Well, it does make William Shaken. And he got a Joker... Time to get creative.

Uh-oh.
William wasn't much of a close combat or melee fighter, but he was a fighter. If he had a talent, it was looking at a fight and reading it like a book. And he didn't like where this story was headed.
He had made a wrong move and was now at a disadvantage, with the angry snake to his left. It would be difficult to angle his arm to get a clear shot. And it would be easier to deflect any blow with the knife - inconveniently on his right side.

Yes, keep talking, you ugly motherfucker.

"I'm used to being unpopular." He nods at the wound, closing.
"That's a pretty nice trick you got up your sleeve there. That makes this whole thing... rather pointless.
So, what deal would you be proposing?"

"Fo̢r̨ y̴o̡u.̨.͢.͟" the serpent says, warily drawing his head back. His eyes glaze a moment as his great tongue flickers the air, halo taking a deeper blue. The hands on his necklace suddenly uncurl and spread themselves as though by a single mind.

Ixquahuacoatl refocuses at the moment William considers making a stab, pinning the vampire with his turquoise-flecked gaze.

"͞Hm. Wh͞e͠n ͡you͘ co͡st̵ yo͢u̢r fa͡the̶r͏ ̨his̛ l̸ég̢,͞ ̕you̢ m̢a͏de̴ ͡thin҉g͝s rather dif͞f͘įcul̀t̴ f̛or ̛you̡r͠ f̀a̸m̛i͝ly.̕.͏.f̵or͠c͜e̡d ̛a ̧mo͞ve i͏n̛to cit͘y̴ ͡wo͞r̀k̷ a̧n̸d ̶hal̛f́ a̛ ren̵te͏d̴ ̸ro͟òm̨. I̕t͘ lo͘o͞k͡s ͟l͜i̷kę ̵t̵ḩe͏ ṕneu͏mo͞n͡i̢a̡ th̢ąt͜ ki̢l҉led y̕o͏ur͢ moţh̨e͘r̶ wa͟s͡ hel͡pe̛d along͞ ́b̶y ̶thȩ ̀white disęa͏se.̢.͡.̡tub̡e̡r̀c̴ulo҉s͝įs, I th̕i̡n̢k you̢ ̷c̨all i̵t͟ ͏n͘o͘w.̧ ҉Ít̕'̕s̴ i͢n҉ ͢you̸r ̕si̵ste͟r̸'̢ś ̵lungs̢.̷"

"I ćan͢ st͜ret͢c̸h͜ o͠u̶t m͟y p̢ow͠er͜ to cu҉r̢e ̸as eas̨il͠y̕ ̴as̡ ̸yóu҉ p͞ul̀l ̴a͡ ̴t̛r͝íg͝ge̛r:̛ I͢ off͝e̴r̢ y͞ou ̕her̢ li̴fȩ..̢.́and͜ ͞yo͢u͜r n̡e̶p̢h͠e͘ws'.҉ ͞Yoúr͢ ̸nam̡e̴şa͏ke͘ ̸ìs͜ ̷pres̀e͡n̷tly do̴o͠med͞ t͠o͘ ҉d͏i͞e.̀.̨." the snake's pupils dilate again to stare Beyond, though briefly.

"-a͢t ͢fi͞ft҉een̛ and̶ t͠ẁo ̀m̸o͘n͠ţh̶s̨. ͢H͠i͟s͞ ̨b͞rot͡h̸er̵ wil̵l͏ la͝st́ th̴r҉ee ̧y͡e̷ar̀s lon͝g͝er͏. Í ça̕n̷ ́cha̕n͞g͝e̴ ̴this͝, Li̧t̢tlé ̨F̧lęa͠." The serpent-priest's head swings to keep both William's hands in view, wound healing to a smear of blood even as the dead hands on his garlands curl themselves like autumn leaves.

"A̧ll͏ ̡Ì ͡a̶sķ ̸is t̛h̛a͘t yo͞u ̴c͞as̶t̶ t͟h̶a̸t͠ ͝kņi͜f́e d̡own ínt̸ò ̷y̷o͝n͞d̀e҉r̀ ćra̵c̕k and ̢l̀e̶t̡ ͜me͞ ͜b͘e.̧"

William ponders this proposal.

"If any of that were true... I think my father would've mentioned it. He loved to lord it over me, after all."

He spits.
"You want that knife? Come and get it."
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:37, Fri 09 Oct 2015.

