OOC: Lol, it was the chimney that did it! I was not expecting such a furious chase.

At this point, I will take Klarg and Tarok out of the initiative order while we wrap up the cave battle (one way or another). We will resolve the chase separately - I don't want to assume that Tarok is alright with continuing the chase until he reaches the 5th level of exhaustion.

Turn 10 Order:Players <===== Cinis death save is up
Sildar
Wolves

Death Save

18

(OOC: I should have saved my Sleep spell for the wolves, maybe. Hindsight is 20/20.)

Turn 10 Order:
Players
Sildar <=====
Wolf

"Hang in there..." Seeing the wolf is tiring, Sildar kneels and grabs the healer's kit that Cinis dropped as he fell, quickly bandaging his bite wounds and stabilizing him. He stands again, anticipating an attack.

Turn 10 Order:
Players
Sildar
Wolf <=====

In between panting, the wolf snarls at Sildar and the fresh meat lying around him.

Turn 11 Order:
Players
Sildar <=====
Wolf

"You want meat, you mangy mutt?" Sildar rummages through Cinis's pack and grabs a day's rations, unwrapping them and tossing them to the wolf, who immediately tears into the dried meat.

Sildar Animal Handling: 20

The wolf calms, content for the time being with the food it has been given. It lays down and tucks its tail as it continues to devour the rations.

Spent, Sildar slumps to the cave wall with a grunt. The bloody scimitar falls out of his grasp and clatters to the floor as he tries to gather his strength once again.

OOC: Combat is over!!!....for now.

Next up, we will resolve the chase when Tarok confirms how far he is willing to take it.

(Ooc: such a nice dm. We could have wiped right then.) 

OOC: happy to continue until I catch him or pass out.

DM Roll: 2

Chase Turn 4: 135 feet apart
Klarg - free dash
Tarok - free dash

Chase Turn 5: 135 feet apart
Klarg - CON: 21 dash
Tarok - free dash

Chase Turn 6: 135 feet apart
Klarg - CON: 13 dash
Tarok - CON: 5 dash

Chase Turn 7: 135 feet apart
Klarg - CON: 2 dash - 1 level of exhaustion
Tarok - CON: 9 dash - 1 level of exhaustion

Beginning to feel exhausted, Klarg suddenly darts into the woods, away from the trail.

Klarg Stealth: 10
Klarg Stealth Exhaustion Disadvantage: 15

Tarok follows Klarg into the woods as quickly as he can, but the thick trees and dense foliage leave no sign of the bugbear's whereabouts.

Tarok looks around to try to find the bugbear, obsessed with finding his quarry.

Perception: 18

OOC: Need to clarify some chase rules. Klarg's stealth beat Tarok's passive perception once he broke line of sight, which means he effectively escaped the chase, per chase rules in the DMG. I'll post once I'm home tonight and have a chance to figure this out.

Tarok desperatley searches for some disturbed foliage, some footprints, some sign of Klarg's presence, to no avail. The terrified bugbear has slipped its pursuer.

OOC: Tarok has 1 level of exhaustion, which means disadvantage on ability checks until a long rest.

(OOC: I'm assuming we're all brought back to consciousness now that combat is over?)

Quote from Simmon >>

(OOC: I'm assuming we're all brought back to consciousness now that combat is over?)

 (OOC: It usually takes 1d4 hours to awake after being knocked unconscious)

OOC: Correct, 1d4 hours to regain consciousness. I'll roll those and continue in the cavern after Tarok's next post, since what happens may be dependent on his action.

OOC: 25 hours of silence, moving on...

DM Screen:

The sound of rushing water slowly fades into Argos, Cinis, and Nemean's ears as they regain consciousness. Bob remains in a slumber, lying face up to the side. Sildar sits slumped up against the cavern wall, clutching an unseen wound, surely a remnant of his torture at the goblins' hands. 

Ahead of you, to the side of the cavern, there lies a wolf happily gnawing on a combination of salted meat and...wolf. It appears that Sildar was able to keep it occupied long enough to drag you all outside of the room safely, to the banks of the stream plummeting its way outside of the cave.

"Wha... what happened?"

One moment I was standing, ready to fight, and the next I was on the ground... what the hell happened?

Argos gets up, still in a daze. He looks to Sildar for an answer to his question.

OOC: When I fell unconscious, I would have dropped my weapons on the ground. Would Sildar have picked up my weapons when he dragged me?

Tarok begins to walk back to the cave, hopefully reaching his friends in time to provide them with aid.

"Well done, Sildar. We would have been goners without you." Cinis said as he splashed water onto his face and stared about he cavern. "Still no Tarok? Do you think Klarg killed him?"

"That fight got nasty in a hurry.", Sildar answers Argos, "Klarg was outmatched and fled the scene, down a chimney. In their desperation to keep him from getting away, the others...well, I'm not exactly sure what happened, but when I arrived only the sorcerer was standing, Nemean looked as if he'd landed on a rock from 30 feet, and Tarok was gone. I was able to keep that last wolf distracted long enough to drag you all to a safer spot and gather your things." He points to the remaining wolf which is now lazily laying aside its remaining meat. "We are all that's left in here, fortunately, although I cannot guarantee that will be the case for long."

At that moment the half-orc enters the cave and spots the party. "Speak of the devil...were you able to find him?" Sildar asks.

"Unfortunately he got away, he knows the wilderness in this area better than I. I'm sorry for chasing him down for so long, seeing you all recover, I feel as though I ought to have stayed. But I fear Klarg will warn others, I doubt this will be the last of our problems." Tarok says, entering the cave.

"Perhaps we should make camp nearby and recuperate before returning to the oxen cart." he adds.