Barvasi slowly grins, the grin widens into a smile. "You, challenge me?" He laughs, not with dersion, but with delight. "No one challenges me. I haven't played in a long, long time." He steps down from the dais. "I rather fancy the idea. "
"Alright then. You against me. Straight up. Man to elf." He smiles at his little joke. "Say for 100 silver apiece. And I'll call off the spiders now as a bonus."
He stamps again three times and after a short delay the mass of spiders begins to disperse.
"After, I promise we'll talk business like civilized men ."
Keliwyn laughs. "It'll be difficult to talk business if one of us is dead. No, I've agreed to play your little game, and in exchange, you can talk business first. 1250 gold for the letters and the dragon. We let the dragon go, and it can take the letters and find me, or Ms. Whiteraven later, after we leave. Then, once it's gone, we play."
Keliwyn laughs. "It'll be difficult to talk business if one of us is dead. No, I've agreed to play your little game, and in exchange, you can talk business first. 1250 gold for the letters and the dragon. We let the dragon go, and it can take the letters and find me, or Ms. Whiteraven later, after we leave. Then, once it's gone, we play."
MAjenko's keening panicced complaints subside in your minds, replaced with a faint, "thank you thank you thankyou ...Glorious god of the winds thank you thankyou ...."
Devargo shakes his head. "Are you playing me elf? You are one crazy hombre. On again off again. How can anyone bargain with you?" He strides to the dinner table and sweeps his goblet up and drains it.
"Let's talk business then. Straight up. Majenko here, even if he is a cringing, whining snake of a thief, he's worth at least 3000 gold sails by himself. Can't you imagine him in the Leroung's or Zenderholm's parlours up in the heights? Your little package, Ambassador Amprei's little indiscetion, it's worth a lot to me just to watch him squirm. BUt I've a feeling you might drive him crazier than me. I could let you have it for 600. "
Keliwyn shakes his head. "I'm not sure you understand," he says. My playing your game is part of the deal. I'll raise the gold to 1500 sails, but the package is the gold and my playing for the letters and the dragon. Any stakes you want to wage is extra, but if we don't have a deal, I have no reason to climb on the table with you. So, is it worth it to you to play me? Or are you going to turn down my challenge to your own game?"
"You don't understand. Knivesies is pleasure. Business is business. They're not the same thing. I might lay a friendly wager on a match. I might sell some letters or this dragon. But I won't pay you to get up on the table with me, that you've got to do yourself because you want to, because you've got the sand to."
"You can have the letters for six hundred. That's what you came for.
"You can have the dragon for 2800.
"You can have them both for 3000.
"You can get up on that table and try to beat me.
"But I'm getting bored with this conversation."
Keliwyn makes a dismissive gesture. "Fine. Very well. Six hundred for the letters, and we're done. Not fighting me for the dragon? Your decision. Apparently, your not as confident in your skills as you pretend to be, but that's no matter to me. Now then, if you'd be so kind as to produce the letters, I'll tender payment, and be on my way."
Barvasi puts out his hand to shake. "Six hundred for the letters. Done! " He continues quickly and very much in earnest, " Are you serious about playing for the dragon? What are you willing wager then?"
As Keliwyn seems to have the matter somewhat in hand, Jeoirk relaxes his grip on his bow and puts his arrow back in his quiver. He does not however move from his advantageous position near the side of the room.
Majenko's mind-voice asks plaintively, "You're not going to leave me? Please, he'll have the spiders back at me . It's terrible here. You'll take me with you?"
Barvasi puts out his hand to shake. "Six hundred for the letters. Done! " He continues quickly and very much in earnest, " Are you serious about playing for the dragon? What are you willing wager then?"
Istas approaches Keliwyn and leans in close to whisper.
"We have what we came for," she advises the elf, "Perhaps we should follow the currents of fate and accept where they take us, rather than kick against their pull and risk more on another choice involving this caged creature? It does us no good if you win Devargo's letters, but lose your life on the knivesies table in an attempt to save this thing. And Pharasma may yet offer another chance...at another time...when there aren't so many of Devargo's men at hand...and we're better prepared."
"Keliwyn, Are you going to purchase that poor creatures freedom," asks Jeorik, "If you have the funds for it, I can try to find a way to pay you back for it. He has asked for help, he should recieve it."
It is clear that the torture of the psuedo dragon at the hands of the spiders has clearly made Jeorik more than a little angry.
Heather looks from Kel to Barvasi and back her mind racing...
Barvasi puts out his hand to shake. "Six hundred for the letters. Done! " He continues quickly and very much in earnest, " Are you serious about playing for the dragon? What are you willing wager then?"
