"we're here to solve a case of wet howls in the night. two loggers sent us this way. would you know of the issue these lumberjacks are speaking of?"

"Wet howls? I told him that sounded forking stupid. Yeah, we know the two you talked to, they're part of our crew. We're about to knock off for dinner, you're welcome to share our cookstove. Even got room in the bunkhouse if you're wanting to rest up and look into things if the howling starts tonight."

"much obliged."

"Does the howling happen every night or is it more random?" Nolla asks as she settles down near the cookfire. She runs a hand through her black hair as she looks around the camp. "Are the howls close to the camp here or further away?"

Thavriol steps up to the workers, "On our way here, we found a body in the road and were hoping you might know who it is."  He describes the man they found and shows them the picture he drew.  "It's not a great likeness but do you know who it was?"

"Oh no!" the fellow looking at the drawing gasps. "JIM! Come see!"

"Something happened to your mother!"

There's cursing from Jim and laughs from the others.

"Nah, can't say as it looks like anyone I recognize."

"It's most nights, but sometimes farther, sometimes nearer. We keep a fire burning at night, seems to keep them away."

"good. that gives us some clues...has it ever attacked the fire or attempted to put it out? do you usually have someone by the fire, for we would be near it and keeping a lookout for the noises and their direction. if possible, we'll track by day and return to the camp, but if need be, we pursue in the night if it attacks the camp." Samael gets invested in trying to cover all angles, and protect the woodsmen. then he remembers one last question...."aside from our unknown fellow, has anyone else been attacked when the sun's out?"

"You think the wolves got him? Nah, none of us been attacked, more of a nuisance so far, hard to sleep at night with that sound going off."

"still, best to cover all bases... we'll camp by the fire tonight and keep a watch during the evening and night."

"Why exactly are we here then?" Nolla asks the question that is burning in her head. "I mean, if they are not even a threat or problem, then what brought us all the way out here?" She glances to her companions. "I could see if the things were attacking camps like this, then it would be something to deal with, but, if they are simply making strange-sounding howls, then what's the point?"

Thavriol gets a sudden suspicion but schools his face well.  He look around casually but studies the faces and body language of the workers.

Insight 15 <-- this one didn't roll at first

Insight 19

ooc: He's wondering if maybe the "workers" are the source of the wet howls.

Thavriol:

"regardless, we're here, and this seems to be a problem. we're problem solvers. so, let's solve the problem."

The half-elf paladin sits at the fire next to a couple of the lumberjacks, holding out his hands.  "Love a good fire.  Ever since me first month on tour, when I first joined the Guard, 'fore I swore myself to Tyr.  Never'd been outta the city.  Heard stories, o' course...growin' up on the street, can't help but hear stories.  But that's just words, ya know?  Don't prepare ya for takin' night watch when there be twigs snappin' in the night, grass russlin', even heavy breathin'."  A shudder passes through Thavriol at the memory.  "Three nights that went on.  Cap'n, she sent patrols out, strong uns, at least 6 soldiers each.  But they never found nothin'.  Well, tracks, some shit, but nothin' else, never got attacked.  The sounds, they just faded when the patrols went out an' came back near as soon as they did."  He pauses then, eyes distant with the memory.  "Attack came late the fourth night, at least twenty howlin' snarlin' things.  Gnolls,  mostly...I hate gnolls...but also six, maybe seven of these things, all teeth an' eyes.  Captain, she called 'em Maw Demons.  We won...at least the things fled, but seven died that night an' two was carried off, though we did slay twelve o' them.  Never did find the one that got took."  Once again his eyes go distant with memory.

Finally, he turns to the workers.  "Sorry...helps to talk sometime, ya know?  So, the howlin', it comes at night, mostly?"

ooc: Trying to get the workers to open up by sharing his own story, which is true.  Persuasion 23 (to speed things up - if you think the story earned him Advantage 21).

((Brilliant! The story alone probably would have gotten you there, glad to see he dice agree!))

As you share their fire and a meal, Thavriol opens up about a story from his past, and the paladin can see the lumberjack both tense up at the harrowing recount, as well as relax a bit more in his presence. 

One of them spits into the fire. "Forking gnolls. Agree with you there.  Had a cousin whose village got overrun by the giggling bastards."

Another chimes in, "Demons?! You've faced demons?"

"Yeah, at night. If they're gonna start up tonight, it'll probably be a few hours from now, then continue most of the way til dawn."

"Heh, always seems to start just as I fall asleep."

"I mean, wet howls sounds dumb, but it's not wrong... Kind of a gargling howl, sometimes with a hacking wetness at the end."

"I had an uncle that sounded just like that when he snored, I swear! He used to get drunk at family dinners and pass out on the couch!"

They certainly seem to have eased up in your presence, and may be more forthright in answering questions you may have.

Samael looks sad and then stares at the group, after taking a seat. the only words coming out of his mouth: "I survived a cultist battle which summoned demons, devils, and destroyed the library i provided grain for and slept in. count your blessings Thavriol, for you still had your order by the end....I had nothing."

"You are right, we are here." Nolla says with a nod. She glances to the darkness outside of camp, then shrugs and gives the woodcutters a smile. "Maybe we need something to take minds off of wet howls, demonic incurrsions, and other such things." She pulls her lute from its case. "Care for a bit of music?" She starts to play a light and breezey tune on the lute.

Performance: 14

After only a few notes Nolla frowns at the lute. "Must have gotten damaged in the trip." She sighs and puts it away. "Can't say that helped ease the night at all." She said with a wry grin for the woodcutters.

Perigord wanders over to the fire and gets to cooking up some comfort food with anything he can find on hand.

6 <- cooking roll- used wisdom as stat, it's one less if I shouldn't use a stat.

"My nephew killed his parents and took my family away from me, but you can always find comfort in new friends... and of course good food. Let's see if I can make my old ma's best comfort meal."

"Ah, nervous hands. Shouldn't be too bad, though, I can salvage some of this."

(Chef feat lets me make a meal for 4+prof bonus people that restores 1d8 hit points over a short rest if they spend hit dice. hopefully that translates to tasty lmao.)