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Shadrach advances a step or two toward the dark pit that has suddenly appeared in the chapel cellar, aiming the barrel of the combat rifle toward it as the hound growls at Anja.

Emile mutters under his breath and pulls Tavi away to the side so he won’t get trampled.

Emile Initiative [1d8+2]=1+2=3

If he’s attacked before he can do that, he will draw his Sunshooter and put down his assailant.
SunShooter [1d20+4]=13+4=17 Damage: [2d6+3]=7+3=10 Range: 50m Magazine: Unlimited

Hansel whispers to Talina I hope you're ready to use that thing. I don't think this is going to be resolved by talking... where's that judge when you need her... Oh well, if you see anyone shooting at me, I'd take it kindly if you'd return their salutation... Hansel then steps off the sidewalk and calls out in a clear voice, gun drawn, but pointed down. Whatever your grievance is, it can hardly be the doing of this lawyer, who has harmed nobody here. Lawyers ain't always my favorite people, but he's don't nothing to harm anyone here! Let this gent here move him to safety and then you can be on your way.

init [1d8+2]=6+2=8

Talk roll to persuade others that violence is not the answer.
Talk [2d6+1]=5+1=6

I'm not 100% clear on combat rounds and don't have the books ready at hand to tell if I can both have a talk action and a held combat action. If not, I'll try talking first...If yes, Held action will be to shoot the first person in the crowd who tries to attack Taavi or Emile. Poorly, as it turns out... shoot [1d20+3]=7+3=10 Laser Pistol Damage [1d6+1]=6+1=7

Ambiance: Revolution

Dawn on the Main Street... BAM! The pock-faced farmer with a widows peak next to Valantin clubs-up his shotgun and slams the butt of it right into Taavi's nose. Blood spurts and the lawyer drops like a sack of unmilled grain, collapsing on the street. A wave of energy goes through the mob - already poised for violence - as the first blow is struck. Emile stands within reach of three of them, Taavi and Talina about 20' away on the side of the road, as the tension in the mob snaps, resolving one way or another into action...

Taavi lies still on the asphalt, one of his bearded cheeks abraded by the rough surface and its grit. Blood pours out of his smashed nose. His eyes are closed and are beginning to blacken. He doesn't move. But his body keeps breath bubbling in and out his nose and mouth.

Talina stays close to Hansel in front of the Mercantile and waits to see what happens next. Hansel whispers to Talina "I hope you're ready to use that thing. I don't think this is going to be resolved by talking... where's that judge when you need her... Oh well, if you see anyone shooting at me, I'd take it kindly if you'd return their salutation..."

For a single moment, an inhaled breath, everything hangs motionless. A woman's blood-curdling scream of horror comes from within the church.

Hansel then steps off the sidewalk and calls out in a clear voice, gun drawn, but pointed down. Whatever your grievance is, it can hardly be the doing of this lawyer, who has harmed nobody..." The mob surges forward, oblivious to his words. Emile mutters under his breath and pulls Tavi away to the side so he won’t get trampled, the pair ending up at Hansel and Talina's feet, no one in the street to impede the mob of two dozen's forward progress.

"Burn the devils!" shouts a voice at the back of the crowd as the violence, anger, and fear in their faces breaks loose into cathartic motion. They surge forward forcefully, breaking into two groups - one towards the church, the other directly adjacent to you heading to the Sheriff's office. "The wolves won't get our kids!" yells another. "Drive them out!" More torches strike up, fuel sloshing in the petrol cans they carry. "No!" cries out Mirko in despair as he stands with his shotgun next to the Saloon across the street.

Emile and Taavi: At the Church... BRRRRRT! With cold, military precision, Shadrach fires multiple rounds into the corpse as it rolls to the side and begins to rise. The bullets rip through the morbid flesh, shredding it utterly and splattering dark fluid backwards onto Anja, onto the floor. Teo's corpse collapses backwards in asynchronous chunks as it is rendered, landing on what used to be blood, seeming to fall through it, disappearing into the opaque blackness as if falling through the basement floor.

Anja screams, staring into the floor with abject horror.

Bare-chested, grey stubble unshaven on his face, Shadrach advances a step or two toward the dark pit that has suddenly appeared in the chapel cellar, aiming the barrel of the combat rifle toward it as the hound growls at Anja.

