Wilde West 19

[8/7/2013 9:33:08 PM] Khiro: So, Kate had left Ebenezer's place! SCANDALOUS. [8/7/2013 9:34:03 PM] Josie: Josie had, and she was going to go back and interview Chuck. [8/7/2013 9:34:23 PM] Khiro: Okay! He's at the doctor's office, still. [8/7/2013 9:35:09 PM] Khiro: STatler's tehre, too, along with Doc Preston. Apparently the deputies brought the Emery brothers' bodies back, too. [8/7/2013 9:36:22 PM] Josie: Hey. ... sorry I'm so late. Stopped in to see if Mr. Dingo's translatin' got done an' fell asleep right there. [8/7/2013 9:37:13 PM] Khiro: Statler:  No harm, no foul. Pres is goin' over the Emery boys and I just got done talkin' to Chuck here. [8/7/2013 9:38:41 PM] Josie: Josie nods. [8/7/2013 9:38:57 PM] Josie: Anythin' useful? Won't repeat the askin' if you already done it. [8/7/2013 9:41:47 PM] Khiro: STatler:  Boy was ridin' along, his horse got shot, he fell off, he got yanked off the saddle and beat on a bit. Woke up a bit later to a gunshot, heard the Emery boys coughing and hacking and moaning, then they went quiet, and next thing he knows is you wakin' him up. [8/7/2013 9:42:06 PM] Josie: Josie nods, looking at Chuck. [8/7/2013 9:42:21 PM] Josie: You hear anythin' at all before or after the shot? Smell anythin'? [8/7/2013 9:42:51 PM] Khiro: Chuck:  Nothin, sorry Marshal. [8/7/2013 9:44:31 PM] Josie: S'allright, reckon most folks wouldn't remember wtih the wounds you got. [8/7/2013 9:47:37 PM] Khiro: Preston is cutting open the shorter Emery. [8/7/2013 9:48:58 PM] Josie: Anythin' interestin' in there? [8/7/2013 9:49:34 PM] Khiro: Preston:  You ain' gonna like this. [8/7/2013 9:49:46 PM] Josie: .... yeah? [8/7/2013 9:49:56 PM] Khiro: Preston:  This boy was shot in the arm. [8/7/2013 9:50:21 PM] Josie: Yeah? [8/7/2013 9:51:47 PM] Khiro: Preston:  He was in pretty bad shape, malnourished. But he didn't bleed out or die of infection. [8/7/2013 9:52:01 PM] Khiro: Preston digs the bullet out of his arm with some long forceps. [8/7/2013 9:53:46 PM] Khiro: He drops a silver bullet on a tray. "Look familiar?" [8/7/2013 9:55:16 PM] Josie: Goddamnit. [8/7/2013 9:55:41 PM] Josie: Were these fellas human altogether? [8/7/2013 9:55:55 PM] Khiro: STatler:  Far as I know, yeah. [8/7/2013 9:56:05 PM] Khiro: Preston:  They got no markers indicating otherwise. [8/7/2013 9:56:24 PM] Josie: ... how the hell'd that bullet kill 'em, then? [8/7/2013 9:57:05 PM] Khiro: Preston:  The other one was shot in the chest. Haven't dug it out yet, but I'll bet it's silver, too. And I got no clue. [8/7/2013 9:59:15 PM] Josie: ... the bullets ain't magic, neither. [8/7/2013 10:00:47 PM] Khiro: Preston:  That's a bit out of my bailiwick to determine, marshal. [8/7/2013 10:01:22 PM] Josie: Yeah, took the last one to Mr. Rivers, an' it wasn't. Don't expect these are either. [8/7/2013 10:01:35 PM] Josie: On the other hand, these fellas were killed by the same guy was carryin' the gun. [8/7/2013 10:03:35 PM] Khiro: Statler:  Can't say I like that. Means they're stickin' around. [8/7/2013 10:03:47 PM] Josie: Means we got one killer 'stead of two. [8/7/2013 10:06:06 PM] Josie: ... though if it's the fellas I'm thinkin' of, it's the Order of St. George an' there's a whole lot of 'em bent on curin' the world of people who ain't quite human. [8/7/2013 10:06:50 PM] Josie: But it's far from a sure thing on that. [8/7/2013 10:08:33 PM] Khiro: Statler:  Hmph. [8/7/2013 10:09:17 PM] Josie: An' if it's them we might have a war on our hands. [8/7/2013 10:12:25 PM] Khiro: Statler:  They wanted a war, they'd be doing more than killing bandits. [8/7/2013 10:12:56 PM] Josie: Don't rightly know. [8/7/2013 10:14:42 PM] Josie: .. but it ain't a good thing all the same. [8/7/2013 10:14:48 PM] Josie: An' I suspect they stole somethin' belongs to me, too. [8/7/2013 10:15:23 PM] Khiro: STatler:  What'd they steal? [8/7/2013 10:17:01 PM] Josie: I was supposed to get word on a criminal from out east. [8/7/2013 