Gravedust knows whereof he speaks, that’s for sure. His comfort zone, as he would define it, is mostly consorting with the dead and writing quietly. Becoming an adventurer is within his range, as he’s always been a warrior of some sort. But he’s sometimes gone way outside his norm, as when he performed stand-up or started making non-dwarf friends, and doing that has had a profound effect on who he is and where he thinks his limits are.

In fact, just answering this letter is an example. The first time someone (E-Merl) asked Gravedust for help on relationship matters, he brushed the request off; the second time it happened (with Frigg), he tried to demur again, but the closeness of their relationship and lack of other options for her obliged him to try. After that, despite his own functional asexuality, he’s felt qualified to weigh in on the topic, and really, he is. There’s not that much difference between people, not as much as we think.

Of course, that doesn’t mean personal limits don’t exist. The next AaA to feature Gravedust (in a couple more installments) will show him pushed beyond them. Stay tuned!