Keliwyn shakes the offered hand, and then turn and paces. After a few moments pause, he answers. "Well, we're just going in circles. The idea that a pseudo-dragon is worth 3000 gold is simply preposterous. The sky is full of them, and you can't throw a copper into the air without one of the swooping down to try and grab it. So, my final offer is 1000 gold against the dragon. If you truly feel you have nothing to fear from playing me, then it really shouldn't matter what I wager, it would be the equivalent of found gold to you. That said, I have no desire to insult you, as you've been a good enough business partner," he says with a bow, and then a serious look to Heather. "If the terms aren't acceptable, we will take our leave and be on our way."
So, my final offer is 1000 gold against the dragon. If you truly feel you have nothing to fear from playing me, then it really shouldn't matter what I wager, it would be the equivalent of found gold to you. That said, I have no desire to insult you, as you've been a good enough business partner," he says with a bow, and then a serious look to Heather. "If the terms aren't acceptable, we will take our leave and be on our way."
"One thousand against the dragon!?" Devargo whistles before saying, "You're on! That's a handsome wager. One that shows real sporting spirit. I'll seed the table with 100 silver shields. Here, sit down first." He pulls out a bunch of keys out of the box by his throne, detaches one and flips it to the lanky guard. "Get the green bottle at the upper left of the wine rack. Keliwyn, have a seat, and your people too. Before we play I've got something I think you'll like." Devargo seats himself apparently to await the bottle's appearance.
While you wait for the guard to return, Devargo begins unwrapping the straps that hold the blades to his forearms. "Got to have a level playing field."
"This bottle came into my possession a couple months ago. I'm told it's a very rare elven vintage. This seems like the perfect time to open it. Herfzezachte or something like that. 30 gold sails for a bottle my friend said."
Elvish speakers:
Also for elvish speakers: DC 18 know(local) +18 for elves
The guard returns with a wide-bottomed green bottle wrapped with thin white leather straps which are braided into a handle. Glasses are poured out "Not in cups. Get the crystal damn you!" for anyone who's willing.
Barvasi swills his straight down. And looks to see if everyone enjoys his magnificence.
"Eires aeraeli," Keliwyn says appreciatively as he takes a seat and waves the others over. "That may well be the best bottle of wine in the city, and at 30 gold, you got a bargain. I would say it's probably worth a bit more than that."
As he swallows the fine wine, the elf rogue wonders, without any real emotion, whether or not it's to be his last.
Thom
"Majenko.." Heather directs her thoughts towards the dragon "tell our comrades that if Kel goes down Barvasi is going down"
Heather:
The pseudodragon perks up. It's telepathic voice says " The dark lady says should Keliwyn go down, Barvasi goes down." It begins grasping and pushing at the bars of its cage.
Baravasi stands. "Are you ready?"
*** Once Keliwyn is ready. ***
The table is loaded with coins. Simon Barr does the honors. Devargo and Keliwyn grasp each other's right wrist with their right hands and Simon winds the leather strap around them. Every two or three turns he pulls the strap viciously tight. When he is done he double checks the straps by tugging to make sure they're secure to his satisfaction.
As Barr begins the count the three guards and five remaining thugs toss their coins on the table. To a man they stand at Barvasi's end.
Before they mount the tables and bind the two opponents together, Istas draws Keliwyn aside...leaving the impression, she intends to impart advice on how to handle the knivesies game. In reality, she simply intones the soft words of a prayer to Pharasma.
"May the Lady of Graves fill your spirit with life and keep you from death..." she tells the elf.
Istas does not, however, wager anything on the fight. "It is for Pharasma to decide their fate. And I will not tip the scales by placing coins on either possibile outcome."
The pseudodragon perks up. It's telepathic voice says " The dark lady says should Keliwyn go down, Barvasi goes down." It begins grasping and pushing at the bars of its cage.Baravasi stands. "Are you ready?"
"Certainly," Keliwyn says as he stands and undoes his sword belt, which he hands to Heather with a wink. He pats Istas on the shoulder, and thanks her for her words and adds," Let's hope your Lady is not ready for me just yet," and then turns and climbs on the table.
The table is loaded with coins. Simon Barr does the honors. Devargo and Keliwyn grasp each other's right wrist with their right hands and Simon winds the leather strap around them. Every two or three turns he pulls the strap viciously tight. When he is done he double checks the straps by tugging to make sure they're secure to his satisfaction.
As Barr begins the count the three guards and five remaining thugs toss their coins on the table. To a man they stand at Barvasi's end.
Knivesies mechanics reminder:
grab dagger -- AC 12, pull it free -- strength DC 10. Snatching coins, roll d20 + dex modifier (- 4 if you're right handed). coins grabbed = (Roll -10)/2. Natural 19 20 on the coin roll or a modified roll greater than 20 gets 1d8 more coins. Other actions adjudicated as you announce them.
