Early morning, Holy Saturday, April 12th, 1879. The Wendell Mine

Dr. Ward's group proceeds warily down the tunnel, following after Adrian. Dr. Ward has Spanish Joe and Heavy Henry take control of the crate of dynamite Tex was carrying...just to be safe.

"Will you make the introductions for us, Mr. Vega?" Dr. Ward asks.

Amongst the Comanche, a birdlike brass head raises. "! Plus plus footsteps," it remarks, though all but the most distracted of the party have probably noticed this.

Adrian lead the pack. "I will, Dr. Ward. Please inform your men that there's a large bone monster up ahead. I don't want them to catch a bad fright. It looks scary, but I've got it under control for now."

He called ahead to give them warning, so nobody got an itchy arrow finger. "Ghost Wolf, we're comin' up on you. I've talked peace to the white men and we're ready to work together."

"Wait, what?" Dr. Ward says, clearly alarmed. "You resurrected that fiend that tried to slaughter us all!?"

"No, this is a different bone monster. From outside," he said.

"I killed two of Tezcatlcoatl's brood. Several of us got their venom on our blades, cause they're vulnerable to it. Anyway, when I killed one of them, I absorbed its powers, kinda, then I accidentally used it to create a bone monster. I was really just there to help free the Priest, you see. So I killed the first one, but that apparently powered a ritual that let two of its siblings out. I killed one of the siblings too, but the other one got away and I'm pretty sure it's somewhere down here. It's got a mask of some kinda hard obsidian on its face. It ran away from me because it was scared of me."

Ghost Wolf translates and steps forward whilst his men variously blow the torches brighter and pace back to watch the dark behind them. He stands tall and square as the flames light his outline, arms folded across his chest to show he has no weapon readied.

Behind him, the torches illuminate an as-yet immobile nightmare of bone.

"Spread the word, Dr. Ward. There's a new bone monster, but it's on our side - as long as nobody acts up. I've given the Injuns my word that we'll keep the peace. If some of your Dust Adders start actin' the fool, then we end up back where we started. If we need to have any chance of gettin' those plates away from Pale Moon we can't be killin' each other."

He walked a bit closer to Ghost Wolf and spoke quietly. "Let's keep your men up front, and these folks towards the back. They'll be good, but there's a big one that's kind of outta control and might start trouble," he said.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Mon 16 Nov 2015.

Charging Bear wished for a set of pants as the groups got together. He held a rather nasty looking pistol in one hand and one of his paired tomahawks in the other. The native son gazed upon the newcomers but remained quiet as he took in the members of this new group.

Ward looked dubious, but passed the word down the line. "You may wish to send word on ahead about Mr. Shaw. His appearance can be...startling to those who have never dealt with him before."

The groups closed in on each other.

Charging Bear's movement from the shadows attracts the clank's attention at once. "!"

"Howdy Called Charging Bear!" it calls, then squeals and tackles the big brave into a hug. The Comanches look bemused.

"He is Called Charging Bear; he knows all the things and when to do them," it informs Ghost Wolf when Charging Bear has pried himself loose, then points at the tall Comanche. "He is Ghost Wolf; he's friends with violent death," it chirps, then points at the others.

"He is Iron Action; he was sleeping on the ground but self fixed him...he is Pond, he ran away from Names William Pierce and doesn't like him...that is Names William Pierce, he's a good vampire and has ghost friends that live in his gun...that Pure Blooded Comanche is Always Ready To Fight; he is always ready to fight, that one is One Shot, he shoots things like John Wesley Hardin...self doesn't know the other Pure Blooded Comanche's name."

"Speckled Bull," Ghost Wolf throws in, a bit dazed by information.

"Wait-" Wildcat tries, but it's too late as the clank finishes introducing one side and shifts to the other.

"-and that is Harry Lazarus, he defeated a melon and a Comanche and got sick but is better now, and that is Bitter Waters; he is working on repenting. That is Ranger Hawkins, she's the other angel and she can make the Confederated States of America interested in people and whoop the ass of a man, that is Doctor Ward, he is a Man of Genius and Complicated...he is Carl, he has nuts and can make them go crunch with just his fingers-" Carl looks like he'd prefer his nuts and that noise never to share a sentence again, thank you.

"Those are some cattlehands called Dust Adders and that is Reginald Shaw who is wanted for armed robbery...and he is Ambrose, he has long words and a friend called Jack Daniels who lives in a bottle, and that is- ! !!" having noticed Augustus, the distracted scientist gets an enthusiastic glomp.  "AUG-US-TUS!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:51, Mon 16 Nov 2015.

Charging Bear was taken aback by the sudden burst of child personality that was Alouette. "Hey there Alouette!" The native son returned the metal creature's embrace as best he could. "Good to see you've survived this far storm hawk but you shouldn't be here... the snake wants to destroy what makes you you."

OOC: Does Charging Bear perceive Jake as Bitter Waters due to his Knack?

"Fear not, Called Charging Bear!" Alouette responds brightly. "Angels are minus often eaten by snakes."

In reply to Charging Bear (msg # 11):

"Hmph." Dr. Ward says. "If we are to be precise, then my associates should be named as well. Our religious friend is Mr. Michael Bennett. The tanned tracker is José Romero, whom we call Spanish Joe. The well-fed gentleman is Henry Wallace. The short gentleman is a genuine Patrick Murphy, and the gentleman cringing in the background is Ned Chalker."

He seems amused by the clank's exuberance, but Charging Bear's words give him pause. "What do you mean?"

((OOC: Yes, CB can see Jake's Spirit Name, as well as Wildcat's...which is just Wildcat.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:04, Tue 17 Nov 2015.

"Snake can't destroy no clank," he said reassuringly.

"Don't you worry, Alouette. I already done killed me a couple big snakes today. If I need to, I can take out one more."

Shifting to look at Alouette the native smiled a slightly sad smile, "I'm less concerned with the angel as I am the vessel."

Charging Bear then regarded Vega for a moment, "The spirits gave me a vision of it. A terrible terrible vision of a great storm hawk and a massive earth snake fighting. This fight ended with them killing each other - claws and fangs. Their combat causes much destruction to the land. I have no doubt in your deeds, but we can kill the snake and keep hawk safe too is the bigger question."

He considered what Charging Bear said. "Best thing is we keep the snake from gettin' out. Which ain't gonna happen if we keep talkin' here. Ghost Wolf, shall we move on to go find Pale Moon?"

"Killing an Aztec serpent-god who lairs mostly in the Aether Field is a tall order." Dr. Ward says. "My plan was never to kill it...my plan was to put it back to sleep, as the Karankawa did ages ago." he strokes his chin.  "However...Mr. Vega, you said you killed it's brood by using their venom against them, yes? The same principle might apply to their progenitor. I can open a passage to take us into the Aether and face it directly. however, I'm uncertain of that working well with the shaman working his magic to break the wards that keep Tezcatlcoatl in place."

"Well, I figured Plan A was to stop Pale Moon without damaging the plates. Plan B is only if Pale Moon succeeds in bringing the snake demon into this world, in which case I will give some snake venom to our best fighters and we can take the damn thing on, though I hope it doesn't come to that," he said.

"Tell everyone to be on their guard. There's another one of Tezcatlcoatl's brood in here slithering around, the slippery motherfuckin' coward ass snake."

"Those are Bad Words, Deputy Vega," Alouette chides Adrian. "Take one out where? Are we going dancing with death and Comanches?"

"We have heard something in the tunnels, but not close. One that walks is with that one, I think," Ghost Wolf says, beckoning them to talk whilst moving. He makes no remark on any other plan, though he looks deeply concerned with the discussions.

"We are indeed going dancing with death and Comanches," he said. "Whenever they're ready, we'll hop on the warpath."

"Logic error, Deputy Vega: it is plus efficient to use two feet," Alouette says, trotting back beside Charging Bear.

"Tell me what troubles you, Ghost Wolf," he said, walking beside the Comanche leader.

A slight shake of his head was all Charging Bear felt like giving to Vega's bravado. He looked down at Alouette, "Been a while since we've been together Alouette, I'm glad you're still whole."

"Did you done arrest Itza-Chu? Cantrell stood and did shouting but that didn't work and then he went away and then...retrieval error: no card...and then we had to go to the ranch but Cantrell didn't go: he stayed in the Town Hall with Bill."

