The Great Library of Palanthas

An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Jargin.

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 book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Jargin' scribed in glowing blue ink.


Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Sun Feb 28 00:42:55 2010
Subject     A Knight, A Gnome, And An Assface. (PT 1)

The inn was full that night, standing room only, and when 
the gnome entered he was almost trampled a few times.  
However he was used to this sort of thing, and side 
stepped and dodged out of the way.  The tall people never 
considered his kind, nor the dwarves or kender for that 
matter, and it was second nature by now to move clear.
 
 
He made his way to the back, towards a room clearly 
marked PRIVATE, and was about to enter when a goon 
grabbed him by his hair. "And where do you think YOU 
are going you little dung heap? If you cannot read I will 
spell it out for you.  NO GNOMES ALLOWED!  In fact, get 
the abyss out of here period."  The gnome sniffed and 
feigned sadness before speaking.  
"Ihavebusinessheremygoodman,andifyouwouldjustletmepass,
thepeopleIammeetingwillvouchforme.Ireallydonothavetimefor
gamesatthemomentsoIwouldaskthatyouletgoofmyhairnow."  
 
The man only pulled tighter, causing the tiny fellow to 
shriek in pain as he began to pull him towards the 
entrance to throw him out.  But it seemed the gnome had 
other plans because he pulled some dried flowers from a 
pouch at his side and blew them up into the man's face.
  
"Ithinkweshouldbefriends.Youknowyoucanneverreallyhaveto
omanyofthose,wellthatiswhatmygrandfatherusedtosay.Of
coursehewouldn'thavehadtodealwithanassfacelikeyou,but....
Whatdoyousay?Doyouwantobemyfriend?"
 
The goon suddenly became more relaxed as the gnome asked 
the question, pausing for a long moment as the magic took 
effect. "Why yes little guy, You seem alright to me 
after all. You said you were meeting some people in back 
right? Let me escort you there myself."The gnome smiled 
and reached up his hand"Thanksassface.Iappreciateit."
 
Hand in hand the two made thier way to the room marked 
PRIVATE, and upon reaching the threshhold, a gruffled 
voice came from one of the dark corners of the room. 
"Jargin Breeblebrox, get your behind in here. You are 
over an hour late!" The gnome let go of the goon's 
hand, and retorted,"Seeyouhavemademelateassface.Itold
youIhadbusinessinherebutIwillforgiveyouifyougoandbuymean
ale,anddonotbecheap,wearefriendsafterallright?"  The 
charmed man smiled widely "Ass face, that makes me 
laugh.  No wonder I like you so much.  I'll bring you and 
your friends a round of the inn's finest."
 
Jargin walked to the table in the dark corner, and after 
a few tries hopped up onto a vacant chair.  The gruff 
voice was now accompained by a face, a Knight of Solamnia 
to be exact, and a Knight of the Crown to be....exacter?
"What was that all about?  Why was that man leading you 
about and buying us ale?" The gnome grinned evilly, 
then put up his hands over his head making a halo with 
his fingers."YouknowmeDavian.Iamalwaysmakingfriends 
whereverIgo.Thatnicemanjustwantedtodosomethingniceforme.
AndIameversosorrythatIamlate.Iwasdetainedbytheguard.
Apparantlytheydonotknowagnomefromakender,whichisreallyfru
stratingtosaytheleast...." Davian slammed his fist down 
on the table jarring several empty mugs in an 
interruption. "ENOUGH! Must you needlessly chatter 
endlessly?  And must I remind you to SLOW down your 
speech one more time? How long have we known each other 
Breeblebrox? I fear sometimes it has been too long."
 
Again the gnome feigned sadness, but quickly became 
lively again. "I....am.....sorry.......sir....knight. I 
will...attempt...to....sink...to....your....level. It 
amazes...my....kind...that...you...humans...ever...get 
anything...done...in...your...slow...motion...world." 
The gnome slurred the words, over extending the pauses on 
purpose, hoping to get a rise out of the knight, but to 
no avail.  
 
A wench came to the table with a pitcher of ale and some 
mugs, and set them down, pouring up two frothy mugs. 
Jargin handed her a gold coin, and as she was leaving, 
slapped her on her behind, and this finally got a rise 
out of the Solamnic. "Mind your hands Beeblebrox. May 
Paladine forgive you for your lust." However, the wench 
really didn't seem to mind, because she turned back and 
gave the little gnome a wink before her exit.  
 
Jargin took the mug in hand, and Davian did in kind. The 
gnome lifted it up, straining to reach across the table 
as he made a toast. "Toyouandme.....and if we 
everdisagree?.....Youwill probably killme."  At this a 
slight smile came across the knight's face, and he tapped 
his mug to the gnomes, before taking a healthy swill.  
The gnome tilted back the oversized mug and began gulping 
steadily, knocking back the entire mug, and not spilling 
a drop. The knight looked incredulously at the tiny 
humanoid as he took another sip of the ale before resting 
it on the table.
 
"Shallwe get downto businessDavian? Ihate to 
drinkandrun, but Ido have afewmore 'clients' Imust see 
thisevening. Time ismoney youknow.  Notthat I donot enjoy 
your company andall."  Jargin stretched across the 
table, barely grasping the handle of the pitcher of ale, 
and pulled it towards him, pouring another mug. Davian 
again looked slightly amused at the gnome's antics. 
"You have it with you?" The knight's eyes brightened 
as the gnome nodded yes to his question. "Ofcourse 
silly. Withmostof my clients Iwould haverecieved 
mypayment and hadthem gotoa securelocation. But I 
trustyou Davian, withyour codeofhonor and highideals. And 
I believeinyour cause.  There willnotbe anyroom for 
someone likeme in a world ruledby..you know....her."
 
The gnome began to reach to the floor, but lost his 
balance then, and fell with a crash but was quickly up 
again, hopping back to the human sized chair. Reaching 
into the bag he procured, he fumbled his hand around for 
a moment, then pulled a very long sword from inside. The 
knight looked amazed because it was just not possible for 
such a long sword to fit inside the bag, but somehow it 
had.  Jargin set the sword across the table and began to 
fumble inside the strange bag again, this time producing 
a small silk pouch.  
 
