Regarding Khrandum's rage at _____ sleeping on watch.

An excerpt From the journal of Khrandum "Iron Flute" Hect

..." When I was 13 years old,, during one of the times my took me along with him, alone, or sometimes with others, on some of his trips for trade with other tribes and cultures. Some of the lands we travelled through were rather dangerous. We didn't always have an roof over our heads. In some of the open camps, we needed to have a watch.

On one of these trips a friend of my father's, Drorlin came along with his son Dorlin who was my age.

The four of us took turns at watch. I had first watch (8 pm to 11 pm), Dorlin had the second watch (11 pm to 1 am), Drorlin third watch (1 am to 4 am), and my father on last watch (4 am to 6/7 am), that night.

Unfortunately, Drorlin fell asleep on his watch!

During the night, bandits snuck in, beat each of us badly to keep us unconscious, and stole my fathers tradegoods, most of our belongings, and even most of our clothes!

I was the first to come to, and found that Dorlin's father had died from his wounds, and my father wouldn't awaken!

Dorlin awoke to my cries of distress trying to awaken my father.

I asked Dorlin what happened, and he sheepishly admitted he had knowingly fallen asleep, thinking we weren't really in any danger!

Then I pointed out to him that his father wasn't unconscious, he was dead. He was at first in denial. Then when he realized, he wailed in agony.

Then he began clawing at his face, and ran off into the misty morning. I ran after him, and a few minutes later, following his wails, it turned to a scream, and then silence.

I sped up, and nearly ran off a cliff hidden in the trees and mist. Clinging to the roots of an overhanging tree. I looked down the 200 foot ravine, to see Dorlin's broken body on the rocks of the river.

I was barely able to climb back up to safety.

I was somewhat lost, and it took me hours, with my concussion, to find my still unconscious father.

I rigged a litter to carry him, and began the many days-long journey back to our homelands.

I returned 5 days later.

The shaman said my father's skull was fractured and he was in a coma near death. They were able to save him, and eventually he regained consciousness, though initially his memory was lost. He did not even recognize me or my mother for the first few days. Slowly his memory returned, but he was never able to walk quite the same, his left leg dragged a little from the injuries to his head." ...