The Great Library of Palanthas
An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Shadowind.
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 'Shadowind' scribed in dull red ink.
Author: Shadowind Date Sat Jan 19 08:20:40 2002 Subject Everyday Hunting Feeling the adrenaline begin to flow into his body, Shadowind dropped silently into the shadows beneath him. Silently thanking the people of this town for building their buildings so close together, he stalked from one shadow to the next. An alert watchdog wouldnt have been able to see him. A small smile touched his lips, hidden under the shadow of the night. These pathetic townsfolk looked more like drooling pig rats than alert dogs to Shadowind. They had no idea what was about to happen. That made his job even better. Turning to his left he saw a young woman walk by who looked to be in her human middle 30s. She had tanned skin with short brown hair and a knowing look in her eyes. She walked with a stride that spoke of purpose and intelligence. Shadowinds smile deepened. She was perfect. The members of his clan always tried to do things in secret more often than not. Why storm a town and kill everyone when a silent attack can preserve the anonymity of the organization? His clan had survived this long because they didnt come out into the open often, and then only for a short time before anyone could start to suspect anything about them. Perhaps the world would learn of his clan someday and perhaps not. Not that any of this mattered to Shadowind. He was getting paid well for this job and he would not ruin it by becoming arrogant or careless. With a flash of his arm he caught the girl and dragged her close to him putting the tip of his knife between the second and third vertebrae on her neck. She had no time to even grunt at suddenly being taken hostage. You scream, you die, Shadowind whispered into her ear applying slight pressure on the knife. She stiffened and tried to nod, most likely finding it difficult with a six inch blade pressed to the back of her neck, nothing that worried Shadowind any. You will tell me where Argon Slander is or you will not live to see your next sunrise. He turned the blade slightly clockwise and a trickle of blood ran down her neck. Again she stiffened, this time for the pain. Shadowind carefully eased the pressure from his hand on her mouth and nose. S-S-Slander is in his house. H-H-He is going to tell the men where they are going to r-raid tomorrow. Tears started to drip from her eyes onto the sleeve of his black leather jacket. She was trying not to sob and her breathing was sporadic, almost to the point of hyperventilation. Good girl, Shadowind said soothingly, putting less pressure on the knife, See what happens to good girls who do what theyre told? She nodded slightly, plainly still fearing the blade just touching her skin. Now where is his house? H-He lives just north of here. The house just smaller than the M-Meeting H-Hall over there, she breathed as carefully as possible. The girl was doing her best not to bawl. She had much more self-control than had been expected. Shadowind nodded slightly, maybe he would have been impressed if not for the circumstances. Maybe. Im very proud of you, girl. Ill see you- with a quick flash of movement, Shadowind recovered the girls mouth and nose as tightly as possible while silently driving the blade in and out in one fluid motion. Instantly she crumpled with her spinal cord severed. Her gaping mouth gasped for air as her windpipe was cut beyond mending. In Hell, the assassin finished. Shadowind pulled her body deeper into the shadows and wiped his blade clean on the rags of her shirt. She wouldnt warn anyone or say anything about him. Slipping into the shadows of the next building, Shadowind didnt look back. All in a days work for the Clans finest assassin. And now for Slander, he whispered to the shadows. Maybe the shadows were his only friends. Moving like black lightning from one shadow to the next, Shadowind darted toward his ultimate goal. Author: Shadowind Date Tue May 14 19:17:49 2002 Subject unusual He was wearing a pair of black pants, black combat boots worn on feet, a pair of black leather thieves patches on hands, his face was covered by the black assassins mask with a sacractic grin frozen on it with only the eyes being a cold grey, calloused by having seen many deaths, mostly caused by his blades ... Shadowind has finished dressing up prepearing for yet another night sneak out. He put a blowgun into the sleeves, a dagger into the inner loop under his right hand, another one in his back pocket, a dagger into the loop on his boots, tiger claws behind his back on a belt, a silk rope to strangulate his victims into the belt pouch, set of poisoned needles under his cloak, another one under the