Dear Light,
Hey there. How are you?
I'm doing okay. Pretty good, actually, considering that I'm not locked in some rotten orc cage for the first time in, what has it been, five years? You know what they say, time flies when you're being used as a urinal.
Anyway, the boys are all back together again, and Bravo Company's ready to kick some orc butt just like back in the good old days. We're just waiting for the new recruit to finish up some mission for Johnny, then we're going to assault the orc stronghold, Stonewatch Keep, and take out their leaders. Don't know too much about the new guy, but he freed us all from our captivity and got Johnny back on his feet, so he's okay by me.
Been catching up with the guys, seems we all had it pretty rough since the war. The orcs split us up long ago, and the only living things we've seen for these last few years have been those blasted greyskins tromping around OUR mountains like they own the place. Messner and I were were locked up and treated like crap, but poor Krakauer was going to be sacrificed in some crazy Gurubashi sacrificial ritual, and Danforth was strung up like a slab of beef and tortured! Thank goodness for the new guy, he showed up just in time and helped us save them.
Tell the truth, I kinda thought the others had all died years ago. Only thing keeping me going was the fact that I was still alive. I mean, heck, if *I* was still breathing, no way the rest of Bravo would have bitten the dust yet. It'd take a real monster to bring down Krakauer or Danforth, those guys are beasts. And Messner? He don't mess around.
Of course, we all thought Johnny was dead. After all, no way he'd have let us hang for all those years if he knew we needed him. But the poor guy, he thought WE were dead! Turns out he got captured too, but because he was our leader, the stupid crap-swilling orcs paraded him around like some kind of trophy, showing him off to their mongrel buddies. And well, you know Johnny. The second the orcs dropped their guard, he broke their necks, stole the key, and hightailed it outta there. Not dead, can't quit. That's how we do it in Bravo.
But man, Lakeshire sure had it in for the poor guy. I don't get it. They asked him to fight, so that's what he did. The man gave his all for the Alliance, defended our home from those damned orcs, and what did he get in return? Treated like garbage, that's what. Poor guy lost his wife, his best friends, and was used as a toilet by the orcs for five long years, and those civvies had the nerve to spit on him and call him a baby killer? Disgusting.
I tell you, if there weren't orcs to kill, I think Bravo Company would just leave this little berg to fend for themselves. Poor Johnny couldn't get a job or live in peace, the town shunned him everywhere he went. Had to support himself by brawling in some dingy underground fight club beneath the inn like some nameless mutt. You don't treat a man like Johnny like that. You just don't.
I hear Johnny didn't want to have anything to do with the new orc threat, not after how the town had treated him. I can't say I blame him. Luckily for us, the Colonel and the rookie knew just how to get his blood boiling again, by saving our hides and retrieving Johnny's belongings from the damn orcs. I've never seen Johnny cry, but he sure looked pretty touched to get his weapons back, to say nothing of his poor dead wife's amulet.
When I saw the glassy, dull look in his eyes transform into the old fiery captain we knew and loved, I knew he was back. He was back, and the orcs were gonna pay, big time.
Bravo Company picked up right where we left off - slaughtering orcs. It's been great. We've infiltrated their camps, freed a bunch of prisoners, blew up a whole valley of the brutes...damn orcs never knew what hit them. We even got a tank airlifted in from Troteman, and pulverized hundreds of orcs on the way up to Stonewatch. Ah, good times, good times.
However, I can't help but notice a few things as we've worked. Light, I don't mean to complain, but...how come I'm so freaking weak?
Don't get me wrong, I like being able to heal the boys and keep us hale and hearty. And I'll be completely ready if the orcs happen to have any undead on their side. But watching the rest of Bravo cut a swath through the orcs, even the rookie, and coming to the sad realization that they're so much stronger than me...it's a little depressing.
I know they're joking, Light, but it really hurts inside when the boys poke fun. I mean, Johnny said he could fight five of me at once. And all he's got is a knife! What's up with that? (I think he's right, too.) And Danforth said I was "dainty" and that because I'm a Paladin, the rookie should watch what he said around me or else I might start to cry. :( I don't cry! Much...
I try to joke about it and laugh it off, but it makes me really sad inside. Sometimes I wish they weren't so mean, even if I know they're not being serious.
And Light, even without their teasing, how come the other guys are so much more powerful? I just don't get it. I pray to you for my strength, and I can take on a decent orc, but Messner over there just shoots like, a dozen fireballs from his hands and obliterates a whole camp of orcs all at once! It makes me so jealous. I wish I could kill orcs as fast as him. Light, why can't I shoot fireballs? What do you have against fireballs?? Just a few fireballs here or there, that's all I ask!
And Krakauer and Danforth, they don't even have any magic to help them, but they really kick butt on their own with just their weapons and anger. And they're so fast, and they can leap around and charge at our enemies, while I'm so slow and plodding.
Maybe I should drop this paladin thing and try being a warrior. I don't know.
I think the worst part is that I never really know how I'm going to feel, day to day. Some days I feel great, and strong, and full of the Light's strength! And then some days I wake up and it feels like all of my powers have been weakened, like I just don't have the 'OOMPH' I used to have. It's so frustrating and unpredictable, Light!
Every time I start to feel good about myself and really capable, before I know it I feel weak and pathetic, like my power was soaring in the sky and then got slammed to the ground. Light, I know as a Paladin I'm the most important member of the team, but it really makes it hard to live up to that status when my strength keeps fluctuating all over the place. Whenever I remind the boys of this fact, they just kind of chuckle and pat me on the shoulder. I think they're humoring me.
I tried telling the others about how I feel, but they just roll their eyes and laugh at me. They say I should stop complaining, or that I should abandon being a Paladin and take up a real career. Johnny doesn't tease me, but I know I'm the weakest one of the squad. He sends me off on scouting missions, or tells me to go sneak into orc camps for recon. Now sure, someone's got to do it - but me? A Paladin? Sneaking around covered in leaves and poop, and chloroforming dimwitted orc sentries? Shouldn't we have a rogue for this or something? It just doesn't seem right.
Sometimes I feel like there's no point to even being a Paladin anymore. I miss the days when I could fire off my heals like Johnny's artillery cannon, or call upon the Light to protect all of Lakeshire when we were being attacked by orcs or gnolls. But now I feel so limited! Light, why did you give me those amazing powers to help people and then take them away? I feel like you're not really taking me seriously.
Sigh. I'm so utterly useless now. I wouldn't be surprised if Johnny just went and replaced me. :(
Light, can't you just leave well enough alone? I don't mind if I'm not the most powerful fighter, I just get a little down always being the weakest member of the team. A little help Light, that's all I ask. I'm fine with being in the middle!
(PS: I really would love to be able to shoot fireballs, though.)
Devotedly yours,
Show/Hide Letter Notes
The members of Brave Company were all pretty funny, but without a doubt Jorgensen stole the show. This poor Paladin complained endlessly about the state of Paladins, how their power was erratic and how he kept feeling weaker. A great poke at the infamous Paladin QQ that occurs constantly on the forums, such as regarding the cooldown that Word of Glory received, or the changes to raidwall that made it limited by range.
I think my favorite Jorgensen complaint was "One time, Keeshan told me that he could take on five of me at once. Why am I so weak?" It's just so random and downtrodden!
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