~Damn it~ Silver muttered to herself after watching her cantrip spell miss. With the battle slowly turning against them due to numbers it was best as Hornet had said to retreat, but how far? Gaining his side the the Rogue turned to him.

“So stand here and attempt to hold or fall back out of the area and return after a long rest?”

As she waited to hear his answer, she once more sent a Firebolt towards the cave mouth hoping this time her aim was better…...

"We need to retreat back across the river.  Then we can rest and return again."

Dok had no time to determine if he was being a Hero or a Fool as the Hill Dwarf Cleric of Helm stood his ground with a renewed determination to strike his foes with his Spiritual Weapon and unleashing another First Level Guiding Bold on a straight path toward those foes hidden in the mouth of the cave!

As the battle raged the party was gradually piling up goblin bodies, but also piling up their own wounds.  None had been lethal yet, but they were taking their toll.  The time to retreat was at hand – at least for most of the party. 

               The first to move was Thaoran, who found himself still in melee with a gnoll.  He darted backwards, using his blade to prevent the creature from trying to stab him with its spear as he moved.  He turned and moved quickly 30’ back towards the river.  As he spun he saw a sight that almost made him stumble in both fear and hope.  About 60’ behind him he could see a strange dwarf charging up the path!  The creature was shouting a warcry of some sort and preparing to throw a javelin.  Was this friend or foe?  He didn’t know, but generally goblins and dwarves were enemies and not friends.  He could only hope – if the newcomer was an enemy the party was likely doomed and there was little he could do about it.  But if a friend, perhaps they would be able to get some space.  He stuck with the plan and ran straight towards the newcomer down the gulley’s path. 

               Silver had a plan similar to Thaoran – run.  But not being engaged in melee she launched a firebolt towards the entrance to the Vargolg.  The gnolls were the more immediate threat, but she hoped to pin down the archers and prevent a charge once the web finished burning.  As an archer stepped forwards to launch its arrow it was met by her bolt.  The creature was hit and badly burned (-4hp) but didn’t go down.  She grimaced, they needed more than semi-effective spells, but there was little to do about it now.  She turned . . . and saw a strange dwarf charging towards her.  Surprised she came to the same conclusion Thaoran had and kept moving 30’ further down the gulley. 

               Hornet also ran, shouting for the group to get out.  Like all of the rest he was surprised to see the strange dwarf and like the others decided it didn’t change things.  He sprinted past the others and was passed by the strange dwarf as he moved down the gulley.

               But Dok didn’t leave.  He stood his ground in hopes of getting the party a chance to run.  He sent a guiding bolt flashing towards the cave entrance but found no target, the spell splashing loudly off the rocks nearby.  But his spiritual weapon finally hit.  He had missed repeatedly with the spell in this combat, but this time he did not miss.  The glowing weapon swept down on one of the gnolls and dealt it a brutal blow.  (-12hp)  The gnoll was surprised by the blow but not down and Dok had left himself exposed with the multiple attacks.  Both of the gnolls in front of him struck him with their spears and both found their mark.  The dwarf had been willing to give his life for his companions and it seemed he might have done so.  With a slight *pop* the spiritual weapon disappeared and the dwarf slumped to the ground.  The gnolls howled in triumph and leapt over the dwarf’s body and charged down the gulley at the rest of the party. 

               Soledad saw the dwarf fall but could do nothing to save him.  She cast sleep hoping to cover the parties escape with sleeping gnolls.  It worked.  In part.  The injured gnoll staggered, stumbled and tumbled.  It was asleep.  Its companion was startled as its wingman fell to the ground and it found itself alone away from the shelter of the cave.  But it was very much awake and screamed in anger.  Soledad took the hint and ran. 

               A few arrows flew out of the cave, but the group had run far enough that the sheltering brush protected them and the arrows landed harmlessly amongst the vegetation.  But the web was now burned out and would no longer hold those inside back. 

               All of those actions left one wildcard in the gulley – the strange new dwarf.  The party’s hopes were answered as the stranger shouted a battle cry and moved up the gulley towards the fight and flung his javelin at the last gnoll standing.  His javelin hit the creature square and pierced its armor – the dwarf was now officially in the fight.  (-6hp)  He didn’t know who these strangers were, but he knew what gnolls and goblins were.  He had no doubt which side he needed to be on. 

 

Overview:

Positions are as follows – beginning at the entrance to the Vargolg.

