Shelter always comes first. Those are words of wisdom that folks tend not ta understand. They always think they still got plenty of time ta build a hut fer their first night, but suddenly it's nighttime an' they ain't placed not one block of their shelter. Mobs swarm 'em an' there ain't nothin' left ta find of 'em come sunrise. Don't die like a fool 'cause ya kept puttin' off buildin' yer shelter 'til it was too late. Shelter always comes first.

How fast ya build it matters. Most folks put off buildin' their shelter fer so long that they forget about it 'til dusk, or even 'til it's so dark they can't see! Can you believe that? Don't act like them fellers gettin' caught with their britches down, build you a damn shelter while you can still see what yer doin'! I said it before an' I'll say it again, §nSHELTER ALWAYS COMES FIRST§r

Where ya build it matters. A man can go awhile without food, but water? No sir. Build close to a known body of fresh water an' don't be cocksure about it - hold right click while yer lookin' down inta the water ta make sure it ain't salt water. The last thing ya want is ta survive yer first night only ta die the next mornin' from a nasty thirst.

How ya build it matters. No roof or a lousy thatch roof? Spiders'll kill ya. Empty holes where solid glass oughtta be fer windows? Skeletons'll kill ya. Can't see to the left an' right of yer hut's entrance from the inside? Creepers are likely as not ta catch ya by surprise as soon as ya step outside. Fer yer benefit I've included several engravin's of shelter designs that oughtta peak (peek? peeque? Hell if I know how it's spelled, I ain't no scolar) yer interest bit.ly/2mpaaiw

The first couple are God awful but they'd get the job done fer a night or three I reckon. The 3rd one, the wide open one without a roof, would keep ya safe from everythin' exceptin' spiders. If ya were ta add a 1 block overhang to the outside edge you'd be safer 'an a ender chest in bedrock. You could even make the overhang alternate every other block since spiders are 2 blocks wide, so 1 block in every other spot would be enough ta stop them fat sons of bitches climbin' in.

The next one is ta show ya that grass don't collapse, but dirt surely does. You can dig you out a li'l hidey hole fer a night but just be sure ya got some'n' ta plug it up with, like wood! An' don't forget ta have a tool ready ta dig yerself out. Some ijits have gotten 'emselves killed by sealin' 'emselves up without an axe or a shovel ta get out. Don't go actin' like them now.

The rest of the engravin's just show some wooden shelters fer inspiration. I'm sure yer well aware that log piles can be removed easier 'an the flesh off a zombie while actual logs are tougher 'an nails when all ya got's a stone axe. That makes log piles ideal ta use as windows an' doorways, an' actual logs good fer walls an' suchlike.

Now there's one more thing ya oughtta know about yer shelter. Who ya let into it matters. Generally speakin' us Pendants never go out of our way ta be particularly kind nor cruel, so whether or not ya oughtta share the safety of yer humble abode with a stranger, even a fellow Pendant, is always a gamble. You'll just need ta use yer best judgement when it comes right down to it.

If ya ever have yer doubts, just remember that both me an' the good Lord Pendeen recommend livin'

a solitary life.
