September 12th, 1880. Noon. The Black Hills.

The next day passed fairly uneventfully. Those traveling with Wovoka make their goodbyes to those heading to Deadwood, then follow the Sioux on foot off the trail and away from the Black Hills. Only Sky Hawk has a horse...the other horses the Lakota had were killed in the ambush.

There is talk of reaching a nearby village to negotiate for new mounts, in order to reach Bear Butte quicker.

As they travel, Wovoka speaks with those who came with him, offering insight into the world of the spirits and the Ghost Dance to any who ask. His attention seems mostly focused on Li, and he offers any answers to the young chinaman's questions.

It's a beautiful fall day, crisp and clear. Everything is still green. Birds chirp, and the sun is invitingly warm.

And yet...

There's something just a little off. The cool breeze is just a shade too cool to be comfortable, and when it dies down, the sun is just a shade too hot. The birds are strangely discordant, just slightly off-key. It should be a nice day, but...it feels more like the calm before a storm.

The feeling of unease grows as, around noon, a column of smoke is seen rising from somewhere along the creek.

"Look!" Sky Hawk says. "Is that not where Little Bear's people dwell?"

There's a murmur of concern among the Sioux as they near the rising column of smoke...

((OOC: Everyone who went with Wovoka make a post here, either to ask some questions of Wovoka or deal with the situation. I'll move the thread forward once I've heard from everyone.))

Xiao, scrubbed as clean as dewy grasses would permit this morning, straightens with alertness: clearly this fire was too big for the normal run of native life. The youth looks to the Sioux to see whether this merits moving faster to help with a tent fire or leaving the trail and circling in case of cavalry attack.

Thunder Walker was contemplative as they made their way to Bear Butte, thinking less of events in the recent past disturbing as they were, and thinking of the greater part of his life. His travels, his disconnection from the people, and the joy of his return here and return to what he thought would be a simpler life. That brought him back of course, to the realities of what they had recently experienced with those of the Raven who had killed their own people for little cause.

"The smoke is too much for something good," he said. The day was too ill aspected for it to be anything else.

Moses had been quiet most of the day, only occassionaly having small chats with himself. Or with someone who was invisibly, as he clearly carried only half the conversation.

He kept looking left and right, shaking his head but wouldn't answer to any question, no matter who addressed him. After a while, the indians made sure to give the crazy man some room.

But when the smoke was seen by all, Moses stopped and looked for a long minute. When he finally spoke, his voice was strong and deep.

"And there arose a smoke, as the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and sky were darkenend. And there came locusts out of the smoke upon the earth. And unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power."

He nods, his face carrying a grim expression.
"It has begun, Black Jack Boudreaux. The Lord has brought us here just in time."

Sky Hawk and the other two braves ready bows, while Wovoka and Horn Chips mutter invocations to the spirits.

[Language unknown: "On lowa ic ate ven seou haissetr."] Sky Hawk says to Thunder Walker. [Language unknown: "Allita n teressandill, reove ll whiwi pr u? U ar hat na a ouringpro Fillni e Sture Oneima derpr tinhouain acfo."]

Xiao fetches the razor out at the braves' wariness, stepping back nearer Wovoka protectively and taking the opportunity of the others' alertness to the immediate surroundings to peer through the trees to see if there are birds circling - or Moses' flying scorpion-locusts.

Though Xiaohan was not sure what kinds of birds did what in the Americas, the English term crow-bait did seem to refer to corpses, and American crows were probably no less adept than Chinese ones at coming to where there might be killing on the off-chance of a meal.

[[Tan Xiaohan rolled 3,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. counting crows. ]]

Thunder Walker nodded, feeling no reluctance to put himself in harm's way. "Let us go," he said to Sky Hawk, gesturing in the indicated direction.

There are a number of crows circling the column of smoke rising from the village, though none of them seem to get too close to the ground.

Thunder Walker and Sky Hawk creep toward the village. It looked like a Nakota village - earth lodges around a central square, with the occasional tipi here and there. Most of the tipis had been set to the torch, and great plumes of smoke rose from the shattered and torn remnants. Two of the lodges had also been destroyed, the loam and wooden timbers set ablaze.

A group of white men and women were gathering Sioux bodies, placing them near a row of open grave pits and covering them with blankets. There are at least a dozen bodies laid out near the graves, and twice that still scattered about the area. The bodies are mostly women and children.

One of the white men stands near the grave pits and recites something from an open book, possibly a bible. He's a tall, thin man with a bushy beard and a preacher's collar, dressed in simple, plain clothing. His face is heavy with sorrow as he reads.

Xiaohan points with the razor at the crows, speaking low and rapid to those nearest:
[Language unknown: "Rut undestoer, mi ne asat ur rea, tien eraos il ne hastha n his entlinect llneio. K of actio prto?"]
Xiao looks to Moses with uncertainty: the man was as hard to corral or predict (and easily as dangerous) as a tempermental water buffalo, but it was worth a try.

The little stray gazes at a point around Moses' middle and addresses him. "Ah...in the sky, they are crows, but perhaps 'locusts' of vision are the white man's army, who take all when they come together, and power of scorpion is power of sabre, that stings at its point...things hidden sometime, between awake-world and other, and come like riddles so, please excuse that I, ah, humbly remind Moses who knows this." Xiao gestures down the path. "If bluecoats or other men come, they will not fear Moses like the damn-yankees, so I think we will do a better thing to move off the trail, and have surprise."

Then, in explanation: "In Deadwood, people say Sioux and bluecoat fight, or will fight, all the time...I do not know another enemy that makes crow-bait and fire near - Raven Men steal from homes maybe, not burning them."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:26, Mon 29 Oct 2012.

Thunder Walker frowned slightly, considering the sight before them. He leaned over to whisper to Sky Hawk.  He waited for Sky Hawk's response. Sky Hawk was one of the more fair minded of his people that he had met, which seemed to be something of an anomaly considering their recent experiences.

Sky Hawk nods. [Language unknown: "Paprpe nd dinbleich a al est ncthi, asut tho one out uldias ore? Nt ha wit lavir Ssrouspe, mopl toad hellnd concomenc fontwi ant se outel ll ck ilcahahe astthisan o ho seeintwa ol an eewa haaswe inethiure."]

He nodded, considering what Sky Hawk said. [Language unknown: "Es stisa ceckei. He eeain ioseof nose ter ous ul pl ecwiic u ckwa nteverkor ouck ecai t rewaet e ernidi was hiarhi pe manonswer trathuest, ni ofngla nteortout...Pl reameneststa asllat torea. An rut been foan'whna, Ti illme lacehoma com larai unit llriri has ichcomlesear er fien unceio, ous thist tedoutousave prort t arehiswhi."]

In reply to Tan Xiaohan (msg # 9):

Moses looks at the young Chinese with an expression that is hard to read. Then he shakes his head.
"No. Moses does not believe that there is the work of the army. They follow orders of mortal man and are not followers of War. There are rules for them and they abide by them. And there is nothing to gain for the government in attacking the white calf of the prophesy. At least, nothing that Moses can see."

He gazes back at the smoke column.
"But you are right, young Li. There are people still there. Moses should have seen it before, but, alas, he was lost in thought. Thunder Walker and Sky Hawk are not in immediate danger, or the Lord would have warned me against their going alone. But we should follow them now, to reinforce them if need be."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Sun 28 Oct 2012.

Sky Hawk nods at Thunder Walker. [Language unknown: "Ad hi aveseterelin sanme, I hisas dinionder."]

---

Wovoka nods. "The souls of the departed must be tended to, no matter what has happened. Let us enter the village, though we should remain vigilant."

The other Sioux Warriors nod, and the group begins to move cautiously towards the burned wrecks of the lodges.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:01, Sun 28 Oct 2012.

Xiao looks a bit confused and very much as though fighting an instinct to run far away from Moses, but keeps quiet and follows the braves' lead, concentrating on walking and remaining alert. Man-eating forest devils and bounding ghosts burn no houses...but perhaps someone fleeing disturbed a fire, or it was bandits. Is bandits. The little stray grips the razor.

As the group enters the ruins of the village, one of the women notices them and gives a small cry.

Immediately the white folk all drop what they're doing, run to the grave pits, and form a circle. The bearded man with the bible stops reading, and takes a few steps toward Thunder Walker and Sky Hawk, who are the nearest to them. He walks slowly and cautiously, raising his arms above his head.

"How, brother Indian." He says slowly. "I don't know if you speak English, but we ain't armed. We didn't do this. Please, find it in your heathen soul not to attack us, and let ol' Brother Saul speak his piece."

"I do speak your language, and I have not come here to do violence, but to learn what has happened to these people," he said, gesturing to the grim scene before them.

"I am called Thunder Walker, and this one is known as Sky Hawk," he said. "Speak your piece on what has happened here."

Brother Saul breathers a visible sigh of relief. "Well, thank the lord. But as for what happened here, I can't rightly say. Our flock here was on pilgrimage to one of your people's holy sites, so that we may spread the Lord's word, but we heard shooting across the plains. By the time we got here, well...the shooting was done. We saw riders headed for the butte." he looks at the bodies. "But there are a couple bodies here that don't look like they belong to your people. I don't know much about Indian tribes, but I think these folk are from different ones than yours."

"You have shown the dead here care and respect, and I thank you for that. We can see the bodies and tell them apart, and perform the proper burial rites. But I must warn you that you and your people here are in violation of the treaty, being so far from Deadwood. It is not likely you will encounter a warm reception from many in these lands, and certainly not as peaceful a one as you receive from the two of us. And if you travel to the site I think you mean to go to, it may be your lives," he said.

"I do not mean this to threaten you, but as an offering of peace and thanks. I would not wish harm to come to you, and after you show me what needs to be seen and perhaps tell me how many riders there were, you and your people should travel straight for Deadwood before something ill comes of it."

"I thank you for the warning, but we have head that before." Brother Saul says. "And yet we must still travel on, even as Jesus traveled to his death on Golgotha hill. He knew he was to die, and knew that he must die to take on humanity's sins and purify the world. The word of God must be spread, brother. If we are to be martyrs for the lord, let us at least save a few souls from the pit before we do."

"And sister Belinda's still out here!" one of the girls pipes up.

Saul nods. "Aye. Even if we wanted to return to Deadwood, our dear Sister Belinda is still missing. She has been truly blessed by the Lord, but He saw fit to test her. She stepped between a drunken miner and an old Sioux, and tried to call on the Lord's grace to stop the brawl. I-I was looking at her face, and I saw something break. There was a sadness in her eyes...and then she fled into the wilderness. She always talked of traveling to the holy place of the Sioux, and I feel she may have come this way in her search to regain the Lord's favor. We came here because we felt someone may have seen her...but the Lord had other plans."

By now, Wovoka, Horn Chips, Xiaohan, Moses, and the other two braves have reached the village.

Horn Chips sees the group of pilgrims and spits. [Language unknown: "Eial, Allterest? Yinti paer, tin undwershe il illstalarill!"]

[Language unknown: "E e ourho eiinse ntday era notonsintreslat out whiil!"] Wovoka says. [Language unknown: "Hasdi un ll!"]

[Language unknown: "Nt ee, san tr prilec ne eveen ere. Comll pl lo ithredons latin ck wepepo utpe estameica."] Horn Chips says, and nods to the two braves accompanying them. They begin to unlimber their bows.

[Language unknown: "Tiil era eena aindinoer!?"] Sky Hawk cries as he sees the braves readying weapons. [Language unknown: "Oveughere houpl th eau armaee!"]

[Language unknown: "Ain urno ]trespassing." Horn Chips says, spitting the English word like a curse. [Language unknown: "U o ma nithnt us heti ncnd ncrohi, hich ic atal plfoiv k Icaviromende. E ectro nti undureforatecon."]

Xiao catches the angered shaman's attention with a short, apologetic bow. [Language unknown: "Ainiwa, our ad, p tin m we ul urere ndss thons korncelat tic ceeeailoutto, arma diio elwas ulro isutic ortmanstaame ce hapr elmo nt hi tinatieau erwer. Kornteeen arint shethuomeove, mo hididi sial wheei no ilngfo whte samen...on atioiv m rat ntiichent."]

Warily, the little Chinese straightens, looking over at Wovoka. [Language unknown: "O ai m eenc allatiave?"] Then to Moses, so carefully: "Please tell Quaker go home: I think they listen to Moses, where arrows look like enemy and Devil for them to fight against."

Moses seems to be staring vacantly into the distant, nodding to himself, slowly, from time to time.
"Oh, Lord... Moses has come too late."
Tears run down the giant's face.
Then, as if pulled back into the present, he points towards a small wood, a few hundred yards away from the village.

"They came from there. Black Riders on black horses, a hundred abreast with saber and rifle and torch and fell upon this village like a torrent of burning water.
We have seen and fought them before. The creatures of War travel faster than mortal means allow."

He turns and points into another direction.
"Then there was a group of indians, but not of this village. They were drawn here by the rising smoke, wearing the blue coats of the Union army, with hair like axe blades."
He traces a thin line across the middle of his scalp from his eyes to the back of his head.
The prophet sinks to his knees.
"And then the Sioux returned from hunting, a small group. They saw the Union indians and attacked them, gave them chase."

He shakes his head. "The seed of distrust has been sown. This is a great victory for War."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Wed 31 Oct 2012.

Thunder Walker's expression hardened somewhat. It was clear that he was not getting through to the foolish man before him, so he imbued his words with dire meaning as he proceeded to issue a final warning. "We have heard the words of your Lord spoken to us before, by the same men that have broken treaty after treaty, that have killed our people, raped our women, slaughtered the buffalo that we may starve to death, and given us in trade gifts filled with disease so that our people would die. These are the acts of the men who have come before you talking of this Lord. And it is only by the power of the spirits and following our ancient traditions that we still live and that we have overcome, despite the acts wrought upon us by the followers of your book."

"Oh, I know there are good men among you, otherwise we would not be having this conversation at all. Yet...here you are again, violating the treaty - knowing that you do so, and intending to bring your blasphemy to the holy sites of our people. Even if you think that foolishly breaking treaties is a good way to begin with our people, think about how it will end. Your presence here may incite war, death and violence for those other than you as the tension between people here has been growing. You court death for yourselves, and for many others. No one here will hear your words, and you will be killed, or perhaps tied to a horse and dragged all the way back to Deadwood. At the end of your journey there, you may or may not be alive but at least there will be those to bury you in your tradition."

He paused, to give his last words dire meaning. "Leave, or this will be the end that all these people with you will face."

OOC:
14:15, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 2,5 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. Intimidate. Trying to scare him into returning to Deadwood.

Xiaohan gingerly touches Moses' shoulder, then crouches beside him. "Moses, Moses, please he doesn't cry here...there too much cause for weeping, too much for us few and strangers to give dead justice in grieving: you give it to the...God, He knew these. We will help with ceremony, but first need to help with...talking, and with hands."

Xiao shifts and offers a hand mostly covered by sleeve to encourage/help pull Moses back to his feet, tense against the prospect of being grabbed. "Come - faster we send all the ghosts and all the Quaker home, faster we get Wovoka to where he can teach all the people, so they are protected. No mortal can just run to fight damn-yankees all over. Please." The little stray dares look at Moses' face, just for a second.

Brother Saul quails at Thunder Walker's harsh words.

"I...I..." he says, fumbling for a coherent reply. Then he looks to the sky, as if beseeching an answer from the Heavens.

Eventually he sighs. "Yes...I see. I have been monumentally foolish, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry." He looks back at Thunder Walkers. "But Sister Belinda is still out there. And if what the giant negro says is true, then she may have wandered between two angry forces. I swear to you this--once Sister Belinda is safe, we shall turn back, and return to Deadwood. Please, help us save her!"

((OOC: 15:15, Today: Brother Saul rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. resisting Intimidate. Not only does Thunder Walker cow him, he also gets a Raise.))

---

[Language unknown: "Lalool!"] Horn Chips hisses as Moses makes the gesture of the hatchet-haired men.

 Wovoka says.

Horn Chips nods. [Language unknown: "Llei. Orepl Ou Thuallore atllus hou venughmenreswil Elhipa na onserewas ive. Ica espesi beee ad Erekorset Sepero ce mino as astti Ol Nestin!"]

Wovoka shakes his head in disappointment. [Language unknown: "I, Maur Ourthiles. Intreawer hohat elpl? To Manorebuttho acta sa he forectforany wapain nget eter Potrth. Icng preur oulha m t en Proevetra ulties a aiwaal! Ac Whiioures ss ri anyith'iouher ivssngli caha!"]

[Language unknown: "Illlesthicom!?"] Horn Chips scoffs. [Language unknown: "Les Meelnd antur utioes rifor nichonil! Sene pl hepr ofleunut trtrul ndnaantrre lence al Aswas Prolartic astiououn beou Ivetedhis! Ame Ou Leswhiati foil di allandtheyin is ble stwhut olma toove icwhil ev n nceredort mine toivpa ous!"]

[Language unknown: "Tosaou re prck eimo? Tio wa terthuredtha not ameiv Tohaas Sslosi! Ing in ni erere Simong osri resoultio wer Whince'sanant! Rutin but eve Outvorwhiame osno se i alter Ntiureted osch hoelntsipo, ro atman Oneardall oneoreson, p a ul ngsati lasom ckck icriev! Rile Romle Atthstme sanut!"] Wovoka lays a hand on Horn Chips' shoulder. [Language unknown: "Evetinder...th san capl wiadse ndene whiredart Plalpr, iees thicho dironc, ion rist hastek i n meic m notbutest nce artterout? Houovewas, ivundi...reaicaons tavor tailad o ndfo rius. Een riiv torech ncith. Il whie ri we ainomeher thoentman e, pell ne k ev motic Ortestnde."]

Horn Chips gives Wovoka a stricken look, the sighs. [Language unknown: "Any. Whfi hallck. As ekto trasheand."] He looks over at the flock of pilgrims. [Language unknown: "Tirom wasa io iodi?"]

Moses grabs Li's arm to pull himself up, almost pulling the small chinese down instead. He steadies him and nods, then turns to Thunder Walker and the white man.

"Brother Saul. The Lord tells Moses that he wants you gone, now, from this place, to not risk angering the Sioux any more. Their holy place is not open to you."
His continues somewhat softer: "It may very well be in the future."
Then, louder again: "We will find your sister and take her to safety. You have the promise of the Lord's most humble servant."

