Well that went downhill fast...  Eli shakes his head a bit at the swift formation of the lynch mob.  There's a certain frightening pull to such a mob.  Easy to let yourself go in.  Also terribly hard to stop or reason with.  Now, Eli was not particularly partial to lynch mob justice, but he was particularly partial to his own skin.

So, what's a reporter to do?  Follow along.  Observe.  Document.  Sometimes the news just ain't pretty...

A shot of whiskey is downed.  Teeth are gritted.  Standing back to his troublesome leg, he sets his cane and calls back to Ed, "Might wanna hold that dinner for a spell.  Somethin' else is cookin'..."

Carl turns and looks at the bounty hunter a few moments, gaze unreadable. He doesn't like this man.

Carl knew as well as any petty criminal that attempted rape was frequently a decorative charge, added to ensure a hunter got his man. This, however...this was specific. A woman of the white race. The injun could go from calm and stoic to murderous crazy in moments, he'd seen it. He'd seen Charging Bear leap at a gunman in a secure position. Seen the man try to fight with his guts scarcely held in with one hand. He'd been attacked out of nowhere and pinned...and there were more ways than fighting to get a man's blood up.

Feeling vaguely sick and betrayed, his own blood starting to rise with the clamour of the mob, Carl gestures around for any who're watching, touches the bar and points up towards the thick oak by the cemetery. He catches the bounty hunter's eye and nods down to the livery where Gabby took the injun's horse.

As things start to get out of control around him, Carl goes and takes Augustus' poster down, leans over the bar for a pencil and writes/draws on the back of the 'WANTED' part: a circle W, '11pm', and a sketch map of part of the ranch territory. This he tears off and slides down to the man, retaining the other part. Let Ward decide whether to turn the man in or not: if not, it was still a covienient way to get the hunter away from witnesses. Or help.

In reply to Robert Micklethwait (msg #38):
"Yeah, Evans mentioned the events of last night around here to me earlier. Hell of a time in this town" he says to Robert. He tips his hat politely to Katy as she 'announces' her departure. "Best get dry, this rain'll get ya sick quick."

In reply to Katy Devon (msg #42):
It didn't take much of a push to get Charging Bear going, he'd see what happens in a lynching. He blamed the war for that. "Thanks miss." he said as he moved towards livery to get his horse. Running was fine well and good but a horse usually beat a man on foot. So keeping a steady pace but not breaking into a run, Charing Bear headed to the stables

Robert absentmindedly notes the loyalty of Katy even as he suggests, "Miss, you might want to leave, just in case things get ugly.  Are they heading this way?"

OOC: as I am Loyal, I will try to talk the crowd down if they come this way.

OOC:  Just to try to make things a bit easier on The Stray, I went ahead and made Kat a roll for if she notices it when the mob makes it to the street.  Oughtta be pretty easy as it's a mob, but Kat does have a habit of being blind and deaf at times.  Per the map it's a straight shot there from the Oriental, but it's a pretty good distance hence I made the roll pre-emptively.

14:14, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 14,3 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+4+2)14,3. Notice Roll if it ends up necessary.

If it's an unnecessary roll we can just ignore it.

The bounty hunter see's Carl's nod, and slips the scrap of poster in to his pocket.

"Right!" he says. "The first thing to do is keep him from getting away. Where's your stable?"

"Right across the street!" Dave says.

"Then move it, people! The sooner you catch him, the sooner this will all be over."

The mob streams out into the street, leaving the place practically empty.

---

Charging Bear hustles towards the stables, cursing the fact that they're right across from the Grand Bull. That had been convenient when he'd come to town, but was much less so now.

But his legendary bad luck decided to strike, and he saw people filing into the streets While he was still a good distance from the stables. If he ran, he might make it to his horse, but he might not be able to make it out of the stables if they surround it.

Worse, he's been spotted, as the thug he knocked out yesterday points his way. "Look! There he is!"

Charging Bear also spot a familiar dark face in the crowd. Oh no...it's Lt. Cantrell!

---

Wildcat, keeping her eyes peeled for the mob, spots them boiling out of the Grand Bull, shouting and pointing. And Charging Bear is caught right in the open.

