Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
"Revenge, Renewal and the Promise of a New Year" (Boot Hill/D&D)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2281858" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter 115, “Riley’s Tale”, Thursday, January 12th, 1882:</strong></p><p></p><p>Maggie Whipple comes out of the kitchen and talks briefly with Estaban. She then seats herself at the piano, and begins to play with him accompanying her on the guitar. After a few minutes it becomes clear that neither are playing an actual song but just improvising, with one first taking the lead and then another. During a particularly lively piece he puts down the guitar and picks up his maracas.</p><p></p><p>Kate slipped into a chair and breathed out. The candle was still burning on the table. "The jewels have no rightful owner. Jake, your suggestion yesterday morning was a good one. My part of the jewels at least can be used to help Maggie. If, in the end, she does leave and you need more to buy your partnership Jake, I'll be glad to help you. But I don't want to run a saloon. Ruby, Nanuet, what to do with your share is entirely up to you."</p><p></p><p>Jake replies, "Thanks, that is kind of you Katherine. I don't want to lead you on here, I don't know if I could partner with Maggie. Our backgrounds may be too dissimilar, know what I mean? I was willing to contribute if someone else was looking after my money. And with my current partners I think we can raise enough money to buy the Lone Star outright." Jake takes off his hat and runs his hand through his hair. "I guess I'm telling you I would have risked my money if you were running the show, and helped you where I could. You have other plans, and that's fine. It's actually better than fine, your plans."</p><p></p><p> "That doesn't sound like something a good gambler would say, Jake. You'd rather lay your money down with someone who has no experience running a saloon than with someone who's been doing it for two years and grew up in one?" Kate smiled at Jake. He replies, "True, a good gambler knows the odds and the facts, but there is more to it than that. And you don't win big without knowing when to go with your gut feel." He puts his hat back on and smiles. "So now what do we do with the jewels and foreign money? I'm guessing you can buy a lot of live stock with your share. Oh, and while you were off chatting I mentioned to the others about the wagon, you have $300 in my account at Condon's Bank."</p><p></p><p>"Thank you, the $300 will be useful for the ranch. As for the jewels, I think we'll have to look them over together. They aren't going to split easily, and I'm not sure how much worth the foreign currency will really have There's no way to know what's going to happen. You already said you won't interfere with what goes on in the Lone Star the next few nights, and that's good enough for me. We can deal with the rest as it comes." </p><p></p><p>Ruby suddenly speaks up. "I can look at them, the jewels that is." "Why does that not surprise me," Jake says patting her hand, "that you know something about the value of jewelry. Ruby looks at Jake and gives him a smile, saying nothing. Jake asks, “Katherine, can you bring them to Ruby to check out later and leave the money with me? I'll try and find out if it has any value. Unless someone else has an idea to do that. Has anybody else here got something to share while we have the candle burning?" </p><p></p><p>Jake says, "So, Katherine, what is going on with those strangers you were talking to. I'm sure they didn't come all the way here to tell you the jewels didn't have owners any more." She pulled out another of the foreign bills and handed it to Jake. "Look familiar? I expect all of this to remain confidential, these are secrets that will endanger the lives of those men." Katherine quickly sketched in the men's former ranks and deeds, leaving out the references to Mr. Gonzales' own past. She finished by filling them in on the men's current mission and the history of the jewels. "I can give you the rest of the currency before we leave for the Lone Star, which we should do in a few minutes. Ruby and I can take a look at the jewels in the morning." </p><p></p><p>Kate suddenly realized that Mr. Riley was sitting at the table with them. She silently berated herself for her carelessness. People should not tell her secrets. It was getting far too difficult to remember who knew what. She looks apologetically around the table and said. "Mr. Riley, we haven't seen you for the last day or so. Have you made any progress on your dreams?"