faderift | Open - A gunslingers day in the Gallows

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Open - A gunslingers day in the Gallows

WHO: Open
WHAT: Open post for anyone wanting to talk to a Weird Western, card slinging huckster
WHEN: Now
WHERE: Various, see posts
NOTES: None

I. Inside Kirkwall, at the training grounds, Jang is practicing. She’s got a bow, a stack of arrows next to her, and the target set downrange has an almost notable lack or arrows in it. Anyone watching her firing the bow would be able to tell very quickly that she’s never really fired one before. Her stance is wrong, she’s holding the bow wrong and just about anything she could be doing wrong, she is. Frankly it’s a bit amazing that she’s holding the bow right way up.

II. In the gallows in the merchant district, she is walking around the stalls and crafters, trying to find anyone who looks like they may be good at their job. She’s got a holster on her back with a oddly shaped…staff maybe? It seems to be made of wood and metal, and she has another small metal object in her hand, showing it to various craftsmen, and then going away. Seems to be that she has a lot of rejection.

III. At a bar in the gallows, Jang is sitting at a small table, muttering to herself, a long day with not a lot of progress. She’s working on a large mug of something and seems to be building a house of cards. The cards look odd though, smaller than normal ones you’ve seen. If you look closer, you may notice that the cards seem to be…sticking to each other oddly. There also seems to be more than one that are intersecting other cards. If you were to take a even closer look, at this point Jang would probably look up at you in annoyance. “Can I help you? You know it’s very rude to just go up to someone and stare.”

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Newt doesn't frequent bars much if he can help it, but he's trying to explore and understand this new world he finds himself in as much as he can. The cards catch his eye as he wanders with a drink, and he can't help but stare at the cards, curious things that they are. They don't look like the playing cards that he's seen, both at home and here in Thedas. Perhaps they belong uniquely to Jane's world, he thinks as he continues to stare, recognizing the woman as one of the rifters who'd been trapped out in the Sunless Lands with him.

It's only when she remarks on the rudeness of staring that he blinks, realizing that he's been staring too long.

"Sorry," he says. "It's just...I've never seen cards quite like yours before. Are they magic?"

Jang breaks into a smile. "Newt! Sorry, I didn't recognize you in this light. How's it going? Haven't seen you since we got back from that artic wasteland."

Jang looks back at the cards and nods. "Sorta. They're more a...symbol of my magic then magic in themselves. It's how my magic is powered, gambling with otherworldly spirits, and the effects of that are seen whenever I cast."

Jang brings her hand down on the house of cards, the cards collapsing downwards, as she quickly gathers them into a deck and then with a flourish, the deck vanishes. "But that's just academics, I just realized that you're probably one of the only people in this damn town who knows how to play Poker." Jang reaches into a pocket and pulls out a mundane deck of cards. "Care to play a few friendly hands? Today has been...annoying to say the least."

Another arrow falls into the dirt with a thud, and over on the other side of the practice field Fingon winces in sympathy. It's been a long time since he began with the bow himself, but the memory of all the mistakes a novice can make is evergreen.

After a few moments' more of watching, he sheathes the blade he was practicing with and turns toward her. "Forgive me the interruption, but you would have an easier time with a few adjustments to your stance."

Jang looks over. "Oh thank god. I have NEVER used one of these in my life. I use a rifle mainly, well, that and some spellcasting, but from what I can tell no one here has even heard of gunpowder, much less firearms. Any help would be greatly appreciated." She heads off to the arrow-free targets and begins pulling arrows out of the ground and wall behind it.

"My name's Jane by the way. What's yours?" She heads on back to the firing line and restacks up the arrows.

"I'm afraid I've never heard of rifles either," he laughs warmly, glad his help is welcome, "though I wouldn't mind hearing more about them later, if you wish to speak of them."

He eyes the bow and arrows she's been working with as she collects them. All right, she could probably have ones better suited for her but technique is certainly her most pressing problem. "My name is Fingon. Well met, Jane."

"Nice to meet you Fingon. A rifle is...well, let me show you." She heads over to her pack, set down close to her where she could keep a careful eye on it, and pulls out a device of wood and steel. "Won't give you a practical demonstration as I only have one box of bullets, and I can't send a wire to Smith and Robards."

