Listen, do you smell something?

Last time on The Lost Mines of Phandalin!
Our heroes, after being hired by the dwarf Gundren Rockseeker, headed to Phandalin to deliver the supply wagon.  On the way they were ambushed by goblins and found Gundren and his companions horses slain, with drag marks on a trail heading north.  The group split up, Hollis and Heramp deciding to watch the now hidden supply wagon while the rest tried to find their employer.  After hitting several traps along the path, the group finally made it to the goblin's hideout.  They met a sizeable guard force, hiding in some thickets across the stream.  With some quick action from Lance and Gloin, the goblins were dispatched and Prime provided first aid to his wounded companions before sliding into the stream like an alligator.

Lance was rummaging through the goblins gear looking for some silver pieces.  In the back corner of the thicket he came across two unconscious men, a dwarf and a human.  He shouted for Prime to come over and take a look.  Prime wove some of his restorative magic upon them, resulting in both newcomers jolting awake.  They introduced themselves to the group as Tardack the Beautiful and Nathaniel.  The dwarf Tardack is "Beautiful" in his eyes, stylizing with fashion sense to be a bit rough and shamanistic, but in the most over the top way.  They find their gear nearby, and explain to the group that they had been traveling south on the Triboar Trail when they were jumped by the goblins.  Tardack was tortured by the goblins, constantly being asked about a map but he had no clue what they were talking about.  It would seem that this duo had the misfortune of matching the similar description of Gundren and his Human warrior companion.

Meanwhile back at the wagon, the recovering duo are surprised once again, but this time is by another halfling.  He introduces himself to them as Brother Theo, acolyte of Oghma and personal historian of Hollis Mcavoy.  He explains that he wishes to end the dearth of written stories of the halfling people and has chosen the great hero Hollis to be his first great work.  Hollis is taken aback at the suddenness but quickly recovers realizing what this could mean.  After discussing things, Hollis leads his two companions off to catch up with the group so as to display fine battle prowess for his new personal scribe.

The curious elf, Bryn Liadon, continues poking her head into the cave and when going around the first bend is suddenly lashed at by three wolves.  They are chained to a stone column, however, and are unable to reach her.  She shouts out to the group, and Prime comes running in with a slain goblin in his arms, tossing it at the wolves, giggling "Eat!".  The wolves sniff at it but turn back at the intruders, lunging at their chains, loosening the stakes holding them.  Prime tries to calm them by talking goblin to them, while one of the dwarves attempt to swipe at them while distracted.  Neither attempt works.  Bryn tries to command them to sit, in the goblin tongue, but wolves finally pull loose and attack them.  The wolves get a couple bites off in the narrow doorway.  Eager for battle, Nathaniel rushes past Bryn shoving her off the ledge and into the stream which carries her out of the cave.  Between Brunor's warhammer, Nathanial's claymore, and Tardack's maul the wolves were slain in short work.

Tardack moved further into the wolf den finding mostly goblin and wolf refuse.  Back in the far corner however, he spotted a good deal of rubble and upon looking up found a natural chimney.  He suggested Lance try to climb it and see what was up there.  Lance tried but only got half way up before falling down.  Embarrassed, he quickly shot back up into the hole to prove he could do this task.  He managed to climb to the top where he found himself on a little platform of stone with sloping sides hiding the rest of the room where he heard some voices talking but he couldn't make out what was being said..  He lowered the rope and pulled up Bruner, Prime, and Nathaniel.

Having ran out of room, Lance looked over the edge to find a quiet room and a wolf growling inches from his face.  He quickly launched himself and his swords at the wolf, missing it and rolling into an alcove.  "You dare invade my home?! To me minions!" Klarg the Bugbear shouted as he saw his pet wolf dive into an alcove with a woodelf.  Goblins rushed into the room firing bows at the surprising invaders.  Klarg tried to smash Prime and Nathanial with a huge spiked club but Nathanial was able to deflect the blow with his claymore.  Bruneor let lose a barrage of magic missiles at Klarg, and again.  Prime leaped up out of the hole, catching a goblin arrow in his mouth, snapping it, and then leaped to bite the arm of Klarg who was trying to swat away the magic missiles that were stinging his flesh.

Tardack kept trying to climb up the rope to get the shouting he could hear but couldn't seem to make it up the chimney, falling again and again.  Finally, Bryn put down her book and offered him a brace to step up and get a good grip.  That was all he needed to scramble up the rope.  Just then Hollis and crew walked into the cave to see a skinned, decapitated wolf and 2 wolves with their heads smashed in.  Taking in the situation he and Heramp climbed up the passage, but only after a couple falls of their own and following help from Theo and Bryn.

Klarg meanwhile slammed Prime, who was hanging onto Klarg's arm with his mouth, into the wall, pinning him.  He then brought his his club across and slammed it into Prime, piercing his body in multiple places.  Bruner terrified for his companion yelled a battle cry and slammed his warhammer into the bugbears right knee, shattering it.  Nathaniel ran past them seeking to engage the 5 goblin archers that were filling the air with arrows.  Heramp climbed out of the hole and dispatched the wolf that had pinned Lance.  He then turned and ran, leaping over Bruner, brought down his greatsword at Klarg shearing off his left arm, dropping it in front of Prime who savagely began gnawing at it.  Tardack climbed out of the hole next and brought his maul down on the head of the howling bugbear, ending his howl.  Hollis, Nathaniel, and Lance quickly ended the remaining goblins, but Lance was not able to finish off one scraggler who was able to flee off into the distant caverns.

Taking a quick assessment of the carnage the adventurers pulled up the remaining members and looked through the main cavern.  Along one side were a bunch of boxes and crates with a blue shield and lion on them, filled with all sorts of goods.  Also Hollis found 3 gold teeth on the bugbear.  Bryn found, in a separate pile, some excellently cared for chain mail, longsword, and heavy crossbow all emblazoned with a blue shield and clenched gauntlet.  Bruner didn't detect any magic in them but the group still picked them up and put them in their packs.

In the next room the group stumbled into mostly darkness but the sounds of a waterfall were heard and those with darkvision just saw two large damns that had recently been emptied of water.  Lance crept forward and found another two passages, one heading down and one heading up.  Looking down the lower one he spotted a bridge with three goblins on it, looking out, watching attentively.  He whispered this back to the group and then went up the other passage thinking to surprise the goblins.  Nathaniel and Tardack bustled forward to try to get a look but they were not nearly as careful as Lance and soon found two spears flung at them, one hitting Tardack straight into his side.  Lance then surprised the ones on the bridge and was soon joined by Heramp and Bruner, making short work of the last two with some help from Theo who manged to side step the jostling Tardack and Nathaniel in time to sear one of the goblins in radiant energy.