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The dark cloud hanging over the city of Riddleport is far from most people's minds as small groups congregate, and choke off passage through the wharf district.
Vendors hawk their wares, charlatans ply their trade, and numerous games of luck are taking place along the sides of the street.
A handful of guards are present, yet not enough to take any serious action if something got out of hand.
Pulling out the flier announcing the re-opening of the Gold Goblin, you come to a building which has the look of once being the jewel of the wharf district. It's brass domes has dulled with time, some of the stained-glass windows smashed out, and a section of wall threatening to fall outward into the street.
Perhaps this new tournament, 'Cheat the Devil and Take his Gold' is a sign of improvement in this run-down district.
Sebastian looked at the flier again...This can't be right...What a dump. His left hand was in his coat pocket, tightly gripping the last of his coin. Cheat the Devil, aye...I don't need to cheat the Devil, but I bet I can outsmart him. He was here early hoping to get a good seat where he can watch the event and figure out the game, before he wagered the last of his money.
He took a last deep breath on the street, nearly gagging, but imagining that it will be better than what he will find inside.
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Glancing once more to skies, Sable ponders for a moment before drawing his attention earthward once more to the flier. He leans towards his trusted companion perched upon his staff and whispers in the Elven tongue "Korax, dear friend, please wait upon the roof," he points to a suitable spot to ensure the raven understands, "You will be called if you are needed. Swift winds, friend."
Tentatively, Sable approaches the establishment, hoping that what can be found within will grant the answers he seeks, or at least put a few coins for supper in his purse.
Sweeney approaches the domed building, idly looking out of the corner of his eye as he studies the flier. His hand subconsciously moves to the dagger concealed in the waist of his breeches, and then to the coin pouch hidden just below that. He can tell that it's the lightest it's been since he came to this city, and he hopes to have it more than full by the time he's done here. Gambling has never been his area of expertise ("It leaves too much to chance"), but where there's gambling there's people, foolish people, with lots of coin.
He folds the flier and stows it away, gussying up his disguise of an unassuming human commoner, and flashes an amiable smile at the crowd of people gathered at the entrance. 'This should be easy', he muses to himself.
walking towards the domed building to confirm a few rumors was a rather young elven lass. she was dressed in various darker shades of blue, her shoulderlength black hair kept in a pair of twintails this time, going down from the back of her upper neck to the bottom of the shoulderblade in length. her eyes were a deep green with ice blue pupils. and she was rather pale. she had just got back from "packing carrots" for a few "hungry sailors". her clothes looked clean and perfectly maintained. but her face hinted at dissapointment. any source of income would a nice thing for her to have. this "Cheat the Devil" sounded perfect. she looks at the poster for a little while and begins to ask individual people nearby how does one play cheat the devil and take his gold? she then stands on a soapbox, can anyone tell me to how play cheat the devil and take his gold? the first man to give me a proper respectful answer gets to have my mouth upon his carrot for a discounted rate of half price for the first hour.
Gather information check take 10
Kaylen walks down the street from the Mystery of the Gate, cursing the scholars and their unwillingness to hire a bodyguard. Looking at the flier for the tournament, her lip curls as she fingers the coins in her pocket. There are far too few of them, and not enough of them are gold. She's reluctant to gamble, but somebody at the tournament will end up with enough gold to need some sort of guard. Somebody will win big, or the house will wind up with enough to hire extra guards.
With a sigh, Kaylen walks into the tattered building for the tournament. She fingers the chain at her waist with a feeling of disgust as she walks past the elf on the soapbox.
Silver hair framing a white face seems to bob above the heads of the crowd, closer inspection also reveals a large frame clad in greyed steel, easily parting the crowd like the prow of a ship moving through the waves.
Stopping just past the city gates, he splits his money into two purses, and hides them on his person as a safety measure to avoid the whole lot being pocketed by one of the citys finer residents. He also tucks away his holy symbol... Winter has been to Riddleport before, accompanying Clergymen here to buy goods - he is a little wise to the common tricks of thieves.
He knows two things, he needs materials to build a new house, and he needs more money with which to buy them. On his way to town, passing folk had let him know of an event 'Cheat the Devil and take his Gold' was to be held at the Gold Goblin. Whilst not inclined to gambling, Winter figures that there could be an opportunity to hire on; gambling can have its share of risks - fights, trouble, disputes... things Winter is well placed to deal with.
He pauses to look at the Gold Goblin, and notes its disrepair, his cold cold eyes scanning the building and the crowd around it.
He looks around to see if he can spot any familiar faces...
He hears a strange Elf on a soapbox yelling, and listens closer
...a discounted rate of half price for the first hour.
