The place for all out-of-character discussion.

Hello there!

I wanted to post a quick update for everyone who’s taken the time to apply to the game.

I have to be up front. I did not anticipate the level of interest this game has received. I’m truly gratified by the number of people who have submitted a RTJ and, truthfully, each one that’s been sent in has been well thought out and interesting to read.

So, I’ve got some work to do.

I need to take some time to read over each RTJ fully, so I can give each prospective player the consideration he or she deserves. Truthfully, to do that right, it’s going to take me a couple of days. Once I’m done, I’ll reach out to everyone who’s applied to communicate my decisions.

In the meantime, I just need to ask for your patience. Please accept my sincere thanks for your interest in taking part in High Lonesome. I truly appreciate it.

Howdy, fellow players!

Yes, hello fellow players!

I'm looking forward to this game!

Hey everybody!

Well howdy, folks!

Howdy indeed.

So, what kid of posse have we got going?  Kate's an outlaw on the run looking for something she thinks she'll find in Lincoln.  Probably going to pattern her after a classic gunslinger, seein' as trouble follows her everywhere.

This message was deleted by the player at 16:05, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

Hallelujah, brothers and sisters! Let us do good work in the name of the Lord.

In reply to Kansas Kate (msg # 7):

Not sure yet. Jake's a Mad Engineer, the sort o' cuss who can whip up just about anythin' if he got the materials and can fix any damn thing.

High Concept: Chinese-American Kung Fu Texas Ranger.

Hopefully Kate's crimes are on the other side of the border. ;)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

My original concept for Albert was that of a gun wizard who is a bit down-on-his-luck. He's also involved in the ranching industry in Lincoln, so he has some ties to folk that are going to be affected by the Lincoln County war.

"I'm going to take this list of awesome things and put them in a hopper, and whatever four words things fall out first, that's what I'll play."



Heh, in one of my Classic games, the Agent arrested the Gunslinger after the latter had been shot all to pieces in a fight and laid there unconscious and it resulted in quite a fight at the table.  The Marshal hadn't thought of his and we had to remove the Gunslinger's character from the campaign, which led to the players seeking continual reprisals over each other...

Ever since then I've been careful to try to establish that the bounty is a private bounty, not a government bounty.  Granted those didn't happen too often in real life but they did happen.

To the first comment, I really wish I had done that. I might have to do that for my next character.

To the second comment, that's kinda hilarious, though tragic that it impacted the game. I don't play a PvP style, so no worries on that count.

On an unrelated note, is anyone's character from Shan Fan or the Maze somewhere? Or perhap have any involvement with the Railroads? I'm looking to whore myself out for background connections.

In reply to Albert Cooper (msg # 12):

Gun Wizard as in good gunslinger type, or Gun wizard as in Hexslinger?

Edit: @Bryan Lee

Jake was an engineer and mechanic for Dixie Rails, up until it went bankrupt after The Battle of Peacetown.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Fri 12 Jan 2018.

The latter.

In reply to Albert Cooper (msg # 16):

Yay Gun Wizard!

Jacinta is a half-breed (Mexican/Navajo) scout-type.  She's ranged all over the western territories, so the possibility for connections are pretty open.

I wanted to let everyone know that I’ve added character sheets to each player’s profile, so each of you can plug your information in as time permits. Let me know if any technical difficulties arise.

As an additional incentive for characters to forge ties with one another, I’ll award an extra advance to those who forge connections with one or more of their fellow posse members.

As a reminder, I’m happy to assist with any and all phases of character creation, so if I can be of service, don’t hesitate to let me know.

In the background, I’m in the process of preparing some local information/lore that some of you have access to by virtue of your background and/or position. As well, because a significant amount of the game’s action takes place there, I’m preparing a map of Lincoln for player reference. I will tell you up front: my map making skills are...functional. You’ll get something that provides an easy visual understanding of the town’s layout, but it's definitely not going to win any artistic awards.

Thanks again to everyone who signe on to take part. Looking forward to the game.

Vaguely.  Kate probably robbed a train or two and attacked a couple of rail gangs.  She didn't have a particularly long career at this kind of thing but it could have happened.

She might have torn up some of Jacob's works, or created the need for his services XD

Well, just put in all the details into my new character sheet...and they got lost. Time to do it again.

In reply to Marshal (msg # 19):

Rev. Allgood is coming west from Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, and the Tribal Lands. He's been an itinerant preacher, spreading God's Word, helping out in various churches when needed. He had brothers on both sides in the War.

Always handy to have a man o' God around in times like these.

A quick house rule/side note:

I’ve noted that in the construction of your characters, most of you haven’t invested points into the Guts skill, which is referenced in the current edition of the Deadlands: Reloaded rules.

Guts is a skill that measures a given character’s ability to resist Fear. The current iteration of the Savage Worlds rules utilizes Fear Checks which use a Spirit roll to determine success or failure.

Although the Guts skill can measure an individual’s experience in confronting the supernatural horrors of the setting, I’ll be honest in saying that I find its inclusion a little redundant. As the game progresses, characters can utilize advances to increase their Spirit die, which is a roughly analogous process.

So, I plan on handling Fear Checks the way they are outlined in the base Savage Worlds rules, meaning that you’ll utilize a Spirit roll to resist the effects of Fear. Any Edges or Hindrances you might have that are listed as modifying Guts rolls will serve to modify your Spirit rolls instead.  Grit will act as a positive modifier on Spirit rolls.

If you happen to have invested points toward Guts during the creation of your character, feel free to apportion those points toward another skill of your choosing.

Hello everyone!

I'm new to Deadlands but I've played Savage Worlds before, so I may need a bit of hand holding, but I tend to catch on pretty quick. I'm currently trying to solidify my character concept and will get back to you once oi do :P

Well, howdy, newbie! Reckon we got a whole mess o' friendly folk here who're willin' to help.

Welcome to the game, Tamsin.  :)

Welcome, Tamsin!

A quick update: Based on the progress made on character sheets, my current plan is to start the game early next week, either Monday or Tuesday. If that’s not realistic for anyone, just let me know. I can adjust as needed.

I’ve spent a portion of the weekend working out the details on a couple of player characters and finalizing some information for the game’s opening chapter. So, it looks as though I will have the game’s opening post rolled out on Tuesday evening. I really appreciate everyone’s patience with me and the work and thoughtfulness that each of you have put into your individual characters. I’m looking forward to getting started.

Very excited!

Ditto.  :)

I will be playing an herbalist/healer type, if anyone needs more connections.

Do you work discretely? XD

I may not be good at lying, but discretion is something I have :)

I spent the weekend being a bit flu-ish, but seem to be improving.

Welcome, Tamsin.

Yes, welcome Tamsin!

And welcome to anyone else I may have missed welcoming previously.

In reply to Rev. Earnest Allgood (msg # 36):

Glad to hear you're feeling better!

I think you passed it over to me :P I just spent the last two days sleeping, but I think I've shook it off.

In reply to Tamsin River (msg # 39):

Hope you're past it now.

Btw, those visual aids are fantastic. Thanks for sharing!

IKR?  That's also amazing it all still exists.  Most of the Old West is lost to ruin, we only have a handful of the old Indian forts left and so many of the ghost towns are just gone.

I’m glad to know they were helpful. A journey to Lincoln is a genuinely fascinating experience, a bit like taking a trip back in time. For instance, the shelves of the Tunstall Store are stocked with goods that would have been for sale during the period the mercantile was active.

FYI, in case anyone missed it, there was an announcement earlier today that RPOL will be migrating to a new server, a move that I’m sure will benefit the whole community. However, it may result in the site being unavailable for a period of time. Of course, if there is an interruption, I’ll be ready to resume things here once the boards are back up and running again.

The dice roller has been configured. Apologies for the oversight.

Sorry for the wait on my part; it's been windstormy out here which is messing my internet. Looks like the worst of it is over so I'm just going to catch myself up :)

Note that it isn't currently recording each individual die. I think that's another option that can be included?

Fixed.

I'm not sure if there's still a target to be fired at with all the enemy movement and a couple of successful attacks?  I mean they're obviously still there but I'm not sure the occupants can see them?

Sorry I get lost without visuals sometimes...

Before I start opening new threads, I want to double check, just to be sure I don’t send anyone to the wrong place.

So far...

Jacinta Castillo and Jake McGraw —-> McGraw’s shop
Kansas Kate —-> The Thornton-Curry Saloon
Tamsin River —-> The Schoolhouse

If I’m incorrect, please let me know!

Al is still waiting to see if the good Reverend is going to take Al up on tour and checking out his new place of worship. Once that is finished, Al is going to start investigating what happened at the school. He's going to start by trying to find Mike Kibbee.

