Chapter 1.1 - The Alamo Remembers

You have gathered gear, including a dozen silver rounds for each of your weapons courtesy of the local gunsmith and the Blue Bell's fine silverware. Louis Garderose procured some horses for you along with some worn but serviceable tack. The Blue Bell hotel staff have prepared several days worth of food for your journey and you have canteens of water and oats for the horses.

You'll be traveling North to the Alamo, and while your memories tell you that is supposed to be about 250 miles, you now realize that the distance is much shorter, and you could be there in a hard days ride, or two days if you want to save your horses.

The suns hot rays beat down on you, and as you leave the bustling, ethereal town called Rio Grande City, the horizon shimmers in heat haze. This early in the morning, that's a bad sign. Still, waiting won't make the sun cool, so the four of you ride north.

Back in the Blue Bell hotel, Louis and Clancy meditate, each holding the hand of the chained, unconscious girl. Before the party has even left town, they fade out of sight, disappearing from the room like gunsmoke clearing from a dusty street.

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Morrowlife has been absent for a while, so I'm sending Clancy with Louis to have his werewolfedness looked at. If he rejoins the game, then eventually he will rejoin the group, perhaps with a story to share.
Please tell us a story about life in the saddle as you travel north, or write about how your characters act or interact.

You are correct. After the Mexican invasion about 15 years earlier that made the Fort famous, and following the defeat of Santa Anna's revolutionary forces a month following, the Fort is now home to a military unit. Currently, most Texan military forces are invading Mexico, but there will still be a garrison at Fort Alamo, just outside San Antonio de Béxar.

Eli is a bit more subdued and quiet on the trek to the Alamo. "I had some good friends die there in that god-awful massacre. We was all just teenagers then. I've only been there a few time in recent years, and every time it feels like my old mates are reachin' out to me."

Following the Colonel's suggestion, you make your way to San Antonio de Bexar, a small town near the Alamo. An hour after the sunsets, you ride into town, your mounts blowing with exertion. You rode hard all day, and spoke little, perhaps haunted by your thoughts. A few times, the Colonel fell behind and scanned the horizon. In one instance, his jaw hardened at the sight of what could only be Indians, watching them from a ridgetop, but by their dress he marked them as Bidai and probably not a threat.

The sun beat hard on you throughout the ride, and by the time night falls, you are ready for a cold draught at a saloon in San Antonio. You make a final burst into town, suddenly aware of the silent eyes that may be watching you, and laughing at the thought. Still, your mounts work hard.

San Antonio is in rough shape after the Mexican-American war. Mabye a thousand people call it home, though scorches and unsettled land indicate that the town was recently much larger. Bullet-holes pock mark many buildings, virtually all of which sport some sort of recent repair, the fresh wood standing out clearly against the older, battered original structures.

What do you do?

As you enter the first saloon that you find, having tied your horses up outside, all eyes turn to you. While you're used to such entrances, and expect the ritualistic sizing up of strangers, what is different in this instance is the anger in their gazes. You stop for a moment and then realize, that no, it isn't anger you see, but the hungry look a predator gives to prey.

The are five people playing faro with a dealer at one long table to the left of the swinging doors, a bartender behind the bar straight across from the doors, one bar wench reading a newspaper at the end of the bar, and a couple of cowpokes smoking cigars at each other to the rightside of the doors. All 10 of them are staring at you, and you can feel the hairs rise on the backs of your necks. An empty table near the cowpokes, or stools at the bar seem to be too far through uncertain terrain.

Diego and AJ enter the saloon. They hungry, baleful eyes of the inhabitants watch you as you make your way to the table, but at Diego's defiant glower, they turn their eyes away and return to what they were doing. Still, you're not sure what drew out their ire, or when it might again return.

Eli sits down in a location that allows him to observe as many patrons as possible. He orders something to eat and drink, if possible.

The two of you sit at the table, and order some food and drinks. After the hostess delivers your drinks, plopping them roughly on your table so that some sloshes over the side and down the handle, then demands immediate payment. After that, things get dicey. You sip your drinks, and find the quality below the coin that was asked. As you sit, Diego's initial bravado seems to weigh heavily on the faro players, and the game grinds to a halt. Their heads bunch together and they banter quietly to themselves, turning dark glares your way. They come to some conclusion, and the youngest of them pushes his chair back with a loud scrape, and walks up to Diego.

"Ya sure ya in the righ' plae, 'exican?" he drawls. "Come in 'ere an swagga like it some kinna 'exican church?" He clenches his jaw and readies himself for something.

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Your Intimidation check has turned the bar from fear to hate. Take 2 xp, Diego, and give one to another player. Anybody in the room, roll Perception and then Initiative, as this dude is working up to a swing.

Ooc: I recently rolled Perception so I'll use that.

Eli grasps the hilt of his bowie knife and readies to throw it

Diego and AJ both can intercede before the faro player swings.

Diego notices that he is wearing brass knuckles on his right hand. The other faro players at the table seem to be eagerly anticipating a brawl and are all but rising out of their seats to jump in. The rest of the people in the saloon seem satisfied that a fight is breaking out, but don't seem particularly eager to join in.

The blast takes the faro player in the chest and he flies backwards and crashes to the floor in front of the other card players. They sit stunned for a John Woo moment and then all roar simultaneously. A bearded guy on the right begins to transform, but after his jaw stretches into a wolf shape, the process reverses and he reverts to normal form, obviously exhausted by the failed effort. The other four draw their weapons and prepare to fire. The man on the floor is badly hurt but not quite out. He'll groan for his action.

All of the NPCs have now acted. Diego and Eli can act, and that will be the end of the round. AJ can also act again before their next actions, so post when you want and I'll resolve them in order.