Interest check - Classic Western game.

[Chrystal]

I'm still hoping to find someone willing to play Mr Gator.

If anyone knows of a guy (or a girl who likes to play guys) who can take the role of the villain and play it well, and who is a competent GM or CoGM, please point them in my direction?

[Hazy Sky]

You always have the best ideas Chrystal. I don't know where you get them from, but they're always good.
What kind of bad guy are we talking about here? Smooth and sophisticated or big, rough and mean or a nice mix of both?
Perhaps a rough diamond who considers himself polished and refined, but loses his cool and any charm be possesses when he loses his temper?
This is my way of saying I'm interested, if you would like to consider me. :)

[Nymphadora]

Depending on how you feel about this, Chrystal, I'd love to play a female blacksmith:

[BeckyAnnn]

Hey Chrystal,

   Is it too early to consider a second character in a addition to the Gator daughter?

I have found in the past that I sometimes have more fun with my secondary minor characters than I do my original. I am thinking of just an employee in one of the town shops.

[Paladin101]

The good gentleman from the north has opened up his general store!



Player ID: Paladin101

Clothing

Character Name:  William Richardson

Nickname (if Any): None (Though he is often called a damn Yank, blue belly, some refer to him as a Black Hat due to his known and proud status as former member of the Iron Brigade)

Role: Owner and Operator of the General Store.

Good, Bad or Ugly: Undecided, leans towards the Good but just wants to try to live his life in peace.

Gender: Male

Age: 36

Hair Colour:Black, though streaks of iron grey are starting to show

Eye Colour: Brown

Sexuality: Straight as his Henry Rifle

Distinguishing Marks: Scar on his left knee from the bayonet he took at Gettysburg. He has a slight limp as a result.

Weapons:  He has a Henry repeating rifle which he purchased for himself with his reenlistment bonus while in the army. He also carries a Colt 1860 Army Richards “Cartridge Conversion” Revolver, and his 1840 Army NCO sword. On average, the rifle is kept behind the counter at the store, the sword is hung up on display, and he wears the revolver for protection. 

Draw Speed: 1 second for his Colt in hip holster.

Accuracy (Aimed and drawn - each weapon): Henry Rifle: 500 Yards        Colt 1860 Army Richards “Cartridge Conversion” Revolver: 10 Yards Steady Aim,  5 Yards Fast Draw

Other Equipment:  A whole General Store full of goods, from nails to hard candy, flour to sets of china, shovels and picks, anything you could imagine at a General Store.

Horse: 2 Draft Horses to pull his wagon. His horses are named Gunther, and John after fallen comrades.

Likes:  Good Manners, Other Yankees, a peaceful evening to smoke his pipe, Good Whiskey, Helping people

Dislikes: Racism, Fighting, Troublemakers, Liars, Hired Guns

Personality: William is a quiet man, slow to anger. He has seen his share of blood, has been through war and felt hatred flow, and he wants all that left behind him. Yet he is fully aware that he isn’t always going to be allowed to do as he pleases. So he is willing to stand up for himself, and takes no nonsense from anyone. People deriding him for being a yank doesn’t bother him, name of the game to his mind. But if anyone tries to speak ill of his person, or claim he has done things he hasn’t done, he doesn’t hesitate to step up and correct them. He is a man of honor who wishes to live a quiet, peaceful life.

History:
Born the son of a farmer in Wisconsin, William was raised with the strong, determined work ethic of that state, and a no nonsense attitude. He was the oldest of three brothers, and two sisters growing up. When the war came, he was in his early 20’s, and he and his younger brother, Nathan, both volunteered to fight the reb’s, proud to serve in what was planned to be a wholly Wisconsin Brigade. Well, some hoosier’s and men from Michigan also ended up in the unit, but William was proud to serve in the First Brigade, First Division, First Corps of the Army of the Potomac. He served well and was an exemplary member of the Iron Brigade, showing no fear and refusing to retreat, even when things weren’t going well. He was promoted to Sergeant, and when he resigned his papers, he took the resign bonus to buy a Henry Rifle, the same one he carries to this day. He served with distinction until Gettysburg, where he took a bayonet to the knee while charging a Mississipi regiment to capture their flag. He wasn’t able to still serve from then on, his knee too weak to support him for the rigorous marching needed in the infantry.

So he retired, and when the war ended, he decided he wanted to get out of Wisconsin, wanted to get out to the wild frontier. He heard Texas was a grand place, so he sold his belongings, hitched up a wagon, and headed south to start a new life there, and maybe open a General Store, a place where he could live in peace.
Any Other Info:
Is a Yank and proud of it, but he doesn’t have anything against southerners or even rebs. He keeps his black Hardee hat and NCO sword hung on the wall behind the counter of his store, proud of his service and wants anyone that fucks with him to know they are messing with an Iron Brigader. He just wants to be left alone, but if something bad enough happens, or wrong enough that he can’t stay quiet, he can easily be talked into helping the Good Camp. He lives in an apartment above his store.