She, Katy, and Robert are some distance away. They might be able to get in a position to help them...if they hustle.

---

Initiative For The First Round:
Wildcat Hawkins: AD
Mighty Dave: AC
Robert Micklethwait: KS
Katy Devon: 10H
Charging Bear: 9H
Jericho Cantrell: 7H
Elijah: 7C
The Dust Adders: 6D
Carl: 6C
The Townsfolk: 3H

A short scene replayed from Katrina's memory.

"Mr. Armstrong... I think... I think I'm about to puke..."  complained a recent recruit as she leaned against the cedar tree.

"Good, then you're doing it right.  I'm going to make you run wild, 'Cat'."

Mobs never did anything good, except maybe raise barns.

21:57, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. running die... come on baby!.

Yeah!  Good enough anyway!  That's 11", so assuming each square is an inch still, that ought to get Wildcat close enough to Charging Bear they could hold hands if they wanted to.

As she runs, the Ranger, who tossed aside her self doubt for now, fills with indignation as her hands fill with the Winchester.  Ranger Wildcat Hawkins had spent the last years of her life living out her destiny as the shadow of Corporal Buster Hawkins.  Daphne's daughter Katrina was the end product of the character and discipline of a great and proud, if sometimes misguided and old fashioned, woman who didn't get nearly enough credit.  Sometimes the two were at odds, wrestling over control of her very identity.

But right now, they were united as the same woman.  Wildcat's flesh was as tough as old boot leather and more resilient than a cactus growing in Death Valley, but Katrina's soul was forged of iron and steel.  A crowd chanting 'Lynch the Savage' offended her to the core.

"Don't run, Deputy Bear, or we both die."  Kat says softly to the red man.  "At least they won't be hanging you alone."

A single shot rings out over the crowd.  The rifle clearly isn't aimed at anyone, but it is fired to make a nice loud noise.  Kat knows the bullet has to come down somewhere and aims it out of town, away from everything, praying it falls to earth harmlessly.

"All right now, this ballyhoo stops right here, this is Texas and we don't lynch nobody in Texas.  We gots orderly procedures for hangin', like civilized folks.  And it is written, 'Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien'!  Now what's this about!?"

22:34, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 5D using the Deadlands system. Card if needed.

Here's hoping Wildcat's jackassery makes Robert seem like the voice of reason by comparison...
This message was last edited by the player at 04:35, Wed 10 Nov 2010.

"Stand aside, bitch!" Shouts a familiar voice from the crowd. "You ought to be joining us in hanging this murdering, raping savage! Or else you can swing with him...don't much matter to us. Sure we don't lynch people...that's what the law if for. But the law done hired this bastard, so what are we gonna do then? Naw, we got to send a message to all them that would think they above us. We got to protect the town from this filth!"

[[OOC: Dave attempts an Intimidation Test of Wills against Wildcat.

Mighty Dave rolled 9,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,2. Test of Wills.

Wildcat, roll Spirit to resist.

Next round: Mighty Dave drew the single card: 2D]]

09:20, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 3,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Spirit Roll.

And here's one of the warts of the SW system, even if I reroll this with a chip, I have only a 23.6% (12.5% + 11.1%) chance of beating him despite having a larger die type that should outroll his more often than that >_<.

But that's okay, Wildcat's intention was never to start a conventional fight with 19 opponents.  She can be a little unnerved.  Now if it were only 15 opponents, we'd be in business as the Winchester holds that many cartridges.

If nothing else I hope I've absorbed this "attack" such that Robert, who's far more likely to be effective here, can act unhindered!

Wildcat just momentarily stands there, not saying anything, but not moving away either.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #51):

OOC: red chip or blue chip
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Wed 10 Nov 2010.

OOC: Yes, Red chip...I love getting me those extra chips! }:D

09:50, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. add a bonus die to the spirit roll.

Red chip.  It doesn't change anything else but being Shaken right now is bad.  9 less 6 is only 3 so I'll take it.

Looking over the crowd he knew that Wildkitten and he couldn't just shot the lot of them. Though he thought for as moment or two that it did sounds like a right nice idea but that was when he saw Cantrell. How'd that bastard find me? Rotten luck of mine... He smiled, maybe I can talk my way into a better situation.

