South Travel Log

Travel Log 1 - Heading South o' the Border

Meeting in Tombstone

Monday 24th May 1880, Spring 3

• The characters were approached with or saw advertisements (on billboards or in papers like the local rag, The Tombstone Epitaph) for an employment opportunity. It warned of danger and that 'only brave souls should apply'. The 'you will be well rewarded' line may have attracted some members, whilst others might've just wanted to 'get out of town'. Interested parties were to meet at the Crystal Palace Saloon, in the back room, at 7pm.
• All characters met with a Mr James Rogers who was representing 'interested parties' that did not want this new 'Empire' of Mexico getting any delusions on granduer… and people north of the border, just don't take too well to 'royals' telling them what to do.

• After all were aquainted, the mission was explained and a (next-to-useless) map was handed to the newly formed posse. The posse was to travel south of the border into Mexico and deliver a wagonload of munitions into the hands of Juaristas resisting the government in Mexico.
• Mission: Specifically, the posse are to hand the wagon over to an individual named Miguel Cruz. He is to meet you near the ruins of an old mission a few miles north of the village of Bacoachi. The posse were well rewarded with each member receiving $250 Confederate up front. This amount will be doubled when they return with a letter from Cruz that shows proof of the delivery.

• Apparently another member was supposed to attend the meeting. He was a friend of Finn's, but Finn got distracted by some last-minute poker.
• The posse reconviened out back of the saloon. Indian Bob and another silent tough were waiting by a wagon (both were present in meeting with Mr Rogers). They tried to warn the posse about crossing the border in daylight or via towns where the French were likely to have garrisons. They warned about not falling into the hands of the French Foreign Legion, but most of the posse were not listening so Bob and the other tough handed over the wagon and returned to the saloon.
• The posse inspected the wagon's contents and noted it had a lot of food, bedrolls and a lot of weapons and ammunition.
• John also noted that the horse provided was rather old. He instead hitched Dr Mahaps and his own horse to the wagon, tying the provided one to the back to follow along behind.
• The posse left (sans The Surgeon) during the night and rode up through the hills south of Tombstone following winding miners' tracks.

The Surgeon Arrives

Tuesday 25th May 1880, Spring 3

• About four hours prior to dawn when the posse were through the hills and in a wide valley on the other side, they decided to rest up. Bob was left to watch, whilst others slept.
• Around one hour before dawn they were awoken by the approach of horses and the hacking cough of 'The Surgeon'. Indian Bob and the silent guy had escorted him to the posse. After aquaintences were made, the escorts returned to the north.

Frenchies Out of Their Territory

• The posse hit the trail again before the heat of the day. A couple of hours after dawn, they encountered a patrol of the French Foreign Legion. Lucky The Surgeon had caught up with the group, as he conversed with Commander Duboise in French to convince him that the posse had a wagonload of 'new technologies' and 'science stuff' for the Emperor Maximillan in Mexico City.
• Commander Duboise praised their loyalty and assigned two members of his group (Pyotyr and Del Pierre) to lead the posse on a more direct path to Mexico.

• The legionaires led the posse to one of their hide-outs to wait out the midday heat. This was in a small canyon, contained a waterhole and buried foodstuffs. After eating, as the group were entering into a siesta, John walked straight up to the sleeping legionaires and shot them. As Del Pierre's head turned to red paste, Pyotyr was nicked in the shoulder and started to reach for his rifle. Rodrick wasted the guy with his shotgun before there was any return fire.
• John's actions let to some arguments within the group and the resutling gun shots scared several of the horses. Bob's and Michel's (The Surgeon) horses both broke their ties and fled into the desert.
• The horses were eventually gathered and the legionnaires buried. The French Legion's supplies of tinned food was also dug up and taken.
• The posse hit the trail again at mid-afternoon and travelled a few hours into the night, the near full moon lighting the way. Camped on the side of the road.

The Jack Finnegan Gang

Wednesday 26th May 1880, Spring 3

• The posse set out early and the day grew hot quickly. As they were looking for a place to say, they found the perfect grotto.
• The only problem was, the grotto was occupied… but none other than the Jack Finnegan Gang, as recognised by Delmar. He whispered that they were known for several bank roberies in Texas.
• Jack offered the posse a place at their camp and some of Bob's beans, but negotiations soon went south when Jack stated that his gang would be needed in the posse's horses in return. Apparently Apaches had run their horses off during the night.

• Jack flicked a card from a deck that appeared in his hands and the card knocked Michel clear off his horse onto the hard ground. A gunfight ensured.
• During this time, Bob had wandered away from the group and from there was able to snipe members of the Jack Finnegan gang, causing a lot of confusion.
• Things got might strange when Jack had his cards spin as a pack like a whirlwind around the group. Despite no wind being felt, the cards swirled about in a chaotic fashion. Also, shots fired at Jack seem to be hindered by some strange, translucent barrier.
• Eventually the posse won the day. All of Jack's gang lay dead, and only John had been wounded. Luckily for him, The Surgeon, Michel, had some of his cure-all oinment for the shotgun wound he received to the back of his left shoulder.
• The posse spent the heat of the day resting up at the gang's camp. There was a small tent with saddles and supplies, some of which were added to the wagon.
• Also added to the wagon were the 5 bodies of Jack's gang (wrapped in canvas), and Jack's head in a pickled barrel. The group even helped themselves to Bob's beans, still warming on the small campfire.
• The group remained here for the remainder of the day and through the night, with only the odd howl of a wolf to give them any concern.

