SWAG Suffers Heavy Casualties in Slaughterscar Raid

After defeating the elite gnoll guards, SWAG turned their attention to the massive troll standing just a few feet down the corridor. The troll called out in the gnoll language, asking who was there. It was bound with an iron mask secured over its face blocking its sight and heavy chains bolting it to the wall.

DeKelley, the only SWAG member to speak gnoll, responded that they were friends of Gashkarr. DeKelley had overheard the gnoll guards mention Gashkarr's name in the initial assault into the Slaughterscar. After a few gifts of "crunchies" to the hungry troll, DeKelley managed to sweet-talk the troll into letting them pass. The troll, Rolff, even offered to lower SWAG down the 50' dropoff using the winch and elevator system the gnolls had set up to ease their descent into the excavated tunnels.

SWAG descended and hopped off the escalator. Around the corner was a large beast, with rippling muscles and wings, and wearing full plate armor and a shining falchion. It stood in an ancient room with a fallen statue and four flaming demon arches. The creature appeared unaware of SWAG, so Petra cast bless and Quintavian cast mage armor to buff the group.

The creature heard the spellcasters' enchantments and moved to attack while also creating a shadowy field around its falchion. Morna lept forward while the rest of the group advanced. The creature charged Morna, causing substantial damage. Quintavian cast enlarge person on Petra to increase the damage she could inflict with her longsword +1.

As Morna retreated for healing, Petra moved forward but missed the creature. It responded with a devastating blow, critically hitting for massive damage. DeKelley attempted to heal Petra, but she was hit again, dropping her to -11 hp and an untimely death. With Petra down, Red moved forward while Morna slipped behind the creature. Quintavian blasted the creature with magic missiles, penetrating its spell resistance about half the time. The creature responded with another devastating blow, dropping Morna unconscious and dying. Red attacked and missed, and then he too fell unconscious from the creature's unyielding assault.

With most of SWAG down, Quintavian summoned a celestial eagle, which managed two miraculous 20's to hit, injuring the creature. Quintavian continued her magic missile barrage while the creature attacked the eagle, inflicting massive damage and sending it back to its celestial plane. DeKelley retreated to the elevator until it looked like the creature was fleeing from its wounds. But before DeKelley could reach her, Morna failed to stabilize, and died from her wounds. Red remained unconscious, presumed dead, but unbeknownst to the group, still clinging to life. DeKelley and Quintavian dragged the bodies of their friends out of the Slaughterscar and rode back to the Shining Citadel for help.

Killed in action - Petra, Morna
Severely wounded - Red, evil creature
Sent back to its celestial plane after two miraculous attacks - summoned celestial eagle