Chapter III - The Street of San Marcos (Charlie & Ezekiel)

[jemmus]

Game announcement updated. I opened it up to 1-2 new players for this thread. Did I already mention the option for being Pinkerton agents? That would be a kind of hybrid between bounty hunter/detective and train guard. The downside is about nobody in Texas likes Pinkertons. The honest citizens consider them outsiders helping out-of-state banks and railroads get richer and get more of a hold on their daily lives. The Rangers, sheriffs, and marshal don't like the idea of a private, business-controlled police force with secret, unknown methods horning in. And getting a job with the Pinkerton Agency would require a successful Stature roll. Maybe a successful Observation one too to read the hiring agent right.

The upside is the pay is good. And the work is very interesting. With just about as much freedom as a bounty hunter's. But with more pay security, and... just monthly pay and possible performance bonuses for jobs done well. No big cash bounties for successful completion.

[Bluetongue]

I tell you what, I am going to have Ezekiel ride out to meet and greet the Tonkawa and see what the actual trouble is and if it can be resolved amicably.

If Charlie has had a previous encounter which may open the door to a more friendly contact, then let's go together and see what happens.

[Rex]

Charlie is fine with that. he doesn't trust the Tonkawa but is open to trying to deal with them fairly.

[jemmus]

Ezekial and Charlie ride east the dozen-odd miles to the Tonkawa village. It's in savannah mixed woods and grasslands typical of this area, but more wooded than most areas. From the looks of the tough brown grass between the trees, the land doesn't seem especially good. Around 2O conical teepees are scattered around, but instead of being covered with buffalo hides, they're covered with dried sod, tree branches, and foliage. With their knowledge of the Indians of Texas, the two men know that no one would live in a structure like that as a matter of custom or of choice. The Tonkawa simply must not have access to buffalo hides, or some other better covering such as canvas.

In the center of the lodges is a corral with a half dozen horses. Charlie doesn't see Doos's fine mare among them. One horse stands in the shade of a tree, head drooping, making no motion but slowly breathing with heaving sides.

As the riders approach, a back of a half dozen thin dogs with poor coats and ribs showing begin barking. Women who are seated in the ground slowly chopping wood branches look up. They're naked from the waist up, tattooed, and have concentric circles painted around their breasts. All have flattish foreheads that slightly recede back from their brows. A gang of a dozen or so boys form the age of around eight to 10 come running up, followed by a bigger mixed group of boys and girls age seven down to age 4. The older group wear loincloths only. They have bows and they have flint-tipped arrows tucked into their waist bands. The younger children are completely naked. They have sticks and a gourd with the stem cut off and grass stuffed into it to form a roundish ball.

An old man emerges from one of the lodges and stands. He's tattooed like the women, and wears a loincloth like the older boys. But he wears an blue U.S. Army jacket and a battered and stained cavalry trooper's hat. He carries an old single-shot Spencer breech-loading rifle. He looks at the riders, raises a palm in the gesture of peace, and starts walking toward them.

Actions?

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie waits, his lever action in hand but just pointed down at the ground in a non threatening way.

[Bluetongue]

'Sarge' Ezekiel

I give a wide observation to the inhabitants and to the horses. When 'chief' comes out I will greet him. Does his old uniform have any rank or insignia upon as I will use that title to address him. I have a long sleeve shirt, a faded military one with the stripes removed but a keen observer might notice the marks remains.

" Title . My new comrade, Charlie White-Knife you know. He traded with your scouts just days ago. He and I travel together. My name is Ezekiel, formerly a cavalryman amongst many like yourself, once of the army. Now buffaloes and buffaloe soldiers roam to distant horizons.

We have come to investigate things of concern. Health of horses and men. I hope to end a plague before it starts and conflict brewing in San Marcos concerning your herds."

