1.2 - Cragmaw Cave

Seeing as Alex is progressing stealthily to free the prisoners, Igrem figures it would be a good idea to concentrate the attention away from them. He steps closer to Nott, revealing himself to Yeemik, and looks at him in the eyes. He does not begin any hostile move, though, and does not speak yet.

Hello there
Nelly bounced the Klarg two-handed mace off her shoulder and on the floor with a loud thunk
We are here to collect our people. Klarg thought he could say "no". He was wrong and now I have collected his mace.
Please give us our people, so we can leave this place - or should I collect your things aswell?

Bound up next to Redhawk and another human is a gnome with flaxen hair wearing a shirt of rusty chainmail. Hanging around his neck is an icon of a unicorn with blue eyes and a golden horn, a symbol which is also emblazoned on a wooden buckler not far away. He was captured along with his long-suffering friend Redhawk on a hunting trip that he insisted he tag along on. Though he isn't struggling against his bonds, a stream of muffled banter can be heard beneath an extra layer of cloth tied over his mouth, seemingly to prevent the constant babble of noise from annoying his captors too much. A gleam of excitement flashes across his eyes as a new friend (Alexander) sneaks over for a daring rescue.

As Klarg’s mace thunks against the stone, Yeemik raises both hands, palms outward in a gesture of peace.

"Wait, wait—no need for more smashing, yes?" he says, voice higher-pitched than expected, almost oily.

He steps forward slightly on the ledge, revealing himself more clearly in the dim firelight—round belly straining against his crude armor, short limbs, and an oddly composed demeanor that clashes with the chaos of the cave.

Then, with surprising delicacy, he reaches into a small pouch and pulls out a pair of tiny, black-bordered glasses. He perches them on his nose, squinting through them at the party below.

"Ah… yes. Much better," he mutters, seeing you in the dim light.

His gaze sharpens as he takes in Nelly, Igrem—

—and then turns quickly.

His brows rise.

"Eh?"

Behind him, unnoticed by most, Alex has already done his work. Bonds loosened. Gags removed. The captives—Sildar, Redhawk, and Boggart—are no longer helpless.

Yeemik blinks.

"Well! That is…Very... Unexpected. " he says, impressed.

"You came for humans and small noisy one, right?." He gestures vaguely. "Take them. Yeemik does not care. They are trouble anyway."

A few of the goblins by the fire grumble, but none move or try to stop you. Yeemik then shifts his attention to Nott.

"And you… Klarg is dead and you say you are queen now."

Nott stiffens, chin lifting again, though her fingers twitch at her sides.

"Yes," she says quickly. "Queen."

Yeemik adjusts his glasses.

"Mm. Maybe."

Redhawk will look at Yeemik "My friends an I need our weapons back. I must be able to hunt to live. I will un string my bow until we leave."

Igrem looks nervously at the goblins, wondering what will happen to Nott when the humans — and the gnome — are gone. "We surely don't want to overstay our welcome. The sooner our companions here have recovered their belongings, the sooner we will be on our way." concurs the magician with Redhawk.

Boggart bounces onto his feet as soon as he's freed, stretching his limbs. "Finally free of those frustrating fetters!" He grabs Alexander's hands and shakes them vigorously. "Can't thank you enough, no, not enough! From this day forth, Boggart Frimble is fast friends with you fearsome fellows!"

The gnome then turns to address the goblins: "Well now, it's been fun, but it looks like we've been rescued. I'll just retrieve our effects..." He says, and bounds over to where they've deposited their weapons.

"Yes, yes… take your things," Yeemik says, waving a pudgy hand dismissively. "Weapons, bows, shiny bits—Yeemik does not care. Humans go, goblins stay. That is good balance, yes?" His eyes flick briefly to the other goblins, already losing interest in the prisoners entirely.

Then Yeemik turns his full attention to Nott. A slow, odd smile spreads across his face—wide, crooked, and just a little too pleased with itself.

"You say you are queen," he says, voice smooth. "Maybe true. Maybe not."