"Hang on," Wildcat says, edging up. "If y'all are here, where'd Danny git ter?"

"Danny Albatross got blown up after John John Smith kicked him in the head and wanted to sleep a lot. Fear not! Danny Albatross is not alone: we left him with a tree and ropes and Jack Daniels but he was minus clothing..." there's a bit of ticking. "Where did Called Charging Bear's clothing go?"

Ghost Wolf looks at Adrian a long moment. "I do not trust the lines your people draw," he says obscurely, then points at Rattleshirt. "Will you ask it to come with us?"

"Living cloud of deadly gas." Charging Bear said softly. "It left traces of itself on my clothing which would have killed me had I not removed them."

Alouette ticks a moment, then awkwardly unwinds the rosary tangled over its head and offers it to Charging Bear. "Would you like a crutch?"

Clearly the clank considers this to be equivalent to clothing, since it is a thing that is put on. It ticks a bit more, then, in its usual cheerful tone, does its best to convey a sentiment it doesn't really have a name for or clear idea of yet, by weilding the imperative: "Don't die."

"They're not all my people, but I take your meaning. I don't trust them all, but we don't have time to sort out everybody right now. We have to draw some lines, don't we? Or else we'd be shootin' it out up at the top while Pale Moon sacrificed your men's souls to the demon serpent. We can all work together for now, and after we deal with this, I can try to help you draw some better lines," he said. "As for Rattles, he's tricky and none too bright. We should bring him with."

He looked over at Rattleshirt and started commanding it. "Rattles, you walk in this direction and don't touch anyone," he said.

Most folk flinch as the bone abomination clicks into motion, though true to its instruction it doesn't touch anyone.

"That is Rattleshirt - it's an undead mass that jumps," Alouette helpfully introduces those nearest.

Carl has meanwhile noticed the "good vampire" seems to be training a stare on Paddy, and moves a little ahead of the Irishman to meet it with the sort of flat, warning gaze usually associated with the glimmer of teeth and growls beyond the campfire's light.

"You say 'demon' of the serpent," Ghost Wolf says, then gestures at Rattleshirt, "-and to be content to walk with witches, those that work against the world." He shakes his head, voice low but agitated.

"I cannot know that to believe you would not be to lose my soul...to lose the right path, and save some men only a little while before we are all killed for your 'borders' and 'America'. We would die, as people if not in body, to live so wrongly. You have turned me against my elders, as a demon would...I say to myself that you are not a demon because the Holy One walks with you, and my heart knows her...but it is only speech, because in my chest is doubt." He touches his breastbone with the heel of his hand.

"Mr. Ghost Wolf, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not particularly pleased to be a party to this...bone thing myself" Evans says. "But think on this--should Tezcatlcoatl and his snake children be released on the world, what exactly is stopping them from going against everyone, regardless of culture or borders? They don't care about the conflicts between your people and mine--to them we are but different colors of ants."

Ghost Wolf bridles a little at the interjection, but makes a flat-handed gesture at Evans' modified Disturbance Indicator. "You are not without dirty allies. Why do you believe these spirits, our elder brothers, think as you do, paleface? They are your lines, between men's skins - as though I am kin with an Apache, or you with a Dutch - they are of no importance...but if your people and the Brood are the same in thought and thirst and conquest-," Ghost Wolf frowns hard, gnawed by doubt. "...what do I do, to aid either of you against the other?"

"We all draw lines Ghost Wolf. You criticize the white man's borders, but you had borders long before we got here - places where you had to acknowledge your power stopped. You criticize our conquest, but did your people not conquer before we got here? You're not originally from this land we call Texas and we know it.  Are we so different? You criticize that we use certain powers that you think are bad, but the one you call your elder is summoning those same demons that work with our devices and our magic" he said, challenging the young man's hypocrisy.

"The difference in that last one is that we control those demons for our magic. Your shaman is trying to bring a big one into this world. That's worse than all of us have been doing put together."

"By our own strength and by peace made, not by imaginary lines," Ghost Wolf replies, for the first time showing some real heat as though a nerve had been struck. "We did not conquer, claiming land we did not camp on to be only for our use - or only for our horses'! Each man killed the enemies and took his own slaves, as is right to do...the white men, the Mexicans, they bought strangers with bits of metal. Not with proof of their warriors' art, their lives risked and their ancestors' blood that came down through many parents tested - with metal and paper dollars, because of this idea of colour."

Ghost Wolf is clearly out of his depth but impassioned now. "What is it that I am not born in what you have called Texas, that I should not go freely? How can it matter more what is on a paper, if it is 'Texas' or 'Tamaulipas' than where I am standing, a man, alive? It is land that is there."

"And when I ask your army for peace, believing when I was told they are the only Americans that fight, and it is bad to attack the settlements...how is it they say 'yes, we will make peace if you will go over that way, where we have made a line' and then we go, and white men shoot us, and the army says it is nothing for them, if the railroad has made it private land...and then you are all angry that we treat your people as enemies!" The young leader taps his forehead in a shorthand for the madness of it all.

Seeing Charging Bear has become distracted, the clank hastens up to the notably louder Ghost Wolf and prods him gently in the elbow. The tall Comanche hangs his head a moment and lets out a deep breath. "My child would have grown strong," he says softly to the angel, then makes an effort to pull himself together.

"Can you prove these are the same? I feel these are wrong things, but until now Pale Moon has not harmed us...I cannot know the Great Sleeper is worse until I have seen his deeds; so I have only your word. But what is your word? I had the word of the army men, and they put it on a paper. What..." Ghost Wolf at last notices Alouette is offering a hand/arm, sighs and entwines his fingers with the clank's, his forearm to its own brass limb. A soft crackle of static causes him to shudder.

"So much?" Carefully, almost regretfully, he takes his hand away and looks at it, then Adrian. "You have the help of my hands, my feet, my voice. I cannot give you my feeling."

He didn't know what was passing between Alouette and Ghost Wolf, so he didn't know what to say exactly - whether or not to address Ghost Wolf's question or whether Alouette had addressed it.

"Words are wind, Ghost Wolf but I don't know what else I can give you. It's a thing that you have to know in yourself," he tapped his heart. "You may not trust me, but perhaps you trust the...Holy One, as I do. I will take the help of your hands, feet, and voice, even if you cannot give your feeling," he said.

“What will you do when we find Pale Moon? I’m afraid he would try to bring it to bloodshed the moment he sees us.”

"I thought the general idea was that Ghost Wolf was going to convince those he could to pull back out of the caverns." Evans muses. "We have enough firepower with us to subdue those who might argue, along with effective weapons against the serpent spirits. If Pale Moon won't see reason, we're probably going to have to knock him out and drag him bodily from the cave, making sure not to damage the photographic plate in the process."

"I have sent men to tell others they should remove from the tunnels," Ghost Wolf says, moving with caution as the tunnel slopes down deeper. He throws Evans a distrusting look at being talked over.

"You are fast to this thought of fire power. I think you do not care that all would move against us, if they thought we had gone mad and worked for you witches as dogs," he growls, responding more carefully to Adrian: "For his guardians, my men are strong and have the spell's protection. Your knives will deal with any spirits there. For Pale Moon, I will go to him and end what he does, and trust to my curse that I will not die before I have done so." He gives a brief, bitter half-smile at the irony.
This message was last updated by the GM at 08:02, Thu 19 Nov 2015.

Charging Bear fought the urge to shoot or hack to pieces Rattleshirt. He shook his head at the talk of firepower against the shaman though he'd seen such happening before - an uprising in a village he'd passed through as a confederate scout many years ago now it seemed. Braves with guns who didn't want to keep to the old ways of their fathers.

Moving along with the group,  away from the talking Jake kept his eyes mostly down as a playing card flipped between the fingers of his left hand.

flip ^flip _flip flip ^flip _flip ^flip _flip flip

Now we go try to talk a shaman out of summoning a bigger snake. Wonder what the odds are on him already being done summoning the snake or finishing as we get there. Probably pretty even odds that we'll have to deal with the snake regardless.

OOC: Still here and moving along.

