As my time-stiffened fingers copy the words written in my youth I find myself both amused and embarrassed by how brash and full of myself I was then. Could I have truly been so judgmental and self confident? One of the benefits of youth is to be completely oblivious to ones own ignorance and shortcomings. I wonder just how much we would be able to accomplish if we actually knew the truth of things. Would it be more, or would the knowledge paralyze us or convince us to take other courses of action because the necessary risks had so little chance of success?

From my professional journal during the Keep on the Shadowfell missions, entry two, part two:

We rested briefly after our battle with Ironteeth, and discussed continuing on to investigate The Third Sinister Rib. We had expended much of our energy, true, but we all felt we had more than enough left to at least look into it and go from there.

After a few hours of travel we came upon a large pit where we could tell some vaguely human creatures were working, and Lodi and I once again attempted to convince our less-than-stealthy companions that they should stay put and let us do our jobs. Seriously.

Unfortunately the pit was guarded by a pair of large lizards, one of which sensed we were near, so we were not able to do more than confirm there were a number of humans and some foul mouthed creature with an inhumanly high pitched voice. We decided to try again from a different vantage point but unfortunately we picked a place prone to rock slides, and our position was compromised. Humans, lizards, a Halfling, and a detestable Gnome came boiling out of the pit hell-bent on doing us harm. I am guessing they had never encountered an Elf in the woods before, and evading them required little more effort than simply standing and watched them chase Lodi, the Ranger who cannot hide in the forest. After the enemy Halfling peppered the woods with his impotent stones it became less amusing, and we decided to lose the bumbling city dwellers and join back up with our friends.

You may ponder for a moment that a Rogue is calling others City Dwellers, but remember that I am first and foremost an Elf. I am familiar with the ways of civilization to an extent, but it is still the forests that call to me. Disregard that at your own peril, for I am the wolf in the shadows, and your life is mine to ignore or claim however I choose.

Now that we had a good idea what we were up against we decided this was well within our means, especially given Lodi and I had mapped the area and knew where the best tactical place to attack was. We decided that Lodi and I would set up in a wooded area where we could attack the lizards as they struggled across difficult terrain, while we ourselves could be sheltered from ranged attack somewhat. The rest of the group would await our signal before attacking, which they more or less did.

The plan went off well and Lodi and I were able to surprise them, dropping the first lizard in short order. The damned enemy Halfling managed to pelt us with a hail of stones, injuring both Lodi and I before Zar'za put the fear of the underworld in him and sent him on his way. After that it was relatively simple work, as the team once again accounted well for themselves with the blood of our enemies.

We did manage to take a prisoner and interrogate them after the battle, but in the end he was a simple hireling with minimal information. What he did have, however, concerned The Third Sinister Rib. We gave him a gold piece to help us search the pit, where we recovered not only the rib but also the unfortunate remains of Douven Stahl. We were all saddened by his fate, but at least it was known now, and he could be given a proper burial.

The only other notable find was a magical locket the Gnome carried, containing a picture of a beautiful woman that none of us could identify. Apparently the Gnome had foul intentions concerning her, and I found myself feeling quite satisfied that he would not have the chance to pursue them. The locket itself we gave to Krova, since its properties would bolster his survivability. Given recent events, we all felt this would be something he would desperately need in days to come and the rest of us would benefit from him having.

Now that our two main melees are more able to stand on their own, I can begin to do what I am truly good at: making the fight shorter. I will be the wolf to Korva's bear and Zar'Za's tiger, darting in to hamstring and bleed, dancing back out of harms way again. I will worry them with fangs of steel and rob them of all choices save which form death will take, and which of the pack will deliver it.

We returned to town to discover the gate guard did yet again greet us anew, as if he had never laid eyes upon us. Even my subtle reminder that I knew of his flask brought no remembrance. There is something very odd going on here, and I begin to believe the laxness of the keep is not all due to a simpering Lord. This requires careful investigation, and I have not settled on the method or the priority yet.

When we presented our information to my contact we were met with surprise at our findings and dismay for the body of Stahl. We were told that there were no contingencies for this, and my contact would need to go get counsel on the subject. Meanwhile we are tasked to continue the investigation in any way we see fit.

Ninaran was conspicuously absent, which while not entirely out of the realm of possibility for a Ranger, it certainly was odd given her intensity when tasking us with dealing with Ironteeth. I cannot help but have misgivings about it.

Even though it was late we decided that it was important enough to wake Valthren to seek his advice, and to retrieve the information he promised us if we could prove ourselves worthy. He said he would get this confirmation from Ninaran, true, but we felt he would concede under the circumstances. It was an accurate assumption.

