After a difficult foray into the goblin hideout, the party retreated to their cart to rest for the night. They interrogated their captive, a goblin named Shaksa, who revealed he was part of the Kragmaw gang based at Kragmaw Castle, deeper in Neverwinter Wood. He spoke of a bugbear boss named Klarg within the hideout and a much larger bugbear, King Grol, at the castle. Terrified of his superiors, Shaksa offered little resistance as the party tied him to the cart and set watches for the night, which passed uneventfully.
The next morning, the party ventured back into the cave. Eric, illuminating the way with his moon-touched greatsword, discovered a side chamber with three chained wolves and their handler. The party quickly engaged, with Bjorn felling the goblin handler with two thrown axes. A chaotic fight ensued, with the party trying to subdue the wolves. Bjorn managed to knock one unconscious, hoping to keep it as a pet, while the others were dispatched.
As they prepared to move deeper, a sudden torrent of water rushed through the cave, washing Bjorn out of the entrance and knocking him prone. After recovering, he rejoined the group as they decided to climb a steep passage. Atop the first ledge, they were ambushed by a giant snake. Working together, with Clara and Nisa being hoisted onto Eric's shoulders for a clear shot, they defeated the serpentine threat. Pressing on, Bree used his stone cunning to sense a large group of beings in a chamber ahead.
The party devised a plan. Nisa, boosted by her companions, cast an illusion of a bugbear into the chamber while Bree created a booming sound and made the fire flare up, surprising the goblins within. The party charged in to find a large cavern with two levels. On the lower level was a goblin boss, Yark, and his minions. On an upper ledge, another boss, Yeemik, held an unconscious Sildar Hallwinter at knifepoint. Yeemik demanded Klarg's head in exchange for the human's life.
Eric, speaking in Goblin, pretended to agree to the deal to make Yeemik lower his guard. The deception worked, and as Yeemik relaxed, Bjorn hurled his axes. Yeemik, however, reacted with lightning speed, pulling another goblin in front of him to absorb the first blow. The second axe found its mark, wounding him severely. A fierce battle erupted throughout the cavern. In the chaos, Yeemik made good on his threat, slitting Sildar's throat and pushing his body off the ledge before being slain himself. The party fought with renewed fury, cutting down the remaining goblins.
After the battle, Clara rushed to Sildar's side and managed to stabilize him, though he remained unconscious. The party looted the fallen bosses, finding some gems and a potion of healing. They used the potion on Sildar, who awoke, disoriented. He explained that he and Gundren had been ambushed and that Klarg, the bugbear leader, had taken Gundren to Kragmaw Castle. After a short rest, the party sent Sildar back to the cart and pressed deeper into the cave, following a passage that led from the main chamber.
Following the new passage, the party heard more goblins ahead, seemingly preparing an ambush. They used another illusion to create a distraction and charged forward. They were met by a wolf and several goblins in a narrow corridor. As the fight raged, a massive bugbear, Klarg, emerged from a connecting chamber. He bellowed a command to kill them all, knocked Eric senseless, and began dragging him away, leaving the party in a desperate struggle as the session ended.