Instant Story

Challenge #04836-M087: Taking the Time

The king offered a boon, it was, respectfully, turned down. A gift, then, was offered of a new checker board, hir's was getting old and some pieces had gone missing. This was accepted, but only if he'd be willing to sit and play a game or two.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04791-m042-unfamiliar-to-some -- Anon Guest

What fascinated Verin about her request was that the Thrice-Sworn King did not go out and purchase a new board from a shop. He gathered materials and tools to make it himself. With the help of his wife and the interference of his children. Who, judging solely by the tone of voice, he attempted to teach.

They were small children in a new place. Nothing was going to maintain their attention for long.

Verin could at least help herd them. Human and Hellkin alike were much happier than their father, and even picked up a functional amount of Woods Elven, enough to correct their dad's grammar and pronunciation. The fact that those corrections were greeted with cheer and respectful attempts told Verin all she needed to know about her once-patient's skill as a parent.

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Challenge #04835-M086: Keep Them Hungry

They tried to control their population by keeping them weak and hungry. Then came the crash that spread all sorts of dust, powder, and tiny little floaty seeds all over the place. The soil was suddenly extremely rich, instead of polluted, the parasites and fungi that were harmful to people died out quickly, and a surprisingly large variety of small, seemingly ordinary, plants, began to spread swiftly. -- Anon Guest

The people on the northern islands actually saw the invader shot down.

Challenge #04834-M085: Making Light of the Matter

"Wraithvine, Wraithvine, where art thou?"

"I'm over here, playing the clown!"

"Wraithvine, Wraithvine, why be a fool?"

"Because laughter is another healing tool!"

A children's skipping game of how Wraithvine saved a nation, by teaching the leaders of the warring factions how to have fun together and laugh. -- Anon Guest

Evidently, Bucky had been to the library. Asking questions and finding out things. Kro could throttle the librarian's prentice/acolyte[1] for teaching him how to read.

"I learned fun stuff,

Challenge #04833-M084: A Lesson to Last

Kormwind, Dex to his friends, is being followed around by two youngsters, a human child and hir hellkin twin. When asked why they follow, the children ask to be taught to cook, taught to make things, taught to grow things, so they won't go hungry again. And the other children in the home won't go hungry anymore, either. -- Anon Guest

[AN: This has to happen while he was off being an Adventurer and not a Prince]

Dex had been viewing his

Challenge #04832-M083: Last Will

The family fought bitterly over the box. It was beautiful, looking as though it were covered in gold and gems. They felt for certain whomever inherited it would find wealth within. The youngest two siblings asked only for the small wooden box that had been left out in the rain by the woodshed. The youngest two would never go hungry again. -- Fighting Fit

The jocular saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's an angry relative." It could not be more true

Challenge #04831-M082: The Ultimate Choice

There are four crowns here. Gold and gem gives glory. Silver gives power and wealth. Red wrapped with gems, gold, and silver gives fame and influence. The little wooden crown, plain and unadorned, gives the power of kindness and the ability to heal, though you may never know fame or wealth. Be warned, three are paths to sorrow, one is a path to peace, choose wisely. -- Anon Guest

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, the hero had fought their way to

Challenge #04830-M081: Relative Barbarianism

DRIL: "issuing correction on a previous post of mine, regarding the terror group ISIL. you do not, under any circumstances, "gotta hand it to them" -- Deathshead419

[AN: Obviously not using those organisations for the purposes of FICTION because you just don't mess with that]

You'd think the Elves had learned from the first time they sparked hostility from nomadic people. They're slow to take in lessons from life, as they are slow to do many things. A cultural obsession with perfection

Challenge #04829-M080: Work/Play Balance

A youngster sneaks up behind "Dex" and pokes his side and says "tag, you're it!" and runs off giggling. He and his friends were helping a renovation project the children's hospital had badly needed. -- The New Guy

When is a king not a king? When he's not doing the king's job. Dex, like his father before him, had his sleeves rolled up to help out with something that needed to be done. It was better than sitting in his office and

Challenge #04828-M079: A Final Sacrifice

A God of Light, oddly allied with Mistress Dark for they knew she was not, in fact, a dark god but a god of balance and was of the few truly neutral ones, went to the isle where a dark god dredged from the sea resided. Through sheer effort they stole power away from the dark god through one command. "No longer give children's hearts. Starve the dark one, I will show you how to protect yourselves, properly." -- Anon Guest

[AN:

Challenge #04827-M078: Know Thy Enemy

Tears fell from the shackles of the young man as he looked up to the so-called “sages.” Fury ignited in his heart as he was flooded with muscle memories of a battle never fought. “No more Samsara cycles. I have my memory, my hatred, their promises…” Like a war-torn soldier, he readied himself. “This time don’t bother praying, I am here to kill your god.” -- Anon Guest

Once in a great while, perhaps every century or so, someone thinks that

Challenge #04826-M077: Survival Made EZ

We rescued two strangers who'd been badly beaten. We saved them, though when awake, something about them scared us, but we couldn't figure out why. When our world began to change, get cleaner, and we could get food and medicine easier, we found out who they were, when they came to talk to us after.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04771-m022-kindess-to-strangers -- Anon Guest

Places with the Rot had giant blue slugs in them, so Diin and the crew kept away from

Challenge #04825-M076: Cold Comfort

The god was not angry at Wraithvine and the child, but it was angry. A cold anger of betrayal. It was also angry a child had been used. The cold spurred them on, but while it could, it did not freeze them, and did not make the child AS cold. Its curse would last until its eye was restored, it was restored to where it came from, its betrayers were delt with, and justice was served. Which order? Who knew?

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Challenge #04824-M075: Seems Harmless Enough

Young Ammolite lived with hir human parents, but also with hir fellow kobolds in hir family. The home had been modified to have a very well reinforced tunnel that went from the home to the larger underground warren. The humans were so well integrated in with the warren, then even more new hatchlings treated them as beloved relatives.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04727-l343-earned-adoption -- Anon Guest

There's a million ways to have a family. This one was two Humans and the

Challenge #04823-M074: The Wager of Import

Wraithvine lost a bet with a family that runs an orphanage. What did they want in return? A magical pouch of edible and medicinal plant seeds that never emptied no matter how many were planted. They would never again worry about not having enough to feed the kids. -- Anon Guest

[AN: personally believing this is some kind of test by the orphanage because of mummers and fraudsters pretending to be hir. Only Wraithvine would purposely lose a bet to help an

Challenge #04822-M073: A Glass For Your Health

Ereshkygal has directed Wraithvine to a most unusual place, a vineyard growing plants partially in the human and fae realms. The wine vintage it produces makes those who imbibe translucent for a few hours with no other effects. It's unclear if this is harmful, no one seems to have been so far, but the Goddess must want something of the unusual vintage… -- Deathshead419

In eons past, say the stories, the Great Dragons pulled stars from the Plane of Magic to toss

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Challenge #04836-M087: Taking the Time

Challenge #04835-M086: Keep Them Hungry

Challenge #04834-M085: Making Light of the Matter

Challenge #04833-M084: A Lesson to Last

Challenge #04832-M083: Last Will

Challenge #04831-M082: The Ultimate Choice

Challenge #04830-M081: Relative Barbarianism

Challenge #04829-M080: Work/Play Balance

Challenge #04828-M079: A Final Sacrifice

Challenge #04827-M078: Know Thy Enemy

Challenge #04826-M077: Survival Made EZ

Challenge #04825-M076: Cold Comfort

Challenge #04824-M075: Seems Harmless Enough

Challenge #04823-M074: The Wager of Import

Challenge #04822-M073: A Glass For Your Health