The Final Battle!

After the defeat of the sniper Skather, SWAG prepared to lead the troops gathering in Cathedral Square to defend it against an assault by a strike force led by the horde's powerful leaders.

SWAG organized the dwarven mercenaries, Tiri Kitor elf rangers, and town guard, along with the town's leaders and allies from the Luminous Order. As battle cries echoed through the night, a sudden storm swept into the square, knocking out the street lamps. Brave town guard ran forward to relight them, as the song of the horde's bard was heard singing an inspiring song to the troops.

With the sight of a goblin worg rider, the battle was on. Hobgoblins joined in as the Sumberton defenders moved to engage the attacks. Soon after, the horde's leaders emerged along with an assault force of hill giants and ogres. Petra rode forward to engage the enemy leader, Wyrmlord Hravek Kharn, a powerful hobgoblin in full plate red dragon scale armor. Odette and Trillian peppered the attackers with arrows while Quintavian enlarged the dwarves and DeKelley, and she blasted the enemy with magic attacks. DeKelley raced to heal the wounded.

As the battle raged, the horde leaders used their knowledge of SWAG from past battles to their advantage. Petra was flanked by giants as Kharn attacked with his wounding heavy pick. The ranger Saarvith fired bane arrows, knocking Harsty down. The bard Ulwai Stormcaller launched musical thunderstrikes while the bugbear Koth sent forth deadly lightning bolts. SWAG and the dwarves pummeled the hobgoblins, while the giants smashed through allied ranks and massacred town guard and elf archers.

Petra held off the attacks as long as she could, finally falling to pick and greatclub attacks, dying on the battlefield she fought to defend. But the tide had turned, and SWAG rallied to kill horde leader Khran and most of his minions, with most enemy troops killed, the other 3 horde leaders fled to fight another day.

After a night filled with raging battles, SWAG was victorious in driving off the horde. Through well-staged diplomacy, strong alliances and winning battlefield tactics, the horde proved too weak to regroup and scattered into the country. Chased down by the Luminous Order, the horde was vanquished, and the Valley of Obelisks was restored to peace.

In gratitude for SWAG's actions, Lord Carstellan granted each member of the group land and funds for a small keep, and Petra was raised from the dead. The Valley citizens began to rebuild the destroyed towns of Andrushel, Lukrimar Keep and Dondurran, while the Luminous Order moved to restore and fortify Vraath Keep to defend against any future threat. Peace and quiet returned to the Valley, for now....

Dragonspawn Sniper!

After holding back waves of horde attackers, Carstellan contacted DeKelley to inform him that the horde was falling back to regroup. Carstellan called on SWAG to return to Cathedral Square so the city defenders could also regroup to prepare for the final battle.

SWAG headed to Cathedral Square as the sounds of skirmishes continued to echo through the streets and the Tiri Kitor engaged the dragons in the aerial combat. As SWAG approached the square, Carstellan contacted DeKelley again as choatic shouts erupted in the square. Carstellan said that the powerful wizard Immerstal had fallen before Carstellan suddenly fell silent.

At Cathedral Square, SWAG saw Luminary Champion Armin Harrack yelling for soldiers to take cover from an unseen sniper. A poisoned human bane arrow flew across the square, hitting Harrack, rendering him helpless, while other bane arrows hit SWAG. Quintavian cast fog cloud to provide cover as SWAG headed toward the source of the sniper attack. Petra flew into a coffin shop where the sniper was hiding - finding a blackspawn ninja that could disappear in the blink of an eye, deflty evading sword attacks. DeKelley raced to heal fallen soldiers and damage from the bane arrows.

After a well placed glitterdust, Petra and Odette fought Skather, the ninja sniper, while the rest of SWAG battled hobgoblin spellcasters. With nowhere the flee to, Skather and his hobgoblin horde agents were destroyed.

After the battle, Carstellan and Harrack were healed but badly weakened from the poison arrow attacks. From the skies, Sellyria Starsinger reported that a group of hobgoblins led by the horde leaders themselves was headed for Cathedral Square. SWAG would have to lead the troops in a final battle to defend Sumberton from the Red Hand horde.

Streets of Blood/Defense of Carstellan Manor

After defeating the attacking hobgoblins in Sumberton, SWAG braced for repeated waves of attackers trying to reach defense HQ at Carstellan Manor. During a lull, retreating Tiri Kitor elves raced toward SWAG in an attempt to escape their Red Hand pursuers.

