This small group of relatively new arrivals begin their adventure in earnest from another nearby, safely secured cave. Led by the most new, Tan the illrigger, the party is able to safely find their way to the mouth of the cave, where a faint argument can be heard. While no one can actively speak Goblin, Tan’s infernal magic allows him to understand what is being said, which is along the lines of “go find us food you idiots”. The two begin to wander off, muttering to each other about big people ruining the vibes.
It is then that Tan reveals himself, offering food to the two (the same magics that allow him to understand also allow him to be understood). While slightly cautious at first, these goblins do seem to be starving, and they quickly launch themselves at the offered rations when it seems like this big person isn’t going to kill them.
Tan proceeds to ask them some questions, also fielding a couple from Junil and Alrik. We learn their names, Pokey and Strongarms, that their group had only recently come to inhabit the cave led by a big goblin named Klarg, and that they were sent by their new queen, although Strongarms was remiss to name the queen. We also learn that Pokey has rocks in his head, which is why he remains silent for most of the talking. Tan eventually lies to them about a pack of boar away from the cave, hoping to spare them from the potential bloodshed, and they take the proverbial bait.
With the two hunters led astray, Junil sneaks up to the mouth of the cave, and finds it glittering with a great many crystals, growing from the floor, walls and ceiling, some glowing, some dull. Unfortunately, an eagle eyed archer spots her, and the entire cave comes charging at the intruders.
Battle ensues, with Tan and Alrik running to meet Junil just outside the cave. A quick battlefield strategy is made, with the intent of taking a large goblin brute identified as Klarg alive for questioning.
Then there is fire. A lot of fire, with Junil unleashing her Breath of the Dragon technique and Alrik unleashing torrents of flame from his staff, many goblins are burnt to a crisp, Klarg included. The plan is quickly reconfigured to take any goblin alive for questioning, although there are times when it seems like the goblins might be taking us, Tan and Junil get close to death’s door. A well placed sleep spell thankfully neutralizes a majority of what is left of the goblins, and the rest are quickly mopped up, with two archers being taken captive.
After the battle, a quick inspection of the cave is done, and some loot is found. It seems that the goblins were mining the crystals found in the cave, Alrik is able to notice that they have some kind of arcane significance and that the goblins seemed to be focused on the ones that are more potent, which also glow brighter. They seemed to be gathering these crystals in relation to an ancient looking fountain also found within the cave.
Found inscribed on the fountain were a series of arcane glyphs, which Alrik was able to roughly translate into being an alchemical formula for turning the water that would be in this fountain into another liquid, although that other liquid was unable to be identified.
During this time Alrik also approached Klarg, or at least what was left of him, and claimed a small trophy, a necklace of animal teeth, which he tied around his staff.
After all of this searching, Tan awoke one of the captive goblins and began to interrogate him. While this goblin (who’s name we would later learn as Wolbolg) didn’t know all too much, as he was effectively just protection, he knew that their new queen, Baznag, had ordered the expedition, and was the one who sent along the cursespitter. Found on the cursespitter was a note, detailing that the cave was to be secured and crystals harvested in preparation for Queen Baznag coming to the cave herself in order to perform the ritual mentioned on the fountain.
It was also during this interrogation that a shocking revelation was made: Pokey literally had rocks in his head, it wasn’t a figure of speech, he literally cracked his head open and gravel got in there.
At the end of the interrogation, Tan offered the goblins two choices: come with us or go back to the queen. Not wanting to risk the wrath of failure, they decide that a life under big people might not be so bad, with Wolbolg offering his services as a combatant, while the other seems content to go farm or whatever. With some new goblin friends(?) in tow, Tan leads the party back to civilization, hoping that Strongarms and Pokey might also find their way to Sophia’s Rest.
