Morien takes the seat at Laverna's left, observing that the Fey favors her right side, even if less so than most people. She breaths the steam over her insulated mug, its contents still too hot to drink. "Before we start, we should decide on the stakes." She gives Lyceus what's meant to be a reassuring smile. "Nothing too high. This is just for fun." As one of the hosts, she defers to her guests on where exactly to set the bar.
"Not with the sidhe, the High Fae, man of Summer." he says cautiously; a thin smile, a fencers smile. Awaits to see where the others sit, knowing positioning is important.
The Lady is seated and sips at her coffee, the petal-cards flutter in her hand skilfully - though not magically. "Unless you wish to deal and with your own deck?" she offers.
Danny shakes his head as he offers the chair to Laverna's left to the newcomer, not knowing his rank or wishing to offend.
AS Morien sits in the pulled back chair. Danny shrugs and moves to the seat across from the Lady, allowing Lycius to sit at the Lady's right hand.
"Sorry, I tend to use generalities over specifics. Comes from being raised by Muggles. No offense."
To the Lady he smiles and adds, "Not at all my Lady. Pray, please continue."
Danny grins as he watches carefully. He is impressed with the card-shuffling whether it is magical or not. But he knows darn well that if the Lady wished to deal from the bottom of the deck, there was no way he was ever gonna spot her doing it. He'd be happy if he got through this educational lesson with enough of his skin intact to be able to afford french fries.
Kenneth nods and looks at his notepad with his brow furrowed, then looks up again, "This seems tae match most of what we've learned. One last question, then -- is there anything else you'd like tae add that could help us get this whole thing sorted out -- so we can get you on your way as quick as we can?" ...though nae tae anywhere ye'd like tae go...
The faint smell of roses and the babbling of the river, pushes away the worldly concerns and the traffic. A small sanctuary in the midst of the city, Lycius smiles contentedly - his eyes still hold a note of caution.
Laverna's elegant fingers move subconsciously on shuffling the cards completely randomly.
Through flowing eyelashes she gives the group a look that's burnt a score of hearts to ash. With a soft voice, harmonious with the riffling of the cards she adds; "How about the stakes are motes of time? Non-exchangeable, non-expandable human time?"
Lycius cuts in; "With time being owed by each winner to each loser? But nothing dishonourable, not dishonest work - or work that'd compromise morals or harm a mortal." he places some caveats.
Aggie pats Bunny's over enthusiastic arm, reassuring the young dancer. The mature woman assesses the situation in the room with only a sardonically raised eyebrow. "Bunny can you get the bag from the car?" she asks whilst the voluptuous dancer snags the keys from the air with aplomb and trots outside.
Ogilvy continues to answer Kenneths' queries; "Well, I can give you the address of the distribution courier and a couple of the drug-sellers. Errr...." he wracks his concussed brain; "I did hear that Ms. Finley was in town. The vampires also said that the 'source' would be coming to town. From what I could gather, the 'source' is the head vampire of the blood-line - I couldn't get any of her blood." he adds sullenly.
Forthergill, stands next to Tangris handing the man a cup of coffee; "I remember when I was your age..." he says softly but with a hint of reserve; "...trouble tends to follow your rather than the other way. Self-discipline is tricky to find, I found boxing. Very handy skill to have, the martial arts." The elder gentleman's advise; is a subtle offer.
Keneth's phone rings; somehow surviving the magical disruptive energies.
"Hello Cutey.
Found some things out, got some resources too. We can get a warrant for entry and the taking off the confiscated boat.I got a lead in the drug racket, some yardies in Leeds. Rivals of the Tong.
I've got a friend in SO9, he'll slip us a few shotguns." she adds with a wry hint to her voice.
The quantity of the new stuff is so insignificant that it could easily have been used up already. A dozen hits, maybe 20, to each - maximum.
There is a small section recording the findings.
In the financial ledgers, there's also a payment to a man in Holland for mercenary services.
