Jornada Springs, New Mexico - a Tale of the Old West: Part 41
Collins wants to make a presence in this town.
Dave (GM):I'm glad he's... Well, I was glad he was a long way away in Las Vegas. I don't want him interfering in my life. Quite near you hear a very deep growl. Oh, God.
Dave (GM):The undergrowth near you moves,
Dave (GM):and
Dave (GM):this enormous form of a grizzly bear kind of lurches out of it. That swipe is four points of damage. We can do this easy?
Jimmy Harlesden (Tony):Oh, you can do this at all.
Dave (GM):Can do it the hard way. He pulls his coat back, unclips the the harp on his on his holster and says, I'm happy to do it the hard way, gentlemen, but if you come here threatening me and my people, then I'm... We're gonna threatening you. Gonna... Well, he just did, Sheriff.
song:I said no. You can't play on Ninja. This is an Old West game, and they didn't have Ninja. But the year is 1869. And there are historical records indicating there were ninjas.
song:In fucking Japan, Hello, and welcome. And here we are again. Hi. Our fabulous eighth retreat about to play tales of the Old West, the ongoing tale of Jimmy Halston, Marion Freeman, and Nathaniel Hawcock.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Hi. I'm Matthew, and I play Marion Freeman, the largest owner of the Freeman Halston outfit.
Jimmy Harlesden (Tony):I'm Tony playing Jimmy Halston, co owner of the Freeman Halston Ranch and trying to live up to the memory of my dead brother.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I'm Andrew and I'm playing on Nathaniel Hawcock, our part time rancher with it... With these two, and also Sherry. I seem to remember. Am I
Dave (GM):a Sherry? You are a sheriff.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Still sheriff.
Dave (GM):You are a sheriff of the Eagles Springs. Eagles. I I'm asking you gentlemen to leave now.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I'm gonna do my presence.
Dave (GM):You can you can take this up with mister Norton. With my authority. Mister Torrance. When... He's he's he's our boss.
Dave (GM):If you got a problem with us, you take it up with him.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Now he's mentioned Torrance?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):What's Torrance's first name?
Dave (GM):Norton.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Oh my friend Norton Torrance is who you're working for I say but I'm using I'm pushing myself forward riding him down I'm trying to make an authority role here to calm him down also gun flip back.
Dave (GM):Okay that'll be an opposed role against his insight.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):We've presents for you with. Does he get any help with
Dave (GM):his You
Marion Freeman (Matthew):can you can give
Dave (GM):him help, but then his mates are gonna give him help. Where
Marion Freeman (Matthew):did I meet? Where did we? Was that?
Dave (GM):Where did you meet? The trial.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah. The trial.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Where was Lincoln? Lincoln. Lincoln. Yeah. Made it.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Made good acquaintance unless a chance down in Lincoln, I say.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Oh, dear.
Dave (GM):He's got one success.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Three for How much
Dave (GM):trouble do you want, man?
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Hold on. Maybe it's worth it. So that would be four point... Is it? I thought it was three points.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):It was three points. Think... Four
Dave (GM):points. So to get rid of those and push would be four points.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Fuck you,
Dave (GM):you fucker. I get two successes
Marion Freeman (Matthew):and I am... No, I'm not gonna pay a fuck trouble because I'll be faithless.
Dave (GM):We're down to one. Okay. So let's roll the trouble. That's a d6, Matt. Play a one die of trouble.
Dave (GM):But at the moment you've two successes to his one. So you are...
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Three. Three.
Dave (GM):Okay, you're confused and your mind goes blank or you lose your train of thought. You suffer minus one penalty to roles related to this for the rest of the scene.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Okay.
Dave (GM):However, you have been successful.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):You don't need to fight.
Dave (GM):And the fact that you've mentioned Torrance. He doesn't entirely believe you but he's not sure. You know, you could have I'm said it with some sure you wouldn't.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Begrudge a friend of Mr Torrance a drink and a sit down in ten minutes of your time. It's not like you're working.
Dave (GM):I don't begrudge a person that, do begrudge my hard work in business being interrupted, I do begrudge being threatened.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):This fellow's a bit of a hot headed young man.
