The drums of doom

[kabukiman]

Night is falling on Conajahara, the territory between the Black and Thunder Rivers. You have each come here for reasons of your own — the lure of gold, wanderlust, or the challenge of life at the edge of civilization — but for now you are serving as scouts out of Fort Tuscelan, sent out to roam the forests along the Black River, hunting game and investigating reports of bands of Picts sighted along the far shore.
The hunting is good in this area, but few civilized folk venture there, and even fewer return. It has been a long and tiring day, made all the more wearisome by the distant, ceaseless murmur of drums from within the dark western woods. To your northwest is Fort Tuscelan, a woefully understaffed Aquilonian outpost. Its purpose is to protect the settlers of the Westermarck — an Aquilonian colony located between the Black and Thunder Rivers — territory wrested from the clutches of the savage Picts who now lurk across the Black River, plotting their revenge.
Throughout the region are settlers who dwell here in defiance of the Picts, lone farmsteads and small crofts, and you have been charged to protect them and to look in on them while on your patrols. It is time now to begin the long journey back home, toward the relative safety of the Thunder River, but in the gathering gloom, as shadows deepen in the primal forest, the drums change their tempo, becoming more aggressive, louder, echoing from far beyond the Black River. Soon the staccato drum-beat is joined with howls, angry whoops and Pict war-songs, growing ever closer…

[kabukiman]

OOC:Your characters know each others but not very well. You can speak a little before we start the action.

[Mr. Handy]

Servius peers off into the darkness toward the sounds of the Picts, taking out his crossbow and checking that it's loaded. "I hope they're not going to cross the Black River," he mutters. "I can't spend my loot if I'm dead."

[aine]

Tuya also takes her bow and strings it. Then she takes the hood off her falcon and releases the bird into the air. “She’ll be safer up there if there’s any trouble and it sounds like there might be. But we can’t hold off a pack of Picts by ourselves, do you think we ought to retreat quickly?”

[Mr. Handy]

"Not a bad idea," says Servius. "Let's pack up the camp and head to the fort to warn them. After all, they can't pay us if the Picts catch them by surprise and wipe them out."

[aine]

Tuya smiles wryly and turns towards the direction of the fort. “I hope we get there in time, they sound mighty close.”

[kabukiman]

OOC: Please roll observation (don't forget any talent you may have).

[Mr. Handy]

Servius is alert as always.

OOC,I don't know how Talents work, but Sentry sounds like it would help. I'd like to use it if I can, but I don't know how. Observation roll (10 skill): [dice]0[/dice]

[kabukiman]

OOC. No, you cannot use it, because "You learned at a young age that the watchful eye subsists on little rest. So long as you have had a total of four hours of sleep within the last two days (either one four-hour stretch or multiple short rests), you suffer no penalties for sleep deprivation when making Observation tests."

[aine]

Observation,2/2/13 I have ‘sharp senses’ [dice]0[/dice]

Tuya scans the trees as they wind their way through them.

[kabukiman]

You notice some movement in a bush in your way. Very subtle and there is no wind... an animal maybe?

[Raiko]

Observation,I have awareness 13 and observation 2, so 15? I've forgotten the dice codes, so making separate rolls this time. [dice]0[/dice] [dice]1[/dice] Well so much for being observant lol!

Not noticing anything yet, Mouse begins quickly gathering up the camp.

ooc,Sorry, had a bit of a rubbish couple of weeks in real life, I've not been online enough to read this thread until today. Should be okay now and for the next few weeks, so I should be able to keep up with every game. :) I'll fill in my background, etc, asap. I'll also generate myself a full character sheet.

[kabukiman]

Raiko,no problem,the others have spoted something...

[aine]

Tuya holds up her hand in true hunter style and points towards the bush. She points her bow towards the bush.

[Mr. Handy]

Servius also has his crossbow pointed at the bush.

[kabukiman]

The movement seems to stop... and suddenly a group of 9 picts jumps from the bush, eyes full of fury and screaming!
Please,roll your bows/crossbow to see if you hit.

[aine]

Bow,1/1/11 0 I think that’s a miss

Tuya lets fly at the nearest scowling frenzy.

[Mr. Handy]

Servius lets fly his bolt, immediately slinging his crossbow on his back and readying his sword and shield without waiting to see whether he hit or not - which he does.

OOC,Ranged Weapons roll (12 skill): 0

[kabukiman]

Mr: Handy: roll 3d6.
And your team has now 1 momentum.

[Mr. Handy]

Servius's bolt does moderate damage to its target.

OOC,Crossbow bolt damage: 0