Nere & Lumps War Horn

[Mugains]

Encountered an issue with the quests to Save Nere / Save the Gnomes, if I decide to kill Nere then and there, and use Lumps War Horn for back up, Lump and his goons will hit the Gnomes who aren't hostile in the fight, causing them to be hostile, making the whole point of standing up for them pointless, because I have to kill them all. The fight doesnt seem at all achievable without Lumps help at level 5, so I either have to side with him and be evil, or let him and all the trapped gnomes die? Seems like a bad choice either way.