Ixquahuacoatl shifts his coils somewhat like a shrug, giving a rather sibilant snicker. "Y͟óur fath҉er i̸s a͝live҉ an͡d ̧aş ̀w̕e͠l̢l͘ ̸as a o͘n҉e-͏l̛egged be҉g͡g͟ar mi̛g̴h̨t̡ be in̨ ͘a B͜u͏rnt̛ ͞d͏i͜ştri͝c̕t̸ ̶sl͢u̶m͢, ̷L͠i͟t́t̸le͝ F̨lea̸," he says, shifting back, that ancient, reptile gaze never leaving William.

"Yo͠u ҉wer̕e̛ ̸s̵o ̕eaģer͡ t̕o͡ b̛ȩli̛e͝v́e ̧th̸at ҉le͜ec͘h-kin was y̷o͟ur ̢fáthe̢r,̀ we͡r͢en'̨t y̛ou?͝ T̢h̸a̢t͟ a̷ll y̴o͟u͜r ̡b̶a͜d c҉ho͠ic̀es͢ w̛e͏r͞e his̶ faùl͞t́..̀.so͞ d̀es̨p̡e͟ra̴t҉e̡ t̷o ͜b͝e̕li̢ev҉e͝ ́t͝h̛a͠t,҉ r͞at͏he̵r ̵th̢a҉n ̷t̀h̢e re͘ason͟ ̀so͞m̡e t̡hing thąt ͡slith̀ered ͢up̴ ̧fr͜o̡m t́he̷ ̨Place͢ ̡o͘f͏ ̕T́o͟r͞me̛nt̴ a͘nd ̛įnto̡ ͞t͡h̨e ̷v͞oid̨ w͢h̢er̢e ̸y͘our ͜l̶ifę ̕w̴as d̡r̢ain̴ed ̕res͟e͢ḿble̶s͞ y҉ou be͜c͟au̡se ͏i͝t is̸,҉ ͠i҉n͟ f̶ac̀t, ̛y̷o͝ur҉self͘."

"H̛e's ̸n̵ot ͞y͜o҉ur͜ ́f͏a͠t̛h̵er.̷.̷.̵he̢'̴s͜ the͝ b̴o͏y ͝w҉ho ki͏l̡lęd a̷nother̴ ̸fo͟r̕ th̵e̴ ̨s̵a͘ke ̷of͝ l͏o̵o͡k̨i̵n͠g tou̷g̸h;͟ ̴t̢h͜e y̧óuth ̴wh̀o ̧murder͠ed͏ R͘os̨a͢ C҉a̢ḿw҉el̶l̷'s͜ fa͝t̢h̨er in ̶f͏r̶o̵nt ̸o̶f̀ ̵he͠r w̡h͘iĺs̀t she ͞l҉o͘st͜ h͢èr͞ ͜v͞iŕg̢i̕ni͟ty to͏ ͞s̶ix͠ b͡a̡n͠d̢i̶t͠s͢ ̕ąt on͜ce ̵b͞e͡c̡a͞u̸se ҉h̴e wa҉sn't surę h́e ͠cơul͜d ̨ge̵t h̨is co͡c͞k͜ ̛up̀ w̶it̀h th̕a̶t̀ ͡diǵu̧s̢t, th͘a̡t̴ au̴d͝ie͝n͞ce;͜ ͠t̴h͠e m҉a̴n̡ ̨who le̢t a̛ b͡ank͠ te̡l̷l̢er ̵bl̀e͠e͜d͘ ̛o͞ut͠, ͘th̶os͏e ͜a̡ro͜un̨d̨ ͠ùǹabl̡e̢ t̸o ̢ḩe̸lp h͘i̧m͟ as ͟t͢hey ̛s͞cr̸a̡m͡bl͢èd̶ t҉o ̢ge̛t͢ you m͢o̴ne͢y̧,͡ ̢hi̴s ͏l͏a̢s̕t͡ w͢or͠d͠s ̀r͠attl͜ęd͘ ̴in͘tò ͢dea͡f ̶fl͘o҉orbo̧ar̴ds...̨a m̶a͝ǹ ̧w̴ho ͡l͜ȩt ́a̷ńo͡th́er͡ ͠coo͝k҉ fo̵r҉ ̢him,͜ ̨t̡hen ̶ki͘l̡l̀e͜d h͠įm;͟ a̸ m̧a͢n̕ that͞ was̢ loo͡k̀ed͟ ̴ou̶t́ ̀fo̴r͠ a̸n̷d re̕p̢ai͠d̸ ̴th̶at͜ ͠c͜a̡r͏ę w͝i͝ţh҉ deat̕h̴, ̵over a͡nd ov͠e͟r͢."

