Re: Chapter 17.1: The Second Coming ((Wendell Mine))
Ward sighs. "I do not suggest any of this lightly, and attacking the renegades with dynamite is something we should do only if all else fails. But we need to prepare for the worst-case scenario now, before we proceed any further and discover any surprises the hard way."
"Consider all that may go wrong with your plan, Mr. Murphy. Tex's intimidation factor may not frighten enough of the renegade to significantly inconvenience their aims. The Shaman could have defensive powers active, or have surrounded himself with warriors capable of fending any small band that would get near him. Instead of falling for any distraction, they may see through the ruse and reinforce their position. The shaman will not likely be dissuaded by any means short of violence."
"Having a reasonable way of harming the Comanche in numbers, should it prove necessary, will allow us an option to take if your frankly optimistic plan of 'cause a distraction and scare them to draw men away and leave the shaman vulnerable' does not proceed exactly as you envision. You can only cut the head off a snake if you can catch it. If you encounter a nest, more drastic measures need to be taken."
"And another thing all of you should consider--what if the serpent has other minions? I should like to remind you that we have not yet encountered the specter of Nathanial Frost, who still has a grudge against myself, Mr. Allans, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Spotswood, and now Mr. Charging Bear. Can any of you claim to have a way of dealing with the specter, should he appear at a critical juncture?"
"I might be able to help there." Says the ghostly voice of Jeb. "I'm a ghost, too. I got a knife with me. Don't know if'n two ghosts can duke it out, but if they can, I can try my best."
Ward doesn't even bat an eye as the spirit's voice "Thank you, Mr. Jefferson. That gives us an option. But I would very much like it if we had more than one option with us. By all means, let us attempt to get close enough to the shaman to deprive him of his picture. But let us at least entertain the thought that this trip may be fatal for all involved."
"I made a grave miscalculation when I first began toying with Tezcatlcoatl. Now that the spirit is near awakening, I am willing to do anything in my power, up to and including sacrificing my own life, to keep it contained to these halls forever. If any of you do not share my conviction, then the exit is that way."
He points back towards the mine entrance. "You are welcome to depart now, and godspeed. But know that we need every advantage we can get if we are to prevail. To save the town, to save your friends and family, to save the world itself, we must be ready to lay down our own lives for the greater good. If you leave now, you may be saving your own life for a few hours only, for if we fail, I shudder to think what will become of this part of Texas. So if any of you are weak in heart, then go. But go with the knowledge that you are weakening the rest of this group, and that if we fail, it will be on your shoulders for the rest of whatever remains of your lives."
((OOC: So you want to use Shooting instead of throwing for the device? That will work, but if you're going for a dynamite launcher, you're probably going to want to hand the device off to someone with a better Shooting score than you, and you won't be able to parcel out the bombs among the group.))