The sword was of the finest steel, double edged, and two 
handed even for a human, and in the handle was some sort 
of clasp, perhaps for a jewel of some sort, however empty 
at the moment. Jargin began to whisper his tone becoming 
more serious. "Itworks onthe big onesandthe littleones.
Itis simpleto changeout, andthe stones arein thepouch. 
Rubyforred, Sapphireforblue, emeraldforgreen, 
diamondforwhite, and obsidianforblack. Asforthe smallones 
thereisa mithril talisman toplace insteadof astone.  
Itwill be effective againstallofthem.  Davian nodded as 
he placed a large pouch on the table, and slid it over to 
the gnome. "Good work Jargin, this will definitely help 
the cause. Here is the payment we discussed, and worth 
every steel."
 
Jargin took the pouch and placed it in the same bag, 
nodding as he took the mug of ale and slammed it back, 
emptyting the contents, burping loudly after. "Just 
remember Davian, youare rentingthis. Itisnotforsale. 
Ihave takengreat risk bringingthis toyou, and ifandwhen 
theothers findout Ireplaced itwith a fake, Iam in very 
serioustrouble indeed.  Mygreatgreatgrandfather 
discovered thisartifact andit tookhis sonand myfather 
thier whole lifequest tofind the stones. And ithas been 
partof mine to havethe mithriltalisman constructed. I 
musthave itback whenthis is allover, because I cannot go 
back to the mountain untilthat time."
 
 
CONTINUED

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Sun Feb 28 00:47:49 2010
Subject     A Knight, A Gnome, And An Assface (Pt 2)

Sir Davian looked shocked, "Beeblebrox are you telling 
me this is stolen?  You know I could never..."  And 
this time the gnome was the one to cut him off. "This 
hasbeeninmyfamilyhundredsofyears Davian. Itiscertainly
NOT stolen.  Itwas donatedtothedepartmentofcuriousgoods
andartifacts, anditwas BORROWEDfromthe departmentof
curiousgoodsandartifacts. Andafteryouhavewonyourwar, it
willbereturned to...." The interruption game continued.
"I reluctantly see your point Jargin. We have a deal. 
It is my duty to see you get this back, and I swear to 
Paladine you will be able to go home again."
 
The gnome began to reach for the pitcher again, but the 
knight pulled it back towards himself, wagging his finger 
at Jargin. "Youare nofun Davian.  IknowIknow everything 
within moderation. And thisgivesme sometime to 
goexploring anyway. I couldnot complete mylifequest 
sitting inthat mountain.  Magicalitems donot 
findthemselves, well unlesstheywant tobefound, sometimes 
theywant tobefound youknow. AndI wasnot the mostwell 
likedcollector anyway. Youknowwith the stigmaattached to
myfamily. Theyconsiderus madyouknow.  Justbecause ofour
lifequest and thesimplicity ofourdesigns. Amachine does
nothave tohave tenswitches when fourwill do...."
 
The knight once again slammed his fist on the table in an 
interruption. "Kiri-Joleth grant me patience with this 
infinite chatterbox! You do not need another ale, you are 
already beginning to slur and ramble on....endlessly.  
The gnome eyed the pitcher of ale wantingly but knew 
better than to try and grab it from the knight, and 
mumbled under his breath.Iwilljustgetmynewfriend
assfacetobuymeanotherround.Thatiswhatfriendsarefor." 
Davian did not hear him or he pretended not to notice.
 
"AndIdo hopethat sometimeaway fromthevault might givemy
hair achance toturnback to it'snormalcolor. Notthatthe
blueissobad. Iwonderifthisonly happens to gnomesor if
ambient magicalenergy couldaffect otherraces inthe same
way." The gnome again belched loudly, drawing attention 
even from some of the other patrons. "Youknow itisnot
badmanners ifitis goodale!"  The knight covered his 
mouth and feigned a cough, but Jargin could tell he had 
finally made the rigid man laugh. Davian stood and 
gathered the sword and the pouch of stones. "Shall we 
meet here again in one months time?" The gnome also 
gathered his things, wobbling a little on the stool, the 
alcohol he had slammed down doing it's job. "Iwill
try. Ihave tojourney tothe mazeforest. Thereis something
there Imustdo. IfIamunable to behere, Iwill sendword. 
Pray forme SirKnightDavian, forwhat Ido nextwillbe 
perilous."
 
The knight nodded to the gnome. "May the Gods of Light
protect you on your journey Jargin Breeblebrox. You have 
done us a great service this night. Even though you are 
contacerous and grating, I am happy to call you my 
friend. Stay out of trouble old man."  The gnome slid 
from the chair and plopped to the floor. "May thered
moon shinedown infavor uponyou, andthewhiteone."
 
And with goodbyes said the knight departed and the gnome, 
quite intoxicated, left the table and made his way back 
to the common room.
    
AssfaceAssfaceWheredidmynewfriendgo? Itisrudetoleave
afriendbehindAssface!" And through the crowd the goon 
pushed his way to the gnome. "Is your business 
concluded my little friend? Anything I might do for 
you?" And Jargin Beeblebrox just laughed and said. 
"LetushaveanotherroundAssface.Thenightisyoung."
And the two "new friends" drank and conversed until
the sunrise. 
 
FINE

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Fri Mar 12 01:25:46 2010
Subject     (RP) Small Talk. (PT 1)

Jargin runs into the Smiling Mug to escape the rain that 
came suddenly over Palanthas.  Finding a room in the back 
of the bar,  he hops a couple of times, finally reaching 
a human sized chair.
    
Gnorm frustrated shuffles down the street head down in 
the rain thinking. Walking in front of a large building 
with laughter pouring out and windows that are lit with 
warm light. He sighs and enters the building. Quickly 
scanning the room he sees something that he hasn't seen 
since he has been in Palanthas, there is another gnome 
sitting at the bar.
    
Jargin waves his hand several times, as he tries to get a 
wench's attention, but as usual no one pays the gnome any 
mind.  At the entrance of another of his race, he smiles 
widely, and gestures for him to join him.
 
