Emwonk T'noduoy - You don't know me.

[Nehetsrev]

**Note:  Almost everything in this CDT will be Out-Of-Character, or likely told from a third person perspective.  Ocassionaly, for color, I may write something in first person from Emwonk's point of view.  Usually such writings will deal with some of Emwonk's personal dreams/visions induced by that wonderful part of him that is a bit insane.  Some of this should be fun writing, and hopefully fun reading too.  For those who do enjoy reading this CDT my biggest requests (which probably go without saying but I'll say them anyway) are; 1)  Please do not metagame knowledge of any of the herein, and 2) Feel free to PM me with comments, corrections, or even general ideas about this CDT, so long as you do so in a respectful manner.

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The taller Elf continued to speak of nature and balance for a moment or tow until he realized the odd Halfling standing nearby had become unmoving as rock and his words were falling on ears not likely to be hearing them with comprehension.  Nearby the river flowed gently, the trickle of it's waters spilling over and through the cracks between rocks or the odd fallen tree-limb half-submerged, but it's current was not the one the short Halfling had been refering too.  For a time the Elf remained, watching over the Halfling, but eventually he grew bored, or decided more important things in the forests and lands needed his attention and he left to go about living his life.  Perhaps another day the two would again meet, perhaps not, only time would tell.

Images and words formed in the mind of the Halfling...some replaying events of recent days and weeks, others twisted fragments and perversions of what was real, or perhaps they were the reality that no one else saw.  A flash of light errupted after the sting of something burned him in his mind.  Charred bodies fell to the floor still smoking and steaming, gazing through empty eyesockets at whatever lay before them.  Hands and feet moved free of molten bonds that once had held them.  Quickly stone walls rushed by in semi-darkness, lit here and there with the ocasional sconce or oil lamp.  A turn left, a turn right, an intersection...but which way to go?  Footsteps echoed heavilly from behind.  A glance over the shoulder to see faceless men robed in scarlet and carrying large bloody silver spoons.  They shouted after him.  He dodged quickly around the corner, down the long corridor...  A light at the top of the stairs, clouded daylight...  No!  Too obvious, but wait!  The Current smiled on him, a loose board in the wooden steps...  A moment and the footsteps grew louder and thundered over his head as he hid.  A sense of time passing...days maybe.  Hunger gnawed at his guts, at least water dripped down on him in the dark, enough, barely to keep his lips from parching.  The loose board finally moved as he climbed out into the silence and walked to the light above.  Freedom just the other side, but the door was locked...How to get out?

The scene in his head blurred, twisted, changed.  A friendly face outlined in back hair stared at him, a soft voice but not speaking to him, "He's a dark-treader."

Another gentle voice, different, but in response, "Dark treader?"

The first spoke again, "He's shy like one."  Then she spoke to himself, "Would you like shadows, sir?"  His eyes met hers...  Blue...everything turns blue, like the flash of lightening stretched over minutes rather than a fraction of time, then a new scene...

Above the clouds parted, the Current came down on fluttering wings, it shown like lightning's core but did not blind his goggled eyes, and spoke in her voice, or his?  Maybe both, but in a soft whisper with thundering conotations, "Good grounding must be preserved for the Current to flow best.”  He smiled, he knew the meaning within.  He nodded.

Back by the river again he began to move.  The Wardens had come and gone but didn't find him.  He could smell their bad current still hanging in the air, soaked into the dirt...no wait, that was the smell of cow manuer from the farm on the other bank...or was it?...there was bad current over there, in the fields, waiting, very bad current...Was he going insane or did one of those scarecrows move?

[Nehetsrev]

//OOC Portion
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Emwonk's journeys continue throughout Mistone mainly, though he's made a singular trip to Alindor thus far.  He's done a bit of package handling for Freya of Krandor in exchange for a bit of 'conduits', and he's also helped the Leutenant of Fort Llast to stock the local armory and received a nifty helm in return.  In other adventures he's strengthened the bonds of friendship between himself several other adventurers and together they helped rescue 'Grandfather' and return him (in his jar) to Nikki as well as slaying some undead monster and turning in it's head to some mercenaries near Vehl for a nifty cape.

After the adventures in Krandor involving 'Grandfather' Emwonk and his companions had a brief encounter with none other than the Shifter outside his rather foreboding tower.  His curiosity was peaked by the odd being that looked much like a spectre of some sort, and he went as far as knocking on the tower's locked door with no response from inside.

