In reply to Pete Haverty (msg # 883):

"Pete, we gets ourselfs up on our feets." Oldman cocks his head at the unintended rhyme and ultimate pun. "We can get these here schooners loaded and ready for travel. Me, you, and Cole'll collect all them animals roamin' about. We needs three men ridin' patrol. Volunteers?"

09:57, Today: Randy Oldman rolled 14 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 11. Handle Animal, Breaking.
10:10, Today: Randy Oldman rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4. Breaking AP.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:11, Mon 23 Mar 2015.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 884):

Jake raised a hand in response to Randy's call for outriders. "Me. I'll do it," he said. The Texan's wounds were still paining him some, but he reckoned that he could still sit a horse -- as a matter of fact, it should be less painful than trying to walk on his injured leg.

Turning back to Pete Haverty, Jake replied to the liveryman's suggestion about taking a Comanche horse for any man who was in need of a mount. "Sounds like a fine idea, Pete. Ye're most likely a sight better at judgin' hoss-flesh than I am. So when you've got the time, if you'll pick out a good un', I'll commence to gittin' him saddle-ready."

Edit: Fixed color error for second segment of speech.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:18, Tue 24 Mar 2015.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 885):

"Naw Jake, we needs you'n liftin' them heavy bits." Big'un tries to forget his woes with a snort and chortle.

"So then, whilst you'ns out there, if'n you'n sees anyone approachin', no matter who, turn tail and fire a pistol shot in the air. You'n gits back here across lots and we greets 'em all friendly-like."

Winters gave the tall Texan Rifleman a once over as he squinted his gray-blue eyes up to him and finally he pulled out a flask of whiskey and offered it to the man.

"Go on n' take ah snort Mister. Ya helped me out by com'n to our rescue. So the vay I see it ya can have ah horse if ya vish it. Be my quest n' danke besides."

He then turned to Haverty "Vell I'd imagine my granddaughters could use the money yah? So then when we have ah moment I'd like ta talk that over vith ya."

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 886):

ENS shakes his head.

Jake shouldn't be lifting things with those wounds, Sheriff Beauregard either for that matter. And I don't think we can leave just yet... there's the matter of laying Mr. Winter's family to rest... and leaving all these Comanche lying around here would both disrespect Winter's kin and leave a terrible scene for travelers... I suggest we at least cart them over to that burial area that Jake came across. By the way, did anyone find out what the Tonkawa over there want?

With the last sentence ENS points over to the Tonkawa.

Cole looks at the bottle, and sighs. Placing the bottle in his saddlebags, the wrangler moves off to gather up the remaining horses.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 888):

"I'ma give Circling Hawk over yonder that there Comanche headdress as a thanks for the kindness of lookin' after our Cheyenne friend." Randy stays alert to the conversation.

"So now Bangtail," Randy says to ENS, "seein' as how you'ns brought up the matter of the dead, we'll leave that to you'rn capable hands and mayhaps a hunter, if'n he's agreeable.

"Winters and Travis, picket? We needs the able bodies 'round here."

In order to avert the obvious protracted conversation, Randy says, "all this gots to be done if'n no matter what the Winters family decides to do. Ain't no sense jawin' about it now."

Piping up, the big feller says, "don't nobody needs to light a fire under you'n for you'n to gets busy."


OOC: for the judge to determine, Prairie Schooners weren't one-size. Were Old Man Winters' schooners drawn by two horses (incredibly slow, I mean, dude, a tortoise just lapped me) or three or four horses? I've seen pictures of the conestogas drawn by eight horses. So, please be describe the configuration.

Jake pursed his lips and nodded to ENS when the easterner warned that the Texan -- as well as the other wounded men -- shouldn't be doing any heavy lifting.

The rifleman nodded again when Mister Winters ambled over and cordially offered him a drink from his flask of whiskey. "Don't mind if I do, Mister Winters," he replied. "For medic-caeshunnal purposes, of course," he added with a broad grin.

The Texan took a drink from the flask, smacked his lips appreciably, and handed the whiskey back to Mister Winters. "Mighty fine, sir, mighty fine."

