Whispering Vale Chapter 1: Disturbance

Everyone crosses the bridge without issue. As you do so, the distance below seems to yawn and almost draw you into the depths. You end up moving across the bridge one by one as you realize that it can’t carry more than one standard humanoid’s weight. Surely it was built for goblin use.

On this side of the bridge you have a choice:
- A corridor continues the cave deeper into the ground.
- A set of stairs descend the cliff face down into the depths below the bridge.

You move past the stairs and press down the corridor, keeping to this level.

At first, there’s little more than a stone corridor carved by ancient centipedes. Then, deeper, a chamber opens up ahead of you. A honeycomb of holes dot the walls. Each is a hovel for goblins. None are home, though. It’s quiet here.

With a quick search, you find three gold, several rusted daggers, notched shortswords, and salted centipede ready to eat. The last things you find are a locked chest and a worn journal.

Celvin, you work the crude lock, but it’s not giving. It could be smashed off the chest, but that would take time, noise, and a strong arm. The latch could be pried a little easier with a crowbar or lever of some kind.

Trethor, you flip through the journal. The writing inside is neat and intelligent. More so than a goblin. There are mundane entries through most of it about small town life. But, toward the end it depicts a brutal captivity at the hands of goblins.

The most interesting entries are at the end. They talk of the ruins below in the caves and their hauntings: strange noises, ghostly lights, goblins who go missing.

The last entry outlines a day the goblins find an artifact that the writer can only describe as an ornamental staff. It’s presence changes the goblins who become far more aggressive, cruel, and territorial.

Sel'Via waits to see how the chest smashing goes.