Carl looks up at the desk's movement and the sudden light, bracing against the floor and baring his teeth in defiance.

[[Oops. 6H...oh, hearts this time. Bon sang, am I glad Mr. Lurch never practiced quick-drawing desks in his youth. (if he had one) Hopefully Thing'll get out of the way? How far is it to the nearest light source, and what is it?]]

The wounded sorcerer crawls out the door and down the porch, but he's not going to be running anywhere for a while.

Evans steps in and takes in the scene around him. There isn't much light, save a lamp hanging on the wall next to Carl, but he can clearly see the giant about to crush him. "Drop it!" Evans shouts, and, to punctuate his command, turns his pistol on Mr. Lurch's arms.

Three shots ring out, though only one seems to connect. The giant's arm buckles, but does not give. He doesn't seven seem to have felt the wound.

The scuttling thing around Carl's neck gives one last squeeze before dropping off and skittering back into the darkness.

---

((OOC: Arthur attempts to unshake on his turn. 11:52, Today: Arthur Whateley rolled 1,1 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Roll to unshake. No dice. He can still stagger away a bit, so he limps a few squares.

Evans takes stock of the situation, sees the giant about to squish Carl, and decides to incapacitate as best he can. He aims for Mr Lurch's arms, attempting to disarm him (har, har). He spends 3 more pp on his Bolt.

11:57, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 3,0,2,2 using d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2,4,4. Disarm attempt. Ugh. Evans will spend a Red Chip so that he can actually hit. 11:57, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Red Chip.

11:58, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 6 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. Damage. Not enough to actually hurt Lurch, but enough to make him need to roll Strength to keep his weapon.

11:58, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 19,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+9)19,4. hold on. Yikes. Look like Lurch is keeping the desk.

The Thing, meanwhile, is going to keep strangling Carl. 12:07, Today: The Stray rolled 3 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Strangle! That's a fail. The Thing will drop off and attempt to scuttle away for now, to avoid being crushed by Lurch. Carl can attempt to attack it, but since it's a small target (-2 to attack), and Carl's already wounded and fatigued, he's not likely to hit.))

---

Carl is up next!

Carl can't help but flinch, wide-eyed, when Evans yells at his assailant to drop the desk. " ! !! " His sore, labouring heart trips over its beat at every shot and the subsequent tremors in the upholding limbs.
"..."
Carl wonders why everyone is trying to kill him today. Shuddering as the thing skitters down him and out of the way, he throws himself against the giant's legs to be harder to hit and with a desperate burst of strength wriggles, twists, and bites his way free of the coiling serpents.


[[EVANS YOU ARE NOT HELPING.
20:19, Today: Carl Allans rolled 10,-3 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of (8+6)14,1. ...that gets him out of entanglement, yes?
init (if he isn't squished by then): KD
Maybe his new phobia should be a fear of desks...]]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Sun 06 Nov 2011.

Carl wiggles out of the magical serpents, which dissolve as soon as he's free of them. This is good, as Mr. Lurch brings the desk down right at the cowboy's head. Carl is able to dodge out of the way, barely, and the giant lifts the desk for another attempt.

---

((OOC: Hey, he's doing his best! He's trying to be a good cop and not shoot to kill right now...he's not aware of how serious the situation is yet.

That does get him out of the snakes, yes. Just in time to be whacked at by Lurch. Luckily for Carl, Lurch is using an Improvised weapon, so that's a -1 to his attack roll.

13:34, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 5,3 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4. Fighting! Just barely a miss.))

---

Next Round:
Carl Allans: KD
Mr. Lurch: JC
Arthur Whateley: 7S
The Amazing Evans: 6D

Carl launches himself from where he was lying, half-sliding, half-scrambling under the desk as it reaches knee height again, grabs his gun, realises he's lost his hat - grabs his hat - and is off like a rabbit towards Evans and daylight.


[[If a villain is holding the heroine or sidekick over a long drop, you do not yell "let her/him/it go!"...likewise, if a giant butler is holding half a ton of granite over someone's head you do not say "drop it!" Poor Carl...

Running 3 + Pace 4 -> 7 squares of fleeing. At least he's a moving target now?
init: KS]]

"Diiiiiiiieeeeee." Lurch says as Carl bends down to pick up his hat, and clips the cowboy with the desk, sending him staggering. Carl tries to run for the light, but the whack from the desk has him stumbling. he's not able to reach the light before Arthur stands.

