Boorgrub let out a long, contented sigh, looking around the table, and at the halfling next to him. "A fine evening to you Liatra, and a pleasure indeed to meet you. I'm Boorgrub, and my friend here is Greb." He smiled welcomingly and chuckled softly. "We are. Celebrating living in a time of wonders unknown, of making it safely to port in your fine city, and being alive. Just living is cause enough to celebrate, but being here in Selenius, just days before the grand Festival, and with coin in our pockets is certainly an added boon!"

She was adorable, in the way of maybe every young halfling he had known, and Boorgrub found himself relaxing even more. "So tell me Liatra, what brings you into the Ruby Hearth on this wonderful evening? Not that one needs a reason in the slightest to be out and celebrating being alive." He grinned cheekily and settled himself a little more comfortably.

[Private to GM: Today: Secret Roll: Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th rolled 23 using 1d20+12.  Sense Motive (getting to know my tablemates).]
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Tue 23 Jan.

Seeing Archie recovered and immediately diving into his calculations, Wizzlewick smiled benignly and, with a final pat on the gnome's shoulder, took his seat again next to Kyna. He spent a long moment watching Boorgrub's familiar dancing and drinking on the table, sorting through his knowledge of such beings to place her, and the answer seemed to relax him somewhat. Leaning forward to gather up his wine again, he turned back to the elven wizardess at his side. "So, where were we?"

"Oh yes, we were enjoying Polly's magical singing." He chittered a soft laugh and set a small paw on Kyna's arm as he relaxed back into enjoying his evening.

The crowfolk's expression was hard to read at the best of times, normally being some flavour of 'intense'. But the talon drifting to the hilt of his blade was a subtle sign that something had disturbed the crowfolk. He sidled over to Eleni, Reed held in one arm. "Think I'm going to go check our rooms. Look after Reed for me, will you?" The crowfolk lowered his voice as he placed the small caiman on the seat next to the blood-paladin. "He'll let you know if something goes awry."

Vharza retrieved his shield and shouldered it unhurriedly, moving towards the stairs. He moved carefully, as though partially drunk, but there was something predatory in his movements regardless.

Watching the game begin a table over, Eleni looks to Vharza as he speaks. "Of course, my friend. I will come at once should Reed alert me to the need."

Rhulbhan steps forward and takes a seat. "I will play, though I don't know the rules, ha!"

The Dragon Master reaches out to shake Rhulbhan's hand. "Glad to teach a new player! I'm Hulrendt, Hulrendt Dosimmer. Rules are fairly simple. You set the buy-in, or starting hoard, and we set 50 coppers tonight. Just a friendly game, after all. The starting bid is decided by a pair of dice, and then you are dealt two cards. Keep them secret, cause this game is all about bluffing your opponents, and trying to take their coins with strategic raises on your bet into the center hoard. Cards are simple to score: aces are 1 point, numbers are face value, and the royals are 10 each. Highest point total wins. Oh, and if you get double the same value, but different suits, that's Dragons Fury. It can be useful, or irritating, depending on what 2 cards triggered it. Ties are settled with the highest card first, and if that's also a tie, the highest suit.  Diamonds are high, then spades, then clubs, then hearts."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:24, Wed 24 Jan.

Greb says "no worries, Rhulbhan. This is my first try at this game as well."

Archimander's eyes glint at the prospect of a challenge, all prior memories of a panic attack forgotten.

Somewhere in the anticipation is the nursing of gratitude that he hadn't had anything stronger than chocolate to drink

With the final player in place, the Current Dragon Master, Hulrendt Dosimmer, officially begins the round. "Ok everyone, ante up or fold for the round." Hulrendt looks at his cards, and tosses the required coins into the center. "I'm in. Liatra?"

Liatra looks at her cards in disgust. "Nah, I'm folding. Deal better cards next time, eh?" She flips over her cards, revealing the ace of diamonds and the 8 of clubs. To Boorgrub, she leans in and says quietly, "Oh, my family owns the Red Hearth. I'm here most nights, but tonight I am off, so I am just relaxing."

Next up is Rhulbhan, who briefly examines his cards and says, "Alright. I'm in." His face is inscrutable as he antes in.

Next is Boorgrub, then Greb, followed by the 3 remaining strangers.

