After conquering the Goblin drawbridge and its guards, the party continue into the Bitter Skull Tribe's territory. Named so for their morbid marks on the land, the party discover bone signs, heads on spikes, warnings that a camp must be near. They come to a fork in the road, one leading down hill and the other more densely 'decorated' with skulls.
Hearing voices echoing from down the hill, Artax scouts ahead using the dense forest to hide. He sees, for the first time on this continent, a Hobgoblin, locked in a heated discussion with three Goblins. Unable to understand their language Artax only discerns that they are arguing about something. Suddenly he hears a rustling of leaves behind him, spinning round, bow drawn, he finds himself face to face with a human dressed in camouflaged clothing, finger pressed to his lips signing for Artax to be quiet.
The pair sneak back to the other party members, the human introduces himself. His name is Hudd Fearn, a scout from a nearby human village called Jarce, Hudd explains that the Bitter Skull Tribe has been a problem for his people in recent times and states how the party are clearly strong heroes, capable of driving them from this area. The party convince Hudd to join them in this quest, bringing him up to speed about their shipwreck and the missing crew members.
They all press forward into the skull lined path, finding an archers nest and trap outside of the goblin hideout. After taking down the Goblin watchmen with some well placed ranged attacks and circumnavigating a log swinging trap they find themselves upon the crest of a hill with many more skull totems and a cave entrance. Goblin chatter can be heard emitting from the cave entrance.
The party stand either side of the cave entrance to listen for more details, a goblin wonders out lazily, unarmed and rubbing his engorged belly not noticing the looming heroes. An arrow and a bolt fly into the Goblin's back courtesy of Fenris, and the party proceed to hide his body. Making their way into the cave, they can hear the goblins chattering from round a corner and can see their shadows cast on the wall from a campfire. Weapons are drawn and the party burst into the room with the element of surprise.
There are 5 Goblins in the room that all scramble for their weapons, one of the Goblins is clearly the ring leader, the tribe Chieftain. He picks up a barbed whip and throws down a piece of meat he was eating and snarls at the adventurers. The combat quickly picks up with the party being somewhat bottle necked due to the tight entryway, Fenris charges the nearest goblin combatant and trades some blows, Mornington plays a battle song on his flute inspiring his allies. Edward unleashes an Eldritch blast against a Goblin archer on the other side of the cave and the maelstrom of combat continues. The Goblin Chieftain has reach with his whip and takes some sizeable chunks out of the party, over the course of the battle Edward and Artax go down, knocked unconscious. Artax is later revived and deals the killing blow to the Chieftain and the remaining goblins that still stand flee through the second entrance on the far side of the cave.
Edward is soon revived and amongst the tat and looted goods in the cave the party find the stolen cargo. They also fin Wilmot and Yon tied up, Yon is shaken and can't bring himself to speak, Wilmot is unconscious and his leg has been cut off, now sitting on a spit above the fire. The party look at one another as they try to figure out how to get everyone to safety along with the cargo.
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