20:59, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 2D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

21:00, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: 2D using a deck of 54 cards.

From within the writhing column of vines, Kate can see a figure begin to take shape, a long, spindly arm, ending in a wide, taloned hand, emerging from the mass.

OOC: Kate has the opportunity to act first. Be sure to draw another Initiative card at the close of your action.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:35, Thu 24 May 2018.

Kate did what any gunfighter's first instinct was to do.  With a spin of the Winchester's lever, she shot it.

Quickdraw - Rifle in hand.

Don't know if this is particularly smart, but it's what Kate would do.  She sees an arm, she shoots an arm.  That's a -2 Called Shot.

18:35, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 2,1 using d10-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  Called Shot.

As might be predicted, the shot went wide.  Cursing a blue streak, she fell back, trying to put another wall between her and... that.

6" ought to get me into room 2.

18:36, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: 2S using a deck of 54 cards.

This dice roller.  It loves players.

The figure tears free from the pillar of vines, its body formed from the black, thorn covered weeds, its impossibly long arms ending in clawed hands, one of which clutches a curving, rusted sickle. The rags of a flannel shirt cling to its torso and its head, a bulbous pumpkin, bears a crude face with a grinning, feral expression.

It is a scarecrow, somehow brought to unholy life.

Dashing forward, it pursues the outlaw, surging onto the porch and through the front door, the only sound it makes the rustling of its limbs and its heavy footfalls on the creaking floor.

22:50, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 6H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Scarecrow.

Segovia curses through gritted teeth as he struggles with his bonds, trying to free his hands without success.

22:51, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 3 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Lockpicking.

22:54, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: QH using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Sweat beading on his brow, the gunman continues working to pull of his hands free, but makes little progress.

22:56, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 2 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Lockpicking.

22:59, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Moving with suprising quickness, the scarecrow pursues Kate into the ruined kitchen, slashing at her with its sickle as it draws near. The blade slices through the air, but misses the outlaw completely.

23:03, Today: Marshal rolled 1,3 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Scarecrow - Fighting.

23:03, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 4D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Scarecrow.

OOC: Your turn, Kate.

---

Inside the storage room. River is startled to hear the crack of a rifle nearby, along with the sound of heavily footfalls.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:32, Thu 24 May 2018.

01:57, Today: Tamsin River rolled 1,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5.  Knowledge: Occult.

Tamsin doesn’t jump at the crack but her head turns. She stands up and goes to where they had last left Kate and their captive, reluctantly pulling out her gun.

Cursing a hundred miles more, Kate was at least able to react quickly.  The rifle was at best a clumsy, fragile club close up.  She thought about putting a bullet in it... but it was straw.  The Toothpick it was then.

She came up quick and expertly sunk the point into where a lung would have been on a man, only to curse herself for stupidity.

Quick Draw - Kate's Arkansas Toothpick

05:47, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 1,11 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+5)11.  Fighting.

Wow.  Okay.  It should have a Parry of 7 so 11 is a raise.

But only 9 damage.  I doubt that even tickles it.  05:48, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 2,3,4 using d6,d4+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,4.  Strength, Knife, Raise.

05:49, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: 7D using a deck of 54 cards.

Kate’s slash with her toothpick leaves the scarecrow shaken.

21:46, Today: Marshal rolled 6,5 using 1d8+2,1d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  Spirit.

But it is able to quickly regain its bearings.

Gun in hand, Tamsin ventures into the living room. Glancing through the kitchen door, she can see Kansas Kate locked in a fight with a tall, pumpkin headed figure whose body is entirely composed of the thorny weeds. It wields a sickle in one, long fingered hand. Tamsin immediately realizes that the creature is a much larger version of the dead monster she found in the storage room.

OOC: Tamsin, go ahead and give me an initiative draw for the next round.

---

Having diligently searched every corner of the ruined bedroom, Reverend Allgood concludes that the small figure he saw through the window is nowhere within it. The minister presumes that whoever it was left the room shortly after he noticed them.

The sound of a rifle shot, followed by the din of a struggle from the front of the house draw Allgood out of his thoughts.

OOC: Reverend, if you’re planning on venturing over to the common room, go ahead and give me an initiative draw too.

Segovia, spitting out a series of curses in Spanish, continues to struggle vainly with his bonds.

22:00, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 2 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Lockpicking.

22:02, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: 6D using a deck of 54 cards - Initiative.

OOC: Kate, it’s your turn.

For future reference: The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

Kate made a valiant attempt at hand to hand combat, but this wasn't really her forte.

22:21, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 3,4 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Fighting Jack Skellington.

NOPE

22:22, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: KC using a deck of 54 cards.

Well, that might explain where the scarecrow went.

21:34, Today: Tamsin River drew the single card: 5S using a deck of 54 cards.

Rev. Earnest Allgood drew the JD for Initiative.

Earnest halts as he sees the living scarecrow. He reaches into an inside pocket of his jacket and grips the small, black book within, pulling it forth. He folds it in his two hands and bows his head.

"Oh, Heavenly Lord Jesus Christ, defend us from this loathsome travesty of your Divine creation. Sunder this awful perversion of the cleanly plants of Your Garden. Send it back to the pits of Hell from which it has sprung. In Your Holy Name, we pray this. Amen."

The scarecrow keeps its focus on Kate, its free hand clenching as a series of rasping noises emerge from its jagged mouth.

Cast: Entangle

Power Points Used: 2

10:40, Today: Marshal rolled 1,4 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4.  Spellcasting - Entangle.

The dark, ropy vines burst through a section of the floor, sending dusty fragments of wood skidding across the kitchen. The tendrils reach out for the outlaw, seeking to restrain her arms and legs.

OOC: Kate, I’ll need to get either an Agility or Strength roll from you (your choice) to avoid becoming ensnared by the vines. You’ll need to beat the scarecrow’s Spellcasting roll of 4.

10:48, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 2S using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

KS - Kansas Kate
JD - Reverend Allgood
6D - Manuel Segovia
5S - Tamsin River
2S - Scarecrow

Kate, it’s your turn.

Reverend Allgood, If utilizing your Holy Warrior ability is the action you wish to take, I’ll adjudicate the result when your turn comes up in the initiative order.

Let's go with Agility, naturally.

12:35, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 4,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5.  Agility.

Wow the dice roller surprises me at times.

"That's real nice preacher, how about do something useful right about now!?"  Kate slashed with great precision... and then cursed herself again.  A cut which would have taken a man's throat out did nothing comparable to this bundle of sticks.

