Session Five
Several hours later, rested, Grace decides she is fit to go on, going back to the junction they toss a coin & decide to go up, hoping it leads to the way out, in the light of their lanterns the passage can be seen to curl around on itself, Grace comments to Thorn that they must be above the vaulted cellar by know. Pushing on, the corridor continues for some three hundred yards or so, as Thorn scours the floor for further traps Grace whispers that she saw movement ahead. Suddenly light fills the far end of the tunnel, both Grace & Thorn can see the corridor opens out & they are sure they can feel fresh air.
Eagerly pressing forward, the passage opens into a natural cave full of dancing shadows from the blazing braziers around the walls, on the opposite side from the passage the cave opens out & stars can be seen in the clear night sky. Unfortunately the cavern is occupied by more than fresh air. A cluster of small goblins armed with short wickedly barbed jabbing spears & bucklers await our trusty hero's.
Stepping forward passed Grace whilst she strings her bow Thorn draws his dagger & waves it menacingly towards the goblins demanding to know if they mean Grace & himself any harm, the goblins reply,
"Only a little
bit"
As Thorn inches forward the goblins scatter but one, slightly bigger than the rest, charges, deftly Thorn flicks the dagger towards the goblin which buries itself in his chest, undeterred however he pounds towards Thorn, spear raised to strike. Before the goblin can reach Thorn an arrow thuds into the goblins guts & he drops screaming. With a ear splitting scream Thorn draws his short sword & charges, from behind Grace rises & fires one, then a second arrow into the face of a startled goblin.
The fight is quickly over as the strength of Thorn & the accuracy of Grace's bow are to much for the foul creatures, with a shriek the seventh & last goblin runs towards the cave entrance & jumps . . . . only to catch & climb a rope hanging from the cave entrance. Running to the cave entrance Grace arrives to see his feet disappear from view along with the end of the rope as it is pulled up from above.
Looking out into the night sky Grace & Thorn are disappointed, there is no way back down to the valley far below them, the cave lip drops away far to steeply to climb.
Thorn, searching the goblin bodies finds two are not quite dead, however with two quick thrusts with his sword this is soon rectified, quickly the rest of the bodies are looted but apart from a few scraps of food nothing of worth is found.
Looking out & up at the night sky they realise that they must have been in the caves at least twenty four hours, taking turns at standing watch therefore they decide to get some decent rest & wait for daylight.