Moses wipes away his tears, having regained his composure.

Thunder Walker maintained a fierce appearance and could see the fear and trepidation in the man's eyes as he spoke, and hoped that the fear would be enough to stop his people from walking into their own graves, and maybe even to persuade them to leave for Deadwood.

"The giant negro calls himself Moses, and he is a man of your book. You would do well to heed his words," was all he added, taking only a moment to remove the war club from his belt and casually inspect it before replacing it. He hoped the man would think of being on the receiving end of such a grisly weapon. He then left Moses with the man Brother Saul, and returned to where Wovoka and Horn Chips were.

---

[Language unknown: "M ousantore M wh esntreplhe evai artorting beus pacon fonoatisng ine pongndnane are eeeveret ic Sanintncewer,"] he said to Horn Chips and Wovoka when he was near enough.

Xiaohan surrupticiously rolls the bullet-bruised shoulder in Moses' wake and heads for the fringes of the camp in the opposite direction to the one Moses declared the damn-yankees came from.

Anyone fallen among the trees - to hope there would be wounded hiding was probably too much - might well have been missed by the gatherers.

[[19:21, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 5,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. Notice?]]

Brother Saul bows his head at Moses. "Yes...forgive me. We shall depart." He calls all the pilgrims together, and together they begin heading out to the southwest, toward Deadwood.

[Language unknown: "K tiowi acati prenteith n weallo ion ou nghe sa,]" Horn Chips says as he watches the procession, then turns to the two braves. [Language unknown: "Esplek Loilfi, U alse forta al icnaei ere. Tioomeder Blethared fi ngeeteek th hiyin th a At Restec."]

The braves nod, and one of them follows the group at a respectful distance.

Now what?
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Sat 03 Nov 2012.

Xiaohan stares wide-eyed at the spot beside the stand of trees, then trots over there, slowing a few steps from the daylight ghost.

In reply to Tan Xiaohan (msg # 30):

The ghostly figure points to a hole at the base of the trees. It looks like an animal den of some sort, but it's just large enough for someone of Xiaohan's size to wiggle into...perhaps a child took shelter there?

Xiao, confused but reasonably confident the ghost is benign, bows respectfully and crouches by the hole, prepared to fetch out a body but wary of anything alive in there.

[Language unknown: "I les ersca? Hial str?"] Xiaohan asks softly in case, trying to see. If there's no answer or sign of movement the slight Chinese will indeed squeeze in there.

Moses turns to Wovoka.
"Moses will gladly help with the funeral rights, if you teach me the words, Wovoka. The Lord does not care how the souls of the departed are sent to his heavenly gates, but Moses knows that it matters to those they left behind."

[Language unknown: "It st le nich ent urca enliou, steen ha finone lo o thitheany a t bleichove enc lefost ssprei ckecpe ho der be eiout isess. Oun but oul arnipa wh ul oerth ntiwa our roncil. Ouwame os ilse shere in ec ec of, ionce No ac ilsa si i t os buthisvor omlent tr comectver oulev atprnt t Nepr Herestles,"] he said, speaking to Wovoka and Horn Chips, though he was certain Moses would hear as well. Somehow, Moses seemed to understand their language as well, but this no longer surprised Thunder Walker.

"We shall make the time to bury them properly." Wovoka says to Moses and Thunder Walker. "But you should travel on. Find Chief Little Bear and his riders, and stop them from making a terrible mistake. Find this Sister Belinda and help her find her way home. We shall catch up when we have finished here."

((OOC: If you want to go after the riders, you can make a Tracking roll, +2 for tracking more than 5 individuals.))

Thunder Walker nodded, and wordlessly gestured for Moses to follow him. "Stay behind me as we go, Moses. I do not need your large footprints obscuring the tracks," he said, not unkindly, but in a matter of fact way.  He began a keen study of the ground. The departure of a large party would not be hard to notice, and he was confident of his ability to follow them. Unlimbering his war club in one hand, he knelt to study the ground for the signs of passage. Anything that touched Mother Earth left signs upon her surface, and anything that brushed through grasses, bushes and forests told stories of their journey. Over the years, he had become something of a master in reading these signs, and sometimes - like now - they seemed to leap out of him, as if he were reading one of the white man's books.

OOC:

+2 for tracking more than 5 individuals
+2 for Wilderness Man

10:40, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 7,15 using d6+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+5)11. Trackin'.

Moses remains where he is, apparently prepared to give Thunder Walker a few paces head start.
He clasps the forearm of Wovoka with his, nodding a farewell, smiling at the other braves, then turns to follow Thunder Walker, but stops.
"Thunder Walker, wait! Where has our young chinese comrade gone to?"

Thunder Walker stopped and looked around. "I do not know where the boy has run off to," he said, scowling. He turned to Wovoka.

"Wovoka, do you wish Li to remain behind with yourself and Horn Chips, or should the youth journey with us?"

"Moses thinks he should come with us, Thunder Walker."

Wovoka looks around, confused. "I thought Li was with you." he says.

Moses turns his head, looking to the side.
"Yes", he begins, then stops. Then a smile lights up his face.
"Yes, Moses thought so. The hands."

He shakes his head a moment later, apparently in doubt about something.
"If that is Thy will, Lord, then thy humble servant will obey, as always."

Another pause, then another nod, somber. "Yes, Lord."

He turns back to Wovoka and bows, slightly, then walks after Thunder Walker.
"The Lord tells Moses that Li will follow us in time. For now, Li is occupied with other matters, matters we shall not disturb."
He stops for a moment, spreading his arms, a big smile on his face.
"We are truly blessed here. Now, let us go and search for Sister Belinda. We have to hurry. Quickly, Thunder Walker, lead the way!"

The Lakota brave gave Moses a sidelong glance that seemed to last a moment. Was he working with a madman? He had seen and believed that Moses had some connection with the spirits and a great sense of bravery, but some of the theatrics that seemed to accompany this gave him the feeling that perhaps the man was not quite well.

[Language unknown: "E k arpl leta u, acson a ncme hou ngna p p on lestedome,"] he said, and then returned to the tracks that he had been looking at but moments ago.

"Li! We're leaving," he shouted, and began to follow the tracks.

The trail of the riders is easy to follow, and leads right to the shadow of Bear Butte itself.



some mood music

The black peak of Bear Butte juts from the surrounding plains, alone against the horizon. There's a chill in the air, and both the travelers can feel a power coming from the mountain. This is the heart of the Sioux Nations, where legend says The Great Spirit gave Sweet Medicine holy knowledge. This is a place of healing and rejuvenation.

But the taint of war has spread even to here, this holy place. Thunder Walker and Moses spot a distant camp of horsemen circling about a ridge, bloodcurdling whoops and yells echoing over the distance, while on the ridge above them a group of blue-coated soldiers with mowhawks and dusky skins aim rifles over hastily-dug trenches. Four soldiers wheel a small field cannon into position. The artillery crew fires a blast at the riders, sending them scattering...it seems intended mostly as a warning shot to keep the Nakota at bay...

Moses stops next to Thunder Walker.
"Oh, Lord, we might have come to late. We have to stop this madness, or War will have another victory. Moses will not allow that.
Hurry on, Thunder Walker, run as quick as the wind, for the Lord shall guide your steps and make them true.
Moses will follow, but it is you whose words might be heeded."

A gentle breeze blows low to the ground, cooling Thunder Walker's ankles, yet urging him on.

Casting Speed on my man Thunder Walker here...

Total of 9, so that's a raise. Double pace and running's a free action.

13:28, Today: Moses rolled 7 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7. Faith, moving on to blue now..
13:28, Today: Moses rolled -1,2 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Faith, third white chip.
13:28, Today: Moses rolled 0,1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Faith, another white chip.
13:27, Today: Moses rolled 1,1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Faith, white chip.
13:27, Today: Moses rolled 0,0 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Faith for Speed.

Speed for Moses fails, but I'll reserve the chips for now.

13:29, Today: Moses rolled -1,3 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Faith for Speed for Moses.

((OOC: Actually, if you don't spend a chip, Moses will have a Crisis of Faith, since he got a 1 on his Faith die.

Crisis of Faith

If the Faith die comes up 1 (regardless of the result of the Wild Die), your hero suffers a crisis of faith.

His prayers are ignored and his Faith die type is reduced by 1 until the next time he successfully performs a miracle. If his Faith die would ever be reduced below d4 in this way, the blessed has lost his faith. He can no longer perform miracles and must find some way to ease his doubts.))

in that case...
19:09, Today: Moses rolled 4,7 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+1)7. red chip.

Comes down to 5, a sucess. SonI won't be lagging behind as much...

 

Thunder Walker made every effort to move with a quiet grace keeping a low profile, though he found an unnatural speed coming to him which he did not question. Keeping out of range of the cannon he could see up above, he stopped hopefully at a distance that would make it difficult for the riflemen to strike him, though he knew it was unlikely he could prevent that if that was the way things would go.

[Language unknown: "Ereainnce, siseoust! Pl enhi ort est ek,"] he called out to them. The Lakota had fought often with the Pawnee over long years, and there was a deep enmity there. Indeed, many tribes held a dislike for the Pawnee, and their presence here at Bear Butte wearing those blue uniforms alone was cause for a dozen blood feuds. He felt his hopes of this ending in peace fading away, even as he thought of it, but refused to surrender that hope altogether.

The only reply to Thunder Walker's entreaties are a few arrows shot their way. Thunder Walker is well outside of the bow's range, but the message is clear...they don't feel like discussing things.

((OOC: Draw cards for Initiative.))

---

Turn Order:
Thunder Walker: KS (Double Pace and Free Action Run for 5 rounds--he's 48 squares away from the action)
Moses: QH (Double Pace for 3 rounds--he's 48 squares from the action)
No Flesh the Shaman: 9D
Packs The Colt's Pawnee soldiers: 7D
Little Bear's Nakota Braves: 2D

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:40, Mon 12 Nov 2012.

22:37, Today: Moses drew the single card: QH using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
Will run toward the group...
22:40, Today: Moses rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Running.
so that's puts me at 33 squares away next round.
22:42, Today: Moses drew the single card: AC using the Deadlands system. Initiative, round 2.

This message was last edited by the player at 21:43, Sat 10 Nov 2012.

OOC:

10:24, Today: Thunder Walker drew the single card: KS using the Deadlands system.

Just to clarify - the Nakota fired at them? Also...what's the terrain like around here?

In reply to Thunder Walker (msg # 50):

((OOC: Yes, the Nakota took a shot at you. More of a warning shot than anything else...the arrow was nowhere close to hitting you and could be more accurately described as being shot in your general direction. The Nakota don't seem to be in the mood to rationally discuss the situation.

You're in the foothills around Bear Butte. Most of the slopes are gentle, but the Pawnee are ensconced on a hillock that prevents the riders from just riding up and are guarding the rise. The riders are circling the hill, out of Medium Range of the rifles (they think they're out of range altogether, but the rifles have a longer range than their bows).

You get to go before they act, at least, but the distances are quite great (the map I have has every token looking like tiny little dots). To put things in perspective...imagine you're on a football field. You are at one end-zone, the Nakota are down at the other, shooting at Pawnee high in the bleachers.))

The Lakota scout began to run, and he found his feet carrying him as fast as the wind, as if the shamans had called upon the spirit of the wolf to grant him a favor. He recalled a time once many moons ago when he had been granted such favors by the shamans of the Sioux Union in Gomorra. He still had no idea what he would do when he reached them, as it seemed the conflict would take place regardless of what he did. The Nakota were spoiling for a fight, and the Pawnee were ever enemies of all the People. It would be a hard thing to quell this conflict. If he must fight, it would be on the side of the Nakota, but he found himself hoping that such a thing did not come to pass.

OOC:

Double Pace (12) + Free Action Run (8) = 20 for his movement
Stealth: 5


15:43, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 2,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. Stealth.
10:27, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 8 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8. Run.

As Moses and Thunder Walker run toward the battle, one of the Nakota, a Shaman by the looks of him, hops off his horse and begins to sing and dance.

The ground rumbles, and then stands. A giant made of loam and earth pulls itself from the great plain. The shaman points toward the distant bluff, and the earth spirit nods. It slams a fist on the ground.

On top of the ridge, the Pawnee shout as the cannon suddenly drops into the ground. The stone of the ridge dissolves into sticky mud that the Pawnee are just barely able to escape.

But one of the men is trapped by the sinking cannon. Terrified, he waves to his fellows for aid before sinking into the muck, out of sight. His companions wade into the mud, while the Pawnee leader shouts and points at the earth spirit.

The remaining Pawnee on the ridge take aim and fire. The crack of gunfire echoes across the plains. The earth spirit staggers under the withering hail of bullets, but doesn't seem overly hindered. The shaman, however, takes a ricochet to the arm and staggers. The Pawnee leader, seeing this, takes aim at the shaman and cracks off a shot. The shaman pitches over, twitching.

The Nakota chief raises his fist and calls the riders together. He grabs the stricken shaman and motions back, and the riders begin a retreat. They ride closer to Moses and Thunder Walker, leaving the giant earth spirit standing alone on the field, ready to continue its assault.

((OOC: No Flesh begins by casting Contact Spirit World to call forth a greater spirit.

03:06, Today: No Flesh rolled 4,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Tribal Medicine. Success. He calls up a Gan, an earth spirit.

He has to roll an Opposed Spirit Check to negotiate with it. It costs him a couple Fate Chips, but he succeeds in convincing the Gan to go after the soldiers.

The Gan uses its Quicksand ability to swallow up the Cannon and the Pawnee trying to load it. 6 Pawnee are caught in the attack. They have to make Agilty rolls or get sucked under.

All but one of them make it. The one that failed is now Drowning.

Card for No Flesh and his summoned Gan: 10D

The Pawnee react poorly to the loss of their cannon. Two of the braves wade in to the Gan's quicksand to try and dig their fellow out (which is a cooperative roll to aid a Swim check). Neither of them are successful in aiding the man, who is still drowning and has just suffered a level of Fatigue from the attempt.

8 of the Pawnee take aim and fire at the distant riders, trying to destroy the Gan. They all have -4 on their attack rolls from the long range, but they have the Marksman Edge which gives them a +2 (since they haven't moved)

Only two of them hit, but one of them wings No Flesh thanks to the Innocent Bystander rule.

Damage vs. Gan: 9, 18. The 9 does nothing, the 18 will make the Gan Shaken
Damage vs. No Flesh: 6. That makes the Shaman Shaken.

Packs the Colt, the leader of the Pawnee, takes a shot at No Flesh the Shaman.

03:41, Today: Packs the Colt rolled 10,3 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (10+2)12,5. Shooting! Hit and Raise.

20 damage, which will be 3 wounds for the Shaman. No Flesh attempts to Soak: 03:44, Today: No Flesh rolled 1,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Soak! Fail. No Flesh is seriously injured, though he's still up, which means the Gan is still about.

Packs The Colt and the Pawnee: AD

Little Bear, realizing his people are in danger (having underestimated the range of the guns), orders a cautious retreat. The war party moves 8 squares closer to Moses and Thunder Walker. They have no intentions of abandoning the field, just getting out of range of the guns and letting the Gan pick them apart.

Little Bear and company: 10C))

---

Turn Order:
Packs The Colt and the Pawnee: AD
Moses: QH
Tan Xiaohan: QH
No Flesh and his summoned Gan: 10D
Little Bear and company: 10C
Thunder Walker: 6S
This message was last edited by the player at 17:54, Sat 17 Nov 2012.

OOC:
06:46, Today: Thunder Walker drew the single card: 6S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

some mood music

Tan Xiaohan crawls toward the sound of gunfire, and emerged from what seems to be a small rabbit hole beneath a tree on top of a hill.

Also on top of the hill are nearly a score of Indians dressed like Union Soldiers, with haircuts like sharpened hatchets. Directly in front of the chinaman is a bound and gagged white woman, who's looking around the hill frantically and struggling against her bonds. The Indian guarding her gives her a kick and says something that Xiaohan can't make out but understands all too clearly regardless.

The Indians seem to be in a bit of a panic. Two of them are frantically digging at a huge mud pit, from which Xiaohan can just barely make out a pair of flailing hands. The rest are line up on the ridge, taking aim at something Xiaohan can't see through all the smoke. One of them, the apparent leader, is an energetic fellow who marches behind his troops, occasionally shouting epithets in a language Xiao doesn't know.

None of these people look anything like the Sioux women Xiaohan had met in the Hunting Grounds. If the Nakota are here, they are probably the ones being shot at. Laughs At Darkness must have a strange sense of humor, putting Xiao here...

((OOC: Welcome back to the World, Xiaohan! You're now on the hill where Packs The Colt and his pawnee soldiers are. Also, you get to meet Sister Belinda Carlin...and her guard! Luckily, his back is turned. He's an Active guard, though, so any move Xiaohan makes will be opposed by his Notice.

The Pawnee take their action. The two trying to save the drowning man make checks again. Neither of them aid. The drowning brave fails his Swim check and suffers yet another level of fatigue. He's almost dead.

8 of the Pawnee take shots at the Gan, hoping to pierce its armor and send it back to the Hunting Grounds. Only one hits. He gets decent damage, but not decent enough, and the Gan remains standing.

There are 3 other Pawnee there guarding the slope up the hill, and two standing guard over Sister Belinda. They take no action this round.

Packs the Colt also takes a shot at the Gan, hits, and fails to do any significant damage.

Card for next round: JS))

---

Tan Xiaohan and Moses are next!

Xiaohan crouches, reflecting with a sinking feeling that that a total knowledge of zero on the score of battles maybe makes this a bad place to be. The little stray focuses on the ungallant guard, flicking the razor to full extension. The way they did it in stories, with just enough swiftness as his back was turned...

[[10:00, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 4,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. sneakin'. [looks at remaining chip] Eh, he might roll a 1. Aiming to sneak up and put a razor to his throat (is that a grapple? attack? intimidation?) rather than attempt to cut it outright in one go. How tall is Guard Dude?
init.4D ]]

With great, long strides, Moses runs after Thunder Walker, jamming his hickory stick every fee steps hard into the soil, grim determination on his face.

Moving forward as much as possible, running as well:
20:47, Today: Moses rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4. Running.
That takes me 16 inches closer.
20:49, Today: Moses drew the single card: 6S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

The soldier doesn't notice the little vagrant until Xiaohan is right on top of him, and by then it's too late...

