(In the Kobold Stronghold) Each mission, I learn how to better use my steel and spells to help advance our makeshift unit. I’ve started to temper my enthusiasm for rushing into the fray. I am best at supporting the party by protecting myself. It’s critical to complete the mission entrusted to me by my Lady, the Sad Queen. I make my way across the Realms to call our brothers and sisters to come to Evermeet. My encounters on the way will make me even more adept to serve as an emissary, guide, and eventually protector of our lands when we complete our withdrawal.

While I’ve yet to truly unleash my prowess with my blade, my comrades seem to be more than able to handle themselves in close combat. The physical strength and skill of my companions, led by my new half-orc ‘friends’ Stonebreaker and Rochendir, as well as the changeling moon priest master Heiengard, is truly impressive.

Stonebreaker is a bit unrefined for my tastes but is obviously a valuable companion. My fellow elves may raise an eyebrow or feel a tingling on their ears by aligning with half-orcs, but I try to find commonality among us rather than differences. Stonebreaker is always ready to crush evil. Besides, by eviscerating the owlbear and saving his life, he owes me a debt. A debt that I am sure he will honorably fulfill.

Rochendir’s heart is in the right place, although I still feel he does not know his true identity. I was fortunate enough to be taken in by two great families on the Isle but still, search for the truth behind my clan. I hope we both find our pasts and with them ourselves.

I initially had an affinity for the follower of Selune, master Heiengard. Being a moon elf, I felt at home with his path. However, his unannounced transformation did, I have to admit, catch me off guard. It is one thing to hear the tales of human changelings, yet quite another to see it in person. I would have thought it was something that he would have shared with us. We all, do, however, have our own unmentioned agendas. As long as he helps rid the world of evil and assist my people, who are I to judge?

A pair of archers, led by my fellow elf Hawthorne and the mysterious ranger Broknar, are proving overwhelming to enemies from a distance. I must admit, however, that I do get nervous when they start to fire into the middle of a melee! Broknar is a mystery that I need to learn more about. Funny how this ranger can be as reserved as some sun elves! For my brother Hawthorne, he will have a place with us and be reunited with family at Evermeet. I trust in him completely.

As for our gnomish traveling accountant and treasure-focused companion mistress Cupshigh, I am sure she will prove more than useful as we move forward into more delicate tasks worthy of her unique set of skills.

There will be a time that I must unleash the dance with my blade, using Aer’La (Night Song) to sing the minions of evil a permanent lullaby. I’ve also acquired several items that will assist us greatly as a unit and to help me succeed as well. The staff I’ve dubbed Ivae’drii (Light Fall) has already served me well by keeping me safe from heights. Now that I know the powers of my wands, I can use them when necessary. Kiirillis (Starblaze) will help me bring light to the darkness and vanquish the vile undead we find. Rua’Kor (Blackstar) will disable the magical weapons of our enemies, evening the playing field against powerful adversaries. While I am not quite sure exactly what role Sykerylor (Maelstrom) will play in this epic, I am sure she will have her place.

Helping to further the cause of Gonah and the Harpers can only be seen as fortuitous. The Harpers trace their lineage all the way to Myth Drannor. I’m sure they’ll remember our contribution, and I hope that they may be able to assist with my own personal quest in discovering my family’s to Myth Drannor. There is no doubt in my mind that this meeting was anything but an accident. Sometimes the path is placed before us, but we still must choose just how we will walk along with it…

We pierced through a veil of darkness and plunged headlong into the fray. Confident in my comrades’ ability to overcome the diminutive forces of the kobolds, I turn to the right to secure our flank. As I try to seek cover behind a barrel, I was met by a rain of missiles. Pierced by four arrows, the searing pain shot through my body as I steeled myself for a most difficult battle.

The small but brave mistress Cupshigh quickly came to my aid, sending an unaware kobold to his demise from behind. The ranger Broknar readily helped dispatch another pair of the little fiends, giving me time to regroup.

I turned to the remaining archers that thought they could take me out from a distance. Foolish kobolds. This slumber will be your last, for tonight you will sleep in the depths of darkness, forever banished from the light! With a quick incantation, they fell to the ground, dreaming whatever kobolds dream before meeting their destiny.

