"She's been gone almost fifteen minutes, should we b-"Zyn began, then Kira returned. Zyn smiled. "Thirty gold, oh my. I don't even want to ask."
The city is famous for its weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Dinosaurs are painted in bright designs, and their riders try to steer them along a course that winds around the harbor and the city’s four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it’s a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders.
A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for two-legged beasts, and one no-holds-barred “unchained” race. Many of the dinosaurs involved are juveniles, since fully grown versions can be too large and too difficult for riders to manage. The dinosaurs are stoutly muzzled and have their claws and horns blunted in all but the unchained race.
The four-legged race is dominated by young ankylosauruses and triceratopses, but dimetrodons have also done well when paired with Small riders. Most competitors in the two-legged race are hadrosauruses and deinonychuses (again with Small riders). The unchained race sees racers on anything, including young allosauruses and very young tyrannosauruses.
Here's the betting chart.
7:1
d8
2–8
Wager ÷ 7
Big Honker (crowd-pleasing young tyrannosaurus rex)
5:1
d6
2–6
Wager ÷ 5
Ubtao’s Favorite (young triceratops on a streak)
3:1
d4
2–4
Wager ÷ 3
Banana Candy (well-trained hadrosaurus)
2:1
d3
2–3
Wager ÷ 2
Bonecruncher (young, ill-tempered allosaurus)
1:1
Any
Even
Wager
Grung Stomper (young ankylosaurus)
1:2
d3
1
Wager × 2
Scarback (young tyrannosaurus rex on its last race)
1:3
d4
1
Wager × 3
Nasty Boy (allosaurus with famous trainer)
1:5
d6
1
Wager × 5
Jungle Princess (deinonychus with frightened jockey)
1:7
d8
1
Wager × 7
Mountain Thunder (aging dimetrodon)
The racers, the available odds, and the chance to win are listed above. Bets can range from 1 cp to 500 gp. Once bets are placed, roll a die for each bet. Losing bets cost the full amount of the wager. Winning bets pay out according to the table. Bets can be for a dinosaur to win, place, show, or do something specific during the race (like attack another racer or throw its rider), so many bets can win in the course of a single race.
"Kira, may I please have 5 gold as well, that you obtained through thievery with a nope rope so that I may, too, participate?"she asked in a humorous manner.
After their time committing some petty crimes, Faust gives Kira a blep on the nose before slithering her way back up Astra's leg, grabbing the wizard attention. There are smiles in his eyes when he sees the gnomes safe return. "She's very good at saving lives indeed~" Faust gives a wave to Kira while she wraps herself around Astra's neck again.
Astra doesn't participate in any betting, merely taking down notes and sketching little doodles of the dinos and their trainers as he watches the race with amusement.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeydof the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm /ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\
Mountain Thunder comes rumbling around the corner, and the crowd ROARS a familiar cheer for their favorite sail-spined dinosaur. Not the fastest one of the bunch, but a real crowd pleaser, he lopes along at a slightly casual pace. Mounted to his shoulders is a double basket - one basket is taken up by the trainer, resplendent in her gaudy purple and yellow riding colors, clearly basking in the adoration of the crowd. The other basket is currently filled by a passenger wearing black head-to-toe robes, hands currently wrapped in reins holding on for dear life. Barely audible above the roar of the crowd, you can hear the black-clad passenger screaming profanities in multiple languages, causing many parents in the crowd to cover the ears of their young children.
Barely making it across the finish line in the allotted maximum time limit, Mountain Thunder collapses in exhaustion mere feet after the stumbling past the bannered line, and the crowd rushes forward to give sweet treats to their favorite dinosaur, and raise the jockey to their shoulders and parade her around. Kitsune merely stumbles out of the basket, face still plastered in fear, before falling down at the feet of you all as you stand there watching the race.
After a good minute, Kitsune, panting heavily (and is she crying? She's definitely crying.), raises herself to her feet and pulls the hood of her cloak back, revealing a Sheba-like masked beauty. The inside of her pitch black cloak is resplendent is iridescent gold, befitting royalty, and what you can see of her partially hidden face, she appears to be quite stunningly beautiful. Unnaturally so.
In a halting voice (she's obviously still recovering from her soul-shaking ride on the dinosaur), she looks deeply into your eyes and introduces herself: "Good day, fair citizens! I am Kitsune. At least, I think that's my name. That dinosaur shook me to my core. I don't advise paying for a ride on one. That is, unless you yourself are paid for such a calamitous ride!"