"Sweet Holy Mother of Jesus! William Pierce! Is that really you?"
The small Irishman seemed to be quite pleasantly surprised.
He slapped Carl on the shoulder. "That man, over there, is the fastest gun on both sides of the Mississippi! Oy, man, you are just in time to help us stop the end of the world."
He smiles a smile so broad that it seems to go around his whole head.
"You know, the usual."

"Well, it's the start of a plan, at least." Evans says, then looks at Pierce. "Oh. You know him?"

William shifted, quite uncomfortably. Patrick 'Mad Irish' Murphy. Just a day or two ago he would've been happy to see an old friend he could always rely on. But now...

"Mad Irish..." he shook his head. "I would've never... But, you know, let's talk later. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about."

He hoped he had sounded not too cold. But what was there to do? To say? I am no longer the man you once knew? I'm half vampire, half demon from hell?

Murphy nodded. "Aye. Met a long time ago. A lifetime ago! Without Billy Pierce here, me and me Flora wouldn't be where we are today."

In reply to William Pierce (msg # 43):

Evans chuckled. "I would love to be a fly on the wall listening to that conversation." He said.

Carl braces a bit against the comradely smack and looks from Paddy to the newcomer, less hostile but still wary.

William glared at the marshall, then sniffed the air.

The silvery Comanches confer amongst themselves on seeing Ghost Wolf's agitation, occasionally gesturing at some of their new allies. They're not bunched up, but they seem uneasy.

"Why do you desire to be an insect, Ambrose?" Alouette asks, then decides since Charging Bear seems to be Busy and Ghost Wolf is concentrating on navigation and staying alert, the other angel will probably be able to answer its questions.

It patters up to Wildcat. "When are we there?"

"Uh...whal, consider a piece o' string, Deputy Clank,. If each inch is a minnit, then you got twice as long as half its length," she says, trying not to smile. "Soon, I guess. We bin goin' down awhile."

The clank computes this, and finds it logical. "Okay!" it chirps.

Leaning against a support beam, Charging Bear remained quiet. His eyes drooping sleepily as he let his head hang down slightly. He wasn't tired but didn't really want the Comanches knowing that he could understand them. So he listened to their chatter and made mental notes about it.

OOC: Nothing to see here

The shorter man known as Pond slaps Charging Bear's calf with the flat of his blade in passing. [Language unknown: "Taome, was."]

[Language unknown: "Trpa tin fire peain ingoreillort ce haenc avesomhou,"] Always Ready To Fight translates to Cherokee, then goes back to exchanging insults with their sniper. A bit of posturing occurs, but it's clear to anyone familiar with gangs or violent young men that no real fight's going to break out.


Ghost Wolf ignores them. "Be more vigilant - soon we leave these iron paths and cross above a place where running water flows in a cavern. It is a short cut, much faster, but hearing is difficult there." He gestures around his head to indicate how sounds might become hard to locate with the rush and echo of an underground stream.

OOC: thought we'd stopped ... ugh.

---

Charging Bear was tempted to stop the smaller man's tough him, but didn't as it was better to let the Comanches think him slow and weak - if they be so foolish. He stepped into in line quickly enough.

He nodded. "If you want the rest of us to deal with any other creatures or magic present, and leave Pale Moon and his followers to be dealt with by you and yours, we can do that. If they attack, though, we must defend. But as far as dealing with Pale Moon, be warned: don't break those plates. I don't quite understand it all, but it would be bad if the plates are broken. Gotta stop him without breaking the plates."

((OOC: So, it's been ages. Who's up for me skipping ahead to the final battle here?))

[[15 months...but Hell yeah!]]

ready when you are...

((OOC: Alrighty. So I'm going to need Initiative Cards from you all.))

((OOC: Dr. Ward gets 9C, Ghost Wolf gets 10C))

OOC: 13:06, Today: Charging Bear drew the 2 cards: KD, QC using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - CB + JW.

OOC:

Is Harry Lazarus still with this crew? It has escaped my memory. Here are my cards:

12:20, Today: Rattleshirt drew the single card: 5D using the Deadlands system.
12:20, Today: Harry Lazarus drew the single card: 8D using the Deadlands system.
12:20, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 8C using the Deadlands system.

21:56, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 8S using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.
21:57, Today: Mad Irish Murphy drew the 2 cards: KC, JS using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, level heades.



This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Thu 20 Apr 2017.

In reply to Adrian Vega (msg # 60):

((OOC: Harry Lazarus is being sent "off-screen" for this, along with Mayor Bruebaker, the Dust Adders, and any of the other accumulated hangers-on. We're focusing on the core PCs for this battle -- the others are holding off the rest of the Ghost Warriors and snake spirits to allow you guys to get to Pale Moon.))

OOC:

Thanks, gotcha! Just Adrian and Rattleshirt, then.

((OOC: Alouette?))

[[Thought I posted these yesterday...complete brain fail tonight.

19:08, Yesterday: Alouette drew the 3 cards: 2S, 6S, 8D using the Deadlands system.  init. Alouette, Carl, Wildcat.]]

some mood music

The cavern is huge. Blazing torches reveal seems of Ghost Rock, enough to make everyone present rich beyond the dreams of avarice. Over a dozen ghostly, colorless warriors mill about.

near the center of the cavern, the statue of a giant snake coils. The enormous snake statue is coal black, shot through with white impurities -- a thousand tons of Ghost Rock, all coiled and waiting. The coal snake is surrounded by half a dozen smaller creatures, snakes with the arms and torsos of men. They raise their arms towards the coal snake and hiss out a prayer.

"Sssserpent of the Sssssmoking Mirror, your children await you. Sssserpent of the Sssssmoking Mirror, your children await you. Sssserpent of the Sssssmoking Mirror, your children await you."

Up on a ledge overlooking the cavern stands an old shaman, his arms also outstretched. In one hand he holds an obsidian-bladed knife, and in the other he holds what looks like a photographic plate. He sings a Comanche prayer, entwining it with the hiss of the snakes. A cyclone of flashing power surrounds him, sending sparks flying into the night.

Next to him is another snake man, this one far larger than the ones below. He wears a mask of turquoise and obsidian rimmed with owl primaries and precious feathers and garlanded with human hearts and hands in honour of Coatlicue. He watches his younger siblings below, occasionally tasting the air with his tongue.

((OOC: Alrighty! So at long last, here we are. I'd like you all to sound off before I go ahead and actually have you start rolling dice, since I want to know who is still around and interested.

See the map for the general outline of the cavern of Tezcatlcoatl. There's a giant snake made of Ghost Rock, around which are a half a dozen snake manitou slithering around in anticipation. There are also a number of Pale Moon's Ghost Warriors milling around. Up on a rise, Pale Moon himself is chanting out the ritual he needs to complete to awaken Mirror Serpant. Next to him is Ixquahuacoatl, one of Mirror Serpant's remaining children. There's some sort of magical-looking barrier surrounding Pale Moon.

Sound off, folks, and then we'll get this shindig started!))

---

---

Turn Order
Charging Bear: KD
Mad Irish Murphy: KC
Pale Moon: KC (Complication)
Jake Lawrence: QC
Ghost Wolf: 10C
Ixquahuacoatl: 9D
Dr. Ward: 9C
William Pierce: 8S
Wildcat Hawkins: 8D
Adrian Vega: 8C
Carl Allens: 6S
Rattleshirt: 5D
Mirror Serpent's Brood: 5C
Doctor Evans: 4H
Alouette: 2S
Ghost Warriors: 2S
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:21, Mon 10 July 2017.

"Oh, Jesus Christ Almighty", Murphy mutters.
"If ever there was a time to come and pay another visit for Saint Patrick, now would be a bloody good time."

"I'm afraid all we got is you, Irish", Pierce replies, eyes on the targets ahead of him.
"I s'pose just going in there guns blazing is not going to work too well, hm?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:29, Mon 26 June 2017.

"Not advisable to set guns on fire, Names William Pierce," Alouette interjects with concern. "-that could cause explosion, metal burns, shrapnel, and injury to men, women, children and pets."

Pierce nodded and half-absently replied: "Thank you, Alouette, I'll remember that."

The gunslinger had come a long way in dealing with the clank in just a few hours.

"The enemy outnumbers us by approximately sixty-two percent. I can rectify that, however counteracting Pale Moon's convocation should be my highest priority. Which brings their advantage to seventy-two percent."

