# Quick Reference

*The Old West, An Exodus NDS Era Book, Wyoming and Colorado, 1869 to 1876. Source: https://oldwest.exodusnds.com/quick-reference*

Every table names the chapter that owns it. Where a figure here and the owning chapter differ, the chapter governs.

## Where to Look

| Looking for | Here | Owning chapter |
|:--|:--|:--|
| The seven creation steps, XP costs, Standing and Starting Stake | Making a Character | Character Creation and Roles |
| The 22 Roles: Standing, skills, kit, Pay | Roles at a Glance | Character Creation and Roles |
| The difficulty of every fixed check in the Era Rules | Difficulty at a Glance | Era Rules |
| What a talent does | Era Talents | Skills and Talents |
| Illness, Keeping a Horse, Attitude, the Showdown, Notoriety and Bounty, Stakes, warrants, arrests and the posse, Arms in Town, journeys, Keep and Credit | Era Rules at a Glance | Era Rules |
| Who may arrest where | Jurisdiction in Brief | Factions and Powers, Who Answers to Whom |
| Wounds, Strain, Defense, Resistance, attacks and the Stare pool of every adversary | Adversary Numbers | Adversaries |
| Firearms, mounts, price bands, the most-asked prices, wages | Gear and Prices in Brief | Gear and Prices |
| Fixed dates inside the play range | Dates to Use | Places and Campaign Tools; Historical Reference |
| A term's meaning; where a rule is printed | Glossary; Index of Rules | every chapter |

Not reprinted: clothing, tools, blades, bows, tack, medicine, horse grades, livery, lodging, passage and the price record (Gear and Prices); the route and the news and mail tables (Places and Campaign Tools); the full jurisdiction table (Factions and Powers); the hazards and the outbreak table (Adversaries); the corridor's illnesses (Era Rules); the timeline (The Era); the pregenerated sheets (Pregenerated Characters).

## Making a Character

Character Creation and Roles, Creating a Character.

| Step | Do this |
|:-:|:--|
| 1 | **Species:** human. |
| 2 | **Characteristics:** all six begin at 2. You may raise one by 1 if you lower a different one by 1. None below 1 or above 4. |
| 3 | **Origin and Role:** one of each (any Origin with any Role except Warrior, Hunter and Camp). A skill on either list is a profession skill and costs 5 XP less per rank. The Origin gives home tongues and a Strength (once per session, 1 Boon Die <span class="dice sm boon d6"></span> on the named checks in the named setting). The Role gives a kit, a Standing and favored talents. |
| 4 | **Spend 110 XP** at Core Rules costs. No skill above rank 2. No Tier 3 talent. A favored Tier 2 or higher talent costs 5 XP less, to a minimum of 5. |
| 5 | **Free talent:** one Tier 1 talent, from the Role's favored list if the list has one. |
| 6 | **Kit, Stake and derived values:** take the Role's kit (free) and its Starting Stake; calculate Resistance, Wound Points, Strain Points, Defenses and Initiative as the Core Rules say. |
| 7 | **Name and details:** name, appearance, age, motive, one tie to another player character and one to the world. |
| | **The year.** Kits assume 1873 or later. In a game set 1869 to 1872, swap each Single-Action Revolver for a Cap-and-Ball Revolver. |
| | **Languages.** Working English and the Origin's home tongues are free. Each other tongue is 5 XP, reading and writing it another 5; sign talk is a tongue at 5 XP with no written form. Reading and writing a home tongue is free for the office and professional Roles named in Skills and Talents, Languages: Tongues, and 5 XP for the rest. |
| | **Notoriety** begins at 0. The Lawman begins at 1 (Reach: the home town); the Outlaw, and an Editor, may if the player chooses. |
| | **Mixed heritage.** One Origin for skills and Strength; the other community's home tongue free. |
| | **XP costs in the examples.** A profession skill: rank 1 is 5 XP and rank 2 another 10 (15 in all). An out-of-profession skill: rank 1 is 10 XP. Raising a characteristic from 2 to 3 is 30 XP. A Tier 1 talent is 5 XP, Tier 2 is 10 (5 if favored), Tier 3 is 15. |

### Standing and Starting Stake

Character Creation and Roles, Standing and Starting Stake. The Stake is cash on hand after the kit; a Tribal Nations character holds it as horses, robes and trade goods. The Credit limit is twice the Stake, three times with Good Credit.

| Standing | Stake | Credit limit | Note |
|:--|:-:|:-:|:--|
| Wage | $31 | $62 | |
| Trade | $67 | $134 | |
| Professional | $143 | $286 | |
| Capital | $311 | $622 | Includes a creation Debt of $143 to a named backer, due at the end of the second month, no Bane Die until then |

## Roles at a Glance

Character Creation and Roles, Roles. Six profession skills each. *Revolver* is a Single-Action Revolver (Cap-and-Ball before 1873), *repeater* a Lever-Action Repeater, *horse* a Riding Horse with Riding saddle and Bridle and bit. Pay is the usual figure (Gear and Prices, Wages and Income).

