Tessirda's page

Tessirda swooped in as the disturbance began to spiral out of control The men were probably just looking for an excuse to either start trouble, but nevertheless - if she didn't treat them as customers, she'd only stoke the flames.

"Something the matter, Gentlemen?" she asked, as she stepped to the side of the dwarf. She was nothing if not confident, maybe someone their own side would already let some of the air out of them.

Tessirda planned her routine quite meticulously. She'd take the earlier shifts, patrolling over the floors, looking both for cheaters and pickpockets, but also making conversation with the patrons. Some contact might ease their troubles, and encourage them to come back - while taking the mind of the really desperate off the gambling. A few coppers lost for the goblin, but maybe a whole life gained.

Over the days, she moved the last of her personal effects from the brothel room.

She spend the afternoons saying goodbye. Many of the other entertainers had grown to be, if not friends, still comrades. Of course, there were raised eyebrows. Not only that, also prophecies of her being back before the moon was turned. But surprisingly enough, there were more who wanted to share a last glass of wine, or a long talk about her motives and questions on what she planned to do next. Only one particular man, Henrik, threatened her.

It was over. It was done. Some of the good moments would eventually work their way into "cherished memories", while most would just fade into general memory. If you lived for as long as she planned to, you had to let go of memories and parts your live you cherished. Reinvent yourself. Strange, that so few of her people embraced Sarenrae's teachings.

Zavos:

Alright, this probably takes care of the "min-split scene"

"I think that's a fair way to deal with it, yes." Tessirda replied. She had likewise taken a room, and made it hers. Remarkably little personal effects, though. It was more as if she was starting anew rather than just changing dwellings.

Zavos:

Tessirda found no fault in the agreement, she just didn't think it through too long at all. So she just smiled, and nodded. "I think its a good idea. So the better we do, the more money we earn? That's a good, fair principle."

Like so many elves, Tessirda enjoyed the quiet, small advantages her ancestry afforded her over humans. Not the least was to always appear well-rested and calm, no matter that "her night" had been scarcely half of what a human would consider ample rest.

"Ah, breakfast" she announced, while looking through the options available. "I begin to like working here already."

Tessirda had listened to the lottery scheme, and privately smiled. It might be a good idea, but she doubted the average riddleport resident had much money to spare on it. "I just hope you don't feel too depressed if the normal vices still take precedence. Other than that, it has been quite the night. Should we meet back tomorrow?"

Tessirda smirked at the wizards reply. He really reminded her of some of her home towns residents. Not all of them wizards, but still very averse to risks and the less cerebral fun.

While most of her kin were extremely reluctant to give out advice, she was practically bursting not to answer him. She finally settled on talking to the much more approachable, if lecherous man instead. "I just hope your friend here maintains his strong passion for letters and numbers. In just twenty years, he'll still have time for them, but not half as much for athletics and soft touches."

Tessirda considered her options for a moment. The strange gnome seemed so uncomfortable with the thought of working with her, she decided to speak up. Not being forced too close to her might be a good idea. "If I may make a suggestion? I'd be glad to work security for you, but maybe I should be a bit more visible? Give me some decent armor, and I'm confident I might draw a few eyes on the side. Good for business, and seeing cheaters from above is fine and good - having someone walk the room might discourage it more."

Also, it would allow her more customer contact - always a good thing in case someone needed help. She was really easing into the new opportunity. It fit her, she realized.

"I could certainly keep an eye out on the floor" Tessirda replied, somewhat carefully. Her own goal for the evening hadn't been quite met, but she considered it far from a failure, as well.

There was something to be said for having a potentially sympathetic, if not necessarily "giving" ear for someone who was in a situation of crisis, after all.

Tessirda took a seat on the couch closer to the fireplace, and crossed her legs. She took a long look over the assemblage. Her eyes rested on Zindit just for a moment until she realized that the curious gnome had reacted really badly before. Best not give her the feeling she was out for her especially.

