A Paladin Rises in Tirisfal Glades
From the cold earth of Deathknell to the halls of Undercity, a newly risen paladin learns to carry the Light among the Forsaken.
The Road
I woke to the dark before dawn in Deathknell, and the day carried me far from it. Light came gray and slow as I reached Night Web's Hollow to the northwest, then back again, then east along the road past Solliden Farmstead and Cold Hearth Manor, and by Stillwater Pond toward Brill.
Brill was a busy place. I found the Gallows' End Tavern there, and the Town Hall, and later Garren's Haunt to the north. Afterward I walked to the Ruins of Lordaeron and went down into Undercity itself. I wandered the Trade Quarter, the Canals, the War Quarter, the Sewers, the Apothecarium, the Rogues' Quarter and the Magic Quarter, and the whole time the air felt close and cold.
By late morning I was back at Gallows' End, and I made it my home. I ended the day there.
Battles
The work was steady. The spiders of Night Web's Hollow fell by the score: sixteen Night Web Spiders and ten of the young ones. Thirteen Rattlecage Skeletons and sixteen zombies, eight Mindless and eight Wretched, died along the paths near Deathknell. Mangy Duskbats, Ragged Scavengers, Young Scavengers and a few Decrepit Darkhounds fell too.
South and east of Deathknell I met the Scarlet Crusade: twelve Converts and three Initiates. Their camp also held Meven Korgal, the messenger, who cried that the Crusade would not fail. He failed anyway. Near Garren's Haunt, five Rot Hide Mongrels met the same end. The gnolls snarled of fresh meat and bones to gnaw, and they got neither from me.
Deeds
Deathknell kept me busy. Shadow Priest Sarvis gave me the hunt for the Mindless Ones, then the Rattlecage Skeletons. He said I had shown myself "worthy of the freedom that you have been given." A scroll that reeked of the Light sent me to Aramis Hammerhand, who set me to healing five injured Deathguard. They flinched from a paladin's touch, and some came to thank me. Novice Elreth wanted paws and wings in return for armor, and later asked me to bury Samuel Fipps beside his wife Marla. Deathguard Saltain wanted scavenged goods.
Aramis sent me after a frightened paladin in the hills. She cried "Get away from me, monster!" when I found her, and the task ended in a clean end, not a rescue. I freed the webbed victims in Night Web's Hollow for him as well. Executor Arren had me thin the spiders, then strike at the Scarlet Crusade and kill their messenger. He found a map of their field commanders in the documents I took, and sent me to Executor Zygand in Brill with them.
In Brill there were many small errands. I stole pumpkins for Apothecary Johaan and spoke with Eleanor Shackleton, who taught me to rest by a campfire. I carried a letter for Calvin Montague to Innkeeper Renee. Gordo asked for gloom weed, and Junior Apothecary Holland wanted doom weed instead. I finished Shari Stilwell's training errand, and killed Maggot Eye for Executor Zygand.
Back at the tavern I took three more requests: Gretchen Dedmar wants five Duskbat Pelts and coarse thread, and Coleman Farthing wants the remains of the Agamands and of Devlin.
Fellowship
Most of my day was spent alone. Near Garren's Haunt I called out for someone to invite me. A Forsaken warrior joined me briefly, and I thanked him as he left. Later, near the Ruins of Lordaeron, I stopped to talk with a few Forsaken and a tauren about horror tales and what to watch. I joked and added a tasteless remark of my own that fell flat.
Spoils & Craft
Elreth gave me armor for the paws and wings I brought, and Saltain gave me one of the better items from the scavenged lots. Elreth also gave me a miner's manual, and with it I learned Mining, Smelting and the smelting of copper. In Brill, William Pickman taught me Cooking, with the Basic Campfire, Charred Wolf Meat, Roasted Boar Meat and Herb Baked Egg. I learned Crispy Bat Wing a little later. In Undercity I learned Blacksmithing from Basil Frye, which gave me plans for a Rough Sharpening Stone, Rough Weightstone, Copper Bracers, Rough Copper Vest and Copper Rod. Armand Cromwell taught me Fishing, and Nurse Neela taught me First Aid and the Linen Bandage.
Growth
I felt the strength come in waves. I grew from the first faint weakness of risen flesh to the steadier power of a seasoned fighter, and my skill with the two-handed mace and with my defenses rose steadily.
Aramis Hammerhand trained me, and I learned Devotion Aura, Holy Light, Judgement and Blessing of Might. Later I learned Divine Protection, Holy Strike, Seal of the Crusader and a stronger Holy Light. Pain and the Light came together in my hands, as Aramis promised they would. Working the Light on the wounded Deathguard hurt, but it grew easier.