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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Corpseflower" data-source="post: 3844417" data-attributes="member: 45835">As more people step forward to join the search, Kitani thanks them profusely while directing venomous glances at those regulars who chose to stay seated.  She rushes back to her home at the half-orc's request and when she returns has a small crumpled off-white shirt for him- or more accurately for his wolf Fang.  Ordin is easily able to find someone in the tavern to carry the news to Lady Creed and as soon as all those willing are assembled Fang takes the scent and picks up the trail.  The kids seem to have taken a well beaten path that should lead to Elara's Halfway House and Fang is certain enough of the scent to stay well ahead of the group for more than an hour, but it is a long walk to the edge of the vale where Elara chose to build for reasons she kept to herself.  River lowlands give way to fields of sawn-off strumps from the early days of the settlement.  Small wiry trees, scrub, and winding vines are reclaiming the land, but this is still blessedly open ground compared to the ancient woods looming in the distance.  Late twilight becomes deep night, but so far the moons and starlight provide enough light to avoid groping about in the darkness or tripping over one another if you wanted.  Three miles or so into the trek Fang loses the trail...The wolf veers off the path and sniffs around various bushes, then back to the trail, then off the trail again on the other side.  Fang whines in frustration- comes back to Azog for another sniff of the shirt and begins to wander the trail, nose low moving his head back and forth.  Given a few minute he does eventually find it again and takes off ahead of the group as if making up for lost time.  The overland trek follows the beaten trail from scrub into light forest with each mile bringing Darkmoon Vale a little closer.   The sounds of the natural world are ever present here and could easily leave one a little jumpy if they were expecting every skittering, hissing, or flapping of wings to be some madness tainted aberration left over from a forgotten age.  Fang briefly loses the trail again at one point but regains his stride much quicker this time loping out ahead of the group again after a minute or so pause.It's near midnight by the time the blackened husk of the orphanage appears atop a hill. Charred timbers are strewn among piles of caked ash and the only edifice left standing is a soot-stained stone arch. A small stuffed doll lies below the arch, her face seared off and her patchwork dress spilling dirty stuffing.  Beside her, a troop of half-melted tin soldiers stand in formation, their bodies twisted and deformed by the blaze that claimed their owner’s life.  Beyond what is left of the orphanage the gloom of the primal forest begins with this being the apex before it plunges sharply into the valley below. Fang paces the front of the ruins, but quickly veers around to the side.  A large, makeshift tent lies shredded on the ground beside a crude fireplace of flat stones. Signs of a struggle are everywhere, with broken twigs, crushed foliage, scraps of clothing, and patches of blood on the ground.  Search DC 15: [sblock]Something slightly shiny catches your eye in the dirt around the fire pit. Kneeling down to get a better look you can see they are loose reptilian scales mostly glossy black and a few blue.[/sblock]If someone makes that check, then this check becomes possible to the finder, or everyone once the info is sharedKnowledge (local) DC 20: [sblock]The scales are draconic.  Kobolds.  There haven't been any active tribes of kobolds reported in this area during your time in  Falcon's Hollow though.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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