Blood ghost berserker bugbears followed, cutting down several elves as they tried to flee to the safety of SWAG's line. SWAG engaged the bugbears, taking out several with Odette's well-placed arrows, Petra's sword, Hartsy's air assaults, Quintavian's fireballs and DeKelley's artillery and even his demon gate relic revolver.

As the battle raged, the bugbears swarmed the barricade and clambored over and around it, killing the other Tiri Kitor and nearly killing Quintavian. SWAG regrouped and took out the last of the bugbears.

After the bugbears were defeated, goblin riders on bluespawn thunderlizards charged down the road. But SWAG was ready, super-sized and resistant to electric attacks. SWAG stopped the goblins and thunderlizards, holding off the horde's attempt to rampage straight through to Carstellan Manor.

Hold the Line!

With thousands of hobgoblins and other evil creatures pouring through the breached Sumberton walls, SWAG raced from the battle with the dragon to the main road leading to Carstellan manor. There, SWAG met up with a small force of Sumberton guard and militia led by a Luminous Order knight.

The force had built a barracade to block the street from the approaching force. Meanwhile, battles raged throughout the city in countless street skirmishes and ambushes in alleyways.

SWAG took control of the defending force and prepared for the assault. Moments later, manticores flew through the dark night sky, bombarding the defenders with tail spike attacks. Several guard and militia fell to the onslaught. In the meantime, hobgoblins began racing toward the barracade, firing arrows into the defenders.

SWAG met the attacks with a volley of spells and arrows and flying and horseback charges. DeKelley desperately tried to heal the wounded. A mortally wounded Tiri Kitor ranger mounted on a dying giant owl hurtled from the sky, praising Corellan Lorethian as he dive bombed a manticore in a final suicide attack. As SWAG fought on, the tide turned. With the attacking force mostly defeated, a hobgoblin spellcaster fled into the sky. SWAG regrouped as Carstellan warned via telepathic link that a force of bugbears was headed that way.

They've Breached the Walls!

With the Red Hand horde preparing to storm Sumberton's city walls, SWAG helped the city with final defensive preparations. On a tense, hot summer day, SWAG patrolled the city, helping to repel several probes of city defenses by goblin worg riders and flying horde creatures.

Shortly after nightfall, cries rang out as boulders hurled from the darkness began crashing into the city walls from the north and south. SWAG raced to the northern walls while Luminous Order knights prepared to engage the southern attackers. SWAG exited the city, heading 500 feet north to stop 4 hill giants who were bombarding the city walls with hurled rocks.

Dodging arrows from hobgoblins firing from long range, SWAG engaged the giants. The giants were determined not to be stopped from their bombardment, and they continued pummeling the city even as their comrades fell to SWAG's attacks. Finally, SWAG succeeded in defeating the giants. The city's northern walls were severely weakened, but did not fall.

As SWAG returned to the city, Lord Carstellan informed them that the Luminous Order knights to the south were unable to prevent the collapse of the southern walls. The horde began pouring into the city through the breached walls.

Before SWAG could reach the breached southern walls to help defend the city, the large red dragon Abithriax began his assault on Sumberton, setting several buildings on fire and descending to grab militia members only to fly up with them and then drop them to their deaths. SWAG reached the dragon to find several dwarven mercenaries and Sumberton soldiers dead or unconscious, and the remaining militia fleeing for their lives.

SWAG engaged Abithriax as a sudden windstorm appeared, fanning the flames and spreading the fire to nearby buildings. As the city around them burned, SWAG launched a devastating attack on the dragon, trapping it in tanglefoot bags, magically suppressing its breath weapon, and smiting it with greatsword and bow attacks. Finally, Abithriax fell, and SWAG helped put out the city fires, preventing the destruction of more of the city's infrastructure.

SWAG quickly healed and prepared for the next battle.

Striking a Deal With the Ghostlord

With the Red Hand horde a mere 6 days from Sumberton, SWAG continued its journey into the Ghostlord lich's lair. SWAG first entered a dissection chamber, finding surgical implements and a disposal pit. Harsty glided into the pit, only to be attacked by a large gray ooze. The ooze was not all that mobile though, and SWAG dispatched it quickly.