13 to hit - 12:36, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 13,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,5.  Fighting a Literal Strawman.

6 damage - 12:37, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 1,3,2 using d6,d4+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,2,2.  Strength, Knife, Raise.

12:39, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: QC using the Deadlands system.

Earnest prays, well, Earnestly.

Rev. Earnest Allgood drew the AD for Initiative.

08:21, Today: Marshal rolled 6,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Spirit - Scarecrow.

Allgood's entreaties do not appear to have any immediate effect on the scarecrow, but the minister's words do attract the tall creature's attention, its strange visage twisting into a scowl as it turns to regard the Methodist preacher.

Segovia, frustrated by the effectiveness of Kate's knots, continues to struggle vainly to free himself, his cursing growing louder and more vehement.

11:01, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 0 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Lockpicking.

11:02, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: 4D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

KS - Kansas Kate
JD - Reverend Allgood
6D - Manuel Segovia
5S - Tamsin River
2S - Scarecrow

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

Tamsin, it's your turn.

[Posted by Marshal]

Tamsin raises her pistol with both hands, pausing to take aim at the gangly monster. She squeezes off a shot, the report loud in the confines of the kitchen. The bullet finds the creature’s shoulder, sending fragments of vines twirling into the air as it strikes, but if the scarecrow is wounded, it gives no sign.

20:49, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, rolled 5,3 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3.  Shooting.

20:49, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, rolled 7 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  Damage.

20:55, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

The scarecrow pivots toward Reverend Allgood with a speed that belies its tall frame. Clearing the short distance between them, the creature slashes at the preacher with its sickle, a swift, whip-like strike that is aimed at the minister’s chest.

21:01, Today: Marshal rolled 15,1 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (10+5)15,1.  Fighting - Scarecrow.

21:01, Today: Marshal rolled 4,2,5 using 1d8,1d4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2,5.  Damage - Sickle.

Total Damage: 11

21:04, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 9S using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Scarecrow.

Initiative Order

AS - Tamsin River
AD - Reverend Allgood
QC - Kansas Kate
9S - Scarecrow
4D - Manuel Segovia

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

[Posted by Marshal]

Working to keep her aim steady, Tamsin fires a second shot, the bullet tearing a deep gash on the side of the scarecrow’s bulbous head.

21:15, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, rolled 1,8 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+2)8.  Shooting.

21:15, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, rolled 9 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4,2.  Damage - Shooting.

21:20, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, drew the single card: 9C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

AS - Tamsin River
AD - Reverend Allgood
QC - Kansas Kate
9S - Scarecrow
4D - Manuel Segovia

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

Tamsin’s last shot leaves the Scarecrow shaken.

The Scarecrow’s attack with its sickle leaves Reverend Allgood shaken with 1 wound. The Reverend can make a soak roll, should he choose to do so.

OOC: Reverend Allgood, it’s your turn.

Rev. Earnest Allgood rolled 7,7 using D8,D6 for Spirit.

Allgood reels back against the wall by the door to the hallway, faltering with the pain of the wound. He grips his book all the tighter but cannot bring his mind or his voice to utter his prayer.

PM

Initiative Order

AS - Tamsin River
AD - Reverend Allgood
QC - Kansas Kate
9S - Scarecrow
4D - Manuel Segovia

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

Tamsin’s last shot leaves the Scarecrow shaken.

The Reverned’s Spirit roll removes his shaken condition. The minister has 1 wound.

I’m going to treat Reverend Allgood as though he’s on hold, in case he elects to act before the close of the round.

OOC: Kansas Kate, your turn.

For clarity, Kate is no longer considered to be engaged in melee with the Scarecrow.

Kate debated what to do, but whatever this thing was, it wasn't going down easy, and she was going to be damned if she was going to let that pendejo get away after summoning it.

Kate's quick hands came into play as they often did.  The thing was staggered.  She backed off to where she'd been so she could know if her prisoner escaped.  Working quickly, she tucked the Toothpick in her belt, drew her Schofield, opened the action, and replaced it with the whiz bang one Mr. Fancy Pants had bequeathed her.  Closing the action, she drew the Toothpick, albeit in her left hand, and held it up and at guard.

So in English:

Move back to be able to see the Scarecrow and Manuel at the same time.

Actions:

• Free Action: Sheathe knife.
• Free Action: Draw pistol.
• First Action:  Load the pistol with one magic buwwet.  Since Kate is only moving her Pace so I think she's okay not to roll per SWDX pg. 49, but if you care to rule that'd be splitting actions because she defends later, just ignore the Defend action.
• Free Action: Draw knife again.
• Second Action:  Defend.

The idea here being Kate is going to be ready to shoot this thing with a magic cartridge next turn but is still holding the knife to not count as Unarmed.

12:28, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: AD using a deck of 54 cards.

Wow dice roller likes me at the moment.

Allgood pulls himself up to his full height, back straight, Book thrust out before him. His words are crisply enunciated.

"Father God, we call on you to smite this unholy and unclean Abomination! Send it back, Dear Father, to the pits of Hell from which it has arisen, through Our Savior Jesus, Your Only Son, we ask this. Amen."

His dark eyes blaze with righteous anger.

Rev. Earnest Allgood drew the single card: 9H for Initiative.

18:22, Today: Marshal rolled 3,7 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+1)7.  Scarecrow - Spirit. (Resist Holy Warrior Repulsion)

19:13, Today: Marshal rolled 2,4 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4.  Spirit - Scarecrow (Shaken Recovery).

The vines that make up the scarecrow’s hand crackle as its grip tightens on its sickle. It appears ready to attack Reverend Allgood once again, but pauses, its head cocking to one side in an eerily human gesture, as though it can hear, or perceive, something that the others in the room cannot.

Abruptly, it turns and races out of the kitchen, crossing the common room as it moves toward the door to the hallway.

18:38, Today: Marshal drew the single card: KD using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Scarecrow.

Segovia struggles further with his bonds, but makes no progress, Kate’s well tied knots continuing to vex him. Seeing the scarecrow draw close, he calls out to it. ”Hey! HEY! You’ve got to cut me loose! Please!”

18:44, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 1 using 1d6-2.  Lockpicking.

18:49, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: 9D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

AD - Kansas Kate
KD - Scarecrow
9H - Reverend Allgood
9D - Manuel Segovia
9C - Tamsin River

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

For clarification, the scarecrow is in the common room, having just reached the doorway to the adjoining hallway. Those in the kitchen that want to make ranged attacks still have line of sight on the creature to do so.

