"Could that be Hotis, not Horus?", Drexon asks as he concentrates on the draw of the last card, seemingly in anticipation of what will be drawn. "Apparently there was a brawl of some sort involving the apprentices, or so they say".
"From what I heard, if Lord Daxos hadn't sponsored them the Verdant Mason would never have existed in the first place", he says moving 8 bronze into the pot, and then another 5 on top.
"Hotis might be right," Ulris says with a shrug. "I just remembered it started with an 'H'. Very grim fellow. He has a friendly face, but his countenance proves otherwise."
"Haven't heard that name in a while," Reva comments. "Daxos is an ancient name in the history of Mantagard. One of the original 12 noble houses that founded Mantagard. You are new here, but Mantagard was ruled by a council of these noble houses during the Third Age. When the War of the Best happened, most of them went extinct. House Daxos was one of them. The entire family went up to take arms in the Montecarexpat theater and never returned. Today, only 5 houses still exist. Even then, our influence is limited since the founding of the Republic and monarchy or representative monarchy was abolished."
"Ugh! If only Daxos hadn't funded them back then. Our lives would be much more comfortable."
"True enough. The drawback of having a government-funded mason guild is that most of the building in the city is made of stone. With many of the previous Grand Masons being close to the previous mayors, we don't have any progress in having a building with new materials. Stone has its uses and strength, but we spared nearly a quarter of the annual budget for maintaining heat during winter months. Meanwhile, the next city over had mixed new building materials to get better circulation in all seasons at only a third of the cost of one Mason-built building. It's lucky that our mine is drying up. That causes the Verdant Mason to focus on other things instead of maintaining the contract as Mantagard's main civil contractor."
"That's why I advocated distancing the Westmoor from Mason's influence," Ammar chimes in. "It's proving easy, mainly because stone structure rarely holds together on soft ground. We've torn down most of the old brick building and replaced it with better material that can do well on soft and wet terrain. If you keenly observe around the city, most of the inner city is made of bricks and cut stones while many of the suburbs have integrated softer and more malleable materials. The further out you go toward the edge of the city, the more diverse the building will look because the Mason had little influence over their construction."
"Well, final round, let's show our cards, eh?" Ulric prompts. He flips his cards to show a 7 and a 10. "Straight for me!"
"Interesting", Drexon sends in reply to Cob, renewing the link so it lasts another 3 minutes. "Would be good to see inside when there is a game on. Or at least hear".
"I'm sure Lord Daxos thought he was doing the right thing, unless the old council of nobles were current like the former mayor?And why can't the noble houses petition the mayor to remove the Masons funding? Surely if they are not productive the case should be simple", he asks.
Looking down at Lord Ulric's cards he just shakes his head. "A good hand, and not one I can beat", he says looking Lord Ulric in the eye. "But it seems fortune favours me enough to match it", he adds as he flips his own cards over.
"I am not familiar with what happens now, but I would drink to shared fortune", he says picking up his goblet of Blood Wine and holding it out to Lord Ulric.
"Well, that's good fortune indeed!" Ulric chortles. "Cheers, lad! I'll drink to that. Well, in this case, we split it half and half, but as I just won big before you came, I'll give everything to you. That's 174 bronze total for you. Another game?"
"The matter of productivity is subjective," Reva adds as Ulric collects and shuffles the card again. "Despite the lack of 'work' that they do here in Mantagard, they bring enough prestige by selling out to other cities with their sculptures and private commission. Understanding the economics involved in Mantagard is not easy. You have to account for three sources: the governmental subsidy from Timaril, the income from trade, and the subsidy or luxury tax from the noble houses. What annoys us and some others is the luxury tax from House Daxos that is routinely drawn by the Verdant Mason. The House is extinct, but their wealth still exists in the city. We tried to remove their ability to do so and divert the remaining wealth of House Daxos for other purposes, but the original charter between House Daxos and the Verdant Mason is set in stone. Without a living member of House Daxos, the custody of the wealth is in the hand of the Verdant Mason."
"Simply put," Ulric adds, "in addition to the income they get from their commission, they also get House Daxos' subsidy. In a sense, they're now nothing more than freeloaders in Mantagard because their contribution to the city is zilch."
