In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 875):

Cole, increasingly annoyed that his assailant is stubbornly refusing to die, fires again. In the back of his mind, he realizes his gun is now empty.

Free Action: None
Move Action: None
Attack Action:10+4AP=14 (Rolled a 1)

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 875):

Travis continues reloading.

Cole Trayne discharges the last bullet in his Colt — or, as it happens, he attempts to discharge the round but the aging hogleg misfires and jams. The wrangler can feel it happen; the cylinder fails to rotate as designed, with the bullet now jamming the firearm. Cole had known it was his last ball, expecting that his gun would be emptied with this shot, but in fact the one bullet remains and makes matters worse. Reloading is next to impossible now — the weapon will require some degree of repair, possibly while set in a vise on a gunsmith’s workbench. The only positive thought to cross Trayne’s mind is when he registers the fact that the boo how doy has swung his hatchet twice during this time, missing wildly twice again.

ENS Ringgenberg turns to fire into the melee between Cole and the highbinder, firing the borrowed Schofield. His bullet sails wide to his left, missing both his target and (fortunately, he thinks), the wrangler as well. Out of the corner of his eye, the professor sees Jake moving to the east. ENS recognizes that the hogleg is nearly out of ammunition.

Jake Richardson moves deliberately to the east, looking to position himself in a spot where he could negate the cover being enjoyed by the Celestial who had fired upon him a couple of times. The rifleman achieves his position, even while the highbinder himself slides roughly five-feet to his right, still kneeling, to ensure his cover remains intact. Knowing this might happen, Richardson levels his carbine and discharges the final two rounds from his recently replaced cartridge, plugging the highbinder square in the arm with the first shot — no graze to be sure — and striking the top of the podium with the second shot. For a moment, he thinks the ball may have ricocheted and hit the highbinder, but the Texan supposes that is merely wishful thinking. The highbinder manages to stay in the battle, aiming his revolver at the rifleman and shooting twice. To Jake’s surprise, he feels no punch from either of the shots, both of them zipping over his head.

James Beauregard squeezes of the final shot from his Spencer, missing as the highbinder continues to feint and swing in close melee combat. In fact, this boo how doy connects twice with the poisoned edge, the second hit strike coming as the lawman drops the carbine and pulls his sidearm. JEB’s hogleg is now at the ready, but he feels the sting of yet more poison … not to mention cuts to his left leg and the muscles in his back.

Travis Sunday and Artemus Carson remain intent on their chosen tasks — continuing to reload weapons in what feels like slow-motion as their pards remain engaged with the boo how doy near the podium.

OOC: Another round of actions.
JEB was hit twice, for 12 points total. He must make another Fort save vs poison (-2)
Jake knows that the highbinder has maintained cover by moving, slightly.
Cole's misfire caused a "jam" as rolled by the Judge. The jam can be cleared with either a Repair or Dexterity check, but it will take 4 full-round actions -- before any reloading could occur.
Conversation is still not viable within the cavern at this time.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

~Time to reload,~ Jake thought to himself. Using a smooth, well-practiced motion, the Texan pulled a pre-loaded magazine from a pocket of his duster and swapped it out for the empty.

Once the fresh magazine was in place, Jake sighted on the heathen who was engaged in a shoot-out with him, and fired a round at his foe. However, he did not have any confidence that he had hit the man, who had recently moved so that he was again behind cover.

OOC:

(Converted) Move Action: Insert a pre-loaded magazine in Jake's carbine.

Attack Action: 19:07, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 18 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 6. Ranged Attack (Spencer Carbine).

Pffft -- not gonna bother to roll Damage.

Note: Jake has six rounds remaining in the current magazine.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

Travis finishes his work as quickly as it had begun.  The last cylinder clicks into place.  He gives it a customary spin as it moves into his holster.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

JEB feels the all too familiar sting of a poison blade, but remains in close quarters combat nonetheless.
For all their high talk of honor, these celestials fight in cowardly fashion.

