Korinth drifts along for a time, simply following the others -- or was he leading? He doesn't remember. Soon, Taiga's call snaps him out of his morning funk, leaving him very aware of the ruinous village in front of him. "I won't lie. This village has many blind spots, place to hide and sharp corners where my bow may not be ideal. I won't be much aid if we're caught off guard at close quarters."

That wasn't exactly true. There were... mmm... possible routes to take. Korinth just doesn't want to take them. He has a thought. "Perhaps we could... hm, split our forces? One team to flush the prey out, another to strike it from another angle. Is that possible?" 

TAIGA

Still unused to her new environment, she's unable to find much in the yellowed field of grass and old stumps surrounding the abandoned village.

EUPHEMIA

Edging towards the crumbling settlement as quite as a whisper, the stout halfling woman makes her way to one of the many gaps of the imposing wall of spikes. Draping from the palisades like some sort of elaborate scarf, vines of a deep, forest green fill the gaps between the rotting wooden spikes. The scent of decay hangs heavy in the air as Euphemia picks between the living ropes of vine. Much like her short companion, she isn't able to spot much within the town, but a quick count tells her there's about 30 small buildings within the protective confines of the spikes, all of which are in various states of ruin and decomposition.

KORINTH

After a moment of pondering, the genasi figures he could climb one of the trees to get a better view of the town's layout. 

Shin looks around methodically, at the palisades, the dwellings and other structures, the tracks which meander in.

"I wonder... if we take it as an axiom that we are part of an... experiment which a higher intelligence has set in motion.  The one which controls the great eye, and the devices implanted within us.  Whether this village represents where the previous... subjects of the experiment made their last stand."

Keeping Nettle on his shoulder for now for her own safety, Shin peers at the tracks and a the buildings ahead, attempting to determine the nature of the creatures who left the tracks, and also, roughly how many had lived in the village before it had been abandoned or slaughtered.

Shin's Investigation:  20 (dirty) - (or 18 if Nature or 17 if Survival).

Keras moves up behind Euphemia, glancing around nervously. He glances back at Shin as he ponders aloud "If it's all the same to the rest of you, I'd rather we not make our  last stand here." As he surveys the dilapidated fortifications, snatches of memories tug at him, but a pit in his stomach tells him that it is better for those memories to be left unremembered for the time being.

He scans the area around the encampment "Let's do whatever we're going to do quickly, then get out of here. We don't want to get shepherded into a trap."

SHIN

With his keen eyes used to notice minute details, Shin spots several similar tracks to the ones you've been following scattered throughout the clearing. As the groups moves towards the disturbingly quiet town, Shin is able to lead everyone to one of the gaps in the palisades where the tracks seem to be the thickest. 

ALL

The gap in the crumbling fortifications actually appears to be where the old gate to the town stood, though it has long since collapsed into a moldering heap of decaying wood and vines. Scattering amidst the rotting lumber, everyone sees the multitude of tracks Shin spotted earlier. This particular route into the town seems particularly well used by the creatures, though you don't spot them at the moment. 

Past the gate, you see what you assume to be the "main street" made of packed dirt somewhat free of tenacious jungle plants cutting through the center of the town. In the center of town, you see what you assume to be a stone well of some kind, though part of it has collapsed.  Lining the street are the empty husks of homes you spotted earlier, but now that your closer, you see that they're much more decrepit than you originally thought. Made from dense jungle wood, the modes grovels all look like they're about to collapse in on themselves, and it appears that many of them have already done so. Many of the awning doorways lack doors of any kind, and you can peer into their darkened interiors. From a cursory glance, anything of use within the houses have long since succumbed to the elements and the unyielding march of time. You also notice that a few of the buildings are charred and blackened, and some of them bear a small crater of sorts in the center of their ruins. It appears that something tragic happened here, something besides a potential attack from a jungle beast. Could this be the handywork of someone who purposefully attacked the city? Some of these ruins looked like they were blown up. 

Perhaps the most disturbing detail you all notice are the bones of the towns former residents scattered throughout the village. Most of the dirt-encrusted bones you see are no more than jagged shards festooned across the ground, but you spot an occasional femur and partially crushed skull amongst the bones.

At the gate, Taiga stops and wonders, “perhaps Korinth has the right of it and we should remain outside a little while and observe. All these houses seem perfect for ambushes and we can become too easily the hunted if we are not careful. I could excavate soil and create a little hill to make reaching the lower branches of one of those trees a little easier. That said, I’m really curious as to what secrets this village holds. Did they have any metal tools? How did they create the well? They worked stone? And perhaps the most pressing one, who or what killed them?” 

Unless it will be decided to stay outside and observe for some time, Taiga will be the first to enter with spear in hand. Slowly, she would advance along the main road and peek into the ruins, one after the other until she arrives to the square with the well.

Shin's Floating Disk trails behind him and his Mage Hand ahead of him as he ventures cautiously into the ruins with Taiga, his curiosity to discover what has happened here (and to hunt of course) getting the better of his fear.  He draws Atax's raptor-claw dagger in one hand, held in a reverse grip.

