Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="talien" data-source="post: 2638294" data-attributes="member: 3285"><p><strong>All That Glitters - Prologue</strong></p><p></p><p>The area of Freeport that Beldin and Sebastian had entered looked particularly seedy. Citizens were despondent and sad, barely even lifting their heads to see where they were going. No one would meet their eye.</p><p></p><p>“Friendly place,” said Beldin, the dwarf.</p><p></p><p>Good portions of the people present were gnomes, doing little to hide their obvious deformities. </p><p></p><p>“Oh I don’t know,” said Sebastian, adjusting his robed with gloved hands. “I think we blend right in.”</p><p></p><p>Undir watermen from the far south, Myrantian exiles from their doomed and bleak land, and Pengik tribesmen seeking a better life away from their barren coast all mingled freely. Each people seemed to have claimed a portion of Scurvytown as their own, save the gnomes, who were routinely ousted from even the meanest of dwellings.</p><p></p><p>“Didn’t Kham tell us to avoid this place?” asked Beldin.</p><p></p><p>The city guard was particularly absent, though there were signs of criminal activity everywhere: broken heads, beaten bodies, and bloody beggars.</p><p></p><p>“He did indeed,” said Sebastian, brushing aside a wisp of white hair from his face. “We are in the Freebooter’s Quarter. I wanted to see what the Ymandragorians were up to.”</p><p></p><p>“We were supposed to meet Captain Baldric at The Goodly Fisher…what’s this?” Beldin reached for his axe as a strange man, even for Scurvytown, approached.</p><p></p><p>Amid the squalor and filth capered a swirling madcap figure: a tall, gangly man in a great cloak of multicolored patches and motley garments trimmed with yesterday’s silks, tattered grimy lace, and moth-eaten rabbit fur. Turning in mid stride, he pushed his way through the crowd to Beldin and Sebastian.</p><p></p><p>The figure stopped in front of Beldin. A broad, perhaps mad, grin beamed out from the shadows of his hood. </p><p></p><p>“Easy,” said Sebastian, “he does not appear armed.”</p><p></p><p>The beggar held a long, slender stick of birch in his right hand. </p><p></p><p>“Would you be interested in a game of chance?” the man asked in a lilting voice.</p><p></p><p>The exact same approach had been used a dozen times on the pair when they tried to cross a street in Scurvytown. Beldin was about to brush the strange man aside when Sebastian put one hand out. “And what kind of game is this?”</p><p></p><p>“A game with much for me to lose, and much for you to win,” he said with a cackle. “And the pot is very high indeed: some rubbings from a stone!”</p><p></p><p>Beldin’s bushy eyebrows went up. “Stone, you say?”</p><p></p><p>“Ah, I see I’ve piqued both your interests. Come, come, sit, sit,” he pulled up a barrel and pointed at a box and a pile of rope. “The pot isn’t much, a mere five imperials each.” In this case the pot was literally a pot, pulled from beneath the barrel and placed on top of it.</p><p></p><p>“Your game can’t be very popular,” said Sebastian. “You’re not offering any gold.”</p><p></p><p>The beggar pulled strips of parchment with words rubbed on them in black chalk. He tossed one into the pot. “You are correct, and so they lose out. My game has much higher stakes.”</p><p></p><p>Beldin and Sebastian tossed five gold coins each into the pot.</p><p></p><p>“Now then, spin the dreidel if you can. Or not. It will determine our fates.” </p><p></p><p>Beldin struggled with the top the first few tries, but he eventually snapped it. The dreidel spun madly about on the surface of the barrel, rolling a sudden stop.</p><p></p><p>“We all put coins in!” said the beggar. Only he didn’t put any in. </p><p></p><p>Beldin and Sebastian exchanged looks and dropped another gold coin into the pot. </p><p></p><p>On Sebastian’s turn the dreidel landed on “TP.” </p><p></p><p>“You win!” said the beggar. He pushed the 14 gold coins and the rubbing towards Sebastian.</p><p></p><p>“What kind of beggar so willingly gives up his gold?” asked Beldin, staring at the pile before Sebastian.</p><p></p><p>“A beggar who has more to lose than gold.” Sebastian plucked the rubbing from the pile and held it up in the sunlight. “How many more of these do you have?”</p><p></p><p>“Enough,” said the beggar with a twinkle in his eye.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll play you for all of them,” said the dark-kin. </p><p></p><p>“You know, if you keep going on like this I know exactly what is going to happen,” said the beggar. </p><p></p><p>Beldin harrumphed as he tossed more coins into the pot. “What’s that?”