Quote from Monsterball >>

((In the interests of increasing the pace of play, let's say the same marching order as earlier, but with Clara moving to the front and using her Light-spell empowered flashlight.))

 Clara leads the way climbing up the western escarpment. As she steps onto the level ledge between the two escarpments, it breaks underneath her weight and rubble starts to fall backward down the incline, threatening to take Clara with it. Make a DEX saving throw (with advantage if anyone tries to catch her).

Clara leads the way, clambering up the steep, western slope. Despite her dancer's feet, she occasionally loses her footing on the loose rubble scattered across the ground and practically needs to crawl on hands and knees at times. She steps out onto the ledge between the escarpments, and gasps as the ground suddenly gives way.

"Whoaaa! Watch out!" She calls out in a hushed voice, trying to skitter forward onto the other side without tumbling down the slope. 

Dexterity save: 18. Second roll if advantage: 14.

"Well it seems unlikely they dragged our pals that direction, perhaps we stick to the northern direction?" Herron holds his staff out cautiously to keep those behind him from continuing forward.

Clara manages to keep her feet and avoid hurting herself. Herron suggests backtracking and returning to the northern passage. As you all return to the passageway, you suddenly hear a rushing sound, and suddenly the stream, which had only been about two feet deep, surges to four or five feet deep as a huge torrent of water comes rushing down the passage from the north. 

Everyone make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid being swept away by the water. If you fail that, make a DC 15 Strength save to try and hold on to something. If you fail both saves, you are swept back to the cavern entrance and take 4 bludgeoning damage!

Clara springs nimbly back across the now-collapsed ledge and retraces her steps at Herron's suggestion. She's in the process of dusting her colourful clothing off, when a deep, resonating rumble begins to build from the northern tunnel. At first it seems like distant thunder, then a heavy crashing that grows louder. 

"Does anyone else hear that noise?" She says, exchanging uneasy looks with her companions. "It sounds like... aagh!" 

The rest of her words are swallowed as she watches a wall of water bursting towards them - the erstwhile shallow stream transformed into a violent surge. With a bounce, a skip and a dive, Clara throws herself back into the western passage for cover, pressing herself tightly against the stone. The bard looks stunned as the sudden deluge flows through the cave and out the mouth through which the party just entered.

Dexterity save: 17

Herron's sudden jump at the sound of the rushing water (Dex save: 13). He even surprises himself by being able to avoid the brunt of the rushing water. With out much thought, he starts casting Prestidigitation to dry out newly water logged equipment. "Well that was unexpected."

Chretien starts at the incoming crash of water and attempts to brace himself. (Dex save: 5) He quickly loses his footing and reaches out desperately to attempt to grab onto something. (Strength: Nat 1 XD) Chretien is unable to fight the incoming flood and curses, his mouth filling with water as he does so. He attempts to protect his head as he's swept back and takes a moment to right himself, favoring his new injuries, before calling ahead to the others. "Are you two alright?" 

As he waits for a response, he'll attempt to search for another path forward to meet with his companions. Perception: 12

((To keep the game moving forward, I am going to roll for Ellora and Magnus))

Ellora Dex Save - 6 / Str Save - 20

Magnus Dex Save - 5 / Str Save - 11

 Magnus, Throg, and Chretien are swept off their feet by the surging tide. They are washed back toward the entrance of the cave and each take 4 bludgeoning damage in the process. Throg is knocked unconscious as he hits his head on a rock. After a few minutes, the surge starts to slacken and the stream slowly returns to a more manageable depth as the waters rush out of the cave system.

Clara and Herron manage to keep their feet. Ellora falls down but manages to hold onto the edge of the stream as it threatens to pull her away.

Chretien is able to lead Magnus back toward the rest of the party once the water dies down. Throg remains unconscious near the cave entrance. The water came from the north. The passage to the north heads under the foot bridge where Throg spotted a goblin earlier. 

 Do you continue to the north?

Herron once, Throg and the others are back on thier feet, will say there seems to be activity to the north and thinks that a good path to continue on.

OOC: Herron can heal Throg if no one else can but it's his last spell slot.

"Oh no!" Clara cries, extending an arm towards Chretien, but the inundation is too strong, too swift. She gasps with dismay as she watches half the party hurtled away by the abrupt flooding of the stream, tossed by the rising waves. "What do we do?" She asks Herron, panicking somewhat as the deluge does not appear to abate for several minutes. "I'm tempted to dive in after them, but... those rocks. Oh, I do hope they haven't been hurt!"

Eventually, the torrent diminishes, and Clara breathes an enormous sigh of relief when Magnus and Chretien come marching up the tunnel, a little wet but seemingly none the worse for wear. "Where's Throg?" The bard inquires fretfully, hurrying back to the cave mouth. When she sees the orc lying on the ground, blood leaking from his head into the stream, she fears the worst. Wasting no time, she lays a hand on his forehead and hums a comforting lullaby, seeding healing magics within his body. When he wakes, the tension ebbs from her youthful features.