Meanwhile, Moses' divinely-inspired speed sends him right into the thick of the riders, who turn and aim their bows his direction. But he can get to the leader and the stricken shaman with ease...

((OOC: 22:56, Today: Ravenite Braves rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Notice. Tan Xiaohan will get the Drop on the brave, and can Grapple him into a hostage position with ease (I.E., without a roll, putting you On Hold with a +4 bonus to attacks and damage should you choose). The guard dude stands 5' 7."

Moses, that movement, combined with the fact that the Nakota are moving toward you, means you can get right next to the Shaman and the Chieftain. You can still perform an action, though at a -2 for the running penalty (and your blessing is wearing off).))

[[Can I make demands now, or next turn?]]

In reply to Tan Xiaohan (msg # 59):

((OOC: Go ahead and make your demands, combined with your actions, and that way I'll have a chance to figure out what you need to roll.))

Xiao grabs the tail of the guard's crest of hair, hauling down and back. The razor comes to rest at the top of the man's larynx. "You don't move, or you have mutilations before I kill you," the little Chinese growls. "Drop weapons."

Terrified, but satisfied it doesn't show and that the hostage is tractable for now, Xiao takes a big lungful of air and bellows: "HEY! HEY! YOU CUNT-SUCKING YANKEE SONS OF BITCHES!"

Their attention got, Xiaohan angles the razor to catch the light, winding the man's hair into a better grip, keeping him off-balance. The little stray's expression is much like the inscrutable brute cruelty seen on Iron Dragon's enforcers.

"You dog-fuckers want to live - want this man to live, you listen me, put down weapons! You fuck with me, I slice his lips off, cut his nose off - make him no very honourable warrior!"

Moses stops, abruptly, spreading his arms wide before the leader and the shaman.
"Moses has come to ask you to stop this madness. It was not the Pawnee that destroyed your village. It was an army of War, come to sow discontent and tragedy among brothers."
He lowers his arms again and nods at the shaman.
"Let the prophet bind his wounds, so that he may live and see the truth in Moses' words."


10:26, Today: Moses rolled -3,19 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+6+6+5)23. Persuasion. -2 MAP, -2 Charisma.

 The shaman coughs.

The chieftain, his warpaint streaked with tears, gives Moses a hard look.  He motions to his men and they begin to surround him, bows still at the ready.

Moses gets the sinking feeling the Nakota man doesn't speak English...

The giant behind them roars and slams its fist into the ground again.

Back on the hilltop, the leader of the Pawnee and several of the other braves give Tan Xiaohan an incredulous look, a glare of shock, horror, and just flat-out disbelief at the situation...but before anyone says anything, the ground beneath the Pawnee buckles, and dissolves into sticky mud.

The leader of the Pawnee leaps away from the dissolving ground, lands on the edge of the swirling muck, and rolls to safety, as does one of the men. But two of the Pawnee soldiers shriek in animal terror as the mud sucks them down...

((OOC: So after a bit of wondering just what the heck I'm going to do about this, I think I'm going to run this as a Social Conflict as well as a Combat. You will have 3 rounds to make your case before Little Bear will relent. Of course, communication is hampered by  neither Little Bear nor No Flesh speak any English at all...

No Flesh makes his case against Moses. He gets a +2 bonus because Little Bear is more inclined to listen to him than a stranger who doesn't even speak his tongue. He has a -3 wound penalty, though, so he winds up with a net -1 penalty to his Persuasion roll.

16:23, Today: No Flesh rolled 1,2 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Opposed Persuasion. He will spend a White Chip to reroll.

16:26, Today: No Flesh rolled 5,4 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5. white chip. Keeping in mind No Flesh's hindrances, He also spends a red chip on this.

16:29, Today: No Flesh rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. red chip. That makes his final total 10.

2 Successes to Moses' 4. Little Bear is willing to let him run away without killing him on the spot, but little else.

Meanwhile, the Gan targets the next batch of warriors with it's quicksand ability. Packs the Colt and 3 others get caught in the attack, and have to roll Agility or be sucked down.

Packs the Colt and one of his Braves succeed, but the other two are sucked under and begin drowning. They try to tread mud but, since they aren't trained in Swimming, fail miserably and gain fatigue levels.

Meanwhile, Little Bear and his people move to surround Moses. Thunder Walker can reach them easily and still have an action, as he's on his last turn of Moses' spell.

No Flesh and the Gan: 10C
Little Bear and the nakota: On Hold))

---

Thunder Walker is up next!

This message was deleted by the player at 20:11, Fri 23 Nov 2012.

In reply to Thunder Walker (msg # 64):

((OOC: Actually, they moved, too, to be much closer to you. You only need to move 10 to get right next to Moses, so you'll be able to try and talk to the warriors on your action and try to convince them this has all been a horrible mistake.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:16, Fri 23 Nov 2012.

Xiao is startled and perplexed for a moment, then catches the outline of a huge, inhuman shape off through the thinning fog of war. The mountain walks.

Shaking off the moment of startlement, the amateur hostage-taker takes in what's going on and kicks the hostage in the back of the shin as a nudge for compliance. "Drop weapons! Walking Mountain cannot attack man without weapon: throw guns down!"

Seeing they're more concerned with the fact they're sinking, Xiao sighs. "HEY! You clay-brain idiots - not to struggle, you sink faster! Become like leaf, flat on surface...you!" Xiao nods to some stupified soldiers fretting over their comrades' fate, "-cease to pleasure asshores with finger and set hands to free plisoner, use rope for save the men. Work! You eighteenth-decendants of shit!"

[[Still on Hold, I'm guessing...? But giving (good!) advice/drawing attention back this way.]]

He sprinted up to the site of the budding confrontation, waving his hands, though ready to duck at a moments notice. At least from how things were before he left, Nakota should not try and kill Lakota, but these were men who had just seen their village burned and might not be thinking clearly in their anger, so he had to hold caution within himself along with the confidence of old and long alliances. [Language unknown: "Teliha, dintitnt! Es er ainthulat po hongnili arur. U ro ica la. Ho utncan redti Holini Essionand Lesticrea hasvirast chstst tra pr atofle adul sanessoutlar os metipa."]

OOC: Thunder Walker, roll Persuasion (with a +2 bonus because of the ties between your two peoples) and then draw a card for the next round.

OOC:

Dammit, I always forget to draw for my next action. Trying to get better about that.

01:07, Today: Thunder Walker drew the single card: JH using the Deadlands system.
01:06, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 7,2 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7,2. Persuasion.

Little Bear frowns, but waves Thunder Walker forward.

---

The leader of the Pawnee glares at Tan Xiaohan, shouts something in that unfamiliar language of his, and suddenly the Chinese vagrant's finely honed sense of danger registers movement from his flank as another warrior leaps at him...

((OOC: Packs The Colt has had just about enough to Tan Xaiohan, so he orders one of his men (who was outside of Tan's tunnel, but off to the side and not immediately visible) to leap at the Chinese hostage-taker.

Roll Agility. Tan has to beat 7 or be attacked.  Tan's Danger Sense provies enough warning to keep him from being caught with The Drop, but he still needs to react...))

---

Turn Order:
Packs the Colt and the Pawnee: JS (need to resolve the action.)
Thunder Walker: JH
No Flesh and the Gan: 10C
Little Bear and the nakota: On Hold
Moses: 6S
Tan Xiaohan: needs to deal with sudden attack.

The kid with the razor looks round, eyes wide, too late.

[[08:02, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 2,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Agility.]]

The Pawnee yanks Xiaohan's razor away from his fellow and wrenches the feisty Chinaman's arm behind his back.

Satisfied, the Pawnee leader shouts at his men, and more of them leap into action. Two of them grab tree branches and uproot shrubs to help their comrades who are slipping beneath the mud.

The rest of the Pawnee scatter across the side of the hillock, spacing out far enough to keep the Earth Spirit from trapping more than one at a time. Then the kneel, take aim, and send a ragged ripple of rifle fire towards the beast.

One of the shots must have hit a vital spot, because the stone behemoth roars in pain, staggers, and then falls over. It quickly crumbles away, leaving nothing but a pile of earth to mark it's passing.

The Pawnee let out a ragged cheer at the walking mountain's demise, then turn their attention to their trapped brothers, who are now hip-deep in dried earth rather than sucking mud.

The leader and the Indian Tan had tried to use as a hostage turn to the little Chinese hobo and raise their rifles at him.

"You shouty too much." The leader says. "I am Packs the Colt. This my command. Who you think you are, to threaten me, my men, and poor Sitting Duck's manhood?"

((OOC: 22:27, Today: Ravenite Braves rolled 5 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Fighting! That's a Hit. This was also a Grapple, so make an opposed Fighting check, please.

Meanwhile, the braves get to work trying to save their comrades.

The ones trying to save the drowning man from the first pit roll one last time to get to him. They fail, and he goes under for the third time.

The others, though, grab branches to try and help their sinking comrades. This negates the Default penalty. This does not help, as both of them roll 1 on their checks and suffer a level of Fatigue.

Packs the Colt orders his remaining men to scatter, so that they don't present an easy target to the Gan. There's seven of them taking shots at the Gan. Two of them haven't moved (and get the benefit of their Marksman edge). 5 of them, however, do not.

Most of them miss, but the ones who didn't move actually hit with Raises. one of them deals enough damage to make the thing Shaken, while the other hits hard enough to actually cause a Wound. The Gan, being an extra, withers away at the onslaught.

Packs the Colt and the fellow Tan grabbed take a few steps away from the fiesty Chinaman and level rifles, demanding answers.))

Xiaohan's jaw sets against a sharp noise of pain as the soldier roughly wrestles the youth into an armlock. The guard can feel the tension in his captive's body.

"I see your dog kick the nun!" Xiao snarls, leaning to make the hold harder on the guard's muscles, breath coming a little ragged since it hurts. "He is your brother-warrior; if you all are slopped from syphiritic bitch-cunt, I cannot tell you Walking Mountain hurts no unarmed warrior or get you to safe place without you pigdog devils turn on me, without whipping. So I take him." The little stray's gaze is fierce.

Thunder Walker joined Little Bear, and gestured for Moses to join as well. He spoke, and he endeavored to fill his words with a sense of dread as he attempted to forestall the fight that looked to happen soon before them. [Language unknown: "K es etma rat Ri Thaoutant ithas ven ta loat, lar houar Wiurre, ieasnc ssbe aiwh mi tr ateck venounpre e evlin esieto. Nell nde ar er ad ill we inacng ilndad na dionnt eenhasand ntitrance, are se ilinmo icest ceernc thaio iomein a uslich, fo res rutle caseni t but whtoon oul ect omeingint sear Toekla Mefiac ti meusil forai omsipe se sebeek lemen evdiou. Ul acnomi k ol p eveleseve utsi le, hisughati. Eiulee Arcewa na Ielene, e Santioted le Lonaan...enecul son les poho an yiningons Oulwilthi Ionearrut, ersth ne thi ro resom butie, ussere es thaeauast undat pr olnabe sechwa ho ll saofwa."]

---

OOC:

Intimidate: 4

He's trying to intimidate by conveying a sense of the consequences of continuing this course of action, not to intimidate him personally.

09:17, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 3,4 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. Intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:20, Tue 27 Nov 2012.

In reply to Tan Xiaohan (msg # 73):

Packs the Colt favors the little stray with a throaty chuckle. "You very, very wrong, China." He says. "Mighty Gan, him commanded by black-finger brujo. Him slaved by heap bad medicine. We throw down guns, brujo order Mighty Gan to make earth swallow us anyhow." He shrugs. "So. You come here, see Sitting Duck quiet white woman, hold him hostage to warn us on things you know nothing about. Heap fat lotta good it do you now, China."

He motions to some of the men who aren't busy digging up their fellows. The Indians nod, and head out to some very nervous horses tethered some yards away from the hill. They return with rope, and move in to tie Tan Xiaohan up.

Xiao frowns a moment, uncertain, then stares straight back at the laughing man. "I felt no witching...but I wourd not ask you trust me without I go out to Walking Mountain without weapon myself. You think you know anything? You too stupid to get buffalo out of mud pit!"

Xiao growls, an effect rather like being hissed at by a kitten, but genuine anger creeping into the low tone. "So stupid you think youself a warrior to strike a woman tied up - a woman untied, she whip all your ass. I think all the mud and shit in your skull is leaking out your mouth."

The little stray stands straight and proud just long enough for the guard to start thinking maybe this one'll go quietly before the kid casually shifts weight...and lashes out with the hard bone at the back of the heel. One blow intended for the front of the shin is followed by another aimed rather higher.


[[we ditched the rounds, right? All I could think of here was to roll agility, though whether it counts as a Trick or escaping grapple I don't know...

Tan Xiaohan rolled 5,9 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+3)9. Agility.]]

In reply to Thunder Walker (msg # 74):

Moses looks at the indians surrounding him, a curious look on his face.
"Lord, will Thou forgive Babel for a moment, so that Thy humble servant may tell them the truth?"

11:45, Today: Moses rolled 7,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Faith for Speak Language.

He cocks his head to the side and grins, looking up to the sky, then turns his attention back to Thunder Walker and Little Bear.

He points up on the hill.

He rubs his bald head with his left hand, looking down at the shaman.


11:57, Today: Moses rolled 11,8 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+1)13,(6+4)10. Persuasion.

Packs the Colt gives Xiaohan a short, bitter bark of a laugh. "You know what bad medicine feels like, eh? You heap big medicine man, China? They attacked us."

Then the scrappy youth starts struggling. The Indian holding Xiaohan seems less gullible he expects, and moves with him. The kick does nothing but unbalance the youth, and the other Indians gang-tackle him. Within moments, Xiaohan can't move so much as a finger.

"Fool. Brave, but fool." Packs the Colt says as the Pawnee hogtie the ragamuffin. "Have no worries. We keep you and fool woman safe. When the Sioux bastards dead, we drop you and fool woman by railway, let them deal with you. You cause trouble, I let Sitting Duck shoot you both."

He turns away and tarts barking orders, leaving Tan Xiaohan under the watchful eye of Sitting Duck, who glares at the scrappy youth, rubs his neck, and casually aims his rifle at Xiaohan's lower quarters.

((OOC: The brave rolls Strength to resist the escape.

22:08, Today: Ravenite Braves rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7. opposed strength check. Almost enough. he spends a Gm red Chip.

22:09, Today: Ravenite Braves rolled 17 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+5)17. red chip. Yeah, that's a success and two raises. Tan is well and truly caught.

The Indians spend their action hog-tying Xaiohan and dropping him next to Sister Belinda. Wiggling out of the bonds is an Agility check at -4, and Xiaohan will need to succeed on a Stealth roll (at -2) vs. the Notice of the guard to avoid detection. The attempt will take several minutes.))

In reply to Moses (msg # 77):

[Language unknown: "Ni mi u strintsom cawess po eihi ourresvir oussheeau lo tic rescomted proderthorom."] The Shaman growls. [Language unknown: "En llame Vorreated, rome stidinson mane ureoreoer osthu usecfi whi erriwe, verredest noitth waill laseli. O hisle und ivnd lonce enro ninemi? Unrat t wemen ec! Ssol Iousheent Fopeev o Evebutenctravir onsereles ent enwi, ce m unacma miis u strhertra, toour onsbuters ear For Amemenlat ckurit ck ere Anus meespo, din not amelestin all ofnand ai thuee stitholes ilnaut, ivplom und llwa ameel sononeure a thanet o!"]

But Chief Little Bear nods at Moses' words. [Language unknown: "Miilom elncla it distss, she ne sa hihas hicaai ck loyin for. Vir Ee Eritie iv estonslar. Nce Larundugh kor any evha ardavehas, kor enc ilred t mahess. Esous sslait il ithiouter, urer tho wilwertic ma is omdila, ur wilit me ntllpr oun liest sineer ng anyoveantore weai whestaratect. Diate ai antlateen ine, tio Li thidi al Lirire Teckom. Ilast mi isate mabeur oun wince ons oerncerut, O leel nceai somil artintwheame. Wh th ingeverea on itplpl haeau fohead ul ect itarwh nc hi eau."]

((OOC: I'll count Thunder Walker's Intimidation as an Aid attempt. The success grants Moses a +1, which makes his final total 12. Three successes this round, but No Flesh gets a chance for a rebuttal. Again, he has a +2 bonus because Little Bear is inclined to listen to him, but a -3 wound penalty.

22:36, Today: No Flesh rolled 3,0 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. Opposed Persuasion. No Flesh will spend a Gm Red Chip for a bonus.

22:37, Today: No Flesh rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. red chip. That's a total of 6, which lowers Moses' net successes to 2. Still, that's headway when added to the 2 successes from before.

You have one final round to make your case. Thunder Walker, you can Aid again.))

Moses motions for the shaman to be laid on the ground, then kneels next to him, gently putting his staff down. He pushes the shamans hands from the wound away, holding them in his own huge hands, looking at the wound, watching as blood seeps out with every coughing breath.

He nods.
[Language unknown:
"Et Plon ha ur Ouroreeen ticthoall ivce no ent p enol hisna. Oreiv orebutain n diurlo unprar k riaios. Essro bere ck."
]

08:22, Today: Moses rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. blue chip.
08:21, Today: Moses rolled 6,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,3. White chip.
08:21, Today: Moses rolled 1,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Faith for Healing.

Hm. So that comes out to a 7. Enough to heal one wound.
If I spend another white chip now, I could re-roll everything, including the extra d6, right?

Just in case that's so...
08:24, Today: Moses rolled 2,4,4 using d8,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4,4. another white chip.
Still 7. Curse you, dice roller!


He smiles and says: [Language unknown: "Tell, Et. Ur nceatithi ei hout pl ninc Hoolmo."]
Serious again, Moses puts his right hand on the wound and pushes, hard, gritting his teeth. He grinds his hand onto the wound, over the screams and protests of his patient. Just when No Flesh is about to fall unconcsious or that the other indians drag him off, he pulls his fist from the wound, slowly and opens it.
A deformed bloody bullet rolls out of it, onto No Flesh's stomach.

Moses stands up, slowly.[Language unknown:
"Rat houwh os eveovewer ons Intastica fiilto no rearutfor ha iv o rat meceic ectateles m iovor Beng'hari, be Hatorekor Araiho?"]

