September 11th, 1880. Early Evening. The Black Hills.

some mood music

The group of wanderers travels on into the west, following the faint glow of the eagle spirit as darkness closes in around them. Lighting still flickers in the east, but above the band stretches the pale gleam of a million stars spread across the heavens like a river. The only sound the band of heroes hear are the hushed breeze, the rustling of prairie grass, and the clink of their own gear.

The band has been traveling for an hour, hustling along in a jog. They've stopped once or twice to gather together and catch their breath, While Sky hawk examines the area to make sure he can lead the group back the way he came on his initial flight. This is more difficult than Sky hawk remembers, as he was delirious with pain and his only thought was reaching the railroad tracks and finding help from there.

Wanbli Luja's keen eyes, however, have spotted a small valley between two bluffs not to far distant, perhaps another mile or so. The area around is ominously quiet, and has turned rocky and rugged. The group is currently resting from their last stretch of jogging. It's time to plan the next move.

((OOC: So, give me an idea of how you want to approach the valley, remembering you have about another mile and a half to go yet.))

Nate sat with the rifle set across his knees.  He had pointedly not returned it to Sam.  He had also made sure to settle into a rear guard position; though it was hard to tell whether this was to keep an eye on the outlaw or dstance himself from the glowing form of the spirit eagle.  The realization that Sky Hawk might be confused about the way to go wasn't making this better.  "Maybe someone should try to sneak up there and see what's what, before we all head in?"

Xiao nods once, standing a little way across from Nate, still breathing hard.
Last week, these feet did not know they could run two days together...and now I am running a third night, but no longer away.

"Wanbli Luja should fly over the prace and see where Wovoka is, I think - his eyes many times stronger than a man's. If the Raven Men look up, he can be high enough to be taken for a shining star, so when we fall on them together we have the-" Xiao grimaces, searching for English words, "-startlement. Good?" It's primarily the braves Xiao looks to for affirmation, since they know the terrain and this mode of warfare.

"Surprise", Moses corrects the Chinese boy with his rumbling voice, watching him jump a little. He had noticed that the boy apparently was afraid of him, but didn't understand why.
Then he smiled. The Lord would provide the answer, and soon, he was sure.

"I agree. We should discreetly scout the area to the best of our ability before we descend."  He turned to Thunder Walker and Sky Hawk. "If I'm not mistaken, this is something that your people are good at. Moving through the land without making much noise or being spotted I mean. I believe it would be better for you to do the scouting rather than a large, glowing eagle spirit.  Assuming we don't want to attract unwanted attention, that is."

"I can scout the way. I can be quiet, most of the time." The last part of that was for Sky Hawk, who had witnessed his earlier failure to maintain silence. Oddly enough, it was that act of stumbling upon the Chinese boy in their forest that had sent him on a long chase that had ultimately lead to this moment. It is possible the Chinese boy's flight saved his life. In the surprise of discovering him without time for thought, it is possible Little Crow could have killed the youth before Sky Hawk or Thunder Walker had a chance to stop him. That would have lead them to the same place, and Thunder Walker himself may have been on the list of dead from the betrayal of Little Crow.

Growing up in N'Orleans Jack Boudreaux had come up against evil before, but from the sound of it these Ravenites were as dangerous as anything he had ever encountered.

"This is a rescue right? Seems to someone will have to sneak in there and be ready to find this shaman while the others cause a distraction and draw away the enemy."

"If they just think they are battling' a bunch of pale faces,and a couple of not so pale faces, they will probably not recon that we are staging a rescue of this shaman. The only question is how are we going to be able to stand up to them and how are we all going to get away?"
This message was last edited by the player at 06:41, Wed 12 Sept 2012.

As the group is discussing options, the giant eagle spirit returns to the camp.

"I bring news." Wanbli luja says. "Ahead in the valley, the followers of the Ghost Dance hide. I spot five, perhaps six survivors. They shelter in caves lining the river that flows between the bluffs. Up on the hilltops, the Ravens roost. There are more than a dozen, less than a score. I cannot say the exact number...some have hidden themselves in the trees, watching for any signs of escape. I believe they will wait for sunrise to attack. They do not seem to be in any hurry."

He ruffles his feathers. "I should warn you. I saw danger as I flew back. There are kinyan tiwicakte [Private to group Siouan: "Flying Death"] on the wing, hunting for prey. I do not know who they will strike, but strike they will, and soon."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:58, Wed 12 Sept 2012.