The pool of radiant darkness on the floor ripples like thick fabric; you can't help but stare into it, waves of sickening dread emanating from it, crashing over you. Thick black tentacles rise from it, gripping the edges of the floor. The body of the young docent tips over, sliding down the wall and thudding on the floor. A long tentacle snaps outward, grasping it by the leg and dragging it across the floor towards the hole.

Overcome with panic and terror, Anja abruptly leaps to her feet and sprints past Shadrach into the stairwell, running into Amalia with a tangle of limbs, trying to clamber past her to escape the church.

Actions?

Taavi rises on one elbow and checks his nose. The bridge wiggles loosely between his fingers. For a moment he thinks, "To hell with it, I'll shoot that pock-faced farmer dead. No, just knee-cap him." But then, "No, can't make everyone at home a widow and a half-orphan. Besides, it would just turn into a general bloodbath for everyone else here."

He stands up, sways, holds his head and wipes his face with his handkerchief. "Boy, you've had some failures at persuasion before, but never a string of them like this. And never a shotgun butt to the face at the end. So much for re-establishing rule of law. In godsforsaken Prudence, at least."

"Sister Amalia." Shadrach's voice is calm but urgent as he backs away from the pit, snapping his aim to the tentacle grasping the docent's body. His eyes flicker briefly as Anja flees, but the tentacles consume his attention. "Send the Handmaiden for my armor. Hurry, Sister."

His finger tightens on the trigger, and the gun clatters again, booming in the enclosed space.

Firing on the tentacle:
Burst-fire: [1d20+3]=17+3=20, [1d20+3]=16+3=19, damage [1d12+3]=3+3=6

Pulling herself free of the flailing nun, Amalia forces the woman against a wall and slaps her once to gain her full attention. "Calm yourself, sister!"

Once she's sure that Anya is paying attention to what she's saying, the ordained of Saint Chrysostom issues a command. "Go and get the sherrif, and whatever other help you can. Be quick, but not hasty, and remain in control of yourself. Do you understand me? Answer!" She also sends the Handmaiden to assist and to retrieve Shadrach's armour, then steels herself for the danger beyond the doorway, laspistol in hand.

[2d6+3]=7+3=10 Lead to make Anya follow orders.

Emile walks with the mob, hustling to match pace with Valentin. Are these wolves you shout of the ones that rise from shadows? I have confronted them myself. Where do they come from and why do you suspect the sheriff and church?

Do I need another Talk roll?

No talk roll needed. I will provide answers as part of RP, but you aren't changing actions with Talk at this stage. You need rolls for your actions that change their actions.

"They'se friends, they are!" yells a greasy farmhand. "Since we were all kids! Skenders and Hrsaks," he spits and brandishes his torch, "thick as the thieves they are!"

"Proof now Teo Hrsak a Vukodlak!" shouts a pumpjack. "They took the kids in Windfall and OURS ARE NEXT! Dragged off and never seen again!"

Hansel holsters his side-arm for now and, after motioning to Talina his intent, heads over to help the lawyer up and to find out Lawyer, what’s this lot all excited about? They don’t mean harm to that barmaid, Zoe do they? And where’s your judge friend?

He’s keeping an eye on Talina and will shooting anyone assaulting her. (Held action) Not really sure what all is going on in this not so sleepy town, but neither Zoe nor Talina seem the kind who need to be dead.


Spent the night in the jail, don’t know about werewolves or anything that happened after the shootout at the bar.

Emile continues with the crowd, slipping away from the center of the mob and towards the edges. He keeps his eyes peeled.

Taavi's usual fairly rich voice isn't so rich no with his broken, swollen nose. He sincerely appreciates Hansel's help. Civilized gestures are hard to come by in Prudence. Thank you for your help, Mr. Shatner. I'm surprised to see you and Ms. Talina Mannifer out of detention. Perhaps later I'll ask you share how that came about. But first... I was told in the bar that Teo Hrsak was a werewolf. And his family members also. It seems that a child has been killed, and these people blame the local law enforcement for doing nothing about the Hrsaks. If it's true that they knew the situation and didn't do anything, personally I don't blame the crowd for their feelings. Or their violent intentions. But we don't know that all of that is true. That's why people developed legal processes-- to find out what is true, and then apply the agreed-upon justice of the people of the land. ​That's why the judge and I are here. To try to prevent punishment from being meted out, before the full truth is known.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hansel, a long reply to a short question, and it wasn't even a full answer. I don't know if they intend harm to Ms. Zoe. Do you have reason to think they might? As for the judge, I haven't seen her since the debacle at the tavern. But I think I should follow this crowd-- this time, a little more quietly, for now. If you care to join me, I'd appreciate the additional.... He was about to say "firepower." And went ahead and said, Firepower.

