RolePlay onLine RPoL Logo

, welcome to [Deadlands: Reloaded] High Lonesome

02:23, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

VII - The Pass.

Posted by MarshalFor group 0
Terrantulas
NPC, 4 posts
P:6 T:5
Tue 7 Jan 2020
at 17:09
  • msg #95

Re: VII - The Pass

10:52, Today: Terrantulas rolled 1,1 using 1d8-3,1d6-3, rerolling max with rolls of 4,4.  Spirit.

The spider is unable to overcome its Shaken condition.

10:57, Today: Terrantulas drew the single card: 6C using a deck of 54 cards.  Initiative.

Marshal
GM, 640 posts
W3 R1 B0
Tue 7 Jan 2020
at 17:09
  • msg #96

Re: VII - The Pass

Initiative Order

AH - Tamsin River - Holding
QC - Bryan Lee
JD - Kansas Kate
JC - Dr. Ezekiel Wayland
8C - Jacinta Castillo
6D - Allies (Bauer, Kearney, Roberts, and Shabbakasha)
6C - Terrantula
5H - Albert Cooper

Tamsin, as you’re holding, you may take your action when you’re ready.

Ranger Lee, it’s back to you.

Bryan Lee
player, 380 posts
Texas Ranger (12/20 PP)
P7 T6 W0 F0 W1 R1 B1 L1
Tue 7 Jan 2020
at 19:51
  • msg #97

Re: VII - The Pass

As the arachnid lurched to one side, Kearney's clever tactic pulling the creature off balance, Lee took his opportunity to use nimbly move up onto on of its legs and jump onto it's back, clinging to a piece of its carapace with one of its hands that provided a suitable handhold for the moment, and close enough that he could possibly strike the thing in the head.

If anything was more hard headed than Bryan, it was this goddamned spider. Still, he thought maybe that getting closer would do the trick.

"Why won't..."

His fist smashed against its head uselessly.

"...you.."

He brought it back again for another blow, and felt it start to give a little.

"just..."

He thought that perhaps the third strike would do it. A few pieces of its carapace seemed to fly off with no impact to the beast, leaving his hand bruised and cut up.

"die...!"

The exasperation was clear in his voice as he slammed his fist against its hard head repeatedly, and then simply grabbed on with both hands as the creature moved about, trying hard to maintain its perch. One well placed shot...., he hoped silently.

OOC:

Alright, so with a gang-up bonus of +1, a Wild Attack bonus of +2, a size bonus of +4, and a head-shot penalty of -4, I'm going to make some more punches against its current Parry of 7. Quickness is no longer up, and I'm going to let it lapse: need to save some PP for the Owl Witch confrontation.

With a successful Agility roll (5), Lee scrambles up and grabs a piece of its chitinous armor close to its head and starts wailing on it. Three attacks (9,7,15) yield three hits one with a raise. Damage results are 16, 18, 18, so not enough to bypass the armor.

No change in status from this action.

Lee is clinging precariously from the spider's armor with both hands, at 5 Parry.

Initiative: AC

Marshal
GM, 643 posts
W3 R1 B0
Tue 7 Jan 2020
at 20:00
  • msg #98

Re: VII - The Pass

Despite not landing a killing blow on the massive creature, being so close to its head, the Ranger can hear emit it a small shriek, of pain, or irritation, or both, as he makes each strike.

Initiative Order

AH - Tamsin River - Holding
QC - Bryan Lee
JD - Kansas Kate
JC - Dr. Ezekiel Wayland
8C - Jacinta Castillo
6D - Allies (Bauer, Kearney, Roberts, and Shabbakasha)
6C - Terrantula
5H - Albert Cooper

It’s your turn, Kate.

Kansas Kate
player, 409 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W3 R2 B1 L#
Wed 8 Jan 2020
at 02:37
  • msg #99

Re: VII - The Pass

That's Kansas Kate, you say the whole thing ya tinhorn!

Kansas Kate seemed delighted with this latest development.  "Whooo-eeee, ride that doggie!"

You know the drill. Called Shot, Size, etc.

20:35, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 5,5 using d12,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Shooting.

20:35, Today: Kansas Kate rolled 14 using 2d8+4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,6.  Damage.

Hmmmmm, nope, not even with the AP2.

20:36, Today: Kansas Kate drew the single card: BJ! using the Deadlands system.

Well that's something at least.

Marshal
GM, 646 posts
W3 R1 B0
Wed 8 Jan 2020
at 04:47
  • msg #100

Re: VII - The Pass

The outlaw’s shot blasts away another piece of the arachnid’s armor before ricocheting off into the deep forest.