As he sees the other gnome guesturing for him to come 
over and join him, Gnorm shakes the water of his 
Waterproofrainjacket v.12.2 and momentarily slips in the 
large puddle it creates on the ground. He quickly dodges 
in between a combination or larger humans, minotaurs and 
halfelves to greet the newfound gnome
    
'Well.Iwillbejustdamned.Icannotbelievemyeyesbrother.
IfiguredIwastheonlyoneoutandaboutawayfromthatcursed
mountain.IcannottellyouhowhappyIamtoseeanother.'
    
Gnorm exlaims 'PleasetomeetyouIamalsohappytoseeanother
gnome. Ithoughtmaybeineverwouldagain.Butletmetell
youthisisawonderoussight.'
     
Jargin reaches over to a chair beside him, almost falling 
over in the process, but he manages to pull it out.  He 
again waves his hand at a wench, and is ignored once 
again.
 
'Haveaseat.Ifyouhoprealhardyoucanmakeitup.Ithinkitisso
rudetheydonotEVERhavechairsforussmalltypes.Iwonderif 
thisbotherstheKenderaswell?'
       
Gnorm hops as hard as he can grabs onto the chair but 
starts to fall off, arms flailing wildly but he manages 
to get a firm hold on the chair and pull himself up.
     
'Whythanks.IcannotimaginetheywouldletKenderinhereto
thatendanyways,butyesitisveryinconsiderate.'
       
Jargin sighs, as he is ignored a third time.  He pulls a 
paper cone from a satchel at his side, and quietly 
chants, closing his eyes a moment.  He puts the cone to 
his mouth, and screams.  The cone vanishes, and is 
replaced with a deafening roar, that shakes well..... 
everything. Everyone stops, now paying full attention.
       
'Myfriend andI wouldlike around ofaleplease.'
 
'IngeniousThatwasquiteeffecitiveimustsay.Didyouinvent
that? Coulditakealooklatermaybemakesomeadjustments?'
     
{h'Itisnotreallyaninventionperse.JustacantripIlearnedfrom
averyimpatientmentor.Simple....buteffectiveforsure.'
      
'Verywell.butthatdoesgivemesuchawonderousidea..thiscoul
dmakelongdisancecommunicationpossibleifwemakeitloudenough
maybepeoplecouldtalkoverhundredsofmilesyouthink?'
   
Jargin smiles as a wench promptly returns with mugs of 
ale.  She looks somewhat scared as she places them down.  
He nods to the other gnome and his words, and pulls some 
coins from a change purse, handing them to the woman, and 
thanks her.
       
'Thatwastried.Howeverthespellhadanadverseeffectandcauseda
nearthquakeatgroundzero.Forittotravelhundredsofmiles,
thesoundwouldshatterbones.'
 
Gnorm claps the other gnome in the back in thanks and 
pulls mud of ale close to him.
        
'OhmygoshhowrudeofmeIquitesimplyforgottointrouduce
myself.IamGnorm,monkofMajerefromtheDepartmentofReligion
andMartialArts!'
    
At the mention of the gnome's name, Jargin nods 
thoughtfully a moment, pausing, which is very unusal, 
especially between two gnomes.
         
Gnorm raises his mud to his mouth and takes a few big 
gulps to deal with that is sure to come.
    
'JarginBreeblebrox.sonofMathias.sonofJanussonofChark.You
knowweareawayfromthatmountainsowecanskiptheformality
thistimearound.AndIknowyourname.Itisashamewhathappenedto
you...........andyourassistant.'
    
'AmostunfortunateACCIDENT.Ikepttryingtotellthemthatitwas
justandaccident.Noonecouldofpredictedafullsystemfailure
suchasthatandthesafteyharnessbroke.Iprobablyshouldof
testedthemonseperateoccasions'
    
Gnorm sucks in a deep breath and continues.
    
'Butitwasonlyaslighterrorinjudgementonmypart.Myassistant
suggestedwekilltwokenderswithonestoneandwell...itwas
terrible.NowI'mnotallowedbackbutwhatever.Nowthereareno
rulestowhatIcanandcannotdo'
    
Gnorm Sucks in even more air his face returning to its 
normal hue from red.
   
'Myonlyissuenowisitgetslonely,andgoodhelpishardtofind.
Reallyhard.'
 
Jargin takes the large human sized mug of ale by the 
handle, and swills it down in one breath, never spilling 
on drop.  When he reaches up his hand this time, the 
wench is instantly there.  He hands her some more coins 
for another round.
    
'AccidentshappenGnorm.AndIamsorryforwhathappenedtoyou.
IamnotascientistnorreallyaninventorsoIcannotsay.Myfamily
hasadifferentlifequestthanmost.'
    
Gnorm looks up from his feet that he was shuffling in 
discomfort, and smiles at the friendliness Jargin has 
given him.
    
'Thanksandyoumusttellmeallaboutyourlifequestandmaybewecan
getsomeinventingintoyou.Ineedhelpwithmyinventionsand
anotherassistantorfriendIshouldsaywouldmeantheworldtome'
     
 
CONTINUED

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Fri Mar 12 01:28:41 2010
Subject     (RP) Small Talk. (Pt 2)

Jargin looks a little panicked at the mention of being an 
"assistant", but the look is quickly gone.  The wench 
brings another round, and again, he takes his mug and 
gulps it down.  Looking to Gnorm's still half full first 
one,  he takes the third in hand.
   
'YouwillnotgetmenearthatsuitGnorm.ButIdoknowaspellthatcan
protectyournewvolunteersfromsomeoftheheat.Iwouldbehappyto
helpinthatregard.'
   
'Aspell!Thatmustmeanyouknowmagic.Thatisintrestingandvery
useful.Maybeyoucouldenchantthesuittoo.Thereisanendless
listofpossibilitesnowAndasforsuittestingiusallytestit
myselfnow.Ifeellikeitsonlyright!'
 
'Thatismyfamily'scurseandblessingIsuppose.Alonglineof
magicusers.Mylifequestistocollectunsualandmagicalrelics.
IamwiththeDepartmentofCuriousGoodandArtifacts.Thiskeepsme
awayfromNevermind.Againthisisablessingandacurse.'
         