10:23:06 PM] Khiro: Chuck:  I dropped off my mail at the post. You might wanna check with them. [8/7/2013 10:23:54 PM] Josie: Josie nods. [8/7/2013 10:23:56 PM] Josie: I'll check. [8/7/2013 10:24:08 PM] Josie: You remember anythin' else, you let me know, Chuck. An' try an' get well. [8/7/2013 10:24:51 PM] Khiro: Chuck:  I'm not goin' anywhere for a couple weeks, according to the doc, so I'll do that. [8/7/2013 10:27:12 PM] Josie: Josie tips her hat and heads out to the post office! [8/7/2013 10:37:09 PM] Khiro: Okay! She finally gets her packet! [8/7/2013 10:40:43 PM] Josie: Josie opens it eagerly! [8/7/2013 10:42:26 PM] Khiro: It's a dossier on a fellow named Joshua Winnow. Another of the Viskav gang, another warlock, this one human, though. He was seen leading a small band of guns-for-hire a few towns east of Wilde. [8/7/2013 10:44:15 PM] Josie: Josie reads it. [8/7/2013 10:44:27 PM] Josie: ... s'pose it's too much to hope that any of 'em learned anything. [8/7/2013 10:45:45 PM] Khiro: The office wants him for past crimes, there are no recent crimes on record with Winnow, unlike Fennick. [8/7/2013 10:47:19 PM] Josie: Hm. [8/7/2013 10:47:40 PM] Josie: Josie gathers up the dossier and heads back to Statler to see if he knows anything useful. [8/7/2013 10:49:36 PM] Khiro: Statler has never heard of the guy, but will keep an ear to the ground. [8/7/2013 10:49:54 PM] Josie: Josie nods. [8/7/2013 10:50:05 PM] Josie: You all right holdin' the fort while I try an' track down this fella? [8/7/2013 10:50:33 PM] Khiro: Statler:  I'm sure we'll manage, marshal. [8/7/2013 10:53:18 PM] Josie: ... these St. George types're killers, an' I don't know how many of 'em there are. [8/7/2013 10:54:23 PM] Josie: Nobody oughtta try to take 'em on alone. [8/7/2013 10:55:53 PM] Khiro: Statler:  Wasn't planning on it. [8/7/2013 10:57:52 PM] Josie: ... just don't like the idea of leavin' another lawman alone t'face somethin' like that. Well, hopefully it ain't them. [8/7/2013 10:58:04 PM] Josie: Josie asks how long it'll take to get there! [8/7/2013 10:58:09 PM] Khiro: Statler:  I ain't alone here. [8/7/2013 10:58:11 PM] Khiro: ((where?)) [8/7/2013 11:00:42 PM] Josie: ((Where Winnow is!)) [8/7/2013 11:02:04 PM] Khiro: ((He was last seen a couple weeks ago to the east. They're not sure where he is now.)) [8/7/2013 11:02:47 PM] Josie: ((Yes, how far was he last seen?)) [8/7/2013 11:06:49 PM] Josie: (('cause that's where she's gotta go next!)) [8/7/2013 11:10:15 PM] Khiro: His band was hired by a cattle rancher to drive off some bandits. last they were seen, they were headed east. Just a direction. [8/7/2013 11:14:22 PM] Josie: Josie ... has no idea what to do next, in that case! [8/7/2013 11:18:10 PM] Khiro: ((All stuffed uuuuuuup. *whines* )) [8/7/2013 11:18:44 PM] Josie: ((*stabs your nose!*)) [8/7/2013 11:36:12 PM] Khiro: ((*whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiines*)) [8/7/2013 11:36:38 PM] Josie: ((Gaaaaaaaaame.)) [8/7/2013 11:36:56 PM] Khiro: ((When the burning subsides a little.)) [8/7/2013 11:43:19 PM] Josie: ((*Burning*? Wennie's lighting fires now?)) [8/7/2013 11:44:10 PM] Khiro: ((You never had that burny feeling when your sinuses are being all awful?)) [8/7/2013 11:44:44 PM] Josie: ((Nnnope.)) [8/7/2013 11:45:06 PM] Khiro: ((I don't recommend it.)) [8/7/2013 11:49:32 PM] Josie: ((I will bear that in mind!)) [8/7/2013 11:51:33 PM] Khiro: ((Okay.)) [8/8/2013 12:03:34 AM] Khiro: A kid comes running up to you! [8/8/2013 12:03:48 AM] Josie: Hey. [8/8/2013 12:04:10 AM] Khiro: He's out of breath. "Marshal... reverend... wants ta see ya." [8/8/2013 12:04:55 AM] Josie: Right. [8/8/2013 12:05:09 AM] Josie: Josie hands him a whole quarter. A lot of money for this time! [8/8/2013 12:05:15 AM] Josie: Josie then heads for the church, quickly. [8/8/2013 12:06:21 AM] Khiro: The kid goes *straight* for the store. CANDYTIME. [8/8/2013 12:07:08 AM] Khiro: You find him in the chapel! "Marshal.  