Narratives

      As you sit down at the corner table with the human man in the chain shirt and mottled grey cloak, he sighs and looks at you with tired grey eyes.
      "Yer another one. I heard the folks pointing me out to you and I know your questions already. 'What's it like to die? What did you see on the other side?' I'll fill yer ear if you'll fill my mug." he says idly bumping a mostly empty mug of ale. Once the order has been placed he continues.
      "You may think that people are tough, that it takes a couple of solid hits to put someone down, that it's all about getting the edge on the other guy. But it just doesn't matter how tough you are... None of it matters. When I died, that servant of Iuz didn't hit me, you see. He barely touched me. I've been batted at harder by a starving kitten. With no more effort than it takes to flick a pebble from the top of a cliff, I was knocked through the veil between life and death. The veil; it's just that thin... "
      He stares off into space a while before continuing.
      "I've felt the red fury of life tearing at life, the implacable hunger of the undead, the burning energies of the arcane, the searing power of the positive planes, and the sucking void of the negative planes... I'd have been prepared for any of those... but this was nothing I'd ever felt before. There was no power in that touch; just a cessation, a quiet. Have you noticed the loud pounding of your heart? The rushing of the torrent of your blood? Life is loud. Death is nothing, a nothing you can never prepare for."
      "When I... died. The quiet came first. Now that I've been brought back, I can still feel the loss; some of that quiet seeped in, silenced pieces of me, and will never leave. I'm not the same man and never will be again."
      "Walk careful, friend, death is nearer than you realize and the veil between the worlds is thin. Pray you never learn how thin it is."
      With that, the man speaks no more, staring meditatively at his full, untouched mug of ale.

Dear Mom,

      I think I bribed the courier enough, so you should get a box with this. It's my Hero of the Realm medal. Please put it with the others. Things have been going pretty well lately; I died and Wee Jas yelled at me, but I got better. Also, I'm no longer wanted. On the down side, I've been tried for Treason again. The Judges were not impressed when I pointed out that I'd never committed any other crimes, other than that other time I was tried for Treason, and those murders. They decided I was "sorta guilty". I didn't realize that was an option, but it can apparently be cured by peeling potatoes and saluting a lot, so I'm back in the Army again. Unfortunately, this meant that I had to resign my commission in the Navy. When I get out of basic training, I'm going down to the Rel Mord Hall of Justice to update my wanted poster with the latest list of medals and honors. I'd like it to be accurate for the next time they decide to use it; the law men are much more gentle if they know they are arresting a distinguished hero. All my love,

      Kerris

PS. You are right. Being an adventurer is a really wierd carreer choice.