An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Celuvan.

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 heavy leather-bound book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Celuvan' scribed in burnt red ink.

Author:    Celuvan        
Date:      Fri Nov  6 13:07:07
2009
Subject     Snakes in the Desert

 Hot shifting sands burn Cel's
feet as he surveys the vast dry desert.
The sun at it's peak renders one's
vision in haze and subjects the mind to
illusions. Thinking that there's nothing
Cel can do but to hide under the
sands and wait for the day to end he retired to
his dugged hole. The rest of
the militia did the same so ordered by a captain up
front and passed down
the line. Ill equip and thirsty the ragtag militia giving
it all for the
queen and country do what they can to survive the heat.

Things
go through Cel's mind as he lay half buried, questions like "what the
hell they
are doing here?" and so on. Rumors have it that the missing
Emperor was found
somewhere in an oasis others say a big battle is soon to
come. Whatever it is
time will reveal later on, Cel concentrated to what is
needed to be done and
that is to keep hydrated and shaded.

It's been days since they started the trek
to the desert and the militia's
supply is almost gone. If a battle is at the end
of this journey then it
will have to be quick and decisive a campaign will kill
both sides as there
is nothing to survive on this place. The wind blows and with
it sand slowly
burrying the men a refreshing reprieve from the heat the day will
soon end. 

Author:    Celuvan        
Date:      Mon Nov 16
15:11:57 2009
Subject     The Calm Before a Storm

 Sand rolled over
Celuvan while slowly loosing consciousness. The heat
has taken it's toll on his
body and on his mind. Only a small number of men
was left from the long dessert
trek. All of them dying as the sun is setting
over the horizon. To weak to do
anything but wait for death to come Celuvan
drifts to sleep hoping that it all
ends in slumber.

Dying gasps and lurching can be heard all over the last camp.
The Militia
defeated not by another army but by forces of nature. Small
scorpions and
other nocturnal creatures move in for the kill or a feast.

Water
splashed suddenly on Celuvan's face and wakes him from his surrender.
He slowly
rubbed his eyes and tasted the water knowing that it is real. He
turns to a
small humanoid holding a canteen extended to him. Cel grabbed the
canteen and
quaffed long and hard until every part of his body recieve the
much needed
nourishment. His strength returning he stood up slowly and gave
a weak salute to
the goblin officer.

This is not just any goblin officer but a legendary one and
deserves respect
and Cel did and gave the best thank you he can give a salute.
"Steady now
boy, gather the last few humans here and head to Sanction." the
officer
said. Looking all over the camp an army of goblins help those who can
stand
up and delivered final blows to those who cant. Only a handful was
lucky
enough to be called by Cel to fall in line and prepare to march. The
goblin
army quickly vanish into the night leaving the revived troops on their
own.
The goblin officer gave Cel a torn uniform of a Dragonarmy soldier and
told
the rest of the survivors to follow Cel while pointing at the
Queen's
symbol. He gave Cel a strong slap on the face so that his eyes focused
on
him, the offcer peered through them. Seeing that Cel will be okey he
pushed
back the man bigger than him and followed his own troops. Celuvan turned
to
his own men looked at the st ars and headed to Sanction. 

Author: 
  Celuvan        
Date:      Thu Nov 19 05:31:16 2009
Subject    
Warband of Snakes

 Rain started to fall as Cel and his men double their
pace towards
Sanction. From the sky above lightning flashed a huge silhoutte
appeared. A
Blue dragon and rider swooped low over the running men then circled
back up
to dark clouds. Cel breathe a sigh of relief and thankful for the
uniform
bearing the armies markings without it they could have been blasted
to
ashes. They continued the hard run until they reached the gates,
guards
letting them in and directing them where to go.

The gate Cel entered was
not so busy, after a few side streets they reached
a wide avenue. Horns blaring
and officers shouting commands filled the air,
all manner of men beast and
goblinkind rushed back and forth preparing for
war. A Captain seeing Cel's lost
face directed him to a huge tent nearby, he
nodded and follow where the captain
was pointing at. As he neared Cel
recognize that it was a supply tent, he turns
to his men to fall in line ang
grab what they need. Not far from the supply tent
is a gazeebo Cel walked
towards it planning to grab a quick rest. 

