First Days

"Well, it were hard for them. I'm truly sorry I'm too old for the dark, because what they needed most was leadership. No experience, no idea of what they was facing, no help. Down in that hole, with danger on all sides... anything could come outta the dark at 'em.

The first that went down mostly died. Several was hurt or sickened right at the start by giant rats. Shem was nailed by a giant harvestman spider right in the middle of a fight - imagine watching a man you knowd for your whole life get eaten right in front of you. Hells, they even treated with goblins because the goblins wasn't actively trying to kill them. You know your fortunes are low when goblins seem like handy allies. And what's this about an alter to Maglubiyet right under our rock? That ain't good... ill luck to have an unholy lump like that tunneled right up our arse.

Chesamei didn't come back neither, but he weren't killed. That Krieger feller said his master just called out, and little Ches just walked over to him. Makes me wonder if they dint have something set up before; who would jest join a enemy like that? Same thing for that shy kid Torvald. Lured out by some choker in the dark, and then turned over to the enemy. It's worse that we ain't even seen his body. Krieger's so broken about it that he's forsaking his path. Makes you think, though... how come no one else in town has the stones to go down that hole? I ain't talkin about the young friar, who's so green that he thinks he don't need boots to wade in muck, but Matron and Ennis and the others. What's stopping them?

And now it's worse. Vampires and the like. Ghouls what eat people. I heard they mostly eated the goblin tribe already. Hells, we were all gonna end up like that before Friar Gregory went down with 'em. They all got whupped, but at least they brung back some food for everyone. Now we got grains, potatoes, leeks... enough to last a few weeks more for sure. We got to trade for food this winter, and winter is coming. It's gonna be lean, even if these pups win through. And still no word from the gorram gnomes.

But I'm starting to think they can do it. Sure, they ain't met anything serious yet... I dunno if they have a plan for when they meet the true vampire, not just his little spawn. But they shown they can fight, and think, and win."

-Old Gont, former sergeant and town leader


Selected highlights:

• "Oh right, I can't really see in the dark because I'm not a demon." - Beazel, daily
• "I have failed." - Krieger, about Torvald
• The difference between the Germanic and dramatic: one works hard, the other is hard work.
• Friar Gregory: Sandals of doom and the faith to sustain, awesome character play
• "So, you're done helping then?" - Civliss, to Beazel
• When you try to kill a vampire, he gets cross