As you near the top of a hill, you get a nice view down towards Phandalin. You're not so high up that you can see too much as there are a lot of trees still, but you see that the way north is a bit of a valley.
On top of this clearing you find what appears to be a small campsite. There are a few tents pitched, although they are flapping in the wind, one in particular is barely still staked into the ground. There is a makeshift fire pit from a circle of rocks that isn't lit, and there are a couple of packs on the ground, with a trail of goods coming out of them. It looks as though perhaps some critters have dug through them.
Crom stoops to inspect the site, looking for footprints, checking for any residual warmth from the fire to gauge how long ago it might have been used, checking for signs of a struggle, etc.
After taking in the scene Crom can tell quite easily
that this campsite has been abandoned for some time. The fire hasn't been used in at least a week and there is a definite sign of a struggle. It looks like bodies were dragged out of the tents and into the woods.
Whilst Crom is figuring things out, Klurch would like to see if there is anything of note inside the packs on the ground, any maps or named items that likely weren't scavenged by animals, he also checks any side pockets trying to be as thorough as possible.
"Whoever was here, I doubt they left of their own accord."Crom clenches and unclenches his jaw as he contemplates the situation. "Might be our dwarves. Might not. It looks like they were dragged off this way."
Noticing Klurch poking around, he says, "See anything interesting?"
Before they stumbled onto the remains of the campsite, Calantha answered Klurch's question about her history.
"I grew up in a small village not too far from Phandalin," the half-elf explained to the kenku. "My father is the village blacksmith. I was his apprentice for a while, but smithing doesn't interest me all that much. Instead, I took up with a mercenary band and did odd jobs with them until we had a bit of a...falling out." Calantha trails off. She's not sure whether she should mention the fact that the leader of said mercenary company would love to see her dead.
After examining the remains of the campsite, Calantha nods, agreeing with Crom. "Not much to see here," she agrees. "Let's press on. I'll follow your lead, Crom. You seem to have the trail."
Klurch responds with interest and a smile whilst Calantha recounts some of her past, but then leaves her to her thoughts when she trails off, careful not to bring up something that could be painful.
In the here and now Klurch gestures to Crom to take the lead and dutifully follows behind, now taking caution to be on guard.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Calantha decides to scout ahead a bit. She pays close attention to the ground, searching for any sign that others have been this way before them. Her father had taught her how to track game and hunt in the wilderness. Then during her time with the mercenaries she had usually taken point, scouting ahead for signs of their quarry or for any dangers. She scanned the ground for trampled grass, broken branches, any sign that they were on the right track.
Taking a good look around, Calantha clearly sees where the struggle had been as they left the campsite and then the start of a trail into the woods, but it suddenly disappears, and there is no sign of anybody passing through here. The woods look fresh and untouched.
"Huh," Calantha mutters to herself. "Well, that is odd. How could their tracks just disappear like that?"
She returns to the others and relays her findings. "What do you think? Should we follow the direction the trail was heading in even though it abruptly disappears? I don't know what could explain that. Even the lightest halfling will usually leave some sign of their passage, let alone dwarves."
As you near the top of a hill, you get a nice view down towards Phandalin. You're not so high up that you can see too much as there are a lot of trees still, but you see that the way north is a bit of a valley.
On top of this clearing you find what appears to be a small campsite. There are a few tents pitched, although they are flapping in the wind, one in particular is barely still staked into the ground. There is a makeshift fire pit from a circle of rocks that isn't lit, and there are a couple of packs on the ground, with a trail of goods coming out of them. It looks as though perhaps some critters have dug through them.
(Perception checks please!)
"Hello, then. What's this?" remarks Ink (Perception 8)
Ink notices, maybe, that he has two feet.
Crom stoops to inspect the site, looking for footprints, checking for any residual warmth from the fire to gauge how long ago it might have been used, checking for signs of a struggle, etc.
