From my professional journal during the Keep on the Shadowfell missions, entry three, parth one:

After speaking with Valthren we decided that we would head north to check out the ruins we were told about, but first would get ourselves a well deserved rest. My meditation was fitful, though, and I found myself groggy and unfocused.

Lodi ended up being commandeered by the Halfling elder, we are not entirely sure what for, but as luck would have it a young Warlock was staying at the inn and was bored enough to see what excitement we could offer. We agreed to let her fill in for Lodi because, you know, we were pretty sure even a Warlock would make a better Ranger.

I will have to remember to mention that to him when he gets back from hunting possum or falling in pits or whatever it is he is doing, since it isn't nearly as much fun to tease him when he can't hear it. We certainly missed his tracking and his skill with the bow, but Humans will outlive Elves before I tell him so!

As we approached the gates the guards once again greeted us as if we were newly come to town, and I can no longer pass this off as a drunken spree. Not that I truly felt that way even in the beginning, but it is obvious even to the most casual observer now. Unfortunately the group doesn't qualify as even the most casual of casual observers, and they ignored my concern.

We had not gone far before the Elven Ranger Ninaran approached us, saying she had found those captured during the battle by the wagon we came across when first entering the region. She told us they were still alive but being held captive at a camp not overly far away. We agreed to help her free them, and set out together.

As we got close to the camp, Zar'za motioned us to let Ninaran get ahead of us a bit so that she could let us know that her gut instinct was telling her that we should be cautious of Ninaran. At the very least the Ranger wasn't telling us everything, and so we all agreed that we should do our own reconnaissance rather than trusting her.

I faded into the cool embrace of the forest with silent footsteps and silent curses for the Halfing Elder. We could really use Lodi about now, he makes great bait.

I had not gone far before I caught the distinctive glint of metal, and decided to move up to see what waited in ambush. I got close enough to see a prone figure that was larger than any of the Kobolds we had faced before, and I decided to return and share what I knew with the group.

Now that we knew it was indeed an ambush we quickly formed a battle plan. Krova would approach from the direction the ambushers expected, making enough noise to simulate an entire group. The mages would take up position by a rock, with Lars assisting Krova with his ruse. Zar'za would position herself such that she could concentrate on healing Krova since he would be taking the brunt of the ambush. I would sneak around and flank.

Groups live and die by battle plans, they are crucial to long term success. Someday I would like to participate in one that works.

The first thing that went wrong is that, due to my troubled rest, I just couldn't focus well enough to fade into the woods like I should. I had not gone far before I stepped on a branch like some clumsy Cleric, and alerted the ambushers to my presence. Fortunately I had the wit to freeze so that when Krova began his diversion they would turn their focus on him and forget about me.

The next thing to go wrong, or two things as the case may be, were their archers. These two just did not miss, and they rained pain down on Krova throughout the entire battle. He fell to his knees several times, regaining his feet only through sheer willpower and Zar'za's skill. Had either failed we would have surely perished in that battle. Even so, it took the combined skills and teamwork of the entire party to defeat our aggressors.

I drew first blood, assassinating one of the creatures before it could even join the fray. I continued to harry and confuse them throughout the battle, forcing them out of position whenever possible. On one occasion I shifted an archer within the range of Korva's deadly blade, and on another I shifted a flanker away from him and into Zar'za's reach while the Paladin and I fought back to back.

The mages rained destruction down on our enemies while Lars' firey sphere bounced and burned the archers. It was because our mages kept them on the move that we only took as much damage from them as we did, it would have been worse otherwise.

Krova jumped into combat and unleashed his lightning breath to great effect, killing many outright. Even so, it took all of Zar'za's skill to keep him alive through the battle. Krova eagerly returned the punishment he took, and the bodies began to stack at his scaley feet.

Zar'Za was a paragon of faith, channeling divine power across the battlefield to keep Krova alive and to return some of the pain to our adversaries. She may have grumbled loudly later about her role in the fight, but there is no doubt in my mind that we survived because she played it well.

When the dust settled we found that 'Ninaran' was in fact a Dust Hag, and was leading us to our deaths. We do not know if Ninaran ever really existed, or if the Hag impersonated her at some point after the real Ninaran was neutralized.