"Very nice, your generosity is certainly appreciated", Drexon replies to Lord Ulric as he takes the winnings.
He looks him in the eye and smiles, "It would be rude to leave after one winning hand, of course I will join you for another. Besides all else, the conversation is most interesting".
"So", he begins as he looks each of the other players in the eye one by one. "How sure are you that the line of Daxos ended? And what would someone have to do to prove that is not the case? I am assuming here that you would rather an heir did come forward, if for no other reason than to take that share away from the Verdant Masons".
"Very good, my friend," Ulric says. "So, now that you know the basics, let's play a formal game. Your friends can join in. The rules are mostly the same, the highest cards win, but let's put the buy-in at 50 bronze. The table will hold 25 bronze as insurance and you start with 25 bronze to bet on. Like before, the minimum first bet is 3 bronze. When you want to stop, you can take your winning and the table will return your 25 bronze insurance."
"We searched for them," Reva says grimly. "Our many great-grandparents searched for them after the War of the Best ended. It's quite difficult to look for anything when Montecarexpat is a sinkhole the size of the entire island. The only sign we got was a dead war camp filled with members of House Daxos' retinue and levies -- all butchered. If, and that is a big if, someone who descended from the Lord Daxos came forward, as per the charter, they would have to bring with them the heirloom of House Daxos. It is a platinum crown of vines and thorns. Legends said that it is magical in nature and can affect the minds of people. Only someone from the line of Daxos can wear it."
"Very interesting", Drexon says as he places his 50 bronze down.
"That heirloom sounds rather nice, any pictures of it around? Is it known whether they took it to Montecarexpat with them?", he asks and then turns to see if any of his companions wanted to join.
Ulric sets aside 25 bronze and gives the other 25 back to Drexon. He does the same with his own, Reva's, and Amarr's. With the buy-in settled, he shuffles the card once again before dealing them in the same order as before: Reva first, Amarr, himself, and Drexon last.
"It was a given," Ulric says. "Back then, all magic items or items that are alluded to have magic power were brought to the front line to help the war effort. The crown would have been worn by the last Lord Daxos when he led his army. Many were lost and never returned. House Emiko lost 3 magical weapons during that war and I think the ancestral sword of House Clarent also never returned. Other than that, there was no sign of it in the estate." He turns to Reva and asks, "Do we have a picture? I admit I never really know what the Last Daxos looks like."
"In the Clarent's estate?" Reva says as she starts the bet with 3 bronze. "I don't think so. I can look in the Khazan estate, but it would take some time. My husband and children have the tendency to hoard. There's bound to be some, but it will need careful maneuvering and diligent searching."
"I'm sure I can find some in a warehouse somewhere if nobody has one," Amarr comments, adding his own 3 bronze to the pile. "Out of 12 original noble houses, only 5 currently remain. The others perished during the war. Out of the 7 extinct houses, 4 lost their wealth over time from luxury taxes and their estates fell to the government's hand. Their belongings should be in one of my warehouses. Perhaps a photo of the Last Daxos could be there."
"I can talk to the wife to find out when I get home," Ulric adds, pushing 3 bronze to the pile.
"That would certainly be appreciated, although it sounds like a lot of trouble for someone you only just met. Perhaps you three should be the ones running the city!", Drexon says as he takes a look at his cards.
"Of course if I can do a favour in return..", he says, leaving the implication hang as he pushes 3 bronze into the pile.
Ulric draws from the deck 3 cards all face up. It is a 7, 2, and 8.
"Here's the other difference from our first game," Ulric explains. "In a formal game, there are 5 community cards. The first 3 are dealt together. After that, the other 2 are dealt separately. Then, Your job is to arrange a high card using 3 cards from the community cards and the 2 in your hand."
"Well, you guys are helping me with the warehouse already," Amarr says to Drexon. "Might as well search the other warehouse for that picture."
Reva eyes Drexon for quite some time before calling the previous bet and adding another 3 to the pot. Amarr hesitates a bit before raising it to 5. Ulric boisterously calls the bet.
Ulric draws a card to join the other community cards and places an 8 on the table. Reva huffs and folds her card after taking her time staring at Ulric, Amarr, and Drexon.
