In the lands of Greyhawk, there lies seaport called Safeton, filled with pirates, brigands and vilest thieves, hence the militia from the North over it has taken stock.

South, a hard days travel, maybe less, begins the orcish lands, starting from ocean sands, stretching into forests where roam elven bands, all a horrid, darkened mess.

Lairing in great citadel of Cantona, the orcs grow and swell in numbers, having captured this place last year in an attack swift as thunder, and from bastion of dead magic, sorcery proof safety, they look to the North with hungry manner.

Now then, Archmage Cornelius on the humanoid hoards he wanted great blow inflicted, so he called for volunteers, and offered a fee in gold quite copious.

And so he gathered the heroes, from all walks of life and types: some good; some bad some full of gripes, but of the actual job all they knew added to zero!

In a corner, three folks most dissimilar began to grow friendly and familiar, though outlooks different, in a group they grew warmer.

A mighty giff, a mercenary soldier, a creature like human hippopotamus, but no folk were braver or bolder, stood in bright armoured attention, correct and stiff.

In his hands, the giff a mighty sword seven feet long caried, but he was two foot taller and with the mighty blade many foes had he cleaved and harried, Final Rhino he was called, that being nickname given by friends in human warband.

Final Rhino, mercenary soldier of the giff race

Sharing joke, the wizard Silvebrlade somber in white shirt and jacket dark, but his mood was light and plainly he liked a lark, though danger ahead; there was many a dagger blade, inset with gems and runes under his cloak.

Cornelius scrying on Silverblade

The other sharing the jest, dressed in finest elven leathers, Fizz Whiteraven the Bard was ready for fun whatever the weather, and occassionally his picollo did play with zest.

Now Fizz he was an elf, twin short swords at hip and small bow at his back, he had no love of orcs for he had been turned on their wrack, and now their dried ears he kept in a sack, and to gather a hundred leader's lugs he'd set himself a task.

Fizz playing a piccolo

At last Cornelius turned to the three, and set out what he wanted done, and assigned to them two warriors and a priest so from lack of numbers they had no need to run, and of the details the Archmage made free.

The orcs, between opposing sides, a fort they were building, reinforcements the monsters were bringing, Cornelius wanted them dead and bastion burned like kindling, to stop the foe having a base in easy ride.

So, equipped with a horse carrying fiery oil, they did depart, though Silverblade added a small barrel of potent grog laced with herbs that would a drinker in slumber wrap deep coils.

Not far from Safeton's troops, they heard sounds of screams and smell of smoke, ogres were feasting on some captured folks, two dead chewed, bones being boiled for soup!

So the heroes set selves out, priest casting spell of bless, while Fizz and warriors they fired at foe, who cried bad cess, and Silverblade mystic powers slowed them down no doubt.

Thanks to arcane spell, it took the rough, huge brutes some seconds to close the gap, and so several arrows into each of the four did slap, and then did Final Rhino emerge, voice loud as a bell!

The enchanted music of Fizz aids his comrades in battle

Down swept blow deftly changed course to come from the side, the mighty giff a hairy belly split wide apart, and foe died as his liver sprayed dark blood, from battle Rhino never shied!

Blows were landed left and right, but it was soon one sided fight, though the heroes were somewhat hurt, the surprise of the attack kept injuries light.

With ogres dead, they tended wounds and freed two captives, farmers simple folk, their party captured last night when most ogres active, some treasure the band divided, and the healer took a wand coloured bright red.

Not far on, Rhino and soldier were just ahead, by the gods, they stumbled on some gnolls! And of the carrion eating, hyena-men blood was shed.

A gnoll warrior

But there was great number of the gnolls, with their hyenas as hunting dogs, so the two ran back for aid, though it was good tactics, still to Rhino running from battle galled!

The main party for battle, were forewarned, took cover, scattered caltrops and gave blades to the farmer folk, while the mage a scroll did use, and one spell from it to the Ether was returned....

Howling band, twenty maybe thirty, came rushing at them! Spell cast by cleric made several slumber as did one from mage, then into spike strewn ground the enemy ran, and some fell crippled as heroes made their stand!

Now did Silverblade's scroll show its effect: a dozen rats, bigger than cats, attacked hyena-faced gnolls in a horrid mat, and the gnolls poor order was in a wreck.

Arrows had torn the foe as they closed, and Rhino took a grim faced pose, and hacking left and right, limbs from them with triumph did create a dreadful spray of blood like sanguine rose, though gnolls had numbers their poor skills were exposed.

Priest and mage in bush tried to hide, to save their skins and use magic to their aid, some more foes fell asleep, but cuts on them were scored by blades, Silvebrlade a leader, a flind, did Charm, but he refused to fight on their side!

Slashing and dashing, Fizz through the hyena-folk wove martial dance, though his blows were only cutting glance, still he slew, but being no robust warrior of return blows he took no chance, and then a flail's heavy blow sent the elf to ground crashing!

By perverse chance of Fate, it was the summoned rats who did much damage! Gnolls seeking human meat, didn't see them at their feet, and acting as blindage, the rodents killed their share, and a leader to death did frenzied tear! Soon the foe's numbers did abate.

More than dozen dead, the gnolls in fear did flee, and Rhino their craven backs did hack with bloody glee, then they heard the noise of many gnolls approaching through the trees, and were filled with dread.

As the adventurers tried to flee themselves, a drizzle of steel hailed down and around, air thick with raven whisper of arrow's sound, then one of the farmer's life was gone as haft of wood punched with crack through cheek bone and he fell to the ground, so to their feet survivors took to avoid archer's skelfs.

Hunted, bounding, the hyenas barking, braying, pointing out the folk for the gnolls to choke and be slaying! Dashing through birch woods' bark greying, hundred or more to the rear here they were not staying! And then came different sounding.....