She works the lever action, and a brass object is ejected and Jang carefully hands it over to Fingon. "This is a bullet, brass shell, lead slug. Inside is gunpowder and primer. Hit the back of it hard, and bang. Very powerful, it's what you guys will have in...dunno, 200 years or so. If magic doesn't mess up the technological innovation." She sets the rifle down on the table next to the pile of arrows "But enough of that, break time's over for me. Gotta learn how to use this, save those for when things are really bad." Jang picks up the bow again. "So, start at the beginning. What am I doing wrong?"

Newt smiles, a bit relieved when Jane recognizes him. "I'm doing well, how about yourself?" He asks. "This is certainly much nicer than those arctic wastelands no?"

"Really?" He asks, his gaze falling back on the cards with interest. "So, you use them to channel your magic then?"

Gambling for power with otherworldly spirits. It's an interesting concept, though one that also gives Newt pause. He can understand why people would play cards for power but it still doesn't make him any less uneasy about the whole enterprise.

He nods when she brings out the regular deck of cards. "I could play," he agrees, settling with his drink in the seat across from Jane.

"Well not channel...Let's say that instead of cards, I played chess with the manitous. Instead of my spells looking like playing cards, I might throw a exploding pawn, or summon a spectral knight to fight for me. That make more sense?"

Jang grins at Newt's aggrement to play cards. "Wonderful! Just a frendly game, no actual money on the line. Maybe if I win, tell me something abput your home, and if you win, I'll tell you something about mine?" Jang begins to shuffle the cards, the deck bluring as she shuffles, cuts and reshuffles.

"...Oh, oh!" Newt says, nodding once he understands. "The cards themselves are the spells you use, not the means with which you channel your magic. That is very fascinating." He's never heard of magic functioning in such a way before his arrival here and meeting Jane has opened his eyes, in a lot of ways, to the way magic works outside of his own understanding.

"That sounds like a fair deal to me," he agrees, nodding as he watches her shuffle the cards. She's very good at handling them; she makes it look effortless, from what he can see.

"Yah, that's a good explanation, it's all very...symbolic. Course, I can't play chess to save my life, so that just leaves me with the one option." Jang expertly cuts the cards, and tosses them out, five for each. "Lets see what you got wizard!"

Jang - 4D, 9S, QC, JS and 2D.
Newt - 3D, 3C, 8S, QD and JC, a pair winning.

Jang grins and scoops up the cards again. "Luck smiles on you, So lets see...You know California? About half of it fell into the ocean in a massive earthquake, created the great Maze. I was about two when it happened." She cuts and shuffles the deck again. "Another hand?"

"Thedas may, perhaps. It seems my world is more set in its ways."

Fingon holds the bullet carefully as he examines it, trying to picture what it's release would look like. "Though who knows? The Dwarves would certainly be interested in the mechanics...."

He nods, offering the bullet back. "Your stance is your first problem. When you draw a bow, you do so with your whole body- so any disruption will change your aim. You need to stand so that your weight is evenly dispersed, and so that your feet do not move."

His eyes shift to the rifle, considering it a moment, and then back to Jane. "Your rifle is a ranged weapon, some of the same principles may apply. How would you hold it when you mean to fire?"

He takes a sip of his drink, lets the warmth of it sink into him as they begin to play. He's not much for card games, himself, but, traveling all over the world and visiting all sorts of places makes it hard for him not to have picked up some habits along the way. He first encountered poker watching a group of Muggles play before they invited him to join them, once.

"So it would seem," Newt smiles, pleased by his hand. Granted, he prefers wizarding games, such as wizarding chess, but this is nice too, to be able to catch up with someone with whom he's shared a fairly harrowing experience.

"I've heard of California," he says. "Though I haven't yet been. It remains whole, as far as I'm aware, back where I come from." He nods at her offer of another hand. "What's the great Maze?"

"That sounds like a question, lets just see what happens..." Jang gives Newt a grin as she deals off another 5 cards to each of them.

Jang - 6D, 4D, AD, 4D and 9C, a pair winning.
Newt - 6C, QS, 3D, 10C and 5H

"And it looks like I win this round! So your turn Newt, tell me something intresting." Jang takes a drink from her glass, and waits with intrest.

"Well it's hard to explain, here, I'll just show you...Watch closely, I'm only gonna do this once." Jang picks up her rifle and brings it up to her shoulder, eyeing the target and squeezing the trigger. The rifle fires with a loud bang, a hole appearing in the target, and stone spraying out from a crater in the wall where it impacted.