Talina nods at Hansel. "I'm ready for anything, but I would prefer to just get out of this town. I have no business being here."

She joins Hansel to check on the lawyer and listens to his explanation of events.

"A werewolf? You'll have to share that story with us later. Do you know the best way out of here?"

Ambiance: Rusty Cage

Inside the Church...
The pool of radiant darkness on the floor ripples like thick fabric; you can't help but stare into it, waves of sickening dread emanating from it, crashing over you. Thick black tentacles rise from it, gripping the edges of the floor. The body of the young docent tips over, sliding down the wall and thudding on the floor. A long tentacle snaps outward, grasping it by the leg and dragging it across the floor towards the hole.

"Sister Amalia." Shadrach's voice is calm but urgent as he backs away from the pit, snapping his aim to the tentacle grasping the docent's body. His eyes flicker briefly as Anja flees, but the tentacles consume his attention. "Send the Handmaiden for my armor. Hurry, Sister." His finger tightens on the trigger, and the gun clatters again, booming in the enclosed space. The bullets shred the tentacle, splattering black ichor against the wall as it drops the docent's body (-6).

Overcome with panic and terror, Anja abruptly leaps to her feet and sprints past Shadrach into the stairwell, running into Amalia with a tangle of limbs, trying to clamber past her to escape the church. Pulling herself free of the flailing nun, Amalia forces the woman against a wall and slaps her once to gain her full attention. "Calm yourself, sister! Go and get the Sheriff, and whatever other help you can. Be quick, but not hasty, and remain in control of yourself. Do you understand me? Answer!"

"Yes. Yes, the Sheriff," Anja nods, blinking, composing herself with the help of the ordained Amalia. "I will get him, Sister." She hurries up the stairs, glancing furtively behind as her fear still chases her. The Handmaiden smiles serenely as it is given its task as well, gliding up the stairs unhurriedly behind Anja.

Amalia draws her laspistol and braces herself at the doorway, standing at the bottom of the stairs. Shadrach stands poised with his combat rifle at his shoulder, cold sweat dripping down through his graying chest hair, wearing only his loose sleep pants and boots. The black rift roils, a mass of tentacles and two clawed limbs gripping the edge and pulling through, a slurping noise and 'pop' as it emerges, as if breaking free of its otherworldly prison. A rubbery black tentacle shoots outward towards Shadrach, slashing like a serrated whip. He dodges backwards, but the tip of one grazes his naked chest, drawing a trickle of red blood (-1). The creature's growl rumbles in satisfaction, tucking the oozing stump of its other long tentacle underneath its bulk.


Dawn on the Main Street...
"Burn the devils!" shouts a voice at the back of the crowd as the violence, anger, and fear in their faces breaks loose into cathartic motion. They surge forward forcefully, breaking into two groups - one towards the church, the other directly adjacent to you heading to the Sheriff's office. "The wolves won't get our kids!" yells another. "Drive them out!" More torches strike up, fuel sloshing in the petrol cans they carry. "No!" cries out Mirko in despair as he stands with his shotgun next to the Saloon across the street.

Emile walks with the mob, hustling to match pace with Valentin. Are these wolves you shout of the ones that rise from shadows? I have confronted them myself. Where do they come from and why do you suspect the sheriff and church?
"They'se friends, they are!" yells a greasy farmhand. "Since we were all kids! Skenders and Hrsaks," he spits and brandishes his torch, "thick as the thieves they are!"
"Proof now Teo Hrsak a Vukodlak!" shouts a pumpjack. "They took the kids in Windfall and OURS ARE NEXT! Dragged off and never seen again!"
Emile continues with the crowd, slipping away from the center of the mob and towards the edges. He keeps his eyes peeled.

The mob surges past Taavi, leaving him behind as the continue on towards the Church and Sheriff's office. Treated by Emile, Taavi now rises on one elbow and checks his nose. The bridge wiggles loosely between his fingers. He stands up, sways, holds his head and wipes his face with his handkerchief. "Boy, you've had some failures at persuasion before, but never a string of them like this. And never a shotgun butt to the face at the end. So much for re-establishing rule of law. In godsforsaken Prudence, at least." Hansel holsters his side-arm for now and, with Talina close behind, heads over to help the lawyer up. "Lawyer, what’s this lot all excited about? They don’t mean harm to that barmaid, Zoe do they? And where’s your judge friend?"