</p><p></p><p>He is startled by her comment, apparently not having been paying any attention to the conversation. Riley speaks “Yes. I saw my Indian blood brother. He is now Nanuet’s teacher, the one who gave him the Apache Medicine Totem. He was able to cure me of the dreams. He said that I was actually seeing pictures of a possible future. He also said that I should share my story with all of you. My full name is James Riley. I am from Newton, Kansas, which is where my story takes place. </p><p></p><p>On a Friday night in August of 1871 my best friend Mike McCluskie got into an argument with a Texan named Billy Bailey at the Red Front Saloon. Both had had too much to drink and a first fight developed which soon found its way out into the street. Guns were drawn and McCluskie fired two shots at Bailey. The first missed but the second hit Bailey in the chest. He died the next day. Bailey had dangerous friends so at my urging McLuskie left town for the next week. After he returned both myself and our friend Jim Martin decided to stick with him like glue, each armed with a pair of revolvers although in truth only McCluskie had ever fired one. </p><p></p><p>That Saturday night, August 19th, 1871 we went to a dance at Tuttle's Dance Hall. We stayed until the early hours of Sunday morning. At around 1:00 a.m. Perry Tuttle let the band go home. We were still sitting at a faro table an hour later when some of Bailey’s Texan friends arrived, namely Billy Garrett, Henry Kearnes, and Jim Wilkerson enter. They had come for the sole purpose of killing McCluskie. They waited until another friend; Hugh Anderson arrived, as he was the ringleader. </p><p></p><p>Anderson walked directly to McCluskie and yelled, "You are a cowardly son-of-a-bitch! I will blow the top of your head off!" Jim Martin jumped up and tried to stop the fight. Anderson drew his gun and shot McCluskie in the neck, knocking him to the floor. McCluskie half-rose, gun in hand, and attempted to shoot Anderson in the chest. The cap-and-ball pistol misfired. McCluskie fell facedown on the floor before he could fire again. Anderson then fired another shot directly into McCluskie’s back. </p><p></p><p>Garrett, Kearns, and Wilkerson all drew their guns and shot their pistols into the air, attempting to keep the crowd back. I can’t tell you why but something inside me snapped. I couldn’t sit there any longer. I stood up as I pulled both guns from my belt, pointed towards the four men, and began firing in the general direction of the Texans. As I said, I had never fired a gun before. My friend Jim Martin was the first one hit, a stray bullet hitting his neck. He grabbed his neck and ran out of the saloon, across the filed, and died on the steps of Krum's dance hall. I kept firing until my guns were empty. When I was finished six men lay unmoving on the floor. I walked out of the dance hall. </p><p></p><p>I had shot all four of the Texans, but only Garrett and Kearnes died. Anderson was shot and killed a year later by McCluskie’s brother. Wilkerson was disfigured by a shot to his nose and has a limp for a shot in the leg, but he survived. I have spent much of the past decade looking for him. The other two men who I shot were innocent bystanders. Dan Hickey, a foreman for the Santa Fe Railroad, was wounded in the calf but survived. His friend Patrick Lee, a brakeman for the Santa Fe Railroad, was hit in the stomach and died. </p><p></p><p>I left Newton Kansas and never looked back. The lawmen never came after me. I was in the advanced stages of tuberculosis so they just assumed that I had died. And I would have if the Indian Kajika had not found me and nursed me back to health using his native medicine. We rode together for two years thereafter until he was summoned home to help with Chief Cochise, who was dying. So I have spend over a decade haunted by the fact that I killed an innocent man and one of my best friends. Kajika says that Nanuet recently suffered something similar and that we can help each others through our grief and go on to make something of our lives, as tributes to our departed friends."</p><p></p><p>"That's quite a story." Jake says and takes another sip, "Now what? I mean you've seen us in your possible future. What do we have in common?" "Yeah, maybe now you should tell us what you saw," adds Ruby. </p><p></p><p>He replies, "The main person in all of these dreams was a woman centaur. Nanuet said that she was a friend of yours. She was leading me first around a campfire, then to a cabin where she had me pick up my weapons and then up and into the Mountains. The mountains were cold and dark. She motioned for me to join a group of six others, you five and that Chester guy. She said that there was some sort of monstrous creature that was a spirit linked to the Native American people. An earth spirit she called it. The creature was in a cave and it was our job to protect it. The creature's image was never clear, but the centaur said that we were the only people who could keep it from being destroyed. </p><p></p><p>First we had to protect it against another group of monsters - giants, ogres and some large furry bear like creatures. I also had another recurring dream that was almost like the other one except in it we were protecting the monster against a group of cowboys. The leader of these men wore a fancy buckskin jacket with tassels and fringes and had long curly blonde hair. Kajika was able to deduce one more thing, he had me describe what the moon looked like in these dreams, it's fullness and specifically where it rose and set. If he is correct about these being premonitions then this will all take place next week between the middle and end of the week."</p><p></p><p>Sonoma who says, “So we need to prepare for protecting some kind of monster in the mountains” interrupts the silence that follows? Against other monsters and cowboys? Life is never dull with this group is it?” "Hold on a second," Ruby says interrupting Sonoma, "Is there anyone here besides me who thinks this is crazy? How are WE going to protect this creature? I mean, look at me, I'm not exactly the crawling-in-the- mountains-hunter-protector type and neither are any of you except Nanuet here." She pauses to point at him. "And why us?"