Every posse can measure its worth by the grit they earned, going toe to claw with some diabolical abomination, but every town doesn't have creatures waiting around for the posse to show up and save the day. Occasionally (Okay, Often), evil rears its head in the form of another gang, or NPC that proves more than enough competition for the posse. We have included a full gang and a single character this month that will give the players a run for their money. The Dust Devils can rob the train your posse's on or hit the bank they just deposited their savings into. Kid Nitro is an explosives expert with a few screws loose that could prove more trouble than he's worth as a new recruit in the posse.

Dust Devils

Pardners, the Dust Devils are one of the most rowdy, egotistical gangs of the time period. In other outlaws, Ego worked against them, but for this odd bunch, luck played upon the group and made them even more infamous. The gangs origins lie in events of of a Baptist preacher in Santa Fe,1875. Brother Orville Renfield had been working with the Apache, making a futile attempt to bring religion to the "savages". He had also began studying the occult , due to the strange mystical sights that were popping up in the Southwest. Through a gambler, he learned the ways of Hoyle and accidentally Soul Blasted his remaining family members. The traumatic experience changed the preacher, and he left his town and religion behind in search of something else.

The Preacher went to Kansas and hooked up with a gunfighter kid. They were minor criminals at best and never achieved any great notoriety. Renfield did kill a Pinkerton agent here and built his gun fighting, huckster and gambling skills up. At some point the kid left for Mexico, and the Preacher recruited for a new gang. He had met Henry Moriarty, a "Mad Scientist"  on the level of Hellstromme, but lacking the funds. After saving the Scientist's life they became fast friends. Renfield funded the scientific experiments and Moriarty built the weapons (not knowing exactly what the Preacher was planning). Before leaving for Mexico, the "Kid" said one important thing: "Structure yourself as Southern Sympathizers. Then you will always have a safe haven in the Confederacy." The Preacher started recruiting for a gang to rival the guerilla factions of the James Gang and Quantrill's raiders. Moriarty built an armored wagon, called the Whore of Babylon by the eccentric Preacher. Through his gambling, the Preacher paid for the construction as well as two stolen gatling guns to turret the top of this contraption. As their notoriety grew, papers began calling them the Dust Devils, because of the smoke their armored contraption stirred up during a bank heist. They robbed banks from Nevada, to Colorado, to Wyoming, always making safe get away back to Desert Bloom, New Mexico, their base of operations. Of notable bank jobs they robbed the First National and Colorado Savings and Loan in Denver, simultaneously. They hit Franklin City, Nevada three times robbing two banks and an arsenal (for the gatlings for the armored steam wagon). The Union want the guys arrested and tried. The Pinkertons want them Dead! Your posse could be heroes if they can gather up the sand. The Preacher has a $5000 dollar reward on his head with a $1000 going for any other captured gang member. Remember   the South and Southwestern states think these guys are helping the Cause and treat them like Robin Hood and his Merry men.

Orville Renfield "The Preacher"

Corporeal: Deftness: 4D10 Nimbleness: 1D10 Strength: 4D6 Quickness: 4D12 Vigor:3D8 Shooting Pistol: 6D10 Sleight of Hand: 3D10 Shooting Rifle: 3D10 Shooting Auto: 6D10  Knife Fighting : 3D10 Brawling/ Fighting 4D10 Climb: 2D10 Sneak:2D10 Horse Riding 2D10 Driving Steamwagon: 4D10 Quickdraw: Knife: 3D12 Quickdraw: Pistol:3D12

Mental: Cognition:2D12 Knowledge: 2D12 Mien: 1D10 Smarts: 2D8 Spirit: 3D10 Occult Academia:3D12 Area Knowledge (Santa Fe):3D12 English: 3D12 Apache:3D12 Overawe: 3D10 Persuasion:3D10 Ridicule: 1D8 Gambling: 5D8(+2 for Huckster) Guts: 5D10

Edges: Arcane Background Huckster: 3 Stare: 2 Vet of Weird West: 0

Level Headed:5

Hindrances: Bloodthirsty: 2 Intolerance: Pinkertons: 3 Hankering (Alcohol): 3 Loco: 1  Yearning (Fame Fortune & Dictatorship):5

Hexes: Shadowwalk:4 Soul Blast: 4 Texas Twister: 4 Private Eye: 2

Graveyard Mists: 3  Touch of Death:3

The other members of the Dust Devils are:

James (Jim) Strickland

Corporeal: D:2D10 N:3D10 S:3D10 Q:4D10 V:2D8  Climbing: 3D10, Shooting:Pistol: 3D10, Speed Load:Rifle:3D10, Shooting:Rifle: 5D10, Horse Riding: 3D10, Fighting:Brawling: 5D10, Quick Draw:Pistol: 3D10, Gunplay: 3D10, Swimming: 2D10, Sneak: 2D10

