Open Rishi Games of Chance

[Zergo Rurik]

Spoiler: Theme Music

The smell of credits is in the air, and everybody wants a whiff. Anyone who is riding on a lucky streak in cards, drowning sorrows with a glass of Tatooine Sunrise, or enjoying a night full of good music — is in the Greedy Glor'ag. In one corner, a crowd of patrons stand over an intense game of Sabacc as the stakes get higher every minute. Up front, a female Rodian sings her heart out to the alluring tunes of a Bith band. The rest of the club was filled with lively conversation of various languages and stumbling drunks taking the edge off after a long day at the mines. The atmosphere has been relatively friendly since the night began. No fights, no blaster fire, at least for now. Eventually somebody would break the peace, as that was just the natural order of things in a place like this.

Somewhere in between it all, Zergo Rurik had just sat down for a round of Pazaak. After a big payday, he stayed in Coratanni Town. Not that he had a lot of other places to go to. Since the pandemic flipped his old home upside down, he ended up in Rishi. He wasn't very fond of the Outer Rim world, but he kept searching for decent places. The live music drew him into this particular establishment, but the temptation to play had him staying longer than intended. Everyone else minded their own business, paying no attention to the cloaked Kubaz, just as he liked it. After a short exchange of words, he was sat across a male Twi'lek who introduced himself as Olin. Both have brought their Pazaak decks to the table. As the night went on, the stack of credits on their table got higher and higher. Fortunately, most of that stack was sitting on Zergo's side. Finally accepting that luck was not on his side tonight, Olin waved a hand in frustration and stood from the table. Zergo interrupted his departure by speaking through his personal translator device.

"I buy your Tiebreaker card."

He was answered with a strange hand gesture that the private eye assumed to be some local insult. It was too bad, but he let the bitter Twi'lek leave while he gathered his winnings. Nobody replaced Olin at the table, and Zergo soon moved to a corner spot after squeezing between a sweaty pair of Gabdorins. While alone he sat still, and imagined the Greedy Glor'ag as his own.

"Out of my way!" Over the music and the noise, a growl came from a Sabacc table on the other side. A small commotion had started, and soon some human was being dragged out for cheating. The young man shouted obnoxious protests the whole way out. Back in his corner, the sweet sound of jizz music carried Zergo's mind far from the chaos that surrounded him. He relished it while waiting for another round of cards.

There was a long night ahead, and plenty of time to play.

 

[Davik Lorso]

Sometimes you just had to admit you're a sub-par smuggler, at best. At the start of the AMS pandemic it felt like a good business opportunity for the Smuggler's Guild, and it was, but then a lot of Hutt-employed folk unionized and others were undercut by the Crymorah, which was quickly encroaching on all smuggling operations in Syndicate space. Then more planets joined the FWA, Republic and ISC, making it harder for Ossein fleets like the Kowakian Devil Fleet to make a living smuggling and while the fleet became more dependent on the Jedi Order, so did Davik become more and more restless. Too bad he wasn't quite good enough at forging identification and access codes, because the AMS virus made it so much harder to land on 'civilized' planets and his usual charm and modest bribes only got him as far as the maintenance docks on space stations. Rishi had been a much-needed stop to get some land underneath his worn shoes and have the local excuse of a mechanic look at his beloved ship.

and what does one do when they're waiting for their ship to get some much needed maintenance? Right, you get drunk and try to win a few credits at the Sabacc table. Davik was down to his last fifty credits when they discovered the other dude was cheating and he watched him being dragged out with one eye while keeping the other firmly on the cheater's pile of credits. "So," the Ossein smiled at the other two remaining players, "Let's split his credits three ways, free up his seat and clean the next sucker dry eh?" It wasn't a bad deal for the others, for most of the credits the cheater had were Davik's to begin with, so they agreed and the piss-poor smuggler was a few hundred credits richer... for how long it would last him, anyway.

 

[Pellios]

Business was going fairly well for Pellios recently. That being said, it was also mostly uneventful which is the way the Devaronian prefered it given his line of work. Too much excitment these days and he wondered if he was losing his edge as a smuggler. The whole point was to keep a low profile. But sailing past blockades in a darkened ship to avoid scans and quarantine rules were some of the best memories the aging scoundrel had.