</p><p></p><p>Jim Riley snaps back "Hey, don't go blaming me. I certainly didn't ask for these dreams. I've gone nine nights now without much sleep and this sleep deprivations is really taking its toll. I'm glad that Kajika has finally cured me, otherwise I wouldn't be much good to anyone." "Obviously you are sleep deprived, I didn't blame you for anything," Ruby replies, trying to keep herself calm again in what was amounting to a bad day.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet, who has been more quiet than usual (if that is possible) finally, speaks. "Everyone please calm down. These visions may tell the future or they may just be dreams or have another meaning besides the future. If they do tell the future, you may as well embrace it and prepare for it because you will not be able to avoid it. I will meet with Kajika again soon and maybe I will learn more from him. Until we know more attend to your normal business, I know we all have enough of it. I have much in my head right now that needs to be sorted out. If I am no longer needed I will retire to the church's grove. Mr. Riley, you may accompany me if you wish." Riley looks at Nanuet and says "You're kidding, right? The only place I'm going is up to my room to sleep." He gets up and heads up the stairs.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet waits for the other's response. Sonoma reaches over to Nanuet and gives him a quick kiss "go and try to find your peace I will see you in the morning" Nanuet smiles at the gesture from Sonoma and continues although now towards the door a bit reluctantly. A human male around twenty-five years in age walks into the El Parador. As Nanuet is heading for the door he stops and pauses as something about the determined look on the man's face looks odd. The man has a scruffy beard and balding head, wearing jeans, a tan cotton shirt, leather vest and brown cowboy hat. </p><p></p><p>The man walks right over to the poker table where Carlos Ramirez has just begun a card game. As Carlos looks up in his direction the man begins to draw a revolver from his belt and yells out “I warned you to stay away from my wife you stinking Mexican.” Nanuet attempts to quietly make his way behind the man drawing his dagger as he moves. He also takes a glance at the rest of his friends to see what actions they might be taking. Sonoma heads over to the bar for some cover.</p><p></p><p>Jake gets up and stands between Ruby and the other folks in the room in an attempt to block their vision of her in case she wants to do something that she'd rather not have them see. He puts his hand on his Colt and does a quick check of whether he has a clear shot between him, the man drawing his gun and beyond.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet is able to close within ten feet by the time the man has his gun raised. Jake is on his feet, hand on gun. Sonoma has quickly scampered to the bar. Katherine and Ruby both notice the half-elf wizard Carlos Wyman taking advantage of the aura of sound obscurement surrounding his table and the fact that everyone in the room is now focused on the poker table in that he is starting an incantation. </p><p></p><p>The man extends his hand forward, the barrel of the gun now being a mere three feet from Carlos's face and yells "Die Jose Ramirez" as his finger starts to depress on the trigger. (Note - Carlos's twin brother Jose tends bar at the El Parador but hasn't arrived yet tonight). "Whoa, buckaroo, wrong Ramirez." Jake shouts, "If'n ya want to hang it ought to be for shootin' the right guy."</p><p></p><p>The shot fires. The bullet exits the barrel and proceeds directly forward to Carlos's face. To him it is traveling in slow motion as his life flashes before his eyes. As it closes to less than a foot from him it then changes direction as if striking something and deflects upwards towards the ceiling. Jake Cook is yelling something from across the room and Sonoma is muttering something from behind the bar but Carlos is too busy attempting to duck down beneath the table to notice as the man begins to fire a second shot from his double-action revolver. Nanuet closes the distance to him in that amount to time.</p><p></p><p>Sonoma changes her muttering to help protect Nanuet from the crazed man with the gun while loading the firearm that sits behind the bar. She's hoping she'll be able to pass the gun off to someone who will actually be able to shoot the thing once loaded. Kate took a quick look around the room. She grabbed a bottle of an adjacent table and began to mutter, thankful for all the noise in the room. She moved toward the man from the opposite side than Nanuet, lifting the bottle to smash it over the gunman's head muttering the ending words of a sleep spell.</p><p></p><p>Nanuet manages to wrest the man's gun from his hand simultaneous to Kate striking him with her bottle and casting the spell. He collapses to the floor. Beneath the table Carlos sees his opponent fall and looks up, muttering "He didn't kill Jose but I think that I might." Ruby notes the half-elf at the other table make a motion to cancel his spell. Pedro grabs the double-barreled shotgun from Sonoma and yells out "Everybody stay where you are!"