If you’re going to encounter goblins along the Triboar Trail, it will likely be along the western half of the trail, or as I like to refer to it: “Cragmaw Country.”

As one of the stealthiest creatures in the Monster Manual – further blessed with darkvision to make their sneaking in the dark even more effective, to me, a daytime encounter with goblins seems unrealistic. Ask yourself: why would goblins throw away every advantage they have in a combat encounter with a daytime attack? It’s not sensible.

The goblin ambush to start Lost Mine of Phandelver makes reference to “black-feathered arrows” spotted at the site just moments prior to the ambush. We can use these arrows during a daytime encounter to illustrate the threat of a truculent goblin tribe in the area, setting the stage for a nighttime combat encounter.

What a daytime encounter might look like:

A black-feathered arrow protrudes from the trunk of a nearby tree, its fletching wavering slightly in the gentle midday breeze. In the distance, two other arrows have risen out of the earth among the weeds, stark against the wild undergrowth.

When a black-feathered arrow sprouts from the shoulder of one of the characters sitting around the campfire later that night, it will give the encounter further meaning as the party scrambles for their weapons.

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