Robert Micklethwait, Gangatsu, Katy Devon, John Smith

"Riders on the storm, riders on the storm
Into this house we're born, into this world we're thrown
Like a dog without a bone, an actor out on loan
Riders on the storm"
--"Riders on The Storm," The Doors

Sunset, April 9th, 1879.

Nathanial Frost could barely believe his ears.

"A deputy!?" He shouted at Luke, who cringed in the face of the Cajun's wrath. "Since when does that tinhorn marshal have the power to swear in deputies!?"

"I don't know, Nate! But that's what he said! Him and the Injun what knocked out Dave!"

Nathanial swore. Things were not going according to plan. First the escape of the Bluebellies, then the Indian on the road (now calling himself a deputy!) and then the tinhorn chasing him out of the Grand Bull...and now this.

"No. Ah ain't gonna accept this. We done too much work gettin' the run o' town to let some asshole with delusion of authority tear us down now." He turned to Luke. "Gather up some of the boys. Grab that box o' dynamite we got stashed. And git us a wagon for Tex. We're goin' to town tonight, to teach Evans and his deputies who's really in charge o' this town."

"You think this is a good idea, Nate?" Gus spoke up from the side. "Ward will be spittin' mad when he hears about this."

"That's why you ain't commin', Gus. You're to make sure he don't find out 'till we gone done what we need to do." Nathanial replied. "Trust me. Ah guarantee, he'll thank us when we've lanced that boil, even if he do get mad at first. We're doin' him a favor."  He buckles his gun belt, then takes a small silver charm and pockets it before jumping up on his horse.

He joined up with the rest of the boys and the covered wagon, then led them out on the trail.

Evans would regret crossing the Dust Adders. And any who sided with him would have hell and fury visited on their heads tonight.

Meanwhile, back at the Grand Bull...
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:28, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Back in the Grand Bull, Evans, Robert Micklethwait, and Gangatsu are discussing recent problems, while Katy Devon has just said good evening to Vincent Kaje, with the promise of a meeting later that evening. As it grows darker outside, the meals ordered arrive.

[Private to John Smith: John, if you'd like to get in on this, give me an indication of what you've been up to since you and Evans parted company earlier.]

Katy was still feeling a bit flushed from her drink, and was glad when her food arrived. Maybe drinking on an empty stomach hadn't been such a good idea.

Still, she was looking forward to the evening. She'd never been backstage at a theater.

She listened intently to Evan's reason with deathly silence, and while she understood, she had no sympathy for it.  His hands were bind whether or not there was evidence. The sheriff was an easily replaced figure and Doctor Ward seemed to hold a totaltarian rule over this town withhis low down enforcers.

" Hmm. Lucky you got me around here then. I have no social fears of that magnitude.. " Still, the doctor found them quickly there was no one around at that time.. A machine was going crazy in the streets, bullets flying, robert called out for someone, anyone to call a medic, but.. He got there pretty quick..

" Danny said there was ghost rock on all o them.. And he's pretty sickly, even before he ran across us.."  To think, If you get sick from exposure to this rock, why would they carry it?I didn't  make a lick of sense to  the woman, making  mental notes of this. Ward and the prime suspect, but the dust adders had to be something more of public brutes. It couldn't be the six men from a mine. though her thoughts are interrupeted as Robert continued, aiming a bit to find out about her..

" I'm damn good with my sword.." She started openly as if that might have been a challenge, though she closed her eyes for a moment and noticably soothed..  "I am biding my time in waiting for my mentor, any more diggin' upon dat, I oughta say is personal... " Her eyes shift a little.

" But.. Now that fella left..  Thtere's a detail or so I left out. The blue belly mentioned that there was some kind of force that froze him in place, like a kinda magic..  And.. Those ropes.. It was strong and good as damn new when I held them in meh hands.. then they.. turned to sand like that when it was touched.. He was in my sight da whole time, no way dry rot can do soemthing like dat so fast..  Couple this with the 'supposed' 'dead man nad.. Maybe magic ain't too hard to believe... Or maybe that's my empty belly talkin..." For a moment, her eyes closed and her hand reached up to rub her brow, absently wiping off the persperation. It had been a long day, indeed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:32, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Evans rubs his chin. "Could be Rock Fever, which implies they've been mining the stuff for at least half a year without proper ventilation. Could be other diseases, though...Heaven knows there's plenty of illnesses running through Texas these days. When you say he was 'sickly,' how do you mean, precisely? Babbling insanity and fever? Delirium and raging thirst? Abnormal growths and boils, particularly around the belly? I think I need some more elaboration on that."

At the discussion of skill at swordplay, Evans nods. "That may indeed prove handy. I don't want this situation to degenerate into violence, but I fear something will need to be done, which is why I'm relying on people from outside town to begin with. But you must understand...there are a lot of people here who aren't Dust Adders. And even some who are, but are decent enough chaps anyway. People who work to keep food on the table for themselves and their families. People who have nothing left except the ranch keeping them from being destitute. I want to get to the bottom of all the strange things I've noticed in my time here, but I've no stomach for causing a mess larger than the one I'm trying to solve. So while it might be nice that you've got few reservations or 'social fears,' young lady, remember that you don't cure diseases by killing the patient."

"So what exactly is the story with the Dust Adders?  You called them a group of bandits, and said they worked for Dr. Ward, how much of that is proven fact, how much is just a suspicion?  Can any be arrested for what happened earlier?"

OOC; what happened to the one Charging Bear KOed?  I don't think Robert saw it, I'm just curios

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #6):

Evans takes a bite from his recently arrived meal before he starts speaking.

"As I understand it, Nathanial Frost and the Shaw brothers used to work for Dixie Rails as a rail gang in New Mexico before being discharged. They came to town a few months after the Mine closed, while Dr. Ward was expanding his ranch. Ward wanted to hire on 'stock inspectors' to shoot rustlers and intimidate other ranchers into selling to him, while Nathanial wanted a job where he could hurt people with impunity. He and the Shaw Brothers organized all the cattlehands and other stock inspectors working for Ward into a gang -- it was either join the gang, or not work for the ranch."

"As for what can be proven and what can't, well, usually they just ride in to town and demand discounts and bully those who try to stand up to them. They've been terrorizing the place for so long before I got here that no one will press charges against them for fear of retaliation from the rest of the gang. Most folk figure that the money the ranch brings to town is worth putting up with the Dust Adders nine months out of the year."

"And remember, I'm only an acting marshal. I technically only have as much authority as the Town Council gives me until I'm officially sworn in by the circuit judge. I'm overstepping my bounds a little hiring deputies in the first place...the Council would prefer if I played nice with the Adders and only worried about locking up drunks and kicking out outsiders who rock the boat. I can't really rock the boat unless I get a circuit judge here...or the Texas Rangers." He makes a sour face at the mention of the Rangers.

Robert nods.  He understands that the law is often applied unevenly in the west.  "So we really can't do much about them, unless they do something really blatant.  Well, unless they ride into town to kill us, we'll just have to play it by ear.  This mind, what do you thing about trying to backtrack it tomorow?  I assume the redman can track, not sure where he this evenin'"

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #8):

"Sounds like the start of a plan. What about you, Miss Gangatsu? Would you be willing to help us investigate this issue while you're waiting to meet your contact? Knowing where you met this fellow would help us immensely in backtracking him"

The meal is quite tasty. It doesn't help the intoxication much, but by the end of her meal Katy is feeling quite pleased with herself.

It seems the West was just about everything the dime novels said they were...full of excitement and adventure at every turn!

 Her head bows a little, lifting the hot bowl up she took a deep  inhale before placing it back down.  With a sigh, she picked up a spoon that came with it  and started eating, listening to even's a bit. " No boils or abnormal skin irritations.. He was only wearing pants, he was just.. emanciated and.. Had a bad cough.. Nothing more usualy then that.." She claimed, least there was nothing she could think of that would be odd. " His blood was.. So dark, it almost looked black, but.. No signs of clumps or clotting, just ooze like blood.. I doubt he'll die without someone actually finishin' him off." Robert brought out the starting of a plan and Evans agreed, asking her to come along.

" Mmmm.." Breaking the hot soft bread, but bitting into it, it wasn't too fresh. Just taste like they steamed it to make it soft and warm, but hell. Add some of the broth and it tasted mighty fine. " Well, reckon that would mean you'll be housin me for the evenin' Sheriff. Mighty generous of you."

Katy enjoyed her meal. Odd words from the nearby conversation drifted towards her - Dixie Rails, dust adders, sheriff. She had a vague mental image of the sheriff having to deal with some snakes on a train...

She got to her feet with care, not wanting others to see how the drink had affected her.

[Private to GM: Is it close to the time for her to visit the theater?]

PM

[Private to Robert Micklethwait:

Robert Micklethwait:

OOC; what happened to the one Charging Bear KOed?  I don't think Robert saw it, I'm just curios

Whoops! Missed this. While you were waiting for Evans to return, Luke returned with a wagon to haul Dave and Bill back to the ranch. Robert was likely napping at the time.]

In reply to Gangatsu (msg #11):

"Gaunt and a bad cough...hmm. And dark blood, you say? That's frightfully odd." he muses.

The gumbo is quite good. The shrimp is fresh, and so is the okra and rice.

Evans pauses at the mention of putting her up for the night. "Er...yes. I...suppose that would be generous of me. Very well."

[Private to Katy Devon: It's a little early, but Vincent did say he wanted to show her around backstage before the performance.]

Katy headed out to the street, and took a few deep breaths of the evening air to clear her head.[Private to GM: Even though it doesn't work :)] It was a bit early for the theater, but Vincent said he wanted to show her around first.

She had to ask for directions, so it took her a little time to get there, but she finally reached the door. The stage door - she was sure that was better than the front door if she was going to be shown backstage.

"Is Vincent Kaje in?" she asked the man on the door, [Private to GM: Assuming there is one!] "He asked me to meet him."

OOC: unless I got my signals crossed, the guy that Katy was having dinner with was subtly keeping an eye on us.  He left some time ago, and she just left as well.

Seeing Katy leave (OOC: not that Robert knows her name) he puts down his fork.  "Excuse me, I need to check on something"  He rises and follows after her.

11:25, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 5,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5. steath to follow unnoticed.

The men had arrived. During the ride, they'd pulled bandannas to cover their faces. It was a technicality...anyone who lived in town would know who did tonight's dirty deeds, but they'd be able to claim otherwise on account of never seeing a face. And that was the healthiest option, given what the Dust Adders did to rats.

They surrounded the Marshal's Office. "Come on out, Evans!" the leader in black and silver shouted. "We need to have words with you!"

Seconds ticked by. Then minutes.

"He ain't here." One of the men said at last.

"Maybe he's gone to sleep early?"

"Maybe he's lit out the back like the yeller coward he is."

"Shut it!" The leader barked. He pulled a bundle from his saddlebag. "It don't matter where he gone. We're gonna leave him a message just the same!"

There was a cheer from the assembled. They waved torches and hollered. Some even shot off pistols.

And from a covered wagon nearby, there came a chuckle that rattle wood..."Hurrr! Hurr! Hurrrrr!"

The leader reached into his saddlebag again, and pulled out a second, smaller bundle. He handed it to one of the assembled. "Here. We got another message to deliver tonight. Roland done defied me once too often. Now it's time to make him see the error o' his ways!"

The rider took the bundle and nodded. "Got it, boss." He said, wheeled his horse, and galloped off.

When the man was out of sight, the leader took a torch and touched it to a cord hanging from his larger bundle. Then he tossed it onto the roof of the marshal's office. There was another cheer from the assembled men.

"Now scatter!" The leader said, and the men on horseback rode again. They didn't ride far...just enough to get a good view of the commotion...

---

[[ooc: >_< Garr! Backposting a little...you have remarkable timing, Robert...]]

Evans nods in understanding "Of course. I understand completely."

Robert slides out of the Grand Bull, and Evans turns to continue talking with Gangatsu...but the conversation between Evans and Gangatsu is interrupted by the sounds of shouting and gunfire from somewhere out in the gloom of the street.

"What the devil?" Evans says, standing up...and then there's the sound of galloping hooves, and suddenly something flies through the window of the grand bull and lands right on Robert's plate...three sticks of dynamite, bound together, fuse already lit...

[[OOC: Gangatsu, roll a Guts check for me or be shaken and unable to act before the bomb goes off. Remember, you have a -3 penalty from the Fear Level but a +1 bonus from your Grit, for a total modifier of -2. Also pull cards for initiative...we're in combat rounds now!]]

[Private to GM: The Amazing Evans rolled -1,-3 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. guts check.
he Amazing Evans drew the single card: KS using the Deadlands system. Initiative. ]

---

Robert slides through the darkness and watches as Katy meets at the back door of  a dance hall not far from the Grand Bull.

The man at the door leers at Katy and gives her a foul grin "Why, a lovely little thing such as yourself, seeking that ruffian? Alone? People might talk!" he wheezes through green teeth. "But then, he did say he was expecting a pretty young lamb to wander by the wolf's lair." He opens wide the door. "Enter, my dear." He says, still grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

From further off, there's the shout of shouts and gunfire...and then galloping hooves, and a crash of glass back from the direction of the Grand Bull...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:40, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

12:54, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: RJ! using a deck of 54 cards. init card.

OOC: what's the "light level"?

[Private to GM: if robert is told the bomb landed on his plate, he's going to be a bit confused as to how they knew where he was sitting]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:13, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #18):

[[OOC: It's just a bit after sunset, so the light is Dim, moving to Dark.]]

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: Heh. Fun, though the guy was just aiming for the nearest table close to the window, which happened to be the one you were just at...And I wrote that just before I noticed you'd posted...]

OOC: dim, so a flat -1 to combat roles.

Upon hearing the gunfire and breaking glass, Robert skins his smokewagon and moves south to the street, past Katy.  "Even'n, ma'am" He says absentmindedly.  Glancing up the street, he sees the mounted, masked rider outside the Grand Bull.  Surmising he was up to no good, Roberts fires two shots at the rider.

OOC: if I can't tell that he's masked, I'll do a Persuasion test of will instead, conviently, it's the same die size.

13:29, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 6,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5. Shooting double tap, or Persuastion.

Shooting: +2 RJ, -1 dark, +1 doubletap, agaisnt a 6 for medium range
6+2 = 8, hit
13:30, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 4 using 2d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. damage, if needed.

Persuastion, +2 RJ, +2 cha
6+4 = 10

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #20):

Robert's bullet wings the masked man in the arm. He curses at the flesh wound, missing the turn due to the distraction.

[[ooc: There's also a -1 for the quickdraw...the quickdraw holster reduces the penalty but doesn't negate it (I checked since last fight). Still a hit, doesn't affect the damage any. It's still light enough that you can make out he's wearing something on his face (and the fact that he's holding a torch helps, which actually negates the Dim penalty for hitting him, but is canceled out by the Quickdraw penalty mentioned above).

You forgot to add in the Peacemaker's +1 damage bonus, so you actually got 5 damage (which is enough to make him Shaken). Won't stop the horse from running, though he won't be able to turn up the street as he was planning to do]]

OOC: oh, they changed it.  That's good, having it negate the entire -2 for QD was kind of cheezy.  for the damage, I rolled 2d6+2, 2d6+1 base, and +1 more for double tap.  Oh, then it's +2 for the RJ, so the total would be 6.  still shaken, not enough for a wound

In reply to The Dust Adders (msg #17):

Katy glanced over her shoulder, but it seemed like such noises were common round here. The locals didn't turn a hair, and she wanted to copy them as far as possible. Much as her curiosity tortured her, she smiled at the doorman and stepped inside.

23:24, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: BJ! using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative card, if needed.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #23):

Actually, the locals DID seem to turn a hair...as the shooting started, the man with green teeth ducks into the doorway and slams it behind him...right in Katy's face. There's the click of a lock bare seconds later.

[Private to Katy Devon: You keep missing all the action...let's change that a bit. ;D]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

Gatsu had glanced back to katy and seen the young lady have a little sway in her step. Inwardly the asian woman smiled and turned back to her bowl,  with her spoon, she pickd up a plump piece of shrimp and chewed on it for a while. Robert soon excused himself and slipped out after Katy.  That girl must have angels looking out for her, she was going to get into trouble with that naive disposition. Yet her head turned to Evans slightly as mentioned he'd house her. If she didn't know any better, he was paling at the thought. Though he was hanging in there and then the sounds from outside started and Evan's attention was caught. Gangatsu didn't much care to make herself stand out any more thn she had to. She wasn't here to protect people, she was here to-  A crash through the window brought up her attention with a snap as something red and firey landed on the table infront of her.

[ Gangatsu rolled 03,10 using d6-2,d6-2,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5,(6+4)10. 1st Red Chip Re-roll Bomb. ]
PLucked the King of Hearts! Used in this round

Unshaken by whatever it was ploping upon the table, she grabbed her gumbo bowl out of instinct and flipping it onto the fiery sight...

Gains +2 for combat Reflexes. GM note: Given an ad hoc circumstance bonus for getting 2 raises
[ Gangatsu rolled 4,4 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Gumbo a la bomb. ]

Hisssssssssssst

The lump of rock, no- it's paper or, plastic of some sort. the object made a short hot sound and as she lifted the bowl that blocked her sight, it took a moment before she realized this was Dynamite. " Holy shit.."


Next round: 7 of Hearts
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:55, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

Evans stares at the hissing sticks of dynamite, shocked frozen. he continues to stand, speechless, as Gangatsu's lightning-fast reflexes douse the deadly bundle.

He isn't the only one. The room is dead quiet...

Until an explosion rocks the entire block.

[[OOC: Evans attempts a Guts check to avoid being shaken. The Amazing Evans rolled -1,-3 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. guts check. Fail. Evans may be good at many things, but Guts are not one of them, and it doesn't help that his Grit is lower than normal for his rank due to his Mad Science madness. At least he avoids having to roll on the Fear table. Now rolling to avoid mental shock...The Amazing Evans rolled 1,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Mental Shock check. Pass. thanks goodness for small favors.

Also rolling Group Guts for the extras: The Stray rolled 1,-1 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. Group Guts for Extras. Mass panic! Yay!]]

---

The bomb on the roof of the marshal's office turns the building into a fiery ball of splinters.

"Whoooooo!" Nathanial shouts in triumph as a cloud of smoke mushrooms from the remains of the building. "Come on, boys! let's give 'em all Hell tonight!"

---

Next Round's initiative:
Nathanial Frost: Black Joker! (+2 to attacks and damage, may go at any time and interrupt without rolling)
Katy Devon: Red Joker! +2 to attacks and damage, may go at any time and interrupt without rolling)
10 Extras in the Grand Bull, plus Audrey and Roland: Ace of Hearts
The Amazing Evans: King of Spades
Gangatsu: 7 of Hearts
The Dust Adders: 5 of Clubs
Tex: 2 of Hearts
Robert Micklethwait: 4 of Diamonds
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:17, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

Nathanial Frost was quite proud of the carnage he'd wrought so far. But this was going to draw attention, real fast. So it would be prudent to be prepared. Fortunately he knew a few tricks that would keep him safe.

He pulled the small silver charm from his pocket and whispered a few words, calling on a dark force he'd studied. His form blurred a bit, then settled. Outwardly, he looked normal, but now luck was on his side in a shoot-out.

Curious as to why there wasn't a second explosion, he nudged his horse south towards main street, next to the man guarding the covered wagon.

"What's goin' on here?" he snarled.

[[OOC: Nathanial casts a spell and will be protected by it for 3 rounds without maintenance. Nathaniel Frost rolled 9,5 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3. Black magic. With a Raise, to boot.

He moves 10 spaces south to be near the other Dust Adder near Tex and speaks, though he won't get an answer until the Dust Adder's turn

Nathaniel Frost drew the single card: AS using the Deadlands system. Initiative next round.]]

[Private to GM: Fighting and Shooting attacks against Nathanial suffer a -4 penalty for the next 3 rounds]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:31, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

The silence in the Grand Bull is broken by a scream from the waitress, Audrey. "We're under attack!"

This seems to be the signal for everyone in the room to start shouting, yelling, and generally losing their heads.

