Re: Chapter 2.2: To Bear Butte
The black prophet stoically watches the lined up Pawnee soldiers.
Quietly he prays to the Lord:
Oh Lord, give your humble servant's tongue wings so that he may forestall the bloodshed here. For there will be not easy peace between these tribes.
OOC: Alright, let's see if I can get a boost on my Persuasion!
12:17, Today: Moses rolled 5,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Faith for Boost Trait - Persuasion.
When the silence stretches out into the unbearable, he finally starts speaking.
"You are under attack from the Nakota and have lost some of your men already. Moses can read in your faces that you are willing to make a stand here, die, if necessary, if only you can take as many of the Nakota with you. Because you know that others of your tribe will avenge you."
"The Nakota and the Pawnee have always been enemies. That is what they tell you, how they raise you - and it is the same that is told to the Nakota. Your feud runs so deep you cannot begin to remember who started it - only that it clearly must have been the other, that you are ever the one taking rightful vengeance."
"Moses knows he will not change your minds today. Too much blood has been spilled to just be washed away by one lone prophet of the Almighty Lord. But he hopes that you will hear his words and think about them."
"The Nakota have lost many of their kin today, for their village was razed by the Black Regiment - a troop of soldiers, ever fighting, ever stirring up conflict, soldiers from both sides of every war that has ever fought on this soil. It's soldiers are minions of War, promoting his cause. The cause of hatred. And Bloodshed. And pain."
"You have witnessed what the Black Regiment has done to their village. And Moses can in some of your faces that you were happy about their loss, that your enemy had suffered some righteous misfortune sent by the spirits. But he can also see that some of you have been disturbed by the relentless brutality of the assault."
"You arrived at the village after the Black Regiment had already left. This is what they do. They arrive, sow bloodshed, then vanish back into the netherworlds without a trace, waiting to strike again at the opportune moment.
You were seen by a troop of Nakota, who arrived shortly after you. Do you see the marvelous trap War has set for you?"
"The Nakota could nothing but think you, their ever-hated enemies, had done this. Grief and anger clouded their minds and they pursued you here."
"Moses has treated with them. A traitor in their midst was revealed and killed by Little Bear, their chief. It was you who helped revealing him, for it was one of you that wounded him. Thinking he would die, he revealed his true self, desperate to help his mistress, War."
That wasn't quite true, of course, but a little flattery had never hurt anyone.
"Seeing that Moses spoke the truth, Little Bear has agreed to hold his men back. This is not an offering of peace. This is merely an offer of a truce. And it is merely an offer of truce between Little Bear and his band and you.
Once Crazy Horse arrives, he will consider you enemies again. You will kill many of the Nakota then, in the coming battle. And most likely all of you will be slain and sent to the spirit world where everyone of you will be weighed on the scales of justice in this Reckoning."
"The Nakota will slake their thirst for blood. The Pawnee will stir and ask for vengeance. More will join the white man's army just to fight their common enemy. Yes, Moses knows why you ride with Custer."
"But, most importantly, War will have another triumph. And War will be one step closer to cover all these lands in blood and darkness.
But you, Packs the Colt, yould turn this into a tremendous victory against War and his minions.
Accept the truce of Little Bear and leave. For War is the true enemy here. And War is the enemy of the Pawnee as well as the Nakota, the white man, and every living being.
Be a hero in this important battle of the Reckoning, Packs the Colt. Moses begs this of you."
And with that, the prophet rested on his hickory stick and waited for the response.
OOC: I guess that means it's Persuadin' time! d8 because of Boost Trait, but -2 due to outsider charisma penalty.
12:19, Today: Moses rolled 4,2 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4. Persuasion, red chip.
12:19, Today: Moses rolled 0,-1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Persuasion.
Why, thank the Lord for the Joker that had been drawn! Down to 0 chips again. A success is better than nothing, but we'll see if it's enough.