The Scarecrow recovers from its shaken condition.

Reverend Allgood is suffering from 1 wound.

Kansas Kate, your turn.

Kate wanted to curse a blue streak and the prisoner, but he'd lost his damn mind if he thought she was going to do that.

Part of her was tempted to let that scarecrow go, but that seemed... irresponsible.  Plus Kansas Kate had a reputation to uphold.

She extended her arm and lined up the blade of the front sight with her eye, paused her breathing, and fired with the gentlest pressure on the trigger.

All right let's see if we can hit it with the magic buwwet.

19:25, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 4,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5.  Pew Pew.

That will hit... but I only have one of these and I want it to count.

19:26, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Red Chip.

So a 10 total, should be a raise.

Let's see...

19:28, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 7,3 using 3d6+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,1,4,3.  Magic buwwet, Raise.

19:28, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: 4H using a deck of 54 cards.

Annnd return to form for the dice roller.  Well, what can you do?

Kate’s shot tears a hole in the scarecrow’s chest, leaving a fist sized hole in its wake and staggering the tall monster. Turning back to those in the kitchen, it scowls at its attackers, rasping a series of incomprehensible words.

Black vines erupt from the floor, splintering the floor boards and reaching for Kate, River, and Allgood, seeking to ensare each of them.

19:57, Today: Marshal rolled 5,3 using 1d8-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4.  Spirit - Scarecrow.

Cast: Entangle

Power Points Used: 4

Affects all targets in a Medium Burst Template.

19:42, Today: Marshal rolled 4,0 using 1d8-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1.  Spellcasting - Entangle.

Kate, Tamsin, and Reverend Allgood: I need each of you to give me an Agility or Strength roll to avoid becoming tangled up in the vines. You’ll need to best the Scarecrow’s casting roll of 4.

20:12, Today: Marshal drew the single card: 2H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative - Scarecrow.

Initiative Order

AD - Kansas Kate
KD - Scarecrow
9H - Reverend Allgood
9D - Manuel Segovia
9C - Tamsin River

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

The scarecrow is in the common room, having just reached the doorway to the adjoining hallway. Those in the kitchen that want to make ranged attacks (and aren’t entangled) still have line of sight on the creature to do so.

Kate’s shot rendered the scarecrow shaken with 1 wound. Its Spirit roll enables it to recover from the shaken condition, but it is still carrying the wound.

Reverend Allgood is suffering from 1 wound.

Reverend Allgood, your turn.

"Consarn it!"  Kate hopped over a particularly quick tendril and evaded the rest with some reflexive footwork.  Imagine how mad she'd be if the thing managed to actually grab her.


20:58, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 6,2 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Agility.

02:49, Today: Tamsin River rolled 1,17 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+6+5)17.  Stalker

I accidentally hit enter before I finished writing what it was for (Agility)

Tamsin is unfazed by the vines, evading them easily.

Allgood's prayer ended in an undignified squawk as a tendril from the scarecrow twined around his ankle and yanked him off-balance.

Rev. Earnest Allgood rolled 4,2 for Agility.

He kicks at it with his free foot.

Segovia, at long last, manages to find one end of the rope with his fingers, pulling one knot loose, then another. Finally free of the post, he looks back fearfully at the altercation inside the house, then turns his attention to the moonlit field beyond the porch.

18:48, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 6 using 1d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8.  Lockpicking.

19:04, Today: Manuel Segovia drew the single card: 10H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Kate and Tamsin manage to avoid the searching grasp of the vines, but the Reverend is pulled off of his feet, one of the black tendrils finding a strong grip on his ankle. A second length of vine tries to ensnare one of Allgood’s arms in an effort to trap him further.

Initiative Order

AD - Kansas Kate
KD - Scarecrow
9H - Reverend Allgood
9D - Manuel Segovia
9C - Tamsin River

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

The scarecrow is in the common room, having just reached the doorway to the adjoining hallway. Those in the kitchen that want to make ranged attacks (and aren’t entangled) still have line of sight on the creature to do so.

The scarecrow is suffering from 1 wound.

Reverend Allgood is suffering from 1 wound.

The minister is partially entangled. Any actions depending on Agility or Strength must be made at a -2 penalty (cumulative with Allgood’s wound). The Reverend’s Pace is also reduced to 4. To free himself, he will need to make an Agility or Strength roll on his next turn, rolling better than the scarecrow’s spellcasting roll of 4. Another character can free him by making a Strength roll of 5 or better at a -2 penalty.

Tamsin, it’s your turn.

23:38, Today: Tamsin River rolled 3 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1.  Damage.
23:23, Today: Tamsin River rolled 5,5 using 1d6,1d6.  Shooting.
23:43, Today: Tamsin River drew the single card: 6C using a deck of 54 cards.

Tamsin makes one last shot at the scarecrow. “Hold on, Reverend, we’ll get to you next.”

She doesn’t put her gun away but does start making her way over to he priest.

River’s shot skates across the scarecrow’s shoulder, sending a few thorns flying, but apparently doing no more than superficial damage. The herbalist is able to reach Reverend Allgood, who continues to fight to free himself from the vines.

13:02, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Rev. Earnest Allgood, drew the single card: 8D using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

Special - Jacinta Castillo
10H - Manuel Segovia
8D - Reverend Allgood
6C - Tamsin River
4H - Kansas Kate
2H - Scarecrow

The scarecrow has a Parry of 7 and a Toughness of 6.

The scarecrow is in the common room, having just reached the doorway to the adjoining hallway. Those in the kitchen that want to make ranged attacks (and aren’t entangled) still have line of sight on the creature to do so.

The scarecrow is suffering from 1 wound.

Reverend Allgood is suffering from 1 wound.

The minister is partially entangled. Any actions depending on Agility or Strength must be made at a -2 penalty (cumulative with Allgood’s wound). The Reverend’s Pace is also reduced to 4. To free himself, he will need to make an Agility or Strength roll on his next turn, rolling better than the scarecrow’s spellcasting roll of 4. Another character can free him by making a Strength roll of 5 or better at a -2 penalty.

Jacinta, as you’ve emerged from the trapdoor and the scarecrow is unaware of your presence, I’m going to give you the opportunity to act first, before I begin working through the initiative order.

