Instant Story

Challenge #05058-M309: Reasons Upon Reasons

"I was cold, the first snow was falling. Yet instead of hating me, you welcomed me by your fire. Thank you kind one. I wish more humans were like you." -- BKF

The household was already crowded with people. Most of them under the age of fifteen. Their mother had no true reason to call Plenty inside as they made their way along the otherwise lonely road. it may have been spare maternal instinct. It may have been pity.

Either way, Plenty kept their horns down and their tail out of everyone's way as they huddled by the hearth. Periodically, they would catch one of the babies before they could try touching the flames or the coals, and set them down in a different direction.

"You can nurse 'em. I trust you," said the mother. She was busy enough with the cauldron and keeping the toddlers out of the fire.

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Challenge #05057-M308: Gentle Reform

"I own no one, I don't need inherited slaves. But none of you know how to live free. So from this day forward, I'm going to live my life helping undo what my family did to you. You are hellkin, harukh'ai, and kobolds, true, but you're also people, not animals." -- BKF

It was not magic that ran my Unty's factory. It was Unwelcome People. Tethered with chains and contained by warding runes that would harm -even kill- if they set a

Challenge #05056-M307: Necessary Lesson

"Yes I am Pax Humanis. Yes I am dangerous. But as long as I'm just teaching you to hunt animals here on this world, we're cool. Besides, my prey is far more interesting with far more security. All you're doing is helping me make sure the local deer population doesn't get too numerous." -- BKF

Puhshuff was plenty young, but they knew what those colours meant. Black, red, and yellow - sure to kill a fellow. They dropped their sad excuse for

Challenge #05055-M306: Unplanned Demolition

They awakened to having two looking over them wearing bright colors, red and yellow with some black along the edging. They hurt, badly. They remembered pushing two beings out of the way as the quake caused the shelters to collapse and being hit by debris, but that's about it. -- BKF

Philosophers of the past have discovered various unpleasant ways to awaken after concussive unconsciousness. Among the top ten are the priming of weapons aimed at the waker's head, someone offering to

Challenge #05054-M305: Please Take One

When I passed, I did so helping others, and begged the gods to let me continue. I am now an eternal, living, fireproof, self-repairing, house that can teleport to where I'm most needed. I can care for those within me, and expel those with cruelty and violence in their hearts. So, I'm content. -- BKF

Some Devilborn live with the names they're given. It's rare, but it happens. The rest of us choose names that match our demonic nature or fit an

Challenge #05053-M304: Up to the Challenge

National delicacy. That includes Local favorites. -- Knitnan

Newcomers to the Everdark are always surprised to learn how easily beasts can become Dire down there. Most commonly, the slugs often become Dire in the deeper caves and caverns. There's bats, too. Amongst many other creatures not also common on the surface.

There's just something about the fungi the grows down there. It does things to animals. And bugs. And other invertebrates. Oddly, though, the intelligent creatures are immune.

It might be luck.

Challenge #05052-M303: Underground Business

Being a human that moved into an underground city of teufellen and other races that other humans treat as unwanted, I thought I was going to be mistreated as they are above ground. But they have treated me more kindly, more humanely, than any of my own race ever have my entire life. -- BKF

[AN: Spelling corrected for one species]

Here, away from the sun, I am just a skilled crafter of fine objects. Silver, gold, copper... I will make things

Challenge #05051-M302: From Rags...

No noble blood have I- no kin to the blue devils of Whitekeep. But still, I will be a knight, and act as one as nobly as I can. -- Weirdlet

Chivalry's earliest memory was watching the knights training. If ze was lucky, there'd be food ze could filch without coming to harm. They were magnificent. They were amazing. They were wealthy beyond young Chivalry's dreams... and ze was an orphan tolerated by the local roadhaus because ze cleaned up all the

Challenge #05050-M301: Odd Justice

The world judges a person by their appearance. I've stopped apologizing about mine a long time ago. -- BKF

"There are old Teufellen and there are bold Teufellen. There are very few old, bold Teufellen," lectured the old Hellkin to Risk, who he had caught trying to pickpocket. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who's both. So. Before I call the Watch about you..."

Risk didn't let him get any further. Ze put on the mummer's tears and sobbed,

Challenge #05049-M300: Must Love Cats

The helpful fae of the house mourned when the elderly resident passed. They, however, had the three young cats that the person had deeply loved to take care of. And a house to tend. -- BKF

The house was as still and quiet as the dead. Which made sense, since the person who owned it had died, leaving it vacant. Well. Vacant if you didn't count her beloved cats. They slept on her bed, hunted the mice and pests, and were very

Challenge #05048-M299: Following Misunderstanding

"Why didn't you kill me, I attacked you." You were under the influence of drink and whatever it was you were taking. You were not in your right mind, but now it's time you got cleaned up. -- BKF

It's nigh universally agreed that there are good and bad ways to return to consciousness. For example - it is very good to awaken in a comfortable bed with the company of one's choice and pleasant smells on the gentle breeze. On the

Challenge #05047-M298: Rough Landing

"Why are your eyes watering like that?" Oh, it's nothing, just my allergies. -- BKF

[AN/PSA: Denial of emotional expression is a toxic social enforcement and needs to die]

"Mama? Are you crying?" My sensitive little darling, Xin, had found me. I couldn't tell them. Not yet.

I startled, rushing to soak up the leakage from my eyes. "It's pollen," I lied. "Got my face going funny."

Xin was four and cried when they couldn't find their favourite soft toy. Or

Challenge #05046-M297: Cursed Mistake

The elf was placed under two strong curses. They could not die no matter what, and any time they tried to meditate, they fell into a deep sleep, dreams and all. -- BKF

Immortality isn't always a blessing. It isn't an accident, either. On rare occasions, it is truly a curse.

Once upon a time, a mighty hero slayed a Dragon. This would normally be something welcomed as a legend in their own lifetime. Alas, this was the Dragon God of Equity.

Challenge #05045-M296: Trade Secret

They were born a Hellkin. But they had unusual horns that grew in, in the fall as deer-like antlers that, when shed in the spring, turned to beautiful crystal. They turned these into wind chimes and sun-catchers, which sold well. -- BKF

There's a lot of mythos surrounding Hellkin. A huge volume of it is wrong. The one about vampires and witches breeding to make Hellkin is a complete canard. The one about their feet striking sparks and lighting fires on the

Challenge #05044-M295: A Hat to Tip

Wraithvine gives Scramble hir first wizard's hat. And Chance unexpectedly grows dragon-like wings that sorta match his adopted father's own. -- BKF

"The time has come," announced Wraithvine. "Prentice, you have the fundamentals of magic to a point where you can use them reliably and with intent. We... are making your hat."

"What?" said Scramble. "But I still suck at it."

"Nevertheless, the world must know that you are a Wizard. Since you've proven that you can learn and use magic, it

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Challenge #05058-M309: Reasons Upon Reasons

Challenge #05057-M308: Gentle Reform

Challenge #05056-M307: Necessary Lesson

Challenge #05055-M306: Unplanned Demolition

Challenge #05054-M305: Please Take One

Challenge #05053-M304: Up to the Challenge

Challenge #05052-M303: Underground Business

Challenge #05051-M302: From Rags...

Challenge #05050-M301: Odd Justice

Challenge #05049-M300: Must Love Cats

Challenge #05048-M299: Following Misunderstanding

Challenge #05047-M298: Rough Landing

Challenge #05046-M297: Cursed Mistake

Challenge #05045-M296: Trade Secret

Challenge #05044-M295: A Hat to Tip