"I ain't sure that they haven't," Hardin remarks, looking at the members of the steam wagon crew charging across the plains far below.

[[er, 30? That was impressive, though...Jake, you now have a d4 Stealth, and I'll take whoever rolls highest and add successes to his. Have at!]]

OOC:

Stealth: 20!

12:46, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 2,20 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+6+6+2)20. stealth

And yeah, 30. When you get four of a kind (my first), it's the same as a flush (automatic success and raise) and 10 times the normal duration. The normal duration being 3 rounds, this would be for 30 rounds. Sweetness.

This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Mon 20 Apr 2015.

OOC:
13:59, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 4,8 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+2)8. Stealth.

Adrian - does you're huckster ability work differently than mine? Even when you do Deal with the Devil you've got to roll Spellcasting to ensure you can even cast the spell... as you could always roll a 1  ... per pg 90 of the DLR Players Guide under "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:12, Mon 20 Apr 2015.

OOC:
My Huckster ability probably works the same. My reading ability may function differently:

Deadlands Reloaded p.80:

"With a Flush or better, success is automatic, but a Spellcasting roll may still be needed to hit or in the case of an opposed roll (the huckster gains a +4 bonus for the Flush)."

So according to the book, success is automatic. If I was using bolt, where I needed a 'to hit' number, I would roll Spellcasting. If this was opposed, I'd make a Spellcasting roll. Given that this is neither an opposed roll nor am I trying to hit anything, I don't need to make a Spellcasting roll because I have a hand higher than Flush.

That's how it feels to be a high roller that draws Flush and above with some regularity.

This message was last edited by the player at 18:17, Mon 20 Apr 2015.

[[That's how I understood it, but apparently I'm off my game today, so maybe don't trust me. Yes, Jake, two steps from nothing is indeed d6, and bloody hell Adrian, you're on fire today.

The results of the mess on the dice roller bring the group total to 26 for Omitetlcoatl to roll against.

Omitetlcoatl rolled 11,8 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 11,(6+2)8. Notice vs. 26. Good, but not good enough.]]

The group flit like shadows (or waddle like mid-afternoon, in the mayor's case) on the wings of Vega's hex. Higher up, the hissed chant is interspersed with periodic rattling that instinctively raises the fine hairs on the back of the neck.

Peering over the edge is blinding for several seconds, as there's a fire set near the top of the trail at the base of one of the marker stones, and smoke rolls towards the party in warm waves. The other boulders also have wood blazing at their feet, and beyond them, a second, offset circle of fire illuminates what might at first be taken for the trunk a fallen tree, at least until it moves and draws the eye up to another coil, and further up to gleaming horns rising from the back of a serpentine head.

He's in the way and the smoke makes things hazy over distance, but there does appear to be a human stretched over the 'altar' boulder, pinioned by pale curls that look for all the world like the deformed ribs of some monstrous being. Beyond the witchfire that arcs across the serpent's horns, a point of blue radiance like a lost star hangs in the air, pure and hypnotic.

"Oh my..." Lazarus breathes, staring at the beast. "So, how do you want to play this? Should I, er, go give him the barrel, perhaps?"

"He's stopped chantin'," Hardin rasps.


[[Guts checks -3 +Grit, please. Yes, you expected him (negating his usual -2 effect), but no-one here save Hardin and the Mayor have seen such a frikkin huge rattlesnake before.

Harry Lazarus rolled 4,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. fear! Harry isn't worried...well, maybe a bit worried...eep.]]

Adrian nearly drew back at first from the brightness of the sight below, squinting at first until his eyes became accustomed to it until he could make out the sight. He swore under his breath at the size of the snake, and the horriffic nature of what was happening. He'd seen a lot in his life that he didn't think most people had seen, and for a time searching out strange and arcane knowledge had made him feel special, as did his membership in the Lady Luck society. In the last day alone he'd experienced double the craziness, and at the moment the sight seemed to eclipse everything else combined. There had been times on the road he might have wished never to have left Blackthorn, but since all this had come back to his home town, he supposed it would have worked out more or less the same no matter what he had done with his life.

