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).

I have now added Chapter 2 to the story, AKA the second adventure that brought Shadarkhan from level 2 to level 3! There is a little surprise chapter that will come later.

The PDF contains everything written so far (characters involved as well as prologue, chapter 1 and chapter 2), but down here in the description I only put Chapter 2 (it's already long enough like that...)

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

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Chapter 2: A little detour on the road

Unified by fate once more
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 13 to Erastus 16, year 4725

The next morning, I left the inn I had been staying at since I had arrived in the city. I was determined to simply walk to the western city gate without any stop. Despite being proven innocent, I was not welcome, and I didn’t want to bear the heavy gazes of the citizens any longer than needed. I was so focused that I didn’t even see him.

It’s only when the Kholo cleared his throat with the obvious intention of catching my attention that I realized he was standing there, back against the city’s wall, right before the gate leading to the outside. To my confused look, he smiled and said: “Well, turns out we’re going in the same direction, and let’s be honest: you’d get lost, mugged or hurt in some landslide or another if I let you travel alone.”

A few weeks before, I would have felt hurt by the comment, but I knew him better than that, now. No matter the reason, he wanted to travel with me, and after spending a whole evening wishing we didn’t have to split so soon, I was not going to let the opportunity pass. I nodded and I kept walking, the sound of his step joining mines and Nibbler’s the only confirmation I needed that we were once again a merry little group.

Well… Merry… I smiled when I heard the bear’s voice saying: “You try to steal anything from my little dad, and I tear off your face with my own fangs.” And smiled even more when Tiger answered: “You can try, but it’s gonna be hard to find my face after I burst out both of your eyes with my cards.”

To put an end to those friendly banters before they escalate, I calmly said: “Tiger, take the lead, you know the roads better. Nibs, keep an eye on me from the back of the line, and be careful, please; last time you got distracted by our spotted friend, you almost crushed my tail under your foot because you didn’t notice I had stopped walking.” A simple reminder that my companion was at least twice my size and needed to act accordingly.

With our new formation decided by the absence of protest from my travel companions, we walked through the gate and entered the jungle. At first, everything felt natural: the roles and tasks were spread naturally between us and we mostly agreed on how to do things. But, on the morning of the fourth day, I noticed something was wrong: Tiger’s wound was getting infected.

I tried to chastise him for keeping the situation a secret, as it had certainly been painful for him, but he brushed it off by saying it wasn’t anything that serious before he woke up that very day. Of course, it was another one of his lies, which I understood as soon as he said that there was a small settlement nearby that he had heard was inhabited by a skilled healer. All this time, he had been making sure we’d pass by the village, because he knew his situation was getting worst. We all agreed to go see that healer and seek some professional help for the Kholo.


Berries can’t fix idiocy
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 16 to Erastus 17, year 4725

We arrived at the small village – more like a camp with only a dozen cabins – early in the evening. Considering the limited amount of people living there, they had no trouble pointing us to the right person. Especially considering that they were the only Leshy around. Apparently, their strawberries were infused with healing magic and their name was Sweet Berry. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little inside when I heard it, but then again, my best friend was named “Nibbler”, so it’s not like I was original with names myself.

The plant being received us in a small alcove in the jungle nearby. It wasn’t quite a clearing, it was too small for that, it was like a small, tended grove. Even to me, a being of flesh and bones raised in a cavern, it looked like a home. After inspecting our friend, the healer said with a neutral, professional tone: “Can’t fix. Too broken. Can only stop pain, remove eye. Should’ve been done before.”

After explaining that we had not had the opportunity of seeing a real healer before and all we could do was to keep it clean and hope for the best, Nibs and I left Tiger in their expert care and went back to the settlement to look for a place to stay the night. An idea kept me up most of the night, torturing me: with what limited fonds we had left, would we be able to afford the treatment? We had to do something to save the Kholo – Wow… just a few weeks prior, you’d never have caught me thinking something like that! – but what would we do if we were not able to pay the Leshy?