</p><p></p><p>Jake sits back down at the table and grabs the bourbon. He refills Ruby's glass followed by his own. "Anybody else?" Sonoma looks to find Ricardo "Go find Jose and get him back here now I don't care what he is doing or what he thinks he should be doing find him NOW!” Ricardo takes off like a child possessed. He's heard that tone of voice from Sonoma only a couple of times and he knows better than to fool with her in the mood she's now in. Sonoma goes over to the man who is down checks his body for other weapons sits him in a chair and hog-ties him just to be safe. She then looks straight at Carlos "When I get a hold of your twin...”</p><p></p><p>During the little bit of chaos that follows the shooting, Jake pulls Ruby's chair closer to him. He's grateful of that the candle is still burning. “So Ruby, I hope you aren't mad that I asked you to officially be my partner in front of all of them. I don't know what is going to happen here, I'm sure we'll be fine. I know how you feel sometimes, and I... well... didn't want to cross a line. Do you know what I am trying to say?" Jake lowers his head and covers his eyes with his hand for a quick moment before looking up again. "How could you, I don't know what I'm trying to say." </p><p></p><p>Ruby lays her hand gently on Jake’s arm. “How could I be mad, Jake? It’s just what I wanted. I know what you are trying to say and I can’t deny it is very hard for me to imagine staying here for a long period of time.” Ruby starts biting on her lip but realizes she is doing it and quickly stops. “But other um, considerations, have come to my attention and the thought of leaving is not as appealing as the thought of staying anymore. Do you know what I am saying?” "I think so." He fills her glass again and touches his to hers. "Cheers." They take a drink. "Besides, we can always sell the Lone Star if we get bored with it." He says with a grin. </p><p></p><p>Ruby grins back at him. "Yes we can. But as long as we're both around I doubt things will ever get boring.” Ruby pauses to run her hand through her hair then pull it to the side before continuing. “But I have to admit, Jake, that I really want this. I don’t know why I do but I do.” She shrugs. "And it’s been a long time since I wanted anything like this and it’s even better since you want it with me.” "It'll give me a place to play when I want," Jake swirls his drink, "and I like to see you smile." </p><p></p><p>"So can you believe what Mr. Gonzales said about me being his golden eagle? That was odd I think." "More than a little passing strange. But hey, nice image though. I'm usually called some fouler animal." He laughs. "He knows way too much about things." “He seems to know everything. Good thing he likes us,” Ruby laughs. “I am his golden eagle after all.” "He likes you. I suspect he tolerates me, but it works." </p><p></p><p>Ruby smiles. "He likes you or you might not still be hanging around." Ruby furrows her brow for a moment, "That reminds me, I have to get your jacket from him. Try to remind me. I get so easily distracted these days..." as she smiles at him again. "I might need that thing, I'm worried about having Riley with us." Jake reaches out and gives her hair a little pull. "I hope he's learned to shoot his gun better in all those years, last time he was in a gun fight he killed his friends too." Jake makes a little grimace and then laughs.</p><p></p><p>"You are right, you do need it, I want my new partner to stay safe and sound." She reaches out and strokes Jake's face. "I'm going to get it after this shooting nonsense. I mean, maybe if the guy kept his wife happy she wouldn't be wandering and he wouldn't be coming into our Cantina and ruining our dinner..." Ruby takes a sip of her bourbon. "This stuff is pretty good actually." He replies, "Well, for me it's not as good as Kentucky bourbon, but it surely is better than most of the swill they pass as whiskey around here." </p><p></p><p>Nanuet is astounded that Jake and Ruby are acting as if an armed man did not just walk in and threaten to murder someone right in front of them in cold blood. That Kate is standing in the contents of a broken bottle of liquor and that Sonoma and he were in the middle of tying the violent man up. "Nothing phases you two does it?" </p><p></p><p>Ruby turns to Katherine. "It's almost time to go, right? I have to get ready and I still have two new dresses that need wearing." Jake says, "I'll be over to the Lone Star later to talk to Job and then confirm with grumpy Tom that we are interested if he's selling the whole thing. And of course I didn't hardly get to hear you sing last night, tonight will be different." </p><p></p><p>"What?" Kate said suddenly, the top half of the broken bottle still in her hand. Her senses seemed very sharp at the moment. Maggie's hands still laying on the piano keys, Conrad Booth staring over toward the now unconscious man, Pedro standing up on the bar. She carefully set the bottle back down on the table she had snatched it from. The sleeve of her dress was soaked with whiskey. "Damn," she muttered as she absently sat down. "I'm going to have to change again." "You haven't even started serving yet and already covered in whiskey. I'll bet Carlos will pay for the cleaning for you, after all you were serving his table." Jake gives her a wink.