On our way to his tower we passed Delphina Moongem the Elven flower girl, as I mentioned earlier in my journal. I will not fail in my next attempt to trail her, nor shall I trust a Ranger to do a Rogues work.

When we presented ourselves to Valthren he let us in and listened carefully to all we had to say, and spent a good deal of time inspecting our finds. He told us about the information he had found, and that we had confirmed his dire suspicions. He thinks that a group is trying to open a gateway to Shadowfell, and that the rib could be an important piece to those attempting it. The intent, it would seem, is to free Doresain so that he might in turn prepare this realm for the coming of the Demon Lord Orcus. Doresain was apparently imprisoned in the Shadowfell not far north from here, in a keep that has long ago turned to ruins. Given that other small evidence has pointed to something odd happening up that way, it would make sense that the keep would be our next place to investigate.

Valthren also gave us a copy to this poem:

In shadowed keep of tumbled stone,
A peril hides, for years unknown,
The Kinslayer's spirit guards it yet,
'Gainst the very child he did beget.

The thing of evil sent dark dreams,
Nightmares wrought of tortured screams,
The vowed defender's sword did rend,
Murder to fate's hand forfend.

Awakened to the awful truth,
Shattered bones of men and youth,
His wife and children, pride and joy,
Seen as demons, he destroyed.

The Kinslayer met his death alone,
For wicked deeds he would atone,
So awaits he for the fated time,
Forgiveness grant for hated crime.

Visions echo through the halls,
Ghostly blood runs 'long the walls,
None can face those cursed remains
Fear like water in their veins.

If seek ye treasure, fame or greed,
Kinslayer's words be wise to heed,
Be ye born of purest light,
None can withstand the endless night.

I cannot imagine the agony one would feel at discovering they had killed their own family, how much worse must it have been for a Paladin of his stature? Apparently enough that he felt the only way to atone for it was to guard the gate for eternity. His story and his warning rest heavy on my mind, conjuring dark images and darker thoughts.

I pause a moment to reflect on what I have copied from my journal, amazed that I had missed so much. I try to comfort myself with the knowledge that some things are much clearer after you have experienced them than they are when you are in the thick of it, and that I was very young. The wisdom that comes with age will allow little consolation from such justifications, however, and so I press on as much to drown out my thoughts as it is to complete this task I have set for myself.

From my professional journal during the Keep on the Shadowfell missions, entry two, part one:

An opportunity to scout the local keep did not readily present itself, given the lower priority, nor did I have a chance to question Krova about the mystical circle from yesterday. All things considered, I now wonder if it is important enough to bring up at all. But I get ahead of myself, I suppose.

We decided the first order of business was to gather assistance for our missions. Plural. Because, of course, we cannot see to the rib until we have seen to Ironteeth. We are told that there is a new mage in town apprenticing to Valthren, and that there might also be assistance found within the Halfling encampment outside of town. Given Zar'za has an arguably better rapport with Valthren, perhaps, we decided she would be the one to visit him to find out more about the mage. Given the Halfling was rumored to be a Ranger it seemed I might be the best one to talk to him.

Neither went as planned.

Zar'za returned in a foul mood, but with Lars Solsted the Human Wizard in tow, I am told. When I later met up with him his robes were damp and smelled of lye, and there seemed to be a bit of a story in there somewhere concerning Valthren's laundry being tossed in the mud. While I am all for clear communication, I am not entirely sure that is the safest method of informing the mage you are apprenticed to that you quit.

The laundry escapade was playing out while I was entangled with a Halfling Elder named Tonberry, who seriously needed to be stabbed. Maybe not anywhere vital, but definitely somewhere he would remember for a while. Halflings are notoriously trying even in the best of times, but one has to wonder how the little bastard was able to walk, what with his enormous balls getting in the way. He actually wanted us to pay to have one of his Rangers accompany us, even though we had a common enemy! I found myself suddenly rooting for the Kobolds, until I remembered the trouble they were causing the rest of us.

So Tonberry the Elder was so annoying I decided I had better go get Krova, as much for his ability to heal the little runt as for his diplomatic skills. The healing might have been necessary in case I 'missed' while stabbing Tonberry 'a little'.

On returning to the inn to retrieve Krova I found that Zar'za had returned with Lars, and that he wanted a shot at convincing the Halfling to quit being such a pain in the ass. He returned after a brief time had passed, alone.

We decided it might be time for all of us to head over to Mr. Rat Bastards and see if we couldn't convince him to just cough up support for his wellbeing and ours, and let us get on with it already. He apparently worships some deity that is profoundly against getting anything done, and we were stuck negotiating yet again.

