Killilli’s Dragon Heist

Aimee’s mind runs wild with creatures she has read about that might eat hearts, but the all the information seems a bit jumbled and she can’ quite recall. 

“Thankfully no, I haven’t. But if you stay out here long enough I’m sure they’ll find you. As for tracks, they’re on a stick aren’t they? So I guess the tracks would just look like a stick had been shoved into the ground?” He looks around neevously, “Look, I’d better get inside, if you need a break from your search, the Orchard has a tavern that should still be open, though I don’t think they’d have many customers with all the troubles lately. Tally-ho.”

Aimee waves,

"Tally-ho!"

Then to Lyss,

"He seemed nice! Want to keep going like we were? Seems like we have a really good chance of finding them!"

"Please be careful," Kerri says, knowing that they wont. "Let's see if we can find any clues, but if it gets too dark we're going to that tavern."

"You're still my favorite Kerri. That Carry is way too uptight."

The last light from the sun is just peeking over the horizon, as it sets fairly late in the summer. The twilight wont last for long. 

If you are going about the same process, you can make a survival check. You mentioned your next stop was the orchard, it has a fairly sturdy fence around it though the main gates are open leading to the Villa with a taphouse attached. Tracks go along the side of the building out into the rows of apple trees.

Lyss looks for tracks that look like they came from something on a stick.

Survival: 7

Aimee keeps a sniffing.

Survival:12

"Nothing down here!"

"Everything smells like dead goat and cow flop! It's like I'm back home as a little girl!"

After a good few hours wandering around fields, following every mark you find on the ground, the three of you are quite exhausted. 

You haven’t seen any movement or any people in your investigation and the only light you have to go by is moonlight. 

This approach doesn’t seem to be working for you,. What do you do?

Aimee yawns.

"Wanna go to that tavern for a bit and see if anyone has seen anything tonight? I am kinda surprised scarecrows are so hard to find!"

"Maybe we should dress up like crows? Tavern sounds good."

Kerri starts leading her way to the tavern, "I dont think dressing up as crows would work."

Aimee changes her appearance to look like an Kenku and yells,

"Sqwak, sqwak!"

She looks expectantly towards the fields, but follows Kerri.

"Gotta try!"

"Though if they are running around terrorizing folks they might not feel driven to follow through on the scaring crows part of their job description."

"But maybe if it was a REALLY BIG crow?"

She points at herself with a winged arm.

"Maybe it will strike a deep cord in their straw brains they can't resist!"

(My last post was a little rushed on description sorry, it was very late. On your investigation around the field you would have seen many scarecrows, but none that came to life or seemed like more than straw in a hessian bag with a face painted on stuck on a pole.)

Looking expectantly across the fields, an eerie silence is all that responds to Aimee. Even your own voices seem empty, as the sound travels out across the fields with no reverberation.

Heading back towards the tavern, all of the real life scarecrows that you checked already stare at you with inanimate crudely drawn smiles, seemingly unbothered by Aimee’s appearance and not doing a particularly good job of scaring her. 

The tavern is fairly empty, paintings and sketches of the orchard over the years adorn it’s walls, starting from a small patch with a halfling couple in frame to the expanse it is today. The place smells lovely, with plants all around, it is one of the greenest taverns you have seen. An old rustic fireplace dominates the room, some armchairs next to it. With the summer heat, it is not in use at the moment. The bar seems to be handmade, with the grain of the wood still showing through it’s natural varnish. 

A smiling, red faced, rotund halfling in a waistcoat stands at the bar, waving as he welcomes you in. There is a group of teenage half-elves and humans in overalls sitting around playing cards in one corner. Older looking halflings in similar overalls are sitting nearby heckling the teenagers. Sat alone is a halfling with his head buried in a book.

"Hi! Anyone report seeing any walking smelly scarecrows tonight?"

The bartender chuckles as Lyss makes her announcement. “Ahh, finally someone’s come to do something about this?  Well, come on and have a drink on the house then. I’ve heard all the stories, and all the sightings have been past midnight, that gives you enough time for a drink or two.” he smiles warmly at the three of you while the group of teenagers look over at you, not quite sure what to make of you.

Aimee waves at the teenagers then remembers she looks like a kenku so turns that off and shoots them her patented overly wide smile.

"I'd love some cider! Oh! And where have they been sighted?"