The dad man staggers as the coruscating red beam of death rips into him, boiling some of the flesh from his bones. The stink of charred meat rises from the screaming corpse-man, and the tentacles in his flesh writhe in what seems to be agony.

But already the burned bits are starting to knit over, regrowing the flesh that was disintegrated...

((OOC: 18 damage is 2 wounds for McCall, even with his high Toughness.

The raygun isn't his Weakness, so it won't be able to put him down for good, but 2 wounds is not nothing, and I'm a bit low on chips already, so I'm not going to roll soak for that. Of course, like Itza-chu before him, McCall has a little something extra keeping him going.

I'll mark down the charges. Jackie used 6 from this attack and 4 from the one that dropped McCall in the first place, so she has 10 charges left.

New turn!))

---

Turn Order:
Seth Bullock: BJ!
Doctor Han Lee: QD
Reverend Gusano & Friends: 10D
Jack McCall: 10D
Cultists Outside: 5H
Jackie Wells: 5D
James Wilder: 4D

Bullock holds on tight to Gusano - he was not about to let go of the only cover he had, after all.

Then he half-turns, aims at the whip-cracker's head and pulls the trigger. A tiny hole appears between the fellow's eyes and then his brains and blood spatter the wall behind him.
Bullock already turns back to bring his shield between himself and the other cultists.
"Surrender, NOW! Or you're next!"

Total of 5... gives me +6 to damage
And I'm only doing headshots because the die roller has really screwed me lately when rolling for damage.

18:27, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3. red chip.
18:27, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 2,1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3. White chip.
18:26, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 2,-1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. Head shot, +2 Joker.

18:28, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 18 using 2d6+7, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,1. Peacemaker headshot. +4 headshot, +2 Joker.

18:31, Today: Seth Bullock drew the single card: 7H using the Deadlands system. Initiative.

Han fires off a round at the form that was Jack McCall before shuffling back towards Wilder and Jimmy. He calls over his shoulder. "Wilder, give Janet here a hand with this abomination. I will tend to Longfeather's wounds."


11:42, Today: Doctor Han Lee rolled 1,1 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1. shootin.

-1 white chip
11:45, Today: Doctor Han Lee rolled 9,1 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,1. white chip to reroll.

11:46, Today: Doctor Han Lee rolled 7 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1,4. damage w/raise.


11:46, Today: Doctor Han Lee drew the single card: 2H using the Deadlands system. init.

((OOC: Bullock, I need to check something with the official boards. I don't think you can do the action you described AND keep a hold on Gusano, but I'm going to go check.))

Edit:

Clint wrote::

Kuni wrote::

Does a human grappler need both hands free to initiate a grapple, or can he have one/both hands occupied with weapons/equipment?

Grappling requires both hands. A GM might allow a character to hold an item while grappling (at a situational penalty), but they could not use such an item (if it required a hand to use) while maintaining the grapple.

You're going to have to let the Reverend go to shoot the guy. He's still in melee with you, but you no longer get a cover bonus from him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:31, Mon 09 Dec 2013.

With Bullocks attention focused on his headshot, he fails to notice the reverend slip his hand into his frock and pull forth a wicked dagger. Doesn't notice, hat is, until he delivers his ultimatum and winds up with a face full of steel as the Reverend turns on him and slashes open his cheek.

The surprise blow sends Bullock staggering back, and the cultists rack new rounds into their rifles and continue blasting away at him while the Reverend gloats.

"The worms, they travel in packs, Marshal. Always in packs, until they grow. The loss of one worm is nothing. Let that comfort you as you die."

((OOC: The Good Reverend draws a ritual dagger and attempts to stab Bullock, because Bullock can't fire his gun and maintain his grapple.

10:39, Today: Reverend Alonzo Gusano rolled 4,-1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1. Fighting! Almost. Going to chip it.

10:39, Today: Reverend Alonzo Gusano rolled 13 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+6+1)13. Blue Chip. wow. That's a total of 17, which is a Hit and Raise for the Good Reverend.

Damage 1: 13, which is a Shaken and 1 wound for Bullock.

The cultists also get to take their shots. Now that Gusano is ungrappled, he doesn't provide cover. Only the 2 with rifles can fire (the guy with the shotgun takes his action to reload - it's a single chamber shotgun).

10:46, Today: Reverend Alonzo Gusano rolled 5,7 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+1)7. Shooting! 2 hits

Damage 2: 9 (Shaken, unless Bullock fails to soak the first attack, in which case it's a wound)
Damage 3: 7 (Shaken, which causes a wound unless the Shaken from the previous attacks is dealt with)

The lesson here? When holding folks hostage, you need to actually keep your attention on the hostage.

