HoE: S01 E03

<Darkling> Night has fallen and the temperature has dropped off significantly. The cabin is lit up, light pouring through the cracks in the boarded up windows and shot up door. Smoke still pours out of the chimney, and you can hear laughter coming from inside.
Deane is sitting up, frowning as he examines and thinks over his guitar. He looks up to the other two, his sunglasses slipped into the crook of his shirt. His jacket is draped over his shoulders, and he looks a little worn.
Nia_S scrunches her nose, resting on her stomach as she stares down at the cabin from atop the hill.
<Imogene> "Ya'll remember whot we're doin'?" Imogene was crouched near Nia, adjusting her hat on her head. She went so far as to slip off her arrow coat and drape it over Nia. "Ah'd rather naut git that shot fulla holes."
<Deane> He sighs, "A brief reminder would be nice. Mind's been elsewhere all day." A low groan escapes him as he rubs his forehead, frowning into his hand.
<Nia_S> Deane gets a sympathetic look, and Nia chuckles. "Otto heads down, makes a ruckus, scampers off. My rifle n' I pick 'em off as they come out, while you n' Imogene get closer with your pistols."
Deane blinks slowly and nods, "Sounds like a plan." He draws his pistol, checking his magazines slowly.
<Imogene> Magazine. Psh. Imogene draws out her twin Peacemakers, giving each a peck. "Ah hear three folks down there, so ah'm rethinkan thangs."
<Deane> After completing the little ritual, Deane sniffs, "So. Whenever the two of you are ready." He lays back, head resting on his mostly empty backpack.
<Imogene> "Deane, y'take the long way 'round the back'a the house. Shout if'n y' need help, eh? Soon as he's in the shadow of the house you'n Otto kin start, Nia."
<Nia_S> "Well, guess if this plan goes all t'hell, I can have Otto try t'burn th'place down," Nia offers, bringing her gun around to watch Deane through the ironsights.
Deane nods, standing up slowly and stretching. "M'leave my things up here fer the time bein'. No point bringin' a guitar down to a fight."
Imogene nods and gives her revolvers a spin, feeling that familiar itch in her trigger fingers.
<Deane> He watches their fancy gunplay and aiming, and blinks, "I need a drink so bad s'not even funny no more. Let's go kill us some bandits."
<Darkling> No one inside the house has noticed anything yet, though they're making enough noise  for anything to sneak up on the right now.
Deane looks to them, "Want I should go first, or....?"
<Nia_S> "...go around back, like Imogene toldja. When you're in the shadows, we start."
Deane nods, and moves to the position. The ringing that fills his brain is enough to make him wince, but he bears it for the time being.
<Darkling> Another round of laughter fills the air fro mthe house.
Imogene sighs and adjusts her hat again. "Long as 'e remembers why 'es down thar."
Deane slowly approaches the house slowly, gun drawn and round chambered, attempting to stay as quiet as possible and stick to the darkest shade.
<Nia_S> "Relax, relax~" Nia settles in, wiggling her rump and resting her cheek on the rifle's butt. "Okay Otto, you're up~" The little mannequin nodded, and went scampering down the hill.
<Darkling> No one inside has noticed anything is off yet.
Imogene does her best to keep an eye on Deane and watch Otto, moving to the other side of Nia so she could run down without getting in the way of her shots.
Deane moves up, careful to avoid the windows, but keeping his gun at the ready just in case.
<Nia_S> The little robot creeps closer and closer, until it risks being sighted over being able to fire the first shot. The lens on its eye peels back, and that blue spirit energy builds up with a whine before bursting out, shooting right for the hairiest, drunkest leg it can see.
<Nia_S> The blast is immediate and painful, searing away the aforementioned hair before burning the leg down to the bone.
<Darkling> You hear screaming from inside and the laughter dies immediately, followed by yells and guns cocking.
Deane keeps an eye on the door, hesitating for a moment.
<Nia_S> Realizing that he has succeeded, Otto turns around and, displaying a reaction remarkably similar to self-preservation instinct, #runs like hell#.
Imogene is heading down the hill now, limping along as best she can without falling and rolling the rest of the way.
<Imogene> "Gon' buy muhself one a them motorcycles, ah swear..."
<Darkling> "Mah god damned leg!" You hear from inside.
<Darkling> "Shut up idiot!"
Nia_S giggles quietly, hearing it through Otto's ears, humming to herself.
<Darkling> A rifle appears in the window wjere the board was broken out earlier firing off a shot that whizzes past Imogene harmlessly.
Deane steps back and aims where the rifle's owner /should/ be, and squeezes on the trigger.
