DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Dawn of Revolution
The Gambler
Three years before the coalition war began...
Sienna slammed the wicker cup over the two dice on the smooth wooden table and glanced at both gamblers. "Gentlemen, place your bets."
Antonio Vesca resisted the urge to narrow his eyes in concentration, because that would just look silly. Still, he tried to get a read on his half-goliath opponent's face, weighing the odds. Didn't goliaths tend to bet on odds in the game of Odd and Even? Right? Well, that's what folk tales said.
Okay, that half-goliath was definitely sizing Antonio up too, and Antonio was sure his opponent was deciding in what order to tear his limbs off if this bet didn't go his way.
Good thing the gambling den's exit was unblocked if this went sideways.
Sienna gave her friend another look. "How will you bet, Antonio?"
Oh, to heck with it. Antonio cracked a grin and slid forth a sizeable pile of gold and silver coins. "That's forty gold pieces' worth," he said. "On odds."
The small crowd gasped and muttered amongst themselves. People didn't normally bet so much on Odd and Even, since matches were usually based on several rapid-fire games with small bets for each. But Antonio, as a carefree air genasi, had a mind like an easygoing mountain breeze, going wherever it wanted...
The half-goliath grunted and slid forth his own coins. "Call. On... evens." He shot Antonio a dirty look, confirming at least one stereotype the Trassian bards liked to spread around.
"The bets are in!" Sienna declared. She made a flourish, then raised the wicker cup to reveal the two six-sided dice underneath.
A three and a four.
"That's what I'm talking about! Haha!" Antonio clapped his hands together and scooped up 80 gold pieces' worth of coins as the crowd burst out laughing and the half-goliath's face soured even more.
"Only got six silvers left," the half-goliath grumbled, toying with his few remaining coins.
"Perhaps another round? Restock your coinpurse?" Sienna encouraged him.
The half-goliath tapped a finger on one of his silver coins, narrowing his eyes in thought. Then he made an irritated huff, collected his six coins, and stuffed them into his coinpurse. "Well played, boy." Then, without even tearing one person's limbs off (incredible), the half-goliath got to his feet and stomped out of Sienna's Gambling Den and into the warm evening light.
Antonio couldn't help a cocky grin as he played with two of his new gold coins. "Wow, Sienna, that was a close one."
Sienna returned her favorite patron's grin. "Yeah. And you won it fair and square."
She smartly didn't mention how she might sometimes load the dice or cards for Antonio in exchange for favors elsewhere.
"Anyone else? I'm game for anything," Antonio offered, gesturing with both arms.
"Not me. Just a drink from the bar, and I'll go," a tabaxi man with tabby fur said, and he wandered right over to the bar to get a pint.
"You? Wanna play?" Antonio warmly offered to a gnome lady, who shook her head.
"I'm just here for the show," she said with a modest smile. "I'd rather be able to afford dinner tonight, Antonio."
"Bwahahahaha!" Antonio looked around. "I'm still in the mood for more. How about -"
"Me," came a woman's voice.
Everyone's heads turned to look at the front door, where a half-elf woman with her hair in a braided ponytail stood there, hands on her hips, a friendly grin on her face. She looked like a ranger, based on her dark green and brown outfit and laced-up leather boots, complete with a shortbow and an unsheathed rapier at her belt. Wait, rangers didn't use rapiers. What's up with that?
"Ah! Welcome!" Sienna said, spreading her arms wide. "You must be new here. I'm always welcoming new faces to Choletto."
"Yeah. Nice town," the ranger-ish half-elf said as she casually approached the table where Antonio sat. "I'll have a drink and play a few rounds. If I may? Oh, and I'm Marron Ciadun, by the way."
"Hey there. I'm Antonio Vesca," Antonio said as his charming new opponent took a seat across from him. He offered a hand.
Marron shook it. "The pleasure's mine, Mr. Vesca."
As Sienna fetched a stout drink from the gambling den's bar, Antonio mentioned, "Hey, you have a northern accent. Where are you from?"
Marron accepted the drink from Sienna and took a sip. "Kingdom of Verhamaine. Until I was 26, that is. Been wandering the continent ever since. For now, I'm making a living taking odd jobs here in the Trassus Kingdom. I like it here."
"Nice sword, lady," a gruff man said in the crowd, his arms folded. He was one of the local blacksmiths. "I've heard tales about that thing."
Marron made a sly smile. "Familiar from the stories, huh? Bet you feel honored to see it in person."
