[Monster Hunt] So you like games and killing? (Ronar)

[Bob Barton]

56th day of Spring 512 AV

Bob really did have a lot of fun with the past few days just killing monsters and surviving but then he remembered that he had a day job he had to get to. Better to leave the dangerous stuff to someone else who would enjoy it more while he got to be in a nice and safe place like the Wager. He still get's paid in here and in the long run it will be a lot more than any monster he might kill and behead. The Alvadas government was such a cruel and brutal establishment. Why not ask for something easier like a tail, feather or some other negligible bodypart? Easy to take out and easy to bring around.

Just like the cards in his hands. No one appreciates the deft and practiced movements that Bob did while shuffling them. Back and front mixing up the cards all over but he knew if he really wanted to he can make a pattern of it. One that only he can understand and be likely to take advantage of so that he would come up the winner. Unfortunately the professional attitude of the Wager would not allow him to do what but Bob knew what they actually meant. He just does not need to get caught. But he does not trust himself to not go too far and get caught by a more observant player. The breed here was a lot more different than those he found in Sunberth.

There were already a few people at the table for a simple game of blackjack but there was always space for another one and even if it was full Bob could always force one out. It was not worth having anyone around if they were going to play it so safe and put in a little bit like that man at the side. His mannerisms was disgusting. Bob was pushing him a lot more now, pressuring him at any opportunity he can and this may very well be the last push. Each person had a open pair for the others to see and his new favorite always seemed to be in control of the worst one of all.

Someone experienced like Bob would have taken it as an opportunity but Bob knew that this man was not like him. Probably someone coming in for a quick miza. "Wow it looks like all the others but your streak can't last forever" he remarked hoping to pressure him somemore before suggesting that "we also accept other things if you don't have enough gold. We rarely have a person reach the point of betting their own life so I don't think you have to worry about that." This should not take too long because Bob could see the most important thing and that his cards was the ones that he only could have asked for.

[Ronar Bolbek]

Ronar passed through into the doors of Ionu's wager, a gambling house that Ronar had stumbled upon by chance. Not that anything in Alvadas was really done by chance. Ronar had little to no skill at all when it came to gambling, he only 'gambled' when he had fixed things that he would win. Call this cheating, call it what you will, Ronar had not intended to end up in such a place any way. He had gotten into the habit of taking long long walks on the nights that he had trouble sleeping. One may argue that with monsters running amock, this was not the brightest move, but Ronar felt reasurred with his Gladius secured to his clothes by a rope around his midriff. The only gambling skills Ronar had ever picked up was watching the men aboard the merchant vessel, on which he had travelled to Alvadas, play cards. The game they had played consisted of one deck of cards being dealt around the table, each player recieving two cards. The gamblers would then place money into the 'pot' at the centre of the table and be dealt another round of cards. This went on until, either someone gambled too heavily and they handed their cards in, or everyone would come to a stop and cards would be shown. The cards in each players hand would decide the winner. Ronar had never been interested in gambling as there were too many factors of which he did not control. This meant it was dangerous and Ronar would stay well away from it. Tonight was different though, tonight he had wandered to the wager almost by accident and in an attempt at not looking like an idiot, he had continued to walk in as if he had intended to go there in the first place. Now he was stood still in the middle of a room oggling at the tables and people around him. Ronar looked about for a game he felt he could come to understand and potentially find a way to crack it and cheat at the game. A short man with dark hair worked at one table. He had a very judging look in his eye, as many of the people in the gambling house did. He seemed to know what he was doing and the game being played reminded Ronar of the game the crew on the merchant ship had played. Surprising even himself, Ronar strode over to that table, puffing himself up, as if to look full of confidence. He waited for the game to reach a finishing point, noticing the man sat near to the short gentleman sigh in a defeated manner. Ronar raised a hand slightly as to catch the person, now working on shuffling the cards, eye. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to join in this game. I have some Mizas to spare, though I own no fortune. So if you would be kind enough to explain the exact rules of your game here..." Ronar trailed off here, leaving the sentance open as an invitation for the dealer to carry on the conversation.

OOCRonar has 40 Silver Miza on his person

[Bob Barton]

Was Bob running some sort of a gambling class in the Wager? The last time he saw someone raise their hand to ask for an explanation was in one of the classes back in the University and that was a long time ago. Even so he could still remember the reason why. The girl did not know what was going on in the class whatsoever. Could be that she was doing equally important like her nails but Bob was not paying too much attention then. If he remembered right, he was defacing a picture of the professor with a fews others.

Granted, there would be no one in the Wager wasting their time with something like that. If Bob could be compared to the professor they would be instead thinking of ways to outsmart him. The dwarf was the same too. With the admission that the newcomer made, Bob was thinking of ways to take advantage of his lack of knowledge. Problem of that was there were a few others at the table as well. No telling how they would react to whatever he did. The smarter ones will just let it go and try to make some money off their new unknowing victim but Bob knew that anywhere there would also be the stupidly good which would try to help.

