Silver Moon
Adventurer
Chapter 35, “Confrontation in the Alley”, October 26th, 1881, 2:45 P.M.
Arcade and Morgana walk down Freemont Street towards the alleyway. Arcade comments, “It’s too bad your druid spells duplicate mine, I’ve already got that covered.” She smiles and says “Never hurts to have more of a good thing, and as for cover, you’ve never complained before whenever I was uncovered.”
They clear the corner building and look down into the alleyway. The five cowboys are still standing there. At the sight of Arcade the one who they do not know (Billy Claibourne) runs behind the nearest building. Both Clantons and both McLaurys stand their ground as the other two walk further down the alley. Ike Clanton backs up towards the Photo Studio wall and Tom McLaury pivots his horse around to provide him with some cover. Billy Clanton says where he was while Frank McLaury actually moves forward, walking his horse a bit so that he is now closer to the new Winchester rifle sticking out of the saddlebag.
“What do you want?” Frank asks. “We’re just here to talk,” Arcade replies. “I don’t think there’s anything in particular for us to talk about,” Tom states. Morgana interjects, “There is if you’re looking to be causing trouble.” “We’re not causing any trouble here,” Billy exclaims. Morgana says, “Really? Then let me refresh your memory. Ike Clanton has just challenged Doc Holliday to a gunfight at the O.K. Corral and you’re all waiting here in the alley to bushwhack him when he passes by here on the way to the corral.” They appear a bit surprised by her knowledge, but Frank is quick to recover, saying, “This is a private matter between Ike and Holliday.” “Then why are the rest of you here?” Arcades states. Frank replies, “To make sure it stays between just those two. We don’t trust the Earps to stay out of it.”
Arcade and Morgana stop walking when they are ten feet in front of Frank. Ike is the furthest back at around thirty feet away. Morgana says, “I believe that one of the Earps is the Tombstone Marshal, and has a right to enforce the law.” “His brothers don’t have the right to bully everyone,” Tom exclaims. Ike blurts out, “That Marshal has already taken a rifle and shotgun away from me. (DM’s Note: It was actually Sheriff Behan who took the rifle). Frank says, “Look, this doesn’t concern you. It is a local law enforcement matter.” “How do you know? Maybe it does concern us,” Morgana replies.
After a long pause Frank states, “You’re Arcade, right?” “A’Yup,” is the response. “I’ve heard about you,” Frank states. “All good I hope,” Arcade replies. Frank answers, “What do you care about this for? Arcade gestures over to a nearby window of Harwood’s Boarding House and says, “You see there? That’s where my lady friend here is staying. She doesn’t take kindly to cowboys disturbing her afternoon by having gunfights outside her room. She’d also rather not have any stray bullets finding their way inside, if you know what I mean.” “That room?” Tom states, pointing. Arcade raises his voice and says, “Louie, wave hello to the cowboys.” The half-orc moves the curtain aside with his gun barrel and smiles a toothy grin, exposing his fangs.
“So you just want us to move away from where you’re staying?” Frank asks. Morgana yells out, “No! We don’t want you shooting up the town. Violence is wrong, and we’re going to stop you from killing each other whether you like it or not.” Frank blurts out, “Oh, shut up little lady. Arcade, are you going to let your woman talk for you?” Arcade replies, “Keep poking at her and you’ll see exactly what this ‘little lady’ is capable of.”
Morgana takes that as a cue for a little demonstration. She casts a “Gather” cantrip, which is a low-level wizard apprentice spell used to pull one or more small nearby objects over to the spellcaster. In this instance the items she decides to gather are the bullets and cartridges along the front of Frank’s gun belt. Everyone is started when the dozen or so shells levitate out of the belt and then fly forward, landing in a pile in her outstretched hand. “She’s a witch!” Ike yells.
