* Teek teaches Maidel how to play a simple dice game called "Higher or Lower" and invokes Lady Luck to win some coins and impress Maidel. *

It's Night.

The market place of Elvandar.

There are eight obvious exits: north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest

An ancient stone altar, an ornamented water-filled marble basin, a six-sided wooden die and a white small fishbone.

Beladan, Maidel is resting here and Matusalem.

Matusalem grunts.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 4.

/

Hmmmmm.

Matusalem grumbles hoarsely in Common: I's gonna grab some sleep.

You say in Common: Lower.

Matusalem waves.

You drop a bronze coin.

Matusalem strolls out northeast.

Maidel goes hmmmm.

Maidel sings in Common: lower.

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 3.

/

Maidel sings in Common: wait.

Maidel ponders the situation.

You say in Common: Oh. We're fine

Maidel sings in Common: we can both guess the same, right?

You say in Common: So we go again

You nod.

You say in Common: O' course

You say in Common: ya win by gettin' Lady Luck on yer side

You say in Common: An' goin' fer what looks like it shouldn't work.

You grin broadly.

Maidel nods.

You drop a bronze coin.

You say in Common: Higher!

Maidel goes hmmmm.

Maidel sings in Common: higher.

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 2.

/

The water in the fountain bubbles loudly.

You say in Common: Aw. Well, we were both wrong

You shrug.

You drop a bronze coin.

You say in Common: Lower!

Maidel goes hmmmm.

Maidel sings in Common: higher.

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 4.

/

You snap your fingers.

Teek pushes a pile of coins to Maidel.

Maidel takes six bronze coins.

You say in Common: Again?

Maidel nods.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 5.

/

You say in Common: Lower.

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel sings in Common: me too

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 1.

/

You nod.

You say in Common: Same.

You drop a bronze coin.

A great cumulonimbus, looking like a dragon, covers the moon for a moment. Some wind blows from the southeast.

Maidel goes hmmmm.

You say in Common: One, that is

Maidel sings in Common: higher.

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 4.

/

You snap your fingers.

Teek pushes a pile of coins to Maidel.

Maidel takes four bronze coins.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 1.

/

Maidel sings in Common: higher

You say in Common: Higher

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

You drop a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 4.

/

You nod.

You say in Common: Higher

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel goes hmmmm.

Maidel sings in Common: lower

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 6.

/

Maidel snaps her fingers.

You grin broadly.

You get four bronze coins.

You say in Common: Again?

Maidel nods.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 6.

/

You say in Common: Lower

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel sings in Common: lower

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 6.

/

You snap your fingers.

You laugh.

Maidel smiles slightly.

Maidel sings in Common: lower

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

You say in Common: I almost said six!

Maidel nods to you.

Maidel sings in Common: me too

You say in Common: Six, 'cause lady luck likes threes!

You drop a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 6.

/

Teek cheers.

Maidel raises her eyebrow.

Maidel sings in Common: What luck.

You say in Common: I told'ja!

You get four bronze coins.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 3.

/

You say in Common: Lower

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel sings in Common: higher

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 1.

/

You get two bronze coins.

You smile.

Maidel sings in Common: Apparently she likes you now.

You say in Common: She likes a gambler

You say in Common: Ya can't play it too safe!

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 6.

/

You say in Common: Lower

Maidel sings in Common: hmph.

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel sings in Common: lower

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 2.

/

You nod.

You say in Common: Same

Maidel sings in Common: higher

You drop a bronze coin.

Maidel drops a bronze coin.

/

You get a six-sided wooden die.

You roll the six-sided wooden die and score 2.

/

You smile broadly.

Maidel sighs.

You get four bronze coins.

Maidel sings in Common: Yes, apparently you're right.

You start counting your bronze coins.

…

The last count reached 14.

Maidel starts counting her bronze coins.

You say in Common: An' yer down two coins

The day has begun.

Maidel nods slightly.

You say in Common: See? It ain't so bad

You put some bronze coins into your backpack.

You put a six-sided wooden die into your backpack.

Maidel drops some bronze coins into her bag.

You say in Common: Higher or lower. Now ya know how ta play.

The water in the fountain bubbles loudly.

Maidel sings in Common: Except I lost towards the end quite a lot.

You shrug.

Clouds hinder the warmth of the sun. Some wind blows from the southeast.

You say in Common: She likes threes

You nod seriously.

You say in Common: Well, ya be safe. An' hopefully ya fix yer luck

You smile.

You wave.