Deadlands - A Supernatural Western

[BangoSkank]

The year is 1879 but in the world of Deadlands it is a very different 1879. In both of our worlds the year of 1863 saw the United States at war with itself but in this world things went very differently. For one thing, the war did not end two years later. For another rumors persist...persistently...enough that many have good reason, though oddly little evidence, to believe something else quite important happened that day. The dead of Gettysburg rose and beset the living, Blue or Grey making no difference whatsoever.

That's ancient history now though. Well 16 years, but much has changed in those years. Slavery has been abolished. A new natural resource, known as Ghost Rock, has been found that burns Five Times Hotter and 100 Times Longer than Coal. California has, in large part, been reclaimed by the Pacific leaving a broken land known as The Great Maze. Utah has been taken over and renamed The Republic of Deseret. What's more Manifest Destiny has been considerably delayed with the founding of two separate large Indian nations, The Coyote Confederacy and the Sioux Nations. Amid all this chaos, Ghost Rock has dropped the nations into an Industrial Age.

General Intentions

• Experience a short adventure in this setting
• Determine if there is enough interest to start a longer adventure
• Determine if we (well I) can mix Rules Based Pen and Paper with Free Form RPing

In the future I'd like to start a longer adventure with everyone starting out properly with full character generation and purchasing items through the Deadlands Setting. For this RP I think we should probably just do it without such restrictions.

This Little Adventure

For this story we will all be either living in or making our way toward a small town in Kansas called Selina, likely on their way to Dodge City from which they can catch a rail line or carriage near anywhere in the West. This adventure is actually not a part of the Deadlands setting, I'm just importing a story I very much enjoyed.

Factions:

Hider

The Union
Commanded since 1872 by General Ulysses S. Grant. While they have long proclaimed dominion over all the land they once claimed in the recent past, following the election of Eric Michele as Head of the CSA, they have been forced to come to terms with the divided world that we all live in. They have claim to much of the Northern Half of the United States, with the exception of Utah and chunks of Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, and Dakota, as well as the Disputed Lands.

The Confederate States of America
The CSA elections of 1878 would see Jefferson Davis reelected and then assassinated and the front-runner against him in the election Robert E. Lee would fall victim to an accidental rail car explosion. The President of the CSA elected in the aftermath of these events, Eric Michele, has since kept a tenuous peace with Union President Ulysses S. Grant. They have claim to much of the Southern Half of the United States, with the exception of California, and part of Oklahoma, as well as the Disputed Lands.

The Disputed Lands
Kansas, Colorado, California, most of Oklahoma, and some would argue Utah, make up The Disputed Lands. These are lands without any significant presence from the Union, CSA, or the two predominant Indian groups of the land. Utah is claimed by The Republic of Deseret but often not recognized.

The Republic of Deseret
A land for the followers of Brigham Young, ruled by Mormon law. At it's center a factory city, Salt Lake City, reborn as The City of Gloom. It is also the site of Junkyard, squeezed between Salt Lake City and Indian lands it is the site for a number of large factories owned by one of the richest men in the West.

The Sioux Nations
Ruled by Indian Chief Sitting Bull, after Ghost Rock was discovered in the sacred Black Hills of the Dakotas the Sioux first fought to expel the miners, prospectors, and other such greedy fools who would trample their lands. In time they compromised, allowing the mining of the Black Hills so long as they do not venture beyond them, mining the hills and staying within the city of Deadwood. George Armstrong Custer, once defeated by Sitting Bull himself now court-martialed from the Union Army remains on the outskirts of the Sioux Nations, trying to claim his revenge on the Sioux and bring the lands back into the hands of the Union. This is much to the chagrin of the Union who have largely found a peace with the Sioux.

The Coyote Confederacy
Inspired by the Sioux Nations many tribes of the South banded together to stake their own claim. They are ruled by a mysterious man (or perhaps woman) known as The Coyote and seem to have some agreement with the CSA as they do not conduct raids on CSA lands, with the exception of Oklahoma.

General Character Ideas

Hider

• Big Game Hunter
• Blessed (Priests)
• Bounty Hunter
• Cavalry Man
• Cowpoke
• Deserter
• Drifter
• Escort
• Explorer
• Grifter
• Gunslinger
• Huckster
• Indian Brave
• Indian Shaman
• Kid
• Lawman
• Mad Scientist
• Marshal
• Martial Artist
• Outlaw
• Prospector
• Rancher
• Soldier

Forms of Magic

• Blessed - Abrahamic Priests, Sin makes them weaker
• Shamans - Indian Tribe or Voodoo, Not performing rituals makes them weaker
• Hucksters - Communicate with and Play Poker against Demons to perform magic
• Mad Scientists - Use expensive materials to build wondrous machinations
• Chi Master - Use Kung Fu

[BangoSkank]

Character Sheet Template
(We'd probably, hopefully, be doing full proper character generation if we go on a longer campaign with new characters at some point, this is just for this trial run. The full version has more interesting stuff like picking specific skills to be good at and taking both Hindrances and Edges that work similarly to Perks or Traits from the Fallout series)

Hider

Name:

Stats - All Start at 4, you have 5 points to distribute
Agility: 4
Smarts: 4
Spirit: 4
Strength: 4
Vigor: 4

Skills - I'll provide a list below. For this test run they're mostly just for flavor. You can skip this if you'd like. You've got 15 points to distribute.

