A Golden Bet [Xylef]

[lestivel]

    Lestivel sat at a table outside of a small building. In his hands a deck of cards flew back and forth. He would shuffle the deck in extravagant ways, then a cut here or there, and finally make an arch of lying cards from one hand to the other. He had already beaten several people at cards, but then again he did not exactly play fair or a game most people knew. Three Card Monte was his game, and he had never found anyone better. He was waiting, for what or for whom he did not know, but hopefully it would be exiting.

    Lestivel took a sip from the iced tea at his side. It was early morning and people were beginning to set up shop for the day. Adventurers, most of them anyway, would also be getting up for the day, but for Lestivel it was almost time to grab his forty winks for the day. He had always been a night person. Less people, cooler, darker, and most of all quiet. Lestivel raised his glass to the rising sun. "Here's to another night gone, and another day to come!"  A toast he often said to the bright god of the sky as it began its long trek through the sky.

Tags: xylef

Word count: 212

[xylef]

Xylef had been walking down one of the many the streets of this clone of London. The sun had only barely began to peek over the horizon as if checking if it was it's time to shine. Like on earth, the early hours had many a person sleeping in, and thus peace was more likely to be found at such an hour. The morning had a far more uplifting feel than the late hours without the dangers that lurk in the night. It was the perfect balance of serenity and safety. As he walked along the path Xylef saw a man doing some fancy flourishes with cards. There were two types of people who sat at a table pulling fancy tricks with cards, they were as follows: scams and cheats. His walk had gone on for some time and the man had set himself outside of a small cafe, one of the only places in town that might sell tea. Of course, it was always fun seeing how con artists tired to scam you out of your money, especially when you knew a thing or two in the field.

Walking inside presented a shop with a feel not unlike that of a certain multinational chain of coffee shops back on earth. He would go inside to place his order before approaching the man with the cards. "An iced tea with raspberry, oh and some of those little pastries." Xylef declared after the the attendant asked his order. He had found an odd enjoyment in trying out different blends of tea wherever he could find them. After his order had been taken Xylef was informed that he could sit wherever and his order would be brought to him, a convenience to be sure, but one that many shops choose not to provide or even to ignore entirely. Of course now it was time to talk to the well dressed man who had set up shop at the tables just in front of the cafe.

"Let me just shoot straight to the point. What game are you playing here?" Xylef interrogated as he took his seat across the table from the currently yet to be introduced man. There was a reason that was not entertainment that Xylef was approaching this man one was that he had entertained the idea of making a guild once he had leveled more, cons had a specific mindset that would bee essential in a powerful guild. A long look at the cards showed no obvious markings, but the best never used such devices, they only used sleight of hand. Was this man really all his card flourishes would suggest or was he just a big joke? Only time would tell the answer to such questions.

Word Count: 458
Xylef speech color #620000

[lestivel]

    Lestivel continued with his flourishes and shuffles as a man with purple hair walked past him into the tea shop. He returned and sat across the table with a discerning look. "Let me just shoot straight to the point. What game are you playing here?" He asked. Lestivel continued to make the cards dance in his hands for a time. Saying nothing only looking directly at the man. His eyes off the cards. I would think him another mark, but this one is an adventurer, and he seems keen. This will be interesting.

    "A game? No sir this is no game. This is a bet, a  challenge, chance. It is simple,"   Lestivel began his elaborate story. As a story is the best way to keep an audience entertained long enough for the con to work. With a flourish and a snap of the wrist he held out the king of spades facing the newcomer. "You are a brave knight, the bravest in all the land. The king has summoned you to his court. There he tells you the horrific tale of the kidnapping of the queen." With those last words the queen of spades appeared out from behind the king. A simple trick to be sure but not the last. "The queen was taken by the forces of the reds."  With another flick of the wrist the king was gone and the queen had a red jack on either side. One of diamonds one of hearts. Lestivel placed the deck in the table holding only the four cards in his hands. He separated the king from the other three cards and placed it face up on the table. "Your quest is simple, to find the queen."  Lestivel turned the queen, a red jack to either side, to face the table then placed them down. "For the first three games no money will be put down. Just to let you get a feel for things." This was simple misdirection. If the player became confident at first then it would be easier to scam them later. Lestivel began to shuffle the cards in plain view. The queen began in the middle. In the perspective of the newcomer she moved left once, right twice, left again twice, right once, left once more, from the far left to the far right, then again to the far left. It was made to be easy so that the newcomer could figure it out... for now.

Tags: xylef

Words: 409

Speech/thought color: #42e202

[xylef]

As the man explained the game he lay the cards on the table and it was obvious that no scam would be put in play for the first few rounds, because the well dressed man had said that no bet would be in place. People who ran games like this on the side of the street didn't gamble, they won, that was because unlike a casino the dealer only lost if he wanted to loose. So the first thing to do was to watch how the game was played in the first place and get a feel for where the scam cards were hiding. The first move was obvious look at eh placement of the cards for any known scams with the same layout. and look at the backs of the cards for any obvious markings.
"Alright let's run the first few games and figure the game out." Xylef said in a tone that was misleadingly confident. He watched the cards shuffle and with each move paid attention to each detail of how the moves where made. Then before the last few moves were made Xylef's attention was seemingly snatched by the store attendant saying "Excuse me sir I have your drink ready."
"Ah yes thank you," Xylef smirked as he eyed the last move of the cards out of the corner of his eye. "An interesting trick, but obviously the card is here" A hand hovered over the card that would be to Xylef's far left "Too easy." Xylef boasted before the card was even turned over. The act would hopefully portray Xylef as a overly cocky individual out to make some money when he was the exact opposite. Xylef grabbed his drink from the waitress then took a sizable swig before resting the glass on the table. The pastries were of all different types as Xylef liked to sample different kinds. Many of them were filled with a seemingly well made jam filling, one of which Xylef took a bite of to chase the tea down. He then looked back to the waitress and promptly thanked her for her service "That's pretty good thank you. Now I would say it's time we get back to our little game wouldn't you?" Xylef eyed the cards that lay before him, and the man across from him as he waited.

Words Count: 389
Tags: lestivel