Hugh raises his axe stepping forward boldly. “I killed the ole bastard,” he says proudly while maintaining eye contact with the Hobgoblins. 

The hobgoblin strides forward to meet him and begins making a horrible, wheezing sound that you realize after a second is...laughter.

He embraces Hugh in a hug that would have been bone-crushing for someone with less bulk than the barbarian. He lets Hugh go and claps his shoulders brusquely.

"Then we are released from our contract we had made with that fool dwarf. We have no reason to remain in this foul place, surrounded by these amateurs and their bumbling ways. Brother, let us go."

They begin to walk back towards the passage that leads to the house. After about five paces, the hobgoblin turns back to face all of you. "You have a made a friend today, human, for ridding us of that San-bal-ay." He speaks the name as though it leaves a bad taste in his mouth. "If you ever find yourself in the Hool Marshes and need an ally, Aden Maul and his tribe will be there." He turns on his heel and follows his brother out towards the house leaving you once again in the silence of the tunnels.

(Gib, if you haven't already, you can roll that hit die, too if you want to spend it. Also, your short rest is probably over by now.)

Gibson saunters around the corner and stops to stare at the group accusatorially. "Weren't you all supposed to be 'scouting' ahead? I just woke up from a nap and this is as far as you've gotten?!" Smirking and cocking an eyebrow he asks, "Were you just frozen in place by overwhelming feelings of longing for ol' Gib?" He sighs melodramatically. "Let's go cut some sleeping throats or something. Whatever it takes to get out of this blasted place and go get paid..."

"Arvastan, my good man, would you mind putting those softly-falling feet of yours to work? It would be well to our advantage to know what's ahead before any holdouts or hangers-on know of our presence. We'll be right behind you, of course."

The group goes back the tunnel way to where the path diverges into darkness. Arvastan grimaces at Gib and as an aside, says to Dimma.

"I don't suppose you have a spell to shut him up, do you?" Without waiting for a reply, Arvastan creeps into the dark tunnel.

Stealth: 15

DM Screen

 There is a several agonizing minute wait while Arvastan is gone, but eventually the sea elf does return, his expression grim.

"There's a narrow tunnel back there that leads into two chambers. Pitch black the whole way back There's something caustic dripping from the ceiling in the first chamber. Nearly burnt a hole through my foot if I weren't so fast. The inner chamber is where they're at. Three dwarven bandits sleeping off that brandy, no doubt. We can take 'em easily enough if that's what we wanna do. They're the last ones left in the whole place though, what with our new friends leaving. We could leave 'em for the Saltmarsh guard, if you like, or take 'em out now. Don't really matter to me," he says, twirling his trident with a flourish.

Gibson looks to the group. "Would you rather kill them where they lie and be done with it or try to capture and turn them in so they can corroborate our report before they're strung up by the neck? Personally, I prefer the more direct approach as it requires far less energy to be expended on my part but I figured we could put it up for a group vote because that might be entertaining." He smiles his smile and waits for everyone's answer.

“Is there anyway to avoid the cau-castic material or whatever. I know you all might be able to see in the dark, but ol’ Hughie is blind as a bat,” Hugh says gruffly.

"Ol' Hughie with the valid questions and the pronunciation guide to back them up! Well, now that we know it's there, I'm sure it will be a simple matter of stepping around it. Easiest thing in the world! And the rest of us can certainly help guide your steps along the way, never you mind that, friend."

Arvastan shrugs. "I walked through the middle of the cavern -- I could hear those dwarfs snoring the moment I got into the dark. Maybe if you stayed around the perimeter..." Arvastan looks at Hugh and sighs "I mean, the edges of the passageway, you might be able avoid most of it. Or all the walls could be covered in the stuff. Only one way to find out."

He looks back down the hallway. "I have no strong feelings either way so whatever the rest of you decide is fine with me. We should decide soon though, while we still have the element of surprise."

"So," Gibson reiterates, "kill or capture?" He looks to Hugh, Dimma, and Tul for a consensus.

Dimma strokes her chin and frowns deep in thought. "I've got no love for these smugglers," she says, "but whether it's us or the crown that does the deed they'll be dead by tomorrow most likely." She looks between the group, "Don't suppose we can just let them leave... Can we?"

Tul listens to what has been said, thinking carefully about their options.

”I do not want to kill needlessly but we can not leave them alone here. They will discover what has happened and then warn the Sea Princes. They will change their signals for the ship and perhaps even change when the ship is to arrive. We would lose everything we have learned so far. If they are asleep we should be able to capture them and bring them back to town.”

"That's a very good point. Well... We don't need all of them to sing for the council, do we? Capturing all three without a fight may prove challenging. Perhaps we can kill two and take the third? I honestly think going in their sleep will be preferable to the fate of the one we take. Maybe two of us on each for grim reaper duty and Tul can put one of her big feet on the third to keep him from going anywhere." Gibson grins at the half-orc. "If he struggles and it's too much to take him alive, I think we have more than enough evidence to back up our story."

(Are you all going? If you are, go ahead and make a stealth check and describe the path -- either perimeter or through the middle that you're taking through the first cavern.)

(I don't think there's a reality in which we don't... 🤣)

Gibson tiptoes at the back of the group, being careful to follow Arvastan's lead and try to avoid the caustic whatever.

Stealth: 10

Dimma holds back, keeping an ear out for sounds of a struggle, and ready to rush in once the fight begins.

Arvastan grimaces as he hears Gibson's boots squeaking as the tiefling follows.

"Stay close whoever's coming. Whoever's not...well, come running if you hear trouble."

Arvastan Stealth: 14

Hugh shrugs before following after Gib and Arvastan, joining the stealthy konga line. He keeps a hand on Gib’s back at all times as to not get lost.

stealth: 16

Tul watches Hugh follow after Gib and Arvastan. She worries he may not be able to control the blood rage that is so near the surface and that he may kill the sleeping pirates before they have a chance to try and capture one of them.

She nods to Dimma and follows after the others, watching carefully at where Arvastan points out the acidic slimes.

(Stealth: 18 )