"You're right about the Picts," he replies to his companion.  "Something must be driving them."

Abudr takes a few moments to throw some fodder to the animals and then heads out of the barn.  "The animals were ignored.  I say we follow the Picts as quickly as possible."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:27, Wed 04 Nov 2020.

If you're ready to continue, do an appropriate check to pick up the trail again.

Abdur is unable to find the tracks in the darkness.


17:12, Today: Abdur Rahman rolled 3 using 1d20+2.  Survival (Track Feat).

Not being particularly interested in the barn animals Abbot has been busily searching for the trail.

20:23, Today: Abbot rolled 19 using 1d20.  Tracking.

Abbott picks up the group's trail leaving the small farm clearing and continuing to the west.

As the trail continues through the dense woods, it turns northwest slightly.

Abdur shook his head as the tracks were spotted. "We should proceed.  Whatever happened here is not our responsibility."

Chard nods silently in agreement. Time to move on.

Eventually, the party reaches the river. It runs to the northeast and southwest and is quite wide at this location. On the far riverbank, the forest resumes.

Chard has no skills in tracking, he turns to Abbot who found the most recent trail.

"Can you tell if they went up river, down river, or across?"

He eyes the wide flow. It will be difficult to cross.

Abdur cast about as the reached the river to see if he could spot the trail of the Picts and how they may have cross the river.


20:46, Today: Abdur Rahman rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Spot.

Abdur determines that this is not an ideal place to cross the river. He works his way up and down the river until he finds a decent place to ford, just a little to the north, finding sign of other foot traffic at that location. There, Abdur thinks, would be a better place to ford the Black River and continue west.

Abdur returns to the others.  "We should cross upriver just a bit.  There is a ford which is likely where the Picts crossed."  He leads the way and then wades across.

Abbot follows behind. He holds his weapon above his head as he wades after Abdur.

(I thought we had more than two players paying attention -- sorry to let this play out so long through Thanksgiving! I can proceed as long as there's still some interest.)

When Abdur gets to about hip deep at the fording of the river, he feels something move briskly past his lower body, disturbing the water.

Abdur is not a man of the water.  When he feels something brush against him he cries out and moves swiftly to the far shore!

Chard is holding his crossbow high to keep it out of the water when he sees Abdur begin to hurry. he tries to keep up with him, sensing that something is not right.

Abdur feels another swift motion near his lower body as he continues to move to the far shore.

Darakyn is unable to see what is causing Abdur to yelp and pick up his pace.

Stuck out in the middle of the river Abdur can only try to get across and out.

Abdur continues hustling across the river, walking through the flowing water -- and Darakyn tries to keep pace with him.

Darakyn also feels something move the water underneath the surface of the river near his body. Looking down at the river's water, he sees a long, undulating form in the water, moving.

The warrior draws his sword, ready to stab down at whatever it is. He also keeps moving towards the far bank.

The undulating form moves again, flashing underwater, and Darakyn feels a sudden sharp pain near the top of his thigh. What seems to be a large snake attempts to wrap itself around his legs and body, but is unable to find purchase.

18:20, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Snake bite.
18:23, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 6 using 1d3+4.  Snake bite damage.
18:24, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 5 using 1d3+4.  Snake grapple check.


Please roll initiative.

18:28, Today: Manann rolled 21 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

Chard stabs with his sword and keeps moving towards the bank


09:27, Today: Darakyn Chard rolled 18 using 1d20+6.  Initiative.
09:29, Today: Darakyn Chard rolled 10 using 1d20+4.  Attack snake with sword.

Further across the river than Darakyn as they cross, Abdur hears splashing as his comrade attempts to strike at something in the water with his sword. Either because of ill footing or the refraction of light, Darakyn's sword doesn't connect.

Abdur is up next in initiative order.

Abdur curses and slashes with his sword as well.


17:57, Today: Abdur Rahman rolled 12 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
17:57, Today: Abdur Rahman rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.

(In this game system, initiative is rolled once, at the start of a battle, so we'll keep Abdur's roll of 21:57, Sat 26 Dec 2020: Abdur Rahman rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.)

Abdur's slashing and splashing doesn't connect with anything under the water.

The roiling lengthy form under water surges again. Again, Darakyn feels a sharp pain in his leg below the water line. Again, what seems to be a large snake attempts to wrap itself around his legs and body, but is unable to find purchase.

14:29, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 16 using 1d20+5.  Snake bite.
14:29, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 6 using 1d3+4.  Snake bite damage.
14:32, Today: Secret Roll: Manann rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  Snake grapple check. You'll notice I misrolled this 12/21; it was in your favor so I left it as is.

Darakyn sags in the water, unconscious.