Travel Journal 1

Thursday, 7th October, 1880

  • After finishing his poker tournament in Denver, Vester and his new companions boarded a train to take them through the mountains.
  • Disembarked at Allentown and then walked the 10 miles across beautiful country in the cool air to Denton, where Vester's friend, Blain was the mayor (and reportedly needed help).
Colorado%20-%20Gores%20Range%2C%20Upper%20Piney%20Creek.jpg Denton
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  • Upon arrival, locals started yelling at the group in an unfriendly manner. A fight soon broke out and patrons from the saloon, including the serving ladies, joined in. All citizens seemed highly agitated and had red-rimmed eyes with bags under them.
  • Before anyone was seriously hurt, a town marshal emerged from the jail, unloaded his shotgun into the air, ordered the patrons return to the saloon and the newcomers to come with him to his office.
  • Marshal Braddock offered the group a drink, after taking one himself, then stated that the new-comers had better help the town with their problem or get out of town real fast. Denton, it appeared, had been the victim of a humbug, whose mating calls we preventing sleep. No wonder the residents were irritable.
  • The group decided to help. The Marshal then introduced 'Peach-Face' Lucy, a renowned bounty-hunter, and stated she would be joining the group. Then Mayor Blain showed up and discovered the newcomers included Vester, his old friend whom Blain has sent out a help notice for. (Blain and Lucy are 2 other PCs).
  • The full posse now assembled, they headed over the Piney Creek and into the hills on nightfall. A ear-splitting screeching-droning sound echoed through the valleys. Thanks to some lucky searching from Lucy, the group ended up outside a small cave along an old miner's trail. The screeching began again and was damaging to the ears.
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  • Charger shot his rifle into the cave. The noise started again, but quickly stopped as some rocks came tumbling down the hillside. A moment later, shadowy humanoid shapes could be seen emerging from the scrub around the posse.
  • One of the figures spoke and drew the attention of the posse, bu then another appeared in the opposite direction and ordered the others to, "Shoot. No one who comes here is to go back alive." Other foes appeared on top of the ridge above the cave and a gun battle ensured. No members of the posse were severely hurt and all opponents were dealt with.
  • The noise from the cave continued and when investigated went from a screeching drone to a high-pitched blast. With no light source, the posse used stones, mud and moss to barricade the cave entrance the then get a little shut-eye.

Friday, 8th October, 1880

  • Posse members had trouble sleeping and woke up cold. The wind had picked up, but the sky was mostly clear.
  • After searching some of the downed gunmen from the night before, matches were found a makeshift torch was constructed. Posse re-entered the cave to find a hand-sized bug in a small bird cage. After some confusion and more sonic blasts the bug was finally killed.
  • Posse walk to town, arriving in the morning.
  • Rested up at Blain's house.
  • Were turned away by Sheriff Braddock when they suggested a trip back to the cave to check out the bandits just on nightfall.

Saturday 9th October, 1880

  • Light cloud; Calm; Cool day.
  • The posse received many thanks from the people of Denton including flowers, food and drinks.
  • Went to see Sheriff Braddock again. Young Jimmy Hanrahan was waiting for the posse and told them the sheriff had to go out to the Alderharn's farm (west of town) to deal with a 'domestic dispute'.
  • All except Peach-face (who visited the saloon where her brother works) the rest of the posse returned to the cave and scene of the ambush on their own arriving late afternoon. The bodies of their attackers were still laying where they were shot. Blain recognised some of them. They had been in the saloon and had caused a little trouble. They were apparently workers for Clint Cooper, a local rancher who lives north of town. Charger found some special strength-giving chewing bark on the body still on top of the cliff. Form there he also found tracks leading to a campsite.
  • Posse inspected the campsite then returned to town with the six horses that were still tied up there.
  • Not long after arrival they heard shots being fired in the street. A young rider was yelling that there was a fire at the Sandhere's home (north west of town towards Piney Creek). From the edge of town a small glow could be seen in the distance.
Sandhere%27s%20Ranch..jpg Bill%20Sandhere.PNG
  • Posse arrived at the Sandhere ranch to find it well ablaze. A child, choking from smoke, lay coughing on the ground. As they went to young Connor's aide, screams were heard from within the burning farmhouse.
  • As Dr F went into the burning house, shadows staggered from the shadows of the barn. One of them (whom Connor said looked like his dad) barked an order to leave no witnesses.
  • A gunfight ensued and as it progressed the posse became more and more suspicious of their enemies, who hardly flinched from being shot, and only dropped with head-shots. It was soon pretty obvious they were dealing with the walking dead.
  • The one with a likeness to James Sandhere turned out to be his twin brother, Bill, who had supposedly been killed by bandits almost a year ago. Bill tried to escape with James' unconscious body but was stopped by the posse.
  • Following the fight, the barn was protected and the bodies were thrown onto the fire.
  • Blain arranged accommodation for the Sandhere family at the local hotel.