Jacinta eased out of the cellar without the creature noticing her.  Her rifle was already at the ready, loaded with the special bullet that Albert had given her.  She wasn't sure what other sort of magic he'd worked on her ammo, but now was her chance to test it out.  If that thing was inhabited by the soul of what had once been Old Man Blair, she hoped she could help the others send him to hell where he belonged.

She let out her breath as she pulled the trigger.  BOOM!


Shooting: 8  (w/ the drop)
Damage: 24 (LFB + Smite + Raise Bonus)
Initiative:  6H

11:53, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 8,6 using d8+4,d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2.  Shooting + The Drop.
11:59, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 19,5 using 3d8+4,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,7,5,5.  Damage (LFB + Smite + Raise).
12:08, Today: Jacinta Castillo drew the single card: 6H using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

OOC:

* In effect -- "The Drop” bonus of +4
* Albert casts Smite on Jacinta's ammo. It affects up to 20 shells and will provide +4 damage to every shot she takes.
* 'Loaded For Bear' bullet that Al made for her, doing an extra die of damage.

OOC: The scarecrow was already carrying 1 wound, which had been inflicted on it by Kansas Kate. Jacinta’s shot leaves it shaken and the recipient of 4 additional wounds, for a total of 5.

It’ll try to soak some of that damage...

20:55, Today: Marshal rolled 7,5 using 1d6,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+1)7,5.  White Chip - Soak Roll.

...but it only succeeds in ridding itself of 1 wound, leaving it with 4, which is sufficient to kill it outright.

A crackle of blue energy accompanies Castillo’s rifle shot, the well aimed bullet spearing into the back of the unsuspecting monster’s head, ripping it apart in a black spray of corruption, pieces of rotted pumpkin showering the area around the scarecrow.

For those in the kitchen, the result of Castillo’s attack seems momentarily inexplicable. But for the sound of the rifle’s report, it appears as though the scarecrow’s head simply explodes, like it had just swallowed a cupful of lit gunpowder.

The headless body bumps unsteadily against both sides of the doorframe before lurching forward into the common room, collapsing chest first onto the wooden floor, the sickle landing with a metallic clank. Tremors travel through the corpse for a moment, its limbs jerking with spasms, then it becomes still, the vines that make up its form sagging like loosened ropes, the tall body losing much of its definition.

OOC: Combat over

The scarecrow felled, the vines seeking to entangle Reverend Allgood go limp, the weeds wrapped around the minister’s ankle quickly losing their grasp on him.

”Shit!” Segovia exclaims, seeing the scarecrow topple. Wide eyed, the gunman jumps from the porch, running down the overgrown trail that travels through the weed choked field.

"You don't know what shit is yet!"  Kate was right after Segovia.  If he got away, they were going to be in a world of hurt.  Kate knew exactly what she would do if she were him.

And she was also very glad she was not him, just in general.

Jacinta stepped into the hall after Kate ran past, throwing a glance through the door.  Spotting the retreating form of Segovia, she yelled at the gunslinger.  "You get 'em, Kate!" 

Moving about the house, she checked on Tam and the Reverend to make sure they weren't in distress.  Seeing no other creepers harassing her friends on the main level, she moved back to the cellar and headed down the stairs.

“Reverend, take a seat, let me take a look.”

Tamsin is concerned about what is going on downstairs, but first things first. That is a nasty looking gash that needs to be taken care of.

Kate rushes to the front door, clearly able to sight Segovia, the gunman stumbling as he tries to flee southward.

OOC: Kate, you have an unbroken line of sight if you want to make a ranged attack against Segovia.

If you want to pursue him, in an effort to recapture him, I’ll need you to give me an Agility roll to initiate a chase.

Tamsin, please provide me a Healing roll for your efforts to treat Reverend Allgood’s injury. Be sure to apply a+2 to the roll for your Healer edge.

Kate was enraged he'd have the audacity to run away from her.

I really shouldn't do this given my historical track record with Chase scenes, but here goes.

11:02, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 2,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5.  Agility.

09:22, Today: Tamsin River rolled 8,5 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,3.  Healing the Reverend.

"I thank you, Miss Rivers," the Reverend says as he sits quietly for her ministrations.

20:47, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Agility.

OOC: Well, with that roll, this is probably going to be a short chase.

With the Agility failure, Segovia isn’t entitled to an action this round and has been outmanuevered by Kate. As such, I’ll rule that she’s able to sufficiently close the distance between them to perform a melee attack, if she desires. Now, of course, if said attack misses, the gunman will almost certainly try to flee again.

Your move, Kate.

Jacinta, as you’re returning to the cellar, I’m going to bring you back into the active scene in that thread once the current initiative cycle there is completed.
This message was last updated by the GM at 01:56, Mon 11 June 2018.

Kate grimaced.  A part of her just wanted to kill him, but he had summoned a damn straw demon and seemed to know much about it.

She gave him the pommel of the Toothpick.

So Wild Attacking, but giving myself a -1 to use the wrong end of the knife as a striking implement so maybe if I manage to hit I don't kill him.

19:33, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 4,5 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4.  Fighting.

Not a great roll but guessing that hits his Parry.

7 - 19:35, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 5,2 using d6+2,d4+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,1.  Damage.

The pommel of Kate’s blade strikes the base of Segovia’s neck, causing him to stumble clumsily. The gunman is clearly dazed by the attack, lurching around to face his pursuer, but unable to muster any kind of response.

Kate’s blow leaves Segovia shaken.

21:23, Today: Manuel Segovia rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Spirit.

As the gunman fails his Spirit test, he’ll remain shaken and unable to act.

Kate, feel free to take a follow up action. For reference, Segovia’s Parry is 5 and his Toughness is 5.

Seeing him stagger, Kate was relentless as she kept punching him with the not pointy end of her murder stick.

"You... son... of... a ... bitch... don't... you... run...a...way...from...me!"

Each pause was another strike.

21:31, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 22,6 using d8+1,d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of (8+8+5)21,5.  Again!

Dice roller giving me some love.

21:31, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 4,8,10 using d6+2,d4+1,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,(4+3)7,(6+4)10.  Damage.

Wow, when it's hot it's hot.

With a series of brutal strikes, Kate pummels the gunman senseless, blood streaking his forehead as he sinks to his knees, then collapses on the muddy path.

OOC: Segovia is alive (though he probably wishes he wasn’t) and unconscious.

20:34, Today: Marshal rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5.

And he’ll remain that way for the next five hours.

Kate grumbled.  Now she had to drag his muddy sorry ass back.  Which she did, because this kind of thing was her life now.

