This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Doozey lowered his gaze to the ground, having feared such a response. But after a moment of silence, he nods to himself, and looks up at the others. "You have the right of it, Ms. Neya. Which is why... this is something to tackle at our full strength." He admits. "That said, me and Biscuit can handle the hunting portion of this whole ordeal. Once we've narrowed down their whereabouts fully, I'll send Gravy to come get you all."
"-And before any of you say anything, we'll be fine on our own for this part. But Mr. Utar needs you two, just in case things sour. That is, if you remotely think its dangerous Utar. And don't sugarcoat things. If this other member of your unit knows of the assassinations, or even has had a hand in it, you'll /need/ the back up. Whereas I and Biscuit?" He looks to the Tundra Mastiff; who immediately puffed out his chest to look more regal and strong. "Hmph. Me and him are used to this sort of thing. We'll keep an eye on any strange movements and go from there. So-..." Without having need say anything, Biscuit lowers himself so that Doozey could climb aboard, before standing up on all fours. "Make whatever last arrangements you need to make, and be there promptly. In fact, I'll even make this next part a bit-..."
The rest never leaves his mouth as, a sly attempt to nudge Biscuit into sprint instead would send the two rushing out of the alleyway, and onward to cross the northmost bridge. "Ms. Neya! Grab my rope, by the way!" He calls back.
“Gah!”, Graxx roars as he whips his pony tail and roars to the Sky. He begins to pace.
”I don’t like this!”
Graxx pulls his glaive off this back and squeezes the handle.
”I don’t this one bit!”
Graxx puts the glaive back onto his back anxiously and turns to Doozey.
”Do you have to chase them right now? I know you’re more than willing but I’m worried about you and biscuit. I cannot leave Utar unprotected. As you state this could be dangerous! It could be an ambush! Utar isn’t going alone. I will definitely be there and I wish you would be there as well.”
Doozey at least had the decency to grimace, but stood his ground on the matter. And with Neya's words, he sat up straighter in the saddle. "Thank you, Ms. Neya... And Mr. Graxx... I'm sorry. But when it comes to this sort of thing... as a member of the order, even if only somewhat distantly so, I cannot leave this be easily. The more I try-..." Doozey trails off for a moment, rubbing at his throat. He then shakes his head. "I just can't... But, it's gonna be alright, I'm Mr. Graxx. Mr. Utar already managed to talk down one of his old friends to some extent. And... and... Just be careful, alright?"
Following one last apologetic smile to the Barbarian, Doozey only lingers around long enough for a final word from Utar, before nudging Biscuit into a fast pace rush to their first target.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Though some disagreement remains, the group decides to temporarily split up. Doozey explains that much like Utar he cannot let go of the opportunity that presented itself in this day. The stoutling mounts Biscuit and prepares to depart while giving the beast a discreet signal, though all around him end up noticing it. Graxx sees this as the trigger he needed to try and convince the party to stick together and perhaps postpone the investigation into the shapeshifters, but it looks like both Utar and Doozey have made up their minds.
Neya takes a moment to head back to the previous alleyway and recover Doozey's rope upon request. The knots have come loose and the rope is quite soiled now. It should still function properly, though. By the time she is back, the hunter and his mastiff are gone. Graxx lets her know the pair headed north and the three remaining CRAPers begin to make their way back to the docks.
(OOC: Alright, what are your doing from here, exactly? How is Doozey tracking the weremutts? Finding them in not automatic. The spell helps but a skill check is still necessary. How about Utar? Where is he going and what is he doing with the couple of hours he still has to spare before sundown? How are Neya and Graxx preparing for the evening meeting? Don't forget to roll skill checks if preparing something that you think might require a die roll.)
Walking through the streets of town, Utar catches the others up on Moneus.
What Utar knows about Moneus:
Moneus is a feral tiefling of pale skin and bright red-pinkish hair.
He is an adept and nimble warrior, who prefers to defeat his foes with speed and well placed strikes. He is a master of the thrown knives and daggers.
He is a staunch believer in Torm's teachings, though he chooses to interpret his view of justice closer to what Robin Hood would.
