Terraform

Masq listened to Thage's words not really expecting them for once. So this much time had passed and it turns out he could still be surprised by the words of otherworld beings after all. It was a pleasant surprise of course and his icy blue eyes honed in on Thage's eyes making contact and holding it. Would she be able to see the happiness stirring about within? The man smiled and bowed his head. "It is my honor to have you, Thage," he said humbly, completely forgetting his own power for an instant and showing enough humility to accept the help of others for he would certainly have a great need of it. "Together with our newfound allies shall we find the true menace behind the destruction of this world and eliminate them. I pray we find them in time..." his voice trailed off as he meandered over to the door. He could sense Luca and Renee in the lobby down below. They would certainly need their keycards if they wanted to claim a room. He didn't know where Karin was but the woman was resourceful. He'd leave one of the keycards with one of the others and hope she got it. If not, he figured she could easily hack the door's locking mechanism.

"Listen, I need to venture out into the city in search of some information regarding our next destination and course of action. I hate to think we're back at square one, but it seems we are. You guys need your rest so worry not," Masq explained softly, opening the door of the hotel room and shooting one last glance at Thage. "I will return shortly with any luck. Information gathering happens to be my specialty." He gave her a genuine smile before taking off, closing the door gently behind him in the case Thage had a headache or anything of that sort. He made his way to the elevator and hit the button for the lobby, and was pleased to find Renee and Luca rather quickly as the doors opened when it reached the designated floor. In a swift movement, he was upon them, standing idly by in a nonchalant fashion, holding three keycards in his hands. His eyes fell upon Renee, and then Luca.

"I see we're adopting the Vegas culture?" he remarked slyly in regards to their clothing which definitely reeked of Vegas style.

"I'm sure she's got something in the bag for you, too," Renee shot back completely unfazed, standing up and snatching the keycards out of Masq's hands with no fear. She tossed one to Luca with more speed than she had intended but didn't worry about whether or not the woman would be able to catch it. The room numbers were written on the envelopes luckily. "Which are you staying in so I know which room to avoid?" She tapped her foot on the floor impatiently as if the man were holding them up.

"Me and Thage are in 411. I suppose that puts you in 412. Luca and Karin are free to stay where they wish; there's plenty of bed space. Two queen-sized beds per room if I'm not mistaken." Masq turned on his heel and made as if to leave the hotel.

"And where do you think you're going?!" the huntress called out to him, a disconcerted look on her face.

"Information-gathering. Fun, fun," he chimed, not really going into as much detail as he had done with Thage, but before Renee could interrogate further, he was gone.

"The nerve of that guy...." Renee muttered under her breath.

* * *

Dr. Carrolls stood in place with a startled expression as Karin rattled off the code to the device that would become very important in their communications, especially since the woman was going to venture into the wilds after all to collect data. This was astounding and he couldn't even be excited about it just yet lest he forget the code! He retrieved some scrap paper from his pants pocket and a pen from his coat pocket and scrawled it as quickly as he could. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye as Karin strolled right out of the research center like a woman on a mission. She was such a strange person but hopefully with her help, they would be able to make an astounding breakthrough in the field of weather control.

Character Quest "Weather Research" started! [Side Quest Log updated]

Karin, upon leaving the premises, immediately turned towards the main city. The lights were rather distracting and seemingly unnecessary. For a short time, Karin stared around with a blank look, observing her surroundings carefully. Slightly amused, Karin began walking, though she did not know where to. She had already began creating a map of the city in her mind and could easily find her way around, she was not lost. However, there were parts of the city that she had not yet seen, and she intended to remedy this.

She found a small alleyway leading down into a dark corridor. From the depths of the corridor, she could hear movement and some talking. Beyond that, Karin could not tell what was going on. Curious, she began sliding down the alley in a discreet, almost silent, way. The alley was long, but it did not take much time before Karin could finally light up the dark corner with her suit. The blue veins that lined her suit began to glow, as did her electric blue eyes, and she could finally see her surroundings. I should attempt to alter my vision for nocturnal sight. Karin thought to herself nonchalantly as she gazed at the faces of three rugged men huldding around a single bit of smoking weed.

