I've recently started my first peasant adventurer, Vost Lawflight. I've usually done heroes since I'm kind of a candy ass like that, but so far this isn't strictly ending in disaster.
Vost mostly lucked out in the beginning; he didn't really have much behind-the-scenes training before getting into the fray. His first fight ever was just against some wolf that became a civ enemy somehow, and from there he went straight to fighting bandits. His only companion was one Asri Dragonlands, who got recruited straight from his departure location. There was a
really good swordsman known as Atir Earthbushel for a short while, but he got shot in the heart by ambushing dwarfs not long into his career. Somehow Vost never received any serious injuries, and eventually developed into someone as competent as most of my heroes. Asri on the other hand got fucked up after half a dozen fights and couldn't hold her mace, instead electing to bash enemies with her shield and getting
really good at it.
Eventually he got his first task from a lord, and had to set out to kill a minotaur. After getting a little lost and stumbling upon a night creature spouse's lair instead he eventually found his prey. This is where I expected him to get creamed but he stood his ground. The battle wasn't as clean as I had hoped it would be, and involved a lot of getting knocked around and at more slamming into walls than I ever want to happen, but once again he succeeded in victory without serious injury. Even Asri only lost a tooth from her minimal involvement.
Hyped after his victory, Vost once again looked to the lord and got word of a hydra. He had already heard of Kas Cleanvomits the Climax of Saviors, but now it was time for rubber to meet the road. Because he wasn't quite
that cocky he recruited an axeman and spearman from the fortress before setting out, knowing full well that a hydra was nothing like a mere minotaur.
And indeed it wasn't.
The first move went to Kas, who immediately sunk its fangs into Vost's sword hand and tore it clean off. He had not even had the chance to strike and already he was both disarmed and seriously injured. He swapped out his shield to take up his scimitar and rejoined the fray, hoping to fell the beast before he passed out from bloodloss or some such. His was the most grievous injury inflicted upon the adventurers, but the hydra
put up one hell of a struggle nonetheless. Eventually the great beast did succumb to its wounds though, bringing Vost greater glory with the sacrifice of his hand.
And thus does the tale presently end. Or rather, the story has yet to resume. Surely this is not the end of Vost's crusade.