"Come on, Bitter Waters!" he said, sprinting off towards where Adrian and the priest were.

When he gets there, he stops to take a look at the Marshal. "Marshal Evans, you do look a little worse for wear. And seem to have lost your pants." He looks at the priest and Adrian as if for explanation.

"It's a long story," he said quietly. They didn't have time to talk about the Marshal's pantlessness.

"I'm sure," replied Lazarus, quietly. Nevertheless, he took off his suit jacket and handed it to the Marshal. "A pair of trousers it isn't, but at least it will allow you to retain some dignity if you tie it about the waist."

Looking back at Adrian he said, "Bitter Waters is coming. Should be here shortly. Rather strange bird, that one. Shall we have a go at the next snake?" And by have a go, he meant that he'd probably run away screaming while Adrian fought it.

"I reckon it's about that time. Father, if you wanna come along, you can hang back and bless us in our fight against the demon."

---

OOC:

What kinda holy magics does the padre have?

"He can have my cassock and fold my shirt for a loincloth," O'Rourke says, then looks up at Harry's approach. "Or yours, indeed. It seems the snake thought better of joining the other one and went off downslope, but I didn't go down to see where he left the path. Did the Mayor get the portal closed?"

He looks at his hands and eases himself from supporting Evans into a standing position, wiping the blood off on his knees. "Was anyone else hurt at all?"

[[...very few things, off the top of my head. I think it might stretch probability a little too far to find magical clean underwear just lying under the first rock you checked, however. Especially since your leprechaun's something like 300m away.

Blessed can, by my (somewhat old) rulebook, use:

Aim, Armor, Barrier, Beast Friend, Boost/Lower Trait, Deflection, Dispel, Elemental Manipulation, Environmental Protection, Exorcism, Gambler, Greater Healing, Healing, Inspiration, Light, Protection, Quickness, Sanctify, Smite, Speak Language, Stun, Succor,
Windstorm

O'Rourke can do most of those, though some penalties/time limitations apply. He has the Healer Edge that applies to mundane healing, too.]]

"Damn. That's why I came to get you in the first place. Hardin, the gunslinger. He's hurt somethin' bad, and up on the hill near the Mayor. Bitter Waters is hurt as well, and he's on his way here. He's hurt physically. And maybe mentally too," he said.

He drew some spectral cards from an ethereal deck and let them dissipate back from whence they came before clapping Lazarus on the shoulder. "I guess it's just you and me. I'll take it on first, and you come after me."

With that, he headed down towards where the snake was.

---

OOC:

Deal with the Devil: Three of a Kind
Boost Fightin' on Harry Lazarus
Spellcasting: 4

4D, 8D, JS, BJ!, 6C, KD, QC, 4H, 5C, 2S, 4D

Deal with the Devil: Two Pair
Boost Fightin' on Adrian Vega
Spellcasting: 5

8C, 7C, 3H, JC, 3S, KD, 10H, 6D, JH, AC, AS

Also...another Joker's Wild!

15:42, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 5,2 using d8,d6. Using a red chip as white to reroll the last one.
15:41, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 1,3 using d8,d6.
15:41, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 4,2 using d8,d6.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Fri 10 July 2015.

Jake does he was told with his knife, not sure if it works or not but anything is better than nothing.

His eyes settle on Vega, "Adrian y'all 'er gonna to need everyone who MIGHT be able  to stab, shoot, or the like. I'm another warm body for the snake to have to deal with. Can't say I've been the most helpful soul or the most sane but this area of Texas hasn't been exactly personable. Let's finish this thing huh?"

OOC: Guessing a survival roll for the knife stuff.
08:49, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled -3,1 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Survival (-2 Untrained, -2 Fatigue).

This message was last edited by the player at 00:28, Sun 12 July 2015.

[[No roll necessary - this is dipping a blade in an almost human head-sized cavity filled with poison, not milking the venom from dead normal-sized snakes. Just don't cut yourself.]]

The priest gives Jake a frown as the man growls something at Lazarus, but calls him over gently nonetheless, more weary than anything.

"I heard you were wounded in the fight, my son - let me see if I can help you there."

Evans struggles to a proper sitting position, trying to improvise some clothing for his pantsless self. "Better check that Pierce hasn't run off, too...if we have to have a bloodsucker around I'd rather have him where I can see him, not hypnotised by some snake in the grass or back under the control of her femminine wiles."

In reply to Father William O'Rourke (msg # 217):

Jake walks to where the good father is and hows him the lovely pair of puncture wounds on his hand. "Yep padre, little bugger got me pretty good. Didn't see him cause well it is dark out."

"It must be getting near sunrise," O'Rourke surmises, taking Jake's swollen hand and washing both sides lightly with holy water. The pain seems to flow away and drip off his fingertips with the moisture, leaving just familiar skin. "That or all this fire and warmth confused the creature," the priest adds, murmuring a blessing as he massages the swelling, calming veins and tendons under his touch. "As it was commanded, so shall the hands be washed, that they die not; allow this man Thy protection, O Lord, that his hands may be turned to Thy work and that which aids his brothers..."

[[Since we're treating bites as one injury...which I should really update the House Rules with, now I think of it.

Father William O'Rourke rolled 7,1 using d12+2,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1. holy healing, Batman! (+ 2-step die raise (d12+1), +2 Healer, Conviction balancing miracle level, +2 Jake Vigour Bonus from Adrian...-1 Wound, -2 Poison) Almost.
Father William O'Rourke rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. GM red chippit....Jake is healed.]]