Free: none
Move: position for optimal shot
Combat: attack s&w 26; damage 7
Fort Save 15+5 AP=20

OOC: updated Fort Save modifiers
This message was last edited by the player at 03:14, Thu 16 Nov 2017.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

A look of utter disgust appears on the Wrangler's face when he realizes his gun failed him in such a spectacular fashion.

Free Action: Drop the useless weapon and draw one of his two knives
Move Action: Attempt to position himself so that his attacker will have to expose his back to ENS in order to attack.
Attack Action: 16+3AP=19, Damage=3

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

Cursing his inexperience, ENS takes another shot at the BHD troubling Cole.

Free action: none
Move action: none
Attack action: shoot at BHD

07:29, Today: E.N.S. Ringgenberg rolled 9 using 1d20+7.  Attack w/Schofield, point blank.

OOC: Back to crap rolls... not even worth an AP try! ENS has 2 shots left with the Schofield.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 882):

Art continues to reload:
Art's left hand drops the spent cylinder into his pocket while cupping the revolver in his right. His fore and middle fingers drive the pin home.

Free action: maintain situational awareness.

Travis Sunday completes the reload of the second Starr. Once more, out of the corner of his eye his sees the open hatch above the ladder. Straight ahead, not ten feet away, is Artemus Carson who pushes in the pin on his Colt, completing his reload as well. And further into the cavern, some 50 or so feet away, their pards stand in battle against a few of the boo how doy. From the edge of the wooden wall, Artemus sees no immediately visible targets, unless he and gunslinger choose to fire into the melee involving Cole, ENS and JEB. Or to attempt to fire past Jake, at the highbinder who kneels behind the cover of the platform even farther away. Because of the wooden wall, Travis has lines of sight to Jake, and ENS but not the other men.

Trayne drops his Colt, shifts his position slightly and draws a knife. The wrangler had picked up one of the enemy’s hatchets; he continues to grip it in his weak hand even while drawing the more familiar knife.

Richardson stays in place, reloading.

Beauregard’s opponent swings his hatchet again, as the tough-as-iron lawman resists the poison yet agin. The highbinder misses, giving JEB a decent shot with his hogleg. The bullets rips through the Celestials black garment clearly biting into flesh— on the underside of the man’s arm, JEB reckons. As if death were something to welcome, the injured highbinder continues swing the hatchet, missing a second time this round, after striking the lawman twice a matter of seconds ago.

ENS fires another round from his Schofield. He misses, as the boo how doy lunges at Trayne and swipes furiously with the hatchet, to no avail. The wrangler sees an opportunity to stab with the knife and feels solid contact, albeit for minimal damage, he reckons. ENS wants to help his pard; he sees Cole attempting to maneuver, but so far the professor’s attempts to fire into the melee have proven difficult.

Richardson, with his preparation and expertise with the Spencer, completes the reload, having not moved a single inch. Unfortunately, as he had done so, his opponent had fired another bullet from his smoke wagon. This one burns flesh in the rifleman’s left leg — if it were the first graze in a battle, Jake would have shrugged it off, but this Celestial had bothered him with several shots already — the Texan hadn’t fully recovered from wounds of the previous 48 hours and this one burned a mite. Nothing fatal, he thinks, sighting the Celestial behind the platform and squeezing of the first of his new load, but missing again thanks to the Chinaman’s cover. Jake sees the boo how doy beginning to reload his own weapon.

OOC: Another round of combat please.
Jake took 4 dmg from the Schofield.
JEB has to make ANOTHER Fort save, for the secondary effects of the first poison damage he took, 10 rounds ago.
(Other players who had to make poison saves will need to make secondary rolls in upcoming rounds.)
ENS is firing into melee in Cole. Meanwhile, Cole is attempting to provide a flanking position. That’s a tricky situation. Just the Judge’s musings, pards.
Art realizes he is probably in the way of Travis, as far as good lines of sight are concerned. And as stated in the narrative, lines of sight for any enemies involve firing into melee, or to opponents with cover.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:11, Thu 16 Nov 2017.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

Travis would like to investigate the ladder up, but hearing combat continue he pulls his long arm and returns to the cavern to help tidy things up.

