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Baron Von Mandrick
August 14th, 2015, 02:36
I doubt there are any campaigns going for this, but I'd definitely be interested. I have the 3rd edition basic and Old West edition. I think I also have a copy of different edition that I haven't really looked at.

Speaking of looking at editions, that's all I've ever done with GURPS. I have never actually played it, so I'm definitely a beginner.

HalC
June 11th, 2016, 23:23
I doubt there are any campaigns going for this, but I'd definitely be interested. I have the 3rd edition basic and Old West edition. I think I also have a copy of different edition that I haven't really looked at.

Speaking of looking at editions, that's all I've ever done with GURPS. I have never actually played it, so I'm definitely a beginner.

Hello Baron Von Mandrick - still looking for someone to run you through GURPS and OLD WEST? If so, let me know and I'll see what we can work out. :)

Drath3n
June 12th, 2016, 13:59
Ya a western game in gurps is fun but it's like panning for gold when looking for content. It is rare. Gurps is kinda a niche game system and westerns are a niche setting. So there is so few options. And if you don't want it to be a Deadlands, just a straight forward western setting its even thinner for material. I am building my world/campaign by my self. But there are a good chunk of resources to draw from.But its up to you to do all the assembly/leg work.I envy fantasy DMs for their ability to have tons of content to pick and choose from,ready to run or at worst just a bit of re-skinning work. I am just learning Fantasy Grounds so I am not yet up to being confident enough to run an online game yet,but if you need any pointers on content I have some handy resources I use.

HalC
June 12th, 2016, 18:36
Hi Drath3n,
If I were to run a Western Campaign on Fantasy Grounds 2 using GURPS, my biggest stumbling block would be trying to get maps and using the combat minder - those two things aren't much of what I've been able to get into unfortunately.

I have gotten my hands on ACES AND EIGHTS, a product that I'd recommend to anyone as a reference book, but have not been able to employ with my own face to face crew. They've been using GURPS with me for the past 30 years (Ye gads, has it been THAT long!) and aren't much willing to learn new game systems. In all fairness, we've been able to do a LOT with GURPS over the years simply because it isn't hard to create houserules where needed. Before GURPS HIGH TECH came out, I was using a fusion of AFTERMATH gun design rules and GURPS, where I created a baseline M-16 in AFTERMATH and compared it against GURPS 1st edition and went from there. So, making the stuff I need isn't a big deal for me. Hell, before GURPS HIGH TECH ADVENTURE GUNS came out, I had my own stats for various cartridges that exist in real life - so that wasn't even a real problem (Thanks to CATRIDGES OF THE WORLD 8th edition!). The real issue for me is starting up a campaign for "Strangers". If there isn't a meeting of the minds between the GM and the player(s), then we run into issues. That having been said, it takes for a GM to reach out, and a player or two to reach back before there can be a story. :)

Resources that I have available are:
Aces and Eights
WILD WEST by FGU
BOOTHILL by TSR
A fair number of TIME LIFE's OLD WEST series books
A fair number of Movies along the lines of SHADOW RIDERS, OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, UNFORGIVEN etc.

Along with that, I've a writers guide to the 1800's and another one that is of a similar vein. Toss in my love for history, and well, I reckon I can give it a decent shot. I've ridden horses in early on in my life, and even had to grab a young lady off a runaway horse once (would NEVER have done it had I thought about it initially, I just reacted!), and have had my share of incidents and such (including having the rope corral drop and the horses getting away in the night). Ain't nothing more frustrating than trying to catch a horse afoot that doesn't want to be gotten. ;)

In any event - Any other resources (including online ones) would be of interest. Pike's Peak is available on line - and I can give you the URL for that if you're interested. So, by all means, feel free to add more resources for me to enjoy. Even if I don't end up running a Western Campaign, I'll always enjoy being able to look at what you're suggesting. Someday, I'm going to paint my western gunfighter figures, print out the Whitewash City paper buildings, and have a surprise waiting for my face to face gamers (ok, for some of them, my wife is one of the crew and games, so I can't hide EVERYTHING from her!). I figure that will happen when I retire some 11'ish years from now.

Well, nice meeting y'all. :)

Hal

Drath3n
June 12th, 2016, 20:25
Wow,looks like you are set,my main recource I was going to suggest was Aces & Eight. As far as the maps thats something I like to do. Not a pro by any means but it's something I like to do. Here are a few I've made. Go ahead and use them if you want.
14345
14346
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HalC
June 12th, 2016, 21:29
Nicely Done. :)

Question for you...

