The landscape on the East Road between the Keep and our heroes’ destination is breathtaking: the Bastamon Brook babbling through a majestic valley blanketed by the omnipresent and imposing ipp trees of the Gnarley Forest, and off in the distance a several hundred foot high waterfall tumbled off the southern edge of the Kron Hills.  The beauty seems like a natural ruse for those fetid caves that lurks somewhere within.

            The directions that Zebos gave back at the Keep, along with the Keeps’ records, made finding the caves surprisingly easy.  The Goblinwater proved a remarkably competent guide.  Our heroes camped where the Goblinwater crossed the East Road, a rather gloomy open pit that obviously saw many a camp before them.  The next morning, the Keep escort headed home only to return in three days.  The heroes headed up the steep bank where the Goblinwater flowed downward into their watering hole, only to run south to join the Bastamon Brook.   Half-dead trees hung from the hillside, clinging to each other; and thorny vines twisted across the ground, clawing at their boots.  Even where the trees were thin and wide-spaced, they managed to keep overhead light from penetrating.  The air smelled damp and moldy.  All seemed quiet.  Finally, after what seemed like half a day, the foliage began to clear enough to make out a pale, rough stone rearing high above them.  From the looks of things, they were heading into a broad-mouthed ravine.  Upon closer inspection, they could make out cave mouths that rimmed the steep ravine walls and crude paths leading up to them.  The narrow stream that paralleled the path trickled down the center of the ravine, forming great muddy puddles in several places, its source hidden in the trees that cluster at the far end of the ravine.  Several other clumps of trees could hide almost anything up to and possibly including a giant.  The walls of the ravine slope up steeply on either side—there was no doubt that they were climbable, but both hands were needed.  As a chill autumn wind blew in their face, they felt sure that this was it, they had found the infamous Caves of Chaos: where many an adventurer has sought fame and left only his or her bones behind.

            Wylaer suggested that they try a cave closer to the ravine floor, reminding them that the upper caves were rumored to be populated by the more dangerous creatures.  Makaus added that Zebos probably came from the left hand side based on things that were mentioned in his testimonial.  Thus, it was decided that they take the cave that they would soon find out was home to a goblin tribe, and their hobgoblin and ogre allies. 

            Several of the battles turned out short and easy, including the fight inside the chambers of Kurkul, the Goblin King.  But several other battles nearly saw the end of Makaus, Wylaer, Merric, and Blorys.   Caution will need to be learned before too long, or Nerull will swing his scythe of razor-sharp bone too close.  In the end, however, they were able to clear out the den of its inhabitants through death or treaty.  Only one door was left unexplored.  Jerdren called Wylaer over to check it out.  Wylaer responded, in what was now his all-too familiar indifferent tone, “I sense death.”  Having enough of that this day, they decided to head back to camp.