Looking at the ranger, the native son nodded and said quietly, "Looks like my past has come a calling Ms Hawkins."

He turned back to the mod and stood his ground. Yelling into the crowd, he kept his eyes directly on the man how was there to see him swing. The man Charging Bear felt should have seen gallows years before. "Cantrell! I never expected to see your murderous face again. Not after that shit you tried to pull in Galveston back in '76. What was it two dozen women and children you wanted us to gun down cause you didn't think it was worth the Army's time and resources to deal with them proper? I'd've thought that the General would've had you locked up till dooms day. Guess hell must have froze over.

You worked the folks into a nice frenzy, too afraid to deal with me yourself? Or did you bring Itza-chu with you just in case? That murdering Apache was always ready to do your dirty work."

OOC: Talking only so consider me on hold

KS

Robert runs as well, to try to keep up, but his aging bones fall behind.

"Hold on there folks.  If the man's broke the law, he'll pay, a badge ain't the right to do anything.  But he'll pay under the law.  Who's his accuser?"

11:32, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. run.
5+2 = 7
that puts me 7" away from the crows, or 14 yards, or 42 feet.  Visualizing my house, that's not bad
11:36, Today: Robert Micklethwait rolled 3,2 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. persuasino.
+4, -1 wound, -2 MAP

17:09, Today: Robert Micklethwait drew the single card: 6C using a deck of 54 cards. card.


This message was last edited by the player at 01:10, Thu 11 Nov 2010.

"That's the sort of biased lies I'd expect from a murdering savage, Charging Bear." Says a strong voice. A large black man in a black duster over and old Confederate Army jacket steps to the front. "I remember them well, since they cost me my commission. So yeah, don't think I wouldn't love to have you and me square off and cut each other until only one was left breathing. But this ain't about us. This is about what you did to Sequoya Smith, Jennifer McDonald, and especially Lt. Rose McAnally. That poor woman still can't speak, thanks the horrors you put her through when you misused her." he spits in disgust.

He looks at Wildcat. "You might want to keep your distance from this one, ma'am...he has a thing for female Rangers. The last one he was around wound up in a hospital with a wired-up jaw after he finished having his way with her. Hell, I'd have thought you'd have this in your Bible already. You Rangers were the ones who added the 'dead or alive' part to the price on this man's head."

"And the worst thing about it," he says, turning his attention to Robert, "is that the Marshal of this town not only didn't arrest this piece of work...he hired the bastard on. What do you do when the local law is that corrupt? Justice needs to be served. If the law can't or won't do that, then it's up to the people to take matters into their own hands, just like the Founding Fathers and Jeff Davis done."

"Now, these people want to see justice done, so unless you start clamping irons on this man right now and help me deliver him someplace a circuit judge has visited in the last three months, these people are going to do their duty and protect their town from this filth the only way they can."

[[OOC: Robert, Wildcat, you can try to fact check what he's saying with a Common Knowledge roll.

He's moved, but done no other actions aside from talking. I'll resolve this as an Intimdation Test of Wills against Wildcat.

Jericho Cantrell rolled 6,7 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+1)7. Test of Wills. Roll Spirit for me again, Wildcat.

Next Round: Jericho Cantrell drew the single card: 5C]]

Elijah, Carl, and Katy Devon are up next.

[Private to Robert Micklethwait: Robert, what's your next round's initiative?]

Eli chose to stay near the back of the mob, on the porch of the Bull.  A notebook is tugged free of his jacket as he leans against a post.  His cane is propped nearby and a pencil fills the now free hand.  His eyes flick from the major players in turn, then to his notebook for a quick scribble, then back again to the scene.

OOC - Impartial Observer Hold

[Private to The Stray: As a former soldier and a freelance newsman in the Galveston area, I rolled a CK to Fact check as well.  After a White Chip, I got an 11 to remember the story.]

Sorry CB, but if you really did do something, Wildcat kind of has to arrest you, but better Wildcat than this asshole.

19:50, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5,2 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. Common Knowledge.


The Dust Adder's bullying... Wildcat could handle that.  It wasn't pleasant but there was little she could do if he attacked anyway.