Initiative Order

AH - Tamsin River - Holding
QC - Bryan Lee
JD - Kansas Kate

JC - Dr. Ezekiel Wayland
8C - Jacinta Castillo
6D - Allies (Bauer, Kearney, Roberts, and Shabbakasha)
6C - Terrantula
5H - Albert Cooper

Your turn, Dr. Wayland.

Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
player, 107 posts
Have Science.Will Travel.
P4 T5/7 W0 F0 W1 R3 B1 L0
Thu 9 Jan 2020
at 08:26
  • msg #101

Re: VII - The Pass


The strange weapon was loosed from its bindings and its dust cover was ripped away, all in one smooth motion.  Dr. Wayland deftly adjusted a dial here.  Flipped a sitch there.  The voltaic cells along the stock bubbled and roiled and the gun began to hum in an ominous fashion.  Upon looking at the giant spider again, Wayland frowned slightly at the sight of so many of his party now engaging the beast in a lopsided melee.  He leveled the lightning gun, speaking loudly, "Best to cleah out!  Jupiter desires to speak to this monstah!"

Holding until friendlies are in the clear of the Burst!  Unless they kill it, of course.  That'd be fine as well.
Tamsin River
player, 179 posts
Flower Power
P4 T5 W0 F0 W0 R3 B2 L0
Thu 9 Jan 2020
at 15:24
  • msg #102

Re: VII - The Pass

Tamsin digs through her bag and extracts a bullet- the one Albert had made her in Angus that she never had the opportunity to use.”Here. You’re a much better shot than I am,” Tamsin says, offering it to Jacinta. ”Unless we’re going to let Dr. Wayland deal with it.”
Marshal
GM, 648 posts
W3 R1 B0
Thu 9 Jan 2020
at 16:21
  • msg #103

Re: VII - The Pass

Upon hearing Dr. Wayland’s shouted warning, the wolf that is Andrew Roberts scrambles away from the spider’s legs in anticipation of the inventor unleashing hell with his strange weapon. Kearney and Bauer keep their mounts pulling on the creature’s trapped leg, but walk their horses back a few steps, to provide more clearance.

Initiative Order

AH - Tamsin River - Holding
QC - Bryan Lee
JD - Kansas Kate

JC - Dr. Ezekiel Wayland - Holding
8C - Jacinta Castillo
6D - Allies (Bauer, Kearney, Roberts, and Shabbakasha)
6C - Terrantula
5H - Albert Cooper

You have the floor, Señorita Castillo.

Jacinta, to the best of my knowledge, the shell provided to you by Tamsin is one of Albert Cooper’s Loaded for Bear rounds, which adds an additional die of damage to a shot. Please note that it is a pistol round, not a rifle cartridge. Since you don’t carry a revolver, if you want to make use of it, you could take the shot with Tamsin’s Colt Lightning, which I’m presuming she would allow.

Jacinta Castillo
player, 242 posts
Half-breed Scout
P4 T5 W0 F0 W3 R1 B6 L0
Fri 10 Jan 2020
at 05:51
  • msg #104

Re: VII - The Pass

Jacinta grinned at the healer.  "Aww, that's mighty sweet of you Tams.  You load that sucker into your Colt, an' I'll be happy to drill it into something for you.  I got one left with this bitch's name on it, though."  Taking aim, she loosed another rifle round with a solid crack and sent it speeding at the oversized arachnid.


Shooting: 13
Damage: 21 (Raise + LFB)
Fire Damage: 5
Initiative: AC


22:39, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 13,9 using d8+6,d6+6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3.  Shooting.
22:43, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 21 using 3d8+1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2,7,5.  Damage w/ Raise + LFB.
22:43, Today: Jacinta Castillo rolled 5 using 1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5.  Fire Damage.
22:43, Today: Jacinta Castillo drew the single card: AC using the Deadlands system.  Initiative.


Marshal
GM, 652 posts
W3 R1 B0
Fri 10 Jan 2020
at 17:16
  • msg #105

Re: VII - The Pass

Castillo’s shot spears through another of the massive creature’s eyes, reducing it to ruin as it travels deep into the arachnid’s head. The spider sways drunkenly, the strength suddenly abandoning its limbs. Already off balance because of the lasso that has bound one of its legs, it tips in that direction, dropping heavily into its side as the last of its strength abandons it. Lee, easily sensing the creature’s death, is able to agilely jump clear of it as it begins to fall.

A few of the spider’s limbs spasm, curling and straightening in random jerks before becoming still, the animate light within its remaining pale eyes finally fading.

OOC: Combat over.

Standing close together, Lee, Bauer, and Kearney notice that the top of the fallen spider’s head has begun to swell rapidly, cracks forming in its carapace that glow like burning coals, smoke escaping from a couple of the newly formed fissures.

