Hey, after The Cavalry, it's my turn! Yay!
First of all: Notice at -4 to see which head was hit...
10:12, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled -1,2 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Notice-4. +2 Alertness.
Hm. Nope.
Next, Knowledge Occult: do I know how to kill this thing?

10:12, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 3,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4. Knowledge (Occult).
Well, maybe.


Leopold pushed those thoughts...memories... away, relying on his combat experience and training as an officer to retain a cold, steely, confident attitude.
The mist was drawn to him because of the contraption he wore, he was certain of that now. But taking it off would leave him exposed to the conglomerate of bodies and steel and ghostrock that was standing before him, sprouting flames. Also, taking on more bodies.

Von Steinhof glanced at his pistol. Good frame, decent power. Unfortunately almost out of bullets. But, as on any battlefield, there had been soldiers carrying rifles. And there had been casualties. So there was always a weapon ready to replace it.

He picks up the first rifle he sees, stepping unceremoniously on the dead soldier's chest to pry it from his hands.
"Sorry, comrade", he tells him, "but I need this more than you right now. I'll light a candle for you when this is over and pray for your soul."

Then he kneels and brings the rifle up to his shoulder, taking careful aim.

Taking the AIM maneuver. If my KN Occult roll netted a hint and how to kill this thing; this is where I'm aiming. Otherwise I settle on one of the heads.

10:41, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof drew the single card: 2C using the Deadlands system. Initiative.
Looks like Leopold is going to aim for a loooooooong time.

---

10:16, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 6,4 using d6+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2. Soldiers recovering from Shaken.

Bobby and Jackie reel their horses around and follow Custer back into the fray - once more.

PM

((OOC: Still waiting on Black Jack's response to my PM there. If he doesn't respond by tomorrow, I'll put him on hold and move on.))

---

Turn Order:
Custer: AD
Janet Weiss & troops: QS
'Glom: 8D
7th Cavalry: 7D
Manning: 4S
Mist: 3S
Freiherr von Steinhof & Troops: 2C
Black Jack: Not drawn yet, still waiting for response to PM

Custer spots Von Steinhof kneeling and picking up a weapon, then turns to his men. "Dismount!" He shouts. "Ready! Aim at the head Briggs shot!"

Custer's men drop off their horses, kneel, and raise their Winchesters. Custer doesn't even bother doing that...he simply drops his saber and pulls the second pistol from his waistband. He sights along the barrels and begins shooting.

One of the General's shots ricochets off the wood behind the beast, but the other hits a head right in the eye. The beast...doesn't even react. Must have gotten the wrong head.

((OOC: Custer knows a good idea when he sees it. He's going to order his men to dismount and take an Aim action, then use his own Marksman and Two-Gun Kid edges to best effect. He does not have Quick Draw, so he suffers the MAP as normal, but he's got Steady Hands and can thus fire from horseback without penalty. He has to find the right head first, however.

09:27, Today: Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer rolled -3,0 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4. Notice. Nope.

He gets -2 from the draw, +2 from Marksman (applied to both shots thanks to Two-Gun Kid), -4 for the headshot.

Custer attack 1: 09:32, Today: Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer rolled -1,-1 using d12-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3. Shooting! (Called Shot). Miss.

Custer attack 2: 09:32, Today: Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer rolled 5,0 using d12-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 9,4. Shooting! (Called Shot). Hit.

Damage: 12. A nice shot, but he's shooting at the wrong head and his pistols don't do much against the thing's armor, so this attack doesn't do much.

Custer's Card: 10D))

---

Up Next: Janet Weiss and her remaining troops!

The two remaining soldiers take cover and aim their Winchesters....

Take Aim!

Janet, meanwhile, starts to ride.  Slowly at first, then faster as she gathers her confidence.

17:09, Today: Janet Weiss rolled 0,0 using 1d4-2,1d6-2. Riding.
17:08, Today: Janet Weiss drew the single card: 4S using a deck of 54 cards. Init.
17:08, Today: Janet Weiss rolled 5,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Boost Trait (Riding).

