[Its not a problem if Burr wants to retire to the barn while the others go look at tracks.  I do need to confirm which it is - stay or go - before I move this along.]

( Stay.)

Burr walks into the barn and the farmer returns to his main farmhouse.

Jhon and the others head into the pasture.  Its huge, stretching many acres between the farm and the forest.  Eventually Soren finds the tracks the farmer spoke of.  There are clearly wolf prints here, coming and going from a gap in the fence leading into the forest.  In addition to the wolf prints, there is another set of much larger, canine prints.

Soren:

 Finally, there is a third kind of print.  They are larger than the wolf but different.

Soren:

 Most of the tracks travel back and forth on the inside of the fence and return to the woods.  The strange tracks move toward the farmhouses along with a set of wolf prints.  The wolf prints return.

While you are searching the fields, Jhon keeps eyeing the forest.  "Do you think they're in there?  Watching us right now?"  While the thought is a little frightening, Jhon sounds excited by the idea.  Before anyone can answer him, the wind changes and blows cool from the northeast out of the forest.  It brings with it a low white mist that hugs the ground and weaves in and out of the trees.  It seems darker now that just moments before, like the daylight you expected to have is already failing.  

Burr:

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

Burr:

Immediately inside the barn door is a ladder leading up to a loft.  You climb and find a sparse but clean upper floor that covers 1/3 of the barn.  Still aching terribly from the arrows of the goblins, you have no trouble getting to sleep.

Roll a straight D20 please.

 

 12

Soren straightens up and points Zefla, Giles and Jhon at the three types of tracks in turn.

"Wolves I know and love and have hunted with in Neverwinter Wood, though it has been a long time since I have seen a Dire Wolf.  Not a creature to trifle with,"  Soren speaks quietly as he points at the larger but still wolf-like prints, then pauses as his finger moves to the third set of tracks.

"But these..." Soren shakes his head as if trying to clear it.  "These I have never seen.  They are likely from a werewolf.  Was it Burr who said they are part human, part wolf hybrids and can switch?  The werewolf tracks lead to the farmhouses along with wolf tracks, but only the wolf tracks return."

He looks up uncertainly.  "So the werewolf went all the way to the farmhouse last night.  Perhaps it transformed into a wolf once there and came back out.  Or perhaps it is back there right now...  Mr. Brush said 'we' had to sell the cattle.  I wonder if he or one of his family have the lycanthropy curse and if the cattle were sold or eaten..."  Soren trails off, alarmed both at Jhon's eagerness to fight and at the sudden change in weather.

Last night?  Did Soren say last night?  Well, that makes this a different matter.  Zefla starts getting excited, part by the thrill of the hunt like Jhon, but mainly.. to get paid sooner for this job.  

"So, this werewolf could either be in the farmhouse or in the forest, right?" she pauses as she feels the wind and notices the fog creeping in and it gives her a bit of a chill, but not in a bad way - feels sort of fitting, she thinks.

"Did we want to head to the farmhouse and well, stick the tip of a silver arrow into the arms of the ones there to verify?  Or head to the forest to see what we can see there?  I feel like we have some options here, not just point out the tracks to Sir Rowan when he gets back."

"Perhaps we can hide in a location to spot this creature, if they come back tonight.  I don't know if we are strong enough to take them on our own, but perhaps together...."  The cogwheels are turning in Giles head as you see him making calculations, taking it all in.  He starts flipping his coin over and over in his hand, rolling it along his knuckles.  "Wonder what Burr has found.  Maybe a vantage point to be able to hide and spot the thing if it returns, maybe even catch it.   How to set the trap...." he trails off.  

Burr:

Soren starts edging back to the farmhouses, clearly spooked by the unnaturally sudden change in climate.

"Pack Leader Sir Rowan Caskbow asked us not to engage.  It is darkening faster than it should... and the forest seems risky with this fog.  If the werewolf could be back in the lair of Mr. Brush now, I think we should check on him and his family.  And on Burr.  If it is back there, we are in the open.  Any wolf would already see, scent or hear that we are here, so I think a werewolf would too.  Might be too late for us to hide."