The smell of gunpowder fills the air, and Jang levers in another round before placing the gun on the table. "That's how it fires, and I don't suppose you know anyone who knows how to make bullets do you? You said the dwarves, would they know? I do not want to run out of ammo here."

"And so the tide of luck turns to you," Newt says with a slight bow of his head in acknowledgment, a small smile on his face. He's never been one to put much stock in winning or losing; he enjoys the game for what is - an enjoyable way to pass the time.

"Oh, right! The wager," he says. He considers what he wants to say, taking another sip of his drink.

"I'm about to have a book published back home. Or, I was, before I wound up here."

"A book, that's really impressive! Lets see if we can find out what it's about..." Jang quickly tosses the cards into the two piles, looking at them and grinning triumphantly. "The Lady smiles on me." she says as she tosses the cards faceup.

Jang - 3D, QH, KS, QD and 9D - Pair of Queens winning
Newt - JH, QS, 8S, JC and 2C

"Ooh, a close one there. So, what kinda book were you writing? A fiction novel, or something more academic?" Jang takes another drink as she gathers up the cards again.

Edited 2018-04-13 04:36 (UTC)

"The Lady, I think, much prefers your company to mine, if the way this evening proceeds is any indication," Newt says with an arch of his brow. He's perfectly alright with it, so long as he doesn't give too much of himself away. He'll have to keep on his toes and try to keep his closest secrets to his chest.

"Much more academic," he replies. "I'm writing a book on magical creatures, in fact."

As a fellow rifter, and someone familiar with magic, he figures there's no harm in telling her that.

Jang pauses for a moment, the cards stopping their shuffle. She looks up at Newt. "Magical creatures? Like...A hunting guide? Or something like a "How to Escape", perhaps with lairs and whatnot?" Jang looks back down at her hands, and starts shuffling again, tossing the cards, but a bit distracted.

Jang - 3D, 7H, KC, 3C, AD
Newt - 6H, 6D, 4C, 5D, 5H - Two pair

"Ahh, two pair! Well done, never can rely on luck, can you? Now, then, you asked about the Maze. Well, I told you about California, how a huge earthquake shattered the coastline. The Great Maze is the result. The whole coast of California, sometimes inwards almost 100 miles, is a maze of mesas and cayons, ocean far below. People use it for mining, cause the earthquate revealed huge veins of gold, silver, and of course, Ghost Rock. Course, the Maze Dragons are a problem, as are the sharks and the bandits." Jang shurgs. "Wherever you have a lot of money, you have people trying to take it."

The 'hunting guide' comment reminds him so much of Tina, such a memory causes a physical ache in his chest. But he smiles, regardless. "No," he explains. "More like an educational field guide. A treatise on why we should be protecting and working with creatures instead of killing them. It's a very important project of mine, you could say."

"Maze Dragons?" He sits up, very much interested. "Are they actual dragons or is that the name of an organization of some kind?"

But he supposes he'll have to wait to see if he wins the next round to find out anything.

"Ahh...A field guide, for protecting magical creatures and working with them." Jang collects up the cards and starts to shuffle them, but doesn't deal them out, seemingly distracted.

"A maze dragon is a huge creature, in the Maze. It destroys boats, eats anyone who happens to fall in, and as one of the common easy ways to mine is to rappel down from the clifftops and mine straight from the walls of the maze, that happens fairly often. It is not a nice creature, and if it had it's way, it would eat and destroy everything it could."

Jang shuffles the deck again, not looking at the cards, just staring at the table. "See, we don't have anything that needs protection. We have monsters. Tumblebleeds, nibblers, Scarecrows, Bone Gloms and Mojave Rattlers. Horrible creatures that will kill you the instant they see you. Not because they're hungry or angry, but because they want to. They feed on fear and pain and they hurt you because they like doing it."

Jang looks back up at Newt, fear and worry behind her eyes. "Ever hear of the Wendigo?"

"But they can't get out of these mazes, I assume," Newt says, watching her shuffle the cards. "If they are as dangerous as they sound, I imagine they would do a lot more damage if they could escape from their confinement." But, again, he doesn't know Jane's world, so he can only guess. What he has learned so far makes him surmise that her world is as dangerous as his own and Thedas itself.

"I've heard the legends," he says, taking in everything she tells him with care. "They're rather vicious, aren't they?"

