You make it back to Umok, tired and aching.
The guard brings you to Zarbuzel's house-My friend, you have got to stop coming to my home in such a state! Umok is quite pleasant if you aren't largely dead. Here, sit. I will draw you a brandy and have food brought.
A while later, after you have eaten and washed, Zarbuzel has a bed made for you. Stay with me Ang. My house is one of the few big enough to properly house you and you are welcome to it while you explore the forest.
"My thanks Zarbuzel, it was a close thing out there today."
Can Ang sell off loot here the next day?
Umok has a vibrant market, and the gnomes gladly trade with you.
Ang visits the market and sells his 3 remaining CMW potions. He buys a CLW wand, +1 cloak of resistance, and adds +1 to his armor.
Ready to go back to the forest again.
It takes a week for the mages to finish enchanting your armor and cloak and the clerics to finish your wand.
Before you go back to the woods Zarbuzel speaks to you sternly-Be most careful Ang and try not to die. Also, kill lots of goblins, but not so many that it draws an angry horde of goblins out of their warrens. It's a balance I'm sure, but try your best!
You can only shake your head and smile at the strange words of encouragement.
Returning to the forest you make your way cautiously but freely for about half an hour as you slowly approach the scene of your last battle.
Ang continues on oblivious to the sound.
You pass by the scene of your earlier confrontation from almost a week ago. Broken tree limbs and a few remaining blood stains are the only testaments to your once desperate struggle. The fallen bodies have been hauled off; goblin dead can still serve the tribe if only from a stew pot.
You advance to where you encountered the large ambush group and find the entrance to a cave of some depth about a hundred feet further on. The opening is big enough and you can smell smoke from within.
Enter the cave.
Torag watch over me.
The cave runs forward about 100' and slopes downward. At the end of the cave there are three smaller tunnels that branch off. Overhead of the three tunnels is a large rock with wooden stakes on top of it; clearly it is a goblin guard post, but it appears curiously unoccupied.
The smell and filth of goblin inhabitants is evident throughout the cave. Goblins spend time here on a regular basis, although it is empty of inhabitants currently.
So there is one rock or three rocks (1 for each tunnel)? Can Ang see if there is anything on the rock(s)? Does it look like the rock is rigged to fall on someone passing into the 3 tunnels? Is there anything remarkable about any of the tunnels or are they all similar?
If there is nothing on the rock and he doesn't believe it a trap will move forward into the tunnel that seems different, if they are all the same, tunnel on the left.
There is one large rock jutting out over the middle of the three tunnels that provides excellent cover of all three. You can make out several rough carved handholds that look like stone ladder accesses to the top. The rock appears quite stable and you think it was carved out of a natural formation specifically to be set up as a guard post for the tunnel entrances.
You don't think the overlook post is trapped but you do find several wires in front of each entrance that appear to be set up to fire crossbow bolts into them. It looks like someone doesn't want uninvited guests to move deeper into the complex.
All three tunnels seem relatively the same with a similar miasma of smoke and golbin stench lingering about.
Climb up to the handholds to the top of the rock.
Despite your the weight and the bulk of your plate you are able to clamber up to the top of the rock. Anything within earshot knows they are not alone.
The top of the rock provides a deadly vantage point giving near complete cover from below as well as an elevated position that would allow anyone a clear field of fire throughout the cave. You think about a half-dozen goblins could crouch here in safety. There are tens of large (for a goblin) rocks that look like they are positioned to throw down on foes below.
Will move down left tunnel avoiding the wires.
The tunnel runs level for about 70' when you stumble on something and a powder falls down from the ceiling.
DC15 REF save or be sickened from the powder.
It looks like there is another cave about 30' ahead.
Advance to the cave.
This cave appears to be a barracks of some sort with beds/nests for individual goblin warriors and a small fire pit in the middle of it. A small, goblin-sized tunnel lies at the far end of the room. In front of the tunnel is a low wall of rocks behind which cower a half dozen goblins and another large grey-skinned warrior. The room looks like it could hold a lot more warriors that those on the far side of the room.
Move forward looking for and avoiding trip wires, pit traps, hidden goblins, etc. Attack the grey skinned warrior if possible.
Not seeing any traps you move forward and assault the goblin's prepared position. The goblin you strike at takes cover behind the wall, barely avoiding your blow.
The goblins thrust at you with spears as the grey-skinned one lifts a dark horn to its lips and blows a loud series of blasts that echo throughout the tunnels.
The wall thwarts your efforts once more as the goblins cunningly cower behind it but continue to thrust out with their spears. You are fortunate that they can only stab at you four at a time.
You are less fortunate in that the grey-skinned goblin wields a two-handed bill that reaches over the wall to cut at you.
Ang goes back the way he came.
You disengage from the goblins at the makeshift wall and fall back towards the entry tunnel. As you do, the grey-skinned goblin yells orders at the goblins and they scramble up and over the wall readying their spears and preparing to advance towards you. An arrow buzzes from grey-skin:
Back into the tunnel headed towards the entrance.
