((OOC: Are you going to chip it or let it stand?))

In reply to The Stray (msg # 9):

OOC:
I'll chip it. Tossed in a red to bring that up to a 4.

Adrian creeps like a cat. The main entryway into the ballroom is blocked by fallen beams, but he spots a side corridor that's remarkably free of the same. He creeps over to a doorway and peeks through the keyhole.

In the ruins of the Oriental are (at quick count) about a dozen Comanche warriors, all jabbering in their strange language. All of them have eerie silver skin and clothing, as if they'd just stepped out of a photograph. Some of them have dark grey blood splattered over them...wounded, perhaps?

In the center of the ring of warriors is one Comanche who isn't grey-skinned, but he doesn't look any better. He's naked to the waist, and wearing a pair of ill-fitting jeans with the legs ripped open in the back so they flap around like chaps. He's tall and powerfully built, his torso a mass of scars from old battles. He has a streak of red warpaint across his eyes, with little dots like tears marked down his face. His hands are stained black to the elbow. he seems to be the one in charge, though from the amount of arguing his control doesn't seem very strong.

Jesus. It's them. The Comanche vanguard. They're already in town, and they must be arguing about where to strike. And Adrian's little group is outnumbered four to one.

Adrian wanted really badly to swear, but he exerted some self control, instead opting to creep back towards Marshal Evans, hoping to get his attention. If they managed to take the Comanche by surprise they could even those odds, but it wasn't looking good for their little company. If only we had some of those devil birds...No, that wasn't good either. That was only trouble. No more devil birds.

If he was able to get the Marshal's attention, and hopefully John's as well, he gestured with his hands. He pointed over to where he had come from and flashed his hands in the manner to indicate the number 12. Maybe between the Marshal's fire gun and my tricks we can end up minus a few Comanche.

---

OOC:
Stealth 5

(Used a Red Chip here)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:41, Wed 08 Aug 2012.

John had decided to wait for a moment, Stealth wasn't exactly his cup of tea, he was rather straight forward in his approach to things and while he wasn't one who would identify himself as a follower, exactly, he knew when to bow to those who knew better than him. As such, he simply waited for Adrien to return, and when he did the young man winced. He wasn't much at Charades, but the number "12" couldn't be a good thing under any circumstances John could think of.

Evans also goes pale at the sign of "12," and curses as quietly as he can. He waves the pair into a tight huddle.

"It seems we have bitten off more than we can chew." He whispers. "How do you lads want to approach this?"

Adrian couldn't bring himself to respond verbally for fear that he'd be too loud. In response to the Marshal's question, he reached into his duster pocket and retrieved a playing card.  He peered at it for a second and showed it to Evans and Smith. Face up, it showed an Ace of Spades. He figured the both of them would know what it meant - that he was about to employ some of Edmund Hoyle's infamous tricks. He hoped it was a good omen, drawing that card.

Slipping the card back into his pocket, he tightened the grip on his gun. It was a good backup in case things didn't go quite as planned.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:49, Thu 09 Aug 2012.

John shrugs, uncertain, 12 against three weren't favorable odds. Raiding Dust Adders were one thing, Indian warriors protected by magic, quite another. Still, they might get the drop on them, and there's no telling if leaving would result in a missed opportunity. John lifted his hands in a fighting stance and gave the two men a questioning look before gesturing behind him with his thumb, indicating the way they came in, and giving another.

He spread his hands. It seemed that the situation and the options were growing too complicated for non-verbal communication the more he thought about it. Quiet as a mouse, he leaned in and spoke softly to the other two men. "Maybe wait till they split, ambush 'em from behind? Or go get some help."

"We may be the only people in town capable of harming them, given our respective talents." Evans says after a moment of thought. "I'm with John...wait for them to split up, then ambush from behind."

Adrian listened to the Marshal, and then nodded looking to consider the situation. He tucked himself back behind what had once been a post that held up the ceiling here in the Oriental. It had a broad base with what had passed in a small town for fancy scrollwork. He'd thought it quite the grand establishment until he went to New Orleans, but it brought back memories of his youth, and what he now knew was quite literally his former life.

He had no time for reminiscing now, however. He kept himself ready and waiting for any sign that they were going to split up. Maybe this'll be a chance to redeem myself, for all my sins and what I've become. He had never really been a very religious boy, but with his father of Mexican stock and his mother Irish, he'd been raised Catholic even if he never much held to it. At moments like these, it came back to him unbidden, and he felt the oppressive weight of guilt for even the smallest of his transgressions as the thought of death was upon him. Not just that he might die the final death now, but the death that was already his existence at present.

As he waited for the Comanches to move, he thought that there must have been a reason for why he became what he was, and thought not of glory but only of salvation.

As Adrian crouches in the dark, he hears a sudden, excited jabbering coming from the ballroom. Something has got the Comanche stirred up...he can hear the click of rifle bolts and twang of bowstrings being pulled taut.

And then there's a voice. A horrible, rasping scrap, like the sound of iron nails on slate twisted into the rough approximation of words. Adrian can't make the words out, but they do sound familiar...the horrible voice is speaking English!

Adrian couldn't believe his ears. Some sonuvabitch was speakin' English to the Comanches! Maybe they had an inside man in town that was helpin' them do...whatever it was they were trying to do. Without giving himself away, he tried to sneak a peek. Whoever that was, he made up his mind that that man was the one that would have to go first.