He begins to walk quietly back, hoping the others join him.  Trying to appear unhurried and unsuspecting for the benefit of any watching werewolf.

His skin prickling, Soren keeps his shield doffed on his shoulder so he is ready to use his longbow with its silver-tipped arrows.  He forces himself to relax and reach out to Silvanus for Guidance.  Attempting to follow the tracks back to the farmhouses, peering through the mist for threats.

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

Burr:

You snap to wakefulness.  It does not feel like you have been asleep long, but the barn is darker than when you shut your eyes, so perhaps you did sleep for a bit?  Youre not sure what it is that awakened you. 

Before you can roll over and drift back to sleep, you hear the heavy barn door slide open below you. As you wonder if the others have returned to fetch you, you catch a strong odor.  It’s a mix of wet dog and slaughterhouse.

 

 

 Burr carefully turned over to try and look down through the wooden slats beneath him....

Stealth-7 ( Normally at disadvantage but he didn't wear his armour to sleep)

Perception-15

Burr:

Begrudgingly, Zefla follows Soren, keeping her eyes peeled for any sudden movement..

Perception  14

Jhon looks at the woods, back to Soren, back to the woods… then turns to follow Soren.  “You think the farmer may be in danger?”

The mists are not so thick as to obscure your view of the farm compound.  Soren and Jhon lead with Giles and Zefla falling behind.  As Soren follows the tracks, they make a beeline for the main farmhouse.  Approaching from this direction, you have a clear look at the back door.  It is closed.  But as you draw closer, you see it is only leaned against its frame, the door itself broken off of its hinges.

Giles notes the farmhouse door broken off its hinges, and he gets a tingling sensation up his neck.  He undoes the strap hitch that holds his crossbow, and says to Jhon and the others, “That’s damn odd.  What would have the strength to do that…”  He touches Zefla’s shoulder giving her the Blessing of the Trickster, and he puts away his coin in his pouch.  

(I see we crossposted - so just in case you missed it, Zefla got a 20 on perception - though don't know if it matters)

Zefla stares at the door, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her as the possibilities of what might be happening rush through her mind.  As Giles touches her shoulder, she looks up at him with the strange sensation immediately apparent.  She smiles wryly at him, then nods and approaches the door.

She unsheathes her silvered shortsword as she does and then looks to the others, "Can you hold the door away from the jamb quietly so I can sneak in and see what's going on?" she whispers.

If they do, she heads in..

Stealth   22

As Giles touches Zefla's shoulder to grant her Tymora's gift, Soren helps holds the door as quietly as he can to allow her to slip in.

As she does, he peers inside, his longbow at the ready.  Something feels very wrong here.  This is not natural.

Soren Perception plus Guidance:  22 + 2 = 24

After helping Zefla, Giles tries to stay in the shadows, quietly unhooking his crossbow.  “My neck is tingling.  Something is wrong here, dear Lady, guide my hand.”  Giles thinks to himself.  

Stealth : 13 

[DM note:  Zefla went with the silvered arrows, yes?  In that case she wouldn't have a silvered shortsword.  The militia, while willing to supply this expedition, is not made of money.  PC's from the militia (Zefla, Soren, Burr) had the option of a silvered melee weapon or silvered arrows/bolts.]

Quiet as mice, the party goes to work exploring the farmhouse.  Giles gently frees the door from where it was wedged into the frame to hold it up.  He leans it aside and he and Zefla creep into the farmhouse, with Soren looking over their shoulders.

Almost immediately, they come upon a nightmarish scene.  The backdoor opens on a short hall which leads into a kitchen.  On the floor (and on the walls, and a little on the ceiling) are the remains of a man.  He has quite literally been torn to shreds.  Blood and offal pool on the floor.  There are a couple of flies in the room... were the weather warmer this place would be swarming.  A cabinet has been ripped off one of the walls, spilling and shattering clay plates and bowls.  The pantry door is raked with five long claw marks, cutting deep into the oak wood.

Standing in the kitchen and doing their best to keep from wretching, the party hears nothing but the buzzing of the flies.  The rest of the farmhouse is silent.