Correct on my end.  Kate's idea of taking the measure of this place is to see what the watering hole is like.

If nothing else Kate is trying to learn about this range war before courting one side or the other.  As a gun for hire that's prime economic opportunity.

Bryan will be heading off to the Montaño store

Apologies for my momentary silence. I was contending with a veterinary emergency. I should be able to move everything forward this evening.

Oh no! I hope everything turns out okay!

Same. Hope all is well with you!

It got rough for a little while, including an overnight stay at a veterinary hospital, but everything's improved, overall. I just need to keep a close watch for the next few days.

Thanks for the well wishes. :)

Yikes! Hope everything with your pet and/or herd turns out well! Sounds like you have things well in hand, though.

Good to hear!

On a lighter note, I knew there was a number for Pace in this game, and I’ve noted a similar mechanic in other games, but it only just occurred to me that the number had a function. If you thought I might help save your life, I might have news for you...

Glad the prospect is good.

Man, it feels good to be playing a Mad Scientist type who isn't a Doubting Thomas.

I really appreciate the fact that McGraw breaks the “typical” Mad Science mold on several levels. It’s one of the things that make him such a compelling character.


:D It’s important to have priorities.

For anyone interested, the current Bundle of Holding is Deadlands Reloaded focused.

There are two separate pdf bundles, a ton of material for a lot less than you'd pay at sticker price.

Trouble is, I own most of it already, either in PDF or physical copy.

For someone who’s new to Deadlands: Reloaded, it’s a really great entry point. Helps benefit a worthy cause, too.

On the other hand, I have to confess I’ve been somewhat curious about Feng Shui 2 for a while. I might take the plunge on that offer.

I figured as much in your case :)

There's a bit of that bundle I don't have, but I'm on a self imposed moratorium for new books, etc. right now.  My willpower has held out so far.

Just so everyone is aware, I’m working on linking some of your narrative threads together, as several of you are headed to the same destinations. Which, honestly, is a good thing, as it will give you an opportunity to compare notes on what you’ve learned. Just bear with me as I try to make the whole thing as seamless as possible.

If you want to move Jake to the meetup, I don't think there was anything more I planned to do except follow those last directions I got.

Just updated my last post to be more interactive with Jake.

A quick question for those in the saloon, discussing a visit to the schoolhouse. The answer can be discussed here, or in-character, as desired.

Keep in mind that it’s now sunset in Lincoln County. Do you want to make your visit now, under the cover of darkness, or wait until tomorrow to explore the building?

Sunset already? Dang. Albert will need to drop off something at home and check in with his family. Then he'll be able to start spelunking. Night time would be generally preferred as it will be dark underground, regardless.

I wasn't aware it was that late, either, but if Albert's going at night, I can't in good conscience let him go alone.

Only low down snakes and soiled doves of ill repute are out so late.  So Kate's in.

Or whenever.

Makes Bryan's decision easier. He can go cave diving at night and visit the Sheriff in the morning.

I may be a little scarce this weekend, FYI.

Just FYI, I amended my most recent post to account for Ranger Lee’s check for unwanted observers.

I just want to double check, to ensure I'm not holding up any part of the proceedings. Those that have descended into the tunnel (Albert, Kate, Tamsin), are you advancing down the corridor, or are you remaining where you are, waiting for the rest of the group to join you?

I was thinking we'd wait, as others have indicated their desire to join us. Particularly 'Weedkiller' McGraw, who has a whole contraption set up for dealing with vegetable foes.

Ah, alrighty. Sorry, didn't know you were waiting on me.

We're not specifically waiting for only you. However, Albert did make it clear what they had discovered in the hole and his (and presumably Kate's) intentions. I was hoping to either have people say they were going to join or not before proceeding.

The General also asked us to wait, so Weedkiller certainly isn't our lone holdup. I expect the Rev will also want to make a decision once he's gathered a few more facts (or fictions, depending on the case).

Basically, Bryan didn't know who would be joining them so he wanted to guard their six, so to speak. He's a bit more relaxed now that it's just the Rev and not someone with hostile intentions.

He's eager to join the party down below and get moving, but the Reverend has lots of questions. :)

Yeah Kate was holding until everything topside was okay.  It seems to be, so she'll start moving in now per IC post.

Murphy’s Laws of Combat Operations

28. Incoming fire has the right of way.

Where are we?  (The people who didn't want  to ruin stealth rolls lol)

This is how I have each of your positions at present:

• Kate and McGraw are currently on the covered porch, having not yet entered the house.
• Castillo and River are in the common room, near the front door, dealing with Segovia.
• Lee and Cooper have moved to the closed door on the right hand wall of the common room and are about to open it.
• Allgood is at the back door of the house.

If I have anyone accounted for incorrectly, just let me know. I will update the Group 0 Map this evening, probably after I handle Cooper and Lee proceeding further into the house.

I updated my post a little bit to include some pre door-banging dialogue.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:40, Wed 09 May 2018.

Incidentally, unless I receive information to the contrary, I’m working on the assumption that Reverend Allgood will continue to beat on the farmhouse’s back door until someone opens it to allow him inside.

OOC...some of yall should recognize Segovia. I think at least Kansas Kate should.

Well Kate just literally came inside, and he's in the back room, I'm giving it a little space.

I'll be leaving town Wednesday 5/16 to go up to Connecticut to see my daughter awarded her PhD from Yale University. I'll be back on 5/23. I don't expect to be able to post during that time.

Wow! Congrats to her on the PhD!

I hope everyone is enjoying a nice Mother’s Day.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:01, Sun 13 May 2018.

Yes indeed! Happy mother’s day to any mothers in the group, and to the mothers OF any of the group.

Kansas Kate, absolutely loved that last post.

In reply to Bryan Lee (msg # 94):

Hehe thanks.  Trying to play the Reluctant Hero/Outlaw Hero without being "OMG so edgy!" is hard.

Kate's more of a victim of her own self concept than anything, or at least I try to work it that way.

TIL Vampire Watermelons are indeed a thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...kins_and_watermelons

Yup. That was something those of us who were in that particular game learned, as well.

Yeah, that was quite the interesting episode. It's not very often you're asked to commit fructocide in an RPG.

So was it edible afterwards? Or did the vampirism spoil the fruit?

I'm confused. Is everyone in Room #4 where Allgood saw the child through the window? Or am I alone there while everyone else is in Room #3 with the desk and shelves?

Everyone else is in Room 3, presumably except for Allgood who is looking for a child that may or may not exist.

Everyone else is in Room 3, presumably except for Allgood who is looking for a child that may or may not exist.

Correct.

As an addendum, at the moment, Kansas Kate and Jacinta Castillo are still in the Common Room, Room 1, scaring the living hell out of Segovia.

Edit: I'll do my best to update the map this evening with everyone's current positions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:51, Tue 15 May 2018.

The Group 0 Map has been updated.

To verify my understanding: Kate is planning to stay upstairs and guard Segovia. Correct?

Indeed.  And maybe scare the crap out of him a little bit more.

Kate, I'm going to be disappointed if he hasn't soiled himself by the time we're back with the kids.

Oh I plan to go full Batman.  I only regret there's no buildings to dangle him off of.

A quick question, just to ensure that I’m not misreading anything. Based on how I read the last handful of posts:

1. Lee was the only one (thus far) who entered the storage room and saw the bodies.
   
2. In typical Texas Ranger “What supernatural? There’s nothing supernatural here.” fashion, he didn’t mention the inhuman nature of one of the corpses, simply reporting that, ”There's a couple corpses back there.”

So, despite what everyone knows by virtue of peeking behind the fourth wall, in-character, I think only Lee is aware of the fallen monster at this stage.

Or am I  wrong? Feel free to correct my understanding as needed.

That is how I understand it. Albert did not accompany Bryan to the body room.

Ah. My bad. edited.

In discussing the current scene in the cellar with one of the posse members, I realized that I'd done a poor job of accurately describing what the heroes see, leading to some potential confusion. That's completely on me. I apologize for the oversight.

For clarification:

The "cradle" descends all the way to the chamber's floor. Due to the thickness of the collected vines, there's a "carpet" of weeds that are a foot to a foot and a half thick. But the stone floor is directly beneath them. The children aren't suspended up in the air. No climbing of any kind would be required to reach them.

Also, just for everyone's information, to prevent things from getting too narratively confusing, I'm planning on moving Kate and River into their own, separate thread later this evening.

I do love that Albert's had his pistol in hand for pretty much the entire thread. And the instant he holsters it...

Guns are overrated anyway. Just punch 'em!