The next morning, determined to negotiate for the sake of my companion, I went back to Sweet Berry’s grove. Of course, it’s not a good idea to negotiate before even knowing the price, so the first thing I had to do was to ask about that. “Thank you for accepting to tend to my… friend, here.” I had a moment of hesitation. Calling a Kholo a “friend” felt awkward. Saying it more so than thinking it. But I moved on. “How much gold do you require in exchange for your services?”

I was so used to how things worked in Cliffburrow and Kibwe, especially after spending weeks dealing with criminals, that I had not even considered that gold might not cover the needs of a plant being. “No gold. No need. A favor.” I was dumbfounded. No gold? Just a favor? I frowned a little inside. No, not ‘just a favor’. Who knew what they could ask for? “What kind of favor are we talking about?”

The Leshy looked at me for a few long seconds. Either they were gathering information, thinking about the words they had to use, or giving themselves the courage to talk, I don’t know even today why they took this break. “You are adventurers. Can fight?” I hesitantly nodded. “We’ve been out of a few rough situations before. By need more than by choice.”
Berry nodded. “Need help. Former acquaintances. Can’t do alone. Put them to rest.” Putting to rest their former acquaintances? What did it mean? The fact they had asked if we could fight surely meant more than a simple burial ritual. Maybe some monster had taken place on the location where they wanted to perform the burial, or any other funeral.

After a few seconds of thinking, I accepted. “We will help you. We can’t leave Tiger without care, though, he’ll have to come with us. When will he be in a good enough condition to do so?” The Leshy looked at the Kholo, then back at me. “Few days. 2 or 3.” I thanked them, and went back to the village, letting the healer work in peace.


Always be prepared for anything
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 19, year 4725

After 2 days of helping the villagers the best we could while waiting, Tiger insisted that he was ready and that we could leave. I wasn’t sure if he was acting tough or really healed enough to get back into action, but seeing as Berry did not object, I accepted to get going.

The Leshy took the lead with my former cellmate, as they were the one knowing where the spot we had to go to was. When asked how far we were going, Berry simply answered: “Not far. Few days.” I didn’t know at that point if they were trying to be mysterious, or if it was simply the way they were.

Not long after we left the village, Tiger slowed down a little, until he was at my level. “Would you like to learn how to speak Kholo?” I don’t know why, but the sudden, direct question had me frown with suspicion. Was that some sort of test?

I should not have doubted him. I trusted him, after all we went through, and yet it was so out of the blue that it took me a few seconds to answer with a question of my own. “Why would you teach me?” In perfect Tiger behavior, the Kholo shrugged, smiled, and said: “Nantambu is pretty far. We haven’t got much else to do until we get there. Beside, wouldn’t it be useful on your search?”

Of course it would. But he was also looking for some Kobolds. I still didn’t know what to think of all that. Being friends while both looking for a group of the other’s species. And yet, he was offering it with good heart. “It would be useful, yes. I could teach you Kobold, in return.” He shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. Never been one for studying like that.”

Now that I think back to this moment, I believe it was a way of thanking me for agreeing to the Leshy’s terms, for doing whatever was needed to ensure he’d be healed. Maybe he refused my offer because then his own wouldn’t have meant as much? I simply don’t dare ask him the real reason why.

At the beginning of the afternoon, as Berry had us go through a small valley between two sharp cliffs, we walked into a landslide. Berry seemed surprised. “Is new. Wasn’t here before.” The fallen terrain was covering the whole thing up and we had to choose between climbing over it or going back and around, which would take us the rest of the day. We decided to climb it.

“Ah! I had a feeling it’d be useful at some point!” I turned around to look at Tiger, who was pulling a rope out of his bag. “I saw that at the market the day we bought our supplies, and I just had a feeling I had to take it.” Well, that certainly was convenient.

The Kholo went first, climbing the debris and throwing the rope down to us. I went second, using the rope to make things a bit easier. Then, Berry climbed using the rope, while Nibbler was climbing with his claws right beside the Leshy, coaching them and catching them when they were losing their grip.


