(success + raise)
(success)
~~~~~~~~~~
(success)
(success)
~~~~~~~~~~
Winona stays tough as the dryness sets in. When the team spots small amounts of scrub for the cattle to graze, she looks for thick patches and pulls a small shovel from the side of her saddle to dig for water below the surface. Even if she just finds a murky puddle, she carefully soaks up the water with her kerchief and squeezes it into her canteen, the cloth helping to filter out the worst of the mud and insects. It's not pleasant, but it's enough to keep going.
Success
Success
Success
11 Success + 1 Raise
When the dry spell hits, Rufus becomes sparing of his canteen.
He takes the time to ensure that his horses get more water than him.
He also takes the time to dig small holes for water.
He takes his bandanna off to ask Luke.
Any idea how much longer this dry spell is going to last ?
He then puts the bandanna back on.
Failed.
Failed.
On the 3rd day one of the outriders has reported a farmstead close, Luke rides back to talk with you four. "Bart spotted a farmhouse not to far out. The Boss wants you four to take a look, a farm means water and we could use some right now" He says though dried, parched lips "Check it out, maybe we can fill the barrels at lest if they don't mind"
That, and get the ok to drive across their land
Rufus dismounts, and sponges out Abacus's mouth.
He then spits a wad of dust out and recovers his face with his bandana.
I will be happy when I am not eating dust.
= 11
Flying Eagle dismounts and accompanies Rufus.
"Let's go," says Winona. She likewise comes down from her horse, leaves her shotgun attached to the saddle, checks her pistol, and then joins the crew.
s you get closer, there is a house, and a barn with a well pump standing near the house. As you move around you see no one approaching, no sounds from the house, no sounds from the barn. No signs of life at all.
Winona pushes her coat to one side and her hand hovers over the butt of her pistol.
"Nobody home... looks ominous," she says. "Let's get up to the front door."
Holding his hand out for a second to stop Winona.
Just a second
He then takes a deep breath.
then back to a normal tone.
If they seen us coming they might assume the worst, and be hiding or ready to shoot.
He then walks up to the hitching post and ties off Abacus, then walks towards the door.
Rodan slides his rifle out of the scabbard from his horse. And takes a good look at the house to see if he can see any bullet holes in the walls.
He then starts to take a stroll over to the barn for the same. If no one has answered or shown themselves, Rodan opens the barn to check it out.
"I am going to take a look in the barn." He says as he levers a round in.
Flying Eagle accompanies Rufus to the front door, keeping alert for any danger.
= 4
The Barn seems empty, there is a wagon, the normal tools and other items one would find in a barn, but no animals and by the smell, there have not been any for a while. It still smells like a barn, but its not "fresh".
The Door seems stuck, but there is no signs of bullets holes on the walls and it takes a little force, but the door opens. The small two room home seems untouched, personal items and furnishing all sit as if someone just left.. There is even plats set at the table with desiccated remains of an uneaten meal left to rot on the table. Dust seems to have settled on everything.
The Pump out back take a little to get working, showing the well is a deep one, but it does have water.
Going back the the group. Rodan tells everyone. "The barn clear of critters. I don't think any animals have been in it for some time. I did find that the water pump at least spits out water. Whatcha find in here?"
Taking a quick look around
"The house is as if the owners left a long time ago, in the middle of a meal, and never came back."
Rodan is not sure how long ago, but its been a while. At lest a month, the house seems untouched, but the animals are all gone. The pump outback is slow, but you think with a day or two, three at most you can leave this place with fullbarrels, canteens and watered cattle.
Rufus takes the time to pump the water, and fill the trough.
Thinking we get this water proof before we bring everyone here.
After that, he fills his canteen and then brings his horse over to drink
You know He comments in general I have never known people to just up and leave with food on the plate. I wonder what forced them to go
Winona finishes a circle of the house, then says, "Well, maybe we can patch up the fencing here, use it to keep the herd close while we refill our canteens and get ready for the next leg of the trip. Probably won't find any tracks indicating what happened to the ol' owners, given how long they've been gone."
Still its a wonder what caused them to leave.
Rufus sets to in rough patching the fence to hold the cattle.
I think we will need to get word to the herd to get them on their way here
"I will go" Flying Eagle says after refreshing both himself and his horse with the water. He heads off back to the herd.
Flying Eagle, Hold up for a moment, as we should not be riding alone.
Any one want to go with him to update Luke at the herd?