"I too hope to identify what transpired here, given the likelihood that such knowledge may benefit our own chances of survival.  As might the hunt."

Both goblin (Passive Perception 15) and owl (Passive Perception 18) soft-focus their eyes, not just the tracks but the tumbledown buildings all around.  Watching for both threats and clues.  Shin uses his Mage Hand to move aside any rubble or plants (or a door) behind which an ambush might be hiding.

The halfling makes her way back from the walls to her companions as they start to discuss their options. "We'll make it quick, then," Euphemia says to Keras. "I want to see what happend here, too, and I think Taiga here's got an eye that'll tell us a lot, but then let's find those tracks and make our way, before we're next."

Then she steals away again, creeping silently in the overgrown foliage and the shadows, her hood drawn up over her head, Euphemia crawls through the gap in the palisade and moves silently and secretly around the village, pausing unhappily when she comes upon the bits of bones and remains. O, by the Invincible, a terrible tragedy happened here. What became of their souls? Were they fighting to survive? If any of ye are in the Fields now, help us from there, if you can, we aren't ready to join you there yet! Rannik, you just be sure to throw me a party if I show up there. The halfling takes a deep breath. The evident destruction of the buildings bothers her rather profoundly. If it wasn't a dragon it was someone with a lot of power. Not that there couldn't be dragons here, or some monstrosity that could do this, but it looks like an intelligent hand. It just does. These poor folks... She wrings her hangs, wishing she could put all to the side and bury the residents of this village. It sure isn't right, to leave them like this. But there isn't time now, nor is it safe. Maybe I can come back, once we know the area better, find it secure.

If the others enter the village to look too, Euphemia keeps a close eye on them, to watch their backs for an ambush. We've come a long way from that day below the cliff when I came down to a bunch of strangers and we all had to hide in the bushes from Nanra and her brood. I didn't know 'em from the dinosaurs back then. Now I feel like I do. Feels like ages ago...

While keeping an eye out, she keeps combing the village, looking for clues of what happened.

Investigation: 16

SHIN and EUPHEMIA

As the group cautiously creeps into the city, the hafling and goblin duo keep a wary eye on their new, foreboding surroundings. The result of their brief, yet methodical search is rather disappointing. They only stumble across more ruined buildings, sun-bleached bones of the fallen, and masses of vines and other weeds that have crept into the town. On the positive side, they do notice some sounds coming from the center of the town as approach the well. It's mostly an occasional hiss, a playful yip, and the sound of something being crunched.

ALL

With the two's warning, the group is able to approach the well in a stealthy manner. Peering around one of the buildings, you can see there's a sort of courtyard around the well that you assume was used as the town's public meeting space. Like what you've seen before, the town square is littered with bone fragments. Across the way, you see a large, blackened crater, beyond which lies what you assume to be a field of some sort. This field is barren earth with a few weed struggling to grow scattered here and there. Next to the crater, you see a larger building which seems to be of a slightly better quality than the others. It looks to be the tallest building in town with its two stories, though its door is missing and the windows seem to have been shattered. 

Near the crater are a few buildings that have partially collapsed, and they too bear the marks of fire and destruction. What catches your attention most is the source of the sounds you heard as you approached the well. Amongst the partially collapsed buildings, you see several small dinosaurs, most of which seem to be relaxed and bathing in the sunlight. You spot about 12 of them, the tallest of which is no more than 4 feet. Their bodies are covered in green scales with brown markings, though they each have a large, orange frill on the sides of their heads where their ears would be. One of them seems content to chew on a suspiciously human-looking femur much the way a dog might, and you see a few tiny dinosaurs wrestling with each other as another watches them with motherly concern upon its features. When Nanra sees the smaller dinosaurs, she gives a huff of annoyance and seems to glower at them. They don't seem to notice the group yet. 

Though gazing aggrieved at the continued signs of destruction, and the blackened crater, Euphemia quickly shifts her attention to the sounds, once their direction becomes apparent. Silently in the grass, she watches, inching backwards to stand closer to Nanra. She looks up at the raptor, and then around towards the rest of the group. Not wanting to give away their position by speaking, she tilts her head towards the small dinosaurs, looking first at Nanra and then at the others, then bares her teeth and mimes curling her hands into claws. Should we hunt these for food? She's hoping the raptor will catch her meaning as well, since she doesn't want to risk the ten minutes of bagpipes to be able to formally communicate with her.

Peering at the small green dinosaurs---small being relative, they're still all taller than the halfling is---she tries to see if she can figure out what kind of animal they are, and what their abilities or danger might be.

Nature: 15

Korinth waits at the entrance, again arguing with Keaid, this time on the manner of dietary health.

"Please... help me understand here. You grabbed and ate a fish raw?"  The creature chitters in response. "Then you washed it down with river water." Another retort by the little drake. "And you don't see a problem with that?" The little creature growls. "You're lucky I'm not sick as a blink dog covered in iron dust." Keaid just stares at him blankly.

Insofar, neither has any idea the others have made indirect contact with their prey.

