It wouldn’t have been right to send Raiann back without protection, so reluctantly although he did well to hide it, Agazuul offered that Raiann should take four soldiers back with her of her choosing. Eight new souls joined the journey to darker lands, but two more had to join before Agazuul ventured into the deep below.
“So where are we off to exactly? We heard there was a chance of slaying some demons?” Eerik said quite nonchalantly, wiping a freshly plucked apple on his icy blue tunic. Who befit rank and file soldier by appearance, white skin, brown eyes and brown hair, not a single feature that stuck out.
“Yes, you did give us some inspiring words for the journey ahead but never mentioned where we were going exactly?” Matteus asked Agazuul. A youth who barely seemed to have reached adulthood, his eyes a deep brown and his hair like charcoal, his skin a warm fawn, light yellow-brown white.
“The next leg shall take us on the Miner’s trail to the Cyne road, you’ll see once we get to where we’re going. Trust me it’s important,” Agazuul said, leaving them to ponder the destination, oblivious to the sarcasm with which Matteus regarded his speech.
“You sure, you can’t just tell me?” Carl asked conspiratorially.
“No can do, Carl. Can’t play favorites here.” Agazuul whispered back. I’m not even certain this detour is going to be worth the trouble, Agazuul thought.
“Thank you for getting us out of that situation, Agazuul! We would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for you!” Alma declared, as she strode closer to Agazuul.
“Well you are very welcome, I couldn’t have done it without my extensive training at the Sanguinators Academy.” Agazuul answered, a wide smile on his face, noticing her comely features. She had shoulder length, straight rich mahogany brown hair, with tawny brown skin but her most notable feature were her gray eyes.
“Hey, I helped too! I deserve credit as well!” Carl shouted as he closed the distance.
“Is it true, you’ve been denied taking up the position of Ludwig Schulz?” Alma’s question sent Agazuul reeling for a moment, reminded of what Aquilan had stolen from him. Before Agazuul could even form an answer Alma continued.
“After what you’ve done for Tharios, Osred Brighaerd himself should’ve come to give you your laurels.” Agazuul smiled in lieu of an answer. Finding his smile returned in kind by Alma, her gray eyes pulled Agazuul’s gaze and refused to let go.
“The usurper? If he does come and do that, Agazuul do me a favor and drive your sword through him and make yourself twice a hero, yeah?” Kaino said his disdain for Osred turned the words into blades. His hair little more than the stubble on Patrik’s cheeks, a widow’s peak that left little place to retreat. His skin was an ochre beige and eyes the color of tea leaves.
“Oh, once you’re at it, Agazuul deliver me Theobald’s head on a platter, yeah?” Matteus retorted, mocking Kaino. While words spoken in jest, it seemed to only quiet the band of travelers.
“Knock it off you two, we can’t change what happened. We signed up for a journey we well knew could mean our doom. We’re talking about a Demonic Duke here. We didn’t expect the ambush in Muina-Amar but none of us should go on this journey thinking most of us were going to make it out, we fight for the Realm.” Mirva paused for a moment, “and we will die for the Realm.” Her hazel eyes swept across the group, her brown hair was side swept thick, luscious and short of length, the sides and back the length of Kaino’s hair, her skin a light fawn white. Another pause was given to let her words sink in. “Death to Orcus!” Mirva shouted, and most followed suit. Mirva repeated it thrice for effect, the energy of the group growing with each shout of ‘Death to Orcus!’.
Agazuul contented himself by overhearing the conversations of the soldiers as they made their way to the nearest village. It was clear that while he assumed Raiann would come with well-experienced veterans, these were quite the opposite. If not already evident from the fact that such a simple ambush had laid their entire force low, then by the fact of their ages. Their conversations only confirmed Agazuul’s suspicions, except for Patrik they didn’t get to finish their training and barely knew one another before setting out, being plucked from various training camps across Rastaytan. While the ones lost were definitely mourned and cried over, Mirva seemed to steer the conversation to remember the good and brave moments the lost ones experienced. Mirva seemed to transform tragedy into sacrifice without a hint of disingenuousness.