'I'vheardofgnomesinthatdepartment.Theytendtobevery
differntfromothergnomes,beingmoreexposedtotheoutside
world.Letmetellyouitisacursenotbeingunderthemountain!
Youknowhowharditistogetmagmaonaregularbasis?'
       
Gnorm looks down at his drink, swirls it a few times, and 
takes another gulp as the strong alchohol burns his 
throat.
 
Jargin wobbles on the human sized chair now, getting a 
very bright red glow on his face, his eyes becoming a 
little blood shot.  He raises his glass in a toast to 
Gnorm and his words.
      
'TognomesrunningfreeonAnsalonAndifyouwantmagma,thereis
plentyofitinSanction.Howevertherearealsoalotofreally
creepythingstheretoo.Iremainedquiteinvisibleinmyravels
there.'
      
Gnorm raises his mug and crashes it against Jargins, 
spilling some as he gulps the rest of it down, coughing 
loudly.
     
'Goodstuff...andSanctionyousay.Imusttravelthere.I'msureit
wouldn'tbetoobad.'
     
'Itbelongstoyouknow........her.Iwouldtreadtherecarefully.
Butitisthepremiumplaceforfireandbrimstoneandallofthat.
Thereisashipinportthatwilltakeyouthereforaminimumfee.I
havefoundsomeveryuniqueartifactsthere.'
       
'Ahwell,Iwillhavetoexploreit.CanIcountonyoutocomewithme
andperhapswatchmyback,beaguide,orevenjustafriendtotalkto?
   
Jargin begins to slur a little now, but gulps down the 
rest of the third large mug.  All of a sudden he burps 
very loudly, drawing more attention to the two tiny 
humanoids.  
 
Gnorm sways slightly in his stool, using all his gnomly 
strength to stay on it and not to a new seat on the 
ground.
       
'IthinkI'vehadquiteenoughdrinkingforonenightthough.Doyou
haveaplacetostayIhaveanextraroominthefactoryImrentingout.
      
'IThinkthisisthebeginningofa.....productiveandinteresting
relationshipGnorm.Yeswecoulddosometravelling.Iwouldenjoy
thecompany.Everyonetalkstoslowly.andtheyarerudeandallof
thefurnitureistoobig.'
     
'OhideasareracingthroughmyheadIcantthinkstraightwiththis
alebefuddlingme.Imustsayweshouldleaveforthenight.'
     
Jargin wobbles and this time falls with a crash from the 
chair to the floor, but is quickly up, and nods to Gnorm, 
motioning for him to lead the way.
 
'Yhesh.That'dbeeeaguudIdea.Leadshtehwayyfiernd.'
     
Gnorm carefully steps down but misses his landing, his 
feet getting tangled in the stool. He trips and 
faceplants into the ground knocking over a couple chairs.
Then a large bouncer grabs him and Jargin by thier 
collars and tosses them out the door.
      
Gnorm stands and shakes his hand in anger at the door but 
loses his balance and crashes to the ground. And Jargin 
smiles at his antics.  And the two new friends walk to 
the wharehouse and into a new future.
   
FINE
 

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Tue Mar 16 20:00:38 2010
Subject     (RP) A Day And Two Knights.  (PT 1)

In the distance a chattering little voice can be heard, speaking a mile a 
minute.  At first the words cannot be made out but as it gets closer, it 
obvious it is a gnome. Jargin is talking with one of the newer knights.
    
"DavianDoIhaveTO!"
     
Railen notices the gnome and walks over to him and Devian. "Sir Davian, 
is this the gnome you've told me about?" He asks the knight, who nods and 
says quietly "Yes sir, this is Jargin."
      
Jargin looks a little terrified, as he clings to Davians arm.  He looks up 
to the new knight, and tries to look innocent.
 
"IwasonlylookingaroundtheplaceIswear! DavianpleasetellhimI'mnotaKender!"
    
Railen chuckles gently. "Of course master Gnome. Young Davian here has 
told me much about you."  He nods at Davian. 
    
"I must go, Jargin. I have things I must attend." Davian says to the 
gnome, then salutes Railen and walks away.
     
The gnome becomes a little more relaxed, and looks over the Knight a 
moment, even though Jargin still chatters away nervously.
        
"Davianhasbeenagoodfriendandbusinessassociate.Anyfriendofhiscouldbea
friendofmine."
 
A handsome man stands before you, his blond hair long and worn in tight
braids under his helmet. He wares a suit full plate armor that was inlaid
with gold and a brilliant Golden Battle Crown encircling his helmet The
helmet has a heavy nose and cheek guards and is also inlaid with gold. His
right eye is as blue as the summer sky looks almost devoid of emotion. His
left eye, however, is covered by a black eye patch that has a small golden
crown on it and a scar decorates the left side of his face, from his hair
line to his jawbone, going through his eye. He wears an ankle length, white 
robe under his armor that is embroidered in gold. A long brown leather 
swordsmen belt wraps around his waist, holding a broad bladed hand and a 
half sword. On his back, he wears a pristine white cloak that has a Golden 
Crown embroidered on it, under a round shield that has the Revon crest on 
it, as well as a beautifully crafted elven Longsword.
  
Railen says 'I see. So tell me Jargin, what brings you here?'
 
'WellsillyDavianbroughtmeherewhenhefoundmenearthosecavesbythesea.Therewas
arumourthereweresomeniftytrinketsyouknow......forgotteninthere.SoIthoughtI
wouldtakealook.Ididnotknowyourpeoplewerealreadyinvestigating.'
    
Railen nods gently. "I see." He rubs the side of his face."What kind 
of trinkets were you looking for?"
    
Jargin draws in a deep breath before he continues.
        
"Thisandthat.Youcanneverknowwhatisfactfromfictionwhenitcomestothehunt.  
ButIspecializeinthearcane.Weaponsandarmorbeingthemostinteresting."
      
Railen says 'Aye, Davian showed me the sword you had given him. Does it 
really do what he said it does?'
 