 

The web is now completely gone and the path from the cave is now open.  Numbers unknown but you can see the front of a coming charge.

30’ from the cave

               Dok is down.

               1 gnoll and 2 goblins are asleep here.

60’ from the cave    (50’ from the river-end of the gulley)

               one gnoll fights (one javelin injury)

              One gnoll sleeps

               Silver, Thaoran and Gerdar – None technically in melee, but it wouldn’t be hard to get there.

90’ from the cave   (20’ from the river-end of the gulley)

               Hornet and Soledad

 

The river side of the gulley has an entrance that is about the size of a doorway – that is the only easy way out.  Twenty feet beyond that is the river. 

 

Total Killed so far:

Goblins:  16 goblins and 1 gnoll

 

Currently asleep:  2 goblins (1 wounded) and 2 gnolls (both wounded)

  Hornet retreated; right past a charging dwarf.  Who he was or what he was doing here was unclear but not his hatred for the goblins.  Taking stock of the party, Hornet saw Dok was down and the rest of the group was in various stages of retreat.  "The heros always fall.  Why couldn't Dok follow us?  No matter, we will try to cover him from here.  Any spells you can use Soledad?"  "Silver, can you get to Dok and drag him out!?" Hornet hoped those closer could hear him and find a way to gather up their fallen comrade.  Then he sent a bolt flying from his crossbow towards whatever enemy he could target.

  

As Dok slumped to the ground from the onlsaught of the Gnolls, the Hill Dwarf Cleric made a silent prayer to Helm, as consciousness slipped away from him!

"I put my life ... and future ... in your hands!"

"What are you cowards doing, running from these godless things that should be running from you?!", Gerdar shouted at the group as he threw his javelin at the closest viable target and drew his greataxe in preparation for melee, standing where they had just been before they ran.

'Dwarves, all bluster and axes" thought Hornet as the newcomer bellowed about running away.  Soon enough reality might set in and if the dwarf was lucky he would join them in a planned retreat and a more thought out return.

Soledad had one final spell to hurl and then all that remained to her were simple cantrips. With fey magic still crackling at her fingertips, the golden witch hissed a word of power and sent one last sleeping hex into the horde of goblins and gnolls. 

They needed to get out of this mess quickly. Confounded stubborn dwarf! Both of them!

((OOC: Cast Sleep, aiming to avoid all allies. If possible, she will retreat further back after the spell))

She turned . . . and saw a strange dwarf charging towards her and out of reaction almost hit him with a readied Firebolt cantrip. However after really looking it was clear that the dwarf was in fact charging to attack the remaining Gnolls and Goblins. Silver coulld only think that the dwarf was some type of battle rager or more then truthfully crocked in the head.

"What are you cowards doing, running from these godless things that should be running from you?!"

Again Silver almost slammed a firebolt into the dwarves ass for his comment, but she was moving to fast to stop and before she could turn and raise a hand she was 30 feet further into the gulley. Stopping to try to catch her breath, she heard a cry from Hornet.

"Silver, can you get to Dok and drag him out!?"

A look to where Hornet pointed and she saw the other Dwarf lying seemingly dead on the ground. A sigh, a deep intake of a breath, and without a word, both swords now once more in hand, she headed towards Dok…….

Thäoran was on his way to retreat when he saw Silver's brave and noble act of rushing amongst the enemy to pull their unconcious dwarven friend Dok from mortal peril.

On her own, she may not prevail, the elf realised with concern. I must assist.

Returning his bow to its polished oaken tube on his back, he rushed to the aid of Silver and Dok. He tensed as he heard the goblins' mischievious giggles and the gnolls' deep malevolent growls. Both creatures' eyes thirsted for blood which, Thäoran thought, panicking, Silver, Dok and himself may provide if they did not retreat to safety swiftly.

The elf forced himself to calm and ran over to Silver on light footsteps.

'I shall provide aid,' Thäoran reassured his fellow elf. 'I shall drag Dok to safety. If you would, please defend us in the meantime.'

Thäoran grasped Dok's shirt with his slender but strong hands in anticipation of dragging the unconcious dwarf to the safety of the bushes.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of goblins, it was the age of charging dwarves, it was the epoch of fallen heroes, it was the epoch of surprising aid, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.  Events had, indeed, taken a turn for the critical.  The attempted escape had turned into an attempted rescue and it was unclear if anyone would still manage the escape. 

