Steel Dragons' World of Orea RPG playtest: "Shadows Loss" (still accepting PCs)

[steeldragons]

OOC: Great entry, BF! Very evocative. Sorry for the delay. The wifi at my current location is more spotty and slow than it has been. Should be good for today (out at a cafe). Let's say John's purse is 35 silver. The provisions he asked for shouldn't cost you more than 20 at Gilly's.

John the Dead struts his way down the mid-morning street. There's nothing of note out of the ordinary. A few folk come and go about their daily routines. Serving maids and washer women lug bundles of various goods. A donkey led cart loaded with questionable looking onions, potatoes and assorted other vegetables from gods know where makes its way uptown toward the more busy markets "up town"...of course, from here just about the whole city is "up town." Even the beggars and stray animals (a few emaciated dogs, but mostly cats) are trying to stay in what shade they can find...quickly disappearing as the sun continues along its path toward its zenith.

A few blocks down and you come to the familiar turn off that leads you two blocks east and one more south, around a corner and you come to Damodil's noodle shop. The morning "rush" is over and few people here take a "lunch." A hard faced woman with skin a deep reddish-brown, almost maroon. Her somewhat unkempt black hair is tied up beneath a vibrant red scarf with brassy yellow embroidery is behind an open storefront counter, wiping things down and cleaning up the last of the morning's bowls and cups.

You know her well enough. This is Fammi Algeez. Born in Thelitian and a long time servant, companion and you don't know what else to Damodil. She is a short but broad woman. She looks, as she always looks, angry. As if threatening to smack the dirt off of whatever she happens to be cleaning.

Fammi is Damodil's cook, waitress, and "first line of defense" to gain access to the gambling parlor he maintains in the back. Regardless of the time of day or food being served, you know the bones are always rolling behind the curtains. Amid the lingering odors of the days cooking you feel like you can practically smell the cards and coins just waiting for you...just out of sight.

Despite your silent and shadowless approach, she lifts her dark brown eyes to meet yours as you approach the counter.

"Dead John." she says, nonplussed, as a greeting. "What's it to be today? Kitchen's closed n' I've just finished cleanin'. Too hot to cook s'more. But sure I could scrounge up somethin' if you're hungry." she says through near perfect Common accent. You know she is being friendly, for her, but her face still just looks angry.

 

[Binder Fred]

OOC: Thanks, I do what I can. Speaking of, don't know how you feel about players "filling-in" random details and atmosphere? i.e. is what's below ok or should I leave that sort of thing entirely in your capable hands?

John the Dead struts his way down the mid-morning street. There's nothing of note out of the ordinary. A few folk come and go about their daily routines. Serving maids and washer women lug bundles of various goods. A donkey led cart loaded with questionable looking onions, potatoes and assorted other vegetables from gods know where makes its way uptown toward the more busy markets "up town"...of course, from here just about the whole city is "up town." Even the beggars and stray animals (a few emaciated dogs, but mostly cats) are trying to stay in what shade they can find...quickly disappearing as the sun continues along its path toward its zenith.

Down Old Market, the old, disjointed (or entirely missing) cobbles rhythmically poking at his striding feet like spiteful lovers (to hear Hygarr tell it, this was a major stretch of business, once; sure doesn't look it anymore!). He crosses the street, so he can stick to the west side which still has a goodly amount of blessed shade.

Course that's where the beggars and stray animals are too... But that's not an entirely bad thing, considering where he's going and all - humming to himself he tosses a couple of Big John's silvers the way of One-Hand Tully as he goes by, earning himself a moldy flash of rotten teeth when the old mummy-guy catches every single one without missing a beat (First time he's done *that*! Was he a busker way back when? Thief-guild even? Good technique for a dried-up codger anyways!), and a few more in Annayeva's wicker bowl when he gets to the corner of Lesser Gods a while later, her innumerable 'children' miow-ing around her - some downright hissing his way! - gift-giving's supposed to be good luck, don't you know; and bad luck to beat them up too bad if they don't really deserve it. (Beggar-spread rumors, swore Big John the one time the topic came up, but it's not like it's his own money he's spending here anyways, right? Although, technically, now it is... Hu.)