Mental: C: 2D6 K:3D6 M:1D8 Sm:3D8 Sp: 1D10  Area Knowledge:Southwestern New Mexico: 2D6, Native Tongue: 2D6, Search: 2D6, Tracking: 3D6, Teamster: 3D8, Overawe: 3D8, Gambling: 3D8, Scrutinize: 2D6, Guts: 4D10

Edges: Brave 2, "Don't Get 'Im Riled!" 2, Keen 3, Tough As Nails 3

Hindrances: Big Britches 3, Cautious 3, Loyal 3, Outlaw 1

Gear: Colt .44 Army Single-Action, Winchester '73, Fast Horse

Personality: Strickland is a rock.  Renfield often puts tasks he himself cannot be there to perform in Strickland's hands.  He usually doesn't speak much until he has something relevant to say, and James Strickland is the best type of fellow to have on your side in any kind of fight.

Cary Reese

Corporeal: D: 3D12 N: 3D8 S: 2D8 Q: 4D12 V: 4D6  Climbing: 2D8, Sneak: 3D8, Swimming: 2D8, Quick Draw:Pistol: 5D12, Speed Load:Pistol: 3D12, Gunplay: 5D12, Shooting:Pistol: 5D12, Riding Horse: 3D8, Fighting:Brawling: 4D8

Mental: C: 4D8 K: 3D6 M: 3D6 Sm: 2D8 Sp: 4D8  Area Knowledge:Great Maze: 3D6, Native Tongue: 2D6, Search: 2D8, Overawe: 3D6, Gambling: 4D8, Guts: 4D8

Edges: Two-Fisted 3, Two-Gun Kid 5, Tough As Nails 2

Hindrances: Curious 3, Law O' The West 3, Outlaw 1, Vengeful 3

Gear: Twin .45 Single-Action Peacemakers, 2 Speed Load Cylinders, 2 Quick Draw Holsters, Strong Horse

Personality: Cary is an aggressive fellow who takes no sleight from no man (or woman).  He as sure of himself as probably any man ever has been.   Reese loves practical jokes - as long as they aren't on him, he will laugh it up.   The poor soul who plays a joke on Cary Reese had better haul out of town fast!

Joachim Rodriguez

Corporeal: D: 3D8 N: 4D10 S:4D6 Q: 4D10 V: 4D6  Climbing: 2D10, Swimming: 2D10, Sneak: 3D10, Quick Draw:Pistol: 2D10, Quick Draw:Knife: 4D10, Shooting:Pistol: 3D8, Throwing:Knife: 5D8, Fighting:Brawling: 3D10, Fighting:Knife: 5D10, Horse Riding: 2D10, Sleight O' Hand: 5D8

Mental: C: 3D6 K: 2D6 M: 3D6 Sm: 1D10 Sp: 3D8  Area Knowledge:Sonora: 3D6, Area Knowledge:West Texas: 2D6, Native Tongue: 2D6, Language:English: 2D6, Bluff: 3D6,Ridicule: 4D6, Gambling: 5D10, Guts: 4D8, Faith:Catholicism: 2D8

Edges: Eagle Eyes 1, Fleet Footed 2, Light Sleeper 1, Level-Headed 5, Nerves O' Steel 1

Hindrances: Big Mouth 3, Hankering:Tobacco 1, Greedy 2, Outlaw 2, Superstitious 2

Gear: .44 Smith & Wesson Double-Action, 3 Throwing Knives, Bowie Knife, Fast Horse

Personality: Joachim is a boisterous, carousing sort with that Latin love of women.  Quick-witted and talkative, he has a passion for saloons and games of chance.  Many a bar room brawl has been started by Joachim Rodriguez.

Toriano

Corporeal: D:1D10 N: 2D12 S:3D8  Q: 4D10 V: 2D8   Climbing: 5D12, Sneak: 5D12, Swimming: 1D12, Quick Draw:Knife: 3D8, Shooting:Rifle: 5D10, Shooting:Pistol: 3D10, Fighting:Knife: 5D12, Fighting:Brawling: 5D12, Throwing:Knife: 5D12, Ritual:Sand Painting: 3D10, Ritual:Scar: 4D8, Ritual:Dance: 5D12, Speed Load:Rifle: 2D10

Mental: C: 3D10 K: 4D8 M: 1D8 Sm: 3D6 Sp: 1D12  Area Knowledge:Apacheria: 4D8, Native Tongue: 2D8, Language:English: 2D8, Language:Spanish: 2D8, Academia:Occult: 3D8, Ritual:Pledge: 3D8, Ritual:War Cry: 5D8, Ritual:Spirit Song: 3D12