Evans shakes himself free of his shock, and stands on the table. "Now just a minute! Just a minute here!" he yells. "Don't worry, folks! You have your friendly neighborhood marshal here. I'll head out right now and get to the bottom of this!"

He looks at Gangatsu. "Well, my dear. I suppose I owe you my life, but I'm afraid I must ask more of you. Care to come put that sword to good use and earn your lodging for the night?"

with that, he lurches towards the door, and steps out into the night...

[[OOC: The Stray rolled 1,8 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+2)8. Group Shaken for Extras. They recover, but that's not necessarily a good thing...

Stray drew the single card: 4H using the Deadlands system. Initiative for Extras in Grand Bull.

The Amazing Evans rolled 7,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2. recover from shaken attempt. He succeeds, but doesn't Raise, so he can only move 3 spaces this turn. He decides to move to the street.

The Amazing Evans drew the single card: AD using the Deadlands system. Initiative.]]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:37, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

Everyone got to screaming and Gatsu was in her state of hell where her mind  was plotting to escape until this blows over. She was never one to care for guns, but the foolhardy marshal played up his role as a figure head and got up on the table.  Least she had something in her belly, but now the tin star looked her wayand like a heroic moron asked of her to earn her keep. Her brow arched, taking the straw hat as she stood.

" All I heard was a hot bath and breakfast on your tab, Marshal." She called after the fellow, the woman moved along after him and while she had no care to get herself involved needlessly against greedy humans, she drew her hat on so that her face would have some partial cover. She'll have to change her clothes after all this..

Gangatsu follows her meal ticket marshal out to the streets.
Gangatsu readies herself for combat.
Next round: 4S
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:27, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

init for this round 4D

09:13, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: 4D using a deck of 54 cards. round 2 init.

The horse with the masked man Robert winged continues running...and now is barreling towards the old man!

The rider seems too preoccupied with his wound to change course, and doesn't seem to notice he's about to run someone over.

[[OOC: The Dust Adders rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. recover from shaken attempt. This is modified by Nathanial's Command edge, so he actually rolls a 4 and recovers from Shaken, though it takes up his entire turn.]]

---

"Dunno boss...someone's shootin' at us!" The man points down the Street. Nathanial peers into the gloom. He sees Evans staggering into the street, and grits his teeth under his mask.

"Looks like we got ourselves some heroes, boys!" he shouts. "Ah think they need to be taught the error of their ways! Rough 'em up! Show them who runs this town!"

The masked men whoop and wheel their horses about, riding hard through the block, around buildings, pulling pistols and rifles and shotguns. One of them rides along the street, pulling a lariat and tossing it at Gangatsu! The rope slips over the aisan's shoulders, and pulls taught.

Nathanial turn to the man near him again. "You! Open that there wagon up!"

The man nods, moves to the covered wagon, and starts opening the back gate. From inside comes that earth-rattling chuckle, "Hurr Hurr Hurrr..."

[[OOC: The other Dust Adders ride through the town, taking shortcuts throught the block. They all have their mounts take the Run action. Only one of them gets near enough to do anything else...he whips out a lasso and attempts to rope Gangatsu.

Using a lariat is an Agility Trick that can knock a person prone on a raise in addition to reducing their Parry and Shaking them. He rolls at -2 for running. I had initially assessed an additional -2 for unstable platform, but this is a Trick, not an Attack, so it doesn't actually apply. The Dim Light modifier, however, is applicable.

The Dust Adders rolled 2 using 1d8-3, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Roping Gangatsu!. Not great, so he spends on of my GM store of Red Chips: The Dust Adders rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. red chip. Brings the total to 4. still not great, so I spend a white chip, which rerolls both the initial die and the Red Chip bonus: The Dust Adders rolled 3,2 using d8-3,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. white chip. Only 1 better with all the mods. I'm going to stop wasting chips on this.

The total after all that is 5. Gangatsu, make an Agility check vs. 5 or suffer a -2 Parry. If you really fail the roll, you'll also be knocked Prone and Shaken, but that's only if you Critically Fail.

The last Dust Adder (the one near Nathanial) opens the Wagon where Tex is...just a dramatic action that has no real combat effect.

Oh, and a draw for next round's initiative: The Dust Adders drew the single card: KH using the Deadlands system. Initiative.]]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:58, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

Seeing the man charging him, Robert curses under his breath.  Then he yells out, "HALT and DISMOUNT!  You are presenting a public nuisance with your reckless speed!"

13:28, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 5,6 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. test of will's, the close one.

13:29, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: KS using a deck of 54 cards. uinit.
6 for test of will, KS next round

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #32):

"Like Hell, Deputy! Best start runnin' afore I run you down!" The masked man shouts in reply. Of course, he doesn't deviate, either, which makes him a fairly easy target.

[[OOC: The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. resisting Test of Wills. Robert succeeds, and gets a +2 on his next attack against him, but doesn't raise.]]

The scene before Katy was like something from a melodrama. Green Teeth had fled in cowardly disarray, and a vicious desperado looked like he was aiming the run down the righteous lawman where he stood! She could almost hear the distressed damsel screaming "isn't anyone going to help that poor man?"

But there didn't seem to be anyone else around except the lawman, the desperado...and her.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:09, Sat 07 Aug 2010.

The covered wagon rocks as a large figure steps out. The wood creaks ominously as the thing's weight leaves it.

It's huge, whatever it is. At least 7 feet tall, and hugely muscled from what can be seen of it in the gloom. It begins lurching towards the Grand Bull, unhurried.

"Hurr Hurr...Tex is comin' to plaaay..." It rumbles as it moves forward.

[[OOC: Tex spends his round moving closer to the Grand Bull. He's not in any hurry...]]

Initiative for the next Round:
Nathaniel Frost: Ace of Spades
The Amazing Evans: Ace of Diamonds
Robert Micklethwait: King of Spades
The Dust Adders: King of Hearts
Tex: Queen of Hearts
Gangatsu: Next round: 4 of Spades
Katy: On hold from last Round - may go at any time, but needs an Agility Roll to interrupt an action.

[[OOC: Will post the start of next round activities soon...just need to sleep (it's 3 am now...stupid insomnia). Stay tuned...unless Katy Devon or John Smith want to get in on this action, I'll start the round when I get up in the morning.]]

Nathanial Frost sauntered down the streets beside his hulking monstrosity. "Well, now. Ain't this a sight?" he says. "The Marshal done got himself some Coolie whore for a deputy! An old geezer, a savage, a chink woman...you sure do like collecting freaks. What's the matter? Can't get no normal, decent people standing at yo' side, so you gotta scrape the bottom o' the barrel?"

"Nathanial Frost? Is that you?" Evans replies, with as much calm and decorum as he can muster. "If it is, you are in violation of your restraining order, the ordinance against excessive and disruptive noise after nightfall, and thirteen miscellaneous offenses against decency and hygiene. Oh, and you just tried to murder a public official, so there's that."

"Come now, Marshal." Frost says, stopping at a point 12 yards from Evans. "You don't really expect me to answer that, do you?" he points to the mask on his face. "Creatin' a reasonable doubt, see? Ain't no one gonna speak out against a masked man once you're planted six feet under. Especially when they swear up and down that you're the one who went for yo' gun first."

"Really? Is that a fact? I suppose I'm just lay down and die, it that it?" Evans folds his arms across his chest in defiance.

"Don't have to shake down that way. You could just turn round, take yo' deputies, and walk out o' town. Toss aside that star o' yours in the process, and no-one needs to get shot."

"Well, then, I suppose you're going to have to shoot me, as we both know that isn't going to happen."

"As you like." Nathanial says, his hand lowing towards his gunbelt.

"However..." Evans says.

Nathanial pauses.

"Can you really live with yourself, after this?"

A chuckle. "You think I got a problem killing you?"

"No, no, no. Can you live with the fact that you can never take credit as the one who gunned the Marshal down? You can swagger through town all you like, boasting that you're the one who took out Ambrosius Botticelli Evans, and who'd gainsay you? You've get plenty of people nodding their heads and going along with it. But they'd know, in their hearts, that what really happened on that April night wasn't that Nathanial Frost took out the marshal, but some low-down...dirty...piss-stained...yellow...coward in a mask."

There's a growl from Nathanial's throat, then he reaches up and snatches the bandanna away from his face. "Ain't no one calls Nathanial Frost a coward!" he says, then, quick as a blink, he pulls the gun and fires.

The shot catches Evans in the shoulder, forcing him a step back, but he grits his teeth through the pain. "No. Just the attempted assassin of a duly-elected lawman." He replies, coolly drawing his gyrmounted revolver, raising it, and pulling the trigger.

There's a high-pitched *SNAP!* as one of the gyromounts over-stresses and flies off.

"Oh dear." Evans mutters just before the entire assembly breaks apart, exploding into shrapnel.

Evans manages to shield himself from the worst of the damage. Gangatsu, who had just managed to untangle herself from the lariat right beside him, wasn't quite so lucky, and an errant spring sliced through her arm...

[[OOC: With Evans and Nathanial going at right around the same time, I thought it might be fun to test out the Dueling rules. since Gangatsu's player and I are both insomniacs and communicate via IM, I dragooned her into service asked for her help rolling for Evans in this battle.

Step 1: Face Off
Nathaniel Frost drew the 2 cards: AH, 6S using the Deadlands system.
Gangatsu, on behalf of The Amazing Evans, drew the 2 cards: 8H, AS using a deck of 54 cards.

Just about evenly matched in terms of the cards. It's hard to do hold 'em when all the cards are visible to both players, but that's the way the dice roller works, so meh.

Evans and Frost do some trash talk. Evans decides to rely on his Snakeoil Salesman technique, while Frost just goes Taunting.

Gangatsu, on behalf of The Amazing Evans, rolled 6,10 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+4)10. persuade.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 4,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. taunt. Nathaniel Frost rolled 2 on a red chip.

Even with a Red Chip, Frost didn't get near enough to beat Evans, so he gets goaded into revealing his face and going for his guns first.

Step 2: Luck of the Draw:

The Stray drew the 3 cards: 10D, 3H, 5D using the Deadlands system.

Both sides pass.

The Stray drew the single card: 3D using the Deadlands system. new card.

There's a pair on the table, but neither side can make use of it, so both sides pass again.

The Stray drew the single card: 2C using the Deadlands system. new card.

Last card, and still the sides are tied. The hands are identical, which means the faceoff is a wash and neither side gets extra damage.

I have never seen this happen before, but I suppose it was inevitable with these two characters.

Step 3: Reach for it!

Nathanial gos for speed, which is his specialty. Evans decides to go for accuracy.

Step 4: Swappin' Lead

Nathanial has a penalty from the darkness, and a penalty from being goaded into firing first.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 5,1 using d8-3,d6-3. Shooting!.
Nathaniel Frost rolled 11 using 2d6+1. Damage.

That's a hit and raise. Evans is looking at being Shaken and taking 1 wound. Evans opts to spend a chip for a soak roll.

Gangatsu, on behalf of The Amazing Evans, rolled 10,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,5.

More than enough to remove the wound and condition. Time to return the favor. As he doesn't have an actual gun, just his Gizmo, he uses that, spending a single power point.

Gangatsu, on behalf of The Amazing Evans, rolled 0,3 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. That's a miss. Worse for Evans, that's a Malfunction with his Bolt power!

The Amazing Evans rolled 9 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Malfunction!

That's bad for Gangatsu, who is right within the burst area...

Evans spends a chip and attempts to soak. The Amazing Evans rolled 2,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. soak attempt. Well, at least there's that, but now he's without a weapon. Sucks to be Evans right now.

Next round's initiative:
The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 10C
Nathaniel Frost drew the single card: 6S]]

It is now Robert's turn.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:37, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

In reply to The Stray (msg #34):

Katy's heart leaped into her mouth. There was a gunfight, happening right in front of her! She fumbled in the pocket of the skirt for the derringer she'd tucked away earlier, feeling its reassuring metal shape.

She wasn't sure of the etiquette of such things, but masked gunmen attempting to ride down brave lawmen were always the villains.

OOC: Sorry, been ill.
23:03, Today: Katy Devon rolled 5,7 using d10+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Firing her derringer.
(Assuming she still gets the bonus from her RJ)
23:05, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: JS using the Deadlands system. Initiative
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #38):

[[OOC: There's a -1 modifier for the Dim light, and a -2 penalty for drawing and firing in the same action, but Katy still hits. To keep the thread moving, I'm going to roll damage on your behalf. In the future, I would appreciate it if you rolled damage at the same time as you roll attacks, hit or miss, just to save time between posts.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:09, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Suddenly realizing that he's standing in the middle of the street, Robert moves to cover, firing his pistol as he moves.

Move: forward 3 and up 2, to the corner of the building for some cover
22:31, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 4,9 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+1)7. double tap.
-1 dark, +1 double tap, +2 test of will
hit
22:31, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 6 using 2d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. damage.

edit: 10:05, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: RJ! using a deck of 54 cards. init next round.



This message was last edited by the player at 17:05, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

The masked man tumbles off the horse as the bullets slam into him. The horse, panicked out if it's mind, continues on down the street while the man lays there in the mud. Robert takes cover behind a rain barrel, but he's still partially exposed as two of his buddies turn the corner. One of them shouts, and Pops off a shot with his Winchester, though he hasn't a prayer of actually hitting Robert.

The other one raises a shotgun. "You done shot my friend! We're gonna tear you apart, Deputy! You best start running for the town limits afore we fill you full of holes if'n you know what's good for you, you fuckin' low down bushwhackin' snake!" He shouts.

[[OOC: I rolled damage for Katy to keep things moving, but my key got stuck and it rolled three times, so I just took the average damage, which was 8. That hit the Dust Adder and made him Shaken. Robert's shot also made him shaken, causing a wound and dropping him to incapacitated. I'll wait 'til the aftermath to see if he's dead or not.

Two Dust Adders reach the corner. One takes a shot at Robert with his Winchester, but has a lot of penalties: Robert's medium cover, the darkness, and his unstable platform. The Dust Adders rolled -3 using 1d6-5, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Not even close.

The Second Dust adder attempts an Intimidation Test of Wills against Robert. He has a +1 bonus to this because Robert's outnumbered and cut off from help. The Dust Adders rolled 11 using 1d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10. Intimidation ToW. 11 is the score to beat on your Spirit roll to resist, Robert.]]

---

The rope around Gangatsu falls to pieces as she raises her sword and slices it through. She barely notices the spring cutting through her shirt sleeve. She glares coldly at the Dust Adder as if daring him on. He drops off his horse, pulls a bowie knife, and advances on her.

"You think that pig-sticker scares me, girl? I'm gonna show you what a real blade can do." he snarls.

Meanwhile, the masked man near the covered wagon raises a rifle at Evans.

"No!" Nathanial shouts. "The Marshal is mine. You go on and help Tex."

The man lowers his gun and moves behind the giant who is lumbering closer to the doors of the Grand Bull.

[[OOC: Gangatsu made both her opposed Agility Test and a Soak Roll while we were rolling out the Evans /Nathanial fight, so I'm just noting those here.

The Dust Adder nearest to the Grand Bull dismounts and pulls a knife, moving into melee range with Gangatsu (he ain't very bright).

The other one is warned off of shooting Evans by Nathanial, so he just moves behind Tex, who goes next.]]

[[Initiative for next round: The Dust Adders drew the single card: AS]]

The giant form moves into the light as he nears the Grand Bull.

He wasn't so much hit with an ugly stick as damn near beat to death with it. He stands over seven feet tall and is almost half that wide, and built like a brick shithouse. He's colored like one, too, with reddish-gray skin wrinkled and thick like an elephant's hide. His face looks like it was mashed repeatedly with a frying pan, with the skin pulled away from his mouth in a horrible yellowing gap-toothed grin. He's thankfully dressed, in jeans and a dark vest, but there are no boots that would fit him, and the stetson hat on his head looks almost comically small.

"Hurr...hurr...hurrr..." He chuckles as he sees Evans and Gangatsu. "Hiiiii..."

[[OOC: Tex is obviously on the not-so-natural side, so it's time to make a Fear roll! Only Gangatsu and Evans are close enough to really get a good look at Tex right now, though...Katy and Robert have their own problems.

Gangatsu, make a Guts check, trying to beat 4. You get to add your Grit to the roll, but you subtract the local Fear Level (3). If you pass, you're shocked, but not terrified. If you fail, roll a d20 (no modifiers, don't reroll max) for the effect on The Fear Chart in message 3 of  this thread: link to a message in this game

For example, Evans has a Grit of 1 and a d4 Guts. His total modifier is -2 (+1 from Grit, -3 from the Fear Level). The Amazing Evans rolled 3,0 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (4+1)5,2. Fear! That's not enough, so he rolls a d20: The Amazing Evans rolled 13 using 1d20. Consulting the chart, that means he gains a Minor Phobia from this encounter, which will manifest later (it's an irrational fear, so what's scaring him might not be immediately obvious).]]

[[Initiative: Tex drew the single card: 3S]]

Gangatsu is next.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:02, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

OOC: a bunch of rolls

10:05, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: RJ! using a deck of 54 cards. init next round.


10:07, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 2,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. red.
10:07, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 7,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2. last wc.
10:06, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 3,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. wc again.
10:06, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 4,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. WC.
10:06, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 4,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. spirit roll vs intimidate.

sp. fpr 4 white ships and a red chip, I got a 9.  so he's +2
In hindsight, I should have just droped a WC to unshake.  doh!

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #43):

OOC:

Well, you've gotten some chips from the last Fate Chips Award, so your current total is 2 White, 2 Red, 2 Blue, according to my notes and adjusted for your spending spree.

Something to keep in mind for the future: You get to reroll any red or blue chips that you spent on a roll if you spend a white chip for a reroll afterward, which means that if you're going on a chip spending spree, it's best to get a red or blue chip in there early.

Though I agree, it probably would have beeen better to save on chips and just use one to remove the Shaken, but they always say hindsight is 20/20. At least you have a Joker for next round!

OOC: I'm just glad I had my brain-cramp when I had some other chips to cover me!
OOC: also, I wanted to be 2 more squares to the right, at the corner of the building, although I guess I can move again next round

 The rope snagged her, but Gangatsu was swift and expecting someone to try and be a bad ass, it was no shape for her katana. The Gun exploded and already she hated following this gutless baffon of a sherrif out here with his fancy tenchological dudad of a gun that happen to explode everywhere and send a sharpnel piece through her shirt, but it didn't cut her deep. just enough to let one know she was human, though her red shirt  only seemed to dampen in that one particular jagged tear on her sleeve.  She grit her teeth and emerald eyes flickered  to the cowpoke that was aiming to come at her.

Gangatsu rolled 11,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11,2. reflex

For now, this bastard won her attention away from Evans with his disrespectful tongue. She pulled her blade and those eyes took on a faint eerie hue in the dim lighting that seem to make it sound out as the cowboy came closer. Rough lips curled back into a raged silent snarl and slight points of light seem to gleem from her teeth, her eyes, her blade wipping, all distorting an image of a demon possesed maiden. Black hair was ruffled from the technological malfunction, curls of tar black hair slummed infront and sides of her face making her look a bit more wild then this fella knew he was stepping up against.She spoke then, something rough and throaty in a language across the seas.


Gangatsu rolled 11,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,1. intimidate.
Uses Edge: Strong Willed
GM Edit: -2 Multiaction penalty
GM reaction: The Dust Adder only rolls a 5 to resist. He's Shaken and Gatsu gets a +2 on her next action against him

This man made a mistake of attacking her, and he was going to suffer for it. yet fate shall spare him a deadly blow this night. She stepped forth with all the vicious nature of a jackal and brought the flat edge of sword swing and meet the arm.


Gangatsu rolled 8,3 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,5. Call shot arm.
GM Edit: -2 multiaction penalty, +2 test of will bonus
Gangatsu rolled 6,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max ((4,5)). Nonlethal Damage Total: 13
Gm reaction: the dust adder rolled a 5 on opposed strength check to keep his weapon, and doesn't soak.