All manner
of maps and journals spread over a table inside the gazeebo. Cel
stepped back
seeing that it was occupied by officers slowly turns away. From
the gazeebo a
loud voice called Cel, he followed and went inside. A
Subcommander barked orders
at Cel saying to take his men to a place on the
map. Glancing at it Cel knows
where it is and nod in affirmation to the loud
officer. He was then dismissed
and told to obey and wait for missives in the
following days. Cel saluted the
officer and went back to the supply tent. 

Cel didnt notice that the torn
uniform he was wearing belonged to a
lieutenant most probably dead in the
desert. He knew the men who survived
the dessert and ran with him to sanction.
Cel thinking to might as well lead
them to war and form this tiny warband into
something useful for the Queen.
He looked up to dark skies, lightning flashed
the dragon and his rider
circling above. A plan forming in Cel's mind he looked
at his men all battle
ready, grabbed a new set of uniform and ordered the men to
move out. 

Author:    Celuvan        
Date:      Tue Nov 24
03:34:24 2009
Subject     Eye of the Storm

 Dawn was breaking wen Cel
and his men reached a low grassy foothill some
feet a way from a sheer wall of
stone to his final destination. The men rest
a little then prepared a light
breakfast of bread and cheese with hot
draconian tea. After eating they prepared
their climbing gear and began
their slow but steady ascent up Swordwall. A
natural cliff face that acts as
a barrier from any land movement coming from the
northwest direction. Beyond
the cliff is a valley, a battleground that needs to
be secured. If captured
by the enemy it will give them a strategic advantage
over the low lying
areas around it. Draconians are a much preferred unit to this
place because
in an event of a retreat they can glide down the Swordwall with
their wings.
For humans it's fight to the death or jump over the cliff and be
pierced by
sharp rocks below the wall. 

By noon the warband reached the valley
below then prepared a camp on the
south end of the battleground. When the men
started to settle in the camp
Cel ordered the men to move out. The young
soldiers tired and weary were
confused by the order, a few veterans shook their
heads and smiled. The
whole camp is intended as a lure for a trap large enough
for an entire
company of salamis. Cel pointed to the east incline where a
treeline can be
seen, the men understood everything the confusion gone in an
instant. Cel
and his men dug their own trenches by the tree roots, the whole
warband
hidden from view. 

Scouts were ordered to watched over the valley
entrance a few soldiers left
in the camp to tend a huge warm fire. Celuvan after
days of travel and
preparations finally got his sleep.

War rage all across the
land, the Dragonarmies scored victory after victory.
The Solamnics and their
allies ran away like frightened children from a five
headed dragon that will
devour them if they got caught. An uncanny
cooperation was with the five colors
of the Queen, hope and luck that it
will last. 

Author:    Celuvan   
    
Date:      Wed Nov 25 10:00:39 2009
Subject     When Courage
Fails

 The night was peaceful, all men in Cel's warband slept well in
their
trenches even the sentries got a fare share of rest. Scouts stationed at
the
valley entrance returned with no news of any enemy sightings. Cel
ordered
the men in the trenches to be at ease and have their meals but be at a
ready
in a momments notice. It was noon when orders from Sanction came that
Cel
and his men are to move back to the city. Cel did not question the
order
there's nothing here anyway a march to Sanction means they will have to
pass
Neraka. A chance to see family and have a decent meal before moving on
to
the cauldron.

While preparing for the march back a group of scouts from
another company
came running with news. They reported that a huge army of
Solamnics are
headed straight towards Sanction. So huge and so fast that the
enemy
trampled blockades and sentries so adamant and courageous. Somehow this
army
manage to evade the huge forces of the Dragonarmies heading for
Palanthas.
The scouts took a quick rest then went on their way to relay the news
to
headquearters. So much for passing by Neraka Cel thought they will have
to
make it all way back passing through secret passageways if they were to
meet
this enemy.