Approaching from behind, the wolf that is Andrew Roberts regards the dead spider with a cocked head.
Albert Cooper
player, 378 posts
Gun Wizzerd
P5 T6 W0 F0 W0 R3 B3 L0
Fri 10 Jan 2020
at 18:31
  • msg #106

Re: VII - The Pass

Albert looked around cautiously from his Brandy-perch. He certainly hadn't noticed anything else creeping about, but it wasn't like spiders were particularly noisy creatures.

His gun was held low as his eyes scanned from beneath a well-worn, dark gray fedora. While this had been a bit of excitement, the cowboy appeared to not be particularly upset by the encounter. It helped that it didn't appear any of his friends had been significantly injured in the exchange.
Kansas Kate
player, 411 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W4 R2 B1 L#
Fri 10 Jan 2020
at 19:57
  • msg #107

Re: VII - The Pass

Kansas Kate kept her rifle sight trained on the creature until she was sure it would trouble them no more, which didn't take very long.  She sighed and reloaded the cartridges she'd expended.

First rule, are guns are always loaded.

It was both a safety rule and a best practice in life.

Slinging the weapon over her shoulder, she pulled out one of her bottles and dismounted, walking over to inspect the tarantula.

With a solemn sigh, she took off her hat and held to her heart and took a pull.   She felt loss, for very few things in this world were as ornery and hateful as Kansas Kate.  Though they'd been enemies, the outlaw was now less of a being, less present in the cosmos, for the loss of the monster.
Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
player, 110 posts
Have Science.Will Travel.
P4 T5/7 W0 F0 W1 R3 B1 L0
Sat 11 Jan 2020
at 06:14
  • msg #108

Re: VII - The Pass

Dr. Wayland slowly lifted the "muzzle" of his lightning gun, while eyeing the thing and its death throes.  Very quietly, he says, perhaps to his weapon, "We'll speak latah..."  He carefully thumbed the knife switch open again and took a few moments to check over the piece's wiring.
Aileen Kearney
NPC, 51 posts
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 01:40
  • msg #109

Re: VII - The Pass

Kearney tugs the rope free and winds it back into neat loops before handing it back to Bauer. ”Thanks,” she tells the deputy, ”Couldn’t have managed that without your help.”
Lena Bauer
NPC, 82 posts
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 01:40
  • msg #110

Re: VII - The Pass

”Glad to,” Bauer answers with a grin. ”I wouldn’t have even thought to try somethin’ like that. Worked like a charm, too.”
Shabbakasha
NPC, 27 posts
Roving Wolf
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 01:41
  • msg #111

Re: VII - The Pass

Human once more, Roberts approaches Lee and Shabbakasha, his gaze fixed on the enormous form of the spider.

”When you rode up here before, when you followed Murphy and the wagon train, did you see such things then?” Roving Wolf asks, pointing to the dead arachnid with his coup stick.
Andrew Roberts
NPC, 23 posts
Buckshot
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 01:41
  • msg #112

Re: VII - The Pass

”No, we didn’t,” Roberts replies with a shake of his head. ”It’s almost like...things have grown worse up here.”

He points to the slope. ”Top of the slope, we’re going to swing west for a piece. Steady climb, but the ground’s not too rocky. Easy for horses to manage. It’ll get colder though. I hope we’ll make the pine ridge by nightfall. It’s another patch of forest. The last bit of it before we head up to High Lonesome. It’ll be a good spot to make camp.”
Kansas Kate
player, 412 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W4 R2 B1 L#
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 01:53
  • msg #113

Re: VII - The Pass

Kansas Kate re-corked her bottle and kicked the corpse of the nasty thing, having paid her respects to it.  "All right, let's haul ass."
Jacinta Castillo
player, 244 posts
Half-breed Scout
P4 T5 W0 F0 W3 R1 B6 L0
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 03:33
  • msg #114

Re: VII - The Pass

Still seated on her horse, Jacinta reloaded her rifle, mourning the loss of the special bullets that Albert had made her.  She'd been hoping to save them for whatever they'd face at the end, but the need had been great.  That spider could have easily killed them all.  Lord knows how much worse it'd get.

Throwing a glance about the dead forest, she scanned the area for any lingering threats.  Thankfully, the only movement she could see was the twitching of spider corpses.
Dr. Ezekiel Q. Wayland
player, 111 posts
Have Science.Will Travel.
P4 T5/7 W0 F0 W1 R4 B1 L0
Mon 13 Jan 2020
at 19:32
  • msg #115

Re: VII - The Pass


Dr. Wayland decided not to put his lightning gun completely away this time.  He did settle it as carefully as he could for a moment across the saddle to free his hands long enough to reload the, apparently, less useful pistol.  Once complete, the pistol was put away again and the lightning gun taking a firm, ready grip.  To whoever might be nearby, "Grown worse...  Perhaps it will grow even worse the fahthah in we go..."  He eyed the body of the terribly, terribly large spider a moment, "Ah am so excited to see what could possibly be worse..."  He did not sound excited.
Marshal
GM, 653 posts
W3 R1 B0
Tue 14 Jan 2020
at 19:14
  • msg #116

Re: VII - The Pass

Roberts mounts his horse, waiting patiently for the others to fall in line behind him before ascending the slope a second time. The bounty hunter remains wary, watching both sides of the trail for any hint of movement, but perceiving none. The posse makes the ascent without incident and soon all are riding westward at a steady pace.

