Katy had been so intent on trying to avoid swipe after swipe, she could only take a half-hearted swing with her pistol butt once the dedders decided to retreat.

"Don't let 'em get away!"

Best if these things didn't get free in the city.

14:51, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled -2,-1 using d6-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3.  Fightin' (called shot: head).

Hargrave fired again, but his shot didn't come close to threatening any of the fleeing corpses.

Free Action: Sustain Aim

Power Points Spent: 1

18:11, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled -2,-1 using 1d10-3,1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  Shooting - Called Shot: Head.

18:14, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: 2C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

The shot goes wide, ricocheting off a tombstone.

((OOC: Aim lasts 3 rounds without you needing to spend Power Points to maintain it. It's only after the 3 rounds are up that you need to spend points on it.))

---

Katy's up!

Katy took her own advice and aimed her pistol toward one of the fleeing dedders. She aimed for the head and was happy when her shot connected.



17:50, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: QC using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
17:48, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 10 using 2d6+7, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2.  Damage.
17:48, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 4,-2 using d8-6,d6-6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,4.  Called shot: head.

The one hit by Katy lurches, but doesn't fall. It seems a bit rattled. The other pair keep on running, moving way faster than anything that dead ought. They reach the wall around the graveyard, and one of them manages to climb over. The other tries to climb but slips down.

The shaken deader regains its equilibrium and runs after its companions, almost reaching the gate itself.

((OOC: That will make that particular deader Shaken. It keeps moving, but can only take free actions, so it can't Run. it's almost at the edge of Katy's short range.

The other two Run. 19:03, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 5,5 using d6,d6.  Run.

That will put them 17 squares away, which is out of Short Range for Katy's pistol...but not Trace's rifle. Even better, they're out of the section of the graveyard with easy cover, so he has no penalty to hit them.

19:07, Today: Walkin' Dead drew the single card: AH using the Deadlands system.

...unless they get an Ace, which puts them ahead of both of you. But they have to climb over the wall. And they aren't great climbers, so they only have d4-2 on this.

19:09, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 0,5 using d4-2,d4-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(4+3)7.  Climbing.

One gets over the wall, one does not.

The Shaken one attempts to Unshake.

19:10, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 5 using 1d4+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Unshake. Success. It gets an action at -2. But since it's Running anyway, that doesn't matter.

19:11, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Run.

It doesn't get far.

One Deader is 23 squares away. (Short Range for Trace, Medium Range for Katy, No cover)
One Deader is 20 squares away. (Short Range for Trace, Medium Range for Katy, No cover)
One Deader is 19 squares away. (short Range for Trace, Medium Range for Katy, No cover)

Katy will have to move to shoot them without penalty. Trace doesn't have to move.

Card: 8S))

---

Turn Order
Walkin' Dead: AH
Katy Cox: QC
Trace Hargrave: 2C
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Mon 07 Nov 2016.

Katy moved towards and took another shot at the head of one of those fleeing, but missed. Barely.

OOC: Move as far as Katy can without penalty and shoot.
22:11, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 2,1 using d8-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5.  Called shot: head.

KH next round.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:14, Mon 07 Nov 2016.

Desperation began to guide Hargrave's hand. To his shame, he'd proven unable to make much difference in the fight, but he earnestly didn't want to see innocents in Socorro endangered by these horrific creatures. Hoping to wound one the walking dead enough to halt its progress, he squeezed off a shot at the corpse that was farthest away.

08:01, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 9,5 using 1d10+3,1d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Shooting.

That's a hit with a Raise, but the resulting damage borders on comedic. Hargrave may as well be using a. 22. Less recoil, too.

08:02, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 3,5 using 2d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1,5.  Damage.

Total Damage: 8

08:04, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: 6D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Katy again closed the distance with one of the dedders and squeezed off a shot. It seemed to connect solidly, as gore splatted in various directions when the ammunition from the Peacemaker found its mark.

OOC: Katy moves toward whichever one is closest to escaping. Probably means the one that isn't Shaken.

10 to hit and 26 damage this time.


06:40, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: AC using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
06:39, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 26 using 3d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of (6+3)9,(6+5)11,5.  Damage.
06:39, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 10,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+2)10,1.  Shooting!

