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Chapter 8.1: The 3:10 to Blackthorn Arrives ((IC))

Posted by The StrayFor group archive 0
The Amazing Evans
NPC, 153 posts
Dodgy Marshal
P2 T5 W0 F0 B2
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 20:55
  • msg #243

Re: The Lynching of Charging Bear

Evans stops in his tracks. No. Oh, dear god, no. No, please...

"What?" he breathes, trying to fight that chill spreading up his spine. He shakes his head, trying to unhear what he just heard. "Oh god, no. no...Jesus Christ, please...not again...not now..." He mumbles.

It was Robert. It had to be. Evans broke into a run, heading back down the street towards the Grand Bull at top speed, without another word, leaving Fuller and Fletcher to catch up as best they can.
Charging Bear
player, 385 posts
Native Warrior
P6T5 W:- F:- FC:RRRRB
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 20:56
  • msg #244

Re: The end of the rope...

Charging Bear gave Wildkitten a hard look as she called him redskin, but he said nothing. Moving to the back of the vault he remained silent and listened to how two white folk had such horrible lives. As Carl and Wildkitten finished their pity party the native son started to laugh, a deep belly laugh. After a minute he falls silent again.
The Stray
GM, 748 posts
The Marshal
'round these parts
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:00
  • msg #245

Re: The end of the rope...

The cubbyholes that Charging Bear could reach and look through in between the time he made the decision and the time Wildcat told him to stop were all empty, or locked. That didn't mean there wasn't the possibility of something still with in the deposit boxes, but it looked like the place had been thoroughly cleaned out by whoever left the building to rot.
Wildcat Hawkins
player, 402 posts
Aspiring Texas Ranger
P5 T6 W0 F0 B1W3R4B Cha 2
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:00
  • msg #246

Re: The end of the rope...

It's Wildcat's turn to be hard to read.

"Well, yer all not what I thought, and that's a good thing.  I'll give ya that much.  What yer doin'... it may even have had noble roots at one point.  I'd even go so far as to say that.  People coming together, that's what th' preachers call fellowship.  Ah think despite yer self admitted faults, you understand that concept.

"Th' trouble is when you don't stop there.  You raise each other up, but you also raise up that mantle of the outcast, the unwanted, the victim.  You set yerself apart because you can't let go of it.  It closes your eyes to other possibilities that maybe things don't have to be that way.  You seem to think I think I'm better than you.  Well guess what, this here gun, it'll kill you and me just as dead.  I believe the same God will judge us both on the same criteria one day, an' if'n you don't believe in that it don't matter because that just means we'll both pass into the same nothing.  We ain't the same, but I ain't better than you in all the ways it ultimately matters."

Wildcat shrugs.  "You got some funny ideas about wimmen too.  You think it's hard being the man of the house?  Try not even having a man of the house when ya got mouths to feed.  A man has to work all right, but so does a woman, she just ain't workin' fer some feller's money most of the time, and when she has to do that, it's a hard road to hoe.  Yer right some women ain't good fer nuthin', same as some men, but my momma gave up a lot in life to be who she was, worked her fingers to the bone, and after daddy got kilt she worked the bones off.

"I've walked both sides of that fence.  How many Rangers do you think can bake a pie, hem a skirt and tie a pretty bow with a piece of ribbon?  How many women do you think know how to fry and swallow a lizard whole, ride a horse into battle, and kill a man with a knife?  And you know what, it ain't a whole lot of fun either way.

"And incidentally, the reason I've not shot you is it would be wrong.  You clearly recognize yerself it would be wrong.  You may question my motivations, and that's your perogative, but that proves something very important to me.  You know the difference.

