# Location: Goblin Fortress (Malwood) - UTOZGAL An **ancient, crumbling fortress** built into a rocky outcrop in the [[Region - Malwood]], serving as a stronghold for a massive goblin horde. Known as **UTOZGAL** by the goblins. ## Overview This ancient fortress, called **UTOZGAL**, has fallen into ruin but has been repurposed by goblins as their stronghold. The fortress was led by the goblin warlord [[NPC - Izitt Badd ☠️|Izitt Badd]] and contained an infestation of upwards of sixty goblins at its peak, along with caged wargs and disturbing shamanistic chambers with connections to dark magic. The fortress was conquered by [[Party - Elvensong]] and [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] who slew Izitt Badd and routed the goblin army. ## Geography/Layout - Built into a **rocky outcrop** in the dense treeline south of the goblin raiding party ambush site - Marked by **red fabric markers** indicating inner goblin territory - **50-foot walls** surrounding the fortress - **Side pulley entrance** on the eastern approach (derelict, with rusted winch and frayed ropes) - **Western approach** (route taken by [[Party - White Pine Heroes]]) - **Central courtyard** - main gathering area for the goblin horde - **Interior corridors** leading to various rooms - **Ramparts** with guard positions atop the walls ## Notable Features ### Shamanistic Chamber - Strange room with a **font filled with black liquid** at its centre - Surrounded by **staffs** arranged ritualistically - Source of small, amphibious goblinoid creatures - The black goo appears to be a spawning medium or summoning pool - Connection to dark magic or demonic influences unclear ### Warg Pens - Caged areas in the courtyard - Contained at least one **Warg** (later named Dave by [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour]]) - Wargs were mistreated by goblin captors ### Courtyard - Central gathering space - Site of the massive battle between adventurers and sixty-plus goblins - Blood-soaked after the final confrontation ### Tall Tower - Defensible position with commanding view of surrounding area - Used by [[Party - Elvensong]] and allies as a rest location - Strategic vantage point within the fortress - **40-foot outer wall** accessible via spiral staircase from interior ### Subterranean Throne Room - **Orange-lit caverns** beneath the fort - Location of [[NPC - Izitt Badd ☠️|Izitt Badd]]'s throne room - Site of the final battle against the goblin warlord ## Threats & Enemies - **Goblin Horde:** 60+ goblins at peak strength (mostly defeated in Session 6) - **Amphibious Goblinoids:** Small creatures spawning from black liquid, capable of charm effects (destroyed in Session 6) - **Wargs:** Caged beasts (some freed and turned against goblins) - **Goblin Trackers:** Warg riders sent out to track escaped adventurers - **[[NPC - Izitt Badd ☠️|Izitt Badd]]:** Enormous goblin warlord with dark runes carved down his sides, metal plates around his neck, wielding a stone pillar as a mace (slain in Session 7) - **Goblin Reinforcements:** Additional goblin forces that pursued the party and later responded to tactical ruse ## Recent Events ### Session 6 - [[Party - Elvensong]] and [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] approached the fortress in "loose cooperation," competing for goblin ears while pursuing [[Topic - Witch of Malwood (Bounty)]] - The two parties split: White Pine Heroes went west, Elvensong circled east - [[PC - Mannfred Huem]] used Message to distract sentries - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour]] and Mannfred nearly fell to their deaths when the pulley ropes snapped - Both managed to catch the ledge and reach the ramparts - Party found a sleeping goblin guard (silently eliminated by Mannfred for his first ear) - From vantage point, witnessed the courtyard teeming with sixty goblins - Descended into interior, discovering the shamanistic chamber - [[PC - Mannfred Huem]] was charmed by an amphibious goblinoid and briefly attacked [[PC - Balok Feth]] - [[PC - Aelar Thaelond]] unleashed two Fireballs, incinerating the creatures - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour]] used Speak with Animals to befriend a caged Warg (Dave) and convinced it to turn on the goblins - Massive courtyard battle ensued with sixty-plus goblins - Dave the Warg was brought down by scimitars - [[PC - Mannfred Huem]] sent a desperate Message spell to [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] - [[NPC - Richard Ambrose]] and [[NPC - Martha Greenroot]] arrived to reinforce - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour]] was brought close to death multiple times - Through combined efforts, the goblin horde was defeated - Battle ended with gentle rain falling on the blood-soaked courtyard - **Sounds of more goblins** heard in the distance, suggesting the fortress is not fully cleared - Connection to the Witch of Malwood remains unclear ### Session 7 #### Escape from Utozgal - Following the courtyard battle, the heroes were **panting and battered** amid the carnage - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour|Trinxis]], in cosmic armour slick with blood and rain, looked pale from exhaustion after repeatedly falling and healing throughout the fight - [[NPC - Richard Ambrose]] suggested a tactical retreat; [[NPC - Jeffen Hall|Jeffen]] revealed the [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] had entered by climbing the west wall - Party made a hurried ascent up a **spiral tower** to reach the ramparts, hearing swarming goblins arrive in the courtyard below - During the 40-foot descent, a **poorly tied knot gave way**, sending [[PC - Aelar Thaelond|Aelar]] plummeting - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour|Trinxis]] dove to catch his companion, their armoured collision echoing through the night - [[PC - Balok Feth|Balok]]'s **Feather Fall** spell helped the rest reach the ground safely - Party fled into dense woodlands #### Forest Respite - Found shelter in a **gnarled cubby of roots** half a kilometre into the woodland - Both adventuring parties **shared whiskey** and forged a plan for the next day - [[PC - Mannfred Huem|Mannfred]] and [[NPC - Richard Ambrose|Richard]] had a meaningful conversation; Richard revealed he's from [[Region - Whitefang]] and has adventured for 5 years - **Richard found Mannfred's wanted poster but chose to burn it** rather than act on it #### Goblin Tracker Encounter - During watch, a lone goblin scout on a warg tracked them using [[PC - Aelar Thaelond|Aelar]]'s dropped traveling cloak - [[PC - Mannfred Huem|Mannfred]] was **badly wounded** in the ensuing skirmish but stabilized by the party - [[NPC - Martha Greenroot]] used her ancient tree-portal magic to skip the group further north to a safer clearing #### The Tactical Ruse - Party used **minor illusions of war-drums and trumpets** to draw the goblin army out into the forest - The heroes had spent the day preparing **snares and pits** in the woods - As the fortress emptied, party teleported across the forest, ran stealthily across open field from the other side - Slipped through the front gates and descended into the **orange-lit caverns** beneath the fort #### Battle with Izitt Badd - Found [[NPC - Izitt Badd ☠️|Izitt Badd]] in his subterranean throne room — an **enormous goblin wielding a stone pillar as a mace** - **Brutal battle ensued:** Izitt Badd proved physically formidable, bringing many heroes to the brink of death - Combined magic and steel of [[Party - Elvensong]] and [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] eventually overwhelmed him - **[[PC - Balok Feth|Balok]] delivered the killing blow:** a volley of **magic missiles** that tore through the warlord's throat - **Izitt Badd's head was mounted on a spike** and used to intimidate returning goblin scouts into a full-scale rout #### Aftermath - Quick search of the grimy hall yielded **historical texts** for [[PC - Aelar Thaelond|Aelar]] and the **mysterious [[Equipment - Shroud of White Miasma|white cloak]]** for [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour|Trinxis]] - Party rested in the **tall tower** of the fortress - [[PC - Trinxis Staciadour|Trinxis]] woke in **Autumnal aspect**: fiery red curly hair and freckles - Trinxis gifted the white cloak to [[PC - Aelar Thaelond|Aelar]], who attuned to it along with a sword and flask - Party departed Utozgal in a **gnome-driven wagon** - [[NPC - Martha Greenroot|Martha Greenroot]]'s dark omens of winter and death lingered in Trinxis's mind ## Current Status - **[[NPC - Izitt Badd ☠️|Izitt Badd]] slain** — warlord killed by [[PC - Balok Feth|Balok]]'s magic missiles - **Goblin army routed** — scattered after seeing their warlord's head on a spike - Courtyard cleared of the main goblin force - Subterranean throne room cleared - Interior partially explored (shamanistic chamber and some corridors discovered) - **Ear count final tally:** [[Party - Elvensong]] 7 ears, [[Party - White Pine Heroes]] 4 ears - Fortress is now abandoned/ruined - Witch of Malwood's location still unknown; connection to the fortress remains unclear