He used to be your unit's scout. Always moving ahead to make sure the path was clear and to collect intelligence.
He saved the unit from many potentially ill-fated battles by simply gathering information to give you the upper hand in strategic planning.
Within your previous unit, he was closest to Litta the dragonborn who taught you the ropes of being a cleric of Torm. They formed an interesting dichotomy.
Moneus was always kind to you, welcoming you to the group despite your background. He understands what it means to be the odd one out.
You are not surprised the he joined the Welcomers, on account of his roguish skills.
He was considered a handsome tiefling, and knew how to use his confidence and good-looks to get his way when blades where out of the equation.
Despite all of that, he very rarely spoke about his own past. Utar would every now and then see a sadness in his eyes.
He did once share that he had a younger brother, though he never elaborated on that.
As he closes off, Utar looks to both Graxx and Neya.
"I know I need to do this and that the pair of you... don't. This isn't someone from your past. This isn't your fight."
He pauses and shrugs, "What I am trying to say, is thank you, both, for standing with me. I guess if Doozey were here he'd suggest checking on the location for our meeting."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Doozey's and Biscuit's search begins not in town, or even at the bridge. But in fact, it is once they reach the edge of the bit of forestry just north of the northern most bridge the two slow to begin the hunt in earnest. It is to that end that Gravy is summoned with an utterance of "What Comes Good with Biscuits?", a small poof of grey smoke, and a declaration of "Me!" from the summoned Brown Raven. Doozey cracks a wiry grin at that, but is soon serious faced once more.
"Alright you two. We got a bit of ground to cover, what with that near 20 or so minute head start. So, we'll have to be swift, but careful. Okay?" With a boof and a caw, the merry band set off on a short perimeter search first, before delving deeper into thick of things. For Biscuit's part, his focus on scenting the weremutt he bit into. Though when that no doubt likely fails, Doozey presents his sleeve stained with the other boy's blood and skin, as well as a bit of his own blood for a good sniff. A long shot, for sure, but Doozey had faith the relatively fresh scent might aid the Mastiff in narrowing down whether either teenagers had been through the area.
Doozey, in the meantime, tries to provide further support by way of searching for signs of hurried movement by paws, any of the subtle distinguishing patterns between a wolves and a dog's paws most would overlook, markings in woods or trees that grew in peculiar ways that might act as sign posts for the attentive, pick out any amateurish attempts at masking or disrupting a possible trail, and so forth. Once a Redfoot had a prey in mind, losing them was no simple thing. And would have them realizes this...
For Gravy's part in things, they were to be the eye in the canopy; watching for danger, flying ahead as necessary, and even providing a cawed or subtle gesture in warning ahead of time to avoid unnecessary run-ins with the local wild -- or as he's come to figure -- feylife near Phlan. Unless they find nothing in that bit of forestry to remotely suggest occupation by the were's by the end of the spell, they remain persistent for at least an hour, before trying the patch of forest more embedded in town to the east. But all in all, they try to keep things covert.
”My friend if I have learned anything’s it’s that one of our problems is all of our problems. I’ll always stand by you... Except that one time... Cursed sword...”
Graxx looks around almost hoping to see Biscuit come trotting with Doozey.
”I hate Doozey not being near. He has really become one with our little tribe here and I worry about him and Biscuit going off on there own. Part of me hoped they wouldn’t be able to find the trail and would be forced to come with us.”
Graxx shrugs.
”I don’t really have anything to do before the meeting so I can help you all with anything you need. Just give me the word.”
"Well, part of it is trusting in another's ability enough to, at the very least, see them back safely." Neya says to Graxx. "His confidence in his own abilities allows me to grant him that."
She then turns to Utar, "Nothing requires my attention, either. If you want my help with anything, just ask."
Utar, Neya, and Graxx begin to make their way back to the docks. They have plenty of time to kill and the cleric has a good amount of information to share. Hence, they take the scenic route, passing by the burnt house once more so Neya can have a look at it for herself. The house remains boarded up with no obvious signs of tempering. Apart from some pesky kids throwing rocks at the glass panes that remained untouched by the fire, no one seems to be too interested. A single Black Fist guard stands watch over the place now, though he cannot be much older than the rock-throwers. It shows not only on his face but also on his enjoyment of the kids' awful aim.