Dave (GM):Well if he apologises sincerely then maybe I'll relent.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):You'll apologise sincerely won't you? Because I can't fucking perform at all.
Dave (GM):If you took my words as a threat, then I apologise for the misunderstanding.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Fucking toy.
Dave (GM):Did you want to just shoot him? Make a performing role. That didn't sound like the most effusive role.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Oh, think we've done it for help, like, before me. No.
Dave (GM):It's his his... Yeah. Because he was the one making the threat. One success and definitely not pushing that. Okay.
Dave (GM):Yeah, he doesn't entirely take your apology as the heartfelt apology that he was after, but you said it well enough that he can't quite bring himself to take offense. You know, you've been just that subtle enough in the way you said it. And he says, okay, all right, Jimmy, get the kettle on, get the coffee brewing. These gentlemen can stay for one drink.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Thank you. Yeah, so allow us to dismount them, yeah? Yeah. Yeah, so okay.
Dave (GM):You can tie your horses up over with ours.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay.
Dave (GM):But they're still being quite wary.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Yeah. I go and sit by the fire.
Dave (GM):Yeah, yeah. The five labourers who had stopped to watch the fun are now sort of like getting back to their work. I
Marion Freeman (Matthew):might do another little horcow roll as I'm getting closer to the equipment to sit down by the fire.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I should try and be aminable. Aminable. Aminable. Try to diffuse. Try to just just say, so how long have been up there?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):You know? Doing well? Or
Dave (GM):Well, we've we've been up there
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I'm doing... Can you perform? You know? Because I've got charming here. I do actually have the charming talent.
Dave (GM):Okay, yeah, you are trying to schmooze him, aren't you? Yes, yes. In that sense. Yeah, he's probably minded to be grumpy, so he'll be push robbery. Got no successes, so.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I can't count on it, my brain stopped working as usual. So that's two Two successes.
Dave (GM):Two successes? Yeah. Is that a six?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):So, It's a six. Yeah.
Dave (GM):Oh, okay. Yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah. Yeah.
Dave (GM):Strange thing. Yeah. So he he kinda relaxes a little bit. Yeah. And he introduces himself as Corbin Greg.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Right.
Dave (GM):And says, yeah, I'm the overseer here. Yeah, we were sent up here about a month ago. But he's shit.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Is it?
Dave (GM):There's nothing now. We won't be here for long. This is just rubbish. Right. I'm wasting...
Dave (GM):We're wasting our time
Marion Freeman (Matthew):in these
Dave (GM):sales. There's nothing there's nothing up here.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):So you've been hit... What? You've rumors or something up here that might be a strike or something?
Dave (GM):No. Well, no. I was employed by, well, came down from Albuquerque. I was employed by an agent of Mr Torrance, who said we would come down here and check out the mountains for prospects. So, I didn't have any gainful employment at the time, so took the job and we've been here ever since.
Dave (GM):But yeah, as I said, not gonna be here for long because we're...
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):It's not sure.
Dave (GM):It's rubbish. We're wasting our time. These hills have got nothing of interest. I've been mining a long time and I'm wasting my time here.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I thought Torrance was a rancher, not a miner. I'm interested.
Dave (GM):Wants to get... Well, I know nothing else about him. Just... I don't know Torrance from anybody else. I just had an agent of his looking for miners.
Dave (GM):Paid us reasonably well.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Is he lying? Sorry, I've got a Hawkeye. I've got a Hawkeye and I've
Dave (GM):got success. Okay. You can't see anything with an obvious GR brand on it, but there is more gear here than you'd need for five or eight men.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):There's lots of units, okay.
Dave (GM):But you can make a you can make a insight roll if you want to see if you think he's lying.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I will do that. Insight four plus jazzed character but is this affected by my brain blank?
Dave (GM):You're using authority then no no this isn't affected by that
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Two successes.
Dave (GM):As far as you can tell, you don't think he's lying. I removed some dice from there.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Okay.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):The likes of the four.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):So, Oh, you can...
