Chapter 1: Prudence

[redwarrior]

Hansel smiles a bit cynically at Taavi and dips his head a bit thinking let's see how this plays out. Out loud he speaks up Miss Zoe, are you well? Do you need assistance?

Held action. Shoot the unshaven guy or rescue Zoe.

[Marullus]

To be fair, you're in melee with the unshaven brute and Zoe is on the opposite side of the room (2 moves). You kind of need to resolve your immediate predicament with the Brute and Taavi. You can relent, you can fight, or you can do a Fighting Withdraw and run across the room, but you still wouldn't reach Zoe until next round.

Also, if you hold an action, it needs to have one trigger, not a choice. The choices are yours to make.

Hansel calls out to Zoe.

Across the room, Zoe doesn't raise her head and lowers to her knees. She steadfastly looks at the floor, silent, her hair hanging in front of her face. Two men hold her arms behind her and she is not resisting.

[redwarrior]

Sounds fair. I'll get the hang of this system sooner or later. The trigger will be the unshaven guy launching an attack.

[shroomofinsanity]

Lira surveys the room Wow, that Teo guy had some real fancy tech, and we have an entire open psychic, let's see if I can calm this lot. Ok everyone, I think we all got off on the wrong foot. I need everyone who isn't a licensed law person to go ahead and drop those weapons, you there Lira points at the barkeep Why don't you send someone to get the doctor for these wounded. You, Turning her gaze to Hansel Let's stand down, we have many conversations to have, and I need order. Attorney, She isn't quite sure the right local term to use for the only person in this town she had shared more than 2 words with ahead of time, start collecting people's stories, there is a discovery to get done, and can I have someone who won't try and shoot someone attend me while I search the strange man that had some ever more strange friends rob something from. I'm sure there is some story there. I hate just stepping into it and have to wrangle a whole town, let's hope this all works.

Ok, so if this is more than one turn's worth of actions, then let me know how much can be one action, I will edit down and save the rest for additional rounds.

[Craigers07]

Talina puts her laser pistol away and keeps both hands out where they can be seen.

[Marullus]

Looking for Baleygr, Faraday, and Amalia. I will move forward tomorrow.

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri stays quiet under the table.

[Marullus]

Ambiance: Hung My Head

Outside on Main Street...

"Sounded like gunfire from the saloon. We should check it out." Shadrach takes a moment to pull a handkerchief from his coat pocket and press it to his calf.

"Go back to Hell, varmints!" Emile takes a shot at the fleeing wolves, the shadowy canine stumbling and collapsing as its fellows run on, its body disintigrating to thick whiffs of shadowy smoke. He hangs back as the others ascend the Saloon porch, firing another shot, but finding it misses its mark.

Taking two shots is two rounds, so you can move into the saloon and act at the END of next round. Shadrach and Amalia can act immediately.

The Sheriff kicks his door open and storms across the street, first to reach the Saloon entrance. Shadrach opens the Mercantile door and heads toward the tavern, keeping his rifle leveled on the retreating shadows as he moves. Amalia and her Handmaiden stay close with him.

The shadowy wolves quickly dissappear behind the Saloon, past the Hanging Tree, into the Badlands to the southwest beyond. Their pack moves in unison, as if the devil were on their heels.


Inside the Saloon...

The saloon room smells of spilled whiskey, burnt wood, burnt flesh, burnt gunpowder, and blood. The second unshaven brute is already locked in a hand-to-hand struggle with Hansel, trying to grasp his weapon.

Taavi glances around at the dead and badly injured around the room, glances to Lira Bunt, then aims his pistol at the second unshaven brute, projecting in his courtroom voice, "You, back away! Back away! There's a lethal weapon involved. I will shoot!" He turns to Hansel and adds, "Back away and do not point that weapon at anyone in this room!"

"Henry, no!" yells the other brute to him, even as he kneels over the the man in the red flannel shirt. Hansel smiles a bit cynically at Taavi and dips his head in the defense attorney's direction. Just then, Henry the Brute manages to grab hold of Hansel's laser pistol, nearly wresting it from his grasp. Hansel puts the barrel against the man's chest and fires, no stranger to close quarters, and Henry's chest blows open, splattering Hansel's shirt with gore. Taavi closes his eyes and squeezes the trigger, his own shot blasting the floor not quite near either of them.

