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11:44, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

V - Buckshot.

Posted by MarshalFor group 0
Marshal
GM, 523 posts
W2 R0 B0
Wed 17 Jul 2019
at 04:44
  • msg #1

V - Buckshot

Before nightfall, Ike Ellis had made certain that Thomas Benton’s remains were stored under lock and key in his cellar. Emiliano Narvaez visited the livery after dark, administering the last rites to his fellow minister and friend. The two men spoke of arrangements afterward, deciding that it would be best to hold the Reverend’s service the day after tomorrow.

Ellis, a man of habit, was up the following day well before dawn, so it was he and his helpers that Desiree Thornton approached for assistance. At dawn, the aging stable owner and his employees managed to track down all of those that had ridden into Angus the previous day, passing word to each to meet at the Thornton-Curry Saloon as soon as they were able. Of Kansas Kate’s whereabouts, nothing was known, but the saloon keeper hung a lit lantern beside the rear entrance to the bar, the door the outlaw seemed to prefer, in hopes that she would recognize it as a signal of welcome.

As the members of the select group arrived, they could smell the rich scent of coffee, along with that of cooking food. Thornton, wearing a simple blue calico dress, was on the porch of her business, sweeping away the dust that had gathered there the evening before.
Albert Cooper
player, 304 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Thu 18 Jul 2019
at 04:38
  • msg #2

V - Buckshot

Albert made his way toward the front door of the Thornton-Curry Saloon in his usual attire - dark gray shirt, black pants, boots, and duster, with a dark gray fedora on his head. His gunbelt was around his waist as usual, the decorated pearl grip of his .44 revolver a stark contrast to the dark colors he wore.

Seeing the proprietor of the establishment out front, Albert nodded appreciatively at Desiree a moment before lifting his hat slightly off his head. "Good mornin', ma'am. How are ya doin' today?"
Desiree Thornton
NPC, 44 posts
Thu 18 Jul 2019
at 17:59
  • msg #3

V - Buckshot

”I’m well,” she answers, halting her chore. ”I’m glad to see you again Mr. Cooper. You are a true cowboy. Up before the break of dawn.”

She nods across the street. ”Mrs. Ramsey was kind enough to cook breakfast for everyone. I can cook mind you, but just about everything this Louisiana girl whips up isn’t to most folks taste here in Lincoln.”

She regards him seriously. ”How are you doing? Deputy Bauer was in last night, said several folks took a ride out of town yesterday, you included. She didn’t talk about it, but...she seemed different. A little shaken, maybe.”
Bryan Lee
player, 309 posts
Texas Ranger (8/20 PP)
P7 T6 W-1 F0 W0 R3 B3 L0
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 02:00
  • msg #4

V - Buckshot

"There's things out in this world that'll shake even the sturdiest man or woman, Miss Thornton," he said, tipping his hat to her as he walked up. "I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of inviting a chance met old friend who met some of us outside of town to join us this morning. He should be along shortly, I believe." He scanned the road to see where Wayland was.
Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
player, 61 posts
Have Science.Will Travel.
P4 T5/7 W0 F0 W4 R1 B1 L0
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 03:57
  • msg #5

V - Buckshot


Dr. Wayland was not long after the Ranger and was fairly easy to spot in his colorful attire.  He had managed to repair or replace the clawed panel across the front of his bright yellow wasitcoat and so looks very little the worse for the wear of the previous adventure.  He is, notably, /not/ carrying his lightning cannon around town.  He is wearing the gatling pistol in its odd bulky rig.

