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Recent. Looks like they died tired - water skins are empty and they're short a lot of equipment. Might have tossed it running.
The sands eventually reveal four missing supply clerks. But no supplies.
One of the troopers - a forensic type - offers some choice commentary on the nature of the recent demise. Everyone's a little shaken. Might just be their way of compartmentalising. You don't get a lot of out and out murder out this way, usually. Yeah, battles, sometimes. Company on Company type thing, or bandits, or roamers, or marauders or . . . other things. But this poor probably died begging not to. Two of them weren't even facing outwards.
But the area's been cleaned, proper. Would have missed all this if not for the wind and sheer luck. For people dead by arrow wounds, there's no arrows here - nor on them. Means who-ever did this came in close to check their work and scavenge the bits. Curious note they didn't touch the water skins, then. Or the boots. Why pluck out your own arrows but leave all the other gear? Or did these people sprout needle holes and then the arrows just faded away after like a mirage? Sun-mad talk, that.
Well, that's put a chill down everyones spine.
If this lot of supply clerks died <span class="mu-i">here</span> they'd have spent some time running - which means, mh, yeah, eyeball the sunward position and then there's a village down a ways. An hour, maybe, on foot. They'd know what happened here, maybe? We passed through a week ago, going out. Seemed quiet types.
That, or its back to the Company to report - but if we've got people holed up in a village, waiting rescue, they'd probably appreciate the speed of delivery on their safekeeping.
>..?
>Better check the village
>Better report to the Company
>Better search this area proper, we might be missing something
Sands in the hour glass, falling, falling, falling away. . .
