Date: 12/09/08

XP Awarded: 636 (Gob), 1273 (Kiria, Signore, Deivon)

Start: Thistletop, about three and a half weeks after the goblin raid.

The party cautiously descend the stone stairwell into the heart of Thistletop island. At the bottom of the stairs they find a room with a slate depicting the town of Sandpoint with battle drawings on it. Notes indicate that a second, larger raid will involve goblins tribes from as far away as the Fogscar mountains to the north, and creatures known as "Sinspawn" from the tunnels below Sandpoint. It appears that the final preparations for the raid are underway, and a note makes reference to "once the whispering beast is tamed."

As the party investigates the room, they hear spellcasting coming from behind a door on the far wall. Throwing the door open, the group rushes in to find a beautiful, dark-skinned woman finishing a spell, and suddenly she is surrounded by multiple images of herself - the party cannot tell which is her and which is an illusion. Deivon rushes forward to attack, but hits an image instead, destroying it. The wizard casts another spell, and Deivon's magical greatsword shatters with a loud, ringing sound. The rest of the party corners the wizard and destroy her illusory doubles one by one, as Deivon draws his finely crafted handaxe. As the last of her images is destroyed, she attempts to flee through a hidden door that is slightly ajar, but is cut down by Deivon's furious attacks.

Peering through the hidden door, the adventurers find another stone stairwell leading down, but decide to finish exploring the current level before descending. Looking through the scrolls, books, stone tablets, and carvings that litter the workbenches and tables, the party finds some that contain spiky runes that seem familiar. On the shelves nearby are shovels and picks, brushes and lanterns, as if for an archaeological site.

The party leaves the room behind and finds another small room where the walls are covered in crude goblin art showing violence against humans, horses, and dogs. One particularly elaborate image shows Thistletop from the side, the goblin stockade sitting atop like a crown. A cave has been drawn in the center of the island, and inside the cave is drawn an immense, muscular goblin with snake-like eyes.

Beyond this room is a long, T-shaped hallway. At the intersection, the adventurers find two large stone doors covered in horrific images of monsters clawing their way out of pregnant women of all races. Cautiously opening the door, the party finds what appears to be an elaborate cathedral lit by a fiery crimson glow. At the far end of the chamber, a large statue of a monstrous woman looms. Almost immediately, a baying howl fills the halls as two smoky grey hounds with glowing red eyes streak through the darkened room towards the party. Overcome with a magically intense fear, Deivon, Signore, and Gob shriek and turn to flee. Kiria manages to resist the magical effect better than his companions, and delays his flight long enough to slam the doors shut in the face of the hounds before running up the stairs after his comrades.

Once they reach sunlight ouside the stockade gates, the fleeing adventurers gradually come to a stop, panting for breath. Kiria catches up with the rest of the group, and they decide to return to the lower levels to make another, better prepared assault. The party quietly creeps back down the stairs to the lower levels, and in the halls in front of the cathedral doors, sees a human dresed in heavy armor with a sword and shield.

Deivon rushes forward to attack while Signore and Gob provide cover from the rear. Very soon more combatants appear - a group of goblins and a large, unidentified goblinoid. The smoky grey hounds also appear, though fortunately the narrow hallways trap them at the rear of the group of enemies, away from the party.

It quickly becomes clear that the armored human is a very powerful warrior, and Deivon is weakened by attacks from several opponents. Kiria is able to navigate the narrow hallways to come within range to use his wand of healing magic on Deivon, but soon Deivon is forced to withdraw from combat due to the overwhelming number of opponents. This leaves Kiria in a critically exposed situation, his escape route cut off by opponents. He bravely manages to rush past to rejoin the party, and Gob's summoned monster delays their foes long enough to slam the door shut and retreat up the stairs once again.

The party regroups once again in the stockade's entrance hall and debates their next move as Kiria uses more magic from his healing wand to fix the worst of the group's wounds. Signore leaves the others behind to stealthily scout down the back staircase to find out if anyone is pursuing the party. While he is gone, the nearby door to the stone stairwell slams open and the large goblinoid rushes out, followed by a small group of goblins.

Deivon quickly moves to block their route into the front hall, and cuts several down as they try to rush past him to attack the other party members behind him. The large goblinoid assaults Deivon with his heavy flail, but cannot overcome Deivon's defenses before falling under Deivon's blade and Kiria's arrows. Signore, hearing the sounds of combat behind him, rushes back to find the goblins all lying on the ground dead or dying.

Sneaking back down the stairs again, Signore finds the heavily-armed human standing in the otherwise empty hallway. He seems to be badly injured from his earlier combat with Deivon, and once he spies Signore, he turns to flee. Signore manages to drop him with a well-aimed arrow.