Grognard Poem

And lo, I traveled across the plains
Carrying with me assorted goods
But fate, it seems, felt there should be pains
And soon I was lost in darkened woods.

Lost, I continued on my way
Looking for a hint, some hidden trail
But, believe me when I say
That strangeness would soon enter this tale

They appeared from amongst the trees
Their shapes deformed and crude
And in their eyes I saw no peace
Their behavior, sordid and rude

I said to them "Who are you,
you who live in such a dark place?"
"We are the grog, the inheritors true
it is you who has fallen from grace!"

"But sirs you are living in the past,
let me tell of how things have changed!"
But at that word soon stones were cast
as they all fell into a rage.

"Change!?" They screamed loudly at me
"How dare you say such an awful thing!
Things were perfect previously
it is to this idea that we cling!"

"But sirs the modern world is great
everyone is treated fairly and kind"
"The idea of fairness fills us with hate!
We should reward those with the better mind!"

"But everyone helps one another
nobody feels left out of the group,
the fighter and wizard can be as brothers
no more jumping through narrative hoops"

"That way is for babies and the infirm
not for us, the system masters
Compared to the wizard the fighters a worm
fit only to carry things faster"

"Where did you get such strange notions
how did you come to feel such hate?"
They seemed to wrestle with their emotions
before they left, asking me to wait

And from the forest they brought a body
Carried on an ornate altar
Festooned with jewels it seemed quite gaudy
and soon they spoke, without falter

"Here is the one who taught us all
the right way to live our lives,
although dead we still heed his call,
and because of this we thrive"

I looked around at their houses
saw the muck in which they walked
saw the way they beat their spouses
heard the broken way they talked.

"I think he would want all of you
to live a more pleasant life,
please come with me, I speak the truth
I'll deliver you from this forest of strife."

They stared at me, their faces blank
I felt that something was amiss
I saw myself becoming flanked
and heard a rising hiss.

They screamed and yelled and I ran away
I no longer cared about where I went
I walked alone all night and day
until I collapsed, spent.

But the next day I met some strangers
Who came from the city close by
They warned me of the forests dangers
and when I asked of the grogs, told me why

"They do not see things as they are
nostalgia directs their every action
they want their memories unmarred
from "blasphemous" things like abstraction"

I thanked the strangers for their advice
And soon found the path back home
Where things are fair, balanced and nice
And you never have to adventure alone.