http://www.movieforums.com/com...502&d=1457468683

The Behemoth trudges northward it way farther north. Carrying Samuel, the prisoner, Arulas -- and perhaps the twins, the robot makes fair time without further incident. In the late afternoon, it reaches the coordinates specified.

At a crossroad where two trails intersect, a lone structure dominates the surrounding wilderness. The Mammoth Saloon stands alone except for some tiny buildings around it like outhouses and sheds. A couple of tiny farmhouses are visible in the distance. A few horses, a couple of mules, a single covered wagon, a Wasterlander model motorcycle, and a single robot horse are all tied outside. Yes, somebody mounted reigns on a bike and lashed them to the hitching post. Some music originates from inside the tavern, but the place isn't loud or wild by any means.

Kalista, Ethan, and Polkitain will catch up whenever they like. Alternatively, I could give them their own thread if they don't want to meet up for a while.

Doc smiled, "Let's stop, wouldn't hurt to get a good drink. See what the locals got to say about the goings on in the area. Ask em right, they might know a lot of useful things. What do you boys say?"

"Well first things first I need to get my backup armor on. Then we can go in. Drinks sound good. A decent beer maybe." Arulas says as he looks at the situation. "Chances of answers with me in my knightly armor is a lot less."

"Just makes me all the more personable Arulas, get changed, it's time to get drunk!" Doc says gleefully, "Kidding, maybe. Let's just go see what's going down, maybe this lady is around here and someone knows how to reach out to her."

The inside of the saloon is dark but somewhat inviting. It's cleaner on the inside and decorated in a classic Wild West style. A rhino-buffalo head is mounted on one wall, but otherwise it looks like it might have been a movie set in a Spaghetti Western.

The place is far from full, but there are a few people inside. Everyone here appears human. There are some dusty looking cowboys playing cards at a table. Some saddle tramps are sitting at the bar. There are only four females visible. One of the females is the bartender, a burly woman with M.o.M. implants. Two are attractive saloon girls who are serving drinks. The last female is an older woman playing a piano in the back. There's no way to tell yet which if any if any of these women might be Glory.

No rune-covered weapons are visible here.

The bartender says in a loud voice, "Don't be shy. Come on in outta the heat. This place don't get busy until sundown when the show starts, so sit where you please."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:01, Thu 01 Sept 2016.

With the cyber-knight 'slumming' it in his backup armour, Nyx forgoes his usual sharp suit and remains in his travelling armour. He steps into the saloon, smile broadening as he takes in the careworn nature of the place. With his pistols remaining slung at his hips, he strolls over towards the bar - flicking a clove cigarette from it's battered pack and pausing a few feet from the bar to light it.

He takes a deep drag, exhaling a long stream of smoke towards the interface between bar and packed earth floor, "Appreciate the welcome. What're you serving?"

Samuel enters and looks like the mechanic that he is in his somewhat dirty orange jumpsuit and tool belt. He has left the Behemoth on lock down with his armor ready to go, both the vibro-blade and magic sword strapped to its hips.

"Thanks," to the bartender," and what kind of show?"

Doc gives the bartender a friendly smile and a nod, "Whiskey, if ya got any good ma'am." Doc takes a cigar out and simply starts gnawing at the end of it a bit, not lighting it yet.

The bartender answers, "Whiskey, we got. It's specially brewed at one of the farms near here. Cost you one credit for a shot, or if'n you are pay in precious metals, I can start ya a tab. I also got a little hard cider left.Besides that, we've got water. It's watered down, but it's cold and clean. I was expecting a keg of beer and some bottles of wine to arrive this morning, but old Chief Broadtooth has been having troubles with his caravans, I hear. First shot is on the house, gents." She pours three shot glasses with whiskey.

"The show the Mammoth Saloon Shindig, presented by Lazy Wyvern Ranch. There ain't nothing controversial about it like them shady traveling shows with their magic and mutants. Our show is just good old fashioned singing and playing and girls dancing on the bar, fit for red blooded Lone Star folk. A few boys have been known to dance on the bar too. What you won't see are mutants, not even dog boys. Cow punchers don't appreciate their company like the dead boys do. The doggies got their own tavern down the road yonder."

"So, you boys passing through, or you gonna wait for the show? We rent rooms here by the night, but I only got one vacancy left for this here evening."