Jake flexes the hand as the wounds seem to heal. "That seems to have done the trick padre'. Much appreciated." Jake says with a nod of approval.

13:50, Today: William Pierce rolled 9,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,3. Agility.

William takes two quick steps backward.
"Push the monkey off, Hank. Or I'll do it for good." he growls, his face showing grim determination.

Jake looks over his head, noting the bumps are slowly going away.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:24, Mon 13 July 2015.

He waited, in response to Jake's statement, and watched as the priest healed him. Once Jake was ready, he said, "Harry and I can use all the help we can get. Padre, if you'd be so kind to see to Hardin as well, I'd much appreciate it. He's over by the Mayor."

Adrian looked at Jake and Harry. "Alright you two. It's time to see if we can find the last snake." He focused on the ground intently, his free hand thumbing through a hand of cards that weren't really there.

OOC:

Deal with the Devil: Full House (5D, 5C, 5S, 3H, 3C)
Boost Tracking on Adrian.
Tracking: 3 (7 if still get the +4 bonus)

3S, 10S, 7H, 5S, 9S, 3C, JC, BJ!, 5D, 3H, 5C
09:54, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.

Hank just stays on his knees where he'd fallen, looking up at Pierce. "I don't understand...what monkey? It was the snake...his eyes...I wouldn't try'n shoot you, Billy, you've got to believe me. Help me, man. I don't know what that was. Please. I don't understand what you're saying." The young man's blood smells dead and cold.

"I'd best get up there, then," O'Rourke says, giving Jake a nod of welcome and heading straight upslope for the top.

The Marshal improvises some clothing out of what he's been given and heaves the flamethrower towards him as he stands, a little gingerly. "I'll get Pierce," he mutters.

---

Setting off down the trail, Adrian sees their quarry must have moved with great speed to lay the grass and scub flat as a dime on a traintrack.

[[Adrian, remember you are massively Arcane Resistant now (-4 to magic affecting your own self) and still have control of a certain local abomination. It is indeed +4 to track Ixi at present, but I think the effects from the last roll are still current; I'll ask you for another Tracking roll when the terrain and/or conditions are different.]]

OOC:

Oh yeah, forgot. I'm just in such a habit of using Boost/Lower Trait as my main spell.

Though, to be clear, I did draw a Full House, which grants me an automatic success on my Spellcasting roll - so there's nothing for the Arcane Resistance penalty to go against. Essentially, in order to cast a successful hex on myself, I should need either (1) a hand of Flush or higher [reasonably common at drawing 11 cards, but far from guaranteed] or (2) a Spellcasting roll of 8 or higher (to be able to absorb the -4 penalty).
This message was last edited by the player at 21:59, Mon 13 July 2015.

"When I killed the first snake, I got some kinda magical power," he admitted to the others. "I can control dead things. The ugh, snake made somethin' outta bones and it obeys me. I figure y'all seen enough weird shit that it shouldn't weird you out too much, but brace yerselves. I'm about to call it in. It won't hurt you. It's gonna help us fight the snake," he said.

"I'll be right back, and it'll be with me."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Thu 23 July 2015.

The gunman's eyes are cold. "You tell me what you saw and what happened. And then I'll decide if I believe you. Because if you lie, I'll be able to smell it on you. It's just one of the neat tricks I picked up lately. And if I smell a lie on you, then I'll know that my friend Hank is dead and you are just an imposter that needs to be put down."


21:21, Today: William Pierce rolled 5,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. Smarts Trick?

The young man's face screws up in confusion. "What're you talking about? I'm right here...damn, Billy, you been chasing the dragon? I heard that winds you up all kinds of ways, makes you kinda forget what's real-" he tenses seeing William's expression. "Okay, okay...there was a big snake...not the one that took Sarah but like it, that big, with horns and a kind of mask...made with tiles, I guess, glass tiles and with these kind of necklace things-"

Belatedly, Hank realised what he'd seen. "-Shit, they were a bunch of human hands...hearts and hands and bits of gold, and it had a kind of ghost fire on its head, so that I could see its eyes clear...those eyes...it kind of spoke to me, and then I was trying to shoot you. I mean, something in me was."

[[20:25, Today: Hank Miller rolled 3,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. resist! Assuming that was trying to bluff that William can literally smell lies, he believes you.]]

Jake waits for Vega to get back from whatever hoodoo the deadman is doing.

William sniffs the air in front of him, moving a half step forward.

He leans backward again and keeps his distance, but says: "Go on, pick up your gun. Let's go find the others."

Adrian returns to the rest of the group, followed by a large creature that seems to be made entirely of bone. From the looks of it, the bones have likely not come from just one creature but a variety of them. A variety of limbs and skulls and ribs have been cobbled together to form the abomination.

"This is Rattleshirt, the Lord o' Bones. He obeys my commands and will help us fight the snakes." To demonstrate his command over the creature he says "Jump up and down twice."

The horrible thing jumps horribly high.

---

William sees some weird white thing blur into the air and back down again around the slope.

---

Adrian's pet abomination crashes down with a clatter, scuttles a couple of steps and then repeats the horrendous flea-jump.

---

"You take...wh-?" Hank sees it too this time. It's not shaped like any kind of creature William can process, but the awful silhouette is gone again too fast to stare.

[[boing...]]

[[Onto the new thread, s.v.p.]]