Sam nods at Jack's suggestion. "I'm down for that. I can cause a ruckus with the best o' them."

At Wanbli Luja's estimate he goes a bit pale. "So between twelve and twenty. Yikes. Do they have any horses? I don't fancy drawin' a whole heap o' angry Sioux on my head without an escape plan, and if they got horses an' we don't, well, it'll be a real short gettaway."

"The only horses I saw were buzzard meat, down in the valley." The Eagle spirit says. "If the Ravens had horses, they hid them well away from their ambush."

"They will come fast to a fire," Xiao says, "If the river is fast with fall rain, Wanbli Luja could bring some...blanches to us and those who are hiding: we could float down the river vely fast whilst the Raven Men come back from here. I do not think the death-that-fly would come for us in the water."

Nate seemed to be in agreement with Black Jack's focus on rescuing the shaman.  He nodded lightly at any rate.  He then narrowed his eyesa bit as he listened to the information from the....spirit eagle.  Then a glance to the Chinaman's talk of fire and floating down fast moving rivers on branches.  He then looked to the pair of Sioux with no small amount of hope visible in his expression.

[Private to GM: Secret Occult Check Total - 4.  What guesses can he make about Flying Death?]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Wed 12 Sept 2012.

"I like Mister Boudreaux's suggestion.  The question is, what sort of distraction would entice those Indians to leave their position en masse? We would need something so distracting, that it would make most of them come running to see what was happening."  The Professor grinned, stroking his beard in thought.  "What do you all think about an explosion?  I mean if a package of dynamite were to suddenly explode in the nearby area, do you think that would cause those men to come running?"

"Dine-o-mite?" Sky hawk asks, tasting the unfamiliar word, then thinks. "Ah. Boom stick. Fire and boom will bring many braves, I think. Not all, but many. They may think more of their fellows are coming. We can make an ambush of our own. But the kinyan tiwicakte...they may not wait. They hunt those who are on their own, may even attack a whole band if there are many of them. Li, they would even attack over water. They fly fast."

[Private to Nate Williams: The "Flying Death" they are referring to is referred to in the Agency's files as "devil bats," great big Event spawn that can carry off a man and prefer to hunt at night. They hunt by sensing sound and movement...a big boom would almost certainly draw them near.]

Something about the Professor's suggestion brightens Nate's dubious mood, "That sounds like a plan.  Big ol' boom would grab their attention over wherever we want.  More than enough distraction to go find this shaman."  A pause and a glance towards the Chinaman and Sky Hawk, "Maybe it'll scare off whatever this can-yon twik-kikity is too."  His attention hoes back to the professor as he struggles to stand back up, "So, where's the dynamite?"

[Private to GM: 20:28, Today: Black Jack Boudreaux rolled 2,5 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5. knowledge occult. Does Jack know what those flying thing are, and maybe how to stop them?]

Jack looked around after hearing the others "Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone, well not birds really. What if we lure these can-yon twik-kikity in for an attack and then use the dynamite to blast them? That way we might kill some of them and cause our diversion."

"We do have some dynamite .. right? Boudreaux asked hoping the professor had not just been discussing an academic exercise.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Thu 13 Sept 2012.

"Or maybe lure the Ravenites to the fire, then use the dynamite to scare up them Kin-yan things? Let 'em fight each other while we run for the rescue?" Sam adds. "I reckon if we don't actually have dynamite, we could use some shotgun shells in a pinch..."

[Private to Black Jack Boudreaux: Jack's heard of things called "Devil Bats" flying around the Black Hills...critters that are like bats, but big enough to swoop up a man and carry him off. He's heard they find prey though sound and motion, rather than eyesight. Standing still when one is swooping at you in the dark might be scary as heck, but a possible way to throw one off if it attacks.]

"I heard of things called "Devil Bats" flying around the Black Hills...critters that are like bats, but big enough to swoop up a man and carry him off. I heard they find prey though sound and motion, rather than eyesight. If we can lure the Ravenites into an ambush and keep them moving around in the open and making noise, maybe these flying things can do the dirty work." Jack said liking that a plan might be coming together.

