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Latest revision Your text
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[[Category:Humor and stories]]
 
[[Category:Humor and stories]]
−
{{unversioned}}
 
  
 
==[[User:Geoffrey|Geoffrey]]==
 
==[[User:Geoffrey|Geoffrey]]==
Line 86: Line 85:
 
Soon Suffar would be the last wizard left in the world.  Once he had the power, the dwarves would bend to his will and create for him the ultimate artifact.  He wanted to create life, not another monster, but a companion worthy enough to be his partner.  Only then would he be at peace.
 
Soon Suffar would be the last wizard left in the world.  Once he had the power, the dwarves would bend to his will and create for him the ultimate artifact.  He wanted to create life, not another monster, but a companion worthy enough to be his partner.  Only then would he be at peace.
  
−
===(27th March 2018)===
+
==[[User:Gunslinger|Gunslinger]]==
−
<pre>kN|kN|####  +++N++M+</pre>
+
===(7 January 2011)===
 +
<pre>aa,.a,.W,.%,%%,.T</pre>
  
−
“Yes,” said Destra, “I promise you revenge.”
+
The wizard walked barefoot along the sandy lake bottom, schools of
 +
axolotls swimming around his toes.  Through the murky water, the
 +
wizard could see the remains of a wrecked ship.  The salamanders
 +
guided him through a hole in the wooden hull.  In the darkness the
 +
wizard noticed the faintest light.  It was coming from a chest half
 +
buried in the sand.
  
−
“I will eat him,” said the minotaur.  “Then I will eat you.”
+
Before the wizard could open the treasure chest a shock wave shot
 +
through the water, knocking the wizard flat on his back.  The ship
 +
tore in half revealing a huge monster covered in waving aquatic
 +
plants.  It was the titan of the lake.  The axolotls scattered in all
 +
directions.  The wizard scuttled backward.  He could not speak, making
 +
his charms useless.  It was to be a battle of flesh and steel.
  
−
“It's a deal!” said Destra.
+
===(24 December 2014)===
 +
<pre>|oW++|#######N#N#N#NN#NN#NN</pre>
  
−
The monster guided the witch out of the cave.  With all its strength, the minotaur pushed the boulders aside and he and the witch stepped out into the night air.  The witch cast a spell and traced the wizard's path through the ether.  They followed the magical trail north.
+
Many of you remember the tale of the lake.  Your dwarf mothers and
 +
fathers warned you not to go near, lest the giant axolotl eat you.
 +
Now that the wizard had tempted fate by entering the lake titan's
 +
domain, all were in danger.  The wizard was clever, transforming
 +
himself into a fish and gobbling up the magic pearl, then swimming
 +
away before the giant salamander could find him.  When he emerged from
 +
the waters, he changed his shape into that of a pelican and flew away.
 +
The titan was furious and took out its frustrations on people who
 +
lived near the shore.
  
−
Over stream and under the trees the pair closed in on the wizard's tower.  Meanwhile Suffar order his kobold to hunt for dwarven treasure once more.  He was on the brink of a breakthrough.  All he needed was one more artifact, one more vision into the true nature of magic.
+
“Forgive us, mighty Hetain,” screamed the villagers.
  
−
It had been several days, and the kobold had yet to return.  Suffar was becoming concerned.  Then there was a knock at the door.  The wizard made his way down the long spiral staircase.  “I'm coming.  I'm coming!  Settle down!” grumbled the wizard as he reached to door at last.  Opening it, he saw a tall, cloaked figure.
+
It was too late and they knew it.  The poor people hardly protested as
 +
Hetain transformed them into horrible, bloodthirsty monsters and sent
 +
then on their way to find the thieving wizard.  They stretched their
 +
new wings and launched into the night's sky.  There wasn't much time
 +
before dawn, and the newly reborn night creatures could not travel
 +
during daylight.
  
−
“I have come for you,” said the stranger.
+
“Father,” asked one of the night creatures, “do you think that mighty
 +
Hetain will allow us to die after we return the pearl?”
  
−
===(3rd January 2020)===
+
“Our lives,” said the older night creature, “have always been those of
−
<pre>kN|++N+M+U+N+k</pre>
+
service and toil.  Before Hetain, we served the dwarven king.  All we
 +
can do is serve our betters faithfully.  Then, perhaps, we shall
 +
receive our just reward.”
  
−
“Oh Lady of Darkness,” whimpered Suffar.  “I meant to summon you earlier, but it was my kobold's birthday and I...”
+
Arriving at his tower, the wizard threw off his bird shape and reached
 +
into his mouth, withdrawing the magic pearl.  The old man had spent
 +
most of his life searching for enchanted artifacts such as this.  It
 +
was a goal of his since youth to be the greatest wizard the world had
 +
ever known.  For this end, he had to take chances.  Stealing the pearl
 +
was no small thing.  In belonged to one of the Four Titans who had
 +
existed since the world was young.  He knew the pearl was cursed, but
 +
it had to be his all the same.
  
−
“Enough excuses!” said the demon mistress.  “I knew you were collecting magic powers to bind me, but you are too late.  I have arrived.”
+
===(7 May 2015)===
 +
<pre>|++%++|####h####</pre>
  
−
“But how?” asked Suffar.
+
“Die in the name of Hetain!” howled the ape-like creature as it leaped through the window of the wizard's tower.
  
−
The kobold appeared from behind the demon's robes.  That rascal had intoned the rites of summoning without him.  Now all was lost.   
+
Speaking a charm just in time to confuse his attacker, the wizard ran to his sword which he kept leaning against the wall of his laboratory.  With a slice and a thrust, the monsters was undone, laying in pieces on the floor.  This was certainly a first, attacked by a night creature while relaxing at home.  The titan, Hetain, meant business.   
  
−
The wizard groveled before Mistress of All Evil.  Maybe there was still a way out of this nightmare, something in the contract he had signed to make the legal mumbo-jumbo null and void.   
+
Dressing himself in his magic robe, the wizard stepped out of the tower window.  He let himself fall for a few seconds, letting the refreshing breeze blow through his long gray hair.  Then he transformed into a red tailed hawk.  His idea was to travel to the capital of Assura and hire a hero or two to slay the titan.  Just getting to the city would prove a task difficult enough to call on his considerable skills.
  