John hesitates, but then *does* take the turn at Annayeva's reserved corner after all: it's where the shade is the best, right? Angled road and all that. Plus - well - it's a nice place to visit, for a variety of reasons... The ladies of the night are nowhere to be seen on Lesser Gods right now though, probably grabbing some well-earned winks in cool basements below the two closed-houses on the street -- lucky bitches (all things being in the now, of course). One block down and he passes the wide and low well-mouth set in its little round court of houses to the right, treading lighter and quieter than before: place is favoured Slash turf, and Big John plus 3-feet didn't exactly get off on the right foot, definitively no pun intended -- although the four of them have (officially) been paying their water-protection tax ever since. Suspicious guy, 3-feet. (And none too shy about pointing his half-ogre half-brother your way either! John's certainly got the (mostly-healed) bruises to prove it.) Wait, is that movement back in the well-court, just as it passes beyond view?

Heartbeat crashes back down when it turns out *not* to be Urblain's hulking, horribly misshapen form after all: zero for two on the excitement front so far today (maybe if it wasn't so freaking *hot*?). Isn't there a freaking quota on boredom or something? Definitively *should* be!

Another block east and one more south, down an alley and around a corner and he (finally!) comes to Damodil's noodle shop. Man, that was nearly endless!

Despite your silent and shadowless approach, she lifts her dark brown eyes to meet yours as you approach the counter.

(Well damn it all; he must be slipping!)

"Dead John." she says, nonplussed, as a greeting. "What's it to be today? Kitchen's closed n' I've just finished cleanin'. Too hot to cook s'more. But sure I could scrounge up somethin' if you're hungry." she says through near perfect Common accent. You know she is being friendly, for her, but her face still just looks angry.

"Fammi, love of my life, your smile's as blinding as ever," he replies with an unshaven smile that says he's (roguishly, he's hoping) lying through his teeth. (Just like he rehearsed in his head: not bad!). "You should just leave all this behind and run away with me..."

Which, being a man and her a woman, he actually half-means (certainly wouldn’t say no: it would be impolite! ).

<Response Fammi?>

OOC: Trying to be charming. Cha 14 if needed.

<Afterwards (assuming he still has all his teeth):
John leans an elbow on the counter: "Who's in, desert flower? Anybody I know?" Hogrim says girls (and married woman for some reason) love this sort of thing. And he's the all-time champion! (Pretending he can't (almost) hear the dice fall, that he's in control. Sweetening the pot with every heartbeat now that he's close (so close!) to the finish line...)

OOC: Passed 5 silver on to Tully and Annayeva, by the way, two to him, three to her.

 

[steeldragons]

OOC: Thanks, I do what I can. Speaking of, don't know how you feel about players "filling-in" random details and atmosphere? i.e. is what's below ok or should I leave that sort of thing entirely in your capable hands?

OOC: I generally have no issues with you adding in details to things...long as you arrive at the same end point. The kind of stuff you've been adding so far has been great...and as DM, I have to say, not having to come up with all names for every npc (whether they'll get used or not) is quite a nice change o' pace. hahaha. If you overstep, I'll let you know. But so far, no worries. Thanks for asking, though. Very considerate.

...he tosses a couple of Big John's silvers the way of One-Hand Tully as he goes by...

OOC: You really like that name, huh? By gum, there's gotta be a "One-Hand Tully" in this world SOMEplace! lol.

"Fammi, love of my life, your smile's as blinding as ever," he replies with an unshaven smile that says he's (roguishly, he's hoping) lying through his teeth. (Just like he rehearsed in his head: not bad!). "You should just leave all this behind and run away with me..."

"Think you've got the sovereigns to handle all this, boy?" Fammi responds coily. The "grin" twists her harsh face into more of a grimace than a smile. "Now wud'ja after today? Not me, for surely. I've got work to do."