"Now fer whatever it's worth, and it ain't much at all, yer man might have had a better chance of him and me backing off if'n we weren't surrounded by a bunch of men who don't even see me as a living thing, because I don't carry that yoke of thinking I'm an outcast like they do.  And that's the reason... this can't keep going like this.  If you'll listen to me a little bit longer, I'll stop with the cowgirl speeches about things I know you don't care about and offer you a deal with the devil herself.  If'n I can learn to shut up, listen, and cure my own ignorance, I bet you can too."
David Fletcher
NPC, 7 posts
He never sleeps
P5 T5 B2 W0 F0 Cha
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:03
  • msg #247

Re: The Lynching of Charging Bear

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg #243):

With a slow shake of his head, David Follows.

OOC: fuller, we came on the stage together, correct?
The Stray
GM, 749 posts
The Marshal
'round these parts
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:04
  • msg #248

Re: The Lynching of Charging Bear

In reply to David Fletcher (msg #247):

[[OOC: Yeah, he was the nosy reporter fellow that you tried your best not to speak to.]]
Mike the Dust Adder
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:17
  • msg #249

Re: The end of the rope...

Katy Devon:
Katy was getting carried out the back by an adder after her swoon, the world was not lost completely as the last thing she had seen was a vulgar talking man and Mister Robert in a fight against all those men.  She felt herself being pulled along and she squirmed hard, roughly shoving at the man to get him off from her.

"S-stop! Stop that at once." Pushing away from him, she pulled her gun and pointed it at the man with a very steady hand.

" You. I don't know what you and those mad men think they are doing. I don't know why everyone in this town has to be utterly crazy. I don't know what you want with me, but know this, sir. You boys are going to leave me alone so I can get a damn cup of tea and a warm spot by a fire. Do you understand, at all, how cold it is? Have you no sense to stay out of the rain? It's been a traumatizing few days that have tested the boundries of common decency. Please... I implore you and I will not ask again. We're going to head inside and your going to call to all your friends. And we'll talk all civil like. If not, i'm going to hide and you will come with me." She said rather confidently and a bit stern.

" So, would you kindly move back inside the saloon with me."


The man is a bit nonplussed, but he leans against a wall nonchalantly. "You really want to go back in there?" he says calmly, hiking a thumb back towards the sound of fists, cracking wood, and breaking bottles. He doesn't seem particularly concerned about having a gun waved in his face.

"Asides, I couldn't call 'em off right now. Maybe Carl could've, or Nate, or even Dog Charlie. But Carl was hauled away, and Nate & Charlie are dead...and you're the one who kilt Charlie. They ain't gonna listen to you. You walk in there with a gun, you're gonna get filled with holes."

He narrows his eyes at here. "No, what you're gonna do is lower that gun and run your pretty little ass out of town right now. Because if'n you don't, well, we're gonna tar ya, feather ya, and parade ya around for makin' a widow of Danielle Landers and half-orphan of little Tim. Then we might just hand you over to that bounty hunter and let him have his way with you."

"So git."

[[OOC: The Dust Adder attempts an Intimidation Test of Wills against Katy.

The Dust Adders rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Intimidation ToW.

Katy, roll Spirit to resist.]]

Carl
NPC, 88 posts
The Quiet One
P5 T5 Cha 0
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 21:45
  • msg #250

Re: The end of the rope...

Carl shakes his head. "That was Nate's deal, maybe those as ran close to him. Rest of us, it's means of getting work." He ignores the mockery from the corner, stating fact only.

"If you ain't better than me, Ranger, what right have you got to be on that side o' these?" Carl taps the bars with a thumbnail, curious. He shrugs at being told he knows nothing of women - why should he? He knows the desperate end up whores, though, and he doesn't want Thingy...goddamit...Charlie's woman winding up that way.

He shakes his head again at the wrongness. "I decided I was goin' to Hell at ten years old-" he grins back at Charging Bear, or at least shows teeth. "-y'can laugh at this, it's real cute n' stupid-" to Wildcat "-but I meant it then. That's where Pa said he was goin'." He smiles, self-mocking but something sharp there too. "An' y'know, I ain't been troubled by any moral question since. Got instincts. It's enough."