Astra seems to be absolutely enthralled at Kitsune's entrance, smiling at the woman brightly as she introduces herself. The snake at his neck waves her tail in greeting. "My name is Astra. Pleased to meet you, miss Kitsune. Regardless of your warnings, I'd still love to try and ride one of those magnificent beasts!"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Aeydof the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm /ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\
Zyntari turns to Asha. "You know, I have to admit,"she admits, "You use strange words i've never heard of before, yet we are speaking the same language."
Bowing deeply, Kitsune stands back upright and dusts herself off, but is obviously still a little dazed, as her head and torso continue to rock slowly in all directions. "Aye, please to meet you lot! Are you here for the dinosaur races? They're spectacular! I've never seen anything like them in all my travels!" She then continues, mumbling to herself, "I need to thank Syndra for that ride ticket!"
When belly dancing is brought up, Kira winks. "I know just where to find a good show." The gnome proceeds to dart her way through the town, leading the group to a spot in the Market Ward where a group of belly dancers are performing.
The Market Ward is where most of Port Nyanzaru’s regular shops are located and where most of its tradesfolk, merchants, and other middle-class residents live and work. You enter the Red Bazaar.
No one knows how the Red Bazaar got its name. One story is that the label comes from the huge slabs of dinosaur meat sold here and the resulting buckets of blood that stain the rain-washed gutters, and that’s probably as good an explanation as any.
Currently, a belly dancing performance is underway, the chultan women dancing sultry as the men play tribal instruments behind them. It's quite mesmerizing.
Zyn, having never seen this before, looks on with wonder. "This is pretty neat."she says. "I had no idea this was an art form."
While looking at the women, Zyn said to Asha. "While dwarves lived in Undercity, my parents had most of the interaction with them. I was raised mostly by my human grandfather, and others on my mother's side while my parents worked. My father was drow, we had a business that they wanted me to eventually help in, but I didn't want anything to do with it, and after school, I spent most of my free time learning the way of the Kensei. In other words, I didn't spend that much time with Dwarves. Or..doing what my parents wanted me to do."she smirked and looked at you from the corner of her eyes, adding comically, "You ****."
My grandfather would often take me from Undercity into the snowy hills above, north of the city.
There, as a young child, he would patiently train and perform moves as I watched on with curiosity. It was like he was slowly dancing with an invisible partner.
Fascinated, I would perform the moves with him a little ways away, and lost in his concentration, he didn't see me imitate him, but he knew I was doing so quietly.
The snow matched the color of my hair, and my eyes. From a stranger's point of view, it would have been impossible to know that my grandfather and I were related.
As the snow fell, I could feel it crunch softly under my shoes. What amazed me the most was how he was able to manipulate a spiritual energy force he called Ki - and at times, when he wanted to, he would cause the snow around him and on the ground to react to his punches and kicks, as if a subtle, powerful wind was being generated with his forceful movements.
Once, he spun around, knowing I was behind him, copying him, and he "punched" some snow into my face and hair, playfully. I fell to the ground, startled and in awe, and all he did was smile lovingly at me and continued.
In a world where drow are hated and feared, he loved me unconditionally. Why my mother didn't like talking about grandfather i'll never understand, and now never know. It was like he was an imaginary hero long dead, but here he was, in front of me, before my eyes. Maybe she was ashamed, maybe she thought the subject was silly, or didn't feel like explaining it to me - she was always focused on business with father, anyways...
But I loved grandfather, and when magma and fire took him away from me, it changed me. I became someone else. I gave up my selected destiny. I used the techniques he showed me to develop a fighting style some might consider unorthodox.
"She's been gone almost fifteen minutes, should we b-" Zyn began, then Kira returned. Zyn smiled. "Thirty gold, oh my. I don't even want to ask."
The city is famous for its weekly dinosaur races through the streets. Dinosaurs are painted in bright designs, and their riders try to steer them along a course that winds around the harbor and the city’s four hills. Spectators are seldom injured, but it’s a dangerous sport for the dinosaurs and their riders.
A typical race day has three races: one for four-legged beasts, one for two-legged beasts, and one no-holds-barred “unchained” race. Many of the dinosaurs involved are juveniles, since fully grown versions can be too large and too difficult for riders to manage. The dinosaurs are stoutly muzzled and have their claws and horns blunted in all but the unchained race.
