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And so the Hunt has come and gone, and I am once again at work. I have learned a few things from this, that all future expeditions should take under consideration. Above all else: Be prepared for poison. If we had antivenom on hand, much would have gone differently, and we would not have had to retreat so soon. Venice Craven's field manual is a valuable resource, but it fails to provide detailed information on several species. "Volume One." I should have kept that in mind. Perhaps I will end up writing the second volume.

Despite the wounds suffered by our party, I would have called the whole affair a success, had the Temple Guard in our company not thrown himself at the horde with such energy, and end up splitting our group in two. No doubt energized by battle and the strong performance he had already shown, the man ended up getting smashed by a creature no one saw arrive. If only he had stayed back in the first place, we never would have been split up, and...

No. I should not blame him -- I am the one that gave the order to follow, and for others to stay. Foolishness. He would have returned if we had stayed together. Next time, things shall be different. There will be rules.

But it will be hard, getting others to agree to a next time, after the last.