Late Afternoon, April 11th, 1879. The outskirts of Blackthorn. Good Friday.

The miles pass swiftly as Carl and John ride. Carl moves like a man possessed, driven. John can barely keep pace.

The town grows as they near...they pass the few houses on the outskirts without incident...


Until they pass Robertson's Laundry. As they speed down the road, a man waving a shotgun hails them. "Help!" he cries at the pair of riders. "Please, god, help!"

Carl slows early and stops right beside the waving man - halting on a dime might be impressive, but it did your beast no good if you had riding to do - catching John's eye in the likely event he's slowed too and pointing to the barely-glimpsed peak of the church belltower. Carl could deal with local trouble faster, and John would be less able to help with the rest of his errand anyway, but someone had to raise the alarm over them damn Comanches, warn the town.

He'll point until he thinks John has got the idea/is moving off, then turn a little, shifting his shotgun, so that Pa Robertson can address him more easily. "?"

For a moment John thinks Carl meant for him to help the man with the gun but realized before he slowed down too much that he was supposed to go on. He nodded simply and kicked his horse forward towards the church. Should nothing stop him he'd simply walk in and ring that bell. Otherwise he figured the word "Comanche's" would keep any obstacle from blocking his way. He could return to Carl once the town had been proper warned.

"It...it was a mountain lion!" Joel gasps at Carl. "I-it got Sally...she...it came out of nowhere...I swear I saw foam 'round it's lips...I shot the damn thing, but it ran away..."

Carl frowns fiercely and turns a hand upward. Privately, he suspects the chances of the girl still being alive are low and diminishing by the second, but though he knows the local hinterland like the back of his hand he can't do jack shit unless he's told which way to ride after the rogue cat. "?"

Joel points towards town. Perfect. The thing is stalking through Blackthorn. A normal, healthy cougar wouldn't go anywhere near a settlement Blackthorn's size. A rabid, undead one, though...if it found somewhere to lurk, such as one of the town's many abandoned buildings, it could be hell itself to dislodge.

And with the panic and general disorder that John's alarm was about to raise, well...the results wouldn't be pretty.

John rides through the town. There's a knot of people standing by the Undertaker's office for some reason. There's a few people with covered wagons heading the other way.

Up the street to the church, John sees that Bounty Hunter, the one he escorted off Ward's property. He's following another man, one John doesn't recognize.

The bounty hunter seems to have recognized him as well.

"You!" He grumbles. "Fine day for unwanted faces. What are you doing here?"

Carl starts Hoss moving as soon as the direction's pointed out. If a rabid cougar - or a dead one frothing with rot, or a dead walking cougar that died of rabies - paid as little mind to the dictates of nature as a rabid dog there was a fair chance it'd just dragged the girl down a sidestreet and dropped her to attack the next thing that moved.

A quick scan of the surroundings shows no obvious cats in the middle of streets, but the pain is stabbing into his ribs and lungs, distracting him. Carl keeps most of his attention on Hoss, who'll smell the critter before he sees it anyhow. He figures he'd hear screams if it'd got into a house. Damn, but if only he could round up Dave and a couple of the others now...


[[Notice: 2  Have fun!]]

((OOC: If you want to attempt a Tracking roll in place of Notice, feel free...if you get into a place where an ambush is possible, then I'll roll for Hoss, but you have to find the thing first.

This will be considered a Dramatic Task. If you can get 5 Successes (counting Raises) in 5 actions, then you might be able to find Harrow Kitty before it strikes again. Please post after each roll so i can update you on the surroundings))

Carl scans the ground as they slow from a trot to Hoss' easy pacing gait in the hopes that drag marks, pawprints etc. might be preserved on the less compacted ground at the sides of the streets. Another man might have been heartened by the lack of gouts of blood, but Carl had seen cougars take young calves with barely a splatter, crushing the throat with the great fangs blocking the wounds.

[[Haha, sure, why not?
20:43, Today: Carl rolled -1,4 using d4-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+1)7. Trackin'.]]

((OOC: Current Tally: 1 round, 1 success. 4 rounds remaining))

The buildings close in around Carl and Hoss. There's a chill in the air that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the coming storm.

There's paw prints, no drag marks. If it's still carrying the girl, it's not dragging her along. Though Joel didn't say anything about the cougar taking her anywhere...just that it attacked, and he shot at it.

These alleyways are empty...most folk are out doing what little work there is that don't involve the ranch. The general direction seems to be northwest...towards the barber shop and the undertaker's place.

((OOC: Reading the Dramatic Task rules...you should be drawing an initiative card as well, as that determines whether complications that make your task harder pop up, or you get a break through. Please draw a card before you take your next action on this task))
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:08, Mon 17 Oct 2011.

John paused and barely glanced at the bounty hunter long enough to give him a quizzical look. "Comanches." he said simply as he continued to run towards the church. The town needed to be warned, he had no time to deal with some self righteous bounty hunter. He paused long enough to add "Warn who you can."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:01, Tue 18 Oct 2011.

Hoss' ears swivel and she snorts nervously. Carl pats her neck, alerted, and looks for ledges, deep porches, places a cat might hide.


[[Carl rolled 27,8 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max (((6+6+6+6+4)28,(6+3)9) Notice!).
[spots the edit] Oops. Er, on KH, that is. 3C next, if needed.]]

((OOC: 27!? That's...that's breathtaking. That's 6 total raises...that ends the dramatic task by quite a large margin. Congrats. no Death From Aboth for Harrow Kitty...))

Carl's insight and Hoss's nose are keen, and he spots a ratty tail up on top  of the Barber's shop...and a group of people standing around at the Undertaker's office across the street! It doens't take a genius to figure that if Kitty were being urged by the Snake to strike somewhere, that would be it...but it looks like Carl got there in time to try and take the thing down before it causes a mass panic. If only he could get to it...

The bounty hunter's eyes go wide.

"Oh, shit." he says, then nods. "Right. Will do...was on my way to the Marshal anyhow."

The man he's propping up speaks out. "Comanche? Where did they come from?" he says groggily.

"Don't know. Don't care. We all gotta be ready, though." the bounty hunter says back. He looks up at John. "Ride hard, sir."

The pair of them continue on, leaving John a clear path to the church. Though he spies a familiar brass figure moving into the door, carrying what looks like a load of bricks...

Carl shifts his weight slightly, causing Hoss to stop a moment. Yep, that was a painter tail all right. Carl reaches back for the rope that lives behind his saddle, grey eyes squinted into the light. At least the hangover had eased off - it felt like he'd been hungover for months.

Carl kicks Hoss over to where he can get a better angle on the cat, whistling for attention, eyes upward, and motioning the crowd to shift, spread out - it'll be a spectacle, for sure, but clearly the Dust Adder is in control here. Since the rope is looped from catching John's horse earlier, Carl does the first thing that comes to mind and tries to lasso himself a cat.


[[4, with my sole red chip for the hell of it, because he got this far.]]

As fast as Carl is, Harrow Kitty is faster. The rope only manages to score a few tufts from it's tail before it vanishes out of sight. It's probably still on the roof of the barber's shop, but there's no way to see it from Carl's current angle.

However, Carl's acts did manage to get the crowd's attention, and they part for him. It doesn't seem like they know quite what's going on, though...some are cheering, some are booing, and a few are staring up at the roof in slack-jawed confusion.

((OOC: Since a Lariat is a Trick (though using Fighting), Harrow Kitty can attempt to resist with an Agility roll.

01:04, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 6 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6. Opposed Agility. Since Harrow Kitty is not a Wild Card, it doesn't get the Wild Die, but it rolled well enough to avoid being caught.))

John rides on towards the church, he was a touch confused but from what he had gathered the dark things that had been building in the town were coming to a head and people were better warned than left unawares if death was coming. Spying Alouette he found himself breathing a sigh of relief, the tin can had faced down the natives shaman, the man could only assume the metal angel would be useful in battling whatever was coming. He'd only really register the bricks when he dismounted and began making his way to the door.

Carl is amused at the varied encouragement/disapproval despite himself, hastily circling the building in the same direction as the cat turned whilst he draws in his rope. Well, if they thought he was a one-man circus they'd at least get curious as to what all he was roping and certainly watch out for where it came down. If they took it as sport they'd be less likely to run and get underfoot or chased, too. Look in complete control.

Carl starts whistling a lighthearted trail song, twirling the lariat in preparation whilst Hoss patiently responds to commands given with weight and boots, attention focused upwards.

Alouette apparently catches the movement and is paying an unusual amount of attention, since it stops near the open church door at John's approach and greets him - fortunately vaguely aware that one cannot carry bricks and tackle-hug someone at once.

"Howdy, John John Smith!" it calls in greeting, apparently entirely unconcerned that the doorframe beside it and the threshold under it are covered in bloody smears and prints.



[[17 on its Notice...the clank's intermittent perceptiveness is weird]]

In reply to Carl (msg #19):

As Carl watches the roof, he suddenly sees a flash of fur, and then a growing, howling shadow approaching him...

((OOC: Make a Spirit check (-3, + Grit) or suffer from Fear. Make one for Hoss, too. Also, if you aren't sent screaming into the night you can make an Opposed Agility check to try and react to Harrow Kitty's leap before it lands on you and Hoss...

19:50, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 6 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 6. Opposed Agility. Looks like 6 is the number to beat.))

Hoss makes a high, thin noise of terror and throws her head up, rolling her eyes and trying to rear away in alarm...


[[Carl is fine (7), but Hoss, decidedly, is not (1). If that was an automatic bolt, Carl failed his Ride roll, if not, he just failed his Agility (2, same die). Either way he gets taken out by Kitty's tackle, I think.]]

John nods to Alouette "Howdy Alouette." he finds himself saying as he moves past the automaton and into the church proper. He'll try to find the ropes for the bells and start ringing them if nothing interrupted them. Explanations could wait.

In reply to Carl (msg #22):

The monster slams into into Carl, driving him off Hoss and sending the poor horse running. There are screams from the crowd as the cougar bites down on Carl's arm...

((OOC: You think right.

12:44, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7. Fighting. That hit Carl's Parry.

12:44, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 7,7 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+1)7. Damage. Total of 14. That's a Shaken and 2 Wounds unless you soak.

Also, draw a card, as we're now in combat rounds.

12:55, Today: Harrow Kitty drew the single card: 7S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.))

[[Carl rolled 6,1 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7,2
...and it wants a white chip, yes? Init: 2H]]

In reply to John Smith (msg #23):

The interior of the church is filled with quite a number of random debris, which makes actually getting to the bell rope quite a trick. Crammed in among the pews are a hoe, a garden gnome, a bucket, a broom, a chicken poking about on the floor for crumbs, candles of all size, a number of tin cans, a large rusted bath, a watering can, a spittoon, An old lady dozing in a rocking chair, several tumbleweeds, half a wooden sign proclaiming "Bar", some old bones, a small wooden wheel, and various other things besides.

((OOC: Make me an Agility check, -1, to make it through the stuff without tripping over or slipping on something.))

In reply to Carl (msg #25):

For a moment, everything goes black. When Carls comes to, he hears panicked and horrified shrieking. From his position on the ground, he can see Harrow Kitty leap on Molly Hollison, wife of one of the three Johns who works the ranch. There's already a body on the ground...Carl can't recognize how it if from this angle, except to know it's male.

---

((OOC: That soaks one wound, leaving you Shaken with 1 wound. You'll need to roll Spirit on your turn to unshake. meanwhile...

Harrow Kitty goes to town on the townsfolk. Kitty has Improved Frenzy, so he can make 2 attacks at no penalty. 21:29, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 12,5 using d8,d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+4)12,5. Fighting.

That will easily hit the two townsfolk he swings at, one hit with a raise. Let's see how badly he savages them:

21:32, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 18 (6,12) using d12,2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2,(6+4)10. That'll drop anyone.

21:32, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 8 (7,1) using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Damage. That won't kill the person Kitty attacked...it will just make them Shaken.

Next round: 21:34, Today: Harrow Kitty drew the single card: 2S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.))

The sight of all the random stuff within the church causes John to pause and blink, he looks back at Alouette and back at the stuff, all in a matter of a moment, before shrugging and moving through the mess with relative ease.

John Smith rolled 6,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1. Agility difficult terrain. Didn't include the negative 1 but it would come to 5 on the agility die.

"Self promised angel Texas Ranger Ranger Hawkins to gather things, but Spider Friend ran away," Alouette explains, finding a nice place for its bricks on the floor.

Then: "The ceiling rope makes the church sing..."

Carl struggles for consciousness, everything fading in and out. Everyone's talking at once, there are screams...too much talking, like that Yank on his first raid, crawling round and round for hours with his guts out and the words spilling, pouring out of him like blood - prayers, pleas, raving, noise - and none of them helping him at all...where is he? Cat...his hat's gone, and Hoss...too much noise, and he had something...something to do. Because they'd taken enough.

Carl grips the anger that comes with that thought: a bloodstained hand rams down and braces against the earth.

[[throwing our last white in to unshake, though he failed his roll so I assume it takes his action. The curse really isn't helping him here, so yeah, if he's likely to go down anyway, by Hell he'll go down fighting. Init. 4H]]

((OOC: With the 4h, you get to take your action before Harrow Kitty does))

Screams...he knew that voice. Molly Hollison. Carl moves almost entirely on momentum, scraping up his shotgun as he rolls up to lean on his good elbow and gives the cat both barrels.


[[Carl rolled 11,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,4. shootin' (assuming his preferred buckshot cancels his curse/injury modifiers).
Next init. 6D]]

In reply to Carl (msg #32):

((OOC: If you are, indeed, shooting off both barrels at once, then you will get a second attack die (just a single d6), but all the rolls would be made at -2 (dropping that 11 to 9, which is still a hit with a raise). The damage of the roll you've already made is 3d6 (since the cougar is within short range of you), plus an additional 1d6 for the raise (total damage is 4d6).))

In reply to John Smith (msg #28):

As John weave through the debris, he notices one of the large tumbleweeds he passes start rolling to follow him...it seems to be making some kind of noice as it moves, something that sounds like *zrrrrrrrrrr!*

The tumbleweed actually seems to leap up at the cowboy, long thorny limbs raking across across his face and hands...

((OOC: Whee! more silly Deadlands monsters! Say hello to the Tumblebleed!

09:54, Today: The Stray rolled 3 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Fighting. Well, that wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone John...))

[[so...I need to roll one d6-2 for shooting, 4d6 for hitting?]]

In reply to Carl (msg #35):

((OOC: Yup. d6-2 for the other shot, 4d6 for the successful one.))

[[3 for t'other shot, and a grand total of 9 damage...that...makes it pissed off?]]

"! Use fighting sticks, John John Smith - vampire vegetation can cause skin to become irritated, also people." Alouette hastily patters over, presumably to help.