The doctor cautiously peered at the swirling cyclone of energy around their foes' leader.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Mon 26 June 2017.

Ghost Wolf said nothing, but glowered and shifted his grip on the weapons strapped to his body. Death was here. Brother Owl's shadow was cast over every inch of this place. And the shadows darkened where Ghost Wolf stepped.

"We're outnumbered by a lot more than that." Evans says, looking back toward the caves they'd come from. "I dearly hope the others manage to convince the rest of these fellows that yon shaman is up to no good, or we're caught between Scylla and Charybdis. Not to mention that huge brood of snakes they have to keep occupied."

Charging Bear takes a deep breath and surveys the insanity before him. He rolled his shoulders and pulled his twin tomahawks from their resting place and waited ...

OOC: What in the world!

Jake prepared himself, the devil would have him soon enough but not yet ...

"We got this," Adrian said, simply. He was pretty confident in his abilities, and in this situation, also the abilities of those around them.

"It'll be fine," he reassured Evans. "Ain't that right, Rattles?"

The bone glom shifted its position, bone rattling against bone in what might be taken for agreement. Or at least obedience.

Wildcat pursed her lips while she surveyed what appeared to be the lines of battle. She looked around at the others as they prepared to dig in, and regarded Patrick Murphy for a few moments. "Prayer ta Saint Patrick never hurt nobody." Prayer in general didn't either, and this seemed like a good time to call upon any power that could help.

The Ranger set her jaw firmly as her gaze drifted back over to the group that apparently outnumbered them. Times like these - she preferred not to count so precisely.

((OOC: So it's Charging Bear's action, but bear with me a little bit, because Photobucket changed their ToS and now I can't embed photos without paying a ton of money I don't have. I have to find a new photo service for the battle map, and I'll have that up later on today.))

---

Turn Order
Charging Bear: KD
Mad Irish Murphy: KC
Pale Moon: KC (Complication)
Jake Lawrence: QC
Ghost Wolf: 10C
Ixquahuacoatl: 9D
Dr. Ward: 9C
William Pierce: 8S
Wildcat Hawkins: 8D
Adrian Vega: 8C
Carl Allens: 6S
Rattleshirt: 5D
Mirror Serpent's Brood: 5C
Doctor Evans: 4H
Alouette: 2S
Ghost Warriors: 2S
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:21, Mon 10 July 2017.

((OOC: CB? You around? I suppose I'll have to put him On Hold if I don't hear from him in a few days and move on.))

Charging Bear moves forward to get some cover and squeezes off a shot with the dragoon he's kept on him for a while.

OOC: Moving 6 space up map and shooting the big snake then taking cover.
10:43, Today: Charging Bear rolled 13,13 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11,(6+5)11.  Shootin'.
Hit w/ raises
10:44, Today: Charging Bear rolled 13,5 using 2d6+4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4,5.  Damage (Gun, Raise).

13 shooting, 18 damage

[edit] Forgot initiative
11:29, Today: Charging Bear drew the single card: JC using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Mon 31 July 2017.

"Alright, y'all. It's time to take these motherfuckers down. Let's thin down the herd, and then deal with what's left," he said.

---

I'm going to play an Adventure Card. Hopefully Charging Bear gets the bonus for this since the results of his action haven't been resolved yet.

7D - Inspiration “We only have one shot at this. It’s all or nothing, gang.”

Friendly characters (including your hero) add +2 to all trait rolls for the rest of this round. The Marshal gets a draw from the fate pot.

Charging Bear sights the largest of the snake-men, the giant serpent near the chanting shaman on the ledge at the far end of the cavern.

{{BANG!!}}

The dragoon bucks in Charging Bear's hand as the shot cracks like a thunderbolt, echoing throughout the cavern. The sake man twitches and lets out a hissing shriek as dark blood sprays on the Ghost Rock in the wall behind him.

"TREACHERY!" He shrieks, his eyes burning. He points to the passage. "They come to stop the Father's return! Stop them! KILL THEM!"

The snake-men and the Ghost Warriors turn and look towards Charging Bear and the mass of heroes behind him...

---

Outside of Blackthorn

A weathered man on a pale marble horse rides through the remains of an Indian attack. Several wagon wheels and crude posts had been erected in a circle around a bonfire. They were splashed with dry blood. The weathered man shrugged as he rode through the site. Looked like someone had a party without him.

Suddenly, he looked up, as if hearing something in the distance. A grin pulled his leathery lips tight.

"There you are." Stone said to himself, spurring his pale horse towards the south. "Close now, too."

The dead man and his mount continued on, heading for Blackthorn Creek.

((OOC: Alrighty. After some deliberation, I'll have Charging Bear's shot aimed at Ixquahuacoatl, as he's the largest of the snakes.

The +2 from the Inspiration card means that even with the Range penalty, Charging Bear gets to keep the Raise damage he rolled.

Ixi's Toughness is 14 (1), so that 18 damage is a Wound. Since he can regenerate, he's not going to use a Fate Chip to Soak, but he's also Shaken.

Now you have everyone's attention!))

---

Mad Irish Murphy is next!

After informing Adrian that he had been using Bad Words, the clank's attention snapped to the loud noises.

"Not treachery, Masked Snake Demon! An unkin that harms a mortal is a demon and Deputy Vega said you bit Ambrose so he became minus pants, also you are attempting to start the Apocalypse in Blackthorn, Texas, which does plus plus harm to many mortals. Called Charging Bear is not treacherous, lacking in faith, he is helping the world: that is a good thing. Y'all should repent and be excellent to each other," it informed the masked ophidian monstrosity.

"Howdy, Pure Blooded Comanches!" it called, now that it could see them.

[[talking/reminding folks the clank/chaos on legs is there...]]

"Bloody hell! You think that was a great idea, now did you? Jesus, Mary and fucking Joseph...."
Murphy groaned and pulled his pistol.
"I should've brought me rifle this. Well, looking at us, I think we all should have brought a rifle or two. And ammo!"

He moved forward, taking cover behind a boulder, carefully looking over.
"Now come to Paddy..."

((Moving into cover. Murphy has also Improved Dodge, so is at -2 to hit already.
New initiative:

15:24, Today: Mad Irish Murphy drew the 2 cards: 6S, 2D using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, level headed.))

The old shaman starts a bit at the shouting and gunfire, and his chant stumbles a little. A brief looks of panic crosses his face as the whirling energy around him sparks and flashes, but he manages to slip back into rhythm. The flash of energy settles back down and the shaman continues to chant, though he keeps glancing back at the cave mouth entrance in what looks like concern.

((OOC: @Murphy: Moving to cover. Alright. Does that mean heading for that gap on the left side of the map, or are you seeking whatever boulders or stalagmites might exist in the more open area in the center?

Pale Moon faces a Complication to his Dramatic Task from his club, which I interpret as distraction from the sudden outbreak of hostilities.

He has to make a Tribal Medicine roll, at -2 from the difficulty of the task and -2 from the complication. If he fails, the worst possible resolution to his task occurs. That would be bad for everyone.

10:59, Today: Pale Moon rolled -2,-3 using d12-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1.  Tribal Medicine. That's not going to do it, so he spends a GM white chip for a reroll.

11:00, Today: Pale Moon rolled 5,1 using d12-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 9,5.  White Chip reroll. Success. He keeps his ritual going and gains 1 success on the Dramatic Task.

Pale Moon's Card: 6S))

---

Jake Lawrence is up!

Jake moves to where Charging Bear was and taps the brave on the shoulder.

OOC: Casting on him Quickness - burning Power Points

11:27, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 4,10 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+4)10.  Spellcastin'.
Success w/ Raise!

So CB has 2 actions a round AND gets to toss cards under 8!<

11:28, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 3H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.


PP 6/10
Quickness - Rounds [][][]

The giant snake in the obsidian and turquoise mask glares at the interlopers as they begin to spread out.

---

Ghost Wolf is next!
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:56, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

Ghost Wolf unslung his heavy warclub from his side and charged, wildly, towards the left flank of the Ghost Braves. He could see the rough path leading up to Pale Moon, and swore to any spirits listening that he would make it there or die trying.


[OOC: Draw Club, run for a total of 9 up the left side of the battlefield, toward the braves and the stairs up to Pale Moon. Death Wish time, ba-bee. 13:27, Today: Ghost Wolf rolled 1 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Running.
16:35, Today: Ghost Wolf drew the single card: 6C using the Deadlands system.