John leans an elbow on the counter: "Who's in, desert flower? Anybody I know?" Hogrim says girls (and married woman for some reason) love this sort of thing. And he's the all-time champion! (Pretending he can't (almost) hear the dice fall, that he's in control. Sweetening the pot with every heartbeat now that he's close (so close!) to the finish line...)

"Pah! F'your silver was at good on the table as coatin' that tongue of yours, maybe I'd be takin' you up on that previous offer." she jabs as she lugs a pile of freshly cleaned bowls to the small open kitchen behind her and returns to the counter with a basket of carrots and cucumbers. She takes up a large cleaver and begins slicing and dicing with an alarming degree of speed and proficiency. "Bit early in the day, don'cha think? Dam's still abed, the louse. Ruch is back there, but think he's snoozin'."

She leans forward and says quietly, "Crancy been here all night." her thick bushy eyebrows rise on her leathery wrinkled forehead. "Musta got off on a hot streak...cuz he hasn't left yet. But you know Crancy. He'll play til he's broke, then cry poverty for a cup o' broth...the louse."

She leans back and nonchalantly returns to her slicing. "Must still be playin' with the dandy that came in a hour ago...Don't know him. Nice shirt, curly blond locks...must be some merchant or noble's boy...'slummin' it for the thrills, no doubt."

She points over her shoulder with a particularly long carrot to the course-woven curtain of blue and red strips that hangs at the back of the kitchen. "Go see for yourself. I've work to do."

As a reminder to put the 2 silver "entry fee" into the nondescript brass pot near the doorway, Fammi makes a loud definitive *CHOP* with the cleaver to remove a third of the long carrot. John feels an unspoken fear for his 'privy parts.'

"Louses the lot of you."

OOC: What you know: Ruch is a large muscled half-orc who is, basically, indentured to Damodil. He "works" as a bouncer, but the poor lug has a gambling addiction and Damodil let's Ruch use his wages to play. The poor thing isn't very good at the games. He has a tell that could be seen from Andril: when his forehead scrunches up trying to think/figure out if he has a winning hand or has to do any kind of math. He almost always loses, and so, is always in debt up to his tusks to Damodil...so the cycle continues. Damodil once confided in you that he has never actually had to pay Ruch a cent since all of his earnings, and then some, always seem to end up back in Damodil's pocket. Crancy is something of another matter. He is affable, clever and a damn good card player. He totes himself as a "trading man", not ever wishing to be so presumptuous or pretentious as to call himself a "merchant" like those "spoiled uptown sorts." He lives in the more "low-middle income" section of town abutting the north of the Shanty. What he "trades" in changes with every conversation, but he does seem to have a decent flow of money from somewhere. He's a good gambler and a better drinker. Rotund and almost always seems half "in the bag" even if he doesn't have a drink with him. But what Fammi said of him is true. Once he's on a "roll", he'll play til he's without a cent. Then will disappear for a few days or a couple of weeks and returns when he has some amount of coin to play with (and pay his tab from the previous visit). The prim n' proper looking young man could be anyone. Threeways, north of the Shanty anyway, is full of the sort...in their fancy silk shirts and embroidered waistcoats, soft hands and coiffed hair. Spoiled rich (or at least suitably so) boys with little to nothing to do. Sometimes they get bored (or banned, though always temporarily) from the more affluent parlors and brothels and wander into the Shanty for the "gritty" experience or see how "the lower folk" get their kicks. Though you know enough not to judge by appearance. Some of those privileged lads are quite good at gambling. Not something they learn from their tutors, surely. But, you also know, if Fammi doesn't know who he is, he's a first-timer at Damodil's. You can be sure of that.

 

[Binder Fred]

"Think you've got the sovereigns to handle all this, boy?" Fammi responds coily. The "grin" twists her harsh face into more of a grimace than a smile. "Now wud'ja after today? Not me, for surely. I've got work to do."

"You know me, Fammi: I like a challenge! And who wouldn't want to climb that mountain?" With a gesture up and down her body. (By which he actually means both of them: Fammi... isn't too badly equipped in that department). "Who's going to notice a few dirty pots more or less, hm?"