"Quite the cozy place. I am envious, Mister Vancaskerkin. I certainly could never pay for half of this." She said, trying to get some light conversation going. Always a better start for any kind of dealing, and also maybe not the worst idea to get everyone's mind off the fight they had just been in.

"You feel free. I always get the short stick in such haggling, so you won't make it any shorter." Tessirda offhandedly replied to Zavos, before returning her attention to the Saul.

"The woman used magic to incapacitate and confuse, when she probably could just as easily have caused a real panic by killing a few people in a fireball. That has to count for something. The man stood down willingly. Now, i am not saying they deserve to go free, but the noose is a bit harsh for that, don't you think?"

Tessirda looked at all the looting going on, then shook her head. "The Gendarmes will be fine, just tell them how it went down. They used non-lethal means, and I don't think any lasting wounds were inflicted."

She took one of the pouches, Angvar's to be precise. "I think this Penalty payment will be enough." She said, weighing it in her hand. "Anything else, I'd gladly take, but i don't really demand any more."

"I'd gladly join you. But first, what do you intend to do about the prisoners? In the end, they stood down. That should count for something." She quickly checked if anyone else was in dire need of medical attention, but it seemed to have worked out rather well. So other than being responsible for a lot of lost money, they might get out of this with just one black eye.

Tessirda nodded, but felt it unnecessary to add anything further. The chips bought back at a ten percent markup was remarkable, but not really her concern. What was going to happen to these two thugs might be, though.

Tessirda raised her eyebrows, and seemed quite puzzled. The job seemed quite profitable. Someone hiring two agents to do it, but not actually taking part themselves was strange. "Where were you to meet this contact of yours? And when exactly?"

With a little luck, this mysterious employer had not yet heard of the failure of the coup. Not too likely, though. If she was that employer, she'd have attended the tournament, and kept an eye on things. That was if there was any employer, of course. They might just try to shift some of the blame around.

"Oh, I'd think a lot of people thought this night would end entirely differently" Tessirda replied, as she helped take care of the wounded lady. They might be in deep trouble, but they had more of a shot now than in battle.

"I think binding their hands is enough... if he starts chanting we can still stop him" She replied to Amunyets suggestion. "At least, i heard a mage needs free hands to use magic." Her eyes followed Zavos, though. He was quite eager, it seemed. Even now that some of the other players clamored to have their money back and others began to shamelessly loot the available chips, he still wanted to go on.

Tessirda put down her weapon, and tried to help the wounded woman as best she could. When she said she did not feel anyone needed to die over this, this had been true. Amazingly true, in fact. "She's bleeding badly. We need a healer here, fast!"

She knew she would probably get in the way of the man, who probably was friends with the lady, at least. She stood close however, just in case the healer needed space, and the man would be blinded by grief.

Tessirda kept close to the woman, and tried to drive her before herself. She wasn't quite as brutal as she might have liked Attack rolls: 6 and 16 with 11 damage but her second strike was close to home. She hesitated a moment after she assumed to have seriously wounded the woman. "Give it up now. Might even make it some years labor rather than hanging."

Tessirda looked the woman over, and shook her head. Yet the thrill of battle had made her less steely in her resolve than she might otherwise have been: will save is just 8

Tessirda of course had no intention to stay down. No use wasting a perfectly good challenge on standing down at the first sign of trouble, after all. "So, boys. I guess you've got this whole thing figured out - but tell me, who's the first to get some blood drawn, hmm? How much of the take's that worth to you?"

Can't seem to get through to IC right now. Roll an intimidate for me, will you?

Tessirda managed to quickly focus on what was really important - and that was not the distracting lights Will Save -> 18

She quickly scanned the room, and pulled free her shortsword from the hidden sheath. "Alright, nice try but no win. This is the 'Cheat the Devil' tournament, not the 'Rob the Devil' one."

She approached the center of the room, trying to see if the robbers were paying her any mind at all.

