Solo Luck's got nothing to do with it.(Training)

[Alexander Faircroft]

26th Winter 515 AV


10:23PM

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

Outside the wind whipped at the windows, and howled in defiance at the warmth of the small room, the hearth cracked lightly in the corner, the fire snapping and spitting out embers. A small mug of spiced ale in front of both men. The pitcher sat slightly off to the side. The smell of cinnamon and smoke filling the room. Both men sat opposite each other a stern face on neither instead a rather happy pall had overtaken the room. The sounds of laughter occasionally trickling through the doors and out into the hall. Knight and squire sat across from each other. Talking and splitting a drink as friends…Equals. Had it not been for the discrepancy of rank. A deck of cards and a spilling puddle of mizas; copper, silver and gold all in equal measure. Both men free of their armour for the evening and the difference in builds between them evident. Ser Greyheart’s thicker build betrayed his years in the armour. Whilst Alex’s much thinner if steadily growing one showed sparks of promise.

“So tell me again exactly what happened with the bucket and your patron, Ser.” Alex couldn’t help but let the laughter flow. The pair had been swapping stories and anecdotes most of the evening.
“Maybe next time, you’re here to play son. Now ante up or you afraid you’ll lose?” Ser Greyheart chuckled out tossing a five copper mizas into the middle of the table, Alex followed up with a stack of two of the same denomination. Shuffling the deck in his hands Sebastian muddled the cards up and placed them down allowing Alex to cut them. “The rules are simple. Heck you already know them let’s just get down to it. You ready to lose my boy?” Sebastian had an air of confidence about him that for once Alex almost seemed to match. This was more, friendly than anything. Both men had placed fifteen gold mizas worth of currency onto the table. But the money wasn’t the goal, it was a matter of pride. A matter of bragging rights. Seb tossed out the cards one each and then another.

Keeping them secret both men looked at their respective hands. Alex peeked beneath the stiffened card. A two of swords and a two of arrows. A pair. Good…A strong start…Now do I open with aggression or let him have the first move? Alex pondered what to do taking careful consideration of the situation. Unknowns abounded. Alex looked up watching his patron’s face. A slow shifting of it told him his patron was thinking. And within a singular motion he slipped his hand back tossing in another fifteen copper mizas. “I raise.” A cool smile crossed his lips, but no information was leant out to Alex. Nothing to gleam. Still Alex felt he had a solid hand. Reaching down he countered his patron’s aggression with patience. Slipping into the centre of the table a puddle of eighteen copper mizas to match him. Would that it were so simple to outsmart his patron. The man had experience, patience and good judgement. Something that he was trying to instil into Alex.

His patron slipped a card to the side and turned over three cards. The three of spears, the two of shields and the seven of spears. Alex paused for a moment. He’s got a possible set…A run…And he could also have a lesser hand than me…And it’s my opportunity to put pressure on him to see if he cracks. Lifting a small pool of copper mizas twenty in number he tossed them into the centre of the table. “Bet twenty.” He smiled lightly a ray of hope that his hand was better. His patron however didn’t seem to believe him and doubled the bet. Success, it worked I’ve suckered him in now time to close. Alex matched the initial bet again making the playing field even.
“y’know you’re going to lose this right ?” Sebastian asked Alex with a self-assured smile. Alex just smirked back as another card was moved to the side and the six of arrows fell. No help. To either me or him. His patron tossed a pile of fourty mizas into the centre of the table.
“C’mon boy. You can’t beat me. You should have learnt that by now.” Many things his patron was…But never arrogant…Perhaps he was certain he was going to win this…Maybe alex had bet on the wrong horse after all. He was now doubting his hand. The assurance that he’d held was fading quickly.

Alex lifted another forty mizas into the centre of the table. He had to be sure. He had to know whether or not this was him making the right decision. But he could feel that ray of hope beginning to dwindle. To taper and close off in the ever encompassing blackness of his own self-doubt. Something his patron knew well. Another card shifted to the side and the ten of swords fell… still no help but there was always the possibility of a run and a set… The odds he has those are pretty high, but what’s the chance he’s got them. What’s the chance that I’m doing myself a disservice by not playing this to fruition? Can I simply go over the top and pull the rug out from under him? But if I do and I’m wrong I’ll look like a complete and utter fool…he’ll crush me. And I’ll have nothing to show for it. Do I build on this base? Or do I deal with a possibility that I may have built my castle on sand?

