[[Jake, I refund your blue, handwave another bullet into your stash and give you the option to change that action, since Jake should have realised from his last try that normal bullets just bounce off the thing.

I realise all the gun trappings on arcane attacks 'round here may have confused the issue; if Jake is confused IC and you choose to keep his action as just doing the cop-pointlessly-shooting-zombie thing you'll get an RP chip, but on the other hand, this may be Jake's best chance to zap it if he can manage 16 damage or better, or to run over to where Marina got blasted and try to find the prayer strip (Notice -1 as it's actually in your Pace and a pale thing near the light from the kitchen).]]

The jiang shi's claws twitch, but otherwise there's no reaction.

OOC: Oops .. the player TOTALLY missed that :\

I'll take the do over :)

---

Jake levels his pistol on the creature and send part of himself into the not so happy Hunting ground for mystical fuel. The brief instant feels like an eternity as snakes and ravens fill the poor fool's vision but some how he wrestled the energy needed to unleash more mystical might upon the jiang shi .. unfortunately it isn't enough.

Not one to wait for the trouble he knew was coming, Jake moved away from his current location towards anything that might provide something resembling cover.

OOC:
17:11, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 5,8 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8. Spellcasting (Bolt 3d6 - 2pp).
Deal with the devil
17:13, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the 10 cards: 8S, 8H, 5S, 6D, RJ!, 3H, 4D, 8D, 7C, AD using a deck of 54 cards. Deal with the Devil (2pp).
Trip-8s are good enough for 5 pps so that works
17:15, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 9,2 using 3d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2,4,2. Damage (Bolt, Raise).
But not enough damage ... ugh!
09:59, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 4D using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative .

[[Less of a fail than you thought because I'm dim, but aye...11 -2 is 9, which won't faze Jingles right now...Jake can hide behind the remnants of the clock, or nip into the dining room/one of the stair cupboards for cover, or squish under his little table again.

Over in the kitchen, O'Rourke spent his action saving Al's life from Percy's shot:

Father William O'Rourke, rolled 2,7 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+3)9. Holy healing, Batman! Chipped to bring that up to 9 and he's A-OK.]]

The jiang shi is briefly illuminated by the flash of Jake's witchery, black eyes wet and lifelike in its dead face.

There's a distant clatter and a {SLAM!} from beyond the kitchen.

From upstairs comes a sudden cawwing of little crow-things.
"Oh dear." Widow Bradshaw says. "The crows say we have visitors."


[[Initiative!
Marina - AH
O'Rourke - KS
Dust Adders - 10D
William - 8H
Evans - 8H
Alouette - 7D
Tao Jing - 5D
Abbie - 2D
Adrian - 2H
Liz - On Hold]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:23, Sat 16 Aug 2014.

"Wonderful! Fantastic!" Evans grumbles at the news. "And tyhey're right in her path...Can your crows warn them about the vampire queen about to run their way?"

((OOC: 08:55, Today: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 8H using the Deadlands system.

sorry about that))

"...yes. I don't think they'd invite someone in unless he could hear them...birdies! Go tell our guests to avoid any pretty ladies running out of the kitchen door, would you?"

There's a presumably-assentive racket from upstairs,  then a quiet.

The folk in the kitchen still seem to be alive, at least - the priest says something quietly, then there are more running steps and low voices. Dave drags himself up, leaving the fight he can't see to limp into the kitchen and join in what's going on in there.

[[Father William O'Rourke rolled 9,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,4. Holy bullets, Batman! Percy has 12 rounds of +4 Smite (lucky fellow)

He runs after Marina with it, but hasn't reached the carriage house door yet.
Percy Bradshaw rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. running! ->7 with his current Pace of 5. Dave goes in to help and Al is still being surprised he's alive, so he doesn't do much.

William, go!]]

"If they're in the carriage house, they're either dead or belong to Marina. Or both." William remarks grimly.
"Vega! Can you handle the Oriental?"

He gives Vega a second to reply, then rushes forward towards Percy and the Carriage house.

"Stay here, you bloody fool!" he hisses after the boy.

Running, assuming I need it:
20:56, Today: William Pierce rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Running.

20:56, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 7S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

[[Since getting into the kitchen from his previous position above Adrian on the stairs would require vaulting the bannister, please give me an Agility roll vs. falling injury.

9 squares will put you a little in front of Dave in the kitchen. I'll PM you details, as the rest can't see in there yet. William'll also be tormented by the smell of pee, since he just booked it through the bucket contents spilt by Marina back when Jake blasted her. At least he's jiangshi proof now?]]

Pierce dramatically skids into the kitchen whilst Jingles twitches on the floor. The others hear a cheerful "Howdy, Names William Pierce!" as the man vanishes from view.



[[Evans, go!]]

23:56, Today: William Pierce rolled 1,11 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+5)11. Agility.

How far away am I from Percy?

[[William makes the jump easily and looks cool doing it.

I'd say about 6 squares, but round a little bit of a corner. Oh gods...does William think he's a vampire since he got taken by Marina? Or was he just going to shoot him anyway? ]]

Why does everybody always assume, I'm a mindless sociopathic killer? I'm a reformed killer! I want to safe the boy. Our use him as a shield, whichever is more practical.