1) are you available to chat via FG2.
2) there is no 2. ;)

(One implies two, etc...)

Drath3n
June 13th, 2016, 02:04
Sure,just need to figure out how to connect. The whole port forwarding thing is new territory for me.

HalC
June 13th, 2016, 02:19
Open up FG2 at your end. Then click on join game. From there, a window will open up that requires you to enter the name you will sign on with, along with the IP address someone supplies to you for joining the host game. Then click Start. You may also desire to upgrade your version to 3.1.7 somewhere along the way. Let me know when you want to try to sign on, and I'll set it up for running. I'm online now and will be for approximately 1 hour until 10 PM Eastern Standard time today.

Drath3n
June 13th, 2016, 03:53
No I mean the whole port forwarding thing,I am clueless. when I try test connection it fails. I know you need to port forward or something but that is out of my knowledge base. Just tried to look up the process but I just cant make it work,not sure what I am doing :/ I will keep trying another day.

damned
June 13th, 2016, 07:48
Drath3n if you are a player you might notice that the connection test is NOT on the Join Game screen... it is only on the Load Campaign or Create Campaign screens. Players do not need to have any inbound port forwarding setup.

Drath3n
June 13th, 2016, 11:28
Oh,ok. I did not notice that. Thanks!

damned
June 13th, 2016, 14:16
Oh,ok. I did not notice that. Thanks!

If you do want to GM I can give you a hand with your port forwarding too - just drop me a PM.

Baron Von Mandrick
June 14th, 2016, 17:43
Okay. Sorry I'm late in getting back on this. I would be interested. It would all depend on time demand. But the summer, I have a little more leeway. It might be a lot of fun.

daddystabz
June 29th, 2016, 06:46
Is this still going on? I have a few players I was going to do a western RPG for online but I would much rather be a player. We played one adventure so far using a game called Gunman's Law. One of my players is actually suggesting to me we try GURPS but I have never played it before.

Are you all going to do this? Will it use GURPS and if so, what edition? Do you have room for any players?

HalC
June 29th, 2016, 17:53
Hi All,
At present, I have two confirmed players and are working to get the two characters built and finalized using GURPS CHARACTER ASSISTANT - which means we're using GURPS 4th edition for actual game play. Just because We're using GURPS doesn't mean that non-GURPS familiar individuals are unwelcome. All that matters is that you have a desire to play and can role play (something I think ANYONE can do). In the end, I'm looking to get things organized before we settle on a time and how often we get together. I realize that others have a real life to consider, and that there may be other time zones involved. That having been said, I'm unable to GM while I'm at work ;)

So, if you're interested in gaming, feel free to contact me via private message, or email me: hal plus the at symbol plus the roadrunner and of course the dot and the com. Sometimes all one has to do is write a background story and say "Can you make a character based on this" and I should be able to whip it up in GURPS CHARACTER ASSISTANT easily enough.

So Daddystabz and Baron Von Mandrick - I'm thinking to keep at least FOUR spots open, with 2 already taken. If Damned wants a spot - by dint of his HARD work with me and Drath3n - automatically has a place of honor he can call his own. :)

Catch you guys later...

Hal

YAKO SOMEDAKY
June 30th, 2016, 17:08
I know GURPS.
I have the GCA (Gurps Character Assistant), but sin in one thing or rather two things my internet is horrible and I know in speaking English, I curl my tongue hangs, I stammer but anyway this would be the look of my character.

14559

HalC
June 30th, 2016, 17:50
I was born hard of hearing, so this is strictly a text based communications game rather than using Skype or anything else. If you have GURPS CHARACTER ASSISTANT, feel free to build a 150 point character for use with the game.

YAKO SOMEDAKY
June 30th, 2016, 18:38
I have some doubts:
1 - What year is going to spend the adventure
2 - What region?
3 - What Technological Level
4 - The characters will be known from the beginning?


I plan to get the information from the Old West 3rd Edition and then move to the GCA.
I want to create a blacksmith, interesting profession in the Old West.

Hector Trelane
June 30th, 2016, 19:15
I love GURPS (own lots of 3rd edition books, my rule system of choice in days of old) and think the Old West is interesting. Not sure when you're planning the sessions. Either way, glad to see this game!

