The Great Library of Palanthas
An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Locki.
A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap Off 65 80.'
The gully continues 'Want color back? Turn Color Back ON!!
Astinus says 'Enter the main library here to view only the author list.'
Astinus gently places a brief catalogue on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Locki' scribed in glowing grey ink.
Author: Locki Date: Tue Jun 9 10:11:22 2009 Subject A beginning Lying on the ground, in an old abandoned warehouse by the harbour, with rats running around him and a handfull of other young urchins, Locki had to smile and think back to how he got here. " Wilfrid! shut that kid up! Permanently! I'm trying to count here!" came the voice of a A half elf bandit, the clinking of coins continueing after a moment of grumbling. The child was no older than 4, crying out loud at the horror around him, both his parents bloody and lifeless bodies lying burning in the campfire, the stench of burning human flesh filling the clearing. "Sorry kid, but what the boss says, Wilfrid has got to do, its an oath thing, i'm sure you understand." The muscle of the little group, a man with muscles on his muscles, he was the most frightening thing the boy had ever seen and now he was look at him, holding a knife and stepping towards him. THUNK Wilfrid expression suddenly changes to be very confused as he looks up at crossbow bolt sticking out through his forehead before falling, making the ground shake slightly under his massive weight. Thunk Another bandit sits back down as he rises to look around in suprise. The rest didn't wait for anymore bolts before bolting themselves. Confused as much as the bandits the child looks up to see the smiling face of an older man walking into the light on light, silent feet. He wasn't old, but had a slight greying around the temples of his otherwise thick black hair. He wore a long grey robe, and a long black beard on his chin. "Don't be afraid boy. My name is Tavrin. What is your name boy?" Sniff "Its R.." "Wrong! boy. I saved your life did I not?" The boy nods, confused. "Then I shall give you a new name aswell. From today boy, you will be called... Locki" Taverin says as though just thinking up the name on the spot. "Yes Locki, I rather like that... Well Locki, we can't stay here, they might be back, Come on, don't just sit there staring like a half-fit, up you get Locki!" Tavrin turns and starts walking back into the darkness. Locki scrambles to his feet and quickly runs to catch up to Tavrin, and they walk off into the darkness together. To be Continued... Author: Locki Date: Wed Jun 10 08:47:42 2009 Subject a middle Thump, Thump, Thump Nailing the last bunk together, Locki smiles at his small group. Luther, a scrawny lad with a hooked nose who resembled a weasle, Val, the bruiser of the group, with a face that looks like its been put through a grinder, two hatchets hanging at his sides. And Jazmin, the only girl and youngest of the group only 14 a sharp girl, strong jawline though quiet pretty. Orphans each one of them, Locki had taken months scouting each one out. Taking a look around the warehouse, it had all costed him a bit, but it will be worth it, and now they had several bed rooms and a kitchen, the place was all most rat free even. He looked around and smiled thinking of how he got here. Thump, Thump, Thump Locki layed sprawled on the ground, a young teenager now, spitting out blood. Tavrin standing over him tutting. "Come on boy, I know you saw me coming, your faster than this in your studies, the gods know your no bruiser, but you have a quick mind, and a quick mind leads to quick action. You will never be a fighter by any means, but that doesn't matter, you will fight dirty, use stealth, use your speed, but most importantly, fight with your those brains of yours. Remember that night when we first met, one old man chasing off 5 able bodies young men, was that with strength and fighting strength? No! there is more to fighting than muscle and knowing how to swing a blade, now stop lying there feeling sorry for yourself and get up!" Locki pushed himself back up to standing smiling a bloody smile and nods to signal he is ready, and they both move back into the shadows to start again. Tavrin, a once scholar turned soldier and then a scout then deserter during some old war best forgotten. Locki never learned much more than this of the mysterious man that had saved his life other than that he had become Locki's father, his teacher. Tavrin tought him how to read and write, mathamatics, economics, language, geography, and all manner of subjects. Then he tought him how to cook, how to serve, how to sit at a high table with lords and nobles and not seem out of place. He showed locki how to charm pockets, the intricacies of a good disguise, not just the clothes themselves, but useing dyes and facepaint to adjust one's face and hair, and then the subtleties of body language, how to become the character the disguise represents, even down to the detail of most basic mannerisms that people have, from the way they walk to those odd little idiosyncrasies of everyday life. It was obviouse he was being trained for something. But for what he would never find out from Tavrin. Thump, Thump, Thump Locki delivered the last brutal kick to the weasle looking boy's ribs. Locki had been watching him for a couple of weeks now, and the weasle seemed to fit with what he needed. "Whats your name boy?" "What?" the boy looks up confused, expecting his throat slit, not his assailant asking for his name. Locki kicked him again repeating his qustion "What" thump "Is your" thump "Name" thump "BOY?!" "Its Fr.. OW!" Thump "Wrong, your old name is void, you've been living, if its even called that, of the small pickings from the purses of those with barely more than you have. Today you could be dead if I had been someone else, so, today your starting a new start, with a new name... You shall be called...Luther... yeah i kind of like that. Luther. Get up!" "What the? You can't just.." Thump. "I could just kill you, but me and Val here are looking for a new brother, and you're it. Have you got something better to do? Some other family to run to, that will protect you, and FEED you" At that word the weasle's eyes brighten, he licks his lips and says "You know what, i've always wanted to be part of a family, ah, you said something about food?" Val steps forward still favouring one side, having recieved a similar deal a week before, and helps his new brother up. "And good food, brother, don't know where this guy gets it from or how, but its regular good food." Locki smiles at them both. "Come my brothers, my new friends, we still need to go get our new little sisters today, then we shall feast, feast like a family should." Thump, Thump, Thump The three members of his new little family were all thumping the large oak table they were all sitting around practically drooling over the feast laid out before them, Locki had