This is a journal that I am writing from the perspective of Shadarkhan, a character I will be soon playing in a Pathfinder game. I decided to do this as a way of detailing my character's background (so I don't have to make things up on the spot if questioned) as well as keeping track of what will happen during the game (each new session becoming a new entry in the journal). Since we will start the game at level 3, how characters have already been on some adventures, which will also be written down before the game starts (hopefully).

Here is the prologue, AKA the backstory of my characters before they started their journey. Chapter 1 & 2, the adventures that happened before the game starting point, will come later.

Shadarkhan and Nibbler will both be played by me, while Steel-Eyed Tiger and Sweet Berry will be played by my boyfriend,

For those of you who prefer to read the text in browser, below is a copy-paste of it, so you don't have to download the PDF.

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Shadarkhan’s journal

Adventure party identification

Journal owner

Birth name: Shadar
Current name: Shadarkhan
Nickname(s): Shadar, Little dad (reserved to Nibbler)
Date of birth: Rova 19, year 4699
Gender: male
Species: Dragonscaled Kobold
Scales primary color: black
Origin: Cliffburrow (Kobold settlement in Dragonrock mountain)
Class: commander
Preferred weapon: shieldbow


Awakened animal companion

Name: Nibbler
Nickname(s): Nibs
Date of birth: Pharast 13, year 4718
Gender: male
Species: awakened black bear
Fur primary color: black
Origin: Ardande forest (around Dragonrock mountain)
Class: guardian
Preferred weapon: earthbreaker


Trusted cellmate

Name: Steel-Eyed Tiger
Nickname(s): Tiger
Date of birth: Gozran 28, 4697
Gender: male
Species: Witch Kholo
Fur primary color: dark grey with golden blond spots
Origin: Mwangi Uplands
Class: swashbuckler
Preferred weapon: playing cards


Provider of medicinal strawberries

Name: Sweet Berry
Nickname(s): Berry, Sweet
Current age: roughly 740 years old, maybe
Birthday: unknown
Gender: none
Species: Fruit Leshy
Stem primary color: vibrant green with red fruit ‘hair’
Origin: Ardande forest
Class: oracle
Preferred weapon: none (magic)
 

Prologue: A lonely Kobold and a lost bear cub

Early days
Area: Dragonrock mountain & Ardande forest
Date: years 4699 to 4718

I grew up in an underground Kobold settlement named Cliffburrow. The settlement was comfortably installed at the foot of a mountain, in a gallery of tunnels dug by an adamantine dragon. That dragon was also our protector, living further up on the mountain. Of course, as Dragonscaled Kobolds, everyone in my village learned the Draconic language growing up, in addition to our native language, Sakvroth, as well as Common for those clever enough, so they’d be able to interact with most of the other species of they had to.

Despite being a studious child, ever since I was young, I always enjoyed going out of the village to play in the forest surrounding the mountain. I climbed the trees, observed the wildlife and when I could, befriended the animals to play with them. My favourite game was play-battles where I’d try to lead one team of animals to defeat in a playful skirmish another group of animals that usually had an advantage on the first one. Back then, I never thought this would develop in me a useful skill: knowledge of warfare.

That forest was also home to many wood elementals, earning it the name of Ardande forest. To a young kobold like me, the difference between wood elementals and animals was blurry, and I ended up befriending a few of them as well. Through my contact with them, I became curious, and learned a lot about the forest, and nature in general. They even taught me their language.

When I came of age, as it is tradition in my village, I chose a profession to help the community. Spending most of my time in the forest and knowing it so well, I decided to become a hunter and to gather food for the village. That is when I picked up my first bow and began to learn how to shoot it. I am a fast learner, and I quickly became decent with it.

I spent the next few years continuing to learn more about the forest, hunting for food, and studying the wildlife and wood elementals. I was content with my life: useful to my community, in an environment I felt good being in, with a glimpse of the mighty dragon that we revere every now and then.


Encounter
Area: Dragonrock mountain & Ardande forest
Date: years 4718 to 4723

That day, I was hunting in the forest. As much as I disliked taking an animal’s life, I understood the cycle of life, and I always thanked them properly for their offering by showing to their body the respect it was due and using as much of if as I could before burying the rest. With the years, I had gotten somewhat used to it.