HalC
July 1st, 2016, 23:13
I have some doubts:
1 - What year is going to spend the adventure
2 - What region?
3 - What Technological Level
4 - The characters will be known from the beginning?



I plan to get the information from the Old West 3rd Edition and then move to the GCA.
I want to create a blacksmith, interesting profession in the Old West.


The year is 1873, and the location at the start of the campaign is Kansas City, but will end up in Colorado eventually. Technically, 1873 is the borderline between TL 5 and TL 6. GURPS HIGH TECH ADVENTURE GUNS lists various weapons that arrive in 1870's as TL 6 weapons, so I guess it would be considered TL 6 (under GURPS 4e rules), but we're using TL 5 starting wealth levels.

As for the characters being "known", the question is from my end "known to whom"? If you mean to each other, then all player characters starting in the game will likely be strangers to each other unless their background history as fabricated by the players, indicates that they SHOULD know each other. For example: Ex-confederate Kansas raiders would likely know each other, whereas someone from Boston wouldn't likely know of the Kansas Raiders (Quantril) unless he served in the Military and chased them down.

Starting Character points for your character will be 153 points. :)

We plan on getting together at or around 6 PM Eastern Standard Time on July 2nd.

Email me for the IP address you will need to connect to us at that time.

HalC
July 1st, 2016, 23:21
I love GURPS (own lots of 3rd edition books, my rule system of choice in days of old) and think the Old West is interesting. Not sure when you're planning the sessions. Either way, glad to see this game!

The first session on July 2nd will flesh out the details on when we meet, how often, etc. I'm thinking every two weeks, on Saturday evening 6 PM eastern standard time. I just don't know how well that will work for everyone, but for at least three people, it works out well enough.

First session will start with the players all aboard a Kansas Pacific Train bound from Kansas City towards Denver Colorado. Where the players will get off is still not known for certain.

All player characters receive free of charge, third class tickets aboard the train. Anyone who wants to upgrade to second class can pay the cost from their starting cash, and those who want first class can of course upgrade to that as well. Players will need at least second class tickets to be able to claim beds aboard the train (at historical prices, $4 per night, or at GUPRS prices, approximately $66.

It is advised that players do NOT start off buying a horse for train travel, but if they decide that they wish to, they can do so without having to pay the normal freight cost of shipping their horse over 640 miles. Think of it as a GM freebie to transport your horse across the state much like third class tickets are freebies. However (you knew there'd be a however right?). In 1873, there was a major Horse Flu outbreak that started in Canada, worked its way to Chicago, and then worked its way throughout the Eastern United States and worked its way nearer to Kansas. Buying a horse runs the risk of it having caught the flu...

Email me to get the IP address you will need to connect to the session. I will require that if you intend to build a character by hand, that you email me the character so I can input it into the GURPS CHARACTER ASSISTANT so that we can import it directly into FG2 for play. Makes it real easy to have a character for play. :)

HalC
July 3rd, 2016, 08:53
After action report:

Three characters begin the action by being aboard the train bound for Denver Colorado. Their Goal is to reach Durango Colorado after getting off the train, each for their own reasons. John Cornwall is a cowhand as is Sean McClellan. Both were in Kansas City to pick up some of the new fangled Colt Peacemakers - one on special order no less. Back from a successful cattle drive, two need to head back home. Beumont Creek, a dapper looking gentleman with a full mustache, and a charming face, makes the acquaintance of a Mary McCoy, travelling alone to Durango to meet with her Brother and help him take care of his family once his wife died in childbirth. Her strong views of how men should act and guns, made for an insufferable companion on a journey that would take the train some nearly 640 miles and a little over three days to achieve. As they pull out of the station, they note that a wagon with manacles chained to the outside of the sides of the wagon (prisoner transfer) was empty and pulling away. They discover that Terrance McGill, captured in Kansas City by a manhunter, was being transferred back to Denver to face charges of Murder in a Gunfight between the Territorial Governor's Nephew and Terrance. Sean McClellan noted that fact and thought that this was a purely poltical trial, for if it had been a gunfight as reported, then by the code of the west, it was a fair fight. His sympathies were secretly with Terrance until much later on when he realized that anyone who rode with Quantril back in the days, was not a good person. In the meantime, the three men started picking up on various clues that something wasn't quite right. Quntril's raiders headed south of the border into Mexico, and it was a coincidence they spotted a Mexican atop a riderless horse tethered near a water tower for the train. That caused them to decide they wanted more information on where the prisoner was being kept in case something happened. It probably didn't help matters much when they overheard someone bribe the conductor to call people back to the train earlier than they were supposed to. The train stop was supposed to be for 30 minutes, the conductor called "All aboard" way too soon to be 30 minutes.