Note that among your choices, you either shoot your weapon OR you attempt a skill check, either one requiring your main action. This denotes what you're serious about. Both Hansel and Taavi provided some free dialog, but for both of them their focus was on getting the drop and shooting this guy after he moved first, not making a serious attempt to talk him down.
Brute disarm [1d20+2]=13+2=15 [2d6+1]=7+1=8 Hansel resist [2d6+5]=4+5=9
Note the rules on disarming in the SwN thread. Henry the Brute manages to grab Hansel and his gun. Then it is a contested skill check, which Hansel just barely won. That then triggers his held action.
Hansel [1d20+4]=17+4=21 [1d6+2]=4+2=6

"You bastard! Murderer!" screams the first brute from where he kneels, last of the card players still unwounded. The man in the red flannel shirt is pallid and clearly beyond hope. The mustached man with the black fedora and bolo tie lies in a pool of his own blood and the bearded man in the vest and bowler hat lies unmoving against the south wall. Teo Hrsak forgotten against the broken and cracked south wall as well, lying below where the impact with it killed him.

"Miss Zoe, are you well? Do you need assistance?" calls out Hansel, letting the hollow-chested Henry slump slowly to the ground next to him. Across the room, Zoe doesn't raise her head and lowers to her knees. She steadfastly looks at the floor, silent, her hair hanging in front of her face. Two sweaty farmers pin her arms behind her and she is not resisting.

Judge Lira Bunt surveys the room, mag-rifle still raised to her shoulder. "Ok everyone, I think we all got off on the wrong foot. I need everyone who isn't a licensed law person to go ahead and drop those weapons, you there" Lira points at the barkeep "Why don't you send someone to get the doctor for these wounded. You," she says turning her gaze to Hansel, who remains armed, "Let's stand down, we have many conversations to have, and I need order. Attorney," She pauses a moment, then continues, "start collecting people's stories, there is a discovery to get done, and can I have someone who won't try and shoot someone attend me while I search the strange man that had some ever more strange friends rob something from. I'm sure there is some story there."

Taking charge of the situation like this is a good use of Charisma+Lead, and an example of using a Main Action for a skill roll.
Lira CHA+Lead [2d6+1]=8+1=9
That's a good success. She's got the attention and respect she needs with the NPCs currently in the room.

Báleygr Gangleri stays quiet under the table. Talina puts her laser pistol away and keeps both hands out where they can be seen. Malko the bartender blinks a moment, then tips his shotgun up towards the ceiling and nods at the Judge. "Martin, get the doctor," he says, a skinny young man who stands gawking at the kitchen door turns and dissappears.

"What in the HELLS is goin' on HERE?" bellows the sillouette in the front Saloon door. The Sheriff steps in, rifle still in hand, finger on the trigger. "YOU -" he points first at Lira, who is holding her fancy rifle, then Taavi who just fired his pistol, "and every other Outlander who's pissin' on our town, drop your weapons and get on the ground, NOW." Seeing Hansel standing over the freshest body and absolutely covered in gore, he holds his rifle steady and ready, bringing the butt to his shoulder, "Lower that laser you got there real slow, hands behind your head, all of that. You're first."

Shadrach, Amalia, and her Handmaiden are in the doorway, just behind the Sheriff, able to appraise the whole scene. "What's goin' on here, Chuck?" the Sheriff asks the first unshaven brute. The grief-stricken man, points at Hansel. "He shot Ed, Sheriff! Shot him stone dead while we was servin' that warrant. He gives Talina a dirty look, several eyes once again turning to her -- but not the Sheriff, who keeps a bead on Hansel. "Then murdered Henry, too, when he tried to take the gun."

"Vještica!" cries out Sister Anja again, pointing at Zoe, who remains gripped tightly by the two sweaty farmers. "Ona mora visjeti i gorjeti!" The Sheriff sighs. "Wait your turn, Sister."

Next moves?

Rolls:

Brute disarm [1d20+2]=13+2=15 [2d6+1]=7+1=8 Hansel resist [2d6+5]=4+5=9
Hansel [1d20+4]=17+4=21 [1d6+2]=4+2=6

Lira, Emile, and Taavi:

From Croatian:
"Witch!" cries out Sister Anja again, pointing at Zoe, who remains gripped tightly by the two sweaty farmers. "She must hang then burn!"

[greyarea]

Emile will ask if bystanders are okay. Then he will hustle to the saloon and ask the Sheriff if he can assist.