The walk continues and Utar keeps sharing information on Moneus. Eventually the group arrives back at the docks, deciding to explore the area more closely and locating the meeting place.
(@MB: Please roll an investigation check with your companions' help.)
(@Grx & @Drache: Please roll a perception check each. You also have enough time to help each other.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
TRACKING THE WEREMUTTS
DM's Screen:
1
(@Ori: I'm confident this is what you picked but, just to make sure we are on the same page, please use the Raven stat block for Gravy. Also, did you post get cut off there? It ended with a "But all in all, they"...)
Doozey focuses first at arriving at the wooded area he is most suspicious of. Once there, Gravy's silvery figurine is summoned into a brown raven and allowed to fly above the other two. Instructions given, the three begin their thorough search.
Biscuit relies on his natural sniffing abilities to track his target. The mastiff seems to be a bit too excited about this particular hunt, perhaps feeling that his master is too. He is not particularly quiet while walking the perimeter of the wooded area, and in fact, even goes a bit too far into it before receiving proper orders to do so. In the process, he scares some deer, which in turn send a flock of birds flying. The mastiff becomes distracted by it all, eager to chase something. The deer entertain Biscuit for several minutes before the beast finally gives up and returns to his master empty-handed.
The deer are not enough of a threat to cause Gravy to caw in warning. The bird perches on tree branches, taking flight every now and then to keep up with Doozey. Unlike its canine companion, Gravy does not startle the wildlife, blending well with the local fauna. Throughout the halfling's search, no warning sign comes from the raven, which is likely a good thing.
Doozey does much of the tracking legwork himself. It takes several minutes for the stoutling to find tracks that resemble those of dogs but, upon closer examination they turn out to be more vulpine in nature. The hunter persists, eventually coming across some humanoid footprints. Those too are a false lead, as Doozey realizes after approaching an innocent picnic being held by two young half-elven lovers.
Not much of his spell is left by the time Doozey concludes this to be the wrong wooded area to be searching. He recalls his animal companions and makes his way to the much smaller eastern wooded area, right by the bend of the Stojanow River's eastern distributary.
(@Ori: I'll need fresh rolls for the second searched area. If rolling a stealth check for Doozey, please do so without advantage. I am finding it hard to imagine a mostly quiet raven helping with another's stealthy approach.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As they approach the agreed meeting point, words like 'sight-lines', 'bottlenecks' and 'ambush points' jump unbidden into Utar's mind.
Cursing himself internally for doubting the tiefling, he nevertheless reminds himself that this is almost certainly what would flow through Moneus' mind provided he knows about the others. If he didn't, Utar would never forgive himself for even absently leading his friend into a trap for whoever was responsible.
Quickly casting guidance he scours the area, checking piles of goods waiting to be taken to ships as well as the rooftops of the various warehouses lining the streets.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
(@DM: Yea, I already picked up and adjusted it a ways back after questioning 'why does a raven have +6 and no advantage trait to account for.... ah, now I see. I did a dummy. :P)
(As for the cut off, I don't remember what it was 'supposed' to be, but I fixed it as best as I could)
Doozey could not be more disappointed in Biscuit. Yet, remembering his own screw ups back on the ship and the dogs recent revival, the stoutling let things slide, if only because the dog was long due some fun. He would headline the search until its natural conclusion would lead to the next area. This time around he puts his foot down more sternly with giving Biscuit the 'Bad Dog' glare until cowed into plaintive whimpers.
"Ah, don't give me that nonsense. If you do good this time, I'll even get a special treat after all of this, okay? Now come on. Let's take it from the top." And so the trio begin the search anew. Gravy on look out for danger while Biscuit and Doozey focus on trails and familiar scents to follow.