Doc smiles, "'Preciate the drink ma'am. I'm Doc. I sure do like dancin' girls, so if my friends don't object, I reckon I'll stay and see what the show has goin'." Doc pounds his shot and asks for another, after toasting with his brother and the others of course.

One of the barflies leans in closer to Doc. While the second shot is being poured, the sloppy drunk asks, "What's with your ears, pilgrim? They look cattywhumpass. Are they mutating or something?"

"Rice picking accident when we were younger." Arulas says as he buys Doc his second shot. "You see the harvester got too close and we were playing tag in the field. Got us both. Of course now days most older folk give us heck about it. We just smile and buy them a shot. So how about it pardner?"

The barfly regards Arulas with a glossy lazy eye. Then he smiles. "Pardna, you can count me as 'older folk'. I'm right sorry for calling you mutant. I'll take that whiskey." He turns attention to the bartender greedily.

The bartender takes a hold of Arulas' cred stick and waves it over a scanner on her bar. She frowns at something which no one else can see. Then she shrugs, says, "good enough", lays the cred stick back on the bar, and pours some more whiskey into shot glasses. She asks, "Which way you heading, gents?"

Doc grins at the barfly, "No sir, not mutating, been this way, like my buddy said, for years. Get all kindsa crap for it. I'm Doc, you got a name?"

Nyx keeps out of the conversation, but the smile on his face suggests his has some mischief planned

Samuel puts down two credits for two whiskeys and just looks at the goings on.

The barfly answers, "Howdy Doc, mah name is Ronald, but folks call me Catfish. I'm much obliged for this here whiskey."

As the evening wears on, more cattlehands, farmers, and saddletramps make their way into the bar. No one pays Doc, Samuel, and Nyx much attention outside of Catfish who keeps angling for more free drinks. Closer to sundown, more girls arrive one at a time and then vanish into a dressing room upstairs. A coyote outside can be heard greeting the rising moon with a robust howl.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:59, Mon 05 Sept 2016.

INSIDE THE SALOON
Samuel, Nyx, Doc, & Arulas

When the sun set, the show finally begins. One of the saloon girls sits at the piano and begins beating out a lively tune with the refrain, "Yipee-ki-yi-yay, I'm an old cow hand from the Rio Grande." The locals become very lively and sing along. One by one, saloon girls appear by climbing onto tables or the bar and singing their parts one at a time. The boisterous crowd shouts out cheers of approval and the names of their favorite performers. Some of the names which can be made out in the chaos are Mercy, Charity, Chastity, Glory, Mercy, and Patience.

Everyone appears to be having a good time except for the barfly, Catfish. He has relocated to the window seat and turned away from the show. He appears to be crying into an empty beer glass.

OUTSIDE THE SALOON
Ethan, Polkatain, and Kalista

The glittermount charges through the arid Texan landscape. Finally drawing close to the behemoth, the riders find it parked near a large wooden structure. The large sign over the front reads, "Mammoth Saloon." Some loud music is coming from inside.

Outside and nearby, a howl pierces the night. At first, it seems like a coyote being noisy, but it isn't. The source is a glowing figure which floats behind the saloon and a good fifty feet off the ground. The figure is a lone banshee wailing in the night.

Ethan had enjoyed the ride to rejoin the rest of the group. It had given him time to talk with Polkitan and Kalista. Since it was almost a certainty he would never return to his home, learning about the people (even when the people weren't human) here and how to make friends of them was a skill he had best acquire.

All too soon he and his two friends found the Behemoth. He was just about to dismount from Kalista's magical yet robotic horse when he heard an ear piercing scream. He was thankful for the hearing protection of his helmet as without, it would have been even worse.

He turned to find the source and spotted the apparition. He had never seen anything like it before. "Ghost? Spirit of some kind? Maybe another psychic entity?" He thought to himself. "Whatever it is, best not give it a single clustered target", and with that, he hopped off the horse and put at least ten feet between him and his friends.

Polkitain for the last bit of the ride practices meowing and purring.

When he sees the banshee his hair rises up and his ears flatten a bit.

"Wow, you don't see that everyday. Maybe we should talk with it ?"

Doc gets an extra shot of whiskey for Catfish, and takes it over to him, "Something on your mind partner?" his charm flowing freely, this was a drastic change for Catfish.

OOC can we hear the banshee?

Arulas is wary for trouble, but not crazy alert. He has mostly drank water. A few shots and a few beers here and there mostly to avoid suspicion.

Kalista prepared herself for more combat.