[eiselmann]

Hey Chrystal,

   Is it too early to consider a second character in a addition to the Gator daughter?

I have found in the past that I sometimes have more fun with my secondary minor characters than I do my original. I am thinking of just an employee in one of the town shops.

The Saloon would always be looking for quality (and not so quality) young (and not so young )ladies (and not so lady like) to a...er..entertain its patrons, quality rooms clean linen reasonable cut....free whiskey (limit 2 shots a night- three if ya have to do Errol)

[Chrystal]

You always have the best ideas Chrystal. I don't know where you get them from, but they're always good.
What kind of bad guy are we talking about here? Smooth and sophisticated or big, rough and mean or a nice mix of both?
Perhaps a rough diamond who considers himself polished and refined, but loses his cool and any charm be possesses when he loses his temper?
This is my way of saying I'm interested, if you would like to consider me. :)

Skyre I'd love to have you as Daniel Gator. The conversation will need to continue in PM though.

Depending on how you feel about this, Chrystal, I'd love to play a female blacksmith:

Uhhh...

Much as I love the idea, I am going to have to say no. However, if you can find someone to play her father, then I would agree. I honestly cannot see rough tough cowboys bringing their horses to "a little slip of a girl" to be shod, no matter how skilled she was...

Sexism being even more ingrained than the other thing which apparently I'm no longer allowed to mention because it's offensive!

Hey Chrystal,

   Is it too early to consider a second character in a addition to the Gator daughter?

I have found in the past that I sometimes have more fun with my secondary minor characters than I do my original. I am thinking of just an employee in one of the town shops.

See Eiselmann's reply. Go for it

The Saloon would always be looking for quality (and not so quality) young (and not so young )ladies (and not so lady like) to a...er..entertain its patrons, quality rooms clean linen reasonable cut....free whiskey (limit 2 shots a night- three if ya have to do Errol)

This!

@ Pipaluck

Sorry, I would prefer you to PM character sheets to me for approval first, to prevent exactly this: we already have a Drifter. However Butch would make a great gambler. You might want to give him a sleeve hold-out Derringer pistol though?

[Deathnote]

Uhhh...

Much as I love the idea, I am going to have to say no. However, if you can find someone to play her father, then I would agree. I honestly cannot see rough tough cowboys bringing their horses to "a little slip of a girl" to be shod, no matter how skilled she was...

Sexism being even more ingrained than the other thing which apparently I'm no longer allowed to mention because it's offensive!

Take the following information you get out of this with a grain of salt:
http://www.abana.org/resources/discus/messages/4/261.html?1414671662

The father/husband could be deceased while the daughter/wife continued the trade.  It's rare, but it could happen.

[RubySlippers]

A woman could run other businesses though, how about a clothing store and tailoring shop we don't have one? Men would come to buy clothes and you could sell brought in leather goods and shoes to. Need money my character would invest for a third share of the profits the goods and equipment as collateral.

Also you could do other things as a woman, off the top of my head a hotel owner or someone trading with the Indians their handmade goods are marketable in the East for things they need if your part Indian with say the Pueblos it could work maybe. And we have no Undertaker or Preacher yet.

[Chrystal]

Take the following information you get out of this with a grain of salt:
http://www.abana.org/resources/discus/messages/4/261.html?1414671662

The father/husband could be deceased while the daughter/wife continued the trade.  It's rare, but it could happen.

This was my thought in suggesting a father - but the image is a little young - she looks barely 18!

I do, however, have a solution to this: A NPC father who gets shot in the first page of posts!

[RubySlippers]

That could work, but in the movie the pic is based on the woman was in her upper 20's I think, the actress is also older than 18. She seems to just age gently. Again funding is available if she wants to run a business on good terms from my character. 

What choice will the men have go to her or no blacksmithing work this included a lot of areas including making hard to get tools made etc. Prejudice or not. And my character will want metal gates made and other items for her school operation in town and her house.

[Chrystal]

The GX ranch is big enough that it has it's own smithy, and quite likely some of the smaller ranches may too.

[RubySlippers]

Then do they need one in town, my character would just contract with a ranch for work, likely so would others, its more money in the coffers and a chance for some barter for other services the ranch couldn't cover on its own?

There are many trades women could have done I can't think of many restricted off hand from women even medicine, what services aren't available on ranches that would likely be options for characters thinking also visitors and travelers.

School Teacher, Doctor, Barbering (Dentist), Proper Dentist (one trained at a dental school), Goods, Post Office, Undertaker, Preacher (some denominations had ordained women), Lawyer, Whores, Bathhouse (with laundry), Gun Smith, Hotel, Ice Vender (one there is rail in range to ship it in) all come to mind.

