Last session saw Winston gunned down in the street, but he survived, and the New Mexico Mercantile Cooperative (NMMC) retreated for now. So what next for the citizens of Steaming Rock... well, first, we have some housekeeping!

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS

The Turn of the Season

So we decided it was the Turn of the Season, Spring turned to Summer, and we looked back at the trials of the last months and forward to new beginnings.

In Tales of the Old West, there is a mechanic to allow the development of your town and your businesses. In addition, personal and town fortunes happen that may have an impact on the stories you plan to tell.

I was feeling generous, so I gave the party an Amenity to add to the town of Steaming Rock, the assumption being they’d chosen it at the start of the campaign. They went for the Pony Express Route, not only would it bring fresh information to their out-of-the-way area, but it was a source of money and adventure.

This increased the town’s prosperity from 13 to 14, not quite enough to make it a Shanty Town. THAT is something we they only dream of, maybe next season.

We then went on to business rolls. Danny decided he’d focus on the homestead, given that it acted as employment for both Dutch and Diago, leaving his mine derelict. One success, which was enough to pay everyone’s wages, though no benefits beyond that.

Diago did his best to get his congregation to give generously. Still, with competition from Father Carmody and only the back of the Mexico City Saloon to preach from, a measly $14 was all he had to show for his preaching.

Cody and Winston picked up their salary, $100 and $75, respectively. The group then decided to build wells for the upcoming Summer season. Wells have a dependency on many amenities, so this was a smart choice.

Between Scraping By and Managing, the group found that their funds were not going too well, and they were starting to realise that life out in the West was tough.

Now we come to their Personal Fortunes.

Danny may find people gossiping about him, and not in a good way. Perhaps they know something about his past? This could bring complications for his expanding businesses. [-1 Reputation]

Dutch plans to work hard in his spare time to maintain the 160 acres of his $14 Homestead Act in between working on Danny’s ranch. Many folks will likely praise him for his endeavours, possibly cementing his position in the community as a man who gets stuff done. [No mechanical change]

Diago is moving his family, sister Isabella, to Steaming Rock, he’ll have a home from home, somewhere to get a meal, people to listen to his woes and even lie down his head in safety. [Regain 3 Faith Points this season instead of 1]

Deputy Cody will show himself to be resourceful and reliable in the face of the NMMC and other threats, and the townsfolk may come to see him as the face of the law to turn to in their hour of need. Whether Cody wants that or not remains to be seen! [Fame increases by 2, Reputation moves 3 steps]

For Winston, the up and upcoming season is a cruel one, with a death in his family.

For Steaming Rock, there are more troubles on the horizon: the summer is incredibly hot, water is scarce, crops may fail, and livestock could die. It’s a good job they’ve decided to build that well. [Lose 1 Settlement Point]

The Dead Gunslinger

As the days warm up, Ellis Rockcliffe invites the group to lunch at his house on the outskirts of Steaming Rock. He is in a jovial mood, thanking them for the intervention with Howard Ross and praising them for their bravery, especially young Winston, whose arm is just out of a sling.

As they settle down with drink and food, Ellis’ face turns serious. He needs reliable folk, Steaming Rock folk, to venture to Silver City and return the body of Thomas Vance, his best friend, for a Christian burial in the local cemetery. He’s prepared to offer $100 each to those with the right character. Winston counters with $150, at which point Ellis sticks out a hand, “It’s a deal, son.” Winston and the others are surprised but also happy that their money woes could be at an end. They agree to this mission, but they have questions. Ellis is not very forthcoming, only that Vance died of a sickness, leaving only his clothes and a saddlebag, all to be returned to Ellis. Cody feels that Ellis is laying on his love for Vance a bit too thickly. There is something else that this flinty-eyed businessman wants, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Whilst they prepare provisions for the journey and organise the running of their businesses, Cody is surprised that Sheriff Flether just nods when he requests a week off to help Ellis. Usually, Fletcher is a stickler for detail, but he accepts this, though his face seems flushed with anger, and he immediately heads off out of the office. Young deputy and the Sheriff’s son, Jon Jr, wants in on the “ten dollars” that Cody is getting, but Cody explains that someone needs to stay behind and keep the town in order. Jon Jr puffs out his chest and twirls his pistol, nodding, a serious, faraway look on his young face.

The group leave Steaming Rock, Diago has his wagon the rest are on horseback. But on the edge of town, they see Hubbard McGraw and a few of his workers. Hubbard steps into their path; the irascible joint founder of the town needs a word with them, and this is not an invitation.

He warns them that Ellis is up to no good, that Hubbard’s “factions” don’t take kindly to his plans and that Thomas Vance is a low-down snake, a bounty hunter who got what he deserved, and Ellis only cares about money. He warns the party they are getting into more trouble than they know, then turns and heads back into town.

The confused group consider this warning, pondering what Hubbard knows and what Ellis has told them, but there is a long way to go and a chunk of money at the end of it. They ride on.