The guards on duty stand aside so you can take a look at the map, detailing the surrounding farmland. The only map has figures and symbols on it, showing farms that have been reinforced by guards (noted by small figures), and the farms hit by the beast; as indicated by red X's on the map. There are more red X's than not.
The officer in charge of this group steps forward "Hello, and good morning to you! I wish these were better circumstances under which we met, but then again, we're only here because the circumstances are so grim." He furrows his brow. "I'm supposed to give you all the intel we have on the creature attacking the farmlands... what we know is this: It appears to be a reptile, but might be warm blooded, as it shrugged off an ice spell from our resident mage; Gertrude, like it was nothing. We also know that whatever this is, it swallows it's prey whole after killing them, as we haven't found much in the way of corpses, but it still leaves bloodstains in it's wake, and seems to be quite large, but we've heard differing reports as to just how large, some reports coming in that it can be twice the size of it's previous appearance. It's also been extremely aggressive in it's hunting, making several attacks a night. We fear it may be feeding a brood. Based on the order it hit the farms, we can tell it's coming from due south."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Xandar greeted the officer with a curt nod. "Greetings to you as well.", he paused listening intently to the descriptions the officer gave them. "So what you are saying is, that some kind of reptile is ravaging the farms arround here, swallowing its prey in whole. Like a giant constrictor?" The nature of beasts wasn't really Xandar's forte, but he tried to think of some scattered knowledge he might have picked up during the endless lessons he had to endure in his childhood, that could help them identify the beast they were hunting. The warrior also took a close look at the map to see if he could single out a pattern which could tell them from approximately where the attacks origniated.
Despite your the extensive records of your family and schooling, you are unsure of what this creature is, implying that it came from beyond the mountains. Your knowledge of animals though, leads you to wonder if perhaps a warm-blooded reptile is prone to over-heating?
The marks on the map do not have dates, but they seem to corroborate what the officer said about the attacks starting southwards.
"Yes, but unlike a snake, this creature has powerful limbs and large jaw. Gertrude was able to tell us that much." He nods over to a cot, where an unconscious dragonborn woman lies, with a bandaged, bloody stump of an arm.
"Guess we have to try if we ever want to find that out.", Xandar replied to Grim. "Also we should consider using fire against it, if it truly turns out to be some kind of warm blooded reptile." He then turned once again to the officer, "You wouldn't know a place down south where such a beast would feel especially at home, wouldn't you?"
"Maybe a cave?" pipes up Sihnion. "If it's an amphibious beast, perhaps where a river disappears into the ground. Is there any such feature to the South?"
"The woods aren't very well mapped, rife with dense trees, streams, caves and the like. It could nest in any number of places, but.... If it needs to stay cool, perhaps in the more heavily wooded areas, or perhaps a shallow cavern..." He ponders aloud.
"Well, it seems like we need to investigate these woods to the south.", Xandar said to the group. "We should move out as soon as possible in order to cover as much ground before nightfall as possible. Maybe we get lucky and find its lair, if we concentrate our search on areas with the described characteristics."
"Then I'm glad you are with us Tamoda. Sadly I don't have experience in tracking beasts, but if you point us in the right direction I'll gadly smash its head if my warhammer.", Xandar exclaimed, ready to move towards their targets whereabouts.
At the edge of the forest you see the detachment from the other team, an elven woman and human man stand alert, looking for danger among the trees, while the other elf, young by his race's standards, hyperventilates.
You quickly notice the source of these reactions, a severed foot, dressed in bloody shoe, sitting in a large clawed footprint in the mud, nearly 2ft in diameter.
Thasla runs over to the other group, attempting to stop to bleeding and bandage the young elf’s wound (applying pressure, elevating the limb above his heart, and using a cloth to bandage his leg.)
(Do I need a check for something if I know how to do it irl? If so, med check: 22)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tamoda, to himself, mostly - Crikey, so young to lose a foot :( And now to earn my keep...
He walks over to the foot print in the ground, paying special attention to clues to the size, weight, direction of travel of the creature, and direction of wind - Survival 8
The guards on duty stand aside so you can take a look at the map, detailing the surrounding farmland. The only map has figures and symbols on it, showing farms that have been reinforced by guards (noted by small figures), and the farms hit by the beast; as indicated by red X's on the map. There are more red X's than not.
The officer in charge of this group steps forward "Hello, and good morning to you! I wish these were better circumstances under which we met, but then again, we're only here because the circumstances are so grim." He furrows his brow. "I'm supposed to give you all the intel we have on the creature attacking the farmlands... what we know is this: It appears to be a reptile, but might be warm blooded, as it shrugged off an ice spell from our resident mage; Gertrude, like it was nothing. We also know that whatever this is, it swallows it's prey whole after killing them, as we haven't found much in the way of corpses, but it still leaves bloodstains in it's wake, and seems to be quite large, but we've heard differing reports as to just how large, some reports coming in that it can be twice the size of it's previous appearance. It's also been extremely aggressive in it's hunting, making several attacks a night. We fear it may be feeding a brood. Based on the order it hit the farms, we can tell it's coming from due south."