kept true to his word, there was a large roasted duck, pork, different kinds of breads and cheeses, fine wine and ale, more food than the 4 of them could eat, more than 3 of them had seen all their lives. Locki held up his hand and the noised quieted down. "I won't hold you long my friends, my brothers, but you must be wondering what this is all about, Well.." "Hell i'd go with you to the abyss and back for food like this" Locki only had to glancw at Val to silence him "May I? Good. Everyone gathered here at this table is an orphan with no other family, including me. But together we can change that, and this little family will grow, I will teach you what I can, and together we will become one happy family. Yes Jazmin?" Locki nodded to the young girl. "Um this maybe be a stupid question but, um this ah, gang, ah, um. Your a thief right? And thats what you will be teaching us?" Locki smiled, she might be the youngest but she wasn't afraid to ask what was on her mind. "Yes Jazmin, anyone that has a problem with that may leave, leave now, leave this little family for good. Any takers?" No one moved. "Good the last thing anyone wants is to disappoint their own family right? But now, thief is a limited word, you have preconceived ideas of what one is, we will be something far more than your average cutpurses, they, can not afford meals like this. But enough of business, more tomorrow, for now, enjoy the meal." Locki smiled happily and dug in with his own little gang, it wasn't much but it was his little family, it was a start. To be continued Author: Locki Date: Wed Jun 10 22:45:40 2009 Subject End or New Beginning With bloody hands shaking clenched in fist, kneeling on the wharehous floor, Locki sobs, looking around at the destruction and chaos, wondering how in the name of the gods had got here. Locki had spent the begging few weeks with each of his new family teaching them what he could. With Luther he would walk around the Caergoth harbour, he would provide destractions, one of his personal favourites, was to chew up orange skins and cucumbers, then wonder up to his mark looking ill, before 'puking' the pulp all over them, giving Luther pleanty of time and keeping eyes off him. With Val he would help rough up and collecting, tax, from some of the weaker small gangs. With Jazmin he helped set up a donation stand for a orphanage that didn't excist, all Jazmin had to do was put on her puppy dog eyes while Locki would speak at length imploring on the people generousity and goodwill, especially to the ones who looked like familymen, and the people came forward dropping coppers and every now and again a gold coin into their little collection pot. It was a small beginning, but it was certainly something. And on other days, Locki would roam the harbour or the city itself scouting out some real marks. Everything had gone so well, They had gathered all the supplies and costumes they needed for their first big score, rented rooms in a couple of different rooms, set up bank accounts, forged papers, they had spent a month creating identites to people who didn't exist. Spent more months, learning thier marks movements, habits, strengths, weaknesses, connections, they didn't want someone who had too many friends in high places but someone who was high enough up to have a small fortune. First touch had gone smoothly, Locki dressed in the finary of a wealthy merchant, along with Jazmin dressed and playing a convincing porter, had introduced themsleves to a young and minor noble, and started talking trade and buisness, it wasn't long before the noble was inviting them to join him the next day to his manor for further discussion. They would spend no more than 4 weeks milking the noble of his fortune, with money now with the promise of a greater return to follow. It was the last day of the scam, they had taken half of the nobles fortune, and were now pulling a vanish. Locki was just returning to their hideout with the last pouch of coins taken from the flase account. Smiling and whistling he entered the scene of carnage. His smile instantly dropped to confusion and concern. He had been expecting to return to celebrate, instead he entered the wharehouse to find the place complete trashed. Slipping out a dagger from its concealed place the sleeve of his arm, he slowly advanced in. He could here the sound of a small fire crackling, and the woomf as it cought fabric. He opened the door where he heard the sound coming from, to be created with a blasting heat, he quickly shut the door to their extensive wardrobe. "Shit!" All the disguises had cost quite a bit, it was months of work gone, not taken, but destroyed. They had been so carefull, there was no way it was that upstart noble's doing. He hurried now down to the lounge and stopped short as he got there. "Oh gods!" Luther's weasle face lay a few feet away lying staring blankey beside the body that it had once occupied. "Locki?..." gasped a voice. It Val, on the ground, one of his own hatchets stuck deep in his chest Lock rushed over to him gripping his hand in his own. "Val!, oh gods, what happened Val? Who did this Val? Tell me, i'll make them pay, I swear it Val, you hear me?" "It.. hurts.. i.. don't... want" Val gasped and then went limp, dead in Lockis arms. Locki cried out, he had become to depend on the strong dependable Val always watching his back, Luther, always joking never taking anything serious, he could always brighten up even the darkest of days. "Jazmin! of Gods what have they done?" Her body layed naked, blody and mutilated a few feet away, her lifeless hand gripping a still loaded crossbow, she never even got a shot off. So Locki knelt there sobbing, mourning the loss of his friends, his family. The sound of a now raging fire not far behind him. He wanted to stay, to be consumed by the fires, but the memory of Tavrin, another one he has lost, made him move. The city guards would be here soon, and the odds where they would blame him for this, there was no one else. Locki rose slowly, looking around him, seeing once more as it had been the day before, the day before, when they had been alive... "Goodbye my friends, look over me wherever you are, I will remember you all, and one day when death claims me, we will be a family once more. But till that day my brothers and sister, I must go. Goodbye Luther, Val. Jazmin." As he says each name he takes from them each one item to remember them bye. Luther's Lucky dice, From Jazmin he took a colorful beaded bracelet they had given her on her birthday. And Val, from Val he took the Ivory hilted, silver dagger that Val had won at an arm wrestling competion, it had been rigged of course, Locki smiled slightly at the memory. Looking around one last time Locki took off tears still streaming down his cheeks. The end, Or just a new beginning
The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD
Astinus points to the massive wall of books behind him and bids you to make a selection.
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