"Where have you visited?" Reva asks. "You said you visited the Verdant Masons Museum this morning. Where else have you visited? There are many attractions in the city."
"Raise," Amarr says, putting 10 bronze in the pot. "There's this good restaurant in the Westmoor district. Exotic cuisine from Majapasai. The place is quite hidden."
"You must visit the bathhouse," Ulric advises as he calls the bet and adds another 10 to the pile. "It is divine!"
"It's a mixed bathhouse," Reva deadpans. "Of course, you think it's divine, you lecher."
"What can I say? Garth corrupted me. But, honestly, it is very relaxing. And don't mind the mixed or not mixed. There are partitions. I always go there on the weekend with my wife to enjoy some alone relaxing time. They also have massages."
"We've not been here long, but have been to the archive and the Crimson Stash", Drexon says raising his goblet at mention of the latter. "We went over to Lucky Ranch, have stayed at the Silver Sable and not much else".
He pushes 20 bronze into the centre nonchalantly, "Those other places sound good, I'll have to check them out in my map book. And yes, I know it is touristy", he adds with a chuckle.
He has to admit, playing for change with these high rollers is not his usual gambling experience. He mostly enjoys the apprehension and fear of losing a days wage, and the jubilation at winning a months earnings in one had. This is far too run of the mill for him.
He adds another 10 bronze, knowing it is meaningless to them.
"Does the Clover Club mean anything to any of you? I heard about the place but couldn't find it on the map", he says, trying to be off the mark just enough to allay any suspicions in case they were part of it.
Ulric draws a 6 on the final card and hums. The final community card set shows 7, 2 , 8, 8, and 6. Beside him, Amarr begins to tap his fingers on his cards. Drexon, you notice that one of Amarr's cards is a bit rougher around the edges than the other cards on the table. You would not notice the difference if you are not intently looking at it.
"I'll call," Amarr says, pushing 30 bronze into the pot. "Very common places for new tourists. Is that the map book sold at the station? It's not really that comprehensive. Mantagard is a city known for its secret attractions. If you are not local, you won't find these places. For example, you wouldn't find the Hid Inn, the one behind the Silver Sable, in the book. Best inn in town as far as I know."
"I'm out of bronze," Ulric says. "I'm seven short to call. Here, a favor for the winner." He pulls out a piece of paper and signs his name and signature on it before placing it in the pot. "Clover Club is not a place, lad. It's a code for covert places. You know, places that are meant to be known only by a select few. It's an old Mason code word. I don't think it's used anymore."
Cob, you don't see anyone focusing on the other games but their own. You roam the place for some time before noticing a staircase leading up and down. The sign on the wall says that there is a cellar downstairs and another game room upstairs.
"It seems it is good I have stumbled on some inside knowledge then", Drexon says with a smile. "You know that makes far more sense", he adds to Ulric as he mentions the Clover Club is a code.
"Happy to accept a favor", he says, and having been called, he flips over his cards, revealing a 7 and a 12.
"Not my finest hand, but two pairs, 7s and 8s, and 12 high", he says, looking across to the other two still in the game.
"Hey, we almost tie again," Ulric says to Drexon as he flips his own cards, a 12 and a 9.
"Gentleman, I believe this is my win," Amarr says, flipping a 7 and an 8. "Three over Pair."
"Another one, lad?" Ulric asks Drexon, already grabbing all the cards and shuffling them.
"Last game," Reva says, pointing at a timepiece on the bar. It is close to 3 o'clock. "We have to go at 3. Your wife will be looking and if I fail to bring you home, she will never stop annoying me."
"And I need to take Drexon and friends to investigate the warehouse and give me a new perspective," Amarr nods in agreement.
"Well done Amarr", Drexon congratulates, happy with the outcome having spotted how Amarr came to win. Knowledge is far more useful than coin for the most part, to him at least.
"I think I can stretch to one more game. My companions haven't complained that I am holding them up yet", he says and looks across to Eremoz and Dvark.
He sends to Cob, "One more game to see what else you can find".
"Could that be Hotis, not Horus?", Drexon asks as he concentrates on the draw of the last card, seemingly in anticipation of what will be drawn. "Apparently there was a brawl of some sort involving the apprentices, or so they say".
