A lonely stagecoach stop somewhere high up in the Colorado Rockies. Inside, a warm fire. Outside, a raging blizzard.
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Bill Walker
The coach driver.
Appearance : A small, sturdy man, worn down by the elements. Well tanned. Short, brown hair. Wears a heavy oilcloth duster and a red neckerchief.
Personality : Dependable, trustworthy, deeply xenophobic.
Desire : A hot meal and a warm bed.
The coach driver.
Appearance : A small, sturdy man, worn down by the elements. Well tanned. Short, brown hair. Wears a heavy oilcloth duster and a red neckerchief.
Personality : Dependable, trustworthy, deeply xenophobic.
Desire : A hot meal and a warm bed.
Thinks Mrs. McKenzie is shiftless. Mixed opinion of the two Germans. Quite likes Pearlman and would be devastated to find out he was a “Bohemian.” Ambivalent about everyone else.
Keeps a shotgun about his person.
Mrs. McKenzie
The proprietress.
Appearance : Matronly, hair as grey as her dress, a dirty white apron tied about her waist.
Personality : Inquisitive, nosy, pushy, faux innocent.
Desire : A vast and rambling house.
Motherly affection for Oskar underlined with biting criticism. A shit-stirrer as far as the others are concerned.
Has run the Wayside House for the last five years, ever since her husband died. Will likely run till she passes herself, if nothing else changes.
Throws a surprisingly hard punch.
Miss Josephine
A southern belle.
Appearance : A tall woman, her brown hair tightly done up. Wearing a travelling dress of green checkered serge. Key hanging from her neck.
Personality : Cagey, haughty, unexpectedly verbose.
Desire : Start a new life, on her terms.
Fucking Pearlman, enjoying the freedom of it. Considers Pullet a lamentable necessity. Finds most everyone else uncouth.
Says she’s travelling to San Francisco to meet her fiancé, with Pullet as escort. Avoids questions about her family and background. Carrying several thousand dollars worth of stolen gold and government bounds inside her trunk; her father would desperately wants it back.
Mrs. McKenzie
The proprietress.
Appearance : Matronly, hair as grey as her dress, a dirty white apron tied about her waist.
Personality : Inquisitive, nosy, pushy, faux innocent.
Desire : A vast and rambling house.
Motherly affection for Oskar underlined with biting criticism. A shit-stirrer as far as the others are concerned.
Has run the Wayside House for the last five years, ever since her husband died. Will likely run till she passes herself, if nothing else changes.
Throws a surprisingly hard punch.
Miss Josephine
A southern belle.
Appearance : A tall woman, her brown hair tightly done up. Wearing a travelling dress of green checkered serge. Key hanging from her neck.
Personality : Cagey, haughty, unexpectedly verbose.
Desire : Start a new life, on her terms.
Fucking Pearlman, enjoying the freedom of it. Considers Pullet a lamentable necessity. Finds most everyone else uncouth.
Says she’s travelling to San Francisco to meet her fiancé, with Pullet as escort. Avoids questions about her family and background. Carrying several thousand dollars worth of stolen gold and government bounds inside her trunk; her father would desperately wants it back.
Carries an old, single-shot pocket pistol in her purse.
Colonel Arthur Pullet
Honorably discharged.
Appearance : A lanky, black haired man with a thin mustache. Still wears his cavalry uniform, kepi worn dashingly askew.
Personality : Opinionated, pretentious, loud, unsubtle.
Desire : For people to pay attention to him.
Josephine’s accomplice (and harbouring lingering feelings for her). Dislikes Drumond on principle.
Colonel Arthur Pullet
Honorably discharged.
Appearance : A lanky, black haired man with a thin mustache. Still wears his cavalry uniform, kepi worn dashingly askew.
Personality : Opinionated, pretentious, loud, unsubtle.
Desire : For people to pay attention to him.
Josephine’s accomplice (and harbouring lingering feelings for her). Dislikes Drumond on principle.
He is not, in fact, a colonel.
