An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Durgen.

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 an elegant book bound in elf-skin on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Durgen' scribed in brilliant orange ink.

Author:    Durgen         
Date:      Tue May 19
03:23:44 2009
Subject     Ambush

The wheels of the
wagons creaked in the stillness of the night. The
dwarves looked
around anxiously as they passed this forbidden place.
Skullcap,
the shame of the dwarves, close to their hearts.

Each one kept
their weapons at the ready however, the spirits of the
area
fading in and out between the wagons. Yet the caravan
continued at a hurried
pace, each dwarf impatiently awaiting
their exit. A few hours had passed and
the dwarves's tensions
were easing as the mountains appeared ahead. Even
though they
must pass Pax Tharkas, each new what awaited them
afterward,
Newport.

Yet their leader, a rather stoic dwarf by
the name of Durgen Battlerager,
led the caravan. He cast off the
superstitions of Skullcap. His only concern
was getting his wares
safely to the ports of Newport, and from their
ushering in a
profit. Yet he sat now upon the lead wagon
absentmindedly
thumbing the blade of his axe. Something was off,
and he knew it was close.
Looking close to the wagon driver at
his left he motioned for the wagon's
behind to speed up, and be
wary.

Ahead was an open opportunity, he thought, boulder strewn
terrain, and
treacherously tight corners. His gut told him to
halt their advance, yet the
stubborn side of him won out. "Keep
yer eyes open boys, trouble is close
ahead."

Each dwarf drew
their weapons, axes, crossbows, and swords. Hammers and
shields
abound too. Each dwarf ready to fight for their precious
cargo.
Passing the first of the many great boulders, Durgen
looked out, scanning
the area for danger. 

Rocks fell from the
top of a slope as a dwarf from the rear let out a great
roar.
Falling over, quarrel embedded deep into his thigh, he roared
a
warning to his comrades, just as the blade of his attacker
split his throat
wide. 

Author:    Durgen        

Date:      Tue Jun  9 08:43:04 2009
Subject     Ambush
2

Durgen turned as the shout from the rearguard spilled
into the air.
Almost like a catalyst, men appeared from behind
boulders brandishing
weapons. "Prepare to defend yerselves boys,"
he roared as he hefted his
axe.

Dwarves all around the caravan
charged their attackers. Bolts and arrows
flew, each hitting with
a meaty thud. Two bandit's had one dwarf down, blade
descending
to take his life, before his comrade blocked the blow
and
decapitated one attacker. Utter choas reigned around the
loaded caravan,
soon bodies of both human and dwarf began to
litter the strewn pass. Jerking
his axe from the unguarded neck
of one bandit, Durgen surveyed the battle.

His dwarves were
holding, the numbers of attacking bandits soon dwindled to
a few
desperate skirmishes. Launching his fabled axe, Durgen roared
in
victory as it knocked one bandit from one of his fellows.
Bending to
retreive it, he quickly turned as another attacked.
Ducking under the blow,
he kicked out at the bandit's left knee
and grunted as he heard the sharp
crack. Axe blade coming across,
Durgen's blow gutted his howling attacker.
Wiping his axe on the
corpse he turned to look at his remaining dwarves. The
battle was
over, they few, but each one fell was sore reminder of how
long
they still had to travel.

After securing the bodies of his
fallen kin, Durgen took time to make sure
each one of his
remaining guards were fit to continue. Relying much on
the
stubborness of his kin, he grinned as not one chose to turn
back.

Seating himself on the wagon bench once again, he turned
to his fellows," we
can make this boys, keep yer eyes open and
your ears clean because we have a
long way to go yet."

Soon
after the last dwarf dissapeared in the horizon, and the songs
they
sung fell away to the wind, the wolves began to come down
and feast on the
bandit dead. 

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.'