The group headed to the meeting arrives at thee docks. From there, Utar points out to the other two the specific warehouse that was selected for the meeting at sundown. These are still working hours however, and many dockworkers walk to and fro. The Laughing Goblin is not too far, and it also looks busy. Lieutenant Hurn's office is also just around the corner, or at least it was before his promotion. Even the dockside pawn shop can be seen from here. All and all, this part of town is becoming quite familiar to CRAP.
Utar tells the others that he will scope out the warehouse while they keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. A simple plan, but it should suffice in terms of preparation, he thinks. The half-orc walks around the building trying to keep his eyes focused, but his mind is elsewhere. It has been too long since Utar met with a member of his old unit who was not his superior in rank. Now that it is imminent, the excitement and uncertainty of it all cloud the cleric's mind. At some point he thinks he identifies a nearby alley that could maybe be used for an ambush, but he does so mainly because he was looking to find one. Noticing his lack of focus on the task at hand, Utar returns to his friends and shares that the place looks like any other warehouse he has ever seen, at least from the outside.
Neya and Graxx keep walking too, but at different directions. Not taken aback by the gravity of the upcoming meeting, the pair train their eyes more effectively. Neya chooses to pay attention to the selected warehouse's entrance. She notices that there seems to be a lot more of an outflow of crates and barrels out of the warehouse than an inflow, as dockhands move about. This feels a bit awkward, since no captain worth their salt would prefer to load a ship by the end of the day and leave port after dusk. Not with a good reason at least.
Graxx decides to keep an eye on those walking the docks. Sweaty men and women carry crates around, peddlers try to sell their wares from cheap stalls, ship captains discuss contracts out in the open with suppliers and their bureaucrats. Beggars beg and try to steal from those that seem less aware of their surroundings. Seagulls fly up and down either fishing or fighting over food scraps. A single black raven perches atop a cart, looking directly at the barbarian. Did it follow the group here after Utar spotted it earlier? It all looks like a pretty normal day at the docks, apart from that black raven with a piercing eye.
By the time all of this observing and studying is completed (plus the scenic route walk from earlier), the group realizes they are not far from sundown now. Foot traffic begins to slow considerably as the sun lowers in the sky. Perhaps another half-an-hour or so and it will be dark.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
TRACKING THE WEREMUTTS
DM's Screen:
6
Doozey and his animal followers arrive at the second patch of forestry just as the halfling's spell is about to fade away. He loses no time in ordering his team around and begins looking for signs of the shapeshifters.
Biscuit's efforts are no better than before. It seems the mastiff did not respond well to the combination of stern looks and vague promises of treats. Perhaps even worse, the large dog bumps into a rotting tree during his search, bring it down with a loud crash. Whatever hopes Doozey might have had of the entire group approaching unnoticed are now certainly gone.
Despite being smaller, this patch of trees and bushes is packed closer together than the previous one. This causes Gravy to have a slightly more difficult time flying about. More of the creature's concentration is required to keep pace with Doozey, making less of its attention span available for keeping watch. The stoutling hears no warning caws from the bird.
Doozey picks up the slack. The hunter comes across several clear signs of wild life here, though none clearly belonging to dogs. Serpents, rodents, birds, boars, deer, and wild cats all call this wooded area their home, but no clue is a dead-giveaway of any shapeshifting abilities. Furthermore, Biscuit's entire scene would certainly make it easier for the ranger to pass by unnoticed and, in turn, notice others paying particular attention to the mastiff. No such obvious reactions occurs, though.
Another considerable chunk of time is spent exploring before Doozey is ready to cross these woods off his mental list of potential hideouts. The sun is almost hitting the horizon by the time the ranger and his companions pop out of the trees. Based on what Utar shared earlier, it won't be too long before his meeting starts.
Utar looks at the raven and narrows his eyes, the other one was eating a mouse... And there could easily be more than one raven in Phlan... Doozey might have sent it...
"Maybe it's Gravy? Maybe it's going to talk?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Doozey lowered his gaze to the ground, having feared such a response. But after a moment of silence, he nods to himself, and looks up at the others. "You have the right of it, Ms. Neya. Which is why... this is something to tackle at our full strength." He admits. "That said, me and Biscuit can handle the hunting portion of this whole ordeal. Once we've narrowed down their whereabouts fully, I'll send Gravy to come get you all."
