The Great Library of Palanthas
An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Thiladus.
A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap is at 65. You change? 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 heavy platinum-covered book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Thiladus' scribed in burnt maroon ink.
Author: Thiladus Date: Wed Sep 9 16:29:08 2020 Subject The Darkness Rises
A boy sits reading a black leather-bound book under a tree near his home in a small village outside of Neraka. During a trip for supplies, he found it in the City street. Thiladus was a quite but curious boy who enjoyed reading, so naturally when he saw this odd book, he picked it up and brought it home with him. After all, books were the closest things he had to friends. The other children were from families of wealth and power, his parents were just servants. "What a strange book!" the young Thiladus thought excitedly to himself. The young boy flipped through the pages feverously looking for some indication of where it came from. It was handwritten with no title. No clues to its origins. Deep in his search for answers the young boy hardly noticed the shadow looming over him. It was Primus, one of the children of the wealthy families in the village. He was a cruel boy and his family loved to flaunt their money and station. Primus, scrawny, tall, and pale, laughed from above Thiladus and startled him from his search. "What are you doing with that?", Primus grabbed the book from Thiladus. "You couldn't afford a book if your parents scrubbed our chamber pots for years." Primus jabbed his words at Thiladus. Thiladus hated Primus. "Give it back!" yelled Thiladus as he leapt to his feet. "Isn't it enough that you have everything already?! Give me back my book!" Thiladus lunged for the book but Primus had pulled it away further causing Thiladus to miss and fall into the dirt. Primus laughed, "That's more like it. Now you look like you smell!". Enraged, Thiladus grabbed a stone from the ground lobbing it at the boy, hitting him directly in the eye. Primus held his eye, screaming, "I'll kill you for this!" Primus drew a dagger swinging it madly towards Thiladus. Thalidus yelled at Primus, "Stop! You got what you deserved!". Thiladus scrambled backwards again as Primus advanced on him. Primus red with blood and anger yelled, "This will be your last day on Krynn!". Thiladus panicked, he fled and hid behind a tree out of sight hoping that Primus would calm himself. He grabbed a heavy branch and held it close to his chest. As the sound of footsteps came around the side of the tree Thiladus swung the branch as hard as he could. A loud crack sounded as the branch his Primus in the jaw. Primus fell hard and fast. Thiladus looked down at the other boy lying motionless and quiet. "Primus?" Thiladus said quietly. He nudged the boy with his foot, Primus was unresponsive. Thiladus moved a bit closer, looking directly down as the fallen boy grew paler. Blood was starting to cover the foliage. Primus had fallen hard from the blow and landed on a rock. Thiladus grabbed his book off the corpse and fled. His thoughts swirling in his head. What would he do now? He stopped at the edge of a field before the village, it was nighttime now, he knelt and prayed to whoever would listen but all that answered was the darkness around him. He clutched the book, now bloodied, tightly and stared up at the night skies constellations. His heart filled with savage fury and rage as he thought about how this could have all been avoided if he were just left alone. "This was his fault." Thiladus thought to himself. "He had it coming. He had everything and I have nothing." The cold darkness surrounding him, he needed somewhere to go, somewhere he could be safe, "But where?" Thiladus thought to himself. He ran his fingers across the book as he thought, suddenly a voice entered his head, almost as if something were whispering to him. The darkness seemingly growing colder, "Come to the only true god. Serve the One." the whispers continued. "I will serve the One, the only true god." Thiladus repeated almost as if possessed by his thoughts. "I will serve..."
