Bo cautiously fades back into cover and begins to retrace his steps. When he gets back to his point of landing on Misr Island, he notes the westering of the sun, realizing that he has less than an hour before it sets and perhaps an hour of twilight after that. He slips back into the marsh, making for the western islet in the marsh..
This message was last edited by the player at 19:54, Fri 06 Oct 2017.

While Tommy followed the path that Walter discovered to the best of his ability, what he may not have reckoned with was the difference in height between the two men. At its deepest, Walter could have gotten by with his feet still on the ground, even just the tips of his toes with only his face outside the water. Tommy had no such luxury. He managed to find a small perch to pull himself upon part way through his passage.

---

Tommy, give me another Swimming Roll. If you fail that too, give me a CON x 5 roll.

Walter submerged himself in frigid water and has been wandering around in the cold. Please also give me a CON x 5 roll as well 

'Bo' Brandon rolled 66 for 5×CON 80

11:56, Today: Thomas Cotton rolled 34 using 1d100 with rolls of 34.  Con vs 70.
11:55, Today: Thomas Cotton rolled 92 using 1d100 with rolls of 92.  Swimming vs 25.

EDIT - if Tommy now sees Walter coming back, that would likely stop him from submerging deeper till we have rendezvoused? I'm not sure where we are in time lines together...but also conscious if the other party are ready, it might be better for us all to regroup rather than Tommy going off on his own tangent.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:40, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

Soaked to the core and having gulped down more than a few mouthfuls of disgusting and frigid marsh water, Tommy pulled himself to a piece of solid ground in the middle before making another equally ill advised attempt at continuing his swim despite his lack of skill. The result was much the same, but he was now on the shore of the island, catching his breath and shivering from the cold.

---

Walter: To be clear, you're not returning to where you came from, but making for a point west of the island - swimming across to another piece of land here?
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:12, Thu 12 Oct 2017.

No, Walter is retracing his route from Misr Island to the island to the west. Then he will go from the south of that bit to the mainland.

Sorry, I didn't realize he had initially swum that far out on his original route. Would Tommy have seen him swimming that way? If so, that would also be the direction where Tommy was heading. This is getting complicated lol.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 64):

Yes. Waded across the marsh to the west island, across the island to its eastern shoreline and swam across the narrowest stretch to Misr Island.
Now back the same way. Currently on the west island.

Tommy heaved himself out of the swamp and sank to the thick grass to rest and think for a moment. He felt a chill as the black water dripped from his clothing and rubbing his hands together for warmth he surveyed his surroundings.
Bo had crossed near here, but swept North West. To the East the bridge and its lurking guard building waited. But Bo hadn't come back, which meant he was still surveying the island, or worse...
He didn't want to think about the other eventualities. Why the hell had Bo gone alone? It seemed such a foolish move.

Somehow ignoring the fact he was now alone himself, the reporter reached to check the gun, before lifting himself to a low crouch.
Bo and the house were probably to the North. There wasn't much time to lose.

Reaching solid and safer ground, Bo creeps through the grass and bracken along the margin of the island into the cover of the woods. At a quick walk, he heads southwest until he comes to the edge of the water again.

Sighting from the bridge to the tall dead tree, Bo cannot see Tommy where he was stationed. He nods approvingly: "Good use of cover, Tom," he murmurs.

Glancing at the fat orange ball starting to dip behind the treeline, reluctantly, he takes a deep breath and slips once more into the cold water.

OOC:

Walter, give me a Swimming check, and then a CON x 5.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 68):

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 90 for Swim 25 38 for 5×CON 80.

OOC:

He struggles, but makes it back, though probably has taken in some gulps of that murky marsh water.

murky marshwater, breakfast of champions

Bo studies the ground as well as he can in the dwindling light, looking for signs of struggle.

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 13 for Track 55.

Bo can see that Tommy's footsteps lead into the water, but can detect no signs of a struggle.

Bo looks out across the marsh, hoping to see Tommy close enough to follow.

Why couldn't the kid just...

The darkness is falling too quickly for there to be any profit in going after him.

Good luck, Tom.

In the last of the daylight, he climbs the dike and heads for where he left Vincent, hoping he at least had enough sense to stay put.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:22, Mon 23 Oct 2017.

Bo finds Vincent waiting right where he left him.

Walter comes slowly up on Vincent, making enough noise not to startle his friend.

"Hey, Vince, Tommy with you?" he calls quietly, a hopeful note in his voice.

Hearing Bo’s approach, Moretti dropped the cigarette he had been smoking to the ground, crushing it with his heel. Exhaling the last of the smoke, he shook his head. ”I’m sorry, Bo. I haven’t seen him. And I’ve remained at this spot since I got here.”

He frowned, glancing down the road. ”You don’t think he’s gone and done something crazy, do you? The kid’s plenty brave, but he’s definitely not foolish.”

"I went on recce to Misr Island and left him at the dike to wait for me to come back. I got back and he wasn't there. I think he decided to follow me, but I don't know how long ago. I didn't see any sign of him as I was backtracking.

"No hope finding him before it gets dark and no way to find him in the dark. He has Stan's .38."

Bo looks up and down the road.

"Any activity here?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:08, Tue 24 Oct 2017.

Moretti slid his hands into the pockets of his long coat. "Mannaggia," he muttered as he stared down the road. What the hell had Tommy been thinking? For a moment, he toyed with the idea of trying to track down the reporter, suddenly worried that his friend could have discovered by the Brotherhood. He quickly dismissed the idea, certain that hunting Tommy alone would only lead to his own demise. The thought of dying, in itself, didn't cause him concern. But if his death didn't achieve some valuable end for the Elias family, he recognized that it would be a waste, purely from a practical standpoint.

Refocusing on Bo, he shook his head. "Nothing," he answered, "No one coming or going. It's been quiet." He gestured toward the horizon. "That will probably change after dark."

”You're the expert here, fratello. If you don't think there's any chance of finding him, what do you think our next step should be?"

In reply to Vincent Moretti (msg # 78):

Bo shakes his head: "With night coming on there's no chance we'd find him. I just hope no one else does and he makes it off that island safely."

Briefly, as they're stowing vince's shotgun and getting the car turned around, he tells Vince what he found, especially the obelisk with its manacles.

"Gave me the creeps.

"They could have their sacrifices already locked in a cellar or maybe they'll get here after dark. I didn't see any sign of a truck or a place to hide it.

"We better get back to get Leo's news. Maybe Tommy'll turn up."

Moretti looked over his shoulder at the retreating silhouette of the Misr House, his memory evoking images of the strange discoveries he, Tommy, and Rosalie had made in the basement of the Penhew Foundation. He could only begin to imagine what Gavigan’s private residence might contain.

His brow still creased with concern over Cotton, he nodded slowly as Bo began the drive back to Harwich. “You’re right. We need to find out if Leo and Rosalie had any luck with Barrington. Based on that, we can decide what our next move should be. Midnight will be here before we know it.”

He settled back into his seat and sighed, hoping that the cleverness he’d seen Cotton display would keep the reporter out of the clutches of the Brotherhood.

In reply to Vincent Moretti (msg # 80):

"I sure hope they're bringing the cavalry."

Walter parks the car on the street not far from the entrance to the inn. He goes inside.