[HoE] HOE Demo (Shane)

[John Higginbotham <jahiggin@orion.starlink.com>]

	Well, folks, on Oct. 16th, I ran a HOE demo at Outpost Games here
in Phoenix. We had five players attend and I ran these poor souls through
the 'Sick and Tired' adventure off the PEG website. I also provided them
with a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper and added a little caveat to it. After
explaining the game effects of the good Dr. (and the urban legend behind
it), I tossed in that if they (the players) drank a can during the game,
I'd consider that as if their character had done the same. Every last one
of them grabbed a can, fully expecting me to dump radiation on them at
every turn. *evil grin*
	Using the pregenerated archtypes, our players chose to play the
Gunslinger, Road Warrior, Law Dog, Templar, and TaleTeller. Three of the
players were familiar with Deadlands, one had read the rules and never
played, and the last one was completely new to the system. After a brief
review of the rules, we launched into the session.
<SPOILERS>













<Okay, you were warned>
	Overall, they did a good job. They accepted the townsfolk's
request and handled the first encounter with the muties quite well. The
Templar refused to allow other party members (the Gunslinger and Road
Warrior) to kill the prisoners and instead overawed the muties into
fleeing the area never to return.
	Upon entering the medical facility, they ran into a little trouble
with the automatons. Their first problem: The Road Warrior and Gunslinger
decided discretion was the better part of valor and bolted for the
facility, leaving the NPC doc and the remaining 3 party members to deal
with the thing themselves. The Templar managed to kill it... with his
sword. I was surprised when he managed to survive the blast.
	Meanwhile, the Road Warrior and Gunslinger had begun to explore
the building. After regrouping with the party, they allowed themselves to
be led to the stairwell. The Automaton that awaited them was dealt with
swiftly, but just as clumsily as the first. The Templar had done 4 wounds
to it's Guts when the Tale Teller declared he was going to shoot it again.
Our poor Templar was out of cards... and chips... and very shortly
thereafter, out of this world. Just for grins, I pulled for the
character... more on that in a moment.
	Leaving the Templar's body behind, the remainder of the party
carried on, though the Law Dog did grab the man's gun. (No sense in
letting good ammo go to waste.) And they dealt ran smack into the final
confrontation.
	Three of them failed their guts checks. And, just as the
skinwalkers reached them... the Templar returned, with a scar in the shape
of a Maltese cross on his chest. His sword, which had shattered in the
explosion, was replaced by one of flame springing from the broken hilt. (I
allowed the player to come back because I knew him to be an experienced
Deadlander... and his description ROCKED.) They successfully defeated
their enemies, but had to talk the Road Warrior out of killing the REAL
doctor after one of the skinwalkers mimicked him. 
	The did indeed find the medicine and returned to the town
uneventfully.

	Everyone in the demo had a blast (no pun intended), and enjoyed
the game throughly. The role playing award (my extra copy of Ground Zero)
was given to the Templar by popular vote. I also marked one of the blue
chips in the fate pot with a special mark. Anyone pulling that chip go the
Sweepstakes prize: my extra copy of Leftovers. No one pulled the chip, but
I put five chips back in the pot after the game, had each player draw a
chip, and gave the book away anyway. 
	Incidentally, the guy who got the Sweepstakes prize has since
bought the game... he he he.

	The next demo is going to be very early December, depending on
what my school schedule looks like.

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| John Higginbotham                 |	"I want to stand                  |
| jahiggin@starlink.com             |	On my own two feet                |
| john.higginbotham@na.manpower.com |	And never                         |
| 12609@ef.gc.maricopa.edu          |	Touch the ground"         	  |
| Phoenix, Arizona, USA             |    		- Echo Brahe      |
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