| Role | Standing | Profession skills | Kit | Pay |
|:--|:--|:--|:--|:--|
| Cowhand | Wage | Riding, Survival, Ranged, Craft, Fortitude, Perception | Revolver, Lasso; horse, Saddlebags | $30 and board |
| Horse Breaker and Tracker | Trade | Riding, Survival, Perception, Craft, Ranged, Stealth | Repeater, Lasso, Knife; horse | $5 a head, about $35 |
| Freighter and Stage Driver | Trade | Operate, Riding, Survival, Craft, Ranged, Fortitude | Coach Gun, revolver; the company's wagon and team | $28 and board; a stage driver $50 |
| Railroad Hand | Wage | Athletics, Fortitude, Craft, Operate, Reflexes, Streetwise | Pocket Revolver, Knife, tools | $1.75 a day |
| Miner and Prospector | Wage | Athletics, Fortitude, Science, Craft, Survival, Perception | Pocket Revolver, Dynamite Stick x2 (mine-issued), Knife; Mule, Pack saddle; tools | $3 a day |
| Homesteader and Farmer | Trade | Craft, Survival, Fortitude, Athletics, Negotiation, Lore | Repeater or Fowling Piece, Hatchet, Knife; Ox, Cart, Harness and collar; tools and seed | The crop and the stock |
| Lawman | Trade | Ranged, Intimidation, Leadership, Perception, Lore, Streetwise | Revolver, Coach Gun; horse; badge, manacles. Notoriety 1 (home town) | Deputy sheriff $60; town marshal $100; deputy U.S. marshal fees |
| Soldier | Wage | Ranged, Readiness, Fortitude, Athletics, Riding, Leadership | Breechloading Rifle, Knife; cavalry: revolver and an Army horse | A private $13; a sergeant $17 |
| Officer (Soldier variant) | Professional | As Soldier, Lore for Athletics | Revolver, Sabre, Knife; his own horse | $117 to $150 |
| Scout and Guide | Trade | Survival, Riding, Perception, Stealth, Ranged, Lore | Repeater, revolver, Knife; horse, Pack saddle | $75 from the Army; $5 a day |
| Hunter and Trapper | Wage | Ranged, Survival, Perception, Stealth, Riding, Craft | Buffalo Rifle or Breechloading Rifle, Knife; horse; Mule, Pack saddle; traps | By the hide: a buffalo $2 |
| Merchant and Entrepreneur | Professional; Capital as Entrepreneur | Negotiation, Lore, Charm, Streetwise, Leadership, Perception | Derringer, Pocket Revolver; about $286 of stock (an Entrepreneur owes half), a ledger | Profit and loss; a clerk's $75 is the floor |
| Lawyer and Editor | Professional; Capital if he owns the press | Lore, Negotiation, Charm, Craft, Perception, Streetwise | Pocket Revolver; a law library and seal, or a press share, type and paper. An editor may start at Notoriety 1 | Fees $10 to $100 a case; a hired editor $30 a week |
| Doctor and Healer | Professional | Medicine, Science, Lore, Survival, Charm, Readiness | Antiseptic, Poppy Tincture, Emetic, Derringer; horse | $3 a visit; about $150 |
| Clergy and Teacher | Trade | Lore, Charm, Leadership, Medicine, Negotiation, Readiness | Books, vestments or a slate; horse, or Cart and Pony | $800 a year; a teacher $60, a woman $50 |
| Service Trades | Wage | Craft, Fortitude, Charm, Negotiation, Streetwise, Perception | Knife, Pocket Revolver, tools of the trade | $25 and board; a first cook $60 |
| Surveyor and Land Agent | Professional | Science, Craft, Lore, Negotiation, Perception, Survival | Pocket Revolver; the company's transit, chain and plat roll; horse; Mule, Pack saddle | $100 to $125 |
| Clerk, Agent and Telegrapher | Trade | Lore, Craft, Perception, Negotiation, Streetwise, Readiness | Pocket Revolver; ledger, letter book, cipher book | Clerk $75; operator $60; agent $75 |
| Gambler | Capital | Deception, Subterfuge, Perception, Charm, Streetwise, Readiness | Derringer, Knife; a deck and chips | Winnings and losses |
| Outlaw | Wage | Ranged, Riding, Stealth, Intimidation, Streetwise, Survival | Revolver x2, repeater; horse. Notoriety 1 (home town) if chosen | A share of the take |
| Go-Between | Trade | Lore, Negotiation, Charm, Perception, Streetwise, Riding | Pocket Revolver; horse; trade goods, account book | $40 as an interpreter; $75 as a trader's clerk |
| Parlor House Keeper | Professional | Negotiation, Charm, Deception, Streetwise, Leadership, Lore | Derringer; a ledger and a lease | The house's takings |
| Warrior, Hunter and Camp | Wage (in goods) | Warrior: Riding, Ranged, Melee, Survival, Stealth, Readiness. Camp: Riding, Survival, Craft, Negotiation, Perception, Medicine | Warrior: repeater or Trade Gun, Horse Bow, case and quiver, Knife, horse (pad saddle). Camp: Knife, Hatchet, two horses (one Pack saddle), hide tools, trade goods | A share of the hunt and the trade |

A trade not listed: six profession skills, a Standing, five favored talents (one of Tier 1) and a kit at the value of the nearest Role (Character Creation and Roles, Other Trades and Offices).

## Difficulty at a Glance

The Core Rules ladder: Simple, no roll; Easy, one Trial Die <span class="dice sm trial d8"></span>; Average, two; Hard, three; Severe, four. The owning heading is in brackets.

| Check | Pool and difficulty |
|:--|:--|
| Daily illness check [Illness] | Willpower alone: Mild Easy, Serious Average, Grave Hard. Conditioned removes 1 Bane Die |
| Care [Illness] | Medicine, Average with clean water, rest and supplies; Hard without |
| Judge a horse [Gear and Prices, Buying a horse] | Survival, Average; Hard if the seller hides a fault (Eye for Stock: Easy and Average) |
| Read the room; pass a false Cover [Prejudice] | Savvy and Perception, Average; Deception or Subterfuge, Average |
| The Stare [The Showdown] | Opposed Willpower and Readiness; a tie goes to the principal who was called out |
| Find a Wanted person [Notoriety and Bounty] | Extended Streetwise or Survival, Average, threshold 3 net Successes, one roll a day, five rolls at most |
| Identify; claim the Bounty [Notoriety and Bounty] | Perception or Lore, Average; Negotiation, Average (Paper on a Man: Easy) |
| Trade a service for a withdrawal [Notoriety and Bounty] | Negotiation, Hard |
| Cheat [Stakes] | Subterfuge, Hard; any onlooker opposes with Perception |
| Swear out a warrant [Law in Play] | Lore (Law) or Negotiation, Average |
| Make an arrest [Law in Play] | Leadership or Intimidation, Average; one step harder for armed friends within Short range, one step for Notoriety 3 or higher within its Reach; +1 Bane Die Outside Jurisdiction, +2 in another nation's country; +1 Bane Die with no warrant for an offense not in the officer's presence; a warrant adds 1 Boon Die |
| Hold the jail [Law in Play] | Leadership, Hard, or a Showdown at the door |
| Call a posse; posse morale [Law in Play] | Leadership, Average (Hard if unpopular or the audience Wary; Posse Leader: Easy); group Willpower and Readiness, Average |
| Arrest a stranger who keeps his gun; be exempted [Arms in Town] | Leadership, Average; Negotiation, Average |
| Hide a weapon [Arms in Town] | Subterfuge against the officer's Perception; Concealable adds Bane Dice to the search |
| The journey hazard [Travel at the Table] | Survival, Operate or Riding, Average; Hard in winter or flood; +1 Bane Die for a loaded wagon in a flood |
| Open an account; call a Debt early; buy a month [Money and Credit] | Negotiation, Average, once per creditor; Negotiation, Hard; Negotiation, Average |
| Stampede; Blizzard; Flood [Adversaries, Hazards] | Hard (Easy mounted and awake, Severe at night); Hard in the open, Average sheltered, Easy indoors; Average at a ford, Hard at a flooded crossing, Severe in full flood |

## Era Talents

Skills and Talents, Era Talents. Tier 1 costs 5 XP, Tier 2 costs 10, Tier 3 costs 15 and is earned in play; a favored Tier 2 or 3 talent costs 5 less. The Effect column is a summary; the chapter prints the rule.
### Tier 1
| Talent | Activation | Effect |
|:--|:--|:--|
| Easy in the Saddle | Passive | Mount or dismount as a Quick Action once a turn; vaulting into the saddle and moving is Easy |
| Rope Hand | Passive | +1 Boon Die with a Lasso and to rope, hold or lead stock; recover a Lasso as a Quick Action |
| Eye for Stock | Passive | Judging an animal is Easy (Average if the seller hides a fault) and tells you what is hidden |
| Reads the Fine Print | Passive | Remove 1 Bane Die reading deeds, claims, contracts, warrants and statutes; 2 Boons find a term against its drafter |
| Poker Face | Passive | +1 Boon Die to Deception bluffs in Stakes; opponents' reads of you add 1 Bane Die |
| Many Tongues | Passive | Two extra languages free; the no-shared-language check is Easy |
| Steady Nerve | Once per scene | +1 Boon Die to your Stare; the first Showdown Strain of the scene is 1 less |
| Good Credit | Passive | Credit limit three times the Stake; an unpaid Debt carries no Bane Die for its first month |
| Mine Wise | Passive | Remove 1 Bane Die for dim light, tight spaces or bad air underground; judging ore or a creek is Easy |
| Hunter's Eye | Passive | +1 Boon Die to find, stalk or read game and to the first Ranged attack on an animal; 2 Boons feed a camp a week |
| Whip Hand | Passive | +1 Boon Die to drive a team; the panicked-team and forced-march checks are Easy |
| Circuit Rider | Passive | Bed, meal and feed at any house of your faith; +1 Boon Die to preach, teach or conduct a service |
| Head for Figures | Passive | +1 Boon Die to Lore (Trade) on accounts and bills; 2 Boons find the entry someone hid |
| Proved Up | Passive | +1 Boon Die to build, plant, fence, doctor stock or winter a claim; filing or proving up is Easy |