]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:36, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

"Look, Pale Moon!" The giant snake-man hisses as Ghost Wolf crosses the floor. "You are betrayed by your own!"

Pale Moon glances at Ghost Wolf, and his face falls. He continues his chant with even greater urgency.

"Leave him to me." The serpent hisses again. The bullet wound in his shoulder begins to seal over, closing swiftly. He slithers off the ledge, dropping to the floor, and rushes toward Ghost Wolf. Shards of obsidian and turquoise grow out of his scales, forming plates of armor.

"I have lost two siblings today," The serpent growls as he approaches. "And you would side with their murderers! For that, you will join them in death."

((OOC: Ixi needs to recover from Shaken, and he also attempts to Regenerate his wound.

11:58, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 9,2 using d12-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 10,3.  Recover from Shaken. Success and Raise, so he suffers no MAP.

12:03, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 8,3 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 9,4.  Regenerate. Yup. that heals his wound.

He moves 6 squares closer to Ghost Wolf, and casts Armor on himself.

12:05, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 9,1 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1.  Spellcasting. Success and Raise. He gains +4 armor.

Card: 7C))

Dr. Ward took a few steps forward and pulled a thick tome from his black bag. A few muttered words and an aura of power sprang into sight around the gentleman. He flipped through the book and muttered again, this time to no appreciable effect.

"Hm. Unfortunate," he said a bit louder, "If some of you would provide screening cover, I believe I can stop Pale Moon. I am fairly certain I will become a priority target once it becomes clear what I am doing."


[OOC: Move just a bit up but try to stay covered. Cast Deflection (Succeed with a Blue Chip), Cast Summon Snake Spirits (Failed), and I would like to start the ritual

16:42, Today: Dr. Dexter Ward rolled 3,-1 using d10-2,d6-2.  Summon Snakes.
16:39, Today: Dr. Dexter Ward rolled 3 using 1d6.  Blue chip Add.
16:39, Today: Dr. Dexter Ward rolled -1,3 using d10-2,d6-2.  Spellcasting to cast Deflection.
Card: 5H]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:49, Tue 01 Aug 2017.

Pale Moon:

<small>((OOC: @Murphy: Moving to cover. Alright. Does that mean heading for that gap on the left side of the map, or are you seeking whatever boulders or stalagmites might exist in the more open area in the center?

Going forward to the gap.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:48, Wed 02 Aug 2017.

"Stay behind me", the gunslinger growled.
He moved in front of the doctor and drew his pistol, the ghost steel gleaming in the light of the torches. The carvings looking like distorted faces seemed to be delighted with the carnage that was sure to be about to happen.

William raised the gun and aimed it at the giant snake.



Not sure about range vs. size modifiers...

10:58, Today: William Pierce rolled 10,3 using d12+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 9,2.  Shooting, double tap.
10:59, Today: William Pierce rolled 14 using 3d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5,4.  Doubletap damage.
AP 2!

10:59, Today: William Pierce rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Bonus damage? Not sure if it applies, but if it does, that's 19 instead of 14 then.


11:00, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 7C using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, Quick Edge.
11:00, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 2S using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

The giant serpent-man flinches a little at the screaming wail from William's ghostly gun. It hisses in pain as the bullet strikes, but the armor hold and it doesn't appear significantly harmed.

((OOC: The size bonus cancels out the range penalty, especially if you are moving a bit closer, so you get the raise damage.

19 damage (AP 2) vs. Ixi's enhanced Toughness of 18 (5) means it's 19 vs 16...just shy of a Wound. That will make Ixi Shaken.))

---

Wildcat's turn

Wildcat drew a sharp breath between her teeth. This was probably going to get bloody. Best to call for some help, it seemed. "Looks like we're gonna need ta get in close ta summa these...things. Mebbe the LORD can help with that."

The Ranger raised both arms and seemed to glow ever-so-slightly. "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'

"And I'm purty sure that includes serpents and their kin."

With a gesture, a few motes of the pale nimbus that had surrounded Wildcat flecked off and drifted toward some of her companions. One of them floats over to land in Charging Bear's hair. Another on Alouette's shoulder assembly with a clank. A third floated toward Carl Allans' mid-section before disappearing without a trace. A final one moved with chaotic grace to land in William Pierce's beard. Then the nimbus collapsed and Wildcat gasped and blinked a few times before regaining her composure.

"Prolly better ta stab them warriors and the big snake. Shoot them littler snakes." Wildcat narrowed her eyes a little as she stalked forward while keeping to cover.

OOC: Boosting Fighting for Wildcat and four of her bestest friends (at least the ones that didn't wander out of range. You know who you are...)

Faith roll of 4 plus 2 from the adventure card plus 2 from a blue chip equals a raise, I think, which should boost fighting by 2 die sizes. Lemme know if I did something wrong.

22:21, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  blue chip.
22:18, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  Faith! (boost fighting, 5 targets).

Wildcat will also move to the spot 5 squares straight north of where she is (though she has to weave to her right before moving back to the left in order to do so).

Edit: Next init is 3D

09:30, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 3D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:31, Tue 08 Aug 2017.

((OOC: Everything looks good from this end))

---

Adrian Vega's up!

Adrian slipped down the passageway to the left, raised his weapon but didn't fire it outright, instead drawing the dark energies he played with into him. The cards flashed into and out of his free hand, and then out of the barrel of his weapon as he sported a crooked grin. He fired, letting one bolt each three of the grey skinned Comanche.

His grin disappeared, and he started to feel a sense of righteous anger towards them. They had attacked the town earlier, and now were raising some kinda snake demons down here to bring the whole damn thing to a head. Their actions would cause numerous lives to be extinguished unless they were stopped.

---

Deal with the Devil (Bolts): Flush
Spellcasting (for to-hit purpose): 9, 8, 5
Damage: 8, 7, 9 (if raises: 11, 11, 9)

10:37, Today: Adrian Vega drew the 11 cards: 6D, QC, JS, 10C, 5S, 9D, 2C, QS, AC, 9C, 4C using the Deadlands system.  Deal with the Devil (Bolts).

11:08, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 8,9,4,5 using d8+2,d8+2,d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,7,2,3.  White Chip reroll.
11:07, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,5 using d8+2,d8+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Spellcasting, Inspiration for the other bolts.
11:06, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5.  Spellcasting (+Inspiration Bonus).

11:09, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 8,7,9 using 2d6,2d6,2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3,5,2,1,(6+2)8.  Damage.
11:10, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,4 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Raise?

I don't remember if the attack raises from the to-hit roll on bolts result in an additional damage die, so I rolled for raises anywhere and included the relevant information here for you.

The ghostly bullets slam into the three braves, knocking them off their feet.

But two of the silver-skinned braves immediately sit up, and glare at the huckster. The magic protecting them seems to have shielded them from the worst of the bolt's power.

((OOC: Raises on the Spellcasting roll do indeed add extra damage to Bolts as normal.

The bolts get around their Invulnerability thanks to a Weakness (they can't be killed, but they can be Incapacitated). 2 of them are facing Wounds, one of them is Shaken.

The Wounded braves attempt to Soak (each spending a GM chip)

14:46, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 6,6 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6,6.  Soak. Looks like 2 successes.))

---

Carl Allens is next!

Carl was trying to ignore the tremors running under his skin and the slick coat of sweat he'd gained, itching against his bandages. The morphine was wearing off. Dimly, more distant than the part of his mind that was trying to fight a battle wounded, against pagan gods in the presence of his greatest fear, he was aware the Injuns had given them away, started shooting. No matter.

Keep moving.

Carl slunk into the lee of the rock Murphs had darted around, struggling with words that pressed desperately up in his throat but would not pass his teeth. Settling into a crouch with his knife ready, he tried to catch the Ranger's eye and jerk his head at the shaman. "..."



[[Carl tries, and fails, to stealth over to that comma of rock on map left and set up a wounded soldier's ambush point in the curve of it, in case any hostiles get too close.

23:04, Today: Carl Allans rolled 0,1 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  sneakin'.
23:05, Today: Carl Allans rolled 2,3 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  white, why not?

init. 7H]]

((OOC: Alrighty. Position noted and mapped.))
Rattleshirt is up next. Adrian, I also need your next round's Initiative.