“Ah finally, a chance for a drink!” Paula declared as she pointed towards Cnocham where Agazuul and Carl had left their mounts before venturing towards Muina-Amar. Her rich golden brown skin shone in the light on the hill on which they overlooked Cnocham, her wavy brown hair fell to over her shoulders as one of the last to take her helmet off, her dark green eyes smiling.
“...And perhaps some soft beds!” Eira added, elbowing Paula playfully in her side. She had eyes of teal, her hair shaven along the sides and back, long on top with some product to raise it where it looked like a mighty black wave crashing against a dockside, her skin was a deep umber; dark yellow-brown. Before she had spoken, Agazuul assumed she was a man by the way she dressed her chest did little to dissuade Agazuul from thinking so still.
“I could use a drink.” Carl said to no one in particular as he passed by Agazuul with a stride.
Cnocham was a tiny village right next to the Miner’s Trail, tucked in between the gorgahldium hills and nearby woods a smattering of houses and only one place to stay the night and get a drink with fairly little place for the second. As Bertram saw the approaching group he hastily set out a few tables and plopped down some barrels to serve as chairs on the packed dirt path before the inn. There was no need for a name or sign as the building being the largest in the village stood out enough.
“Weary from your travels?” Bertram shouted once the group was close enough to hear. The sage-green orc with short black hair gave them a wide smile which some would find frightening as Bertram’s teeth much resembled those of a shark. As the group got closer and settled down outside the inn there was a moment of agreed upon tranquility, no words or deeds were exchanged to form it but as the sun shone down on this spot through the light gray clouds accompanied by its warmth it seemed everyone had grown quiet and in that quietude one could hear the low bustle of the village, the lumberjacks and their carts rumbling softly over the packed dirt path to the forest, a kid chasing a chicken down the other way and a mother trying to get a hold of the kid while cradling a babe in her arms.
“What’ll you be having then?” Bertram stood in front of them a wax tablet in hand, his dull-orange woolen tunic, light-brown leather apron and small glasses creating a disarming softness against the gruff voice and strong jaw that uttered the words.
“A round of mead for all!” Carl shouted out, getting a few good smiles out of it. It didn’t take long for Bertram to return wiping the tally from his board after recounting them on the table.
“We actually made it out,...” Patrik mumbled to himself in the bit of silence that had once again fallen over the group. He had kept himself in armor but sitting down had finally removed his helmet, he pushed his unkempt hair to the left side and tried to hold back the tears in those saddle brown eyes. Every soldier took a long drink of their mead before setting it down again. Mirva stood herself up on one of the precariously balanced barrels, lifting her mug to the sky. “They are lost, but shall not be forgotten. Their sacrifice has forged our path here! Their lives were cut short, so let us not fall into despair and make their sacrifice naught.” That word again sacrifice, Agazuul could only hope that’s how they really felt. A hundred came and here I sit with eight.
Eerik had retrieved some dice from his bag and started spreading them across the table, dealing out eight dice each to himself and everyone else.
“What are we playing?” Eira asked, her question capped off by a loud belch which triggered a hearty laugh from Paula.
“The belching game Eira? Surely not.” Matteus answered haughtily in jest.
“Oh you have to play, Agazuul!” Alma declared, and with a smile like that how could Agazuul refuse.
“Sure I’m in, but could someone tell me what we’re playing exactly?” Agazuul responded, happy that his fiery red skin hid his blush.
“Aer dice, is the game. I’m sure someone can explain the rules?” Eerik said while going into the inn and chatting with Bertram.
“I’m more partial to Disturbed Dice.” Patrik said to no one in particular.
“It’s a game of dexterity, drinking and gambling.” Kaino looked around and paused for dramatic effect.
“Yeah, just had to get a second look to be sure, but no dwarfs with us so the game should be a fair shot for everyone.” He paused a moment more, looking towards Agazuul.
“No chance Ignigena are more resistant to alcohol right?” Kaino asked, suddenly serious.
“No, not particularly, no? Although I did have some good practice with Gadraek Borlakvann, a dwarven friend of mine.” Agazuul stared off in the distance for a moment remembering his greatest friend and trustworthy battle brother.
“Then I guess it’s fine!” Kaino declared.
“Hm, I missed where the rules were, or did you plan on telling us after winning our gold, you bastard?!” Eira asked, starting on a barely audible tone told over her third empty mug, strengthening to a shout of ‘bastard’.
