Raphael Ezra Cerberus

Raphael clears his throat.
"Can we hide the wagon good enough, so that it can't be found? Or shall we take it with us as far as we can without being too loud and near this...place, the creature described?"

"I think it is vital that we move quickly to recover Sildar and Gundren. At the least, we cannot be paid for delivering the wagon if our employer is dead. Let's hide the wagon the best we can, perhaps behind the blind the goblins were using? Will the oxen be safe?"

The Triboar Trail : The Ambush - Day 3

Without too much trouble you would be able to lead the oxen and wagon from the Triboar Trail and navigate it through the trees to a point that a small ridge and thick forest blocks all view from the trail. Enough distance would also have been covered that you're pretty confident that not even the goblins, if there are more in the area, would accidentally stumble upon it. Obed and anyone who helps him should be able to effectively hide the tracks of the wagon leading from the road to its hiding spot. You may choose to put some sort of marker near the road or in the trees that would signify the location to you but you think you should be able to recognize the area again easily enough.

Haldar Heavyhammer

"Lead on goblin, but remember my warning," growled Haldar. Noticing that the others have returned from hiding the cart, he recovers his warhammer and motions for the goblin to lead the way down the trail. Following immediately behind the goblin, Haldar keeps his weapon out so that he can deal with the creature if needs be.

Looking over his shoulder, he calls, "I got too caught up with dealing with our little guide here and have been remiss, my friends. Is anyone injured?"

Tomi "Grin" Undergallows

After helping to hide the tracks of the cart, Tomi walks back and answers.

I'm fine, thanks for asking. How's the goblin holding up?

Tomi then says.

I do hope that both Gundren and Sildar are still alive and well.

Haldar Heavyhammer

"It's still alive, which is more than I can say it deserves," states Haldar with a little shove to the back of the creature to remind it he is right behind it. "If it hopes to stay that way, we will make it to the cave unharmed and find both Gundren and Sildar alive and well."

Rhasta
Rhasta's been staring into his crystal ball trying to figure out the best course of action, but nothing has been revealed to him. Frustrated, he puts the orb away.

Let's be on about it then, though we might want to gag the goblin in case it tries to alert any guards.

The Goblin Trail - Day 3



The group begins to pack up their gear and make ready to follow the goblin trail back to the hideout from which the ambushers have been planning their attacks. The terrified goblin leads the way, ever aware of the dwarf and his weapon prodding him along. As you make your way along the trail you can clearly see the evidence of numerous goblin tracks back and forth along with the marks where two humanoid creatures were dragged for a while before apparently being picked up and carried. A mere ten minutes into your journey along the way and the goblin slows the group and points to a spot in the trail. Closer inspection reveals a trap awaiting anyone who would dare venture towards the goblins hideout. A simple snare lies in wait ready to spring on anyone with poor situational awareness, likely leaving them suspended above the ground several feet. As you continue further down the trail you cautiously keep an eye out for more traps and soon the goblin points out another spot. Haldar notices the leaves along the trail have been purposely placed and that the tracks go around them. Throwing back the false cover reveals a crudely dug pitfall trap roughly eight feet deep. Both traps weren't designed to kill, but rather look as it they were meant to simply hold a person until the goblins happened upon them.

Finally, after near four hours of marching northwest along the twisting goblin trail you reach your destination. Ahead of you lies a small clearing in the trees before a large rocky hill at the base of which is a small natural cave from which a brook flows. The water babbles along the rocky outcroppings and skirts the edge of the clearing before disappearing into the forest. The cave is dark and no sources of light can be seen inside from the distance. The goblin prisoner pleads for his freedom. "Please!" he whispers "I already tell you everything. King want dwarf man cause Black Spider pay much. If others see me with you they try and kill me too. Please! Let me go!"

Rhasta
Reaching into his bag, Rhasta pulls out a pair of shiny new manacles. He shrugs at glances from his companions.

"Knew we'd need it," he deadpans.

With Haldar's assistance, he loops the manacles around an out-of-the-way tree, fastening the goblin's wrists to either end. It's a tight fit, but not torturously so.

"You go free when we come out of that cave alive," he tells the goblin as he works.
"Which means if you're holding back any info that might get us killed, now's the chance to spit it out."
He pulls out a piece of cloth to gag the goblin with, head cocked to one side for the creature's response.

Cragmaw Hideout : The Cave Mouth - Day 3

The goblin squirms and resists but is unable to stop Rhasta and Haldar as they use the manacles to beind him to a medium sized tree. The creature continues to squirm and wriggle against its bindings but doesn't look to be going anywhere any time soon. In response to Rhasta's final statement the goblin says nothing but locks stares with the man, unblinking. As the diviner holds out the bit of cloth the goblin bares its crooked and jagged teeth but soon finds its maw full of crumpled rag.

The group stands at the edge of the forest and roughly one hundred feet of grassy field separates them from the mouth of the cavern. Thick briars grow along the rocky cliffs on both sides of the stream and a large thicket makes up the entire eastern back of the stream.

Haldar Heavyhammer

"I don't trust that goblin; it might have led us into a trap. We should be cautious," mutters Haldar to the others after the goblin is seen to. Looking out at the field, he squints against the sun and tries to pick out anything that might be moving in the thicket or the cave entrance.

Rhasta
After giving the goblin a nasty look for the flash of teeth, Rhasta joins the other at the treeline.

"The future's still murky, but I can try looking," Rhasta says.
"Anyone think they can sneak along through the briars to the cave mouth? Or maybe swim up the stream?"

"Let's just move. We need to find Sildar and Gundren is elsewhere entirely. Time is not on our side," says Obed. He starts moving through the foliage to the eastern side of the river, not wanting to sneak through briars. He is big man though and not exactly stealthy, so as he approaches the cave, he reaches out and grasps onto the wisps of dreaming like mist. He externalizes this dream into mirroring his rustling, as though he were also thirty feet ahead of himself.

Rhasta
Rhasta watches Obed leave the tree cover, looks at Haldar, shrugs, and sets out after the half-elf, as stealthily as he can.
Which isn't very stealthy, since he's never been much of a forester.

Cragmaw Hideout : The Cave Mouth - Day 3

Obed begins to make his way across the grassy clearing and the warm sun shins down from the west behind him. Rhastasets out after the sailor but gives a wide gap between them as to not give away their position in the event that the goblins had guards on duty. The half-elf begins to work his magic and summons a simple, yet convincing, auditory illusion and begins to move it through the thicket on the eastern bank of the stream. Just as the sailor begins to wade his way into the shallow stream suddenly the twag of a bowstring rings out and a arrow bearing the same black feathers as before sinks into the bank roughly 30 feet upstream directly across from the illusionary sounds.

Obed make a perception check!



Everyone roll initiative!!

Rhasta

Haldar Heavyhammer

Cragmaw Hideout : The Cave Mouth - Day 3



Combat - Round 1

Iniative Order
- The Party
- The Goblins

Just outside the mouth of the cave the Cragmaw Tribe has created a safe area that it can post its lookouts. Several boards have been placed to flatten out the thick briars of the area and provide a covered hiding place to watch for intruders. The goblins on guard duty tend to be lazy and inattentive as no one wanders this close to the cave lair, but suddenly they hear the sounds of someone stomping through the bushes nearby and scramble for their bows. Not being able to set eyes on a solid target the wait for a moment before one of them finally lets an arrow fly in the direction of the noise but fails to score a hit on whoever is out there.

Everyone but Rhasta is surprised!

It is now The Party's turn.