"So, do we try to climb over the wall or do we leave by the gate and walk our way back over to this point to pick up the trail?"
In response to Bel'Tanis' question, the stone monk vaults herself up towards the wall, attempting to climb over it on her own.
She lands about three feet up on the wall, though her grip strains a bit on its surface, sliding back down to the ground. "...We go around." She simply declares, before heading off towards the city gates.
Thaddeus explains what he knows of Father Tobyn and his daughter, and explains that the robes were not Father Tobyn's vestments of Desna. As Scoria hands him the robe, he cocks his head at the woman, and hands it back to the Khrondak.
As Scoria makes her suggestion, he offers "The Sheriff has set us to this task, and I'm certain we need not let him know we shall continue to search for the guilty parties." He turns to the priest, "Father, would you be so kind as to inform the Sheriff if he asks of our whereabouts, or if possessed of the personnel, send a runner to let him know where we have gone?"
Thaddeus shakes his head at the woman's insistence that if she can't climb over the wall, they all cannot. "Why do we not first take stock of what we have available to conquer the wall. If at least one of us can make it to the top, it will be much easier to find where the trail exists on the other side. Walking all the way around poses a risk of not being exactly where we should look to pick it back up." With that said, he puts away his weapon and tries to get a good grip and foothold, and subsequently finds no purchase. Before stopping, dusting off his hands, interlocking his fingers and asking, "Anyone more skilled at climbing than I care for a lifting hand?"
"I've got a lengthy coil of rope in my pack if someone's able to easily get over the wall. Try again Scoria. No need to rush it though."
Bel'Tanis will Take 10 in aiding Scoria if she tries again. If Thaddeus does the same and Scoria takes 10 too, that'd give her a 17.
Notick scratches his brow, shaking his head once again, thinking the answer obvious. "Why do we not just drape the rope over the wall to mark it's location... Go around, and reclaim the rope and start from there?..."
Khrondak accepts the robe respectfully, acknowledging Thaddeus' effort to adress him in his native tongue.
The shoanti approaches the wall while the others discuss and, running his hand over the surface and watching its height, makes his own assessment of the situation. "Yes, climbing this wall seems beyond me. I'll go around with the Notick fellow, we'll meet you on the other side. It shouldn't be too hard to pick up the trail again." Worried about the tracking conditions and the possible delay in their investigation, Khrondak watches the skies for a few moments, heading out to the exit gates.
[dice=Survival to predict the weather]1d20+8[/dice]
"I hope we're not too late."
She turns to the priest. "Father, do you want this known or kept secret?"
Khrondak you look to the sky and to the earth to give you the signs of the weather. You predict the weather will be mild with little chance of rain for the next two days.
Father Zantus and Naffer watch the party attempt to climb the cemetery wall. Then watch Notick and Khrondak head north to the town gate.
Father Zantus turns to Midori,"Yes, Midori I think we should keep this quite from the townsfolk, they have dealt with a lot the last day." "I think the Sheriff would agree."
"Once we find the culprits we can tell everybody what happened, no use panicking everybody."
"Yes of course Thaddeus, I will send a runner to Hemlock to tell him what transpired." And tell him you are investigating the matter."
"Naffer, run and tell the Sheriff, tell him to send more men as well."
"Aye Cap'n, I be shovin' off 'er."
With that Naffer hobbles off to the south.
Bel'Tanis shrugs, "A fine idea, Notick." He tosses the rope over the wall so it hangs on both sides, effectively marking the spot where they expect to pick up the trail. He claps Thaddeus on the shoulder, "Let's find these grave-robbers, shall we?" He falls in with the group as they begin heading toward the gate.
Reaching the exit, Khrondak unties his horse and mounts it, riding slowly along the outer wall to allow the others to keep up with his pace.
You reach the other side of the wall where the rope hangs. This area is lightly wooded, no goblins seem to be about.
Thaddeus
Bel'Tanis
Khrondak
Notick
Midori
Scoria
As everybody searches the area for clues. Midori finds a 15' tall ladder buried in some brush nearby. Thaddeus is able to find a cluster of tracks from the grave robbers near the wall.
Bel'Tanis coils up his rope as the others search about the area. At the discovery of the ladder he remarks, "Ah, so that's how they did it. I'm beginning to suspect that the goblin attack was actually a diversion for these well prepared grave robbers."
Thaddeus nods in agreement, but there is an obvious look of confusion on his face "This only begs the question, what do goblins want with the body of a priest? They robbed a grave of no monetary value, and lost many of their own to do as much. There is neither rhyme nor reason to do such a thing." As he talks through it, he notices the tracks, "Over here! It looks like signs of their passage. Is everyone prepared to see how far we can follow these?"
"I think the goblins are likely a tool for whomever these humanoid tracks belong to. And I think they are the ones who wanted Tobyn's body, not the goblins themselves. Ah! Excellent work, Thaddeus. I'm ready to follow these tracks if the rest of you are."
Khrondak dismounts and starts observing the tracks. Without explaining much, he simply states "Follow me" as he starts going after the goblin's trail, pulling the horse by the reins.
Midori will cautiously follow the tracking expert.
You track the goblin tracks through the lightly forested hills of the Ravenroost and into the deeper woods of the Tickwood. You have stayed south and parallel with the Lost Coast Road and the coastline. After about a two and a half hour march, you cross the road and enter the wood known as the Nettlewood. Which is a thick dark forest, overgrown with nettles and briar patches. A short way into the wood in you reach the Thistle River where the goblin tracks end. The river is moving moderate fast and is roughly 40' wide.