It does not take much to ride back to the group and get the hands and cattle moving this way. The fence is patchable, but in no way large enough to have any hope of holding the amount of cattle you are Moving. The Boss like the idea of using the well to refill the barrels and is not opposed to wasting a day making sure the herd is watered. It will be back breaking work, but the well can help the drive a little anyhow.
Winona finally takes the opportunity to check out the kitchen.
"Reckon we can fire up the stove and have some evenly-heated beans for once," she jokes. "If'n we're going to be here for a day, anyway. Still. We should make sure to keep watches at night."
She goes through the cupboards and pantries to see if the house has any old oil lamps that might still be usable.
Going thought the pantry, you can find a few items that might be of use to the chuckwagon. Some dried beans, flour and the like. Looking though the house you can find two lamps, about a gallon of oil. Some cloths, a bit of jewelry in a box, an loaded old Evans Sportier rifle, with a second box of 15 bullets and $32.28 in assorted coins.
Looking at the items found.
"This be darn strange, that the family lit out in such a hurry. you figure at least that they would take their money with them."
"Did we find a root cellar?" asks Winona. "I'm feeling more and more uncomfortable about this all the time. And it's enough that we're taking shelter in a stranger's house, I wouldn't feel right about taking their savings."
You seem to only find evidence of two people. A man and a woman you would guess by the clothing left behind. There seems to be no root cellar, what food there is is stored in the house, and only the long store items such as grains and beans are still edible. Why they left you are unsure, and its been long enough for food to rot.
Riding back with Flying Eagle, Rufus dismounts again in the front yard.
Yo, what did we find so far.
You spend two days at the old house, watering the cattle, filling barrels and canteens. None of the cattle hands want to go near the house. They find the whole place off putting and a few say prayers when looking at it. The days pass with hard workand the nights pass with silence and unease.
Sutter thinks it would be best to move though the cooler night and has you head out the second evening. Its harder to see, but less heat and as the nights and days pass the lack of water still is a plague on this league of the drive
[ooc] Give me 3 vigor rolls and some notice -2 rolls [ooc]
= 5
= 5
= 3
= 9, Raise
= 9, Raise
By the end of three days, Winona is completely exhausted and useless.
The next three days and nights pass in a hot, dry blur. With little water and even the night hair not really being cool. Rufus and Flying Eagle catches sight of a lone wolf here and there, but the beast never gets to close and runs away if you move toward it. Just a long predator looking for a straggler.
On the evening of the forth day you come across a shallow river, the cattle have little trouble crossing it and the cowhands and chuckwagon take the time to fill up canteens and barrels.
As the Cattle move though the river, drinker their fill and the cowhands do the same, Roden sees movement in the water. Its heading toward a few of the cows in the middle of the river and as he sits up on his saddle to get a better look he can see snakes, dozens of water snakes headed toward the cattle.
Testing because sweet gods I had to have messed up
2 This one counts
With the snakes in the water and heading toward the cattle, you could try to save the cows, or take the lose of a few heads of cattle and try to avoid the swarms of snakes currently churning in the water.
"Boss! There are snakes in the river headed for the cattle, what do you want to do?"
Seeing the swarm heading for the cattle, Rodan lets out a warning.
"Get the cattle out of the water! Some type of serpent swarm coming"
And Rodan starts to try and get the cattle moving out of the water.
At Flying Eagles words the men start trying to get the cattle out of the water, that will not help the five in the path of the swarm. Roden moves at once to try and get them out of the water.
Winona looks aggrieved and then wades into the water to try to herd the cattle, and hopes that she doesn't get bit.
"Trying to shoot the snakes might just spook the herd," she shouts over the roar of the river.
Seeing how well Winona has to control her horse in the water, and knowing that he can barely ride a tame horse at a trot, Flying Eagle instead sits in his saddle and chants :
= 22 (4 Raises!)
His, Winona, Roden, and Rufus' Riding go up by *two* die types!
"It's time to cowboy, lets get these cows to saftey!"
Getting in the water, Rodan starts to whistle and yelp to get the cattle moving.
Cursing as his attention is drawn to the incoming snakes.
Come on Devil, we need to push them.
He uses his rarely used spurs to push Devil Eyes to start pushing the cows.
Rodan, Rufus and Winona get to moving the cattle, Flying Eagle calls upon the spirits to aid the others. And it seems to as both Rufus and Winona manage to get one cow each a moving and Rodan drives four out of the water. Still the swarm is ever closer and you need to push your mount to get them out of the deep water in time.