14:29, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 1,1 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3.  Notice.

Katy wishes she'd brought a light.

He blinked at Cox. "This liquid creates...revenants?"

It probably wasn't the correct term, but it was the only one familiar to him. It was the word his father had used when he had told Trace about the restless souls that took up their decaying flesh once more and wandered the valley and the Wyre Forest, seeking to settle something that had been left undone while they lived. Trace, only ten at the time, had put on a brave face at the close of the tale. Addressing his father, he had said, "But, Papa, those things are only just stories. They aren't real. Not truly."

His father had regarded him seriously and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, revealing the jagged scars from four large claws, the color of each one a deep charcoal gray. "Real enough, son," he had answered, "Real enough."

Hargrave shook his head, his gaze falling to the metal keg. "Walking corpses," he said, finding another term. All at once, he suddenly understood Bayou Vermillion's claims of labor that never ceased. Most of their workers were the dead. Refocusing on Cox, he added, "This is what Leroux was trying to sell."

Looking around at the empty graves, he felt another cold jolt travel the length of his spine. "You're right, Katy. We need to get inside. And get what's left of that liquid somewhere safe."

He approached the keg, his eyes scanning the surrounding darkness as he prepared to help move it.

18:57, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 5,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Notice.

The revelation seemed to make the night air chillier. The swiftly-fading light over the horizon sank the graveyard even deeper in twilight, and Trace thought he could here the rustle of grass out among the graves.

The keg was heavy, but not nearly heavy enough to be full of fluid. And nothing sloshed inside it when Trace moved it.

The fluid that had been in here was there no longer. It must all have leaked out...or been used.

And that thought was crossing Trace's mind when the screaming began all around them...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

((OOC: Fear check! -3 Fear level, + grit. Also, all the zombies that snuck up on you guys get an action because they beat your Notice rolls and thus caught you with Surprise.

14:29, Today: Secret Roll: Walkin' Dead rolled 5,8 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(6+2)8.  Group Stealth.))

Katy nodded slightly at Trace's question. "Close enough to." She nodded again at his voicing of the fact that Laroux was trying to sell this liquid. "Yup, seems Laroux wanted ta make some money by sellin' out his company. Don't think Baron LaCroix likes double crossers so much."

Katy took a deep breath in response to the sound of the shambling corpses that had approached them in the dark. "Forget the keg. Back to back, Trace." She braced for the oncoming assault and moved to put her back to Trace's. It was unfortunate that a town this size had managed to have so many folk killed.

18:48, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 5,2 using d6+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1.  Fear check!
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

They were all around them. He cursed inwardly, angered that he'd failed to keep up his practiced vigilance. Moving back to back with Cox, he prepared for the coming onslaught.

I'll burn a White chip to remove my prior Shaken condition.

21:03, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 3,2 using 1d6-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  Fear Check.

And burn another to remove this one.

((OOC: Actually, this is a Fear check, not a nausea one, so I roll on the Fear table to find out what happens to Trace. Could be shaken, could run away screaming, pick up a phobia, have a heart attack...all sorts of nasty things. Which is why PCs tend to burn chips to make sure they succeed on Fear checks.

19:55, Today: The Stray, on behalf of Trace Hargrave, rolled 4 using 1d20, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Fear!

Congrats, that's an Adrenaline Surge. You get to keep your chip, and furthermore you get a +2 bonus to your next Trait roll and Damage roll, just as if you'd drawn a Joker. Go Trace!))

some mood music

From the darkness burst six ragged corpses, corpses that had obviously been dead a long time judging by the rot and reek. The pair make out twelve glowing green eyes, and then the ghouls fall on them.

Trace takes the worst of it. He's beset by two dead men and one dead woman, all of them seeming eager to gnaw at his flesh with their filthy teeth and rake him with their fingerbones.

Katy is mobbed as well, but this was what she was trained for, and is able to fend two of the revenants off. The third gets a bite on her shoulder...but the leather duster proves its worth and all Katy feels is an uncomfortable pinch.

((OOC: So there's 6 of them, 3 for each of you. They take swings at you.

Attacks vs. Trace: 21:50, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 5,5,15 using d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5,(6+6+3)15.  Fighting.

That's three hits, one with a Raise.

Damage 1: 12. That's a Shaken and 1 Wound unless you soak.
Damage 2: 11. That's a Shaken and 1 Wound unless you soak.
Damage 3 (Raise): 9. That's a Shaken result, which will be a wound if you're still Shaken by the time you get to this roll.

Man, the die roller decided not to like Trace for some reason.

Attacks vs. Katy: 21:51, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 2,5,3 using d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5,3.  Fighting.

