Hello, my friend. Stay awhile and listen...

While you are venturing deeper into the Labyrinth you may find tomes of great knowledge hidden there.

Read them carefully for they can tell you things that even I cannot.

I know of many myths and legends that may contain answers to questions that may arise in your journeys into the Labyrinth. If you come across challenges and questions to which you seek knowledge, seek me out and I will tell you what I can.

Farnham spends far too much time here, drowning his sorrows in cheap ale. I would make him leave, but he did suffer so during his time in the Labyrinth.

Griswold - a man of great action and great courage. I bet he never told you about the time he went into the Labyrinth to save Wirt, did he? He knows his fair share of the dangers to be found there, but then again - so do you. He is a skilled craftsman, and if he claims to be able to help you in any way, you can count on his honesty and his skill.

Ogden has owned and run the Rising Sun Inn and Tavern for almost four years now. He purchased it just a few short months before everything here went to hell. He and his wife Garda do not have the money to leave as they invested all they had in making a life for themselves here. He is a good man with a deep sense of responsibility.

Poor Farnham. He is a disquieting reminder of the doomed assembly that entered into the Cathedral with Lazarus on that dark day. He escaped with his life, but his courage and much of his sanity were left in some dark pit. He finds comfort only at the bottom of his tankard nowadays, but there are occasional bits of truth buried within his constant ramblings.

The witch, Adria, is an anomaly here in Tristram. She arrived shortly after the Cathedral was desecrated while most everyone else was fleeing. She had a small hut constructed at the edge of town, seemingly overnight, and has access to many strange and arcane artifacts and tomes of knowledge that even I have never seen before.

The story of Wirt is a frightening and tragic one. He was taken from the arms of his mother and dragged into the labyrinth by the small, foul demons that wield wicked spears. There were many other children taken that day, including the son of King Leoric. The Knights of the palace went below, but never returned. The Blacksmith found the boy, but only after the foul beasts had begun to torture him for their sadistic pleasures.

Ah, Pepin. I count him as a true friend - perhaps the closest I have here. He is a bit addled at times, but never a more caring or considerate soul has existed. His knowledge and skills are equaled by few, and his door is always open.

Gillian is a fine woman. Much adored for her high spirits and her quick laugh, she holds a special place in my heart. She stays on at the tavern to support her elderly grandmother who is too sick to travel. I sometimes fear for her safety, but I know that any man in the village would rather die than see her harmed.

Greetings, good master. Welcome to the Tavern of the Rising Sun!

Many adventurers have graced the tables of my tavern, and ten times as many stories have been told over as much ale. The only thing that I ever heard any of them agree on was this old axiom. Perhaps it will help you. You can cut the flesh, but you must crush the bone.

Griswold the blacksmith is extremely knowledgeable about weapons and armor. If you ever need work done on your gear, he is definitely the man to see.

Farnham spends far too much time here, drowning his sorrows in cheap ale. I would make him leave, but he did suffer so during his time in the Labyrinth.

Adria is wise beyond her years, but I must admit - she frightens me a little.

Well, no matter. If you ever have need to trade in items of sorcery, she maintains a strangely well-stocked hut just across the river.

If you want to know more about the history of our village, the storyteller Cain knows quite a bit about the past.

He probably went fooling about someplace that he shouldn't have been. I feel sorry for the boy, but I don't abide the company that he keeps.

Pepin is a good man - and certainly the most generous in the village. He is always attending to the needs of others, but trouble of some sort or another does seem to follow him wherever he goes...

Goodness knows I begged her to leave, telling her that I would watch after the old woman, but she is too sweet and caring to have done so.

What ails you, my friend?

I have made a very interesting discovery. Unlike us, the creatures in the Labyrinth can heal themselves without the aid of potions or magic. If you hurt one of the monsters, make sure it is dead or it very well may regenerate itself.

Before it was taken over by, well, whatever lurks below, the Cathedral was a place of great learning. There are many books to be found there. If you find any, you should read them all, for some may hold secrets to the workings of the Labyrinth.

Griswold knows as much about the art of war as I do about the art of healing. He is a shrewd merchant, but his work is second to none. Oh, I suppose that may be because he is the only blacksmith left here.

Cain is a true friend and a wise sage. He maintains a vast library and has an innate ability to discern the true nature of many things. If you ever have any questions, he is the person to go to.

Even my skills have been unable to fully heal Farnham. Oh, I have been able to mend his body, but his mind and spirit are beyond anything I can do.

While I use some limited forms of magic to create the potions and elixirs I store here, Adria is a true sorceress. She never seems to sleep, and she always has access to many mystic tomes and artifacts. I believe her hut may be much more than the hovel it appears to be, but I can never seem to get inside the place.

Poor Wirt. I did all that was possible for the child, but I know he despises that wooden peg that I was forced to attach to his leg. His wounds were hideous. No one - and especially such a young child - should have to suffer the way he did.

I really don't understand why Ogden stays here in Tristram. He suffers from a slight nervous condition, but he is an intelligent and industrious man who would do very well wherever he went. I suppose it may be the fear of the many murders that happen in the surrounding countryside, or perhaps the wishes of his wife that keep him and his family where they are.