[Private to Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th: The Dragon Master is holding a winning hand, you are sure of it. The 3 quiet ones seem like they have very good hands as well, though the don't look as confident as Hulrendt. You are fairly sure Greb is about to fold.]

Boorgrub smiled, looking around the table at his fellow players, and feeling right at home. Peeking at his cards again, the goblin looked up at Hulrendt, measuring the man. "Baby dragon, I fold." He chuckled and flipped his own cards, revealing a two and a king.

Sitting back, the swashbuckler sipped at his ale and turned his attention to the halfling beside him, keeping his voice down so as not to interrupt the flow of the game. "Your family has quite the wonder on their hands then." He very pointedly didn't clarify whether he was talking about the Inn or the halfling girl, just smiling in a friendly manner. "And I am all in favor of relaxing, it is one of the finest things in the world to do."

Looking at the table, assessing his odds, Greb chuckles. "In the game of Sap, this would be a winning hand. Here, though..... " he tosses his cards over, revealing a ten and an ace. "Low end Mediocre, at best. Might be able to bluff two people, but not this many."

Liatra seems to blush at Boorgrubs words, perhaps indicating how she took them...

The next player in line, a female elf who introduced herself as Eldara, tosses her ante in without looking at her cards a second time.

Next comes a human male named Salmoneus, who can't quite conceal his excitement as he antes in.

Finally, a dwarf named Norakrut also antes in, the large, bushy beard going a long way to conceal their feelings.

Hulrendt does not even look at his cards again, and simply tosses 2 more coins on the pile.

Rhulbhan looks shrewdly around the table, and tosses 3 coins, for a match and raise.

Eldara seems to lose her nerve, cause she folds, tossing a king and a 3 into the center rather than any coins.

Salmoneus matches Rhulbhans coins, tossing 3 into the pile.

Norakrut seems to agonize for a moment over this cards, then folds, tossing a 4 and 9 onto the table in disgust.

Hulrendt confidently tosses 5 more coins into the pot.

Rhulbhan hides his suprize, but not very well, and matches the 5.

Salmoneus also matched the 5, and the betting concludes.

The current hoard is 68 coins.

Hulrendt shows first, a jack and a king. "Weep for your purses tonight! Ha ha!"

Rhulban flips his cards with a smirk. "I knew I should have folded earlier." He is showing a 6 and 9.

Salmoneus groans. "I don't know why we let you be the Dragon Master first all the damn time." He flips a 10 and a 6.

"Because you don't learn, for one. And because its always my idea to play, ha ha!" He passes the deck and dice to Liatra and gathers up his winnings.

She tosses the dice and begins to shuffle. "Ok, cheap entry this round, only 3 to ante. Anyone leaving before I deal?"

16:53, Today: The GM, for the NPC Liatra, rolled 3 using 2d6.  Ante bet round 2. None of the NPC's are leaving the table, and I assume you two are not either. Feel free to give another Perception or Sense Motive for the second round.[Private to Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th: 3C, JH][Private to Greb: 2C, 2S]

Looking down at her cards, her expression is hard to read. She puts in the 3 coins needed for the second round.

Rhulbhan seems pleased with his cards, and tosses the 3 coins into the pot. "I'm in."

Again, Boorgrub then Greb.

Boorgrub gladly took his cards, peeked at them, and tossed his ante into the pool. "It'll play." He smiled and took another pull of ale, glancing away from the table for a moment to make sure Iddy was alright.

Seeing his familiar gleefully dancing a jig in time to Polly's tune, he laughed softly and turned his attention back to the game.

[Private to GM: Today: Secret Roll: Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th rolled 18,4 using 1d20+12,1d6. Inspired Sense Motive (What's going on here?).
Today: Secret Roll: Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th rolled 29,1 using 1d20+17,1d6. Inspired Perception.
]
This message was last edited by the player at 01:40, Fri 26 Jan.

Greb looks around at the other players to get a read on them, then looks at the cards briefly. Subconsciously he mutters 'fury' and appears to be thinking as if adding in his head. He nods slowly and adds the ante. "I'm in." he says with a trace of confidence.



19:48, Today: Greb rolled 16 using 1d20+8.  Sense Motive. – 16

19:47, Today: Greb rolled 31 using 1d20+11.  Perception. – 31




Personal hoard (50-3)=47.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:38, Fri 26 Jan.

