Alfarell

A 297-post collection

Challenge #04567-L183: The One Most in Need

They were in the temple of helping hands, having stayed up all night, yet again, cleaning, putting together the next day's bread, and other such chores. A kindly magic user used a very gentle spell to force them to go to sleep. Then, to protect their health, placed a geas upon them, so they did not work themselves into illness again. -- Anon Guest

Selflessness is a flaw, and few people see it as such. People who indulge in selflessness are seen as kind and giving, often heralded as living saints. Actual saints give the mortal world authorities trouble because of their connection with their deity. That, and the miracles.

The only miracle that the selfless can perform is the ability to keep sacrificing themselves. No matter what impediments might otherwise stop them.

Case in point, Dearie. A nigh-permanent fixture at the Arivale Temple of Kind Hands. Dearie may have a name, but the impermanent staff just call her 'Dearie'. As in, "Can you help me with this, Dearie?" or, "I need you to sit with this one, Dearie," and, "Is there any tea, Dearie?" But, more frequently, "You get some rest, now, Dearie." Mostly because the only way she stops working is by complete collapse and breakdown.

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Challenge #04566-L182: Bonded Bargain

A student is close to flunking out of a magic school. Desperate, the student turns to the accursed woods where the fairies dwell, hoping to strike a bargain. It's said that there are consequences to dealing with fae magic, but, it can't be worse than flunking out, right? -- Anon Guest

Rin would never make it as a Wizard. Even if he went after forbidden tomes and allowed a powerful spell to reside in his head, he couldn't even be a Wizzard[

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Challenge #04562-L178: Under the Thumb of Justice

After a lifetime of flaunting and breaking the law, this rapscallion has reached the end of the line. But that doesn't mean there won't be one last fight... -- Anon Guest

Law should not be allowed to lay traps, strictly in my own, not so humble opinion. Citizens are definitely allowed to protect their treasures with locks and wards, that's just respect. Those who can afford greater security gain greater attention. That much risk is easily associated with fantastically great rewards.

I

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Challenge #04556-L172: Stopgap Year

Reason allowed the young man to follow for a time. Even helped them get better clothing especially footwear. Used did not have to mean bad. They helped the youth find someone who could help them learn. And the two promised to remain friends even parting ways.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04476-l092-temporary-apprentice -- Anon Guest

Reason could teach more than ritual magic. They could teach basic survival skills. Archery, foraging, how to prepare and clean a kill, basic cookery. Making certain the

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Challenge #04554-L170: Seed of Life

They locate the Hartsoke plant, so insanely few and far between they are that it was nearly her end to find it. But the guardian had to be certain that this was need and not want. That this was her own choice in truth, not force, for her sake and her life.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04498-l114-harder-heartstrings -- Anon Guest

...through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered... They arrived at the Garded Grove on the cusp of Autumn. Halestaff had to carry

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Challenge #04549-L165: Family of Trouble

The one who was once a foundling taken in and called Wraithvine and Bibird "Untys", and the four who were the good-children of the immortal pair, find each other. In the finding, a close-knit bond forms among them. An interesting future awaits the party known as Compassion's Lessons.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04485-l101-what-manner-of-fate

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04528-l144-eye-of-the-needle -- Anon Guest

Fate has its nexii. Some of them are more obvious, like the large cities where heroes and Adventurers are

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Challenge #04548-L164: Out of Sight...

The elderly who had none to care for them in this village were more than cast out. They were set at the edge of a village in a little hut that had naught but a couple thin, rough beds a couple flagons of water, stale bread, and little else. The Disappearing Hut, because the elderly always seemed to vanish from it.

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04507-l123-low-made-high -- Anon Guest

Word came to Pine Hills that there was a realm where the

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Challenge #04545-L161: Prejudice's Shadow

They did not speak, childhood illness stole their voice. But the Harukh village didn't care. This human had always been kind to them, helping them when illnesses or injuries came their way. They also made it clear to so-called "heros", this human who could not speak was not going to be mistreated. The human, for their part, kept trying to make it clear, wordlessly, they didn't NEED "saving". -- Anon Guest

[AN: Harukh are mostly nomadic, so this place is a statistical

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Challenge #04537-L153: Please Don't Make Me Laugh

They say laughter is the best medicine, but that's not quite true. It's just a good aid to proper care. -- Anon Guest

Let me get this into your head - laughter is not always the best medicine. Just try doing it when your next breath is being debated by committee. Metaphorically, of course. It's just as difficult to breathe when it feels like you're allergic to air.

I'll spare you the sordid details of abundant mucous generation and leave you with

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Challenge #04536-L152: Desperate Motivations

To get to where they are needed, they must travel through the maelstrom of lightening, heavy rains, winds, ... and worse. -- Anon Guest

The world was full of scars like this. If 'scar' could apply to an eternal cyclone guaranteed to repel travelers from attempting to breach it. In the middle, in the eye of that permanent storm, was the floating island of Aljanna. A paradise lost to most of the mortal world.

Legend held that they were safeguarding a mighty weapon.

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Challenge #04533-L149: Sweet-scented Poison

I got these new flowers today. They whisper to me, while I sleep; whisper secrets nobody can know. -- Anon Guest

They look like nice flowers, don't they? The way they gleam in the light. They're so pretty. I received them in an opalescent vase three months ago and they haven't wilted. They only need fresh water once a day. They're beautiful... and they're driving me mad.

They whisper to me whenever it's quiet. Soft words that I can barely understand. They're

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Challenge #04530-L146: Oddly Desired

Gifts. And sometime the person gifted has non-stand 'want it's' - Inspired by Mother's day Lady who got a trailer of horse manure for her roses. -- She Who Knits

Felice squealed in joy at the sight of the cart and what she could see inside it. Logs of hazel wood. Baskets of dragon eggshells and scales. Careful shelves of assorted gemstones. Vials of creature blood and mats of felted creature hair.

"Oh you shouldn't have," she cooed.

"It's all ethically sourced,

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Challenge #04528-L144: Eye of the Needle

Seeing the pain in their eyes, the tailor promised this.

"I will love this child as my own blood, care for them to the best of my ability, and ensure they have a good life. But, they will know, you are also their parents. Even away, you will be in the heart."

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04495-l111-fated-family -- Anon Guest

Kismet Foundling's first memory was the careful flash of a needle and thread through soft cotton cloth, dyed with madda. Rennie

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Challenge #04524-L140: Kharmic Realignment

You look so sad, why do you laugh?

"Because as much as they hurt me, they needed me far more than I needed them."

What happened?

"I walked away, and while I did not hurt them, exactly, I also refused to let them hurt me anymore."

And then?

"They hurt themselves instead. I do not laugh because I am happy of it. But rather, because I refuse to let them make me cry anymore." -- Anon Guest

Officially homeless, Ihagrah carried her

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Challenge #04523-L139: Works Like a Charm

They were selling tail hairs from unicorns and small pieces of horn. Small skeins of elf hair, and the shells of dragon eggs. Where did they get these? From bushes where hairs naturally were lost to shedding, places where pieces could be found where horns were scraped due to sharpening. From brushes after a being brushed their hair and threw the loose hairs from the brushes into leavings, and the shells were gathered, politely of course, by asking to clean the nest

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