4-20, One Shot

April 20 we ran a one shot of Deadlands from Dime Novel #1, 'Perdition's Daughter'. It was pretty successful. There were plenty of snags, and I need to buckle down if I am to learn the system, but generally it was a success. After the conclusion of the game the players decided they would like to continue with this, at least for a short campaign. To that end, beginning May 3, we will run a weekly Deadlands game from printed scenarios. There is room for another player, and I will list all of the pregenerated characters which are available to be used. Anyone can drop by for a single game or as an ongoing thing.

The Action

Somehow all of the posse saw a newspaper article that drew them to inquire about employment from a Mr Irving Backlund. See, he claims his son was hornswaggled into runnin' away with a cult after his mother's death six months ago. Come hell or high water, he wants his kin back. In fact, he is willin' to pay $500(!) each to whoever brings him back.

That aint nothin' to sneeze at, pardner! So, they pack up their belongin's and head on down to Derry's Ford, home of the Church of the Holy Flame.

Derry's Ford

The town is a nondescript little stop on the road from Denver to Utah, population about 250. Immediately the posse begins acquaintin' themselves with the local townsfolk, startin' with the pokes at the saloon around 10:30 am on December 23.

It aint too difficult to get opinions outta the locals when it comes to the Church of the Holy Flame. Everybody says a little, but nobody cares much. Mostly, they keep to themselves and thats just plain ok with the townsfolk. Reuben decides he has some other fish to fry, and he leaves Miranda and Jonah to their own devices. Jonah wins some poker, Miranda shares a shot or two with some rabble, and everything seems to go fine until...

In stumbles the local preacher, Reverend Bernard Owsley.

Seein' her opportunity, Miranda sidles up next to him and offers him a drink, to which he grunts his acceptance. Next thing you know she is askin' him about the Holy Flame, to which he responds with a borderline insane conniption (or as Ed likes to call them, a connitpion).

What was that all about?

After peace is restored, everyone pretty much ignores the outburst. The posses inquiries are countered with 'Just leave him be'. After a little regroupin', they decide a night visit is in order. Reuben takes a nap, Miranda takes a walk, and Jonah visits the preacher again, and reconnoiters the Holy Flame compound.

Church of the Holy Flame

Jonah takes the hour ride in the mid afternoon by himself. He settles in on a bluff 500 yards from the compound. From there he spies sect members loadin' boxes from one large building to the barn. Eventually, one of them catches sight of him and immediately points him out to a stocky gentleman in a bowler hat.

Edgar DuChamp

That man rounds up 4 burly gentlemen and rides out to great our fair hero. After a few moments he arrives and introduces himself as Edgar DuChamp. He politely tells Jonah that he would appreciate if he would take his worldly ways as far from the compound as possible, as quickly as possible. Seeing no reason to protest, he agrees.

Back to Town

Once everyone is awake he shares the story. Undeterred, they prepare for their night visit. Reuben gives a small handful of bills to the proprietor of the hotel to ensure that they were in their rooms all night. Saddle up, pardners.

Holy Flame, take 2

Upon seeing the compound the posse determines that a little sneakin' around is in order. All of the disciples are inside, singin' their hymns. The only person on the grounds seems to be dapper Mr DuChamp.

As things tend to do, this deteriorated quickly. Everyone easily made their way to the barn and determined that they are packed for a short trip. No personal effects are stowed, so it seems they are comin' back. Reuben decides he needs to get in the house, while Jonah figures he would like to check out the rest of the compound. Miranda, well lets just say she felt like stayin' put.

While Jonah was sneakin' across the lawn he caught the attention of the studious Mr DuChamp, who immediately wrangled up some gentlemen from the hymnals. Everyone hid just as well as they could, but it werent more than a second or two that he ferreted 'em out. After a good few minutes o' scoldin', a strikingly beautiful woman waltzes in, and directs Mr DuChamp to bring them into the house.

Lady Cynthia Carstairs

She brings the posse some water and begins to chat with them. After the initial pleasantries she asks for the reason for their visit. They mention the young Mr Backlund, so she has Edgar summon him. While they wait, the posse tries a ruse or two, to no avail. She smells 'em like somethin' stuck to the bottom o' their boots.

When he arrives, Christopher is cordial and clearly healthy. He seems to be in his right mind and possessed of his wits. He adamantly refuses to leave and asserts that he is here to save his mothers soul. Dad will have to accept it, as will the posse.

Ms Carstairs dismisses him, and indicates that she hopes they are satisfied. She also says that she has already summoned the sheriff, but they wont be pressing any serious charges. Soon he arrives, and takes them off for a little night in the pokey, to clear their heads of course.

A Jail of a Good Time

While sequestered the posse discuss their options. They want out, and pronto, but the deputy, Zeke, has no intention of obligin' them.

Well, not until ornery old Reuben engages him in a conversation about his brother. Zeke it seems is perturbed about his brother sayin' he has such a winner of a horse, but it is obviously a nag. Reuben concocts a plan whereby they can be let go early, and Zeke can get back at his brother. Far-fetched though it sounds, he buys it. That is, as long as they come along and take a look at his fine specimen of a riding animal. Egads, its snowing!

