The Great Library of Palanthas

An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Karsa.

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 'Karsa' scribed in brilliant yellow ink.


Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Fri Jul  3 04:22:43 2009
Subject     Wanderer

The mane of black hair blocked his vision, yet it did not impede the work
at hand. His ogrish hands traced the lines delicately into the bone of the
bear. It was uncommon for one of his kind, an ogre magi, to be born.

The rest of the ogres around watched on in animalistic curiousity," was this
really magick," their eyes screamed. The blue skinned ogre finished the
delicate runes etched into the bear's broad leg bone. Bringing it up into
the air, the blue skinned ogre looked out to the assembled," with this, you
shall determine who amongst you shall lead. It cannot be broken, and it
cannot be burnt."

To add proof to his claim, the blue skinned ogre plunged the bone into a
fire close by and brought it back out after several seconds. To the
assembled ogres they were amazed, the bone was untouched. Throwing the bone
into the center of the band, the blue skinned ogre walked away in disgust,
had his race truly fallen so far?

Walking away from the squabbling band of brutes, he looked up into the night
sky. He was weary from performing parlor tricks to amuse and mystify his
kin, he was disgusted with the life he was entrapped in.

After a particularly vicious ogre claimed dominance over the enchanted bone,
he turned to look for the blue skinned ogre, yet he was gone.

Looking back on the years he had spent learning from the tomes he had come
across, finding the histories of magic and lore of the earth tucked away in
ruins, he prepared to do what so few of his kind have done. Now he walks,
jacket close to himself, his eyes scanning for a path into the fabled
forest, scanning for entry into the tower, to further his magic. To join the
Conclave. 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Wed Jul 22 11:08:23 2009
Subject     Become the Wanderer

Karsa growled in impatience as the goblin did not return as he instructed,
"Filthy vermin, even the simple task of fetching parchment is impossible for
their feeble minds." 

Barking an order for another goblin to arrive, Karsa tossed aside yet
another tome he had set upon and turned to another as the late goblin
arrived. Out of breath, the goblin stammered,"  I could only find this
milord."

Karsa ripped the rotten parchment from the cowering goblin's hand and turned
back to his work. He knew he had spent too much time here as it is. The few
ogres that had followed him, looted mercilessly anything they found.
Countless scrolls and books that he had discovered now laid in ashes as the
stone gates of the ruins. Victim of his race's simple minds, no wonder he
despised his race.

He had to finish this last scroll, an end to a means so to speak. Looking at
the writing etched on the rotten parchment he admited the irony, magic for
his race was failing, he did not know why, yet all he wanted was that power
for himself.

To rule over the few ogres and goblins he found using parlor tricks and
minor magicks were not enough, he sought more. He admitted to himself that
the idea of controlling all of his brethren proved a tempting offer. Yet he
wanted power, something other ogre magi lacked. 

He stopped writing on the rotting parchment to take a minute to look at a
soft black tome setting to his right on the stone table. The memories of
finding said tome still fresh in his mind. The promises of power, the black
robe had written inside, proved the turning point in his life. Since then he
had spent countless days hunting for any and all refrences to the Conclave
of mages.

Humans, elves, even Minotaurs were a part of this great collaberation of
magic users. Yet he had yet to find evidence of his own race's joining. 

He growled as he realized he let his mind wander again, his focus must be on
the scroll at hand. To fail would prove disasterous for himself, yet if done
right, he grinned, the fools who followed him would realize his
determination. He focused hard, his tattooed hands writing the spell in the
language of magic, delicately forming the potent words. He grinned in self
pride as his hand wrote the words steadier now than in previous years.

Before he had ruined countless spells and incantations, frustratingly
learning the new language. Much different than that of his kin, much
different than the common language taken up by other races. Yet, his goal
remained the same, and now his time spent began to pay off. It had been ten
years now, ten long years studying tomes bought and stolen from libraries
and stalls. His self path to magic finally taking form.

Karsa let a roar of triumph spill from his mouth as the last word sealed
itself on the parchment. The feeling of the magick spreading through his
body. He closed his eyes at that moment, focusing on a cliffside path. Where
his brethren awaited.