Still, I had set myself some limits. When I spotted the bear cub wailing in the bushes, I immediately lowered my bow. I surveyed the surroundings, but there was no mother to be found. I waited for a few hours, but it didn’t come back. I decided to adopt that cub. During my time waiting, I had found some food I could feed to him, which I did.

I fell in love with the creature right away. He was so soft, so cute, and the way he tried to nibble at me was endearing and a little amusing. I took him back to the village and named him Nibbler. Too anxious to leave him alone with the others and especially not wanting him to develop a habit of using Kobolds as chew toys, I made sure to take him with me anywhere I went.

Of course, raising a creature bigger than you is a challenge. I had not thought about what I’d do once he’d be big enough to hurt me on accident. I was confident I’d figure it out, and I think I made a decent job at it. I do have a few scars from Nibbler not knowing his own strength as he grew up, but the healers always patched me up quickly. Nowadays, he’s very gentle, having learned how to treat a smaller, less robust being.

Through these early years of the bear’s life, my bond with him only grew deeper. We could understand each other. He was doing his best to follow me in the forest, and sometimes even let me climb on his back and ride on his shoulders. He became a good climber, and he showed a lot of curiosity, observing and mimicking me, learning to care for the animals and the elementals alike.

If I was content before, now I was happy. I had a companion to care for, to play with, to share my life and my interests with. We could not converse together – not in a conventional way – but we could still communicate. He was – and still is – my best friend.


Awakening
Area: Ardande forest
Date: Erastus, year 4723

That day started normally. Grabbing my bow with one hand and patting Nibbler’s neck with the other to let him know we were leaving; I made my way to the forest. It was a hunting day, and as usual, I would be looking for animal tracks while my bear companion would be foraging for berries, honey, mushrooms and other such comestible things.

To avoid reducing the animal population too much, I always rotated which part of the forest I was hinting in, and that time, I was taking a whole day trip southward to get to the next area. After sleeping under the stars with Nibbler, I would hunt for a whole day, and bring everything back on the third day, thanks to the wonderful strength of my companion.

As usual, I was chatting with him on the way. He couldn’t answer, but I could swear he understood what I was saying, sometimes. During the first years, I had tried using all the different languages I knew, but for some reason, he seemed most responsive to Common. For a while, now, that had been the language I was using whenever I talked to him.

The trip to get to that deeper part of the forest went well. Nothing special to report, only the usual greetings from a few wood elementals. The night was calm, and I felt safe, up in the tree, at the bottom of which Nibbler was sleeping. Few things dared attack a fully grown bear.

When the morning came, though, we woke up to the smell of smoke. A forest fire had started a few miles away during the night! My first thought went to the elementals, knowing that a fair number of them lived in this area. Getting down from the tree, I ordered Nibbler to get to safety and started running towards the source of the smoke. I only had one idea: help the elementals get to safety.

I have a hard time remembering everything that happened after that. The adrenaline kicked in. I can recall seeing Nibbler in the distance, keeping his eyes on me but too scared to get closer. I picked up smaller elementals, helped free some that were trapped. After a while, I remember seeing my bear friend nearby, pointing the elementals in a direction. Fully trusting him, I started sending them that way, and I followed, staying as far as I could from the flames, but without any hesitation to get closer if I could save any animal or elemental. It lasted for a while.

I remember crumbling to the ground, panting to catch my breath as I looked up to the sky. I was safe, but I couldn’t say how. I know powerful water magic was used to quell the fire, but it wasn’t my doing, as I have no magical affinity. Nibbler was by my side, nuzzling at me to make sure I was ok.

Then, I heard a voice. I was too exhausted to look at who, or what was talking to me, but I noticed one thing: it was talking in Muan. It said: “I have seen your courage, friend of the forest. I have seen the respect you have shown to us. I have seen the loneliness you carry with you. I have seen your bond with this bear companion of yours. To thank you for your acts of today that saved multiple of my kin, I have a gift for you.”

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I passed out right after that. I must have slept throughout what was left of the day as well as the whole night, because it was morning when I woke up, and got greeted by a deep and unfamiliar voice. “Finally, you wake up, Little dad. I was afraid you would never open your eyes.”

To my surprise, I found in front of me a creature that, although looking mostly like a bear, was reminiscent of a humanoid. Some halfway point between the forest creature and a giant. And it looked a lot like the bear I had raised. “Nibbler?” I felt a little anxious as the creature leaned down to me, only to feel the warm tongue I knew so well caress my cheek. “Yes, Little dad. Thanks to the spirit of the forest, I can speak, now.”

