Bryan finished reloading his weapon with the holy-water touched bullets, and then holstered it. He gave a nod to each of his compatriots, letting them know that it was about to be on.

The Ranger took a small amount of the holy water as well and rubbed it all over his hands, letting it air dry on them.

"Well, I'm not so sure about some of the particulars. I ain't keen on leavin' friends behind, you see, so I'm gonna make you a counter-offer," he called out to the man on the roof, or whatever McDaniels was.

"If you turn yourself in peaceably and appraise me as to the particulars of any criminal activities that your associates are involved in, I will spare you the hangman's noose and see that you only serve a reduced sentence."

Dr. Wayland stood by the front door again, his lightning gun back in his hands.  He idly tweaked a wire here...  Gave the clockwork a click or two and released it to begin spinning up the dynamo again.  He glanced at the clattering in the backroom, but did his best to remain looking unconcerned.  Catching Lee's "get ready" look, the bounty hunter gave a faint nod and looked out the door at the approaching dead....and whatever else he might be able to get a look at...

Albert gave the most recently inscribed bullet back to the Deputy. "Like I said to J-Lo, little extra punch and it sounds as if it'll definitely affect that fella."

He then accepted the one from Tamsin and got to work on it as well, his head down as Albert concentrated on his task. He could still talk though. "And a little extra power fer Flower Power." And listen.

OOC: This one, too, will be successful. Tamsin - the bullet in question will do an extra die of damage and will be magical in nature.

14:38, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 7,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Shootist (LFB).

Remaining PP: 5/10. 4 of them are tied up in bullets (Deputy, Jacinta, Tamsin, Albert). One was used to help with shooting dedders. He can etch one more bullet.

As he needs a minute to finish it up, Albert likely won't be done with Tamsin's until just before it's time for the shooting to start.

Bauer accepts the bullet from Cooper, nodding at him gratefully. She peers at the inscription briefly before loading the round into her pistol.

”So you’d hogtie me, then whisk me off to Santa Fe? After I confessed all my wrongdoings and those that helped me commit ‘em, of course,” McDaniels replies.

Inside, another group of crosses clatter to the floor. Outside, Dr. Wayland can see that the dead, perhaps half a dozen of them, have drawn closer to the church. Within five or six paces of the front door.

”Don’t tell me. You still think this is all about scooping up land and cattle. About Mr. Murphy becoming such a powerful rancher that John Chisum gets eaten up with jealousy.”

“Tell you what, lawman. Give it about a week. If you’re still standin’, once you’ve gotten a good look at what’s happened around here by then, you come back and tell me if you think it’s still about a few extra steer.”

The pacing of the heavy footfalls halts near the center of the roof. ”Time’s almost up. Last chance to keep breathin’.”

“I think Jim McDaniels is a ghost walker,” Tamsin says, flipping the book shut before she retrieves her bullets from the holy water and loads them into her gun. She leaves a space for the bullet Mr. Cooper is working on.

Cooper continued to work, though he was almost done. He stood and held it in his hand as he finished so that Tamsin could take it and add it to her load. "Good work, Flower Power. Now...does that mean ya know how ta take him down easy?"

OOC: Edit - actually Albert does have knowledge (occult). Will a 6 provide him some useful knowledge about this sort of thing?


19:20, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 6,3 using d4,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (4+2)6,3.  K(Occult) - ghost walker?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:21, Mon 01 July 2019.

"Alright folks, we need to start lightin' him and those deaders up sooner than later, before he has time to break this place in," the Ranger said quietly, making hurrying motions toward the door.

"Doc, if you could conduct some electroconvulsive therapy on the subject above, I'd be much appreciative. Coop, Señorita...light him up, and cover me when you can. I'll do my best with the deaders. Wait for my sign. Here goes nothin'." He walked over toward the doorway.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Mon 01 July 2019.

Albert looked up at Bryan briefly, though spoke as he continued to do his work. "Hold up a sec, General, I been thinkin'. And while I ain't never heard somethin' called exactly ghost walker, I have heard 'bout things sorta like this one goin' by various names. They are all malevolent spirits that supposedly got the ability ta raise the spirits of the dead and command 'em. So he's more a ghost wrangler than ghost walker. But whatever...a rose by any other name and so forth."

Albert glanced over at the book River has been studying, and considered that it was in the possession of that priest. "We can be purty sure this fella, McDaniels, is now a demon. As y'all seem ta have concluded, he's gonna be vulnerable ta any weapon that's blessed, includin' the holy water itself. He's also gonna be vulnerable ta weapons made from or containin' cold forged iron. I further expect that McDaniels ain't gonna be at full strength on any sorta sacred ground. Like this church here. Almost certain that a place consecrated ta a holy purpose would likely interfere with summa his....er, abilities."

