THE NEW VANGUARD! HAUNT Issue #9 with Special Guest Star STEEPLEJACK!

"I've set up an ambush at the place where yore pals tried ambushing us," the Haunt drawls. "Got some dynamite and boulders already places on both sides of the pass. Yore friends could use that."

Scalphunter nodded. "I know the place. Back there. To use that we must ride like the wind and get there before they do."

The Chief walked up. "Medicine man will give words of blessing to Braves weapons. Wounded cowboy will travel with women." He turned to Haunt and Steeplejack. "Our time as free people is coming to an end. This I know. Our time to make our own choice is nearly at an end. White man gathers in groups too many to count. Bring guns, noise, their laws. Their rules. Soon our path comes to a stop. Then ..." he spread his arms out. "Till then, we fight without fear against any enemy. They will not take what we have while we live."

Scalphunter nods again. "My words for the tribe to ride far away from the strange bringers of death have fallen on deaf ears and I, too, hear the call of battle." he hefts his large knife. "It is time to ride, to die, to honour our ancestors, and to bring death to our enemies!"

The braves all whooped and hollered as one, whilst the women looked on with sadness.

OOC Right then, plan time. You have two groups of aliens. One (the Thin men plus a guy who casts spells) in a cave some miles distant. The other group (two mutons and a lady who casts magic) are heading for the indian camp. Where you are. They are making ready to leave and death awaits any who wait to meet them on their terms!

Admin wrote:"I will talk with elders. We move soon. Braves blood has much thunder but lizard giant magic is strong. Not many chances at defeating them. On way Scalphunter can take us down path to spring ambush. Need Cowboy as bait. Not good. While that happen rest go to cave and defeat Thin Tall Men?"

Steeplejack nodded thinking that he had a point. He turned eyebrow raised at Haunt at added, "I think he has got a point if we flank the 'Doc' or even have you look like him and I flank with the braves to see if we can't move heaven and earth on them. Better decide on route, I need to let the others know we're moving out.

OOC: I'm game if you are Dave, what do you think, can Haunt pose as Spurlock and have Spurlock look more like me and I take the high ground with the others and see if we can't fool them somewhat?

Sj

ooc: Did you miss the last reply done by our wonderful GM? I see there was 7 minutes between posting times so I wasn't sure if you had and want to chime in with the new information or not.

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc:  Did you miss the last reply done by our wonderful GM?  I see there was 7 minutes between posting times so I wasn't sure if you had and want to chime in with the new information or not.

OOC: Yup missed it completely. Cross-post so is it we split or we pick one or the other - what do you think?

Sj

"I think we should take out the closest enemy" The Haunt replies, "Our allies can help with that. Then we take on those in the cave. Overwhelming numbers may be our only chance here."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"I think we should take out the closest enemy" The Haunt replies, "Our allies can help with that.  Then we take on those in the cave.  Overwhelming numbers may be our only chance here."

"Ok then it's agreed, we get those coming for us here, then we take the fight back to them."

Sj

Laying out the plan to the Braves they nodded as Scalphunter explained it to them.

Steeplejack they seemed easy with but most gave Haunt a wide birth. If any survived this, they would tell tales around the fireside of the ghost who walked like a man and changed into a great white eagle to seek evil in the night.

Scalphunter turned. "We have horses. We ride. Now." he said, mounting up. "Injured Cowboy with old and women. They break camp and go. Other cowboys come including Scur lock. He not listen to sense. Scalphunter think he needs hit on head and wake up safe somewhere else when all this over, but I am dumb savage, know nothing."

He rode forwards and the day got brighter as the group made haste towards the canyon where Haunt had previously set his traps.

Scalphunter and several braves stopped often to scout and rode out in front of the main group. The cowboys had to be told a number of times to ride on grass to keep the dust down.

Finally with horses lathered they reached the rocky canyons and several reluctant braves were told to tether and mind the horses while everyone else proceeded on foot.

The two heroes from the future kept their own council as they crept below the crest of a ridge on the blind side and wondered what it was that Scurlocks descendant would do to hinder ADVENTS progress. Perhaps he would be a scientist, or she might be a great leader. Perhaps a ...

