The four adventurers had found themselves in a stagecoach along a winding, well-kept road into Grafton. After the airship's landing, the men had collected their belongings, exhaled and exchanged conversation before descending from the landing mesa. Much like the summit from which they begun their flight, near Promontory City, a switchback trail gives access up and down from the site. Poirier and the four men had met a stage at the bottom, a similar two-horse rig as the one back in Promontory, with the main difference being a driver who was in no hurry to reach town as the dawn greets Grafton. Again, Poirier is clearly a personage known to the driver.

The coach passes a couple of ranches and farms along the road, early morning activity evident. Moving east towards town, into the sun, the stage eventually pulls into a small town, smaller than Promontory. But even at this early hour there are people about, especially at a cattle yard just south of the town buildings, which a feller could count on two hands.

The stage pulls over in a space next to one of the buildings, apparently a blacksmith or stable . . . or both. Poirier exits and leads the four travelers to the Prickly Pear restaurant, exchanging greetings with a few early-rising townsfolk who know him by name. As the men enter the Prickly Pear and find a place to sit, the frenchman speaks to the man who must be the owner of the establishment, giving him a few coins and motioning to the travelers.

-------------------------------

OOC: As the Judge noted elsewhere, the towns of Grafton and Springdale were interchanged, erroneously, by the Judge in chapter 21. Fixing that to start here. Everything learned at the library in Sacramento and otherwise is still as it was learned, just switch these two towns for any references.

Please go to view the main game map. At this time, it should be the Prickly Pear. The Judge will likely post other maps, noted in OOC when appropriate.

EDIT: Small typos fixed for clarity.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:19, Tue 05 Mar 2019.

"Bonjour, messieurs. Bon appetit," says the silk merchant as he departs the Pear.

In reply to Alphonse Poirier (msg # 2):

"Thank you, sir." Tracy's gaze follows the Frenchman out the door of the Pear.

"I don't know about you all, but I imagine I will remember that flight for the rest of my life. It was quite the event."

The young investigator looked from man to man. "Do you have any parting thoughts about the whole trip? I'm curious how you feel about it."

~Especially now that it's just the four of us,~ Tracy thinks to himself as he awaits their answers.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 3):

By the time the young investigator has posed his question to his new pards, the owner begins to bring food to the table.

Specifically, he brings a plate of freshly cooked biscuits, like one might cook in a dutch oven, and two small bowls of condiments. One bowl appears to hold something sweet, a jelly or jam. The other appears to be savory, like gravy. The owner then pours water for each of the men.

Soon thereafter, he returns with several strips of jerky on a plate, recently extracted from a fry pan, with the herbal-infused grease still clinging to the jerked beef -- or perhaps it is mutton.

Each of the foodstuffs presents a distinct and complimentary aroma. If the food tastes half as good as it smells, the four men figure to enjoy it plenty.

-------------

OOC: The Judge is weaving in some color narrative between PC conversation. There are a few other patrons at tables in the restaurant, but the group of four has the table near the door and relative privacy to discuss whatever they desire. Others in the place may in fact be able to overhear, but they will have to work at it, as opposed to simply eavesdropping.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 3):

The coach ride into town was interesting, there were some different types of geographical features and he made mental notes about a few outcroppings of trees and shrubs as they passed by. He could easily spend a month roaming these hills.

The food was a welcome sight, biscuits and meat! Just what the Dr ordered.

As he quietly eats, his mind keeps going back and forth between the Frenchman, the balloon ride, and what to do next?

When Tracy asked the question about the trip Walker's reply was quick, as if he had already been thinking about it.

"Well it was interestin' to be flyin' up there with the birds, I reckon that trip would have taken many days by coach and would have put us at risk of being robbed or killed along the way. Of course, the landing wasn't that great and could have easily done us in if you two weren't there with those poles."

"Frenchie didn't exactly lie to us about anything, and we are here safe... but I just don't trust that guy..."

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 3):

and

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 4):

and

In reply to Dave Walker (msg # 5):

"Don't reckon that I'll be forgettin' it any time soon, neither," Jake replied to Miste Windham's remark about remembering their flight for the rest of his life.