Sal starts to count through the dozen blocks of cash, all of it genuine and used, all of it non-sequential. Her fingers start to tremble as she suddenly realises how much it is... £480,000
Sal swallows hard as the number of bills piles up, and automatically tries to change the number to something meaningful. Let's see, a pound is a dollar-and-a-half? Or is it two dollars? So this is... holy crap. Three quarters of a million dollars!? Images of what she could do with such money flit briefly through her head even as she struggles to figure how many shares should be doled out. There's me, Kenneth, Danny, Morien, Tangris, then there were the werewolves - we couldn't have done it without Bunny - and maybe something for the captives, to repatriate them...
Her reveries are rudely interrupted by the damned phone. "Son of a...!" A bundle of cash flies from her hands as she jumps guiltily and scrabbles for the device, noting that she had missed a text message. Wow, I can get reception down here?
Trying not to sound too winded, she answers the phone, hoping she can be heard over the frantic thudding of her heart.
"Hel... hello?"
Tangris grins slightly. "Boxing? I dunno, I always seem to end up using my head for some reason. Can you headbutt in boxing?"
"How about the stakes are motes of time? Non-exchangeable, non-expandable human time?"
Lycius cuts in; "With time being owed by each winner to each loser? But nothing dishonourable, not dishonest work - or work that'd compromise morals or harm a mortal." he places some caveats.
"Sure. Just to keep it interesting. This IS a friendly game, after all." Danny chimes in with an acknowledging, (or is that a grateful?) nod to Lycius.
"Minimum bids? Say 10 minutes? And shall we set a maximum bid for those of us who don't measure our life span in triple digits?" Danny suggests with a grin to Laverna. "Say, an Hour max? Per bid of course."
Danny meets Laverna's smile with one of his own. It doesn't have nearly the same effect, naturally. But even the Moon can glow brightly when not eclipsed by the sun. And Danny's personality gleams. :)
:)
"As subjectively experienced by someone on Earth," Morien adds with a grin. "The way that time is flexible in the nevernever can be inconvenient, what with not noticing that years have passed at your point of origin."
"Yes. What she said." Danny adds soberly.
"It's the little details that make these games so much fun. Don't you agree?" He asks Morien politely.
The selkie's grin broadens at Danny's sudden loss of humor. "Oh yes. You can't hack it as an engineer or a sailor without a love of fine detail." She masks her smile behind a drink of coffee, in order to not be seen looking too predatory at a friend-and-ally. But her eyes are laughing while she watches him over the rim of the mug.
"Some tokens would be handy. Increments of five minutes?" Morien glances at Laverna, since she's been dealing with their props so far, then at Lyceus, to see if he has anything to add.
"You are not supposed to." Fothergill says with a gleam in his eye, that implies sometimes things happen. "I do know a couple of trainers, if you will." his voice is low.
Bunny bounces back into the room, in a carefree manner swinging a large leather satchel. With a pirouette she bounces up the stairs, dancing to music on she can here. "♫ come on Barbie, let's go party ♪"
Laverna laughs soft peals of laughter that could send shivers up the spine; "Sailor, Engineer.... so much more polite than lawyer." she actually seems to have made a mortal joke. She looks across the slatted table to Danny appreciating his charm, whilst Lyceus still sits slightly wary.
The sidhe noble brushes her hand across the top of her dress in a sensual fluid manner. Some of the scales part and fill her hand, leaving a perfect dipping neckline - a sharp V. Revealing the light swell of her chest and a film-star cleavage. In the same elegant manner she casts the scales across the table. Each one is actually a stone of great value, cut well and the size of a finger.
With a grunt Lyceus stands up, moves to a flower-bed and grabs a hand-full of pebbles. His motions are as gracefully as a fish through water, but hold a reserve rather than a sensuality.
Each slightly heavier but mortal objects; "These would make better tokens." he says not outright accusing her of being able to cheat.
Sal looks at the phone with suspicion, checking to see if an actual number is displayed. After a moment's silence, she manages to reply, "Trip just gave you my number without calling to warn me himself?" She tries to make it sound like an amazed statement rather than an accusation, tries not to be too horribly rude. "Who is this?"
Trip did promise an answer later in the morning, which is now. Don't be so suspicious, her better nature advises.
You have a death wish, the rest of her replies.
Tangris shrugs. "I guess I'm game. Will they take me?"
Danny raises an eyebrow, but at Morien, not Laverna. As if to say softly 'Whose side are you on here?'