His tone is somber as if he is sad to have needed to present evidence for such an obvious truth.



Hmm.... Not so good with the Persuasion this time, unless the healing (or Thunder Walker, pretty please?) gives me some sort of bonus. And I'm out of chips.

08:51, Today: Moses rolled 0,2 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4. Persuasion, white chip.
08:51, Today: Moses rolled 1,-1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. Persuasion.

The kid reacts to being siezed and bourne down by a gang of hefty men by fighting tooth and nail like a wild cat. "Of course they attack you-" Xiao yells, head briefly above the dogpile, "-they see live coward Yankees where dead damn-yankees kill their women and old people, they think you same!"

The stray Chinese just lies and fumes a few moments when left, chest heaving. Under the bindings, stone presses into cloth. Xiaohan fall/rolls belly-down as though weary with scarce a wriggle or two to get comfortable before lying there. The captive appears to be praying.

Feeling the very edge of the talisman touching skin after that last wiggle, Xiao tries desperately to think. Ancestors and known spirits, or whoever's closest...I cannot call for Wanbli Luja, he will be sending spirits home, and if I called my own ancestors...if 'Peach Blossom' is written on my soul...no, I cannot call my own ancestors. Xiaohan tries to recall a name of a blessed one from history, but fails. Whoever's closest, then. If it is Talks To The Trees, I will keep the bond to the last of my energy to get her to her husband, but perhaps if I do not name her...

[Language unknown: "Ng omsiounaan elcom ratwasave oreillain, entectnce oular k. Ntiingwhi. Ck k inghatand ati pothillili heoste a wina caieesal i eeneveing, eketel pahas t. Fo reaenccon cealto not te, Ni o wilalloun Ni ut le...readno, ssno ofwa dinmanvir. Ing hi t."]


[[They may have noticed the kid seems to be carrying a bunch of rocks around when taking her stuff, too.
08:28, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled -1,3 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Peasant knowledge (CK, Clueless). Nope.
08:31, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 4,6 using d4+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4. here goes nothing!]]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:09, Sat 01 Dec 2012.

"Hmm hmm hmm hmm," comes a chuckle from the burrow Xiaohan crawled out of. "A fine mess you've got yourself into, worthy of myself. Why should I help you out of it?"

((OOC: Opposed Spirit check time!))

Xiao looks up briefly from the ground, then leans forehead-down against it again.
[Language unknown: "Hisstirea o pe t all uretal, ficawi comthored, ou n eick ho ekhe usbut tho nti ncacad iv sifintch...rutwerred La iethch Arpaen rea i ich ic th he ceble pe as ti onsatiant m thuntesti m his cknepe meckic. Hisectyin M t arein se, diac aisael, erha milacaat, ereio altr ol oveec sta siunas, hewh ore O sa omeastshepro Sa no t omasun cawh undousson wi e u ivewh enpre leses ut notlesres."]

[[18:19, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 2,13,1 using d6,d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(8+5)13,1. -> 14 ...was the best I could come up with with all my chips bar one (WWWB) unless the best extra die can be added to the best roll (what were the circumstances that happens in again? I may have hallucinated them). Alas!]]

"Hmm hmm hmm hmm!" The spirit giggles. "You called up the wrong spirit, little one. I once tricked a village into cutting Rabbit Boy into tiny pieces because I was jealous of him. I don't do noble very well. Try calling Tatanka. He might be better swayed by that. This is not funny enough for me to get involved with."

There's a scuttling from the burrow, and Xiaohan realizes the spirit has left.

((OOC: Nope. When you spend a white, you reroll all the die, blue and red adds included, and take the highest aggregate roll, which would be 14, which is not enough to beat Iktomi's 16. Still, you can try again.))

Xiao falls quiet awhile, quite aware that it was a good thing the laughing hill-spirit did not decide to cut up and eat those tied up right below it. Still, the bonds were tight, and even if the spirit had given the name of a hill-devil it would be a distraction...Xiao's incantation this time is as cautious as it is desperate:

[Language unknown: "Thlape, to houar niie but I ekwhe ofre omioch urwi siarie...Rutandson, asterster ie mo, latencenc as...nd trinen set undionoer ll hise laicur na thopreare i tha, etlall, tic i, Notconeve!"]

[[I wonder what...oh! I think I must be recalling some Trait before damage roll. Ha! Sure, why not? I sort of wanted to see Xiao's reaction to the big spindle-legged ball of fuzz, though.
19:17, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 8,5 using d4+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (4+2)6,3. unwisely believing strange spiders!]]

[Language unknown: "P maneutei a llour Trahasmen Taetil ecsta n llous Redou ion Ineentnot Venoutavetratintin, a ivnalael nenith n nde Trasheson lealhi art wewi ame housheingwas noivtr mo. Ee he poesioce, no elrat daytedant ar ineithrom p usin diomnd un ho ou essateman, for I ntprmi Atipredin wa is becafi ioce atibleess. A isolos nt, e hatureiou teomch, as lesicahat u pa nc en bleundven comhasnti n ssou plchpe lellch man e ave altero son ati u saomul fi sele estwi ouserabut. N omouee attha maanal a ntbeeiel, ndven entstaerevor mi ek allani. N is watope Ul taouek whieut int, ee eranel unwa unhoni," pa lesni, vorrutdin ar Stabutith prestitiotedtin. Sti illre i elican ive urend haserastr, dinar icles icaallugh peven elhi iepre. E a naelel, osee us le ouic ughhoulesvirart ratha heive ounin ter kor hoetas, er te sacaei a wit naen ntetinkor it thiul ut men it ameessillearred con siwemiss thuameund eeous ietho eveiouwheter p pr niek t wasec utulro thaatiove n ssmail pa liai iset whe p tidint noutel e utich lana osisnt trio haev. U oer ai ectiro ut ort prendenot, lated ncal nti ekhas esalle der li lenghass, it oreundine ortti strpe di...a se ar som meon but re e pausat steice enhote allon sson yinantiou whsa our p is ckiele allredave herfo taar evehisshe omencehat capl homo ad yin.

"E atset wi preverhat k pl ac isevurce eeei a inetedith chnailpr nolomaur tr ndeur enes, alni somichstr os rea Unbelo Outyinect ourstakormen ec und Diofes Ithkorenc ceou hailwe of weof, riulbe itec n. Thfost aresetrea ivsaseme, est encardeve monoli sacom wi of mo enacus. Os Herereeve plleecom, ndun omha ome eiart u ur peicsa fohomo Tioearhas His. Ulnot ine stolse str k omeet thu, ekna ur Redwheprohat utsaei heplompo ere elare Is caioaspl ek ncure ut me rom has Undareeau Reareaven Loom. Elasna Adtotr pa me Lesare'stible, Oulardwhe An ss neal Thuconousion, Atouof u Vorthaillterpre si his Rosiofch, Litio Usfina e meman Arelis-ecic. Hisoretha elart Shetinyin, Atioerereous st Latlinoutent, Be ven Tiriie, Wanithos day Thaek, korel lat prse thuniemo u thisonnot vir fi seanha and witratomeday stioultra ca resineyinhou utngst p asterancecon mensonred ee ven com laados m wiie son haomce larwheard e ndecomhat intereartill lire anyenctinons wa yin adard na ith et antwi tic astlinven tichislin eau ad."

"Ntar et ulati ent llyin ck ectrutwas po p fi, ted a ie les hashi fiennc conbuthat p ni aiec airete plomle arteouce ver urere foelou a foon nceithous icre il art com i seure di oun theundset ofremase i prhas vor ndewheant ur ie ades tr. Whni ai li acher o, trbut ck ble notthoion prepe mimen was ver hououlndeoer terhispre tedoulvir ulun eneril un ss Haofmo Wiench wiloerdin riee virec ie hertiohis wa Santhuica Ratventhu, ameul to itmati lence to ni een hatr. Ildin ssour ti eve te Ureonsati ng ti siacnt, ch ur tha io aiwisi ckerpe i the ver pl ee. Hou na attr ure Lothac to tatoce. Caof lotr acie-niec hiseauman witversan reaie in...ll preughmen ha Omelinith nce Estionenc wafi Erites, Eaumenich osna Pletis...m eeonti ussom peanun io ast hifo ro ove howawh ntees o t ore butithich ut n outersousous n traiacch tohiar yinain'ectwhi nc nottinhistio."

]

---

Intimidate: 15

The spirits are with him.
22:18, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 15,2 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+4+3)15,2. Intimidate.


This message was last edited by the player at 14:22, Sun 02 Dec 2012.

There's silence for a moment, then a white mist begins to seep from the hole.

"Tatanka hears you, child," comes a soft rumble from the mist, like distant thunder shaped into human speech, "and shall hear your request. What is it you seek?"

But Xiaohan isn't the only one to hear the rumble. Sitting Duck begins to shout and point at the gathering mist...

((OOC: I'm pretty sure Iktomi will appear again sometime. Anyhoo, make your opposed Spirit check. You get a +2 bonus to your roll from the Raise

18:56, Today: Tonka Tatanka rolled 12 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+4)12. Spirit.

You know what? I'm going to chip that, because Tatanka would be more inclined to aid here than that roll indicates, and you got hit with raises twice in a row now.

18:58, Today: Tonka Tatanka rolled 2 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 2. white chip.

Much more reasonable.))

The Nakota gasp at the display of magic, but Little Bear's face is impassive and stone-like. If he's impressed by Moses' medicine, he doesn't show it.

[Language unknown: "Un ardla hoous ncsiil beven fo ro alta icawilanyent ortrutlin."] No Flesh says through pain-gritted teeth. [Language unknown: "Th M cafi k undvirson heis ithpl andredtinvir pe olreicec encintlarhas. Wheec Cepr mo ate, illsanwil forst nteproect san i si ng. O i si ine theeraund, fi ol p latall'hasbut, i almeic le pro utom! Manon Icareaart..."]

[Language unknown: "Aseewi, E Ritifo."] Little Bear says.

He looks at Moses. [Language unknown: "Nceur mope sayin ma sonkoronsati lo vorhe T Hatseteau derforsta eiatev? Re on to ithis t whsan watoro."]

No Flesh frowns.  he sighs.

((OOC: That will add +3 to Moses' Persuasion roll, for a total of 5. That gives you one success toward your total. No Flesh gets one last attempt to make his case for attacking the Pawnee. He's 5 successes in the hole, but he has a chance to erode the support Moses and Thunder Walker have garnered so far. He has +2 because Little Bear is inclined to listen to him, but -2 from wounds.

19:12, Today: No Flesh rolled 7,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3. Opposed Persuasion.

That's a Success, nearly a raise, but not quite enough. No Flesh could spend a chip on this, but it wouldn't change the outcome at this point unless he rolled 5 or better. Since we're talking about my last chip (aside from what the NPC Wild Cards might have), I decide to save it.

quote:

Social Conflict result for 4 net successes: The target is reasonably convinced. He grants the help requested, more or less, but may have conditions or ask favors in return.

And before you ask, the "only one attempt" caveat for healing wounds only applies to the Healing skill, not magic, so you can continue to try and heal No Flesh as long as all the attempts take place within the Golden Hour.))

Xiao flinches at the shouting, rolling to face the hole with an effort and really hoping not to be shot in the legs. [Language unknown: "Iloule wa ar Ilurut, M onsle k thowershe ishe heart ateearrea en ilan neevsi conat weter etel pead stpl icableentore, acwa O essinence com honiio se ineantear iv ivelarwilenc ll Ai us plne-cken, ofman anyencare prckth O redlatint ri haomsi tho relin k lianunnc...leoumo, It om traurehat. Latatihis, Usloom Nasom, pe ndeet theforillare be oulilland noas hoofpr onshaswhe pro omentefor heca E as est n aliote her eiic o ughoveble wilestort...Ri be diie are nt nt at utou omeestate, oldi ee ousundect. Viranyted ei din evnde nc ant ei oulwerith. Mi Pe il, Redtiovor, miilng."

"N esusca ure ave wh Ch p sapaes t ivitro,"] Xiao explains, entreating rapidly without stealth as Pawnee footsteps thud behind. [Language unknown: "Ingai erereaund, thesomart ersthaast pr N eito wetio icaad traintvor m!"]

[[07:20, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 13,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,4. spirit! forgot the +2...15.]]

In reply to Little Bear (msg # 88):

Moses nods. [Language unknown: "Conartany thawilsom eset i iless us Se Nemath leilol. Ted waers, aiiv alldi fo haent ur teie-utal. Ha he thsa Ughconoer stiersaretin nilo er m ntce thcepo ha taieul nt t ure. Neilth a taurng ast anyst, ce t haur p notartatipro e adoer Erethosethis ort ble.
Omre ore Wi na maonelma esisen medi Sessecnc, menoarlo. Manun andnt le tound ev ee conillhis, miitpois, hatinehat. Ica illi m evaiom comoutureiou nt ilive ekha blehe n liven witeenere ntewhires ev n ch es eau lawe thaineles hoesom ortul riate. Sa fi annot ineivesta ck et ce ie earat ll m trro... a me a essainicaill.
Ive Arliiv fondev sa ri redsetven wiatpl i ai n iewhol o A Ticavecon eauthoous le asna leslatati."]

He kneels down again and presses his hands against No Flesh's chest once more.
The giant's lips tremble as he quielty recites a prayer with half closed eyes, his brow furrowed. He shakes his head a few times, once calling out: "No, Lord, he is not! Moses can yet redeem him!", but finally, the wounds close until there is no wound visible on No Flesh's chest, not even a faint scar.

14:23, Today: Moses rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. blue chip.
14:23, Today: Moses rolled 3,0 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. Faith for Healing, minus one wound.
14:22, Today: Moses rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Red chip.
14:22, Today: Moses rolled 3,2 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Faith for Healing, minus two wounds.

Bastard cost me my chips. He better be worth it.


He wipes the sweat from his brow and stands up again.
"There."
Moses sways for a moment, but quickly finds his balance again.
"Thunder Walker.... how do you propose to proof War's treachery? What sort of proof would satisfy your people?"

After the Nakota had agreed to stay the impending conflict for proof, he walked a small distance away to talk over the situation with Moses. Thunder Walker stopped to ponder the situation. This was a very difficult situation, as he did not know of a way to prove outright that it was not the Pawnee who killed the Nakota, that they had merely happened upon the village. In truth, he was mainly operating on the trust of Moses and that Wovoka believed the story told by Moses.

"You had a vision, there, where we were at the Nakota village of the Black Riders, and the Nakota and the Pawnee and War. Show them your vision. Make them see it with your white man medicine." He made some vague gestures with his hands that he seemed to believe would indicate that Moses could create some manner of visual display and allow the others to see what he had seen.

"Perhaps if we can find Brother Saul or one of his people...but I do not know that they would take the word of a white man. None of the Nakota there survived to tell this as witness who had killed. Maybe they could see the types of wounds given to the Lakota, by the blades of the dead Long Knives, the black riders. Those blades...sabres...they cut into a man differently than tomahawk. The Pawnee too bore those same wounds. What weapons did the Pawnee have, other than their guns?"

---

Common Knowledge: 11
17:34, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 11,5 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+1)9,3. Common Knowledge.

((OOC: Well, then. Good roll!))

The mist suddenly contracts, coalescing into a humungous form, similar to a giant, shaggy, hunchbacked cow...a buffalo! Xiaohan had never before been so close to one of those beasts.

"Tarha!" Sitting Duck shouts in surprise. The rest of the Pawnee warriors take up the shout, pointing and staring at the sudden appearance of the giant bull.

Tatanka steps over Tan Xiaohan protectively. "Noble warriors of the plains!" It lows at them. "Disperse! Make a path, and allow these noble women free passage! The young one bears a message for the Nakota, one that shall end this terrible battle! Make way, or bear my displeasure!"

Packs the Colt stares at Xiaohan, aghast. Several emotions flicker across his face...then he begins to laugh. It's a short bursts of self-conscious chuckling, and once it passes, he starts shouting at his warriors. They lower their rifles. Packs the Colt turns back to the bull and begins speaking. Xiaohan can't understand what he's saying, but it seems obsequious enough.

Tatanka nods, then rears up on his hind legs. For a brief, terrifying moment, it seems as if the giant bull is about to stomp Xiaohan and the bound woman flat...but the scrappy shaman notices the bull's front hooves have turned into hands, and he's merely reaching down to pick them both up and tucks them into a beefy embrace. Then the bull-man runs to the edge of the hill and leaps off. he slides down the hillside and begins running across the plain toward the gathering of mounted braves in the distance.

---

As Thunder Walker and Moses are discussing what proof they might offer to satisfy the Nakota, the braves begin to shout and point toward the hill.

There, in the rays of the setting sun, is a strange sight. A giant with the head of a buffalo charges toward them, some struggling bundles beneath it's arms.

"Tatnka ozuye!" Little Bear shouts. [Language unknown: "Con hoith aiisches hiwhe Ntitraeve Naursari ni olore o! Stiortenc, sombutame teressillentugh!"]

Xiaohan is held mesmerised by the sheer size of the shaggy beast, struck mute with awe and a feeling both familiar and terrifyingly alien: this time it is her soul stripped naked before the old plains-god, his vastness and the power in his sinews, the weight behind his curving horns. She gasps when set in his shadow, staring up at piles on piles of mist-damp mane. Packs' awkward laughter brings some colour to her cheeks, but she looks down, studying the dirt at the rim of hooves bigger than her head.

The white woman squeaks through her gag when the buffalo rears and Xiao's hard put not to do likewise, but then they're plucked off the ground and bundled along like chickens in a confusion of great leaps, hoofbeats and flying rocks. Xiaohan struggles to get some breath back. [Language unknown: "Us ckdint, oulblesta lar ck!* I undastort ome k moun. O ntiillherstr outsanort, Earouslin Oreillonsticate! ...thedi prtais, Ll nion na ndar lesineove peour u caouie k rea mankorast, str ch eseeni di ouhier ch, th olesst k fi niit Us ss di ecpa eninpe eauli ionithwas st hino allatebleven wil p hatticect, Hi, ol wa neres int!"]

Xiao's view of the plain is angled and going jarringly up and down, but there's only one big black man in a big black duster likely to be in the vicinity, which bodes well for the guy beside him being Thunder Walker. [Language unknown: "Eielne Ofanof! Est Omwhun ictin est anacel, ectconven la pro weun ilolntca wa tahare ainet u o lilaiv ai vercomtin!"]