Though several minutes pass, Kate is able to drag Segovia back to the farmhouse’s common room, mud collecting on the back of his shirt and vest, his head making a dull thump on each step as she pulls him up onto the porch. The gunman groans and mumbles something about shoeing a horse, then lapses into silence again when Kate reaches the home’s interior.

Inside the house, the faint scent of smoke begins to waft through the air.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:02, Thu 14 June 2018.

The smell of smoke fills her nose, “What in the-“

Her voice ends off in a huff as she catches sight of Kate dragging the unconscious man inside. “I’d take him back out, if I were you,” Tamsin says. “I think they set something on fire.”

She finishes with the Reverend as quickly as she can so she can investigate where the smoke is coming from.

Kate.  Was.  Annoyed.  But by the situation, not the messenger.

"In that case I outta throw his dumb ass in it."  Grunting she pulls him back out away from the structure a bit and stops.  Thinking a moment she checks him, trying to ensure he didn't manage to get a gun or something back in all the kerfuffle.

OOC: Reverend Allgood, Tamsin’s Healing roll removes the wound you received from the scarecrow.

Kate’s search does not turn up any weapons on Segovia. However, she does find a neatly folded piece of paper in his back pocket. Opening it, she can see that it is a short letter, enscribed in a neat hand, the text of it written in Spanish.

Looking toward the hallway, Kate and River notice Albert Cooper and Bryan Lee emerge from an open trapdoor in the room that served as the owner’s study.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:09, Sat 16 June 2018.

Kate took that note.  She figured someone she knew could read it.  Kate only knew words like pendejo and cerveza.

Sighing, she resumed her labor, which was light at the moment as she wasn't going inside a building she thought was on fire.  She had to get him as far as the Ranger at least, and it was better the Ranger should leave that burning building and come to her.

Jake, having finished his task, follows everyone up out of the basement. He frowned on seeing the body of the giant stalker. "We oughta dump that thing downstairs while it's still down." he says, mostly looking at Lee. "I expect the big 'un there might be the same as the little ones, regrowin' itself unless burnt, and the fires we set are still burnin'."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:59, Sat 16 June 2018.

Bryan emerged from the hatch in the room, and seeing the situation to be generally clear, he turned back to the hatch behind him.

"Coast is clear, y'all can come out. I'm gonna move ahead, see what Kate and them got up to, but let's get outta this house," he said to Jacinta as she brought up the kids.

He took the time to collect a few of the books in the room - the ones that he thought his superiors might be most interested in - before heading out to catch the conversation going on between Kate and Tamsin.

"I reckon' you're right, Jake. Kate, Tamsin, Reverend, we had to deal with some unruly foliage down below. Things that couldn't be put down and if left alone, would regrow themselves. Unless they were put to the torch. That'll explain all the smoke y'all smell right now. We all made it out alright and got the kids in tow, but unless I miss my guess, whatever Tamsin was treatin' the Reverend for didn't come from bangin' a door too loud - and is somethin' we probably won't be keen to have to tackle again."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Sat 16 June 2018.

Jacinta escorted the littles upstairs and out of the house, herding them along like a pack of chihuahuas.  Seeing that Kate got her man, she smiled at the gunslinger. "Saw you sprint.  Figured you'd drag him down or plug one in his back.  He dead or just out cold?"

Michael Kibbee Junior approaches the fallen scarecrow cautiously. Staring at its fallen form with wide eyes, he looks to the rescuers. ”The scarecrow, he was always here. You could hear him walkin’ around upstairs sometimes and he’d come down and look at us, once or twice every day. Like he was checkin’ to make sure we were still there. I tried sneakin’ up to the cellar once and those fellas out of the vines caught me. And just a minute later, there he was. Like he knew I’d tried to run off.”

The girl who had been the storyteller identifies herself as Esther Wood. ”That man,” she says, gesturing to Segovia, ”he brought us food and blankets. Told us not to try to get away. Said we’d be able to go back to our families soon. He...knew the scarecrow. Once, it came down with him. He called it ‘Old Man Blair’”

"Get them chitlins outta here."  Kate growled lowly.  "This piece of shit has answers, an' ah'm gonna beat them out of him.  You don't want none o' them 'round fer it."

"Jake, maybe we just light that thing up right here and now so we don't have to go back down there," he said.

On Kate's suggestion, he sighed. Certainly, there was a part of him trying to shout down his better angels, and that part wanted to do exactly what Kate was suggesting...or at least to turn a blind eye to whatever she might do. But his better angels were too loud to be drowned out.

"Kate, that's not how we're gonna do things," he said. "I don't cotton to the abuse of prisoners. There are other ways we can get information outta him. For now though, I think it best we all get ourselves back to town. Quietly. We need to reunite these children with their parents."

OOC:

Ah, the Code of Honor hindrance.

Albert furrowed his brow at discussion of where to set the thing on fire. "Aren't we settin' this whole thing on fire before we leave? I'd prefer ta not leave any shred of...anythin' behind."

The ranch hand looked over at Segovia. Al wanted to just put a bullet in the other man's head and be done with it. Toss his body on the fire, too. But there might be better ways of dealing with him. "If he's a prisner, General, where do ya intend ta hold 'im? And I'd very strongly caution against answerin' that question with anywhere in Lincoln. In fact, if ya do, I'ma just go ahead and tell my uncle ta arm up or leave. An' that ain't repayin' his hospitality very good. Weedkiller'll be in the same sorta situation with his shop."

Albert's chin jutted out toward the kids. "By the same token, kids gotta git home quiet an' while it's dark. An mebbe they don't give us credit fer anythin'. Some word mebbe gets out eventually, but hopefully just rumor an' legend."

"Yeah, I reckon just burnin' the whole thing down's a good idea." Jake says. "But maybe it ain't, and there's somethin' here -- notes, letters, an' suchlike -- that might let us know how we kill the weeds fer good. Fire is workin', but the folks I talked to said they done burned the weeds 'afore, and they sprung back up later. Unless them little critters were reseeding things. It looked like they could travel through the earth, might have been able to travel to places where the vines had been to plant more. But if that's the case, how do we know we got 'em all?"

Albert gestured at the house. "Seems like this were the origin. Prunin' a tree don't kill it. Rippin out its roots sure do, though. If yer thinkin' we oughta do more searchin', well, ain't no time like the present. Afterward I think it oughta burn."

