An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.

Stories of Ansalon from the view of Verant.

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 journal on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Verant' scribed in burnt maroon ink.

Author:  Verant
Date    Thu Jul  4 11:09:33 2002


Subject  Bastard Solamnics




I was born to Alieaea in a small village right outside of
Palanthas.  My
father was a farmer and I would only see him for a fews each day.
 As I grew
older my father took me with him out to his farm to help.

As we walked down the path, I couldn't help but seeing all the
other children,
training to become Solamnic Knights.

We were almost to my father's fields when a patrol of Knights
rode up behind
us.  My father bowed low while I just sat and watched in
wonderment.

The Knight bringing up the rear pulled on the reigns and with
horse prancing
turned around.  He looked at me for awhile, shook his in disgust,
and started
after the patrol.

"When we get home you're gonna get a whoopin' son!" my father
yelle at me
as we started towards the fields again.  "Respect your elders,
especially
the Knights who protect us."

"Father, why am I not training to be a Knight like all of the
other
children?  I don't pay respect because of you.  If you had the
decency to ask
me what I wanted to do with my life, you would know it ISNT
farming."

My father stopped walking and turned to look at him, his face
become hard and
cold as ice.

With great effort, he said (not yelled) "Go home Verant, and
you better hope
that I doe today, because when I get home you're gonna wish that
you were
never born."

With that, he turned and walked into his field.  I started back
home and I was
slightly worried.  It wasn't that I was afraid of my father, but
I feared that
I had ruined my chances, however small they were, at  becoming a
Knight.

As I walked down the path towards my home I once again saw the
other children
training with their swords and daggers.  I decided to sit in the
bushes and
watch.  "Maybe I could learn something by watcching..." I
said to myself.

I Hid their for hours, watching and soaking up all of the
information that I
was hearing and seeing.  I finally realized how late it was and I
quickly
jumped up and started running for home.

When I walked through the door my mother was crying and some of
the my
father's friends were sitting around her.

Upon entering, one of my father's friends came upo to me and told
me in a low
voice that my father was murdered.  "How?" I replied.

"Well, a small patrol found a thief that they have been looking
for for
quite awhile.  I guess it put up a good chase because it came
sprinting
through the farms followed by the Knights.

Your father stepped in the way of the thief as if to stop it, but
it pulled
out a weapon and struck him down."

The man continued.  "I'm sorry Verant, your father was a good
man, he tried
to do the right thing."

My face became hard as stone.  I wasn't the least bit grieved,
but extremely
angry at the Knights.  I blame the entire thing on their
ignorance.

I stormed out of the room and begain packing immediately.  I was
going to go
find a job working against the cause of the Knights.

I left the house without anybody noticing and travelled towards
Thelgaard, the
nearest city I knew of.  Travelling alone wasn't all that bad.  I
saw many
people who just glanced at me and kept going, without a second
thought.

On the road I met someone travelling in the shadows of the night,
adorned with
dark emblems of what appeared to be a dark god.  He spotted me,
and seeing
that I was young, came over and started talking to me.

I told him of my story, and how I blamed it all on the Solamnic
Knights, and
asked him if he knew of some place that I  could do to publicly
display my
dislike for the order.

He told me of the Knights of Takhisis, which is the first I had
ever heard
about them, and gave me directions to a city known as Neraka.

As I got closer to the city, I saw more shady looking characters,
but I wasn't
in the least bit frightened.  Mephisto told me to seek him out
when I got
there, and that he would have a meeting planned for a me.

When I get there, I shall see what this order is all about and
what it takes
to join their ranks....the Solamnic Knights will pay for what
they did to me,
and my family....



Author:  Verant
Date    Sun Jul  7 16:39:08 2002


Subject  Neraka Arrival




(storyling continued from previous story entitled Bastard
Solamnics)

Finally, I had arrived in Neraka.  The city was bustling with all
sorts of
activity when I first entered the gates.  All around me I saw
creatures I had
never seen before, even in my worst nightmares. What appeared to
be walking
dragons were all of the place.  They weren't as big as what I've
seen drawings
of dragons, but they had the same scales and piercing eyes.