SWAG then encountered the Ghostlord's bonedrinkers, which lept up to try and pin their foes and dissolve their tasty bones. Apparently, raptorans have the tastiest of dissolved bones. After SWAG dispatched these creatures as well, the Ghostlord himself came to investigate.

SWAG negotiated with the Ghostlord, offering to return his phylactery in exchange for him calling off his 50 force strong undead legion that was due to depart shortly for Sumberton. Although SWAG contemplated attacking the lich, the nearby ghost lions and the urgency of returning to Sumberton dissauded them from attacking, and a deal was struck. Defeating the lich could wait for another day.

SWAG then hurried back to Sumberton, with a stopover in Silvermont. SWAG had never been there, and had trouble finding it. SWAG soon learned that the Ebon Cabal had hidden the entire town in a powerful illusion. Naryalla the bard urged SWAG to leave, and SWAG reluctantly did so.

SWAG then flew to Sumberton, and saw thousands of hobgoblins and other foul creatures encamped outside the city's walls. SWAG flew into the city past archers guarding the newly fortified city walls and met with the War Council. SWAG helped persuade the War Council to: 1) mount its major defense from the safety of the city walls, rather than taking the main battle into the field outside the city, 2) distribute most of the clerics among the soldiers to aid in battlefield healing rather than holding them back at the Cathedral of Pelor, and 3) provide a telepathic bond to Sellyria Starsinger of the Tiri Kitor, rather than the captain of the army or the head of the merchant's guild.

Only one day now remains until the horde launches its attack on the walled City of Sumberton...

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Scryin' Me, and I have no privacy (oh oh oh oh)

After the Carstellan party excitement on the night of Wealsun 6, some members of SWAG enjoyed a restful sleep while others engaged in "nighttime diplomacy." The following day, SWAG met with Lord Bariss Carstellan and the Sumberton city council, who thanked them for their intervention and apologized for Thrann's actions. On SWAG's recommendation, the council agreed to shore up city defenses, muster the city militia, and begin evacuating civilians to the southern towns.

SWAG spent the next day helping refugees flee Dondurran. That night a group of barghests and hobgoblins attacked SWAG, knowing where they were camped at an abandoned farm from a previous scry. The barghests used their dimension door powers to teleport through walls to great effect, but SWAG drove them away in defeat.

SWAG then learned that a group of several hundred enemy troops had broken off from the main horde encampment at Dondurran and was heading toward Kel's Rise. SWAG flew to Kel's Rise to warn the village, which was huddled behind a small castle's walls with 20 village guard and 20 militia defending the town. SWAG contemplated helping the town resist the horde, but instead urged them to evacuate and planned an air raid on the horde approaching the village.

SWAG approached the smaller horde of 300 or so enemy troops and tried to get close enough to launch a fireball. Thirteen flying creatures were guarding the horde from the air, however, preventing SWAG from getting too close. Instead, SWAG dropped aerial bombardments of alchemist's fire and Odette fired her bow at the troops' leader, Wyrmlord Saarvith who had previously fled the battle at Rhest. After Odette hit Saarvith and several horde arrows hit SWAG, Saarvith and a few other flying creatures turned invisible and SWAG retreated.

SWAG then flew back to Sumberton -- now in full war preparation -- to retrieve Petra's newly upgraded heavenly burst greatsword +1, and they learned the location of the Ghostlord's lion-shaped lair. SWAG spent the next 4 days flying around the horde to the Ghostlord's lair in the Thornwaste, arriving on Wealsun 18.

With the Red Hand only 6 days away from its planned attack on Sumberton, SWAG enterred the Ghostlord's massive carved lion lair and battled hobgoblin monks with grappling dragonchains. SWAG defeated the monks and then encountered more monks, Red Hand clerics and the bard Ulwai Stormcaller. SWAG pummelled Ulwai's guards while she used bardic music thunderstrikes to attack Petra. As SWAG closed on Ulwai and landed several hits, she turned invisible and fled.

Miss Manners Wererat Party Tips

Dear Miss Manners:

I am planning on attending a party, but I believe the host is a wererat. I am concerned that he may be secretly allied with an invading goblin army. Time is short as the evil horde advances and refugees flee their homes. I fear that in order to expose him I must break the law, but if the law has been corrputed by evil, isn't it my duty to unmask it?