Jargin pauses for a moment. "Iforget toslow downaround you guys.  
Forgiveme.  Iwill attemptit. However youseem tobe ableto keepup with me.  
As for thesword, yesit provides alimited protectionandoffence againstthem. 
Iam researchingthe possibilityof augmentingthe sword'spower. Butsuch 
researchcould takeyears.'
    
Railen smiles gently. "You, my friend are not the first gnome I've met. I 
thank you though, for slowing down. It is much easier." He nods. "Aye, 
but nothing worth while is easy."
     
Jargin becomes totally relaxed, the nervious expression gone, replaced by 
an infectious smile.  All of a sudden a hose in the back of his strange 
armor hisses, and belts out alot of steam, and a gurgle of water is heard.  
He turns a switch on the golden plate, and nods to Railen's words
 
Railen steps back from the strange noises, his eyebrow raised.
   
'Don'tworry It hasn't blowup or sentme intothe heavensin quiteawhile.  
Ithink Ihave workedout allofthedesign flaws.  Ijusthave toadjustthe 
pressurefrom timetotime. When itis finished and freeofflaws, itcan 
bemassproduced.'
    
Railen asks 'And, what may I ask are the advantages of this..strange 
armor?'
    
Jargin smiles to the knight and his taking interest.
    
"Itcanbesettohigherpressure.Wheninthismode,thearmoraugmentsthewearer's
strength. Innormal modeit negatesecomberance."
    
Railen falls silent and nods, pondering the possibilities.
 
'Itried tocreate humansized, butit createdseveral unforseen 
complications.  Somethingabout thesize matters.  When Igoback to 
NevermindIplan ondoing furtherexperimentation.'
    
Railen says 'I see.'
   
Jargin looks horrifed a moment,  as if remembering something terrible, and 
then continues chattering.  "Myhumannameis Jargin.  Donotaskmefor myGnome 
namefor, as you knowaboutgnomes thiscantake sometime?  Whatisyourname 
SirKnight?"
    
Railen chuckles gently and bows slightly. "Forgive me for my bad manners. 
I am Lord High Warrior, Railen Revon."
 
Jargin bows to Lord Railen in respect. "AsI havetold Davian, Iadmireyour 
organization.  Youstandforsomething important.  Andalthough Irevere 
Lunitari,  because ofmymagic, I believethat theGod'soflight shallprevail 
inthe timesto come."
    
Railen says 'The Triumvate will lead us through this dark time. We will 
Triumph over the Darkness.'
     
Jargin begins to chatter more quickly at the mention of Darkness.
       "Isurelyhope soLordRevon.  TheDarkQueen hasnever norwill never 
support thebalance.  Shewould enlsave allofus.  The God's oflight see the 
wisdom of the balance and believeinfairness."
   
Railen nods. "Aye. That is true, my small friend."
 
'AfriendandI areplanning atrip west.  Wewillbe leavingsoon toSanction.  
HeneedsLavaforhis lifequest, andthere areMANY interestingthings there that 
I wouldlike tofind.  MyGrandfather's research looksmost promising. 
Togothere is totake GREAT care.'
    
Railen nods. "Sanction you say? That is where the dragonarmies started 
from."
   
Jargin nods solemnly, again looking quite disturbed as if remembering 
something horrible. "Ifound thelast stonefor the swordthere.  Theruby.  
Ibelieve therewill bemore.  Itis overrunwith thosesmallones.  Idonotknow 
whatto callthem.  They looklike dragonsandhumans combined.'
 
"Draconian scum!" Railen says and spits hatefully.
    
Jargin giggles at Railen, but stops suddenly, knowing to laugh is 
innapropriate. "Clevername forthem.  Bestoaviodthem. Iplanon 
remainingquite cloakedwhilewe gatherour supplies. Aquick inandout jobonthis 
one."
     
Railen says 'They die just as well as any man.'
    
'Buthave youseenthem die?  Someturntostone.  Someexplode.  Notthat I have 
engagedthem.  Butsometimes theyfight amongst themselves, andyou 
wouldn'tbelieve howvicious theyare.  Iknew Iwouldneed tohelp Davianafter 
that trip.  SothatiswhyI procuredthesword'
 
CONTINUED

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Tue Mar 16 20:02:49 2010
Subject     (RP) A Day And Two Knights. (PT 2)

Railen says 'I've killed many of them.'
   
Jargin again bows in respect to Railen. "Iforget sometimeswho Iamtalkging 
with.  Ofcourse you have.  Youare brave KnightsofSolamnia.  My 
grandfatherwouldtellus greattales of you.  Helivedbefore thecataclysm."
    
Railen nods. "Sometimes i wish the Cataclysm didnt happen. Things would 
be a lot different."
     
'Thereisastoryyouknow.  Adarkrumour.  Itissaid that oneofyour order 
couldhave preventedit. Buthe chosetobe selfish, anddid not liveupto his 
obligation.  He wascursed to liveforever bythe Gods in retribution.  
WellsoI wastold.'
 
Railen nods solemnly. "So its said..So its said."
     
Jargin pauses a long moment before he continues, again sucking in a great 
deal of air into his lungs. "Ialready toldDavian, but ifwefind anything 
useful toyour cause inSaction.  I willpass italong toyou. Ijustwant itback 
after this is allover.  Itismy lifequest tocollect thesethings. Butthey 
shouldbe used forwhat theywere intended, duringtimes they areneeded.  
Theother peoplein thedepartment donot understandthis."
     
Railen bows softly. "My thanks to you, Master Gnome. Anything you give to 
us will indeed be given back. You have my oath."
 
"ItrustyouandDavianisafineman.Hedeservesapromotion.DonottellhimIsaidthat. 
HeandI have rocky relationship, andIwould liketo keepit that way.  He isso 
easilyriledup.  Itmakes me laughsometimes."
     
Railen says 'Most young knights are easy to be riled up. Even more so 
when you consider the losses we've all suffered.'
    
Jargin nods sagely at the Lord Knight, his demeanor becoming quite serious. 
"Thosethat havegiventhier lives, restin thebosom ofPaladine. Theyare 
rewarded forthier sacrifice, andwill be remembered."
     
Railen says 'Aye.'
 
The knight Davian returns, quite surprised Jargin is still in one piece. 
Railen nods to him. "Davian, please escort Jargin out of camp. Do have a 
safe journey master gnome.  I look forward to your return."
    
