"Now would be a good time."

"Looks like it."

Burst of Radiance, this one catching ten of the things. Definitely a good time. ...doesn't seem to have been quite as sizzley as the last one, unfortunately, but the light should still do some good.

Yanor moves his glare to the only troglodyte who isn't blinded. They fall asleep.

"Run away! Run away!"

All of the troglodytes are now retreating. Many of them are moving very slowly. There's much stumbling and tripping over each other.

Julen executes the last nearby sleeping troglodyte. "Should we move forward?" He leans down and rifles through a pocket. "Oh! This one has some nice gemstones."

"We can worry about our profits later. Let's push through."

"They may aim to regroup, or threaten us if they see us weakened by the Lady. Reaching the tunnels with foes at our back seems ill-advised."

Never strike a weak blow, never cut a small wound. They have made themselves the foe of this tribe rather than negotiating. Hesitating now is foolishness.

"I do not want to simply kill them all. The line between self-defense and murder is all too thin. We should ask for their surrender."

"Almost always chaotic evil, Tomas said. Can we trust a surrender? Can we trust it if we retreat from a trap, out of spells and gravely wounded, in need of somewhere secure to recover for a night? Can we afford to attempt the Lady with no recourse in that case?"

"It is unlikely they will hold to any treaty for long. Perhaps, if we dispatch with their leader, they will be cowed for enough time."

...he has a point. Flocking to power only works so well with that power toppled, but the chief must sometimes show weakness without being killed. There's an angle there.

"If we can remove the leader and any clear follower, we may have a chance to step into their place." Yanor is the divine caster, and he can heal them with a touch. Every one. "Yanor, if you can speak their language, I expect offering healing and a new faith to any who lay down their arms and swear not to stand against us might work if their leadership is fallen. That might be trustworthy. Prioritize the mighty over the crowds, then, and go now while they are staggering and off-balance."

The troglodytes continued their retreat while the party conversed.

Yanor blesses the party. The might need it further in.

Julen leads the way.

There are two exit tunnels in the main cavern.

He picks the one on the left, where the first and most injured group came from.

The air in this long cavern is much drier than elsewhere, and the thick tang of smoke fills every breath. A large fire pit burns brightly to the north. It appears to be a communal feasting hall.

The most injured have retreated deep into this cavern. They growl and glare but don't approach. Only a few feet to the party's right is another exit.

To the right they go.

The next room is empty and unremarkable.

Right. Is it now. What are the troglodytes here doing?

All of them are hugging the walls! A few glare balefully at him and draw their weapons. The center of the room is completely empty.

Trap. This kind of thing is always a trap. He draws a shortsword and screams while swinging it menacingly!

The troglodytes lower their weapons and continue retreating from the terrifying monster.

"Trap in the center of the room. Hug the walls."

Isn't that what Tomas was for?

...when she enters the room and looks around, it becomes clear. Not a subtle trap, then. Walls: hugged.