The serpent's tongue flickers once more in amusement. "The̡ ̕t͢h̨ing tha̢t ҉cr̶awled҉ ͢u̴p̕ ̢in͞s̵id̡e͏ ̸your̶ s͢k̛in si̴mp͞ĺy ͘to̵ok҉ t͞h͞e ͢sh̷ap͢e ̕t͜h͘at ̀w͡a͏s ͞o҉ffer҉ed ̛tó ̀it. ҉Un͜l͟e͘s͝s ̡yo̵u th͏i͢n͝k ̛y͝ou҉r fat҉h̷er ̛al͏ẁa̸ys ͝had ̶a͘ geko͞'́s e̸y̡e̛s̴?" He snickers, slithering suddenly further back, halo brightening pale but turquoise over his skull and the mask's feathers.

"A̷h̶ ̸we͟l͜l͠..͜" he says, and hisses a prayer that's almost a song as the floor suddenly shifts...


[[12:35, Today: Ixquahuacoatl rolled 24,11 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (12+10)22,(6+3)9.  casting! (+Joker)
William and Rattleshirt, make me an Agility roll at -2 or start sinking!]]

---

OOC:

Rattleshirt don't play that!

Agility: 26 (28-2)

08:56, Today: Rattleshirt rolled 28,10 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (12+12+4)28,(6+4)10.  d12, d6.

21:39, Today: William Pierce rolled 21,14 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (10+10+3)23,(6+6+4)16.  Agility.

William rolls to the side and comes up in a half-crouch, firing twice in quick succession - but the bullets barely connect.

21:41, Today: William Pierce rolled 4,1 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,2.  Shooting, Doubletap.
21:42, Today: William Pierce rolled 9 using 3d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,3.  Damage.


21:43, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: AD using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, quick.
21:43, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 2D using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

The serpent jerks his head away from the bullets, irritated.

[[are you Captain Kirking towards Ixi or away? Also, did you swap hands with the knife there, or drop it?

Ixi drew up AD; you're up first!]]

((Rolled slightly away... and I still got the knife in the right, just shooting with my left.))


10:00, Today: William Pierce rolled 0,8 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+3)9.  blue chip, re-roll.
09:59, Today: William Pierce rolled 1,1 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Shooting, offhand, double-tap.


10:01, Today: William Pierce rolled 14 using 4d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3,1,3.  Ghost Gun damage.

, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: QC using the Deadlands system.  Initiative, quick.
10:01, Today: William Pierce drew the single card: 3S using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

The great serpent flinches away from the impact. William realises the wall he's rolled up beside is alarmingly soft and scrambles backwards at the realisation his knees and boots are oozing into the floor.

Almost as agile as a snake himself, the vampire makes it back to solid rock where the bone thing is clinging to the tunnel wall, but his quarry - with the small light of his halo - is rapidly vanishing down a side tunnel.


[[That'll put you on the other side of the Quicksand-ed bit of tunnel, then (It was a Large Burst range with that raise).

Ixi is Shaken! He rolls to unshake.
Ixquahuacoatl rolled 9,5 using d12+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Unshaken w/raise

He decides to flee like a small girl who's seen a bee.

09:51, Today: Ixquahuacoatl rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  fleeing!

William can take a shot at him as he retreats, if he likes, but for this round (and technically the next, but I think we'll drop combat unless you wound him seriously) he can't cross the dodgy bit of floor.

Any reaction to the news some spirits think his father is alive?]]

12:41, Today: William Pierce rolled 1,1 using d10-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Shooting, offhand, double-tap.

William fires off two more rounds in quick succession, but all they do is strike the walls.

Yeah, you better run! he yells after the giant snake.

"Fuck", he mutters.
"What now, Boney?" He eyes the soft floor suspiciously. "Theres no getting after him now. Will you take me back to Marina?"

The glomlet shifts to point most of its skulls in William's general direction and rattles a little, as though to say 'you're making noises at me! yay!'

The gunslinger shrugs and holsters his weapons.
"Well", he finally says, as the floor shifts back to being solid. "You'll be taking me somewhere, I guess. Let's ride."

And he climbs back on the abomination's back.

The 'glomlet seems uncertain as to what's expected of it, but since William's aboard, it tries going straight ahead, as before. Then shies and skitters back when the floor starts sucking at the points it uses for feet.

The abomination swings back and forth across the tunnel, tapping like a bug to find out where the obstacle starts. William notices the area seems to be re-solidifying, but the snake has a good headstart on them now...is it worth the wait? Or should he try to turn the 'glomlet around and find his way back to that patch of light?

William slaps the thing's shoulderblade.
"Turn around, Boney. We got us other prey to catch."

The 'glomlet turns towards the pressure like a horse until William stops leaning - it's hard to tell quite how turned around they are in the dark - then tries 'forward' again.

