Sundown Sinners

Chapter Seven: Men Who Know the Woods

You have read a skill book!

This has increased your Medicine skill to Level 2!

Congratulations, Cowboy!

You have leveled up. You are now Level 2!

You have one skill point to allocate.

You have read a skill book!

This has increased your Medicine skill to Level 3!

Congratulations, Cowboy!

You have leveled up. You are now Level 3!

You have two skill points to allocate.

Your Seduction skill has increased to Level 2!

Your Seduction skill has increased to Level 3!

Your Seduction skill has increased to Level 4!

Congratulations, Cowboy!

You have leveled up. You are now Level 4!

You have three skill points to allocate.

As soon as I was by myself, a quest had popped up to open one of the medical texts. I did so, expecting the books to be blank. Instead, I was surprised to find that the books were not plain yellowed pages, but covered in medical diagrams, print text, and slanting, cursive writing in the margins. I would have loved to know what they said, but just as I leaned in for a look, notifications clouded my vision like a fog of floating words.

My levels and skills were rising so quickly that I realized the experience points must have been compounding in the tutorial stage, and that stage was clearly over. Now, I had the joyous task of reading through all of my skills and trying to allocate what I could to improve my experience. The only concern I had was that I wasn't quite sure how to access my skill tree, if such a thing existed in this game.

I looked at the small icon of the telegraph in the corner of my vision. Was this important enough to 'Ask Bertie?' I closed my eyes, deciding I would try it my way first. After all, if I could mentally click things, didn't that also mean I could mentally access my menus? My heart skipped a beat as I realized that I might be able to quit the game if I could access the main menu. This was still a game, wasn't it?

I mentally tried to bring up a menu. To my utter surprise, it worked. A sort of black sheen covered my vision, as if I was trying to peer through a thin mesh mask. There were five options.

Save Game

Quick Save

Options

Load Game

Quit Game *

Note: Quit Game button currently disabled during demo. Please contact the Sundown Sinners support team if you are having issues.

Despite the note, I tried to select the button anyway. Of course, nothing happened. I tried again. Again. I must have clicked it about fifteen times before I yelled out in frustration. I dismissed the menu and turned around the room, looking for something to take my sudden anger out on. My victim ended up being the neat stack of medical texts on the exam table, which I took out with a single swipe of my arms, spilling them onto the oilcloth floor.

"Fuck!" I yelled, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion I didn't realize had been building inside my chest. I sank to my knees and held my head protectively in a pseudo-fetal position. There was no way of escape. I hadn't realized I had been looking for one so hard, but now there was a sense of devastating loss that I couldn't seem to shake.

I sat like that for what felt like hours, but no one came to check on me. Maybe I hadn't screamed at all? Or maybe the game was finally following game logic, and unless I interacted with something, no events would be triggered? I knew that I wasn't knowledgeable enough in the design of this game, let alone others, to answer that question. The only thing I knew was that I was stuck here until Bertie let me out, if he ever did.

After a little while longer, I removed my arms from my head and sighed. Throwing a temper tantrum wouldn't do anything, except for maybe give Bertie a show if he was watching at all. What I needed to do was assign these stupid fucking skill points and get out of here.

I stared numbly at the crates holding up the exam table. I was now level four. I had leveled up both my Medicine and Seduction skills. Mentally, I tried to pull up a menu of a skill tree. As if it were a projector screen being pulled from the ceiling, the tree unfolded before me.

The background of this screen was more opaque than the others, looking as though it was made of old, weathered paper. Printed on the paper was a gnarled oak tree, its eighteen branches twisting and turning in several strange directions, labeled with glowing plaques that swung in an unseen wind. From one of the branches hung an old noose, dangling as if forgotten in time. My level sat at the bottom of the page, barely past the beginning of the progress bar.

The tabs for Medicine and Seduction were flashing. I mentally clicked on Medicine and was suddenly assaulted by multiple options dotting my vision. A text box spammed in front of me, stealing my attention. It read:

MEDICINE!

Dig out the bullet, pour whiskey on that sumbitch and call it a day. If that don't work, grab your needle and thread. And if that don't work, pray to god or something. That's the best you'll get out here, the frontier don't have any time for fancy doctors. Speaking of, have you tried cocaine? Opium? Might want to carry some of that around, unless you want to break your teeth on a bullet.