Ogden's barmaid is a sweet girl. Her grandmother is quite ill, and suffers from delusions.

She claims that they are visions, but I have no proof of that one way or the other.

Good day! How may I serve you?

My grandmother had a dream that you would come and talk to me. She has visions, you know and can see into the future.

The woman at the edge of town is a witch! She seems nice enough, and her name, Adria, is very pleasing to the ear, but I am very afraid of her.

It would take someone quite brave, like you, to see what she is doing out there.

Our Blacksmith is a point of pride to the people of Tristram. Not only is he a master craftsman who has won many contests within his guild, but he received praises from our King Leoric himself - may his soul rest in peace. Griswold is also a great hero; just ask Cain.

Cain has been the storyteller of Tristram for as long as I can remember. He knows so much, and can tell you just about anything about almost everything.

Farnham is a drunkard who fills his belly with ale and everyone else's ears with nonsense.
I know that both Pepin and Ogden feel sympathy for him, but I get so frustrated watching him slip farther and farther into a befuddled stupor every night.

Pepin saved my grandmother's life, and I know that I can never repay him for that. His ability to heal any sickness is more powerful than the mightiest sword and more mysterious than any spell you can name. If you ever are in need of healing, Pepin can help you.

I grew up with Wirt's mother, Canace. Although she was only slightly hurt when those hideous creatures stole him, she never recovered. I think she died of a broken heart. Wirt has become a mean-spirited youngster, looking only to profit from the sweat of others. I know that he suffered and has seen horrors that I cannot even imagine, but some of that darkness hangs over him still.

Ogden and his wife have taken me and my grandmother into their home and have even let me earn a few gold pieces by working at the inn. I owe so much to them, and hope one day to leave this place and help them start a grand hotel in the east.

Well, what can I do for ya?

If you're looking for a good weapon, let me show this to you. Take your basic blunt weapon, such as a mace. Works like a charm against most of those undying horrors down there, and there's nothing better to shatter skinny little skeletons!

The axe? Aye, that's a good weapon, balanced against any foe. Look how it cleaves the air, and then imagine a nice fat demon head in its path. Keep in mind, however, that it is slow to swing - but talk about dealing a heavy blow!

Look at that edge, that balance. A sword in the right hands, and against the right foe, is the master of all weapons. Its keen blade finds little to hack or pierce on the undead, but against a living, breathing enemy, a sword will better slice their flesh!

Your weapons and armor will show the signs of your struggles against the Darkness. If you bring them to me, with a bit of work and a hot forge, I can restore them to top fighting form.

While I have to practically smuggle in the metals and tools I need from caravans that skirt the edges of our damned town, that witch, Adria, always seems to get whatever she needs. If I knew even the smallest bit about how to harness magic as she did, I could make some truly incredible things.

Gillian is a nice lass. Shame that her gammer is in such poor health or I would arrange to get both of them out of here on one of the trading caravans.

Sometimes I think that Cain talks too much, but I guess that is his calling in life. If I could bend steel as well as he can bend your ear, I could make a suit of court plate good enough for an Emperor!

I was with Farnham that night that Lazarus led us into Labyrinth. I never saw the Archbishop again, and I may not have survived if Farnham was not at my side. I fear that the attack left his soul as crippled as, well, another did my leg. I cannot fight this battle for him now, but I would if I could.

A good man who puts the needs of others above his own. You won't find anyone left in Tristram - or anywhere else for that matter - who has a bad thing to say about the healer.

That lad is going to get himself into serious trouble... or I guess I should say, again. I've tried to interest him in working here and learning an honest trade, but he prefers the high profits of dealing in goods of dubious origin. I cannot hold that against him after what happened to him, but I do wish he would at least be careful.

The Innkeeper has little business and no real way of turning a profit. He manages to make ends meet by providing food and lodging for those who occasionally drift through the village, but they are as likely to sneak off into the night as they are to pay him. If it weren't for the stores of grains and dried meats he kept in his cellar, why, most of us would have starved during that first year when the entire countryside was overrun by demons.

Can't a fella drink in peace?

The gal who brings the drinks? Oh, yeah, what a pretty lady. So nice, too.

Why don't that old crone do somethin' for a change. Sure, sure, she's got stuff, but you listen to me... she's unnatural. I ain't never seen her eat or drink - and you can't trust somebody who doesn't drink at least a little.

Cain isn't what he says he is. Sure, sure, he talks a good story... some of 'em are real scary or funny... but I think he knows more than he knows he knows.

Griswold? Good old Griswold. I love him like a brother! We fought together, you know, back when... we... Lazarus... Lazarus... Lazarus!!!

Hehehe, I like Pepin. He really tries, you know. Listen here, you should make sure you get to know him. Good fella like that with people always wantin' help. Hey, I guess that would be kinda like you, huh hero? I was a hero too...

Wirt is a kid with more problems than even me, and I know all about problems. Listen here - that kid is gotta sweet deal, but he's been there, you know? Lost a leg! Gotta walk around on a piece of wood. So sad, so sad...

