Chapter 2 - Cash Dollars on the Hoof

[ateno]

Doos in a practiced voice to those close.

Are we taking them or what, We might get half or better on.

[jemmus]

I have Sebastian at open door of the house, or just outside of it in grass. With an angle of fire toward the back of the house. Which is not to say that everything has to go bull tits up. In Texas, 1872.

[redwarrior]

William is continuing to hug the darkness under the tree, being quiet and waiting for the first shot to kick this off.

[Rex]

Charlie

Posted in private forum.

[jemmus]

Shootout Turn, Turn 2
Initiative - Rustlers [1d6]=4 PCs [1d6]=6 PCs win, rustlers must state actions.
NPCs outside the house - Move fast
NPCs inside the house -
Pistol rustler will observe (no moving or shooting)
Shotgun rustler will observe (no moving or shooting)

I still owe PCs outside the house posts to end the first turn. Then everyone can post your actions in your private threads.

[jemmus]

Shootout Turn 2 is done. Posts have been posted to everyone's private messages forums.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

I am in the doorway or near it and probably visible by some. Having Fast Drawn my gun and fired, a wild shot that seems to have gone wide. Thankfully so as the rustlers inside are not shooting back but now dropping weapons. I will make an obvious signal of 'raise your hands' to the rustlers and waving in the posse members.

[ateno]

Those out back hear

"I'll check on the downed one. One of you hold up and cover me if the other two come back."

[Grognardsw]

From the house:

“Inside is under control!” Paladin yelled to
the outside.

[redwarrior]

William stage whispers I'm covering ya! He'll keep a clear line of sight on the downed rustler for as long as possible, in case he's playing possum. Once Doos is there, he'll move around the tree (to the SW side) to screen to the northeast, in case the rustlers' buddies plan on returning.

[Rex]

Charlie

For those who can see it, Charlie is also moving up to the downed rustler .

[jemmus]

Those outside the house hear Paladin's voice. … Everyone drop your weapons or he gets it. Then, Lie down on your stomachs. And then, yelling to the outside, Inside is under control!

Sebastian stands at the back door and gestures for someone in the house to raise his or their hands. He gestures for the posse members outside to come inside.

[jemmus]

I missed one thing.

Inside the house, the familiar rustler voice says, Ya come fer the horses, dint ya? I guess them horses are yers now, ain't they? Let me talk to my brother out there, so ya can just take em and git outa here.

Everyone should have a private thread message as well.

[jemmus]

We can move from the private threads to the IC thread now.

Gideon McLaury enters the house through the back door, pistol cocked and held out at arm's length. He looks around and cackles. Looks like we got a couple of star performers for a necktie party!
Sebastian covers Paladin as he rips strips from a dirty old blanket and ties the two rustlers hands behind them. What did you see out there? he asks his fellow cowboys. We’re taking these two back for justice.
The short, pudgy, babyfaced young man says, I think y'all can understand that I don't wanna swing from no rope. We can cut a deal. I can learn ya all about the horse tradin business. I know a station where thousands a dollars a horses are. All from outside a Hayes County. Y'all turn me loose and I'll take ya to em.
Shut up, Davidson, ya yella cur! the moustached man says.

Charlie takes the dead man's pistol that was tucked into his belt. He whispers to Doos, We better get behind some cover quick. He quickly returns to his sniping position by the shed.
Doos takes the dead man's carbine and drags the body by a boot toward the house.
William moves to the southwest side of the tree trunk, pistol ready for the return of the riders.
Andreas moves to the back of the house and observes revolver ready.

The dead man's hit lies moonlit on the prairie grass. Maybe ten yards behind it, a horse snorts in the dark. A deep voice yells out, Mike! Y'all in the house?
The moustached man in the house yells back, Yeah Rick, we're here. They got our guns. Ed's dead, they shot im through the windas. Three in the house, they say three more outside. Looks like Harvey sold us out.