The four-legged race is dominated by young ankylosauruses and triceratopses, but dimetrodons have also done well when paired with Small riders. Most competitors in the two-legged race are hadrosauruses and deinonychuses (again with Small riders). The unchained race sees racers on anything, including young allosauruses and very young tyrannosauruses.
Here's the betting chart.
The racers, the available odds, and the chance to win are listed above. Bets can range from 1 cp to 500 gp. Once bets are placed, roll a die for each bet. Losing bets cost the full amount of the wager. Winning bets pay out according to the table. Bets can be for a dinosaur to win, place, show, or do something specific during the race (like attack another racer or throw its rider), so many bets can win in the course of a single race.
"Hey Kira, I need about five pieces of that gold you got to bet on the races." She bets it on Scarback.
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
Kira cheerfully tosses Asha 5 gold.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
"Kira, may I please have 5 gold as well, that you obtained through thievery with a nope rope so that I may, too, participate?" she asked in a humorous manner.
"Yesssss!" 5 gold is tossed to Zyn as well.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Zyn caught the gold with her gloved hand, and looked at the dinos. She had never bet before, so decided to take a chance on Jungle Princess.
Here we go, she thought. Come on, big money big money no whammies!
6
"Jh'Rg!!" she grunted, seeing the dino lose.
After their time committing some petty crimes, Faust gives Kira a blep on the nose before slithering her way back up Astra's leg, grabbing the wizard attention. There are smiles in his eyes when he sees the gnomes safe return. "She's very good at saving lives indeed~" Faust gives a wave to Kira while she wraps herself around Astra's neck again.
Astra doesn't participate in any betting, merely taking down notes and sketching little doodles of the dinos and their trainers as he watches the race with amusement.
Aeyd of the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk
Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm
Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid
Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue
Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm
/ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\
Mountain Thunder comes rumbling around the corner, and the crowd ROARS a familiar cheer for their favorite sail-spined dinosaur. Not the fastest one of the bunch, but a real crowd pleaser, he lopes along at a slightly casual pace. Mounted to his shoulders is a double basket - one basket is taken up by the trainer, resplendent in her gaudy purple and yellow riding colors, clearly basking in the adoration of the crowd. The other basket is currently filled by a passenger wearing black head-to-toe robes, hands currently wrapped in reins holding on for dear life. Barely audible above the roar of the crowd, you can hear the black-clad passenger screaming profanities in multiple languages, causing many parents in the crowd to cover the ears of their young children.
Barely making it across the finish line in the allotted maximum time limit, Mountain Thunder collapses in exhaustion mere feet after the stumbling past the bannered line, and the crowd rushes forward to give sweet treats to their favorite dinosaur, and raise the jockey to their shoulders and parade her around. Kitsune merely stumbles out of the basket, face still plastered in fear, before falling down at the feet of you all as you stand there watching the race.
After a good minute, Kitsune, panting heavily (and is she crying? She's definitely crying.), raises herself to her feet and pulls the hood of her cloak back, revealing a Sheba-like masked beauty. The inside of her pitch black cloak is resplendent is iridescent gold, befitting royalty, and what you can see of her partially hidden face, she appears to be quite stunningly beautiful. Unnaturally so.
In a halting voice (she's obviously still recovering from her soul-shaking ride on the dinosaur), she looks deeply into your eyes and introduces herself: "Good day, fair citizens! I am Kitsune. At least, I think that's my name. That dinosaur shook me to my core. I don't advise paying for a ride on one. That is, unless you yourself are paid for such a calamitous ride!"
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
“Hello. I am Zyntari. Or Zyn.” the half drow says, giving Kitsune a curious look. “Do uh..we know you?”
"I don't know her. I don't even think that the loon knows her own name, from the sound of it."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
"Oh hey, I'm Kira! Dino rides aren't so bad, you just gotta stop fighting the dinosaur and go with the flow!" Kira says cheerfully.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Astra seems to be absolutely enthralled at Kitsune's entrance, smiling at the woman brightly as she introduces herself. The snake at his neck waves her tail in greeting. "My name is Astra. Pleased to meet you, miss Kitsune. Regardless of your warnings, I'd still love to try and ride one of those magnificent beasts!"
