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Challenge #04601-L217: The Last Great Lords

The skies darken over three decrepit lords and their ancient castles which time has passed by. What will become of their traditions, their secrets, their eon old rivalries, as the world beyond seeps in bit by bit? -- Deathshead419

At their mightiest peak, the Elves split this continent into three civilised realms. Their names once caused lesser beings[1] to tremble, and were nigh unpronouncable to all but Elven tongues. Nursery tales would reduce them in later centuries to Lord Forest, Lord Mountain, and Lord Ice.

They gathered once a month for tea and biscuits.

"It's those damned, dirty ape things," complained Lord Mountain. "It was bad enough when they grew the wits to start talking back... now they're taking on airs. Fighting us off from our lands."

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Challenge #04600-L216: Tangled Conversational Thread

Wraithvine is delayed by a foe employing a most unusual tactic against hir: Telling aimless stories that don’t go anywhere.

Might unfold something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujF8AumiQo -- Deathshead419

There's only so many ways one could go with a name like Ephriam Ardhardt, and this particular Warlock chose the most obvious route. One day, Wraithvine would figure out what made them like that and stop it at the source. Alas, that particular quest was well out

Challenge #04599-L215: Essential Amelioration

Wraithvine and Bibrid met a being who was alone and had badly hurt their back while carrying firewood. Their family would be gone for a few days having gone to town to trade what little they had so they could get essential supplies. Wraithvine gave the being a gentle massage to ease the pain, while Bibrid was kind enough to help with the firewood and care for the elder until the family could get home. -- Anon Guest

The carrying capacity of

Challenge #04598-L214: Lool-lay Nee!

How did the human toy collector scare the wet out of several pirates and have them begging for mercy without firing a single shot?

Three words - Lots of Furbies! -- The New Guy

Specific and unnerving hobbies are not merely a Human thing. Obsessions can overwhelm anyone, though exposure to Humans has been correlated with those who do have odd obsessions. One statistical outlier on that imaginary chart is Navigator Nor of the Mass Transit Vessel, Evergreen.

Hir hobby was a

Challenge #04597-L213: Save Every Library

Her library was immense, taking up over 90% of the station. She wasn't a member of the archivaas, but they did help her maintain it. Checking out materials was free, reading lessons were free, and if materials were returned late, rather than a fine, the person simply had a choice of making a donation, be it a book or monetary, to the library, to spend one hour working in the library to help maintain it. The dereggers that sometimes visited hated the

Challenge #04596-L212: The Betrayal Game

The battle had been long, had been bloody, had been brutal. The invading forces were finally thwarted, though everyone, Wraithvine included, were exhausted. Bribid nearly ended up exposed, and the forces they'd helped defend the land were now going through the sad job of tending to their wounded, and burying the dead. -- Fighting Fit

Regrettably, war is the only option left. It is the failure of diplomacy, and the last resort. Or at least, it should be. This war, thank the

Challenge #04595-L211: Loop de Loop de Loop

A scientist believes she has invented a time machine. Her best student agrees to enter it for a test, to better humankind. The student will absolutely not to a bunch of sports betting to get rich. No sports betting. Absolutely will not get rich using the time machine to bet on sports. -- Anon Guest

The rules of time travel are not written anywhere, though one of them might be to never go to Cambridge University on the 28th of June 2009.

Challenge #04594-L210: General Ludd Returns

It was subtle at first. A friend who lost a friend. Others who saw. What happens to the body, any body, when the most vital parts refuse to keep going? Fewer workers were showing. Fewer willing to go to the Machine. More vanishing. What happens to The Machine, when its lifeblood chooses to stop flowing?

https://peakd.com/fiction/@internutter/challenge-04576-l192-sacrifices-for-the-cargo-cult -- Anon Guest

There was a fine, fine line to tread. Keep up the expected minimum, avoid the ideal maximum. Waver