He shrugged as he put a few more scraches into the bullet he was still upgrading. "That's all I got, but mebbe add that ta how yer strategizin'."

Bryan paused and  listened to Cooper's addition and nodded.

"So best we get started on 'im before he pulls down this sanctuary."

The Ranger continued his path to the door, and stood in the doorway for a moment like like a coiled spring, focusing his energy before launching himself full speed into the closest deader he can find.

OOC:

He'll position himself so that he's of greatest obstruction to the deaders trying to make it in the front door or front side of the building.

• Knowledge Occult roll of 2, so I guess Bryan hasn't heard of the Ghostwalkers
• Spending 4 PP to cast Quickness (rolled at 5), giving him another immediate action.
• Spending 4 PP to cast Damage Field (rolled a 5), making anything that attacks him by making contact take 2d6 damage

Quickness: 1/3
Damage Field: 1/3

22:38, Today: Bryan Lee rolled 5,4 using d6,d6, rerolling max.  Damage Field.
22:38, Today: Bryan Lee rolled 3,5 using d6,d6, rerolling max.  Quickness.
22:33, Today: Bryan Lee rolled 1,2 using d6,d6, rerolling max.  Knowledge:Occult.
22:42, Today: Bryan Lee drew the single card: 2S using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative for next round as needed.


This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Mon 01 July 2019.

Bauer pushes open one of the windows on the northern wall of the sanctuary, takes a step back, then springs through it.

08:53, Today: Lena Bauer rolled 12,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+4)12,2.  Agility.

The deputy comes out of a roll, shouldering her shotgun as she crouches in the dust. The report thunders in the quiet street as she targets one of the walking corpses a few paces away, but the shot goes wide.

08:53, Today: Lena Bauer rolled 1,3 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Shooting.

10:24, Today: Lena Bauer drew the single card: 6S using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Kearney shoves one of the southern windows open, then, grabbing the top of the frame, swings through the opening feet first.

08:56, Today: Aileen Kearney rolled 6,2 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2.  Agility .

Snapping her carbine to her shoulder as she lands on her feet, Kearney fires at the closest deader, blasting a ragged wound in its flank.

08:57, Today: Aileen Kearney rolled 4,1 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1.  Shooting .

08:58, Today: Aileen Kearney rolled 8 using 2d8, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3.  Damage.

The zombie is shaken.

10:25, Today: Aileen Kearney drew the single card: 8H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

At Lee's suggestion, Dr. Wayland gave a nod and a small grin.  He left the door to the Ranger and stepped back into the chapel proper, eyeing the roof.  He cocked an ear for the heavy footsteps...   The lemondrop candy clacked thoughtfully against his teeth....  As everyone began sallying forth, he raised the lightning gun to his shoulde, muttering, "Terribly sorry, reverend..."  He squeezed the trigger and the sanctuary was brilliantly illuminated by a bolt of God's own judgement...

*tosses the Payback Adventure Card in as well*  McDaniels thwarted his bounty...not to mention enslaving an entire town into undying servitude...  That sir, requires a reckoning....

Lightning Burst - To Hit 11, 25 Damage

The walking dead gathered in front of the church seem momentarily stunned to have one of the living suddenly in their midst. Their dulled senses focusing on Bryan Lee, they move to surround the Ranger.

10:17, Today: The Dead drew the single card: 9H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

The flare of Dr. Wayland’s emitter is momentarily blinding in the dim confines of the church, the blue cone of furious electrical energy ripping through the roof of the building with a noise like a thunderclap. In the midst of the tremendous noise, those nearby hear an inhuman howl of pain from above.

Pieces of burning wood, from the ceiling’s support timbers, along with crumbling chunks of adobe rain down into the room, filling the air with a cloud of dust and catching one of the left hand pews on fire. Among the descending debris, something large and heavy crashes to the floor.

In the dust, it appears as a great shadow, but as some of adobe settles, those within the iglesia see that it is a enormous winged creature. As it regains its feet it stretches up to ten feet in height, the span of its leathery wings a full seven feet in each direction. Reptilian flesh, mottled with shades of gray and green, is pulled tight over its powerful frame, black fur growing on isolated patches. In several places, the skin has ruptured, exposing thick, yellowed bones, stained with ash. The creature’s head is a bare skull, a snout filled with canine teeth extending from it, green eyes burning hatefully inside of dark sockets. Its legs are inverted, the knees facing behind it like those of a bird of prey, and its hands and feet end in long, black talons. Smoke rises from where its feet touch the sanctuary floor.

