Chapter 3 - City of 10,000 Guns

[redwarrior]

William reads the item three times and then circles the article about the shooting competition.

[cybersavant]

“We’ll see if this trial can happen today,” answered Paladin as he and Andreas waited outside the sheriff’s office. “I doubt it. In the meantime, maybe find short-term work or just enjoy the pleasures of Austin. What do you think?”

Andreas Larson "If vhe must wait, den employment vhould be gut. Haf you preference?"

[Grognardsw]

“My preference is profit and principle,” Paladin proffered to Andreas.

Paladin nodded at William over the shooting contest. “That seems worth trying our luck and skill.”

The gunslinger tore out the newspaper article about the Waco & NW Railroad delays. A company describing a problem as having “immeasurable cost” may be motivated to seek unusual solutions. Paladin enclosed his business card with the article and mailed it to the company spokesman in the article.



Paladin kept the newspaper for possible future leads if Waco & NW Railroad was unresponsive.

Next Paladin wrote out a letter to the Bear County Cattlemen’s Association, regarding their reward for the cattle rustler ‘King Fisher.’ He mentioned the information confessed by low-level rustlers, involvement of Harvey Adler, and suggested that his information and assistance, combined with the Association’s knowledge and connections he’d use to entrap Fisher, could lead to King Fisher’s capture. He added that the lazy corrupt sons-of-bitches in the sheriff’s office weren’t likely to get off their asses to help. Paladin enclosed his business card and mailed or wired it to the contact in the Wanted Board notice.

$350 REWARD
is offered by the Bexar County Cattlemen's Associate, San Antonio, Texas,
for the capture or elimination of notorious horse and cattle rustler King Fisher.
Known to operate with a gang throughout South Texas and beyond the Mexican Border.

[jemmus]

To clarify, William related the information he knows about the rustlers to the Texas state police (the Texas Rangers), rather than to the city marshal. The Rangers have jurisdiction over crimes committed across county lines. Doos's information about the accused rapist went to the Travis County sheriff, rather than to the town marshal.

William visits the Texas Rangers' office and tells them what he knows of the rustlers. The captain there is a one-armed, weather-worn man of around 50. He looks like he belongs more out on yucca and prickly pear prairie than in an office. He says, We appreciate ya reportin the information, Mr. Moore. The city marshal's office informed us that you all also have information about about a rustling operation across Hays, Comal, and other counties. As well as the two prisoners' signed confessions. We'd appreciate learning the information and receivin the confessions.

The Travis County sheriff has even more ledgers and papers piled on his desk than the city marshal. He says, Thank you, Mr. Judge Doos. The county judge is very busy, and he don't want nobody goin to trial unless it's pretty sure he can sentence em. "Be damn sure about it or tarn em loose!" he says. You bein a judge yourself, you might understand that. So we've already sent a deputy sheriffs to Mr. John Polk's house to talk to the girl.

Paladin posts letters to the Waco & Northwest Railroad and to the Bexar County Cattlemen's Association. 10 cents postage.

This is a real spoiler, to keep things moving for us: the dice angels and devils say that this is going to be a day without any "encounter" events. Other than ones created by the PCs themselves. Does anyone take either the job offers noticed?

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson "De shooting ist not for me. I vhill look into dat undertaker job." Andreas heads over to the undertaker to inquire if the job is still open.


10 each

[ateno]

Doos will work at the lumber yard. Making what he can. He will make himself available for the court or lawmen as needed.

Doos

[Grognardsw]

Paladin rubbed his cheeks and said to Andreas: “That’s one way of making money. The client won’t complain.”

“Let’s all meet up at the Drower Hotel for dinner,” he said to the group as they went their separate ways.

Learning that the Texas Rangers have interest and jurisdiction for the cross-county horse rustler ring, Paladin visited them to present the facts and confessions.

For what its worth, he suggested they follow the leads to Adler and try to break the ring.

[jemmus]

Doos visits the lumber yard to inquire about the posted job. The supervisor there says, We got a boxcar load of sawn lumber settin at the train station. It's gotta be hauled over to here by wagon. It'll take several trips. Ted here will be driving and y'all both will be carryin and stackin. There's a extra 50 cents in it for each of ya if you can finish the job before nightful. Undertaker needs a couple of coffins made, and we're a day late.
Strength skill check needed is Doos wants to try that. (Ted made his Strength roll). Please add $1.40 to the char sheet if Doos tries and succeeds, otherwise 90 cents.

