SESSION 2 - THE THEATRE OF PAIN

Once the goblin realized she had been spotted, she made a break for it out the second story window of  the inn, and the party gave chase.  They followed her down the wall, through the courtyard and over the perimeter wall, and then out into the street.  Calgrot was able to tackle her and pin her to the ground, while the others caught up.  Even so, the goblin managed to wriggle free and continue the chase, until the party was once again able to hold her up, and knock her senseless.  Upon interrogation, they learned her name was Mukli, and she was a semi-outcast of a group of goblins that had esnt her as a scout into Dark Oaks.

During interrogation, Mukli took a shine to Donaghast the paladin, and agreed to lead him to where the goblin clan was hiding out.  She explained that she was an outcast and made to sleep outside the caves in the cold and wet.  Once they arrived at the spot, the party entered the lair and made their way through several goblin toughs and their duskhound pets.  Their cleric, Yorick Mori, tried to leap over a pit trap that had been previously triggered, but mistimed the jump and landed in the pit with a thud.  Or rather, with a splash, as he landed on a pooled slime mould that dwelled in the bottom of the trap!

Making their way deeper into the caves, they soon encountered several more goblins, including a mad, bomb-throwing alchemist and a "court bard" who hurled stinging insults at them as they fought.  Very soon, the goblins' store room was ablaze with fire and mayhem, as the party battled the goblins through a series of bomb explosions from the alchemist who paid little heed to what he was doing.  Not to be outdone, the half-orc ranger charged directly through the inferno and blasted through several burning crates, sending splinters flying everywhere as he attacked the goblins.

During the onslaught, the half-orc archer backed into one of the halls to angle for a better shot, only to be surprise attacked from behind by a bugbear warior throwing javelins at him.  As he turned to engage, the bugbear slipped back behind a set of rickety, yet ornate, marquee doors resembling the entrance of a theatre.  Posted on the door were fliers with names of such classic goblinoid plays as "Dwarf Soup," and "Blood! Blood! Boom!"

The party pursued into the larger room once the golins were dispatched, and were taken aback by what they beheld-- the end of the chamber opposite the marquee doors was shrouded by a tattered velvet curtain, through which they could see a ramshackle stage.  On the stage were two blood soaked posts with gory manacles dangling from the top.  A veritable Theatre of Pain!

The paladin, cleric and archer tried to pursue the bugbear through the door, only to become stuck in a tanglefoot trap, which made them sitting ducks for the bugbear to pick off at his leisure.  Thinking quickly, the ranger once again charged headlong into the wooden wall to the side of the door, smashing through completely and bull rushing the bugbear where he crouched.  Donaghast called for Mukli to attack the bugbear, and she did so without hesitation, for she would not tolerate someone trying to harm her 'Pretty,' as she frequently called the paladin.  Soon the others rejoined the fight as best they could, the bugbear warrior was brought down, and the party was victorious!

They gathered up their loot, including several piles of papers the bugbear had in his private quarters, and prepared to head back to Dark Oaks.

As they did so, they considered what to do with Mukli.  Knowing the goblin was both an orphan and an outcast, and had acted (somewhat) heroically in aiding them in their fight against the bugbear, Donaghast weighed how he might see the young goblin into the service of St. Cambrace.  For if ever there was an opportunity to Redeem as wretched a soul as this, he could think of none greater...