And Jargin takes Davian's hand, looking up to his fierce demeanor. 
     
"YouliedtomeDavian.  Heisn'tahorsesass.  Heis actually quitenice, knows
aboutgnome waysandeverything."
    
And Davian looking quite horrified and angry, pulls the gnome harshly from 
the tent. "Jargin Breeblebrox, I think I'll have you horsewhipped on your 
way out!  Infernal gnome!"   
     
And Jargin turns and winks to Lord Railen, grinning evilly. 
"So easily riled."
 
FINE

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Sat Mar 20 10:43:51 2010
Subject     Quickened Steps To A Mission.

The summon could not have come at such a bad time but Jargin knew he would 
have to get there as soon as he could.  When your Master calls, you drop 
everything, even plans for a long journey.  With a few apologizes to Gnorm 
he set out from Palanthas that very night.  
      
The trip was so long.  Aways weeks, buy ship, horse, and foot, but at least 
now the little gnome could drop some of this time, because he had finally 
mastered a small spell just for travelling. Most human wizards avoided this 
one, because it had the most unfortunate side effect of aging the caster.  
But for a gnome this wasn't nearly the same problem.  And so when he 
finally made it Solace, he knew the time was right
 
He journed south from the city of trees, and sat down before a brook, 
taking in the sunrise for a half an hour.  Then pulled the component from a 
satchel.  It was a dried up paw of some kind, but had shrivled and become 
mummified.  The gnome took it and with his hand ground it into a dust, and 
upon speaking the correct incantation, be blew sprinkled it over the top of 
his head.  
     
The magic hit him instantly, and he could tell, because his entire body 
began to race.  His heart began to beat quicker, he began to take more 
rapid breaths, and his mind seemed to be so much more alert.  And so the 
enchanted gnome stood, and began to...........run.
 
He ran as quickly as a panther, and with as much grace, dodging obstacles, 
and with supernatural reflexes and agility, he jumped streams and small 
chasms that he whized by.  He ran without tiring, his little legs, a whirl 
of motion, and the miles to the tower evaporated behind him. And in one 
afternoon, he had covered the terrain that would have normally taken him 
two days.  
      
And as he expected, the spell faded as he neared the Tower of Wayreth.  The 
gnome stopped finally, and fell to the ground in exhaustion, as he began 
now to gasp for breath, his muscles tightening, with his heart pounding in 
his head. This went on for what seemed to be an eternity, and he began to 
understand why few magi ever performed this spell.  The cost was high. 
 
The gnome managed to get himself up from the ground, and walked into the 
courtyard, taking a moment to rinse the grime he had collected on his 
mystical run, and then took off towards the red tower, where his master 
would be waiting.  
     
And after finally making it to the top, her strode in, trying to hide the 
fatigue from his demanor.  His master was there sitting at a table, and 
Jargin sat across from him, giving Ciskei his full attention.
     
Ciskei says 'Alright my apprentice. It's now time to for you to prove 
your worth to the Conclave. Do you believe you are ready for the task that 
I am about to give you?'
 
'IlivetoserveourGoddessinanywayIcanmymaster.TellmewhatImustdo.'
     
Ciskei grins and says 'I like your enthusiasim, alright then.'
     
Jargin grins back, a hiss coming from his behind, and and a gurgling of 
water coming from his unusal armor.  
    
"Youbringupmyenthusiasmmaster.Ibecomeabettermagefromyourdirection."
     
Ciskei says 'Your first task my little apprentice, is to bring me the 
fangs of a great dragon. There are many which roam the plains of Krynn my 
little friend. Lunitari lets only those cunning and powerful get close to 
her. Then show me the your worth by bringing me a glimmering diamond in 
which is embedded a star. These are very rare, and i would need one to show 
you the true power of the staff.'
 
As Ciskei speaks, the little gnome's eyes sparkle with....joy. Jargin 
dances up and down, as if having to go the bathroom, looking up to his 
master with such glee.  "I havealways wantedtokilla dragon!"
     
'AndIhavesomeSolamnicKnightfriends.  CanIhavethemhelpme?'
     
And at the mention of the stone and a staff, Jargin looks perplexed, 
looking to his sword and shield.  "I havelearned manyskills master,  a 
staffreally?  Tellmemoreaboutthis......stone. Aswordorwhipormace 
itdoesmore damage."
     
Ciskei says 'You may use whomever you'd like, though bring with you only 
those whom you trust. Never show your back to anyone, Solamnic or anyone. 
Some of the people of this world despise our gift, and will do what they 
can to destroy it. Do you understand?'
 
Jargin nods to him.  "People dismiss us small people.  They think we are 
weak.  And in a way this is.........anadvantagemaster!"
     
'Wesurprisethem.Evenyou!Youneverbotheredtoask, butIhavemuchtogive.
    
Jargin bows to the High mage, and demurs, knowing he overspoke.
      
Ciskei stares intently as his apprentice speaks, then shakes his robed head 
as understanding. 'Maybe then, the next task i give you will be twice as 
hard gnome! Do you know to whom you speak?'
      
Jargin bows to the High mage, and demurs, knowing he overspoke.
      "Mylifequest..........isto find, artifacts,  thingsofpower.  
Formost.....humans, they do not understand. Andforeven mostgnomes, 
theydonotunderstand.  Iwishtofulfillmyquestand to servethe redrobes. 
I talk toomuchasusual' 
 
Jargin backs away from Ciskei, looking quite........frightened.
      
Ciskei removes his cowl to revealing the lithe face of an elf, sad and dark 
though radiating power. 'Then do this for me apprentice Jargin, and do 
not speak of my lineage ever again or I will make your next task twice as 
difficult and something you will not survive, or kill you there on the 
spot.' 
      
Ciskei's eyes flare as he grins down at his apprentice.
 
As his master reveals himself to be an elf, the gnome backs further away 
looking, quite.......scared.   Jargin 's  eyes do not meet his masters.  
"The othersthinkyou........bloodthirsty.  Youhavea........reputation."
   