<Response Fammi? If at first you don't succeed... >

"Pah! F'your silver was at good on the table as coatin' that tongue of yours, maybe I'd be takin' you up on that previous offer." she jabs as she lugs a pile of freshly cleaned bowls to the small open kitchen behind her and returns to the counter with a basket of carrots and cucumbers. She takes up a large cleaver and begins slicing and dicing with an alarming degree of speed and proficiency.

"Eh eh, give me time, Fammi! Me and Big John are working on some big things, I'm telling you." And, as she looks utterly unconvinced <I'm going to assume >, he quietly jiggle his purse: "Got me some starting capital already this morning..." he entices. (Which should keep him entertained at least until noon, right?)

She sniffs, as if reading his thoughts:

"Bit early in the day, don'cha think? Dam's still abed, the louse. Ruch is back there, but think he's snoozin'." [...]

"Go see for yourself. I've work to do." As a reminder to put the 2 silver "entry fee" into the nondescript brass pot near the doorway, Fammi makes a loud definitive *CHOP* with the cleaver to remove a third of the long carrot. John feels an unspoken fear for his 'privy parts.'

Ouch! Some very subtle imagery there, Fammi!

John feels... suddenly disinclined to try his usual trick of trying to swap coppers out for the requested silvers (bits of scrap metal work too, so long as it *clinks*, right?). Not like he's not going to win it all back threefold in the next few heartbeats, right? (And there's always the possibility of trying a grab-and-run on the brass pot on his way out if things don't quite go as planned in there; Positive thinking, that's him in a (self-deluding) nutshell). "For our hope chest," he teases, smiling a lascivious smile (he's hoping).

Behind the curtain, it's like entering another world. "Rejoice, fair people of Threeways: John the Dead has arrived!" (It never hurts to make an entrance.)

<Tag DM >

[sblock=OOC]What game are they playing (and how subject to his brand of 'luck manipulation' is it? ) and who's winning at the moment, if I can ask?

You really like that name, huh? By gum, there's gotta be a "One-Hand Tully" in this world SOMEplace! lol.

And what do you know: turns out there is. Went back and put in Hygarr's name where Tully was before, by the way, so future readers don't wonder.[/sblock]

 

[steeldragons]

Your abrupt entrance causes the posh young man to jump in his seat. He stares at you in fearful surprise, clutching his cards close to his chest. Ruch is similarly jolted awake but settles back into his seat and shuts his eyes with a snort after seeing you in the doorway.

Crancy is muh less surprised and significantly more animated than either of the others. "Johnnie, my boy! Grab a seat. Excellent. Excellent. Baitin' Bysdan yourself this fine day? It is day, right? What time is it? Deal ya in?" His barrage of questions ushering forth from beneath a light brown handlebar moustache as the rotund cherry cheeked man pats a pillow on the wooden stool beside him.

OOC: They are playing some card game. I do not gamble, myself, so am not completely familiar with this sorta stuff. Let's just say it's poker (which I understand somewhat).

We'll handle this as a series of simple "skill checks." Give me 3 rolls of a d20. I'll roll d20s for the npcs. Highest roll wins. You are welcome to apply your Sleight of Hand bonus and Dex. bonus to the rolls you wish to be "cheating", if any.

2 silver to get in the game...and let's say the pot for each hand will rise to a total of 5 silver, 15 coppers, and 10 silver 25 copper before someone calls.

So...roll, shadowless boy.

PSWhat You Know: Bysdan is, foremost, the Chaotic Neutral [good tendencies] god of music and patron deity of bards. He is also attributed godly-sway over luck and trickery, and thus games of chance. He is a favorite deity among non-evil thieves, and associated with the season of Autumn. Mythologically speaking (at least), Bysdan is significantly more prone than other godly beings to dare/wander the realms in mortal form (as this is against the express decree of the Celestial Sovereign).