Sure enough, things did happen. First, they were pretty savvy when it came time to enter the First Class passenger car when they were Second class customers. They simply paid the extra money to upgrade their tickets to first Class. Car by car they journeyed, discovering the Lounge Car to be rather well apportioned with comfortable seating and tables. Then they found themselves enjoying the dining car's creature comforts, including alcohol at 10 in the morning. After that, they found out what was in the luggage car (carrying to coffins and various luggage - not to mention a partially disassembled pool table being transferred to a rich man's house in Denver. Somehow, one of the three (this is after all, an after action report, not an expose`) managed to get past the lock that kept the baggage car locked up. But then they decided they still needed to find out if the prisoner was being held at the caboose beyond the stock cars carrying a prize white bull, and the car carrying 6 horses. That is when they discovered that there were two Mexican saddles in the stock car with the horses. That didn't smell right to Sean McClellan, who indicated that Mexicans aren't usually seen this far north, but then again, Quantril's raiders had gone south after the war, and Terrance McGill was a man who used to ride with Quantril's men.

That is when they were caught - trying to find out what was going on in the Caboose. It didn't take much for the man in the caboose to hear them tramping on the roof and investigate with his twin barreled shotgun. Once he got to the top of the ladder on his caboose and found that Sean McClellan and Beumont Creek were skulking about, he simply ordered them to hand over their gunbelt and the gun Beumont was carrying, and invited them nice and easy, to join him in the Caboose. For the most part, things didn't look good for the men until they indicated there were saddles in the Stock Car, two of which were Mexican. Then, while they were talking, they heard a rapid multiple blast from the steam whistle at the engine, indicating an emergency. The brakeman in the caboose sent the two up and asked them to handle the brake wheels on the cars, as he started from the back on the Caboose brake. He indicated that there was an emergency and that all haste was needed. So, Suave Beumont had little trouble navigating the top of the cars. Poor Sean however, jumped between the caboose and the cattle car. He slipped, and almost fell to a fate where his body would be badly mangled, but Beumont saved his hide and pulled him to safety. Then Beumont continued to turn the brake wheel in order to bring the train to a halt. Then as if one near brush with death weren't enough, Sean almost fell to his death jumping between the cars a second time. Grabbing for purchase in a futile fashion, Sean fell closer and closer to the ground before finally finding purchase to stop his fall. Again, Beumont had to rescue poor Sean, who by now, had vowed never again to jump atop the railroad cars! Finally, ALL of the brakemen were up atop the train and braking the Train to a stop before it hit the point where the outlaws had pried a rail off after removing the spikes. Little did the three know, that the outlaws had brought blasting powder in small kegs in case the sheriffs holding their man prisoner, could not be persuaded to let loose McGill. Unfortunately, their foresight proved to help them achieve their goals, but only at the expense of the lives of many people in the nearest passenger car - for the raiders had set their one keg under the car and blew it with the passengers aboard. It was thought that the cries of the wounded would convince the warders to let loose their man.

In the end, McGill went down, innocents near the raiders were wounded or shot, a Sheriff was gunned down, and the tattered remnants of the raiders left the sight of their latest defeat behind them. They left McGill's body where it fell, uncaring if he was dead or would bleed to death. They had other things to attend to...

And that's where we left off with the cliff hanger. For you see, the sheriff had mistaken John Cornwall to be a bandit and was trying to shoot at him with his rifle. Mr. Cromwell just happened to be a better shot (or a luckier shot at least) and put the sheriff down. Fearful that he was going to prison for that mistake, John Cornwall will find out what his fate is to be. Beumont on the other hand, now knows just how perilous shooting inside a railway car can be. Bullets that miss their intended target often find someone else to hit. But, that's a tale for another day. Three men find themselves lucky to be alive, and perhaps with a newfound hatred for Quantril's former men.

