Okay, NOT A Snow Post!
Dec. 12th, 2010 03:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
realsorienLast night at work I managed to get both the outstanding game writeups done. Woot! Of course, this came of it A) being a Sunday morning, B) Both writeups are on the short side, and C) I was there for more than 11 hours cos my relief did a no-call, no-show on me. Bleah. Anyway, here are the writeups!
As we return to our tale of triumph and trevail, our heroes have faced a series of their hardest tests yet, and have gained another ally in the form of an Elven rogue named Whisper. After they decimated a horde of gigantic beetles, it was decided to return to the entry room to rest and recover; injuries of varied severity mark them all.
They consider the thought of returning to town, but it is decided against. A sense that time is against them has started to grow. Whisper is out of arrows, but Nerash solves this by supplying the elf with 30 of his own- he’s not been using the bow overmuch anyway.
A full day goes by before they return to their explorations. Returning to the lair of the beetles, they find half the room i strewn with the dung of the creatures. On the other side, however, there is a stairway going down. Brahma decides that they’ll check it, though his companions do hang back a bit. At the bottom he finds a chamber coated in an odd purple phosphorescent slime. They each take the precaution of covering their faces with wet cloth just in case, but nothing untoward happens.
Three doors are in the chamber. Two are storage areas filled with moisture and age-rotted wares- wines and ales in one, the other with rusted and useless mechanical devices. The remaining door to the south is opened by Brahma through the expedience of brute force. It leads to a seemingly empty room. A dead end apparently, until Whisper spots a door carefully concealed on the far wall.
At this point they’re all together as a group once again- the fungus-coated room had caused them to separate somewhat based on their individual level of caution. The door is opened, revealing yet another empty room with another hidden door directly across from them. They enter... And there is a sudden, brilliant flash of light accompanied by a thunderous bang!
The effect stuns them all, though Nerash is affected only momentarily and still is able to see. A glance behind him reveals that the door behind them has been covered by a stone wall that dropped down! Another slab covers the door they’d been heading for. A serious trap, made even worse as several feel the bite of vipers which have been released into the room!
While the snakes themselves are rather fragile, their bite is venomous. Before the ‘fight’, if it could be called such, is over, Nerash and Whisper are both feeling the toxin in their systems. Brahma had gotten Ravenae out of the reach of the serpents, and Whisper had climbed out of their reach, but he’d been bitten before he could move. Brahma was also bitten, but apparently took no harm save from the bite itself.
Ravanae examines the snakes and the wounds, and is able to concoct an antidote to stop the poison from causing any further harm to her companions. Whisper nearly poisons himself again by trying to collect the venom from the dead creatures, but he does get the venom without harm.
Of course, they’re still stuck in a sealed room. There are holes high up the walls where the snakes came in, but no other ways in or out. That leaves finding a way to open one or both of the now-sealed portals. Brahma tries to lift the slabs, but they’re either too heavy even for his incredible strength or they’re wedged in place somehow.
“Who has the hammer from the Clay Man’s room?” Brahma asks.”
“I gave it to Ravenae,” says Nerash.
“Do you still have it?” She nods at Brahma’s question and hands the weapon over. It looks absurdly tiny in the minotaur’s grip, but it does the trick- both slabs are smashed to bits and they open the door they’ve not passed as of yet.
The room beyond... Is filled with bones. Full skeletons, some disarticulated, others mostly if not totally intact litter the floor. And as they look upon the grim scene, the things start to stand an lurch towards the interlopers!
“Get back!” Snarls Brahma, standing in such wise that they can only reach him, and no others. He shoves his companions back as well. The things advance, mindless things created for mindless killing... At least until Nerash crouches and presents the symbol of Vaeldur to the creatures! “You will not pass!” he snarls, and the creatures... Stop! More than that, they turn and try to get as far from him as they can!
Brahma looks down, Nerash’s hand with the symbol thrust between his legs creating an image that would be humorous if the situation were different. He suddenly grins. “Be ready to get clear,” he says, almost mad laughter on his voice. “Light a torch!” He says next, and hefts one of the powder bombs!
Ravenae provides the torch, and Brahma throws the torch, followed by the bomb! Nerash ducks back quickly, but Brahma just stands there as the skeletons are blasted into fragments. To be certain, he lobs a second which detonates on contact with the remaining burning embers.
Nerash shakes his head, a grim grin on his muzzle. “You like using that stuff far too much.”
“FAR too much!” Replies Brahma with a laugh.
The next chamber seems to be almost an observation for the viper-trap room; there are concealed viewports that look within that ill-starred room which are impossible to locate from the room itself. There is also a pressure plate that operates the slabs which trapped them. The only other egress is a metal door, directly across from the portal to the trap room. Whisper tries to pick the lock, but the mechanism is beyond his ability. Ravenae does have a solution, if a risky one- she suggests using the explosive powder to blow the lock open! Nerash doesn’t like it, but Brahma takes to the idea with glee.
Ravenae assists Whisper in the operation, filling the mechanism with the substance. Brahma stands well to the side and lights it off. It works, and with an ear-shattering blast the door swings open. The chamber beyond is long, and looks to be laid out in the manner of the barracks. The walls are lined with stone shelves, upon which people lie... Or what used to be people. More of the strange dwarven skeletons! Seeing them again, the adventurers can see that they’re smaller than normal dwarves, and not quite shaped right either.
Once again battle rages. Nerash is able to drive a few of the creatures back with the power of Vaeldur, but not nearly enough. Brahma smashes the creatures with seeming impunity, none of the creatures able to land a solid blow on him. Nerash isn’t so lucky- he destroys a few, but is soon struck down due to his previous injuries and the blows of their current enemies.
Despite this, Brahma is having little trouble with disposing of the skeletons. Whisper for some reason plays with some of the bones, perhaps a bit addled by the horrors he’d never expected to see. He talks to a skull, then lobs it to destroy the last of their enemies.
Brahma saw his actions, and becomes concerned that ‘evil influences’ have affected the rogue. In the delicate and subtle way of his kind, he investigates the situation by speaking to Whisper... Which of course doesn’t help, and confuses Whisper. And perhaps scares him a bit.
As soon as Nerash is back on his feet and healed, they move on. the far end of the barracks leads to a door, which opens to a corridor which T’s off a ways down. Brahma snaps off one of the barrack bed-slabs before they continue.
“What is that for?” Asks Nerash.
“A shield,” is the gruff reply.
Nerash raises an eyebrow. “You could use mine; I’ve been using my great axe- I cannot use it and the shield together.”
Brahma considers, flicking an ear as he thinks, then continues with his stony defense. Following one branch of the T, they find a door with another pressure sensor. The door is unusual too, with two sections- one rises when the lower one falls. Inside they find what looks to be another of the strange elevators, this one with a control console on a pillar in the center. The entire device is made of a metal that they don’t recognize.
Before anyone else can step within, Brahma spins the little wheel that is mounted on the pillar. When he does, the elevator moves downwards! He tries the wheel again, but nothing else happens. So in true minotaur style he tears the wheel off the pillar.
This does have an effect, as the elevator drops another level, then pauses. Then another, and pauses, then another, at which point Brahma quickly climbs out of the lift and into a passage.
It looks to be a mining shaft, and seems empty. He looks down and sees that the elevator has apparently reached bottom, and climbs down along his rope. Once down, he forces his way into the elevator car from the top, and finds that its faced up against another set of the odd up-and-down doors, but these are padlocked.
As Brahma looks this over, Whisper sets his grapnel and Nerash starts to climb down. However, as he puts weight on the line, the grapnel pulls loose! If Nerash hadn’t been less than trusting about things, he would likely have fallen to his death. He looks at Whisper.
“That did not work.”
Whisper makes excuses, then re-sets the grapnel. This time Whisper goes down, and it holds. He reaches Brahma, then quickly picks the padlocks and returns upwards. Having zero patience, Brahma goes through the doors, and follows the short passage that they reveal. He finds a chamber, with several large chests within! Unwilling to wait for his allies, he swings his mighty axe down and cleaves one of the heavy containers open- immediately, a strange claxon begins to sound and the chamber fills with gas! A moment later, Brahma falls unconscious.
Not knowing what happened with their companion but aware of the claxon, Ravenae and Nerash lower Whisper down to the elevator car once again. Startling the rogue, Nerash pulls the rope up! “What are you doing?” Whisper asks.
“I am going to lower Ravenae down. She cannot climb. Whisper starts to make a retort, but collapses just as Brahma did.
