The Phandalin Chronicles

You hitch up your carts and head west from Falcon's cabin.  It is getting late in the afternoon as you approach the logging camp.

The logging camp spreads along the south shore of the river, where a dozen tents are arranged on a sandy beach. Near a dock stands a cabin with logs stacked under an awning. Older cabins close by have been torn down to leave only stone chimneys and foundations. A grim silence hangs over the camp, and you see no one around.

Rhogar stops his cart a few meters short of the sandy beach upon noticing the silence. "I do NOT like the looks of this." Ghorar hops on his shoulder and nods in agreement. Wordlessly, she takes to the air and would begin scouting the beach from that vantage point. As one no longer able to easily balk at a challenge, the Dragonborn chanted until frost once more gather across his clothing and scales.

Knowing by then that Kazri at least would prefer to take point, Rhogar waits in the driver's seat of his cart for the all clear to proceed. But, at the moment something funky goes now, he is ready to move in to provide some assistance.

(@DM: Casting (2nd level)Vitality of Vixix on Self, gaining 10 Temp HP. Lasts for the next hour.)

Kazri dismounts Serenity, ties her to the cart, and proceeds on foot ahead. She scans the area. (Perception: 7) “Mr. Chill. Would like to scout ahead?”

"Sure thing, perfect time to test the new footwear."

Chill moves to the SW to take advantage of the cover of the trees and moves around the camp and then returns.

Stealth 22

Chill silently moves through the edges of the camp and returns a short time later and reports back.

He reports that the camp is in disarray and is deserted.

Kazri checks the area with her Divine Sense. She slowly moves toward the first tents right off the road. (Perception: 11) (OCC: We are coming from the east road correct?)

"I agree Rhogar, this does not look good." says Krom climbing down from the cart and following Kazri. As Kazri starts moving towards the tents, the dwaft murmurs a prayer to Moradin in order to enhance Kazri's senses. (Guidance 4 to Kazri for her perception roll.)

Chill moves forward with the others, rapier in hand, alert and ready for action. 

Ghorar also takes flight and scout out the camp but all of the images she sends back are of an empty camp that looks like it may have come under attack at some point but right now there are no bodies alive or dead.  Nothing moves.

Moving towards the camp on the left you see that a dead campfire is surrounded by six tents.

Rekuberk draws his weapon and moves with the rest of the group into the camp. He will let the others look while he keeps his focus on being ready for a battle.

chip would stop playing and slowly draw his longsword. he wouldn't say a word but would follow closely behind Rhogar

Kazri will slowly walk to investigate the inside of the first tent that she sees.

Either at some unspoken request or under her own initiative, Ghorar perches on whatever firm looking log piles or buildings in the area, and would continue to keep an eye on things. Rhogar, on the other hand, guides supply wagon at least off to the side of the road, then hops out to join the others with a few [Tooltip Not Found] being rolled in hand. "There is a lot of ground to cover. Let's stay in eye shot at the very least. And call out of you hear or see anything." He said before making his way to the northern tents to begin poking around in them.

As he did, he made sure to try dredge up some of Vixix' advice, and hold them readily in mind.

Each tent contains a bedroll and a mess kit. Further inspection reveals that the tents and bedrolls have been partially dissolved by some kind of acid spray. Footprints and strange marks in the sand suggest several humanoids were attacked here and dragged away.

Kazri roll investigation with advantage

Investigation: 15

You discern nothing else.  The tracks are too messed up to determine anything further.

Kazri comes out of the tent. “The folks that were here were attacked by acid and dragged away. I fear we might be too late.” She says to the party.

”Perhaps we should check the cabin. We must proceed with caution.”

"Attacked by acid you say?", Krom tries to remember if he knows of any natural creature living near a river that use acid as method of attack (Nature 10).

"In which direction they were dragged away? Towards the river?" The dwarf checks around the tents for footprints and dragging marks. (Investigation 19)

If he finds anything useful he will inform the group. Krom will then follow Kazri towards the cabin.

Rhogar frowned, and scratched at his neck. "Could it have been those creatures from our first arrival? The ones that looked like, uhm... giant crustaceans?" After having said that the Bronze began to more warily look down at his feet for any signs of freshly turned up sand or dirt. Only after which would he tentatively make his way back over to the group, and trial behind, gripping his ivory staff tightly in hand.