### Tier 2

| Talent | Activation | Effect |
|:--|:--|:--|
| Gentle Hands | Passive | Temper of any mount you handle is 1 less; breaking a horse is Easy |
| Long Rider | Passive | The forced-march Riding check is Easy; a failure costs distance, not a lamed mount |
| Quick Reload | Passive | Prepare 1 less (minimum 1); a Limited Ammo reload is one Maneuver faster |
| Far Shot | Once per scene | Aim, then fire a rifle at Long or Extreme range: the difficulty drops one step |
| Reads Sign | Passive | +1 Boon Die to track; 2 Boons give the number, kind and age of the tracks |
| Sickroom Skill | Passive | Care Boon Dice cap 4; two patients a day; an Easy Willpower check avoids exposure on a Calamity |
| Plain Words | Once per scene | Interpreting: +1 Boon Die to one party's Negotiation, or remove 1 Bane Die of language or custom |
| Color of Law | Passive | With a badge, +1 Boon Die to arrest, disperse a crowd or demand a name; a warrant cancels the Outside Jurisdiction Bane Die |
| Pulpit Voice | Once per scene | Action, Average Charm before ten or more: move the crowd's Attitude to one target one step for the scene |
| Plat and Section | Passive | Draw a plat as an extended check; +1 Boon Die in any dispute the plat bears on |
| Mounted Fighter | Maneuver | No Bane Die for shooting from a moving mount, no extra Maneuver to reload; hang to one side for Light cover |
| Hands Up | Action | Average Intimidation: a Minion group or up to four unready people comply for the scene |
| Paper on a Man | Passive | +1 Boon Die to find, follow or identify a Wanted person; the claim check is Easy |
| Lie Low | Passive | Notoriety drops by 1 each month, not each season; strangers count it 1 lower |
| Read the Table | Passive | +1 Boon Die to read an opponent in Stakes; 2 Boons: the next Raise, or whether the opponent cheats |
| Column Inches | Once per session | Print a deed: raise or lower a character's Notoriety by 1 within the paper's Reach |
| Ward Heeler | Passive | +1 Boon Die with voters and officials of your town or county; call in one favor a session |
| Day in Court | Passive | +1 Boon Die to Lore (Law) and Negotiation before a court, register or council; 2 Boons delay a ruling a week |
| Over the Wire | Once per session | Send a message that arrives ahead of any rider or train, or learn one that passed your key (Average Craft, Hard in cipher) |
| Section Boss | Passive | +1 Boon Die to lead a work crew; once a session the crew does a day's work in half a day |

### Tier 3, earned in play

| Talent | Activation | Effect |
|:--|:--|:--|
| Fan the Hammer | Passive | Fanning a Single-Action Revolver adds 1 Bane Die in place of 2; Linked 2 still applies |
| Name Precedes You | Once per session | Within your Reach, count Notoriety 1 higher (maximum 5) for the scene |
| The Drop | Passive | Win a Stare by 2 or more and the loser Draws: +1 Boon Die on your first attack, and the loser cannot take cover first |
| Posse Leader | Passive | The posse has 2 more riders (maximum 10), calling it is Easy, and its morale uses your pool |
| High Roller | Passive | Raise three times in a Stakes contest; the third Raise gives 2 Boon Dice |

## Era Rules at a Glance

Era Rules. At a table that plays The Old West an Era Rule takes precedence over the Core Rules and the sourcebooks it names.

### Illness

Replaces Fortitude for resisting illness.

| Severity | Willpower check | Strain on a failure | Bane Dice, at most | Course |
|:--|:--|:-:|:-:|:-:|
| Mild | Easy | 2 | 1 | 4 checks |
| Serious | Average | 4 | 2 | 7 checks |
| Grave | Hard | 6 | 3 | 10 checks |

1. **Start.** The GM spends a <span class="diceicons calamity"></span> Calamity rolled by an exposed character, or announces an outbreak before the scene. An outbreak starts a player character at Mild or Serious; Grave needs a Calamity or the player's agreement.
2. **Each day,** at its start, the ill character rolls Willpower alone against the Severity. Conditioned removes 1 Bane Die <span class="dice sm bane d6"></span>.
3. **Success:** mark one. Two successes, in any order, end the illness. A Breakthrough marks both.
4. **Failure:** Strain by Severity and 1 Bane Die on all checks until it ends, cumulative to the cap. A Calamity also costs Strain equal to half the Strain left before incapacitation, rounded down, and a complication.
5. **Course.** When the checks run out, the illness ends; a Grave illness takes one last check first.
6. **Incapacitated by Strain:** bedridden, not dead, still rolling. Only a Grave illness kills: the first failed check after incapacitation inflicts a Critical Injury, a failed last check a second, never more than two.
7. **Care,** once a day: Medicine, Average (Hard without clean water, rest and supplies). Each net Success gives the patient 1 Boon Die on the next check; 2 Boons one more; a full day in bed one more; no more than 3 from Care. Once per illness a Care check with 2 or more net Successes marks one of the two successes. A Calamity exposes the caregiver.
8. **Recovery.** Illness Strain does not recover while the illness runs; when it ends, all Strain returns after a night's rest. Consumption runs as Serious, remits for a season, and never kills a player character without the player's agreement.

### Keeping a Horse

Living expenses cover feed and stabling in towns, at stations and on the roads. Away from them a horse keeps itself for three days; from day 4 it is **unkept**: 1 Bane Die on its checks and its rider's Riding checks, 2 on day 5, 3 on day 6, when it will not be ridden. Good grazing, bought forage or a day at a station ends it. On poor grazing a horse that is not Hardy is unkept from day 1; a plains-raised horse counts as Hardy. Hired mounts include upkeep; Army mounts are not tracked.

### Attitude (Prejudice)

Prejudice is set in the scene, never on the sheet. The GM names up to three **markers** the audience reacts to and an Attitude for each. It touches Charm, Negotiation, Leadership, Deception and Intimidation with that audience and any check to be served, hired, paid, heard or let through; never an attack, a defense or a skill rank. Total Bane Dice from Attitude never exceed 3.

| Attitude | Effect |
|:--|:--|
| Welcome 2 / Welcome 1 | Add 2 Boon Dice / 1 Boon Die |
| Neutral | None |
| Wary 1 | Add 1 Bane Die |
| Hostile 2 | Add 2 Bane Dice; no credit or favor without a Sponsor |
| Closed 3 | First contact fails without a roll unless the character has Cover or a Sponsor; only for an institution the record shows excluded that group |

**Cover** (an identity the audience respects) and **Sponsor** (a respected person present who vouches) each move one marker's Attitude one step toward Neutral; both can apply, to one marker each. A Name within its Reach is a marker at half the Notoriety, rounded up, maximum 2.