At this point Eerik had returned with eleven mugs, and a well muscled man in his late twenties. The man smelled strongly of mead and wine and had brought his own barrel to sit on. As he turned the tap to fill his own drinking mug, it seemed that unlike the other barrels this one was still full. “The name is Ambrose,” he said as he accepted eight dice from Eerik.
“You all know the rules yet?” Eerik asked as he dealt out the eleven mugs which was followed by a myriad of answers ranging from a full yes to an absolute no. Eerik cocked his head to the side to denote his confusion.
“Well, allow me then.” Ambrose said, Carl moving his barrel seat to not be too close to the wine, mead mixed breath.
“There components of the game are eight dice, drinking and cups,” Ambrose looked over the table, nodding in approval. “We drink, throw the dice up in the air with our left hand palm up and catch them slamming our cup down with the right hand. If any dice fall off the table, they’re out of the game, any still on the table can be used for later throws. The table will agree on a bet by knocking on the table with cups on their dice, every player that doesn’t abstain can knock only if everyone knocks does the bid go up. Normally the game lasts three rounds, each round starts with everyone shouting ‘one more round!’ draining a full mug of mead, wine or ale, and then continuing on as normal.” Ambrose continued.
“So just four rounds of drinking, throwing and gambling then?” Carl asked, eager to get started on the drinking part of it.
“Not quite, there’s a few rules for knockout. If you are without dice in your cup, you lose. If you pass out drunk, you lose, and of course if you have no more money to bet, you lose!” Ambrose clarified, and continued “you can only sit out for one deal unless we’re going into extra rounds.”
“Seems clear to me,” Mirva said, a smile on her face eager to get started. Agazuul looked over to Ambrose once more and saw a chance.
“I say we raise the stakes, I put my gold on the table for everyone to use as capital, 10 gold each, if you win the rest of the bag is yours.” Agazuul said, letting the heavy purse ring its sweet ‘cling clang’ as it dropped on the table,“but if you lose, Ambrose. You join us on our journey, no questions asked.” Agazuul let the silence hang that the moment created, there were silent gasps, Eira excitedly elbowed Paula, and Carl silently mouthed ‘what the fuck?’. Ambrose laughed after a while. If I lose this game, I won’t have anything left for supplies, but there’s no way I’d lose against a simple drayman.
“I could use the extra gold, thanks!”
The tables were hastily shoved together, Bertram put a heavy tablecloth over them, while the soldiers pulled off their armor, and neatly put their surcoat away, everyone but Kaino, who defiantly wore the coat of arms of Rastaytan proudly.
“So 10 gold was it for each, gold instead of silver?” Ambrose asked with a sly smile on his face, looking over to Agazuul on his right.
“Should we get a round started?” Carl asked, looking towards Ambrose on his left and without waiting for an answer shouted to Bertram, “another one on me!” which earned him an appreciative shoulder pat from Eerik on his right.
“You won’t buy our friendship that way old man! Oh but do keep trying.” Matteus said, having to bend forwards quite a bit to look Carl in the eye as he raised his mug in salute. Kaino slammed his mug against Matteus in mock appreciation. Mirva looked enviously out towards Ambrose who had claimed quite the space directly opposite while she was stuck sharing the same footprint with Patrik. Paula and Eira gave each other a long glance of a cooperative conspiratorial nature, while Kaino offered the same to Alma only to be refused by a shake of the head, after which Kaino pantomimed dying by arrow.
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“Suppose I should do the honors, ey?” Bertram said as he carried four pitchers of mead to the table.
“Drink up!” and as he shouted, everyone did as was bid, draining their mugs.
“So none are confused, this is where we toss the dice into the air, allow me to demonstrate,” Ambrose put his hand around the eight dice in front of him and put his hand palm up half a pitcher height off the table, threw them up in a simple motion to great effect and slid his left away while his right came with cup bearing down catching all eight dice and revealed them: forty pips. Let’s hope his luck is spent on that roll, Agazuul thought nervously.
“Alright, so the throw is important so get it right, Bertram here shall be our judge but failing the throw can result in a knockout.” Ambrose continued. He didn’t mention that before the bet, Agazuul thought bitterly.
