@All The day has finally come, the day of the grand opening of the Gold Goblin Casino and its premier: Cheat the Devil, Take his Gold Gala! Riddleport had not had new gossip material this enrapturing since the Blot appeared over the port city. [ooc]Pardon the exposition... but if you roll a DC you can look at the spoilers leading up to your roll. You can only pick one other than Gather Info, unless you are trained in the skill.
over the harbor and gulf just south of Riddleport. It is dark like a shadow but does allow some light through, albeit dimly, and flying objects can faintly be seen through its obscuring haze. It casts a faint shadow on the ground beneath it depending on the angle of the sun.
Those who seek to try their chances against the Devil find that no matter how early they arrived to sign up will find a long line has already formed, full of a wide mix of "characters" . The line wove out of the most ramshackle part of Riddleport's slums, the Gold Goblin being the nicest building for blocks. Itself recently repaired by the new owner - Saul Vancaskerkin - the entrance into the casino is a pair of steps wrapping up opposite sides of a giant goblin statue holding a massive die and smirking with avarice.
@Those coming to gamble:
@Those looking for work:
@Anyone Else:
@Nessa:
As the day dawns, filtering in through the silk curtains of your chambers and filling the room with a warm amber glow, a soft knocking on your door stirs you to wakefulness. You recognize Lavender Lil's voice calling to you.
"Nessa love? Lady Shorafa wants to see you about a commission. Said something having to do with a 'golden goblin'?" The tiefling's cute, black-curled head poked in, yawning at being awake so early. "You're lucky, you know. You get to go wherever you please. I'd like to see what all the fuss is about down there."
Zoja had planned to be up early for the big day, but timing has never really been one of her strengths. When the morning actually came, bed was feeling pretty good. It had been a late night before, celebrating her fortune to come.
After she did roll out of bed, Zoja had a number of difficult decisions to make. Breakfast: extra tea for alertness, otherwise just a bit of bread and butter since that was fast and she had other concerns. Clothing: although she thought about it inordinately, the dress was the only real choice. While she habitually saved it for performing, when she won the Gala's jackpot she would want to be looking her very best. All eyes would be on her, and she would be remembered for this by more people, and for longer, than any other thing she had ever done. Hair: up, with black ribbons. Necklace: yes. Weapons: absolutely. She needs to get home safely with her loot, even if the bow will look incongruous with her outfit.
When she reaches the line to get into the Gold Goblin, Zoja is disappointed at the wait. But, on the brighter side, she will have some time to size up the competition and get an idea of what to expect. Zoja doesn't doubt she will win, but this is not because she knows that she will. She decided long ago that there is simply no reason to approach something she wants with any other frame of mind. What is the point of doubt? Full confidence frees the mind to focus on the task at hand, to sort the details and nuances without hinderance.
So Zoja waits with a light heart, a focused mind, and a smile.
Stitches milled around in the line for gamblers at the golden goblin and waits eagerly despite how ridiculously long the line was. He had been in line since daybreak, but coming early hadn't really seen much improvement.
He hadn't thought it was going to be this big of a deal. But, he had been prepared. He went to sleep early the night before, and carried some of his gear with him. Gambling events would be rowdy, and he could make some extra coin by charging for his services while he's on vacation.
Stitches had spent plenty of time observing the blot, since work had been light lately. He had compiled some interesting notes, but he didn't have enough to put together a conclusion.
-------------------
Kavakhra went out into the street, tying her black scarf tightly around her face, and putting on her dark green cloak. She didn't like the outdoors much, but it was dusk, and the light wasn't so bright. She looked up at the dark spot in the sky.
Everyone's talking about that thing, Kavakhra muses. I wouldn't mind if it got bigger... the sun is far too bright in the daytime. But the stars are beautiful... perhaps if it were there in the day but not the night... She shakes her head. Waste of time to think about it. If I don't earn myself some coin soon that filthy half-orc landlord will toss me out on the street. And I don't know anyone around here.
She comes up to the lineup forming outside the new gambling hall.
This place looks like it has potential. Brand new... and people will be drinking. A place like that always needs someone to deal with the rowdy drunks.
She scans the crowd until she sees some people that look rowdy and already a bit drunk, but otherwise ordinary. She pulls out a couple of "tools" from her bag - a few colored handkerchiefs and a clay jug, half full of strong whisky. She approaches the drinkers in the lineup.