The term "Baiting Bysdan", is a common Orean saying (which I just completely fabricated ) especially prevalent in gaming/gambling circles, meaning simultaneously "testing your luck" and/or "honoring Bysdan/inviting him to the game" [it is said Bysdan has been lured to a gaming table in mortal form from time to time]. /OOC

 

[Binder Fred]

"You know me, Fammi: I like a challenge! And who wouldn't want to climb that mountain?" With a gesture up and down her body. (By which he actually means both of them: Fammi... isn't too badly equipped in that department). "Who's going to notice a few dirty pots more or less, hm?"

As she rather predictably doesn't quite go for it: "One day you'll succumb to my charms: I'm irresistible, you know?"

He'll count that one as half-a-win for his side. (Still got all his teeth too, which isn't always a given when Fammi Algeez is involved!)

Your abrupt entrance causes the posh young man to jump in his seat. He stares at you in fearful surprise, clutching his cards close to his chest. Ruch is similarly jolted awake but settles back into his seat and shuts his eyes with a snort after seeing you in the doorway.

That's... almost insulting. D)

Crancy is muh less surprised and significantly more animated than either of the others. "Johnnie, my boy! Grab a seat. Excellent. Excellent. Baitin' Bysdan yourself this fine day? It is day, right? What time is it? Deal ya in?" His barrage of questions ushering forth from beneath a light brown handlebar moustache as the rotund cherry cheeked man pats a pillow on the wooden stool beside him.

"Sure thing, Crancy," agrees John, rubbing his hands in anticipation as he approaches the low gambling table. "Got me some sterlings burning a hole in my pouch this morning!" The cushion he tosses away (always gets in your way when you really *need* to be quick about it) but then he's free to plunk down his own self on the equally low stool, right leg a little to the side so he has easy access to what's waiting there (not that he thinks he'll need it, not with these two, but you never know, right?). "Who's your jumpy friend?" he asks with a grin and a nod.

He scoops up his first hand of cards (Crancy is downright *eager* to deal him in, isn't he?).

<Response posh young man?>

He plays it safe and straight on the first two hands (since that's when people tend to watch you the closest), just taking the time to stash a couple of Emperors Above (the blue and the black no less) in a discrete location as they're gathering up the cards after the second one (too good an opportunity to pass up!). Gorgon's Bluff's not the best game for his kind of playing, truth be told: relies too heavy on reading your opponents for his taste. Give him dice and plinths any days!

Going full out on the third hand though: that pot looks sweet!

[sblock=OOC]I'm going to go with the average of his dex and wis for the cheating, since this is "poker" and all. So +2 for his knowledge of the game (Gambling Skill) for the first two hands, and then +2 Gambling + 4 Sleight of hand = +6 on that last hand. That sound about right?

1st Hand: 1d20+2=4
2nd Hand: 1d20+2=15
3rd Hand: 1d20+6=20

If he wins anything (and I think he does with that last roll ), he'll wake Ruch and buy/order them all a round (Ruch included if he wants one). Crancy is probably immune to that sort of tactics, but see if he can't lower the young fop's defenses (and tongue too, maybe?). Does that worthy have anything of value apparent on him by the way (read "Worth Stealing")?

Nice bit on "Baiting Bysban". [/sblock]

 

[steeldragons]

"I..uh...er..." the blond fancy young man stammers a bit, holding his cards pressed to his chest.

"Ah, yes, of course. Where're my manners!? No Shadow John, this is my new good friend, Frappel the..."Vixen" was it?"

"Vix?...No! 'Frankil the Vicious.'" Frappel corrects and holds out a hand to shake with a transparently nervous smile. "Nice to make your acquaintance, er...Master...um John. Or should I address you as 'No Shadow'?" Frankil seems confused.

"Time for tea n' crumpets n' conversation later, kiddies. Let's play cards." Crancy handwaves away his mistake and begins shuffling the deck and dealing with blurring skill.

Crancy
1d20=4, 1d20=12, 1d20=1

Frankil
1d20=15, 1d20=15, 1d20=5

Both you and Crancy seem to 'give' the newcomer the first hand. Crancy takes the second (he has bonuses to his rolls I have not revealed here).