Dear Troubled in Sumberton:

Eating from the point of a knife was commonplace until it was roundly condemned about 200 years ago, when the fork came into widespread use. And cutting up all the meat before it is eaten is done only for small children not yet trusted to wield knives. That you were not told this before is a shame. But now you know.

Yours, Miss Manners

SWAG enjoyed a relaxing sleep in Sumberton following many days of travel, and had a breakfast meeting with Luminary Champion Armin Harrack the following morning, on Wealsun 6. He said that he had successfully persuaded the soldiers blockading Dondorran that their orders were unlawful, and they let the refugees begin their trek toward Sumberton.

SWAG also met with Naryalla of the Ebon Cabal who provided SWAG with scrolls of reveal lycanthropy to unmask Thrann Carstellan and his guards as lycanthropes. SWAG prepared for the party by procuring silvered weapons and hiding what weapons they could with reduce spells and other tricks.

At the party, Thrann Carstellan made a brief appearance. SWAG swung into action, dispelling magic protecting him and launching their attack. Thrann was revealed as a wererat to an entangled group of party-goers and SWAG fought to stop him. Two disguised warforged ninjas lept to his defense and SWAG fought a spirited battle. While SWAG attempted to hit Thrann and fought his ninjas and other guards, a small kobold cohort climbed under a table and critically hit Thrann with an inflict serious wounds spell. Thrann fell and the battle was won.

SWAG found Thrann's father and brother unconscious in a nearby room along with the halfling leader of the merchant's guild. With the wererat conspiracy unmasked, Armin Harrack promised to heal the Carstellan family and remove their lycanthropy curse. With the city's leaders rescued, an immediate council meeting would be called to begin preparations for a last-ditch defense of the city.

Panic on the streets of Dondurran

After SWAG destroyed the hobgoblin roadblock, they ventured on into the Blackfens swamp. The next day, they were attacked by a greenspawn razorfiend's acid and razor wing attacks. They defeated the creature and befriended the wild elf Tiri Kitor tribe that inhabits these parts.

The Tiri Kitor gave SWAG a safe place to sleep before investigating Red Hand operatives based in the ancient flooded city of Rhest. Joined by Tiri Kitor bard Trellara Nightshadow, who sought to avenge the death of her brother by the razorfiend, SWAG assaulted the Red Hand in Rhest.

In a swift nighttime surprise raid, SWAG swept into Rhest, quickly killing ogre guards. SWAG fought an ettin and Red Hand goblin ranger Wyrmlord Saarvith mounted on a black dragon. After killing the ettin, and bringing it back as an undead minion (shhh, don't tell Petra), Saarvith and the black dragon were badly wounded and fled. SWAG dispatched the remaining lizardmen and hobgoblins with the aid of a summoned squid and shark.

With Saarvith and the black dragon gone, SWAG found the dragon's hoard and its many coins and magic items. SWAG also found a phylactery belonging to a lich named the Ghostlord and a note from Red Hand leader Ulwai telling Saarvith to keep the phylactery secure. SWAG then returned to the Tiri Kitor, securing their alliance in the fight against the Red Hand, the use of several giant owl mounts, and a host of magic items.

SWAG learned that Lukrimar Keep had fallen to the horde, and flew back to Sumberton to meet with Armin Harrack. On the way, SWAG rescued Teyana Suri, allowing her gold caravan to continue on to seek the aid of the Shining Axe Company of dwarven mercenaries in the northern dwarven lands.

Aiding refugees along the way, SWAG made a pit stop in Dondurran to find several thousand refugees trapped in the town by the elite guard of Sumberton's Lord Carstellan. SWAG tried to persaude the guard to let the refugees past, but the guard insisted it must follow its orders. SWAG uncovered a spider-woman spy in town and killed her, and then continued swiftly to Sumberton.

In Sumberton, SWAG met with Armin Harrack, who pledged to break the Carstellan blockade of Dondurran. He also said that he had called a town council meeting but that it had been delayed by the arrest of the halfling leader of the merchant guild. He urged patience until the council meets. Ebon Cabal bard Naryalla also contacted SWAG, prodding them to end their strict adherence to law and order and expose Thrann Carstellan as a lycanthrope agent of the Red Hand.

SWAG investigated the merchant guild, breaking in and finding signs of a struggle but no clue as to the whereabouts of its leader. As the Red Hand Horde moved toward Dondurran in the first week of Wealsun, SWAG pondered its next move.

