Episode 3: Killing Klarg

Episode 3: Killing Klarg
17-18 Eleasis 1481 DR

After marching through most of the day, the party (sans Madislaka, who stayed behind in Phandalin) arrived at the place where they themselves were ambushed. Following the goblins' trail, they came across a large cave in a hillside with a shallow stream flowing out of its mouth. A narrow dry path lead into the cave on the right-hand side of the stream, and our heroes (after obliterating a few goblin guards) plunged into the darkness.

Mulan quelled angry wolves with slabs of goblin meat, and PewWee scouted up a cleft in the rock to see a large bugbear and its pet wolf. Lead by Eldeth, the party passed further into the cave, electing to go a more straightforward route. A goblin scout on a bridge met its arrowed doom at the hand of Bobby, and three more goblins, prepared to release a flood of water down the cave, were promptly shot, sliced, burned and punched to death. In the fighting, Bobby took a scimitar blade to the chest, severely wounding him, but Eldeth brought him back from the brink of death.

Later, in a flash of halfling inspiration, PewWee and Bobby each threw a vial of oil at five goblins huddled around a cooking fire. PewWee's unfortunately went straight into the cooking pot, but Bobby's burst at the goblins' feet, setting them on fire. The group made quick work of the goblins, but as the fight seemed nearly won, Yeemik, a goblin in some sort of leadership position, appeared, holding Sildar Hallwinter on the edge of a precipice, and asked for a truce.

Naturally, Bobby answered with Magic Missile. And missed. Yeemik dropped Sildar, who fell unconscious on hitting the cave floor ten feet below. Eldeth rushed to stabilize him, while PewWee and Mulan finished off the goblin.

The adventurers made camp in the cave for the night, hoping that their presence would go unnoticed. The next morning, though, as they (along with the refreshed Sildar) went to battle Klarg, the goblins' bugbear leader, they discovered that their presence was indeed noticed and that a trap had been set for them. Fortunately, Mulan spotted it and Bobby promptly dispatched two flanking goblin guards with a sleep spell. A nerve-wracking battle with Klarg and his wolf, Ripper, ensued. Both Mulan and PewWee received severe injuries (Mulan again getting the unlucky end of the dice) and slipped into unconsciousness, but their compatriots finished the fight with the goblin leader.

After the party recovered, Sildar offered the adventurers a reward to escort him safely back to Phandalin. Our heroes accepted, since Phandalin was already on the way to their next destinations, a trio of adventures with a banshee, some orcs and some undead horrors….