Judge Lira Bunt stumbles out of the boarding house, coming up the road towards the mob. She looks shell-shocked by something, oblivious to the chaos unfolding before and around her as she passes the church and veers towards Mirko and the Saloon.

Taavi's usual fairly rich voice isn't so rich no with his broken, swollen nose. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Shatner. I'm surprised to see you and Ms. Talina Mannifer out of detention. Perhaps later I'll ask you share how that came about. But first..." the lawyer shares information with the pair that spent the night in the cells. "If you care to join me, I'd appreciate the additional...." he pauses to consider his words, then says, "Firepower."
To punctuate the words, there's a crash on the roof of the Sheriff's Office as a bottle of fuel with a lit rag shatters, spreading fire across the wooden fascade. Sheriff Skender appears in the doorway of his office, rifle in hand. "That's enough! You all F' off and go home!" he yells, racking the action and leveling his gun. The last threads of restraint breaks, releasing the mob from the rusty cage of propriety. A dozen men surge towards the porch. BOOM! The first to step onto the porch is taken down from behind, the shotgun blast of Mirko spilling the pumpjack forward in a splatter of his own blood and gore. The Sheriff also fires, dropping the greasy farmhand next to Emile to his knees. This section of the mob splinters into chaos around Emile, some firing shots at the Sheriff as he takes partial cover in his doorway, others turning to shoot at Mirko at the corner of the saloon, the last three taking petrol cans and torches to splash the Sheriff's porch. Sheriff Skender ducks into momentary cover as three bullets splitter the doorframe of his office (misses). Mirko, however is not so lucky. The amiable bartender jolts as two bullets rip through his torso, splattering the exterior of the saloon next to him. His shotgun slips from his fingers and he falls forward to his knees. "Sonofabitch!" yells an enraged Sheriff across the street, racking the action on his rifle to chamber another round.

Talina turns to Taavi and Hansel. "Do you know the best way out of here?" The crowd has passed them by, and also passed by the Greater Kumekhna Justice Truck parked on the street just short of the Mercantile.

...
Further up the street, the other half of the mob approaches the whitewashed church, it's front doors hanging open -- an odd occurrence at dawn -- a broken pushcart with blood stains in it abandoned on the front steps. Sister Anja bursts forth in a rush, barely-contained terror on her face, narrowly avoiding tripping on the pushcart as she flees something within.

Anja halts in surprise as she comes face to face with the angry mob, the fear on her face clearly not being in regard to them. "Sheriff Skender! I need the Sheriff!" she yells. "I bet she does!" sneers a bearded and balding farmer. Gunshots erupt behind them on the steps of the Sheriff's Office. "HELP!" screams Anja as the mob breaks loose like racing hounds released by the sound of gunshots, surging forward to harm her and light-up the church.

The serene Handmaiden smiles placidly, skirts behind Anja, and walks away from the mob calmly, heading towards the boarding house.

Inside the Saloon...

Báleygr sits alone at his table, solemnly regarding the scraps of his breakfast on his plate. The Saloon is empty, Mirko having stepped out the back, no one else up and still inside here at the cusp of dawn. BOOM! a shotgun blast. Bang-Bang-Bang! A half-dozen rifles, at least. He can see the movement in the street, passing the Saloon windows and heading up Main Street towards the Church. The front door hangs open. Through it, he sees that lawyer, Taavi, with the two accused, Hansel and Talina, alone in the dusty street outside.


Actions?

Rolls:

Taavi is indecisive for a second. No use trying to stop this mob. Can't fire on the sheriff and can't fire on the citizens. Can only helplessly watch them kill each other. Leaves his rifle slung from his shoulder and runs to across the street to Judge Lira Bunt, hoping to confer with his counterpart from the Ministry. She'll need a briefing. Werewolves. The knifeman Hrsak one of them. Kids missing (or killed?) in Windfall. The sheriff and Hrsak were friends.

Circumventing the crowd with some effort, Taavi reaches the shell-shocked Lira Bunt in front of the Saloon, only about five yards from where Mirko kneels, bleeding. One look tells him she's not okay. "I can't." she looks up at him, her eyes haunted and far away. "I can't fix this." She acquiesces to grip his arm and follow.

Content that her orders are being followed, Amalia tries to support Shadrach with her laspistol.

[1d20+0]=12+0=12 Attack Roll
[1d6+1]=6+1=7 Damage