”Well played,” the thing that is Jim Mc Daniels tells Dr. Wayland, ”Course, you understand I’m gonna have to kill you for that little stunt.”

Dr. Wayland’s blast of lightning leaves McDaniels shaken with 1 wound.

11:07, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 8,7 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 8,(6+1)7.  Spirit.

The spirit roll will remove the shaken condition. The wound remains.

11:11, Today: Jim McDaniels drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Anyone who’s still inside the iglesia needs to provide me with a spirit roll. This is a Fear Test.

Anyone who hasn’t yet done so also needs to give me an initiative draw.

Nice shot, Dr. Wayland.

After handing the bullet to Tamsin and seeing Wayland's aim, Albert situated himself so that he could easily point his weapon at whatever fell from above.

Given the warning from Bryan, Albert was none-too-surprised about what fell from above. Time for the shooting to start.

OOC: 8 Spirit, AH for initiative. Which is usually pretty good. But not good enough today.

09:44, Today: Albert Cooper drew the single card: AH using a deck of 54 cards.

09:44, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 8,3 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,3.  Spirit.

Dr. Wayland couldn't complete hide the surprise at the form that collapsed through the roof.  Based on the talk, he assumed some form of horror....but not quite that.  But, he pushed down the fear and mentally acknowledged the existence of demon-like creatures in this weird world.  Lifting his voltaic weapon again to his shoulder, he noted to "McDaniels", "To be faiah, you were going to kill me anyway..."

Fear Check - 5  (Unless Payback's +2 vs him would count?)  Also willing to Red Chip it?

EDIT - Spend Red Chip for +4

Initiative Card - 6C

I'll hold post till I find out about the Fear.

14:39, Today: Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Red Chip Add to Fear Test.
13:59, Today: Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland drew the single card: 6C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.
13:58, Today: Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland rolled 5,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1.  Spirit!

This message was last edited by the player at 18:44, Tue 02 July 2019.

OOC: Oops, sorry. Thanks for catching that Ezekiel. Demons impose a -4 penalty on Fear Tests, so yes, you’ll need to chip the roll in order to pass the test. Cooper’s roll was high enough to pass, even accounting for the -4.

The Payback card only applies to attack and damage rolls.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:29, Tue 02 July 2019.

Jacinta stood at the doorway, ready to plug any of the dead heads that got too close to Bryan, but Ezekiel's sudden burst at the roof drew her attention.  As did the demonic creature that fell through the church's new sunroof.  "¡Estas loco, gringo!

Having already seen some of what McDaniels really was, she wasn't too shocked by his altered appearance, though she did consider him ugly as sin.  Her rifle swiveled to the imminent threat, ready to send the devil back to hell.


Fear: 4
Initiative: 9H

22:45, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 4,3 using d8-2,d6-2, rerolling max with rolls of 6,5.  Fear.
22:47, Today: Jacinta Castillo drew the single card: 9H using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

”True enough,” the demon snarls. With a speed that belies its size, it slashes at the bounty hunter with its long talons.

10:25, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 4,0 using 1d10-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 5,1.  Fighting.

10:26, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 8,1 using 1d12+1,1d8, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1.  Damage.

Total damage: 8

The attack will leave Wayland shaken.

Despite its seeming bravado, the creature makes no move to press its attack against the bounty hunter, instead lunging for the open front door, moving within a few paces of it, leaving in its wake smoking, black footprints burned into the sanctuary floor.

Marshal’s clarification: As the church is sanctified ground, every round that McDaniels remains inside it, he automatically absorbs a shaken condition that he has to roll/burn a chip on to overcome.

09:54, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 6,1 using 1d10,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1.  Spirit.

For further clarity, Mc Daniels’ move leaves him positioned between the holy water basin and the front entrance, about five paces away from escaping the church. He’s also barreling straight toward Jacinta Castillo.

10:23, Today: Jim McDaniels drew the single card: 7H using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

09:35, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Tamsin River, drew the single card: 2C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Initiative Order

AS - Jim McDaniels
AH - Albert Cooper
9H - Jacinta Castillo
9H - The Dead
8H - Aileen Kearney
6S - Lena Bauer
6C - Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
2S - Bryan Lee
2C - Tamsin River

Mr. Cooper, your turn.

Well, there was nothing for it. Just gotta point and shoot, right? Hard to miss a creature that big. Albert spun his gun on his finger and blue energy again played across his knuckles a moment before he shot his specially etched bullet.

OOC: Albert succeeds in activating Smite (with a 5). Just the normal +2, though. He got a 9 to hit (presuming Marksman is in play) which should provide a raise.
29 damage (magical).