[[4 agility, somehow...]]

In reply to Carl (msg #37):

The buckshot slams into the cougar, sending it crashing into the window of the undertaker's shop.

Molly staggers away, blood dripping from the bite in her arm. It looks like she's more terrified than injured.

There's a sound from the shop. The dead cougar apparently isn't finished moving just yet...

---

((OOC: That makes it Shaken. Draw a card for next round...it will spend this action trying to Unshake.

01:29, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Roll to unshake. Hmm. That means it's still Shaken.

01:30, Today: Harrow Kitty drew the single card: 8C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.))

Carl hauls up and paces over there, reloading.

[[does that take his entire action? If not, I'd like to roll Notice to see if HK's broken/rammed into any jars of embalming fluid.
Init: 7C]]

"What in the sam hell?!" John exclaims as he whips out his dragon staff and lashes out at the... tumbleweed? He wasn't keen on punching something covered in thorns but for all the damage his staff seemed to do he was wondering if a kick with a good ol' leather boot might prove a better tactic.

John Smith rolled 2,4,2 using d10,d6,2d4, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4,1,1. dragon staff attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:41, Fri 21 Oct 2011.

Alouette tries to get hold of the tumbleweed, but only manages to grab a handful of little dry bits of twig. "Hmmm."

[[grapple: 2!]]

The whipping thorns of the tumbleweed thing thrash about John, trying to dig it's thorns beneath his skin and sip his tasty, tasty blood. John's skill in evading attacks, however, keep him from getting more than a couple surface scratches.

((OOC: 11:46, Today: The Stray rolled 5 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Fighting. Nothing.

I should point out that the creature is Small sized, so there's a -1 penalty to hit it))

John lashes out once more with his dragon staff, this time his attack connects and he makes a fairly solid hit.

In reply to Carl (msg #40):

There's a low growl from inside the store, and the sound of something stepping on broken glass. It looks like Harrow Kitty is up and about again.

((OOC: 16:27, Today: Harrow Kitty rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Roll to unshake. That's a success, but not a raise, so it doesn't get an action. It does take the time to stand and move a bit, though.

Next round: 7S))

In reply to John Smith (msg #44):

The staff whacks off some more twigs, enough for John to see some sort of fibrous mass in the center of the bramble.

((OOC: It has a Toughness of 3, so that will make it Shaken. it will spend it's turn attempting to become Unshaken: 16:36, Today: The Stray rolled 5 using 1d4, rerolling max with rolls of (4+1)5. Roll to unshake. That will make it unshaken, but won't give it an action this turn.

If you want to target the mass, it's a -4 penalty to hit. And while it has a -1 size, in rereading the description I find that it DOESN'T benefit from the Small special ability, so no penalties on attack rolls, so ignore my comment about the -1 to hit from earlier.

Jake and Alouette, you're up. I'm not drawing cards for this combat, as it's just a little bit of one.))

Alouette keeps trying, and failing, to get hold of the thing. "Hmmm."

Carl squints into the darker shop, his own heartbeat loud enough to be distracting. He fires a single shot, but soon realises he's shooting the thing's shadow and braces himself against the corner to be ready for it when it leaps. Reaching into his duster pocket as he watches the dark, it feels like about the only thing left is slugs for slaughter, casings slick under the fingers of his red right hand.

A thought starts to trouble him: Why aren't the bells ringing?


[[Not that Carl's ever heard of Milton. Shooting 3, but keeping those precious chips against injury. As for ammo, I can no longer see Carl's character sheet for some reason, but I think he's down to maybe two slug shells, possibly one buckshot additional to what's in the gun. I'm half-surprised Wildcat hasn't remarked on his appauling firearms safety yet...
init: 5S]]
This message was last edited by the player at 08:08, Mon 24 Oct 2011.

Jacob was getting tired of this, while the thing had thorns he figured he'd rely on his trusty boots to protect him from the worst of it so he brought on down on the bunch of brambles... hard. If the thing ceased moving, John would continue running towards the bell rope.

The thing falls to pieces at John's furious attack. It twitches for a few seconds, then falls still. There's a clear path to the bell rope.

In reply to Carl (msg #48):

There's a crash from the rear of the shop. Sounds like another window...

((OOC: Harrow Kitty takes the opportunity to smash through the back and hide in the alleyway.

Next card for Harrow Kitty: 01:33, Today: Harrow Kitty drew the single card: JC using the Deadlands system. Initiative. Oddly, it hasn't had to use it's Quick edge all this fight.))

Carl's shoulders slump in a silent sigh. He leans his forehead against the wall he's propped against for a moment to think. The catamount was smart for a deadder, which made it unpredictable. He might have already lost it: certainly he couldn't outrun it in this state. On the other hand, chances were he'd hit a limb and it would be slowed a little, though he was pretty sure deadders didn't feel pain.

Carl mentally calculates the relative distances to the end of the alley out back of the shop and to the Lodge and sets off rapidly for the former, cursing Ward for sending him alone, cursing himself because he knew he would do it or die - end, rather, since he was already dead - then curses Ward again for knowing that.

It made him smirk slightly as he winced, fending himself off the side of the building and leaving bloody prints, since the thought reminded him of something Charlie'd said about route marches in the rain: Y'get a bit wet, you cuss the weather...then it soaks through an' you cuss the army - cuss the gen'rals, cuss your CO, cuss your sergeant, cuss your damn fool self, signin' up...then you set to cussin' the enemy an' by then you're jes' so wet it don't matter no more, an' you're a good fightin' Confederate again. Guess the same went for trouble.

Carl keeps his gun under his arm and draws his knife to have it ready. Well, the thing could surely smell he was hurt...hopefully that would keep it here a little longer. Long enough to get a good shot at its head, with luck. Here kitty kitty kitty...

[[Carl tries to get round there, conserving energy because he knows if it's going to outrun him it already has...ha! I wonder why that is...
init: 4C ]]

Alouette picks up as much of the ex-tumblebleed as possible and wanders over to dump it in the font.

OOC: In case it wasn't clear...
John runs forward and rings the bell.

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #52):

The alley was familiar ground. This was where he'd chased that smiling killer with the scarf last time. The one that got away. At least it's not raining right now...

And at that moment, Carl feels a drop of water down his neck, followed by another splattering on his arm. Wonderful.

As he looks about, trying to pick out a trail, the church bells begin to ring.

((OOC: Make a Notice check, please))

Carl tries not to think about the last time he was here. He fails to spot any vanishing cougars, but even through the confusion and the thud of his blood he hears that harsh ringing sound. The stranger had got there.

A little of the tension leaves Carl's body in relief.

[[Notice 3. cue cougar?]]

And, like a gift from Heaven itself, Carl also spots the cougar slinking towards the open door at the back of the Mining Office. It's already halfway through by the time Carl spots it, the tail of the beast rapidly

((OOC: Harrow Kitty is attempting to sneak in to the makeshift jail to hide, not knowing the place is occupied.

But it rolled horribly on its Stealth check, so Carl actually managed to spot it.

Carl, you get your action for this turn. Kitty's at the edge of Short range for your gun, so no range penalty yet.

13:07, Today: Harrow Kitty drew the single card: AD using the Deadlands system. Quick. EEK. Remember what I said about not having to use Quick? Well, Now I have. Twice. Fun.))

Carl raises his gun swiftly if a little awkwardly and takes the shot given to him.


[[4 shootin' - does that hit? [never sure on that point] Willing to chip if not...
init: QH]]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:59, Mon 24 Oct 2011.

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #58):

((OOC: 4 on a Shootin' roll hits (it's melee that uses the Parry score...or firing a gun while in melee). Most of the challenge on Shooting rolls come from things like cover, range, and dim lighting, which are penalties, rather than from a higher target number.

Since you're at Short range, the shotgun deals 3d6 damage.))

[['k. I will try to remember that.
13 damage.]]

The shot rips through the kitty's side, smashing the pelvis and sending it sprawling. It's down.

((OOC: But not out. It's Incapacitated but not dead. Carl will have to go over and manually finish it off))

Carl lowers the gun, and runs over there, the pain scoring across his ribs. He'd got it, all right, but he wasn't sure how long the thing would stay down.


[[oh, he will. Is it 'unconscious', or just back-end-paralysed?]]

((OOC: Paralyzed. There's a lot of leeway in how Incapacitated is described.))

[[how far is its parry reduced, if it is?]]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y1dttyp8LI (some mood music, link tags not working for some reason)

The churchbells sing out, calling to the masses of Blackthorn.

Alouette can see doors opening as people look at the church, confused.

Inside, the old lady in the rocking chair blinks and looks about. "Mikey? Oh, dearie me, must have dozed off at Mass again...Mikey? Where are you, Mikey?"

The door of the confessional opens, and the preacher steps out. He stomps through the assembled objects, faintly bewildered, but his anger clouds out his discomfort. "What in Heaven's name are you doing!?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:16, Mon 24 Oct 2011.

In reply to Carl Allans (msg #64):

((OOC: It is completely helpless at the moment. All you need to do to kill it is spend an action and a round of ammo. I'd also a good descriptive post, but mechanically, that's all that's required.))

[[Ah, all right then. Can they hear the shots from the other thread/side of the building?]]

Carl slows, loading a single slug round as he does so. Staying well clear of the front claws, the cowboy takes careful aim at the skull. It was a beautiful animal, once, but there's nothing in its golden eyes that was its own. He pulls the trigger.

Carl looks at where he is for the first time: at the corridor, then the 150-pound-odd re-dead painter stretched across it with its brains livening the wallpaper. Guess it was the local law's problem now. Carl leans against the wall and laughs, hard and silently, until he has to double over in pain.

"! Beware spider friend and shoe of wheels, Shepherd!" Alouette advises the reappeared priest, then, to John between peals:

{{BONG}}

"Are we having a mass, a meeting of all the townsfolk, or a funeral?"

John kept ringing until he was sure people knew he was trying to get their attention, he'd even give the bell one last pull before releasing the rope and turning to face the Father. Felt like I done did that before... long time ago... he thought to himself. "Pardons Father, had to warn the town." he said. "All the troubles of the last few days are about to come crashing down."

He said and pauses to fish out his Depute's badge and reveal it to the assembled crowd. His voice picks up, it falters for a moment as though he hadn't spoken loudly for some time, before it rings out strongly, amplified by the acoustics of the church. "Folks, we have a fight on our hands, I come from Dr. Ward's ranch to warn you that the Comanche's are coming. Tonight." he said and let his words register as he returned towards the front doors of the church to better address the gathered folk. "We need to get the women and children tucked away where it's safe. Those who have weapons and can use them, should get them, whatever troubles been going on here between people can wait till after the fightin's died."

Carl coughs until a haze of pain and dizziness takes the urge away, then kneels briefly to take some of the cat's teeth and cut a couple of claws from the great paws as proof the thing is dead. If half a dozen heavily-armed people haven't decended upon him by that point he'll shoulder his gun, pocketing the stuff, and go back to find his hat/see who it was the creature got. He has a raging thirst by this time.

((OOC: Carl, resume posting on the Chapter 12.1 Thread))

Jake moved quietly through the streets of Blackthorn. The sun was dropping lower and lower and soon night would fall. "You'd think I'da remember to get my horse..." grumbled the hexslinger as he walked towards the church.

OOC: Just incase
15:32, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 4,8 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+2)8. Notice.

This message was last edited by the player at 19:32, Wed 26 Oct 2011.

Jake isn't the only one headed to the church. By now a sizable crowd has gathered. Someone in cowboy gear waving a deputy badge is addressing the assembled people.



There's a general worried buzz among the crowd.

"We need to get the Dust Adders!" one of them shouts. "They're the ones with the guns!"

"We're doomed! We're doomed!"

"It's all your fault! You law people and your war with the town! The injuns are only attacking us because they think we're weak!"

"The Dust Adders are the problem! They called this hell on us! I heard they went into the Indian's camp and started shooting!"

"No, it's because we caught that filthy raping savage! They want to free their own!"

There's a lot of shouting and confusion...

And a cold rain has started to fall.

((OOC: And the Fear Level of the town raises to 4...))

As he put his pistol away, Jake thought, And the towns folks are going to frenzy. Shortly there after a shiver ran down his back. The skies turned dark and rain started falling down. Great... just want I need. Jake made his way around the crowd towards the deputy. His deputy-star was pinned on shirt.

He stopped near John Smith and gave the other deputy a nod, "As it looks like you're in charge here ... what can I do to help? We gonna have to move these people out of here, hell church is likely to get hit first if these injins are like the ones I've dealt with before."

Alouette pauses in fetching all the holy wine out of the sacristry.
"Should self tell the Pure Blooded Comanches to shoo again?" it enquires of Grandma Bennett, since everyone else seems to be busy.

John looks at Jake Lawrence and scoffs "In charge? Heh." he says as he looks about the room. "You any good with people? Need to calm this group down and get organized. Anything you can do would be a help."

"Folks!" John calls out. "You start shouting and carrying on like a bunch o' idjits then they are going to think us weak because we will be." he said using what amounted to common sense to him. "I aim to help protect this town, which means we need ta keep our heads and fight back." he said as he looked around at the assembled crowd trying to find someone who looked at least somewhat competent among their number. Someone local.

Jake nodded, "I'm not bad with people... allow me?" Grabbed a nearby chair and stepped onto it giving himself some height to look over the gathered mob.

"People of Blackthorn please remain calm. This isn't the first or the last time Indians have come upon a town. You've got able bodied men and women who can stand and fight should it come to that, BUT for now let us be peaceful and allow Marshal Evans and Ranger Hawkins some time to talk to the Indians, to find out their intentions.

I'm not saying we shouldn't move the women and children to a secure location with whatever food and water we can obtain through legal means. In reality I'm saying just that, I suggest the men and able women follow this good Deputy to meet up with the Marshal. I'll take the remaining women and children to the Mining Office which appears to the most secure building in town."

OOC: Dice roller doesn't seem to like me today
08:51, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,1 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. Persuasion.
08:52, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,2 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Persuasion - FateChip.
08:52, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,4 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Persuasion - FateChipx2.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Fri 28 Oct 2011.

In reply to Alouette (msg #75):

"Oh my word!" The little old lady in the rocking chair exclaims at the sight of the automaton. "Are you that angel everyone's been talking about lately? Have you come for Ol' May Bennet, to show her the way home? Is my time in this world through?"

((OOC to Jake and John: Just waiting for John's Teamwork attempt result before moving you forward))

"Yes," Alouette responds to the angel comment, then tilts its head at her. "Ol' May Bennett's time is not done yet: self has come to protect Town, Texas. Perhaps if the Pure Blooded Comanches are going to make people frightened self should tell them to cease and go away..."

