Instant Story

Challenge #04909-M160: Treasure in Strange Places

An old treasure is found by a space salvager. A locked case full of old diaries, music boxes, books, and photos. And a letter that reads "This was my life among the stars. I lived happy here, I died of old age happy here. Solitary is not always lonely, and being with others TOO much is not always comfort." -- Anon Guest

There's a lot to find in Sargasso systems. Stellar objects that had no natural satellites, so varying civilisations dumped their old, stellar junk there. Pirates sometimes lurk, if the Sargasso is near a shipping lane, and dump their leavings amongst the wrecks.

After all, if you have interstellar travel, you have a post-scarcity society. Everything you need can be mined, synthesised, manufactured, or grown.

And if a Sargasso is too far away or too inconvenient for Pirates, you get Scavengers. Whose motto is: If it isn't worth historical value, someone needs it for their molecular printer. Which has served many a Scavenger very well indeed. Most have a direct line to the nearest Archivaas Enclave, because they know historical interest and, if the item is interesting enough, will be the first to call 'dibs'.

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Challenge #04908-M159: Deserved Reward

An all-service spa offers Wraithvine and hir friends the works. Hair Washes, trims, scale-grooming, hoof-polishing, the works. The price? One copper per being. Why so low? It was all about helping people have a good day and be comfortable. Though, people who were rude and entitled WERE charged an "entitlement tax". -- Anon Guest

[AN: I should be keeping track and I have been a naughty bean about doing that. So. The stories this relates to in order: Strictly by Chance, Impact

Challenge #04907-M158: Essential Learning

Wraithvine and hir friends have a training day, learning magic and self-defense. -- Anon Guest

Of all the places to practice magic, most mages recommend areas with an abundance of granite. It's hardy, resilient, and largely proof against most magics. It also makes an excellent scratching post for Dragons.

For combat lessons, the teacher prefers an area with soft ground so that the student doesn't hurt themselves when they fall. Or, if available, lots of padding. Wraithvine could conjure the padding as

Challenge #04906-M157: The Impact of Concerns

A dragon offers Bibrid, Wraithvine, and their friends a ride across a canyon. The price? The group has to groom their claws in return, which have gotten a bit overgrown. -- Anon Guest

Wandering by oneself, Wraithvine mused, was easier since ze only had hirself to worry about. Wandering with immortal companions was similar, since the stakes were relatively low. Wandering with a newfound family... brought out all hir worry-wart aspects where they were the least helpful.

At least Chance was inclined

Challenge #04905-M156: Caught Broadside

Torture is forbidden in the Alliance, but there are more ways to break a person than physical pain. Ever deal with a dad who seems to want to turn everything into a bad pun? -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has transcended the need for torture. There are better ways to get information out of someone. Therefore, this has to happen somewhere on the Edge]

The Galactic Alliance is an agreement between multiple polities and species in an extended trade network. People

Challenge #04904-M155: Drastic Change Consultancy

A group go to the B'Nari to get new bodies. They wish to develop underwater cities, without needing domes for air, so they, and their friends, can finally live peacefully together. -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has LOADS of planets where people can live according to their personal moral alignment. Also I have a planet called Beach where Humans and Cetaceans have built a society together]

They were looking at a water planet with relatively shallow oceans. Kelp farming and fish

Challenge #04903-M154: Scars on the Inside

A troop of marines had finally rotated home after a lot of... unpleasant experiences. Now, they planned to sit back, relax, enjoy their hard-earned retirements, and definitely enjoy the summer and all the fun that came with it. -- Anon Guest

After six months of trudging around in battle-ready armour, it was damned good to feel the air on hir skin. It felt even better to plunge into the open ocean and take the weight off hir feet and spine. Trooper Glyn

Challenge #04902-M153: Strictly By Chance

Wraithvine had two new adventurers to train. One, a person who is able, in small bursts, to stop time, one who was willing to risk their life to save hirs, and another, a terrified child who was alone in the forests and almost entirely feral. The immortals, Wraithvine and Birbid, and that fully immortal cat, Lilbit, were now a new adventuring party with these two young wonders. No prophecy, no destiny, just family. Which is nice for a change.

