An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Decred.

A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap is at 65. 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 bluish black leather-bound book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Decred' scribed in dark maroon ink.

Author:  Decred
Date    Mon Apr  1 18:55:10 2002



Subject  Squire of Trevalin



Having grown up in the city of Solanthus on the solamnic Decred
had been
raised as the son of a merchant's guard.

The latter days of his childhood were spent on the road traveling
back and
forth from small farming villages and Palanthas, being instructed
under a
fathers watchful eye and his boss's eager gaze. On one such
venture into
Palanthas around the summer when Decred was 14, his father had
recently been
killed in a thieves raid on the wagons.

Having been seperated from his father during the fighting as the
thieves split
the wagons into two groups. Decred could only watch as his father
in the
smaller group, with only 2 other men, fell to the enemies
superior numbers.

Having been taken into the merchants guard, as his skills with a
sword were
already above average, and the merchant needing all the help he
could get,
came to Palanthas to sell what they had been able to keep from
their previous
trips. Two days later, with the merchant trying to sell his
wares, and not
currently needing Decred's help, let him slip off into the crowd
and venture
about the city. In the crowd Decred recognized a face...and
another, then
another. These belonged to the people who had raided their wagons
and killed
father. 4 of them in all, Decred followed the men to a small ,
out of the way
tavern, and bent on a course of action, went inside after them,
with his sword
drawn. The men, not yet having taken seats, saw the boy enter the
tavern with
a sword, and possibly now recognizing him as well, drew their
weapons in turn
and rushed the boy. However the 4 bandits weren't the only ones
who took an
interest in Decred. A single man, sitting at a nearby table,
watched as the
boy defeated each man, one after another, killing one and turning
for the
next. Soon however, all 4 men dead, and the Innkeep having sent
for solamnic
patrol the cloaked man, who had watched the fight from start to
finish finally
stood and walked toward Decred. Pushing aside his cloak, light
reflected off
the dark of the armor and sword of the knight Sir Trevalin.
Knocking Decred's
sword from his hand, and grabbing it and Decred by arm, Trevalin
stormed out
of the Inn with a boy who's skills had caught his eye, along with
his courage
and die hard determination.

This is the story of how Decred fell in with his new master, Sir
Trevalin and
began his training to become a Knight of Takhisis.




Author:  Decred
Date    Mon Apr 29 17:13:03 2002



Subject  the Lost Library



Seeking another addition to a steadily growing pile of trophies ,
days of
wandering through wilderness upon nothing more then hearsay. Now
having left
Decred to a dark campsite in a windswept forest...his information
appears to
be either old or inaccurate.

The current occupants of the campsite, as far as Decred can tell
from the
distance, are 4 humans and a dwarf. All asleep with no watch of
any kind, they
look to be no more then a band of travelers. While slowly pushing
back at the
tree he was leaning on another shape, barely visible in the
darkness, splits
from a tree and creeps into the camp.

Sneaking over to the travelers packs, a small knife is produced
and the thief
quickly begins cutting straps and going through the contents of
each pack.
After several minutes of work, the thief pulls something from one
of the packs
and slips it into a pouch hanging at his side.

Sneaking out of the campsite, the figure all but disappears into
the dark.
Decred, aware that it couldn't be mere coincidence that another
was in these
same parts, watching the same campsite, and intent on a lone
item, rose from
his position and after walking through the middle of the
campsite, pursued the
thief.

After sliding an unwanted weight off his sword with his foot,
Decred reached
over and picked up a knife, a knife that had been meant for his
back when the
thief became aware of his being followed, and cut the strings to
a pouch lying
with the thief. The pouch, containing a small and tightly wrapped
dark green
scroll, was placed inside a much larger black pouch, hanging at
Decred's side,
just before the group of travelers fell upon the body, alone in
the forest in
a puddle of blood.



Author:  Decred
Date    Tue May  7 19:06:38 2002


Subject  A Dark Crossing




Since having ridden into the mouth of the gorge some miles back,
the steady
descent of the hills into the valley, the barren and and
windswept hills,
tappered off and now has turned into a climb.

The large boulders, torn from the sides of the gorge near its top
some hundred
feet up, have grown more frequent. The smaller and more numerous
rocks which
they brought down in their tumbling make riding a near
impossibility,
promising death at a single mistake. Forced to lead his mount and
bear the
grotesque skeletal helm, still filled with the smell of decay.
Continuing on
and forcing the thoughts from his his head with his body driving
itself
forward on its own, Decred is not consciously aware of a faint
breeze that has
begun blowing through the gorge or the faint, pulsing blue light
that is
coming from his body.

