Quote from Sixfoot10 >>

“Lile. Up ahead. Something on the path. Possibly people.” Aslaug pitches her voice low to try and avoid it carrying too far. She doesn’t want to warn them that they have been seen if they intend to ambush. 

“Ógleð, shall we check it out?”

"I think we should. What did you see?"

“Not certain. Down the trail, something low. Almost human like. A couple of them.”

I'll say you're able to spot them without the need of a roll. Focusing on the spot, you do indeed see two humanoid figures lying face-first in the snow.

"The other huscarls," Lile said. "Thorgren and I stayed behind, but he brought others with him. It could be... some that didn't make it back."

Sigrún hearing this jogs forward towards the bodies in the snow checking for signs of life as well as keeping an eye out for dangers.

Medicine 18

Perception 15

Aslaug moves forward with Sigrún, keeping her eyes on the surrounding woods and trail. There is no guarantee that whatever did this has moved on from the area.

Perception: 21

EDIT - (Ugh, 2 nat 20's on perception?)

Sigrún, you check the bodies for any signs of life, but find none. The two bodies are both human, one a man the other a woman, and as you inspect them you notice something weird. Their veins are visible through their pale, gray skin, and more than that, they are totally black. Their eyes are wide open, as well, and they wear an expression of fear on their face.

"Alric and Urna," Lile says, standing over you as you inspect the bodies. "They were good people. They didn't deserve this."

OOC: Could Sigrún tell what caused it with her medicine check or is that more nature? Bites? Weapon wounds? Poisons?

"This isn't right...this isn't natural," Sigrún says inspecting the bodies more.

Nature check 13 (just in case)

Further inspection of the body reveals a puncture wound on either body, seemingly from an arrow, but the flesh around the wound is blackened, and the black veins seem to originate at the wound. The exact nature of the wound is strange to you, but it is similar to what you witnessed on the jarl's leg.

Fenwick slowly creeps up to take a look at the bodies.  "Oh dear...what...how...oh dear...why would...oh...we shouldn't have come Hemming..."

He takes a few steps away, still muttering to himself and then is heard saying "um, um, um, ok, ok, ok, Hemming, take to the skies and watch for danger."  "Yes, yes I know you don't want to but...oh, good, good."  Hemming reluctantly takes off to circle the area and be an extra set of eyes for the group.

Approaching the rest of the party once again Fenwick fidgets with the various small items at his waist and says "um, um, um, if, if you like, I could, I could see if any magic is at work here.  If, if you, which is to say we, ah, can spare a few minutes here."

(Offering to Detect Magic as a ritual.)

"Well, yes... actually, persistently, but but..."  Fenwick considers the strange affliction of black veins from a wizard's perspective.

(DM is there an Intelligence based roll that is appropriate, or should I move right to trying Detect Magic if the group doesn't mind the 10 minute delay?)

Patrin comes over and bends down to inspect the bodies, looking over to Fenwick, ‘I think the more information that we have the better...’ he says, before continuing his own inspection of the wounds.

(Medicine: 16)

Patrin, as you go to inspect the bodies, the female human--Urna, you gathered--begins to stir. With stuttering, rigid movements, she begins to push off the ground, and you can hear the cracks of bones as she moves. The male body--Alric--begins to move in a similar fashion. Sigrún, you manage to back away as Alric begins to reach out for you.

It's time to roll initiative!

Alric and Urna: 1
Lile: 5
Thorgren: 17

Quote from DMWoja >>

Patrin, as you go to inspect the bodies, the female human--Urna, you gathered--begins to stir. With stuttering, rigid movements, she begins to push off the ground, and you can hear the cracks of bones as she moves. The male body--Alric--begins to move in a similar fashion. Sigrún, you manage to back away as Alric begins to reach out for you.

It's time to roll initiative!

Alric and Urna: 8
Lile: 21
Thorgren: 13

Ógleð: 19

Ógleð casts heroism on himself for 3 THP and use Bardic Inspiration on Aslaug.

"Oh dear!"

Initiative: 3

Patrin gasps as the bodies start to move...

Initiative: 16

Battle Map. Let me know if I need to adjust anything. I ruled that both Patrin and Sigrún were able to get out of melee range as the bodies stood up.

Initiative: 8