The Rogue's Gallery

Olen stairs at Copper for a moment,

"You ok Copper? You look like you just went a few rounds in the fight cages."

"It's odd to see you so, relaxed. Your almost always have your armour on, and you normally have your trusty axe within arms reach."

Olen looks a little concerned,

"You didn't have anything happen to you, like Kinnik, did you?"

Cap stops by the blackjack table and takes a seat near this stranger. They're a tiefling woman, possibly mid to early 20s, wearing a silver, shimmery fancy dress and white feather boa. In one hand, she holds a long cigarette holder and with her other hand flat against the table. As you join her, she winks at you in acknowledgment, but says, "Hit me, Mr. Ropes."

"Y-Yes, miss," Ropes deals the stranger a card. It's a 3.

Cap can see that the lady already has a Queen face-up with a facedown card next to it. She smiles as she knocks on the table with her free hand. The tiefling takes a drag from her cigarette holder, "I stay."

Ropes has a Jack revealed along with a facedown card of some kind. He reveals it to be a King. She offers the woman a sheepish grin, "a twenty, miss."

Cap knows that in blackjack the goal is to hit 21 or have a higher number than your opponent that doesn't exceed 21. All of the numbered cards have their exact value on the face - so a 2 is a 2. A 9 is a 9. So on and so forth. Face cards, the King, Queen, and Jack, are all valued at 10. Finally, the Ace can represent a 1 or an 11.

The stranger has three cards, a 3, a Queen, and an unknown number. It wasn't looking that great for her.

Delicately, the stranger turns over her card revealing an 8. "I win."

Ropes, almost reluctantly, starts pushing chips in the stranger's direction. "B-Boss is going to kill me..." he whispers as Cap notices the lady has accumulated quite a lot of chips...

"Apologies, I find it hard to multitask when I'm playing a game of chance," the tiefling turns her full attention onto you, Cap, "My name is Fortune, as it would happen. It seems I'm quite lucky tonight."

Ropes looks absolutely devastated. 

(Her appearance is much like the image below.)

"Indeed it would! Just make sure not to win too much, or poor Ropes here might overload with worry and blow his top! Haven't seen you around here before, is this your first time here at the Lotus?"

Copper flashes Olen a familiar, toothy grin. "Things are looking up Olen! I feel... momentum. I feel like I could take on a whole dragonmarked house! Well, maybe not. But something tells me this last job is only the beginning. We've got big things ahead of us, shit is moving beyond our understanding and I intend to reach into the unknown and grab it!" he says with a breathy chuckle. "And I always, have The Geist at arm's reach." with that, he reaches his arm back away from the bar without breaking eye contact with Olen. A momentary swirl of pale green smoke appears around his open hand before the axe materializes in it. But though it's still the same familiar green crystal, the hand axe is now a massive great axe, nearly as big as Copper himself. The carved skull has moved to the top of the blade, with the jaw extending all the way down to the bottom, teeth jutting out at the bottom edge. Copper lets Olen look at it for a moment before dispersing it into smoke with a flick of his hand. "Another shot!" he calls out.

Vasha keeps herself busy through the night, but takes a minute to speak with Olen. "I know what you mean - aside from the whole talking out of the blue thing. Kinnik seems a bit more sagely now."

Through the night, Vasha grew more and more bored with the slow pace of the tavern, so she decided on a little show. It started simply enough with some lights and tiny fireworks which drew a little attention. Soon enough, temptation took over and she began to let loose more and more power. It started with a little mote of flame; Vasha juggled it about, then split it two and spun the torch-sized flames about her head. Then, she set them loose about the room, ancing mischievously from table to table. The errant flames drew some excited gasps and laughs. "No need to worry, folks, I'll take care of these little sprites!" Vasha boasted. Multi-colored flames leapt from her hands and she flung wild, unpredictable magic after her flaming tricksters.

The first was a streak of lightning which split the fire in two. The two halfs then proceeded to scurry away from each other to different tables. The second attack was a glob of acid which sunk into the fiery mote, turning it a sickly green. Feining frustration, Vasha stood on an empty table and addressed the three little fires, "Alright, time to show you who's boss!" Running a hand across each forearm, it appeared that she began to bleed fire. The glowing liquid ran down her arms until it pooled in her hands. Stomping on the table, a great peel of thunder erupted through the room and sent the dancing flames into the air. Vasha unleashed a barrage of flaming streaks from the pooled flames, each striking its target with total accuracy.

Before the few patrons could applaud, the three torches expanded until they were campfire-sized pyres hanging overhead. A few fearful shouts rose up, but Vasha maintained control, "It's alright, everyone! I've just swelled them up like soap bubbles. And we all know what happens when you poke them, right?" With a wave of her arm, Vasha unleashed a cluster of blue darts, each striking a floating fire. On impact, the flames popped into a shower of harmless, glittering sparks.