He is shocked at the lewdness of her performance, then grins mischievously,"I didn't know it was possible to halve a copper piece" he chuckles to the crowd, and continues on.
He looks around to see if he can spot any familiar faces...
Kira looks towards the silver haired figure. do you honestly think my rates are that cheap. i consider myself a special commodity. my standard rate is a gold piece per hour by the way. and many sailors have been willing to pay that price in the past. Kira was hoping to embrarass the guy. not only am i an Adolescent elf, but i am an impoverished adolescent elven noble who fled the country of Ustalav. i plan on saving enough coin so that i may move to the forests of Kyonin with my surrogate father.
diplomacy check (to embarass the silver haired male from in front of the crowd and atop the soapbox)
"Well that move is going to take significantly longer if you keep trading at half price isn't it? Perhaps you'd find you made better worth if you stopped hawking your tired wares for the fancy of sailors and instead found an honest living. How can you embarras me? I'm not the one debasing myself on a street corner for the largess of whatever some bilge rat had in amongst the lint at the bottom of his pockets"
"If you want to know what the rules for the contest are, perhaps you'd simply walk over and ask like a decent person does instead of subjecting us to your cheaply plied trade - lest you embarras the Elven race any further by linking yourself to not only them, but their nobility as well"
In perfect Elven
"Even the most ignobly born elf stands much taller and more regal than the wretch you are depicting, I almost weep at the tragedy of your station"
For a brief moment it is clear he actually means every word, and is truly disappointed to see an Elf in such a state.
Kira flusters in anger and leaves the soapbox, she follows the silver haired male and tells him in an Ustalavian dialect of the elven language. i may not like my current trade, but at least it gets the bills paid. and i never got a chance to finish my tailoring lessons either. i dislike the heavy shame i swallow every day to survive. maybe if you help me set up a shop and finish my lessons, i can live a less shameful life. she says while still flustered.
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Replying in Elven "My good sir, let us not cast words towards this girl's lot, but it is also my hope that she can improve herself," turning to the young elf and switching to the Common tongue, "Madame you may find that inquiring with the proprietor of the Gold Goblin may be the quickest route to the answers you seek."
Sable turns from the crowd and steps within.
maybe if you help me set up a shop and finish my lessons, i can live a less shameful life. she says while still flustered.
He regards her evenly, appraising the worth of her words...
"If you make this request in earnest, then I would do what I can to help you - and I certainly know of a place up in the mountains where you could practice your trade for honest coin, and be supplied with fresh meals and good company. It's a simple life, but a busy one, and you'd get to meet some of the other elves that frequent our tradepost"
Replying in Elven "My good sir, let us not cast words towards this girl's lot, but it is also my hope that she can improve herself,"
"Indeed wise sir, I take less umbrage at her trade, and more at her promotion... perhaps she will take to our directions and seek council with the proprietor"
she looks towards winter snow and says to him i will gladly accept that offer. may my elderly, ill, surrogate father accompany me on the way?
Kira turns towards Sable. you get half price on your first hour of my shady services for such a kind answer. you can choose whether to keep the promotion you won on hand or to shove it into the abyss Kira heads towards the golden goblin. she opens the door and asks the propreitor, how does one enter the cheat the devil and steal his gold contest? and what are the rules? i seek to reform myself but i lack the funds to make such a reform last.
as she passed the soapbox again before entering the golden goblin, she points to Sable and says that raven haired elf clad in black is the one who wins this promotion. he offered the first respectful answer and i hope to eventually never have to spread my thighs for another sailor again. one day i shall find an honest trade and live it with greater pride than the shame i swallow every day here in riddleport.
gather information
As you each approach the front door, you find a pair of half-orcs guarding the establishment, each with twin scars running from their forehead to chin.
They ignore Kira's question and gesture to a nearby table attended by a young human girl with long brown hair tied in pigtails. She pipes up, "It's a single gold piece to enter the tournament. The rules are simple: last through to the end of the tournament, and you get the gold."
She turns a ledger around and rattles a locked box. "Care to try your luck?"
Winter pulls a folded piece of paper from his pocket...
"My entry, but more importantly, I am also seeking work... so once we have had a turn at your games perhaps you could let me know where there might be some hiring?"
Sweeney approaches, revealing the folded flier. "I believe this should cover it, love. And may I say, what a radiant smile you have." he says with a flashy grin and a wink.
Sweeney, make a charisma check, DC 10
Kaylen nods to the half-orc guards, tapping her dagger as she does so. As she heads inside, she walks up to the table where they gather entries and tips the voucher into the chest. Then she heads over to talk to one of the bouncers and get some information. "Your boss think he might be hiring any more guards after this?" Any games that you'd recommend as being more fair than not?"
