Pit, a place the locals fear to go.

Snake Bit The Snake Pit is the name given to the

place by the white folk of King County. The
A Deadlands Reloaded Adventure hole is actually a sacred site to the local
for 4-5 Novice-Seasoned Heroes Indians, who believe that the Snake Spirit
by Bronto Awesome resides there. They bring rattle snakes to the
pit to send them on into a safe place in the
underworld. Rather than hang or shoot Eddie,
the marshal and his band tossed the butcher
into the Snake Pit.

The Story So Far

Marshall Patrick Downs likes to run
a tight ship, his vessel being a town called
Stakes in King County. He colorfully refers
to criminals as snakes and brags about being
an ancestor of Saint Patrick of Ireland due to
the fact that he is driving the snakes out of the
county. He tolerates no crime and is also quick
to hang a man he deems guilty without a fair
trial. This practice has gotten out of hand on a
few occasions and has drawn the attention of
the Federal Marshal’s Office. He has escaped
prosecution so far mainly because he has been
able to successfully cover up his misdeeds. Eddie miraculously survived down in
Rick 'Eddie' Gallows was a simple the cave, although he suffered numerous
man, somewhat deformed at birth and none snake bites. This might have seemed divine
too bright, who found that he could be intervention, but was actually the work of the
accepted into society by doing certain Manitous who dwell in the Snake Pit. Those
distasteful jobs others avoided. This led him evil spirits felt that the butcher was someone
to a career in the field of butchery. He also they could work with to create more fear in
became the official hangman for a six county the world. The snake poison further addled
area. Recently, despite being Marshal Downs’ Eddie’s mind. Rather than fearing the snakes,
designated hangman, Gallows agreed to he decided that they were actually his only
cooperate with a Federal Marshal and testify true friends. Eventually, Eddie decided to live
about the Marshal’s practices. Naturally, permanently with the snakes rather than
Marshal Downs needed to shut Eddie up return to human civilization. Still, he missed
permanently. Pat and some loyal deputies his old friends in town, the humans that could
kidnapped the butcher and took him to a actually speak. Following the evil, whispered
remote site in the county known as the Snake advice of the Manitous, Eddie decided to
make some new human friends that were
more like the snakes. These new friends State Police. Most likely, the gambler has fled
would help him exact revenge upon Marshal to another state, skipping bail, Pat claims.
Downs. But you can never have enough The heroes find Soverten's pistol, the
friends. one with the clover on the handle, in a display
case in the Four Star General Store. The
Getting Started price is $200. Initially, the proprietor claims
The posse is drawn into the adventure that he got the pistol in a trade with a local
by being hired by a saloon gal named Selma homesteader that was desperate for money. If
Botti to find out what has happened to her the heroes press him (with a successful
gambler boyfriend, Jack Sovertens. She last Persuasion or Intimidate roll versus a d6), he
heard from him a month ago when he sent her admits that he got it from a desperate gambler
a letter from a railroad town in King County at a steal. The initials R. E. G. have been
called Stakes. She gives the heroes a full scratched recently on the bottom of the
description of Marcus along with a handle. Pressed again, the proprietor
photograph. She adds that he always carried a eventually admits that he bought it cheap off
pistol, a Remington 1875, with a four leaf of the former butcher, who is living out in the
clover on the handle. Selma can only offer wilderness somewhere around the Snake Pit.
$100.00 in reward money. Jack’s gun is actually lucky. The owner
The posse travels to Stakes as they see may pull a chip each session to be used only
fit. When the posse arrives in town, the first for checks associated with shooting with the
thing they see is a hanging being conducted gun.
by the Marshal. Two men are hung for the
crime of horse thievery. The process is A new bounty
straightforward and somber. A few people This event takes place some time after
stand around to witness the execution and the heroes have spent some time asking
then go about their business. around about the gambler. The posse notices a
As the heroes check out the town, the new wanted poster has been posted at various
following events take place. Some of these places around Stakes. A $50 reward is offered
investigative scenes may not take place until by the Marshal's Office for information
Scene Two, depending upon the actions of the leading authorities to those responsible for
players. defiling the bodies of those recently hung by
the law.
Searching for the Gambler The heroes learn from various sources
The heroes will most likely ask around that the Marshal likes to let a body hang for
looking for Jack Sovertens. Most remember 24 hours as a reminder to everyone to obey the
the youth, but claim he simply disappeared as law. Over the last few months, someone has
so many do in this boom town. With a been cutting up the recently hung bodies and
successful Streetwise roll, the heroes learn stealing their heads. Should the posse inquire,
that Jack was arrested for cheating and was Marshal Downs offers them $2.00 each to stay
transferred to another jail outside of county. up and guard the bodies recently hung. The
Marshall Downs confirms this story should Marshal (The GM) should do everything he or
the posse ask him. He claims that he decided she can to get at least one hero to watch over
to let the state take care of the petty criminal the hanged men. Scene One occurs when the
and turned him over to the jurisdiction of the posse is guarding the gallows.
The Town Marshal's Reputation and leaving the spine attached and intact.
With the right connections and a Obviously, viewing this scene requires a Guts
successful Streetwise roll, the heroes learn check. If the heroes interfere in any way,
that Marshal Downs has come under the Eddie throws a sack of rattle snakes at them to
scrutiny of the Federal Marshal’s Office for scare them off. If this does not deter them, he
unlawful lynching. He has not yet, however, attacks with a serrated carving knife.
been charged with anything. During a Eddie’s sack of rattlesnakes works like a
conversation with one of the citizens of grenade. If it hits the intended target, it
Stakes, that person mistakes the hero for bursts open in the area of a small burst
another of the Federal Marshals. Through this template distributing the rattlesnakes evenly.
encounter the heroes can learn that Federal If a character is hit by the sack, a single snake
Marshals have been here in town investigating gets to make a free bite attack on that
the Marshal. character. If the bag misses, it still bursts open
to spread out the snakes inside.