Hider

Boating
Climbing
Coach Driving
Fighting
Gambling
Healing
Intimidation
Investigation
Knowledge
Lockpicking
Notice
Persuasion
Repair
Riding
Shooting
Stealth
Streetwise
Survival
Swimming
Taunt
Throwing
Tracking

Gear - Keep it reasonable. Western themed weapons, you can have Gatling Weapons (Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, or Mounted) if you want but they're quite costly and flashy.

Background -

Worst Nightmare -

[Life in Stasis]

Hey this is pretty awesome. I'll do this. I like the idea of a Huckster but I'm not sure I have the skill to pull that off in a compelling, non-cliche way. I will have to give this some thought!

[Andrew Blade]

Wait... is it 1879 or 1885?

Also, for the future, would you want to run a WoD style dice system?

I'm interested, but as a gunslinger

[BangoSkank]

I don’t know much about WoD, but yeah the idea is to go full in on character generation and gameplay with cards and dice. Probably more generous as the RP will take longer and there won’t be that face to face element. Still dangerous though, it’s not Deadlands without some death.

It’s 1879. I was playing around with when to start it, but I’m just going with the official Deadlands Reloaded start date of June 1879.

I picked up a lot of Deadlands, Deadlands Reloaded, Deadlands : Hell on Earth, and Feng Shui (Action Movie Roleplaying) stuff.

[War]

Hmmm. Count me in.
Thinking of either a Marshal or Outlaw.

[BangoSkank]

There are three others who are preparing CSs right now so I’ll call that the party. Let me know if you’re interested anyway just in case someone leaves or changes their mind.

The party is

War - Eli Mckee, Marshal
Dragon Bud - Aveline, Blessed
Wampower - Franz Kaufman, Austrian Gunsmith and Ex-Soldier
Lewis - John Blackburn, Investigator
ElGappa - Constantin LeBlanc, French Soldier of Fortune
Life in Stasis - Sequoyah Guess, Cherokee Huckster (Hope you'll join up for the next adventure, great character)
2sky11 - Rick Matthews, Union Cavalryman

[Andrew Blade]

Let me see if @Brat432 has any interest

[Lewis251]

Name: Sir John Blackburn

stats :

Hider

Agility- 5
Smarts: 6
Spirit: 5
Strength: 4
Vigor: 5

Skills:

Hider

Fighting- 1
Gambling -2
Investigation - 3
Knowledge- 3
Lockpicking- 1
Persuasion - 3
Shooting -1

Appearance: cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/230880…

Gear

weapons: John main weapon is an Four Barrelled Howdah Pistol that he acquired during the Abyssinia Expedition, Very short range and only holds four bullets but it can drop an elephant. John also carries his 1845 pattern infantry officer’s sword on his back and whilst not an weapon John also has his Gentleman's lion head Cane.

outfit: John's outfit is an three piece suit in a new steampunk-ist style that has been gathering popularity in the UK. On his feet John wears Army issue Hessian boots: cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/290669…

Other notable items: Marked cards

Background:

Hider

Born into a working class family John's prospect's changed when his father was given an Battlefield promotion during Crimean War. Instead of joining the Grunts like his father and grandfather had done, John attended Military school and gained an lieutenant commission in the Indian Army were he fought in the Abyssinia Expedition.

Shortly after the expedition John was promoted to captain but despite John's skill he was shunned by the officers and men alike for being of working class origin. It got so bad that John was about to leave the Army when he was approached by a member of the Directorate of Military Intelligence and offered an role in the growing organisation. John accepted and for the next ten years worked for Military Intelligence, Helping the Birtish Empire from the Shadows.

The Directorate of Military Intelligence has know about the dead and various other monsters appearing on earth for several years now, with John himself being one of the first members of the directorate to witness it first hand at the battle of sedan.

Posing as "birtish advisor" to French John was actual there to eliminate a French colonel and acquire the documents he carried but with the Frogs losing so badly John was dragged into the fighting before he could escape.

With the help of an Franz, an member of the Austrian expeditionary force and a French solider named Constantin John was able to hold of the Prussian and was about flee when the unthinkable happened: the corpses of the fallen rose up. Soon they were surrounded as undead Prussians, French, and Austrians lashed out from all sides.

