Ambushed Roadside Merchant's Cart

The cart lies half-tilted in the ditch, wheel splintered and canvas torn. Goblin prints lead away from the scene but the bulk of the merchant's wares were strewn and abandoned in the scramble. Among overturned crates and broken barrels you salvage the merchant's coin pouch, a still-sealed Potion of Healing the merchant kept for emergencies, and a handful of trade goods fit for a roadside stall. A small topaz glitters under mud; a compact scale and a stained bolt of cloth suggest he dealt in textiles. You also find his ledger, defaced by cheap cuts from goblin knives. It details routes, debts, and a penciled note about a higher-value shipment arriving at the next market day. The haul is enough to cover immediate needs, buy a few favors in the nearest town, or provide leads for pursuing the goblins and the merchant's missing goods.