“What happened?” Asks Ravenae. “I do not know... But nothing attacked him. Perhaps a poison of some kind in the air?”
She shook her head, not knowing enough to hazard a guess. “What do we do?”
Nerash stared down the shaft, not answering for a time. “I suppose I must go down. If I cannot return, overwhelmed, Can you get back to Oasis?”
“Yes.”
He nods and starts down, staging from the different landings for the mine shafts. He stops when he’s one level above the elevator and in sight of Whisper’s fallen form. He takes the time to breathe deeply, then holds his breath and swings down.
He quickly ties the rope about the rogue- no style bot solidly, then climbs back up to the landing he’d paused on. He drags Whisper to him, then climbs the rest of the way back up to Ravenae when Whisper shows no sign of awakening. Once there, he carefully pulls the elf up, the limp form bumping occasionally against the wall of the shaft. He IS alive and breathing, but deeply unconscious.
After a pause, he leaves Whisper in her care and goes down to see about Brahma. Pausing to rest on the ledge once again, he quickly swings down and goes down the tunnel where Brahma had gone. He finds the minotaur’s prostrate form, and gets the rope secured to him- he then get s out and up to the ledge so he can breathe. Thereafter, he drags Brahma back into the elevator car, but can’t ring him up- he’s strong, but Brahma’s mass is beyond him.
He calls up to Ravenae. “Any ideas how we can move him?”
“Yes, but we need pulleys.”
Not being particularly civilized, Nerash is unfamiliar. “What are those?”
“They’re... Wheels that if wound with rope in the right way let you lift larger loads.”
“Ah. Let me see what I can find.” Nerash explores the mineshaft, and does find something they might be able to use- the wheels of a mine cart. However, he strains his shoulder in attempting to dismount them from the cart. With that, he knows he’ll not be able to climb up, so lets Ravenae know that he needs to rest.
Eight hours pass, and finally Whisper wakes. He has a short question-and-answer with his two conscious companions, learning what has taken place. Nerash has an idea of what they might be able to do, but he’ll need his deities favor to do it. He lets the pair above know that he’s going to rest.
Naturally, events conspire to prevent him getting what he needs. Four hours go by, and the elevator starts to move once again! Nerash isn’t woken by this, and soon it is back at the top level- Brahma is safe! But now Nerash is trapped.
It takes some time, but far less than it did for Whisper for Brahma to come to. Once he does, the arguments with Ravenae begin. She can’t fix the damage that Brahma inflicted, and he doesn’t want to admit that it was stupid to just randomly smash things. Regardless, they’re left with the task of retrieving the sleeping, trapped Nerash. Frustrated and realizing that her skills in healing will likely be needed shortly, Ravenae goes a distance away to sleep.
Knowing that the mechanism is irretrievably broken, Brahma tries to tear a hole in the floor of the lift. It doesn’t bend in the least against his strength. He tries to use the stone bench he’d collected as a shield as a lever, and ends up shattering the slab. He snorts and gets another slab, trying again- the same result.
Deciding that the stone is simply not strong enough, he tries using the wheel he ripped loose, potentially made of the same metal, as a prybar. It bends. He folds it in half, and it bends again! By now his frustration is building quickly. He goes back and fetches the metal door they’d found and passed earlier- it also fails to produce results, either in its original form or doubled. Finally, he pounds the door violently against the elevator, which wakes both Ravenae and Nerash!
Nerash rubs his face, then pokes his head into the shaft. He sees that the elevator is now up, and waits for a pause in the pounding to yell, “what are you doing?”
“You’re trapped down there. I am trying to get you out.”
“I think you’ll need more force.” These are words that Nerash will regret.
Brahma realizes that there IS a way to exert a lot more force. The explosive powder.
With Whisper’s help, he sets up a two-bottle charge. The first attempt to ignite it fails, but with the second there is a massive detonaton that Brahma only just avoids. When the smoke clears some, Nerash asks, “Did it work?”
Brahma looks. All that has happened is that the floor looks a bit warped.
He tells Nerash this, who shakes his head and goes back into the mine shaft, closing the doors. He goes to sleep, hoping to complete his meditations before the entire shaft rains down upon him.
Brahma is not to be denied at this point. He goes back for more powder, and notices that they’re starting to run a bit low. He replaces his small jars once again plus two for Ravenae, then prepares a huge charge using one of the urns from the pottery room wherein dwelled the Clay Man. With this terrifying device he returns to the elevator once again.
He wedges it into the elevator supports, fashions a fuse with more powder and bandages, then stacks stone shelves over the entire thing to focus the blast. He has a truly evil grin when he’s doing this, and as he’s about to light it, he says, “run FAST.” His companions do just that, and he lights the fuse and gets himself clear.
Nerash wakes to the loudest sound that he’s ever heard in his life, and perhaps that he hopes to never hear again. THe blast causes a rockfall that nearly buries him, and he scrambles out as fast as he can, bruised and bleeding. He goes back to the doors, and hearing that there seems to be no more stone falling, opens them.
The shaft is clouded with dust, and rocks have buried the gas filled chamber below. Above, the elevator, if its still there, is concealed by choking dust. Over time the dust clears and his companions return... And the elevator is still there! Only now part of the lip of the shaft itself has cracked- Brahma starts smashing away at it.
And there we leave off until next time! This is probably the longest its ever taken me to finish a writeup, too!
Here’s the writeup for the first Western Tales adventure- I have to note that it was a LONG time before I got this down; we ran just before I left for the convention in mid November, and I just now got things done. There are a fair number of things I’ve forgotten or missed, and hopefully the GM and other players will fill in the holes!
++
Eighteen Sixty Seven. Two years have passed since the final battles of the Civil War echoed their bloodied cries into the air and earth of the young United States. Two years since a President’s death capped the bloodshed of too many before him. Since that time, those unfortunates who lived and fought through those bloody years have sought in what ways they could to cope with what they saw, and to find new lives.
During those years, friendships were formed amongst the warriors, and within the First Virginia Regiment, 2nd Brigade (known as Thoburn’s Brigade) four unusual people pulled together with their commander in comradeship. Most unusual of these was Jenny Pagan; born in Louisiana, the young woman had wandered her way up and down the Mississippi, eventually straying from that watercourse to find herself in the midst of the war.
Initially unwilling to get involved, her vices of drinking and gambling led to an unfortunate bet, and she found herself somehow enlisted as a Scout! Taking to her fate willingly, she proved quite capable of her position, as her years along the Mississippi had taught her to shoot, fight and drink as hard as any man she’d met.
Next of the group was Jamie Danvers. A slight young man, fair of face, his deadliness with the heavy black-powder muzzle-loader that he bore gained him respect and admiration amongst his fellows. Like Jenny, he served as a Scout for the forces as they moved against their foes.
Thirdly, Corporal Kit Burnham, cavalryman, rounded out the trio. He had enlisted before the war, and his skill with telling tales... Perhaps taller than they truly were led him to be the entertainment frequently around the nightly campfires.
They were frequently joined, these three unlikely friends by Colonel Thoburn himself. He enjoyed their varied tales, and invited them to visit him at his ranch outside Belmont, Nevada. Each in their own time resolved to do this very thing, in the unlikely event that they survived the conflict.
Eventually, as the conflict wound down their fellowship was broken, the brigade disbanding and its personnel being scattered amongst the forces of Brigadier General Cook at Lynchburg. From there, the trio lost track of one another.
Time passes.
Jenny looked at her train tickets and again at the great steel beast she was about to board. Her horse and mule were already aboard, but the second thoughts were always there. She’d really never like the damned things; they stank and were loud and filled with people who didn’t give too hoots that she was a war hero, seeing only that she was a woman dressed in men’s clothes. “At least it keeps some of th’ worst off me,” she thought.
Sighing, she slung her bag over her shoulder and mounted the short steps, letting the conductor stamp her ticket. “Bound all the way to Nevada, ma’am?”
She nodded. “Yup.”
“Fine, fine. Enjoy the trip!” And he moved on to the next passenger. Seating herself, she gazed out the window at the throng outside. “B’damed nice t’ git out of th’ East,” she considered, “Rather b’ ridin’ it, but... Take too long.” She sat back, tipped her hat over her eyes and dozed.