Ciskei says 'What better way to keep the balance of good and evil, soon 
you will find your own way in which to represent the balance...whether it 
be my way or some other calling.'
     
Ciskei's eyes cool down but his expression remains hard.
     
Ciskei says 'And now, if you have no further questions I would ask you to 
leave and be hasty with this chore apprentice.'
 
Jargin meets the elf's for the first time since they were joined and simply 
nods.
        
"Idonotcriticize. Youhavebeena.......goodexampleCiskei. Wewillnever quite 
see eyetoeye oncertain things. ButIservethe magic, andsodoyou. I will 
complete what youask."
     
Jargin backs away from his master, his scared expression still quite upon 
his face.
     
Ciskei sneers as his apprentice speaks those last words. He turns to his 
desk and sits down over an ancient looking tome. "Then go, and do not 
disturb me until the task is done."
 
Jargin nods, and on his way out, places something upon his desk.  It is a 
jade stone inscribed with magical symbols.  He does not say a word, but 
smiles as he leaves, muttering under his breath.  "Something I found. It 
might help."
  
And the gnome walks down the staircase, still looking quite exhausted, and 
frightened, from the trip and his master respectively. And he pulls another 
of the dried up paws from a pouch.  He studies it a moment, and puts it 
back.  "This time I think I'll just walks."
 
FINE

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Wed Mar 24 16:22:38 2010
Subject     (RP) A Gnome, A Gnome, And An Assface. (PT 1)

Jargin walks into the warehouse, his look.....disheveled.  His unnatural 
blue hair is in tatters, and his expression is one of unmediated...chaos.  
A large toned, and handsome man walks behind him,  a dull look in his eyes, 
and upon spotting Gnorm, Jargin quickens his steps.
    
Gnorm hears the door of the warehouse creek and a couple of people enter 
the room. With the sounds of footsteps he puts down his hammer and sets 
aside the cogs and wheels he had been working with. He asks 'Whoisthis? 
Anothertestsubject?'
 
'DEFINITELYnotGnorm. Thisis..Assface!  Averygoodfriendofmine.   
Hehasvolunteered......tohelpus sincewewereOBVIOUSLYrippedoffby....the 
lastroundofpeople.' Jargin looks angry and upset,  almost sneering at 
Gnorm.  "Youtrustedthatcaptian, andhejust......tookourmoney!  
IT doesn'tgrowon treesyouknow."
   
Gnorm blinks innocently.
    
Okar grumbles about lilly livered sea captains.
    
Jargin looks deep into Assface's eyes, and winks, smiling evilly.  
"Mydearfiend.  Youshouldrelax.  Noreasontobecome upset.  Wearefriends 
afterall.  Youhave beensuch a goodfriend,  especiallyafterescorting me 
here." 
     
Okar noticably relaxes, and says 'Aye that is what friends are for after 
all.'
 
Jargin grins to Gnorm and back to the human. "Indeed Assface.  Gnorm, 
haveyoumetmyfriendAssface?  Hewantedtogiveme problems butthen....wefound 
wehadmuch in common.  I'm soglad I met assface,  he'sbeen a realpal!"
      
'Iampleasedtomeetyouassface...apeciluarname....butnonethelessnicetomeetyo
u.Wouldyoubeintrestedhelpingmeexperimentwithmyunderlavasurvivalsuitv.343.4'

Jargin looks deeply into the humans eyes, and shakes his head.  
"Just saynoassface.  Trustmeon this."
    
Okar says 'Ummm, sounds rather dangerous.'
    
Gnorm says 'Thatismostunfortunate!!butohwellimsuretherewillbeothers.'
   
Jargin glares at Gnorm, obviously quite upset.  He takes the human by the 
hand and leads him to a bench in the warehouse, again looking deep into his 
eyes. Jargin smiles as he sits next to his friend.  
 
Gnorm whispers 'JarginIhaveafeelinghiskindnessisnotvoluntaryisthere
something youshouldtellme?'
    
Clearly having trouble with the rapidity of gnome speech, Okar stares 
blankly at Gnorm for a moment before insisting that he volunteered 
willingly, and as a friend.
           
Jargin turns to Gnorm and whispers into his ear, "Youknow Iwieldmagic,
and since youcannot getusto ourdestination, Icalledupon someone who can.
Humanstrusthumans, andtheyignoreus.  SoIprocuredsomehelp. Aproblem?"
      
'Thatismostunfortunateforhimbutmostconvientforus...ofcoursenoproblemjust
dontdoittome!!!Maybeyoucouldhelpmefindmorevolenteers.'
     
Jargin points to the human with a finger, and giggles, speaking "Dance 
Assface DANCE! A jig to amuse us ASSFACE!"
      
Okar dances with fervor and delight.
 
'Welostwhat?  overaplatimum withthese unscrupulious humans? Theydonot
takeusatallseriously. Withahumanasournegotior wehaveachance Gnorm.Andif
Iwas to charmyou?  Whatwouldyoudo?' Jargin turns his gaze to Gnorm, and 
lifts his staff, winking, laughing and chanting in the Gnomish language. 
"Boogha Boogha GNORMY!"
     
Gnorm dives under a table in sheer terror and bafflement.
He yells 'Stopthatmindyou thatwasjustunsettling! Butthiswasratheringenius 
ofyou! HaHa sowewillsail to Sanctionsoon?'
      
Okar asks 'So, friend Jargin, where are these people that I should 
negotiate with for passage?'
    
Jargin turns back to the human, and look quite......sad. He turns back to 
Gnorm hiding under the table. "Iwould neverbetray youbuyclouding your 
mind. Ineverwanted todoit topoorAssface. Butit wasneccesary atthetime."
 
'I understandwemustfinishourlifequests.Humanswouldneverunderstand!But 
itisgoodtohavemorecompanions.'
     
Happy to be needed, Okar smiles. He then begins to rummage in his pack for 
a small wedge of cheese, a bit of dried meat and his wineskin. He passes 
his skin to Jargin after a long swig.
     