Bullock, you're facing a potential 3 wounds here, but with a good use of chips you can come out of it only Shaken (or not wounded at all).

The best course would be to soak the wound from the first attack, take the Shaken from the second, then attempt to soak the wound fro the third attack, which would leave you completely healthy at the end of it.

Card for next turn: 8C))

White chip to soak that first wound! Good thing I still got the Joker...
21:32, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 13,5 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of (8+3)11,3. Vigor to soak.
Taking the second hit, then soak the third, spending a red chip for that.

21:33, Today: Seth Bullock rolled 6,3 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1. Soak again.

That does leave me healthy!

The undead abomination staggers about. It raises the Spencer carbine in its hands and aims a return shot at Jackie.

The shot kicks like a mule, but Jackie feels a pulse of energy beneath her clothes as the alien technology she'd scavenged during her adventures in Devil's Tower absorbed the attack, spreading it across her torso. She might be bruised later, but she'd have no extra holes.

The flailing worms in McCall's chest took a swipe at Fawkes, but fail to get a hold.

((OOC: Jack McCall is currently Shaken with 2 wounds. He's undead, so the wounds just mark how far he is from being put down and don't affect his actions.

McCall gets to roll vigor to see if he heals. 15:28, Today: Jack McCall rolled 3,1 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1. Regeneration. He does not.

I check to see if he Unshakes. 15:29, Today: Jack McCall rolled 8,7 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5. unshake. Made with a Raise, so he does and gets actions without penalty.

McCall, now free of his grapple, attacks. He uses his tentacle to attack Fawkes, and takes a shot at Jackie. McCall has a -2 on the fighting roll because the tentacles count as off-hand, and a +2 on his Shooting attack because he's got Marksman.

15:32, Today: Jack McCall rolled 0,0 using d6-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. Fighting! Miss on the fighting roll.

15:34, Today: Jack McCall rolled 8,4 using d10+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2. Shooting! (Marksman). hit and Raise

Damage: 7. That doesn't penetrate Jackie's armor because it's a relic armor from Devil's Tower, so she's fine.

Card: AS))

---

It's the Cultist's turn.

Straw tries holding his breath, biting his tongue in concentration, and has another go.

[[22:55, Today: Worm Cultists rolled 4 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 4. shoot the medic. Hit!
22:57, Today: Worm Cultists rolled 11 using 2d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7,4. damage!]]

Fawkes seems to think the thrashing worms are asking him for aid, and eagerly steps in to try and grab a flailing wurm and point it helpfully at the ground whilst McCall's badly held together enough for it to maybe get away. "That's it! Over here, baby, down here, come on..."

[[22:55, Today: Worm Cultists rolled 7 using 1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7. grapple.
init. BJ! O_O ...it's following me!]]

In reply to Worm Cultists (msg # 165):

The worm squirms, but it good and held.

((OOC: McCall resists grapple: 16:17, Today: Jack McCall rolled 1,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2. Opposed Grapple! Nope, and he's Shaken again.

Doctor Han Lee, you've been winged. You will be Shaken with 1 Wound unless you soak.))

---

Jackie Wells, it's your turn!

The shock of that old fashioned lead slug stings, but that's a lot better than taking it like a wrong way suppository.

"You wanna play this game you sunuvabitch!? Mine's bigger!"

And rapidly running out of ammunition.  But she didn't say that out loud.

6 charges.

18:09, Today: Jackie Wells rolled 1,1 using 1d10-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2. This is my boomstick.


lol so we first start with a roll that could kill us all.  White chipped.


18:09, Today: Jackie Wells rolled 3,14 using 1d10-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+6+3)15. white chip.  Srsly.

That's more like it!  Same shenanigans.

18:11, Today: Jackie Wells rolled 18,5 using 6d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1,5,1,5,1,5. damage, raise.

That's 23.  Just go down dammit!  I know it won't kill him but still, we can't have this keep going.  Jackie's got some neat tricks but they don't last!

18:12, Today: Jackie Wells drew the single card: 3C using the Deadlands system. classic form.

The red beam lances out and washes over the gunslinger. A charred, blackened skeleton is left, which collapses into a heap. Fawkes is left holding a severed half-a-worm in his hands. Meat and muscle begin to spread over the skeletal thing like a fast-growing fungus, but it looks like the abomination is down for the count.

((OOC: 23 damage translates to 3 wounds, and Jack McCall is out of chips. I have GM chips to spend, but the whole McCall bit was just to justify the Out Of The Fire card. I'll just have McCall remain a Long-Term problem for now.))

---

James Wilder is next!
This message was last edited by the player at 01:02, Tue 10 Dec 2013.