"From what I heard, if Lord Daxos hadn't sponsored them the Verdant Mason would never have existed in the first place", he says moving 8 bronze into the pot, and then another 5 on top.
Cob relays what he found out about the door to Drexon through their ‘thought connection’.
He wanders the tavern a little longer, eavesdropping and seeing if anyone is paying much attention to the card game.
Is there an upstairs?
"Hotis might be right," Ulris says with a shrug. "I just remembered it started with an 'H'. Very grim fellow. He has a friendly face, but his countenance proves otherwise."
"Haven't heard that name in a while," Reva comments. "Daxos is an ancient name in the history of Mantagard. One of the original 12 noble houses that founded Mantagard. You are new here, but Mantagard was ruled by a council of these noble houses during the Third Age. When the War of the Best happened, most of them went extinct. House Daxos was one of them. The entire family went up to take arms in the Montecarexpat theater and never returned. Today, only 5 houses still exist. Even then, our influence is limited since the founding of the Republic and monarchy or representative monarchy was abolished."
"Ugh! If only Daxos hadn't funded them back then. Our lives would be much more comfortable."
"True enough. The drawback of having a government-funded mason guild is that most of the building in the city is made of stone. With many of the previous Grand Masons being close to the previous mayors, we don't have any progress in having a building with new materials. Stone has its uses and strength, but we spared nearly a quarter of the annual budget for maintaining heat during winter months. Meanwhile, the next city over had mixed new building materials to get better circulation in all seasons at only a third of the cost of one Mason-built building. It's lucky that our mine is drying up. That causes the Verdant Mason to focus on other things instead of maintaining the contract as Mantagard's main civil contractor."
"That's why I advocated distancing the Westmoor from Mason's influence," Ammar chimes in. "It's proving easy, mainly because stone structure rarely holds together on soft ground. We've torn down most of the old brick building and replaced it with better material that can do well on soft and wet terrain. If you keenly observe around the city, most of the inner city is made of bricks and cut stones while many of the suburbs have integrated softer and more malleable materials. The further out you go toward the edge of the city, the more diverse the building will look because the Mason had little influence over their construction."
"Well, final round, let's show our cards, eh?" Ulric prompts. He flips his cards to show a 7 and a 10. "Straight for me!"
"Interesting", Drexon sends in reply to Cob, renewing the link so it lasts another 3 minutes. "Would be good to see inside when there is a game on. Or at least hear".
"I'm sure Lord Daxos thought he was doing the right thing, unless the old council of nobles were current like the former mayor? And why can't the noble houses petition the mayor to remove the Masons funding? Surely if they are not productive the case should be simple", he asks.
Looking down at Lord Ulric's cards he just shakes his head. "A good hand, and not one I can beat", he says looking Lord Ulric in the eye. "But it seems fortune favours me enough to match it", he adds as he flips his own cards over.
"I am not familiar with what happens now, but I would drink to shared fortune", he says picking up his goblet of Blood Wine and holding it out to Lord Ulric.
"Well, that's good fortune indeed!" Ulric chortles. "Cheers, lad! I'll drink to that. Well, in this case, we split it half and half, but as I just won big before you came, I'll give everything to you. That's 174 bronze total for you. Another game?"
"The matter of productivity is subjective," Reva adds as Ulric collects and shuffles the card again. "Despite the lack of 'work' that they do here in Mantagard, they bring enough prestige by selling out to other cities with their sculptures and private commission. Understanding the economics involved in Mantagard is not easy. You have to account for three sources: the governmental subsidy from Timaril, the income from trade, and the subsidy or luxury tax from the noble houses. What annoys us and some others is the luxury tax from House Daxos that is routinely drawn by the Verdant Mason. The House is extinct, but their wealth still exists in the city. We tried to remove their ability to do so and divert the remaining wealth of House Daxos for other purposes, but the original charter between House Daxos and the Verdant Mason is set in stone. Without a living member of House Daxos, the custody of the wealth is in the hand of the Verdant Mason."
"Simply put," Ulric adds, "in addition to the income they get from their commission, they also get House Daxos' subsidy. In a sense, they're now nothing more than freeloaders in Mantagard because their contribution to the city is zilch."
