The Melancholic Draughts Player
"He buys skeletons that might cure his ennui. He also buys Vital Intelligences and always ready to play some games."
"He pays in Romantic Notions and First City Coins, if you brighten his days. He may also give you some Moves in the Great Game, if you tell him something useful for his work."
"He seeks joy in both games and bones."
Skeletons with no menace.
Primary Reward: Romantic Notion.
Additional Reward: First City Coin, based on the antiquity and amalgamy. ((Antiquity+Amalgamy)*3)
The Melancholic Draughts player attentively examines the skeleton's face. He frowns a little, but eventually breaks into a smile. "Good job, my delicious friend. This guy looks kind. See? He's smiling. It will make a wonderful toy for children, or for one fun game. Just imagine what kind of rumors would spread if an image of our tea party got into the newspaper!"
You discuss a dozen more jokes and games before he hands you a bag of antique coins. "Take it. I won them fairly, and I'm parting with them fairly. I won so many of them once, even though I started with only seventy-seven coins...""
Additional Purchase and Actions:
Purchased item: Vital Intelligence
"Sell him a Vital Intelligence
"I guess it's time to work, am I right?" he says, arranging the chess pieces."
Payment: 20 Moves in the Great Game
"Pawn e7, rook in Manchester
He listens to you, simultaneously moving the pieces on the board. When you stop talking, he makes a few more moves, and in the end the white pawn reaches the seventh square. "It's not that bad." He says, removing it from the board. He makes another move, giving the white king a check. All that remains is to checkmate, and you know how."
Both of you have some time to spend, and he's just found a quiet corner for you two to play."
You play, play, play checkers. The game has captured both of you, you fight on equal terms until you are noticed by the owner of the counter behind which you were playing. You and the Melancholic Draughts Player have to agree to a draw and leave before the stunned merchant has time to call the constables.
"I'm so glad that at least someone is playing for the sake of the game, not the reward!" the Melancholic Draughts Player says happily, shaking your hand. "This is the excitement that I live for. Enjoying the process, not the thirst for victory!" He laughs when he tells you about his recent victories.
But soon enough he is gloomy once again. So he asks you one question: wanna play one more time?"
The say he lost once on purpose and no more. They say he can win even blindfolded. Well, blindfolded or not, you feel yourself lucky, and he has already took a deck of cards from his pocket."
Fail text (90% luck chance +2 Nightmares CP):
The Melancholic Draughts Player lets you shuffle, cut, and even deal cards. Even though you got good cards, he still has better ones. Every time it's you who deals, every time you lose. If you weren't playing for fun, you'd already be on the verge of ruin. But when he starts shuffling the deck, things get much worse.
You have the best possible combination in your hands. However, the Monarch of Weasels looks exactly like your old friend. Their face is distorted with fear. They're looking at you right off the card. The Melancholic Draughts Player notices the confusion on your face. "Did something happen to them?" He asks, as if he knows what you're holding. He puts only one card on the table. The Lady of Mirrors. Your face is reflected in her glass. According to the rules, you lose instantly. The Melancholic Draughts Player only urges you to run to help your friend. But how could he know? How could he know about this? This question will come to you in a nightmare tonight.
Success text (10% luck chance, +7 First City Coins):
You shuffle, cut, and deal the cards. When your cards beat his on the first turn, his eyes light up with excitement. He's starting to play even better than before, as if he's been giving in all this time, and only now is he playing without holding back. Card after card is laid on the table, and only incredible luck, smiling at you, brings you to the last card in the deck. You put it on the table. The Escapee of Cards.
The Melancholic Draughts Player laughs. The card looks like him. "You've won, my delicious friend! You've won! I'm afraid I have to give you all the money I have on me!"
He puts exactly seven coins on the table. Seven coins with a cedar tree on them. "Take it. The cards liked you, and I don't usually argue with them.""