Ezekiel: Indian Contact (13) skill check: [1d20]=14

[jemmus]

The old man waves a hand at the children, gesturing for them

The old man's worn blue Army jacket has the three V chevrons of a sergeant. But Ezekial knows that that means he was a sergeant among the Indian scouts. He had no authority over a regular U.S. Army corporal or private. The man says in a deep, monotone voice, We have sick horse. Ate.... He looks off and seems to try and try to remember the English word, but can't. We say ati-wazn-ka. Bad weed. It makes horse crazy. Can't hear, see, think. Sick. Some die, some live and alright. You cavalry? You cavalry or cowboy, you know it. Weed's flower is white and purple. Bush this high. He bends and puts his hand at his knee level and raises it to his shoulder level. You know?

Being trackers and outdoorsmen in this area of the southern plains, both Ezekiel and Charlie know what the man is trying to describe. Jimson weed, also known as "devil's snare" or "devil's trumpet." Cowboys call it "loco weed." Livestock that graze on it can temporarily become catatonic, wildly chaotic. It has been the cause of many cattle stampedes and cowhands' deaths. Some livestock that eat it become erratic and recover. Others become erratic for a while and die.

Need Luck rolls from Charlie and Ezekiel to have observed the symptoms of jimson weed on a horse before. If Charlie wants to verbally interact with the old man, we'll need an Indian Contact roll.Need Observation rolls from both, maybe just because you guys have ventured off of the highway and into less-charted ground. Or any other kind of reason.

[Rex]

Charlie

Luck (7) [1d20]=17
Observation (16) [1d20]=4
Indian Contact (9) [1d20]=11

"I am familiar with the weed Sargent, but not sure that is the cause here. Any signs among the other horses?"

[Bluetongue]

'Sarge' Ezekiel

Ezekiel: Observation (14) [1d20]=8 Luck (7) [1d20]=19

Where are the menfolk, the 'Braves' and their other horses?

He must think we are chewing upon ati-wazn-ka to believe the herd are all loco' because of grazing. He listens to the old man, giving him respect but not directly countering his claims. He wonders if 'the Chief' is away and he is just here to ward the women and children.

[jemmus]

To clarify, the old man said that the one horse that looks pretty sick ate jimson weed. The other horses look fine.

They gone to hunt and fish, soldier. Women gone to dig roots and cut leaves. Ranchers from San Marcos say we kill all horses. If we kill them, Tonkawa will die. He grimaces and makes a violent gesture with his and of an axe or war club bashing his head. Comanche young men will know, ride fast at night, and chase down Tonkawa running on feet. You wear Army uniform. You soldier or trooper. He nods to Ezekiel. You know cavalry and infantry running away on foot. Cavalry run them down and kill from the back, easy. Comanche and Tonkawa on foot, same. Some women and kids hide, but all Tonkawa men dead. All lodges burned down. Women and kids same. Few days, dead.

The old fellow looks Ezekiel and Charlie in face. He points a weathered old forefinger at the head-down, sides-heaving horse under the tree. That horse sick tomorrow, Tonkawa kill it. Tonkawa not loco. Tonkawa horses good horses. No horses, Tonkawa finished. He lowers his hands and makes gesture of the right one rapidly slapping on and sliding downward along and past the other. The inter-tribal sign for zero, nothing. But them ranchers say kill the whole corral. Did they tell ya when they comin, soldier? Tomorra? Today?

The old Tonkawa Army scout looks over the men and makes a decision. I tell ya. Both. Tonkawa have a good, good horse. Pay for some men and boys trackin to horse rustlers' house. Some men gone to hunt or fish, some men gone to sell horse in San Marcos. Big meeting last night. Some say go, some say don't. Some say big pay, some say San Marcos men kill ya take horse no pay. Some say San Marcos put Tonkawa in jail and take horse, for no pay. Indian just die in jail. I thought that easiest fer San Marcos sheriff.But young people don't listen to old people. They want pay, chicken, and good things.

[Rex]

Charlie

"Not sure when they are coming. If you want to keep the good horses, hide them somewhere else until they are gone. Let them kill the sick one. Until then, keep them apart."

[Bluetongue]

'Sarge' Ezekiel

Listens to the old man. The concerns are pretty much as he anticipated. He doesn't want to give his opinion, but half naked kids running around in extreme poverty pretty much sums up that the Tonkawa tribes demise anyway. A slow death over a quick one.

