We jumped right into character creation and I described the conflict rules as we went–relating them to the particular stat at each step.
The only restriction I gave them was that the characters were all hunting Levi Oden. I left it up to them the hows and whys. I also let them decide whether they were working together or not.
So the Characters they came up with were as follows:
Reverend Davis Donovan
The good Reverend saw his entire congregation killed by a gang of outlaws. When they were acquitted and released, he sought vengeance. Afterward he left the trade of preaching and became a Pinkerton, knowing that they often worked beyond the law to take down outlaws.
Hand 4
Eye 4
Guts 3
Heart 2
Traits: Fast as a Jackrabbit, Cold as Stone
Past: Missionary(2)
Present: Pinkerton(2)
Devil (2): Hopeless. It’ll all end in death. And I’m going to hell.
Andrew Wagner (AKA Marcus Bryant)
A former Pinkerton who liked the power and freedom to pursue “justice” as he saw fit, he was eventually dismissed for overreaching his authority and embarrassing an important client. But now he had a taste for violence. He’s on the lamb from the Pinkerton’s they have a few questions, and likely a warrant, for him. He killed and took the real Andrew Wagner’s outfit, including his deputies badge, and fell in with Donovan and Stanton
Hand 3
Eye 5
Guts 3
Heart 2
Traits: Quick as Lightning, Sly as a Fox
Past: Pinkerton (3)
Present: Deputy (1)
Devil (3): Cruelty. Bryant took a little too much pleasure in the nastier side of his work as a Pinkerton, like beating confessions out of suspects or violently setting up townsfolk for government extortion.
Doc Emmett Stanton
Doc was practicing his trade when a patient under his knife confessed to a crime he’d never be convicted of. For the betterment of town, Doc acted as judge, jury, and executioner, and killed the man. No one ever knew. Sadly for Doc, He got a taste for killing folks
Hand 2
Eye 4
Guts 3
Heart 4
Traits: Cold as Stone, Sly as a Fox
Past: Doctor (3)
Present: Fugitive (3)
Devil (2): Murder. That first killing made Doc feel real good, but he knew next time, if he did it just right, he’d feel like God.
Doc, Donovan, and Wagner have partnered up to capture Levi Oden and bring him back to Grover’s Bluff for trial. They could kill him outright, but they only get paid if they bring back a living defendant for the trial.
They entered the town of Redding, New Mexico and immediately saw signs that the towns law officers were not doing their jobs*. A dead dog is nailed to the sign—its bloated body nursery to thousands of flies, trash blows down the streets, and bullet holes in shop fronts give silent eternal witness.
[*- Town marshals were not police officers in the modern sense. They were more like general civil employees tasked with everything from ordinance enforcement to trash collection.]
Spending some time in the Star Saloon, a grungy adobe building with whisky served from clay jugs, they discovered that the law in town is lazy, except when it is bullying. The Marshal, Horace Abernathy, is most content to sit back while his two deputies, Pete Holden and Tom Deggs, do all the work. Deggs was sitting in the corner when they enter, an enormous man with fists like hams, but he slipped out as they talked with the barkeep.
Doc and Donovan left for the Goode Night Hotel and met Holden and Deggs in the street. Holden aimed to pull his usual trick of bullying and frightening newcomers. Donovan, however, completely disarmed him by asking Deggs if it’s true he used to be a prize fighter. “Were you THE Tom Deggs?” Deggs is left liking the newcomers as admirers of his while Holden is just pissed off that they spoiled his fun.
Back at the Star Saloon, Holden and Deggs entered. Holden takes a stool at the bar and starts his bully routine with Wagner. Finally Holden ordered Deggs to take Wagner to the Marshal HQ and put and turn in his gun. Wagner tried to convince Deggs not to comply, but his gun ends up in the safe, which Abernathy doesn’t lock, having forgotten the combination. They heard gunshots and Abernathy and Deggs ran for the Star Saloon.
Having secured rooms, Doc and Donovan head back to the Star Saloon to find Wagner. They immediately run afoul of Holden. Doc asks him about Oden. Full of piss and feeling mighty from getting his way with Wagner he simply clocked Donovan across the face with his revolver. Donovan responded by firing and Holden is happy to return the favor, hitting Donovan in the arm. Doc, having taken up a position at Holden’s side, lashed out with a scalpel-sharp knife and opened up Holden’s arm and hip. Holden and Doc escaped out the back door and into the hills, while Holden is taken to the Doctor’s office for stitching and recovery.
When night fell, Donovan sneaked back into town to get their horses and supplies. And Doc patched him up. [Sadly Donovan has Zeroed out his Hand score.] Wagner met with Abernathy and found out that it would be no great loss if Holden died from his wounds. It might mean a job replacing Holden should Wagner choose.
Wagner scouted out the Doctor’s place and when he left he ran into Levi Oden. Levi knew Andy Wagner and doesn’t recognize him. Levi suspected something’s afoul. Later, Wagner returns to the Doctor’s place and kills Holden. He failed to see Levi Oden watching him.
The next morning Marshal Abernathy gave Wagner a deputy’s badge and invited him to dinner. Finally reunited the trio headed into the German House, a fancy saloon, after seeing three suspicious men ride into town and enter. They saw Lily Abernathy speaking with the men. The barkeep tells them that Lily is the real power behind the town. They also find out that Holden is staying at the Abernathy’s guest house. The suspicious men are three of Los Caballeros, a vigilante gang dedicated to protecting the weak and innocent.