OOC: The Persuasion Roll John should have made before.
John Smith rolled 1,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Persuasion.
John Smith rolled 4,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. White chip for reroll.

In reply to Alouette (msg #79):

"That would be nice." The old lady said. "But I don't think they would listen well. Comanches are all heathens, you know. They're not god-fearing folk like us."

The crowd seems to be listening. Or at least, not shouting as much.

"Them Comanche are the devil's children! They drove a rabid mountain lion into the streets!"

That sends mutters throughout the crowd. A rabid anything is cause for concern, let alone something as vicious as a catamount.

"My god! The girls at the Oriental! No one's told them anything!"

"We'll follow you! Lead the way!"

"To arms! To arms!"

"Please everyone stay calm, a frenzy won't help anyone right now." Jake raised his hands and attempted to talk the mob. "Once everyone is secure in the Mining Office, I'll see getting a couple of small groups together to see about gathering anyone who's out and in potential danger."

"Fear not! Self caused the Pure Blooded Comanches to turn back before, including the Comanche who was an owl who was sometimes a lion: he was very heathen. Self can also provide religious instruction."

There's a pause, and some ticking. "Would the eye-witness testimony of two deputies of the the duly-elected marshal of the town, stating that armed Comanches were coming to Town, Texas, causing plus plus fear to populace, constitute sufficient demonstration that the party of the first part poses a threat to the party of the second part?"

In reply to Alouette (msg #84):

Granny Bennett blinks and tries to puzzle out what the clank just said. "Er...I think so?"

In reply to Jake Lawrence, Wildcat Hawkins, Adrian Vega:

As Wildcat and Adrian head over to the crowd assembled at the church, they notice that Jake already seems to be doing a bit of organizing.

Jake is too busy trying to get the crowd under control to see them.

A cold rain has started. It's just a sprinkle now, but it threatens worse.

"Okay," Alouette chirps, and fetches the chicken before pattering up to the door and very gently moving the priest and John out of the way.

"Howdy, townsfolk! Fear not, angels are among y'all!" it greets the crowd, then notices Jake and points at him.
"Repent."

In reply to Alouette (msg #87):

Jake looked down at the automoton then stepped off the chair he'd been on. He took a few steps closer to the brass-angel and said, "Working on it... perhaps you'd do me and the other deputies a favor and not work these people up."

"Stuffed dummies?" he asked the ranger curiously as they walked along. "Must be a story there." If it was what he thought it was...well, no use wondering too much. He'd rather hear it first. But a thought did come to him that he hadn't yet repressed.



OOC:
Continued from Chapter 12.1

Alouette is apparently content with that. "Self will not cause working," it assures him. "Self and Deputy Chicken are going to tell the Pure Blooded Comanches to go away, and possibly about Jesus. Tell Texas Ranger Ranger Hawkins self will resume gathering things immediately after completion of task."

Unless someone catches or calls out to it, the nut and boltcase will trundle off in an easterly direction with its stolen/deputised friend.

"Well Deputy Vega it's hard ta get a volunteer ta stand there while ya ride by an' cut his head off wit' a saber..."  Wildcat responds, but then she sees what's up ahead.  She frowns, but she's glad Deputy Lawrence is trying to get the people to do something.  Well, first things first.

"Deputy Clank!  Front and center!"

Cradling her new shotgun that... shouldn't exist yet... in the crook of her arm, the Ranger begins to approach.

"Deputy Vega, you're from here.  Ya wanna give this a shot?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:18, Sat 29 Oct 2011.

"Sure, I'll give it a shot," he said calmly, looking over the crowd. "I ain't never had no way with words, but mayhap some o' these folk remember me and they'll listen."

"Now now, hear hear!" he called out loudly, hoping to get everyone's attention.

"Ain't no reason for all that shoutin' and hollerin'," he said with a kindly smile as he walked towards the crowd of assembled folks. He scanned the crowd for familiar faces, and waited until he had the attention of those assembled for at least a moment. He would slip into any pause and silence, and take any opportunity to get a word in. Keeping his voice loud and his tone clear, he spoke to them.

"Now, I don't know if none o' y'all remember me, but I'm Adrian Vega. I prolly dug a mine out with some o' y'all, and if I didn't then prolly my daddy Victor Vega did. My momma Irene prolly taught y'all school, and if she didn't she prolly taught your kids." He gave the townsfolk the moment to recognize him, to let his adult features resolve into more youthful ones in their mind, so they could correlate the image of the younger man with the man grown that stood before them.

"Now, I remember back when I was a young buck runnin' around down here, folks was more civil to each other. None o' this shootin' the whole damn town up and yellin' and hollerin' like a buncha crazy folk! Now we got us a situation here, and maybe there's some things that need sortin' out later, but that's gonna have to wait."

"I ain't gonna try to persuade y'all or scare yall, but I'm just gonna stand here and talk good sense. At least as far as I remember, Blackthorn folk used to understand good sense. Hopefully they still do. If you want to live, listen to the Deputy and get into the church, women and children and old folks first. If you've got a gun on you, then stand out here with us. We're gonna need to stand together if we're gonna run off these Comanche."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:41, Sat 29 Oct 2011.

"!" Alouette's attention caught, it patters around all the people to come up beside the lawfolk. It looks at Adrian talking with apparent curiousity, stepping a bit closer to watch his gesturing whilst his attention is fixed on the townsfolk.

"Front and centre of what, Texas Ranger Ranger Hawkins?" it asks Wildcat when there's a pause. Apparently it's picked up a very tolerant hen in its travels: the bird seems quite happy to be carted around under one brass arm.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Sat 29 Oct 2011.

"Front and center of me, Deputy Clank!  Yer a deputy now, ya gots responsibilities ta learn.  No more wanderin' off...  If'n we can get these folks ta listen, we're gonna get a plan going.  Ah hope ta glory Marshal Evans an' th' Adder can talk 'em down, but if'n they can't, they'll ride on us, an' there ain't gonna be no reasonin' wit' em."

There was an ulterior motive here of course, she couldn't have the mechanical angel wandering off to be discovered somewhere else.

"And ah got an idea ya'll might be liable to help, if it goes down like ah think we'll need a signal, a messenger on th' battlefield.  It's dangerous, but you ain't a white man, odds are good if'n the Comanche do ride on th' town, if you jus' duck aside where ya don't look like some kind of weapon, an' sit real still an' be quiet, they probably won't hurt you.  Likely ta think yer a laundry mangle or somethin'.

"Also, ya'll don't have to say the whole thing all th' time, Ranger Hawkins will suffice..."

Wildcat was suddenly quiet as she looked across at the mysterious lenses which seemed to be his eyes, what was the clank about to do?

Alouette obediently addresses Wildcat's solar plexus. "Self was not wandering, Texas Ranger Ranger Hawkins: self was moving with purpose, to tell the Pure Blooded Comanches to go away like they did when self and Gangatsu, Doctor Ward, John John Smith, AUG-US-TUS, My Man Abraham and Gus Shaw - who is a Bad Man - dug up a Chinese on the land they had claimed. Then there was a legal dispute, but self told them to shoo and...retrieval error: no card...and they went. Even the Comanche who was an owl who was sometimes a lion: he was very heathen."

The clank tilts its head at her - or rather, at her middle - and carefully repeats: "Primary command: protect. Self cannot feel pain, or remain still if mortals are in danger."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Sat 29 Oct 2011.

"Well Marshal Evans is set out ta tell them ta shoo.  An' he's got help.  Look, we got a plan, and if'n yer right ah think ah got th' perfect job fer ya.  I was gonna do it mahself cuz it'll be plumb dangerous.  Ah want ta do it myself, ah hate puttin' anyone else in that position, but... ah don't think you can operate a gun or ride a horse."

In reply to Adrian Vega (msg #92):

((OOC: I'm going to have you roll a Persuasion check, Adrian. You'll get a +2 bonus for being a townie, which will negate the default penalty.))

In reply to The Stray (msg #97):

OOC:
Persuasion: 8
(Spent one White chip, One Red chip)

"Guns may injure or frighten people and animals, Ranger Hawkins," Alouette points out. "Should self cease doing previous job: gathering things, before starting dangerous job?"

There's a bit of ticking. "Should Deputy Chicken go with Ambrose and the helping adder?" it enquires.

"Yeah... don't ya'll worry about fetching nothin' fert th' moment.  And... uh... we'll just keep Deputy Chicken in reserve..."

Wildcat looked a bit bewildered by such an answer.

The chicken looks up at Alouette's face. "Cluck!" It says, possibly in response to the question.

In reply to Adrian Vega (msg #98):

Adrian seems to have gotten the crowd's attention. There are mutters of assent as people nod. Now all that has to be done is to give the folk orders that don't conflict.

Jake just sort of shakes his head and walks back over to the seat he had moments before been standing on. There he promptly has a seat and listens to Vega wax poetically about the people of the little piss ant town. The huckster felt the rain  and waited, soon enough something would happen... in his bones he felt it.

"Get on in th' church now Deputy Clank, Deputy Vega got them all ta do the same thing fer the moment, that's the start we needed.  If'n we can pull this all off, th' church is whar ya need ta be ta do yer special job ennyhow."

Wildcat turns her attention back to Deputy Vega.

"All right Deputy, yer gonna wind up bein' th' mouthpiece o' this operation.  Ah kinda wish that Adder woulda come wit' me an just stood here ta make you look double official, but we'll just have ta hope there's enough Confed'rate pride still 'round here that th' silver star means somethin' ta a few of 'em.  Bet you didn't know lawmen had that much in common with politicians, at least 'round here.

"Packin' em in here fer now is a good move but ah don't want 'em idle or just sittin' in here.  Ah want everyone ta have a job.  Ain't figurin' there's too many scrappers in th' lot, but if there's any local hellcats willin' ta stand toe to toe with injuns by chance, single 'em out.

"There's probably a few willin' an' halfway able ta kill a man to defend themselves, that lot ain't gonna go to th' front line, but they're gonna secure City Hall for th' others.  Then there's folks who walk straight 'n work hard, they're gonna build a barricade 'n fetch lamps 'n dig up anything resembling a weapon 'round here 'n help us rig up this church, 'n black out th' winders o' City Hall... looks like someone already gathered some barricade supplies here.... huh...

"If'n we had more time, diggin' a couple o' ditches ta make th' streets impassable by horse would be nice, but t'ain't happenin'.

"Anyway, then there's folks that can't really carry, or just don't like ta work, but they can move swiftly.  They need to go warn other folks.  An anyone left'll be too young old or sick to do any of th' above, so give th' too old ones th' job of entertainin' th' too young ones.

"Whether any o' this fool mess will actually help or not ain't what ah'm concerned with so much as we can get folks ta believe there's an orderly, planned response.  Reckon?"

"Okay," Alouette agrees, and patters back into the church.

"The other angel said Ambrose is going to tell the Pure Blooded Comanches to shoo and that self should stay in here and be special," it explains to Granny Bennett, in case she's worried at its reappearance.

"You have to be in reserve," it tells Deputy Chicken, placing her gently on the floor.

In reply to Alouette (msg #105):

"Oh, that's good." the old lady says, picking up a pair of knitting needles and some yarn. "Who's Ambrose?"

"Cluck!" Says Deputy Chicken, who then immediately starts pecking at the floor, apparently looking for some feed or a nice fat worm on the hardwood.

"Doctor Ambrosius Botticelli Evans, late of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology," Alouette answers, doing a pitch-perfect impression of Evans' voice/ "-he said 'From now on, my metallic friend, I would take it as a kindness if you referred to me as Ambrose.' He has long sentences with long words in and lots of deputies and a friend called Jack Daniels who lives in a bottle."

Ambrose explained, the machine's curiousity fixates on the needles. "What are you doing, Ol' May Bennett?"

"Oh, the young marshal." The old lady nods. "I like him. That's a very good imitation of his voice, dearie. How did you do that?"

She glances at the patch of wool in her lap. "Oh this? I'm just knitting a square for a quilt I'm making."

((OOC: Waiting for Adrian Vega, Jake Lawrence, and John Smith to divvy up Wildcat's tasks before moving that bit onward.))

"Self remembers," it informs her. "Many voices plus associated aetheric-temporal vibrations." There's a *tik* almost like the literal sparking-off of a thought. "Do you have holy songs in? Jesse Hohlfeld has holy songs in, but more arguments, it is not good for him."

"What is 'quilt'?" Alouette asks, crouching to see the knitting process better. If Granny Bennett wants to give it the wool to hold it'll happily do so, quite fascinated by the movement of the needles.

Wildcat's Laundry List:

- Prepare City Hall.  Barricade it, have light inside but cover the windows well where defenders can peek out without letting out any light.

- Set up lookout and devise a signal.  Three shots rapid would work but I'd prefer something silent.

- Rig the church.  Wildcat wants it lit up like a Christmas tree, maybe with some wagons parked outside like everyone's there.  To complete the illusion, someone will give Alouette the signal.  Alouette, perhaps with the aid of Deputy Chicken, will ring the church bell to create the illusion it's occupied.  It'll be bright, it'll be loud, it'll be obvious, hopefully they'll go right for it.

- Booby traps.  Simple, simple booby traps.

- Position lookouts, and set up nests for defenders on the second stories and rooftops near the church.  Sandbags, ammo, molotov cocktails, dynamite, anything useful.  Seal up the buildings, make it so the Indians can't just go up there so easily.

Position some people on the ground too, probably Wildcat, basically cannon fodder to give the people upstairs some time to fire upon them.

- Any other good ideas any of you can come up with.

Basic plan at this point, Injuns hopefully go for the obvious target, discover it's empty, set off booby traps, then have to go street to street.  The hope is that if we break the huge horde into small groups, we have a chance.  Deputies will at least have the high ground.

Wildcat doesn't know what Carl's presence in the town means.  If there were any Dust Adders about, we'd add that element in too but their only representative is doing... something, so this is all I got for now.

Adrian had to focus pretty hard to get down everything that the Ranger was telling him. Naturally being something of an easily distracted individual, he found that many times his only focus was a good game of cards, and without thinking he reached into the side pocket of his duster and put his hand on a deck of cards he had in there. What really didn't help was that there seemed to be something...beautifully strange and metallic looking around, but he really couldn't process that at the moment. There was just too much shit going on, so he pretended it wasn't there, and saved it for later.

Now that he had their attention, he needed to give them a good set of instructions. He had mistakenly told them to go into the church, forgetting that the Ranger wanted to blow up the church, or something like that.

"Alright now, listen here," he said loudly.

"We're gonna split into two groups. First, anyone who knows how to shoot," he said, patting the firearm in his holster, "stay out here with me. Second, women, young children and the elderly, y'all need to go up into the town hall. Let's get to it quick folks, we don't have all day to do this." He looked expectantly at the crowd, and repeated his instructions again in a loud voice.

