Alexana nods, and searches the bandits for anything of interest. (A map perhaps? A letter? Valuables?)

Investigate: 5

Perception: 17 (for keeping alert to potentially returning bandits, or the like)

You find a nice, shiny, worthless buckle.

(That roll is unfortunate . . .)

Dorno smiles as the bear is freed and runs off.  "Good luck, buddy!" he exclaims.  He looks at the others with surely one of the largest grins they've seen in a while and just enjoys the moment, not saying anything just yet.  The magic fades from the last stone he had enchanted, and he stuffs in back in his small belt satchel.

Thresher was searching as well. Investigation: 6

(It's bad but not a failure.)

(I mean, it's still a failure.  Just not a critical failure.)

(If Thresher finds nothing she's just going to take their clothes. You never know when you will need more clothing. Plus there's always a slim chance someone might buy them.)

As you're removing their clothes, you find money pouches.  You find a total of (6 4 3) 19 gp and 18 cp.  In addition, there is a cache of weapons in their campsite.  If you wish to take an extra weapon, feel free to do so (choose from anything in the PH).

(I'm assuming you're heading back to town.  You can just tell me what weapon you chose (if any) on the way.  For keeping track of money, instead of dividing it, I would suggest giving it all to one character.  Then you can just use how ever much you want as if it's your money, but it's easier to keep track of.)

After you return to Red Larch, you are thanked heavily by the constable and given free rooms for the night as your reward (you can take a long rest).

Where to now, my intrepid adventurers?

Thresher will take a handaxe from the pile of weapons. she gives it a couple of swings to test out the weight, then attaches it her belt.

"Where to now, the tomb or town? I'm still good to fight if you guys wanna go punch some ghosts."

After enjoying such a great moment, Dorno rejoins the group.  "That was exciting.  You said they were bad men, but you didn't say they are mean to bears!  I'm glad we thumped them good!"  He has a furrowed brow and a look fo determination once again as he says that, but quickly returns to an overly wide smile.  After a moment of looking at the wounds on the bodies, Dorno adds.  "Oh dear."  He seems to ponder the resulting death their actions have caused.  He shows no interest in the metal weapons available to them, and little interest in the coin, happy to let someone else carry it as he needs very little anyhow.

Regarding next moves (whether it be after returning to town briefly or going straight there), Dorno says very matter of factly "I need to go see Lance Rock."

"I don't think that was all the bandits. Can someone check the tracks to see where the last one went? Perhaps he went to the main camp?  If the group of bandits was so small, then they would not have worried the town so much." Alexana offers her thoughts.

If you check, you find nothing else.  These appear to have been the only bandits.

Glad that they have taken care of the bandit problem, Alexana gives the group a grateful nod. "To Lance Rock, then. Lead on Dorno!"

(Alexana takes any items that she feels is necessary to prove to the Constable that they have taken care of the bandits.  She also refills her quiver with arrows.)

Aria shrugged. "That works for me, let's go."

You set off to Lance Rock (update incoming).

When you arrive at the location marked on your map as Lance Rock, you see a narrow, twenty-five-foot menhir of bare, gray rock that juts eastward at a sixty-degree angle.  It is gray granite, unlike the surround limestone.  A few hundred feet south of the stone is a ravine choked with brush.  A trail leads into the brush near a neatly-painted sign that reads, in Common:

Come no closer

lest you catch

the disfiguring plague

that afflicts me!

The Lord of Lance Rock

The trail continues down to a cave mouth.  Another warning sign with the same message is posted by the opening.

Dorno stairs at the sign for a moment and scratches the back of his head.  He then simply says "that doesn't sound good," stating the obvious, of course.  He looks worried.

"Who's a lord of a rock?" Thresher asks.  She looks around for a moment before turning to Dorno.

"Hey, kid. You talk to animals right. Ask em if they've seen anything."

"Oh, right, sure thing."  Dorno sits down in the dirt, legs crossed.  "This may take a minute.  Maybe we should have a snack!"

The firbolg pulls a root out of his belt pouch and begins to chew on it.  He draws a circle around himself in the dirt and picks up a bit of grass, rubbing it between his hands and smelling it.  He then closes his eyes and begins muttering in Sylvan for ten minutes.  Eventually small animals like birds or squirrels normally approach him, but if not he'll get up and walk slowly into the thicket around them looking for creatures to speak to.

Assuming he does find one or more animals, he will ask them basic questions like 'who goes in that cave', 'have you seen a disfigured man', 'is there a lord here', and 'when did you last see someone go in or out of the cave'.  He adjusts his questions as needed to get the basics of what might be going on here in recent days, weeks, months or even years.

OOC  Speak with Animals as a ritual, here.

Unfortunately, Speak With Animals only works for information within a day.  The animals can’t remember when someone last entered or exited the cave.  They do tell you, however, that a short hairy creature (dwarf) was poking around here recently but was apparently scared away by the signs.  In addition, they say they since a sort of odd wrongness emanating from the cave, and a putrid stench.