Chapter Three: The City of Stone and Splendor. [Interstice]

To Anju


"That is fine, child. More than fine. Such a pretty little thing wandering round this place. Be careful, dear." She'll tell her grandchildren to slow down, two little brunette fireballs dashing around playing with a puppy. It's happy barks fill the air as the grandmother turns back around shaking her head. "Children." She chuckles.


She'll peer at your dress for a moment. "Tell me child, are you a wanderer of the land as well?"
 
Kalek


"Since you've so kindly offered, I suppose I will take the first move."


Kalek watches the board very carefully- his eyes flittering back and forth as he pieces together a stratagem that will, for the most part, remain flexible- At least until he can get a better insight into his opponent's mindset


(10, 2, 4, 5, 8, 7 Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes- Tactical Instincts)


(2, 2, 7, 2, 2, 6, 2, 6 Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 1 successes- Gateway)


"Though I suppose the battle is always in the favor of the defender."
 
To Garda


It's still one of the largest cities you've been in. Nexus was far, far larger and Kirighast only slightly larger than Shalebridge. The city is vibrant and clean looking and more than lively. The books are still in the wagon you left them in, parked for the moment outside the tavern. Now to find someone who will actually take them. Book sellers, maybe some sort of national archive.
 
To Kalek


The old man nods, sipping his beer, looking at all the planes. "It is, but a savvy man can overcome that. Elevation and depth also count as much. I could beat you on three different planes or you to me and yet the other could still claim victory." His eyes carefully look over each one and each piece before him.


His hand carries a piece up to the second tier.


Intelligence 4 + War 2 + Gateway Specialty 1 = 7 dice. Results for 7 dice: 4 successes [ 4 5 0 2 5 7 7 ] (TN: 7)
 
Anju


Anju smiled brightly. Happy children were happy children! She remembered that age pretty clearly. If it wasn’t running about and making a mess of her skirts, it was getting underfoot. The lesson about not getting in the way of her mother when she was carrying boiling hot water was especially poignant. Children had many years and many lessons to go.


She looked back at the old woman, “You travel the lands?â€
 
Kayadin Reeyeh


Kaya paid close attention the the game unfolding in front of her. Though her mug was covering her face most of the time, her eyes were fixed on the pieces they moved. First moves were often important in games like these. She aimed to pay particular attention to the older man's moves. Golgo was the one that won these games more often than not.


Every so often, her eyes would wander towards Adair, still engrossed in conversation. She chuckled to herself. Typical Eclipse, always chattering.
 
Kalek


He grunts, having already made the biggest mistake of underestimating his opponent. With a brush of his hand, he moves a third-tiered piece down to counter Golgo's own maneuver.


"As sad as it is for me to say," he glances to Kaya, "This is very much like a real battle. Men do not lose their lives, but..." he pauses taking another glance at the board, "One must quickly learn to adapt and take control of the environment..."


(Intelligence 2 + War 3 + War specialty: Tactics 3 + Bonus from Tactical Instincts 1= 8, 8, 4, 8, 9, 1, 2, 1, 1 Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 4 successes. (3 bonus dice left)
 
Lyrik Evensong


The grin in Lyrik's face is infectious. "Oh no, Goodman Devlin. I don't dance on tables, unless the contract calls for it. And this is an agreement between gentlemen. Wherein table dancing is prohibited. So. Tables are off limits. I thank you, sir. I will set up and begin forthwith."


The musician makes his way to the clear space on the floor. He carefully removes his sanxian from its case and pulls a chair up. A hat is set before him, carefully seeded with a few coins, followed by a quick tuning. Then he sits, closes his eyes for a moment, and launches into his first song. It's a jaunty little tune, telling the story of the brave but ultimately foolish hero who challenges a god to a riddle challenge, beats the god, then, in his hubris, goes double or nothing. The hero does not fare well in the second go around.


The next song is somewhat different. It's a quiet tune, speaking of lost love, broken dreams, and desperate longing. The ache evinced in Lyrik's voice is almost painful to hear, backed up by the sharp twangs of his sanxian. When the last drawn out plaintiff note fades away, there is silence in the tavern, for a moment of two. Another song breaks that silence, this one of a more upbeat nature. And so it goes, throughout the evening.


