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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 539940" data-attributes="member: 8530">Promise City, ArizonaChapter 15, “Yellow Journalism”, April 24th, 1881, 1:00 P.M.“WHAT!” Arcade exclaims, upon hearing from Sydney Sue what the top story in today’s newspaper is.  He looks around the room for anyone who may have a copy of the paper.   He sees a Mexican wood elf reading one at a corner table, and walks in that direction.  “May I please take a took at that?” Arcade asks.   The elf looks up, sees who is talking to him, and frantically throws the four-pages of newsprint at Arcade, stammering out “S-s-s-s-sure, kept it, just don’t hurt me!”   Arcade shakes his head and goes back to his friends with the newspaper.The headline "Arcade Issues Challenge!" takes up a third of the front page, with the story below it.   Morgana takes the paper from him and begins to read the story:  “For the third time this week another long-time citizen of our fair city has been placed to rest on Boot Hill, the victims of newcomer Arcade and his gang of rabble-rousers.  The most recent fatality is part-time carpenter and occasional wrangler Chris Fargo, who was gunned down in cold blood on April 21st at the El Parador Cantina.   The half-orc member of Arcade's Gang known as Louie shot him.   This is the gang member that had initiated the gunfight on the 17th, which left Larry Harris and Mike Keegan dead at the hands of Arcade and his followers.   Arcade has apparently staked out the El Parador as his headquarters, and anyone who runs afoul of his gang there will suffer the consequences, as Chris Fargo was unfortunate enough to discover.  Fargo attempted to defend himself from the half-orc, reaching for his own sidearm.  This was hardly fair, as Fargo was still recovering from a beating at the hands of this gang from earlier in the week, so not fast enough.  The half-orcs first shot struck Fargo’s arm, incapacitating him.  The half-orc then fatally shot the defenseless human in the chest.  Louie, like his mentor, feels no remorse at all for his actions.  When asked by this reporter about second thoughts for his bloodthirsty act of bravado the half-orc said “He had it coming to him.  He drew on me so I shot him.”  The half-orc then issued a challenge to the town, saying that “Trouble can come and find me, I’m ready.” Arcade was asked by this reporter if Louie spoke for his entire Gang, and the mysterious stranger replied “Sure he does.  I condone his actions.”  The gunfighter then issued his own challenge and warning to all, stating that “If somebody points a gun in my direction I will kill them.”   Morgana looks up, saying “That’s the end of the story.”   Arcade slams his fist on the table, exclaiming “I never said that!”  “No,” Louie comments, “Sam did.”  “That wasn’t exactly what I said,” states Sam.   “If Sam said it then why am I quoted?” Arcade exclaims.  Louie states “That Baxter guy was totally drunk at the time and thought Sam was you.”   “I think we need to go talk to him,” Arcade answers.   They get up to leave, with Morgana comments “I find it interesting that those thugs and deadbeats are now written up as respectable ‘long-time citizens’, especially since this mud hole of a town has only been in existence for a little over a year.”  The four leave the tavern, without noticing the three related stories on two other pages of the paper.  On page 3 is a story about Qualtaqa, the Indian centaur.  It has an almost factual account of his conversation with Hamilton Fisk at the Long Branch Saloon about being an ambassador for the Apache.  The story includes the reference to his now being protected by Arcade’s gang.   It also mentions that the centaur is working as a guard with Arcade’s gang at the Liberty Hill Mine.  The newspaper editor then speculates that there may be a connection between Arcade and the Apache tribe, especially with the Apache woman and her pet wolf as part of his gang. Another almost factual story recounts Arcade’s card game at the Lone Star Dance Hall and Saloon.   Most of the quotes about the card game are from Tom Lucky, the gambler who had watched from an adjacent table.   Lucky talks at length about the “classy looking dame” who was with him, and then about his own challenge of Arcade to a game of cards.   Lucky’s final quote was “He turned me down for a game.  At the time I didn’t realize what a ruthless gunslinger the guy was, so I guess I should consider myself lucky that I didn’t play him.  He had already lost to Job Kane, and was already upset.  Loosing to me might have really set him off.”The final related story is one page 4, and concerns Cletus James.   It reminds the readers that Cletus left town a few days ago to go fetch is cousins Jesse and Frank James, of the infamous James/Younger Gang.   It then says that  Cletus had told Chris Fargo to stay behind and keep an eye on the Arcade situation.  The newspaper editor speculates that with Fargo now dead at the hands of Arcade’s Gang the James Gang will definitely be seeking retribution.   The story concludes with “Woe to the poor citizens of Promise City who will be caught in the crossfire between these two vicious groups of killers.”Next:  The conclusion.</blockquote>

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