Notick follows the bald and barbaric looking man as he leads the way, following the tracks. Most of the trip he holds his hands up, fingers interlocked, and resting upon his head. His eyes wander around the area's they're moving through, looking on with wonderment.
He speaks aloud, not really to anyone, but hoping for conversation to strike up. "I really wonder what is going on. None of this really makes any sense...!"
When they arrive at the River, looking upon it stoically, realizing the loss of any tracks with the water. His hands fall from his head, hands slapping at his sides as he kicks some dirt, "Damn!" he says as the reality of the situation as it unfolds in his thoughts.
Following the Shoanti just seemed like good common sense to the stone monk, seeing as he was a decent enough tracker. She keeps far enough away from his steed, however - she was not a fan of large animals of any kind.
Neither was she a fan of deep waters. Looking at the fast moving river and the end of the trail that they were following, she wondered if they would head back or if everyone would attempt to traverse the depths. Scoria was not a particularly strong swimmer - her denser body made her less likely to float and more likely to sink like a stone.
"We should find a bridge. Or somewhere the waters are not as deep," She suggests.
"Maybe they had a boat," Khrondak ponders looking for more signs, "or did they just go straight through the river...?"
"Do any of you know this wilderness and how deep is the riverbed?", he asks, looking into the distance trying to spot a bridge as suggested by Scoria.
Khrondak you study the river, while it is moving fast, it is not overly deep it appears. Also you do not see any sign of a boat on the opposite bank.
"I'm a strong swimmer. I could swim across with one end of the rope while someone else held an end over here. That might make it easier for everyone to cross if we want to stay on top of the trail."
"I would not be opposed to securing a rope across at this point to maintain continuity of where the trail had ceased. Or we could have one, or a few, of us stay as the others take the local bridge to come back and find the rough spot on the opposite bank. I will admit, I am quite partial to Bel'Tanis' plan." Thaddeus offers.
"Not a bad plan at all, however a waist of effort. There is a bridge but a quarter mile upstream - not very far at all. Best not to wear ourselves out. We wouldn't want to be exhausted if we are to face more undead" the half elf reasons aloud.
"Considering we have a horse to cross, I prefer Notick's plan."
Scoria doesn't bother with debating the issue any further, after hearing Notick's knowledge. She turns upstream and starts walking, wanting to cross the river without actually stepping into the waters. Whether or not anyone else agreed with it did not concern her at all. So long as there was an option where she did not have to swim, this would be the choice she would choose to go forward.
Notick, in his usual stoic nature, cocked an eyebrow towards the stone woman and turned heels to follow her. "I do believe she has decided the path for us."
"Indeed she has." Bel'Tanis shrugs and follows along after Notick.
Midori follows the stone woman, amused by her directness.
You are able to walk upstream and cross the bridge with out incident. You again make your way downstream on the opposite bank where the goblin tracks had stopped. You begin to scour the area for goblin tracks on this side of the river.
Thaddeus
Bel'Tanis
Khrondak
Notick
Midori
Scoria
After a few minutes of searching in the bright midday sun several of you are able to find where the goblins trail restarts. Apparently they are making no attempt at hiding their tracks.
"Ah! Here they are, I think. Iron Forged, is this the same trail? It seems to be going in the same direction, but I've never been much of a woodsman."
Midori continues to follow Khrondak as well.
Notick... Also follows.
You follow the tracks for another half mile through the maze of dense thickets. In the background you can faintly hear the the ocean nearby.
The tracks seem to disappear directly into a thicket directly in front of you.
The thicket in front of you is nearly twenty feet high and covered in sharp briars.
Thaddeus
Bel'Tanis
Khrondak
Notick
Midori
Scoria
Map
"If they have a front door," the aasimar whispers after pointing it out, "perhaps we should see if there's another way through the thicket nearby? If this is the thieves' front door, I'd rather not walk right through it unless we've no other real option."
Scoria nods to Bel'Tanis, before starting to scout around the thicket on her own, searching for any additional entrances to this place.
Scoria you see no signs of another entrance in the area you are searching. While the thicket is dense one could crash though it or even hack a path with a blade. However one would risk injury from going through it.
Noticing the door himself, he looks at the outline to gauge how large of an opening it would make. After thinking for some time as the Stone Woman searches the area for another way in, and coming short, he suggests "Perhaps we should just knock and see what happens?"
Bel'Tanis absentmindedly massages the palm of his left hand with his right as he considers Notick's suggestion. After a brief pause he answers quietly, "That would be the civilized way to announce ourselves certainly, but these little imps are grave robbers and we're not here asking to borrow some flour. I'd rather we saw them before they knew we were about." His tone is warm and respectful, if a little somber as he finishes.
"I do believe you took my suggestion a bit too literally. But, none the less, I agree." He pauses for a moment before continuing, "I'm assuming the human sized tracks stop at the door as well?" He asks towards Iron Forged.
Scoria returns to the door after scouting around, looking at the others. "No other way. No safer way, at least. It would cause too much noise to hack through the thicket." She declares to the group. "I am opening the door now, with no further objections."
If absolutely no one tries to stop her, Scoria slams her foot on the door to kick it in.
Bel'Tanis sees Scoria stretching back for a kick and lightly grabs her shoulder. "Let's see if it's even secured first, shall we? If it will open quietly on its own, that's certainly preferable to the noise kicking it open would make."
If she relents, Bel'Tanis will attempt to open the door via conventional means.