The horrible monster staggers over to the pile of corpses near Winger, picking up his dead friend and pressing the corpse into it. That horrible rippling happens again...the dead soldier starts screaming and waving his bayoneted rifle around.

((OOC: The 'glom 'gloms for it's action. It's now bigger, stronger, and tougher.

It's large enough now to qualify for the Large modifier, which means attacks against the 'glom's mass are at +2. HOWEVER, Called Shots don't get this bonus, because the actual targets you are aiming for are still the same size they were before.

Attempts to find the central head are at Notice -3, though, because one head has been eliminated through trial and error, and 2 of the heads were added by the mass this combat (so you can eliminate them as options).

The glom now has the flamethrower and a bayoneted Winchester rifle as weapons. It does not gain the Parry bonus from the bayonet, because it's a bit too uncoordinated to use it effectively, though it does get the bayonet's bonus on damage.

Card: JS))

---

It's the 7th Cavalry's turn!

Isaacs struggles with the sick emptiness in his lungs until he can finally breathe again, peeling himself off the ground and trying to see what everyone's aiming at as he moves to get himself a rifle.

[[18:32, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 11 using 1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9. Unshake cavalry. Isaacs is up and at 'em!
18:35, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 3 using 1d8-3, rerolling max with rolls of 6. Heads we win? Nope.]]

Winger backs up still further, picks a head at random and shoots at it. The thing just seems to absorb the bullet.


[[18:37, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 2 using 1d8-4, rerolling max with rolls of 6. headshot. [considers]
18:38, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2. red chippit. -> 4

18:39, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 9 using 2d8, rerolling max with rolls of 2,7. damage can has? ....eeeeh no.

init. KD]]

The bullet sinks into the head...and for only a moment, seems to do nothing. Then the conglomerate beast staggers, and the six heads of the thing roar in pain.

Winger must have guessed right!

((OOC: Actually...picking a head at random has me to roll to see if you randomly hit the right head. I rolled a d4 to see if you got lucky (an exploding die means yes)

12:48, Today: Secret Roll: The Stray rolled 9 using 1d4, rerolling max. right head?

Guess what? Winger hits the right head!

Which means you get +6 damage and get to ignore the critter's armor and size bonuses to Toughness.

That means you actually did 15 damage, and the damage is vs. Toughness 11. That means you've inflicted 1 wound on the scrap 'glom!

This also helps the spotters who are aiming. Everyone aiming their guns may make an immediate Notice Check (-1) to determine the right head to hit!))
This message was last edited by the player at 19:56, Mon 09 Dec 2013.

21:29, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 1,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5. Notice-1, alertness, wound.

13:04, Today: Janet Weiss rolled 4,3 using d8-1,d8-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4. Notice.

[[21:15, Today: 7th Cavalry rolled 5 using 1d8-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6. Notice? Isaacs notices...presumably Winger knows which one he hit?]]

Custer's troops line up next to Von Steinhof. All of them seem to be drawing a bead on the wounded head of the 'glom. Manning hobbles over to the line, loading rounds into his pistol. He says nothing.

The reddish mist of death follows after Janet, flowing with easy away from the battlefield at the center of town. It move much, much faster than she does, even on her cavalry horse. The cold, clammy mist envelops her and the horse, turning the road treacherous.

((OOC: Yeah, Winger knows which one he hit.

Rolling notice for Custer and his troops:

15:58, Today: Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer rolled 5,7 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,(6+2)8. Notice.

16:00, Today: Union Troops rolled 0,5,5 using d8-1,d8-1,d8-1, rerolling max with rolls of 1,6,6. Notice.

Custer and 2 of his men notice the right head.

Col. Manning also rolls:

16:01, Today: Col. Manning rolled 6,1 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2. Even with his wound penalty (which I forgot), he makes it. Manning needs to reload, though, so that's what he spends his action doing.

