You had been contacted a few days ago by Arrigal, a man of the Vistani.  He told you of his people, how they were travelers of a faroff land of beauty, and of his master, Burgeomaster Kolyan Indirovich.  He said that he came bringing a letter of distress.  The letter spoke of the Burgeomaster's daughter, Ireena Kolyana, and has requested that you, the MistBusters, come and cure her of whatever afflicts her.  However, along your way to the lands of Barovia, you stumbled across a lively Vistani camp.  Tomorrow, the job will begin, but tonight, the hospitality of the Vistani shall not go wasted.   Good food, music, and wine fills the camp, rendering the campsite like a beautiful festival.  A fortune teller sits in her tent, reading the cards for various other Vistani.  Around the campfire, old and young folk alike sit and discuss tales of wonder and prestige.  Throughout the camp, many are dancing and being merry, perhaps to the jealousy of those on the sidelines that do not have a partner.  However, despite the merriment that consumes the camp, there exists an apprehension.  A primal, animalistic fear... One that gnaws at the backs of your minds, ever present, but hidden.  It hangs like a fog in the air, and despite what you may do in this camp here tonight... you feel... uneasy.  Shadows dance along parchment tents, and for a moment, you swear that they move freely.  Crows seem to line the trees, silent, but observant.  A chill holds your spine, but is warmed momentarily by strong wine and cooked meats.  A Vistani man, old and worn, becons you to come near.  He sits by the fire, its light flickering across his tired, possibly a bit intoxicated, eyes.  He points to the fortune teller, no, past her, into the lands beyond and gives a weary smile.  "That is your next stop, yes? I wish you the best of luck, my friends. May you enjoy our hospitality, may it be to your liking." Before pulling one of you into an embrace and kissing each cheek.  Maybe a bit too intoxicated...

"George no like shadows.  Shadows scare George." 

"The shadows aren't too bad, when you know how to use them.....I do all my best work in the shadows."  Elwarith replies to his simple friends comment.

He carefully watches the camp and its merriment, he could go out and be among them, they might even accept him as one of their own, for he has a knack for that.

However the strange feeling he has, the one at the nape of his neck...tells him there is something more out there and he should be wary this night.

Let the darkness come, he lives in it.

Bry felt the mans paws, and then the wetness of his kiss on his cheeks, "Alright, alright, enough of that, the women will talk" he winked at the man before slipping away from him gracefully. Bry watched the Shadows George mentioned, "No need to worry George, they're just shadows, probably" Bry grabbed a bottle of liquor that had been discarded and drank deep, he then found a small stump and pulled his playing cards from his back pouch, "Who wants to bet some coin!" he yelled out to the encampment.

"George not like shadows," George mutters.  "George know!  George find something to the George's mind off shadows." 

"Cards? I accept." A wiry, female voice says with a cackle.  Bry turns to see the fortune teller, her hands folded under her chin with a sly grin working its way across her face.  Various teeth seem to be missing, but its a confident smile none the less. "Tell me boy, have the fates smiled on you tonight? I wager 3 gold pieces..." She says as she slides three small, yet bright, pieces of gold toward the end of the table. She motions for Bry to come near and sit at her table. "Shall you shuffle, or shall I?"

 George think there lot of things that get George mind off shadows.  George see food.  George see funny dance people.  George see other stuff. What George want do...

"George play too?" 

Elwarith suspects that Bry will end the night with a purse lighter than he started....but that's never stopped him before.

"Humans and their weird ways that I'll never understand." Samudra says. Nadi growls, not pleased at all, but resists biting the man. Samudra walks away and watches Bry and the fortune teller.

Elwarith nods at Samudra "Let them have their fun this evening, in the morning it will be business as usual until the jobs complete." he picks dirt out from under his nails with the tip of a broken arrow he keeps with him.

"Well, might as well loosen up before tomorrow" I mutter to myself. I then yell out to the camp, "Who here thinks they can best me in a spar. Whoever can, gets five gold and my pride. If you loose you loose 1 gold...and your pride. So...who's up first"

Samudra watches the shadows, once and a while growling ever so slightly.

Bry grins back, then stands and saunters his way to her end of the table. "Fate smiles on no one, random chance is the only certainty" Bry sets his cards on the table and motions for her to shuffle.

"How play?" 

"A true gentleman." The elderly woman says as she takes the cards, shuffling them with great skill.  She is simple, yet impressive in her technique.  She deals a card to both of you, two nearby candle lighting as  she does.  "The highest card wins, my dear, yes?" ((For the purposes of this, roll 1d10, the highest roll will win.  Bry, as a spellcaster, if you have anything that can help your roll, you may try to use it with a Deception check.)). The woman turns over her card, revealing a card with a five-pointed star in the center.  She leans in close, the flames of the candles burning brighter as she does,  "A five, your move, children..." 

5

"That good?"

"Very good indeed." The fortune teller nods at George, and turns to keep her gaze to Bry.  She stares not at his cards, but into his eyes.  

(( We are playing with Bry's marked cards, he would know the next card, is it going to be high enough to beat her, not necessarily George, but her?))