1.2 - Cragmaw Cave

Alex, the torch catches with a low whoomph, warm light pushing back the suffocating darkness. It is dangerous how obvious the torch feels—like announcing your presence with a trumpet—but without it, one misstep could send you sprawling into some goblin contraption, so that's likely the lesser evil. Anyway, you move on.

Ahead, the tunnel widens abruptly into a larger chamber. The smell hits you before the sight does—thick cooking smoke, rancid hides, damp fur, and the unmistakable musk of too many unwashed goblins in too small a space.

The cave is split in two by a ten-foot-high escarpment running across it. The lower section spreads out before you, while a steep, natural stone staircase (at D8) climbs to an upper ledge overlooking the room from the south. You cannot clearly see what's happening upstairs as you didn't dare to approach further.

That's because down in the lower—northern—portion of the cave, near the wall, you spot five ordinary goblins clustered around a small cooking fire. A battered pot hangs over the flames, something foul bubbling within. Crude bedrolls and heaps of poorly cured hides are scattered about, marking this as either a common room or a barracks.

Alex douses the torch and slowly shuffles back to Nelly and Igrem, relying on his memory if the short trip in. Reaching the pair, he quickly updates them as to the lay of the land. If it was only a five-on-three, I'd take it. Especially since I can probably get the jump on one before they even know I'm there. I'm worried about what is up the stairs. If we all move quietly, maybe we can take two or three of them out right at the start. Maybe. There is something up those stairs, though. Possibly treasure. Possibly our employers, and possible a gate to the Nine Hells for all I know. It smells rancid enough.

Nelly tigthens the strap on her shield and secures the loop of her mace, around her wrist.
She is ready for a brawl

"There is always the possibility of going straight ahead [towards O6]. It could be risky, but maybe it is better to know the layout of these caves before escalating things." suggests Igrem, obviously not eager to rush into combat.

That makes sense, Alex responds to Igrem. Let me sneak down that path for a bit. Alex relights his torch and carefully moves down the path, ready to slip into darkness at a moments notice.

Alex, you hear a waterfall echoing from a larger cavern ahead, the sound muffled but constant. Above the narrow channel, a rickety wooden bridge spans the gap, linking two tunnels nearly twenty feet overhead. In the dim torchlight, you catch the faintest movement — a squat shape pressed low against the bridge railing. A goblin lies in wait there, trying to stay hidden, but not quite hidden enough.

Igrem looks at Alex, expectantly waiting for him to communicate what he found out.

Has not seen either, apparently.
Yes and probably yes. I will let Avraham roleplay this. Please tell us what Alex did.

Everybody, please roll Initiative, with Advantage, to see how many actions you have. Nelly’s used her first action, but maybe she has more. Players go first.

PS: The goblin is probably dead, but we will stay in combat.

Igrem gets ready to act.

As Alex prepares to slink back and inform the party of his findings, Nelly rushes by and lets loose a torrent of arcane syllables. Before he could even reach out and stop her from breaking stealth, the goblin on the bridge seems to seize up, stiffen, and then collapses with an awful wheeze. So much for the quiet option Alex thinks.

As the goblin collapses, Alex draws his sling—being that there are no visible goblins in melee range—and scans the area for enemies and advantages [Action 1: Assess - Perception].

Nelly, you noticed Alex’s subtle cue and traced his gaze upward. There — a shape clinging to the shadows on the rickety bridge. A goblin sentry, trying to make itself small. Trying to hide.

"Coward!." - you rebuke, in the magical and powerful Divine Language.

Then you lift a hand and point, channeling the divine fury coiled in you. Radiance bursts forth in a searing line, a merciless ray that slams into the cowering figure.

Light floods the bridge.

The goblin convulses as the power hits — body locking rigid, a choked gasp tearing from its throat. It collapses in a limp heap, smoke curling faintly from its body.

Dead.

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Alex, yeah, you barely have time to react before Nelly obliterates the sentry in a flash of holy power.

Regardless, your eyes sweep the cavern.

First: the bridge. The high ground is obvious — and dangerous. Whoever holds it commands the tunnels below. You catch movement in the dim light beyond: two more goblins, startled but alive, somewhere near you.

Also, you notice that the space beneath the bridge is a maze of shadows, jagged stones and rushing waters. Down there, sightlines break apart. If someone needed to disappear, the darkness under the bridge would make it very, very easy.

Alex calls out to Nelly and Igrem a quick tactical update: "two more up top, shadows below, 'ware the goblins and wolves behind!" As he does so, he is spinning his sling, which just as he finishes the update, he lets loose towards the closer goblin [Action 2: Attack G8].

Watching the stone impact on the goblin and ricochet to the side, Alex understands he has wounded the creature but not incapacitated it. A touch of your luck would be of most welcome, my Lady, Alex whispers in prayer has he moves into the shadows under the bridge to break the creatures' lines of sight [Action 3: Move Q7 lower level or thereabouts]. Taking a moment to control his breathing, Alex melts into the shadows [Cheat Hide: (1/round) You may either Move or Hide for free].

Igrem makes just one step forward and casts a flaming dart at the goblin attacked by Alex (G8), hoping to neutralize it definitely.

Igrem takes the hit, which cuts his breathing. Out of spite, he hurls back a Flame Dart at the goblin who target him. Then he approaches the bridge but does not cross it yet. Instead, he casts Heart's Fire again on Alex, to provide him with more contingencies.

Nelly lifts her shield, but the arrow goes through and into her arm. This does not stop her, however as she charages ind and strike down goblin with her radiant judgement.

Igrem, you climb the northern stones, taking care to avoid overextending yourself. As you move, you murmur the familiar syllables of Heart’s Fire, sending a pulse of empowering magic toward the shadows where Alex hides.

On the southern side, Nelly grunts as a projectile punches through her guard and bites into her arm. Regardless, wirh shield lifted and mace blazing faintly, she charges up the southern stone incline towards the higher ground, boots striking hard against rock.

Igrem’s fire scorches across the goblin’s chest at the same instant Nelly’s mace comes crashing down in a burst of divine light. The impact is decisive.

The goblin’s body jerks once, then collapses onto the stone floor, lifeless.

HP lost
G7: 0

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