An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Shao.

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 large book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Shao' scribed in vibrant brown ink.

Author:             Shao
Date    Mon Oct 17 15:13:38 2005
Subject  Rauko Kin.

"For a werewolf however, silver is the true aid, for it is the best way to
slay it." Shaol recalled the books frasing for the hundreth time.

He had lost the clue of the undead that had attacked in the night in the city
of Palanthas, so this cleansing a werewolf lair job had come at just the
right time.

His heart wasn't into it though, the past two years had been too intense,
with little in the way of happier days. For the long hours of the dayand of
the night all he could see was darkness, the darkness in the beasts he
hunted, and the darkness advancing within himself.

But he could not stop, he had promised his teacher years back that he would
continue his work for as long as his strenghts allowed, so he endured.

This werewolf lair job should be an easy enough one, he had killed worse
fiends, and the reports he had gotten from the village elders stated that it
was but one werewolf inside.

Darkness engulfed Shao as he walked into the lair, sensing a greater evil
inside than any werewolf could possible have, he began to feel aprehensive,
his senses peaking in awareness.

Suddenly, with a growl the beast attacked him, savagedly and without remorse.

Trusting his instincts, Shao rolled left letting the creature make past him.
As it lunged again, Shao kicked against the wall and used it as an impulse to
drive his foot against the werewolf's chestt.

Taking his opening, he pulled a silver dagger from his pouch and used it to
slash the werewolf's throat.


The task was done, and Shao was feeling as weary as ever "One less creature
in the world, one less soul. One less piece of my soul within me."

A faint growl began to be heard, increasing in volume, untill it filled the
lair. Then as quickly as it had began, the growl became a chuckle.

"One less piece of your soul indeed... I have been waiting for you, Hunter.
Your skills have not gone unnoticed by my Queen.She could help but notice how
you did away with many a minion of her servants."

"It is my job.... and if by Queen, you mean Takhisis, it is small wonder she
has taken notice, I have slain many dark creatures that served her."

"You did, and now she offers you the opportunity to take your rightfull place
beside her, after all the training she has provided for you it is only
suitable....Look within yourself to find the truth of this Shao Rauko kin."

"The truth of....." his eyes widdened as the wall that blocked his childhood
memories in his mind was removed, as he remembered how he had come upon his
master.

"You are not born human Rauko kin, at least not completely so. My Queen made
it so you'd share your soul, your body and your mind with one of her minions,
one of her creatures, one of her demons."

Pain shot across Shao's body as he slumped to the floor, falling to his knees.

"Rise Demon kin, and take your rightfull place in her Majesty's ranks. You
shall set forth to Neraka and report to Her Knights there."

Shao's eyes glowed red, memories not his own flooded his mind. Any will to
resist the demon within him fled him as the voice's owner became visible, as
he lighted a torch.

"Her Majesty's will is mine to carry out. Let it be done as she wills."

As Shao left the cave, his master nodded to himself. 
"I have carried out my Queen's commands, he is ready. May Krynn forgive me"

Before Shao even reached the base of the mountain, a creature appeared from a
portal and ripped the master to shredds. His usefullness spent the Queen had
no further use for him.


Author:             Shao
Date    Sun Jan 22 14:09:45 2006
Subject  The Queen's Command part I: A Mission

The Half-Demon stood to the side of the Temple, deeply imersed in
meditation, his mind dwelling in the Abyss where he could spread his
entire power without the boundaries of the mortal plane.

As he once more grew accustomed to the power that filled his body,
Arauko felt a presence near him, around him, within him, everywhere and
nowhere at the same time.

A presence he knew well, a presence he had felt for each second of his
imprisonment of thousands of years. His Queen was aware of him, his
Queen demanded his attention, his Queen had an assignment for him.

It always felt the same, the sense of lost and slight helplessness that
came with relinquishing the power of his own body to ocupy the vessel
that was this human body. But ocupy it he must for he must serve his
Queen.

Her instructions had been precise, so he had to go to Schalsea, a place
he had not come to in a very long time, though he knew precisely where
it was, the old plain seemed to have survived the changes that Krynn had
undertaken.

Pulling his cloak's hood to cover his features, the Half-Demon left the
temple towards the "lizards'" stables, with everyone that crossed his
path making sure they didn't have to cross it too close to him.

At the stables, the Half-Demon was met with the glare of every single
dragon in the stables, had he been an actual human and he would have to
run out of the place, as it was their gaze only made him more sure that
they were never the worthy substitutes to his kind.

Making sure that the wyvern he would be taking was saddled and ready,
the Half-Demon mounted and got ready to depart. Just then a stable hand
came to his side, looking fearfull of the monk.

"Envoy, the Lady of Night has ordered that you be asked of your
destination, word was sent from her office that she had not ordered your
departure on any assignment." Eyes void of emotion descended on the
stablehand, as an answer came from the Half-Demon's lips, his hollow
voice echoing in the cave that was the dragon stables.

"Tell the Lady of Night that orders that outrank her's were issued. And
advise her not to send any sort of 'escort' to accompany me. I am sure
that her efforts are for now better spent elsewhere." The inside of the
cave filled with the roars of protest of the dragons that inhabited it,
protesting the lack of respect the Half-Demon was showing.

Shao, however, did not wait for their reaction, or the stablehand's
acknowlegement, and pulled his mount to take flight. The sooner the task
was complete, the sooner he would return to his meditation.

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.'