−
He had to think. Then to answer came to him.
+
===(13 June 2015)===
 +
<pre>""",.Gm,."",</pre>
  
−
It was the nature of demons to play the long game.  Their machinations took decades to resolve.  Suffar didn't have that kind of time.   
+
It was impossible, even for a hawk, to reach the capital before nightfall.  It was suicide to stay in the air after sundown.  The titan, Hetain, controlled an armada of flying night creatures.  Instead, the wizard dove into the trees and landed in the jungle.  There he took the shape of a mighty gorilla.  The night creatures would be foolish to mess with him now.
  
−
He knew that sooner than latter the demon would find him of no use and send him spiraling down into the Netherworld.  His only chance was to find Destra, if she still lived.
+
“Hey, gorilla,” said a voice in the evening wind.  “I know what you are carrying.”
  
−
So when the demon locked the door to the library behind her, Suffar slipped out of castle.
+
“Show yourself,” growled the wizard.
  
−
The ruined dwarf fortress was only around the next bend in the road.  Suffar began going over the language that he would use to convince Destra that feeding her to the minotaur was just a big mistake.   
+
A tiny rodent scurried out of the brush and onto a patch of moss next to one of the wizard's impressive forearms.  Closer inspection revealed that it was actually a mouse man, servant of one of the other three titans.  The wizard told the mouse man to speak his piece quickly, for any minute they would be mobbed by vengeful night creatures.
  
−
When he arrived at the entrance to the labyrinth he found the the stone had been rolled away.  Now he was in serious trouble.  Someone behind him cleared their throat.
+
“I serve almighty Domon and his chariot in the sky,” said the mouse man.  “Lend me the pearl and I will ensure your victory.”
  
−
“You have a lot of nerve coming back here.”
+
===(22 July 2015)===
 +
<pre>""."",.G->g.,.,~~~~~</pre>
  
−
It was Destra alright, and with her was the hulking minotaur looking hungry as ever.  His jaw jabbering, Suffar tried to quickly describe the trouble he was in. Nay, the trouble they were all in.
+
So, Domon sought the pearl as well.  The wizard should not have been surprised that the word of his conquest had spread so quickly.  Now the wizard must be doubly careful. While Hetain controlled the night, Domon ruled everything under the sun and the eternal vault of sky.
  
−
“Your kobold summoned the Princess of Darkness?” asked Destra.
+
The giant gorilla shifted his weight unto his knuckles and howled at the mouse man. It was clear that the wizard had made his decision.  He would trust no titan.  The mouse man ran for his life.  This move would not go unanswered, for Domon was a vengeful titan. 
  
−
The pair of magic users and the reluctant minotaur returned to the castle.  The cow man was none to happy to arrive back at the place where he had been created.   
+
The wizard couldn't stay in the jungle forever, hiding from the angry rays of the sun.  He moved to the edge of the final treeline and looked out over the rolling plains of Slusia.  Assura was there, just beyond the horizon.  Stopping to think for a moment, the giant gorilla scratched its forehead.  At last the wizard decided on a shape, transforming himself into a speedy gazelle.
  
−
The minotaur wiped the tears from his eyes and promised himself he was have his revenge.
+
===(20 August 2015)===
 +
<pre>ccc.,\W,|@</pre>
  
−
“Bacabadabis,” said the demon, as she stirred the thick goo inside the magic cauldron, “I think this is the start of a magical friendship.”
+
Not one.  Not two.  But, three cheetahs took off running after the wizard as he bounded across the plain.  The titan, Domon, meant business.  As Hetain controlled the night, Domon ruled the day.  None of it would matter if he reached the dwarf fortress of Assura.  Jumping just in time to avoid a pouncing wild cat, the wizard narrowly avoided death.  He ducked and rolled and transformed once again into human shape, wielding a longsword.  The cheetahs stopped where they were as the wizard had reached the gates of Assura.
  
−
Yapping with alarm, the kobold pointed over the demon's shoulder.  Before she could react, the monster lifted her up by the neck and tossed her into the black metal bowl.
+
“Open the gates, I say,” boomed the wizard.
  
−
Suffar was relieved that he was now free, until he looked up to see the cow monster standing over him.
+
“Who gives a command to free dwarves?” answered the guards-dwarf.
  
−
“Your bones will make a good stew,” said the minotaur as he mixed the substance that was Suffar and the demon with a giant ladle.
+
“It is I,” said the wizard, “Suffar the Mighty.”
  
−
Watching with horror, the kobold bolted toward the door.  Destra pointed her finger and a bolt of lightning struck the tiny monster.  After the dust cleared there was nothing left behind but a long, pink-tailed rat.
+
Even the dwarves of Assura had heard tales of the great Suffar.  Not all good, it must be said.  Suffar was a rogue and a trickster.  The dwarves watched as the cheetahs circled the wizard, waiting for the moment to strike.  Maybe they wouldn't have to open the gates after all.
  
−
“Are you going to eat that?” asked the minotaur.
 
  
−
THE END
+
===(23 September 2015)===
 +
<pre>Wo+++@|</pre>
  
−
==[[User:Gunslinger|Gunslinger]]==
+
Holding up the magic pearl, Suffar demanded to be let in a third time.  The greed of the dwarves was not easy to measure.  It seemed they would do anything to acquire the smallest treasure. Suffar stepped through the gates with a final sneer at his pursuers. As the gates shut, the cheetahs disappeared in puffs of smoke.
−
===(7 January 2011)===
 
−
<pre>aa,.a,.W,.%,%%,.T</pre>
 
  
−
The wizard walked barefoot along the sandy lake bottom, schools of
+
“Is that Hetain's magic pearl?” demanded the noble dwarf.
−
axolotls swimming around his toes.  Through the murky water, the
 
−
wizard could see the remains of a wrecked ship.  The salamanders
 
−
guided him through a hole in the wooden hull.  In the darkness the
 
−
wizard noticed the faintest light.  It was coming from a chest half
 
−
buried in the sand.
 
  
−
Before the wizard could open the treasure chest a shock wave shot
+
“One and the same,” said Suffar, dropping the pearl back into his pocket.
−
through the water, knocking the wizard flat on his back.  The ship
 
−
tore in half revealing a huge monster covered in waving aquatic
 
−
plants.  It was the titan of the lake.  The axolotls scattered in all
 
−
directions.  The wizard scuttled backward.  He could not speak, making
 
−
his charms useless.  It was to be a battle of flesh and steel.
 