You, hands down, claim the third, plus an extra 5sp that Crancy threw in on an attempted bluff.

So, by the end of the three hands, you've lost a total of 5sp and 5cp...but then come back to win 15sp and 25cp.

Net gain of for John 10sp, 20cp.

You figure it's been about an hour. Play s'more? If yes, give me a few more d20 rolls.

 

[Binder Fred]

"Vix?...No! 'Frankil the Vicious.'" Frappel corrects and holds out a hand to shake with a transparently nervous smile. "Nice to make your acquaintance, er...Master...um John. Or should I address you as 'No Shadow'?" Frankil seems confused.

"Only if I can call you 'Vicious'," replies that worthy with a somewhat wolfish smile, and a (very) strong squeeze on the handshake <Str 15 > (No calluses on the guy, at all <I'm going to assume?>. And 'Vicious'? Really? Might as well shout out: "I have never been outside my family home before!")

<Response Frankil?>

Crancy takes the second hand.

"Playing it rich today, Crancy!" Refering to the man's overbid tactics on that one. "Autumn Lord's been lining your door with golden leaves out of season, has he?" Autumn being Bysdan's favourite season for some obscure reason.

<Response Crancy? Fishing for leads to (perhaps) lucrative dealings (and hints as to Crancy's mysterious occupation, of course )>

You, hands down, claim the third, plus an extra 5sp that Crancy threw in on an attempted bluff.

So, by the end of the three hands, you've lost a total of 5sp and 5cp...but then come back to win 15sp and 25cp.

Net gain of for John 10sp, 20cp.

"Hey, Ruch... Ruch!" he directs to the sleeping half-orc, tossing him three silvers when he wakes up. "Get us all something warm from behind Fammi's apron - I mean counter - will you? Tallest mugs you have! You grab a little something for yourself too while you're at it, right?" Crancy's probably above that sort of tactics, but see if he can't lower the young fop's defenses a bit (loosen up his tongue too, maybe? See if anything that falls out is gold coloured?).

<Response Ruch?>

Judging by the shadows (or lack thereof) when the greenish bouncer parts the curtains to go out, they've been at it about an hour now. Hu... He'd figured Big John would have had Hygarr drag him out of here kicking and screaming by now... Ah well, his loss, my win. John smiles: might even tuck in a little bit of his profits back into Big John's socks when he gets back. Thank him for the seed money.

"What business are you in, Vicious?" he teases. "Haven't seen you around here before." He awaits the other's fantastic lies with baited breath...

<Response Frankil? So nothing valuable visible on the guy besides his clothes then?>

Just then <assuming again, correct me if I err> Ruch comes back with their foamy, room-temperature drinks (you take what you can get. And at least there's plenty of it!). "You're one of the good ones, Ruch! Bouncer guys," he quickly specifies before that line of compliment gets him into some future hot water (Ruch is pretty easy-going, usually, but he can nurse a grudge for *months* - well, weeks at least: John hasn't been here that long himself.) "To living the life!" he toasts with his two buddies of the moment.


[sblock=Gambling away his youth]Going to apply his additional +6 cheating to whichever hand has the biggest pot.

1d20+2=14, 1d20+2=7, 1d20+2=4

Yeash, let's hope it's that first one![/sblock]

 

[steeldragons]

You while away another hour on a few hands. Crancy wins the first by a mile with a rousing guffaw.

After a lengthy second game that was touch and go for a bit and your, shall we say, "expertise" with maneuvering the cards, manage to win games two and three.

Net gain (for this round): 15sp and 20cp.

Frankil is wearing a pinky ring of gold and your astute eyes notice a momentary glint of a white metal (silver or maybe better!) chain around his neck, beneath his collar. He thanks you and cheers with his warm ale, though plays badly, and he gives you a bit of information while rearranging and trading out cards, as if he knew what he was doing.

"I'm from...uh...the Cart Square. My father is a member of the Wrights' Guild. We have...uh...good friends in the Brotherhood." Frankil relays. You can't be sure if his stammering is evidence of lying or the poor thing just not being able to do two things at once, speaking and playing his cards. "One of them mentioned this...uh...parlor. I figured since I was down this way, I might as well stop in and play a few hands to kill time."