Shouts from the band of ogres rang out in the cliffs, many of whom grabbed
weapons weary of attack. "I do not come to harm you," Karsa muttered with a
wave of his hand. Each ogre recognized the dark blue skin and arcane tattoes
on the face of the new arrival. "You lead us," one ogre stammered out. Karsa
shook his head,"  No, I am here to find the one amongst you who will lead." 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Tue Jan  5 02:50:29 2010
Subject     Isolation

Karsa sat facing the solitary window. His mind focused soley on the book
in front of him. His tusked mouth carefully formed each syllable properly,
mindful of the disaster one mispronunciation could cause. His blue skinned
hand grasped the silver clasp at his chin, a faint greenish glow emanating
from within his palm. Focusing entirely on the spell at hand, he did not
notice the faint knock at the door.

Wearily, the goblin pushed open the door and crept, fearfully, into his
master's abode. Mindful not to disturb his master's concentration, the
goblin sat squarely on the floor, careful as to not scrape his sword against
the stone. Looking around, the goblin scanned the few tomes lying around the
bare stone room. The room itself was covered in nothing but plain grey
stone. The only pieces of furniture within were the desk at which his master
sat and the small bookshelf housing the few tomes his master had ordered
they collect.

Karsa finished his incantation and grinned wickedly as the glow transferred
from his hand to the clasp at his chin. Feeling the rush of magic course
through his veins only added to his revalry of his spells success. With his
task complete, he turned to stand when his eyes fell upon the goblin sitting
on the floor, scanning the room with overly curious eyes. Muttering a few
select words and snatching some freshly spun web from the wall Karsa grinned
as the goblin shrieked as it found itself coated in thick, sticky webs
pinning it to the floor.

"Master, I did not mean to disturb you," shrieked the terrified goblin," I
only came to deliver this missive," it wailed as the webbing began to crawl
with the rooms awoken spiders.

Karsa stood and grabbed a web coated piece of parchment from the shaking
body of the goblin. Breaking the seal of the parchment, Karsa quickly
scanned over the words written in Common. Grinning, Karsa folded the
parchment and stepped over the struggling goblin. "Master!" the goblin
screamed as Karsa left the room, letting the chamber door close. Once the
latch of the door clicked into place, swarms of spiders began to crawl from
the shadows of the room.

Karsa picked through select thoughts as he descended the stairwell,
unmindful of the shrieks coming from the room at the top. Closing his hand
over the clasp at his chin, Karsa focused his will on the magic, letting it
slide over him. Encompassing him in its ever comforting embrace. Focusing
his thoughts on where he needed to go, Karsa spoke a few words and vanished.
 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Mon Jan 11 00:18:33 2010
Subject     Unsuspected but Detected

Karsa appeared on the outskirts of Neraka, the words of a defensive spell
on his lips. After scanning the area quickly he began to walk towards the
dark city. "These humans follow their Queen blindly, why should they need my
brethren to do the same," he thought to himself aloud. A sudden drawing of a
blade changed his attention from his thoughts to the matters at hand. 

Apparently interrupting some meeting of sorts, Karsa reached into his
satchel and produced a small statue of a wolf. Looking between the Half-elf
and the draconian, he spoke plainly," whatever business is your own, allow
me to pass and you shall live."

The draconian looked to the half-elf and grinned as he pumped his wings and
launched towards the blue skinned ogre. The half-elf followed his companions
charge with his sword held at the ready.

Karsa muttered a few words and released the wolf statue, which began to glow
with a sickly green like. Turning his attention to the half-elf now, he drew
his own dagger and met the charging half-elf head on.

The wolf statue began to grow rapidly as the green light began to die.
Caught off guard by the ogre's dismissal of it's charge, the draconian
turned swung at the ogre's skull from behind. The sickening crunch of bone
and the howl of a wolf split the air as the draconian's blade fell from
lifeless hands.

Karsa grunted as the magic ate away at his strength, yet he knew the battle
wouldn't last much longer. Even now, he saw the resolve of the losing
half-elf eat away to the fear.

With a last push, the half-elf broke from the fight and fled towards the
dark city. Karsa turned to his familiar's kill and retrieved its fallen
sword. Turning back to face the dark city, Karsa took the blade in his hands
and snapped the weak metal. "Such is the will of elves and lizardmen,
nothing but brittle Iron from a cheap goddess," he spit in disgust and
continued forward heading to those who awaited him. 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Sat Jan 16 23:40:56 2010
Subject     Informants and Deals

"You will not take it from me!," the dying Nerakan swore.