[Chrystal]

I do not dispute any of the above.

I should probably point out that the town is a frontier settlement, almost literally a "one horse town". Population is probably around 100-150, maybe a few more... Mostly service industries for the ranches.

The barber and doctor are the same person, who also does dentistry. Col. Gator is the mayor. There is a circuit judge who passes through every few months. The town hall is also the school house, court room, and Cattlemen's Association meeting hall. The saloon is also the brothel and dance hall. The hotel is really more of a boarding house. The restaurant is not in competition with the hotel or saloon because neither of them serve food.

There is no bakery, because everyone bakes their own bread. Pretty much the same with seamstresses, people make and mend their own clothes. "Off the peg" garments are available in the General Store. The stage coach company is also the goods haulage company, and the guy that owns the livery stables is their agent.

Given that this is a wild west frontier town, I actually would prefer it if we had a male preacher, preferably from a fairly mainstream Protestant denomination, but Catholic would be okay too, as the only parson in the area he would need to be pretty ecumenical anyway.

There are plenty of jobs still open, and this game is NOT going to start until the summer.

Skyre is taking the role of Daniel Gator *hugs Skyre* and he and I will be discussing the plot in due course.

I'm not too worried if no-one wants the role of Marshal, because it means I can kill him off early! *snigger*

[Hazy Sky]

I will indeed be taking on the Colonel and I'll be bringing a trusted and loyal NPC henchman along to 'assist' him in his plans for 'guiding' and 'shaping' the future of the town and resolving all 'discussions' amicably and peacefully.

[RedEve]

One question about the size of the town Chrystal: would there still be enough business for Missy and other girls like her to stick around?
I'm guessing the saloon caters to the surrounding ranches and their ranchhands/cowboys?

[Hazy Sky]

I can answer this! There are about fifty ranchers on the GX ranch. So yes there's plenty to keep them busy and in business.

[Chrystal]

I can answer this! There are about fifty ranchers on the GX ranch. So yes there's plenty to keep them busy and in business.

I think you mean ranch hands, not ranchers, but yes.

There are also other ranches and homesteads around. The lumber mill, for example, is way out of town, near the only forest for hundreds of miles... There's probably a mine of some sort nearby - whether it's gold, coal, copper or iron, I really don't care. Someone tell me what the geology is for that part of Texas? *shrug*

If people want to play "out-of-town" characters, they are more than welcome.

Actually, Red, there's a role you forgot: Widowed ranch owner...! Possibly with two NPC teenage sons and a couple of loyal hands, one of whom is madly in love with the widow, but doesn't want to admit it!

[Hazy Sky]

Sorry, my bad. Ranch hands not ranchers. I got excited about being able to answer a question. I'm childish like that.

What year are we in exactly Chrystal? I'm nosing around firearms history and the year is kinda important with regards, well lots of guns and firearms technology.

[BeckyAnnn]

Skyre is taking the role of Daniel Gator *hugs Skyre* and he and I will be discussing the plot in due course.

Woot!   My character has a daddy!   *giggles

Skyre, Chrystal already has my bare bones character sheet for Gator's daughter.  As soon as you get your character sheet posted I will be able to fill in the details since, by necessity, her history will be closely linked to her father's.

Chrystal, you know I have never been all that interested in playing in a western game but I am actually excited about this one.  It must me you. 

[Hazy Sky]

Hi BeckyAnnn. Yep the Colonel is coming home. I should be working up a character sheet by this evening at the latest. It will be posted as soon as I can get done and Chrystal approves it. Hope that's not making you wait too long.

I'm also going to work with Chrystal to give the GX ranch hands a common feel, so you can expect them to all have similar equipment and some common item of clothing to show who they work for (assuming that they're wearing it of course...) Some of them are going to be proper ranch hands and some of them definitely won't be! Once this is all discussed and agreed with Chrystal I will let you all know.

[Nymphadora]

I'm going to pull my interest from this for now. Not because of the female blacksmith issue, the resulting discussion didn't surprise me, actually.
I just have enough on my plate these days. 
Since it's not starting till Summer I may pop back into it.

Have fun folks!

[BeckyAnnn]

I'm going to pull my interest from this for now. Not because of the female blacksmith issue, the resulting discussion didn't surprise me, actually.
I just have enough on my plate these days. 
Since it's not starting till Summer I may pop back into it.

Have fun folks!

That's too bad. The idea for my second character was actually the orphaned assistant to the lady blacksmith. 

[RubySlippers]

You can work for my character if your Ugly leaning to Bad or be her "Gentlewoman Companion".

[Hazy Sky]

Just to say that I'm working on the Colonel at the moment. :)