R.I.P. Red, We'll Especially Miss Your Glowing Posterior

SWAG helped Andrushel recover from a second goblin raid as the remaining residents prepared to flee. On a drizzling Flocktime 20, the last of the residents left the village, heading south toward the settlements in the Valley. SWAG remained in town briefly, destroying remaining goods in the village warehouse and destroying the ferry barges that the Red Hand horde could have used to cross the river in Andrushel.

On the hot and sunny morning of Flocktime 21, SWAG left the now empty town of Andrushel, with the horde a mere 1 day away from the village. SWAG began a 6 day journey into the Headwater Hills to investigate a roadblock on the road to potential allies in the Dwarven Lands.

During the trip, SWAG saw an athach -- a massive three-armed giant -- on the side of road, which began lobbing rocks at the group. SWAG responded with attacks while Red and Petra closed to fight the giant. With the athach taking a pounding, it lashed out at Red. DeKelley closed Red's wounds, saving him from death. But then a critical hit bite attack lopped off Red's head. Red was dead. SWAG avenged Red's death and gave him a proper burial.

With Red gone, SWAG pressed on through the Headwater Hills and into the swampy bog where the ruins of Rhest apparently lay hidden. A call for help and a glowing light in the bog led SWAG to investigate, only to find a will o' wisp ambush. After several electrical shocks from the will o' wisp, SWAG dispatched the creature.

Finally, SWAG reached the hobgoblin roadblock. With fireballs, flaming spheres and oil attacks, SWAG injured, killed and/or set fire to the minions of evil guarding the roadblock. One hobgoblin lept 20' off the burning roadblack rooftop in a desperate attempt to escape, only to be cut down in SWAG's complete victory over the forces of evil.

Raids on Andrushel Continue As Residents Prepare To Flee

A fatigued SWAG spent the night helping to put out fires and returned in the morning to the inn for breakfast. The innkeeper mentioned that most folks in town, along with the town council, would be holding a memorial service for the children and militia who died in the fighting the night before. SWAG declined to attend the service, except for Petra who paid her respects.

SWAG then attended the town council meeting where each council member stated their view on the best approach to combat the increased raids and threat of attack. SWAG informed the town that they had about 5 days until the horde attacked.

DeKelley urged that the town quickly flee. The council members stated that it would take a few days to convince the farmers to pack up all their belongings and abandon the homes they have lived in all their lives, particularly with food still in the fields and that needed to be quickly harvested to feed the refugees on the journey, and supplies that needed to be ferried from the west bank warehouse. Petra argued that the town should pack up and leave as soon as they could, and that perhaps SWAG could stay to briefly harry the horde and delay its advance. Odette grew frustrated with the town's slow pace, and called the town's leaders murderers and the townsfolk stupid.

The council decided to urge all residents to pack up and leave as soon as possible, estimating that the evacuation of all citizens and retrieval of food and warehoused supplies would take about 3 days.

After the council meeting, commotion in the streets led SWAG to attempt to stop a horse riding through town with a flaming wagon. A chimera soon appeared, attacking SWAG and nearly killing a child and mother fleeing the battle. SWAG drove off the wounded chimera and spent that day helping the militia and tending for the wounded. Several wagonloads of refugees from south of town arrived seeking shelter. SWAG informed them that it was not safe here - they had to turn back and head south.

The following day, SWAG continued to help train militia and care for the wounded. As the first wave of refugees left for Lukrimar Keep, a thunderstorm rained down, slowing the warehouse ferry. A Luminous Order knight named Teyana Suri rode into town, bringing news of a roadblock preventing travel to the northern cities and dwarf towns beyond the Headwater Hills.

That night another raid took place during a driving rainstorm, with 3 goblin worg riders and a hobgoblin spellcaster fighting in the west bank. SWAG killed the goblins and worgs and drove off the hobgoblin.

Goblins Attacking the West Bank!

Faced with the daunting reality of thousands of goblinoids and their allies massing at Cinder Hill, SWAG began the journey back to Andrushel, planning to lay traps along the way. The detour around the now-ruined Skull Gorge bridge would take about 3 days.