"I'm alright with burnin' the house, as long as we can get all the books, papers, and such things as evidence or hints of what we might do about the problem if it creeps up somewhere else. Also, there are remains within the home that are best directed to the nearest of kin, if they can be identified," he said.

"As for this fella, do we have a name for him? Whoever he is, should he get back to his bosses, he'll have quite the story to tell. If it were just me, I'd have no problem carrying the burden of that, but I realize that he's seen y'all and that ain't good for you or your kin. That said, I have no doubt that some tales will be told o' this night no matter what kinda discretion we ask for. It just can't be helped."

OOC: Is Segovia tied up or bound at all still? Or just immobilized by the extreme hurt Kate put on him?

Kate kicked Segovia.

"His nombre is Pendejo, and that's all I want ta hear anyone call him from now on.  He knew that Straw Man what tried ta kill us up here was a 'comin'.  I think he summoned 'im, or at least... knew 'im.  The only reason ah didn't put a bullet in his ass is he knows something, dammit."

She kicked him again, then smiled sweetly with much mischief.  It made the folds of the knife scar across her cheek settle in a strange pattern.

"Well ah tell you want Ranger, why don't you just let little old me put a wee bandage on this all and I'll just apologize and tell him how sorry I am, and then surely he'll tell the law all he knows, of course.  I'm done draggin' his ass by myself in any event."

OOC: No he got loose, he's just beat to hell.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:07, Wed 20 June 2018.

She looked at the house and then the children.  "Ain't gonna make it far totin' a passel of littles all the way to town.  Anybody see a barn 'round here?  Thinkin' the pistolero ain't come all this way on foot.  Horse'd help.  Cart'd be better.  Gonna go have a look if someone'll keep an eye on this little herd."

"Which brings us back around to this." Jake nudges the fallen body of the giant stalker. "I don't want this thing to be gettin' back up while we ransack this place for anythin' we can learn. I'm all for setting this place ablaze when we're done, but this fella oughta be taken care of right now." He reaches down and grabs part of the creature's corpse. "So if someone can help me toss this into the blaze we done started below, I'd be much obliged. We can worry about Mr. Pen-day-ho later."

Albert nodded at McGraw. "I can help ya. I can watch it ta make sure it burns, too."

He grabbed the opposite end from McGraw and hoisted on the count of three.

04:24, Today: Tamsin River rolled 9,9 using d8+2,d6+2, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(6+1)7.  Treating Segovia.

Tamsin sighs. She can’t not treat him, even if he’s despicable. The children don’t look injured, and everyone else has been taken care of. She settles herself by Segovia’s head to tend to his face. Kate had really done a number on him.

“How ‘bout I take care of him, and you focus on the children? Might be able to get the story out of him,” she said with a shrug. She couldn’t bring herself to call him pendejo.

He moved in closer to get a look at said pendejo. "Well, it seems he isn't bound any longer...so I guess he's not a prisoner bein' that he escaped my protective custody. You can do what you will, Kate, but I'd like to have a word with him first. No need for your bandages and apologies though, Kate. This ain't the first time I've had to extract information from a pendejo like this."

He looked over to Tamsin when he saw her administering a treatment on the man. "Ma'am, if you could bring him to, I'd appreciate it, but don't go out of your way to make him feel comfortable. He's likely to be dangerous and violent, and I'd like to see if I can get any answers outta him before I go canvas the house for evidence."

He put down his books, and set his lantern down a few feet away and out of reach, but close enough to give them some light. He crouched down beside the pendejo, and drew his pistol, holding it mere inches away from Segovia's face and waiting until the man regained consciousness. When he did, Bryan gave him a wicked smile and spoke to him in an unnervingly calm and steady voice.

"Buenas noches, pendejo. Have a nice nap? I found all them children you kidnapped. You know what happens to perverts like you, who kidnap children and keep 'em holed up with critters like that? Oh, I'll have quite a story to tell when I haul your ass back to Santa Fe - unless you got a better story for me now, that is. Then I might just give you a fightin' chance."

OOC:

Sorry, I was under the mistaken impression that our favorite pendejo was bound (don't ask me why, it doesn't make any sense now that I think about it).

Using this:

9H - Spill the Beans
“You don’t wanna get her riled, amigo.”
The subject of your questioning tells you everything you want to know, whether by friendly persuasion, intimidation, or force. The Marshal gets a draw from the fate pot.


This message was last edited by the player at 15:52, Wed 20 June 2018.

In reply to Jacinta Castillo (msg # 74):

"I'll be glad to mind the children, Miss Castillo."

He gathers them close and sits them down at the end of the porch farthest from Segovia, facing away from him and the Ranger. He leads them in a simple prayer of thanks to God for their deliverance and in the Lord's Prayer.

"...Amen.

"What's your favorite hymn?" he asks Esther, "Why don't you lead the others in singing it?"

As Esther begins the hymn, he gazes around at the fields of vines and wonders how long it will take for the house to catch fire from the fire in the cellar.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Wed 20 June 2018.

"Thanks, Padre.  Gonna take a quick walk about."  She pulled her rifle from her holster and disappeared around the side of the house.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:06, Thu 21 June 2018.

With the help of Tamsin River’s smelling salts, Segovia awakes with a jolt. He blinks, his gaze fixed first on the pistol in his face, then on Bryan Lee. He lets out a shuddering breath, then shakes his head. ”I didn’t take any kids. Not a one. The scarecrow did. Old Man Blair. He burrowed under the school somehow, came up from under it and snatched all the ones he could. The ones whose families was causin’ problems in Lincoln for Mister Murphy.”

“I don’t know how that thing knew which kids were which. Somebody told it, I reckon. But I don’t know who it was, I swear. After it happened, Jesse, Jesse Evans said I needed to start comin’ out here. Told me where to find the place. Gave me blankets and such to bring to the kids. I was told to get food from Wilson’s Saloon each day. Bacon. Biscuits. Tortillas and beans. Make sure the children got it.”

His eyes shift over to Kate, then back to Lee. ”Jesse taught me this whistle. Three notes. Told me if I ever caught anyone prowling around the house, looking for the little ones, that it would bring Old Man Blair. I only seen that thing twice since I came. Once stalkin’ around the house and another time downstairs, watchin’ the children. I think it would’ve just as soon killed me as looked at me.”

Beads of sweat glisten on Segovia’s forehead. He licks his lips nervously. “Jesse made it real clear that if those kids got away before it was time, I’d pay hell for it. And I got an idea of what he was talkin’ about. So, if you got any mercy left in you mister, you go ahead and pull that trigger. Better that than me going back to Lincoln. I’m a dead man there now.”

