Unless you have further actions or questions, Hugo the massive snake loosens his grip on the strange goblin with the elongated head. The little goblin smiles, looks around nervously, then carefully begins backing away before turning and darting for the bushes. 

Quinn steps forward as the goblin scurries off. He fights off the urge to shoot the thing in the back as it flees. He stands by Fergus and looks down at the axe.

"Interesting about that axe. Sure looks duergar to me, but the goblin claimed it as their own."

Quinn then looks down to Jorzu.

"What's this plan you speak of?" 

Once Jorzu explains the plan of having his invisible friend track the goblin, Quinn weighs the options.

"So, what do we do now? We wait for your friend to report back? The goblin's home could be days or even weeks away. Should we head back to Phandalin? Now that we know the name of the goblin's perhaps someone back at town knows more about them. Or maybe someone knows about the shards or the obelisk."

Bryony fights the urge to rush off after the goblin, following it back to its lair. "The goblin said they took prisoners. That must mean they have my aunt and Carp," Bryony says, biting her lip.

"I want to go save them right away, but I know we just got back from a big mission. It's probably smart to try and get more supplies and information back in town."

Jurgen says "I can send Draco to follow them and then return and take us there."

Boona looks stricken but resolves to follow Bryonys suggestion....

The odd goblin has departed, with haste. It melts into the underbrush (Hide).

Laiti (and if Jurgen chooses, Draco): make a Perception (Survival) roll using your familiar's stats to see if you can pick up the immediate trail of the sneaky goblin. (I'll give Laiti advantage for beginning to track it before it was released.) The DC to pick up the trail is 16. 

If you make the DC, make a Stealth check using your familiar's stats to stay hidden from the goblin. (I'll give Laiti advantage for invisibility and flight.) The DC is 12 to stay hidden.

The party then turns and begins the one-hour hike back to town.

Jurgen gives the command and Draco lowers its head then raises it and takes off after the fleeing goblin. (23 Perception) and takes off with a clank (Stealth 6). Jurgen motions for him to move quieter and keep a little back.

Jorzu 

With a quick mental command, Jorzu instructs Hugo to release its grip completely. As the sawplee goblin escapes Jorzu walks quickly towards Hugo. When he's standing next to the serpent he speaks the word "snuffle" to no-one. In a puff of greenish mist Hugo transforms back into the oversized walking stick from earlier. Jorzu picks it up with a "Good work boy. Yes, good work".

Meanwhile, Laiti huffs quickly as the goblin disappears. "Guess I'll go after that thing" she says flatly before whipping off after her mark, herself disappearing before everyone's eyes.

Jorzu : BA - uses codeword to revert Hugo to staff form

Laiti: turns invisible whilst moving to track the goblin per Jorzus earlier instructions. 

Tracking check 23

Stealth check 25 if applicable 

Laiti vanishes and Draco clanks off into the bushes.

The party makes haste back through the fields and into town. It is early-to-mid afternoon under overcast skies.

You find the scene in Phandalin to be considerably calmer now. The angry mobs and gawking bystanders have dispersed, and the town has resumed mostly normal business, although many of the townsfolk still seem wary and anxious – there is no laughter or joy visible on the faces of the locals. There is no sign of Townmaster Harbin Weste; his office is dark. Workers are still finishing repairs on both the Shrine of Luck and the Miners Exchange.

The tattooed dwarven woman clad in blue robes whom tagged along with you briefly earlier reappears. "What have you learned?" she asks brightly. "Any more clues?"

Fergus:

”Hi Gwen, nice to see you again,” says Fergus.

Fergus gives a detailed account of their battle and the intel given up by the goblin.  He focuses on the main items of interest—shards of an ancient obelisk, Ruxithid the Chosen, and the Sawplee goblins.

Boona has followed along but she is obviously ancy and looking to break something, occasionally she tries to comfort Bryony who is riding atop Karst but cannot find the words.

Bryony smiles at Boona's attempts to comfort her. She pats the giant's hand but quickly has to hold back onto Karst or risk falling off the great rhino. She eyes the tattooed dwarven lady with curiosity. She's never seen her before in Phandalin.

"Where did you come from?" she asks, somewhat bluntly. "You're not from around here. Were you sent to help Phandalin?"

"Well," replies Gwyn, "I'm  visiting Phandalin for a few months to spend time with my sister Elsa – she's the bartender at the Stonehill Inn – and to do field research in this area." Bryony knows Elsa, and she sees a resemblance.

Gwyn madly scribbles down everything Fergus shares. "Obelisk... Ruxithid... Sawplee..." But then she gets flustered, madly flipping through her messy notebooks and other texts she carries. "I think I might have something... Give me a minute...This is so disorganized..." 

(One of you may make an Intelligence (History) check to help Gwyn organize her research.)

Fergus:

”Hey, Gwyn, take it easy and think carefully through your notes—I have confidence that you’ll find it,” says Fergus helpfully.

(Giving 1d8 bardic inspiration, though not sure if mechanically that helps)

Jurgen, who is quite good at historical research, steps in to help, inspired by Fergus' encouragement. (13+3)

"I got it!" cries Gwyn, finally finding the right notes. "Zorzula’s Rest. An ancient duergar mining outpost located in one of the Sword Mountains east of Phandalin. Here it says that it's named after a powerful duergar leader named Zorzula, who commanded mining operations throughout the Sword Mountains. Abandoned now, I think. I can draw you a map there - about a day's travel. The outpost might be a good place to search next. I'm nervous about what the goblins intend to do with those stolen shards. We should stop the goblins’ plans, whatever they are, don't you think?"

Boona nodded, " Stop Goblins."

" What shards?"

"The goblins are specifically hunting shards of dark stone," explains Gwyn, talking much to quickly. "The centerpiece in the shrine’s archway. The cornerstone of the Miner’s Exchange. I gather they pried the obsidian ball right out of the Sleeping Giant's bar. And they must have taken something from Barthen’s well, too! Now I learn that they are pieces of some ancient obelisk! I wonder why they want these pieces? We need to find out! They must have taken them back to Zorzula’s Rest!"

Boona follows approximately 3% of that.....

"We best resupply for the road. Who knows where we're headed."

Quinn looks to Jorzu and Fergus.

"We been on the trail of these goblins and whoever is behind them for some time now. And now that it's possible that those devils might've taken Bryony's family, we won't rest till we hunt them down. You two comin' along?

Think long on hard on that one. We lost some good people on this journey, and it's not looking like it's gettin' easier anytime soon. I don't normally speak for the group, but if you two are up for this, we'd be happy to have you"