Terraform

Keep playing.

Low.

Renee

-2 Accra gambled.
-Renee picks 2, 23, and 40.
-The ball lands on 26, 10, and 39.
-Renee loses.
-Renee begins to get infuriated at this game.

Luca

-Next card is a 10.
-20 Accra gained.

Current Pot: 38

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

Walk away. 38 Accra gained.

Play again.

Play again. 2, 1, 4.

[Thage gambles 2 Accra!]

Renee

-2 Accra gambled.
-Renee picks 4, 29, and 43.
-The ball lands on 19, 36, and 31.
-Renee loses.
-Renee glares at the dealer menacingly.

Luca

-3 Accra gambled.
-First card is an 8.

High or low?

Thage

-2 Accra gambled.
-The reels reveal Lemon - Lemon - Bar
-That is not a winning assortment.
-That is a close assortment.
-3 Accra gained.

Play again?
If continuing, choose gambling amount and assortment.

Low.

Play again.
3, 3, 1.

[Thage gambles 3 Accra!]

Renee

-2 Accra gambled.
-Renee picks 11, 27, and 34.
-The ball lands on 31, 20, and 30.
-Renee loses.

"Fuck it, I'm out of here." Renee got up angrily from the seat she had taken and rushed away, but not before shooting the attendant one final deadly glare. If looks could kill, he'd be dead a hundred times over. The huntress figured Lady Luck was not feeling quite so generous today. She decided to go and check on the others.

Luca

-3 Accra gambled.
-Next card is a 7.
-5 Accra gained.

Current Pot: 8

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

Thage

-3 Accra gambled.
-The reels reveal Bar - Aerosol - Violet Lotus.
-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.

Walk away. 8 Accra acquired!

Luca retrieved the pot after seeing the seven drawn––that had been a close one and, after losing the first game, she did not wish to lose any more money. She had made a decent amount as it was anyhow. Placing the coppery coins back in her pouch, she departed from the immediate vicinity of the table and quickly spotted a very angry-looking Renee.

"Poor luck?" Luca questioned rhetorically, reaching for the pouch she had pocketed second earlier. She opened the small satchel for the huntress to see. "It's not much, but I did okay," she added with a small smile.

Thage walks away.

"Highly reactive," Karin mused to herself the instant she took Masq's blood. Her eyes seemed amused, though no other emotion could be gleaned from those blank expressions she always wore. She could feel her machine clocks overworking and heating up, doing their very best to contain and analyze the blood she took. "It seems to want to regenerate, even outside the body." Karin gave Masquerade a peculiar look. "Have you made clones before? If you cut off a large portion of your current body mass, you might be able to."

Karin paused for a moment, considering what she said. She could help him if he wanted that, of course, but perhaps now was not the time to be considering such things. "I will go with you, for now. I have nothing else on my agenda."

Masq was unsure on how to answer the clone question, so he was relieved when Karin got back on point in regards to her assisting him in his information gathering endeavor.  Not to mention though he possessed great power, he would rather not draw attention to the blood-soaked crime scene that he had created.  "Excellent, let us move on then.  I fear you tagging along won't exactly require diplomacy, but more along the lines of...brute force, to be blunt," he stated nonchalantly, turning his back on the gruesome sight behind him and motioned for Karin to follow him.  Oh, this was sure to be rough.  He kept thinking about how long it had been since he had visited Vegas.  He was a shadow in this world--just one shred of light and he could vanish without a trace leaving those he met to wonder if he had even been there before.  To the fellow he planned to meet, he would be a phantasm, and a rather ghastly one at that.  Yes, Masq was positive this gentleman would not be pleased to see him but this information was important.  He glanced back at the rather unreadable Karin.  The way she acted...it was almost precious.  Masq had to subdue a smile.  What wonderful company he had acquired for this world-saving mission.