Stepping in, he doffs his top hat and has a look around, "Lovely.  I do enjoy a good saloon..."  Lee and Cooper get a soft nod, Mrs. Thornton gets a soft bow, "Ma'am."  As he straightened, he sniffed the air....trying to identify exactly what is being cooked...
Jacinta Castillo
player, 196 posts
Half-breed Scout
P4 T5 W0 F0 W1 R1 B4 L0
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 06:32
  • msg #6

V - Buckshot

Jacinta wasn't much of a sleeper and never slept all that deeply, in any case.  So being awoken at the crack of dawn wasn't a terrible imposition.  She was yawning as she approached the saloon, stretching out the kinks in her back that came from fighting a bonafide demon.  Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she gave Desiree a nod as she stepped up onto the porch with the others.  "I hope you got some of that good, strong coffee ready, chica.  I need about a pot to myself," she warned.
Kansas Kate
player, 322 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W0 R0 B0 L#
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 15:02
  • msg #7

V - Buckshot

Kansas Kate arrived all right.  She went off in the brush to tether the horse.  She'd come back for it soon, to make sure it got water and feed.

A lit lantern during the day?  She grunted.  Shouldering Graham's scattergun, for nothing else was as deadly effective in such close quarters, she took up a position next to the back door and listened, carefully.

09:50, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 1,15 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(6+6+3)15.  Roleplaying Notice roll lol.

Just to see if Kate gets the situation right or wrong.  Kate doing a dodge roll into the saloon, shotgun in hand, ready to kill Murphy's goons to save Thornton unnecessarily is a funny visual.

It sounded... normal.  Maybe it was just a signal and not a distress beacon.  She let some of the tension (not all, never all) in her body go.

She entered, carefully, quickly closing the door behind her.  She walked in as quietly as her boots would allow.

Kansas Kate looked a sight.  She'd been left outside dead for a day, and was wearing another woman's bullet-hole ridden blood spattered clothes.  If not for the Wolf's generous offering of whiskey she'd stink horribly too (it's not like she smelled good now).  Speaking of which, first things first.  The outlaw, who looked like she was ready to go to war with a carbine, a shotgun, the hilt of the Toothpick and her trademark Schofield all at the ready.

Not speaking to anyone yet, she went behind the counter and grabbed the most potent looking hooch she could see, and wasn't a complete jackwagon, dropping some of Dolly Graham's pocket money on the bar.  She took a hell of a pull.  Not needing to breathe any more, it wasn't hard to take a fourth of the bottle in one gulp.  She could do more, but she remembered it probably wasn't smart to let on she was dead so publicly.  Besides she was still processing that.

Wayland got her attention next.  Finally she spoke.

"Ah have a lot of things to say."  The burning alcohol came off of her words in acrid waves.  She kept her steely eyed gaze on the dandy in his colorful getup.  What a visual contrast between the two.  She asked Cooper.  "Cooper, this'un.  Right damn quick if ya please."

The question was left unspoken but the way Kate's eye twitched was a tell.
Lena Bauer
NPC, 65 posts
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 18:51
  • msg #8

V - Buckshot

Bauer arrives, hints of dark circles beneath her eyes. She smiles at the gathering, momentarily distracted by the sight of Kate taking an enormous pull on a whiskey bottle.

“Mornin’” she says, ”Good to see ya’ll.”

She gestures eastward, down the street, with her thumb. ”Ike Ellis told me Miz Kearney rode out for San Patricio this mornin’. Somethin’ about sendin’ a telegram to her folks in Colorado.”
Desiree Thornton
NPC, 45 posts
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 18:51
  • msg #9

V - Buckshot

Thornton smiles at Dr. Wayland’s formal bow. ”Well, good morning, sir. Any friend of the Ranger’s is a friend of mine.”

She gestures to the batwing doors. ”Food and plates are lined up on the bar.” She looks to Castillo. ”Coffee’s on the far end. Just made.”

She starts to step around the side of the building. ”You get done, meet me over at the shed in the back. I’ve something to show you.”

