And is it likely that the dwarves someday would try to retake Moria?
Mt Gundabad is the largest of the Goblin strongholds and oddly the awakening place of Durin. The Dwarves plan to retake Moria eventually. Bitur would know that taking out Goblin Gate is a step to taking back Moria.
Bitur will converse with his companions and suggest that it’s possible we can make it easier for everyone involved if we allow the goblins to leave this area peacefully as long as they take only what they need to survive (i.e. no weapons/armor, except for knives and things that may be needed to catch food). He will suggest that the goblins forget about going to Moria because they will no doubt be slaughtered when the dwarves retake it. Our task is to clear this place out, no one said we have to kill everyone to accomplish this (as far as he remembers, correct him if he’s wrong). If they leave willingly, we let them go. But they are never to return here under penalty of death. He suggests that our prisoner be the liaison to Goblin town and give her the chance to explain that to them. We will keep her with us until we reach Goblin town so that the same offer can be made to any patrols we find on the way. We will also clear this with our rear guard.
What is everyone else’s feelings on this?
Seems fair to me. We have rope; let’s tie her hands and hobble her feet so she can’t betray us. Carefully, though- we have no reason to hurt her, as she hasn’t hurt us and co-operated fully.
Generally, it was to clear the area. Although, our job was to seal this gate and make sure nothing got out.
However, if we have a willing set of captives once the fighting has stopped, then that is a different matter. They can probably be escorted off the premises.
As for this one, she is certainly smarter than the last set of Orc Females we encountered.
The only thing missing so far, are the giant spiders. 
Sir Thoroncir doubts that a female goblin will be accepted as a liaison or listened to by other goblins under these circumstances, but is willing to try it if it means less bloodshed and a quicker clearing of Goblin Gate.
Gil-Gandel, please ask her how many more levels there are in this area.
She agrees that none will listen to her. Goblins never listen to gobwens. She thinks there are maybe 5 different levels of tunnels and room under here in all.
It’s good to know about the tunnels and the lack of further trolls. I think it is unlikely that we can reasonably provide safety to the rest of the goblins. Bitur has been retired for a long time and so seems to have forgotten some things about Dwarves at war; this is a war for blood there will be no prisoners. We will have our work cut out for us simply keeping this one goblin alive.
Well, we probably should just cut her loose and tell her to leave and never come back under penalty of death. It’s not so much that I’ve forgotten things about Dwarves at war, but it seems sometimes my kind tend to take a little too much of a scorched Middle-Earth policy in these things where they’ll even take out those who surrender. But you are right; trying to provide safety to the goblin masses is a bad idea and I don’t think many of them would surrender anyway. Maybe all the time I’ve spent with kids over the years has turned me a bit soft.
Gwaelur grins, “If there is anything that my time with Ghan has taught me it is this, being considerate of the lives and well beings of other races is not soft. It takes great strength to overcome some of our deep seeded predjudices, a strength I do not always have myself. So, no, you have not gone soft Bitur, you simply forgot that not everyone of our race has the strength you have.”
Gwaelur now looks a bit embarrassed at his own gushing and pontificating. He has changed a great deal since this group first got together, but not so much that the above speech he gave doesn’t make him wonder if he himself hasn’t gone a bit soft.
“Let’s cut her loose if we are done with her, and do our best to make sure she is headed away from all of this before we head back into the fray. I don’t trust a freed goblin not to stab us in the back.”
“Seconded. We must be sure that she is above-ground, or I have no doubt she will seek to meet back up with her kin. While I cannot condone cold-blooded murder, even of a goblin, nor am I so foolish as to be be harmed by my own mercy.”
“If we release her,” Thoroncir says, “we should provide her an escort to the cave mouth, as she might otherwise be forthwith slain by the Elves on patrol outside. I will take her and return shortly, if the party wishes.”
“I would rather not lose your muscle for the moment Thoroncir. Would it be possible for someone else to provide the escort?”
I’ll take her back to the entrance and send her on her way. I have less scruples than you lot.
The other rooms in this area are not trapped and are likely to be empty of everything and I can track you down here as needs be.
Ghân thanks the party for their thoughtful words.
He understands what hatred is like, as his own people have been treated badly in the past.
He agrees with Gwaelur that overcoming this instinctive desire to kill without mercy is hard. But it is worth it, not just for the opponents, but also for ourselves.
Bitur’s plan to see if some goblins can be talked into surrender and leaving forever is a good one. Firstly it will save some lives of ourselves and our allies.
Secondly (to be brutal) it is almost like ‘training’ - those opponents who co-operate live, those who don’t die.
Since a female goblin clearly cannot persuade the rest, we should be on the alert for capturing a more powerful ‘authority’ figure. Can our brave fighters knockout an opponent at no risk to themselves?
“I can certainly try,” muses Thoroncir with the ghost of a smile, “but I make no promises as to the ruggedness of any goblin that I strike with the flat of my sword.”
So Mulligan escorts the goblin back to Miron and company. At the top of the stairs going up the goblin turns quickly and tries to tackle the much smaller Hobbit. The goblin grasps Mulligan but take a bad knife wound from Mulligan. They tumble down but Mulligan breaks free of the injured goblin and bounces to her feet. The goblin cowers on the lower steps, “Please don’t kill me. I’m sorry.” She is bleeding and bruised and in bad shape.
Foolish goblin, but I can’t say I’m surprised. I don’t think we lose anything by forgiving it for being a slow learner.
(Assuming Hraedsig is close enough to be aware of what happened…)
“I disagree. The goblin has forfeited any mercy by attacking Mulligan, and has demonstrated that she cannot be trusted to just leave without harming us further. As I said earlier, we cannot allow our own mercy to stab us in the back. We clearly demonstrated our intent not to harm her, and offered her an honorable choice between exile or death. She chose…poorly. She must be eliminated.”
Hraedsig draws his weapon and moves to kill the goblin…
Well, well, well, it looks like our Goblin can speak something other than goblin after all. Intelligent and stupid. :dubious:
Sorry, Hraedsig, this one is mine.
So, little Goblin, why shouldn’t I kill you. 