Ogden is the best man in town. I don't think his wife likes me much, but as long as she keeps tappin' kegs, I'll like her just fine. Seems like I been spendin' more time with Ogden than most, but he's so good to me...

I wanna tell ya sumthin', 'cause I know all about this stuff. It's my specialty. This here is the best... theeeee best! That other ale ain't no good since those stupid dogs...

No one ever lis... listens to me. Somewhere - I ain't too sure - but somewhere under the church is a whole pile o' gold. Gleamin' and shinin' and just waitin' for someone to get it.

If I was you... and I ain't... but if I was, I'd sell all that stuff you got and get out of here. That boy out there... He's always got somethin good, but you gotta give him some gold or he won't even show you what he's got.

I sense a soul in search of answers...

Wisdom is earned, not given. If you discover a tome of knowledge, devour its words. Should you already have knowledge of the racane mysteries scribed whithin a book, remember - that level of mastery can always be increased.

The greatest power is often the shortest lived. You may find ancient words of power written upon scrolls of parchment. The strength of these scrolls lies in the ability of either apprentice or adept to cast them with equal ability. Their weakness is that they must first be read aloud and can never be kept at the ready in your mind. Know also that these scrolls can be read but once, so use them with care.

Though the heat of the sun is beyond measure, the mere flame of a candle is of greater danger. No energies, no matter how great, can be used without the proper focus. For many spells, ensorcelled Staves may be charged with magical energies many times over. I have the ability to restore their power - but know that nothing is done without a price.

The sum of our knowledge is in the sum of its people. Should you find a book or scroll that you cannot decipher, do not hesitate to bring it to me. If I can make sense of it I will share what I find.

To a man who only knows Iron, there is no greater magic than Steel. The blacksmith Griswold is more of a sorcerer than he knows. His ability to meld fire and metal is unequaled in this land.

Corruption has the strength of deceit, but innocence holds the power of purity. The young woman Gillian has a pure heart, placing the needs of her matriarch over her own. She fears me, but it is only because she does not understand me.

A chest opened in darkness holds no greater treasure than when it is opened in the light. The storyteller Cain is an enigma, but only to those who do not look. His knowledge of what lies beneath the cathedral is far greater than even he allows himself to realize.

The higher you place your faith in one man, the farther it has to fall. Farnham has lost his soul, but not to any demon. It was lost when he saw his fellow townspeople betrayed by the Archbishop Lazarus. He has knowledge to be gleaned, but you must separate fact from fantasy.

The hand, the heart and the mind can perform miracles when they are in perfect harmony. The healer Pepin sees into the body in a way that even I cannot. His ability to restore the sick and injured is magnified by his understanding of the creation of elixirs and potions. He is as great an ally as you have in Tristram.

Earthen walls and thatched canopy do not a home create. The innkeeper Ogden serves more of a purpose in this town than many understand. He provides shelter for Gillian and her matriarch, maintains what life Farnham has left to him, and provides an anchor for all who are left in the town to what Tristram once was. His tavern, and the simple pleasures that can still be found there, provide a glimpse of a life that the people here remember. It is that memory that continues to feed their hopes for your success.

Pssst... over here...

Not everyone in Tristram has a use - or a market - for everything you will find in the labyrinth. Not even me, as hard as that is to believe.

Sometimes, only you will be able to find a purpose for some things.

Don't trust everything the drunk says. Too many ales have fogged his vision and his good sense.

In case you haven't noticed, I don't buy anything from Tristram. I am an importer of quality goods. If you want to peddle junk, you'll have to see Griswold, Pepin or that witch, Adria. I'm sure that they will snap up whatever you can bring them...

I guess I owe the blacksmith my life - what there is of it. Sure, Griswold offered me an apprenticeship at the smithy, and he is a nice enough guy, but I'll never get enough money to... well, let's just say that I have definite plans that require a large amount of gold.

If I were a few years older, I would shower her with whatever riches I could muster, and let me assure you I can get my hands on some very nice stuff. Gillian is a beautiful girl who should get out of Tristram as soon as it is safe. Hmmm... maybe I'll take her with me when I go...

Cain knows too much. He scares the life out of me - even more than that woman across the river. He keeps telling me about how lucky I am to be alive, and how my story is foretold in legend. I think he's off his crock.

Farnham - now there is a man with serious problems, and I know all about how serious problems can be. He trusted too much in the integrity of one man, and Lazarus led him into the very jaws of death. Oh, I know what it's like down there, so don't even start telling me about your plans to destroy the evil that dwells in that Labyrinth. Just watch your legs...

As long as you don't need anything reattached, old Pepin is as good as they come.

If I'd have had some of those potions he brews, I might still have my leg...

Adria truly bothers me. Sure, Cain is creepy in what he can tell you about the past, but that witch can see into your past. She always has some way to get whatever she needs, too. Adria gets her hands on more merchandise than I've seen pass through the gates of the King's Bazaar during High Festival.

Ogden is a fool for staying here. I could get him out of town for a very reasonable price, but he insists on trying to make a go of it with that stupid tavern. I guess at the least he gives Gillian a place to work, and his wife Garda does make a superb Shepherd's pie...