A tick, then two. And Alex lifted his cards and tossed them to the centre of the table. A withdraw. A surrender of his hand. He tossed them face up. Letting his patron know what he held. A look of bested look sat across his face, wanting to see what exactly had beaten him. His patron paused, then smiled. Twisting his cards over he tossed them to the centre.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

His cards flipped as he tossed them. Nothing. A knight of shields and a nine of swords. He’s played him. He’d tricked Alex into throwing his hand away. He’d used Alex’s own crushing self-doubt against him. He’s turned Alex’s greatest fault into his biggest point of attack. If he hadn’t known Alex so well perhaps he might not have been so active with the façade of self-assured victory. Still it hit Alex like a hammer. And he knew what that felt like. Again thanks to his patrons input. He played me. He played me like a gods-damned instrument! And I bent. I withdrew! Alex clenched his fist frustrated at his lack of self-confidence.

“Alex.” His patron spoke up collecting the cards and straightening them out. “I’ve known you long enough to get a good read on you. I’ve gathered enough knowledge about you to push you in a way I want. And that’s why I won. Read your opponent. Use that brain of yours to see where the tricks are, where the lies hide. You’ll get it eventually.” He smiled holding out the deck. Begrudgingly Alex took it. Though after a few ticks of thinking about the situation. His opinion on the matter changed. His patron as usual was right. Alex just didn’t want to admit it. Shuffling the cards in his hands this time. He beat me by knowing that I’d crumple from a push against my confidence. How can I get at him? What can I attack that will push him off his game? Without realizing it he’d been shuffling for almost ten ticks before placing the deck on the table for Sebastian to cut. Restacking the deck and giving it another quick shuffle Alex doled out two cards each. Flicking the edge up, he spotted his start. [color=#6F028A]Tree, Knight. Arrow Set too. Absolutely beautiful. Alex glanced up looking like he was out of luck. And way out of his depth, he’d put in the larger start and as such tapped. Allowing Sebastian to raise. Quadrupling the opening bet. He has something strong. I can almost feel it. I’m going to need to batter his hand down. But Maybe. Just maybe I can lead him by the nose. He knows he has the upper hand what if I take advantage of it?

Ales matched the bet. Slipping a card off the top and onto the table out of the main area, the cards fell. Ten of shields, nine of swords, and the queen of spears. Almost perfect, if not the correct set. His patron glanced at his cards again. Stony expression unchanging. Then it landed the biggest bet so far. He was trying to scare Alex off. Two silvers and fifty coppers. Alex fumbled with his cards again. He’d already taken a heavy bleed to his coin. Acting like he couldn’t quite be certain in his hand he lifted the same bet out. Matching it with a heavy thud. The next card came out sliding out to the side and then the fall. Three of arrows. Damn, that’s completely useless. Still he tried not to let on that he’d missed his target. A heavy sigh fell from his lips. He was trying to fake, faking being upset. If it worked he had no idea, but he was trying his best to control the flow of information. His turn. He placed out a bet, ten coppers.

Ser Greyheart must have seen through at least half of his ruse and bet into him deeply. Another heavy swing. Three silvers and five coppers. Be grudgingly Alex took the chance to equalize. Trying his absolute best to not let the façade fall apart. He slid the final spare card to the side and tipped over his last chance. Page of spades. Thank you whoever is watching right now. He had it, a run to the tree. Still he kept his nerves calm. And knew he had a solid hand, and there was no chance that there would be a stronger hand. This was the highest on the table.

“So Alex, getting cold feet yet?” Sebastian smiled lightly. Alex shrank back a little as he was want to do, Picking up the mug of spiced ale. The warm and soothing taste of cloves nutmeg and cinnamon revitalising him. Filling his stomach with a fire and focusing him.
“I don’t think I can win this hand Ser.” A ploy, an attempt to sucker in his patron. Could he really do it though? Could he really take his patron down a peg? Remembering how he’d played him Alex then forgot to give two shakes of a rat’s tail. Alex lifted a hefty sum. Tossing three silver and and five copper mizas onto the table centre. His patron responded with a similar placement of coin but raising him another silver. Alex accepted. Placing his extra silver atop the pile and watching his patron turn over his cards. A slow cocky reveal. Knight of swords and the ten of shields. As Seb’s hands reached out to scoop the pile of coins Alex sighed.