"Very nice, your generosity is certainly appreciated", Drexon replies to Lord Ulric as he takes the winnings.
He looks him in the eye and smiles, "It would be rude to leave after one winning hand, of course I will join you for another. Besides all else, the conversation is most interesting".
"So", he begins as he looks each of the other players in the eye one by one. "How sure are you that the line of Daxos ended? And what would someone have to do to prove that is not the case? I am assuming here that you would rather an heir did come forward, if for no other reason than to take that share away from the Verdant Masons".
"Very good, my friend," Ulric says. "So, now that you know the basics, let's play a formal game. Your friends can join in. The rules are mostly the same, the highest cards win, but let's put the buy-in at 50 bronze. The table will hold 25 bronze as insurance and you start with 25 bronze to bet on. Like before, the minimum first bet is 3 bronze. When you want to stop, you can take your winning and the table will return your 25 bronze insurance."
"We searched for them," Reva says grimly. "Our many great-grandparents searched for them after the War of the Best ended. It's quite difficult to look for anything when Montecarexpat is a sinkhole the size of the entire island. The only sign we got was a dead war camp filled with members of House Daxos' retinue and levies -- all butchered. If, and that is a big if, someone who descended from the Lord Daxos came forward, as per the charter, they would have to bring with them the heirloom of House Daxos. It is a platinum crown of vines and thorns. Legends said that it is magical in nature and can affect the minds of people. Only someone from the line of Daxos can wear it."
"Very interesting", Drexon says as he places his 50 bronze down.
"That heirloom sounds rather nice, any pictures of it around? Is it known whether they took it to Montecarexpat with them?", he asks and then turns to see if any of his companions wanted to join.
Ulric sets aside 25 bronze and gives the other 25 back to Drexon. He does the same with his own, Reva's, and Amarr's. With the buy-in settled, he shuffles the card once again before dealing them in the same order as before: Reva first, Amarr, himself, and Drexon last.
"It was a given," Ulric says. "Back then, all magic items or items that are alluded to have magic power were brought to the front line to help the war effort. The crown would have been worn by the last Lord Daxos when he led his army. Many were lost and never returned. House Emiko lost 3 magical weapons during that war and I think the ancestral sword of House Clarent also never returned. Other than that, there was no sign of it in the estate." He turns to Reva and asks, "Do we have a picture? I admit I never really know what the Last Daxos looks like."
"In the Clarent's estate?" Reva says as she starts the bet with 3 bronze. "I don't think so. I can look in the Khazan estate, but it would take some time. My husband and children have the tendency to hoard. There's bound to be some, but it will need careful maneuvering and diligent searching."
"I'm sure I can find some in a warehouse somewhere if nobody has one," Amarr comments, adding his own 3 bronze to the pile. "Out of 12 original noble houses, only 5 currently remain. The others perished during the war. Out of the 7 extinct houses, 4 lost their wealth over time from luxury taxes and their estates fell to the government's hand. Their belongings should be in one of my warehouses. Perhaps a photo of the Last Daxos could be there."
"I can talk to the wife to find out when I get home," Ulric adds, pushing 3 bronze to the pile.
"That would certainly be appreciated, although it sounds like a lot of trouble for someone you only just met. Perhaps you three should be the ones running the city!", Drexon says as he takes a look at his cards.
"Of course if I can do a favour in return..", he says, leaving the implication hang as he pushes 3 bronze into the pile.
Ulric draws from the deck 3 cards all face up. It is a 7, 2, and 8.
"Here's the other difference from our first game," Ulric explains. "In a formal game, there are 5 community cards. The first 3 are dealt together. After that, the other 2 are dealt separately. Then, Your job is to arrange a high card using 3 cards from the community cards and the 2 in your hand."
"Well, you guys are helping me with the warehouse already," Amarr says to Drexon. "Might as well search the other warehouse for that picture."
Reva eyes Drexon for quite some time before calling the previous bet and adding another 3 to the pot. Amarr hesitates a bit before raising it to 5. Ulric boisterously calls the bet.
"I guess that is true", Drexon says, hoping the others will be ok with helping look around the warehouse a bit more.
He pushes 5 bronze into the centre, calling as well.
