The Big Game (Part 2)

Sartoma looked at Fred, and then back behind the shooter's line. She did not see Lucius, who had slipped into the crowd to talk to someone. To be so close to getting out of Tupport, and then to just walk away from it, was heartbreaking. But Fred was right. Although she felt like she was doing incredibly well, she also, when she honest with herself, felt in her heart the Lucius was in control. She would do the most difficult thing and walk away from the money on the table.

Checkers decided to climb down the tree. She had noticed that there was a gust of wind that interfered with the natural cast of the dice from time to time. It was something that a human would probably not notice, but something good to know. Now that there was a break in the game, she had to let Sartoma know about it, if she was not already aware. She also had an idea for a use for the small change that Mister Bullware had given her at Red Deer. She bought an old man a drink, and ordered a hot bowl of fish soup and a cool glass of ale.

Lucius had silently talked to Sartoma. Lucius congratulated her on her self-discipline, assured her that he had set the casts up so that they fell the way that they did. He then said that he had an offer for her. They could talk after she announced her withdrawl.

The crowd had gathered. Lucius and Sartoma were now behind the shooter's line. The Master of Ceremonies asked the crowd to hush. He then said, "Please place half a sovereign on the table, and let Lucius shoot."

Lucius had laid his half sovereign down, but Sartoma merely said, "I shall go no further." The crowd murmered in disappointment. They wished to see the issue settled. But the mages nodded their heads and accepted that Lucius was by far the better mage, and he had proven it again.

Then a small woman in a shawl ambled her way behind the shooter's line. In a breech of protocol, she walked all the way to the table, and picked up the dice, and felt them. Sartoma was too shocked to even speak silently, and Lucius's eyes bulged a little from their sockets. The Master of Ceremonies said frostily, "Excuse me, Miss. This is an advanced game. Kindly put down the dice and vacate the shooter's area."

Then, in a Backlander-accented Barque, Checkers said, "I am not sure what you mean by advanced. I know the rules of the game."

Jaytor snarled, "Woman, this game is for those with special skill. One is allowed to improve the natural results through whatever means are available. And the betting starts at a half sovereign. Put up the money or leave."

Checkers answered, sounding for all the world like a hayseed to audience, "So this is a game where it is legal to cheat You just want to see who cheats better. I am up to that. But it is a pain in the rear to break sovereigns, so I propose to raise the stakes to a sovereign, if you are good for it, Lucius."

"It is Doctor Lucius, please. And I accept your offer." Lucius tried to put her in her place, as she was obviously not an equal, and then tried to read her mind, and while the girl was tough to read, he figured that it was because she was dull-witted. Well, a fool and her money are soon parted. This will be a welcome bit of comic relief.

Lucius concentrated. He would cast a 36 with a flourish. Then he would crush the impertinent wench. He cast the dice - and then disaster hit. It was like the magical equivalent of losing one's leg, but being under the illusion that it was still there. He had performed the required rites to a "T", and tapped the dice against, but they fell semi- randomly. "5-4-5-5-6-5 - 30!" announced the Master of Ceremonies.

Checkers took an unusually long period of time. The dice felt unusually warm. She wished to dip her dice in the ale "for luck." She knew enough about the properties of the resin from her days in the Grand Lake region, when she often diced with the nomads of the area in order to pick up small change. She did not know how Lucius heated the dice up, but she would equalize it by cooling them off in the ale.

Having dipped the dice in the ale, and she gently rolled them across the table. An old man with a small glass of ale was stationed near the backline. He felt a cold gust of wind against the back of his hair, but stood in place. The little woman who was now shooting against Lucius had bought the ale for him. All she asked is that he stand here until she was finished shooting.

Checkers concentrated. Lucius concentrated. The assembled mages stood rooted. Sartoma simply waited with the same sense of foreboding that a shepard might have in seeing a stray sheep placidly heading toward a wolf. The dice rolled gingerly across the table. They all tapped the backstop. A bit of the gust moved two of the dice ever so slightly. The Master of Ceremonies called out "2-1-1-2-1-1 for eight to the woman."

Checkers gathered her winnings. One sovereign had returned nine. Not bad. She would retire from the table.

She started to walk when the Master of Ceremonies boomed, "What is your name, Miss?"

Checkers responded.

The Master of Ceremonies replied, "Well, Checkers, the rules here are that you have to shoot both high and low, unless Doctor Lucius waives that right."

Lucius then said, "I do not waive the right."

Checkers shrugged her shoulders and placed a sovereign on the table.

In the next round, Checkers had expected that the dice would be cold, but apparently Lucius had to touch them, and the action was delayed. The ale was going to have a more and more limited effect. However, on this cast she managed a 36, while Lucius cast a 20, not looking good while doing it. She now had eleven sovereigns.

