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Dr. Wayland placed the unloaded cartridges into a pocket of his coat as he listened.  Muttering, "And heah I thought I came loaded for beah....  Beah...  snahe...  Trap?  Bait...  Traps need bait...."  He then began reloading the weapon with more normal looking ammunition as he distractedly pondered.  Of course, distraction wasn't particularly useful for someone who put themselves on door watching duties...

04:24, Today: Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland rolled 2,1 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,1. Notice!

Albert tipped his head side to side at Bryan's question. "Depends on how big a mess ya want. Five or six of 'em in a mattera minutes. More'n that prolly ain't happenin' in time ta use 'em. Unless we're sleepin' here. I also got other ways of makin' my bullets hurt that fella. Though that don't help nobody else."

He looked over at the windows. "We go outside these walls, ain't only McDaniels we gotta worry 'bout. Though by the looks o' the reverend, possible he can come in here."

Albert looked over at Kearny. "Is puttin' their trust in the wrong people meant ta mean jus' bad people, like criminals? Or is it preacher talk fer not followin' Godly folk? Or is it like followin' the devil or somethin?"

"I've seen somethin' of this sort before and I don't know quite how they do it, but I think only Coop's bullets, Dr. Wayland's device, a special fighting style that I've practiced, and just maybe those bullets dipped in holy water will do the trick against McDaniels," he said.

"Deputy, and anyone else with bullets, I suggest you do the same as the Señorita here. Coop, if you could scare up some more of your bullets, I believe they'd aid you greatly here. Dr. Wayland, I believe that the voltage your device outputs will be especially effective against McDaniels, the fella that set all this nonsense up around here. I know it's not what you came here for, but you're all wrapped up in it with us now."

"I know a holy place when I see one, and this place certainly is. I'd like to think that one of Reverend Benton's last acts was to see that this place was sanctified, that it could stand as a redoubt for good men and women who find themselves in a dark place like this town. It might've been too late for him , but it's what gave us sanctuary against those things out there, which as you can see, aren't getting too close here. That bein' said, I think they're all wrapped up with McDaniel, and unless we wanna be trapped in here forever...we're gonna have to take him down."

Jacinta looked oddly at her gun, then shook her head as she came back to the present, hearing Lee's advice.  "Si, there might be something to this water.  Gave me this calm feeling.  I'd like to put one of these bullets in McDaniels and see how it fares." She walked to the door to have a look outside.  "You see him heading down this way?  I owe 'em one.  Conejo, mi culo," she muttered.  The metallic clack of her rifle's lever gave emphasis to the curse as she loaded a round into the chamber.

He peered out the window, looking a bit disturbed.

"I don't think so. Actually...I think he's gone or at least has gotten himself outta sight. If I told you he'd just sprouted leathery demon wings and flew away, would you believe me?"

There were certain topics that he wasn't supposed to openly acknowledge as a Ranger, but hell, these people had just waded through a town full of walking corpses. There was only so long he could play dumb about this stuff until folks believed that he actually was.

Albert nodded at the suggestion. "I still got one of my specials. Be happy ta make one fer others tho...Jay-Lo, you wanna let me scratch on one of yer bullets? Deputy?"

Not that Albert could make a second one for himself or for anyone else.

Kearney shakes her head at Cooper’s question. ”Way it reads, the priest who was here, Father Sastre, was upset cause some of the folks that helped found the town got talked into joinin’ a wagon train. They were supposed to make a fortune in California. Find all kinds of gold and ghost rock.”

She glances at Cooper. ”Fella that talked ‘em into it was named Murphy. Seems Father Sastre was convinced there was somethin’ wrong with the whole thing. That Murphy was runnin’ a game on people. Gettin’ ‘em to turn their backs on what they’d worked so hard to build.”

She flips through several pages. ”But then, a bit later...this other smooth talkin’s sort came to town. Showed up after a bad winter. When Spring hadn’t brought much rain. Claimed to have the secret to makin’ the crops grow and drawin’ in the hardiest livestock. Make Angus into a place even John Chisholm’d be jealous of.”

“It was Jim McDaniels. And...if I’m understandin’ right...he had a bunch of folks enter into some kind of agreement. Kind of thing that had the priest scared. Like signin’ your soul away, or some such.”

Outside, the groans of the dead grow louder.

There is a loud thump on the roof of the iglesia, followed by a few footfalls that are heavy enough to be heard by those within the church.

