"¡Hay un otro!"

The shout draws Jake's attention to the distant corner of the house and the scarce-visible bulk of the feed shed beyond. Then the lightning flashes, and shows him for an indelible instant something that looks like someone skinned a coyote, stuck it full of barbs and shards of rock, and hacked its limbs into proportions slightly more child-like than canid. That was what spoke.

Jake's blood crawls in its veins. He knows of only one creature like that, the descriptions always vague: rural legend, an omen of death. It's el chupacabras.

[[Just...have a white chip and free occult knowledge without rollage, because that wasn't intended to be a trap. Then give me a Guts roll @ -5 + Grit.]]

---

""¡Hay un otro!"" Jaquinta reports to the men round the front from over by the feed shed. Her huge eyes briefly shine bright as candles, catching the glare of a flash of lightning.

Goat sucker ... horrible name for a horrible thing Jake thought as his blood turned cold for an instant. Pretty sure old Doc Lucas had one of those on his dissection table, or was it just a goat? The thought came and went as he looked about for somewhere or something of use. "Vampires and goat suckers, next we'll have a bigfoot and a jackalope roaming about,"he muttered.

OOC:
15:13, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 8,1 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 9,2. Spirit (-5 Fear, +4 Grit).

The rider starts, swings his mount's head about, and kicks his heels to the beast's sides: suddenly the cowboy is pounding straight for Jake's shrubbery at full tilt.

"¡Voy lo atrapar!" the chupe barks, and becomes a blur of speed and spraying mud, hideously fast. It's heading this way, too.

[[Jake has plenty of twigs and dead leaves ready to hand, plus a decent-sized rock and some snail shells which may or may not be occupied. The beastie said "I'll catch it/him!", and - as a note - can't be aimed at whilst running due to being so fast as to be almost invisible. The horse is a nice target, though. Alternately, Jake could lie flat and hope they miss him...think fast!]]

"Oh like hell..." Jake said as he leveled his dragoon on the creature. More red and blue lightning erupted into the darkness.

OOC: Spell then moving to cover!
14:33, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 7,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Spellcasting Bolt (3d6).
14:35, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 13 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1,(6+2)8. Bolt Damage.

PP: 8/10

There's a chorused shout and yelp of surprise from the cowboy and chupacabra.

[[Were you shooting the horse-beast, or in Jackie's general direction?]]

OOC: GREAT question
15:04, Today: Jake Lawrence got the result "Ask again later" on the magic 8-ball. Should I should the chupacabra?
15:05, Today: Jake Lawrence got the result "Yes" on the magic 8-ball. It might be later now.
Magic 8-ball has spoken! The chupacabra is getting shot

[[Still a hit, since 'general direction' is general (-2) in Dim light or not, and the stats I've got don't list her as Small...that's 1 Wound shaken for Jaquinta. You may now picture Tezcatlcoatl making a smug face.

Jackie, soakin' time!
Jaquinta, rolled 12,11 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+2)12,(6+5)11. soaking! Soaked with raisins.]]

Jake's lightning clips the goatsucker, causing it to stumble sideways and be thrown rolling into the mud by its own momentum.

"¡AY!"

The vampire carries on, crashing through the foliage with a vague pistol-whip at where Jake was; his horse is through the shrubbery with barely a second's decceleration, soon on relatively open ground and charging.

Jake has just enough time to note that the thing over the cowboy's saddle looked like a body and that the rider seemed to be being chased by the abomination. Then suddenly the air is knocked out of him by a ballistic chupacabra to the chest.

"¡¿Qué coño, cabeza de mierda?!" it snarls, and closes its jaws around Jake's throat like a steel trap.


[[She is now one pissed-off chupe and decides to go bite the idiot shooting at her. Unfortunately for Jake, he's now within her Pace and she's a melee fighter with no Dark/Dim penalties...

Jaquinta rolled 10,9 using d10+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 8,(6+1)7. bite! Hit, raise.
Jaquinta rolled 11,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11,3. *NOM*. Base damage.
Jaquinta, rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. raise die.

