CHAPTER 4
Our Heroes picked up thier belongings and trekked into the pass.  There they found a solitary Bugbear.  Though Not aggressive he was was intent on collecting Pass Taxes from the Adventurers.

Not being the smartest cookie, he was easily deceived into leading them from the Frying Pan into the Fire and soon became a solid companion.  The next day, he was leading them into the Cauldron where a Drake lived. 

This Drake is the mate of the one that Botome injured.  That male drake eventually died from his wounds.  The Female, the one bearing down them to join her in combat against the oncoming Humans soldiers was duped into leading the charge, when the soldiers came into view. 

Upon leaving the Cauldron, the quick minded druid Winnie swept up the Cudgel of St. Cuthbert and hid it in the folds of her clothing. 

The drake was enraged at seeing her nemesis, the forces of St. Cuthbert led by Botome, coming toward her and charged, blasting them with fiery heat.   It was then that the companions entered into the fray as well, determined that they would be the ones to take this beast down.

The beast injured badly in her defeat, flew away, as the force of St. Cuthbert trundled on her Lair to find the Cudgel,   While joined by the companions, Winnie surprised the collective group, by not submitting to them any information about the cudgel they sought, including the fact that she had it on her person.

Quickly, our young heroes made their way out of the cauldron, not awaiting any longer for the soldiers.  They proceeded NorthEast through the mountains, led by their trusted Bugbear Companion, whose name they had learned was Grodd.

Days later they made it to the city of StrongHold where they rested, parlayed for a Bugbears place to sleep and purchased goods and repairs for their future adventures.  They sold the goods and items they had acquired and found work, which would begin in about a week or ten days as caravan guards noth bound to a new kingdom.  Determined to hold onto the Cudgel for the time being they thought it best to display it in this area.  They wanted to go away to another place to find out its powers.

Later that week, a few days before their work was to begin, the soldiers (and Botome) they encountered from the pass arrived in town.  An eaves dropping Winnie, heard parts of a conversation between Botome and a high priest.  It seemed that there was war in the Erminet area, and the human population was now involved.