</p><p></p><p>Ruby says, "I hope you will get to hear me sing tonight, Jake. I always sing better when you are there." Ruby glances around the room. The shooting was still being investigated. "I'm going to run up and get ready. I don't think they need me for anything."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 2281858, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter 115, “Riley’s Tale”, Thursday, January 12th, 1882:[/B] Maggie Whipple comes out of the kitchen and talks briefly with Estaban. She then seats herself at the piano, and begins to play with him accompanying her on the guitar. After a few minutes it becomes clear that neither are playing an actual song but just improvising, with one first taking the lead and then another. During a particularly lively piece he puts down the guitar and picks up his maracas. Kate slipped into a chair and breathed out. The candle was still burning on the table. "The jewels have no rightful owner. Jake, your suggestion yesterday morning was a good one. My part of the jewels at least can be used to help Maggie. If, in the end, she does leave and you need more to buy your partnership Jake, I'll be glad to help you. But I don't want to run a saloon. Ruby, Nanuet, what to do with your share is entirely up to you." Jake replies, "Thanks, that is kind of you Katherine. I don't want to lead you on here, I don't know if I could partner with Maggie. Our backgrounds may be too dissimilar, know what I mean? I was willing to contribute if someone else was looking after my money. And with my current partners I think we can raise enough money to buy the Lone Star outright." Jake takes off his hat and runs his hand through his hair. "I guess I'm telling you I would have risked my money if you were running the show, and helped you where I could. You have other plans, and that's fine. It's actually better than fine, your plans." "That doesn't sound like something a good gambler would say, Jake. You'd rather lay your money down with someone who has no experience running a saloon than with someone who's been doing it for two years and grew up in one?" Kate smiled at Jake. He replies, "True, a good gambler knows the odds and the facts, but there is more to it than that. And you don't win big without knowing when to go with your gut feel." He puts his hat back on and smiles. "So now what do we do with the jewels and foreign money? I'm guessing you can buy a lot of live stock with your share. Oh, and while you were off chatting I mentioned to the others about the wagon, you have $300 in my account at Condon's Bank." "Thank you, the $300 will be useful for the ranch. As for the jewels, I think we'll have to look them over together. They aren't going to split easily, and I'm not sure how much worth the foreign currency will really have There's no way to know what's going to happen. You already said you won't interfere with what goes on in the Lone Star the next few nights, and that's good enough for me. We can deal with the rest as it comes." Ruby suddenly speaks up. "I can look at them, the jewels that is." "Why does that not surprise me," Jake says patting her hand, "that you know something about the value of jewelry. Ruby looks at Jake and gives him a smile, saying nothing. Jake asks, “Katherine, can you bring them to Ruby to check out later and leave the money with me? I'll try and find out if it has any value. Unless someone else has an idea to do that. Has anybody else here got something to share while we have the candle burning?" Jake says, "So, Katherine, what is going on with those strangers you were talking to. I'm sure they didn't come all the way here to tell you the jewels didn't have owners any more." She pulled out another of the foreign bills and handed it to Jake. "Look familiar? I expect all of this to remain confidential, these are secrets that will endanger the lives of those men." Katherine quickly sketched in the men's former ranks and deeds, leaving out the references to Mr. Gonzales' own past. She finished by filling them in on the men's current mission and the history of the jewels. "I can give you the rest of the currency before we leave for the Lone Star, which we should do in a few minutes. Ruby and I can take a look at the jewels in the morning." Kate suddenly realized that Mr. Riley was sitting at the table with them. She silently berated herself for her carelessness. People should not tell her secrets. It was getting far too difficult to remember who knew what. She looks apologetically around the table and said. "Mr. Riley, we haven't seen you for the last day or so. Have you made any progress on your dreams?" He is startled by her comment, apparently not having been paying any attention to the conversation. Riley speaks “Yes. I saw my Indian blood brother. He is now Nanuet’s teacher, the one who gave him the Apache Medicine Totem. He was able to cure me of the dreams. He said that I was actually seeing pictures of a possible future. He also said that I should share my story with all of you. My full name is James Riley. I am from Newton, Kansas, which is where my story takes place. On a Friday night in August of 1871 my best friend Mike McCluskie got into an argument with a Texan named Billy Bailey at the Red Front Saloon. Both had had too much