The trail narrows, taking on the appearance of a deer path, as opposed to a route used by riders. Boulders dot the steady upgrade, along with a few pines, piñons, and cottonwoods, their trunks and leaves pale gray, the life leeched out of them by whatever calls the mountain home. Occasionally, the wind speaks, its tone soft and weighed with sadness, but aside from its voice, and the occasional nicker from one of the horses, stillness prevails. The gentle, barren slope passes by at an even pace, the mounts keeping finding easy purchase on the chalky ground.

As the group climbs, each of the riders has the experience of perceiving movement nearby: a figure peering from behind a boulder, a shadow flitting from the trunk of one tree to another, something following the line of horses from behind, darting in and out of cover. The motion always appears in the rider’s peripheral vision, vanishing completely whenever it is focused on directly.

As the sun begins to settle into the west, the dark line of the pine forest comes into view. Almost as soon as it does, a light snow descends, its widespread flakes tossed about by gusts of wind. The breath of the horses and riders steam, clouds of white vapor that vanish against the washed out terrain of the pass. For an instant, all hear the tones of a woman’s voice, sounding the opening notes of a sad ballad, the name of which escapes its hearers. The music is there, then gone, banished by the rustling of frost laden tree limbs.

The forest pushes out the remaining light of the late afternoon, ushering evening in early. Roberts presses forward into the woods, and some notice that the packed earth they ride over is marked with the aged ruts of wagon wheels. Soon, a stone overhang, granite the color of charcoal, parts the foliage on the right side of the trail. It is wide and almost forty feet in length, attached to an angled cliff, its wall smooth from erosion. Roberts urges his horse toward it, then dismounts, hitching the animal on one of the shale colored tree trunks.

”Last place the train made camp,” he tells the others as he starts to build a smoke. Above, the snowfall increases, finding gaps between the shadowy branches overhead.

OOC: Provided the group agrees with Roberts’ plan to make camp, they wil likely need to set an overnight watch. Any of the NPCs will be willing to keep watch at any hour that is assigned to them.
Kansas Kate
player, 413 posts
Hot words and cold slabs
P6 T9 W0 F0 W4 R2 B1 L#
Wed 15 Jan 2020
at 01:04
  • msg #117

Re: VII - The Pass

"Th' last watch drawn."  Kansas Kate indicated simply, figuring whatever was left after everyone else drew theirs was the most terrifying and dangerous.  She wanted that watch as a distraction against the even more dreaded thought of being alone with her own mind and contemplation of that which she did not truly grasp.

She stared at Buckshot unerringly though, as if she couldn't decide whether it were absurd or she should be disgusted.
Bryan Lee
player, 386 posts
Texas Ranger (12/20 PP)
P7 T6 W0 F0 W1 R2 B1 L1
Thu 16 Jan 2020
at 16:43
  • msg #118

Re: VII - The Pass

As the fight came to a close, Lee lay on the ground for only a moment too long before picking himself up. He looked at his hands, bruised from attempting to smash into the creature with them, and fortunate that they had such capable shots with them. He didn't know who had done it, but it didn't matter much.

He listened to Roberts and the Comanche, agreeing with the plan to camp. He certainly needed his rest.

OOC:

Lee isn't going to take any watches. He is probably just going to wrap his hands and rest to gain the rest of his power points back.

Before turning in, he will talk to Tamsin River to see if they might be able to harvest the arachnid venom glands, and if she might have any containers in which to store it.

Marshal
GM, 656 posts
W3 R1 B0
Fri 17 Jan 2020
at 17:20
  • msg #119

Re: VII - The Pass

Before leaving the monstrous spider to be reclaimed by the mountain, River is able to harvest three vials of the creature’s venom, placing the containers in a safe place among her other supplies.

OOC: The venom requires a Vigor roll upon exposure. If the roll is failed, the victim is paralyzed for 1d6 hours.

The venom could be spread on blades and similar weapons, including arrows. It would not work as a coating for bullets. The heat generated by firing a gun would serve to denature the poison. Each vial could be used to coat four weapons or arrows. A coated melee weapon will “hold” transmittable venom for two hits.

Sign In