Chapter 4: Strange Pursuit

[Thumper]

Since one of us, Andreas, would be tracking on foot, DT would have dismounted and walked his horse. He attempts to follow Andreas off to the side to see if he picks up any trail with his unskilled eye. He doesn't see or stumble across any sign. He will observe Andreas' work and ask for interpretation of what Andreas sees in his successful tracking. Not even close to a 1. Just going off the rough map and Jemmus' previous statement, I think we're about 10 miles or so still from the Vitek's vacant ranch. Tracking may be an area of future interest for the Doc.

[ateno]

Doos thinks about taking down a whitetail with his bow, but if he only wounds it, they don't have the time to chase it down and decides not to.

"No real game in the flowers, they can be poisonous and are bitter tasting."

Doos has no real skill in tracking and will just follow along on watch.

Doos

[redwarrior]

William stays mounted on his horse, hand resting on his sheathed rifle, as he scans the distance. Also no tracking skill.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson will point out the intricacies and patterns

"After zo many days it gets more difficult to follow. Der ist still zum sign."

now the dice roller decides to go high; on a missed roll her will continue in the rough direction and try to pick up the trail further on, or hope to catch sight of the probable location of the ranch

[jemmus]

It seems to Andreas that five horses passed from the wrecked stagecoach to this spot some days ago, headed south-southwest. The sign in the dry grass is even more faint after the passage of another day. The Sun rises high in the sky and passes its zenith. His comrades warily scan in all directions, watching for At last, he spots a broken twig under a mesquite, with the faint imprint of a shoed hoof. Then another imprint. He’s able to follow the trail for a full two miles, but then loses it again. He searches for another two hours, but to no avail. There’s only around an hour of daylight left for this mid-June Monday. No ranch or settlement in sight. There’s a hill with a rock outcropping to the east and lower, smoother ones to the west and south.

Wow. Those would have been good rules in some other game systems. Per the rules, each tracking attempt takes one hour, and there’s a -4 penalty to finding a lost trail. It’s now 7:45 PM. Sunset will be in a little less than an hour. Tracking won’t be possible in the dark.[/ooc ]

[Thumper]

DT will congratulate Andreas on getting us this far. Seeing the hills, he suggests a couple of them climb to the top and scan the area. Might end up camping out the night. Maybe there’s a ranch. I can’t imagine we’re close to Will Bland’s ranch since we’ve had such slow going today. Calculations are that we are about 5-6 miles short of Vitek’s ranch based on their directions.

Are we on the North or South side of the river now?

[jemmus]

Still on the north side. The PCs haven't seen it yet.

[ateno]

"We should camp while we have light."

Doos

[Thumper]

DT:
True. Setting up camp in the dark is a great way to lay down on a fire-ant nest!

[redwarrior]

William I agree, it will also give us a bit of time to make sure we're aware of our surroundings, in case anyone is tracking us in turn.

[jemmus]

Since this is the first camp out for the PCs, do they set watches? Please let me know the general time of your PC's watch (early, midnight, early morning. We'll use the information going forward.

[redwarrior]

William I guess I can take the first watch, until midnight or so.

[Thumper]

DT will take second watch…Midnight till Say 3am?

With Commanches known to be about, do we want to double the highest threat watches (Midnight until first light?)

DT will pull from his saddlebags a rolls up Mexican-crafted mesh hammock, which he’ll string between a couple oaks or mesquites on the edge of camp. When sleeping, he’ll set his carbine, chambered and fully loaded, against a branch within reach of his position in the hammock. His pistol belt, he’ll loop around the end of a branch above his head affording easy grab from the hammock.

What? Why sleep on the ground when ya don’t have to?

Ajax will be tethered on a long lead that permits some grazing on the late Spring grass.

[jemmus]

FYI, this time of year in the area daylight is 6:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Sunrise and sunset twilight is 6:00 - 6:30 AM and 8:30 - 9:30 PM. So complete night is 9:30 PM - 6:00 AM. So 8.5 hrs, and five characters (including Gideon). If five watches, 1.7 hours each.

Characters need to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night on average. Getting less could affect all attributes except Stature and Luck. So the group needs 8.7 hours of downtime every day (7 hours sleep + 1.7 on watch each). If you double up on any watches the figure would increase, of course. But with the advantage of having more than one character rolling an Observation roll.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson will take the last morning shift

[Thumper]

probably not wise to double up. DT will plan to take second watch, 11:10 to 12:50. Anybody got a watch on them?

During DT’s watch. He’ll sit apart from camp so as to be out of any fire light and to preserve his dark vision adaptation. He’ll be still as possible and focus on getting familiar with the noises in the night. He’ll position himself with his back into a tangle of mesquite or oak that would make a surprise approach from behind him an impossibility…and to provide cover and concealment from that direction…facing overwatch of the camp and his friends.

If needed:
Observation 15: [1d20]=3

[redwarrior]

Observation target 15 [1d20]=2

[jemmus]

The watch order is posted in OOC and I've saved a copy for easy reference later. Please do do Observation rolls as you set watches. But for tonight....
The Moon is gibbous and waning to its last quarter in a sky that is clear except for a few high clouds. Through the night, as four of the riders sleep, a fifth stands watch, on guard for roving Comanches and anything else that may pose a danger. Mosquitoes hunt the sleepers, solo, but frequently. Making them wonder what the pests feed on when their aren't humans sleeping in the rough in this little spot of nature. The night is full of the sounds of nature in the hilly savannah prairie: the hot of the horned owl, the mournful call of the whip-or-will, the yipping of running coyote packs, and the long howls of wolves. An armadillo wanders through, digging for grubs, with no concern for the presence of the humans, and seeming to maybe not be the sharpest tool in the animal kingdom's toolshed.

Each man tries to gauge when his 105 or so minutes on watch have passed. Most have spent enough time at night under the movements of the Moon and the Big Dipper to get it about right, if not entirely precise down to the minute, or even quarter hour.

he night passes without sight or sound of any dangerous intruder, human or otherwise. The Sun rises on yet another clear June day. It looks like it will be another hot one. Gideon stands, clamps his hat on his head, yawns, wipes his face and scratches his ribs and says, I guess none a us brought any coffee. Much less a pot to brew it in. And ta think, just two nights ago, we was havin a good ole time at the Gay Lady and sleepin and dinin in the Drover. He takes out his long-barreled Navy Colt single action, flips open the cylinder, inspects its cartridges, spins it and snaps it back into position while it's still spinning. Lady Luck will decide on whether the cartridge under the hammer is the best one fer the job. But ya got ta give her a reminder and a chance ta do that.

Please deduct 2/3rds of a day's rations (breakfast was at Mrs. Smith's). And please add 1 XP for enjoying the comfort of Mrs. Smith's accommodations Monday night.
Actions?

[Thumper]

DT suggests Andreas try to pick up the trail again. If he doesn’t want to or is unsuccessful, he’ll suggest they all ride hard in the cooler part of the day, cross the River then try to find Will Bland’s Texas Flagged ranch.

Speaking of XP at Burnet, should we expect XP gains from stopping Moriarty’s would-be murderer?

BTW, armadillo(s) running through brush and grass sound cool. Scary cool. Their dense bodies, hard plates, and fast moving feet rumble!

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson "Vhe know vhich vhey det vent, zo even if der trail ist cold, vhe kan still travel dat vay."