Terrified, Tristan breaks the surface of the water.  He sees Uncle Master grinning at him, in that not-so-nice way of his.  Feeling a strange urge, he blasts stale air out of a hole in his back.  What is this?  He feels... different.  Slick.  In a way, powerful.  He dives under the water.

So dark under here... at first.  Then his senses adjust.  He goes deeper.  He sees fish, and water... so much water.  It's kind of funny, how much water is down here.  The thought is so stupid he laughs... but his voice has changed.  He shoots back to the surface, performing a flip as he exhales.

He wonders if he could just swim away and forget about the rest of this magic business.  No chores to do, down here.  No beatings to take.  He dives deep again, seeking the bottom of this watery kingdom.  When he doesn't find it he surfaces again, and cries out.  The sound of his own voice reminds him of a bird of prey.

Uncle Master looks so far away now... should he head back?  He is tempted to swim further out.  What a glorious life this would be: one of perfect freedom.  Nothing to do but hunt and swim and live.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:16, Mon 30 Jan 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 22):

As you get down, you notice something weird.  Really weird.

It looks like a brownish blob floating in the water, as long as you are...were.  When you were a boy that is.

From the blob's top sprouts what looks like an oblong mushroom top.  From below, six...no, seven...wait a moment...no, eight!..long tails trail out from it's bottom.  The brownish blobby thing seems to be alive.  It's moving in such a way that you would think it's alive.

It floats not far away.  One of it's tails raises and seems to wave back and forth, like a finger, inviting you to come closer.

Tristan ignores its invitation and heads back to shore, not wanting to take needless chances.  He tries to find Uncle Master again.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 24):

As you turn to follow the wake of the boat above, the brown blob sort of propels itself forward, trailing after you.

...wait!..shape you wear...boy?..human child?..

It seems the blob is pursuing you.  It's quite fast.

You pull alongside the boat.

Tristan looks around desperately for Uncle Master, trying to call out to him with his mind.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 26):

If Uncle can hear you with his mind, he's not saying anything.

You can see the boat.  You have a rough idea where Uncle is.  You just need to surface near him.

Something slaps you lightly on the side.  You can feel something sticking to the skin of your...tail?

...human child...wait...come and play...something glittery you like?..

Tristan struggles to escape whatever it is that's after him and surfaces near where he thinks uncle is, letting out a desperate shriek once he's in the air to alert him that something has gone terribly wrong.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 28):

You break the surface, seeming to leap in the air.

You can see the boat.  The sailors who aren't asleep are staring at you like you're some kind of festival event.

Uncle is laughing.  He's got his head back and is roaring in laughter.

"Ha ha!  Look at you!  Oh they like you!  Try talking to them why don't you?  Who knows?  Maybe you'll like it there."

Tristan glares at Uncle Master prior to landing back in the water.  But he takes his advice and tries to communicate with his pursuer.  Hello, he tries to say.  I am Tristan.  What is your name?

In reply to Tristan (msg # 30):

The strange blob radiates joy.

Polp.  Polp is name...

come come little human in a dolphin's skin...

have wine...come down...much you may enjoy...

play game with Polp...know wonderful games...

One of the wavy arms points towards a spot of light at the bottom of the ocean.  It almost looks like a little hut.

Tristan performs the dolphin equivalent of a sigh.  Now what was he supposed to do?  Damn Uncle Master!

He tries to mentally communicate a question: what games do you know, and which is your favorite?

In reply to Tristan (msg # 32):

Dice.  You like rolling.  Dice?

The boat seems to be slowing down.  Looks like Uncle Master intends to wait for you.

How can you roll dice under the water?  Trisan asks, although he knows he should make for the boat again.  But his curiosity has gotten the best of him.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 34):

It waves one of it's long stringy tails.  Come see

The little house has windows and a door, just like the family cottage back home.  Lights shine and there's somehow smoke coming out of the chimney.

The brown blob opens the door with one of it's tails and ushers you inside.

There's a little table.  Chairs.  A hearth with a fire inside, despite the fact the room is filled with water.

The blob indicates for you to take a chair and it goes to a small cupboard and brings back two cups and three dice.

Rules easy.  Roll one dice or two dice or three dice.  You keep whatever number you get.  But then I roll.  If higher is my roll, you must again roll.  But only can roll second time any dice you did not roll time one.

Basically, the game is this.  Whoever has the higher total at the end of three rolls wins.  You roll the first and possibly the third time.  Any ties are wins for whoever takes the second roll.

You can roll up to three dice over two rolls.  Your first roll you can roll one, two, or all three dice.

The octopus (that's what it is but I doubt Tristan has ever seen one) can then roll.  If he rolls higher than what you rolled, you can try to roll again on the third roll.  BUT, you can only roll any dice you didn't roll on the first toss.

For example, on Roll 1, you decide to roll two dice.  You get a 3 and a 2 for a total of five.

On roll 2, the octopus rolls all three dice and gets a total of 8.

You have to roll 4 or higher to beat him.  But you would only have one dice to roll on the third roll as you used two of them on the first roll.

Clear as mud?

Tristan asks for clarification concerning the stakes.  Or can they play the first game without a wager?

In reply to Tristan (msg # 36):

The blob seems to consider and then nods.  Or at least you think it's nodding.  Whatever this thing is, it's hard to tell what it's doing.

no wager...this round...next time we play...wager

Tristan rolls a single die.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 38):

You can go ahead and roll on the dice roller.  A d10 is fine.

So I take it you aren't interested in the other game at the moment?

20:02, Today: Tristan rolled 2 using 1d10.  Game roll.

I thought this was the only game.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:04, Thu 16 Feb 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 40):

The octopus nods it's head...at least you think it's a head.  Hard to tell.

He then scoops up the dice in one of his tail things and rolls them.

He got a total of 18

So you need 17 or better to beat him on 2d.

Did you see my message on the Discussion thread?  I'm starting a new Ars game.  Keeping it small.

link to another game

You are welcome to join it if you like.  We just started character creation.

Tristan rolls the other two dice.

10:19, Today: Tristan rolled 6 using 2d10.  The other dice.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:19, Fri 17 Feb 2023.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 42):

The blob laughs good naturedly.  ...ah...too bad...lost you...this time...

It gestures at the dice.

...again?..

Tristan inquires again about the stakes.

In reply to Tristan (msg # 44):

Hmmmm... it hmmms. ...maybe...a year of your life?..you have so many...what is one needle among stacks of hay?

Tristan asks what he gets if he wins.