Carl fidgets a little, picking glue splash off his neck and looking at it. "Listenin'...but you want the Dust Adders to do anythin', I got to go hit Dave some first." Carl lapses into silence, apparently exhausted.
Wildcat Hawkins
player, 404 posts
Aspiring Texas Ranger
P5 T6 W0 F0 B1W3R4B Cha 2
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 22:21
  • msg #251

Re: The end of the rope...

"Because I'm accountable to somebody."  She says simply.  "Somebody that's not you or me.  I await their judgment upon me even now.


"Anyway we both know there's problems here.  Problems bad for you, and me.  But that's not a conversation to have here, with you in jail.  I hold all the power here.  That ain't no way to deal.  Needs to be neutral.

"But what I was driving at is I cain't deal with you when you're surrounded by them, and you can't reason with me when you're surrounded by them.  We do this tomorrow, after you're out of here.  And not in front of an audience like this.  These are your problems, your business.  I got no interest in airing dirty laundry."
Carl
NPC, 89 posts
The Quiet One
P5 T5 Cha 0
Fri 19 Nov 2010
at 22:58
  • msg #252

Re: The end of the rope...

Carl raises an eyebrow at her, wondering who she thinks watches those watchmen, or if she really considers herself the striking hand of God. She already knows what he thinks of masters. He shrugs another 'if you're minded' shrug and resettles by the door, leaning back and trying to work out whether there's any way to take off the wet shirt that's leaching heat from his body without getting murdered by the savage or catcalled by the ranger. Probably not.

There's a quiet pause. If Carl's left to himself, he'll eventually start whistling Tom Dooley with all appearance of it being a random choice.
Wildcat Hawkins
player, 405 posts
Aspiring Texas Ranger
P5 T6 W0 F0 B1W3R4B Cha 2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 01:37
  • msg #253

Re: The end of the rope...

Wildcat will play along in the key of C (not that her harmonica can switch keys...) out of boredom as much as anything.  Continuing the one upsmanship, she'll play Ghost Riders in the Sky after.
Katy Devon
player, 102 posts
Curiouser and Curiouser..
P3 T5 W0 F0 B3 Cha+2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 07:36
  • msg #254

Re: The end of the rope...

Katy Devon rolled 7,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Spirit v Intimidate.

" You should wash out that vulgar mouth.."
Her lashes flutter, the roof giving a pinch of shelter from the rain water, but not ht cold that was aching her feet. He growled at her, to run off before they did something real nasty to her and hand her over to the Bounty Hunter.

" It was those men? The masked men that attacked the other day? " She looked at him with a bit of disbelief. " You have no remorse at all. Do you feel nothing for all that you men have done against the people in this town? You terrorize and shoot people just walking by and blow up buildings and then dare to be vindictive when something bad happens." She murmured, shaking her head a little with a furrowed brow. All bad men in stories seem to have this problem. The one standing before her didn't seem to even blink, keeping his distance and so calm. How can one be so calm and be so cruel?

" I am so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm scared, I haven't slept at all, thinking someone was going to come back to the saloon and try to blow it in again; thinking about a man I didn't know popping up and blazing a gun at me, just like this, but he wanted to pull the trigger. You men want to hurt someone as long as you don't have to pay for it. I am morally terrified for my soul and heart, I have killed someone and I can not recall pulling the trigger.. All I remember is that horrible sound and crying.. Bad things happen to those whom look for it. I know. It happens to me all the time, but you.. You men aren't going to stop this, are you? Blood hounds, the lot of you.." She lowered her gun, pleading with the man.

" Why do this.. Why punish others for your mistakes. You could help people... Keep this place safe.. If you really cared for that family man, for any family or people at all. Why work against the town like this? I don't understand it at all."


Katy Devon rolled 1,10 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+4)10. persuasion Char +2. Total is 12
This message was last edited by the player at 07:40, Sat 20 Nov 2010.
Carl
NPC, 90 posts
The Quiet One
P5 T5 Cha 0
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 09:35
  • msg #255

Re: The end of the rope...