The recent deal for an assortment of arms delivered to a certain chiss business man on Courscant had lined the starship captain's pockets. At least for the evening. Maybe his 'spending money' could be turned into a bit more into a gambling investment of his owning making. Jann only scoffed at him and continued smoking some spice and detailing he droids while wearing cross-spectrum visors. She wasn't the type to really go out drinking and gambling anyways.

"Got room for another?" The horn-headed dandy smoothly found his way beside the Sabacc table after the rowdy cheater was taken away. It looked like the others were just getting started at a new hand. Perfect timing, he hoped.

@Eccles @Iyan

 

[Tacovean Delminar]

The club corner was pretty generally the best place to go when you wanted to hide yourself, hide your girlfriend or smell the hide of a pair of Gabdorins—or so the bartender told the man. That’s just what he was: Tacovean Delminar, he was a man if ever there was a man (well whatever a Twi’lek man is if not a man anyway).

“Excuse me, sirs?” Taco pleaded after walking up to the corner with some dude and some other dude-things. He looked left, looked right, was at a loss.

“Wait I thought there were Gabdorins over here?” Was it a different corner bartender told me about or hang on a sec why does it smell like the armpit of the galaxy over here?

“All I see is a pair of Chevin and Creepy Cloak Guy.” (Or whatever it seemed to be a masculine body anyway)

“CHEVIN!?” Barked one of the Chevin. “We are Gabdorin you tail-headed idiot!”

Taco looked right, looked left, scratched his chin and hoped that the sensation would surface some of his senses. “Ohhhhhh well yeah okay hey that explains things, hey!? Hey have you seen—”

As the Gabdorins brushed past either of his shoulders, Taco forgave their rudeness and focused his investigation on Creepy Cloak Guy.

“Hey, at least the smell’s gone, hey?” Taking a seat, he scooted closer and extended his left hand, cleared his throat, swapped for his right hand.

“Name’s Taco. Looking for my girlfriend. Her name is Ocat. She’s half-Twi’lek, half-Zeltron, half-Devaronian. Creepy smile, beautiful teeth, smells like the perfume those Chev—er—Gabdorins—needed about eleventy years ago.

Taking a sip from the nearest drink belonging to whozwotzit, Taco held up a holo-image of Ocat. "Seen my little lady, hey?”

@Iyan

 

[Zergo Rurik]

There weren't a lot of new suckers coming in to join the Pazaak tables. Most of the gamblers preferred the large Sabacc tables. So while he waited, Zergo occupied himself with whatever was happening directly in front of him.

There was a male Twi'lek lurking into his corner, mildly insulting everything on their way. If this guy crashed into the wrong person, he would probably get his head blasted off in a second.

Zergo turned his head away when the male sat on his table. The repulsive Gabdorin smell was unfortunately carried this way. After getting past the stench, he reached for the personal translator device that hung under his cloak. With the device activated, it would repeat his words in Basic with a dull robotic voice.

Glad for the small dose of amusement he got from the overconfident alien, Zergo didn't shoo him from the table yet. It only got better when the guy took a drink. Zergo pointed a slender finger at it. "Cup was on table when I got here."

When the Twi'lek showed an image of his so-called girl, the Kubaz waved a quick hand at the Glor'ag's crowd. Sure enough, everyone was soaked in sweat, alcohol, vomit, or all three. "No one here smells like perfume." He wondered if this girlfriend was even real. Taco and Ocat? Maybe the Twi'lek was drunk or dreaming. Either way, unless he was getting paid to look for the lady, it was none of Zergo's concern. He laid his Pazaak deck down on the table, along with a small stack of credits. Just enough to tempt the occasional gambler.

"You will have better luck in cards, than looking for nice smelling girl."

@Eccles @Darasuum @Die Shize

 

[Davik Lorso]

Davik was shuffling the deck, well, the table was by way of built-in shuffler, but still, it was his turn to toss the cards around. The Devaronian had already gotten the nod from the other players by the time Davik looked up and showed a wide grin. "As long as you got credits to lose, my friend," which earned a chuckle from the other players as Davik had clearly been the only playing fast and loose and burning through his savings. All this newcomer was to them was someone they had to share Davik's credits with, until the failing smuggler went bust, anyway.