Relaxing at the table as Iddy danced and Polly played, Wizzlewick got a wry little smile on his face and wiggled his whiskers, conjuring four small glowing orbs into being and setting them to dance with the Azata.

OOC - Casting Dancing Lights

The game progresses, as do the flirtations from a young halfling woman towards a noble goblin. Several impressive hands pass, with Boorgrub eventually taking the pot. Greb seems to have trouble controlling his tells, perhaps still reeling from revelation of a whole loose knit community of monkey goblins he never knew was waiting for him.

Archimander makes sure Greb does not loose too much, and he actually manages to keep him in the black by the end of the game. Wizzie and Kyna while away the time on a bench near each other, not being obscene, of course, but definitely close together and having a mostly private conversation. Eleni seems to just be enjoying the lively conversations and merriment around her, and you see a large platter of Friggates near her, and there is plenty of space where once the platter had been full.

Captain Uqwog is sitting at the bar, clearly deep into her cups, but in a very introspective way. The rest of her crew seem to notice, and give each other meaningful looks, but leave her to her solitude.

[Private to Sir Boorgrub Pandilk the 7th: You collect 392 copper by the end, along with the congratulations of the other players. Liatra is well and truly seduced by the end of the game, and will spend the rest of the night with you, should you allow it.][Private to Greb: You end up with 57 copper when the game ends.]

It took the goblin a few hands to get his rhythm back, the dance of cards and coins across the table, and the harmony of the players, but soon enough he had his feet metaphorically back under him. Mixing none-to-subtle flirting with Liatra with boisterous conversation with everyone at the table, the pile of copper in front of him soon started to grow as the game went on.

Boorgrub was not a miserly gambler though, and despite winning most of everyone's stake within an hour or two of playing, he didn't end up with as many coppers as he'd started with. Victories for the swashbuckler saw everyone getting a drink on him, close hands that he lost ended with Friggates for all as consolation. The former baron wasn't playing for the money but for the joy of the game, and in true Haighan fashion, by the time the game was called, he had perhaps a dozen coins in front of him and a table of comfortably satiated new friends.

Along with a lovely young halfling lady perched on one knee.

Liatra had tapped out early, cleaned out of her stake in a series of close hands that went into the goblin's pool, but while a new player had taken her place, she hadn't left the table, sliding gracefully around the table to pursue the flirtations that had flown back and forth across the gambling. It certainly wasn't unwelcome attention, and while Boorgrub had continued to play with the same fervor and energy he'd joined the game with, he made certain to be distracted routinely by her attention and touch.

Some victories are not counted in coins.

Thoroughly and merrily drunk, tankard in one hand and waif in the other, Boorgrub made his goodbyes with one last round of drinks and Friggates for everyone, making his way from the common room up to his bedchamber, giggling and cackling as he and Liatra whispered carnally to each other as they stumbled up the stairs.

OOC - Boorgrub has left the scene for the evening, and will be unavailable until morning.

[Private to GM: Boorgrub gladly accepts the attention, and probably actually leaves the table with 12 copper. The rest gets spent on merriment and drink for all his friends that were so good as to indulge him.]

As the game breaks up, the surgeon seeks out Eleni. He asks "pardon me if this is a silly question, but why are you called Eleni of the final Embrace? Are you some kind of Death worshipper?"

Archimander smirks to himself as his sequined friend found himself a lucky handful, let alone a good set of cards. Watching the two of them ascend the stairs, he made a mental note to wear his earplugs - right after sliding a contraceptive potion under the door.

Seeing the evening begin to die down, but not yet ready to turn in for the night, he made his way over to Eleni and Greb, just as the healer made his inquiry.

He opened his mouth in response to the monkey goblin's question, but then quickly shut it, thinking it better to hold his cards close and not display his observations just yet

With a mouth full of Friggate, Eleni holds up a finger as she rapidly chews and swallows her current treat. "Apologies, I had just taken a large bite...which I suppose is a good transition to the story that answers your question." she says with a slight giggle.
"Most here will have heard this story in one form or another. It's a small joy to hear how it shifts and grows as time goes on.