"Don't go doing that again, silly! We thought we'd lost you, Throg." She chides fondly, and looks back the way the party came. "Maybe... maybe you should go back to the wagon? Take a nap or something? I was able to heal you a little, but I don't know if you're up to going much further. It's going to be dangerous in there." Clara gives the half-orc a quick hug, but ultimately leaves the decision in his hands. "Stay safe," she murmurs, then swiftly rejoins the others.

"Let's get back to it - every passing minute that the goblins hold dear Gundren captive is a minute he is in danger. I see little value in stealth or scouting. The dastardly creatures clearly know we're here - shall we just stick together?"

Clara heads northward towards the footbridge, holding her magical flashlight out in front of her, keeping an eye out for trouble.

ACTION: Healing Word on Throg for 8 HP. (I figured Herron probably needs the spell slots even more than Clara!)
Perception: 8

Throg starts to nod but winces as pain shoots through his head. "Maybe I'd better stay with the wagon," he agrees. "Guard it until you all return. You be safe too."

Clara returns to the rest of the party, and everyone presses further north into the cave, heading underneath the foot bridge above. The passage curves around to the east, ending in a cavern which until quite recently was half filled with two large pools of water. The two pools now stand mostly empty. A narrow waterfall high in the eastern wall feeds the pool, which drains out the western end of the chamber to form the stream that flows out of the cave mouth below. Low fieldstone walls served as dams to hold the water inside, but the walls are now broken. 

There is a wide exit to the south, while two smaller passages lead west, including the one from which the party came. The other western exit presumably leads to the foot bridge. The sound of the waterfall echoes through the cavern, making it difficult to hear.

Three goblins stand ready and waiting as you enter the cavern. They screech in the goblin language and prepare to attack! One seems ready to dash off toward the southern exit.

Combat has begun! Magnus is up first!

Round 1 Initiative
13 - Magnus
12 - Goblins
12 - Clara
11 - Ellora
10 - Herron
9 - Chretien

OOC: Is the passage big enough for us to get passed one another or is Magnus stuck behind us all?

((OOC: PCs can pass through the spaces of non-hostile creatures unobstructed.))

((Sorry for the delay and Monsterball is correct. You can move through an ally's space as long as you end in an unoccupied space. I will bot Magnus for this round and check to see if Raccoon and MightyOwl are still with us.))

Magnus pushes past everyone to get up close with the first goblin. He attempts to shove the goblin backwards, giving enough space for everyone else to enter in to the cavern if they wish (DC 13 STR check). The goblin fails spectacularly (nat 1!) and is pushed backwards five feet. Magnus then uses the rest of his movement to engage the goblin in melee again. 

Goblin A lashes out at Magnus with its scimitar (20 to hit for 8 damage) and wounds the paladin deeply. 

Goblin C  moves to the left a bit to get a clear line of sight and shoots a bolt at Clara with its shortbow (18 to hit for 7 damage).

Goblin B dashes toward the passage toward the south, shouting a warning in the goblin language! 

Everyone is up! 

Round 1 Initiative
13 - Magnus
12 - Goblins
12 - Clara
11 - Ellora
10 - Herron
9 - Chretien

Clara gasps as pain lances through her shoulder, the force of the bolt driving her back against the damp, grotty cave wall coated in fungus and the gods knew what else. She briefly wonders if the adventuring life is for her - wouldn't it be easier to return to basking in the glow of stage lights back in Neverwinter? She grits her teeth and thinks of Gundren, her friend suffering this and perhaps much, much worse. 

"I usually prefer roses thrown at me, not crossbow bolts. Utterly uncivilised vermin." She glowers, and a tiny flaming treble clef spins into being in the palm of her hand. The bard flicks the symbol at the goblin who struck her, the retaliatory fire catching it in the gut. "I believe that's your cue, my dears." She grimaces through the pain with a smile, cradling her wounded arm and retreating behind her companions. 

ACTION: Casting Fire Bolt. To hit: 22 Damage: 2
BONUS ACTION: None. 
MOVEMENT: 15ft west, back down the tunnel. 
OTHER: Reminder that Ellora has Bardic Inspiration, should she need it!

Liu Yang Initiative: 19

The party hears screaming from what sounds like an older man, coming from above the rickety bridge. The bridge creaks from the west side to the east side. "Lau tien ye!!" You hear the person scream.

Magnus sees a disheveled man with matted hair stumble unto Goblin A. "Another one of these creatures? What did I get myself into this time?" Unceremoniously the person strikes the face of Goblin A with the palm of his hands.

Unarmed Strike (right palm): 14 Damage: 9

Unarmed Strike (left palm): 7 Damage: 9

Herron will step up into a spot with a clear view of A (or C ii A is down) and fire a Fire Bolt

Attack: 16 to hit for 4 fire damage

He was going to slip back into the pack when noticing the new comer. Herrons forst concern was with the fleeing goblin but now his concern is with the new unknown...