Hex watches Auriel question the farmer intently. She couldn't help but be a bit impressed by the paladin's patience so far, considering his background with the fey. Were she in his shoes, she would have likely done a bit more than give the farmer a stern talking to.

When Sylyra suggests to head back to speak with the other cows, Hex nods in agreement. "That's a good idea. Do you want me to come with you? I honestly don't think this farmer knows anything of use either... but I won't deny it is a little satisfying to see Auriel scare him a bit."

Carl takes a slightly different tack.  He waves his arms for a few moments, saying “Oh, let me confer with the fey spirits…. oooohhhh ohhhhh, woooo wooooo whoaaaa, cha cha cha….” (casting unseen servant.  He hands Squirt Mudbottom his dagger and has him walk around with it, slashing it in the air.  “Oh lookie, fey spirits, slicing things up…oooohhh whoa”.   Then he turns and crosses his arms, staring straight at the Farmer, as Squirt brings his dagger back to him.  

“Cut the crap.  What in the jumpin bejeezus belt is going on here?  What the fudge happened, you know more than you’re lettin on, Mister.  Out with it.”  

(OOC: By the way, a question. Where is Halvin's house in relation to where we are now? Would the cows Sylyra wants to question happen to be on the way there, or is it in the "opposite direction"? Auriel is probably going to want to head towards Halvin's as soon as the farmer answers. Would that mean splitting the party putting too much distance between the characters?)

Sylyra gives Hex a nod, then pauses with a slightly open mouth as he watches Carl's display. Finally, the elf closes his eyes, breaths out a cleansing breath, then begins walking toward the cows they had most recently passed on the way there.

@DM: Sylyra's goal is to question the cattle using his speech of the woods feature to ask if they witnessed what happened to the slaughtered cows.

@Fair: If the others catch up, that's fine. If they don't, Sylyra will return once he's done questioning the cows.

Hex is prepared to leave with Sylyra to speak with the livestock, turning to signal to Auriel where they were heading, before having to do a double take at Carl's sudden display. It takes her a moment longer than Sylyra to compose herself, turning her head to the side and covering her mouth with shaking hands as she barely manages to keep her laughter in while following Sylyra.

Auriel diverts his eyes from the farmer enough to catch Hex's sign and watch her and Sylyra go. He also notices Carl's maneuver, which brings a slight smile to his face that disappears completely once he focuses again on the farmer.

OOC: Halvin's place would be back in the direction of the Quivering Forest, in a similar direction to where the tracks you found by the cows were heading.

The farmer stares absolutely bewildered at Auriel and then Carl. He stutters and stammers, seemingly completely unable to defend himself or form words. After a moment, he finally gets out, "No, I ain't tryin' to...I just, it...it had to be the fey! Beggin' yer pardon, but..." he gestures again to the slaughtered cows, wide-eyed. "Yer tellin' me you think I did this, and it weren't the fey after people gone into the forest unbidden?"

Sylyra and Hex, able to eventually approach a few of the livestock roaming the surrounding area, learn that the cows seem utterly oblivious to the farmer's woes. While they are aware of the dead cows and seem to be avoiding the barn because of them, none of them seem to have witnessed the occurrence.

- What I'm telling you is that I think someone did this. Someone that doesn't seem to know the first thing about fey. And that unless there is any other clue we are all missing, the closest thing to the fey to have set foot on your farm is the blond one - Auriel points to the path Sylyra has followed - and me.

Having said that, the eladrin steps away from the farmer and looks towards the Quivering Forest for a moment as he takes a deep, calming, breath. Then he looks again at the man:

- You might want to start cleaning this mess before any wild animal decides to pay you a visit. Come to us if you find anything else, but do yourself a favor and don't be hasty in accusing the fey. We don't really know what is happening here. Yet.

With that, the paladin waits for Sylyra and Hex to return and for Carl to finish speaking with the farmer. He is ready to head towards Halvin's house.

(OOC: rolled another insight just in case, but got an even lower result: 12) 

Disappointed, but not surprised they were unable to learn anything from the cows, Sylyra suggests they head back to the farm to rejoin Auriel and Carl.

Hex follows Sylyra back to the others. As they approach, she heads towards Auriel and glances at the farmer who seems quite upset. She speaks quietly, "Did you manage to get anything more out of him? He seems pretty rattled."

Auriel shakes his head, and explains what has been talked while Hex and Sylyra were away.

- He knows nothing, and doesn't contemplate the faintest possibility that this could have nothing to do with the fey. Same as his neighbours.  - The paladin falls silent for a moment and runs a hand his hair as he tries to find the words to continue - I have been too harsh with him, and all for nothing. I just ... don't feel like myself today. Am I being stubborn, Hex? Am I wrong to think that this - he points to the slaughtered cows - doesn't make any sense at all? Perhaps they are right and I should just shut my mouth and let them accuse whoever they wish.

He exhales tiredly.

- I hope searching Halvin's house proves more fruitful. Any luck on your side?

Hex gives Auriel a sympathetic smile and shakes her head. "You're not being stubborn. If I were in your shoes, I think I would've been a lot harsher to be honest. It's commendable, your patience." She places a hand on Auriel's arm and gives it a gentle squeeze. "There's not much we can do about the ignorance of others but maybe if we find out what's going on, we can convince them to not be so quick to blame the fey. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get anything useful from the cows either. To Halvin's, then?"

“Yeah, nothin further for us here.  Thought I’d spook something out of him, but a no go.  Squirt, onward.”  Carl follows on the way to Halvins.  

Auriel smiles, feeling a little better after this exchange with Hex and Carl, and nods. "To Halvin's, yes".

"You might want to start cleaning this mess before any wild animal decides to pay you a visit. Come to us if you find anything else, but do yourself a favor and don't be hasty in accusing the fey. We don't really know what is happening here. Yet."

The farmer sighs, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Yer prob'ly right, I'll get to cleanin'. Thanks for lookin' anyway," he says.

The approach to the farmhouse leads you into a small hollow within a copse of trees right on the edge of the forest proper. It is late into the night by the time you arrive, but even in the moonlight it is obvious that the house has definitely seen better days, as evidenced by the loose boards and shingles, the peeling whitewash, and the handful of stones that have fallen from the leaning chimney. A small barn, around in the back, leans even more, and vines have grown up to cover most of it.

A faint but rhythmic noise can be heard coming from the barn.

For Auriel:

"House or barn?" Sylyra asks the group, his eyes taking in the scene.

"Barn. Sounds like there's something inside." Hex makes her way to the barn, moving slowly and quietly so as to not alert whatever is inside. Once she's close enough, she tries to look for any windows that might let her get a good look inside.

(OOC: so this is already the Quivering Forest? We are in its borders, right?)

As the party approaches Halvin's house, Auriel tries to keep track of the clawed footprints and the trail of blood they saw next the slaughtered cows. Any sign of them?

Then, when Sylyra asks how to proceed the paladin nods to Hex reply, agreeing to investigate the sound coming from the barn first. As the tiefling makes her way towards it to try to get a better look, Auriel stays put and doesn't advance any further so as not to produce any sound. He readies his weapon in case something goes wrong and any of them gets attacked. Being so close to the forest, especially at night, has put the paladin on alert...

Carl moves to the barn as well, standing a ways back but in front of the door, he sends Squirt Mudbottom to the front door of it, ready to have him open it on the signal.  The dwarf is twitchy, his hands are in front of him, crackling energy ready to shoot out.  

Sylyra follows closely behind Hex, and as they pass the house, his neck cranes, and his eyes try to look inside for anything of note.