'''Captain Rumford''' is an [[NPC]] soldier found in the New Tristram area. He was is the first NPC with a speaking role in the Blizzcon 2008 demo, where he greeted new characters and gave a bit of information about the grim situation in New Tristram. He had different dialogues for each of the three characters ([[Barbarian]], [[Witch Doctor]], and [[Wizard]]) playable in that demo, and imparted information about the mysterious [[meteor]] that had struck the Cathedral and awakened evil within, and either warned or encouraged the player to investigate.

[[Image:Npc-captain-rumford1.jpg|frame|October 2008.Captain Rumford]]The story telling mechanism of such NPC dialogues and plot devices is a simple one; the characters, NPCs and your own hero, know more about the story than you, the player, do. So players learn about the world and their own character's personality by watching and listening to the interactions between their character and the NPCs.

==Captain Rumford DialoguesConversations==Like most key NPCs in Diablo III, Captain Rumford's dialogues differ considerably between the characters. In each case Rumford conveyed the essential information; that a flaming object had recently fallen from the sky and crashed through the roof of the Tristram Cathedral. Great evil had awakened since then, and the area was now overrun with monsters. All of the characters knew this much, and said they’d come after hearing news of the fire from the sky, but Rumford's dialogue let the player know the Cathedral was just ahead, and that the area was very dangerous.

===Barbarian===In their conversation Rumford was initially afraid of the Listening to some conversations can earn [[BarbarianAchievements]], fearing he/she was a dangerous savage, but once the Barbarian spoke calmly Rumford calmed down and wished . None of the Barbarian good luckconversations with Villagers count towards an achievement.

===Witch DoctorAct 1===[[File:Npc-captain-rumford2.jpg|frame|August 2010.]]Rumford was contemptuous and dismissive of the scantily-clad, foreign-looking [[Witch Doctor]], making comments about how he/she would surely be killed by the first monster encountered. The Witch Doctor made a few cryptic comments about not judging others by their appearance, but didn't say much.

* Captain Rumford's introductory dialogue with the female Witch Doctor can be heard in its entirety during a Girls Entertainment Network report[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvbGPKt0maY] from [[BlizzCon 2008]]. The dialogue in question begins at the 3:31 point. Alternatively read below.''Tell me About Yourself'''

::'''Captain Rumford''' - I almost killed you walking round here looking like that. I don't have time for this insanity. Were you expecting me [[Witch Doctor]]: The spirits speak to beg for your help? I can tell you think you're some sort all of adventurer even without proper clothingus. Listen, and find guidances.

::That'''Witch Doctor''' - It is s a small being that dismisses things simply because they are differentsimple thing for you to say. No matter You were born to fight monsters like the risen dead. Me, I am here to storm the dark scourge brought by the fire from the sky'm a farmer.

===Wizard===Only When Leah told us the female [[wizard]] was playable in dead were pouring out of the BlizzCon buildcathedral, and she was very saucywe quickly went to put an end to it. At first it seemed we were succeeding, sassy, headstrongbut th-but they just kept coming. We -- well, we were overcome. Captain Daltyn and brashlythe men fought valiantly. They protected me. I am no soldier. I am -confident- I was a farmer. I should not have been out there with them.

Her dialogue with Rumford was somewhat flirty, as she taunted him for being afraid to face I do not know how I made it back here. None of the monsters himselfothers did. And now, boasted that she would clear out the demonic infestation in nothing flat, and all but ordered Rumford somehow I'm supposed to buy her a drink to toast her success when she returned. Rumford seemed somewhat overwhelmed by her arrogance and authority, and became rather meek and soft spoken before lead the Wizard's powerful presence.  ==References==* [http://www.youtubemilitia.com/watch?v=DvbGPKt0maY Girls Entertainment Network BlizzCon 2008 report]