Completed House Edge

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A lawless town of anarchists, built on the ruins of an ancient mining city. [Lore]

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House Edge

Postby Erik Murphy on December 28th, 2015, 8:43 pm

21st Bell - 62nd of Winter, AV 515 - Tall Johnny's Casino

The air was hot and humid tonight in Tall Johnny's Casino. Smoke and sweat hung heavy in the air, you could taste the last person that sat at your stool last and they all stunk of the same foul mixture; alcohol and piss in equal parts. The hearth fires burned high tonight in the casino and the alcohol flowed freely from barrel to patron as they all sought to stave off the cold weather that had plagued Sunberth these last few days. Erik was grateful to have pulled guard duty within the Casino tonight, his old bones felt the cold that he had often shrugged off in his youth and while the rabble of the casino were uncouth and unruly, they were fair less dangerous after several pints of ale or cider than the sober cutthroats that prowled Sunberth's alleyway.

"Go on, in the gut, in 'is gut"
He muttered to himself, keeping a closer eye on the cage fight then his job as the two brutes slugged it out in the ring. "Go on, go on. Ah, you stupid cunt!" He curse once more as one of the brawlers received a heavy left hook to the jaw and promptly staggered backwards in a stupor before hitting the fall entirely. "Bah, thank Xyna I didn't put my day's wage on that thick moron" He muttered before turning back and walking over to patrol the Casino section.

While the blood sports catered to the man in the street, here in the casino section were desperate and the decadent men of the city. A bit of booze and a bit of blood helped most men relax after a day of hard work, but the few wealthy men of the city liked to gamble with fools who risked every copper they could place to their name with the hope of striking it lucky. Here Erik paced up and down the tables, ready to remove a player that out of luck and coin or even worse; a cheater. Of course Erik didn't really have to sniff it out, even now he could feel Tall Johnny's gaze linger on every bet, play and bluff made by all the gamblers.

"Bet or Stand gentlemen?" A nearby dealer inquired. Portraits, a quick way to empty your purse, might as well just toss your coin in the closet gutter Erik thought as he reminisced the many evenings he walked away from the table broke and bitter. He watched with interest, eyeing up the poorest looking gambler on the table with each play he made as the dealer continued to dispense the cards with each request. A couple of the gamblers went bust with the third card dealt, though money didn't mean much to men willing to wear velvet and silk in public who simply laughed off the loss while the poor man pushed his luck, sweating profusely like a man with a date with Ol' Queen Kova.

Bust Erik thought as he watched the gambler reveal his blind card, the Whip condemning his to a loss as he was forced to watch his money dragged away from him with hopelessness in his eyes. "Wait!" He said loudly, his voice cracking with desperation as the tone picked up the attention of Tall Johnny and his ire. "Double or nothing" He offered as Erik stepped over, resting a hand on the man's shoulder.
"I think you should cut your losses" He said, trying to his best to keep the man calm while making the blade that rest at his hip as prominent as possible, making it clear he could lose a lot more than his coin if he got too rowdy.
Erik watched the man look between his coin and Erik's blade as a bead of sweat meandered down the side of his worried face. "No, no. Please, just let have another hand" The man begged, his eyes pleading with the mercenary but Erik had already looked away and instead sought the guidance of Tall Johnny. Erik wasn't suprised to see the man turn his head away from charming some gullible patrons and turned it Erik's way as if he knew the guard wanted his approval. He simply nodded at Erik before turning back to his small attentive audience before making some quip that filled the tables with roaring laughter but Erik has already turned back to the desperate gambler.

"Please, I can win it back, just give me on-"
He begun to beg but Erik stopped him in his speech as the mercenary's finger clasped the gambler's sweat sodden temple and slammed his head down on the table. Bang. Bang. Bang. Three times his head struck the surface of the smooth wooden table, Erik could feel the resistance in the man's movement falter with the first impact. The next two just made sure there would be no resistance from the rest of the gamblers.

With no objections he wrapped his arm somewhat tightly around the dazed man's neck and kicked the stool out from under his rear, letting the man slump against Erik as he started to drag him towards the entrance of the Casino without even giving him a chance to get on his feet. Some looks were thrown his way as he dragged the half-conscious man out the establishment and he could feel the festivities somewhat drain from the premise but a new set of fighters in the ring and a fresh mug of booze would quickly rectify that problem.