Thursday 27th May 1880, Spring 3

Clean Skeletons

• Things again started hot, so the posse left camp early. Around 11am, when looking for a place to escape the midday heat, the posse came across a lonely pueblo building.
• Inside were two dressed skeletons lying on the floor with a rifle and shotgun lying nearby. Upon closer inspection, the bones seemed fresh, but somehow stripped off all flesh whilst clothed.
• As the posse investigated (including checking out a well out the back), they also rested from the heat of the day. Except John, who spent his time hauling water from the well for the horses and to fill the wagon's barrel.

Scarab Lady

• After a few hours on the road in the afternoon, the posse heard the hollering and whooping. Looking ahead, it appeared an Apache war band was raiding a wagon on the trail.
• The posse hesitated and the Apache approached the wagon. They seemed interested in its contents. Finally, the posse approached, and as they did, the Apache fled into the nearby ridges.
• Near the wagon were two more dressed skeletons stripped of their flesh. John was also dismayed to find to mules in the same condition at the front of the wagon. But oddly, one had only been half stripped of its flesh and organs, making for a grisly and very peculiar site.
• Whilst searching the wagon, Rodrick got a fright as what he thought was a pile of clothing stood up and a bonneted girl on a dress reached for him, sending him sprawling from the front of the wagon, yelling some gibberish about scarabs.
• The rest of the posse soon discovered what he was on about. As the bonneted 'lady' stepped off the back of the wagon, a huge swarm of shiny black beetles fell out from the dress and piled on the ground. The dress and bonnet floated down to lay on top, but the scarab horde was on the move.
• As the posse pannicked and fired harmless shots into the mass, the beetles swarmed over Lucky Finn. Even though they quickly passed by, in the short time the passed over him, they ate a lot of his outer flesh, leaving him appearing as if he had been flensed.
• The scarab horde shifted up the hillside into the scrub where Rodrick rode forth and threw a stick of dynamite in their mass. Dirt, dust and beetles flew into the air. The large pile of beetles was no more.
• The Surgeon went to work on his friend Lucky and again his oinments and cure-alls proved effective at restoring Lucky's health.
• The party gathered themselves, and more supplies and loot from the wagon and headed off, camping the night on the side of the road. They were anxious about the Apaches targeting them next, but no attack eventuated.

Friday 28th May 1880, Spring 3

The 'Mission' Complete?

• After travelling through the ever-increasing heat of the morning, the posse came across an old pueblo mission. The central church was surrounded by a compound, and looked in slightly better condition to the ruined houses around it. A well was located centrally in the abandoned settlement.
• Not long after arriving the ground started to shake and a dust cloud started to rise from behind the mission, where the ground sloped away.
• As the posse took shelter in the ruined compound, a large group of mounted Mexicans surrounded them and circled on their horses.

• One with crossed bandoleers and a wicked moustache brought the hooting band of riders to a stop. In halting English he said something about being out of luck with the Almighty, as the mission was long since abandoned, but he and his men, would be happy to accept any donations. He also added they could help with passage to the afterlife. After this remark, he leaned back and laughed at his own cleverness. Clearly not being fluent in English, his band of followers joined in the laughing at this moment.
• The posse then asked the leasders name, to which he replied, "I am Miguel Alejandro Ramiriez de Cruz. You gringos you feel honored to have been robbed by one of the great heros of the Revolution!"
• Lucky and Michel then stated they were sent here from Mr James Rogers and were to meet with the loud Mexican. At that, he quickly changed his tune, replying, "I hope you can forgive my little jest, my friends. How as I to know you were allies? Come, come, we have business to conduct." He dismounted and made his way towards the posse sheltering in the mission compound. At his signal, all of his men lowered their weapons. As he approached he continued, "Then you must have dinner with my men and I, and rest from your long journey."
• As Miguel Cruz drew closer, the posse noticed that the odd necklace dangling around his neck was made up of human fingers, toes and ears.
• The posse accompnaied Miguel and his Juaristas to a hidden hide-out in a valley about half-an-hour's ride from the mission.
• Miguel then speaks about the 'Mountain Devil' that has killed some of his men, hence them looking around, scared in their hideaway. Miguels says that if the poss deal with this 'devil' then he will give them what they need to return to Tombstone. The posse were not happy with this situation and felt they had done their part of the bargain. Negotiations turned heated until the posse decided that Michel's 'cure-all' might be all the Juaristas need. After witnessing its effectiveness (when it cured a hole John shot through his own hand), they were impressed, but would need a bucket-load of the stuff.
• The posse continued with their excellent bargaining skills and Rodrick hit upon the idea that the Juaristas need not even stay here. They were hiding here as it is the only water source their enemies had not poisoned. But the posse said they could lead the Juaristas to a water source. The deal was settled. Miguel Cruz's men, who had just finished unloading the wagon were ordered to load it back up again.
• The dead bodies of the Jack Finnigan gang were left under trees to rot, but the posse loaded the pickled leader's head onto the small wagon (with them since the scarab lady).
• Both wagons and all Juaristas and posse moved out about mid afternoon. At nightfall they arrive one the scene of the scarab lady and camp nearby.

Saturday 29th May 1880, Spring 3

• The day broke and did not look to be as hot as those previous.
• Everyone arrived at the hut with the well out the back mid-morning.
• The deal is settled after the well water is tested. Cruz hands over a letter with scrawled writing in English: "Deal done. Miguel Alejandro Ramirez de Cruz."

(Session finished as posse got their letter).