"Miscreants," Karin spoke causally and nodded to the three men, as if greeting them. "Or perhaps homeless? No matter, it is not my concern. Carry on with your illegal activities." Karin was almost disappointed, she was hoping for something a bit more...enlightening. Perhaps one of her coworkers would show up and she could question him or her. Karin was just turning her back on the three rugged individuals when she felt one of them seize her and spin her back around.

"Wot di' you say, bitch?" How troublesome. It appears that the three of them had approached her while her back was turned. "You wont make sumfin' of this, eh?" One of them was holding up his fist to her face. Karin's electric eyes flashed once, illuminating the man's fist and then his face. The light seemed to surprise him, but he did not lower his fist.

Hostiles detected, her suit beeped at her, running a system check through her body. Calculating approximate threat level...minor threat detected. 97% chance of victory. Proceed with minimal caution.

A one percent chance victory for each enemy unit? Those statistics were quite low, Karin was certain that she should not bother even trying to defeat them. There would be no point. They might be hostile, but with these odds, she would not need to defend herself. She could just walk away, and they would be foolish to follow or attack her.

Karin disregarded the three whom she called miscreants and turned to leave the way she came. However, the three didn't want that, apparently, and one of them grabbed her and threw her to the ground with surprising force. Not enough to stun her, but enough to make her fall to the ground. Karin's gaze was directed up at the sky, and she found that she could not see the stars that night. She was much too distracted to see, or care, about the three men about to do something they might regret.

Luca casually snatched the keycard out the air when Renee tossed it to her, swiftly turning to the bag which held the rest of the party's clothing. She soon found, however, that the garment she had purchased for Masq (along with his new weapon) appeared to be missing from the tote. Icy orbs darted to his retreating figure, concluding that the man had, indeed, taken it. "That speed, Masq," she called after him. "What I would do to have that speed..." she murmured just loud enough for Renee to hear.

Serpent eyes gazed down upon the scene developing in the alleyway. A young woman was being set upon by three men. She wasn't even fighting back. They were no doubt going to have their way with her, so why wasn't she panicking? Or calling for help? Perhaps she realized she was far more protected than she realized? No, perhaps she didn't care for her own well-being. Regardless, there was somebody who did care. It was Masq standing atop the ledge of one of the buildings composing the alley, and he was not pleased with what he saw. There was something that was roused within him, a nostalgic sense of justice. Was it from the old days? He was gone in a flash and the alley was splattered instantly in blood, three corpses resting morbidly in front of Karin. Masq took a step forward from the shadows, standing in the puddle of blood that had amassed from the instantaneous massacre. He was wearing a wondrous violet cape that flapped about in the night breeze. It was speckled with yellow stars. He almost looked like a magician, but the rest of his get-up didn't exactly match the look. He offered Karin a hand after surveying his handiwork.

"May I ask what you think you're doing, madame?" he asked smoothly, the effects of his demonic form wearing off, the honey color in his eyes draining to reveal the light blue that they normally were. They gazed at her with a gentle sort of reprimand. Was she really about to let herself get taken advantage of? No, she was waiting 'til the last second to kill them all. Or at least incapacitate them. He forgot that she was not as ruthless as he was. He probably should have done the same, but he had no tolerance for that sort of behavior. Those poor excuses for human beings were better off dead.

* * *

"Whatever," Renee muttered and laid back down on the couch. She would let Masq do what he wanted seeing as how they could actually trust him now that he had come clean. She hated that he had been through so much but his attitude still irked her. Just because he was from another world, he acted like he knew everything. Sure, she didn't know there was other life out there in the universe but that didn't mean she was an imbecile. Maybe she wasn't the brightest bulb in the box but she didn't need to be to do what she did for a living. She needed instinct and agility. Physical fitness and keen senses. She was good enough to outsmart her prey and at the end of the day, that was all that mattered.

"Well, what did you have planned for the night, Luca?" Renee inquired, trying to get her thoughts off of Masq because she sure as hell didn't want to be thinking about him constantly. He bothered her enough when he was actually present. Out of sight, out of mind. "Were you going back out to the city or were you going to check out the room?"