Winter moves over to Sable, bearing a friendly face.
"I hope you do not feel I judged that Elf too harshly, I feel for her sorry lot most deeply, and would do what I can to deliver her from its destructive path. I have found that the direct approach often leaves people conflicted, so instead sought to jar her momentarily and give her pause for thought. By opening up dialogue as I have done, already I have moved her from the path - for here she is seeking more honest work, and already she enquires about the possibility of returning to an honest trade... Erastils truth is like an arrow, at first it fires high and away from the target, but through its flight it reverses down to earth and strikes unerringly to the heart... hopefully that lost deer can now find her way".
"I am Winter, and it is a pleasure to meet you my brother"
His handsome smile upon his strong jaw is quite benign and likeable, you'd even go so far as to say...comforting.
Sebastian passes over one of his sparse coins. As he signs the ledger, he asked the girl, "Last through what exactly?"
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Sable turns towards Winter, pausing for a moment to observe him in more detail.
Speaking once more in Elven "Winter, you seem to be soaring far above the vultures I've come to expect from Riddleport. My name is Sable, and I begrudge you no ill will for your evaluation of the young one. Perhaps your words will give her consideration that there are those even within this tangled nest that would find worth of her beyond that which her adolescent body offers. There is still a chance that when she grows into her plumage she shall be a shining example of her elven people. Amongst the squawking rabble of this place it has become my understanding that one must do what one can to survive, and the migrations of the gulls and sailors often finds use for a lovely vessel. But that his her story and truthfully I cannot speak for her. What winds have brought you to this place, Winter?"
The girl collecting entry fees is somewhat distracted by Sweeney. She takes the flier from him, pretends to look it over as she watches the half-elf over the top of the paper. "This looks like it's all in order." She folds the paper and hands it back to Sweeney.
Sweeney has distracted the girl long enough so that everyone has registered, but she has forgotten to collect everyone's entry fee.
Kira heads towards the golden goblin. she opens the door and asks the propreitor, how does one enter the cheat the devil and steal his gold contest? and what are the rules? i seek to reform myself but i lack the funds to make such a reform last.
The half-orcs grunt out "Wait for inside. All told after pay... They look over and see the girl with Sweeney, and storm over.
"You collect money," and one of them pulls out a jagged dagger. "Or you go to river sticky."
Kira shudders as she heads over towards the young girl accepting entry fees. here is my entry fee. she hands the lass a gold piece. and she lines up for the contest. Kira will register herself for the tournament. and she most likely gives passive yet obvious hints of her adolescence in the hope that they might work accomodations for the less capable. she does the full registration for the game.
but before she can enter the golden goblin. she tells the half orc bouncers. i am here to register myself as a contestant for the cheat the devil and steal his gold contest. and as a contestant you will let me pass.
Pocketing the key, Sweeney waves his hand absently in the air. "Come now, gentlemen, the young lady here is not at fault. After all, I've been standing here the whole time, and I saw her collect the coin myself. If there is any misunderstanding, I blieve it is on your end of things. In any case, if it comes down to it, I'll pay the difference out of my own pocket."
From behind him, Sebastian hears raised voices. Great...a bar fight...the one thing this cesspool of a town had yet to inflict upon me... Should I swallow my remaining gold?..that way at least I will still have some money in a day or two.
The half-orcs look around at the small group, listening to both Sweeney and Sable. "You all inside. Me watch."
One of them snarls at the register girl, who flinches and knocks the coin box off the table. Like clockwork, a pair of human teenagers are on the box and then moving through the crowds, the girl yelling for help.
The half-orcs look to the doors and then at the fleeing pair, uncertainty clouding their eyes and furrowing their brows.
Winter continues his talk with Sable...
"I'm down from the mountains, seeking to raise sufficient funds for the rebuilding of a modest home for my Erastian brothers, ours was recently destroyed in an accident, and the new lodgings aren't fit for long term habitation. I believe there is worth in everybody, and my duty is to help them find it... I...", he is cut off by loud voices at another table, and goes with Sable to investigate.
After Kira registers herself for the contest. she heads towards Winter and Sable and whispers into Winter's ear, in an Ustalavian dialect of the elven language i would gladly work an honest job at your trading post. if you wish to know my name. it is Kira Moonsong. she then curtseys the winter white priest and the raven haired elf. trying not to lift her short skirt too high.
Kaylen will follow the two kids and put a hand on the shoulder of each to stop them both in their tracks. One of those hands will be holding her dagger. "That box isn't yours. You're going to give it back to the nice lady at the front desk, aren't you? With its contents intact?"
(To the guards, in Common)"Right, about that. I'll return with your box in a few short moments, mates." Sweeney winks at the young girl once more and dashes off toward the young delinquints.