  
−
===(24 December 2014)===
+
“The titans would offer a king's ransom for that treasure,” said the dwarf.
−
<pre>|oW++|#######N#N#N#NN#NN#NN</pre>
 
  
−
Many of you remember the tale of the lake.  Your dwarf mothers and
+
“And I will offer twice that amount to the hero that slays Hetain,” countered Suffar.
−
fathers warned you not to go near, lest the giant axolotl eat you.
 
−
Now that the wizard had tempted fate by entering the lake titan's
 
−
domain, all were in danger.  The wizard was clever, transforming
 
−
himself into a fish and gobbling up the magic pearl, then swimming
 
−
away before the giant salamander could find him.  When he emerged from
 
−
the waters, he changed his shape into that of a pelican and flew away.
 
−
The titan was furious and took out its frustrations on people who
 
−
lived near the shore.
 
  
−
“Forgive us, mighty Hetain,” screamed the villagers.
+
It was much to consider, coming between titans and wizards.  It meant almost certain death to the dwarves involved.  This mattered little to the hero class, a group of dwarves raised since birth to laugh at danger.  It was at the Temple of Bravery that Suffar met Kogan, the mightiest of the dwarves.
 +
 
 +
“Will you kill Hetain for me?” asked Suffar.
 +
 
 +
“I have been waiting for a challenge worthy of my blade,” said Kogan.
  
−
It was too late and they knew it.  The poor people hardly protested as
+
===(24 October 2015)===
−
Hetain transformed them into horrible, bloodthirsty monsters and sent
+
<pre>###NB######|W+@|##</pre>
−
then on their way to find the thieving wizard.  They stretched their
 
−
new wings and launched into the night's sky.  There wasn't much time
 
−
before dawn, and the newly reborn night creatures could not travel
 
−
during daylight.
 
  
−
“Father,” asked one of the night creatures, “do you think that mighty
+
The two never actually agreed on a price.  Kogan instead offered to go with Suffar if he led him to glory and death.  The wizard agreed, knowing it was not a quest for a hero who still possessed reason.  There would be no coming back from the titan's lake.  All Suffar could do was help his new friend along his final journey.
−
Hetain will allow us to die after we return the pearl?”
 
  
−
“Our lives,” said the older night creature, “have always been those of
+
“Is it far?” asked Kogan.  “These legs weren't made for walking.”
−
service and toil.  Before Hetain, we served the dwarven king.  All we
 
−
can do is serve our betters faithfully.  Then, perhaps, we shall
 
−
receive our just reward.”
 
  
−
Arriving at his tower, the wizard threw off his bird shape and reached
+
“Fear not, little one,” said Suffar, “I will summon the appropriate steeds.”
−
into his mouth, withdrawing the magic pearl.  The old man had spent
 
−
most of his life searching for enchanted artifacts such as this.  It
 
−
was a goal of his since youth to be the greatest wizard the world had
 
−
ever known.  For this end, he had to take chances.  Stealing the pearl
 
−
was no small thing.  In belonged to one of the Four Titans who had
 
−
existed since the world was young.  He knew the pearl was cursed, but
 
−
it had to be his all the same.
 
  
−
===(7 May 2015)===
+
Standing on the tallest tower of the castle, Suffar spoke to the wind, whilst Kogan watched with interest.  After a time, the wizard pointed to the horizon.  To specks appeared which grew steadily larger.  They were a pair of giant birds.  One was an enormous female nuthatch, while the other was a bushtit, the size of a bull.  The dwarf stood back, wielding his axe.
−
<pre>|++%++|####h####</pre>
 
  
−
“Die in the name of Hetain!” howled the ape-like creature as it leaped through the window of the wizard's tower.
+
“Fear not,” said Suffar.  “These creatures will take us to the hated lake of Hetain.”
  
−
Speaking a charm just in time to confuse his attacker, the wizard ran to his sword which he kept leaning against the wall of his laboratory.  With a slice and a thrust, the monsters was undone, laying in pieces on the floor. This was certainly a first, attacked by a night creature while relaxing at home.  The titan, Hetain, meant business. 
+
“Fear is not in my vocabulary,” said Kogan.  “I will do anything to speed the march of doom and final destiny.”
  
−
Dressing himself in his magic robe, the wizard stepped out of the tower window. He let himself fall for a few seconds, letting the refreshing breeze blow through his long gray hair.  Then he transformed into a red tailed hawk.  His idea was to travel to the capital of Assura and hire a hero or two to slay the titan.  Just getting to the city would prove a task difficult enough to call on his considerable skills.
+
===(30 November 2015)===
 +
<pre>,.@*W,.   ?D?</pre>
  
−
===(13 June 2015)===
+
It was more than a day's journey back to the titan's lake and the giant birds would be no good against the creatures Hetain had prepared for them.  Kogan watched the terrain unfolding beneath him with wonder.  The world seemed so much smaller than it had been.  The birds flew quickly, knowing that at any moment, Domon might spy them from his chariot in the sky.
−
<pre>""",.Gm,."",</pre>
 
  
−
It was impossible, even for a hawk, to reach the capital before nightfall.  It was suicide to stay in the air after sundown.  The titan, Hetain, controlled an armada of flying night creatures.  Instead, the wizard dove into the trees and landed in the jungle.  There he took the shape of a mighty gorilla.  The night creatures would be foolish to mess with him now.
+
“Dive for those trees, Kogan,” said Suffar.  “I fear that Domon has found us.”
  
−
“Hey, gorilla,” said a voice in the evening wind.  “I know what you are carrying.”
+
The dwarf kicked the sides of his giant bushtit and the bird dove for the forest canopy.  Kogan looked behind him to see a bright green dragon pursuing him.  Suffar was nowhere to be found.  Jumping off his steed before the jet of flames hit him, Kogan grabbed at tree branches as he fell through the air.
  
−
“Show yourself,” growled the wizard.
+
“Wake up, brave dwarf,” said the wizard.
  
−
A tiny rodent scurried out of the brush and onto a patch of moss next to one of the wizard's impressive forearms.  Closer inspection revealed that it was actually a mouse man, servant of one of the other three titans.  The wizard told the mouse man to speak his piece quickly, for any minute they would be mobbed by vengeful night creatures.
+
Opening his eyes, Kogan found that he had indeed survived.  Suffar had built a fire in a small clearing beneath the stars.  Here they waited for Hetain's creatures to attack.
  