“Sorry I have to do this to you. But.” Alex picked up his hand and showed the knight first. And then slipped the tree out from behind it. “I think this round is mine.” He smiled and pulled the pile of coins towards him.
“Well played my young squire. Well played.” He leant back into his chair and willingly let the coin go. “You used my overconfidence from the last hand to my downfall this time?” Alex simply nodded in agreement sliding the deck over to his patron, as he began to count the coins in his head.

“When you win…You have a bad habit of picking up a prideful stance. Thinking you’re too strong to fall. I just turned the ground to sand. And watched the firm foundation of your assurance of victory sink you. I will admit I got lucky on the last card but I would have won anyway. Was just nice to do it with a complete hand.” Alex smirked slightly sifting the coins into neat little towers at his side of the table. The next deal was his patrons...And now he knew that Alex could shift the game in his favour as well.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The sound of cards scraping against each other was a cold noise. The calm atmosphere of laugher and familiarity had begun to crumble away. The snap of the hearth and the crackle of another log shattering was the only sound punctuating the room. The soft clink of coins filing through Alex’s grasp as he waited on his patron to deal. The easiest way for him to win this would be to just simply pass on each hand until he had a winning one. That was the best strategy. The most sound strategy. And he knew it. But this wasn’t about strategy, this was a battle to see between him and his patron who could tell the most about the other. This wasn’t a game of strategy as far as the cards were concerned, this was a game of mental psychological warfare.

At this point the cards didn’t even really matter. It was less about who actually had the better hand and who could make the other think he did. The cards flew. Alex flicked the edge of the cards. Only briefly catching the edges of the cards. A four and a seven. Of what he didn’t know. Wrapping his knuckles against the table lightly he thought of the best course of action. His patron sat across the way, the mirrored look of stone. What could he do? What could he even think to do? Alex slipped his arm across the table. The spiced ale had a burn too it that filled his nose with the scent of spice and fire. The small distance between them almost felt like miles of distance. Trying to read anything was like trying to pull strands of hair off of a hard-boiled egg. Difficult and time consuming. Alex tapped his hand against the table. And Ser Greyheart tossed two more coins into the centre. The initial drop. Five of spears. Ten of shields. Tree of swords.

Nothing. An empty hand. Alex calmed himself as best he could whilst still having his mind process the information. No set possibility. And I’ve got a long shot at a run. I can hope he’s in the same position as me. But I highly doubt that to be the case. As if to solidify this thought Ser Greyheart tossed a stack of five copper coins onto the table.
“Raise.” The word. Something about the way he said the word. He missed? Or was he just playing games with Alex’s head again. He slipped his fingers over his cards peeling them up Four and a seven of shields. He had the longshot set as well. And then he caught it. As his eyes skated over the edge of the table. He caught his patron rubbing the edge of the mug in his hands. All the while when he wasn’t dealing he’d kept his thumb steady against the mug. Was this the chink in the armour he’d been searching for? He decided to spend some money to see. Tossing in double his patron’s stack. He watched his patron toss his cards to the centre. A withdrawal.

And there was the proof he needed to start building momentum against his patron. Alex’s turn to deal. The cards slipped between his fingers. He held the most stone featured face he could but inside he knew. Inside he knew that he held the best possible information. He knew how to tell when his patron was deceiving him. A small tell. Tiny. But still there. The only reason he’d spotted it was the sheer amount of time he’d spent with him. The cards flicked back and forth from one to another. Alex didn’t even bother to look at the cards in front of him. He doubled up the bet in the centre. Sixteen copper mizas. Betting into his patrons hand without even seeing his own was not ballsy. It was bordering on stupidity. Still he watched his patrons thumb slide up and down the mug handle. As he looked at his cards. As Alex lifted his own mug and drank again the ale no longer burning but sweet, like a cinnamon biscuit.

