((OOC: Alrighty. So I'm hoping this speech will also count as a Storytellin' attempt to lower the Fear Level in the ranch area, which I think is sitting around 4. So that's Persuasion, +3 for Evans' bonuses, -4 for the Fear Level.

18:17, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 4,1 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2. Persuasion.

in case my math is wrong and the Fear Level is at 5, I'll toss in a Red Chip.

18:17, Today: The Amazing Evans rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. Red Chip.

That makes my total 7. Marshal gets a chip, and hopefully that means I'll have lowered the fear level and gotten the Mayor on my side.))

The much-clawed Mayor sits back and looks at Evans. "What are you suggesting we do with 'all our power', then?"

[[It was 5, and sure, seems appropriate. I don't think Bruebaker's going to get much more wranglable, but try him.]]

"That's where you come in." Evans says. "We need to know what Ward knows. We need to find any notes he may have left here. You know this place. You would know if there's any thing we need to look for -- or beware of. Once we have information, we can come up with a plan that focuses our assets in the most productive manner."
This message was last updated by the GM at 09:01, Mon 19 Jan 2015.

"Hmph. Some of the plans relating to the mine and the surrounding area may still be in the study, I suppose." He heaves himself up, swaying slightly. "Where's Abraham got to? I can take care of any...aetheric security, but I don't have the code for the safe."

"I think we are going to have to have a little talk about 'assassins' later, dear," Mrs. Bruebaker murmurs.

Evans looks over to Percy. "Could please find Mr. Abraham, Mr. Bradshaw?"

The lad gives Evans an odd look, clearly discomforted to be referred to by the title usually used for his dead father. "Percy," he says, and goes out to fetch Abraham.

"How may I help you?" the butler asks a few moments later, though Percy stays outside, watching Hardin skulk around the upper rooms.

Aside from the general mess and what looks like a cow hide on the floor, Jake doesn't see anything in the kitchen more remarkable than that flighty lady in her undies talking to Deputy Vega near the stove. She seems to have been injured at some point but is bearing up well, aside from looking like she's been crying.

In reply to Percy Bradshaw (msg # 157):

"In order to gather the information we need to save the world from horrible monsters, we need access to Dr. Ward's notes. Thus, we need access to his safe." Evans says. "I am informed that you may have the combination for said safe. Would you kindly open it so we can see if he does, indeed, have any notes of relevance?"

The butler looks to the Mayor and raises an eyebrow just a little. The Mayor nods.

"Very well, sir. I will have the safe open if you will come down to the study in a few minutes' time," Abraham says, then pauses. "The ground floor is currently free of horrible monsters, I take it?"

"As free as we can make it for now." Evans says, motioning folks to follow him.

Jake leaned against the doorway to the kitchen and listened to the going on. His hand drifted to the book he'd managed to keep with him.

"Oh!" the widow exclaims, noticing Jake and the blood on his shirt. "Goodness, Bitter Waters, have you been bitten?"

Meanwhile, across the hall and through the living room, the Mayor has finally limped and puffed his way down the stairs with the aid of his wife and has managed to dispel the wardings on a certain stack of documents. The more pertient of these are now spread across the desk, including a map of known areas of supernatural activity around Blackthorn, Texas, cross-referenced to a small notebook; a stack of sketch plans that probably relate to the mine, as yet unamalgamated; and notes on snake spirits with several types illustrated, albeit in what looks like Greek.

Evans studies the documents, making notice of the interesting details. "hmmm..." he muttered, more to himself than anyone around him. "Our angel machine read a book by consuming it and then recreating it inside herself. I wonder if that would allow her to translate, as well." he looks up at the assembled group. "Unless any of you are conversant in Greek? I studied a bit of Latin at MIT, but they aren't actually as similar as people believe." He returns to the documents. "At the very least, perhaps she could condense all these survey maps into a single document."

He points to a spot detailing a rocky rise where some ancient Indian rituals took place. "I wonder if there is an alternate route into the mines and the caverns beyond than the one the Wendell people dug. I know Gabby Clark was seen around town with a few chips of ghost rock that he used to keep himself fed, which I doubt he got panning. I would like to take a look at this spot before trying to go into the mine proper and deal with this 'bone fiend' thing."

((OOC: right now, just having Evans thinking out loud, though if anyone in this room suddenly speaks Greek, that would be awesome.))

Jake rolled his eyes at the name Bitter Waters but said nothing in response to it. "Just a bit, a rather ugly coyote decided it didn't like me terribly much."