Ulric draws a card to join the other community cards and places an 8 on the table. Reva huffs and folds her card after taking her time staring at Ulric, Amarr, and Drexon.
"Where have you visited?" Reva asks. "You said you visited the Verdant Masons Museum this morning. Where else have you visited? There are many attractions in the city."
"Raise," Amarr says, putting 10 bronze in the pot. "There's this good restaurant in the Westmoor district. Exotic cuisine from Majapasai. The place is quite hidden."
"You must visit the bathhouse," Ulric advises as he calls the bet and adds another 10 to the pile. "It is divine!"
"It's a mixed bathhouse," Reva deadpans. "Of course, you think it's divine, you lecher."
"What can I say? Garth corrupted me. But, honestly, it is very relaxing. And don't mind the mixed or not mixed. There are partitions. I always go there on the weekend with my wife to enjoy some alone relaxing time. They also have massages."
"We've not been here long, but have been to the archive and the Crimson Stash", Drexon says raising his goblet at mention of the latter. "We went over to Lucky Ranch, have stayed at the Silver Sable and not much else".
He pushes 20 bronze into the centre nonchalantly, "Those other places sound good, I'll have to check them out in my map book. And yes, I know it is touristy", he adds with a chuckle.
He has to admit, playing for change with these high rollers is not his usual gambling experience. He mostly enjoys the apprehension and fear of losing a days wage, and the jubilation at winning a months earnings in one had. This is far too run of the mill for him.
He adds another 10 bronze, knowing it is meaningless to them.
"Does the Clover Club mean anything to any of you? I heard about the place but couldn't find it on the map", he says, trying to be off the mark just enough to allay any suspicions in case they were part of it.
Ulric draws a 6 on the final card and hums. The final community card set shows 7, 2 , 8, 8, and 6. Beside him, Amarr begins to tap his fingers on his cards. Drexon, you notice that one of Amarr's cards is a bit rougher around the edges than the other cards on the table. You would not notice the difference if you are not intently looking at it.
"I'll call," Amarr says, pushing 30 bronze into the pot. "Very common places for new tourists. Is that the map book sold at the station? It's not really that comprehensive. Mantagard is a city known for its secret attractions. If you are not local, you won't find these places. For example, you wouldn't find the Hid Inn, the one behind the Silver Sable, in the book. Best inn in town as far as I know."
"I'm out of bronze," Ulric says. "I'm seven short to call. Here, a favor for the winner." He pulls out a piece of paper and signs his name and signature on it before placing it in the pot. "Clover Club is not a place, lad. It's a code for covert places. You know, places that are meant to be known only by a select few. It's an old Mason code word. I don't think it's used anymore."
Cob, you don't see anyone focusing on the other games but their own. You roam the place for some time before noticing a staircase leading up and down. The sign on the wall says that there is a cellar downstairs and another game room upstairs.
"It seems it is good I have stumbled on some inside knowledge then", Drexon says with a smile. "You know that makes far more sense", he adds to Ulric as he mentions the Clover Club is a code.
"Happy to accept a favor", he says, and having been called, he flips over his cards, revealing a 7 and a 12.
"Not my finest hand, but two pairs, 7s and 8s, and 12 high", he says, looking across to the other two still in the game.
"Hey, we almost tie again," Ulric says to Drexon as he flips his own cards, a 12 and a 9.
"Gentleman, I believe this is my win," Amarr says, flipping a 7 and an 8. "Three over Pair."
"Another one, lad?" Ulric asks Drexon, already grabbing all the cards and shuffling them.
"Last game," Reva says, pointing at a timepiece on the bar. It is close to 3 o'clock. "We have to go at 3. Your wife will be looking and if I fail to bring you home, she will never stop annoying me."
"And I need to take Drexon and friends to investigate the warehouse and give me a new perspective," Amarr nods in agreement.
"Well done Amarr", Drexon congratulates, happy with the outcome having spotted how Amarr came to win. Knowledge is far more useful than coin for the most part, to him at least.
"I think I can stretch to one more game. My companions haven't complained that I am holding them up yet", he says and looks across to Eremoz and Dvark.
He sends to Cob, "One more game to see what else you can find".
Cob looks around to see if he's being watched and then goes down the stairs to see what's there.
Cobweb's Perception Check: 13