to drink and a first fight developed which soon found its way out into the street. Guns were drawn and McCluskie fired two shots at Bailey. The first missed but the second hit Bailey in the chest. He died the next day. Bailey had dangerous friends so at my urging McLuskie left town for the next week. After he returned both myself and our friend Jim Martin decided to stick with him like glue, each armed with a pair of revolvers although in truth only McCluskie had ever fired one. That Saturday night, August 19th, 1871 we went to a dance at Tuttle's Dance Hall. We stayed until the early hours of Sunday morning. At around 1:00 a.m. Perry Tuttle let the band go home. We were still sitting at a faro table an hour later when some of Bailey’s Texan friends arrived, namely Billy Garrett, Henry Kearnes, and Jim Wilkerson enter. They had come for the sole purpose of killing McCluskie. They waited until another friend; Hugh Anderson arrived, as he was the ringleader. Anderson walked directly to McCluskie and yelled, "You are a cowardly son-of-a-bitch! I will blow the top of your head off!" Jim Martin jumped up and tried to stop the fight. Anderson drew his gun and shot McCluskie in the neck, knocking him to the floor. McCluskie half-rose, gun in hand, and attempted to shoot Anderson in the chest. The cap-and-ball pistol misfired. McCluskie fell facedown on the floor before he could fire again. Anderson then fired another shot directly into McCluskie’s back. Garrett, Kearns, and Wilkerson all drew their guns and shot their pistols into the air, attempting to keep the crowd back. I can’t tell you why but something inside me snapped. I couldn’t sit there any longer. I stood up as I pulled both guns from my belt, pointed towards the four men, and began firing in the general direction of the Texans. As I said, I had never fired a gun before. My friend Jim Martin was the first one hit, a stray bullet hitting his neck. He grabbed his neck and ran out of the saloon, across the filed, and died on the steps of Krum's dance hall. I kept firing until my guns were empty. When I was finished six men lay unmoving on the floor. I walked out of the dance hall. I had shot all four of the Texans, but only Garrett and Kearnes died. Anderson was shot and killed a year later by McCluskie’s brother. Wilkerson was disfigured by a shot to his nose and has a limp for a shot in the leg, but he survived. I have spent much of the past decade looking for him. The other two men who I shot were innocent bystanders. Dan Hickey, a foreman for the Santa Fe Railroad, was wounded in the calf but survived. His friend Patrick Lee, a brakeman for the Santa Fe Railroad, was hit in the stomach and died. I left Newton Kansas and never looked back. The lawmen never came after me. I was in the advanced stages of tuberculosis so they just assumed that I had died. And I would have if the Indian Kajika had not found me and nursed me back to health using his native medicine. We rode together for two years thereafter until he was summoned home to help with Chief Cochise, who was dying. So I have spend over a decade haunted by the fact that I killed an innocent man and one of my best friends. Kajika says that Nanuet recently suffered something similar and that we can help each others through our grief and go on to make something of our lives, as tributes to our departed friends." "That's quite a story." Jake says and takes another sip, "Now what? I mean you've seen us in your possible future. What do we have in common?" "Yeah, maybe now you should tell us what you saw," adds Ruby. He replies, "The main person in all of these dreams was a woman centaur. Nanuet said that she was a friend of yours. She was leading me first around a campfire, then to a cabin where she had me pick up my weapons and then up and into the Mountains. The mountains were cold and dark. She motioned for me to join a group of six others, you five and that Chester guy. She said that there was some sort of monstrous creature that was a spirit linked to the Native American people. An earth spirit she called it. The creature was in a cave and it was our job to protect it. The creature's image was never clear, but the centaur said that we were the only people who could keep it from being destroyed. First we had to protect it against another group of monsters - giants, ogres and some large furry bear like creatures. I also had another recurring dream that was almost like the other one except in it we were protecting the monster against a group of cowboys. The leader of these men wore a fancy buckskin jacket with tassels and fringes and had long curly blonde hair. Kajika was able to deduce one more thing, he had me describe what the moon looked like in these dreams, it's fullness and specifically where it rose and set. If he is correct about these being premonitions then this will all take place next week between the middle and end of the week." Sonoma who says, “So we need to prepare for protecting some kind of monster in the mountains” interrupts the silence that follows? Against other monsters and cowboys? Life is never dull with this group is it?” "Hold on a second," Ruby says interrupting Sonoma, "Is there anyone here besides me who thinks this is crazy? How are WE going to protect this creature? I mean, look at me, I'm not exactly the