Instant Story

Challenge #04911-M162: Faekindred Delivery System

For six weeks melodious harp music wafts into a villager’s bedroom every night. In the seventh, the villager enters the woods, finding a satyr playing beside a brook, who gives a most unusual reason for the song… -- Deathshead419

It was beautiful music, Grisel couldn't deny it. Even as they lay awake when they should be sleeping because the music was keeping them from their dreams. And it was Summer, so shutting the window to block the sound was not an option.

They were the only farm that close to the forest, so nobody else in Frigmoor could hear it.

Moonlight seranades were perfect if you didn't have to get up and feed the animals at the arse-crack of dawn. Grisel had just about had enough of the tune. Always changing the rhythm, the melody. There was no chorus, just an unending chain of refrains.

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Challenge #04910-M161: Follow Instructions

Deep in the heart of windswept plains is a temple with a great hoard of gold. All who enter may take a single coin from the supposed Goddess’s shrine. A woeful fate is said to befall any who take more than their fair share. What is the woeful fate? As the supposed Goddess statue is actually Eris, the answer may surprise everyone involved. -- Deathshead419

There are gods you pray to for their mercy. There are those you do not speak

Challenge #04909-M160: Treasure in Strange Places

An old treasure is found by a space salvager. A locked case full of old diaries, music boxes, books, and photos. And a letter that reads "This was my life among the stars. I lived happy here, I died of old age happy here. Solitary is not always lonely, and being with others TOO much is not always comfort." -- Anon Guest

There's a lot to find in Sargasso systems. Stellar objects that had no natural satellites, so varying civilisations dumped their

Challenge #04908-M159: Deserved Reward

An all-service spa offers Wraithvine and hir friends the works. Hair Washes, trims, scale-grooming, hoof-polishing, the works. The price? One copper per being. Why so low? It was all about helping people have a good day and be comfortable. Though, people who were rude and entitled WERE charged an "entitlement tax". -- Anon Guest

[AN: I should be keeping track and I have been a naughty bean about doing that. So. The stories this relates to in order: Strictly by Chance, Impact

Challenge #04907-M158: Essential Learning

Wraithvine and hir friends have a training day, learning magic and self-defense. -- Anon Guest

Of all the places to practice magic, most mages recommend areas with an abundance of granite. It's hardy, resilient, and largely proof against most magics. It also makes an excellent scratching post for Dragons.

For combat lessons, the teacher prefers an area with soft ground so that the student doesn't hurt themselves when they fall. Or, if available, lots of padding. Wraithvine could conjure the padding as

Challenge #04906-M157: The Impact of Concerns

A dragon offers Bibrid, Wraithvine, and their friends a ride across a canyon. The price? The group has to groom their claws in return, which have gotten a bit overgrown. -- Anon Guest

Wandering by oneself, Wraithvine mused, was easier since ze only had hirself to worry about. Wandering with immortal companions was similar, since the stakes were relatively low. Wandering with a newfound family... brought out all hir worry-wart aspects where they were the least helpful.

At least Chance was inclined

Challenge #04905-M156: Caught Broadside

Torture is forbidden in the Alliance, but there are more ways to break a person than physical pain. Ever deal with a dad who seems to want to turn everything into a bad pun? -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has transcended the need for torture. There are better ways to get information out of someone. Therefore, this has to happen somewhere on the Edge]

The Galactic Alliance is an agreement between multiple polities and species in an extended trade network. People

Challenge #04904-M155: Drastic Change Consultancy

A group go to the B'Nari to get new bodies. They wish to develop underwater cities, without needing domes for air, so they, and their friends, can finally live peacefully together. -- Anon Guest

[AN: The Alliance has LOADS of planets where people can live according to their personal moral alignment. Also I have a planet called Beach where Humans and Cetaceans have built a society together]

They were looking at a water planet with relatively shallow oceans. Kelp farming and fish

Challenge #04903-M154: Scars on the Inside

A troop of marines had finally rotated home after a lot of... unpleasant experiences. Now, they planned to sit back, relax, enjoy their hard-earned retirements, and definitely enjoy the summer and all the fun that came with it. -- Anon Guest

After six months of trudging around in battle-ready armour, it was damned good to feel the air on hir skin. It felt even better to plunge into the open ocean and take the weight off hir feet and spine. Trooper Glyn

Challenge #04902-M153: Strictly By Chance

Wraithvine had two new adventurers to train. One, a person who is able, in small bursts, to stop time, one who was willing to risk their life to save hirs, and another, a terrified child who was alone in the forests and almost entirely feral. The immortals, Wraithvine and Birbid, and that fully immortal cat, Lilbit, were now a new adventuring party with these two young wonders. No prophecy, no destiny, just family. Which is nice for a change.

https://peakd.com/

Challenge #04901-M152: Pest Control

A ghoulish adventure unfolds, as Wraithvine discovers a message carved in runes upon a hanged man’s flesh which leads hir to a dread idol, a seer frightened to near madness from her own visions, and a lake which often turns red like blood… -- Deathshead419

It was shit like this that set Wraithvine on hir path. It was stuff like this that made hir take hir oath in the first place. The criminal in the gibbet had infernal runes appearing on

Challenge #04900-M151: Big Truffle in Little River

Two villages, once best friends, were viciously warring. A seer came to town prophesizing doom as both villages were to "lose their names". The battles stopped. They lived in peace to fortify against the doom. The seer lied, and did not lie, the war stopped, they didn't die. -- Anon Guest

Swindon and Wallowdale had been battling over a pig. The exact circumstances differed depending on who you asked, but the broad strokes were thus: It was the other side who stole

Challenge #04899-M150: Illusory Brilliance

There is a time of apogee, when things work and fame and fortune is yours. But it doesn't last, your body can't maintain the strain of peak performance. it comes sooner for some than others. Some teach, train or coach, keeping their love of their passion. Some trade on their fame, for good or ill. And some find another life no longer connected to that which drove them. -- Prompey

Nothing is permanent. Flowers wilt. Mountains erode. Oceans rise, as the wise

Challenge #04898-M149: What Rude Beast

It has been six summers since Prince Crevith fell into a stream. Though he lived, the prince could not be awakened no matter the medicine or magic tried. Until one storm-wracked night he awakens. His family is jubilant, until he acts belligerent in ways the prince never was, desperate to go east. -- Deathshead419

The Prince had been twelve when a terrible accident resulted in his almost being lost to the frigid, rushing waters. He was lucky to be pulled out alive.

Challenge #04897-M148: Epic Rap Battle For History

A trio of warrior lords quibble over who is to inherit a large swath of land, for the will was lost in the fire which killed the former ruler. To avoid a war, the three visit seeress, who leads them to a shine of Wothynn, with the foretelling that the one who is the best Poet shall be judged the rightful heir to the land -- Deathshead419

Things were done differently in the Northlands. Politics was often settled with the sword, when

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Challenge #04911-M162: Faekindred Delivery System

Challenge #04910-M161: Follow Instructions

Challenge #04909-M160: Treasure in Strange Places

Challenge #04908-M159: Deserved Reward

Challenge #04907-M158: Essential Learning

Challenge #04906-M157: The Impact of Concerns

Challenge #04905-M156: Caught Broadside

Challenge #04904-M155: Drastic Change Consultancy

Challenge #04903-M154: Scars on the Inside

Challenge #04902-M153: Strictly By Chance

Challenge #04901-M152: Pest Control

Challenge #04900-M151: Big Truffle in Little River

Challenge #04899-M150: Illusory Brilliance

Challenge #04898-M149: What Rude Beast

Challenge #04897-M148: Epic Rap Battle For History