The Great Library of Palanthas

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 80. 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 journal on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Aeveryja' scribed in burnt red 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 mentions 'We have had over 868 storytellers on Ansalon pen their epic stories here for all to read.'

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