Andreas steps into the undertaker's... what is it called? Parlor? Office? Shop? All of the windows are wide open, but there's an overpowering, retch-inducing odor in the air. Flies buzz around the room, seemingly quite happily and enthusiastically. A man with a rather unctuous, oily air greets him. He has Back East accent, and can pronounce the gs at the end of -ing verbs. Here about the shaving job? Very good! The barber who usually does the shaving has taken ill. It's seems that... something he ate didn't agree with him. Two bodies draped by not entirely unstained sheets lie on body-sized tables. Black flies crawl over the sheets and occasionally stop to rub their forelegs together and consider. The man gestures to a smaller table. Here you will a folding razor, a cake of soap, and a brush and bowl for lathering. If any assistance may be needed, please only inform. He goes off into a back room and closes the door.

Andreas is no trained barber, but he's shaved his own face enough to know how it's done. He lifts the sheet from the face of one body. It's the face of honest-looking old man with a few days of growth on its chin. Andreas gets to work and does a fine job. That cold face is now smooth, and clean as a whistle.

He then lifts the sheet from the second face. This one has not as honest-looking face, a moustache, goatee, and a week's growth in the gaps in between them. Worse, it's been shot through a part of the hirsute target area. It's a close call, but Andreas manages to keep his breakfast down. But nature of this job would likely require the skills of master for it to be carried out to completion. He knocks on the undertaker's back room door. The man emerges, inspects each body, and says, That's terrible. I'm not paying for that one. The complaints from his friends who paid for the funeral and burial will be fearsome. Here's your $2, sir.

Oh, and, by the way... Do you happen to be a carpenter as well, or know of one? Ours is unresponsive. He and the barber might have had the same bad food. Immediate service needed, as soon as possible tomorrow. Top dollar will be paid. A fly's wings buzz.
Andreas, please add $2.00 to char sheet.

The one-armed, weather-worn captain in the Rangers office listens to William's and Paladin's story with interest. Hmm. Harvey Adler of Comal County. A big, well-known cattleman in that county. Has run for county sheriff, and now skipped that to run fer county judge. Nothin ever happens in Comal County. Except for Harvey Adler's name boilin up once in a while. But mostly about rents and taxes there in Comal County. Rangers don't git involve in that. We got bigger fish to catch. Much less catch and fry.

The man takes his beaten cow trail hat off and scratches his head. Mister Paladin. You're sayin that Harvey Adler is runnin stolen horses here. He points to Comaltown on a map of the state. And ya'll shot the rustlers around here. He slides his finger diagonal northwest. Toward Burnet and Fredericksburg on the map. Lot of stage coach robberies been happening of the roads to these two towns. The might be connected to those rustlers cooling their heels in jail. Or it might be a completely separate bunch. But from the proximity, it would seem that the gangs might at least be aware of each other. Worth investigatin. The Ranger points to a couple of posters on the wall.

REWARD OFFERED
$250 in Silver Dollars and/or Bank Notes
For information leading to the arrest and conviction of Stagecoach Robbers and Murderers on the Austin - Fredericksburg highway.
WELLS FARGO OVERLAND COACH LINES COMPANY
Commerce Street
Austin, Texas

REWARD OFFERED
$250 in Silver Dollars and/or Bank Notes
For information leading to the arrest and conviction of Stagecoach Robbers and Murdererson the Austin - Burnet highway.
WELLS FARGO OVERLAND COACH LINE
Commerce Street
Austin, Texas

[cybersavant]

Andreas is no trained barber, but he's shaved his own face enough to know how it's done.

Worse, it's been shot through a part of the hirsute target area. It's a close call, but Andreas manages to keep his breakfast down. But nature of this job would likely require the skills of master for it to be carried out to completion. He knocks on the undertaker's back room door. The man emerges, inspects each body, and says, That's terrible. I'm not paying for that one. The complaints from his friends who paid for the funeral and burial will be terrible. Here's your $2, sir.

Oh, and, by the way... Do you happen to be a carpenter as well, or know of one? Ours is unresponsive. He and the barber might have had the same bad food. Immediate service needed, as soon as possible tomorrow. Top dollar will be paid. A fly's wings buzz.
Andreas, please add $2.00 to char sheet.

Andreas Larson "Danke. Dat von hast too much face gone fur me. I ist no carpenter, sorry." Andreas takes the offered money and leaves the establishment. He takes some time to wander through the close-by streets to familiarize himself somewhat to the neighborhood before heading to the hotel for the dinner meetup.

[ateno]

Doos visits the lumber yard to inquire about the posted job. The supervisor there says, We got a boxcar load of sawn lumber settin at the train station. It's gotta be hauled over to here by wagon. It'll take several trips. Ted here will be driving and y'all both will be carryin and stackin. There's a extra 50 cents in it for each of ya if you can finish the job before nightful. Undertaker needs a couple of coffins made, and we're a day late.
Strength skill check needed is Doos wants to try that. (Ted made his Strength roll). Please add $1.40 to the char sheet if Doos tries and succeeds, otherwise 90 cents.