Karsa looked down at the pitiful human," you have no choice in this, give it
to me and you shall will die now. Don't, and you will suffer longer than you
think imaginable."

The wounded Nerakan coughed up a gout of blood, gasping for air.

"Oh not now human, you will not die yet," the ogre chuckled as he removed a
vial from his satchel, removed the cork, and poured the contents into the
Nerakan's mouth.

The Nerakan gasped great lung-fulls of air and fell back slowly onto the
blood soaked alleyway. "What have you done to me?" the human asked, words
slirring from the effects of the potion.

"What I gave you is of no concern to you," the ogre said dismissively," now
give me what I came for and you shall die quickly, or my friend beyond shall
prolong your stay."

The Nerakan's eyes gazed at the shadows around the alley, terror gripping
tight as the realization that the shadows were moving with the clicking of
insect legs. "What you want I cannot give!" screamed the Nerakan in a
panic," my Queen would deal far greater punishment in the next life than you
ever could should I betray her."

"Mores the pity then, human," the ogre said with a sigh. Standing up, Karsa
smoothed back his black hair and turned, allowing the light from his clasp
to leave the paralyzed Nerakan.

The Nerakan's gaze locked onto the withdrawing ogre," I will not tell you,"
he screamed as the darkness surged forward, engulfing him in ten thousand
spiders.

The ogre-magi turned the corner, aware of the soldiers mulling around the
entrance of the alley, muttering a few words of magic his guise returned to
the young harlot that captivated the now deceased Nerakan.

"Your friend will not be returning just yet," the seductive young woman said
to the awaiting soldiers," he is much to tired from me to join you, await
for him back at the barracks and he will tell you all about it then."

The group of off duty soldiers muttered between themselves, casting
suspicious glances at the woman, and the occasional grin.

Growing impatient with the soldiers, the young woman departs from their
company and heads back down the street, towards the inn she was awaiting the
Nerakan at. Veering off at the last moment, Karsa resumed his true form and
muttered at the waist of magic it took to disguise himself from simple
soldiers. As if reading his thoughts the shadows spoke.

"Remember Karsa, the task you are set upon cannot be revealed," the strange
voice spoke from the darkness," for if it is, you shall fail and your soul
will be mine!"

Karsa froze as the voice spoke," do not lecture me, Elrauth, on the
importance of our deal back in Despair," he growled into the shifting
darkness. 

"Just remember Karsa, what I have given, I can easily take away," the fading
voice said.

Karsa growled into the darkness, withdrawing a piece of leather from his
satchel, he rubbed it between forefinger and thumb whilst uttering a change
of summoning. Dropping the now burning leather, Karsa continued his pace
towards the doorway at the end of the alley, awaiting the company and
information within. Behind, a small gully dwarf now sat, staring outward,
guarding the alley. 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Wed Mar 31 23:45:22 2010
Subject     Storm

The last warrior slowly stumbled through the mud, rain leaving bloody
trails of grime and gore on his pale face. His hand clung to his side,
pressing down on the wound under his ribs. His sword trailed in his wake,
barely clinging to a unfeeling hand. Karsa looked out among the battlefield,
human and ogre alike were scattered in groups where they fell.

Several goblins and surviving ogres looted the fallen dead, both ogre and
human alike. Blocking the rain with his cowl, Karsa muttered a few words
that brought some strength to the surviving soldier.

"Turn human," Karsa commanded, many of his ogre's began to fall in line with
their leader. The human turned to the ogre-magi and mumbled something
unintelligable. "You can speak human, I gave you that much strength, for
now."

The warrior looked to his fallen comrades and then back to the blue skinned
ogre commanding him to speak," what do you want of me beast," the warrior
weakly growled," you've slain my men and claimed victory here."

Karsa grinned, finally the human chose to spoke," I'm here to offer you a
deal, a deal my master bid me to deliver."

"Then what is it?" the warrior shrieked, patience and sanity straining
tight.

"Life anew," Karsa said," In exchange you will be our man among the humans,
tell us of their plans, their defenses, their strategies."

The human briefly concidered the notion of become a servant of this ogre's
master, yet his resolve hardened at the thought of his dead soldiers," I
will never serve you, nor your master." 

Karsa chuckled at the human's sudden resolve, pulling the cowl back and
basking in the cold rain, he looked back at the warrior," you will have no
choice human."

