In Neverwinter three adventures seeking fame and fortune stand around a bulletin board posted in the Fallen Tower tavern. All three grab the same posting, a job that leads them to a dwarf sitting in a private area toward the back of the tavern. Gundren Rockseeker and his human bodyguard, Sildar Hallwinter, are in need of mercenaries to escort a wagon of mining supplies headed to Phandalin. Lately bandits have been ambushing convoys on the Triboar trail and Gundren is taking precautions so that his cargo is not stolen. The group agrees to the job for a large payment of 90 GP.

Gundren and Sildar head out early morning before the party awakens. After collecting themselves, the group heads outside to find a wagon with two large oxen attached, filled with mining supplies and food. The contents includes a dozen sacks of flour, several casks of salted pork, two kegs of strong ale, shovels, picks, and crowbars (about a dozen each), and five lanterns with a small barrel of oil (about fifty flasks in volume). Keith volunteers to drive the wagon and the group head off on their mission.

After traveling for half a day through a highly forested area, the party come across two dead horses blocking the road about 50 feet ahead. Keith walks nearer to see several black feathered arrows sticking out of them. He also searches their saddlebags but finds that they have already been looted. DiGiorno pulls an arrow from the horse and cannot determine whether the arrows were poison tipped or not. Logain hangs back about 20 feet with the wagon.

Keith tries to move a horse but only manages to roll it about a foot and a half. Under the horse he finds the dusty cloak that Sildar was wearing and an empty leather map case. Frustrated, Keith begins hacking away at the horse with his longsword. Logain decides that he should try to unhook one of the oxen and tie a horse to it to try and make a way forward. DiGiorno beings to play a tune on her horn. This alarms four goblins hiding in the brush near the road. The goblins attack.

A battle ensues between the party and the goblins consisting mainly of Keith hacking and slashing the foes to bits. Logain, while first to act sending magical missiles toward the first goblin, is beaten unconscious. Barely holding on, DiGiorno casts a sleep spell on the remaining two goblins. Keith destroys one with his longsword while DiGiorno smashes her fist in to the remaining enemy’s face. Searching the goblin corpses, the group finds nothing of value.

Keith searches the area and finds that a goblin arrow that narrowly missed him is identical to the ones that killed the two horses. This area is a goblin ambush site.

Logain investigates the thicket near where the goblins appeared. Pushing away the brush he finds a trail leading off into the forest.