Later I learned they were referred to as Draconians, and there
were many
different species.  As I walked down the streets a lot of the
children gave me
evil looks and even some of the grownups.  I looked in my pack
for the map
that Mephisto had given me, when I noticed staring off my pack
being shown to
the world was an insignia of the Solamnic Knights.  I quickly
reversed the bag
so that the symbol was pointed towards my body and made a mental
note to get a
new backpack as soon as possible.  I took out the map and looked
for the
Temple of Takhisis, where Mehpisto said I would be able to find
information on
the Knights of Takhisis.  I followed the maze of roads towards
the temple, but
the going was a little easier than before.  I wasn't getting as
many evil
looks and as soon as I figured out how to blend in with the crowd
I was barely
noticed at all.  As I passed what my map called Emperor's Court I
saw a sign
on a building that read Neraka Bank.  I decided it might be a
good idea to put
all my money in the bank.  I deposited my 113 steel, which is all
I had saved
up since I first started obtaining money, under the name Verant
D'uthar and
went back out onto the street.  I prided myself in choice of last
name as I
walked the remaining distance to the temple.

I arrived before the steps and was amazed at the size.  I had
never seen
anything like it.  I walked up the stairs and counted the steps
on the way up.

I could never keep countint like that very well, and I lost count
before I was
even halfway up.  I entered the temple and looked for anyone that
resembled
what I knew to be a knight.  I didn't see any of the bright
silver or gold
armor on any of the creatures in the Temple.  To be honest, I had
no idea what
I was looking for.  I walked up to a man standing by the door
looking like he
was waiting for somebody and asked him if he knew of anyone I
could speak to
about the Knights of Takhisis.  It just so happened that he was
one of them! 
He introduced himself as Aurius and explained that he was a
member of the
Thorn, one of three orders of Knights.  I told him that
Mephisto sent me
in search of a recruiter.  Aurius told me to go rent a room in
the city and
that he would notify the Lords of the Knighthood of my wish to
entry.

I thanked him and walked back out of the temple.  I felt as if
this was almost
much too easy.  Just as I was pulling out my map to look for the
nearest inn I
heard a shout and someone ran by me.  It jumped in the alley
around the corner
as 3 men went running after it.  The didn't see him jump and hide
so they ran
right by.  I walked over and peered down the alley to see what
was going on,
but whatever it was that hid there must have climbed one of the
buildings,
because there was nobody there.  I looked down the street and low
and behold
there was a sign for the Gossamer Inn.  I had heard someone
talking of it
while I was in front of the temple, so I decided to walk in and
inquire about
sleeping quarters.  They innkeeper was nice enough and showed me
to a fine
room.  The cost was 20 steel a night, so I was hoping that the
recruiter from
the Knights would not take long in contacting me.  I hunkered
down and started
to wait for the most important decision of my life.

Verant D'uthar, Follower of Takhisis



Author:  Verant
Date    Wed Jul 10 00:11:19 2002


Subject  The Letter




(storyline continued from story entitled Neraka Arrival)

I awoke with a start.  I thought that I heard scuffling outside
the door to my
room.  I slowly, silently picked my sword up from its spot next
to me on the
bed.  I dared not move or breath for minutes.  I didn't hear
another sound, so
I laid back down preparing to fall asleep again.  All of a sudden
I felt a
presence directly behind me.  I jumped up and swung my sword
towards the
intruder.  Just as I was about to make contact, I recognized the
man and
stopped my swing short.  It was Aurius, the man from the temple. 
I felt
slightly embarrassed and apologized quickly.

"No need for apologies.  It is good to see that your awareness
and reflexes
are in such good condition.  That will be useful in your
induction process."

"Do you have word from the Knights?  I would assume so if you
would disrupt
me at such an odd hour of the night."

"Yes, I have news for you, the likes of which I'm sure you
shall enjoy."

"So... what is it?  Tell me!" I replied after a moments
silence.

"I have spoken to Wulfgar, a cleric of the order of the Skulls.
 He is not
of the order which you will be tested for, but he was the most
readily
available Lord, and a recruiter yet.  He told me to give you this
letter.  I
have not been granted permission to read it, so I know not what
it says."

Aurius finished, handing me a letter sealed with the symbol of
the Skull
imprinted in white wax.As I looked up to thank him, there was
nobody there.

Slightly bewildered and very much nervous, I broke the seal and
began to read:

To the new recruit Verant D'Uthar, It has come to my attention
that you would
like some information regarding the Knights of Takhisis.  A
fellow Knight has
also informed me that you wish to join our ranks.  I must warn
you, this is
not an easy task, nor an easy responsibility.  If you feel you
are up to the
challenge meet me in Queens Market at dawn.

Wulfgar, Cleric of Takhisis and Protector of the Skull

I became extremely excited.  The time had finally come.  I laid
back down and
and tried to get some rest for the day to come.  It was almost
certain I
wouldnt be able to sleep, however.  So much had just happened, it
was all
overwhelming.

Verant D'Uthar, Follower of Takhisis

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 869 books from Ansalon from before the great Cataclysm through today.'