They where almost overwhelmed but managed escape though an Prussian Artillery Barrage and fled into the Night. Resting in a nearby forest it was discovered that Constantin had been hit in the chest with artillery shrapnel.

Despite Constantin's Plees and John's suggestion he die instead of "forever be embarrassed that bloody Prussians beat them." Franz couldn't bring himself to abandon a fellow soldier. He pulled the shrapnel out piece by piece and bandaged the wound, saving Constantin from death His screams.

"Tough French Bastard isn't he?"

Hiking back to Paris they arrived just in time for the coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm I. Helping Franz (And Constantin) get their compensation and release from service the group went their own separate ways although before they did, they exchanged contact details... Franz and Constantin were talented soldiers and could been of use to the Directorate.. or to John himself.

Returning to England John continued to work for the Directorate but was now tasked to find out more about the dead and various other monsters appearing that people had long considers to be fairtale stories.

By 1879 this investigation had led john to American. The civil war has recently "ended" with a peacefire and despite some rumours and hostile Indian tribes people flocked to American west to get their hands on "Ghost Rock" a new resource than burns Five Times Hotter and 100 Times Longer than Coal.

By chance Franz, now a member of the Imperial Society and the Frenchman from sedan where also heading to American. claiming to now be an moderate successful Businessman John joined them, claiming to be interested in ghost rock for a factory he part owned.

The group took a ship together across the pond. arriving in American Franz acquired a coach and the small band of old European soldiers is on their way to Selina, Kansas.

Worst Nightmare - Being beaten by an Frenchmen

[War]

@BangoSkank

Just a update on what I will be playing; I've decided on a Marshal

[War]

Eli

_{"Just your average lawman"}

♤Skills♤
Agility: 4{+2}
Smarts: 4{+1}
Spirit: 4
Strength: 4{+1}
Vigor: 4{+1}

♤Stats♤
Investigation-2
Notice-4
Persuasion-3
Shooting-4
Streetwise-2

♤Gear♤
Colt Army Model 1860; Polished, Stygian Black Ironwood comprises the grip, nearly matching the coloration of the cold-steel frame. The silvery embellishments weave magically into the colors, making it one hell of a' thing to look at. If you find yourself on the receiving end of that barrel? Well I'd say your luck just ran out...
U.S Marshall Attire; Sturdy, black leather boots with added spurs to nudge the steed along, thick tan pants covered with the dust a' outside and grime from the Saloon. It's an attempt in vain to keep the alabaster white undershirt a' his clean, but still he tries, which makes it only the color of his pants, brought together with a black vest with silvery clasp. Aside from that worn U.S Marshall badge, he's the same as you. A Man. When mother nature has one of her conniptions, he may sport a bandana of whatever color to protect his face.

♤Background♤
Born Eli Francis Mckee, he was the first and only son to Jean Mckee, An outlaw and Elizabeth Lerin, a seamstress. Eli was plagued with constant ridicule since he was able to understand what words meant, mainly due to how he came to be. See, Jean Mckee was an Outlaw roamin' the west when he happened about the small stead where the Lerins' lived. Keeping the fact that he was a wanted criminal, he was welcomed with open arms and after some time, regarded as family. He'd help with the family's ranch and in turn they'd offer residence in the nearly empty ranch-house. Why is were so empty? Well both Lerin boys were killed by "Them damn Injuns" in what'd be known as the Great Raid, the singlemost largest indian attack on white cities. This left only Ma and Pa Lerin, along with their daughter Elizabeth.

Life was easy, serine, and albeit a stark contrast to the Outlaw life, Jean came to enjoy it. He also came to enjoy the company of Elizabeth and soon enough, they fell in Love. It was short-lived, as news of Jean's true identity was brought to life when the residing Sheriff visiting the Lerins "Swore he'd seen that feller before". Consulting old wanted posters, it was revealed that Jean was infact an Outlaw, wanted Dead or Alive: $2,000. Once this came to light, all sorts a' lowlife began takin' chances, and at some point had the collective brainwave to ambush the stead. That night, some 50 men stormed the ranch, To which Jean responded with opening fire. Jean was subsequently killed by gunfire. Not even cold in his grave, Elizabeth discovered she was pregnant with Eli, which her parents naturally disapproved. Yet when the child was born, they couldn't find it in em' to hate the boy, and he too were accepted like Jean was years ago.

Eli regarded himself a 'cursed child' due to how ostracized he was, but he soon learned to ignore them. He'd show them He thought He'd show them all. Working on the ranch raised Eli to be a strong, healthy youth and when he came of age, was conscripted into the Union Army. When in training, he met a man by the name of Jesse, who he befriended. After training, He and Jesse were both assigned to the Army of Georgia and both under the enlisted rank of Private. They both ever saw one battle, the dreaded Battle of Shiloh.

he and Jesse were amongst the Union soldiers surprised by the Confederate attack, yet they dug in heels and held against wave after wave of "Them damn greys". The aftermath was brutal on both ends, A Union victory but at the cost of thousands of men. Eli was injured during the battle and subsequently relieved of further duty in the Army. He was granted the Campaign Service Medal and was field promoted to Sargent during the battle. Returning home, he learned that his Mother passed of Yellow Fever. He decided then to be a U.S Marshal and was readily accepted due to his military service. Years later, he learned that Jesse had also survived Shiloh, through a letter sent from Kansas. He may just visit sometime...

