"I'll take a look if our employers have time to spare to deliver the cargo.

I'm small and I can hide easily on rocky terrains. If it comes to a run or a chase, I can slow someone even for a few seconds."

Detective Krimple waits for their employer's decision.

Tadriel will scout the smoke.

     Detective Krimple is able to sway Leucis to slow the cart down, allowing himself and Tadriel the opportunity to scout ahead.

"Yes yes, but, do try to hurry. I wouldn't want to tarnish our perfect reputation!"

     Leucis is humming impatiently, staring into his pocket watch.

     Tadriel then leads the two ahead, carefully pointing out where to step to avoid making any sudden noises, and calling out when to lay low so when they crest over the hill their silhouettes don't give away their position.

Detective Krimple casts Mage Armor to himself and tries to follow Tadriel behind.

Peering over the hill and between a few rocks, Tadriel spies a concerning view, "A wagon, turned on its side and still smoldering. There's a few others down there, pacing, unarmed. Thoughts, Detective? Maybe an ambush? Forest nearby as well."

Flaysteir  wakes of his daydreaming, as he notices some of his group members take off in the direction of the fire. He knocks his crossbow, checks his scimitars, he then crawled down the wagon.

"I think we should proceed after them. Look after me, if I give you a hand gesture, pull the cart beneath the hill, of required it would be easier to defend it that way.", as he hops down the wagon stealthily moving after detective and Tadriel.

"It's likely there was an ambush there Tadriel. As for who did the ambushing, we'll probably need to know more information."

The gnome tries to deduce what they are looking out for them to be pacing around the area.

Investigation 21

     Darak minds the cart, keeping watch over Leucis and Lord Edmur. Tadriel and Detective Krimple quietly make their way to the crest of the hill unseen, and after a bit of observing they watch their target under close investigation. They whisper what what intel they are able see to each other when suddenly a branch cracks under the foot of Flaysteir. On his his way to join with his friends, he alerts a flock of black ravens in the treeline nearby, sending bird after bird cawing into the distance. As they disappear into the sky, you turn your heads and look back to the figure. As far as you can tell, they only see Flaysteir.

"Help! Down here!"

     A female voice calls out.

Detective Krimple whispers to Tadriel.

"It seems to be they're waiting for something and they are too calm for someone that had an accident. Perhaps they are the perpetrators on why that wagon is in that state.

Also, the flock of ravens flying out seems to have alerted them."

He looks around the smoldering wagon to see how many people are nearby it and if there are someone hiding in the nearby forest.

Tadriel turns to Flaysteir, keeping his head low, and nods toward the wagon, "We'll hold back here. Don't get to close so you can fall back and we can rum up if needed."

Darak peers towards the rest looking for any sign of what is going on, he slides his warhammer from it's sheath and readies himself just in case.  

"If those birds taking flight was due to one of us spooking them then I guess the element of surprise is gone.  Leucis, tell me, if it ever came to a fight, can you look after yourself, know any magic or skilled with a blade?"

     Leucis' face sinks. Worried it would come to something like this, he stares into the pocket watch he is constantly holding and mutters,

"Yes, sir Dwarf. I can manage to keep myself and Lord Edmur safe, should the situation arise."

     You are then able to see a slightly forced smile across his lips.

"I can slow that person near the wagon after you give me a signal. As for the woman, I can't discern where it came from.

If that woman needs our help, you guys can save her. There is a chance she's a bait. I'll leave the decision to the one who can find and drag her back to our wagon."

Flaysteir lightly nods, and puts his crossbow away, however he looses the grip on his scimitars a bit, so he can draw them if the situation requires him to do so. He slowly follows the voice scanning the area around him, and trying to understand if the voice is not faked by the means of magic.

"Is everything alright there? Are you hurt?", he gently asks.

"Please! Help!"

     The woman's voice calls out to Flaysteir. Now frantically waving her arms in an attempt to beckon him over, the woman shouts out a second time.

"The others, they... They are hurt! They need help! Please help!"

Flaysteir motions to Tadriel to come and then attempts to help the woman. 

"What happened here? Were you ambushed ? By who? Do you know where they are?", he was trying to me as calm as possible.

     As Flaysteir makes his way to the woman, she runs up to him nearly tripping over her own frantic footsteps. With her ragged clothes covered in dirt, she looks like she has been through hell and back. She notices you motion for someone to follow you as she tugs on your garb and speaks,

"Oh? There is more of you?! Please, brave adventurer! Come help! My father, he is injured. Bandits attacked our caravan and we barely made it out alive. Father needs help. Please, get any allies you may have and follow me! He's resting here, inside the treeline, out of sight from any bandits."

     Looking ahead, you can now clearly see a bloody trail leading into the treeline next to you, disappearing into the bushes.

Tadriel will draw his sword and approach quickly, yet cautiously. The woman and the blood trail seem legitimate enough.

"Now what is going on?" Darak looks towards the group trying to work out what is happening.

The gnome starts his habit of monologuing with a deep voice.

"The sweltering heat of the sun starts to show its effects on me as I being to sweat. My eyebrows keeps it from falling directly to my line of sight, like two solemn monks sitting beneath a waterfall holding his concentration while buffeted by the forceful falling water.

Darak and Tadriel begin to move towards the woman as I constantly look out to the figure menacingly standing near the wagon. Its stance shows it's impatiently waiting for something or someone, as if a fly buzzing around looking for an arm to land while cautiously watching for a hand to slap it.

As I said the word 'fly', I begin to feel itchy for some reason, specially around the part of my nose. I endured scratching myself as that is what hard boiled detectives do, and that is what Detective Krimpledimple Humpledumple does, at least for the time being.

I really hope this scouting mission finishes without any hitch."