Checkers decided to continue. Lucius did not intimidate her. On the third roll, the old man had finished his ale, and Lucius had apparently caused him some discomfort, so Checkers had lost her windscreen. Lucius had a cast of 28, and stuggling with the warm dice, Checkers managed a 15. She was back at 10 sovereigns.

Now Checkers heard an expression in Barque that she was not familiar with, but had guessed it was the Barque equivalent of "harpy." He was threatening to tell the crowd what she was. Checkers stared him down, with a glint of red from the torch reflecting off the back of her eyes. And then there was a change in her bearing.

The night was cool, but she removed her shawl, and folded it neatly on the table. The crowd could see her wings - a thin membrane rolled close to her arms, but they were definitely there. She then said to the stunned crowd, "I am not afraid that you all know what I am. I have been here for the last week amongst. And so, Lucius, you cannot threaten me. You are very skilled - but I have yet to see anything that I would consider unbeatable. Checkers then rolled a 36.

Lucius had at first felt anger that the impertinent woman had stayed around. Then frustration that his magic was not working. The he felt confusion and fear as he realized what sort of creature he was playing against. And then oddly, a sense of thrill and challenge. A harpy mage was an impossibility. But if Checkers was not using some form of magic, whatever she was using was for practical purposes the same thing. His own magical ability was greatly impaired. He could not read her thoughts. What few snatches he was able to get were in a foreign language. And much of the time, he could not even get that - it was as if, mentally, a great wind was blowing, dampening what he could hear, and disorienting him. What was saving him was his ability to manipulate the gusts of winds, sometimes spoiling Checkers' rolls. And he still could heat up the dice and force them to roll high when he needed it. However, he was now having trouble cooling them back down.

Checkers had noticed that Lucius was struggling. Her stake had fluctuated between six and eighteen sovereigns. She stood at fifteen when Brennus requested a break.

"Doctor Lucius, it is time to retire. She is too good."

"Do you doubt my ability?"

"Not at all. But I do not doubt hers, either. I think that the she is Sartoma's 'servant'. Give her a gold piece to give her an even number. I remember hearing somewhere in the legends that they liked even numbers. It also puts you back in control. After all, what is sixteen sovereigns to you?"

"It is getting late. But you know, Brennus, I really want to continue. It has been such a long time since I have found such a worthy competitor. And there is a lot to learn from her. But I think that you are right. I feel a bit feverish, and I think it is a side effect of overexertion. This will continue - but not at the gaming tables of Tupport."

Lucius said, "Mister Master of Ceremonies, this has been a most stimulating day. I congratulate Sartoma for a noble effort, and Checkers for a persistent one, although I will request that she learn a little etiquette. As I have been told that her race is more comfortable with even numbers, I will even her stake by giving her an extra sovereign, so she now has sixteen sovereigns."

Checkers dropped her wings slightly, and then collected her sovereigns. She managed to make it just outside the yard, and into the relief pits, when she doubled over in pain and started to cough and shake.

"Has she recovered?" said Fred.

"In part," said Sartoma. "The vomiting and headaches are gone. But she still shakes a little. She did not know what she was getting into."

Fred replied, "But she gave a good account of herself. Seventeen sovereigns total! This should allow us to travel far."

Sartoma said, "I think that we can save a little by going to Colonia Gallia. I talked to Doctor Lucius this morning, and apparently he had a mild fever last night, too, from the match. He has kindly offered to ride with us. There is safety in numbers, and he is apparently very influential in the city. And he knows where Astra is."

Fred replied, "Well, if he is good humoured about last night, I would be inclined to take him up on the offer."

Jan cut in, "I have some worries about that. Lucius has a mixed reputation. A lot of people fear him."

Sartoma replied, "That is nonsense. He is powerful, it is true. But his is also very learned, and could do us no end of good in our quest." She was thinking about Lucius's promises to heal her of any damage from Charlie's attack, and as a mage, she was intrigued by his skill. "He just states that Checkers cannot work any magic, although he definitely wants her to come along."

Fred said, "Checkers keeps insisting that she is not working any magic. She just was making observations of wind currents and the resin in the dice, and was able to counter Lucius's tricks."

Sartoma replied, "Lucius does not seem to feel that way."

Fred was in a bit of a quandry. Jan felt strongly that they should not go with Lucius, and he was the best translator. Sartoma felt equally strongly that they should go, and she was the most proven mage, and on the surface, it was a much easier option than going alone. Checkers was inclined against it, but Fred also felt that he could pursuade her to go if he was sure of that course of action.

Fred decided

1. that the party should accept Lucius's offer.
2. that the party should politely decline Lucius's offer.
3. that the party should decline to ride with Lucius, but pay him a visit at Colonia Gallia.

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