Michigan. Kit watched as the train pulled in, looking forward to the journey. Things had been starting to get boring, and his restlessness had led him to decide that it was time to see the Colonel at long last. He didn’t know where he was going, but that hardly mattered; it was the journey, and the stories, that mattered. People were milling about, and he’d gathered a cluster of people about himself, enjoying himself mightily as he plied them with stories of heroism from the War. Nearby, a firebrand preacher was just starting his windup into an overblown tirade against the evils of alcohol and fornication, but he ignored it, as his own audience was listening carefully and energetically to his own palaver.
Then, something hit his hat with a quiet ‘thup’ of impact. He looked up and around, but didn’t see anything... Until he looked at the train. Towards the front of the dining car he saw a familiar face- Jenny Pagan!
“Why Corporal Burnham! So what tall tales ‘r y’all tellin’ these fine people?” She asked, the Louisiana drawl of her voice tempered by her years of wandering. Kit tipped his hat to her. “Why, only the truest tales of heroism in the face of the fiercest fire of the foe, of course!”
She grinned, showing teeth. “You wouldn’t be... embellishin’ things a bit now, would you?”
“Never! Only the brightly colored truth!” Just then, the preacher started in, shouting how Absolute Forbearance for Alcohol and Gambling could lead to salvation. Jenny, who happened to be holding a hand of cards, lifted a shot of whickey and yelled, “Hey preacher! One to you!”
The man paled, his tirade stopped cold by her boldness, and he hurried to sweep his flock into the waiting church. Kit laughed to himself, then had to hustle as ‘all aboard!” sounded from the conductor. Making his apologies, he clambered aboard and made his way to where Jenny waited.
Onwards they rode, the train rattling its way cross country. Not long later found them in Illinois, pulling in for water and coal. Jamie Danvers watched the train pull in, not knowing that the old companions he’s fought alongside were aboard. He led his horse aboard the livestock car, not seeing Jenny’s familiar mount in the darkness. That taken care of, he got himself aboard as well, soon hearing a familiar voice behind him.
“Well don’t that beat all! Private Danvers!” He turned to see Kit Burnham standing there with a grin. He smiled in response, offering his hand. “Been a time, Corporal! How’ve you been?”
“Quite well indeed! You still luggin’ that artillery-piece around?” He didn’t respond, as the ‘artillery-piece’ was pretty obvious even in its oilskin case. “You won’t believe it, but we’re all here!”
“We are?”
“Yup. Jenny’s aboard too- we’re both for the Colonel’s ranch. You?”
“I’d the same thought, ‘pears.”
“Well, c’mon, lets get reacquainted!” And the three were united in purpose once again.
The train rolled on. They’d been fortunate- they ended up in just the right place to not be suffocated by the smoke rolling from the great engine’s stack- not that this changed Jenny’s opinion of trains one whit. Gambling aboard was not as much fun; she knew them all now, and they, her- nobody could really get an edge, and the skill of her opponents was no better than her own. She wanted a challenge, not to mention to stretch her legs a bit.
Finally they reached the Dakotas, and stopped in Lead Springs. They’d be there a few days for maintenance on the engine, so as they were all itching to get somewhere other than on the train, they rode for a day’s visit to Deadwood.
The already-legendary town proved to be everything of its dastardly reputation, but also far less- of course, Jenny’s opinion was colored by her being cleaned out of sixty dollars of her cash. Kit took the time to hunt for more of his passion, dime novels, and Jamie found that perhaps he had too much looks for his own good when one of the ‘soiled doves’ of the saloon approached.
“Well hello there, stranger; lookin’ for some company?”
“Jus’ waitin’ on my friends.”
She smiled. “Well, I could wait with you,” ad she leaned against him gently.
As politely as he could, Jamie moved away. “I’m truly sorry, ma’am, but I’ve someone waitin’ for me back home.”
With a slightly put-upon sigh, the woman accepted that saying, “she must be something!”
Eventually, the short excursion came to an end and the three made their way back to Lead Springs and the train, soon pulling away from the station. While they traveled, Kit performed as he usually did, telling tales and collecting fodder for more of the same. Thus... He learned what they’d not known. Colonel Thoburn was dead, having died in battle towards the end of the war. This left his wife widowed and alone with her children to run the ranch, and solidified the desire of the three to see the journey through.
With that sad news known the train rolled on, passing into Nevada. Both Kit and Jenny had taken to staring out at the land, there being less of interest on the train. As they did this, they saw two riderless horses, saddled, drop away from the front of the train! They looked at each other and thought the same word: “Trouble.”
They gather Jamie and let him know what’s likely happening- robbers. Men either stupid enough or desperate enough to try anything, and likely with nothing to lose. Moving forward in the train, they find the conductor, who notices the drawn guns and grim faces. He pales a bit. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” His bluster is blunted by obvious fear.
Kit takes the lead. “Jenny and I saw two horses peel away from the engine, riderless. We may have trouble. Might wanna get people back a ways for safety.”
It takes a little cajoling, but they get him convinced and soon they’ve essentially a car to themselves as near to the engine as can be reached. Moments later, there’s the muffled-by-distance sound of a pistol shot and the train’s brakes scream to life, dragging the great steel horse slowly to a halt. Looking forward out the door of the car, they see a man fall from the cab- the engineer, and he’s not moving.
A head pops out from the cab, then another- just two men, hopefully. They see that they’ve been spotted, and the firing begins! Jamie goes back through the train to get his heavy rifle, while Kit and Jenny fire high-and-low from the doorway at their foes. Kit tries talking them into surrender, but they’ve already cast the dice- if they surrender they’ll be dead at the end of a rope instead of lead poisoning.
One of Kit’s shot’s strikes true, and one of the pair falls- out of the fight, but maybe alive. The other remains, and manages to get a touch of revenge for his partner- a solid shot rips through Kit’s leg, driving him out of the fight!
By this time Jamie is out of the train and making his way forward. He’s too far back for a clean shot... Yet. Jenny swears and takes her time, and her shot shatters the second villains foot! He falls, yowling his pain to the sky. She watches him carefully, seeing Jamie coming up along the train and starts forward, gun at the ready. She can’t see his hands, and she knows that he may be waiting for the right moment. Sure enough, when she’s only a few feet away he rises and tries to shoot... Only to die from her readied shot.
While the final moments of the fight went on, Kit was binding the wound in his leg. The conductor arrives, and a doctor in the train is summoned to care for him. Leaving the car to join Jamie and Jenny, both gunmen are dead. However, Jenny notices that the engineer still lives! She starts doing what she can to keep him that way until the doctor can assist. In the meantime, the conductor checks the two bodies, stopping to fetch a stack of papers- wanted posters. The men don’t appear on any of them, but he gives Jenny their weapons, ammo and what cash they had as compensation for the defense of the train.
Jenny divides the money between herself, Kit and Jamie, but gives a portion to the engineer as well.
Once he’s able to drive the train again, they continue on to Humboldt Station, where the stop will be longer than usual- they need a new engineer and the attack must be reported. Kit gets most of the credit for stopping the bandits, which Jenny has no real problem with- notoriety can backfire after all!
And of course, everyone that had been on the train was talking about the attempted robbery to anyone who would listen. Those that are leaving at the stop will likely keep telling the tale, and Kit’s name as well. For the most part, the time at Humboldt is quiet. Kit doesn’t manage to find any of his dime novels, but when he’s back on the train he finds out that there’s a salesman aboard! While Jamie and Jenny watch with some mild amusement, the man gives him five novels he’s not read, ‘in appreciation for stopping the bandits’. He also ends up buying a cookbook.
A bit later, Jamie tracks the man down. He’s a bit more foresighted than either of his two companions, and he gets several books for the children of the Colonel. A couple of beginning readers books and some story books as well. Jenny does some more gambling, and her luck turns a bit. She gets some of what she lost in Deadwood back.
FInally, the train pulls into Austin City, Nevada. It’s the closest rail stop to Belmont; the rest of the way they’ll be on horseback, and all of them are grateful to be finally off the train.
They make a stop in the general store to get what they’ll need for the journey, which should take a day or so depending on their pace and the weather. A man there, Charles Danion, recognizes Kit as the ‘hero of the train’ and offers effusive congratulations for his heroism; Kip demurs, saying that he had help, but Jenny keeps her mouth shut and lets him get the recognition that she really doesn’t want.
The ride is quiet and enjoyable, made even better when Jamie takes down a muledeer; that ends up being their meals on the trail.