”You hear me down there?” It is McDaniels’ voice, but but deeper, with a gravelly quality. ”Doesn’t have to be this way you know. You’re willin’ to see reason, you can walk out of here. Forget this place. Forget New Mexico. All of you find some other spot to put down roots. Make the world a better place in some other corner of the frontier, as you choose.”

“I’m open to an agreement. One with generous terms. But...if you’re wantin’ to be stupid and stubborn, don’t make any mistake. It may take me a little time to push through everything those good for nothing preachers laid down in there, but I will get inside. And every last one of you’ll be a cold corpse before sundown.”

Dr. Wayland paused his reloading at the suggestion of immersing his cartridges in a stand of water.  Over his years of gunfighting and general railroad warmongering, he had many opportunities to observe closely the effects of water on ammunition.  So, he was not immediately disposed to the idea...  On the other hand, he was in a town being surrounded by the walking dead.  Who were being lead by a madman who was, according to the only report, immune to normal ammunition.  Moreover, empirical evidence showed that /something/ in this church repelled those same too-lively deceased persons.

All that to say, the Doctor opted to take his turn at the font.  He even tried to remember some sort of prayer or blessing or at least something "churchy".  It had been a while.  Busy and all.  But, he was willing to experiment.

As to the apology for "being all wrapped up in it now", Wayland waved it off as he "washed" his ammo, "No reason to apologize.  I am happy to adapt to new situations.  I am quite certain we shall bring him down..."  His voice dropped again, muttering more quietly,"Or die trying...  Proof...  Pudding.... mmm.... pudding..."  While he waited on the bullets to....whatever...he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small paper bag.  From this he drew out a small yellow lozenge and popped into into his mouth with a grin.

He absently offered the bag of lemon drop candies to anyone near the font as he listened to the Deputy relate about the discoveries from the journal.  He started to say something, possibly about Kearney's notes, but was interrupted by the tapping on the roof and the huge voice.  A brow lifted, "Well...  I don't think the gentleman flew away..."

He gave a wry grin to Wayland, and a wink to Jacinta.

"And what might those terms be?" he called out. "We've got some friends in town, would they be eligible for the same deal, if we make one?"

He made a 'get on with it' gesture in the direction of the holy water.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:29, Sun 23 June 2019.

"Well, I ain't gonna call you a liar," Jacinta muttered, hearing the thump from above.  Her eyes rose to the rafters, with the barrel of her gun following, though she wasn't aiming at any place particular as she navigated the main aisle between the pews to join the others.

Popping one of her unblessed bullets free of her belt, she dropped it into Cooper's hand. "Any ammo you don't put the whammy on, should go in the holy font," she murmured quietly to Cooper, Kearney, Bauer, and Tamsin.  "Preacher must have blessed it, too.  God rest his soul."  She crossed herself again, throwing the preacher's corpse another glance.

Albert took the bullet from Jacinta with a nod, and didn't waste any time pulling out the etching tool he used to add a rune of power to a bullet. He sat down on one of the nearby pews to begin his work, focusing on that rather than what was happening on the roof. Someone would let him know if he was needed for something else.

OOC: Shootist roll of 5, so a success on Jacinta's bullet, which will again produce an extra die of damage and is magical.

Based on PMs, I believe that Albert currently has 7/10 PP remaining. He can spend up to 3 more on Shootist-enhanced bullets.

20:21, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  Shootist (LFB).

Note that this does take a full minute, so he won't hand it to Jacinta until Albert's next post (presuming folk are busy for the next minute)

While he was scratching at the casing, Albert spoke in general. "Anyone else that wants one o' these, lemme know. Packs a little extra punch and seems guaranteed ta damage that fella."

Bauer empties the rounds from her revolver into the basin, adding four shotgun shells that she draws out of a pocket. She seems momentarily transfixed by the water, muttering softly as she begins to retrieve the ammunition.

”...leads me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...”

She offers one of the bullets to Cooper.

Kearney unloads her carbine, dropping one cartridge at a time into the blessed water. She looks from the ceiling to Castillo, then Lee. ”Just what exactly is this fella?”

”’Fraid anyone back in Lincoln made their bed a long time before you came along.” McDaniels replies, his footfalls thudding on the roof as he paces. ”But if you want out of here...well that’s easy. I just need you to pass your word. Maybe shed a drop of blood or two on the street out here, just to demonstrate your commitment, you understand.”

