An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Taurenthalas.

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 thread-bare book bound in cloth on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Taurenthalas' scribed in unearthly brown ink.

Author:  Taurenthalas
Date    Fri May 10 15:20:50 2002


Subject  Bulette




It was the 32nd the Month of Mishamont when I heard of my master discussing
about a beast that was pillaging his grove in Palanthas. The beast was called
a "Bulette", or a land shark. They formed a hunting group to rid the grove of
it, but I was instructed to stay in the tower. Shilaan, my master said it was
too dangerous.

They left without me to the city of Palanthas and began their hunt. It seemed
as if all the spells they through at it had no effect. The thing kept coming
at them. I could not stand by and watch my master be made a fool of, I wanted
to test my new found power. I magically transported myself there and began the
hunt alone.

I followed the hunting group at a distance, and whenever the thing appeared I
through acid in its face, making it shreak in pain. It seemed my magic had
quite an effect. I stalked it as it ran away, until finally I wore it down in
the city of Gerighelm, where it fell to my feet with its last breaths, its
face dephormed from the acid I through at it. It gave one final struggle to
its feet, before it died.



Author:  Taurenthalas
Date    Tue May 14 09:53:04 2002


Subject  Taurenthalas




It was the 19th day of the month Bran, when my master Shilaan approached me.
He knew I had been in great haste to take the test, and he wanted to test me,
to see if I was ready. He surveyed me about battle, and gave me examples of
scenes, asking what I would do. I answered each accordingly like I saw fit. He
didn't seem satisfied so he gave me a fools arrend. He said to me, "Come and
bring me Darkfyre, unharmed, to the tower. Everybody laughed when they heard
this, thinking it all but impossible to bring that grumpy old dragon here. I
took the matter seriously however, and within a few hours I returned, riding
Darkfyre. My master seemed a bit surprised at how fast I completed the task.
So he assigned me another. He says to me, "Destroy Darkfyre, and you may chose
only one another to help you." I grimaced at the thought of fighting the
beast, but nodded my consent. I summoned the help of a dwarf, he is a master
of an arena. Though he seemed fairly distraught at fighting the dragon, his
love for me was greater then that of his fear. We soon engaged combat with the
beast. It was a fierce battle, that lasted nearly a day. But at the end of
that day, I was victorious. My master nodded slightly, not the least bit
surprised. "I will inform the others that you are ready for your test, well
done."



Author:  Taurenthalas
Date    Wed Jun 12 23:27:37 2002


Subject  Shoikan Grove




Taurenthalas uttered a prayer as he entered the grove. 'He will see me!' he
thought to himself. Took a few steps forward and screamed as bony hands came
up through the earth and grabbed at his heals. With a wave of his hand, he
summoned a shield of flame about himself, and regained his composure.

Continuing on his way, Taurenthalas regained his calm as no other
super-natural beings appeared to stop him. Finally reaching the tower doors,
he saw why.

There infront of him, floated a pair of disembodied eyes, with a hypnotic
gaze. He was frozen in his shoes, unable to move. He tried to look away but
could not, his eyes glued on the thing. 'This can not be! I must see him!'
With a grunt he pulled free of the gaze and stepped forward. 'You will let me
through!' The thing laughed at him, mocked him, telling him what a fool he was
to come here. He would not turn around however, and instead took the
initiative. Waving his hand forward, he summoned a blanket of darkness over
the eyes, only to see the blanket dissipitate as it neared. Again the othing
laughed at him, making him feel small inside. 'ENOUGH!' he yelled finally.
Uttering a few words, Taurenthalas sent a blast of acid towards the hideous
manifestation, only to see the acid go right through it.

'What type of thing are you!?' Again came the laughter, except this time a
ball of fire roared at him from seemingly nowhere, hitting him in the shoulder
as he tried to dodge, knocking him to the ground.

'No! This can not be!!!' With a last glimmer of hope, Taurenthalas summoned
the skies to pour forth multiple blasts of lightning towards the eyes,
unfortunatly hitting himself as well. The eyes dissipitated as the lightning
roared through them, as if some mightier force was behind them. Muttering a
final prayer before the darkness took him, Taurenthalas collapsed at the doors
of the tower.



Author:  Taurenthalas
Date    Thu Oct  9 03:47:26 2003



Subject  "The Creation"



Clouds gathered outside the Tower of High Sorcery, lightning flashing in the
distance. Taurenthalas Aspenleaf paced his studies, shaking his head at
something only he could know. He was the High Archmage of the Black robes, the
most powerful robes in their order. He was a half-elf, and considered very
young by those of his kind. His eyes were immensley green, hungry for power.
He sat down once more upon his desk, searching the archane words for the key.

He had been up for three days straight, made dozens of trips to the Palanthas
library and back, and still nothing.

Eventually he would figure it out, but patience never was one of his strong
points.

He saw the orb in his dreams, he marveled at its beauty, its perfection. The
dragon orbs had been created by the most powerful of his order, but now all
were destroyed. All he had now were stories, pictures, myths. His eyes once
again searched the words, this couldnt be right, so simple!

'All the elements baked into the sun, when all the robes come together as one.

The orb shall form from that of none, into the hands of those that shun.' He
began to question himself, as he had been doing since he discovered the hidden
room in the basement of the tower. The book seemed of right age, written long
before he himself could imagine. But why he? Why now? The room has obviously
been a permanent feature in the tower, surely someone else must know of it, or
do they?

Even if the ingredients were correct, the order would never come together, not
now, not for this. They considered it good ridense that the orbs were no more,
they did not see the potential! There must be a way to go around this...His
ambition carried him, his thoughts racing. What would happen if only he was
present in the merging? There should be no harm in an attempt. If it worked...

even if it only half worked! It would still be the greatest creation since the
time of the ancients, and it would be his.

And if it didn't work, then there wouldn't be any harm in trying.

This was enough to get him started, his thoughts racing to the possibilities.
'Fire, water, air, earth.' He gathered them all upon his table, his eyes
glazed over from lack of sleep. He willed this moment, lived for it, the
adrenaline running through his body.

He closed his eyes for what seemed like the first time in weeks, and gave a
silent prayer to his moon, his god, Nuitari. Then he began to chant the words
of the spell, 'All the elements baked into the sun, when all the robes come
together as one.

The orb shall form from that of none, into the hands of those that shun' His
voice louder and louder as the climax of his power, his magic, all burst
through his hands and onto the table. It seemed like days passed as he finally
let go of the magic, letting it settle on the elements. A thick dust covered
everything, obscuring the contents from view. When the dust settled, a black
orb remained at the center of it all, seemingly unscratched. So beautiful, a
creation, his creation. The orb did not appear to be the same as those in the
books, but this thought didn't even register in his mind. His hands urched
forward as he grasped for the orb. His power almost drained from the process,
he didn't even feel the tug as even more of his willpower left his body. All
his thoughts were on the orb, his orb. His hands finally reached the orb, and
he grasped it like a mother would its child.

However this child grasped back, and pulled him further into the void. He
didn't care however, he had done it, all was complete.

Taurenthalas dropped to the floor, his eyes glazed over as the darkness took
him.

*********************************************************

His eyes flickered open, memories of a life past flowing through his mind. He
had been awakened...

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 868 storytellers on Ansalon pen their epic stories here for all to read.'