[Shrowd Umbra]

I met again the Torian Halfling Paladin, Lyr by name. I think he did not recognize me out of my usual green. I had heard of a pair of bounties upon the goblins of the Red Light Caverns, as well as rumor that the very caves housed bats. Ever eager to champion justice, Lyr offered me escourt and I, having seen how deadly those goblins can be in groups, readily agreed. We had the chance to meet Rose, a mute arcanist. We can only assume we have correctly guessed her name as she points to a rose in her hair.

With our forces gathered we pressed into the caves. I would have liked to travel deeper however Lyr warned there was something vile below us, able to steal life itself. I have felt poison and disease both but this stealing of life frightens and disgusts me. I felt satisfied with the treasures of the first two floors. The Red Light Caverns are not only spectacular in their unusual lighting but house veins of Greenstone, a gem that can be refined into a key ingredient for nearly every healing potion and salve. Lyr is right that the town of Hlint would benefit greatly from access to these caverns unmolested, but I still hold with the philosophy of Aeridin. To remove the goblins removes whatever purpose they serve. I strongly suspect their presence there applies enough pressure to the mountain Ogres and Giants that the great behemoths do not press south into the roadways. True I may be mistaken, but I am certain the eradication of even something as simple as a goblin tribe would hurt the world. Better to cull them so they are less bold in their activities instead.

With Greenstone from Hlint, Aloe from the fields of Hempstead, and Garlic from the deep of Silkwood I am able to make simple potions of healing fairly easily. I was surprised to find the instructions simpler than the Alchemist Fire and Acid I have produced as of late. Healing kits require a certain knowledge of venoms and diseases to manufacture, making them far more difficult to create. While not beyond my ability to try, I fear I would waste resources that were difficult to gather.

Shadows and hell, I lost my ox! The Silkwood cave has Copper and Tin veins, both key to the manufacture of Bronze metal. I know this from my forrays into the cave to explore earlier. They have a kind of cave bird with red tail feathers there, a blood drinking sort. Never one to waste a kill I plucked them bald intending to find a use for them later. It occurred to me arrows would use the feathers and that the kobold camp outside hempstead had the perfect wood for the attempt. With feathers and wood in hand I intended to mine the metals I would need for arrowheads, only to loose my ox and very nearly the lives of myself and Tanal. A stranger by the name of Tolin had arrived prompting the ambush but fortunately she brought strong magic to bear against the lizardfolk and drove them back before the worst could happen. I paid no heed to hiding my heritage until after the confusion of battle, I can only hope Tolin thought the magical darkness was conjured by the kobolds.

Tanal was able to make his way to Folian's Vale and the druidic healer there. My ox fell over on its pack, destroying all I had worked for since coming to Mistone. Fortunate I kept my three essences of Cure on me. Frustrated and infuriated my fiendish blood got the better of me. I took one of the leopards from the vale along and began the hunt to wipe out the caves. The leopard fell in the first assault and I may have too had others not come, Fehriel and his lady friend Emry in particular. Fehriel berated me for taking the leopard along to which I had a few heated words of my own. Why Emry chose to stay in a cave with two obviously angered Tieflings is beyond me. Perhaps she thought us in more control. By the time all was said and done, nothing lived. None of the kobolds, Goblins, or bugbears escaped my arrows. Every monstrous wall of ooze felt the lash of Fehriel's blade. Nothing was safe from Emry's magic. I look back now at the slaughter and wonder where my mind went. Much of me feels shame at having done such a thing after all the patient years Aerlin spent instructing me otherwise. A small part, I pray a very, very small part, cannot help but think it a job done well and lasting. I fear that little voice.

If those Hardhammer brothers do not appear soon I may have to find another use for these bones. My back is beginning to ache from lugging so much bone about. It also makes it difficult to mine properly, I have not attempted it again since replacing my ox. Perhaps they are just away for a spell, or have not frequented southern Mistone.

//Special thanks to Tolin and her DM friend for rushing to my aid that night. One Ox Pack is enough for me.