A few people in the crowd muttered in confusion. Then Antonio's eyes widened and he pointed right at Marron's weapon. "No way. Is that..." He swallowed. "Is that one of the four Noble Swords? You just brought it in here?"
Marron patted her rapier. "Yup! But don't worry, I don't use this thing if I can help it. I've had it for years, but my bow is enough for most jobs. And today, I'm just looking for some fun, Mr. Vesca." She winked.
Sienna's Gambling Den was strict about weapons, only allowing the basics for self-defense in case an angry, drunk gambler got out of hand or if bandits decided to try and rob the place. Bringing one of the Noble Swords in here... what the hell?
Antonio had to learn more about what brought Marron Ciadun down here to Trassus with a weapon like that!
"You pick the game, Mr. Vesca," Marron offered, taking another sip. She ignored everyone's bewildered and/or concerned looks at the legendary rapier at her belt.
Antonio shared a look with Sienna. "How about... three-dragon ante?"
Marron nodded. "Great pick. First: the ante."
Antonio barely touched his coin pile to offer a modest ante when Marron drew her rapier and gently set it on the table in front of her. "I'll wager my sword. Eril-va."
This time, everyone made a scandalized gasp, and the tabaxi at the bar choked on his drink when he overheard Marron's wager. "What did she just say?" he cried, his tail puffed either from excitement or horror.
"Madam, we don't usually -" Sienna started.
Marron folded her arms. "I wager Eril-va," she insisted.
Antonio's mouth suddenly felt dry, and he almost wished he was facing an angry half-goliath instead. "M-Marron... what could I offer to call that kind of bet? The Noble Swords are priceless!"
Marron gestured at Antonio's gold and silver pile. "I'm sure you'll find enough in there."
Bewildered, but also intrigued, Antonio cautiously offered ten gold coins and twenty silvers. He was ready to double it, but stopped when Marron said that would suffice. Seriously, what? Any Noble Sword could cost at least three full treasure chests full of gold! Or about a million chickens! Wait, bartering with livestock was just silly for a Noble Sword. But nothing about this situation made sense anyway.
"So, uh... the bets are in!" Sienna said, trying to sound impressive, but her voice was quivering. "Three-dragon ante. Here are the cards..."
Sienna dealt the cards, and Antonio scooped up his hand, trying to figure out an angle. He was pretty good at this game, but he had lost with good hands before, and he didn't know Marron's style... and each kingdom had its own style for this game, too. How did Verhamaine people do it? All those snooty businessmen... maybe they were super-calculating and took measured risks!
Better be chaotic and reckless to counter that!
Back and forth Antonio and Marron went, laying down cards to build up their flight and accepting new cards from Sienna as they went. Antonio felt his heart pounding in his chest, wondering what would happen if he lost... or if he won. Risks were fun, the primal thrill of not knowing what would happen next until the last second, the savory rush of the dice or cards falling where they may... but not with a Noble Sword! Antonio stole covert glances at Marron's face, but the half-elf wasn't giving him anything. And she wasn't so playful and carefree now.
Antonio still felt pretty confident with his cards, though. He had a strong combination, one of his best in years. Marron only had a one-in-a-million chance to beat this! She would need the exact right card at the right time, or else -
"Marron wins!" Sienna declared. "Congratulations."
The small crowd clapped and commented on the game that just unfolded, while Antonio stared in shock at his and Marron's cards. No way! The odds were... well, a million to one! He was sure Marron hadn't done anything shady to get such a convenient card in her flights.
Deciding that a very strong drink was in order, Antonio pushed his coins across the table and got up to satisfy his thirst at the bar. He didn't give Sienna or Marron a look as he went.
Ten minutes later, after the victorious Marron finished her drink and left, Sienna passed by Antonio and patted his back. "Sorry, Antonio," she said gently. "Maybe next time you'll win big."
Antonio turned on his bar stool and took hold of Sienna's arm. "Hang on," he insisted. "Now that I think about it, that was awfully convenient. And you happened to nearly drop the deck of cards, where you could easily rearrange them..."
"You think I cheated?" Sienna pouted.
Antonio gave her a look. "Just be honest: did you?"
Sienna gave the gambling hall a quick look, then leaned in closer to Antonio's pointed ear. "I did, because that sword is obviously trouble."
"What!" Antonio hissed. "C'mon, Sienna, how could you do that?"
"I'm sorry! But I had to!" Sienna hissed back. "I had a bad feeling, okay? I wanted Marron and her fancy elf sword outta here."
"Because someone else would kill me in my sleep to steal it if I won it?"