"The Wrights' Guild you say?" Crancy interjects casually as he rearranges the cards in his hand...to what end could never be guessed. "Do you happen to know Master Underspoke? A carouser o the highest order but a lousy liar. Good man." Crancy's comments end as abruptly as they began with a twitch of his moustache and a frown at his hand. "I fold."

"I...uh...can't say that I do, Master Crancy." Frankil returns his attention to you as he continues his tale, "I came down this way because I heard there was some...uh...activity involving an associate of mine. One o' the little folk, gnomish gent. I can't imagine you'd know him." Frankil adds casually. "The Shanty's a large area after all....[staring intently at his cards]...Do you happen to know of any where the stoutfolk congregate in this section of town?"

OOC: What you know: Cart Square, if not obvious, is a neighborhood in town (around a square) where there are a number of cart and wheel wrights. The Wright Guild is, obviously, the guild for those cart and wheelwright tradesmen. "The Brotherhood" refers to the Fathan Brotherhood who are the wealthiest, most politically powerful/influencial, and naturally, criminally corrupt merchants guild in Orea. They control Threeways almost completely and have a hand in every major port and trading center across the continent. You do NOT mess with the Fathan Brotherhood. You work FOR them or you stay out of their way. Every cutpurse from Andril to Aberol knows that. EDIT/PS: You have not seen any gnomes in Threeways since you arrived in the city. Though persons of varying species are not uncommon in Threeways, and you've seen plenty (Hygarr, Russ and Ruch to name a few), a gnome has not been among them./EDIT

 

[Binder Fred]

"I...uh...can't say that I do, Master Crancy." [/COLOR]Frankil returns his attention to you as he continues his tale, "I came down this way because I heard there was some...uh...activity involving an associate of mine. One o' the little folk, gnomish gent. I can't imagine you'd know him." Frankil adds casually. "The Shanty's a large area after all....[staring intently at his cards]...Do you happen to know of any where the stoutfolk congregate in this section of town?"

"Dwarfs?" pretend-misunderstands John since that wasn't quite as entertaining a tale as he'd hoped: where are the pixies, the evil uncles and the dragons, I ask you? But at least Vicious has enough brains to sense his danger and mention the Brotherhood -- though that'll come back to bite him, bad, if it's not entirely true! Might have to pass on rolling him just now though... Shame: that ring would have looked good on him... And that gnome question's practically an open invite to lead him down some dark alley too!

"Oh, right: gnomes! Naw, can't say as I do. What's he look like?" Working hard to care at this point, but you never know. (And is it just him or was that question of Crancy's...) "Raise you 10 shiny, shiny silvers, Vicious: feeling good about this one, my friends!"

He tries not to let his new suspiscions show in his gaze as he discretely peers at the older 'merchant' over his cards...

OOC: John now suspect *Crancy* has ties with the Brotherhood and that question was a test for Frankil. Which he failed, of course. Looking for anything to deny or confirm that suspiscion.

Net gain (for this round): 15sp and 20cp.

"Them's the breaks folks!" he grins, raking-in his winnings. Can't quite believe it himself, actually: even doing his utmost those last two hands were average at best! Seems Bysdan might not be favouring him all that much, but he sure had something against Crancy and - most of all - Vicious (the fop hasn't won a single hand since that first one)!

[sblock=Bet it all Johny!]The old guy isn't letting him win, is he?

Last one: John cranks up the volume to full, raising the stakes to max on every one of the following three hands, and going so far as to bet *all* his winnings (20 sp, 40 cp by my count) on the hand with the closest totals (where he uses his +6, of course)... Actually, if it's a really close-fought contest he'll (Wis roll 1d20=17) *not* bet everything Big John loaned him after all. Ah, too bad!

Hands: 1d20+2=18, 1d20+2=4, 1d20+2=3

EDIT= Oh and he'll invest a further 5 sp on booze, of course.[/sblock]