"-And before any of you say anything, we'll be fine on our own for this part. But Mr. Utar needs you two, just in case things sour. That is, if you remotely think its dangerous Utar. And don't sugarcoat things. If this other member of your unit knows of the assassinations, or even has had a hand in it, you'll /need/ the back up. Whereas I and Biscuit?" He looks to the Tundra Mastiff; who immediately puffed out his chest to look more regal and strong. "Hmph. Me and him are used to this sort of thing. We'll keep an eye on any strange movements and go from there. So-..." Without having need say anything, Biscuit lowers himself so that Doozey could climb aboard, before standing up on all fours. "Make whatever last arrangements you need to make, and be there promptly. In fact, I'll even make this next part a bit-..."
The rest never leaves his mouth as, a sly attempt to nudge Biscuit into sprint instead would send the two rushing out of the alleyway, and onward to cross the northmost bridge. "Ms. Neya! Grab my rope, by the way!" He calls back.
Sly Signaling: 19(if needed.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
“Gah!”, Graxx roars as he whips his pony tail and roars to the Sky. He begins to pace.
”I don’t like this!”
Graxx pulls his glaive off this back and squeezes the handle.
”I don’t this one bit!”
Graxx puts the glaive back onto his back anxiously and turns to Doozey.
”Do you have to chase them right now? I know you’re more than willing but I’m worried about you and biscuit. I cannot leave Utar unprotected. As you state this could be dangerous! It could be an ambush! Utar isn’t going alone. I will definitely be there and I wish you would be there as well.”
Graxx rubs his forehead.
”I don’t like this at all...”
"Will do," Neya says, acknowledging Doozey's request.
Extended Signature
(This is presuming Graxx interrupts to an extent)
Doozey at least had the decency to grimace, but stood his ground on the matter. And with Neya's words, he sat up straighter in the saddle. "Thank you, Ms. Neya... And Mr. Graxx... I'm sorry. But when it comes to this sort of thing... as a member of the order, even if only somewhat distantly so, I cannot leave this be easily. The more I try-..." Doozey trails off for a moment, rubbing at his throat. He then shakes his head. "I just can't... But, it's gonna be alright, I'm Mr. Graxx. Mr. Utar already managed to talk down one of his old friends to some extent. And... and... Just be careful, alright?"
Following one last apologetic smile to the Barbarian, Doozey only lingers around long enough for a final word from Utar, before nudging Biscuit into a fast pace rush to their first target.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Though some disagreement remains, the group decides to temporarily split up. Doozey explains that much like Utar he cannot let go of the opportunity that presented itself in this day. The stoutling mounts Biscuit and prepares to depart while giving the beast a discreet signal, though all around him end up noticing it. Graxx sees this as the trigger he needed to try and convince the party to stick together and perhaps postpone the investigation into the shapeshifters, but it looks like both Utar and Doozey have made up their minds.
Neya takes a moment to head back to the previous alleyway and recover Doozey's rope upon request. The knots have come loose and the rope is quite soiled now. It should still function properly, though. By the time she is back, the hunter and his mastiff are gone. Graxx lets her know the pair headed north and the three remaining CRAPers begin to make their way back to the docks.
(OOC: Alright, what are your doing from here, exactly? How is Doozey tracking the weremutts? Finding them in not automatic. The spell helps but a skill check is still necessary. How about Utar? Where is he going and what is he doing with the couple of hours he still has to spare before sundown? How are Neya and Graxx preparing for the evening meeting? Don't forget to roll skill checks if preparing something that you think might require a die roll.)
Walking through the streets of town, Utar catches the others up on Moneus.
What Utar knows about Moneus:
As he closes off, Utar looks to both Graxx and Neya.
"I know I need to do this and that the pair of you... don't. This isn't someone from your past. This isn't your fight."
He pauses and shrugs, "What I am trying to say, is thank you, both, for standing with me. I guess if Doozey were here he'd suggest checking on the location for our meeting."