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, was the likes of the name of Gander. Kyler. Kyler.
Dave (GM):Write it down somewhere, man. Come on. You've got a bit of paper I gave you. Kyler.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Kylie Minogue?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I can't remember That's
Marion Freeman (Matthew):how I remember it.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Fair enough. Yeah, fair enough, yeah.
Dave (GM):It's not the Kylie gang. No,
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):no, no, No, are rooms that are up here, so that's probably.
Dave (GM):We haven't seen anybody Yeah, no. Anybody from no bandit outfit. Heard of the Kyla gang? They killed they killed that family, didn't they?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):They did.
Dave (GM):That's what their room was up in Albuquerque.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yep. They
Dave (GM):Nasty bunch. Yeah. I expect to see... I think one of them got caught, I she's gonna swing.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yes, yes, yes.
Dave (GM):Yeah, a good evidence to
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):A bad rush.
Dave (GM):To bad stuff, yeah, But yeah, thank you for the warning, we'll keep our eyes open. I guess we fight with eight of us here we should be safe enough.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah I imagine so, you seem to be well equipped.
Dave (GM):We are well resourced yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):It's a pity to lug all that information all that stuff up here for nothing such little gain.
Dave (GM):Oh well I'm getting paid.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):But you know it's interesting though we just took them to another miner a while back in I mean they have had some but I think their claim is starting to run dry now.
Dave (GM):Yeah, said these hills just... Yeah, mean no self respected miner would be working up here, don't think. This is rubbish. We've got almost nothing. There's nothing in the rivers.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Right.
Dave (GM):Yeah. If you don't mind me asking,
Marion Freeman (Matthew):who was the agent of Mr Torrance that you put you onto this job?
Dave (GM):A guy called Barton up in Albuquerque.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Have I heard of him?
Dave (GM):No.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Write that down, Barton Albuquerque.
Dave (GM):He's a guy, you know, he's a... Write that down, chef. He's a mining agent, I've worked with him before.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Alright.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Yeah I can understand you know three gunmen come out the woods towards you middle of nowhere. It's dangerous one. It's suspicious but
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):it is, yeah. You have
Dave (GM):to be careful, know the wildlife up there can be pretty rough as
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):well. Yes.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I hope we can part on better terms and we greeted each other.
Dave (GM):He shakes your hand.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):He
Dave (GM):says yeah you can you can part on good terms.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):You
Marion Freeman (Matthew):hear anything about anything? Yes. You tell the chef.
Dave (GM):We will do that straight away sir.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay, yeah. Should we ride through the canvas?
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Well we're headed that way
Dave (GM):I You're headed north from here if you're heading to Ravens Camp.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):We're
Marion Freeman (Matthew):heading north we take a south through the camp first so that we can just survey the camp as we go out to see if there's anything else we
Dave (GM):can see. You can't see anything extra but as I said it looks like a lot of equipment for the size of group they've got there, yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):So I imagine they must have wagons and stuff up there.
Dave (GM):Yeah, they've got a wagon, but it's quite difficult to get the wagon up there.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, imagine it
Dave (GM):is, yeah. So they've just got the one.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay.
Dave (GM):They got a couple of donkeys as well
Marion Freeman (Matthew):did you want to take an inventory of the stock here
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):well unfortunately I left my just in the inside role do I think they've got more than they really need for the group?
Dave (GM):Don't need to make a role for that. They've got more stuff here than you would expect. Well, there kind of boxes of stuff, equipment that we can't really see? Yeah. Yeah, there are crates.
Dave (GM):I mean, there's quite a lot of tools lying around, panning equipment.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Is it newish or?
Dave (GM):Boxes of dynamite. Does, none of it looks brand new, no. I mean, you'd need to inspect it to have a proper look, but none of it looks like it's come straight out of a shop. Okay.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I suppose we better be moving on then.