Kaylen and Sweeney each catch up with the kid who's carrying the coin box. He drops it, spilling the gold pieces out around him.
From out of nowhere, a raven caws, and dive bombs the second boy. The bird grabs onto his greasy, stringy hair, pulling it back to Kaylen and Sweeney.
The box who was holding the box visibly trembles under Kaylen's gaze. "S...s...sorry." He crouches down to collect the gold pieces, and hands Kaylen the box.
The greasy-haired boy swats at the raven, which deftly avoids the boy's flailing hands.
Then silver topped giant wanders over to the boys, and regards them firmly... "Stealing isn't the answer lads, it only leads you to darker paths. Have you eaten?" he pulls out some fresh fruit and gives them a piece each, as he does so, he palms a silver to the 'head boy'.
He speaks softly, "That is for you to think carefully and purchase wisely, and for enterprising young lads there is always the chance for a few more honest ones where that came from, now I hope to spare you the master of this establishment's wrath - so should these others here have no lecture awaiting you then begone swiftly, and should your bellies still be empty I will see if there's a chance to at least get you some food for this evenings meal, no promises though!"
As he stands, Winters face shows that he is a bit concerned about giving away coins after he has come here to make them, however he clearly feels strongly about their plight.
"Erastil guide them true, and deliver them from harm, they mean no evil, so forgive them their deeds"
He watches to ensure no one is coming to harm them.
"Stealing will get you plenty, but only if you don't get caught. Listen to the man. You get more work and decent enough food if you can use your muscles. Plenty of folks need guards to prevent theft. You two might be able to find some work that way."
Kaylen releases the boys, re-sheathes the dagger, and accepts the box. "Maybe I'll give you a few pointers on guard duty. Come find me if you're interested. For now, hit the gaming tables or move on out." She'll give each one a gentle swat to get them moving.
Once the kids leave, Kaylen will return the box to the girl at the desk. "You might want to hold onto that." Then she'll turn to Winter. "Be careful with your charity, friend. It might cause those kids a bit of trouble. Or you, for that matter."
"Be careful with your charity, friend. It might cause those kids a bit of trouble. Or you, for that matter."
"You might be right, I know this place isn't the same as my nice home in the mountains, but I felt a compulsion to do what I can to at least try... even if that coin only serves to go to the hands of a handler who might be satisfied enough to spare them the rod for one night"
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Sable calls once more in Elven "Korax, to your perch." Turning towards Sweeney, Kaylen, and Winter respectively in Common "Thank you, all for doing what was right and needed without causing a feast for the crows." Sable addresses the guards "I think that all is in order, sirs. Shall we congregate inside before we are delayed once more?"
Just inside the main doors, two sultry beauties scantily clad and wearing faux bat wings, devil horns, and tails play the part of alluring succubi. Both are employees of the Gold Goblin, and they cheerfully greet the contestants for the tournament and offer a first drink on the house. Armed guards stand nearby to either side of an immense treasure chest into which each patron’s entry fee is added. The guards are on hand to not only protect the money, but to prevent any overzealous admirers from trying to dare the infamous touch of a succubus.
Beyond the registration table is the hall’s game floor. Dozens of gamblers, waitresses dressed as succubi, and bouncers mill about the room, wandering amid tables offering various games while dealers shuffle cards, roll dice, and spin wheels. Moving through this throng are a dozen more of the barely clad, batwinged vixens serving drinks and batting coal-black eyelashes flirtatiously for tips. In the center of the chamber is a short podium atop which sits a massive gold chest affixed to the floor by similarly gaudy chains. On either side of it stands a barechested bouncer in the exotic garb of some foreign sultan’s court. Each stands with muscled arms crossed over his chest and with a naked scimitar of prodigious size tucked through his waistband. High above them, from the hall’s cloth-draped ceiling, hangs a brass birdcage within which crouches a small, bat-winged, pointy-tailed devilish creature that sulks as it gazes over the room and occasionally rattles the bars threateningly.
handout (should have gotten this one earlier)
Sebastian will scan the room sizing up the competition, he hits his drink hard..as he is thirsty from his hike into town. It is a motley group, but he knows he is not at his best right now either.
Looking up at the bird cage, Not much of a Devil...but of course this is not much of an establishment.
Sable, you manage to overhead that when night falls, the tournament will officially start. The games being played at the moment have no bearing on the grand prize.
Sweeny will take his first drink and move about the lobby, carousing with the crowd. in particular he will inquire as to the whereabouts of 'room #7'.
Also as he is moving around, he will engage in cheerful conversation with everyone; however, he will attempt to lift a few coins or valuables from the less perceptive-looking of the patrons.