"As to that hoss, I do bee-lieve that I'll take Pete Haverty up on his offer to haelp me pick out a good Comache bareback mount that we can break to the saddle. That way ye'll be free to strike whatever sort of deal you and Haverty can reach regardin' any extry hosses you might have. Like you was just now sayin', I'm sure that your fam'ly can put the money to good use."

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 890):

ENS had considered taking the headdress for shipment back east, but realized Randy's use of it was reasonable so decided not to say anything about it.

Instead he reaches into his wagon and retrieves his shovel, then walks over to Winters.

Well Mr. Winters, shall we tend to the rest of your family?

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 890):

After asking his question, Haverty listened to the men discussing the tasks at hand. He was also glancing at the bareback horses, as if to remind himself of those he intended to recommend to Randy and Jake. When Mr. Big'un speaks of becoming busy, the liveryman replies. He has never been a quiet man as long as the heroes have known him, but neither has he launched into speeches that anyone can remember. This time may constitute the closing thing to oratory.

"My question was not to ask how or why I might busy myself, Oldman. As you say, that is obvious. What is next after we break this wagon-fort? I reckon all of us are not going in the same direction. Hearing you men dance around the subject has become tiresome, if I am speaking plainly. I intend to help Winters and his granddaughters to a safe location--The Flat or Throckmorton. That is the sheriff's duty now, too, I reckon, in addition to making a report to the Rangers."

Meanwhile, Circling Hawk and his Tonkawa riders have begun to ride what amounts to the picket that Oldman has suggested. It may not be necessary to send wounded men back to the field, iffin the Tonkawa are here to help.

OOC: PCs taking a new horse may weave that into narrative--a regular Grit = 19 stat horse.

In reply to Pete Haverty (msg # 893):

Cruger stands and tips his hat to Pete Haverty, acknowledging the liveryman's correct assessment of the situation at least from the Sheriff's perspective.

Cruger speaks to ENS as he remounts. "I will take the Comanche detail, Ringgenberg."
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:00, Wed 25 Mar 2015.

The two men who made a promise to Circling Hawk speak together. "Travis, I thinks it fittin' we offers the headdress and spear from that there dead chief, or whatever he was." Randy is serious about his promise, being a man of loyalty above all, even if it's not apparent. "I thinks it's a good show of what we done here and the sacrifice we made to take on them Comanche. And it's also the least we can do for Ayasha."

---

Randy Oldman selects a horse based on two criteria: it must have the haunches to carry him well and have a gentle demeanor, in that order. He tells Travis the horse's name is "Táhoévo'ha," or "Tahoe" for short. That trailmate knows well the reason for the word, but the others would not. "Táhoévo'ha," pronounced dah-hoh-woh-hah in the native tongue of Cheyenne. It means "saddle horse," which pokes a little fun at the bareback riding style of his origin. This only felt right because of the promise made to the Tonkawa, the time spent with the Cheyenne, and the aboriginal beginnings of this horse.

This is the first male horse he's ever owned. Something sort of feels right to him, though, as three boys braving the trail seems classic.

Breaking the horse is much easier than the big man expected, even with Pete Haverty's appraisal. Perhaps the horse connected with Randy right away or that he could look the animal directly in the eyes, but there was something that initiated a bond. He knew this wouldn't be a horse for battle, but that wasn't Randy's style anyway.

In reply to Sheriff Cruger (msg # 894):

ENS looks over when Cruger speaks.

You can load my wagon with the bodies here... just unload my equipment first. We'll hook up Amadeus and ride them over there after we're finished with Mr. Winter's family.

ENS points in the general direction of the Comanche burial area as he speaks.

Jake you can lead us back to the burial ground, right?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

In reply to E.N.S. Ringgenberg (msg # 892):

"Yah! I thank ya Professor. I could use sum help yah?"

The Old Man nodded his thanks to the Rifleman and said "If ya change yer mind cum find me yah?"

Winters wandered off to find a shovel and then rejoined the Professor. He then nodded toward the the site where he and Rojas had started their grizzly task.

He said simply without looking at ENS "Danke."