And then she lifts her head a bit, hearing a guttural sound, deep and ominous of a giant grayish red hued.. Thing.. A giant and prodigious in mass, it made her head cant up to look at him even in the light of the dim sky. She stood and gandered for a moment in a sort of madness and surprise.  Damn, this was bad enough, but she found the big handed man danny was speaking of. She'd have to pay Doctor Ward a very special visit. " I ain't no Debuty, ain't got a damn lick o care for this town, but don't I'll let ya tread on me, strangers."


Gangatsu rolled 1,7 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+3)9. Guts.
Card: 5H
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:11, Tue 10 Aug 2010.

Round Summary:
Evans and Frost square off in a showdown that ends inconclusively. Nathanial unmasks himself, but Evans loses his only weapon to a Malfunction.

Katy pulls her derringer and fires at the Dust Adder charging ar Robert while Robert jumps behind cover. Robert also shoots at the Dust Adder, dropping him. He has so far fired 6 shots without mentioning reloading (4 for this fight, 2 during Danny Boy's escape attempt), so he needs to reload.

A pair of dust adders round the corner. One of them takes a wild shot at Robert, while another levels a shotgun and attempts an intimidation test of wills, which Robert fails (he's currently Shaken and grants a +2 to the Dust Adder).

Another Dust Adder is riding around the street. A fourth follows behind Tex. Th last one moves into melee with Gangatsu after his attempted trick fails.

Tex moves into the light. Evans picks up a Phobia, but Gangatsu is unfazed.

Gangatsu slices through the ropes, survives the malfunction, and even holds her ground as Tex appears. She hits the dust Adder's arm to make him drop his weapon then clubs him unconscious with the flat of her blade.

Next Round Initiative:
Robert Micklethwait: Red Joker! (go anytime, +2 to actions and damage rolls)
The Dust Adders: Ace of Spades
Katy Devon: Jack of Spades
The Amazing Evans: 10 of Clubs
Nathaniel Frost: 6 of Spades
Gangatsu: 5 of Hearts
Tex: 3 of Spades

OOC: I (eventually) rolled a 9 vs the 11, so I'm not shaken, but he is +2 vs me.
In msg # 160 in the chapter 3 thread, I reloaded, so I have 2 rounds left.

that's one scary dude Robert thinks to himself.  He levels his Colt and fires his last two rounds at the chest of his opponent.

09:49, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 7,4 using d8+3,d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. double tap and RJ.
actually a 6 with darkness

09:50, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 9 using 2d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. damage.
2d6+1 base
+1 double tap
+2 joker

09:50, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: 10D using a deck of 54 cards. next round.

[[OOC: Ok, then. Sorry about the miscount.]]

There's a cry of pain from the thug in the mask, but he doesn't fall.

"I warned you, Deputy!" He shouts, spurring his horse around the corner of the building. he levels his shotgun at the old man and lets fly with a load of rock salt, which slams into Robert and drives him to his knees.

His partner comes around the building from the other side, whooping a rebel yell and firing his rifle with abandon...several shots several shots hit distressingly close to Robert's face.

[[OOC: The thug spends on of my pool of White Chips for a Soak roll: The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6.

He rides out into the street, to a point where the corner of the building no longer provides cover, and aims his shotgun at Robert. It's loaded with rock salt, so the damage is nonlethal. He has a +2 bonus from his Test of Wills, a +2 bonus from using shot, a -2 penalty from the unstable platform, and a -1 penalty from the darkness, for a net bonus of +1.

The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Shooting!
The Dust Adders rolled 12 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5,4. Damage. That's a Shaken and 2 Wounds

He will need to reload before he can fire again, since it's a single barrel shotgun.

The other Dust Adder rides up behind the building and fires a round from his Winchester. He's not trying to hit, he's trying to scare, so this is another intimidation Test of Wills. he suffers a -2 multiaction penalty because he had to run his horse to get in that position, but he's right behind Robert on a horse with a gun, which would be scary to anyone in similar circumstances, so he has a +1 bonus, so his net modifier is -1.

The Dust Adders rolled 4 using 1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Intimidation test of wills]]

Meanwhile, as Evans and Gangatsu are still recovering from the sight of Tex, another Dust Adder rides into range while the Dust Adder behind the giant takes a few steps out from hiding. The Dust Adders start filling the air around Gangatsu and Evans with lead, and Evans dives to the ground to avoid a bullet that shatters what's left of the window behind him. "Miss Gangatsu! GET DOWN!" he shouts as another pullet rips through Gantasu's other sleeve...

[[OOC: Two more Dust Adders move into position, one in the middle of the crossroads and one across from Gangatsu. The one who's been following Tex decides to attempt shoot at Evans, more to distract him than to actually hit him, so this is an Agility trick.

The Dust Adders rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7. Agility trick.

Evans, still suffering from the shock of seeing Tex (and still in the presence of his Phobia), suffers a -2 penalty to trait rolls while in the presence of Tex. The Amazing Evans rolled 3,1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Wow. Poor Evans...that's Raise for the Dust Adder, meaning Evans takes a -2 to Parry and is Shaken. He'll probably spend a chip to remove the Shaken on his turn, but he's getting all kinds of beat up tonight.

The one in the crossroads takes a shot at Gangatsu. Again, this isn't meant to hit her so much as gt her ducking for cover, so this is an Agility trick to distract Gangatsu.

The Dust Adders rolled 20(!) using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+8+4)20. Agility trick. Gangatsu needs to roll a 20 or better to avoid suffering a -2 parry and possibly being Shaken. Good luck!]]

15:22, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 3,2 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. wc to soak.

15:22, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. rc to add.

15:23, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 1,2,16 using d4,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2,(6+6+4)16. wc to reroll overything .

18, soaked it all

15:24, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. resiste intimidate.
5 is a tie, not sure what that means

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #50):

OOC: Ties in opposed rolls means no clear victor. So he doesn't get any bonus against you.

[[OOC: Moving along, putting Katy on hold for now]]

---

The Amazing Evans:

"Damn it all!" Evans mutters as the bullets whiz by him. He drops his now useless pistol, throws himself to the ground, then rolls over to the man knocked senseless by the Asian hellion. He raids the Dust adder's gunbelt for the man's Colt Army. "I'm really beginning to wish I'd stayed in bed. Miss Gangatsu! Are you all right?"

[[OOC: Evans spends a White Chip from the GM pool to recover from Shaken. He moves over to the Dust Adder Gangatsu KO'ed, drops prone, and spends his action retrieving the man's pistol. He doesn't have time to grab any ammo, so right now he only has the 6 shots that are already in the gun.]]

Next round: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 6S

---

Nathanial Frost:

Moving to where he could get a better view, Nathanial curled his lip. Evans had armed himself, and the chink had knocked out one of his boys. That will not do. He needed to make sure his next bullet ended whoever it hit. Luckily, he had a few "special" rounds he'd prepared one night on a full moon. He slips his special ammo into his gun and grins.

[[OOC: Nathanial Frost moves up near the Dust Adder behind Tex, and casts another spell. He isn't maintaining his current effect yet, so there's no penalty to his spellcasting roll. Nathaniel Frost rolled 2,5 using d8,d6. spellcasting. A success, but Nathanial wants a Raise, so he spends one of the GM's Red Chips: Nathaniel Frost rolled 5 using 1d6. red chip. That brings his total to 10, which gets him the raises he's looking for and makes him very, very dangerous. The reload is part of this power's Trapping, so it doesn't cost him a Multi-Action Penalty]]

Next Round:
Nathaniel Frost drew the single card: KC
The Dust Adders drew the single card: 8S
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:09, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

Wide-eyed with shock at what she'd done, Katy darts across the gap between the buildings to stand behind Robert. She only has one shot left.

07:53, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: 9S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #53):

OOC: What happened to the Lemat you just bought?
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:16, Thu 12 Aug 2010.

The giant only spares a cursory glance at Evans and Gangatsu. They weren't his focus. Instead, he tears the doors off of the Grand Bull and steps into the saloon. People being screaming in terror at his approach.

"Hiiiii....you should run now..." He chuckles at the crowd within, before picking up a table and hurling it at the mirror behind the bar. There's an unholy crash as the table buries itself into the wooden wall, sending shards of mirror, broken liquor bottles, and splinters of wood spray everywhere and people do, indeed, begin trying to run. Unfortunately, there isn't much room to get to the backdoor, and a logjam of panicking people cause the crowd to bunch up.

Roland Frost levels his shotgun at the giant, and blasts him right in the chest, but the giant just stares dumbly. "Owwwwwwiiiiie." He grunts, then he shakes himself, and lead pellets fall to the floor.

"Our god in heaven." Roland mutters, before fainting dead away.

[[OOC: Tex enters the Grand Bull in a spectacular fashion. he grabs a table and hurls it at the opposite wall while the townsfolk panic.

Tex rolled 4,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. Throwing.

Tex rolled 11 using d12+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5. More than enough to break the opposite wall.

Roland, who's been holding an action, shoots at Tex.

Roland Frost rolled 7 using 1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Shooting!

Roland Frost rolled 18 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,(6+2)8,2. Damage.

That's enough to actually wound Tex, so Tex spends a White Chip for a soak roll: Today: Tex rolled 3,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. soak roll. Not quite enough, so he adds a GM red chip to the mix.
Tex rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. red chip. That's enough to get a success. Tex soaks the wound and isn't Shaken. And fortunately for everyone in the immediate vicinity, Tex succeeds on his Smarts roll to not go berserk.

Roland, at seeing this, totally blows a Fear Check with a 1, so I rule he passes out instead of panicking.]]

---

It is now Gangatsu's turn.If she hasn't gone by noon, I will assume she spends her round attempting to recover from being Shaken.

Initiative for next round:

Wildcat Hawkins: King of Diamonds
Nathaniel Frost: King of Clubs
Gangatsu: On Hold
John Smith: Jack of Diamonds
Robert Micklethwait: 10 of Diamonds
Katy Devon: 9 of Spades
The Dust Adders: 8 of Spades
The Amazing Evans: 6 of Spades
Tex: 6 of Diamonds

This message was last edited by the player at 02:54, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

Nathanial grins as he slowly moves into the street. "You hear that?" he says to Evans at the crashing from inside the saloon. "That's the noise of thunder, blowing down all who stand in our way. You picked the wrong town to throw your weight around in, Evans. Now get on your knees and beg for forgiveness, and maybe I'll let you live to run out of town."

Evans just glares at Nathanial and spits in his direction.

"I said get on your knees!" The dust adder shots, and aims his pistol at the marhsal's kneecaps to make his point. The gun barks twice with an unholy scream that can be heard  over the crack of gunpowder as the bullets flash and spark. Ghost Rock. The man's using Ghost Rock in the gunpowder!

The shots hit true, but amazingly Evans manages to grit his teeth and keep his feet. "Is that...the best...you can do...huckleberry?" he grunts through the pain.

[[OOC: nathanial Frost moves into the center of the street, and double taps Evans in the leg, trying to knock him prone. He has a -1 from darkness, a -2 from the called shot, and a +1 from the double tap.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 8,6 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,(6+2)8. double tap called shot to the leg. That's a hit and a raise. ouch.

He has an extra d6 from the raise, and a lot of static damage mods, so Evans is facing down a total damage of 3d6+6. Nathaniel Frost rolled 9 using 3d6+6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,1. Holy crap. Frost biffs his damage roll hard core. The damage is in soak range for Evans, though he still has to make a srength roll to remain standing.

Evans spends his last personal White Chip on a soak. The Amazing Evans rolled 4,11 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+5)11. soak attempt. Easily soaking all the damage. Then he makes a Strength roll opposed to the damage to remain standing. The Amazing Evans rolled 2,9 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9. remain standing.

Finally, Evans luck seems to be turning around. He remains standing and will get a bonus to Taunt because of it, because this plays right into Nathanial's Arrogant hindrance.]]

It is now Robert's or Gangatsu's turn (whomever posts first. Gangatsu is technically next, but she's on hold until her player posts)

Robert grabs his speed-load cylinder out of his pocket with his left hand, and flips open is colt with his right.  Slamming the cylinder home, he fires at the rifleman coming up from behind.  He moves to shield Katy from incoming fire.

reload (free action with speed-load cylinder)
double tap rifleman
15:10, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 7,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4. double tap.
-1 darkness, +1 double tap
(you know, almost ever roll I've had has been a 7.  not quite enough for a raise)

15:10, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 7 using 2d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. damage.
7 damage

Just After Sunset, April 9th, 1879. Blackthorn, Texas

The day has been long and frustrating. If it wasn't trying to pull answers from the clues sheriff back in Victoria, it was trying to wrestle your clueless horse back on the trail after it wandered off following any damn thing that caught it's attention.

And it wasn't as if finding this "Blackthorn" place was all that easy anyhow. The damn place didn't seem to be on any of the latest maps, and Hawkins had had to corner an old-timer who could point out the right direction. Seems an awful big waste of time to check out this speck of a place, but that was what needed to be done.

So it was nearly dark, and the sun had already set, by the time Wildcat made it to the town limits. The only thing the ranger-in-training wanted was to get to the saloon and take a nice, long bath...

{{BOOM!}}

The explosion lit up the night, and a ball of fire rose from ahead of her. The sound of gunfire and shouts also came from up ahead...apparently something was going on. Some kind of celebration, maybe? Or maybe a bandit attack, or Pickett's Charge, or some other damn thing...

[[OOC: Welcome to Blackthorn! Please draw a card so I know where you are in initiative order.]]

Kat wasn't sure she liked the sound of that, but just ignoring it wasn't much of an option.  One riot, one Ranger...  she reminded herself, spurring Idjit on.

21:15, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: KD using a deck of 54 cards.

Hell of a way to get started, wandering into a fight where there's no telling who is who!

Wildcat rides her horse into town, trying to get a grasp on the situation. There seems to be some sort of fight going on near a theater, and another one just in front of a saloon with a large bull's skull hanging over the door.

A man with a bandanna over his face levels a shotgun an an elderly gentleman protecting a woman behind him, while another masked man with a rifle rides up from behind, whooping and hollering. As she watches, the older man loads a peacemaker and takes a shot at the rifleman, who takes the bullet with a grunt but doesn't fall.

Further down the street there seems to be a man leveling a peacemaker at a dandy and a woman. Shots ring out, along with a wail that sounds for all the world like someone lit a batch of Ghost Rock.  The dandy takes two hits to the knees, but miraculously keeps standing.

She's closer to the older man and woman being threatened by ruffians...

[[OOC: You are within Winchester mid range of Robert and Katy. See the Map Thread for current positions. It's your action.]]

It didn't take much intelligence to realize there's no good reason for someone to be shooting at an old fella an' a lady in town like that, but the only shot she could like up was as likely to hit who she wasn't aiming at.

Maybe this was a time for creative thinking.

Pulling the Winchester from its boot, she spurred Idjit on and charged toward them with a loud proclamation of "Yeeeeeee haw!" as only a Native Texan could.

OOC:  I'm going to move closer.  Innocent Bystander rules could really cause some problems here as I'm statistically almost as likely to hit either of them as their assailant.  Maybe I'll at least provide a distraction and draw fire this way.

Next initiative is on 3 of Hearts.

 The second time gatsu was shot at and it was irking her last damn nerve. She held still. She was a bit shaken up by getting cut in the arm again, but she sucked up her  pain with stony silence. There were two Adders and Nathaniel Frost, as she heard Evans call him out.  Not to mention there was a damn brick house monster terrifying the shit out of a bunch of innocent people for no particular reason other then making these guys unhappy. Her brow narrowed as she was stuck in her mind for a moment...

To answer the cries of the many or help her meal ticket out. Honestly, she had to think about it. Evans called out to her, asking if she was alright. He should worry about himself, his gun explosion was the only thing that even hurt so far.  She casted her eyes to Frost and ignored the cries for now. She chose herself over the others, it's their own fault in allowing these people to bully their asses around.  She grit her teeth and charged, her wooden sandals click against the earth as she readies her  sword, moving in close range to Nathaniel Frost in attempts to disarm him.

19:34, Today: Gangatsu rolled 14,3 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (8+7)15,4. Attack

19:41, Today: Gangatsu rolled 6,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. Damage st+wpn.

next 10D
This message was last edited by the player at 03:29, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

Nathanial seems to be surprised as all hell as Gatsu slides up and neatly sends his prized pistol sailing from his fingertips. "You fucking cunt whore!" he shouts in panic. "I'll rip your eyes out and fuck the sockets for this!"

[[OOC: Even with his spell up, as well as the called shot penalty for the disarm, Gangatsu hits Nathanial. he tries to keep hold of his gun...

Nathaniel Frost rolled 9,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,5. Disarm! no dice. his gun goes flying.

He spends a personal white chip to soak. Nathaniel Frost rolled 5,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5. soak attempt. This one is much better. He soaks the wound.]]

---

The masked man with the shotgun looks up at Wildcat's shout. "Aw, HELL no!" He grumbles, then turns and shouts "Percy! We got incoming! Delay them while we deal with the Deputy!

Next Up: It is currently Katy Devon's and John Smith's turn to post, though I will place them on hold and move on to the Dust Adders if neither post by midnight.

Skipping Katy and John for now...they are both on hold.

[[OOC:It occurs to me I totally forgot to draw for Nathanial, so I'll just draw for all the NPCs and assign alphabetically: 2C, 5S, 4D, KS. I should just draw for my NPCs all at once at the end of the round...]]

---

The Dust Adders

The bullet Robert clipped his mark with hurts, but it's obviously only a flesh wound and the man recovers quickly. He turns and growls at Katy. "Move out the way, girl! This don't concern you! If you don't get out of here right now, we'll fill you as full o' lead as this asshole right here, I swear by god!"

As if to punctuate his words, the man with the shotgun cracks the barrel, loads a shell with practiced ease, and another load of rock salt flies, this time into Robert's face. Everything begins to go black...

The rider alerted to Wildcat charges at her, a rifle already drawn. "Go away! This does not involve you!" He shouts, and fires a shot above her head.

Meanwhile, the last of the Dust Adders stows his gun, pulls a bowie knife, and rushes up behind Gangatsu, attempting to cut her from behind while shes distracted. She catches sight of him just in time, though, and blocks his strike with her sword.

"Tex!" he shouts. "Git on out here! There's someone you need to pull apart!"

[[OOC: The Dust Adder shot by Robert spends a GM's white chip to remove the Shaken condition caused by his damage.

Being a gentleman (as much of a gentleman as he can be for being a low-life, of course) he tries to get Katy to run with an Intimidate Test of Wills. He has no bonuses or penalties to this. The Dust Adders rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Intimidation ToW.

Katy needs to roll Spirit and beat 4 or better as a reflexive action to resist the Test. Instead of making her Shaken, he's trying to make her run away.

The other Dust Adder cracks his shotgun, puts in another rock salt load, and shoots at Robert again. He has a -1 penalty from darkness, -2 from the Multi-Action, -2 from unstable platform, +2 from the shotgun bonus, for a net modifier of -3. The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8. Shooting!

As he's well within short range, that's 3d6 damage again. The Dust Adders rolled 33(!) using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+6+2)14,(6+6+5)17. Damage. Ouch. That's a Shaken and something like 6 wounds. Since it's Rock Salt, this is nonlethal, but still...ow.

The rider alerted to Wildcat moves his horse up so that he can cover his friends, and lets fly with a shot from his Winchester. he has penalties from darkness and the unstable platform. The Dust Adders rolled 2 using 1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Shooting! He misses by a country mile.

Aren't you glad I didn't give them the Steady Hands Edge? That would have made this fight a lot shorter (and more brutal for you).

The last Dust Adder is on foot, and he's got his choice of targets. As the Dust Adders like to gang up, he opts to pull a knife and charge at Gangatsu while shouting for Tex. He gets a +1 Gang-up bonus, -2 multi-action penalty, and a -1 darkness penalty, for a net modifier of -2. The Dust Adders rolled -1 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Fighting! Yeah, that's not going to hit.]]

---

The Amazing Evans

"Ganging up on a women?" Evans grows. "You, sir, are a cad. That's low, even for snakes like you!" He raises his purloined pistol and squeezes off a shot at the Dust adder, who bellows as the bullet clips his thigh. "Serves you right." He mutters.

