The Wall

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ENTER: DIRK FLOWERS

Dirk: *sobsobsob*

Mentiens: ... Norton again.

Mentiens: Eh.

Echo: Dirk Flowers, you appear to be leaking.

Mentiens: Frankly, if he starts harassing this other party, I don't care as long as he isn't caught.

Dirk: I-I'll never be as good as my brother D:

Mentiens: And?

Dirk: Well, you heard them... I'm just "deadweight."

Echo: I do not know your brother and as such cannot make a judgment of that sort

Echo: You do not appear to be "bad", though.

Mentiens: ... you're a better shot with a bow than I am. Does that make me "deadweight"?

Dirk: But-but my brother...

Dirk: He's famous!

Mentiens: He's your brother.

Mentiens: Leave it at that.

Dirk: You guys are so... level-headed.

Echo: Are heads normally askew?

Echo: Is this an attribute of your people?

Dirk: ...Huh?

Mentiens: ... don't ask.

Dirk: Well my father always said I wasn't right in the head...

Dirk: Is that what you mean?

Echo: You said that we had level heads, as though that was abnormal.

Dirk: Oh - it's just something you say, you know?

Echo: Okay.

Echo: What does it mean?

Dirk: Uh, that you're... level-headed

Norton: I surmise that this discussion has become rather circulative and pointless

Mentiens: Expression. Means that somebody thinks clearly, remains calm, etc.

Norton: As circles tend not to have points in them.

Echo: Oh.

Echo: That is odd. I shall store this information for further reference.

Mentiens: So is a walking and talking suit of armor,  a lady with some rather serious parental issues, and a fox man having a chat after killing the local minotaur boss. Just don't think too hard about it.

Dirk: Wait - Echo, you said you haven't heard of my brother??

Mentiens: Who?

Echo: That is correct.

Dirk: How can you not have heard of Edric Ashton?

Dirk: He's famous - the shepherd knight!

Mentiens: Only been around here for a year or two, really.

Echo: There are many ways, actually.

Dirk: Saved the king's life in the middle of a battle

Echo: The King? What King.

Norton: His name is Stris. Stris Bodtaw. I knew the man well.

Echo: Stris is a King?

Mentiens: ... yes.

Echo: I did not know that! That is good for him. It is a very affluent position.

Mentiens: ... *facepalm*

Echo: I would not recommend hitting yourself in the face, Mentiens. It might injure you.

Norton: He enjoys hurting himself sometimes.

Echo: Why would he do that?

Norton: It's in his nature.

Echo: But he heals things? Why would he hurt himself?

Mentiens: ... Norton, I realize this is slightly amusing, but please don't try to push it.

Norton: Dear Mentiens, why else would you slap yourself in the face?

Echo: Else?

Norton: But of course, Echo, I'm only demonstrating another living creature tendency.

Echo: You are not speaking clearly. Mentiens is not a human.

Norton: Jokes.

Dirk: Norton, why are you trying to confuse everyone?

Echo: I have heard of "Jokes". Are you making Jokes at this moment?

Mentiens: *sigh* Am I going to need to provide explanations for every nonverbal gesture I make, or are you going to shut up?

(Echo starts making a strange grating noise that may or may not be an attempt at laughter)

Echo: JOKES!

Norton: What

Norton: Just

Norton: Happened

Echo: You made Jokes.

Mentiens: My ears!

(Dirk grabs Echo by the shoulder) 

Dirk: Are you ok? That sounds like it hurts!

Echo: No! I am reacting to Jokes!

Mentiens: .... *covers ears*

Dirk: ...I'm so confused

Mentiens: Okay then.

Dirk: My brother was always the smarter one

Dirk: ...and the stronger one

Dirk: ...and the BETTER one

Norton: Why do you put yourself down so much? You certainly have talents.

Echo: By what observations did you make this judgement?

Dirk: Because at the Battle of Elfhame my brother Edric saved the King's life, and now he's a knight and I'm a stupid bastard nobody!! That's 

why.

Mentiens: So?

Echo: It is possible that you have drawn flawed conclusions?

Norton: Fame is not necessarily a good thing. Those who have fame often wish to lose it. Do not busy about your life gathering regard. It is not a good way to live.

Dirk: My father says that knighthood is the best measure of a person's good character, and that by birth my character is poor

Echo: How does that work?

Mentiens: Half of the people here are the result of outsiders getting a little too friendly with humans. Frankly, if blood mattered, we'd be in deep trouble.

Echo: ...I have no blood.

Mentiens: Oh, and a robot over there, too.

Dirk: ...I'm sorry. I don't usually complain like this. I really am a happy person. It's just -- sometimes it's hard.