Black Mage: You ever get the feeling that universe is a vast, impersonal emptiness that exists to only hurt you?

Red Mage: Yes, it's how we know DM is doing his job.

— 8-Bit Theater

Marshal, here and elsewhere you've got poignant quotes for days.

And the quotes wisely steered clear of any OOC comments that were bearly worth his time.

When OOC topics are unbearable, it seems he tends to hibernate.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:28, Wed 23 May 2018.

Are you guys pulling more of this unbearable pun business again? I bear-ly kept my sanity through the last run and, as noted, I didn't even participate.

Lack of participation suggests high levels of both intelligence and maturity.

Will you be NPCing the Reverend on his action in absentia? If so, I request that he kindly not find any surfaces upon which to loudly bang.

The Reverend will never live that down, will he?

Highly unlikely.

If I NPC him, my intention is to have him dash back to the cellar, grab a pair of metal tools out of the crate that McGraw discovered, and bang them together repeatedly in hopes of attracting any help that might be in hearing range.

Well, never say never. We just need someone else to top that, but to be honest circling 'round back and banging on the door for dear life while the rest of your party is sneaking in is pretty hard to beat.



I understand completely. You have to stay in character.

"Queerest thing I ever done?  Well... there were this one time a Chinaman Texas Ranger done asked me to cut a preacher's thumbs off when he weren't lookin'.  Ah tell ya this preacherman, when ah finally caught 'im, were banging away on some bushels screaming somethin' about that ain't workin' that's the way ya do it... Hardest three cents I ever made.  After that I gave up bein' a outlaw gunfighter, that was too damn weird."

I read that as Chainsaw Texas Ranger at first. Not sure if I’m disappointed or relieved that’s not what you sad.

It actually makes stealth rolls for the rest of the party really easy, right?

Unless they're opposed by Notice rolls for someone inside the house who might not have known anyone was there, but then was made very well aware.

Glass half-full, man. It's half full.

I agree that there's still some liquid in the glass, but I wouldn't drink it. The last bit is usually backwash.

Alcohol sanitizes the backwash. A good half-drink should never go to waste.

I'm heading out next Tuesday 6/12 for Columbus Ohio and the Origins Game Fair. Not likely to have time to look in while I'm spending all my time running and playing games.

Should be back in touch Monday 6/18 or so.

As mentioned elsewhere...


...I'm certainly open to Cooper taking an action prior to the final stalker taking flight, up to and including retconning what little would need to altered to accommodate that request. Just drop me a PM. I'll be sure to hold off moving things in that thread forward until I hear from you.

Sorry, I couldn't tell if it was something done to end combat in a timely matter or otherwise.

I PMd you with the results of Albert's (very accurate) pistol shot.

I’ve modified my most recent post in the Lincoln, Sunset thread to reflect our esteemed Gun Wizzerd sending the last of the stalkers to its just reward.

Jake, if I could ask: If you wouldn’t mind, since you’re the guy with the flamethrower, could you edit your last post to include burning the last stalker to a crisp, along with the sacks of seeds? Neither will require any sort of roll from you. Your gizmo’s flame bolt packs plenty of punch to destroy both the fallen creature and the seeds easily.

As I don’t like to put words in peoples’ mouths, if everyone else that’s in that thread could look over their most recent posts and modify them to fit with the new resolution to the battle, I would appreciate it. Once that’s done,  I’ll merge everyone back into one thread to reunite the group upstairs.

Just as a side note, if someone is planning on questioning Segovia in the near future, a successful Healing roll will be needed to revive him, since Kate essentially beat him to a pulp.

I’m going to keep the current thread open for the next day or so, in case anyone has any last minute business they need to conduct, then I’ll bring this chapter to a close.

I’m working on the assumption that the group intends to return the children to their individual families as quietly as possible, avoiding as much attention about the rescue as possible. If I’m incorrect about that, please let me know.

I believe that's the plan generally.

There's still some question of what to do with Segovia that needs to be answered before closing the thread, I think. Cooper wants him shot and Kansas Kate plans to use him as bait, Lee is undecided at the moment, procrastinating a bit.

Understood. I'll leave things be for the time being, until a decision on Segovia's immediate fate can be reached.

In all seriousness, I do propose using the prisoner to lure out anyone who would try to free him and set up an ambush, give our Ranger a good pretext for arresting anyone who would have the audacity.  Basically let's take advantage of the fact there's not really a good way to hold him.

But that's Kate's style.

In an attempt to be helpful, I might suggest that if the group wants to keep Segovia a prisoner at some location other than the jail in the Courthouse, they might consider one of the friendly ranches, such as the Cooper's place, or potentially (as McGraw suggested), the former Tunstall property, now operated by Susan McSween.

As well, either Michael Kibbee Sr. or Renata Montaño might be able to offer suggestions for Segovia's confinement.

In any case, I'll give the group the next day or so to finalize a plan. If things drag past that, a third party with an interest in Segovia's incarceration will likely come calling.

I injured my arm on Monday, coming away with what the doctors are telling me is a small fracture in my radial bone near my elbow.

While I'm feeling a lot better than I was the last few days, I still need to see the doctor I was referred to. I have an appointment tomorrow, so by then I should know just how much writing I'm going to be able to do in the coming weeks.

My arm feels mostly fine when at rest, but I can't put any weight on it, push up or hold things without it suddenly getting weak/painful. I also can't hold it straight...the best I can get is about a 45 degree angle. I can also only lift it to shoulder height. I seem to be able to type fine, but don't want to test repetitive motions like typing for long periods without a doctor's feedback.

So yeah. I'm posting this in every game I'm in so folks know what's up.

Ouch! Truly sorry to hear that! No worries here. Take your time and feel better.

In reply to Jake McGraw (msg # 142):

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Is it yer shootin' arm? 'Cuz if it ain't, yer still useful 'round these parts. If it is...learn ta draw with the other hand. Might need ta shift yer belt around a bit ta get at yer weedkillin' supplies. But, where there's a will, there's a way.

But seriously, pardner, rest that arm, and I hope the doc gave you some mighty fine drugs.

Okay, a quick update/request:

I’m about to draw the two current threads that are currently active to a close and move the game forward to the next chapter. To do that, I’m going to need some input from everyone here.

I’ll need to know where each of you is planning to start the following day, along with anything specific you might be aiming to accomplish, whether it’s related to the recent goings on with “The House” and the difficulties in Lincoln, or not. It is entirely up to you. You can certainly select a setting that allows for some character development, in whatever direction you’d like to take your persona.

Let me know your preferences here or via PM if you’d rather. Once I’ve gotten some feedback, I’ll get the new threads started.

Kate suspects, because she'd do the same, El Pendejo's friends are going to form up a posse in town to rescue him, or alternatively start reprisals against the people for hiring The Three Amigos.  She'd be somewhere she could watch the trouble begin...

Jacinta will be wherever she's needed to provide backup.  She'd primarily want to find out more about the feud and who is on what side, and to make sure no more innocents get wrapped up in it.

She's also still looking for work and a payday.  (A girl's gotta eat.)

Albert will start the day at his family's ranch, though once his chores are complete and he's had a chance to talk with his aunt and uncle, Al will make his way to go talk with Renata Montaño.

He'll also be keeping his eyes open for Jacinta, in the hopes of getting the chance to chat with her about nothing important.

Edit: He also wants to speak in private with any of those that brought the children back, mostly to hear what happened with that group.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:26, Thu 12 July 2018.

Before going to bed at night, Bryan wants to review the correspondence he took from the Blair farm (between Blair and other people), peruse the English language books he grabbed as for their subject matter, and look at any of the other random papers from on top of the desk that he grabbed to see if there's anything of importance or significance to glean from them.

The next morning he will probably start out the day at the Patron House to talk to Montano for a bit, will inquire about sending a telegram or mail out, and probably eventually needs to go meet Brady before too late.

I'm not trying to make it overly solo focused here, but as a Ranger he owes the local law a courtesy call (even if he suspects that they are corrupt), and he wants to judge Brady's temperament himself.

Tamsin is going to bring all the plant material she managed to grab at the house over to Ava Winter

Allgood hopes for a (perhaps warm) supper and a good night's sleep.

The next morning he will press his appeal to serve as interim (at least) minister at the church, starting with Mr. Kibbee.

I'm suddenly finding Chinese martial artists very sexy.

In reply to Jacinta Castillo (msg # 153):

Sounds like it paid off! A bath and a shave after a long journey will work wonders.

Does a mirror come with that upgrade so you can stare at yourself longingly?