Doozey's and Biscuit's search begins not in town, or even at the bridge. But in fact, it is once they reach the edge of the bit of forestry just north of the northern most bridge the two slow to begin the hunt in earnest. It is to that end that Gravy is summoned with an utterance of "What Comes Good with Biscuits?", a small poof of grey smoke, and a declaration of "Me!" from the summoned Brown Raven. Doozey cracks a wiry grin at that, but is soon serious faced once more.
"Alright you two. We got a bit of ground to cover, what with that near 20 or so minute head start. So, we'll have to be swift, but careful. Okay?" With a boof and a caw, the merry band set off on a short perimeter search first, before delving deeper into thick of things. For Biscuit's part, his focus on scenting the weremutt he bit into. Though when that no doubt likely fails, Doozey presents his sleeve stained with the other boy's blood and skin, as well as a bit of his own blood for a good sniff. A long shot, for sure, but Doozey had faith the relatively fresh scent might aid the Mastiff in narrowing down whether either teenagers had been through the area.
Doozey, in the meantime, tries to provide further support by way of searching for signs of hurried movement by paws, any of the subtle distinguishing patterns between a wolves and a dog's paws most would overlook, markings in woods or trees that grew in peculiar ways that might act as sign posts for the attentive, pick out any amateurish attempts at masking or disrupting a possible trail, and so forth. Once a Redfoot had a prey in mind, losing them was no simple thing. And would have them realizes this...
For Gravy's part in things, they were to be the eye in the canopy; watching for danger, flying ahead as necessary, and even providing a cawed or subtle gesture in warning ahead of time to avoid unnecessary run-ins with the local wild -- or as he's come to figure -- feylife near Phlan. Unless they find nothing in that bit of forestry to remotely suggest occupation by the were's by the end of the spell, they remain persistent for at least an hour, before trying the patch of forest more embedded in town to the east. But all in all, they try to keep things covert.
Doozey's Survival: 21. (adv. from Hunter's Mark)
Doozey's Stealth: 24. (if not possible for Gravy to provide help here, just take the 1st result).
Biscuit's Scenting w/ Adv from Keen Smell: 15.
Biscuit's Stealth: 15.
Gravy's Just an Ordinary Birb: 11.
Gravy's Perception: 10(if needed)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx laughs a bit genuinely at Utar.
”My friend if I have learned anything’s it’s that one of our problems is all of our problems. I’ll always stand by you... Except that one time... Cursed sword...”
Graxx looks around almost hoping to see Biscuit come trotting with Doozey.
”I hate Doozey not being near. He has really become one with our little tribe here and I worry about him and Biscuit going off on there own. Part of me hoped they wouldn’t be able to find the trail and would be forced to come with us.”
Graxx shrugs.
”I don’t really have anything to do before the meeting so I can help you all with anything you need. Just give me the word.”
"Well, part of it is trusting in another's ability enough to, at the very least, see them back safely." Neya says to Graxx. "His confidence in his own abilities allows me to grant him that."
She then turns to Utar, "Nothing requires my attention, either. If you want my help with anything, just ask."
Extended Signature
WALK BACK TO THE DOCKS
Utar, Neya, and Graxx begin to make their way back to the docks. They have plenty of time to kill and the cleric has a good amount of information to share. Hence, they take the scenic route, passing by the burnt house once more so Neya can have a look at it for herself. The house remains boarded up with no obvious signs of tempering. Apart from some pesky kids throwing rocks at the glass panes that remained untouched by the fire, no one seems to be too interested. A single Black Fist guard stands watch over the place now, though he cannot be much older than the rock-throwers. It shows not only on his face but also on his enjoyment of the kids' awful aim.
The walk continues and Utar keeps sharing information on Moneus. Eventually the group arrives back at the docks, deciding to explore the area more closely and locating the meeting place.
(@MB: Please roll an investigation check with your companions' help.)
(@Grx & @Drache: Please roll a perception check each. You also have enough time to help each other.)
TRACKING THE WEREMUTTS
DM's Screen:
1
(@Ori: I'm confident this is what you picked but, just to make sure we are on the same page, please use the Raven stat block for Gravy. Also, did you post get cut off there? It ended with a "But all in all, they"...)
