Chapter 44 – Change of Tactics
"What's the game?" SJ asked as she neared the table.
There were three men at the table. The man who had said there was an empty space looked at SJ, mild surprise crossing his face as he saw her. In front of where he sat, he had the largest stack of coins among the three.
"Towers," the man said. His voice was gruff and scratchy.
"You mind if I watch, as I've never played it before?"
As SJ asked, she triggered her display and opened the Legionnarious.
The man shrugged as he shuffled the deck and began dealing cards to the others.
"I'm feeling lucky this time," a blonde-haired man said as he placed two copper coins on the table.
"You haven't won yet," the dealer said, laughing.
The man sneered at the other. "My luck's gonna change."
The third man sat quietly watching the dealer's hands as he dealt. The dealer dealt each of them seventeen cards, then placed the remaining card on the table. As the last card was placed, the man then moved his two copper coins into the middle, as the dealer did the same.
Each of the three men then turned the top card from the pile in front of them.
"Looks like I'm first," the blonde man said as he turned a queen of daggers, the highest of the three cards shown.
Each of them then picked up a further four cards from the piles in front of them, including their turn card.
Explain the rules for the card game Towers.
The icon spun for several moments before the rules populated her display.
Towers is a card game played in many taverns and inns across Amathera. It can be played with 2-4 players and uses a standard deck of 52 cards.
Objective: Be the first player to empty your hand and personal draw pile. Cards are played onto shared Towers. Sequences run from Ace through to King, and four towers may be built simultaneously.
All cards are dealt out, and then any remaining are placed in a phantom pile. Players then determine who goes first by turning the top card of their draw pile. Once play is decided, each player then takes a further four cards from their draw pile.
Building Towers - towers are started by placing an Ace on the table. A tower is completed when it has a full run of thirteen cards, Ace through King, visible. Cards may be added to the top or the bottom of a tower to reach the thirteen count required to complete a tower. Once it is completed, it is added to the phantom pile. Only cards exactly one above or below the showing card may be added at a time.
Turn rules - play one or more cards from your hand to valid positions on any tower that is active. You must play at least one card if you can legally do so. If you are unable to play a card, you must pay a penalty of one coin into the main pot.
Start a new tower - playing an Ace opens a new tower. You may start a new tower and then immediately continue building it in the same turn.
Pass and Draw penalty - If you can't play a card, you must draw two cards from your pile and also pay a forfeit of one coin into the main point. You may only pass if no valid play exists; if you decide to pass when you have a valid card, it falls under the Block rule.
Refill - At the end of your turn, draw back up to five cards from your personal draw pile until all cards are taken.
Special Rules -
Block call - if a player passes and another player believes they hold a valid card, the challenging player may call 'Block'. The player who passed must then show their hand. If the Block is called correctly, the player who illegally passed must pay a penalty of three coins. If the player is telling the truth, then the calling player must pay a fine of two coins.
Stealing - once per turn after laying a card, a player may swap a card from the top or bottom of any tower with a card in their hand that continues one of the towers.
Winning - the first player to play all their cards, with no cards left in their draw pile, wins the game, collecting the pot.
Tower Purses - the player who plays an Ace to open a new tower immediately also pays one coin to the tower purse. Each player must then match the ante for the tower purse. When a tower is completed, whoever completes the tower claims the individual tower pot. If a player wins and there are still incomplete towers, then the player who played the last card collects all remaining tower pots along with the main pot.
Spikes - once per game, a player may call Spike when they have five or fewer cards remaining, including their draw pile. At this time, all players, including the caller, must either match the current pot total accrued during gameplay or fold. If they fold, they forfeit the game. If a player is unable to match the Spike call, they also forfeit the game.
The rules seemed pretty simple, but SJ would still watch before deciding whether to take part. The game unfolded as play continued and the towers were created.
"Yes," the blonde man called as he completed a tower and collected the three-copper tower pot.
"It appears your luck may have turned, Davis," the smug man said.
Davis just grinned in response.
