26? 27? Mirtul, 1369 DR

Immy, do you ever think of our ill-fated sea voyage to Balduran’s Island? How we huddled in the chamber below Dradeel’s hut at night, hearing the howls as the two tribes of werebeasts tracked and fought each other outside? I can’t help recalling it now. We’re trying to rest in a cave that was the chief lair of the local wolfpack. The only survivor is the Pack Mother, a werewolf named Anath. She is distraught over the loss of her friends, who have been perverted into evil Shadows by some powerful being who styles himself the “Shade Lord”.

Jan became uncharacteristically angry when the werewolf mentioned the Shade Lord. He spluttered for quite some time before we could get anything coherent out of him, but then told us that gnomes hate and despise all creatures of Shadow. Apparently it’s been an enmity from time immemorial, as Shadow magic is some sort of twisted fusion of the schools of illusion and necromancy. Garl has forbidden gnomes from dabbling in that area of research, because the evil spirit Urdlen loves to use such dark sorcery. Jan also told us that Shadows can’t be harmed by ordinary weapons, so I am even more glad that Anomen has Ashideena to wield. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to give it to him earlier. Oh, before I forget, Jan warned Nalia not to waste her time studying any spells that generate cold; it seems they’re immune to that, since their own attack consists of a numbing touch that saps the strength of their victims.

This Shade Lord is powerful, Imoen. According to Anath, he has made his headquarters in some ruins nearby. Normally, Shadows won’t appear above ground during the day, but the Shade Lord has somehow managed to create unnatural darkness over a huge area. We must have been in it for half a mile, at least, before finding refuge in this cave. Now the shade wolves huddle around the entrance, baying, but cannot enter. The creatures can’t pass the barrier of brightness we’ve created. You remember the lightstones Yeslick made for us long ago, Sis; I got mine back when the Dukes sent on my trunk, and Anomen created similar ones for Jan and Nalia. Their glow beats a campfire or pine torch all hollow for writing, as the increased legibility of my journal shows.

Jan and Nalia need to rest for a while, and so does Minsc, even though he felt better as soon as we moved just a bit westwards from Imnesvale. His usual cheerful spirits returned by the time we reached the local ranger’s cabin, and his headache was gone. I think his ranger soul was relieved to be back within the green forests. In fact, there seemed to be an unusual abundance of wildlife about Merella’s cabin. I don’t know if some of the woodland creatures have moved closer to the village to escape this miserable darkness, or if they were attracted to the ranger’s presence, or if there’s just a lot of critters out here in the first place. Whichever it is, Minsc seemed to like it. He even admired the cabin, and I can’t ever remember him saying that he liked a house before.

Maybe he’s just getting tired of life on the road. Dynaheir told me that it had taken them months to travel from Rashemen to Beregost, which I can well believe, seeing that it’s two thousand miles or so. Sometimes I long to stop all this running around myself. I was used to the idea of a semi-nomadic life, but that was when I thought all I’d be doing was traveling around looking for new recipes, staying a few months at a time in a city, not constantly fleeing from people who want to kill me. I just hope Boo finds out where you are soon, Imoen. I don’t want to have to trust myself to the Shadow Thieves that I am certain stand behind Gaelan Bayle. I’m starting to wander off; I’d best get some sleep.

Anyhow, it was Merella’s journal that led us here. I wouldn’t trust the werewolf half as much if Merella hadn’t noted that this pack avoided preying on humans and livestock and had coexisted here peacefully for many years.

Soon I will have to talk to Anomen, a moment I dread, but surely it can wait another day--- or night, there’s no way to tell what time it actually is in this unnatural gloom. There will either be time enough after we defeat the Shadows, or the point will be moot.