CF - Volo's Adventurers' Guild - PbP Campaign

Grenl watches Tresvar closely, clearly not happy about letting others loot Durnn's chest, but knowing she is currently in no position to object, having just given the news of the demise of one they sought.

The key slides into the lock and turns. Turning the key the usual amount, Tresvar can feel a mechanism engaged, but the key can turn further. She continues and it clicks a second time. Now the chest is unlocked and opens freely. The chest contains 231 gp and two onyx gems (30 gp each).

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Banjo-Grumpypants peers into the chamber from which the incessant sound of goblin life is heard and sees:

Grenl, sees the opportunity, and responds, "Well, if you were to help remove Belak, we would not be unthankful... goblins find many things... many things... perhaps some of interest to... adventurers?"

"Grumpypants" leans in to whisper to a goblin near the door.  In goblin:

 He will then retreat to the hall, shut the door, drop the disguise self and head back to join the others in the throne room.  Banjo has a bit of an extra giddyup in his step... happy to be himself again and baffled at how well this is going.  Perhaps Volo will let him write his own chapter... no, settle down, Banjo.

"Good, then you can start with telling us all there is to know about Belak and his underlings. We also need a map of the parts of the citadel he controls." Serena continues.

((Assuming all the adventurers have entered the throne room, here is a description:

A circular shaft pierces the floor of this forty-foot-diameter domed chamber. Dim violet light shines out of the shaft, revealing sickly white and gray vines that coat the walls of the shaft. The light is supplemented by four lit wall torches set equidistant around the periphery of the chamber. A crudely fashioned stone throne sits against the curve of the northwestern wall. A large iron chest serves as the throne’s footstool. Grenl, the goblin shaman sits on the throne. At her feet is the corpse of the hobgoblin leader and her left, the corpse of another hobgoblin and a charred plant. 

"Ohhh...", says Grenl sadly, "Not know much of his underlings... aside from goblins who he force to work. He make new followers... some in lab, some from tree, some with tree. We can make you map though. Belak works in the Grove, below." Once again, she points down the shaft.

----- 

After a while the door near where the two hobgoblins were put to sleep opens and in enter 4 goblin warriors. They look around, alert, but not threatening at the moment. They circle away from the adventurers and around to Grenl. 

One closest to Grenl looks down and sees the hobgoblin leader's head and body.

in goblin: 

Grenl replies in common:

"Make map of groves... adventurers help us defeat Belak too"

The goblin looks warily at the adventurers, especially Tresvar, and skeptically at the gnomes. He bows to Grenl. Then, exchanging some words with the other goblins, one runs out. She comes back with a goblin commoner who has some parchment and inks.

The commoner proceeds to make a crude map of the grove where Belak is supposed to work and live.

The map is passed from commoner, to warrior, to Grenl and finally to Serena.

Link to image of goblin map of the grove

Grenl says, "There you go. Have map. Now you climb down. Kill Belak, find humans, make goblins happy."

"Not so fast Grenl. There is also the matter of the dragon you stole. We've gathered that you would like to be rid  of it. It seems to be locked away. We could perhaps rid you of the dragon problem too." Serena suggests to the goblin shaman.

Grenl's hand moves up her tunic toward some chains around her neck. She grasps part of her clothing with whatever hangs from those chains underneath.

She then sits up, once again the ruler of her tribe (especially with more of her people looking on).

"Hmmm. You know of the beast our hunter captured. Interesting. Much value such a beast could be. Even good meat. Feed many goblins. Grenl wonder, why you want creature. Hmmm."

Then dismissively, "but we goblins always have plenty to eat. Good hunting in Underdark and off road above. If you no kill goblins, and if you come back, we let you have worm."

Her crack-toothed grin widens as she leans toward the adventurers.

"Just so I understand, this vertical shaft is the only path down to the druid's lair?" Banjo asks the new goblin ruler.

Once that's confirmed, Banjo will call Serena, Livia and Tresvar into a huddle.  "I am heartbroken to hear that fully half of those we came to rescue have perished already.  We need to move quickly if we are to have any hope of saving the daughter.  At the same time... my spells are exhausted for the day.  If we could find time for a short rest, I could at least recover one of my spells to help support us when we get down there."

"Oh... and we should probably let them know about our prisoners in the stockade.  We promised to release them if the goblins behaved themselves and so far, so good.  Plus, depending on how long we are below, those goblinfolk will need food and water.  I think we should let Grenl know so that they can be freed and rejoin their brethren."

"I can keep going." Livia voices her stance for once. "Perhaps it is because I haven't done nearly as much as you all, but I'm not tired at all."

"Perhaps we should rest a while before taking on this Belak." Serena says. "We should be safe here as long as the goblins need us to remove him. Let them have their prisoners back. Don't be too sure of them letting us go in peace once we've taken care of things below though." She finishes looking at Banjo.

Grenl replies to Banjo, "Yes, as much as we know. This is the way we go. Climb down the vines you can. Goblins do it all the time."

Tresvar says.  “A rest is good, take as long as you need.  I’m sure the goblins won’t bother us.  Delaying our rescue is dangerous- but facing what lies below unprepared is worse.   We can’t rescue anyone if we’re dead”.  She grins.   Looking at the splint armor from the leader, she starts fiddling with the straps to see if it could fit her.  “If we have time, I might clean this up and wear it, in honor of the fallen adventurer, and just until we return it to their next of kin.   It’s better armor than my chain mail.”  

While the party discusses their plans, another goblin commoner enters, crosses over to Grenl, whispering at her side. Grenl, answers him with a somber face, drawing the chain from her neck and taking a key from it. She hands it to the commoner who is dismissed and leaves by the way he came in.

"What's with the key Grenl?" Serena inquires. 

Grenl looks slowly at Serena, drawing a long moment before answering.

"New shifts went to change some posts, some found - abandoned. One of those watches had a key to a room that is kept locked. I have the other. I sent it to unlock the door, now that - order - is being returned" 

"We will take care of Belak for you Grenl, but to do that you have to keep us informed on your decisions until we have left. If the door you are talking about is the one to the stockade you will find some of your tribe members there, unharmed. We have no quarrel with you now Grenl, let's keep it that way. We will have to rest and prepare before going down to face Belak and his minions though. Where can we do that?" Serena says sternly trying to discern if Grenl is at any point avoiding the truth. Insight: 9

Grenl pauses, looking at her staff. After a moment she responds, "Good that you have told me the truth about tribe members you have already encountered. If it is so that you have left members restrained, rather than killing them all, this is good too. You may rest among my people in our village, or in one of the rooms the scouting parties keep. You may have found one of these near our archery range?" 

She pauses again, and draws out a wooden medallion with a crudely drawn pictograph of a goblin standing over three other humanoid-like beings. She says, "This is the symbol of the Durbuluk tribe. While I cannot keep all from attacking you below, it should be able to gain some peace for you - and preserve more goblin lives. But you should not delay too long... Belak does send messengers from time to time. I will delay if I can."

Serena only detects a proud leader caring for her people between powerful forces.

"That is good Grenl, we will use the room by the archery range for our rest. We will soon descend upon Belak and his forces." Serena says and is ready for a short rest before venturing down the shaft.

As Banjo settles down to rest for an hour with his companions in the goblin forward lookout post, he draws an old viol out from the bottom of his pack and sits cross-legged on the floor.  He does not so much play the instrument as he does practice individual notes.  The viol itself is of good quality, but for three jagged scratch marks on the back side.

Tresvar puts on the splint mail, and then sharpens her sword.  She seems to be just sitting in quiet contemplation otherwise.