He released his firm grip on the man's throat before raising his boot and stamping down the back of the gambler's knees, forcing him to crumple to the ground. He opened the wide, scarred wooden doors to the rest of Sunberth before grabbing the man by the back of his shirt and chucked him out into a mound of snow. A couple of curious blue faces peered round. The beastly Akalaks, both clad in thick fur, cocked a quizzical eyebrow at him. "Bastard went bust, didn't wanna leave with some dignity" Erik explained as he stood in the doorway, feeling the cold winter air roll over his body "If he doesn't move in the next coupla chimes, drag 'im to 'is feet and kick 'is arse down the road" He added before closing the doors shut once more.
Last edited by Erik Murphy on February 15th, 2018, 9:32 am, edited 4 times in total.
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“And you have your part to play, Erik. You will be fooled, like most, but you will survive. You might even benefit it all. Hold history close to your chest, young man. That’s my advice.”
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House Edge

Postby Erik Murphy on December 29th, 2015, 4:49 pm

Erik turned his back to the entrance, quickly pushing the thought of the broken gambler from his weary mind. He did not let himself pity the man for a moment, there were plenty more victims of Sunberth who were more desperate then him and no doubt their predicaments were far less self-inflicted. With luck he'll have an angry missus back home to scold his stupidity while treating his wounds and cooking his dinner Erik thought And if not, I'll dump his body in the river on my way home.

He didn't linger at the entrance for long, a new fight was starting and money was passing hands quicker than any greedy merchant could keep track of it. Erik made his way to the cages with great strides, his ears picking up on all kinds of bets as his saw the two muscular opponents stare each other down from either side of the ring, both ready to start beating the shit out of the other.
"Five silvers on the black fella"
"Three coppers says they both get hit in the nuts"
"Ten Mizas the fight doesn't last more than five chimes"
"One copper says they stop fightin' and start fuckin'"
"Ten silvers says one of 'em dies, actually make that twenty, I think one of 'em has a Daggerhand tat on him."

The bets ranged from the comical to the demented, some were casual wagers between drunk while others were conducted by sober patrons and professional bookies, Tall Johnny of course got a cut of every bet with real coin at stake.

While the bets did bring a small smile to Erik's cracked lips, his real attention was focused on the flurry of hands as coin was wagered and more importantly, on the heavy purses of both the bookies and the gamblers. While the heavy lockboxes carried about by the bookies contained all the real cash, a sudden win or a lose to leave a purse bursting at the seams and in this winter it could mean seeing the spring flowers blossoms rather than being fuel for the Slag Heap.

He wandered the amphitheatre-like seating slowly, delicately placing one for in front of the other as he stared intensely into the crowd. He didn't begrudge his obvious intentions; he'd rather make his presence as a guard clear with a weapon on both side and a mile wide scowl than have to beat the shit out of some sorry arse thief stupid to try and steal from Tall Johnny.

Actually that's a lie; Erik just had neither the subtlety nor the tack to deal with the rabble in a more delicate manner.

For a time Erik spied nothing of interest. The crowd cheered with drunken excitement as the fight began and the first blow found its target. He got the pleasure of seeing a man vomit in the corner of the room, over his person and the floor, another grabbed the arse of a tired waitress who had let her guard down as she brought over his drinks and was force to simply laugh it off while a particularly inebriated woman took a piss in an overflowing bucket that represented the sole plumbing in this building. None of these sights though were particularly interesting or relevant, and most certainly not out of the ordinary at this time of night.

It took some time, especially in a crowd as shifty looking as Sunberth, but he found his target. It was a scrawny thing, barely five foot high and thin as a rake with a head of hair that resembled a pile of dry straw. His eyes hadn't even registered the fight, regardless of how the crowd reacted to scenes of brutality as the unfolded before them, and instead the thief had been eyeing every coin purse he that surrounded him.

He's either a piss poor thief not to have saw me by now or he doesn't care, gotta deal with the fucker either way Erik thought as he quickly climbed up into the seating, parting a couple of spectators out the way, and he perched himself on the seat directly behind the thief. And from there Erik simply waited, his eyes constantly jumping between the thief and any of his nearby targets. As the fight came to a close, as a flurry of blows guaranteeing a knockout, the thief used the sudden uproar to pull a dagger out from within his boot with the intention of cutting a nearby purse.