crawling-in-the- mountains-hunter-protector type and neither are any of you except Nanuet here." She pauses to point at him. "And why us?" Jim Riley snaps back "Hey, don't go blaming me. I certainly didn't ask for these dreams. I've gone nine nights now without much sleep and this sleep deprivations is really taking its toll. I'm glad that Kajika has finally cured me, otherwise I wouldn't be much good to anyone." "Obviously you are sleep deprived, I didn't blame you for anything," Ruby replies, trying to keep herself calm again in what was amounting to a bad day. Nanuet, who has been more quiet than usual (if that is possible) finally, speaks. "Everyone please calm down. These visions may tell the future or they may just be dreams or have another meaning besides the future. If they do tell the future, you may as well embrace it and prepare for it because you will not be able to avoid it. I will meet with Kajika again soon and maybe I will learn more from him. Until we know more attend to your normal business, I know we all have enough of it. I have much in my head right now that needs to be sorted out. If I am no longer needed I will retire to the church's grove. Mr. Riley, you may accompany me if you wish." Riley looks at Nanuet and says "You're kidding, right? The only place I'm going is up to my room to sleep." He gets up and heads up the stairs. Nanuet waits for the other's response. Sonoma reaches over to Nanuet and gives him a quick kiss "go and try to find your peace I will see you in the morning" Nanuet smiles at the gesture from Sonoma and continues although now towards the door a bit reluctantly. A human male around twenty-five years in age walks into the El Parador. As Nanuet is heading for the door he stops and pauses as something about the determined look on the man's face looks odd. The man has a scruffy beard and balding head, wearing jeans, a tan cotton shirt, leather vest and brown cowboy hat. The man walks right over to the poker table where Carlos Ramirez has just begun a card game. As Carlos looks up in his direction the man begins to draw a revolver from his belt and yells out “I warned you to stay away from my wife you stinking Mexican.” Nanuet attempts to quietly make his way behind the man drawing his dagger as he moves. He also takes a glance at the rest of his friends to see what actions they might be taking. Sonoma heads over to the bar for some cover. Jake gets up and stands between Ruby and the other folks in the room in an attempt to block their vision of her in case she wants to do something that she'd rather not have them see. He puts his hand on his Colt and does a quick check of whether he has a clear shot between him, the man drawing his gun and beyond. Nanuet is able to close within ten feet by the time the man has his gun raised. Jake is on his feet, hand on gun. Sonoma has quickly scampered to the bar. Katherine and Ruby both notice the half-elf wizard Carlos Wyman taking advantage of the aura of sound obscurement surrounding his table and the fact that everyone in the room is now focused on the poker table in that he is starting an incantation. The man extends his hand forward, the barrel of the gun now being a mere three feet from Carlos's face and yells "Die Jose Ramirez" as his finger starts to depress on the trigger. (Note - Carlos's twin brother Jose tends bar at the El Parador but hasn't arrived yet tonight). "Whoa, buckaroo, wrong Ramirez." Jake shouts, "If'n ya want to hang it ought to be for shootin' the right guy." The shot fires. The bullet exits the barrel and proceeds directly forward to Carlos's face. To him it is traveling in slow motion as his life flashes before his eyes. As it closes to less than a foot from him it then changes direction as if striking something and deflects upwards towards the ceiling. Jake Cook is yelling something from across the room and Sonoma is muttering something from behind the bar but Carlos is too busy attempting to duck down beneath the table to notice as the man begins to fire a second shot from his double-action revolver. Nanuet closes the distance to him in that amount to time. Sonoma changes her muttering to help protect Nanuet from the crazed man with the gun while loading the firearm that sits behind the bar. She's hoping she'll be able to pass the gun off to someone who will actually be able to shoot the thing once loaded. Kate took a quick look around the room. She grabbed a bottle of an adjacent table and began to mutter, thankful for all the noise in the room. She moved toward the man from the opposite side than Nanuet, lifting the bottle to smash it over the gunman's head muttering the ending words of a sleep spell. Nanuet manages to wrest the man's gun from his hand simultaneous to Kate striking him with her bottle and casting the spell. He collapses to the floor. Beneath the table Carlos sees his opponent fall and looks up, muttering "He didn't kill Jose but I think that I might." Ruby notes the half-elf at the other table make a motion to cancel his spell. Pedro grabs the double-barreled shotgun from Sonoma and yells out "Everybody stay where you are!" Jake sits back down at the table and grabs the bourbon. He refills Ruby's glass followed by his own. "Anybody else?" Sonoma looks to find Ricardo "Go find Jose and get him back here now I don't care what he is doing or what he thinks