Moving quickly away from the advancing goblins you stumble directly into a war party of....goblins!
Several more goblins crowd behind the front line and behind them stands an ugly creature resembling a twisted shadow puppet’s silhouette, a wild thing of flared black and brown fur whose pelt juts out from its body at freakish angles. The crouching shadow’s ears are large and floppy, draping shoulder-length, adding to the creature’s unnatural shape. Its eyes are too big for its head. Tremendous milk-white ovals loom on either side of the thing’s wheezy pig-like nose. Its panting mouth is filled with bristly needle-teeth spiderwebbed in disgusting strands of yellowish saliva, all vibrating to the tune of its wheezing breath.
The goblins penning you in are clearly more terrified of the menacing creature standing behind them than you. It carries a massive two-handed flail, the head whistles through the air thirsty for blood and flesh.
You hear the initial goblins and their grey-skinned leader closing in on you from behind. Clearly the goblins have laid a nasty trap for you...
Out of the frying pan, into the fire.
Ang will start smashing goblins and try to position himself within the tunnel in such a manner that the least number of enemies can attack him each round.
You crush your first goblin as the wave of goblins from behind you catches up. You are able to push your back to the wall, limiting the number of foes that can get at you simultaneously.
The grey-skinned goblin slices with his nasty bill:
Here we go again with the 20’s. Try to get at big goblin and human when possible.
-7hp
You smash another goblin down and try to bull your way through to the massive goblin and human beyond them, but the press of goblins is still too much and you don't want to take unwarranted spear thrusts to your flank and rear. In their excitement, two of the goblins manage to spear one another reducing the headcount of your foes further.
-0hp
You squash an additional goblin. The diminished numbers and your quick healing apparently motivate the massive goblin to try and tip the scales back in their favor as it pushes aside one of its smaller cousins to bring the massive flail into play.
The human, a man apparently, moves up as well and shouts encouragement-Smash his head in and we'll drink from his skull. A paladin of Torag will make a fine addition to my collection!
-6hp
Your bloodthirsty hammer finally misses and the goblins surge at you with renewed glee!
Man-Yes, YES! His blood will make a worthy offering to our dark lord!
Target the flail wielder if possible.
-5hp
Your hammer just connects, clipping the creature's thigh. It grunts in acknowledgement but is undeterred. The man behind, apparently a little more concerned than his exhortations would indicate, appears to cast a spell on the massive goblin as the melee carries on.
Activate smite evil vs. flail goblin.
bypass DR
Cha to AC vs flail goblin=AC25
-5hp
Your divinely guided hammer smashes into the creature's side, knocking some of the wind from it and giving it a significant wound. The man in the rear seems even more panicked and casts a spell at you. The smaller goblins not in combat cry out shrill encouragement to those facing your deadly hammer.
-15hp
The goblin is devilishly quick for something so large and it dodges aside from your somewhat ponderous blow. Man in back-Hahahaha! See? He's not invincible!; he casts an enchantment at you.
DC13 Will save or be dazed per the spell for one round.
-2hp
Your next time your next swing on the large goblin's back hand and it clips his neck, snapping it, and turning his head to a very strange angle. Magic man-NOOOO! You will bay tinkerer, you will pay!
No more goblins step up to fill the void left by the fallen larger golbin and you can see that they grey-skinned goblin is a little nervous as it barks out harsh words in what you assume is goblinish to the remaining warriors. They appear to ignore his commands.
An arc of flame leaps from the man's fingers at you DC 15 REF save for half.
Attack the man if possible, otherwise the grey goblin.
-9hp
The remaining goblins prevent you from attacking the antagonistic man but you do lay a good strike on the grey-skinned golbin. The man screams shrilly-Attack him you cowardly curs! I command you to attack him! Another goblin moves into the front line (almost as if compelled?) blocking you from striking at the grey goblin again, which continues to attack from reach range.
-4hp
The small goblins before you are too nimble for your hammer-strike and dodge away from your swing. They attack with renewed vigor!
The magic user fires more force bolts at you.
-21hp
You crush another goblin and none of the dwindling remainder step up to fill the void, giving you access to the grey-skinned one once more.
Mage-Get in there you cowards! I command you!
The face of one of the goblins milling about behind the line contorts in fury and it releases a savage cry stabbing it's spear....at the mage!
The spearhead cuts the man badly, and something appears to break within the remaining goblins behind the line as they also attack the mage.
He takes a second spear and gives out a panicked scream.
The other goblins continue to attack you, but their hearts don't seem to be in it.
Your hammer smashes into the grey-skinned goblin, staggering it somewhat. The goblins continue to thrust at the mage while the three facing you pay you the same courtesy.
On mage:
The man appears badly wounded and blood spills from many wounds-No, please stop; I beg you! The goblins don't look like they have any intention of stopping.
On you:
Goblins trying to kill me while others may save me?
-21hp