As Adrian beckoned, the bone glom followed the Huckster, squeezing its form into the narrow side passageway he had found and waited, bristling with its various limbs out and ready for action though it didn't venture out just yet.

OOC:

Rattleshirt is just going to move, and go on a Defend action, putting it at a Parry of 10.

The idea is to creep up into that side passageway on the left and be ready to get in range where it can move and attack on the same turn, but hopefully be out of sight for as much range attack as is possible.

Here's our next initiatives:

22:35, Yesterday: Rattleshirt drew the single card: 3H using the Deadlands system.
13:41, Yesterday: Adrian Vega drew the single card: QS using the Deadlands system.  Initiative for Next Round.

Several of the snake men slither away from their dance around the statue, heading towards the heroes taking shots and making noise.

One of them slips over to Ghost Wolf, hissing and snapping at him, poison spittle flying as it tries to land a bite on him.

Adrian, also, faces a serpent that slithers out from the corner of the passage and actually caches him in the leg. Twin needles of pain shoot up his deadened nerves, and he's got time to be thankful that he's not still among the living, as he sees poison seeping out of the wound.

But the main ire of the snakes seems to be Charging Bear. Two of them slither at him, arms played wide. They grab at him and attempt to pull him apart...

((OOC: Four of the Rattlesnake Manitou leave the statue and slither toward the party. They have a Pace of 8, so they don't have a lot of trouble reaching their targets. One heads for Ghost Wolf, one heads for Adrian, and two head for Charging Bear.

Vs. Ghost Wolf:

The Snake Manitou attempts to bite him.

18:51, Today: Mirror Serpent's Brood rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Fighting. Miss.

Vs. Adrian:

The Snake also attempts a bite.

18:53, Today: Mirror Serpent's Brood rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7.  Fighting. Hit.

Damage: 10. That's enough to make Adrian Shaken. He's also poisoned, but since he's a Harrowed, that really doesn't affect him.

Vs. Charging Bear:

The Manitou attempt to grapple him in order to Rend him.

18:56, Today: Mirror Serpent's Brood rolled 8,6 using d8+1,d8+1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.  Fighting (Gang-Up, Grapple).

Charging Bear, you need to make a Fighting roll to resist the grapple. As long as you beat at least one of them, you won't have to deal with the Rend.

The other three Snake Manitou take positions around the Giant Snek Statue and continue to slither and dance.

Card: 3S, 9C))

---

Evans is up next, but Charging Bear has a roll to resolve first

OOC: 11:16, Today: Charging Bear rolled 2,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Fightin'.
That won't do ... reroll w/ a white chip get +2 thanks to the Elan edge
11:16, Today: Charging Bear rolled 9,7 using d10+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.  White chip Reroll.

Charging Bear slips out of the coils of the snakes as Evans hustles up, then pulls what looks like a trigger mechanism affixed to the top of a whiskey bottle, which causes a pop like the shot of a small-caliber pistol. He then shakes it vigorously, until the liquid inside starts glowing, and hurls it at the snakes.

The snakes duck and the bottle sails past them, rolling to a stop several yards away.

"You misssssed." One of the snakemen laughs.

"Did I?" Evans smirks. "I don't think so. No, no, dear me, no. I got it exactly where I wanted it."

The glowing bottle explodes, spraying the snake men with the glowing goo...and then suddenly the sprayed goo ignites with a light as bright as the sun, and the snakemen shriek as they are consumed in white flames.

"I'm Doctor Ambrosius Botticelli Evans, Marshal of Blackthorn!" he shouts at the flaming, shrieking snakes. "And I defy you! Crawl back into the Pit from whence you came!"

One of the snakes collapses, twitching in its death spasms.

((OOC: Evans moves up and tosses one of his remaining sunlight bombs. He aims for a space that will catch the snakes but not any of the party members.

19:06, Yesterday: The Amazing Evans rolled 4,8 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (4+2)6,(6+4)10.  Throwing. Hit and Raise. He lands the bottle exactly where he wants and gets an extra die of damage.

Damage: 14, 11. One of the snakes takes a Wound, the other is Shaken (and will take 2d6 damage next round from the after-effect). I also check for fire, but, alas, no flames.

Next card: 10S))

---

Alouette is next!

Alouette wanders through the battle in Pale Moon's general direction, continuing to move though it seems to be addressing Ixquahuacoatl in passing:

"...you should repent and stop done being a demon, it is bad for you and also the world. Also, self is not required to protect you. Howdy, On Fire Snake Man Or Lady! Please keep blaze away from self and mortals and also plus plus ghost rock in case of overheating, sparks, critical existence failure of Blackthorn, Texas, doctor Ward's house, Texas, also Texas...Howdy, Pure-Blooded Comanches!" it greets the braves now in view, in case they didn't notice it before.

"Y'all should tell Pale Moon not to feed y'all to the Snake otherwise he'll end up on this plane and that would be bad because he would need to eat plus plus cows and men and women, children and pets to maintain manifestation, also set off the end of the world in region of Blackthorn, Texas..."


[[I'll...give it a Run die to account for anything it needs to go around?

20:42, Today: Alouette rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  running!
init. 10D  That's...surprisingly efficient for Alouette...]]

The Ghost Warriors seem less than eager to charge into battle. Many of them pull rifles and form a rough firing line around the base of the incline leading to Pale Moon. They watch Alouette with a mixture of awe and trepidation.

Another of the warriors slips past the giant snake , rile drawn, and just sort of stares at the clank, his face screwed up as he tries to work out just what message the divine brass figure was trying to relay.

A warrior lurches out into the open and takes a shot at Charging Bear's general direction.

The warriors hit by Adrian's spell return fire, though the one most affected seems to still be a bit dazed and the other two don't come close to hitting him.

Ghost Wolf finds a pair of Ghost Warriors glaring at him. They also shoot in his general direction, but don't come close to hitting him.


((OOC: At the top of the Comanche's action, I check to see if the raider Shaken by Adrian recovers.

21:45, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Unshake.

Most of the Comanche cluster around the base of Pale Moon's cliff and draw their carbines. That's 7 Comanche who don't do anything this round.

Two of them move past Ixi. One draws his rifle, but is a bit confused by Alouette's prattle and doesn't fire. The other moves in, draws his rifle, and takes a shot at Charging Bear. He has a chance of hitting Innocent Bystanders (Wildcat, Jake, and Evans) in CB's general area. He has a -2 penalty for drawing and firing in the same action.

21:50, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 1 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Shooting. Miss, but it doesn't hit any Bystanders.

The remaining 4 Comanche divide their attacks between Adrian and Ghost Wolf. They have a -2 penalty for drawing and firing in the same round, and one has an additional -1 from some cover provided by the tunnel curve. Innocent Bystanders around Adrian include the snake attacking him and Rattleshirt.

Vs. Adrian: 21:54, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled -2,1 using d6-4,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Shooting. Both misses, no Innocent Bystanders hit.

Vs. Ghost Wolf: 21:55, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 0,-1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1.  Shooting. Both misses.

So after a lot of fail, exactly none of the Comanche do anything of relevance this turn. Go Team Evil!

Card: KH. Because of course. I'll put them On Hold for now))

---

---

Turn Order
Ghost Warriors: On Hold, 1 Shaken
Adrian Vega: QS
Charging Bear: JC, 3 rounds of Quickness, 3 rounds Boost Fighting
Marshal Evans: 10S
Alouette: 10D, 2 rounds Boost Fighting
Mirror Serpent's Brood: 9C, 1 Down, 1 Shaken
Carl Allens: 7H, 2 rounds Boost Fighting
William Pierce: 7C, 3 rounds Boost Fighting
Ixquahuacoatl: 7C, 2 rounds of Armor, Shaken
Mad Irish Murphy: 6S
Pale Moon: 6S, 1 Success on Dramatic Task
Ghost Wolf: 6C
Doctor Ward: 5H
Jake Lawrence: 3H
Rattleshirt: 3H
Wildcat Hawkins: 3D, 3 rounds Boost Fighting

At the gash in his leg Adrian snarled, but he shrugged off the blow as a righteous anger seized him, flowing through him as it did earlier when he fought the snake demons that imperiled his home, his friends, and his kin.