Jargin takes the wineskin and takes a long swig from the human sized 
container. "EvenAssface, knowsI lovemy spirits."  Jargin passes the 
wineskin to Gnorm,  his expression expecting him to take a swig as well.
'Wedrankinto themorninghours thefirsttime wemet.  Isn'that right ass..'
Jargin stops himself, and looks very sad. "Gnorm, I just......cantdothis 
anymore. It's notfair."
          
Gnorm snifs the skin and grimaces as the strong scent of the ale hits his 
nostrils and our of politeness takes a small swig.
 
Okar brightens slightly and says, 'Oh yes and spiced as well.'
   
Gnorm says 'Dowhatmyfriend? Hedoesntseemtobeinanyharmandseemsto
enjoyinghimself. Heevendanced! Weneedhimmindyou.Nopointinstoppingnow.'
    
Jargin turns from the human but continues to speak to Gnorm. 
"Icantjustmakehim.  Ithastobehischoicetohelpus. Ipunished himfor abusing
meandall, butIcannot putthishuman indanger foroursakes. Itisjust..wrong."
          
'Dearfriendyouarethinkinginextremes.Feforethishewassomesimpletohuman!
Nowheisgoingonanadventure!Withusnonetheless. Therecanbeno wrongshere!'
      
Jargin turns to the human known as Assface, and he looks directly into his 
eyes.  He speak slowly, as if born to speak common as a human, and blows 
some sand into his face as he did the flower petals weeks earlier. 
'Ass.....I mean actually human?   Whatis........your name?'
 
'Umm.... ummm...  My name?' He slowly states 'My name is Okar.' 
The human looks at himself.
     
Jargin turns to Gnorm, giving his word. "To takeadvantageofhim
istobecomelikethosewhohavetakenadvantageofus. Ifhewilnothelp onhis 
ownfreewill. Wewilfindanotherway."
      
'Iguessitsyourdecisionbutscientificallythiscouldbegreat...butifyoumust.
ButIbetheisgoingtobeatyou.'
      
Seriously considering violence, Okar takes a moment to ponder the situation 
before asking. 'Ok, so what is so important that you get to that 
justifies spelling me? '
 
'Youpulledme bymyhair.  Ishouldhave letitgo, but peopletheytreatusso 
badlyOkar.   WhenIknew Ineeded to cometo Palanthas...I needed a travelling 
companion. Thenafter wetried tobook toSanction.' Jargin looks very sad, 
and looks to Gnorm.  "You finishitbrother."
    
'well...don'tstrikeme, butweneedtogettherewithmosturgencyandyou're
ouronlyhope. IknowJargincharmedyouperse! Butmaybethisisgood. Youcouldbe
a hero!not somesilly... I mean normal human.'
       
Okar admits to himself that this supposed mistreatment of Jargin is fact, 
including that he perpetrated. 'Very well, though I am not happy as to 
being spelled, I can understand the reason. Tell me what would you have of 
me? If it isnt too dificult i will see it done.'
 
As the human turns and looks to the two gnomes with compasion, Jargin 
begins to weep, and talking through sobs says, "Thewholeworldisnotagainst 
us. Gnorm wewilgetyourLAVA!"
   
Gnorm comforts Jargin and looks up at Okar exclaiming, 
'Iamsorryforhisoutburst...heisgoodman but justometimeshas aconcience!'
'Butwewouldreallyneedyourhelpandwilldoanythingforyoutohelpus!
Maybewhenmyunderlavasurvialsuitev.344.43 is done youcanhaveone!!!?'
    
Okar thanks Gnorm for his wonderrful offer but insists, 'I fully hope to 
never have use for anything which sounds so dangerous to use.'
    
Okar doesnt fully trust gnomish inventions. Heck he doesnt even trust 
them a little!!!!!
 
CONTINUED

Author:    Jargin         
Date:      Wed Mar 24 16:24:25 2010
Subject     (RP) A Gnome, A Gnome, And An Assface (PT 2)

Okar says 'I have said that I understand why you would do such a thing 
and I apprecate that you found your conscience. I would like your word to 
not do it again however, assuming that we will be traveling together.'
   
Jargin turns from his sorrow and back to Okar and then to Gnorm.  
"Okar.........we need passage to....Sanction.  Dark forcescontrol it. 
Andeveryone hastaken advantage.  Weturnedtoyouas alastrestort, andIpromise, 
nomore tricks."
    
Okar says 'To handle the matter of booking passage on a ship is simple. I 
can do this. If you need a body guard durring the trip or beyond I will 
need some sort of shall we say?....Compensation. A man has got to eat after 
all.'
 
'Eating...notaproblemIaminthemiddleofaninventionthatallowsyoutorecycleold
foodandreuseit...thetasteisntgreatbutitsverynutritious!!'
    
Jargin looks to his fellow gnome and back to the human, and.........sides 
with the human on this one.  "Gnorm.........wewillPAY! Andthistime wewill 
getourmoney'sworth!"  Jargin pulls several diamonds from a change purse.
    
Gnorm says 'Jargin!Notthediamondsweneedthose!!!Wehavecoin! Willyou 
acceptcoin?' He looks quickly at Okar in hope.
     
'Takethis Okar.  Andpay myfriend nomind.  Getus toSanction.  And 
don'tmindGnorm.  Hewillbe happy whenhe gets hislava.'
 
Okar says 'Certainly I do not mean to break you, I am not a man of 
enourmous needs.' He takes just over half of the offered diamonds from 
Jargins hand, still more than he would have gotten in months working in a 
tavern. 'Very well gnomes, I hope whatever it is that you seek in 
Sanction is worth this expense.'
     
Jargin rests on a chair, and places his staff across his lap before he 
continues.  "Gnorm goes to Sanction to procure lava for his lifequest,  
and I go to fulfill mine.  I search for magical relics."
 
Okar ponders the situation carefully before stating, 'I am happy to help 
with your lifequests, as life as a tavern guard was becoming too boring. 
Some of the captains of such a journey use the inn when thay are in town, I 
will ask around and see of any that I am familiar with are in port 
currently.'
    
Okar salutes Jargin and Gnorm and hurries out of the warehouse and down the 
street. And the two gnomes begin to bicker as one tweaks his lava suit and 
the other taps his staff on the ground, grinning widely to the other.
 
FINE
 

The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD

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