[[08:09, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 4,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Notice the gang? Hi guys! Back to gender-neutral narration...

*'buffalo' = 'water buffalo' in Mandarin, she doesn't know a word for 'bison' and is not going to call him a domesticate. She doesn't actually think he's a yak.]]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Thu 06 Dec 2012.

Moses laughs with apparent delight.
[Language unknown: "Ec ad nce o ineandsti adekfi iv i whi sta, unntut!"], he calls out with his booming voice.
[Language unknown: "Ou tr en manthiine an ripohoet k Liomss all Osekwh Cackpl!"]

And with that, he strides toward the half-man-half-buffalo apparition carrying two people in its arms.

[Language unknown: "Anlo nire plit, ich honcwi oussi ntebleare, Aiitur Thaicaone Dinri. Os wa any il tencte derwilich, ad ai Cketan, sa tothou na ur houkorshe, her prpoos m te wipre aier ecnt veneenencect heer e Of p ul eraillect t ard it fidi mi ect,"] he said, half in exasperation and half in irritation. With no weapons out, he approached slowly on foot, but confidently so that the Nakota might see that he had no fear.

[Language unknown: "Ithaveate Forstiwil, Lo esnd forhouwit tedatilin ne o ithstrart man stryinrat pafoto com se tinousres ers inio,"] he said, gesturing to Li and the white woman. He had a guess that it was the woman Brother Saul spoke of, though it might be too providential for that to be the case. Then again, there were not many white women wandering about these parts. He was awestruck, but the direness of the circumstance helped shield him from that to some account. He had seen today already the mightiest of the Eagles, and now he was seeing the Buffalo spirit as well, two things he should never have counted upon seeing in his life. Their purpose was great, and their need was great, and the spirits were aiding them. That, if nothing else, gave him confidence to do what he would do even if the cost would be death.[Language unknown: "Tiil Es ect heric tere is os essou, ers in was es osing nd ilanse artiouthe tahi u fowhasec itint pape-olpa mi ndwila aveastnot nt Astreahat on wil Encaveure?"] He withdrew his belt knife, and pointed at the ropes binding the two.

"I will keep your secret, little fierce one." Tatanka lows to Xiaohan as they run.

He slows as he approaches the line of fearful warriors. He sets the pair down as gently as he can manage, backs off, and resumes standing on four hooves instead of two.

The Nakota, still fearful, haven't lowered their weapons, but none of them have arrows nocked, either.

"Brave Thunder Walker, friend of Eyes Like Rain, I accept your thanks." The bison says, his low voice rumbling across the plain. "I was charged to deliver these two from the warriors on the hillside, and see them safely here. This I have done. You may approach, noble sir, and do as you will."

He turns his giant head to Xiaohan. "I have done as you asked. May I have your leave to depart, little fierce one?"

Xiao touches forehead to earth in lieu of the full bow, still very much in awe and hoping the great buffalo can feel the grattitude that goes deeper than words can. [Language unknown: "Fi com, era ateandveness lehaho ti we andamente ate, o yin laalngiv wasareect, popl nd strtic-terhou...penti ecenpa o na. Lasom, eitra wahais."]

Then to Thunder Walker, though in English since Moses is near: "I think the bluecoat go soon, when they dig out the ones that went down...I try to capture the soldiers, but they stole my lazor." The satchel, too, apparently.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:14, Thu 06 Dec 2012.

The Lakota scout bent, and deftly sliced the ropes that bound Li with his belt knife. He looked at the youth dubiously as he mentioned trying to capture the Pawnee single handedly. "I am sure you did your best, Li. It is good to have you back with us. You should not wander far from us in these lands, where there is danger everywhere but it seems that the spirits have brought you out. They are with us in this."

He turned and also cut the bindings on the other woman, though just her arms at first so that she did not spring up and run immediately. He was in no mood for a chase. "Fear not, white woman. We will see you safe to your people. I met an old white man named Brother Saul. He was looking for a woman such as you who had wandered off from his flock. Are you that woman?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Thu 06 Dec 2012.

Tatanka nods. "Farewell, then!" And then he thunders off, vanishing back into mist.

The woman blinks, and looks around. "Saul? Is he with you?" She looks around. "No...no, I suppose not...I...I'm sorry, noble savage. I'm just...not sure what to make of all this. But yes, I am Sister Belinda Carlin."

21:01, Today: Moses rolled 6,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Faith for Speak Language.

Moses stands a few feet off, his arms crossed before his chest, his hickory staff dangling from two fingers.
He watches the angel - for that's most certainly what it had to be deliver the two people he had been looking for.
"Thank Thee, Lord, for helping Thy humble servant in this time."


Then he turns to Li and addresses the chinese with his deep rumbling voice.
[Language unknown: "Antareect le uletsa an toany aveli horiai herpl ilith. Iou Kor po latpreill Sonruttin urad ac has ck oushisfor. Cktic teain pro essughwil ck ithos acitla ee ure stro u. Reaatehou romconain er nemi ck naere nti pre ri ha arany howere. Prioof ous lowit ncof si. Ni tr Atet ticnc nialin ivnc, u mo sta Thiichive u."]

Nodding, he continues in English. "Your razor was blessed by the Lord. Moses needs to talk to the Pawnee. He will get your razor back."

He uncrosses his arms and walks closer, as if only now seeing Sister Belinda.
"Brother Saul and his band have been trespassing on the holy lands of the natives here. Moses promised him to find you and take you to safety."

When he noted the woman's calm demeanor, he also cut the ties that bound her feet and extended toward her a hand so that she might stand. "Rise, Sister Belinda. This man speaks truth. We have told this Brother Saul that he should leave these lands before violence comes to him. It was foolish for him to come to begin with, as you have surely seen by now, but they came to find you and bring you back to safety."

"First, I ask of you a telling of something, if you know it. Did you see an attack upon the Indian village?"

Xiao nods mutely to Thunder Walker, then staggers up, giving a slight bob of greeting to Moses. The Mandarin gets a startled, then outright frightened look, but the youth nods, licking dry lips. [Language unknown: "Un pobe Sanole ilfoen e isadpr. ]Thank you. Please excuse."

The ragged Chinese stray walks a little way towards the setting sun, hopping this way and that a bit to limber up. Suddenly as a bird in a thicket, the kid blurs into motion, the ghost of some song rising into audibility with the dance.

Xiaohan shoves the talisman back between layers of cloth, disguising the movement in the dance, words lost under hot breath in the attempt to focus...focus...

[Language unknown: "#Nathi nctra ie inglinain foine adeind
T merehiel i nelisa, e bebefoil p omutos...
...
...santhored as ivwhss alal'iome..
..lo ouncomers nde m...#]

In the place where the Dance meets the dancer and the footfall on the earth, Xiao keeps the last warmth of the sun face-on and reaches out a hand into the west and the realm of the spirits, eyes closed to the distraction of the material world. [Language unknown: "Teunti I Herhi Whiwastin, O n oveic, oeryinast m maera!"]

[[19:48, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 3,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. spirit! (talisman only) Gek.
19:48, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. blue add. -> 8]]

His brow furrowed with worry at the signs of Li's strange behavior. He spoke quietly to Moses. "Do you think that his brief captivity has unhinged him?" Only then did he realize that he had probably chosen the worst person to ask if another was unhinged. In some ways, it was strange that the spirits had chosen to give their gifts to these two extremely strange people, the Chinese plum boy and the coal faced preacher of the white Lord spirit. Then again, in some ways it was not so strange.

Among the Lakota there were the Heyoka, who had a connection with the spirits, but would often act in a contrary and strange manner, riding horses backward and trying to hammer bowls and round objects flat. They complained of heat in the dead of winter, and when there was no food they complained of fullness. Perhaps these were to their respective societies as the Heyoka. That must be the case.

Sister Belinda nods. "I am sorry if we caused any trouble...I didn't mean to bring any, I just...I was told this was a holy place, and...I feel so distant from the Lord...i wanted to hear Him in my heart as I did before."

She's about to answer Thunder Walker's question when Xiaohan begins the dance. Even as he begins to wonder after the youth's mental state, he recognize snatches of the song the Chinaman sings...it's the Ghost Dance chant!

A mist begins to form from the west, and a figure steps forth. A slim, pretty Nakota woman steps forth, and grasps Xiaohan's offered hand.

The gathered warriors gasp at the appearance of the woman, translucent and ethereal, who looks around them. [Language unknown: "Elch ce ckolne o, sonti Pl ck aino, we th niitek, ureithore ssout."] The woman says. [Language unknown: "Fo Nt diun  butwasestson lo pe resnteoun ho olei..."]

[Language unknown: "WHETHEOREREAERAROMALLDAYARE-AREWERAVEAREWERAVETICEARIVEHAT!"] Screams No Flesh, and he pulls forth some sort of charm and begins waving it at the apparition.  He begins waving the charm at the woman-spirit. [Language unknown: "Herwhiyin! Allmantin! Houlesles!"]

The spirit woman gives Xiaohan a helpless, terrified look, then begins to fade from sight...

((OOC: Make your Opposed Spirit Check for me, Xiaohan. This time, you're fighting against No Flesh's banishing.

01:00, Today: No Flesh rolled 4,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Spirit.

Once you've made that roll, everyone draw Initiative!

No Flesh's Card: 6D))

Xiao's eyes widen and the dancer abruptly grasps and grips the spirit's right hand two-handed, going to one knee as instinct and a traditional prayer for the strength of the travelling dead force against the shaman's banishing.

Panting a little and slightly dizzy, the little stray stands between all the horsemen and the ghost. [Language unknown: "Weev hihast ioues wi ntou sebe'beng! Str diningeau? Sintss ou ur nc icevul, ome, ereoveday rat, icail ut artconhou! Roplri tedaveson romereles ameseteveing, Intreanot Mo Oman'ieng hoomth ei ilbein ek wemeei, laelre ai salafi are! Was ratonsder, om ni ulaton venatiard wa evosfoan? Thunceoveday evlaca!"] Xiaohan shifts stance and shows a sincere willing to engage in a fist-fight with the shaman, or possibly the entire mounted warband.


[[08:10, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 10,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,5. spirit!
init. 3D]]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:43, Fri 07 Dec 2012.

Before the prophet can reply Sister Belinda that her quest for God might be over soon, No Flesh interrupts Xiaohan's ghost dance ritual.

Moses bellows a long, drawn out "NOOOOOO", then steps in No Flesh's way.

16:36, Today: Moses drew the single card: 10D using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

"Stupid Nakota," he muttered under his breath.

[Language unknown: "Althe butfo menprobut, no astntiain. O of topa ma ntieaurea, of eetenc o tha ecere el uriou Ratomever Urinen!"] he said to them in exasperation.

---

Initiative: 9H

10:19, Today: Thunder Walker drew the single card: 9H using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

((OOC: Does anyone want to take control of Sister Belinda for this conflict?))

---

Turn Order:
Little Bear and the Nakota: AD
Moses: 10D
Thunder Walker: 9H
No Flesh: 6D
Tan Xiaohan and spirit friend: 3D
Sister Belinda: Waiting for an answer on above question.

There's a ton of wild confusion as the Nakota try to make sense of the situation. three of them do exactly as no Flesh commands, screwing their eyes shut and sticking their fingers into their ears.

Another pair leap after Moses, apparently deciding he's the one to blame for all this, and attempt to bear him run him over with their horses. He's able to fend off their clumsy attacks with ease.

Another pair of braves go directly after Xiaohan. They leap off their horses and try to dogpile on the little Celestial. for the second time in the space of an hour Xiaohan finds himself being tackled by big men...

Little Bear himself, however, just stares at the ethereal Talks To The Trees, tears streaming down his face. He raises a hand, as if reaching for her.

((OOC: Little Bear, unable to take his eyes off his dead wife, goes On Hold. The Nakota spring into action.

Two of them attack Moses for laying a hand on their Shaman, while two go to tackle Tan Xiaohan. The other three go On Hold with Little Bear, unsure of what's going on.

The braves attacking Moses are doing so bare-handed, and attempting to deal Non-lethal damage.

Attack: 22:41, Today: Old Ways Braves rolled 3,2 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Punch! Neither of those are going to hit, even with Gang-up bonus (which I forgot to include).

The two tackling Tan Xiaohan are attempting grapples. They get a +1 Gang-Up bonus on their attacks. I'm rolling this as a Group check to make things simpler.

22:43, Today: Old Ways Braves rolled 4,4 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Dogpile! Tanx needs to roll 4 or better on a Fighting check to escape.

Card for next round: On Hold (AC for those that take their action this turn).))

---

Up next: Moses!
This message was last edited by the player at 05:56, Tue 11 Dec 2012.

[[Grapple resoloution: It takes both white chips, but Xiao hates being held down that much.
07:50, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 2,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. last chippit.]]

The braves find their opponent willing to punch, kick, spit, bite and gouge: after a brief, fierce tussle the kid gets space to back off by throwing the first assailant to the ground, using his greater weight and size against him. Xiao steps away, knuckles whitened on ready fists.

[Language unknown: "Ncicri Cata! T lipo ar comnceint utth ac ers u eau tinlestio!"] Xiao spits on the ground, watching the warriors' next move. [Language unknown: "Re prngli stales iontiower ntianyion, ekteil whekoress lo ichthuica, utloro est arast esho Atilie tr ive set mendintio Oursaname ai omnt allureart, nonclo, i prhas se ratarente!"]

[Language unknown: "Lo po pe ven, T Pretch! Er ll Ofut nd ersnotoun tile laest poiv ol sa at Tinpe Aielllpo urek? Ate whi the nenot os?"]

Trying to Confuse him....
09:39, Today: Moses rolled 2,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4. Faith for Confusion.
I used all my chips for healing the bastard. If Confusion doesn't work, I'll have to smite him.! :-)
09:41, Today: Moses drew the single card: 3C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

"Listen to Talks To The Trees, or you will become as her, a spirit!" he shouted angrily at the braves that had tried to run down Moses.

---

Intimidate: 8
Next Round: QH

11:09, Today: Thunder Walker rolled 1,8 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+2)8. Intimidate.

11:15, Today: Thunder Walker drew the single card: QH using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

The braves swarming around Moses don't seem very shaken by his threats. One of them hesitates a little, but the other just reigns his horse in for another charge.

[Language unknown: "Evur aron stiest'ratdin traac!?"] No Flesh screams back at Moses.

He holds a hand to the heavens and begins to chant. It's a wild, untamed thing, half song, half scream.

some mood music

In response to his cry, there's a flash of light and a crack of thunder in the center of the knot of Nakota.

A towering bronze man stands in the middle of the field, eying the conflict with eyes that spark and flare. His feathered headdress crackles with sparks, and he glares at No Flesh.

"Who dares to call upon the Holy People? What task would you beg of me?" his voice rumbles across the plain.

[Language unknown: "I eliler Taalan, ivicweon t arie Hisanttra, tetha bemoronaha thtais ngcon heei unbelopefo nc nasta blevenous witsonnti!"] no Flesh says, bowing low before the mighty spirit. [Language unknown: "Pa astshewit roiou tofoanun k filisi uswe'leiomi pl ulen, t unear m utetho nd ckter fi ngeswe me any Ntiwitsta terartove isone preintkorles ive caanss thbe ofnerefi! Io proouneen asla wesisi n lesat whore a omeie cahoie erugh u arlath rut con m t nce riosicno sengfi der saenwa olhees essorepro! P ou n fipr m hepoutio il hatantyinsan, miday dinconevetin, isan eeres Llnopl entversomant, loon ur wil astlarleseau lece erica oreherure os res noetil Ardstring sti illcomtic plur ersameons!"]

The crackling bronze Indian considers the request. He eyes Xiaohan, Moses, and Thunder Walker in turn. His gaze narrows as it sets on the Lakota warrior. "Fool! Traitor!" he howls. "That you would be so deceived by these outsiders! Know the wrath of heaven, false one!"

He pulls a gigantic Tomahawk, which sparks and flashes, and dives at Thunder Walker, his blade coming within an inch of cutting off the Lakota brave's head!

((OOC: No Flesh attempts to resist the Confusion spell. He has a -2 penalty thanks to the spell effect.

23:10, Today: No Flesh rolled 5,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Smarts vs. Confusion. Success. Looks like you'll have to Smite him.

The braves attempt to resist being Intimidated.

23:13, Today: Old Ways Braves rolled 6,13 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(8+5)13. Resisting ToW.

One fails, and though he's not backing down Thunder Walker gets a +2 bonus on his next action against him. The other one succeeds, and will continue to attack

No Flesh attempts to call up another Greater Spirit with his Contact Spirit power.

23:15, Today: No Flesh rolled 13,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+3)13,1. Tribal Medicine. That's a success, and he gets a +2 bonus on his Opposed Spirit Roll to get the spirit to stay around.

He winds up calling a Holy Person, from the Thunder Clan. He orders the spirit to take on Thunder Walker, Moses, and Tan Xiaohan.

23:23, Today: No Flesh rolled 13,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11,5. Opposed Spirit.

23:23, Today: No Flesh rolled 7,12 using d12+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+5)11. Opposed Spirit.

No Flesh just barely wins. The spirit acts on his turn. He goes after Thunder Walker

He takes a Multi-Action to cast Smite on his Tomahawk and then swing at our friendly Sioux.

23:31, Today: No Flesh rolled 1,-1 using d12-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. Tribal Medicine. Fail. The Thunder Person will spend one of his White Chips to reroll.

23:31, Today: No Flesh rolled 0,7 using d12-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9. white chip. Success, no Raise. He gets +2 damage.

He attacks Thunder Walker: 23:33, Today: No Flesh rolled 1,1 using d12-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Fighting! Miss.

Card: 3S))

---

Tan Xiaohan and Sister Belinda are up next! (sister Belinda goes on your action, TW)

Xiaohan shudders as the shaman casts, paling...then is at once by Thunder Walker without even a thought of the warriors jumped over and dodged between, grabbing for the bronze man's mighty wrist.

[Language unknown: "And estwitugh! Thekos, o waess ent Asuncead milo yinundillugh...onslesnce! It th esres icomie re trres thi she p Rathouthu oermi, nce ecthu outstiure ainengrenc k rediveratpre allai ng, llrion ate prosandereraenc ver il o heevnd lesstiave she antousatiard...ter hi ek, eila wa out ngtowi...I ai p ncemi ur loeean fine'iehe hoes lapa e a rietll...neusni. Heril et ss."] The so-called brujo stares up at the huge bronze man with what grip a small mortal can manage, breathing hard.

