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Today, I was introduced to Sam's mercenary crew. They were a rough, battle-hardened group of men, each one bearing the unmistakable marks of years spent in combat. Their demeanor was gruff and no-nonsense, with an intensity that spoke of countless skirmishes and battles fought. These were not men to be taken lightly; their experience and toughness were evident in the way they carried themselves, always alert, always ready for whatever might come their way. It was clear that Sam had chosen his team well, surrounding himself with individuals who had seen their fair share of danger and lived to tell the tale.

They wore heavy mage combat armor, heavily modified with various additions that made it easy to identify them as part of the same unit. The addition to their armor I could only describe as “Spikey”. It just seemed like a lot of unnecessary sharp edges were added to their armor. Overall it was more intimidating than practical, giving them a menacing appearance that matched their tough demeanor.

It was during this meeting that I met Tom. I did not like Tom.

Personality-wise, he was the complete opposite of Sam. He embodied everything I despised about mercenaries—rude, inconsiderate, and clearly hailing from one of the lower servant classes of an inbred and uncultured unhuman savage. It was obvious by the shape of skull that he came from lesser stock. There was a slightly crazed look in his eyes that set me on edge, making me question his mental stability. I couldn't shake the feeling that he might be a liability to our expedition, as he seemed a little too eager for action, almost trigger-happy. His presence made me uneasy, and I couldn’t help but worry that his recklessness could put us in danger. (Remove the racial insult/slurs and mentions of “inbred” to avoid causing controversy)

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I voiced my concerns about Tom to Sam, but Sam quickly tried to reassure me. He insisted that he trusted Tom with his life, emphasizing that Tom had nerves of steel that had never wavered, even in the most extreme combat situations. However, I couldn’t shake my doubts.

Stressful situations and the Graylands were two entirely different beasts. What good were "nerves of steel" in a place that seemed to pervert the laws of nature as the Graylands? The unique dangers we would face there demanded more than just combat experience, and I wasn’t convinced that Tom was equipped to handle them.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t persuade Sam to leave Tom behind. He firmly stated that they were a "package deal," leaving no room for negotiation. Realizing that Sam was immovable on the matter, I decided to drop the issue. However, I resolved to keep a close watch on Tom throughout the entire expedition. His unpredictability made me uneasy, and I knew I’d need to stay vigilant.