Emwonk's adventures in the crypts of Fort Vehl have lead him to the conclusion that he needs a set of better 'spoons' with which to fight as the copper ones he has just don't seem to be cutting certain things so well.  So, with great effort he stopped a passer-by and asked if htey could direct him to someone who could provide him with what he needed.  After a lot of questions that got him the names Kyle, Ferrit, and Angels and the location of Port Hempstead Emwonk set out to find these spoon-makers.  He stopped a couple more passers-by to ask about Ferrit, Kyle and the Angels until he eventually found their guildhall in Port Hemstead.  Treading in the port had been quite unnerving for him as he still fears the local authorities might recognize him and turn him over to the Wardens from whom he runs.  Fortunately, though he didn't find either Ferrit or Kyle, Emwonk did find Rain at the Angel's guildhall and placed an order for two new spoons (an iron mace and an iron handaxe).  Rain told him he could either pay 2400 True or bring a box full of spider silks to pay for the new spoons. As it stands, the weapons are ready for pick-up, so Emwonk just needs to gather a few last True and then head back to Port Hempstead to make the exchange...

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk wandered Mistone and finally stopped by Port Hempstead with enough True to purchase his new iron mace and iron handaxe.  He was given a lionskin sling and a large iron shield on credit and now owes the Angels guild 2800 True for those items.

Emwonk flirted a bit with his friend Kinai, though she may or may not have understood that it was occurring.

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In Character Portion
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Emwonks eyes focus upon the scroll unfurled in his hands, dropped by a falcon out of the grey above only moments before.  Darkness seeps and blurrs, rolls across the previously blank looking parchment and leaves behind black lettering.  He reads the words as other images fill his mind...

The darkness again...  the Wardens were coming to take him to the painful place once more...  he struggled but they were stronger than he, much too strong...  flares of red blinding his eyes in pain again and again...why did they do this to him?...to the Current?  They always said the same things, but what did they want?  Why didn't they just take it?  He would give it to them if he knew how, if he knew what..  Pain...pain...pain...Why do the birds keep pecking?  Cats eat birds, birds eat butterflies, butterflies are the messengers of the Current...  When would a cat come save him?

He didn't want to eat what the Wardens brought him....no!  Not the spoon again!  It tasted like...like...death!  Not the spoon, please no not he spoon...  The soup on the spoon made his insides wrench apart, his stomach felt cold and hot at the same time, and twisted and torn... His head hurt...  When would the world stop melting around him?  That was a friendly looking cat...maybe it would save him?  He heard the whispers on the Current...dark whispers, but comforting him...  Did he say it aloud?  Someone seemed upset, why were they upset, was the name bad?  It didn't feel bad.  What was his name..."you don't know me" he told himself.  That put a smile on, he didn't need to know who he was...  The Current would tell him, besides maybe it was better to forget?  Forget the pain...  Reach for the Current, it will make the pain go away...

Her hair was beautiful...obsidian...flowing...all of her was well beyond the parameters of cellestial architechtural design...all of her...her laugh...high frequency melodic tones of mirth...like chimes...like the voice of the Current...  Towels & shoebrushes!  He wanted to tell her, but his thoughts always were twisted when they came out spoken, or written...clear inside, perfect inside... but such gibberish that he wanted to scream at himself when he heard the way they were changed on the way out.  The butterflies would come show him the way to unlock his mind...the Current would send them...someday.  Good grounding and conduits to facilitate his flow, and cats to keep the birds away from the butterflies.  She was beautiful grounding, but out of his grasp...maybe.  Was that the Current speaking to him?  "Better check your pockets Emwonk, make sure your blood pumping muscle is still there."

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Todays adventures lead Emwonk to make a few new friends.  Among them, Edana, Rizzir, Beli, Dalan (who he thinks is called Rhubarb), and a few others.

He also suffered a rather traumatic (moreso than usual) episode of imaginary Wardens.

As a result of meeting Rizzir Emwonk now believes Wemics, and any other cats in general, to be protectors of the Current.  His reasoning for this is "Cats eat birds.  Birds eat butterflies.  Butterflies are the special messengers of the Current."  Concluding that since cats eat birds they must be 'good' and doing so to protect butterflies and the Current.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk hasn't done much new lately.  He did 'follow the Current' to Hlint along with Rizzir and Gruffyrd (hope I got that name right).  Gruffyrd made some comments about putting a butterfly they'd seen up on a wall as decoration, this of course upset Emwonk who from that point refused to travel with Gruffyrd.

