The Great Library of Palanthas

An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Toma.

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 brief catalogue on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Toma' scribed in glowing yellow ink.


Author:    Toma           
Date:      Sun Jan 17
02:30:33 2010
Subject     Winds of War (pt:1)

As the
first rays of light filtered through the small slit between
the
dark, heavy fabric curtains covering the sole window of the
small room, it
heralded an eerie and oppressive feeling that
awoke the occupant from his
deep sleep. His wild charcoal hair
lay matted flat against his head,
drenched in a cool sweat and
accompanied by an unrational sense of dread of
some unknown
threat. A strong sense of compulsion takes over him and
he
quickly climbs from his simple straw bed. Crossing the room to
the simple
chest and hooks placed by the door that contain his
belongings he proceeds
to don his simple clothing and retrieves a
small short sword from the bottom
of the chest and attaches it to
his side. 

The sudden sounds of a growing commotion outside the
small window spurred
him through the door, across the circular
center room, past his younger
sister and out the main door onto
the dirt path that connected him to his
neighbors. Coming to a
stop in the middle of the path he scanned around
looking for the
cause of the commotion and spied a few of the other
townsfolk
standing in a huddle by the stockades. 

"Toma! You should be
at home protecting your sister. Not out here, it is too
dangerous
out here go back inside now!", an elderly man with
strong
shoulders and a gentle face bellowed at the young man as
he approached the
congregation.

"What is going on out here?
Why is it so dangerous out here...", Toma's
voice caught in his
throat as he looked inside the group lying on the
ground.
"Father!" 

The body of an older man lays upon the ground in
an ever growing pool of
blood as the multiple wounds covering his
body slowly seep away his
ever-fading life. Slowly the boy steps
towards his dying father, tears
beginning to swell in the corner
of his eyes. As he comes to the side of the
bloody man he drops
to his knees his hands laying on the gushing wounds upon
the
man's chest. 

"Please... help my father to end his
suffering...", Toma's eyes close as he
opens his heart to the
gods and prays for mercy for his honorable father.
Unexpectedly a
faint glow begins to pulse from beneath the hands of the
young
man and his father begins to twitch and convulse in pain as some
of
the bleeding slows, but is not stopped. A sudden shock travels
throughout
those in attendance at the miraculous expression shown
by the rebellious
teen. 

With more light shining in his eyes the
dying man turns to his son and
whispers in a raspy, blood choked
voice "Protect your sister. Flee from here
at once... They come
on black wings of death and carry the winds of war!"
With the
sputtering of those last few words his life is cut short as a
black
shafted arrow pierces his father's throat and ends the
warning... 
 
 
(To be Continued...)

Author:    Toma  
        
Date:      Thu Jan 21 20:55:26 2010
Subject    
Winds of War (pt.2)

Staring down at the black arrow shaft
protuding from his father's throat
Toma begin to notice the dark
rivulets of blood beginning to seep up from
around the puncture.
The shock of the sudden and unheralded attack sent a
shiver of
fear and loathing through his body like he had never felt
before.
The sounds of those around him echoing throughout his
mind as they scurry
off in an attempt to repel the unseen
attackers.

He knelt there watching the growing pool of blood
forming below himself and
his father's body as he held him,
ignoring all that was proceeding around
him. The soft touch of a
small hand awoke him from his reverie and his faced
turned out
over the darkened village. What was seen was pure horror.
Things
of nightmares were flitting from building to building and
cutting through
anything that tried to stand in their way.
Surprisingly the villagers were
holding their own against these
abominations of nature. The dark scales that
covered their body
was glistening with the blood of those that were not as
skilled.


"Toma...", the small scared voice of his sister pulled him
from looking
about the brutal scene playing out before him and
brought him back to what
was closest to him. 

Standing behind my
sister the other children of the village had gathered the
stood
there shivering in fright as they watched their families and
neighbors
being slaughtered. A sense of purpose over took him
that he couldn't
explain, he had to get these children to safety.
"Follow me Lysa. You have
to help me get all the children to
safety. Can you be brave and do that for
me?" 

(To be
Continued...)

Author:    Toma           
Date:  
   Thu Jan 21 22:30:49 2010
Subject     Winds of War
(pt.3)

Drawing the worn shortsword from it's sheath
hanging from my side I
twirled around to face the person
approaching my back only to stop from
landing the wildly swung
attack before the blade bit into the elder of
the
village.

"Careful there young man. The look in your eyes
says you plan on protecting
these children. I am glad that your
father's bravery flows through your
veins., the graying man
said as he wiped the blood a grim from his hands on
his tattered
shirt. Reaching into a pocket in his dusty pants the elder
takes
a letter out and hands it to Toma. "Make your way to Paladine's
Gates
to the north. The Solamnics have been ferrying citizens of
Palanthas and the
surrounding towns and villages from there to
safety. Deliver this to a
Knight there named Dalyar Uth Suveric.
You will find him somewhere upon the
waterfront."

Taking the
sealed envelope from the elder I nod in understanding and tuck
it
safely inside my tunic. As the village elder turns to head
back into the
battle I begin to usher the children northward away
from the fighting and
hopefully towards safety. The last memories
of Dart are being those of death
and destruction, ones that will
follow him and no doubt the children, for
the rest of their
lives. 
 
(To be Continued in Call of War...)

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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