Xiao looks to Thunder Walker then back to the others. "The Raven Men camp in the open - they may have a way to deal with the flying devils. Mister Blackjack's plan to make big white man fire, then dynamite what comes, that is better. The Raven Men might scatter and get...suspicions if a boom goes first, because when bluecoats kill many Indians, they use cannon on camp." Xiao's face is shadowed a moment recalling where that information was got, then looks up.

"One thing...for dynamite, a man must stay near here, when Raven Men and flying devils are here also - do we...we all go to two groups, one stay help him, one fetch people fast, or just leave to one man?"
Or all stay, kill the half of the Raven Men in ambush then all sneak and fall upon the others, leaving their bodies for the flying devils? the other option appauled Xiao, though within the common run of warfare.

Was there ever a boy who joined a war with just a razor? Xiao wonders.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:55, Thu 13 Sept 2012.

Zac started the journey with great excitement, as one mile turned to two, his excitement dampened. This rescue mission was turning into a whole lotta of fast walking and jogging. As they stopped again, he caught his breath, and wiped his sweat. He listened carefully to the planning, thinking a distraction was the way to go. At the mention of devil bats, the young reporter's eyes lifted to the sky.

He felt his excitement level rise again as he looked around and caught sight of the eagle god. He was on a rescue mission with an eagle god, whatever fear he felt was lost in that realization.

Moses squats down, holding his staff horizontally in front of him. He was not a man of combat tactics but he would do what the Lord required him to do.
Then something occured to him.
"What or who are kinyan tiwicakte?" he asks, looking at Thunderwalker and Sky Hawk. "Birds?"

"I do indeed have a supply of dynamite. Enough for our needs I should think."

ooc - I will, when I use my adventure card and spend a fate chip ;-)

Thunderwalker had to think for a moment to find the word to answer the question posed by Moses. "They are like bats. Large bats. They are fearsome creatures to behold. Very big." He mimes with his hands outstretched to give the impression that it is bigger than a man.

Nate looked back and forth as each person offers out suggestions.  To Sam's though, he pauses and weighs it out.  A reluctant nod indicates approval, though he doesn't want to admit he likes the outlaw's idea.  "So, lure'em with a suspicious fire...then bang goes the dynamite..."  A glance to Thunder Walker, who ave the escription, "Which will either scare off or draw in these canyon bats....  Either way, more'n enough to cause distraction."  Checking his rifle, he steps over to the Professor, "I'll give ya a hand with the dynamite and distraction.  Maybe one more?  Just in case.  The rest can head for the shaman.  Right?"

jack shook his head slightly "I think we just have one or two of us sneak in. Then once the diversion starts he leads the shaman and any others in the opoosite direction."

"The fire should draw some of them but once we blow the dynamite and go to shooting it seems likley the rest will come running."

"Then who among us will sneak in, and who among us will ambush the Ravens?" Sky Hawk asks. "I volunteer to move in to the rescue...they know me, and I know them."

Sam does a quick headcount. "Well, there's nine o' us altogether. I'm willing to help with the distraction. I've plotted my shares o' ambushes...I can think o' a few things to help even our odds."

Boudreaux looked around. It seemed to him that the other Injun' and the Chinaman were the best suited."Why not bring Thunder Walker and the Chinaman with you."

"That leaves the rest of us us to cause the distraction, spring an ambush and if that fails shoot it out with whoever is left."

Xiao nods to this plan and with a brief please-don't-get-killed look to Mister Nate (if he catches it in the dark) tracks over to bow deeply to Wanbli Luja. "We would be most honoured and glateful if you would be on high above us with your mighty talons, in case of flying devils fall on us while we carry wounded."

[[what's the moon like, chief?]]

((OOC: First quarter. Not really bright enough to provide much in the way of light.))

Nate shakes his head and literally digs a boot heel in, "The distraction isn't an ambush...  S'why its a distraction.  The idea is to use a small force to lure the enemy away.  Keep 'em busy like.  Allowing your main force to quickly overwhelm your real target.  In this case, the shaman.  Maybe we get a few raven boys, maybe we don't."  He glances to the eagle spirit, "Saving your shaman is what you wanted, right?  Most important?"  the not-quite-almost prospector then looks a bit uncomfortable realizing he's addressing the glowing eagle spirit directly.  To be fair, most folk would find that disconcerting.

"The distraction will allow some of us to sneak on in. If we are lucky enough to draw a lot of the Ravenites out then we double down on the diversion and make it into an ambush. Once things really blow we should be able to draw even more of the enemy away from the shaman. Hopefully that will let them sneak away."

