As you walk along the road you see that it bends around a grove of trees a head. As you're about to round the bend you see a horse running towards you, full speed. You can see that it wears a broken harness that would bind it to a cart.
DC=15 Animal Handling to stop and calm
When you get around the bend you can see a cart on its side about 100ft down the road.
Perception Checks:
DC10 - Tipped cart, some kind of action behind it
DC15 - Body on ground near cart, spilled barrels and other good. Several figures behind the cart.
DC20 - See 3 goblins, 1 bugbear being held off by one commoner with a sword. The body on the ground is breathing, just unconscious.
Two commoners are Owen and Lars. Lars will remain incapacitated during the entire fight. If the group still has any red gold, Kalarel will arrive. He will collect the dead, then notice Lars. He will raise Lars as a zombie. As long as Lars is allowed to leave he will not attack.
After Kalarel leaves:
From the tree line busts an older man in dark grey robes, running directly towards you. He's a distinguished looking gentleman (looks like Sting) carrying a wooden staff with a white crystal embedded in the end. When he reaches the group he stops.
"Was he here? Did he just leave?"
He stands near the area where Kalarel vanished. He lifts his staff and slams it down, a wave of energy spreading out in a radius. On the road foot prints from Kalarel's kobolds glow, showing the direction they traveled.
Just before he leaves... who ever he paid, I advise ditching the gold. He runs off, disappearing in the distance.
Stat Blocks:
Goblin
Small humanoid, chaotic evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 7
Speed
30ft
Skills Stealth +6
Senses darkvision (60), PP 9
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 1/4 (50xp)
Nimble Explorer: The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Actions
Scimitar: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: 1d6+2 slashing damage.
Shortbow: Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320, one target. Hit: 1d6+2 piercing damage.
Small, green, and ugly.
Bugbear
Medium humanoid (goblinoid), chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (hide armor, shield)
Hit Points 27 5d8+5
Speed
30ft
Skills Stealth +6, Survival +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Goblin
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the bugbear hits with it (included in the attack).
Surprise Attack. If the bugbear surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 7 2d6 damage from the attack.
Actions
Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 2d8+2 piercing damage.
Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 9 2d6+2 piercing damage in melee or 5 1d6+2 piercing damage at range.
Zombie
Medium undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 22 3d8+9
Speed
20ft
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 8
Languages understands the languages it knew in life, but can't speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Undead Fortitude: If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Actions
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage.
