We left off with our fearless group of adventures just slowing to catch their breaths after running after the remaining goblin. Fate was leading the group, tracking as he went to following the fleeing goblin. It was then that arrows shot into the area and the fight was once again on.
Fate having been the first to find the ambush, was peppered with arrows, and throughout the fight was brought low a few times, but thankfully Z’Ella and Kit kept the minstrel alive and breathing.
At the end of the battle, the group finally rested, leaving the fleeing goblin and his minion to keep running into the darkness, cursing that the “wizard” was going to kill them this time.
After assessing all the wounds, and Skrag having a light snack it was time once again to decide the course of action. It was mutually agreed upon that the job was not completed. No necklace was found, and the group could not in good faith say that the goblin problem was completely dealt with.
The group set out after the easily visible path the fleeing goblins had left and found themselves leaving the forest and entering into a region of rolling hills, with a tower, and mountains in the distance. The new terrain made it a little harder to track where the goblins had gone, so the party was moving slowly when they decided to take a break near a large boulder, only to find an old cave entrance hidden behind it.
The group split into two and searched the opening of the cave to see if anyone had remembered hearing of this cave. What they came up with is that the cave was over 100 years old, with no cult or religious affiliations to it. They decided to investigate further assuming that this might be the base camp for the goblin brigade.
The well crafted tunnel lead about 100 ft into the earth and opened into a room with four “cell” doors in the side walls, and a large sturdier door at the other end. Upon entering they all heard what appeared to be crying from behind on of the “cell” doors. Skrag and Kit break down the door to the cell, and to the groups amazement they found Sarah, farmer Sam’s daughter alive and relatively unharmed. Seeing Skrag, she started screaming, and demanded to leave immediately. Z’Ella took matters into her own hands and slapped the young girl in an attempt to end the hysterics, with this also removing the young girl’s necklace for “safe keeping”. Sarah refused to go anywhere with the Z’Ella or Skrag and took off down the tunnel with Kit chasing after her. While Kit went chasing after Sarah, the rest of the group decided to investigate the remaining 3 cells. One was empty, another had an old long since rotted body, and Trinnie had the luck to open the remaining cell door. Had she been taller and could have looked into the cell before opening it, she would have been better prepared when a swarm of rats came pouring out, covering the small Halfling. With Skrag’s help, and Fate and snickering under his breath and being very helpful to point out all the rats remaining on the Halfling the rat problem was dealt with. Z’Ella went looking for Kit and Sarah, and with her amazing wisdom and powers of intimidation managed to get Sarah to come back into the tunnel and stay with the group until we all would travel back to town together. The group had a little whispering aside and decided that it would not be safe to take Sarah further into the tunnel knowing that there was an evil wizard somewhere lurking about. Skrag with one fell swoop of his fist knocked out the little girl and locked her in a nice clean cell, until the group could come back and collect her.
Travelling through the door, another 100 ft tunnel was found, that ended in a spiral staircase leading up. Fate agreed since he was the quietest and stealthiest that he would wait at the bottom of the stair to prevent a rear attack. The remaining group members climbed the stairs that ended in a trap door. Kit opened the door and found the wizard standing in what looked like a circular room that must have been part of the tower the group had spotted in the distance earlier.
The wizard strongly requested that we all come into the room, and the trap door was closed behind us. It seemed that he needed some help with a problem he was having and offered to pay us for assisting him. The problem was answering a riddle that was magically written on the wall, with a small bowl beneath it. The group did a little huddle and realized that the bowl was actually a wishing bowl, and would grant a wish to the person that correctly answered the riddle, once every 100 years.
More valued than gold, more precious then silk
Pouring like wine, flowing like milk
A count's nightly feast, an offering of war
A pact is not sealed, forever more.
Skrag answers the question and slices his hand putting some blood in the little bowl, with that he wishes that the wizard be dead and gone. With that the wizard gets a strange look on his face, starts to shimmer and yells as he disappears that he will get us for this. A large chest appears in the room, and kit goes over and dumps out the chest. Inside are some potions, some armor, and other stuff that the party splits up to carry home. The group then climbs back down the very long spiral staircase to find Fate and tell him what went on as they walk down the tunnel to collect Sarah. Sarah is still quietly resting and Kit and Skrag take turns carrying her back to the horse and wagon. The group head back to town to return the little girl to her father and tell the mayor what they found.
The town celebrates the return of Sarah, and with her give the adventurers a heros welcome. The mayor pays the group the amount as agreed upon, and gives them some information about a couple of people: a wizard, and a witch that both live outside of town that might help with some questions the group has. For this night the group parties in the inn and revels in the glow of being treated as heros.
Stay tuned for the next adventures of the group that the locals are calling the heroic misfits. (but not to their faces)….