Danny's eyebrows bounce, once, in appreciation of the distraction Laverna has displayed. Then he manages to make his eyes climb the mountain(s) till they are firmly focused above the neckline.
But it is an uphill climb.
"Those might be better." Danny agrees politely.
Referring to the stones in Lycius' hand.
"We wouldn't want to be accused of asking you to be immodest, just for the sake of a game." he grins.
"But I know some fashionistas who would love to be able to do that trick. Erm, with the dress." he adds straight-faced.
Kenneth says to his phone, "Hold on juit a wee moment, I'm a mite tied up 'n' be with ye in a second or two." He mutes his phone and turns to Ogilvy, "Aye, names and contact information would be most helpful.", and nods with a pen in his hand, recording the information.
He then smiles and says, "Thank ye so much for your cooperation." He steps away from the prisoner, keeping him in sight, looking for Tangris and Forthergil to hand him off. When he catches sight, he nods at the butler with a smile, and then steps a mite farther down the hall before taking the phone out of his pocket.
"Hello yourself, ye bonnie lass. I can never complain about good news... while we're not all here at the moment, I'm sure I can grab Tangris and Sal tae come and help ye serve your warrant if ye'd like. Also, I got ye a present, in that a nice man here just spilled the beans about their operation, including a whole lot ay information about their distribution channels, including names and mobiles."
He smiles and says, "A'course, I may not actually give them tae ye, unless ye've been a good girl... an' want tae be a bad girl later.... and are willing tae work for them.", flirting by reflex without any thought of the effects of the potion in his system.
Morien is still holding her mug in front of her face, as though warming her hands on it. But the way she glances down and back to Danny perhaps serves to communicate 'All in good fun.'
She allows herself to be diverted by Laverna's joke - not a quarter from which she expected humor - and lets the subtle barb in it pass her by. The High Fey probably couldn't help adding a hook to such bait. Instead, the selkie tilts her head to one side with an appreciative chuckle. "We all like to think we're a higher form of life than those who become lawyers."
At the Fey's 'trick - erm, with the dress', her amusement turns wry for a brief moment, like a flash of too-bright light off of water. Enjoy the effect while you can, she thinks. Vampires only use sexuality as a weapon against us meatsacks - and I bet you know it, too.
Preferring Lyceus' offer, she collects the gems in front of her with the careful sweep of a hand and nudges them back towards Laverna. "Very nice. But I think we should use something less likely to draw attention, if anyone else comes in."
Forthergil nods to Tangris glad to see him taking interest; "Yep, old Chalky and I served in the Falklands together. He's a good chap, like yourself."
Ogilvy is scribbling in a note-pad, his written atrocious and barely legible with the nerves running through his system combined with the concussion.
"Well I've two warrants, one to enable us to go to Whitby with some pocket money and work on the smuggler angle. Whilst the other for unnamed drug house."
"My name is Sophie, though I am not friends of Giles." the voice is clipped and with a upper-class smooth accent; "My colleagues and I have more covert power in the area."
She lets this sink in for a second; "We have to be careful of whom we communicate - especially with the power of Laurence." the woman on the other end chuckles sardonically of an unshared joke."Trip says you saved him, how could I help you?"
"I've a few more tricks, if you'd care to find out?" Laverna winks at Danny; "Nearly as good as a treat."
As Morien passes over the scales or gems, the sidhe noble takes them with a flourish. Touching the edges to one another, so that they create a crystal bracelet that she slips onto her wrist. Before sliding the cards across the table, a handful to each player.
"He saved me, too, so..." Sal trails off as she realizes the irrelevance of that statement and tries to judge how much she can say on the phone. "We have a couple of real problems in York that I know of, Poppy Court for sure, maybe Red. There's a big meeting tonight that may keep Laurence busy. What new problems might come from that, I don't know. Is there somewhere we can meet, maybe, go over it in person and I could show you some proof? I've been here a month and haven't seen York Minister yet. Is that a place we could talk for a minute or two? They can't come into churches, can they?" The normally nonchalant soldier allows some of her very real fear to color the tone of her voice.
Pick one of the Skills below and roll it as normal, then you can roll any number of the below skills. If you get equal (or greater) than the target number you can add +1 to a primary.
Also regarding Aspects, well you might be able to create 1 or spend some Fate Points.