Edges: Arcane Background:Shaman  3 Born on Horseback  3 Guardian Spirit:Wolf  3 Nerves O' Steel  1

Hindrances: Disloyal  3, Intolerance:Mexican Soldiers   2, Mean as a Rattler  2, Outlaw 1, Stubborn  2

Favors: Horned Owl's Fury, Speed of the Wolf, Turtle's Shell (all favored), Earth Speak, Curse ( not favored)

Gear: Winchester '66, Colt .38 Lightning, Double Action, Knife, Fast Horse

Personality:  Toriano only seems happy on the trail or in the middle of some violent caper.  He spends a lot of time alone, whether scouting in advance of his gang, or performing rituals to the Apache god, Ussen.  He has an intense hatred of Mexican soldiers, who murdered his extended family south o' the border.

Professor Henry Moriarty

Corporeal: D:3D8 N: 2D8 S:4D6  Q: 3D8 V: 3D6   Climbing: 1D8, Swimming: 1D8, Sneak: 1D8, Quick Draw:Gatling Pistol: 3D8, Shooting:Automatics: 5D8, Shooting:Flame-thrower: 5D8, Driving:Steam Velocipede: 3D8, Driving:Steam Wagon: 3D8, Driving:Auto Gyro: 3D8

Mental: C: 2D10 K: 4D12 M: 4D6 Sm: 1D12 Sp: 2D8  Area Knowledge:Salt Lake City: 3D12, Native Tongue: 4D12, Search: 3D10, Science:Engineering: 5D12, Science:Physics: 5D12, Science:Chemistry: 5D12, Tinkering: 5D12, Guts: 4D8

Edges: Arcane Background:Mad Scientist 3, Knack:Born on all Hallows Eve 5 , Mechanically Inclined  1, Renown  1

Hindrances: Curious  3 Stubborn  2 Yearning:Build a Rocket to the Moon  5

Gear: Steam Wagon, Flame Thrower, Gatling Pistol, Bullet Proof Vest, Owl Eye Goggles

Personality: Moriarty is consumed in his research, and rarely takes part in any of the gang's activities.  His presence can always be felt, however, for the Dust Devils utilize many of the Professor's gadgets in their crimes.   While Moriarty does not necessarily approve of all the gang's actions, neither does he disapprove, for the money Renfield gives him keeps his research going strong.   Moriarty lost any sympathy he may have had for the law when the woman he was engaged to turned out to be a deep cover operative in an elaborate Pinkerton scheme to bring the Dust Devils to justice.  She was killed in the apprehension attempt.

Kid Nitro

Nobody knows Nitro's real name, and he might not even remember it anymore.  Kid Nitro is the literal loose cannon, and his mind is not what it once was.  A brilliant budding scientist, Nitro was never very good with contraptions and blueprints, but with volatile chemicals and explosive concoctions, there is nobody better.  It is a measure of his skill that he retains all of his fingers and toes, no mean feat the way this maniac tosses around demolitions.  Kid Nitro is never happier than when he is blowing something up, or preparing to, and he whispers to his explosives, urging them to great devastation.  When his charges go off or he's busily torching some general store, Nitro cackles gleefully and shouts encouragement to the firestorm.

Corporeal: D:1D12 N:2D10 S:2D8 Q:4D8 V: 2D6 Climbing: 2D10 Sneak: 2D10 Swimming: 2D10 Throwing Dynamite: 5D12 Shooting Pistol: 3D12 Quick Draw: Pistol: 3D8 Fighting Brawling: 5D10 Riding Horse: 3D10

Mental: C:3D10 K: 2D12 M: 1D8 Sm:3D6 Sp:2D10 Area Knowledge: Nevada: 2D12 Native Tongue: 2D12 Search: 2D10 Artillery: 5D10 Demolition: 5D12 Science: Chemistry: 5D12 Tinkering: 4D6 Guts: 4D10 Ridicule: 5D8 Teamster: 3D8

Edges: Arcane Background: Mad Scientist:3 Fleet Footed: 2 Luck O' the Irish: 3 Mechanically Inclined: 1 The "Voice" Grating: 1

Hindrances: Loco: 5 Outlaw: 2 Vengeful: 3

Harrowed Power: Hellfire 1 (Kid Nitro is not Undead, this ability is the result of an ancient pact from character creation)

Gear: Plunger Detonator, 500' fuse, 10 pints of Nitroglycerine, crate of 50 sticks of Dynamite, 10 Blasting caps, 6 vials of Greek fire, Mule and Buckboard Wagon, .45 Colt Double-Action Peacemaker