[Shrowd Umbra]

When I was a small girl, before even Tanal knew me, a bard came to the monastery where I was raised. I was forbidden to see him, a traveler paid to have a loose tongue with stories to tell. I would just be another tale to him and the way of life there threatened. I kept hidden but not away. From the shadows beneath the stairs I watched the monks gather around. They offered him free room and board for a night but the bard insisted on giving them a night of song and tale to repay the kindness. It was the first time I heard stories of heroes and their travels to distant lands. The monsters they slew and the deeds done were fire to my imagination.

And then he told the story of a Champion of Toran who traveled long and far in the dark ages to seek out a bandit king, a man of dark magics and tricks. Deep into the desert the paladin rode, facing dangers of both treachery from his quarry and the sands themselves. Eventually in the ruins of a lost city the bandit king was cornered, the paladin challenging him to a last duel. The bandit agreed and they fought in the grandest part of the entire tale. I was enamored even after the paladin unmasked his dead for to reveal the man to be a Tiefling. I stole away to my room before I was missed thinking only of the brave paladin and how grand a hero he was. It never occurred to me then that I should grow up to play the villain.

A spark of that night is with me still. I am not satisfied with living in Silkwood all my days hunting spiders and beetles. I want to try for things legendary even if I am the only one to know the tale. It is for this reason I am frustrated tonight. A man named Idoran was assaulted by his own shadow, a curse from a dragon he claims.

Dragon. Just the mention of it sends otherwise brave adventurers to hiding, and with good reason I'm sure. We all know they ruled the world before us, but they fell! A mortal challenged them and raised an army to beat them, so why not again? I tried to tell the others that every hero and heroine was a mortal same as us and they agreed. Still they thought me outrageous for wanting to best a dragon and break the man's curse. Even Lorn thought me loony I suspect. The man finally softens himself a bit in my company and then thinks me loony. Well, I can see why but nothing is invincible. Even the gods themselves are capable of death are they not? I am not suggesting we rush headlong but at least an attempt. At least give it a chance. I cannot be the only one who fell in love with that Champion of Toran as he rode into battle.

The Kobolds are getting better organized, or were. They massed together and blockaded themselves. Sent a small party to strike against us as well. Maran and Fleur helped me to dispatch the initial wave, and quite a wave it was too. They had archers posted and reinforcements as well. When we investigated the main camp we found it fortified! Tanal was severely injured, still recovering no less. Idoran had to aid us in breaking up the camp's fortified state as well as dispatching the kobolds from their reinforced positions. Archers along the high road were my main targets. I'm pleased to report Terringar's daze spell worked well on the little beasts. I'll have to remember that tactic in the future. The day was saved and I have new stores of Aloe to show for the effort. If only my luck held with this Shadow business. At least Idoran was willing to talk to me on the way to his inn about my ideas. I think them sound, I think he at least listened. If there's a way to kill a dragon, I want to find it. Better than than die the ignoble death.