Aeyd of the Dragons || Wood Elf / Way of the Ascendant Dragon Monk
Demetrios Zalaoras || Protector Aasimar / Paladin of Torm
Hawke || Kalashtar / Circle of the Moon Druid
Morticia || Half-Aasimar Rogue
Yvan || Goliath / Path of the Wild Soul Barbarian | Paladin of Helm
/ᐠ。ꞈ。ᐟ\
Zyntari turns to Asha. "You know, I have to admit," she admits, "You use strange words i've never heard of before, yet we are speaking the same language."
Bowing deeply, Kitsune stands back upright and dusts herself off, but is obviously still a little dazed, as her head and torso continue to rock slowly in all directions. "Aye, please to meet you lot! Are you here for the dinosaur races? They're spectacular! I've never seen anything like them in all my travels!" She then continues, mumbling to herself, "I need to thank Syndra for that ride ticket!"
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
When belly dancing is brought up, Kira winks. "I know just where to find a good show." The gnome proceeds to dart her way through the town, leading the group to a spot in the Market Ward where a group of belly dancers are performing.
Stella Diamant, Human Rogue 17 (Swashbuckler), The Exploits of Misfit Company
Kat, Medtech, Cyberpunk: Red
Shi, Changeling Bard 4 (College of Spirits), Tyrant's Grasp
Dani, Human Artificer 9 (Armorer), Skulls and Starships
DM, Project Point (Teams Scimitar and Longsword)
Everything Else!
Asha looks at Zyn with a curious expression. "How is it that you knew Dwarves but have never heard any of the words that I'm using?"
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More
The Market Ward is where most of Port Nyanzaru’s regular shops are located and where most of its tradesfolk, merchants, and other middle-class residents live and work. You enter the Red Bazaar.
No one knows how the Red Bazaar got its name. One story is that the label comes from the huge slabs of dinosaur meat sold here and the resulting buckets of blood that stain the rain-washed gutters, and that’s probably as good an explanation as any.
Currently, a belly dancing performance is underway, the chultan women dancing sultry as the men play tribal instruments behind them. It's quite mesmerizing.
Zyn, having never seen this before, looks on with wonder. "This is pretty neat." she says. "I had no idea this was an art form."
While looking at the women, Zyn said to Asha. "While dwarves lived in Undercity, my parents had most of the interaction with them. I was raised mostly by my human grandfather, and others on my mother's side while my parents worked. My father was drow, we had a business that they wanted me to eventually help in, but I didn't want anything to do with it, and after school, I spent most of my free time learning the way of the Kensei. In other words, I didn't spend that much time with Dwarves. Or..doing what my parents wanted me to do." she smirked and looked at you from the corner of her eyes, adding comically, "You ****."
"SNOW"
My grandfather would often take me from Undercity into the snowy hills above, north of the city.
There, as a young child, he would patiently train and perform moves as I watched on with curiosity. It was like he was slowly dancing with an invisible partner.
Fascinated, I would perform the moves with him a little ways away, and lost in his concentration, he didn't see me imitate him, but he knew I was doing so quietly.
The snow matched the color of my hair, and my eyes. From a stranger's point of view, it would have been impossible to know that my grandfather and I were related.
As the snow fell, I could feel it crunch softly under my shoes. What amazed me the most was how he was able to manipulate a spiritual energy force he called Ki - and at times, when he wanted to, he would cause the snow around him and on the ground to react to his punches and kicks, as if a subtle, powerful wind was being generated with his forceful movements.
Once, he spun around, knowing I was behind him, copying him, and he "punched" some snow into my face and hair, playfully. I fell to the ground, startled and in awe, and all he did was smile lovingly at me and continued.
In a world where drow are hated and feared, he loved me unconditionally. Why my mother didn't like talking about grandfather i'll never understand, and now never know. It was like he was an imaginary hero long dead, but here he was, in front of me, before my eyes. Maybe she was ashamed, maybe she thought the subject was silly, or didn't feel like explaining it to me - she was always focused on business with father, anyways...
But I loved grandfather, and when magma and fire took him away from me, it changed me. I became someone else. I gave up my selected destiny. I used the techniques he showed me to develop a fighting style some might consider unorthodox.
Now I manipulate the snow.
"Well the way you said it earlier made it sound like you were rubbin' shoulders with Dwarves everyday."
Xenophon: Topaz Dragonborn Fighter (ixi's Dragon of Icespire Peak)
More