Aren't your players' character worried about whoever/whatever "Malfeshnekor" is? Tsuto's journal is clear that Nualia is trying to free it from the subterrean levels of Thistletop, and that once it's under her command "we won't need to worry about being subtle."
Some parties have tried a sea approach to Thistletop. (This works best if a certain sea predator is already out of the picture.) It does require a certain amount of proficiency with boats - maybe they could hire a boat and captain in Sandpoint? It is possible to spot the dungeon level one exit from below, and that's not as high a climb as up to the ground level of Thistletop (remember that they can take 10 unless they are in combat). And there's a welcoming committee. :)
The bridge being cut only works to the occupants' advantage in their race against time to free Malfeshnekor, so I think the PCs better check up on the rules Swim and Climb checks.
...or you could allow for their choice to have its natural consequences, especially if they count 'dropping the bridge' as a victory. Let them pat themselves on the back a bit, maybe have a random wilderness encounter or two, then return to Sandpoint claiming to be the almighty heroes.
Then, three or four days later, have the town swamped by all the combined goblin tribes of the Hinterlands, led by the equivalent of a full adventuring party with three hounds driving everyone into a panic. Unless they have someone guarding the Smuggler's Tunnel, or blocked it off, part of the attack will come from within the Glassworks, and other attackers will boil out from more tunnels elsewhere. Basically, the wall would be useless as a defensive measure.
Arm these goblins with extra incendiaries -- torches, flasks of alchemist's fire, maybe even some bombs. Be sure to have every tribal leader and goblin hero at the front lines. It's entirely possible that Nualia might have figured out how to set the barghest free and put him in charge of the whole thing.
They were warned, if they paid any attention to Tsuto's journal. They should know that the attack is coming, it's larger than anything they could stop, and that the only thing making it happen is the group of leaders in Thistletop.
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I'd love to see the goblins trying to repair it.
I just have visions of Goblins being catapulted over to the other side of the gap with some ropes tied round their waists......after the first would be engineers forgot the ropes altogether.
...or you could allow for their choice to have its natural consequences, especially if they count 'dropping the bridge' as a victory. Let them pat themselves on the back a bit, maybe have a random wilderness encounter or two, then return to Sandpoint claiming to be the almighty heroes.
Then, three or four days later, have the town swamped by all the combined goblin tribes of the Hinterlands, led by the equivalent of a full adventuring party with three hounds driving everyone into a panic. Unless they have someone guarding the Smuggler's Tunnel, or blocked it off, part of the attack will come from within the Glassworks, and other attackers will boil out from more tunnels elsewhere. Basically, the wall would be useless as a defensive measure.
Arm these goblins with extra incendiaries -- torches, flasks of alchemist's fire, maybe even some bombs. Be sure to have every tribal leader and goblin hero at the front lines. It's entirely possible that Nualia might have figured out how to set the barghest free and put him in charge of the whole thing.
They were warned, if they paid any attention to Tsuto's journal. They should know that the attack is coming, it's larger than anything they could stop, and that the only thing making it happen is the group of leaders in Thistletop.
Combine these two ideas. The PCs took the easy route and the goblins, bent on invading Sandpoint, and Naulia, bent on burning it to the ground, repair the bridge or find another way to mainland. Then the goblin invasion begins in full.
I'd probably structure it like this:
1) Goblins begin repairing the bridge. It takes a few days.
2) Goblins set up and staging area on mainland. this is a gathering place for the Thistletop invasion force (culled from its inhabitants), plus whatever other goblin tribes you want to include. Staging takes a few days.
3) The invasion begins. Maybe it starts the a night-time incursion to strategically place small assault groups inside the town walls, while a larger force invades the smuggler tunnels. The morning brings an external assault follwed up quickly by internal assaults once the defenses are mustered to the walls/gates. Make it very chaotic.
In the meantime, you might throw a local side adeventure or two at the heroes to give them opprtunity to advance in level AND opportunities to discover the impending goblin invasion before all hell breaks loose.
Alternatively, you can skip all this and when they report back to the Sandpoint authorities and tell them the bridge has been cut, have the Sheriff/Mayor/Someone simply ask, "How does that solve the goblin problem? Can't they just fix the bridge?"
-Skeld
Most of this thread should have spoiler tags...
I'm not quite as gung ho about unleashing Malfeshnekor etc simply because the pc's cut the bridge down. First off, Nualia and her crew are the most incompetent adventurers in the history of Golarion - they've been in Thistletop for days (weeks?) and still haven't found the secret door in E5? Really? So it seems a stretch to assume that suddenly "tomorrow" it all comes together for her. Just in a DM response to player actions. The pc's need to believe there is urgency but the actual background suggests the urgency is moderate at best (written that way to give each DM leeway on timing I assume.)
I would only invoke the full assault on Sandpoint if the pc's were themselves incompetent or neglectful. If they cut the bridge, give each other high fives, declare "It's Miller Time!" and wander off on other personal quests, then yea, let 'em have it. But the OP is a bit sketchy on details. He says Gogmurt escaped or fled. What of the BirdCruncher goblins?
If the pc's cut the bridge so they could deal with the enemies on the mainland without fearing reinforcements from the fort - that seems like good tactics. And if they follow that up with watching the island and laying an ambush for goblins who come to repair it, that also seems like good tactics (or at least a valid option.) I'd follow that up with the Yeth Hounds ferrying goblins across Normandy invasion style (at night of course) and let the fight begin there.
If the pc's cut the bridge and head to town, I'd give them a warning message from the sheriff or mayor (along Skeld's line above) - what good does that do? When they return to the thistle top, they find the bridge repaired and held in force. By Orik or Bruthazmus and goblin commandos.
If they have to, the pc's should be able to repair the bridge themselves. The climb dc isn't that difficult if you take 10 and aren't wearing armor and if someone is lowering you down with ropes - go down, swim over get the dangling end of the bridge, swim back and climb up. If they go down and take care of the bunyip, it'll be easier. Magic such as levitate or spiderclimb might make it easer as well.
