[OOC] ♠ Showdowns & Saddles ♠

Current Status: There's potential for a new character to join us once the train arrives at its destination. Unless you're interested in playing one of the train guards in the interim. They are NPCs at the moment, but could easily be picked up by another player!

[Kelewen]

“This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”
—The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence

Setting: Texas, 1875
General Plot: Characters hired to transport goods. There might will be trouble along the way.

Play by Post Rules:

• Expected post rate: Roughly once or twice a week. I'll try to give everyone a chance to get in a post before I post again as the GM. No strict post order.
• Expected post length: A paragraph is fine, more welcome of course! It's mostly important that you make it clear what action your character is taking so that I know when/how to adjudicate.
• The outcome of attacks may be narrated by the player of the defending character. Your characters don't need to be fragile flowers, but take a hit once in awhile, please. ;)
• If we're in combat and the RP is waiting on you for more than 5 days, I may narrate your character out of the fray to keep things moving. I will attempt to keep it minimal!
• Character sheet template: Use whatever style you'd like! If you enjoy creating detailed backstories, go for it! If you'd rather develop your character through the RP, that's fine too.
• Characters should be human and have no supernatural abilities. If you can envision them accepting a job to transport an item, they'll work!

Where we'll start... (to be personalized a bit more in the IC once we have our cast of characters. Actual RP will be written in 3rd person.)

Welcome folks!

Your adventures have brought you to the town of Sweetwater south of the Texas panhandle. Still dusty from the road, you headed for the saloon to wet your dry throat.

The batwings open into a dark smoke filled room where an elderly man plays a halfhearted song on a badly out of tune piano. The portly Saloonkeeper collects your guns and stores them under the bar before he serves you.

The whiskey is rough and the crowd rougher! You’ve fallen into a poker game with a rowdy looking crew and have been winning. In fact, everyone seems to be winning, at the expense of a well dressed man with the thin mustache who goes by the name of Mr. Logan.

[Landain]

@Kelewen Submitted for your review...

Phineas

Name: Phineas Eugene O’Connell

Purpose: Seeking experiences in the west to be used in writing western novels.

Description: “Finney” or “Gene” as he is often called stands 5’ 8” tall and weighs 147 Lbs. He has an oval shaped face with steel grey eyes and dark brown hair kept short, with no facial hair. At age 21, he prefers to be clean; immaculately dressed. He understands he will need to get a bit dirty for his adventures and is willing to make that sacrifice. He appears to be a fancy lad from Boston because that is how he dressed when he attended university.

Backstory: Finney was a boy during the Civil War. His father too old for the war, worked as the community doctor in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Typically, a fishing village, Phineas had no intention of sailing, working with fish or working as a doctor. He appreciated the gentle life his father provided him and his seven brothers and sisters, but Finney was a dreamer.

He read the newspapers during the war, enthralled with the stories about the war and life out west. As a young boy he desired traveling to the frontier and living the life of a cowboy; going on adventures and learning how to survive.

While studying English, Writing and Rhetoric at Amherst College, Phineas became infatuated with life in the wild west. He decided he would travel out west to experience life in the west and write novels about his experiences. While a student at Amherst, he played on the college baseball team, earning a nick name as Three-fingered-Finney. It never stuck and disappeared when he traveled west. The nickname had more to do with how he threw a baseball. When most of the other players used all five fingers, Finney used only three; the forefinger, middle finger and thumb to throw the ball. His accuracy was so fine, he was played at Pitcher for the Amherst team.

After packing his bags, buying a Colt Single Action, Army pistol or Peacemaker chambered in .45 caliber and a few outfits he thought would fit in out west, he said his good byes to his family and boarded a train. It was a trip that took him more than a few weeks. When he arrived in Pecos, Texas, he thought maybe he was in over his head. He purchased a horse. He nothing about horses, but bought a Morgan horse for $90 and named him Josiah or “Josie”. The horse was dark brown with a white splotch or line running down the face of his long nose. Finney purchased a saddle blanket, western saddle with horn, saddle bags, bed roll and a 100’ length of rope because every photograph he saw of the old west, cowboys had ropes on their saddles.