That's one hit.

Damage: 3.

Draw initiative! As a general rule, I prefer if you draw for your next turn's initiative once you finish your current action.

Deader card: KS. For fuck's sake, die roller.))

Katy was indeed made for this, and expecting it. She was a flurry of motion as she dodged the first two attacks, her duster flapping away from her body as she made her subtle movements to avoid the worst of the attacks. One got to her shoulder with it's teeth, but the Ranger twisted away from the dedder almost as soon as it made contact.

22:28, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: 7D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

She fought to get her pistol aimed toward a noggin, but didn't have time to do so before the bastards forced her to duck out of the way of a head high swipe.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:43, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

It seemed the dead were upon them in an instant, their teeth and claws assailing him from all sides. Although Hargrave considered himself reasonably quick, he wasn't able to avoid any of their blows. He could only steel himself mentally, pushing past the pain, focusing on remaining on his feet and staying alive.

10:38, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 6,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5.  White Chip - Soak Roll.

10:39, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 2,9 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+3)9.  Red Chip - Soak Roll.

10:40, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 3,7 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7.  Spirit - Shaken.

10:43, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: QS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

The deaders really seem interested in Trace for some reason. They go after him with savage fury, biting and clawing.

The ones going after Katy are less effective, as she continually dodges and blocks them.

((OOC: The deaders, naturally, want to get at those tasty, tasty brains, so they continue to attack.

Attacks vs. Trace: 09:01, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 11,23,2 using d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,(6+6+6+5)23,2.  Fighting. Wow the die roller really seems to hate you. That's 2 hits with raises

Damage 1: 11. That's another wound unless you soak.
Damage 2: 6. That's just a Shaken, which will only be a Wound if you fail to soak that first hit.

You don't technically roll to recover from being Shaken until the start of your action, so you can keep that Spirit roll in reserve for now.

Attacks vs. Katy: 09:02, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 2,1,1 using d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1,1.  Fighting. And it seems to like you alright. Those are all misses.

It's probably a good thing I'm not using Gang-Up bonuses in this fight. I swear this was just supposed to be an introductory combat, not a TPK.

Deader card: 7C))

---

Resolve some rolls, and then Trace is up!

OOC: Not so fast...

Katy spun the pair around at the last moment, applying just a little pressure with her left shoulder to make the suggestion to Trace. One of the dedders that thought he was going to sink his claws into Trace instead met the butt of Katy's gun.

Before the corpses strike, Katy plays:
4S - Last Stand
“Stand together now!”
Play anytime. Your hero and any allies within 5" gain +2 Parry and Toughness. Allies who move into the area after the card is played gain the bonus as well. The effect ends when a Joker is dealt.

Note that based on PMs with our illustrious leader, this lasts for the entire scene until a joker is dealt. So draw bad for initiative, ya hear?

The +2 Parry and Toughness should negate the shaken and the wound, leaving him only having to deal with being shaken.

"Stand tall now, cowboy. And aim true. I gotcher back whatever comes."

((OOC: That downgrades the wound to just a Shaken, then, and the other Shaken 'tis just a scratch.))

Hargrave remained swarmed, unable to break free from his attackers. He made a desperate swing with his knife, trying to aim for the head as Cox had told him, but his blade found only empty air.

I'm presuming my previous Spirit roll went to the lingering Shaken condition from the previous round.

12:47, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 6,3 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,3.  Red Chip - Soak Roll.

12:48, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 2,2 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Spirit - Shaken.

That's a failure, so I'll cash out my last chip, a blue, to clear the new Shaken condition.

12:56, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled -1,-2 using 1d6-4,1d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2.  Fighting - Called Shot: Head.

12:57, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: 3H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Knock, knock, knockin' on Heaven's Door.

((OOC: No the roll applies at the start of your action, not the round.

I will refund you 1 blue chip, because Katy's card saved you from being wounded, but since 2 Shaken results = 1 wound, you'd have had to soak anyway. But since soaking also removes the Shaken status, you don't start your turn shaken.))

---

Katy is up!
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Fri 04 Nov 2016.

Katy continued her spin and slid her left hand along the left side of Trace's ribcage, and her pistol flashed under his right armpit. She aimed for the bugger that was right in front of him and connected solidly with it's over-ripe noggin.

She spun her body back around so that she was again back-to-back with the drifter, still facing her three attackers.

OOC: Hit one square in the head, used a red chip

10 to hit (which I assume is a raise) and 15 damage to the head. AP1.

12:14, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: 9D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
12:14, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 15 using 3d6+5, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3,4.  Damage.
12:14, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 10 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10.  Red Chip.
12:13, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled -1,0 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Called shot: head.