As I moved in to send the beasties to their next life, Jinx and the mysterious ranger joined the rest of the band already engaged in battle. At first, it seemed we would crush these fiends quickly, but they just kept coming. And coming. And coming…

The priest sensed imminent danger and transformed into a mighty man-bear, helping to protect the cornered Stonebreaker. Master Hawthorne began to indiscriminately send arrows into the kobolds’ rapid-fire, and Rochendir overwhelmed many in close combat. The gnome sought cover with the werebear, and Stonebreaker imbibed a potion and took flight to escape from his assailants. Broknar joined Hawthorne in providing a halo of arrows.

The bodies did pile high amongst us, with the archers, Rochendir, and our priest tearing through many of the enemies. The flying half-orc thug dropped some poisonous gas on a few. Not quite my sleep spell, but it worked. Soon it became apparent that we did not have the numbers to continue to trade blows with these vile creatures for an extended battle, as they kept coming at us from all sides and with all manner of allies.

Filthy pigs-literally! Boars joined the battle, as well as some shamans. This was the first time we had faced such a number of foes with beasts and magic on their side. Perhaps we were overconfident in our assault. Perhaps, but no time to reflect upon that now.

Our little gnome friend was the first to fall, as the kobolds surrounded her with a great hatred for their sworn enemy. As she fell, Hawthorne, Broknar, and Rochendir began to be overwhelmed. The werebear continued his slaughter of the kobolds seemingly unaffected by their weapons and grabbed our small fallen friend. He passed her to Broknar who was making his way back towards me. Hawthorne and Rochendir began to withdraw as well, seeing the odds of an easy victory no longer in our favor.

“Fall back!” I said, “let me bind her wounds”. I had slain the sleeping kobolds and was now ready to help my friends once again. Master elf Hawthorne was the first to seek my aid, and I tended to his wounds enough to let him fire his bow once more. When Broknar laid the poor gnome in front of me, I did all I could to bind her wounds and prevent her from slipping beyond. Time and her magic ring would bring her back to us-I hoped.

What-now giant weasels! I drew my steel and began to whirl and dance. It’s no time to hold back as I sliced one to pieces. Broknar and Rochendir dispatched the other enemies who had entered the room, but Hawthorne was just barely conscious of newly inflicted wounds. As we struggled to find a way out, Stonebreaker floated down from the sky, hoping to find a concealed door to escape from. No such luck, we would have to make a stand here in this room or fight our way out to freedom.

Their leader and shamans now began to assault the priest as he continued to dispatch with the lesser enemies. He roared in pain as what must be the chieftain’s spear pierced his thick fur. While in his man-bear form he is nearly immune to damage, I fear that it may be only a matter of time before they bring their collected magic against him and he is overwhelmed.

I yell to any of my comrades to see if they have oil. We’ll burn our way through this scourge and make a retreat. I ready a flask and prepare to use my other potions and magic to escape. If we must make a retreat for now, so be it. It will be a painful lesson in humility, but a useful one as we reevaluate our tactics for future encounters.

Hawthorne looks at me with resignation and says “when it’s time, I’ll draw their fire so you and the others can escape”. Not so fast, Brother Elf. I still have a mission to complete and too many of our kin must still get back to Evermeet, us included. “All, prepare to take flight and follow me! Who can carry mistress Cupshigh with them?”

We heard the shamans’ incantations, followed by the sounds of our changeling priest returning to a man. It would only be a matter of seconds before he was overwhelmed by the foul kobolds. The cowards had claimed another of our group.

‘It’s time we make a strategic retreat’ I told my remaining adventurers. Better to leave now so we can avenge our fallen comrades than to die in vain with them. We’ll make a burning pyre of as many as we can, and fly to safety under cover of smoke and fire.

Hawthorne did not think he had the strength to make the trip and stayed behind to light the oil that would allow us to escape to freedom. ‘Perhaps my journey has ended, but may yours be just beginning’, he said.

As I bowed to my brother elf, I watched Stonebreaker liberate Jinx of her possessions. ‘She’s not going to need them, and besides, it’s better we have her treasure than these beasts, no’? As distasteful as it was, I had to agree with him. We’d never be able to spirit her to safety with us. My heart dropped as I watched the thief pilfer one of our own.

Those that remained took a drought of potion and took flight. We burst through the doors and soaked the fiends in oil. True to his mark, Hawthorne let loose a hail of flaming arrows and the fires began to rage. It was a heavy price to pay for our freedom. Perhaps through the smoke and confusion, he found a way out. If not, he died the hero’s death of a true elf warrior.

We will return. And when we do, it will be a day that these creatures remember as we send them to the next world in a most unpleasant fashion.

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