hiding will not allow the scout to move and it will cost hours, which have to be rested back. Sure, you could scout this way, but it would be very very slow. Hide for 16 hours, rest for 8 in a room to get the 16 back, then move.
there could be a modifier, the more hours an adventurer hides in a region, the most chance there is that they will appear in the region list of commoners.