"Maybe that, too. But you know the stories. A lot of bad things happen to those who carry the Noble Swords."
Antonio let go of Sienna's arm and folded his arms. "It can't be that bad. Those swords are elf-made! Nothin' can curse 'em."
"It must be the will of the gods, then, because I'm positive something bad would happen to you if you won Eril-va," Sienna insisted. "I'm just trying to look out for you, Antonio. Even if it costs you some gold. You can have a few drinks on the house, all right?"
Antonio glanced at the gambling den's door, where Marron had gone, and sighed. "Okay, fine. I mean, what would I do with a fancy psychic sword, anyway?" he shrugged widely. "I ain't no assassin or pirate."
Sienna smiled. "No. You're my friend. Now drink up! Let's put this behind us and have a good evening."
"Sure thing." Antonio turned back to face the bar and ordered a hard strawberry/lemonade drink while Sienna resumed her duties as the owner and dealer. He wanted to take his mind off things and resume his carefree life, but damn... he couldn't stop thinking about that legendary rapier and the weirdly haunted look on Marron's face. Was she... trying to get rid of it? That would explain why she accepted such a low wager!
Antonio's curiosity often got the better of him. Like right now.
"I'm goin' for a walk," Antonio told Sienna as he hastily strode past her and shoved open the gambling den's front door. While rangers were pretty good at vanishing into the wilderness and covering their tracks, Antonio had the feeling Marron wouldn't bother hiding her presence as she left Choletto to hit the open road. In fact, maybe she wanted to be found.
His hunch was right.
"Hey!" Antonio jogged to catch up when he found a familiar half-elf on the dirt road, and Marron Ciadun stopped and turned to face him.
"Mr. Vesca," she said with a forced smile. "Nice to see you again."
"Yeah. You too." Antonio double-checked that no one else was around, then cut to the chase. "Were you trying to offload Eril-va onto me?"
Marron put her hands on her hips. "You got me, pal. Yes, I'm done being the oh-so-glamorous owner of a Noble Sword."
"Is it unlucky?"
"I'd be pretty cruel to hand over a cursed weapon to some poor air genasi fellow I just met."
"Well then, how come you wanna pass it on so badly?"
Marron sighed and toyed with Eril-va's handle. "It's not unlucky or cursed, just so you know. But maybe I am, because nothing in my life really goes right. I thought that collecting powerful magic weapons and goodies would change all that, but I was just running away from my problems. This Noble Sword represents my foolishness." She drew it and swished it through the air. "I'm a much bigger fool than you realize, Mr. Vesca. I don't deserve Eril-va."
"What, and I do, for the low-low price of just ten gold coins?"
Marron gave him an appraising look. "You tell me. Do you?"
"Well..." Antonio had no idea how to answer that. Did he, a simple villager who loved stiff drinks and fun games, deserve a legendary weapon like Eril-va? Or any of the Noble Swords? He wasn't even a fighter! Well, his cousin Pietro was a soldier in the Trassian army, but that didn't count.
"I..." Antonio raised his arms and let them fall in a helpless gesture. "I wouldn't abuse it. I can say that much."
"Uh-huh. Good to know." Marron turned and walked off again.
Antonio watched her go, wondering if he was making a big mistake or not. Argh, what happened to his innocent, simple life? He wasn't some adventurer, seeking coin and glory on adventures in smelly dungeons or in a dragon's lair! That lifestyle was for meathead fools with a death wish.
He turned to go when he heard voices. Unfriendly ones.
"What the..." Antonio whirled around and stared in shock as several armed bandits emerged from the trees, laughing and hooting in glee, surrounding Marron as they went.
"And what do you boys want?" Marron demanded.
A dragonborn man with rusty red scales pointed at her. "I've finally found you, Marron Ciadun! Yes, I know who you are. You've caused a real stir ever since you crossed into Trassian territory from the Ayalakh Khanate. Lots of people want that fancy sword on your hip. And it's gonna be mine."
Antonio winced. He knew this bastard; that was Nixeris, a dark wizard who was trying to build his own crime syndicate in this area. Some say he had flunked out of a wizard school in Quixan, the capital, and wanted to restart his wizard career here in the peaceful countryside. Antonio never thought he'd see Nixeris fight someone in person, though.
Marron was outnumbered twenty to one, with Nixeris' men slowly closing in on her, brandishing their shortswords, maces, and enchanted daggers. Eril-va was supposed to be scarily powerful as a Noble Sword, but Marron was facing twenty foes at once, including a notorious wizard. What could she do?