https://peakd.com/

Challenge #04901-M152: Pest Control

A ghoulish adventure unfolds, as Wraithvine discovers a message carved in runes upon a hanged man’s flesh which leads hir to a dread idol, a seer frightened to near madness from her own visions, and a lake which often turns red like blood… -- Deathshead419

It was shit like this that set Wraithvine on hir path. It was stuff like this that made hir take hir oath in the first place. The criminal in the gibbet had infernal runes appearing on

Challenge #04900-M151: Big Truffle in Little River

Two villages, once best friends, were viciously warring. A seer came to town prophesizing doom as both villages were to "lose their names". The battles stopped. They lived in peace to fortify against the doom. The seer lied, and did not lie, the war stopped, they didn't die. -- Anon Guest

Swindon and Wallowdale had been battling over a pig. The exact circumstances differed depending on who you asked, but the broad strokes were thus: It was the other side who stole

Challenge #04899-M150: Illusory Brilliance

There is a time of apogee, when things work and fame and fortune is yours. But it doesn't last, your body can't maintain the strain of peak performance. it comes sooner for some than others. Some teach, train or coach, keeping their love of their passion. Some trade on their fame, for good or ill. And some find another life no longer connected to that which drove them. -- Prompey

Nothing is permanent. Flowers wilt. Mountains erode. Oceans rise, as the wise

Challenge #04898-M149: What Rude Beast

It has been six summers since Prince Crevith fell into a stream. Though he lived, the prince could not be awakened no matter the medicine or magic tried. Until one storm-wracked night he awakens. His family is jubilant, until he acts belligerent in ways the prince never was, desperate to go east. -- Deathshead419

The Prince had been twelve when a terrible accident resulted in his almost being lost to the frigid, rushing waters. He was lucky to be pulled out alive.

Challenge #04897-M148: Epic Rap Battle For History

A trio of warrior lords quibble over who is to inherit a large swath of land, for the will was lost in the fire which killed the former ruler. To avoid a war, the three visit seeress, who leads them to a shine of Wothynn, with the foretelling that the one who is the best Poet shall be judged the rightful heir to the land -- Deathshead419

Things were done differently in the Northlands. Politics was often settled with the sword, when

Challenge #04896-M147: Proposal of a Portrait

Guild painter Petreau has pined for the hand of his master’s daughter for the last six years. After all this time, a masterpiece centered on her is finished. The girl even likes it. But how will he finagle his cantankerous mentor into letting him wed the girl he loves? -- Deathshead419

It was a portrait of adoration. The face on the canvas almost glowed with joy. Her hair was resplendant, and her clothes were lovingly rendered to look their best. Most

Challenge #04895-M146: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

It has been three summers since the new head of a scribal house in Arbordeep settled into the hereditary role, and all is not well. Many of the students have wandered off, no new recruits to the printing operation have arrived, and even worse, rumors are flitting about of a conspiracy amongst the remaining senior scribes. Something must be done… but what? -- Deathshead419

The Empire was falling. Barbarian invaders, polities breaking off and causing trouble with the Empire that once sheltered

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04909-M160: Treasure in Strange Places

Challenge #04908-M159: Deserved Reward

Challenge #04907-M158: Essential Learning

Challenge #04906-M157: The Impact of Concerns

Challenge #04905-M156: Caught Broadside

Challenge #04904-M155: Drastic Change Consultancy

Challenge #04903-M154: Scars on the Inside

Challenge #04902-M153: Strictly By Chance

Challenge #04901-M152: Pest Control

Challenge #04900-M151: Big Truffle in Little River

Challenge #04899-M150: Illusory Brilliance

Challenge #04898-M149: What Rude Beast

Challenge #04897-M148: Epic Rap Battle For History

Challenge #04896-M147: Proposal of a Portrait

Challenge #04895-M146: Sic Transit Gloria Mundi