Spending 4 motes of Personal Essence on the First Performance Excellency.


Charisma (5) + Performance (4) + Excellencey (4) + Sanxian (1) = Results for 14 dice: 9 successes [ 0 8 8 2 9 9 2 3 2 3 4 5 0 7 ] (TN: 7)


9 successes.
 
Kayadin Reeyeh


Nodding to Kalek, she idly replied, cradling her chin in her palm while she watched. "And this is why this game interests me. It's a battle. There's a field to be taken, opponents to capture, and each person is trying to get the advantage. That and you need to use your brain as well."


Half of her was listening to Lyrik's playing. The songs were particularly good tonight. Somewhere during the sappy lovesong, Kaya finished her drink and waved her empty mug around for a refill.
 
To Anju


"I did once, before I settled in a village some miles from here. I traveled most of the East and parts of the deep forests of Halta and in Cho-Holouth before it was smote by that bastard Bull." She looks sad for a moment. "But yes, I did once from swaddling clothes to laced gown, I did. It was the grandest time of my life. My caravan was old when I was young. I settled hear in the summer of my years, wanting children, and not having them live as I did on the road. Their get run around behind me," she chuckled lightly.


She holds up a bony finger, looking around her stall. "That seals it, I shall give you a small something. Just a token from one wanderer to another." She'll carefully dip down, looking under the covered table and give a small cry of excitement. She'll come up and take your hand, pressing something small into your hand. "Wear it at all times, it is a charm of luck I was given long ago by a wanderer from the South. Deep in the South, near Gem, she told me she found this charm in a cache in some long lost ruin."
 
To Kaya


Another draft of winter ale fills your mug quickly. Adair comes over shortly after, watching the match as well. A number of older men and even some of the mercenaries are watching the match too. Coin is changing hand.


"Very nice," Adair mutters.
 
To Kalek


Golgo snorts, clapping a hand on the table. "Very fine, haha. I've not seen someone who can counter in ages. You're quite right, the environment needs to be controlled, yes. But there's also the issue of counterpoints and pincer movements. Especially planar drift and ascension. Always remember your footing and the First Earth of the Thousand Correct Actions: Never give up good footing."


He guides his piece up, taking yours and bringing it to the prime.


Results for 7 dice: 5 successes [ 4 0 1 9 0 0 0 ] (TN: 7)
 
Kayadin Reeyeh


"What, you wouldn't want to have a little wager on the game?" There goes that 'I dare you' look on her face again, the one Kaya tried to hide with one of her smiles. She took another few good swallows of the brew before turning back towards Adair. "Don't tell me you're averse to betting?" She vaguely gestured at the rest of the betting spectators with her mug. "Everyone is doing it." It came out in a rather sing-song manner. "Besides, it's always more interesting if you have a bet riding on it."


She turned her head right when Golgo was saying his little piece about pincers and counterpoints, tucking that bit of knowledge away.
 
Kalek


Kalek simply stares. He was completely caught off guard. He hesitates for a moment as his fingers just barely grace his next piece before he regains his composure.


"One never must give up good ground unless it is absolutely necessary. But, as unfortunate as it is, certain sacrifices must be made for the good of the whole."


He shifts a piece to one of the less populated tiers, attempting to gain a better foothold there now that the second tier is, for now, lost to him.


(Burning 2 bonus dice- leaving a pool of 1) 1, 7, 5, 9, 10, 6, 6, 5, 7, 4 Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 5 successes.
 
To Lyrik


Some in the bar are singing along, even a pair of the mercenaries, much to their comrades chagrin. Most people watching the Gateway match are tapping their foot in time or softly singing to themselves. However, the supposed knight and his company are watching with keen interest. The knight is a young man dressed in a woolen tunic and simple trousers, while his fellows at the table are dressed in that made of finer stuff like silks, linen, gold and silver, with traces of mellowblue caps of the local nobility. They have very approving looks on their faces. Particularly for the last song.
 