Everyone drained their first drink, Betram ready to refill them with pitchers. Kaino and Alma, seemed to have trouble keeping it down Agazuul saw as he tried to get an idea of who he was at the table with. Then it happened without much of a warning, Kaino sped from his barrel to find a patch of barren ground behind a tree, to throw up his drink; he had been slamming them back quite quick before they even started playing. That was one player down, ten more in the game, the dice still lay on the table a bit shaken from their position by Kaino having hit the two tables on his way out.
“Hm, seems Kaino might’ve pregamed a bit too much.” Eerik said, seemingly bored.
“Screw, y….” Kaino had directed an insult towards Eerik’s but it fell flat when his words were interrupted by a stream of half-digested food on a river of mead.
“I’m not a big fan of Eerik’s face either, but you’re taking it a bit too far buddy,” Matteus declared jokingly. Eerik seemed to have some trouble fitting the dice in his hand as everyone stood at the ready to throw them simultaneously. Strange, his fist doesn’t close easily it seems, Agazuul thought. As the dice were thrown Agazuul saw there were more dice flying up from Eerik’s hand than they started with, Agazuul caught his eighth without much trouble but saw that many had trouble doing the same, some dice clattered on the table unclaimed, others fell of the edge and were out of the game for as many rounds as this would last. As the cups were down people stared one another in the eyes, and began knocking on the table, three knocks by ten people, a fourth was sounded but wasn’t responded to in kind.
“Al right, a bet of three it is, that sounds right to everyone?” Ambrose asked, looking for confirmation. Most nodded others declared a confident yes, and some mumbled it out quite uncertain of their choice. The cups were lifted and Ambrose had a look of horror on his face.
“Read ‘em and weep, think I have this pot.” Eerik declared confidently, having eleven dice revealed from his cup. Where Kaino had left the eighth dice, five had been scattered to the right side of the tables, three had evidently made it to Eerik’s cup.
“You can’t use dice from players who got knocked out, he never threw them out on the table. Kaino should’ve taken them with him when leaving the table.” Ambrose said, a bit of frustration and disbelief in his voice while trying to maintain a calm demeanor.
“Hm, I don’t remember that rule, does anyone?” Eerik said, his voice making it seem he doesn’t care one way or another.
“He got you there didn’t he, hah such a long explanation only to forget about such a thing? You’re making these rules up as you go along don’t you Ambrose?” Eira said putting aggressive, ‘you bastard’ tones in there for good measure.
“Ambrose is right, how about I be the arbiter in case rules come up after this?” Betram offered, Ambrose nodded. “Though I already designated you as such, dear Bertram. I shall allow this; good on you for testing the boundaries Eerik was it?” Ambrose allowed slipping into his calm and collected demeanor, while looking over the table scanning for more threats. This is going to be easy, ten against one. Agazuul thought confidently. Agazuul also noted how Ambrose had ended up with ten dice, without making much of a fuss, Carl looking quite dejected.
The second round began with another round of drinking, everyone drained their cups and Eerik scooped his winnings to his spot on the table. Agazuul noticed Alma’s cup wasn’t entirely drained and quickly looked away, trying to feign ignorance, but Paula with much gusto shouted Alma’s failure to the entire table. Alma gave a glance towards Agazuul of embarrassment as she tried to drain the rest of the mug, turning a sickly pale white, Alma took her dice and ran towards the spot that Kaino had already tried to desecrate and added even more reason for the tree to not make it to next summer. After emptying her bowels, she took a seat next to Kaino leaning against the inn.
“Kaino was starting to look lonely indeed, Alma is quite the friend”, Matteus said in jest.
“Even less people to win the pot from”, Eerik said almost as a fact. The now nine players took dice in their hands, Kaino’s dice having disappeared amongst the players on the right. While Eerik, Agazuul and Ambrose were more than able to catch their own dice, most seemed to have even less dice under their cups by the sound of the clattering, some swearing at the loss of dice which were flung from the table. Agazuul did catch another moment of comradery as Paula had skillfully used her cup to knock a few over into Eira’s space before she brought the cup down, smiles were exchanged betraying the otherwise subtle move. As bets were made, Patrik abstained. The bet went again to three before people stopped knocking. There was a big chance to win the pot with eight dice, Agazuul thought, noticing some dice still on the table. All I need is a little luck to beat Ambrose and Eerik.