♤Worst Nightmare♤

Originally, it was dying at Shiloh. Now, his Worst Nightmare is not proving himself to be a good lawman.

Other Info

Dialogue will be in this color
And important actions in this one
Multiple sources were used to convey these very real events accurately. If any mistakes are there, do notify me.
To the Men whom gave their lives in the bloodiest confrontation in American history- Rest in Peace.

[BangoSkank]

If anyone is finding character generation hard or confusing here are some premades. rockymountainsavages.com/deadlandstl/…

In the interests of helping out a bit more I'll copy/paste some of the more common types here, they're not at starting level but it'll give a bit of a template. A lot of the information won't be all that useful for this story but maybe it'll help a bit.

Explorer

Hider

Attributes: Agility 6, Smarts 6, Spirit 6, Strength 6, Vigor 6
Skills: Climbing, Fighting, Guts, Healing, Notice, Riding, Shooting, Stealth, Streetwise, Survival, Swimming, Tracking
Gear: Unarmed Strike
Hindrances:
•Big Mouth: Can't keep secrets; Discloses plans and info
•Habit (Tobacco): Annoying and constant habit
•Overconfident: Believes he can do anything; Accepts all challenges
Edges:
•Knack: Seventh Son: Any time a Fate Chip is used in his presence, he can discard a like-colored chip to negate its effect.
•Scout: You are expert at avoiding or detecting hazards.

Huckster

Hider

Attributes: Agility 6, Smarts 8, Spirit 8, Strength 4, Vigor 6
Skills: Fighting, Gambling, Guts, Notice, Persuasion, Riding, Shooting, Spellcasting (Arcane)
Gear: Unarmed Strike, Derringer, Brass Knuckles
Hindrances:
•Bad Eyes (minor): -2 to shoot or notice distant targets w/o glasses
•Cautious: Plot things out in detail before any action
•Lame: -2 Pace; Roll d4 for running
Edges:
•Arcane Magic: Gain the Magic arcane background
•Card Sharp: Only get's caught cheatin' when he rolls snake eyes; people are at -2 to notice Huckster.
•Dealer's Choice: Spend Fate Chip to redraw a card.
•True Grit: +1 Grit

Indian Brave

Hider

Attributes: Agility 8, Smarts 4, Spirit 6, Strength 8, Vigor 8
Skills: Climbing, Fighting, Guts, Healing, Intimidation, Notice, Riding, Shooting, Stealth, Survival, Tracking

Gear: Unarmed Strike, Bow, Bladed War Club, Twin Tomahawks
Hindrances:
•Bloodthirsty: Never take prisoners; -4 Charisma if known
•Lyin' Eyes: -2 to Intimidation and Persuasion when he lies; -2 to Gamblin' when Bluffin'
•Stubborn: Always wants his way; Never admits he's wrong
Edges:
•Fleet-Footed: +2 Pace; Roll d10 when running
•Steady Hands: Ignore penalty for firing from moving platform

Law Dog

Hider

Attributes: Agility 8, Smarts 6, Spirit 6, Strength 6, Vigor 6
Skills: Fighting, Guts, Notice, Riding, Shooting, Stealth, Streetwise, Survival
Gear: Unarmed Strike, Twin Colt Peacemakers, Brass Knuckles, Boots, Clothing (Normal), Quick-Draw Holster, Stetson
Hindrances:
•Cautious: Plot things out in detail before any action
•Code of Honor: Honor is key; Keeps word, won't abuse/kill prisoners, etc.
•Doubting Thomas: Rationalizes all weird or supernatural events
Edges:
•Danger Sense: Notice roll at -2 to sense an imminent surprise
•Knack: Born on Christmas: See text.
•Quick: Redraw initiative cards of 5 or lower
•Quick Draw: Ignore -2 penalty to attack after drawing; +2 on draw

Soldier

Hider

Attributes: Agility 8, Smarts 6, Spirit 6, Strength 6, Vigor 8
Skills: Climbing, Fighting, Gambling, Guts, Healing, Intimidation, Notice, Riding, Shooting, Streetwise, Survival
Gear: Colt Army, Unarmed Strike, Winchester '73, Knife, Bedroll, Canteen
Hindrances:
•Code of Honor: Honor is key; Keeps word, won't abuse/kill prisoners, etc.
•Loyal: Will never leave a man behind
•Vow (Minor: Follow orders): Vow causes problems
Edges:
•Command: Allies +1 on Spirit rolls to recover from Shaken
•Nerves of Steel: Ignore 1 point of wound penalties
•Soldier (NCO): You are a Non-Commissioned Officer in the Army.