It's come to my attention that you're dealing with the Order of St. George." [8/8/2013 12:08:55 AM] Josie: Not certain. [8/8/2013 12:11:07 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  You suspect that's the case, though. [8/8/2013 12:11:27 AM] Josie: Yeah, I do. [8/8/2013 12:11:29 AM] Josie: What 'bout it? [8/8/2013 12:12:03 AM] Josie: These folks're blessin' silver an' puttin' it into folks, criminal an' otherwise, too. [8/8/2013 12:13:20 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Yeah, that sounds like them. They say 'our bullets only kill the evil', shoot to wound, and lo and behold, people die from non-fatal gunshots. [8/8/2013 12:13:39 AM] Josie: You know 'em? [8/8/2013 12:14:08 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  My father had... dealings with them. [8/8/2013 12:17:42 AM] Josie: Yeah? [8/8/2013 12:18:40 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Not pleasant dealings, either. [8/8/2013 12:18:44 AM] Khiro: He hands you a book! [8/8/2013 12:19:11 AM] Josie: Josie takes it. [8/8/2013 12:19:45 AM] Josie: Reckon they'd claim you're corrupt too, on account of havin' extra arms. [8/8/2013 12:19:48 AM] Khiro: It's called 'The Sons of St. George.' [8/8/2013 12:21:38 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  They did. But when I got ordained, they couldn't touch me anymore. Can't come crusading into town as long as I'm ministering to the flock here, either. They got their own laws. [8/8/2013 12:21:59 AM] Josie: Huh. Didn't know that. [8/8/2013 12:22:06 AM] Josie: Then it's you keepin' the town safe. [8/8/2013 12:23:09 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Well, from them, yeah. You know what my last name is, marshal? Usually no one asks. [8/8/2013 12:24:12 AM] Josie: What is it? [8/8/2013 12:24:24 AM] Khiro: He smiles. "Wilde." [8/8/2013 12:24:40 AM] Josie: ... huh. So your pa mighta been one o' the first? [8/8/2013 12:24:57 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  He founded the town. [8/8/2013 12:25:13 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Most on account of me, I figure. [8/8/2013 12:26:23 AM] Khiro: He taps the book he handed you. "That there describes the Order as they were a hundred years ago.  Figure it could be useful." [8/8/2013 12:27:07 AM] Josie: Didn't count on havin' a son with some spare limbs, huh? Sounds like all of us are lucky he did. [8/8/2013 12:27:14 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Father always said it was a bit fanciful, so take it with a grain of salt. [8/8/2013 12:27:22 AM] Josie: Josie nods. [8/8/2013 12:29:22 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  It does describe the tenets they operate on. They still follow those laws, to the letter, at least, if not the spirit. [8/8/2013 12:34:40 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Long as the Church is ministering to the 'unclean', they're off limits. The Order's focus is supposed to be those that aren't already under the Church's auspices. [8/8/2013 12:36:18 AM] Josie: That bein' who? [8/8/2013 12:37:32 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Criminals, outlaws, those that live on the fringes or delve into matters that make them a clear threat. [8/8/2013 12:38:15 AM] Josie: Prob'ly me. [8/8/2013 12:38:46 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  No, I mean, warlocks and necromancers. [8/8/2013 12:40:02 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Folk like Viskav and his men. [8/8/2013 12:43:46 AM] Josie: Know at least one person don't fit that description. [8/8/2013 12:43:54 AM] Josie: An' they tried to kill him too. [8/8/2013 12:45:15 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Question is... why are they here now? [8/8/2013 12:46:45 AM] Josie: I got a good idea of the reason, an' he was shot dead at the festival. [8/8/2013 12:51:18 AM] Josie: My question is how come they're stickin' around. [8/8/2013 12:51:53 