Tessirda had seen too many gamblers not to have a pretty good idea of what would likely come next - a mad rush for the fallen chips. She made a point not to stand in its way, it would have been quite futile. However, one of the gnomes or halflings might be in trouble, in real danger of being trampled. So moving too far was a bad idea too.

For the moment, being out of the way was a good compromise, she decided. If someone was getting into trouble, she'd step in.

Tessirda enjoyed Saul's speech. Quite the dramatic man, it seemed. With an eye towards entertainment. He'd probably get a good turnout of the evening. Without too much risk at all. Ten thousand silver sounded like a lot of money, and it was - but it with the "bribes" required to climb the ladder, by the time the last hand was played, he had to come out ahead.

Figuring that all out took a good deal of time, though... so she just let herself drift through the crowd for a while - maybe meet that strange gnome again.

"I'll be around here somewhere" Tessirda agreed. She only then realized that she had talked a whole lot, but had no idea what the woman really was after - much talk, no listen. She probably had botched things up a good bit.

No matter, at least she was feeling as if she had left a good impression.

Tessirda returned the pendant to its place around her neck, and looked over the room for a moment. Things looked decent for now. "I'm going to watch for the moment. See if anyone really needs a wakeup call, or is heading into more trouble than they can handle. Maybe once it cools down a little, I'll do a few rounds on the bounder table, but this really isn't about me so much tonight."

Tessirda chuckled, then giggled, and it took her a few seconds to regain her composture. "Sorry... very dirty thought there just now." She slowly, carefully took off the necklace, and put it out to Amunyet. It probably wasn't too valuable - a few gold pieces at most, silvers more likely. Pretty, but without any appreciable material value.

"It is a gift from a patron." It might not be a good idea to get too open and personal with a complete stranger, but she'd never been one to bottle up what was inside - from her seeking revenge to opening up to someone who probably would have appreciated much more if she had given him her ear for his own troubles. "She is a goddess of rebirth, transformation and the change of the supposedly unchangeable. So yes, it is dear to me."

Tessirda did not seem to mind the attention her tattoo received. Indeed, she even turned her shoulder a little so Amunyet could get a better look at it. The craftsmanship was really quite good, and the sharp yellow color must have been difficult to come by. "It was a gift, actually. One of the Tieflings at the House of Silken Veils did it for me. I... well, I still live there, but in intend to move out soon."

She tried to pick up the gnome in the crowd again, but the momentary distraction had been enough to lose her. Too bad, she'd have liked to learn more about her. "Well, she was willing to at least talk to you. She seemed... frightened. Maybe it is my fault after all - i have been concerned with the revenge aspect of Calistria in the last few years, so maybe she has bad memories of me? It might just be."

Tessirda looked incredulously as the gnomish woman began a poorly-executed flight at her very presence. Had she run across any gnomes in the past? Surely, but... this one wasn't really familiar to her.

"Ermm... enjoy the evening, then?" She said at Zindit's back, shrugging. "I must apologize for scaring your friend off - it seems i am unfamiliar with a bit of history between her and me i really should remember?"

She does - a small necklace ending in pendant depicting the goddess. It is just brass, with some tiny golden highlights on the figure, but worked quite well.

"Besides, even without any souls, this night will flush in quite a healthy bit of money for the owners. Half the town is here, and half of those who are not wish they were, I'd almost wager." She took another good look at the priest. She was already building a mental picture of the woman in front of her, but called herself to stop this.

"My name is Tessirda, and yes. I quite value my soul where it belongs - inside me until my time here is up. Then, it is indeed up to Pharasma's judgement as to where I go. I might still change that final tally a bit, i hope."

Tessirda saw that her new acquaintances were doing well enough for themselves, and was pleased. She bought some ale from one of the disguised serving girl, and let herself drift through the crowd of players for a while.

Closer to the Bounder tables, she caught sight of the woman who likewise had refused to sign the "contract" at the entrance. Maybe she'd be an interesting new acquaintance as well.

