Bart heaves a breath and says "I think it would be wise to sleep for the night and start again tomorrow. It will do no good to exhaust ourselves and lose the trail in the dark."

If you are gonna camp out, make an easy (DC 5) survival check

Never mind, none of you can fail that!

Are you setting a watch or all sleeping at the same time?

"Let's set a watch. I wouldn't want any more of those snakes to be unannounced visitors! I'll take first shift." Cariadne hunkers down to start a fire. 

Bart will take next

The night passes uneventfully, mark down a long rest.

You are able to pick up the trail without too much trouble, as the people you were tracking aren't trying very hard to hide the trail anymore.  You spend the morning following the trail until you see it is heading towards a smallish isolated hill with a definite pyramidal shape.

For info on this hill, you may make a history check (with advantage if you are local to the area) and/or a nature check.

In addition, everyone, make a perception check. 

Jenniwyn gets a 16 on both pyramid checks and a 13 for perception.

Nature = 22

Perception = 11

History = 17

Cariadne: (and anyone who passes the DC 15 History check)

Cariadne:  (and anyone who passes the DC 20 History check)

 Waiting for more rolls to give results on the perception check.

Bart history 7 

Perception 13 

(Sorry, been crazy lately. I'll try not to let that happen) 

Cariadne and Jenniwyn notice the smell of pipe smoke on the wind.

"That hill... it doesn't look quite natural."

Cariadne sniffs the air. "And I smell smoke. Shh -- let's go quietly."

(OOC - is the smoke coming from the direction of the hill?)

Yes.

Bart will crouch and let Cariadne have a 60 foot lead on sneaking up before following. 

Cariadne sneaks along towards the hill, stopping and checking for sound/sight/smell.

stealth 19

perception 23

Jenniwyn also hangs back.

Cariadne, you creep up and see four humanoids in hooded green robes standing near an 5' wide opening in the base of the hill.  There are piles of loose earth in a rough ring about the opening, some tall, some smaller, but none tall enough to block sight. The ring is about 30 feet wide, and the trees have been felled in the area too.

Two of them are armed with a spear and shield, one with a scimitars, and one has but a dagger at their belt, and is smoking a pipe.

Cariadne creeps back to let the others know, very quietly, what she saw. 

If she needs a second stealth check: 9

"Hm. I hate to roll in there swinging, but I'll admit our luck does not seem to lend itself to peaceful resolution." Bart sighs and whispers to the others. 

  "Unless anyone objects, I think I'll go up there alone to try to chat. When - or if- things go South, you back me up from cover. Unless anyone has a better plan." 

Jenniwyn says, "Sounds like a plan, Bart, good luck in your 'negotiations'."

She gives Bart 1d6 bardic inspiration.

"Sure. Happy travels. I'm going to stay close enough to keep an eye on you though!

"Up to you if you want to come closer," Cariadne whispers to the other/s. "I can find us a good hiding place where we should be able to help if we need to."