[jemmus]

Taavi slightly raises an eyebrow at Lira Bunt, and makes a face that might say, "Really? You don't tell me how to do my job, do you? You're the judge, I'm the counsel." Quickly and loudly mumbles in Prudence's language, "No one knows what the hen laid until the chick pecks its way out of the shell." For the dense people in the room, slightly eye signs toward Lira. Scowls.

At the Sheriff's order, he slowly crouches down, leaves his handgun on the floor, and stands up again. "I'm not going to throw a gunpowder firearm on a hard floor, constable.
You got me?" He raises the combination badge-electronic ID hanging around his neck. Sheriff, the judge here and I are officers of the Greater Kumekhna Ministry of Justice. That's our vehicle outside. Taavi Perttu, Circuit Counsel.

Tries to assure the Sheriff that they're on the same side as law officers, and they aren't Outlander bureaucrat jerks here to lord it over him.
Talk: [2d6+0]=4+0=4

[redwarrior]

Hansel nods respectfully at the sheriff and holsters his blaster. Picking up his flask, and taking a small sip, he speaks I am a licensed bounty hunter and was in pursuit of a bounty when all of this he waves his hand vaguely at the bar took place. I was getting ready to serve a warrant, which I can show you on my compad, if you like. That gentleman pointing a thumb at the competent gunslinger got in the way as I was getting ready to serve the warrant. And quite honestly, they gave me the feeling that they would ...damage ... the fugitive before she was returned. He moved first. I moved better. elaborate shrug As for this fellow points at Henry, This gentleman indicates Taavi called for a cease-fire, which I honored. This "Henry" took my willingness to let calm heads prevail as an excuse to attack me. It went poorly for him.

Trying to be my most convincing.
Talk [2d6+1]=9+1=10
Edit: If I should have left that to you to roll, please ignore and reroll!

[Marullus]

Edit: If I should have left that to you to roll, please ignore and reroll!

OOC:

Nope! I'm generally fine if you do your own rolls. Dialog is free and I may reply iteratively to freeform dialog if I can before I resolve the next "move." What I WANT:

• State what you're trying to accomplish with your action. What does it change in the scene? What do you achieve?
• Roleplay your character to demonstrate the attempt.
• Roll 2d6. If there's a clear attribute+skill for you to use, add it in. Attributes are often flexible depending on how you roleplay, so make sure your roleplay leans to the attribute you desire.

For example: you had a great roll, but didn't state an intent. In this case, you're moving from 'the number one problem' to 'just another problem' here on that roll. You and the other PCs still have a lot to unwravel here. If that's not the specific intent you wanted, stating an intent can help me adjudicate better.

Taavi had a great example of intent, here. But with a failed roll, "Tries to assure the Sheriff that they're on the same side as law officers, and they aren't Outlander bureaucrat jerks here to lord it over him" is a good way to invert and describe the negative result.

Emile is again struck by the complete lack of bystanders outside. He recalls that the street was eerily still and free of townsfolk as soon as the storm appeared, before the wolves made their appearance. He comes up on the porch at the same time as the Sheriff's Deputy, behind Shadrach and Amalia.

...
The Sheriff knows better than to take his eyes off the gore-splattered man, his rifle ready. Hansel nods respectfully at the sheriff and holsters his blaster. Picking up his flask, he takes a small sip. The Sheriff tenses up; this wasn't the direction given.

Hansel says, "I am a licensed bounty hunter and was in pursuit of a bounty when all of this he waves his hand vaguely at the bar took place. I was getting ready to serve a warrant, which I can show you on my compad, if you like. That gentleman pointing a thumb at the competent gunslinger got in the way as I was getting ready to serve the warrant. And quite honestly, they gave me the feeling that they would ...damage ... the fugitive before she was returned. He moved first. I moved better. elaborate shrug As for this fellow points at Henry, This gentleman indicates Taavi called for a cease-fire, which I honored. This "Henry" took my willingness to let calm heads prevail as an excuse to attack me. It went poorly for him."

The Sheriff's hackles go down, but he doesn't lower the rifle. "Yeah, well, true or not, I got two bodies on the floor with your name on 'em. You want to show me your 'credentials' bountyhunter, then you put on the shackles and go sit in the lock-up with the deputy," His tone on the word 'credential' has the same cast to it as his use of the words 'Outlander' and 'Counsel.' He nods to the Deputy who has appeared at the door behind him. The deputy tries to excuse himself past Shadrach and approach Hansel with a pair of steel handcuffs.

