One wanted to hang him, while another wanted to stab him. Still another
wanted to bum him at the stake while yet a fourth wanted to tie rocks about
his waist and throw him in the river. So angry did they wax in their
disagreement over what manner of violence to use, that they did break into an
awful, bloody row.
And so it was that this old man did escape from the bandits, who were
distracted with their brawling. Upon noticing their victim was gone, they
continued to fight, this time over whose fault it had been, until all of them
lay dead, murdered by each others' hand.
This old man was later reunited with his nephew's family and all were
joyous of it. For as he had later, Unity is essential for survival, and
unlike those reckless bandits, he still wished to live for a good many years
yet.


iv. The Story of Batlin Part the Second

My travels took me to Trinsic, and there I encountered a group of Men at Arms
with whom I became most impressed. Many fighters I have known were men of
valorous heart on the battlefield, but off it little more than thugs. These
men were not mere fighters, but Paladins. They were all skilled swordsmen and
expert horsemen, as well as later scholars and perfectly mannered gentleman.
Above all, they were devoted to the preservation of honor. It was with eager
gratitude that I accepted their invitation to join them. The following years
were filled with excitement, as we journeyed through the land, righting
wrongs and helping those in need!
During one of our adventures I was injured and forced to remain in Minoc
while my companions rode on. A healer there told me that without the proper
treatments (for which he charged outrageous prices) I would most probably
die! I angrily sent him away. After a time I did mend. I had later that the
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