Curious, just before the three miscreants had done anything to her, they lay on the cold ground in a puddle of their own blood. Honestly, she would have been fine by herself. These pitiful creatures only had primal urges left in them, something Karin believes she almost had once. To her relief, it had only been a light fever, a chill that went as quickly as it came with the wind. Still, Karin supposed she ought to be grateful to her supposed rescuer, who turned out to be none other than the stranger she had met so recently.

For a moment, Karin had a lapse in her memory. Being away from the man for such a short time caused her computer-like mind to file away his label in a not-so-important section of her brain. A second later, she was able to recall that his name was Masquerade. He offered his hand to her, but Karin saw no point in taking it. She lifted herself up off the ground and poked at the disk on her arm, which had started whirring and glowing red not moments ago. She quickly reset the program and the disk returned to its normal, blue hue.

"Curious," Karin stated monotonously, "my primary defense program would have been sufficient for my protection. Despite this, you come to my aid. The behavior of man is very curious, however impractical." Karin watched as Masquerade's appearance turned back to normal. "You in particular, are very curious. I find you worthy of study. Care to donate a sample of your blood for examination?"

Thage gave a small smile and waved at Masq as he left the room; however, when the door shut behind him, she collapsed onto the bed. She was dead tired, but after what had happened in her dreams only moments before, she was very afraid of even closing her eyes, not to mention that Masq could somehow induce her slumber... Just what was he? Certainly not human, that much was clear. He had made a remark about having a "home planet"... What did he mean by that? If she were to believe the words that came from his mouth, that would make him an alien. As much as that should have frightened her, though, it did not, seeing as how what she had been fighting up to this point was not really of this world, save for Marauder, perhaps...

What exactly was Masq, then, if he was not an angel, per se? Was she allowed to have that sort of curiosity, if he could induce her eternal slumber at the blink of an eye? She shuddered. She had to put his needs first in order to make sure that she survived to live on. No more could she express her interests, perhaps, not yet. That could wait until perhaps it is recalled in his mind. As long as she was a good girl, perhaps this fatal ride would not threaten her life immediately, but let her live a bit longer. The world seemed to be grinding down, and if she had been by herself after the group had left, she might not have made it as far as she did. She needed to stay within this bubble of coexistence, even if it did mean sacrificing her wants.

Sleep was also out of the question. Besides, it wasn't like she was tired; somehow, all the wounds she had taken from Marauder were gone. She suspected that this was of Masq's doing, but with him, nothing was positive. Sitting back up, she looked out the window. Even though the sun was setting fast, the amount of light outside the window didn't seem to be changing; rather, it looked like it was getting brighter. Odd.

She stood up, walked to the door, opened it, and then proceeded down the hall. It was a soft cream color, much like the name of the place, she recalled. She could not sleep, so perhaps she could have a better look at Vegas. Down the corridor she went, something lingering in the back of her mind. She pushed the button to call the elevator. The metal doors slid open, and she stepped inside. She pushed the "1" button, thoughts of all sorts rolling through her head. It would be nice to be moving while she could file them all away so that perhaps they wouldn't be cluttering her head. Maybe she could even record a few of them in her tome...

The doors slid open, and she walked out, glancing towards the couch. Luca and Renee were there, both dressed... extravagantly. She certainly didn't expect them to be here, especially not half-dressed. "O-oh, Luca... Renee... I thought I was alone... She looked down towards her feet. Damn. She did need to be alone, but if she were to stay on the bed, she would be tempted to fall asleep, which is not what she wanted in the slightest. Thage had also noticed a bag next to Luca, as if she were holding it. "Did you two go shopping recently...?"

She needed to be a Switzerland, or even a France if she was going to make this work.

Luca opened her mouth to respond to the Huntress, but her cyan eyes shot over to Thage who questioned the tote at her side. "I did." The Adventurer's hand fell to the bag instantly, procuring both a fancy looking book and a rather skimpy outfit. "Sorry about the sex factor," Luca said with a shrug, "it is Vegas, I suppose." Without so much as a second thought, she reached out to the girl who had been sleeping for the final trek of their journey, eyes returning to Renee with a certain gleam. "I was just about to ask the same of you," she began, a slight smile spreading on her face. "I would like to accompany you in whatever you had planned on doing," she continued, "if you wouldn't mind, that is."