Carl is highly amused when the Ranger joins in annoying his cellmate with the popular ballad of a Tennessean woman-killer meeting justice. Guess she did have a spark of human feeling for them girls after all. Or was just still mad at the injun for being more mobile and strategic than your average rag doll. Or didn't care.

Carl appreciates the attempt to listen, so tries to think kindly of the lawbitch. He joins in with Ghost Riders once he recognises her version, making the proper spooky warbles in the right places, not minding in the least. His decision to go to Hell was perfectly rational, even as a ten-year-old: firey torments wouldn't stop him loving his mama, but there were no bad thoughts in Heaven, so if he went there he'd forget his Pa...and Pa had tried so hard for him, to do right and make sure they had a life...he just weren't very good at it.

Carl taps a boot a bit, setting a rapid tempo, and starts in with the Rattlenake Song, to see if the ranger can keep up with the tale of why treading on snakes is never wise.
Mike the Dust Adder
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 09:45
  • msg #256

Re: The end of the rope...

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #254):

"A couple of 'em. You can't blame all o' them for what only some done. And you ain't been here long enough to suss out the real situation. Blowin' up the Marshal's place and the saloon...that was Nate's deal, an' he's dead now. But mebbe he had the right idea. I can't help but notice that tinhorn Marshal's hirin' on lots o' wanted people. People like that injun, who's some kind o' devil when he gets mad. And then he brings in that Ranger, who shot Jesse down on account o' some kind o' grudge." he narrows his eyes. "And then there's you, lugging that big ol' iron around, runnin' from somethin' you say is a lie, but then you shoot poor Charlie in the back. as he was headin' away."

"So no, we ain't gonna quit. This is our town, and the Marshal done declared war on us first, by hirin' on that rapin', pillagin' injun to scare the townsfolk into bein' under his Yankee rule. We ain't havin' that, not here. We protect our own, no matter what they done."

"You're gettin' off easy, compared to what's comin' his way. You got a chance to git while the gettin's good." And suddenly, before Katy can even blink, the man has a pistol in his hand, with the distinctive *CLICK!* of a cocked hammer. "So I suggest you take it."
Katy Devon
player, 103 posts
Curiouser and Curiouser..
P3 T5 W0 F0 B3 Cha+2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 10:12
  • msg #257

Re: The end of the rope...

" He was heading away to shoot the Ranger, and if it wasn't for her, I would be the one gunned down just for being there near Deputy Robert. You don't even know what happened nor the horrible man that put a bounty on me just because I don't want to marry him." She put her gun into her bag, even as he lifted his gun at her. She bought it for protection, but it wasn't going to help her unless she wanted to kill another person over fear.

" If people of this town wanted your protection, you would be a deputy and your ring leader would be the marshal. Your just a bully and that won't change until you do something good about it. And stopping that fight.. Even if you think ou can't. Is a good way to try and start. "

" I can't speak for those others; Mister Evans, Miss Hawkins, not even Charging Bear. I don't know what they have done in their life, I have a hard time keeping up with all of this. I'll admit that, I'm a ditzy little girl, but I know in my heart they're trying to do the right thing.. Only everyong is seeing the 'right thing' their own way... But.. I can't just run away when I know something bad is happening. I don't want to die, I'm not testing you.. But I can't turn my back on it. Please.. Just forgive me."
Mike the Dust Adder
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 10:23
  • msg #258

Re: The end of the rope...

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #257):

The man sighs. "I don't believe Charlie would have ever shot at a woman, Ranger or not. Dave, hell yes. Percy...maybe, if he thought he was protectin' someone. But never Charlie. But those situations, I'll grant things may have gotten muddled."