Belmont turns out to be a sprawling frontier town built on a hillside; a huge brick building spewed smoke from that hillside, with the houses and buildings spreading out from there. Businesses along the main street advertise with their painted shingles and signs, and people turn to look at the trio of strangers as they ride into town. Prominent amongst these was Indian Maggie’s Saloon, to which they headed and tied up. A drink after the trail and rooms for the night were the first order of business.
There are children playing in the street, and Kit calls one over. “What’s the building belchin’ smoke up yonder?” He asks. “Why, that’s the foundry, sir!” He nods. “And whereabouts is the livery?”
“Its just over there, Sutters. Beauford runs it, sir.” Kit thanks the boy, and tosses him a quarter; the boy’s eyes go the size of dinnerplates as Kit wins his first ally in the town! They make their way inside the saloon, Jenny getting a drink and asking about rooms as she does. There are two available; Kit and Jamie decide to share the one and let Jenny, being a woman, have the other to herself.
They take the horses to the livery, and meet Beauford; he’s not the brightest man they’ve ever encountered, but he obviously is an expert with the animals in his care. He provides storage for their tack and saddles as well. Everything for the most part taken care of they retire to their rooms for the night.
The next morning dawns bright, and after a hearty breakfast they decide to explore the town. THe first thing that Jenny is after is a bath! She learns that the laundry, run by a Chinese family is also a bath-house, and with a change of clothes goes there. Her clothes from the trail are cleaned as she takes her time in the tub of hot water.
In the meantime, her companions have their own agendas; partly which matched Jenny’s, but she got to the bath-house first! Kit instead goes to the barber. He’s worn a full beard like that of Custer, but he’s decided it’s time for him to be more presentable. Thereafter he finds the bath-house STILL occupied; Jamie has occupied it now, though he doesn’t know it. He decides to deal with something dangerous- the money he’s been carrying this entire distance! He heads to the Wells-Fargo bank, and deposits $800- a lordly sum, which gains him the instantaneous friendship of the bank manager!
When he’s finished his bath, Jamie heads to the general store and decides to ask a few questions as he picks a few things up. As soon as he asks about the ranch, the proprietor’s wife became almost unfriendly, and definitely quieter. Taking that information, he goes to find Kit after excusing himself as gracefully as possible.
He finds the Corporal just as he’s leaving the bath-house, having finally gotten his deeply-desired turn in the hot water.
“Kit, I think there’s somethin’ goin’ on.”
“In what way?”
“Well, I went to the general store, and when I asked about the ranch, the woman there clammed up on me. Wouldn’t talk to me at all.”
Kit nods, and with Jamie staying outside he goes to the general store himself. Entering, he looks about until the woman smiles at him from the counter. “Good day, sir; is there something you might be needin’?”
He returns the smile. “Why, yes. I was lookin’ to gather up what might be needed for settin’ up on a land parcel.”
“You’ve a homestead then?”
“Something like that.”
Eventually, talk turns to the ranch, and the woman gets as cold as she had with Jamie. She’s not angry; more afraid. It comes out that she’s worried that Kit and Jamie might be working for a man named Kingston!
Kingston is a local businessman. He owns a large amount of property and lacks not at all for money. He’s been buying up land in the area with the goal to bring a railroad line through, so that he can control the cattle market in the area. The Thoburn ranch is in default of the loan that was taken out to create it, and he wants to foreclose on the property. The Colonel’s widow will have none of it, and has been fighting off his attempts in any way that she can.
Kit convinces Misses Anderson that he’s NOT with Kingston, and his friends aren’t, either. He tells her to put together whatever she thinks the ranch might be needing and then some, and heads back over to the bank. He collects Jamie on the way, and meets Jenny there- she’s just deposited her own $450. He asks about the deed for the ranch, which instantly gets the manager, Frederick Dobbs, wary- he’s not a friend of Kingston either. But once things are explained, Kit pays off the loan and gets a receipt for Widow Thoburn. The deed itself remains filed in the bank vault.
From there, followed by his companions (after Jamie also makes a deposit- $600) he goes back to the general store, shows the receipt and pays for the supplies. Its quite a load, and they’ll need a wagon to carry it all.
Johnathan Anderson, the actual owner of the general store volunteers to supply the wagon and drive it out to the ranch with them, his son Tyler being sent to fetch someone named Richard, who is at the foundry. They retrieve their horses and gear, but make sure that Beauford knows that they’ll be using his services in the future. Jenny rides ahead to scout the route and check for trouble, finding none. En route they pass the foundry, where Richard is waiting. He’s big, strong and red-headed, and known to the Widow as a friend.
Jenny rejoins the wagon and her companions about five minutes out of town, and reports that there’s no trouble along the way at least. As they proceed, there is common chatter about the town and what’s been going on; it seems that Mr. Kingston, the would-be land-and-cattle baron, is not well liked.
“Kingston is a bastard,” says the elder Anderson. “He’s trying to drive off the ranchers, rustling the cattle with his men and causing trouble; he wants to take over the entire area so he can attract a rail line and have a monopoly on the cattle sales.”
Kit tells stories of their exploits during a rest break, then they continue with the young Tyler now rather fascinated by Kit. They finally reach the hill that overlooks the ranch, only to hear gunfire! Jenny heads up, followed by Kit and Jamie. She gets out her binoculars, and spots three people firing into the ranch house, and fire being returned.
At Kit’s request, Jamie unlimbers his big .50, while Jenny aims with her new Winchester and Kit with his Henry- they fire as one; Kit’s shot misses but only just. Jenny’s shot goes through her target’s far arm, and Jamie’s shot eliminates the third. With the flurry of support fire, shots come from the house and take down the remaining attacker. The firing stops, but Jenny is stopped when she starts to head down by Mr. Anderson. “Let Richard go- she knows him well.”
So it happens that Richard and Kit make their way down. As they approach the house, they see a rifle barrel pointed at them! “Missus Thoburn, its Richard.” With that, the rifle vanishes and the door opens to reveal the widow Thoburn.
She’s quite attractive; beautiful really, with brilliant red hair and a solid Irish burr in her voice. “An’ who might you be?” This was directed at Kit.
“Ma’am, I’m Kit Burnham. I served under your husband in the war. We heard in town that you were having some troubles, and came to help.”
She looked him over, completely missing the fact that at first sight, Kit was smitten. “We’re doin’ right foine on our own, but thank ye f’r the help with these ruffians.” She calls to her children as the rest of Kit’s party arrive with the wagon. Seeing the load upon the buckboard, she shoots a look at Mr. Anderson. “An’ what is this, Johnathan? I’ve naught I’ve ordered from you?”
“Ma’am,” Kit interjects, “this is all for you. We thought it a kindness that seeing as the Colonel was gone and we’d be imposing that we shouldn’t come as beggars.” She’s still suspicious, but she accepts it at face value. Thereafter a mildly confused scramble takes place, as the bodies of the two dead men are taken for burial and the third, the one Jenny winged, is brought into the house for treatment. Kit has plans for him, but doesn’t let on about them to the widow. Thereafter, he’s trussed up and left in the barn.
A bit more discussion goes on, ending with Kit presenting the copy of the paid-in-full deed! The widow faints dead away. Jenny carries her inside and makes her as comfortable as she can, then goes to the stove to make trail coffee; she’s stopped by one of the widow’s children, Gertie, who tells her that “we can make proper coffee here!” and shoo’s her out.
When the widow recovers, she offers work to the three companions, saying that “I cannae pay much, and the accommodations are rough, but you can stay if you’re lookin’ for work. The bunkhouse is there.” Kit says that they should probably get back to town, and gets cut off- He, his friends, the Andersons and Richard are staying for dinner. There’s an implied ‘or else’ in the statement.
With the knowledge that they’re staying the night, Jenny decides to go on watch in case the trio of assassins have friends. She does a circuit, then goes atop the hill until dinner is served.
All and sundry gather for the meal, and an excellent spread is placed before them. Grace is said, and everyone ends up being well fed. Thereafter a rider is heard approaching, causing Kit and his companions to snap to attention and reach for weapons. However, its just the widow’s one ranch hand and no harm is done.
Sometime after dinner, Jenny goes on a patrol of the immediate vicinity of the ranch. She somehow gets lost in the dark despite her experience as a scout, and ends up behind the house somehow. While she’s gone, Kit decides to have his ‘conversation’ with the captive, accompanied by Jamie. The man is literally hogtied and hanging from a beam, which with his shoulder injury is certainly not pleasant. Kit starts explaining exactly what he wants to know, and what he’s going to do to find it... In great detail. Unfortunately, this results in two things- first the man wets himself, then he passes out! Kit will have to wait on his interrogation.