Doozey focuses first at arriving at the wooded area he is most suspicious of. Once there, Gravy's silvery figurine is summoned into a brown raven and allowed to fly above the other two. Instructions given, the three begin their thorough search.
Biscuit relies on his natural sniffing abilities to track his target. The mastiff seems to be a bit too excited about this particular hunt, perhaps feeling that his master is too. He is not particularly quiet while walking the perimeter of the wooded area, and in fact, even goes a bit too far into it before receiving proper orders to do so. In the process, he scares some deer, which in turn send a flock of birds flying. The mastiff becomes distracted by it all, eager to chase something. The deer entertain Biscuit for several minutes before the beast finally gives up and returns to his master empty-handed.
The deer are not enough of a threat to cause Gravy to caw in warning. The bird perches on tree branches, taking flight every now and then to keep up with Doozey. Unlike its canine companion, Gravy does not startle the wildlife, blending well with the local fauna. Throughout the halfling's search, no warning sign comes from the raven, which is likely a good thing.
Doozey does much of the tracking legwork himself. It takes several minutes for the stoutling to find tracks that resemble those of dogs but, upon closer examination they turn out to be more vulpine in nature. The hunter persists, eventually coming across some humanoid footprints. Those too are a false lead, as Doozey realizes after approaching an innocent picnic being held by two young half-elven lovers.
Not much of his spell is left by the time Doozey concludes this to be the wrong wooded area to be searching. He recalls his animal companions and makes his way to the much smaller eastern wooded area, right by the bend of the Stojanow River's eastern distributary.
(@Ori: I'll need fresh rolls for the second searched area. If rolling a stealth check for Doozey, please do so without advantage. I am finding it hard to imagine a mostly quiet raven helping with another's stealthy approach.)
As they approach the agreed meeting point, words like 'sight-lines', 'bottlenecks' and 'ambush points' jump unbidden into Utar's mind.
Cursing himself internally for doubting the tiefling, he nevertheless reminds himself that this is almost certainly what would flow through Moneus' mind provided he knows about the others. If he didn't, Utar would never forgive himself for even absently leading his friend into a trap for whoever was responsible.
Quickly casting guidance he scours the area, checking piles of goods waiting to be taken to ships as well as the rooftops of the various warehouses lining the streets.
Investigation 13 plus 3
(OOC That check was with advantage... Oh boy...)
Perception: 19
(Wow, avoided natty 1 there...)
Extended Signature
Perception: 22
(@DM: Yea, I already picked up and adjusted it a ways back after questioning 'why does a raven have +6 and no advantage trait to account for.... ah, now I see. I did a dummy. :P)
(As for the cut off, I don't remember what it was 'supposed' to be, but I fixed it as best as I could)
Doozey could not be more disappointed in Biscuit. Yet, remembering his own screw ups back on the ship and the dogs recent revival, the stoutling let things slide, if only because the dog was long due some fun. He would headline the search until its natural conclusion would lead to the next area. This time around he puts his foot down more sternly with giving Biscuit the 'Bad Dog' glare until cowed into plaintive whimpers.
"Ah, don't give me that nonsense. If you do good this time, I'll even get a special treat after all of this, okay? Now come on. Let's take it from the top." And so the trio begin the search anew. Gravy on look out for danger while Biscuit and Doozey focus on trails and familiar scents to follow.
Doozey's Survival: 27. (adv. from Hunter's Mark)
Doozey's Stealth: 7.
(if not possible for Gravy to provide help here, just take the 1st result).Biscuit's Scenting w/ Adv from Keen Smell: 22.
Biscuit's Stealth: 16.
Gravy's Just an Ordinary Birb: 14.
Gravy's Perception: 12(if needed)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
SCOUTING THE MEETING PLACE
The group headed to the meeting arrives at thee docks. From there, Utar points out to the other two the specific warehouse that was selected for the meeting at sundown. These are still working hours however, and many dockworkers walk to and fro. The Laughing Goblin is not too far, and it also looks busy. Lieutenant Hurn's office is also just around the corner, or at least it was before his promotion. Even the dockside pawn shop can be seen from here. All and all, this part of town is becoming quite familiar to CRAP.