Alertness (TN 4) Learning to react quickly to others plays.
Contacts (TN 5) For having learnt to get the most information from small circumstances.
Conviction (TN 4) Believing in yourself and sticking to your guns.
Deceit (TN 3) The most Important skill in bluffing people off your pot.
Discipline (TN 4) Believing in your hand and sticking to your guns.
Empathy (TN 2) Learning others Emotions and calculating their hands.
Intimidation (TN 5) Intimidating the others to give up better hands.
Investigation (TN 2) Working out clues
Lore (TN 3) Learned how to count and work cards, calculating the numbers and probabilities.
Performance (TN 4) Emoting falsehoods.
Presence (TN 3) Using your charisma to gain an advantage.
Rapport (TN 2) Learning others Emotions and calculating their hands.
Resources (TN 5) For having been used to play for big stakes.
Scholarship (TN 3) Learned how to count and work cards, calculating the numbers and probabilities.
Stealth (TN 4) For being able to hide your emotions, position your cards.
Round 1 - Lyceus
Lyceus takes his hand and focusses for the first few minutes on bluffing, the cards don't run his way. However he is able to misrepresent all his cards.
"... Outside? Well, I suppose. I may bring a friend or two, if that's fine with you. And a bit of proof. I will see you at two, then. If anything changes, can I call you back at this number?"I can take a file, maybe two, just enough for her to see what's going on. And maybe the doc, though I don't like letting him out of the house. Nah, that's a bad idea. They can come here to talk to him if they want.
A sudden realization occurs. "Oh, wait. Their meeting - the one with Laurence? - is tomorrow night, not tonight. Sorry, I've been up all night and the days are running together." If she already knows about it, don't want to make her suspicious with a stupid mistake.
The selkie leans back a little in her chair, cards in her left hand and coffee in her right. She has a keen eye for the little clues which betray what cards are where, but isn't able to hide her estimate of the relative value of her own hand.
Danny focuses on fooling everyone else to start with. While he gets a handle on just how to read the other players. His combination of acting and reflexive deception has the other players unable to tell if he has a royal flush, or a pair of twos.
He uses the round to set himself up for a little scenario he likes to call 'Am I bluffing or not? Catch me if you can!'
Laverna
Beer Garden by the River
In the small garden an epic clash takes place, a battle of the wills. Subtle manoeuvrings, acting and deceit as each party fights for the upper hand. Though no blood is drawn, in some ways it's no less vicious.
Lycius plays like a fencing match, riposte and lunging with his cards and betting - trying to keep opponents off balance. Whilst Morien the observer, sees what people are playing - watching and analysing their hands and plays. Figuring out patterns to both their styles and the cards. Danny and Laverna play with a similar flamboyant flair, extravagantly placing bets and cards. Showing hands to rattle or tilt opponents, with aplomb for their flirtatious manoeuvring.
Trips Manor
Fothergill nods to Tangris; "I'll arrange a meeting, but first to escort this gentleman to his room." The reserved way he says the last appears to imply 'cell'. Ogilvy looks up and places the note book on the coffee table as the butler takes his elbow and escorts him towards the stairs.
Bunny and Aggie (Agnatha) walk down the stairs, well Bunny bounces in her virtually painted on jeans. Passing the men on their way up.
"Thank you for last night. Saving me, although....Your sister.... she's a piece of work." Molly asks gently seeing that there's some history between the pair.
Lyceus
Laverna
As the second round starts , Laverna attempts more obvious flirting with all the other players. Though it might seem obvious, there's a sharp mind underneath her actions.
Lyceus, discipline wavers as Laverna leans forward to deal a card - there seems to be a resonance between the watery fey. With the Neriad almost spilling his cards.
Morien - Round 2
Morien blushes when Laverna flirts with her, clearly rattled. She notices little about the other players as a result, but the cards are there to be noted and mentally filed nonetheless. She folds early, this time.
Sal nearly snorts at that. "Busy? I'll say. Anyway, I'll check with my friends and see if 2 p.m. works. If you don't hear anything back, I'll meet you by Caesar at 2. I've been wanting to see that place anyway." She hesitates a moment. "How will I know you?"