HalC
July 17th, 2016, 07:33
After Action report 2:
We returned to the moment where the aftermath of the train events were winding down. The men went about looking for others to help bind their wounds with first aid and bandaging, when they were approached by the Engineer saying "Could you help the lineman put his telegraph wire into the wires next to the track and wire ahead of the trouble." The three men agreed that it would be a good idea, when the one spotted the deputy that he'd shot earlier, and decided to see if he yet lived. The deputy yet lived - barely. While that went down, Beumont and Sean went to find the telegraph operator, who had to go back to the express car to get his equipment. It probably didn't help that one surviving bandit, shot in the chest, was propped against the back wall of the express car, sitting and perhaps waiting to bleed out to death. He pointed his gun at the operator, which in turn alerted Sean and Beumont that there was an unexpected problem facing them. A highly concerned, or shall we say, FEARFUL telegraph operator reached for the sky as the bandit motioned him to come close into the car. He heard Beumont's attempt to sneak closer to the car and yelled out "You out there?" and followed that with "I hear you out there". Then Beumont responded and the bandit indicated that he wasn't going to let the lineman back out - he was his ticket to being able to avoid being hung. Beumont, after hearing the Texan ask "Are you a Georgia boy?" responded yes, and then promised the Texan that he wouldn't let the others hang him. When the Texan accepted that promise, I don't think he believed that the Georgian would knife him. After all, a promise "I won't let you hang" did imply some sort of offer of protection. Poor fool. Then again, the long drop was the only thing that awaited him, so perhaps Beumont kept his word out of mercy...

As a result of the time they now had on their hands, the three men started to get resources they would need if they were to leave the train. Four of the bandit's horses were still moving about - but maddenly difficult to approach before the horses would just move quickly away. Attached to the saddle of the horses, were saddle bags and bedrolls that the bandits had planned on using, not to mention rain slickers and the like. Eventually, one horse was caught, and with that horse, two more were quickly captured. Thinking that they had all they needed to escape, the two found John Cornwall adamant about not leaving the train and facing the music for having shot the Deputy earlier in the attack and partial escape of the bandits (McGill having been shot out of his saddle while trying to escape). Sean tried to reason with his friend that it was better to leave than possibly take the long fall off a gallows floor, but John Cornwall wouldn't hear anything of it. Finally, out of desperation, Sean threw what he hoped would be a sucker punch to his friend's jaw in the hopes of knocking him unconscious. Nice plan, but it failed to work. Despite a grazing blow to the jaw, John remained mad enough at the sudden brawling punch, that he drove a pile driver into Sean's stomach - knocking the wind out of him temporarily. Having positioned himself behind the fighting friends, Beumont just took out his pistol, and using the grip as a hammer, pistol whipped poor John into unconsciousness. John would be leaving the train whether he liked it or not, belly down on a saddle with his hands tied to his angles under the horse's belly!
Then a complication ensued. While tending to the wounded, the trio had found a doctor and his wife aboard the train willing to help the wounded. The two men were surprised in a big way, when the nurse by the name of Nancy Vasselly, begged the duo to take her with, her skills as a nurse would be useful thought Sean, but he left it up to Beumont to make the final decision. With Beumont's yes, the nurse was allowed to come along, but only after they ran down the remaining fourth horse so that everyone had a ride. Off they went, in pursuit of the bandits who had fled to the south. What they would have done had they caught up with the bandits is anyone's guess...
That night, the first camp they made after riding for about 4 hours before night fall, the four gathered about talking around a reasonably small campfire. They talked briefly of private things, and then eventually turned in to sleep. Ironically enough, the person with what might have been a mild concussion, blurred vision and a wicked headache, took the first watch. Midway through the night, John woke Sean up to get some sleep, only to have Sean waken the nurse in order to help his friend, whose vision was slightly blurred and whose headache was getting to be somewhat of a pain. She gave him a few drops of Tincture of Opiates (Alcohol and Opium) to ease his pain, and then went back to a slumber that was roused later with nightmares of such horror that she woke up screaming "NO!" to the consternation of the three men. First, she leaves her husband, and now the nightmares? What could be behind her dreams!

