Chapter 2 - Cash Dollars on the Hoof

[ateno]

Doos Observation

Observation [1d20]=2

Woot!

[redwarrior]

William continues to watch, straining his ears to catch what's being said, or the tell-tale of a hammer being cocked.



Observation [1d20]=15 I think he might of just made it, if there's no minuses!

[Rex]

Charlie

He keeps a watch everywhere, not just the house.

Observation (16+2=18) [1d20]=15

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson keeps silent and ready.


observation + scouting

[jemmus]

Need Observation rolls from Paladin and Sebastian (in case you were just watching the PMs and not this thread).

[Grognardsw]

Observation - 13 [1d20]=8, Tactics - 14 [1d20]=13

Tactics to see if I glean any more wisdom on this.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

Looking at Slim (short fat boy with shotgun) and Rattlesnake (cowboy with carbine).

Sebastian: Observation (10) [1d20]=14 [1d20]=8

[jemmus]

The men outside watch and listen.

Paladin's voice: Harvey knows more than he lets on.  We go back a ways, though [indistinct] away in California, that’s why you haven’t heard of me.

Yeah, this is a shit hole.

Don’t worry, we won’t touch the horses. We need to get them moving now. Before sun-up they’ll be combined [indistinct] and moved together to a new location. I got that money outside too.

Sebastian’s voice: Well I got one in the barrel pointing straight [indistinct] and pointing him to Kingdom Come. Slim got one in his shotgun over you Mr Boone, Sir. So that leaves me fanning five against two cabin rattlesnakes and I [indistinct]die with our boots on.

But we came for horses not coffins.

Got the money in the saddle bags. Pouches of silver dollars and a [indistinct] of two bit pieces, enough to reach from floorboard to ceiling.

Perhaps you two boys can come help me lighten the load and lighten the atmosphere and we can go fetch them in. Give a bit of 'private word space' for the [indistinct] to settle gang business.

Paladin's voice: So let’s get out there and get it done.

The voice of the rustler who's been doing most of the talking: Now yer sayin that you come to [indistinct] move the herd, and yer saying that ya come to buy it.

Well, ya got that about right, Boone. Harvey Adler don't ever let on about whut he knows. Fer [indistinct]t, I give ya credit. A lot a fools don't spot about Harvey. Rick hisself included. And that [indistinct] git him in trouble someday. Whether from Harvey, or from somethin else he dint git. Trouble for this whole outfit.

It's quiet for a few seconds. Then the voice continues. I may be stupid, but I ain't dumb. Y'all are squirrelly, "Mr. Boone" and "Mr. Shotgun." And you and me [indistinct]. Boone here says ya come to tell us to move the herd. And Shotgun here says ya come to buy it from us. Ya mean [indistinct]from us, then we're gonna move it farther out to another stash? So y'all boys can be the proud owners of six horses, deeper inta Comanche and outlaws country?

That would mean one of two or maybe more thangs. Harvey's got a new operation we don't know about, and he wants to own horse [indistinct] out in dog butt Egypt. Fer buyers we don't know. Which sounds a lot like making a move to set up his own shop and cut us right out.

Or, it means that yer both jist lyin through yer teeth. Which, this bein the horse trading business, [indistinct], and Texas in general, is the likelier bet. How many bushwhackers ya really got out there, Shotgun? I know ya got one yipper out there. The rest of em might... what's it called? [indistinct] Like imaginary kings and aces. But if ya can slicker a fool about em, they're jist as good as real ones. Ah know thet as well as y'all do, Boone and Shotgun.

Give us the shit straight, "Boone" and "Shotgun," and maybe we can cut a deal. No Harvey Adler. Just the five of us here [indistinct]

The younger-sounding voice that was jibing Sebastian earlier: But Mike, whut about Rick--- The voice cuts off abruptly, but there's no sound of motion in the house. It's like he was about to say something, but bit back on it.

We have Sebastian's and Paladin's next actions. Need actions for the PCs outside the house.

[jemmus]

sh = shotgun
ca = carbine
pi = pistol
Brown squares are crates used as a table and chairs.
Note that Gideon changed position and got closer to the window.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie uses the open doorway of the shed to brace his carbine on and takes careful aim through the window on the inside rustler with the shotgun.

[redwarrior]

William takes careful aim at the fellow with the carbine. It's a fair distance with a pistol, but he can at least make him take cover, if it comes to that, giving time to get to the window without getting ventilated. He's getting anxious for the shooting to get started, but doesn't want to fire until Paladin has played out his hand.

[ateno]

Doos stops his close listening of what's going on and turns around and let his night vision come back, then starts scanning the are around.

Under his breath so only those close to him can hear. Something is not right.

