Smarmy does quite an excellent job of setting up traps around the campsite, even Jandri gives him a nod of appreciation.
Afterwards, the group walks back to the ambush spot and begins to follow the tracks that Menarul found earlier. A short time later, you come to the battlefield graveyard which consists of a small forest clearing that smells of recently tilled earth. Several crude grave markers dot the landscape, each currently marking the position of an empty pit.
As you enter, Smarmy, Tusk, and Valik all spot a wolf of an unusual larger size trying to hide behind a grave marker.
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well then, if we all just walk forward together, it will ignore us. Unless it is a supernatural wolf. Walk with weapons drawn, but don't point them at the wolf unless it is ready to attack us, we can't afford accidents. Oh and when we examine the statue, we all go together.
Tusk has his axe in hand while walking, as he is not wasting a bullet on a wolf.
The wolf emerges from it's hiding place, slowly approaches the group, and speaks, "There are too many of you, I do not want to fight. Leave me in peace, and no blood will be shed." Now that you can get a better look at the wolf, you can see the obvious signs of starvation by the bones sticking out under its coat.
The statue appears to be a simple tribute to the men and women who died in the battle, represented in stone as a male member of the Mercenary League standing proudly with his sword ready for battle.
In regards to the statue, the wolf replies, "I know nothing of that rock."
The wolf nods to Valik, as some saliva begans to flow out of the corner of its mouth.
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Initially apprehensive about leaving the wagon, Menarul starts to calm down with the mention of traps especially after seeing Smarmy's brilliant devices. He still leaves an acid flask with Alek to defend Camon.
When it starts to get dark he pulls out a wayfinder and a moment later has it all lit up. For the most part he stays silent.
Menarul keeps his hands near his vials when the wolf appearsn but says nothing more focused on the surroundings and any possible unknown dangers than the known 'threat'.
Once the rations are provided, the wolf sniffs them cautiously before its hunger overwhelms it and it devours the food quickly.
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After having scanned the surroundings and not found anything, Menarul finally focuses on the wolf and Valik.
He starts with suggesting, "Try moving slowly, quick movements always put people and animals on the defensive... And try to keep a level voice," before turning to the wolf and slowly and calmly introducing everyone in the group.
Menarul finds nothing dangerous with a quick visual scan.
After finishing with the quick meal, the wolf looks at Valik for a few moments as if waiting for more. When none is forthcoming, it speaks again, "My name is Feren. I am not a simple wolf, I am a worg. You have my thanks for the food, although I would have preferred more meat."
"There was a hobgoblin tribe, one I do not recognize, that came across this place several moons ago. They spent many days turning the land and removing the dead—human, goblin, bugbear, it did not matter to them."
Although it's perhaps more difficult to tell if a worg is lying than a humanoid, Valik senses no deception from Feren.
"They have made their lair not far from here, toward the setting sun. A nearby trail should lead you directly to a tree broken in two. The entrance lies somewhere off the road, beneath the tree. Their numbers are similar to yours, all hobgoblins. Now, about the food..."
Feren chows down on all the provided rations, looking somewhat satisfied afterwards.
Smarmy takes the opportunity to check around the unearthed graves and spots a well made heavy steel shield cast aside near one of the empty coffins, as well as a mummified elf hand attached to a gold chain and wrapped in dirty bandages, a skull with two gold teeth, and loose coins of various denominations totaling 147gp.
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He makes sure to not appear too obvious as he snags the little bits of loot he comes across, so as not to upset those folks who might object to such activity... although the shield he does not try to conceal.
"Someone left this laying over that way." He says, hefting the shield. "Fine quality workmanship!" He seems pleased with the discovery.
"Oh, and most of these graves are empty." He adds, ominously. "Someone's been stealing the bodies." He does his best to look offended that someone might do such a horrible thing.
As the group departs to find the hobgoblin lair as per Feren's direction, the worg watches you for a few moments before disappearing off into the night.
The path winds its way through the Chitterwood until it forks at the foot of a large and mangled tree. A large tear runs the length of its trunk, splitting the tree nearly in two. The southern half of the tree hangs awkwardly to the side, casting a shadow over a small dip in the land. Inside the dip, you discover a cave entrance with a crude set of stairs leading down into the darkness.
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"I don't know much about sheilds but is this the blacksmith's seal here?"
Smarmy scowls as the elf offers some advice in appraising the newfound shield, but it is quickly replaced with an ingratiating smile. "But of course. You're eyes are clearly much sharper then mine."
"Certainly an ominous-looking place." Smarmy mutters, as the come upon the split tree. "Nothing you brave folks can't handle, of course." He adds, with a smile.
He studies the entrance to the cave suspiciously for a moment, thoughtful.
With the assistance of Twitnit and Menarul, Smarmy ascertains that the design, construction, and worn designer mark all conclusively indicate that the shield was used by a member of the Mercenary League unit that fought in this area of the Chitterwood during the Goblinblood War.
At the entrance of the cave, Smarmy also recalls that the goblinoid armies often made use of underground cavern networks during the Goblinblood Wars and that many of the goblinoid survivors fled to these caverns at the end of the conflict.
He does not hear or see anything unusual at the entrance, however.
Eventually the group makes it's way down the stairs, to come to an empty cavern with a door to the north and a door to east.
Tusk recalls the same information as Smarmy does about how the goblinoids used caverns during the Goblinwood Wars.
The gunslinger rushes across the cavern and quickly opens the north door. Inside he finds three cramped cells lining the western wall of this chamber while an exposed pit runs along the northern wall. The cells are little more than cages made of metal and old wood, with piles of dried grass barely covering the stone floors.
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Twitnit stops Valik before he wastes a potion and taps him with his wand of mage armor again, then turns it on himself.
"Anyone else? Extra protection in dangerous places is always nice. Anyone want a happy bean (coffee bean)? I can hold some light also. How far do you think this goes? I hope there aren't any goblins down here. I HATE goblins."
Twitnit lights a torch, is mesmerized by it's soft flickering glow for a moment, then shakes his head (snapping out of his trance), and motions to continue.
Tusk and Valik advance to next door in the apparent prison room while the rest of the party begin to make their way in. Neither the gunslinger or monk hear anything outside the door.
While checking the door, however, Tusk gets a sudden strange feeling as if all moisture is being siphoned out of the air.
Tusk searches for something to cover his hand, but finds nothing in the room meeting his criteria. At the same moment, both he and Valik begin to experience the sudden feeling as if all the moisture is being drained from their bodies.