The adventure log is taking a turn for the dramatic at this point. Our group is currently running the Keep on the Shadowfell module from Wizards of the Coast. Dumdragon (that's his username on this site) is running it and I (Rauthik) am playing a Githyanki Warlock - Infernal Pact, named Varrick. The log will be done as entries from Varrick's journal. So, without further ado... here we go.....

I have been in this realm for nearly two years now and it has not been easy. Aside from being seperated from my cadre, if any of them managed to survive on that fateful day, I find myself with an odd 'homesick' feeling for my native plane the Astral Sea. Regardless of this, I trudge on.
Recently I came across a small settlement called Greenvale. The local gathering place is actually located outside the town itself, making it easy to get food and not rouse the suspicious looks of the townsfolk. I roomed there for two days when a Dwarf came in and talked to the proprietor. He was asked to take a message to another settlement far to the West, named Winterhaven. It's a long road and he was advised to take on some help in case of trouble. The inn owner recommended me along with an albino Elf and a Dragonborn paladin. Should be interesting and my funds were running low so I took it.
The road to Winterhaven was mostly uneventful, however we did get attacked by several kobolds. The creatures were tougher than we expected and we did not fight as a well trained team, like I have been raised to. Still this was our first combat together and the Dwarf Cleric who leads us is a good companion. As is the Elf, with whom I've developed a rapport and even some strategy. I forget that the people of this plane are not in tuned with the powers of their minds so when I used my telekinetic powers to hurl the Elven swordsmith in to the fray he was at first quite alarmed. He quickly adjusted though and we beat the creatures who waylaid us. Once in Winterhaven, it seems the person we were to deliver the message to was not in town. It seems that even his friends and acquaintances think he's a bit strange and he recently claims to have discovered a dragon's grave. When we met his wife, however, she told us that she was worried. He had gone off to this supposed grave a few days ago and has not come back.
Of course Fargrim (the Dwarf) said that we would find him for her. Quinn (the Elf) and By-tor (the slightly touched Dragonborn Paladin) and I had no qualms about doing this either. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Also, Quinn and I felt that if a dragon was buried there might be a fair amount of treasure there as well. Before setting off we browsed the market for a bit and By-tor purchased a chicken, which he immediately let run off. He then insisted on buying more chickens and some sort of commotion broke out. I kept my distance and used the distraction to help myself to some fruit at a nearby vendor's stall. Later the Paladin claimed to have chased a giant talking chicken. Fargrim, Quinn and I fear our companion is not too tightly wrapped.

At last we left the town and headed up to find the dragon grave. Not far from the town we were attacked again by viscious kobolds. Their Dragonshield warriors and Wyrm Priest gave us a lot of grief, swarming around us while we were pelted with energy missles. Again I used my mind to hurl Quinn through the air, a tactic we are working on perfectly, so that he was able to close with the kobold mage and give him a taste of his twin broadswords. By-Tor, Fargrim and I held the rest of the creatures, but certainly took some hits. With the creatures dispatched we took a short rest and moved on to where the path we were following split. One way headed towards our destination, but the other was where the kobolds had come from. After little deliberation we decided to stick to our original destination and shortly found the excavation site.
We neared the site and found several humans digging up what appeared to be large bones (I guess there was a dragon buried here afterall...), but also with them were two small lizards creatures called drakes that guarded the dig site. Also, a halfling stood upon a ridge nearby and a gnome supervised the dig itself. Quinn strode toward the group and hailed them saying he was hired to bring a message to them, but they immediately turned hostile and a fight ensued.
Between By-tor's acid breath and Quinn's twin blades, the human rable fell quickly. However the gnome proved elusive for them while Fargrim and I contended with the drakes. After the drakes fell and the gnome was proving elusive, I decided to end his dance by calling upon my dark patron and dousing the gnome with the Flames of Phlegathos, incinerating the nuisance. During all this however, the halfling on his high vantage point rained sling stones down upon us and Quinn was his primary target. The little bastard's aim was deathly accurate and when we were able to turn our attention to him I "fast ball specialed" Quinn (threw him with my telekinetic will) to be face to face with the halfling. Then, while he sliced at our diminutive advesary I hurled bolts of eldritch power to soften up our foe.
After the battle we found the man we were looking for wrapped in a blanket and tied up next to a chest. Fargrim released him while Quinn and I checked the chest for anything that might prove useful (or valuable). It seems that the gnome was also wearing a the man's locket with a picture of his wife in it (I believe the man's name is Durvant, but to be honest I have not paid attention since I consider all of that Fargrim's responsibility. Quinn and I are just the hired help). Durvant took the picture out and gave us the locket as thanks for his rescue and then recounted his tale to us, while Quinn tried to convince Durvant that the gnome was sleeping with his wife and the locket was proof. Regardless, it seems that Durvant was digging up the bones and one night got attacked while he slept. He had been tied up for a few days now and his attackers had excavated quite a bit during that time. They had also uncovered a mirror set in carved obsidian that was designed to be used in rituals to Orcus, along with a dragon figurine with the same purpose. We took these figuring they would fetch a good price in the open market, but still wondered just who would need such items as they are obviously used for no good intent. I guess considering my patronage to my dark master, I am not one to talk. During these conversations we made camp and rested up, while Durvant headed home to his wife.
On our way back to town we decided go down the other path and find where the kobolds had come from. Well, it didn't take long before we found a waterfall with a cave next to it. Sure enough a dozen of the little creatures were scurrying about outside it and battle quickly ensued. This one was tough too. They came from all sides and while we engaged the main group of them others hurled clay pots of sticky goo that would cause you to be stuck in place. Worse yet, they scurried and scampered all over the place, sliding themselves in to flanking positions quicker than we could stop them. Eventually we did defeat them and headed in to the cave.
At this point, Quinn went in to the stream and entered the cave through the waterfall. He must have noticed that the waterfall covered another entrance and he used the cascading water as cover to sneak inside. Of course there were more of the beasts inside, mustering themselves for the attack, and we clashed quickly right inside the cave entrance. Once again they scurried in to advantageous positions and we quickly found ourselves in a heated close quarters battle with some of the tougher samples of kobold kind. Quinn, who came in behind them, went to circle around and found that more were coming from the back of the cave. This group included the clan's wyrmpriest, his body guards, and a particularly hideous goblin who went by the name of Iron Tooth (cleverly derived from his metallic dentistry) whose scarred face bore a large tattoo proclaiming his dedication to Orcus. The first wave had proven difficult, but just as the last one fell, this second group proved to be our undoing.
By-tor was the first one of us to drop. Soon after Quinn ducked in to the waterfall for cover again and to stablize his wounds. Fargrim and I held on as best we could but found we had to retreat from the cave in to the open ground of the outdoors. Unfortunately, we didn't quite make it. Fargrim fell beneath Iron Tooth's axe and shortly there after I too felt the blade and was plunged in to darkness.....