[[There're two other Dust Adders in town, they just ran screaming down the street...Bill's got a foot in no-man's-land, but they'll listen to him, also it's likely more'll turn up when they realise the injuns are restless/their friends/relatives send for them, even if Carl gets kilt doing errands: witness Gus looking alert on t'other thread there.

Carl, being ex-militia and very familiar with the town/terrain, has a few specific ideas as to how to turn the place into a series of killing-grounds, but it might occur to Wildcat/Adrian/other ex-miners that dynamite + coal dust/reasonably fine flour = huge dust explosion, and a barrel of such masquerading as a waterbutt could safely be set off from an opposite rooftop. Likewise in seeking about for ready caltrops it might occur to her to whet up such things as rakes and part-bury them in mud - in the lowered visibility at night, a street of sudden rakes is not a horseman's friend.]]
This message was last edited by the player at 01:19, Tue 01 Nov 2011.

"BELAY THAT!" Comes a bellow from the back of the crowd. A rotund gentleman in a distinguished suit with impressive muttonchop whiskers waves a silver-headed cane at the crowd.

"Have you all TAKEN LEAVE of your SENSES!?" He shouts. "WHY do you LISTEN to this HARLOT and her CRONIES!? WHAT have they done for YOU!? All I have seen since her arrival is DEATH, DESTRUCTION, and PAIN for the folks of our fair town! And NOW she ORDERS you to LAY DOWN YOUR LIVES for her! ENOUGH, I say! NO MORE! This slattern has forgotten her place and would get you all KILLED! It is TIME for you to DO THE RIGHT THING and CAST HER OUT! You must KILL THE RANGER!"

There's a strange mood that washes over the crowd, and a creepy monotone rises from the masses. "Kill the ranger. Kill the ranger. Kill the ranger."

They turn and begin shuffling forward...

((OOC: Draw initiative cards, please!))

---

Current Turn Order:
Mayor Bruebaker: AD
John Smith: JH
Alouette: 9D
Crazy Crowd: 8C
Jake Lawrence: 7H
Adrian Vega: 7D
Wildcat Hawkins: 3C

This message was last edited by the player at 21:43, Tue 01 Nov 2011.

20:24, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 3C using the Deadlands system. What in the Blue Hell.

OOC:

Initiative:                7D
This message was last edited by the player at 01:28, Tue 01 Nov 2011.

[[ 9D - and not to disturb the tension, but I'm going to sleep before it hits 2am.
Alouette can hear all this hollering from inside, yes?]]
This message was last edited by the player at 01:29, Tue 01 Nov 2011.

PMs

Jake saw the mayor coming, he just hadn't know who it was. Then the fat man started talking about killing people. "Guess rain round here just brings out the crazies."

OOC:
07:49, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 7H using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative.

((OOC: Guess that just leaves John to pull for cards. If he hasn't pulled by the time I get back from work, I'll place him on hold and start the fight.))

OOC:

Spirit:
You rolled 1,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max ((1,3)).
White Chip for a second try:

You rolled 6,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max ((6,5)).
This message was last edited by the player at 15:55, Tue 01 Nov 2011.

In reply to Adrian Vega (msg #121):

RE: John's pull for the cards (will catch up tonight, Halloween weekend has been busy)  John Smith drew the single card: JH using the Deadlands system. Init.

Current Turn Order:
Mayor Bruebaker: AD
John Smith: JH
Alouette: 9D
Crazy Crowd: 8C
Jake Lawrence: 7H
Adrian Vega: 7D
Wildcat Hawkins: 3C


Will be posting the map and the start of this fight once I get off work! (I is on lunch right now)

The Mayor blows Wildcat a kiss as the crowd begins moving toward her with ill intent. Then he moves into the crowd and is lost from sight.

The good: only about half the assembled crowd has turned and started shambling toward Wildcat and Adrian.

The bad: it's the closer half, and Jake and John are cut off from them by the rest of the confused mob.

The ugly: the rain is really beginning in earnest now.

---

OOC: Mayor Bruebaker uses his Invisibility power on his action, then uses his Movement to enter the crowd.

01:02, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 6,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Spellcasting.

Anyone trying to find him will have to make a Notice roll at -4, and any attacks against him suffer -4 until his spell ends.

Just a note: Mayor Bruebaker has the Command and Fervor edges, so as long as he remains within 5" of his thralls, they get +1 on damage and to recover from Shaken.

Next round: JC

---

Next up: John Smith, Alouette

OOc/PM:

In reply to John Smith (msg #126):

OOC: Didn't think so :-)

John winced, it was looking ugly down there. Seems the mayor got everyone all riled up and then promptly disappeared into the crowd. There were far too many people in the way for him to try and muscle through the crowd, and John may pack a punch but he didn't have much muscle to muscle with. "If you can't go through them..." he muttered to himself as he took a breath and raised his hands focusing his chi, he'd gather it in an invisible sphere and then disperse about his person with his hands focusing it on his iron body technique, hardening his flesh to better withstand damage before he'd run around the back of the church and toward the violent mob.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Thu 03 Nov 2011.

OOC: Did you check the Map thread? John's got got a bit of a crowd between him and Kat. You can move into the crowd, but each square of panicky townsfolk counts as 2 for movement purposes. The rest of the action is fine, it will just take you a bit of movement to get there.

Also, draw your card for next round
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:39, Thu 03 Nov 2011.

OOC:

In reply to John Smith (msg #130):

((OOC: Putting Alouette On Hold for now, in order to start moving the story forward.))

The crowd begins to fragment as confusion sets in. The strangely compliant crowd members closest to wildcat and Adrian lurch forward, grabbing, clawing, and swinging bare hands at the pair...

((OOC: Currently, only 4 Townsfolk can reach Wildcat, 4 can reach Adrian 92 can reach both). The city streets help funnel them, so they can't quite surround the two characters at the edge of the map. That's a +3

The rest of the crowd is beginning to break and move away, as they don't know what is going on.

There's one townsfolk who wasn't in the radius of the mental whammy. Yay! Too bad he's just as confused as everyone else.

The four closest to Wildcat make their unarmed attacks:

21:16, Today: The Stray rolled 13,6,8,4 using d4+3,d4+3,d4+3,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+2)10,3,(4+1)5,1. mob attack! That's three hits, 1 with a Raise.

Damage 1 (with Raise): 4
Damage 2: 1
Damage 3: 11. That's a Shaken and 1 Wound. Three hits and only one will do any appreciable amount of pain.

Adrian, being in the way of the mob, gets a couple of attacks sent his way as well. They get the +3 bonus because foes are adjacent, though only 2 of the baddies are focused on him.

21:23, Today: The Stray rolled 5,17 using d4+3,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(4+4+4+2)14. mob attack! Well, that's bad for Adrian. 2 hits, 1 with a raise.

Damage 1: 4
Damage 2 (with Raise): 13. Even with Adrian's high toughness, that's a Shaken and 1 Wound

So that's the first attack, with Wildcat and Adrian not completely cut off yet. just remember that if you attempt to move, they get free attacks for your withdrawal.))

---

Up Next: Jake Lawrence, Adrian, Wildcat, Alouette (on hold, may insert action at any point)

Alouette suddenly stands up very fast at the end of the shouting. "Witchcraft!"
It grabs a can and fills it from the still-rather-frothy/vampire-tumbleweedy font, calling back to the others before it patters to the door. "Father! Danny Albatross! The witches are trying to kill everybody!"

"CEASE," it calls to the crowd, using the Man of Facial Clouds' voice since he seems to be giving the orders. "Cease! Do not heed the witches, they done wish all y'all's destruction!" It then steps over the bloody threshold with a surfroar of static, calling something in some native tongue as it moves down into the crowd, gently moving folk aside and making a beeline for something no-one else can see.

[[For those of you who understand Cherokee/Tslagi here, if any: 'Come, Little Fierce One, help me hunt the Serpent's slave and I will tear his soul in strips for you.'
Detect Arcana: 9 - raise, so follow that spell-trace! If it can catch up with him within the round that holy water's going over him.
init. 3D]]

Jake's head turned quickly as the brass-angel started spouting Cherokee/Tsalagi, "The heck?!" was about all he could exclaim as his mind digested the words. Because shortly after came the recollection of the fact that they there was a most of people who appeared to be under the affects of some spell.

The huckster looked to the Deputy Smith and nodded back towards the church, "Shall we move inside and perhaps knock these folks out one by one?"

OOC: Waiting on John Smith's reply before actually preforming an action

OOC/PM:

In reply to John Smith (msg #135):


Jake grabbed the chair he had moments ago stood on and used it like a lion tamer to fend off the "posed" towns folks.

Ooc:  Defensive goodness!

((OOC: So, Defense for Jake. Cool. +2 Parry until your next action. Draw a card for next round, please.

That means Adrian is up next!))
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:23, Fri 04 Nov 2011.

"Seems some of the townsfolk are bewitched and being sent after the Ranger. I'm going around back to help." John said, the ones near the church looked more confused than hostile and the surge of bodies further down told him where he might find his allies. "Church likely won't be seein' no action just yet." he added before he shot off.

"Sweet Jesus, not again," Adrian muttered as he saw what was going on with the Mayor, or what he thought was going on with him. Just like back in N'awlins that one time... He tried to scan the crowd to see where the Mayor slipped in, but there wasn't much of a point in trying at this point. The man had clearly blended in with a knack Adrian never would have suspected of him. Not that he expected him to be a houngan or whatever the hell he was either, though.

Before he could act or think further, the bewitched residents of Blackthorn were surging forward with fists bared, determined to give him a lesson in bare knuckle boxing. It was all he could do to try and maintain his composure while he thought of something to do.

OOC:
Spend a Red Chip on the Wound
Rolled a 7 on Spirit to attempt to recover from being shaken

Wildcat couldn't help but wonder as the mayor taunted her why only the people trying to kill her seemed to flirt in this town.



Right.  Here we go.

Spend 1 White Chip.

22:05, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. White Chip, Soak.

Takes care of that nasty business.

This was wrong.

It wasn't that this was bad, or dire, or a disaster.

This was wrong.  This kind of thing, it should not be.  People don't act like this, even an angry mob set on tearing a woman apart did not act like this.

Dark and terrible forces were afoot.  She'd come up against a lot of problems in Blackthorn.  Cowboy gangs.  Vampires.  Ghosts in the jail cells.  A giant snake whose name she could not pronounce.

But those were all different.  These people were innocent, to harm them, any of them, was unfathomable.

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Terrible circumstances forged curious and strong bonds between people as they shared trauma.  All the other times she'd been against the wall here so far, it had been the deputies who were in trouble.  The defenders of Blackthorn she'd met here would be in her fraternity for all eternity.  But as much as she hated the thought of any of them coming to harm, she could accept it.

She had to.  Buster Hawkins had taught her that lesson.  It'd just taken the horrible events of the last few days, or hours, to finally realize it.

Katrina Hawkins had set out to snap cuffs on the wrists of one John Wesley Hardin.  Everything else she might get to do on the way was a bonus.  Then she'd met Tim Landers.  She doubted she'd ever see him again.  But that simple question, why?  It would haunt her forever.

Jerico Cantrell had told her Hardin was no longer loose on the world.  She hadn't tossed her hat aside and quit the instant she heard.  And when she thought she would die to defeat the dangerous killer known as Rum Tum Tugger, her thoughts weren't on whether she could be safe.

There was there was something more to this now.  What had been started for a foolish reason, was now continuing for a worthy reason.

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Something had changed her perspective, shifted some fundamental paradigm.  But what was it?

She looked down at the silver star even as she grabbed the wrists of the lunging zombie like housewife who was trying desperately to tear at her throat.  She'd built that up so much in her head for years, attributing so much to it, thinking it was a means unto itself.  She had forsaken everything to wear that badge.

She had built it up within herself so much, it had created Wildcat, who had shoved Katrina into a corner.  The tequila for breakfast cigar chomping renegade outlaw slaying Wildcat wasn't who she really was.  But she wasn't pretty little Katy Hawkins who could quote the entire 119th Psalm and play the whole hymn book on her daddy's harmonica either.  She had created this dichotomy in order to abandon the truth about herself.

Because the truth was she had abandoned her family.  Her siblings were undoubtedly not happy with her.  Her mother, who hadn't done everything right per se, had shown her child an example the people of Blackthorn, like that quiet one, needed to see; she was living proof that people who had nothing still had the power to make right choices.  And for all her bluster, she owed Riley an explanation why she left him at the altar.

But there was still more to it.  She'd abandoned someone else too while playing stupid games in her own head, someone who sure hadn't abandoned her.  And then she remembered the tin angel's words, and epiphany swept over her.



No time like the present.

It was the world's shortest prayer, but the most important one of her life.  The whole drama played out in the mere seconds she spent pushing them back, realizing at last it was hopeless.

So she stopped.  Someone had thrown a stone at her.  It struck her, drawing blood.  She could have ducked it, but she didn't.  The Ranger just stood there, toe to toe with the multitude.  And finally, she spoke, her voice loud and clear so the people could hear her, but somehow gentle in its tone.

"Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil."


23:25, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 6S using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:25, Fri 04 Nov 2011.

Wildcat's voice raises to Heaven and shakes the earth. Thunder crashes as the mob halts in it's tracks.

Deep underground, a slumbering serpent shifts, its dreams troubled.

About half the mob stands there, stock still. A couple of them close to Wildcat blink and look around, as if coming to from a dream. The housewife who attacked Wildcat is weeping.

But the's more in the crowd that didn't seem as affected by her voice. perhaps the Mayor's magic was too strong. Perhaps the resentment ran that deep. But though the crowd has slowed, they aren't out of the woods yet.

((OOC: Well, that was three kinds of awesome. I'll give everyone who fails their Vigor Roll in the Template you hit a chance to break free of the Mayor's compulsion.

That's a Medium Burst, and given how packed together they are you'll be able to affect a total of 10 members of the mob (that's the most you can get at once, given how they've spread).

21:35, Today: The Stray rolled 2,1,1,1,7,7,2,-1,0,5 using d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3,3,3,(6+3)9,(6+3)9,4,1,2,(6+1)7. And there was a voice on high...

7 Shaken townsfolk. Nice.

That's 7 rolls against the Puppet effect, opposed by the Mayor's Arcane Skill. I'll roll the Mayor first, so I know what I'm rolling against.

21:38, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 3,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. But the devil's lies are wicked...

21:40, Today: The Stray rolled 4,2,2,1,4,1,2 using d6,d6,d6,d6,d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2,2,1,4,1,2. Can they hear The Lord speak?

That's 2 out of the crowd shaken out of their mind control. 7 Shaken, 2 enough to realize My God What have I Done?

