In any case, there are around 10 standard blue goblin and 2 wolf riders patrolling the area. They're clearly not disciplined and seems to be uncomfortable in the forest environment.
"More bloody goblins..." Desmond mutters.
He scans the group for someone who looks like the leader.
"I've got a fireball in reserve if need be..." Vendrick scans the sky idly for more horrible owl monsters.
"Maybe I can go in and have a little chat with them first."
Desmond can confirm that those are indeed the ones you fought last night.
Before you could make your mind, you hear some screams of terror. A dozen or so of goblins came out from inside the ruins. But the last one got trapped by an spectral hand that pull him inside again where his screams can be hear for two more seconds.
The goblin leader was fast enough to survive and is now scolding everyone of her tribesmen.
Sven, in absence of any better plans, just walks up to the group.
"Looks like you guys got into a bit of trouble. If you tell me what you're doing here I might be able to help you with that." he says, gesturing at the cave.
For a second the goblins stand still in surprise at Sven presence. Then the leader star yelling a bunch of orders trying to organize her clan to meet a possible fight.
But For her surprise the other goblins are not obeying, they seem to be looking at each other faces like waiting for something (though they are hesitating, they could abandon her to her luck or finally start obeying at any moment)
Sven sighs, frustrated by the ever shifting forest.
"Time's up." he says, grows large, and rips the goblin leader in half.
"Now, who else wants a fight?" Desmond brandishes his sword, hoping he won't have to match Sven's display of brutal efficiency.
Without the help of the rest of her clan the female goblin is just shredded to ribbons of meat by the Boarman.
The other goblins are happy with the show but after it they look at each other like plotting something, like choosing their next step...but in the end they decide to not do anything fooly.
You win longshaks, we now leave this hellish place and return to good snow, hehehe
"Answer me one question first. What's in there?"
One of the scarred survivors to the expedition say
An ugly Ghost of a treeloving longears!, Longears be cursed - he say spitting the ground
Knowing it's useless to try and pry useful information from these goblins by now, he just nods.
"All right, you can all go."
To Vendrick and Desmond: "So, an elf ghost. Do you have anything that will make us more effective against ghosts Vendrick?"
Vendrick frowns and flips through his book.
"I am ill prepared for foes of the incorporeal like. Ghosts are not necessarily aggressive. Perhaps we can reason with it and assist it in passing on. Failing that, magic weapons should suffice."
Desmond flashes his signature cocky grin.
"Leave that to me, my "longear" friend. If the ghost doesn't respond to charms of Desmond, it'll taste the blade of Alfonio!"
Vendrick gives Desmond a long hard look at being referred to as a "longear."
He then sighs.
The goblins depart while Vendrick have the feeling there was something about Elven Tombs and elven ghosts but he is not sure exactly what...he should have paid more attention to his people traditions.
Meanwhile Sven loots a purse with little diamonds, and three scrolls.
The scrolls are made with blue-white skin, you have the impression it could be goblin skin, and they are both written in reddish ink.
The first one say something like "Jrakkat of the gutspilling clan, you have the opportunity to please the monster mother by...", and basically it informs that her clan was chosen to come to the vale to serve in the name of Lamashtu.
The second one is more specific and say that the Toothless command Jrakkat to move to a specific spot and wait for at least one entire moon in case a group of three to six longshanks appears and then to ambush and kill them.
The third scroll details how to reach the elven crypt in the mistwoods and warn her about the guardian ghost to finally say "...and don't forgive what was said to you about the guardian, it's your only chance".
"Daylight's burning. Shall we investigate the tomb?"
"If we have no other choice but to fight a ghost without any prep, sure."
"I'm sure we'll be a welcome sight rather than dealing with thieving goblins."
Sven marches into yon cave.
Desmond follows right behind.
I guess you procure some light and enter the place.
The first thing that strike you hard as you enter is a smell of corruption. It doesn't smell like rotting flesh or undeads, it's more bitter with a faint of toxicity. Desmond and Sven have smelt something like that time when the fought the flying black jellyfishes in Dawnmere's mine.
The place has the appearance of having been once well decorated, but since then the pictures in the walls have corroded, the small statues have melted and the rest have decayed.
The crypt is a small place and you can reach the last chamber in little time. Here you see a coffin that is half-open, and close to it the gray translucent image of a monstrous elf covered in a decayed plate armor (forest elven style).
You can sense his anger and malevolence in the air.He scream in an archaic but understandable elven
More thieves!, come and feel the touch of death!
but then he notices Vendrick and the aura of malevolence ceases, and the ghost face transform to a more classic angelical elf
He then say
. have served for long time, too long...Are you hear to release me? It's my time to be replaced?,
"How would we go about releasing you? These goblins are our foe as well. Do you know what they seek here?"
The ghost seem nervous with Ven's words
My time of service already passed, I need to be relieve and another soul have to take my place as guardian...but nobody had come in all this time...The goblins, I failed I was distracted, they stole a part of the treasure before I could react and they were back to stole the rest
The ghost get more serious
"To be honest, I think you're going to have to convince someone to die and take your place as guardian. I'd be willing to try and get your treasure back if you like?" Sven replies, assuming Vendrick is translating all of this.
The druid staff... - You see how the elven ghost seems to be losing focus - the replacement...Nyth Enalean, they provide... - He seems like losing control, and at the same time the acrid odour of the place highly intensifies (FORT DC 15 or be sickened) .
He seems corrupted and monstrous again
You can be...my...replacement... - pointing to Vendrick
Sven shrugs and leaves.
"Maybe if we bring the thing back he'll calm down."
"Good plan." Vendrick powerwalks out of that tomb.
Desmond confidently strides in the opposite direction of danger.
You leave that poor soul alone (freeing him is an actual sidequest with extra treasure if so you wish).
With a good chunk of the goblin troop abandoning the forest (due to Sven killing Jrakkat of the gutspilling clan some posts ago), you manage to ambush the goblins and kill / make run away the goblins...
...with the exception of the female cleric of Lamashtu (the one that was with the goblin king you went to tuskeep). She, by breaking a crystal ball, manage to invoke 4 schir demons to help her.
You against them. 30 ft separation. She is behind the schirs. The are also clear sings of an incoming arcane storm.
"At last! We've cornered her!" Vendrick weaves magick sigils in the air and Hastens his allies.
He then dashes behind a nearby tree or rubble.
"Careful! The demon's halberds carry Gray Pox and their skin resists weapons not made of fey iron or infused with holy magicks. Lesser magicks will fail against them!"
Sven draws upon the magic of his shirt and gives the demons a wide berth, gunning for their summoner. Once within 10 feet, he grows large and begins mauling the poor soul.
Two strikes landed for a 27 damage. She proves to be very slippery.