In olden days, the city of Sarbreen stood where Ravens Bluff now flourishes; Sarbreenar was its guardian outpost, protecting access to Elvenblood Pass to the south so that Sarbreen could never be attacked by surprise through the mountains or isolated from Procampur when winter ice and storms made sailing treacherous.

In those days, Sarbreenar was little more than a keep attached to a terraced garden and high pastures. Today, it is a small village, all trace of the keep swept away. It was torn apart from aloft by a huge dragon, remembered as "the Sarbreenar Wyrm," which decided to roost there, the better to prey on the road traffic whenever it was hungry. The Wyrm was a green dragon of the largest size; its tail hung down the shattered tower to the ground below as it slept, and men dared not approach. Eventually the road fell into disuse and this lack of food proved the Wyrm's undoing in the end. When it grew hungry, it flew south to raid Procampur, tearing the roofs from houses and devouring all it found inside. After the second such raid, the angry and fearful folk of Procampur hired a wizard - whose spells awaited the Wyrm on its third raid. The wizard brought the dragon crashing down into the harbor of Procampur in a rain of bones and blood, cut apart in midair by exploding "swordballs" that flung the rusty fragments of old weapons violently out in all directions in exactly the same manner as a fireball hurls forth flames. So the Wyrm perished, and men crept slowly back to Sarbreenar to rebuild.

They found orcs had come down to strip the place in their absence and had no intention of leaving their new home. After a bloody, week-long fight through the mountains, Sarbreenar and the pass it guarded returned to human hands, but without any of the goods it had once housed. The orcs had taken or despoiled everything-including the meager treasure accumulated by the Wyrm, which is still presumably hidden up in the mountains somewhere nearby.

Today, Sarbreenar is a hamlet on the High Trail, just south of Elvenblood Pass, the site of the death of the great elven hero Beluar. Beluar's Tomb stands in the center of Sarbreenar, marked by an intricately carved stone obelisk carved by King Tuir Stonebeard's grateful folk in honor of their fallen ally. The obelisk has offered generations of pigeons a palatial home; folk often pause to survey it as they water their horses at the horse-pond which lies directly across the road from the grassy mound that holds Beluar and his slain riders.

All around Sarbreenar, the land rises abruptly in cliffs prone to avalanches. Nestled among the rocky ridges and pinnacles are a dozen or so wet, narrow valleys carved by mountain streams. In each of them are farms where arthritic folk eat sheep and goats among the moss and the constant mists. Sarbreenar is their market town, their smithy, and their wagonworks. Wheelwright Torstan Holbrar crafts wheels as good as any to be had around the Sea of Fallen Stars and keeps a large stock on hand to sell-for exorbitant prices-to merchants whose wagons fall afoul of the hard roads. There's also an inn, The Merry Mage, whose carved signpost is a winking, leering old bearded wizard.

Sarbreenar Attacked

City officials just received word that the mountain town of Sarbreenar, a way stop on the road to Procampur, has been almost annihilated by a large humanoid army. One witness who escaped described giants, ogres, trolls, and other monsters rampaging through the town. Nothing is known of the town's fate, but a division of troops under Field Marshal Lord Blacktree have been dispatched to provide aid.

Last issue we reported that Sarbreenar, the outpost town in the mountains south of the city, was under attack by humanoids. Since then, we have interviewed a few of the survivors and scouts that have visited the site and put together this picture of what happened.

Soon after dawn on the day of the attack, Sarbreenar's constables drove off several gnolls from near the town walls and were ambushed by a force of hill giants and ogres, who decimated the guards and broke through the walls into the town. Orcs and gnolls poured through the opening and began to plunder, while the giants tore apart many of the buildings and fortified towers. Many residents tried to flee into the mountains, taking what few possessions they could grab quickly, but many of these were cut down by orcs and gnolls. By the end of the day, the town lay in ruins, and the humanoids were gone. Ravens Bluff responded quickly once word of the attack came, but the force led by Field General Lord Blacktree arrived too late.

Efforts to rebuild the town are hampered by the loss of much of the town's wealth, but the survivors are cautiously optimistic that they can rebuild.

Many speculate on why this happened, and what may have caused the humanoids to attack so far west. The road to Procampur is still considered unsafe, and merchants are warned to send goods by ship until further notice.

Engagement at Sarbreenar: The forces of Ravens Bluff easily win this engagement thanks to efforts in securing supplies and disrupting the enemy movement. Much of the credit goes to the 7th Special Assault Squad trained by the Temple of Tempus.

Massacre at High Trail: After the victory at Sarbreenar, the enemy sends forth a great horde of humanoids together with strong magical support to destroy the forces of Ravens Bluff moving back towards the city. The victory is complete and the southern army is practically annihilated.

Siege of Sarbreenar: Ravens Bluff forces finally remove the last of the enemy from the southern villages and mountains. The way to Procampur is now free and supplies begin to slowly make their way to Ravens Bluff.