### The Showdown

1. **Trigger.** A principal names it; the other answers or the GM rules it qualifies. Both within Medium range, weapons not drawn. A Surprised principal cannot be called out. Walking away from a call is Backed Down.
2. **The Stare:** opposed Willpower and Readiness. A tie goes to the principal who was called out.
3. **Result.** The winner holds the street. The loser suffers Strain equal to the net Successes (maximum 3) and chooses **Stand Down** (yields, is Backed Down) or **Draw** (structured play; the winner's side takes the first slot of round one).

4. **Backed Down:** 1 Bane Die to Intimidation and to Stares before that audience until the character wins a Showdown or leaves that town or county for a season.
5. **Limits.** One Showdown per scene for two principals. A Minion group only through one Minion acting as principal.
6. **Spending.** Two <span class="diceicons boon"></span> Boons: one of the loser's allies stands down, or one onlooker's Attitude to the winner moves a step toward Welcome. <span class="diceicons breakthrough"></span> Breakthrough: the loser cannot Draw this scene without a Story Point. <span class="diceicons calamity"></span> Calamity, either side: someone who is not a principal fires early; both sides Surprised, no first slot.

| Stare dice | |
|:--|:--|
| Each ally with a ready weapon in view (maximum 2) | +1 Boon Die each |
| Opponent knows the principal's Notoriety 2 or 3 / 4 or 5 | +1 / +2 Boon Dice |
| Light cover / Heavy cover | +1 / +2 Boon Dice |
| A crowd whose Attitude favors this side | Boon Dice equal to the rating, maximum 2 |
| Plainly in the wrong (no warrant, no provocation, drew first) | +1 Bane Die |
| Drunk, or half of the principal's Strain Points taken in damage | +1 Bane Die |

### Notoriety and Bounty

| Notoriety | Reach | Who knows the Name |
|:-:|:--|:--|
| 0 | None | Nobody |
| 1 | A town | One town and its stage or rail connection |
| 2 | A county | The county seat, its sheriff, its ranches |
| 3 | A territory | The territorial press, the courts, the stock association |
| 4 | The corridor | Both territories and the railroad towns between |
| 5 | The nation | Eastern papers, the Army, the express and railroad detectives |

**Earning:** +1 (at most 1 a session; a Fortune Point or a Peril Point buys a second) for a Showdown won before five or more witnesses by 2 or more net Successes, a deed printed or posted, a trial the town talks about, or a rescue, capture or escape before a crowd. **Losing:** drops 1 each season out of the news; Lie Low makes it each month.

| Bounty offense | Reward |
|:--|:--|
| Minor: stock theft, assault, a claim jumped | $27 to $142 |
| Serious: robbery of a coach or a store, a killing in a fight, a rustling ring | $210 to $585 |
| Grave: the killing of an officer, a mail or express robbery | $730 to $2,150 |

1. **Posting.** An authority posts for a Serious or Grave offense at any Notoriety; for a Minor offense only at Notoriety 2 or higher. The sum sits in the band by Notoriety, top of the band at 4 or 5. A posted Bounty raises Notoriety by 1 (maximum 4); it counts as the session's gain unless a Point is spent. The character is **Wanted** within the poster's Reach (a county, a territory, a railroad's line); when an NPC there identifies the character, the GM may spend a Calamity to inform an officer or a hunter.
2. **Find:** extended Streetwise or Survival, Average, threshold 3, one roll a day; after five rolls the trail is cold.
3. **Identify:** Perception or Lore, Average.
4. **Take:** a Showdown, an ambush or an arrest.
5. **Claim:** Negotiation, Average. Paid within a month or by the end of the next session; two Boons add expenses. On a failure the authority pays after trial or conviction, or pays the bottom of the band; argue again a week later. A Calamity: the identity is disputed, or someone else was paid first.
6. **Ending:** a pardon, a trial, death, or twelve months without a new offense. A service for a withdrawal: Negotiation, Hard.

### Stakes

For any contest with something real on the table. Not for treaty councils.

1. **Ante.** Each side names a stake: cash, property valued by Gear and Prices, a favor, or a Name (1 Notoriety or a Backed Down mark, removed if the staker wins). The **Pot** is the total.
2. **Exchanges:** an opposed check each. The winner gains 1 **Lead**, 2 if the margin is 3 or more net Successes. First to 3 Lead takes the Pot; after five exchanges the higher Lead wins and a tie splits it.
3. **Raise,** before any exchange: add cash of at least a quarter and at most the whole Pot for 1 Boon Die on that exchange. The other side **Calls** or **Folds**; a Fold forfeits everything put in and the Raiser takes the Pot. Twice a contest. A side that cannot match may borrow on Credit, Fold, or **Call short** with everything it has (the excess returns to the Raiser).
4. **More than two sides:** each exchange the highest net Successes gains the Lead (2 if ahead of every side by 3 or more); every side still in must Call a Raise; the Pot holds every ante.
5. **Cheating,** before an exchange: Subterfuge, Hard, for 2 Boon Dice on it. Any onlooker opposes with Perception; either principal may call a Showdown. A Calamity exposes the cheat.
6. **After:** the winner takes the Pot. On the last exchange, two Boons: learn something about the loser; two Banes on the winner's check: one onlooker's Attitude moves a step toward Hostile; Breakthrough: one more concession; Calamity: a third party intervenes.

| Contest | Pool each exchange |
|:--|:--|
| Cards | Charisma and Deception to bluff, or Savvy and Perception to read, chosen each exchange |
| A horse race | Agility and Riding |
| A sale, a bid, a bargain | Charisma and Negotiation |
| A claim before an official | Intellect and Lore (Law or Land) |
| A foot race or a wrestling match | Might or Agility and Athletics |

### Law in Play

1. **Warrant.** Swear a complaint before a justice or judge: Lore (Law) or Negotiation, Average. On a failure the justice wants a witness or a sworn statement. The warrant gives the officer 1 Boon Die on the arrest.
2. **Arrest,** an Action: Leadership or Intimidation, Average, with the steps and Bane Dice in Difficulty at a Glance. **Success:** the subject submits unless the subject calls a Showdown; two Boons name an accomplice or a place. **Failure:** the subject refuses; the officer may call a Showdown or let it go. **Calamity:** a crowd gathers or a friend fires.
3. **Without a warrant:** only for an offense in the officer's presence; otherwise 1 Bane Die.
4. **Holding a prisoner.** A crowd that wants the prisoner: Leadership, Hard, to hold the jail, or a Showdown at the door.
5. **Posse.** Leadership, Average (Hard if unpopular or the audience Wary): a Minion group of 2 plus net Successes, maximum 8, on the Posse Rider entry, led by the officer, paid $2.00 a day each by the county or the marshal's account. **Morale** at half numbers or the leader down: group Willpower and Readiness, Average, or it disbands. A posse pays no upkeep for three days.
6. **Pursuit** is a chase under *The Stable*, Riding, Chases.

### Jurisdiction in Brief

Factions and Powers, Who Answers to Whom; Era Rules, Who Acts Where. A town marshal's power ends at the town limits. A sheriff serves his own county; a warrant in another county needs that county's sheriff or an endorsement. A territorial judge's writ runs across the territory. A U.S. marshal and his deputies handle federal crimes and the federal side of the district court anywhere in the territory, and stop at the Colorado line; a deputy marshal arresting for a territorial crime is a citizen with a star unless the county or town has commissioned him too (Outside Jurisdiction, 1 Bane Die). The Army can hold a man on its own ground or help an officer who asks, and it can expel an intruder from Indian country, but it does not try him; before 1878 it could serve in a posse. An agent reports and requests; he does not arrest. A Tribal Nation governs its own people on its own land; a wrong between its people and others goes through the agent and the federal court, not the sheriff. Railroad agents, stock detectives and vigilance committees have a private citizen's power or none.