And there we broke for the evening. The next run is being put together by Scotty, as I wasn’t present for it. The upcoming run may take place on the 19th.
As we return to our tale of triumph and trevail, our heroes have faced a series of their hardest tests yet, and have gained another ally in the form of an Elven rogue named Whisper. After they decimated a horde of gigantic beetles, it was decided to return to the entry room to rest and recover; injuries of varied severity mark them all.
They consider the thought of returning to town, but it is decided against. A sense that time is against them has started to grow. Whisper is out of arrows, but Nerash solves this by supplying the elf with 30 of his own- he’s not been using the bow overmuch anyway.
A full day goes by before they return to their explorations. Returning to the lair of the beetles, they find half the room i strewn with the dung of the creatures. On the other side, however, there is a stairway going down. Brahma decides that they’ll check it, though his companions do hang back a bit. At the bottom he finds a chamber coated in an odd purple phosphorescent slime. They each take the precaution of covering their faces with wet cloth just in case, but nothing untoward happens.
Three doors are in the chamber. Two are storage areas filled with moisture and age-rotted wares- wines and ales in one, the other with rusted and useless mechanical devices. The remaining door to the south is opened by Brahma through the expedience of brute force. It leads to a seemingly empty room. A dead end apparently, until Whisper spots a door carefully concealed on the far wall.
At this point they’re all together as a group once again- the fungus-coated room had caused them to separate somewhat based on their individual level of caution. The door is opened, revealing yet another empty room with another hidden door directly across from them. They enter... And there is a sudden, brilliant flash of light accompanied by a thunderous bang!
The effect stuns them all, though Nerash is affected only momentarily and still is able to see. A glance behind him reveals that the door behind them has been covered by a stone wall that dropped down! Another slab covers the door they’d been heading for. A serious trap, made even worse as several feel the bite of vipers which have been released into the room!
While the snakes themselves are rather fragile, their bite is venomous. Before the ‘fight’, if it could be called such, is over, Nerash and Whisper are both feeling the toxin in their systems. Brahma had gotten Ravenae out of the reach of the serpents, and Whisper had climbed out of their reach, but he’d been bitten before he could move. Brahma was also bitten, but apparently took no harm save from the bite itself.
Ravanae examines the snakes and the wounds, and is able to concoct an antidote to stop the poison from causing any further harm to her companions. Whisper nearly poisons himself again by trying to collect the venom from the dead creatures, but he does get the venom without harm.
Of course, they’re still stuck in a sealed room. There are holes high up the walls where the snakes came in, but no other ways in or out. That leaves finding a way to open one or both of the now-sealed portals. Brahma tries to lift the slabs, but they’re either too heavy even for his incredible strength or they’re wedged in place somehow.
“Who has the hammer from the Clay Man’s room?” Brahma asks.”
“I gave it to Ravenae,” says Nerash.
“Do you still have it?” She nods at Brahma’s question and hands the weapon over. It looks absurdly tiny in the minotaur’s grip, but it does the trick- both slabs are smashed to bits and they open the door they’ve not passed as of yet.
The room beyond... Is filled with bones. Full skeletons, some disarticulated, others mostly if not totally intact litter the floor. And as they look upon the grim scene, the things start to stand an lurch towards the interlopers!
“Get back!” Snarls Brahma, standing in such wise that they can only reach him, and no others. He shoves his companions back as well. The things advance, mindless things created for mindless killing... At least until Nerash crouches and presents the symbol of Vaeldur to the creatures! “You will not pass!” he snarls, and the creatures... Stop! More than that, they turn and try to get as far from him as they can!
Brahma looks down, Nerash’s hand with the symbol thrust between his legs creating an image that would be humorous if the situation were different. He suddenly grins. “Be ready to get clear,” he says, almost mad laughter on his voice. “Light a torch!” He says next, and hefts one of the powder bombs!
Ravenae provides the torch, and Brahma throws the torch, followed by the bomb! Nerash ducks back quickly, but Brahma just stands there as the skeletons are blasted into fragments. To be certain, he lobs a second which detonates on contact with the remaining burning embers.
Nerash shakes his head, a grim grin on his muzzle. “You like using that stuff far too much.”
“FAR too much!” Replies Brahma with a laugh.
The next chamber seems to be almost an observation for the viper-trap room; there are concealed viewports that look within that ill-starred room which are impossible to locate from the room itself. There is also a pressure plate that operates the slabs which trapped them. The only other egress is a metal door, directly across from the portal to the trap room. Whisper tries to pick the lock, but the mechanism is beyond his ability. Ravenae does have a solution, if a risky one- she suggests using the explosive powder to blow the lock open! Nerash doesn’t like it, but Brahma takes to the idea with glee.
Ravenae assists Whisper in the operation, filling the mechanism with the substance. Brahma stands well to the side and lights it off. It works, and with an ear-shattering blast the door swings open. The chamber beyond is long, and looks to be laid out in the manner of the barracks. The walls are lined with stone shelves, upon which people lie... Or what used to be people. More of the strange dwarven skeletons! Seeing them again, the adventurers can see that they’re smaller than normal dwarves, and not quite shaped right either.
Once again battle rages. Nerash is able to drive a few of the creatures back with the power of Vaeldur, but not nearly enough. Brahma smashes the creatures with seeming impunity, none of the creatures able to land a solid blow on him. Nerash isn’t so lucky- he destroys a few, but is soon struck down due to his previous injuries and the blows of their current enemies.
Despite this, Brahma is having little trouble with disposing of the skeletons. Whisper for some reason plays with some of the bones, perhaps a bit addled by the horrors he’d never expected to see. He talks to a skull, then lobs it to destroy the last of their enemies.
Brahma saw his actions, and becomes concerned that ‘evil influences’ have affected the rogue. In the delicate and subtle way of his kind, he investigates the situation by speaking to Whisper... Which of course doesn’t help, and confuses Whisper. And perhaps scares him a bit.
As soon as Nerash is back on his feet and healed, they move on. the far end of the barracks leads to a door, which opens to a corridor which T’s off a ways down. Brahma snaps off one of the barrack bed-slabs before they continue.
“What is that for?” Asks Nerash.
“A shield,” is the gruff reply.
Nerash raises an eyebrow. “You could use mine; I’ve been using my great axe- I cannot use it and the shield together.”
Brahma considers, flicking an ear as he thinks, then continues with his stony defense. Following one branch of the T, they find a door with another pressure sensor. The door is unusual too, with two sections- one rises when the lower one falls. Inside they find what looks to be another of the strange elevators, this one with a control console on a pillar in the center. The entire device is made of a metal that they don’t recognize.
Before anyone else can step within, Brahma spins the little wheel that is mounted on the pillar. When he does, the elevator moves downwards! He tries the wheel again, but nothing else happens. So in true minotaur style he tears the wheel off the pillar.
This does have an effect, as the elevator drops another level, then pauses. Then another, and pauses, then another, at which point Brahma quickly climbs out of the lift and into a passage.
It looks to be a mining shaft, and seems empty. He looks down and sees that the elevator has apparently reached bottom, and climbs down along his rope. Once down, he forces his way into the elevator car from the top, and finds that its faced up against another set of the odd up-and-down doors, but these are padlocked.
As Brahma looks this over, Whisper sets his grapnel and Nerash starts to climb down. However, as he puts weight on the line, the grapnel pulls loose! If Nerash hadn’t been less than trusting about things, he would likely have fallen to his death. He looks at Whisper.
“That did not work.”
Whisper makes excuses, then re-sets the grapnel. This time Whisper goes down, and it holds. He reaches Brahma, then quickly picks the padlocks and returns upwards. Having zero patience, Brahma goes through the doors, and follows the short passage that they reveal. He finds a chamber, with several large chests within! Unwilling to wait for his allies, he swings his mighty axe down and cleaves one of the heavy containers open- immediately, a strange claxon begins to sound and the chamber fills with gas! A moment later, Brahma falls unconscious.
Not knowing what happened with their companion but aware of the claxon, Ravenae and Nerash lower Whisper down to the elevator car once again. Startling the rogue, Nerash pulls the rope up! “What are you doing?” Whisper asks.
“I am going to lower Ravenae down. She cannot climb. Whisper starts to make a retort, but collapses just as Brahma did.
“What happened?” Asks Ravenae. “I do not know... But nothing attacked him. Perhaps a poison of some kind in the air?”