As the game unfolded, players who passed were challenged by block calls, and the pot slowly grew as either the truth or lies were determined. SJ could see Davis counting what was in the total pot, and as it reached his turn, he called spike. The third man, who had been mainly silent apart from one challenge, threw his cards on the table. The pot contained twenty-three copper coins, and he couldn't cover the call. He cursed as he collected the remaining four copper coins before him and stood from the table.
"Leaving so soon, Conrad?" Davis said, grinning.
"You did that deliberately," Conrad grumbled.
"It's part of the game," Davis smirked.
The smug man whose name still hadn't been mentioned met his Spike call, and the pot tripled in size up to sixty-nine copper. "You are feeling confident," he said.
Davis then played three of his four remaining cards. The unnamed man still had more than five cards, including his draw pile, having only played single or double cards each turn, whereas the others were trying to get rid of as many cards as they could. SJ could see the difference in strategy. He carefully selected the tower he would play on, playing three sequenced cards that didn't alter the card values from those previously playable. That one play took him down to less than five remaining cards.
Davis thumped the table, cursing as he said, "Pass." He knew what was coming as soon as he did, letting out an angry cry.
The smug man appeared even smugger, if that was possible, as he leaned forward and slowly started to count his remaining coins. "Oh, look. Just enough," he grinned evilly. "Spike." He said as he pushed all but three of his coins into the centre of the table.
"Damn you," Davis screamed, pushing back from the table, and a dagger appeared in his hand.
SJ stood to one side and, on seeing the blade appear, reacted before anyone else did. With her open palm and the side of her hand, she struck down violently on the man's wrist. He yelped in pain, never expecting a reaction from her; his hand loosened on the blade, and it fell harmlessly to the floor. SJ had used the techniques she had learned from Brother Wilbert and her Incapacitation skill. She'd never used it in that manner before, but it was definitely effective.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dave shouted.
Davis growled in anger as he turned to look at SJ. "You dare," he said, as a short sword appeared. SJ stepped back, not calling her claws. She had acted instinctively; there had been no conscious thought before her hand had connected. It was pure muscle memory. She now wished that she hadn't.
Davis lunged towards her as the bar reacted to what was happening. SJ stumbled backwards, her boots' Sure Step ability keeping her upright as she moved around a table. Davis missed wildly; his thrust wasn't controlled. It was anger-fuelled as he barged into the table with his lunge, scattering the coins.
"So much for observing," Dave sighed.
The smug man was scrambling for the coins before they fell off the table, ignoring Davis and his reaction to SJ.
As SJ moved between the tables, keeping one between her and Davis, the hobgoblin that had been standing at the entrance appeared.
"Put it away," the hobgoblin bellowed as he pushed through the patrons towards Davis.
Davis hissed, swinging wildly, making two other patrons scramble out of his way.
SJ had triggered her identification skill as she backed away.
Adam Davis
Race: Human
Level: 12
Class: Rogue
Hit Points: 52 of 56
Mana Points: 54 of 54
Armour Class: 21
Strength: 9
Dexterity: 14
Attacks: Slash, Stab, Thrust
Special: Pickpocket
Weaknesses: Nil
Davis wasn't even worth consideration; his skills and attributes were so low. The realisation that a level 12 could even consider attacking her highlighted the inability of many to identify their targets. Or even consider the potential threat level they may face.
The bar was reacting to the disturbance. SJ noticed a being at the bar slip his hand into the pocket of another who was watching, taking the disturbance as an opportunity to make some easy coin.
"I said stop," the hobgoblin bellowed as he shoved beings out of his way, his bulky form making the task much easier than it should have been. This caused even more problems as drinks were spilt and anger flared, and further scuffles broke out.
"I think you need to leave," Dave said nervously. "I know it's unlikely any threaten you, but you were supposed to be only watching, and instead you've caused chaos."
A man stood and grabbed Davis as he barged past his table, gripping his arm. Davis snarled, swinging his blade at him to free himself from his grip. This drew the man's eye as he punched Davis square in the jaw before his blade had even finished its swing.
"Go now," Dave said.