Make Way Art.  The words are spoken matter-of-factly but the tone is that of a command.

Free Action: Speak

Move Action 1: Draw Spencer

Move Action 2: Move 30 feet north into the cavern.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

Art notices the wooden wall and wonders what the point is... what does it contain?

Free Action: Now rising from his crouch - his left hand partially extended to his left side, fingers splayed; in his right he levels the Colt as thumb draws the hammer.
Move Action: Press against the wooden wall to make way for Travis, Art moves to see what is behind it.
Attack Action: None.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

JEB fires another round from his Smith & Wesson at the Chinese hatchet man, certain his aim was good again.

Free: none
Move: maneuver for optimal position in close range pistol attack
Combat: attack s&w 27; damage 6
Fort Save 11+5 AP = 16

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

Cole continues to press his attack, in the same manner as before. Clearly the wrangler is trying to force his opponent into nothing but bad choices. Attack without regard to defending himself from a rear attack or protect against ENS but compromise his attack on the wrangler.

Free Action: None
Move Action: Position himself to give the professor an easy attack angle.
Attack Action: To Hit: 20, Damage: 3

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

"Dammit!" Jake muttered under his breath as he felt the burn of another bullet as it grazed his leg. Luckily the heathen hadn't managed to plug him square in the midsection -- at least, not yet -- and the Texan intended to put the bastard down before he did so.

The rifleman stepped forward about 20 feet so that he was even with the back of the podium that the heathen had been using for cover, hoping for a clear shot at the man. Once he was in position, Jake sighted down the barrel and fired a round, only to curse again (louder this time) -- "Waal, shitfire!" --when the hammer thudded down on a dud.


OOC:

Free Actions: Curse (twice).

Move Action: Jake will move 10 feet to the northeast, then 10 feet to the north, so that he ends up in the same row of squares on the map where the BHD who has been shooting at him is located.

Attack Action: 19:31, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 13 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 1. Ranged Attack (Spencer Carbine).

19:34, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 14 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 2. Concentration Check (Misfire): DC 15.

19:36, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 5 using 2d6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 2,5. Action Point.

Total for Concentration Check: 19.

Notes: Waal shitfire, indeed. Jake has five rounds left in this magazine.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 889):

For ENS:

"Dang!" Disappointed he missed and seeing Cole's gun malfunction, ENS steadies his hands and fires again at the BHD attacking Cole.

Free action: none
Move action: none
Attack action: shoot at BHD

21:13, Today: Artemus Carson rolled 20 using 1d20+7.  Art for ENS: Attack w/ Attack w/Schofield.

OOC: Profanity redacted.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:54, Mon 07 May 2018.

Travis Sunday issues an order; Art Carson hears it and makes way, pressing his back against the wooden wall and allowing the gunslinger to stride out into the cavern. Sunday sees the battle before him now. Jake moving and firing at highbinder behind the dais. The wrangler engaged with another of the boo how doy, with the easterner firing his sidearm into the fray. JEB with his back to the cavern wall, discharging his hogleg and defending against a hatchet swinging foe.

It is odd, thinks Travis, all of this is plain to see and yet I can hear none of it.

Likewise, Artemus hears nothing as he turns to where Travis had been standing, and then peers around the wooden wall. He stands between the fallen enemies, seeing some crates and boxes against this side of the wooden wall as well as against the opposite cavern wall. He follows the boxes until he sees a set of ladder rungs set into the cavern wall, in the far corner. Art’s eyes go up the ladder to an open hatch in the wall.

Jake Richardson goes on the move, attempting to place himself in a better position for firing at the highbinder with the Schofield. The opponent stays in a kneeling position, finishing his reload. Jake stops, sighting the boo how doy without the nuisance of his previous cover; alas, the bullet sails wide. The Chinese warrior stands full to his feet, loaded Smith & Wesson at the ready.

