Heroes! The party has reached Level 5--and challenges that would strike fear into the group just a few levels ago are, how you say, no sweat. Time for the DM to up his game! In any event, for avoiding a battle with the firenewt colony, navigating the treacherous Slippery Floor, decimating the ropers, defeating the Noldrun statue trap, and dispatching the Soldarak guards and Dolgaunts, the group received a collective 2,000 XP each. Through the magic of fuzzy math, the party stood at exactly Level 5, or 6,500 XP , at the beginning of the episode. The group is now at 8,500 XP . 6th level is at 14,000 XP--just 5,500 XP away! Keep up the good work! What additional secrets await the adventurers in the lost forge of Noldrunhold? We'll find out next week!