Hello! My arm is getting good enough to post again, so I wanted to know what I've missed in the meanwhile. That way I have a better clue of what Jake has been up to.

I don't know what's going on in anyone else's thread, but Jacinta is scouting for cash.

Also, Bryan is prettier now.  Don't stare too deeply into his eyes or you might fall in love.

Kate stayed in town, suspecting the bad guys would assemble the next day and was not disappointed.  She is now committing an act of severe dumbassery.

He has a smoldering gaze. It's one of his powers.

Reverend, I should have a thread set up for you by tomorrow at the latest.


In a manner of speaking, you haven’t missed anything. When the post-rescue threads wound down, I made the following request:


So far, everyone has had their own individual paths to follow. So, anyone that hasn’t provided me with any direction has essentially just been static. Once you let me know what activities McGraw has planned, I’ll get a thread set up for him.

I figure Jake wants to reassure the family he helped out yesterday that the weed situation was done, and maybe go see Alice Meyers and see what the Tunstall crew is getting up to.

I thought you were kidding, but no, you can actually go for attractive. I thought I had seen it all.


Tamsin has a bunch of plants that need examining.

In reply to Tamsin River (msg # 162):

In all honesty, I had taken the Edge earlier in my character creation, hoping that being a good looking person might help offset some of the stranger elements of Lee's personality that might make him offputting (basically, trying to game the Hot/Crazy graph).

But when I calculated our recent advance, I caught a mistake I had made, so I self-reported to the Marshal and rearranged things so that I had to make Attractive my most recent choice rather than an earlier one. But it is street legal, so to speak.

Now I'm going to double down on it and take Very Attractive for his next advance. Lee will keep getting hotter and hotter.

Sorry for not being around. Real Life has been picking at my liver, not anything big, but one little problem after another -- the Death of a Thousand Cuts.

I think I have it beaten back for now.

Will try to get caught up today.

Sorry to hear that things have been a struggle of late. I'm really glad to know that it's getting better.

Incidentally, I've been keeping tabs on the pulse of this game over the last couple of weeks and I think it's possible that I might need to bring a new player or two on board. However, before I post an ad for such, if anyone here has a recommendation, someone that they think might make a good addition, please send a private message my way.

Any particular player traits that are more or less important to you?

Not especially. I was primarily thinking in terms of of players or GMs that any of you had a good experience with, who you believed might be a good fit for this game. Honestly, I would give sincere consideration to anyone that someone here recommended.

I’m not necessarily sold on the idea of bringing new people on board at this point, but it is something I’m giving some serious thought to.

lol as Kate launches the worst plan ever improvised

Well, I’m already thoroughly entertained.

I wanted to let everyone know that Jake McGraw’s player has elected to withdraw from the game. His contributions will most assuredly be missed.

So long, Jake.

White Chip

12:31, Today: Bryan Lee rolled 7 using 1d35, rerolling max with rolls of 7.

For those interested...

New Savage Worlds Coming to Kickstarter

Yeah, I saw that. I'll probably wait to see what sorts of changes are going to come out before I pick it up. Savage Worlds Deluxe has worked pretty well for me so far, and I already have it.

I'm genuinely curious, but I'd have to agree that the current edition has worked quite well for all the games that I've run and played in that use it.

I'll confess that I'm mainly interested in seeing what they do with the chase rules. I've never gotten completely comfortable with the existing iteration, so I'd like to see how they're changing those up.

Well the changes will be free, it'll be just like Explorer's Edition has a free "patch" to upgrade it to Deluxe edition.  And I think the original edition even had a similar document but I didn't even know SW was a thing at that point.

You pretty much only need the new book if you're a SW superfreak like me.

Okay, I'm about to split people back into separate threads, but I need to make certain I know where everyone is headed:

• Kate - I'm going to start you off in the woods. I'm sure you'll figure out where you're going from there.
• Bryan - I believe you're headed to the Thornton-Curry.
• Albert - Spoiler: The deputies are about to spit a few curses about losing their quarry. Do you want to stick with them, or do you have another destination in mind?
• Jacinta - I know Bryan invited you to join in his discussion with Desiree Thornton at the saloon. Are you headed there, or was there somewhere else you wanted to go?
• Reverend Allgood - I believe you're going back to the doctor's office with Earl Wood to check on Michael Kibbee.
• Tamsin - You're still on the mountain with Ava Winter. (I just didn't want you to feel left out.) :)

Just let me know your preferences and I'll set up your thread accordingly. If I'm assumed something incorrect with regard to anyone's destination, don't hesitate to correct me.

Thanks for the spoiler alert. As you suspect, Albert will stay with them for a bit.

lol well my immediate plan involves A) Hiding and B) Waiting, at least a little while...

Marshal, that's correct. Bryan will be headed to the Thornton-Curry Saloon to investigate further.

Jacinta will stick with Bryan.

I am the “march to the beat of your own drum” person, according to my colleagues, so I suspect I wouldn’t have noticed being left out :P

Before they break up, Algood tells Lee and the Slaights about the attack on Kibbee. Then, he returns to the doctor's office.

I’m curious. Has anyone here happened to read any of these?

https://us.macmillan.com/series/deadlands/

I own the first volume, as I’m fond of some of Jonathan Maberry’s other work, but I’ve never gotten around to paging through it. I was just wondering if anyone else here had given one of these books a try.

Question: I’ve noticed in a couple of threads that I’ve thrown quite a few names at people. In other games that I’ve run, I’ve maintained a thread that collected all of the important names and information that characters have uncovered in one place, for easy reference. Would such a thread be helpful here?

I think it would be.

Hmmm...

https://www.peginc.com/savage-...inal-rules-previews/

Yeah a list of names of people is usually useful if nothing else.  I think more people would do them it's just hard to keep up with it all.

In reply to Marshal (msg # 185):

Lists are good.

Sorry for the late response - I certainly think this would be helpful.

I appreciate the feedback. In my experience, players that get confused regarding the plot, or the cast of relevant characters, lose interest pretty quickly. Since I already have some concerns on that front here, I want to do what I can to address it.

I should have something up for everyone's reference within the next few days.

I have to confess, I’m not sure how much like Deadlands this might feel, but it is intriguing.

https://www.kickstarter.com/pr...dition/posts/2320451

In reply to Marshal (msg # 192):

To me it sort of sounds like slapping the Deadlands brand onto a basically unrelated and incompatible game.

Wonderfully twisted takes on genres is sort of what Pinnacle does well.  I don't think it's so much you should expect sixguns in medieval England as maybe exploring the implications of the Deadlands universe throughout history.

Though it is a bit of a retcon (much like Deadlands Noir), according to at least Classic edition books, actual magic was incredibly rare until the 19th century, though it's acknowledge to have existed.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:48, Sun 21 Oct 2018.

In reply to Kansas Kate (msg # 194):

I really like Deadlands Noir because it grows organically out of the original setting. Besides the PI of the 20s/30s/40s is pretty much the descendant of the gunslinger riding in to clean up the town (see Red Harvest).

I've honestly wanted to take a crack at running Deadlands: Noir at some point in the future. Kenneth Hite's Demon Rum campaign, which is set in Chicago, makes good use of some of the prominent organized crime figures, and crimefighters, of the period, like Al Capone and Eliot Ness.

This is pure speculation, bu I'm guessing that Deadlands: Dark Ages will likely involve some prior attempt by the manitou to invade and overtake the world. One that is (presumably) turned back by the heroes and heroines.

Had Dark Ages carried the Weird Wars or even the Rippers tag, I don't think I would have been quite as surprised. Goff did a good job with Noir though, so it'll be interesting to see what he comes up with for this setting.

I ran a Deadlands Noir campaign set in New Orleans on here for a while. It was fun while it lasted. I used a bit of Mafia intrigue and some old New Orleans legends.

I remember that game! :)

Honestly, my chance at running Noir (or one of the other settings I've been contemplating) might come sooner rather than later. I've developed some concerns over the longevity/viability of this enterprise in recent weeks, and I'm considering putting in on hiatus, or closing it down. That's not set in stone, but it's part of my thought process.

We'll see how it goes.

I myself had an idea many years ago for a Prohibition era game where you played as Confederate moonshiners (and Yankee opportunists) smuggling illegal hooch across the USA/CSA border.  But I never got beyond that.

Noir is a neat setting but the games in it just don't seem to "stick".  I myself see no way I'd never run it, I'm not sure what I'd even do with it.

But it is a retcon, strictly speaking.  Magic users and mad science shouldn't exist to such an extent in the Noir period.  But if they want to keep retconning cool things into different eras, I'm actually completely okay with that haha.

