The Great Library of Palanthas
An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Malicai.
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 massive tome bound in dragonskin on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Malicai' scribed in light white ink.
Author: Malicai Date: Mon Jul 6 14:05:00 2015 Subject Bigger Breaks Are More Expensive
This girl... She was probably the top talk amongst his servants, the master having delayed his travel to see to her and her lodgings. They said she would die but he knew she wouldn't. This was what he was out here for, wasn't it? It's what he asked for, and it was what he had been given. Saving someone's life wasn't nearly as glorious as the stories lead one to believe and it wasn't anything even remotely like what he had learned under his teachers. He was resolute if not completely unprepared. He and his guard had brought her back into Solanthus after some sort of skirmish he assumed was another of the growing number of attacks that had been cropping up along the Knight's Road. Well, maybe he could do something about this one. One person, what's that worth. He couldn't really answer that, but how could you change anything if you couldn't save 'just one' really? So he'd lost a couple of weeks worth of travel on his aimless and probably incredibly spoiled attempt to 'find himself' and see the world. Whatever. There were many times there that he almost gave up. He probably consumed more ale and coffee than was safe in the attempt, but eventually she pulled through. With a little faith and a lot of sweat...Twice as much profanity uttered behind closed doors...Somehow it all came together. He had a feeling it would. Now all she needed to do was wake up. There really wasn't anything else he could do beside wait. Sure, he could go on his way and pay the inn to see after her but it wasn't every day you rescued a damsel with such interesting pigmentation and such dire parel. She'd said some rather interesting things in her fever, and Malicai was certain there was a story worth waiting for. That would be why he was here, of course. Surely it wasn't the pretty face. (Though, it was -very- pretty, indeed.) He ached in places he didn't know you could ache and hadn't had a decent night's sleep in far longer than he was used to. He could at least have a seat here while they enjoyed breakfast, couldn't he? One would assume as much. Besides, they had a lot to go over if she wanted to keep an eye on this lizardman predicament. He'd been going over what they would need as they ate, and what it was going to cost. She'd denied the need for a guard of some sort, but he had managed to convince her to allow him to hire a few people. She wasn't pleased, insisting they could move more quickly alone, but he had the easy counter of pointing out the mishap that had brought them both together. The roads just weren't safe. Thankfully, they shouldn't have to wait long. He'd arranged with a half elven man who seemed to be heading the same way as they. A mercenary with friends was a lovely addition to the couple and their money. A mercenary that...Just flipped a table into a mass of angry townsfolk. Speak of the devil, hm? Sitting back, gesturing to the two men as their young companion seemed to take cover out of habit. "See, Leska? There's our man now. Lively sort, hn? This is going to be a grand time." What this was going to -really- be...Was expensive. (Part three of the Solanthus Tavern Round...Leska's turn next!)
The night is passing and dawn is peeking over the horizon. It's still quite dark and somewhat cold'ish under the dock where Joseph was sitting. Since he did not have a place to go yet, this would do for now. He made a fire that was still shining it's lazy light against in a small circle. His eyes fall up on the previously wounded man. He had sewn him up for now. Still would it hold? Eh who knows... Malicai had been vaguely awake for a few moments, taking in the scene as the spinning effect wore off and wild dreams of flaming birds and intense blue eyes swirled with the ebbing tides. He drew his eyes from the fire that -{pJoseph- had made to the dented metal chestplate, cast to the side, then down to the stitches. He inspected himself with a heavy hand, chest and side, eventually looking for the source of all these things. Of course, that would be the madman from the alley. After a second, Malicai cleared his throat and tested the idea of sitting up, "Hey...Are we finished with the stabbing? I'd like to get the elephant in the room well on her way..." He was pleased to find himself mildly successful, though stretching his arm up to rub the back of his neck brought a groan to his chuckle. Joseph turns his head just slightly his hair dances in the process of it. Does he really need to take so long to answer that? No of course not. Is it fun to dramatically wait and reach for your sword again? It sure is! But all fun things aside.