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Bonus Image!

http://www.layonaraonline.com/forums/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=627&photoid=10486

The link should take you to Emwonk's album here on Layonara where I will occasionally be posting images from the mind of Emwonk.  This first one took a couple days to make, but if you've been reading this CDT you should recognize some of the imagery and maybe a character in it as well.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk's wanderings have been mainly near Vehl and Port hempstead of late.  Recent activities of note include a bit of time 'spying and eavesdropping' on Kinai, and laying some blue carnations before her.  He's also been collecting bone conduits and silicon conduits to earn gold conduits to pay back the debt he owes to Ferrit and the Angels guild.  A couple more deliveries of sand ought to get him paid in full and a bit more.

I've been out of game for the most part going on about 3 days now due to RL issues involving computers and other such nonsense, however, Friday or perhaps Saturday I should be back online a bit more regularly again.  For RP purposes I'm thinking of playing the absence as the result of a particularly bad bout of 'flashbacks, and other insanity' as Emwonk is prone to having.  As such, hopefully I'll have another picture ready for Emwonk's gallery soon.

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion:

His eyes closed gently behind his mirrored goggles, a feeling of calm he had not been capable of for weeks, perhaps months.  The repetition of those terrible moments of his past had stopped finally, only hours ago.  He had crawled out of the underbrush near Port Hempstead a gaunt, wasted halfling, weakened from lack of food and water besides the few berries he'd managed to scrounge here and there between the recurrances of the past.  His eyes took in the figures on the road nearby, and gradually recognition bloomed in his mind of two or three of them, but he was too weary to focus on more than one.

Now as he began to drift off to sleep he held her hand in his own, it was the comfort he needed, and perhaps more.  She'd come to his aid quickly.  She always seemed to be willing to help.  The Current was right, she was good grounding.  He tried to explain his plight of the recent weeks past, but it was hard to get across that he actually re-lived those terrifying moments, they were more than just memories.

The butterfly had visited them almost every day, bringing berries, and soothing words, perhaps even a bit of healing magic that had gone so far as to begin to touch his mind.  Now all he had experienced these last weeks was re-witnessing her gruesome death.  The Wardens had caught her, and caged her just outside the window above Emwonk and his two Elven comrades in their tiny, dark cell.  But the cage was within view of where he looked up from his chains below.  When the birds came, he heard her screams, he saw her torn to shreds and the pieces greedilly gulped down by those feathered demons.  Every ounce of despair and panic she felt in those moments, Emwonk relived over and over, helpless as always he would be to stop it.  In his mind he knew she was not a butterfly at all, but she had wings like one, and so the descriptor served in spite of his rebelious tongue that wouldn't say the words he really wanted to say.

And now this lady who lay beside him had become a butterfly.  She may not understand, but she tried.  Through her the Current spoke comfort, just as the first butterfly had brought such tidings.  She had her cat too, and he protected Emwonk as well.  Yet Emwonk felt a distance between himself and Cederic at the moment.  Jealousy was a possibility...  He didn't think it a nescessity though.  He cared for the butterfly, Ariel, but his bond to her was not of that kind that jealousy need be kindled, was it?  Besides, he had stirrings for she of obsidian flows of hair...  Or he had, he wasn't sure if they still persisted.

For now he held her hand, and began to sleep in peace, perhaps for the first time since his escape.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Again sorry to those whom I normally play with for my absence these last few days.  If it's not one thing it's another it seems.  Latest problem I've been trying to nail down (after the problems with my wife's computer, the plumbing, and the carpet cleaning after the plumbing) has been trying to get my daughter's computer up to speed with a new sound card which seems decidedly against being compatible with everything else in that old box.  I may be gone off-and-on for a bit longer as well, since it appears we'll have to have the carpet cleaners replace the padding underneath the carpet as their first efforts have left things still smelling quite bad.  I also plan on continuing to work out the issues with my daughters computer if I can, otherwise I'll send it off to a good friend who's offered to do what he can with it.