Inside on the bar can be found eggs, bacon, biscuits, fresh cut cantaloupe, oatmeal, and strawberry preserves. At the far end of the bar are utensils and plates, along with a pot of coffee and several tin mugs. The barroom is unoccupied, a trio of lanterns providing light as dawn continues to climb into the sky.
Albert Cooper
player, 305 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Fri 19 Jul 2019
at 22:58
  • msg #10

Re: V - Buckshot

Desiree Thornton:
She regards him seriously. ”How are you doing? Deputy Bauer was in last night, said several folks took a ride out of town yesterday, you included. She didn’t talk about it, but...she seemed different. A little shaken, maybe.”


"Hm. Thought she'd be happy. Folks that rode outta town caught themselves a big fish. I'm doing purty well, cuz of that."

Albert greeted Bryan, Ezekiel, and Jacinta as they arrived, removing his hat for the latter as she strode up to the saloon.

He made his way inside to see Kate make her entrance and rather long draw from the bottle. Made him itch for a shot or two himself, but that should probably wait.

He opened his mouth when Kate approached, but she was quicker on the verbal draw than he was. He nodded. "This here's a Doctor we met out where we were goin' yesterday. I think his doctorin's mostly gotta do with makin' people hurt more, so I jus' call 'im The Dentist. He's in the know on what's been goin' on, and trustworthy. So talk free around him. He's also a bounty huntin' dentist, fer what it's worth."

He gestured toward an empty table. "Mebbe at that large table right there? Imma get some food first."

The cowboy served himself some food and coffee before sitting at the indicated table with a fork in hand. He awaited Kate's report.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:00, Fri 19 July 2019.
Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
player, 62 posts
Have Science.Will Travel.
P4 T5/7 W0 F0 W4 R1 B1 L0
Sat 20 Jul 2019
at 03:10
  • msg #11

Re: V - Buckshot

Dr. Wayland had been about to peruse the breakfast offerings of the quaint establishment when the nameless, whisky-drowned whirlwind came through.  He straightened a bit defensively as she leveled /such/ a look on him.  Cooper's "explanation" slumped him back down again though in mock exasperation.  And he quickly corrected, "Ah am neithah a medical doctah or a dentist, sah.  Ah hold degrees in..."  He trailed off, realizing the pointlessness of explaining and realizing that, very likely, Mr. Cooper was being glib.  "Well, suffice it to say Ah am just not /that/ sort of doctah,"  Wayland paused, casting his look back to...The Drinker, "Though, Ah might recommend that we find that sort of doctah.  No offense..."
Kansas Kate
player, 323 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W0 R0 B0 L#
Sat 20 Jul 2019
at 17:00
  • msg #12

Re: V - Buckshot

Kansas Kate walked the length of the saloon taking sips while checking every window, every corner, doing her best to ensure they weren't being snooped on.  It's not like she actually had the power to ensure such as the case in any event, but much like the farce with leaving the headless corpse.

She sniffed the air at the dandy non-doctor.  "Kansas Kate.  Ya say th' whole thing.  Coop says yer all right yer all right."  She inspected his rig with an inscrutable expression.  She paid an inordinate amount of attention to weapons and hands, it wasn't just the good Doctor's that got this treatment, but she was more familiar with the others if only slightly.

Once she was satisfied, Kansas Kate, her bottle perhaps two thirds down, began.

"After Jesse Evans were done convinced ah done kilt Tom O'Folliard, he done sent me ta meet his boss man, Dolan. Dolan offered me a contract ta kill Perez th' school-ma'arm.  Ah accepted it, on accout of he said 'take care of her', not kill 'er, though that's what he were expectin', clear as day.  Ol' Kansas Kate was 'a gonna play Prairie Lawyer with 'im.

"Ah managed to get Perez cornered and was a' tryin' ta talk her into an okey-doke ta pull Dolan along.  But t'were a trap, Murphy hisself, Frank Baker, Jesse Evans, an' Dolly Graham were lyin' in wait, couple others too but ah didn't get them names."

Kansas Kate took a sip.


"They left me outside fer dead, but that Injun Wolf feller came and worked some Injun medicine."  And that medicine was firewater Kansas Kate didn't say out loud.