He was in truth surprised that he handled the sight of the creature so well. He must have been jaded from the last day in Blackthorn, or perhaps the news of his own undeath numbed him to the fear of some things.

"To kill it, we need to get it to bite itself. Or we need to get its venom. Getting it drunk might help. Mayor, you have any ideas on how we can get it to drink the liquor?"

OOC:

Guts 9 (after white chip).

15:40, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 9,7 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,5. White Chip to Reroll.
15:40, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 3,3 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. Guts.

OOC: I miss read the text of DwtD and was wrong ... learn to read I shall.

---

Jake noted the size of the creautnre with very little concern. He shrugged saying, "Shoulda gotten some dynamite."

OOC:
15:26, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 8,8 using d10+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+1)7. Spirit (-3 GM +4 Grit).
This message was last edited by the player at 21:46, Tue 21 Apr 2015.

"Perhaps if we roll it at the creature rapidly it might take it for an attack and bite the cask," the Mayor suggests.

"It may be worth simply offering it...he can't harm us directly, after all," Lazarus points out.

"I think the priest's sayin' something," Hardin growls, paying little heed to the discussion, attention on the beast. "I figure I ought to start shooting - could be enough lead'll get it down long enough to prise its mouth open and stab it in the poison whatevers."

Before them, the point of light becomes a thin blue line.


[[one minute.]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:42, Tue 21 Apr 2015.

"Alright, we need a plan quick. Lazarus, you go and offer it the brandy as a gift - and a distraction. Make something up, it needs to be good, and quick. I don't think we have much time left."

"While you're doin' that, I'm gonna sneak up on it from behind and try to get it to bite itself, or break off one of it's fangs and stab it with the fang, which should do the trick. Any way I can get it to poison itself."

"Hardin and Jake, you can follow but stay at a distance. Give Harry any cover he needs if he has to make a retreat. If the snake has helpers, you can take them out. You can even take the snake on itself if you need to."

"Mayor, I don't know what kinda tricks you got. If you can make that snake weaker somehow that would be great. Easier for me to hit, and easier for me to hurt would be good for starters."

OOC:

Does Adrian still benefit from his Stealth boost?

"I'll see what I can do," the mayor mumbles, thinking.

"Should we actually be trying to kill it outright? We don't know where the lady is, and she, ah, might need help...oh dear." Lazarus trails off as Adrian starts sneaking, swallows, and steps up on the summit, hefting his cask of brandy past the fires.

"Er...Greetings, Great Reptilian Overlord!"


[[yes; that insanely high roll'll cover this scene, I think. There's a small hiccup in getting Lazarus to you, since apparently I don't have the access for NPC moving; the Stray'll get to that next he's about.]]

Before he could hear Lazarus, Adrian tried to sneak off after the creature, circling so that he was a bit out of the way and might come at it from behind, careful to avoid any rattlers.

OOC:

Stealth: 7

13:21, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 7,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4. Stealth (Boosted).

[[Hmm...I'll treat this as a Smarts trick on Harry's part.

Harry Lazarus rolled 3,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Trickery!
Omitetlcoatl rolled 4,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. resist!

The snake isn't entirely distracted, but now he's at least pointed at Harry.

Omitetlcoatl rolled 6,2 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Notice?
...and Adrian still has the Drop.]]

The serpent rears high and twists about to see who's hailing him, turning away from Adrian even as the huckster creeps upwind. "H̴m͢m̡?̴ ̛What҉ is it̕, ͜Lit͞ţl͠e͘ ͢P̀a͏l̨e̵ Óņe?"

Jake gave Adrian some room but followed after with pistol and potential magics at the ready.

OOC:
16:17, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 5,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5. Stealthing.

"I come bearing an offering for your magnificence! I seek only to honor and please you, and give an offering of a cask of the finest brandy!" he said, placing the cask before the serpent.

[[Omitetlcoatl rolled 18,2 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (12+6)18,2. Notice? Think he noticed you, Jake...probably the Mayor and Hardin as well...]]