Ambrose revealed his cup, forty-eight pips on the dice. An impressive number beating the second highest by more than ten. If Eerik had won this bout, there would’ve been little chance for Ambrose to get the win, as Ambrose scooped up the twenty-one coin pot. He knew a big group such as this would provide a wild swing to any with the dexterity to stay the same dice, by grabbing some early from a clumsy player he had all but guaranteed his victory in round one if it wasn’t for Eerik’s move. I’ll have to take big risks to even stand a chance, most of the players here will only add to his chances of winning. Agazuul thought bitterly.
A shout of ‘One more round!’ brought Agazuul back to the game, and his focus now came with a gameplan. Patrik scooped a few dice from the table, Mirva had a look of disbelief on her face but said nothing, as Agazuul looked over to Bertram, he only seemed to nod approvingly to Patrik who nodded back in kind. Are there even more rules I’m unaware of, Agazuul thought annoyed. As they all threw up the dice Agazuul focused on Ambrose and saw him throwing his dice to the right, knocking his cup against Carl’s with a force that nearly sent if flying out of Carl’s hand, who brought it down to not be disqualified for lingering. Carl threw the cup behind him, grabbed his scattered dice and left the table angrily. Carl walked up to Bertram, “Weren’t you supposed to be the judge? How is that a legal move?” Carl shouted. Bertram looked at Carl and calmly said, “That’s how the game is played, you knock each other's cup or dice away, drink till the other pukes and if that doesn’t work you gamble, it takes all three.” Carl didn’t seem to like Bertram’s answer and took his drink inside the inn. Another one down for the count, Ambrose army of one. Paula sat there hand heavy over her cup, there was a twitch and a smile blossomed on Ambrose’s face. One knock was all any would dare, only half took up the call to raise the stakes. Ambrose smacked the table and held up a hand to wait, “Paula you don’t have a single die under there do you?” Ambrose asked, trying to hide a shit-eating grin. Paula left the table without a word, taking an empty cup with her, leaving quite the bit of room between her and desecrated grounds left in the wake of Kaino & Alma. “You’re lucky I noticed too late Patrik.” Ambrose added as he scooped up his winnings. Patrik scooped the three dice and took a glance at Paula, “You’re allowed to abstain once, as long as no one is able to tell. You can get away with it”. There was a solemnity to his voice, the possibility of walking out of this with a lot of gold to his name already a far flung dream.
“That takes care of the first three rounds, anyone gets their one chance to abstain back.” Ambrose explained over his pile of gold before continuing
“Kaino, Alma, Carl and Paula have been eliminated from the game leaving us with lucky seven.” Agazuul didn’t feel all that lucky as he scanned the table seeing the piles of coins some had and the couple most had. Matteus, Mirva, Eira and Agazuul sat at a meager three, Patrik having one more due to his abstaining once, Ambrose had a towering pile of thirty-four, while Eerik sat close behind with thirty to his name. If I saw right, Ambrose has far more dice than Eerik at this moment. I couldn’t bank my success on Eerik winning it for me. That thought quickly turned to dread as Agazuul took a closer glance at Eerik swaying in his seat.
“How are we still supposed to win with you so far in the lead Ambrose, you bastard!” Eira shouted, after casting a glance at Paula. Which everyone took as the start of the round as they downed their mead. The dice were quickly flung into the air. If he can play foul then so can I, Agazuul thought as he knocked his cup against the rain of dice Ambrose had sent to come clatter down. Eerik smiled, holding up one finger, earning him an approving nod from Agazuul. It’ll have to be me, Agazuul thought, casting a glance to Eira who seemed somewhat confused before giving a confident nod back, casting conspiratory glances across the table. Ambrose, taken somewhat aback, rapped the first knock on the table, everyone following in toe for a total of three knocks, apart from Eerik, Agazuul and Ambrose everyone had abstained from this round.
“Clever, but that would require your win in this bout Agazuul.” Ambrose declared.