"You should wear a mask, like me," she says loudly. "That way, when you need to bluff they can't see your face!" She laughs loudly and takes a pull of the whisky. "Who wants to drink with me, for luck?" She passes the jug around the group of drinkers, sharing it with whomever wants some (and drinking no more herself), and offering handkerchiefs to whoever wants them so that they can 'bluff better.'
Once the group is getting close to the door, she positions herself so that the drunks are facing away from her, and punches one of the drunks in the small of the back, in a spot that will make him think that one of the other drunks did it. Then she darts in between a couple other members of the crowd, disappearing from sight.
As the drunks begin to argue and fight, she slips back into the crowd, and waits for them to come to blows, and when they do, she simply disappears.
Once invisible, she gets away from the press of the crowd, and quickly changes her black scarf for a light grey one, and reverses her cloak so the green side is in and the tan colored side is out. She moves to the shadows to one side of the door, and just when it looks like the doormen are going to intervene, she dismisses the invisibility and steps out of the shadows.
"Gentlemen, allow me," she says as she jumps in front of the doormen. She turns to the drunks and begins pulling them apart and tossing them out of the line, subduing those who need it.
Once the drunken brawl is sorted out, she takes a few deep breaths and turns to the doormen.
"That one was on me, friends, but you have a big crowd tonight. Sure you have enough bouncers? I am at liberty for the moment, and willing to work hourly or on commission."
It had been a long, but pleasurable night and Nessa was enjoying the chance to sleep in for once. When the knock came she mumbled something or other and when Lil opened the door and spoke to her Nessa started to say something vicious in abyssal. She cut herself off though when she heard the First Sting's name and looked up through her tangled mane of blonde hair.
She pushed herself up and looked at Lavender Lil hungrily a moment before shoving her desire away and saying, "Come on in, I could use some help getting ready. It's never wise to make the First Sting wait." She got out of bed, unclothed as the day she was spawned, and made an obscure gesture with a few words. Her long spill of tangled hair suddenly untangled itself and flowed straight down her back between her large membranous wings. She went to her closet and pulled out her favorite leather clothing and began to pull it on while she asked Lavender, "The makeup Lav?"
After the Elf's travels, Riddleport had been ... interesting in some ways.
The city was a cesspit by refined standards. Valai did not care too much about that, except she resented having her affairs interrupted by back-alley muggers and people suggesting all kinds of 'work' she had no interest in.
But there was the Cyphergate, relic of lost Thassilon, which had proven interesting to study. And there was this curious Blot, which had so far managed to vex the young Wizard's efforts to analyze and quantify it. That was vexing.
It seemed she'd need to stay in this city for a while longer, if only to satisfy her curiosity. Maybe long enough to stock a proper laboratory, wherefrom to conduct a proper study. The city did have its Cypherlords, who might prove to be an interesting source of knowledge, and perhaps a proper group to present her own findings to.
Perhaps.
But there would be no laboratory, nor a properly bound presentation of notes, unless she acquired a stable situation. That meant work. Casting cantrips in the street for the urchins, collecting pennies to pay for meagre lodgings and even more meagre meals, simply did not suffice. Valai had to find a better venue for her ability to wring payment from the minutiae of her art.
Luck, the young Elf firmly believed, was an illusion among illusions. Reality was a bedrock of rules, if only one had the mental fortitude to seek them out and know them. But like all rocks, it was potentially harmful to the mind if one battered into it again and again. And so mortal minds toyed with illusion, just to be able to stand life and reality.
Luck.
There were many people obsessed with luck in this city, especially when the "Golden Goblin" casino opened its doors for the unpleasantly-named event. In fact, there was a long line of such people, stretching from the areas of miserable squalor right up to the front door of the Golden Goblin.
In other words, there was a long line of punters, waiting to be dazzled by illusions of many kinds, waiting to be fooled and exploited by those who stood to make the real money; the ones who ran this Golden Goblin.
And, to a lesser extent, by Valai. Quite possibly, there might be ways for her to exploit the casino. While such establishments did not exist in Kyonin - not that Valai had ever known, anyway - she had learned about them during her travels through Varisia. Casinos required entertainment to help keep the gamblers interested and distracted, the better to entice and fleece them.
And Valai was an entertainer.
On the day of the grand event, the young Elf made her way to the Golden Goblin and started her routine in full sight of the massing customers and, more importantly, in full sight of the doors.
