Relaxing in the tavern last night after a hard day's questing Throg was witness to a heated argument between two of his fellow adventurer's. It started when one sturdy hunter who was a little in his cups boasted about the fine job he had done one week earlier clearing cave claws out of Rockbelly pit for the good dwarf Orodin. A younger adventurer, perhaps inadvisably, chose this moment to butt in: "You couldn't have done such a good job for just last night Orodin asked me to go and kill the cave claws you left behind."
Brawls in dwarf taverns are hardly an uncommon sight but Throg was feeling a warm glow from the ale and in his contemplative mood the subject matter of this spat set him thinking.
Why is it he wondered that every adventurer he meets on his travels seems to have an almost identical history of feats and accomplishments. Indeed when he talks to a fellows of similar age to himself it often turns out that they are embarked on exactly the same commisions as himself. Oft-times this can be handy. Many an impromptu fellowship has been formed from just such a chance meeting of adventurers. Such a fellowship can achieve as a group that which could not be accomplished alone. Just last night Throg joined up with such a worthy party to wreak bloody revenge on the dourhand dwarf Skithi Blackhand for the murder of the brother of Askell of Gondamon (Vow of Vengenace). Throg doubts he could have taken the dwarf alone and was glad of the company. Askell was not stinting in his gratitude - rewarding each member of the fellowship in equal measure.
Adventurers come and adventurers go so one can hardly blame the citizens of Eriador for sending several fellows out on exactly the same mission simply to ensure that the job gets done. It would be nice though, thought Throg, to have some missions that were personal to one self. Surely the fates could contrive to introduce some small element of variety between adventurers' paths. At the humblest level where one fellow is sent out to fetch 10 bat claws perhaps the next might be asked instead for cave claw talons. Indeed why do the fates not grant each adventurer with their own personal epic quest objectives - perhaps to slay a particular villain or to find a particular long lost treaure. Throg does not think that this would require any great increase in the number of villains or treasures in the world because for example a character that is part of the normal sequence of adventures for all aspiring heroes might be the personal sworn nemesis of one particular wanderer.
Brawls in dwarf taverns are hardly an uncommon sight but Throg was feeling a warm glow from the ale and in his contemplative mood the subject matter of this spat set him thinking.
Why is it he wondered that every adventurer he meets on his travels seems to have an almost identical history of feats and accomplishments. Indeed when he talks to a fellows of similar age to himself it often turns out that they are embarked on exactly the same commisions as himself. Oft-times this can be handy. Many an impromptu fellowship has been formed from just such a chance meeting of adventurers. Such a fellowship can achieve as a group that which could not be accomplished alone. Just last night Throg joined up with such a worthy party to wreak bloody revenge on the dourhand dwarf Skithi Blackhand for the murder of the brother of Askell of Gondamon (Vow of Vengenace). Throg doubts he could have taken the dwarf alone and was glad of the company. Askell was not stinting in his gratitude - rewarding each member of the fellowship in equal measure.
Adventurers come and adventurers go so one can hardly blame the citizens of Eriador for sending several fellows out on exactly the same mission simply to ensure that the job gets done. It would be nice though, thought Throg, to have some missions that were personal to one self. Surely the fates could contrive to introduce some small element of variety between adventurers' paths. At the humblest level where one fellow is sent out to fetch 10 bat claws perhaps the next might be asked instead for cave claw talons. Indeed why do the fates not grant each adventurer with their own personal epic quest objectives - perhaps to slay a particular villain or to find a particular long lost treaure. Throg does not think that this would require any great increase in the number of villains or treasures in the world because for example a character that is part of the normal sequence of adventures for all aspiring heroes might be the personal sworn nemesis of one particular wanderer.
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