<Darkling> You hear a grunt from inside the house and a thud. Sounds like your shot hit.
Deane smiles to himself a little, muttering a little prayer. Hopefully it was the one who shot at him.
<Darkling> You hear a primal scream from inside the house and the door kicks off its hinges. A large, shirtless man runs out holding a grenade in each hand. "Imma fucking fuck you up!" He screams. He makes it a half dozen feet past Imogene before the grenades go off.
Deane yelps out, watching the explosion in awe.
<Darkling> Imogene gets covered in a wash of heat and blood.
Deane stares, "What in the blazes...." He peeks inside carefully for anybody left over, and takes a deep breath.
Nia_S lifts her head, borrowing Otto's eyes to check on everyone else.
<Darkling> There's a bandit rolling around on the ground holding his stump of a leg, another one with a hole in his chest laying dead in front of the window.
Imogene enters the farmhouse, glancing down at the man rolling around in pain. She puts a boot down to hold him still and aims a pistol at him. "Looks like that thar hurts."
Deane inspects the entryway, frowning. "Shoot..." He follows Imogene, taking a look around.
<Darkling> He manages to spit up at you. "Burn in hell bitch!"
<Imogene> "Yuh lookin' t' die so quick, eh?" She leans in, hitting him in the face with a barrel. "Show some respec'."
<Darkling> He spits blood this time. "Whaddya want? T'hell is all this for?"
<Imogene> "Yer a Devil Dog, aintcha?"
<Nia_S> Otto clambers on in, looking this way and that, lens clicking.
<Darkling> "Ne'er heard of 'em."
Deane frowns, and goes to the man, pulling up his sleeves, looking for the tattoos.
<Imogene> "If'n ah cut off yer tattoo n' show it to ye...will that refresh yer memory?"
<Darkling> He struggle against dean, swinging as best he can with Imogene's boot on him. You can clearly see the tattoo on his neck behind his right ear.
<Imogene> "Here, lemme git that." She holsters one of her revolvers, pulling free her tomahawk.
<Darkling> "Hey hey! No n-need for that!" he holds his arms up in surrender.
Deane stands, looking around and sniffing, "Smart folk here. Got any whiskey?"
<Imogene> "So wotcha all doin' out here? Wot's in this 'ere basement?"
<Darkling> "Y-you don't want to go down there. Leave it be. This is nothing, just a resting spot."
<Imogene> A cold iton barrel presses to his forehead. "Yuh answer me now."
<Nia_S> Nia appears in the doorway before too long, Otto getting too distracted by a dropped rifle to be of use as a scrying device.
<Darkling> "I..." He gulps. "You don't wanna know." The smell of urine fills the air.
Deane frowns, rubbing his head, "I don't have nearly enuff booze in me to deal with yer shit." He glares at the man, toying with his pistol.
<Nia_S> "Now tha's a curious way a' phrasin' it..."
<Imogene> "This Otto kin take a peek?"
Deane blinks, realizing the alcohol on the table, going to it and grabbing one of the bottles. He looks it over quickly, looking down at the man with a smirk, "got any cigarettes?"
<Darkling> "Take whatever, just don't shoot me."
<Deane> He takes a swig, gasping, "Oh god that's so nice."
<Nia_S> Otto zeroes in on the rifle, studying it this way and that before finally figuring out how to work the mechanism. Cha-chuck, cha-chuck, cha-chuck, cha-cak. Just like that, the little bot empties every bullet out of the rifle. Nia meanders over towards the trapdoor.
Imogene removes her boot from the wounded man. "Stay put or ah'll take yer other leg." She turns and moves with Nia toward the trap door.
<Darkling> The trapdoor is firmly shut with a latch on it. No sounds come from below and there's no light.
Deane stoops to take the shotgun, checking how many shots are left in it. "Well friend... Thanks for the stuff."
Imogene looks to Nia, then nods to the hatch, guns up and at the ready.
Nia_S bends over, loosing the latch, and opening the door from the hingeside.
Deane takes the ammo from the table and loads another round into it. "Never used a shotgun 'afore." He turns to watch Nia and Imogene, peeking over their shoulders.
<Darkling> The smell of rot fills the room immediately.
<Imogene> "Sheeeit."
<Imogene> Steeling herself Imogene moves in to get a better look.
Deane covers his nose, "Oh, lord amighty, that smells terrible."
<Darkling> There's a ladder leading down into the dark. It's pitch black down there and you can't see a thing from up here.
<Nia_S> "Fuck!" Nia almost drops the door, falling back on her ass, the stench almost literally punching her in the nose.