With his gun belt strapped on, .45 Colt SAA on his right hip and every bullet slot filled around his belt, he mounted Josiah, heading west in the open country. He had a knife to skin small animals in the even he caught one, but wore his old brown bowler; the same one he wore at Amherst College. He didn’t feel right with the western style hat and decided he would keep the bowler as a signature of his past.

In his saddle bags, he stored a writing tablet, inkwell and pens as well as some hard tack in case he couldn’t find food and a feed bag for Josiah as well as some fruit and vegetables for the horse as treats and a small copy of the bible. He carried the money his father gave him on his person at all times.

His first night in the desert, he felt as though he were going to starve, He couldn’t find anything to hunt to cook and he couldn’t start a fire with the flint and tinder he used. The next day he rode about ten miles before setting up camp. He tried again with the fire and could not start a fire. He did however hunt and kill a rabbit, but failed to cook it. On his third day, he came upon a stranger who had a fire and asked if he would share his fire with him. The man was friendly. Finney cooked the rabbit and shared it with his host. He finally sated his three day old hunger.

After a week on the road, Finney made it to Sweetwater, having adjusted to life on the road. The sacrifice of being dirty, he committed to himself in New England was nothing compared to the sacrifice of food he endured at the beginning of his journey. Fortunately at the saloon, he was able to purchase a meal and a beer at the saloon. Phineas was a happy man.

Equipment:

- Colt Single Action, Army pistol or "Peacemaker" chambered in .45 caliber
- Three western shirts (white, light blue, red)
- Three pair of trousers (blue, brown, black)
- Western style boots (brown)
- Brown leather vest
- Brown bowler (hat)
- Morgan horse named Josiah or “Josie”.
- saddle blanket
- western saddle with horn
- saddle bags
- bed roll
- a 100’ length of rope
- gun belt
- 100 rounds of .45 ammo
- a knife
- a writing tablet
- inkwell
- pens
- hard tack (ate it up on the ride to Sweetwater)
- a feed bag for Josiah
- an assortment of fruit and vegetables for the horse as treats
- a small copy of the bible.
- $235 (remaining money his father gave him as a gift)

Relationships:

- Ezekiel O’Connell, Father, wealthy New England Doctor. Phineas loves his father, writing letters to the man while away from home.
- Charlotte O’Connell, Mother, Kind hearted woman who worries about her children daily.
- Albert O’Connell, 29, brother, chose a life on the sea in the US Navy serving as a Lieutenant.
- Frederick O’Connell, 28, brother, plays the violin in the Boston City Orchestra. Teaches music in Boston.
- Clara Donohue (O’Connell), 26, Sister, married Arthur Donohue who works as a Law Enforcement officer in Gloucester.
- Isabella Grieve (O’Connell), 24, Sister, married Walter Grieve who works as a fisherman.
- Harold O’Connell, 22, brother, married Julia (Murphy) and works in Finance in Boston. Graduate of Boston College
- Sophia O’Connell, 19, sister, student at Emerson College studying Latin.
- Edward O'Connell, 17, Brother, student at Boston College.

NOTE: Phineas O'Connell is the name of Billie Eilish's brother.

[Kelewen]

@Landain, did you just put Phineas together today? :) He looks great!

(And I got a chuckle out of this: "and a 100’ length of rope because every photograph he saw of the old west, cowboys had ropes on their saddles.")

If this adventure I have in mind goes well, I could totally see Finney in a longer term campaign! Looking forward to seeing him in play.

[Landain]

I'm a writer. I can knock these out quickly. I love writing character sketches. Here is Billy Kingsley...

Billy

Name: William “Billy” Kingsley

Purpose: Looking for work

Description: Billy, aged 26 stands 6’ 2” tall and weighs 180 Lbs. He has dark blackened skin, African black hair and brown eyes. Billy has more than a few scars on his arms and torso from time spent in the US Cavalry. He wears his old blue cavalry trousers with the yellow stripe on the legs. He also wears a white shirt and a black vest. He traded in his US Army kepi for a black Dakota style leather cowboy hat with the forward edge of the brim drooping way down over his eyes. He gave his blue jacket to an Indian at some point in time. He didn’t want it anymore. There are three eagle feathers tucked into the hat band. He wears his black leather cavalry boots as well. The Apache call him, “Elan Itza-chu” which means Friendly Great Hawk, due to his personality and ability to know what is going on around him. It is as though he were a great hawk looking down at the world.