[Wampower]

Franz Kaufmann

Stats

Hider

Agility: 6
Smarts: 6
Spirit: 4
Strength: 5
Vigor: 4

Appearance

Hider

Franz is relatively average physically. He’s 5’10”, with an average stature. He has a fair and lightly freckled complexion. He has short light brown hair and a full beard.

His outfit contains a long grey coat, white shirt, tough blue trousers from his military days, blue vest, old army boots, and something like a grey Homburg hat: https://www.hats-plus.com/images/Product/large/2662.jpg

Gear

Hider

An automatic gatling rifle built in his shop https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f1/93/77/f19377f809ba47b81e09eb79a8d0d191.png

His modified Gasser M1870 he used to survive during the Battle of Sedan. This pistol was used by officers and cavalry, and Franz has cared for it meticulously and updated some of it’s mechanisms. It has high stopping power, with it’s carbine chamber of 11.25x36mm.
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/battlefield/images/8/81/Gasser_M1870_IRL.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160912171936

Franz has also brought his tools for reloading ammo and gun maintenance.

Background

Hider

Franz Kaufmann was born to Josef Kaufmann and Marie Kaufmann in poor worker tenements in Vienna in 1848. The chaos caused by the year’s revolutions caused his parents much misfortune, so they named their son after the new Hapsburg monarch, Franz Joseph, who ascended to the throne that year to return stability to the Empire. The family lived an impoverished existence, working hard early industrial jobs in Vienna. Josef and Marie were unable to conceive again, so further strain was put on Franz to work hard for the family. The young man knew his duty, but truly desired to seek fame and fortune from adventure, like so many others. When he was 18, he enlisted in the army for the Austro-Prussian War, much to his parent’s chagrin. The adventure was short-lived when the war ended in quick defeat for the Austrians, but he distinguished himself and received extra payment for his service. With the money, his family was able to rise out of the worst of it’s problems. The experience of a lost war changed him forever, but he ultimately considered it worthwhile to serve his Empire and family. He stayed on in the army and started to rise in ranks.

In 1870, the Prussians turned on Napoleon III’s French Empire. The Austrians didn’t join the war, but the French paid for an expeditionary force to aid them. He joined it eagerly, knowing it would set him up for life if he used his pay wisely. The force found its way to France just in time before the Battle of Sedan, where it fought well with another division of French men. In the chaos of the battlefield, he, a British advisor named John, and a Frenchman named Constantin depended on each other to make sure their guns kept firing. They barely managed to fend off every Prussian advance on their position, unaware that the battle as a whole was deteriorating. As they kept firing to keep the Prussians from braving a full assault, the unthinkable happened: the corpses of the fallen rose up. Soon they were surrounded as undead Prussians, French, and Austrians lashed out from all sides. A living man was worth 10 of the flesh gnashers, but the dead always outnumbered the living. Under the moonlight, they were almost overwhelmed. Then Prussian artillery started shelling the growing horde, allowing them an escape route. As they fled into night, it became apparent that the Frenchman had been hit in the chest with artillery shrapnel. Even though the three knew none of each other’s language, they all knew what had to be done. Despite Constantin's plees to leave him behind, Franz couldn't bring himself to abandon a fellow soldier. He pulled the shrapnel out piece by piece and bandaged the wound, saving Constantin from death. His screams and twisted flesh would haunt Franz whenever he remembered Sedan.

After resting a few hours, the three hiked back to Paris, arriving in time for the coronation of Kaiser Wilhelm I. They managed to strong-arm an army bureaucrat into giving Franz and Constantin their rightful compensation and release from service. Before they went their separate ways, they exchanged contact details, so the three men could correspond later. Franz went back to Vienna, secured an honorable discharge, and decided to settle down. He’d lost his taste for adventure and soldiering after the horrors of Sedan, or so he thought.

Utilizing his carefully saved army money, Franz was able to open a business as a gunsmith in Vienna. He quickly saw success by getting out in front of the newer innovations and was able to set his aging parents up well in his new home. The working class soldier suddenly found himself thrust into Vienna’s new wave of Bourgeoisie. While it was a culture shock at first, he soon became invested in efforts to help modernize Vienna and prepare for the coming age of technology and magic. He joined the state funded Imperial Society of Science and Magic to tell his stories of the horrors of Sedan and his experiences with the new wave of gatling firearms. It helped him to share his experience in a productive way. He also found love in a professor's daughter named Amelia, marrying her and establishing a family.