James Beauregard endures the swings from his opponent’s hatchet, somehow managing to resist the effects of several poison-laden nicks and cuts. But the hatchet wounds begin to add up. He fires his own Schofield after avoiding the highbinder’s first swing, hitting the man’s side and disappearing into the folds of his robe. JEB is sure the wounds are adding up for his opponent, even as he feels yet another cut by the Celestial’s weapon.

Cole Trayne attempts to maneuver while pressing his attack against his opponent. The highbinder himself obliges, moving with Trayne and remaining engaged in combat. The Celestial swipes successfully, striking Cole’s left arm forcefully. He nearly drops the hatchet he is holding but the blow doesn’t stop the wrangler from sticking the warrior yet again near the ribs; Cole feels some stickiness on the knife now that he has cut the boo how doy a few times. Nonetheless, the highbinder fights on, not even dissuaded by the professor’s bullet, which rips into the Celestials right leg and draws a stream of blood. ENS had leveled the borrowed revolver, discharging his penultimate round and feeling fortunate to hit the highbinder rather than the wrangler.

OOC: Another round of combat actions.
JEB was hit for 4 points (the Judge made a mistake on the roll, but recorded the first die for 1d6+1, totaling 4).
Cole was hit for 7 points of damage.
Neither man needs to make a Fort save because they had already suffered the effects of the poison from the same hatchets.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

Tempted though he is by the beckoning ladder, Art turns and follows the gunslinger but further to the right; his intention is to get a better angle on his targets where his pards aren't in the line of fire.

Free Action: none
Move Action: <see above>
Attack Action: Colt at the ready, looking for bullet fodder.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

ENS keeps steady and spends that last Schofield bullet on the BHD.

Free action: none
Move action: none
Attack action: shoot at BHD

13:29, Today: E.N.S. Ringgenberg rolled 10 using 1d20+7.  Attack w/Schofield, point blank.

OOC: Sheesh! I should have Art do all my rolls! Thanks for covering for me... sorry for the delay!

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

Cole continues to press his attack, while simultaneously moving strategically in the same manner as previously expressed.

Free Action: None
Move Action: As stated
Attack Action: Hit: 18, Damage: 4

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

JEB continues to press the attack, firing a third round into the hbd.

Free: none
Move: none
Combat: attack pistol 27; damage 8

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

Travis doesn't want to fire into the melee so he holds his position in case a target of opportunity presents itself.


Hold Action: Should a BHD present himself as a target without the need to fire into melee  Travis will fire.

Just in case.
Travis Sunday rolled 18 using 1d20+13.  Spencer Attack 1.
Travis Sunday rolled 7 using 2d10.  Spencer damage 1.

This message was last edited by the player at 13:28, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 896):

~Let's see if'n this bastard's got the sand to stand in and face me without slitherin' away~ Jake thought to himself as he ejected the dud cartridge and made ready to fire on the heathen who had been hitting the Texan with lead from his Schofield, and who was now only some 15 feet away.

The Texan fired twice in quick succession at the heathen. He felt confident about hitting the man with his first shot, but howled "God-dammit!" in rage as his Spencer's hammer clicked on another dud instead of cleanly firing the second round.

OOC:

Move Action: None.

Full Round Action: 12:13, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 30 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 18. Ranged Attack (Spencer Carbine).

12:17, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 18 using 2d10+1 with rolls of 8,9. Damage (Spencer Carbine, Point-Blank Shot).

12:14, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 8 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 1. 2nd Shot (Full Round Action).

12:16, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 26 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 14. Concentration Check (Misfire): DC 15.

Notes: Another misfire! Should have one solid hit, though. Jake has three rounds left in this magazine.

Edit: Edited for clarity, no substantive changes.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:34, Mon 20 Nov 2017.

