Scupper tries to look for any kind of similarity or markings on the bandits gear. Pushing back portions of armor or clothes, looking at any signs of color or paint on the armor, even a marking cut into it...
"Even if these dry shites don wear actual uniforms, bandits are a prideful lot so lets see if they've any way to show off or mark their group amongst the'selves. Remember the red cloaks but also maybe a tattoo or even the same scratches on leather armor. If we're te track these sons o' hooars then we'll be needing some way te identify them."
Not with a natural one, no. Like most bandit groups, their armour and weapons are taken from those they've robbed or killed - a mix that tells you little or nothing about them.
Not with a natural one, no. Like most bandit groups, their armour and weapons are taken from those they've robbed or killed - a mix that tells you little or nothing about them.
Yep. With a second look, Scupper can see that the bits of pieces of armour and weapons look mostly to be from this part of the world, suggesting this is not a group that arrived recently. And there's no indication that any of their armour is from the Waterdeep guard, or any other military source.
Look if we bury em or even jest leave em, we are still just investigating what we come upon. You go burning the bodies and now you done hid how they died...maybe you burned em te death. Maybe you murdered em.
I'll assist with the mastermind ability (I'm guessing Strix is our resident tracker)...in so doing I'll relate to Strix the casual messy stride of most bandit parties (and grant advantage on his survival roll?)
Finding what looks like a reasonable path, he waves the others to fall in, then proceeds at a low crouch, nose inches from the ground and arms swept out to the side.
Strix, you had already noticed the dozen or so pairs of boots headed east. The trail is not hard to follow - at least at first. Here and there a patch of blood indicates that at least one traveller was injured, perhaps seriously, or perhaps they simply didn't want to tend to their wounds.
After about ten minutes you hit a small stream and the people you are following clearly made some attempt to conceal their trail as they turned south-east, but this is child's play for you to see. You follow another hour, as you start to head upwards and into the foothills of the mountains, the area that Zhudala scouted before. The trail is clear once again, the travellers seemingly sure that their previous efforts to hide their passage were successful.
Are you moving stealthily, normally or quickly as you enter the hills?
Strix (and anyone else who wishes), please make a Perception check.
If there are no break-offs from the trail to suggest guards were posted and there's no obvious source of caves or cover coming up I'd vote for normal pace because it sounds like that's what they're moving at, and Strix's normal ought be nearly double their's so he should catch up.
"Right then, lads."
Scupper tries to look for any kind of similarity or markings on the bandits gear. Pushing back portions of armor or clothes, looking at any signs of color or paint on the armor, even a marking cut into it...
"Even if these dry shites don wear actual uniforms, bandits are a prideful lot so lets see if they've any way to show off or mark their group amongst the'selves. Remember the red cloaks but also maybe a tattoo or even the same scratches on leather armor. If we're te track these sons o' hooars then we'll be needing some way te identify them."
Scupper, make an Investigation check.
Can I treat this more like a Mastermind assist?
Investigation 8 halfling luck 10
Vaz come help me look these bastard corpses over and find someting what links em tegether, just like.
Not with a natural one, no. Like most bandit groups, their armour and weapons are taken from those they've robbed or killed - a mix that tells you little or nothing about them.
Halfling luck got me the reroll on a one, right?
Yep. With a second look, Scupper can see that the bits of pieces of armour and weapons look mostly to be from this part of the world, suggesting this is not a group that arrived recently. And there's no indication that any of their armour is from the Waterdeep guard, or any other military source.
So, you have a few options to handle this situation, including of course the option to wash your hands of the whole matter. What would you like to do?
Varinth asks the group
I gather we are goin' after the bandits that survive, which you know good, but before we do can I get a yea or a nay on cremating the soldiers?
I would say nay, Vaz.
As for going after bandits..****y if we can find a trail worth following.
Look if we bury em or even jest leave em, we are still just investigating what we come upon. You go burning the bodies and now you done hid how they died...maybe you burned em te death. Maybe you murdered em.
Fair call. Vaz will leave the bodies. Who's up for a wee bit o' tracking?
(That would be a Survival check,)
I'll assist with the mastermind ability (I'm guessing Strix is our resident tracker)...in so doing I'll relate to Strix the casual messy stride of most bandit parties (and grant advantage on his survival roll?)
Yes, Strix can roll with advantage.
Strix listens with care, takes a bit of time to look at the footwear of the dead bandits and then tries to pick up the trail.
Survival : 25
Finding what looks like a reasonable path, he waves the others to fall in, then proceeds at a low crouch, nose inches from the ground and arms swept out to the side.
Strix, Shifter Shadow Monk in Lost Mines of Phandelver ¦ Sihegiall Human Soulknife Rogue in In Search of Molly McGuffin
Strix, you had already noticed the dozen or so pairs of boots headed east. The trail is not hard to follow - at least at first. Here and there a patch of blood indicates that at least one traveller was injured, perhaps seriously, or perhaps they simply didn't want to tend to their wounds.
After about ten minutes you hit a small stream and the people you are following clearly made some attempt to conceal their trail as they turned south-east, but this is child's play for you to see. You follow another hour, as you start to head upwards and into the foothills of the mountains, the area that Zhudala scouted before. The trail is clear once again, the travellers seemingly sure that their previous efforts to hide their passage were successful.
Are you moving stealthily, normally or quickly as you enter the hills?
Strix (and anyone else who wishes), please make a Perception check.
Varinth and Soodi will travel a good distance behind, only moving up when given the signal.
Scupper keeps to the middle of the group. Stealth and with Strix just in sight if he can
Stealth 14
Perception : 11
If there are no break-offs from the trail to suggest guards were posted and there's no obvious source of caves or cover coming up I'd vote for normal pace because it sounds like that's what they're moving at, and Strix's normal ought be nearly double their's so he should catch up.
If others are going stealth, well...
stealth : 9
Strix, Shifter Shadow Monk in Lost Mines of Phandelver ¦ Sihegiall Human Soulknife Rogue in In Search of Molly McGuffin
Stealth checks from everyone, please. (If the majority vote for normal movement, I'll ignore them.)