All of this absence affects Emwonk's development by way of another relapse into a traumatized state of recalling the horrors he endured (or perhaps didn't endure) at Arms Keep prior to his escape.  For Emwonk, the flashbacks are real enough he believes himself to actually be re-living them, though in truth they're just really bad but vivid memories repeating nearly endlessly in his mind.  He may return with very little memory related to more recent times and be somewhat 'ferral' for a time again, though I haven't truly decided on that yet.  Perhaps he'll take up temporary residence in the Port Hempstead sewers.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk's mind is fractured by his past trauma's and recent 're-living' of them through waking nightmares in the course of the past in-game month or so during my RL absence of this past week of so (more or less).  A severely traumatized and emotional, even ferral personality is kept repressed by a colder, almost emotionless (in comparisson) personality as his mind struggles to bring back some semblance of order and control.  The 'weaker' personality may hold some of the keys to restoring his true sanity, if it could focus and stay in control long enough on it's own to work past the horrors that plague it.

Latest image added to Emwonk's Visions gallery:  http://www.layonara.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=110696

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk went wild 'chasing a butterfly' and nearly got himself and many others who followed him killed by giants, ogres, and ettins.  Fortunately, though Emwonk and several others were beaten down a few times, no one actually died before their hasty retreat.

Afterwards Emwonk received some harsh reprimands from Ariel, and a lecture was attempted by Galan.  After some discussion, it seemed Emwonk wasn't very remorseful for his episode (and why would he be?)  He had tried to explain that he was simply trying to follow the will of the Current and catch the butterfly so he could hear the special message it had brought for himself, but folks didn't quite seem to understand (why would they?).

In the end Emwonk decided that he would try to appease his friends by apparently abandonning the Current and following 'Ariel butterfly' instead.  His 'reasoning' was that the Current had lead him to his friends (good grounding) for a reason, and that it had also lead him to 'test' Ariel and associate her as a butterfly herself (thus making her a 'special messenger of the Current').  One butterfly that has 'special messages' is better than none, thus anything must be done to regain/retain Ariel's good favor.  Secretly, Emwonk still listens to the guiding of the Current in his own mind, so how long this new development will last is 'unquantifiable'.  On a deeper level, which Emwonk's current, less emotional, dominating personality will not admit to, Emwonk has developed much love for Ariel (not nescessarilly a romantic love, but love none-the-less).  He also feels a bit of a brotherly bond with Cederic, who he sees as a 'cat' since he's usually protective over Ariel and Emwonk himself as well.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Tonight's events included some fun learning experiences for Emwonk and those with him!  For starters, Emwonk learned how to fish from Shiff, but did so in his own special way....

After that, Cederic, Emwonk, and Shiff went to slay a certain large griffon to recover the remains of a lost bovine while Ariel and Seidahn chatted with eachother by the Glass Lake.  After the griffon was slain, Shiff accidentally provoked an attack by one of the local guardians of the Current (read 'lions') and had to learn how to ask for forgiveness the right way.

Other fun included a rousing trip into the Port Hempstead sewers to get white fungi for Ariel.

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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Emwonk rested his head easilly on the bed as he lay next to good grounding, Cederic.  Thoughts flowed within his mind, gently manipulated in surges of Current.  The Wardens didn't come.  Cederic bore no identifiers of the badges with spoons.  Ariel butterfly had been right this infinitum.

He looked at slightly blistered fingers through his mind's eye, knowing they were there from the signals of pain that ebbed from them.  He'd scaled the walls of the city in his panic, trying to get away from Wardens he'd been sure would come.  Yet, as Ariel butterfly had guided, they hadn't.  Trusting to the external guiding of Ariel butterfly was difficult after living so long with the Current directing from within.  Yet she had tested positively as a butterfly, so her guiding must be the will of the Current, even though often it seemed to contradict the internal signals he felt.  He didn't like doubting the Current within, nor did he like doubting Ariel butterfly, but how could he know which signals were the right ones to follow for a certainty?

A horrid vision of the first Butterfly being torn to shreds by birds gripped his mind in despair as he slept for a moment.  Always the same, her screams tore at his soul....  the Current surged within him restlessly, wanting to break free, but he couldn't let it this time.  He knew if it broke again now he would loose another good grounding, Cederic's flow would be disrupted just as theirs had been...  Images of his Elven cell-mates charred beyond recognition as well as the birds with spoons and the Warden that had been pressent flooded his mind again with renewed horror...the Current pushed to surge, even stronger, but he held it back this inifintum...

