3 The Goblin Cave

"We will leave some room for goblin heads," Tatiana remarks. "Speaking of which, this one might be useful."

Contrary to her upbringing, Tatiana retrieves Klarg's head. With a slight smile, she holds it with both hands to study the gruesome trophy, then laces her gloved fingers into the hair to carry it with her like a raptor with prey.

You return to the rickety bridge that spans the stream. It connects the two tunnels that are 20 feet above the stream. You head from the pools cavern to the unexplored tunnel across the bridge. The rush of the waterfall makes it difficult to hear anything else in this part of the cave. There is a tunnel before you, heading west. It curves ahead but down the way you think you can see the flicker of firelight.

Ammos- HP 7/8. AC 12 tep 15 - 22
Trakomak- HP 8/14. AC 14 - 16
Tatiana- HP 6/6. AC 14 - 15
Alex- HP 9/9. AC 15 - 14
Raven- HP 10/10. AC 14 - 6
Decklan- HP 8/12. AC 17 - 4

these should be your current stats

Tatiana covers her Light spell as before to mask the group's approach. Knowing that Decklan sees remarkably well in the dark, she waits for his signal before advancing further.

Looking at both Raven and Ammos, Alex expresses his thanks for for their healing skills. He is to tired to chase after his expended arrows they are either broken or ruined with goblin ichor, but commits to husbanding his remaining 15 until he can restock.

As Alex lies recuperating, he calls out to Raven. Raven, lad, did you say that the goods were blazoned with a lion's head cabossed azure, or a lion's head cabossed on a field azure?. Realizing that the farm boy would not understand the language of heraldry, he repeated I mean, a shield with a lion's head facing you with no sign of the neck, with either the lion blue or normal colored on a blue background?

Alex pauses to catch his breath, and then continues. That's the symbol of the Lionshield Coster. They are a merchant company based in Yartar. They ship goods all over northwest Sword Coast. I remember the symbol from taverns in Amphail, where I grew up and learned some juggling tricks.

Alex pauses again to stretch, and winces slightly has he feels a stitch in his side. Continuing, Come to think of it, they may pay a reasonable reward for either their goods return or the information where to find it. As we are heading to Phandalin, we should probably reach out to their representative when we get there. Here Alex pauses. Actually, maybe can we fit them all in our wagon? We traded Surge for Trakomak, though. Not sure how that affects the seating, Alex says with a smile.

Alex finishes by asking Did we find anything else of interest besides the trade goods?

Traded Trakomak? You don't get to trade me!.half orc look around the party realizing he has yet again misunderstood the noble man and changes topic. ready for rescue? picks his previously dropped axes and moves over the bridge, waving at Decklan to follow.

Raven nodded, "There is an unlocked chest which we can open once we find our friends."

The farmer moves to follow the barbarian, but hangs back as he can't see in the dark, waiting for the other visually impaired members.

When it looks like the others are finally ready to move, Decklan will head towards Trakomak and pass him, heading deeper in to find their employer.

Alex sighs, stands up, ensures his collection of various weaponry are properly secreted and secured about his person, and heads off after the two hotheads sighing somebody needs to look after those two.

The group heads down the tunnel and towards that flickering firelight. Decklan and Trakomak are the first to see into this new cavern. You peek in from the east.

This large cave is divided in half by a ten-foot-high escarpment. On the west end, a steep, natural staircase leads from the lower portion to the upper ledge. The air is hazy with the smoke of a cooking fire, and pungent from the smell of poorly cured hides and unwashed goblins.

You see five goblins in the lower portion and one on the edge of the escarpment. He seems to be a bit larger than the others. Kneeling before this larger goblin, knife to his throat is Sildar Hallwinter. Sildar is badly beaten and his knees or precariously close to the edge of the ten foot edge.

Trakomak freezes. He watch the scene trying to understand if goblins have notice him through the hazy and stinky air and if noticed - what are their immediate reaction. But most importantly he don't understand - why are the larger goblin been holding his knife to a human's throat, but demanding nothing of him.

Alex takes one look at the tableau and realizes that stealth would be preferable. He quickly looks for a less-lit area in which to calm and quiet himself.

"We know you're there scum!" The goblin with a knife on Sildar calls. "Truce, or this human dies! You will listen to Yeemick's terms."

Trakomak turns around and say aloud to none in particular : Me not talk this coward. He know we kill other goblins. He decide to stay out. Halforc spits on the ground demonstrating his lack of respect for the larger goblin and wait for anyone to volunteer as negotiator.

Alex takes in the tableau in an instant. Sildar will be killed if parlay isn't started; which does not mean that it must end peacefully. These evil creatures deserve nothing but death, but for now, the attempt to save the human is paramount. Closing his eyes for a moment, he calls on his experience on tavern and theater floorboards (Performance) and dons the role.

Alex saunters towards the goblins nonchalantly, his hands near, but not on, his weapons, as if he had not a care in the world.Truce? Truce you say? You miserable green-skinned excuses for the mucosal discharge of a syphilitic ogress? You see, we have you cornered. Boxed. Hemmed In. Enfenced. Encompassed. Immured. Encapsulated. Trapped like flies in the web of a particularly vicious—and hungry—spider. Here Alex grins most malevolently.

He continues, forgive me, I feel that you would be more at ease if my hands were occupied by something other than weapons, would you not? Slowly, and unthreateningly, Alex moves his right hand from off his rapier.* and takes a copper coin out of his tiny belt pouch. Alex starts it dancing across his fingers—hopefully hypnotically—as he continues to address the goblinoid scum. Your lord Maglubiyet must be smiling on you this day, as for some odd reason, I—Alexander Simonnet Natalis de Bertier du Puy—am in a generous—nay, veritably bountiful—mood, and I am most interested in hearing your parlay. Here Alex looks at the escaped goblin. Ask your fellow; he knows I can be magnanimous. I had the opportunity to flay his hide from his flesh, and yet, you see, he stands before you complete. So perhaps we can discuss some kind of arrangement.

But hearken well, my companions, and here Alex nods his head at Trakomak, are neither as mellifluous nor as beneficent as I am. Nor are they reservoirs of as much patience. Therefore, I would recommend, most urgently, that you state your position quickly and clearly before their restraint wears thin.

Alex continues the dancing coin as he awaits a reaction.

Raven stood quietly once he saw what was happening within the cave. He had no way to reach the goblin holding Sildar. As Alex spoke, Raven paid more attention to the goblins than him. He recognized the complex speaking Alex liked to us and quickly found that he understood almost nothing the man was saying anyway.