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.