Backstory: William Kingsley grew up near Oswego, Illinois. His father, Lucius Kingsley was a runaway slave from Shreveport, Louisiana. Lucius married Emiline, who had no prior last name. The woman was a runaway slave from Tupelo, Mississippi. Lucius and Emiline found each other in Chicago, IL after their escape to freedom, fell in love and settled into farming south of the city near Oswego.

Lucius chose not to serve during the war between the states, but by then he and his wife had five children to raise. His oldest son, William and other sons helped him with chores around their farm. Lucius’ youngest child was his favorite, Clarabelle, born around the time of the firing on Fort Sumter in 1861.

When he was old enough, William enlisted in the Army, serving in the newly formed 10th Cavalry regiment. William’s brothers in arms, quickly picked up the moniker of “Buffalo Soldiers” from the native tribes who inhabited Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and other territories of the plains as well as Texas. The Natives didn’t know what to make of the black soldiers, just they were the same color as the buffalo whom they hunted.

William was treated fairly in the army, but the days were long, and the work was hard. He fought in several engagements with the natives. He learned the language of the Comanches (Comancheros) and the Apache (Mescalero) tribes. He also knows a little Spanish (Mexico). Albeit Billy never had an education and cannot read or write but has a propensity towards learning foreign languages. He can speak English, Apache, Comanche and Spanish, but can’t read or write anything.

When Billy left the army, he kept his horse, pistol belt, sidearm, saddle, tack and harness as well as his uniform equipment. He picked up a rifle shortly after leaving the military, insuring he has sufficient ammunition. He abandoned his cavalry saber to a young Mescalero some time ago.

Billy has been in the panhandle of Texas, Apache country for a few years and is looking for work. He has done several odd jobs in the past but needs something now. He wandered into the saloon in Sweetwater with this quest in mind.

Equipment:

- Henry Rifle (.44 caliber)
- Colt SAA Pistol (.45 caliber)
- Bowie Knife
- Mustang Horse named “Rose” (female) black and white paint
- One spare shirt (light blue)
- Yellow Neckerchief
- One pair of trousers (US Army Cavalry)
- US Cavalry boots (black)
- Black vest
- Black leather Dakota styled cowboy hat
- saddle blanket (traded US Army blanket for multi colored one from a Commanche)
- western saddle with horn
- saddle bags
- bed roll
- gun belt
- 250 rounds of .45 ammo
- 170 rounds of .44 Henry ammo
- a Bowie knife
- a feed bag for Rose
- an assortment of fruit and vegetables for the horse as treats
- $13.65

Relationships:

Lucius Kingsley, father, farmer in Illinois
Emiline Kingsley, mother
David Kingsley, 24, brother, farmer in Illinois
Amos Kingsley, (22), brother, troublemaker, killed by whites in St. Louis, MO
Joseph Kingsley, 20, brother, farmer in Illinois
Clarabelle, 14, sister, lives with family on the farm in Illinois. She is Billy’s father’s pride and joy.

Billy doesn't have any rope. :)

[Kelewen]

Finney and Billy both accepted. Mind adding them to the characters tab?

[BingTheWing]

Taylor "Black Jack" Jackson

Name: Taylor "Black Jack" Jackson

Purpose: Looking for work after the splitting-up of his gang

Description:

Taylor is a big, imposing cowboy outlaw, standing at 6'0 and 170 lbs. He usually dons a long bandolier, a large duster coat, a wide-brimmed ten-gallon hat, and his signature black bandana covering his face. Underneath his hat and bandana are a youthful, yet bitter and long brown-eyed face, and a slightly long brown hairstyle. He speaks with a vibrant, almost angry-sounding yet somehow eloquent Louisianian accent with a slight hint of Cajun.