The streets were still as loud as ever even as the minutes ticked on and the night's presence grew stronger.  Hissing cats could be heard from alleyways and strange sounds gurgled from the manholes that covered the entrances to the sewers.  No one dared spare a second glance on Masq and Karin as they trounced into a more decrepit part of the city.  It was one not quite fully touched by the reconstruction yet which made it the perfect hideout for criminals and ne'er-do-wells.  The streets were cracked and littered with garbage and debris.  Pieces of different buildings lie crumbled up in large heaps on the sides of said streets.  The skeletal steel frames could still be seen of some skyscrapers, albeit the metal composing them was horridly rusted and in terrible shape.  How much longer they might last was up in the air.  However, amidst all the dismal devastation, a violet neon sign blinked in the distance, off on one of the side roads hanging above the entrance to worn-down apartment building that was in far better shape than most of the buildings around and showed obvious signs of habitation.  Masq grinned evilly.  The sign read:

B A D ~ L U C K

This was it.  He nodded his head towards the entrance so that Karin knew where they were headed.  He wasn't worried about her being afraid--he was starting to think fear didn't register in whatever system kept her mind going.  Though the sign was bright and flashy, the entrance to the building was dark, and just as Masq was about to enter, a young woman came out, almost bumping into him.

"My apologies," she stated simply, placing a hand delicately over her heart.  She wore a fairly nice outfit, one that resembled the kind of suit and pants that the casino attendants wore.  Perhaps she could be one; it would be logical in a city like this.  She had a pair of sunglasses on top of her head; she certainly wouldn't need them at night.  Her dark red eyes were provocative and her face showed intrigue in the appearance of the duo.  "I should be on my way.  If you'll excuse me," she said briskly, walking past Masq and Karin.  She turned the corner of the street and disappeared in a portal of darkness, unknown to pair.

"What a strange character," Masq stated, looking down at the ground.  There was a white card with some pretty eloquent calligraphy written upon it.  "Alice, Dealer of the Cards," Masq read from the little card aloud.  "I didn't think card dealers had their own business cards."  Shrugging, he pocketed the item and waved Karin inside.  His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness.  If he remembered correctly it was a singular hall.  Ten footsteps, then a turn to the right.  Fifteen footsteps and it was the room on the left.  He traced the path and noticed candlelight emanating from a doorway up ahead.  Yes, that was his destination.

The Party receives Alice's Card! [Added to Inventory]

Masq and Karin arrived in what appeared to be a lounge.  There was a red brick fireplace on the wall opposite the doorway; where the smoke was going was anyone's guess.  A wooden circular coffee table rested in front of hit surrounded by two loveseats and a couple of armchairs with rather poor upholstery, a burgundy fabric torn in some places such that the stuffing was showing.  The floor was littered with broken glass, plastic bags, and newspaper articles.  Around the other walls were dressers, long tables, and shelves, all scratched, nicked, and in just as poor condition as the other furniture.  A few empty jars and rusty, dusty trinkets sat upon the shelves, but aside from that there was nothing of interest save that one of the long rectangular tables had a glowing violet glyph carved into it.  Sitting on one of the couches was a rather clean-looking man despite being in a trashy, run-down building.  He had healthy tanned skin and brown eyes that were gazing at a woman sitting on the couch across from him.  His nose was rather large and somewhat pointed at the end, his beard and sideburns nicely trimmed.  His wavy black hair was slicked back presumably with gel and he wreaked of men's cologne.  He fiddled with a faded playing card with one of his large, meaty hands, and there appeared to be more cards in the front pocket of his black suit.  Across from him was a slender woman sitting comfortably on the worn couch with her legs pulled up, her body leanings against the arm.  She had blue eyes and long, grayish-blonde hair that curled a bit at the ends.  She wore a tight-fitting red top that had green dragons patterned upon it.  Her legs were covered in white stockings for she chose to wear rather short white shorts that stopped quite a few inches above mid-thigh.  Blood-red stilettos adorned her feet.  She was the first to turn her attention away and notice the two in the doorway.