"Lurch! Kill them both!" he shouts, then heaves the door closed. The light fades, leaving Carl and Evans in almost dakrness.

"Bother!" Evans curses, pulling the gyromounted pistol open and reloading as fast as he can.

((OOC: Moving away from a character you are in melee with opens you up to a free attack. This means Lurch gets one attempt to brain you before you get far...

14:05, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 2,6 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7. swing...

14:06, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 2,5 using d10,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. ...and a hit. 7 damage. That's enough to make Carl Shaken.))

That's bad for Carl, as that halves his Pace, meaning Carl only gets 5 squares after his run. Which means Lurch is able to follow him and swing again.

14:10, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 8,3 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (8+1)9,4. swing...

14:10, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 1,1 using d10,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. Damage. Carl is lucky. That second hit only deals 2 damage.

Arthur spends his action still trying to Unshake. 14:12, Today: Arthur Whateley rolled 7,15 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+6+3)15. Roll to unshake. That gives him an action this turn. he uses it to close the Lodge Door. It'll take an action to open.

Evans needs to reload, so he spends his action doing that.))

---

Next Round:
The Amazing Evans: AH
Carl Allens: KS
Arthur Whateley: KC
Mr. Lurch: JH

"Right. Time to take you down." Evans says, and starts shooting...but the shots ricochet off the desk, and back into the pair of men in peril!

((OOC: Evans, now reloaded, decides to again shoot at Lurch. This time, no fancy tricks...just three normal shots.

14:31, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 1,1,2,2 using d6,d6,d6,d6. Shooting!

14:31, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 2,4,1,4 using d6,d6,d6,d6. White Chip.

14:33, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 7,7 using 2d6,2d6. Damage.

And let's see how Evan's pistol malfunctions...8S

Spades—Glitch: The gizmo activates but does the reverse of its intent. An invisibility belt makes the caster glow brightly, a weapon fires at a random target, and so on. If a reverse effect makes no sense, treat it as a Major Malfunction instead.

Which means those two shots are ricochets, one hitting Evans, one hitting Carl. Way to go, Evans! That's a Shaken for him.

Carl, 7 damage is enough to make you Shaken. Since you're already Shaken, that means 1 Wound instead. Oh, and you're up. I'm sorry, I thought he'd be more helpful than this.))

---

Up next: Carl Allans

Carl slams into the wall, phenominally hot pain lancing across his side. Snake...? he wonders, then his battered senses snap to focus. Evans was shooting at him! Carl slides down the stone, breath rasping through bared teeth. Everything tasting of blood. Carl struggles to think. Evans was further away...and if the tyler approached tasks in a logical order...

Carl lets himself slump down, not troubling to lick at the flecks of blood that've sprung to his lips. His body goes limp as though he's obediently died on request.

Please walk past me, Carl pleads silently, giving one slow exhalation and holding his breath.



[[EVANS WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM. EVANS.
Smarts 6, willing to drop my last chip on it if it means saving Carl's life/I needed to do that to unshake to pretend to be dead in the first place. Hopefully Evans will now retreat out of harm's way, drawing Lurch after him and giving Carl the chance to stagger up and shoot him without risk of desk-based deathage...
init: 4S]]

Mr. Lurch walks up to Carl. He doesn't move past. "Maaake Suuuuure," he groans, apparently repeating a previous command to himself, and raises the desk high.

He brings it crashing down. But in some freak of luck, Carl is positioned in such a way that the desk hits the wall and the floor before it hits him. Apparently satisfied, the giant turns and lurches toward Evans.

---

((OOC: 15:17, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 10,3 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+2)10,3. Is he dead? Why does the dice roller hate Carl so?

15:56, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 2,2 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Wham! Now it's just fucking with us. Lurch moves on to Evans.

BTW, Arthur just uses his action to run, so he's out of this fight.))

---

Next Round:
Mr. Lurch: QD
The Amazing Evans: 9S
Carl Allans: 4S

Well, since they both go before Carl, I'll continue this post.

---

The giant continues on towards Evans, and brings the table down on him as well. The dandy groans but doesn't crumple, surprisingly.

Instead, he jabs the barrel of his pistol into the giant's guts and pulls the trigger. A larger chunk of Lurch is blown out the back...but the giant is still standing.

Carl can see why. The ragged remains of the butler's shirt fall away, revealing a quilted patchwork of stitches...it looks like Lurch was sewn together from a dozen bodies.