"Make sense?" Boudreaux asked.

"I'm going to go out on a wild limb and say you ain't ever robbed a train, have you?" Sam asks Nate. "I'm with Jack. The diversion only works if it's diverting. You know that big job I pulled on Union Blue? The one that got me into the papers? We did it with a diversion that peeled off a large number of the payroll's defenders and then stuck them there with covering fire while a few of the boys went into the car, got the lock box, then got everyone's wallets and watches. The plan you're proposing will draw a few off, then when the bomb goes off maybe a few more, but it won't keep them at the site. Sure, we may get lucky and the explosion gets one or two while the devil bat things get one or two more, but that's at best. They search it, hear the gunfire from the original site, realize they've been snookered, and suddenly we're reenacting the Little Big Horn."

Wanbli Luja nods at Xiaohan. "Of course. I can even lend you my eyes, for a time, if you are willing and do not resist when my magic touches you." He blinks at Hate addressing him directly, and looks at the prospector. "Wovoka is not mine. He is important to the spirits, he speaks with them and he listens, but we claim no possession of him. That is the trouble with the white man. Always too quick to lay claim to things, to places, to people. Always so quick to own, to possess, to control. I aid Wovoka because it is right to do so, and yes, his safety is important to me. But he is not my shaman. His words are for all who would follow the Old Ways. You speak of this task as if it was a burden. You have forgotten the face of your father."

Sky Hawk looks to Moses "Perhaps you would accompany Li, Thunder Walker, and myself? There may be injured, and it is clear you have been blessed by the Great Spirit with healing powers. We would be honored if you were to join us."

((OOC: So far it's looking like it's Sky Hawk, Thunder Walker, and Xiaohan definitely going to rescue the Shaman, and Nate, The Professor, Black Jack and Sam who want to be part of the diversion, with no word yet from Moses or Zach at which group they'd be most interested in.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:16, Sat 15 Sept 2012.

"Moses will go help the prophet, for that is the Lord's will."
He replies, still crouching.

Not birds, big bats. But are they made of thunder?

"Woundrous is the path Thou hast chosen for Thy humble servant, Lord." he says, eyes raised to the sky, his tone not reverently, but rather as if he were talking to an old, close friend of his.

The Professor listened to the discussion, quietly nodding and stroking his beard at the more sensible suggestions.  He opened his leather satchel and pulled out a wooden box, clearly stenciled along the side in black lettering with the word 'Dynamite".  He shook the box up and down, nodding at the sound of something inside rattling about. Anyone who knew anything about demolitions would worry a bit about the casual handling of such a large amount of explosives. Dynamite had a tendency to sweat nitroglycerin (especially if it wasn't stored in a cool, dry location) making it less stable and prone to exploding when jarred about.

OOC - Used the Hidden Stash adventure card and a white fate chip for the dynamite.

The box rattles. He seems to have two sticks left. Thankfully, there was no earth-shattering kaboom at the ill treatment...

Boudreaux was glad to have Sam Bass with them. The man was experienced at just this sort of thing.

Hearing moses say he was going with the group to rescue the shaman, Boudreaux gave a side ways glance "Are you sure Moses? That job is going to require some subtle and what could even be called sneakin'. I do not associate either with you my pious friend."

Before he could get an answer the professor pulled out the box of dynamite. Jack's eyes moved to the two sticks. " Are you going to tell me that dynamite has just been bouncing around in that box on the stagecounch the entire ride?"

[Private to GM: Boudreaux patted his protective talisman or gris gris and offered thanks to the Loa for protecting him. ]

"The Lord will cloak his humble servant or strike his enemies with blindness so that he can do His will." he replies, "and if He doesn't, then it will be according to his plan."



Moses smiles a big, broad smile. "Moses keeps telling you the Lord protects him, Black Jack Boudreaux. And yet you still seem to not believe it."

The Professor glanced between Moses and Jack, nodding.  "Yes, but don't worry.  I managed to keep a hold of it after the accident. It's all here!"  As if to punctuate his comment, he rattled the wooden box again to let everyone hear the contents rattling about within.

"Many thanks, Swiftest Son of Heaven, I hope it will not go to that," Xiao replied, bowing, then tensed as the massive bird of prey remonstrated with Mister Nate, prepared to speak up if the somewhat gun-happy prospective prospector looked set to be eaten.