Renee noticed Thage approach and offered her a warm smile. For some reason, Thage reminded her of her friend, Nona. She wasn't sure how but there was just that reminiscence there and she decided not to think too much on it, instead listening to Luca and watching her pull out a ridiculously over-sexual outfit for Thage to don. This city was unbelievable. Renee herself wore skimpy clothing because of her profession but it seemed in this city, women were supposed to be exposed to obscene degrees. It was the culture. She sighed audibly and decided to answer Luca's question to get her mind off of it.

"Perhaps I will hit the city after all. There's no telling how long we're going to be here and I hate missed opportunities," Renee put decisively, glancing at the door of the hotel. "Not sure exactly what we'd do, but walking around just seeing the sights would be nice enough in and of itself I'd think." She poked her tongue out in thought. There were casinos, bars, and since laws were a lot less strict, the drinking and gambling age limits had been lowered greatly. Renee certainly wouldn't have any problems getting a drink. "You're both welcome to join me," the huntress added, making sure to extend the offer to Thage as well. If they were going to be traveling together, some bonding would be nice.

* * *

"You forget that I am no mere man, my dear," Masq offered Karin a sly smile, black feathers raining down upon the both of them even though his wings had since faded. "I am not human like you or the others. I am something else entirely, you know." He placed a warm hand upon her cheek and gazed into her eyes. To think that she was calling him the oddity was very ironic, when she herself did not realize that she was odd compared to the others. Vastly different, in fact. Delightfully so, but still very very different.

"Worthy of study, you say? If blood is what you desire." Masq's cheerful expression didn't change as his blade materialized in his hand and was positioned over his arm. He drew the blade across his pale skin slowly without making any sound of pain or anguish, his grin remaining in tact even as his crimson blood trickled down his arm, dripping onto the dark, filthy pavement of the alleyway. "Collect what you will, but you might want to hurry before it heals up," he advised her, knowing such a trivial wound would mend itself in mere minutes.

What's this? Karin watched as the man willfully cut himself in order to draw blood for her collection purposes. Such odd mannerisms, and the wound was healing right before her eyes as well. Fast regenerative properties were hidden within his identity. This was no ordinary blood, nor was this man a human. Karin paused for a moment, watching the wound heal and the blood disappear. "Interesting, it seems you have regenerative properties that far exceeds that of humans. A needless display, however, there is more than one way of collecting blood." With that, Karin removed her codex, where it immediately created a very thin, very sharp needle-like instrument on the edge of the computerized disc.

Karin poked the needle into Masquerade's arm, where his cut had healed over, and took a small bit of blood from his system. With that done, Karin returned her codex to her arm, where it began ticking away, analyzing the blood without Karin needing to input any codes. She would know by morning what secrets lie hidden within this man's strange body.

Thage took the garments that Luca handed to her. They felt... really good, actually, but she wasn't about to show that. Trying to be on the good side of everyone would be the best way to make sure that she would get protection from Masquerade, even perhaps, from Masquerade himself... "I'd be happy to go with you; I don't want to sleep. Let me go get dressed first..." As she said that, she turned around, and pressed the button on the elevator. The gilded doors slid open again, and she stepped inside. She wasn't entirely sure how she would feel parading around Vegas half-naked, but it wasn't like she was more covered as it was. She looked down at the state of her gown. It was still in tatters and stained with blood from the fight with Marauder.

She shuddered at that. She didn't want to remember what had happened there. It was just too much. She couldn't believe that the man she had chosen to follow wasn't even really human. There just could be no way. It was almost as if she were still living in some sort of dream. Thoughts raced through her mind, but before she could process them all, the doors slid open, and she stepped into the hallway. Keycard in hand, she went back to the room that she had left a few minutes earlier, and reopened it. Everything was still in the same place that she had left it in.