He spreads his arms.

"Two choices."

He raises one stubby finger.

"First option—fight. Champion against champion. Old way. Blood, bones, death. The winner rules."

A few goblins perk up at that, gripping their weapons eagerly.

Then Yeemik raises a second finger.

"Or…" he says, smile widening into something deeply unsettling, "no fight. No more dead goblins."

He leans forward.

"We do a Big Celebration. Tribe grows strong together. Forget humans, forget gnome, forget fighting, drop our weapons, drop our clothes… make more goblins, yes?"

The goblins below begin chittering, some laughing, some already tossing aside weapons, the mood shifting from tension to something chaotic and unpredictable.

---

Meanwhile, Sildar — now free — exchanges confused and increasingly uncomfortable glances with you while Yeemik talks and proposes... whatever it is... to Nott.

As his knife slides through the third captive's bonds, Alex whispers a thankful prayer to his patron goddess. My most heartfelt gratitude, my Lady of the Glittering Dice. May our walking the Lady's Way bring a smile to your face.

Sheathing his knife, Alex is just in time to flash Yeemik his most insouciant grin in response to Yeemik's surprise, shrugging his shoulders as if to say "Well, you just left them there for me to free".

As the tableau unfolds, Alex cannot help but grin at Boggart's ebullient manner. Returning the hearty handshake in the manner it was given, he replies "full introductions will need to wait for a safer environ. Phandalver, perhaps? But in the interests of simple communication, I hight Alexander Simonnet Natalis de Bertier du Puy, of the du Puys of Amphail and environs. But my friends call me Alex. What my enemies call me is not fit for polite company," he ends with a smile.

Nodding to the other stranger, who must be the Redhawk whom Boggart referenced, Alex turned to Sildar and asked concernedly, "What happened to you and Gundar?EDIT for DM simultaneous post
As he whispers to Sildar, Alex takes in what Yeemik just said. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he addressed the room in general, "Maybe we should leave before the…um…festivities?

Yes its time that we got out of here and into the sunlight again.

Nelly assists the former prisoners.

Concerned, Igrem whispers to Nott's ear: "Maybe it would be a good idea to leave with us. That will avoid the unpleasantness of what's coming for you here..." He waits for her answer while staring at Yeemik with a closed expression.

Redhawk looks at his new companions"Redhawk is the name and hunting is the game. I say we get out of here before the party starts." He recovers his gear and is ready to go.

Whispering sotto voce to Igrem, Alex says Maybe its best not to make any assumptions about Nott's predilections for wild goblin parties, eh? She may enjoy having a harem to serve her bidding.

"All's well that ends well, no? Alex says. Turning to Nott, he bows and says "we should let your most royal majesty work out the particulars of her reign and her court as is her will." He turns towards the grotto's opening, and addressing the rest of the now much larger party says "We must get to Phandalver, where we can regroup and and find out what in Beshaba's Bright Sister's name is going on! He looks plaintively at Sildar as he says this.

Igrem takes a hard look at Nott, then a hard look at the goblins. Hearing Alexander's tirade, he bows simply and swiftly to the queen and says: "Very well. Whether you stay or you come with us, you have to decide now." He doesn't wait any longer, though, and is on his way with his companions towards the caverns exit.

"Black Spider, you say? Hmm..." Boggart wracks his brain to see if he's ever heard of this person. "Sounds like a no-good do-er if I've ever heard of one. Add in a dash of lost treasure and some magic doodads, and it smells like adventure! My grandpappy (that's grandpappy Sibilus O'malley Frimble, on my father's side) always told me to follow my nose, and it's not lead me astray so far. Save for that little business of being captured by goblins. What fun!" Boggart laughs and skips up to Sildar, spitting in his hand and grasping the man's before he has a chance to object, shaking vigorously.

"I'm in! When do we leave?"

Redhawk listens "Well met sir, I am Redhawk of Raventree. I will represent my village on this quest. May they make and sing songs of our exploits. I am in as well."