[[OOC: Evans wants to take a shot at Nathanial, but opts to even the odds for Gangatsu instead by taking on the Dust Adder tring to take her from behind (*snicker*). He raises his stolen pistol and snaps off a shot. He has the darkness penalty, but no others since Tex isn't around in his immediate sight at the moment.

The Amazing Evans rolled 2,4 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Shooting!

The Amazing Evans rolled 7 using 2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Damage.

That makes the Dust Adder Shaken.]]

---

Tex

From inside the saloon there is an unholy crash as the giant bounds out, shouting "Huuuuuuuug!"

Gangatus notices the smell just before the giant reaches her. It's sickening, like unwashed bodies mixed with an outhouse on a hot day. Then come the massive arms sweeping around her, lifting her up off the ground, trying to drive the life from her body...

[[OOC: And he will hug her and squeeze her and call her George...

Tex moves up to Gangatsu and initiates a grapple. Because she has two foes around her, he gets a +2 gang-up bonus, though he still takes a -1 from the darkness. That's a net +1 to his roll. Tex rolled 4,6 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Hug!

Gatsu is entangled by the giant. Oh boy. Now she needs to think slippery thoughts...]]

---

Initiative for next round:

The Dust Adders: King of Spades
Gangatsu: 10 of Diamond
Robert Micklethwait: Out of the Fight
John Smith: On Hold from last round
Katy Devon: On hold from last round
Tex: 5 of Spades
The Amazing Evans:4 of Diamonds
Wildcat Hawkins: 3 of Hearts
Nathanial Frost: 2 of Clubs

I'll wait until tomorrow to post for The Dust Adders, to give those on hold a chance to go and to let Robert draw his card.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:58, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

10:04, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: KS using a deck of 54 cards. card.

looks like it tie with the dust adders.

so, I've takeh 6 non-lethal wounds.  there's no way I can soak that (well, I could roll my vigor, then then add 2d6 to it if I spend all my chips.  that'll average about an 11, so if I'm really luckly, I'll be awake with 3 wounds and no bennies), so I'm out cold for d6 hours?  I don't have swex, but that's what SWrevised says.  can I spend a beenie to wake up, or roll vigor to wake up, or am I just out of the fight?

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #65):

Normally in case of ties like that, I'd have you redraw (checking for a different suit...you'd keep the same value), but in this case it's probably academic.

There's the outside chance of soaking enough of the wounds to keep you going, but it might be better to just take your lumps for now.

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: ain't you glad you have Stitchin'?]

You're out of the fight. The only question is how long. Make a Vigor check for me, with a -3 penalty. Succeed, and you'll only be out for an hour. Fail, and it's 1d6 hours. Either way, you'll be Ugly until the wounds heal and your face stops looking like it took a shotgun blast to it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

The shot slams Robert back against the wall and he collapses, the smoking pistol falling from his hands.



10:32, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. hours.
10:31, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 02 using d4-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. vigor check.

[[OOC: Moving onward, since Katy hasn't posted yet and John usually posts in the evenings.]]

"Warned him." the man with the shotgun says as he loads another shell, wheeling his horse around to face the newcomer.

His partner ignores Katy and charges towards the roughriding ranger. "Woooo! Woooo! Woooo!" he yells as he approaches, causing Idjit to rear up and neigh in panic, then turn tail and run.

The young man who charged before just watches and waits, his gun trained on the Ranger, waiting to see the outcome of all this horseplay.

Meanwhile, back near the saloon the thug winged by Evans recovers his wits and turns. "You shouldn't've oughta done that." He says, moving in on Evans, knife at the ready.

[[OOC: With Robert down, the thug with the shotgun takes his time to reload, still with his rock salt rounds. he takes no other actions this round.

The thug near Katy rides away, whooping and hollering and firing, trying to scare Idjit, Wildcat's horse. The Dust Adders rolled 15 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+3)15. Intimidation ToW against the horse.

Idjit rolls to resist. The Stray rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Horsey is scared!

That means It rears, which means Wildcat needs to make a Riding check to remain mounted or be knocked prone and take 2d6 damage. He's also scared Idjit into running a random direction. The Stray rolled 7 using 1d8 with rolls of 7. random direction. That translates into straight back the way you came.

The last Dust Adder near Wildcat holds his action until he sees what happened to Wildcat.

The Dust Adder over by Gangatsu spends his action attempting to recover from being Shaken. The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5. recover from shaken attempt. He recovers, but it takes his entire turn to do so. He can still move half his pace, which he does, moving into melee range (he also provokes a free attack from Gangatsu, if she wishes to try and take it).

Next initiative card: 6 of Hearts]]

Next up: It is Gangatsu's turn next in initiative order. However, Wildcat, feel free to post, since your part of the fight is a bit separate from the rest of the group, and Katy's on hold, so she can jump in later.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

Kat remembers her training and proves a good rider can sometimes make up for a bad horse.

OOC:15:32, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 14 using 2d6, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+2)14,1. Ride Die Followed By Wild Die.

Obviously I don't fall, but I read that as saying the horse bolts even if I manage to stay on it.  Is that correct?  Even if it is, come on, that's a raise!  Like 2 raises!  Because the horse running or not running is something I want to know before declaring what I do on my initiative.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #69):

[[OOC: Mounts which aren't trained in Fighting flee in a random direction when Shaken, taking their riders with them. So far I've been assuming Idjit is a Riding Horse, not a War Horse, since you have him cheap and all. Still, you bring up a good point about 2 raises, so I will say yes, you can reign in Idjit before he gets too far. He only moves half his pace before you are able to reign him in, instead of his full pace + running die, which will put you at the edge of short range for a pistol and well within rifle range.

On that note, the man who held his action now decides to take it...]]

Watching the incredible horsemanship displayed by the girl, the one who held back speaks up. "No one's that good by accident...she's either cavalry, or a Ranger. We need to take her down, friends!"

He raises his Winchester, takes aim, and squeezes off a shot. Howver, his horse flinches as he does so, and his shot goes wide, the slug burying itself into the sign proclaiming the large building nearby to be "The Oriental."

[[OOC: The darkness does the Dust adder here now favors. Neither does the Unstable platform penalty. The Dust Adders rolled -1 using 1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Shooting!  The bullet doesn't even come close.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:11, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

OOC:  It's cool, I know Idjit's a lousy horse, relatively speaking.  I just thought I'd ask since the worst you can do is say no!

The other thing is, I wanted to take Idjit out of the picture on my own this round anyway.  They just won initiative over me.

All right, on my own initiative, once Idjit comes to a stop I'm going to use two actions: dismount, and shoot.  But that gets me to another question: is dismounting a free action?

What I'm gonna do though is go ahead and roll the dice just in case to speed the game up for everyone.  The plan is dismount and shoot whatever one you judge to be closest to me since I don't see a big difference as long as they're not next to Innocent Bystanders any more.

19:21, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1 using 2d6-1, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. shot after dismount (see post though).

Okay I rolled so bad it doesn't matter if I had another -2 or not.

Next round is 3 of clubs.

Edit:

In a dazzling display of horsemanship, Wildcat grabs the reins and pulls against them creating enough tension to keep her feet in the stirrups as the fool horse bucks and bolts.  "Ya damn stupid idjit horse!"  Kat restrains herself from more expletives as she can't fully blame the horse... this time.  With a fierc one handed tug, she forces the beast to turn its head, and when it tries to change direction, it has to stop its own inertia first and come to a dead halt.  For all its awkwardness it's an impressive display, as one hand is locked around the stock of the Winchester and the other is doing all the manipulations of the reigns, with her feet acting in unison.

Just as quickly however she's out of the saddle and snaps off a quick shot.  All the jostling and motion does nothing to help her sight picture however and the shot winds up embedded in a wall somewhere.  However the message is clear, whoever these brainers are, they've got a problem.  Her gloved hand smoothly manipulates the enlarged ring of the lever as the expended case rolls out of the top of the action and hits the dirt, spinning a single rotation after it falls.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Sat 14 Aug 2010.

[[OOC: Since I'm running an Action Western and the rules don't say either way, I've been treating it as a free action. Just so you know for future reference.]]

Gatsu is thinking slippery thoughts and even her stomache was ready to hurl up that tasty gumbo from the rotting filthy smell of Tex. THe ugly permenant smil on his face, the thick, greasy skin like a dead man. Oh crap.. Don't puke... Must.. Get... Free!


21:22, Today: Gangatsu rolled 6,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Escape Tex's Hug. Spent a red chip for 1d6 roll, got 4. Total Result is 10 for escaping the hold.

Next round initiative: 10D
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:30, Sat 14 Aug 2010.

The lithe Asian slips through the giant's arms. This causes him to scrunch up his face in anger. "Nooooo!" He rumbles, and slams his meaty hand down hard on Gangatsu's shoulder with enough force to dislocate it. "You get back heeeere!"

[[OOC: Tex rears back and strikes at Gangatsu. Tex rolled 3,7 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+2)8. Mighty backhand!

Tex rolled 3,5 using d12+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. Damage. Total of 11 damage, which is enough to make Gatsu Shaken and cause 1 wound.

Tex drew the single card: QH for next round.]]

It is now The Amazing Evans' turn. John Smith and Katy Devon are still on hold.

The explosion caused the young man to hit the ground in surprise. He looked up to see a ball of fire climbing into the air from a part of town, the only landmark he knew in that area was the Marshall's office, and it didn't take a genius to deduce that that could easily be a target of explosive minded people... or one of the Amazing Evans' experiments gone wrong. Either way he took off like a shot hoping none of the kind folk he had met of late had been hurt. The gunshots caused him to skid to a halt his boots kicking up dust as he surveyed the scene at hand as he spied a man in a bandana mask riding by with his gun firing into the air.

"Bastards." the man said as he took off running to the sound of gunfire that was particularly harsh and seemed to come from the Grand Bull. He arrived just in time to see Frost shoot Evans in the knee which set the man off. He charged forward, no yelling or hollering out of him, only his fist balled up and ready to cause some hurt as he rushed towards one of the man he recognized from earlier: Frost.

Unfortunately the powers that be weren't on his side as he just could not focus enough to get a good hit in. Maybe it was his anger or maybe the fact that he had never quite finished training. Who knew.

[Private to GM: OOC: I fucking hate this dice roller.
John Smith rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max. run. Should allow me to reach Frost.
John Smith rolled 3,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max. not-so punch of doom!
John Smith rolled 5,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. Fighting roll again (white chip 1/3).
John Smith rolled 1,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Another white chip 2/3 dammit!.
John Smith rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. blue chip 1/2, fucker.
So a total attack of 6. If that hit then my pathetic damage is: John Smith rolled 2,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.
Oh, and guts check for seeing big ugly.
John Smith rolled 7,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2. guts check.
I think that passes, the modifier is +1 for grit and -3 for fear level right? That would put me at 5 which is above the target number. Otherwise I'll spend a red chip.]

In reply to John Smith (msg #75):

Perhaps it's the darkness that makes John's sectioned staff miss. Perhaps it's the haste at which John charged. But there also seems to be something about Nathanial himself, a sort of insubstantial quality that seems to make hitting him just that much more difficult.

Whatever it is, his arrival at least draws the attention of the man in black. "Bushwhacker! Well, now we gon' do this thing proper!"

[[OOC: So, the highest you rolled after all that was 6. Then there's the darkness penalty (-1), the running penalty (-2)...and the spell that Nathanial is currently maintaining (Deflection, which grants him a -4 penalty to all incoming Fighting and Shooting rolls against him).

Of course, now that you're fighting with Gangatsu, you both get a +1 gang-up bonus against Nathanial, which should help a little.

Someone should probably try to get a light into the fight...or some dynamite.

As for the fear check...that you passed. What's your initiative card for the next round?]]

PM
[Private to GM:
It was actually his fist :-P

Initiative card: JC using a deck of 54 cards.]

Evans tries to reason with the knife armed Dust Adder.  Still holding the pistol, he says, "Think about boy.  I got a gun and you got a knife.  You do think will win?"

10:36, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 7,22 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+6+6+4)22. Persuasion.

11:56, Today: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: JC using a deck of 54 cards. card.


[Private to GM: looking at the map, the dust adder with the knife is right in front of me?  is the gun Evan's has SA or DA?
naturally, my best roll is with an NPC
]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:57, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #78):

"I ain't your boy, tinhorn." The man grumbles. "Hell, you're so shot up you can barely stand."

But suddenly, he's not looking very confident.

[[OOC: The Dust Adders rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. resisting Test of Wills. Oh, yeah. He's shaken, and you get a +2 to your next action against him. What's your next turn's card?]]

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: He moved adjacent to Evans during his last action. Evans' gun is a Single Action Colt Army. And hey, don't feel bad...I've been rolling poorly for the Marshal since this fight began, so I'm going "naturally, I give Evans to someone else and finally he starts rolling well." Nature of the beast, I suppose.]

Quick as a rattler, Nathanial flicks a wicked-looking bowie knife from his belt out, and starts swinging wildly at the unarmed John Smith. The man is hard-pressed to keep up with the savage attack, even with Zhang's training, and the blade tears his shirt open. A thin red line of blood seeps from the broken skin underneath.

"Time to die, boy." The Cajun chuckles nastily.

[[OOC: Nathanial quickdraws his bowie knife and spends a Power Point to maintain his spell.

He makes a Wild Attack at John Smith, gaining a +2 ro his attacks and damage and a -2 Parry (he's relying on his spell to protect him from harm). It's still dark, so he still has a -1 penalty, so his net attack bonus is +1.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 8,7 using d8+1,d6+1. Fighting! That's high enough to hit John, so he rolls damage.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 2,4 using d6,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Damage. That's enough to make John Shaken. John can spend a chip to recover automatically, or take his chances with a spirit roll on his turn. If you haven't posted by midnight, I'll assume you spend your turn trying to recover from Shaken to keep the story flowing.]]

---

Initiative for next round:
Nathaniel Frost: King of Clubs
Tex: Queen of Hearts
John Smith: Jack of Clubs
The Amazing Evans: Jack of Clubs
Gangatsu: 10 of Diamonds
Dust Adders: 6 of Hearts
Wildcat Hawkins: 3 of clubs.
Katy Devon: Still On Hold from last round.

It is currently Nathanial's turn again, with Tex next.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:38, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Nathanial Frost:

Nathanial keeps on swinging at John, trying to capitalize on his initial wound, but though the martial artist is rattled by the previous attack his reflexes allow him to avoid the savage swipes the gunfighter takes at him.

[[OOC: Nathanial attacks John again, trying to finish what he started last round. Again, he uses a Wild Attack, so +2 to attacks and damage, -2 to Parry, and yet another point spent maintaining his power.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 3,2 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Fighting! Ugh. Nathanial spends a GM's White Chip for a hopefully better roll.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 6,2 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1. Fighting! White Chip.

Neither roll hits John, so we move on.

Nathaniel Frost drew the single card: QS]]

---

Tex:

The bulky, sweaty, meaty hand of Tex moves from Gangatsu's shoulder to her neck as he grabs her and begins to squeeze...

[[OOC: Tex decides he's done playing and decides to choke Gangatsu...this is just a normal fighting attack, though, not a grapple.

The darkness penalty and the gang-up bonus from Nathanial cancel each other out.

Tex rolled 4,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Choke! Ugh. Tex spends his last Fate Chip, a red one, in hopes of a better roll.

Tex rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. red chip

That makes his total 8. A hit, but not a raise against Gangatsu's Parry of 6

Tex rolled 10,1 using d12+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. Damage. That's 11 total damage again. That's a Shaken and 1 wound for Gatsu, which she may spend a chip to attempt to soak.

Tex drew the single card: AC]]

---

Since John is dealing with being Shaken, The Amazing Evans is up next, followed by Gangatsu.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:31, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Having confused his foe, Evans steps back and fires a single shot.  But the powder charge must have been weak...


13:42, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 2,11 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+4)10. Bang !.
hit with a raise

13:42, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 3,2 using 2d6+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,2. smackdown.
5 damage.

Katy stared in horror as Robert slumped. Sticking her derringer back in her skirt, she crouched beside him to see if there was anything she could do.

His pistol lay in the dust, where it had fallen. Determined to avenge him, she picked it up.

23:32, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: 9H using the Deadlands system. Initiative card, if needed.

[Private to GM: She left the Lemat behind - she didn't have a gun-belt, and was only going to visit the theater. She'd regretting that now :)]

The powder charge may have been weak, but it winged the Dust Adder, whose will breaks. The man turns tail and runs through the alleyway as fast as his legs can carry him.

[[OOC: The bullet does enough damage to make the man shaken, and I rule he's panicked instead (considering how cowardly he's een acting throughout the entire fight. He move his place plus running die...and I roll a 6 on that, so he's pretty far away into the block after that, so I'm removing him from the board.]]

Meanwhile, the rest of the Dust Adders are so concerned with the sudden appearance of the woman down the street that not a single one of them notices Katy rising up, gun in hand...

[[OOC: The Dust Adders get a Group check to notice Katy rising up with Robert's peacemaker (which currently has 4 bullets left). The Dust Adders rolled 1,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. Group Notice. That's a critical failure, right there. Katy gets The Drop against the next person she fires at: +4 to attack rolls and damage. And now I have your next round's initiative. Good to hear from you!]]

---

Up next is Gangatsu, followed by The Dust Adders. John Smith may still go before then.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

 Gatsu was having enough of this. The smell, being smacked  and beaten like a doll by an abusive child. She had enough, damn it to the mortal hell, enough is enough. If she was to die here in this pissed cowardly town, she was going out as a warrior with her wounds as badge of honor and courage.

[[OOC: 23:43, Yesterday: Gangatsu rolled 1,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. vigor, white chip. She is unshaken and soaks wound.

23:54, Yesterday: Gangatsu rolled 17,1 using d8-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of (8+8+4)20,4. fight! Gains a d6 to damage roll from raise!]]

With a madden glare from those emerald pools, hefting her katana and lifting it to slice at the bastard. "Get the fuck off me.."

[[OOC: 23:58, Yesterday: Gangatsu rolled 3,12 using d8,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+4)10. Damage Roll!
Gangatsu rolled 7 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7. She inflicts 22 damage all together on Tex!

Card: 4h]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:21, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

"HUUUURRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!" The giant bellows as Gangatsu's sword trails a long, deep gash in his arm. The hand drops away and hands uselessly at his side.

[[OOC: Tex spends on of his white chips and attempts to soak. Tex rolled 4,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. soak attempt. That's good enough for 1 wound, but Tex is facing 3, so he takes 2 wounds and is Shaken.

Since John hasn't posted yet, I'm assuming he's spending his round recovering from being shaken. The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, rolled 5,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. success.

The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, drew the single card: AS using the Deadlands system. John has top slot in initiative. I will wait until noon tomorrow for him to post, then put him on hold and resolve initiative from there.]]

"Whoo! Go on, girl! You best keep runnin', or we'll run you down!" The yelling one shouts out. His voice seems to be getting a bit horse from all his shouting, however, and the threat just doesn't have the same impact on a Ranger that it might on some local.

Meanwhile, the middle rider takes a careful shot, but only manages to kick up some dust at Wildcat's feet.

The third rider also aims his scattergun, but as he pulls the trigger the hammer snaps off, ruining the shot and causing the man to utter a long string of curse words at his now-broken gun.

[[OOC: The Dust Adders Chase after Wildcat. Charlie the Reb does another Test-of-Wills, while Percy and Dave line up shots.

Charlie attempts an Intimidate Test of Wills. The Dust Adders rolled 2 using 1d6. Intimidation ToW. That's resisted by Wildcat's Spirit, but unless she critically fails it, I don't think she has much to worry about.

Percy aims to wound rather than kill (-1), and has dim light (-1) and an unstable platform (-2) factoring in to his shot. The Dust Adders rolled 1 using 1d6-4. Shooting! Again, nothing to worry about here.

Dave, his scattergun still filled with rock salt (nonlethal attack), has darkness and an unstable platform (-3) but a bonus to hit from the shotgun itself (+2). The Dust Adders rolled 0 using 1d6-1. Shooting! he biffs it. Worse, since he's using an El Cheapo gun, it jams and is useless until he gets it fixed.]]