−
“I serve almighty Domon and his chariot in the sky,” said the mouse man. “Lend me the pearl and I will ensure your victory.”
+
===(18 December 2015)===
 +
<pre>,A.,\@*W</pre>
  
−
===(22 July 2015)===
+
The first night creature to attack was an ape-like creature with a single eye in the center of its forehead. Kogan was ready, battleaxe in hand. The creature huffed and puffed. Its issue was not with the dwarf, but with the scheming wizard, but Kogan would not allow the creature to advance. Finally, the creature sat back on its haunches and held its arms in a pose of tranquility.
−
<pre>""."",.G->g.,.,~~~~~</pre>
 
  
−
So, Domon sought the pearl as well. The wizard should not have been surprised that the word of his conquest had spread so quickly.  Now the wizard must be doubly careful.  While Hetain controlled the night, Domon ruled everything under the sun and the eternal vault of sky. 
+
“Shall you let us pass?” asked Suffar.
  
−
The giant gorilla shifted his weight unto his knuckles and howled at the mouse man. It was clear that the wizard had made his decision.  He would trust no titan.  The mouse man ran for his life. This move would not go unanswered, for Domon was a vengeful titan. 
+
“You have my master's property,” said the ape.  “You must die for your crimes.”
  
−
The wizard couldn't stay in the jungle forever, hiding from the angry rays of the sun.  He moved to the edge of the final treeline and looked out over the rolling plains of Slusia.  Assura was there, just beyond the horizon.  Stopping to think for a moment, the giant gorilla scratched its forehead.  At last the wizard decided on a shape, transforming himself into a speedy gazelle.
+
“What if we returned the treasure in person?” asked the wizard.  “I'm sure my friend here would love to meet the great and mighty Hetain.”
  
−
===(20 August 2015)===
+
The ape struck like a snake, but Kogan was faster. The night creature hit the ground, bleeding from a savage and mortal wound.  The adventurers watched with wonder as the creature's body transformed into the body of a dead dwarf.
−
<pre>ccc.,\W,|@</pre>
 
  
−
Not one.  Not two.  But, three cheetahs took off running after the wizard as he bounded across the plain.  The titan, Domon, meant business.  As Hetain controlled the night, Domon ruled the day.  None of it would matter if he reached the dwarf fortress of Assura.  Jumping just in time to avoid a pouncing wild cat, the wizard narrowly avoided death.  He ducked and rolled and transformed once again into human shape, wielding a longsword.  The cheetahs stopped where they were as the wizard had reached the gates of Assura.
+
“What have I done?” asked Kogan.
  
−
“Open the gates, I say,” boomed the wizard.
+
===(22 January 2016)===
 +
<pre>W@.T"T"~~~~~~~~~</pre>
  
−
“Who gives a command to free dwarves?” answered the guards-dwarf.
+
“It is because of Hetain that this poor dwarf suffered,” said Suffar.  “You have only done him a mercy.”
  
−
“It is I,” said the wizard, “Suffar the Mighty.”
+
“You said nothing of killing my own kind,” protested Kogan.
  
−
Even the dwarves of Assura had heard tales of the great Suffar.  Not all good, it must be said.  Suffar was a rogue and a trickster.  The dwarves watched as the cheetahs circled the wizard, waiting for the moment to strike.  Maybe they wouldn't have to open the gates after all.
+
“It will get worse before the end,” said the wizard.  “You must be strong.  Don't let Hetain's evil confuse your heart and mind.”
  
 +
That night they buried the dead dwarf and Kogan prayed for his soul.  Strangely, no more creatures attacked.  It was as if Hetain knew he now had the upper hand and would toy with the adventurers.  Suffar wondered if he had made a mistake enlisting the help of a dwarven hero.  Maybe a true mercenary was called for.
  
−
===(23 September 2015)===
+
“Hetain will pay for what he has done,” said Kogan.  “You can rest assured of that.”
−
<pre>Wo+++@|</pre>
 
  
−
Holding up the magic pearl, Suffar demanded to be let in a third time.  The greed of the dwarves was not easy to measure.  It seemed they would do anything to acquire the smallest treasure.  Suffar stepped through the gates with a final sneer at his pursuers.  As the gates shut, the cheetahs disappeared in puffs of smoke.
+
The lake was just on the other side of a screen of trees.  Kogan had the look of grim determination but Suffar wasn't entirely sure he trusted him.  Taking on the titan was an act for the insane brave.  While Kogan was clearly not stable, Suffar still didn't know which way his blade would cut.
  
−
“Is that Hetain's magic pearl?” demanded the noble dwarf.
+
===(28 February 2016)===
 +
<pre>W..@.,.,NNNNN~~~~A~~~~~</pre>
  
−
“One and the same,” said Suffar, dropping the pearl back into his pocket.
+
“Who are they?” asked Kogan.
  
−
“The titans would offer a king's ransom for that treasure,” said the dwarf.
+
“They are the dwarves of the once powerful fortress of Etwersbrot,” said Suffar.  “They worship Hetain now.”
  
−
“And I will offer twice that amount to the hero that slays Hetain,” countered Suffar.
+
A horde of misshapen monsters ringed the lake, holding hands.  Some them had three arms.  Some had two heads.  They were all monstrous and terrifying.  Kogan knew that they were once dwarves.  He wished with all his might that he could forget that knowledge and slay them cleanly.  Now every dead monster was simply murder.
  
−
It was much to consider, coming between titans and wizards.  It meant almost certain death to the dwarves involved.  This mattered little to the hero class, a group of dwarves raised since birth to laugh at danger.  It was at the Temple of Bravery that Suffar met Kogan, the mightiest of the dwarves.
+
The chanting of the monsters intensified with the rising of the moon.  There was a bubbling vortex at the center of the lake.  Soon the giant axolotl appeared, rising magically above the water.  The monsters prostrated themselves before the titan.  It was Kogan's chance.  Suffar tapped him on the shoulder and he rose, stepping out into the moonlight.
  
−
“Will you kill Hetain for me?” asked Suffar.
+
“Hetain,” shouted Kogan, “why are you trying to control my people?”
  
−
“I have been waiting for a challenge worthy of my blade,” said Kogan.
+
===(26 March 2016)===
 +
<pre>W,.NNNN,.@/(((((A)))))</pre>
  
−
===(24 October 2015)===
+
“The pearl belongs to me,” said the giant salamander.  “The villain you work for is no more than a thief.  I stand on the side of the righteous.”
−
<pre>###NB######|W+@|##</pre>
 
  
−
The two never actually agreed on a price.  Kogan instead offered to go with Suffar if he led him to glory and death.  The wizard agreed, knowing it was not a quest for a hero who still possessed reason.  There would be no coming back from the titan's lake.  All Suffar could do was help his new friend along his final journey.
+
“It is righteous to turn my kin into monsters?” shouted Kogan.  “I have shed the blood of my blood because of you.  Are you listening, oh dwarves of Etwersbrot?  Serve not this coward and let him fight his own battles!”
  