The body falls, minus one head. The other deaders pause a bit, and turn their eerie green eyes on Katy.

((OOC: That'll do it.))
Katy gets to go before the deaders do.

Katy had spun back just in time to see one of them lunge for her. She kicked at the thing, creating just enough space to slide her pistol up below its chin. She squeezed the trigger and was satisfied with the sounds and sights that followed.

OOC: Hit with an 11 (after red chip). 19 damage.


13:06, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: 9S using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
13:06, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 19 using 3d6+5, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10,1,3.  Damage,raise.
13:05, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 11 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11.  red chip.
13:05, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled -1,0 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Shooting (called shot-head).

After the second shot, the remaining deaders all move to swarm Katy, leaving Trace alone for the moment. They snarl and bite, attempting to take the Ranger down, and one manages to get a bite in...

((OOC: As a note, these things suffer an additional +2 damage from called shots to the head, so that's a 21 (and a 17 before).

The Walkin' dead all go after Katy now, as she's gotten their attention.

13:19, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 4,2,11,3 using d6,d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2,(6+5)11,3.  Fighting.

Only one hits, but it's a hit with a Raise.

Damage: 13. That's a Wound if she doesn't soak.

They've also moved in such a way that Trace can bring his gun to bear on them if he moves a square.

Next card: 4D))

---

Trace is up!

Katy hadn't expected them to all focus on her, but she was kind of glad they did, for a variety of reasons. Not least of which is that Trace didn't choose this profession exactly. One managed to get a good gnaw on her upper left arm, but she slipped out of its dental grip before it could do anything lasting. She was bloodied, however, a few trickles of it starting to spill down her arm.

OOC: Soaking.
15:38, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 5,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Soak!

Also note that I'm going to be out-of-touch for much of the rest of today and all of tomorrow. I'll be back to modern living on Sunday.

Hargrave stepped back and shouldered his rifle, hoping to ward off one of Cox's attackers, but could only manage a wild, ineffectual shot.

Free Action: Retreat one step.

13:15, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled -1,-1 using 1d10-3,1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Shooting - Called Shot: Head

Blue Chip to try and salvage a hit.

13:17, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Blue Chip -Shooting.

Sorry, Katy.

13:18, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: 10H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Sun 06 Nov 2016.

((OOC: Ya'll get to go before they do.))

---

Turn Order
Trace: 10H
Katy: 9D
Walkin' Dead: 4D

Hargrave tried to steady his breathing, to calm himself and focus. He had to help Cox.

He whispered to the landvaettir, their answering voices like dry leaves in this desert flatland, blue gray smoke sheathing his rifle. Taking aim again, he exhaled slowly and squeezed off a second shot.

Free Action: Activate Aim

Power Points Used: 1

14:58, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 7,2 using 1d10-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 8,3.  Shooting - Called Shot: Head.

15:01, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 13 using 2d10+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,6.  Damage.

I believe the reduced penalty from Aim results in a Shooting total of 8 and a Raise. If so:

15:04, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Raise Damage (if applicable).

Total Damage: 13 (16 with Raise).

15:24, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: JD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Well, at least I put a dent in one of 'em.

The dead man falls at Trace's well-placed shot, missing the top of its head. The remaining three look at each other as if trying to communicate.

((OOC: Headshots deal +4 damage. The walkin' dead take +2 damage on top of that, so that's a total of +6 damage. So it's actually 20 total damage, which is 3 wounds for the deader. So down it goes.

And yes, the bonus from Aim reduces that penalty and makes it a raise. nice shot!))

---

Katy's up next!

Surrounded by the shambling bodies, Katy was doing as well as she could just to keep them from harming her any further. She managed to get her pistol up for a shot, but it missed the head for which she aimed.

14:13, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 1,1 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Shooting (called shot-head).
14:15, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: 5D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

"Keep firing, Trace!"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Sun 06 Nov 2016.

The deaders take some quick slashes at Katy...and then suddenly turn tail and run away! They slink low among the tombstones, attempting to make hitting them more difficult.

These things are more clever than walking, rotting corpses ought to be.

((OOC: The Walkin' Dead take some more swings at Katy, then attempt to get away.

15:40, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 2,2,2 using d6,d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,2.  Fighting. All misses, so they attempt to run, using the tombstones as Cover.

Katy, you get a free Fighting attack against one of them, if you want to try pistol-whippin' the dead.

Once they've moved, they have Moderate Cover, so ranged attacks against them are at -2.

Card: 4C))

---

Turn Order
Trace: JD
Katy: 5D
Walkin' dead: 4C