Steamknuckle winds up another frost spell and urgently unleashes it at the rushing wolf.

The wolf's luck holds up once more, as it manages to outrun the magical ray to move unharmed past the spot where the spell lands in an icy blast on the cavern floor.

OOC: Ranged attack with Ray of Frost cantrip.
17:21, Today: Steamknuckle rolled 12 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 7.  Ray of Frost cantrip attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:59, Thu 03 Mar 2016.

Sildar steps up to intercept the wolf's escape route.  He swings his mace in a flurry of blows aimed at the creature's escaping form.

Somehow, he fails to connect on any of the hits. The wolf expertly dodges each swing and then continues toward the entrance.

OOC: Melee attack with mace.
19:43, Today: Sildar rolled 4 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 1.  Mace attack.
19:43, Today: Sildar rolled 9 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 6.  Mace attack.

The large white wolf continues its mad dash toward the door. However, it quickly ascertains that the way is blocked, due to the gauntlet of heroes stepping up to block its path. So it swerves to the left, past the fire pit and the pair of goblin corpses lying beside it.

The wolf races off into the shadows at the western edge of the cavern, past the great stalagmites and into the darkened crevice behind them.

OOC: Using the Disengage action to escape without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Rudo drops his axe and rushes in pursuit of the escaping wolf, madly drawing one of the two remaining javelins from the bundle at his belt. He manages to make it past the fire pit to get a clear shot at the wolf, just as it begins to scramble down the natural stone chute dropping to the kennel room below.

The javelin pierces the wolf's hindquarters, but the wound is shallow and the weapon immediately falls out and clatters to the cavern floor. The wolf lets out a shrill yelp of pain, but continues squeezing down into the tight crevice.

OOC: Ranged attack with javelin.
07:29, Today: Rudo rolled 14 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 9.  Javelin attack.
07:29, Today: Rudo rolled 4 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 1.  Javelin damage (piercing).

Zhaquadan looks at his companions for signs of injury and asks "is everyone ok? ".
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Fri 04 Mar 2016.

"We're fine, you fool!" Rudo snarls. "Get the wolf before it gets away!"

A look of grim determination comes over Willow's face as she races after the wolf. She skirts the thick stalagmite blocking the wolf's escape route, squeezing into a dark cramped space she instantly knows to be too confined for an effective ranged attack. So she drops her bow to the ground and manages to draw one of her two shortswords before catching up, just as the wolf begins to clamber down the steep narrow slope. She thrusts desperately.

The razor point of the sword pierces the wolf deeply, biting down into its back. In an instant, the wolf's spine is neatly severed at just above its waist. It drops to the ground with a soft grunt of expelled air, like a frustrated sigh, and dies.

OOC: Melee attack with shortsword.
22:03, Today: Willow rolled 22 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 17.  Shortsword attack.
22:03, Today: Willow rolled 9 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 6.  Shortsword damage (piercing).

Steamknuckle comes puffing around the stalagmite after Willow. He sees the wolf lying dead there, and breathes a sigh of relief.

"So that's it, then? By my account, unless we missed some secret passageway, that's the entire cavern. No more goblins."

The gnome cocks his head a bit to the side as he stands there leaning against the smooth stone of the stalagmite. A moment later, Peas flutters down to land neatly at her usual perch on his shoulder.

Rudo sets the butt of his axe on the cavern floor and leans on it. "Good catch there, Kitten. At least some of us are still on our game."

He turns toward Zhaquadan with a disdainful smirk. "Having a hard time keeping track of the bad guys, Mudskipper? The wolf almost got away. I know you just woke up from your nap, but try to stay on top of it, will you?"

Willow turns to Rudo. Her face is studiously blank, but her voice drips with venom.

"He's a healer, you imbecile. It's his job to look after his comrades first. You, on the other hand, your job is even simpler. Attack the target you were assigned. Which, as you may recall, was the wolf. You know, the thing that just almost got away, as if it's everyone else's fault but yours?"

Her expression twists more and more with each word, eventually settling into a frown of profound exasperation. She storms up to Rudo, glaring, until their chests are almost touching. "Just couldn't contain yourself, could you? One little setback and the whole plan goes out the window. Never mind what your allies are counting on you to do. Only the most glorious opponent will do for brave Rudo. History will forget the pointless likes of us, while the bards will sing of daring Rudo's exploits until doomsday, so why bother with a little detail like teamwork?" She jabs her finger sharply into Rudo's chest with each punctuated phrase.

"Okay, now," Sildar interrupts. "Let's relax. It's been a tense day, but we've accomplished our goal, and we're all still alive. There's no need to fight amongst ourselves." He looks back and forth between Willow and Rudo. "If the two of you need to have words, then so be it. But wait until we're back safe and sound in the tavern in Phandalin to air these grievances. For now, we need to get out of here before any more trouble shows up."