But this... Oh Hell No.  He did not just say that.

OOC:  Okay this is different.  This asshole just pushed Wildcat's berserk button.

19:45, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. burning a chip, screw this guy.
19:45, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3. Spirit Roll.

That's a blue to get an 8 because he pissed me off.

Wildcat recalls some of the words she learned as a deputy and a trainee.

"You can go shove a branding iron up yer ass Cantrell!  You do not, ah repeat, you do not march yer little dancin' ass out here, incite a damned lynch mob, and then tell me what's in the pages of a book you ain't never seen much less read!

"You do not tell me what it is to be a Ranger or how to be one!  You've never lost anything to uphold what the Texas Rangers stand for!  When's the last time you got shot for something you believed in?  I've gotten shot for it six times... TODAY.  Just ask around.  What are you gonna do Cantrell?  Shoot me again?  Didn't accomplish much for the last few fellers!

"You do not make my sisters, or my brothers neither, out to be some kind of helpless victims of this red man or anyone else!  We're no more victims than men who get killed on the battlefield!  We choose to wear the badge, and we can get shot, stabbed and kilt as good as anyone else!

"An' I got news for ya Cantrell, this red man has come to mah aid twice today!  The damn Dust Adders you got with you seen it themselves both times!  Does he pick on female Rangers or does he help them?  Which is it Cantrell!?

"If'n he's a wanted criminal, I will arrest this redskin my damn self, but I ain't gonna fork him over to a yeller two bit bounty hunter who comes into my presence and presumes to tell me how to do mah job!  And what's more, I will arrest this man without violence.  You will all go about your business before cuffs come out.

"What in tarnation is wrong with you people!?  A man you ain't never seen before walks into town, tells you a story you can't verify, claims proof he can't produce, an' you all just walk out here to hang a man!?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:20, Thu 11 Nov 2010.

Jericho takes Wildcat's tirade against him without expression...then smiles. "Damn, that reminds me of someone I used to know. You must be Buster Hawkins' kid. Katrina, right? I heard you were out this area, trying to earn your first stripe and silver star."

He reaches into a pocket inside his duster. "And as for proof, well, I got that." He pulls for a small but thick book, battered all to hell, travelworn, stained, dogeared. The title, however, can still be read quite clearly: Fugitives from Justice in the Confederacy. "Straight from the lion's mouth, as it were." Jericho finishes.

"And apparently he does both. One right before the other. It's how he managed to get close enough to Irish Rose to brutalize her like that. She wasn't shot in the line of duty, or stabbed in a fight. She was targeted in her own home by someone she trusted, who then betrayed that trust in the most horrific fashion I can imagine. And now it seems he's trying to do it again. He's got you defending him already. It certainly didn't take long for you to fall under his spell."

[Private to Elijah Fuller: There was a news article not long back about a female Ranger being brutalized by an indian about a month back in Houston, though the details were withheld due to the ongoing investigation. However, Elijah, being the crafty fox that he is, managed to learn some more about this. apparently, there was one suspect, who forced his way into the home by kicking the door in during the middle of the night. There were two suspects wanted for questioning, both former army scouts. One was a Cherokee named Charging Bear, the other an Apache called Itza-chu. Both have similar heights and builds, and both had prior contact to the victim, though it wasn't clear in the story you heard what kind of contact that was.]

Carl has nabbed a bottle from the bar and is leaning against a pole of the saloon porch. It's a struggle not to just give in and get smashed, but Carl's anger is running deep and cold as a Russian river and the drink just sharpens him up, gives him a killing edge.

He hands the bottle across to Mike, throat burning like he could spit fire, and clicks high for Dave's attention, tapping his chest. The injun had helped him today. Then bushwhacked him so sudden he panicked and bit like a puppy. Carl nods across at Mike, who's seen the redskin switch from gentle to combat, too, then gestures from Dave to Robert Mickelthwait. The old deputy has seen Charging Bear attack Dave with axes over a stray bullet.

His whole body tense, Carl strikes where his heart is traditionally held to be, then gestures out at the Ranger, or sub-Ranger, or whatever she is.
"..."