She shook her head, not knowing enough to hazard a guess. “What do we do?”
Nerash stared down the shaft, not answering for a time. “I suppose I must go down. If I cannot return, overwhelmed, Can you get back to Oasis?”
“Yes.”
He nods and starts down, staging from the different landings for the mine shafts. He stops when he’s one level above the elevator and in sight of Whisper’s fallen form. He takes the time to breathe deeply, then holds his breath and swings down.
He quickly ties the rope about the rogue- no style bot solidly, then climbs back up to the landing he’d paused on. He drags Whisper to him, then climbs the rest of the way back up to Ravenae when Whisper shows no sign of awakening. Once there, he carefully pulls the elf up, the limp form bumping occasionally against the wall of the shaft. He IS alive and breathing, but deeply unconscious.
After a pause, he leaves Whisper in her care and goes down to see about Brahma. Pausing to rest on the ledge once again, he quickly swings down and goes down the tunnel where Brahma had gone. He finds the minotaur’s prostrate form, and gets the rope secured to him- he then get s out and up to the ledge so he can breathe. Thereafter, he drags Brahma back into the elevator car, but can’t ring him up- he’s strong, but Brahma’s mass is beyond him.
He calls up to Ravenae. “Any ideas how we can move him?”
“Yes, but we need pulleys.”
Not being particularly civilized, Nerash is unfamiliar. “What are those?”
“They’re... Wheels that if wound with rope in the right way let you lift larger loads.”
“Ah. Let me see what I can find.” Nerash explores the mineshaft, and does find something they might be able to use- the wheels of a mine cart. However, he strains his shoulder in attempting to dismount them from the cart. With that, he knows he’ll not be able to climb up, so lets Ravenae know that he needs to rest.
Eight hours pass, and finally Whisper wakes. He has a short question-and-answer with his two conscious companions, learning what has taken place. Nerash has an idea of what they might be able to do, but he’ll need his deities favor to do it. He lets the pair above know that he’s going to rest.
Naturally, events conspire to prevent him getting what he needs. Four hours go by, and the elevator starts to move once again! Nerash isn’t woken by this, and soon it is back at the top level- Brahma is safe! But now Nerash is trapped.
It takes some time, but far less than it did for Whisper for Brahma to come to. Once he does, the arguments with Ravenae begin. She can’t fix the damage that Brahma inflicted, and he doesn’t want to admit that it was stupid to just randomly smash things. Regardless, they’re left with the task of retrieving the sleeping, trapped Nerash. Frustrated and realizing that her skills in healing will likely be needed shortly, Ravenae goes a distance away to sleep.
Knowing that the mechanism is irretrievably broken, Brahma tries to tear a hole in the floor of the lift. It doesn’t bend in the least against his strength. He tries to use the stone bench he’d collected as a shield as a lever, and ends up shattering the slab. He snorts and gets another slab, trying again- the same result.
Deciding that the stone is simply not strong enough, he tries using the wheel he ripped loose, potentially made of the same metal, as a prybar. It bends. He folds it in half, and it bends again! By now his frustration is building quickly. He goes back and fetches the metal door they’d found and passed earlier- it also fails to produce results, either in its original form or doubled. Finally, he pounds the door violently against the elevator, which wakes both Ravenae and Nerash!
Nerash rubs his face, then pokes his head into the shaft. He sees that the elevator is now up, and waits for a pause in the pounding to yell, “what are you doing?”
“You’re trapped down there. I am trying to get you out.”
“I think you’ll need more force.” These are words that Nerash will regret.
Brahma realizes that there IS a way to exert a lot more force. The explosive powder.
With Whisper’s help, he sets up a two-bottle charge. The first attempt to ignite it fails, but with the second there is a massive detonaton that Brahma only just avoids. When the smoke clears some, Nerash asks, “Did it work?”
Brahma looks. All that has happened is that the floor looks a bit warped.
He tells Nerash this, who shakes his head and goes back into the mine shaft, closing the doors. He goes to sleep, hoping to complete his meditations before the entire shaft rains down upon him.
Brahma is not to be denied at this point. He goes back for more powder, and notices that they’re starting to run a bit low. He replaces his small jars once again plus two for Ravenae, then prepares a huge charge using one of the urns from the pottery room wherein dwelled the Clay Man. With this terrifying device he returns to the elevator once again.
He wedges it into the elevator supports, fashions a fuse with more powder and bandages, then stacks stone shelves over the entire thing to focus the blast. He has a truly evil grin when he’s doing this, and as he’s about to light it, he says, “run FAST.” His companions do just that, and he lights the fuse and gets himself clear.
Nerash wakes to the loudest sound that he’s ever heard in his life, and perhaps that he hopes to never hear again. THe blast causes a rockfall that nearly buries him, and he scrambles out as fast as he can, bruised and bleeding. He goes back to the doors, and hearing that there seems to be no more stone falling, opens them.
The shaft is clouded with dust, and rocks have buried the gas filled chamber below. Above, the elevator, if its still there, is concealed by choking dust. Over time the dust clears and his companions return... And the elevator is still there! Only now part of the lip of the shaft itself has cracked- Brahma starts smashing away at it.
And there we leave off until next time! This is probably the longest its ever taken me to finish a writeup, too!
Here’s the writeup for the first Western Tales adventure- I have to note that it was a LONG time before I got this down; we ran just before I left for the convention in mid November, and I just now got things done. There are a fair number of things I’ve forgotten or missed, and hopefully the GM and other players will fill in the holes!
++
Eighteen Sixty Seven. Two years have passed since the final battles of the Civil War echoed their bloodied cries into the air and earth of the young United States. Two years since a President’s death capped the bloodshed of too many before him. Since that time, those unfortunates who lived and fought through those bloody years have sought in what ways they could to cope with what they saw, and to find new lives.
During those years, friendships were formed amongst the warriors, and within the First Virginia Regiment, 2nd Brigade (known as Thoburn’s Brigade) four unusual people pulled together with their commander in comradeship. Most unusual of these was Jenny Pagan; born in Louisiana, the young woman had wandered her way up and down the Mississippi, eventually straying from that watercourse to find herself in the midst of the war.
Initially unwilling to get involved, her vices of drinking and gambling led to an unfortunate bet, and she found herself somehow enlisted as a Scout! Taking to her fate willingly, she proved quite capable of her position, as her years along the Mississippi had taught her to shoot, fight and drink as hard as any man she’d met.
Next of the group was Jamie Danvers. A slight young man, fair of face, his deadliness with the heavy black-powder muzzle-loader that he bore gained him respect and admiration amongst his fellows. Like Jenny, he served as a Scout for the forces as they moved against their foes.
Thirdly, Corporal Kit Burnham, cavalryman, rounded out the trio. He had enlisted before the war, and his skill with telling tales... Perhaps taller than they truly were led him to be the entertainment frequently around the nightly campfires.
They were frequently joined, these three unlikely friends by Colonel Thoburn himself. He enjoyed their varied tales, and invited them to visit him at his ranch outside Belmont, Nevada. Each in their own time resolved to do this very thing, in the unlikely event that they survived the conflict.
Eventually, as the conflict wound down their fellowship was broken, the brigade disbanding and its personnel being scattered amongst the forces of Brigadier General Cook at Lynchburg. From there, the trio lost track of one another.
Time passes.
Jenny looked at her train tickets and again at the great steel beast she was about to board. Her horse and mule were already aboard, but the second thoughts were always there. She’d really never like the damned things; they stank and were loud and filled with people who didn’t give too hoots that she was a war hero, seeing only that she was a woman dressed in men’s clothes. “At least it keeps some of th’ worst off me,” she thought.
Sighing, she slung her bag over her shoulder and mounted the short steps, letting the conductor stamp her ticket. “Bound all the way to Nevada, ma’am?”
She nodded. “Yup.”
“Fine, fine. Enjoy the trip!” And he moved on to the next passenger. Seating herself, she gazed out the window at the throng outside. “B’damed nice t’ git out of th’ East,” she considered, “Rather b’ ridin’ it, but... Take too long.” She sat back, tipped her hat over her eyes and dozed.
Michigan. Kit watched as the train pulled in, looking forward to the journey. Things had been starting to get boring, and his restlessness had led him to decide that it was time to see the Colonel at long last. He didn’t know where he was going, but that hardly mattered; it was the journey, and the stories, that mattered. People were milling about, and he’d gathered a cluster of people about himself, enjoying himself mightily as he plied them with stories of heroism from the War. Nearby, a firebrand preacher was just starting his windup into an overblown tirade against the evils of alcohol and fornication, but he ignored it, as his own audience was listening carefully and energetically to his own palaver.
