Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-26130256-20150408000748/@comment-26130256-20150408063403

Copperfield tried his hardest to sound indignant, but it came out more like a laugh as he took the first swallow of his bourbon.

"Mr. Azure!  I have patronized your wonderful establishment for three years now," he said, his eyes full of mirth. "And not once do I recall a House's cut being deducted."

"Indeed," agreed South, a thin dog-Faunus with wire-rimmed glasses, grabbing some kind of hard liquor that was black as a Grimm's hide, and probably just as good for you. "If you feel our tips inadequate, you have but to say so."

After a bit more bidding, bluffing, and assorted bluster, North decided the hand to be a 4 Spades, testing his strawberry martini. (which, before today, Azulius had no idea was really a drink)  North smiled approvingly, moving his hand to his jacket pocket to "check his scroll," as well as grab a few high Spades he had hidden for just such an occasion.

Opening his bottle of People Like Grapes (Azzie didn't drink often, and this card game would need his full intellect to win), Azzie watched the other players. South had crossed his foot onto his left thigh, probably to fetch some cards hidden behind a sock or something like that. Copperfield had already used Vermont's distraction to swap out his cards. Azulius leaned his head back to yawn, knocking his head on the stock of Roaring Moxie, which hung on the back of his chair. The noise of head impacting composite provided just enough distraction to let him sleeve a few of his cards and extract the others.

Once everyone had "tried their drinks," North led the first trick with a King of Spades, clearly hoping to get a head start on the ten tricks he had contracted. But Copperfield snatched it with an Ace at the last second. Azzie smiled, looking at his own hand with its own Ace of Spades. That was the fun bit about scoundrel games. Since everyone involved was a card cheat, and trying to out-cheat their fellow sharks, what was originally a game of luck cut with some skill became a game of skill, dexterity, and simple guts. This is gonna be one of those hands, he thought with a smile.