Zoltan seemed a bit upset; like most members of the Fraternity, he was not someone to be taunted. Viktor rolled the dice, moving his pieces, a smile of satisfaction on his face. He rolled once more - one die was a five and the other one was spinning around like a spinning top. Zoltan seemed to be fixed on the die, as if everything was depending on that. The bone die hit one of the ebony discs belonging to Zoltan, stopping its rotation violently.
"Another five, doubles!" said Viktor excitedly.
"Let me see you play this roll, brother," said Zoltan, his accent emphasizing the world brother in such a way it sounded more like "adder".
Viktor looked at the board. Even though he seemed likely to win this game with ease, this was the only roll that could ruin his game. Excitement changed to disappointment, as he reluctantly opened a bar for Zoltan to return his disc to the board, while leaving two of his own "men" exposed.
"Lawgiver give me your blessing to conquer my enemies" said Zoltan, in a semi-whispering voice; his eyes were closed.
"Apparently, he is taking the game of backgammon too seriously," thought Viktor, focusing on the leather cup in Zoltan's hands. The demonologist was holding it and shaking it like a hectic shaman. "Strange man indeed..." Viktor thought once more.
Zoltan rolled the dice clumsily, both of them bouncing off of the board and falling on the expensive Pharazian rug on the floor. The Hazlani stood up to retrieve them. The dice had landed on an image woven into the carpet, a representation of a demonlike creature, the nightly presentation of none other than Diamabel himself, as Zoltan knew too well. The image of the demonlord of Pharazia had the palm of its hands opened up, as if to cast a spell, but the dice had fallen in a specific area of the carpet that made it seem as if the zombie-like, skeletal-winged "Angel of Pharazia" was throwing the dice. That gave the demonologist an idea; he had a spell prepared for just this occasion. He remained still for some time as he was concentrating on casting the necessary spell without moving his hands or uttering a word. He just spilled a pinch of sulfur on the numbered bone cubes as he ducked to pick them up.
"Did you lose the dice? I hope not, Dr. Dhurban Ananda brought us this backgammon set as a gift, in his first visit to Souragne after Van Rijn's attack in Richemulot. It is rumored that the bone disks and dice are created from the bones of a weretiger. Unless you are willing to go hunt one yourself to create a new set I suggest you better find them. We are supposed to study the set not lose it..."
Viktor's voice was serious but it was obvious that he was mocking Zoltan.
"Don't worry Haz-An. I won't have to make the trip to Sri'Raji after all, I found it," answered the Mulan. A slight grin had formed on his face, his conjuration had worked perfectly. He carried the dice back to the backgammon board and placed them inside the leather cup.
"Is this cup made of weretiger skin too or is it something else?"
asked Zoltan, holding the cup obviously made from an albino crocodile's skin. Viktor looked at him with an insipid look.
"Why don't you roll the dice and lose this game. We have work to do."
"Indeed..."
Zoltan's heavy accented voice dragged more than usual as he rolled the dice. There was no prayer this time, as he was sure about the outcome of the game.
"Sixes?"
Viktor looked in a mixture of disappointment and surprise at the dice. This was the only result that he didn't want Zoltan to roll. Zoltan didn't speak, he just banged his disc onto the board, "hitting" the blot piece belonging to Viktor, then he moved the same disc, hitting loudly the other piece that Viktor had left exposed, while at the same time moving two more and securing a point where one of his obsidian discs had been exposed in his home board. Viktor took the crocodile cup and placed the dice back in, he shook the cup a few times and released the dice back on the wooden board. He rolled a one and a three, making it possible for only one of Viktor's bone men to come into the game. Zoltan cast the dice as fast as he placed them in the cup. The game had lost its challenge and it was now a waste of time. The faster it ended, the faster they would go and do some actual work.
His roll made it possible for him to form another builder in his home board, blocking one extra point for Viktor's disc to come in.
"Imagine if I happen to win this game; it would be an impossible turn of chance."
Zoltan acted surprised, hiding his assurance of winning the game.
"This is impossible!"
Viktor uttered, frustrated, as Zoltan's new builders blocked him.
Zoltan's next roll was even more frustrating, as he managed to knock off the defenceless blot that Viktor was unable to cover or move, as well as creating a blockade, limiting Viktor's chance of any of his checkers entering the game. The game continued this way for a few rounds; every time Viktor managed to enter one of his discs back into the game, Zoltan would knock it off, until he had made a full blockade, as Viktor had done a few rounds before. Zoltan had started bearing off his pieces when suddenly Viktor furiously closed the board, spoiling the game.
"Show yourself!"
Commanded Viktor looking at empty air. Zoltan was shocked, apparently he had projected one of his thoughts concerning his little cheat in winning the game. Slowly, a leathery red-winged devil appeared from thin air; it seemed more shocked than its forced master, but equally afraid of both Viktor and Zoltan, fearing it would be punished.
"You summoned an imp to rig the dice? Which part of "magic in Souragne is prohibited, unless absolutely necessary, did you miss?"
From outside the window, the mocking bird peeked inside the library of La Maison Soulombre, as the two wizards were arguing. The mists had become even thicker, as the sun had hidden its face behind the horizon and darkness descended across Souragne. The small bird felt a slight tingle on its feathered body. The Maiden of the Swamp was calling it to Lac Noir.
---
Esteemed members of the Fraternity of Shadows,
Miladies,
We are quite delighted to let you know of important changes in staffing at the FoS (this is the real announcement).
First, you now understood that yesterday's method of choosing new members was pure goofiness! It was our 2022 April 1st joke, I hope you liked it.
But we choose for real new FoS members.
Anyone reading the last issues of our QtR netbooks will agree that there were many great choices in the lists of authors found there.
We are extremely pleased to enlist with us Mark "Rock" Bartels, Michail "Mephisto" Adamis and Benjamin "Wolfglide" Bauml as new FoS members!
That means new FoS avatars that will soon appear in our in-game stories: Tycho Geldnehar (Benjamin’s), Aleister Smythe (Mark’s) and Cedrik Paddock (Michail’s). You may remember the last one from the Conch of Sorrows (Qtr28). You have been warned, be watchful for these!
Welcome these new guys to the FoS!
Take care everybody in this ongoing strange era,
The Fraternity of Shadows.