Echo: There there. (pat on head with flat of sword hand)

Mentiens: .... please, no stabbing him.

Echo: I was not stabbing. I was making him stop leaking.

Mentiens: *yawn*

Mentiens: ... no, I am not explaining that, Echo.

Echo: It is a sign that you require sleeping, am I correct?

Mentiens: Ah. Sort of. Close enough.

Echo: Hooray!

Norton: With Mentiens it can mean a number of things.

Echo: Like what?

Mentiens: No, it doesn't.

Norton: Most notably, however, that he is utilizing the sarcasm parameter.

Echo: What is that?

Norton: When everything he says is backwards.

Mentiens: Something which is not currently correct.

Echo: But you do not sound as though you are speaking backwards. I am hearing Common.

Mentiens: Don't ask me; Norton isn't all that bright sometimes.

Norton: No, but the implied meaning is inverted from what is stated

Dirk: Norton, I don't think anyone is talking backwards.

Mentiens: Norton, this isn't funny anymore.

Norton: No, I was merely mentioning that Mentiens has a penchant for sarcasm.

Echo: Oh! Jokes! (metal grating)

Mentiens: *covers ears*

Dirk: Jokes? No, I don't hear any jokes. Echo, I think you have something wrong with your throat. You should get it fixed.

Echo: I will check that, thank you.

Mentiens: ... In case you're wondering, we're like this all the time.

Dirk: You're certainly not what I expected Famous Heroes to be like.

Norton: Famous heroes are just like normal folk when it comes down to it

Echo: Are you implying that we are Famous Heroes?

Dirk: Of course you are! And you're not like normal folk at all

Mentiens: ... we are?

Dirk: Yeah, I've heard all about you.

Echo: From whom?

Dirk: You know -- around!

Mentiens: ... um.

Mentiens: I think the bards must have left some parts out.

Mentiens: And stretched the truth. And just made stuff up a lot.

Dirk: Yeah, they never mentioned... some of the.... unique. Aspects of you.

Dirk: But you're still sicknasty!

Echo: "Sicknasty"? That does not sound good.

Mentiens: Don't worry. This will seem normal soon enough.

Norton: I won't even attempt to explain that one

Echo: But...

Mentiens: Please.

Echo: Okay.

Dirk: Uh... it's a... joke?

Echo: I apologise.

Echo: JOKES!

Mentiens: *covers ears*

Echo: Are you all to sleep now?

Mentiens: Yeaaah, that would probably be a good idea. Anybody need a quick shower?

Mentiens: No?

Mentiens: I'll take that as a no, then. If you excuse me, I think I still have some mud in my hair from earlier.

Norton: I think at this point we should do our best to locate Grapsh'gor

Echo: I thought we were locating the Library? That is a more immediate concern.

Norton: Presumably after that

Echo: Ah.

Echo: That might be within our interests.

Norton: You see, Echo, living creatures often have a sense of necessity for justice and vengeance. With the death of Imsh, there are many who would call for a group such as ourselves to eliminate Grapsh'gor

Echo: I understand that. That is not a trait unique to living creatures. I believe it is an attribute of sentience? And certain types of personality.

Mentiens: (ehehehe)

Dirk: Wait... you used to have another person in your group? What happened?

Norton: (Silence)

Echo: He was slain.

Norton: Imsh... was the mightiest warrior I have ever known

Dirk: Wow! He must have been incredible!

Norton: My advice is... guard your tongue when talking about Imsh. Emotions run hot, especially when friendship and death are intertwined.

Dirk: ...Oh. I'm sorry.

Mentiens: Don't be. It was a simple question.

Echo: Curiosity aids awareness.

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An Account About Eshu the Witch

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This speech was recorded at a time soon after the death of the mighty Imsh, upon Norton’s appointment to Warlock-Captain of the King’s Companions (AKA The King’s Knives), two days before Imsh’s funeral pyre on Steadfall Lake. “Fellow countrymen, party members, and fair folk: With this brief appearing I come with fewer words than I oft have made standing before you in the past, for it is not by words that we shall carry ourselves in the times to come. Lo, it was not by words that the mighty Imsh so heroically gave his life this night, and it was not by words that we have survived each struggle until now. At the expiration of only a few short months, we have faced fire, mutilation, loss of morale, and finally now loss of a life. Through trial and terror we have forced our way forward, the nebulous path before us never more than a glimpse to our eyes. Oh, but were not that the balance of life dictates no victory can come without terrible cost. We cannot, however, afford to dwell in the gloom of the dead, not with the perils of the world escalating beyond our control. No matter how we may tarry, the world still advances its wiles, with or without us to stem the tides of the powers of evil rising about us. In war and strife there is always a time to mourn, but today to our misfortune mercurial circumstance has given us not the time nor the tears to weep. Nay, weep not today for Imsh. For it is today we must prepare ourselves for a future which we cannot possibly understand; it is today we must carry ourselves onward, not by words, but by resolve; it is today we must reach out and strike down those who oppress us, and seek justice for those whose lives need be avenged. We, by Imsh's death, may now live; let us not allow his life be taken without consequence. We, peoples of Steadfall, shall fight, with his memory burned in our minds to make fiercer the swing of our swords, to embolden our steps, to bring cause to the work of our hands. To Imsh's eternal memory! Hail!”

