August 26th, 2008
Search for the missing explorer
The major sent the party to visit the soldier who traveled with de Franko. He guided them into the Goblin’s rock, hilly area north of the city. The soldier told them that their group was attacked by goblins and some of them, including him, were wounded. They repelled the goblins but wounded soldiers returned to the city. De Franko continued into a nearby cave and that was the last time he saw him.
The soldier show them location of the cave and returned to Eripia. The party continued but the cave was sealed with a huge stone. There was no way to enter through this stone, so they decided to explore the surroundings. Sneaking around the hillock, they discovered another entrance, clearly not natural. Somebody carved a passageway, deeper into the hill.
Inside, they could see a huge door on the end of the hallway. They sneaked deeper into the passage but they didn’t see the trap. One stone in the floor moved as Vani stepped on it, walls beside them collapsed, three Stirges flew out and Scorpions attacked them. They managed to defeat the monsters but some were badly hurt so they all retreated back into the forest.
They returned to the cave next morning and Irgon rushed inside, only to be spotted by a group of goblins which were repairing the trap. They quickly took formation to meet the goblins but were also attacked from behind. Goblin skullcleaver with his great axe gave them the troubles so two goblins managed to escape.
They knew more goblins will come so they rushed into the cave. As they tried to open the huge door, goblins appeared in the entrance and discharged a number of spears on them. The door loosened and they found a cover behind. Quickly, they’ve shut the door and goblins outside could only scream now.
In a room behind the door were two mine wagons and a lift. Irgon wanted to use the wagon and take a ride wherever it leads but sharper minds in a group convinced him that his idea has some immediate flaws. They took a lift together and descended into a large hall in which they saw broken and scattered tools and tables. Otherwise, the room was empty.
Across the room, from a small hallway, they could see a blue light and a mumbling voice. In the passageway, a lone goblin, magician by the look, is trying to magically seal a door. He warned the party that behind the door is too dangerous and they shouldn’t go in there. After some intimidation, he explained them that wizards and alchemists were trying to increase a strength of goblin’s armies but experiment failed. Now, the hallway is crowded with undead goblins.
Party took a scroll that will open this door and proceeded further. They entered in a big room with a bluish rock in the middle. From behind the rock, around twenty skeletons attacked them. Skeletons were easy targets so Kriv and Irgon ravaged them. As soon as the battle began to look easy, another skeleton entered in the hall. This one was all engulfed by flames and started to throw fireballs on Irgon. This set Irgon on fire and rendered him unconscious. Now, Kriv couldn’t attack anymore, he tried to keep Irgon alive. Elsing couldn’t hit the blazing skeleton because he was covered by many others. Finally, Vani managed to tumble through the horde and stabbed the blazing skeleton, putting him down.