The Border Tower
17-18 Mirtul, The Year of Twelve Warnings (1494 DR)
Phandalin, The Sword Coast
Caradoc and Errich followed the goblins’ tracks for less than a mile. It led to a clearing near a large oak tree. A pair of human prisoners, seemingly asleep, lay tied with ropes to the oak tree.
A pitiful fire burned in front of a large boulder. A stew with some brownish stuff in it was kept over the fire. Next to the fire, a goblin was playing with two giant rats. They appeared to be pets and wriggled around the goblin.
Caradoc and Errich tried to sneak up on the goblin. However, Caradoc stepped on a root causing it to snap loudly alerting the goblin and its pets. The goblin immediately sent his pets to attack Caradoc.
The fight proved nearly fatal for Caradoc, who after being bitten multiple times by the giant rats, fell unconscious and started bleeding to death. Errich, after seeing Caradoc fall, pressed on the attack against the goblin killing it, but not before being injured by the goblin’s scimitar.
After killing the goblin, Errich killed the giant rats. He immediately took out his only healing potion and used it to heal Caradoc.
With the prisoners freed and the goblin searched, Caradoc and Errich learned that the missing workers and two wagons from Triboar were ambushed by the goblins. The wagons and several of the workers, along with a dwarf, were taken to a place called The Border Tower some three miles towards the hills. Both adventurers agreed to rescue the others but first they decided to stay at the camp to rest and recover from the near deadly fight.
Early the next morning, Errich told the two men to wait at the camp while he and Caradoc traveled to the tower to rescue the other workers. If he and Caradoc did not return with the workers by sundown, both men were to make their way to Phandalin. He instructed the men to find and tell the foreman at his manor about what had happened. He gave them both a few gold coins as well.
After getting ready, Caradoc and Errich headed towards the hills to rescue the men–and dwarf–from Triboar.
***
The two storied Border Tower seemed to have provided protection for soldiers protecting the edge of the ancient kingdom’s border. There was once a farmstead located in the area serving the tower, but all that remained were some partial walls and the crumbling tower itself.
Caradoc and Errich scouted the area. An empty wagon was parked next to the tower. The tower had one entrance, a stout wooden door, and no windows. They noticed smoke coming out of a chimney. The also spotted a corner of the tower where a crumbling wall could give them access into the tower. Just in case, a rooftop entrance existed, Errich climbed to the top of the tower. He didn’t find any entrance at the top so made his way back down to Caradoc who had loosened some of the stones at the crumbling wall.
Squeezing through the tight space they made, Errich and Caradoc entered a sparse room, save for a large fireplace which was the only source of light for the room. A wooden door stood along the western wall, next to the fireplace. Around the room were several piles of rags mixed with straw and leaves making crude beddings. Metal rings had been nailed into the perimeter of the walls as well. These held several humans and a dwarf, bound in manacles. All were still sleeping. A few were clearly beaten up and showed visible wounds.
In the room with the prisoners were a pair of goblins guards. Both were also sleeping. Errich quietly made his way to one of the goblins while Caradoc crept towards the one sleeping in front of the fireplace.
With his hand crossbow, Errich shot the sleeping goblin in the head, killing it instantly. Caradoc, however, struck the sleeping goblin in front of him with the pummel of his sword, knocking it out instead. Quietly, the two picked the locks on the prisoners’ manacles and whispered for them to quietly make their way through the broken wall.
Once outside, the prisoner and the two adventurers made it a safe distance from the tower where they could talk. One of the men said others have been taken before and were brought someplace else in the mountains. Another said that the name Silverclaw was spoken and it sounded like the goblins were afraid of him.
Errich and Caradoc started leading the prisoners back to the camp when Caradoc stopped. “Let’s go back to the tower,” he said. “We still haven’t found the supplies Phandalin needs. And, besides, who knows what other treasure we might find.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Errich asked. “We’ve freed the workers. Isn’t that enough? Going back means taking more unnecessary risks.”
But Caradoc insisted.
Errich gave in. He told the others to make their way back towards the camp where two of their own were waiting. Although it was still morning, the urged them to wait till nightfall before leaving for Phandalin. The men and the dwarf urged the two brave adventurers to go with them, but Caradoc and Errich both wanted to return to the tower. The newly freed prisoners acquiesced in Caradoc and Errich’s decision and left for the camp.
After reentering the tower through the broken wall, both were surprised the other goblins in the tower had not checked up on the prisoners. The one goblin, whom Caradoc knocked out, still lay by the fireplace. The other, whom Errich had killed lay on its mat, a crossbow bolt still sticking out of its forehead.
Readying themselves into position, Caradoc stood next to the door and banged the door hard with his sword’s pummel. Errich stood nearby and kept his hand crossbow aimed at the door, ready for whomever
Seconds later the door opened. A goblin, holding a light crossbow stepped into the room, and right into Caradoc’s brutal swing.
With a powerful swing of his sword, Caradoc lopped the unsuspecting goblin’s head off, Its last steps still carried the body into the room while its head flew back into a large brightly lit room where other goblins were busy playing a game of cards and drinking. Caradoc saw a wolf sleeping near a fireplace, which quickly awakened and started growling.
Errich, who was ready, took his shot but missed the goblin as its body fell forward. His bolt flew into the other room and struck the table near a goblin who had just finished taking a drink from a wooden tankard.
The wolf immediately charged into the room and viciously attacked Caradoc. It tore through the half-orc’s armor, biting his leg. The wolf gave a powerful tug pulling Caradoc’s leg from under him. Sharp pain ran up his mutilated leg. He fell back and struck his head on the flagstone, knocking him unconscious as he began bleeding to death.
Errich, seeing how the wolf easily took down Caradoc, charged at it. The wolf managed to bite him but he avoided falling. Errich swung at the wolf with his short sword, striking it on its side. He quickly followed with a shot from his hand crossbow. The bolt struck the wolf at its neck. With a yelp, the wolf fell next to Caradoc. It trashed around for a second then laid still.
For a brief moment, Errich considered his options.
He tried to pull the dying half-orc but Errich wasn’t strong enough to move him. He considered leaving Caradoc to die but he knew he couldn’t live with that decision. He didn’t have much time left to decide. Three armed goblins had began to move towards him and his dying friend.
Errich made a decision. He said a quick prayer to Tymora, the goddess of luck, then tore off a large piece of his shirt and stopped Caradoc from dying. Leave the rest to chance, Errich thought. At least Caradoc was alive.
Seconds later, three goblins entered the room. They all aimed their crossbows at him.
With no other options left, Errich raised his arms and surrendered.
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