Starter Set, Thunderwaves and Bindings, Session 1 Part 3

Suspecting a trap, they listened closely as they stalked towards the cave.  A rustling and whispered voices of tow goblins alerted the party to the presence of ill-attentive guards.

After a short break of using goblin heads for croquet balls, the adventurers satisfied and confident, they sent the drow rogue Durial ahead into the dark.

The first cave to the right contained several snarling wolves, chained to a pillar.  Upon informing the others, the druid Eva decided to feed the poor beasts to calm them so they could be set free.  Taking the only meat at hand, the tenderized head of a felled goblin, she successfully befriended the small pack of wolves, and released them into the forest.

Noticing the trash piled under the small hole in the corner of the cave ceiling, they decided to go around and find a way to investigate the source.  Durial went first, and through a stealthy approach in the dark, successfully surprised a goblin on a bridge connecting an overpass in the tunnels.  As he shot the creature from below, Raven joined to set the goblin on fire, lighting the bridge simultaneously.  Lana quickly doused the flames, freezing the bridge supports in place with her dragon's breath, along with the corpse of the goblin.

The sound of running water ahead, Durial climbed up a small waterfall and scouted several goblins in the next cave.  With a motion, the others rushed in and sliced the goblins down in mere seconds, their actions quieted by the rushing water of the source of the stream echoing in the cave.

Firelight shone through the entrance to the next room.  Eva, seeking a turn at violent revenge, ran headlong into the room, stopping short of the bugbear, Klarg, with his wolf and several goblins beside him.  As sudden as her arrival, she blasts out a Thunderwave, the sound crashing and echoing throughout the cave, sending the room into chaos.

All but Klarg was dashed to the cave walls, lying defeated.  Stunned, Klarg's mouth agape, he never had the chance to even lift his hand as two more entered the room.  Lana peppered his surprise with Magic Missiles, and Lemon, becoming practiced over the last few hours, beheaded him in one final slash with her greatsword.

A quick search of the room revealed some stolen supplies from Lionshield Coster in Phandalin, some gold, and a small jade frog statue of some unknown significance.

On Klarg's body, they found a note:

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Mighty King Grol, please distribute copies of this letter to your scouts.

A group of young adventurers is coming south from Neverwinter with a supply wagon.

Kill them and steal the wagon supplies for Cragmaw Castle.

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Seeing no signs of their employers, Gundren or Sildar, the group carefully crossed the ice-reinforced bridge one at a time, and approached a final cave room.  Raven took the lead, enveloping the room in a Fog Cloud before they entered.  Eva, encouraged by the previous success of the spell, once again ran into the center of the room and cast Thunderwave to great effect.  As the fog cleared, they could see one goblin at a lower level that had survived the blast, and one at an upper level, holding a knife to Sildar's throat.

The goblin with Sildar warned them to back off, or he would drop the man to his death.  Raven cast a healing spell, and Sildar came to, moving now in the gobln's grasp.  A few tense moments later, and realizing he was outnumbered and defeated, the goblin released Sildar and the goblins both gave up.

Escorting Sildar and carrying the newly acquired cargo and loot, the party returned to the cart and oxen, finding them all in order.  Tying the goblins to the side of the cart, binding their outstretched limbs, they made their way down the road towards Phandalin.