Splintered & "Boosted" wagons loaded with "Food" thundered across the "Dark Plains" while others, half-filled or less with "Iron & Gold", lingered toward home on a slow return trip. Before the evil "Shade Queen" zapped me into a frog, I had "Helped my Servants Rob several such Caravans!" I dodged the wheels & hopped frantically toward a cluster of trees.

Suddenly an eclipse of flying monsters, led by a murderous, six-star, Gold "Templar", smothered the sun & blackened the skies. A tiny "Jeweler's Hamlet" was hit with the fury of hundreds of "Great Western Dragons" blasting fire along with thousands of "Supporting Units". There were over three-hundred "Dominion"-trained "Dwarfs" working inside the house-on-wheels. After a tremendous explosion, tiny green hats, broken swords and bent shields hung from the trees bordering the "Black Marsh" thirty-three miles away. Laughter could be heard in a storm-cloud of dust as the wicked "Sandman" returned to his raid-proof castle.

The "Dark Plains" were littered with flesh, bone, blood ... & glistening jewels! "Archers, Paladins & Wardens" appeared from all the "Villages, Presidios & Refugee Camps" in the area ... burning bones and gathering whatever jewels they could find. Almost every "Stormfall" player has at least one slain "Pikeman, Knight or Bear Rider" waiting to be revived in their castle "Infirmary" ... for just a few "Sapphires".

I took advantage of the ongoing weekly "Brawl" and hopped on the back of a wagon rumbling home after "Returning Reinforcements" to some lucky player's "Smolderstone Keep".

"Oberon's Castle" looked like it hadn't been raided in years. I realized it was under some dusty enchantment when I cursed without being censured. None of "Balur's" wicked armies, and no rival lords, were able to trade with or attack the looming towers. I searched outside the walls, picked up some gold and iron and then hid in a pond just to the northwest from a kind of raging hippo/boar creature with long tusks that tried to eat me! ... If only I would have had a net!

The "Shade Queen" Witch had ordered me to bring her the "Black Code Book" from Oberon's catacombs that showed the location of the "Lost Jewler's Hamlet" ... or I would remain a forgotten frog forever!

Just before dark, I found a reeking drain-pipe obviously coming from a dung-room somewhere inside the castle. I squeezed through the rusty grate, plugged my burning nostrils with mud, swallowed a fly, and then swam into the darkness ...

TO BE CONTINUED ...