Chapter 1 - In Without Knocking

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

"Heck Sheriff, I smell more than my fair share of horse shit and bull shit in this room." he gestures to the dead and dying.

"Ain't no mind reader. These rogues come gallivanting in all guns blazing, uprooting the tables with their ill manners and ill-gotten gains. But they picked the wrong fight. When he reached for his gun, I reached for mine. That's all there was to it. I shot him before he could shoot me and him before he could shoot the judge in the back.

Saving a judge's life from being assassinated in this quiet serene town. Should be commended, have a little medal pinned to my chest. A fancy one of silver not tin."

Sebastian does not have a talent for diplomacy. He eyes the other surviving cowboys expecting them to mark him for trouble.

[Rex]

Charlie

"I shot twice from the corner, aiming for the leg to try and end the fight."

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larson

"I drew my pistol in case i needed it. I did not shoot. I vatched de barman for indication he needed support, he gafe none, zo i stayed back. Yu can examine my pistol to see it vas not fired."

[jemmus]

I have to rewind a little. I didn't take Paladin's informant peeking through the doorway with one eye into account.
The adolescents on the front porch didn't know what the Hoffmans were saying in Dutch or German or whatever, but from their actions, they got the gist. The sheriff and deputy sheriff rode up in a hurry and dismounted. The men cautiously looked into the saloon, then the sheriff turned to the boys.
Bill and Bob Mitchell, don't you boys go nowhere. I'll have questions for ya later.

[ateno]

At the mention of his name. "Captain Jonathan Doos, judge from down south, I would prefer to write out my statement, but basically the cowboys came in shooting up the roof and looking for a fight. I attempted to talk them down, but that one..

Points his toe at the one he fought.

"I put him down with my fists, tried to yell them down, they had to shoot at each other, so foolish they did not count their ammo. I informed them of the laws they were breaking, but they ignored me."

J. Doos

[jemmus]

The sheriff says, Well, Judge Doos, the fact is two men have been shot to death and some others almost to death. As you well know, shooting another person is a felony crime in the State of Texas. Unless it was in self-defense. Shooting and missing is also a crime, but a lesser one. Some say that's not fair, because it only rewards those who are bad shots. In any event, the question of what crimes were committed here, and by who, will be decided by the judge.

Now I'll ask you gentlemen to surrender your weapons for the time being. That includes firearms and any knives, including folding pocket knives. Deputy Riney, please collect the weapons. Mr. Hoffman, I'll ask you to keep your shotgun ready. He moves to the deputy's position at the center-back of the room and holds his shotgun across his chest, finger on the trigger. The big deputy lays his shotgun on the table beside him and steps forward. He says in a slow, rather bass voiceGentlemen, I'll ask you to put yer hands on yer hats while I collect yer weapons. I'll be collecting them from behind ya. For reasons I suppose you can guess. He glances over to the sheriff's shotgun.

Actions? You can surrender your weapons to the deputy, or do something else.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie surrenders his weapons.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

Not sure what physical condition I am in to dispute any charges levelled at me. He prefers not to dispute a double-barrell levelled at him.

How are the cowboys reacting? Seb would presume rightly or wrongly that all of the survivors are being rounded up.

"You gonna put me in the pig pen with these fella's?" he asks the Sheriff, referring to a cell at the office. "You gonna give them a bath first. Stink to high heaven of piss and shit and ain't so sure it's all horse."

He is a bit riled and just can't help having an extra dig at the cowboy gang. As to his gun, the deputy can take that.

[ateno]

Jonathon give up his weapons.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larsen watches the proceedings, his pistol holstered. He takes a seat again at a table, hands on top of it.

[jemmus]

The cowboys probably still have near-deadly content of whiskey in their bloodstreams. But the actions of the past few seconds and minutes seem to have made them quite a bit more clear-headed than before. Along with the present stern eye of this town's sheriff and the size of his giant deputy, who's about the size of standing up steer. One puts his hands on his hat, and the others follow suit.

The deputy goes behind the hats on head cowboys and collects there guns and knives, from behind. He sniffs the gun barrels and feels them, probably for gunfire heat. He takes the cowboys' firearms and knives to the table where he'd left his shotgun. He dumps them on it, to his right.

Then he goes behind Charlie and Doos and does the same with their firearms and blades. But now he puts the guns to the left, closer to the sheriff's side of the table. Which is maybe less than a yard away from the sheriff.

Last, he collects the weapons of the wounded and the dead. Some go on the right side of the table, some on the left. Everybody in the room notes that there's a pretty good assortment of firearms laid out on the table, not far at all from the sheriff's reach. Every weapon laid out butt to the sheriff, muzzle forward toward the sweep of the dining room.

Andreas peacefully moves toward a nearby table. The deputy, back to the visitor, hears the sound and tenses up. He looks toward his shotgun lying on the table, is indecisive for a shaved second, and moves his hand across his chest toward his pistol. The sheriff lowers his shotgun as if not to shoot, but to warn. And also be able to level it and quickly pull the trigger. From the corner of his eye, Andreas catches a flicker of movement from the area of behind the bar. Hoffman's area. Which he'd been watching.