If there was one thing Adrian couldn't tolerate it was disloyalty, and this seemed like the ultimate way to be disloyal - to help a bunch of Comanches raid a town. Even if the man wasn't from Blackthorn, it was still a betrayal of sorts, sellin' out civilized folks for a fistful of dollars. It really burned up the huckster on the inside. It was loyalty that had called him back to Blackthorn, and he wasn't gonna let this sonuvabitch get away with a betrayal if he could help it.

Adrian slips through the rubble again, carefully repeating his steps until he reaches the door with the keyhole he can peak through.

What he sees is...strange. There's a figure there that he hadn't seen before, a tall, thin figure wrapped in a tattered long coat, with a hood pulled over it's head. A pair of revolvers with wicked, scythe-like blades sit in the man's holsters. A thick mist seems to have formed on the ground, an oily black cloud that shrouds the man's lower legs from view.



And the Comanche are cowering in terror. Most of them seem to be making gestures that Adrian can only guess are the Indian equivalent of crossing one's self. Only the leader, the one that's still normal-colored, faces the cowled figure.

"...cower in City Hall." The hooded figure says, in that horrible scraping whisper. "And already, they move against you. There are forces that seek to stop you very near indeed. Some with the power to break even your shaman's magic."

"And you know'em this how, deadman?" The Indian leader says. "Why you give'em this heap big warning? Not that I don't appreciate it, mind..."

"Because this town deserves to burn." The hooded man whispers, cutting him off. "Because their crimes called me forth, and the blood you spilled on the hill pleased me. Together, we shall render a judgement against the soul of Blackthorn. They are guilty, Charging Bear. And the verdict. Is. Death."

John hadn't crept forward, but he blinked when he heard the name Charging Bear, one of the very men who had been deputized along with him. He gave an alarmed expression to Evans, knowing he'd know exactly who that was, being the man that handed the the redskin a badge. John had liked Charging Bear, and now this? Something was very wrong, particularly with the voice in the room beyond, but John was having a hard time thinking straight as his emotions clashed with his wisdom for dominance.

Evans, for his part, has turned a distressing shade of pale. His mouth is moving...it looks like he's mouthing the words "not again...not again..." beneath his breath.

Adrian wanted to pale at the sight, though he wasn't sure if he could. He probably could, but he wasn't sure, so it just didn't happen. He backed away a bit and turned to the Marshal. As quiet as he could, he asked, "You seen that before? What in the hell is that?"

"It's The Harbinger." Evans whispers. <small>"I can't explain here...we need to leave now!"</small>

But he's not quiet enough.

"Wait." that horrific voice says. "I hear something...ah. They're even closer than I assumed. Kill them, warriors. Kill them and nothing else will stand in your way!"

((OOC: So, this will either be a Chase scene or a combat. Which do you folks want? Are you going to stand your ground or get the hell out of Dodge?))

On instinct, Adrian wanted to stand his ground and fight, but even though he had a supreme confidence in his own abilities at most times, he'd have to be flat out stupid to try to take this on alone. And he felt that he needed to know more about this Harbinger before having to deal with it. This seemed to be something within Marshal Evans's area of expertise, and if the local lawman thought it was time to go, Adrian wasn't going to take that warning lightly. "Let's move, we'll get 'em later," he said, preparing to leave, though he stood ready. If a fight broke out, he wouldn't leave either of these men alone and outnumbered, no matter what.

---

OOC:
I'm going for a Chase, though if either John or Marshal Evans decides to stay and fight, Adrian won't leave them alone. He'll join up with them and join the fight.

John heard that, he snapped his fingers and pointed to the exit, his choice quite clear on the matter, though he wanted his companions to go first. On instinct he fished out a river stone, not sure if the sorcery would protect their enemies from his ability.

OOC: I have the perfect card for such a scene, I believe.

((OOC: So you do! :D If you're going to use it, post it in the Adventure Card Usage thread, and I'll work out the rolls. I have to get to work right now, so I'll do so when I get back.))

As the trio bound out of the Oritental, the Comanche braves are already hot on their trail...

((OOC: Alrighty. Chase Time. This is a Dogfight, not any time chase, so it goes on until one side or the other achieves it's objective. They want to kill you guys. I'm assuming you want to make it back to The Dust Adders at the Grand Bull, yes?

Roll Agility. You get 1 card plus one for every success and raise (thanks to John's card). You keep the highest card, but clubs are complications. If you get a higher card than someone else, you have advantage over them and can attack. If you have a lower card, you can't attack someone with a higher card.

First rolls for the Bad Guys:

Itza-Chu rolled 6,7 (he gets +2 to his Agility because of his high Pace). 1 Card - 9H
Comanche Raiders rolled 6,3. 1 Card - KS

Looks like KS is the card for you guys to beat. The Dust Adders and the Grand Bull is 3 rounds away.))

John's delay for his companions to exit early doesn't help him much...

John Smith drew the 2 cards: 8S, 9H using the Deadlands system.
John Smith rolled 1,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Agility, spending white chip.
John Smith rolled 1,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Agility.

Adrian makes for the exit, but he seems to be having a hard time getting around all the wreckage inside the shattered husk of the Oriental.

---

OOC:
14:02, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 4,3 using D6,D6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. Don't chase me, bro.
14:03, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 3D using the Deadlands system.
14:12, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 5S using the Deadlands system. Extra card.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:13, Thu 16 Aug 2012.

In reply to Adrian Vega (msg # 32):

OOC: John's card applies to both you and Evens, so you get an extra draw each round of the chase.

Speaking of Evans: 12:10, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 1,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Agility.
Cards: 5H, AH