An interview with Kurt Knucklefist

**Interviewer's Note:** It has been almost a year since the first brave dungeon delvers set out into the Imperial Dungeons beneath the Six Dragons Inn. In the year that has passed we have seen many brave souls pass through the portals into the unknown, perilous depths, and sadly we all know of brave adventurers who have not returned. Names such as Clemence Castor, Morty Ratsbane, Ulrig, Edwin the Mordish Bastard and Gideon of the Goldenhorde remind us all that even for the bravest, most noble and most able, there is no guarantee of safety in the unknown tunnels that lie beneath our unminding city.

But there is one man who was there on the first days that the dungeons were opened up, and who still ventures boldly through crypts, deathtraps and caverns. With the retirement of his comrade Ari the Anxious, Kurt Knucklefist is now the adventurer who has been venturing through the Imperial Dungeons the longest, and although he bears many scars of battle, he still lives.

Kurt generously agreed to answer some questions from your humble editor. We spoke at the Six Dragons Inn. His answers are presented here, unadorned, for the enlightenment of the brave, and the caution of the cautious.

> *You're a member of the City Guard in good standing but you also venture into the Imperial dungeons. Is there a conflict there? How do you fit these two parts of your life together?*
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> It is an honor serve in the Guard, but the uniform does not define a man. My job is to protect the citizens of Othery and enforce the law, but my duty as a citizen is to flourish within that framework. I choose to delve into the Imperial dungeons because it's outrageous to allow such chaos to breed beneath our feet.
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> *I have heard the Guild of Light has recovered a lot of valuable treasure from the Imperial Dungeons. What do you intend to do with this treasure?*
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> Of this I will just say that delving into the darkness to face evil is not free nor safe. Unlike other people who I will not mention, we do not intend to profit from the existence of the dungeons and it's dangers. Our main goal is exploration and, carrying the light of Vaad into ever further.
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> *You have seen a lot of death among your friends and party members in the year you have been exploring the dungeons. How does it feel?*
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> The adventurer's life is full of loss. This romanticized image of the adventurer finding treasures and spending it on a tavern is perhaps adequate for bard's songs, but far from a complete picture of the world. We cannot escape our fate if we choose this path, but we all aim to at least serve our purpose before facing the afterlife. That being said, it is my goal to protect the righteous who delve into the dungeon.
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> *We are told you are a devout follower of Vaad, as are many of your companions in the Guild of Light. Is your faith a part of what you do?*
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> Faith works best through the faithful's work. The Guild of Light is a group was founded by like-minded individuals, but faith is not it's primary goal. In the depths you cannot preach to anyone but worms
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> *What would you say to a young man or woman who wants to become an adventurer like you? What should they know? Would you encourage them?*
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> Do not become an adventurer by choice; serve a higher purpose and let that be your drive. Those who AIM to be adventurers are doomed from the start. This is a profession for the reckless and the desperate. If you do find yourself on the road this way, however, a few suggestions: - Look out for your mates; their lifeline is your lifeline - Greed will get you killed faster than monsters - Find a comfortable pair of boots and always keep clean your soles.
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> *Thank you Kurt, I am sure I speak for all my readers when I wish you all the best for your continued ventures beneath the streets, and I know that I for one sleep a little sounder knowing that a man of faith, devotion and prowess such as yourself is fighting for us.*
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[Editor's note]; This interview took place before the recent tragic loss of Kurt's comrade Kilgrid Orcbender.