Morgana decides to play that for all it is worth and replies, “I could be. They didn’t hang all the witches back in Salem Massachusetts you know.” In a dramatic gesture she then tosses the bullets to the ground and then states, “I could have just as easily had these bullets explode while inside of all of your gun belts and weapons. Or I could pull all of your weapons out of your hands and have the barrels twist so that they can never be fired again. Is that what you want?” (DM’s note: Actually, she can’t, but the cowboys don’t know that.)
Tom says, “Lady, we just came to town to conduct business. That’s not against the law you know.” “And have you concluded your business?” she replies. “I believe we have. We just came to help out our friend Ike. I think we’ll be going now,” Frank states. “Sounds like a plan,” Arcade answers. The cowboys turn south towards the corral. Morgana yells out, “Head directly out of town, we don’t want any more trouble from you.”
When Morgana had started to cast her spell Louie decided to head outside as back up, going out the rear door of the boarding house. He relaxes at the sight of the four cowboys now heading away, leading the two horses. Arcade and Morgana have decided to follow them. Hank and Sam now decide to also exit Harwoods. Arcade glances behind the next building, expecting to see the man who first ran away, but he is long gone. They follow from a distance of around thirty feet as the cowboys approach the corral owner, pay him, pick up two saddles, and then go and get their other two mounts.
Frank McLaury climbs up onto his horse and the other three lead theirs towards the outer gate of the corral over towards Allen Street. They no sooner step foot on Allen Street when Virgil Earp’s voice sounds out from somewhere on the street with, “That’s far enough boys.”
Morgana and Arcade exchange glances. Because of buildings on either side of the corral they cannot see where Virgil is. Arcade points to the two corral areas on either side of the gate. He and Morgana then each climbing over the fence and making their way forward along the walls of the buildings on both sides, also using the fences as cover. Morgana lifts her skirts up to keep her new dress out of the horse dung as she walks. They each get to the end of the fence, with Allen Street on the other side. Morgana sees the three Earps and Holliday are lined up across the street near her. All three Earps have drawn their handguns and are pointing them directly at the Clantons and McLaurys while Holliday is holding his hand inside of the duster he is wearing.
Arcade and Morgana walk down Freemont Street towards the alleyway. Arcade comments, “It’s too bad your druid spells duplicate mine, I’ve already got that covered.” She smiles and says “Never hurts to have more of a good thing, and as for cover, you’ve never complained before whenever I was uncovered.”
They clear the corner building and look down into the alleyway. The five cowboys are still standing there. At the sight of Arcade the one who they do not know (Billy Claibourne) runs behind the nearest building. Both Clantons and both McLaurys stand their ground as the other two walk further down the alley. Ike Clanton backs up towards the Photo Studio wall and Tom McLaury pivots his horse around to provide him with some cover. Billy Clanton says where he was while Frank McLaury actually moves forward, walking his horse a bit so that he is now closer to the new Winchester rifle sticking out of the saddlebag.
“What do you want?” Frank asks. “We’re just here to talk,” Arcade replies. “I don’t think there’s anything in particular for us to talk about,” Tom states. Morgana interjects, “There is if you’re looking to be causing trouble.” “We’re not causing any trouble here,” Billy exclaims. Morgana says, “Really? Then let me refresh your memory. Ike Clanton has just challenged Doc Holliday to a gunfight at the O.K. Corral and you’re all waiting here in the alley to bushwhack him when he passes by here on the way to the corral.” They appear a bit surprised by her knowledge, but Frank is quick to recover, saying, “This is a private matter between Ike and Holliday.” “Then why are the rest of you here?” Arcades states. Frank replies, “To make sure it stays between just those two. We don’t trust the Earps to stay out of it.”
Arcade and Morgana stop walking when they are ten feet in front of Frank. Ike is the furthest back at around thirty feet away. Morgana says, “I believe that one of the Earps is the Tombstone Marshal, and has a right to enforce the law.” “His brothers don’t have the right to bully everyone,” Tom exclaims. Ike blurts out, “That Marshal has already taken a rifle and shotgun away from me. (DM’s Note: It was actually Sheriff Behan who took the rifle). Frank says, “Look, this doesn’t concern you. It is a local law enforcement matter.” “How do you know? Maybe it does concern us,” Morgana replies.