Franz was happy and successful, while raising his toddler daughter Sophia, but his old taste for adventure started to reawaken. Things in America were getting worse and the Emperor wanted somebody from the Imperial Society to go abroad and investigate more. Franz somewhat reluctantly volunteered. He didn’t want to leave his family and business, but he also couldn’t deny his desire to discover the happenings of the American West. He urged his friends from Sedan in letters to join him. While the Frenchman was reluctant, John agreed readily. The group took a ship together across the pond. Franz acquired a coach and the small band of old European soldiers is on their way to Selina, Kansas.

Worst Nightmare

Hider

Getting eaten alive at Sedan.

Skills

Hider

Coach Driving: 1
Fighting: 1
Investigation: 2
Knowledge: 2
Repair: 3
Riding: 1
Shooting: 4
Streetwise: 1

[Elgappa]

---

---

---

STATS:

Agility: 6

Smarts: 4

Spirit: 4

Strength: 6

Vigor: 5

SKILLS:

Climbing 1

Fighting 3

Gambling 1

Intimidation 1

Persuasion 2

Riding 1

Shooting 4

Stealth 1

Survival 1

GEAR:

-Gras Model 1874: The dream of every Mercenary, and taken from the dead hands of a french soldier. One of the best rifles of its time, the single shot bolt action rifles is loving cared for by Constantin, who has given the gun the name "Amelie"

-1872 Swiss revolver: Won from a Swiss merc during a game of cards in Timbuktu, the six-shot revolver is a loyal sidearm, who has proven its worth, be it in the damp jungles and deserts of africa, or in the dusty fields of china.

-Ida Sword: A personal thropy, taken during contract with Zanzibaran Slavers, Constantin adores the blade he uses as a melee weapon. A strange weapon for an European eye, it has an strange weight in ones hand, and at time, people claim that the blade would whisper...

BACKGROUND:

Story Time

Constantin Hector Leblanc was born in a small village in the Normandie, France. His mother, Maria Leblanc, was a young peasant daughter, while his father was a false wandering preacher, abusing the deep religious devotion of the rural population, for his personal gain and would vanish quickly, as Maria´s pregnancy was noticed. Raised in his grandparents house, Constantin learned quickly what it meant to be an bastard, and both his family and his fellow children would not miss a chance, to torment him because of his birth. Yet Constantin was blessed with a grim temper and a strong physic, and before long, not a single child in his village, dared to call him a bastard, in fear of losing their teeth. The simple beauty of violent solutions was among the first lessons Constantin would learn in his life. Moving out of his grandparents house, as his mother hunted a local huntsman, Constantin would learn a second lesson, that would mark his life.
His new step-father, whom Constantin took an early liking to, took the boy with him, and would teach him how to load and fire a rifle, as soon as he was old enough to hold it. Enjoying both the thrill of the hunt, as well as the ability to help his new father to feed his family, fate took a turn for the worse, when his step-father, would die in a tragic hunting accident.
Widowed, Constantin, barley fourteen at the time, took up the rifle his step-father left him, and took to poaching, to provide for his sickly mother, who would pass away from a fever a years later. Orphaned, Constantin continued his poaching for three more years, until he was caught red handed, and arrested. Facing a deportation into the prison colonies, the Franco-Mexican war broke out, and Constantin was drafted into it.
Shipped into a conflict on the other side of the world, which ended in an disaster, would turn out to be a stroke of luck for Constantin. Able to distinguish himself as an capable soldier, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, and remained in service, even after the humiliating defeat, that saw the installed emperor shot like an common criminal. Still, he returned to France with full pockets, a secure income and a reputation as more then just a bastard. For single, blissful year, Constantin enjoyed a trouble-free time in Paris where he was garrisoned, before the Franco-German War broke out.

Joining up, like any proper soldier would, Constantin would met an Austrian, whom he would develop a friendship with, and a sneering Englishman, whom he would develop a mutual rivalry with. Then Sedan came, and the dead rose from the ground to feed on the living. With Chaos all around them, and no help in sight, the three were on their own, as they tried their best to escape the nightmare around them. It was in this chaos, that a shrapnel would hit his chest, grievously wounding him. Expecting to be left behind, and even cursing Franz Kaufmann to leave him behind and save himself, the Austrian took his remove the shrapnel, and bandage his wound, saving his life from certain death in the ruins of Sedan. Hiking to Paris, the three were able to get their just pay, even through Constantin almost had to break a mans arm for it. Released from his duty, Constantin saw his homeland crumble into chaos and disgusted by the new republic, would leave for the colonies, to make a living on his own. He invited the Austrian to join him on his travels [...]