The distant voice does not hesitate. "I'll be wearing a cream business suit with sapphire shirt."
"Great. I'm not sure what I'll wear, but I'll find you. And... thanks," Sal adds, quite sincerely.
With a gracious and thankful tone Sophie adds, "It's alright. I'm sure I can arrange for Lawrence to be kept out of mischief tonight."
"You, uh... you can keep him busy?" Sal blurts in surprise, "Well, that might be handy. I think we have a lot to talk about."
"I may know some people," Sophie adds with a hint of mystery, enjoying it.
"If you and the people you know are anything like Trip, we're in good shape. Thank you, Sophie, and see you soon."
"Bye." Then the silence of broken connection.
I hope these people can deliver. Vampires, meetings of fae, portals to some sort of hell... yeah, we can use some help! Sal thinks wryly. She stashes the bundles of cash at the bottom of the bag of explosives and returns the bag to where she originally found it in the wine cellar, assuming it will be safe there. Then, amazed at how awake and vigorous she still feels, she trots up the stairs to see what is happening there, cheerful enough that she might be able to refrain from murdering Ogilvy.
Sal bounces into the room, pleased to see Tangris and Kenneth still there and the nasty doctor gone. "Good news, everyone!" she chirps, then subsides quickly, seeing Kenneth on the phone. Sorry she mouths, then sidles over to Tangris to converse softly.
"Hey, where did Doc Mengele get to, Tangris?"
Tangris looks up at Sal and smiles. "The butler took him to a room and hopefully locked him in. That guy gives me the creeps. At least a vamp's just being a monster; that dude doesn't even see his job as monstrous."
"Perhaps he could be turned to the side of Good, or at least made useful. He has some skills. They're just pointed in the wrong direction, you know? Problem is, I think he's a mercenary, which means we couldn't trust him if somebody outbid us. So we'd have to keep him prisoner." Sal shakes her head. "Then we end up being the monsters. Oh, wait, you're one already." She tosses a friendly elbow in Tangris's direction.
"Only in the sack, babe. Speaking of, when are you gonna let me crawl into your bed, eh? I'm awful warm at night."
"You know the rules, and I don't think you're ready to settle down yet, are you? Unless it's with a certain gorgeous werewolf." Sal pauses a moment in exaggerated thought. "I wonder what your kids would look like?"
"Hey if the lamb and the lion can lie down, why not a goat and a wolf? But settle down, Sal? What would that even look like? And kids... Hell if I know. Never met my parents. My real, honest blood parents, right? Don't know if they were like me or just carried the genes. Don't know if my kids would be goaty or not. Huh." Tangris looks almost pensive for a moment.
Sal gives Tangris an odd look. "Beats me, buddy," she says softly, "I'm not sure folks in our line of work live long enough to settle down anyway, right?" She looks pensive in turn.
Tangris suddenly grins. "Our work is being awesome, Sal. And I'm damn good at my work."
Kenneth smiles, "Aye... we could.. I imagine we'll need a car tae bring the rest ay the cavalry in any case, so that should make things work out.... A'course, I dinnae ken when Danny'll be back and whether the poor lad will need tae sleep -- as I said, we've been having a spot ay our own fun since I last saw ye at the station..."
He sighs, How does one explain Molly? She's exactly what ye'd expect someone who takes after her father and yet hated his weakness tae be. She's as much the dreamer -- she wants tae be rich and powerful, tae climb the ladder tae what she thinks is her rightful place -- and as much the addict -- but she isnae limited tae the bottle -- starting with cocaine and other helpers tae get through law school and the long hours ay her life, before getting caught up in worse..... She was willing tae trade hard work to meet her goals, but more than that -- she'd do anything, absolutely anything, up tae trading away her soul tae get ahead.... and that mix in such a handsome woman is rather... unfortunate. Worst of all, I dinnae ken if it's that she still sees me as the wee lad I was when she headed off tae Cambridge, or that she cannae forgive that I dinnae follow in her footsteps, that anyone unwilling tae dae all that she'd dae -- and has done, if Heather's right about her law professor and managing partner -- is somehow less worthy and a disappointment. The idea that I'd leave university makes me a wayward sheep that needs tae be guided back to the correct path.... something like hers.... and the worst part is that at least some ay that disapproval and disdain truly comes from some twisted form ay love... it's not all just embarrassment and concern that I'm somehow dragging her down.... and considering the last few little spats, I dinnae ken what she knows or suspects about me anymore, which makes things e'en more confusing...
