[HoE]

[Ronnie Gustaveson <gus_bus@hotmail.com>]

>Well, with all those high-class muckety mucks at
             >Origins, I figure it's high time us po' boys have a
             >major discussion.  To this end, I have an intriguing
             >question to offer.  The following quotes come from The
             >Wasted West:
             >
             >Pg 118:
             >     "Stone still has one last role to play in the
             >tale of Deadlands..."
             >
             >Pg 119:
             >     "Where [Professor Hellstromme]'s gone now is a
             >mystery we're keeping to ourselves for a while.  But
             >the doctor will return.  And the Reckoners had best
             >beware."
             >
             >So what's gonna happen?  ;)


(Another nasty SPOILER if you please)


Alright, I won't be able to sleep tonight if don't put in my two cents and 
throw my theory into the fire.  I admit this is choppy and brief. It's also 
entirely my take on what's going to happen, and is quite possibly, totally 
wrong.

1. It will all begin with Throckmorton's push out of Denver.  The Templar's 
(Whether Simon has met his destiny or not,) will organize the Convoy, road 
gangs, Skypirates and other potential forces around Junkyard to slow and 
possibly even turn his army's advance west.  The story east of Denver will 
be a different one, with a lack of organization and no major opposition 
forces (save perhaps the Sioux,) the Combine will move steadily to the 
Mississippi, where they will run head first into Raven's little shin dig.  
And off the first whack they will probably get their asses kicked.  However, 
the Combine are as stubborn as they are cruel and the two will probably 
fight each other to a stand still, (at least for a little while.)

2. In the meantime, our favorite Plague Bringer will use this chaos to make 
his attempt to take control of the Cult of Doom.  I figure something along 
the lines of a failed assassination attempt against Salis.  This will lead 
to a civil war between Damon, his followers and Doombringers, and Salis and 
the rest of the cult.  The outcome is unclear, but I think Salis will win, 
although the victory will be a costly one. In fact it will cost Salis 
everything.  I figure something dramatic like, just as he about to be 
overrun, Joan decides to drop by.  She's lead by the Harbringer, who is none 
other than (Drum roll please,) Doctor Darius Hellstromme.  Remember his 
picture in the Wasted West?  Nice red light in the center of your forehead 
Doc, ('blazing red third eye.')
Whether Salis survives or not, he can't hold a candle to one of his greatest 
Saints, and the Cult will fall squarely into Hellstromme and Joan's hands.

3. Finally, the Reckoners will catch wind of what Raven is up to and high 
tail it back to the Wasted West.  There will probably be a final showdown 
between Stone and Raven in which one or both will be killed. Shortly there 
after the Reckoners will descend on the Wasted West focusing their main 
attention on Raven, if he's still alive, or his armies if he's not.

4. Hellstromme will use the Cult to assault the Combine's HQ and destroy the 
Denver AI, thus freeing Throckmorten from it's control.  Throck and Hellst 
will ‘Combine' forces with what's left of the West, and humanity will make 
one last gasp in an attempt to destroy or banish the Reckoners forever.  How 
it turns out is up to the geniuses at PEG, but I think it's going to be a 
happy ending, (sort of.)

There is a lot more to it than that, and there are still a few pieces 
missing, but basically I think that's how it's going to happen.

Brought to you by GUCT (the handy Marshal's secret weapon,)
-Gus


_______________________________________________________________
Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com