The dice were just not favoring the goblins (plus a Sleep spell from Grimslade) and in little time twelve of the fifteen goblins perished, the rest failing a morale check and fleeing further into the cave. Finding little treasure in the barracks room they came across, the party pushed further into the catacombs. A store room was also found, and the party decided not to destroy the contents, figuring that starving goblins would eventually be more dangerous in time.
Another passage led to an opening into a finished hallway, contrasting sharply with the rest of the caves which appeared to be a natural formation. Dorin the Dwarf suggested the architecture was of Dwarven origin, but the passage was filled from top to bottom with webbing and the dessicated corpse of a goblin hanging from the strands didn't look too inviting either. Norgard's daughter wouldn't be down there, the party reasoned, and declined to explore further despite Dorin's pleas to the contrary.
Coming to a door with crudely carved mystical symbols covering it's entire surface, Valerius attempted to force the door open with a kick, only to find out it wasn't locked or stuck, tumbling into the chamber. Hanging from the ceiling on strings were dozens of sticks fashioned into symbols (I told the players to think of the Blair Witch Project stick figures), plus the odd dead squirrel and someone's severed hand. The floor was covered in bear skins, and on the far side of the room next to a bed was a chest.
Luckily it wasn't trapped, as Valerius quickly opened it without any caution, finding some gold and a few gems. Also found in the room was a scroll no one could read, though Grimslade said it was probably magical and would need to cast Read Magic to find out for sure. A glass vial with a bright pink liquid inside (Pepto-Bismol?) was also gathered. Relstad ( "Potion tester of kings and princes" as he likes to say!) the hireling volunteered to taste the elixir, declaring it likely a healing potion.
With the "Blair Witch" room behind them, our adventurers continued down a natural staircase, the path ending at a door. Valerius and Indel then got into a little spat over some minor detail, and no one noticed that the door had opened, a solitary goblin watching the party intently.
"Grokkus awaits!" he said once the party finally noticed him, gesturing for the group to come through the door.
The sound of a bagpipe being played (badly) announced the party's arrival to the throne room of Grokkus, the goblin chief. Flanked by a Shaman and a personal guard, Grokkus demanded to know why the party was there, the party demanded to know where Norgard's daughter was, and the situation went south from there. Grokkus finally decided he'd rather eat the party than debate with them, and gave the order to kill the PC's. With a load thud, the door was closed and locked, and Grokkus'minions moved in for the kill.
During the combat, Valerius was charmed by the Shaman, and ordered to defend Grokkus. The players got a little nervous with this development, as Valerius assumed a defensive position in front of Grokkus. The next round an arrow from Indel ended the threat of the goblin Shaman, and Valerius, now free from the charm, turned and faced Grokkus. One natural 20 later, and Grokkus' head was expertly cleaved from his body. This was too much for the remaining goblins, and they surrendered.
With the goblins in the "Blair Witch" room except the bagpipe-player, the party spiked the door shut. BP (bagpipe-player) was told to decipher the scroll the party found earlier. After looking at the parchment, turning it upside down and sideways, ol' BP confidently announced...
"It says Be Sure To Drink Your Ovaltine!" ( For those who don't get it, that's a Christmas Story reference.)
More to come...
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