The tunnel opened into a large cavern, and the source of the incessant chattering was immediately apparent. The cavern was teeming with goblins. Dozens of them swarmed around a central area, where a large bonfire crackled merrily, casting flickering shadows on the cave walls. Some goblins were sharpening weapons, others were cooking what looked like some kind of dubious stew in a large pot, and still others were simply chattering and squabbling amongst themselves.
*Notification: "Enemy Detected: Approximately 30 Goblin Warriors, 2 Goblin Shamans. Threat Level: Moderate-High."*
Drake whistled softly. "Well, that's a cozy little gathering," he muttered to Elara, who was peering cautiously into the cavern. "Looks like they're having a goblin convention. Wonder if they have tiny goblin name tags."
Elara frowned. "This is worse than I expected," she whispered. "There are too many of them for us to fight head-on. We need a different approach."
Drake scanned the cavern, looking for a way to approach the goblins without being detected. He noticed a narrow ledge running along one side of the cavern, high above the main area.
"Look," he whispered, pointing to the ledge. "We could try to sneak along that ledge. It might give us a good vantage point, and maybe even a way to get closer to the Sunstone without being seen."
Elara nodded. "It's risky, but it's our best option," she agreed.
They carefully made their way along the ledge, hugging the cave wall and moving as quietly as possible. The goblins below were too engrossed in their activities to notice them, their chattering and squabbling filling the cavern.
As they moved along the ledge, Drake couldn't resist making a few sarcastic comments about the goblins' appearance and behavior.
"Look at those guys," he whispered, pointing to a group of goblins fighting over a scrap of food. "They're like rats, but green and even less hygienic. I bet their breath smells like rotten eggs and swamp gas."
Elara shushed him, but a small smile played on her lips.
They reached a point on the ledge that overlooked the central area of the cavern, where the bonfire was burning. Drake could now see the two Goblin Shamans. They were slightly larger than the other goblins and wore elaborate headdresses adorned with feathers and bones. They were chanting in a low, guttural language, waving their hands over the fire.
And then Drake saw it: resting on a small, crudely made altar near the bonfire was the Sunstone. It was a small, golden orb, radiating a warm, golden light. It pulsed with a gentle energy, casting dancing shadows on the cave walls.
*Notification: "Objective Located: The Sunstone."*
"There it is," Drake whispered, pointing to the Sunstone. "Looks like our shiny rock is right in the middle of the goblin party."
He then focused his attention on the shamans. "And those two… are definitely not the welcome wagon," he muttered. "Look at them waving their hands around like they're trying to conduct a goblin orchestra. Probably playing some real bangers, I bet."
Elara elbowed him gently. "Focus, Drake," she whispered. "We need to figure out how to get the Sunstone without alerting the entire tribe."
Drake nodded, his expression turning serious. He observed the area around the altar, looking for any traps or guards. He noticed that a few goblins were stationed around the bonfire, acting as guards.
"Looks like we're going to have to get creative," Drake whispered. He looked at Elara, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ready for some goblin shenanigans?"