Manning's Card: JH

The mist is Shaken, so it needs to roll to Unshake first, otherwise all it can do is move. It currently has 1 Wound and is not technically an undead, so it doesn't get the undead's resistance to wound penalties. I don't know how a cloud can feel pain, but there you go.

16:41, Today: Mourning Mist rolled 1,0 using d8-1,d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. unshake. No. It does not Unshake. Janet gets lucky.

The Mourning Mist chases aster Janet. It has a Movement of 24, so catching her is pretty easy. It can't DO anything else this round, as it's still Shaken, but eh.


Mist Card: 2H))

---

It's von Steinhof's turn!

Janet takes off, riding as fast as she can.


OOC: Deal with the Devil to get PP, a pair of Deuces gets me enough to cast Boost Riding.  With that, I get a raise, so my riding goes to d8.

16:40, Today: Janet Weiss drew the single card: 3C using a deck of 54 cards. Init.
16:39, Today: Janet Weiss rolled 5,3 using d8-2,d6-2. Riding.
16:39, Today: Janet Weiss rolled 8,2 using d10,d6. Spellcasting.
16:38, Today: Janet Weiss drew the 7 cards: 7H, 2C, QC, 2S, KS, 10D, 4D using a deck of 54 cards. Deal With The Devil.

Janet, resume posting on the "Chapter 4.1.3: On Mount Moriah, All Covered In Blood" thread.

Leopold had traced the figure, looking for a weak spot. Then the soldier had inadvertently hit something that seemingly caused a lot of pain to this thing.
Leopold closes his left eye and stares down the barrel of the gun.
He whistles something from Die Fledermaus, quietly, subconscioulsy, as he draws a bead.
"No moving now, please", he says as he squeezes of a shot.

The bullet connects with the targeted head right under its right eye socket.
Mechanically, Leopold lowers the rifle to reload his single-shot - drilled-in-habits die hard - then just pulls the lever and lines up another shot.

Alright.... shooting.

11:09, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4. adding a blue chip.
11:09, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 1,3 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3. Shooting the head

Total of 7.
-1 wound (6)
-4 headshot (2)
+2 aim manuever (4)

By my count, that's a hit!
Damage roll:
11:11, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof rolled 23 using 2d8+6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(8+2)10. Winchester damage.
Nice.

11:14, Today: Freiherr von Steinhof drew the single card: BJ! using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

The shot is true. As Major Leopold, Freiherr von Steinhof raises his borrowed rifle again, he sees the beast stagger. The six screaming figures slowly go silent. He sees a ragged, bloody hole in the head he'd hit. The back of the skull was gone completely.

The beast fell apart, bodies from the creature separating away from the remains of the steam wagon, the flamethower tank falling into the mud.

Silence settles on the battlefield. With the mist gone, all the screaming corpses defeated or run off, and all the soldiers aiming shots at the beast, there's nothing left to make any noise with.

Then Briggs lets out a cheer. More of the soldiers, realizing they've won the day, that the battle is over, that they're still alive, begin to cheer as well.

Col. Manning slaps Von Stienhof on the back. "Damn good shot, son." He says proudly. "Goddamn, that was a fine shot. You're the pride of Austria-Hungary right now." Manning looks out over the battlefield. "Three cheers for Major von Steinhof! hip hip!"

"HOORAY!"

"Hip hip!"

"HOORAY!"

"Hip hip!"

"HOORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

((OOC: Congrats. That will take the beast out. You're the hero of the day!))

Leopold carefully puts the rifle on the ground, then stands up.
He salutes Manning, then actually does a little bow towards the troops.
Von Steinhof smiles, apparently enjoying himself quite a lot.
He raises his hands, trying to tone down the troops enthusiasm.

"Please, please, it was nothing. Nothing. I am just happy it is over now."

He starts stripping off the weird contraption the two killers had given him, dropping it unceremoniously on the ground.