Xandar greeted the officer with a curt nod. "Greetings to you as well.", he paused listening intently to the descriptions the officer gave them. "So what you are saying is, that some kind of reptile is ravaging the farms arround here, swallowing its prey in whole. Like a giant constrictor?" The nature of beasts wasn't really Xandar's forte, but he tried to think of some scattered knowledge he might have picked up during the endless lessons he had to endure in his childhood, that could help them identify the beast they were hunting. The warrior also took a close look at the map to see if he could single out a pattern which could tell them from approximately where the attacks origniated.
Nature: 4
Investigation: 8
Xandar:
Despite your the extensive records of your family and schooling, you are unsure of what this creature is, implying that it came from beyond the mountains. Your knowledge of animals though, leads you to wonder if perhaps a warm-blooded reptile is prone to over-heating?
The marks on the map do not have dates, but they seem to corroborate what the officer said about the attacks starting southwards.
"Yes, but unlike a snake, this creature has powerful limbs and large jaw. Gertrude was able to tell us that much." He nods over to a cot, where an unconscious dragonborn woman lies, with a bandaged, bloody stump of an arm.
“Hm. Best to keep your distance then.” Grim looks at Thasla and Xandar. “You think you can handle it if it comes after you?”
Paladin - warforged - orange
"Yes, I should be alright. Hopefully it doesn't single one of us out so we can attack as a group."
Aruzhal - Lv 1 Tempest Cleric - Planescape: Lost
"Guess we have to try if we ever want to find that out.", Xandar replied to Grim. "Also we should consider using fire against it, if it truly turns out to be some kind of warm blooded reptile." He then turned once again to the officer, "You wouldn't know a place down south where such a beast would feel especially at home, wouldn't you?"
"Maybe a cave?" pipes up Sihnion. "If it's an amphibious beast, perhaps where a river disappears into the ground. Is there any such feature to the South?"
"The woods aren't very well mapped, rife with dense trees, streams, caves and the like. It could nest in any number of places, but.... If it needs to stay cool, perhaps in the more heavily wooded areas, or perhaps a shallow cavern..." He ponders aloud.
"Well, it seems like we need to investigate these woods to the south.", Xandar said to the group. "We should move out as soon as possible in order to cover as much ground before nightfall as possible. Maybe we get lucky and find its lair, if we concentrate our search on areas with the described characteristics."
Nature 18 to determine if Tamoda recalls any such locations to the South - dense woods, caverns, with a lake or stream close by.
Big search area, but I'll be able to track it. Even birds, bats, and bees leave tracks on the ground if one knows what to look for.
Sihnion lends his guidance (1) to Tamoda's knowledge.
"Then I'm glad you are with us Tamoda. Sadly I don't have experience in tracking beasts, but if you point us in the right direction I'll gadly smash its head if my warhammer.", Xandar exclaimed, ready to move towards their targets whereabouts.
Tamoda recalls quite a few places in the woods that match that description, having most or all of those factors, almost too many to-
"Aaaaaaaghhhh!" A scream. A short but loud scream is heard echoing from the edge of the woods.
Grim is crouched down, trying to get to the scream quickly and quietly
14
i remembered wrong: Grim has light armor, no disadvantage
18
Paladin - warforged - orange
Xyrorra turns toward the source of the scream, drawing her sword and shield. "Let's move, before the thing kills anyone else!"
Aruzhal - Lv 1 Tempest Cleric - Planescape: Lost
At the edge of the forest you see the detachment from the other team, an elven woman and human man stand alert, looking for danger among the trees, while the other elf, young by his race's standards, hyperventilates.
You quickly notice the source of these reactions, a severed foot, dressed in bloody shoe, sitting in a large clawed footprint in the mud, nearly 2ft in diameter.
Thasla runs over to the other group, attempting to stop to bleeding and bandage the young elf’s wound (applying pressure, elevating the limb above his heart, and using a cloth to bandage his leg.)
(Do I need a check for something if I know how to do it irl? If so, med check: 22)
Aruzhal - Lv 1 Tempest Cleric - Planescape: Lost
Tamoda, to himself, mostly - Crikey, so young to lose a foot :( And now to earn my keep...
He walks over to the foot print in the ground, paying special attention to clues to the size, weight, direction of travel of the creature, and direction of wind - Survival 8
...with Sihnion's guidance, 1
((Edit: The gods are weak, or else we have displeased them))
(The foot does not belong to either of the three)