{P "Sure, unless you earned it." Still being rather vague on the subject of why he actually went crazy like that. {P"How does it feel?" Checking himself over again, shaking some sand from his {Ohair by ruffling it out. Malicai's new 'friend' here might catch something of a crooked grin tugging at him as he nodded, "Awful. I'll probably live, though. Doesn't seem so bad. So..." Is it awkward to ask so soon? Possibly. "What was that...?" Where were his manners? "Oh...Mal. Who...?" Brow lofted, he flips a hand to the man, hoping he might fill in some of the unfortunate gaps here, of which there were many. Joseph probably couldn't tell him even if he knew. His hand slides to the handle of his blade and he strikes a finger over it. For a moment he seems lost in thought. It isn't exactly something he can bring up unless he is sure. {P"I know it's asking a lot. But can you hold on to that question until I actually know the answer?" A sudden politeness in his voice. {P "Joseph, a pleasure." There was something of a snort from Malicai as he got the non-answer, "I don't suppose I have a choice? Why are we out here...?" You know, roughing it like bums? Joseph tilts his head a little and rises to his feet. He moves both hands in his pocket and pulls them inside out. {P"I didn't come here prepared." Joseph begins to poke the fire with a stick. It's smoldering but by now the sun is peeking over the horizon enough to shine some light. {P"I was going to take your money but I figured I already owe ya." He says with a cheap grin. Malicai balked momentarily in the face of the blunt honesty, but it cut into a laugh, "Well thanks. Ass." He rolled his eyes, glancing to the sea. At least he didn't leave him to be robbed or rat-nibbled. He shook his head and shifted to sit a bit more steadily, leaned forward into raised knees as his heels dug into the sand, "I hope no one's gone worried. Least I could do is buy you a drink." Patting at his coat, Malicai found a flask and tossed it across to Joseph. It was a rather nice flask, etched with the Vaughn phoenix, "I hate to be the one to point it out, but this is somewhat, ehm--" Crazy? Weird? Completely bonkers? "It's a bit -off-..."
Joseph swiftly moves a hand forward to snatch that right out of the air. {P"What did you expect it to be? I'm a pirate." Yeah that blunt honesty is not going anywhere. He uncaps the flask and downs a shot of the liquid. He swallows and opens his mouth to "Hmmaaah" He gives the flask a look and puts the cap on it. He tosses it over the fire back at him.{P "Are ya a goldhugger?" Malicai snatched the flask from the air, taking a pull from it with a lofted {Obrow down its length to Joseph. Swallowing it down, he rolled that over in his head, "Ah...Uhm. Pardon, a what?" Goldhugger? Was that some sort of regional dialect? He hadn't heard that one, "I couldn't say. Gold isn't particularly enjoyable when you aim to snuggle...The curves are all off." Catching himself, Malicai lofted a finger and took another sip as he recalled, "I once met a dancing girl who painted herself. Does that count?" Joseph can only stare at the man as he ranted on about how the curves are off and how a girl painted herself. {P"This girl wasn't someone's sister I hope?" You my friend talk in your sleep and it's been revealed you like to poke around in the sisterhood a bit too often. Joseph is grinning wickedly at the man. By now he has already figured this man was no such thing as a gold hugger. The cavalier young man caught himself with a somewhat surprised look that melted quickly into wide grin that would be -almost- sheepish if it weren't so mischievous, "Trust me, friend. They're -all- someone's sister." That, my good man, is just life experience. He chuckled, leaning forward to hand off the flask as he got to his feet with somewhat less caution than he probably should have. "Why are you here unprepared?" Joseph snorts and waves a hand to his direction {P"I'll keep that in mind if I ever meet yours. If you have them at least." Ah the hard hitting questions already. He supposes that he does owe the man some answers. His look turns somewhat more serious. {P"Because I wasn't suppose to end up here. Or maybe I was. Our ship got attacked by..something. I'm not to sure what it was. Hence unprepared." Malicai wasn't expecting a straight answer but this was mysterious indeed. "Huh. And you survived? Anyone else?" They -were- here looking for things that were out of the ordinary, weren't they. "Makes two of us, then. I didn't crash, per say...But I don't think this was on my proper itinerary." And. "But trust me, you don't want to deal with my flock of harpies." It was a fond brotherly sort of nickname that wasn't -too- terribly exaggerated at times. "I'm completely outnumbered. It's a wonder I've survived..." Joseph plants a fist in the sand and shakes his head. That fist plant wasn't exactly violent mind you. {P"None." survivors that is. As for his sisters they sound like a fun bunch to be around. They all love the purple haired rogue pirate. Telling their daddy that he is taking his girls away to go on an adventure. Joseph shakes his head as he breaks out of that thoughts. {P"How'd you get here?" {pJellial sets his feet down, looking over the edge of the dock and rubbing his exceptionally well groomed and manly stubble. He kicks off a small rock, just to taste the gentle immaculate ramifications of doing something blatantly noteworthy as such as garnering the attention of trash hobos. How, indeed? Malicai shook hs head and admitted as he shook some sand from his jacket and let himself get used to the full standing experience again. "Well...You can't just sleep out here like this, It's--" A rock. What the...Ow? He glanced up and--By the Abyss, did it have to be him? He stared over across the way at the shoe-thief, doing his best impression of stern as he looked up and sighed out the rest, "We've rented several rooms. I'm sure there's space for you...And food--Damn it, you."
