Michael Lynn

“When his mana had recovered enough, he left the corpse and ran toward the campfire shouting, “Get down!”  When the two dwarves instantly hit the dirt, he slid down next to them, turned and pointed toward the spidorc corpse and said “Boom!” There was a satisfying splat a moment later as the monster’s head exploded, coating the surrounding forest in a spray of gore in about a ten foot radius.  “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, yer highness,” the sergeant managed to put sarcasm into the emphasis on the title, “But cut that shit out.”  He grumbled, making Max laugh.  Dalia looked at him crossly for a moment before she too began to laugh.  Finally, the sergeant joined in, shouting “Boom!”
― Dave Willmarth, Battleborne

“I know what a Guild is supposed to be. A place for friends, for people who help one another, not a place where those at the bottom are used by those at the top,”
― Ivan Kal, Guild Master

“I recognize magnesite.  From my explosives training years ago.  It’s a source of magnesium.” He muttered, turning the stone over and over in his hand.  “Correct again.  As you increase your Mining skill, you will eventually learn how to convert the raw ore into usable material.  Or you can simply purchase the Refining and Smelting skills.” Max shook his head.  “Assuming I ever make it to a settlement of some kind.” He stared harder at the stone.  “I am going to try something.  You might want to back up.” Stepping well back from the fire himself, he picked up a discarded leaf from one of his firewood sticks and laid it flat on the ground.  Using his thumbnail, he scraped at the magnesite vein inside the rock.  Initially he was very careful and slow, not wanting to create friction, and thus heat, as he scratched.  A few small particles dropped onto the leaf.  Another two minutes of careful scraping, and he had accumulated a tiny pile of the mineral, about the size of a pea.  Setting the stone down, he carefully wrapped the leaf around the magnesite dust. “Alright, here goes nothing.” He took another step back from the fire, then gently tossed the leaf bundle into it.  There was a brief delay, then a bright white flash as the heat reached the magnesite dust and a molten flame shot upward for about two seconds. Skill level increase!  Your Mining skill has increased by +1! Max uttered is best evil overlord laugh.  “Muah ha ha!”
― Dave Willmarth, Battleborne

“When things are at their blackest, I say to myself, 'Cheer up, things could be worse.' And sure enough, they get worse.”
― Robert Asprin, editor