Sanity and the Demon

[Malchaeius]

Tanagh had been in the process of clearing the forest when he entered the Demon's presence...

The Only Stump in the Forest

In this small lonely clearing is an ancient stump. Many years ago, a

forester callously hewed down a tree here. In retribution, Altariel,

whose sanctuary the Emerald Forest is, transformed him into a poplar

tree. The poplar tree stands here beside the stump, its branches cut

by the rangers of the forest whenever they are in need of wood.

[Exits: north east]

Malchaeius the Cacophony of Turmoil, Essence of Entropy towers before you.

A ranger stands here, inspecting the ground.

You say 'The very Demon itself?'

Malchaeius says 'In the flesh so to speak.'

You say 'I have heard of you. But I thought you may have been mere legend.'

[Malchaeius] 'Legend? You mean bedtime story meant to scare the children into obeying their parents.'

You say 'Or a story told by survivors of battle. Torments of their memories.'

[Malchaeius] 'Now that you see me before you. What do you believe?'

You say 'Hard to say. I tend to believe what my eyes tell me.'

You say 'But the mind is a powerful thing.'

Malchaeius utters the words, 'noselacri'.

You yell 'Die! Malchaeius, you sorcerous dog!'

You are blinded!

Someone dodges your attack.

Someone parries your attack.

Your freezing bite maims someone!

Someone's deathly chill LACERATES you!

[someone] 'What do you believe now?'

You say 'The mind makes us believe much. I feel pain, but do I know that it is real?'

You say 'It feels like truth, but there is never certainty.'

[someone] 'Are you certain of that?'

You say 'Can I say that I am?'

You say 'In the presence of pure entropy, is not everything warped?'

You say 'Truth, mind, feeling? Does any of it exist?'

[someone] 'It would certainly make your previous ascertation hollow.'

You say 'If you exist, does that mean nothing else does? Or do you warp existance itself by your being?'

[someone] 'Oh you exist.'

[someone] 'I can guarantee you that much.'

Someone curls the upper left side of his mouth into a crude sneer.

You say 'Then if I exist, so must you.'

You say 'I have yet to find myself insane, so the very thought that I speak with something I have only been told of means that it does exist.'

You shrug.

You say 'Or I have just now experienced insanity.'

[someone] 'The insane do not know they are insane.'

[someone] 'I am not insane.'

[someone] 'Though I find the majority of the population to be insane.'

You can see again.

[Malchaeius] 'Take this ranger.'

The Only Stump in the Forest

In this small lonely clearing is an ancient stump. Many years ago, a

forester callously hewed down a tree here. In retribution, Altariel,

whose sanctuary the Emerald Forest is, transformed him into a poplar

tree. The poplar tree stands here beside the stump, its branches cut

by the rangers of the forest whenever they are in need of wood.

[Exits: north east]

Malchaeius the Cacophony of Turmoil, Essence of Entropy towers before you.

A ranger stands here, inspecting the ground.

Malchaeius looks at a ranger.

A young man dressed in superb leather armour and green stands here,

longbow strapped comfortably over his back and a longsword by his

side. He has dark black hair, and has features which are both kind

and handsome while lacking in weakness. He notices you and smiles,

while continues tending to a small deer which seems to have injured

it's leg.

A ranger is in excellent condition. 100%

a ranger is using:

an ashen shortbow

[Malchaeius] 'Wasting his time.'

[Malchaeius] 'Tending to deer.'

[Malchaeius] 'Inspecting the ground for tracks.'

[Malchaeius] 'Why?'

[Malchaeius] 'To what end?'

[Malchaeius] 'I find that to be insanity.'

[Malchaeius] 'The only gracious thing to do.'

Malchaeius rips off a ranger's leg beats him to death with it!

You hear a ranger's death cry.

You say 'To provide death?'

You say 'Then I am curious.'

[Malchaeius] 'No. I wanted his leg.'

You say 'But to what purpose?'

You say 'How does desiring his leg make you any different than his desire to tend to deer?'

[Malchaeius] 'The same purpose that he tends to the deer.'

You say 'Then by what you have said, you are insane.'

[Malchaeius] 'I disagree.'

[Malchaeius] 'I may be the only sane inhabitant of Aabahran.'

Specks of blood hit your face as Malchaeius rips through a dryad's chest pulling out his beating heart.

A dryad's foot is ripped from her leg.

Malchaeius juggles the heart of the dryad and the leg of the ranger.

Malchaeius sends a beam of pure energy from his eyes and incinerates the heart and the leg whilst they are still in mid-air.

You say 'If you find that elf's desire to tend to deer and watch the forest insanity, then every living creature is likely insane to you.'

[Malchaeius] 'What? Do you even listen to me?'

[Malchaeius] 'Tsk.'

[Malchaeius] 'When you can answer the paradox of the leg, heart, and deer.'

[Malchaeius] 'Only then shall I consider you sane.'

[Malchaeius] 'Until that time.'

A flare of pure chaos is felt as Malchaeius fades into nothingness.

You rest.

You say 'A paradox.'

You sheath your weapons.

Tanagh places his chin into his fists as his face twists into an image of concentration.

You stand up.

You say 'Perhaps sanity is overrated, or perhaps I am only dreaming.'

You say 'A terrifying thought.'

You say 'I suppose I can put aside my own desires. Answer what has been placed before me.'

You say 'If I am sane, the Demon exists and has provided me with a way to insight.'

You say 'If I am insane...'

You say 'I will be answering my own musings.'

You say 'I will need a clear head to determine this.