After a long pause Frank states, “You’re Arcade, right?” “A’Yup,” is the response. “I’ve heard about you,” Frank states. “All good I hope,” Arcade replies. Frank answers, “What do you care about this for? Arcade gestures over to a nearby window of Harwood’s Boarding House and says, “You see there? That’s where my lady friend here is staying. She doesn’t take kindly to cowboys disturbing her afternoon by having gunfights outside her room. She’d also rather not have any stray bullets finding their way inside, if you know what I mean.” “That room?” Tom states, pointing. Arcade raises his voice and says, “Louie, wave hello to the cowboys.” The half-orc moves the curtain aside with his gun barrel and smiles a toothy grin, exposing his fangs.
“So you just want us to move away from where you’re staying?” Frank asks. Morgana yells out, “No! We don’t want you shooting up the town. Violence is wrong, and we’re going to stop you from killing each other whether you like it or not.” Frank blurts out, “Oh, shut up little lady. Arcade, are you going to let your woman talk for you?” Arcade replies, “Keep poking at her and you’ll see exactly what this ‘little lady’ is capable of.”
Morgana takes that as a cue for a little demonstration. She casts a “Gather” cantrip, which is a low-level wizard apprentice spell used to pull one or more small nearby objects over to the spellcaster. In this instance the items she decides to gather are the bullets and cartridges along the front of Frank’s gun belt. Everyone is started when the dozen or so shells levitate out of the belt and then fly forward, landing in a pile in her outstretched hand. “She’s a witch!” Ike yells.
Morgana decides to play that for all it is worth and replies, “I could be. They didn’t hang all the witches back in Salem Massachusetts you know.” In a dramatic gesture she then tosses the bullets to the ground and then states, “I could have just as easily had these bullets explode while inside of all of your gun belts and weapons. Or I could pull all of your weapons out of your hands and have the barrels twist so that they can never be fired again. Is that what you want?” (DM’s note: Actually, she can’t, but the cowboys don’t know that.)
Tom says, “Lady, we just came to town to conduct business. That’s not against the law you know.” “And have you concluded your business?” she replies. “I believe we have. We just came to help out our friend Ike. I think we’ll be going now,” Frank states. “Sounds like a plan,” Arcade answers. The cowboys turn south towards the corral. Morgana yells out, “Head directly out of town, we don’t want any more trouble from you.”
When Morgana had started to cast her spell Louie decided to head outside as back up, going out the rear door of the boarding house. He relaxes at the sight of the four cowboys now heading away, leading the two horses. Arcade and Morgana have decided to follow them. Hank and Sam now decide to also exit Harwoods. Arcade glances behind the next building, expecting to see the man who first ran away, but he is long gone. They follow from a distance of around thirty feet as the cowboys approach the corral owner, pay him, pick up two saddles, and then go and get their other two mounts.
Frank McLaury climbs up onto his horse and the other three lead theirs towards the outer gate of the corral over towards Allen Street. They no sooner step foot on Allen Street when Virgil Earp’s voice sounds out from somewhere on the street with, “That’s far enough boys.”
Morgana and Arcade exchange glances. Because of buildings on either side of the corral they cannot see where Virgil is. Arcade points to the two corral areas on either side of the gate. He and Morgana then each climbing over the fence and making their way forward along the walls of the buildings on both sides, also using the fences as cover. Morgana lifts her skirts up to keep her new dress out of the horse dung as she walks. They each get to the end of the fence, with Allen Street on the other side. Morgana sees the three Earps and Holliday are lined up across the street near her. All three Earps have drawn their handguns and are pointing them directly at the Clantons and McLaurys while Holliday is holding his hand inside of the duster he is wearing.