Grindle Family/CripRP/Ash Sea Islands War/Skat and a Chat

Skat and a Chat before Battle

26-27 Feb 2008

Roleplay from Crip Grindle

Crip smiles. It seems to be a good day, and he's looking forward to good food, good brandy, and good Skat.

Crip: Good morning, Lerati! Yuji! Is anyone else here yet?

Crip's men look surprised at his enthusiasm, though they do know that Sir Crip enjoys Skat with a passion.

Lerati: Sorry, sir, no, sir, no-one here yet.

Crip: No need to apologise, Lerati, why should they be? It is early yet. I am sure we will see some soon. Right, where is Haragh with the tables? Ah!

Haragh appears, dragging two square card-tables out into the open. The weather is fine, and the wind is calm, so should be good to be outside in the fresh air. Haragh sets the tables up, and goes back to fetch some chairs.

Crip: Now, we still have some of Uncle Stanley's Cherry Brandy?

Liert nods, and produces a bottle and a glass. Crip takes a seat as Haragh brings it to him, pours himself a glass, takes a sip, smiles, leans back, and starts shuffling a pack of cards, before calling to his captain.

Crip: Werner! I could do with a reminder of the rules for declaring scheider in advance...

Werner gives part of an explanation until he's interrupted...

Crip: Ah! We have our first guests...

=====

Roleplay from Ain Kindon

Ain wandered over to Sir Crip’s camp so she could enjoy the confusion of his card game. She carried a bulging pack of supplies, because her father had always told her it was rude to go visiting empty handed, and besides... she would get hungry... what if there weren’t any snacks?

She noted a gentleman seated at a table placed outside and went in his direction.

"Hello there!" she greeted him cheerily, holding out her hand, "Are you Sir Crip, the Skat-chappy? I’m Ain. I brought food."

=====

Roleplay from Crip Grindle

Crip: Yes, I am Crip, hello Ain, good to meet you. Would you care for a brandy? This is some fine cherry brandy made by my Uncle Stanley in Elroth.

Crip passes her a glass, not waiting to find out if she actually wanted any, and beckons her to sit.

Crip: So - you've not played Skat before? I will be kind then, and we shall not play for money. Werner there... [beckons over to his captain] ...will happily fleece you for every gold coin you have, if you ever play against him.

Crip spends a few minutes explaining the main rules - the matadores, the differences between tournee and solo, the scoring - and is corrected every other sentence by Werner, keen to make sure that the game is understood correctly.

Werner: If I may, Lady Ain? [leans over and helps show her where to deal in the right order] Very good. Is there anything I can bring you? A snack? A cushion for the chair? You seem to have brought a fair amount of posessions with you. [smiles and looks at Ain's pack]

Crip: Werner - you may fetch us some more brandy. And then have a look around and see if we have any other guests to play with. We need at least one more. Can't have a three-player game with two people, can we?

Ain: Or four or five, I should think.

Crip: Ah, well, you would think so, wouldn't you - but the beauty of Skat is that you can indeed play it with four or five, you just...

Crip descends into a quick explanation, puncuated by tiny sips of brandy.

Crip: So there we are - the game of Skat. I am sure you will grow to like it. In the meantime, while we wait for others to arrive, you must tell me what brought you to Falasan.

=====

Roleplay from Ain Kindon

Ain’s head was spinning from the back and forth explanations of Sir Crip and his man Werner, not that she thought a single explainer would have made it clearer. Actually, she wasn’t sure that it would matter. No one could possibly understand this game. So, she sipped her cherry brandy... which wasn’t bad, though she would have rather had ale... and enjoyed watching their interplay.

She considered Crip’s question, "Well, mostly I got here by boat across the ocean from the South West Island, but then, once I got to the land bit, I had to ride. Well, I could have walked, I guess. Or bounced about in a cart, but, anyway, I rode."

Ain hopped up to retrieve her pack. Opening it, she began to empty its contents onto the other table, "Well, I brought cheese and apples and crusty bread and some meat pies... which are not as good as the ones they have at the tourney... so if you know anyplace I can get meat pies like that, I’d really like to know, because those are my favourite," she grinned at Crip, "Would you like something?"

=====

Roleplay from Crip Grindle

Crip smiles and puts the cards down.

Crip: Oh, some of that bread and cheese would be lovely. And then I'll see if I have room for any of the meat pie, which looks good too. I have some more food somewhere. Where is that boy? Haragh!

Crip: I've not been to the tournaments, so I haven't sampled the pies there. I can't say I'm well educated in the ways of pies. There were some palatable pies in Barad Falas, but - well, these look just as good if not better.

Crip munches on some bread and cheese, while looking around for any sign of Haragh with the rest of the food. Where had he got to this time?