He decided to make his explanation as brief and quick as possible. His student will learn what he needs, the other players would be able to get back to their game and Bob would be able to take advantage of anything he may have forgotten to tell. At least compared to the defeated and pathetic man with nothing left but his life, the replacement would have money. "Takes five silvers to get into the game my friend" he said staring at the only person which lacked the amount to leave before suggesting "take your seat."

Anyone would accept that Bob did his part when he said "the closer you get to twenty-one the better for you." All the cards pretty much explained themselves except "the ones with the pretty pictures are always ten." Satisfied? Good! Because without waiting for any affirmation that the rules were understood, Bob started handing out cards around the table. Ovek was not this good when he was just starting off. That god did not like of beginner's luck but then why did the newbie get two of the pretty pictures straight away? Bob had no pretty pictures. By the looks of it all he had was a measly four.

He will not be able to get too far with that. It was inevitable that he had some problems to face later but now he had to wait for the other players to choose what they wanted to do with their cards. Bob knew the hand signals they were doing and just gave them their cards, or did not but it may look really random if Ronar truly meant what he said that he did not know how to play. Now it was his turn and Bob waited to see what he would do.

[Ronar Bolbek]

Taking a seat at the table, as instructed, Ronar listened what the short man here had to say. He took out the 5 Silver Miza from a coin purse and placed them on the table. He was oblivious to the error he had made in showing his ignorance of the game to his fellow players. The dealer acted in a very brash manner, yet Ronar knew that despite brushing things off he was watching everything, taking note on all the expressions of the people around him and targeting an easy victim. There was no doubt in Ronar's mind that the little man would be playing him, fixing the cards so he would loose. However, these doubts were truly scuppered when the cards were dealt. His face scrunched up and his eyebrows furrowed. He had two of the ten point cards. This meant he was only one point away from 21. A couple of the men at the table shot Ronar a beady eye and so, he soon realised that the face he was pulling had been an obvious sign of shock. The thought entered his mind that he may be able to bluff his way into getting more money, despite not knowing how bluffing really worked, from the two men who had seen his face. "Oh my. Such terrible cards!" This was said so it was audible, but not loud enough to be considered obviously fake. One of the men carried on looking at Ronar, a small grin twitching on his face. The other went back to his cards. Ronar caught what looked to be a suspicious glance coming from the dealer, brief as it was, before he went around the table. The men all made a motion with their hand if they wanted a card. It came to Ronar eventually and he felt the gaze from several of the players around him, including the dealer. He had little idea what he was doing, but guessed that by picking up another card he would go over 21. "No thank you, my cards are fine." Ronar shook his head then looked to the man who had carried on watching him. He seemed confused and stuttered as the dealer moved on to him. Despite Ronar's original idea's on the dealer, he seemed to be helping him more than hindering him. He watched the dealer in an attempt to catch his eye. When he did, he intended to nod to show he trusted him.

[Bob Barton]

Targeting an easy victim? Of course Bob would do that and anyone who ever liked to get the better of others should not think any lesser of him for it. The newbie had the right idea of his dealer at the beginning right until he gave that nod. While Bob did not bother to try and make out what the man meant with the announcement of his horrible cards, especially when he had the rest of the game to learn the more reliable non verbal signs that was harder to fake, Bob was left wondering about that nod. Was this man really a newcomer to the game? Did he really not know anything or was he leading everyone on just like Bob wanted to?

Either way the round had to go on. Putting those questions aside, Bob went over to the other player who was just as lost as he was. A few moments as Bob waited for any reaction, moments wasted that Bob will never get back, he asked quite loudly and sternly "your next card sir" after timing it right before the moment the player would look back at Ronar after looking at Bob. He was so shocked that he gave Bob the reply that he wanted. "Yes...sure, thanks" and Bob quickly tossed the card over to him before he could take it back. Now the other part was all up to luck and Bob's hopes was that the man would go over. Not attaining a high value might have been bad but it was not as bad as dying off without a chance to win after. Judging from his expression, Bob might have succeeded.

One more man who was made with more experienced stuff, a man that Bob treated properly as he did all the other players on the table and it was his turn. The moment which might make his little trick from earlier worthless if it was done wrong. Bob opened the second card coming to a total of... "six..." It was a lot worse than he expected. He had no choice but to take the seven which made "thirteen..." and then an ace which made "twenty-four!" That one was a little joke to try and mess with the newbie because if he has played before he would have known that the totals would not match up.

It should come up as "fourteen!" because that was what one more than thirteen made. Maybe later Bob would explain the values of the ace if he felt like it but now it was time for the final card and he ended up with "seventeen." Not really happy since he lost quite a little especially to "beginner's luck" when he pushed another five silvers towards Ronar even if he was able to take it back five from the man beside him.

"Next round people" Bob announced as he shuffled and distributed the cards. As he watched Ronar handling his coins to decide his bet, Bob told him that "they your first game decides all the others, and Ovek only helps those who puts in more. As a measure of faith you know" with a smile on his face. Obviously that was a lie since there was no such thing as faith in gambling. Bob was only trying to get Ronar to bet more but that is what he wants everyone to do.