Sometimes the dice just say no! :P But make the Investigation roll too; I'll fold it all into the first leg of the journey, searching for the cadets.

Oh, and Plaids! I noticed in your post you mentioned 5 cadets; I think that was bad communication on my part. 5 cadets went AWOL; 1 returned back to Theramore and collapsed after reporting their ill-fated escapade, and 1 you've recovered from the swamp hermit's hut. So there's 3 out there unaccounted for.