"Good evening to you. It seems you're not so keen on potential contenders on your soul as well" She said, eyes firmly on Amunyet. Exotic-looking. Had the tournament really produced such a strong pull? She wouldn't have expected that.

Tessirda joined Zavos by the Golem table, but did not sit down. It did not look as if she had purchased any chips, either. "Golem, hmm? Seems you like to think on your feet."

The other woman who had entered shortly after her was worth a glance over her shoulder. While the "contract" was probably not sitting too well with some of the more superstitious patrons, she had the feeling that this one might have been a bit more principled in her rejection.

Tessirda looked over the contract, and tipped the quill to the bottom portion, where the signature was supposed to be provided. She quickly made a stroke to the top part where her name was supposed to go again, and crossed out the contract entirely. "I am not going to sign this. I promise to behave, I promise not to cheat, and not make an ass out of myself. If you won't let me play without this stupid piece of made-up contract, that is you choice, but you are going to be one gold piece short for it."

With a smile, she added "Let me in anyway?"

"Flatterer!" Tessirda scolded, finding herself in that coy playful mindset again. Just a few months back, she would have immensely enjoyed it, as a break from the much harsher, punishing work she usually did. Maybe that, too, was a bit of a gift.

"Besides, i will very much be surprised if I was the only lady in attendance tonight." She added, in a somewhat more serious tone. Then her attention drifted over to the man whom Zavos had just introduced. Looked him over from heads to heels. Her first verdict matched the introduction rather well. That man really did not look too much like someone out for a wild night.

"So, if it is not for the jingle of coin, or the socializing, what exactly moves him to participate?" She asked. Some called her direct, but it just worked better than layers and layers of indirect speaking, which only served to trip up her words. "Oh, and before i become altogether rude: I am called Tessirda. If you have to add an "of", "the" or "from" to my name, just take your pick."

The elven woman laughed, from the deep of her body. "How implicating would it be to confess i like to watch? Seriously though - yes. I am mainly here for the event itself, not to lose or win a lot of money."

She gave the man a good-natured shrug, and fell in step besides him. "So, you intend to have a hell of a night, playing on the devils own turf? Sure you can manage your losses?" Somehow, she managed to make these sobering words sound halfway playful and pleasant.

Tessirda turned her head towards the two men who were so obviously looking into her direction. Natural, expected, but not unwelcome at the moment, either. Might even make the evening more pleasant.

With a nod, she motioned them to come closer. "Top of the evening to you."

Tessirda skipped uneasily from her heels to her toes and back again as the day slowly began to stretch out into infinity. Why was she putting herself on the point like this? What was she even trying to achieve with it? She had made her choice, hadn't she. No more savored stings for her, just some more light. Some more kindness. Some more good to be done.

Her dress was belying her newfound conviction. A shoulderless tight-fitting dress. Revealing enough to show the wasp tattoo on her left shoulder entirely. To all appearances, she seemed just another elven thrillseeker out for a wild night. She had decided on this particular, dark blue dress because - well. It was the most outrageous one she possessed. All the more the challenge not to relapse.

She looked at bags she had put down besides the door to the room she had occupied for so many years now. A human generation had passed here, she was considered an old fixture. Humans. They probably would all be shocked and incredulous. Truthfully, she herself was.

She exited the room, with one of her swords strapped on her tight. Quickly and decisively made her way across Riddleports streets. There would probably quite a line to wait through - and maybe a few patrons to get to know - see if any needed help. That was the point in the visit. Make sure noone lost more than they could afford - not if she could help it.

Anything else you need of me, or am i ready to go?

Picked my "major equipment." I hope you are ok with me not listing every last inkwell. If you want it, i can do it, but this stuff is relevant so rarely i usually do not bother unless the GM really really wants it :)

Ok, first draft is up. Check my profile. I still need to buy equipment, but that should not be a huge problem