"Since they knew ah weren't gonna kill no damn school teacher, them little chickenshits sent Graham and a feller called Bill Spawn ta kill Tom O'Folliard.  Ah don't know how he done it, but damn that Injun is smarter'n a rawhide whip what's been left ta soak overnight.

"Ah got damn lucky, th' Injun happened ta take me up to th' perfect ambush spot.  Spawn and Graham are dead.  O'Folliard's gone back to th' Tunstall Ranch to round up a posse.  We switched clothes with th' dead so Murphy's gang might think th' job was done an' Graham an' Spawn's still 'live.  Sent Graham's body off wit' th' Injun.  Blew Bill Spawn's head off with this here scattergun while he were a wearin' Folliard's duds, left his body in that cave Folliard were a hidin' in."

Kate hoped that was sufficiently laconic.

"Now what ah'm about ta tell you all sounds plumb loco.  Two days ago, if you'd told me things like this, ah'd have shot you in th' face ta make ya shut up.  But this here, this ain't like nothin' ah seen before, not that ah done seen everythin' there ever were under the sun.

"But ah have learnt plenty.  Murphy has an unholy power, he makes th' cold of hell itself come forth an' fights like a monster.  It ain't nat'ral.

"Graham... 'fore she died, she gave up everythin' she had on them.  Ah reckon she were either pressed inta her sitch-ee-ashun, or were just hired ta do a job an' got in over her head.  While she were bleedin' out, she lost any loyalty she had to Murphy and company.  She told me thin's.  Weird, disurbin' thin's.

"Jesse Evans is th' only one what ever talks direct to Murphy, who don't leave the ranch much, and he ain't never seen, exceptin' at night.  Dolan is th' day to day boss."

Another whiskey sip.

"Graham done said Murphy has a power from the Capitan Peaks, that somethin' happened ta him when he took a wagon train up that way.  Ah don't think Murphy can rightly be kilt proper until we takes that power 'way from him.  There's another feller ah gots ta find, names Roberts, probably knows somethin'.  Ah could use help, ah shoot people, ah don't find 'em."

She emptied the bottle.  All in all she'd done a decent job of not going on too long about it all, and leaving out certain... parts, but those wouldn't really help the situation right now anyway.  She indulged in a bit of sophistry.

"Ya believes me or ya don't.  Ya'll... ah am a piece of human trash.  Ah kill, steal, cheat, murder, 'n cuss.  T'were all I was ever good fer.  But this has gone beyond natural, normal or sane, this here's about destroyin' somethin' wrong.  There's th' evil that were meant to be in th' world, an' then there's this horse shit."

She sighed, stopped her philosophizing, and moved on.  "Find th' man Roberts, undoes whatever it is that makes Murphy so damn chickenshit, an' then ah, or whoever gets there first ah reckon, kills Jesse Evans, Frank Baker an' Dolan.  Reckon we oughtta take a moment to gather up all th' blasting supplies, ammunition, horses an' weapons while we find Roberts, an' Dolan', well that's a Lincoln job if'n ah ever heard a one.  And let me make this real clear, either they gonna die, or ah am.  Ah don't give a damn no more, they done signed their death warrants when they crossed Kansas Kate."

Again.
  She thought after saying she was going to die.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:01, Sat 20 July 2019.
Lena Bauer
NPC, 66 posts
Sun 21 Jul 2019
at 18:53
  • msg #13

Re: V - Buckshot

Bauer listens as Kansas Kate relates her story, moving to the bar to fold bacon into a pair of biscuits and pour coffee into one of the tin cups. Taking a seat at the end of the table Cooper indicated, she says, ”If Murphy’s scared of Buckshot Roberts, he’s not the only one around here. He’s a hell of a bounty hunter. He brought in a few to Sheriff Brady, dangerous sorts all.”