<Imogene> "Reminds me'a the tahm Vince wouldn't bathe 'cause Guinevere told'im spiders were hidin' in tubs waitin' fer'im."
Deane gives her an odd look, "That's... Jesus." He looks back to the shot man, "Got a light?"
<Imogene> "Someone gimme a lantern."
<Darkling> He points to the unlit lantern sitting by the blazing fire in the fireplace.
Deane takes the lantern and carefully lights it, passing it to Imogene, "You sure you wanna go down there?"
<Darkling> The wounded bandit moans and is trying to move himself away from the hole.
<Imogene> "Ah've bin doin' this shit b'fore you wus born, Deane." She holsters the tomahawk to take the lantern and starts down into the darkness.
<Deane> He watches, gun pointed at the bandit, "Careful now. I've never used a shotgun before, and I don't know how sensitive a trigger this is."
<Darkling> The smell gets worse as you descend into the room below the house. The light doesn't seem to want to go more than a foot or so in front of you as if the darkness in the room is pushing it back.
<Imogene> She casts her gaze this way and that before continuing straight ahead. What could the Devil Dogs be doing down here?
<Darkling> You manage to walk about ten feet or so before something large swoops down into your face knocking the lantern to the floor and the flame goes out.
<Nia_S> "Imogene?!"
<Imogene> "Ah'm fine, ah'm fine. Gotta relight mah lantern."
Imogene squats down to grope around for the lantern.
<Darkling> It clanks as you find it.
<Imogene> She pulls a box of matches from her pocket and lights one, intent on getting the lantern working again.
Deane turns back, "T'hell is happening?"
<Darkling> The lantern is a bit busted up, but it lights again casting it's dim glow.
<Imogene> "Ya'll find anythin' useful in that there house n' pack it up! We're gonna burn it down when ah'm done!" She shouts all of this, staring at the corpse the swung down and smacked her. She wipes at her face and carries on.
<Deane> He blinks, and Deane goes about looting the place as politely as he can. He goes through the dead man's pockets, saying a few half-hearted prayers. Then, a realization. "You there, man bleeding out."
<Darkling> "W-whut?" He's been staring at the trapdoor the whole time.
<Deane> "You tried to shoot my leg off, didn't cha?" He stands up, looking at the shotgun with a new-found interest.
<Darkling> "I din' do anything!"
<Deane> "Yer a fuckin' liar friend." He pokes the stump a little harder than he should, finger off the trigger. "At least yer missin' one for the one you tried to take."
Nia_S puts hands to hips. "Deane don't be gettin' spiteful, now."
<Deane> He frowns, "Spiteful- When we're done with him, what're we planning on doing?"
<Imogene> With a better idea of the layout Imogene moves to the nearest wall, looking for anything of interest. Even shelves.
<Darkling> "Hrrr. You fucking coward. Kickin' a man when he's down."
Nia_S shakes her head. "There's a time n' place fer venom n' knives."
<Imogene> She follows one wall into the next, trying to make some sense of what she sees.
<Deane> He shrugs, "Coward or not, I've still got a leg to stand on." Deane looks back to Nia, "And fightin' gangsters isn't one'em?"
<Nia_S> "Afraid not." The African offers a smile.
<Darkling> As Imogene moves along she kicks something heavy and soft on the ground.
<Imogene> She peers down.
Deane gives her a dull look, "Gah. Yer right. Not a very christian thing to do." He doesn't apologive, but merely returns to cleaning out the house. "How're we gonna get proof we kilt them? I guess that's Imogene's area of knowledge though."
<Darkling> Another corpse, unmutilated this time.
<Imogene> She squats down for a closer look.
<Darkling> Though it does have a few bullet holes in the chest.
<Imogene> "Why dontcha look like the rest 'ere feller?"
<Darkling> The corpse doesn't offer a reply.
<Imogene> She grabs the top of the head to turn it side to side. "Yuh look important, why'd they kill ye? You a Devil Dog too?"
<Imogene> She reaches inside the robe, feeling around.
<Imogene> She tears a sample of cloth from the robe the corpse was wearing before looking over each shoulder. "Hrm."
<Imogene> Sounds like Imogene is coming back up, bringing a fresh wave of stench with her.
Nia_S cocks her head.
<Imogene> She puts down the lantern and makes right for the bandit, scowling as she grabs him by the shirt, lifts him up and forces him into a chair.
Deane turns from ransacking the place, "What'd yuh find down there?"
<Imogene> "They were doin' somethin' here. Somethin' dark that cults do away from the eye'a God."
Deane blinks, "Well then... Smells foul."
<Imogene> "Corpses, all cut open with organs missin'. Specific ones, taken out with care."