Backstory:

Taylor R. Jackson was born in 1844, the sixth son of Edward Jackson, a cotton plantation owner in Louisiana. From a young age, Taylor was indoctrinated to be a future steward of the family's land and reputation in the antebellum South. At the same time, as one of the youngest in the family, Taylor was often overlooked when it came to family inheritance and the approval of his own father. So in the end he would always have a chip on his shoulder: while bearing such responsibility as the heir of such a family, Taylor would never feel truly appreciated for his sacrifices for them.

Taylor was an avid sharpshooter in his youth, which translated well to his career in the Civil War as an officer for the Confederate Army. Taylor was a fierce sharpshooter on the battlefield, his numerous successful encounters with the enemy serving as inspiration for his own men, leading him to become one of the youngest captains in the Confederate Army. But when the war ended and the Reconstruction Era took its toll on the wealth of the Jackson family, Taylor saw his father become a shell of the man he used to be: instead of the proud and deeply traditional plantation owner he had regarded him as, Edward turned to alcoholism and resigned his many acres of land to be sold off to the slaves that had once done their bidding. Refusing to go the path of his father and his family, Taylor gathered some of his old comrades during the war and left for the West to find gold.

The promises of gold eventually turned out to be empty, but Taylor realized that the many guns his gang had brought with them along with their combat experience made them perfect candidates for a life of banditry. Desperate for food and on their last savings, Taylor's gang agreed, and when they all rode out from a canyon one starry night in Arizona to rob a lone stagecoach, their careers as infamous outlaws were born. Nicknamed the "Black Brothers" for the signature black bandanas they all wore and partially as a mockery of their Southern origins, Taylor's gang accumulated a modest fortune robbing stagecoaches, banks, and occasionally other gangs. Taylor himself earned the moniker of "Black Jack" for being the leader, and the deadliest and most intimidating of the group. While the rest of the gang aimed for speedy retirements in Australia or South America, Taylor secretly dreamed of establishing a legitimate ranching business under a different name and returning to his now-destitute family in Louisiana.

But their good luck did not last for long - when the Black Brothers attempted to rob a train in New Mexico, they were not aware of the train's heavily armed guard working for a wealthy gold magnate in the area. In the ensuing chaos, several of Taylor's gang were killed or captured and the rest forced to flee East with nearly nothing from the robbery and the little money they could hurriedly gather from their hideout. After many angry squabbles by campfires at night, the remaining Black Brothers agreed to go their separate ways to avoid alerting the authorities, promising one day to come back for the gold in their hideout in New Mexico. Such was the situation Taylor found himself in when he wandered one fateful day into the town of Sweetwater, Texas.

Important Equipment:
- Winchester Model 1873 repeating rifle
- "Buck" and "Belle", two custom Colt SAA revolvers with ivory grips, one engraved with a deer and the other of a lady
- Morgan horse named "Cecilia"
- $800 in bills in a wallet and hidden compartments in Cecilia's saddlebags
- Hunting knife
- Ten-gallon hat
- Several bandanas of differing colors
- Cowboy duster and some extra clothes
- Two sticks of dynamite
- Binoculars
- Hard tack and salted beef jerky for several days
- Feed for Cecilia

Also, what exact year in the 1870s would you envision this taking place in?

[Kelewen]

Black Jack approved!

We can say 75 if you want to give it an exact year, but I'm going for a more cinematic bent than pure historical. ;)

[BingTheWing]

@Kelewen How many players are you looking at? The three characters we have right now all act as pretty good foils for each other, I must say.

[Landain]

We can say 75 if you want to give it an exact year, but I'm going for a more cinematic bent than pure historical. ;)

@Kelewen

I like to know the year too. In one of my CSes, I gave the birth year of a child as 1861. Now I know the child is 14, rather than 12 or 13.
Also, the 10th Cavalry was created in the late 1860s. The 10th & 9th Cavalry and the 24th Infantry were all black regiments made up of freed men and former slaves. This means, Billy could have served for four or six years before heading out on his sojourn.

[Landain]

The three characters we have right now all act as pretty good foils for each other, I must say.

@BingTheWing

You are correct. Billy will not like Black Jack due to his position on slavery and role in the USCW. Billy will remain objective to Phineas. Phineas is curious and will want to talk to both Billy and Black Jack about their experiences in the CSA and USA. Note, Billy did not participate in the Civil War, neither did his father. Billy would have been 16 around the time of Appomatox. But he has heard the stories about the plantations of the south.