“Last I heard, he lives around Blazer’s Mill. It’s a little place, just a store and a few other buildings, southwest of here. Right on the edge of Mescalero Apache country. Roberts supposedly gets on real well with the Apache. But not most other folks. He’s not too friendly to strangers. Last time he got a drink over at Wilson’s, he laid up four of Murphy’s ranch hands. Broke one’s jaw and both arms on another one.”

Albert Cooper
player, 308 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Mon 22 Jul 2019
at 17:33
  • msg #14

Re: V - Buckshot

Albert listened to Kate's story and plan. He got a dark look about him when she mentioned being left for dead. Kate had probably known him at the right time in his life to know that was the sort of look he got when he was going to try to avenge some misdeed.

"Laid up Murphy's ranch hands ya say? Sounds like a point in his favor, not a warnin'. It terms of findin' folk, J-Lo, General Lee, and the Dentist all prolly have that sorta skill. One bein' a scout, another a Ranger, and the last a bounty hunter."

He shrugged. "As fer believin' such a weird tale as yours...the rest of us just got done killin' a demon what controlled an army of dead bodies. So ain't nothin' yer tellin' us is gonna seem too far-fetched after that."

Albert shrugged. "As fer our part, we went out ta Angus like planned. Met up with the Dentist there, exchanged pleasantries, and found he wouldn't mind some help bringin' in a bounty. Turned out ta be the easiest bounty ever hunted as the fella what needed huntin' was already dead. Just like everbody else in that town. Course bein' dead wasn't no hindrance ta them all risin' again ta try ta turn us inta worm food as well. At least when Jim McDaniels was pulling their strings."

He nodded at the others. "McDaniels was some kinda demon able ta use the bodies of the dead for his own nefarious purposes. Sorta reminded me of them railroad folk I hunted down after they killed my wife and took my boy. 'Cept McDaniels could sprout leathery wings and fly."

"After retreatin' ta the church, which the old reverend had quite sanctified, the Dentist brought the demon down from the roof inta the holy space. Seemed like he couldn't heal hisself or nuthin in there. So he died on sanctified ground. Now...when a demon's body is destroyed, it's usually a couple decades 'fore he or she can come back ta this world 'gain. A demon that died on sanctified ground? Might be longer. Either way, we won't be seein' that fella soon."
Kansas Kate
player, 326 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W0 R0 B0 L#
Tue 23 Jul 2019
at 01:51
  • msg #15

Re: V - Buckshot

"Figgers."  Kansas Kate sighed.  Cooper always had to top any story you ever told.

"So.  Jesse Evans, Frank Baker an' Dolan all need to die.  Roberts needs ta be found.  O'Folliard an' his sorry lot need ta be organized so fewer of them die.  Is that about the size of it?  Well that an' ah reckon we want ta get every scrap of gunpowder, dynamite an' sharp stick in this shithole town."
Albert Cooper
player, 309 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Tue 23 Jul 2019
at 15:46
  • msg #16

Re: V - Buckshot

Albert shrugged. "Order might be important. Like if we eliminate Evans, might be hard ta get at Murphy. I assume he's the endgame here?"

Albert didn't feel like he had all the pieces, but Kate had shared quite a bit. So maybe they had enough of the puzzle laid bare.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:39, Wed 24 July 2019.
Lena Bauer
NPC, 67 posts
Tue 23 Jul 2019
at 18:32
  • msg #17

Re: V - Buckshot

The deputy finishes one of her biscuits, then tucks the other into the pocket of her vest. She downs the remainder of her coffe in a single gulp.

”I’ve got a bit of urgent business to attend to this morning,” Bauer says as she walks over to the entrance, ”Ya’ll know I’ll back whatever play you make. ‘Specially after yesterday. When you’ve figured out the next step, come find me. I should be back at the courthouse in an hour or so.”