Andreas is up! Everybody else in the bar are also too.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian

Not sure what is happening entirely unless you mean some cowboy has sneaked behind the bar and wants to take a potshot at me or the sheriff or someone else.

"Hope that ain't Hoffman's kid behind there. Too bad if he got shot by mistake." he says.

[cybersavant]

Andreas peacefully moves toward a nearby table. The deputy, back to the visitor, tenses up. He looks toward his shotgun lying on the table, is indecisive for a shaved second, and moves his hand with splayed finger toward his pistol. The sheriff to lower his shotgun as if not to shoot, but to warn. And instantly pull the trigger. From the corner of his eye, Andreas catches a flicker of movement from the area of behind the bar. Hoffman's area. Which he'd been watching.

Andreas Larson keeps his hands in plain view on the table but turns his head toward the movement behind the bar.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie waits and remains still, trying to figure out what is going on.

[jemmus]

(To clarify – The deputy smelled the muzzle of each firearm and felt the barrel. He put some on the left side of the table, close to where the sheriff is standing. He put others and all of the knives on the right side, away from the sheriff. When Andreas started moving toward the table, the sheriff lowers his shotgun’s muzzle, but he didn’t shoulder the stock. The deputy reached for his pistol, but hovered over it didn’t grab the butt. Behind his bar, Hoffman also lowered his muzzle toward a firing position).

Mister, the sheriff says to Andreas, You speak with an accent. But I don’t know how you could not know what ‘Don’t move’ and ‘Put yer hands on yer hat’ mean. You come near to getting a very adverse outcome there. And you’ve earned yerself a commission of a crime. He nods to the deputy. The man comes over behind Andreas’s chair and pulls the gun out of the holster. Then has to crouch down to take his knife. He takes the weapons over to the table and leaves the pistol in the pile to the left. [/color]

The sheriff then says, All of y’all cowboys are going to the stockade. There ain’t room enough for all of y’all in the jail. And you, you, and you (indicating Andreas, Sebastian, and Charlie) are under arrest too. Judge Doos, you’re free to do as you will. But in my capacity as the Hays County magistrate, I hereby serve oral subpoena on you to serve as a witness at the trials. They will probably be as soon as tomorra. Assuming we don’t have another backward stampede like this one before then. I’ll take you at your word on being ready to testify tomorra and not require ya to post a peace bond.

You cowboys and hotel guests, keep the peace while in joint confinement. We won’t tolerate no stunts. Anybody starts to causing a ruckus will lose a knee. At best. Keep the peace and stand fair trail under the law of the State of Texas. The sheriff’s jaw is set and his eye is steady, as if he means it. He particularly glares at Andreas.

Mr. Hoffman, I’ll ask that you and your family members serve as witnesses too. Please assess the damage to the yer establishment and write up an accounting for the judge. You can include a fee for the clean up, but it will be up to the judge to decide whether to award the damages.

He nods to the deputy. The big man nods back, swiftly leaves the dining-gaming-bar room, mounts his horse, and rides off. The sheriff and Hoffman stand with their shotguns across their chests.

In a few moments there’s the sound of two horses outside coming at a swift pace. A man of maybe around 60 years old enters the room. He wears an old derby hat, carries a worn leather satchel, and he’s wearing a black suit coat on a hot early summer day. The teenage boy who served the guests’ steak dinners enters behind him. The man puts his hand to the brim of his hat, nods to the sheriff and says, Afternoon, Sheriff Behan. The sheriff touches his brim and replies, Afternoon, Doctor Aiken. The man walks around the dining room, looking at and assessing the prone, sitting, and standing, the bloody and the generally clean. He tsks his cheek periodically at the sights.

Sheriff Behan, them two cowboys are beyond savin—thoroughly dead. These shot men will need surgery and quite a few days of bed rest. In clean conditions, with plenty of bathing of wounds with soap, water, and rubbing alcohol.

Behan replies, I’m afraid that won’t be an option, Doctor Aiken. These gentlemen are going to the old stockade outside a town. We got U.S. Army tents enough for all of em and three good cots. We can figger out how to rig a fourth leg for the last one. I’ll trust yer judgment as a physician as to who gits em, Doctor.


The stern officer proprietor-barkeep Hoffman runs to the kitchen to check on his wife, son, and younger daughter, just for a second....

The sheriff stands sternly bolt upright with his shotgun across his chest. Sweat runs across his face and soaks his hatband.

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie complies with the orders, but stays alert.

[ateno]

"I give my word that I shall make myself available for all lawful actions,

. . . Sweat runs across his face and soaks his hatband.

Doos looks the direction the sherrif is facing.

[Bluetongue]

Sebastian.

"Whatever".

He is resigned to a short stay, not his first, behind bars.

[cybersavant]

Andreas Larsen opens his mouth, but refrains from uttering anything. He watches the Sheriff, and whatever has his attention.