Not all battles are handled with weapons
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 19 to Erastus 20, year 4725

Later that evening, as we were looking for a place to spend the night, Tiger signaled us to stop and be quiet. Crouching, I approached to see what he was looking at on the other side of the bushes. The first thing I noticed was the abandoned fort. Such a place would have made for a comfortable stay, if it wasn’t for the second thing that caught my eye: bandits standing guard at the entrance.

Sitting in the bushes with Tiger, I took the time to observe. There were many of them, some making rounds on the ramparts, some standing guard, and certainly more inside. During our time of observation, we saw a group of them coming back. To prove they were part of the gang, they showed something to the guards: some sort of badge? I wasn’t sure.

Once again, we had a problem: we were still in the valley between the mountains, with cliffs on both sides. It seemed like we’d be out of it once we’d pass the fort, but there was no way we’d pass undetected. The sensible thing might have been to go back and find another way, but that could take a lot of time, and we might not have the supplies to make it to Nantambu. We decided to go through it.

The plan was as follow: wait for the night to fall and sneak through the fort. On the way, if we found anything useful that we could carry, we’d take it. Stealing wasn’t the most honorable behavior, but taking from bandits didn’t bother me. It’s not like they had acquired their goods in a legal or moral way.

There were two huge obstacles to overcome in this plan: Nibbler was not really the discreet type, and we’d still have to pass the guards at the entrance, there was no other way in. With those two pieces of the puzzle to ponder over, we decided to look for a place hidden from the eyes where we could get a little bit of rest. Fortunately, we found a small cave nearby, barely big enough for all four of us.

I took the first round of guard with my bear companion and left the second one to the Leshy and the Kholo. Of course, during that time, I tried to think of solutions. The best solution would have been to have some of those badges, so we could fake to be part of the bandits. It seemed to be a rather diverse group, and they wouldn’t have much trouble believing a Kobold and a Kholo, of all species, were part of their organization.

When came the time to wake up the other two, I had not found any real idea. Hoping that Tiger and Berry would be able to come up with at least something, I went to sleep. Before I closed my eyes, I saw my old cellmate look towards me with his signature, enigmatic smile that seemed to say: ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan’. I brushed off my worries and tried to get some rest.

My eyes opened to find only our healer friend standing guard. Sitting up, on alert, I asked: “Where is Tiger?” To which Berry replied: “Will be right back.” What did that even mean? I started gathering my things with the idea of heading out of the cave and trying to find the Kholo’s tracks. As I got out, I saw him coming back with his victorious smile. “Where did you go?
- Got ourselves some of these, that’s all.”
I caught the object he was throwing to me: one of the bandit’s badges. I was astonished: he had gone alone to the fort and procured badges for all of us? “How did you get that?
- Easier to get in without a clunking bear. Now, we can all pass.”
I decided not to be angry at him and to just take the opportunity. The four of us set out. Once again, the Kholo took the lead. “I have more experience with this, so let me do the talking.” I did not object.

After hearing Tiger’s made-up story and seeing our badges, the guards let us in. Not without commenting on how peculiar a talking bear and a talking plant are, which had me worried to be found out for a moment. But the two bandits shrugged, mumbled that they’d have to tell their friends about it, and stepped aside. We were in.
Once in, it was surprisingly easy. With most of the bandits sleeping and the others not even questioning weather we were part of the gang or not, we made our way through. Having decided to take as much as we could from them (to hinder their activities as much as help our own), I searched every room not occupied.

Once, has we were going through a room with sleeping bandits, I saw the Kholo slipping his hand into one’s pocket, taking a few gold pieces. That was probably how he had gotten our badges, too. I ignored it, focusing on getting on the other side. As soon as we got out, my friend once again made something up and with that, we were on our way, unscathed.


The jungle is a treacherous place
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 20, year 4725

After getting far enough from the bandit fort, we decided to take the rest of the night to sleep. With only a few hours of interrupted sleep, we resumed our journey in the morning.