Dave (GM):Okay. But for you on here, it's probably now mid to late afternoon. Mhmm. So you'll probably need to make camp unless you're gonna head straight back to Jornada Springs at some point.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):You're not being able make camp and then try to sneak back down in the light.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):You're the chef. I mean, that wouldn't be for me to say. But, no, let's let's move out of this scene so I'm no longer befuddled.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah. I
Marion Freeman (Matthew):wanna get some, I don't know I wanna groom my horse. So the cap will be good. Shit bloody wood.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Burning egg. Burning fart snip. Now I suppose, well we've always made camp, wasn't possible if we weren't moved on and made camp where we could actually be able to watch them.
Dave (GM):You could, I mean they would be able to see you as well.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I suppose what role would have to be if it was more discreet?
Dave (GM):You could make camp further away and then sneak back. There'll be a nature role to make to make camp anyway.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):On the list Garland gave us, did he specify, for example, what crates of dynamite had been seen?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, was just... He said just tools, weren't he?
Dave (GM):Well, he didn't give you a list. He did ask me, he said, oh, yeah. We don't have the details of what have been taken. So a detailed list of He
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):just says stuff have been... Yeah,
Dave (GM):mean he was quite vague so it could quite easily have covered more stuff than just tools so it might have included dynamite but he just didn't know.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Well there's nothing on the gross. No.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):As far as I'm concerned then this is all their stuff.
Dave (GM):There's nothing, no proof to the contrary other than it just seems a bit suspicious that there's quite a lot of stuff here.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):So you can't press on to Garland's
Dave (GM):You could probably yeah, you could
Marion Freeman (Matthew):probably camp there, yes. Absolutely. Let's do that.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay,
Dave (GM):can do that, you get to Garland's Mine, probably maybe an hour before sundown. Compared to the other camps, particularly Seedsburg Camps, this place is a bit of a mess. A lot more people, there's probably 15 Chinese workers here, again three overseers. The labourers look knackered and downtrodden and dirty, they've been worked very hard.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):So it's definitely not prospering, you don't have insight, right?
Dave (GM):You can't see much in the way of products. You can't see much in the way of ore or silver or anything. But there's quite a lot of work going on, but doesn't seem to be producing very much. Right, okay. And again, the three guys, when they see you coming, they again, like the other three, they kind of stand up and walk towards you and give you a sort of wary greeting.
Dave (GM):Howdy, howdy gentlemen. What brings you up here at this time night?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Good evening, well good evening. I'm Sheriff Hawcock from Junaud Springs. Junaud Springs. Thank you. Yes.
Dave (GM):Do you wanna write that down, mate? No. Too far, Hawkok. Junaud Springs.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Never mind. Just looking to make, hop up here's Ryan for the
Dave (GM):With these are Raybros, suppose. Yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Stolen. Yeah. Someone's been saying... Yeah. Yeah.
Dave (GM):Saying we can just get the Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And they say, okay.
Dave (GM):Well, that's that's that's good. Those bastard prospectors, know, all the secrets, they're all fucking filtering our stuff. It's, yeah, it's just, it's a scandal. If we caught them doing it, we'd bring them down to you probably dead.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Let's not do that.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No that's not a good idea.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):The sheriff has been looking
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):for evidence and
Marion Freeman (Matthew):hasn't found any.
Dave (GM):Well we've lost we've been losing stuff.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Mr Garland was unable to give us an inventory of what what you've lost are you able I mean everything here looks a little bit chaotic I'm sure you keep...
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, this what you've lost?
Dave (GM):We lost pickaxes, we lost shovels, we lost a couple of boxes of dynamite, we lost some pots and pans, some buckets, some panning stuff, we lost a bunch of wood for shoring up the mine. You know, not all in one go,
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):but a little bit here,
Dave (GM):a little bit there over the last few weeks.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):We don't think any of your crew have been
Dave (GM):Well, suspected the bloody workers, but frankly don't think they've got the gumption to do anything.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Looking very closely at that answer.
Dave (GM):You mean posting more watches than usual?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, don't
Dave (GM):think he's lying. Sorry? Don't think
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):he's lying.