"By the gods!" Antonio blurted out, then clapped his hands over his mouth.
He instantly learned what an elf-forged rapier can really do. Marron crouched low, drew Eril-va, and leaped into action, faster than any of Nixeris' men could react to. Marron let out a cry as her braided ponytail flapped this way and that, with Marron performing a deadly dance with her legendary sword. She thrust it again and again, jabbing her foes right in their faces. And each time she did, a surge of silvery magic struck her foes, who screamed in agony and seized their heads, collapsing in agony.
"Yah!" a half-orc thug raised his club to cave in Marron's skull from behind, but the weapon came down on empty air. Marron rolled to the side and jabbed Eril-va right into the half-orc's ear, and a blast of silvery magic had him wailing in torment on the ground, hands clutched to his head.
But...
"Watch out!" Antonio cried, abandoning all caution. So what if Nixeris' men heard him? Maron was in trouble, because Nixeris' men were recovering from Eril-va's psychic attacks faster than Antonio would have expected. By the gods, had Nixeris enchanted his men to resist psychic attacks? He was after the psychic sword, after all. Wizards are always one step ahead with these things.
Marron took down two more of Nixeris' men, but she was too slow to stop a third from cracking her right shin with his mace. Marron shouted in pain and dropped to one knee, fending off another armored thug with a fierce jab to his forehead. But she was falling behind, and three more thugs surrounded her and seized her. Eril-va dropped from Marron's hand, and Nixeris burst out laughing.
"Surprised?" Nixeris taunted his captive half-elf enemy. He spread out his hands, magic curling from his clawed fingers like glittering smoke. "That sword is mine now, fool! And so is your life!"
Marron grunted, baring her teeth as she struggled to break free. She couldn't do a thing with Eril-va, her hunting knife, or her shortbow with her arms restrained, and Nixeris was drawing closer, a hand outstretched to do who knows what -
"NO!" Antonio didn't even realize he was moving until he was halfway there, an unnatural breeze of his own making ruffling his hair and clothes, his own hand already outstretched. He was no fighter, and he didn't owe Marron anything. But he couldn't just stand there!
Nixeris let out a confused yelp as Antonio's natural air magic lifted him into the air as though hoisted by an invisible hook. Nixeris squirmed in place nearly twenty feet in the air, his spell disrupted, his clawed hands and feet waving everywhere. "G-get him!" he yelped. "Kill him!"
Antonio took an automatic step back, watching as half of Nixeris' thugs approached him, weapons held at the ready. Antonio didn't have any weapons, not even a dagger or a set of brass knuckles. Terror surged in his mind, wondering if this was how he'd die, being a hero for just one moment before paying the price for getting involved in someone else's fight. He needed something, anything. He needed -
That's it!
"Ha!" Antonio put on a brave face and thrust out his other hand, forming an air current that pushed Eril-va across the dirt road and into his waiting hand in a light spray of loose dirt.
"He's got the sword!" one of Nixeris' men cried out.
"So? We can take him, sword or not!" a burly earth genasi grunted, brandishing his shortsword. "C'mon!"
The thugs surged forth, and Antonio took another step back, holding Eril-va at the ready. He didn't have any formal combat training, but he had seen swordsmen at work and could reasonably imitate their moves. And wow, this sword felt incredible! Antonio couldn't help but grin as powerful, electrifying magic flowed from Eril-va's handle and into his hand, spreading all throghout his body. His mind felt sharp and alert, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion.
Antonio surprised everyone, including himself, when he thrust Eril-va forth and struck the earth genasi's forehead, blasting the man away with a surge of psychic power. Yow!
"Don't underestimate him!" another thug cried. "Surround him!"
Antonio braced himself, then whirled around, slashing Eril-va through the air to deflect his enemies' haphazard attacks, with flashes of psychic energy issuing from Eril-va's tip as he went. It was a deadly dance with Antonio as the star, his amateurish movements only barely keeping up with the sword and dagger thrusts that threatened to end his life. But these thugs were enchanted to resist Eril-va's effects. What if -
"Marron!" Antonio cried as he tumbled to avoid a sword thrust. "Use your bow! Shoot Nixeris! I'll give you a shot!"
Antonio prayed that this would work. Summoning all his strength, he swept Eril-va through the air and shouted with the strain of his natural magic, issuing a powerful gale of wind that threw everyone onto their backs. The thugs holding Marron's arms let go, buying the half-elf a few precious seconds to ready her bow, draw back an arrow, and let loose.