"O͏h, excelle̡n͞t!̸" the serpent exclaims, then pauses a moment, flickering his tongue to taste the wind, before returning his effusive attention to Harry.

"͜..͝.͝I ac͡c̷e҉pt̷ yo͠ųr o̧f̨f҉e͢rįng, Little͟ Pa̷l̡e On̢e͘,̨ and̵ since you ca͡ḿe͠ all̸ ̸t̕hi̧s way̛ I̧ ̸s̨h̶a̛l̵l ͟awa͏rd͠ ͠yo̧u th͏é s̨u̢p͘reme ͞honour͢ of͏ t̕h͠e͜ v̷eŕy ̀b͝es̴t ̀view҉ w͝he̸n̕ ̕m̢y şi̷blìn͢g̡s retur̷ǹ." The great head lowers, putting the altar boulder between his skull and anyone upwind, low enough for Lazarus to scramble up on.

"C̸om͠e, clim͝b ̢up̛ ́o͏n m̶y̧ ho̸rn͡s͏;́ y͢o͠u͞ śh̕a̕l̕l w̡a͡tc̴h͘ ̀f̴ro͝m ͡t̸he ͟h͟e͠ig̶ht o͡f̸ go͠d̶s̴.̧"

Harry can see the priest now, panting pale and exhausted from all his attempts to fight or run or pray: the clothing is stripped from his chest, his limbs held by unnaturally twisted cattle ribs and vertebrae. More bone forms itself into spikes over his limbs, face and pelvis: even if he were to call down the strength to somehow break his bonds, he would be shredded alive by the action.

His gaze meets Lazarus' briefly. Although the man is clearly afraid, it doesn't seem to be for himself, even in this dire strait.

"What happens when your siblings return?" he asked, attempting to stall.

"Yo̡u̡ ̛will̷ se̶e̡ ̨presently," the serpent responds, glancing back at the ever-brighter line of light hanging in the air.

Although still pleasant, his tone gets just a shade harder, hinting at the temper underneath. "͘Ha̢sţe͘n, ͟Li͡tt̵le̢ P̶a͏le ̴O͏n̶e...I wo͝u̶l͟d b̡e t̶érrib̵l͞y͘ ͟dís͡pl͢eas̶ed́ if I͢ ͢thoug̨h͘t̴ ͠you d̵įd̷ not ţrust҉ ͜m͝e, an͞d͢ on m͢y͡ ̛wo͟r̵d ҉I͡ ̛w̵i̵l̡l͘ no̷t̴ ͡eat ̢ýo̷ų."

Having little choice in the matter at this point, he mounted the serpent and braced himself to be lifted. Once out of the snake's eye contact, he gave a wink to the priest.

Jake found himself a semi-comfortable place in the dirt and sat. He had his gun sitting in his lap and waited.

The priest has already shut his eyes. "Let me not undergo the real pains of hell, dear God, because I die unshriven...deliver me not into the hands of the Enemy, O Lord, but establish me in that bliss that knows no ending..."

The serpent rears himself high once more, cheerfully wearing Lazarus as a hat. "T͝h̸e̵re.̵ ͞B́e̡ sur̵e̶ t͏o ̴s͟tay͏ ҉s͞te͜a̕dy ̡-͏ Ì ̶c͟o͘ul͠d͞ pro̡ba͠bl̴y̡ ̶m͠ȩnd̕ ̡yo͟u͝ŗ li̵tt̵le ̡ma̶mma̧l͝ ͝s͜k͝ul̨l ̶if ͘you ̢f́ell͢,̸ ͡bu͝t th̛e ̶f̷ir̸e͜s̶ w̧oul͜dn'̸t͞ b͡e ̛fu͝n ҉at̨ ̕a̸ll̛."