Flung back into the operating of his body by the climbing trails
sudden
leveling off and disappearance of the canyon walls. Having walked
into a
skattered field of stone, half of which is overgrown with mosses
and grasses,
brings an unwanted yet intense feeling of unease. The piles of
stone, Decred
having now noted, are extremely old and still bearing traces of
having been
worked by mortal hands. Passing through a gap in a pile of stone,
overgrown
with grasses, was probably once a wall to a house...

the hairs on the back of Decred's neck stand up. Still unaware of
his glowing,
he turns his mount around to face the gap of stone through which
he just
passed, and finds his gaze caught by 1...then 3 creatures all
making no
further attempts to move or speak. Staring through his helm of
bone, the
undead's eyeless gaze falters, and lowing their heads they fade
from sight
behind the same pile out of which they emerged. Closing his eyes,
Decred lets
out a deep sigh and rubs his forearm across the bottom of his
chin. Regaining
his confidence and turning his mount toward another opening in
the wall,
Decred rides his black charger through and begins searching for
the opening of
a cave.



Author:  Decred
Date    Thu May 23 13:20:36 2002


Subject  Another clashing of Knighthoods




A bloody plain, in sight of the ocean, is now the latest location
of frontline
skirmishes between the built of forces of the Knighthoods.

Having marched his small force directly south from Throtyl,
having been sent
orders to meet and board a ship waiting for them just off the
coast in a small
bay. On a grassy plain, in sight of the bay , little more then
half of
Decred's original force battle off a Solamnic garrison, easily
three times
their number with no hope of escape as the ship is not there.
Five bronze
dragons circle directly overhead, watching the battle below with
little
interest. Due to a sloppy manuever made by the Solamnic
commander, The small
KOT force was able to tear through the first ranks of the
solamnics and
capitalize on it by dealing the solamnics a heavy list of
casualties. However
with numbers playing against the Knights of Takhisis, Decred and
others in his
patrol soon found themselves isolated from fellow comrades and
battling four
or five solamnics to stay alive. With a shoulderpad torn free,
several gashes
along the front of his armor, and a broken sword, was how Decred
was fighting
when the first dark dragons appeared in the sky above the enemy.
Falling upon
the bronze dragons from above nine blues tore through their
enemies, killing
three and watched the the two suvivors flee the skies above the
battle. Seeing
their allies fail, the solamnic forces immediately pulled back
and fled from
the field, leaving twelve Knights of Takhisis to stand among the
dead. Raising
an arm to shield his face, Decred stood as five of the blue
dragons landed on
the field. Gathering a piece of armor torn from his arm, Decred
had barely
begun walking toward the blues when another landed before him
almost causing
him to fall on his back.

The blue dragon looked at Decred for a moment before speaking,
"I have
been sent here from Storm Keep. Storm's Breeze, the ship you
were to
take back to Sanction was diverted to another task and we have
been sent
instead. My human name is Lightning Strike, and if you are the
Dark Knight
Decred Haurkon, whose description you match, I have orders
concerning you
as well."

Nodding toward Lightning Strike, Decred bows his head. "Yes I
am Decred
Haurkon, may I ask what..."

Following a loud snort, "Yes yes, climb into my saddle, I will
explain
our mission while we are in the air. Do not worry about your
fellow
humans, my brethren are under orders to transport them back to
Sanction.

Motioning to the humans climbing onto dragons behind him with a
jerk of his
head, "Hurry they are already leaving, and we must be going."

Lashing on his dented bracer, Decred crawls into the Lignting's
saddle and
immediately both take off into the air.



Author:  Decred
Date    Sun May 26 15:14:27 2002


Subject  The Rebuilding of the Past




Overturning the remains of an ancient desk, the knight quickly
scans for any
of the ancient writings once housed in these rooms.

'That must be that last of them, there is nothing under
here...' Grabbing
hold of the wall Decred shields his head from falling rocks with
his arm as
the ground begins to shake.

Shouting at a fallen knight across the room 'Make sure thats
the last of

them and hurry! The reds have already begun their work in the
lower
halls.'

Running through several more rooms, making last checks for any of
the ancient
writings, Decred grabs an old parchment he had set on a table and
returns to
the main chamber just as another explosion rocks the ground.

