07.13d: A Roll of the Dice

[Wyvern]

After sampling a surprising* number of the available snacks, Alys moves on to the parcheesi** tables, taking a few moments to find whatever game is in need of a fourth player.

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* Surprising to those who don't know much about shapeshifting, anyway.
** Parcheesi is a game that relies heavily on luck. Unlike most card games, there's little opportunity to bluff, either, with the result that even perfect play can't guarantee a win over a lucky amateur. Unless, of course, you cheat - but Alys isn't. Thus, the thread title is literal in respect to the game... and also figurative, in that I'm not picking out anyone specific for her to end up playing against.

[Joshua]

Seems like a decent place for Lady Ninear to be. She's playing with a slightly nervous looking leprechaun and a bored looking elf. She will wave at Alys.

"Greetings. Good to see another strong female... Well, except the valkyrie, but they're difficult to talk to." The police chief will smile. "And, I hear you have made an offer for all of my guards. I'm Lady Ninear, Chief of Police of Faetown."

[Wyvern]

Alys nods and heads over, taking the fourth seat for the game. "A pleasure to meet you, Lady Ninear. Yes, I have - though from what I hear, your precinct is one of the ones least in need of that offer. Of course," Alys grins, "That just puts you in a better position to take advantage of it."

[Joshua]

"That depends. The area is quite chaotic. Among the city, the men don't dislike each other jsut for being men. Also, no one accuses a man of having strange powers that some shadow of that man has that they do not. Thankfully, most are willing to listen, but there are still rumors." She sighs and shrugs. "Regardless, any help is appreciated. My precinct will be difficult to train."

The leprechaun looks between the two of you. "Hey now, I am one of your best men. And it's my day off. no need to be insulting."

[Wyvern]

Alys chuckles at the leprechaun's joke. "I expect that I will not be seeing you in at least the first round of training I run, then, Mr...?"

After a moment's pause for the leprechaun to answer, Alys turns back to Ninear. "I would certainly agree that such are not as prevalent in the rest of the city... but, having just this morning broken up the 'Anointed Salem Purity Squad', I must admit that humans can find some remarkably foolish reasons for hating each other - let alone anyone else." She shakes her head, then adds, "Of course, simply because others share your problems to varying degrees*, does not make them any easier for you to deal with. Are there any in particular that you wish to draw to my attention?"

While she talks, Alys plays - casually**, paying relatively little attention to the game and playing more to make the game interesting than to win.***

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* A sideways reminder that, in many ways, Ht'gon has things worse, what with its conflict between dwarves and orcs.
** Casual, for her, meaning zero to five warfare invested.
*** For example, it's possible to lock out a player so that they are literally unable to move; Alys will avoid doing this. Restrict their options, sure, but not force them to skip their turn entirely.
It's also worth noting that this is (deliberately) completely out of character with the way she acted when she was back in Chaos, where she would have played to win by any means necessary.

[Joshua]

"McDougal. Holt McDougal," the leprechaun says.

"To be honest, with my ability to predict murders, we're fairly good. There's strife, but the worst of it is kept under control." Ninear will admit. "Still, there's little sense of unity. Even against the humans. There was talk of a more permanent place for us. Maybe outside of the city."

[Wyvern]

Alys nods. "Some degree of unity is certainly worth working towards. I hope that the training I offer will have some beneficial effects there, as well, allowing better coordination when, say, pursuing a criminal outside one's normal jurisdiction."

She shakes her head as she rolls doubles a third time - an unlucky result that forces her leading pawn back to the nest - and hands the dice over to the bored-looking elf, momentarily pausing her contributions to the conversation to see if he wishes to introduce himself.

[Joshua]

The elf is about at talkative as a certain silent attendant. He is drinking a bit of fay-wine, but mostly, he's just interested in the game and ignoring most conversation. He does do the minimal nods and acknowledgements to avoid insult. And even then, he barely does.

Ninear will nod. "You mean, any cooperation. There's no oversight except by the castle guards, and they stay out of it. Harrune and Oberon interfere on occasion, but that's about it." She will shrug a practiced maneuver to demonstrate more confidence than she feels. "I suppose my old sergeant could help with some of that." She will continue a little*.
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*: She's a classically trained cop from an urban-fantasy world. Probably resembles Dresden.

[Wyvern]

Alys smiles at Lady Ninear's more-blunt re-phrasing of her statement, but does not comment on it.

"If they are available and interested, I would welcome experienced assistance; the complicated part of this project is the simple scale on which I will be working - and the fewer instructors I need to personally train, the better."

[Joshua]

"Part of the issue is that most skilled police are tied to the place they protect. You'd have to convince them that Amber had something they needed, or wanted. For myself, it was a unique challenge. Plus, I had gotten sick of guns." Ninear shrugs. "I had those I left behind, but... They were well taken care of. At least onto one or two generations. Beyond that, and my life would have been over, so I was not worried. Still, it took a lot to leave, even though I brought what little family I had with me. What of you, Holt?"

The leprechaun gives a light smile. "I wasn't on this side of the law when you hired me. Thus, I'm not sure it applies."