---

I'm splitting the fight in two. If you're in one half, don't wait for those in the other half to post before resolving your stuff.

At the Grand Bull:
John Smith: AS
Tex: AC
Nathaniel Frost: QS
Gangatsu: 4h
The Amazing Evans: 2C

At the Oriental Theater:
The Dust Adders: JD
Katy Devon drew the single card: 9H
Wildcat Hawkins: 8C
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Tue 17 Aug 2010.

OOC:08:41, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Wild Die for Spirit Roll.
08:41, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 6 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6.

Wildcat Hawkins was not in the least moved by the threat and stares ahead with steely resolve.  Her eye peered through the Winchester's tang sight as she responded.

"Yer barkin' at a knot tryin' to holler at me like that. But yer right about one thing, the Rangers are here an' last time I checked what yer doin' gets you hung.  Now all ya'll get on yer belly an' put yer dirty hands on that thing you use fer a hat rack."

Kat had a feeling that the three fools probably thought they could win as long as they outnumbered her, so there was no hesitation to implore Dr. Winchester to deliver them another lead baby.  Regardless of what happened, she cooly cycled the lever again and never took her eye off the front blade.

I guess this is my idea of a night on the town. she pondered.

08:54, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4 using 2d6-1, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5. shooting die, wild die.

08:56, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5 using 2d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Winchester damage.

8 of Clubs.

[[OOC: It's noon, so I'm going to skip John for now and put him on Hold. All the bad guys are clumped together again, so it's time for another megapost]]

---

Tex:

"Hurrrr! Hurrrr! HURRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!" The giant bellows again. He seems to be foaming at the mouth...and the deep gash in his arm is beginning to close by itself! His small eyes start glowing an ominous red, and there's a sound, like the shake of an angry rattler's tail, from somewhere in his vicinity.

[[OOC: Tex is wounded. Bad things happen when Tex is wounded.

First, I check his regeneration. Tex rolled 5,-1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Regeneration. That heals 1 wound. He still has 1 wound remaining.

Next, he'll spend his action attempting to recover from being Shaken. Tex rolled 6,6 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. recover from shaken attempt. Success. He's no longer Shaken, but it takes his entire round.

Finally, I check to see if he resists going berserk. Tex rolled 2,3 using d4-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. Resist Berserk. Nope. Fail. Tex gets +2 to attacks , damage, and toughness, and a -2 parry. Won't this next round be fun for Gatsu!

Tex drew the single card: 5C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.]]

---

Nathanial Frost:

"Oh, you silly bitch, you got him riled!" Nathanial says. "Well, you can deal with him, then. Oh, and have this, on me!" He turns and stabs deeply into Gangatsu's shoulder, then turns and runs back towards the Marshal's office.

"Come on, boys! We done made our point! Let's vamoose!" He yells as he rushes towards his horse.

[[OOC: Nathanial Frost decides to call a retreat, figuring Tex will cause enough ahovc he'll be able to get away clean. He doesn't want to face two attacks if he moves from his position, though, so he will attempt to attack Gatsu in order to get her Shaken (also so she's stuck facing down a raging Tex).

He attacks with his knife (the darkness penalty and gang-up bonus cancel each other out. He's going to Wild Attack for the +2 bonus to attack and damage (and accept that -2 parry penalty0 because it's important for him to hit so he can get away.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 9,13 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+5)11. Fighting! Ouch. That's a hit and Raise.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 7,2 using 2d6,d4+1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2,1. Damage. That's a hit and raise on Damage, too, so Gangatsu is Shaken and takes 1 wound, which she may attempt to soak.

Then he moves his Pace of 6 away from the fight. John Smith may attempt an attack against him, but there's a -1 darkness penalty and a -4 penalty from Nathanial's Deflection power (total penalty -5) to any attack he may make.

Nathaniel Frost drew the single card: AD using the Deadlands system. Initiative. ]]

---

The Dust Adders

Wildcat's shot blows the kid's hat off. "Goshdarnit to heck!" he curses, ducking low to his mount.

At Nathanial's call, the remaining Dust adders wheel their horses around. "You ain't seen the last of us!" The shouty man yells. "Git out o' town while the gettin's good! We won't play so nice next time!"

They gallop off, and turn the corner...most of them. Shouty McShoutsalot is a little slow getting to the edge of the block...

[[OOC: Wildcat's shot made Percy Shaken, so he's going to spend a White Chip to become unshaken. The Dust Adders, Hearing Nathanial call the retreat, will ride their horses away (taking the Run action). After they move, the only one one left within sight is Charlie the Reb (the shouty one). He's 21 squares from Wildcat after his move, and has cover from the corner of a building. he's 9 squares from where Katy is hiding, if she wants to move out and take a shot (Katy still has The Drop on the Dust Adders, and that's well within a peacemaker's Short range).]]

---

Up next is John Smith or Gangatsu at the Grand Bull, and Katy Devon at the Oriental.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:11, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

"Hey, get yer sorry ass back here, I ain't done kicking it yet!"  Wildcat yells at the fleeing yellowbellies.  "You boys sure as hell don't fight like Kilkenny cats!"

Katy takes careful aim at the only fleeing desperado she can see, and fires.

22:49, Today: Katy Devon rolled 11,8 using d10+3,d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 8,5. Firing .45. +4 The Drop, -1 Dim Light.

22:53, Today: Katy Devon rolled 14 using 3d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3,5. Damage roll inc Raise.

22:53, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: 8H using the Deadlands system. Initiative card, if needed.

The masked men ignore the Ranger's yells. Katy's shot, however, takes Shouty down. He slumps over his horse, which continues galloping onward.

[[OOC: Ouch. That was a raise, and there was also and extra 4 damage from The Drop, so Katy's total damage was 18. That's 3 wounds to an Extra...he's not soaking that with a d6, so I'm not going to spend a chip to try. Good shot.]]

Wildcat Hawkins is up next here, while Gangatsu is working on her post as we speak.

Gatsu got back stabbed and she gritted her teeth with a growl... She pushed it back as a bit of salivia fell over her lip from the pain. Hefting her sword, the monster was starting to heal up, gatsu took another swing because that fucker Frost will get his in the end. She needed to worry about the huge titan in front of her.

She is unshaken and soaking wound with a vigor rool of 5. She got a 4 for hiting, and doing 11 damage.
card: Jack of Hearts

GM OOC: The Amazing Evans is up next for the Grand Bull folks
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

"Tarnation."  Kat smiled when someone shot one of them off the back of his horse, but complained as the other two took off, leaving her without so much as a clear parting shot.  She considered jumping back onto Idjit and riding them down, but she suddenly remembered why she'd starting shooting at them in the first place.

Quickly she grabbed Idjit's reins, led, no, drug the stupid horse to the nearest hitching post in her path, proper or improvised, and secured the horse with the simplest overhead knot, one that could be effected singlehandedly.

Closing as much distance as she could on foot while messing with the horse and trying to find time to reload the Winchester, she looked toward the folks the ruffians had cornered and smiled when she saw the woman holding the smoking wheelgun, thinking it entirely appropriate the fool had met his fate at her hand.  The smile faded quickly however as protocol took over and triage had to be performed.  A man was down.  Kat might be a might more civil on other occasions but this was a time for snappy, rapid fire questions.

"Are you hurt?  Is he dead?  What in the blue hell's going on here?"

OOC:  The map shows we could pretty clearly see there's some motion or something down the street in broad daylight, but in the darkness I assume it's not clear at all what's going on that far away.  Does Wildcat need to make a Notice roll or something, or is it too far and too dark to even be feasible?

Assuming I can tell something is going on down there, I'd go check it out, but not without stopping here first to at least check if this poor dude's dead or alive.  If I don't realize something's up down there I'll stay with the 'robbery victims'.  In either event I've drawn the King of Diamonds.

John had to focus as best he could to avoid getting cut by the bastard and his knife. When the man turns tail and runs the young martial artist prepares to pursue but thinks better of it. Reaching into a pouch he pulls out what appears to be three smooth river stones, he raises them to his lips and kisses each one before focusing his will on the pieces of earth. "Take this you yellow bellied coward." he says as he positions them in his hand and takes aim at the mans back.

He expels his breath rapidly three times, each time his wrist flicks and his thumb moves launching the bolts from his hand, the first two after Frost while the last one launches towards the big ugly thing that was hurting the pretty asian lady with the mouth of a miner. When he spies the first bolt hitting Frost he starts moving his way.

[Private to GM: OOC: Putting 6 powerpoints into 'bolt' for a total of 3 bolts at 3d6 damage apiece. According to the power I can launch them all without penalties. Please correct me if I somehow misread that. I rolled a wild die with each attack, then read that I only get one wild die, so please ignore the ones after the 13. If Frost doesn't look incapacitated after that John will start after him moving his full 6, unless it looks like he got the big fellas attention.

John Smith rolled 13,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,1. Energy bolt  6pp for 3 bolts.
John Smith rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Last blue chip.
That should turn that 13 to a 17 which I think is enough for a raise even with penalties unless this guy is a god at fighting :P
John Smith rolled 20,4 using 3d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,3,(6+3)9,4. damage + raise (maybe?). So 24 points of damage total.

Second attack missed I believe:
John Smith rolled 5,9 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+3)9.
Third attack is for the big guy:
John Smith rolled 7,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5.
If a 7 hits then:
John Smith rolled 11 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2,5. possible damage.

Initiative 2D using a deck of 54 cards.]

Gangatsu's slash seems to have wounded the monster...but only just, and the wound begins to close almost immediately. "OWWWIEEEE!" it bellows.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #93):

In the fading twilight, Wildcat can make out some sort of ruckus going on near what looks like a saloon, but all she can make out are shapes and the occasional bellow. There's one shape that seems impossibly large, but that's just the angle of the light...right?

The man on the ground took a face full of rock salt, which he'll be feeling for a few days, but he's breathing normally and doesn't seem badly injured otherwise.

[[OOC: you can make a notice roll to get more information than the basics I've provided here.]]

In reply to John Smith (msg #94):

The first bolt rips into the gunman, sending him stumbling...but, amazingly, he gets back to his feet and continues staggering towards a horse.

The second shot misses the gunman.

The third shot hits the Giant right in the eye..."YUUUUUUU! HUUUUURRRRT! MEEEEE!" it roars. "YUUUUUUUU GONNNNA DIIIIIIIIIIIE!"

[[OOC: Yup. Bolt doesn't have an multi-attack penalties (which I find a bit hinkey, but it's magic, so unless it becomes really abusive I won't slap a nerf gun on it)

17 will hit with a Raise, yes. The second attack misses thanks to Frost's spell and the darkness (since I ignore the 9 from the Wild Die which you don't get on that action).

Still, that's 24 damage, which is a nice 4 wounds.

Nathaniel Frost rolled 8 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,5. soak attempt. That soaks 2 wounds, leaving him with Shaken and 2 wounds left. That uses up his last chip, though I still have a couple left.

The third attack hits the big guy, but doesn't do enough damage to him (he has a 13 toughness while berserk). However, you DID get his attention...so I will keep you there for the time being. }:D ]]

up next: The Amazing Evans! And then a new round!

OOC: so there's Frost, who's running, and the big guy.

Evans focuses on Tex.  Pointing to the fleeing Frost, he says "Hey big guy.  Your boss is running away.  You are being hurt, and your friend is leveing you behind"

Persuastion Test of wills
09:47, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 2,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. test of wills persuastion.
never mind

11:51, Today: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 7C using a deck of 54 cards. card.

This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

The gunslinger limps to his horse, climbs up, and spurs the beast on, riding off into the night.

[[OOC: Nathanial moves his pace of 4 (after 2 wounds) to a waiting horse, and climbs aboard. The horse gets to move it's full pace of 10 + it's running die of d8, so John likely won't be able to keep up. Nathanial Frost has exited, stage left.

The only bad guy left now is Tex, who is still raging.]]

Initiative for this round:
Nathaniel Frost: Ace of Diamonds
Wildcat Hawkins: King of Diamonds.
Gangatsu: Jack of Hearts
Katy Devon: 8 of Hearts
The Amazing Evans: 8 of Clubs
Tex: 5 of Clubs
John Smith: 2 of Diamonds

Once she sees there's really nothing she can do for either of them, in an immediate sense, Wildcat tells the woman with the pistol:

"All right never mind all that, just stay here and cover him.  I figure if you can shoot that loser out of his saddle, he's all right here with you!"

She runs toward the disturbance, staying near the buildings as she finishes topping off the Winchester.  I wonder if this town's always this much fun, she ponders.

OOC: Man, kind of waste of a good initiative card... moving right along to see what the hell is going on down there.

3 of Spades.

 Finally someone helped her. If John won't have stepped up, she might be in a touch bit of trouble and get attacked again. The woman was feeling it, it had been a while since she had to work in a fight.  The brute bellowed, hollering that he'd kill them for hurting him.

" YA GOt Wut'CHA EaRNeD, go BLuBBEr to yer Mama, Boy or YeR GeTTIn a Whippin like a BAD MuLE 'IGHT 'ERE n NOW." She growled, her emerald eyes catching the dim light from the Grand Bull Saloon and her threat was not hollow. Anyone that ever gotten a leather whippin from their daddy could almost feel that slight inward clench. Though she brandished her sword in such a manner, looking almost ready to get that lashing with her katana against anyone that gets close to her.

She rolled a 7, intimidate & Edge +2, not enough to scare someone shitless, but it's a solid warning, I reckon..

Gangatsu drew the 10 of Diamonds

When the man fell off the horse, Katy felt a moment of exultation, before a chill went through her. She went forward to the man she'd shot.

Was he...?

Yes. She'd killed a man.

The gun dropped from her nerveless fingers, she bent over, and part-digested steak, cornbread and peas splattered the dirt.

07:41, Today: Katy Devon rolled 3,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Guts check on discovering dead body.

07:45, Today: Katy Devon drew the single card: 8H using a deck of 52 cards. Initiative.

Belatedly realized I should have been including a -1 penalty on all Trait tests because of her earlier drink, sorry.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #100):

[[OOC: Given the rolls you've made this fight wouldn't have been overly affected by a -1 anyhow, I'm not that concerned, but I'm glad you're keeping it in mind for the future.

I'm guessing being in a gunfight would be pretty sobering, so I'm removing the fatigue level for the drink.]]

Up next: The Amazing Evans!
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:08, Thu 19 Aug 2010.

Evans waits to see what tex does

OOC: basically, hold action.  If he attacks, interrupt with a shot, if he runs, aim for +2 next round

10:15, Today: The Amazing Evans drew the single card: 9H using a deck of 54 cards. init.

As Wildcat Hawkins grows closer to the disturbance, the scene grows stranger...there seem to be a group of people surround some sort of large man. One of them, a chinawoman, is wielding one of those fancy curved swords you've heard some of the Iron Dragon rail crews use. Another one, a dapper man in a top hat, holds a pistol on the giant man, waiting. A third man waits nearby, not even apparently armed at all.

The giant looks around, and Wildcat catches a glimpse of unnatual glowing red eyes...

[[OOC: Make a guts check, please.]]

---

The giant stares at Gangatsu as she berates him. The gash in his arm heals over entirely. A filthy tear leaks from the corner of one glowing eye.

Suddenly he sits down, and begins to bawl. "MAAAAMAAA! WAAAANT MAAAMAAAAAAA!"

[[OOC: Tex rolls his regeneration check:

Tex rolled 01 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Healing himself. Ek. I'll spend Tex's last white chip for a reroll...

Tex rolled 6,4 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. white chip.

He's affected by Gangasu's intimidation check, so he spends he turn trying to come down from his berserk.

Tex rolled 1,1 using d4-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Smarts.

Tex drew the single card: KD]]

Up next: John Smith! Unless you want to call combat ended for now and move into normal posting...

It takes something from deep inside Wildcat Hawkins not to panic at the sight of whatever the hell that is.

OOC:  Spent a red chip on my first Guts check but if there's any fear level, and there is I remember a fear level of 3 from previous posts, the 4 I got wouldn't cut it.  Spent a white chip to reroll it all and got a result of 14, and 14-3+1 is 12 so I'm good.  So that means you get another chip, Marshal.  But since you just said we're about to have another chip draw, it was either use 'em or lose 'em!

She steels herself.  Whatever that is, it ain't natural.  Kat raises the Winchester to the ready position, her finger alongside the trigger guard, but the blade of the sight is centered right on that... that thing.  The fact that it was crying was the only thing that kept her from pulling the trigger.  That thing was actually crying, what kind of insanity had she wandered into?

Narrowing her eyes, she watches this strange assemblage of people silently, waiting to see what they do to this strange monster.  Her duty is to destroy this creature, but not at the cost of others' lives.

OOC:  I'd say something but I don't know if John's going to make this into a continuing fight so I will act on my card if he does something.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:04, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

[[OOC: When you spend a white chip, you reroll ALL the dice for whatever roll you're trying to influence. This means the trait die, wild die, AND any bonuses from Red chips. So it's possible you got even higher than you originally thought...

If John doesn't post by midnight, I'll move the story onward]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:10, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

OOC:  That's actually how I got the result I posted.

[Private to The Stray:
19:46, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 11 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11. reroll of extra die after chip.

19:46, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Reroll of Wild Die after chip. 19:46,

Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 3 using 1d4, rerolling max with rolls of 3. reroll of Guts Die after white chip.

See?  I think I got that right.  Added the 11 to the 3 to get 14, -3 for Fear Level for 11, add 1 for Grit, 12.

Also, behold my narration skills!  A post where I do absolutely nothing!]

[[OOC: Ah. My mistake. I'm used to seeing people roll all their dice at once.]]

[Private to Wildcat Hawkins: It's entertaining nothing, so I don't mind :D]

She had her sword at the ready but this hideous monster with a skeletal grin broke into tears and fell to it's rump like a simple, willful child.  She stood there, looking at the large sobbing brute, but pity had no place in her heart. It was no zombie, but it came from something.. it's wounds closed up  just like magic.. Yet whom would want this rotting gift? He smelt horrible and she kept her distance. Whatever Tex was, he was a creation perhaps of his own making. Or perhaps someone gave him no choice, being too much a simpleton.

She exhales and examines ehr shirt briefly.. The asian woman turned and walked away from this large beast. She fought in Evan's cluster fuck for nothing, only some scrapes and a ripped up shirt which would go on his tab of dept to her.

Moves to Evans
This message was last edited by the player at 09:59, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

John was confused, he had turned toward this thing expecting a hell of a fight, and now it was on its ass bawlin' like a toddler. He furrowed his brow and began to move towards Evans and the asian lass keeping his eye on the thing, he was in a side stance keeping his right arm and leg in the direction of Tex, not threatening but ready to spring into action should it be necessary.
[Private to GM:
OOC Move towards Evans but making sure I have enough movement to advance and attack as an interrupt action should it become necessary.]

Kat lowers the rifle's muzzle and sets the hammer into the safety notch, but of course it's still cocked with a round chambered.  She approaches very, very carefully and treads lightly so as not to startle that... thing.  Her boots still make a crisp click/thud with each step, it can't be helped, but at least the spurs don't jingle.

She takes another look at the assembled personalities: the apparent dandy, the chineywummin with the long pig sticker, and the hombre who's not even armed with a sharp stick.  And they've been fighting that?  Not even a Sharp's, a Springfield, or a Scattergun amongst them?  I guess to live in this town you got to have a pair the size of watermelons, she pondered, noting the anatomical irony.  Despite her formative years of her mother lecturing her sternly on how to be lady like, being around so many rough riding (male) trainees for the past several years had colored, perhaps tainted, Kat's language and idioms.

Figuring whoever these people are, their nerves are likely shot, and that she might get that thing riled up again, Kat swallows her usual belligerent large and in charge approach for dealing with situations.  With the Winchester at low ready she speaks calmly in a low voice.

"All right, I'll start off real simple.  Not to insult ya'lls intelligence, but simple is always better in my experience, comprende?  Depending on who you ask, my name's either Kat, Katrina, or Wildcat Hawkins.  I got some other names too but they're no good in polite company.  The Rangers sent me.

