Starday, Sarenith 23, 4712 Evening
Lost Coast Road
We had gathered before the pair of double doors in the goblin stronghold, and I could hear movement on the other side plus the small-rat-like-dog yipping noise that passes for goblin tongue. The curious smell of sulphur and carbon mixed unpleasantly with what I had already come to recognize as the stench of goblin body odor.
Etayne had dropped to the ground and crawled beneath the room, where she was able to look up and see at least half a dozen goblins. At the same time Kali had pronounced that there was some form of magic in the room.
Radella checked the doors, and as soon as she announced they were free from traps I smashed through just as I heard Ivan cast Bless.
There were eight goblins squished together in too little space. One was sitting in a baby’s high chair, which served as his throne, and was waving a spear in one hand and a rocket in the other. A semi-circle of seven “warriors” stood before him, wielding dog slicers and acting as little, but grim body guards.
Poorly preserved horse and dog heads were mounted on the walls, and small animals that had been pickled in jars lined shelves. It smelled as bad as it sounds.
One stumbled forward near me and I squashed it like a bug, but another nicked me with its blade. Radella shot another.
Sparna stepped through and deftly killed two. I cast Bane on the survivors and stepped out to make room for Olmas, who promptly skewered another.
The leader lit his rocket and it blasted forward, killing his remaining guards and blinding Radella and I.
A moment later, when I could see again, the leader was dead and Anavaru was cutting its head off. Apparently Kali had immobilized it with Color Spray, and then Olmas and Ana did the rest.
“A job well done,” squeaked Beorn.
Indeed it was, for we now head the head of the goblin leader, plus 42 freshly severed ears (including those from the leader), which by my calculations will bring us 920 gold pieces (115 for each of us).
We also gathered a handful of useful items:
[101] 5 +1 Animal Bane arrows
[102] 2 potions of cure light wounds (Sparna and Olmas)
[103] sky rocket
[104] 6 arrows
[105] master work composite longbow (STR +0)
[106] small chain shirt
[107] spear
There was a small and stinky “royal bed chamber” off to the east, but it was obvious that there must have been more beyond the southern wall.
Olmas created a new doorway for us, and we found a small room with a beautiful red lacquered chest with cranes and frogs painted on it. Someone identified it as from the Minkaui kingdom (Tien), and nested within its plush red velvet lining were:
[108] Minkaui red chest
[109] 6 master work shurikens
[110] long red hair pin with pearl at one end
[111] gold and ivory fan, with painting of a gecko walking on cherry blossoms
On the reverse side of the fan the goblins had crudely drawn a map of the swamp with three Xs marking areas of interest.
The nearest was on the coast straight from the fort, and so we made our way to Soggy Bay. Kali’s raven, Nihali, flew as scout overhead, but there was little to see through the undergrowth. We heard some unusual movement off to one side, but we made it to the water and hiked south towards the mark on the map.
Soon we could see a two masted Chelish ship that had run aground quite some time ago. Oddly enough the wreck was encircled by an old fence, and goblin prints littered the soft ground. A pile of mangled goblin bodies lay at the bow of the ship (some weeks old).
We explored the charred ship, which smelled of seaweed and charcoal, but other than the name, painted in Tien script, we found nothing of interest.
We returned to the goblin fort, picked up the chest, and then head back to the Lost Coast Road to more easily access the spot of the next nearest X.
Using a well established trail known as the “Witch’s Walk” we made our way back down into the swamp, and then followed the base of a rise south until we came to a cave. I had already noticed that the skeleton tracks from the fort followed our course, and they led into the cave.
The sun was setting and none of us wanted to face undead at night; so we returned to the road, and after setting up a handful of simple sound traps we made camp.
Sunday, Sarenith 24, 4712 Late Morning
Cave near Brinestump Marsh
Nothing triggered our make shift alarms, and nothing untoward occurred overnight, other than Pookie and Star making off color jokes about a slumber party. Seriously girls, grow up!
We quickly ate, broke camp, and made our way back to the cave entrance.
We had to hack through the nettles and vines, after which we entered the dark and damp earth. A pool of brackish water ran along the left side of the cave, and a track of skeleton prints was easy to see leading both in and out from within.