he should be doing find him NOW!” Ricardo takes off like a child possessed. He's heard that tone of voice from Sonoma only a couple of times and he knows better than to fool with her in the mood she's now in. Sonoma goes over to the man who is down checks his body for other weapons sits him in a chair and hog-ties him just to be safe. She then looks straight at Carlos "When I get a hold of your twin...” During the little bit of chaos that follows the shooting, Jake pulls Ruby's chair closer to him. He's grateful of that the candle is still burning. “So Ruby, I hope you aren't mad that I asked you to officially be my partner in front of all of them. I don't know what is going to happen here, I'm sure we'll be fine. I know how you feel sometimes, and I... well... didn't want to cross a line. Do you know what I am trying to say?" Jake lowers his head and covers his eyes with his hand for a quick moment before looking up again. "How could you, I don't know what I'm trying to say." Ruby lays her hand gently on Jake’s arm. “How could I be mad, Jake? It’s just what I wanted. I know what you are trying to say and I can’t deny it is very hard for me to imagine staying here for a long period of time.” Ruby starts biting on her lip but realizes she is doing it and quickly stops. “But other um, considerations, have come to my attention and the thought of leaving is not as appealing as the thought of staying anymore. Do you know what I am saying?” "I think so." He fills her glass again and touches his to hers. "Cheers." They take a drink. "Besides, we can always sell the Lone Star if we get bored with it." He says with a grin. Ruby grins back at him. "Yes we can. But as long as we're both around I doubt things will ever get boring.” Ruby pauses to run her hand through her hair then pull it to the side before continuing. “But I have to admit, Jake, that I really want this. I don’t know why I do but I do.” She shrugs. "And it’s been a long time since I wanted anything like this and it’s even better since you want it with me.” "It'll give me a place to play when I want," Jake swirls his drink, "and I like to see you smile." "So can you believe what Mr. Gonzales said about me being his golden eagle? That was odd I think." "More than a little passing strange. But hey, nice image though. I'm usually called some fouler animal." He laughs. "He knows way too much about things." “He seems to know everything. Good thing he likes us,” Ruby laughs. “I am his golden eagle after all.” "He likes you. I suspect he tolerates me, but it works." Ruby smiles. "He likes you or you might not still be hanging around." Ruby furrows her brow for a moment, "That reminds me, I have to get your jacket from him. Try to remind me. I get so easily distracted these days..." as she smiles at him again. "I might need that thing, I'm worried about having Riley with us." Jake reaches out and gives her hair a little pull. "I hope he's learned to shoot his gun better in all those years, last time he was in a gun fight he killed his friends too." Jake makes a little grimace and then laughs. "You are right, you do need it, I want my new partner to stay safe and sound." She reaches out and strokes Jake's face. "I'm going to get it after this shooting nonsense. I mean, maybe if the guy kept his wife happy she wouldn't be wandering and he wouldn't be coming into our Cantina and ruining our dinner..." Ruby takes a sip of her bourbon. "This stuff is pretty good actually." He replies, "Well, for me it's not as good as Kentucky bourbon, but it surely is better than most of the swill they pass as whiskey around here." Nanuet is astounded that Jake and Ruby are acting as if an armed man did not just walk in and threaten to murder someone right in front of them in cold blood. That Kate is standing in the contents of a broken bottle of liquor and that Sonoma and he were in the middle of tying the violent man up. "Nothing phases you two does it?" Ruby turns to Katherine. "It's almost time to go, right? I have to get ready and I still have two new dresses that need wearing." Jake says, "I'll be over to the Lone Star later to talk to Job and then confirm with grumpy Tom that we are interested if he's selling the whole thing. And of course I didn't hardly get to hear you sing last night, tonight will be different." "What?" Kate said suddenly, the top half of the broken bottle still in her hand. Her senses seemed very sharp at the moment. Maggie's hands still laying on the piano keys, Conrad Booth staring over toward the now unconscious man, Pedro standing up on the bar. She carefully set the bottle back down on the table she had snatched it from. The sleeve of her dress was soaked with whiskey. "Damn," she muttered as she absently sat down. "I'm going to have to change again." "You haven't even started serving yet and already covered in whiskey. I'll bet Carlos will pay for the cleaning for you, after all you were serving his table." Jake gives her a wink. Ruby says, "I hope you will get to hear me sing tonight, Jake. I always sing better when you are there." Ruby glances around the room. The shooting was still being investigated. "I'm going to run up and get ready. I don't think they need me for anything." [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
"Revenge, Renewal and the Promise of a New Year" (Boot Hill/D&D)
Top