Journeys

The Story of Dolorous Bear

I sat back and let my gaze see past the place we were, to the Drowning wench, a well-stocked bar with a very talented bartender, both in spirits and in knowledge. Fixing the image of the place in my mind, I started my story.

~

The first real "task" I received was from a landlocked grizzled ex-pirate turned head of an adventurers guild, Baderan by name. It seemed the residents of Limsa Lominsa were going missing and the locals feared foul play. It seems, not all pirates were keen to turn over a new leaf when the admiral set a new course and some kept to their pillaging ways.

The latter, when they had need of labor or some spare gil, saw to it the fair folk of the smaller Lominsan settlements were 'volunteered' for the task. As you can imagine this put quite a strain on the local constabulary so they sought adventurers for aid. 

I answered the call, or should I say, my allies and I were made to report to the caverns, clean them out, rescue any we could and report back. Which we did. It was pirates, lest you wonder, along with some of their sahagin masters. Cleaning it out was no small task. They built quite the little setup, complete with bar, sleeping quarters and prisons. It was a sad sight to be sure. 

I shivered at the memory and took a drink to wet my throat. 

The damn pirates breed like flies. My allies and I took it upon ourselves to sweep through whenever we were in the area to clean out the latest crop of the pests. But I digress, It was upon our return that I met Dolorous Bear and his companions.

Dolorous was a towering beast of a Roegadyn, blue-skinned with green hair.  Dressed as he was in full maille with sword and shield, I gather he was a gladiator of sorts. He traveled with two spirited friends. E'mafana, a Miqo'te with Dalamud red fur was a lancer and Kikina, the Lalafel, was a thaumaturge if I had to guess. They had come to claim the task I had just completed and Baderan told them as such. 

Dolorous Bear turned to me and took my measure. He and his crew had a lofty goal, much like yours really, 'to perform such feats of heroism that would earn them a place in the songs of every alehouse of Eorzea'. I chuckled as I remembered his grand sweeping gestures as he declared his lofty goals to all and sundry.

His proclamation is not why I recall Dolorous. No, it was the wisdom he showed in why he had the goal at all. Lowering my voice a bit I mimicked the large man's voice and sweeping gestures and grand presence as I remembered them.

"You would not think to stride into battle unclad would you? Well, goals are as arms and armor for the spirit!" He declared to me before wishing me well and heading off to his next quest, his allies in tow. 

I followed suit and ended up in Gridania. There I met Mother Miounne who sent me on my next quest. In their abundant wisdom, the inhabitants of the Greatwood had taken to burying their dead in an underground ruin of sorts. This ruin had recently become home to some unsavory sorts and the leaders of Gridania wished is to clean it out. 

It was outside the Tam-Tara ruins I met Dolorous Bear and his companions a second time. The ruins did not treat them kindly, or they were ill-prepared, whatever the reason, the three of them were outside the entrance, catching their breath and regathering their strength. 

My group and I decided to scout the place ourselves. In so doing, we cleared it. When we exited the ruins, Dolorous' group was no longer there. No sooner had I reported back to Mother Miounne, then I was set on another task. 

Truthfully, of all the tasks, this is the one I would have walked away from if I had a choice. It seems the Syndicate of Ul'dah decided to get giants to work for them. This worked for a time. At least until the giants argued for better conditions and wages. That's when the mine owners decided to collapse the whole thing on the giants. 

I scowled into my mug. 

The greedy, bloody bastards deserved what they got when they reopened those mines. Some rightfully enraged giants who had four hundred years of anger built up. Had I been able to reason with one, just one, I would have told the Syndicate to meet the demands or clean the mines out on their own. 

Alas, it was not to be. 

Anyroads, as my allies and I cleared out the mines, I found Dolorous Bear and his comrades. It seems they took on a bit more than they could handle and were overwhelmed. Their hunger for glory was their very downfall. 

~

I turned my eyes to those around the table. "Let this be a lesson to you, he had a goal. His goal was for fame and glory just as yours is. But he let his goal blind him to prudence. There is nothing to sing about, no tales to tell if you're dead."