RICk 'Eddie' Gallows (Wild Card)

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d6,
Strength d8, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d6,
Throwing d6.
Charisma: 0; Pace: 5; Parry: 5; Toughness: 9
Hindrances: Obese
Edges: Brawny
Gear: Carving knife (d8 + d6), sack of rattlers,
bloody bag, 2d6 dollars.

Rattlesnakes (5)
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit
d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4.
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12.
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 2
Natural Tools: Bite (Str)
Special Abilities:
Scene One: Hangman's Commin' Poison: A rattlesnake’s bite injects poison. A
During the night, Eddie comes to steal character bitten by a rattlesnake must make a
the head and spine of each hung man so that Vigor roll at -2. With success, the bite area
he can turn them into snakes. He wears a swells and becomes numb. The victim
white sack over his head with eye holes cut becomes Exhausted until healed. With a
out in order to let him see. He previously wore failure, the victim becomes Incapacitated and
this mask during his role as hangman. At least must make a second Vigor roll or die.
one of the heroes should be alert to his
presence. If let alone to do his grizzly work, Regardless of a fight’s outcome, Eddie
the heroes witness Eddie cut the bodies lives a little longer than he should after the
carefully, separating the head from the body
heroes defeat him in combat. He lives long for murder in Texas. He then orders them to
enough to answer a few questions. He reveals disarm.
the location of the snake pit and how the
Marshal threw him into it. He confirms that Marshal Patrick Downs (Wild Card)
Jack Sovertens is just fine and is safe at the Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d8,
snake pit. His final words are, “I wish you and Strength d6, Vigor d8
me were snakes. Snakes ain’t afraid of the Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d8, Notice d8,
Marshall 'er nobody.” Shooting d10.
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6
Hindrances: -
Edges: Quick Draw, Hip-Shooting,
Marksman, Speed Load
Gear: 3 Peacemakers (12/24/45, 2d6+1, AP 1),
knife (d6+d4), Derringer (in boot) (5/10/20,
2d6, AP 1), marshal’s badge, $149.