The next seven years, Constantin would cut a bloody path through the world. In Africa he would break bread with slavers and petty officals, willing to fight for the colonial powers against the natives, now strengthen by new allies from beyond for the right price, until he beat up an Belgian gentleman in Congo, for calling him a bastard, earning himself a bounty and a reason to leave the continent. In south america, he would happily crush uprisings of local workers, while earning a pay from the local plantation owners, before also being forced to leave, after earning himself the hate of an influential Cattle-Baron, after being caught in bed with his wife. Leaving for Asia, Constantin fought both in the Dutch East Indies as well in the Taiping Rebellion. Once more caught in an argument with an Taiping Officer, this time over a prostitute, Constantin drunkenly beheaded the rebel, before switching sides, and taking Quing coins as payment. Joining the "Ever Victorious Army", he took part in multiple lootings of ancient temples, and, after being denied payment, would sack a local palace, before deciding, that with a bag filled with golden trinkets, it was time to return home.

Paying for a passage back into France, and buying a small plot of land in the champagne, Constantin was, while far from wealthy, alive, which was more then most mercenaries could say. He began to court a local widow, with plans set to marriage, before a familiar Austrian would enter his home, talking him into one last adventure...

[2sky11]

Rick Matthews

Stats -
Agility: 5
Smarts: 6
Spirit: 4
Strength: 5
Vigor: 5

Skills –
Fighting - 5
Riding - 5
Shooting - 5


Gear – Carries standard issue Springfield model 1873 rifle along with two Colt M1878 handguns. When not in uniform, he wears black trouser and vest over a shirt. Typically wears a tan trench coat that is ragged on the edges, and a dark brown Stetson.

Background – Lived in NYC, but enlisted at age 16, lying to recruiters about his age. They didn’t really care as the army was always in short supply of fresh meat. During training, one of the horses went crazy but he managed to calm the horse down. A cavalry officer was present, and gave him a shot to try out for the cavalry. He proved to have a knack for riding, and was as good a shot on the ground as he was horseback at full gallop.

He has spent most of his time out west, patrolling the border and fighting the occasional skirmish with CSA patrols. For a while the goal was to keep the Indians and CSA in check but the recent peace deal has made things slow and boring. He has started a few fights with CSA patrols, though has made sure to cover his tracks by making sure they were all dead and leaving no survivors.

After serving in the cavalry for 8 years, he was about to leave the service, however the same officer that recruited him to Cavalry, offered him the chance at a commission to be an officer. He would’ve been a fool to pass it up and took on the chance. Compared to the other officers he felt out of place as he had been a poor boy from New York, but wasn’t going to let it bother him.

What he’ll never forget was his first mission as an officer, leading a group into the badlands of the disputed lands. He’ll never forget the second night. They had just stopped a large group of outlaws that had slaughtered an Indian village. They had killed most of the m, but had managed to capture the boss and a few henchmen. As they camped out, rustling sound could be heard followed by eerie gnarling sound and shuffling. Rick stood immediately grabbing his pistols as the rest of his mean stood to their feet, wary of the situation. Without warning they were set upon, by what seemed living dead. One of the same men that he had personally killed, was on his feet trying to kill him, despite a gaping hole in its chest.

The bodies of the dead Indians were also among them, and they attacked without care. He watched as the dead killed and tore apart some of the arrested outlaws and some of the horses. He rallied his men as they shot and pushed off the attackers. Soon out of bullets they took to hand to hand combat, fighting them off with whatever was at hand. His saber proved useful, as did bashing in the creatures heads with the butts of rifles. Before long, the battle had been over, and he had lost half his men.

He loaded the bodies of his fallen men, on a wagon they found in the village, and they set the remaining bodies on fire. When they arrived back to their outpost, he and his men were taken and isolated in a barrack. It was here he was reassigned. He was to join military intelligence, and work under the officer that had shown interest in his career all these years. What he had seen and experience, he would keep a secret. The populace was not ready to find out about those the things that lurk out there. His men, were also reassigned to a special company that dealt with such creatures, after all they had proven their worth in fighting them off.

Taking on his new role, he would ensure, knowledge of these creatures remain a secret and take care of anyone that would divulge such knowledge.

Worst Nightmare – Being eaten alive

https://imgur.com/a/hZ9WkgQ

[Dragonbud]

I'm just gonna sliiiide in here in case a space ever opens up and your crew needs a lady

[BangoSkank]

Go ahead and make one up, you too MysteryBroom. We’re about ready to go, haven’t heard anything from Andrew Blade.

[BangoSkank]

Hell yes. Great Character Sheet. MysteryBroom, Andrew Blade, and Brat342 if you want to join up for the next adventure I'd be glad to have you but we're full up for this one. Hope you stick around to read it and join up for the next one.

2sky11 - Rick Matthews, Union Cavalryman
Dragonbud - Aveline, Blessed
ElGappa - Constantin LeBlanc, French Soldier of Fortune
Lewis - John Blackburn, Investigator
Life in Stasis - Sequoyah Guess, Cherokee Huckster
Wampower - Franz Kaufman, Austrian Gunsmith and Ex-Soldier
War - Eli Mckee, Marshal

I'll start work on an introductory post shortly. We have a bit of a dilemma that I didn't foresee in that there isn't an immediately clear reason for everyone to be traveling together, so rather than start the story that way and leave you all to figure out why you're together I'll start it off with Lewis, Gappa, and Wam's characters (Blackburn, LeBlanc, and Kaufmann) traveling into Selina. We'll work out what the party is looking into and why they come together as we get started.