She was scaring herself. There was no need for panic. There was no need for panic. Shutting the door behind her, she took the black bow out of her hair and took out the coiled braids that had been kept up the entire time she had been with this team. With hard shakes of her head, she tossed an impressive amount of hair trying to get as much dirt out of it as she could. She'd need to bathe sooner rather than later, but she had a playdate to go to first. She laid her new clothes on the bed and with some struggling, wriggled out of her old dress. She laid it down flat on the floor beside the bed and put on the new regalia. It was actually a whole lot more breezy. Wow.

As she slipped on the filmy material, her eyes came back to rest upon the black bow. She picked it up before she put on the accompanying cape, thinking about the memories she had with it. Francine was such a wonderful person, mainly a phenomenal seamstress. She had made both the dress she wore and the hairbow that went along with it. Thage remembered watching her sister sew the hems and append the lace to the bottom of it, and how mesmerized she had been with her work. Then she had given it to Thage as a birthday present. She had never been so happy. Thage gave a sad smile. Ever since her sister disappeared, she had vowed to never part with the last gifts Francine left her with. She wrapped the cape around her shoulders, it not coming all the way up to her neckline, and she pinned it in place with the black bow that her sister made for her.

Her new look complete, she went back down the elevator, trying to keep thoughts of both the regret of losing Francine and the fear of Masquerade as far away as she could. She had left her hair down, and it covered what the cape could not. The doors opened, and she looked at Luca and Renee, and for once, she gave a real smile. She was ready to go outside. "I'm ready, I think. Sorry I took so long."

Luca nodded in affirmation. "I have never understood why people waste opportunities," she commented as Thage drifted back upstairs to go change. Truth be told, she had kind of wasted her's earlier, but the gaudiness and glitz along with her focus on getting equipment had caused her typical sense of adventure to fall to the back burner earlier. "I didn't get to see too much on my way over here," she added, "mostly shops; there's a synthesis lab around somewhere, might be worth looking into a when we have a few more materials." She had to admit, the prospect of going out to find those exact items interested her more than the actual reward for doing so––although somewhere, deep down, she was sure the reward would be more than worth it.

Not too long after voicing her opinion, however, Thage reappeared mostly ready to go for the walk. At this, Luca stood, shifting her eyes to Renee for but a second before offering her hand to the huntress. The adventurer's icy blue eyes resettled back on the magick-user. "If you're ready to go, we can go," Luca responded with a slight smile. "Glad to see that fits you by the way," she added casually, the comment being her way of saying that, although she didn't wish for Thage to be so exposed, she was content with the fact that she could find something to replace the bloody clothing they had been in.

Masq stood perfectly still as Karin collected her sample, so sure that her technology would be able to discern where his regenerative properties originated, but he merely smirked at the thought. It was almost adorable that she thought that, but some of the antibodies and chemicals in his blood and in his body at large were completely unknown to this world, or even possibly this particular galaxy. He just hoped that his blood wouldn't mess up her machinery. This wasn't the first time a species alien to his own had tried to analyze his chemical makeup, and for some technology his blood and other samples proved too much to handle going as far as causing explosions. However it was obvious that Karin's tech was far more advanced than anything else on this planet; he was actually moderately impressed. There were no doubt plenty of failsafes in the case of a faulty analysis that would protect her files and equipment in general. It was about time to stop piddling, though; there were very important matters to take care of. Might as well have some company in order to do so.

"Now that we have such pleasantries out of the way, might you care to join me on a small venture? It seems your wanderings are rather aimless at the moment. I need to pry some information out of someone in this city that I am...acquaintances with," Masq explained, choking over the word friend and instead using 'acquaintance' for 'friend' did not quite fit in this situation in regards to whom he was mentioning. It would definitely make him feel more comfortable knowing that she was with him and not meandering down dark alleyways in a big city even if she COULD take care of herself. Best not to...make a scene. He glanced about at his previous decimation and snickered at the thought but was very subtle about it.