"I've killed bigger snakes than you today, motherfucker," he half spat and half roared as he reached in with his envenomed scythe blade stabbing it into the serpent demon, firing that scythed gun right into it as he drove that blade. He was law man and judge all at once here, pronouncing his charge and rendering his sentencing in one blow.

---

OOC:

Spirit: 11 (to unshake)

Using one of his scythe-bladed envenomed relic weapons, Adrian attacks, fueled by the sense of rage from that badge he found at the monstrous injustice these creatures are seeking to bring upon the people that live here.

Fightin': 13
Damage: 13
Shootin': 9 (Free Action due to raise on Fightin')
Damage: 11

Initiative: QS

17:32, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 11 using 2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+2)8.  Shootin' Damage.
17:32, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 9,7 using d6+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3.  Shootin (Relic Free Action, + Relic bonus).
17:29, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 13 using d8+d6+d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3,5.  Scythe Damage Str+d6+raise(?).
17:27, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 8,13 using d8+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+3)9.  Fightin' (+Relic).
17:17, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 11,2 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 11,2.  Spirit to Unshake.
17:17, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: QS using the Deadlands system.  Initiative for next round, because I'll forget later.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:42, Tue 22 Aug 2017.

With a cry, Charging Bear lays into the snake, his tomahawks singing through the air as he hacks the snake down. Then he charges at the brave who had taken shots at him. The man only has a few moments of panic before Charging Bear's enchanted blades find him, too, and he collapses under the assault.

Evans, meanwhile, follows behind Alouette, bringing his makeshift flamethowing device. He sets the tank down and begins pumping on the primer, forcing a spray of gunk past the flaming tip of the nozzle. He aims for the larg snake, and a few stragglers in the way. A Ghost Warrior shrieks as the flaming gel covers him, but Ixquahuacoatl and his fellow snake spirit buddy managed to leap out of the way.

"That should leave you a decent path." He says to the clank.

((OOC: So that will take the snake down, yes.

Charing Bear told me to puppet him while he was away, so I shall.

First, he uses one of his Quickness attacks to make a two-handed attack on the shaken snake in front of him.

10:54, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Charging Bear, rolled 12,3;3,7 using d12+2,d6+2,d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 10,1,1,5.  Fighting. 2 hits, 1 Raise

Damage 1: 11
Damage 2: 8

either of those are enough to cause a Shaken result, and the snake is already shaken, so down it goes.

Charging Bear moves out to the Comanche that shot at him for his next action, and also goes swinging.

11:09, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Charging Bear, rolled 11,5;13,7 using d12+2,d6+2,d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 9,3,11,5.  Fighting. 2 hits with raises

Damage 1: 12
Damage 2: 13

Both of these are enough to cause a Wound, so the Ghost Warrior is Incapacitated.

Charging Bear's Card: AD

Marshal Evans goes next. He switches to his Makeshift Flamethrower device, then moves up next to Alouette and shoots.  He has a -2 penalty for the Multi-Action. The cone will hit a Ghost Warrior, a Snake Spirit, and Ixi himself.

11:21, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 4,0 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Weird Science!

I roll a collective Agility check for those affected:

11:27, Today: The Stray rolled 3;6;9,2 using d8,d8,d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,6,9,2.  Agility.

Ixi and the rattlesnake manitou roll high enough to escape, the Ghost Warrior doesn't.

Damage: 8. That's a Shaken for the Ghost Warrior.

The Amazing Evan's Card: 10C))

---

Alouette is up!

The clank does its best to help, flapping its brass fingers at the giant snake demons like a butler trying to remove wayward children from the pantry. "Shoo! Shoo!"

"Beware of ghost rock plus fire, Ambrose," it reminds the pantsless Marshal of Blackthorn, then continues on its merry way to the knot of Comanches around Pale Moon, whom it attempts to gently shift aside. "Excuse please, por favor, quiero pasar-"

"Howdy, Owl Comanche! Do not advise continuing to attempt to cause the End of Days by sacrificing friends: many sane people are plus plus resistant to the idea and may attempt to dissassemble Pale Moon: make dead."

[[So...more moving. 20:27, Today: Alouette rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  go go gadget!
20:28, Today: Alouette drew the single card: 2D using the Deadlands system.  init. That's more like Alouette init.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:42, Sun 27 Aug 2017.

"Well, yes, that's why I'm firing into the open areas." Evans mutters, not noticing the snake manitou sneaking up on him until it gets him in the thigh. He yelps and bats at it with the nozzle of his flamethrower.

The Comanche do not seem inclined to let Alouette "pasar, por favor." Instead, they hesitate, then try to dogpile on the clank rather than anger the spirit within by shooting it.

Meanwhile, the other Comanche keep firing. Adrian takes a painful but ultimately harmless hit to his chest (thank goodness for being dead). Ghost Wolf's shirt protects him a little from the bullet that grazes him, but he still winds up bleeding.

Charging Bear, fresh over the still form of the silver-skinned comanche, suddenly feels movement behind him as a snake rears up and bites him hard. He staggers back, feeling the poison coursing through him.

((OOC: This seems as good a time as any to take the Comanche off Hold. I'll also do the remaining Snake manitou in this post.

Currently, 2 Comanche are shaken, 1 is Incapacitated.

13:00, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 3,6 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 3,6.  Unshake.

one unshakes, one does not. It's the one closest to Evans that Unshakes, and he's might pissed about being lightly toasted, so he takes a shot at Evans.

13:02, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Shooting.

Miss.

The Comanche around Pale Moon are there to guard him, and do not wish to move. Instead, since they clearly don't know what else to do, some of them decide to dogpile on Alouette while others just keep their guns up.

4 of them attempt to Grapple Alouette, 3 of them move around and keep their guns ready.

I'll treat this as a Cooperative Grapple with a +3 Gang-Up bonus.

13:05, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 16,4 using d8+3,d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,1.  Grapple! (with Gang-up).

Alouette, you need to beat a 16 on a Fighting roll to not be Grappled.

Meanwhile, 2 Comanche take shots at Adrian, and 2 take shots at Ghost Wolf.

Vs. Adrian: 13:07, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 9,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,2.  Shooting. hit and Raise

Damage: 12. That's actually only a Shaken for the mighty Adrian.

Vs. Ghost Wolf: 13:08, Today: Comanche Raiders rolled 4,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4.  Shooting. Two hits

Damage 1: 15. Thanks to his shirt, his Toughness is 8, so this is only 1 Wound and Shaken for him unless he soaks.

Damage 2: 3. No effect.

Comanche card: 2C. Alouette has company at the bottom of next round.

There are three snakes doing gyrations near the statue, but they decide they need to go stop the humans. This means Pale Moon's ritual gets a little harder. he'll suffer a -1 penalty to his next roll.

The snakes move. one moves up near Evans, the other near Charging Bear. They attempt to bite.

13:15, Today: Mirror Serpent's Brood rolled 4,13 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(8+5)13.  Fighting.

One gets a hit on Evans because of his awful Parry, the other gets a Raise on Charging Bear because of course it does.

Vs. Evans: 8. That's a Shaken and Evans needs to roll Vigor vs. Poison.

13:18, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 10,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,2.  Vigor.

That's a Raise, so he only suffers Exhaustion (-2 Fatigue). Not especially good, but not the worst, either.

Vs. Charging Bear: 21. Because clearly the Dice Roller still hates him. That's 3 wounds and some poison to boot.

It's not fair to have him use his own chips for this, so I'll let him use some of my whites.

13:56, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Charging Bear, rolled 4,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2.  Soak. Spending a white for a reroll, getting a bonus thanks to Elan.

13:57, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Charging Bear, rolled 17,3 using d10+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (10+5)15,1.  White Chip reroll.

Well, that will soak the wounds. Now let's see how he deals with the Poison.

13:58, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Charging Bear, rolled 9,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,5.  Vigor.

Success and Raise, so he has only being Exhausted by the Poison to worry about.

Snek card: KC))

---

Carl Allens is up
Marshal Evans has 2 Fatigue
Charging Bear has 2 Fatigue
Adrian is Shaken
Ghost Wolf needs to soak 1 Wound

As it turns out, four Comanche warriors prove just about sufficient to stop a clank. They fail to stop it talking, however. "Tilt error...! Y'all need to take the photograph away from Pale Moon who may also be the Owl Comanche who is sometimes a lion, otherwise the Snake who is a witch will eat your souls like all the chickens that got stuck in the rock-that-wails..."

