As you make your way down the trail the growth and cover has been cleared for smaller sized creatures, but still gets in the way of some of the larger people as they make their way down the path. After traveling for a little while, Crom stops everyone.

In the path ahead he sees a snare that had been hidden, meant to snag and entrap anyone who stepped through it.

Crom holds up his open hand, fingers facing up in the signal to wait for him to scout. He then points to the trap for everyone to see. He then points at his chest and gestures up a nearby tree, before creeping over to it and waving over Calantha, Mal, or Ragnarok to give him a boost. 

Crom thinks to himself, if they've got traps set up, they have some degree of organization, and may be fairly settled into the area. Either way, this is a sign we may be getting close.

As Crom climbs the tree he finds that the forest is thick and it does not provide much of a view.

As he makes it to the very top of the tree, he can just make out over the tops of other trees, the dense surroundings of woods. In most of the surroundings, it is just trees of varying heights.

In the direction that the trail you're following is heading, Crom can see that the terrain rises all about. Soon you will be traveling at a slight incline up this path, until you reach what appear to be hills, if not the start of mountains.

When asked, Mal nods and helps Crom reach the lowest branches, Taking a knee and attaching his shield to his back so Crom can make light work of ascending.

The information on the closeness of the possible camp and the notice of traps puts a smile on Mal's face, "we stealth from here on out, Crom you reckon we should be at the camp within the hour?"  If so Mal looks around before Kneeling and placing one hand fully into the dirt before him, he speaks a few words in a primordial tongue that sounds like stone grinding and breaking against stone, then he stands up having cast merge with stone ( Pass without Trace )

"anyone who needs it stick within say 30ft of me and yer sound'll be quietened by the ground you walk on, Crom tell us when we're real close"

Crom descends from the tree and relays his findings to the group.

"No sign of smoke yet, but it seems we are heading into the foothills. Keep yer eyes peeled. if they have one trap, they will have others"

---

He marvels at the way he and the others blend magically with the environment, and soon notices that he is not leaving any footprints behind. "That is quite some magic, ta be sure."

"That's a great trick, Mal," Calantha whispers approvingly as she notices how their party now magically blends in with the environment. It is difficult for her to move without much noise in her heavy armor, but she does her best as she continues to follow the others.

"When we get close to the camp, hopefully we can attack from stealth, taking the goblins by surprise. But we need to be careful not to hit Gundren or Sildar, if they're still alive that is."

Crom is too delighted by the magic that Mal has wrapped everyone with that he misses some suspicious brush on the trail.

As he is walking in the lead, looking around in amazement, he suddenly falls through the sticks that cover an open pit. 

Feeling the ground giving way beneath his foot, Crom is just able to shift his weight and twist in time to catch himself on the lip of the pit. He pulls himself back up and hunches over, hands on his knees for a moment while he catches his breath and recovers from the sudden adrenaline rush. Straightening up, he brushes off his leather armour and starts walking around the pit. As he circumnavigates the trap, his eyes are locked firmly on the ground before him, under the pretext of looking for more traps. In reality, though, he is simply too embarrassed to make eye contact with anyone at the moment.

"Another type of trap. Be prepared for anything," Crom mumbles.

After everybody circumvents the trap, you carry on up the trail. The incline is slight, but you begin to notice the gentle rise in the trail. After a while, you begin to hear a trickling sound that grows louder. Eventually you can hear the sound of a stream carrying on in the distance.

Following the goblins’ trail, you come across a large cave in a hillside five miles from the scene of the ambush. A shallow stream flows out of the cave mouth, which is screened by dense briar thickets. A narrow dry path leads into the cave on the right-hand side of the stream.

Crom creeps over to an area of dense brush overlooking the clearing and the cave entrance and beckons the others over.

Stealth 26 

Whispering despite Mal's concealing magic, he turns to the group and says, "It looks like our quarry's holed up in tha' cave. Underground's a little out o' me element, so who has a plan for how we should proceed?"

"Draw the goblins out and, hopefully surprise them?" says Ink. "Chensica and I might be able to create a bit of noise that could help us."

Ink goes on to explain, that via the minor illusion cantrip, he and Chensica could simulate the sounds of a skirmish just outside the cave opening. Chensica could create the sound of blade clashing against blade, and Ink could generate the illusory sound of panicked or angry goblin voices. All the party members would hide in a few spots nearby, ready to send of barrage of ranged attacks when the goblins exit the cave.

"What say you, friends?"

"Well I certainly like the idea of fightin' them out here rather than deeper in their turf," Crom says, pulling his bow off his back.

"From the looks of the tracks, they're numbers are likely at least 8 strong. I doubt they'd leave the captives entirely alone, which means they'd have to split their force. But we'd need to time it right. If'n we strike too soon, they may fall back and use their hostages as leverage. Plus we're not exactly equipped for a siege. Worse yet, there may be another exit that they can use to circle around and flank us. Goblins may not be that bright, but they're always trickier than ye'd expect. What do ya think Mal? If Chensica and Ink draw them out, how do you think we should strike?

Or..." Crom scratches his chin thoughtfully, turning to Ink and Chensica, "Might there be a way to draw some out without putting them on guard? Give us more time to act, perhaps..." He turns to Calantha and Ragnarok, curious to get their thoughts too.

"Before we attack, perhaps one of us, someone more stealthy than I certainly, could look for any other exits from the cave? That way we can stop them from fleeing out the back and drive them in one direction."

Calantha studied the cave entrance in the distance. "If possible, we should try to lure them out without having being them be on guard like Crom suggested. It will be easier to pick them off that way if they're not expecting an attack."

"I like the ideas, I like the stealthier approach too, I reckon we act like one of their traps worked, one person wanders off for a minute and screams before coming back and we ambush the ambushers. Either that or we push on and surprise them, I'm not too fussed as long as I feel the thrill of my morningstar tasting blood t'day, What's the worst that could happen?" 

At that last question Mal smiles gleefully and looks around for any reaction, as if he just made a joke, however much of an incomprehensible 'in' joke it was.

"That's a good idea. Chensica, ya' think you could use your magic to make the sound of a scream, perhaps of someone frail and old to put them even more at ease? 

As for findin' an escape route, I know little about caves, but I imagine another entrance could be miles away, or even on th'other side o' the mountains. I think we just have to hope that if they run, they'll either leave their captives behind, or be slowed down enough for us ta' catch 'em.

Let's find some ambush positions and prepare to spring the trap when Mal gives the signal. I trust yer judgement." With that, Crom locates a wide tree by the edge of the clearing with a clear shot at the entrance of the cave, using the trunk as cover. He fits three arrows between his fingers and nocks a fourth, crouching down to reduce his profile.

Stealth: 33 

Ink nods in agreement with the modifications being presented to his initial plan. "Whatever sound you think will work best..."

If Ink is the one called upon to create the illusory sound, he's ready to do so. Otherwise, he'll take refuge approximately fifty feet from the cave mouth.

"Finding a place to hide a wee gnome should be easy work," he thinks aloud.

Calantha nods at the others. She hides behind a tree at the edge of the clearing, not far from Crom. She prepares herself to dash forward into the goblins as soon as they emerge from their cave.

Stealth - 23

Crom nods at Calantha, "You had my back when we were attacked on the road. I've got yours now. Let's kill some goblins." He shows his teeth, though the smile doesn't reach his eyes. Sighing, he sets his eyes on the cave entrance once more.

"I hate this part," he mumbles almost imperceptibly to himself as he raises his bow.