* * *

Thage's new outfit was about as revealing as expected. What kind of clothes shop had Luca visited anyway? A lingerie store? Renee just shook her head and gestured to the doorway, taking off with the others in tow. It was three ladies out for a night on the town and what better place to hit up than a casino. What would a trip to Vegas be without a little gambling tossed into the mix? Go big or go home, or so they said. Renee walked down the main street that the hotel was on. The air still reeked of booze, smoke, and perfume, not to mention all that mixed in with the other typical smells of the city. The other people who lived here seemed to be drinking it all in but Renee could hardly stand it. It was worth mentioning that she already had a strong sense of smell as it was being a huntress. Luckily, the walk proved to be not too terribly long as she located a large casino that seemed to take up an entire block by itself.

The Violet Lotus

Renee raised an eyebrow at the sign above the front door of the building. The place was a mixture of swanky and gaudy but she supposed the two went hand in hand. The sign had a bunch of beautiful purple lotuses on it, swirling waters and springs, and gorgeous women wearing hardly anything. It was more like it might be a strip club over a casino, but amidst the decorations were dice and slot machines--things that made it very clear what went on here. It was possible that the casino may have had a...VIP room where certain things took place but that was of little interest to Renee. She was interested in increasing the groups paltry funds. If they were taking this long drawn-out journey to find the truth, they would need to have proper financing.

The front glass doors slid open with a smooth noise welcoming them into even brighter lights and loud music that sounded like it could be for a game show. All around were different forms of gambling and recreation. There was a counter to exchange money for prizes, and a bar in the distance. On the west wing was a large area with billiards and ice hockey. Several rows of golden slot machines sat right in the center, bordered by roulette tables and card dealers. A lounge could be found way far off in the northeast corner with several large screen televisions and very well maintained furniture. Real plants could be found potted and placed in various areas--a nice addition to the decor not to mention they were a lot nicer than fake plants. The flowers on some of them helped stabilize the odor of the place giving an oddly pleasant, pungent, smoky aroma with a hint of booze. The floor was carpeted and covered in patterns composed of rectangles and triangles all in neutral and warm colors. There were neon and fluorescent lights about but most of the lighting came from purposely dim bulbs that gave off a really comforting ambiance while still maintaining the excitement of the place.

"Looks like we have our fair share of games to play," Renee said whilst rubbing her hands together eagerly. They had hardly any Accra to use but there was plenty to be won if they played their cards right, figuratively and literally that is. "I'm off to find something I'm good at; if one of you makes it big here let me know," she said tersely before rushing off, her eyes wide as she took in her surroundings, trying to find something that was perfect for her.

~ T H E ~ V I O L E T ~ L O T U S ~

Welcome to the Violet Lotus! This casino is a very large recreational and gambling facility located in Vegas. Here there are quite a few mini-games you can play to earn yourself some extra Accra...or lose it all to your horrible luck! That's the whole point of gambling right? Test your luck~? But of course! Here's a list of the games you can play and how they operate:

*Slot Machine: The slot machines have three slots. Normally your goal is to match symbols but in this case you want to land yourself on the winning combination of symbols which will be predesignated by myself. Landing on the correct assortment of symbols lands you the jackpot which doubles your pot. Getting close to the assortment earns you what you offered PLUS half of that. Getting nowhere close means you lost your money. It might not be wise to play this one with low Accra. Can use any amount of Accra to play. Minimum is 2 Accra.

*Roulette Table: Pick three numbers from 1-44. If the ball lands on all three numbers, you get triple the Accra you invested. Landing two numbers earns you double and landing one gets you your Accra back. No numbers means you lost your money; good game, no rematch.

*High Or Low: You start off with one card. You guess if the next card is higher or lower. The first right guess earns you 5 Accra. For each consecutive guess, the amount of Accra you accumulates doubles. So the second right guess earns you 10 and the third earns you 20. These stack together in a pot; you can call it quits at any time to claim your pot, but if you make a wrong guess you lose it all AND your initial investment. Costs 3 Accra to play.

Those are the only ones available for the time being. To initiate, just approach whichever machine/dealer in character and show the desire to play. From there, the game begins, no role playing necessary until the game is over. Be cautious about the amount of Accra you're spending in conjunction with your other party members.

The Accra Exchange is currently unavailable mainly because the shit there costs too much.