Carries an old army issue revolver.
Pearlman
Pearlman
Murderer in disguise.
Appearance : Snowy haired, otherwise nondescript. Melts into the background. Wearing an eastern style suit and a derby hat.
Personality : Inoffensive, helpful, quiet, plotting, slow to rouse.
Desire : To have some fun.
Fucking Josephine; plans to kill her and steal the money. Thinks Pullet is hilarious and Oskar pathetic. Wary of Drumond.
Actually Laszlo Bozsik, the “Smiling Hungarian,” responsible for seven murders between here and to St. Louis. Rather ruthless, a tad sadistic, and quite clever. His Midwestern accent is flawless, but slips when he gets angry.
A derringer in his breast pocket, another in his boot. A knife hidden in the small of his back.
Oskar
Appearance : Snowy haired, otherwise nondescript. Melts into the background. Wearing an eastern style suit and a derby hat.
Personality : Inoffensive, helpful, quiet, plotting, slow to rouse.
Desire : To have some fun.
Fucking Josephine; plans to kill her and steal the money. Thinks Pullet is hilarious and Oskar pathetic. Wary of Drumond.
Actually Laszlo Bozsik, the “Smiling Hungarian,” responsible for seven murders between here and to St. Louis. Rather ruthless, a tad sadistic, and quite clever. His Midwestern accent is flawless, but slips when he gets angry.
A derringer in his breast pocket, another in his boot. A knife hidden in the small of his back.
Oskar
Small time outlaw.
Appearance : A scruffy young man with blonde hair, limping noticeably.
Personality : Edgy, smiling, obsequious.
Desire : To succeed at something for once in his life.
Thinks Drumond is after him and that his brother (Albert) has sold him out.
Shot in the leg during a botched bank robbery. Lying low. If anyone asks about the limp: a horse kicked him. Speaks with a thick German accent.
A knife sheathed at his hip. A revolver under the pillow on his bed.
Drumond
An old hand.
Thinks Drumond is after him and that his brother (Albert) has sold him out.
Shot in the leg during a botched bank robbery. Lying low. If anyone asks about the limp: a horse kicked him. Speaks with a thick German accent.
A knife sheathed at his hip. A revolver under the pillow on his bed.
Drumond
An old hand.
Appearance : Lean and haggard, bundled up in an old greatcoat. Salt and pepper muttonchops. Doesn’t take his hat off indoors.
Personality : Course, gruff, rude, cunning.
Desire : Another bottle of whiskey.
Suspects Pearlman, considering Oskar, hasn't ruled out Bill. Doesn’t give a shit what Pullet thinks of him. Gentlemanly toward Josephine.
A bounty hunter out of Kansas City on Bozsik’s trail, but he doesn’t know what the latter looks like. Was a bushwhacker during the war, on the Confederate side and doesn't much regret it.
Carrying a heavy dragoon revolver and a bowie knife.
Albert
Long suffering.
Suspects Pearlman, considering Oskar, hasn't ruled out Bill. Doesn’t give a shit what Pullet thinks of him. Gentlemanly toward Josephine.
A bounty hunter out of Kansas City on Bozsik’s trail, but he doesn’t know what the latter looks like. Was a bushwhacker during the war, on the Confederate side and doesn't much regret it.
Carrying a heavy dragoon revolver and a bowie knife.
Albert
Long suffering.
Appearance : Greasy. Blonde haired. Two day's old stubble. A bit twitchy. Wears a heavy bearskin coat.
Personality : Begrudging, put upon, bitterly polite.
Desire : For his boss to meet a horrible accident.
Hates Drumond with a passion. Complicated feelings towards his brother (Oskar). Finds Pullet and Bill both irritating in different ways.
Hates Drumond with a passion. Complicated feelings towards his brother (Oskar). Finds Pullet and Bill both irritating in different ways.
A revolver at his hip and a rifle in a saddle sheath.
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Dinner is stewed beef and kidney beans, apple pie for dessert. The blizzard will die down by mid-afternoon the next day.
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