Dave (GM):No. Well, we do what we normally do. We've got three of us here to oversee the mine and guard the workers and guard the staff, so we do what we can.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No,
Dave (GM):no, no, no. He stops himself from saying something unguarded. He says, No, Mr Rayburn hasn't seen fit to do that.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Well he saw fit to send us up here. Did ask you that we should keep guard over the camp for a while?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah I think he did. Because I mean when was the last
Dave (GM):Last theft?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Last theft.
Dave (GM):Oh yeah, we lost her. We lost her Crate of Dynamite a few nights ago.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Oh, nice. That's an expensive loss then.
Dave (GM):Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay. Yeah. So, yeah. Like I you did ask me to stay up here and
Dave (GM):Well, you're welcome. I hope you brought your own provisions. We don't have that much food.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Let you go and sit them.
Dave (GM):And the bloody workers eat us out of house and home. Okay,
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):so where is your dynamite store? Do you know? You must keep it under lock and key, somewhere safe, or?
Dave (GM):Well, points over to a crate over by the entrance to the, there's a hole in the side of the, like a cave, they've been mining, and there's basically a crate next to that, and you can see there's a metal harp on it, but it hasn't got a lock. Right.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Does it look like the creche of dynamite that we saw in the other place?
Dave (GM):Yeah, so I think there are smaller boxes of dynamite inside the crate.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Go over, open that big crate, look in the smaller boxes, do they look exactly the same?
Dave (GM):They look pretty similar, yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Are any of them marked with No,
Dave (GM):these boxes aren't marked with GR. You can see some of the tools have got a GR stamp
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):on them.
Dave (GM):The dynamite boxes don't have a GR stamp on them.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Right. It'd be good if your men maybe
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):you Mark
Marion Freeman (Matthew):of ownership of these. Yeah. And you could see if there were other crates in other places that carried that mark, we would have some evidence that it had been stolen.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Because Mr. Rayburn, to be honest, hasn't really given me much to go on. He just said bits and bobs have been nicked.
Dave (GM):Well, that's a that's a good idea. That's a good idea. You a bit of charcoal and you know he puts a cross on some of the boxes.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Do you know if mister Rayburn's insured for any of this?
Dave (GM):I have no idea. He didn't tell me that. I just work for the man.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Well, there's no actual padlock on the box of the dartlockers.
Dave (GM):Yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Well, maybe I suggest you get a new padlock for the, you know, for the...
Dave (GM):If, yeah, if mister Rayburn will will will pay the expenses, then then, I'll gladly gladly do that. You can see, you know, we're we're running a bit thin, you know, here. Mhmm.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay. So I suppose the workers will sleep in tents or something too.
Dave (GM):There's a couple of tents a little way a little way off. Yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):No. Let's spend the night here. Mhmm. And our duty is done. Go back to the lounge.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Very quietly, I say to you too. I think you're sitting there somewhere. Goose chase.
Dave (GM):That was...
Marion Freeman (Matthew):There's no evidence.
Dave (GM):No.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):No. Anybody here just told him that we spend the night and we'll try and
Dave (GM):Yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Keep watch.
Dave (GM):See, Rayburn's mind fading that there's not much sign of any product coming out?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):There isn't, no.
Dave (GM):So is he trying to It's usually a very small
Marion Freeman (Matthew):and petty thing go even if he's got insurance claim on the insurance.
Dave (GM):But is it something that know potentially he's set up to just accuse the super?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Super, yeah.
Dave (GM):Yeah, this mine certainly doesn't look like it's doing well. No, there's a lot of mess but very little.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Right.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Almost as though somebody rolled a dice. No. That's. This is good. I'm enjoying this.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I like them.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Just... Do I need a charm, I mean... Or where's the ore that's meant to be going out? You know, where's the... Where do you store the ore we should get out the mine?
Dave (GM):When you ask the question you can see him being a bit reticent to answer sir. So make a roll.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I'm trying to be nice here.
Dave (GM):See how well that goes. One success and two failures. So, he's... Are either of you helping with this? Yeah.
Dave (GM):See, you can have a die of help. So roll an extra. Leave those dice there. Leave those dice there.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, yeah,
Dave (GM):And roll two extra dice.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):So you've
Dave (GM):got one success and two ones and you're
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):in Yeah, yeah. There's So, two failures, two ones
Dave (GM):and success.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yep. I've got two more things.
