The young man smiles. If I’m still among the living, Reverend, I’ll come give you a listen in a few Sundays.”

He moves to the front door, joined there by Scurlock, who is carrying the bottle of whiskey the trio purchased. Chavez y Chavez, nods gratefully to Winter. ”Much obilged, ma’am,” he tells her, before rising and moving to follow his companions. The three exit the saloon, walking purposefully toward the courthouse.

A few moments later, a small group of individuals exit Wilson’s Saloon. All but one, a man in a duster and a black hat, descend the steps of the porch and make their way toward the Torreón.

The wind picks up strength, moaning as it rushes down Lincoln’s Main Street.

“Shall we, Reverend? Tamsin says, standing up.

In reply to Tamsin River (msg # 51):

"Certainly, Miss River." He crosses to hold the door for her and follows her through it onto the street."Did you have a vantage point in mind?"

River and the Reverend step out onto the saloon’s fromt porch. They are greeted by a cold, mountain wind, which howls as travels through the buildings that occupy Lincoln’s Main Street, scattering plumes of dust from the road as it passes.

The small group that emerged from Wilson’s Saloon has moved behind the Torreón and out of sight. Only the man with the duster and black hat remains in view, the orange wink of the cigarette he is smoking breaking the shadows that hang over the drinking establishment. He watches the street for a long moment, then begins walking west, towards the Thornton-Curry, at an unhurried pace.

As their eyes adjust, Allgood and River notice that the street has grown faintly brighter, a weak blue illumination, the source of which they cannot determine, having settled over the town.

OOC: For those needing to keep track, it’s nearing two in the morning.

Kate didn't like the look of that.  Curious, she touched the strange amulet (if you could call it that) around her neck.

Kate finds the raven skull notably cold. Not with the burning iciness that it gave off when she spoke to Jim McDaniels, but cool enough to provoke thoughts of winter and the chilly temperatures of the mountain passes.

“I do not have a vantage point in mind, Tamsin says. “We should be good to see even from here, now that I think of it,”

"As good as any, I expect."

He pulls his father's Testamen out of his inside coat pocket, holding it in both hands.

"Are you from around here, Miss River?" he asks to pass the time.

Kate grunted.  That... that told her a lot and yet absolutely nothing, because what could she do about it now that she knew?

She would give this a bit longer.  Surely they didn't mean her to stand at this point indefinitely.  Hopefully, they'd be smart and avoid the whole thing.  Somehow.  And she could decide what to do by then.

“I’m from San Patricio,” Tamsin replies to the Reverend. “Near enough. How about you, where are you from? “
This message was last edited by the player at 12:20, Sun 10 Feb 2019.

In reply to Tamsin River (msg # 59):

"I was born and raised in Tennessee. Went to seminary in Memphis. Came here to help an old friend with his congregation."

As Allgood and River speak, the blue illumination that has touched the street grows brighter, making the details of many of the surrounding buildings easy to discern.

At once, the wind ceases.

From the east, the pair can hear an approaching rumble, the sound of hooves pounding the ground and wagon wheels rolling over uneven terrain.

Inside, Kate’s amulet grows colder in her hand, becoming uncomfortable to grasp.

The man in the dark hat from Wilson’s Saloon nears the porch of the Thornton-Curry. He tips his hat to River and Allgood. ”Evenin’ folks,” he says without breaking stride, his path apparently taking him toward the Courthouse, ”Might be a good time to get indoors. Let Miss Thornton warm you up with some coffee. Stayin’ out here might not prove too healthy.”

He keeps walking.

In reply to Jim McDaniels (msg # 62):

"Thanks for the advice. Good evening," Allgood replies. In a lower voice he asks Tamsin, "Any idea who he is?"

Kate turned slowly, she knew she wouldn't have very good visibility in the darkness, but the sound of that rumbling was something she wanted to identify ASAP.

Tamsin quirks her head to the side at the Reverend’s question, looking to see if there was anything familiar about the man.  She straightened out out and shook her head. _{“I think I’ve seen him in passing, but I don’t anything about him.”} Tamsin murmurs quietly.

”Here comes the train.” Well, maybe. Hopefully.

Tightly grasping his Testament, Earnest turns toward the approaching sounds.

"From all evil, O Lord deliver us."