No immediate acts of wrath occuring, Xiao had listened to the dynamite conversation in obvious ignorance as to the danger of jostled boomsticks and is now quietly edging away from Moses into what would be the shadow of the eagle spirit if Wanbli Luja wasn't radiant. The subtlety - or otherwise - of Moses does bring a thought to mind, though.

"Sky Hawk...my clothes are very dull now, and though I good at quiet, I paler than you all," there's an indication of the braves and Moses, "-might it be wise to darken, ah..." not knowing the specific word or that Sky Hawk would recognise it anyway, the youth indicates the upper areas of the cheekbones and end of the chin, the movement in itself demonstrating the rather long sleeves sufficiently cover the backs of the hands. "-?"

Boudreaux looked at the Moses and then at the professor "Professor you keep shankin' that crate and you are going to put Big Mose' protection to the test."

Boudreaux was certain that Moses was indeed protected[Private to GM: , although Jack was sure that it was the Loa that intervened to keep the half mad Moses alive].

"So it seems we have our plan."

"How long will it take you all to sneak in there? We can get you started and then we can start the fire up. Once you spot it you can proceed on in there. You will know when they show up here because you will hear the dynamite blow. That will be your cue to vamanos."

"With luck once they discover the plan the Ravenites will break off from us and high tail it back. Then we can slip away. If not we will need to try and slip away."

Sky Hawk nods at Xiaohan. "I can help you with that. When we are ready to move, I will help disguise your paleness with mud from the river."

He looks up at Jack, then over toward the bluffs, which are dark against the sky. he holds up one hand to the moon. "If we go slowly and quiet, then the moon will pass three of my fingers from where it is now. If we find a long and float down the waters, then two."

"What's that in minutes?" Sam asks.

Sky Hawk shrugs.

Sam sighs. "Great. Wonderful."

[Private to Thunder Walker: Given the season and the size of Sky Hawk's hand, Thunder Walker could estimate that he means "roughly half an hour overland, or a quarter hour floating" in American timekeeping]

Nate doesn't seem any happier with the plan, especially being taled down to by a failed and captured outlaw about ambushes.  But, he at least doesn't see, to think any good will come from arguing it out further.  The eagle spirit's comments only seemed to serve to confuse him, so he turned to watch over the perimeter.  Trying to think it through or just tired of listening and ready to get going.

"Half an hour on foot. One quarter hour if we float down the river," he translated for those not of the people. He had been momentarily distracted, but he reaffirmed the role that others had chosen for him, for in truth it would have been the path he chose for himself.

"I will go with Sky Hawk, Li and Moses. We will bring them out safely." He tried to communicate a sense of confidence in his voice, even though he spoke quietly.

"Guess we we meet back at the stage coach. But best we all try not to lead back a bunch of hostiles." Jack said.

"So how do you plan to go, by foot or river?" Boudreaux asked.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:56, Mon 17 Sept 2012.

Xiaohan makes a slight amused nose-wrinkle at being helped to get covered in mud, though aware what he means. Shifting weight foot to foot and feeling full of surpressed lightning, the youth looks to the natives, then to Nate at Jack's suggestion, not thinking it wise to draw attention to a stationary stage on a plain but quite aware that with the native warriors, a bandit, a Professor of something to do with explosions and a young man who sounds like he might be ex-militia, there's far superior experience to be shared here.

No harm in addressing the latter question, though: "It depend if there is wood easy there - we not...will not search long if no logs there. Start in twenty minutes, I think: soon is better than late for us that go there."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:52, Mon 17 Sept 2012.

((OOC: I'm splitting up the thread for the different groups. If you're heading to rescue the Shaman, post on the Chapter 1.1 thread. If you're a distraction, post on the Chapter 1.2 thread.))

Looking over at his young friend, reporter Zachary O'Connor, who had grown a bit quiet jack spoke to bring him around "Zach best you stick close to me."

Zac nodded solemnly at Jack. Then with a boyish smile and a bravado that wasn't faked, he said, "Reckon you ought to stick close to me, seems we got a talent for trouble."  The teenager took a deep breath, reading himself for the adventure to come. He wasn't sure what skills he had to offer, other than a sharp wit, and an eye for grammar, but maybe they'd need his help spelling their way outta danger.

This thread is closed. Please resume posting on the Duck You Sucker thread.