He chuckles, the noise of sand sliding over dry paper. ”’Course, I’d need a little insurance, to make certain you held up your end of the bargain. So, one of you would have to stay here. Just until the rest made it across to one of the other territories. Old Mexico, Texas, Arizona. Wherever. It’s your trail to ride. Once you got there, and believe me, I would know when it happened, I’d cut the straggler loose.”

“You leave it to me choose, I’d pick that riflewoman with the braids. She’s damned entertaining, you ask me.”

Jacinta snorted at the devil's words, then flicked a look at Kearney.  "You read the book, didn't ya?  'bout McDaniels getting people to sign their souls away or some such?  Sounds to me like we got ourselves a certified demon.  Ain't never come across one, but I know for damn sure that the man out there ain't human.  He's got claws and yellow eyes.  If you saw 'em the way I did, you'd swear he'd been dead a long while, too."

She turned her attention back to Bryan.  "Heard 'em?  Shed blood out there, and I bet we'd all end up like those walking corpses forever.  I'd stay behind if it really meant the others could get out alive, but I don't see him keepin' that promise."

Albert held Jacinta's bullet between his finger and chewed on his upper lip as he looked at it. With a nod, he handed it to Jacinta. "Looks good. Same kind ya had last time. Think of it as a...practical gift. And ain't no way yer stayin' behind."

Albert then took the bullet from Bauer and went to work on it. "Comin' right up, Deputy."

OOC: Used a white chip on this one


20:32, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 6,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1.  Reroll (white).

20:30, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 3,2 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2.  Shootist (LFB).

Again, it'll take a minute, so it won't be ready for a bit.

Albert quietly offered some advice while he worked. "Course y'all might wanna argue a bit while I work. Make it sound like yer discussin' the offer."

With a nod of thanks to Albert, Jacinta loaded the bullet into her gun, making it the second round she'd shoot if it came down to it.

Tamsin can’t read the book, but she tucks it away anyways. She follows everyone else in unloading her gun and dipping the bullets in holy water. “If we have time I’ll take one.”

As no one seemed interested, Dr. Wayland put away the rest of the candy, though he continued to enjoy the one he was sucking on.  As Bauer finished her, admittedly, better prayer and took out her bullets, the scientist retrieved his own.  They were quickly loaded into the pistol again. As he worked, he did watch Mr. Cooper's scratching with undisguised curiosity.  But the menace from above took his attention again.  He did seem to agree with the scout's contention, "No...  Well...  He might keep it, but no doubt would find a loophole and end us all anyway.  Lawyah.... demon....  Theah's quite a bit of crossover, in my experience...."  The Doctor headed back for his lightning gun by the doorway, pitching his voice louder for the benefit of McDaniels, "Could we get any of this in writing?  I prefah to review any contracts in writing."

Bryan Lee had been about to respond, but he grinned as Wayland's question might buy them more time.

He waited to see what McDaniels said before he presented the man his own counteroffer. Sooner or later the man would figure out that they were stalling for time and would begin to advance his own agenda, but perhaps in the interim, Cooper might whip up some more bullets and more of the others might dip their bullet in holy water.

He took an opportunity to do the same, as a last reserve against McDaniels.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:55, Tue 25 June 2019.

Kearney looks back up at the ceiling. “An honest to hell demon.”

Shaking her head, she retrieves her cartridges from the basin, then loads them. Opening her revolver, she empties the bullets into her palm, puts them in a pocket, then draws out some different rounds from a pouch on her belt. As she reloads the pistol, she mutters under her breath, ”Damned things are such a pain in the ass.”

Another dry chuckle. ”You must be a man of business. I respect that, wanting a record of your agreement. A couple centuries back, I did it all the time. Flowery writing and all.”

Inside the priest’s office, a number of crosses abruptly fall from the wall, clattering as the strike the floor.

”I can accommodate you. Once you’ve decided who’s staying, step outside and I’ll have something ready for everyone’s signature.”

Outside, the groans of the dead draw closer, increasing in volume.

”But don’t dawdle. Make your choice and come on. Otherwise I open this place up like a tin can and feed every one of you to the dead.”

OOC: Tamsin, before you give up on that book, give me a Knowledge: Occult roll.

If anyone happens to look, they would see that roughly a third of the crosses mounted in the walls of the priest’s office have fallen to the floor.

Good old forgotten skills.

13:31, Today: Tamsin River rolled 2,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max ((2,5)). Knowledge: Occult.

Tamsin’s head twists at the noise, expecting to see that they are no longer alone in the church. No, just the crosses. She frowns, but stays quiet.