It's quiet for a minute. Then the deep voice calls out. We can make a deal. I ain't gonna assume yer stupid. You and me both know that yer in a position to get them horses in the corral. So they're already yers. I'll give ya four more good horses, one fer each man of us. Hundred dollar horses. All with outa-county brands not registered in Hayes or Travis Counties. Ya can legally sell em there, that's the law. Y'all kin take yer horses and jist be on yer way.

Out in the distance, a pack of coyotes crosses the prairie, each animal yipping loudly, the way coyotes running at night do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHkSyXkI-hU

Travis County where the city of Austin is.
PCs with Law skill can roll to check the accuracy of the rustlers claim about selling stolen horses.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

The moustached man in the house yells back, "Yeah Rick, we're here. They got our guns. Ed's dead, they shot im through the windas. Three in the house, they say three more outside. Looks like Harvey sold us out."

We really going to let him run his mouth off?

I will cosh him silent with my pistol across the back of his head or the butt of the shotgun one had if I can take that.

[ateno]

Doos would have checked if the man was alive before he dragged him.

Law [1d20]=14

Made my law roll.

[redwarrior]

William, certain that the answer is not "let them go" continues to remain silently behind the tree trunk, moving as little as possible while observing for anyone moving up to bushwhack us. While the polite palaver is taking place, he quietly opens the gate on this Colt and reloads his two spent shells.... the night isn't over yet.


Observation target 15 [1d20]=11

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie reloads his rifle, then waits and observes as well.

Observation (16) [1d20]=11

[Grognardsw]

Sebastian

The moustached man in the house yells back, "Yeah Rick, we're here. They got our guns. Ed's dead, they shot im through the windas. Three in the house, they say three more outside. Looks like Harvey sold us out."

We really going to let him run his mouth off?

I will cosh him silent with my pistol across the back of his head or the butt of the shotgun one had if I can take that.

My last private post was kicking their guns away and tying them up. I was intending on questioning them re: approaching rustlers, and striking a deal of signed confessions implicating Adler in return for not getting hung. (Wanting to bring down the big guy.) Paladin would likely have suggested an ambush set up, gag the rustlers to not give us away. He wouldn’t allow them to hold a conversation like that in front of us.

Can we retro this?

[jemmus]

Looks like I jumped the action too far ahead with the last GM post. Please disregard it. Here's the revised version, with the rustlers inside the house gagged.

We can move from the private threads to the IC thread now.

Gideon McLaury enters the house through the back door, pistol cocked and held out at arm's length. He looks around and cackles. Looks like we got a couple of star performers for a necktie party!
Sebastian covers Paladin as he rips strips from a dirty old blanket and ties the two rustlers hands behind them and gags them. What did you see out there? he asks his fellow cowboys. We’re taking these two back for justice.

Charlie takes the dead man's pistol that was tucked into his belt. He whispers to Doos, We better get behind some cover quick. He quickly returns to his sniping position by the shed.
Doos takes the dead man's carbine and drags the body by a boot toward the house.
William moves to the southwest side of the tree trunk, pistol ready for the return of the riders.
Andreas moves to the back of the house and observes revolver ready.

The dead man's hit lies moonlit on the prairie grass. Maybe ten yards behind it, a horse snorts in the dark. A deep voice yells out, Mike! Y'all in the house? The gagged men can make no reply.

It's quiet for a minute. Then the deep voice calls out. We can make a deal. I ain't gonna assume yer stupid. You and me both know that yer in a position to get them horses in the corral. So they're already yers. I'll give ya four more good horses, one fer each man of us. Hundred dollar horses. All with outa-county brands not registered in Hayes or Travis Counties. Ya can legally sell em there, that's the law. Y'all kin take yer horses and jist be on yer way.

Out in the distance, a pack of coyotes crosses the prairie, each animal yipping loudly, the way coyotes running at night do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHkSyXkI-hU

Travis County is where the city of Austin is.
PCs with Law skill can roll to check the accuracy of the rustlers claim about selling stolen horses.