"Veldruk, could you cut off one of those gnoll heads? If we want to gather support, we're going to need proof of these things. And which direction is that town we're traveling too?" Threl asks, busying himself with getting ready to leave. These gnolls are a serious threat. The towns around here are still healing. What if they can't handle something like this. Demon Lords? Lycanthropy? This is no band of raiders. This must be something bigger. He shivers at that thought. If it is, I have to do all I can to keep the peoples of this place safe. I know what the influence of Demon Lords can do, and I don't want another society ruined because of that. More lives ruined, more hopes crushed.

Veldruk saws off one of the gnoll's heads, wrapping it in some scraps of cloth, and the party sets out!

Whoever is leading, give me survival with advantage.

I guess Olan is back to scouting then :)

Survival 20

His first reaction to Threl request was thinking upon the weapon of the group. A sword made for a better beheading tool to hands unused to execution and that was enough to elicit a nod from him. For a moment Veldruk comtemplated taking the head of a larger gnoll but considering the logistics of carrying it he abandoned the idea. The crowned gnoll was out of question since the marks on its head were sure to elicit questions. The group would be suspicious enough with its tales and the presence of two drow. In the end he was satisfied in taking the head of the closest common gnoll. It too him a single strike to the cut through the neck, but skill still hold it, fact that to the keen eye meant that even if the Warlock was no strange to cutting enemies he didn’t have much experience as executioner. Unfit even to this, he said with the voice of his mind, cutting out the skin.

Wrapping the grim trophy into cloth was easier. Any wandering cook was used to packing animal pieces. Leaving the cave the moved towards the closest settlement. Veldruk pulled his hood and gestured for Threl to do the same while Olan, as always, scouted ahead.

The party sets off, with Ruthmum's bird circling high overhead and warning of any potentially dangerous wildlife or other threats, and Olan pathfinding on the ground. Luckily, the hills seem relatively empty, besides a mating pair of giant spiders spotted hunting a herd of goats up high. 

After some initial trial and error, the party finds themselves on the correct path, led by Olan. The road is not heavily trod, and as such there is some difficulty travelling over through of the steeper slopes, and around half an hour is eaten up by fording a river, newly formed since the restoration of the South. The journey takes much of the day's remainder, and the party has to take a brief break to eat some of their provisions before heading onward. Eventually, just as the sun is dipping below the hills, the edge of a hill gives way to a small valley, in which a small town sits.

A small river runs through this down, accumulating in a small lake at its center and offering a bit of fresh green to its surroundings. The houses look relatively new, but well-built. Notably, there are several that seem to be destroyed or caved in, a more-than-concerning image. 

A second concerning image is this: the town looks entirely abandoned. Not a single light is on, and no one walks through the street. Fresh laundry still sits on clotheslines, but they are coated in brown dust from the hills, as if they have been out for some time.

Threl sighs at Veldruk's gesture, then begrudgingly pulls his hood up, obscuring his face. As long he keeps his hands out of sight, no one would notice. And if they did, his somewhat violet complexion could be mistaken for a very dark moon elf. Unlike some of his brethren in the Under-Dark, his skin was not the color of coal, instead suffused with the warm violet and blue of the setting sun and rising moon of Elistraeae

While they traveled, he has used his skills as an artist to update the map as best he can and mark landmarks, so that way they know where everything is.

As they enter the town, Threl looks around curiously. Usually when he enters a town, things are loud and joyful until they notice him. But here, everything is silent except for the group's footfalls.

As they head towards the town square (at least, that seems to be the destination the drow is trying to find), Threl leans over to Olan and speaks softly in his ear "Where are all the people?"

Olan signals to the others to take cover and wait. He then moves to the nearest building and cautiously looks inside to see if there's any traps or other dangers. He will then move and check a couple of others until he's happy that there's no immediate threat.

Stealth 22

Perception 17

Investigation 3

Olan moves to the building, but finds its door locked and windows shuttered. As he opens the external shutters, a panicked woman's face stares back.

"Stop that," she hisses. "Get inside! It's near dark already. And close those blinds!"

There is some fumbling at the door, and the sliding of a bolt.

Olan opens the door and looks inside "Can you take a few of us? I have friends outside."

"Doesn't matter, just come in!"

Olan waves to the others and they all pile into the cabin before the woman slams the door shut.

Olan turns to the woman and bows slightly "Thank you for your help ma'am. I am Olan Fargrove and these are my travelling companions; and we have so many questions, but first, what would you have us do?"

Threl also bows, trying to be courteous. Although he doesn't understand why they are hiding in the house. For now, he bites his tongue from asking uncouth questions. Must always be tactful with surface dwellers. He listens intently for the woman's reply.

OOC: Something I just thought about: do elves wearing hoods look super weird since their long pointed ears?

(Not particularly weird, hoods are big, elven ears are big but not that big. This ain't pathfinder, elves aren't totally flanderized)

The woman sneers. "What would I have you do? If I were smarter, I'd have you leave. Just keep quiet, and pray we all make it through the night."

"What are we hiding from? Or whom, I may ask?" Threl says worriedly. This lady was clearly very afraid, and he wants to know why. What is happening in this town?

“You are better than that.” Too good for her own sake, he wanted to say. She had just put a group of visibly armed strangers into her house without so much as taking advantage of the leverage Olan gave. His words were another thing Veldruk couldn’t quite agree with. Too eager and gave vantage to the other party. Not a good way to start a negotiation, though certainly direct. “Is this place being raided by gnolls?” The warlock remembered that not everyone was familiar with the name. “Hyena-like humanoids, rabid and brutal.”

That would make their history far easier to believe. Guarantee that head trophy would gather them acceptance despite the pair of drows. It would mean battle too, but it couldn’t be harder than dealing with the crowned gnoll and her hulking bodyguards. Not to mention the obvious – night brought darkness. He and Threl were much more of a threat in the absence of the sun. How many other cities did they reach? Asked the voice of his mind, already believing in the worst-case scenario. How many allies are still there for us to find? That worried him more than the number of victims. Yes, some part of him did worry about the number of victims, though the dark elf didn’t notice.

Olan moves a little closer to the woman and asks in a low voice "As my friend says, what are we hiding from? If it helps, we have seen many strange things on our travels and survived. If anything happens we will repay your kindness by defending this place."

"Gnolls? No, it is not the size of a humanoid. But hyena-like... perhaps. I have not seen it in light. I have heard it cackle, however."

The woman's eyes glance nervously to the door, as if still toying with the idea of kicking you all out, but she shakes her head.

"Four nights ago, this town was beset by a giant. No ordinary giant, however. We have giants in these hills, and it was not like them. It is no lazy idiot. It prowls about on all fours, screams and cries and laughs like something out of Hell. If we stay inside and stay quiet... it leaves us alone. But if you're too loud, or if it sees you..." She grimaces. "As far as I know, it only wanders about at night."

"This might sound like a strange question; but does it wear a crown?"

Threl's violet skin visibly goes a shade paler as their eyes fill with fear. If it is a crowned or giant gnoll, this does not bode well. It bodes even worse if this giant is Auntie.

The woman shakes her head. "No crown that I know of."