What made that drink so sweet was not the fact that the flavour of the liquor had changed. But that he could taste victory. A subtle hint of superiority crept from him and his patron sensed it. And instead of folding he redoubled the bet. Thirty two copper mizas. A bluff. Alex waved it off meeting the bet. A sum total of 108 copper mizas sat in the centre of the table. As the first card slipped from the deck. Face down and came the drop. Nine of shields, Tree of spears, Paige of arrows. Alex waited. And waited and was met only with a pass from his patron. And there was that rub of the mug again. Subtle, tiny. Just enough to slip by unnoticed. He bet into him again twenty copper. His patron returned it again with an extra ten. Was he baiting him? Or was he the bait? Alex matched the bet.

And so fell the fourth card. The cavalry. It fell a seven of swords. The set threat was eliminated. However there was a strong threat of a possible run. The tell appeared again Alex caught a hold of it Ser Greyheart wasn’t sure of this hand. Alex simply watched him rub the edge of the mug. A slow meticulous thing. Almost as if. No, He didn’t. A look of disbelief crawled across Alex’s face as a smile spread across his patrons.
“Thanks for giving me my money back.” He tossed in forty copper and awaited Alex to withdraw. He could feel his hand closed tight. His nails digging into the meat of his hand. He’s been played again. Tricked. If it was this simple to trick him at cards…he could only imagine how easy it would be to trick him in combat. He was angry with himself now but still he wanted to beat his patron back. And still without looking he paused at the edge of the cards. Hesitating. Instead of reaching for the cards he tossed in a stack of forty copper mizas. He was annoyed and that quite possibly wasn’t the best point to end a hand on.

“Thanks for giving me my money back.” He tossed in forty copper and awaited Alex to withdraw. He could feel his hand closed tight. His nails digging into the meat of his hand. He’s been played again. Tricked. If it was this simple to trick him at cards…he could only imagine how easy it would be to trick him in combat. He was angry with himself now but still he wanted to beat his patron back. And still without looking he paused at the edge of the cards. Hesitating. Instead of reaching for the cards he tossed in a stack of forty copper mizas. He was annoyed and that quite possibly wasn’t the best point to end a hand on.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

A heavy slam on the edge of the window. Signalled the moment that Alex’s fate in this round was sealed. The reinforcement. The final card. He slipped the top card off to the side and flipped it. Paige of swords. With that His patron pushed the biggest bet of the evening into the pot at once. One gold and three silver coins. Alex looked at the size of the pile. Mulling over whether or not it was worth it to see if his patron was simply bluffing. Never the less he still hadn’t looked at his own cards. So he couldn’t give off a tell. The simple truth of the matter was did he dare to put his money in the pool to test his theory. He glanced over the room looking into the fire finally for an answer.
“Fine. Let’s see what you have.” He pushed a gold and three silver towards the centre. The price of proof a single gold miza and several silver? A cheap price.

His patron sighed and looked at him. Pausing a moment, he lifted his cards. A smile of contention filled his face. He tossed them on top of the pile. A ten of shields, and a seven of spears. He smiled.
“So Alex…What you got?” Sebastian inquired. Knowing full well Alex hadn’t looked at his own cards. He chuckled a little. He took a deep breath lifting one of the cards. And tossing it onto the table face up. Tree of arrows. Well at least he’d lose with the vision of Sylir staring at him. With a resigned feeling of loss he picked up the second card. And all of the feeling of doubt and loss faded from him. He looked at his patron with a small dry smile.
“I’m sorry about this. I didn’t even know.” He tossed the card onto the pile spinning it mid-air. With a sense of ceremony and a knowledge that it was what he needed it landed staring defiantly at Sebastian. The Paige of shields. He’d won. That had at least but he’d won. A full castle beat a run. He smiled. He’s paid. He’d gambled. But the gamble paid off. The tell was a ruse, nothing more. Sleight of hand to shift the perspective of the viewer. And it felt good to rake in that thick pile of money. With a deep and heavy sigh of relief he handed the cards to his patron who began to re-straighten them again. Shuffling and pausing.