An hour of walking later, we found an area filled with burn marks and some calcinated bushes. The sight of it made me think of the fire back when I was home, the one that happened just before Nibbler was awakened. I frowned: it was different. The fire then was a natural fire as much as I could tell, and this had nothing natural.
I looked at my companions and saw the Leshy trembling. “What is it, Berry?” The answer did not surprise me, and I found myself a little stupid for asking. “Don’t like fire.” Before I could comment on that, Tiger pulled out one of his cards. “Ember foxes!”

My bear companion rushed towards the elementals as I was taking my bow out. “Stay behind us, Berry!” As Nibbler was keeping one of the three beasts busy, the other two lunged towards us. I blocked one’s attack with the shield attached to my bow, but the fiery vulpine slipped around me, biting the Leshy healer.
“Nibs!” The ursine guardian charged, shoving away the elemental and striking it with his hammer. The Kholo swashbuckler seemed to handle his own foe with enough ease, so I decided to shoot an arrow at the creature that was initially fighting Nibbler and was now coming towards me.

For a moment, the fight turned into some sort of dance: I blocked or evaded a blow, stepped aside, shot an arrow point blank into the beast, and started over in a weirdly coordinated routine. I got bitten or slashed by claws a few times, but finally, the elemental fell to the ground… just before I was going to shoot another arrow. Seeing one of my old cellmate’s cards stuck in the back of the fox’s head, I looked over to my companion and nodded to him in thanks.

Then, I realized that Nibbler was also done with his opponent. Getting closer to the Leshy, I asked: “Are you alright?” It took a few seconds for them to answer. “Am… fine?” They seemed a little surprised, but not in a bad way. They even proceeded to treat all our wounds.

Once everyone was patched up, we resumed our travels. I noticed that my bear friend, who was sometimes paining to follow us ever since he had gotten his new armor, was keeping up with us more easily. He was getting used to the weight of it, which was a good thing for the group.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully. We decided to camp by the side of a river to have access to some fresh water, and to get ourselves cleaned up a little. There was an hour or two left before sundown, but we thought better to stop now in a spot we knew was safe. Or so we thought.

Me and Tiger were cooking dinner when a sound alerted us. Before I could say anything about it to the rest of the team, a river drake jumped out of the water, attacking Nibbler, who was the closest target. I’m slightly thankful for it, as I am not sure anyone else would have survived such an attack.

Like an oiled mechanism, we all got into formation. With the bear guardian distracting the beast, the swashbuckler and I each on one side of it, attacking from afar, and Berry using their magic to support us, we managed to make it out without any severe harm.

Once again, the healer had to tend to us. Well, mainly to the awakened bear. Still, I noticed that they were getting more efficient at it. Battle injuries are different than what they had been dealing with until then, but they were quickly learning how to handle them.


A horrible desecration
Area: Mwangi jungle
Date: Erastus 22 to Erastus 30, year 4725

After the brutal encounter near the river, having a whole day with no incident felt both blessed and ominous. We made sure to enjoy the rest, but also to get ready. The next day, we’d be reaching the grove where Berry’s former acquaintances had to be put to rest.

I still didn’t know what that meant exactly, but the Leshy reminded us to get ready for a fight. Whatever creature was preventing them from burying their comrades, or whatever else was their grieving ritual, it would prove challenging to deal with, seeing how nervous our healer was.

I understood what was going on only when we entered the grove, weapons in hand. There was no creature. In front of us were Leshies. And they were zombified. A group of zombie Leshies. I felt pain for our vegetal companion, having to put down his own kind so they could finally rest.

Out of respect for Sweet Berry and for the comrades they have lost, I will not detail this fight. We did come out victorious, but my heart was heavy. After making sure that our friend was alright, we offered to escort them back to the village. Berry shook their head. “No. Coming with you.”

I assumed that, with their job done, they didn’t want to stick around, and I couldn’t blame them, so I simply nodded my approval. Tiger found us a path back to the road that avoided the bandit fort, and we resumed our travel towards Nantambu.

On our way, we stopped by an organized camp near the ruins of Holy Xatramba. We chatted with the explorers searching the ruins for artefacts and I bought them this empty journal. I decided to write our past adventures in it, and keep track of the coming ones, as I am sure we are not done facing challenges in our respective searches.