[THE Ka]

Taliesin wasn't much for speaking anymore. Simply, as for historical reasons in his own life, it wasn't the best course of action for him to take. As his old memories would tease him at times, he tended to remember how both his assumed parents recited with glee and also stiffled guilt at the great gift he had with words, in some ways. The story was repeated often, how upon finding his little self in a tattered skin of a bag, his 'blessed' caretakers declared a name for him immediately, to which the little Taliesin nodded and said, 'That'll do.' Apparently this meant that Taliesin was prime cut for helping those great, and advancing his family socially. Mostly, the latter.
Taliesin also had a perchant for honesty, and as for words, that meant at times he would find himself without control, spewing out what people needed to hear, not what they wanted. This of course, brought him much trouble with the folks who socially worked above not below. Which, even his dotting parents seemed to take with a new grain of salt, and sought out a way to control his 'wild tongue'.
He couldn't remember much inbetween that time and what caused him to take up the habit of the open road, only that it instilled his phobia, and left his parents and neck of the community without much 'appropriate' reknown. He probably knew well why, but didn't choose to remember how his simple guidence to local authority almost cost his life, and being seen as 'a great bane undone at the tongue!' He sometimes remembered that, and it gave him a little chuckle.

As for today, this was yet another path along the original plan of his own to gain greatfully in youth and sit back and relax in old age, wherever, and whenever that might be. Usually, he looked like a serious and 'greatly interested' being during the past day or so, but his mind was usually wondering off somewhere, in another field of thought, singing out the tune, " Give me plenty open fields with the starry skies above, don't fence me in...". While witihn the temple, and reaching the last line of his little song, the open fields disappeared and he indeed was fenced in. The doors shut. Every bloody one of them.
This wasn't his phobia. His phobia lay way off, to the east with simple folk. This factor though, did indeed miff him a bit. The building by standards wasn't bad, but it wasn't exactly his taste, and probably would get on his nerves eventually the longer he remained.
The others about clammoured their equipment and some yelled in protest to the act, as the above Maia in disguised seemed amused by it all and simply walked away. Taliesin just stood there with his hands on his hips and his equipment, starring at Sauron with slight intrigue and a little interest.

"Damn. How does he do it?", laughed sarcastically one voice in his mind. He held back a little laugh as a throat cough.
He hadn't heard much of Sauron, and was far too concerned with other beings, and collecting wealth from any services he didn't mess up with his words. Though, he had heard how this Maia had a perchant for words also, but his words seemed to be the better resume than that of the simple mortal, and indifferent Taliesin.

"Well, whatever might be certain is that I - erm, wait everyone else, the lot of us are stuck. What a way to waste, I've had such better adventures than this. With a lot more front up pay too. Hrmm, whatever may be, I might as well become some member of the society here."

The dwarf nearby was rallying for words, and that everyone come forth, especially with honest words.
" Oh no..." Taliesin muttered and dragged a hand down his long face. He bit his tongue and battled with the otherwise willing words in his mind. He had forethought alright, but he knew very well that no one particularly means real honesty when they praise it. If they did, Taliesin might have to give them an embrace of utter astonishment. Either way, he might get knifed.

"The only way to that is that we have some talkin' here as to form an opinion and with some brains and luck to have a chance of catching a wolf".

"Or we could randomly end up gutting one another, either way that is progress by your assumption.", another sarcastic voice cracked within his mind.

Taliesin shook his head, and hoped no one took it as some mystical sign of body language. He took a gulp of water from his supplies and tried to focus his mind, before he lost his head.

Most men might descriminate the fighting abilities of other races in spite of their own, but Taliesin had no doubt anyone around him could easily kill him, and turn him into a wonderful batting effigy that all races great and small could enjoy a swack at.

He was not so much a gentleman, but just plan conscious enough to know that words at their sting too. As for that, eveyone so far that had spoke was throwing arrows. Clearing his mind again, he carefully said his next words, albet maybe too quite and stern than some of the others might have approved of in a 'warrior' type.

" Sorry for my silence, I must choose my words carefully. 'Tis only a bad habit, my speech can be horrible to minds who want certain answers... Anyways, so that we may not end up on the wrong start of things, I am Taliesin of Nothing. You may just call me Taliesin, because as for being 'of something' I own naught. It is safe to say we know nothing beyond our names and other little things, with this in mind I believe we shouldn't jest with ourselves that minds are really so simple - "

"Well no great wonder there genius!" ,laughed another thought in his mind he chose to ignore it for the time being, and cleared his throat softly again.

" Even if we do learn more of one another, there are many faces to a gem, what we wish to show is fortunately and unfortunately that of choice. So in short, if I may suggest that simply making a vote isn't going to change the fact we all can be responsible for many things. I really wish it was that simple, for this challenge turned into something we all didn't bargain for. Unless you enjoy surprises with great naive, which does have its charms only if you have the time. Anyways, putting pressure on everyone's words only aids those conditioned to lie, and gives suspicion to those who otherwise only mean to speak and reason simply. Which, Nogrod, I do believe that your words call for reason, but to hold at knife point only makes the wolf sing sweeter as you gut the lamb. So, instead of maybe near torture, or complete silence, as for a touchstone we can simply introduce ourselves and go on from there. "

Taliesin finished with an exhale and decided to kept his mouth tightly shut for the next hour or so, giving only a nod when called for. He prefered to take the observant stance, take notes, maybe put it into song, and then speak. Very carefully of course. He did have some vainity for living still.


~ Taliesin Ka