"I didn't realize you were having any more company tonight," she spoke harshly, her voice holding a rather sinister tone to it though she tried her best to sound civil.  She sighed and shook her head.  "Let me guess: part of the profession?"  She tilted her head and gazed at the man when she didn't receive an answer.  The man was horrified by who he saw in the doorway.  "Kryven, what's wrong?" the woman became alarmed, standing up suddenly.  She drew a beautiful dagger from a hilt at her side and brandished it before the pair.

"Got a new bodyguard, Kryven?  You know you'll need to do better to keep the likes of me away," Masq stated simply, brushing off the woman's threatening weapon as if it were nothing.

"K-Kalaya, no...this isn't the monster to pick a fight with...for he is certainly no man," the man, Kryven was quick to stand and resolutely put an end to Kalaya's willingness to do battle.  "To think that I would ever see you again...Masquerade.  What do you want?" he answered tersely, regaining some of his courage.

"I have a problem.  You see, I'm traveling to the ground zero so to speak of the Cataclysm.  Last I heard it was said to initially take place in the Land of Snow and Oblivion, but as you know that is a far ways away from our humble jungle here," Masq said, his words so smooth.  He couldn't quell the grin that was plastered on his face for anything.  "How best am I to get there, kind sir?"

"In a body bag!"  Kryven suddenly shouted out, loosing a blast of cards in Masq's direction but the man didn't even flinch.  Each card was cut to shreds in an instant leaving the card-wielding man trembling where he stood.  The woman reentered her battle stance.  

"I had hoped you'd be more cooperative but now that I know you possess the information I so desire, I will be more than happy to beat it out of you.  See, Karin?  Just as I predicted."

Special Chapter 00: Down On His Luck

Location: Bad Luck - Kryven's Lounge

Objective: Defeat Kryven and Kalaya!

Background: ~Relapse~

Achivement: Attentive - Make it through the entire battle without having an item or gold being stolen by Kalaya. [5 AP]

{w} {w} {w} {w} {f} {f} {f} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w }A
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} B
{w} { } { } {c} { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} C
{w} {t} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} D
{w} {t} { } {l} { } {t} {K} {l} { } { } { } {w} E
{w} {t} { } {l} {A} {t} { } {l} { } { } {d} {w} F
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {d} {w} G
{w} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} H
{w} {b} {b} { } { } {M} { } { } { } { } { } {w} I
{w} {w} {w} {w} { } { } {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10--11--12

Masq (Mysterious Stranger)
HP: 45/45
MP: 20/20
DD: 0/10
Atk: 11
Def: 5
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 5%
Move: 3 cells

Kryven (Gambler)
HP: 35/35
MP: 55/55
DD: 0/10
Atk: 2
Def: 5
Int: 10
Spr: 8
Evade: 8%
Move: 3 cells

Kalaya (Thief)
HP: 30/30
MP: 45/45
DD: 0/10
Atk: 11
Def: 4
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 8%
Move: 4 cells

{t} - Glowing Glyph
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Investigate.  Investigate the mysterious glyph upon the table. Range: Adjacent.]

{w} - Wall
[No Occupy]

{f} - Fireplace
[No Occupy]

{l} - Loveseat
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit.  I don't know why you would do this.]

{c} - Chair
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit.  I don't know why you would do this.]

{b} - Bookshelves
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Take Trinket.  Help yourself to a dusty trinket on the shelf.  Range: Adjacent.  Uses: 1.]

{d} - Dresser
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Rummage.  Search through one of the drawers; must be designated by the user as 'top', 'middle', or 'bottom' drawer.  Uses: 2.]

Players may start in rows I-J!

Karin starts in I-7

She followed the mysterious Masquerade, not in any way worried about where he might be taking her. She wondered where that place he wanted to be was, but that was the end of her curiosity. Perhaps something they found there would put an influence on her interest. Perhaps not. Either way, she would follow him through the city. The streets were noisy, but Karin didn't appear to mind. She could actually appreciate the noise, there was something about constant activity that stimulated the senses. Or was it the opposite?

