Helsreach Handbook

"And so there I was, my back to the wall, the biggest lion I had ever seen in front of me, certain of my death. As I was resigning myself to being ripped apart by the beast, I saw my life pass before my eyes. I remembered my travels over the years fondly, especially my far more pleasant time in Beshnom where I spent many nights discussing philosophy with the elder of the tribe I stayed with. She had far more practical wisdom than I and I learned as much as I could. It was then that I remembered the bag of black powder I had stashed in my coat pocket. She had said that a loud enough noise was liable to intimidate just about any predator. Then again, there were no lions in Beshnom. Desperate, I lit the small bag of black powder and threw it at the hulking beast. I plugged my ears as it exploded and closed my eyes. I felt the explosion and my body tensed in the anticipation of sharp teeth that would soon close around my throat. But they never came. I opened my eyes to find that the explosion shook the beast and it was now unsure if it should proceed. I held my ground and it slowly backed away, in search of an easier meal no doubt. While it was quite nice that I got to test that old woman's advice -- and that it actually worked, bless her -- I learned an even more important lesson that day: acquire as much knowledge as you can. When your back is to the wall, and everything else has failed you, knowledge may be the only tool capable of saving your life."
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The Necessities