I sensed movement within the trees and spotted four goblins armed with crossbows hiding therein. Before we could seek cover Immaral and I were hit. I charged forward as Charlla and Gareth laid down covering fire, mundane and divine respectively. Constallus downed one of them but Immaral had to hold back as he was sorely wounded though once he had caught his breath he felled one with a magic missile. With two of their number dead the others ran away and it was left to Constallus and I to chase them down.
We searched the bodies of the goblins and Constallus took one of the crossbows while Gareth took some of the better crossbow bolts to supplement his supplies. I managed to find some tracks leading off towards the Moon Hills and so we followed them hoping that they would lead towards the goblins' lair.
Constallus cast one of his spells and suddenly a large flightless bird appeared next to him. From Constallus' look of surprise it was obvious that this was not his original plan. The goblins were equally surprised and we used this moment's hesitation to push forward. Gareth crept into the palisade and took out the last goblin sniper while Constallus killed the last of the larger goblins outside the camp at which point the bird vanished. He gave us a look which seemed to say, "Don't ever mention what just happened."
Inside the palisade we found a fire pit over which hung a battered, rusty cook pot filled with a foul tasting stew as Constallus can testify. Two sacks beside the fire contained several hundred silver coins and beside them lay a few spare swords and battered leather armour.
A low ceiling passage led away into the side of the ridge lit with flickering torches, it smelt of sweat, rotting meat and worse. I edged along the passage, as quietly as my armour would allow until I reached a junction. Ahead I heard two goblins talking. I signalled for Gareth to scout ahead and see if they were alone. The elven rogues skills in this area had already gained my respect and he moved silently along the corridor and around the corner. Crouching down he signalled that there were just the two goblins awake but others were sleeping and that we should come quickly and quietly to dispatch them before they could raise the alarm.
That was the plan.
However we were unable to dispatch the two active goblins before the other two were awake and the battle was longer and noisier than we planned. However it was over before the alarm could be raised and we prevented any from escaping to warn the rest of the clan. We searched the rancid piles of sleeping furs but found nothing but a few crusted bowls and some gnawed bones, hopefully not those of the missing caravan guard.
We continued along the passage as it turned to the left with Gareth on point until we reached another opening in the right-hand wall. Gareth waved us back as he took a peek around the corner. He came back and whispered.
"Looks like this is where they are keeping the caravan guard prisoner. There's only one goblin on guard, he hasn't seen me I can take him."
We nodded our agreement and the elf moved forward, crossbow in hand. We heard the ‘thuck' sound of the weapon being fired followed by a wet squelch and a smiling Gareth reappeared and beckoned us on. Inside a small sleeping chamber we saw a trussed up man with wide staring eyes and a goblin pinned to the stone wall by a crossbow bolt that had gone clean through his head. As I freed the man the others searched the room finding bags, sacks and boxes which look to have come from the hijacked wagon as they contained swards, maces, arrows and daggers all neatly packed and wrapped in straw. The sacks contained candles and ropes.
"Do you want to come with us?" I asked the guard as he rubbed the circulation back into his hands and feet.
"Not bloody likely" he replied, "I've seen enough action for a lifetime."
"Escort him back to the entrance" I said to Charlla, "Can you keep watch there and warn us if anything comes this way?"
"Suppose." He shrugged.
Once Charlla and the guard had left for the entrance Gareth shook his head, "He's useless; how did he ever get a job as a guard?"
Seeing a clear shot Constallus let loose one of his Eldritch Blasts but somehow the goblin king managed to pull one of his guards in front who died from the effect of the spell. Charlla healed the wounds that Gareth had taken in his sprint to the front while he concentrated on attacking the lurking goblin blackblade. A spell from the goblin king had blinded Immaral who continued casting magic missiles at random sending splinters of stone flying from walls and ceiling. The goblin king took a wand and waved it at Immaral but whatever effect it was supposed to cause Immaral appeared to resist it. Charlla stepped in to assist Gareth and together they dispatched the blackblade just as the elf rogue was blinded by another hex from the goblin king. Summoning the power of Avendra I wracked one of the guards with intense pain giving us a better chance to reach the king and finish the battle before it finished us.
Then Gareth and I were wracked by intense tingling pain and the goblin king smiled at us, not a pretty sight. Obviously while we were distracted he had cast another hex at us. Then everything went black. I too had been blinded. I waved my mace around in front of me hoping that my friends would be behind me and only my foes before me. I heard Charlla cry out and crash to the ground just as my vision returned. Beside me Gareth swigged a health potion before nodding grimly at me. While Immaral and Constallus mopped up the last guards I pushed forward and stabbed the king who fell to his knees.
"Spare me!" he pleaded pitifully.
"Die goblin scum!" I replied without pity and the king cast a final spell that I shook off without effort as I slew him.
After reviving Charlla we searched the bodies and found nothing unusual on the bodies of the goblins. Still we packed them up ready to take back to town to sell for whatever gold we could. As we were about to leave, Constallus noticed that there were scratches around the base of the throne. With a little effort we managed to move it revealing a hollow in which was stuffed a sack containing over a hundred gold pieces.
We returned to the mouth of the cave carrying the goods we had found. "Immaral tells me that it wasn't a goblin king you slew; it was a Hexer some form of shaman, somehow that doesn't seem so grand does it." Gareth seemed to be a little disappointed that we hadn't killed someone of importance; still I was glad we had removed some evil from the world.
The guard was pleased to see us return from the caves, alive and in one piece. While the others rested and kept watch on the treasure, I walked back to town and returned a few hours later with a wagon to transport the goods and ourselves home in comfort.
After we had eaten our fill he gave us a purse containing one hundred and forty five gold pieces, our reward for our efforts and we left the inn, full and satisfied with a job well done.