Taiga's stomach growls. The tension of the hunt makes her sweat, or the heat, who could tell. It's always so awfully hot. And no food. Still, the other must feel the same, she thinks and tries to keep up silently (Stealth: 14). Every once in a while she reports back to Korinth about what they see, especially, when the small dinos come into view. At some point she asks him, "Do you want that we draw them towards you, or why do you remain at the gate? I mean we might get a few down if we attack them together in a surprise and if that works, the others might just as well flee."

Near the square of the well, Taiga glances around at her companions trying to figure out if they think they should attack. When it becomes clear that they will attack, Taiga will quickly draw an arcane symbol in the air to condensate water from around her and forces it to swirl around her in sharp little ice shards

.

Death from above.  Pinky-toe looks at he goblin sharply as she senses his thought.  Both recall something about Shin being plucked and carried off by some vast bird (a Roc?) while in he was the midst of an argument with the owl.  Just before ending up here, possibly?

But no, this is different kind of death from above.  Shin considers the statistical improbability of the crater and scorching being a natural occurrence, happening to coincide with the center of what was once this village.  No, this village was destroyed purposefully by a destructive technology, capable of hurling huge projectiles and causing fiery explosions.  Perhaps technology from the same source that is behind the Eye above us.  An unsettling thought.

Almost absent mindedly, the goblin prepares for the battle, pulling a tiny bit of spider webbing he had found on the carapace of the arachnid that had been last night's dinner, remembering belatedly that he does not need it since he still has his spell focus.  His raptor-claw dagger emerges in his other hand.

He wishes he could talk to the others without ruining the element of surprise.  He assumes the goal is to corral as many of the small (well, roughly the same height as Shin!) creatures and not allow them to flee.  His studies of the huge spider's remains the previous night has reminded him of sticky web magic he once saw his mentor use.  Yet that would backfire if he found his companions had already rushed into the area of effect...

In his mind, though not yet audibly, Shin has already started humming the strange, minor key melody of his Bladesong in preparation.

The other genasi's answer is none too satisfying in terms of answers, but it's the answer he gives nonetheless. "I cannot answer what I do not myself know. Perhaps it was a poor experience on my part, or perhaps my instincts are screaming at me to avoid something I am not yet aware of. Mmmm... My mind is a tad fuzzy on the exact reason. The best reasoning I can use, however, is that I am best suited when fighting from afar, and something about the tight corners of the village unnerve me greatly. If you can draw the prey to my arrows, great. If not, moreso the pity. I only know that I cannot join you therein. Sorry."  

"We'll see if we can shoo them your way. Be ready. No promises though," replies Taiga -by means of a Message- a little bit surprised at her kin's refusal to enter the village. She turns to the rest of the party. "Korinth says he remains at the gate," Taiga informs the others. "Perhaps, we could drive some of them his way so that he can shoot down one or another? Or if it turns out we have to retreat, he can cover us if we go back the same way." 

EUPHEMIA

Peering at the small, frilled dinosaurs, the halfling is able to make a few guesses about them and their habits. First off, she assumes that since they live in a pack, they'd be well-practiced at attacking and hunting as a team. Best not to get surrounded by them. Second, they seem pretty small for dinosaurs, and their teeth and claws don't seem very formidable. However, their bright coloration, impressive frills, and Nanra's reaction to them makes Euphemia think they might have a few tricks up their proverbial sleeves to make up for their lack of physical prowess. Maybe they were poisonous? Only one way to find out...

Keras eyes the dinosaurs with suspicion, crouching next to Euphemia and Shin. He talks in a low whisper "What's the plan here? The village is our best, and only, source of information about where we are, but we shouldn't charge in headlong without a strategy. Are we going to try and fight the critters?" He notices his right hand squeezes tightly at the hilt of the sword in his left, leaving his knuckles white, and he forces his muscles to relax. "If we are, we need to figure out a way not to get surrounded and swarmed. Maybe we could climb up on top of one of the buildings? Ideally, we'd trap them inside the crater, since they're already half asleep there, but I'm not sure that's feasible." 

Shin holds Atax's raptor-claw dagger in an odd, reverse grip while Pinky-toe looks ready to fly upwards from his shoulder should battle begin.

"Once my bladesong commences, while none would mistake me for an imposing figure, I am statistically unlikely to be impacted by attacks under the majority of circumstances.  Consequently, perhaps Nanra and I can lead the direct assault.  Others might be better at a distance.  Nevertheless, if they swarm with the tactics of pack hunters, even strong defenses may prove insufficient, which may portend a poor outcome.  Still, I am willing."

For once, Pinky-toe does not roll her large eyes, looking merely concerned.

Shin searches the vicinity for a bottleneck to which he could draw pursuing dinosaurs after the initial attack, perhaps the gap between the two buildings to the north, which might allow him to avoid being surrounded, temporarily at least.

Investigation:  20 (dirty)

“I could move some of the soil to form a wall of earth with Mold Earth and narrow the passage but they might as well just climb it. If we had more spears I could bury a hole, and prepare a pit trap but well. That said, I can also take on a few of them if someone else takes them out one by one.”

Keras nods at Shin. "I've got your back, don't worry." He draws his blade, holding it at rest. "We need to focus on taking out as many as we can before they react. Too many and they'll surround us."