------------- Tales of the Raptors – Forge Ahead 02

Thekrin came back to Shabrund with five of the Night Raptors. They were five of the most luscious and beautiful women that humans and elves had to offer, not to mention some of the most dangerous warriors and spellcasters. At his forge, they encountered a band of Gnolls who had been waiting for his return. Seemed there was a bounty on his head. A certain Wolfen bountyhunter fell to the charms of their Erotic, Miriele, and told them that those particular Gnolls had come from a place called Panjhour. So the six of them set out towards the valley of Panjhour. There, they encountered two more beautiful women, both agents of the infamous secret society called The Hidden. Panjhour just so happened to be the location of one of their veiled monasteries. Thus Chianna Soong and Gwenvael Anwlyn joined the Raptors. That made seven, not counting Thekrin. That is why the story of their journey is often referred to as Snow Dwarf and the Seven Beauties.

The eight heroes climbed the long road to the monastery to battle a veritable army of Gnolls, Ogres and Minotaurs. They took more prisoners and discovered that the bounty was to be delivered to the Mines of Vandrel. That finally made sense to Thekrin, for Vandrel was the place where he’d found the star metal the beastmen were seeking. But it wasn’t until they journeyed there and fought the Shadow Goblins that had taken over the mines that they learned who was behind it all.

That led them back north again, to the pass fortress of Yagnahl, the western entrance to the high plateau where the infamous castle of Yagvorthane had stood. That fortress had fallen to the famed Silver Gryphon Legacy when COVE was destroyed. The castle was destroyed right along with that trio of horrid females. But the pass forts hadn’t been touched. They were abandoned when their mistresses were no longer in command, but something had come back and reclaimed them, something terrible, something frightening even to heroes such as Thekrin and the Night Raptors.

Thorbard Belleriad, son of Thekrin, telling the tale to his children many years later.

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