Strathmorn (everyone)

[Snapper]

Ascot politely clears his throat, and raises his fedora in greeting. "Excuse me gentlemen, I wonder if we might have a quick word? In relation to your sheep that's been attacked. Or whatever has happened to it..."

Spoiler:

Can Ascot make a Track roll before the scene gets messed up with footprints?

[Philulhu]

Father Ó Shaban - spot hidden (25%) 1d100

Try as he might, Father Ó Shaban wasn’t able to determine anything from the site as they approached the two men, who looked up as Ascot spoke.

The man who had been addressed as ‘Doctor*’ spoke up. ”Good morning. The farmer has lost one of his sheep and believes something untoward may have occurred. He posits that something has happened to it here…” He knelt down on his haunches and touched the crimson-coated grass, then brought his hand up to his face. ”That said, this is definitely blood. It could have been fox or even a badger, Fergus!” He looked up at the farmer as he spoke, who snorted his disbelief.

*Not that Doctor. I’ll leave the Timelords to Mr Handy

Ascot is welcome to try to determine if there are any tracks and where they might lead.

Anyone can try a Natural World roll for further information.

[Snapper]

1d%50%

OOC:   Fail.

1d%LLd25%

OOC:   Success.

Ascot pulls his trousers up and squats down on his haunches, careful to keep his overcoat off the ground and out of the blood. He peers at the bloody mess in some confusion.

[Philulhu]

Ascot pulled his trousers up? Had he been waddling about with his trousers around his ankles? Hardly the done thing in polite society!

The thing that struck Ascot about the site was that, if a sheep had been killed here, a predator the size of a fox or badger would have been unlikely to be able to remove the corpse without leaving an obvious trail.

[Snapper]

Spoiler:

It's that thing where you pull up the legs of your less flexible, 1930s era suit trousers so that when you squat down, you don't rip anything. I'm sure there's a more elegant phrase but nice-word-speaking has deserted me.

Ascot frowns at the mess as he stands up. "An African tiger might be able to pick up a sheep and bound off with it leaving little trace, but what fox or badger could drag a dead sheep away at all, let alone without leaving a trail a blind man could follow?"

He looks over at his colleagues. "Any other thoughts, colleagues?" Ascot then does a slow 360, looking for any other oddness.

The Track was an irritating fail but can Ascot make a Spot Hidden as well?

[Mr. Handy]

"Looks like there may be some hunting in the area after all," says Bonnie, "if we could follow the trail of blood back to its lair."

Track roll (10% base skill) to find tracks:
d%
Natural World (10% base skill) about the dead sheep:
d%

[BoyBlunder78]

OOC:   dont know what happened there but ny dice roller went crazy. Eother way both fails

1d100pL-13LLd30LL=22161d100
1d100


[/Spoiler-Button]

[Philulhu]

I think the phrase you’re looking for is to hitch up your trousers. Ascot can make a Spot Hidden attempt but all that will tell him is the general direction of travel, not allow him to track any potential assailant to its lair.

”An African tiger?” spluttered the farmer derisively. ”Ye’ll not find the likes of that aroond here!”

He shook his head. ”Say what ye like aboot wee McLeod, but at least he looked after my bloody sheep!”

[BoyBlunder78]

Dr Douglas turns to the men, "Has there been any other instances of livestock being attacked or going missing at any of the other farms?"

[Snapper]

Spoiler:

Hitch! Much better word. I think COVID has cost me INT points after all.

Leaving the others to chat with the farmer and doctor, Ascot commences a slow, methodical spiral out from the scene of the sheep murder. Frequently, he stops, bends forward and checks for clues, paw / hoof prints or dung. He often talks to himself quietly, mostly admonishing his tracking failure and demanding better off himself. He is completely focused and not listening to anyone else...

Pushing the Track roll:

1d%50%

OOC:   Regular success.

[Philulhu]

A stream bordered the field and Ascot was only able to follow the trail as far as that, but judging by the direction of the trail, it seemed to be heading in the direction of MacMorn Manor, that overlooked the village.

[Snapper]

Ascot points or what he can see to the others. Looking at the farmer, he asks, "Did Jamie McLeod work for you? The lad now locked up in Inverness for the murder?"

Spoiler:

Can Ascot see anything to give a clue what type of animal dragged the sheep away leaving so little trace? Paw prints, dung?

[Philulhu]

Ascot can’t tell much other than the direction of travel and that’s mostly determined by the odd drop of blood. The ground is hard and weIl-grazed so there isn’t much vegetation which may have given other clues.

The farmer glanced at Dr. Douglas. ”I lost two more the night Donald McColl was killed. Bodies nowhere to be seen. Just blood, like this…” he said.

”And aye, Jamie McLeod worked for me. Nae the brightest lad - spent a bit too much time daydreaming but he did a good job with my sheep. Can’t believe that he did for McColl, mind ye. He was too soft for that.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Perhaps whatever killed the sheep killed Donald McColl," says Bonnie. "We know it was aboot that night."

[Philulhu]

”That seems unlikely, to be honest, Miss” interjected the Doctor. ”I saw Donald McColl’s body and it seems most likely that his injuries were caused by human hands. A more plausible explanation to my mind is that Jamie McLeod, being a bit feeble-minded, found the sheep being attacked by whatever predator did for them, lost his mind and attacked poor Donald on his way home. It’s an area I’ve studied extensively and it is sadly more common than you might think.”

[Mr. Handy]

"But what sort of predator could have done it?" asks Bonnie.

[Joajackson]

Ascot points or what he can see to the others. Looking at the farmer, he asks, "Did Jamie McLeod work for you? The lad now locked up in Inverness for the murder?"

Spoiler:

Can Ascot see anything to give a clue what type of animal dragged the sheep away leaving so little trace? Paw prints, dung?

Father Ó Shaban had been following Sir Ascot with interest. For his ability with traking seemed to be quite miserable, and he was quite the relaxed elderly to let the more young do the work.

"Trruly misterrious, isn't it, Sir Ascot? Any idea of what ze killed could come frum?"

[Snapper]

Ascot shakes his head. "The ground's too hard to leave impressions. But the sheep was not taken away by a fox or badger and Britain has no larger native predators."

"Well, shall we head back to Inverness for the morning as planned?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, if we cannae hunt the beastie," says Bonnie.

[Snapper]

"I'd feel more comfortable if we had some idea what we might be hunting. We maybe will find that in Inverness. It's certainly worth a try."