep purple ink.
Author: Kadhura Date: Sat Dec 9 15:17:27 2023 Subject Kidnapped! Part 1
Many years ago, a dastardly horde of villainous scum broke into Thorbardin aiming to steal some of the Dwarves' greatest treasure. Some ignorant dullards may think that they coveted gold, gems, or weapons, but the maggots knew what would hurt the Dwarves most. With magical stealth, these human blackguards penetrated Thorbardin's depths and stole away with the apotheosis of Dwarven value. The Dwarves caught on before it was finished and killed many of the criminals, but not before the vermin made off with a dozen Dwarven children. The filth had rendered the children--adolescents mostly--unconscious and loaded them them onto a river boat. The Dwarves pursued of course, but the magically aided boat vanished from the Dwarves knowledge. The dregs absconded with the incapacitated children to the sea and delivered them to their masters: pirates of northern waters. In their watery environment, the curs had the ignominious idea that non-swimming Dwarven adolescents would be hardworking slaves with little possibility of escape, provided that they were careful where the slaves worked. The depraved pirates were indeed correct on both counts, as they could work the Dwarves inhumanely, stay always on the water, and not risk a mutiny. Over the years, however, all did not seem hopeless to Kadhura and her fellow Dwarves. Even Dwarves adapt, and they don't forget their grudges.
Kadhura and the other eleven Dwarves were strong and eager to resist their pernicious captors, but didn't have the skills to do anything about it it, being young. The scum threatened drowning for any too-bold slave, and carried out their threat after six months when one Dwarf tackled a pirate. The murderers pushed both pugilists overboard, with the pirate swimming back and Benkam the Dwarf sinking out of sight. Benkam had been a Daewar, but any thought of clan among the Dwarves had quickly vanished. Kadhura herself prayed to Reorx for assistance, and her resentment simmered and cooked into cool observation over the next few years. Mostly, the Dwarves were chained to a rowing bench, without sunlight or fresh air, and minimal food and water. The despicable pirates talked abundantly, giving Kadhura a picture of who the slavers were. Two groups, referred to as "our island" or "the far island," as well as occasional frightened mentions of "the other one," appeared to comprise they were. The dastards seemed well organized, if only from fear of their superiors. A year later, another dwarf called Uri began whispering about an uprising. Kadhura and two others, Imna and Rankom, counseled preparation and choosing the right moment. Kadhura also prayed to Reorx for guidance, but didn't feel like she got an answer. Imna figured out that their benches were loose in their fixtures--the ruffians had neglected maintenance--such that they might be pried loose if three Dwarves pulled together. Kadhura strategized that two Dwarves together could then use a bench as a weapon. What the Dwarves thought was the right moment came two months later, when the caitiffs were tired and angry. They were yelling extra that day, but the reprehensible pirates spoke the human language in such a strange way that the Dwarves could often not understand what they were saying. One of their captors mistakenly left the hatch open, and the Dwarves leaped. They ripped off the benches and used them to climb up the hatch in the ceiling onto the ship's deck. The stunned pirate fools mutely stared at them for a moment, then recovered and attacked. The melee engaged and went well for the Dwarves at first. They managed to cause the pirate scum to miss their attacks and strike their chains, unhindering most of Dwarves and giving them a significant advantage. The advantage didn't last, though. A jet of flame killed Uri and three other Dwarves simultaneously. A black robed wizard was on deck were none had been before. Two more Dwarves rushed him and were killed for there bravery. Kadhura tried to lead the five remaining Dwarves to form the benches into a barricade for their defense. This worked, that is until the murderous wizard rose into the air sent a mass of fire into the ship itself. The explosion sent Kadhura flying, and she lost consciousness.
Kadhura woke to water slapping against her face and pain all over. She was lying on a large wooden section of something floating in the sea. Then she recalled that the ship had been destroyed, and that many of her fellow Dwarves were dead, maybe all of them. She looked around her, and saw endless water, more floating debris, and a small island, more like a large rock. After much effort, she paddled her piece of wooden debris to it. Kadhura was able to examine the rock in all of three minutes, and found no plants or fresh water, only lichens and bird droppings. A larger expanse of forested land was visible in the distance, but might as well be on the moons, she couldn't get there. She was alone, couldn't swim, had a loose metal chain around her leg but no food or water, and her fellows probably all dead. She collapsed again, praying to Reorx. She woke an unknown time later to a cloudy sky and the empty rock. After pacing and praying, she yelled to the empty sea, "Reorx, help me!" The empty wind was her response. She realized the futility, the god didn't need yelling at. She continued in a calmer voice, "Please, Reorx..." She began to feel like someone was watching her, and looked behind herself in alarm to see nothing. She was still alone on the rock, but the feeling remained, and it was not so much one of being watched but of being...considered. The sensation passed, and she felt odd. That night the sky rained torrentially. Kadhura had a miserable night on the slippery rock, but in the morning, pools of rainwater were all over the rock, and she drank gratefully. An otter arrived at the rock at stared at her a long while, and finally it spoke to her, "Habbakuk sends me to teach you to swim!" "What?!" Kadhura gasped. "I said to him, 'Teach a Dwarf to swim? What's next, swim to the moons?' But it's best not to question him too much," the otter said. Habbakuk? Kadhura thought. Who was he? After racking her brain, she remembered that he was Reorx's occassional assistant in strange places like the water. "Thank you, Reorx," she whispered, then said to the otter, "Very well." It was tedious and slow work, she had no natural talent for it, and dense Dwarven physiology didn't help. Over three days, however, the otter developed a method for her which would counteract the tendency to sink. Three further days and the otter was apparently satisfied and left. The otter had brought Kadhura the occasional fish to eat, and she was still hungry. The solution seemed to be swim the forested shore, and she began the long effort. Unlike a human, she could not float to rest, but had to persist. Her destination seemed to get farther away, but that was her mind playing tricks. She reached the shore and collapsed on the beach completely spent. Kadhura didn't rest for long, though. A figure jumped from tree and attacked, she rolled and kicked her leg into a block. The chain there had become attached to a small stone, which swung against the attackers sword, forced it against the cuff against Kadhura's ankle and broke the corroded metal. She scrambled to her feet, took up the makeshift flail, and crouched to face her attacker. This was an elf, who yelled something in another unintelligible language, leaped into the vegetation, and vanished. Kadhura gazed hungrily at the fruit-laden trees next to her. She was alone and weak, but free. She said aloud, "Thank you, Reorx. I vow to do what is possible to earn the aid you have bestowed on me." OOC: Apologies and no offense meant to Habbakuk. A Reorx-centered believer might see the pantheon that way.
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 mentions 'We have had over 869 storytellers on Ansalon pen their epic stories here for all to read.'
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