Submitted: 11 June 1999

What Makes an Empath Choose Their Path?

by Anonymous

"Sorry for all the secrecy," he says in a low voice, "it's just I know how the empaths are and if you speak about them in a negetive way, they wont heal ya. It's just gotten too bad in there."

"I was in there today, bleeding on the inside and out. Waited over a half hour, on the verge of death itself, for a healing. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered me but what I saw did. Young ladies coming in looking all pretty with a few scrapes, flirting their way to the front of the line and actually geting healed within minutes of their arrival! And those of us dying, told to go to the hospital! Now I know that sounds good and logical but for those of us that don't have the 1 or more gold it'll take to pay for the visit, it's not an option. Sure I can go into debt more than the 3 gold I already have but why should I?"

"I save these pretty gems I have as tips to empaths for their healings. I know the gems are only worth a silver or so but for me, that's alot of cash! When asked why I don't go to the hospital, I put forth this very arguement and was told by an empath that I was rude cause I thought the empaths were just a way to save money."

"I was floored! For the amount of money I have, and trying to pay off a monster debt, I feel giving my gems to them is by no means unfair. I didn't know empaths were in it just for the money? I thought they had a special calling on their lives. I thought they were servants to their god and a blessing to those of us in Elanthia. I had no idea that they were only in it to get rich."

"Funny thing is though, when the pretty ladies and their friends come in, I never see any tips given. But when myself, and people in my situation give them gems that we could be selling to pay off our debt to town, we are called cheap and ungrateful. But I guess that's just something I'll have to accept. When I'm rich, I'll use only the hospital. I wont be giving anything to that greedy guild once I can financially afford it. Get them right where it hurts, in their bank account, after all, that's all most of them care about. Very few actually get any joy of self fulfillment out of what they do."

"And to those of you who do care, perhaps you should set up a spot, maybe somewhere in the town green, and spread the word that from now on, that is where you'll be, so when people need real help they know where the true servants of their god do their healing miracles."

"I am truely sorry for those of you who do care, but as with most guilds there are many who don't. And with a guild as important as the empath's, it is alot more noticable. And please, next time someone comes in and gives you a gem or even a few copper for a healing, treat it like they gave you a few gold, cause one day they will, but for now, they give what they can. We really do."

[Ed. Note: The Southwestern part of the Town Green often has empaths healing there. I do not know if it is an official spot or not, though.]

Baresh will listen to your well-presented viewpoint on this, too.