Scalphunter moved back, still at a crouch. "See in distance. Woman and two lizard apes that hold sticks of fire. Maybe few minutes. We have arrows, bullets, few dynamite sticks. We can make rocks fall on bad people if timing right, but they ignore many things. They are like safe that stupid cowboys cannot open with all the blasting powder in the mine. Strong, durable. Fast. Faster than Scalphunter, but I fight. We all fight. No more time to run."

Haunt peered over the ridge. They were jogging along the plain and he remembered about the feeling he'd had when he grasped the woman. He HAD stuck her! His claws had felt flesh! Hadn't they?

OOC Attack at distance or wait for them to enter the canyon and have the injuns blast/roll rocks down on them, or perhaps behind them to trap them in the box canyon? They don't have power nullifiers like the Thin Men but their laser rifles scythe through rock as well as bulletproof flesh!

"Steeplejack, what do you say to the idea of letting them into the canyon and have our Indian friends attack them with the dynamite and boulders and then we attack them from their rear once they are distracted by them?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Steeplejack, what do you say to the idea of letting them into the canyon and have our Indian friends attack them with the dynamite and boulders and then we attack them from their rear once they are distracted by them?"

Steeplejack nodded, "yes sounds a workable plan, I can see if I can move enough earth around to blind them so their weapons aren't so easily fired and we can attack. We've taken on the Gorilla's but the woman, she's a new one on me. Best be careful don't know what tricks they've got. I buried one lot a while back but it only slowed them, perhaps if we can get their weapons we might use them against them?

OOC: Get into position and get ready to move earth to attack, distract and see if we can take these lot out before we get our a whoopin.

Sj

I'm assuming that this is afternoon? So fog would be unusual for this time of day. Get behind a boulder and use shapeshift to plaster myself to it to hide better.

OOC Afternoon is a good bet. Sunny, sparse cloud.

Steeplejack had spent a short time moving rocks and boulders with the indians, effectively making them lighter and easier to move when in reality they had been lodged by years of erosion and weather.

Scalphunter moved about, placing braves for the attack. The cowboys placed themselves and licked dry lips as they checked weapons over and over.

"This don't make no sense!" hissed Billy. "Let these injuns fight, we can use th' time ta get far away!"

"I'm done runnin." said Doc Scurlock. "There's nowhere these things won't find us. They ignore bullets but maybe a big rock in the head will make th' difference, or a stick of dynamite. An' those guys..." he said referring to Haunt and Steeplejac "Do stuff that beggars belief. I see it, an I don't believe it. Nor would anyone else. We got real problems goin on, and still have to take down th' rest of Tunstalls killers, but ta do that we need ta survive this."

Steeplejack listened then turned back. The two hulking forms on the plain followed by the slight female form were jogging and apparently tireless.

Something seemed off, that they were fearless of attack, but maybe they were.

He glanced over at Haunt, who was near invisible aside from a pair of eyes that looked slightly out of place on the boulder he was plastered to.

The lead Muton turned to the others and said something. Then it turned and started jogging for the canyon entrance on its own as the other two waited.



Scalphunter snarled and turned to the heroes "Do we attack or hold?" he asked as the Muton looked up the high sides of the canyon and slowed to a walk, glancing about.

"Wait for it," The Haunt replies. "Let yore pals hit that one, then we hit the two that didn't go in."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Wait for it," The Haunt replies.  "Let yore pals hit that one, then we hit the two that didn't go in."

Steeplejack agreed, if the beast gave the all-clear then the other would follow if it went through and they followed it would be separated. What no one knew is if it could track where they were, or if the Doc, but then maybe the element of surprise might be overrated. In any case the battle would soon be over and they'd all know soon enough.

Sj

The muton was a strange, alien thing.



It sniffed, looked about and waved the other two who followed at a distance of around fifty feet. The muton wasn't stupid, and shouldered the powerful looking laser rifle that it carried, scanning the rocks and the steep sides of the canyon as it moved steadily.

Haunt and Steeplejack watched the other two move behind. The woman seemed unconcerned. She was dressed in period western dress for a man, albeit with a feminine slant. The Muton next to her towered over her human form but she held it in no fear.