The widow actually gets up and hustles over to see the damage, concerned. "Oh no...was it foaming? However did it get you on the neck?" She pauses and looks Jake searchingly in the eye. "Definitely a coyote? Not a wolf?"

The huckster shakes head, "No, it was too small to be a wolf. Definitely not foaming, just up happy to be shot at"

"So what's happening here?"

"Why were you..." the Widow shakes her head. "Honestly, there's more that needs shooting at around here than coyotes. The cows were called off by a giant snake-wizard who exploded out of a steer, but in exchange he stole the lady preacher to be his wife and the priest to be a heathen sacrifice to help raise the ancient gods, and shot off for Lord knows where. I'm working on cake to convince the birdies to go scout for us, Mr.Vega is trying to formulate a plan of attack, and Ambrose is going through the study trying to collect Ward's notes." She frowns at Jake's wound.

"At any rate, let's get that clean." She all but drags Jake over to the sink.

[[Hey Jake, you still have that eldritch tome on you?]]

OOC:

The Widow Bradshaw:

[[Hey Jake, you still have that eldritch tome on you?]]

Jake Lawrence msg #162:

Jake leaned against the doorway to the kitchen and listened to the going on. His hand drifted to the book he'd managed to keep with him.

[[just checking. It might be useful here, maybe. *nudges Adrian in case he's around* ? ]]

"Hmm..." the widow says, dabbing at the crusted blood and drool. "Look up to the corner a moment, if you please," she says, pointing to the ceiling behind her so that Jake's movement will bare the wound better.

[[optional Notice roll, if you like.]]

"Sounds like a load of fun." Jake got pulled along, not sure why the widow was so bent on cleaning the wound.

OOC:
16:01, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 12,1 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of (10+3)13,2. Notice (-1 WP).

In reply to The Amazing Evans (msg # 165):

"Well now, let me see that," the Mayor huffs, and takes over the notes for a bit.

[[Mayor Bruebaker, rolled 5,3 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. Greek to him? It's one of his Languages, and he'll be able to translate moderately well...]]

"We bin noticin' Gabby hanging around up 'bout here, jes' nearly on the ranch," Al says, swinging in after a quiet word from Abraham to point at a spot on the map. "Ain't nothin' on the top but a weird kinda lump smack in the middle...if there's a way down there, it'd be 'bout thereish, an' small." He considers. "Could be you could get in through the natural tunnels - there's a big fissure...uh, somewheres around those parts," he finishes awkwardly.

"Hmph!" the Mayor says, staring at the papers, then "Hm! ...well, there're a lot of references to other texts, but it doesn't look like the Snake can get more active without considerable sacrifices being made in its name," he pauses, looking up. "How many were killed in town?"

He clears his throat, scraping the other notes nearer. *H'hem.* "Varying degrees of power...all poisonous yet weak to their own venom...poison of the greater snakes can burn through skin, ugh...hm. 'Generous in bargaining, but naturally slippery in terminology: cannot seem to resist barter, note: always have Ghost Rock ready for Tezcatlcoatl.'"

Mrs.Bruebaker frowns at all this, clearly out of her depth but listening closely.

"Well whatever were you doing, out in the rain? You could have been just mauled by vampires. Mauled!" Once Jake seems to be looking away she dabs in properly with the cloth, though despite her stealth about it Jake notices a small snake-spirit eke from her sleeve. He feels the thing tickle across his injury, which suddenly feels a lot better.

[[The Widow Bradshaw rolled 5,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. Healin'. Jake is Healed. Possibly freaked out, though.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:44, Thu 29 Jan 2015.

In reply to Mayor Bruebaker (msg # 173):

Evans nods and makes a note of the place...and the hesitation, too, but that wasn't the important bit now.

"Fortunately, casualties in town were kept to a minimum. Several of the Dust Adders, including Gus Shaw, gave their lives to stop the Comanche from doing any damage to the women and children. The ranger and your Mr. Allans and Mr. Murphy rescued several captives being held by the Comanche at the edge of town, though I believe there were a few who did not make it. All in all, I think that less than ten people were killed in the attack. Possibly less than five, if the injured pull through."

Al flinches a little at 'several of the Dust Adders'. "Shit." He straightens, looking over at Evans. "Who else we lost?"

"Pff, well, accounting for that the Shaws are indestructable, that's only six to eight 'sacrifices'-" the Mayor consults the notes. "You could get a few of these larger creatures up, but not the big one...yet Ward seemed very keen to get down there. Hasn't left us a counter-summons, though, at least not that I can see."