Upgrading this skill will increase your overall HP.

Please select an attribute to assign skillpoints to.

Skill: Level 3

Along with the skill itself, I also gained access to three attributes, where I could spend my skill points that I gained from leveling up. For medicine, these attributes were diagnosis, treatment, and herbalism. Each attribute had five levels that unlocked at levels 1, 10, 15, 20, and 30, and grew more powerful with each attribute level gained.

Diagnosis seemed to cover the inspection aspect of medicine. I could identify wounds and diseases and the best courses of treatment for them. The lower level of the attribute seemed to only allow me to identify if a wound was infected or if a person had a disease in general, but didn't seem to offer more information than that.

Treatment was an attribute that covered what you might expect. Depending on the attribute's level, I could treat a variety of different injuries and ailments, from minor to severe, and even resuscitate companions the higher up I got.

Herbalism involved everything that a person might need for crafting health kits, medicines, and other treatments. The higher the level, the better the medications. At the highest level, it looked like I could even craft drugs and alcohol, which I imagined would be a very lucrative income stream later on down the line.

As I puzzled over where I wanted to sink my skill points into, my anger slowly melted away. I couldn't escape this place. But, that didn't mean that I was going to be stuck here forever. If I tried, I was sure I could power through a videogame in record speed. I just needed to be smart about my choices and set myself up for success.

Before assigning anything, I glanced at the Seduction skill as well. Just like Medicine, there were three attributes: charm, allure, and manipulation. They were all what you might expect. To charm someone was to bend them to your will through charisma. Alluring someone meant that your sex appeal forced them to see things your way. Manipulation was saved for higher-level coercion, where you needed to get someone to do something completely against their will. All of it seemed useful, but there was a particular benefit to Charm that allowed a player to sway a crowd. This was called Mob Speak and was only available after reaching level five of the attribute, which unlocked if previous levels were unlocked and at level 30 in the game.

For now, I assigned one skill point to Charm, one to Diagnosis and one to Treatment. If my main goal in this quest line was to be a doctor, then I needed the skills to make that easier.

With my skill points assigned, I left the tent and headed to the fire. I had to focus on moving this plot along instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, or I would never get out of here. When I was inside the tent, the lighting outside appeared to be mid-afternoon, shining through the cotton material of the walls and casting a dim golden light over everything. However, the moment I stepped outside I realized how much colder it was. And darker.

It was nearly dusk, the sun resting on the horizon in a thin line of orange light. The cloudless sky was beginning to sparkle with the first stars of evening. I glanced back into the tent, but it looked pitch black behind me. I shook my head, deciding not to question the sudden shift in daylight.

Around the fire rested a majority of the crew, save Silas. Cookie was handing out tin plates of more salted pork, cornbread, and beans. Jacks had a bottle of whiskey at his left knee that sat open, no cork in sight. Caleb and Walter sat in front of the fire sipping cups of gritty coffee, their eyes settled wearily on the flames. Tumble was off by himself on a felled log, scribbling lines in the dirt with a stick.

As soon as I approached the campfire, the gang fell silent. Jacks, Tumble, and Walter all turned their gazes to me with varying degrees of interest. I adjusted my cuffs, flustered by the sudden attention. There was the savory scent of cooked meat in the air, a pleasant warmth combatting the winter chill that descended upon the meadow.

"Sit." Caleb instructed, gesturing to a spot on the log next to Jacks. "We'll get you a bit of food. Silas is readying your horse." He eyed my waist as if searching for something. He frowned slightly when he didn't find it.

"Where's your gun?" Caleb asked.

I glanced down at my waist, then back at him. "Am I supposed to be carrying it?"

Jacks laughed, slapping his knee as I sat beside him. "You're really just like him! Doc wouldn't carry a gun around to save his life."

"Yeah. We had to do that for him." Walter grumbled.

"Yeah!" Jacks grinned cheekily at me. "I guess we'll have to save your life too?"

I flushed a bright red and looked down at the spot where my revolver was supposed to hang. "I didn't even think about it. I'm not used to having to defend myself, to be honest."

Jacks whistled to himself. "Must be nice."