### Arms in Town

Cheyenne barred carrying arms in town from 30 September 1867 (fine $5 to $100, or up to 30 days); Wyoming Territory barred it in every city, town and village from 1875 (fine $5 to $50); Colorado Territory barred concealed weapons in any town from 1862 (fine $5 to $35) and said nothing of open carry.

1. An officer who sees a stranger's weapon tells him. He has **thirty minutes** to leave it at a lodging, a store or the marshal's office.
2. A stranger who does not comply is subject to arrest: Leadership, Average.
3. Hiding a weapon: Subterfuge against the officer's Perception; the weapon's Concealable rating adds Bane Dice to the search.
4. A character the marshal knows and trusts may be exempted: Negotiation, Average.

### Travel Rates

Era Rules, Travel at the Table; Places and Campaign Tools, A Day's Travel. Journeys are narrated, with one hazard check at most and only when something is in the way (Difficulty at a Glance). A flood that is the whole scene uses the Flood hazard instead. A Calamity on the hazard is the moment to expose a character to illness.

| Mode | Rate |
|:--|:--|
| Mounted, wagon, team | The slowest animal's Travel in miles a day on a road (table below). A wagon needs two Draft Horses, a heavy freight wagon four, and goes at 20. Open country and hills three quarters; forest, desert and snow one half; mountains one third. Days = miles / rate, rounded up |
| On foot | 15 on a road, 10 in open country; a forced march adds half (Fortitude, Average, or the next day at half rate) |
| Stage with relays | The team's Travel doubled: 60 on Riding Horses, 40 on Draft Horses; about 80 on the Black Hills line's best 1876 runs, a ceiling |
| Rail | Not tracked. A through train about 350 miles a day with stops; a branch line about 100 (Cheyenne to Denver, 106 miles, one day, $7) |
| Unkept horses | Count days away from towns and stations (Keeping a Horse) |

| Mount (*The Stable*) | Scale | Speed | Wounds | Res | Carry | Travel | Dollars |
|:--|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|:-:|--:|
| Pony | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 20 | $25 |
| Riding Horse | 2 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 16 | 30 | $50 |
| Mountain Horse | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 18 | 25 | $60 |
| Mule | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 20 | $50 |
| Donkey | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 20 | $15 |
| Draft Horse | 2 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 24 | 20 | $75 |
| Ox | 2 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 22 | 12 | $45 |

Defense is 0 / 0 for all; traits, barding and the grade rule are in Gear and Prices, Mounts. Distances are in Places and Campaign Tools, Rail Routes and Road, Stage and Trail Routes (Cheyenne to Fort Laramie 89 miles, to Custer City 246; Omaha to Cheyenne 516).

### Money and Credit

| Term | Rule |
|:--|:--|
| Dollars | Every price in the book is in dollars; a sourcebook's unit is a cross-reference to its row, not a rate. Gear and Prices owns every price |
| Keep | A working character's food and lodging are covered by the Role's Pay and not tracked. Out of work, the character is **Broke**: cash for meals and a bed at Gear and Prices' rates, or sleep rough, which is an exposure for Illness. Paid work or a Stakes win that covers a month ends it |
| Credit | Limit twice the Starting Stake (three times with Good Credit). Negotiation, Average, opens an account; purchases up to the limit then need no roll. Record the **Debt**: creditor, sum, due at the end of the next month (a creation Debt, the end of the second month) |
| Unpaid Debt | After the due date, 1 Bane Die to social checks with the creditor and with merchants who hear of it, and no new account with them. After a second month the creditor sues, attaches property or hires a collector. A Broke debtor's creditor may act a month early |
| Lending | A character who lends records the Debt as its creditor; interest is 2 percent a month unless set in writing. Calling a Debt early: Negotiation, Hard. Buying a month: Negotiation, Average, at a month's interest |
| Stakes and Bounty | Pay in dollars |

## Adversary Numbers

Adversaries. Wounds and Strain (Nemeses only), Defense Melee / Ranged, Resistance, each attack as Damage / Crit / Range with its qualities, and the Stare pool as Willpower and Readiness. A Minion's Wounds are per member and pooled. Before 1873 a Single-Action Revolver is a Cap-and-Ball Revolver (5 / 3 / Medium; Limited Ammo 6). A melee weapon's damage is Might plus the number. Abilities, Tactics and Use are in the entry.