Sunday 10th October - 15th October, 1880

  • Posse basically rested, gambled, helped the locals of Denton.
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Saturday 16th October, 1880

  • Terrified and exhausted riders from nearby Eagle rode into town yelling something about their sheriff and deputies being killed. After offering them a drink and letting them know that the posse would help, the men divulged why they were here.
  • The riders were from the town of Eagle (where the PCs disembarked from the train earlier).
  • Apparently the town of Eagle was awakened by a hellish, rage-filled scream coming from Dr. Cecil Sawyer's house. (Dr. Sawyer was a private fellow that lived in a mansion needing repairs on a hill out of town. He often got packages from Smith & Robards and Hellstromme Industries so the townsfolk knew is was likely one of those ill-fated 'mad' scientists. But he did his job well and never upset anyone else).
  • On the previous night, following the loud scream, an anxious crowd gathered before the house. Sheriff McLean and his deputies Dunk Burrell and Eli Alton went in to investigate. Minutes after they entered the frightened townsfolk heard shots and shouting. The front door flew open and Eli fell across the threshold. Before he could get to his feet something dragged him screaming back into the house.
  • The good townsfolk of Eagle sheltered together in the town's saloons to scared to go out or sleep for the night. In the morning riders were sent to several surrounding towns (including of course Denton).
  • Mayor Blain arranged for the riders to be looked after and then the posse rode hard to Eagle arriving at the Doctor's house just before nightfall under a cloudy sky.
  • As 'Charger' approached the small porch a shadowy figure appeared before him. After blasting a shot through it it disappeared. (Turns out the image had been created by Vester trying to draw out whatever was in the house.
  • Most of posse eventually entered the house with a lit lantern. The large, tiled entry hall was smashed up. There were ppols of blood and large drag-marks streaked across the tiles to a door on the far wall.
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  • Skittering noises drew the posse's attention to another door on the left side of the hall. As the light fell on it, it as swaying slightly. The posse checked out what was beyond. One thought they saw a large spider scramble into the fire place and out of site. before the posse was a well appointed lounge room, including a large couch with cushions. One of the cushions turned out to be a cat. As 'Charger' approached and the light of the lantern fell fully on it, it awakened, hissed and adopted a threatening stance. At once the posse noticed the stitch-marks all over the cat. It appeared to have been put together from various cats. Charger immediately blew it to pieces and they got out of the room.
  • As they crossed the entry hall to the door through which the blood streaks led, more scratching noises were heard on the balcony above them.
  • Beyond the room the blood marks smeared across a well-appointed bedroom and straight into the far wall. Vester inspected the desk, but as he did so a spider-like critter leaped at him from behind the books. If missed, landed and scurried under the bed.
  • Doc F then inspected the desk and felt a tapping on his boot. He looked down to see a hand emerging from under the desk. As he backed off, it followed, scurrying across the floor, not attached to an arm! Shots were fired. The crawling claw 'leaped' at the Doc, but he smacked it sideways into the wall. It rose onto fingertips and then scurried out the door, passed Peach-Face and disappeared into the darkness near the stairwell.
  • Meanwhile Vester looked under the bed for the one that flew past him. He saw a hand crawling over some boots and put a slug into it slamming it against the wall. It slid to the floor practically rent in half.
  • With lantern held high the posse went back into entry hall, following the other hand towards the stairwell. It was here they were joined by 'Smokey' and Mayor Blain, who had waited outside until this point.
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  • Together they followed the bloody drag marks back into the bedroom and easily found a secret door by pulling down on a lantern holder on the wall. A gory stairwell led down to a basement where dim light and mournful moaning came from.
  • At bottom of stairs was a large basement converted into a cross between a mad scientists laboratory and hospital operating room.
  • Only, on the operating table was Dr. Cecil Sawyer himself. On the floor were the mangled bodies of the sheriff and his deputies. Trying to 'repair' the doctor was a large human apparently made of different body parts stitched together (much like the cat found earlier). The reanimated was holding a new arm to his master whilst 2 animated hands attempted to stitch it on. The grisly sight caused some distress in the posse, but they had little time to take it in, as the reanimated raised a cleaver and came at them mumbling something about, "more parts for master".
  • Fortunately, a lucky blow knocked the reanimated down and sent his cleaver flying out of reach. Following a strange power from Luck Vester, the reanimated then spent its time cowering in the corner. It was a grisly task, but the posse knew this unnatural monstrosity should not be alive and they finished it off. The animated hands also lept to the attack but were soon finished.
  • The gore and horrid details, not to mention stench and horrible sights, had their effects on most of the group, and they were unable to stay in the grisly basement. Wanaton even emptied the contents of his stomach on the stairs as he exited.
  • Upon leaving the building the posse decided to burn the doctor's house to the ground, fearing the escape of any of his 'creations'. Spoke to gathering townsfolk about a sickness and sent everyone home.