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Indeed. They must have found some reason to. And they've known we're here for some time. [8/8/2013 12:52:47 AM] Josie: We got to get rid of 'em somehow. [8/8/2013 12:57:20 AM] Josie: You got any ideas? [8/8/2013 12:57:28 AM] Josie: Reckon exorcism won't work. Do they parley? [8/8/2013 12:57:52 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Not without knowing *why* they're here. They might with you. [8/8/2013 12:59:22 AM] Josie: They were after somethin' the dead man had. An' it's somethin' I'm sure as hell not givin' 'em. [8/8/2013 1:00:36 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Were they after the man, or what the man had? [8/8/2013 1:01:31 AM] Josie: Ain't too sure, but he's dead. [8/8/2013 1:01:41 AM] Josie: An' if they just wanted that they'd not be hangin' around. [8/8/2013 1:04:20 AM] Khiro: Preacher:  Makes sense.

[8/8/2013 10:41:25 PM] Josie: Anythin' 'bout their rules we could use to trip 'em up? [8/8/2013 10:43:07 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  Never did read that book all the way through. They got a list of tenets, minor and major, as long as my arm. All I know is the one that's kept them out of town. [8/8/2013 10:44:02 PM] Josie: Josie nods. [8/8/2013 10:44:11 PM] Josie: I'll see what I c'n do 'bout it. [8/8/2013 10:45:57 PM] Josie: ... you ain't a priest, but I 'spect you don't break confession, 'neither. [8/8/2013 10:46:42 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  No, no I don't. [8/8/2013 10:48:28 PM] Josie: Well. If you didn't know it before, I'm one o' you too. [8/8/2013 10:48:48 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  One of what? [8/8/2013 10:49:11 PM] Josie: Not entirely human. [8/8/2013 10:49:27 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  Oh. Well, all right. [8/8/2013 10:51:29 PM] Josie: So if I get holed with a silver bullet, don't be expectin' me to get up again afterward, is all. [8/8/2013 10:51:37 PM] Josie: Thanks for the help, Reverend. [8/8/2013 10:53:48 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  So far, one's nature doesn't seem to matter to their bullets, does it? [8/8/2013 10:54:10 PM] Josie: Can't tell. My plan's to avoid gettin' shot. [8/8/2013 10:55:44 PM] Khiro: Preacher:  Good idea. [8/8/2013 10:58:06 PM] Josie: Josie tips her hat. "See you around." [8/8/2013 10:58:13 PM] Josie: Josie heads back to Eben's! [8/8/2013 11:00:47 PM] Khiro: Okay! He's still there! [8/8/2013 11:02:21 PM] Josie: Josie holds up the book. [8/8/2013 11:02:50 PM] Josie: Preacher says we got to stop livin' in sin an' get married or we're goin' to hell. [8/8/2013 11:04:07 PM] Khiro: He blinks! "And he wrote all that down in that book?" [8/8/2013 11:04:16 PM] Josie: 'course not. [8/8/2013 11:04:40 PM] Josie: Book's how long the marriage ceremony'll take. [8/8/2013 11:05:55 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  I see. I guess we'll need a broomstick. [8/8/2013 11:07:15 PM] Josie: Josie grins. [8/8/2013 11:07:33 PM] Josie: Nah, preacher gave me a book on the Order o' St. George. They call it the Sons of St. George, I guess. [8/8/2013 11:08:50 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  Oh. Handy. [8/8/2013 11:10:35 PM] Josie: Yep. Mind if I sit an' read in here? [8/8/2013 11:12:43 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  Of course not. [8/8/2013 11:14:35 PM] Josie: Josie takes the book, sits down in a quiet nook and starts to read! [8/8/2013 11:16:46 PM] Khiro: It's a dense book. At least half of it is a genealogy from St. George to... well, people who probably headed the Order up a century ago, when the book was written. [8/8/2013 11:17:31 PM] Josie: Josie will read the laws first! [8/8/2013 11:22:34 PM] Khiro: There's a very long list of them. 90% of them are indecipherable/no longer applicable in this modern world. [8/8/2013 11:23:46 PM] Josie: Josie is, of course, looking for loopholes. [8/8/2013 