Outside, Jacinta finds a cart, likely once used to haul wheat, on the west side of the house. It hasn’t been used in some time, but the planks and hardware are all intact. It squeaks loudly when the wheels turn, but it rolls without resistance.

Continuing her search, the scout locates Segovia’s horse, a paint mare, hitched to one of several withered cottonwood trees north of the farmhouse.

The children readily pray with Reverend Allgood, several of them clearly calmed by the minister’s presence. At Allgood’s prompting, Esther Wood leads the group in ”On Jordan’s Stormy Banks I Stand”, their voices drifting over the quiet fields.

Downstairs, Cooper and McGraw manage to wrestle the scarecrow’s corpse to the entrance to the cradle, heaving it onto the closest blaze. The body catches fire easily, rapidly shrinking as the the flames consume it, reducing the vines that make up its form to ash.

As the scarecrow burns, the two men notice that the vines that make up the cradle below, and that cover the walls of the cellar, begin to wither, shrinking into thin, gray husks that are eventually reduced to dark powder. Upstairs, those near the kitchen observe the same phenomenon with the vines that had burst through the floor, seeking to entangle Allgood, Kate, and River.

Outside, Allgood and Castillo see the vines that choke the vacant fields curl up into lifeless twigs, then become dust, which is quickly claimed by the breeze from the mountains.

Jacinta approached the mare with caution, making soft soothing noises to check the horse's temperament.  Producing a bit of hard biscuit from her pack -- really the only food she had left besides some dried meat -- she held it in offering while petting the beast's head.  "You ready to do some work, poncho?"  Taking the mare by the lead, she urged it toward the house with a steady, calming hand.

"Now I'm glad ah didn't kill 'im."  Kate smiled wryly.  Her hand was quick.  The Schofield No. 3 came up leveled with Segovia's head, cocked, but pointed in a benign direction, finger never touching the trigger, at least until she decocked and spun the pistol back into its holster.  She was showing off a little bit.

Kate arched an eyebrow at the Ranger.  He'd gotten him to talk without the usual theatrics, Kate respected that, it was neatly done.  So she intended to give him a freebie.

"There ain't no good in this world, whether ye call it God or justice or whatever... it ain't real.  Every action a man takes is evil, he ain't capable of nothin' else.  But there is innocence, and far too little of that even.  Anyone that would send a horror like that... thing after the only truly innocent people to be had 'round these parts, that's what yer after, if I ain't mistaken."

Kate leaned over the prisoner.

"I think the only thing I hate more than your ass-"  She looked at Segovia.  "-is the thought of an even bigger sunuvabitch getting the satisfaction of snuffing El Pendejo.  Beg for sweet death all ya want, but yer sorry ass is what we in the trade refer to as bait."

She stopped, curious to see if her idea was as obvious as she imagined.

After the scarecrow-thing lit on fire and Albert noted the other vines disappearing and turning to dust, he looked over at McGraw. "I think the clock may've just started. Let's look upstairs an then figger out what ta do with Mister Pendejo out there."

Taking his own advice, Albert starting moving in the direction of the cellar entrance, intent on finding anything in the place that folk might want to bring out of it before the whole thing burned.

Jake nodded, and followed Cooper, joining in a search. It looked like that might have done the trick, unless there was another of these things out there. If there were any sort of notes that could confirm that the thing there was the source of the vines, he'd appreciate that, but he was glad he'd made the right call -- if that monster had been the source of the vines, and those vines had only shriveled up because they'd made sure the body remained down, then it might eventually have gotten back up again.

In a simple gesture, Lee holstered his own weapon. He didn't remember the last time he had actually fired the thing. It had its uses, but he preferred his own methods.

He stood up, and looked toward Kate with a questioning glance. Whatever her idea of using this pendejo as bait was, it wasn't apparent to Lee. He waited to see if it was something she cared to make clear, but understood if she didn't want to do so in the presence of El Pendejo.

"You ever report to anyone besides Jesse Evans?" he asked the man.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:06, Thu 21 June 2018.

Watching the vines shrivel in the fields, Earnest nods and whispers, "Thank you, Father."

Leaving the children singing, he walks to the other end of the porch in time to hear Segovia's confession.

Kate smiled at the Ranger in that sarcastic ill-intentioned way.  They could discuss it later.  It was okay for the bait to know he was bait because that much would be obvious regardless, but beyond that she didn't want to go into details.

Classic mistake that, treating prisoners like they were deaf or not present.

Segovia’s attention shifts nervously between Kate and Lee. Shaking his head, he says, ”The only person that ever gave me any orders about this place, or about the kids, was Jesse. We all work for Mr. Murphy out at his ranch, and Mr. Dolan’s our boss, but neither of them ever said anything to me about all this.”

The mare readily follows Castillo back to the farmhouse, her demeanor calm. She doesn’t protest when the scout hitches her to the cart.

Cooper does not find anything in the cellar worth collecting. Back in the library, he finds that Lee has scooped up all of the books of interest, but, tucked in the back corner of the dusty desk, he discovered a bundle of yellowed letters, bound together neatly with a couple of pieces of twine.

Jacinta took a few minutes to hitch the mare to the cart before leading both around the house to where the others were gathered.  She whistled for the children and gestured to the cart.  "Let's get you loaded up, niños."

"Imma scavenge a rope."  Kate said it ominously, smiling at her fellow outlaw, the infamous El Pendejo.

"Tell me, son," urges Allgood in a gentle voice, "Tell us all what you think this Jesse was talking about."

Tamsin watches quietly, hands on her hips,  only moving to grab a handful of the dust that  was the vines.

The children move eagerly to the cart, most of them clearly eager to be far away from the crumbling farmhouse and its empty fields. Castillo checks the cart once the young ones are loaded into it, reassured that the vehicle is sturdy enough to make the trip to Lincoln without incident.

Kate locates the rope that had been used to restrain Segovia a few paces away from the porch. Around the left hand corner of the house, she finds a second length, mud stained but plenty strong, hanging from a nail on the side of the sagging building.

Segovia looks at Allgood with a nervous frown. ”Nobody around these parts who’s crossed L.G. Murphy has come to a good end, Padre,” he answers, ”You don’t have to take my word. Just ask a few who have lived in the valley for a long time. They’ll tell you.”

Kate does nothing fancy, just a good knot to re-restrain their hapless captive.