Doos

[Rex]

Charlie

Whispering back, "They are stalling. We need to do something soon. My guess is someone is supposed to pick the horses up tonight"

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson holds his place, quiet; ready to back the others up.

[ateno]

Doos looks around the shed, for a loose board or old chair, someway he could safely boost himself up to use the roof to look around.

[jemmus]

Charlie

Charlie uses the open doorway of the shed to brace his carbine on and takes careful aim through the window on the inside rustler with the shotgun.

Sorry, the map is a little misleading. The text representing the chararacters is bigger than their bodies actually are. Charlie doesn't have clear line of sight to the shotgun rustler. He did see him back past the window toward the corner of the house, so he can guess his approximate location. He knows that a rifle round will penetrate the plank walls of most houses, possibly with some deflection. Obscured Target -2. Firing through a plank -2d3 (house rule).

[jemmus]

Doos looks around the shed, for a loose board or old chair, someway he could safely boost himself up to use the roof to look around.

Doos needs a Coordination roll to climb on the roof. Succeed or fail, the climbing will make some noise.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie will keep an eye on the window to see what happens and listen for Paladin's signal.

[ateno]

Doos needs a Coordination roll to climb on the roof. Succeed or fail, the climbing will make some noise.

Doos will take some time and try from the back of the shed, hopefully the noise will be thought of by the horses.

coordiniation[1d20]=14

Very close

[jemmus]

Doos almost manages a climb onto the shed, but slips. His boots sound on the boards. It's dead quiet in the house for a few seconds. Then the men outside the house hear this.

The voice of the rustler that's doing the most talking: Well, Boone, I guess that would be one of yer bushwhackers outside ya claim ya got. One of em-- er the only one of em.

Sebastian's voice speaks up, and his first words are indistinct. Then: You can take your coins now so they jingle in your pockets [indistinct] calling it quits and taking your share so far or bring your boots and coats help us herd two dozen plus into 'deeper murder country.'

It's silent for a few moments.

The voice of the same rustler again: Lemme git this straight. I'm a little slow, don't ya know it. So yer offerin to pay us fer when we rode to a poor ole ranch and bought horses offa a bunch of dumbass kids? And pay us fer making a deal with Harvey to [indistinct] profit from the sale fer the lead? Cowboy, seems ya don't know how this horse tradin business works. In other words, yer jackass story is gittin weaker and weaker by the minute.

Paladin's voice: You’re over-thinkin it. Let me tell you straight.

Harvey has another group of horses he’s moving, and [indistinct] the horses here into one herd. They need to be moved because they’s folks looking. I’ve been sent to make this happen. The money I have is for you, to pay for that extra effort.

Harvey’s not cutting you out. You’re coming with us to the new spot. Now we can do this, [indistinct]. But Harvey ain’t gonna like it one bit, and that’s a whole other problem you don’t wanna deal with.

This means more money for everyone. I’m not keen on double-crossing Harvey, [indistinct] and hunt us down.

I got six men out there. You can count ‘em. Now you gonna shit or get off the pot? We ain’t got all night.

The familiar voice of the apparent lead rustler in the house: OK, now I think I got it. Sorry, I'm a little slow to catch on to thangs. So [indistinct] done set hisself on his own in tha horse tradin business. He's got a herd together-- and who might have done thet fer em? But we'll let thet [indistinct] Let me think on this a minute. [indistinct]
Daddy, mama, everbody always said I'm slow.

There's another silence. 'Cept fer Captain Bill. He dint say I was slow. No he didn't. Pretty much the opposite, really.

Another silence. Well, ya got a man outside to the north, and yer yipper out there to the east. By my count, that's four on three. But three and two are inside a house, with two outside. Pretty even odds, I'd bet. Would depend on the skill of the player.

Oh yeah, y'all boys. Whar's this herd, and whar are we movin it too? And, jist curious, how much money ya did ya say ya got in them saddle bags?

Oh, and by the way, Mr. Sebastian and Mr. Boone. I don't think I ever did hear yer answers about how ya managed to find this dog-ass Egypt place. I don't recall Harvey ever bein here. Either of y'all either. Ya never did say how ya come ride to this particular spot in the butt end of Texas. I may have forgot. Yep, I'm a little slow.

The men outside sight through the windows or take better positions. To all inside and out, it seems there is only one light source inside. A coal oil lantern with a smoky glass chimney, set on an old crate serving as a table for cards. Concealed Andreas sees Gideon McLaury inching closer and closer into the light of the house's east wall window, pistol drawn and raised over his head. He gets closer and closer to window, and starts to level the gun. But the former prisoner is stealthy. That much can be said for him.