misc.scp

fs

virtue that causes
one to be
introspective, to
wonder about ones
place in this world
and whether one's
deeds will be
}
SECTION PAGE 159
{
recorded as a gift to
the world or a
plague.
 The final Virtue is
more complicated. For
the eighth
combination is that
devoid of Truth, Love
}
SECTION PAGE 160
{
or Courage witch can
only exist in a state
of great Pride, which
of course is not a
virtue at all.
Perhaps this trick of
fate is a test to see
if one can realize
}
SECTION PAGE 161
{
that the true virtue
is that of Humility.
I feel that the
people of Magincia
fail to see this to
such a degree that I
would not be
surprised if some ill
}
SECTION PAGE 162
{
fate awaited their
future.
 Thus from the
infinite
possibilities which
spawned the Three
Principles of Truth,
Love and Courage,
}
SECTION PAGE 163
{
come the Eight
Virtues of Honesty,
Compassion, Valor,
Justice, Sacrifice,
Honor, Spirituality,
and Humility.
}
// ============================ My Story
SECTION BOOK 12
{
PAGES 50
TITLE My Story
AUTHOR Sherry the Mouse
PAGE 164
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PAGE 171
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PAGE 173
PAGE 174
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}

SECTION PAGE 164
{
 'Twas on a chilly
night, when the moon
shone pasty-faced
above the horizon,
balanced on the
towers of Lord
British's castle that
the events I am about
}
SECTION PAGE 165
{
to relate took place,
some years ago now. I
witnessed them all
from my tiny mouse
hole.
 My lords British and
Blackthorn are
accustomed to a game
}
SECTION PAGE 166
{
of chess 'pon an
evening, over witch
they argue the issues
that affect the
course of the realm.
Lord Blackthorn was
on his way to Lord
British's chambers,
}
SECTION PAGE 167
{
and Lord British
stood by a window
casement, just having
finished setting the
pieces upon the
board.
 Suddenly the
shutters blew open,
}
SECTION PAGE 168
{
and Lord British fell
to the ground, one
hand shielding his
eyes. A chill wind
entered the room, and
it seemed a gash was
torn in the very air.
Through the gash I
}
SECTION PAGE 169
{
could see stars and
swirling clouds of
stellar dust, and a
coldness sucked all
the warmth from the
air. A terrible wind
tossed books and
blankets across the
}
SECTION PAGE 170
{
room, and furniture
toppled.
 From within this
gash issued a great
voice, unlike any I
have ever heard. And
these are the words
it spoke (for I
}
SECTION PAGE 171
{
memorized them most
carefully):
 "Greetings, Lord
British. I am the
Time Lord, a being
from beyond your
dimension, as thou
art from a world
}
SECTION PAGE 172
{
other than Sosaria. I
am here to bring thee
warning. Dost thou
recall how long ago a
mysterious Stranger
came to Sosaria and
saved the world from
the evil wizard
}
SECTION PAGE 173
{
Mondain? He
shattered the Gem of
Immortality, within
which dwelled a
perfect likeness of
this world."
 Lord British slowly
stood and faced the
}
SECTION PAGE 174
{
hole in the air. "I
remember," he said.
"Oft have I wished
that stranger would
return."
 "He hath returned,"
spoke the voice. "But
not to here. When the
}
SECTION PAGE 175
{
Gem was shattered, a
thousand shards were
scattered across the
dimensions, and in
each shard there is a
perfect likeness of
this world. And thou
dost live upon one
}
SECTION PAGE 176
{
such shard, for thou
art not of the true
world-thou art merely
a reflection."
 Lord British looked
shaken by this, and I
did not know what to
think! Was I merely a
}
SECTION PAGE 177
{
shadow of the real
me, which lives still
somewhere else across
uncounted universes?
 "My task is to heal
this shattered world,
Lord British," said
the voice. "And I
}
SECTION PAGE 178
{
seek to enlist thee
in my cause. Be
warned that in this
case, healing carries
with it a terrible
price."
 Concern warred with
curiosity on my
}
SECTION PAGE 179
{
liege's face, but
ever one to shoulder
a burden, he
straitened and faced
the gash in the air
bravely. "Name thy
price."
 "A shard of a
}
SECTION PAGE 180
{
universe is a
powerful thing, and a
universe shattered is
always in danger
from the powers of
darkness. Already
three shards were
turned to evil, and
}
SECTION PAGE 181
{
sent to plague the
original universe in
the form of Shadow
lords. Many times
have I brought the
Stranger back to
Britannia, to
preserve it from its
}
SECTION PAGE 182
{
own folly or from
outside dangers. Yet
as long as the world
remaineth in pieces,
it remaineth
vulnerable. We must
bring the shards into
harmony, so that the
}
SECTION PAGE 183
{
resonate in such a
manner that matches
the original
universe. Then the
two universes shall
merge, and be again
as one."
 "But if we are only
}
SECTION PAGE 184
{
shadows..." Lord
British said
wonderingly.
 The light from the
stars within the hole
seemed to dim.
"Indeed, the
reflections shall
}
SECTION PAGE 185
{
become one with the
original. Thou
wouldst cease to be
as thou art, and
become part of the
larger you. Thou
shalt not die;
however, uncounted
}
SECTION PAGE 186
{
generations have
passed and borne
children since that
day, and they have
no counterparts. They
would perish
utterly."
 Lord British sagged
}
SECTION PAGE 187
{
in shock, realizing
the terrible price
that would be paid to
heal the universe.
"All of my people,"
he breathed.
 "Tis for the greater
good."
}
SECTION PAGE 188
{