It arrives from the west, the pale blue illumination making the street as visible as it would be at twilight.

Although the hoofbeats can be heard clearly, no horses can be seen, though shadows of mounts flicker on the dimly lit ground. Wagons, seven in all, roll into Lincoln, slowing as they travel in an even line down the wide road. The timbers that make up each of the carriages are rotten with decay, buckling as they deteriorate, blackened with corruption. The canvas that covered each wagon has been reduced to stained rags, hanging limply from the frames that once supported them.

Each wagon is empty, without a driver or passengers. None show any evidence of life, only the passage of years and the ravages of the elements. They are skeletons, the bones of a past tragedy that refuse to rest. They continue to slow, the lead carriage coming to a quiet stop in front of the Murphy Store. The entire line halts in response, the vacant vehicles seemingly waiting in silent expectation.

The wind remains still. Nothing stirs on Lincoln’s Main Street.

Nothing, save Jim McDaniels, who crosses in front of the Courthouse, scattering a handful of a powdered substance on the porch of the building, giving out a low whistle as he does so. He continues east, his pace unbroken, moving toward the deep shadows out of town.

The wagons keep their vigil.

Moments later, River and Allgood spy a group of slender figures approach the Courthhouse, moving out of the pine trees to the south, their gait wrenching and stiff, their path appearing to lead them toward the door of the Sheriff’s Office.

"What in the fresh hell is this?"  Kate cursed oh so mildly.  All right, they never said a damn thing about any of this nonsense.

If the devil had a daughter, her name was Kansas Kate.  But there were some things even She of the Horns could not abide, and this was one of them.

Oblivious to other developments, she followed McDaniels with her eye from the top of the Torreón for a moment, then began to descend cursing words unfit for mortal or divine ears to hear.

In reply to Marshal (msg # 67):

"I dont like the looks of those folks, Miss River. Perhaps you'd best go inside."

He steps to the front edge of the saloon's walk and shouts as loudly as he can, years of addressing camp meetings aiding his voice: "HALLOO THE SHERIFF!! DANGER COMING FROM THE SOUTH!"

Rounding the Torreón, Kate passes a pair of Jesse Evans’ gang members, who are lying in wait. One of them, a woman cradling a shotgun in her arms, mutters, ”Where’s she going? Isn’t she supposed to be with us?”

Rounding the wide tower, Kate gets a clear look at the group of figures approaching the Courthouse. Silhouetted within the strange blue light that has settled over the town, the daughter of Hell can see that the men appear to be without flesh; mere skeletons clad in rags, moving as though they are imbued with some semblance of life. Each carries a weapon, a pistol or a carbine.

In the same moment, Allgood and River recognize the interlopers for the undead things that they are. As the Reverend’s warning sounds through the quiet street, two of the skeletons turn to face him.

OOC: Kate, Tamsin, Reverend, could each of you give me an initiative draw?

In reply to Marshal (msg # 70):

Rev. Earnest Allgood drew the 8H for Initiative.

19:14, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: 7H using a deck of 54 cards.

02:27, Today: Tamsin River drew the single card: 5D using a deck of 54 cards.

20:54, Today: Marshal drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Undead.

Initiative Order

1. Forgotten Corpses
   
2. Reverend Allgood
   
3. Kansas Kate
   
4. Tamsin River

The two dead men that turned to face Allgood and River in response to the minister’s shouted warning raise pistols and fire, the crack of the shots piercing the silence of the street.

The first of the dead men shoots at Allgood, the shot ripping into the preacher’s shoulder.

20:57, Today: Marshal rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Shooting - Undead.

20:57, Today: Marshal rolled 13 using 2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+3)9.  Shooting - Damage.

Reverend, the bullet leaves you Shaken with 1 Wound. If you wish, you can make a Soak Roll

The other dead interloper’s shot goes wide, thudding into the wall to the left of River.

20:59, Today: Marshal rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Shooting - Undead.

The remaining three walking dead move to the courthouse as quickly as they are able. The skeletal gunman in the lead reaches the door to the Sheriff’s Office and grabs the knob with his free hand.

21:03, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 7H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Undead.

As each of you take your actions, please be sure to draw a card for the next round’s initiative.

Reverend Allgood, it’s your turn to act.