"Golden blessings of good fortune!" she called out, smiling at the punters -- and golden dust cascaded from her cupped hands. "Or would you prefer to be golden yourselves?"
Laughing, the Illusionist causes her snowy robes to blaze golden, then blister black, seethe red, and finally return to white. Chiming flecks of light surround the turning, chattering Elf, and mysterious sounds ring out in the line of customers.
The show has begun.
@Those in the line
@Stitches and Zoya You are surely amazed at the distraction; you can react as you will and then I'll move you two and Valai up to registration.
@Kavakhra
If you have a moment during or after you clean up the incident, you see a shortish man - the infamous "ex"-criminal Saul Vancaskerkin walking down the stairs towards you, watching your skill with a cunning glint in his eyes.
After you neatly tie that occurrence with a knuckle bow, he puts on a winning smile and extends his good hand. "Well, well, well! I've heard of the skills of dwarves but never before have I seen such a clean fight from one! You, my lady, have real talent! I do already have a couple of boys on my payroll to watch over my little Gala, but they're more the 'make a mess, splatter their blood' types. No offence, boys!" He calls out over his shoulder to the brutes, who growl in a clearly offended way.
"If you're interested, how does twenty silver pieces an hour for the duration of my Gala sound? You'd be working with the boys, Beyar and Hans, but they do their job. What do ya say?"
@Nessa
Lil leads you to the chapel - also known as Pamodae's elaborate bedchambers - where the high priestess and several acolytes await with a young woman you don't recognize. She is Varisian, and despite being rather cute her eyes do not hold any light in them.
"Ah, good morning ladies~" Shorafa welcomes you. "Dear Nessie, have you heard of that rascal Vancaskerkin's Devil's Gold Gala?"
"Buy a golden touch of luck?" Valai suggests to the people around her. "A touch of silver for a touch of gold, hey-o!"
An unseen trumpet rings out behind a typical-looking punter, as if to salute his chances of winning, and more golden dust spills from the Elf's hands.
"Can't hurt, can't hurt! Come try it," the Illusionist says, grinning.
Stitches watches the illusionist work, careful to keep his coinpurse in his hands and his place in line. Impressive. he thinks to himself. Well I won't turn down a show before the games.
As they entered the temple proper Nessa looked around in interest. There was always something happening here, some form of worship, and she reveled in it. She traded looks and caresses as she went but didn't let herself get too distracted by what was going on around her. When they finally reached the First Sting's room Nessa entered and approached the Highpriestess as she spoke, leaning in to kiss the Ladies' lips in greeting. Stepping back again Nessa said, "No, only that it might pertain to what you called me for."
"If you're interested, how does twenty silver pieces an hour for the duration of my Gala sound? You'd be working with the boys, Beyar and Hans, but they do their job. What do ya say?"
Kavakhra shrugs. "Works for me." She turns away from Saul and eyes the crowd, ostensibly to keep an eye out for more rowdies, but really she wants to conceal her reaction. Twenty silver an hour! I could set myself up for a couple of weeks if I can make this might last!
"How long is your gala going to go?" she asks, continuing to scan the crowd.
She looks over at Hans and Beyar, and nods in their direction.
@ Kavakhra
The two bouncers nod, respectfully acknowledging their new coworker. However, a dwarf with a fierce reddish beard that spreads from his face like a well-used broom suddenly appears to Saul's right, his arms crossed and a dangerous look in his eyes.
"Hold on there, Boss. We sure we want an unknown on the payroll last minute? We know nothing about this du- ... woman." His tone belies the words he speaks, and his glare is knowing.
@ Stitches, Zoja, and Valai
Inside two women - it is hard to tell if they are tieflings or not - dressed as seductive sucubi welcome you.
"Welcome to the Gold Goblin, handsome/beautiful, the hot spot for turning fortunes and winning wagers beneath the arch. Looking for the squarest games, most honest dealers, and prettiest blamed barmaids anywhere in the port? Well, you found ’em, sugar! Ready to be a rich man/woman? Hope so, ’cause tonight’s your night. Belly up to a table and get to winnin’; we’ve got the gold to make your dreams glitter. Good drink, fine food, and warm company’s extra, but we’ve got all that too—at prices so cheap we might as well be giving it away. So find a spot, honey, order a pint, and leave it all to us, ’cause here, even a goblin could win his weight in gold!"
