It seems that Bobo, a Dire Bear recently acquired by the company and set to training, wasn't quite as ready as Madam Vandalier had thought.  After Bobo had devoured his trainer before a live audience (and a few clowns for good measure), he fled to the nearby hills.  The company packed up and left before the local constabulary could effectively bring charges.

Lenny, a talking (and singing) Raccoon who'd signed on when the Circus had passed through the Aniswode, stayed behind to search for Bobo - he felt a little guilty, as he'd been the one to point out the injured and sleeping beast to them in the first place.  He wasn't the only one to stay behind though, as the Animal Trainer's mutant assistant Gregori had sworn to avenge himself against the monster that had eaten his friend and mentor.

While Lenny waited for his colleague to sober up at the Prancing Harpy Inn, he found others interested in taking a stab at the renegade Bear (and reward!) - Santos, a scarred man of polite demeanor working as go-between for the Town Council; Traxrum Todd, a strange mutant Hobgoblin Cleric of Tholuk of unknown origin; Axus, a Red Elf Paladin just recently returned from the Crusades; Quinoron, a quiet halfling Monk; and Kaelin, a mysterious and secretive girl.  After some discussion, they agree to hunt the Bear together, and the following day take the east road through the Fetid Swamp with plans to reach the abandoned Keep up in the nearby hills.

While still in the swamplands however, they stumbled across a gigantic cockroach with lunch on its mind.  With the surprising aid of newcomer Dusky Boulder, a Red Elf Monk, they made short work of it and Lenny stuffed himself on a meal that made everyone else sick.  It was while diving through such entrails that Lenny discovers an exotic black gemstone of mysterious and magical origin.

Having cleaned off much of the gore left over from the battle, they continued into the Firecreek Hills, only to find the Keep was not as abandoned as the locals believed.

Dusky Boulder takes her leave, promising to rejoin them later.  The intrepid party was joined by two others (an ugly little gnome called Heist and a jack-of-all-trades by the name of Dhalman Aya) wishing a cut in the reward for the renegade Bear. Axus at that time made a point of providing introductions, and was a little surprised at the general lack of faith demonstrated by his companions at his mention of leadership.

As evening approached they hurried towards the Keep, only to find it guarded by Orcs! Axus misled the Orcish javelins while others hurried to the walls.  While the mighty strength of Traxum, Dholman, and Gregori struggled to lift the portcullis high enough for Lenny and Quinoron to slip inside, Santos and Heist slipped over the wall to take the Orcish sentries by surprise. By stealth and spell the walls were won, by wits and will the courtyard taken. Though tooth and claw of Trolls and breath of the Winter Wolf threatened to turn the tide back in the defenders favor, Bobo's hunters held the day.  

Through freed slaves they found out these were but the minions of a greater evil - deep in the Brightstone Mines a Necromancer still waited.  Still, night had fallen and our heroes needed rest. Traxum Todd knew the goblin slaves by name - followers of his from happier days - and one, noble Fograth, had sacrificed his life trying to help him when he fought the Trolls.  As the last rays of twilight vanished, the goblins gave offerings of beer and prayer that Tholuk, god of War and Death, asking him to take Fograth into his Army beyond while his body burned upon the pyre.

To Be Continued!