Searching for work, a note in the city square leads them to McKinney’s Caravans. A Feghan far from home, his small trading company is in dire straights. His only caravan is missing. Having left with all the other caravans a couple weeks ago, it didn’t reach its first destination. He needs people to go in search of it. A deal is wrangled out depending on the level of recovery accomplished. McKinney sends his assistant Garf along to take charge of the caravan should it be recovered. The party acquires a number of draft horses, as possibly needed replacements, and other supplies and leaves the city.
At this point, the party consists of the following folks, having met new people along the way. Krimskel, a priest of Duath; Quint, a stout warrior; Sir Simon, a paladin of Hysor; Roland Glockenspiel, a native Krewaldian, warrior and relative of the famous Otto Glockenspiel, companion to Duke Ulrich; Ellard, a priest of Dunay; Mithralstance, a dwarven warrior far from his mountain home.
Their journey from the city proves to be quite eventful. Even a day from the city, they are attacked by a pack of hounds that could only have come from hell. With burning red eyes, and breathing gouts of flame, they prove to be quite difficult. Beyond, they finally reach the first inn along the road: The Shining Gem Inn. The innkeepers, Bertram and Gertrude provide a hot meal and a soft bed, but something is amiss. When Sir Simon learns that their daughter is missing, he rushes to the rescue. The trail of the little girl leads to a nearby woods. They find a hollow holding an old tomb, but something sinister has happened here. Gouges in the rock itself suggest great hulking claws have ripped the entrance open sometime in the past. Within, they find the undead remains of several people, including the daughter. Further, they find the sealed tomb of a ranger. This too has risen from the dead and must be dispatched, but they recover some interesting magical bracers.
The news to the bereaved parents is saddening, and a service is held for the little girl. The party moves on to continue with the mission. But disaster strikes again, in the form of strange howling creatures with deadly spines protruding from their bodies. Quint and Krimskel fall to their attack, and the party must retreat to the Inn to recover. There they meet two more travelers, Brimstone Jack, a one time pirate, and Alfric, a stout warrior who worships Baldrin, who sign on to the task. The next morning they depart and make good time. Defeating a few bandits along the way, they arrive at the crossroads where a small track leads to the town of Merzig. This being the first stop of the caravan they are searching for, they take the turn.
Merzig is a small mining town, and here the caravan was to pick up a shipment of ore. They learn that this was indeed accomplished and the caravan left without incident. But they learn that even here things are amiss. Colin, the owner of a large copper mine, is unable to get his workers to re-enter their mine after several miners disappeared. They fear it is haunted and need someone to help. Colin has put up quite a reward and expects folks to answer, but the party is unable to help at this time. They promise to return when they can.
Back on the road, a dire lion of great size attacks the camp one night and kills Alfric. The following day, after burying their companion, they continue on and meet a traveling paladin, Sir Lyrel. It is fortunate that he agrees to travel with them, for they sight the signs of destruction in a nearby farmstead. Very recently smashed, they follow the obvious trail of something big. It leads to a horrible undead giant. This they also dispatch, but again old worries begin to arise within the party about what might be causing all this unrest in the area.
Finally, traveling further, sharp eyes within their number spot a tattered piece of clothing off to the side of the road. Further investigation reveals a campsite and the hacked bodies of caravan guards, wearing the colors of McKinney. At last they have found evidence of their quarry. Venturing down the trail deeper into the forest, they find a camp of strange bestial creatures wielding great axes and having sport with the remaining living members of the caravan. Giant tusked creatures seem to be in charge. A nightmare from childhood stories, they can only be ogres. A plan is hatched and executed, and the creatures are divided and slain and the caravan and some of the guards and merchants recovered. Some of the loot came from previous plunder before the caravan and was recovered by the party.
Harnessing the new horses, the caravan is once again underway, with the party guarding it. They venture along the route it was supposed to take after assessing that the damage isn’t that bad. At the next stop, Blasyn, they would be able to re-equip and continue with the party’s assistance. The journey has one incident, a pack of feral talking wolves attack, but they are defeated, yet one escapes. Arriving in Blasyn then, the two paladins venture to the temple of Hysor and make a report of the strange happenings in the area. The priest there is surprisingly aware and frustrated as well. The local militia are not doing much of anything about it. He has sent word months ago to his superiors along the temple chain, but has received no word. At first he even mistook Sir Lyrel and Sir Simon as being the help he requested. They promise to keep each other informed of new happenings.