[jemmus]

The doctor checks and adjusts the bandages Doos and the cowboys applied to the bloody wounded. He rouses the knocked-out cowboy with smelling salts. The black-eyed and bloody-lipped man stands and finds and put on his hat.

The deputy returns with two men wearing six-pointed stars inscribed with Marshal and Police. The marshal is a fair-haired, sunburnt man of around 30 years old. The other man is young, hardly 20 years old. Both men's hands are stained, as if they've been working with some dark brown dye, maybe for leatherwork. All three men carry shotguns and handcuffs.

Y'all boys took yer time, didn't ya, Marshal? Behan says. The marshal replies, The couple at the north end of town was fightin again. You know the ones. We sent the husband to his brother-in-law's house for a few days.

The deputy, marshal, and policeman put the handcuffs on Sebastian, Andreas, Charlie, and all of the cowboys with no bullet holes in them. They also take all of the gunbelts, including those of the dead men. Behan says, Otis, will you and Jim take these men to Dr. Aiken's office with him? We'll take these other men to the old stockade. When Dr. Aiken is done with the wounded, bring em to the stockade too. With their horses. The marshal nods and replies, Yessir, we'll do that.

The wounded are led out-- by route well away from the table with the firearms-- and down the street to the doctor's office and surgery. The sheriff and deputy direct the fit, handcuffed men to follow the same route and mount their horses. Doos is left behind to witness the grim clean-up and body removal operation or retire to a guest room.

They mount their own horses and lead the prisoners' horses by the reins west, out of town. The deputy's horse has a galvanized steel bucket hanging in front of the saddle and a blanket roll behind it.

A stockade fence is seen across the brown prairie with its scattered live oak trees. It's an ugly stockade, because in addition to straight pine logs, every other stick is a crooked live oak log. Apparently there was a shortage of East Texas pine logs or the dollars to buy them. But the construction does have the possibly beneficial effect of leaving gaps in the fence that could serve as loopholes for shooting. The stockade is around 20 feet high. A heavy split pine log sits in iron brackets to bar the gate from the outside.

The sheriff and deputy lead the group into the stockade. The courtyard is overgrown with yard-high broom weeds. Dozens of big grasshoppers jump and fly off as the horses move through them. There's a single structure in the courtyard, right of center and to the back. It's a log cabin with no windows, around 20 feet by 20 feet. The door hangs ajar from only a lower leather hinge strap. There's a well with a stone wall to its left, with a wooden bucket and a coiled rope hanging from an L-shaped affair made from two sticks. The logs of the stockade are featureless, except for the natural loopholes formed by the uneven oak logs. It might be possible for anything other than a squirrel to scale the fence, with some excellent coordination and some good luck.

The sheriff says, Y'all gentlemen can dismount now. The wounded and the peace officers will sleep in the cabin. The rest of y'all will find tents in there that you can pitch out here in the yard. Leave the old cots in the cabin for the wounded. You'll find tarps y'all can sleep on. He takes a silver dollar out of his pocket and flips it. Cowboys git first pick of tent and tarp. Hotel guests git first pick of blankets. Hopefully the mice and squirrels haven't chewed too many holes in them and their aren't man critter nests in em. But it will be another hot June night in Hays County, Texas, so y'all won't much need blankets.

The deputy dismounts, walks over to the well, and inspects the bucket. Yep, it's shot, he says to the sheriff. He cuts the rope need the bucket's handle and ties it onto the steel one. Then walks back and swings back into the saddle.

Behan says, Peace officers will be outside the stockade all day and night. Y'all gentlemen be peaceable and don't try any stunts. See y'all in the mornin. He and the deputy ride out. The gates close and the log bar is heard dropping heavily into place.

Around 6:00 PM the gate opens and Sebastian, the wounded cowboys, the deputy and the town policeman walk their horses in. The policeman dismounts and gives the cowboys one pasteboard box and the other men the other. U.S. Army surplus hardtack, he says. It ain't much, but it's better 'n nothin, I guess. He and the deputy leave, the gates close, and the bar again drops with a heavy thud.

Pcs can interrupt and act at any point from being handcuffed to this point.

Jonathan Doos was not arrested because of his high Stature and because he tried to stop the fight. (But I should have called for a Stature roll).

Sebastian has 7 points of serious wounds and 4 points of light wounds. He'll heal at 1 Strength/week for serious wounds and 2/week for light wounds. So two weeks to recover 2 serious and all 4 light, then five more weeks to recover the other 5 serious. But that's only after the doctor succeeds at a Medicine skill roll. He failed first one. The rules don't say how often he can try. I'm going to say once per day.

Sebastian will owe $2.00 for medical care. Serious head wound, light chest wound, serious abdomen wound, light left leg wound, a brawling blow. $.50 per bullet hole patched = $2.00 doctor fee.

Please state your actions in the stockade. If your PC just roughs it and gets by, that's all you need to say. But remember that you're sharing the lodging with men that some of your were just exchanging gunfire and blows with.