We awoke, bound and gagged in a side chamber of the stinking caves these kobolds inhabited. We could hear them talking but they were around a corner and so we knew we had to act quickly. We managed to slip and cut our bonds (as it seems they did not strip Quinn of his spare dagger (either they thought were would be out much longer than we were or they were really stupid). Just around the corner from where we were being stored, was the group of kobolds and their goblin leader discussing our fate and right next to our room was an alcove where they had deposited our gear. We tried to sneak over to our stuff, figuring on grabbing it and leaving, but they noticed us and we had only seconds to grab what we could before once again fighting for our lives.
This time around things seemed to go in our favor.... at first. We started out fighting like hellions, but quickly the tides turned and we were once again on the receiving end more than not. Fargrim, as tough and resilient as he is, fell first. At this point we were only left with the wicked Iron Tooth and the Kobold Wyrmpriest. Quinn the dropped the kobold and helped me focus on the goblin. I had already cursed Iron Tooth and laid into him with my Hellish Rebuke, where in for every wound I suffer he would share my pain in the form of fire from my Dark Master. As Quinn came to my aid, as I would not be able to stand against this foe much longer, I laid one more Hellish Rebuke upon the creature. He struck me down, fanning the flames upon himself with my pain, and my dual blade wielding friend was left to finish the job.
When I awoke, Quinn relayed how the two traded parries for a while and the dual nearly ended with Iron Tooth the victor. Wounded and weary, we rested before burying By-tor's remains and heading back to Winterhaven. We almost made it back with out any incidents when we came across a caravan that seemed to have been abandoned by the road. The animals were skittish and we instantly knew something was wrong. However, we threw caution to the wind and I approached the nearest cart. The kobolds (damnable creatures that they are) seemed to come from nowhere as they attacked. Some were hidden in or rumaging through the carts, while others were simply a few yards away behind some bushes. This battle went much smoother than our last few. As we are definitely learning to work together better. In addition, two allies joined us in the fray. It seems that two humans were part of this caravan which was attacked in the night. While they had slept, the kobolds snuck up and attacked them, binding their limbs instead of outright murdering the humans. After the battle started, they were able to slip their bonds and join us, which certainly added to the routing we gave the creatures.
These two new friends go by the names of Corrick and Hanz and I think they might be brothers they way argue. While I do not know if I have any siblings as I was raised to be part of the cadre, I understand human siblings fight a lot. Maybe when things are quiet I'll ask them if they are related. As of now, they are humans -Corrick and warrior and Hanz a huntsman- and thus look very much alike to me.