Krogoth: A Historical Study, Part I by Theobald Pebblebitty

I, Theobald Pebblebitty of clan Burhodar, ask the blessing of the Immortal Kagyar upon this humble attempt to chronicle the life of the great hero Krogoth. Grant that my mind might grasp the truth and not the legend and accurately report upon the life of Krogoth. Grant that I might discern the wisdom in his tale and pass it on to all of Rockhome, that subsequent generations might learn of our glorious heritage and live out the lessons Kagyar taught us through his champion.

The tale of Krogoth begins in Dengar in the year 1012, when he first received his calling from Kagyar:

I still remember the day I received Kagyar’s calling for me. I was a wee lad and had only been a full acolyte of Kagyar for a few months when word came that the priest wanted to speak with me. He said I was to go off to Karameikos and seek adventure to test my prowess because in the future Rockhome would have need of me. So of course I went to my family’s halls and left the next day.

It is interesting that Krogoth does not mention his family’s reaction to his departure. Although he never wrote of it, it has been widely believed that part of the reason he left home so quickly was his father’s displeasure. However Krogoth makes scant mention of his father’s opposition to his career in the clergy- an important lesson in respect for all of us.

Most of the next section of his memoirs concerns his journey to Karameikos. At each stop he carefully records the customs of the local humans. While his accounts might be interesting, they do not become important until he reaches the town of Threshold.In the town of Threshold I observed a bustling marketplace full of human merchants. This was not remarkable of itself, for I had seen many such towns before, however this market stands out in my memory because it is where I met my fellow Champions of Mystara, Aramil Korrelin and Drakath Tanilia.

His description of his comrades is accurate but simple- he prefers to let their deeds speak for themselves.

The first I noticed was Sir Korrelin, a noble Half-Elf in the service of the Order of Karameikos. He projected an air of confidence about him, so certain in the strength of holy power as he was. Beneath that veneer I could sense a degree of uncertainty, as though he was not fully confident as an adventurer. This, perhaps more than anything else, drew my attention to him and began our strong friendship.

Drakath Tanilia stood out because of his youth rather than his physical appearance. Despite being the youngest member of the party (both in terms of literal and relative age), his demeanor reflected a strong personality, steadfast moral convictions, and a determination to meet whatever goals he might set for himself. Though I regret it took us time to become friends, I always respected him.

Kerrick was a follower of Thanatos whose beliefs spooked many of the other party members. He was a steadfast defender of that which was just and a reliable party member, skillfully wielding Thanatos’ power from beneath his holy robes. Most peculiarly, he wielded a large scythe to great effect.

He proceeds to describe the rest of the party members, such as the noble ranger Vanthanoris, though these minor characters are not important to our story for long. One description, however, comes back to play an important role in his later adventures.

The last I beheld was Kiera, the elven thief. While she demonstrated no outright treachery or evil deeds, her loyalties were suspect at best. To this day I cannot fathom her actions, which ranged from commemoration of her fallen comrades to robbing them and actively thwarting her companions. To call her unreliable would be an understatement, though I doubt she truly deserved her ultimate fate.

In his descriptions of his comrades, we see Krogoth strive to be fair and honest. In general he portrays them very positively, with the one exception being Kiera the elf. While most observers place no guilt upon Krogoth for disliking her, even the casual reader senses that Krogoth feels uncomfortable with his depiction of her. Perhaps in the light of his later years and subsequent companions he wonders if she could have been saved.

Theobald Pebblebitty of Clan Burhodar

Runekeeper of Dengar