Charging Bear might note that part of the man's anger seems to stem from a deeply-ingrained respect for his uniform - there's something like betrayal fuelling his hate.

"Carl's right!" one of the Dust Adders calls from the crowd "Most of us here have seen how quick he done goes from calm to raging an' bloodthirsty!"

The crowd of Dust Adders begins to rumble in agreement, their voices all clamoring together as they tell their tales.

"...went completely nuts when he got hit with a stray bullet..."

"...just leaped off the roof at Carl...like he thought he could fly..."

"...tore into that soldier, even with three feet of steel through his guts..."

"...charged right up a hill at a sniper...and when he was tossed off, I'd'a sworn he was fixin' to get up and go after him again..."

"...don't you have any human sympathy at all for that girl he done ravished, Ranger?..."

The rest of the corwd is mumbling invectives too.

"...lot of bodies piling up since he came to town..."

"...what was Evans thinking, hiring such a madman as a deputy?"

"...Frost had the right idea, we should tar and feather the whole lot of them..."

"...Oughta be stoned, is what we should do...hanging's too good for 'em..."

---

[[OOC: Both the crowds of Dust adders and Townsfolk are going On Hold, arguing and being generally nasty but performing no actions just yet. Let's keep that tension high!]]

---

Next Round:
Robert Micklethwait: 6C
Wildcat Hawkins: 5D
Jericho Cantrell: 5C
Mighty Dave: 2D
Carl: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)
Charging Bear: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)
Katy Devon: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)
Elijah Fuller: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)
The Dust Adders: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)
The Townsfolk: On Hold (May go whenever, roll opposed agility to interrupt an action)

In reply to Jericho Cantrell (msg #60):

Cantrell's words hit Charging Bear like a sledge hammer. Shaken by the brutal accusations, the native son took a half step away from the mob and looked like he might fall to his knees. He looked down for a long moment, "When..." he said, his voice barely a whisper. He didn't speak again until he looked back up, perhaps using the time to gain some of the 'rage' the towns folks had talked so much of. His eyes were hard, though tears were running down his cheek, as he looked back at Cantrell.

"When? When did that happen to Rose, Cantrell? I've not seen her in months now, not since she asked for my help over in Arizona. After that I was working Pony Express."

He looked over the crowed, knowing that several of them had a grudge against him simply cause he didn't back down to them when other had. Charging Bear's gaze returned to Cantrell, "If these fine folks don't lynch me... I know I can prove my innocence. Then maybe we can find the person who actually did those horrible... horrible things."

OOC: Common knowledge about the women?
08:49, Today: Charging Bear rolled 4,3 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Common Knowledge.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:02, Thu 11 Nov 2010.

Without even looking up from his notebook, Elijah starts quietly throwing some more inormation into the confusion, "I was in Galveston...  The way I heard it, there was some other Redskin coulda done it.  Apache....  Now them Apaches are some fierce pieces of work, I tell ya what.  Been holdin' up Bayou Vermillion with their ambushes and what not."  Cocking a knowing kind of grin at some townie nearby, "C'mon?  Who ever heard of "Cherokee" raisin' hell?  They're too civilised.  Most Injun' say a Cherokee smells to much like a white man.  Nope.  My money'd be on the Apache."

OOC - Persuasion 8, after spending a Blue.  Trying to sway the crowd towards indecision.  Reasonable doubt, as t'were.

[[OOC: Charging Bear, I'd like you to roll Spirit for your plea. I'm counting this as a sort of Trick against Jericho Cantrell. It will be resisted by his own Spirit. I'll also want you to draw another Initiative Card.

Elijah, this is going to count as an action, so I also need you to draw a new initiative card for the next round, assuming this proceeds that far.]]

[Private to Charging Bear: Sequoya Smith was a male scout, another Cherokee in the same unit as you and Itza-chu. I'm sure CB would have known about that death...it's why, initially, he was wanted. He's never heard of a 'Jennifer McDonald,' though proving that to a white man's court is going to be pretty darn difficult.]

OOC: Works for me
10:56, Today: Charging Bear rolled 1,9 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+3)9. Spirit.
10:57, Today: Charging Bear drew the single card: 3D using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative.

OOC -  Roger that, boss.  Initiative draw JS