Katy's shot splatters the corpse's ripe torso. The head may still be bitey, but it's not going anywhere anymore.

The other deader reaches the wall and scratches at it, but isn't able to find a purchase and get over it.

The deader outside the wall staggers at Trace's shot, but then shakes itself and starts running. It's almost to the Mission and the town beyond.

((OOC: So that's one of them Shaken and the other Incapacitated. That leaves one left that's neither, and it tries to get over the wall.

09:35, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 1 using 1d4-2, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Climbing.

It does not do so. I check to see if the other one gets off being Shaken.

09:36, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 4 using 1d4+2, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Recover from Shaken.

It does, and this is the one past the gate, so it runs.

09:37, Today: Walkin' Dead rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  The Running Dead.

That will get it 32 squares from Trace. If it gets much further, it'll get to town and you'll lose it.

With that measure in mind:

Deader past the wall: 32 squares from Trace, 20 squares from Katy (Medium Range for both)
Deader at the wall: 20 squares from Trace, 8 squares from Katy (Short Range for both)

Deader card: 7H))
Trace is up!

Grimacing at his inability to bring fleeing revenants down, Hargrave pulled a rune etched cartridge from his belt and loaded it into the Bullard. Taking aim at the corpse that had almost reached Socorro, he exhaled slowly and squeezed off another shot.

Agility Check to load Longbarreled Special.

11:07, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 2,11 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(6+5)11.  Agility Check.

The Longbarreled should eliminate the Medium Range penalty.

11:09, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 10,5 using 1d10+3,1d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2.  Shooting.

11:09, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 9,2 using 2d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,7,2.  Damage.

Total Damage: 11

11:11, Today: Trace Hargrave drew the single card: QD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:40, Mon 07 Nov 2016.

Trace's shot blows the deader clean off its feet. It pitches forward, dead again.

((OOC: That's a Wound, which downs it. There's only one deader left.))

---

Turn Order
Katy: AC
Trace: QD
Deader: 7D

"Nice shot!" Katy yelled as she saw the one dedder closest to town taken by Trace's bullet.

She slapped a new cylinder in her gun, pulled the trigger, and smacked the hammer until she was out of shots, filling the air with lead. She hoped some of it would catch the remaining running dead, and put it down.

OOC: Quick load cylinder and then slam the hammer.

3 hits, doing 7, 6, and 7 damage. AP1.

09:43, Today: Catherine Hays Cox drew the single card: 10H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
09:43, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 7,6,7 using 2d6+1,2d6+1,2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4,1,4,3,3.  Damage.
09:42, Today: Catherine Hays Cox rolled 5,1,3,5,3,3,7 using d8-2,d8-2,d8-2,d8-2,d8-2,d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3,5,7,5,5,(6+3)9.  Lotta bullets.

The hail of bullets sends the dead man back to the grave. A silence falls over the graveyard.

((OOC: That will make the deader Shaken, then Shaken again, which puts it down.))

---

Combat Over

Katy took a moment to look around and reload her pistol. Once she was certain the last of them had truly been put down, she headed back over by Trace. "Great shootin', Trace." She walked close and put her left hand on his right arm just above the elbow. "Sorry ya got dragged inta this. I was hopin' ta find Laroo long before that stuff got used. It...weren't supposed to be such a way. Hope yer holdin up okay?" She searched Trace's face to a sign of how he was doing after facing the walking, and running, dead.

"If so, I'ma take another look at Laroo. Keep yer eyes open while I do." Katy didn't move away until she had a sense for Trace's state of mind, but she wanted to look at the body to see if there was anything important there.

Hargrave's eyes went to the fallen dead, a strange sadness passing over him. The creatures his father had spoken of had returned to the land of the living of their own will, driven by a burning, often malevolent need. These poor souls had been forced from their rest by some mad invention. They were raised to be used as labor, or to wander as purposeless predators. Yes, they were threats that had to be stopped, but Hargrave couldn't help feeling a certain sympathy for them. They hadn't chosen to return here.

He nodded at Cox' inquiry. "I'm all right," he assured her. Managing a smile he added, "I just expected, as a deputy, to arrest people. Living people."