"I've perused the Lotus before, though I do not believe you were employed here at the time," Fortune notes. She grins as she purposefully loses her next hand. Ropes doesn't seem to notice as he breathes a sigh of relief. "I do hope that... Boss, as they call themselves, hasn't troubled you too terribly much."

Fortune is incredibly impressed by Vasha's performance. She tosses a few chips representing 14 galifars the sorceress' way. 

Olen's eye's go wide at Coppers display with his axe,

"So you have gained some new magical abilities then? That trick should come in handy, if you're ever in need of getting a concealed weapon past any guards."

Olen stands and pats Copper on the shoulder,

"I'm happy for you Copper, enjoy your new found power."

Olen smiles at Copper, turning as Vasha makes her comment on Kinnik.

"Yeah, it's like the weight of understanding has settled on his shoulders."

Olen begins to walk around the Lotus, as Vasha begins her performance, checking on the various patrons.

While Vasha distracts everyone, Olen checks on any drinking patrons, to make sure they aren't getting too drunk and possibly aggressive.

Insight check to check for any potentially dangerous drunks: 18

Continuing around to the various gamblers, Olen checks how they are going, paying close attention at anyone who is winning a lot, like Fortune.

Olen tries to check if any high winners might be cheating.

Perception check to see if any high winners might be cheating: 20

Cap shakes his head.

"Oh, no. Boss is fine. They're a good guy."

He stands up.

"Sorry to cut our conversation short, but I've gotta do my job, and I see that there's a couple of customers in need of my service!"

Cap then heads behind the bar and begins serving. He keeps an eye on Fortune, not entirely trusting her.

Perception: 14

He also talks with the patrons, trying to possibly get some information.

Persuasion: 10

Everyone who is drunk seems to be on the passive side. They are here complaining about life in the downstairs. It occurs to you that your fellow lower city neighbors come to the Gilded Lotus for the atmosphere. It probably makes them feel fancier than they actually are. 

You don't see Fortune cheating, but you see a knowing grin on her face whenever she stays and bets fewer chips than when the table gets hot again. If she is cheating, she is doing a great job hiding it.

(What are you trying to get info on, Cap?)

(Generally anything people are talking about. Rumors, stories, etc.)

Some rumors you pick up on -

One of the regulars spends a decent amount of time griping about how he had to take a detour to get to work due to some pop-up fights-whatsyamacallit. There was a kithkin guarding the entrance to the alleyway that even solicited the regular to join in!

A very, very drunk half-orc is convinced there are miracles happening in the Fallen - which is an area of Sharn you aren't too familiar with. He claims that the sick are being cured and demons are being destroyed by divine silver light.

Olen walks back over to Copper,

"Copper, you can see magical stuff right? Like if a spell is happening? Any chance you could run your eyes over the, rather fetching tiefling, playing blackjack?"

"I suspect there might be some shenanigans going on, but I can't see how she is doing it, could be magic maybe."

Copper's grin is a little lopsided as the alcohol quickly takes effect. "Sure thing bud." he says before mumbling a few incantations which cause his eyes to glow his signature green. They shift over to scan the indicated tiefling, searching her person for any magical presence.

Fortune's feathery boa seems to have a transmutation aura on it. Copper can also see a faint dagger-shaped aura on the woman's outer thigh. 

"That thing 'round her neck is magic, some kinda transmutation. And she's armed, magic dagger." Copper continues watching her, trying to determine if she is somehow using the boa to cheat.

(can I use arcana for that? If so 8)

Transmutation magic typically means transforming one thing into another. She has no sleeves and doesn't seem to be reciting any incantations or saying anything that sounds like an activation phrase.

"Transmutation, so like my cloths? Well, thanks anyway."

Olen rubs his eyes.

"I hope she doesn't cost us too much if she is cheating somehow. I will have to tell Boss about her tomorrow, he may want to ban her from the Lotus."

"Anyway, I'm getting tired, I'm going to head to bed."

Olen indicates the drinks

"Have fun."

Olen leaves his friends to enjoy the rest of the evening, and heads to bed.

Kinnik has been up in his roost during the entirety of this exchange. He spent an hour or two sorting out the potentially useful and salvageable from the garbage and is now reclining, asleep, with Zeph and his spellbook on his chest. 

Copper nods to Olen as he leaves. The shifter will stay awhile longer, switching from shots to something more akin to an old fashioned that he can slowly sip on while watching the customers laugh, drink, argue and make up. Eventually he'll slink back to his room upstairs and go to bed.

Cap stays at the bar, always watching this Fortune character. Even when he decides to rest, he stays at the bar, watching over her, as one of his buddies takes over for him

(sentry's rest)

Perception: 5