"That's over now." Caleb cut in. "I was too soft on Mallory, the same thing isn't going to happen with you. Grab your gun and come back. We'll send you and Silas on your hunting trip. I don't want to see either of you until your gunslinging is up to level three."

The fourth-wall awareness of the NPCs and their skills was a little bit jarring. I stared at Caleb in surprise for a solid few seconds before he raised an eyebrow.

"Did you not hear what I said?" His voice was almost a threat. It was so different from how he was treating me earlier, I felt like I was getting whiplash.

"I heard you." I mumbled, standing up from my spot with Jacks. Surprisingly, Jacks rose with me, clapping a hand on my shoulder.

"I'll make sure you don't get lost." He teased, following me to the wall tent. Caleb watched us go, silent as a perched eagle.

When we entered the tent, the only light came from a dying oil lamp hanging off the center support beam. What happened before with there being afternoon light must have been some sort of glitch or feature. I walked inside and grabbed the box on the exam table, lifting the lid. Jacks peered over my shoulder, taking in the sight of the revolver.

"Damn, that's a nice one." He mumbled, resting his head on my shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I glanced at him awkwardly.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Jacks looked up at me, not moving his head. "Relax, gabacho. If I were hitting on you, you'd already be taking your clothes off."

I rolled my eyes and picked the gun out of its velvet bed, balancing its weight in the palm of my hand. "It's heavier than I thought." I mumbled, mostly to myself.

"That's how they always are." Jacks admitted, reaching over my shoulders. He helped me raise the gun and aim it at the tent wall. "You have to support it up here," He moved my hand up on the butt of the revolver. "Don't strangle her, you have to have her loose in your grip or else you'll shake." I tried to relax, but I felt like if I loosened my grip on the gun, it would fall to the ground.

"Just a few things you have to remember with a gun like her." Jacks was whispering in my ear, his lips tickling my lobe. It was hard to concentrate.

"And what's that?" I mumbled. Jacks dropped one of his hands and slowly slid it down my waist. His fingers crept forward, slipping gingerly into the waistband of my pants. My breath hitched, but I didn't move.

"Treat her like she's awake. Always loaded. Thumb the hammer, that's this thing, slowly. Speed will come with time." His fingers dipped into my underwear. They were so cold that I shuddered. "When you pull the trigger, go easy on the squeeze. And remember that a colt is just like a real horse, you have to let her buck." His hand wrapped around my cock and began to jerk it off slowly. I clenched my jaw to keep from uttering a sound.

"I brought your dinner to you, Doctor Elliot," Cookie's voice chirped as Jacks leaned in to kiss me. The two of us sprang apart like same-polarity magnets. I stumbled into a trunk full of clothes and fell over backward. Jacks tripped onto the bedroll and stayed prone on the ground, snickering to himself. Cookie looked around the tent, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"You boys weren't doing anything... untoward, were you?" There was a knowing glint to her eye that communicated she already knew the answer to her question.

I glanced at Jacks, who still couldn't contain himself. With a sigh, I smiled sheepishly at Cookie. She offered me an arm and helped me stand.

"I'm not really a doctor." I muttered, trying to change the subject to literally anything else.

"You are now." Cookie told me with a wolfish grin. "It is likely that you will see much more injury and illness than any city doctor. Especially if you stay around this little crew." She gave a sidelong glance to Jacks, who shrugged as if he didn't know what she was talking about. Cookie helped Jacks to his feet before pushing him out of the tent with a shove to his shoulder. "We will let you eat, Doctor. Please let us know if there is anything you require from us." She bowed her head slightly. "And welcome to the family."

Her last phrase was so warm that I couldn't help but look away from her. I didn't deserve that sort of attitude yet, I had barely begun my work with them. I couldn't even shoot yet, though then again, that was supposed to change after tonight. With a shake of my head, I turned to the steaming plate of food that rested on the exam table.

The scent of alcohol and medicinal herbs seemed to overpower the painstakingly prepared meal, suffocating it into submission. It was unlikely that I would be able to rouse much of an appetite if I stayed in this tent. And yet, I knew that the moment I left, I would trigger the questline that would lead to me and Silas alone in the woods with nothing but guns to keep us company.