 Lord British bowed
his head.
 'Twas then I saw the
movement by the door,
half-hid by the
heavy red curtains.
Lord Blackthorn stood
there, concealed from
}
SECTION PAGE 189
{
the rest of the room,
his face white. How
long had he been
listening? I cannot
say, yet I suspect
that he had heard all
that the mysterious
voice had to say.
}
SECTION PAGE 190
{
 "How then, shall I
aid thee?" Lord
British said,
weariness in his
voice.
 "Aid the nobility
that resideth in the
human heart. Protect
}
SECTION PAGE 191
{
the Virtues that so
recently came to thee
in thought late at
night. They are the
Virtues of life, as
your counterpart
understands them to
be. For when thy
}
SECTION PAGE 192
{
populace doth live
and breathe these
Virtues, shall it
match the true
Britannia, and thy
shard shall rejoin
with it."
 The gash in the air
}
SECTION PAGE 193
{
began to close, and
with it warmth stole
back into the room.
 "I was going to
discuss my idea with
Blackthorn tonight,"
Lord British
breathed. "Have I not
}
SECTION PAGE 194
{
thoughts that are my
own? Is my life but a
reflection of another
me?"
 "Nay," said the
voice, smaller
through the
diminished opening.
}
SECTION PAGE 195
{
"Say, rather, that
you are parallel, for
there is no guarantee
that thou shalt
accomplish what I
have set thee to. I
speak tonight to a
thousand of thee, and
}
SECTION PAGE 196
{
ask the same of all.
Perhaps not all shall
seek to aid me." And
with that, the gash
closed. and the voice
was gone, leaving a
room that appeared
tossed by a mighty
}
SECTION PAGE 197
{
storm.
 "Destroy the world
to save the
universe," Lord
British said
bitterly. "I do not
wonder that some may
balk."
}
SECTION PAGE 198
{
 Lord Blackthorn
collected himself,
and strode into the
room, a decent
mimicry of surprise
on his face. "My
liege! What has
happened here?" he
}
SECTION PAGE 199
{
exclaimed, feigning
dismay well. But not
well enough to fool
his old friend, whose
eyes narrowed at
seeing him there.
 "How much didst thou
hear?" demanded Lord
}
SECTION PAGE 200
{
British.
 "Why, nothing,"
managed Blacktorn,
his head ducked away
from his friend, as
he bent to retrieve
the fallen chess
pieces. "I merely
}
SECTION PAGE 201
{
came for our game of
chess."
 Together they
righted the pedestal
table, and set the
pieces upon the black
and white squares.
"Such simplicity to
}
SECTION PAGE 202
{
the game,
Blackthorn," mused
Lord British, idly
brushing one finger
against the board.
"Black and white,
each to its own
color, as if life
}
SECTION PAGE 203
{
were so simple. What
think you?"
 Blackthorn sat
heavily on a hassock
beside the chess
table "I think that
matters are never so
simple, my liege. And
}
SECTION PAGE 204
{
I would regret it
deeply if someone,
such as a friend, saw
it thus."
 Lord British's eyes
met his. "Yet
sometimes one must
sacrifice a pawn to
}
SECTION PAGE 205
{
save a king."
 Lord Blackthorn met
his gaze squarely.
"Even pawns have
lives and loves at
home, my lord." Then
he reached out for a
pawn, and firmly
}
SECTION PAGE 206
{
moved it forward two
squares. "Shall we
play a game?" he
asked.
 The chess game that
night was a draw, and
they played grimly.
 And the next day,
}
SECTION PAGE 207
{
Lord British gathered
the nobles to
proclaim the idea of
a new system of
Virtues, and declared
that shrines should
be built across the
land.
}
SECTION PAGE 208
{
 Lord Blackthorn
opposed it bitterly,
and many thought him
strange for doing so,
for ever had he been
a noble and upright
man, and ever had he
and Lord British been
}
SECTION PAGE 209
{
in accord. Declaring
that he should start
his own shrine, he
departed the castle
that day to live in a
tower in a lake on
the north side of the
city.
}
SECTION PAGE 210
{
 They are still the
best of friends, yet
a sadness hangs
between them, as if
they were forced into
making choices that
appealed not to them.
And at night, when I
}
SECTION PAGE 211
{
creep softly from one
corner of my liege's
bed chamber to
another, I sometimes
see him take a pawn
from his night table,
and hold it in his
hand, and quietly
}
SECTION PAGE 212
{
weep.
 But I am but a
mouse, and none hear
me. This tale goes
unknown, save for my
writing these
enormous letters with
mine ink-stained tiny
}
SECTION PAGE 213
{
paws for thee to
read, for I fear
indeed for our world
and for our people in
these perilous times.
}

// ============================ The Burning of Trinsic
SECTION BOOK 13
{
PAGES 24
TITLE The Burning of Trinsic
AUTHOR Japheth of Trinsic
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}
SECTION PAGE 214
{
 'Twas a sight to
see, the sunlight
falling lightly on
the sandstone walls
of Trinsic 'pon a
morning in spring.
 Children ran along
the parapets and walk
}
SECTION PAGE 215
{
ways, their laughter
and running providing
music to the
daybreak, despite
their oft-ragged
clothing.
 And I was one of
those young ones,
}
SECTION PAGE 216
{
letting my joy rise
up to the skies.
 Little did we all
know of the darker
days that would lie
ahead, for we were
too young.
 Had we but gained
}
SECTION PAGE 217
{
access to the quiet
councils held in the
Paladin tower as it
faced the sea,
councils lit by
candlelight and
worry, we would have
learned more of the
}
SECTION PAGE 218
{
fears of imminent
attack from the
forest, where foul
creatures born of
dank caves and
darkness were
marauding ever more
often into the