Some men gone to hunt or fish, some men gone to sell horse in San Marcos. Big meeting last night. Some say go, some say don't. Some say big pay, some say San Marcos men kill ya take horse no pay. Some say San Marcos put Tonkawa in jail and take horse, for no pay. Indian just die in jail. I thought that easiest fer San Marcos sheriff.But young people don't listen to old people. They want pay, chicken, and good things.

This would be Charlie's old horse. Which would be fairly easy to identify if riding back to San Marcos was considered. He considers. Having heard they lack horses and fear Commanche action should they lose too many of the herds, selling a horse for goods make little sense.

and here I get crazy idea ... So, Texas Rangers want new Rangers. Tonkawa have proven good allied to the army via Scouting. So I would suggest they will make good Texas Rangers (scouts, affiliates, whatever if they couldn't through discrimination attain full status). That would provide income to prosper the tribe and security for the County if not the State.

Only issue is they lack horses, healthy ones. Ezekiel has no love for the Commanche.

You know cavalry and infantry running away on foot. Cavalry run them down and kill from the back, easy. Comanche and Tonkawa on foot, same. Some women and kids hide, but all Tonkawa men dead.

"You have no horses? Commanche have horses. You take Commanche horses. Now Tonkawa ride and Commanche on foot.

Cavalry ride down running man ..."

So I am putting out there a suggestion for the Tonkawa to prosper via stealing Commanche horses.

[jemmus]

The old man replies, Tonkawa fought Comanches many years. Tonkawa fought hard, sometimes win, but too many Comanches. Only hundred Tonkawa, thousands Comanche.
We steal Comanches' horses, they kill all of us. The horse continues to stand in the shade of the trees, head down, its sides heaving as it breathes.

[Bluetongue]

'Sarge' Ezekiel

Any anthrax infected horse needs to be cremated. Just shooting it will not stop the disease, in fact it spreads through death because the blood and rotting carcass infects the ground and years later other animals grazing on that spot pick up new anthrax infections.

The weed suggested as a root cause of the ill horse's well being might not be fatal. So what do we do here. We cannot just kill the horse but I don't know how to judge if it is wacky weeds or anthrax.

I will go look at the horse and try to judge for myself.

Ezekiel: Observation (14) or Luck (7) [1d20]=2

What can I assess, checking horse's mouth for bleeding gums, eyes, gait, rear end ...

[Rex]

Charlie

"I don't think it is the weed."

[jemmus]

Ezekiel sees that the horse's rear is covered with diarrhea, some of if with blood in it. And he sees that it's belly seems swollen. He's never seen an animal infected with anthrax before, but this doesn't seem like what he's heard about jimson weed. If a horse eats that "loco weed," it goes wild and acts crazy. It gets terrified over nothing, and may attack people, other horses, cows-- anything. This horse just looks like it's very sick and only half alive.

Charlie, Ezekiel, the old man, and the Tonkawa children see six riders coming up at a lope. They're all Anglo men, and they look like ranchers. They're carrying rifles. They stop their horses and look the odd mix of people over.

[Rex]

Charlie

"Looks like we didn't resolve this in time, now someone else will."

[Bluetongue]

'Sarge' Ezekiel

"Looks like anthrax. Horse needs to be put down. I am concerned just shooting it here will bleed out the infection."

He looks around at the half naked kids. Playing in the grass over the site the horse was shot, assuming these ranchers shoot it here and now, will no doubt create a high risk of human transmission.

So, how do we manage this. And stopping these ranchers just shooting any horse about, (including ours). "Tell the Chief to get the children inside." I ask Charlie.

I will walk out to them. Rifle in hand but over my shoulder.

"Gentlemen."

[Rex]

Charlie

"Get everyone inside, we will do our best to deal with them. The sick horse is a gonner but we will try and save the others."

[jemmus]

The old man says something in the Tonkawa language to the children, and they take off. They don't go into the lodges, though. They behind them and to their sides, watching the proceedings.

Ezekiel approaches the mounted men, rifle over his shoulder. They look at him suspiciously, but nod to him. One says, Mornin. You connected to these Tonkawas? We need to discuss some serious business with em. Very serious business.