A group of realtively new adventurers decide to head out to explore one of the caves down south that Junil had discovered on a previous mission. They supposed that it was either the base of Queen Bagnaz or possibly a forward operation for the goblins in this area. As they head south, Junil leading them, they manage to not get lost and avoid any encounters, encountering a group of large wooden posts with fabric attached to the top of them that helps them navigate further south.
Setting up watch for the evening on the first night in the wilderness, the group again avoids any conflict and awaken refreshed ready to head into the cave. Nearby the cave they find a berry bush with 4 ripe berries that bestow longstrider and jump onto the creature that eats one for 10 minutes. Theodulf pockets them, claiming he will know the most strategic time to use them. Continuing forward, the party halts outside the cave and discuss what to do. Gore notices that the floor is rather rough, but has been hard tacked down by a lot of feet recently. The entranceway is lit by torch light, suggesting the cave is inhabited, perhaps by the goblins they are seeking.
Opting for stealth, Beryl casts pass without trace on the group, and after some flirting on Theodulf’s part toward Beryl, they stealth forward. The adventurers are not spotted as the amount of noise coming from the north blocks out any sound the less stealthy members of the party make. Heading forward, Gore and Junil poke their heads around a corner to view a group of goblins having lunch. Beryl summons a tiny mesphit called Puddle that he uses to also join Junil and Gore spying on the goblins.
Gore is keen to rush in, but Junil lets the paladin know that Tan was interested in gathering goblin allies, and allowing those who did not like the rule of Queen Bagnaz to join up. There is some whispered discussion with the whole group about what to do, before Theodulf walks into the middle of the room, and addresses them in common and then in goblin. “Hail goblins, we have come to discuss and parlay, our strength meets your strength.” The goblins draw their weapons but don’t attack. Theodulf offers for the goblins to come under his hobgoblin rule, and tells them to take the party to their leader. The biggest of the group smiles and says “You look tasty!” and charges towards Theodulf.
Theodulf attempts single combat with an intimidation check, backed up by Gore, but all of the goblins join their bigger brethren in fighting, except for two. The fight is quick and brutal, with Mushi casting bless on Junil, Theodulf and Gore and Beryl casting spells alongside Puddle, they manage to make short work of most of the goblins. Theodulf taking out the first goblin in a single blow that demoralized the rest.
At the end of the combat, only two goblins are left, one slightly worse for wear from some accidental friendly fire. There is some discussion about the goblins and their allegiance, with Junil very confused about the different goblin tribes, managing to accidently insult Theodulf, although she is pretty sure he is playing it up for laughs. Theodulf and Gore then interrogate the last two goblins, learning that there is a boss here who has their own machinations separate from the Queen. The two defectors tell us about the treasure that the goblin boss has hidden, and one of them wants the lock on the chest containing the treasure.
Theodulf promises that goblin the lock, gives them a couple of cigarillos and asks them to watch the mouth of the cave, as the group goes to tackle the rest of the enemies. The goblins agree. Once again deciding to stealth forward under pass without trace, the party comes up to a fork in the cave, one side leading to the goblins having lunch the other leading north, with a well used step-ladder leaned up against the wall. Slightly confused by the step-ladder, the party spend some time discussing what it is there for, before they ready themselves to deal with the goblins in the room to the south.
Junil suggests checking out the north room first in case of reinforcements, and wary of a fight Gore casts warding bond on Mushi to keep the cleric safer. While they are talking Junil stealths forward to peer into the room ahead and accidently sets off a trap, causing rocks to fall on themselves and Gore, and alerting the goblins in the room below them. She takes a quick peek into the room ahead, and seeing only bunk beds and sleeping arrangements, curses and returns to the group preparing to fight, as Theodulf berates her for setting off the trap and alerting the goblins.
Readying to take Beryl’s advice “Find the biggest goblin in the room and punch them” the party is surprised by goblin assassins darting from the corner and attacking Theodulf and Beryl extensively. In response Mushi blesses the party again, and Beryl summons a spectre to aid them. Frustrated he took a hit in front of Beryl, Theodulf uses second wind and charges up to the boss, with Junil locomoting after him to join the fighter in the front lines. Goblins then swarm up around the party, as Mushi tolls the dead and summons a mushroom (spiritual weapon) to start attacking the goblins. As the goblins close in on the cleric, Gore protects them well, managing to absorb most of the damage.
Surrounded by many goblins, Gore takes out a wand he had claimed in a previous adventure, and lines up a perfect lightning bolt through a group of goblins. Smiling proudly, he clicks the button on the wand, causing a brief flash as instead of a lightning bolt, a fireball goes off, hitting everyone except Beryl. Looking over the genasi warlock watches Gore fall unconscious as he takes the damage from the fireball and the damage from the warding bond Mushi would have taken. The rest of the party is up, but extremely damaged, with Junil now swaying on her very singed crutches.
One of the goblins responds by casting darkness and attempting to escape as Beryl is surrounded by an assassin and a warrior, but is helped as Theodulf rushes up beside him and deals with the goblins surrounding the warlock.
Mushi heals up Gore who wakes up to say “that thing is dangerous.” Before he roars at the rest of the goblins attempting to frighten them, as the final few goblins retreat, Beryl and Mushi finish them off, and the party collapses in a heap, ready to rest. Mushi heals up the party, while Theodulf bandages Beryl’s wounds very slowly and tenderly. As the rest of the party takes a short rest, Junil asks Gore not to use the wand again as she repairs her possessions, and the paladin promises to be more careful about his positioning in the future, although the rest of the party seem fine with the unintentional fireball.
While resting, Theodulf recovers the treasure and finds a key on the ashes of the goblins, opening the chest to find a weird hipster hat, some scale mail, a silver sword, some gold and a scroll of lightning lure. He manages to pry off the lock, but notices it is magical and pockets it. After resting the group head into the bedroom of the goblins and recover some more treasure, including a potion of invisibility and some fancy dishware. Theodulf grabs a non-magical lock and plans to give that one to his goblin friend.
Hearing of a pit at the other end of the cave, the party jogs over there, finding a big pit in the middle of the room, with a ladder going down into it, in the centre of the pit is a chest, a selection of bones and green slime coating everything that is slowly moving. Junil identifies these as oblex spawn, memory stealers and cautions killing them all to prevent them from becoming more powerful in the future. The rest of the party is unsure and just want the chest. Theodulf manages to convince Junil to climb down and open the chest, while the rest of the party watches them.
Junil agrees, and carefully navigates down the side of the pit, using some climbing equipment and the ladder. She approaches the chest unseen, and opens it, seeing a bunch of gold inside. Trying to grab the chest, the spawn all activate. Theodulf and Mushi kill some of them, while Beryl casts fly on Junil through Puddle, allowing her to fly out of the pit with the chest. They find 25 gold inside and feel it wasn’t worth the trouble. Deciding not to deal with the rest of the oblex spawn they head out side, finding only one goblin. The other one had decided to leave.
Theodulf invites them to come with the group back to Sophia’s rest to meet the other two goblins there, and promises them a lock on their arrival. The party is able to make it back safely and after pestering one of the wizards for an identify spell find their treasure includes a Moontouched Silvered Shortsword, Scalemail of Gleaming, Hat of Vermin, Scroll of Lightning Lure and a Lock of Trickery, as well as 335 gold. Feeling very happy the party find themselves a well earned rest, ready for future adventures.