Sunday 17th - Tuesday 26th October, 1880

  • Posse rested up in Denton. Peachface helped her brother at the saloon.
  • Whilst out hunting, Wanaton slipped down a ravine and broke his leg. Spent the night out on the cold.

Wednesday 27th October, 1880

  • Posse looked for and find Wanaton. After some difficulty getting him out of the ravine, the group returned to Denton after dark. The town doc was called to Blain's house and had to splint Wanaton's leg. Looks like he is going to be holed up in the mayor's house for some time.

Thursday 28th October, 1880

  • A family arrived in town stating that they have fled the mining town of Finger Rock. They were among the last to leave. Some sort of critters have been taking the miners, but it got real desperate when people went missing from their beds at night. Over the course of a week the town was abandoned.

Friday 29th October, 1880

  • Under a cool cloudy sky, the posse headed north from Denton on their way to Finger Rock. They had to leave Wanaton under the care of the doctor, but the mayor asked Norm (Norman Wainwright) along, as he was an experienced miner (and munitions expert). The rest of the group weren't to sure he was an expert at anything and pretty soon worked out that the many blasts he had set off in the mines not only destroyed the rock, but also Norm's sanity.
  • Late in the day a small dog barked at the posse and then made its way towards mining mounds in the hills. When it repeated this behaviour the posse decided to follow.
  • The dog led them to a mineshaft. When light was lowered it appeared the body of a boy was in the mine. When they got the body out (which had been there for a long time), the dog was nowhere to be found. However, smoke from a distant homestead could be seen and when the posse approached they soon learnt that the bot was indeed the son of the Johnsons who lived there. In a very sad moment the boy's body was handed back and soon buried. At least the Johnsons finally had some closure and they insisted the posse stay for tea and a warm place to bed down for the night.
  • During conversations with the Johnsons they also learnt that their son had a dog, but he too had died over a year ago!
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Saturday 30th October, 1880

  • Skies were clear, but a cool wind made for an uncomfortable trip. Nonetheless, the posse continued north, sited Finger Rock late in the arvo and entered the abandoned town behind it.
  • One local, Mortimer and his dog Yella, had decided to stick around. The old-timer sat drinking a jar of moonshine and with a shotgun across his lap. He was pleasant enough to the posse, suggesting a few scurrying critters weren't enough to scare him off. After shooting a bush and a few choice words, the posse soon came to the conclusion Mortimer had lost a few of his marbles.
  • The mayor's house proved a short stay, due to meat rotting in the safe, so the group decided to take over the saloon where they could each have their own room. Much of the furnishings and even a lot of food and liquor had been left behind. Norm decided to lighten a few bottles.
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Sunday 31st October, HALLOWEEN, 1880

  • Mortimer was seen wandering around eating sardines from a tin. He warned the posse it was "All-Hallows Eve", with a grizzly laugh.
  • When the posse mounted up to ride into the hills, Mortimer asked whether they knew where they were going. "There are a lot o' mines up there. If you're chasin' critters, you wanna go to the big mine. Goldbergs. Appropriate name, huh? Found more than gold they did tho'. Its about a mile. Stay on main path. It's the one with a big ol' steam crusher out the front. Good luck." And with that advice the posse turned to the mine-riddles hills behind Finger Rock.
  • In the hills, the posse came across an old rundown building that use to be a sly grog shop for the miners. When they inspected a crow flew from the ruins straight at Mayor Blain, but dropped dead mid flight for no apparent reason.
  • Goldberg's mine entrance was found soon after. Vester lit a lantern and the posse entered the large mine. A track ran down the middle of the main shaft; the walls were all supported with timber. Paraphernalia, such as a broken shovel, a lantern and canvas bag with ghost rock, lay strew about. The tunnel angled slightly upward as it went in to the red earth.
  • At the first bend 2 shadowy shapes like stretched sinewy cats with slick skin burst from behind 2 toppled miner's carts. After one exploded it was discovered that their hides were infused with ghost rock.
  • The critters were dispatched, but the posse used a lot of noise blasting guns off in the tunnels. At the next bend, near another overturned cart, the posse was attacked by more of the shadowy critters. As more noise was made, more of them appeared, some from tiny side-shafts. Some even ran along the walls of the mine to get at the posse. Mad Norm was the first to go. He was disemboweled by the beasts with a stick of dynamite in hand. The rest of the posse were not sure if that was lucky he did not set it off or not, as the attack from the critters was relentless. vester was seriously hurt and just as the posse seemed on top of things, 2 more critters cam scurrying down the main tunnel.
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