Jake listened to the conversation between ENS and Mister Winters, and replied to the easterner's question about leading them to the "burial area" -- which the Texan took to mean the Comanche burial ground. The rifleman pursed his lips and gave his head a little shake. "Perfesser, I do bee-lieve that Mister Winters has already got a spot picked out. An' I don't believe that he'd care to bury his fam'ly amongst the heathens."

"Now, if'n you two gents'll excuse me, I got to go an' choose up a hoss. Ghost ain't gonna be up to bein' rid for quite some time."

With that, the Texan excused himself and walked over to where Ghost was standing, head down, obviously in pain. Jake spent about ten minutes alone with his horse, speaking quietly to him and running his hand over his coat. Then Jake walked over to where Pete Haverty and Randy were engaged in picking out a new mount for the big man. Once Randy had made his choice, Jake asked the liveryman if he would also help him pick out a new horse.

With Haverty's help, Jake ended up choosing a wiry, slightly skittish little grulla Mustang stallion. He was a smaller horse than Ghost, but Haverty assured Jake that the Mustang was as tough as nails, and could run all day on a mouthful of grass and a sip of water. Jake chuckled in a good-natured way and allowed that he figured that that was the hoss-trader in Pete talkin' and that he would take it all with a grain of salt, but that he also figured that this new hoss would serve him well. He thanked the liveryman for his help, and set about gentling the Mustang and getting him accustomed to having a saddle on his back.

OOC: I have, for the purposes of flavor text, characterized Pete Haverty's comments about Jake's new horse in a certain fashion. Judge, if they do not ring true for you, please send me a PM, and I'll be happy to edit.

Is a handle animal or ride check needed for Jake with respect to getting his new mount saddle-broken?

PS. Edited as marked.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:42, Fri 27 Mar 2015.

Hearing no response to his thoughts, Pete Haverty returns his attention to the horses. He seems like a man who, once he has said his piece, is content to let things fall where they may. As promised he helps Randy and Jake, and after hearing ENS, the liveryman works to prepare Amadeus for his harness.

Rasmin tells one of the hunters to help with the professor's wagon. Most of its contents had been removed earlier and used to form part of the barricade, but everything would need to be re-arranged in order to make the wagons serviceable again, so there was work to be done even if none of it involved unloading. The bounty hunter instructs another hunter to help Cruger, and tells the third to do whatever Oldman tells him to do.

Rojas rejoins the grave digging that he had begun earlier, with Winters. Lorelei joins them. She insists on taking a turn with the shovel, as the work resumes. The younger woman, Johanna, remains with Jack in one of the schooners.

---------

OOC: Technically, prairie schooners and conestoga wagons are different things (and used in different eras). Gamewise, the "covered wagon" is sort of a generic tool (light and heavy). Historically, the Trautman Party would have had some type of schooners, but not of the size or capacity that needed a team of 8 horses. The Judge was asked about this in PM earlier by another player, i.e. are these "conestoga" covered wagons? and the Judge answered yes, paraphrased, for simplicity. Game-wise these are light, two-horse rigs. Slow-going, indeed, but there was no need for the Trautman Party to rush across the plain.

There is no need for die rolls for saddling new mounts. In fact, it appears that Haverty has chosen a couple of mounts that likely had been saddled before. Maybe stolen by the Comanche in the first place, from ranches or travelers. The Judge has no objections to the PCs describing the horses as desired, as long as the PCs understand that the horse is a regular, basic-stat mount at this time.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:48, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

Jake tried to go about his business in an orderly manner. He had found that life generally passed more easily if he could impose his own sense of order upon at least his own little corner of things. Sometimes that worked, and sometimes life had its own ideas that differed significantly from what Jake had in mind.

In this instance, he had heard Pete Haverty call for decisions to be made regarding what came next for the party. He had not exactly ignored the liveryman, merely put the man's suggestion in his back pocket for future reference whilst he took care of what he deemed to be the issue that he should deal with first -- finding himself a replacement mount.

Now that was seemingly resolved -- and in a much easier fashion than the Texan had anticipated, although his not needing to spend any appreciable amount of time helping his new horse adjust to the feeling of having a saddle on his back made good sense, once he thought about it. Reckon them Comanche was some pretty accom-plished hoss-stealers an' raiders, an' that this hoss belonged to somebody else who rode with a saddle 'til the Injuns got a-holt of him.