<Darkling> "We din' do nothing. Was like that when we got here."
<Nia_S> "Hard t'imagine bandits gettin' up to somethin' like that. Least, on their own..."
<Imogene> "Bullshit!"
<Darkling> "Ain't bullshit! I swear! We got here and shot up that damn lunatic, threw him below.. we ain't done none of that shit!" He's trying push himself away from you frantically.
Deane blinks, "Huh. Looks like he's gonna make a crawl for it."
Imogene leans in real close, voice turning to a rough gravel as she stared at him. "Ah hope t' God yer tellin' me the truth y'shit."
<Darkling> There's that urine smell again, amazing he still has some in him. He starts to whimper.
<Imogene> "Good lad. Deane, can y'take 'im outside? Drag 'im if y'gotta. Ah'll collect tattooes."
Deane blinks, "Ah, shit. He smells like piss though." He goes and grabs the man by the back of the collar anyways, yanking him out of the chair.
<Darkling> He doesn't resist anymore, blubbering away.
<Imogene> "We'll git more fer turnin' 'im in alive." She sets about cutting off tattooes off of the dead with a small knife. "Nia, yuh got quiet."
<Deane> "Jesus, have some self-respect. Weren'tcha talkin' bad about me bein' a coward five minutes ago?" He pulls him out, "what're we going with him?" He blinks, and nods a little.
<Darkling> "Jus' keep her away from me!"
<Nia_S> "Mm? Nah, jus' lettin' m'brain work. Otto, help Imogene." The African jogs to go help Deane restrain the prisoner.
Deane chuckles, "She's not so bad. Probably a little softer if yer not on her bad side. You, friend..." He laughs again.
<Darkling> Your prisoner gives no more resistance, and has stopped his blubbering.
<Imogene> With some wet slabs of meat tattooed with Devil Dog symbols Imogene leaves the house, glancing back for Otto. "Burn'er down."
Deane sighs, "Ah well. Who owned this house afore you and yer weird downstairs friend moved in?"
<Nia_S> Otto salutes, and turns about face to turn his laser on the house. Rather than a full blast, the blue beam burns and cooks the wood until the whole house is up.
<Darkling> "We dunno. When we got here thaat guy attacked us like a maniac, swinging a meat cleaver. Filled 'im with lead. End of story."
<Deane> "A shame. Could've used the bullets, and we wouldn't have to deal with your kind. Where's the rest o yer gang?"
<Darkling> "Long gone."
Imogene frowns as she watches the house burn, arms folding under her breasts.
<Deane> "Where? Didn't like your new friend, or what?"
<Darkling> He spits on your shoe. "I ain't gonna sell out my friends, not for nothing. Even with your she-bitch."
<Deane> "Good thing we weren't here to buy." He sighs, "Well, I'm sure the people back home are gonna love gettin' free answers from you though."
<Imogene> "We'll head back come dawn. Git some rest."
Deane blinks and nods, "Might wanna tie up and gag this guy afore we bed down."
<Darkling> The smell of the basement is ripe in the air now, mixed with the smell of burning flesh as the house burns in a giant blaze. Dawn is still a good few hours away.
<Deane> He wipes his shoe on the man's pants, sighing and taking a swig of the alcohol he grabbed.
<Deane> "Is it... safe to stay near here?"
<Imogene> "...maybe not. Neither is travelin' by night."
<Nia_S> "If it's attracted t'the smell of burnin' corpses, we prolly can't kill it with bullets anyway."
Deane sniffs and shrugs, "Well... If you two are good with it." He lays down beside his guitar, "I'll catch m'shuteye."
Nia_S plops down. "Otto, you keep an eye on our prisoner."
<Darkling> -----------------
<Darkling> Morning comes, the chill of the night already gone as the sun rises.
Deane shivers, sitting up slowly, "Mornin' folk..."
Imogene is already awake and lighting half a cigar, tossing the other half at Deane's head. Someone's in a foul mood.
<Darkling> Your prisoner is having a staring contest with Otto.
Deane lets out a yelp, "The fuck is with you?!"
<Deane> He blinks, "Oh... Oh, my bad. I thought..."
Nia_S groans, rising far less easily than the other two when her bed isn't on fire.
<Deane> Taking the cigar, he mumbles a thanks, "How much for it? I'll pay you outta my share."
<Imogene> "Worry about it after ah punish ye few callin' me yellah."
<Deane> He blinks, "Oh boy... Yeeeeah, that'll be a fun hour. Got a light?"
<Imogene> She strides over the glares down at him, using her cigar to light his.
