Expedition - Foxy\Bounty Hunting - 20 May 2021

[Marullus]

On the morning of 20 May 2021, Foxy O'Hare and Idriss Silverleaf are seen departing the city with her riding horse, Bluebell.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"Damn mercs' didn't turn the money down, just don't fancy trekking out to the goblin hole. They reckon it is all cleansed but squatters always move in and in fleeing, the goblin king may have left stuff behind. Worth a dig I think, plus there might be some bounty on the plains. What did you discover at the library?"

[Spearmint]

Idriss Silverleaf

"Well there are regular guard patrols that way so we should be safe enough on our travels if we need to herald some security. Shame no one wanted to come with you , us, we could have done with some extra eyes. I fear the goblin interior is full of traps."

[Stirling]

Having browsed through a few of Idriss' notes. Foxy picks out the pattern of regular guard patrols. Is one leaving soon or due to return from that area? She will ask a guard at the town gates.

[Marullus]

Patrols go by at least once a day; they loop about so it is not a direct route. You could time to go with them near it, or to avoid it. Which is it?

[Spearmint]

Idriss Silverleaf



"It would be good to let guards know we are there and also to check on us if we don't make it back to town in a few days." Idriss says to Foxy.

From the map it looks 8 or so miles away and with Idriss walking it will take 2-3 hours. I guess timing our arrival to arrive just before the guards would be best I think. Idriss will follow Foxys' experience in these things.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy will get directions to the goblin hole from a guard and the approximate time a guard unit will arrive there. Then they will set off, riding at walking pace so Idriss can keep up. If the trail is well worn by the guards they can just follow that.

[Spearmint]

Idriss Silverleaf

Idriss introduces Wilbur the weasel to Foxy."He's quiet tame, just a cub. I have seen 'giant' size weasel cousins as big as a small hound, but I don't think he'll grow that much. Giant in heart though and intelligent enough to learn a few tricks. Not mage familiar with him but if you need a gold coin sniffing out he can do that."

[Marullus]

You let the guards know of your plans; they don't enter the ruins of the hole so have no objection to your efforts. You set off the morning of the 20th about 8:00am.

I need to do a little prep work to get your map for you and such; I'll kick off your arrival at the delve this weekend at the latest. Feel free to continue to RP between you and plan your efforts enroute.

[Spearmint]

Get the feeling we should have bought a 10ft pole with us...

[Marullus]

...or a thief, even.

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

Foxy is very cautious on the trail aware of the stories in the tavern of goblin holes and ogres about. If there are hill ridges about she will ride up to them to get a view of their surroundings and any potential ambush points such as tree copses', boulders, abandoned buildings. Particular interest in circling carrion birds like vultures, other riders on the trail.

[Spearmint]

Idriss Silverleaf

Idriss will continue to study the notes he made from the sages' office, trying to pick out any clues or hints regarding the goblins. He asks of Foxy concerning the 'bounty' she is seeking, what sort it is and also shares that the sage thought that land of Gaul was ruled over by a dragon who is now sleeping somewhere waiting to awake and cause havoc. Does the 'bounty' involve dragons at all? Maybe a dragon egg?

[Marullus]

Information from the Sage's records:

Much information is provided about the accounting of the situation - the names and relations of the Guardsmen who took part, the gear they were issued from the armory, and accolades and injuries sustained which the ArchDuke later offered commendation and recompense for. The Goblin Hole itself is a limestone cave with spring and small waterway, modified by extensive goblin-made excavation. It housed mostly goblins with a small amount of wolves, and its positioning among rocky outcroppings and surrounding small streams made it difficult to track and locate, even with hounds.

The assault was done en-mass once the location was confirmed. They slaughtered the goblins who came to defense and quickly routed the host. Goblins popped out of escape routes and began streaming across the plain - the Goblin King and wolf-riders foremost. The Guard put them to the chase and cut down as many of the fleeing goblins as they could.

The Goblin Hole, thus abandoned, was to be cleared by the guard. The small size of the tunnels and the plethora of clever traps made this untenable, causing more casualties than the battle. Notes include guard deaths by spiked deadfalls, deadly poison, and evisceration by hidden blades. Having verified that the front portion was left uninhabited, the Guard filled the tunnels with oil-soaked brush and timber and set it afire to burn out the remainder of anything which lay below.

Notes continue on regularly, annotating regular inspection as the Guards patrol the Safe Zone daily. No sign of re-inhabitation has ever been noted.

A map of the known portion of the caverns, drawn from description by the soldiers, is included. (I'll provide it when an expedition actually goes there.)

As noted above, the primary living space of the goblins appeared to be a system of caverns equipped with devious traps. The guards cleared these caverns, marking traps as they took the lives of good men. To secure the site, they collapsed the southern access tunnel, preventing egress by a back way. They found a set of constructed stone stairs leading down into an under-layer of constructed rooms, apparently of older craftsmanship. They filled the stairs and lower access-ways with brush and oil, lighting it on fire, that both smoke and flame might take care of anything plugged in down there. With the goblin living quarters handled, they monitor the front entrance on their daily patrols, not venturing within any longer.

Map which you copied:

The Forsaken Chambers of Goblin Hole - upper (player edit) - small.png (110.3 KiB) Viewed 1419 times

[Marullus]

The trip across the patrolled lands of Gaul is uneventful. Before morning is over, you see the unassuming cave mouth which marks the Goblin Hole. Had not the map shown the way, you might have ignored such an opening. It gapes before you, waiting.

Date: 20 May 2021, 11:00am
Light: Sun

[Stirling]

Foxy O'Hare

"we have a little time before the guards circle by, let us enter with caution. Idriss can you struck a torch up." Foxy will dismount Bluebells and scimitar drawn check around the cave entrance for signs of recent passage. Wary off thus abundance of goblin teamwork, she will once more enter a goblin cavern, with a little less bravado or sense of purpose than before. If there is a place to tie the horse safe inside she will.

[Spearmint]

Idriss Silverleaf

Idriss will strike up a firebrand torch and suggest he leads the way using his quarterstaff balance pole to test the ground ahead of him. There is a place on the western wall marked spears, it could be they fired down into the cave mouth at intruders. Any spear shafts about? old remnants or new ones fired? He will inch his way along the south and west wall. There is a small alcove, could be best place to tie up the horse.

[Marullus]

You enter the cave mouth cautiously, Idriss and his pole going first, testing the ground. You tie up Bluebelle in the alcove just inside the entrance, providing fodder for her to munch on. (Please account for feed on your sheet; how much did they agree to give you with the horse? I don't recall.) The cave is of natural limestone, the torch casting eerie and confusing shadows among the stalagmites and stalactites which proliferate around the cave edges like serrated teeth. The ground is likewise water-worn stone - no earth or tracks upon it, but with detritus and leaves blown-in, mounding around the cave mouth. You see no sign of spears as you enter, or of goblin- or human- goods.

About thirty feet in, Idriss catches a thin tripline with his staff, strung between two stalagmites across the obvious path. Two spears shoot from the far wall, narrowly missing the pair, clattering among stones. A small gong sounds somewhere in the distance, echoing among the cavern chambers.

Date: 20 May 2021, 11:30am
Light: Torch (until 12:15am)
Injuries: None

[Spearmint]

Idriss is thankful he checked the map before going in. The mound of leaves and twigs, just have a poke at that in case some creepy thing is inside nesting. Idriss will proceed as far as the pit trap? If there are Checking around it and peering inside to see how deep it is, what sort of trap it is? Also how high is the roof, I would like to take a path were no stalactite is going to fall down and impale me.

[Marullus]

Pausing for Stirling.