Then, something hit his hat with a quiet ‘thup’ of impact. He looked up and around, but didn’t see anything... Until he looked at the train. Towards the front of the dining car he saw a familiar face- Jenny Pagan!
“Why Corporal Burnham! So what tall tales ‘r y’all tellin’ these fine people?” She asked, the Louisiana drawl of her voice tempered by her years of wandering. Kit tipped his hat to her. “Why, only the truest tales of heroism in the face of the fiercest fire of the foe, of course!”
She grinned, showing teeth. “You wouldn’t be... embellishin’ things a bit now, would you?”
“Never! Only the brightly colored truth!” Just then, the preacher started in, shouting how Absolute Forbearance for Alcohol and Gambling could lead to salvation. Jenny, who happened to be holding a hand of cards, lifted a shot of whickey and yelled, “Hey preacher! One to you!”
The man paled, his tirade stopped cold by her boldness, and he hurried to sweep his flock into the waiting church. Kit laughed to himself, then had to hustle as ‘all aboard!” sounded from the conductor. Making his apologies, he clambered aboard and made his way to where Jenny waited.
Onwards they rode, the train rattling its way cross country. Not long later found them in Illinois, pulling in for water and coal. Jamie Danvers watched the train pull in, not knowing that the old companions he’s fought alongside were aboard. He led his horse aboard the livestock car, not seeing Jenny’s familiar mount in the darkness. That taken care of, he got himself aboard as well, soon hearing a familiar voice behind him.
“Well don’t that beat all! Private Danvers!” He turned to see Kit Burnham standing there with a grin. He smiled in response, offering his hand. “Been a time, Corporal! How’ve you been?”
“Quite well indeed! You still luggin’ that artillery-piece around?” He didn’t respond, as the ‘artillery-piece’ was pretty obvious even in its oilskin case. “You won’t believe it, but we’re all here!”
“We are?”
“Yup. Jenny’s aboard too- we’re both for the Colonel’s ranch. You?”
“I’d the same thought, ‘pears.”
“Well, c’mon, lets get reacquainted!” And the three were united in purpose once again.
The train rolled on. They’d been fortunate- they ended up in just the right place to not be suffocated by the smoke rolling from the great engine’s stack- not that this changed Jenny’s opinion of trains one whit. Gambling aboard was not as much fun; she knew them all now, and they, her- nobody could really get an edge, and the skill of her opponents was no better than her own. She wanted a challenge, not to mention to stretch her legs a bit.
Finally they reached the Dakotas, and stopped in Lead Springs. They’d be there a few days for maintenance on the engine, so as they were all itching to get somewhere other than on the train, they rode for a day’s visit to Deadwood.
The already-legendary town proved to be everything of its dastardly reputation, but also far less- of course, Jenny’s opinion was colored by her being cleaned out of sixty dollars of her cash. Kit took the time to hunt for more of his passion, dime novels, and Jamie found that perhaps he had too much looks for his own good when one of the ‘soiled doves’ of the saloon approached.
“Well hello there, stranger; lookin’ for some company?”
“Jus’ waitin’ on my friends.”
She smiled. “Well, I could wait with you,” ad she leaned against him gently.
As politely as he could, Jamie moved away. “I’m truly sorry, ma’am, but I’ve someone waitin’ for me back home.”
With a slightly put-upon sigh, the woman accepted that saying, “she must be something!”
Eventually, the short excursion came to an end and the three made their way back to Lead Springs and the train, soon pulling away from the station. While they traveled, Kit performed as he usually did, telling tales and collecting fodder for more of the same. Thus... He learned what they’d not known. Colonel Thoburn was dead, having died in battle towards the end of the war. This left his wife widowed and alone with her children to run the ranch, and solidified the desire of the three to see the journey through.
With that sad news known the train rolled on, passing into Nevada. Both Kit and Jenny had taken to staring out at the land, there being less of interest on the train. As they did this, they saw two riderless horses, saddled, drop away from the front of the train! They looked at each other and thought the same word: “Trouble.”
They gather Jamie and let him know what’s likely happening- robbers. Men either stupid enough or desperate enough to try anything, and likely with nothing to lose. Moving forward in the train, they find the conductor, who notices the drawn guns and grim faces. He pales a bit. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” His bluster is blunted by obvious fear.
Kit takes the lead. “Jenny and I saw two horses peel away from the engine, riderless. We may have trouble. Might wanna get people back a ways for safety.”
It takes a little cajoling, but they get him convinced and soon they’ve essentially a car to themselves as near to the engine as can be reached. Moments later, there’s the muffled-by-distance sound of a pistol shot and the train’s brakes scream to life, dragging the great steel horse slowly to a halt. Looking forward out the door of the car, they see a man fall from the cab- the engineer, and he’s not moving.
A head pops out from the cab, then another- just two men, hopefully. They see that they’ve been spotted, and the firing begins! Jamie goes back through the train to get his heavy rifle, while Kit and Jenny fire high-and-low from the doorway at their foes. Kit tries talking them into surrender, but they’ve already cast the dice- if they surrender they’ll be dead at the end of a rope instead of lead poisoning.
One of Kit’s shot’s strikes true, and one of the pair falls- out of the fight, but maybe alive. The other remains, and manages to get a touch of revenge for his partner- a solid shot rips through Kit’s leg, driving him out of the fight!
By this time Jamie is out of the train and making his way forward. He’s too far back for a clean shot... Yet. Jenny swears and takes her time, and her shot shatters the second villains foot! He falls, yowling his pain to the sky. She watches him carefully, seeing Jamie coming up along the train and starts forward, gun at the ready. She can’t see his hands, and she knows that he may be waiting for the right moment. Sure enough, when she’s only a few feet away he rises and tries to shoot... Only to die from her readied shot.
While the final moments of the fight went on, Kit was binding the wound in his leg. The conductor arrives, and a doctor in the train is summoned to care for him. Leaving the car to join Jamie and Jenny, both gunmen are dead. However, Jenny notices that the engineer still lives! She starts doing what she can to keep him that way until the doctor can assist. In the meantime, the conductor checks the two bodies, stopping to fetch a stack of papers- wanted posters. The men don’t appear on any of them, but he gives Jenny their weapons, ammo and what cash they had as compensation for the defense of the train.
Jenny divides the money between herself, Kit and Jamie, but gives a portion to the engineer as well.
Once he’s able to drive the train again, they continue on to Humboldt Station, where the stop will be longer than usual- they need a new engineer and the attack must be reported. Kit gets most of the credit for stopping the bandits, which Jenny has no real problem with- notoriety can backfire after all!
And of course, everyone that had been on the train was talking about the attempted robbery to anyone who would listen. Those that are leaving at the stop will likely keep telling the tale, and Kit’s name as well. For the most part, the time at Humboldt is quiet. Kit doesn’t manage to find any of his dime novels, but when he’s back on the train he finds out that there’s a salesman aboard! While Jamie and Jenny watch with some mild amusement, the man gives him five novels he’s not read, ‘in appreciation for stopping the bandits’. He also ends up buying a cookbook.
A bit later, Jamie tracks the man down. He’s a bit more foresighted than either of his two companions, and he gets several books for the children of the Colonel. A couple of beginning readers books and some story books as well. Jenny does some more gambling, and her luck turns a bit. She gets some of what she lost in Deadwood back.
FInally, the train pulls into Austin City, Nevada. It’s the closest rail stop to Belmont; the rest of the way they’ll be on horseback, and all of them are grateful to be finally off the train.
They make a stop in the general store to get what they’ll need for the journey, which should take a day or so depending on their pace and the weather. A man there, Charles Danion, recognizes Kit as the ‘hero of the train’ and offers effusive congratulations for his heroism; Kip demurs, saying that he had help, but Jenny keeps her mouth shut and lets him get the recognition that she really doesn’t want.
The ride is quiet and enjoyable, made even better when Jamie takes down a muledeer; that ends up being their meals on the trail.
Belmont turns out to be a sprawling frontier town built on a hillside; a huge brick building spewed smoke from that hillside, with the houses and buildings spreading out from there. Businesses along the main street advertise with their painted shingles and signs, and people turn to look at the trio of strangers as they ride into town. Prominent amongst these was Indian Maggie’s Saloon, to which they headed and tied up. A drink after the trail and rooms for the night were the first order of business.