From the fringes of the battlefield, above the din of the looting ogres and
goblins, the screams of a man roared from the heart of the killingfield.
With those screams, words of magic and a sickening blue light accompanied
the smell of sweetly burning flesh, even as the rain began to fall anew. 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Sat Sep 18 00:28:26 2010
Subject     At a Master's Will

" What do you command of me master," the ogre-magi whispered into the
darkness of his study. Small figures swarmed in the darkness, hundreds of
spiders squrrying from the candle light at the edges of the shadows.

"I want you to head south, away from the fools fighting in the North, go to
the fringes of dust and snow, there you shall find an amulet that I desire,"
a voice seethed from the darkness.

The ogre-magi's eyes lurched open," you want me to abandon the war?"

The voice returned," yes, Karsa, you must leave the armies alone, though the
temptation is great even for myself," the voice admitted," but this amulet
is vital for my studies."

Karsa agreed vocally to his master's command, yet internally he cursed the
bastard for missing out on the slaughter of elves, men, and dwarves. "When
shall I depart master," Karsa asked.

"You will leave tonight," the voice commanded," take noone with your quest,
and Karsa.... Do not fail me."

With that final statement the darkness receded in Karsa's magelit study,
leaving no traces of the spiders.

As he felt his master's presence recede from the room, Karsa stood and
growled in frustration," that bastard always sends me on fool's errands for
some worthless trinket." 

Slamming his fist onto his desk, Karsa turned and stalked towards the
entrance to his personal chambers," one day he will be the one doing MY
bidding," he continued to growl as he crossed the threshold and began
preparations for his long journey. 

Author:    Karsa          
Date:      Wed Jun  6 05:21:24 2012
Subject     Blood, Dirt, and Dust

The kender let out a squeel of pain as the axe cracked his left knee, the scaled hand on the haft turning it flat as it struck the immobilized kender. Karsa laughed an in his draconic tongue," these little vermin are fun toys," he said to the baaz behind him. The baaz chuckled and eyed the crying kender hungrily. Waving his hand over the kender, the bindings of magic trapping the kender vanish. With a start the kender lurched over and tried feebly to get away. "Please," the kender begged," don't hurt me anymore, I didn't mean to find that book. You must of dropped it somewhere," it said choking back tears of pain. Karsa waved the baaz over and turned as the kender let loose a blood curdling scream as the baaz began to rend the kender's flesh apart. A human messenger blanched as he turned the corner witnessing the baaz's feeding. "You've recieved a message," he stammered, hands shaking as he held out the missive. Licking his lips at the smell of the kender's blood, Karsa grabs the missive and scans over the contents. "All in good time," he chuckles in common. Tossing the missive behind him, its dry parchment soaking in the blood of the kender, he turns back to the baaz," we have a mission to do." The baaz crunched the grissle from the torn elbow of the dead kender," so soon, we just began our fun?" Karsa turned on his lesser kin," yes, something more important than just fun," recounting a brief verse of the missive," we are to find an elf travelling on her own, she is reported to carry something of great import to our highlord, not to mention our Queen." The baaz licks the last of the blood off of his scaled mouth with his forked tongue," then let us begin this hunt." Karsa turns to the messenger, still standing, whos stuck to the ground in fear. "These slaves are so weak," he growls in draconic as he reaches out with his bronze scaled and grabbing the messenger by the throat. With a flick of his wrist he snaps the slave's neck and tosses the corpse behind him next to the kenders'. "We shall find this elven bitch, for the glory of our Queen and Highlord," he says, the baaz echoing his oath. Both draconians left the hall in the wake of the commotion from the kender's screams. But none challenged the pair, for this occupied town had learned, not long ago, its place in the Highlord's eye. After a few minutes of walking they were both alone again," hold still," the bozak ordered the smaller draconian. Speaking out in the language of magic, the bozak's hands spread out in an arc encompassing both himself and the baaz. The baaz watched in simplistic awe as their surroundings began to shift from a simple stone road and grassland to the beginning of a forest beside a dirt road. Releasing his breath from the transition, Karsa looked around," we are here." Both draconians scanned the road, then the forest, after hearing the rustling not too far from their location. Saying a few more words, both draconians dissapear from sight as the elf maiden stumbled wearily out of the forest. "I've made it," she cries out, falling to her knees onto the soft dirt of the road. Her once beautiful features covered in bruises and grime from her frantic flight from the dragonarmy scouts scouring the forest. They watched her cry for a moment then trail off into a prayer neither heard. The baaz grinned and inched forward slowly. Karsa laid a restraining hand on the eager draconian's robed shoulder," wait," he commands. Finishing her prayer, the elf maiden composes herself and stands, brushing off the dirt of the road from her torn skirt. Slowly scanning her surroundings with her elven sight, she starts off eastward, away from the hidden draconians. Karsa grinned," go," he orders, releasing his hold on the baaz. The baaz eagerly launches towards the unaware elf, yelling in draconic. The elf maiden spins as the cry pierces the serenity of the road, falling back as the baaz pounces atop her," I've got you bitch," the baaz growls. The elf maiden looks up into the baaz's face, her eyes blazing," or is it I who got you," she says as she slides her dagger between the baaz's ribs, piercing it's heart. The baaz gurgles something before turning into stone, still atop the elf, pinning her to the ground. Karsa watches on amused, baaz never learn. Karsa walks slowly towards the pinned elf, relishing her struggles to free herself from under the stone corpse of the baaz. "It's I who have you," Karsa said mockingly, throwing sand over the crumbling body of the baaz, whilst saying the words to the sleep spell. The elf maiden tries to scream as the spell effects begin to take hold, her eyes closing. Soon she was deep into her magical slumber," sleep well elf, for you awake to a nightmare," he said, plucking the elf from the dirt road and returning to the gate by the woods. Karsa returned to the outpost of the Blue dragonarmy forces in the area, depositing the elf off to a towering Sivak," send word that I have returned with the elf bitch," he says, turning to head back to the tent that he called home. Turning the pages over in the old book, Karsa freezes as the familiar voice trickles into his mind," you have done well Karsa," the voice says, its tone praising," but your arrogance I will not tolerate." He flinched at the tone, the pounding in his skull began," I will not fail, my Queen," he says to the emptiness of his tent. "We shall see," the voice hisses," we shall see."