Willow pauses, then nods curtly at Sildar. She shoots one last dark look at Rudo before walking off to collect her bow.

After safely stowing all her gear, Willow returns to the corpse of the wolf, draws her skinning knife, and quietly gets to work removing the wolf's thick white pelt from its body.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:19, Sun 06 Mar 2016.

Not missing a beat, Rudo turns to take stock of the pile of goods heaped against the south wall of the cavern. "Okay then. Let's see what we went to all this trouble for." He begins rooting through the pile in search of valuables.

"Just a moment. See this symbol here?" Sildar walks over to a large crate and points to the painted image of a blue lion on its side. A glance reveals that almost all the sacks and crates in the pile are also marked with the same blue lion image. "This is the symbol of the Lionshields, a mercantile company based in Yartar to the east. They probably have a trading post in Phandalin. They must have been shipping goods along this corridor, and were ambushed by these goblins.

"Yartar is a member of the Lords' Alliance, so all their commercial interests are under our protection. These goods must be returned to their rightful owner in Phandalin."

Sildar gives Rudo a shrewd look. "You wouldn't be able to sell these goods for any profit around here, anyway. The Lionshield representative in Phandalin might be willing to pay a reward for their safe return, though."

Rudo rebukes Sildar with theatrical indignation. "Of course we'll return these goods to their rightful owner! What kind of common thieves do you take us for?"

The party works together to quickly inventory and organize all the looted goods in the cavern. There is very little of obvious value; mostly wooden crates, barrels and canvas sacks filled with various provisions, bolts of cloth, simple hand tools and building materials in common use in a frontier town. All such containers are marked with the same blue lion symbol, and appear to have been stolen from the same shipment. A single large handcart stands against the east wall, apparently the means by which the goblins managed to haul their spoils up the cavern slope and into this room.

Then, tucked up into the nook in the northeastern corner of the chamber, the group finds a single unmarked wooden chest. They open it to discover a heaped mass of copper and silver coins, two stoppered vials filled with a thick brown liquid, and a small jade statuette of a frog with tiny golden orbs for eyes. By the looks of it, this appears to be Klarg's personal treasure hoard.

Aside from this, only a small handful of worthless goblin garments and trinkets are found in the cave.

After the party finishes examining the loot, Willow says, "Oh yes. I almost forgot. I took this off Yeemik's corpse back in the other room."

She reaches into her belt pouch and pulls out a smaller leather pouch. She pulls its drawstrings and upends it, dumping a small pile of silver coins into her hand to count them. "Fifteen silver pieces, and..." She wrinkles her nose a bit in disgust. "...what looks like three gold teeth. Hmm. They must be worth something."

She pours the coins and the teeth back into the pouch, ties it back up, and then drops it in the chest. "We'll count everything up and try to find a merchant to sell these teeth to once we get to Phandalin. Then we'll split everything up evenly."

"Yes, and what exactly is evenly?" Rudo asks. "You mean four ways, right? I mean, as grateful as I am for Sildar's assistance here, we did risk our necks to come here and save him." He glances over at the old man. "Surely you wouldn't expect to share in these spoils, given the fact that you'd be dead if it weren't for our rescue?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:46, Tue 08 Mar 2016.

Willow rolls her eyes. "Gods, you are a heartless and greedy bastard, aren't you?"

"Of course," Sildar says quickly, "you have my eternal thanks for saving my life, and for your willingness to assist me in clearing out this nest of goblins. That is more than enough reward for me. I wouldn't dream to ask for a share in these earnings. They are rightfully yours, and yours alone."

"I suppose we'll need to buy a ledger book once we get to Phandalin," Steamknuckle says, "to keep track of everyone's disbursements." He sighs. "Seems I'll never be rid of my guild accounting duties."

Despite his apparent weariness at the thought, though, Steamknuckle's eyes give off the tiniest hint of a twinkle, as if some small part of him secretly relishes the prospect of such a chore.

"Okay then. Let's load this manure pile up and hump it on out of here!"

The group works together to load the stacks of goods onto the handcart. However, by the looks of it the cart must have been used to haul the goods in several trips, as even with a heaping overload of cleverly arranged parcels, the cart is not nearly large enough to hold everything at once. The group is left scratching their heads for a solution to transport everything.

"We should get back to Stumpy before he leaves,  we will have to come back for the rest.   I will try to carry as much as I can but I have something I must do first,  please excuse me for a bit. "
Zhaquadan moves into the next chamber and wades into the water to inspect the waterfall and begins to pray.

Zhaquadan bows his head before the steady cascade of the waterfall. His mind clears as he focuses on the sound of the water, seeking to discern from it any sign that he might be able to glean from Istishia.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:42, Wed 09 Mar 2016.