An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Shardik.

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 leather bound tome on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Shardik' scribed in rich purple ink.

Author:  Shardik
Date    Sun Jul 14 14:00:21 2002


Subject  Shardiks Journey into Magic




I always thought the casting of spells would be simple.  The mages I had seen
growing up seemed to cast them with ease.  Little did I know then the amount
of hard work it would take to cast even the simplest of spells.

The long hours of study the dedication of the mind and spirit, and the
physical strain it would take to master these spells.  I would soon learn the
errors of my thoughts.

It was while growing up in solace that i first began to take interest in
magic.  Although it was from a traveling faire where i saw the first magic.
Which I know now was just a simple illusion, a slight of hand trick.

But to a young boy it was magic.  And from that moment on a felt a burning
inside of me to learn the ways of magic no matter the cost.

I learned quickly the slight of hand tricks I had seen at the fair.  And set
about performing the tricks to the adulation of my friends who couldn't seem
to figure out how i was doing them.

I was proud of myself for learning so quickly and for having the talent to
dazzle crowds of people both young and old.  It was during this time that a
true mage found me.

I was performing for a group of friends and their parents. Making cards and
trinkets disappear up my sleeve, pulling coins from their ears etcetera.  You
know the basics.  During the show I saw the mage sit down and rest his back
against a large vallenwood and watch me doing my tricks.

He applauded with the rest of the audience after i was done.  The crowd
dispersed yet he remained sitting under the tree, watching as i gathered my 
props from the show.  As i turned back around with my pack he rose and walked
to me.

"Very good show lad," he said.

"Thank  you," I replied,  "I have been doing this show for quite some time
now."


He nodded, then looked me square in the eye and said, "Your slight of hand is
impressive, but have you ever thought what it would be like to do real magic?"


I didn't know what to say, I looked at him for a second or two a blank look on
my face, before responding.  "Yes Sir, I have been wanting to learn the ways
of magic since I was a young boy, and saw these tricks i perform now, being
performed by o one who said this was magic at a fair."


He nodded, and smiled.  "Yes I saw the man you speak of.  He is very talented
in the slight of hand skill.  But he lacked the gift of magic.  You on the
other hand,  I can sense the gift in you.   I can feel the magic flowing from
you though you now have no control of it."


I looked at him in awe.  Not knowing entirely what he spoke of but with an
eagerness to learn.   "How do I learn to control this gift you speak of sir?"
I asked.

"It is not easy young man," he said, "but with pateince and hard work you will
learn.  But you need to have the determination and the will to learn. None of
it is easy and none of it is to be taken for granted."


I nodded at his words as he spoke of the training and education it would take
to become adept at magic. Then he spoke of the test and how a mage is given
the test to see how well he has learned and that sometimes the test can result
in death.

"Do   you still wish to persue this path?" he asked.

"Yes sir, I want to learn of magic and of the gods, of the ways of Solinari,
Lunitari, and Nuitari." I said

"Then gather what you need and meet me here as the sun breaks the horizon in
the morning, your journey down the paths of magic will soon begin."

(TO BE CONTINUED)



Author:  Shardik
Date    Thu Jul 18 11:51:59 2002


Subject  Shardiks Journey into Magic Continued




After Speaking with the mage, I ran home as quickly as possible.  My heart was
racing as it seemed my dreams were finally about to come true. To learn magic
the one thing in the world I had always wanted.

I rushed into my home and began to pack. A change of clothes and some bread
and cheese were all I thought to take with me.  Having never before been gone
from home for longer than a day, I had no idea as to what life on the road
would be like.

As the packing was done I layed down to get some sleep, not fully
understanding what was about to happen upon waking, but excited none the less.
 As I drifted off to sleep, the dreams came.

I stood in a field before a Magnifecent tower, three orbs of light floated
before me. One of a pure white, One of a Crimson Red, And the other of a Black
I had never seen before.

As I drew closer to the tower I saw that these three lights were directly in
my path and it seemed that they were blocking my way to the tower, yet i
walked straight ahead.

When I got within a few feet of the orbs of light I heard a voice coming from
one. It was the soft soothing voice of a young woman.


"Stand where you are aspiring mage." She said.

I froze in my tracks, not being for certain where the voice came from, I began
looking around me and reached for my dagger.

Then I heard the calm voice of a powerful man.

"Put your dagger away boy. You have nothing to fear here."


Then the harsh whispering voice came to me.  "Is it your wish to enter this
tower?"

"Yes I wish to enter the tower." I said humbly.

"Do you know what it means to enter into this tower?  Do you know why you are
here?" Asked the voice of the woman.

"I am here to learn the ways of magic Maam." I  replied.  "To learn to control
this gift you  have given me."

The voice of the man then spoke. "You know who we are?" he asked.

I lowered my head and said "Yes great Solinari I know who you are. You are the
three gods of magic, Solinari, Lunitari and Nuitari."

"We grant you entrance to this tower young mage, always remember where it is
your power comes from. Always know we are watching." said Nuitari.

With that the three orbs combined into one then disappeared in a blink of an
eye.


Startled I began walking towards the door of the tower.  Just as I reached to
open the door I awoke.

It was still an hour before dawn when i awoke. I grabbed my bag and went back
to the Vallenwood to meet the mage I had spoke with the previous day.

As I sat and waited I wrote my dream down in a small journal I had brought
with me. It was while I was writing that the mage appeared before me.  I
jumped up startled as i didn't hear a sound just saw someone standing before
me.

He placed his hand on my shoulder, "Relax son he said, I am known as Tormack. 
Are you ready to begin your journey into magic?"

I merely nodded and grabbed my bag. We began walking down the road away from
Solace and towards the forest of Qualinost.

The trip took many weeks, during which Tormack taught me many things, from how
I should present myself to the mages in the tower to some of the different
spell components found during our trip.

I was told how hard it is to master spells about the concentration and
dedication it will take to control the gift of magic.

We had been walking for two weeks with no sign of the tower or the Forest of
wayreth that surrounds it.  So I was suprised when i awoke one morning to see
the tower in a clearing in the forest.

It was then that I was told the secret of the forest how it finds us we do not
find it.

The Tower was the most beautiful thing i had ever seen.  The white Marble
seemed to shine in the sun light Casting a calming light over everything
around it.

It was hear that I would begin my studies and learn to become a mage.  I would
spend many years here learning how to cast the most simplest of spells until i
could master them and move on.

Thus my journey still continues as many more things there is yet to learn. 
And the vision on the three orbs of light are always in my mind.

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 mentions 'We have had over 869 storytellers on Ansalon pen their epic stories here for all to read.'