"An' as for my thoughts on it . . . it was downright exhileratin' -- if'n I got the right word -- to be up yonder in the sky amongst the birds an' the clouds, lookin' down an' seein' things on the ground from on high."

With a chuckle, the Texan added, "Why, it's almost . . . almost, mind you -- enough to maeke me willin' to mend my waeys so that when I ain't above snakes no more, I'll end up yonder amongst the angels instead of goin' to the Hot Place."

"Although speakin' of warm, I've heard tell that once upon a time Sam Houston had a deal with the Devil to sell him part of Texas. But to hear it tole, ol' Scratch backed out, sayin' that Texas summers was a mite too warm for his taste."

Jacob tried the gravy on his biscuit, and found it quite tasty. Looking over his shoulder, he called to the fellow who had brought the food and drink to their table "Y'all have any grits hereabouts? Oh, an' I'd be glad to pay extry for some coffee."

Stretching his arms over his head left arm straight up into the air, the Texan yawned prodigiously. "That warn't the best night's sleep I ever had. But all things con-sidered, I'm glad to miss out on a little shut-eye in exchange for our flight."

Jake nodded in agreement when Mister Walker spoke of their possibly avoiding troubles by reason of their traveling by baloon. "I reckon you're right about that," the Texan agreed. "Why, we flown right o'er the top of them poe-tenchull problems, with them bein' no bigger'n ants down below on the ground."

Mister Walker's comment about not quite trusting the Frenchman elicited a chuckle from Jacob. "He is a mite windy, ain't he? An' he tends to git . . . over-en-thuze-iastic . . . 'bout things."

"I don't reckon he's bad at heart. We just gotta taeke whate'er he's sellin' with a grain of salt."

---

OOC: Edited as marked. My memory was faulty re: Jake's Quirk. Thanks to the Judge for reminding me.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Wed 06 Mar 2019.

The owner of the restaurant, a relatively quiet man, pours a cup of coffee for the Texan.  Unlike the food, which proves delicious not to mention smelling like heaven, the coffee is weak. Better than none, Jacob thinks, drinkable even if uninspiring.

In reply to Jacob Richardsen (msg # 6):

Grabbing a biscuit and setting it upon his plate, Tracy then poured some gravy over top. Too excited by the final moments of the trip to realize the extent of his hunger, the sight and smell of the food brought his need for sustenance to the forefront of his thoughts. He took a large bite of his biscuit, savoring its taste and aroma. Windham figured that they would not likely not enjoy food this tasty again for a while, so the younger man took his time to appreciate the current moment.

Seeing Jake raise his left arm above his head, his mind called back to the saloon in Sacramento where the foursome had met Poirier. Thinking for a moment about whether or not to ask the reason, the investigator went for it; he just couldn't help himself.

"I've noticed you raise you arm like that before, and I have to admit that I'm a mite curious why. If you don't mind me asking, what's the reason?"

Tracy added to both Walker and Jacob's thoughts about the balloonist as well. "I warmed up to him quite a bit over the course of the journey, personally. I agree with Jacob; he's good at heart, but his words should probably be taken with a grain of salt. I do enjoy his company, however, and he is undoubtedly a damn talented pilot of that airship."

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 8):

"What, this?" the Texan responded, glancing at his uplifted arm as if he had forgotten that he had raised it up.

"Why, it's sumpthin' that I learnt from Gen'ral Jackson, back durin' the war," Jake said, as if that would explain everything. Then, realizing that perhaps more details would be helpful, he continued.

"Heard some boys from the Stonewall Brigade talkin' about Ol' Blue Light one day, how he liked to raise up an arm like I'm doin', so's I asked about it. Seems that the gen'ral had an ah-flickshunnn whaere one of his arms was heavier than the other'n, by reason uhv it containin' too much blood. By raisin' up the heavy one a couple of times a day, the extry blood flowed down out've it an' down into his mid-section, thereby coe-rectin' the problem -- leastways, tem-pore-rarily."

"Makes perfect sense, if'n you think about it. Any ways, after givin' the matter some thought, I realized that I suffered from the saeme ah-flickshunn -- my left arm's dis-cernably heavier than my right."