I turned my back on my dinner and fully searched the room, taking out every book and instrument from the trunks resting in the corners of the small space. When I was finished, I had discovered several tinctures, bandages, and a few pills labeled in small leather satchels with neat strips of paper. I read one more book, which brought my Medicine skill halfway full. Finally, with nothing left to do, I slammed the now lukewarm food down my throat and brought my dish back to the campfire.

Silas was waiting for me by the time I arrived. He had a dark, gigantic horse by the reins. He glanced at me, his face twinged with annoyance. I looked down at myself, wondering if I was wearing my gun correctly. I had found a leather holster and some bullets when I was looking around the tent, but to be honest, I had no idea how to put it on. I sort of winged it, tightening the straps of the holster as much as I could before I realized the whole thing was inside out. I decided that if Silas had an issue with it, he could fix it himself.

"Come on." Silas grumbled. "I don't have all day."

A text box appeared, just as it had previously whenever a new quest was starting.

Quest Received!

Caleb wants you to go with Silas and learn how to shoot!

Collect three pelts of any animal on your trip and trade them to the Washoe Tribe for information.

Reward: You will level up your Gunslinging Skill. You will earn trust with Caleb. You will earn trust with Silas.

I read the quest over twice before I allowed the box to disappear from my vision. It didn't seem so complicated, it was probably designed to be an easily achievable goal for a new player to learn the mechanics of gunslinging and probably a few other skills. The rewards were more interesting than the quest itself. Trust seemed to be an important word, like gold or friendship in other games. What did earning trust mean? Would it improve my relationship with these characters?

Without a word, I walked toward Silas and allowed him to help me onto the horse before he climbed on behind me. I stared down at the reins, which he put firmly in my hand.

"You can ride, right?" He asked, his voice low and angry. I bit my bottom lip. I had ridden a horse before, only that horse was tied to a pole within a circular fence and was very mild tempered for children to ride.

"I, uh," I tried to look at him over my shoulder, but couldn't see him. His chest was pressed against my back, holding me steady. "No." I whispered sheepishly. "I don't really know how to ride."

I expected Silas to lash out, but he held his tongue, sliding his hands over mine.

"You're going to want to hold onto these. Don't hold onto the horn of the saddle, only pussies do that. Anyway, it's actually more dangerous." I lifted my hands, which had been resting on the leather hump at the front of the saddle.

"Horses are smart." Silas continued. "Way smarter than cats or dogs. You just have to show him which way to go by stretching out your arm. A gentle tug on the reins will tell him where you want to move." He stretched out my right arm and the reins moved ever so slightly. The horse looked to his right before glancing at me suspiciously.

"If you want him to go, you gotta dig your heels into him. Do it gently, or else he'll bolt off like a bat outta hell." Silas held tight onto the horse with his thighs, his feet hooking around my calves. "Go on. Try it."

I gulped, nodding nervously. Despite my better judgement, my eyes squeezed shut. Slowly, I raised my heels. With a gentle tap, they came back onto the horse's ribs. He didn't move. I heard Silas let out a sigh.

"Harder than that, idiot. But not too hard." My cheeks flushed a bright red. I peaked through a crack in my eyelids and tried again, harder this time. The horse's ears went up and he turned fully to the right, walking with a startling jolt. I pulled back on the reins immediately, panicking. The horse stopped, nickering in annoyance.

"If you pull those, he stops." Silas helped me ease up on the reins. "You have to work with him, not against him." He clutched my hands tightly. "Come on. Try again."

I clenched my jaw and tapped the horse's ribs once more. He began to trot, taking us in the direction my arm still pointed. I lowered it, exhaling a shuddering breath. Silas nodded, his warm breath tickling the back of my neck.

"Good. We'll head for that treeline over there. There's bucks in those woods, saw 'em yesterday." Silas told me. I nodded one more time, following his direction. I could feel everyone's gaze on us until we finally disappeared behind the towering evergreen trunks.

We rode for maybe half an hour before Silas helped me off of the horse. As soon as he was tied to a tree, Silas led me to a small hill, where we sat. He taught me how to load the revolver. He taught me that the horse's name was Samuel, and that he was the friendliest horse in the herd that the Reeves had access to. I was going to be riding him until further notice.