“Sometimes, Ovek just doesn’t smile on you.” Sebastian smirked to himself as Alex glanced at him quizzically.
“Who’s Ovek?” A simple pair of words but ones which shocked Ser Greyheart he knew that Alex was a pious man. Rather devoutly so the sheer shock of this was something he was having trouble digesting. The fact that Alex had no idea about a god. Even as he glanced at the loop of them around Alex’s neck.
“Ovek. The god of Luck, gambling and wit. He’s a rather, flighty god.” Sebastian smiled lightly laughing. The first real laugh of genuine amusement in almost half a bell. “It’s rare I see you not know of a god. So consider this one more to add to your loop of prayers. May Ovek ever send luck your way.” He managed to squeeze out the words after a good laugh.

Sebastian refilled both their mugs with the warmed spiced ale. And the conversation renewed itself once again. The two discussed how the information they’d been giving each other over the course of the game had been false at every turn, how since they knew each other so well they could confuse each other. This being the simple truth. They could only confuse and see through each other after a point because they knew each other. If Alex wanted to confuse someone else outside of his circle of knowledge he’s have to first collect a lot more information on them. I’ve still got a long way to go to learn how to do this. But perhaps knowing them and testing it out like this isn’t such bad practice is it? Alex smiled to himself now looking down into the mug. His mind rolling over what he’d learnt. As far as he could surmise he’d learnt very little. He’d learnt how to lie. He’d learnt how to try to feed information. Bad information at that. Still it wasn’t enough for him to get the feeling that he’d learnt something.

[color=#9F1515] “So. Alex have you learnt what the purpose of this game was?” Ser grey heart spoke up again dishing out the cards one last time. Alex just flicked his eyes up from the mug. A signal to his patron that he’d not quite grasped the answer yet. “The point of this game was to show you just how important being able to read someone is. If you can’t read intent, then you can’t keep the peace. Were bound to uphold the law. As such, it’s best if we can prevent problems before they arise.” As he spoke he began to toss out the cards again. Giving a small flourish of spin to each upon their landing. “To that extent. It’s best if you can see how someone intends to act before they act. That way you can diffuse the situation before a problem comes to fruition. It cuts down on your work and lets people know that were not just guards in plate.” Sebastian tapped the deck lightly against the table, before setting it to one side.

“What’s say we play this last hand free from trickery and let fate decide who gets everything?” A small smile crossed Sebastian’s lips. This was the final test. The final lesson he was going to impart onto his young squire tonight. That sometimes inquiring was the best thing one could do. And leaving things to chance was the absolute worst possible thing. Because some things were never up to chance.

In the brief moments where Alex had been looking down into the mug his patron had stacked the deck in his favour. Shifting the tides of fate yes. But it was such a small sum of money that, he didn’t feel too bad taking it off of his squire’s hands to prove his point. That observation. Reason. Deduction. Intelligence in general was the greatest weapon a knight could ever have. He felt sorry for the poor boy but he needed this to be taught a lesson about keeping his eyes open.

[Alexander Faircroft]

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"

The final hand. The last game they’d play today. A game free of deception. Or so Alex thought. Trusting his patron and his patron’s word. Alex flipped up the edge of his cards. And it was a fantastic start. Two trees. The best start he could have asked for. Alex looked across the table his mentor sipped his ale and glanced at his own cards. A quiet lull once again fell over the room. The crackle of the fire sputtered and began to die out lightly as Sebastian finally rose from his seat tossing another log onto the flames in the hearth.
The silence of the still room continued as both of the men pushed their entire coin count together in the centre of the table. But both kept their cards secret just to keep the outcome secret. Sebastian already knew how this was going to end and simply let it play out how he’d orchestrated the situation. As such even Alex could see a touch of shame creep into his face. It threw Alex a little. A man so normally filled with pride, felt shame. Why? Still the cards came out. The first fold and then the drop. Tree of shields, queen of shields, five of swords. Alex felt a small amount of anxiety building in him. He was way out ahead with a triple, but there was always the set possibility. And given the closeness of the tree and the queen. The threat of a run existed too.