I could be completely off base with this comment, but I can’t help wondering if Noir’s emphasis on investigation might be off putting for some players. Even the sourcebook makes it clear that it’s striving to emulate the hard boiled crime/police/private eye stories of the era. A lot of Savage Worlds settings tend to emphasize a steady flow of pulp flavored action, which the system excels at bringing to life. Maybe for some, Noir, with its focus on detective work, just doesn’t feel like a good “fit”.

It’s not hard to imagine Dark Ages being heavy on the combat side.

In reply to Marshal (msg # 200):

Sorry for the delayed in character post; it's been a helluva week...or six.

As far as Dark Ages though, I think it's a curious endeavor with some potential. The Old Ones sealed off the Hunting Grounds at the end of the Middle Ages, so Dark Ages presumably would be in the time period before that was sealed off. It's really the only time period that they could go back to before the Weird West and still keep it 'Deadlands.' Dark Ages will be what happens when Deadlands gets Medieval.

I can see a good place for Blessed and Shamans to be around, and pretty powerful. You could also get a little bit Fantasy here and have some type of wizards in lieu of Hucksters.

My Deadlands Noir ran for almost exactly four years with 2-4 players, two of them all the way through.

*thumbs up emoji*

Hell, a friend of mine made a Werewolf the Apocalypse game last for years.  And I think that's one at best a D grade game, mechanically at least (the setting and lore are interesting even if the tribes are kind of... weird, but at least they're interesting and different weird!).

As a quick heads up, I intend to bring most of the current threads to a close in short order. We're at a point where it's appropriate for the group to reconvene and compare notes on their findings. At this point, I anticipate everyone gathering at Desiree Thornton's saloon, as it is one of the "safe spots" for those that oppose Murphy and "The House". (Kate can sneak in the back door, which is almost becoming a tradition where she's concerned.) Thorton's place is also an establishment where a handful of honest Lincoln residents go to wait out the passage of the phantom wagon train.

Also, my apologies for running behind, but I should have the previously promised list of important citizens of Lincoln posted for everyone's reference by the weekend.

A good a place as any, with Bryan and Jacinta already there. I look forward to linking back up with the other PCs.

Are you saying she likes the back door?

Albert will make his way to the group gathering, of course. I don't think he has any more chores on his uncle's list. Mucking the stables was the worst. I assume everyone else's thread was also 'a slice of old west life'?

Definitely. After waking up next to local schoolmarm, Bryan did the walk of shame back to his room at the Patron House. He took a shot of the house tequila, washed up, silently meditated for thirty minutes, and began practicing his Wing Chun forms before having a good breakfast. He then read a few pages from The Odyssey, ignoring the occasional distraction like gunshots and the like.

I think I've lost a day. Is it the day AFTER the guy got shot in the saloon?

No. It’s the evening of the same day.

I meant to post this yesterday but my involvement on site is going to be limited for at least a week.  I have a training conference this week and then am responsible for putting on a company wide reception and finishing a drive for a non profit.

About the time I finish all of that, I have a very difficult examination to take Monday the 10th which I've been preparing for for some time.  Pass or fail, I need to give it the best effort I can so my focus will be on it this weekend.

Here’s hoping that the week goes as smooth as possible. Rooting for you on the exam!

In reply to Kansas Kate (msg # 210):

Best wishes, Kate.

Okay I'm easing back into the site, I'll put Kate in the main thread once she's concluded her latest dirty deal.  Knowing how that worked out would greatly change what she might tell the others and all that.

Were her dirty deeds, by any chance, done dirt cheap?

Hey, blame the ridiculous chase system that allows for something like that. I thought I had her caught when I got 5 successes on my roll. But apparently that doesn't actually mean anything. I'm not really a fan of the system, but it is what it is...

*cough* Well, um, there’s also this...

Hey, I didn't read the other thread. I was just going on what Bryan saw :)

Also, I edited my post a little bit. I realized belatedly that it came across like he was being a bit dickish to Cooper, which wasn't the intention in his tone. Bryan is polite nearly always.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:40, Thu 13 Dec 2018.

Oh, no. With regard to what actually occurred south of town, Lee can only go by his own suspicions, or whatever Cooper chooses to reveal to him. Even if Cooper elects to oppose Lee’s Smarts roll with something like Persuade, and Lee ends up with more successes, it’ll only serve to strengthen the notion that there was more to Kate’s escape than just the outlaw’s cleverness.

Yeah, but that was at the very end, after the deputies decided to shoot first and ask questions later.

Albert was quite keen on lassoing the, er, lass at first, figuring that would keep her from getting shot by anyone and would allow what he expected to be a reasonable explanation to come forth.

But he rolled a 24 for his chasin-someone-with-a-mount while on horseback. 24. that's a pretty good roll. d6+2, I might add. The horse only adds +2. Even though, let's see - horses gallop at an average of 30 miles per hour...carry the one...divide by 17...Usain Bolt was able to achieve 27.8 mph.

Like I said, not terribly fond of the chase rules, but you can't really say that he should have caught someone while on horseback when that's not how the mechanics are written.

Plus, there were trees. Those slow horses down considerably.

In reply to Bryan Lee (msg # 214):

Look we've already established she's a back door man... woman... okay is that one of those times when "man" is generic or not?

Damn you English for eliminating the male specific pronouns four+ centuries ago and leaving us in this confusion and mire!

Sorry. I hope I didn’t come across as trying to defend Savage World’s chase system. Because I’m not. Honest.

It’s a strange beast. Although a faster vehicle/mount grants a character a static bonus, and static bonuses tend to be powerful within the system, the fact remains that all successes gain you is the ability to make card draws. And if your card draws aren’t strong, you can still end up being unable to act meaningfully against the character you’re pursuing. Cooper’s high roll is a perfect example of that.

Sure, situationally in this case, we can blame the trees. In truth, southeastern New Mexico offers some pretty dense pine forests. But were this whole thing set in southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert, I might have had to be really creative in explaining how Kate managed to elude those chasing her.

I like the segmented way that the current edition of Call of Cthulhu handles chases, but I’m not certain that system could be easily translated into Savage Worlds. I know that the chase rules are one of the things undergoing revision with the new edition of Savage Worlds, and although I backed that Kickstarter, I have to admit I haven’t kept up with the posts detailing the proposed changes. I’m just holding out hope that whatever results ends up resulting in less potential for...outright weirdness.

Well I also am not one to say the chase system is perfect but remember it's not meant to be.  It's for expedient resolution of logistically complex scenarios.  I have historically fared poorly in them but I tend to do better on RPOL for some reason.

Anyway my point is that in real life, the police have every kind of pursuit tool or technology available but there's still incidents of criminals literally running away successfully.

About 4 or 5 years ago there was a news story about a bank robbery where the bank was 2 blocks from a police station in an area full of patrol cars, bike cops and motorcycle patrols.  The robber got away on foot, and I seem to recall he wasn't in goie physical shape but I may be misremembering.

The point being reality is more unrealistic than any result the chase system might give us.

A question.

The new Adventure Edition of Savage Worlds has been released. I've yet to give it a complete read through, but I have looked over sections that detail some of the significant changes between it and the prior iteration of the rules.

I'll be honest. I'm torn about it. There are changes I like and some that I don't. I suppose that's a common reaction to any new edition. My reservations aside, I was curious about how everyone felt about incorporating the Adventure Edition rules into this game.

Based on what I've absorbed thus far, making such a shift would essentially require "rebuilding" each character to conform to the new rules. Once I have a clear understanding of all of the alterations, I'll be perfectly happy to assist with individual conversions, or to reconstruct characters for those that don't have access to a copy of the Adventure Edition.

My thought was, if such a change is undertaken, we would do so after the events of the current chapter have been resolved, which would likely coincide with character advances. But, ultimately I want to follow the desires of the group. Do you folks want to make the move to Adventure Edition, or would you rather stick with ruleset we started with?

I'll take whatever direction the majority favors. Just sound off here and let me know your preference.

I haven't spent enough time looking at the new rules. Do they jive well with Deadlands: Reloaded? That would be my most significant concern at this point. Other than that, I'm good with either changing or staying - no strong opinion.

I haven't gotten my hands on the new rules, but I'm pretty open either way we go, and definitely interested in what the changes entail.

I think that's three for "either way".

I think it's better, but before I move into the new rules I'm waiting until it's out "in the wild" and not just in the hands of us Kickstarter backers.  I was going to wait until a free conversion guide was up for people who don't want to buy Adventure Edition.

You could switch over now, I've got the rules, but that's my opinion is wait a bit until it's out of early adopter status.