James wasn't quite sure WHAT to do ... things had gotten mighty complicated since they'd started so he picked the biggest nastiest looking person or thing in the room and shot it.

OOC:
09:40, Today: James Wilder rolled 12,3 using 1d12-2,1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (12+2)14,5. Shooting (-2 WP).
09:40, Today: James Wilder rolled 15,4 using 2d6+1,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,3,4. Damage (Pistol, Raise) AP1.

09:41, Today: James Wilder drew the single card: 8D using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative .

This message was last edited by the player at 15:58, Tue 10 Dec 2013.

((OOC: Er, James, The reverend is INSIDE the building...Bullock is separated from the rest of you. You are outside, where Jackie Wells has just zapped McCall with a raygun and there are 2 cultists about, one of them cradling a pair of half worms, the other just taking potshots at people.

To get to where Bullock is, you'd have to trek back through the cellar and make a leap up through the trapdoor in the ceiling, or spend a couple moves running around the front of the hardware store to get to the stock room.))

OOC: The stairs are outside? Alright ... guess I missed that whole move outside thing. Guess popshotting cultist it is!

((OOC: Yup. The stairs connect the cellar with the outdoors. Which cultist are you shooting?))

OOC: The one who's shooting people

Turn Order:
Worm Cultists: BJ! (only Fawkes is left)
Jack McCall: AS (down for the count, but could still Regenerate)
James Wilder: 8D
Reverend Gusano: 8C
Seth Bullock: 7H
Jackie Wells: 3C
Doctor Han Lee: 2H (need to attempt to soak 11 damage from a shot the cultists made)

Oops sorry.

1 White chip + roll...

16:43, Today: Doctor Han Lee rolled 4,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5. vigor soak

All good.

[[is it an alive half a worm or a blatantly dead half a worm?]]

((OOC: Blatantly dead.))

The cultist is silent for a moment, apparently unable to process what just happened.

Then his arms shoot out to full extension like he wants to let go of the corpse but can't. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"


He swings the dead worm at Jackie, then tries to hit the charred thing on the ground with it, then finally manages to drop it in horror and just does flailing panic circles.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"



[[fightin' 3. Not hitting Jackie. I think this cultist's broken...
init. QC]]
This message was lightly edited by the player at 23:52, Tue 10 Dec 2013.

More muscles, tendons, and cartilage wrap themselves around the skeleton of Jack McCall.

((OOC: 03:49, Today: Jack McCall rolled 4,4 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4. Regeneration. That's really only going to repair the Incapacitation. McCall is still down with 3 wounds.))

---

James Wilder's turn is next!

"Oh ... shut up." James said as he shot the last cultist.

OOC:
12:55, Today: James Wilder rolled 7,-1 using 1d12-2,1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. Shooting (-2 WP).
12:55, Today: James Wilder rolled 9 using 2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3. Damage (Pistol) AP1.
12:56, Today: James Wilder drew the single card: 10H using a deck of 54 cards. Initiative .

The cultist's only retort to that is the *thud* of a robed body in the mud.

[[I should probably roll soak on principle, but that's just too funny.]]

"Very impressive." Gusano says as Bullock remains standing after that hail of gunfire. Blood drips from several of Bullock's wounds, but they're only flesh wounds...Bullock has been hurt worse than this. "But your strength cannot save you forever. Eventually, my fellows will score a deadly hit. You will fall, and the worms will feast. You cannot win this. The Princess of Worms has ordered your death, Marshal Bullock. It is a bold act, but you are her enemy. You and the Agency will fall this night. So i will strip you of your strength, and see how well you do then."

He raises his arms and begins chanting something. Bullock feels suddenly feverish and weak, as the black chanting of the reverend (it sounds like he's reciting a Latin prayer backwards) seeps into his flesh.

The cultists open fire yet again...

((OOC: The reverend and his men get to go before Bullock does. He dedices to mess with Bullock by casting Lower Trait on the marshal's Vigor.

22:18, Today: Reverend Alonzo Gusano rolled 9,1 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. Spellcasting.

Bullock, roll Spirit to resist. If you fail, he lowers your Vigor by a die type (which also affects your Toughness). If you fail by 4 or more, he lowers your Vigor by 2 types (down to a minimum of d4).

The cultists continue firing.

Mr. Shotgun has finished reloading, the other 2 still have plenty of ammo left in their repeaters.

22:21, Today: Reverend Alonzo Gusano rolled 7,4,3 using d6+2,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4,3. Shooting! The shotgun and one of the rifle rounds hit you.

Damage (shotgun): 13
Damage (rifle): 7

how badly Bullock is hurt by this will be determined by whether he resists the spell or not.

Card for next round: QD))

---

Seth Bullock, you're up!