Camping near Skull Gorge, SWAG slept while Red kept watch. A few hours into the night, SWAG was awakened to the screams of Red being ripped to shreds by a large girallon. SWAG lept to Red's defense as the girallon began eating Red and dragged him off into the woods. SWAG gave chase and repeatedly attacked the girallon, finally killing it before it could finish its buggy dinner. DeKelley healed Red and SWAG continued on to the other side of Skull Gorge, and Jorr warned that at least 100 hobgoblins had set up camp on the Cinder Hill side of the gorge.

Not knowing whether flying creatures accompanied the hobgoblins, SWAG chose to avoid battle, continued to Vraath Keep, and raced back to Andrushel, arriving before nightfall on Flocktime 17. SWAG warned the town council that a huge force was headed this way. The town council called an emergency session for the following day, and invited SWAG to join in. Finally, SWAG met the druid Avarthel and asked him if he could send an animal messenger to warn Sumberton. Avarthel said that he hadn't memorized that spell, but would do so in the morning.

About 2 am that night, screams rang out through the town as fires raced through buildings and the druid's grove on the west bank of Andrushel. SWAG and a dozen of the town guard and militia boarded the ferry for the long 6 minute ride across the river. By the time they arrived, many building and trees were in flames. Illuminated by the light of the flames, six goblins on worgs raced around the town, peppering townsfolk and the SWAG/town guard/militia forces with arrows. SWAG helped save children and townsfolk trapped in burning buildings and engaged the goblins in battle. SWAG also attempted to save the druid Avarthel, who emerged from his grove in flames. Unfortunately, Avarthel died of his injures before Petra could save him.

As the town guard slowly advanced and SWAG killed or chased away several goblin worg riders, a dozen hobgoblins emerged from the darkness. SWAG and the guard engaged the second wave of invaders, killing most of the hobgoblins. Two hobgoblin spellcasters with red hands emblazoned on their chests escaped. With the druid Avarthel as the only obvious hope to warn Sumberton, DeKelley used the staff of life found in Vraath Keep to raise the druid Avarthel.

The battle was won and Andrushel safe for now. Six militia and two town guard stationed at the west bank outposts were killed in the battle. DeKelley helped heal the others and all worked through the night to form bucket brigades to put out the fires.

Madness! Madness!

The battle of Skull Gorge Bridge raged on, with Thelonous joining the fray. Tired of the mighty slashes by Petra's greatsword, the dragon Ozyrrandion yelled to the hobgoblins to rip her off her horse. They grabbed her repeatedly, yanking her to the ground, while the bugbear Koth fired magic missiles and lightning bolts at SWAG.

SWAG fired arrows, magic missiles and fireballs, while Red stormed across the bridge to engage the foes. Petra rose, enduring opportunity attacks and leaping onto her horse with a grand fast mount. Red and Petra then began slashing away at the hobgoblins, dropping them left and right. DeKelley raced to heal all of the wounds caused by the hobgoblins and dragon.

With the battle turning against the Red Hand, Ozyrrandion the dragon retrieved an invisibility potion while Koth drank a fly potion to flee. The dragon made one last appearance, enduring yet another fireball before unleashing his acid breath attack and diving into the gorge to make his escape.

With the battle won, SWAG spent an hour searching the bridge and the camp, finding a weak spot in the bridge. Red hacked away at it collapsing it into the river 150' below.

SWAG pressed on to Cinder Hill. Late in the afternoon of Flocktime 12, SWAG saw the full picture of the Red Hand menace. A vast encampment in the valley below Cinder Hill of thousands of goblins, hobgoblins, and worgs, joined by dozens of giants, siege engines, and other creatures such as manticores and a red dragon swooping overhead.

Battle of Skull Gorge

On the balmy afternoon of Flocktime 10, SWAG enjoyed a brief repast at the inn at Andrushel after battling goblin forces at Vraath Keep. The council of Andrushel approached and enquired about SWAG's success in stopping the hobgoblin raids. SWAG told the village leaders that there may be more hobgoblins meeting at Cinder Hill, and agreed to investigate. The village began mustering its militia to defend against any new raids.

SWAG traveled to Jorr's cabin and spent the night there, prepared to head out toward Cinder Hill the next day. On Flocktime 11, SWAG journeyed on, again fighting the 6-headed hydra on the Dawn Way. The hydra's corpse was all that remained after a battle this time, floating in the murky water.

SWAG continued on past Vraath Keep, finding a forest giant effigy and a wide path leading off the road to the west. SWAG kept going and camped near the road a few hours' ride from Cinder Hill. On Flocktime 12, SWAG made it to Skull Gorge bridge, a key bottleneck along the road from Cinder Hill to Andrushel and the Valley of Obelisks.

