"The frontlines are... brutal," Donovan said quietly. "I saw too many soldiers die from wounds I couldn't heal fast enough. Good people, brave people, cut down in their prime, some even before they reached their prime. After a while, I couldn't handle it anymore. The guilt, the helplessness… I took my discharge and came down south, hoping the adventurer lifestyle would be different… but… people still die, I learnt that recently. It's still better if you compare to the north, but perhaps not enough…"
An uncomfortable silence settled over the group for a moment, then Cole cleared his throat.
Cole turned his attention to Thorin, who'd still been eating silently, his expression neutral. "What about you? Where are you from?"
"Does it matter?" Thorin said flatly.
"It does if we're going to trust each other and work well."
