We move on to the next chamber, which is full of dried-up blood and has the distinct smell of butchered animals. This must be their makeshift kitchen. The ground is stained dark with blood, and animal carcasses hang from the ceiling or lie in piles.
It’s unclear if they cook their meat; the hobgoblins might’ve been smart enough to invent the fire, but it’s more likely that they have no trouble with eating meat raw. They are monsters at the end of the day. The air is thick with the stench of death and rot.
The following chamber takes us both by surprise, though in hindsight, we could’ve and should’ve expected it- a room akin to a goblin nursery. Small, green-skinned children huddle together in the dim light, their wide eyes reflecting fear and confusion.
Children may be born innocent, but these ones will grow up to be just as cruel as their parents were due to their innate destructive, monstrous nature. I’ve read enough fantasy stories about these creatures to know this stuff.
And even if I’m wrong, so what? We beat their parents, their guardians, so now their lives are in the palm of our hands. In this world the strong decide the fate of the weak, as simple as that.
Neither Ayame nor I have to face any moral dilemmas when coming to the decisive conclusion of dispatching them. We move through the nursery with ruthless efficiency, slashing and stabbing, leaving no survivors. It’s brutal work, especially hearing their pained, squeaky cries, but neither of us relents as we swiftly carry out the goblin genocide.
Sadly they didn’t provide me with any XP.
The atmosphere shifts as we move deeper into the cave system. Evidently, we’ve reached the more ‘luxurious’ part of the cave. Here, the walls are adorned with some paintings, and the ground is covered with furs and blankets. There are scattered remnants of furniture, possibly looted from human settlements- a broken chair here, a splintered table there.
It’s clear that the troll and hobgoblins claimed this area for themselves.
The cave ends in three chambers- left, right, and center. We decide to start with the left one and find what appears to be the treasury. The stone chamber is littered with coins, scattered haphazardly across the floor. It’s evident that the monsters have no understanding of- nor need for humanoid currency, and for a good reason- after all, no one would be willing to trade with them.
There are dozens of crates in the room that have all been pried open, their tops either loosely placed back on top or thrown to random spots around the chamber. A lot of the crates are empty, likely the ones that once held food, evidenced by the residue mold and bits of spoiled produce left behind.
Others are filled with wares one might expect village merchants to carry- bolts of fabric, small tools, simple pottery, and bags of grain. It’s a chaotic assortment, reflecting the goblins’ lack of organization and understanding of value beyond immediate utility.
I don’t know the proper value of the items in this world but there must be at least a few gold coin’s worth of wares in here…
Ayame decides to wake me up from my happy daydreams. “Quinlan, before you start salivating, please let’s focus on rescuing the captives…” I glance her way and see that she is very nervous.
“Alright.” I agree and leave the chamber with Ayame following me closely. We next walk into the center chamber, and it becomes immediately apparent that this is the room of the three hobgoblins and the troll.
The air here is damp and heavy, a mixture of stale sweat and the musky scent of unwashed bodies. The chamber is larger than the others, with crude, uneven walls that are lined with rough-hewn wooden planks, attempting to offer some semblance of comfort.
In the center, a large, makeshift bed of animal furs and foliage dominates the room- undoubtedly the troll’s sleeping place, given its enormous size. The bed is surrounded by random trinkets and treasures that the troll had hoarded.
A few necklaces and rings are scattered around the area, sparkling dimly in the low light. My guess is that while the troll didn’t understand their value, he knew that his prey prized them. They are displayed haphazardly, a crude attempt at decoration that speaks of the troll’s primitive understanding of wealth.
Against one wall are three smaller piles of furs and foliage- definitely the sleeping areas of the hobgoblins. Their belongings are less extravagant: a few crude weapons, some mismatched pieces of armor, and various items scavenged from their victims. They greeted us back then with their best armor and weapons equipped.
The room doesn’t offer anything else. “Well, unless there’s some hidden chamber we now know where we will find the women.” I state matter-of-factly.
“… Yeah.” She replies, her voice shaky. With each step we get closer to the room and with each step Ayame’s body trembles more and more violently.
She previously said that she dealt with a lot of goblins before in her clan’s territory but I can imagine that her father spared the young Ayame from the sight we are about to witness. It could’ve ruined the pure and noble soul of someone as kind as her, and no father wants his daughter to see such horrendous sights.
I turn towards her and envelop her in a gentle hug. “Ayame, I would like to give you an important mission. While I check on the captives, I want you to collect all the coins into a single pile alongside the trinkets we found in the troll’s lair, and any other similarly valuable items.”
She stops trembling momentarily before stating; “Quinlan, I truly appreciate the thought but I don’t need your pity nor your compassion. I’m an adult woman and a warrior, I can’t be fazed by such sights…”
“I understand what you are saying, Ayame, but seeing a cruel breeding chamber is not necessary for you to become the greatest sword master in the world.” I affirm while giving her a reassuring pat on her head.