From Deathknell's Bells to Brill's Hearth
A newly risen paladin finds the Light again, clears spiders and Scarlet zealots, walks the halls of Undercity, and finally claims a bed in Brill.
The Road
I began in Deathknell before dawn, and by day's end I had walked a long way from it. The light was coming up grey when I reached Night Web's Hollow. After that I returned to Deathknell and took the road north into the wider Tirisfal Glades. I passed Solliden Farmstead, then Cold Hearth Manor, then Stillwater Pond, each new to me. Brill came next, with its town hall, its tavern, and the northern road to Garren's Haunt. Later I came to the Ruins of Lordaeron and went down into Undercity. I wandered its Trade Quarter, Canals, War Quarter, Sewers, the Apothecarium, the Rogues' Quarter and the Magic Quarter. Then I climbed back up to Brill. I made the Gallows' End Tavern my home, and I write this by its fire.
Battles
The day's tally ran past a hundred. In and around the spider-haunted hollow I cut down sixteen Night Web Spiders and ten of their young. Thirteen Rattlecage Skeletons fell to me, and sixteen zombies, eight Mindless and eight Wretched. A dozen Scarlet Converts and three Scarlet Initiates died, and six Mangy Duskbats. Five Rot Hide Mongrels went down near Garren's Haunt, where the gnolls snarled of fresh meat and bones to gnaw. A few scavengers and darkhounds finished the count. Meven Korgal, the Crusader messenger, cried out that his Crusade would not fail. I killed him anyway. Maggot Eye died as well, and I carried proof of it back to Brill.
Deeds
Many people had work for me, and I finished most of it. Shadow Priest Sarvis was satisfied with my work on the Mindless Ones. He then set me against the Rattlecages, and afterward said I had "shown yourself to be worthy of the freedom that you have been given." Novice Elreth wanted paws and bat wings and paid me in armor. She then asked me to lay Samuel Fipps to rest beside his wife Marla, and she was grateful when it was done. Aramis Hammerhand sent me to find a frightened paladin, and to free the webbed victims in the hollow. The frightened paladin cried out "Get away from me, monster!", and Aramis told me some can only be granted a clean end. Deathguard Saltain had me scavenge goods in Deathknell. Executor Arren had me thin the spiders, then sent me against the Scarlet camp, and then after the messenger, whose papers held a map of their commanders. I carried those to Executor Zygand in Brill. I stole pumpkins from the farm for Apothecary Johaan, took a letter to Innkeeper Renee, and met the adventurer Eleanor Shackleton, who taught me camping. Gordo's gloom weed only earned a laugh from Junior Apothecary Holland, who wanted doom weed instead. Shari Stilwell welcomed me to my continued training. At day's end I took on new requests in Brill from Gretchen Dedmar and Coleman Farthing, for duskbat pelts, thread, and the remains of the Agamands. Gretchen's body ached from the chill. Coleman's sorrow was old and bitter.
Fellowship
Most of my company today was the dead and the half-dead. A Forsaken warrior joined me for a short while near Garren's Haunt, then parted ways, and I called out my thanks. In the Ruins of Lordaeron I fell into talk with a few Forsaken and a tauren about stories and shows they liked. I told them one was a favorite of mine, among the best horror I knew. I added a dry joke or two, and the mage reminded me he was undead. Earlier in Deathknell I watched two Forsaken trade kisses.
Spoils & Craft
The hour I spent in Deathknell brought armor from Novice Elreth, and a better item from Deathguard Saltain. Elreth also gave me a manual that taught me mining and smelting. I learned cooking from William Pickman in Brill, and with it a basic campfire, roasted boar meat, charred wolf meat and herb baked egg. Later I picked up the recipe for crispy bat wing. In Undercity I took up blacksmithing, with sharpening stones, copper bracers and a copper rod among its first lessons. I also learned fishing. Back in Brill I learned first aid and the linen bandage.
Growth
The Light came back to me in pieces. I raised my weapon skill and my defense through the day's fighting. Aramis taught me Devotion Aura, then Holy Light, Judgement and Blessing of Might. Later I learned Divine Protection, Holy Strike and the Seal of the Crusader. With each step I felt stronger. I grew in strength six times before the hour of Gallows' End, and a seventh time near Garren's Haunt.