Jake was of a mind to talk things over with Randy, since the big man seemed to have a good head on his shoulders, but the Texan noticed that Randy and Travis seemed to be in conversation about something and decided to hold off.

Accordingly, Jake rode over to where the man whom he deemed to be one of the decision-makers of this outfit stood, and dismounted. Nodding to the man, he said, "Rasmin."

"Regardin' what we do after we break up the wagon-fort, are you still of a mind not to head to either Throckmartin or The Flat, if'n Mister Winters wishes to go to one o' them places so as to git his survivin' family to a place of safety as quick as possible?"

OOC: Edited to eliminate duplicative wording.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:06, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 900):

By the time Jake had sought out Garrett Rasmin, the bounty hunter had resumed his perch on the hill that had served as a sort of a command post for the white men. Rasmin was not mounted at this time, although he kept his kid with him.

Jake sees the Tonkawa riding Oldman's picket, without ever having been asked. He sees the sheriff and one of the hunters dragging the Comanche bodies into a line on the field below.

The bounty hunter nodds to Jake when addressed, responding with an equivalent "Richardson," before listening to what the rifleman has to say.

"I am still of a mind to accomplish my task, which is to take Cole Trayne to California. I am not inclined to let other matters intrude on that aim." The bounty hunter pauses. "Winters and the Comanche, they stood in my way. Now, neither do. There is no reason why I should go backwards. My offer to have those hunters escort the women back to town was honest, and it is still on the table." Another brief pause, the next words coming out of his mouth as if they tasted sour. "I will also remunerate them for same."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:52, Thu 26 Mar 2015.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 899):

Deferring to his own earlier suggestion of waiting for more work progress before discussion, Randy partakes in some planning now. "My plans are to do as my boss tells me to do. I ain't gots a say 'til asked. Even then, not much of one."

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 902):

"Understood, Jake replied to Rasmin's summation of his plans, which were consistent with the way that the Texan remembered them being stated before the dust-up with the Comanche.

"Me, I'm kinda of two minds," he continued. "Reckon I need to speak with Mister Winters afore I decide," he told the bounty hunter. "I'll pass along your offer when I speak with him."

Jake touched the brim of his hat by way of taking his leave from the other man, and wheeled his new horse around to ride over to where Mister Winters was working.

As the rifleman was riding over to speak with the older man, he overheard Randy speaking of his own situation. "Reckon yer bein' in that sit-you--ae-shunn yer re-ferrin' to reminds me of my time in the army. I most commonly didn't have to give much thought regardin' what to do next, but it sometimes caused me heartburn of the mind if'n my orders was bollixed up."

In reply to Jake Richardson (msg # 903):

ENS sets into the work he has taken on, he is not unfamiliar with physical work, but he certainly doesn't do it regularly. Nevertheless, he works as well as he can without complaint.

He does keep an eye on the men working his wagon; his potential livelihood is contained therein after all, but they seem to be taking care of his equipment and he realizes that they certainly respect everyone's business, even if it isn't their own. In turn he realizes that out here, where men must work together, petty school politics just don't apply.

He let pass the small misinterpretation of Jake about the burial ground... it will become clear when we start to move the dead Comanche he mused.

"JEB and Travis, we is still waitin' to hear you'ns intentions once we get the Trautmans loaded." Randy gets the conversation back to track. "For that fact, ENS, you'ns ain't piped up with a idea for you'n self."

Reiterating his plans, but plainly, "Rojas is following Cole to Frisco. Less'n any of that has changed, that there is still the plans of my employer, so them is my plans too."

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 905):

Sorry Randy.  I agree with everything you said.  Let's give Circling Hawk that Headress and I'll ride picket. 

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 905):

I stay with Cole.

In reply to Randy Oldman (msg # 905):

I've got legal matters to attend to.  Unless, Sherrif Cruger wants to absolve me now and tell the court of my public service and recommend dropping the charges or whatever passes for letting a fish off the hook in these parts.