Glancing at his upraised left arm again, the Texan concluded, "Lucky for me, it's an easy ah-flickshunn to remedy -- just let grav-itee do its job. Doin' this a number uhv tiemes a daey maekes me right as rain."

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 8):

Earnest also partook of the generous breakfast and listened for a bit to the other mens' conversation, chiming in eventually.

The flight was exhilarating, but as I implied to Monsieur Poirier, it needs quite a bit of refinement! Ah, but that's what he is doing with these flights I suppose...

He takes another bite before continuing.

I found it interesting that the local sheriff appears to be the collection point for, shall we say, 'protective services' here... Is that a common thing in areas like this?

The professor had remained silent during most of meal, perhaps pining for his trunk of goods.

Meanwhile, although Jacob had found the coffee weak, the surprisingly tasty grub makes up for it. All of four of the new pards could agree on that fact. Delicious biscuits, with or without the gravy and jam, and tasty strips of meat filled the men's stomachs and souls. The owner brought more of the fried jerky and extra gravy, as the men had devoured the first plateful.

Now, while you’re all finishing your food and pondering Earnest's question, a man appears in the open doorway, casting a shadow into the place with the rising sun behind him. Dressed like a ranch hand or perhaps a craftsman, the man lingers in the entrance, surveying the inside of the Prickly Pear and frowning.

Tracy catches a glimpse of another person pacing several steps behind the man and beyond the doorway — could be a woman.

Dave's eyes meet the man’s, whose frown changes to a look of recognition as he glances at all four of men enjoying their breakfast. The man in the doorway nods at the group before backing out of the restaurant. He and the other person move farther away from the entrance but remain in plain sight through the small, open window.

Earnest, sitting closest to the window, and Tracy, from his clear view of the door, can see now that the man’s companion is wearing some kind of bonnet, but with the sun at the duo's backs, none of the heroes can make out much else.

EDITS: clarifications in aqua
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:17, Fri 08 Mar 2019.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 11):

~Curious,~ Tracy thought to himself.

~He seemed to recognize us in some way, although I don't recall ever seeing him before.~

Without looking up from the biscuit he was currently enjoying, Tracy spoke in a low voice to the others. "Do any of you know who that man was?" He posed the question as he continued to chew, attempting to disguise his speaking to any relevant onlookers.

In reply to Judge Messalen (msg # 11):

The first thought that occurred to Jake when Mister Windham -- who was glancing towards the doorway to the saloon -- asked as to whether any of them knew "that man" was that one of the yaller heathen had somehow managed to trail Earnest and him from 'Frisco.

His right hand dropped to where he normally wore his side-arm, and he muttered some thing fiercely under his breath, then glanced in that direction that Mister Windham was looking . . .

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 12):

Earnest mimics Tracy's low tone.

He did seem awfully interested in us... Perhaps Poirier talked with him about us? I didn't see a star but maybe that's the sheriff? Regardless, neither he, nor his apparent companion, seem inclined to confront us just yet.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:56, Sat 09 Mar 2019.

In reply to Tracy Windham (msg # 12):

Walker had also noticed the man in the door way.

At first when he seemed to acknowledge the group Walker was thinking maybe he was part of the Frenchman's landing crew? But as the others started asking questions his thoughts came back to his gut feelings about the frenchman.

"I guess we should have asked Frenchie some more questions fellas... maybe he's got a few more tasks on his mind that he hasn't taken the time to share with us?"

"Either way, I'm thinkin' maybe we need to introduce ourselves... approach this guy before we give up our weapons with the Sheriff"

"You with me on this Tex?"

OOC: edits per the judge's comments

JM: edited this to "bump" it so it appears as a new message and people read Dave's changes.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:13, Mon 11 Mar 2019.

In reply to Dave Walker (msg # 15):

OOC: A point of clarification: As posted at the end of CH21, the Judge is assuming the PCs have ALREADY surrendered their weapons to the Sheriff. Jacob even wove that fact into his narrative in msg #13.

Therefore, Dave's question is out of place, in the Judge's opinion.

EDIT: Dave has clarified. See updated msg #15
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:14, Mon 11 Mar 2019.