"I wouldn't" Erik whispered softly into the thief's ear, resting his hand on one free shoulder and pulled his own dagger free from his harness and proceed to press the blade with enough force for the would-be thief to feel the tip painfully stick in his back, just above the base of his spine. "Don't even think about tryin' anythin'" He threatened as he felt him tense up beneath his grip, ready to either fight or flee.

"Now listen lad, you 'aven't stolen anything yet or you would 'ave already pissed off so I'm gonna be nice and not walk to over to Tall Johnny to deal with" He said, a rather reasonable response given how most businessmen respond to thieves caught in the act "Instead, you're gonna tuck that but'er knife away, get up and walk to the entrance. I don't wannt see any funny business, you 'ear?"
"Yes" The thief agreed, somewhat reluctantly, with a tone that made Erik realise that the scrawny lad was actually a scrawny lass.

By the gods she's been living rough, serves her right for being such a shit cutpurse Erik thought as he watched her tuck her blade back into her boot before standing up from the crowd. Erik slide his own blade back into his harness and from there guided the young lady through the crowd towards the entrance, not letting his hand slip from her shoulder since she was still a flight risk.

He opened the doors once more to the outside, welcoming in the cold, winter breeze into the casino. The thief began to take a step through the doorframe, eager to free from any repercussions of trying to steal from Tall Johnny, but Erik pulled her back. "Sorry 'bout this love" He said, ignoring the quizzical look she gave him as he released her shoulder before suddenly lashing out, slamming the side of her head against the doorframe several times. She's probably got a couple of mates in here, gotta teach the runts a lesson He concluded as he ignored he cries of pain with each time her head struck the door with a loud thud and instead proceeded grabbed her by a fistful of her mangy hair and ejected her from the premises.

"What are you paid for?" Erik asked with an exasperated tone as once more two blue faces peered around the corner. "First a desperate gambler, now a fuckin' thief! You're not there to look pretty. Make sure she doesn't try to come back in here" He proclaimed before slamming the doors and muttering expletives under his breath to every god he knew.
ImageImageImage
“And you have your part to play, Erik. You will be fooled, like most, but you will survive. You might even benefit it all. Hold history close to your chest, young man. That’s my advice.”
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Erik Murphy
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Joined roleplay: December 12th, 2015, 12:38 am
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House Edge

Postby Erik Murphy on January 1st, 2016, 5:46 pm

As Erik turned away from the door, he had hoped that the rest of shift would be peaceful and uneventful but as he saw the cage fight announcer hurried over to him, he knew that wouldn't be the case.

"We've got a problem" The announcer announced loudly over the jeering cries of the crowd, though not with his useful sweeping gusto, as he pointed a crooked finger to the cage. "There's a lad in there dead".
"So?" Erik replied bluntly "That's never been a problem before, stick some gold in the other fella's hand and send 'im on 'is way, I ain't doin' your finances."
"Nah, the dead lad was winnin' but then they start to scuffle about the floor and only one of 'em gets up. The crowd was happy enough but somethin' didn't seem right to me" He explained as he led Erik over to the cage "I didn't let 'im out then well, all this blood starts gushin' out of the fella on the ground. He must have had a dagger in 'is trousers of somethin'."

The site was particular unpleasant. The crowd were screaming bloody murder as some hammered and shook the cage with their fists while others hung back and swore at the lad who know stood in the centre of the cage, his feet submerged in a river of blood as gushed out from underneath the still corpse that had been bruised and battered over the course of the fight.

"Shit"
Erik stated simply as he watched the lad flinch at every threat hurled his way, clutching his pathetic, bloodied dagger in his shaking hands "What does Johnny want be to do with 'im?"
"The crowd's to riled up, we can't let 'em one them try to take a shot at 'im, most of 'em couldn't even pick their own mother out of the crowd with the state there in. Even worse, the dead fella looks like he was a Brotherin the Daggerhands. Johnny wants 'im dead and quickly."
"Want me in there?"
"Yep, we've got fresh fighters and plenty of ale to distract 'em but we need 'im dealt with. Kill 'im, go home early and dump 'is corpse in the river on ya way back."