Author: Karsa Date: Sun Nov 8 01:00:07 2015 Subject Sand and Ice (1)

The ogre-magi braced himself against the blowing sand coming from the mouth of the small cave he stood in, the sand clawing against his fur cloak. "Curse you master and your sniveling schemes," he growls, his voice quickly lost to the howling winds. His quest, set upon him by his master Elrauth, saw him leave his abode in Bloten, passing through terrain ill suited for one of his race, only to dump him here in this sandstorm, huddled in a squalid cave awaiting the storm to pass. "You shall pay for this," Karsa roared out into the storm, pounding his pale fist against the wall. Turning from the mouth of the cave, he senses a slight chill begin to spread out from the back of the cave," have you found it," the voice spoke from the dim shadows creeping out from the center of the wall. "No," Karsa growled, his grey eyes peering into the blackness," your little trinket hasn't been found." Pain bloomed inside his mind as Elrauth's cold grip settled into his mind," you are worthless," the voice screamed in his mind. Karsa growled and fought back against the presence in his mind," you were the one to feeble to leave your sacred tower," he spat, bracing himself for another burst of pain. Yet it did not come," You fail to see the wider picture yet again beast," the voice of Elrauth comments," why do the dirty work yourself when you can trap and tame filth to do it for you," it said as Karsa continued to resist its pull. "Enough," Karsa roared, feeling the silver dust in his scars burst with magic as he flung out a wave of energy. "You have plagued me enough human, treating me like some bastard beast of burden," he says, seething in rage," you will not command me anymore." The small cave boomed with laughter, causing the storm outside to be drowned out for a moment," you think you have a choice," the voice says, a tendril appearing from the shadows," you are mine." The tendril crept forward and grabbed the staggered ogre-magi, dragging the pale skinned ogre into the depths of the shadows.