@ Nessa
"Greetings, Miss Meretrix. Lixy Parmenter's the name, Ghoulette's the game! Well, it is at the casino." She blushes a little, embarrassed at her rattle-off of game's tagline. "I represent Saul Vancaskerkin, owner of the Gold Goblin. One of his employees - said he's been to see you, Beyar? or was it Hans - referenced you to Mr. Saul, saying you'd make a fine addition to his Cheat the Devil Gala for ... 'atmosphere enhancement'. His words, not mine. He is willing to pay for your time. His tenative offer is 35 silver pieces an hour, but he's open to negotiations."
Her eyes dart about as she speaks, clearly unnerved at the casual sensuality surrounding her.
@ Nessa
Stitches happily taps a gold piece on the goblin, pays his entry fee, and tries to find his way to a card table.
He will try his luck at the card game, but in his head the wheels are turning. He watches everyone's played cards with interest and in his head tries to figure out an angle that he could use to improve his odds.
Zoja grins while watching the elf's show. She good, not just the magic, but she can put on a show. Zoja isn't fool enough to actually believe the "luck" hokum, but she drops the elf a silver as she passes in appreciation for the diversion while standing in line. Besides, one never knows, luck is weird.
Once inside, Zoja follows the others in touching a gold to the goblin's toes. Best to do things according to custom in a strange place. No need to stand out as a newcomer, that just invites people to try a swindle.
Zoja passes on any drink at for the time being. Her head hasn't quite let her forget the previous night yet. She's here for business, not pleasure, anyway. Not that the two don't mix well, they do. But a woman's got to have priorities.
Instead, Zoja spends her first bit of time looking over the games to see what might work best for her. She's never been to a casino, or really gambled before. That in mind, she figures the games with what look to be the fewest moving parts involved are the ones to go with. Keep things simple, master the particulars, get rich.
Not that Zoja thinks any of it could be very hard. The people she knows who frequent casinos are pretty much idiots. And even some of them have walked away with winnings before.
"Don't worry, Mister whoever-you-are. If I make a deal I stick to it."
Valai collects her pay and tucks it away.
As she enters the Golden Goblin and encounters the two 'succubi', she reaches out with both hands to gently turn their pretty faces left and right and smooth their hair.
"Such a show we are seeing already, my dears," she says. "Aren't we just. But there are shows and shows. Do let your master know there is a lady here who wishes to make a business proposition that has naught to do with the bedroom. And I'll have a beer while I wait for him. Such lovely girls. Off you go."
@ Nessa
Shorafa nodded, satisfied that one of her girls wasn't going to be taken advantage of. "A fair offer, Nessie. What do you say?"
@ Those inside the Gambing Hall
Folks milled around, taking early looks at the various game tables and leering glances at the serving girls - all dressed the part of alluring succubi. Several eyes wandered up to a large covered bird cage that rattled furiously at random intervals.
@ Valai
@ Kavakhra
Valai casually snaps her fingers, and her robes flare sanguine red, then deepen to funereal black.
"Valai Darkrune. I think we should talk business."
"Let us not mince words. The function of a casino is to squeeze the punters for their money, not reward them for thinking they can get rich for little effort. The more distractions you have for them, the more "entertainment" diverts their attention from what they are doing, the better it is for business.
You have drinks. You have girls in revealing clothes. You have set them against each other to gamble. I can put on a show, spin illusions and noises to further break their concentration. You should employ me. I'll make them divide their attention from the games, and they'll cheer to see me do it."
Stitches enjoys the atmosphere and is curious about the words being spouted from the cage, but really doesn't know what it means.
@ Kavakhra ** spoiler omitted **
Kavakhra nods.
"Ulertzen dut. Nola aginduak jarraitzen ditudan jakin dut."
@ Valai
@ Kavakhra
@ Nessa
Lixy visibly shuddered at the venom in Shorafa's voice, as did the others present. The sound of buzzing wasps punctuated the promise.
@ Stitches and Zoja
The Elf spits in the palm of her hand and holds it out to Saul...
"Got it," Kavakhra nods, and returns to scanning the crowd.
The early hours pass without much incident, save for a bored gambler who got too frisky with a serving girl and was escorted out. As the sun began to set into the twilight hour, the competitive aura of all assembled was intense. Finally, a fell-sounding bell tolled and the lights inside the gambling hall went out. A few screams escaped the more cowardly of lips at the sudden darkness.