{pJellial slowly lowers the shoes down on a rope wire, gently clicking them in the air. Hello, the boots say. Hello Malicai, remember us? Only 5 gold peices! Joseph moves his head up with his majestic purple hair dancing as he does so. {P"You know, I would blame the sea for this. But I refuse to do so. The sea has nothing to do with it this time." His head turns back to his previous victim.{P "Boy oh boy you are just a trouble magnet aren't you?" He looks a bit further behind Malicai to see the source of the clicking. {P"Huh?" Malicai does his fair share of attracting, one way another. Either way, he didn't admit to it aloud as he pulled his shirt down further, "Yes yes, I remember. What?" Valeska was calling the shot there. He had a hard time telling that strange girl no. That's exactly how he got himself here. "Trouble, indeed..." He sighed his way into a soft slow chuckle, "This is...Sort of one of my...Hm. Travelling companion." {pJellial always lands on his feet, hitting the soft sand with a crouching of knees. He bows to Joseph, flourishing his hands and dropping the boots. He puts a small sign in front of them "Brand new boots, fashionable, well fitted to the gentlemanly feet." He then straightens and inclines his head to Joseph with a jackass' smile. "He -says- companion but the only one who he occasionally tries to catch bathing is the lovely and charming sea elf girl. Whatever. Jellial De La Canterious, at your service." Joseph quirks a brow at the man as he says his entire name with middle name and everything. {P"Joseph..just..Joseph" At his service? His eyes wander to the sign and inspects it. He wiggles his own boots and leaves it at that.{P "I can take a room if you got one to spare. A closet is fine too." Hey he'll take what he can get. Malicai was beginning to wonder just how many names this man was going to claim to own while in their company. He, thankfully, had acquired a new set of boots and did his best to at least pretend to ignore the old ones. The idea of a closet made him laugh, though, "Seriously?" When was the last time this guy had a decent meal? "Let's go find the inn and get something to warm us up..." Probably some bandages. Malicai's eye twitched at the mention of the girl, but he managed to laugh it off. He was the epitome of kind patience. Mostly. At least he hadn't wrung this man's neck yet... {pJellial leans in to pick up the boots and the tiny placquered, throwing an arm around Malicai. "I saw that." He says lasciviously. {p"You -like- her." He turns to Joseph, lighting a pipe and letting his eyes rest on the man's face. Then his arms, feet, back up to his face.{p "Good for you. Very good for you. A bold choice. With the hair." He claps his hands together, boots clicking in the process. "So, gentleman, Malicai, what did I miss when I was busy with my nigh superfluous and completely innocent ventures?" Joseph stares at the salesman like figure for a moment and dryly states {P"Runs in the family." Both the boldness and the purple hair. {P"Mothers-side." Joseph gets to his feet and with one swift sweep of his feet he makes sure sand goes over the fire and of course a bit over those new boots. Yes, Malicai, your boots. {P"Finally, my booze senses tinkle." Clicking boots? another rum please. Malicai prayed to anyone who would listen that he could find some serenity, because strength might tempt him to break his strangle-free record. He glances wryly to the boots. At least they were well made. No real way to keep clean on the road. "I'm famished." As for the question of what he missed? He's got a good view of the pierced chestplate and ruined shield along with a somewhat slicey bloody feel to the {Ocarrot top. There wasn't much to be left to the imagination when he gestured to himself vaguely, Seeing the sights, making friends. What does it look like?" Oooh, the rich boy could be snappy, too. Hide your wives.
