Jake draws the knife in his belt and stabs at the big snake before him ashe can't seem to hit the broad side of bar currently.

OOC:
15:45, Today: Jake Lawrence rolled -2,1 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. Fighting (-2 Fatigue, -2MAP).
Swing and a miss!
15:46, Today: Jake Lawrence drew the single card: 9S using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative.

Tlachinollicoatl doesn't even notice Jake flailing in her general direction.

[[She's +2 to hit for being almost barn-sized, but yeah, not even near her Parry there...

William, go!]]

William curses as the bullets whizzes past him.
Right... Hank got a monkey's on his back, too. And apparently his monkey likes snakes.

He raises his pistol, leveling it at Hank's head, then yells at his former comrade-in-crime:
"If this was a year ago, you'd be dead already, Hank. But certain things happened and I reckon' I owe you at least one chance. So... drop that piece now or I'll drop you. Just tell your fucking monkey to go back into its cave or I'll end both of you, now, forever. Your call."

Pierce's face is grim with determination.

((Going on Hold.))

Hank doesn't react for several seconds, then the right side of his face begins to twitch at eye and cheek, his gun arm picking up a shake to it. "I..." he grinds out, and suddenly jerks forward, close enough now to see the boy's eyes, wide and fearful. "I can't...ss-"

"S-something else...like something else inside me, Billy, it's got my arms...I can't..." another jerk forward. "Help me. Please...please, knock me out, shoot my leg if you gotta-ngh!" a small whimper escapes the lad as his pistol momentarily sights properly on William again, then he jerks the barrel to the side as though wresting it from an invisible opponent.

His fingers knead and twitch on the grip as though desperately trying to let go of a thing held by implacable force to his hand, face ticcing all the while. "...please don't kill me, Billy. I wouldn't kill you, not never...just..." Another step. The kid's voice rises in a frightened yelp: "Shit! ...please, please, God, Billy, take the gun!"

With a massive effort, Hank swings the gun out away from William. He's at point blank now, arms thrown wide as though to embrace the gunslinger, or held crucified. If he were a living man, he'd be sweating. "...please..."


[[Hank's Little Friend moves into melee range and tries to sell William the "help help I am a poor hypnotised hostage" angle with a Smarts trick:

19:06, Today: Hank Miller rolled 3,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. #Trust in meeeee... all right, but his host might be on the line, so he throws a red on it.
19:08, Today: Hank Miller rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1. red chippit. Heh.

William Pierce, beat 5 or hesitate!]]

08:55, Today: William Pierce rolled 6,8 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+2)8. Agility. to go first.

"I said 'drop your piece'. not 'come closer'."

He pulls back the hammer, but at the last instant moves the barrel of the gun to the side, away from the point between Hank's eyes and fires at the hand holding the pistol instead. The bullet hits the wrist as if it was a naiul hammering the hand to an invisible cross.


08:58, Today: William Pierce rolled 5,-1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1. blue chip, re-roll.
08:57, Today: William Pierce rolled 0,0 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Shoot to disarm.


08:59, Today: William Pierce rolled 11 using 3d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4,5. Ghost Gun damage.


08:59, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 8C using the Deadlands system. Initiative, Quick edge.
08:59, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 2C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

"I ca-aaah!" Hank flinches at the shot, which punches a clear nick out of the side of his wrist. Hardin's pistol clatters shining to the ground.


[[Going to handwave that as just going last in this round, I think. I like that William's keeping up the Easter theme here...

Hank Miller rolled 2,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. soak attempt. He soaks the damage, but the disarm was sucessful.]]

Meanwhile, the horned serpent shifts and flicks her injured tail at her tormentor, catching him high on the chest with a heavy, venom-slowed blow that knocks him off his feet. Her rattle twitches as the great coils heave away, dulled gaze fixed on the deputy like that of a prehistoric monster, blank and unblinking.


[[Tlachi's in trouble and knows it, so just lashes out for damage with a Wild Attack (Parry -2) and moves her back end away as best she can (not far).

08:53, Today: Tlachinollicoatl rolled 2,10 using d12+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+3)9. wild attack! Hit, raise
08:55, Today: Tlachinollicoatl rolled 11,2 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 11,2. -> 13 damage, which is 1 Wound for Adrian, plus an Agility roll to avoid being sent rolling downslope.

Initiative!
Tlachinollicoatl AH
Harry Lazarus AC
Hank Miller AC
Mayor Bruebaker JC
Father O'Rourke KD
Adrian Vega KC
Jake Lawrence 9S
William Pierce 8D

Harry, go!]]