Utar tells the others that he will scope out the warehouse while they keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. A simple plan, but it should suffice in terms of preparation, he thinks. The half-orc walks around the building trying to keep his eyes focused, but his mind is elsewhere. It has been too long since Utar met with a member of his old unit who was not his superior in rank. Now that it is imminent, the excitement and uncertainty of it all cloud the cleric's mind. At some point he thinks he identifies a nearby alley that could maybe be used for an ambush, but he does so mainly because he was looking to find one. Noticing his lack of focus on the task at hand, Utar returns to his friends and shares that the place looks like any other warehouse he has ever seen, at least from the outside.
Neya and Graxx keep walking too, but at different directions. Not taken aback by the gravity of the upcoming meeting, the pair train their eyes more effectively. Neya chooses to pay attention to the selected warehouse's entrance. She notices that there seems to be a lot more of an outflow of crates and barrels out of the warehouse than an inflow, as dockhands move about. This feels a bit awkward, since no captain worth their salt would prefer to load a ship by the end of the day and leave port after dusk. Not with a good reason at least.
Graxx decides to keep an eye on those walking the docks. Sweaty men and women carry crates around, peddlers try to sell their wares from cheap stalls, ship captains discuss contracts out in the open with suppliers and their bureaucrats. Beggars beg and try to steal from those that seem less aware of their surroundings. Seagulls fly up and down either fishing or fighting over food scraps. A single black raven perches atop a cart, looking directly at the barbarian. Did it follow the group here after Utar spotted it earlier? It all looks like a pretty normal day at the docks, apart from that black raven with a piercing eye.
By the time all of this observing and studying is completed (plus the scenic route walk from earlier), the group realizes they are not far from sundown now. Foot traffic begins to slow considerably as the sun lowers in the sky. Perhaps another half-an-hour or so and it will be dark.
TRACKING THE WEREMUTTS
DM's Screen:
6
Doozey and his animal followers arrive at the second patch of forestry just as the halfling's spell is about to fade away. He loses no time in ordering his team around and begins looking for signs of the shapeshifters.
Biscuit's efforts are no better than before. It seems the mastiff did not respond well to the combination of stern looks and vague promises of treats. Perhaps even worse, the large dog bumps into a rotting tree during his search, bring it down with a loud crash. Whatever hopes Doozey might have had of the entire group approaching unnoticed are now certainly gone.
Despite being smaller, this patch of trees and bushes is packed closer together than the previous one. This causes Gravy to have a slightly more difficult time flying about. More of the creature's concentration is required to keep pace with Doozey, making less of its attention span available for keeping watch. The stoutling hears no warning caws from the bird.
Doozey picks up the slack. The hunter comes across several clear signs of wild life here, though none clearly belonging to dogs. Serpents, rodents, birds, boars, deer, and wild cats all call this wooded area their home, but no clue is a dead-giveaway of any shapeshifting abilities. Furthermore, Biscuit's entire scene would certainly make it easier for the ranger to pass by unnoticed and, in turn, notice others paying particular attention to the mastiff. No such obvious reactions occurs, though.
Another considerable chunk of time is spent exploring before Doozey is ready to cross these woods off his mental list of potential hideouts. The sun is almost hitting the horizon by the time the ranger and his companions pop out of the trees. Based on what Utar shared earlier, it won't be too long before his meeting starts.
(@Ori: Hunter's Mark has ended.)
"This the same bird from earlier?" says Graxx to Utar.
Graxx approaches the Raven curiously.
"Are you a messenger bird or something?" Graxx asks the bird.
Graxx will look at the birds legs to see if there is a note attached or even if any markings on the bird indicating it's something special.
Investigation: 19
Perception 10
Utar looks at the raven and narrows his eyes, the other one was eating a mouse... And there could easily be more than one raven in Phlan... Doozey might have sent it...
"Maybe it's Gravy? Maybe it's going to talk?"