The following months showed me that my friend could do more than only speak Common. With a more humanoid-like form, he was also able to interact with things differently. I thought him how to pick up objects in his hands and he asked if he could learn how to fight, so that he could protect me.

Nibbler proved to be a fast learner, making me quite proud. His weapon of choice ended up being a hammer, with a shield and a heavy armor for protection. I taught him all I could about our world, but he had picked up much of it already from my chats with him, before his awakening.

In the end, I felt like I had gained a friend. He was my friend already, of course, but now, he wasn’t just confident. He had his own opinions, could answer to my questions, converse with me. And he remained the same gentle soul and loyal heart, which I could only appreciate. The following months are still very precious memories to me, as we kept living our simple life, happy to have each other.


Departure
Area: Cliffburrow, Dragonrock mountain
Date: Gozran 19 & 20, year 4725

That day, me and Nibbler had just come back from our hunting trip. In the village’s square, the two of us were helping the other kobolds to distribute the food, still fully equipped as we had not been back to our house yet. It seemed like a normal day, and we had no reason to believe anything would go wrong.

There was no signal. No battle horn or cry to sound the attack. I stood there a second, shocked, as I saw the arrow stuck in the chest of a fellow Kobold villager while they fell to the ground, gasping for air with their lung pierced. Chaos struck the village. Our own warning horns sounded, along with the scream of panicked Kobolds. The only word I remember hearing clearly was the following: Kholo.

They had most likely spotted me out in the forest and followed me back to the settlement, waiting for the best moment to attack. I didn’t have enough time to feel guilty, though. I don’t know what exactly came over me, it’s like some walls suddenly grew up around my heart, and I felt more focused than ever. Looking around, I started shouting orders at the villagers. And they all obeyed without any hesitation.

I assembled a team of warriors, put someone in charge of the evacuation, ordered the fastest Kobold of the village to run and get to our dragon protector to ask for their help, and I ran towards the enemy. The warriors followed without me having to even tell them to.

All the playful skirmishes and battles I had done with the local wildlife and the wood elementals flashed in my head. In those play battles, some of the strategies had been pretty useful to turn the tide. They were not real battle, but what else could I do? I had to try something.

Drawing my bow, I shouted my first order and shot my first arrow. My first real battle. Nibbler ran past me, jumping at the nearest Kholo and smashing their head into pulp with a single swing of his hammer. Seeing him, feeling his sheer will to keep me safe, made me feel better. As long as the two of us were working together, we would at least do a number on those raiders.

All we needed was to buy time, and so we did. More Kobolds than I wish to remember lost their life in the battle, but the majority of the village survived, including all the kids. I don’t know how much time we held the line, but I was relieved when the adamantine dragon smashed through their ranks by surprise, taking out a good amount of them and sending the rest to run away, back into the forest.

The village council held a session the next day. A session that I was requested to be a part of. Knowing my place, I remained silent most of the time, speaking only when I was addressed. They asked me to tell them what I knew of the events and to recount the battle from my point of view. I admitted to my guilt in leading the Kholos back to our settlement, but none of them held me responsible for it.

Instead, all agreed that I had a pivotal role to play in the defense of the village and that I should be rewarded for it. I stood in awe as they officially granted me a third syllable for my name, as well as the title of commander. I was Shadar no more, elevated like a local hero to a new rank, and a new name: Shadarkhan.

At a loss for words, I listened as they mentioned that our elder had spoken with the adamantine dragon. The attack was clearly targeting them, and they didn’t think the attackers knew a whole settlement of Kobold was defending them, until then.

Everyone, me included, concluded that it would not be the last attack and that we should try to uncover the identity of the raiders. Who had sent them, and why? Someone had to track the survivors and find an answer to these questions. And that someone would be me. There was no hesitation in the council’s unanimous vote, no other candidate offered, and I couldn’t argue with it. I was responsible for leading them to us, after all.

Before the end of the day, I was in the forest, Nibbler at my side, making my way towards the closest city where I could possibly find traces of a group armed Kholos passing by to buy supplies on their way to the mountains. A city named Kibwe. Where I’d find the beginning of more adventures than I thought I’d ever get to see in my whole life just a few days earlier.