Issue 19

Not quite 20 issues of Old War Horses and Im still going strong on my Serenity/FireflyDeadlands Reloaded campaign. This issue Ill add some characters that the PCs will encounter playing poker.

poker game encounters

Each of these NPCs can show up in a poker game (just not all together, for gorrams sake) to spice up a bit of the gamblin. 1. The Alliance Officer. This Alliance Officer is the worst gambler the PCs will every encounter (Skill: Gambling d4-2). Hell lose, and lose big. If the PC(s) in the game come out on top, hell make trouble for them. Yes, hes got a gambling addiction but hes also in charge of the Space Port the adventurers ship is docked in or hes the commander of a local Alliance Battle Cruiser. However hes connected, hell be more than willing to think the PCs are cheats, up to no good in poker as well as in their business dealings. During the evening, as he loses more and more cash with each bad play, the Alliance Officer will get surly and insulting. The chances of the players noticing that this guy will be trouble for them later on could prompt them to let him win a few hands to mollify him. If another PC loses as much or more than he does (either by cheating to lose or by lack of skill as well), then he will bond with that PC, becoming a good contact later on. 2. The Degenerate Gambler. This guy will win a bit and then probably lose more (Skill: Gambling d4). Once hes gone through his stake, hell hit up other people at the table for borrowed funds until he can get a good hand. Hell offer a number of trades: treasure maps, ship parts, mining rights, whatever is necessary to keep in the game. Whether any of those offers are genuine or will lead to a good adventure is up to the GM. Maybe they will be worth what he wants to trade, but there will be a snake in the grass connected to them to bite the PCs in any event. 3. The Desperate Youth. This young man is betting his life savings to get enough money together to help his little daughter. He doesnt have the funds necessary to pay for the operation that would save her life. He plays with a picture of his little girl on the table, touching it often and praying

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silently to God for help. Hell be free with his problems, much to the annoyance of the serious players. If the PCs want to become involved, this is a good opportunity to lead to another adventure, possibly saving the man from being cheated by an unscrupulous conman posing as a doctor. 4. The Sad Gambler. This gambler is very skilled (Skill: Gambling d12+2) so hell win most of the time. But hes also sad. With each winning hand, hell sigh dejectedly and then cry a little. He wont talk very much, just enough to stay in the game. It will take the table some time to figure out what his problem is and its all about love. Sure, hes rich because hes got skills enough to make money, but his love is from a noble family who dont approve of him. If the PCs get involved, and succeed in getting the couple together, hell be a friend for life. But, as we know, getting the sad gambler together with his lady love will not be an easy task. Maybe a duel at dawn is in order (or will be, once the PCs stick their mug in), maybe an escape to the border worlds. 5. The Drunk. This individual is a drunk and the more drunk he gets, the better he plays (Skill: Gambling d4 sober, d6 slightly buzzed, d8 moderately drunk, d10 very drunk, d12 nearly unconscious). This can lead to some fun interactions as the poker players realize that hes getting better as the night wears on. Additionally, the drunker he gets, the more mumbly he is, causing more problems when he says the wrong word to pass (pish), call (kell) or raise (retch). 6. The Coward. This guy cant make up his mind whether hes playing the game or not. Hell delay, ask incessant questions that have already been answered, change his mind about how many cards he wants or whether he wants to raise. He will constantly verbally secondguess his choices. The rest of the table will soon lose patience with him and hell stop for a bit, before starting it up again. The fact that hes a mediocre player (Skill: Gambling d4) will probably mean he loses more than wins so as long as his money holds out, theyll just be grumpy towards him. Hes a local Blue Sun rep and if the PCs are friendly, hell maybe throw some business their way. Otherwise, when he gets down to the bottom of his stake, hell bolt he will suddenly stand up, grab his cash and run for the door!