The cards were handed out and the game was afoot. Davik seemed to have a good hand because he was restless toying with various amounts of credit chips, clearly trying to decide how much he was going to raise the pot right off the bat. He wasn't a very good gambler generally, "Can I get another bantha milk?" he asked the Rodian that was serving their sector, "Pinch of glitterryll again?" she asked with a smile that only widened when he nodded in affirmation. That was probably why he was on a losing streak.. every gambler knows not to touch Glitterryll if you want to remember the hand you're playing with. He sure did seem like the perfect Sabacc patsy..

"Name's Davik, by the way-" he told the newcomer, "Davik Lorso. If you ever need something smuggled. I'm your guy." Not that he was much better at smuggling than he was at Sabacc.


@Darasuum

 

[Pellios]

Pellios gave a soft and deep chuckle as he eased his bones into the seat with a groan. Fishing out some credits, the Devaronian pilot put brought some credits into view as show of him meaning business. And by meaning business he means gambling. "Then may I never run out of credits." He grinned, looking forward to the game. Playing cards was one of those simpler pleasures that life had to offer. No matter what pocket of the galaxy he was in, sitting around a table with some strangers and some drinks to earn some money in a game was a good a time as any in Pellios's mind.

A loud twi'lek was making his way around the bar. Maybe he was just a drunk lookig for his friends but he began to chat up the masked Kubaz nearby. Perhaps they were just extroverted and loud. Whatever the case, Pellios kept him in his peripheral vision all the same.

A server eventually came around to take his order after the hand was dealt. "Merenzane gold...if you've got it." Part of the scoundrel clearly expected them to not have it or be at a steep price. The order Davik made brought a cocked eyebrow expression across Pellios's vermillion features.

"I'm Pellios Reverence. Nice to meet you Davik. What kind of ship do you fly if you don't mind me asking?"
He did not immediatly volunteer that he too was a smuggler. Least of all for the Five Syndicates.

The smuggler's aging eyes were as sharp as ever. They naturally drifted to the backs of the cards in the other players' hands or on the table. His own hand was surprisingly good. The Devaronian's eyes shifted from the cards to the stacks of credits and other currency the table was playing with. "I'll call." He replied when it came time for him to make a bet.

@Eccles @Iyan @Die Shize

 

[Tacovean Delminar]

'Cup was on table when I got here.' The words had rung between Taco’s ears like a hangover’s great grand bell. The drink tasted passable, and if “passable” meant that the drink tasted like piss then there’s your drink.

Then there was the robotic voice that spoke of the cup. Wonder if he sings? Taco continued to wonder as he continued to sip, following the Kubaz’s gaze around the crowd. Is that her? No, she was far too fat. Her? Nope, she was far too not-a-Twi'lek. I can feel her...somewhere...

“Well I mean I know this place is a butthole and all but—”

Taco couldn’t finish his sentence for, at that very moment, he found his quarry. Cards!? Downing the questionably texturing drink, he licked his lips, tasted acid, flexed his fingers and tapped the table.

“I don’t need luck, buddy…” That deck of cards was staring right at him and it was all Taco could do to stare back. “I got lekku.” Whatever that meant, the Twi’lek was ready to play—and win.

@Iyan
@Eccles @Darasuum

 

[Davik Lorso]

Davik immediately shoved a third of his chips towards the center of the table before the first flip, "I raise." The stakes were low, but Davik was so confident that he had a winning hand that he couldn't resist raising right away. The amount of glitterryll he had already consumed that night probably didn't help to control those impulses either.

The other two gamblers smiled slightly, for they had seen Davik do the same with every decent hand he had today and usually they still got the better of him. The Ossein smuggler didn't notice, though, for he was refocusing on the Pellios, "My ship's the Catscratch. It's a Lethisk-class Armed Freighter," which was rare, not because it was expensive or especially good, but because it was so old that most replacement parts weren't being made anymore. That the Catscratch still worked was more thanks to the fact that the Ossein Fleets hauled the most obsolete tech in the galaxy and they usually had one or a half part left to temporarily fix it with. "Broke through the blockade of Eiattu IV when that Darth Asminys invaded the planet." Now that was a feat no ordinary pilot could boast! Mostly because not many attempted it and most decent pilots had long left Eiattu by the time to Sith fleet got close enough to complete their blockade, but those kind of nuances were lost on the uninitiated.