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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"Murderer...," came the whisper in his mind.  It was true, he couldn't deny it, his friends had died by his lack of control.  The pain laid upon him by the serpant in the hands of the Warden, and his mind twisted by the poison of the soup that had been forced down his throat, the unending visions of the butterfly's last moments, all worked to build the surge within beyond his control...

When the Current unleashed itself, he was set free, but at such terrible price as to lose those who had been friends and taught him so much.  Again their blackened flesh, cracked and oozing boiled blood, filled his memory for an instant that seemed forever.  He felt the knotting of his stomach again, and the churning of vomit gushing from his throat as the view spun downward for another infinitum.  He felt the wet between his thighs as well.  It all recurred in moments.

His gaze saw her before him in the crafting hall, black flesh barely concealed under a hood...  Like the Wardens.  They'd found him!  She didn't wear the crimson robes, but she wouldn't here, in the open.  "Warden!," he thought he screamed, though it was but a whisper as his finger pointed with trembling vigor.  They didn't understand.  Ariel butterfly was saying... something... Emwonk wasn't sure what.  Panic gripped his racing heart, and he felt his feet propelling him forward, past the Warden, into the open streets.  He felt the wet between his thighs again as he nearly knocked over a potted sapling in his flight.  There!  Shadows to welcome him and take him in, to keep him free, out of the eyes of the Wardens.  How had they found him again?

The world around him lost focus.  He was back in the cell, hanging suspended by the chains fastened to each wrist.  She screamed, and he watched her torn to shreds again.  The world spun, darkness washed away the gruesome visage of the prior infinitum.  Something on the Current floated toward him...not something on the Current, something of the Current...he thought it was of the Current at least.  Near blinding light formed her wings in arcs of electric-blue as she fluttered before him...  "Mr. Emwonk," he heard her call, sounding far off, but with such a gentle voice.  "Butterfly...," he whispered back in his mind before she faded away and the world around him began to return...  Not the cell, not hanging by chains...  the floor he lay curled upon was wet, and smelled...  not the floor, the cobblestone in a corner between the joining of two buildings.

Ariel butterfly's face was there greeting him.  She stepped back, giving him some room.  There was the one whose identifier was Shiff, as well.  Emwonk sensed another pressence nearby, out of view beyond the corner to his right...  He stepped out to look.  The third was the one known by the identifier of Seidahn, who looked... not right.  But that was just how he looked.

Ariel had given him guidance to go get cleaned up, he realized dimly.  He had to agree that would be best even in the numb state of mind he was in.  What locality would best serve?  He thought a moment and concluded on the place of Deliar.  It had a flow of clean water within, and was not quite as public as the streets.  He made his way singular, until he chanced upon Cederic going the other way.  Cederic acted like good grounding and voiced his concern, even followed Emownk to where he'd decided to get cleaned up...  Emwonk couldn't bear the humiliation of the infinitum... he'd lost control, again.

Cederic's clothes were too large for him, but they were dry and his own were not, they'd have to suffice.  The other entities had regarded him with strange looks as he washed himself and his clothes.  He couldn't understand why they looked like that at him, but he was used to getting odd stares much of the time, so thought little of it.

"Towels and shoebrushes!," he cursed himself within his own mind.  He needed to learn to keep control, those emotions were hindering, he wanted to cut them out of his head for all the pain they kept inflicting.  He didn't understand how the Current managed to be such pure emotion, and so void of it at the same time.  Emotion must be there for a reason, he reasoned within.

"Murderer...," came the whisper again, and Emwonk wanted to cry.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk's been continuing to travel with his friends Ariel and Cederic, but has also spent some time traveling alone, or with a few sellect others here and there.  His 'fits of insanity' have become a little less frequent as the dominant, less emotional personality asserts itself further.

In the past couple days he had an encounter that caused him some confusion after meeting the Birdlord (Plenarius).  At first he was frightened of his wings and was leaning toward classifying Plenarius as a 'Bird' in his mind.  However, after continued observation and seeing this Birdlord whisper to and treat a butterfly gently, Emwonk resolved logically that the 'bird-humanoid' must be more humanoid than bird, and thus perhaps not a threat.  He is still not trusting of the Birdlord, but may be willing to develop such based on occurances of future meetings and interactions.

