Chapter 2 - Cash Dollars on the Hoof

[jemmus]

The first part of the lead man's dialogue is carried over from the last post, with Paladin responding.

William, Doos, Charlie and Andres are outside in the light of the half moon, weapons ready and watching and listening.

The voice of the man who's been doing the talking: 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 [indistinct], with two outside. Pretty even odds, I'd bet. Would depend on the skill of the player.

Paladin's voice: I told you we have six, said Paladin, but I’m [indistinct] prove anything to you.

The man's voice: [Indistinct] 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?


Over a dozen horses. I don’t know the exact number. It’s an extra $15 for you, and $10 for the others. No bad [Indistinct] . But more than that you get safety, cause if you stay h[Indistinct] in trouble before sunrise.

The man's voice: Oh, and by the way, Mr. Shotgun and Mr. Boone. I don't think I ever did hear yer answers about how [Indistinct] this dog-ass Egypt place. I don't recall Harvey ever bein here. Either of y'all either. Ya never did say how ya [Indistinct] this particular spot in the butt end of Texas. I may have forgot. Yep, I'm a little slow.

Paladin's voice: All I can say about that is we got some Tonkawas in our group. They know a hell of a lot more about tracking and these parts then we’ll ever know. Now I’m gettin tired of jawing. You got a choice: We go out there now and [Indistinct] your help and your money; or if you don’t believe me than I’ll ride out of here and you deal with Harvey.

The talking stops, and boots can be heard crossing the floor toward the south, in the direction away from the men outside.

The man: Well. Now we got one outside to the south, [Indistinct]one on the east side and the one on the north side. And this one inside. And two windas and a door to take pot shots through.

[jemmus]

Doos can try to climb up on the shed again. It would need a successful Coordination roll.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

Framed within the door, fingers flexing over his holstered pistol in case he needs to quick draw and fire.

He waits on the brigands reaction to Paladin's offer; which is basically chat options amicably at the table or go for their guns as they sense being surrounded.

I have posted my action on any initiative call, to draw and fire, but that reaction will only happen if either of them point a weapon at me instead of the floor.

[Grognardsw]

Sebastian

…to Paladin's offer; which is basically chat options amicably at the table or go for their guns as they sense being surrounded.

I wouldn’t characterize it in a binary fashion. It’s a continuation of the conversation. All guns are lowered or holstered. I posted in the private forum.

[jemmus]

Need an Observation roll from everyone, please. Some PCs will have penalties, but I can't reveal who without spoilering things.

[Rex]

Charlie

Observation (16) [1d20]=4

[redwarrior]

William

Observation [1d20]=12

[ateno]

Doos

Requested Observation [1d20]=16

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

Sebastian: Observation (10) [1d20]=13 [1d20]=15

[Grognardsw]

Paladin
Observation - 13 [1d20]=14

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson

orienteering 20
scouting 9
tracking 8

[jemmus]

Sebastian and the men outside of the house hear inside the house.

Paladin's voice: All right I’ll point them out through the window. There's the sound of two pairs of boots crossing the wood floor, headed east. [indistinct] ain’t whistling Dixie. Alright, one’s down on the ground there.

The familiar voice: Out the east winda? That would be the yipper, wouldn't it? [indistinct] to look to know whar he is. By the way, where exactly again did ya say ya got them horses at? And who ya takin em to?

[jemmus]

Sebastian's situation noted. Messages posted in some PCs' private threads.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie decides it is time to warn Paladin.

Yelling, "Paladin, incoming horses riding hard from the northeast."

He will position himself behind the shed so he can react to the cabin and the incoming horses easier.

[redwarrior]

When Charlie shouts, William leans into the tree, attempting to become one with it and stay out of sight of both the house and the approaching horsemen.

He's going to focus most of his attention on the approaching horsemen.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson doesn't move. He looks to the NE, but stays motionless, hoping to stay silent and in the dark, unnoticed.

[ateno]

Doos slowly moves to the NW corner of the shed.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

"Paladin, incoming horses riding hard from the northeast."

"Damn, it'll be that no good posse of yella bellies from San Marcos. We gotta move outta here and fast if we want to deliver those horses.

You guys coming with us or staying here as a welcome committee?"

He tries to blag a little in order to pressure the gang to make a snap decision and leave the cabin, hoping that the dust of the horse hooves galloping closer is not an expected arrival.

[jemmus]

I think everyone got a message in their private thread. We have to do it that way because part of you are inside the house, and most are outside of it. If you didn't get a private thread message, please let me know. There are a lot of deadly firearms out and ready, or about ready. So I think we have to do it this way, for now.

The half-moon hangs over the hot early June prairie sky. Outside the lonely house on the prairie, men wait, guns waiting. Inside it, five armed men stand tense. In the light of a guttering kerosene lamp. And with muttering of a seemingly excitable and possibly trigger-happy-- or cowardly-- released jailbird with an old cap-and-ball pistol outside. Reload time of that old cap-and-ball pistol is around 10 minutes. Six rounds, then 10 minutes. The odd man out peers through the window, levels a barrel, squints an eye, and draws a bead....

[jemmus]

The men outside the house adjust their positions in reaction to the sound of loping horses to the northeast, maybe 300 yards or so out. Charlie calls out, Paladin, incoming horses riding hard from the northeast.

Sebastian's voice from the far side of the house: Damn, it'll be that no good posse of yella bellies from San Marcos. We gotta move outta here and fast if we want to deliver those horses. You guys coming with us or staying here as a welcome committee?

The familiar rustler voice inside the house: Y'all boys think that's a posse, or the rest of the outfit comin back?

The younger sounding, ironically jocular voice: I'd say it's Rick and the boys, Mike. They're due back right about now. Maybe jist a little bit overdue.

The terse voice in faintly heard before: Indistinct
The main speaker: I reckon that's jist about right. Now, I'd recommend [indistinct] yer Tonkawas head on back to whar ya come from. Hell, I don't care whar ya go, as long as it's the hell outa here. Shootin liars is a part of the cards playin business, [indistinct] the horse tradin business.
The joking voice: And besides, we got plenty of dirt-- but we ain't got no shovels!

The main speaker: That boy there has a big mouth and he cain't hit the side of a barn with a single shot rifle. But he shore is hell with a shotgun. [Indistinct] there shoots ticks offa horse's ears with that carbine. He's quick, too. And I ain't one to brag, but let's say that [indistinct] at a range whar this revolver cain't hardly miss. You, Mr. Shotgun, don't look ya could take a kick from a deaf grandma and survive it. Like yer friend out there said, the elephant is comin. Time [indistinct] goin, and don't look back.
Paladin's voice: Harvey won't be happy. I'm going.

Rustlers initiative roll: [1d6]=4 PCs at 6, the +1 bonus for tactics.
Leader in the house - Move
Rustlers in the house declared actions - Wait
Other NPCs outside the house - Moving, fast

Action inside the house is likely to happen at Shootout Turn time scale. For simplicity, we'll run action outside the house at the same scale (one second per turn, divided into six counts). A reminder that movement actions happen at the end of a Combat Turn (6 seconds). And another reminder that the order of action in a Shootout Turn is decided by the type of shot (fanning, hipshot, steady, or careful). With pluses or minuses for the Speed of the weapon. Average (rifle) +0. Fast (single action pistol) +1. Slow (bow and arrow) -1. Ties are broken by the Speed attribute of the character.
Shooting at night time in poor light is at -4.
We again have to post to private threads, because of the PCs' separate locations and separate knowledge of what's going on around them.