Giving the gathering a nod, she steps outside.
Marshal
GM, 528 posts
W2 R0 B0
Tue 23 Jul 2019
at 18:33
  • msg #18

Re: V - Buckshot

A few minutes after Bauer exits, there is a noise from the quiet street outside; a horse, moving at a full, hard gallop, its hoofbeats growing louder as it nears the saloon.
Bryan Lee
player, 310 posts
Texas Ranger (8/20 PP)
P7 T6 W-1 F0 W0 R3 B3 L0
Tue 23 Jul 2019
at 19:27
  • msg #19

Re: V - Buckshot

"I've been wantin' to find out what's goin' on up in those mountains for a bit now, so I'm all about a trip over there - and to see this Buckshot Roberts. When I confronted Dolan and McDaniels about the man that beat up Kibbe potentially being a man named Provencio, they told me that Kibbe must have mistaken him for Roberts - and tried to turn my attentions on him," he said.

"Of course, it sounded like a load of bull, but I figured it might be worth talkin' to a man that the House was trying to use me to take down." He paused as he heard the sound of the horse slowing down about near the saloon, waiting to see what if anything came from this.
Kansas Kate
player, 327 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W0 R0 B0 L#
Wed 24 Jul 2019
at 00:05
  • msg #20

Re: V - Buckshot

"All right.  Ah have to talk to this Roberts mydamnself.  Ah got... reasons."

Kansas Kate likewise reacted to the galloping, though in perhaps a different way.  She took a window, shouldering her repeater.  If she didn't like who it was they were getting plugged.
Albert Cooper
player, 310 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Wed 24 Jul 2019
at 02:46
  • msg #21

Re: V - Buckshot

Albert nodded at Bauer's departure and internally chastised himself. He had wanted to ask the deputy how she was holding up, but hadn't gotten the chance before Lena left.

His mental chiding was set aside when the hoofbeats approached. Kate generally had good instincts, so Albert lifted his pistol out of its holster. He kept it below table level, but he would be ready to back any move by KK if necessary.
Bryan Lee
player, 311 posts
Texas Ranger (8/20 PP)
P7 T6 W-1 F0 W0 R3 B3 L0
Wed 24 Jul 2019
at 03:55
  • msg #22

Re: V - Buckshot

Standing not terribly far from the doorframe, he wouldn't need the range of a firearm to deal with an unwelcome intrusion, but he watched Kansas Kate to see what he'd learn from her reaction.
Jacinta Castillo
player, 197 posts
Half-breed Scout
P4 T5 W0 F0 W1 R1 B4 L0
Wed 24 Jul 2019
at 08:04
  • msg #23

Re: V - Buckshot

She'd helped herself to coffee and food, sitting at the table to enjoy both.  Kate's description of events didn't really surprise her all that much.  After killing a scarecrow come to life, seeing a ghostly packtrain, and watching McDaniels become a winged demon, she figured there had to be other supernatural forces at work in Lincoln.  If Murphy turned out to be the devil himself, she likely wouldn't be all that shocked.

At the sound of hooves, she glanced up, but continued to enjoy her meal.  Sounded like trouble was headed their way, but there was no sense in getting her hackles up until it actually arrived.
Marshal
GM, 529 posts
W2 R0 B0
Thu 25 Jul 2019
at 03:17
  • msg #24

Re: V - Buckshot

The horse comes to a halt outside, whinnying and snorting as the rider is heard hitching it to the rail in front of the saloon.

A moment later, the rider enters. He is a tall man, dressed in the attire of working cowboy, chaps covering his jeans, a bandanna around his neck, and a wide brimmed hat shading his long face. Albert Cooper and Bryan Lee immediately recognize him as Jim French, one of the hands that works for Susan McSween at what was originally John Tunstall’s ranch.

Sensing the tension in the room and seeing Kate’s weapon, French raises his gloved hands. ”I ain’t here to cause no trouble, I assure you,” he tells the gathering.

”I’m tryin’ to find a woman, goes by Kansas Kate. Tom O’Folliard told me that’s the only thing she’ll answer to. He sent me. Said I might find her here at the Thornton-Curry, or that someone here might know how get word to her.”
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