[[Hm. No light no compass no clue...give me a Smarts -4 or end up somewhere random rather than where you meant to be.]]

23:48, Today: William Pierce rolled -3,1 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5.  Smarts Trick.

Yeah, that was unlikely.

[[23:07, Today: Alouette, on behalf of William Pierce, rolled 9 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9.  where does he go? Top east. He finds Comanches!]]

William's strange steed scuttles on wherever it's pointed with moderate urgency - after a while William realises that holding his weight back rather than forward is causing the thing to take upward passages where possible. It's eerie, clicking along cool tunnels in the dark.

Then there's movement to the air, and some way up and ahead, a light - a torch, William thinks. He can hear occasional scraps of sparse conversation, but either the tunnels distort the echoes or they're not speaking English...
This message was last updated by the GM at 22:30, Wed 14 Oct 2015.

Lovely. More of these fucking grey heathens.

"Easy now, boy. We got company. Slow now..."


09:00, Today: William Pierce rolled 8,15 using D6+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+5)11.  Super-Notice!

The dread rider and his pale steed creep higher. The Comanches ahead don't immediately react, blinded to things out in the dark by their own circle of light.

[[You want to Stealth up to them?]]

The two warriors are fit, serious men, grey as dust. They seem to have come up from somewhere below and are contemplating which side-tunnel to investigate, gesturing at the rock around and discussing the options. They don't seem lost, however - more like they're looking for something or someone that might be moving around.

(If I had stealth, I might...)

William thinks for a second. He had never been one who was great at sneaking up on someone. And with Boney under him.... who knows?

Let's make an entrance.

Now, as he is more used to steering his mount, he pulls his pistol, with his right this time, then urges the monstrous thing on, leaping up over the edge.

"HOWDY BOYS! HELL IS COMING FOR YOU!" he screams as he charges the two indians.

(Forgot the wild die)
09:41, Today: William Pierce rolled 9 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Intimidation wild die.
09:41, Today: William Pierce rolled 7 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Intimidation.

[[Well, first Rattles there causes them a Guts check right on the edge of a Deadland...
*unpicks results from dice roller defaults*
08:57, Today: Alouette, on behalf of Comanche Raiders, rolled 2d8-6, rerolling max with rolls of 8,0.  fear! Ha! One made it!

He tries to resist William's intimidation.
Comanche Raiders rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  resist!
Fail and Shaken.]]

One warrior runs away screaming at the first sight of the mad mass of bone hoving into view, leaving the torch to gutter on the ground. The other gives an irritated glance back and braces, teeth bared and weapon ready...then catches William's hell-lit eyes as the vampire screams.

His warclub clatters from his fingers.

William leans forward, hissing at the scared indian.
"Run... Or I will devour you...!"


21:28, Today: William Pierce rolled 7,10 using d6+6,d6+6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4.  Putting the fear of William into him.

The Comanche breathes hard as the 'glomlet bears down on him, fear showing the whites around his eyes. He holds his ground, however, his right hand curling into a desperate fist.

"YAH!"

He swings at William's mount as it comes close, but hits nothing significant within the shifting bone.


[[21:41, Today: Alouette, on behalf of Comanche Raiders, got the result "Reply hazy, try again" on the magic 8-ball.  speak English? He probably isn't up to foreign languages right now anyway.

Comanche Raider rolled 13 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13.  resist! Ha! He throws his white at the monster to unshake and tries punching it.

Comanche Raider rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7.  fightin'. But wait, the glomlet is horse-sized and so +2 to hit! Hit!
Comanche Raider rolled 1 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  damage.
Never mind!]]

23:29, Today: William Pierce rolled 7,5 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4.  Shooting while mouunted, doubletap.

23:30, Today: William Pierce rolled 12 using 3d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2,4.  Damage.

I don't think I had the Ghost Gun the last time I ran into them... But I'd have to read through that pile of threads.

[[You didn't, 'cause you got it at the church, where you went after biting them (to little effect). That's 1 wound Fatigue point for the Comanche there.]]

One shot only gouges the man, but the other takes him off his feet. The phantom bullet doesn't seem to have penetrated properly, but the Comanche still stares in shock to see his fingers covered in dark grey blood.

Only for an instant, however: as the bone monster and its passenger flow menacingly over his warclub the young man scrambles back, grabs the torch and waves it in the creatures' faces.

[[Being nothing if not game, this guy Wild Attacks (becoming -2 to Parry) with an Improvised Weapon (cancelling his bonus alongside the Fatigue). The Touch Attack with fire and the picking up MAP also cancel each other out, so:

Comanche Raider rolled 2 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  fightin'.
He hits nuthin'.]]