"I assume you use your magic to help fight these monsters?" He ventures to guess again. "Do you have other means of defense against them?"

"Oh, I misspoke. The Great Maze isn't really a maze, they can get out whenever they want to. But why would they?" Jang gives a humorless laugh, "All the food they could want is right there. And as for defense, well, magic users are very rare, most people have one means of defense against them. Cold steel and hot lead."

Jang takes another drink and a deep breath. "The Wendigo are very vicious. Much taller than a man, with a massive mouth, seemingly nothing but teeth. Covered in filthy fur and with a hand of huge claws. But that's not the problem. The problem is where they come from. Imagine you're moving out to the west. New life, new land. You get a wagon train together and head out. You have plenty of food, as you've heard the stories of people getting stuck in passes and dying over winter. But you make it through. You set up a home, a farm for you and your family. Things go well. Until winter hits. Maybe it hit early this year, maybe something else went wrong. But it hits, and it hits hard."

Jang picks up the cards again just to give her hands something to do, so she doesn't have to dwell on what she's saying. "Months pass, and you and your family get hungrier and hungrier. You pray for thaw, for spring, for anything. Then, one day, one of your family goes to sleep and doesn't wake up. And then you suddenly have a horrible choice. Save your lives...or save your souls. You would maybe even convince yourself that it's what they would want. They would WANT you to live, they're dead already, use them to save yourselves. And so you do it. You eat the only thing you can."

At this, Jang looks up at Newt, looking him in the eyes. "But you don't live. You get more starving, until it's all you know, all you know is hunger, and you're no longer yourself. You have become the embodiment of hunger and winter and fear. Unable to die, cannot be killed, and you roam the woods, looking for others, other people to eat. So yes, Wendigo are very vicious."

Jang takes another long drink and puts it back on the table. "Enough of that though, You sound like you come from a place with magical beasts who inspire wonder, not fear. So tell me about some of those creatures, things you want to save, not kill before they can kill you."

He tilts his head, considering with a bit of a furrowed grimace. Of course. Why go to the food when the food so very easily comes to you? "Why do they call it the Great Maze if it isn't a maze?" He asks, genuinely curious. He always finds it fascinating, trying to uncover the reasoning behind the names of things. He takes particular pleasure in names themselves; there's a certain power to the meanings of names, he thinks.

He listens as Jane explains, expression sobering immensely as he does so. He shakes his head. He's seen and heard of too many other horrors to be truly shocked by Jane's explanation.

He takes a swig of his own drink as well, smiling at the shift in subject matter.

"We have dangerous creatures too, don't get me wrong," he says. "But generally speaking, they're only dangerous if you don't leave them alone, for the most part."

"We have many amazing creatures," he continues. "Dragons, unicorns, Hippogriffs, and bowtruckles, to name a few. They are all wonderful in their own way."

"Well, imagine dropping a plate on the floor. The pieces are all scattered around, and you might call it mazelike, but it's not really a maze. People like giving dramatic names to things."

Jang nods at Newt's listing of creatures, and takes another drink. "Unicorns? Heh, do they still only come if you're a virgin? But what about Dragons? Tell me about those. Are they real, flying dragons, breathing fire and everything?"

"Interesting," Newt comments, trying to picture what a world (or state, really) looks like composed of shattered plate pieces. "So not so ordered as a maze, but chaotic and unpredictable? And easy to become lost in, I assume?"

"Well, they tend to prefer women," he says. "Except the young coals, who tend to like everyone."

"They are," he nods. "I've worked closely with them on several occasions. They're magnificent creatures. Though, of course, also highly dangerous."

The way Newt speaks, it's clear he doesn't mind their dangerous natures at all.

"Ai!" Fingon blinks in surprise as he follows the arc of the bullet. "Yes, that is powerful." Too much so for the present of Thedas, perhaps; though maybe they'll surprise him and use those two hundred years Jane estimate they need to develop such technology well.

"I don't know. The dwarves of Thedas seem much more interested in trade than anything else, though perhaps that is just an outsider's perspective. In my world there were powders and mixtures which could produce explosions- I suppose one might be able to replicate those here, if the elements of the earth are the same. That would be the tricky part. I think a good blacksmith might be able to replicate the casing."

He shakes his head, turns back to the task at hand. "Your stance was different with your rifle; did you notice? Your feet were even, and pointed toward the target- to shoot a bow, you need to stand the same way, without shuffling your feet.?