Pushing rocks off of him with the help of his aid, Decred grabs
the knights
hand and steps out of the rubble. ' This is the last of them,

 lets get these back to Lord Aelroth and make our way down to
the lower
halls and direct the reds. They must be blasting too close to the
ceiling and
causing these tremors...' A deep pounding can be heard coming
from the lower
levels and then another blast rocks the ground under the knights
feet.

'Yea come on we better get down there and see whats going
on.' Leading the
way Decred dodges falling rocks as he and his aid make their way
more towards
the interior where Aelroth has set up his command.



Author:  Decred
Date    Sun May 26 17:21:22 2002


Subject  The Rebuilding of the Past (II)




Looking over his arm, which was until recently shielding his face
from an
awesome heat, superheated rock runs down from the ceiling of
halls. The rubble
and loose rock, left behind after thousands of years are fused
together form
together after hardening, leaving a smooth strong surface behind.

Walking forward between two large red dragons Decred looks over
the the hall
with an intense gaze. 'You need to lower the floors over
towards that far
wall some more, and try not to lower them too much
like you did last time. This is an ancient library of our Queen
in case you forgot red. She will not be pleased to find that her
servants have grown lazy in the rebuilding of her library. See
that
it gets done right this time or it will be your head.' Turning
on his heel
Decred quickly walks around a still hot puddle of rock and down
another hall,
going to inspect the work of other dragons set to work and
oblivious to the
angry gaze watching him depart.

The deep rumbling can be heard in halls still far beneath, while
constant
clouds of steam drift upward from the stairways leading down to
them.



Author:  Decred
Date    Mon May 27 14:57:37 2002


Subject  A following gone unnoticed




A gathering of knights sits around a large circular stone table,
going over
the plans of a recent renovation when a younger knight comes
before the
gathered men.

Addressing Sir Decred, the knight says in a whispered voice,
'Sir, our

sentries have detected a solamnic scout in the woods beneath
the south-
east valley. He's alone but has been moving as if he knows we
have forces

in the area.' After wiping his brow he continues, 'Captain
Pefrin
suggests

we dispatch a small force to eliminate him before he detects us
and leaves

reports us to the solamnics.'

Rubbing his chin Decred grabs a small piece of paper and begins
scribbling
orders on it. Folding the paper he hands it to the knight with
the following
instructions, 'Tell Captain Pefrin not to be hasty, if he sends
a force and
there are other scouts in those woods, scouts still going
undetected, they
will report that we have a sizeable force in the area. I will
deal with the
solamnic myself. Perhaps he isn't even a scout and can be subdued
by one
Knight of Takhisis, which will attract far less attention then a
whole
sentry force.'

Saluting Decred the knight turns and leaves up the stairs, as
Decred collects
his gauntlets and sword from the table and leaves down another
set of stairs.

...about an hour later

Pulling back a branch with his hand, Decred catches a glimpse of
the supposed
solamnic scout, and a feeling tells him that there is something
familar about
this scout. Unable to put his finger on it, Decred moves silently
along ,at
the same pace as the scout but under the cover of the dense
foilage.

Watching the solamnic spy father up the hill, he slips and rolls
over
revealing his face to the dark knight. His mind making the
connection, Decred
then recognizes the solamnic squire from his voyage up from the
coast and his
run in with him then. Knowing full well that the boy has followed
his trail
and is alone, Decred moves from his cover and towards the boy who
seeing
Decred, draws a shortsword salutes and attacks. Knocking aside
the squire's
blade with his hand, Rek watches as his blade hits the ground and
his vision
fade to black as Decred pulls back a mailed fist after landing it
square in
the squire's face. Motioning farther up the hill, and after the
sounds of many
snapping of limbs, Decred's dragon mount emerges from the forest
ahead of him.

To his mount Lightning Strike, 'My friend, would you carry this
solamnic
squire into the heart of the solamnic plains, within a day or two
of a
sizeable town or village. Hopefully he will have forgotten his
journey of
following us and return to his masters. I see that you are not
happy with
this assignment, but I wish for this to get done right, and with
speed. I
do not want a patrol of enemy knights scourying these mountains
looking
for him, which I fear will happen soon unless he is returned. So
you see
this is actually a mission of great importance and one I would
not place
on any other.'

Satisfied with his rider's explanation, and after scooping up the
squire Rek
between his claws, the large blue leaps into the air accompanied
by the sound
of his flapping wings. Watching his dragon and his cargo fly over
the
hillside, Decred turns and makes his way back to more pressing
matters.