When they came to a small place, Karin expected to walk right past it, but Masq had other ideas. This was where he was looking for? Karin wasn't impressed. It looked more like an abandoned warehouse than a place of interest. But many things could be found in a ruined building, more than a whole one sometimes. The value of those objects could not be guaranteed, however. Masq had a run in with a strange girl dressed in a rather provocative way.

Within the building, Karin glanced around for signs of anything that might be of interest. Alas, she found nothing. Nothing that would help her, at least. There were a few other places she could take a look in though. She might head over there. The two other humans in the room surely would not even notice her presence. Karin had a natural talent of being ignored. Or was it the opposite?

Special Chapter 00: Down On His Luck

Location: Bad Luck - Kryven's Lounge

Objective: Defeat Kryven and Kalaya!

Background: ~Relapse~

Achivement: Attentive - Make it through the entire battle without having an item or gold being stolen by Kalaya. [5 AP]

{w} {w} {w} {w} {f} {f} {f} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w }A
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} B
{w} { } { } {c} { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} C
{w} {t} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} D
{w} {t} { } {l} { } {t} {K} {l} { } { } { } {w} E
{w} {t} { } {l} {A} {t} { } {l} { } { } {d} {w} F
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {d} {w} G
{w} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} H
{w} {b} {b} { } { } {M} {K} { } { } { } { } {w} I
{w} {w} {w} {w} { } { } {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10--11--12

Masq (Mysterious Stranger)
HP: 45/45
MP: 20/20
DD: 0/10
Atk: 11
Def: 5
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 5%
Move: 3 cells

Karin (Computation Engineer)
HP: 40/40
MP: 30/30
DD: 3/10
Atk: 4
Def: 6
Int: 4
Spr: 6
Evade: 5%
Move: 3 cells

Kryven (Gambler)
HP: 35/35
MP: 55/55
DD: 0/10
Atk: 2
Def: 5
Int: 10
Spr: 8
Evade: 8%
Move: 3 cells

Kalaya (Thief)
HP: 30/30
MP: 45/45
DD: 0/10
Atk: 11
Def: 4
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 8%
Move: 4 cells

{t} - Glowing Glyph
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Investigate.  Investigate the mysterious glyph upon the table. Range: Adjacent.]

{w} - Wall
[No Occupy]

{f} - Fireplace
[No Occupy]

{l} - Loveseat
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit.  I don't know why you would do this.]

{c} - Chair
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit.  I don't know why you would do this.]

{b} - Bookshelves
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Take Trinket.  Help yourself to a dusty trinket on the shelf.  Range: Adjacent.  Uses: 1.]

{d} - Dresser
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Rummage.  Search through one of the drawers; must be designated by the user as 'top', 'middle', or 'bottom' drawer.  Uses: 2.]

Player Phase 1!

Masq moves to G5.

"All right, let's get this show on the road," Masq stated quite simply as if this were the easiest of tasks.  Kalaya's presence was unprecedented but it didn't really change anything.  Masq knew what cards rest under Kryven's sleeve and he wasn't worried about them.  It was time to incapacitate this wild card as quickly as possible.  A slice so fast it was nearly unseen was made against the thief, and as nimble as she was, he doubted that she'd be able to dodge it, and what would be even better would be if the spell that was woven around his blade lured the woman into a deep slumber, for it was against a sleeping enemy that he was most effective.

"Sweet dreams," he chimed, keeping an intent eye on the thief and keeping his guard up, granted that it was up all the time.

Masq attacks Kalaya!  11 Dmg! (ATK) [Chance of Sleep]

Kryven takes 1 Dmg!

HP: 34/35

Kalaya takes 7 Dmg!

HP: 23/30

Kalaya evades Sleep!

Special Chapter 00: Down On His Luck

Location: Bad Luck - Kryven's Lounge

Objective: Defeat Kryven and Kalaya!