Erik sighed, his wrinkled forehead slumped into a frown as he looked at the fearful young lad. He was barely twenty winters old, and with his short raven black hair, dark thick eyebrows, deep brown eyes and a strong jaw there was no doubt that women would fall victim to his appearance. The lad did just kill someone, might not have been cold blood but he brought the knife in with him, he planned to win either way Erik thought to himself as he stepped into the ring.

"I am sorry about this lad, I really am"
He announced as he shut the gate behind him before he slipped one of Kopis blades out from his harness. He could hear the crowd jeer and cheer as they banged on the side of the cage, eager for blood. The noise deafening and he saw the lad recoil, he barely even looked aware of what was happening right now, he may have thought he could take a life but right now, that couldn't be further from the truth.

He stepped forward cautiously; raising his blade defensively in case the man lashed out wildly, his reactions weren't what they used to be. He hoped to end this quickly, for everyone's sake, but lad's brow furrowed with determination. "Listen lad, look around you. You ain't gettin' outta this alive" Erik explained though brutal honesty turned out not to be the right way to go.

Metal struck metal as the boy charged towards Erik as the crowd cheered with bloodlust, his dagger sliced through the air but clearly he was no mercenary and so it was a sloppy lunge. Erik's own blade twisted to meet the dagger's course and knocked it off as Erik felt the force of the blow resonated painfully through his bones. The boy stumbled, his head had been struck several times in the fight and his own momentum carried him forwards. Erik had seen this before and responded accordingly, his brought his own blade downwards before quickly curving it back upwards as it sliced through the boy's side as he stumbled forwards.

With a loud bang the boy clattered into the side of the ring. Fingers hooked through the other side as the crowd clutched his clothes and his flesh, pulling him back against the wall. Erik may have loved the thrill of the fight, even now he could feel the adrenaline being dumped in his veins as his mind warmed with a euphoric buzz but he didn't take any pleasure as he grab boy's shoulder and pulled him towards his blade. The metal edge slipped quickly through his gut and upwards into his lungs, Erik looked away as he heard the pitiful croak as blood begun seeping from the edge of his mouth. "I'm sorry lad".

The crowd was ecstatic though, Sunberthian's loved simplistic justice and life for a life was the epitome it. Erik bent down and picked up the bloody blade, tossing it to the announcer he opened the cage and stepped into the ring to announce the next combatants and a discount on all drinks for the next Bell, no doubt Tall Johnny's way of bringing back the fesitivities in this place. As the life flickered then faded from the boy's eyes, Erik had the pleasure of heaving the young man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Get 'it outta here, go home. I'll see you tomorrow. Wash up, you look like shit" The announcer mutter as Erik made his way to leave, lumbering with the heavy weigh on his shoulders.
"The lad 'ave any family y'know of?" He asked but the announcer just shook his head and waved him away, he had no further use of the mercenary.

Erik made his way quietly out of the Casino, no-one was eager to wish a goodnight to a made with a dead body sung over his shoulder. Even the bouncers didn't acknowledge him with eye contact as he stepped out into street, the snow crunching underfoot as his breather curled upwards towards the sky.

"Homeward bound"
He muttered as walked off into the city, ready to forget.
ImageImageImage
“And you have your part to play, Erik. You will be fooled, like most, but you will survive. You might even benefit it all. Hold history close to your chest, young man. That’s my advice.”
User avatar
Erik Murphy
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Posts: 73
Words: 130410
Joined roleplay: December 12th, 2015, 12:38 am
Race: Human
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets

House Edge

Postby Royal on January 30th, 2016, 3:29 pm

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Erik Murphy
Skills
Observation +2
Philosophy +1
Leadership +1
Unarmed Combat +2
Intimidation +2
Bodybuilding +1
Logic +1
Rhetoric +1
Tactics +2
Weapon: Kopis +1
Acrobatics +1
Endurance +1

Lores
Location: Tall Johnny’s Casino
Intimidation: Walk tall and shamelessly
Logic: Recognising a thief
Tactics: Making an example of a caught thief
Weapon, Kopis: Defensive hold


Questions? Comments? Please don't hesitate to PM me!
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Royal
You can call me Queen Bee
 
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