Just as he made the boast his drink was placed before him and he grinned widely in thanks as the other two gamblers at their table called his raise one after the other. Guess the pot was getting a lot bigger.. would be interesting to see how it played out.


@Darasuum

 

[Zergo Rurik]

Seems like there was another sucker on the table. If he could hold on to his luck, Zergo could triple the day's earnings before the sun rises. And with his drunk opponent? He'll get it done just by playing the Twi'lek alone. The kid didn't even have enough senses to put the mystery drink down.

As soon as the kid forgot about his girlfriend, who's existence remained doubtful, the Kubaz pushed the stack of credits on the table. For now he fought the temptation to double it, in case his Taco's pockets turn out to be empty. If that's the case, he'll just kick the rascal from his table. "We play then."

After the table was set up for a game, Zergo drew the four cards for his hand. What he got wasn't exactly ideal, but it would do if he played it smart. At least now it felt more like a challenge. Not that he would feel bad about cleaning out the Twi'lek's funds otherwise.

"You would like to draw first?" He gestured to the main deck with a gloved hand, entertaining himself by toying with Taco's eagerness to lose, knowing that this would be easy.

@Die Shize
@Darasuum @Eccles

 

[Tacovean Delminar]

Spoiler: Music IC

As the table was set up for a game, Taco did a few things; none of them involved helping set up the table for the game.

He ordered another drink—Burnt Bothan Brandy—for sipping purposes, eyed up some chick with spotted skin like a cheetah, promptly looked away from her Bothan boyfriend, begged a bot to change the song.

The table was set. The mood was set. The brandy began to settle and so did Taco’s satisfaction that soon he would be tripling the day’s earnings before the sun rises.

And, so, the game of chance began...

What he got wasn’t exactly ideal, but it would do if he played it smart. At least now it felt more like a challenge. Not that he would feel bad about cleaning out Cui-Cui’s coffin of an apartment on account of losing all his funds to this Kubaz, of course.

“Actually I’d feel like Ocat on a lazy afternoo— HM'WHAT it's my turn then? Sure I’ll draw first hold your snout sheesh”

Yoinking from the main deck, Taco drew the first card...and grinned.

@Iyan
@Darasuum @Eccles

 

[Zergo Rurik]

While the Twi'lek took his turn, Zergo's snout swept a live bug off the table. When Taco didn't put his first draw on the table, the Kubaz tapped the surface with a gloved finger. Maybe the kid didn't know the game that well, or was too intoxicated to play right. Either way, it was good for Zergo as long as he starts playing right.

"Put down."

No reaction was given to the Twi'lek's obnoxious grin. Sparing no time to pray for luck, Zergo made his first draw as well. He revealed the "4" card on his side of the table before leaning back into his seat. His goggled eyes were steady on the game, not that anyone would be able to tell.

It was the lazy composure that made him look relaxed and confident with what he had. His former accomplices back in Nar Shaddaa would recognize that this was a kind of cool composure that the Kubaz only ever pulled off at the Pazaak table. Regardless of whether he made earnings or losses. With another gesture of his hand, he announced the end of his turn.

@Die Shize

 

[Tacovean Delminar]

Spoiler: Music IC [Recurring]

Taco was presently more concerned with whether his own species had evolved off eating live bugs off of tables or not. Maybe we still do? Would it taste as good to me as the dude beside me?

Sniffing away that curiosity, the Twi’lek satisfied the Kubaz’s by revealing the “4” card on his side of the table before leaning back into his seat.

His non-goggled eyes were steady on the game, not that anyone would be able to tell—apart from the ogling gaze, of course.

“You look nervous,” Taco conveyed. “Maybe you need a certain drink to go with your…” Glance at the inexistent live bug. “...Dinner?” Snicker.

@Iyan