"Now I just wandered into this little outhouse of a town, and already the things I seen in the space of less than a minute would take the rag off the bush.  First priority, we got casualties.  Thank God there's not more.  Second, I need to talk to whatever passes for the law 'round here once this mess on the streets is cleaned up."

The Dandy turns first. He puts on a smile, but it's not to hard to tell the smile is forced. "Well. A Ranger. Just what we need here."

It's hard to tell how sarcastic he's being.

"As for the local law...you're looking at it, I'm afraid. I'm Dr. Ambrosius Botticelli Evans, late of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, acting marshal of Blackthorn, and these here are my deputies. What you just witnessed was an attempt to drive us out of town."

He frowns. "You mentioned casualties? Show me. I might be able to help."

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: Just doing a little bit of an introduction here...feel free to play Evans from here out until we get Robert onto his feet. Just so you know, Evans had a few bottles of Healing Elixir back at his office. It's an open question of whether they survived the blast, but it would be something. In a pinch, if Evans gets the right chemicals and a workspace he can use his gadgeteer edge to whip up a Healing power temporarily.]

"Pleasure to make your aquaintance Dr. Evans.  I wasn't right properly aware they were teachin' sheriffin' back East.  There's a man down nearby, older fella.  Some damn fools tried to bed him down.  I think he'll live but he took a nasty dose of scattergun that would take the starch out of anybody."  Although she starts to lead him to the injured man, Kat stops.  "Er, ya'll will have to forgive me but I'm not familiar with that particular breed of exotic livestock... is it going to be all right if'n you leave it alone Marshal?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

"They weren't. My appointment to this position was a matter of politics, not suitability for the task, though I'm trying to make the best of it." He nods. "Poor Robert. He just took the job of deputy, you know. Those cowardly...forgive me. I will refrain from ungentlemanly speech in your presence."

When she stops, he does. He looks back at the giant, who is still sobbing away. "Frankly, my dear, your guess on that is as good as mine. This is the first giant I've had the misfortune to encounter on my travels. He could be calming down or deciding which one of us to have for supper for all I know. Either way, I have no interest in antagonizing it further."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:15, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

The arrival of the newcomer draws Johns attention for a moment to take her in and pay heed to the Winchester before turning his attention back to the giant. He steps closer to Gangatsu and in a low voice says "You good to go if'n that thing decides to tangle? I'd just as soon let it wander out of town m'self but I don't want to see it hurt no body else until it does."

"Yer deputy seems a might unprepared for th' supper contingency Marshal.  Perhaps we should leave him with a talkin' iron while we're gone?"    Kat asks Dr. Evans.  Oh there will be lots of questions later, but for now other issues are priority.  "As soon as this injured fella is put up, we's gonna have to do something about... that."

Evans pauses to scoop up the remains of his gun (FYI: a complicated looking gizmo) and says, "We don't really have a town doctor, there is a doctor but he lives out of town and is more of a rancher.  I have some healing supplies in my office.  Could you perhaps stay here and keep an eye on the big man?  Maybe find out his name, where he came from?"

Assumnig she agrees Evans rushes back to his office.

Kat nods.  This solves two problems for the moment.  She will be wanting to talk to this Dr. Evans for a spell, but that must wait.  She already took a liking to him despite his ridiculous name and demeanor because clearly here was a man with better things to do who was still trying.

"I don't guess ya'll know what the hell this thing is any more than I do."  She starts, trying to strike some kind of rapport with the apparent deputies.

This was the hands down strangest Texas law enforcement agency she had ever seen, and she'd actually seen quite a few.  Formal investigations, police procedures, and bureaucracy where probably needed here to really get some control of this situation, but you don't earn the moniker "Wildcat" by being good at doing things by the book.  Her freewheeling, improvisational devil-may-care ways had actually got her into the Rangers.

Still, it's not like Kat felt superior to local law enforcement; she'd been a deputy herself after all.  Rangers may get to do all the fun stuff, but they depended on the locals running a tight ship.  This weren't no tight ship with ruffians shooting people up in the streets and monsters roaming openly, it was a sieve.  These people were brave, but they seemed more like some rough and tumble drifters than real deputies.

Whoever these people were, Kat doubted they were career law men.  They sure didn't look like it anyway.  Kat also doubted her singular presence was going to be some miraculous event that would instantly clarify and correct whatever was going on here, but the Rangers don't send backup so she would have to be it.  And she had to act like a professional, and that meant resisting the urge to ask a million damn questions so she could know where to storm off to in order to kick the right ass.

The giant man sits quietly and sniffles to itself, seemingly resigned to being quiet now after it's outburst, like a naughty child who got in a fight and knows he's been grounded.

Marshal Evans returns to his office...to find a burnt-out wreck, still smoldering in places. This must have been what the large explosion before everything went crazy was all about. Still, there might be something left...some supplies, if anything, since he was careful enough to make sure volatile liquids and his small stash of Ghost Rock were secure.

[Private to The Amazing Evans: Make a Notice check (-2) for me, please.]

23:22, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled -3,-3 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. notice.

I think I step on some broken glass

The prodigous monster of a simpleton bawled his eyes with filthy tears , She regard Wild Kat as nothing more then just another pretty faced woman with a gun posing like Calamity Jane. The Annie Oakly-esque, Katy Devon, would be overjoyed to meet a dame like Wild Kat. Gangatsu's shirt was ripped in several places by bullets and a stab wound on her back that bled her red shirt and only slightly noticeable as it had dried up. Her face speckled with blood from Evan's queer gizmo of a gun blowing up and a small sliver of metal glittered from her cheek. Her Inky hair was a scrambled mess of thick hair, now falling loose and down to her waist with stray hairs flairing out slightly like a ruffled cat.


Emerald eyes narrowed as Evans introduced her as a damn deputy, a scowl lightly possessing her face in a growing animousity for this puppet law man. She was about to growl her protest when the man took off toward somewhere. Good, he was out of her way. Though now this woman comes up without a word of greeting like they're on the same side, Gangatsu shook her head in dismissal.

 “ I'm not his fu'kin deputy and Evan's be lucky he ain't dead.” Evans asked Kat to try and talk to the giant to get it's name and maybe some information of where it came from, but she seemed more interested in talking about something that would take a while to explain. Gatsu didn't have that idle time just yet.

John came close to her as gatsu started to enter the Grand Bull.

“  No... And it's not a thang. It's a boy, one dat smells like a outhouse with a dead man baking inside under the humid august sun, but he cried tears.. 'Things' do not cry.. “ It almost sounded like a scold to John and Wild Kat for a moment, but clearly it was freaking the woman out a littler. “If you want to help me, stranger, then I'll give ya rope ta tie up the 'Blood Gun Brother' I knocked out, and we'll question him later. So help or leave me alone.“ She went to the table by the window where once she sat and although it was turned over, she found the dynomite she put out near the wall and pocket it into a pack of her's that was still sitting there with a piece of  carrot from the gumbo on it. Slinging it over one arm, she hefted a nearby lamp from the wall and promptly left the bar..

She remmebered about the rope, that bastard tried to lasso her . She found this close to the Grand bull where she had seen it last.


23:31, Today: Gangatsu rolled 4,4 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Notice: rope

Now with that in hand, she plopped it over the fallen Adder left it for someone to tie up. Hopefully John was willing to help. She was being wary of him, that was for certain. Her mood altered only a little. Yet perhaps that's when she left the adder's side, her wooden box like sandals clicking lightly in the dust road as she rose the latern higher and looked about on the ground. It was a bit near tex, but she found it.

23:32, Today: Gangatsu rolled 4,7 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8. Notice: Gun.

The Gun of Nathaniel Frost. She lowered her eyes at it for a moment before bending down to scopp it up and put it in her pack for later.  Hell knew that could be some good evidence against the bastard that stabbed her and dared to call her a chink and a whore. She didn't snarl, as Tex was close by. She turned and walked away from the brute without fear Heading back t othfallen Dust Adder she wanted for questioning. He didn't look that heavy, but she bent down to shift him, only to find the man was dead weight.. In letting go, she moved and stumbled. Falling to a kneel with a hard grunt. Her shoulder burned from the stab wound and her body felt achey. For all her bravado, the pettie woman was wreary. She stayed that way for a moment, trying to find the strength to get up. To keep going through this madness that was spreading like a plague here.. “ Damn.. Where are you..?”

Gangatsu Failed Strength Roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:27, Sat 21 Aug 2010.

John looked at Gangatzu for a moment, he didn't seem to acknowledge the admonishment but he did give her a concerned look as she moved about clearly hurting. He made his way to the rope and the unconscious Dust Adder and proceeded to tie the man up perhaps going a little overboard as he did so. These men had sown terror in the streets and attacked innocents, he was not above making the binds a little tight around the wrists and ankles.

Wildcat reached onto her belt, behind her knife, and pulled out a pair of handcuffs as she approached John.  "Well I guess I jus' call a spade a spade.  Now if you're meanin' to take a feller into custody that ain't our big..."  She searched for the right word and came up with the wrong one.  "...friend here, these are a might bit handier than rope.  Not that I haven't had to use rope before, but this is a hell of a lot easier."

Gangatsu's voice was a strange one to Kat's ears, but she at least confirmed what the Ranger suspected: something was very wrong here. The town should have professional law men, and the fact they didn't meant somebody didn't want them to.  Whatever was going on here was deeper than what's she'd seen so far.  This was in fact a possible cluster screw.

She handed John the handcuffs, and making a dangerous assumption, figured he hadn't been told how to use them.  She doubted this Evans character knew how, and she was betting that the chineywummin's statement probably held true for this man too.  "Put his arms behind his back, and put his hands so that the palms face away from each other.  Most prisoners who escape from their restraints can only do so 'cause they's cuffed the wrong way.  Make them snug, but they shouldn't bite into his skin.  I know it's tempting to overtighten them when he's been a son of a bitch, but trust me on this one."

As Evans searches the ruins of his office, he finds the remains of his trunk. Inside are the bottle of elixir...which have been shattered. Drat.  Even more problematic, however, is the sudden wave of dizziness that passes over him.

It seems the adrenaline that was keeping him going is wearing off now, and the many wound he'd suffered to his shoulder and thighs were beginning to make themselves felt...His legs began to buckle under him.

[Private to The Amazing Evans: Make a vigor roll or suffer a point of Fatigue, please, as Evans' wounds are catching up with him. He will need to receive a Healing check (or a spell) to avoid further vigor checks.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:37, Sat 21 Aug 2010.

Katy wiped her mouth, and straightened up unsteadily. She hurried back to where Robert had fallen.

"Help!" she called. Her medical knowledge began and ended at knowing to wash a wound and bind it. Was he dead? Was he unconscious?

22:48, Today: Katy Devon rolled 2,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Notice roll.
Guess she's not noticing whether he's alive or dead either :)

"Ah hell."  Wildcat instantly felt like a Grade A Jackass.  Those fools must have come back for those people... but why hadn't she heard another gunshot?  She'd only left the woman behind there because she was armed and apparently capable, after all.  It didn't make sense.

What kind of town was this, the deputies weren't deputies and didn't even have guns or handcuffs, the marshal was some eastern dandy, and gunfighters yelled for help instead of firing?

Forgetting about whether or not even John wanted the handcuffs,  she started to hoof it back there.  "All right you folks got this in ya'lls right capable hands, I'll go see what that's about."

Wildcat didn't waste any more time than that heading back over there.

 " Shut the hell up if ya ain't gunna do any work. Hell be damned if I fight a monster and have to listen to a bitch with a gun tell someone to do something they should do themself. Only reason I even let someone help me now is cause I been shot, stabed, and smashed by a giant's fist, so fuck the shit off away from me. You done worn out your welcome near my bleeding face.." Gatsu barked with all the anger in having enough of this woman that didn't want get her hands dirty. The way the woman talked, even though she was japanese, sounded like a western born cowfolk. Emerald eyes glanced to John for a moment with a huff. " Get lost, damn sherrif can deal wid'cha."

 She heard a voice yell for help. Sounded like Katy Devon. Gangatsu smiled, a tense and ugly smile on her bloody face, a hoarse dark laugh pulling her.  She moved to stand up, slow and a light stumble at that.. " Eh.. You.. " She pointed slightly to John. " Ne'er mind dat woman, come on.. We'll carry him in and make 'em all nice n cozy.. I call dibs on the knees, you get the top ifin you don't mind."

Strength roll with +1 from John's help. Just so you know, you get a +! to your strength roll too, John, from gatsu's help..

"All right."  Wildcat paused.  "I tried the low key, honey over vinegar approach, that clearly don't register with you, sweetheart.  Darlin' I congratulate you on fightin' a jen-yoo-wine monster.  Now welcome to the damn club, you're the newest member apparently.

"I ain't done jack shit to you except lend a piece of equipment you'd have handy if you had any clue what in the blue hell you were doing.  You take no pride in your office like you got not honor at all, and you're more worried about moving things around than people crying fer help.  You ain't gonna impress nobody like that least of all me.

"Now I don't know how things work where you come from, but this is Texas and last time I checked I'm the only Ranger here.  Something's wrong in this town, I am the one responsible for doing something about it.  I ain't going nowhere 'til this is over with.  I don't need your damn welcome.

"An' guess what?  I'll be the one givin' you marchin' orders.  If'n yer such a horse's ass you make your mind up about somebody before you know one damn thing about them, yer probably not gonna get along with me anyway.  I suggest you either resign or else get a better damn attitude.

"Now, I'll be going to see what the hell's going on over there, so you can even have the last word."  Kat waved goodbye with a flourish and went to see what the cry for help was about.

Ignored the arguing going on about him as he picked up the cuffs and shrugged before fastening them about the mans wrists as he had been instructed. He didn't undo the rope entirely. He still kept the ankles bound as well as the arms. He would help Gangatsu carry the man wherever it was she felt he needed to go, or drag if it came to that. As he was assisting in moving the bastard who still lived he felt ready to cut the argument in half if someone didn't get started helping to wounded already though when he looked up it appeared Kat had said her piece and left. "People talk too much." he said with a harrumph as he sat the man down.
[Private to GM:
OOC: I don't think everything needs a check. Savage Worlds philosophy is Fast Furious Fun after all. If you think otherwise Stray let me know and I'll start rolling for whatever seems necessary.]
This message was last edited by the player at 07:02, Sun 22 Aug 2010.

" I'm not a deputy ya stupid cunt. Fuck off already." Gangatsu interrupt the women as that Ranger Dog acts conceited, arrogant, and ,ironically, unconcerned about others even though Kat is going to check out someone's cries for help despite the fact that during KAT's clueless bitching rant, that ironically she already broke all the little rules in judging people that she just said she didn't like, the person, Katy, could have been killed if it was such an emergency. The woman yells and babbles off like a dog that barks at shadows and pulls to the end of it's chain before she decided to walking away to go piss on a tree with the false sense that she gave the 'Chinnywumen' a talking to and won't have to worry about it again....

No wonder Evans was all sarcasm in meeting the woman. Gangatsu could already tell that dame was going to fuck up a lot of stuff with her self-righteous attitude, socially inept hesistation, and superiority complex of 'I am the Law', but hell. That'll be a smash to see when she's bleeding and all Gangatsu would want to do, is ask ' So what did you find out?'.

She smirked a little at John as he spoke up. " Apparently, so do dead men." Gatsu shrugs a bit with her morbid sense of humor, she didn't need to get to know anyone. She wasn't looking for friends or allies, she was here for her contact and wasn't going to make any excuses for it, that only deminishes the meaning of the work.

She picked up the bastard's legs, dragging his body in to the saloon. She had John help her put the Adder in a chair, his arm over the back of the chair to his shoulders spaced. " Kinda wish you didn't handcuff him. We could have tied him to the table and scare him a bit easier.." She started, though it could be creepy that she was thinking about that already.  " Where the hell were you when all that fightin started?.. Coulda used someone that could at least fuckin fight.."

John smiled slightly. "Other side of town." he said simply. "Checked on the explosion first, by the time I found yeh the fightin' had been goin' on fer a time." he said simply as he helped her with the unconscious bandit. He kept looking in the direction of Tex a little warily, the thing (he couldn't think of it as a boy no matter what admonishments Gangatsu sent his way) hadn't gone on a rampage but he had the dread feeling it was capable of great destruction.

As John watches, the massive bulk of the giant stands, reacting in some way to the shouting match between Wildcat and Gangatsu.

The night around Gangatsu suddenly gets a lot darker, as a massive shape looms over her. "No! Bad! Words! In! Po' Light! Company! Bad! Words! Are! Pun-ished!" the shape rumbles. "Dock! You! A Dollar! Go! Clean! The Latrines!"

[Private to John Smith: I'm partly teaching Gangatsu bits about how the system works, so that when things rolls are needed for dramatic purposes, she can see what sorts of things are needed and make educated guesses about what to roll.]
This message was last edited by the player at 11:21, Sun 22 Aug 2010.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #127):

As Wildcat approaches Katy, it seems apparent that there was no doubling back...it just seems like the woman's grasp of the situation had caught up with events. This tenderfoot obviously hadn't ever been in a gunfight before, from the way she's acting now.

Another thing wildcat notices, though, is that one of the bodies seems to have gone missing. There were two men down when she ran past, the one Katy shot and one presumably from earlier in the fight. While the she'd seen go down was still there, the other one -- the one who'd been closer to the old man and the girl -- was nowhere to be seen.

[Private to Wildcat Hawkins: Make a notice check (-4) if you want to find signs of where the man went.]

Seeing the other woman approach, Katy calls out again.

"Help! He's been shot - he needs a doctor!"

At least, she hopes he still needs a doctor.

[Private to The Stray:   09:11, Today: Secret Roll: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 3 using 1d4-4, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7. Actual Notice Die, other was Wild Die. 09:11, Today: Secret Roll: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Notice Die.

The 4( which is 0 after the -4) is actually from the Wild Die, kind of mess that up.  But it's all good.  Well it's not good, I failed the roll by 1, but oh well.]

Wildcat sighed.  She'd misjudged this woman... but then again she had seen her shoot an mean hombre right out of his saddle.

"It's all right, Marshal Evans is coming back with his medical supplies.  The best thing you can do for him is stay calm.  It's probably best we don't move him."  Kat hoped that Dr. Evans was some kind of medical doctor, but given the nature of the contraption he'd scooped up, she doubted it.  "Once he's here we'll move both of you somewhere secure... if that exists anywhere in this town.  Kat Hawkins, Texas Ranger.  That was a damn good shot earlier, by the way."
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Mon 23 Aug 2010.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #134):

PM

[Private to Wildcat Hawkins: Your PM was visible to everyone...I fixed it, though, assuming you want it to remain hidden. trying to mess with code tags around private messages is tricky, which is why I usually don't bother.

So yeah. You didn't see where the body went...your mind is a bit too focused on other things to properly search for whoever was lying in the dirt before.]

 Gangatsu was rather so unafriad of  the large man, she nearly forgotten about him in do the works she had to get done before it got too much later in the evening. John kept glancing toward it and of course the child minded simpleton was destructive, it caved in the entire front of the Grand Bull. There wasn't a single person here except for the owner whom passed out behind the bar.  Yet soon the big thing was coming andGatsu heard it, how could she miss it coming along and the great foul reeking odor that announced the giant.  She turned, looked up to him, and stared..

What an unusual thing to say. Gangatsu stood there for a quiet moment her bloody hand coming up to  smooth back the side of her hair a little before she sniffed a little. Then into her bag, she reached and pulled out a confederate dollar bill. " Fair point. But being polite. Means you do not. Hit Females. Ever. You made a mess, Scared people. Ruined the Saloon." She emcompasses the room " Look around. No people, no money... " She held up the dollar bill. " No money, no pay for you... No pay, no food. You did more damage, then my impolite mouth." She put the dollar on the table. " There's my buck, but there ain't no such thing to clean here.  Don't work here, no pay, no cleaning for me. Understand? " She sat down in a chair and looked to the man they tied to a chair.