| Entry | Tier | Wounds (Strain) | Def M/R | Res | Attacks (Damage / Crit / Range; qualities) | Stare | Notoriety; Bounty |
|:--|:--|:-:|:-:|:-:|:--|:--|:--|
| Posse Rider | Minion, 2 + net Successes, max 8 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium, or Coach Gun 8/3/Short (Blast 4, Knockdown, Vicious 2, Limited Ammo 2); Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium (Accurate 1, Limited Ammo 6) | Wil 2, Rdn 1 | Morale: Willpower and Readiness, Average |
| Cavalry Trooper | Minion, 4 to 8 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Breechloading Rifle 8/3/Long (Prepare 1); Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged; Sabre Might + 3/3/Engaged (Momentum 2, Balanced 1) | The officer is principal | |
| Rustler | Minion, 3 to 5 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium | Wil 2, Rdn 1 | 0 to 1; Minor $68 a rider, if posted |
| Stage Robber | Minion, 2 to 4 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Coach Gun 8/3/Short (Blast 4, Knockdown, Vicious 2, Limited Ammo 2); Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium | Wil 2, Rdn 1 | 0 to 1; Serious $246 a robber |
| Claim Jumper | Minion, 2 to 4 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged (Disorient 1); Hatchet Might + 2/3/Engaged (Vicious 1, Sunder); Trade Gun 7/4/Medium (Prepare 2, Unreliable); Pocket Revolver 5/4/Short (Concealable 2, Limited Ammo 5) | Wil 2, Rdn 1 | Minor $39, if posted |
| Vigilante | Minion, 4 to 10 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Coach Gun 8/3/Short; Trade Gun 7/4/Medium; Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged | Wil 2, Rdn 1; under 4 members Stands Down | 0; Serious $283 for a named leader after a killing |
| Striking Miner | Minion, 4 to 8 | 8 | 0/0 | 1 | Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged; Hatchet Might + 2/3/Engaged; Fists Might/5/Engaged; one Dynamite Stick 8/4/Short (Blast 6, Limited Ammo 1, Prepare 1, Siege 2) | Wil 3, Rdn 1 | |
| Wolf | Minion, 3 to 8 | 6 | 1/0 | 1 | Bite 5/4/Engaged; on 2 Boons, 1 Bane Die to the target's movement until treated | — | |
| Rattlesnake | Minion, 1 to 3 | 3 | 0/0 | 0 | Bite 1/none/Engaged; Viper Venom: Pot 2, Onset 1 round, Interval Round, Course 4; 2 Wounds and Disoriented | — | |
| Deputy | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Coach Gun 8/3/Short; Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 2 | 0 to 1 (the home town) |
| Town Marshal | Elite | 14 | 0/1 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Coach Gun 8/3/Short; Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 3 | 1 to 2 (the home town at 1, the county at 2) |
| Cavalry Sergeant | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Breechloading Rifle 8/3/Long (Prepare 1); Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Sabre Might + 3/3/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 3 | |
| Railroad Detective | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Pocket Revolver 5/4/Short; Coach Gun 8/3/Short on a company car | Wil 3, Rdn 2 | 0 to 1 |
| Judge | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Derringer 5/4/Short (Concealable 3, Limited Ammo 2, Inaccurate 1); Contempt: Leadership check, 2 Strain | Does not take part | 2, a county |
| Hired Gun | Elite | 14 | 0/1 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 3 | 1 to 3; Serious $318 once a killing is reported |
| Bounty Hunter | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 2 | 1 to 2; Serious $283 if he kills a man wanted alive |
| Whiskey Trader | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Trade Gun 7/4/Medium; Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Pocket Revolver 5/4/Short | Wil 2, Rdn 1; Stands Down for a badge | 1; Serious $263, federal |
| Land Agent | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Pocket Revolver 5/4/Short | Wil 3, Rdn 1; Stands Down at once | |
| Saloon Keeper | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Coach Gun 8/3/Short; Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 2; regulars and toughs are allies in view | |
| Gambler and Card Sharp | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Derringer 5/4/Short; Pocket Revolver 5/4/Short; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Wil 3, Rdn 2; Stands Down to any armed principal | 1 to 2; Minor $68 for a theft, if posted |
| Cattle-Company Foreman | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Lasso Short (Ensnare 2, Limited Ammo 1) | Wil 3, Rdn 2 | |
| Oglala Lakota Warrior | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium or Trade Gun 7/4/Medium; Horse Bow 7/3/Medium (Accurate 1, Fragile 1, Cumbersome 2, Point Blank 1); Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Not by default | |
| Northern Cheyenne Warrior | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | As the Oglala Lakota Warrior | Not by default | |
| Northern Arapaho Scout and Trader | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Not by default | |
| Eastern Shoshone Scout | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium; Horse Bow 7/3/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Not by default | |
| Ute Hunter and Guide | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium or Trade Gun 7/4/Medium; Horse Bow 7/3/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged | Not by default | |
| Band Leader and Council Speaker (any nation) | Elite | 13 | 0/0 | 1 | Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium or Trade Gun 7/4/Medium; Knife Might + 1/3/Engaged; does not fight if the band has fighters | Not by default | 2 to 3 |
| Grizzly Bear | Elite | 24 | 0/0 | 2 | Swipe 7/3/Engaged (Vicious 2, Knockdown on 2 Boons); Bite 6/4/Engaged (Pierce 1); Stand and Roar: Average Readiness at Short range or 3 Strain | — | Black bear: Might 3, Res 2, Wounds 18 |
| Michael Deveney (Era Cast; deputy U.S. marshal) | Elite | 14 | 0/0 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium; Coach Gun 8/3/Short; Cudgel Might + 2/4/Engaged | Wil 4, Rdn 3 | 2, a county |
| Outlaw Leader | Nemesis | 16 (17) | 0/1 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium, two (Fan the Hammer); Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium | Wil 4, Rdn 3 | 3; Serious $467, Grave $1,184 |
| Corrupt Agent | Nemesis | 15 (16) | 0/0 | 1 | Derringer 5/4/Short | Does not take part | 0 in public; no Bounty |
| Wade Carrick (Era Cast) | Nemesis | 16 (17) | 0/1 | 2 | Single-Action Revolver 6/4/Medium, two, cross-draw (Fast Hands, Fan the Hammer, The Drop); Lever-Action Repeater 7/3/Medium | Wil 4, Rdn 3 | 3, a territory; Serious $412, Grave $1,376 |
| Odette Marchand (Era Cast) | Nemesis | 14 (17) | 0/0 | 1 | Derringer 5/4/Short | Does not take part | 2, a county |

### Stat Block Pattern and Encounter Sizing

| Tier | Wound Points | Strain Points | Skill ranks | Resistance |
|:--|:--|:--|:--|:--|
| Minion | 8 for a person (6 for an animal) | None | 1 to 2 | Half Might, rounded up, plus protection |
| Elite | 11 + Might | None (Strain becomes Wounds, 1 for 1) | 2 to 3; up to three at 3 and one at 4 for a leader | As Minion |
| Nemesis | 13 + Might | 13 + Willpower | 3 to 4 | As Minion |

Defense is 0; Ranged Defense 1 for one figure in a scene who fights from cover or on the move. An animal's entry sets its own Wounds and Resistance. A Minion from an Elite: the Elite's characteristics and Resistance, Wounds 8, every skill rank 1 lower (minimum 1), the same Equipment. Minions and Elites cannot spend Peril Points; Nemeses can.

| Encounter (party of four) | Opposition |
|:--|:--|
| Easy | One Minion group of the party's size, in poor position or surprised |
| Standard | One Minion group of 4 to 6, or one Elite alone |
| Hard | One Elite with a Minion group of 4, or two Elites, or one Minion group of more than 6 with rifles or coach guns |
| Deadly | A Nemesis with one Minion group and one Elite |

Raise or lower the group by one for each player character above or below four. The Stampede, Blizzard and Flood hazards and the outbreak table are in Adversaries.

## Gear and Prices in Brief

Gear and Prices owns every dollar figure; the owning sourcebook owns every stat line.

### Firearms (*The Black Powder Armory*, Master Tables)

| Weapon | Dmg | Crit | Range | Enc | Dollars | From | Qualities |
|:--|:-:|:-:|:--|:-:|:--|:-:|:--|
| Derringer | 5 | 4 | Short | 0 | $8 | 1866 | Concealable 3, Limited Ammo 2, Inaccurate 1 |
| Pocket Revolver | 5 | 4 | Short | 1 | $10; a cheap copy $3 | throughout | Concealable 2, Limited Ammo 5 |
| Cap-and-Ball Revolver | 5 | 3 | Medium | 1 | $12 new; $6 used | throughout | Limited Ammo 6 |
| Dragoon Revolver | 6 | 3 | Medium | 2 | $8 used | throughout | Limited Ammo 6, Cumbersome 2 |
| Single-Action Revolver | 6 | 4 | Medium | 2 | $17.50 | 1873 | Accurate 1, Limited Ammo 6 |
| Rifle-Musket (Military) | 8 | 3 | Long | 4 | $5 surplus | throughout | Prepare 2 |
| Breechloading Rifle (Military; a civilian Sharps is Common) | 8 | 3 | Long | 4 | $40 Sharps; $12 Springfield surplus | throughout | Prepare 1 |
| Buffalo Rifle | 9 | 2 | Extreme | 6 | $45 Sharps; $32 Remington | 1867 | Accurate 1, Prepare 1, Cumbersome 3 |
| Lever-Action Repeater | 7 | 3 | Medium | 3 | $45 Winchester; $12 Spencer surplus | 1866 | — |
| Coach Gun | 8 | 3 | Short | 3 | $12 muzzle-loader; $35 breech-loader | throughout | Blast 4, Knockdown, Vicious 2, Limited Ammo 2 |
| Trade Gun | 7 | 4 | Medium | 3 | $5 | throughout (old stock) | Prepare 2, Unreliable |
| Lasso | — | — | Short | 1 | $1.50 rope; $6 riata | throughout | Ensnare 2, Limited Ammo 1 |

All use the one skill Ranged. The Single-Action Revolver reloads in two maneuvers, the Cap-and-Ball Revolver in six, or two with a spare cylinder ($3). Cartridges: $1.25 a box of 50 for a revolver or repeater in .44, $1.50 in .45; $1 a box of 20 for a Sharps or Springfield; shotgun shells $1 a box of 25. Blades, bows, tack and medicine are in Gear and Prices, The Essential Gear Table.