armbands, a potion of poison, throwing stars, and alot of more useful things into his toolkit worn on his back. When the night has fall upon the lands of Krynn a silent shadow sneaked out of the window, silently descedning down the wall like a huge black rain drop. Shadowind had no intentions to kill this night. He was just enjoing to be a night hunter whos territory is a night city. Silently sliding from a shadow to another he was grinning looking at the people who were walking so close he could hear their heartbeat being completely unaware of the danger hiding in the darkness. He stopped for awhile before a mirror window of the magic shop looking at his reflection obviously enjoying it. He was perfect standing in the darkness being the darkness himself. After a moment he was running on the roofs like a cat jumping from one to another. The feeling of a freedom was complete. And since he was free and able to do anything - he just run like a wind in the darkness. Several times he crawled silently behind the citizens, standing behind the backs of the wealthy merchants who were gathering their stuff to close the shops at the marketplace... He was tracking without having a clear target, approaching people so close that he could kill them by one lightning move, then run away without being even noticed. Never before Shadowind felt such a reunion with the dark shadows which seem let him in as their brother. At the one of the street turns he stopped to relax a bit but a sudden scream just broke the silence killing his enjoyment of the night: - Please, dont, I want to go home! The voice was unfamiliar, belonging to a girl, begging. The one to reply was a drunk voice of a man: - Of course we'll let you go - after we have a little fun with you... *laugh* - No! Stop it! Let me go! *sounds of a fight* - Stop it bitch! You want it! - barked the voice. *a sound of a slap, then man's roar then another slap much stronger, girl's scream from the pain* - Enough! NO! HEeeelp! Only a cloud of dust left at the spot where Shadowind was standing a second ago. He was standing at the window looking inside the building being city guard's barrack. His blood was boiling with the hatred since he knew that kind of the people very well, and even he was evil in heart and killed more men then years you may live, he never excused anyone who tried to rape the innocent girl... Noone knows for sure any details of his childhood but something happened and it could be the source of all hatred he had now. Sneaking in thru the open window he appeared in the big room with the open door to the corridor with side doors, at the end of which was a heavy door with the screams coming from it. As a tornado he open the door crashed it out to find himself standing against a huge drunk human guard. Meanwhile a girl dressed in a blue dress run away thru the open door. The guard tried to reach the sword but Shadowind was faster to leave him dead in the pool of blood. Falling, the guard hit the table producing enormous noise and breaking the lamp which went out putting the room in the darkness. The way out was blocking by the guards running to the sound of a fight so there was only one way to save - to hide under the bed. It was dull, dusty and very uncomfortable there. Author: Shadowind Date Tue May 14 19:19:59 2002 Subject unusual (ending) Shadowind groupped himself tried to become invisible - not by the way mages do. Every assassing like almoust every thief is using special skills which make the work easier: black cloths, special breathing and even mental tuning help them to dissolve in the shadows becoming no invisible but undetectable. But this time Shadowind was really trapped - a group of six guards were approaching. Someone was holding a torch, others were about to light the lamps on the walls. One more minute and they discover the one who was hiding under the bed. In a hatred Shadowind was falling deeper in the darkness as his mind blurs and the colors around become losing intensity. One to one assassin can kill almoust anyone, personally Shadowind was thinking he could manage tree or four guards but to fight in a small room with one exit against six guards would be a suicide. Concentrating he was falling deeper in the shadows the colors dim and when he opened his eyes everything was grey he used his ability of shadowwalking and the guard who looked under the bed couldnt see anyone there. But Shadowind knew the hatred and the rage will take his mind completely soon and he will jump off the shadows in a blind berserk, fighting to death. Soon the battle was over. Six dead bodies were lying all around and the silent shadow leaving trail of blood drops was sliding away in the darkness.
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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