Finally, he recognizes the extended silence and says with a sigh, "Aye, that she is. Why, she's almost as smart and almost as pretty as I am."
"Huh. And here I thought it was to get between the civilians and the bad guys. Didn't realize I was working all the time." Sal quirks a small smile.
At the River
Laverna smiles, slipping a card behind another smoothly to rearrange her hand. "Ms. Morien, I hope I am not making you uncomfortable. Maybe afterwards we can make you a bit more comfortable." she adds mellifluously.
Morien feels her ears burn, starts to mutter something, stops and has a drink of coffee instead. "Would that be a favor to me or to you, I wonder?"
"Both?" Danny pipes in, once again proving that the mouth is faster than the brain. His is at any rate.
With a flourish he arranges his cards,...
Danny flusters and fools with his cards, almost dropping one when Laverna bats her eyes at him coyly after her comment to Morien. he 'mistakenly' lets it be glimpsed as he picks it back up. Then he cannot seem to cover an air of confidence as he seems to realize what he has in his hand.
:)
Laverna lets out a chesty chuckle at Danny's comment, even if it isn't the most discrete. The smile slides from her face as Danny produces his cards, a winning hand.
Lycius stoically smiles; "Certainly, looks like you'll be bending to his tasks Laverna." The man says with a shake of the head, at his own fortune.
The sidhe lady shoots him a dark look; "So time to get serious and time to teach you a lesson." Methodically she starts dealing cards to everyone
Round 3
Lyceus
Laverna
Laverna looks to Morien and arches an eyebrow; "Seems Summer is beating us, how about we bring the heat?" she's truly thrown from her game. However not as much as Lycius who bets everything on a poor hand and ends up losing badly. Half rising from the table in disgust before remembering his manners.
Kenneth
Laura listens in the silence understandingly, for her own family isn't the most nuclear. Then decides to change tack, to follow Kenneth's start.
"Pretty and pretty confident of yourself aren't you." Laura chuckles, knowing that she'll have to keep him on his toes; whilst simultaneously enjoying the tight-rope of their relationship. "I hope your fun hasn't been with too many fancy girls, you naughty boy."
"Well, I'm sure I can get a car, if you need one. Meet at the Guy Fawkes Inn in the city centre around 4?" she muses.
"Keep an eye on things, Tangris. I'm going to go catch a shower. And before you ask: no, you can't come." Sal rises and trots up the stairs to her room, where she considers her rather scanty wardrobe. This gal sounds pretty ritzy. But there's a university here, too. Maybe I could get by with a student look. She grabs a short dress/long tunic type of garment, leggings, and a soft sweater longer than the dress and heads for the shower, there to steam luxuriously for a minute or two between crises.
At the Riverbank
The atmosphere is tense and electric. From sapphire stormy eyes Laverna looks to Morien with a tint of apprehension. Nervously, she rapidly runs her tongue to wet her lower lip before trapping it with a nibbling bite.
The sidhe lady leans over to Moriens' ear, her breath catching before coming out in a throaty whisper:
Raising a slender finger to Moriens' face, Laverna brushes a stray lock away. Lingering, her manicured nail slowly traces a line down the Selkies' face to her jawline.
Morien - Round 3
Morien favors Danny with a uniquely skeptical look, as if to ask what he'd know about that.
She responds to Laverna's irritation with an easy smile. "It's only been two rounds. Plenty more game left." Confident that her own advantage will increase over time, as more of the deck passes into the discard pile. She's relaxed with her new hand of cards, but no less watchful.
When whispered to, the selkie does blush again. But she leans into the caress as a cat might, allowing her eyes to drift shut for a moment. A seal could get used to this. She looks a question at Laverna - "South Atlantic?"
"The beaches of Rio, where the amber light caresses the scantily clad bodies as they play. Fine sand almost like a cushion eases a reclined body and the sweet nectar of cocktails delivered to you." Laverna whispers dreamily, closing her eyes in remembrance. "Just thinking about it makes me feel hotter."