((OOC: It's probably your charming and pleasant demeanor, William. That or every third comment from you is "I'm gonna kill something."

I have no idea what to do...))

With the jain shi momentarily distracted, Evans scoops up his Aetheric Disturbance Indicator. He fiddled with the dials, hoping to locate anything that would make the readings look strange. After all, if mirrors have some sort of repellent quality to Aetherically active creatures, perhaps there might be something he could catch in his readouts. Or perhaps he could at least find the prayer strip.

((OOC: Evans has no notice, so just looking for things isn't going to do him any good. but perhaps SCIENCE! can save the day!

13:53, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 7,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Weird Science.))

Setting the gadget to detect things less active than the jiang shi helps pinpoint that weak signal lying just outside the slot of light from the kitchen, though there's still too much 'noise' to pick up the background flow of aetheric potential of the room. The area near the kitchen door (which the jiang shi has been avoiding, despite a wounded and not-entirely-quiet Dave just lying there in easy pouncing-range) has a much smoother signal, however.

By the smell of things, and to judge by that clanging noise earlier, it seems whoever stole the bucket of virgin's urine dropped it.

[[So if Evans wants to jump over the jiang shi before Jingles unshakes and go get the prayer strip, he can always stand in the pee to avoid getting et on Jingles' turn.]]

"I'll get him," he told Piece, confident that he could tangle with the undead Chinaman. At least, he was probably the least susceptible to this kinda thing, already being dead himself. Didn't seem likely he could catch the infection, upon further reflection.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Mon 18 Aug 2014.

"Good grief." Evans says, and looks around for the small aetheric signal. With the monster still reeling from slamming itself into the banister, Evans decided to make a calculated risk and bolt down the stairs towards the weak signal.

((OOC: So that's action and movement...that will be my turn. What do I see now?

10:08, Today: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 2S using the Deadlands system.))

...ping...ping...

Decending into the foyer and making rapidly for the light, Evans detects the signal nearby. Casting about, the prayer strip is likely the pale object to his left.

[[It's reachable, should he lean thattaway. Of course, he's now holding the jiang shi-bait, too...]]

From here, Evans can see into the kitchen. Everyone seems to be looking towards the little corridor leading towards the back door, at least until Alouette patters over with a "Howdy, Ambrose!"

[[since there was another Joker drawn in the interim, Alouette is not currently all that useful, but goes on Hold to see what's up...]]

Meanwhile, the hopping corpse stiffly arises and starts chasing the Aetheric Disturbance Indicator, which is apparently more interesting than the silent Jake. Evans can hear the thing coming up behind him with a steady *thump* *thump* *thump*.


[[Tao Jing rolled 6,4 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. unshake jiangshi. Unshaken, no raise.

Tao Jing rolled 3 using 1d4, rerolling max with rolls of 3. hop  hop hophophop. 3! 3 squares of movement! Brisk walking pace, Evans: it's your only hope!]]

Abigail Bruebaker moves out of Evans' sight a little more cautiously than William did, wooden sword at the ready.

[[Abbie just moves up behind William, in case she can help/guard the rear.

Adrian, go! ...and remember, Widow Bradshaw or Alouette are on Hold but can be instructed to help. Also the coming round is the last one of Jingles' Toughness buff...]]

"Deputy Alouette!" Evans says with a sudden wild glint in his eye. He points to the oncoming jaing shi. "Please detain Mr. Toe Jingles--he is under arrest for assault with a deadly virus, attacking officers of the peace, and eating souls!"

"Mrs. Bradshaw, I'm gonna weaken 'im up. If you could try and do harm to him, I'd be much obliged," he said, pulling carefully but easily on the ethereal energy from the nether, focusing it on the undead Celestial.

"Full House, Jingles. Too bad for you," he said, staring down the man. He put himself bodily in between the jiang shi and the woman, though, so that Jingles would have to go through him to harm her.

---

OOC:

• Attempting a Hex to Lower Trait
• Deal with the Devil: Full House (9H, 9D, 9S, JD, JH); The spell goes off with an automatic raise and double duration.
• As a result, Jingles' Vigor should be lowered by two steps for six rounds

16:00, Today: Adrian Vega drew the 11 cards: AC, 9H, JD, 8S, 9D, 2S, 3C, 5D, 10D, 9S, JH using the Deadlands system.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:16, Mon 18 Aug 2014.

"Okay!" the clank chirps, and heads for the jiang shi with its hickory stick.

"Hmm..." Widow Bradshaw says, hands unconsciously making anxious washing motions. "All right..."

"Witchcraft!" Alouette exclaims, as Adrian subdues ambient chi levels, pulling in power. It then stops and looks about as the shadows thicken even further, drawing cries of surprise from the kitchen as the lights dim there as well. "...plus plus witchcraft."

"...in nomine Adumbratae, in nomine nebulis...per ligna et lapidis, per cruces et circulis..." Widow Bradshaw mutters, sweat pulling forth from her brow. A blacker dark masses at the foot of the stairs, like a dropped inkblot in reverse; there's a smell of hot metal and beast, sand and stallion sweat.