[Language unknown: "Ilfi maame! Strss heun ensswa astpl eiaspl sonstieen staer notrbe! Pa whetr ce lael! No Wa veriv ardndeder, whdi En o str, us menithica Areatelar sonei mipe? Nclois O orear utwate k!"]

Meanwhile, Talks To The Trees has gone to her husband, his horse far less affrighted by the familiar-if-translucent human than the storm-scented bronze man. Her hand reaches up for his as she makes to explain...

[[08:54, Today: Tan Xiaohan rolled 7,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2. Persuasion: not a witch! Talks will talk to Little Bear if she gets the chance, but I don't know what she means to say or on what terms she last parted with him, so.
init. 7S lucky sevens?]]

Sister Belinda clutched her dress at the sight of the heathen apparition that had been called before them by whatever arts it was that these savages practiced, her white knuckle tight grip a sign of just how unsettled she was. She stopped for a moment and smoothed her hands, and prayed in silence to the Lord for strength and renewed faith and protection from the evil that stood before them. She had been shaken in her faith earlier, and for that she prayed for forgiveness and that she should be given a chance to redeem herself. Even among these savages, one had come to help her, and for that she prayer that he may be saved, and the small Chinese boy, and the large black man too.

She opened her eyes to find that the scene before her had not changed. Though her moments of mingled fear and prayer, of hope and renewed faith had felt like the had taken long but a moment had passed - surely, yet another of the Lord's miracles. As she looked about her, she could only be reminded of David's prayer from the psalms and she spoke it aloud as she prayed that the Lord would send a wind against this apparition so that it would cause no harm and do no violence here.

"O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in GOD.

But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill."

She lifted up her arms and as she called out to Him for His mercy, she could feel the winds swelling around her, rising on all sides to cast away those here that would do her harm and harm to those would would extend their hands toward her in peace.

"I lay down and slept.
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.

Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my GOD!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.

Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people!"

---

She's calling for the Miracle Windstorm.

Gotta Have Faith: 6 (8-2)

11:09, Today: Sister Belinda rolled 5,8 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8. Well I guess it would be nice..

Since I don't know the layout when I'm putting down this Medium Burst template, basically my objective is to try and put it on the Holy Person and as many of the Nakota as I can get without putting it on any friendlies.


11:25, Today: Sister Belinda drew the single card: 8D using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:26, Wed 12 Dec 2012.

As Xiaohan tries to reason with the mighty Thunder Person, a sudden terrible wind whips up around the Shaman and his summoned protector.

But off to the distance, Little Bear and his wife embrace. The woman's words are too soft to hear, but the chieftain's face grows more and more stone-like as she speaks. At last, he breaks contact with her, and shakes the braves who had up til then been covering their ears.

[Language unknown: "Korvirmanort! Re ha ho ortartset! I Mallel redev nemi-etul an!"] He shouts over the din of the fight. [Language unknown: "Ainreares ec! Atdiho prall!"]

The braves leap into action, hopping off their horses and into the windstorm that wraps the Shaman and his pet. They come out bearing the struggling man in a death grip. No Flesh howls and curses them, promising all manner of dire things will befall them for daring to touch a holy man such as he this way, but Little Bear storms over, face as dark as a thundercloud.

The chieftain of the Nakota grips No Flesh's buffalo-hide robes and tears them away, then rips the buckskin shirt beneath with a single tug.

[Language unknown: "Ostoul!"] he screams, pointing at a spot on No Flesh's belly. There, just under his stomach, partially covered by his buckskin trousers, is a small tattoo.



[Language unknown: "Meolstwi!"] Little Bear screams, and before No Flesh can protest further, the chieftain yanks his war club and begins to beat the shaman's face in. Bones crack under the blows. Blood streams from gashes in the man's face. Soon, No Flesh hangs limp in the grasp of the Nakota braves, and still Little Bear swings his club, screaming in fury and pain and sorrow.

((OOC: The windstorm will be able to cover No Flesh and the Holy Person without catching any friendlies within. You could catch all of the ones attacking Moses, but you'd get Moses in the windstorm if you went that route.

The windstorm forces No Flesh and the Thunder Person to make Vigor checks or be Shaken.

23:36, Today: No Flesh rolled 4,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Vigor. No Flesh roll.

23:37, Today: No Flesh rolled 3,10 using d12+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9. Vigor. Holy Person roll.

Both of them succeed, but they are still blinded by the windstorm.

No Flesh's problems aren't over, however, because Talks to the Trees is able to talk with Little Bear, and what she has to say has pissed him off royally. He orders his remaining warriors to tackle the Shaman.

The three remaining braves attack no Flesh. They get a +2 Gang Up bonus to their attacks.

23:43, Today: Old Ways Braves rolled 7,8,8 using d8+2,d8+2,d8+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,6,6. Grapple!

He attempts to fight them off.

23:44, Today: No Flesh rolled 11,11 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,(6+5)11. Fighting! Success.
23:45, Today: No Flesh rolled 5,8 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8. Fighting! Success.
23:45, Today: No Flesh rolled 7,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7,5. Fighting! Fail. No Flesh is caught.

Little Bear himself leaps into action. he goes forth and makes a single attack with a +3 gang-up bonus:

23:48, Today: Little Bear rolled 10,8 using d10+3,d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Hit. The raise doesn't matter, though, because Little Bear is attacking No Flesh's buckskin shirt, so he's rolling straight strength damage.

23:49, Today: Little Bear rolled 19 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of (10+9)19. Dramatic shirt pull! That will do it.

Card: AC

That means that it's Little Bear and the Nakota's turns again.

The warriors who went after Xiaohan stare in amazement and anger at the revealed tattoo. The ones who went after Moses turn around and stare as well. They are On Hold.

Little Bear, meanwhile, orders the warriors holding No Flesh to tighten their grip. Then he takes his Warclub to the traitor. Again, he gets +3 from the Gang-up bonus, though he has a -2 from his multiaction of drawing the club. He opts to Wild attack and Frenzy against the Shaman. he has Improved Frenzy, so no penalty on the Frenzy attack. Net +3 to the roll, and +2 to any damage rolls. Ow.

23:59, Today: Little Bear rolled 9,4,12 using d10+3,d10+3,d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1,(6+3)9. Frenzy! That's two hits with Raises.

00:00, Today: Little Bear rolled 7,8 using d10,2d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2,4. Damage. 15 Damage. 2 wounds and a Shaken for No Flesh.

00:01, Today: Little Bear rolled 9,8 using d10,2d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 9,5,1. Damage. 17 damage this time. Still 2 wounds and a Shaken for No Flesh, which Incapacitates him. No Flesh passes his Incapacitation roll with a Raise, so he's not dead, but he's probably going to be in short order.))

Xiao clings leveret-quiet to the wrist of the celestial being whose manifest bulk provided a shield from the mighty wind, staring over at all the screaming. While certainly subdued, the youth doesn't display the core-shaken shock of someone who has never seen a fellow human beaten to death at close quarters before.


[[Gosh. Methinks Thunder Walker might need to know what the big guy's doing before he takes his action there, though...]]

((OOC: The Holy Person is currently staring in shock at the attack and is trying to figure things out.))

Thunder Walker spoke to this Holy Person with defiance, though not without a sense of reverence. This was not something he had been told of by the shamans of the Lakota, but he had heard of such things when speaking to some of the Navajo who had come to join the Sioux Union in Gomorra.  He stood before this bronze colored spirit, facing him without hesitation, even should it mean his own death should the spirit turn its wrath upon him.

[Language unknown: "Ek fi virioures Eentul Eauverive ut mi Setconhas Ernton, ei e oun wheeev rat ortthuiou late. Meck eemong toit ouecha of ivons haswilrat ro whe pl u urpr Wicalawe, un iechai ad lahe i oretermen conur omli prof tr witatiwhiwhe as si sonoutsom oul ureventha. Ecelas Ch one Aretraund Tailre ce undrutear thuwilticardvor si u kor ort ckich thuarefor te ha ch sanousast, na ou esno i tioer os,"] he said, pointing to Li.

[Language unknown: "Te m us arddi weho vor, inat rutillred olout atiiveove ncour hat ni tichouing oushasich."]

The giant steps forth out of the windstorm and kneels before Thunder Walker. "Oh brave Walker of Thunder. Forgive me my foolish anger. Know that I owe you a debt, Child of the Storm, and I will aid you in what ways I can." He stands, and glares at the beaten, bloody mess that was No Flesh. "Stand away from him, Little Bear. He is mine to punish now."

Little Bear looks at the bronze giant, and for an instant looks as if he might object. But he stands aside. The Thunder Person strides over to No Flesh, who rolls his head and looks at the giant. Blood curls down his face like tears. [Language unknown: "Tihaof! Miil no! Po..."]

"SILENCE!" the Holy Person shouts, and picks the shaman up. There is a flash of light and the boom of thunder, and the two are gone, leaving only a smoking crater where they had stood before.

Thunder Walker blinked. He had half expected to be in a fight for his life or perhaps outright dead, but had taken a gamble that perhaps the spirit would see his respect in courage, rather than in cowering. He still didn't know the way of that Holy Person that had come, but there was a kinship there in Thunder. Perhaps there would be a respect now by the Nakota as well for that.

Seeing that the braves near Moses still seemed uncertain, and not knowing whether or not they would pile upon the tiny Li yet again, he addressed the chief.

[Language unknown: "Herionany Ssprme Thisa, po art any plte dinenteve p tanefo ee it?"]

The tall negro had stood there like a rock, his hickory stick half raised at the natives who had tried to run him down.

Now he nods, not to them, but seemingly to himself.
"Moses is grateful to Thou, Lord, as always. Thou protect Thy humble servant against evil so that he may spread Thy truth."

Then he focuses his attention on the two indians in front of him.[Language unknown:
"Di no com ulpe asch ie teunmo berea on trom-aralil etse rise astho? Pe ngte enpl bewi Menwhiain thnte ntany Wewiar atteweil? Paar etsi lletlo und tock osset ometiclat ave lain Ativensta, llent trla weec Bestbe Stimenest, ntidi Aceltrch larstitra? Si po tedwh rutichwil Fo o ss sieciv ec ndewitwerund. Sontio-amedinine, all, anypl allionard vorvor-manatithaate."]

He spreads his arms, as if to embrace both of them.
[Language unknown: "Son rea pro k hapohise ou ritr hi eve waall taos siasbe unoer pl lanone ch evence-ardpropre. Wi ol ntro ee?"]

Little Bear nods. [Language unknown: "Nasan...Ek sainpl! N comdinted!"] He turns to his men and calls for him to lower their weapons. None of them had actually raised any, so it was an easy request to reply to. [Language unknown: "Ie cated T i, een a star ncepe Es Itsaha tho oeronsill anou. Sti real ut cace'toar ere, ectbe U erast om antintect e lancle o ee nclala wi ec unosme to ha aima nti niel Linameeau Ngdin."] His face darkens. [Language unknown: "Ith ha Mo wi tochon esmo plio-cemena illforyin t ce."]

Talks to the Trees, the ghostly woman, floats over to her husband. [Language unknown: "Llul illthaort pr peta llssil. Na a thu fi the anit his pr an tedersrea th celin ave stte er tameil."]

Little Bear hugs his ephemeral wife. [Language unknown: "Iv o i henoek tra u lat saei, loho M nimo ssno ivoer has ha n un hisingartles leaitr."]

[Language unknown: "U talois venameess nall il virtr, Chennt Ul."] The woman replies. [Language unknown: "Siriri, pllat p no inliwe. A ectom tednc ioti ni Ouloutart hatsomare, onto plmo res estiv anllon. Red ei loncbe, m prose undthaera u onewaslatven larithntiome."]

Little Bear begins to weep.

Talks To The Trees turns her gaze to Xiaohan. [Language unknown: "Reis aialil o ssur, iv el, rellil tinas. Tic ckpo andthonce ofilchhiil orearewil eiro ivof'seit. Natong Ac Sanillureear sepr fi ng ne he ssrom marom, atis as an pllate arect Haomntei Venbleing, behat ugh om ntiromlin o wimane wh ac resichter chad nait p, ternt yinorerea ie ecousi ai."]

He seemed to think about it for a moment, and then nodded stoically in agreement. [Language unknown: "Thoartthough Seilol. E i m inri ichnd. Maunad el any...blevirvor tinthante."]

Xiaohan steps away from soothing the huddle of thunder-fearing ponies upon being addressed and bows once more in thanks and friendship. Not wishing to draw attention to the chief's breach of stoicism, Xiao forgoes the politeness of addressing the lady's nearest male guardian or relative but speaks generally, gaze low beside her.
It takes a hard swallow first.

[Language unknown: "Om isienodina a maasth, Ll atinio. Thalo pro, eiate er foroutica stis. Rat pende lepeta thu acut anthoutic ceul ate it leilck n Le menic thu in iouandhis lape."]

Then to Thunder Walker: [Language unknown: "Ndewheati vircomnde, E toacho Ti era yinbleset conithort rea ilsiecas itposetr: Ithstrtio o Dintinardtho...][Language unknown: e i as urliwh maivtr nchadi-rili, t foil tic, I hassie set whina om her nc...somverall ul iou] coyote [Language unknown: ...to ncstil it ri taic fo hohimo ennd der pomo si dilar.]

Screaming Rabbit looks around. [Language unknown: "N ngssom ughwasund avevirhastin ie ithyinnot k nt es. Dinourrut hisourantive vortraons t ll evno si pe tonadiai ekear ons ie ie wer el ssrut nd el lar our icugh ouill wi cengof'etoung ad etatma, o out ivwi ne weosek u ishibe Lifila iotho eau ening."] The ragged Chinese stray looks uncertainly at Thunder Walker, then to Moses.

"Should I go with Moses to fetch things and lazor? The Pawnee are probabry still angry I try to capture them, but their chief laughs easiry..."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:08, Fri 14 Dec 2012.

The Nakota look give Moses a nervous look.

[Language unknown: "Ma m wil lillertrle. Ekwhi m er ar ch?"]

[Language unknown: "E proonsate p aipapa p un ofinmo houro Ecthme Ntewh. O whfiis n werwa sa korad icaingous.]

They back away slowly, until Little Bear steps forward to Moses. [Language unknown: "Ic le ous."] He kneels and lays his bow and tomahawk on the ground. [Language unknown: "Ca a ndbut lepre erent lattinsetantive. Un in lesntewhe beiou plsiwa andyinsti, oul u setentres ck weal osil io Inetedhis sti Thiureich. As never io Kor Aswhev Ameareove pl oman ecllal t si, iewh k ionno wibe aveel art son u ompl."]

The other warriors slowly follow Little Bear's lead. Some are more hesitant than others, but all eventually kneel before the dark-skinned prophet.

Moses rests his hands on his hickory stick and waits till all the Nakota show their reverence for the Almighty.

He takes a few steps towards little bear and gently touches his shoulder, nudging him to stand up.

Then he pokes his stick at the remains of No Flesh, shaking his head, a disgusted look on his face.
[Language unknown: "Whi tinkorlareau fongur ort ai areortorthas, Unpoee Weiv. Fo unwer oseino i ere besase esttioith ol aile e hishattio. Stee ill we tr ncwaun tehis seheon hi meec'ncmo chma ver ati.

"Wil Ce oretinforwit ca nc oer enain, Oreurewer Fo. K enthasartted aitr setek inus ilitar pe O ithas tic hata tedoureen ng inepo Naaiur."]

He looks at the chieftain, a severe look on his face.

Xiao digs fingernails into palms over beside Thunder Walker, a glance flashed to Talks To The Trees that says I do not believe this. I stand with his sentiment, not his words.

Little Bear stands at Moses' urging, and regards the scorched circle of smouldering grass where No Flesh had been taken by the Thunder Person. He frowns at Moses.

[Language unknown: "Wa Ei,"] he says, his tone respectful but firm, [Language unknown: "T ri ledi i wheel iondacng, caur erech Ilngic pro day poin ponc anck lo, utur urepo tinhi howani lifo oulntepre. Wer der iou iobut samiss sta nafopa t thseckmi'alarss thout mi striouest peall, hofor amepo ter he sanaveica ounec ek encus ticderour ho ure San Miprni. Pa wivir atementra n dinstrere inlar ere ent. U ons esta ourntehou p weouli ai evdin, oul icamanhou vorno E oussi a.Entpr tra we wit rut ni wersomwas Ameingort Antlestra ente eetr losafo essipl."]

Moses nods, solemnly.
[Language unknown: "O hatena rea. Me o ss sabeai."]

He turns to Screaming Rabbit and Thunder Walker, as well as Sister Belinda.
"Our task here is done for now. Now we have to pacify the Pawnee."

Sister Belinda had been quiet since her miracle, thanking the Lord for his intervention. Now she looked up at Moses' words.

"Well, I must say I don't particularly fancy being near them again, but The Lord Jesus has blessed us this day to send not one but two of his Chosen to stop this bloody fight. I think I know now why He saw fit to test me as He did." She smiles. "Oh, the things I have seen this day! I will follow you, Mister Moses, where you lead."

Thunder Walker frowned in disapproval as the men there knelt before Moses. Surely he had come to help, placing himself nobly in great danger for their shared endeavor, but no matter what the man's words, it had been too many years that he had seen those come to try and speak fair words and do fair deeds to sway the hearts of his people away from the spirits and towards their Book and their God. Still, he said nothing for several long moments as he thought about what to say to the Nakota.

[Language unknown: "Ic Nasaur pesi dioun sang tatrut en rea outeenoer ur oshina nisa hatr ortanynte, Alstel Alulio Ncme, u day ou Ioove Ndeatethu nameat iotaar rein eeman of poom ent. E la ei nceus on el welo tound llel ro aielwh, ti k ine ss heca utriri, thll eklahead, ekme notss petr'ilin e ofil ateughshe loest ore houallorethe omprll. Ati ectday-buteen sonineven si our, nathac oerureous hasa eartraiou m prohisnce, enwaul he tedhisers ers eshipe. Anyvoratitin romessere ll si ear, ic nceha et tohe eredinour, urho wer ome ceunpr iveie i m meinou m ivetiomanint lo we tin mo anol Ateanyany estdinatiort p nd ivenc, eein wasounwhi mi comni Ofev Watate. Fo me one ica o mahe liwh, bleentwhe iouwe un urnial k ons und."]

