The Great Library of Palanthas

An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Taman_Busuk.

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 concise treatise on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Taman_Busuk' scribed in brilliant yellow ink.

      Taman Busuk

      Capital: Neraka and Sanction
      Main Populace: Evil humans, Blue Dragonarmy, ogres, barbarians,
goblins
      Languages: Draconian, Nerakese, Dragon, Mountain Barbarian,
Solamnic, Lemish, Nordmaarian, Khur, Ogre, Goblin, Mountain Dwarf+,
Kyrie+
      National Alignment: Lawful Evil
      Government: Dictatorial

      Dragon Highlord Ariakus (Human P23/F10, AC 2, hp 88, AL LE)
      Disposition: Ambitious

      Geography: Although Taman Busuk as a nation is weak, it contains
some of the most mystically and militarily powerful sites on Ansalon:
Sanction, Neraka, and Gargath, as well as the ruins of Godshome. (The
history and importance of Sanction warrants a separate entry. See
"Sanction.") Mountains and sterile soil fragment the nation of Taman
Busuk geographically, and Takhisis and the Blue Dragonarmy fragment it
politically. But Takhisis prefers the country to be so divided: thus,
none can stand against her.

      In the north, Taman Busuk borders Estwilde and Kern and in the
south it borders Zhakar. Throughout its length, rugged and barren
mountains stripe the land. The mountains in the north contain huge
slabs of granite -- igneous shafts of former volcanoes that were
forced into splintery ranges when the Cataclysm struck. Between these
mountains lie wide valleys of grassy wasteland. In the south, the
mountains become much more dense and the valleys disappear entirely.
Here, thirteen volcanoes remain active. The lava flows of three of
them reach into the very heart of the Dark Queen's occupied city of
Sanction. Neraka, also, is surrounded by volcanoes, though they stand
at a greater distance.

      The ragged Khalkist Mountains house more than just evil sites.
The mystic sites of Godshome and the ancient city of Gargath lie in
these mountains also. Godshome is- a bowlshaped depression in a
mountain top. At the center lies a huge, polished circle of black
rock, surrounded by an oddly shaped ring of boulders. Clearly, this
site is not natural.but celestial in origin. Here, the companions
discovered the true nature of Fizban and witnessed Paladine's
epiphany.

      The ancient tower of Gargath is also said to lie nearby, where
the Graystone was contained for a time and where the kender and tinker
gnomes came into being. Even so, tales tell of at least five different
locations for the Tower of Gargath. Most of the tales point to a site
in the upper Khalkists, but perhaps the residue of chaos from the
Graystone has cursed the tower to wander.

      Climate: Summers in Taman Busuk last from Corij to Reorxmont and
remain temperate, due to the elevation. Also due to the height, the
land receives little rain, making the stony mountains fairly barren.
From Phoenix to Mishamont, the land grows quite chill and snows pile
higher than a man's head. Only sites near volcanoes escape the
accumulation of snow. It is said that when Neraka has snow, Sanction
has rain.

      Politics: Neraka is ruled indirectly by Takhisis herself. The
city arose 141 years after the Cataclysm, when Takhisis planted the
cornerstone of the Kingpriest's temple in a remote glade. By patient
magic, the cornerstone grew in to a new temple -- the twisted Temple
of Darkness where Takhisis could muster and rally her servants. The
city around the temple grew up only to serve the Dark Queen and her
minions. Outside the city lay barracks for the five dragonarmies she
commands.

      When travelers discovered the city, they mistook it for the
"Lost City of Neraka," a mountain city destroyed by the Cataclysm.
Those who escaped Takhisis's minions spread news of the city of
"Neraka." Takhisis, wishing to hide her purposes, was content to let
her capital of Evil be so called.

      Needless to say, no good comes out of Neraka. Takhisis has sent
her Evil minions south to strike an alliance with Khur, hoping to
unify against the traitorous ogres of Kern and the Knights of
Solamnia. The dwarves of Zhakar occasionally raid Neraka, and the
Nerakans willingly sponsor forays to explore and spy on the Zakharans'
underground city.

      Godshome has no ruler lest it be Paladine himself, and Gargath
is only a small settlement clustered about the ruined tower.

      Trade: Neraka and Sanction run a thriving trade in slaves,
mercenaries, and weaponry with each other, Khur, and Zhakar. The
dwarves of Zhakar barter with small gems, and the nomads of Khur offer
fine warhorses, exotic spices, and artifacts from the Lost Cities of
Istar. Sanction also deals in lime and llamas and serves as a point of
entry for much stolen or black-market merchandise, which it trades
through Neraka to the northern reaches of Taman Busuk. The nomadic
barbarians of the north barter for these goods with mutton and wool.

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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