The bar was dark, and SJ spotted a space near the door as she triggered her Shadow Step. She was doing it as she moved backwards, and the lurching sensation as she shifted unnaturally backwards was strange. She had only ever triggered it while moving forward previously. She stumbled as she appeared again, shifting her weight as she started to turn to exit the bar.
Davis was no longer paying her any attention as he fought with the man who had grabbed him, and the hobgoblin continued his path towards him. SJ ducked out of the door into the street, immediately turning and moving away from the bar to the closest alley. No one outside the bar was really paying any attention to what was happening inside.
SJ adjusted her cowl, ensuring her hair was fully covered, as she turned into the nearest alley, moving down it slightly as she shrank. As soon as she was small, she immediately took off and flew up to the roof.
"Well, that was the most stupid thing I have seen you do in a long time," Dave said with a disapproving hmph.
SJ couldn't argue. She had been idiotic even getting involved in the first place. For an assassin, her reckless actions were beyond stupid.
Sorry. It was instinct.
"Instinct? You need to sort yourself out. You control your actions, not the other way around." Dave was quite rightly furious with her, his tone that of a parent as he spoke. "You didn't just endanger yourself, but got attention drawn to you by the whole damn bar. There is no way you can even consider going near the thieves' guild locations now. You won't be hard to spot."
Come on. They didn't see me clearly; my hair and wings were covered. Never mind how dark it was in there. SJ thought with indignation.
"Stop making excuses to try and make your actions seem less problematic than they were," Dave snapped.
SJ felt like a scolded child. If Fas had been there, she didn't even want to think what he would have said about her actions, a thought that embarrassed her more than she wished. Especially since she was still supposed to be angry at him for watching her. She punched the tile of the roof she was crouched on in frustration, her hand hurting but also cracking the tile.
With the chance lost of being able to watch the bar and discover anything about who T. Evergreen was, SJ felt beyond foolish. It had been the only confirmed lead on where the contract had been signed.
I'm going back to 'Patches,' SJ thought as she pushed off the tiles and soared into the air. Her dress adjusted as she did, adapting it to his sky colours. She tried to keep her thoughts minimal as she flew, each time getting a snarky remark from Dave, as she automatically tried to justify her actions.
Dave, for all his benefits and friendship, at times could be worse than her own personal critic, never allowing her to get away with her poor actions.
Please, just leave it, will you, SJ pleaded.
"If I make you feel bad enough, it may stop your 'muscle memory' actions in the future," Dave replied sarcastically.
SJ didn't know if she would ever be able to stop her direct reactions. They were instinctual after all. She had always been protective and tried to prevent harm, unless she was dealing it. It was the yin and yang of her very being. Ever since the battle for Killic, her ability and attitude towards assassinations had changed, making her actions easier for her to deal with. Although beneath it all, her core persona still stood tall and proud, never allowing her to forget her core beliefs.
As District 10 passed beneath her, she looked down on the bustling streets. It was times like this she wished she could live a normal life. Fate always had a different opinion, though.
The front door of the store was open when SJ landed on a rooftop across from the corner store. Several beings were busy unloading a wagon of crates that were being taken inside. She knew after her visit that it would be unlikely she would ever be able to enter the store from the rear again, so she decided to take a more direct approach, flying down to change.
"What are you doing now?" Dave asked incredulously.
I'm going to invest.
"What?" The shock was clear in Dave's voice.
I'm a tailor, and investing in a tailoring shop makes sense if it gives me an inroad into the operation.
"Have you banged your head recently when I haven't been looking?"
No, if anything, my recent actions have pushed me to this decision. I can't try to hide in the shadows when trying to find out about a thieves' guild. I need to act as though I'm an innocent investor and see what I can discover. It should at least allow me to see T. Evergreen or one of his associates. It may even lead to Evelyn.
"But..." Dave paused, his tone shifting as he continued. "Actually, that may work... But how will you portray your investment?"
As I, SJ, thought as she transformed her dress to its original emerald green before stepping from the alley.
Dave gasped, not speaking as he watched SJ walk purposefully into the street. Her difference from so many others around her instantly drew the gaze of several beings, especially her unnatural beauty, not just because of her fae race, but also her Charisma. A wolf whistle reached her ears from a shop's entranceway, where two men stood gawking at her. She ignored them as she paused, glancing in several of the shop windows as she approached 'Patches' on the corner. Her casual manner wouldn't have usually drawn any attention if it weren't for her look.