As a further result of this rationalization that not all birds are 'Birds', Emwonk has been forced to rationalize in his mind that perhaps not all cats are 'Cats', and indeed found himself slaying a lion that relentlessly chased after Cederic.  He is still very uncomfortable with having to take such action, or even committing fully to believing that not all cats are 'Cats'.

Also, today, he's reached his eighth level.  To show through his stats that his physical condition has been improving since leaving the terrible conditions he'd endured at Arms Keep I opted to increase his Constitution score from 8 to 9.  He's still at a -1 'bonus' to Constitution, but upon reaching level 12 I intend to add another point to it to bring it to 10 and get rid of the negative bonus.  After that, I've considered the idea that further attribute points might be spent on Wisdom to signify his slow recovery from his insanity, but if such will occur I may also like to tie it to the results of a CDQ or two...  Anyway, we'll see where things go from here since that's still a long way off.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Emwonk's been continuing with some explorations on his own, having recently traveled to the Black Ice Isles and only just barely returning alive from the area of the goblin cave there.

His ability to fish in his own unique way continues to improve some (Fishing level 3).

Recently his first real forray to Dregar occurred while traveling with a moderately sized group containing of course Ariel, and Cederic as well as Kinai, Shiff and a couple others.  While in Hurm and with his 'more emotional' side coming to the fore a bit, Emwonk tried to express his love for Kinai, but she didn't seem to understand a single word.  After this the group headed to the Ore Hills area where things didn't go as well as hoped for.

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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Breathing in the cold, crisp mountain air Emwonk continued to creep along the long and narrow suspension bridge between the peak of one mountain and the slope of another.  His eyes easilly made out the Giant sentries in their positions overlooking the valley he'd been in not so long ago.  He touched on the Current with his mind voicing to it his prayerful thoughts that those sentries would contiue to stare into the valley below and not bother turning around to look upon the bridge.  If they spotted him, his flow would be disrupted most definitely within moments.

He was sure this was the way the butterfly had come some months ago.  That first time he'd come this way, with the others tagging on his heels, he hadn't gotten nearly this far.  It was definite all of his stealth and cunning would be needed to take this path, and all his nerve too, which he'd finally summoned up for the task.  Even still his hands shook more than he would have liked in the cold air so high above the rocky slopes below.

That emotional side of himself couldn't help but to be moved by the sheer beauty of the scenic view he held from the bridge.  Overlooking a set of waterfalls that cascaded first down one slope, nearly a sheer cliff, and then down into a seemingly bottomless chasm, it's depths hidden in darkest shadow far beyond the sight of his eyes.  That part of him wanted to stop and admire the view for hours, but his less-emotional self kept him moving along.  It wouldn't do to be caught on the bridge when the Giants, Ogres, and Ettins came to change the guard in the valley below.

After a time, almost a full day spent moving cautiously from shadow to shadow while hostile backs were turned to him, Emwonk finally came upon a sight he wasn't sure he'd ever see.  There, up on those cliffs to his left, sunlight shown like a beacon off the polished armor of a Dwarven sentry.  Still....those Dwarves could be in league with the Wardens, he shouldn't trust them, cried his emotional self in his mind.  Perhaps the other him was right, he decided rationally.  Best not to reveal himself to those Dwarves either.  Dwarves were not so easilly avoided as the numb-skulled giants, however, so he'd have to wait until after nightfall to sneak past.  At least if they did catch him, they'd be a little less likely to turn him to paste as the Giants would be.

Stealthilly he went on, climbing the path he was sure the butterfly had gone.  It had wanted him to see something up in these snow-covered peaks, and to find someone, he was sure of it.  He'd know whatever it was when he saw it.  Past that first Dwarven guardpost, he climbed upward and upward more.  Passing a watch tower, and making his way up steps chopped from teh very ice and snow, and ariving at last in a city.  More Dwarves moved about in the cold, few paying much notice to him, even after he let down his guard and began to walk without attempting to hide his pressence.  He supposed they didn't consider a lone halfling much threat to the security of their community, and today they'd be right, he wasn't here to disrupt flows or wreak other havoc.

This is where the butterfly had come though, he was sure of it, so he'd have to look around and poke his head into every place he could without getting it chopped off by a Dwarven war-axe.  Inquiring with one of the friendlier looking locals he was able to find out the identifier of this locality, it was a place called Lyn, and he was told about a temple carved into the very mountain-side at the back of the city, designated to the diety identified as Dorand.  That sounded a good place to start...

