So let's recap everyone:
Our escape spent one scouting action, in return we: Blinded A Master Moulder, and maybe got him killed by goblin, since they were surounded and outnumbered 10:1, and it took some time for Mat to need to use her shadows. They might figure out it was us if given the time, but it probably won't be soon enough for the Rat, if he wasn't taken prisoner, which is a fair shot.
Our gains are "
For the scorebook: Night Goblin Big Boss killed, Master Moulder blinded."
Now,
@Hangwind in particular has claimed this is no loss and a waste of time.
To compare, it's like if the dwarven expedition lost Mathilde. Or one of the non-main Throng leaders. Killing a Hero unit before the battle starts is no small thing.
I think it's time well spent, even if it is unfortunate Mat had to use blatant magic to get away, but that's the dice for you. Every time there was an escape dice, we rolled significantly worse than them. That's chance for you, and we still got away, even if we had to show off our powers.
Also, another Mastery is a very nice boon, especially on our armor spell. And any goblin busy searching the tunnels is one not at the gates, or preapearing some nasty suprise for the dwarves. Far as I'm concerned, that's time well spent.
It did cost us one scouting option. I think this time loss was mostly because of the martial roll for getting into position, which was, again a fairly poor roll. It's also why the Giant Rats got away, but that's dice for you.
Now where next? We have time for one more place, if we want to meet the dwarves before the defenses.
Best option I think is:
[X] Plan King's Gates
[X] Having successfully escaped, you can now move on...
-[X] To the King's Gates, to scout the outer defences.
Scout our exit point, sabotage something if we have the time on our way out, and meet the Dwarves before they get stuck in it. Good, safe option, gives us time to get our intel to the dwarves, particularly on the siege, and we might be able to help take the gates faster.
Then, once we take the outer gates, send some dwarves to demolish the siege, and join another part of the dwarven expedition, possibly into the warrens. Scouting the warrens or the temple are also valid choices, but I think scouting our exit point and letting the dwarves get into the mountain fast is better for the overall strategy. Unexpected speed is a form of surprise of its own, and wouldn't it be a shame if all these goblin parties scattered to chase us down ran into the dwarves coming down unexpectedly fast.
EDIT: It's straight up false that we don't have time to scout another place and meet that vanguard before the gates. QM says point blank we can.
EDIT2: Whoops, reading comprehension fail. I thought the second vote was for how we were leaving, after we scouted our next location.