The rifleman had discharged numerous bullets from his favored carbine over the last hour. Now, facing an enemy who fights with a sidearm — and who handles it with a seasoned manner — Jake feels a punch near his hip from another Schofield bullet, just before he squeezes off his first shot. Richardson’s ball strikes the man square in the left shoulder but he stands tall, taking only a short step backward. No use in further wondering whether the Celestial has the sand. Much like every one of the boo how doy Jake had faced — from the alleyways in Chinatown to the rocky point to this here deafening Tong cave — this highbinder showed no signs of backing down. Each man targets and pulls his weapon’s trigger a second time and both men experience a different kind of blow. The kind where the hammer clicks but the charge merely whispers.

The lawman continues to struggle with the hatchet-wielding highbinder. Despite plugging the warrior a few times, JEB has not been able to dispatch him. The boo how doy swings repeatedly, missing before Beauregard fires the Smith & Wesson again, directly into the Chinaman's gut. Somehow, the hatchetman fights on, even as the lawman can feel the stickiness of the man’s blood during the inevitable body contact during this close combat. The highbinder makes contact with the edge of his weapon, cutting into the lawman's left arm; not deeply, but cut after cut can wear a man down. Even a man as tough as Beauregard.

The wrangler, still gripping one of the Celestial’s hatchets with seemingly no intent to use it as anything other than a talisman, stabs with his knife at the highbinder. Consumed with vengeance, Cole has no idea whether his attempts to move have helped the professor’s aim. He knows that ENS has continued to fire but he has no time for assessing any results. In fact, a wave of energy runs from his head and down his spine as he sticks the highbinder with his blade — while his mind had barely registered the fact that his opponent had cut him again with the hatchet just a moment earlier. Now, as the professor steadies himself and discharges another round from the Schofield — which misses wildly and even gives Travis Sunday cause to dodge — time seems to slow for the space of two heartbeats. Trayne feels blood dripping along his left arm and onto the hatchet. He sees and feels the boo how doy fall into him and then slide to the cavern floor, lifeless or least near it.

The gunslinger stands in place, not wanting to fire into melee. Travis looks to where he saw movement behind Jake. It appears to be some kind of curtain drawn to a large rock wall, now that Sunday gives it his attention. There are no enemies in front of hit, but possibly behind it. The gunslinger involuntarily ducks as a bullet flies overhead, coming from the professor’s area. His attention drawn there, Travis witnesses Cole’s opponent’s fall.

The survivalist turns and moves deliberately into the main cavern, veering to the right of Travis and towards the tunnel to the east. While moving, Artemus reorients himself the battle, seeing JEB, Cole, and the professor engaged in combat just beyond Travis. And as he reaches a position parallel to Sunday, Carson sees the rifleman they call Jake engaged in a point-blank gunfight with a Celestial firing a pistol. The warrior has at least partial cover from the dais in the middle of the cavern.

OOC: Another round of combat.
The Judge made some flawed or repetitive rolls, but he was tracking each one as it happened and all adjudication is clear.
JEB was hit for 6 points and must make secondary save against poison from the shuriken 10 rounds ago
Cole was hit for 5 points.
Jake was hit for 7 points
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:36, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 903):

Jake grunted as more lead slammed into him, this time punching him in the hip. For a moment the Texan thought that his leg might buckle, but he locked his hip and stayed on his feet. He could see enough through the roiling gun smoke to tell that the heathen had also stood his ground -- it seemed that both men were digging in their heels and gritting their teeth, determined to see this face-off through to the end.

~This ol' boy's pretty tough,~ Jake thought to himself, giving the Devil his due, ~an' he's a right fair hand with that Schofield he's totin'.~

The Texan fired two more shots in quick succession, but didn't feel especially confident that either one had hit. ~Take your damned time!~ he mentally chided himself.

OOC:

Full-Round Action: 12:56, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 15 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 3. Ranged Attack (1st Shot, Full-Round Action).

12:58, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 3 using 2d6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 1,3. Action Point.

Total Attack Roll: 18

12:58, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 12 using 2d10+1 with rolls of 1,10. Damage.

12:57, Today: Jake Richardson rolled 10 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 3. 2nd Shot (Full Round Action).

Notes: Damn. The Dice-Roller has gone cold. Hope that it treats the BHD just as badly! :)

Jake has one round left in this magazine.