Erix and his animals hammer down on the Orc

axebeak: 12 for 6dmg
badger: 15 for 4dmg and 15 for 9 dmg
wolf: (19,24) for 10 dmg 

Erix and his animals take down the Orc as Mark rushes outside to take another shot at Ash but sees that she has met up with some friends in the courtyard. Zaerun is there with a couple of gnoll lackeys. He holds in his hands the Helm of Comprehension. Ash is desperately telling something to the elf but you can't make out what she's saying. Your attack does hit her and she does go down, but the elf grabs her body and looks back. After a moment of indecision he turns back toward the gate and signals to his gnolls to leave.

(Just so were clear. You have a chance here to make sure Ash isn't revived AND take out Zaerun as well AND get the Helm of Comprehension. BUT if you engage in another fight here you will lose the chance to rescue the other dragonmarked house leaders. I'll let you all deliberate what it is you want to do.)

The rest of you stand inside the ballroom. Caden Orien's body is on the floor, he seems to be alive but unconscious. 

Elero will race over to the fallen child, reach into his Robe of Useful Items and retrieve a potion of healing, and pour it down the kid's throat, for 4 HP.

Caden Orien splutters as he regains consciousness, "Wha... What's happening? Who are you?" He seems confused and scared as you'd expect.

(Waiting to see what others think before responding)

"You're ok," Elero replies, forcing a smile. "We're here to rescue you.  Stick with us."

He'll look up at Mark. "Leave the Helm, save the people, I say."

"Yes, save the people will be worth more in the long run, we can take Ash, and they can't do anythin with the helm yet." Erix agrees with Elero.

Mark will nod and put down his crossbow but will give a steely gaze towards the baddies.

Caden Orien's eyes go from relief to confusion as he looks at you, "I recognise you. You were the ones who rescued me a couple months ago from Garra. Thank you so much! Ok, i'll stick with you all."

You look out the window and see no more sign of Ash or Zaerun. You do hear a scream coming from the east side of the manor though, across the garden with all the statues. You know that's where the dragonmarked leaders were having their meeting.

"Let's be quick", Erix says

"Agreed." Elero takes off in that direction. "Don't have to worry about the statues attacking us this time," he mutters.

You race out of the ballroom and head east through the garden. The statues of all previous owners of the house pass you by before you reach a patio with the largest statue you've seen in the manor so far sitting atop. Clearly some ancient leader of House Orien. You run inside a door to find another gigantic curio, the skull of some kind of ancient lizard. The skull takes up a majority of a landing with stairs heading up to what you know is Alden d'Orien's private quarters. Assuming none of you investigate any of these in your hurry, you head up the stairs. (You've not uncovered this part of the manor in your map as it was an extention added on after the original manor was built.)

You head up the stairs and find yourselves in another foyer, you hear a voice coming from the corner of the landing and recognise it as Vishtai. When you investigate the source of the voice you see a crystal hidden in the brickwork and realise this is how he sees around the manor. The voice speaks, "Well done! You've got Caden, is he ok? Did they hurt him?" The Kalashtar sounds very relieved when Caden himself let's him know he's ok. Vishtai continues, "I've been able to lock the goblins outside the meeting room, but they're currently picking the lock. If you head north from where you are now you'll find them. Prepare yourselves, these don't look like your run of the mill goblins. Highly specialised it seems. Oh and Caden you better hang back."

Erix gonna grab his final ball of fur from the bag: Unable to parse dice roll. dropping it before moving along, telling the animal to follow.

(I thought bag of tricks animals only stay an hour; but they stay till next dawn^^)

Quote from Secretfool >>

Erix gonna grab his final ball of fur from the bag: Unable to parse dice roll. dropping it before moving along, telling the animal to follow.

(I thought bag of tricks animals only stay an hour; but they stay till next dawn^^)

 Rolled a 4 in gamelog, so a boar is now following along.

@Elero do we still have the protector cannon with us?

Mark pulls up his loaded crossbow and stays in the back of the group looking for any signs of the goblins.

Yep, the Protector cannon is still walking along on its mechanical legs behind us.  It can still pump out temp HP while we're traveling if anyone needs it.  It lasts until the end of the day, or until it's destroyed.

So who's opening the door?

Erix will open the door. with his animals around him.

Erix opens the door to find himself in a small hallway, two goblins pick a locked door to his immediate right. One large, one small. Down the hall to his left are two more goblins, one of them is wearing robes and holds a staff, while the other is Kliz, the goblin sent by Ash to capture the Dragonmarked leaders. Kliz yells, "Who is this now! First we can't get this door open, and now reinforcements? Kleaver, Zog, get these fools!" The to goblins near you turn around to attack. Initiative: 

Group 1: Erix, Kit, and Mark

Group 2: Goblins

Group 3: Elero

Erix, Kit, and Mark are up. The goblins are getting ready to attack.

Erix summons another land beast and orders them all to first focus on the one with the staff and than the others.

Badger: 10 for 5 dmg and 14 for 7 dmg
Wolf: (6,21)->21 for 12 dmg and DC13 strength save or be knocked prone
Boar: 13 (if advantage from already prone 12 for still 13 to hit) for 7+3 =10 dmg and DC11 strength save or be knocked prone
Land beast: (21, 12)->21 for 11 dmg