Then, from doors flanking the center stage, twin processions of employees dressed in cultist robes emerged. Each bore a pitchfork with the heads coated in pitch and set alight, casting little light till these were used to light braziers along the walls and in the center of the floor. As the eerie light slowly illuminated the hall, the "cultists" began to chant in variously creepy voices: "Saul Vancaskerkin", as if the rogue was a fiend to be so summoned.
As the chanting began, Saul emerged, flanked by Nessa and Lixy, both dressed as succubi, but their costumes are quite different from the other girls. Nessa's attire suggested rank and Lixy's was clearly more inspired by the undead than the damned. Saul himself wore a black suit with a crimson shirt, and his thinning black hair was slicked back. His smile was wide, but his eyes glinted with a different message.
"Greetings, mortals." He begins, his expression sinister "You have met with a terrible fate, haven't you? You sought to outwit the Devil himself, and now ... your souls are forfeit."
However, despite the serious tone, he lets loose a barking laugh and scratches the back of his head with his key-hand. "Welcome, one and all, to the Gold Goblin Gambling Hall. Here you are presented with the chance to cheat the Devil and take some of his wealth with you." He gestures behind him as Kavakhra walks in front of Hans and Beyar, the two humans carrying a large chest. The chest is placed on a pedestal behind Saul. He opens the lid to reveal the grand prize, 10,000 silver coins.
"I do hope you were well received by these dark angels of temptation when your souls were cast into Hell?" The crowd cheered and whistled as the succubi curtsied. His good hand reaches into his suit jacket and withdraws a contract. "As you all signed up, you unwittingly signed away your souls. You sold your souls for the chance for wealth. And the devil responsible?" His key-hand jabs up at the birdcage above you all.
Valai mage-hands the curtain from the cage to reveal the most withered and ashen imp imaginable. Upon his reveal, he explodes in a tirade of Infernal that few can understand but garners a laugh from all assembled.
"His name is Old Scratch, and his wiles have ensnared you. Not only did he provide these lovely succubi, he also emptied the vaults of Erebus to tempt you greedy damned with this tournament. Of course, he plans on replacing what he loses in gold with the souls of those of you who don’t win. The tournament rules are quite simple—as you play, you’ll earn more chips. And with those chips, you’ll be able to bribe your way out of the current Hell you’re trapped in, working your way down deeper until you get to Old Scratch’s treasury. Currently, all of you are Old Scratch’s prisoners in the first of the Hells, Avernus. If you want to work your way down to the ninth circle, you need to win games. Each time you win, you’ll be awarded a golden eye. If you come in second, you’ll get a silver tooth. And third place wins a copper heart. These bits of flesh and bone are what the devils use in Hell for currency, and they’re what you’ll need to pay in order to bribe your way into the next layer of hell. The first player to win a game after reaching Nessus not only keeps his winnings for that game, but also earns back his soul and the ten thousand silver coins that the Devil put up for this tournament. You can, of course, decide to cash out your winnings at any time you want, but if you do, or if you run out of money entirely… well, that means Old Scratch gets you."
His grin attempts to turn sinister, but he is enjoying the show too much to truly get into character as the imp pointed a clawed finger at the man and directs a string of curses in his direction.
"And that earns you the Devil’s Mark and an escort out of the game hall until the tournament is over. What, you ask, exactly is this Devil’s Mark? Well, it’s something too utterly horrible to even contemplate. The forfeiture of your very soul, it is. But I suppose I can show you what it is— gods know I more than deserve the Devil’s Mark. In fact, better make it two, girls!"
Nessa and Lixy, lips red as blood, firmly plant a kiss on each of his cheeks, leaving behind an imprint of their lipstick.
"The Devil's Mark, everyone!" As the roar of cheers and catcalls shake the building, Saul spreads his arms wide. "Come, let us cheat these devils and take their gold!"
Valai beckons two of the serving girls to her - ones appointed to assist her by Vancaskerkin - and whispers in their ears: "Just dance. I'll do the rest."
The now black-clad Elf conjures eerie vapours and lights out of thin air, directing them around the 'succubi' while they twist and turn. At odd intervals, she conjures sounds out of nowhere; blasts of music, voices, animal sounds. At the Elf's direction, coins abruptly turn black, then back to shining metal; people's clothes change colour; all manner of little things happen while the Illusionist continues to enhance the girls' performance, attracting attention to the dance.