<Imogene> With that done she moves to watch Nia, even squatting down. "Kin ah help yuh out? Need a little pick-me-up?"
<Nia_S> "Mh? Pick-me-up?"
Deane looks up, "thank y'kindly. And I would argue I never called you yella, just... maybe implied if you left, you would be. But that'd be cowardly on my part."
<Imogene> A hand reaches out and grabs a fistful of dreadlocks. That's one fierce kiss Imogene plants on the prostitute.
Deane blinks, "That's not right."
<Darkling> The bandit considers asking for a pick-me-up, then just looks back at Otto.
<Nia_S> "!" Well...it picked her up, though not in the way most folks would like. The African stands up, dusting dirt off her pants. "Alrigh' alrigh', enough mornin' huffin'. Le's go home."
Deane stands slowly, "Rrrright then." He looks down at the bandit, reloading his pistol, "Certainly a way to wake up."
<Imogene> "He's yours til we reach town, Deane."
<Deane> "I don't think I'll follow yer example though." He blinks and sighs, "Shit. Should've brought that stupid horse."
<Imogene> "Ah kin promise Nia tastes a lot sweeter."
<Deane> "I'll take yer word for it." With that he helps the bandit up, "Swear to god almighty, you stab me or make me fall, and I'll collect a dead bounty instead."
<Darkling> It takes a little over half the day for the party to get back to town with the one legged bandit.
<Imogene> "Tahm t'git paid."
<Darkling> The town folk give you a wide berth as you walk in, eying the bandit.
Deane nods a little, frowning and walking in at the back of the group.
Nia_S scratches her cheek. "I have a feelin' they were expectin' a bigger pile o' bandits."
<Imogene> "This here's just the start. Wet their appetites."
<Deane> "Tempted to say 'we killed all of them', but the lord frowns on a fibber."
<Imogene> "We'll git 'em all yet. We're goin' north next."
<Deane> "Good- Nothin' wrong with a little windfall."
<Imogene> "Ah'm gonna buy a bath ah think."
Deane nods, "I'd like to do that too, but I'm not sure how far 50$ goes in this town. That an buying more ammo too." A sigh, and he keeps walking with the bandit.
<Darkling> You can see the sheriff up ahead, talking to Wash outside the office.
Deane looks to the others, "Thank god." He looks to the bandit, "Well, this is where our trails part."
<Darkling> The bandit offers a grunt.
Deane calls out to the Sheriff. He would wave, but he's trying to keep Limpy from falling over.
<Darkling> The sheriff looks up, says something to Wash and waves the group over.
Deane smiles a little, "Sheriff, Deputy. What I have here is one fine-" he sets the man down, "handled-only-once, pure bandit."
<Darkling> "Well I'll be." The sheriff smirks. "Don't let him get too comfy there. We've a cell with his name on it." He heads inside behind Wash.
Deane blinks, "Shit. Do I have to pick him up and carry him in again?"
<Imogene> "Got some tattoos for yuh too."
<Darkling> The sheriff opens a cell door as Wash takes a seat at her desk.
Deane carries the man in, setting him down carefully, "There we go. Christ that was a pain." He walks out of the cell, "Here's hoping that's the last time I'm in one."
<Darkling> The sheriff closes the cell door. "Let's hope so." He takes a seat at his desk and motions to some chairs. "So, how'd it go?"
<Nia_S> "Better n' you'd expect."
Deane looks down at his leg, "Could've been worse."
<Imogene> "We're gonna need t'talk later, Sheriff."
<Darkling> "Fair 'nough. got those tattoos?"
<Deane> "It was fifty each, wasn't it?"
<Imogene> She hands them over.
<Darkling> "That's it." He breaks out a metal box from his desk, unlocking it and counting out the money before laying it out for them. "One fifty for your troubles."
<Nia_S> "We ain' done yet, but this is pretty good money for a big hunt."
Deane watches, "Fifty each." He nods, "If this is the pay, then my gun'll keep going."
<Imogene> "Two bucks fer the cigar, Deane."
Deane blinks, and easily peels off the two bills, "There ya go. I'll try to keep an eye out fer another one."
<Deane> With that Deane stretches, "How much do they charge for a bath at the Fox? Lord knows I need one."
<Imogene> "Depends on if'n yuh want company'r not."
<Deane> He hesitates, "Well... couldn't hurt."
Nia_S covers a giggle.
<Imogene> "Beats me, ah bathe alone."
Deane nods, pocketing the money and walking out. Time to burn through it all!
<Imogene> "Ya'll got a day t'recover. Welcome t'bounty huntin'." She leaves the building.
<Darkling> =========END=========