Challenge #04593-L209: One Hell of a Portent

Deep in the woodlands is a small town in the shadow of an obelisk. Upon this monument is a clock which has been counting down for centuries. No one remembers where it came from, what it means, but it is about to strike midnight and toll the centuries silent bell. -- Anon Guest

The clock has always been there. Attempts to find when it was built have resulted in nothing but frustration. Even the first images of Lumberhill, back when it was

Challenge #04592-L208: They're Brand New

Save for their wings, you'd think they were human. They were wild and free-spirited. And their only desire was to learn about the world. The good parts, the bad parts, and everything in between. They were not angel, they were not demon, just... themselves. -- Anon Guest

"What'cha doin'?"

Barthus was used to hearing that kind of question from someone between three and eight years old. Not, and they had to look up from their work to check, an adult-shaped entity literally

Challenge #04591-L207: The Valley of Cursed Death

Two hunters venture into the wooded mountains of the Mountain West where they come upon the ruins of a frontier town not marked on any maps. An aged man, must be more than a century old, was there at the founding, and tells the two why no one must ever settle on these lands again. -- Anon Guest

There was no such town on the map, yet the town was here. Well. The remains of the town was here. There were buildings,

Challenge #04590-L206: You Were Warned

Oh my God, Spiders, millions of them, pouring out of the walls, everybody RUN! -- Anon Guest

Across the multiverse, there are constants. No matter the nature of civilisation, no matter the fiscal structure, there is always the roommate who freeloads, steals treats, and denies it. Some call them 'goldbricks', some call them 'assholes'. Some call them 'scabs'. Rickerd called hir annoying housemate Horb, because that was hir name.

Horb was a young Elf, 'merely' thirty-seven[1], with rather indulgent parents who

Challenge #04589-L205: They Hunt in Summer

A disgraced archeologist discovers a ruin dating to the inter-glacial period. However, the searcher finds evidence of life, despite the place being buried for 14,000 years, and that life may be more serpentine than human in nature… -- Anon Guest

[AN: Fun fact - The pyramids were being built at the same time that Europeans were hunting mammoths. So "ruins dating back to the inter-glacial period" is like... active for Ancient Egypt. I'm going to assume northern hemisphere and inside the

Challenge #04588-L204: A Knack For Finding Trouble

Wraithvine {& companion (?) maybe} finds hirself marooned on a deserted island, though the little patch of sand, coconut palms, and corals might hold more secrets than ze had first thought. -- Anon Guest

The good news, such as it was, was that the ship and crew had survived the storm. The bad news that Wraithvine was the one soul lost. Fifty people lived to see another day, return to their lives, and otherwise be a part of the world.

Wraithvine would evidently

Challenge #04587-L203: Appeal to a Higher Authority

Deep in the seldom trafficked mountain vales and sheer canyons is a small town, friendly enough to outsiders, but whose denizens make it clear that any traveler should clear out by nightfall or remain inside the inn.

Only Wraithvine can get to the bottom of this, though it might be better to work alone on this one… -- Anon Guest

Wraithvine arrived in the little town close to sunset and was confused by the sight of people hurrying to their homes and

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Flash fiction fresh from my fingers to your mind!

Challenge #04601-L217: The Last Great Lords

Challenge #04600-L216: Tangled Conversational Thread

Challenge #04599-L215: Essential Amelioration

Challenge #04598-L214: Lool-lay Nee!

Challenge #04597-L213: Save Every Library

Challenge #04596-L212: The Betrayal Game

Challenge #04595-L211: Loop de Loop de Loop

Challenge #04594-L210: General Ludd Returns

Challenge #04593-L209: One Hell of a Portent

Challenge #04592-L208: They're Brand New

Challenge #04591-L207: The Valley of Cursed Death

Challenge #04590-L206: You Were Warned

Challenge #04589-L205: They Hunt in Summer

Challenge #04588-L204: A Knack For Finding Trouble

Challenge #04587-L203: Appeal to a Higher Authority