"So here's the deal. if you ain't gonna run, then you need to face up to the boys over what you done, or there ain't gonna be no end to it. You want forgiveness, then you'll need to take your medicine for what happened with Charlie. You come in with me, let them see you ain't puttin' up a fuss, then they might settle down some. You might get dunked in a horse trough, git your head shorn...but I swear if you come with my of your own will I won't let them do you any real harm, nor rob you of your virtue. And if you do this, I sure as Hell won't let them hand you over to the bounty hunter. We got a deal?"
Katy Devon
player, 104 posts
Curiouser and Curiouser..
P3 T5 W0 F0 B3 Cha+2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 10:33
  • msg #259

Re: The end of the rope...

Katy Devons makes a little face like a girl wanting to complain about vegetables. Some of the things he said creeped her out. Rob her of her virtue? Really? How gross! The hair cutting wasn't bad, he big brother use to shave her head in spring, her hair always grew back in time for the winter to keep her head warm. Not to mention, it would at least change her appearance a little. Though why dunk her in a horse trough? Probably because it was dirty, but she was bare foot and slightly caked with mud to boot.

" Okay... mm.. I'm Katy.." She offered her hand out to him, a light smile pulled her lips out of habit, one could tell she's a bit flighty or perhaps a bit too polite for her own good.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:34, Sat 20 Nov 2010.
Mike the Dust Adder
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 10:38
  • msg #260

Re: The end of the rope...

The man holsters his gun, looks at her with a curled lip ad raised eyebrow, then shrugs and shakes her hand back. "Mike."

He rests his arm on her shoulder and marches her back into the Grand Bull.
Charging Bear
player, 386 posts
Native Warrior
P6T5 W:- F:- FC:RRRRB
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 15:36
  • msg #261

Re: The end of the rope...

In reply to Carl (msg #255):

Charging Bear sat quietly, listening to a lawdog and a bandit thug talk about morals and life. It almost made him laugh again, sure Wildkitten had prevented his lynching and Carl had saved his life from Frost-though the Dust Adder probably didn't think of his challenge to Frost like that- but they both just felt like talking about morals and sad tales of yesteryear. Something in him wanted to tell the pair that the past was the past and they could do nothing to change it. Silly talk of hell and feelings of hate would do neither any good in the end, but the native son sat quietly there in the dark.

As the pair started into the musical number, he is mind shifted to thoughts of his previous night's dream. While he wasn't sure who or what the eagle was he was pretty sure Ward and his people were part of the snake. Heck, the tin can angel had said Gus had had some sort of snake spirit inside him... if Alouette was to be trusted. He wondered what had happened to Alouette, Gangatsu and Gus after they'd left Ward's with Danny. And what of Augustus Spotswood, hopefully the scientist was still with Ward.

Too much was happening for Charging Bear to keep track of. He'd just hoped to find shelter from a storm a couple of days ago and now he was sitting in a vault under arrest for something he had not done. Where was Jack Twofeather now... Charging Bear and he had gotten separated when they'd hit town. His friend had seemed to vanish in the night without a word. Jack could take care of himself, but Charging Bear wished he had a true ally here.

His mind filled with questions, Charging Bear resolved to do what he could to help this town survive. Standing, the native son took off his rain soaked coat and shirt. He set the wet clothing on the floor to dry. Charging Bear sat down again and leaned against the far wall, his body screaming for sleep and his mind still pondering on the events of the past few days... in the end his body got what it wanted.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:09, Sat 20 Nov 2010.
Wildcat Hawkins
player, 406 posts
Aspiring Texas Ranger
P5 T6 W0 F0 B1W3R4B Cha 2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 15:56
  • msg #262

Re: The end of the rope...

Kat doesn't really care about the one upsmanship after Ghost Riders, and just plays whatever.  The Yellow Rose of Texas, Amazing Grace, Dixie's Land...  she seems to know a lot of folk songs, hymns, and Confederate battle anthems, three genres with plenty of overlap.  Her playing on some is better than others, generally the more religious it is, the better she can play it.

She shifts her attention more to observing Cantrell, not completely sure Carl is going to leave Charging Bear alone, but choosing to observe the threat with a gun at the moment.  The harmonica is a ruse she's not paying attention at this point.