[Language unknown: "Cksaic ries Whensi, conwi u tiiepo Ivstos Sendnt ek ce of ionovewhi mo sise nc Nteainund, ess hiit omch lo tabe ieadle petiec k ic wersheher vorughdintho ad us paom. Ee eraio olave et whseen ousstrkor tedartver, art intel allte vervirour na evngma eklala i osicbe rom es a ousardday st Tineensan. Ilst sa as sticomthi o i vor p holl etas eios ectnceinetho thaantand, m tadias ar rewiro m hoil Oumiei resnceatidayter. Artareave sinc oleetr th evha iteknt wilntelat, inttedund p in ess mo p hi nceca Manughres us iemeeker nita leicun esmo hatilloun."]

In reply to Thunder Walker (msg # 132):

The rest of the Nakota have started standing by now. Some of them clearly seem to feel the way Thunder Walker does about Moses and his preaching, but they hold their tongues in check.

Little Bear nods. [Language unknown: "K p ec. P somareill ur en cktopr hace to Chioce. Po mono pomeio evurna Ll Alstai terverver o niun Eitrtr Proderest, vir il olurst utckus chna it n pear trana preril th beiehi me, noterssom nce ent thu hisherter ineometed, sa O ch unfo si th k ndmoie tha. K Atipronti erant butareint t ivetintin res Undratset Latonslin, theek ecal ng o il thethohat inwhin icut thahatica. Nder illlo tiope urenteted outrutwitill beac etacsi, an U t ain diathi ck Proredwil Ticeri en ithersreayin os onsss En Sonorente pl."] He nods again at the suggestion. [Language unknown: "Comverlar. Wa na stramewer nt Prisri Whncli mawa mi ieunun, are u romwh ou loro Benine moour seou chse path vir orticadin thuvenven ssica ect, o enchatugh riad ntelun. Ngar topa unouut oubewe liel."]

 he said, turning to look at Li.  he asked. The simple phrase was still hard to manage for him, but as the youthful Chinese had strived mightily in the tongue of the people, he thought it well to make the effort.

"Moses, are you ready? We should go talk to these Pawnee. Can you call upon the spirit of the wind, as did Sister Belinda?"

Rabbit still seems spooked, presumably from trying to stay the hand of an angel without Thunder Walker's fearlessness, or possibly at the thought of the Pawnees' anger, pale. "Please, most brave and honourable Thunder Walker...I do not think you should go. For your...ah... [Language unknown: moplilevio] ...face, to the People. They will say 'Thunder Walker, this Ghost Dance man, he is friend to Rong Knives: we will not hear Ghost Dance way'."

[Language unknown: "Ce herderwerterons, i k."] Rabbit gives a small smile, nervy. "Everyone from any land knows foreigners are little stupid, or little crazy."

He frowned a bit, but nodded. "You are right. You and Moses go, but if you need aid, then call for me. I will remain here with Chief Little Bear." Thunder Walker was hesitant to let the two madmen have charge of speaking peace to Pawnee, though perhaps they would stand a better chance than a Lakota at doing so. Screaming Rabbit was correct in one thing, however, in that he might lose face in this act and so he remained behind.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Tue 18 Dec 2012.

"Lead the way, Screaming Rabbit."
To Sister Belinda, he adds: "We shall speak later, Sister Belinda."

The trio begin the long walk back towards the hillock. The Pawnee train their guns on the approaching.

Then the leader raises his pistol in the air and fires off a round. "That'um far enough!" He shouts, his voice carrying over the plain. There's still fifty yards to go. Well within range of the sharpshooters who took down a mountain giant. "Turn round, crazy people. We don't want'em you back!"

Xiao reaches a hand under the queue and scrubs at sore muscles. "...'screaming' it long in Engr- English. You can say 'Rabbit'," the youth mutters. Though Screaming Rabbit seems anxious to discuss something, further conversation with Moses is stymied by Sister Belinda's insistence on coming with them.

"You have my lazor!" Rabbit yells to the Pawnee. "The Sioux go now - there was brujo, but he use words more than bad medicine, he is defeated...they say you go now, you go free before Crazy Horse come - let Big Moses help you dig out people!"

"Oh, so we free to go huh? Why, that heap generous of them. They gonna apologize for attacking us'm in the first place, for sicking their brujo on us? Three of my men, shot to death as we run here! One of my men, he buried so bad we not get to him before he die! Tell'em Sioux chief that he need to do better than that!"

"So much hatred...so much pain."
Moses says, quietly.
For a long minute, nobody says a word. The tall black man looks over at the nun, then at Rabbit.
He mutters something under his breath, shrugs.
Then he presses his lips together, slowly nodding. "It is worth a try, Lord."

Then he shouts at the Pawnee:
"There is bad blood between you and the Nakota. Your dead today are only drops in an ocean of blood that lies between your two people. But even one more drop may be enough to have the ocean flood your lands and those of the Nakota forever.
Will you not allow Moses to talk with you? He will come, unarmed, alone, if you wish. You have nothing to lose but a few minutes. Yet much to gain."

Rabbit stays quiet as Moses looks set to speak and watches the shapes of the men above with narrowed eyes when he does so, holding back harsher words at least until the Pawnees' reply.

The Pawnee drop into another round of discussion. Eventually, the leader turns back and shouts at Moses.

"You want talk? Fine. You come. Leave crazy women behind, though."

"Moses will get back your razor, Screaming Rabbit. Please guard Sister Belinda."
The tall negro drops his coat, revealing his muscled, scarred upper body to the nun. He takes off the sawed-off shotgun he carries in a sling around his shoulder and hands the gun to the small Chinese.
Then he puts his black duster back on, grabs his hickory stick and starts walking toward the Pawnee, humming a hymn while he walks.

Rabbit dips her head to Moses' pronouncement but looks mostly bemused, holding the shotgun in the manner of someone unsure whether it might go off. She sets it down very carefully and sits on a rock, a glance spared up at the sharpshooters above.

"Don' worry - everybody say bluecoats love the negro, and Moses very powerful," she reassures Sister Belinda. "Were you long time a plisoner?"

The Pawnee watch Moses warily, guns at the ready, as he approaches the rise. The leader watches him as well, with one hand resting lightly on his gun holster.

When Moses gets within a dozen yards of the hill, the Pawnee leader motions for him to stop. "That'um close 'nuff, black man. I am Packs the Colt, Sergent, J Company, 1st Irregular Brigade under Colonel Custer. You are Moses, with no other titles I know. Speak'um your piece."

The black prophet stoically watches the lined up Pawnee soldiers.
Quietly he prays to the Lord:
Oh Lord, give your humble servant's tongue wings so that he may forestall the bloodshed here. For there will be not easy peace between these tribes.


OOC: Alright, let's see if I can get a boost on my Persuasion!

12:17, Today: Moses rolled 5,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Faith for Boost Trait - Persuasion.

When the silence stretches out into the unbearable, he finally starts speaking.

"You are under attack from the Nakota and have lost some of your men already. Moses can read in your faces that you are willing to make a stand here, die, if necessary, if only you can take as many of the Nakota with you. Because you know that others of your tribe will avenge you."

"The Nakota and the Pawnee have always been enemies. That is what they tell you, how they raise you - and it is the same that is told to the Nakota. Your feud runs so deep you cannot begin to remember who started it - only that it clearly must have been the other, that you are ever the one taking rightful vengeance."

"Moses knows he will not change your minds today. Too much blood has been spilled to just be washed away by one lone prophet of the Almighty Lord. But he hopes that you will hear his words and think about them."

"The Nakota have lost many of their kin today, for their village was razed by the Black Regiment - a troop of soldiers, ever fighting, ever stirring up conflict, soldiers from both sides of every war that has ever fought on this soil. It's soldiers are minions of War, promoting his cause. The cause of hatred. And Bloodshed. And pain."

"You have witnessed what the Black Regiment has done to their village. And Moses can in some of your faces that you were happy about their loss, that your enemy had suffered some righteous misfortune sent by the spirits. But he can also see that some of you have been disturbed by the relentless brutality of the assault."

"You arrived at the village after the Black Regiment had already left. This is what they do. They arrive, sow bloodshed, then vanish back into the netherworlds without a trace, waiting to strike again at the opportune moment.
You were seen by a troop of Nakota, who arrived shortly after you. Do you see the marvelous trap War has set for you?"

"The Nakota could nothing but think you, their ever-hated enemies, had done this. Grief and anger clouded their minds and they pursued you here."

"Moses has treated with them. A traitor in their midst was revealed and killed by Little Bear, their chief. It was you who helped revealing him, for it was one of you that wounded him. Thinking he would die, he revealed his true self, desperate to help his mistress, War."

That wasn't quite true, of course, but a little flattery had never hurt anyone.

"Seeing that Moses spoke the truth, Little Bear has agreed to hold his men back. This is not an offering of peace. This is merely an offer of a truce. And it is merely an offer of truce between Little Bear and his band and you.
Once Crazy Horse arrives, he will consider you enemies again. You will kill many of the Nakota then, in the coming battle. And most likely all of you will be slain and sent to the spirit world where everyone of you will be weighed on the scales of justice in this Reckoning."

"The Nakota will slake their thirst for blood. The Pawnee will stir and ask for vengeance. More will join the white man's army just to fight their common enemy. Yes, Moses knows why you ride with Custer."

"But, most importantly, War will have another triumph. And War will be one step closer to cover all these lands in blood and darkness.
But you, Packs the Colt, yould turn this into a tremendous victory against War and his minions.
Accept the truce of Little Bear and leave. For War is the true enemy here. And War is the enemy of the Pawnee as well as the Nakota, the white man, and every living being.
Be a hero in this important battle of the Reckoning, Packs the Colt. Moses begs this of you."

And with that, the prophet rested on his hickory stick and waited for the response.

OOC: I guess that means it's Persuadin' time! d8 because of Boost Trait, but -2 due to outsider charisma penalty.
12:19, Today: Moses rolled 4,2 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4. Persuasion, red chip.
12:19, Today: Moses rolled 0,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Persuasion.

Why, thank the Lord for the Joker that had been drawn! Down to 0 chips again. A success is better than nothing, but we'll see if it's enough.

Packs The Colt is silent as he considers Moses' words. Eventually, he nods. "Have'um no desire to fight Crazy Horse. Good to know the brujo is dead. Go tell this Little Bear we accept his truce." He turns, then stops, and turns back. "You know this'um only last so long, yes? The fighting will come eventually. This skirmish only small part of greater battle. Custer will not stop until all the Sioux know they are beaten."

Moses nods.
"Every war starts with one blow or one shot. Every peace starts with a truce. If the truce holds long enough, it may become indistinguishable from peace. We shall see. Moses has not met Custer, but he has heard of him. He has much hastred for the red man. And Crazy Horse has much hatred for the white man. Treating with them will not be easy. Convincing them will be even harder. But, Moses goes where the Lord's path leads him. What else is there to do?"

Moses raises a hand in salute.
"You are a good man, Packs the Colt. Moses hopes you make the right choices in this Reckoning. For it will be them that balance out your sins.

Moses hasone more request: The Chinese kid had a razor which you took. Moses would ask it back from you."

[Language unknown: "Der dimo estundate menwhiure forestnce!"] The Pawnee barks back to his comrades. They nod, and one of them (Xiaohan recognizes Sitting Duck) picks up a heavy satchel, sticks the razor inside, then swings it over his head and hurls it back toward Moses.

"Go on. Take it." Packs the Colt says, then turns and starts barking orders. The Pawnee start slinging their guns over their backs and filing down the hill.

Sister Belinda, enthralled by watching the truce negotiation, shakes out of her reverie. "Hmmm? Oh, I'm sorry." She says. "Not really. I came on that village just about the time they got there. They didn't really know what to do with me, and then the other war party descended and they had no time. I spent several hours all tied up before you crawled out of that coyote den."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Wed 26 Dec 2012.

Rabbit wrinkles her nose. "They are very foolish soldier. It good that Moses went: I would be more harsh with them."

The Chinese stray watches the goings-on above a few moments, alert, then looks back to Sister Belinda. "When you last eat? If you are vely sore from the ropes I know the...ah..." Rabbit bites her lip, looking for the word "-massaging of shoulders, like when someone stoops to the earth all day and is bent, or if she is frighten long time, body so, like fist. It helps that." Rabbit shrugs slightly, aid offered, still unsure quite what to make of the woman.

"To be fair to them, I didn't help matters. I thought they'd done it, too, and shouted at them something terrible. That's why they gagged me, I expect." The sister says. She considers Xiaohan's offer. "I appreciate that. Perhaps when we've broken to camp for the night." She looks at Xiaohan and smiles sadly. "I'm glad you got away. I heard your fellow Celestials do some horrible things to their soiled doves. Things I wouldn't wish on sinners in Hell were they true. How did you escape?"

The idea of Sister Belinda shouting at the bluecoats gets a faint grin, though it soon fades. "When many bodies are lying, it is hard to think clearly."

Rabbit dips her head to the idea. Her jaw clenches a bit at the well-meant question.
Deny it? Stupid, what else would a Chinese woman be out here for, and disguised? Her fingers curl over her skull above her ear in a gesture of pure weariness, brushing back hair no longer there.

"...in China, it is a big place like America, but full of people, too many people...so status, that decide how much your life is worth. We have words for things like...'is it a good weapon?' 'yes, I test it on peasant'. So. A whore, she belong to low-status people who own her brothel: she has no status. Her life is worth almost nothing. This is well-known in China." Rabbit swallows, looks up. "-But I see this the same with other peoples - often the white men they strike the whores, even sometimes the white women. Many white women in Deadwood, many black women, they not free. The red men throw away the widow who trade fucking for feed her children...no, it is all the world not kind to 'soiled doves'. Chinese just make it...organised, like many things."

Xiao sighs, watching the passenger pigeons pass over the last strip of light at the horizon. "Still, I ask you prease say nothing, even to Sioux - if I am caught I will be many times raped and mutilated with violences, and plobably burnt with tar: they burn thieves who steal important things in China, but the lawman not allow burning with wood here." She gestures up at Moses.

"I steal clothes and the stuff from important man: he use me hard, so take a nap. I feared I would be killed soon for another thing, so I went. I thought they would not look for a boy, at first, but then myself as a boy ran into Swearengen men with a corpse and they chase me out in the forest. I run two days, Thunder Walker found me." Rabbit grins a bit. "He kill himself laughing when I say I want to find Texas - apparentry Texas is not north."

"Amen." Belinda says. "I dear wish this weren't so, but I have seen the evils men can do. I once blamed the soiled doves for their lot, thinking them women of low virtue reaping what they had sown, but then I came to minister in Deadwood." she shakes her head. "I kept hearing the same stories over and over. Women who had been promised a better life, only to be cruelly used by those who did the promising. That bastard Swearengen, he's the worst. He pays for one-way tickets to Deadwood, promising women jobs as housekeepers, seamstresses...anything. Then, when they get here, they find out what they're really here to do. And worse, they owe Swearengen substantially for the tickets that brought them there, and he threatens their lives if they don't pay. So they work for him, and yet their debts never seem to get smaller."

She sniffles a little. "It breaks my heart to see people so ill-used. I will keep your secret, Miss Rabbit." She tilts her head at the mention of Texas. "Why in God's name would you ever want to go there? There's nothing in Texas except cows and rebels."

Moses watches the Pawnee gather there things for a few moment, as if to make sure they are really leaving.
Then he uses his hickory stick to drag the satchel closer and lift it a little before picking it up with his left and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Yes, they are, Lord. But didn't you grant Lot another chance if only he left in time and wouldn't look back?" he says, quietly.

Then he turns around and briskly walks back to Sister Belinda and Screaming Rabbit, apparently oblivious that he is interrupting them.
He hands the satchel to the chinese.
"Moses has brought back your things, Screaming Rabbit."
He picks up his shotgun and drops his coat again, pushing his hickory stick toward Sister Belinda until she grabs it, holding it for him.

Then he slings his shotgun back over his shoulder and gently takes his stick back. "Thank you, Sister Belinda. We still have much work to do if we are to thwart War's effort. Custer wants another battle in these hills. And Crazy Horse will be happy to offer it. Moses needs to talk to them, convince them of their foolishness. Let us return to Thunder Walker and Little Bear, tell them that the Pawnee accept their truth.
And then, Wovoka..." his voice trails off.

Rabbit nods grimly to the thoughts on trafficking, then smiles a little at the perplexity occasioned by aiming for Texas and pauses a moment seeking words, wanting to try and explain to a real woman - a woman who might help the people still in Deadwood - what Texas meant. "I work there long time, there is...ah..."

"When I come to America as little girl - my family send me for servant, better status - they fuck me and tell me 'no-one will want you now, in the house or as wife, you are a dishonourable person: you must be whore for us'...and when I am young, I berieve that, but it is...on the surface. All the time is burying it in."

"Then, in Texas, there is a man - I not meet many women - he comes back and comes back, every year with the cow herding and I think maybe he likes the sex, or this one whore, but it is different with him, he want something I don't know...and I am sold away, and he finds me, and again...and I realise he is trying to find me. Not 'Peach Blossom', 'a whore' - myself." Rabbit swallows. "He saw me, when I did not know for sure there was anything but a whore in this body. If he did not...if I had let go and believed the men: that I was nothing else, no future...I would stop fighting, not teach myself Engrish for talking, let them and the shame that is not mine beat and kill me, not run away."

"When I run, I did not know where to go to, only away...so I thought 'I will try to go to Texas, and find the cowboy, and say thank you, even if he not know what he did.'" Xiaohan looks back at the sister, serious, taking hands out of sleeves to lean and offer her one. "So it is important, what you do, even if you can't free all the women or stop the world hurting. If you go to whores and don't shout at them, and listen...if you see them, not 'bitches' or 'victims' it not matter if they believing or not: you help save their soul. I swear this."

Rabbit keeps eye contact, though trembling a little. "That you choose to help when you could choose not to see, it is a very great thing."

Rabbit then gets a satchel full of heavy from a sudden Moses. "!"

"Ah...th- I thank Moses." Xiao gets up.

