“Agreed. Get the gnome grab his stuff and let’s book it out of here.” Then thinking it over. “As soon as we exit we will need to do our best to cover our tracks and make as much distance as we ca I’d prefer not to be hunted by the rest of these things.” 

Magnus is helping the Gnome toward the mouth of the cave.

Bridger - what is left is basically trash.. broken leather thongs, broken arrows and bow strings, that sort of thing.

So where to?  The Gnomes would be south by southwest across country. The trail leads south till it reaches the wreck, then goes south by southwest 

If your going cross country, then please give me a survival roll.

Carrying the gnome, Bridger will head outside the cave. "I'm not sure if any of that is his, it all looks like junk in there." He takes a moment to convene with his companions. "Are we traveling across back the way we came, or cutting a new trail? And also... does anyone see a way we could quickly block this cave entrance? If they return and it is blocked, it might buy us more time until they discover what happened here. But it'd have to be quick."

Magnus: "If you are carrying him, I will lead the way.  May the forest guide my steps.  We head back to the Gnomes, directly southwest across country."

He readies his sword for the troubles to come, and leads us into the Wilderness.

Survival: 21

As the party exits the cave Chris quickly sets up a long piece of silver thread across the threshold of the cave with a small bell attached casting Alarm that way he will know when the goblin come back and can warn the others. 

Over the rough country, with Bridger carrying Kriskrin and trying to disguise your tracks, you are moving very slowly (about 1mph compared to 3mph you were making following the sleigh).  After about an hour, Chris loses touch with his alarm spell, and by the end of the second hour Bridger is beginning to beath heavily from the excersion.

Are you going all night or some distance/time?

Magnus takes over for Bridger in carrying Kriskrin. 

He will continue through the night until exhaustion begins.

If those Goblins catch us, we are done for.

As luck would have it, you were a little wrong on your direction and after five long hours you come back to the sleigh's path much further toward the Gnome hamlet.

By rotating who is carrying Kriskrin, frequent brief stops, and eating double rations you are able to stave off the effects of exhaustion.  But you are certainly stumbling and weary when just before dawn you stumble into the clearing before the Gnome's hamlet.

"Lets find the little old guy?" Bridger asks. "Maybe they have a doctor... or like, a shaman or whatever. He'd know what to do I think." Bridger through all of this trailblazing has had a steely expression of fierce determination, focused on  the single-minded goal of getting back. Now here, his wide shoulders relax, so does his white-knuckled grip on his quarterstaff, and the weight of this ordeal seems to fall away. Lost in thought for a brief moment, he smiles. "I'd kill for a Starbucks right about now..."

I 'm just glad to be back by the warm hearth....

mumbles, Magus.

Jordi will head to the cave where the gnomes had previously hosted them.  "Hello! Help! We have found the priest but he requires a healer urgently!  He was attacked by goblins and they may have followed us here!"

After Jordi's shouting, you hear bolts being thrown open on the doors within the cave and 2 Gnomes in leather jerkins with spears and long (for them) daggers rush out of the cave.  They jabber at you in Gnome, but you do catch the name Likner (the Elder).  It's only a minute or so more before 4 more Gnomes with a stretcher emerge to take Kriskrin inside, and Likner arrives during the transfer.  You have obviously disturbed him during breakfast, as he sports a large blackberry jam stain in his long beard.

"Come, come," he urges you into the hamlet and back to the meeting hall before. 

Before can even get comfortable in your chairs, servants bring out steaming mugs of hot spiced blackberry and apple cider.  "Give Kriskrin's gear to these young ones, and warm yourself.  We are grateful you found the priest.  Tell me what befell, while we get you breakfast." 

Fried eggs, biscuits (corn), venison sausages, mushrooms, blackberry jam, fried tart apples, butter, and cheese make up the breakfast feast being laid out before you.

"It was messed up, little dude, messed up." Bridger shakes his head in disbelief at his own tale, "The creatures in a cave snatch the poor guy, and when we got close they attacked us too. We had to, kill..." Bridger chokes up a little. "What were those? They used bows, and looked like tiny ugly... people. Were those people?" He seems almost sad now, as the realization settles in that he might be a killer. Even if it was self defense, or justified, he's clearly never had to deal with so much violence in his life before. Seemingly lost in his own thoughts, he blank-faced goes through the motions of eating the food presented, as if in shock.

Magnus, hunkered over his meal, mouth half full says, "It was so horrible.  But this... this is wonderful, as he waves at all the food.  

Cider ...over coming the waves bone tired.

Magnus mumbles to himself and slumps on the table, ...where is the Starbucks...?     Sleep.

Likner watches you dig into breakfast and listens to Bridger with concern. After Magnus falls asleep, an ancient old female gnome comes in and speaks with Likner.  As she speaks, his face gets sadder.

"Kriskrin is not doing well.  Though they have cleaned his wounds and set his bones, there is infection.  It may be many days, if at all, before he recovers the Old Mother says and we know all the story.  The creatures you describe sound like Goblins, but Goblins have not been seen her since after the last war.  The Dwarves hunted them from these mountains."

 Jordi frowns.  "I'm sorry to hear that.  My companion, Magnus, has some skill in healing, but his energy was completely drained by our trek back here.  When he awakes, he might be able to help Kriskrin.  Is the priest able to converse?

"The creatures are definitely here now.  I wonder why they tortured poor Kriskrin.  Simply out of malice, or could they have been looking for some information?  These goblins from your history... what did they seek? Gold? Jewels? Slaves? Or simply to eradicate all others?"

"Nay, the priest is feverish.  Magic may well be needed.  Kriskrin, if he were more hail, could call upon Modliam (mOwd-lay-iim) for healing."

"Though this tale is best told be Kriskrin, I shall give you the bones of it.  When Modlaim found this world and brought it from the Great Void, Rarsaakx (rare-r-SAY-ks) followed him from the home of the Gods beyond the Great Void with his followers.  And we have been at endless war with all the creatures of RarsaakxGoblins are craven creatures, easily dominated by the strongest, though they dispise all stronger than themselves.  They would take delight in the torture in a Gnome, more so than in any other creature saving, maybe, a Dwarf.  Territory is what they usually crave, though they take delight in gold and other items of wealth.  How many did you kill in this rescue?"

"Four, I think." Bridger responds, after setting down his mug of hot cider. "There were a lot more living there, in that cave. Not sure how many."

"Four?  And more," he queries.  "I must put out scouts.  Should you wish to rest, call for Jyker and they will convert this room into a place to sleep for you."

With that he leaves to send out scouts.