"Oh holy Christ..." Evans says, staring at the monster before him.

---

((OOC: 16:05, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 6,4 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Wham! That's bad for Evans, who has no fighting and thus a very low Parry. That's a Raise.

16:07, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 2,7,4 using d10,d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,7,4. Bam! 13 damage. Shaken and 2 wounds.

Evans attempts to soak. 16:09, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 1,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Soak Roll. 1 wound. Evans is still Shaken.

He attempts to Unshake: 16:11, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 5,16 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+6+5)17. Roll to unshake. That's a Raise. He gets an Action.

Evans is going to fire a Bolt point-blank into Lurch. He has to beat Lurch's Parry in order to damage him. He's doing a 3d6 bolt.

16:15, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 3,4 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. Bolt! Garrr...spending the last GM Red Chip on this roll.

16:16, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Red Chip. Total of 9. That's a hit but not a raise.

Damage: 16:18, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 13 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5,4. Damage. Yay! that's a Shaken and 1 Wound for Lurch.

This also reveal that Lurch is Not Human. Roll Spirit (-4 for the fear level, -1 for Lurch's fear rating, and + your Grit.).

Evans has to do the same. 16:30, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 8,-1 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of (8+4)12,3. Fear! Go Evans!))

---

Carl is up next!

[[it is also trying to kill him. Do the wound/curse penalties go on this roll, too?]]

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #270):

((OOC: There is that. Yes, they apply.))

[[23:44, Today: Carl Allans rolled -2,-2 using d8-6,d6-6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. bad day. ... ]]

((OOC: 16:46, Today: The Stray rolled 8 using 1d20+1, rerolling max with rolls of 7. Fear! That makes Carl Shaken. Since Carl is already Shaken, it doesn't do anything special. I guess he's got too much on his mind already.))

Carl had instinctively curled into a ball when the desk slammed down, which probably saved his skull, or at least his legs. He was no longer able to tell whether he felt sick or thirsty or whether the roof of his mouth just ached, and fragments from his reading lessons, of all things, kept flitting through his head. Perhaps because he'd missed yesterday's, being in jail. Perhaps because he still had to find the Widow Bradshaw, tell her about the Snake, and Percy. Perhaps because the gypsy's words from the passage he'd taken half an hour to struggle through resonated with his wordless want in ways all his mute vocabulary could not. There's night and day, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon, and stars, brother, all sweet things; there's likewise a wind on the heath. Life is very sweet, brother; who would wish to die?

Carl edges his hands under him, alert for the reappearance of the...the thing, resisting the urge to cough up blood.
'In sickness, Jasper?'
'There's the sun and stars, brother.'
Carl rests a laboured heartbeat, hearing Evans swear and glancing up. Stitched together? That didn't make much sense...hard to see...maybe he lost his skin at some point, like Tex. Carl didn't want to know where he'd got replacements. The darkness and the ceiling frightened him more at present. (himself a child, an adult's empty bed, the smell of sickness) Carl braces until he stops trembling, and gathers his strength. He would not be ended indoors.

'In blindness, Jasper?'
'There's the wind on the heath, brother; if I could only feel that, I would gladly live forever.'

Silently, slowly, Carl gets up again.


[[last chip to unshake, or else he never will...
init: 9H]]

((OOC: 18:28, Today: Mr. Lurch drew the single card: KD using the Deadlands system. Looks like Lurch goes first this time around.))

The giant continues beating Evans. The stone desk smashes into the Marshal, sending him to his knees.

((OOC: Lurch is pretty single-minded. he's going to swing at Evans again.

18:31, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 0,3 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Wham!

Unfortunately, because of Evans having crap for parry, that's a hit.

18:32, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 6,6 using d10,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6,6. Bam! 12 damage total. That's a Shaken and another wound for Evans, who doesn't have any more chips to spare for Soak rolls.

next round: 7H))

---

Current round:
Carl Allans: 9H
The Amazing Evans: 5S

Carl licks the blood from his lip, readies and lifts his shotgun. Everything is so clear...he pulls the trigger.

[[01:40, Today: Carl Allans rolled 4,9 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+4)10. shootin'. Damage can has? Apologies for numbers-fail, but I'm going sleeps soon.]]