His spirits bolstered, Harry decided that he would stand guard over the priest and the mayoral wizard while the magics were worked so that he could draw off additional snakes if need be, and try to figure out what to do here to resolve the grander situation. With the priest rescued, he felt like he should lend his talents to things other than snake fighting, something more suited to the killers amongst them.

Instead of drawing his gun, he drew his trusty deck of cards and dealt himself a hand which he fanned out in one hand, sliding the deck back in his pocket. With his other hand, he reached out and tentatively touched the portal. He wasn't sure this would work, but he thought it worth a shot.

OOC:

Deal with the Devil: Two Pair
Power: Hunch
Spellcasting: 5

09:53, Today: Harry Lazarus rolled 5,4 using d8,d6.
09:49, Today: Harry Lazarus drew the 9 cards: 10C, 7H, KC, 2D, 8H, QS, 7S, AS, AH using the Deadlands system.

Reaching up on tiptoe, the dapper huckster feels the pulse of strange energies.

[[I'm going to have to look up the wording of Hunch to see what happens when one tries to Hunch the ruptured fabric of time and space, but the knowledge will certainly merit a Spirit roll.

Also Adrian just got slapped by a snake, if you missed that and/or were minded to soak it. *points up*]]

PM

[[ Is it like looking into the Time Vortex? Does Harry become The Bad Wolf?

And yes...I somehow missed that. Adrian will soak it. Let me get to that shortly.]]

OOC:

I spent a white Chip to soak, and it looks like I should have it covered. If I've forgotten some rules or something, please let me know. I feel like it's been a while since I've soaked anything.

Soak: 11
Agility: 9


11:39, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 11,8 using d12+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4. Vigor to Soak (+Iron Jaw).
11:37, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 8,9 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 8,(6+3)9. Agility!

Whilst Adrian manages to roll back to his feet on the slope, largely unhurt, Harry stares into the brightness of the portal, seeking its secrets...


[[more like drinking the zavarka, and that's what I'm looking to find out - Spirit roll, please.
 ]]

OOC:

"I am the Bad Wolf. I create myself. I take the words..I scatter them, in time and space. A message, to lead myself here."

Spirit: 19

13:22, Today: Harry Lazarus rolled 19,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+9)19,1. Boosted Spirit.

"Oh, thank-" Hank gives a small gasp and sort of falls at William in either a faint or a relieved hug.

[[which he rolled grapple for, because Hank's manitou suspects William knows what's up:
20:27, Today: Hank Miller rolled 3,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5. grapplage.

William, Fighting/Agility vs. 5 for ye.]]

Harry staggered back a bit, as if intoxicated, putting his hand to his head. Spots of bright light seemed to flash in his eyes as if he had been staring into the sun, and he felt a lingering headache coming on. It took him a moment to remember where he was and what was going on around him. It felt like years had passed. Centuries. Millennia. In truth, it had been but seconds.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 18:41, Thu 02 July 2015.

"Out of the way, out of the way," Bruebaker huffs, moving Harry aside as he draws further lines on the ground about the portal. As soon as the circle at the core of the design is completed the portal's glow fades, though it is not quite extinguished.

[[I'll leave a prod note for William, but moving on, the Mayor determines it'll take him this round to get the portal closed and does so.]]

Meanwhile, chafing to do something, the priest jogs off after the masked serpent, skidding and sliding some way down the slope.

[[Father William O'Rourke rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5. run, priest, run! O'Rourke tries to be useful/stab some snake, but he does't know Ixi's slithered off around the other side, so he'll need to try and track the beast next round.

Adrian, go!]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:49, Wed 08 July 2015.

Adrian made to stab at the creature again, hoping that multiple piercings with an envenomed weapon would speed up the efficacy of the poison on the gigantic creature.

OOC:

Adrian and makes another Fightin' attack with his Omitetlcoatl poison coated Gun of the Hanging Judge scythe blade, he seeks Payback (+2) for the serpent wizard messing with his friend and for the unjust conduct of these demons in general (+4 Relic).

Fightin': 13 (Base Roll, Size, Payback, Relic)
Damage: 23 (Strength 6, Damage 2, Payback, Relic, Raise 9)

13:26, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 9 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9. Raise?
13:26, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. Damage.
13:22, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 6,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1. Strength.
13:21, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 1,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Fightin'.

13:33, Today: Adrian Vega drew the single card: 4H using the Deadlands system.



This message was last edited by the player at 18:33, Wed 08 July 2015.

Adrian sees his moment as the coils shift, lunging for the softer underbelly of the snake. The blow strikes true and deeply, and the already-slow serpent hisses in pain, recoiling, shuddering, her laboured breath growing still slower as she rounds on her tormentor...but slithers past him, heedless of any further cuts.