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Today marked the passing of Imsh, a great warrior in our party. I watched as he battled some villain who was controlling the keep - they both died by each other’s hand in single combat. I held a small service for him, to bury him with honor. I did not know him very well, but Stris was his greatest friend. And now they’re both gone: Imsh to the ground and Stris to his duties as Lord. Iomedae bless them and keep them. Now, I feel more alone than ever. Not only is the party entirely unreceptive to the word of Iomedae, but Stris was the only one I felt treated me with respect. With him gone, I have only Norton. Norton seems to be two different people. Is this the same man who cried on my shoulder only a short time ago, telling me of the terrible fate of his parents? He seems so distant now. He wasn’t there for Imsh’s death, nor even his funeral. He’s so withdrawn. I think we should have a talk soon. He’s not so much older, and we have an undeniable connection. He’s the only other person who seems to share my heritage, and as an angelborn I would not wish to produce children with corruptible souls. Perhaps, with my personal guidance, he will see the Light of Iomedae and join me in my quest to show everyone how much more perfect her worship is than that of the other gods, whose worship allows for vice and corruption.

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Hey guys, i learned to write! Isn’t this exciting?!

Only Known Written Text of the Mighty Warrior Imsh.

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It's been quite an experience, working with these people. A bit frightening, actually; they all seem to be completely off-centered sometimes. The Warforged keeps making these comments. Half the time, I think it's malevolent; the other half, just clueless. The paladin seems just a little bit too happy sometimes, if you ask me. It's that breathy voice, makes me think she's hiding something. Norton... he zones out half the time, and when he's in battle... he just shows too much joy at inflicting pain. Stris is - well, was - the last one with his head screwed on straight, right up until Imsh died. Oh, right, did I mention that? Well, Imsh always had no concept of protection (heh); he might as well have been wearing parchment, for all the good his armor did him. When it came to fighting, he was all rage, no rational thought. I suppose it was inevitable that the first time he got cut off from magical assistance, he would die. Didn't make watching Stris fall to pieces any easier, though. Still, I've learned so much from fighting with these people, and watching them fight. And this is pretty much the last place people would expect the old me to be, the one who only ever harmed men with words. "Words are wind" is usually not meant literally, after all. I think I'll stick around, maybe even find a new country here. Absolutely perfect, for my purposes. Time to wrap up, anyway; take a quick look around, get out of sight before Norton realizes we didn't give any of the loot to him.

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King Bodtaw, then Lord of Steadfall, on the role of a sovereign, written after the fall of the Red Watch, Year One of The Crumbling. Official translation from Bodtovian to Common released by the Badger's Den Archive in Steadfall Keep.

"It is impossible for a Lord to raise himself. For that title to carry weight, he must have followers. These followers, tacitly or directly, support the Lord, whose elevated status is reached by standing atop the shoulders of those beneath him. In return for this societal advancement, the Lord is subsequently responsible for the lives of those followers. His very purpose is to safeguard their well-being in the face of all opposition. As he is nothing without his commonfolk, his soldiers, his advisors, his own life is meaningless if they are lost. I ordered my men to a futile slaughter at the Gates of the Red Keep. Many a Red Watchman was made by dipping a cloaks in the blood of my fallen charges. Imsh, who had protected my life as his own, fought and died alone to end the war. Now, they offer me another adventure and a chance at glory for my name. I decline. I will return to Steadfall. I cannot repay to Imsh the blood-debt I owe. For his sake, I will live. His sacrifice saved my life, the lives of our party, my soldiers at the gate, and those behind my walls. I will live, and I will demand of myself that I be at least half the lord my friend was. For all my learning and for all his simplicity, he knew what my duty was while I was blinded by privilege."

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"Could'a been fishing if there weren't so many bad-guys still upright."

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"Friendship is stronger than the power of the written word."

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"Perhaps, with my personal guidance, he will see the Light of Iomedae and join me in my quest to show everyone how much more perfect her worship is than that of the other gods, whose worship allows for vice and corruption."

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"'s what you get when you read to learn instead of listening to the bards all the time."

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"It's easy to pretend to be what you aren't. Far harder to stop hiding."