Krova made a good argument that we were being asked to pay for merchandise we hadn't yet had the benefit of appraising. I suspect Tonberry knew well how this was going to end because he put up a good fight over it, but ended up agreeing that a contest was a fair way to test his Rangers skill. That didn't stop the little runt from trying to fix the match, though, and offered an inferior bow. When I declined that, he wanted to rent one to me, so we finally made a side wager wherein I would pay a piece of gold for use of the bow if I lost. So I began the contest with not one but two wagers, one to reduce the price of his Ranger, and one to borrow a bow to do it with.

Let me just say that after I showed that the 'Ranger' was worth less than a pack mule we somehow still ended up paying 20 pieces of gold up front, with 10 due later, or 20 pieces to be payed if our mule comes back dead. And I didn't get to stab Elder Greedy even a little.

Not long after that we set out for the Kobold cave, Lodi Fairfield the pack mule in tow. When we got close to the cave we decided it was time for Lodi to start earning his pay, and he and I scouted out ahead. They were obviously expecting us because they set up a few traps, one which I disarmed and another that Lodi bravely pointed out by falling into it and getting himself impaled. I rather like the little bugger.

Once we were sure the way ahead was clear we brought the rest of the group up to the waterfall, but we spotted some strange patches of ground that my senses immediately warned me of hidden enemies. I told my companions to wait quietly while Lodi and I snuck up and silently dealt with the hidden threat, so we would not lose the element of surprise. Unfortunately Tieflings are apparently not known for their patience, and she merrily stomped through the underbrush like a bull elk in rut, alerting everything within 70 leagues of our presence. I barely had time to shove my sword into the face of the nearest Kobold before the creatures were upon us. I later found out that the impetus for ignoring my tactical counsel was instigated by Krova, the self-appointed stealthy scale-clad Paladin.

With all hope of a surprise attack gone, we slowly advanced just into the cave to take a stand. We fought long and hard, using every ability at our disposal, and again everyone accounted well for themselves. Lars showed he did indeed know a few useful tricks, while the ever faithful Krova kept the brunt of the attack off of us. Zar'za was not shy about winning friends and influencing people either, putting a firey mark on Ironteeth itself. Granted, she did do her obligatory face plant soon after, but Krova was kind enough to lay hands on her.

Lodi proved that Kobolds were much easier to hit than stationary targets, perhaps due to the incentive one gains when the target attacks back. He made a point of the fact that his attacks were much more damaging than mine once I lost combat advantage, perhaps in answer to my initial comment that I was somewhat at a loss as to why he was worth 30 pieces of gold when I was clearly more effective, but I let the body of Ironteeth sliding off of my sword speak for itself.

The battle was fierce, but when the dust settled Zar'za had Dwarven Chain and a set of Iron Teeth. It turns out that Ironteeth was a Dolgaunt, according to Krova. All I know is that it was a tough adversary, but we were victorious just the same.

All in all the battle consisted of a number of skirmishers, a priest, a pair of defenders, a number of Kobolds of lesser skill, and Ironteeth.

In addition to the Dwarven Mail we found a scroll with the following written on it:

My spy in Winterhaven suggests we keep an eye out for visitors to the area. It probably does not matter; in just a few more days, I'll completely open the rift. Then Winterhaven's people will serve as food for all those Lord Orcus sends to do my bidding.
- K

I cannot yet guess who K is, but I have suspicions about Delphina Moongem the Elven flower girl being the spy. We have been warned that there is something odd about her, and I have felt it too. Unfortunately she has easily evaded both attempts to follow her, once when I failed to trail her unnoticed, and once when Lodi did. Spotting a Halfling Ranger takes some skill, but spotting an Elven Rogue is very suspicious indeed. But perhaps I was just clumbsy, I will take extra care next time. Still, how Lodi managed to be seen in the dead of night escapes me, as much as does the reason for Delphina being out that late.

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

After receiving my instructions I set out to gather basic support. I called upon Zar'Za the Tiefling Cleric of the Silver Flame, and Krova'karthis the Dragonborn Paladin of the Sovereign Host. We geared up lightly for the mission and set out at daybreak. My companions know me only by Shade, as do all save those rare few I trust with my life, for surely it is a secret worth my life and more. The name has served me well thus far, as only one incompetent would so boldly name themselves a sneak to all, and I am anything but incompetent. True, I have much to learn still, but let them all think I am so filled with desire to show myself as important that I proclaim it with my very name.

Besides, those few who will believe me will make an effort to protect from me that which they wish me to find the least, and in so doing bring attention to it.

