The Troll's Hoard

Prologue

The Blackwood Forest has always been a place of shadows and whispered dangers, but now a new darkness festers within its depths. From the heart of the woods, the ruined tower known as the Shattered Spire plays host to a band of trolls, their guttural roars echoing through the ancient stones. They have taken a prize, one that could plunge the kingdom into war: Princess Elara of Thornhaven. King Theron has offered a king's ransom for the safe return of his daughter, but time is running short. Each day that passes sees the trolls grow bolder, their demands more outrageous. Whispers of a rival troll clan circling in the east add urgency to the task. The princess must be rescued, and soon, before the Blackwood Forest becomes her tomb. A call has gone out, and adventurers answer. But as they gather at the forest's edge, they can't help but wonder what awaits them in the darkness ahead. The trolls' lair is a dangerous place, and the forest holds secrets that could prove more deadly than any monster.