As I sit in the comfort of my favorite barstool, still pondering how to approach the woman of my dreams I am disrupted by the barkeep asking if I want another ale. “Of course” I quickly reply for it easier to sink myself into a drunken stupor than to face Portia. She is the sweetest and most fair woman I have ever had the blessings to view with these eyes. Oh sure to most she is just another halfling rogue, but I see her in a different light. One of these days I will have the courage to ask for her hand, but for now I will have to settle for our current relationship, which is to say she doesn’t acknowledge my existence.

Ah, my acquaintance the firebug is here. Damned if I won’t be forced to listen to more of his tales of glory and greatness, it makes it hard to drink while someone is lying to me. I would not go as far as to call this tall and lanky human a friend; no Antonio is more a drinking partner who tolerates me and my lies of glory and greatness. Well at least his pockets are usually deep.

As the night progresses a few more people come in for some ale or stew. I see Deitricha the cleric, she seems to tolerate me the most. I have decided to try to take care of her if something happens, obviously she is touched. I don’t know what I would do if she stumbled into some trouble that I could save her from. Tempus rewards the brave and strong, but I believe he sometimes also protects those who do not have all their faculties. Theona and Areon are sharing a table, elves always stick together. I believe that Theona not only tolerates me but enjoys arguing with me more than she would ever admit. Areon, he is a strange one. While I truly understand the wanderlust and desire to move about, rangers have always been an enigma to me.

Though some strange form of luck, these three have taken to not minding me. I don’t know what I have done different to gain this manner of friendliness, but it brings me some comfort.

Antonio is asking about work again, I had asked him before if I might join in his next adventure and despite knowing me he said yes. To my surprise that day is today. It seems that some Lord of Greycastle is seeking a group of adventurers and Antonio thinks this is for us. Theona, Areon and Deitricha have decided to go along as well. This will be ok as long as they understand I am in it for the glory and they don’t get in the way. We head off to meet this fellow and see what he has to offer.

We meet and accept this fellow’s quest, a small mine that needs cleared of some disturbance. I think the meeting would have gone smoother if I was not so drunk, never the less we gather our belongings and head off on the one day march to the mine.

By nightfall we find the entrance and decide to camp the night rather that go any further without rest. Areon finds a small spot out of the wind for us to make a nice camp in, then the trouble starts. I ask firebug to start a little fire with the wood I collected and the group starts complaining about the light. I do my best to explain that we, ok I, need to eat and want to eat warm food. This argument has confronted me before and brought about some bad endings that I would prefer to forget. Luckily Antonio had an answer, this magic user may prove himself quite useful yet indeed. And all troubles pass for the evening.

We found the entrance and worked our way in to find some statues. Statues that seem to be carved a little too well, except the damage each of them shows. It is as if something has tried to gnaw on them. We follow some footprints that the ranger found to cobwebs. Here we find ourselves fighting a group of large spiders. The battle was quick and easy, well except for Antonio who while dodging the fierce advances of the spiders, had to avoid three arrows from behind while we tried to save him. I fired two arrows sinking both deep into flesh. Antonio was angry that one of my arrows now protruded from his back end. I tried to explain that he moved in front of my shot, but he still seems pissed.

After a bit three large spiders lay dead on the floor and I am proud to say I felled one of the beasts. The thief and I, oops, she doesn’t like being called a thief. Ok the “seeker of lost artifacts” and I looked through the room for any treasure just to find some dried husks of what Theona called Kobolds.

We press on into the mine and run into a small ambush. Four of the not-so-dead Kobolds who sat up on a ledge waiting for us. My companions took cover and returned fire while I rushed to tear into their flank. While two of the creatures turned and prepared to engage me my comrades stuck from a distance killing two of them, including one of the ones in front of me. The farthest one broke for help. I quickly cut the remaining one in half when he turned to run. These little devils will learn to fear the name of Tassar Dardragon.

We followed its path to a spot on the floor that dropped me into a pit. I did my best to blame my fellow party members, I just hope it was enough that they didn’t see the embarrassment on my face.

Off we went again into the twist and turns of the mine until we reached a spot where we found two more of the creatures setting up another ambush. I rushed out and fired my bow at them, followed by Theona. Although I don’t know which one did it, there was apparently four more Kobolds hiding behind me and her that we didn’t notice. I have never walked into the ambush to get ambushed from behind; quick minds these little fellow have. After that it became a little of a blur, Areon and me stood shoulder to shoulder against a couple of the creatures, trading shot for shot. Eventually we finished our foes to find we were the only members of the party standing. I believe I got two of them in this room, a small bit is still blurry to me.

The ranger and I dragged our friends to a safe alcove and set up a basic defense for one of the red-skinned creatures got away and called for help. I don’t know how this will end, but by Tempus’s eye I will not go down without taking a fare number more of these beasts with me. And my ranger buddy has proven himself handy with that huge thing he calls a sword as well.