" Well. I am Su. That is John. Whom are you? Be polite."

In the light of the lanterns around the Grand Bull, the giant somehow looks even worse. He resembles someone who has been flayed, and left to walk around with all his muscles showing and no skin to speak of.

He picks up the dollar and regards it for a little while, before he breaks out into a grin. "Tex has a money!" He chortles. He looks back at Gangatsu. "Tex sorry for hitting...Tex was mad. Tex break things when he's mad."

He looks around the room, and his eyes settle on the thug bound to the chair. "Why you tie up Ned? Ned not cow. Ned not need roping."

At the admonishment to be polite, the giant makes what looks like an attempt to bow, and stumbles forward a couple of steps before righting himself. "I is Tex Ass. Big as Tex Ass. Dumb as Tex Ass." It's like a little kid parroting something he's been told, probably by people who thought it would be funny.

John blinked as Tex suddenly became very social and watched the exchange between the giant and Gangatsu. He nodded when introduced and continued to observe quietly taking note of the mans name as Ned. He only just managed to keep himself from smiling when Tex repeated the moniker, not because of the use of the word ass which John figured people like the Dust Adders took to thinking of as clever, but suffice to say he hadn't had the best experience with Texas or Texans during his time in the West and found the giants last sentence particularly amusing.

Evans picks up the bottle and stubmles a bit as he straightens up.  "Hmm, I'll need to have a sit down, later."  He heads back up the street where the man-mountain is apparently being watched, when he hears Katy's cry for help.
As he passes the wreakage of the saloon, he calls out to Gangatsu, "I will return shortly, you don't seem to be in immediate danger of passing"

At he appraches the tableau of Katy, Wildcan, and the downed lawyer, he unstoppers the bottle.  "This should help, hold up his head so he can swallow"

10:19, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 4,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. vigor check.

[Private to GM: I was giong to have Evans take some of the elixer, but he's overconfident, he knowns he doesn't need it]

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #139):

[Private to The Amazing Evans: have Robert make a Vigor roll (with a -3 penalty from the wounds) for the effect of the elixir. That's the last dose...all the rest were destroyed.]

Wildcat kneels and props the man up, elevating his head and helping him swallow it if need be.  "See... he'll pull through."  She tells Katy reassuringly.

"Marshal, I really do try to keep an open mind about people, cuz I don't know who they are and what they've done and yer alleged deputies seem to have that critter seetchee-ashun under control, but I'll hope you won't get too flustered if'n I ask you how in tarnation you've kept this town from burning down so far.  You've got more problems than an a plucked chicken at a Baptist picnic."

Once Evans indicates he is through,  Kat pulls the man's arm over her shoulder and pulls him up.

Robert swallows

11:51, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled -2,-1 using d4-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. drinking a cocoction.

11:52, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. a blue to add d6.

11:52, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 0-1,4 using d4-3,d6-3,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2,4. a red to reroll everything.
that's a 4

Evans watches Robert coming around at the elixir, and sighs with relief. That was the last of the stash he'd acquired in his travels peddling "Evans & Jones Modern Medical Miracles and Old Fashioned Remedies." Those days seemed so very long ago now...

He shook himself out of his reverie, and sagged against the nearest wall.

"I didn't stick my nose out too far before, that's how. When that changed...well, you can see the result. All of these deputies I've hired? That was only in the last two days. Before that I was here all alone while those ruffians had the run of the place. And frankly, you don't even know the half of the problems I'm facing."

"But in the last few minutes I've survived having a plateful of dynamite shoved in my face, stared down a psychotic gunman with several scratches to show for it, and watched a giant trash my favorite saloon. I am tired, hungry, and bleeding, and in no mood to answer questions, so I would greatly appreciate it if you helped me clean up this mess tonight and save the queries until I've been bandaged, fed, and had what passes for a good night's sleep. I promise, I will endeavor to answer you to the fullest extent possible at that time. For now, please help me escort Robert and this young lady here to the Saloon."

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: You're conscious, but you still have 3 wounds. If you can find someone to give you a healing check, you can heal more of those, as long as you get treatment within the hour, otherwise you'll be stuck healing the wounds naturally.

Also, take a look at the Experience and Fate Chips thread, and discard down to 3 chips as we're in a new session now. I'm letting you spend the chips you had before on this so you can get up an moving, but you'll have only 3 chips from this point forward until the next chip award.]

Robert blinks, winces, and says, "Hell, I fought in the Battle of Washington, and never got his.  Must to getting to old to remember to duck.  Which way to the doctor's house?"

Kat nods her understanding and stands, helping the injured man walk.  She starts to hand Katy the Winchester, but immediately thinks better of it and opts for Evans instead.

"A proper gentleman always carries a lady's arms for her."  Kat wasn't much of a joke teller, but she tried.  "Well it sounds like you've had a hell of a lot more fun tonight than I have, wish I'd gotten here sooner.  But there's one thing, and then I'll shut the hell up.  Just yes or no will do mighty fine, sir.  The circuit judge, you seen hide or hair of him?"

"We were hoping you had." Evans says as he takes the rifle. he looks at Robert. "The only doctor around that isn't me is Ward, who might have been the one to send those thugs in the first place...oh." he grimaces as a thought occurs to him. "And there's Silas Underhill, the undertaker. He used to be a medical miracle worker before he took up his current occupation. I'm loathe to suggest it, but he's the only one who I can think of that has training in the medicinal arts that isn't a suspect or in need of a doctor himself. How much cash do you have at hand? He'll probably need convincing it's more lucrative to keep us above the ground than below it."

Kat kept her word and was silent.  She might not have particularly liked what these unconventional enforces of the law apparently had going here, but she was floored to see them trying so hard.  What's more, the thought occurred to her maybe with what she'd seen being the norm here, that it was probable conventional officers might even be powerless to act at all.

At this point it was best not to buck the system they had, such as it was, and to do everything in her power to legitimize the alleged Marshal at least for the moment.

She listened carefully to the others talking and unwittingly addressing some of her confusion in the process.  Their words were as good as a dossier.  Wildcat figured listening was more important than saying anything else right now anyway, but damn she hated that part of the job.

Robert takes Kat's arm / let's her take his.  "My dear, I asked that m'self when I first arrived at this charming town.  If you have no othah pressing needs, we can take a walk this fine evening and I'll let you know what I do know of the judge, as I sat before him not a sennight ago."  He turns to Evans.  "We will rouse the undertaker, and inform him that he has customers, both living and dead.  I assume, Marshal, that you have more pressing matters than repairing my poor battered frame?"

" Yeah, I hit when I'm angry too."  She muttered, taking a seat as the giant took a dollar from the table. She gave a faint grunt, ploping back into it and gave a sigh. She was getting a good look at the dressed beast, and he looked like a dusty ridden scab, she could feel the  fumbo in the back of her throat threaten to rise for a moment, but it was a bluff. She had to tread through a desert of dead bodies, dried husks baking in teh sun and where is was shady and dank, it reeked the most from the dried out blood and final bowel movement being released.  Her mind often went to the dark places, though something brought her out of it.

She smiled briefly as the giant stumbled in a formal bow and gave a funny little line.. One that got the wheels in her head turning.

" Ned..? Well, Tex. He's in the time out chair." She started to explain. " Ya see, I can't dock his pay or make 'em clean, cuz he dun't work fer me.  So all naughty people tryin ta hurt women, get sent ta da chair and get a whippin'.. But Ned got so drunk he passed out, we had to tie him so he wouldn't fall off."

She passed a glance to John for a moment, her eyes shifting in a hard look to Ned then back to John then the giant.

" Now, Tex, I dun't wanna alarm you, but when Ned wakes up, he might say a lotta bad things, so just don't listen even if he tells you to untie him or i'll dock my dollar. Now, he's in the chair because he was very impolite and mean towards me and only I can tell him when he can leave after his punishment. So if he tries to run, We're going to have to pretend Ned is a cow and rope him good. Just so you understand, we're not hurting Ned, he's just being punished. You learned your lesson, that's why yer not in the chair..." She canted her head to the side for a moment, just waiting. Her arms came up and wiped her nose before continuing.

" But fer now.. I got a game for you, Tex. It's caleld 'A Fistful of Dollars'. I'll ask you a question, a question about your job, and you answer. For every answer, I'll give you get fifty cents unti lthe game is over. Do you want to play?

The Amazing Evans:

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #148):

"My dear sir, you are a scholar and a gentleman." Evans replies. "I'm glad to see you are feeling well after your game with the Reaper. Tell me, does he actually play chess? I'm curious to know, though not in any hurry to find out first hand." he winks, and lets Robert lead Wildcat away.

Instead, he turns to Katy Devon, who is still standing there looking a little shocked. "Well, ma'am. I am dreadfully sorry that you got mixed up in all this. Tell me, are you all right? Do you need an escort home?"

Tex:

Tex nods. "Ned says lots o' bad things. Bad things good out on range, not in po' light company."

His face twists into a horrible, yellow, gap-toothed grin at the mention of a game.

"Tex like games! Tex like moneys! Tex wanna play!"

[[OOC: "A Fistful of Dollars"...I love it! :D]]

Kat's amazed this old codger is still alive.  "That's an awful lot of scattergun to take in and live to tell about it."

" Good, good.." She mutters, having to avert her eyes for a moment as a darken memory that haunted her for a moment. She was quiet and bit her lip for a second before opening them, she wiped her face, more notably her eyes, and shifted in her seat as she prepared.  " Kahn,  go get Evans, I don't reckon i'll be getting up soon..." Gatsu started, must have forgotten that wasn't John's name, but he was the only one in the saloon besides these two.. Right?

" Okay Tex, now listen up... First question.. What is the name of the man you work for? The one hte tells you about being.. Polite."  She knew Frost was part of this crap from the begining of the fight when evans got him to unmask himself and she knew Doc Ward  runs this town from th ranch and allows nathaniel to do as he will. But she really wanted to make sure that Doctor knew about this big lug or if only the Adders did. She waited for the answer and would wait for evans to show up a bit at least.

John arched a brow when Gangatsu look then gave her a smile and a simple nod before reclining in his seat and tipping his Stetson down as though resting his eyes or nodding off. He stayed awake, however, and listened for any sign of trouble. The woman had a way with the beast so he was more than happy to let her deal with it. He wasn't much for talking to folks these days anyway.

Tex scrunches up his face. "That two questions. That not fair. Tex work for Nate. Man who tell Tex to be po' light is The Doc."

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #151):

"It was only one barrel, m'dear.  Seen much worse.  So what brings you to this little town?  Just passing through?"

In reply to The Stray (msg #150):

Katy stared as the elixir revived Robert. She'd read about miracle medicines, but they'd always been the one part of the stories she hadn't believed. Surely they'd have the best medical care back East?

"That was amazing!"

She brushed the dirt off his gun, from when she'd dropped it, and handed it back. Then she turned to Evans.

"Thanks, but I was visiting the theater," she replies, with a wave at the nearby building.

"What just happened? Was that a bandit attack?"

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #156):

"That is why they call me the Amazing Dr. Evans, my dear." The dapper man says, twirling his mustache with a grin. The grin turns into a wince as his own wounds complain to him, but the smile returns after only a few seconds.

"Ah. Then allow me, if I may, to provide you with an escort. These are dangerous times, as you have just witnessed." He holds out an elbow for her to take.  At the question, he sighs. "No. What you just witnessed was nothing so clean as banditry. That was terrorism. I'm afraid that by trying to act in my role as town marshal and brings some law and order to this town, I have shone light in into a dark place, and the roaches and vermin that live there don't like the light spilling into their comfortable black pit. So they organized and tried to drive me and my deputies out of town. I suppose one has to expect to be stung when one stirs up a hornet's nest, but the nest has to be dealt with somehow."

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #155):

"One barrel's all it takes, be it crackers, whiskey, or shotguns we're talkin' about.  You could say I was passin' through, or would have been if'n anyone knew what happen t'th' circuit judge.  Looks like I might get to stay a while though.  Lucky me."

Wildcat leads the man to Idjit, who's lashed nearby.  The low end horseflesh should make a sufficient ambulance, and her rifle scabbard is waiting there too.  At worst, he could lean on the horse and her.

"Now I gotta ask, what's a feller got to do in this town to get blasted in the mug like that?"

"It's a bit complicated.  There's this local gang called the Dust Adders.  Most everyone knowns who they are, but are to afraid to make an official complaint about it.  There's been some ... odd thing happen recently, so Evans deputized a few of us to look into it.  That might have been what set off this attack.  I was just out and about, when they rode up and tossed some dynomaite into the saloon."

Damn. She gave Danny Boy right back to the very people that did this to him, no wonder the doctor said he might not live long. With that thick blood, it would take a while for Danny to bleed out, but they just might kill that little bastard.

" Ah, no. Two answers, one dollar. " She put it down on the table for Tex to take.  she broguht up a ragged looking pocket that was cut out from the jacket, it was were she kept the ghost rock hidden. She was using it as a visual for now. " Next question. Do ya know which mine the bluebelly yanks were kept? Do you rememebr, they were minin fer ghost rock. They were jackets this color."

Wildcat grinned sinisterly.  "The Dust Adders?  Last time I got sideways with one of those sorry losers, he acc'dent'ly somehow wound up in an overturned shithouse in Gonzales county by the time I was through with him.  That particular member's still in the hoosegow, but regardless you just made my night sir.

"And don't take this the wrong way now but I reckon something powerful odd has gone down if'n his alleged deputies include such a queer assortment of fellers.  Don't a one of ya look like a lawman, not that looks count for everythin'.

"But that does beg the question, what in tarnation drives a man who don't seem a law man to put on th' title of deputy Mister...?"

"Micklethwait. Robert Micklethwait, Miz Hawkins.  As to why, well, I'm a lawyer. And the judge didn't show up, which puts me out of a job.  And, well, we just fought a war to stop them Damn Yankees from pushin' us around.  Didn't seem right to let the Dust Adders do the same to the folk in this town."

"Well yer some lawyer Mr. Mickle-Fwate."  Kat butchered the name without seeming to even realize it.  "Purty smart on yer part, get paid to bring 'em in, then get paid to get 'em off th' hook, and repeat.

"So I'm guessin' yer not local, I'm pretty sure Doc Evans ain't local neither, them deputies didn't seem local per se, and I'm guessin' this Doc Ward feller's got something to do with it too.  That's a might suspicious."

In reply to Gangatsu (msg #160):

Tex is silent a moment. "Can't talk 'bout that." he says at last. "Gus said not to say nothin' 'bout what goes on at the old mine." He frowns, dejected. "Tex not gettin' Moneys for that, is he?"

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #163):

Robert shakes his head.  "I've been following the circuit judge for some time now.  Before that I was back east.  After a bit of a hot time in Washington, I mostly rode a desk in Richmand.  Once the war finally ended, I .... drifted west."  Robert shakes his head, then pulls out his pistol to reload.  "Da.. ng.  I left my spare reload cylinder back in the dirt.  I'll need to fetch it.   The other deputies are outsider as well, an Injun named Running Bear, a drifter with the unique name of John Smith.  There seems to be a clank owned by nobody, goes by the name of Alouette."  He looks up.  Seeing the Undertaker's sign, he knocks loudly.

"A clank?"  Kat asked, confused as to what that could mean but then she thought about the name.  "Oh, a Frenchman."

The Undertaker better open up soon.

"One of them, ghostrock powered, automatons, like what they have all over Salt Lake City." Robert explains

Wildcat clearly was not picking up what Mr. Mickle-Fwate was putting down.  "Somebody named their steam wagon after a Frenchman?  Why would you ruin a perfectly good steam wagon like that?"

"My dear, " Robert says gently. "Not a steam wagon.  A steam person."

"No foolin'?"  Kat asked, sure he was pulling her leg at this point.

"Go away!" Comes a shout from inside. "I ain't gettin' involved!"

"Let's play a game Mr. Mickle-Fwate, Good Ranger, Bad Ranger.  Since yer shot up at the moment, I suggest you play Good Ranger, and fast, because I'm about to play first."

" Friad not." She spoke calmly, bringing her hand to her face again. This giant was something that ought to be killed. But it's wounds healed quickly and it was a good thing it was so simple-minded, but at the same time.. She almost felt a bit sorry for the big lug. He couldn't have choosen to be this way, could he? She might have to ask about that....

" But." She paused considerately, rubbing her cheek, her bag on the top and her sheathed sword was in the other hand, vertical from the floor like a staff.

" Ya don't gotta say any abou'it.. I know them yankees were there. I know they were mining for the doc. You and d'em Adders were keepin them there. And that they fought y'all to get loose, and they did. One o d'em boys talked about you. The fella with the big hands. So if your not gunna say it, well.. If you showed me where it is, we walk d'here or you point it on a map. Then.. That's not really telling. you get yer money for answering and you honestly didn't 'talk' about it... Sounds like a win-win fer you, Tex. " Plus, anything she didn't learn from him willingly, she was going to take it all out on Ned. She hid that note on a light prim smile. The details of that night Danny talked about will have to be beaten from the Adder.

" Also.. Tex.. Here's a simple question.. How old are ya?"

In reply to Gangatsu (msg #173):

Tex frowns. "That...er...guh...Tex don't know. Gus might get mad...gonna have to ask Gus."  He brightens at the other, easier question.

He holds up his massive hands, holding them open then closing them, then opening them again, then holding up 4 fingers. "That many!" he says, apparently quite proud of himself.

She might have to ring back around to that question or raise the amount of money a little. There were a few more charismatic people around she could possibly bark at, but it'll have to wait a little.

" Who's Gus?" She arched her brow a little. Though she found out a bit about his age. She was expecting maybe a century or something with this kind of decay, perhaps he was raised from the dead or something, but it wond up being worse.

"  Wha'da- You mess'd wit da devil, boy? What the heck ya thought ta gain by dat? "
This message was last edited by the player at 05:43, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

John continued his silent vigil over his... new acquaintance, he supposed she wasn't a friend exactly, and maybe an ally in only the sense that the Dust Adders were shooting at everyone and those who could fought back and she was one of those who could. He listened as well, something he was good at when he needed to be, and blinked as he put two and two together in regards to the union soldiers. Could it be the same?

Something else was nagging at him. He didn't notice before but now that he'd heard her talk, had a better look at her face and observed her mannerisms there was something familiar about Gangatsu. When it finally hit him his eyes widened slightly then settled down. He would say nothing, not while she was interrogating the... thing. No, for now he'd simply keep a watchful eye out for trouble from either Tex or their bound friend.

In reply to Gangatsu (msg #175):

"Gus' my bruther. Gus smarter than Tex. Makes all the decisions." Tex rumbles.

He stops speaking as Gangatsu starts accusing him of making deals with the devil. "Dun't wanna play no more." he growls, a note of anger creeping in.

Gangatsu paused, the sheathe of her sword thumped against the floor for a moment in her getting up to her feet as the beast growled at her, Oblivious to John's  assesments for the moment.  She looked up to Tex for a moment and took out a dollar to place on the table.

" From the last two questions you answered. You can take it. No harm, no foul. If your not going to play, then you might as well go. I don't like bein growl'd at, makes for unfit company. Dun'cha think?" She spoke slow and calm, calculating her next move in this, but she couldn't help it. she heard stories about people making deals with the dark one, some over just making a few lousy dollars and wind up dying. Though. This fellow has that quick healing invunerability at the cost of his appearance. Why.. Just to be a brute enforcer? " But if you do want to play again. Come by town. Just make sure you dun't e'er.. E'er tell about where that extra money came from, might make yer brother and friends angry you talkin to town folk. They find out, might take your winnings and make ya clean da outhouse. Sound's right, don't it, Texas?"

Tex picks up the dollar and stuffs it and the other one he'd gotten into a pocket. Then he stands, moves over to the tied up Dust Adder, and picks him up, chair and all, before turning and heading towards the door.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #172):

"I'm more likely to play, half-dead ranger, but I will leave it in your capable hands" Robert leans against a post, afraid he was about to tip over.

Kat shrugs.  "All right, that's how we'll play 'er."

She kicks the door, not to damage it, but to make a loud noise, and draws her Single Action Army to the low ready position.