To Kaya


Adair grins, looking around, weighing his options and looking at the players. Nodding to himself, he'll turn to you, "Nope!" He cheerfully says, downing his stout. "I don't like losing money for no good reason most times." He winks.
 
To Kalek


Golgo strokes his beaded facial hair. "Good move...very good move..." he mutters.


For a few minutes he simply sits and considers, weighing each move. "Hrm." Shaking his head, he'll merely set a piece upon the fourth tier and wait.


Results for 7 dice: 3 successes [ 8 3 4 7 1 7 6 ] (TN: 7)
 
Kayadin Reeyeh


She laughed at Adair's refusal to be goaded into placing a bet. "Fine, hold on to your money. You'll need it anyway the next time I beat you at something and you have to buy us both a meal." Kaya looked quite smug before her smile got lost in her mug once more. By now, she was tapping her foot to the music along with a few other patrons. She gave a glance at the Gateway board while taking another swig.
 
Kalek


Seizing what he hopes will turn out to be an advantage, Kalek shifts his forces to the tier Golgo abandoned to reinforce the fourth in an attempt to retake a bit of his lost land- His own units remaining rather uniform as far as placing goes.


"Where one front is made strong- The others are weakened. It will nearly always be that point where your enemy will strike."


3, 9, 3, 7, 1, 5, 7, 6, 1 Using 7 as the target number, the roll resulted in 3 successes. (Burning the last of the Tactical instincts pool)
 
Lyrik Evensong


Lyrik continues the format - one upbeat song, one softer, mellower song. He keeps an eye on the knight when playing the soft tunes, trying to get a gauge for the man's taste. He has a baseline with the last song he played. Now he tests that threshold, comparing his reactions to similar songs but with different moods, timbres and tones. He will play one song directly to the man, then another to the audience at large. It was distinctly possible this man had money. It was distinctly possible he had connections to other moneyed associates. Those connections could prove invaluable to his plans. But for now, he focused on the knight.....


Spending 4 motes for First Performance Excellency and spending one Willpower


Perception (2) + Performance (4) + Excellency (4) = Results for 10 dice: 7 successes [ 7 0 4 2 3 0 1 2 9 9 ] (TN: 7) + 1 Willpower success


8 successes
 
Anju


Her fingers instinctively wrapped around the item and her brain processed what she was told. Ruins? Curiosity sprung up, and Anju wanted to see them. Her mind painted a landscape colored by a blazing sun and inhabited by a bleached cousin of Nephra’s amphitheater.


“Oh!â€Anju exclaimed with a start, “But I don’t have anything to give back! Even if you don’t walk far and wide across Creation any more, luck must still have use for you.â€
 
To Anju


"Oh hohoho, it's all right, little one. I have these little demons behind me for luck." She'll give that gappy, black gummed smile. Kind, regardless of looks. The miniscule egg-shaped jewel in your hand presses with odd bumps and such, a little gold chain dangles from your closed fist.


"Now," she says, "off with you, and have the safest of journeys when you leave this place." She chuckles, shooing you off while the little ones say bye-bye!
 
To Kaya


Adair's eyes never leave the game board. "You're in a damned lively mood, it's nice." He takes a pull of his drink.
 
To Kalek


The old man merely smiles. "True enough, son. True enough. Unless, he's gambling on you also spreading thin to keep your lines drawn up." In one swift movement and one tier down, he takes two of your pieces.


Results for 7 dice: 5 successes [ 9 8 0 8 8 1 5 ] (TN: 7)
 
To Lyrik


A somber fellow this one. He doesn't mind the upbeat tunes too much, he'll tap his foot, but he's got a taste for the slower, sadder songs, not so much love songs. You get the distinct feeling he'd like Northeastern dirges as much as the sad song of the Poor Boy of Nexus. Intriguing. His comrades love every song, though you can read that some prefer upbeat songs more, but they simply can't say no to any of your songs. Your hat will runneth over soon enough from other patrons tossing silver coins.


The knight and his folk toast your singing every so often. "To the Bard!"
 
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