With the effort and somehow the dignity of a dying warrior, the huge serpent shifts herself up the hill. Lifting her great green-gold head to gaze that way, she sees the portal no more than a shimmer on the air. Her banked and scarce-there halo gives a last frustrated green flicker that dies with the hope.

Forcing herself to keep moving, the creature sets about gathering the low-burning bonfires nearby to her in a new burst of flame. It must be excruciating, especially with the pace of her movement and the thickness of her skin, but at last she sits atop her own pyre on the edge of the slope, scales glowing with the heat. Her baleful stare is glazing fast, but still the serpent manages to speak: "Aǹy...w̨h͞o t̶ouc҉h͝ m͟y҉ bone͘s ́shąl͢l̢ be ̀t̨hric҉è-̸curse͠d...in bo͜d̨y̷ ̕in͟ ҉mìnd́ ̵a͝nd́ in̛ so҉ul͘ I s̕t́r̶ik̵e͢ ͘t̶hèm̴:̶ ͘th͘ęir f̷le̷s̕h̴ s̛h͝all̛..̛.҉r̡ot̵ up͞o͟n̴ ͘th͡e b̀o͞ne͜,̀ ̷th̷e̴ìr͜..̵.th͢oug̵ht ̕sh̡a̴l͏l not r̨écơgn͠is̢e ̸th̡at ̕w̨h͞icḩ ͘th̶e͜y͡ ̨lov́e̷ b҉e̢s̷t, t͟h̸e̛ir ss͘s̢pi͠ri̧t͘..."

A great shudder runs through her body. The air reeks with a scent like burnt hair and chicken fat. "͞..͠.th̛ei͝r s̛o̕ul̛ shalĺ ̀be consid̵e̢red̛ ́o̧wi͝ng̛ ţo m̡y͞ ̨kín͝, an҉d̢ be ̛dr͞a҉g̛ge̢d a҉ròún̵d̛ ̸th͜e͜..͟.wi̧ld ̀place̷s...̢n҉ev̕e̢r ̡know̵ing̴ ͟re̵st.̛ ͡"

The immense pain causes the serpent to contract herself to an agonised knot, voice reduced to an awful rasping hiss. "A̮̥̯͘ͅh́,̹ ̪͉̖͢b͇̳̖͈͡r̭͓̺͕o̪̯͓̖̦̻t̼h̴̯̼̦̝̬̰̳e͎͎̱̘͕ͅr̹̟̩̭̩̘͞ͅ, ͉̯̥̞̦̪y̙o̶͍̗̣͎̘̩u̼͖̖ͅ ̺̖̙h̪̯͠a̗̙̭v̹̣̞e͏ ̳̱͔͇̰̗t̷͇͓w͙o̴̺̙ ̨͉͖̦t̲̬̲̬̠̟̰o҉͓̬̟͍̦͎ ̙̼̣̼̜̝a̖̳͎ͅv̝̯́e̳͢n̞̳̳̮͚̙͔g̣̦̟͔̼͕e̴̬͔̜.̛̭̰̫̺..́"


[[Out of Combat for now, I suppose]]

OOC:

Is there any coup to count on this one?

The snake's eyes show only a dulled reflection of the flames.

[[if you go into the bonfire and touch her (and possibly get cursed), sure.]]

Adrian ignored the serpent's warning, thinking it nothing but bluster. Once close enough, he waited to ascertain the serpent's death before plunging his weapon into the poison gland to freshly coat it. He tried not to make contact with any of its bones nonetheless, but didn't mind much touching the skin.

OOC:

I thought she only cursed her bones...

Eh, why the hell not...What is Arcane Resistance good for, if not resisting a curse?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:34, Wed 08 July 2015.

"Oh the fun of a good curse." Jake says with a slight chuckle in his voice.

The flames do not seem to touch him as he approaches the corpse.

[[O_o apparently Adrian is the Scion of Dragons:

22:14, Today: Alouette rolled 1 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 1. fuego! 1 damage from walking into a huge frikkin' bonfire.

22:15, Today: Alouette rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. on fire? Not even if he were Flammable. Not that I'd recommend standing there, but...
Since there's skull bits in the way of access to the venom glands, please roll Vigour (+2 with your new coup power) vs 6.

Maybe Jake would like to go look for the priest? He seems good at healing things...or he could wonder where Evans went, since here's Hank and Pierce, but no Marshal...]]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:36, Wed 08 July 2015.

OOC:

"I am the blood of the dragon."

Vigor: 8

16:43, Today: Adrian Vega rolled 8,6 using d12+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. Vigor.