HalC
July 17th, 2016, 08:05
After Action report 2 continued:

Concerned with the situation they found themselves in, Beumont and Sean concluded that it might not be wise to hunt bandits with the lady present. In light of the pending rain storm that threatened the four - Sean indicated that his tracking abilities would likely be of little value once the tracks were washed out. Thus, it was determined they should head back to the train and decide whether they wished to head back to Kansas City or continue on towards Denver City. Having been gone only four hours ride the night before, it was thought that the best thing to do was split up and have John Cornwall along with Nancy Vassely head due north until they hit the tracks. Meanwhile, Beumont and Sean would head back to where the train was and see what the situation was, since the train with its coal tender continued on to Abilene to get help. Sure enough, the train had returned with a crew to repair the rail, clear the wreckage, and bring a Marshal from Abiline back - a rather strong man by the Name of Ben Thompson. When Sean and Beumont approached, they had the foresight to use the spy glass that Beumont had tucked away in his possessions back East. Seeing nothing to alarm them, they moved in and were approached by Ben and his friend. As the two approached each other, shots rang out - slow and measured "Bang", silence, "Bang", silence, and "Bang" yet again. This in turn caused the one with Ben to turn back towards the train and allow Ben to approach on his own. Throughout all of this there had been a steady drizzle of rain, and man and best were not overly happy with the discomfort, but that's nature for you.

After a short conversation where both Beumont and Sean tried to play it cagey, the marshal asked Beumont a trick question that was designed to get Beumont to stop pretending he wasn't Beumont...

Sean McClellan: Marshal?
Sean McClellan: yiour name wouldn't be Ben Thompson by chance would it?
GM: Reckon it might.
Marshal Thompson: reckon it might
Marshal Thompson: why do you ask?
Sean McClellan: Nothing. Just heard a few tales about you up Abilene way.
Marshal Thompson smiles
Marshal Thompson: none of it good I'm sure.
Beumont Creek: Well we will keep our eyes out for these gentlemen then.
Marshal Thompson: why don't you pull your hand away from your gun a little more and we both can relax?
Sean McClellan: sure
Marshal Thompson: and Beumont?
Marshal Thompson looks right at you.
Beumont Creek: Why do you say that?
Marshal Thompson: because you're dressed like a dandy
Marshal Thompson: and that fits the description of the passengers and the engineer to a T.
Beumont Creek: Welll I suppose I am
Marshal Thompson grins
Marshal Thompson: son, you act like you expect to be hung or something.
Marshal Thompson: between you and McClellan there
Marshal Thompson: you got $500 to split of the reward money
Marshal Thompson: per HEAD.
Marshal Thompson: lets see...
Beumont Creek: well,that is nice to hear. but what is your concern with John?
Marshal Thompson: four heads, plus McGill - that runs to what is it...
Marshal Thompson: 3 thousand dollars
Marshal Thompson: as for John?
Marshal Thompson: well
Marshal Thompson: some say he shot the Sheriff's deputy
Marshal Thompson: some day, the Deputy shot at him first.
Marshal Thompson: Me?
Beumont Creek: some would say he shot back at the deputy after he was shot at by the deputy.
Marshal Thompson: I'm a hankering to take John in for a nice quiet talk - but one where he gets to keep his gun if you catch my drift.
Sean McClellan: so you don't want him for shooting the Deputy?
Marshal Thompson: Didn't say that son.
Marshal Thompson: Just that he's not going in as a pirsoner is all.
Marshal Thompson: Way I'm hearing it...
Marshal Thompson: Things were wild.
Beumont Creek: they were.
Marshal Thompson: the lead was flying, and didn't no one all keep their wits about them.
Sean McClellan: you can say that again.


In the end, our heroes found that instead of being wanted for shooting a deputy, they were going to be rewarded for taking down some Ex-Confederate Soldiers who turned bandit. But, alas, that isn't where our story ends. Oh no. They turned back to ride along the tracks - sans Marshal Thompson, in order to find both Nancy and John waiting patiently for them on the tracks back to Kansas City not more than an hour's ride away. Gently, Beumont let Nancy Vassely know, that her husband was dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A rift had grown between the woman and her husband because just days before the train departed from Kansas City, short of funds, her husband had arranged for her to earn cash enough with an unexpected "job" in the second oldest profession known to man. Those nightmarish events would result in her taking any means to leave a husband she no longer respected, and whose plight touched the unexpectedly soft heart of Beumont once he learned of it. This would be something that almost cost four men their lives in Abilene later...

