Greenest

the kobolds spin around and scamper back to the door, to help the two cultists breech the doorway, while the third cultist throws himself between you and the temple, trying to prevent your group from coming together, swinging his scimitar at Clarice on her side of the wall.

He can't succeed in striking her, but he does keep the group split in two.

I think Linston got his cross bow at "Ye Olde Dollar Store" and should really find a new one when he gets the chance...

as he pulls the trigger, theres a loud squeak followed by a quiet snap, and the bolt falls harmlessly between his feet.

Elceran still can't find the strength to swing his staff in any threatening kind if way, but he ends up leaning on it like a crutch while his still formidable punches do the trick.

a sharp crack, and shocked sobs echo off the temple walls as a cultist's nose breaks under Elceran's knuckles.

Grim's whip cracks and snaps, but finds no hides to tear.

Clarice leaps towards the cultists at the door, her dagger slicing the air, the closest cultist drops to the ground to avoid the blade, and the little gnome inside the temple doorway shouts

"CLARICE!!"

the little gnome's feet are planted firmly in place. She's using every ounce of strength she has to maintain the magic barrier in the broken doorway.

"hurry Clarice..............I can't..............hold.....on...much................longer"

Her shouts have attracted more than Clarice's attention, one of the cultists starts swinging his scimitar at the magic barrier, trying to knock it away.

Clarice musters all of her strength and charges the door.

She dives for the cultist, but the arc through the air is too short, she crashes into the ground a full arm's length short of her goal. Looking up through the dust, she can see two women doing their best to hold Uriza up, so that her magic can keep the door secured.

But the cultist is chopping away at the magic barrier. It's glow is dimming, as is the light in Uriza's eyes, as she weakens.

Clarice's finger tips brush the leather of the cultist's boot just as his scimitar pushes through the magic barrier.

The sparks from her fingers course up his leg, and he screams in pain.

But it's too late...

the weight of his swing has cut the little gnome down where she stood. The magic in the doorway evaporates, as does the light in her eyes.

The cultist falls forward, through the door of the temple, collapsing in a heap on Uriza.

Shrieks from women and children can be heard echoing within the temple. As they catch sight of the carnage outside the door.

With no cultists to lead them, and no drakes to embolden them, the kobolds scatter. Screaming cowardly screams, they run into the night as the rooftop archers try to pick them off. A group of raiders is still trying to knock down the main doors at the front of the temple. The BOOM of the battering ram rattling the windows. But the rooftop archers are singling to you that the coast is clear to sneak the civilians in the temple back to the secret sallyport of the keep.

"you have to move.........NOW"

shout's an archer from the rooftop. Maybe seeing a threat you can't.

The crowd of villagers in the temple is in crisis, completely panicking. The body of the dead gnome and cultist in the doorway causing them to move away from the only safe exit.

Linston scans the crowd and spots the Priest of Chauntea, Cleric of the temple. He's easy to pick out, the only calm one in the chaos. He is elated to see you, and together the two clerics manage to calm the crowd enough to listen to your plan.

Which is.........