[[...]]

Something hits the bannister beside Adrian with the controlled weight of a sledgehammer: it takes him a fair bit of squinting in this dark to identify it as a massive cloven hoof, then to realise some great neck is arced above him, putting the creature's head on a level with the woman's. The thing reeks of animal masculinity; Adrian can feel the heat of it from where he's stood, just about make out the gleam of close-haired hide - or is it scale? - and the black lash of a tail, out in the dark. Long strands of warm, rough hair touch his face.

{{ {*SNORT*} }}

The jiang shi pauses. Behind the suddenly dead-still corpse, the darkness drops to all fours, tosses its head and then dances forwards. Grace outlines its movement despite its weight as the forehooves meet the floor, pushing its head forward towards the jiang shi like the fore of a locomotive.

Tao Jing's corpse is taken off its feet. Something like a spear shears the air an arm's length from Evans' shoulder, lifting the undead and throwing it hard against the stairs. The Beast rears like a coil of smoke, bringing both mighty forehooves down on the jiang shi's head.

<*crunch*>

The dark thing stomps twice more, then dissipates, its darkness lifting like so much mist. The clank patters over to the decidedly flattened remains of Tao Jing.

"Mister Toe Jingles, you are under arrest for assault with a deadly vires, attacking officers of the peace, and eating souls, which is Terrible," it informs the jiangshi-pancake, then pokes it with the hickory stick for good measure.

[[Y'all are gonna hate me for this...
Rolls, including a great deal of approximation and some blatant making-up because I couldn't find the godsdamn table:

The Widow Bradshaw rolled 1,6 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+1)7. Abracadabra! Boo.
The Widow Bradshaw rolled 6,2 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3. white chippit. That's more like it.

*much searching later, cannot find the %^*@# table* All right, d6 to determine what kind of snaky thing gets summoned. On a 1, everything is spiders, and a 6 summons a frikkin' karkadann.
The Widow Bradshaw rolled 8 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8. spirit! ...

The spirit rolled 2 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 2. spirit!
The Widow Bradshaw rolled 1,4 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. spirit! She wins the Test o' Will and mentally instructs it to 'damage the jiang shi', 'cause that's the only way she can short of going down there and punching it herself...

A Summoned Spirit rolled 6 using d8 rerolling max with rolls of 6. fightin'. Not quite...
A Summoned Spirit rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. red chippit. -> 11. Hit and Raise.

A Summoned Spirit rolled 5,3 using d12+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Base damage.
A Summoned Spirit rolled 3 using 1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Raise die, Champion. -> 11 damage, which is pretty rubbish, but thanks to Adrian's Toughness-lowering, it's enough to down the jiang shi. Its task completed, the spirit leaves. Y'all get your (feeble) light sources back.

Goodnight Jingles, you were a good sport.

Initiative! not sure we need it, but hey.


Marina - KS
Hank - KS
Widow Bradshaw - QD
John Wesley Hardin - QS
Milburn (if Sarah doesn't get him already) - 10C
Abbie - 10H
Dust Adders - 7D
William - 7S
Jake - 4D
Sister Sarah - 3S
O'Rourke - 3D
Adrian - 3H
Alouette - 3H
Evans - 2S  ]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:53, Tue 19 Aug 2014.

"Damn, that was a good trick, woman...Mrs. Bradshaw, I mean," he said, suitably impressed.

OOC:

Initiative: 3H

08:52, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 3H using the Deadlands system.

"I think I met that one in my dreams, once..." Mrs. Bradshaw muses, then shakes out of it and hastens down the stairs in search of her son, gathering her petticoats to make sure they don't brush into anything nasty.

"Tally ho, gentlemen!"

---

In the kitchen, confusion mostly reigns. William takes little heed of it as he barrels through and into the laundry room, noting only that Abbie Bruebaker has jogged up to guard them from behind with that broomhandle sword. There's one hell of a thunderclap, immediately followed by a muted crash-clatter of wood and metal.

Before him, Percy tears open the carriage house door and stops dead, rifle raised.
"Where did she go?!" he demands of the person - people - outside, halted in confusion.


[[William, go! Though actually, please go on the Two Fools... thread, as you're getting involved there more than in the kitchen.

The threshold's not giving you trouble - seems once invited, you're set.]]

Though not much can be seen in the gloom, the place looks rather less reputable than previously.

[[post got et somewhere...I don't think there's any way for Jake to affect what Sarah's doing though he was technically first - Jake, go!]]

"Wish we could find that damn prayer strip," he said.

"The woman who took the prayer strip and piss bucket went into the kitchen..." Jake said to no one particular. He took the quiet moment to reload his pistol then relocate closer to the kitchen.

OOC: reload and move to another place of hiding - closer to the kitchen if possible

[[by the sounds Jake would've noticed throughout the fight, the lady also ran out of the kitchen...he can still set the clock up again and hide behind it or sneak over to the stairs/dining room doorway and take cover there if he likes, though those're further away.]]

Alert for trouble, Jake hears what might be the priest's steps in the kitchen.

[[Gimmie a Notice - there's a thing to hear here.]]