### Price Bands

When no price is printed, use the band (Gear and Prices, Price bands).
| Band | Dollars | Examples |
|:--|:--|:--|
| Trifle | up to $0.25 | A newspaper, a shot of whiskey, a box of matches; not tracked |
| Small | $0.30 to $2.00 | A meal, a Knife, a bridle, a night's bed, a box of cartridges, a saddle blanket |
| Moderate | $2.05 to $10.00 | A hat, boots, a Hatchet, a used revolver, a Derringer, a pack saddle, a week's board |
| Dear | $10.05 to $30.00 | A Colt, a coach gun, a cowhand's month, a Pony, a town suit, a doctor's bag |
| Costly | $30.05 to $75.00 | A Winchester, a Sharps, a saddle horse, a stock saddle, a mule, a Draft Horse |
| Great | over $75.00 | A team and wagon, a Fine horse, a transit, a hand press, a claim |

### Most-Asked Prices

Gear and Prices, the table named in brackets.

| Item | Price | Item | Price |
|:--|:--|:--|:--|
| A shot of whiskey; a bottle [Medicine] | $0.25; $1.50 | A meal: town restaurant; Union Pacific eating house [What Things Cost] | $0.50; $1 |
| A day's board at a boarding house ($7.50 a week) [Lodging] | $1.10 | First-class hotel, a day; a bunk; half a shared bed [Lodging] | $3.50; $0.50; $0.25 |
| A doctor's visit, day; night [Doctor] | $3; $5 | Setting a fracture; a gunshot wound dressed; a day of nursing [Doctor] | $25; $25; $1.50 |
| A felt hat; work boots; a wool shirt; trousers [Clothing] | $2; $4; $1.50; $3.50 | A starter outfit (hat, boots, shirt, trousers, slicker) [Clothing] | $14 |
| A bedroll; a blanket; a wall tent [Camp kit] | $6; $2.50; $30 | A week's grub for one on the trail [Camp kit] | $1.50 |
| A holster and cartridge belt; a deck of cards [Camp kit] | $4; $0.35 | A stock saddle; a McClellan; a bridle; a pack saddle [Tack] | $35; $8; $2.50; $8 |
| Livery: a saddle horse, a day; a mule; a team and rig [Livery] | $2; $1.50; $5 | A horse boarded at a livery, a day; a week [Livery] | $1; $6 |
| A two-horse wagon; a team and wagon outfit [Vehicles] | $110; $300 | A buckboard; a buggy; a Concord coach [Vehicles] | $55; $90; $1,200 |
| Rail, Cheyenne to Denver; Omaha to Cheyenne [Passage] | $7; $38.76 (1869), $31 by 1877 | Stage, Cheyenne to Custer City, first / second / third class, 1876 [Passage] | $20 / $15 / $10 |
| A letter, per half ounce; a postal card [Record] | $0.03; $0.01 | Telegraph, ten words, by distance; Cheyenne to Chicago [Record] | $0.40 to $2.50; $1 |
| An axe; a shovel; a pick [Tools] | $1.25; $1.25; $1.50 | A surveyor's transit; a doctor's bag; manacles [Tools] | $200; $25; $3 |

### Wages in Brief

Gear and Prices, Wages and Income. Monthly unless stated.
- **Wage:** a cowhand $30 and board (a top hand $45); a laborer $2 a day; a section hand $1.75 a day; a miner $3 a day; an Army private $13, a sergeant $17; a servant or cook $25 and board.
- **Trade:** a teamster $28 and board, a stage driver $50; a deputy sheriff $60, a town marshal $100, a deputy U.S. marshal fees only (about $40); an Army scout $75; a teacher $60 (a woman $50); a minister about $67; a station agent $75, an operator $60.
- **Professional:** a store clerk $75; a doctor about $150 net; a lawyer $10 to $100 a case; a hired editor $30 a week; a lieutenant about $117, a captain $150.
- **Hire:** casual labor $2 a day; a posse rider or a deputy for a day $2 and the horse's keep; a guide $3 to $5 a day; a drover $30 a month and board.

## Dates to Use

Places and Campaign Tools, Dates to Use; the Historical Reference owns each date. Each is a fixed point the world reaches whatever the players do: a deadline, a rumor or news.

| Date | Event | Use at the table |
|:--|:--|:--|
| 10 December 1869 | Wyoming Territory gives women the vote | A political session; a precinct |
| 24 June 1870 | The first Denver Pacific train runs between Denver and Cheyenne (track finished 22 June) | A first train; a rate fight |
| 6 September 1870 | The first election in which women vote | A close precinct |
| 13 September 1873 | The Brunot Agreement is signed with the Ute | A delegation; a disputed line |
| 29 November 1873 | The Laramie County stock association (which dates itself to 1872) meets in Cheyenne | A detective; a brand fight |
| 2 July 1874 | The Black Hills expedition leaves Fort Abraham Lincoln | The pressure begins |
| 23 October 1874 | The flagpole at Red Cloud Agency is cut down | An agent's inquiry |
| 20 September 1875 | The Allison commission council convenes near Red Cloud Agency | A delegation; a rejected offer |
| 31 January 1876 | The deadline for bands outside the agencies to report | A hard choice for the Lakota and Cheyenne |
| 3 February 1876 | The first Cheyenne to Custer City stage trip | A seat on the stage |
| 17 March 1876 | The Army attacks a village on the Powder River | The war is on |
| 25 to 26 June 1876 | Battle of the Little Bighorn | News arrives in July |
| 1 August 1876 | Colorado becomes a state | The range ends |

The play range is 1869 to 1876, the history range 1865 to 1880, the map date 1 September 1874 (The Era).

## Glossary

| Term | Meaning in this book |
|:--|:--|
| Ante, Pot, Exchange, Lead, Raise, Call, Fold | The Stakes steps: what each side puts up, the total, one opposed check, the score to 3, adding cash for a Boon Die, matching a Raise, giving up |
| Attitude, Marker, Audience | A rating (Welcome 2 to Closed 3) an audience holds toward a marker; a thing the audience reacts to; the person or group that decides a social scene |
| Backed Down | The mark on a principal who Stands Down, or walks away from a call, before witnesses |
| Bounty, Wanted | A posted reward for a person, by offense band; having one within the poster's Reach |
| Broke, Keep | Out of work, with no Keep; the food and lodging a Role's Pay covers |
| Course, Severity | The number of daily checks an illness lasts; Mild, Serious or Grave |
| Cover, Sponsor | An identity the audience respects; a respected person present who vouches. Each moves one marker one step toward Neutral |
| Credit limit, Debt | Twice (with Good Credit three times) the Starting Stake; a recorded sum owed with a due date |
| Draw, Stand Down | The loser's two choices after a Stare |
| Era Cast | The nine fictional characters who carry the book's art and examples |
| Favored talent | A Role's listed talent; Tier 2 and up cost 5 XP less |
| Hazard | The one check a journey may need; also a danger without a will (stampede, blizzard, flood) |
| Notoriety, Reach, Name | A 0 to 5 rating of how far a deed is known; the area where it is known; the reputation itself |
| Origin, Role, Standing, Starting Stake | The community a character comes from; a place in society with a kit and favored talents; Wage, Trade, Professional or Capital; the cash on hand after the kit |
| Outside Jurisdiction | Acting beyond an officer's authority: +1 Bane Die to the arrest, +2 in another nation's country |
| Posse | A Minion group of 2 plus net Successes, maximum 8, called by an officer |
| Stare | The opposed Willpower and Readiness check that opens a Showdown |
| Strength | A once-per-session Boon Die an Origin gives in its setting |
| Tongues | Languages bought with XP; sign talk is one |
| Unceded Indian Territory | North of the North Platte and east of the Big Horn summits, closed to settlement by Article XVI of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty |
| Unkept | A horse away from feed for more than three days |
| Minion, Elite, Nemesis | The three adversary tiers of the Core Rules |

