Nightwind

Nightwind

Creator: Tom Johnson

Characters

Sheriff Steve Mason

Deputy Johnny Southern

Deputy Jerry Taylor

Kim

Karen G. Reynolds

In 1867, Oregon City was just the name of a small community. Settlers had moved in after the War between the North and South, building small shacks near the Salt Fork of the Brazos River. Wagons had brought in lumber and furniture, and brave souls banded together to fight the Comanche and outlaws, and build homes while living in dugouts. The shacks finally got built, and soon other establishments started sprouting up. One of the first was a trading post that eventually became a general store, operated by an Easterner named Powell. Everything else sprung up around the general store.

Across from Powell's General Mercantile store was the Wild Skunk Saloon, set two feet off the ground on wooden porches, the swinging doors open for business. Down the wooden walkway was Scanlon's gun shop, and around the back was a set of stairs leading to an apartment on the second floor, with a sign reading, "Doc Benson". At the end of the street was an open barn, and a heavyset man was shoeing a horse. Evidently, the local blacksmith, though there was no name over the wide portal. A white sign hung from a two-story faded-brown building, calling attention to the Gibson Hotel.

Sheriff Steve Mason is tall and slender, with broad-shoulders and dark hair. He is an hombre with smiling brown eyes and tough as they come. His pa was a white man, but his ma was a Cherokee squaw. Steve ran away from home after his ma died, learned to fight and shoot, cleaning up several border towns. When his pa died, he returned to the ranch to raise horses for the cavalry. He was lightning fast on the draw. After the war a lot of gunfighters showed up to draw on him! It became a regular thing, him being an Injun and all. And he was getting a reputation as a gunfighter. One day a gunman showed up itching for a gunfight and drew down on Steve in the middle of the street. Without hesitation, he drew and shot him smack between the eyes, then found out the kid was only fifteen years old, but big for his age and fast on the draw. But he was still just a kid. Steve took off his gun belt that day, and hung 'em up. He ain't worn his six-shooters since.

Deputy Johnny Southern was decked out with two guns, crossed on his waist, and tied down. His hair was greased and slicked back. A long rifle was in the saddle boot on the side. Johnny was only nineteen. His father had been killed in the war, and his mother died from a broken heart a year later. He didn't want to die for lack of shooting power.

            Deputy Jerry Taylor was mature at twenty-four years of age. He had been a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. Shorter than the sheriff, he had sandy hair and blue eyes. His parents had sent him to the best schools before the war between the North and South, and he was well educated, though cocky. He only wore one gun in a holster on his right, though it was hung low on his side, and he was fast on the draw. In one boot was a small knife kept in a secret scabbard. He marries Karen G. Reynolds – Kagee – after the first story.

Kim: Sheriff Mason’s cook at the ranch was a Priest in a Korean Temple before coming to America, and master of strange fighting techniques!

Bobby is the saloon bartender.

Nightwind: The giant black stallion called Thunder was standing in the moonlight with a rider dressed all in black, from wide brimmed hat, to black boots. A long black cape swirled outwards, blowing in the wind, and a 15-foot bullwhip curled in one hand. A black silk mask completely covered his face. Two pearl-handled Cult .45s were nestled in black holsters on his waist, the only thing besides the silver buckles on the belt that broke the scheme of black in his attire.

Imp is a small creature dressed all in black, a red sash wrapped around his waist. He rides with the mysterious masked rider of the plains.

There has only been one story so far:

Haunted Range (ALTUS PRESS) Pulp Detectives