It was a dark and stormy evening; the wind was gusting and Thiladus was still looking for a place to lay his head. A week had passed since Thiladus had fled his village. No one had come searching for him, yet, but he was sure that they would eventually. Paranoia was setting in and he needed a place to rest that was off the cold cobblestone avenues of Neraka. Thiladus had been called to find "The one true god" in Neraka. But where? Who was "The One"? He continued to walk down Snake Road, soaked to the bone and cold, ducking into a doorway for cover. He stood against a dark wood door, resting his weight on it. Then suddenly the door swung inward causing Thiladus to fall into the entrance of the building. A dark robed Cleric stood over Thiladus. The boy scrambled to his feet, panicked Thiladus examined the figure before him. It was tall, completely covered from head to toe, even its hands were covered. The Cleric made him feel uneasy as it stared down at him, "What do you seek from the Holy Order of Takhisis, boy?" the figure hissed from under its hood. Thalidus felt something becoming warm, almost hot, radiating from his pack. He pulled the black leather book out of his pack, dropping it to the ground as it burned his hand. "Ouch!" cried Thiladus looking at his wounded hand. Holding his wrist and looking at his palm he noticed that some type of symbol had been burned into his left hand. The Cleric leaned down to pickup the book which was glowing hot just a moment ago, now just a black leather book with a Symbol now visible on the cover. "What isss thisss?" the Cleric said in an almost snake like voice. "Where did thisss come from, boy?" showing the book to Thiladus. The cover had changed! There was a sigil of some type, nothing he had ever seen before, a dragon with five heads. Thiladus was lost for words, the Cleric reached down and grabbed the boy's left hand. "You have been marked by the One. Come with me." the Cleric demanded as he began to nearly drag the boy into the dimly lit hall into the building. "Wait!" struggled Thiladus. "The one? Marked!? I do not understand! Let me go!" he tried to pull away from the strong grasp of the Cleric. "You will sssoon, child, you have been chosssen. You belong to ussss now." hissed the Cleric. "We are the Holy Order of the One True God. We are the Priessstsss of the One. The Goddess Takhisssisss" Thiladus was in shock, not paying attention to wear he was being led. The Cleric threw him down to the floor. Thiladus on his knees looked at the mark burned into his hand, the same sigil as what was on the book now. Thiladus looked up at the large statue in front of him, it was a large dragon with five heads and wings outstretched, each head a different color. "Welcome to your new life Thiladussss..." the Cleric looked down on the stunned boy. He stretched out his long arm holding the book in his hand. Thiladus rose up and took the leather-bound book, a warmth radiating from it still. The whispers he had heard just a week ago had returned as if someone was standing beside him again. "The Dark Queen has chosen you, you will serve the One True God." Thiladus eyes turned black as the night as he repeated, "I will serve.. I belong to Takhisis.."
Many months, maybe even years, had passed for Thiladus in the temple of Takhisis. The temple, he had learned, was a place of great importance to all followers of the One True God. Every self-proclaimed Priestess or Priest was forced to make pilgrimage to the Temple in Neraka and pay homage to Takhisis to be accepted into the Order. The few who were worthy though were taught the ways of the Dragon Queen. The Templars had been cruel and unforgiving but ordered and just. Thiladus had come to think of them as Brothers and throughout time had even come to learn of the creation of the Draconian species and some of the most carefully protected secrets of the Holy Order. His brothers called him the "Marked One". When he had come to them, the mark of Takhisis had been burned into his palm by a searing heat from the book he had been carrying. One that contained the history of the True Gods as written by an ancient creature that most had long thought gone from Krynn. A Dragon. But what was once perceived as legendary beasts had returned to this land, to fight for the rightful place of the One True God, Takhisis. The thought alone invigorated Thiladus, he had learned so much from the Order, but there was more he could do, more to learn! Each prayer to the Dark Queen made him stronger and through his study and sacrifice he was quickly outgrowing what knowledge the Temple in Neraka could provide. He had to find the ancient Dragon. He felt an unsatiable desire for power burn from within. The Dragon could surely teach him how to better serve the Dragon Queen. The knowledge the creatures possessed far surpassed that any library or Temple could provide. Soldiers could be heard in the background of the square, outside the Temple, recruiting for the Dragonarmy. A cold chill washed over Thiladus, a familiar feeling now, then the voice returned to him that he had come to trust. "What you seek can be found in service to the Queen." whispered the cold voice. His eyes turned black as night, as he repeated the words "In service to the Queen." He returned to his room to so he could contemplate what he had heard when the door flung open, a large Draconian Acolyte bowed but still towered over him. "Marked One, the High Priessst sssummonsss you." It hissed in its rough common tongue. Thiladus nodded and waved his hand at the Acolyte to dismiss it. The Acolyte ducked back through the doorway and left. Thiladus gathered himself and crossed the Temple to the office of the High Priest of Neraka. The door was open when he arrived, a man was standing in the Office with the High Priest, but Thiladus knocked anyways out of respect and sat in a chair outside the door. After a few moments, the High Priest, called out for Thiladus to enter. Thiladus entered the room and glanced at the Officer in black armor before bowing to the High Priest. "Thiladus you have been chosen for a special pilgrimage to serve the Dark Queen." the High Priest declared. "You have proven yourself capable and have been promoted to the level of Priest. With this promotion, you will act in the role of liaison between our Holy Order and the Dragonarmy." Thiladus's eyes widened, his head still lowered a wicked grin crossed his face. The High Priest continued, "You will accompany the Fewmaster to Sanction where the armies are stationed. There you will meet the Lord of Sanction and act as our voice and ears so that we may all better serve the Dark Queen." This was his chance, he had known that Dragons that were serving with the Armies but never imagined he might get to see them in all of their glory. A chill passed through the air again and Thiladus rose his head and looked through his black eyes to the High Priest, then to the Fewmaster, and said "In service to the Dark Queen."
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.'
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