“Win a fuckin’ game already, you fuckin’ loser” The ‘r’ in loser came out sounding closer to ‘uh’, and Big Tony’s words were accompanied by a smack to the back of DuexDahl’s head.
DuexDahl had just sheepishly asked for a top off, an extra 120 gold piece loan to bring him back close to 300. He had about 175 gp left from his third 300 gp buy in and hadn’t won a pot all night. He asked what he would owe with interest at the end of the night. He had only had about 100 gp of his own money so had borrowed 200 for the first buy in. And then 300 more after his flush was topped by a higher flush. And then 300 more when he flopped two pair, aces and fives, but his opponent rivered a straight.
“1079 gp.” Tony told him, scoffing and smiling a little as he answered, indicating he was sure DuexDhal had no chance to pay it back and enjoying the thought of inflicting the consequences.
His attention turned to the music being played by the bards in the background. He recognized almost every song…sort of. He had heard Rhianon, Foxy Lady, Senator’s Son and a dozen more classics from another era. But they had mostly been very strange renditions, slow and more tranquil. He wasn’t sure if it was terrible, or if he wanted to try singing it. Maybe I could pay off the debt as a singer, he thought.
(Klingon’s do not sing!) The words were sharp in his mind, and although they made no sense, they did snap DuexDhal back to reality.
As the sweat continued to pour down DuexDhal’s back he realized his stack was on the verge of being too small to work with. What had seemed like a great idea, a dream opportunity, was turning into an absolute nightmare. How was this even happening? DuexDhal was lucky, damn lucky, but he had been cursed with 2nd best hands all night. Every opening hand was good enough to continue, every flop he got a piece of. Every river, however, was heartbreak.
DuexDhal reached for his mirror.
“I already told you twice to put that thing away.” Big Tony said menacingly.
“Relax, clearly he’s not cheating.” That was Katt, the kender who had somehow been involved in arranging this game. She was small, but she looked dangerous. DuexDhal was sure she was cheating, her being a Kender, and he was sure he was the mark. It couldn’t just be luck, could it? I’m supposed to be lucky! Not them! He thought. But he had watched her win with mostly bad hands so far and his concern was growing.
His hand was shaking as he looked into the mirror. He began his ritualized daily reassurance.
“Mirror Mirror, in my hand…”
He tried to continue but the words caught in his throat. Time seemed to slow. He could hear Katt faintly try to finish his words. “Something something something..hand? Bland? Grand?” He wasn’t sure, he could barely hear her and didn’t see her at all. All he saw was himself. The morbidly scarred, burnt flesh freak he had been since the dock.
“But I’m DuexDhal the lucky.” The words came out like a pleading question, doubt ridden and afraid. “Am I not?”
And as he stared into the mirror, almost frozen in time, he levelled. And as always the spells came as needed, not wanted. It was Alter Self this time, and alter he did. But only in his mind and the mirror as any real use of magic at the table would surely get him killed. But DuexDhal now knew he was still DuexDhal, under all the damage from the dragon he was still DuexDhal the lucky and his new spell helped him understand. He could see himself change for just a fraction of a fraction of a moment, like a single frame sliced into a movie, subliminally receiving the message. His face changed. It changed back in that moment in time to the face he remembered, his formerly golden hair shining brightly, his eyes twinkling. Then the image in the mirror smiled, winked and as it spoke it pointed at DuexDhal. In a Elvis type voice DuexDhal heard his image tell him. “You’re still DuexDhall the lucky, always have been, always will.”
And as the moment continued to stretch DuexDhal could hear the bards. Another slow rendition, although one could hardly call this one a classic.
(here is the link to the original song if you would like to hear it before reading the rest)
Kiss - I Was Made for Lovin' You (lyrics).
Do do do do do doot do do
Do do do do do doot do do
I was made for lovin’ you baby
You were made for lovin’ me
And I can’t get enough of you
Can you get enough of me.
And then the moment was over, and so was the nightmare. From then on every hand was an easy fold or easy raise.
Pocket Aces with an ace on the river for insurance.
Can you get enough of me
Jack ten of spades, two spades on the flop, a spade on the turn
Do do do do do doot do do
Flopped top pair top kicker, turn trips
Can you get enough of me
Lyric just got busted
Do do do do do doot do do
Katt just got busted
Can you get enough of me
Can you get enough of me
Can you get enough of me
—---------------------
End of story
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Game notes for future:
When not in danger, until DuexDhal gets his magic under control, whenever he walks by a mirror and sees himself, he will automatically cast Alter Self to make him appear as he used to, burning through his second level spells.