Terrdi, day 31 of Winter, 553.

Today 26 exiles ventured to the Pitch Caves. We arrived in good time without much trouble.

From the first run into the Pitch cave, it was clear it was going to be a bad day.

At request of several pathfinders wanting to reach Giayl's Guide in the Ruined Library, several pathfinders first ran into the Southeast pit to try to lure the Arachnoids there for Zuing off a moment later. The cave was very full of Noids, and of several pathfinders only Larno made it in safely. (After he had trained, he ran back in and chained one of the fallen pathfinders (forgot who, sorry) in and raised him too). In any case, the following Zu run still failed because so many Noids were still loose in the North of the cavern.

Things stumbled along for awhile, but there was clearly not going to be a successful advance on this trip.

This trip had a truly remarkable amount of grumbling. I suppose it feels a particular downer for a trip to go badly on the heels of a quite successful (almost totally successful) trip. But that is bound to happen. We have failed to achieve our goals here far more than we have achieved them, and I doubt this will change. Several folks (mostly fighters) seemed very unhappy to be stuck in wait-wait-wait mode while there were Arachnoids they could be killing. I point out that a mad rush has NEVER worked here, and would lead to even more fallens to be rescued, or perhaps even abandoned if too many fell. I hate waiting as much as anyone, but I come and I wait because I believe the goal is worth the effort and pain, even the waiting. I suspect some exiles have determined that they no longer believe that. I wish them well in their other endeavours, but hope they don't keep coming on these trips to drag down the rest of us with whining. My 2c.

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