OOC:  Just waiting to see if Evans shows up with some provisions for the inmates, or something else happens first.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:57, Sat 20 Nov 2010.
Carl
NPC, 91 posts
The Quiet One
P5 T5 Cha 0
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 17:34
  • msg #263

Re: The end of the rope...

Carl's happy to join the ranger to keep his mind active, usually making up for her lack of skill in certain folk songs though he's silent through the greater part of the hymns, genuinely not knowing two-thirds of Wildcat's stock.

He tenses when Charging Bear stands, scuffing one foot back under him to be ready to spring if he has to, but the injun just makes him a little nest in his corner and settles down. Carl judges how long it would take him to get up and attack from that position, and risks moving back out of Wildcat's easy vision to remove his shirt, wringing it out. Carl has no intention of sleeping tonight and so just sits and thinks about masters and freedom and responsabilities, occasionally whistling a tune when the ranger plays something he knows.

[[in prison.]]
Jericho Cantrell
NPC, 21 posts
Bounty Hunter
P7 T7 B2 W0 F0
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 19:34
  • msg #264

Re: The end of the rope...

The Bounty Hunter has remained quiet during the whole exchange between Carl and Wildcat. He sits propped up against the wall, his hat brim tilted down. Someone who just glanced at him might mistake his lassitude for sleep.

Then he shifts, and sits up, pushing his hat back.

"I've been thinkin'...could you tell me more about those shootists that ambushed you?" he asks Wildcat. "Because even if you didn't get a good look at 'em, if I know how they operate I might be able to at least narrow down the list of possibilities. If nothin' else, it would let me put my time here to good use, and you can stop givin' me the Evil Eye and worryin' about whether I'd try to overpower you and lock that big ol' door on them."

[[OOC: I'm waiting a bit for Augustus/Elijah's player to post, because I wanted to be able to keep him involved and he expressed some concern on that end, as the rest of us post quite a bit and he just doesn't have that sort of leisure time at the present. Also, the next post I write for Evans will have some lasting repercussions for everyone in town, so I'm enjoying letting the players interact a bit before the next round of Things Getting Worse.]]
Wildcat Hawkins
player, 407 posts
Aspiring Texas Ranger
P5 T6 W0 F0 B1W3R4B Cha 2
Sat 20 Nov 2010
at 20:35
  • msg #265

Re: The end of the rope...

OOC: It's cool, it's sort of a 2.5 day weekend for me and I turned a lot of school work in this last week, so I sort of have time to kill today.  No hurry.

"Well, one of 'em got purty close, used the Dust Adders as human shields basically, and emptied a six gun into me slappin' that hammer somethin' fierce.  I began to chase 'im, an' I reckon th' Adders wouldn't care if he done kilt me right there, but I bet they don't cotton to being used for patsies any more'n anyone else might, because he got in a scrap with our inmate here."

Wildcat shrugs.  "I'd be pissed as hell too.  Anyway I plugged 'im but he just sort of absorbed it... guess I'm not the only one who can take a bullet.  Then he hollered somethin' about he weren't working alone.  That's when th' other took a pot shot at me in the back from the second story across the street."
Elijah Fuller
player, 31 posts
Newshound
P4 T5 B2 W0 F0 Cha0
Sun 21 Nov 2010
at 04:47
  • msg #266

Re: The end of the rope...

Elijah just shakes his head as the Marshal takes off at a sprint. This town stays like this and everyone's gonna die of heart attacks...  Just hoppin'!   Glancing to Fletcher, he grins, "Well, get on after him.  You brought the news now you're stuck helpin'.  I'll be along."  With that, the reporter heads off at his best limp.  Trying to stay to the covered boardwalks as much as possible.


OOC - Apologies for the slowness of the post.  RL issues do happen.
The Stray
GM, 762 posts
The Marshal
'round these parts
Sun 21 Nov 2010
at 19:22
  • msg #267

Re: The end of the rope...

This thread is now closed. Please resume posting on the Chapter 9.1 thread
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