The party gathers and moves back to the northwest, in the direction of the Temple of Yondalla.  At Finn's suggestion, you keep off of the streets and pass between houses and other buildings instead.  You also navigate a small ditch to lower your profiles.  For now, this quadrant of town remains mostly quiet.  There are no fires burning, though smoke from the other side of town periodically drifts this way.

After a couple more minutes, you arrive at the corner of a small house, just outside the Temple of Yondalla and take up a position to observe.  The Temple sits behind an 8' fieldstone wall topped with a wooden trellis covered in morning glories.  A sturdy but small (4 1/2') wooden door is the only entry point on this side of the wall.  It appears to be shut fast. 

Outside the wall two cultists stand, looking up at a tree.  One of the cultists is dressed differently, with two-tone black and grey longsleeve leather armor.  Near their feet sits a kobold, sketching pictures in the dirt with a dagger.  Up in the tree, another kobold clings to a high branch, trying to look over the wall.  

Jirel gestures for Tylaerys and Cheddar to target the Kobold in the tree. They'd be able to remain at range and in cover with the children while she leads the way for melee to come up behind the other suspicious targets. The goliath would indicate to those moving in with her that she'd target the cultist with the purpose of restraining them for someone else knock them out. She assumed someone might want to try talking to them, so she didn't plan to use lethal force to dispatch them right off the hop.

Honey eyes scan each member of the group and nod. Should there be no objections, when ready, Jirel would lift a hand to begin a count down from three. She'd crouch light on her feet and start the approach. Using her long limbs, she'd reach around the cultist to cover their mouth as she grips a hand to hold it behind their back, prepared for a teammate to follow up with a swift knock out.

Action: Help

Tyalerys follows Finn and the others as they make their way between houses and other buildings, north towards the temple of Yondalla, making sure Periwinkle and Grouse stays close to her. She meets the honey eyes and smiles warmly with a quick nod, comforted by the goliath using her considerable battle experience to lead their attack. She then takes aim to the kobold in the tree with her crossbow, ready to fire as the attack commences.

Jenviel remains behind the far side of the house, keeping a watchful eye on the children and the unconscious prisoner until the danger is neutralized.  Jeril attempts to creep up on the lead cultist...  

[Please roll Stealth, Jeril.  Also, whoever wishes to coordinate with the knockout attempt, roll stealth as well.  If you both succeed against DC 12, the two of you will get to act in a surprise round, with Jeril giving advantage to the ally's nonlethal attack.  Otherwise, if either of you fails the stealth check, the cultists notice you and we enter initiative without a surprise round.]

ROUND ONE:

1. Cheddar
2. Jeril
3. Tylaerys 
4. Finn
5. Cultists/Kobolds
6. Jararaka

[Also, once we hit initiative, let's try something.  Everyone ahead of the enemy (all but Jararaka) go ahead and post your turns whenever you have time.  I will then adjudicate them based on initiative order.  That way, if you can only post at 9am and the player ahead of you hasn't acted yet, you don't have to wait until the next day.  And we will see how that goes.]

Jirel Stealth: 22

As the battle initiates Tylaerys fires her bolt at the kobold in the tree, then quickly reloading.
Light crossbow: 20 Piercing: 8

Cheddar nods to Jirel and moves up and launches a Fire bolt at the kobold in the tree.

Hit: 18

Damage if hits:  6

     Finn attempts to coordinate attacks with Jirel, allowing the statuesque warrior try to grapple the target so Finn can get a solid knockout blow… hopefully.

Stealth: 22
Hopefully non-lethal surprise rapier Attack: 12 Damage: 11

Followed up by Bonus Action Dagger Attack: 22 Damage: 4

((rolled BA dagger attack w/advantage too, if it doesn’t get just use the first roll…))

Jirel and Finn are indeed able to get the jump on the cultists.  The two humans on the ground are whispering commands to the kobold in the tree, and said kobold has his attentions focused over the wall.  The last kobold on the ground is too busy doodling to bother standing guard.

Unfortunately, the cultist proves slipperier than expected and he evades Jirel's grasp and both of Finn's attempted knockout strikes.  "Zounds!  It's the city guard!  To arms for the Queen!"

[So during first round, Finn and Jirel closed the distance to the enemy cultists but failed to land their knockout strike.]

During the next round, Tylaerys and Cheddar immediately eliminate both Kobolds with ranged attacks.  Even the half-cover of the kobold scout in the tree cannot save him from their pinpoint strikes.

     On the first (non-surprise) round, Finn attacks the same guard she and Jirel had targeted already. 
Rapier Attack: 18 Damage: 11

Off hand dagger Attack: 16 Damage: 1

     For now Finn continues with the non- lethal damage on this target…

…

Finn was definitely the right pick to move in with Jirel without detection. Finn was so stealthy even her attacks missed ‘detection’. Although they got the jump on their targets, they weren’t able to overcome them in a single efficient sweep, but it was nothing to fuss about. They were still in an advantageous position and would just need to continue to press on.

With Finn’s second set of swipes, Jirel follows up with the handle base of her hand axes. She slams down on her targets shoulder prior to coming round to smack across the jaw.

On ‘Fancy Cultist’ > Normal Cultist 
Attack: 19 Damage: 7 
BA: 13 Damage: 7 

Jararaka waits to see if Jirel and Finn's attacks could quickly knock the cultists out of play, but seeing the cultist slip away and the situation turning into an actual fight, she charges forward as well and takes a swipe at the closest standing cultist.

Scimitar Attack: 15 Damage: 8

(ooc: ignore me MY BAD i thought the cultists have already gone 🙏)

[No problem.]

The cultist continues to try to dodge the flurry of blows from Finn and Jirel, but his luck runs out.  Three blows are enough to knock him out and he stiffens, then falls over on his side and remains still, unconscious.

