Session 2: Snare and Snap

In the second session, the party continued their adventure in Gelwood, taking time to gather information and supplies before heading back out on the road. They interacted with a dwarven shopkeeper, an overly enthusiastic town master, and a local smith, learning more about the history and key locations in the area. The party's artificer, Jen, arranged to rent the smithy to craft her own tools.

Returning to the site of the previous ambush, the adventurers followed a hidden trail to the mouth of a cave. They were immediately caught in a rope snare trap that hoisted two of the party members into the air. After a brief but tense rescue, they were ambushed by goblins who had the home-field advantage. The combat was challenging, with the goblin boss employing a clever tactic of teleporting behind his allies to avoid being hit. In the end, the party persevered, taking down the goblins and clearing the way to enter the mine.

The session concluded with the party taking a much-needed short rest to heal and prepare for what lies ahead in the goblin-infested cave.

The Party

• Zephrael Night Flame (Gabe) - The party's stoic Paladin of Vengeance. Jumped right into the fray to protect his allies.

• Sea Nathan (Sean) - A disabled elf Fighter with a military past. Proved to have sharp eyes and an even sharper crossbow bolt at the start of the fight, though his luck with a spear was another story.

• Genevieve "Jen" Sinclair (Kristina) - The group's resident steampunk-inspired Halfling Artificer. Jen was quick to jump into the action, slinging spells and trying to keep the goblins off balance.

• Wren (Jordyn) - A quiet and observant Tiefling Warlock. Ren stayed on the outskirts of the initial combat, a decision that would prove crucial to the party's survival.

Key Events

The Town of Gelwood

After a much-needed long rest, the party woke up refreshed and ready to explore the town. They first visited **Barthan's Provisions**, where the dwarven shopkeeper expressed her gratitude for their delivery of supplies. The party was unable to find any potions or medical supplies in the shop, but they did learn some local history about a former adventuring party, the "Ruby Hand," and a missing alchemist.

Next, the adventurers met the town master, a perpetually drunk but well-meaning man, who rattled off a list of quests rather than rumors. The party also stopped by the smithy, where one of the characters, **Jen**, arranged to rent the forge to craft jeweler's tools for a personal project. Finally, they visited the town's shrine, a place where many deities are worshipped, where a player was told their deity had no dedicated shrine.

Return to the Trail

The party decided to return to the location of the previous ambush to find the goblins' hideout. A successful survival check led them to a hidden trail behind a thicket. Shortly after, the trail revealed a trap: a rope snare that hoisted **Wren** and **Gabe** 20 feet into the air. With some quick thinking, their companions were able to cut them down, though one of the characters took a minor fall.

The Goblin Cave

Following the trail further, the party arrived at a cave entrance screened by thick briars and a stream. A character scouting ahead discovered a goblin lookout post. A tense combat ensued, with the goblins getting the jump on the party. The adventurers struggled against a tactical goblin boss who kept swapping places with his allies, making it difficult to land a hit. During the battle, **Wren** was knocked unconscious and incurred a level of exhaustion, but the party eventually rallied and took down the remaining foes. They were able to take a short rest and successfully healed their wounds, preparing to venture into the depths of the cave.

The session ended with the players expressing their excitement for what lies ahead. One player hopes to find a special artifact, another wants to find what's in the cave, and a third hopes to get a new weapon. It looks like the next session will take the party deeper into the goblin stronghold.