If for some reason 9 is not a raise, it would be 27 damage instead. The bullet is AP 1. It has Smite on it.

Remaining PP 3/10.

Init: 7C

12:34, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 29 using 4d6+3, rerolling max with rolls of (6+5)11,(6+3)9,4,2.  Damage (LFB, Smite, Raise).

12:32, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 7,1 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1.  Shooting.

12:31, Today: Albert Cooper rolled 3,5 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  Hexslinger (Smite).

12:37, Today: Albert Cooper drew the single card: 7C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Cooper’s shot inflicts 4 wounds on the demon, as well as leaving it shaken.

It will try to soak that.

15:10, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 8,8 using 1d10-1,1d6-1, rerolling max with rolls of 9,(6+3)9.  Soak Roll.

15:11, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Red Chip - Soak Roll.

15:12, Today: Jim McDaniels rolled 3 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Blue Chip - Soak Roll.

That’s a total of four successes, which will soak all the wounds. Since all of the wounds were soaked, the shaken condition is removed as well.

Good news is, it cost all the red and blue chips I had on hand to get there.

Initiative Order

AS - Jim McDaniels
AH - Albert Cooper
9H - Jacinta Castillo
9H - The Dead
8H - Aileen Kearney
6S - Lena Bauer
6C - Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
2S - Bryan Lee
2C - Tamsin River

You’re next, Señorita Castillo.

Jactina held her ground, jerking the lever of her rifle to load up Albert's magic bullet.  "¡El poder de Cristo le obliga!" she yelled at McDaniels just before she pulled the trigger.



Shooting: 5 (w/ Blue Chip)
Damage: 12 (LFB)
Initiative: QS

In effect:  Jacinta's blessed with holy water

15:32, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 1,3 using d8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3.  Shooting.
17:31, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Blue Chip.
17:33, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 12 using 3d8, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5,6.  Damage.
17:35, Today: Jacinta Castillo drew the single card: QS using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.

The walking corpses gathered at the front of the iglesia crowd around Lee, attacking the lawman greedily with their grimy claws.

09:57, Today: The Dead rolled 5 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Fighting.

09:57, Today: The Dead rolled 8 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Fighting.
09:57, Today: The Dead rolled 4 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4.  Damage.

09:58, Today: The Dead rolled 6 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Fighting.

09:58, Today: The Dead rolled 9 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Fighting.
09:59, Today: The Dead rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Damage.

09:59, Today: The Dead rolled 14 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of (6+4)10.  Fighting.
10:01, Today: The Dead rolled 12 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of (6+2)8,4.  Damage.

10:02, Today: The Dead rolled 9 using 1d6+4, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Fighting.
10:02, Today: The Dead rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Damage.

Although several of the deaders manage to claw at the ranger, only one of their attacks, a deep slash across the abdomen, appears to cause him real harm,

The Ranger responds with a flurry of hand strikes and kicks, sending one of the corpses sprawling backwards out of the group, and decapitating another. Some of the other gathered dead are buffeted by the rapid series of blows, but continue to press their attacks against Lee.

10:03, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Bryan Lee, rolled 13 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,(6+4)10.  Damage Field.
10:03, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Bryan Lee, rolled 9 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,4.  Damage Field.
10:03, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Bryan Lee, rolled 4 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2.  Damage Field.
10:04, Today: Marshal, on behalf of Bryan Lee, rolled 6 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,2.  Damage Field.

Lee dispatches one of the deaders and leaves another of the zombies shaken.

One of the zombies manages to claw the Ranger viciously, leaving him shaken with 1 wound. Lee, of course, may make a soak roll.

The deader that Kearney shot appears to recover from the injury enough to resume its advance. The other walking corpse draws close enough to take a swipe at the mustanger with its claws, but she agilely dodges the blow.

10:27, Today: The Dead rolled 9 using 1d4+2, rerolling max with rolls of (4+3)7.  Spirit.

10:29, Today: The Dead rolled 1 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Fighting.

On the other side of the church, one of the zombies closes with Bauer, reaching for the deputy with a clawed hand that she is able to duck.

10:31, Today: The Dead rolled 2 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2.  Fighting.

10:34, Today: The Dead drew the single card: KS using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Kearney manages to shove the barrel of her carbine under the chin of the deader that attacked her, blasting its brains out through the top of its head.

10:35, Today: Aileen Kearney rolled 13,3 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of (8+5)13,3.  Shooting.

10:36, Today: Aileen Kearney rolled 5,9 using 2d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1,(6+3)9.  Damage.

10:38, Today: Aileen Kearney drew the single card: AS using a deck of 54 cards.