Nixeris shouted as the arrow punched right into his chest in midair, and just like that, his anti-psychic spell was broken. Almost laughing with relief and delight, Antonio jabbed Eril-va this way and that, releasing blasts of psychic energy that sent Nixeris' men scrambling, fleeing for their lives into the forest. That left only Nixeris himself, who still squirmed in midair, now bleeding from his arrow wound.
Panting, Marron unsteadily got to her feet, favoring her good leg as she went. She took aim and finished Nixeris with another arrow, this time to the head. Amazed, and more than a little shocked to see death for the first time, Antonio released his natural levitation spell and brought Nixeris' body to the ground.
Marron hobbled over to her air genasi friend and cracked a weary smile. Her face was streaked with sweat. "Wow... you're good in a fight, Mr. Vesca. Or rather, Antonio. Great work."
Antonio gave Nixeris' body an apprehensive look. "I never..." he swallowed. "I never thought something like this would happen to me. I fought like a knight! And Nixeris is dead!"
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for the bastard?"
"N... no." Antonio shook his head. "But still...!"
"Don't sweat it, Antonio. I took him down, and I don't regret it. What's done is done." She motioned at the elven rapier still held tightly in Antonio's right hand. "That's yours now."
"It doesn't belong to me. I lost our little gamble, remember?" Antonio offered Eril-va, but Marron shook her head.
"You expect me to keep a Noble Sword?" Antonio cried. "Come on!"
"I think it suits you. Eril-va likes its new master," Marron said warmly. "And I swear upon your 500 Trassian gods it's not cursed or unlucky. Haven't we gone over that before? It's my gift to you."
Antonio's head was spinning. On one hand, he was no fighter, and seeing someone die, even someone nasty like Nixeris, didn't sit right with him. But then again... there was no other weapon like this in the entire Trassus Kingdom! And it did feel good to wield that indescribable power. Marron owed Antonio her life because of Eril-va.
"I... okay." Antonio carefully slid Eril-va's slender blade into his leather belt and secured it. "It's mine now."
He and Marron stared at each other for a few weird seconds.
Marron laughed. "Sorry, pal, but I won't knight you just because you got your first sword."
"Yeah. I wasn't sure what came next," Antonio admitted. "But... wow. I wonder what Sienna will think when she sees this?"
Marron clapped her hands on Antonio's shoulders and met his eyes. "She's your friend. I'm sure she will be very proud of you."
"She said that getting mixed up with the Noble Swords and their owners would bring me misfortune," Antonio added. He drew Eril-va again and held it horizontally, looking it over. "I'm a gambling man. Let's just say I'm gonna take my chances with this thing."
"I like the way you think," Marron said brightly. "Beautiful, isn't it? And still in perfect condition after centuries on this earth."
Antonio agreed, admiring Eril-va's intricate, polished silver handle and hand guard, its sleek but tough blade, and the round, glittering sapphire set in its handle. He squinted and saw a few elvish runes etched into the narrow blade. "What's that say?" he asked, pointing.
"It's elvish for 'mind,' since it's the psychic Noble Sword and all," Marron explained casually. "According to legends, each Noble Sword has the name of its element carved into the blade, and each has a gem. If they're gonna be a set, might as well have a cool theme or two."
"Are the others rapiers, too?"
"Dunno. I haven't seen the other Noble Swords. I don't think anyone's seen more than one," Marron admitted with a shrug. "Unless you plan to collect 'em all?"
Antonio made a nervous laugh. "No way. Just one is more than enough for me! Thanks again. I'll never forget this." He sheathed Eril-va once again.
"Nor I. Take care, friend," Marron said, and she hobbled off once again.
Antonio held out a hand. "Stay in Choletto for the night. Let the doctor patch you up. Didn't you take a nasty blow to the leg?"
Marron waved it off. "I'll find a quiet spot in the forest and make myself a splint and bandage for it. My leg'll be fine by tomorrow morning."
"What, for real?"
"Don't underestimate a ranger. See ya again sometime. Maybe. Who knows?" Marron gave Antonio one last look, then resumed her trek down the road and toward the sunset.
Antonio watched her go, wondering what the odds were he'd meet someone like Marron Ciadun again. Probably close to zero. What a shame. He really dug her style.
Still feeling like this was some weird dream, Antonio made his way back to Choletto, resolving to pray at the local temple to Lundella, the goddess of gratitude and contentment. He felt like he needed a little more good luck with his new sword... just in case.