“Or mine.” Eerik added matter-of-factly. While the three cups lifted everyone was eager to take note of every result, but most focus and diligence was bestowed upon the contents of Agazuul’s cup. This very gambit could mean Agazuul the game, if Ambrose would win he could play Eerik out without ever risking himself. “Four sixes and two fours.” Ambrose proudly declared. Eerik had rolled none too poorly but was left with a total of twenty-seven pips. Everyone waited with baited breath as Agazuul placed the pitcher out of the way so everyone could see his result. A one, two threes, two fours and three sixes. Agazuul counted and recounted just to be certain. “Thirty-three pips on eight dice, just one pip more but still enough!” Agazuul shouted in delight. Ambrose took to refilling the mugs with mead. A smile crept across Ambrose's face.
“You really know how to make a drayman work for his gold.” Everyone downed another drink without issue, dice were thrown up and as one could expect, most started feeling their drinks even Ambrose lost one die. Eerik had managed to catch the seven he’d started the extra rounds with. Patrik bowed out having lost the last dice he had. First hesitantly but then confidently the knocks came. The first two could’ve earned them an extra round but as most looked at their limit of holding the drinks they thought the better of it. The remaining knocks only worked in their favor and though they resounded a sixth knock none of the now big three felt inclined to follow.
“Scared I’ll beat you all with a single die?” Matteus asked in mock shock, earning him a playful nudge from Mirva who’d already accepted her certain loss as well. Despite having far fewer dice under her cup Eira could not be more determined, his eyes fixed on his cup and the dice it held. There it was again, that thought of Eira as male, or perhaps it was as such. Agazuul could only admire Eira. As everyone left lifted their cups, only Agazuul and Eerik were close in result Agazuul claimed the victory by a difference of three pips. Eira, Matteus and Mirva got up from the table but moved their barrels to still be seated near the action as it seemed close to its end. Agazuul quickly counted out his next few bets and saw Eerik grabbing his head for a moment as the three of them downed their next drink. Ambrose and Agazuul that the other was the only worthy opponent still at the table tried knocking the dice of the other away, where Agazuul lost four, Ambrose only lost two. Only two knocks were made, Ambrose abstaining for the first and final time. I bet what I could stand to lose, I’ll stand a rather low chance of winning this one with only four dice left. Agazuul thought as he and Eerik lifted their cups showing that Eerik had won by a landslide. Eerik grabbed at his cup and missed the handle, tried grabbing it again only to pull it in too heavily, spilling it all over himself. Bertram grabbed up Eerik before he’d fall from his seat, carrying him inside by the armpits.
It came down to this, Ambrose against Agazuul. “Let’s not dally and make this one big gambit?” Ambrose suggested.
“Works for me.” Agazuul concurred as both players grabbed their dice remaining on the table. Agazuul’s seven dice against Ambrose’s five. Ambrose had gotten extremely lucky with some of his rolls. Neither of them seemed eager to try anything lest they lose all their dice in the attempt, so the dice were thrown up and caught without interference. The dice cup's contents were revealed, Ambrose’s cup had held four sixes and a five for a total of 29 pips. He has to be cheating?! Eira declared, angry and shocked. Bertram, who bore witness, just crossed his arms and shaked his head in lieu of a no. Agazuul cup was lifted by Bertram as Agazuul seemed paralyzed by the near impossibility of such a roll.
“Three fives, two fours,...” I am going to lose, Agazuul thought.
“...and two threes.” Agazuul jerked up quickly, his opponent's mouth agape. A tie in the final round, equal delight and disappointment rushed through Agazuul. One more round then. Agazuul thought determined. They both drank and Agazuul’s head swam.
“Let’s try this again? Same stakes?” Ambrose seemed as eager to have this over with as Agazuul. As the dice went up the attitude was different as both tried to leave the other with no dice, two had landed their way unto Agazuul’s side, Agazuul slammed his cup down fast but Ambrose slammed his right next to it the iron bands groaning in protest as they were forced to slam against iron. Both players only had a single die with a result unbeknownst to them. Kaino came close to the table with sudden interest, had he seen the result already before the cups had come crashing down? “Ah I cannot bear it, reveal the contents at once.” Kaino declared, pantomiming being a blushing maiden near to fainting. That took most of the tension out of it for the onlookers as they shared a hearty laugh, but Agazuul and Ambrose locked eyes full of fiery determination. The cups went up and only one was declared victor.