               Hornet, Thaoran and Silver all acted at the same time.  Hornet fired a bolt at the best target he could find – the gnoll that stood raging directly in front of his comrades.  Unfortunately, his hurried shot went wide, flying off into the brush and harming nothing.  The elf could only grimace and grab another. Both Hornet and silver charged back towards the fallen dwarf, intent on his rescue.  To do so they had to dodge around the gnoll in front of them – one went left and the other right, and they met again at Dok.  (Note:  the plan is to move him, but both characters used their movement to get to Dok’s body this turn – they can not also move him this round.  So they are just standing there.  I am assuming that they will have a held action – if any creature moves up to attack them they will use their attack to strike.  This was not actually stated, but seems likely.  Please state very clearly what you want your characters to do.)

               The one creature still outside of the cave and awake was a gnoll.  After having his foes on the run, it seemed surprised when two of them suddenly spun around and dashed past him back up the gulley.  But a new enemy, a dwarf that had wounded it already with a javelin, stood in front of him.  The large hyena-shaped beast rammed his spear at its smaller foe.  Gerdar was an experienced fighter and moved just enough to the side.  The spear slid along the dwarf’s chainmail and into the ground.  Lesser armor would have left the dwarf pinioned to the earth.  Instead, he was stood in front of his foe and prepared to lash out with his axe. 

               The task of a hero is a dangerous one and a flight of arrows flew out of the Vargolg at the would-be rescuers.  Six arrows targeted the two characters standing protectively over the fallen dwarf.  One struck Tharoran (-5 HP, 10 total left).  Silver fared worse, being hit twice.  Neither was a hard strike but combined they were dangerous.  (-3 and -4, 4 total HP left.)  And then a group charged out of the cave at the heroes.  Since they started back a ways into the cave and had the pass the archers to get out they all dashed to reach the heroes.  They got there, but could not attack.  Not so restrained were Thaoran and Silver.  Both Thaoran and Silver lashed out at the new arrivals and struck hard.  Each relieved a goblin of its head, reducing the # of attackers by two.  (-8 HP on each strike)  Silver’s second attack failed to find a target. 

               It was now time for Soledad to act.  Her sleep spell descended on the goblins that were now surrounding Thaoran and Silver.  It was an effective spell.  There were five goblins ready to strike and four of them collapsed to the ground asleep.  The last goblin standing seemed stunned to be alone.  But he wasn’t going to be alone for long.  Clearly more goblins remained inside the cave to shoot arrows.  And now two bugbears stepped out of the cave.  They held large morning stars and seemed ready to join the fight.  They too seemed a bit surprised to see the large number of dead and sleeping goblins. 

               That left the new arrival.  Having narrowly escaped the gnoll’s spear, he now swung his axe at the beast.  But the attack had staggered him just enough that he couldn’t get the range on his swing and the gnoll escaped with out a wound. 

 

Overview:

Positions are as follows – beginning at the entrance to the Vargolg.

 

The web is now completely gone and the path from the cave is now open.  Numbers unknown.

At Cave entrance

               2 Bugbears

               At least 6 goblin archers inside  (one injured from earlier firebolt)

30’ from the cave

Dok is down.

               1 gnoll and 6 goblins are asleep here.

               Silver and Thaoran – in melee with goblin

               1 awake goblin

60’ from the cave    (50’ from the river-end of the gulley)

one gnoll fights (one javelin injury)

One gnoll sleeps

               Gerdar – in melee with gnoll

90’ from the cave   (20’ from the river-end of the gulley)

               Hornet and Soledad

 

The river side of the gulley has an entrance that is about the size of a doorway – that is the only easy way out.  Twenty feet beyond that is the river. 

 

Total Killed so far:

Goblins:  18 goblins and 1 gnoll

 

Currently asleep:  6 goblins (1 wounded) and 2 gnolls (both wounded)

"The Cordorehk clan sends their regards, you pathetic excuse of a beast!", Gerdar growled at the gnoll as he took the axe up, far above his head, for another swing.

Hornet cursed the gnolls luck as his bolt went wide.  Steadying his breathing, he knocked another bolt and once more took aim at teh gnoll.  Hopefully it would fin it mark or at least distract the beast so the others could rescue Dok.  Time was running out.

Taking firm grip of Dok's shirt, Thäoran began dragging the unconcious dwarf towards the other members of the party who were retreating, relying on Silver to defend them.