Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master

by Michael E. Shea

The hobgoblins are building a terrible city-destroying war machine in the western mountains. The war machine was forged in the fires of the Nine Hells centuries ago, and was lost in a great battle. The hobgoblins have gnome tinkerers and alchemists working on the war machine, but it isn’t clear whether those are prisoners or allies. A hobgoblin half-dragon veteran known as Volixus the Burning Rage leads the hobgoblins. In addition to his goblin and hobgoblin army, Volixus has hired a band of ogre mercenaries known as the Bonemashers. The hobgoblins have taken over a ruined mountain fortress known as Grayspire. Centuries past, Grayspire served as the fortress headquarters of High Lord Grandel Whitesparrow, but it fell into ruin long ago. A nearly limitless series of sewers and catacombs spreads out beneath Grayspire—including some caverns and ancient ruins said to predate the construction of the citadel. Wraiths haunt the old Watchtower of Set, which sits above tunnels connecting it to the lower levels of Grayspire.