I believe so. The skill system has several alterations. One of the most notable is the idea of “Core Skills”, skills that every character automatically receives a d4 in. It’s a sound concept and it circumvents issues like protagonists making rolls for Climbing or Stealth at an automatic disadvantage. Several skills have been rolled together. The Athletics skill, for instance, encompasses Climbing, Swimming, and Throwing. For the most part, the changes seem well thought out.

No that I’m supportive of everything. Common Knowledge is now a skill rather than a Smarts roll, something I’d likely be tempted to house rule back to the prior edition. Streetwise is now an edge rather than a skill.

But there are some other cool changes that favor players. Bennies can now be used to reroll damage or to make a second initiative draw. I think those good additions to the players’ toolbox.

Overall, I think it will work well with Deadlands.


This is probably sound advice, which I’m going to take. The version that’s offered on DriveThruRPG has already been edited three times, so the product is still in a fluid state. Plus, I think waiting for the conversion guide is best, so no one’s forced into purchasing a book they may not want.

Once the goings on surrounding the courthouse are resolved, we can revisit the idea, depending on what state the Adventure Edition is in at that point.

In reply to Marshal (msg # 228):

Well, that sounds pretty cool overall. I'm changing my vote from open to solidly in favor of.

For purposes of tactical clarification, I will post a floor plan of the court house this evening, to give those there a better understanding of the building’s layout and entrances.

I'll hold off on posting then, as any suggestions Lee has will require him to understand his physical surroundings.

I've uploaded a layout of the interior of the courthouse as the Map for Group 1. Everyone should have access to it.

Note that the top map is the first floor, the bottom the second.

My streak of terrible dice roller luck across multiple games continued here, but was just broken hopefully.

For clarification for those outside, in Lincoln’s Main Street: The recent events at the Sheriff’s Office (walls being blown out, Regulators running headlong into a group of undead gunfighters) will occur a split second after Kate has the opportunity to act.

Is talking free?

It is. I mean, as long as you’re not trying to recite the Gettysburg Address or deliver an Academy Awards “Thank You” speech. Brief dialogue falls within the realm of free actions.

Based on the creature's description, does it qualify as a Large creature (and therefore +2 to attacks against it)?

The Marshal’s Handbook gives the Bone Fiend’s size as +3, which roughly equates to a Kodiak. However, the description of the critters, especially regarding their multiple limbs, suggests something that is larger. I’ll go ahead and call it Large, so the +2 bonus applies.

Bryan, since you’re inside and Tamsin’s outside, you can go ahead and proceed with your action.

I want the trapping for Lee's Damage Field to be E Honda's hundred hand slap:

Having been alerted to its presence, does Albert see the 'black skull in the middle' as Bryan stated? If so, what is the penalty to hit it?

13:54, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Albert Cooper, rolled 5,6 using 1d6+2,1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Notice.

Albert, if you had already made the previous Notice roll I asked for after the fiend’s explosion, I wasn’t able to find it. Let me know if you did and I’m just being dense and overlooking it. Otherwise, you can use the one above, which I added a bonus to for Lee’s “callout”.

Amidst the rapidly reforming body of the bone fiend, Cooper can see a skull, black as pitch, giving off a faint blue luminescence.

For damage purposes, the skull has a Toughness of 8. Shooting at it is treated in the same manner as a called shot to the head. With the bones working to build a protective shell around it, it isn’t possible to walk up and blast it at point blank range.

LOL, are we playing with critical failures?

If so, this will be a doozy.

17:41, Today: Albert Cooper rolled -3,-3 using d10-4,d6-4, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1.  Shooting (skull,LFB).

The bullet that is chambered is Loaded For Bear, so it can even cause magical problems.

If we aren't playing with crit failure, Albert will be rerolling that one...

Chavez y Chavez is resilient. He’ll bounce back.

Just to clarify a couple of potential questions: The bone fiend won’t fully reform (and be able to act) until it reaches its place in the initiative order on the following round. Also, the beast reforming does not undo the damage it received prior to exploding. Those wounds still stand.

If anyone hasn’t yet given me an initiative draw for the next round, please go ahead and do so.

Well, damn. At least only one of the damage dice aced.

I get to try fail again soon.


10:17, Today: Albert Cooper drew the single card: KD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Man, I feel you. My elven assassin in Evernight went from an ultra competent operator in concept to an occasional object of high comedy based on some of the botched rolls I made in that game.

On the good news front, nobody died or sustained any permanent injuries and Cooper, by virtue of his initiative draw, will likely get another crack at the beast before it reforms.

Speaking of Cooper getting another crack, since both Cooper and Lee go on the KD, I plan on holding Lee's action until Cooper takes his action.

He has a much better chance to hit the black skull than Lee does (the ranged TN will end up being lower than the melee TN to hit it).

Yet.

Okay. That’s fair. :)

A couple of housekeeping measures as we’re in the process of winding down the chapter:

• In honor of doing away with the undead invading Lincoln, everyone should take one advance. Note that this will move each character to Seasoned tank.
• Each of you should make a chip draw sufficient to put five chips in your hand. You’re welcome to discard any chips you have to make a fresh draw. Just let me know what you’re getting rid of.
• Note that I’m adding a Legend Chip to the pot, so use 1d36 for your draws. If you end up with an exploded roll, you’ll know the legend chip’s yours.
• Since each of you is of Seasoned rank, you should draw as many Adventure Cards as you need to put three in your hand. Like fate chips, you’re welcome to discard any unwanted cards and make a new draw, just let me know what you’re putting aside.

If any questions come up, please send them my way.

Yay the point in the game where everyone and their dog takes the Hip-Shooting Edge!

*not being literal

**though I've seen this happen

***more than once

Is Hip Shooting good?

Well of course it is.  The issue is people (often without a lot of experience in the system) think it's amazing.

You've seen someone's dog take hip shooting more than once? Impressive!



It is pretty solid, if you build a character around fanning the hammer. The penalty for fanning is -4 to all your shots. So you can fire off six shots all with a huge penalty, probably missing most, and then you're out of bullets.

So you need Speed Load to avoid having to waste actions loading. Hip Shooting takes the penalty down to -2. Then when you get Improved Hip Shooting, which eliminates the penalty altogether, it gets a little crazy as you can dump out six shots with no penalty.

So this is obviously the edge for me!

But just to expand on that:

Being really really good at fanning the hammer requires:

• A high Shooting
• Two Hip Shooting Edges
• The Speed Load edge as mentioned
• You use one of the statistically weakest weapons in the setting
• And though not a requirement it benefits a great deal from Trademark Weapon, Improved Trademark Weapon

So being really good at it is very expensive and leaves a character completely lopsided to do something that's a poor man's version of the Bolt power.

A character who builds around hip shooting exclusively is also going to lack in other important capabilities of the gunslinger archetype.

Given that Albert's already accidentally hit one of his friends, I think I'll go the exact opposite direction of just spraying bullets everywhere and take Marksman. Probably sub-optimal, but that's okay.

Marksman is quite good actually.

In reply to Kansas Kate (msg # 256):

I believe Bolt gets you 3 attacks at 2d6 damage vs. Fanning which can get you 6 at potentially 2d6+1 damage with the optimal worst gun, but definitely Bolt is much cheaper considering you can do it starting out of the gate with only one Arcane Background Edge (and there isn't the same risk of hitting your buddies on a 1 or a 2).

But yes, Marksman is fantastic - a solid choice. For example on fights like the last one, where you didn't necessarily have to move around a lot, you can really milk that flat +2 bonus and help make certain you're hitting with those Hexslinger bullets.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Thu 28 Mar 2019.

Static bonuses like Marksman offers tend to be pretty powerful in Savage Worlds. If you consider that an average shooting roll needs a simple success (a four or better) for a hit, the edge will enable you to hit on any roll but a one, provided you’re not moving. Couple that with the extra punch that Hexslinger bullets can pack and...well, you get the idea.

A question I wanted to propose to the group, since we’re at the close of a chapter:

As previously mentioned, the new edition of Savage Worlds, the Adventure Edition, is now available. I’ve given some thought to shifting this game to the updated ruleset, but I wanted to get some input from each of you regarding how you’d prefer to proceed.

We could:

• Stick with the Deluxe rules for now and continue without any alterations, revisiting converting to the new rules at a later date.
• Proceed with the changeover now, which would likely entail a hiatus of a couple of weeks while I absorbed the new edition’s changes. It would also involve switching characters over to the new rules. Those that have access to the Adventure Edition could undertake that changeover yourselves, while I could convert characters for those that don’t have the new book.
• Put the whole game on hiatus for a while, if you’ve had your fill of Deadlands and/or Lincoln County, New Mexico for now. We could take an extended break and then revisit the game in a few months to see if there’s interest in forging ahead.

