"There are about 15 more of us plus Klarg, he bugbear leader.  There are two traps along the trail."

Hexody smiles kindly at the goblins. "Thank you, friends," she says. She unlocks the manacles and stows them in her pack, leaving the goblins tied in the rope. "We are going to help those poor men that Klarg has taken. Be good and we will release you when we return."

Hexody looks to her companions. "Can any of you find the trail?"

"I can certainly try"

Survival: 17

 A trail hidden behind thickets on the north side of the road leads northwest.

{OOC: Survival check would have gotten more info, but the trail is obvious,}

Hexody gathers herself and looks to her traveling companions. "I must go see Gundren and Sildar to safety. What of you men? And what of Gundren's supplies?"

"I'll help"

“I shall come along as well.”

Once out of earshot of the goblins, Kelsier turns to face Hexody. He crosses his arms and says ”Those creatures are confessed kidnappers, robbers, assailants, and killers. If they were of our kind, they would certainly be given the death penalty. I get that you don’t want to get your hands dirty, but these creatures deserve it. I will let those two go, as I understand the value of a promise. However, I will not continue to do so if you give amnesty to every single villian we meet. From now on, those who deserve it get it.” He moves as if to go on ahead of the rest of the group.

Hexody catches up to Kelsier, somewhat miffed to be told off. "You would kill a sleeping enemy? I understand if they are combatants. I even understand if they are put on trial and sentenced to die. Killing prisoners or sleeping enemies is just wrong. Don't misunderstand me. I have seen true evil. In Milil's name I will smite it but I will never become it."

Kelsier turns back. “You want to fight evil? You want to save people? I do too. I fight to save my people. I have been sent as a act as a lord in Phandalin. That means that those who live there are my responsibility. These goblins have raided at least twice, most likely more, along the road. If let free, they will kill the people that put trust in me. I will not betray that trust by allowing it to happen. It is my place to do what is best for Phandalin, whatever it takes. So, to answer your question, yes. I would kill a sleeping enemy, if that is what is necessary to keep Phandalin safe. The world doesn’t need people like me to keep our hands clean, it needs us to make sure that others don’t have to get their hands dirty. Does that mean that I am the evil you seek to fight? I suppose that is for historians and scholars to decide. But to stop those that have already been proven guilty? That is my duty. It is a fine line that I walk, but it is one that I walk so others don’t have to.” He looks Hexody square in the eyes. “I’m not perfect, and I know that full well. But I will do what I think is necessary.” His gaze softens somewhat, remembering his time spent before the catastrophe that took his home town. “I used to be a thief, you know. A damn good one. Does that make me evil? Would your answer change if I told you that I gave what I stole to starving and homeless families? Don’t think I don’t second guess myself at every turn. However, it is clear to me that these goblins, sleeping or not, are a threat to those I serve. I will do what I must, no matter what you think of me.” 

Hexody's expression softens. "I do not fear you to be evil," she says. "I have watched, bound and helpless, as a vampire seduced his victim to feed. These little goblin beasts are nothing in comparison. We needn't descend to their level to dispense justice, though."

She walks in silence with him a little farther, their comrades trailing behind. After a while, she pulls out her lute and plays a familiar little tune as they all walk. "Oh," she says over her playing, "Don't forget to keep an eye out for traps."

Perception: 11

Pearson follows behind the group silently taking in the surroundings. Observing the interactions and taking in surroundings.

Conversion with Hexody seemingly finished, Kelsier stealthily moves 30 feet ahead and off the road to the side of the group to act as a picket scout. He holds this positioning as the group progresses, longbow at the ready.

Stealth: 21

Perception: 19

"Aw, come on! You two are over complicating this. The enemy wants to kill you, and in order to not to be killed you kill your enemy. Simple and easy. No need to include gods or defending the weak.", he says as he continuous to walk about 20 feet behind the main group. Perception: 9 and Stealth: 26

Kelsier easily spots a snare trap about 10 minutes down the trail.  He then catches a pit trap about 15 minutes farther.

[[OOC: Just a note for the future, I house rule short rests to be 10 minutes.]]

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.

Upon seeing this, Kelsier returns to the group. "There’s a cave system up ahead. That is most likely where the goblins reside, and also where Sildar and Gundren are being held. We should proceed with caution.” Assuming nothing else is to be said, he sneaks back to monitor the mouth of the cave for any activity, setting up in the bushes in F3 with his bow at the ready.

(OOC: What are the coordinate letters and numbers on this map? Also, was our walking along the trail considered a short rest? I'm guessing no.)

Hexody quiets the strings on her lute and settles behind Kelsier. "15 goblins and a bugbear inside. They won't be welcoming."

**OOC: There weren’t actually coordinates, I just went for it, letters on the vertical axis, numbers on the horizontal like the last map**

”I agree, this won’t be pretty. Perhaps I could scout ahead, but I’d prefer to wait for nightfall to do it. Until then, we can make sure that no one tries to leave. If their leader specified that Sildar and Gundren were taken alive, then they won’t be killed, so we have all the time we need. Let’s do this properly.”

Flaysteir follows them. "I'm sure they have some kind of patrol. We could some of them off from range and then hide."

**OOC: What time is it?**

“That’s certainly an option, but I say we wait for them to come to us. Don’t go blundering out there quite yet.”