−
“Is it far?” asked Kogan.  “These legs weren't made for walking.”
+
The monsters stopped their chanting and stepped aside as Kogan approached the water's edge.  Hetain looked nervous.  His slaves had never rebelled before.  The dwarf stood before the titan, holding his battle axe at the ready.  Hetain called on the power of the outer darkness, creating a vortex in the water below him.  Suffar saw the danger and began chanting to counter the spell.  The little dwarf was in more danger than he knew.  Hetain was opening a portal to a dimension of ultimate evil.
  
−
“Fear not, little one,” said Suffar, “I will summon the appropriate steeds.”
+
===(27 April 2016)===
 +
<pre>W,..,~~~@/~~&&&&&&&</pre>
  
−
Standing on the tallest tower of the castle, Suffar spoke to the wind, whilst Kogan watched with interest.  After a time, the wizard pointed to the horizon.  To specks appeared which grew steadily larger.  They were a pair of giant birds.  One was an enormous female nuthatch, while the other was a bushtit, the size of a bull.  The dwarf stood back, wielding his axe.
+
Seeing that now was the time to act, Kogan charged passed the confused looking monsters and into the lake.  Suffar spoke a charm and the water became solid as ice where Kogan stepped.  He ran across the lake toward the giant salamander.  The vortex at the center of the lake was growing larger.  A strange howling could be heard from within, like the terrible screams of all of those being tortured in the underworld.
  
−
“Fear not,” said Suffar.  “These creatures will take us to the hated lake of Hetain.”
+
“You have done my kin ill,” pronounced Kogan as he raised his axe.  “Prepare to die.”
  
−
“Fear is not in my vocabulary,” said Kogan.  “I will do anything to speed the march of doom and final destiny.”
+
Entrails poured into the dimensional portal as Kogan gutted the monstrous titan with a great stroke of his blade.  The guts acted as chum, attracting the most hungry of demons up from the depths.  Kogan staggered backward as the monsters blasted up and out into the world of the living.
  
−
===(30 November 2015)===
+
“What have you done?” muttered Suffar.
−
<pre>,.@*W,.   ?D?</pre>
 
  
−
It was more than a day's journey back to the titan's lake and the giant birds would be no good against the creatures Hetain had prepared for them.  Kogan watched the terrain unfolding beneath him with wonder.  The world seemed so much smaller than it had been.  The birds flew quickly, knowing that at any moment, Domon might spy them from his chariot in the sky.
+
==[[User:Haedrian|Haedrian]]==
 +
===(11 August 2011)===
 +
<pre>++@=@++++</pre>
  
−
“Dive for those trees, Kogan,” said Suffar.  “I fear that Domon has found us.”
+
Inside or outside, the dwarf fortress was an ugly place.  Black smoke
 +
rose from its misshapen stacks, and beneath the menacing gatehouse,
 +
poor hill-dwarves moved under armed guard to bring their offerings to
 +
Count Agak.
  
−
The dwarf kicked the sides of his giant bushtit and the bird dove for the forest canopy.  Kogan looked behind him to see a bright green dragon pursuing him.  Suffar was nowhere to be found.  Jumping off his steed before the jet of flames hit him, Kogan grabbed at tree branches as he fell through the air.
+
The Count had long been allergic to light.  His case of cave
 +
adaptation was more pronounced than any ever known.  His skin was pale
 +
and shot through with spidery veins.  His eyes were red and bloodshot.
 +
Even in the dark, he looked sickly, and he never touched a morsel on
 +
the feast days.
  
−
“Wake up, brave dwarf,” said the wizard.
+
"The Count is a vampire," said Roder.
  
−
Opening his eyes, Kogan found that he had indeed survived.  Suffar had built a fire in a small clearing beneath the stars.  Here they waited for Hetain's creatures to attack.
+
"Silence," said fair Nel.  "What if the guards hear you?"
  
−
===(18 December 2015)===
+
"Tell me you aren't suspicious," said Roder.  "Have you ever seen the
−
<pre>,A.,\@*W</pre>
+
Count eat or drink?  Or his guards?  I don't know if I would even
 +
recognize them underneath their plated armor.  No.  We need proof.
 +
Then we need deliverance."
  
−
The first night creature to attack was an ape-like creature with a single eye in the center of its forehead. Kogan was ready, battleaxe in hand. The creature huffed and puffed.  Its issue was not with the dwarf, but with the scheming wizard, but Kogan would not allow the creature to advance. Finally, the creature sat back on its haunches and held its arms in a pose of tranquility.
+
==[[User:Haggle|Haggle]]==
 +
===(18 January 2011)===
 +
<pre>@@@@++U+%++||,.,.MU,.MU,.MU</pre>
  
−
“Shall you let us pass?” asked Suffar.
+
"Toward the light," cried Sot, master of the moth riders. The
−
 
+
squadron descended in wild corkscrews, falling toward the dwarf
−
“You have my master's property,” said the ape.  “You must die for your crimes.”
+
fortress.  But Sot had dived too soon. Flaming arrows shot up from
−
 
+
the castle walls, confusing the giant insects.  Sot's mount took three
−
“What if we returned the treasure in person?” asked the wizard.  “I'm sure my friend here would love to meet the great and mighty Hetain.”
+
hits and died in mid air.  The moth leader took the reins hard and
 +
tried to pull the moth out of a death spiral.  He hit the ground hard
 +
and rolled across the paved stone, jumping up in a combat stance.
 +
When he saw the two dozen dwarves that approached him, he took off his
 +
chitin helmet, pointed at the closest dwarf and spoke.
  
−
The ape struck like a snake, but Kogan was faster.  The night creature hit the ground, bleeding from a savage and mortal wound.  The adventurers watched with wonder as the creature's body transformed into the body of a dead dwarf.
+
"Let's see what you've got, half-man."
  