A few days before Winterhaven we came upon the scene of a previous battle marked by a ransacked and overturned wagon, and approached cautiously. My companions stayed on the road as is the wont of 'civilized' races, while I accepted natures embrace and scouted forward. The stink of Kobolds was unmistakable, and the wind brought me the vile sound of their mirth as they thought to ambush us. By 'us' I mean my companions, of course, as they approached the wagon in full view of our would-be assailants. Why must the other races be blind to the ways of the forest? Despite the obviously weak tactics of my companions we easily killed the kobolds, noting among them a skirmisher, a pikeman, and one that flung pots filled with various alchemical concoctions. They were relatively unorganized, with no obvious commander.

The remaining days to Winterhaven were uneventful.

Winterhaven was a tactical nightmare. The guards were slovenly and lax, with neglected equipment and no concern for their posts. At least one carried a flask to help pass his 'watch'. A child with a wooden sword could take that keep! The local lord seems to care even less, and I am told he sleeps late and that I should not bother to seek audience until noon! I will investigate this more thoroughly after the immediate tasks and threats are dealt with. Had the lord and his guards done their duty we may not ever have needed to come here.

I met my contact as expected, and received more detail on my mission. My contact told me that several others had been sent to investigate a Dragon Burial Site to the south, and that an artifact called The Third Sinister Rib has been rumored to be located there. None know the significance of it, but we fear it is worth our lives to retrieve it, as the others have seemingly given theirs in the attempt. This is our primary goal here, but there is another threat that is delaying us.

We chanced upon a Ranger going by the name of Ninaran, who seemed perfectly happy to provide that delay. Because of the laxness of the local lord and his armsmen, a gathering of Kobolds has been allowed to gather nearby to the south east. Ordinarily I would have let this pass in favor of our primary task, but Ninaran told me that the Kobolds are lead by a Hobgoblin by the name of Ironteeth. This is troublesome in that it isn't just a gathering of Kobolds, but an organized raiding party.

We also spoke with the local Sage, by the name of Valthrun, who confirmed some of the information we had already gathered. He indicated that he had more to share, but that we had not shown ourselves trustworthy yet. He told us that clearing the Kobold threat would show that we actually care for the wellbeing of Winterhaven, and that we are capable of selfless acts.

So with events conspiring to force us to deal with the Kobolds prior to attending our mission, we set out in the morning to deal with Ironteeth and his hoard. We first encountered them in a wooded area by a stream fed by a waterfall, which later we found concealed the cave of Ironteeth. When we silently approached the first group we discovered one in apparent command who was standing in an arcane circle of some sort. More I cannot say on the circle, as I was not able to get close enough to see for myself, nor have I been able to question my Paladin companion. I wonder what he determined about it from standing in it during the fight.

This group was much more organized and much better supported than the few we encountered at the wagon. I chose my companions well, and we accounted for ourselves with the bodies and blood of our enemies, but in truth we were only three against a hoard. We killed them as quickly as they issued forth from their cave, but did not have the support we needed to press forward. In the end we made the decision to come back to Winterhaven to enlist the needed help.

I am weary and must rest before scouting the keep tonight to determine if it is worthwhile to investigate the local lord. Perhaps I can find some way to encourage him to provide supplies, if not manpower. Somehow I don't think simply asking will provide anything useful.

Even after all these centuries the words written in this journal cause my withered hands to tremble with the memories they invoke. Faces of old companions haunt my vision like ghosts, and my tears are like manifestations of phantasmal blood shed in service to our various patrons.

But I was young then, and did not fully understand the costs imposed by honor and duty.

~ Shade, so named for contrasts between the darkness in the minds of men and the cool respite found beneath the leaves of the pillars of nature

Snow falls lazily from the sky, echoing the flow of thought through my aged mind. Many are the lifetimes of Men I have counted, old even for one of my own kind. That is more of a wonder than it might at first seem, for I have not lead any easy life. Not that it has been a bad life, but I have certainly exercised more than my fair share of recklessness.

I laugh in wonder that I have survived this long, even as tears stream down my face as I mourn friends felled by the hand of enemies or by the hand of time. In my youth I used to consider that a redundant sentiment, for I saw the hand of time as an enemy. Later I came to see that even time can be merciful, dulling and even eventually removing old injuries to body and soul. How many names have I forgotten over the centuries? How many faces? These are not comforting thoughts.

I have decided that as I prepare myself to depart this world I will once again remember and honor those I have fought beside, and I will do my best to ensure their names are not easily forgotten. It is important for those that follow to know all we have sacrificed for them, that they might understand their duty and have the courage to face it.

I have combed through my journals, both professional and otherwise, to extract the pertinent pieces of my life and put them down in one central work.

This, then, is my story.