11:33:02 PM] Khiro: A good majority of these laws are also mostly about internal bureacracy and rules of order and resolving internal disputes, etc etc... [8/8/2013 11:35:36 PM] Josie: Josie *does* read all of that. [8/8/2013 11:36:38 PM] Khiro: It takes awhile. Apparently there is a law stating that women are not allowed to join the order, and that those in the order are not allowed to marry anyone else in the order. Lots of the rules contradict in that sort of way. [8/8/2013 11:39:11 PM] Josie: Josie thinks that's quite interesting. [8/8/2013 11:39:28 PM] Josie: Josie thinks they can't possibly obey all the rules--so why are the obeying the one that keeps them out of town? [8/8/2013 11:41:25 PM] Khiro: Keep in mind that a lot of these laws are most likely old by the time the book was written, and even more are probably no longer in play at this point. Some laws most likely become outdated and dropped. [8/8/2013 11:42:34 PM] Josie: Josie keeps reading, trying to find loopholes.How do you get inducted? What are the requirements? [8/8/2013 11:43:38 PM] Khiro: You have to be a confirmed member of the Catholic Church, and have the patronage of another member of the Order. [8/8/2013 11:45:30 PM] Josie: Josie thinks: That's out, then. [8/8/2013 11:45:33 PM] Josie: Josie is not Catholic. [8/8/2013 11:46:03 PM] Josie: Josie tries to figure out what *stops* them from coming after people. [8/8/2013 11:52:22 PM] Khiro: Well, you do find the law that the Preacher referenced. The Order's bailiwick, according to this old book, are those 'Witchbreed' who exist 'apart from God'. A Witchbred (Their term for supernaturals) who is a member of a church or church community is out of bounds. [8/8/2013 11:53:07 PM] Khiro: Apparently this was a softening of the previous iteration of these laws, which were much more 'Inquistory'. [8/8/2013 11:55:00 PM] Josie: Hmph. [8/8/2013 11:55:14 PM] Josie: Find it hard to believe that Mr. Gun wasn't part of a church. [8/8/2013 11:55:59 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  Hmm? [8/8/2013 11:56:44 PM] Josie: Fella with the gun, hard to believe he wasn't part of a church. 'bout everybody is. [8/8/2013 11:57:55 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  What does that have to do with anything? [8/8/2013 11:58:34 PM] Josie: If they're part of a church, the Order can't go after 'em. [8/8/2013 11:58:49 PM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  Hmm. [8/9/2013 12:01:52 AM] Khiro: Well, there are provisos to the tenet, where if the Witchbred in question is involved in unequivically shady business, they're captured and put to the Test of Silver. What the Test of Silver is exactly is not described in the book. But it's implied that the Order sticks or stabs the Witchbred with their blessed, sanctified silver. If the Witchbred dies, they were evil! [8/9/2013 12:02:33 AM] Josie: ... 'cept they can still stick 'em with silver. [8/9/2013 12:06:03 AM] Khiro: If the investigation bears out, or they have proof to show their local church authorities and get the go ahead to go after the Witchbred. [8/9/2013 12:07:01 AM] Josie: Wonder why they went after you... [8/9/2013 12:07:49 AM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  If it was them. There anything about the Order using poisons? [8/9/2013 12:08:14 AM] Josie: Josie looks. [8/9/2013 12:10:51 AM] Khiro: Nope! Not in this book. They seem to be very reliant on their silver. [8/9/2013 12:11:07 AM] Josie: Not in this book, s'mostly silver. [8/9/2013 12:11:18 AM] Josie: So maybe you just got a lone looney. [8/9/2013 12:11:54 AM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  Lucky me. [8/9/2013 12:15:25 AM] Josie: Yeah. ... shame, means we don't got two shots at a cure. [8/9/2013 12:19:40 AM] Khiro: Ebenezer:  What would have been wonderfully efficient. [8/9/2013 12:20:39 AM] Josie: Have to make this shot count. An' if it don't work we'll come up with somethin' else.