Dave (GM):And you've two extra dice. Yeah. Oh, nice success. Okay. So with that, the guy was reticent to try and answer that question, but he looks around and the answer's pretty obvious and he says, yeah, I mean, yeah, there isn't any.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):There isn't?
Dave (GM):We haven't we haven't had anything good out here for ages. I don't know why don't know why mister Rayburn keeps flogging this dead horse. But But yeah, I didn't tell you that.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, that's fine, no. I'm not in sight. I'm loyal to Mr Rayburn,
Dave (GM):he's been a well, he's
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):been paid your wages. He's been
Dave (GM):a boss.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yes, on stage. I
Dave (GM):go as far as saying he's been a good boss, but he's been a boss, he's paid some wages. But I'm sure he wouldn't want this, the news of what's going on up here to spread around town he works out how he's gonna fix it. Yeah, so you didn't hear that, but I mean it's obvious you've got eyes in your head. Yeah. You know, I'm sure you're not an idiot.
Dave (GM):Sure we're not completely innocent.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):How old do know us?
Dave (GM):Yeah, yeah, this mine's...
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):To be honest, use mine to tap down. So, Charlie, be blunt, still been doing charming. How far do you think Mr. Raven's got from actually going bankrupt? Do you think he's on that desperate?
Dave (GM):Oh, I got no idea whether he's gonna go bankrupt or not. I mean, his money is his money, but this... Yeah, you can't keep spending money on a mine like this for forever. So yeah, if this was my mine, I'd have shut it down weeks ago.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):And these first, do you think maybe some of the works are just telling you it's painless, some bits?
Dave (GM):You you being nudged? Anything?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No. No. No. Just being charmed. Just I'm looking at him and being nudged.
Dave (GM):Make it performing well. Yeah. Really? Because you're charming. Mhmm.
Dave (GM):And again because again later, Tom, you can, yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, I mean, I'm not
Dave (GM):Because gonna could be a sidewise
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, no, no, no. Acclimation. Just a general chat.
Dave (GM):Yeah, just to see how he takes your confidence. Two, three. Three, okay. Well, again, bonus face.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):He
Dave (GM):takes it absolutely in the right way. He doesn't think you're accusing him of stealing whatsoever. And he says, well, the Chinaman pretty closely. Can't think they could steal anything. My boys there, Mitchell and Patty, they're not engineering, they're scum but they wouldn't have stolen stuff from everything.
Dave (GM):They wouldn't have been able to, I can't deny them. Okay. Yeah, so I don't know what's going on with it, it's just it could, it can't go on like this forever.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Fair enough.
Dave (GM):But you know, while he's still paying me a wage, I'm happy to take the wage.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I'll take the money, yeah, I understand, yeah.
Dave (GM):And go from there, yeah. Okay.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Alright. So now let's just, you know, just... And so we'll thank you. And we'll turn these two back at the campfire where we are here.
Dave (GM):Yep. So... We're going to keep a watch tonight.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Yeah. Let's let's do the watch tonight. And if that triggers any scene, we'll do the scene when we come back after lunch. Let's at least
Dave (GM):okay. Okay, who's going to take first watch?
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I will take first watch.
Dave (GM):Okay, so it's a resilience role to remain awake.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Resilience is not my thing. No, no. I fall asleep.
Dave (GM):Okay, you nod off. Okay, who's taking second watch? You wake up, Freeman. Sorry,
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I fell asleep again.
Dave (GM):So have a look, is there any of the kind of the stuff that's out like that's done or anything? Nothing seems to be different. Resilient to stay awake, yeah. No, I thought it was wrong. I can't touch one face, I can't push really.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Yeah, well done.
Dave (GM):Yeah, you got exhausted after a long day. Again, when you wake up Halston, again, nothing seems Okay. To be Okay. Okay, so make a Hawkeye roll. Don't see it.
Dave (GM):Don't bother making a Hawkeye roll because nothing happens.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Nothing happens.