Doos has not dont hard work in a while but manages to get it done.
STR [1d20]=7

Doos takes the extra money and says his availability tomorrow could be spotty, as there might be some other things he came to town for could start. But he is happy to start early.

Doos heads to dinner with the group and has a extra beer lets people know of his day.

Doos

[Grognardsw]

“Well, I’ve done my part, for all the trouble it brought me,” said Paladin to the ranger. “Good luck.”

He noted the reward posters, having seen them before.

Outside, Paladin said to William: “I have some job inquiries out. Who knows what may come of them. I have one more person to visit. I’ll see you at dinner?”

Paladin looked up Virginia’s McCullom’s father, who lived in Austin.

[redwarrior]

“Well, I’ve done my part, for all the trouble it brought me,” said Paladin to the ranger. “Good luck.”

He noted the reward posters, having seen them before.

Outside, Paladin said to William: “I have some job inquiries out. Who knows what may come of them. I have one more person to visit. I’ll see you at dinner?”

Paladin looked up Virginia’s McCullom’s father, who lived in Austin.

William nods his head and says most certainly! clairifying earlier discussion with the rangers, I'll tell them anything they ask about to the limits of my knowledge, sticking to "just the facts."

[ateno]

"I've done what I can for now, tomorrow I will find out if there is a trail, I hope. Anyone have a lead on any day work, I am worn from moving lumber.
The bath bed and clean clothing will feel good.

Doos

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson "I vhas at de undertaker. Gunshot face ist hard to navigate mit razor. Tomorrow bringt vhat?"

[jemmus]

After dinner, Gideon McLaury comes into the hotel dining room a good part-way down whiskey river. He orders a shot. Well, I didn't come back with nothin extree from the Iron Front, but it paid fer mah dranks. Thar was a fella at the roulette wheel named Pat Garrett. Tall fella, well over six tall. I never heard of him before, but other people around had. He's the sheriff of some county out west, and known to be a hard one. Sheriff of a county where cattlemen shoot each other over water for their herds, bandidos come up over the border. And then thar's always the Apaches around, and their enemies the Comanches too. Nobody knew what this Pat Garrett was doin in Austin. And nobody ast, either. When he moved over and drew up a chair at a cards table, people started little by little takin their earnins and callin it a night. But two fellas come over to the table and set down. It looked they was friends, and they was both hard-lookin fellas. If ya know what I mean. Wild, lawless, just plain mean-lookin cusses.

Well anyway I didn't wait around to see what might happen, I come on back to this ole Drowver Hotel. I got three things I remember while gamblin er drankin: Number 1, quit while yer ahead; Number 2, don't play cards with crazy people. Unless they ain't got no guns or knives. Number 3, a bullet that has left the chamber ain't got no eyes on it.

Anyone doing anything around Austin after dinner this first evening in town? To recap, it's possible or even likely that the accused rapist's trial will be tomorrow. The rustlers' trial might be the next day, or more likely the next. There's time yet for checking out the wide open action of a big town like Austin.

[ateno]

sorry I missed your post

GM; familiarity with Pat Garret?

"Gideon, did the other two look like they knew him? Talking friendly or just eyeing each other? Playing serious poker or just throwing nickels around?

Doos does not have a big night planned a couple beers and thats it.

[Grognardsw]

At dinner at the Drowsver Hotel, Paladin made small talk with his friends, listened to Gideon’s story, then brought up the job opportunity.

“The Waco and Northwestern Railroad needs helping against suspected saboteurs.” He showed them the article.

-Construction of the Waco and Northwestern Railroad's spur to Fredericksburg in neighboring Blanco County has again been delayed, at immeasurable cost. The railroad company says that the delays have been caused by injuries and deaths of rail laying and rail yard workers. An anonymous employee stated to the paper that a certain amount of accidents are expected due to long hours, fatigue, the great weights of equipment involved, and drunkenness. But in this case, the number of casualties seem exceptional-- and over an exceptional period of time. A Chinese worker has been detained for questioning.

“The owner Cummins gave me budget to hire. I’m thinking we get in there in different positions to spy; properly incentivize managers to make success a priority; install guards or gunmen to send a message; perhaps even set a trap to draw out the saboteurs. The job is local, a challenge, and could lead to more work down the line.” Paladin lost his train of thought as a pretty woman sauntered by with a caboose he’d like to ride.

“So, what do you say?” he said to his colleagues.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson "I kan pose as passenger."

[redwarrior]

William as long as it doesn't interfere with the trials for the men we hauled in here, I could use some honest work. Though I honestly think that we should consider finding these fellows' bosses. Preferably with badges to legitimize our interest.

[ateno]

"I'm not sure how I can help, it feels like the right thing to do. Gut instinct is the Eastern work force is being used as a scapegoat. Just like the Irish were many years ago. But a tough trial tomorrow, I'll have that second beer and hit the hay, unless we got something else to discuss."

Doos