Chronicles
Decision
Prelude
Conductor: Tickets Please for the next stop. Tickets please.
The Adventure
The group arrives in their next stop, the town of Decision. They actually stop about half a mile from town, since Twilight Rails doesn't have the rights to enter this town. After a brief discussion, most of the passengers decide to stay with the train, leaving Oscar, La La, Ardale and the remarkable Professor Grimaldi to visit the quiet town of Decision.
They don't get very far before they wind up talking to a small ragged boy. He's been living outside for two days, ever since bandits took over the town. He explains that the same bandits robbed the bank a week ago, then Colonel Foster, a regulator for the railroad, went after them. They came back and took most everyone in town hostage; they're all locked up in the saloon.
A debate follows and finally Ardale and La La decide to ride into town and see what's going on. As they ride in, they hear pounding, like a signal, wherever they go. Not sure what it means, they decide to have a drink and mull it over. Arriving at the saloon they are ordered to drop their guns and surrender. Ardale bursts in and is nearly killed when a scattergun wired to the door shoots at him. He opens fire himself, but his opponent ducks behind the bar.
La La backs him up a moment later, partly to avoid the gunfire from the street. They spot a flash of light near the back end of the saloon and light out after it. Sure enough, it turns out to be a secret exit. La La also notices there is alcohol on the floor near the hole. Heedless of his own safety he fires two shots at the rapidly retreating figures, hitting in the leg twice and setting the alcohol ablaze. He forces his way through the hole after the other man. Ardale finds the stairs and heads down.
Meanwhile, Grimaldi and Oscar see an 8 year old girl come out of the back of the saloon and pick up a log. She raises it to smash La La's skull and Professor Grim tries to shoot it out of her hand to no avail. Luckily, La La is hit in the head and barely notices.
In the basement, Ardale finds fusing and dynamite in the basement, but no hostages. He removes the fuse from the dynamite, worried that the fire upstairs might ignite it, then tosses it in a corner and runs outside.
Meanwhile, the group outside is forced to surrender as it becomes clear that the kids (yes, kids) have the drop on them. They explain that they're going to kill Foster for burning them out of their house and killing their foster mother. Grim tries to dissuade them but to no avail. After much discussion, the group is carted off to jail until Foster has been killed.
The first night, they hear the sounds of Foster arriving. Ardale throws a chair at their guard, then rips the chains that are holding him in half. He begins fighting with the guard and in the ensuing chaos, Oscar is able to pick the lock of their cell. A moment later, La La fires a warning shot at Foster and his men.
It's too late though. His scouts are blown up in the saloon and his vanguard is standing atop dynamite. Both charges are set off and it appears everyone is dead. A few minutes later, as the group tries to figure out their escape, Foster enters the jail. A brief discussion ends when La La skins his smoke wagons and fires several rounds at Foster. Ardale joins the fray but it quickly becomes clear that mere bullets won't kill Foster.
He asks them to help him, to take his hand and being killing the punks. Everyone refuses except Grim, who reluctantly accepts. As Foster holds out his hand for Grim to take it, Grim's cane falls to the ground, revealing that it hit a sword blade. His blade bites into Foster's extended arm, and Foster evaporates except for his arm, which Oscar throws in the pot-bellied stove. The kds take part of the railroads gold to help them build a new life for themselves.
The group finds that they now have tickets for Arcane.
Quotebag
Dave: I suppose Decision's what you make of it.
Oscar: I don't mind getting into a brawl as part of 4 vs. 24, but I'd rather be in a saloon all liquored up first.
Saloonkeeper: I'd appreciate it if you'd throw down your guns and step away from them.
Ardale: I'd appreciate it if you'd shut the hell up and bring me a drink.Steve: La La go down the hole.
Joe: Okay, you throw the dynamite in the corner of the basement
Tim: I run out
Joe: Which way?
Steve: UP!Ardale: I shot the scattergun that way for good luck.
GM: You see an 8 year old girl...
GM: There's a twelve year old girl with a log in her hands.
Steve: Holy shit! She's aged four years right in front of us. Blam! Blam! Blam!Steve: I don't move 'til 7 of Spades, there's plenty of time for stupid shit before that.
Joe: You see this guy come out, he has a dent in his head and a little drool on his face. He's kind of unsteady.
Steve: Hooch!(The group opens fire and Foster is shot repeatedly at close range.
Foster: Just stop. If you ain't figure it out, it ain't doin' ya no good.
Tim: I stomp on his foot.