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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It had been a long journey up to the city of Lyn once again, and this time after another long journey into the snowbound peaks filled with shaggy Yeti-birds to reach the Dwarven fortress of Ulgrids.  Emwonk had made both journeys and now returned with the reward the Current and it's butterfly had lead him to, a book imbued with emotion.  There was a message here for him from the Current, and he didn't like hearing it.  Yet, his cold, less emotional mind could not entirely disagree with the message, no matter that it spoke of it's own end.  The Current had guided to this specific item, this book of rage, to tell him simply he could not flow properly without emotion.  Indeed, it spoke to him saying that true power was found there, in emotions of all kinds.

Emwonk's mind struggled over this.  It did not wish to relinquished control, not over those raw emotions that struggled so hard to surge.  Emotions he believed would destroy not only himself, but those close to him.

Suddenly the sun was blocked for an instant, casting a short-lived shadow over him as he moved across the ridge.  A boulder followed and shattered on the ground nearly on top of him, but he'd managed to evade the fragments and the impact.  This wasn't good, he'd been spotted by one of the boulder-throwing sentry's, and now a second boulder was in the air on it's course to his position.  He ducked into the shadows and hid as the second rock crashed to the ground where he'd been standing just a fraction of an infinitum before.

He waited an infinitum that seemed to stretch for longer than it should have, but no further boulders fell from the sky, and no thundering footsteps came toward his place of hiding.  The sentry must have assumed it had crushed him with the second stone.  He was safe again, for now.

The light from above gave the impression it was late afternoon, so Emwonk resolved it best to remain in his hiding place until darkness fell.  He would be able to move with less risk of being spotted, almost no risk at all given his ability, once the shadows of night overtook the mountainous terrain.

His current situation was a case in favor of his less emotional mind.  Had he given in to emotion, he'd likely have had his flow disrupted already, for emotion would have had him running rather than calmly waiting in hiding.  No, he concluded, it wasn't safe to release his emotional self just yet.  He would keep it locked away, mostly.  Allowing it a tiny degree of flow would be nescessary to keep it subdued properly, and under the tighter control he needed.  The Wardens hadn't understood that principal, that had been their error.  Eventually, with no outlet, emotion had surged over them, turning them to ash and setting Emwonk free.  He concluded he would have to take care not to make the same error.

[Nehetsrev]

OOC Portion
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Well, Emwonk's discouragement from his attempts to gain the attentions of 'Obsidian' left him feeling a bit blue, that is until he met 'Ivory'.  Of course, that's not to say that Emwonk doesn't still have his infatuation with 'Obsidian', in fact, he's infatuated with both ladies.  But why?

Meanwhile his 'less emotional' personality plots it's own scheme's as it continues to solidify it's power...  What are his goals anyway?

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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Internal Dialogue

Here inside my mind I have eloquence.  Fluid thought of words, phrases, concepts, all things that will never reach the outside the same as they are here...if at all.  Some words are changed, some I can't even say, or write and so they remain trapped within.  I'll open my mouth to speak, and near gibberish, or nothing at all will be heard.  I guess I've repreated myself enough, I should get on with what I truly set down to write about to you my friend.  You already know of my disability, but I wish to help you with yours.

Cederic, I did not mean to tell her what I saw in you for her, it just slipped out before I could catch myself.  Funny it should happen that way given my unique problem.  Though the consequences have been anything but funny.  I tried to tell you in gentle words that if you wish to have any chance to win her, you must tell her you love her.  Something I learned from our friend Shiff myself, is that we must speak our feelings, but not too much too soon.  Worse I fear for you would be too little too late, and that is why I became so upset.  I think you feel trapped, like I am, unable to voice the words you want to that resound so loudly within yourself.  Three simple words would be all that's needed for you to make a start at least, a chance maybe.  "I love you."  Three simple words.

I ask your forgiveness, though I have no right to receive it, my friend, Cederic.

Your friend,

Who doesn't know himself.

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Written Note

This locality interior Emwonk's cognition Emwonk verbals, liquid cognitive verbals, excessive verbals, cognitive processes.  Infinite matter null escape, evade unequal origin in this locality, if null-void.  Multiples variable verbals morphed, multiple verbals Emwonk null-communicate, audible, physical, internal disfunctional.  Emwonk mobiles mandible to verbal, proximity null-valuation, alternate void audible.  Emwonk recycles exceedingly.  Emwonk requires flow physical communication to Cederic good grounding.  Cederic prior cognition Emwonk's communications disfunction.  Alternate, Emwonk requires assist Cederic.