Impressive. Draw a card for next Round, please.))

---

Turn Order:
Adrian Vega: QC
John Smith: JD
Mayor Bruebaker: JC
The Mob: 9H
Wildcat Hawkins: 6S
Jake Lawrence: 6H
Danny Boy: 5C
Alouette: 3D
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:32, Fri 04 Nov 2011.

Even though the church is mostly empty, there are a couple of figures of within. One of them runs to the door, a slight boy of just 17, one who had seen too much horror and war in his short life, who was now bound to one of those horrors.

Danny reaches Jake Lawrence, who was guarding the door.

"Give me a gun!" he says to the huckster. "Let me help!"

((OOC: This is after Wildcat's action, but before the Round ends. Danny's card for next round: 5C))
This message was last edited by the player at 05:08, Fri 04 Nov 2011.

PM:

OOC: Oops...
07:37, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 6H using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

Turn Order:
Adrian Vega: QC
John Smith: JD
Mayor Bruebaker: JC
The Mob: 9H
Wildcat Hawkins: 6S
Jake Lawrence: 6H
Danny Boy: 5C
Alouette: 3D

---

Up next: Adrian Vega, John Smith

Check out the NEW MAP for current positions.

Not wishing to inflict any lasting harm upon his fellow Blackthorn residents, bewitched as he suspected them to be, Adrian reached the fellow nearest him that seemed like to do him harm, and smacked the fellow with the butt end of his trusty sidearm.

"Git!"

---

OOC:
Attack: 5
Damage: 7 (if any)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:39, Fri 04 Nov 2011.

John lashes out at the nearest bewitched townsfolk, taking care to incapacitate rather than do any real damage, thankfully doing such was particularly easy when hand to hand combat was concerned... provided he could actually hit them.

OOC:
Not sure if they hit, but bewitched townsfolk aint quite worth a fate chip... yet.
Init: 8D
Wing Chun 1: Atk 4 dmg 6
Wing Chun 2: Atk 4 dmg 6

This was not good. Not at all. Glenn Bruebaker trusted in his dark powers...they'd been enough to swing elections and keep him in power up to this point. The easily-led sheep of blackthorn, though, seemed to be falling like flies before that damnable posse.

Some were breaking free and running. Some seemed to be taken aback by the blows of the Ranger and her cronies. And now that damnable crazy clank, the cause of all these problems in the first place, was running up to him intent on some unknowable mischief. He wasn't quite sure what it intended...and didn't mean to find out.

He stretched out his mind on the rest of the crowd that hadn't chosen sides yet. Time to sway them. Fortunately he didn't have to be seen to be heard.

"SEE the DAMNABLE ABOMINATION of brass and steam! HEAR the words it speaks in THE TONGUE OF THE DEVIL! It is NOT an angel...it is SATAN'S TOOL! DESTROY IT, fellow citizens! DESTROY IT BEFORE IT KILLS US ALL!"

Then he backs off, moving away from the machine as the crowd surged forward, surrounding the machine, attempting to beat it into it's base components with their bare fists. "Destroy the machine." They moan in monotone. "Destroy the machine. Destroy the machine. Destroy the machine."

Meanwhile, in the group surrounding Wildcat, some of the townsfolk are so shamed by her thunderous message that they break and run. This does not help, though, as the ones not halted by her judgement step forward and swing at her.

Adrian, meanwhile, finds himself facing Lily McDonald, a girl he was rather sweet on once. But now Lily's face is vacant, and she swings at him without even seeming to see him there. Why do we always hurt the ones we love, the ones we shouldn't hurt at all?

---

OOC: The Townsfolk have a Parry of 4, so Adrian's attack and both of John's hit. I'm assuming John is moving where he can hit the most targets. The Townsfolk have toughness of 5, so each of those hits does enough damage to make them Shaken.

Mayor Bruebaker is NOT happy with how things are going, so he attempts another large-scale mental whammy on the crowd not controlled before.  He spends a GM red chip to affect a Large Burst Template and inflict a -4 penalty on their resistance rolls.

16:00, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 5,4 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Spellcasting.

The number to beat is 5. He can affect 16 townfolk. They use a Group Roll to resist.

16:02, Today: The Stray rolled 0,-2 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. Crowd resisting mind control. Well, that's snared them.

He's then going to move a couple squares away from Alouette, trusting in his invisibility to protect him. Alouette, you may make a free melee attack to attempt to douse him with the holy water. Roll fighting, +2 for the touch attack, -4 for the invisibility.

Then the Mob gets to go. First, there's an attempt by the Shaken members to unshake.

Mass unshake roll: 3,1,2,1,2,1,2,3,4,4. 2 successes, no raises. Wait. Mayor Bruebaker is still within his command radius, so those 3s become 4s. 4 successes. 2 on the side of the PCs, 2 under the mayor's mental whammy. The ones who realized the error of their ways are going to take off running 9along with a bunch who weren't mind controlled) That leaves room for some of the ones who weren't Shaken before to move in.

That means Wildcat and Adrian are in the same position as before (surrounded). Wildcat is facing 5 dominated townsfolk, Adrian is facing 4. That's a +4 gang-up on Wildcat, +3 on Adrian (some of these are adjacent to both). However, some of those folks are shaken, so Wildcat is only going to suffer 4 attacks, while Adrian gets only 1.

Attacks Vs. Wildcat: 16:26, Today: The Stray rolled 5,5,7,7 using d4+4,d4+4,d4+4,d4+4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,3,3. mob attack! 4 hits, no raises.

Damage: 3,4,9,3. Out all that, only one scores any damage, and it's just a Shaken.

Adrian faces one attack: 6. That's a hit.

Damage: 3. Not enough to really hurt him.

Meanwhile, Alouette gets mobbed. Alouette is facing 5 attacks, each with a +4 Gangup bonus. Lots of attacks, but Alouette is armored and these folks are unarmed, so they won't be able to hurt him/her/it much.

Attacks: 6,18,6,9,9. All hits, 3 with raises.

Damage: 1,6,2,13,7. Only one manages to actually do enough damage to hurt Alouette, but that one dealt enough damage to inflict a Shaken and 1 wound to the clank.

---

Up next: Wildcat Hawkins, Jake Lawrence

Alouette throws its can of water at thin air...and misses whatever it was aiming at completely. "Hmmm," it gets time for, before it goes down under a mob.

"Cease! Danger! Untrained dismantling of self may cause scalding, explosion, combustion, electric shock, noxious fumes or disfavour of God!"

...and then wrenching hands pull loose some of the finer mechanisims in its neck...
*shhhHHHHHHTTTTT*

[[will deal with the wound or not on my turn - just talkin']]

Didn't roll it last round as WC wouldn't have done anything about it even if she'd seen him, but since this is a free reflexive action I might as well now.

19:29, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled -1,1 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Ornery Notice Roll.

Yeah, I have no idea where he actually is.

Drop the White to remove Shaken.

What in the Sam Hill did I just do!?

There was no time to think about it though.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!"

The cry was loud, she was calling him out.  The thunder pealed and something palpable passed through the air.  With a wicked smile, Wildcat began to sing.

"Well you can run on for a long time, Run on for a long time, Run on for a long time, but sooner or later, God'll cut you down!"

There's a reason Wildcat plays a harmonica.  It's not the worst voice you've ever heard, but her mockery definitely punishes the air.

Come on you vile monster, take the bait.

21:20, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 4S using the Deadlands system. Init.  Forgot!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:20, Sat 05 Nov 2011.

OOC: John would attempt to neutralize, if one hit didn't take one down the second would have, from where I saw him on the map he was only able to hit one anyway so that was what I was going for. If it's too late for such clarifications he'll remedy the situation come his turn.

In reply to John Smith (msg #151):

((OOC: Well, he could have reached a second one just by moving a square, but I'll keep that in mind. Both were Shaken and haven't Unshaken yet, so it shouldn't be hard for him to take both down. Shaking that one extra target meant that Wildcat suffered one less attack than she would have, so it's a bit late for me to untangle that. I'll keep that in mind for next turn, though.))

We shall see about that. The Mayor thinks as the girl taunts him, gripping tightly on the minds of his thralls as her thunderous voice washes over them. Though they halt, none of them seem to have slipped his leash.

---

((OOC: There are 8 members within a Medium Burst Template, 3 of them already shaken. As before, I'll give everyone who fails the Vigor roll a free chance to escape the mayor's control. The ones already Shaken will roll at +2 on the "escape the mental whammy" roll.

Non-Shaken: 2,-1,3,-1,15. huh. That one must really be special.
Already-shaken: 1,2,1. None succeed who were already Shaken.

Roll to escape!

Mayor Bruebaker: 20:00, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 9,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. must remain in control.

Non-Shaken: 20:01, Today: The Stray rolled 4,5,7,3 using d6,d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5,(6+1)7,3. let my people go!

Already-Shaken: 20:02, Today: The Stray rolled 7,6,5 using d6+2,d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4,3. let my people go! #2

Looks like the mayor's control is as strong as ever, though he doesn't have that many "free" rounds left on his mind control and will have to start paying power points to keep it up on this batch.

At least the crowd is almost all stopped.

Also, so I don't forget:

Mayor: 5S
Crowd: 3S))

---

Up Next: Jake Lawrence, Danny Boy, Alouette

Jake noted the craziness of all this, he'd been in a few scraps but nothing like the locals becoming dominated by the mayor and coming after others. His eyes shifted to the tin-can angel who was of course in the middle of the trouble. "Damnit doc, you don't know how much you owe me fer this one." with that he moved to aid Alouette from becoming scrap.

OOC: Moving a few square and using my chair to defend the automaton!
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Mon 07 Nov 2011.

In reply to Jake Lawrence (msg #154):

Danny blinks as Jake moves off, curses, and follows him, holding his fists ready to ward off any errant blows.

((OOC: Defend action for Danny this round, as he moves to follow Jake

Jake, Given how the crowd has closed ranks around Alouette, getting anywhere near the clank is going to be tough. Possible, yes, but still tough. Make a Strength check to push through.))

In reply to Danny Boy (msg #155):

OOC:
12:59, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 7,8 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7,(6+2)8. Strength.

I am manly!

In reply to Jake Lawrence (msg #156):

That will put you adjacent to Alouette, then.

Speaking of which, Alouette is up!

Alouette isn't trying to forcibly defend itself very much, but it points over at thin air on seeing some people coming next it surfaces. "Y'all smite that witch! He has folded the air over himself but he is trying to kill everyone!"

[[4 to unshake, Hawk involved (and thus Nerves of Steel active). Still in the 'free' rounds of Detect, I believe. If it can Defend this turn, it will.
init: 7S]]

Next Round:
Danny Boy: 10D
Jake Lawrence: 9D
John Smith: 8D
Alouette: 7S
Mayor: 5S
Wildcat: 4S
Crowd: 3S
Adrian Vega: 3H

Once Adrian has drawn and I know what the final initiative count is, I'll kick things off.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:16, Mon 07 Nov 2011.

OOC:
I drew a 3H

((OOC: Alrighty then! Danny Boy is going to Defend again, since he has no weapon to speak of (he's still waiting for Jake Lawrence to hand him one...see Danny's previous post). Meanwhile, it is Jake Lawrence's turn!))

In reply to The Stray (msg #161):

OOC: I managed to miss the post about Danny Boy asking Jake for a gun.

---

"Kid, at some point you're gonna take the giant friggin' LeMat... right?" Jake said as he drew Cantrell's nasty lookin' weapon and turned the handle to Danny Boy. The huckster did his best to keep people away from Alouette with the chair he'd grabbed moments before.

OOC: And now more defending Alouette
14:25, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 7D using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

"What the holy hell is this?" Danny asks as he hefts the huge bladed gun, but he seems happy to have a weapon and is cheerfully pointing it at the faces in the crowd, waving them away.

((OOC: I'll treat that as a Defend action, but instead of Jake getting it Alouette will get the bonus.))

---

John Smith is up!
This message was last edited by the player at 19:48, Mon 07 Nov 2011.

John tries to knock out the two townsfolk he had clocked previously. One fist makes a sound suspiciously like one might expect a whiffle bat to make (had whiffle bats been invented at this point) while the other makes a satisfying *thwack*!

08:02, Today: John Smith rolled 8,5,5 using d10,d6,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 8,5,5. Wing Chun 2. Hit an 8, with 5 damage, possible raise but unessary unless that one was particularly resilient.
08:02, Today: John Smith rolled 1,2,5 using d10,d6,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2,5. Wing Chun 1. Miss!

The girl John hits goes down in a heap. The other guy doesn't seem fazed.

---

Up Next: Alouette!

"Witch!" Alouette calls, charging (slowly) towards whatever it is that has it so het up at present. Its 'beak', fingers and the area around the 'injury' have started to spark in the rain, as though the clank had more of a fire inside than that which drives the boiler...or was a container for lightning, the crackling hiss of static mimicing the ferocity of the downpour.

[[strength 4, again Hawk on board, oh yes. Pace to reach mayor. That's a full action, yes?
init: 3H]]

In reply to Alouette (msg #166):

Damnation! how was this able to sense him!? The mayor could feel his power waning. It was already taking most of what he had to keep the crowd after the ranger focused. But he needed to deal with this infernal machine!

"BACK, you devil!" he crowed at the brass angel. "I know you for what YOU TRULY ARE! You are SATAN'S MACHINE! REVEAL your perfidious intentions! TURN ON THOSE YOU CLAIM TO PROTECT!"

---

((OOC: That does indeed take your action, since you didn't Raise on that. You'll also be subject to a few swipes from some of the townsfolk, though Jake's hair chair protects you a little, giving you +2 Parry. Since you aren't adjacent to him any longer, you won't get the bonus going forward unless he moves close and attempts to defend you again.

Crowd swipes (vs. Parry 6): 21:34, Today: The Stray rolled 4,9 using d4+3,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(4+2)6. mob attack!

Damage: 3. not enough to ding your brass. But now your Parry is back to 4.

The Mayor is getting sick of you messing with him, so he's going to attempt to usurp Alouette's will with his Puppet power, to turn Alouette against the crowd. He has a -1 penalty on his Spellcasting roll because he's maintaining his Puppets attacking Wildcat.

21:45, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 6,8 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+3)9. Dance, Puppet! Dance!

Alouette, roll Spirit (aiming to beat 8) to remain in control of yourself.

Next Round: 6D))

---

Up Next: Wildcat Hawkins:

Alouette halts, reaching for the unoccupied space the voice is coming from, spins about "Aetheric override: external command. Must turn..." it stands still and undefended.

"Must..turn...reveal intentions...primary command: protect; secondary command: combat the demons, wheresoever plus in any guise, guises they may arise; teritary command: catch sparrows..."