He leans a little to flicker his tongue at the priest. "A̧h̷,҉ su̷ch̸ swe͝et͞ ͢des̷p͜air.́.̸.͠but t̕r̛ulỳ, ͢yo̵u sh̀o͏ul̴d ̨bè t͘ha͡n͜kful. ͡Fo͡r ҉e͟ven ìf͠ y̵ou ͜do ͏nòţ ̕u͝n̡der̢s͢t͠a̡nd ͞how̨ ̛my ҉kiń ̸will̨ ́bri͏ng lib̀e̡r̢atio̡n̨ t̸o͞ ̢th͞e̶ pe͡o͡ple̷,̧ is ͝i̧t n͜ot͏ t͞h͡e ͜hi͡g̸ḩest̷ ̀hon͘o̴ur f͞or̢ o̡ne of you͏r̸ ̡f͢áit͡h,͢"

Harry feels the movements of the snake's jaw muscles as he towers directly over the priest.

"͢-to die-̛"

The reptilian head darts another glance to the light and angles down, passenger kept securely over the back of the skull. Smoke and sparks blow from the fires out into the night.

"-̛a m͠ar̀t̴yr?"

Remembering something Adrian says, Harry decided to quickly interject something, hoping to stall for time. "Before he dies, Great Master, may I pose a riddle?"

Before permission was given, he was out with it.

"What has roots that nobody sees,
And as well is taller than trees,
Up, up, and up it goes,
And yet it never grows?"

If the snake really had a weakness for word play, it might buy him and Adrian - and most importantly the priest - some time.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Tue 05 May 2015.

The serpent pauses, rearing back to a comfortably straight position. "Hm?̶ Oh, ́t̀h̀a҉t's ̕rath͠er eas̷y͜,͜ Little Pa̕le͝ ̢o̶n̴e:̕ ͟ìt'͏s̴ ̡a͡ móu͏nt̡ai͡n.̀" He does seem extremely amused at the interjection, however, and can't help but enter into the spirit of things and respond.

"T͢ry̶ ̢th͢i̛s̵ on̶e.̀.̛.Buried҉,͜ uns͠e̶en͘, ye҉t̛ ͠es͘se̶ņţi͠aĺ; ̀bri̛ņg̷s͜ swi͝ft͜ d̷ea̡th if̵ ̨tem̢p̸e͏rmen̵t̶al.̷ No drum̶m͘er beats t͏he w҉a͝ŗ d̀ru͟ms̕'̀ ̧t̕hu̧d҉, ͢ýet҉ h̵ol̡lòwe͝d hallś ̴are͢ ̕f͡ill̨eḑ w̴įth ̨b͠l̵óo̡d̶." The serpent waits a moment for a reply.

---

Meanwhile, Jake quietly settles on his nice flat east-facing rock, taking the movement at his side for part of his clothing...at least until it raises a tail and a little pointy face to the level of Jake's elbow and begins shaking the former to let him know just whose rock this is.

*sssssssssssssshikashikashikashikashika*

[[ music for Jake...there is nothing whatsoever supernatural about this encounter...Jake just happened to sit down on a good basking rock near dawn at the end of hibernation season without checking.]]

He was afraid at the first that he might not know, but after a moment of meditating upon the riddle the answer came to him. "The heart," Lazarus responded with confidence. Tapping his chin in thought, he offered another.

"Voiceless it cries, Wingless it flutters, Toothless it bites, and mouthless it mutters."

OOC:
15:36, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled 1,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Spirit.

---

Jake jumped, he knew better but there was something about dark and snakes that hit the primal fear part of his brain.

Taking the sudden movement as a threat, the snake lashes out at the paleness of Jake's hand. The huckster feels the bite itself like being stabbed with a needle, a brief and soon-forgotten pain, then a gathering dry warmth in his fingertips...


[[20:49, Today: Alouette, for the NPC susan the rattlesnake, rolled 11 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11. *bite*. Hit, raise. She should have +2 for the size difference, but eh.
susan the rattlesnake, rolled 3 using 1d4, rerolling max with rolls of 3. damage.
susan the rattlesnake, rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. raise die.
-> 6 damage: Shaken and a -2 Vigour roll vs. poison.

Since she barely got you, a raise on that roll will leave you Fatigued, not Exhausted, and you can still use the hand.]]