Instant Story

Challenge #04975-M226: Timey Wimey

Scramble learns his time magic allows him to 'see' briefly through time. It's allowed them to avoid a lot of trouble. -- BKF

It took months to spot it, on their way from one place to another, because it was very subtle. And it's terribly difficult to spy other time magic when time magic is already employed. In the case of Scramble, it was reacting to situations slightly before they unfolded.

The gap between reaction and stimulus was getting lighter by fractions of a second.

Wraithvine could try to curse hirself for missing it for so long, but then ze asked, "How did you do that?"

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Challenge #04974-M225: Anti-Terror Campaign

You made a huge mistake. You hurt master Twii's young charge. He WILL be coming to talk to you. Firmly. -- BKF

There's always someone like the type in the Edge Territories. Someone's brat whose parents believe can do no wrong. The kind of kid who is endless torment to everyone in their general vicinity. The troublemaker, the prankster, the hangman... or the bully. Or any of the above, depending on their mood. The kind of kid who the N'Ozzies refer to

Challenge #04973-M224: Hatchet, Interred

I am done. I've been a hired killer for over 20 standard years. I don't want to do it anymore. I'm tired of it. -- BKF

To quote classic literature: I am the best at what I do, and what I do ain't pretty. Not that I've read the works of Lee Kirby, I've just had it said to me by the people who have. Those sorts who can afford to learn how to read. When you grow up fighting for your

Challenge #04972-M223: Like an Unwanted Cat

You're alive. How... unfortunate. -- Luna

Earl Valiant Stormwight Hallowfine Whitekeep was in the best place in his world. Respected by his Barons, absolute authority in his realm, and everyone in his power obeyed his every word. Everyone in his castle bent to his whims. His favoured son was just like him, even if the boy did run off to take the Grand Tour without Valiant's express permission.

The situation was still controllable. He had mercenaries on the case to track Spitebane

Challenge #04971-M222: An Ash For Ashes

Due to a dryad's curse, an estate staff must tend the gardens with flamethrowers, lest the manor be overrun with foliage... -- Deathshead419

If there is a universal truth to society, it is that those with a lot of money and power simply have to show it off. Only the well off and the highest strata of the world could get away with building things just to look at. Artificial ruins of an imagined lost civilisation. False caves or hermit huts, replete

Challenge #04970-M221: I'm the Badguy?

No more villainry -- Luna

Master of the Shadow Arts, Bai Niyurufanthur, had joined many other citizens of Wolklippenstadt in the circus' audience. It was a rather excellent show. Bai lingered for the sideshows and games, seeking some games to reveal as fraudulent or rigged.

A Master of the Martialist Art of Shadows could not fail at a carnival game unless it was truly rigged.

He never got to try them, since he found a scene that distracted him entirely. One very

Challenge #04969-M220: More Money Than Sense

My favorite obsession -- Luna

Fairytales always have things in three. The first and second son only exist in the tale to try and fail, whilst the third wins it all with his kind heart and willingness to listen to advice.

Horseshit.

It makes third sons believe in winning it all in spite of their brothers. That's not at all realistic. What really happens is that the first son gets everything, including the father's adoration. The second son is kind of... kept

Challenge #04968-M219: Heroic Placement

The legend that wasn't -- Luna

The story is told of the hero who wanted to be a legendary one. Ze had read a great deal of legends and was immediately disappointed to find hirself lacking supernatural guardians. Let's call hir... Wannabe.

No Faerie Goodparents. No Eldritch entities interested in hir prosperity or demise. No devils wanted to deal with hir and no gods decided to warp hir fate.

No mysterious entities at crossroads, either. Which was the greatest disappointment of them

Challenge #04967-M218: On My Honour

What honor have you? -- Luna

Boatswain Laurantz knew in his soul that having a Hellkin on board was bad luck. He and Captain Haaloch had both witnessed a cat following the nameless blue devilborn onto the ship. Any man followed by a cat was supposed to be good luck. Therefore, the argument went that the luck cancelled out and he was no better nor worse than any other man.

There was one thing a Hellkin couldn't stop being, and that was

Challenge #04966-M217: Unbreakable?

I haven't forgotten my promise -- Luna

Some things have unbreakable sticking power. A Hellkin's loyalty to someone with a kind heart, for example. The Faekindred's general prediliction towards duplicity and double meanings. And, of course, a heartfelt oath that includes the shedding of blood.

The blood of the oathtaker, of course. Anyone's or anything else does not count. That is how the gods know that it's serious.

That's what put the gods onto watching the oathtaker in question. Readying disasters and

Challenge #04965-M216: Holy Trickster

Where calamity reigns -- Luna

"Maybe you should check what the transit sigil is before activating it," Halek the Druid shouted to Poik the Magnificent. Their voice was lost to the howling wind and thunderous eruptions. He could have amplified his voice, but all his energy was devoted to shielding the Adventurers from the concatenating disasters around them.

The little Kobold Wizard was busy scribing notes. "Poik learn for next time." Ze could make everyone heard, since ze had the spell slots

Challenge #04964-M215: Her New Pet

I love your monster -- Luna

[AN: This accidentally got me thinking of the followup to Purchased Loyalty ]

Alle devoted herself to learning everything she could about animal care. How to feed, train, and care for a Hellkin. Or a Human, which Hellkin came from.

Wars were still raging between Elvenkind and many others about how Hellkin came to exist. Amongst other nonsensical objections.

Some of the books were contradictory, so Alle chose the kinder options and blended them with her babysitting

Challenge #04963-M214: Purchased Loyalty

My life for yours -- Luna

Beware walking alone in the wild places, the elders warned. And if you must go, give no food nor drink to any creature that finds you there.

Alle presumed it was a caution against bears and wolves. If they viewed someone as a source of food, they might view that someone as food. It was better that the wild things of the wild places feared those who walked upright, and may have blades in their favour.

Challenge #04962-M213: Impossible Law

In the Post Apocalyptic United States, the remaining industrial cities of the North trade with the last regions of arable land in the South. No one can sleep, everyone does speed, on these Drug Trains rolling up and down the ruined highways, byways, and wrong ways. -- Deathshead419

[AN: Humans can not stay awake forever. It has mental consequences]

Humanity cannot end the world. Humanity can only end itself. In the era of devastation, it came pretty darn close, I tell you

Challenge #04961-M212: The Ultimate Weapon

Humans accidentally create a weapon that can speed up a black hole's dissolution. Come to find out, black holes have enough material in them to nearly create a second universe. -- BKF

[AN: This has to happen in a different universe to my usual one. It just doesn't fit]

If there is one thing true about Humanity, it's that there's an intense desire for a bigger, better weapon. Not always to use against their eternal enemy - other Humans - but to

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Challenge #04975-M226: Timey Wimey

Challenge #04974-M225: Anti-Terror Campaign

Challenge #04973-M224: Hatchet, Interred

Challenge #04972-M223: Like an Unwanted Cat

Challenge #04971-M222: An Ash For Ashes

Challenge #04970-M221: I'm the Badguy?

Challenge #04969-M220: More Money Than Sense

Challenge #04968-M219: Heroic Placement

Challenge #04967-M218: On My Honour

Challenge #04966-M217: Unbreakable?

Challenge #04965-M216: Holy Trickster

Challenge #04964-M215: Her New Pet

Challenge #04963-M214: Purchased Loyalty

Challenge #04962-M213: Impossible Law

Challenge #04961-M212: The Ultimate Weapon