Author: Karsa Date: Sun Nov 8 01:22:17 2015 Subject Sand and Ice (2)

Karsa awoke in pitch blackness, his mind whirring and fragmented from the teleportation. Spiders swam across his chest, across his face, attempting to burrow into his eyes and ears. With a grunt, Karsa stood, shaking his head to dislodge most of the spiders, yet one remained burrowed underneath the plait of hair hanging from his back," where have you brought me," he asks to the darkness. "Since you were incapable of getting there yourself, beast, I have brought you to the ruin containing the amulet I seek." The ogre-magi turned about to scan the darkened room, his eyes barely making out any details of the room save for the frost covered floor," Icewall," he said as he spat upon the floor. "Since the hard part is done beast, find the amulet and I will bring you back," the drifting voice said, quickly fading in the small room. Karsa growled and grabbed a small crystal orb from the sack hanging from his hip. The orb became to emanate a pale white light, only illuminating the room slightly better than the ogre's vision could. After a few minutes of searching the room the ogre leaves, his footfalls echoing down the stone hallway. Small clusters of ice cycles hung from the roof of the stone hall, causing the tall ogre to bend slightly to avoid hitting his head. The ogre-magi continued to search the desolate place, the spider constantly watching from its perch as to any discoveries the ogre might find. ------------------------------------------- From the depths of his laboratory the mage Elrauth stood, his pale green eyes constantly scanning the surface of the scrying pool, watching as the ogre-magi continued to rummage from room to room in the abandoned keep deep within the Thanoi's territory of Icewall. "He must find it," the middle-aged mage wheezed, the disease cloying constantly at his throat," he must," he says as he takes a drink from the potion bottle clasp in his left hand. From behind the mage another figure walks to peer into the scrying pool," he will my love," the pale skinned elf says," after all, he is trapped there unless he finds the amulet." Elrauth turned to his wife, his eyes slightly glassy as sweat began to bead across his brow," curse that damned creature," he hisses. The elf maiden looks to the sickly mage," you should rest my love," she says sweetly, watching as the disease burned across the face of the mage she called husband," let the beast do its work." The sickened mage turned from the scrying pool," so I shall," he says, unaware of the charm spell grasping hold of him," so I shall." She waited until Elrauth departed before you cast a spell upon the pool, reaching into it to call to the spider upon Karsa's shoulder," when it's found my sweet, kill him."

Author: Karsa Date: Sun Nov 8 02:14:14 2015 Subject Sand and Ice (3)

Karsa swore, flinging the pot against the wall to crash into shards on the frost covered floor. Hours he had spent here, vainly searching for some amulet his master commanded him to find. Opening up yet another room to search, Karsa froze, faint footsteps slowly began to echo from down the hall," we heard it come from down there," the voice spoke. The ogre reached back and drew his axe, his spell components long gone, and slid into the room. "I swear I heard something," a human voice echoed from the hall, followed by the sound of four sets of footfalls. Three humans stood, wearing regalia of an army unknown to Karsa, the fourth a Thanoi, scanning the corridor," fan out and search," the thanoi ordered. The first human opened the first door to his right, as his fellow did with the left. The third kept walking, torch held high to enlighten the corridor further," I have tracks," he shouts to his companions. The thanoi came to the side of the human, its bristled face scanning to and fro, its snout testing the air for a scent," look there," it said, its beady eyes catching the sparkle of crushed frost outside of a slightly ajar door. Unsheathing his blade, the human crept towards the door, the two other humans continued to search their rooms. Karsa leaned against the wall, his axe held up at the ready, hearing the the unmistakable sound of a blade clearing its sheath. The human pushed the door open further with the tip of his blade, his torch slowly filling the empty room with light. Taking a step inside, the human started to scan the room when Karsa released his chop, the edge crunching through the chainmail of his shoulder and shearing through tissue, severing the arm off at the shoulder. Screaming in pain and fear the man fell back into the hall, vainly attempted to stem the flow of dark red blood gushing from the remains of his ruined shoulder. The two other humans heard their companions scream and quickly rushed from the rooms to join the thanoi, who looked back down the opposite side of the corridor to the exit. The first charged towards their companion as the second began to rush towards the open doorway. Karsa grinned as he heard the other human come towards the door," its good to kill something again," he says as he steps through the doorway, watching as the first human falls back, over his companion, to tangle on the floor in a heap. The second human roars out and charges Karsa, his longsword stabbing towards the blue skinned ogre's gut. Karsa brings his axe down on the dying human at his feet, relishing the scream from his companion as he scrambles to stand on the frost covered floor. The second human's stab falters as his feet slip on the blood coated frost, to end at the feet of Karsa. Looking down at the two terrified humans, Karsa grins and flips to the blunt side of his axe, chopping down and smashing the knee of the first human. The thanoi watches as the blue skinned beast kills the wounded human, then cripples the second on the floor, before bolting back down the corridor at a dead run. Eager to escape, the thanoi ignores the scream of the third human as he dashes into the stairwell and begins the long climb up. Karsa's laughter stops as the third human throws a dagger, embedding itself to the hilt in the flesh of his thigh. "That will cost you human," he growls, hefting his axe and steps towards the human. The second human brandishes its own dagger, weakly stabbing at the advancing ogre. Karsa growls and sideswipes the dagger with the face of his axe, slamming the haft of the axe into the face of the wounded human. Reaching down with his other hand he pulls the dagger from his thigh," here you go," he says as he throws the blade back to the third human. Blood streams as the dagger pierces the eye of the third human, neatly embedding itself through the back of the eye socket and piercing the human's brain.