Just let me know what your feelings are, either in this thread, or via Private Message. Once I’ve got a sense of the direction the majority are leaning towards, I’ll put the next step in motion.

I too am still learning some of the new details of Adventure.

I am okay with keeping things Deluxe, but honestly it's not so hard to "convert".  I think the major difference is we'd have to update our skill lists, probably, maybe trade in/trade out an Edge or two.

I'm definitely up for the story continuing!  But if you need a break to decide how you're going to do things that's A-Ok!

I'm enjoying the game and I'd like to continue with the current ruleset. While I have Adventure edition, I'm not sure how it works with the DLR-specific stuff. I think it's easiest/best just to continue as we are.

I'd love to keep the story going, as long as you're game. I'm too engaged to let this go.

If I had to lean one way or the other, I'd lean in favor of moving over to SWADE (but have no problem continuing in Deluxe). The bones of the system remain the same, and it seems like they've made some smart choices in simplifying things in some areas, while expanding options for GMs and players in other areas that seem very much in the spirit of the system's design philosophy.

It might require some tweaking of our sheets, but it shouldn't be a complicated endeavor. The rules haven't changed so significantly that anything from DL:R should be affected.

As long as you're good you continue, I'm game!

As for switching the rules, I don't know Deadlands well and have been learning the rules as I go so in that sense not much will be different for me, and thus I don't really have a preference.

Okay, based on the input I’ve received here, I’m going to proceed with closing up the current chapter, then get the next episode rolling. For the moment, I intend to stick with the Deluxe ruleset, though it’s likely that I’ll introduce certain changes from the Adventure Edition during the course of play (the way players can utilize bennies/chips jumps to mind). Most likely, I’ll make the final move to the new rules at the end of the upcoming installment.

I’m also considering putting up an ad for new players to see if we might bring one or two quality participants on board. If anyone here knows of a player they feel might make a good addition, please drop me a line and let me know.

Many thanks for everyone’s feedback and continued interest.

A quick note, intended for all that have taken the time to apply to the game: I appreciate your interest. I intend to take some time this weekend to reread and consider the applications I’ve received and will likely get in touch with everyone on Sunday. Thanks again for sending a RTJ my way.

It's a long, long trail a-winding...

And I'm going to take a different fork in the road, pardners.

I'll see you all around.

Best wishes to all.

It was nice to have you while you were here, best wishes!

x2

My sincere apologies. I’ve had a pet related emergency that overtook my Monday. To those that have applied to join the game, I anticipate getting answers to you tomorrow. Thanks for your patience in the meantime.

That doesn't sound good, I hope everything's okay with your pet!

I have had a few emergency trips to the vet in the last year as well. Everything turned out okay, but it's always a bit worrisome.

Thanks for the well wishes. The situation is a lot better today than it was yesterday morning.

Hello!

Glad to be here!

Working on the sheet and everything...  Basic idea is a Mad Scientist Bounty Hunter.  Not particularly out for justice or anything, just a good way to test his inventions in a useful way.  And free human subjects!  Marvelous!

Anyone want to have a background linkage with this adventurous, amoral inventor?

If all else fails, Tamsin could have patched him up at some point. (Or used one of his inventions, if he’s made anything useful for a herbalist).

Welcome to the game, Ezekiel.

Take part in the Rail Wars at all?

Welcome, Dr. Wayland!

If you've been in and around the Shan Fan area at all (where Lee was born), or really anywhere between there and Austin, or perhaps associated with Dixie Rails, there's a chance you might have encountered Bryan Lee. Lee used to work for the railroad before being recruited into the Texas Rangers, for whom he now works.

*takes copious notes*

Yes...  Yes...  I can see all the CONNECTIONS....

I'll work on my sheet and see what shakes out.  But, it is very likely that Dr. Wayland, being a Hired Lightning Gun as it were, could have been entangled in the Rail Wars in many ways.  And, life being so nasty, brutish, and potentially short, that he might have needed to enlist the services of a medico.  As for inventions, there is an Invention for Everyone!  I'm sure he could have made something useful and altogether dangerous as well....

It seems like Doctor Wayland is very much an Action Scientist who would have happily and destructively participated in the Rail Wars.

Both Cooper and Lee work with Dixie Rails?

Lee isn't involved with Dixie Rails any longer, but he worked for them some time back in helping lay down new track. Good hazard pay considering the Rail Wars. Of course, the Rangers didn't leave him much choice other than to join their number, so he and the railroad parted ways there.

Albert was Black River RR enforcement back in the day.

Hmmm...  Dixie Rails feels like the better fit for a New Scientist of the Confederacy.  But!  If I recall correctly, Dixie Rails and Black River often found themselves fighting on the same side in conflicts...working together.  Dr. Wayland would stand out; an independently wealthy adventurer wielding impressive New Science weaponry.  Most well known for his lightning gun, the Jupiter Fulgur.  Though unlucky folk on the receiving end likely called it by many other, less polite, names.  It was well known he was never in it for the money, he was in it for the adventure and excitement of it all.

Tamsin!  What about Dr. Wayland finding himself in whatever town he might have crossed paths with Tamsin while hunting a bounty?  After catching said bounty, he stayed to oversee repairs and harms caused by himself during said capture.  He didn't seem particularly sorry for any damage he caused people, but had a very certain sense of righting the wrong.  Like a simple balancing of debts.  A golfer filling in his divots.

To quickly clarify:

Tamsin River is headed to Ike Ellis’ place to speak with Martin Medrano about Jim McDaniels. Aileen Kearney is accompanying her.

Castillo, Cooper, Lee, and Bauer are planning to ride out to Angus, the ghost town southeast of Lincoln.

Kansas Kate is trying her best to get as deep into trouble as possible.

Does this sound correct? I don’t want presume wrongly and set someone up in a thread they don’t want to be in.

Minor Spoiler: The riders to Angus are due to encounter the newest addition to our cast.

Works for me chief!

Sounds good to me!

Minor correction

Newest addition?  Who is it?  OH!  It's me.  Right.  I knew that.

Cooper and/or Lee - Any particular background story from the Wars or just general knowledge of the existence and vague reputation of the others?

Correct!

As for Wayland- that sounds good as a connection. Maybe he trampled her garden out in SAN Patricio and helped with replanting.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:54, Tue 30 Apr 2019.

Tamsin - That sounds perfect!  With the realization that he did not actually do any actual gardening...  But paid some folk handsomely to repair and replant.  Though he would have made some suggestions based on some wonderful new scientific gardening experiments he had been reading about....

lol I think I just died

Cooper, just in case you missed it in msg #5:



It might've gotten lost in the larger post, but the intention was that this was the "all clear" for Coop, Jacinta, and Bauer to come join them.

Dammit. I didn’t just miss it once. But even on rereading.

Edit: Post edited. It makes a little more sense now.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Sun 05 May 2019.

I’m nearing the close of my run with Red Dead Redemption II and I have to say, there’s some part of me that wishes I could replicate the tone and character of the game here in Deadlands. But I’m not nowhere near as talented as the group of writers and creators that Rockstar were able to gather.

I've always wanted to play that series, but I don't want to invest in a console. Hopefully they'll a PC release for this version.

But don't give yourself short shrift here!

I have to confess I’m not certain why Rockstar never ported the original Red Dead Redemption to PC. In my mind, they were losing out on sales, especially in light of the fact that they had published so many of their other titles for computers. Hopefully, they’ll change course with the new installment.

And I really appreciate the kind encouragement, but honestly, if you ever experience the game, you’ll understand what I mean. These are some of the most well realized characters I’ve ever encountered in any medium. It’s truly a remarkable achievement.

Well couple things:

- Rockstar never ported Red Dead Redemption citing some unspecified technical issues.  I've read various speculations over the years and found somebody claiming once the engine they built the game in is something that's very difficult to port.  I am inclined to believe that.  Rockstar loves money but they love their reputation too, they are kind of like old school Blizzard who never released anything that wasn't polished to their own high standards.

Rumors abound however there's been a few Linked In links and datamining in the Red Dead Redemption 2 app that lends some clues they may put it on PC eventually, that and they made SO MUCH MONEY on the PC port of GTA V.

Rockstar has a strategy with PC ports.  Understand they don't care about the PC gamer, rather what they want to do, like they did with GTA San Andreas and GTA V, is sell the game twice to console players once on each platform.  If they happen to get some PC only players in the bargain that's just gravy.  So they will wait, if they do a PC release, until console players have sort of subsided.  They make the most money selling it on consoles so there's no reason not to wait until they're sure that well has run dry.