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #276):

((OOC: Since you aren't in Melee with him, that's a hit and raise. Since you were using buckshot in close range, that's 3d6 damage + 1d6 for the raise, for a total of 4d6 damage.))

[[8. That...that makes him slightly irritated? No? *sigh*
Init: QC]]

The giant begins to turn as the buckshot rakes across his back.

"No you fool!" Evans shouts, and slaps Lurch across the face. "It's the ceiling! The ceiling is collapsing! You need to save the women and children first!"

"Uuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh?" The giant moans, clearly confused. He looks up instead.

((OOC: Why is the die-roller hating on the good guys so much in this fight?

Although looking back I notice a big flippin' mistake of my own...Lurch didn't roll to Unshake.

Well, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, so I'll declare Evans unshaken as well.

Evans is going to try for a Smart trick, reasoning that Lurch is none too bright.

19:33, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 7,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. The sky is falling!

19:34, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 1,4 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. It is?

Well, that's a success...Lurch has a -2 to Parry until Evans goes again.))

---

Next Turn:
Carl Allans: QC
The Amazing Evans: JH
Mr. Lurch: 7H

Carl backs a little towards the light, reloading as he does so with his last buckshot shell and one for slaughter - hell, why not?), and firing the latter more in expectation of getting attention than a hit.

The gun jams, in that particularly solid way that says it just ain't doing nothin' until he's taken it apart to see what the problem is.

[[08:02, Today: Carl Allans rolled 1,0 using d6-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. more shootin'. Ca ne marche pas plus, am I right?]]

Carl snarls without sound and reaches back for the lamp.

[[init: KC]]

In reply to The Stray (msg #245):

OOC: apparently I'm the only person in this game who doesn't post on weekends... weird

Regular combat is fine I don't think a duel really fits things here.

---

Cantrell stood his ground and leveled his rather evil looking LeMat on McCavity. The gun thundered as Cantrell squeezed the trigger.

OOC:
08:17, Today: Jericho Cantrell rolled 9,7 using 1d10+2,1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Shooting (+2Marksman).
08:18, Today: Jericho Cantrell rolled 33 using 3d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+6+6+2)20,(6+4)10. Damage.
Hit w/ a raise for 33 damage


08:19, Today: Jericho Cantrell drew the single card: 4H using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

In reply to Jericho Cantrell (msg #281):

The shot rings out, and the bandit falls.

Jericho finds himself alone in a room full of bodies. Well, the assassins, at least, are still alive...and, as a bonus, it looks like Charging Bear is down as well.

What now?

((OOC: McCavity isn't going to be soaking that, so he's going down. He's Hard To Kill, so no penalties on the Incapacitation roll.

09:55, Today: The Jellicle Gang rolled 5,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Incapacitation.))

Cantrell debated following after the other member of the gang but the dollars and cents didn't make as much sense to him as taking in two of the three and getting to deal with Charging Bear.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:07, Mon 07 Nov 2011.

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #280):

While Lurch is looking at the cealing, Evans looks over at the shadow Carl casts as he reaches for the lamp. He nods, taps his nose, and points at the giant.

Evans sees Lurch start turning in the direction of the click caused by the jamming gun, and slaps him across the face again.

"No! Don't look! You'll ruin your surprise! Don't you want to be surprised?"

Lurch stood there, pondering this.

"Now, close your eyes, and you'll get a big surprise soon!"

The giant obediently does so...

---

((OOC: Evans again attempts a Trick against Lurch.

10:05, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 13,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+7)15,1. Smarts Trick.

10:05, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 1,2 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Resisting Trick.

Well, that will make Lurch Shaken, in addition to the -2 Parry until Evans goes again.

10:13, Today: Mr. Lurch rolled 2,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Recover from Shaken. Well, it looks like he'll remain puzzled for the turn.))

---

Next Turn:
Carl Allans: KC
The Amazing Evans: 9D
Mr. Lurch: 9D

In reply to Jericho Cantrell (msg #283):

Charging Bear did his best not to flinch as Cantrell's gun thundered over his head. Once hearing a few boot steps away from him, the native son opens his eyes to see what's gone on. While he'd heard it happen, seeing is believe.

Two of the three Jellicle Gang are down... girl got away from the sound of it and Cantrell's still got four maybe five shots in that canon. A flex of his hand, proves to Charging Bear that he's still alive as there is pain from where Jericho shot his gun. He shifts his hand to grab his tomahawk, knowing that shortly Cantrell would come a calling.