Deputies (4-5)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6,
Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Gambling d6, Notice d6,
Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Survival d6.
Charisma: -2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 5
Hindrances: -
Edges: Quick Draw
Gear: Colt Army (12/24/45, 2d6+1, AP 1),
Winchester ’76 (24/48/96, 2d8, AP 2) knife
(d6+d4), 30 .44 pistol rounds, 30 .45 rifle
rounds, $1d6.

Scene Two: Fools make the Rules Scene Three: Wigglin' and a Hissin'
Eventually the posse will want to go
This scene takes place after the posse
investigate the Snake Pit. The way to the place
has learned that Marshal Downs is a dirty can be learned from any of the townfolk. The
lawman. At some point, provided the posse is
Snake Pit is actually an old, abandoned mine
persistent enough, Marshal Downs decides shaft. The opening is in the side of the dry
that the heroes have been nosing around a
river bed. The hole drops down ten feet then
little too much and decides to arrest them. curves around into a tunnel that rises again to
The Marshal may have to improvise the
curl back upon itself.
location of the arrest attempt. Because The first thing that the posse
Marshal Downs is prone to showmanship, he
encounters are the decaying snake bodies and
calls the posse out onto the street in front of snake skeletons from all the rattlers that have
the whole town. He has with him a deputy for
been tossed down in the hole by the Indians.
each posse member. He calls the heroes Just inside are some snake paintings on the
snakes and announces that they are all wanted
walls. A little farther along, the heroes come
across the live ones that Eddie has been move like snakes twisting and turning on the
fostering. They are clustered together waiting boney spinal column hanging down from a
to be fed again by their keeper. severed head. They are hostile to all but
Eddie.

Undead Human Spinesnakes (5)

Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d6, Spirit d8,
Strength d6, Vigor d6.
Skills: Fighting d6, Guts d6, Notice d10.
Pace: 4; Parry: 5; Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:
Bite: Str
Coil Attack: Rather than biting, the
Spinesnake may attempt to wrap its spine
around a victim like a lasso and succeeds with
a successful opposed Fighting versus Agility
roll. An opposed Strength roll is required to
break out, killing the Spinesnake. Otherwise,
the victim is +2 to hit in combat.
Fear: Anyone who sees a Spinesnake must
make a Guts check.
Rattlesnakes (9) Fearless: Spinesnakes are immune to Fear
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit and Intimidation.
d6, Strength d4, Vigor d4. Undead: +2 Toughness. +2 to recover from
Skills: Fighting d8, Guts d6, Notice d12. being Shaken. Called shots do no extra
Pace: 4; Parry: 6; Toughness: 2 damage. Arrows, bullets, and other piercing
Natural Tools: Bite (Str) attacks do -4 damage.
Special Abilities: Weakness (Head): Shots to a spinesnake’s
Poison: A rattlesnake’s bite injects poison. A head are +2 damage, and piercing attacks do
character bitten by a rattlesnake must make a normal damage.
Vigor roll at -2. With success, the bite area
swells and becomes numb. The victim Once the monsters are defeated, the
becomes Exhausted until healed. With a posse can investigate the room. With a
failure, the victim becomes Incapacitated and successful Notice roll, a hero notices that one
must make a second Vigor roll or die. of the creatures, which has not decayed much,
was made from Jack Sovertens' body.
The tunnel leads up to the main cavern A natural rock shelf displays Eddie’s
where Eddie has been living with his new treasures gleaned from the hanging victims.
friends. As the posse enters the area, five of Eddie’s bed is made on the widest part of the
the butcher’s new creations emerge from the shelf. The posse finds the following treasures:
shadows to attack. They are the remains of the a Remington Pepperbox, a sack of rattlesnake
hanging victims animated in undeath by the rattles, a silver-plated opera glass ($30), 3
Manitou that haunt this tunnel. The creatures pocket watches ($3 ea.), a complete set of
butcher’s knives, $52 Union, $37 Confederate.