He inspects his uniform. "Ah, I believe this is in desperate need of a cleaning brush."
He chuckles and offers Manning one of his Turkish cigarettes.
"Quite a theater night, wasn't it, Colonel?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:00, Tue 10 Dec 2013.

Jack had more or less watched the battle by the time he had aimed his weapon at the beast the others had shot it to ribbons.

"Damn boys that was some mighty fine shootin'."

"They will speak of this day far and wide, when Custer and his men battled an abomination on the streets of Deadwood and defeated it to save the town. But the glory will be shared with Major von Steinhof."

"The forces of darkness and evil have been pushed back by a host a brave men."

Col Manning nods. "You got that right, son. Hell of a night. Greatest show on Earth." He takes the cigar and lights it on a small fire that had somehow been missed by the bloody spray, before stomping the tiny blaze out with his foot. "Now let's get ourselves to a sawbones."

"Hell yeah!" one of the soldiers says at Black Jack's words, and several others take up the general cheer again. Like a cresting tide, the fear among the troops seems to wash back.  There seems to be something sweet in the air, as if the chill of the night had been eased, the darkness a little lessened.

"BELAY THAT!" Shouts Custer as he rides over to Black Jack. He glares at the Creole, then looks around at his men. "There will be no loose talk about tonight, no mention of monsters whatsoever! Tonight's victory shall go down in the record as the repulsion of a renegade attack on the city. I will find anyone who breathes a word about monsters and devils and have them brought to a court-martial and flogged, do you hear me, men?" He looks over at Jack. "And that goes for you, too. If I find out you've been spreading talk of abominations, I will personally see to it you are whipped within an inch of your life. The United States Army has taken great pains to ensure the public never hears about the rise of these creatures, that they are dispatched with haste and with silence. It will not do for you to cause a panic among the general populace--they have enough to worry about living day-to-day. Do I make myself clear?"

Von Steinhof takes a long drag on his cigarette.

What a stupid cover story... you always keep a shred of truth. Makes the whole thing easier to believe.

"General Custer, it is an honor to meet you. Your reputation proceeds you sir."

"You have my word General, I shall not speak of the day as you have commanded, but as you led the action against the renegades I would ask you for personal token so that I can always remember your actions this day." Boudreaux asked with a bit of a bow.

13:06, Today: Black Jack Boudreaux rolled 5,14 using d6,d10, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(10+4)14. persuasion +2 . Should be four successes with the plus 2.

"Well." The General says, sitting straighter in the saddle of his horse. "I am glad we are in agreement. And it is refreshing to meet someone so appreciative of a man's reputation and skill, even if he is a rebel. Here." He unties the red kerchief from around his neck and passes it to the Creole. "Take this token as a reminder of the day you watched the glory of the 7th Cavalry triumph over grave adversity."

Manning, over by Von Steinhif, huffs. "Come on, Major." he says. "If I watch any more of that horse's ass preening about, I think I might shoot him. Let's get ourselves to a sawbones."

((OOC: Yeah, flattery will get you everywhere with Custer. If you're curious about the 'Rebel" comment, it's all in Jack's accent. Also, he has no reason to think Jack is lying, so this won't be an Opposed roll.

What are the two of you planning to do for the rest of the evening, now that the major danger seems to have passed?))

See a doctor, take a bath, get the worst of dirt out of the uniform, then, depending on the time, maybe head down for another drink to a saloon. Otherwise, go to bed and sleep

"Thank you General." Jack said as he tucked away the red kerchief.

Jack needed some sleep, as much as he wanted to search after Wild Bill's remains he needed to rest.

((OOC: Alrighty. The town doctor is able to treat Von Steinhof's wound and both of Manning's wounds. Getting a bath and a brush is somewhat difficult this time of night, what with the fires and all, but doable. All in all, it will take Von Stienhof about 2 hours and will cost him $6.

Black Jack, do you still want the final page of the Chapter 4.2: Deadwood Burning thread to be cannon, just with the addition of this battle?))