It all started with this notice, tacked up all over the greater Bard’s Gate Area:

Special recruitment

On this 12th day of jovis year of 1274 DR

The Watch-Blades the well known, and mighty city guard of Yhaunn has openings for new recruits. For this special event you do not need to be from a noble birth. You will receive after you have completed the training 100gps. One set of master work armor and weapons, uniforms, bedding, meals and a home in the great barrack hall of Yhaunn. Upon failed training you will be given 25gp and clothing. Signing at the Red Sphinx Inn on merchants circus from the 14-16. Free meal & bedroll after signing.

Captain Brzzit

Among the many who signed up for this “opportunity” were:

Ben: The ugly elf, resigned to a life of loneliness and despair. Knowing she may never find love or friendship she has devoted her time to studying the arts of healing, if you can't be handsome you may as well be useful.

Strax: The unwashed demon who never complained about being stuck in the sewers. she doesn't care if others find her smell offensive for she has all the friends she needs with her little cranium  rat, Fetor, for whom she went to extraordinary links to protect.

Honey-Dew: the halfelf druid, having never fit in anywhere she has hid away in the woods developing less then ideal social skills.

Fireball: the surprisingly bookish dragonborn barbarian,

Fireball, Strax and Honey-Dew began to suspect that something else was going on with the Watch Blades.  The regiment seemed to be fattening up the new recruits for some reason.  At first Ben didn’t want to believe it was happening, but soon realized it was true.

The Watch Bladed were in league with a band of orcs who attacked the camp and began killing and eating the other recruits.  Fireball and company escaped this fate by entering the tunnels beneath the latrine system.

Down in the tunnels, the group fought, and were almost bested by a family of giant spiders.  After winning the battle, they found a tunnel to the surface, and made their way to a small town Fireball had learned about from a friendly cleric, who had acted as the camp doctor.  The group spent the night at the Inn then went to the market to replenish their gear.