Gambling Hansel

*"Everything is a wager, but our difference is we understand the game must have rules and definitions, if it is to bind."*

This is an Encounter Card in *Hand of Fate 2.*

## Event

*You enter a tavern one evening just as a gang of soldiers rise angrily from a table, leaving just a well dressed civilian seated.*

*"You cheating son of a Harpy!" one of them yells.*

*"Gentlemen, please! I cannot help it if Lady Luck has taken to me this fine evening!"*

*"Nobody's that lucky!" a soldier exclaims, drawing his sword. The other soldiers advance around the table.*

*The unarmed man suddenly leaps from his chair and ducks behind you, saying, "Mercenary, I implore you! I am a humble and honest merchant in need of aid!"*

**The Dealer draws a Steel Monster Card.**

*"Save me from this band of treacherous fiends, whom I have offended merely by playing fairly a number of games of chance, and I'll pay you with gold!"*

*"Hey, that's our gold, Hansel!" the soldiers cry.*

1) Defend Hansel from the soldiers.

*"We warned you, stranger."*
*Hansel runs and hides behind the bench, his money bags clinking loudly as the battle begins.*
**The player enters Combat.**
*Having dealt with the threat of the vengeful soldiers, you turn to find 'lucky' Hansel lying still behind the bench, a Northerner warrior crouched over him.*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
*"A man who cheats has no honour," the Northerner says matter of factly, sheathing his knife and hefting the merchant's money bags.*
*"He will not cheat me again."*
*The Northerner moves to exit the tavern, gold in hand.*
A) Search Hansel.
If the deck contains any Equipment cards with Gambit traits:
**The player gains this card's token.**
*You discover Hansel to be wearing an item that might explain his recent run of good luck.*
**The Dealer draws an Equipment with a Gambit trait.**
*At the sound of more Empire soldiers approaching you decide to follow the Northerner's example and exit discreetly.*
Otherwise:
*His wounds were clearly fatal and you find nothing of particular value on him.*
*An Empire Captain arrives with a dozen men and, after some brief questioning, soon leaves to pursue the Northerner.*
*You slip out the back before more soldiers arrive.*
B) Stop the Northerner from escaping with the gold.
**Precision Gambit** (1 tiny stationary Success)
Success
*With the Northerner weighed down with gold, you manage to drag him to the ground.*
*An Empire Captain arrives with a dozen men and separates you both, as well as taking the bag of gold.*
*"Looks like Hansel's swindling days are over. But at least we've caught his two accomplices, fighting over the spoils!"*
If the player's Fame is at least 15:
*One of the soldiers interrupts the Captain, saying, "Wait. Don't you know who this is?"*
*He tells of some of your adventures.*
*"My apologies," the Captain smiles. "I didn't realize you were travelling in these parts!"*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
*"Good work on capturing the Northerner, too bad we didn't get Hansel alive."*
If the player's Fame is at least 10 but less than 15:
*You protest your innocence but the captain is unconvinced until a fellow patron speaks up on your behalf.*
*"I've heard of this mercenary," the old man says, "and I doubt they'd be involved with a gambling con-man."*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
*Eventually the Empire Captain agrees to your story of trying to help an innocent merchant.*
*"Keep your sword out of other people's business next time," the Captain remarks, "and leave keeping the peace to us."*
If the player's Fame is less than 10:
*Several hours of questioning and accusations pass before you are reluctantly released.*
*"Keep your sword out of other people's business next time," the Captain remarks as you leave.*
Failure
*After a brief struggle the Northerner slips from your fingers and escapes through a window.*
*An Empire Captain arrives with a dozen men and, after some brief questioning, soon leaves to pursue the Northerner.*
*You slip out the back before more soldiers arrive.*
2) Get out of the way.

*The soldiers rush past you and shake Hansel down, sending a steady stream of gold coins onto the floor. "This guy is loaded!" one of them exclaims.*
*Eventually the coins stop falling and the soldiers - plus some of the other patrons - set to collecting as much of the treasure as possible. Hansel uses the commotion to escape out a side door as a few coins roll your way.*
**Dice Gambit** (Target 2, 2 Dice)
**The player gains Gold equal to the Dice Roll.**
*For the rest of the night the crowd is in a jovial mood, with much food and wine consumed into the early hours of the morning.*

## Token Unlocks

*For trying to defend Hansel the gambler...*

Ring of Concentration