"MANA!" yelled Sterling in shock as the scarecrow viciously attacked, at first certain their companion was going down. But then the relief he felt seeing Oriace use his magic to assist him--and Mana stand strong and use his torch to strike back and finish the animated hay--was enough to draw out a genuine compliment: "Good job, Mana! That was exactly what he needed!"

He then walked over and pat him on the shoulder, casting a bit of magic to rejuvenate him.

Cure Wounds: 11 HP restored

Toser also moved forward with the others. "Excellent!  Excellent!" he exclaimed.  "That should solve the problem." 

The dancing lights wink out of existence.

He also stamps out any extra fires that may start in the field.   

“Heh heh heh.” Mana jitteringly laughs in partial disbelief. He looks up to Sterling with an appreciative smile as the warmth of healing surges to help seal the razor-like gashes across his torso. He looks over to Oriace and nods thankfully for his timely magic that kept him in the fight. He glances over to Toser, what a team we make, he thinks to himself. Finally, he looks over the receding flames of the crumpling scarecrow to see a badly wounded Wagner.

”Oh no.” He quickly casts Healing Word for 11 healing (rolled in Game Log) for Wagner.

Oriace steps forward, a proud grin lighting up his face as he looks around at his companions. "Well done, everyone! That was as efficient a takedown as any bard could hope for." He glances from Sterling to Mana and Toser, nodding his thanks for their quick reactions and teamwork. "You each played your part brilliantly, and it shows."

Noticing Mana’s concern for Wagner, Oriace is quick to ask, "Anyone else need a touch of healing before we regroup?" He then looks down at the charred remains of the scarecrow, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Now, what do we do with this straw heap? Were we meant to show proof of its defeat to anyone? Perhaps a local farmer or your contact with the Enclave?" He glances around, clearly unsure. "Seems a shame to let it all go up in smoke if someone’s expecting a token of our efforts."

Sterling shook his head at the offer of healing, then grimaced. Oriace was right; while the fire had defeated the scarecrow, it had also likely ruined any sort of evidence they may have had.

"Let me see if there's any residual magic," he said as he stepped nearer to the straw and ashes.

(( Casting Detect Magic as a ritual. If needed, Arcana Check: 19 ))

No residual magic. And in fact, it now is indistinguishable from a regular scarecrow (even if it was not burnt that is). So any form of proof could equally look like you took it from a random field.

"I guess we have to hope it is enough prove that the attacks cease," adds Oriace to the findings. "On second thought, do we know there was only one Scarecrow or might there be others?"

"Well, that would be a pain." The would-be jeweler frowned at the burnt figure.

"To be honest, I now suspect that there likely are others. Or rather, that whoever is doing this will simply conjure more. It's not as if scarecrows spontaneously come to life on their own; I mean, sure, some stray, lost pixie or whatever from the Feywild might have animated this one and then went home. But considering there have been multiple attacks, it stands to reason this is a prolonged attempt at... whatever the true agent is hoping to achieve."

On a whim, the bard suddenly stepped away from the scarecrow, then began to slowly walk around the group, all the while carefully scrutinizing the surrounding fields and farms.

(( Sterling is wondering if the real culprit isn't nearby, watching, possibly having to be close to keep the scarecrow animated. He still has Detect Magic active, and while looking around is trying to walk in an expanding circle around the group, hoping to maybe catch a whiff of magic nearby. If needed, Perception Check: 17 ))

“More than one? Surely not! Really? There could be more?”  A worried look crosses Mana’s countenance as he relives just how close he came to having his existence ended. He looks shyly to each other seeking to bolster his confidence from the strength his compatriots exude.

Sterling, make an arcana or history check. (anyone else can also, but Sterling in particular based on his thought process) 

Wagner, coming to his senses after his injuries have been healed, muses about the predicament of determining the real source of the trouble here. (History 17)

That is high enough (no one else needs to roll, but DC15 to know the same info without Wagner telling you). Based on what you have either read or heard, you can recall some legends about animated scarecrows. (also known as, the description in the monster listing)

(( Sterling's Arcana Check: 22 ))

Oriace listens attentively to Wagner's musings, his own knowledge aligning with the insights shared. He strokes his chin thoughtfully, his expression growing more serious. "You're absolutely right, Wagner," Oriace says, his deep voice carrying a note of grim understanding. "Scarecrows don't just come to life on their own. They're constructs, animated by bound spirits—usually the spirits of evil creatures, tethered to their master's will. Hags, witches, and other practitioners of dark arts are often responsible for such things."

He glances down at the smoldering remains of the scarecrow. "This one won't trouble anyone anymore, but if it was sent by a creator, there could indeed be others. And someone is pulling the strings." Oriace scans the surrounding area warily before continuing. "If the creator is still alive, they’ll likely try again. Our next step might be to trace the origin of this scarecrow—see if the locals noticed anything suspicious or strange before these attacks started. Someone crafting these constructs must have left a trail, even if faint."

Looking back to the group, he adds, "Mana, your worries are well-founded, but take heart. We've faced this one and prevailed. Together, we can find the source and end this madness for good."

“We might ask around, for eye witnesses. Maybe if everyone describes the appearance of the scarecrow in the same way, there really is only one.” Mana posits optimistically with a strained grin.

Sterling grinned at Mana's optimism, but said nothing, not wanting to add his thoughts to the young bard's concerns. "Might as well start with the surrounding area, I guess?" he responded to Oriace's suggestion to trace the origin. "We could at the very least chase down that horse, see what farm he came from.... maybe the scarecrow was animated there."

Toser nods in agreement.  "We could also just thrust a rapier into any scarecrows we see.  If they aren't actually normal scarecrows we should find out quick.  But lets head to the closest farm from the direction this one was coming from to see what we can learn."

To Toser, Wagner nods agreement, "We really need to do some investigating and chatting uop the locals seems a good place to start."

“Yes, yes. If you all will retrieve the spooked horse and bring it back here, perhaps I can ask it a few questions. We can then return the horse to its owner and continue our investigation with them.”

If the party agrees, Mana will plop on the ground and begin to ritually cast Speak With Animals in anticipation of their return.

(( Sterling will run off to fetch the wayward horse and do his best to calm it and bring it back. ))