On the Double!

Back to the compound go our heroes, and quickly they arrive. It seems they may be too late. Nobody seems to be anywhere near, as dawn breaks over the ridge. Soon they realize that since there are no burnin' fires, they are probably gone, so they should head on down. Once they arrive, they break into two groups: Miranda moseys on over to the dormitory, while Jonah and Reuben comb the house.

The Lady's Gruesome Surprise

Once inside her house, its clear she has no intention of returning. All of her belongings are gone, and Reuben notes an ominous stench coming from the kitchen. Cautiously, the two make their way towards it. Upon arriving the kitchen, its clear the smell comes from the basement, but thats locked with a giant, rusty padlock.

'Aw Hell' grumbles Reuben, as he rares back and kicks his foot clean through the door, knocking it off its hinges and down the staircase. He raises his shotgun, and Jonah his knife, as they descend the stairs into the darkness.

What they find sends their bacon and eggs scurrying across the floor. Littered around the basement are mutilated corpses of wild dogs surrounded by burning incense candles. Just as they seem to recover from the shock of such a grisly scene, it gets better. Much better.

The dead dogs rise from the floor as if suspended on some fiendish marionette strings right before their eyes. Immediately those feisty hombres attack. Both are too shocked to react, and Reuben especially has a hard time motivatin' his bones to move. In all, seven dogs rip into them with their disgusting yeller fangs.

Just when things seem bleak, down the stairs come the cavalry.

'taint Just Miranda

Guns blaze as Miranda Valentine rushes down the stairs, also horrified by the smell and scene. But she aint alone, not by a long shot. Right behind her, brandishin' a giant hunk o' oak, is none other than reverend Owsley!

The fightin' is brutal, gruesome, and deadly. The devil dogs sink their disgustin' maws into the posse as fast as they can, but eventually their just aint any left. All of 'em are bleedin' and Reuben badly, but luckily the reverend has a little somethin' up his sleeve.

That would be the hand o' god, o' course. His miraculous touch makes 'em all feel a little better, but there aint no time to waste. No sirree.

Git Along

The reverend apologizes for how weak he has been and how he has let the demon drink consume him, as it were. But there aint much time for socializin'. Their gear stowed, the posse hits the trail. The snow complicates things, coverin' much of the tracks, but with the skills of Miranda and the reverend, they are never in danger o' losin' the scent. Eventually on a trail up the valley, an overturned cart is spied in the distance. Suspicious, the posse spreads out and approaches cautiously.

Ambush!

Those dad gum cultists couldnt keep their trigger fingers from jumpin', so a couple of 'em fired a little soon, spoilin' the surprise. The posse moves in and blazes away with their shootin' irons, besting the ambushers, but with a cost. Reverend Owsley lay dead. One of the church members barely clings to life, and its clear (after a short conversation), that his brush with death has broken the lady's hold. His hold also didnt last, and he expires in front of their eyes.

Sad though it was, they steel their resolve and pull up their bootstraps for the hard fight ahead.

The Big Finish

Off in the distance they hear rhythmic chantin' and the sound of feet stompin' in unison. The ritual has begun! On the double, pardner!

In the far edge of a butte canyon sits lady Carstairs behind an altar, protected by Edgar DuChamp. To their left a slaughtered horse, everywhere else, flailin' churchgoers rejoice and dance, with nothing but blank stares. In the center, a giant flame burns. The lady's soul flame they reckon. Its 100 yards to paydirt, but a cold blooded killer with two six-guns stand in their way. What will they do?

For a few minutes they bicker and discuss, then all hell breaks loose as the religious ceremony turns into a bloodbath. They are killin' each other! Lady Carstairs smiles ominously and Edgar looks on impassively. Their evil plan is coming to fruition.

'Not on my watch!' snarls Reuben, he grabs a stick o' dynamite and hobbles around the flank. Jonah realizes that he is naked without support, so he runs up the middle while Miranda loads a rifle. Edgar quickly notices Jonah, but true to plan, doesnt seem to see Reuben. They engage in some magic versus gun combat, but not for long.

Reuben pitches the stick right at the lady, but completely misses.

'Dad gum, that aint close!' he screams, until a little light bulb goes on in his head. Is that a smile on his face? One bounce, two, and the dynamite lands right under dapper mr DuChamp and explodes, killing him, filling the air with smoke and snuffing the flame.

The concussion knocked Reuben to the ground, and completely obscured the lady's whereabouts. Miranda cant find a target, and Jonah also scans the piles of rock until he is blasted by a magic bolt from the eyes of miss Carstairs.

Hobblin' as fast as he can, Reuben raises his double barrel scattergun and lets loose with both right into her. Anti-climactic though it was, thats all she wrote. Immediately, her hold on the 75 members of the church is broken. Confused stares are the norm as each of them realize what they have done.