Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Rumbur:
"Why don't we make this interesting?" the gnome inquires. He tosses up a silver mark on the playing field. He chortles confidently and places a card on the table.
At the sound of the ringing coin, Sasha's head whips around, eyes wide. As she watches it bounce, she licks her lips and plops back down on the barrel she is perched upon with a focus. Her cards once again held tightly, Sasha peers at her hand intently, and then mumbles, "Yup...yup...nows we playin'."
Another silver mark appears on the table. It hits the table with such force, one end slightly embeds in the soft wood. No one even saw if it came from Sasha's fingers, as she's already playing a card as well and then wolfishly turns to look to see what Rumbur will do next.
Rumbur can't help but notice that neither of them have played on suit for this hand. If he has the suit, he'll win...provided he can match the bet, of course.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Rumbur:
"Ooo! That's right. What have you been working on? When you're not...you know..." Markesh makes motion with his hand from his stomach to his mouth and then presenting his palm while puffing his cheeks.
Sasha laughs and Markesh chuckles and plays a card. It's actually a decent play for once.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Rumbur:
"That's actually...true," the gnome says somewhat surprised by Sasha's comment. "Since of course, if one needed the poison but did not have it, then the wanting it really doesn't do one any good, does it? Of course, the wanting it but having it would lead to the complete satisfaction of the desire while the not wanting it but having it would leave one with the notion one has wasted their time bothering with it at all and might even lead to thoughts to discard it if another item became more desirable. But that could lead back to the first situation which means one would be than desiring but unfulfilled. Much like when one drinks too much of the rum like Velia's friend. Than one finds oneself desiring water or even more rum which the absence of either could lead to dreadful headaches."
Markesh muses for a moment. "I suppose one might even find oneself wishing one had poison for oneself if one was suffering from the after effects of too much rum. So one could then be in desire of water, rum, and poison and be unfulfilled completely on all fronts. How dreadful."
Turning to Rumbur, Markesh says, "So yes, I do think I would like some poison. That way when anyone needs water, rum, or poison, I will be able to give them the poison since ultimately the desire for all will lead to the poison if I follow my own logic which means the merciful thing is to make sure the poison is the first given and life-saving water and wonderful rum do not go to waste!"
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Harri is unaware of how much time passes before she gives herself a shake and attempts to distract Markesh from his educational droning.
"Oh, oh," Markesh blubbers as he scrambles for his cards on the table. He studies what's played and lays down an appropriate suit for once. In fact, it's a brilliant move...if the trio had been playing a four person partner game. Sadly, however, as the game is a cutthroat variation, it will lose this hand.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Harriet "Harri" Wingrove wrote:
"I'm sure you must have found many maps & stuff for their ancient secrets?"
Markesh laughs and waggles a finger at Harri. "Most secrets don't have maps, lass. Just cryptic descriptions that are more riddle than direction."
Markesh sets his cards down and begins to say, "After all, scholarly research is for the edification of the mind. We must consume the knowledge of the past in order to keep the present in focus and plan for the future. Take the exiles of Azlant, the Thassilonians, for example. Xin led his people with good purpose. Yet not remembering their roots and trying to create only new led to the perversion of his seven goodly virtues..."
Markesh's voice begins to take on a lecturing tone. He proceeds to speak at length for several hours without pause unless interrupted or distracted, by say someone playing a card.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Harriet "Harri" Wingrove wrote:
She lets out a sigh; "Gooz-snuckle snappity, in a wyld round?"
"Oh, is it the wyld round? I got confused." Markesh laughs at his mistake.
Harriet "Harri" Wingrove wrote:
"That reminds me, what were you saying about t' expedition to ruins?" Harri wonders slyly. "Is there cash and booze?"
"Oh no! It's all for research and the excitement of discovering exactly how the ancient Azlanti became such a powerful nation. We can learn much from studying their great culture."
Harriet "Harri" Wingrove wrote:
"And what's t' Academy that you work for? Cause you are reet bright." she adds riffing though her deck of cards.
"Well, officially it's the Acadamae. The Acadamae is one of the most prestigious place to learn the arcane arts in all of Varisia. I am one of their most celebrated scholars. They practically begged me to join Korvosa on this expedition since I am one of the most preeminent Mwangi Expanse researchers," Markesh says with pride. "The head of the Academae said that if I was so great then I should actually go to the Mwangi Expanse and do great things there." Markesh winks at Harri. "He emphasized 'there' so strongly, I just knew he was confidant I would."
Sense Motive DC 4:
Markesh isn't bluffing. He believes every word he's saying exactly as he's saying it. Markesh definitely has the gnomish trait of hearing what he wants to hear.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
"Gooz-snuckle rounds are my specialty," Markesh boasts. Looking up from his cards, he notices Korvosa has left.
"Oh drat! I think there was something we were supposed to go over...isn't that what the instructions were from the Academy? Hmm. Ah, no matter. Gooz-snuckle snappity!" the gnome says even though it isn't a guzz-snookle round.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Markesh frowns at Velia's play. "Drat! You beat my card."
Absentmindedly, the gnome perks up an ear in Korvosa's direction as he examines his cards. "Other gnome? How absurd! We have no reason to be looking for another gnome's ideas. I have plenty."
Markesh glances around at the other players. He sees the card Korvosa moved aside, and his face brightens. "Ah-ha, there's my other card!"
Picking it up, Markesh triumphantly places the card on to Velia's with a "how do you like that" snigger. "Now I have beaten your card!'
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
Chuckling, Markesh scoops a hand of cards probably not intended for him and gets ready to play.
"Oh Korvosa, you're such a grumpy boy. I'm sure the Academy didn't mean it like that. Don't you worry. They'll be ecstatic for any of the research you and I uncover."
Markesh plays a card out of turn and chortles with an "I've got you now" sort of tone. The game hasn't even started yet.
Male Gnome Wizard/1 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +3
"Korvosa! Hey!" comes a jolly voice from behind. A smiling gnomish face comes into view as he steps out from behind the human explorer's back. A silly rounded cone hat with various odds and ends stuck in its band or pinned to the fabric itself sits on his head of yellow hair. Not blond, not gold, but yellow. The color is almost eye-jarring and would make one think the gnome's head would glow in the dark.
An open honest face that always seems excited (typical of gnomes it seemed) sat above a slightly pudgy body covered by a loose cotton shirt with a plaid vest from which a pocketwatch chain dangled. The thigh panels of his simple trousers are slightly ink-stained matching some similar faded black marks seen on his fingers.
"Ah, Korvosa, my good man! We're getting closer to Eleder, I can feel it!" The obviousness of this statement is lost on the gnome. "I just can't wait for all the amazing artifacts we're going to find for the Academy."