−
“What have I done?” asked Kogan.
+
==[[User:Hazmat|Hazmat]]==
 +
===(24 April 2010)===
 +
<pre> ||U+++WWWbbbbWb </pre>
  
−
===(22 January 2016)===
+
Night, thief of all cheer. When has the sun set on a happy soul in
−
<pre>W@.T"T"~~~~~~~~~</pre>
+
Bonverland? Everyone knows the terror that lurks behind every shadow,
 +
ever since the evil knight Galrod took up residence in Highthorn
 +
castle. Werewolves and blendecs were at his command. It was said
 +
that only one thing could end his cursed life, the Golden Shank of
 +
Allmine. The people wailed with misery, for the shank was said to be
 +
in the deep dungeon of a dwarf fortress many leagues to the east. It
 +
was a time of mass panic. That was until the hero Mandack arrived.
  
−
“It is because of Hetain that this poor dwarf suffered,” said Suffar.  “You have only done him a mercy.”
+
==[[User:Hellrider|Hellrider]]==
 +
===(12 April 2012)===
  
−
“You said nothing of killing my own kind,” protested Kogan.
+
<pre>++g+++@@@</pre>
  
−
“It will get worse before the end,” said the wizard.  “You must be strong.  Don't let Hetain's evil confuse your heart and mind.”
+
Goblin master thief Garu picked his way through the irrigation ditch
 +
of the dwarf fortress.  The dwarves were fools to leave the floodgate
 +
open during the dry season.  There were fewer traps down there.  It
 +
wasn't long before he reached the mushroom fields.  There were a few
 +
gardeners here and there but nothing that proved much of a challenge.
  
−
That night they buried the dead dwarf and Kogan prayed for his soul.  Strangely, no more creatures attacked.  It was as if Hetain knew he now had the upper hand and would toy with the adventurers.  Suffar wondered if he had made a mistake enlisting the help of a dwarven hero.  Maybe a true mercenary was called for.
+
Once inside, Garu shed his black cloak in exchange for the robes of a
 +
monk of Alak.  He passed silently by the dwarves, a long hood hiding
 +
his face.  Slowly, he made his way to the meeting hall.  There were a
 +
bunch of dwarf youths posing and trying to look tough.
  
−
“Hetain will pay for what he has done,” said Kogan. “You can rest assured of that.”
+
"You are impressive," said Garu.
  
−
The lake was just on the other side of a screen of trees.  Kogan had the look of grim determination but Suffar wasn't entirely sure he trusted him.  Taking on the titan was an act for the insane brave.  While Kogan was clearly not stable, Suffar still didn't know which way his blade would cut.
+
"What's it to you, holy dwarf?" said the most obnoxious of the dwarves.
  
−
===(28 February 2016)===
+
"It's just that I heard from Zuglar that you were a weakling and a
−
<pre>W..@.,.,NNNNN~~~~A~~~~~</pre>
+
coward," said Garu. "He said he'd wait for you in the lower warehouse
 +
if you were dwarf enough."
  
−
“Who are they?” asked Kogan.
+
"You tell that son of an elf I'll be there," shouted the dwarf.
  
−
“They are the dwarves of the once powerful fortress of Etwersbrot,” said Suffar. “They worship Hetain now.”
+
==[[User:Hellzon|Hellzon]]==
 +
===(17 December 2007)===
 +
<pre>,.@@~~o~~~</pre>
  
−
A horde of misshapen monsters ringed the lake, holding hands.  Some them had three arms.  Some had two heads.  They were all monstrous and terrifying.  Kogan knew that they were once dwarves.  He wished with all his might that he could forget that knowledge and slay them cleanly.  Now every dead monster was simply murder.
+
A rock plopped into the cave river from the platform above.  There
 +
Durgal and the dwarf girl sat, above the murky waters.  Durgal
 +
explained, in great detail, his plans for the future.  When the riches
 +
of the mountain were plundered, he would diagram the plans for a
 +
second fortress himself.  How the dwarves would love him!
  
−
The chanting of the monsters intensified with the rising of the moon.  There was a bubbling vortex at the center of the lake.  Soon the giant axolotl appeared, rising magically above the water.  The monsters prostrated themselves before the titan.  It was Kogan's chance.  Suffar tapped him on the shoulder and he rose, stepping out into the moonlight.
+
"But in your haste for riches," asked the girl, "would you have time
 +
for the ones you love?"
  
−
“Hetain,” shouted Kogan, “why are you trying to control my people?”
+
Durgal's face became red as a cave turnip.  He looked quickly away
 +
from her and stared into the dark water.  There, eyes gazed up to meet
 +
him.  Durgal reached for his axe, telling the girl to warn the others.
 +
A pale, slimy hand reached out of the depths and pulled the creature
 +
upward.  It was an olmman!
  
−
===(26 March 2016)===
+
===(3 September 2008)===
−
<pre>W,.NNNN,.@/(((((A)))))</pre>
+
<pre>ff,@,.@,o~~~~~</pre>
  
−
“The pearl belongs to me,” said the giant salamander.  “The villain you work for is no more than a thief.  I stand on the side of the righteous.”
+
"Back!" cried Durgal, "back to the hall!"  The dwarf girl turned and
−
 
+
screamed.  Two blind cave fish men blocked the way out.  Durgal turned
−
“It is righteous to turn my kin into monsters?” shouted Kogan.  “I have shed the blood of my blood because of you. Are you listening, oh dwarves of Etwersbrot?  Serve not this coward and let him fight his own battles!”
+
and swung his axe at the olmman, now completely out of the water. It
 +
deftly dodged his panicked swings.  The dwarf girl screamed as the
 +
cave fish men crawled toward her, arms outstretched, feeling their way
 +
along the floor.
  
−
The monsters stopped their chanting and stepped aside as Kogan approached the water's edge.  Hetain looked nervous.  His slaves had never rebelled before.  The dwarf stood before the titan, holding his battle axe at the ready.  Hetain called on the power of the outer darkness, creating a vortex in the water below him.  Suffar saw the danger and began chanting to counter the spell.  The little dwarf was in more danger than he knew.  Hetain was opening a portal to a dimension of ultimate evil.
+
"By the power of the Lordaxe!" screamed Durgal, holding his axe aloft.
 +
The dungeon rumbled.  The sound of water crashed through the tunnel.
 +
The fighters were swept away.  The olmman grabbed Durgal's axe arm as
 +
they were washed through the watery tunnel.  The dwarf pulled a dagger
 +
from his belt and jammed it into the monster's guts.
  
−
===(27 April 2016)===
+
"Gula!" cried Durgal, bursting above the surface of the water.  He
−
<pre>W,..,~~~@/~~&&&&&&&</pre>
+
pulled the axe free of the olmman's grasp and brought the pommel down
 +
on its head, knocking it senseless. "Gula!" he cried again. With
 +
sudden terror, Durgal recalled where this tunnel led -- the chasm.
 +
Only a few seconds until the ultimate terrible plunge.
  