- You're doing great.  Look, let's say for the sake of argument some benefactor came along and offered to pay all of our regular salaries in exchange for us all working on the ultimate Deadlands campaign together.  Given a year don't you think we could come up with something really cool?  Pretty big advantage if you ask me.  Can't compare to what one person living a life with a job can realistically manage.

Also, video games have the advantage of pretty much forcing a story.  Now yes there are games with a very wide variety of choices, but ultimately even the most sprawling open ended narratives are still on rails.  You have to deal with the fact that we human being players are, well, kind of idiots who are going to go do stupid things like join the villains, haha.

Plus they're just noncomparable.  Rockstar does make great characters, but I can feel Kansas Kate's self-loathing, her cynicism, her desire to be somebody else but having no ideal how, but also her stoicism, her unrelenting confidence, and her ability to live in the moment.  I can see how she feels completely in control at all times, yet absolutely tethered to destiny. I can see how clean and sharp her Toothpick is, how the Schofield is perfectly oiled, how inhumanly fast and fluid her fingers move, like some kind of demon.  I can smell the sweat and black powder smoke that seems to cling to her always.  No video game will ever do that and I say that as someone who considers video games an art form.

*slow clap*

Well said!

I’ve lost interest in video games, and I’ve lost interest in other games, but your games always manage to keep my attention! I had no knowledge of the system or setting when I joined this game, but I figured if it was you and I was drawn in enough by your interest check that I’d better not pass up the opportunity.

Kate, I really appreciate your insight. It’s really sound.

Your point about the limitations of storytelling in video games is well taken. I truly love the medium, but you’re correct that, by nature, that format of storytelling has limitations that table top RPGs don’t. Even a game like RDR2, which encourages the player to roam and explore, ultimately has to “funnel” the player’s experience in a given direction in order to further the story. If the player doesn’t ultimately go where the game is guiding them, the next narrative chapter never materializes. So, without question, on the table top, you can assuredly explore depths of character you’d never draw close to on video game screen, even in your most stat heavy CRPG titles.

Even so (not that this was being debated in the first place), RDR2 is well worth any interested video gamer’s time. It’s a remarkable achievement on numerous levels. I haven’t gotten so caught up in a game’s story since The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.

Please understand, I wasn’t attempting to disparage my own efforts as a GM as much as express admiration/envy at what Rockstar was able to do with their cast of characters. On the whole, the members of the Van Der Linde Gang are extremely well written. While there are a few that I expect to remain in my memory for years to come, every one of them is a compelling character in their own right.

Part of the reason this struck me in the way it did is because, personally, I find drawing up believable NPCs one of the hardest parts of being a GM, Especially if you’re “working off of your own script”, as in the case of this game. In most RPG endeavors, non player characters play a significant role in informing and motivating PCs. But drawing up cast members that each have a (relatively) unique “voice” and that aren’t, in some form or fashion, cliche can be really tough.

It’s easier when you’re working with professionally written material. Then, you’re building on the foundation a skilled writer put together and have a strong head start. It’s a lot more dodgy when you’ve put the whole thing together all by your lonesome. Although in the last several months I’ve put together scenarios for Call of Cthulhu and Savage Worlds, along with a modern ghost story that is, as yet, without a system, the games I feel most confident about proceeding forward with here on RPOL are published scenarios. They just seem to run more smoothly, at least from my perspective.

But, you’re absolutely correct, if we, collectively, had the time and funding to focus solely on creating a memorable Deadlands campaign, I think we could produce something rivaling RDR2 in terms of human drama. Having the time open to pursue such a goal undoubtedly has an impact.


That’s really kind and encouraging. I must be doing something right. You keep coming back! I must confess, one of my favorite character moments of yours goes back to the first game we played together, when, at the prompting of unseen voices, you opened the door to the RV that was under assault by ghosts, even as your fellow investigators screamed in protest. Truly epic stuff. :)

On my last Red Dead Redemption II side note, despite not being much of a Country and Western fan, this song has remained with me ever since I heard it (don’t click if you want a spoiler free RDR2 experience.)

https://youtu.be/wJ5PTIZdl-g

Y’all is lucky Tamsin is Loyal :P

I will do my utmost to put together a map of Angus this evening. It likely won’t be pretty, but hopefully it will help with any strategic planning  the group at the ghost town wish to undertake.

My sincere apologies, everyone. I got sick earlier in the week and it flattened me for a couple of days. I’m on the mend now and will get things updated as quickly as possible. Sorry for the silence.

Sickness happens!  Been a rough week for me too.

I was about to jump in an answer Cooper...but then I thought I should wait and let other people get a word in...

Given that two questions are directly to Doc, I think jumping in at the point would be good.

Touche....

I am in agreement with this plan, but have nothing particular to add before it moves forward!

Ranger, take all the time you need. Just worry about your new additions, not this. I’ll NPC you as needed, and make certain not to get you shot up too badly. :)

Yeah, take good care of those babies! And try to get some sleep now and then.

Thanks, appreciated!

I was sleeping well (well being 4+ hours a night) for a little while there, but I think they figured it out and decided the change the game up on us and set up a rotation so that we're hands on all the time.

Laughs and claps

Well done.  Kansas Kate gets exactly what she wants, and it's utterly worthless

Kansas Kate's thread is excellent, props to both the Marshal and player for this exchange. It has taken me about this whole day to read it because of babies but I was on edge the whole time.

Concur.

Seconded....err....  Thirdeded?

ah shucks

Kate’s roleplaying has been outstanding. One can’t help but admire the outlaw’s unflinching bravery. It’s been great fun watching her efforts to undermine the House unfold.


I wouldn’t go that far. Kate may have gotten herself into a tight corner, but it’s not the first fix she’s had to find her way out of. In all likelihood, her willingness to gamble will pay valuable dividends in the end.

To clarify: is there both a ghost and a corpse in the tienda?

That’s how it looks to me - only need the corpse for the bounty.

Correct.

With bullets flying around, I figured it be worth everyone's while to provide a reminder that if anyone needs a BJ, Albert is able to provide that service.

The process might be harrowing, but I believe you will come out on top in the long run.

You might well be providing that BJ soon, even though Kansas Kate actually did not die on that roll (which is honestly as good as she was ever going to do), I sort of doubt anyone there has the medical skill or inclination to help her much lol

Waitasec....don’t you have an Ace up your sleeve? Ace of Clubs in particular?

Good point. I overlooked that in adjudicating the results of Kate’s injuries. The card could wipe out the damage from Baker’s shot.

That said, to be entirely fair, the initiative order for the following round would remain unchanged. But, the dice could completely abandon the bad guys.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Sun 02 June 2019.

lol well I forgot I had it, I thought I had a different card.

Honestly though, is it going to matter?  Kate's for all practical purposes down to stabbing them, 4 on one.  Even if only Murphy is a Wild Card that's not winnable.  I suspect Murphy can't be hurt by any of Kate's weapons or attacks anyway

I do have an idea for the Card though, but I'll put it in a PM

You could see what it is they have to say, then talk your way out of the mess? There was never any significant chance Kate was going to win a fight against those odds.

Bauer is one smart lady. Easier if we all take a few pieces to collect the bounty rather than keeping the body whole.

Just be glad it wasn’t a head shot. :)

From The Hateful Eight (2015)

Oswaldo Mobray: [about paying Mannix bounties] We could give him Marco. Bob's real name is Marco the Mexican. He's worth $12,000.

Major Marquis Warren: [points his gun towards Bob's body] Wait. That's Marco the Mexican?

Oswaldo Mobray: [nods] Precisely, yeah.

Major Marquis Warren: [chuckles] Shit, after I blowed his face off; "Marco" ain't worth a "peso"!

Hmmm..  Would there be a spot to which Wayland could move to zzzap the three remaining near Cooper, Bauer, and I /without/ hitting Cooper or Bauer?

If not, is there a clump of deaders in the town square he could blast away at to clear the road to the church?

Look for the biggest bang for the buck (and realizing that AoE can make things complicated....)

Hmm...  Never thought about it....

Burst is vs. Agi...  But you should still need at least a 4 to activate, right?

So, did it succeed/spend 2 pp vs. an Agi difficulty of only 3...

OR

Did it fail/did not expend pp because I didn't get a 4?

I suddenly feel like its the second one...
This message was last edited by the player at 18:40, Mon 10 June 2019.

Unless Weird Science is somehow different than other powers, you still lose the PP when you fail an arcane skill roll. Page 102 of SWDE.

It does not work differently!

I just failed to parse properly.

I throw myself on the mercy of the court.