Watching Renee tear off into the casino with delight burning in her eyes, Luca faltered for the slightest of nanoseconds. She didn't think it incredibly wise to split up, but it seemed that, regardless of what she though, that was the plan. Tension fleeing from her shoulders, the adventurer offered a curt nod to Thage before drifting away from the entrance and over to a suave-looking man dressed fairly similarly to herself. Icy eyes noted the sign hanging just above this section of the casino, 'High/Low'.

Might as well give it a go, she thought with a shrug, digging into her pocket and pulling out the required 3 Accra. Luca approached the man and, with the most straight-forward and collected voice said, "I'll play." Her game had officially begun.

Luca gambles 3 Accra at High or Low!

Luca

-3 Accra gambled
-First card is a 9

High or low?

Low.

Luca

-Next card is a King.
-3 Accra lost.

Play again?

Play again.

Luca

-3 Accra gambled.
-First card is a 3.

High or low?

Thage looked on as the two other women that had walked with her had suddenly vanished into thin air. The hustling and bustling of the place was starting to make her a bit sick, so she started to look for somewhere to sit down. Mmm... was this a good idea? I'm starting to not feel so well... She started off in the opposite direction of Renee and Luca. She honestly didn't care if she won or lost any money, gambling was not something she was very familiar with, considering the home she and her sister had come from. There weren't that many modern things with which to distract oneself, so she just let the sights and the smells guide her through the building.

Eventually, she found herself at a row of stools. Grateful that she could save herself from the torture of her heels for a moment, she plopped down into a surprisingly plush red seat. When she did, she was instantly tapped on her right shoulder. She spun around and was confronted with a giant machine with three pictures and a lever on the right side. Next to this machine was a man who looked shockingly like Masq, white hair, pale skin, and a mysterious smile. Wait... Masq left a while back, certainly he wouldn't be smiling at her if he told her to stay in her room... "Masq... is that you?"

"Mask. That sounds like a handsome name to have. Alas, that is not mine. My name is Face, and I am the attendant of the Vegas Slot Machines. I see you are eager to pull a plunge or two, so why don't we get you started?"

The same silky tone, the throaty vibrations his voice made when he said certain vowels, everything that made her swoon for the man himself was being replicated quite oddly by this stranger called Face. This was weird. "I... okay..."

She was a bit dazed by all of the sudden attention she was receiving, so Face took this opportunity to get her started. Face pulled out two cheap copper coins seemingly from nowhere. "All you have to do, my dear, is put two coins in the slot and pull the lever. We do all the rest for you."

With that, Face plopped two coins into the slot. Thage didn't notice her weight become lighter, though she would certainly find out later. She reached up and pulled the shiny red knob down, down, until it sprung back up and the wheels began to spin.

[Thage plays a game of Slots!
2 Accra gambled!]

Thage

-2 Accra gambled.
-Stop the slots by choosing 3 numbers from 1-5. Numbers may be duplicated (i.e. 2,2,2)

High.

Renee

Renee had ventured around for a bit, trying to find the perfect thing for her, and it seemed that fate led her to the roulette tables.  She watched with her sharp eyes as the balls cluttered and tumbled over the tables, the patrons either crying or cheering at their misfortune or unbelievable good luck.  This was definitely it.  She located an empty table and placed a couple Accra up for bet.  "Let's begin."

-2 Accra gambled.
-Renee picks 4, 17, and 28.
-The ball lands on 23, 31, and 14.
-Renee loses.

Luca

-Next card is a Queen.
-Five Accra gained.

Current Pot: 8

Keep playing or walk away?
If continuing, high or low?

4, 1, 2

Keep playing.

Low.

Renee

-2 Accra gambled.
-Renee picks 16, 35, and 7.
-The ball lands on 15, 26, and 39.
-Renee loses.

Thage

-The reels reveal Grasshopper - Lemon - Lemon.
-That is not a winning assortment.
-That is not a close assortment.
-Thage loses.

Keep playing?
If continuing, insert Accra and choose a new assortment.

Luca

-Next card is a Queen.
-10 Accra gained.

Current Pot: 18

Keep playing or walk away?
If continuing, high or low?