Quentin just strikes out with a simple firebolt at one of the swordsman. 

Firebolt: Attack: 20 Damage: 19

(No worries, it sounds like we're all a little rushed/tired/busy right now! :D Haven't heard from Elwin in a couple of days, either.)

Mindartis wipes out another gnoll, as do Raven and Quentin! (That gravity spell left a lot of them with only 2 hp!)  The last one turns to run, and is cut down by the band of knights.  The two remaining archers attempt to sneak off into the bushes... 18   12

Not much chance of that with fifty arches still raining arrows down on them, though.  The fight is quickly finished.

Del winces at his minor wound, now that the fight is over That was unfortunate, though we expected them to expect us, I hoped the first blows would actually count. He asks our sprite friends using Sylvan Can some of you fly up and observe the stockade - just from here, please, and go in turns to keep an eye on them? Stay unseen and safe!

Del tries to talk to all the leaders I'm not a military sort, but I'd call that a debacle, that they even got a shot off. We will need actual planning to fight 500, plus two covens, plus boss gnolls, plus the Greyelf.

16 11 8 15

A band of sprites from the forest commandos flies out to scout the stockade for you, making their way quietly through the forest with plans to turn invisible when they get there...

Can one of you please just fly up above the trees right here for a very quick look

Meanwhile, Raven notices that the Fools have been whispering together and slipping away into the forest.

In time, the sprites return with a scribbly map.  "We talked to the sprites defending the tree," he says. "They say the gnolls have been out burying things in the open space around the stockade, probably some sort of defense. Right now the hags have all the archers massed on the west wall, and the foot soldiers and hyenas are standing ready at both gates. (Purple) They have four catapults that hurl barrels of pitch, which the gnolls set on fire before they throw. (Green)  They have stopped attacking the tree for now, anyway. The sprites inside say they will try to help, and ask if you have any orders for them for when the battle starts."

Quote from skuk >>

Can one of you please just fly up above the trees right here for a very quick look

 The sprite flies up and looks around, returning to let you know that they see no enemies in the immediate area.

Raven points out the fool's actions to Quentin.  "What are they about?" She asks him.

She then moves back out front, and tries to sneak closer to the destination. She would stay a bit back, concerned about these things getting buried by the enemy.

Stealth: 30

(Roll perception, too, please.)

Quote from Astalda >>

(Roll perception, too, please.)

 perception: (passive of 20.): 19

Raven is able to get to the edge of the forest completely undetected.  There are still a couple of nervous-looking gnoll teams digging holes and burying bundles in them from small carts. The bundles look like piles of bones wrapped in burlap.  You notice that there don't seem to be any freshly-dug spots in the dry stream bed or the gnolls' own foot paths leading away from the gates.

Quote from Astalda >>

(No worries, it sounds like we're all a little rushed/tired/busy right now! :D Haven't heard from Elwin in a couple of days, either.)

(( Sorry, hadn't noticed you'd actually said the party was up earlier; I was waiting for everyone's post and just saw that the battle ended.... ))

"They are indeed prepared," said Elwin with a grimace. "But perhaps we can turn that against them. If we were able to covertly come up from the south, we could at least avoid the archers and minimize the damage. Maybe a distraction? Using the--" he glanced at some of the allies. "--more obvious among us? Keep their attention focused west while the rest of the troops come around?"

"I don't know." Quentin replies as he looks at his fools. Moving towards one he asks, "What's happening? Are you guys all leaving the battle?" 

((where are we wrt the stockade?))

Sorry, 800 gnolls Del corrects himself With about the same ourselves. We will be a wide front coming in, especially since we should avoid bunching up, what with hagspells and pitch-a-pults. I do not like that they have left an obvious direction of attack, but from the south seems as good as any - the marchers can us the dry riverbed Del agrees with E. Although they can reposition the archers faster than we can reach the wall. Those of us that can fly or teleport in will have to stop the biggest ranged attacks fast, and hinder the mass of their troops, while defeating 15 or so big bads

(Stockade is still half a mile away: Raven went ahead to scout.  Hasn't said if she's coming back. EDIT: You are half a mile from the clearing around the stockade, that is.)

The fool Quentin questions shuffles her feet and looks sly. "We've got a plan.  You'll see.  It will be amazing! Trust us."

“And myself knowing it would ruin the plan?” Quentin asks curiously. He then chuckles to himself and says, “Actually it probably would be knowing myself. Just stay safe, and make me proud. And try and come out heroes, I’m trying to woo a prince and he fears a little about my reputation now that I’m the biggest fool of them all.” 

 The rest of the fools squeak with delight and rush off into the forest, some giving Quentin salutes or deep bows as they leave.

((I mean direction too - are the archers lining up that way because we are to the west? I remember a mention of this situation to the north of the Hall, but I remember and forget a lot of things. Never get old friends.))

I like that approach to managing the fools Del tells Q quietly You can't herd cats so don't try to herd cats. The story will be better that way.

Raven stays where she is for a bit, letting her allies get closer, and keeping an eye on the activities around the enemy fortifications for a bit. When she thinks she has just enough time to get back to tell the others what she has seen she will head back to do so.

Quote from skuk >>

((I mean direction too - are the archers lining up that way because we are to the west?)

 (Quite possibly.  There was a flare sent up to show the direction you are approaching from.)