Barvasi squares his shoulders and stares directly at Keliwyn as the count approaches ten. At "ten" he pushes forward with his full weight behind his right arm, throwing Keliwyn back on his heels, and tries to scoop up some coins. Keliwyn reacts more slowly, but his desparate lunge for the dagger throws Barvasi off balance and instead of sweeping up a fistful of silver the spider king's hand lands palm down on the table to prop him up.
The theif lord recovers quickly and scoops a few coins as he draws himself back up into a low crouch.
Keliwyn tries to recover his balance and again grabs for the dagger.
Grab 1d20=5+2=7, Strength 1d20=10+1=11
Barvasi changes tactics and pulls with his right hand while delivering a low kick. His boot connects solidly with Keliwyn's ankle.
Seeing Keliwyn struggling with the dagger, Barvasi launches a roundhouse at the elf's unprotected head which Keliwyn just manages to duck.
Keliwyn ducks the kick, but continues to struggle with the frakkin' blade.
Strength 1d20=2+1=3, Dex 1d20=4+4=8
Keliwyn ducks the kick, but continues to struggle with the frakkin' blade.
Barvasi smiles at Keliwyn's struggles. "DOn't play this much, do you?", he taunts. Then he changes tack again and reaches for more coins. Bad luck, his foot slips and his reaching hand scrapes the edge of the embedded dagger. He snarls at the pain.
Behind him his guards and the wannabe thugs shout encouragement.
"Go team!"
Inspired by Stilgar's cheering, Keliwyn finally manages to pull the dagger free, and he promptly tosses it aside and scrambles for some coins.
"Is there time out in this game?"
"Woot! Him winning!"
For Thom
Inspired by Stilgar's cheering, Keliwyn finally manages to pull the dagger free, and he promptly tosses it aside and scrambles for some coins in the same motion.
Strength 1d20=11+1=12, Dexterity 1d20=1+4+5
Inspired by Stilgar's cheering, Keliwyn finally manages to pull the dagger free, and he promptly tosses it aside and scrambles for some coins.
Devargo goes momentarily slack-jawed as Keliwyn tosses the dagger aside. Then he realizes the importance of the elf's action. He drops into a lower crouch and drives his shoulder into the elf's midriff and thrusts with his legs, pushing Keliwyn toward the edge.
Keliwyn teeters on the edge, then drops off. Before he hits the ground his bound arm reaches it's limit and jerks Barvasi off the table.
Intent on the fight that will determine his freedom, Majenko remains quiet.
Stilgar:
THOM
Keliwyn and Devargo fly off the table to hit the floor where Keliwyn courteously cushions Barvasi's landing. (3 hp non-lethal) The guards and thugs cheer.
With a grunt Barvasi pulls himself erect and pulls Keliwyn to his feet by their bound arms. Led by Simon, who may be a far better courtier than he looks, the guards pour around the table to congratulate their boss. As he unties the bindings, Simon compliments Barvasi's quick thinking to end the game when he did. Devargo's face breaks into a grin.
"First man to hit the floor loses. That was you Keliwyn. And I've got more silver than you. " It's clear that under the dual pressures of flattery and ego, a quite marginal victory is swelling into a grand triumph. "C'mon, have another round of this wine." He puts an arm companionably around Keliwyn's shoulders. "That was a ragged match. A few years ago in Riddleport, I ...." Devargo begins a blow-by-blow account of a knivesies match when he was a young "sailor-lad".
Stilgar, Heather, Jeorik:
"Keliwyn, friend, we must speak."
For Keliwyn
Jeorik interupts the celebratory crime boss with a blunt, "How much do you want for the dragon's freedom?"
Jeorik interupts the celebratory crime boss with a blunt, "How much do you want for the dragon's freedom?"
"Well, Majenko's not really for sale. But, like I said before, if you could come up with 3000 gold sails, we could talk."
"We could always trade a life for a life," Istas comments aloud.
"That's a lot of money."
"Well played," Keliwyn says with what could maybe pass for a grin as he massages his ribs. "I thought you would go for the dagger and try and gut me, so I wanted to remove it from the game, and then race you for the coins."
As he walks off the dull pain that has lodged in his side, Keliwyn looks at Stilgar and just shakes his head.
"That's a lot of money."
"And I'm already down a 1000 gold," Keliwyn replies, "or at least my sponsor is . . . " he trails off.
"Could we see these letters now?" Istas asks Barvasi, "I'm sure Keliwyn would like to secure them before another game of knivesies ensues."
Neil, et.al.:
"Of course. I'll be right back. Please wait here." Barvasi takes the ladder (stairs) on the port side of the room belowdecks. The guards watch you. A couple of the thugs try to start a conversation about the knivesies match -- and the weather.
After a few minutes Devargo returns with an sealskin packet. The outside has a seal embossed with the coat of arms of some notable House, probably Chelish. He sits down, slides the packet across the table to Keliwyn and sips a bit of the wine while looking at the elf expectantly.
Heather sends a thought to Majenko "I promise I will get you out of here whatever it takes"