Author:  Decred
Date    Fri Jul 12 15:21:03 2002


Subject  Bringing to Justice




Inside a large canvas tent, a heated debate rages on through the
dimly lit
interior, the soft light flickering from within a oil lantern.

A white haired knight says, 'Lord Marcelin was almost killed!
He still might
if those clerics don't arrive here soon. There can be no other
justice for
that backstabbing slave save a swift execution at the hands of
troops that
find him.'

A scar faced knight slams his fist on the table. 'He injured
two of my men
during his escape! Justice would allow them to remove that
goblins head
for such an insult to their honor.'

After an exchange of heated words between a few of the knights
and the
representitives of the Minions of Darkness, Decred steps between
the two
factions and raises his hands. 'Enough!' Slowly turning his
head he looks
back and forth between the two factions, briefly looking at each
person until
the tent is completely silent. 'Now then, its time that this
meeting
returned to order. Representitives of the Minions, Vlunok, the
goblin in
question has been linked to assaulting a Lord Knight by eight
different
witnesses. Two of which are goblins themselves and four and
part of the
Lord's personal guard. It is because of this that orders have
already been
given to the search party to kill Vlunok on sight. Turning to
face the
knights who now have a grin on their faces. 'This punishment
would be
consistent for anyone who committed a crime of the same degree.
As for the
reasons,' Pointing toward the white haired knight and the one
with a scar,
'neither one of you have any idea why I've done this. We three
will have
a meeting later tonight to talk about this.' Stepping back he
addresses
everyone. 'Alright thats it, the meeting is over, now return to
your posts
and resume work. I don't want to hear anything else about this
until the
search party gets back.



Author:  Decred
Date    Fri Aug 16 16:38:53 2002


Subject  trouble in zhan




As an unrelenting and never ending storm continued to rage over a
keep known
only to a few, a large magic portal like a doorway of swirling
flame opens in
one of the main courtyards before a group of assembled knights.

Nodding at the mage, a lone knight turns and looks back toward
his troops.

'This is a routine raid into the heartlands of the solamnics.
Do as you've

been trained and follow my orders and we'll destroy any enemy
force before

they have time to turn tail and run.' Making a series of hand
signals the
company begins filing through the open portal with Decred falling
in after the
first three ranks.

A small grin on his face, in expectation of the battle soon to
follow, quickly
disappears as he looks down at the bodies of dead knights, all
pincushioned
with arrows. Looking into the forest he wonders how the enemy
could have
already set an ambush and then he takes notice of the forest. A
FOREST!

They should have been on the plains of Solamnia twenty someodd
miles south of
Lemish.

'Knights to me! Charge the forest and kill the elve...'
Decred falls to
his knees as an arrow tears through his armor and lodges itself
into his left
shoulder. Growling he drops his sword and picks it up with his
right hand,
charging into the nearest brush.

With his foot upon the body of a fallen ranger, Decred yanks his
blade free
and looks back onto the battlefield, no movement aside for a few
too stubborn
to acknowledge being dead. Cursing all mages, and making plans to
kill a
certain knight of the thorn, he charges off deeper into the
forest, hoping hes
close to the border.



Somewhile later, the moon now hanging high in the night sky, a
small party of
rangers drag an unconscious Decred through the forest, leaving
behind a faint
trail of human blood. The smell of death lies heavy on the forest
and trouble
broods in Storm keep as several knights, returning through the
portal pass on
what had transpired to their superiors while their wounds are
treated.



Author:  Decred
Date    Sat Aug 17 00:38:02 2002


Subject  imprisonment




Waking as a bucket of cold water splashes across his face, Decred
opens a
bruised eye and winces as the pain returns. His shoulder, now
free of the
arrow, is still tender and flies creep across his exposed wound.

Three men, silhouettes against the light pouring into the dark
room, stare
down at Decred who takes note of the man with the bucket.
Speaking in a form
of elvish for a few minutes, one of the men leaves and the other
two move into
the cell and take up positions on other side of him.

Kicking Decred in the ribs, the elf growls 'Get on your blasted
legs knight
scum

, I will not carry you again.' Kicking him again he shouts
'Get up!'
Pulled roughly to his feet, Decred stands staring straight ahead
as a fist
hits him across the face. The other man, standing to his left,
cracks his
knuckles.

'You would do well to listen when you've been given an order.
Now get
moving.'