{pJellial pulls him closer. Yes, he does smell like pipeweed. Delicious delicious pipeweed. He looks down Malicai's chest... peice and nods. "Did someone beat you up oh lofty grand sir of might and beauty?" His eyes rest on the man that likely caused all the damage and inclines his head, then throws up his hands. "Indeed, let's go eat, and refresh ourselves. Especially you, Malicai. I mean, look at you. Disgraceful." Joseph suddenly freezes up and has yellow sparkly stars in his eyes. He drools from both corners of his mouth {P"Oi..oi..do you think..hm..hmmruurm..they have chicken?" Get it together man you're drooling all over the place. He already started walking but he's likely to get lost so they will probably take an hour to get somewhere. He groaned, glancing down to the cast off armor as he's tugged on by the incourageable man, doing his best to shoo and scoop him up off of him, "I wouldn't say that, but it wasn't my preferred way of meeting new people. We're learning new techniques!" Malicai gave up and just pretended to be one of the nuts with them and tossed his hands up with another shred of his sanity, "Food. Yes." And lots and lots of booze. Forget the fact that you shouldn't drink when you're all messed up and possibly hallucinating. Those were some hard to shrug off dreams Malicai had while he was out...And he didn't remember anyone's sister...Well, there were those eyes. He's trying to gently push {pJellial towards the streets once more, "Lead on, oh stealer of shoes." {pJellial reaches out and takes firm hand in Joseph's direction and bearing. Much to his own chagrin, having to touch the filthy man. (Not that Malicai isn't filthy as possible, these filthy filthy men.) "I shall lead us to the chicken, sir. And others sir. Seriously, what is wrong with you?" He snaps his fingers in front of Joseph's face as he follows along. ({pThanks for the loverly RP, you two!)
He felt like this was one of those moments, you know? The ones where you have to do something and it really -counts-, but you don't really know what that -is-. What little information drew them here, was trickling to a full stop and they still had no direction. The only thing they could do was find a ship willing to take them south, and that was pretty much not going to happen without some sort of miracle. Certainly they didn't come this far just to meet a dead end, did they? He sure didn't feel like this was an ending place. He felt like he was about to cliff dive. Every day. He -loved- cliff diving, mind you...But the rush and hold was driving him up a wall. He was distracted six ways past Linaras. Valeska was counting on him. Those mercs didn't really care so long as they got paid, but she was different. He could see her outside now, from where he was reclined in his chair, feet upon the opposite one. Through the window there. She was the single most amazing creature He'd ever laid eyes on, and crazy as all get out. How someone could be so beautiful, kind and absolutely bonkers was beyond him... Everything about her was over the top. Her looks, clothes, ethics, aspirations, ideas and actions all sent him for loop after loop...And he was loving every minute of it. Sometimes, especially when she was dancing...Or fighting...Or laughing...Or tal--Sometimes she even managed to distract him from how bad things had become. He was such a goner... Still. She was counting on him to help her, and he had nothing to give her. Even his coin was worthless when there was nothing to spend it on. He'd not been able to put a price out that anyone was willing to take. He was still trying, but everyone had heard about Crossing by now. What few people there were who escaped by sea had brought horrific tales of their own loved ones rising to try and drag them down with them. The very idea was enough to give a chill. There were certainly some strange and horrible happenings afoot in the world today... Despite Joseph's jests and outright confusion that often lead to complaint...He did whatever he could to help. His coin couldn't do much for Val, but it could help the refugees. It was just the sort of thing his father would do, and Malicai didn't even bat an eye to it. It was just how you did things. But where would it all end? It wasn't -enough- to just help a handful here and there. When and how could anyone ever stop this...He knew it wouldn't be him. He could fight and ease peoples' suffering all day and night and still only touch a fraction of people. There -had- to be a better way and he felt like it was just...Looming here. Like he could just find it if he looked hard enough. Here? In Port O Call of all places? Well. Strange answers to strange problems often came from strange places...
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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