Dave (GM):No, nobody seems to do anything. Well, take Should I'm stuffed with Nick's. Nick's, yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay. Right in the morning, the camp gets back to the business, does it?
Dave (GM):They'll carry on working.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Let's head back into town. We've got to waste our time here. Yeah.
Dave (GM):And the guy, Erasmus Franks his name is, he decides to come down back with you. He says, yeah, we're just come and do my weekly report to Mr Rayburn about what's going on. Okay. So he writes down with you, so I won't make you make up. There's trouble for bears up here.
Dave (GM):You do get some, yeah. Yeah, the grizzlies, they're the nasty ones.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, so we noticed, yeah.
Dave (GM):I noticed your grizzly bear puppy's quite big, so it's easily seen. So he said, oh you've been up hunting the bears? Yeah, good man. The fewer bears we've got bothering us, the better.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Yeah. Do I get put in faint glitter?
Dave (GM):No.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I give these two. Found this bear dead. Turns out it's these guys that killed it.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, it's a young man that good, yeah.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I'm giving you joint credit for God's sake, stop being modest. I mean, you distracted
Dave (GM):it by letting it attack. You did shoot it yourself. You missed the second
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):one. Yeah.
Dave (GM):Okay, you get back into town, it's again a few hours ride down the hills, it's quite a difficult train. But when the trail comes alongside the Unarda Spring, can then follow the spring down into town. Frank bids good day to you guys and goes off to see Mr. Rayburn, knocks on the door.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Could you maybe go with him? Tell him that you haven't
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):found anything? Will get shouted at you mean, yeah. Yeah, go, go.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Well, even me, you're his employee.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Very good.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):We've got a
Dave (GM):ranch look, aren't Yeah, we're just taking Longfino for the
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):long time. Thank you.
Dave (GM):Good luck with that, will that?
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I'm gonna pay a visit to Gruniot, I'll meet you back at the ranch.
Dave (GM):Yeah, I'll meet you back at the ranch, clean my gardens, groom my horses. Okay, okay, you can do that, that's the rest of your day, taken up. But you can gain two points of faith back for doing that.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay, I don't get shouted at them.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):So
Dave (GM):are you gonna go in with Franks? Is that your plan?
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I think that might be a good idea.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah, might not. Yes.
Dave (GM):Okay, yeah, so they see that you're both invited in. And Rayburn Rayburn says, ah, Frank's, okay, good to see you back for your weekly update report. Maybe if you if, you know, don't don't give me that report yet. Let's if you want to go and wait in the back room I'll have a word with Sheriff Hawcock but good to see you've been presumably helping your inquiries and your investigations so well done Franks Well done, you might get a bonus in your paycheck this week. And then Franks goes to move into the back room that he's been directed to.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Right, yeah. Okay. Well...
Dave (GM):You can...
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Make an
Dave (GM):inside roll? You can make an inside roll, yeah.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Okay,
Dave (GM):now that's enough. You can see he was very worried that Frank was gonna start giving you his report in front of
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):you. And
Dave (GM):so he's hurried him out of the room to make sure he does. So So he then shuts the door. He says, Ah, Sheriff, then what news do you have? Have
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):you? News, well.
Dave (GM):Have you found the culprits?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, but I've been up there for a couple of days, going through all the mines, and I'll be frankly honest at the moment, I can't... I've been looking for the car there. Car going, no. I've been looking all right here, and there's been no trouble up there whatsoever. I can't find any proof of any culprits at the moment.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I'm still looking.
Dave (GM):What's happened to my stuff? Has the bears stolen all my stuff?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Don't talk to me about that. We have some bears.
Dave (GM):You're telling me that my stuff's just vanishing into thin air, aren't you? No.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):No, I just started looking, but at the moment, I can't produce the evidence out of thin air.
Dave (GM):But it's the Sea Birds, I told you, must be the Sea Birds. They've always been jealous of my mine. Your mine.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):This is why it kisses me better than me saying goodbye to the badge here, isn't it? You're mine. Alright.