[[Fail! On the other hand the clank itself has no violent capabilities and is extremely literal...and the safety system/'fuse' is apparently not active, so it seems the Hawk's gathering power or not paying attention...do you want it to start grappling people/standing in their way, or badly imitating the Jesse/Danny fights it's seen? Is it the intent or the words that must be followed?]]

In reply to Alouette (msg #168):

((OOC: Badly imitated slapfight works. It's the intent that Alouette must follow, though if the clank actually harms an innocent because of this it gets another roll to break free.))

12:13, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled -1,1 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. Notice attempt.

Curse you Wildcat, you can't see invisible people what is wrong with you?

Uh oh.

Wildcat really didn't understand what was happening to her or why she was able to do these things, but it seemed those with her were capable of doing something about the situation now.

Then the damned clank had to go wade into this... it was like watching a child stand up to a bank robber with a toy gun in her horrified eyes.

She had to call him back from the brink.

12:20, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Red Chipping.
12:18, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 0,-1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Dispel Attempt.

That will not do.

I used a red as a white.

12:30, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled -1,1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3. another red used as a white.

Fuck!  Technically I get to reroll the d6 as well with that roll but it's academic.  Rolling 1 on that is not good.

So I burn my last chip to reroll yet again.

12:31, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 2,1 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. last chip.  Sigh.
12:31, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. reroll.

That's a 7.  Not.  Going.  To.  Get.  It.  And now I'm out of chips.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

But it just didn't seem to reach the clank.

12:36, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 3S using the Deadlands system. Well that sucked.  Whatcha gon do.

Wow insult to injury.  You just cannot win sometimes.

John knocking out a woman, along with Wildcat's failure to keep the clank from apparently turning on them, seems to galvanize the entire mob. Fresh cries of "Kill the ranger! Kill the ranger! Kill the ranger!" spring forth from the mob, and they surge around her and Adrian again.

Wildcat feels them close around her, pounding her, attempting to tear her apart. Adrian, likewise, takes his turn trying to fend them off, and one of the mob picks up a stone and conks him on the back of the head.

John is hard pressed. Two of the townsfolk turn on him, though he's able to fend off their attacks with ease.

As Alouette moves off, most of the crowd follows, leaving Jake quite open as the crowd descends upon him. Though he fends most of them off with his chair, one of them gets behind him and gives him a knock that drives the breath from him. He can see Danny behind him slashing wildly at the retreating crowd, no restraint whatsoever, shouting "For Missouri! For the Union! Die, Rebel scum!" as he drives the bayonet on his gunblade into a man's thigh.

Meanwhile, Alouette is swarmed by hands pulling, yanking, jerking at arms, head, casing, and wires, the crowd shrieking "Destroy the machine! Destroy the machine! Destroy the machine!"

((OOC: Actually, it's an opposed roll with his spellcasting, so you might win yet...but remember the -2 modifier for attempting to dispel Black Magic with Miracles. Your total is thus 5, which he has to try and beat.

12:04, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 1,10 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+5)11. resisting dispel. Well, suck.

At least you don't have to worry about much from the crowd. 9 of them have to roll to Unshake.

Mass unshake roll: 5,3,1,3,11,2,9,11,5

Er...5 unshake, 3 of them with raises and thus get actions this turn.

Still, some of the crowd around Wildcat is unconscious or shaken, so only 3 can get at her. These 3 still get the Gang Up bonus from the Shaken target, but not the unconscious one.

12:15, Today: The Stray rolled 10,9,4 using d4+3,d4+3,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7,(4+2)6,1. mob attack! Yeesh, they're out for blood today. Two hits with Raises.

Damage: 7,7. Funky. One will cause her to be Shaken, the second inflicts a Wound.

Adrian Vega is also the subject of a couple of attacks from the mob that can't reach Wildcat. He has 6 townsfolk adjacent to him, but the max gang-up bonus is +4.

Crowd Attack: 12:32, Today: The Stray rolled 11,5 using d4+4,d4+4, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7,1. mob attack! That's two hits, one with a Raise.

Damage: 4,17. Oddly enough, the one with out a raise Aced twice. Ow. That's a Shaken and 2 wounds for Adrian

Meanwhile, the other crowd is moving around Alouette and the Mayor. This means moving away from Jake and Danny. Danny gets two free attacks with his Gunblade against the ones moving away from him. Unlike the rest of you, he's NOT swinging for nonlethal.

12:22, Today: Danny Boy rolled 5,5,1,5 using d6,d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5,1,5. Attack! Attack! One hit on each moving away from him.

Damage: 7, 9. He's just dropped one of the townsfolk, the other is Shaken.

Jake Lawrence also gets a free attack with his chair against one of the townsfolk.

Speaking of which, 4 townsfolk can reach Jake but can't reach Alouette, so they'll attack him:

12:36, Today: The Stray rolled 6,4,4,6 using d4+3,d4+3,d4+3,d4+3, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1,1,3. mob attack! Since Jake was defending Alouette, not himself, that's 4 hits for Jake.

Damage: 3,1,1,7. That's a Shaken for Jake.

Alouette, meanwhile, is facing 4 attacks from the mob, partly because its back is against a wall and partly from facing down The Mayor. Since the mayor counts as a foe, each of them gets his Gang up bonus, so 4 attacks at +4 each.

12:41, Today: The Stray rolled 11,5,10,10 using d4+4,d4+4,d4+4,d4+4, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7,1,(4+2)6,(4+2)6. mob attack! All of those are Hits, 3 with Raises.

Damage: 14,1,8,3. That's a Shaken and 1 wound from one hit, and then another Wound from the other, unless Alouette soaks the first wound, in which case it's only a Shaken (but since Alouette is out of chips, that's likely 2 more wounds).

Finally, John Smith is subject to a pair of attacks, but they don't get any Gangup bonuns against him thanks to his Martial Arts.

12:46, Today: The Stray rolled 3,1 using d4,d4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. mob attack!  Both miss.

Things are looking bad for our heroes.

Next round for the crowd: AS))

---

Up next: Adrian Vega!

Adrian seemed rather frustrated with the situation. Surrounded on all sides, he noticed there was someone that was even behind him. He had never been much of a brawler, but tried awkwardly to reach back over his shoulder to smack the feller in the dome with his gun. It was a little clumsier than he had meant it.

---

OOC:

• Spent a Red Chip for a Soak attempt
• Spent a White Chip to buy a reroll on the Vigor
• Vigor: 9
• Fightin': 3 (Accidentally hit the button twice)
• Next Card: KC

This message was last edited by the player at 12:35, Thu 10 Nov 2011.

Round Order:

Out of the Frying Pan: BJ!
The Mob: AS
Adrian Vega: KC
Danny Boy: 10S
Jake Lawrence: 7D
The Mayor: 6D
John Smith: 6D
Wildcat: 3S
Alouette: 3H
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:46, Sat 12 Nov 2011.

John Smith drew the single card: 6D using the Deadlands system. Forgotten Init

As the crowd swirls around them, Danny lets loose with a piercing, unsettling cackle straight from the depths of the madhouse.

Then the sky falls. A funnel cloud from the roiling storm overhead dips to earth like the finger of God Almighty, right smack dab in the middle of the crowd.

Some mood music

The funnel cloud lifts Danny into the air. His laugh morphs into the shrill, inhuman hunting shriek of a hungry raptor. For an instant the cloud coalesces into a pair of giant feathered wings...then the wings close and a thunderclap rocks the streets.

The force of the thunder flings many of the townsfolk in the crowd hither and yon, scattering them like ninepins. The bell in the church tower clangs once as the Yankee soldier rises, eyes crackling with blue lighting and searching for prey.

The remaining townsfolk turn from their murderous tasks and stare at the floating figure above them, slack-jawed.

((OOC: So, the frying pan card gets played, which means Danny Boy goes One-Winged Angel and becomes something that can threaten the group. He gains a few special abilities granted to him by the Thirderbird spirit animating him.

And what better way to kick this off than a massive reorganization of the battlefield?

Danny kicks up a windstorm that attempts to send people flying. Everyone in a Large Burst Template needs to make a Strength check or go flying about in a random direction. This includes 10 townsfolk and Jake Lawrence. one of the townsfolk was downed by Danny last round and doesn't get a roll. The rest?

Strength checks for the townsfolk: 3,1,1,3,1,4,2,4,8. 3 successes. That's an awful lot of flying.

I roll to see where and how far people are scattered...I'll post a new map once this is over with. Those who get tossed into solid objects will be Shaken.

Danny also rises 3" into the air for his move.

A lot of the crowd is Shaken, and so I'll roll for these folks. The rest of the Crowd will go On Hold as they wait for orders from The Mayor.

Roll to unshake: 4,1,4,3,8,5,4,1,10,2

5 unshake this turn, 2 with Raises (and thus can act with the other Crowd members).

With that, the Crowd goes On Hold until the Mayor goes.))

---

Up Next: Adrian Vega!

OOC: one strength check!

09:31, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,19 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+6+6+1)19. Strength.
That'll do it I think

This wasn't going well at all, and as he was, he didn't think it was gonna get any better any time soon. Adrian had never considered himself much of a fighter. For that matter, it was highly unlikely anyone else considered him a fighter either. He was a gambler and a card player and had a pretty good hand with a gun, but he still didn't want to shoot any of his fellow townsfolk unless he really had to do it.

So he focused mightily on the energies he had learned to master, and on the phantom cards that flickered through realities as he gambled once again with powers he could only faintly understand.

---

OOC:

Spellcasting: 4
(Spent White Chip)
2 Power Points deducted
If that's a success, then Fighting raised to d6

Next Action: QH

The floating Yankee moves over the stunned crowd, electric eyes searching about for something, presumably the hidden Mayor.

He lets out a shrill cry of frustration, and two spears of crackling lightning lance from his eyes into the crowd at random, charring flesh and eliciting screams as townsfolk fall before him.

((OOC: Danny moves a little and attempts a Notice roll to find the mayor:

08:53, Today: Danny Boy rolled -3,-2 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Where are you? He spends a White Chip for an assist.

08:55, Today: Danny Boy rolled 1,0 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. White Chip. not going to do it.

That makes him frustrated, so he lashes out at the crowd with some lightning bolts.

08:58, Today: Danny Boy rolled 3,4,8 using d8-2,d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,6,(6+4)10. Lightning! Two hits, one with a raise.

08:58, Today: Danny Boy rolled 10,15 using 2d6,2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+2)8,5,(6+4)10. Damage. More than enough to drop two more townsfolk.

Next round: 8D, 4H))

---

Up next: Jake Lawrence!

OOC: Uhshake attempt
11:11, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Unshake.
Fail, use a white chip to unshake and act this round

---

Not one who likes to see innocent people killed, Jake reacted as best as his mind would allow him to. A mutter of words and an force of will cause a greenish light to appear in the huckster's hands. A smile crossed his face as he hurls the light, which appears to be a deck of playing cards fanning out, at Danny Boy.

OOC: Tossing a 3d6 bolt at Danny Boy, have to hit his parry as he's right beside Jake.
11:18, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 10,1 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,1. SpellCasting (3d6 Bolt).
Looks like a hit with a raise
11:19, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 7,2 using 3d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,5,2. Damage (Bolt, Raise).
A whapping 9 damage

11:22, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 4C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
PP:8/10
This message was last edited by the player at 16:22, Tue 15 Nov 2011.

The phantom cards strike the boy, who flinches a little but doesn't seem appreciably injured.

Mayor Bruebaker could feel his control of the situation slipping away. Already his grasp on the minds of the crowd surrounding Wildcat was loose, and it was taking more and more effort to hold the group together.

It was time for a tactical retreat. Let the fools deal with each other. All any of the survivors would remember is being angry and doing horrible things. They wouldn't know why they'd done them, so they'd attribute it to a mob mentality. He, himself, would be safe.

As long as he could get away, that it. Time to distract them, and what a distraction that flying thing above was!

"FELLOW CITIZENS!" He bellowed one more. "Do your DUTY! DESTROY and CAST OUT that which threatens us all!"

Then he ran for it, leaving the crowd to their own devices. The automaton was still under orders to attack the crowd, so he felt safe leaving it behind.

The townsfolk closest to Jake, Alouette, and Danny boy knelt and picked up whatever was handy, mostly stones and horse droppings. They flung them inexpertly at the floating Yankee, though none of the projectiles came close to hitting him.

The mob around Wildcat and Adrian surged as well, but they were fractured, not moving in lockstep as they were before. They seemed to be acting in pure mob brutality as they swing fist and rock at the pair, rather than the eerie unison they were acting on before. The blows don't seen to have quite the same force of conviction behind them now.

((OOC: That's a Shaken and 1 Wound for Danny. Danny spends a White Chip to soak. 21:29, Today: Danny Boy rolled 1,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Soak Roll.

The Mayor will spend his action giving orders to his various minions and move away from the Puppet that is Alouette.

He drops the Puppet on the group fighting Adrian, Wildcat, and John, trusting in the mob mentality to keep them at their previous task. He spends a PP to maintain his Invisibility, as that's really been coming through for him today, and moves off.

The Dominated crowd picks up stones and throws them at Danny. As these are Improvised weapons and none of them have Quick Draw, that's a total penalty of -3. I'm using Group Rolls to simplify things.

21:32, Today: The Stray rolled 2,1 using d4-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of (4+1)5,4. Everybody must get stoned!

The attackers facing Wildcat and friends are no longer dominated...they're just mad as hell and looking for a scapegoat. I won't be rolling individually for them any more...all attacks by the mob against the party facing the dominated folk will be Group Rolls (with no Gang Up bonus). It should be easier to scare them off now.

Attacks:

Wildcat: 21:37, Today: The Stray rolled 3,7 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7. mob attack! Hit, no raise.

Damage: 21:47, Today: The Stray rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. Damage. no effect.

Adrian: 21:37, Today: The Stray rolled 14,4 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+4+4+2)14,4. mob attack! Hit and Raise. ouch. Not the homecoming Adrian expected.

Damage: 21:47, Today: The Stray rolled 4 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3. Damage. No effect

John Smith: 21:38, Today: The Stray rolled 1,8 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+2)8. mob attack! Hit, no raise.

21:47, Today: The Stray rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Damage. No effect.

Initiative for next round:
Mayor: QD
Crowd: 4S))

---

Up next: John Smith!

Alouette stops swearing in creepy monotone and pushing/slapping at people. In fact it stops completely and raises its weird brass head. Amidst the lightning, static roars.

...and out of the static comes the terrible banshee scream of a wounded hawk. Jake might well realise that though Danny and his storm wings are terrible, whatever's behind/beside him sounds...bigger.


[[Not actually doing anything, but had to make that soak roll to see what I was rolling, with permission: 5 to soak, which leaves the clank at 2 wounds (ignoring 1 at Hawk's discrecion) as I understand it.