Pushed from behind, Decred staggers forward out of his cell and
into the
daylight. Lifting an arm to shield his eyes from the light, he
walks down a
stone corridor, proded with the butt end of a spear when his pace
grows too
slow.

Brought into a great chamber, a circle of rangers, woodsmen and
elves sit in
silence, with eyes on Decred. Forced to his knees by the man with
the spear
all is silent for several minutes. Finally an elf stands up to
Decred's right
and begins talking.

'Knight of Takhisis, we have brought you here to tell us why an
armored
division

of your troops have entered our sacred forest and whether or
not this is
the

beginning of open hostility between our two peoples once
more.' Taking a
step forward, he continues ' You will tell us what you know, or
I fear we
will

we will be forced to schedule you an appointment with the
headsman.'

Staring straight ahead, a small stream of blood trickles from the
corner of
his lip but nothing else escapes his mouth. Glaring down at the
knight the elf
takes hold of Decred's chin and turns his head from side to side.
Removing his
hand, Decred's head falls and he continues to stare blankly.
'Why must 
you do this? Surely we will find out whether you live or die so
would it
not be better for you to cooperate?' Sighing to himself the
elf takes a a
step back. 'No I suppose not...you knights have always been so
stubborn
when

it comes to things such as this.' Snapping his fingers the
elf shouts,
'Take

this man back to his cell...we will talk with him again
tomorrow with
hopes

that hes changed his mind.'

Returning to his seat, the elf watches as Decred is pulled to his
feet and is
shoved out the door. As two great wooden doors begin swinging
shut behind him,
the chamber erupts in a chaotic blend of shouts and hollaring.

The smallest smile creeps onto Decred's face, only for a moment,
as he is lead
back down the stone corridor to his dark cell.



Author:  Decred
Date    Sat Aug 24 18:26:16 2002


Subject  Farewell




Leaning against the chains, with his chin propped against his
chest, the
prisoner mentally goes over his latest plan. No light, aside from
a tiny
amount managing to creap from beneath the door, makes it
difficult to see
anything in the cell beyond a few feet away. Moving his head to
the right, he
tries to keep from beneath a small trickle of water from striking
his face
when keys begin rattling in the lock.

Closing his eyes, he pretends to be asleep as the guard comes
into the cell.

Without opening his eyes, he is able to distinguish the guard's
from the other
noises within the cell. Sighing to himself he recognizes the
sound of Varne
breathing with sickening familarity. Bracing himself, against
what he knows
will be coming, a sharp pain shoots up his side as Varn takes to
waking him
up.

'Wake up Sir Bastard! HA! I'll believe your asleep just after
I've
finished beating you unconscious you filthy knight!' Snickering
to himself Varne
tugs on the chains around Decred's throat before kicking him in
the side once
more.

Lowering his face to within mere inches from Decred's face he
spats.

'Only two more days till your date with the headsman. We
wouldn't want

you to go hungry before your lucky day though. Oh and I've
taken to making
your new food. The stuff they sent down wasn't proper for scum
like you.

Now get up your foods coming.' Walking slowly towards the
cell door to get
a tray, Varne glances back over his shoulder. The spark of hatred
glistening
in his eyes grows brighter still as it becomes apparent that
Decred hasn't
moved.

Setting down the tray and turning back with a snarl, Varne
catches a foot in
his throat accompanied by an audible crunch. A bloody foot,
gashed from where
a rock or other crude object had been used to bash through the
chain's link
slowly stretches over the body of the fallen ranger.

Passing through a large iron ring holding several keys together,
the foot
slowly begins dragging the keys backward from where Varne had
dropped them.

After several unsuccesful tries of flipping the keys past
grasping hands, the
keys finally pass to his awaiting hands. Moments after unlocking
the several
chains latched to his body, a moment is spared as Decred kneels
beside the
fallen man and stares into his glazing over eyes. 'I do not
know what was

done or why such a hatred burned so brightly in your blood but
your death

has given something important to me, my freedom.' After
whispering a
silent prayer tohonor the fallen, he begins stripping a leather
tunic and
cloak from the body. Locking the body in chains to give the
illusion of his
presence, Decred quickly walks out the door and begins pulling it
shut. Light,
so often a stranger in the darkness of a cell once again
retreated from the
room and just as quickly the sound of soft footsteps passed out
of hearing.

(This is the end of my wildrunner prisoner rp. I thank them for
allowing me
this chance to rp with them)

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