How Do You Sing 'Girl From Ipanema' In Gnoll?

After the gate battle, SWAG searched the gate room and found a note to Gashkarr, describing a gathering of forces near Vraath Keep, a place unknown to SWAG. SWAG destroyed 2 gate sigils to disable the gate, an act that would greatly displease the Ebon Cabal. SWAG then decided to spend the night in the gate room resting, with Red on guard. Red surprised a powerfully-built gnoll (later determined to be a flind), and SWAG dispatched him after a short battle.

SWAG awoke the next morning, Flocktime 2, and headed back to the main elevator room. There they encountered 3 gnoll priestesses carrying a large ark with animated severed heads, and quickly webbed them all in place. As the web burst into flames from the nearby flaming demon arches, the gnolls desperately tried to escape, but were burned in the process. Quintavian countered an invisibility attempt with a well-placed glitterdust and Red bull rushed a gnoll into the ark of severed heads.

As SWAG defeated the two ark-bearers, the 3rd gnoll fled to the elevator and Petra rushed in as the doors were closing. Petra's luminary tabard unfortunately burned to a crisp in the process. Petra battled the gnoll up the elevator, bull rushed her way out and chased the gnoll down stairs to a hall ending in 4 doors. The doors were barred before the gnoll could enter, with high pitched voices cheering on the battle from behind the doors. The final gnoll was killed, and SWAG retreated back to the Shining Citadel with the ark.

At the Citadel, the Luminous Order promoted Petra to Luminary Champion and gave her a greatsword of the celestial host +1 and a new luminary tabard. Odette and DeKelley were also inducted as Luminary Captains. The Order reported slow progress in the clockwork horror battles, and asked SWAG to journey to Andrushel to check out Vraath Keep, located just beyond the town.

SWAG journeyed on to Andrushel, stopping at the U. in Riverbend, and checking in with Armin Harrak and shopping in Sumberton. Lukrimar Keep welcomed the group and finally, on the hot summery day of Flocktime 8, they neared Andrushel. A large force of hobgoblins and fire-breathing dog-like creatures waited in ambush, however, attacking from fortified positions along the road near an old farm house.

After an intense battle that nearly saw the end of Red and Quintavian, the battle was won. SWAG found a map of a town on the hobgoblin leader and a dead farmer, merchant and 3 bodyguards in the farmhouse. SWAG also found a note on the merchant, dated nearly a week ago, asking for help from increasing bandit attacks...