She was striking in appearance as she walked past a trader's entrance and reached 'Patches'. The mannequins in the window had been dressed since her first visit, and the clothes' designs looked expensive and outlandish compared to the district's usual attire. It was a definite ploy on the capital string that Yawnee had mentioned. A man walked from the entrance as he oversaw the last crate being carried inside, and he spotted SJ as he turned to go back inside.
"Can I help you at all... Miss, is it?" he asked, his tone smooth and polite.
"Oh," SJ said, acting a little surprised as she turned to look at him. "It is 'miss', yes. And I was just looking at some of the beautiful garments you have on show here."
"Well, we have just received our first shipment of garments from the capital. They are the highest quality. Please come inside."
SJ nodded politely as she entered the store.
"Careful," a being called from the rear as the final crate was carried through into the back, where SJ had stolen the ledger from.
The shelves at the front of the store were slowly being filled by a man and a woman, who were carefully folding the items before placing them neatly on display.
"Unfortunately, we aren't open for sales yet as we are still sorting everything out, but please browse. Is there anything in particular you are interested in?" the man who had brought her inside asked.
"I just love the designs in general. They are so unique. I myself am a tailor, and I haven't seen anything like these designs before."
The man smiled. "Evelyn, dear. We have a fellow tailor here."
The woman who had been folding the clothes turned to look at SJ. She wore a perfectly cut dress, giving her an elegant appearance. It wasn't outlandish or flamboyant, much closer to the usual style of Asterfal.
"A tailor," Evelyn said, smiling as she walked over. "It's always a pleasure to meet a fellow professional."
"This is Evelyn Dashwin, designer extraordinaire, direct from the capital. She is hoping to bring the capital's fashion to the streets of Asterfal."
"Charmed to meet you," SJ said, taking Evelyn's outstretched hand.
"Can I show you anything in particular?" Evelyn asked.
"There is so much here," SJ said, glancing around the store. "Some very intriguing designs. I don't suppose you have the recipes for any of them, do you? I would love to purchase some of them and try my hand at making them."
Evelyn shook her head, sighing. "Unfortunately, no, these are exclusives which I'm unable to part with."
"That's such a shame," SJ pouted. "I can see these being a great success."
"That's why they are exclusive. I'm so sorry."
"Although there may be something you may consider," the original man said, smiling broadly.
"Consider?" SJ asked.
"As a new business, we are seeking investors. The capital is many months' travel by road, and if we are going to make this business work properly, we are seeking investors who would support the creation of a new factory here in the city."
"A factory?"
"Yes. We are confident, based on the current feedback, that this business will go from strength to strength. We have already established a series of shops in Fastlehine and are now doing the same in the south's largest city. Now, as they say, is the time to invest as we grow. We expect exceptional returns on investment."
Where's Fastlehine? SJ had never heard the name before.
"I've never heard of it or been there. I don't know, sorry," Dave replied.
"Intriguing. What capital are you looking for?" SJ said.
"There is no minimum or maximum. We have already secured our first round of investors from our initial presentations. They should start seeing returns as soon as the store opens tomorrow. If you decided to invest now, it would still be an ideal time before we open further branches across the city. Would it be something you might be interested in?"
Their approach was so relaxed that the conversation felt entirely natural. It was a natural development. The brazenness of their outright lies didn't go unnoticed by SJ, and she had to curb her immediate response, especially after her recent impetuous reaction at the bar.
SJ paused as she pretended to consider the opportunity, gently stroking her cheek. "Do you have any further details?" SJ eventually replied, faking her intrigue.
"Of course. Please come into the office, and I can discuss the opportunity further with you."
Evelyn smiled, the slight flicker in her eye seen by SJ. Her smile was not 100% genuine, and SJ could see the lie that sat behind it.
"That would be great," SJ said as she followed the man through into the rear store area.
"It appears your Subterfuge class is at long last paying off," Dave said with a sense of pride.