We huddled there for a moment listening to a disturbing clicking sound. I called out, “Oi, anybody in there?” and the clicking sound stopped. We cautiously backed out. A couple of large spiders (think dog sized) sprang out at us, but Sparna and Radella killed the first, and Anna and Ivan killed the second as it fled.
We moved in and saw that the pool cut off access through the main passage, but there was a small crack to the right from whence the spiders had come.
I followed this narrow passage which rejoined the main cavern where I waved at the others, but from behind I heard a splash followed by the sound of fighting.
Etayne and Sparna had followed through the narrow passage and could not resist exploring the even narrower crack that led deeper in. There they found a circular chamber filled with a pool of water, in the midst of which sat a tiny island of crystal.
Etayne had poked at the water with a spear, and the water poked back, striking Sparna. Some sort of amorphous blobby thing lived there, but Sparna managed to kill it.
We all assembled in the main cavern and followed it around a bend to a large chamber that stretched off in either direction. The pool of stagnant water extended left, and to the right was dry ground with perhaps a dozen skeletons lying on the ground.
We approached cautiously, but the things did not move. At least not until Olmas moved over to one and tried to remove its armor.
Really? Were they bothering us? Oh well, we would have probably made things worse had we just tried to wander past them.
Each of the skeletons stood up and began to advance on us, striking out as opportunity arose.
We were out numbered, and it was clear we needed to regroup into a more strategic formation, but it was already too late.
More skeletons arose from the water to our left, effectively removing any chance of retreat from our list of options. They closed in and things looked very bleak.
I spent most of my time healing in some fashion or another, but it was not enough. Several had closed in on me, and for a brief moment I thought I was about to die.
But then all of my little friends cried out, “No!” as one, and time seemed to stop and then reorganize itself around me. I found myself in possession of a cure spell I did not realize I had prepared, and with that cast I felt much better, and was able to channel more energy to help my comrades.
We were victorious, and had all survived, but only barely. Thanks to my friends we had been saved from more grievous results. Timber sarcastically remarked, “Try not to let that become a habit.” I could only concur.
While the skeletons were clad in armor, it was rusted and rent and not worth the effort of trying to salvage, and so instead we turned our attention to the other tunnel leading out.
We found that it opened up to a good sized cavern that then narrowed down to a crack at the far side. Sitting in the middle of this was a skeleton more finely dressed than his companions that we had fought. And it was sitting on a large jade and cherry chest, in the same style as the small chest we found with the goblins.
It wore a chain shirt and was armed with an exotic sword that glowed with magic.
Etayne and I threw stones at it, and she called out, “Are you awake?”
It rose up and pointed at Olmas with a boney finger and spoke in an unknown (to us) tongue. It then hefted its sword and strode towards him.
This was all we let it do before pouncing upon it from all sides and destroying it.
Unlike its brethren, this skeleton had an interesting assortment of loot, which we liberated.
[112] +1 exotic sword etched with seven shrikes perched upon a twisted twig
Once per day the wielder can cast Shield Other on any creaturetouched
[113] bronze key
[114] chest lined with red velvet
[115] 5 potions of Cure Light Wounds
[116] 2 potions of Cure Moderate Wounds
[117] 3 potions of Lesser Restoration
[118] wand of Identify [19 charges]
[119] master work chain mail shirt
[120] master work cold iron exotic sword
[121] 11 fireworks, “Desna’s Candles”
[122] 4 sky rockets
[123] ring of climbing
842 gold pieces
7,140 silver pieces
While handling the sword to identify it, we noticed that the pommel hid a small scroll case, and within it was a letter, but in Tien, which none of us could read.
Ever resourceful, Kali cast Comprehend Languages and read the letter. It was addressed to Ameiko’s father (who had died some years ago in a bizarre accident at the glassworks) from his father, and it hinted at some long hidden family history and heritage.
The shipwreck we had encountered, The Keijitsu Star (according to Kali) had been intended to bring this letter and various family heirlooms to Ameiko’s family, but had obviously failed to do so. The letter also alluded to a much larger collection of family wealth and secret information hidden away in a place called Brinewall.
None of us were sure where Brinewall was, but we all agreed that Ameiko should be given the letter.
There is a discussion going on about whether the Tien items we have found thus far should be returned as well, but I have no great interest in its outcome.
Foremost on my mind is what could be out at the third and final X marked on the goblin map, and if we should head over there today, or return to Sandpoint first and find Ameiko.