−
Seeing that now was the time to act, Kogan charged passed the confused looking monsters and into the lake.  Suffar spoke a charm and the water became solid as ice where Kogan stepped.  He ran across the lake toward the giant salamander.  The vortex at the center of the lake was growing larger.  A strange howling could be heard from within, like the terrible screams of all of those being tortured in the underworld.
+
"Durgal!" cried the dwarf girl, Gula.  With all his strength, he
 +
stretched to reach her in the crashing water.
  
−
“You have done my kin ill,” pronounced Kogan as he raised his axe. “Prepare to die.”
+
==[[User:HYBRID BEING|HYBRID BEING]]==
−
 
+
===(3 June 2014)===
−
Entrails poured into the dimensional portal as Kogan gutted the monstrous titan with a great stroke of his blade.  The guts acted as chum, attracting the most hungry of demons up from the depths.  Kogan staggered backward as the monsters blasted up and out into the world of the living.
+
<pre>@.@@.,--.,-,..-.,.,eeeee</pre>
 +
Sword and axe clashed again and again as the combatants fought and
 +
bled.  You and I remember Tasan fortress in the days before the elves
 +
emerged from the hated forest.  At one time Fortress Tasan was second
 +
only to the mountain homes in wealth and power.  Now it was the front
 +
line in a war to end the age.
  
−
“What have you done?” muttered Suffar.
+
"Aim low, marks-dwarves," said Kraton. "Make every shot count."
  
−
===(30 May 2016)===
+
It was the height of the Plump Helmet festival when Kraton first
−
<pre>@.,@.,@@,.@.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&.W~~@~~</pre>
+
learned of the elven invasion. An arrow struck his sweetheart dead in
 +
the chest. The ambush was over in seconds. The castle guard were
 +
able to chase down the archers before they escaped into the woods.
  
−
Hundreds of dwarves, finding that they now wore their own bodies, had to quickly stop celebrating and run for their lives.  A black fountain of evil blasted up from the center of the lake where Kogan had been standing seconds before.  Dark, winged shapes gathered in the sky above.  
+
As captain of the guard, Kraton was in charge of interrogation.  There
 +
was no need in his mind.  Elves were not rational.  Their reasons for
 +
acting made no sense.  He ordered that they be hammered immediately
 +
and prepared the fortress for the assault to come.
  
−
“Mul-o-rom, Sul-o-rom,” chanted Suffar as he dragged Kogan's body away from the water.
+
==Insanity Prelude==
 +
===(1. I forgot, sometime in 2009)===
 +
<pre>c@,.ccccccccccc@ccccc@ccc@cccccccccc</pre>
 +
Kittens roamed through the halls, as dwarf tanner Kramer worked the
 +
cat skins.  It seemed his work would never end.  The uncounted vermin
 +
in the fortress made the cat bellies full, and they bred out of
 +
control.  Baron Zarkin issued a final order:  "Suffer no cat to live."
 +
Death squads searched the corridors for felines, and brought the
 +
bodies to Kramer.  It was a tough job; Kramer admired cats for their
 +
aloofness.  Someone tapped him on the shoulder.  It was cat-lord
 +
Tainaria.
  
−
The demons had not noticed the wizard yet, choosing instead to fly after the fleeing dwarves.  Suffar could not help but think that this was all his fault.  The mess he had created was bigger than just a stolen pearl.  The entire world was in peril.  He had to seek out Domon, in the Palace of the Rising Sun.
+
"Who are you?" asked Kramer.
  
−
===(1 July 2016)===
+
"Who I am is not important," said the beast-woman. "Don't you feel
−
<pre>N%,..W@,.</pre>
+
that what you are doing is wrong?"
  
−
“Where is the sun?” asked Kogan as he awoke.
+
"Yes," said the dwarf, "but…"
  
−
“There has been a lasting darkness since Hetain died,” said Suffar.
+
===(2. December 10, 2009)===
 +
<pre>cccc,c,.C@.</pre>
  
−
“Then we have won,” exclaimed Kogan.
+
"Stomer," said Tainaria, snapping her clawed fingers, "take him."
  
−
A dizzy spell forced Kogan to lie back down.  “It's a bit more complicated than that,” said Suffar.  The stars twinkled as giant bat-like creatures passed through the sky. Kogan turned to witness a horrible sight just a stone's throw away.  Three demons were feasting on the body of a dead dwarf.  They were more horrible than the night creatures of Hetain.
+
An enormous walking cat emerged from the shadows.  It was striped and
 +
grey with a round golden belly.  In its paws it held a large brown
 +
sack.  The cat people pounced on Kramer, tackling him to the ground.
 +
They kicked and stomped him until he was knocked senseless.  Tainaria
 +
looked on as Stomer poured the dwarf into the sack.
  
−
“They can't see us,” said Suffar.  “Rest, my friend.”
+
Kramer awoke, suffocating in the damp confines of the sack that was
 +
his prison.  The sack bounced up and down as the cat ran.  At last
 +
Kramer was thrown down onto the mud.  He peered out of the bag into
 +
the nauseating sunlight.  He felt a sharp kick to his ribs.
  
−
“There must be a way to stop them,” whispered Kogan. “You said something about Domon, and the sky chariot.”
+
"Come out, killer!" shouted Tainaria.
  
−
“I'm afraid the sun has set forever,” said Suffar.  “The four titans cannot help us now.”
+
The dwarf crawled out onto the mossy ground.  He looked around as the
 +
tall trees and thick green ferns.
  
−
“There must be something we can do?” asked the dwarf hero.
+
"This is the elf forest," said Kramer.
  
−
“Yes,” said Suffar. “As long as we hold the pearl there is hope.”
+
Stomer drew his lips back across his teeth in a grotesque mockery of a smile.
  
−
===(31 July 2016)===
+
"You," said Kramer, "you're not going to leave me out here!?"
−
<pre>.,,.NN..,</pre>
 
  
−
“The magic doorway will close,” said Suffar, “if we cast Hetain's magic pearl back through the demon gate.”
+
==[[User:jaccarmac|jaccarmac]]==
 +
===(19 November 2013)===
  
−
“Then do it,” exclaimed Kogan, suffering from another fainting spell.
+
<pre>,%.%.@.%@/%ggggg</pre>
  
−
“Who ever should cast in the pearl shall die,” said Suffar.
+
Nothing save dragon's fire was hotter than Cendra's fury at the goblin
−
 
+
invaders. Limbs and heads bounced along the mining tunnel as the
−
“Then give it to me,” said Kogan.  “I care not for my own life.”
+
dwarf warrioress chopped them left and right.  Ever since Darkmaster
 +
the Evil mounted his campaign against the dwarf fortress, no one was
 +
safe.  It was to dwarves like Cendra that all owed their freedom and
 +
probably their very lives.
  