</p><p></p><p>“Someone will be in for a nasty surprise, that’s what.”</p><p></p><p>Sebastian glanced over his shoulder. “Let’s hope it’s not on us.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="talien, post: 2638294, member: 3285"] [b]All That Glitters - Prologue[/b] The area of Freeport that Beldin and Sebastian had entered looked particularly seedy. Citizens were despondent and sad, barely even lifting their heads to see where they were going. No one would meet their eye. “Friendly place,” said Beldin, the dwarf. Good portions of the people present were gnomes, doing little to hide their obvious deformities. “Oh I don’t know,” said Sebastian, adjusting his robed with gloved hands. “I think we blend right in.” Undir watermen from the far south, Myrantian exiles from their doomed and bleak land, and Pengik tribesmen seeking a better life away from their barren coast all mingled freely. Each people seemed to have claimed a portion of Scurvytown as their own, save the gnomes, who were routinely ousted from even the meanest of dwellings. “Didn’t Kham tell us to avoid this place?” asked Beldin. The city guard was particularly absent, though there were signs of criminal activity everywhere: broken heads, beaten bodies, and bloody beggars. “He did indeed,” said Sebastian, brushing aside a wisp of white hair from his face. “We are in the Freebooter’s Quarter. I wanted to see what the Ymandragorians were up to.” “We were supposed to meet Captain Baldric at The Goodly Fisher…what’s this?” Beldin reached for his axe as a strange man, even for Scurvytown, approached. Amid the squalor and filth capered a swirling madcap figure: a tall, gangly man in a great cloak of multicolored patches and motley garments trimmed with yesterday’s silks, tattered grimy lace, and moth-eaten rabbit fur. Turning in mid stride, he pushed his way through the crowd to Beldin and Sebastian. The figure stopped in front of Beldin. A broad, perhaps mad, grin beamed out from the shadows of his hood. “Easy,” said Sebastian, “he does not appear armed.” The beggar held a long, slender stick of birch in his right hand. “Would you be interested in a game of chance?” the man asked in a lilting voice. The exact same approach had been used a dozen times on the pair when they tried to cross a street in Scurvytown. Beldin was about to brush the strange man aside when Sebastian put one hand out. “And what kind of game is this?” “A game with much for me to lose, and much for you to win,” he said with a cackle. “And the pot is very high indeed: some rubbings from a stone!” Beldin’s bushy eyebrows went up. “Stone, you say?” “Ah, I see I’ve piqued both your interests. Come, come, sit, sit,” he pulled up a barrel and pointed at a box and a pile of rope. “The pot isn’t much, a mere five imperials each.” In this case the pot was literally a pot, pulled from beneath the barrel and placed on top of it. “Your game can’t be very popular,” said Sebastian. “You’re not offering any gold.” The beggar pulled strips of parchment with words rubbed on them in black chalk. He tossed one into the pot. “You are correct, and so they lose out. My game has much higher stakes.” Beldin and Sebastian tossed five gold coins each into the pot. “Now then, spin the dreidel if you can. Or not. It will determine our fates.” Beldin struggled with the top the first few tries, but he eventually snapped it. The dreidel spun madly about on the surface of the barrel, rolling a sudden stop. “We all put coins in!” said the beggar. Only he didn’t put any in. Beldin and Sebastian exchanged looks and dropped another gold coin into the pot. On Sebastian’s turn the dreidel landed on “TP.” “You win!” said the beggar. He pushed the 14 gold coins and the rubbing towards Sebastian. “What kind of beggar so willingly gives up his gold?” asked Beldin, staring at the pile before Sebastian. “A beggar who has more to lose than gold.” Sebastian plucked the rubbing from the pile and held it up in the sunlight. “How many more of these do you have?” “Enough,” said the beggar with a twinkle in his eye. “We’ll play you for all of them,” said the dark-kin. “You know, if you keep going on like this I know exactly what is going to happen,” said the beggar. Beldin harrumphed as he tossed more coins into the pot. “What’s that?” “Someone will be in for a nasty surprise, that’s what.” Sebastian glanced over his shoulder. “Let’s hope it’s not on us.” [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Arcanis: Gonnes, Sons, and Treasure Runs (COMPLETED)
Top