Fast forward in time by three days, and the four were now on their way to Abilene by horseback. A train would have made short work of the trek, but by horse, it turned into a three day ride. Tired, dirty, and uncomfortable, with petticoats that were never designed for horseback riding in a saddle, the woman attempted to keep her dignity about her as she dismounted in full view of an appreciative audience. With her head held up high, she walked towards the Grand Caldwell (a hotel) and was stopped short by whistles and catcalls. Of the three rowdie drunken cowboys walking about in Abilene, one cowboy's comment was more than Beumont could bear. The suggestion that the lady's virtue could be bought, a fellow Georgian lady from Atlanta, was more than even the Dandy could stomach, and without real thought, stormed towards the rowdies with but one thought in mind - gun in hand and a will to use it. Death stood but moments away, a heartbeat away for one, as he leveled his gun at the worst offender. Only the code of the west kept his ****ed single action colt's hammer from falling home and delivering death but a short distance away. That and his two friends, who had drawn in quick order, a lightning fast quick draw, and the other, a very fast quickdraw. In the end, four men saw four barrels (did I forget to mention that one fighter pulled out TWO guns in fast succession?) pointing at them, with a promise of at the very least, maiming or death, and discretion overcame valor and they said...

Rowdy: Lady! We were just funning, we're sorry!
Beumont Creek: well apologise to the Miss there not to me.
Nancy Vassely: That's ok Beu
Nancy Vassely: they apologized
Beumont Creek: It is now
Nancy Vassely: and thank you John.
Beumont Creek smiles
Nancy Vassely looks embarassed
Nancy Vassely: lets get off the street shall we?
Nancy Vassely looks like she wants to flee
Beumont Creek: Ok who wants a drink?
Sean McClellan: I'll take you up on that
Sean McClellan: Boys?
Sean McClellan: Let us buy you a round of drinks shall we?
John Cornwall: I want to find the Marshall
Rowdy: Hell YEAH!
Beumont Creek waves them along with
GM: The men, sensing the danger is passed, begin to troop towards the Grand Caldwell.

And so ends the second installment. John wants to talk to Marshal Ben Thompson to see about the potential trouble he might be in, while Beumont just wants to keep moving and stay out of trouble at all. Retiring into the Hotel, the need for a room, a bath, and privacy after the events on the street makes it mandatory that a hot bath be drawn just to remove the stench of horse sweat from their clothing. Nancy intends to find what shops if any, cater to a woman's need for clothing, and Sean? He just wants to get back to the Range, where he doesn't have to mind his manners around women, and where his best friend and he can do little more than wrangle the cows and follow the simple life. Besides, that pretty little nurse, all five two of her, with the long long hair, was too much out of the reach of the likes of him. With the way she talked, she probably had better than a fifth grade education. No, his dreams needed to be kept under wraps with the help of a whisky bottle...

HalC
August 14th, 2016, 07:31
Well, the next installment is in. We last left our adventurers in Abilene Kansas, debating their next move. Following up on the incident with the cowboys, the four fellow travelers decided to enjoy the comforts of the Grand Caldwell hotel. But even there, the travelers could not find total peace. After Nancy discussed the fact she needed to buy a black dress to mourn the death of her husband, her behavior with her compatriots didn't suggest she was mourning much for real. Perhaps her marriage had died before the death of her husband. In any event, the conversation at the table in the main dining area of the hotel was largely pleasant. They even met an interesting man who went the name of Dr. Eustace Abernathy, a man with a distinct Boston accent, even if Beumont Creek, Sean McClellan, and John Cornwall couldn't even recognize it as such. Then, they were waited upon by a pleasant waiter, who took their order happily enough. Once Beumont pulled out a deck of playing cards and started to teach his new table companions fine game of poker, he found himself the target of a busybody holier than thou type of woman who told him that cards and gambling where the roadway to Hell. If they wanted to continue to use the cards, they should go into the back area.

That set off a whole chain of events that would result in the five companions inclusive of the doctor, to dine in the back rooms. Showing a bit of extravagance, the good doctor arranged to pay a round of drinks for all of his fellow purgatory bound associates within the back room. Who knows, perhaps he wanted to be noticed, or be thought of as a rich man. Maybe he was in high spirits, only the doctor knew his reasons for sharing his wealth on drinks.