"Texas Ranger! Open up or get arrested for interfering with an on going investigation!"

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #157):

"Thank you," Katy replies, taking his elbow.

"I suppose they can't stand the light. Will you fight back in some way? I suppose having a Texas Ranger on hand must help."

To Katy's mind, Texas Rangers were semi-mythical; she was still trying to wrap her mind around the idea that they were also real.

[Private to GM: Evan's remark reminds me of the original Green Lantern oath:
    ...and I shall shed my light over dark evil.
    For the dark things cannot stand the light,
    The light of the Green Lantern! ]

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #181):

"I'm telling you I ain't involved!" comes a panicky shout from within.  "Go away!"

There's the sound of rushing around from within, and the clink of bottles and other objects being hastily stuffed into a carpet bag...

[[OOC: you'll need Persuasion or Intimidate to convince him to open up, or you'll need to break down the door]]

"Ah wonder."  Robert says, starting to breath heavily as the exertion and pain starts to catch up with him, "What exactly he not invovled in..."

"Let's find out!  Git back!"

Wildcat Hawkins could shoot a rifle, track a deer, and play the harmonica, but dealing with difficult undertakers acting suspiciously in a civil manner was not in her repertoire.

OOC:

Assuming the door has a Parry of 2.

18:04, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 2 using 1d6 with rolls of 2. damage the door.
18:03, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 8 using 2d6, keeping the highest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,1. attack the door

The door stubbornly refuses to budge. There's a sound, like someone running, but it's heading away...possibly for a back door.

[[OOC: The door has a toughness of 8, so you need to do that much damage to it to break it open in one blow. You can try again, or try to head him off. You'd need to hit 3 on the running die to get far enough to block the rear door.]]

"I...haven't decided what I plan to do yet. But yes, having a Ranger about the town is certain to shake things up." He leads her to the front of the theater, not aware she had plans to meet someone around the back...

Wildcat realized the door wasn't breaking fast enough and gave chase.  This wasn't about not wanting to get involved, and if it was, this man was tremendously stupid.

21:34, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Running Die.

Wildcat turns the corner just as a scarecrow thin man with a pinched face and prince-nez glasses comes running out the back. His suit is stained and he clutches a carpetbag under one arm.

He looks at Wildcat and forces a smile. "Oh! I'm sorry, we're closed for the evening. I was just leaving to- er, heading home. Please, come back tomorrow during regular business hours and I'll be glad to help you out then. Ta-ta!"

Then he begins to run.

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #187):

Katy notices he's leading her round to the front door.

"Oh, sorry! I should have said. I'm meeting someone at the stage door, to get a tour."

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #190):

"Indeed? Well, then. Let us retire to the rear." They begin walking the other way. "You know, it occurs to me that we haven't been properly introduced. I am Dr. Ambrosius Botticelli Evans, late of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, now acting marshal of Blackthorn. And you are?"

"Hit the dirt before ya piss me off!"  Wildcat wasn't about to let some two bit undertaker who was up to who knows what ditch her so easily.

[[OOC: Make me an intimidate check, please]]

OOC:  It's more of warning than an intimidation attempt.  Interpersonal skills are not my forte at this point in my career but apparently I'm somewhat intimidating despite myself!

08:33, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5,2 using 1d4-2,1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7,4. Intimidate. 

He drops, covering his head with his bag. "Don't hurt me, please!" He whines. "I just want to go home!"

[[OOC: Sure, it's a warning, but I'm using Intimidate (and the opposed roll) as a gauge for his reaction.

Silas Underhill rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. resiting intimidate.]]

Kat cocks the Colt just so he can hear it.  It's trained on him, but she's not expecting a fight at this point.

"Push the bag away.  Hands on yer head."  Kat curses having lent her handcuffs out earlier but who could have anticipated this turn of events?  She'd have brought a half dozen pairs if she'd known what she was wandering into.

The undertaker does as the Ranger tells him, pushing the bag away and clamping his hands over his head, trembling like a leaf. "I'm just a working stiff." he mumbles. "I don't need all this trouble! I didn't do anything to deserve this!"

"Then act like a working stiff.  Let me explain something to you sir."  Kat approaches, pushing the carpet bag away with her foot so it's out of her reach.  Keeping here eye on the undertaker, she takes a cursory glance at its contents to see if there's anything weird or unusual in it at first blush.  "When there's fighting on the streets, and we still aren't completely positive where all the suspects are, you were apparently ready to book it, and you scream about not being involved and then run from the law, well, what does that look like to me sir?"

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #191):

"Oh, I'm Katy Devon, from North Carolina."

After all the chaos and excitement, Katy completely forgot she'd been using another name.

Robert followed, painfully slow, and watches with some amusement.  "I would advise you to tell the young lady everything.  She is in no mood for evastions."

09:57, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 8,2 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. persuasion with wound penalites.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins and Robert Micklethwait:

Inside the bag are five brown glass bottle labeled "Dr. Marner's Marvelous Medicine," what looks like a change of clothes, a vial of spirit gum, a wig and a false beard, twenty dollars in Confederate scrip, ten dollars in Union scrip, 70 dollars in coins from both sides in silver dollars and quarter, half, and gold eagles, and a ring of keys.

"Look, I just took the corpse in and disposed of it! That's all! That's my job!" the man burbles. "I know cremations are frowned on...but it was Ward who paid for it! Twenty dollars! how could I pass that up? I didn't know he was going to send the Dust Adders to run people out of town! I thought he might want to get rid of me, to keep me quiet! But I swear, I didn't do anything illegal this time!"

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #199):

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Devon." Evans replies.

They reach the back door. Evan raps it smartly, prompting a voice from beyond.

"What!? Who is it?"

"This is Marshal Evans, sir, as well as one Katy Devon. We were invited to tour your production backstage?"

"Never heard of you!"

"My good sir, the shooting has stopped. It is quite safe to let us enter."

There's a pause, and a sound of hurried conversation.

"I regret to inform you, sir and madam, that tonight's performance has been canceled in light of recent events. Please return tomorrow."

"Oh dear." Evans mutters, then turns to Katy. "Well, that's that, I suppose. Shall I escort you back to where you are staying, Miss Devon?"

"Whose corpse?"  Kat asked, not sure if he was talking about the thugs or someone else's.  "Mr. Mickle-Fwate, are you in good enough repair to retrieve my lariat from my less than trusty steed?"

"The headless Yankee." The man says, shivering. "Damn it, what is it with this town and dead Yankees all of a sudden, anyhow?"

"Ain't a dead Yankee a good Yankee?"  Kat asks, more confused than ever.

"Not when the dead ones get up again." The undertaker mutters.

" Whoa. I thought we discussed the chair." Gangatsu moved to catch up with the big fella. " Your bein rather impolite steppin in on dat, Tex. Ya said ya understood bout it now ya goin back on yer word. Would'ja put him down? Please?"

"Su say Ned gunna be whipped. Ned is Tex's friend. Tex not want to have Ned whipped. Tex take Ned home, where the Doc can dock his dollar, make him clean latrines." he looks at Gangatsu, and there's a sound like a rattlesnake's tail being shaken from somewhere in the giant's vicinity. "Su ask Tex things she shouldn't. Say Tex make deals with bad things. Tex don't think he like Su much. Su gunna try to stop Tex?"

Tex.. I explained that to you. The doc owns him, I don't. I can't dock him fer what he owes, so a smack on the wrist will have to do. He's not really geting whipped and it won't hurt no grown man. You were okay with that before the game, now yer bein unfair to me.."

Gangatsu narrowed her brow a little at the challenge, and it was suicidal, but really, whatdid she care about that mine. The ranch was known property. She will find out what she knows, it's just a matter of time. "Ah.. So your tellin me ya didn't. I'm wrong. Okay. Fine. I can take that.. I'm sorry fer sayin that to you. I say things when I get angry, a nice fella like you can get tricked into things. Happens to good people all the time. That's what I meant. I didn't mean you did something bad, you just.. Might not have realized it, good people normally don't.. Too bad there would've been no one there ta look after ya if you did make a deal though. I would have stopped ya. But that's if it would have happened.. But it didn't.." She started lightly.

She shifted her stance, butting her arms up as she stepped out out his way. " Fair 'nuff, big guy? Hope you forgive that lil.. Misunderstandin'."

The giant sets down the chair, then picks up another chair. and sits down as well.

"Gus done the deal, and he done it with the Snake. And he done it to save Tex." he murmurs, eyes tearing up again. "Tex shot by Wichita Bitches. Tex were dyin'. Gus said to the Snake, 'help him. Make him live!' and Snake said yes, but that Tex needed to shed skin. Gus took his knife, helped Tex shed his skin. Tex lived. Tex heals. Tex is strong, like bull. But Tex hurt all the time now."

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #202):

Katy sighs, disappointed, and her opinion of Vincent Kaje takes a nosedive.

I mean, it was only a little shooting! It was quite exciting, really. Anyone would think he was scared!

"Thanks," she says to Marshal Evans, "I'm staying at the Grand Bull."

She is, of course, oblivious to what's happened further up the street at the saloon.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #211):

Evans sighs. "Ah. Of course you are. Well then, off we go, but I'm afraid you may be in for a shock, as the Grand Bull was the focal point of their cowardly attack, and the place is a bit disheveled at the moment."

He leads her down the street, towards the Saloon, where the first sign of trouble is the broken window...

...and just inside the building, sitting down, is the tremendous bulk of a huge man, who looks vaguely like someone who has been skinned and then had gray mold growing in patched on the muscle...

[[OOC: Make a Guts check. You get +1 for your Grit, but -3 for the town's Fear Level...]]

[Private to Katy Devon: There's also the fact they were waiting on a Miss Brown, and the fact that Evans introduced himself as Marshal...but I don't know if those are things Katy would pick up on...]

"How badly... disheveled?"

But she saw for herself soon enough, when she came face to face with... a monster.

22:42, Today: Katy Devon rolled 8,-1 using d6-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,2. Guts check.
[Private to GM: No +1 for Grit - she's a Tenderfoot with 0 Grit. But it doesn't look like she needs it :)]

"Oh, you poor man..." she says compassionately, thinking him injured in the attack.

[Private to GM: I didn't pick up on them, so I'm certain Katy didn't :)]

 The Witchita Witches. She didn't think she would ever hear of those dames so soon. It was told they were th toughest all female gang under employement for the Black River Railroad that was heading out west to Los Angels, six hours away from Shan Fan..  Yet she also heard those 'Bitches' as Tex put it, were real witches and sold their very souls to the Devil for powers.

Smarts roll, earned a 9. The raise allowed bonus information.

 They gunned down Tex here and his brother saved his life at the cost of this grotesque hulking beast, sounding unkillable.. And in pain.

This is the being she had met since Kahn died, that their lives didn't seem so different. To think, the only person on an emotional level she could connect with was percieved as a monster. She did not like what that said about her loss. She couldn't bring Kahn back, he was long dead and body pulled asunder from being eaten, but time she found his half skinned torso and that everlasting gortesque smile carved upon his jaw.....

 She broke into a cold sweat and couldn't feel her tears running. She was numb for a moment. No.. Stop.. Stop crying like a little bitch, it doesn't do anything at all, half blood. She sniffed, and covered her mouth for a moment, not to block out the reek of Tex, but to stop her nose from running. If she would have brought him back, it would have been no better then the Dead Gunmen she brings down. But, to some level, Tex was still alive, he can feel. He understood, it wasn't just like a meat puppet on magic strings, he was fully in control of himself and remembers...

What could someone say to that..

Thought the soft familar voice made her jump and turned away from the direction of Katy and Tex, heading over tothe other side of the room. Long time since anyone krept up on her.. Just like the scared girl she was, the gotten her beloved killed.  She took a deep breath and the tears dried with a wipe of her sleeve.  Glancing at Evans and Katy, she gave them a nod and pulled on her hat to shadow her redden eyes. " Tex. That's Miss Kaede. And I reckon you know Marshal Evans. I'm.. Going to go put Ned's chair in the celler. Least his eyes won't hurt when he wakes up.. Excuse me for a moment.. John.. Come help me out.."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:24, Sat 28 Aug 2010.

"Su sad." The giant rumbles, apparently noticing Gangatsu's tears. he reaches up a hand, as if to wipe them away...but stops, apparently thinking better of it.

"Poor man!?" Evans says, arching his eyebrows in bemusement. he looks around the shattered room, noting the overturned furniture and the table stuck halfway through the back wall where the mirror used to be. "My dear lady, your sense of compassion does you credit, but this...this thing is no poor man!"

Tex shakes his head. "Tex not poor." He rumbles, his voice deep enough to shake the floor boards. "Tex gots a fistful of dollars!"

At the mention of moving Ned, the giant's hand clamps down on the back of the chair. "No. Tex take Ned home. Let Doc deal with him."

Gangatsu was thinking for a moment.. Ted wouldn't talk without his brother Gus saying so. Ned was out cold and getting taken away.  She moved away from tex, heading outisde on the porch to get some air..

John tilted up his hat and stretched, sitting in one position for a time had made him fairly stiff. He got up and looked at Tex and smiled. "You know big feller," he said as he approached Evans and Katy. "you seem like good folk." He said and looked at Evans and nodded "Sir. I think Gangatsu and Tex had a nice chat but Tex here seems to be wantin' to take his friend home. Now I'm not of a mind to stop him if yer fine with that." he said and paused before looking up at the big creature who seemed a little less monstrous now. "But if you don't mind I'd like to help by untyin' him and maybe gettin' those handcuffs off of him 'afore you go." he asked the giant. "I think his time out with us is about done."

Evans looks at the giant, looks at the tied up man, and looks at John Smith.

"You know, it occurs to me that, as of right now, we don't have a cell to hold them in, even if I were to press charges. Perhaps releasing Tex and his 'friend' would act as a show of good faith to the other dust adders and buy us some peace to plan our next move. I'm not optimistic about that outcome, mind, and I'm sure the Ranger who just came into town is going to pitch a fit that  we're letting them go, but I can't picture any alternative that doesn't end with people dead or screaming, the town in flames, and me losing my hat. You may proceed, Mr. Smith."

He stands to one side, keeping his distance from the bulk of the giant.

Tex scrunches up his face while listening to John. "John gunna untie Ned? Good." He moves to give room to John to get at the ropes and manacles, though he stays close enough to interfere.

OOC:  Going to assume Mr. Robert brought me that lariat to move us along, if that's cool with his player and you, Stray, but writing the post in such a way he could say hell no I'm not fetching you a damn lariat what do I look like a golden retriever and it still works.  Sorry, lots of homework this weekend!

Kat didn't trust a lariat to be enough to hold this guy.  She placed him in a tight wrist lock.  "All right fella, I got a whole passle of questions for ya, but it's yer lucky day.  You got yerself a chance to get on my good side.  Now Mr. Mickle-Fwate here done got himself on the wrong end of a scatter gun.  I know yer an undertaker an' all, so ya oughtta know a lil' bit bout cleaning out a gunshot wound."

Wildcat pulls the man up to his feet, retaining the wristlock, and keeping her Peacemaker drawn.

"I hate to keep asking you for favors so below an attorney of your cal'ber Mr. Mickle-Fwate but I ain't grown that third arm yet.  Could ya see to oblige me an' tote that carpet bag in wit' us?"

[[OOC: It's cool with me. Sundays are usually dead around here anyhow, and with school starting up in most places I don't expect that to change much]]

"W-well, now, w-why didn't you say so in the first place?" The undertaker forces another grin through the pain. "You should have said something right-*ow*-right off, instead of scarin' me half to death with your pounding and carrying on!"

He gives Robert a glance. "You be careful with that, that's my rightful property!"

Kat proceeds to usher the man into his place of business and re-situates him with the lariat around one ankle, but the Single Action Army stays out for the moment.

"All right now, here's how this is going to work.  Yer gonna get to stitchin', an' we're all just gonna talk a spell.  Regular church social like."

In reply to The Stray (msg #215):

"Shame on you!" scolds Katy, "You shouldn't judge someone by their appearance like that! Why is he tied up anyway?"

She moves to help John untie him.

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #222):

[[OOC: The giant isn't tied up, by the by...there's a man tied to the chair near the giant, dressed rather like the other ruffians she saw take down Robert]]

"Is the fact that yon giant is the one who put that table through the wall over there enough to judge him by? Or the fact that he seemed to regard this wanton destruction as some kind of game?"

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #221):

The undertaker's shop is filled with half-finished coffins and wood-working materials. The undertaker clears off a table and retrieves some tools.

"Well, that sounds fine, I suppose. I would appreciate if you didn't ask the questions while I'm doing the stitching, though...I'm no surgeon, and distractions might make my hands quiver. That's fine for a corpse, who doesn't mind a missed stitch or so, but it's not so fine for them as would like to actually be walking away afterward. Do we have an understanding?"

he forces that smile again, but this time there's a bit of a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Also, I have a business to run here, so I think we should be discussing the matter of remuneration before I do any work."

Robert, having retrieved the latiet, picks up the carpet bag as well to bring it inside.  "It's Micklethwait, my dear."

When Silas asks for renumberation, he suggests, "How about some quid pro quo.  You patch me up, and I defend you in court and try to keep you from swinging?"

"You really are a lawyer."  Kat comments offhandedly, making sure the undertaker minds his Ps and Qs.  At this request she lets him work undisturbed.

Underhill pales for a moment, then swallows and shakes his head. "N-no deal. I know the law. I ain't done nothin' that's worth hanging me over. Running from a Ranger? That's maybe a month in jail, more likely a fine. Cremation of a corpse? Unsavory, but that job was bought and paid for and it ain't illegal. So d-don't you dare threaten me. If you want my help, you can buy that, or you can throw me in jail, if there's even one left, and heal your own self...if the Dust Adders will let you live long enough. You're the one who brought this trouble on me, if you'll recall, bringing me damn corpses that don't know how to stay dead and start shouting about Judgment Day."

Robert smiles.  "You think you know the law better than me?  Running out of town with a disguise, and Union greenbacks?  That looks like something to you, Ranger?"

12:12, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 8,7 using d8+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. persuastion.

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #228):

"And the last time I checked it wasn't illegal to have currency. I got that during my time in Kansas. And nothing about that other stuff is illegal, either, so I suggest you stop barking up that tree." Underhill says, growing bolder. "If I don't help you out, you might try and fabricate something, but any good lawyer would overturn it in an instant...say perhaps a John Smith of Houston? But if I help you now, and wind of it gets back to the Dust Adders? I'd be lucky if they found my body. If you want my help, you need to make me a better offer than that, because the numbers just don't add up right otherwise."

[[OOC: Silas Underhill rolled 12 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+4)12. Resisting persuasion]]

"I'd reckon I might call it treason Mr. Mickle-Fwate.  An ya forgot a few.  Interfering with an on going investigation, destruction of evidence, and I dunno who has the legal right to decide what happens to a John Doe Yankee's mortal remains, but I am purty sure it's the next of kin or likely the state of Texas.  I'd have to ask a lawyer on that one."

"In case you didn't notice, the Dust Adders ran like dogs with their tails between their legs.  Oh, you didn't notice, you were cowering in here.  And now there's a Ranger in town.  Time's they are a'changing, and you want to be on the right side.  But, if you want to stay off by the side and not get involved, that's fine.  When the dust settles, the town will know who to thank, and who to blame.  Now, what do you charge for some docterin'?"

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #231):

"If you think that was the worst they can throw at you, well, I'll take your measurements now while I'm working, just to be ready when I plant you beneath the dirt. Keeping you above will be, hmmm....let's say $5. Plus what you owe me for the Yankee you brought in to town, which, I might point out, you haven't paid me for yet either."

Robert nods.  "That makes $10?" robert takes out two $5 pieces and sets them on the table.

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #233):

No sooner are they on the table than Underhill has picked them up and secreted them in a pocket. "Very well. Now that all that unpleasantness is over with, why don't you lay down, have a drink of Dr. Marner's Marvelous Medicine, and I'll get to work straight away."

And robert slaps his hand down over them.  "NOt so fast.  Patch me up first, there's the money, you know I can pay, and the ranger will make sure you get what you deserve."