Hawk's reaction to the poor wee fledgie in danger: 8. I think that breaks free, or at least enough to make noises? Willing to chip it. I s'pose.

There's a chance it can be persuaded to protect the townsfolk if John will. He did help someone clearly not of his tribe, after all]]

((OOC: 02:13, Today: Mayor Bruebaker rolled 8,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 8,5. stay in command.

That's a tie, which means no clear victory for either side. I'll allow Alouette to act independent of the Puppet, but at a -2 penalty for actions not involved with attacking townsfolk. Of course, if it goes after John because of his actions toward Danny, then he kind of counts as a townie for this purpose...))

John attempts to down the two townsfolk he attacked last round, he had heard Mayor Brubakers voice but couldn't see the man and had no talent for doing so and the fewer folk attempting to go after Kat the better.

John Smith drew the single card: 7D using the Deadlands system.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Thu 17 Nov 2011.

One of them goes down at John's attack, but the other doesn't look particularly fazed.

---

Up Next: Wildcat!

Dropping the white chip to soak the wound.

19:50, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 15,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+7)15,1. White Chip, Soak.

Lord, that can't be good.  Ah'm awful sorry feller, ah really am.

Wildcat remembered the horrible sound he'd made in the church.  She had no love for a Yankee, but the man's condition was more than he deserved for his crimes.

She'd invested in gunleather heavily.  It would hopefully pay off now.

Slow in a hurry girl.  Armstrong's voice carried in her head.

A cobalt eye focused only on the blade of the Colt's front sight as she ignored the mob trying to kill her and brought it level with the Yankee's noggin...

MAP is reduced to -1 by the quickdraw holster.  You can use a pistol in melee combat but no rule says you have to shoot someone adjacent!

19:53, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 15,9 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+4)16,(6+4)10. Shooting!

He's still within Short Range, but that's a hit, with a raise!, at any range.

19:57, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 15,1 using 2d6+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,5,1. damage (gun, raise).

That's a very good 16 damage.  But I.  Am Not.  Done Yet.

I sacrifice my red chip and I play... Bullseye!  32 damage.

The bullet rips through the sky, striking the floating man through the neck. There's a shrill shriek...but the demon thing remains floating.

((OOC: Danny spends one of the GM chips to soak. He's facing 4 wounds from Wildcat's attack (since that's the max anyone can suffer).

19:09, Today: Danny Boy rolled 1,8 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+2)8. Soak Roll. That soaks 2 wounds. He takes 2 wounds and is Shaken.

Card for next round?))

---

up next: Alouette!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Thu 17 Nov 2011.

20:15, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 7C using the Deadlands system.

There's a loud and desperate shriek from the clank's direction. "Insíl!" Lightning flickers: there's a brief impression of feathers.

[[Is't unshaken yet?]]

In reply to Alouette (msg #188):

((OOC: Need a Spirit roll or a chippet to unshake, please))

<small>[[*rolls, sighs, proffers other white* Have a chip, because being stuck is annoying. Everyone beware, I'm down to reds now...considering dropping Detect soon, both because my PP are a mess after the hiatus and time-judging, and because no-one is likely to finally heed the clank before the Mayor is out of combat]]</small>

The clank's body is still, but jerks occasionally as though something were battering on the inside of its chest. Anyone touching the casing is at risk of a static shock. It starts up with the Cherokee again, apparently addressing the winged dead Yankee above. Then it points something out to him - something no-one else can see.


[[To those that understand such: 'Fly lower, Little Fierce One, and watch for witchcraft, not the form of the witch. See, he makes the hare's track there - set upon him! I shall gather these...'
init: 5D]]

Turn Order:

Adrian Vega: QH
Mayor: QD
Danny Boy: 8D
John Smith: 7D
Wildcat: 7C
Alouette: 5D
Crowd: 4S
Danny Boy again: 4H
Jake Lawrence: 4C

Adrian Vega is up!

Adrian tried to dance out of the way of the incoming blows trying to strike out one of his own, but he wasn't having a whole lot of success. It wasn't a dance he was familiar with. "Ranger, this keeps up I might just have to start shootin' folks," he said without much conviction.

---

OOC:
Vigor: 5
Fightin': 3
Notice: -1

Next Action: AS
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Thu 17 Nov 2011.

((OOC: Yay. Two opposing npc actions in a row...more monsterbation for me. *sigh*))

The crowd was still fighting over the flying man. This was as good a chance as Mayor Bruebaker would ever have to get away. He continued his jog away from the crowds.

Meanwhile, the flying Yankee floated downward, nursing the wound in its neck, lighting eyes searching for a target to retaliate on.

((OOC: The mayor takes this opportunity to run like a jackrabbit. He's out of this fight. This means he's no longer maintaining his Puppet power on either part of the crowd. This won't stop the mob now that they're all worked up, but it should be easier to persuade them to do something else.


Meanwhile, Danny Boy is going to attempt to recover from Shaken and float downward to get away from being a target.

16:50, Today: Danny Boy rolled 6,3 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,5. Recover from Shaken. That's a success but not a raise. he loses this action, though he has another action later in the round.))

---

Up next: John Smith!

John noticed a shift in the mob, oh sure they were still rioting but not in that zombie-like manner from before. "What in the sam-hell are you lot fightin' us for?! We have to prepare fer the damned Comanche's!" He shouted as loud as he was able, shifting his tactics from offensive to defensive.

One of the men John yells at blinks a bit "I...I don't know..." He mumbles.

Others seem to be listening as well, and through the crowd still seems hostile, it doesn't seem to be as aggressive as it was before...

---

Up next: Wildcat!

"Get out of mah way dang it!  Ain't none of ya'll seen that flyin' feller lobbing th' lightnin'!?  He's gonna get someone kilt, ah gotta catch 'im!"

Wildcat tries to press through the crowd and catch her a Yankee.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #196):

((OOC: To get through the crowd, roll Strength. A success means you can move through the crowd like difficult terrain. A Raise means you get to move your full movement, and can take an action as well.))

19:44, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 4,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. Is Wildcat Mighty?   Yes she is apparently.

19:45, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: JH using the Deadlands system. Next round.

In reply to Wildcat Hawkins (msg #198):

((OOC: That would put you adjacent to Alouette, assuming the most direct route toward Danny.))

---

Speaking of which, Up Next: Alouette!

Alouette jerks towards Wildcat's gun like something were hauling on strings. Clearly it aims to take it...but then it remains standing stock still, crackling with furious static, the damage having apparently rendered it temporarily inefficient.

"External override terminated. A-a-a-amen."

[[disarm grapple: 0!
init: 9D]]

The crowd moves into full panic mode now, swinging at everyone that comes close, though none of them seem to want to get near John Smith or Alouette. Some of them pick up stones and fling them at Danny, but miss. Wildcat, Adrian, and Jake find themselves pushed and shoved as the crowd turns ugly.

Danny Boy glares across the crowd, searching for those who've attemtped to harm them. He sees Wildcat and Jake fighting against the crowd and screeches. It's a quiet screech, given the hole in his neck, but it's audible. More immediate are the two bolts of lightning lance out at them, but they're able to dodge out of the way.

((OOC: The crowd is all scared and confused now...John's Persuasion attempt against them means he won't be suffering any attacks this round, and since he got a Raise, that means they're not going to be attacking him at all for the rest of this combat.

The rest of the crowd is still worked up, though, and Adrian and Wildcat are still subject to attacks. If you want to try and sway the mob to stop attacking you of focusing on someone else, it would be an Intimidation or Persuasion check.

First, a roll for those who were Shaken from previous rounds:

09:35, Today: The Stray rolled 1,1,4,5,3 using d6,d6,d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,4,5,3. mass unshake roll. That's a success for the two Shaken people who were actually in the crowd (instead of flung across the streets).

Jake, Danny, Wildcat, and Adrian will be subject to attacks this round.

Jake: 09:42, Today: The Stray rolled 2,8 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+2)8. mob attack! Hit, Raise

Damage: 3. No effect.

Wildcat: 09:43, Today: The Stray rolled 1,5 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. mob attack! Hit, no raise.

Damage: 3. No effect.

Adrian: 09:43, Today: The Stray rolled 2,10 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+4)10. mob attack! Hit, Raise.

Damage: 4. No effect

Danny: 09:43, Today: The Stray rolled -2,-2 using d4-3,d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. Everybody must get stoned! Miss.

Danny is floating near ground level. He makes a lighting bolt attack against Wildcat and Jake, as they've hit him in the last couple rounds. He has a -2 wound penalty and a -2 penalty for Autofire with his attack. The Innocent Bystander rules are in effect since he's firing into melee. That means a roll of 1 or 2 will hit a townsfolk.

09:51, Today: Danny Boy rolled 0,2,-1 using d8-4,d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,6,3. zap! No hits, no innocents hit.

Next round:
Crowd: RJ! eek.
Danny Boy: 10D, QH))

---

Up Next: Jake Lawrence

Another flash of green light and a trio of glowing cards go flying at Danny Boy. Two hit but do little other than make pretty explosions like fireworks.

OOC: 13:46, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 2,2,6,5 using 1d8,1d8,1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,6,5. SpellCasting (3x2d6 Bolts).
13:49, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,2 using 2d6,2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2,1,1. Damage (2 Bolts).
13:49, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: KD using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

PP:5/10
This message was last updated by the player at 15:23, Mon 05 Dec 2011.

The fireworks don't hurt the electrified man much, but they do a wonderful job of turning the crowd's attention towards Jake.

"Witch!" someone screams. "Another witch!"

"Get 'em! Get 'em both! Hang the witches!"

---

Turn Order:
Adrian Vega: AS
Crowd: RJ! (since I can go at any time during the round, I choose to stagger my NPC posts)
Jake Lawrence: KD
Danny Boy: QH
Wildcat: JH
Danny Boy: 10D
Alouette: 9D
John Smith: 2H

---

Up Next: Adrian Vega!
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:23, Mon 21 Nov 2011.

The press was just too much for him to handle, and he was pretty sure that it was going to be time to start shooting people soon. Is that the damn mayor? he thought, as he noticed some movement in the crowd, not sure what he had seen.

---

OOC:
Spent 2 red chips to get over the attack's shaken and wound
Pistolwhip: Miss again
Notice: 5
Next action: 9S

11:03, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 9S using the Deadlands system.
11:00, Today: Adrian Vega rolled -2,5 using d4-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9. Notice?
11:00, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Red.
10:50, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 6,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1. Red Chip, Soak Attempt.
10:49, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 0,3 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Pistolwhip!

Three older folks (Jake thinks he saw them playing poker in the saloon earlier ) leap at the huckster, attempting to bear him to the ground.

"I got 'em! I got 'em!" One shouts.

Meanwhile, most of the crowd around Wildcat scattered after the shooting started, leaving her, for the first time in this fight, almost completely alone (save Alouette, still trying to rip the gun from her hands).

John, likewise, finds himself alone. The crowd is beginning to thin as more and more people run like jackrabbits away from the area.

Adrian, unfortunately, finds himself smack dab in the middle of the remaining mob, pushed and pulled in all directions as they flee. He's able to keep his ground, but it's difficult to keep his feet. But he does manage to spy something in the chaos no one else catches...

---

((OOC: I roll to unshake for the last few stragglers who were Shaken from last round. 00:54, Today: The Stray rolled 5,6,3 using d6+2,d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4,1. mass unshake roll. 2 successes, no raises. That's fine...I was going to have them run away anyhow.

The crowd is going batty now that Jake's revealed himself. Three townsfolk jump him, attempting to grapple. The good news? there's three of them , but I'm still only rolling one group roll for this attack. The bad news? They get the gang-up bonus (total of +2) this time, since they're acting in concert instead of just as a hazard. The ugly news? They also get the Joker bonus.

01:00, Today: The Stray rolled 5,8 using d6+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Grab Him!

Since this is a Grapple attempt, Jake needs to roll an opposed Fighting roll. If you fail, you're grappled and will need to roll Strength or Agility (opposed by the band surrounding you) to escape. If you fail by 4 or more, you're Shaken and would need to recover from that first.

After the gunshot, the crowd around Wildcat is scattering, so no more attacks are coming her way.

No one is moving near John, as he's taken quite a number of them down already.

Unfortunately, Adrian is in the path of the largest body of townsfolk, so he gets attacked as they attempt to trample over him.

01:05, Today: The Stray rolled 3,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. mob attack! No hit. I'm not going to factor in the Joker bonus, as this is just representing the hazard of being in a crowd of panicked people, not them jumping him. This is Round 2 of Adrian's Boost and Round 3 of John's Armor (need to start maintaining after this one, John).

There's a new Map in the Map Thread up...give it a look!

next round: 2S))

---

Up next: Jake Lawrence!

OOC: Alright let's start with the opposed fighting bit
07:49, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,4 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. Fighting vs 8. 4 vs 8 is a raise for them, can't have that! So burning a red chip for +d6 to this roll and here's to hoping

07:50, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Red Chip.
4 + 3 == 7, still doesn't beat 8 but means I'm just in the grapple and more importantly NOT shaken.

---

Jake tried to fight the people off with the chair he had been holding but it was quickly knocked out of his hand by the trio who were attempting to end the huckster. He attempted to slip free but three on one odds made it seem almost impossible.

OOC: Agility to break the grapple
07:52, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 3,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. Agility for Grapple.
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's a fail

In reply to Jake Lawrence (msg #206):

Impossible or not, Jake is actually able to slip free for an instant, though he's still surrounded.

((OOC: Well, it's an opposed roll, so there's a slim possibility of escape. As far as I know, the Gang-Up bonus doesn't apply to the opposed Strength/Agility check in a group grapple. It's odd, but dramatic.

09:02, Today: The Stray rolled 2,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Strength. Well how about that? Speak of the frickin' devil indeed. Jake's free, though it consumes your action. You can still move, though you'll still be subject to an attack for withdrawing. Going to need your card for next round.))

OOC: Going to stay put a trio of free attacks is possibly bad news.

11:10, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 8H using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

The flying Yankee watches the townsfolk dogpile on Jake and clear away from the ranger. He screeches, and vicious talons pop from his fingertips. He raises into the air and dives at Wildcat, driving her to her knees as his claws tear through her duster to the flesh beneath.

((OOC: Danny still has a Wound Penalty, so he's going to try something daring. He's going to swoop in at Wildcat with his claws, Wild Attacking to overcome his wounds. Since she's only got her pistol drawn right now (which is an improvised melee weapon at best) she has a -1 Parry against his natural attack (he has the Harrowed edge Claws).

09:54, Today: Danny Boy rolled 4,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Wild Attack! That's a hit, barely.

