A D&D Character
One man’s mental break is another man’s epiphany.
This is Part 4 of my character diary for Tuk, a monk adventuring through Out of the Abyss. Read the previous entry, or start with Part 1.
72… 73… 74…
Tuk’s back rose and fell. Push-ups.
It’s 3:30 AM. I just got back from my daily Netherese Tomb raid, and while the other guys are asleep, it’s time for Tuk to rise and grind. Look at ‘em. All snug in their bedrolls. Cozying up to their warm little blankets on their little cheeks, dreamin’ about some girl. Weak. You have to be strong. You have to be physically strong. You have to be mentally strong. You have to have a strong mentality.
27… 28… 29…
It’s like this guy. I got a guy here with no hair on his body. He’s got some kind of disease or something that stops him from growing hair on his body. He’s got what I call a “Why me” mentality. Anytime something bad happens, it’s “Why me?” Captured and taken into the Underdark, “Why me?” Sharing camp with some kind of sneaky, ritual serial murderer, “Why me?” Struck by a stray bolt of lightning and sent into V-Tach, “Why me?” It’s your mindset, bro. It’s your MIND. It’s just like I told this short, hairless guy. I’m tall because I’m HARD. I have leg hair because I’m HARD. Not the other way around.
44… 45… 46…
My memories are written on a wax tablet, but do I complain? Nah. Every day, I’m putting in the work. I’m sweating. I’m getting that iron HOT, and that wax just melts away. Memories are weak. Memory loss is just weakness leaving the body. I don’t need to remember. Remembering is for people who don’t want to do anything RIGHT NOW. Do something about the situation you are in NOW.
16… 17… 18…
Fought some ghosts. Killed ’em. Made ’em wish they’d stayed dead in the first place. Fought an ancient ghost woman. Killed her. I thought she turned into a half-orc and evaporated, but that’s just my memory being WEAK. Don’t trust it. She looked like she could snap me like a twig. I like that.
The party did, in fact, release a Netherese sorceress into the world. Against all probability, her wraith form was resurrected by wild magic into the shape of a half-orc lady. When asked by Belriel, “What are you going to do now?” Her answer was as follows, “Get out of the Underdark!” She promptly teleported away. Her whereabouts are unknown.
61… 62… 63…
Ever since I got 10 inches taller, I know that whatever god there is out there is a real one and he thinks I’m a real one too. It’s 2:45 AM. I don’t remember what I did last night, but I know my arms are sore. Arms are sore? Everyone else is asleep? That’s the perfect time to rise and grind.