It goes back a few years ago, at a bar a couple streets over. I spent my younger years here earning money by tracking down people wanted by the Constable and his sheriffs. They would pay decently and most of those wanted were not particularly dangerous. I tracked my quarry to the Sting of the Sea, a seedy bar that asked few questions and had even lower standards. I was not aware of any reputation I had earned, but apparently the word had started spreading that I was helping the Law. My quarry caught me off guard, knocking my weapon out of reach and tried using his size to overpower me. Being off-center to start, I found a blade in my stomach quickly and things were looking grim as his weight pinned my arms down. None of the patrons intervened, whether due to fear or indifference. I had to make a choice, him or me. I chose to survive, and leaned forward to strike with the only weapon I had."
She lifts her upper lip a bit, showing Greb a very pronounced canine before letting her lip fall back into place. "I bit him in the throat, taking as large of a bite as possible. He instantly started thrashing, which caused his wounds to worsen. Blood went everywhere, and within a minute he slumped down, white as a sheet and covered from the laceration. Someone at the bar shouted excitedly about the new grappling style 'The Final Embrace', where you fake a weak position to put yourself into killing range. The moniker stuck and has been following me since."

She pauses, giving Greb a haunting stare before breaking into laughter. "At least that's the best story I have heard so far. I look forward to seeing how that has grown since I have been away." she smiles, and offers her friend one of the treats she has been eating.

"To answer your second question, sort of. I am a worshipper of Hades, and death is among his domain. He is the arbiter of the gateway between life and death. I believe one should only cross that threshold when their time is up. I also think we have the ability to choose which path we take along the way, either arriving to that destination sooner or later depending on our choices and the choices of those around us. You and I can heal those at death's door, allowing them to continue their journey or choose not to heal and send them to the afterlife as their path comes to an end. Death will happen eventually for all things, it is part of what makes life so special. I suppose that does make me a type of death worshipper, though not the kind who the storyweavers would portray." she explains.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:45, Thu 01 Feb.

Greb strokes his chin as he hears the story. "Final Embrace, eh? I'll admit, I don't think I could've come up with anything more clever than that. As a worshipper of Hades, have you learned the languages of those planes? I'd be interested in any instruction you might be able to provide. And in trade, I can teach you the basics of Necril, the Language of the Dead. It's spoken by necromancers and the higher order undead. Could be useful in the future."

"I speak the more general ones, not those geared specifically to the undead. I am fluent in Abyssal, Infernal, and Celestial. All were readily available at the temple. I would be happy to teach you how to speak any of these as well." she says in reply. "Once we get the pollen for the festival, we can spend our travel time teaching each other how to converse."

Archimander looks at Eleni incredulously.

"That's it?" he interjects, throwing his hands in the air. "All the other tales - that you're a vampire with a reputation of being a black widow, that you comfort the dying as you hold them to your chest... _{or in other ways, depending on the rumor}... The grappling stunt is the one you claim?"

Realizing he was making a scene, Archie shoves his hands in his pockets. "Never mind. Don't mind me," he mutters, walking off. "If you need me, I'll be up, ensuring our fearless leader doesn't find himself served with an unexpected alimony claim."

His piece being said, the gnome trundles off to his room, wherein he compounds the tincture, wraps it with an explanatory note, and slides it under Boorgrub's door, making a concerted effort to disregard the sounds emerging from the room.

Once back in his temporary sanctum, he cleans and repacks his glassware, pores through his formula book for ideas he might need tomorrow, tucks his wooden turtle in bed on his nightstand, and consigns himself to some much-needed sleep

She smiles as Archimander explains some of the other rumors. "I see you've had time to hear the raunchy ones too."

Upon Archimander taking his leave, she politely says "Enjoy your rest, don't forget to plug your ears. Something tells me that Boorgrub is the loud type."

Greb snorts. "That's not always proof of an amorous nature. I heard a tale once of two gnome brothers that had had enticed human women to their beds. They were in adjoining rooms, and every few minutes the younger gnome heard the voice of the older gnome yelling 'here I come again! ' This went on for an hour or so. The next morning the two gnomes met for breakfast. The younger one said 'that was fun. Why are you looking depressed? ' The older gnome sighed and said 'easy for you to say.... I couldn't even get up on the bed. ' "

Eleni stares for about 1 second before erupting in laughter. Once she can speak again, she says "I never knew you guys had it so tough! You would think a reputable inn would have a step-stool or something to assist the smaller folk."