Cel left the Swordwall battlegrounds, it seems the place will
not have any
tales to tell in this war. The quickest path to sanction is
ingrained in
every soldier in Cel's warband a simple command to move is all that
is
needed for the march to beg in. Cel casually chatted with his men as
they
march arguing if the enemy was brave or foolish in coming to Sanction.
The
veterans argued that it was foolish because first of all Sanction is
not
level ground the way will sap a mans energy before he comes to a fight.
The
rookies argued that these maybe young men like them, terrain does not
matter
at all. All had a good laugh while marching, morale all high, like the
eye
of the storm over them and everything is still calm. 

Cel thought went to
the enemy's general, no doubt that he is courageous. He
wonder what master plan
the enemy has for them to pull off such a brave
move. Only the gods can answer
these questions, men can only ponder. 

Nightfall and Sanction is ablaze with
torches and mage light horns blaring
men and beasts moving in and out. Cel' s
warband positioned themselves on
the west side of Sanction. They watched while
they rest and waited for Cel
to return from headquarters for what their role
will be in this coming
battle. 

All around the sheer cliffs and walls traps are
being set, boulders rolled
and huge hot cauldrons positioned on key points.
Columns of men arrived and
formed near the small Warband men who lost command
joined the group and were
made known, squaring the block increasing Cel's
numbers. They will stay here
until the enemy shows it's bold face waiting for
the horns to signal their
move waiting for the traps to be sprung. 

to be
continued... 

Author:    Celuvan        
Date:      Sun Dec  6
13:19:33 2009
Subject     Wounded Knee

Cool calm winds blew over his
triumphant and smiling face as the Emperor
of Palanthas looked over his new
balcony overlooking the harbor. Lazily
docking on his port is a huge black
galley bearing the Dragonarmy flag and
Luerk's personal colors. Satisfied at
what he saw the Emperor took a deep
breath and turned around his smile vanishing
his thoughts on new things to
do and things to finish. Gracefully the Emperor
raise his left hand then
snapped his wrist palm open, the doors to the balcony
shut close the room
became dark. Dropping his stretched arm slowly a portal
sparked wide open in
front of him, looking straight at the gaping nexus of
magical energy the
Emperor walked in. Across the continent to a place near home
Celuvan and his
army are chasing of the running invaders. 

Skirmishes broke out
across Neraka as the Solamnics made a fighting retreat,
to where? only the gods
know. Some of the once proud Knights now hide in
small towns and mountains while
others chose to die on the battlefield.
Celuvan took a knee and watched as five
of his men circled a young solamnic
knight still eager to fight. The knight of
the crown turned and turned
keeping an eye on all the men surrounding him. His
shield up and a bloody
sword poised to strike still in defiance refusing to
surrender. Soldiers of
the Queen taunted and spat on the knight, poking him
whenever he turns to a
different direction. From nowhere an arrow struck the
young knight's neck,
blood spurted as the tip pierces a huge vain. Celuvan
looked behind him and
saw one of his scouts readying another arrow. The knight
dropped like a rock
after another arrow hit the same spot where the first one
had pierced.
Celuvan smirked and reached for his canteen as he surveyed the
field. 

The day is almost at an end and night fast approaching the last rays of
the
sun fading away from blood soaked grounds. Celuvan told his men to stop
the
chase and retreat for the night. He never noticed that his knee was
bleeding
until one of his soldiers pointed it out. Grabbing his canteen Cel went
near
a fire and cleaned his bleeding knee, he looked around wondering where
he
received the cut. When he was done dressing the wound Cel grabbed his
torch
and went over the place where he remembered taking a knee.
Carefully
rummaging his fingers over the spot he felt something slightly burried
in
the ground. Picking the hard metal object he blew of some of the dirt
and
examined the object. It was a clasp with an intricate embossed design of
a
crown, kingfisher and sword over a rose with razor sharp petals. Cel
judged
that it might be worth keeping because of it's heft and metal quality.


The night was cold but the fires kept the men warm and their spirits
high.
Songs and tales of victory were sung and told, wine passed around.
News
spread that Palanthas belongs to the Dragonarmies and the war almost at
an
end. Cel returned to his fire and checked his already swelling knee,
this
will be painful for a couple of days he thought. 

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 868 books from Ansalon from before the great Cataclysm through today.'