[[22:37, Today: Alouette rolled 1,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  escape? Not escape.]]

Carl leans back against the stone for a moment, aware of the sweat crawling under his bandages and streaking through the night's dirt on his skin. He listens, judges the distance, and suddenly is in motion, partly fending himself off the rock he just darted around to stab low and deep at a serpent. Instinct more than sense keeps him upright, the muscle-memory of far too many knife fights ready for the retaliatory flash of fangs.

[[Think I can just about reach the snek that got CB.
23:19, Today: Carl Allans rolled 8,0 using d12-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1.  fightin'. Hit, I think?
23:23, Today: Carl Allans rolled 6,2 using d8,d4+1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1.  Damage can has? -> 8 plus Poison if so.
init. KH ]]

Ghost Wolf hissed at the sting of the bullet, but otherwise ignored it.

"Why do you not send your best, Pale Moon? What lies have you whispered to them?"

[[OOC: got a 5, soaked it.]]

The snake hisses in pain, then begins to spasm as the poison from its own kin begins to work...

((OOC: not sure who y'all are waiting on, since it's William Pierce's turn, but I might as well resolve this.

The Snake is Shaken, and has to make a Vigor roll against the poison.

11:43, Today: Mirror Serpent's Brood rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Vigor.

Yup. Down it goes.))

---

It's William Pierce's turn

"Hurry up, Doc", the gunslinger snarls over his shoulder.

Then he squints, takes aim, and fires at the shaman across the cave, trying to complete the ritual. Everybody was trying to get there to stop him... but a bullet might be the fastest option.
His instinct was to just shoot him, but those weird photograhic plates might have shattered if dropped. William had no clue how fragile those things truly were.

But... he was wielding that dagger. Not holding on to that might have some impact on whatever the crazy indian was trying to achieve.
And even if he missed, a bullet zinging past you had a tendency to refocus your attention.

He squeezed the trigger... and a moment later, the shaman spun around, but William was not able to see if he had hit him, nor what damage he might have caused.

14:34, Today: William Pierce rolled 6,-2 using d12-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 10,2.  Called shot to disarm.
Figuring: -2 for called shot, -2 for distance

14:35, Today: William Pierce rolled 29 using 3d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5,(6+6+6+4)22.  Ghost Gun damage.

... I'd like to see that strength roll to hold on to that dagger, please!


14:36, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: JS using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, Quick Edge.
14:36, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 3S using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

((OOC: There is also a -4 penalty to your attack from the magical deflection barrier around Pale Moon. This means your 6 will not hit (it becomes a 2) unless you spend a Fate Chip to bump it.))

21:20, Today: William Pierce rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Adding Blue Chip.

Damn right I'll bump this!

The Shaman spins, and William notices he's clutching his arm and no longer holding the knife. That will probably delay him a little.

The enormous snake monster in the middle of the room snarls, then makes a gesture.

The entry hall suddenly begins to tremble, and those within have to hold on tight as the ground bucks and shakes them.

Seemingly satisfied, the giant snake man slithers over to Pale Moon, past the honor guard and up the side of the ledge. He perches there, glaring at the shaman. "I should not leave this in your hands." he hisses.

Pale Moon scowls. [Language unknown: "Ver inivle erbeel ame acanev? Pa. Is meous pona. Nd i thuouswilnti ulnc waroprwapo."] He says curtly.

((OOC: 13:28, Today: Pale Moon rolled 2,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Strength.

Yeah, that's not going to do it.

Now he needs to try and soak that damage.

His Toughness is 8 against bullets, thanks to his shirt. That still leaves him facing 5 wounds. Since William's gun is magic, Pale Moon is still affected, though he can't be killed and won't suffer a permanent injury thanks to his protective magic. He attempts to soak, using a GM chip.

13:36, Today: Pale Moon rolled 15,5 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+7)15,5.  Soak. That...that's impressive. To try and go for broke, he spends a Red Chip, which will soak at least one more wound and might take care of them all.

13:36, Today: Pale Moon rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Red Chip add.

That makes his total 18, so he soaks 4 of the 5 wounds. That leaves him with 1 wound, a Shaken, and his ritual dagger is off somewhere so he'll have to retrieve it or take another penalty on his ritual roll.

Since it's Ixi's turn, I'll deal with him now, too.

13:41, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 7,5 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3.  Recover from Shaken.

That done, He tries to send an Earthquake at the largest massed group of characters: Wildcat, William Pierce, Jake Lawrence, and Dr. Ward

14:21, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 7,3 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Spellcasting. Success, but he wants a Raise, so he spends a Red chip.

14:22, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Ixquahuacoatl, rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Red Chip add.

The 1 was all he needed, so that's a Success and Raise for him.

Wildcat, William Pierce, Jake Lawrence, and Dr. Ward need to make a Strength roll (-2) or get thrown about, possibly with damage added.

That done, he heads toward Pale Moon, crawling up the ledge to interpose himself between Alouette and the shaman.

Ixi's card: QD))

---

Mad Irish Murphy gets to go next, but Wildcat, William Pierce, Jake Lawrence, and Dr. Ward have a roll to resolve.

Wildcat is taken by surprise when the ground starts to roll and shake, losing both her footing and her balance in the process.

14:35, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled -1,1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Strength.

Dr. Ward loses his footing with a terse, restrained noise of disapproval.

18:27, Today: Dr. Dexter Ward rolled 3,3 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max (((4+1)5,5)).

13:06, Today: William Pierce rolled 1,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  Strength.

William has only a second to enjoy his hit before the ground below him shakes as if it was a horse gone wild.

He fights for his balance, but loses, falling unceremoniously down with a curse on his lips.

Murphy looks over his cover.
"So, we're all charging ahead now, are we? That sounds like a wonderful idea."
He shoves his colt back into his belt and pulls the tomahawk instead.
"It's stuff like this why the bloody saxons still hold Ireland in their death grip."

Still, Murphy was an Irishman. And he loved a bloodthirsty charge ahead as much as his gaelic ancestors.


((Murphy switches weapons and moves as much forward as he can, but not running


18:22, Today: Mad Irish Murphy drew the 2 cards: JS, 2C using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, level headed.

))

Jake manages to stay on his feet

OOC:
13:44, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,7 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+2)8.  Strength .

At Adrian's gesture, the skeletal construct focused intently on the serpentman that the Huckster had just finished dispatching, beginning to strip the corpse for its bones.

---

OOC:

It's going to use the Glom action (for the next three rounds) to add to its mass.

Initiative: 10S (still Glomming, if able)

15:29, Today: Rattleshirt drew the single card: 10S using the Deadlands system.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:38, Mon 02 Oct 2017.

The shaking earth hurls the heroes about, sending them crashing into the walls of the passage they're in. Wildcat hits the wall behind Murphy, Ward finds himself nearly crashing into Carl, and William hits the wall next to Jake.

Pale Moon takes a deep breath, and begins hunting around the alter for the blade. His hand closes on the handle, and he pulls it up...and his face falls. The obsidian blade has bee fractured, and a full half of it is missing. The shaman runs his finger along the remaining edge.

[Language unknown: "A ng itpono bealas. Wepl oer dinateort poie."] He mutters to himself, and returns to his position at the alter.

((OOC: So those who failed the Havoc roll get tossed around, and all of those who failed get hurled into a wall of some kind, making you Shaken.

Pale Moon attempts to Unshake so he can salvage his ritual.

08:11, Today: Pale Moon rolled 4,4 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Unshake.

He does, but he has a -2 penalty on actions. He currently also has a -1 from not having snakes dancing around Tex, -1 from his Wound, and -2 from not having his ritual dagger, in addition to the normal -2 from the difficulty of the ritual.

That's a few too many penalties for him to reasonably deal with, so he spends his action retrieving it. The knife is very damaged from the shot, so it's still going to penalize him (-1), but Pale Moon hopes that Ixi can keep the heat off him long enough to do the ritual. Of course, now he has to collect 4 success and taking this round off means he's got only 3 rounds to do it.

Pale Moon's card: AS))

---

Ghost Wolf is next! Wildcat, William, and Ward are all Shaken.