The other cultist spins and lashes out desperately with his scimitar at this unexpected assault.  He targets Jirel, the largest looming threat... Attack: 14 Damage: 3

Then it is Jararaka's turn to join the fray.  She rushes forward and delivers a vicious slash with her own scimitar, ripping a terrible wound into the cultist and brining him to the brink of death.

[Then... on initiative count 20 of what would be the 3rd round...]

The door in the fieldstone wall swings open inward and three halfling farmers with spears rush out.  "For Greenest!" they shout in accidental harmony.  The converge on the last standing cultist and finish him off with untrained but effective stabs.  In the moments afterward, they stand looking at you and the dead kobolds a little uneasily.  After an akward pause, a young man clears his throat.  "Well, you're not from around here.  But it looks like you're not with these vandals either.  Do you have word on just what in the blazes is happening?"  Even as he speaks, he looks around you at the glowing fires to the south and gulps.

     “Cultists and Kobolds and Dragons, my friend,” Finn begins even as she kneels to tie up their captured foe.

     “Ouch, that looks painful,” she says to Jirel as she glanced up and sees the new wound upon her.   
     “We we’re at Noah’s Mill.  Even up there we could see bits of what happened.  We’ve come to do what little we can,” Finn explained absently to the halflings as she continued tying up the enemy.  “More should be coming behind us with wagons and such to try to evacuate survivors… We’ve not been here long but we have seen more than we wanted.”

     Finn continues to explain what they’ve seen and heard so far.  She does her best to tell it gently but honestly, sugar coating the situation won’t help anyone.  Once she finishes tying up the captive she moves to Jirel and helps her bandage her wound.  “I’m afraid this may leave yet another scar,” she notes with a little frown.

     “But what of you?” Finn asks the halflings once she’s finished updating them.  “What is the situation here and what is your plan?  You all staying to defend the temple?  Want to try and make it to the keep?”

Tylaerys gives Cheddar a quick nod as he immolates one of the kobolds with his fiery bolt, the hurrying forward to join Jirel, Finn and Jararaka. She flinches as the doors to the temple bursts open but draws a quick breath of relief as three brave halfling farmers bursts forth to finish the battle. "You're...you're wounded." She says to the blonde goliath as she sees the blood on her, then helping Finn with the bandaging as she explains the situation to the halflings. "Yes, you and anyone else in there should come with us to the keep now. The temple won't hold against a breaching attempt but the keep just might. Now hurry!" She says, trying to convince the halflings to come along to the keep.

Persuasion i needed: 21 Another roll if help action is given: 24

She then looks around to spot any approaching threats: 6

Unable to dodge the incoming strike, Jirel chooses to meet the attack head on and block the blade with her forearm to save a strike to her core. She sucks in air through her teeth as it slices down the length of her arm causing blood to flow and to drip from her elbow. Clenching her jaw, the goliath holds her ground while the cultists are dispatched by an unexpected charge from city watch.

Jirel corrects her posture, standing upright and rolling her shoulders back while discussions begin to take place. “It’s just a flesh wound…” She mutters, a soft grunt escaping when Finn would first inspect her wound, and Tylaerys would follow. The goliath was not used to this tender show of concern for her wellbeing, let alone being gently cared for. It touched her. Though, she’d hold her visage firm to avoid looking weakened, muffling grumbles when either woman would poke or bump her wound while assessing it. Although appearing a little stubborn, Jirel did hold her arm out to allow them to tend to it.

“I’m searching for Jill’s husband an’ children.” Jirel refuses to budge until she’s sure they are, or aren’t, here.

Finn ties up the newest cultist prisoner as Jenviel leads Wink and Grouse to join the rest of you.

The three halflings listen to Jirel, Finn and Tylaerys with concern, while simultaneously milling about and curiously poking the kobolds to ensure they are properly deceased.  At last, the one who spoke up before looks at Finn, and then Jirel.  "Jill?  Noah's Mill Jill?  I think you might be a bit confused.  Her husband has been gone three years now.  But her kids are safe inside the temple.  Jill's my little sister... she left her kids for my oldest to look after while she went to work her shift... I gathered them all up and brought them to the temple when things started to look ugly."  He extends his hand to shake with all of you and offers his heartfelt thanks.  "Barnard Bleufeldt, in your debt."

He rubs his brow, concern deepening at Tylaerys' words.  "I'm not sure moving will work.  There are ten families sheltering inside the temple... more than thirty souls."  He looks again at the baleful glow of fires to the south.  "I get what you're saying, Miss... but that Keep is a long way from here and we have children and elderly inside.  The boys and me can all swing a spear, and Sister Rosri can no doubt hold her own in a pinch, but I don't think we can protect everyone out in the open."

     Finn places a reassuring hand upon the arm of Jirel as the halfling talks about the husband being gone for years.  "Had she found someone else special she may have meant?" Finn asks softly.  "But things were hectic and confused...She could have just misspoken?  At least the children are safe...  as can be."

     "Is there at least a cellar or something you all could fit into?" Finn asks, not surprised about their concerns.  "Something secure against fire but also tunneling?  We believe these, and other kobolds we intercepted, planned to dig into your temple..."

     Turning to the others Finn looks from face to face to try to read their thoughts.  In the end she shrugs, unsure.  "Do we help defend the temple here best we can?  We have kids with us ourselves that may be better off here than running the streets with us.  They've been secure this long, perhaps with our help they can outlast this raid or attack or whatever this is?"

“No Finn, it’s an error on my part. I had heard them say ‘Barnard an’ the kids’.” Jirel dips her head apologetically to Barnard. “I apologize for the assumption.” She then nods. “Yes, Noah Mill’s Jill an’ I’m relieved to hear you are all safe at this time.”