[Kelewen]

Alright, 1875 it is then! :)

As for number of players... I want to give @BigPapaBelial a chance to join since he expressed interest, but we could certainly run with the 3 characters we've got now.

3 players + GM has always felt like sweet spot to me for a group RP. Though 2 or 4 are fine if that's what we get.

Edit: And I agree... I think the current PCs will be an interesting mix.

[Kelewen]

Are you guys okay with waiting until Monday to get rolling to see if anyone else jumps in over the weekend? We could work another player in later, but it would be preferable to have at least most begin at the same time.

[BingTheWing]

I'm good with that.

[BigPapaBelial]

@Kelewen

Yes i wanted to get in, but if you guys want to go, feel free. I can step back and away so you can all get moving.

[Kelewen]

@Kelewen

Yes i wanted to get in, but if you guys want to go, feel free. I can step back and away so you can all get moving.

@BigPapaBelial

I was planning to hold off until Monday either way, BigPapaBelial. :) In hopes of roping in at least one more player. So if you get a chance to whip up a character by then, would love to have ya.

(Or even shortly after. There will be a small window of opportunity early in the story to add another character or two.)

[Landain]

Yes i wanted to get in, but if you guys want to go, feel free.

@BigPapaBelial

I would prefer to wait for BigPapa.

[BigPapaBelial]

Mistihkoman

Name: Mistihkoman (Big Knife)

Tribe: Plains Cree

Age: 27

Role in the Tribe: Scout/Tracker and Hunter/Fur Trader

Appearance

Standing roughly 5 foot 8 inches tall, not making him all that tall really. Broad shouldered, with a long boned and slim look to him. Of a young man who lives hunt to hunt day to day with enough to keep him going, but not enough to put excess weight o his frame. A head of black hair, long and tied into a thick powerful braid that trails down to just above his tail bone. A set of buckskin pants with grey dyed moccasins that lace up to about half way up his shin. His chest tends to be uncovered most of the time of if he has too he has a few pairs of vests. Some are heavier then others allowing him to withstanding heat or cold. Let's not forget the red skin of most Native tribes, which out to show he's not just any fellow on the trail.

History

Known long ago as Asiny or Mountain, in his youth, before being named Mistihkoman, grew up in a family and tribe to loving parents and a village of peple who cared and thought of him as their brother or relation. It takes a Village to raise a child and for the tribe he grew up in it's quite true. He had an extended family who were very helpful. It wouldn't be for a few more decade that people would try to take children like him away to residential schools. So he didn't have to worry about being taken away to be indoctrinated,

Young Asiny did not become Mistihkoman for many years. He first grew into his teens and began rites of passage and learning what his place in the tribe would be. There was a test where a young man or woman would be told to look at the stars of the Seven Sisters (The Pliaedes) and see how many he could see. And he said that day seven. It was said then that he would become a great scout for the village. And it was decided in earnest to train him in the ways of scouting and hunting so that his sense can be refined.

It was a long time, a decade atleast, before it was decided he had the skills and experience to joint he ranks of the scouts, hunters and traders of the tribe. He gained more experience going out hunting, and journeying to trading posts. He earned his name of Mistihkoman after he had earned the name in a skirmish between poachers.

Recently he said goodbye to his family and headed south, towards the Texas territory, hearing there still maybe some good hunting down there. And also to see new lands. New lands that were not Canada and Northern Montana.

Equipment

Sharps Rifle with 50 rounds, chambered .52 calibre
Tomahawk, fighting knife with deer bone handle and a Rifle butt club
Longbow, customized with beadwork and feathers, with 60 arrows
Jerky for long voyages
Seven pelts he picked up on his way down to Texas, three beaver, one coyote and three cougar

Okie dokie, let me know what you think. And if I need to edit anything.

[Kelewen]

Looks good! :)

[BingTheWing]

Hmm, now that we have everyone, do you want to get started now @Kelewen?

[Kelewen]

Hmm, now that we have everyone, do you want to get started now @Kelewen?

@BingTheWing

Already working on it!! :)

If anyone else might be lurking... there's still time to join even after the first couple IC posts.