“Ser. I just want to say. Thank you for this.” Alex spoke calmly reflecting on the last four weeks events, the ever more difficult series of events something that had tugged at his mentality. And he hadn’t as of yet had a chance to thank his patron properly for all he’d done. “Thanks for taking me as a squire. And for going above and beyond what’s expected of you.” An honest smile crept across Alex’s face. The first one of the evening since the game had begun. Sebastian began to suck air through his teeth. Why did Alex have to say that? It made doing what he’d done sting all the worse. He pulled the next drop card off and tossed the card to the side flipping the cavalry. The tree of Arrows. Aled had four of a kind. All four cards of the same denomination in a deck. He was ecstatic, this was one of the rarest phenomenon that could occur with this game.

“Y’know Alex. You’re a good kid. Don’t let the world take that from you. Someday you’re going to be forced to do something you don’t want too, and I won’t be able to stop it. I’m just letting you know I’m not going to be your superior forever.” A calm smile passed over Sebastian’s face as he tossed the last burn card and flipped the reinforcement. A ten of shields. Alex looked towards the cards. A straight was likely. As was a set. But could a royal straight set be possible? The rarest hand in the entire game? Not possible. It couldn’t be. Alex half waved off the chance and flipped his cards tossing them atop the pile of mizas.

“Thanks then ser, I believe this is mine.” Sebastian simply looked at Alex as he spoke and then licked up his pair of cards. Holding them before him.
“I don’t quite think so Alex.” Sebastian spoke. And Alex almost lost it. He did it? He has that hand?! The cards fell the weight of them like anvils the Knight and the Paige of shields. Alex felt sick to his stomach. He’d lost by the most improbable hand that could have formed against him.

Dammit. Well at least I lost fair and square. Alex smirked letting go of the pile of mizas. He pushed them lightly towards his mentor, patron and friend. “You beat me. Still it’s only money.” Alex spoke and Sebastian snapped out.
“It’s not just money. I’ve been teaching you this entire evening. I’ve been teaching you to pick up information. And you failed to notice something.” Alex had a look of bewilderment and curiosity. As Sebastian held up the deck it became very apparent what he’d done. Sebastian had added extra cards to the deck to fix it in his favour. As the Tree of shields was sat at the bottom of the deck and on the table in front of him. A wave of rage flew over Alex. One that he couldn’t control. He simply stood. Grit his teeth and bowed to his patron. And with that he stormed from the room. Not even getting his patrons right to leave.

Sebastian sighed and slid his fingers over the coins. He’d gained fifteen golden mizas but he’d lost something more valuable. He’d lost his squires full faith in him. All to teach his squire to be actively alert of everything going on around him. To keep his eyes open for everything and every eventuality. He wondered was it worth it?

Alex stormed back off to the squire barracks. Rage. Anger. Betrayal. His patron hadn’t just taken his money. That he could have lived with. It was the fact he’d cheated to do so. And then like a flash of inspiration it’d sunk into Alex’s head what he was being taught tonight. To question everything and everyone. To learn as much as possible about something before making a decision. He smiled lightly the rage still there but greatly lessened. Alex kicked the box at the base of his bed. The loud rattle of plate inside let him know that his foot was going to be sore in the morning. But he needed it.

He needed to vent. He hadn’t needed to lie to him. He hadn’t needed to so that. But it worked. Alex was now actively taking in whatever he could. Learning whatever he thought necessary even unnecessary. I’m never going to be caught unaware like that again. I’m never going to be played for a fool like that. I’m going to learn everything I can. And find a way to apply it. I swear.

[Gossamer]

The Fates Have Spoken
Here is your thread grade!

Character: Alexander

Experience Awarded: Gambling 4xp, Strategy 3xp, Socialization 5xp, Subterfuge 1xp

Lores Awarded:

Gambling: Knowing when to fold
Gambling: Knowing When Your Cards Won’t Come Through For You
Gambling: Strategic Retreats
Gambling: Knowing How To Read Your Opponent
Gambling: Trying Not To Reveal Your Hand By Facial Expressions
Ser Sebastian: Cheats At Cards
Ser Sebastian: Teaches Unorthodox Lessons

Shield Points: 2 points. (Consulted with Ball on this one)

Notes: Interesting spin on a Patron teaching his squire a lesson. I felt it was interesting how naive Alexander came across and truthfully how hurt he was (and his reaction) when he realized Sebastian was playing him. If you prefer tactics to strategy feel free to interchange the two and swap out one for the other.

As always PM me if you have issues.