When the grand event arrived Nessa could feel the excitement, everyone seemed ready to open and when the doors were finally unlocked she watched in secret as she was to wait and escort Saul in with Lixy. While she hadn't been sure of the outfit she'd been told to wear Nessa had to admit that it looked good on her and denoted her proper rank as the only one not wearing fake wings, tails, and horns. Her outfit was far less revealing, as far as sheer skin went, but it draped along her body so well that it was impossible not to see the curves beneath it and was just opaque enough that one could almost, but not quite, see through it. Her hair was pulled back and held behind her by a tiara like headdress that accentuated her horns and glowing red eyes bespoke her fiendish heritage and made her look not unlike a true succubus in the service of Saul.
When it was their time she walked in on Saul's right hand side, her wings folded closed behind her and her hips and tail swaying in counterpoint to each other. She stood beside him when he made his announcements and otherwise did what she was supposed to, look like sex incarnate and devoted to Saul. She was only thrown off by one thing, the fact that there was a devil in a cage. When 'Old Scratch' was revealed Nessa felt a deep seated hatred for him on first sight. She glared at the cursing devil and spat back in an equally foul, though far less exacting. Scratche's curses were shouted but each was distinctly and precisely formed whereas, when Nessa cursed back at him, the language was far less exacting. Her words seemed almost to run together in a chaotic mishmash with dark tones that made one shudder to listen to it.
Nessa did have the presence of mind to look at Saul in embarrassment and let the general laughter cover for her slip. When the imp pointed at Saul and nattered on some more she ignored him and continued to look pretty as she was supposed to. When it came time for her and Lixy to 'steal Saul's soul' Nessa turned and leaned in, timing her kiss to be with Lixy's, and left her lipstick mark on Saul's cheek. When their part was done for the little production Nessa spoke quietly to Saul, "What would you have me do now Saul? Anything in particular?"
Once the lineup gets inside, Khavakra follows, and begins looking around the casino, watching for trouble. Even though she is now indoors, she keeps her cloak and scarf on, covering most of her face.
She tries to keep her eyes off the decor and the entertainment and on the customers.
Saul turned to Nessa, shrugging with a grin. "I'd like you to join the other girls in serving the guests. You know, finger food trays and drinks. However, should you find someone in need of a 'good time' and you are willing to deliver there is the proffered room we've set up for you and whoever the lucky bastard that gets to join you."
As the Gala gets underway, the combined efforts of Valai and Khavakra keep things moving along smoothly on the floor. The distracting elf's act insured a steady stream of losers receiving their Devil's Marks and few dared fight with the intimidating "dwarven" woman keeping a watchful eye on the procedings.
Khavakra's eyes keep returning to a pair at the Ghoulette table, a thin Chelish man and a Varisian woman with an eye patch. They don't exactly stand out from the rest of the characters gathered here tonight, but your gut is telling you to keep your eyes on them.
Nodding her understanding Nessa drifted out among the crowd. She picked up a tray and began serving drinks. She moved through the crowd serving drinks and flirting with the patrons. As she went she received any number of gropes, fondles, and propositions and enjoyed every bit of it. Nessa was, in reality, a very physical kind of girl, and she responded the most to the more invasive touches. She also had her limits and she had no problem using her claws on anyone who got too friendly, leaving only the tiniest of scratches to get her point across.
As she made her rounds through the evening Nessa stole any number of souls from the tournament losers. As the evening went on she found herself with less and less people to entertain on the floor and began to choose among the various propositions she was getting for some extra entertainment. Her first choice of the night was a man and his wife who were looking for a third.
As the evening went on and the tournament was close to it's finish Nessa went to seek out Saul again. When she found him she said, "If we have a winner of the pot I would like to offer myself as part of the reward for the night." She gave him a salacious smile, "Just think, you can tell people that not only did someone Cheat the Devil and took his gold, but he stole the archsuccubus too."
@ Nessa At the suggestion, Ol' Scratch unleashed a fresh torrent of curses at the tiefling, spittle flying from between his clenched fangs, those few he retained.