As she started for Leroux, he said, "Once you're finished, I think I'll go get the remains of the one that almost reached Socorro. Leaving them out there might lead to some difficult questions."

He began to reload his rifle, surveying the graveyard, alert for any signs of movement.

14:56, Today: Trace Hargrave rolled 5,9 using 1d8+2,1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7.  Notice.

At Trace's assurance that he would be okay, Katy gave him a slight smile and patted his arm where she was already touching it. "Yer a better man'n most, then. I think ya'd make a mighty fine Ranger should ya wanna join us permanently some day. As fer arrestin' livin' folk, we may have ta do that, too. Laroo didn't just decide ta pour that stuff in the ground in the middle of a graveyard while he was in it, knowin' what it did. Somethin' else is afoot here."

Katy went over to have a look at Leroux to see if there was anything that might give them a clue as to why there were now dead running around a city in Texas. Most other areas of the country had their own problems. Texas tended to take care of all theirs. And then some.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:35, Mon 07 Nov 2016.

Trace keeps an eye on the area, watchful for trouble. The gunfire seems to have gotten some attention from town. There were some shouts, and Trace could make out the glow of lanterns. There also seemed to be movement from the mission...Father Ramirez, most likely.

Leroux's body has been badly mangled, and the bite marks all look as if they came from human-shaped jaws. His brains are completely gone. But that wasn't what killed him. Somebody had stabbed him in the back. His billfold lay nearby...it looked like whoever it was had rifled though his pockets and taken whatever cash he had on him. Leroux's pistol was still in its holster, and was cold to the touch.

There was a letter stuffed in Leroux's vest. It was lightly splattered with blood, but it had been folded and was probably still legible. Unfortunately by now it was too dark to read without striking a match. She could see that it was addressed to "Baltasar Leroux," and the return address was "From Hell's Heart."

Katy announced her findings. "Laroo was stabbed in the back. An I don't think by these animated corpses. Don't s'pose ya gotta light there, Trace?" She removed Leroux's gun belt as he didn't have need of it anymore and walked back over by Trace. She extended the gun belt to him. "Longarms are great s'long as these things'r further back'n how long yer arm is. This might be more helpful when they ain't."

Hargrave accepted the gunbelt, regarding it for a moment, certain that its workmanship was superior to the worn rig that he wore. Pulling his coat back, he revealed the rarely drawn Colt Frontier at his hip. "I've used one from time to time, when the need arises," he explained, "but it's just never felt quite natural to me." He draped the cajun's belt over his left shoulder.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he produced a tallow candle which he'd used on those few occasions he had to have a little light during nighttime watch. He was always wary of its use, for fear of giving his position away. Finding a match, he struck it on his boot heel and lit the candle, holding it up to provide Cox with reading light.

Katy nodded at Trace's response, though appeared particularly glad when he brought forth a candle. She tipped the brim of her hat upwards with the barrel of her pistol, then stepped close to Trace so her right shoulder touched his left. She held out the letter in her left hand so they could both read what was written.

The blood-spattered letter reads thusly:

"Bill...Johnson," Hargrave said quietly. Scowling, he stepped over to Leroux's body, regarding the railroad man's broken remains.

"Mr. Johnson...Earl...he didn't know the identities of the rustlers that were cutting into his herd. I'm not sure he cared. They were thieves and he wanted them stopped. But now, I'm thinking that this whole time, they were acting on Bill's orders." He shook his head. "His own brother."

His stomach knotting, Hargrave looked about at the empty graves nearby, taking a brief count of how many he could see that lay open.

There are more than six graves opened. More than a dozen. It would take time to count them all, but there might be as many as a score.

Katy looked over at Trace as he spoke. She let his revelation hang in the air for a few moments, then took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She slid the letter inside her duster, depositing it into an interior pocket.

She looked around at the other empty graves, then toward the town. "Sometimes family loves each other. Sometimes it's hate. Seems like Bill Johnson might be that fella yer gonna get ta arrest, Deputy. But first, it seems like there's more'n just the ones we put down here. If yer guns're loaded, I think we need ta get back ta the main parta town an' see what's goin' on there."

((OOC: Trace? You're up.))