In reply to Manuel Segovia (msg # 97):

"But I am interested in your fears and experiences. We all have to die sometime, but you might want to approach God's Judgement with a clear conscience. What form do you expect Jesse's punishment to take, a simple bullet? Or something less merciful?"

After he and Jake had gathered up what they could, Albert made his way back toward the others. "Oh...you woke him up. What did he have to say?" As this fellow was a potential danger to Albert's aunt and uncle, he was quite concerned with how they were going to deal with Segovia.

"Long story short, he claims the scarecrow was Old Man Blair, which is what snatched up the kids, and that Jesse Evans instructed him to be their jailer," he said. He shook his head, not knowing what to think of it. Satisfied that he had learned what the man was capable of telling them, he clapped Cooper on the shoulder and wandered back into the house to take one last quick look around for anything that might aid their investigation.

OOC:

Bombed the notice roll, but basically looking to find any readily apparent (laying around in plain sight) papers, books, notes, or plans that he might find inside the house - and hopefully a kind of sack to put them in. Anything on magic, or any correspondence (beyond what he's taken) that could help in the investigation.

09:53, Today: Bryan Lee rolled 2,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max.  Notice.

This message was last edited by the player at 21:30, Tue 26 June 2018.

Lee finds a burlap sack on one of the shelves in the storage room, just above the corpse of the fallen cattle hand. With it, he collects several of the volumes from the library, focusing primarily on the books on the desk that are written in English, disregarding the tomes that are authored in languages that he is unable to identify. The ranger also collects a few papers that have been placed in the center of one of the recently perused titles on the writing table.

Segovia mutters a few curses under his breath as Kate restrains him again. Looking back at Allgood, he says, ”A lot less merciful, Padre. No question.”

Glancing around at the other members of the group, he says, ”Look, if you’re not planning on taking me in to Sheriff Brady, why don’t you just cut me loose? You have my word, I’ll be out of the county by sunrise. I’ll head west and never look back. You won’t ever see me in New Mexico again.”

Kate chuckled at that.  "Yer an optimist, Pendejo.  Ah like that about you."

In reply to Manuel Segovia (msg # 103):

"If you won't tell us all you know, then I cannot help you. God have mercy on your soul."

Earnest leaves the group around Segovia to help Jacinta with the children.

Albert nodded at the info from Bryan. "Jesse Evans, eh? So I guess that helps frame this picture a bit more, don't it? Kidnappin' bein' a capital offense, I guess we got good reason ta string up that fella. As if we didn't already." Not that doing so would be a particularly easy task. In fact it would be the polar opposite.

He looked over at Segovia and barked out an incredulous sound. "Ha! Chances of ya goin' ta Sheriff Brady are nil. Only lawman in town I trust is right over there." Albert tossed a thumb over his shoulder to point it in the general direction of Bryan. "If he wants ta incarcerate ya somewhere 'sides Lincoln, then mebbe ya live ta see trial. Course accessory ta kidnappin' one child is a hangin' offense. Think I counted more'n one. Not sure why that rope ain't tied 'round yer neck yet. But mebbe yer still a bit useful."

Once Bryan came back, Albert nodded at the ranger. "Got some letters here, might be of some interest ta us." The ranch hand waved the notes about briefly so Bryan could see what Albert was talking about.

Jake leaned back against the wall, watching things proceed. He didn't really have an opinion one way or the other about Segovia -- the man struck him as just another thug for hire, and he'd seen plenty of them get whats comin' to them during the Rail Wars. Though just as many didn't. They'd prospered. So he didn't mind everyone else putting the fear of God into the man.

"You know, it occurs to me," Jake finally said, "that we might want to let our friend here talk to Tunstall's folk. I'm sure they'd be right interested in hearin' about Jesse Evans messin' about with witchery to put the scare on decent folk. Especially after what happened to Tunstall himself."

After settling the kids, Jacinta leaned against the edge of the cart, searching for one of her smokes but found all of them gone.  Repressing any swears (for the sake of the children), she contented herself with checking the ammo in her rifle and adding replacement bullets to her belt.  Removing the blanket from her satchel, she passed it to the oldest of the kids so they could bundle up the littles.

Seeing the rest of the crew arguing over the fate of Segovia, she finally whistled loud enough to get their attention.  "Hey!  Are we getting these niños back to their families sometime tonight?  They're scared and hungry and cold.  Load up el pistolero and let's get going!"

Bryan emerged with his bag, taking the pages from Cooper in hand and glancing over them. He didn't look up when McGraw stated his idea, but he did voice his opinion while he finished up skimming the papers.

"I like that idea, Jake. And Jacinta is right, we do need to get the kids back quick. Maybe Cooper and I can take this fella over to the Tunstall Ranch and see if we can have a friendly holding place for 'im there, and the rest o' y'all can see the kids get back safe?"

OOC: Stop stealing my color, man. You're cramping my style!

Albert nodded at the suggestion from Bryan. "Sounds good to me, General. Any objections?" Al looked around at everyone else as he asked his question to see if they had anything to say.

"Just don't leave him there long, if'n ya give a damn about them bein' alive."  Kate advised.  She saw the practicality in it however, as much as she wanted to use him as bait they needed to set that up first.  Kids made her work too damn complicated.

Segovia looks at Lee and Cooper, his expression suggesting that he wants to protest their plan, but is smart enough to recognize that doing so will get him nowhere. The three depart the farmhouse, Lee carrying the burlap sack containing the books and correspondence that he and Cooper had collected. The gunman remains silent as the group reaches the road, turning in the direction of the Tunstall Ranch, his eyes filled with anxiety.

The remainder of the group begin the journey back to Lincoln. Some of the children look to Reverend Allgood for continued comfort, and Esther Wood asks the pastor if he could recount the story of Joseph to the group, explaining that it is one of her very favorites. Several of the young ones echo her request. The boy that had enthusiastically declared his intent to become a lawman attempts to engage Kansas Kate in a discussion about the Schofield on her hip. Michael Kibbee Junior’s newfound crush on Castillo keeps his attention fully on her, while another girl asks the scout about how she learned to shoot her rifle so well, explaining that her father still views her as being too young to handle a gun. The youngest boy of the group is completely fascinated with McGraw’s flame spewing device and begins peppering the engineer with questions about how he built it.

Segovia’s horse remains notably calm throughout the trip, pulling the cart steadily and without complaint.

Soon, in the distance, the dim lights of Lincoln become visible.