There are children playing in the street, and Kit calls one over. “What’s the building belchin’ smoke up yonder?” He asks. “Why, that’s the foundry, sir!” He nods. “And whereabouts is the livery?”
“Its just over there, Sutters. Beauford runs it, sir.” Kit thanks the boy, and tosses him a quarter; the boy’s eyes go the size of dinnerplates as Kit wins his first ally in the town! They make their way inside the saloon, Jenny getting a drink and asking about rooms as she does. There are two available; Kit and Jamie decide to share the one and let Jenny, being a woman, have the other to herself.
They take the horses to the livery, and meet Beauford; he’s not the brightest man they’ve ever encountered, but he obviously is an expert with the animals in his care. He provides storage for their tack and saddles as well. Everything for the most part taken care of they retire to their rooms for the night.
The next morning dawns bright, and after a hearty breakfast they decide to explore the town. THe first thing that Jenny is after is a bath! She learns that the laundry, run by a Chinese family is also a bath-house, and with a change of clothes goes there. Her clothes from the trail are cleaned as she takes her time in the tub of hot water.
In the meantime, her companions have their own agendas; partly which matched Jenny’s, but she got to the bath-house first! Kit instead goes to the barber. He’s worn a full beard like that of Custer, but he’s decided it’s time for him to be more presentable. Thereafter he finds the bath-house STILL occupied; Jamie has occupied it now, though he doesn’t know it. He decides to deal with something dangerous- the money he’s been carrying this entire distance! He heads to the Wells-Fargo bank, and deposits $800- a lordly sum, which gains him the instantaneous friendship of the bank manager!
When he’s finished his bath, Jamie heads to the general store and decides to ask a few questions as he picks a few things up. As soon as he asks about the ranch, the proprietor’s wife became almost unfriendly, and definitely quieter. Taking that information, he goes to find Kit after excusing himself as gracefully as possible.
He finds the Corporal just as he’s leaving the bath-house, having finally gotten his deeply-desired turn in the hot water.
“Kit, I think there’s somethin’ goin’ on.”
“In what way?”
“Well, I went to the general store, and when I asked about the ranch, the woman there clammed up on me. Wouldn’t talk to me at all.”
Kit nods, and with Jamie staying outside he goes to the general store himself. Entering, he looks about until the woman smiles at him from the counter. “Good day, sir; is there something you might be needin’?”
He returns the smile. “Why, yes. I was lookin’ to gather up what might be needed for settin’ up on a land parcel.”
“You’ve a homestead then?”
“Something like that.”
Eventually, talk turns to the ranch, and the woman gets as cold as she had with Jamie. She’s not angry; more afraid. It comes out that she’s worried that Kit and Jamie might be working for a man named Kingston!
Kingston is a local businessman. He owns a large amount of property and lacks not at all for money. He’s been buying up land in the area with the goal to bring a railroad line through, so that he can control the cattle market in the area. The Thoburn ranch is in default of the loan that was taken out to create it, and he wants to foreclose on the property. The Colonel’s widow will have none of it, and has been fighting off his attempts in any way that she can.
Kit convinces Misses Anderson that he’s NOT with Kingston, and his friends aren’t, either. He tells her to put together whatever she thinks the ranch might be needing and then some, and heads back over to the bank. He collects Jamie on the way, and meets Jenny there- she’s just deposited her own $450. He asks about the deed for the ranch, which instantly gets the manager, Frederick Dobbs, wary- he’s not a friend of Kingston either. But once things are explained, Kit pays off the loan and gets a receipt for Widow Thoburn. The deed itself remains filed in the bank vault.
From there, followed by his companions (after Jamie also makes a deposit- $600) he goes back to the general store, shows the receipt and pays for the supplies. Its quite a load, and they’ll need a wagon to carry it all.
Johnathan Anderson, the actual owner of the general store volunteers to supply the wagon and drive it out to the ranch with them, his son Tyler being sent to fetch someone named Richard, who is at the foundry. They retrieve their horses and gear, but make sure that Beauford knows that they’ll be using his services in the future. Jenny rides ahead to scout the route and check for trouble, finding none. En route they pass the foundry, where Richard is waiting. He’s big, strong and red-headed, and known to the Widow as a friend.
Jenny rejoins the wagon and her companions about five minutes out of town, and reports that there’s no trouble along the way at least. As they proceed, there is common chatter about the town and what’s been going on; it seems that Mr. Kingston, the would-be land-and-cattle baron, is not well liked.
“Kingston is a bastard,” says the elder Anderson. “He’s trying to drive off the ranchers, rustling the cattle with his men and causing trouble; he wants to take over the entire area so he can attract a rail line and have a monopoly on the cattle sales.”
Kit tells stories of their exploits during a rest break, then they continue with the young Tyler now rather fascinated by Kit. They finally reach the hill that overlooks the ranch, only to hear gunfire! Jenny heads up, followed by Kit and Jamie. She gets out her binoculars, and spots three people firing into the ranch house, and fire being returned.
At Kit’s request, Jamie unlimbers his big .50, while Jenny aims with her new Winchester and Kit with his Henry- they fire as one; Kit’s shot misses but only just. Jenny’s shot goes through her target’s far arm, and Jamie’s shot eliminates the third. With the flurry of support fire, shots come from the house and take down the remaining attacker. The firing stops, but Jenny is stopped when she starts to head down by Mr. Anderson. “Let Richard go- she knows him well.”
So it happens that Richard and Kit make their way down. As they approach the house, they see a rifle barrel pointed at them! “Missus Thoburn, its Richard.” With that, the rifle vanishes and the door opens to reveal the widow Thoburn.
She’s quite attractive; beautiful really, with brilliant red hair and a solid Irish burr in her voice. “An’ who might you be?” This was directed at Kit.
“Ma’am, I’m Kit Burnham. I served under your husband in the war. We heard in town that you were having some troubles, and came to help.”
She looked him over, completely missing the fact that at first sight, Kit was smitten. “We’re doin’ right foine on our own, but thank ye f’r the help with these ruffians.” She calls to her children as the rest of Kit’s party arrive with the wagon. Seeing the load upon the buckboard, she shoots a look at Mr. Anderson. “An’ what is this, Johnathan? I’ve naught I’ve ordered from you?”
“Ma’am,” Kit interjects, “this is all for you. We thought it a kindness that seeing as the Colonel was gone and we’d be imposing that we shouldn’t come as beggars.” She’s still suspicious, but she accepts it at face value. Thereafter a mildly confused scramble takes place, as the bodies of the two dead men are taken for burial and the third, the one Jenny winged, is brought into the house for treatment. Kit has plans for him, but doesn’t let on about them to the widow. Thereafter, he’s trussed up and left in the barn.
A bit more discussion goes on, ending with Kit presenting the copy of the paid-in-full deed! The widow faints dead away. Jenny carries her inside and makes her as comfortable as she can, then goes to the stove to make trail coffee; she’s stopped by one of the widow’s children, Gertie, who tells her that “we can make proper coffee here!” and shoo’s her out.
When the widow recovers, she offers work to the three companions, saying that “I cannae pay much, and the accommodations are rough, but you can stay if you’re lookin’ for work. The bunkhouse is there.” Kit says that they should probably get back to town, and gets cut off- He, his friends, the Andersons and Richard are staying for dinner. There’s an implied ‘or else’ in the statement.
With the knowledge that they’re staying the night, Jenny decides to go on watch in case the trio of assassins have friends. She does a circuit, then goes atop the hill until dinner is served.
All and sundry gather for the meal, and an excellent spread is placed before them. Grace is said, and everyone ends up being well fed. Thereafter a rider is heard approaching, causing Kit and his companions to snap to attention and reach for weapons. However, its just the widow’s one ranch hand and no harm is done.
Sometime after dinner, Jenny goes on a patrol of the immediate vicinity of the ranch. She somehow gets lost in the dark despite her experience as a scout, and ends up behind the house somehow. While she’s gone, Kit decides to have his ‘conversation’ with the captive, accompanied by Jamie. The man is literally hogtied and hanging from a beam, which with his shoulder injury is certainly not pleasant. Kit starts explaining exactly what he wants to know, and what he’s going to do to find it... In great detail. Unfortunately, this results in two things- first the man wets himself, then he passes out! Kit will have to wait on his interrogation.
And there we broke for the evening. The next run is being put together by Scotty, as I wasn’t present for it. The upcoming run may take place on the 19th.
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