Dolores has been shopping, if only on habit really, and she's wandering around the merchants, stall to stall, as she looks about. She spots one of the other folk, one who'd been stranded with Dolores in the wintery wastes, and smiles on reflex. She seems to be having the damnedest time and Dolores can see why.

"If you're lookin for a gunsmith might be best not to look around outdoors. Ain't the bet place to keep black powder, in the open an all."

Jang places the rifle back on the table and picks up the bow, trying to stand in a more steady fashion. She draws back the bowstring and fires again. Another miss, but it's a bit closer this time. "Hmm...that felt a bit better as well. Do you know any blacksmiths who would be able to help me? This is a pretty complex device, but not impossible."

Jang looks over at Dolores. "Have you found some? I've been looking around forever, and people have no idea what I'm even taking about when I say gunpowder. I'm not desperate yet, but I'd like to get a supply before I run out completely."

Jang gives Dolores a grin and walks over to her, matching her pace. "Good to see you again though, always nice to see a familar face. Not to mention someone who knows what the Civil War is, never thought I'd be so desperate for someone from home."

"We sure are a good ways out, ain't we?" Dolores asks and glances at the market around her. Her vision is glassy and unseeing and her expression is calm in a rather absolute fashion. After a moment she looks back at Jiang.

"Ain't found no bullets today, but I hardly need any more. Don't plan on usin the ones I've got, you see. You been huntin?"

"No, not hunting, but well, if those things we saw in the artic wasteland are any measure, we're gonna have need of firepower before long. I'd even take some of those Mad Science gizmos, they're flaky, but they do make a godawful bang. And not like I can use my card tricks all the time."

"How bout you, you're pretty good at shooting, you've got a good eye. Ever used a bow?"

"No, no, ain't never done nothin' with a bow. I ain't much for hunting on a good day, let alone fighting," Dolores tells her and starts walking, urging the woman to join her as she shops for spices.

"I got six shots for protection, can't imagine I'd need any more. You thought bout using a bow?"

"Not willingly..." Jang mutters, looking over the spices that they have for sale. "But If I run out of bullets, I need something better than harsh language and throwing cards at em."

Jang gives some of the spices a bit of a sniff, but doesn't seem to enthused by the selection. "I mean, I have I have a sword, but that's kinda a weapon of last resort don't you think?"

"Could be said about any weapons, really," Dolores replies magnanimously as she picks up a bundle of sage.

"I thought you card player folk were all about cleverness and evasion, right?"

Dolores stops and turns to her, looks her over and shoots her something akin to a sly smile.

"As my daddy said, always play to your strengths."

Jang laughs and nods. "Suppose you're right, Hucksters are all about being sneaky and misdirection. And after all, no need to fire off shots if you've already convinced the other guy to go along with you."

Jang looks over at Dolores again. "So what are your strengths?"

"Me?" Dolores asks sounding infinitely amused by the idea. She laughs a bit and shakes her head, but tries to conjure an answer. There's a momentary hang as something resounds through the back of her mind and, frankly, she's not sure how to parse it out.

"I...am a good hand with a paintbrush, I can cook, and I know quite a bit about ranching. I can sew if I've got to, and I like riding, but I'm afraid I'm not much use in a fight."

"Ranching? Dealing with dumb, panicky animals weighing half a ton. If anyone says that ranching doesn't require bravery, a cool head and grace under fire has never had to deal with a stampede at two in the morning in a thunderstorm."

Jang pauses for a moment, thinking. "Course, I've never had to deal with that. My father ran the docks, a different kind of intresting times. But point still stands. You're a lot better than people think you are, just cause you work outdoors with animals doesn't mean you're not skilled."

"I understand there are a few about the Gallows, but the one I know best is my kinsman. Maedhros keeps one of the forges nearby, and his branch of the family is known in my world for their skill in craft."

Fingon indicates the way to the forges with a gesture of his hand. "He's impossible to miss; simply look for the absurdly tall elf with copper hair."

He can see the improvement already, and gives her an approving nod. "Well done. You'll make an archer yet."

"Really? You know someone who could make these? Oh thank god...He's the tall elf with the red hair? Right. Should I tell him you sent me? I mean, is he skittish, or is he willing to try new things?"

Jang seems very excited about this prospect, her eyes light up with the possibility of getting a source for ammo.

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Open - A gunslingers day in the Gallows

III.

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