Background: ~Relapse~

Achivement: Attentive - Make it through the entire battle without having an item or gold being stolen by Kalaya. [5 AP]

{w} {w} {w} {w} {f} {f} {f} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w }A
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} B
{w} { } { } {c} { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} C
{w} {t} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} D
{w} {t} { } {l} { } {t} {K} {l} { } { } { } {w} E
{w} {t} { } {l} {A} {t} { } {l} { } { } {d} {w} F
{w} { } { } { } {M} { } { } {K} { } { } {d} {w} G
{w} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} H
{w} {b} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} I
{w} {w} {w} {w} { } { } {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10--11--12

Enemy Phase.

Kryven attacks Karen! 10 Dmg! (INT)

"Neither of you are leaving this place alive! I know what kind of monster you are, but your friend here seems far more fragile!" the gambler shouted as he tossed a card at Karen which exploded on contact in a mass of magical energy.

Kryven waits.

Kalaya moves to D5.

"Was that it? The only one dreaming here is you if you think you can defeat me," Kalaya snarled as she leaped back and waved a hand through the air. A fiery red aura appeared over her hand as a sphere of fire appeared at Masq's feet, the sphere stretching upwards and taking on the form of a dragon that sunk its blazing fangs into his body multiple times before disappearing.

Kalaya uses Spiral Scorch on Masq! 3 hits! 10 Fire Dmg per hit! (ATK) [Masq is Poisoned]

MP: 31/45

{w} {w} {w} {w} {f} {f} {f} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w }A
{w} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} B
{w} { } { } {c} { } { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} C
{w} {t} { } { } {A} { } { } { } { } { } {t} {w} D
{w} {t} { } {l} { } {t} {K} {l} { } { } { } {w} E
{w} {t} { } {l} { } {t} { } {l} { } { } {d} {w} F
{w} { } { } { } {M} { } { } {K} { } { } {d} {w} G
{w} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} H
{w} {b} {b} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {w} I
{w} {w} {w} {w} { } { } {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} {w} J
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10--11--12

Player Phase 2!

Masq (Mysterious Stranger) *POISON [4]*
HP: 26/45
MP: 20/20
DD: 1/10
Atk: 11
Def: 5
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 5%
Move: 3 cells

Karin (Computation Engineer)
HP: 36/40
MP: 30/30
DD: 4/10
Atk: 4
Def: 6
Int: 4
Spr: 6
Evade: 5%
Move: 3 cells

Kryven (Gambler)
HP: 34/35
MP: 55/55
DD: 1/10
Atk: 2
Def: 5
Int: 10
Spr: 8
Evade: 8%
Move: 3 cells

Kalaya (Thief)
HP: 23/30
MP: 31/45
DD: 3/10
Atk: 11
Def: 4
Int: 2
Spr: 7
Evade: 8%
Move: 4 cells

{t} - Glowing Glyph
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Investigate. Investigate the mysterious glyph upon the table. Range: Adjacent.]

{w} - Wall
[No Occupy]

{f} - Fireplace
[No Occupy]

{l} - Loveseat
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit. I don't know why you would do this.]

{c} - Chair
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Sit. I don't know why you would do this.]

{b} - Bookshelves
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Take Trinket. Help yourself to a dusty trinket on the shelf. Range: Adjacent. Uses: 1.]

{d} - Dresser
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Rummage. Search through one of the drawers; must be designated by the user as 'top', 'middle', or 'bottom' drawer. Uses: 2.]

"Well, that smarted."

Masq was quite discontent with being bitten. Each bite stung with seemingly more intensity than the last, and his whole body felt like it was on fire, as if a horrid venom had penetrated his bloodstream. It didn't feel very good, and there was no doubt that if this woman kept up such an assault, he was going to have a hard time. He wasn't sure where Kryven had found her but damn she was a tough customer. Masq dashed forward with sword at the ready. He dealt another vicious, lightning-quick strike to her torso, hoping the cursing essence on his blade would lure her into the slumber he had tried to draw her into last time.

Masq moves to E5.

Masq attacks Kalaya! 11 Dmg! (ATK) [Chance of Sleep]