## Index of Rules

| Term | Chapter, heading |
|:--|:--|
| Adversary entries | Adversaries, The Law (141); The Lawless (146); Interests and Trades (153); The Tribal Nations (158); Animals (140); Adversary Index (168) |
| Advancing the calendar | Running the Era, Pacing a Session (194) |
| Alternate history | Running the Era, Alternate-History Cautions (193) |
| Arms in Town | Era Rules, Arms in Town (136); Gear and Prices, The law of the gun in town (114) |
| Arrests and warrants | Era Rules, Warrants and Arrests (135) |
| Attitude, Markers, Cover, Sponsor | Era Rules, Prejudice (129); Sample Audiences (129); Tribal Nations, What a Tribal character carries in town (24) |
| Availability; dates of introduction | Gear and Prices, Availability by Place and Year (112); Dates of introduction (113) |
| Bounty: posting, Wanted, taking, ending | Era Rules, Notoriety and Bounty (131) |
| Campaign frame; journey outlines | Places and Campaign Tools, The Campaign Frame (180); Two Journey Outlines (183) |
| Campaign modes | Running the Era, Campaign Modes (187) |
| Character creation steps, languages, mixed heritage | Character Creation and Roles, Creating a Character (89) |
| Clothing, camp kit, tools, vehicles | Gear and Prices, Clothing and General Goods (120) |
| Credit, Debt, Keep, Broke, Lending | Era Rules, Money and Credit (137) |
| Creation Debt | Character Creation and Roles, Standing and Starting Stake (92) |
| Dates to use | Places and Campaign Tools, Dates to Use (181) |
| Depot complications; road encounters; rumors | Places and Campaign Tools, Complications at a Depot (183); Encounters on the Road (182); Rumors (181) |
| Disease as an adversary; outbreaks | Adversaries, Disease as an Adversary (165) |
| Doctor's fees, medicine, nursing | Gear and Prices, Doctor, medicine and nursing (112) |
| Encounter sizing | Adversaries, Sizing an Encounter (141) |
| Era Cast | Welcome to The Old West, The Era Cast (4); Adversaries, Wade Carrick (166); Michael Deveney (167); Odette Marchand (167); Running the Era, Running the Cast (195) |
| Era talents (39); favored talents | Skills and Talents, Era Talents (103) |
| Fields of Lore | Skills and Talents, Fields of Lore (101) |
| Firearms, blades, bows, mounts, tack, medicine | Gear and Prices, The Essential Gear Table (115) |
| Harsher realism | Running the Era, When to Add Harsher Realism (187) |
| Hazards: Stampede, Blizzard, Flood | Adversaries, Hazards (163) |
| Holding office; bounty hunting; trades not listed; men and women | Character Creation and Roles, Other Trades and Offices (99) |
| Horse grades, livery | Gear and Prices, Horses, Tack and Livery (119) |
| Horse stolen | Gear and Prices, OW-SB-01: What Happens When Your Horse Is Stolen? (125) |
| Illness, Care, Contagion | Era Rules, Illness (126) |
| Illnesses of the corridor; chronic illness | Era Rules, The Corridor's Illnesses (127) |
| Jurisdiction | Factions and Powers, Who Answers to Whom (59); Era Rules, Who Acts Where (134) |
| Keeping a Horse | Era Rules, Keeping a Horse (128) |
| Kits of the pregenerated characters | Pregenerated Characters, The Kits at a Glance (235) |
| Land laws; filing a claim | The Era, Law and Who Holds Power (14); Factions and Powers, The General Land Office and the Land Laws (53) |
| Law enforcement offices | Factions and Powers, Law Enforcement: Counties, Cities, Courts and Marshals (44) |
| Lodging; passage | Gear and Prices, Lodging (122); Passage (123) |
| Minion from an Elite; figures without an entry; stat block pattern | Adversaries, Reading a Stat Block (140) |
| Money, greenbacks and coin | Gear and Prices, Money (107) |
| News and mail | Places and Campaign Tools, How News and Mail Travel (175) |
| Notoriety: Reach, earning, losing | Era Rules, Notoriety and Bounty (131) |
| Ordinary-person templates | Places and Campaign Tools, Ordinary-Person Templates (184) |
| Origins and Strengths | Character Creation and Roles, Origins (90) |
| Pacing; scenes | Running the Era, Pacing a Session (194); Scenes and Encounter Frameworks (193) |
| Period map | The Era, The Period Map (7) |
| Posse | Era Rules, The Posse (135) |
| Pregenerated characters | Pregenerated Characters, The Party at a Glance (227) |
| Price bands | Gear and Prices, Price bands (111) |
| Prices from the record | Gear and Prices, What the record gives (111) |
| Real people at the table | Running the Era, Real People at the Table (192) |
| Roles (22), kits, Pay | Character Creation and Roles, Roles (92) |
| Routes: rail, road, stage, the old trails; distances (How Far) | Places and Campaign Tools, Rail Routes (170); Road, Stage and Trail Routes (172); The Old Trails (174) |
| Seasons: travel by, the year's fixed dates | The Era, Seasons and Weather (16) |
| Showdown, Stare, Backed Down | Era Rules, The Showdown (130) |
| Skill boundaries | Skills and Talents, Quick Skill Boundaries for the Era (101) |
| Skill changes: Riding, Operate, Ranged, Tongues | Skills and Talents, Skill Changes (100); Languages: Tongues (102) |
| Source Book Map | Gear and Prices, The Source Book Map (124) |
| Stakes | Era Rules, Stakes (133) |
| Standing, Starting Stake, Credit limit | Character Creation and Roles, Standing and Starting Stake (92) |
| Starter adventure | Starter Adventure, The Line North (209) |
| Timeline, 1865 to 1880 | The Era, Timeline, 1865 to 1880 (9) |
| Travel, a day's | Places and Campaign Tools, How Travel Works (169); Era Rules, Travel at the Table (136) |
| Treaties and agreements | Tribal Nations, Treaties and Agreements Used in This Chapter (22) |
| Tribal Nations as opposition | Adversaries, Rules for Using the Tribal Nations as Opposition (139) |
| Wages and hire | Gear and Prices, Wages and Income (109) |
| Worked example of a build | Character Creation and Roles, Worked Example: Building Nora Quinlan (99) |
| XP costs | Character Creation and Roles, Creating a Character (89); Skills and Talents, Era Talents (103) |