The Skill Challenges of War - Part 10: Quick, Before They Report to the Enemy!

It's gamefiend again with my last skill challenge of the series. I'd like to thank Jonathan for hosting the series, and offer a nod of appreciation to MadBrewLabs. It was a fun collaboration that I hope to do again soon.

In this skill challenges, the PC's forces have just found enemy scouts. If the scouts are not caught, they will report back to the enemy with dire consequences. The scouts must be stopped at all costs. While there are multiple scouts in the skill challenge, you can easily break the challenge up a long the length of a campaign or use more or less scouts in one challenge. Hope you enjoy!

Previous posts in the Skill Challenges of War series:

Part 1 - The Concept
Part 2 - Complexities of War
Part 3 - Skill Challenge: Diplomatic Mission Reconnaissance
Part 4 - Skill Challenge: Rally the Troops!
Part 5 - Skill Challenge: ...The Body will Die
Part 6 - Skill Challenge: Flush Out a Spy
Part 7 - Skill Challenge: Break the Seige!
Part 8 - Skill Challenge: Hold the Line
Part 9 - Skill Challenge: A Forceful Seizure

"Quick, Before they Report to the Enemy!"
You are aware of enemy scouts around you base. You must find and capture them before they report to the enemy.
Complexity: open (success will depend on successful scout searches before acquiring three failures)

Encounter Level: PC level (+1 for each scout above three)

Goal: Capture as many scouts as you can before acquiring three failures.

Pursuit

There are three scouts for the players to capture. Each Pursuit consists of two stages, "The Search" and "The Chase". The Search succeeds as long as the players make at least one successful check, but The Chase fails if there are any failures. When the players reach three total failures, the skill challenge ends -- the players have gotten so out of sorts that the scouts easily can escape.

The GM can extend or shorten this counter by having more or less scouts to be found. You can also run the skill challenge across multiple encounters, having the PCs hunt scouts at different parts of the adventure.


The Search
The enemy scouts are cunning, but you are resolute as you stalk carefully.

Goal: Gain at least one success out of two skill checks. If no successes are gained, this scout has gotten away before you find him. If only one success is gained, the party suffers a -2 to skill checks during "The Chase".

Skills Used:
Perception (moderate DC): Your sharp eyes miss nothing as you scan the surrounding environ for the scout.
Nature (moderate DC): Your knowledge of the terrain will be a key factor in finding the scout.
Bluff (moderate DC): You feign cluelessness to appeal to the scout's arrogance, so that he may reveal himself.
Stealth (moderate DC): As sly as the scout is, you are even sneakier.
Athletics (hard DC): You move quickly from place to place, hoping to outpace the scout and force him to make an error.
Insight (hard DC): Where would you hide if you were the enemy? Over behind that rock, probably.

The Chase
Now that you have spotted the enemy, you must capture him.

Goal: Acquire two success before one failure. The first failure allows the enemy scout to get away.
Skills Used:

Athletics (moderate DC): With determination and fervor, you run after the enemy.
Acrobatics (moderate DC): You gain ground quickly as you tumble through areas the scout can or will not.
Endurance (moderate DC): The scout can't run forever, but you can. You'll be right on him when he slows.
Perception (hard DC): You can tell from here the path that the scout will take, and will attempt to cut him off.
Intimidate (moderate DC): you shout a bold threat that gives the scout pause.


Partial Success: You have caught some of the scouts, but others have returned safely to their home. You're not sure what it is the enemy now knows.

Success: All scouts have been caught, so your force's secrets are safe, for now.

Failure: The enemy has all the information it needs to dismantle your forces. It is time to come up with new plans and to prepare for the worst.