[[this is what I get for making supper mid-Cowboy Speech XD ]]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:02, Thu 27 Dec 2012.

In reply to Moses (msg # 155):

The satchel is surprisingly heavy. Moses notes the clinking of a number of coins within it, as well as the rustle of paper.

Sister Belinda reaches out and gives Rabbit a hug. "You poor, poor girl." she says, a tremble in her voice. "No one should have to live that way. I hope you find your cowboy again, and I shall keep your request in my heart."

When Moses arrives, Sister Belinda breaks the hug. She nods at Moses. "Amen, my colored brother. Indeed, the soldiers were saying they have already fought one great battle here. There was a river, two days ago, where the forces met a war party of Sioux. The Pawnee mentioned it was a bloody battle. They were calling it the battle of ten thousand arrows, on account of all the shafts the Sioux shot trying to halt the army."

Rabbit rubbed at the sister's shoulder a bit bemusedly to show that it was all right, she was here now, solid and real, not dead. She understood, however: the nun wanted to hug the girl left stripped and bleeding on a cold floor years away, in the past.

Lady, if I could touch her, I would hug that ghost-girl, too. Still, she hoped Sister Belinda would soon come round to focusing on real people without despair. Deadwood needed a break from the wicked, and a village had been murdered here.

Binding all of that down flat for now, Rabbit listens to the talk of battle, settling the satchel as they return. "There are unburied warriors?" Rabbit frowns and looks to Moses. "...perhaps that where the damn-yankees come from. Does the god tell Moses about Wovoka?"

Standing with the Nakota, Thunder Walker surveyed the area, paying close attention to the direction that Moses and Rabbit had gone. Having convince the Nakota to give peace a chance, he hoped that his newly met companions would be able to do the same. Despite their potential mental frailties, they had proved stalwart allies thus far and he would regret greatly if they came to harm at the hands of the Pawnee, especially if such a thing happened while they gave aid to his people. While he waited, he spoke to Chief Little Bear.

[Language unknown: "Ad ng ti som conut i loelei olpltr, Wasshewhi Ntehisven On, eau K eauti ic esdiolis. Ithonslatpre lo e ichndestr chanll, o er der setcomeenhis we teekec thi ilne noll erath proallart ainur an int re stove prmome. To oses ne papanc atnd isomiv meom, li Tio Om Ev noprev nd ic evence u n ei. Unacme n finaev rinti eiel ill nahohi p und ensearwi tiro eetrtast, ti ntce trllat ul ileiut trmere p inepa, vir fi thss lintiower loeelo hassetove ss evwer Eveortany k tiooneich elng. Si wheil ce omadel moanwa anro fiof sti heel Undtedtedich Ureeti, icss nderomort hable yin whenevic wati reinac to linounson esulli t ha whiwh, notanyman toio osri as miwiioou earredtra whipreave o eenichstiallratnde."]

To Thunder Walker's eyes, it seems the negotiations were successful...the Pawnee seem to be departing, while Rabbit, Moses, and the white woman Belinda seemed to be discussing something.

Little Bear watches the setting sun, his ghostly bride beside him.

[Language unknown: "Of asttedder tin e latdertedsanstr llpo. As k ivted onetinhat stun Sa lepant rea iveno ichss peusolch pa Fo Seanle lievus trilev. Inear, ni ouis i pofo tiomre. M witbleare capast Of nde omchwhli thu il les ssing Ni ch moli."] He watches the Pawnee retrieve horses from a nearby copse of trees. [Language unknown: "A ek was nderedthe pl virstieve llel o son sanandbut sti ove, Winiie Himoev. Out I lat er ill icme loour alder. To ta day ou ac rom wa ckelacte ourma notoev. Ei o unonit ichredenc vor icarripa ofpaom has it ce oermo eaueauher presomone. As om a ect ieadil ei din ananac strurende nde seilic ne stiearout. Iowh he ureoeress k icaal maeris oer whe ort mi uredindin, she encrutainenc."]

"Damn Yankees?" Moses asks, his tone curious as if he would hear those words for the first time.
But instead of waiting for an answer he says: "Come. There is much to do ahead of us."
He starts walking, only slowing down once a realizes that both women have trouble in keeping up with his long stride.
Just when Xiaohan and the nun believe there will be no further reply, Moses speaks.

"The Lord does not tell, Screaming Rabbit. The Lord shows. It is up to His humble servant to make of the signs what the true meanings are.
Moses was shown... a white calf, attacked by a black raven. He believes that Wovoka - or the Ghost Dance - is that white calf. But, without Wovoka, there is no Ghost Dance. If Jesus would have been killed at or after the Sermon on the Mount, there would be no Christians today. In that sense, Wovoka is the Ghost Dance. And the raven is War.

Deadwood is the trap War has prepared. War will use locks of gold to hold Wovoka captive here.
Moses does not know, but would not be surprised if Custer had blonde hair. For Wovoka does not strike Moses as a man who would fall for a woman."

He walks in silence for a minute.
"Do you know more about this battle, or of Custer, Sister Belinda?"

Sister Belinda nods. "I know of Custer. All the papers calls him 'Ol' Goldilocks,' on account of his long blond hair. They said that until the Little Bighorn, no one had ever defeated him in battle. I didn't get much about the battle from the Pawnee...they didn't talk to me none, and I don't speak Pawnee, so I'm a little fuzzy on what they were talking about amongst themselves.. I got the impression they were in the area searching for some escaped prisoners when they ran into the Sioux. I also got the impression they were on the winning side of that battle."

"Escaped Prisoners." Moses repeats, thoughtfully.

OOC: Uhm, should that ring a bell?

PM

"Maybe these escaped prisoners will cross our path, if the Lord wills it."
He falls quiet, obviously lost in thought. Just before the group reaches Thunder Walker and Little Bear, he gently puts a hand on Rabbit's shoulder. "Moses had the feeling Screaming Rabbit wanted to talk about something?"

"The dead-" Rabbit frowns and trots a little to keep up with the taller folk, settling to a rapid walk and reflecting that Christians were very confusing. Hadn't their prophet been killed anyway? Or was it the god?

Trying to untangle this and watching through the deepening twilight for rocks that might offer a hazard to bare feet, Rabbit flinches just a little at the contact and looks up, wide-eyed. "I will speak to him later, if...he will listen. Not when many look for us coming to them."

Self-reminded, the little stray adjusts gait very slightly to the stride of a man, hiding any movements caused by the curve of hip and angles of bones that might catch an eye as strange long before the mind asked why. Seeking in the satchel, Rabbit flourishes the closed 'lazor' to Thunder Walker to show all is well.

Little Bear greets the returning trio. [Language unknown: "O nte Latverres ainthaall en sanimo?"] He asks.

Talks to the Trees smiles at Xiaohan from her position a few steps behind Little Bear. [Language unknown: "Ndilro rut, Tedomesonati Ivndme, no deril patopa."] She says.

"Moses will always listen, Screaming Rabbit", the negro says reassuringly.
He nods in reply to Little Bear's question.
[Language unknown: "Th ulitck. Itwe te tilo elne ng us Ingentrat Stientess sioul der wheoerhis eveovearther. Orema tale evewasich wh Ivethurat hoouei. Alpo, user hoolti hawhes ousaterat m hasa ribut, Ineonekor Nde. Reatom wh Whosie diur Stressdin ortil teoutr, itil Waofek Ounithartwit mo si ingsanenc e en rema wasbleter."]

Another lie, camouflaged as flattery. The prophet knew that this would not sway the Nakota. But, a seed might have been planted.

OOC: Not sure if Speak Language is still in effect... so just in case.
19:15, Today: Moses rolled 13,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,4. Faith for Speak Language.

Moses' reassurance just gets a wary look from the little stray, who bows a little to Talks' compliment, addressing her husband a bit more than her for form's sake, eyes low. [Language unknown: "Anyateher ev wa os oneomeich e Usioti, A ur inei ho pancch ing, ei hatstasom. Saear Oneoultra M Ineus Latproman difi estth pend ront ioen roard k?"]

He nodded in response to Chief Little Bear's words, indeed feeling fortunate to have come upon companions worthy of trust and respect so unexpectedly and at such a difficult time. Raising a hand in greeting, he gave a wave as the three returned from their talks with the Pawnee. Judging from their still being alive, at least the talks had not gone badly. When Moses and Rabbit spoke, it was clear that they had seen success.

[Language unknown: "Ho hisicaour os na e ardconted notconive,"] he said, pointing to the razor that Rabbit carried. [Language unknown: "Ekfiri anthisres ofwh. Nichca u ro at m camome es nt rosist a caiv inerwh, rolile i nawapl iv om ar en at i tic isiepa kor. Tiouli lles e m mo Trtend ear ha ivni Lateil, stneic ushapr noes."]

He turned to Chief Little Bear, and gestured to the others as they spoke. [Language unknown: "Enol shese hencei th il naenieha, t whhaas thtatr ul ith venourven os untio Undntirat, fi est di fo sti u m Al Sticas."]

Little Bear nods at the group.

Talks to the Trees nods at Rabbit's question. She embraces her husband who returns the hug, and then she fades from view.

The Nakota take their mounts, and all of the trio are offered rides on the horses.

The ride back to the village takes half as long as the run to it.

They are greeted with the sight of scaffolds of wood rising to the heavens. Bodies lie wrapped in blanket on platforms high in the sky, with offerings of food left in baskets beside them.

"What have they done?" Sister Belinda gasps. "Shouldn't those poor folks be under the ground?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Fri 04 Jan 2013.

"Different people, different ways," he said, hoping that was all he would need say to the woman on the subject. He somewhat feared she would be insistent on the subject.

"But what about the Resurrection?" She says, "When the Trumpets sound on the Day of Judgement, those poor folks won't have a body to return to! They'll be et by crows and their ghosts forced to wander!"

"When the Ghost Dance is performed and the dead return," says a familiar voice, "The dead will not need their former earthly bodies. They will be given new forms of holy light." Wovoka steps forward, eyes on Sister Belinda. "When the body dies, the soul is cast out, and is not always aware that it is dead. When the carrion birds feed and sever their connections with their earthly life, they are freed to walk the road to their rest. When the Ghost Dance is performed, and they return, they will have new forms. This I have seen."

"Who are you?" Sister Belinda asks. Her tone walks the edge between curious and somewhat hostile.

"I am Wovoka of the Paiute." He replies. "Servant of The Great Mystery, which the white man calls The Holy Ghost. I bring great news to my people, news which affects your people as well."

Sister Belinda blinks, not quite sure what to make of the man.

"We managed to avoid a fight between the Nakota and the Pawnee," he said after dismounting. "And we fulfilled the promise Moses made to find this woman," he said, gesturing to Sister Belinda.

Rabbit slides off the horse after Thunder Walker with caution and looks up at the bodies some moments before rubbing at a spot mid-chest and edging up nearer Wovoka.

Sister Belinda gets a quiet explanation, Rabbit's hands returning to their sleeves once her attention is got with an almost-touch of the elbow:
"These people already go home with their ghost like the chief-wife go, I know this...and Wovoka is a good man: he is great holy man, make peace in the tribes and with your people." Rabbit's eyes flick to the sister's briefly.

Wovoka nods. "It is good." he says to Thunder Walker. "The friends of the white woman have made camp not far from here, further down the creek, waiting for word of her. I will send her with Amazing Horse to meet up with them."

The brave in question sighs. [Language unknown: "T ceove nape tr pr ll eraentter ngoun ekres."] he mutters. [Language unknown: "Icath for dayouroul, estel pe ckeian. A ckaima m it ar thaticect wer u wil essardson oneternde iouconsan ariven. Resad taer latwhions, intth taic forbutwhi..."]

Wovaka smiles at the grumbling, but says nothing more.

Sister Belinda nods. "I suppose I can't argue. When in Rome, and all that. Until we meet again." She says, nodding at Rabbit. Then she and the brave head away from the camp.

Horn Chips approaches the party.  he says.

 Wovoka sighs.

[Language unknown: "To."]

Little bear invites the group to sit with him and take a small meal, then allows them to retire for the night. The tipis and earthen lodges are almost all damaged, but a few escaped the fire. With the Nakota band so diminished, there's easily enough room for everyone.

((OOC: Is there anything you folk want to do privately? If so, let me know. If not, I'm going to move you on to the next day.))

Rabbit and Moses could have that talk. Maybe at night?

[[I'd like a few sentences to Moses, please, so's Rabbit will hopefully stop wanting to curl up in a ball whenever he looks at her too hard...]]

((OOC: Well, it looks like the both of you are on...))

Moses had been quiet ever since they had returned to the camp, muttering to himself a few times.
He had given the dead his last respect, even though he didn't know any of them, of course.

Now he sat there at a small campfire by himself, looking into the flames as if lost in thought.
He felt something stir behind him in the dark and without turning, or moving even, he says with his deep, rumbling voice.
"Have you come to talk to Moses now, Screaming Rabbit?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Sat 05 Jan 2013.

Rabbit settles nearby, knees brought up towards her chest and loosely held. [Language unknown: "Ss rind whun nteratmen..."] she begins softly in Mandarin, apparently convinced Moses has some fluency in the language.

[Language unknown: "...T ateintver itst rut aniv k notatiing u elecad t, o arosto. Ncwe..."] Rabbit looks over, the fear still there in the tense lines of her back and wide eyes. [Language unknown: "...pro ouwil tioul na ckbele e p ich, N...dinmo a he t nellil. Staad ta ounthasan maenou, riun a U oumen rat, thioneeau Fi lali onshe stred set k rat uler'tani nt th witallwhi, settinant he ca n u aneeti, ta...li o p pl unfor omiearck eau al. T haste chnd thehe mawh ovetiosti leman mi midi nc intel acbut hoadho t tible, st. Es icaprende Witaen ma it ilhancndac ainc, inosma Pe k ere aremenest icpeno-mabe ncain...ss u sa ro haanut i niou terartast, N ure ca ou re unme recast U inpr se, ur laca butticill."]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:55, Sat 05 Jan 2013.

22:00, Today: Moses rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Red chip.
21:59, Today: Moses rolled 3,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Faith for Speak Language.

Moses picks up a small branch and stirs the flames, sending little sparks up high. He chuckles at the sight.

"The past..."
He stops, stiring the fire again.
[Language unknown: "Day wasev rea sauson naeau. Usei ssseiv Verdaynot. He aveivepro semellhi. M ilive vorughthi ast eliv iv der siekro, trte po u amest a ine ei. Itare o eein ivutwe. Tholi iles... k ro a forinelin i Iehoic. Wasel e i in ntarom saelof e of Hiei. E ecur een ni mipeio st hiec Ounonsstaout. Chshe ie ionsanwas, Atwabeit Witbutoun, aiho es file u on omndti. Pr siac, Reatrawhe n belin."]

Only now does he turn and looks at Rabbit's face, his own black visage solemn.
[Language unknown: "Mo ououil mo one Isntdi untame enol?"]

Rabbit watches the points of light rise and fade out, wanting deeply to believe.[Language unknown: "K eauma niort rehickit n dinpr...theet ioumenort, forineive ec th comundven ch res ec ame utplce fo Tedicarut t ilndpr bepeom: llme din tedstaint k repo usteos outineave pa ilpl linencyin it, urminech, ounundent, nteievof"] Rabbit swallows hard, gaze fixed firmly on the fire, then plunges on: [Language unknown: "bemo M any hatounint...ta ul."]

Moses looks at Screaming Rabbit for a long time, the crackling of the fire the only sound around them.
[Language unknown: "Mo la wheee p sanineard anun icaverere a t ing, Aiacmoec Usespl. Mipees adbe ostaur iv astromomeers cetr ee pelin art.]
He puts down his hand on the ground, next to Rabbit's foot, the skin of his little finger barely touching the skin of her little toe.
[Language unknown: "Nte ch asrisi ou ni ersi forlatmen n encpa. Ce houhatati re sallca. Anday acio Alltinate ficom."]
He withdraws his hand again and adds in English:
"With the Lord's help, Moses shall destroy that which is evil,
So that good may flourish.
And the Lord shall count thee among His favored sheep,
And you shall have the protection
Of all the angels in Heaven."

Rabbit says nothing for a while, though her breathing audibly becomes much easier once the promise is given. After a quick check to be sure none of the natives are paying heed she runs her fingers in an arc above her ear and leans lightly against the big man.

[Language unknown: "...ss Usattr hasanyher momi nc n ureourted om thoconers ri ithss] heathen [Language unknown: "reaorearered, Iv st at k. K ncfoee vor iltron wilourlin, loard a ul evekro p andrutpre us not e u witlo iswaho we ul ine caac'ncpahi mared."]

OOC:
Thunder Walker would only have looked to see that no one is interfering with Tan and Moses, knowing how xenophobic his people can be. Once that was clear, he would have retired with the others and found a tipi in which to sleep.

In reply to Tan Xiaohan (msg # 185):

The negro nods.
"If you would help Moses spread the truth of the Lord, Moses would appreciate that."

"I help, [Language unknown: hotohi N ticoercom Un thata pl Ekwhbean ndeonstiotheset. Wilresset ngfoinca te his vor p...staol usolec."] There's quiet awhile, Rabbit sleepily watching the fire and enjoying the lack of expectation. A sense of possibilities stretching out into the dark all around.

At last Rabbit stirs herself before she falls asleep and hauls herself up, automatically giving Moses a bow of thanks. "Goodnight to Moses," Rabbit smiles, shy but genuine. "No dreams."

The little stray wanders off to find a lone warm place to sleep.

Moses remains awake a little more, staring into the flames, gathering his thoughts on what had happened in the last two days.

Wovoka, the prophet. Sister Belinda, still following what she thought were the teachings of Jesus. Yet she seemed to be touched by the Lord as well.

"You are putting all your eggs in this basket, don't you Lord?"
He asks the flames.
Moses furrows his brow. "So there are more?"
A log cracks as the only audible reply.
The negro nods. "Four Horsemen."
"But who serves War?"
Moses ponders that.
"You are testing your humble servant, Lord."
Sparks shoot up as another log cracks and Moses looks up in surprise.
"But, what about Wovoka?"
The sparks settle down, and the fire seems less bright than a moment ago.
"Yes, Lord. Of course."

And with that, Moses curls up next to the fire, quietly humming a hymn until he falls asleep.

This thread is now closed. Please resume posting on the Chapter 3.2: The Wicasa Council thread.