Beasts Upon the Path; Merchants in the Tavern

Beasts lie within us all.

They wait alongside the way.

They wait to devour us.

They are clever.

They are far more clever than we account for.

They spread their scent everywhere.

They call to their kin.

And they draw you forward.

You smell the blood.

You smell the predator filth.

And you place it in the other.

You look upon these already devoured.

You look upon them see.

You see they are a danger.

For a beast threatens a man.

But the blood feeds the beasts.

And your caution is the barb in your flesh.

You cannot feel it in the thickened pain.

Under the terrible glare of the filtered sun.

You seek to prevent death;

But the beast feeds upon it.

And there is a thin line.

Between defense and slaughter.

A thin line that exists within the mind.

Where the blight has its hooks.

And the line is no longer easy to see.

Thus you hang the heads of the beasts.

As a warning to the rest.

And the thread of worry crawls through the filth.

Why?

Why did you slay them?

Were you seeking to defend?

Or were you seeking to slaughter?

The thought is pressed down.

But it continues to squirm.

At one time you would know.

You would be able to feel the judgment.

But you are no longer of that realm.

The only judgment is yours.

You have to judge yourself.

If you don't judge yourself,

Then when it comes time.

Time to be judged.

You will find the weights against you.

Careful, be careful.

But caution is the danger.

Civilization is another danger.
The shell of civility covers many rots.
It gives the beast room to rut.
Room to grow.
Room to stalk.
And a merchant unwise is one who does not ask.
To desire to gain coin.
Any coin.
The coin of respect.
The coin of gold.
The coin of Power.
The coin of silver.
All coin can be desired and corrupt.
And trust is fertile ground.
As fertile for rot as it is for growth.
You have to watch to see which is going.
But where there is trust there is no watching.
Where there is watching there is no trust.
Where there is no trust.
Rot is difficult to set in.
But so to does growth have difficulty.

Character Journal