Perception: 17
Klurch just generally wanders around poking through stuff 15
21
(Crom make a survival check please.)
Survival: 14
(If this area would be considered forest, I get an additional plus two)
After taking in the scene Crom can tell quite easily
that this campsite has been abandoned for some time. The fire hasn't been used in at least a week and there is a definite sign of a struggle. It looks like bodies were dragged out of the tents and into the woods.
Whilst Crom is figuring things out, Klurch would like to see if there is anything of note inside the packs on the ground, any maps or named items that likely weren't scavenged by animals, he also checks any side pockets trying to be as thorough as possible.
"I can't make any sense of what I'm seeing here, friends," remarks Ink. "What do you make of it?"
"Whoever was here, I doubt they left of their own accord." Crom clenches and unclenches his jaw as he contemplates the situation. "Might be our dwarves. Might not. It looks like they were dragged off this way."
Noticing Klurch poking around, he says, "See anything interesting?"
The contents of the packs are entirely gone, all that remains are some rags and bits of cloth.
Klurch shakes his head no in response, drops the bags and returns to the group.
"Alright, well I say we go after whoever was here, but we'd best be on guard"
Before they stumbled onto the remains of the campsite, Calantha answered Klurch's question about her history.
"I grew up in a small village not too far from Phandalin," the half-elf explained to the kenku. "My father is the village blacksmith. I was his apprentice for a while, but smithing doesn't interest me all that much. Instead, I took up with a mercenary band and did odd jobs with them until we had a bit of a...falling out." Calantha trails off. She's not sure whether she should mention the fact that the leader of said mercenary company would love to see her dead.
After examining the remains of the campsite, Calantha nods, agreeing with Crom. "Not much to see here," she agrees. "Let's press on. I'll follow your lead, Crom. You seem to have the trail."
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf (Phandelver and Below) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan (Vecna: Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Gareth Blackwood (Dragon of Icespire Peak) ♦ Karys Velthune (Out of the Abyss) ♦ Surina Xarith (Simple, Heroic Adventure)
DM: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
Klurch responds with interest and a smile whilst Calantha recounts some of her past, but then leaves her to her thoughts when she trails off, careful not to bring up something that could be painful.
In the here and now Klurch gestures to Crom to take the lead and dutifully follows behind, now taking caution to be on guard.
Perception to be aware of surroundings as the group leaves the campsite 11
Klurch now remains quiet, clutching his mace in readiness just in case, he is notably more nervous than before.
Calantha decides to scout ahead a bit. She pays close attention to the ground, searching for any sign that others have been this way before them. Her father had taught her how to track game and hunt in the wilderness. Then during her time with the mercenaries she had usually taken point, scouting ahead for signs of their quarry or for any dangers. She scanned the ground for trampled grass, broken branches, any sign that they were on the right track.
Survival - 16
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf (Phandelver and Below) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan (Vecna: Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Gareth Blackwood (Dragon of Icespire Peak) ♦ Karys Velthune (Out of the Abyss) ♦ Surina Xarith (Simple, Heroic Adventure)
DM: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
Taking a good look around, Calantha clearly sees where the struggle had been as they left the campsite and then the start of a trail into the woods, but it suddenly disappears, and there is no sign of anybody passing through here. The woods look fresh and untouched.
"Huh," Calantha mutters to herself. "Well, that is odd. How could their tracks just disappear like that?"
She returns to the others and relays her findings. "What do you think? Should we follow the direction the trail was heading in even though it abruptly disappears? I don't know what could explain that. Even the lightest halfling will usually leave some sign of their passage, let alone dwarves."
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf (Phandelver and Below) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan (Vecna: Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Gareth Blackwood (Dragon of Icespire Peak) ♦ Karys Velthune (Out of the Abyss) ♦ Surina Xarith (Simple, Heroic Adventure)
DM: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
Klurch points upward questioningly.. "Flying?, may be, OR, Magic"
(Is there any checks Klurch could do to figure out what went on here?)