Cederic, Emwonk required null-verbal Ariel Emwonk's observations Cederic relation Ariel.  Verbals exceeded Emwonk's digitary manipulation.  Humorous Emwonk's communications disfunction.  Resultants unequal humorous.  Emwonk attempt verbals, Cederic, Ariel joint flow probability requires Cederic verbal Ariel regarding Cederic's internal flow.  Emwonk acquired cognition Shiff regarding verbal interior flow, alternate null-excessive in brief infinitum.  Emwonk phobia Wardens, birds, regarding Cederic null-verbal equal excessive finite matter, excessive infinitums.  Causal Emwonk flow disruption regarding Cederic.  Emwonk theorizes Cederic null-flows, similar Emwonk's communications disfunction.  Emwonk theorizes Cederic interior verbals excessive volume echo.  Multiples, three verbals effortless required for possibility Ariel, Cederic joint flow in future infinitums.  "Cederic gratitudes Ariel."  Multiples, three verbals effortless.

Emwonk request debt cancellation with Cederic, alternate Emwonk inferior to debt cancellation granting from good grounding, Cederic.

Cederic's good grounding,

Emwonk T'noduoy

[Nehetsrev]

IC Portion
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Internal Dialogue

Ariel, my connection to the Current, to sanity, my guide,

You helped me realize that even though my hopes and efforts to help you and Cederic find happiness together did not go as I had expected, that still right was done through it all, even if it caused us all pain inside.

I am worried for Cederic, I have not seen him since we walked away angry from each other in the fields.  I have written a letter to him and sent it... My understanding is that the magic post service ensures that each letter is delivered into the hands of the intended, no matter where they may be.  Some form of divination is used, no doubt.  It seems though I have received no response from him.  Maybe he's on a long shopping trip as you suggest, but I doubt it.

If your heart is truly with Seidahn, and you love Cederic only as a brother...  Well, we've been over that haven't we?  Who am I to try to tell anyone of who or how they should love?  I can't even seem to devote myself to any one person...  Maybe I can with Ivory... but then may not Tariana be hurt?  You witnessed yourself her care for me, or perhaps I put too much behind that?  And what of Obsidian?  I still feel something stir in me for her, but I can see she never really even noticed me.  Pain is still there, though I've always known she's beyond my grasp.

I shouldn't burden you with my troubles, you've enough of your own for now.

Your friend,

Who doesn't know himself.

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Written Note

Ariel butterfly,

Ariel assist Emwonk visualize Emwonk's observation, assistance to Ariel, Cederic for infinite joint flow null-disfunctional, additional serpents and bad soup interior inclusive infinite.

Emwonk sentinals Cederic, Emwonk null-observe Cederic successive to singular flow diversion locality Hempstead Fields.  Emwonk physical communication Cederic, dispatch.  Emwonk cognates Current guides physical communication to Cederic, null-matter locality.  Singular morph revelation implemented, null variable probability.  Emwonk observe null reciprical Cederic physical communication.  Possibility acquisition excursion Cederic similar Ariel verbal, alternate Emwonk cognates low probability.

If Seidahn posesses Ariels blood-pumping muscle, additional Cederic null-posesses, alternate Ariel observes Cederic similar grounding singular...  Ariel, Emwonk joint recycle situational verbals, querry inculsive?  Identifier Emwonk verbal multiple entities singular entity alternate conduit flow to gratitudes?  Emwonk null capable singular target acquisition additonal joint flow singular entity...  Possibility Emwonk joint flow Ivory... alternate Emwonk causal serpents and bad soup to Tariana?  Ariel observe Ariel's singular Tariana flow with Emwonk, possibility Emwonk observes disfunctional?  Alternate Obsidian?  Emwonk internal flows variable in regards to Obsidian, alternate Emwonk observe Obsidian null-observe Emwonk.  Serpents and bad soup remnant locality, alternate Emwonk cognate infinite infinitums Obsidian beyond Emwonk's digitary manipulation.

Emwonk null-encumber Ariel regarding Emwonk's problematic situations, Ariel posesses exceeding problematic situations this infintum.

Ariel's good grounding,

Emwonk T'noduoy