Verne-Fox studies the gruesome scene for a moment and then scurries back to the group. Once back to the company he runs directly to Keller's feet. Circling him frantically he makes quick dashes towards the pile of bodies. If Keller doesn't follow he repeats the action hoping his commander will recognise the blue tip on his tail and realise it is indeed Verne trying to communicate the need to follow him.

Keller asks, "did you see any threats?" as he steps forward slowly, signaling half the rest of the troop to move forward too, and the others to keep an eye on the road for an ambush.

Storm moves with Keller, and his squad, motioning his other squad to watch the road.

Ayen salutes and stands watch, indicating to his men to do the same... though he noticed a few of them keep mistaking Keller for their commander. Strange, he imagined they'd know better than that. Maybe it's because he's always scouting... he wasn't sure.

Perception: 12.

Ayen notices nothing really new or untoward by the roadside, though as he stands watch, he does pick up some additional details that all point towards some sort of altercation and removal of evidence towards where Verne found the pile of bodies.

Those of you that follow Verne-fox soon arrive and find the pile of bodies haphazardly concealed under brush.

Keller proceeds, quietly, following the trail, blithely unconcerned about the specifics of rank that get in the way of what's important.

Stealth: 14

When he sees the bodies, he looks around for anyone watching.

Perception: 24

Assuming none, he steps forward and tries to get a sense of how these people died, who they were, what happened.

Investigation: 20

Keller sees no one about, and best he can figure, the dead are likely other refugees fleeing the giant trouble to the north. An old woman, two adult men, a teenage boy, and a small child. The men and boy have been stripped of boots and clothes, likely stolen, and the two men are the only ones with more than one wound on their bodies, it would seem they made a bit of a fight of it.

(Any clues or items left behind that might give any hints of who or what did this?)

People did this. The cuts have clean edges, so people with decent gear, one of the dead has an arrowhead and shaft broken off in their chest. From what you can see without digging it out, it seems of the same quality that any of you might use (ie, made by a fletcher, not just crudely cobbled together).

“I don’t see how this pertains to our mission.”  Storm says as the reports make it back to him.  “Unless there is soemthign else to find here, then we should likely continue onward.”

(Keller returns with the information and concurs with Storm. Concerning but no sign of a specific threat, victim, or perpetrator. He’s fine with moving along.)

With the command structure in favor of moving on, you return to the roadway and continue onwards, Ayen roaming ahead looking for danger. There is little in the way of signs of wildlife, the giants and refugees, and whatever other dangers are stalking the road seem to have driven them into hiding, or out of the area entirely. You make camp that evening.

((Those taking watch can give me Perception checks, we'll just say the first four are in order throughout the night, don't need them from everyone.))

Ayen takes the first watch. While he can still see, he watches. Once his inherited Halfling's eyes no longer see, he closes them and focuses on listening instead.

Perception: 23.

Ayen's watch, and the first two hours of the night, passes quietly and he turns in, waking his replacement. There are no other campsites nearby, the trickle of refugees dried up during the day, you saw only a few bands, who moved off the road and eyed you warily, but the afternoon had passed with no encounters with other travelers.

Bryn takes watch

Perception:20

The clouds part, moonlight bathing the landscape, and Bryn notices one of the horses cropping grass away from where the others are picketed... in fact, it's still saddled, and he doesn't recognize it...

(Sorry, I just received the alert that this thread was updated)

Bryn furrows his eyebrows as he considers the horse, then wakes the nearest person to him, whispering “there’s a strange saddled horse here, I’m going to check it out. I need you to check inside the camp perimeter to make sure no one snuck in.”

He then draws his rapier and stealthily approaches the horse. 

In case it’s actually possible to be stealthy where he is: Stealth: 24

((Yeah, notifications have been goofy for a while now. Checking 'threads' seems to be reliable.))

The horse doesn't make note of your approach.

((Is there anyone in particular you'd wake? If you want it to be random, roll a d10?))

(Whoever I come to first)

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