There is a pregnant pause as the two parties stare at one another in shock, then all hell breaks loose:

Bruno, the first to react, fires high and wide, the quarrel shattering against the stone wall above the door's mantel.

Uthecar, recovering quickly, destroys the first hobgoblin with a well placed blow to its chest.

Kullonar knocks the second hobgoblin senseless with a well timed blow to the other's head. The gobbler falls, but seems still to be breathing.

Myrrick flails about, nearly decapitating Uthecar in the process. (Fumble: miss one round of attacks).

Zan holds serve, waits for an opening to fire his bow.

Weasel slides the blade of his short sword into the last standing hobgoblin, who then falls dead on the floor beneath him.

"Holy crap," he mutters for good measure, as if surprised by his success...

ooc: the tally is pretty clear - two dead, one unconscious hobgobbler.  Actions, please...

Uthecar moves to check the room, and if he sees no further danger he will look to stem any blood flow from the unconscious hobgoblin while he removes his weapon.  "We can use this one for questioning."

Myrrick picks his sword up shaking his head and muttering a few choice words under his breath, "Almost got you Uthecar, sorry about that."

Bruno glances up at the quarrel above the door's mantel as he pulls his shield around and places the crossbow back over his shoulder thinking that as bad as his shot was he may as well leave that one where it is, I'd offer it to you Soul Forger, but 'twas such a bad shot I fear you'd be right to sense some falseness in the offering.

As he takes the hammer from his belt he says, "Seems as if we caught this lot off guard..."

Giving the positions the corpses lay in and the situation the party just stumbled into he continues his thought, "Were they standing guard or on some other mission? Since this door was open, shall we continue through this passage?"

A quick glance shows that beyond the doorway is more corridor (New Map forthcoming - I will try to post it tonight). fyi.

Uthecar acknowledges Myrrick and the wayward stroke that had just missed him. "We have all been there," he says in simple acceptance of the apology.

"Through the passage," he echoes the brothers thoughts as he peers at the hobgoblin that is unconscious.  He does a quick assessment to see if it might be of some use given its state without the need to administer cures.

If it looks doubtful he will lift the creatures chin and run the blade of the axe across its throat to provide the coup de grâce as he quickly checks the body for any item that might be of interest before standing up from it without a second thought and moving to point again.

'They looked to be off guard as you say brother, he continues, "so were probably from elsewhere and up to no good."

"Humm... not bad work, might even be inclined to say good handy work"  Zan remained alert at rear guard

Kullonar tries to stay Uthecar's hand. "He may be useful for questions first, brother. Let me rouse him and see what we have."
Assuming the dwarf holds off on slicing the hobs throat, Kullonar takes a piece of cloth and gags him before placing an empty sack over his face. "Anyone have rope for his hands?"

Bruno had missed the fact that one hobgoblin survived the melee and moves quickly to help Kullonar by passing him rope to bind it with.

"I think that he would make great bait for whatever, fun surprises this place has."

It's not hard to stay Uthecar's blade, since he was only going to finish off the Hobgoblin if he was beyond use.  While the others take over trussing it up, Uthecar moves to guard their position and corridor beyond.

Myrrick will let the others do the questioning, readying his sword once he's gathered it up. "If he knows nothing, I'm for gagging him and keeping him bound... put him out front to find traps or worse, as Zan said."

Once the Kullonar has the hobgoblin tied up and moves back Bruno steps forward and says in goblin, "You have a choice: answer my questions without lying and then we might let you live... Or refusing and we will use you as a living shield. Do you understand?"

"Leave him here tied up, from what we found in here so far, he wouldn't last long anyway.  If he were smart and valued his life, he might be willing to offer information for his life."

The hobgoblin seems disoriented, confuses and quite scared as he looks around at the party. As Bruno explains his options, the hobgoblin nods his head vigorously, offers a helpful smile.

With a glance at Kullonar Bruno leans forward and carefully removes the gag, but as he does so he says clearly to the Hobgoblin, "Right. You will answer each question you are asked. If you yell or make noise above a speaking voice it will be the last time you ever do it again. You have been warned."

When the gag has been removed he picks his hammer up again from where he had leaned it against the side of his booted calf, "Now then, tell us where you lot were going when we attacked you and where you were coming from toward that place."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 14:49, Fri 28 Apr 2017.

The hobgoblin replies immediately. "We were fleeing this place. It is cursed."

Quite so!, thinks Bruno as he nods and glances back at his comrades, "Is there a ruler or chieftain of this place?"

Uthecar does not interfere but suggests to Bruno in dwarven from where he stands guarding the unexplored corridor,  "Tell him to explain what he has seen of this curse.  We have no need for superstitious mumbo jumbo."

Myrrick waits quietly, letting those doing the talking do just that, he keeps his eyes and ears peeled for any sign of movement.

Bruno is certain that the hobgoblin is describing not only whatever magic and magical traps Zelligar left behind, but the undead or other creatures left behind by him and his partner or that have settled in since their deaths.

Still, it pays to be clear in such an interrogation...

Turning back to the hobgoblin he continues, "And when you say 'cursed' what do you mean? Did you live here or only come to raid the place?"

Zan just rolls his eye, "He's just delaying. Wasting our time. Cause he doesn't have any beans to spill, and he's to dim witted to come up with a believable story."

"I think the pin cushion is about the only thing useful we will get out of him."

Kullonar nods and hauls the hobgoblin to its feet.
"You're going to lead the way, my friend. For your sake, it better be trap free."

In goblin Uthecar whispers loud enough for everyone to hear.  "We expect a quiet commentary of the dangers ahead as we go or you're dead.  Try to warn anyone as we go and you're dead.  Lead us into a trap and you're dead.  You are in fact going to have a great deal of trouble staying alive, but it is possible."