Chapter 2 - Cash Dollars on the Hoof

[redwarrior]

William crawls along steadily, mentally urging "the voice" to keep shouting back and forth to paladin. He does his best to find every dip in the terrain and every stand of tall grasses to sneak up as near parallel to the man as he can.


Coordination target 18 [1d20-3]=18-3=15 nip & tuck, with grace, patience, and luck!!

Observation target 15 [1d20]=1 and an observation roll, since I'm also trying to find the horseman/men

[ateno]

I pulled the dead man with the carbine back to where Doos was originally, the ne corner of the shed, well maybe south a hex of there.

When available, Doos will move 2 `squares` east, using the corner of the Corall aa cover,

[jemmus]

Yes, Doos left dead man and his carbine near the house. Or did he take the carbine with him when he went to the corral? The black X on the map is for reference. That's as far as the PCs outside could see into the dark, before some of you changed positions.

Doos moves to the northeast corner of the corral, closer to the site of where they'd seen and fired on the riders. The horses in the corral, including his own horse, eye him curiously. William crawls through the grass, trying to flank the rustlers and get them into sight. He keenly scans the visible area, but sees only prairie grass.

The voice calls out, The last time we got close you all shot started shooting from all directions. Bring em up to the corral where we kin see em. One man.
When we see em, one of us will ride up a bring ya the horses. The other will hold back and make sure y'all stay honest.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie waits and remains silent and observant.

[redwarrior]

William is out there somewhere! PM sent.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson will stealth up to the tree to use as cover


stealth 15

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

"I would be fine to play as the stoolie and walk one of the rustlers up to the corral. Say Slim. Keep my revolver cocked and drawn in one hand, shotgun squarely in his back as we walk.

What do you think?" he asks Paladin.

I think from the previous update, Gideon had the other covered and had us both outside the cabin. So we both can walk with a rustler to the corral.

Walking to the left of the toolshed.

[Grognardsw]

Sebastian

"I would be fine to play as the stoolie and walk one of the rustlers up to the corral. Say Slim. Keep my revolver cocked and drawn in one hand, shotgun squarely in his back as we walk.

What do you think?" he asks Paladin.

“Okay, be careful.

We don’t them to escape.”

Can we get behind the rustlers? Could they be maneuvering behind us?

[jemmus]

You know that three rustlers were seen, one was shot dead, and the other two disappeared into the dark. And you know that a voice (always the same voice) has been calling out from around 70-80 yards to the northeast. That's all you know.

Gagged "Slim" makes an incoherent reply to Sebastian's insulting taunts. But the meaning is pretty clear-- he's either cursing him to damnation or threatening him with revenge.

Doos bends, steps through the rails of the corral, and stands behind its northeast corner post. Andreas rises and moves to under the tree. Sebastian marches the smaller, thicker rustler to the northeast corner of the corral. Charlie holds his position at the corner of the shed, rifle resting in sniping position. Gideon guards the other rustler in the darkened room. William is somewhere out there, last seen crawling north through the prairie grass.

The voice calls out from the same direction and distance. Alright, dammit, I'll give ya all of the damn horses! Six, plus the one my dead brother-- yeah, he was my brother--was ridin. And the seven horses in the corral. Are ya bringin Mike and the boy up to the corral?

Actions?

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie remains still and observant.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

"They're here. Come and trade, no fooling. Been enough of that tonight." he will call out.

Gideon guards the other rustler in the darkened room

did he not come with me?

[jemmus]

I must have misunderstood. Gideon brought the other rustler out then.

[jemmus]

We have Sebastian's and Charlie's posts in the IC, and William's in his private thread (because he's separated from the group). Other PCs are up when you're ready.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson holding position until a target presents itself

[jemmus]

So we don't lose too much momentum, I'm going to assume Paladin and Doos don't have a reaction to the last action. Which was the voice calling out in the dark offering all of the horses as a trade.
William is separated and is seeing and hearing different things, so he'll get a private thread post.

A short time passes and the voice from calls from the out in the dark, empty prairie. Alright then. Ah'm comin in. Leadin horses. Six of em. Comin in alone. My backup will stay in the dark watchin. Y'all don't shoot or raise no hell. I just want a trade of horses fer them men. I don't know how many of ya there are, but we don't plan on attackin. That would be foolish. Every man who was in the war knows that fer every oen man defendin, two die in an assault. Let's git this done and this damn night over and done with.

The travelers around the shed, corral and tree watch and listen, firearms ready.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie holds his position and keeps ready.

[ateno]

As does Doos.

[Grognardsw]

Paladin peered out from his window cover, both pistols carefully aiming for any targets.

Paladin had hoped to avert gunplay and take in the hustlers for justice. But now any loose ends would come back to them. The brother would always be after them for revenge; they would tell Adler what happened. The horses would be traced back to them.

"They will come after us for revenge, and tell Adler," whispered Paladin to those around him. "We need to finish this here."

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

"We need to finish this here."

I understand the sentiment, but unless Slim tries to fight me, I won't shoot him in the back. I do expect though these cowboys to come riding in, guns ablazing, shooting us down in revenge for the one shot dead. I don't think they will want to just trade horses for rustlers and we all agree to ride away in separate directions.

With that in mind, I tell Slim (sorry I do forget his actual name), to put both hands upon the corral fence in plain view.

[Grognardsw]

“I’d prefer to bring them in alive too,” replied Paladin. “I’m not sure they’ll cooperate.”