The bridge was guarded by a large force of 2 hell hounds, 9 hobgoblins and a medium sized green dragon. Four hobgoblins stood guard on watch towers, armed with bows and arrows. SWAG engaged the enemy, striking down the hell hounds. The green dragon breathed deadly acid gas, nearly killing Quintavian, DeKelley, and his kobold cohort Sosukan. Meanwhile, Petra rode across the bridge to battle the hobgoblins there, Red captured a southern tower, and Odette and Jorr fired arrows at the enemy forces. With SWAG controlling both southern towers and the dragon readying for another acid gas attack, the battle raged on...

Uncovering the Mysteries of Vraath Keep

After the battle at Vraath Keep, SWAG spent several hours searching its rooms and healing. Red, Quintavian and Petra gained a level, with Red specializing in improved bull rush, Quintavian learning the powerful fireball spell (useful during enemy group photos) and Petra getting in touch with her mysterious air elemental affinity to learn how to levitate.

In the tower, SWAG found a dead farmer glowing with a pale green magical light. DeKelley suspected this was a ruse to convince travelers that the keep was haunted. SWAG also found a long undisturbed vault with what is likely the body of Avery Vraath and his treasure -- many coins, a powerful staff of life, magic armor and weapons, the deed to Vraath Keep itself, 2 letters of credit and Avery's papers, many of which mentioned a kingdom of Rhest. Upstairs in the hobgoblin lair, SWAG also found a paper with strange, unidentifiable writing on it.

SWAG spent the night at the keep, and then returned to Andrushel on Flocktime 10, rushing past the hydra on the Dawn Way's swamp bridge. SWAG spoke with the town speaker, militia captain and other local leaders about the map found at the keep and their next steps...

Assault on Vraath Keep

With a rallying cry of "Death to the Gardener's Shack!" SWAG stormed the hobgoblin base at Vraath Keep. Step 1 - investigate the rotting vegetable garden and decrepit gardener's shack. Step 2 -destroy the gardener's shack. With Odette's determined rattling, the old shack collapsed with a thundering crash.

Perhaps alerted by the crash outside, goblin worg riders emerged from the keep and attacked with bows and scimitars. A worg repeatedly tore into Red, yanking him to the ground. Red and Petra responded with hack and slash attacks while Odette peppered the goblins with arrows. Quintavian threw magic missiles and DeKelley was ready with healing and alchemist fire. As the battle turned against the goblins, a manticore flew up and perched itself on the roof of the old keep, watching but otherwise seeming grumpy and bored. Two hobgoblins with banded mail and short swords emerged to join the fight, but were struck down by melee weapons and cleave attacks.

SWAG entered the keep, finding two more hobgoblins. A hobgoblin admonished the manticore for its laziness and ordered it to attack, as Koth was paying it to do. It reluctantly flew up and fired repeated spike volleys from its tail at SWAG. The battle raged on, and Red chased a hobgoblin into a room in the keep. A massive minotaur and a spell-casting bugbear entered the room and attacked. Red backed away while DeKelley and Quintavian fired a web and then fireball into the room.

The minotaur attempted a charge on DeKelley with its sharp horns, but Red, Petra and her horse struck it down. SWAG chased off the wounded manticore with cries of, "You're not paying me enough for this!" The bugbear then drank a fly potion and escaped, leaving the hobgoblin to yell, "The Red Hand will prevail" as he was killed.

Which way to the Witchwood?

On the night of Flocktime 8, SWAG arrived at Andrushel and was greeted by a town guard watchpost. The guard welcomed the Luminous Order but was disheartened to hear that no reinforcements were behind them - SWAG was it for now. They recommended seeking out Town Speaker Wiston and Captain Sorrana (pictured at right).

Wiston and Sorrana quickly met up with SWAG, and asked for help driving away the hobgoblin raiders. SWAG agreed, for a price (500 gp/person if the hobgoblin menace is defeated). SWAG asked about Vraath Keep, and Wiston suggested they find the woodsman Jorr to help on their journey to the keep, which could be a base for the hobgoblins.

The following morning SWAG explored Andrushel, stocked up, and headed north into the Witchwood. They met Jorr's guard dogs, avoided a fight, and convinced Jorr to join them for only 10 gp per day.

