d8: Dungeon! - Hobgoblin Hideout

 

Yet another small dungeon.
It kind of counts as a continuation of my previous ones (here and here).

A - Cave Opening
A small watchtower has been build here, manned by a Hobgoblin. There are a bow, 10 arrows, and an alarm horn in the tower, and an Orc head on a spike. The watch changes every 6 hours.

B - Cattle Pen
A dozen or so Dire Aurochs (stats as Boar), used by the hobgoblins as mounts, beast of burden and a source of wool and milk, are housed here. A Hobgoblin stable master looks after them. The animals get unruly should they be left alone in the closed cave for too long, and will panic and start a stampede should the stable master be killed.

C - Camp
Many yurts have been set up inside this huge and dry cave, which has a small pond of fresh water at the south end. Supplies are piled along the walls of the cave, while at the center are the yurts with a gathering place in the middle. 4 Hobgoblin Warriors, assisted by 6 Hobgoblins can be found here during the day, tending to weapons, crafting felt, and doing chores.
C1-4 are used as habitation, and each is occupied by 1d3 Hobgoblins, 1d2-1 Wolves and 1d3 non-combatant hobgoblins (elders and/or infants). They are decorated with tapestries and carved bone totems (20sp in total in each yurt).

C5 is used as a weapon storage and contains 15 bows with arrows, 7 wooden spears, and 4 leather armors, as well as a +1 Bow and 10 +1 arrows.
C6 is the residence of a Hobgoblin Chieftain, the Khan who leads the Hobgoblins. His attendants, 2 Hobgoblin, and his pet Giant Eagle are here as well. This yurt's door is decorated with 50gp worth of gold thread. A gilded chainmail armor, as well as 350gp, 5 gems (worth 100gp each), a copper totem in the shape of a turtle (100gp) and a Ring of Control Animals can be found here.
C7 contains a skull shrine decorated with bones. On top of the pile of bones lies a fearsome Beast Skull, which grants +1 AC when worn, as well as a +1 reaction bonus when interacting with primitive humanoids.

D - Old Cells
These three cells haven't been used in decades. Among the dirt in D1 can be found a small gem worth 1000gp, D2 is empty, and D3 holds an Orc Acolyte (stats as Orc + Cleric 2 abilities) imprisoned by the Hobgoblins. Every few days, the Hobgoblins beat the Orc within to an inch of his life.

E - Steep Tunnel
The northern passage is steep, slippery and difficult (2-in-6) to climb. The southern end is connected to C by a hidden underwater passage.

F - Bugbear Lair
A tribe of 7 Bugbears and as many non-combatant cubs, led by their Patriarch, a Bugbear Warrior, live here, after the Hobgoblins occupied the main cave. They will attack and repel intruders, but will not pursue.
Each Bugbear wears 20 gp worth of jewellery of bones, shells and shiny stones. Buried in a corner there is a fine Golden Necklace decorated with rubies, worth 200gp.

G - Tool and Food Storage
Simple wooden and stone tools and weapons are piled here, woven baskets hold supplies like of dried meat and fish, shrooms, mashed goblin and herbal remedies. Among the tools is a +1 Obsidian Dagger.

H - Insect Farm
A juicy Insect Swarm is kept in this pen for fattening by the bugbears. Daily maintenance is necessary to keep the insects dazed and fed, otherwise they will break out.

 I - Fungus Cave
Two passages lead to this cave: the western one is trapped halfway thru by a primitive but deadly Spike Trap (AB +2, 2d8 damage) and closed by a well-maintained palisade, while the eastern one was recently opened.
The damp grotto is filled with overgrown Dungeon Shrooms. Among the shrooms, a feral colony of 24 Goblins thrives, hunting and being hunted by 3 Giant Geckos. A few Insect Swarms skitter around. Huge bones litter the floor here and there. These bones are worthless on their own, but could yield 100gp when sold to a bone-carver, or even more when offered to a collector or scholar. The southern end of the cave is flooded and a Giant Toad dwells in the water.

J - There is a treasure chest containing 500gp in coins on the small shore on the far end of this cave. In the water, 5 Zombies lurk, attacking anyone who gets too near.

Random encounter table:

1. 1d4+1 Hobgoblins on patrol
2. 1d6 Wolves
3. 1d2 Bugbears
4. 2d4 Goblins
5. 1d3 Giant Centipedes
6. 1 Insect Swarm

Factions, Interests, Conflicts:

•  The Hobgoblins have recently split from a larger clan, and seek to establish themselves as an important power in the area. However, they recently fell into an ambush set by local Orcs, and some of their number were taken prisoners, but not before a few Orcs were killed and an Orc was captured. They have forced the Bugbears into a truce while they gather their strength to free the captives. They believe that the passage to the Fungus Cave is well fortified and trapped.
  
• The Bugbears resent the Hobgoblins for displacing them and for keeping their most holy relic, the ancestral Beast Skull, hostage. Should the relic be disrespected, damaged, or worn by someone unworthy (that is, anyone not of their tribe) they will attack all non-bugbears in a blind frenzy. Should the relic be promised back, they may collaborate. They know of the underwater passage and of the feral goblins, and have secretly been disabling all the traps they originally set up between the Fungus Cave and the current Hobgoblin camp.
  
• The Orc Acolyte believes his imprisonment is a test of faith and strength, but will be grateful for outside help and safe return to his temple.
• The goblins only care for fresh corpses to use as fertilizer for the shrooms. They fear the bugbears, but have noticed that one passage is no longer closed.