-> 18 damage, which is 3 wounds Shaken for Jake.

Meanwhile, the vampire high-tails it out of there. D'you want to keep this as a narrative fight, or go into combat?]]

Letting out a yelp of pain, Jake pushed at the critter who was attempting to eat him and which was allowing the vampire to get away


OOC: Okay ... so am I missing something? Should Jake recognize this chupacabra?

Burn a white to ATTEMPT to soak some of that
16:14, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 2,8 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+2)8. Soak.
That's good for 2 out of 3 ... hello wound penalties how I've missed you!

Jake really has little to no stake in the current goings on but he should probably try to stop the vampire.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Fri 12 Dec 2014.

The pair overbalance, crashing through the foliage. Its vicelike grip loosened, the creature scrambles and shifts its weight to pin Jake down, leaning against his pushing hands. Its huge dark eyes meet Jake's and its lips curl back in a snarl, bloodstained teeth inches from his face.

*hhhhRRRRRRRRRRRRRrrrr...*

[[You may have a free Smarts roll -2 to see. For her part, Jackie only realised he wasn't another vampire when she jumped on him, but he did shoot at her...she'd have savaged him worse (woo Improved Frenzy!) if he hadn't been mortal, though.]]

OOC:
16:36, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,0 using d10-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Smarts (-2 GM, -1 WP).
Jake knows nothing ... as usual

The vast eyes narrow, briefly aflame with the reflection of lightning overhead. Seeing Jake's not immediately about to do anything but bleed and pant for breath, the creature dips its head, wrests the gun from Jake's hand and throws it off into the dark bushes with a sharp toss of the head.

The hoofbeats Jake can feel though the twig litter are swiftly getting more distant.

[[You could always ask her, too...Tez was influencing Jake to see them as coming at him together rather than one chasing the other, coincidentally in his direction, so it's only 60-70% Jake's fault.

Jaquinta disarms him whilst he's lying there Shaken, but isn't sure about letting him up yet.]]

William takes a few more steps closer, stake in his hand. Instinctively, he waits for a second for the crows to give him an opening, then plunges the stake down, hard, into the dead thing's heart.

He drives the piece of wood in deep, twisting it, and carefully looks what happens. Family - or hired help?

"One down. One to go." He nods to the crows. "Obliged. Do you know where I can find the last one?"


10:33, Today: William Pierce rolled 5,14 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+6+4)16. Fighting, wild, to the heart.

10:34, Today: William Pierce rolled 3,7,7 (total 17) using d10,d4,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(4+3)7,5. Stake damage, +wild, raise.

The crowlets pile themselves into a near-pyramid on the distinctly-dead cowboy and bustle amongst themselves for a moment. A spokescrowlet is chosen and nudged to the top. Tiny glowing red eyes look up at William.

"Are you a cowboy?" it asks.

William barks out a laughter. It's a good feeling, surprisingly so, but after being killed, hanged, turned into a monster, shot at, stabbed, insulted,... the crows make him laugh.
He shakes his head, still smiling.
"No, I'm not. I am just someone who hunts and kills monsters."

Jake looked at the THING currently atop him and shook his head. "If you think I need that for what I do ... you're a fool." He turned over his non-bloodied hand and three ghostly cards appeared but then vanished into nothing.

OOC: Unshake
09:26, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,7 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+2)8. Unshake (-1WP). Yes!

09:27, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,-1 using d10-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Spellcasting Bolt (3x2d6 -1wp, -2MAP). ... fail!

"Si quieres, puedo tomar tus manos," the goatsucker snarls back, shifting a bit to put most of its weight on Jake's arms, though one clawed back paw scrapes uncomfortably close to where Jake would rather not be stood on. Its breath smells of old blood and hunger. "'Vaya con Dios', dices, pero creo que tu vas con el Diablo...si quieres un poco del Infierno, es aquí."


[[Was that off PP? I think failed spells still count. *kicks internet until it works*

Jackie tries to Intimidate Jake rather than chewing his face off, in case O'Rourke would disapprove:
Jaquinta rolled 9,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,4. scary chupe?