Scalphunter crouched, whispering "Our weapons may do nothing. We will shut the canyon off and roll rocks on them. Then we can..." he trailed off and the heroes saw the woman had stopped, looking about. She said something to the trailing Muton and it levelled its rifle to its shoulder, scanning for targets.

Steeplejack, sharp eyed as usual, noticed something glowing through the cloth of his shirt and glanced inside to see the Time Stone was glowing... he looked up. The woman, though she couldn't see him (unless she could see through stone!) could still somehow sense the magic of the time stone!

In range with stretching to use it with omni-arm to form a giant mallet hand and strike her? If not, wait and see what happens.

Gonna hold for now and see what the gun-toting alien does. If our pals in the canyon can engage at least one of them while we hold, that's a good thing in my book. If I attack too soon, that busts the ambush and brings all three of them down on us.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Gonna hold for now and see what the gun-toting alien does.  If our pals in the canyon can engage at least one of them while we hold, that's a good thing in my book.  If I attack too soon, that busts the ambush and brings all three of them down on us.

OOC: Haunt knows far more than Sj on these creatures so will follow his lead until the game is up. And then use his earth-moving powers to attack...

Sj

The lead Muton looked about, shielding its eyes. It suddenly occurred to Haunt that these things could see in the dark - and through his fog seemingly - but that would be curtailed somewhat in a bright sunny day, thankfully.

The Muton turned to the pair behind and made a sign with a fist that said 'Wait' before turning and starting to jog down the canyon!

Billy the Kid, hunched down like the others were, leaned over and hissed "That one's gettin away! We should shoot it down, now!"

The woman was casting about, looking up and down the canyon. Then she sat on a rock and took off her boot, emptying what seemed to be half a desert from one boot.

The Muton with her stayed alert, scanning the high canyon sides with the rifle constantly.

Steeplejack saw that the lead Muton would soon be out of sight. After that? It might come up behind them.. had it seen something? He glanced about. The indians were still, waiting for the perfect moment. The Cowboys were twitchy, ready to explode at the slightest sound...

OOC It's literally all about to kick off. Do you kick things off, wait, or try to follow the Muton, attack the pair on their own...

I want to wait for the one to be out of sight. That's the one I want the cowboys and Indians to concentrate on.

The Haunt signals as best he can that the one in the canyon is the one the Indians need to bushwhack.

DavidMcMahon wrote:I want to wait for the one to be out of sight.  That's the one I want the cowboys and Indians to concentrate on.  

The Haunt signals as best he can that the one in the canyon is the one the Indians need to bushwhack.

OOC: Agreed, I want to see what happens before we go for it.

Sj

The indians, with Scalphunter in charge, seemed in agreement and he led a number of them after the lone Muton as it moved further on up the canyon.

Haunt and Steeplejack continued to wait until a gunshot rang out, a crack from a pistol fired from a nervous cowboys' hand!

Instantly all hell broke loose as the Indians started whooping and hollering, firing arrows and throwing rocks down on their targets!

Half of the Indians still remained to attack the woman and the remaining muton...

And once more Haunt noted the woman seemed impervious to harm as rocks passed harmlessly through her!

OOC You both have a 'free attack' before we roll for initiative and the ADVENT forces attack! This is going to get nasty - haunt knows how tough these guys are and the main saving grave is the absence of the Thin Men who have those nasty depowering rays...

The Haunt lays on the ground on his back, changes his legs into giant springs, sets his spring legs against the boulder he had been flattened to and the "kicksprings" the boulder at the two aliens.

ooc: Is it big enough for an AOE? If not, aim at the bigger one as he makes a better target.

Admin wrote:OOC You both have a 'free attack' before we roll for initiative and the ADVENT forces attack! This is going to get nasty - haunt knows how tough these guys are and the main saving grave is the absence of the Thin Men who have those nasty depowering rays...

OOC: Hmm not sure what I can do from this distance, but if they are within range, I think it would be best to use my Earth moving powers to kick up a storm and try and hit them that way. If I can at least take down the Muton, that might help. The woman is a problem, I am not sure save good ole charm, and fists I've got that can hurt her. All my attacks are physical in nature not even Psi based etc.


Sj