Although Lunch can be fun at a new place, eventually, there comes a time where people need to go about their business. For some, it was getting guns or some such sundries. For others, it was getting a dress to properly mourn a dead man. Finding a gunsmith's store with both knives and guns was fun enough, but getting one's hands on a genuine Jim Bowie knife was surely unexpected. Sadly, poor Dr. Eustace Abernathy had no clue as to who or what Jim Bowie was, or his fame - after all, what can an easterner from Boston know of such things? All that mattered to him was that the knife was a big one, sharp, or even exceedingly sharp - and that he was happy with his purchase. Beumont of course, had his own lucky surprise. There are times, rare, but to be sure, it happens, when a gun that is manufactured - seems to fit perfectly to one's hand. That the gunsmith had modified it further to make it more accurate, only made such a discovery all the sweeter. One might suspect that Beumont would rather sell his horse than to sell his gun. Perhaps someday, legends will be told about Beumont's deadly accuracy with said pistol. No such legends will arise about a gunsmith named Rusty McTavish however...

So, the day started pleasantly enough, but the five friends little knew what awaited them. For the whole time they were in town, some of Quantril's Raiders were about, and one in particular, had honed his rifle skills. A 30 lb rifle he'd sooner sell his sister than his rifle, had been with him throughout the War of Northern Aggression. It had picked off many a scoundrel wearing a Yankee uniform. It also put paid to more than a few collaborators helping the Yankees in Kansas. This time, this day - it would help pay back for the loss of McGill and four other fine men trying to rescue McGill, Those Carpet bagging lovers laughingly called sheriffs and marshals, were trying to get McGill to Colorado's Court house and face a kangaroo court would determine ahead of time, that McGill as guilty of murder. Beumont Creek and Sean McClellan had collected the bounty on those fine men, and on this day, the killer would be in God's house, in his highest spire, to rain hellfire on the two hated men named Sean McClellan and Beumont Creek.

First it was an easy shot on Sean McClellan. Standing outside of Millicent's Paris Fashions store. Unwilling to enter the store out of embarrassment, the sniper was able to train his rifle for a long time - and when his shot rang out, Sean McClellan would go down clutching his left arm, having determined to stand outside of the store facing the street as he leaned against the door way. Then, when the people arrived to see what had happened, they didn't realize that the shot had come from a fair distance away. And that there would be more. Sure enough, eventually Mr. Creek would poke his head out, following an excited boy sent to find Sean McClellan's friends with news he'd been shot. Sure enough, he'd walk right into the sights of the lone sniper, just waiting for this moment.

A slow breath in, and partially exhaled, the sniper knew that his target was going through the same door that Sean McClellan had lounged at before being shot. He had all the time to pick a moment when he'd let his finger pull all the way to where the gun would buck unexpectedly - sending lead true to his target. But, at the last moment, fate took a direct hand as a poor woman stepped in front of the bullet's path. It drilled through her, and finally through Beumont's torso. The woman fell, but Beumont remained standing, and stand he did, long enough that the sniper could have taken another shot but for the fact that his time to aim allowed Beumont to eventually find shelter.

As always, snipers have the luxury of taking their time to decide whether to let loose another shot, or slipping away. Choosing to slip away, the sniper hoped that his shots were damaging enough or failing that, his victims would suffer from infection from the wounds. It was his bad luck that there was both a nurse and doctor on hand to help Beumont and Sean. It was even worse luck, though he didnt' know it, that he was spotted riding away on his distinctive Steel Grey horse. Even worse? John Cornwall had decided to flank him rather than run up in the open against the church bell tower. Seems that the lessons of the War had taught John not to heedlessly throw his life away. But his very caution put him in a position to mark that horse - for someday, he may find it, and its owner together one day.

For now, Beumont rests in a mild morphine based haze, with the Nurse tending to his wounds with a tenderness he'd not see when he was conscious. Sean would recover from his wound to the arm, but the scar that would remain would be one reminder that Death comes at him from many directions. It isn't his first scar, and the life he lives didn't mean he won't collect more. Maybe, the one that ends his life will be coming his way - just not today. As for Dr. Eustace Abernathy? With his own demons gnawing at his soul, and his own sins to keep him company in his nightmares, he too will find comfort in a way he shouldn't. But for today, his destiny is to ride with Nurse Vassely, Sean McClellan, Beumont Creek, and John Cornwall. Maybe out Colorado way - he might find a rest from his own nightmares, find a place he could find peace and call home. Until both Sean and Beumont could recover sufficiently to continue their journey, like it or not, he was stuck in Kansas for a bit longer...