At the Sheriff's order, Taavi slowly crouches down, leaves his handgun on the floor, and stands up again. He raises the combination badge-electronic ID hanging around his neck. "Sheriff, the judge here and I are officers of the Greater Kumekhna Ministry of Justice. That's our vehicle outside. Taavi Perttu, Circuit Counsel."

"If that's your truck, I suggest you get in it." the Sheriff states dryly. "We handle our own problems here. You're pretty far from the city, Counsel."

That removes the immediate tension regarding Hansel, so I'm adjudicating it here. We're out of combat time and my intent is for the scene to opened up for all PCs to get in on it.

[greyarea]

Begging your pardon, Sheriff, but those shadow wolves seemed a bit much for anyone, says Emile, indicating the lawman's wounded leg as subtly as he can. A good lawman knows that deputies are important to his work, if nothing else to keep the numbers even. As there was a disturbance both here and outside the mercantile at the same time, I'd say allowing others to assist might be fruitful.

I'm sure the others here, like I myself, have no desire to interfere on your jurisdiction.

Emile Talk [2d6+1]=4+1=5
Well, so much for diplomatically shifting the sheriff's attitude...

[Marullus]

You need the flag (r2) to reroll 1s with the Diplomat trait. Like: Cha+Talk [2d6r2+2]
I will let you reroll it.

[greyarea]

Not much better but thank you very much. You are a generous DM. I have updated my macro.

Emile Cha+Talk [2d6r2+2]=5+2=7

[Mister-Kent]

Once things have quieted down, Faraday slumps into a chair and holds his wound. He looks around for some whiskey to pour on it, then plans to find the town's sawbones...

[cybersavant]

Báleygr Gangleri gets up from under the table and sits back in the chair, dusting himself off as he does so, looking around the room at those gathered.

[Enoch]

Shadrach stands in the doorway for a moment, the muzzle of his rifle pointed at the floor in front of him before abruptly looping its sling over his shoulder and letting it hang there. He clears his throat quietly to let the sheriff know he's there, then steps inside.

"Demons outside have fled, Sheriff." He tucks his thumbs into his belt, his empty hands in plain view.

[redwarrior]

Hansel smiles and nods. Fair enough, Sherrif. I understand you've got a job to do. Always happy to cooperate with legitimate lawmen. I look forward to talking with you when this has all settled a bit. Turning to the deputy, Shall we?

[shroomofinsanity]

Not quite fully adjusted to this place and its customs yet, her growing migraine threatening to make her lose her manners, Lira Bunt surveys the final scene of the carnage So this is bad, but could have been way worse, just need to get this under some kind of control... After lowering her rifle to her side, she first addresses the Sheriff, Sheriff, I am so glad that you have arrived and are settling things, as any good sheriff should. Few people recognize the importance of keeping a cool head in all situations, this... she gestures to the multiple dead and injured chaos is assuredly difficult to interpret and I am happy to assist so we may have justice delivered swiftly, and more importantly Lira lets her eyes glow slightly more red for emphasis in accordance of all proper laws. I assure you that this is not how I would have liked to enter your town, in fact I would have rather taken the day to learn about you and your town before I began my work, but as they say; 'Man devises, God determines'.


As for the situation, as I was here here during the conflict and saw how it grew and changed, I would like to continue my directives from a moment ago, with your leave of course sheriff. I agree with taking that man who claims to be a bounty hunter into custody for questioning, as to determine if his actions can be justified. As for the several warrants out for this woman, as long as she isn't trying to leave town, I feel she is only of concern after more pressing matters have been put to bed. A matter such as that man, pointing at the corpse of Teo That man came down the steps with a knife and plan, took a shot from my rifle in the shoulder and did not seem to care, along with several other shots before being killed, ignored all demands to desist his actions, and then had two friends remove something from his body and use some very oold technology to vanish to hell's know where. I would like to know much more about this individual, as I feel he also relates to the, I think I heard someone mention, shadow wolves outside. Unless those are normal around these parts of course. Oh and sorry for talking just so much, but the name is Lira Bunt, Circuit Judge, nice to meet the man who keeps order in this wonderful town of Prudence.

so I am hoping that threading the idea of following my procedures through my words and compelling gaze on the sheriff. If it was too wordy or diffuse, I accept whatever I can get out of it.