[Dragonbud]

Thank you :D I'm gonna clean and tweak the sheet and then post in here so the rest of us can figure out why we know each other!

Aveline

Name: Aveline, last name unknown.
Blessed



Stats -
Agility: 5
Smarts: 7
Spirit: 5
Strength: 4
Vigor: 4

Skills -

Hider

Healing - 3
Investigation - 2
Knowledge - 2
Notice - 3
Persuasion - 3
Stealth - 2

Gear - Aveline despises violence, even shooting a gun near her makes her jumpy and nervous. And while she has been taught how to shoot, by a lawman who didn't want her to be taken advantage of, she really doesn't like carrying a weapon.

Background - Aveline know very little about who she is, or was, and where she came from. The woman has amnesia, caused by a traumatic brain injury she suffered. A gunshot wound to the head, the scar still visible on her left temple. The furthest back Aveline can remember is suddenly waking up, strapped to an operating table, a doctor picking pieces of lead bullet out of her skull, the pain slightly numbed with the taste of whiskey in her mouth. Her body had been dumped near a river, where it was found by a local minister. He was able to get her to a doctor before she expired, her survival being seen as a miracle.

When she finally came to, her emergency surgery a success, Aveline found herself struggling to answer the questions asked by the priest, the doctors, and the local law. Not only could she remember almost nothing, she could barely communicate. She had to strain to speak, but even then her words would be slurred and stuttered, the doctors assumed this was caused by the area of the brain struck with the bullet. She had to resort to communicating through written words, where she revealed everything she could remember. A ranch, a home, an argument. A Gunshot. Her name.

As she recovered she tried to recall who she was. Maybe an escort who angered a customer, or a rancher who's competition took matters into their own hands. Maybe she was a criminal, or just a victim of a random attack. But without any identifying documents, or anyone coming forward to claim the confused woman, her true background continued to be a mystery. All the doctors could piece together was that she did not come from Selina, unless her family was keeping away on purpose. And yet Aveline carried herself with a air of politeness, and knew how to read and write, which pointed her towards a past of civilization.

And a civilized past indeed. Aveline does not know, but I know because I am an omnipotent narrator. Aveline belongs to the Amcotte family, affluent plantation owners from the southern states. However, with the continuation of the war, as well as the rumors of the dead rising, the plantation began to suffer, following the death of the patriarch of the family, Aveline's father. Aveline, the youngest of her siblings, was left a comfortable sum in the Will, which angered her eldest sister, who had received the failing farm after the death of their father. Aveline's sister went on a rampage, murdering each remaining member of the Amcotte family, to gain the entire inheritance for herself. Too bad Aveline survived.

Today, Aveline still struggles. Although she has been practicing with speaking, her words are still soft and slurred, and she has a pretty prominent stutter. She fears that people only see her as an anomaly in town, or that her slow speech makes her unappealing. But her life is not all misery, and she is not entirely helpless. She considers herself quite lucky, despite her lingering disability. She can still communicate through speech, even if it is slow and stuttered, and she can write out what she wants to say. Her brush with death, as well as the care she received from both the local priests and doctors as she recovered, has inspired her. As she recovered she began to learn about the art of healing, both medicinal and miracle based. Her mentors and teachers would remark that she learns quickly, especially for a woman who had been shot in the head. She would much rather patch up a wound than cause one, but saying that she would much rather stay inside and read than face off against gunslingers.

Other: Aveline has been practicing, and improving, her speech, but it is still very ineffective for communication. She carries with her a chalkboard and chalk, gifted to her, when she really needs to get a point across, but this can be a problem when trying to 'talk' to someone who can't read. Her newest, and most useless, form of communication is Sign Language. She finally get to start learning signs when the books she ordered arrived from the developed cities in the North. Sign Language has been around since the early 1800s, but isn't very widespread or learned. Still, Aveline, likes learning.

Worst Nightmare - Losing her mind.

[Lewis251]

I'll start work on an introductory post shortly. We have a bit of a dilemma that I didn't foresee in that there isn't an immediately clear reason for everyone to be traveling together, so rather than start the story that way and leave you all to figure out why you're together I'll start it off with Lewis, Gappa, and Wam's characters (Blackburn, LeBlanc, and Kaufmann) traveling into Selina. We'll work out what the party is looking into and why they come together as we get started.

@BangoSkank

Perhaps a new source of ghost rock could have supposedly been discovered in/near Selina along with reports that "strange Bandits" have hassling people who attempt to mine it (or however you gather ghost rock).