Jorr led SWAG through the forest to the Dawn Way road. At a causeway over a deep bog, SWAG saw an overturned wagon. As SWAG approcahed, a 6-headed hydra attacked. After a pitched battle, with the hydra repeatedly fleeing to heal itself in mere seconds, SWAG raced to the other side of the causeway and pushed on to Vraath Keep...

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...

The Fonz is Jumping His Motorcycle Over What?!

After the lenghty troglodyte battles, SWAG made their made to the mimic room to rest overnight. On the morning of the first day of the new month of Flocktime, SWAG went back to the troglodyte room and disabled the violet demon arch. Water cascaded down the stairs out of the room, and SWAG descended, reaching a pool of water at the bottom of long sets of stairs.

Across the water was a woman who greeted the group. She announced that she was a sorceress with "that other organization" and had slipped this far into the dungeon using stealth magic. She said that Gashkarr was nearby, attempting to open the demon gate, and she was willing to join them in disabling it.

SWAG opened nearby doors to a large chamber with 4 gates, 3 of them obviously broken. A mezzoloth wielding a trident was guarding the chamber, and Tybalt of the Luminous Order charged forward to engage it. The mezzoloth responded with a cloudkill, instantly killing the brave Tybalt and sending other SWAGgers retreating to a safe distance. Petra, immune from poison, continued to engage the mezzoloth, while DeKelley cast poison protection scrolls on SWAG. Meanwhile, a chanting was heard from a hidden position at a balcony beyond.

After about a minute of skirmishing, the cloudkill drifted away, and SWAG re-engaged the mezzoloth. The mezzoloth responded with a dispel magic on SWAG and another cloudkill. Some of SWAG again backed away, and then attacked again once the cloudkill began to drift, finally killing the mezzoloth.

At that moment one of the gates opened with a blast of magic, sending hundreds of skulls and a large toad-like demon hurtling out of the gate. SWAG engaged the demon and Quintavian cast dispel magic on the gate. The dispel attempt failed, but caused a cascade of magical force to again hurtle out of the gate. Two men dressed in blue uniforms and wearing a strange metal weapon were blasted out of the gate. The startled men opened fire on the demon with the weapons they called revolvers. The demon battled back, eventually killing the two men.

Meanwhile, Red raced up the balcony, finding the gnoll warchief Gashkarr reading from a magical tome. Red chased him down the stairs. The sorceress then grabbed the tome from Gashkarr, grew leathery wings, and fled through the gate. Gashkarr followed, just as the gate magic ceased, dragging the demon and the two men's bodies with it. All was silent again in the gate room...

Troglodytes? Perfect Time for a Swimsuit Competition

While pondering how to get past the violet demon arch, a roguish human approached. After some questioning, SWAG agreed to allow the rogue Kerylen to join the group, and he proceeded to disable the demon arch.

SWAG entered a flooded armory -- a waterfall cascaded through an opening in the wall, pouring water into the room. The water covered the floor and filled a pit in the center of the room. Along the edges were weapon racks with dozens of piercing and slashing weapons, along with a Luminous Order knight, tied up and unconscious. Guarding the room -- two troglodytes. SWAG engaged the troglodytes while DeKelley healed Tybalt of the Luminous Order. Another troglodyte them shot up out of the pit, slowing descending to the floor and casting spells to attack SWAG. After a lengthy 1 1/2 minute battle, the heavily injured troglodytes fled by diving into the water pit, and SWAG was victorious.

Odette then volunteered to swim into the pit to see where the troglodytes went. She found a flooded ranged weapon armory room below, the weapons destroyed by the water. A flooded stairway went up at the other end of the room. She swam up and was immediately attacked by heavily armored troglodytes with halberds. She was heavily wounded, but barely escaped.

SWAG then prepared to swim to engage the other troglodytes. Petra, in her full plate armor, was not up for swimming. With assistance she removed her armor and was buffed with mage armor and shield of faith. Petra, the high charisma, blonde teenage paladin, waering only her standard issue Luminous Order lingerie and longsword, then swam with SWAG through the water to fight the troglodytes.

SWAG swam to the other room, a bludgeoning weapon armory, and engaged in yet another lenghty battle with the heavily armoed troglodytes. After another 1 1/2 minutes of skirmishing, SWAG was victorious.