Author: Karsa Date: Sun Nov 8 02:43:30 2015 Subject Sand and Ice (4)

With two dead humans at his feet, and a third trying to crawl with a shattered leg, Karsa wiped his axe blade off on the corpse of the first. "You can't flee human," he says as he resets his axe to his back, " you can't run." The human looks back, his face pale from fear and pain," don't," he stammers," don't kill me, please." Karsa looked at the pathetic human," I need answers," he says, taking a few steps away from the human's dead companions. The human looked up at the ogre, the strong smell of urine spreading from the stricken man. "I seek an amulet, something found here," he says to the wounded man. The human stammered something before passing out, to the frustration of the ogre-magi. With a stomp the ogre smashes the humans skull and steps over the corpse, following the trail of the thanoi," now I might get somewhere," he mutters to himself. ------------- The elf looked through the scrying pool as the ogre tore after the thanoi, relishing in its own brutish game. "So beneath us," the elf sneered, her eyes glued to the pool.

Author: Karsa Date: Sun Nov 8 03:09:48 2015 Subject Vengeance

"Hand it to me," Elrauth screamed at the ogre," I order you." Karsa's eye glowed in rage and pain as Elrauth's spell effects continued to burn through his body. After the successful hunt brought forth the amulet, the ogre had been summoned back by the the sickened mage. Mad with fever, Elrauth continued to scream at the kneeling ogre," I said GIVE IT TO ME!!!" The elf maiden stood off to the side, particularly shielded incase of the ogre's potential attack should it come, eyeing the ogre with suspicion. "We know you found it beast," she sneers, scanning the ogre for any sign of the amulet," now give it to us," she says, her mind calling to the spider still hidden under the braid of Karsa's hair. Growling in pain, Karsa attempted to rise yet again, only to feel the chains of the spell pull him back down," here," he growls, his hand going for the amulet at his chest," have it," he roars. Bright flame pours forth from his outstretched hand, the other braced against the floor. The jet of flame engulfing the elf-maiden to Karsa's right, the sweet smell of burning flesh and smoke rising in the air. As the elf-maid's last scream died away Karsa began to feel the effects of the spell drift away from him," all this time I have been your slave," he says, the baritone in his voice deepening. "All these years I have been cast from one place to the next, ever searching for things to extend your meager life," he continues," but this," he says, revealing the artifact he found in Icewall," this is mine!" Karsa stood to his full height, towering about the human, the scowl of his face illuminated by the amulet he wears at his neck," this power is mine," he roars, grabbing Elrauth by the throat as the fevered mage failed to cast a spell. Bringing the mage to eye level, Karsa relished the fear in the fevered man's eyes," and now, you are going to pay," he growls as he bites into the man's neck, tearing out both larynx and jugular vein, relishing in the warm blood as it sprays out of Elrauth's ruined neck. Karsa held the mage at eye level, watching as the life fled from his eyes, before dropping him to the floor. Searching the familiar room, Karsa reached out and sorted through the tomes sitting upon the shelf over the burnt corpse of the elf searching for the tome he knew it possessed. Gathering various components and books from the dead mage's room, Karsa looked back to the remains of the elf and human who had enslaved him for so long. With a grin, Karsa pulled a knife from his belt and knelt down next to his former master Elrauth," a token for you, Master," he says, the knife piercing skin as he began to skin the dead mage. With his grisly work done, he packed the skin inside of the sack at his belt and stood in front of the scrying pool, looking into the silvery depths, his mind picturing his homeland," It is time," he says with a grin as a silver mist begins to pull himself from within the pool.

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.'
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