A nervous chuckle escaped Saul, and you could have sworn sweat started to form. "As tempting as that offer is, are you sure? I wouldn't want to overstep my bounds with Miss Pamodae in regards to our arrangement. But, if you're alright with that..." he shrugged, and then called Larur, his dwarf aide, over to discuss how they might announce this development.
Nessa snapped something back at the imp in abyssal,
When Saul expressed his concern aboutt he arrangement with Shoraffa Pamodae Nessa shook her head, "It should be fine she said anything I chose to do as far as extra work was fine." She grinned, "Besides, it might make people take risks with their bets wich means it's more likely no one will win the pot."
Stitches starts his gambling at the ghoulette table!
"Very well!" Saul gave Larur the signal and the dwarf rang a gong, gathering the attention of those gamblers that remained.
"Attention mortals!" Readopting the persona of a wily devil, Saul held up a "new" contract. "You who remain have done very well so far. So well, in fact, that you've impressed the Devil's very own mistress of temptation, Queen Nessa!" He gestures to Nessa, who would join him on the stage once again.
"Your nerve, guts, and other such vices have earned you the interest of the Queen of Hell. She has offered this new contract to be signed by the winner of this Gala. The lucky soul to escape Hell will leave not just with the Devil's gold ... but his lover in his-or her-arms!"
As Larur rang the gong again, wolf whistles and catcalls revitalized any who were growing tired or were loosing moral. A frenzy took over the remaining guests, one that drew attention away from much else.
Kavakhra continues to monitor the floor, but she pays particular attention to the thin Chelish man and the woman with the eye patch, trying not to stray too far from their table.
Stitches looks up at the new offer and sighs. He only had... 13 silver. So he can't really afford to win or lose much more.
Nessa walked up with her most seductive swish when Saul made the announcement and she looked out at the hooting crowd. Deciding to make the even as challenging as she could now Nessa headed to the stage and the two dancers. When she got there she looked at the two and gestured them closer as she said, "We're going to give them a performance to fire the blood and distract them even more than they are." She smiled wickedly at the two, "I want to make the winning of the 'Devil's Queen of Temptation' an event they must work for."
When the Gala finally kicks off Zoja continues to do the same at first. She floats between tables and games trying to decide where her chances will be best. It doesn't take her long to begin shifting from observer to participant though. The "cheat the devil" conceit behind the gala, along with the floor show, entertainments, and performances are unbelievably ludicrous. Zoja adores the whole production. She can't decide if Vancaskerkin is crazy or a genius, but either way he seems to have really put his heart into the evening.
She lets the weirdness of it all soak in, turning her mood rowdier and less business-like. Although she had decided against it earlier, Zoja has a couple of ales or maybe more. Zoja tries some cards first, and holds her own against the other players but nothing more. When she grows tired of feeling like she's just treading water at cards, Zoja moves on to ghoulette.
Playing with 5 silver there gets her some small winnings, followed by some small losses.
Valai descends from the stage as Nessa ascends, twitching the black folds of her robes out of the "succubi"'s way. Trailing wisps of black fog as her robes return to red-rimmed white, the Elf walks around the room, looking in on games, casually making ordinary buttons to shine like emeralds and coins to chime like bells as she makes the rounds.
"Do excuse," she murmurs as she sweeps past Zoja, casually glancing at her cards. With a sardonic smile and a gesture, she briefly makes the Aasimar's hair shine like burnished gold, and then she moves on again.
After a while Zoja finds herself down to half of the twenty in silver she'd started with. Never having heard of the concept of "sunk costs", she plays on after a little break for a drink, determined to turn her losses around.
She doesn't know what to make of the elf's trick on her hair for good or ill, and is too disgruntled at the moment to care.
Zoja quickly loses the remaining ten silver she had of the twenty she started with. She had promised herself to limit her kitty to the twenty, but she's quite steamed with her outcome so far. She takes another break for a drink, mulling over the wisdom of continuing with more coin.
Nessa looked at Valai as she passed the elf on her way up the stairs. She gave the woman an interested smile and said, "We should have some fun later."
Valai's look at Nessa is nothing short of ... clinical. It is one of those looks you are sure capture every detail without attaching any real emotion or judgment to the information stored.
"Do excuse," the Elfmaid replies to the invitation. "But that is not the kind of service I was employed for. And also, it is not the kind of service I am looking for at this time."
There is no condemnation in the Elf's voice, no disgust, no mockery, no negative emotion of any kind. All there is, is simple disinterest.