Snippet #2780676

"That must have been very difficult for you," Rob said, nodding. "My own father died during one of Oblivion's attacks. My mother, God bless her, passed away from sickness a few years before that."

Rob eyed the stage but kept his attention on Ash.

***

"Oh, she's got a nice mouth on her," the woman coughed at Syra's comments, grinning foolishly. "But you'd best watch your mouth around Mama Lewd, that is, me!" The woman guffawed, much to Ewgross's annoyance.

"Enough, Mrs. Lewd," the man who had escorted Syra to her seat said, bowing slightly. "The young lady here asked for our names." The man smiled without showing teeth, and gestured.

"You have already met Mr. Ewgross, of course, and Mama Lewd," the man said. "My name is Frederic VonStickle yon Pickle. I will be your host this evening. The gentlemen who just arrived is, of course, Kuchillo." Frederic smiled again. "We're in for a treat tonight, my dear, for the prize this evening is none other than the Grand Ruby of the Sands!"

At this, the crowd gasped, a small curtain rising in the back of the stage, revealing a ruby the size of a fist glittering in a protected case. Several guards stood nearby, their faces like stone.

At this point, Price joined the group.

"Yes, yes, you are welcome to join," Freddy bowed, then looked to a guard, who nodded. "So long as you've paid the entry fee, just like everyone else, which I see you have." Freddy smiled pleasantly. "The game for tonight will use the following rules."

Freddy held up a deck of cards.

"You will each receive one shuffled deck of cards. Each deck has cards valued one through nine, with symbols of spades (black) and diamonds (red). Also included are jokers of black and red variety. The cards valued one through nine will play as those values, regardless of color. The jokers have different rules.

You will each be given five cards from your deck. The starting player will be Ewgross, going in clockwise order to Price, Mama Lewd, Kuchillo, and finally Syra, then the order will shift, again clockwise.

After receiving your cards, you will agree on a bet for the round. You must each match this bet or you will be ommitted from the round. You will each then play one card in order. Each person must play a card of the same value or higher than the one previously played, but the total points of the pile must not exceed 30 points. If a player finds they cannot play a card without exceeding this total, the round will end, and the player who last placed a card will win the round, and the bet money.

Jokers can be played at any time to immediately halt the round. The players with remaining cards, if any, must then reveal them. If the joker is black, the player with the lowest point total wins. If the joker is red, the player with the highest point total wins.

Does everyone understand the rules?"