That's a 9 to beat, Jake.]]

There's a bit of inter-crow speculation. "Is he a cowboy?" the topmost one asks. A small stream of crowlets hop out to 'point' at Hank, then flutter back.

The rational part of Jake's brain reminded him that things nearby with pointy teeth should be dealt with before things far way with pointy teeth.  Color drains from his face as his life's blood continued to leave him and pool on the ground. A shiver ran through out his person, fear or cold ... he wasn't sure which.

OOC: it was for pure casting ... which means no spell .. meant to be a 3d6 bolt just typed it in wrong.
08:49, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 7,4 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 8,5. Spirit.
08:49, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Blue Chip. 7 + 1 = 8 < 9 ... hello wasted blue chip!
White chip to reroll the whole thing
08:52, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 4,7,1 using d10-1,d6-1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8,1. Spirit + Blue Chip. ... so 7+1 = 8 ... again  ... ugh!

Enjoy your +2 goat sucker!

The chupe gives a low growl, then lunges: once more Jake's throat is in the creature's grip.

...yet it doesn't break the skin. The flash of relief is short-lived, however, as Jake realises he can't breathe.


[[Jaquinta rolled 20,8 using d10+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of (10+6)16,4. grapple-bite.

20 to beat to resist the chokehold...if Jake fails, he gets a Vigour roll at -4 as per the Hanging rules, failure of which'll put him out for 1d6+1 minutes.

Took me a while to work out how to do this without Jake winding up KO'd under a bush for hours or carrying Fatigue levels: Jackie only needs him x_x for a few minutes.]]

The gunslinger considers this. "He's... with me", he finally answers.
"Ain't that right, Hank?"

Jake saw stars ... then black.

OOC:
16:05, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 2,4 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Agility (-1 WP). fail...
16:07, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled -1,-1 using d6-5,d6-5, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Vigor (-1 WP, -4 Hanging). fail again
16:08, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 9 using 1d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8. KO time. Maximium KO!  la chupacabra wins!

"Ever an' always, Billy," Hank throws in, warily coming a bit closer though still alert, Hardin's gun in hand. "What's with you and the Marshal in there?"

"Okay! We won't eat him, then," the spokescrowlet responds. There's a bit more discussion. "We're going to look for the one that made a strange face and went 'round the back. D'you want to come?"

Once the gringo fool went limp and unresisting Jaquinta waited a couple of seconds, feeling the man's pulse slow and struggle under her tongue, then let go.

Her mouth was watering enough for strings of drool to stretch between her teeth and his freshly-bruised skin, but she resists the temptation, licking over his wound only enough to clean and encourage it to close. Probably pointless to leave him to freeze after all that effort not to kill him, she reflects, and circles about to put his hat on his middle and nose down under his skull to take a good grip of his collar. With a grunt and a heave, the chupacabra starts dragging Jake over towards the open end doors of the carriage house.

[[I'll let you know when Jake's up and at 'em again.]]

"Yes, if you'll allow us to join you in your hunt."

William leaves the stake in the dead vampire, then pulls another one from his belt, leaving one to spare.

"The marshal and I have our differences. But right now, we're focused on dealing with the situation at hand. Then we'll see what's happens next."

"Looks a pretty fancy place for a nowhere town like Blackthorn," Hank observes. "Reckon there's old money there. Prob'ly dirty money, too."

"Rightright," the birdie rasps. "Going! Do looking!" The mass of crowlets throw themselves at William in a blur of soggy little bodies, catching onto his shirt and belt and sleeves, swinging round to settle in a fluttering mass on his back.

Hank startles away from the rush of birds. "What the-?"

He's interrupted by a cawed chant of three, upon the end of which William shoots into the air.

"Hey! Hey, wait up!" Hank yells, suddenly dropping further and further down and away on the spinning ground.

[[The birdies rolled 5 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 5. awaaay! Gimmie a Notice roll to see how well that looking goes, the William.]]