−
“That much in obvious,” said Suffar, “but you cannot be the one.  Look at your body.”
+
“To the right!” shouted Kogan.
  
−
Straining to sit up, Kogan was horrified to see that his body was a mere skeleton, barely held together by bits of sinew.  Suffar used his magic to keep Kogan alive, but it was only a kind of half-life. Once the pearl was cast, Kogan too would die.
+
Ducking just in time, Cendra twirled around and planted her axe dead
 +
in the goblin's chest.  Kogan had been Cendra's blade brother as long
 +
as she could remember.  It made it all the more tragic when he finally
 +
fell to Darkmaster's henchmen.  But let us talk of happier times...
  
−
“Then if you will not stand up and save the world,” asked Kogan, “who will?”
+
==[[User:JakobTheGreat|Jakob Zaborowski]]==
 +
===(22 July 2015)===
  
−
“We must find the fourth titan,” said Suffar. “He lives in a tower deep in the Garum.”
+
<pre>U,.(&),,.,.(&),.U</pre>
 +
It had been a century since the last Dulchari wizard had been crowned. Most of the old wizards had retired to remote towers to continue their studies, having abandoned the city of Etwersbrot and the council chamber. There simply was no need for them anymore. All the dimensional rifts had been sealed and reality had been restored to a liveable state.
  
−
“Not Darquan the Deadly,” shouted Kogan. “That wicked old man would never make the sacrifice.”
+
The wizards that lived in the capital were a new breed. The only demons they had ever seen were the ones that the Dulchari summoned themselves. Thamian was one of these. He longed to cross the boundaries between worlds like the old heroes did. Once the world had been filled with monsters. Now it was impossible to prove oneself.
 +
"I have an idea," said Thamian. "Meet me behind the tower after class."
  
−
“We have no other choice,” said Suffar.
+
The sun was sinking behind the mountains when Thamian met his friend Nesco in the dry field. What he had planned was a contest of magic. They would each summon a demon and they would fight to see which one was more fierce. Standing across the field from one another they drew pentagrams in the dirt. Thamian began summoning a creature from the world of Brepotog, the Bowels of the Universe. Nesco called his demon from Urmoro, the Land of the Undead. Somehow neither of them grasped that this was a bad idea.
  
−
===(20 September 2016)===
+
===(3 January 2015)===
−
<pre>""N"N.".,|N+++|</pre>
 
  
−
Deep in the Garum it was unusually cold. The sun hadn't risen for three days and the plants were beginning to die.  Kogan could see the light of a candle in the top room of the tower a way's off in the marsh.  Suffar explained to the skeletal dwarf that he should do the talking.  The master of the tower was Darquan the Deadly, one of four cosmic titans that had existed since the dawn of time.
+
<pre>&,<U>,,.<U>.N</pre>
  
−
The wizard of the tower was twisted and evil.  He had exhausted every physical pleasure in a search for the ultimate experience.  The truth was, now he was bored and wished for the eternal nothingness that awaited his extinction.  But if there was one thing that kept Darquan breathing it was his jealous hatred for all living things.
+
Thamian's monster was the first to appear.  About an hour after the ritual began there was a distinct smell on the western breeze.  It smelled like Brepotog, the sewer of reality.  Nesco flinched, but remained inside his protective pentagram.  Off to the right, the shadows darkened.  An arm, perhaps more tentacle than solid limb, protruded from the ground.  It struck the ground with a splat and pulled the rest of the demon up.
  
−
“Who dares disturb my meditation?” came a voice from above.
+
“I've done it, Nesco,” shouted Thamian. “Admit it!  I've won.”
  
−
Looking up the dark wet stones of the tower, Kogan could see a pale bald head trailing long white whiskers.  Suffar shouted back, explaining the death of Hetain and the demon gateway.  The wizard's head disappeared and there was a click at the solid wood door before them, which swung open by itself.
+
“Wait,” said Nesco.  “Look there!”
  
−
===(1 October 2016)===
+
Out of the trees, a figure stumbled.  Once it came into the sunlight, the young wizards could see it for what it was, alive undead.  It was the animated body of another young wizard.  He had probably died during the trials which had taken place earlier that week.  Its neck was clearly broken and its head lolled crazily to the side.
−
<pre>|NCN+++?N?|</pre>
 
  
−
The snake was fast, but Suffar was faster.  As the door opened, a king cobra snake man shot his long neck out toward the wizard's face.  He dodged to the right and seized the serpent man's throat.  Darquan was a coward to leave his minions in charge of greeting the adventurers.
+
“I command you, oh demon,” shouted Thamian, “attack!”
  
−
“Come forth, dark titan,” said Suffar, “or I will break your pet's neck.”
+
===(3 December 2015)===
  
−
While Suffar shouted at the open door, the snake man reached with his long articulated arm and pulled a dagger from one of its many belts.  Just as it was about to push the blade in, the skeletal dwarf stepped out from behind the wizard and chopped at the snake man's wrist.
+
<pre>N|+UUUUUU+U|</pre>
  
−
“That'sss cheating!” complained the cobra man.
+
Nesco was late to class.  The always-nosey Smesma was there at the door to greet him.  The first thing she noticed was the overpowering smell of filth.  They had been summoning demons again! Nesco had the stink of Brepotog on him.  Where was Thamian?  The two rascals were usually inseparable.  Smesma stood in the doorway and would not let Nesco pass without an explanation.
  
−
“Save your whining for your master,” said Suffar. “That is, if the coward is brave enough to show his face.”
+
“Where is your friend, Thamian?” asked Smesma.
  
−
“You have the pearl?” came a voice from above. “Show it to me!”
+
“Don't worry.  He still lives,” muttered Nesco, “after a fashion.”
  
−
===(7 November 2016)===
+
The witch let Nesco in, more overcome by his stench than his flimsy excuses.  As Nesco took his seat at the desk the other wizards scooted away, annoying the professor with their squeaky chairs.  The instructor for this term was Lord Domoran.  He was a