Dave (GM):My performing role
Marion Freeman (Matthew):is show that you don't know.
Dave (GM):Are you trying to hide the fact that you know his mind is now worthless or are you going tell him that fact or?
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Not at the moment, nothing less.
Dave (GM):So you get a Hawkeye roll too. Alright. So you get an inside roll, not a Hawkeye.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Six. No. I don't have any at all.
Dave (GM):And he notices that. Yeah. Yeah. Your voice is really
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):well, isn't it? Yeah.
Dave (GM):And he says, the fact that my mind might be going through a temporary slump is none of your business, Sheriff.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):I haven't seen
Dave (GM):that. I can see in your face. I would beg a temporary favor of you though, leaning upon our good relationship and friendship, if you were to not spread
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Your problems Rumors around of
Dave (GM):as I said, temporary struggles that I'm having with my mind, I'm sure I will very soon hit another seam and everything will be fine and I wouldn't want the locals to lose
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Faith
Dave (GM):the faith town or lose faith in me. Reed, he doesn't want to lose face.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yes, yeah, can see that.
Dave (GM):Because he's always presented the facade that his mind is doing brilliantly well and
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):he's really rich.
Dave (GM):I would take it as a personal favor if you would refrain
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):from I'm not gonna spread rumors, that's not my job to spread rumors.
Dave (GM):And I appreciate that very much, Jeremy.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):One thing I will say is that I could, well now we know, you know that I know your mind. I'd rather hear the report that you're... It's gonna say to the help
Marion Freeman (Matthew):of
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):me with my investigation. You know, if you want me to find me... Wants me to find who is nicking your stuff, if I have all the facts.
Dave (GM):Okay, there aren't many more facts to have, but he agrees. Frank's is rather reticent and a bit nervous about giving the report in front of you, but he basically reports that in this last week they've uncovered nothing. Got no leads on on new seams. The panning has provided nothing And then he reports of the theft of the dynamite Mhmm. In that last week, which you don't mention to you.
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):Yeah. You know. And I won't be sarcastic, but I will suggest maybe getting a padlock for the Dharam approach. Maybe a cunning plan.
Dave (GM):Yeah, so he takes your advice and then bid you good day, unless you have any
Nathiel Hoarecock (Andrew):other questions. No, that's not, yeah.
Dave (GM):Okay. Frank's goes off with a few dollars to go and buy a padlock and get some more provisions for the work up Okay, in the so Matthew, you're gonna go and see Gronje? Yeah. Okay, when you get back to the sundown, okay, it's quite early, I guess nearly sort of mid morning coming towards lunch, you come in and you see Gronia sat downstairs, she's not in bed. So she sat there wrapped in blankets, she's still looking pretty unwell.
Dave (GM):Siobhan is there trying to work and sat next to her on the table is Norton Torrance. And he sees you and goes, Freeman, my friend, pleasure to see you again. And he strides over to shake
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Shake your your hand.
Dave (GM):Graine looks not only very ill, she looks very unhappy. Mhmm. And worried, whereas Torrance is full of the joys of spring. You can see there's a few other people there, obviously, who are with Torrance. There's a couple of men, three men and a couple of women, four men actually, a couple of women, part of his entourage, his party, who have all come.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):We've just been up with your man, Corbin Greg.
Dave (GM):Yeah Corbin Greg, I've never met him. I guess he's one of the folks my man in Albuquerque. Yeah. Recruited? Maybe.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):I look towards Gronya. Gronya, really my love you should be in bed.
Dave (GM):Started like yeah she's shivering and it's like I, yeah, I obviously had to had to welcome No. No. You didn't. Torrance.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):You're ill. Mister Torrance is a guest at your hotel.
Dave (GM):And Torrance says, we'll we'll soon deal with that. My people are here to to make Graine's life better. We're here to to to bring her into the family and and and take her away from all this rubbish and all this disease, take her back to civilization, give her the better life, the life that she deserves.
Marion Freeman (Matthew):Tales of the Old West is brought to you by Effekt. The music is Old West game by Stu Vellemort used with all permission of the Angry Folk Media Empire.