09:57, Today: Danny Boy rolled 8,3 using d6,d4, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,3. Damage. 11 damage total. That's a Shaken and 1 Wound for Wildcat.

Remember that Danny also gets another action later in the round. Right now he is adjacent to both Wildcat and Alouette.))

---

Up next: Wildcat!

11:08, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. soakies.

Con sarn it that hurts!  But better her than them.

"Right here now ya plug ugly varmint, you wanna get sideways with someone ya'll done get sideways wit' me!  Ya'll want to crawl mah hump? Then let's do this!"

Wildcat doubted she'd get another shot that good in, so she drew the Bowie knife and took a swipe at him.  But she fumbled around too much between the draw and the swipe.  This was not her proudest moment, but this thing was moving fast and a foot of sharp steel would create a little more space between them.

11:10, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 1,0 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2. try to do something about that nastiness.

She can only yell at the crowd.  "Clear out of here!  Git!"

11:20, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: QS using the Deadlands system. forgot Init.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:20, Wed 23 Nov 2011.

The Yankee lets loose with an ear-piercing cry and lashes out again, dodging past the blade to get a quick swipe in at the ranger's face. The talons cut a shallow trail of pain across Wildcat's cheek and knocks her hat clean off her head.

((OOC: Danny Boy is still Wild Attacking.

21:59, Today: Danny Boy rolled 7,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7,4. Wild Attack! That's a hit with no raise. I notice that I forgot that Wildcat adds +2 to damage as well as the attack last time...whoops. Ah, well, not going back now, let's just roll the damage for this one, shall we?

22:02, Today: Danny Boy rolled 5,3 using d6,d4+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1. Damage. Total of 8. That's a Shaken but no wounds for Wildcat.

Initiative for next round: 9H, 6S))

---

Up next: Alouette!

Alouette reaches down and gently touches Danny's face.

[[07:38, Today: Alouette rolled 6,3 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4. cease.]]
"Cease," it says, static murmuring strongly beside the lightning-bird-man, though it's unclear whether it's speaking to Danny or Wildcat. The next bit is definitely addressed to her, though, complete with the threat of a brass limb intercepting or pinning her if she continues to attack Danny. "Your violence sparks his violence. Did you..think he was a threat to those you had...taken under your feathers?"


[[Aw look! Hawk being reasonable! Augustus must've impressed it more than I thought...
Alouette's Terrible Init: 3C]]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:04, Fri 25 Nov 2011.

The metal hand caresses the boy's face. The lightning in his eyes fades, and the talons slide back into his fingertips. His eyes roll up toward the back of his head, and the boy collapses in the muck, shivering.

Not that the crowd notices much about this. Most are still running away, and those grappling Jake are more concerned with the witch they've found rather than the other witch curled up in the muck.

((OOC: I roll an opposed Spirit test to see if Danny does, in fact, cease...

09:40, Today: Danny Boy rolled 0,1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Cease? Yeah, that's a success and Raise. That cows the spirit, leaving Danny without any special powers except his Harrowed abilities. He's currently Shaken and Prone. He'll act on the highest of his last draw, but won't get two actions anymore.))

---

Up Next: John Smith!
This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Fri 25 Nov 2011.

((OOC: Since John's player is currently buried in Busy due to holiday madness, I'll go ahead and put him On Hold until he's able to reply again. That means it's a new turn!))

---

Turn Order:
Wildcat Hawkins: QS
Adrian Vega: 9S
Danny Boy: 9H
Jake Lawrence: 8H
Alouette: 3C
The Mob: 2S
John Smith: on hold

---

Up next: Wildcat Hawkins!

Wildcat stands there apparently not grasping the situation, or perhaps blinded by blood in the eyes.

09:25, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 2,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Spirit Roll.

09:27, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: JD using the Deadlands system. Next round.

Up next: Adrian Vega!

With a grunt, Adrian tried to shove himself forward, surging into the crowd towards the doors to the City Hall. "The Mayor," he shouted as he moved,"City Hall."

He swung his hands about him as he moved towards the City Hall, convinced that stopping the mayor was the only way to end this without him having to do in some of the people he'd grown up with. If he could, he'd want to smack someone upside the head with his pistol as he ran for where he hoped the mayor was to keep them from coming after him.

---

OOC:

15:44, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,10 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+4)10. Strength.

Luckily for Wildcat, the boy is still laying on the ground, shivering, and doesn't look like he'll be going anywhere soon.

Adrian knocks one of the townsfolk to the ground with his pistol whip. He was at the door now...all he had to do was open it, step inside, and pray the mayor wasn't waiting behind it with a shotgun.


((OOC: Danny Boy attempts to recover from Shaken: 15:04, Today: Danny Boy rolled 2,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. Recover from Shaken. Nope.

Next round: 7S))

---

Up next: Jake Lawrence!

Jake attempted again to slip the grip of the crowd which had him pinned down but couldn't seem to break free. "Let me go you fools!"

OOC:
09:06, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Agility for Grapple.
FAIL!
09:07, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: JS using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:34, Wed 30 Nov 2011.

((OOC: Um, Jake is, at this point, actually free of the trio. He's surrounded by them, but he isn't grappled by them as he broke free last round because they blew their roll.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:27, Wed 30 Nov 2011.

OOC: D`oh! Apparently I can't read, curse NYC for stealing the ability to read from me!

---

Jake swung his chair at the closest of the towns folks, deciding that he might beable to get away.

OOC: Trying to hit N-29
10:32, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 5,11 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+1)5,(6+5)11. Fighting.
Hit w/ Raise(?)
10:33, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 9,1,9 using 1d6,1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,1,(6+3)9. Damage (Str, Chair, Raise).
10 (19) damage
09:07, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: JS using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:34, Wed 30 Nov 2011.

In reply to Jake Lawrence (msg #221):

The man goes down in a heap.

"He killed Clem!" shouts one of his attackers.

"You bastard!" shouts another.

((OOC: Are you going lethal or nonlethal on that attack?))

---

Up Next: Alouette!

In reply to The Stray (msg #222):

OOC: Nonlethal

In reply to Jake Lawrence (msg #223):

((OOC: Cool, that means they're just confused, rather than rightly outraged...))

In reply to The Stray (msg #224):

OOC:
Next Round
10:59, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 8D using the Deadlands system.

Alouette tilts its head at Wildcat whilst she sways, waiting for an answer.

...then the static fades, much as the sudden thunder and lightning did, and the clank carefully shakes itself, listening for damage, and picks Danny up. It seems to consider, holding the starved young body that was a taloned, screaming, thunder-winged monstrosity mere moments ago to the warmth of the casing over its boiler, then hands him to Wildcat.

"You should fix him first," it says with complete trust in Wildcat's ability to do such a thing, possibly because she's a grownup. "-so he won't die again and get worse and eat everybody with unstoppable all-consuming hunger."

It then turns its attention to the nearby fight as violence explodes in that direction. "Cease! Minus murder, minus witchcraft! Cease!"
Unable to get at the combattants for the scrum, it quickly crouches and pokes the recumbent Clem in the cheek. "Wake up, Green Hat Man, you will be trodden on!"
There's a slight smell of singed hair as sparks spring from metal fingertips.

[[17:08, Today: Alouette rolled 0,0 using d6-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. go go gadget fixing people! Nope. -1 all round, since that ought to have been rolled at -2 (wounds) without the Hawk's attention...
init: 10C]]

PM

[[eh bien... *reroll*]]

Clem's eyes flutter as the clank touches him. "Urgh..." He mutters. He'll be alright...he was just dazed, apparently.



The only folks Carl can see still standing is Wildcat (apparently cradling the shivering Yankee soldier) and Adrian (looks like he's just knocked someone over the head and is now rattling the door to City Hall). From his vantage point he's unable to see the church, but he can here the shouts of "Witch! Witch!" coming from that direction. The people running toward him are looking up at him for salvation.

Meanwhile, the two old miners near Jake leap at him in renewed fury for the way he buffaloed their friend.

"The witch killed Clem!" one shouts. "We gonna hang him!"

Clem sits up, still dizzy. "Um...guys? I'm alright...just need to lie down for a while..."

They don't seem to have noticed him. "Hang the witch! Hang the witch!"

Unnoticed by the rest of the mob, John Smith runs over to the woman stabbed by Danny Boy. "Let's see if this works," he mutters to himself, calming his emotions and laying his hands on the girl's wound. He feels his chi flowing outward, and the ragged cut begins to close before his eyes!

((OOC: The crowd is mostly dispersed by now. The lion's share moves closer to Carl's position.

12:48, Today: The Stray rolled 4,8 using d4+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7. mob attack!

Jake, roll me an opposed Fighting check. if it fails, you're caught again. If it fails by a lot, you're Shaken as well.

John Smith told me he will be out of town the next couple days, and he gave me permission to NPC him. So I'll have him use his magic on one of the fallen townsfolk, the ones Danny attacked who are at risk of actually dying.

12:53, Today: The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, rolled 2,3 using d4,d8, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3. Healing. Not high enough, so I'll spend the Red Chip I got from CB just now in the other thread for a bonus.

12:53, Today: The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Red Chip. That's a total of 6, so it's a success. One townsfolk saved.

Initiate for John and the NPCs:

Crowd: QH
John: 10D))

---

Next Round's Turn Order:
Jake Lawrence: JS (needs to resolve his Grapple first)
Wildcat: JD
Carl: JD
Crowd: QH (I'm putting them on hold until this time, so that others get a chance to post and I can deal with John and the Crowd at the same time).
John Smith: 10D
Alouette: 10C
Danny Boy: 7S
Adrian Vega: 8D

---

Up next: Jake Lawrence!

OOC:
15:44, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,2 using 1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Fighting.
That's a fail but not a raise for them... so I'm just in grapple.

---

Jake becomes overrun again by the mob, his chair was no help versus the masses. He tried to slip free. "Leave me alone you bumpkins!"

OOC:
15:46, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 14,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+6)14,5. Agility.

20:10, Today: Wildcat Hawkins rolled 5,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Spirit Roll.

The Ranger finally manages to get her wits about her and grabs a few strands of hair to mat over that bleeding spot.  The tiniest wound on your forehead can blind, burn and sting like crazy.

An'they done said long hair was always liable in a ring tang tootin' fur flier.

20:12, Today: Wildcat Hawkins drew the single card: 4D using the Deadlands system. Yay I'll get to do something!

Jake easily slips out of the grip of the folks bent on hanging him. He's still surrounded, though, and Alouette is there next to him, bending over the guy he knocked out, apparently bringing the guy around. Not good...

((OOC: 21:22, Today: The Stray rolled 4,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. resisting escape. Not going to beat a 15, not by a long shot.))

---

Up Next: Carl!

Carl kicks Stride on. He's not used to people looking up to him and it causes a shiver as cold licks down his spine. Stray rain, perhaps. Only one y'can be sure of savin' is your own self, his aunt had told him, and he'd lived by that.

Cain't I try, though? the boy had asked, back in that far-away summer where there was food every day, and some of it was strawberries. His aunt had smiled. You surely can, child. So he'd walked home, and Pa stayed sober three whole days out of pure (unspoken) pride. He'd lived by that, too.

The wrangler rides up to the heart of the chaos, readying the rope for trouble.

*WHI-IT*

He tries to get the fight's attention to find out what that was about. ...is that the little Yank? Why did they change his clothes? Was he...yes, that was movement. Shit and sit in it. Carl gives the Ranger...the sort of look one gives someone you shelved hatred over a nigh-kinslaying for, for their use in the town's defense, when you find them surrounded by bodies, at the centre of a riot, clutching a shotgun and hugging a zombie.
"..."
A hand shaken in the air emphasises the look. What the hell, Ranger?



[[moving up to the fight, drawing lariat and trying to work out targets.
init: QD '...she'll beat you if she's able?']]
This message was last edited by the player at 13:18, Thu 01 Dec 2011.

The two miners, not satisfied with trying to grab the slippery huckster, decided to start swinging. One of them manages to get in a good shot at Jake's stomach, driving the breath from him.

John Smith leaps up from tending the wounded and runs around the side of the church just in time to see Jake go down. "Enough!" he shouts, and unleashes a whirlwind kick into the ex-miner's face, driving him back against the wall.

((OOC: The only crowd members in the immediate area are those who've been knocked out/dropped and those who are attacking Jake. Oh, and one guy stuck on the roof of a house because of the whirlwind. This combat is nearly over.

The two going after Jake for attacking their friend and being a witch (in that order) are going to try to knock him out.

15:06, Today: The Stray rolled 2,10 using d4+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+3)9. mob attack! That's a hit and Raise.

Damage: 15:07, Today: The Stray rolled 9 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. Damage. That's Shaken and 1 Wound for Jake.

Since I'm still puppeting John Smith, I'll move him up to the nearest Townsfolk (Mike of the Grand Bull poker players quartet) and give him a boot to the head with Tan Tui.

15:11, Today: The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, rolled 7,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Boot to the head! Hit.

15:11, Today: The Stray, on behalf of John Smith, rolled 6,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1. Damage. 7 damage, meaning the man is Shaken.

next round:

Townsfolk: 5S
John Smith: 3D))

---

Up next: Alouette!

[[I wondered if he was really on the roof...poor random.]]

Alouette looks up at John's unusual burst of violence, then stands up right in the middle of the fight, effectively in everyone's way. "Cease!" it tells the combattants, then to the townies: "Cease attacking Jake Lawrence - high probability y'all may get witched," and to Jake: "Cease witching the people - high probability you may get attacked. Y'all should be minus violence, and be excellent to each other," it finishes. It's not the most convincing speech in the history of angelic intervention.

[[Persuasion...2. None of that lot noticed Carl's whistle?
init: 10H]]

At the sound of the whistle, Danny stops shivering, and his eyes clear. He looks up, sees the Ranger over him, and pushes her away. "Get off me, Reb." he snarls, sliding through the muck away from her.

((OOC: Danny rolls to Unshake.

16:05, Today: Danny Boy rolled 4,3 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5. Recover from Shaken.

He'll move away from Wildcat.

As for the whistle, they don't think it's directed at them.

next round: 4S))

---

Up next: Adrian Vega!

Now free from the press of the crowd, Adrian popped into the door ahead of him intent on finding the Mayor.

((OOC: I'm going to have us drop out of combat rounds now. This fight is effectively over...any new entanglements will be handled as they come up. Jake is still being attacked, but he's free to act out of initiative order))

Adrian can't remember a time when he'd walked in Blackthorn's city hall...this was the sort of place a miner's son just didn't have the need to visit that often.

As his eyes adjust to the light, he sees a man in a red shirt leaning against the wall at the far end of the reception room. The man lights up a cigarette, then pats the shotgun leaning against the wall next to him.

"That's far enough, now." He says. "You come any further, things are liable to get a mite messy."