Crip: South-West Island, you say? I hear stories of wars there, but little more than rumours. Is it much different from Falasan?

=====

Roleplay from Ain Kindon

Ain grinned at Crip, swallowing down a bit of pie, "I didn’t even know you could get these pies outside of tournaments until just last week. These are all right. There’s just something different about them... maybe it’s the meat."

She took a swallow of brandy, wishing mournfully that she had thought to bring some ale. Ale went so well with bread and cheese and meat-pies. Not apples though, she thought, apples went better with cider... understandably, as cider was apples... or at least it was before they squished them and waited a bit. Hmmm, what would this brandy be really good with?

Crip was asking her a question... Ain shook her head, "Oh, well, I wasn’t actually on the South-West Isle for very long before it started falling apart, so I didn’t get to know it that well... my family home is on the East Continent. Best I can tell, though, is that they were all mad. They worshipped some kind of bloodthirsty goddess and, for no apparent reason, were obsessed with squirrels..." she looked thoughtfully at her meat pie... hmm... squirrel? "I just paid no attention and went to battle. I guess that’s the big difference... I haven’t had a battle here, yet, except with monsters; but, I reckon that’s about to change, so then, I guess the biggest difference will be that the people aren’t mad... well... not all of them, anyway."

She picked up a couple of apples, "Have you always lived here?"

=====

Roleplay from Crip Grindle

Crip: Yes, I've always lived in Falasan. Grew up in Elroth, where my family still live. Can't imagine ever living anywhere else, it's so beautiful there, with the lake and the hills so close. And not far from Barad Gardor, which is useful. Oh! Our new King is here to play! We are honoured! Werner! Get the best cards out!

King Jambo comes nearby, but Crip is soon disappointed. He hasn't the slightest interest in Skat, it turns out, he had come to improve morale among the many Falasan soldiers. And that he did, with a brief but solid speech.

Crip: Looks as if we'll have a big battle before long. No better army to be in, though - the Black Army is strong, so strong. We should come out of it well, I think. Haragh's not back with the spare brandy, I can only offer you some ale, if that is to your liking, sorry.

=====

Roleplay from Freidroch Tinsley

Freidroch wanders the streets with a look of wonderment on his face. He has just come from the Temple of Magna Serpaensism, where he has joined that religion.

Following the King of Falasan, he spies Sir Crip from the corner of his eye.

- Sir Crip, you aren't actually trying to get this pretty young lady to learn Skat, are you?

He turns and looks at Crip's companion.

- Ah, Dame Ain. I see that you've brought some food. Might I have a bite or two?

=====

Roleplay from Crip Grindle

Crip: Sir Freidroch! Do come and join us. I'm very sorry, but we're out of brandy just at the moment - might I interest you in some ale? I was indeed just explaining Skat to Lady Ain. She shows promise. More so than you, I might say; I always felt your brother Willem had more of a feel for the game.

Crip: Anyway, we need not play just this moment if you like, let us get to know each other better, for we will be fighting together before long, it would seem. You've not seen Haragh on your travels, have you?

=====

Roleplay from Ain Kindon

"Oh, Ale! Thank the gods!" Ain didn’t mean to seem quite so enthusiastic, "The brandy was swell, but ale really washes down nicely with this cheese," and gratefully, so gratefully, she accepted a brimming mug and took a happy swig.

"And here, if it isn’t our fine archer, Sir Friedroch. Stop calling me dame and have some cheese... or maybe a meat pie and then tell me what kind of meat you think that is..." she grinned up at him, "Battle at dawn, eh? Will you shoot all the enemy before my men and I get a whack at them?"

Ain took another good swallow, "Now this is a decent ale, Sir Skat; but don’t exaggerate... just because I can say double ordinary gucki nullo, Schneider, and Schwartz... doesn’t mean that I actually understand them."

=====

Roleplay from Freidroch Tinsley

Freidroch looked at the cards, the food and the drinks that were on the tables.

- I'd play the 7 and the 9, hoping to draw better cards the next time. No, hold the 9, drop the 7, and shift those two there, over. No. The other two. No. I remember the time when Sir Diodorus cleaned me out of 25 gold in less than fifteen minutes playing Skat. The last time I played was with Crip and our King, our former King, Reilwin, in Nazia. If you remember Crip, I haven't improved at all.

Crip nods and smiles.

- Haragh? No I haven't seen him for quite some time. Sir Loronzo's tent is just a bit over, I imagine he'd be loitering around there. Ain, thanks for the meat pie. I can't quite place the flavor.

They discussed the upcoming battle and strategies into the night, disagreeing on the role of archers and special infantry, but agreeing that the sunrise would bring death to Aja.