Rivers Harkness

> "*Like I told you in the beginning, the house always wi-*"
> ― Rivers Harkness, moments before experiencing a near-fatal blow to the head
>
>

Cardshark

Rivers Harkness is a businessowner, and the former proprietor of the Crimson Clubhouse. Their Epithet, **Rounder**, allows them to manipulate fate and numbers using a deck of Epithet-empowered playing cards.

## Biography

### Pre-Great Awakening

Rivers was born to a lower-middle, working class family. He rarely saw his parents, as they worked from dawn until dusk to provide for Rivers and his siblings.

When Rivers was a teenager, he began practicing his card skills; while he wasn't very good at card counting or estimating probability, he excelled in sleight-of-hand. This allowed Rivers to gain a bit of notoriety in Ebwick's gambling underbelly.

### Post-Great Awakening

At some point 15 years ago, Rivers discovered his Epithet. Almost immediately, he used it to cheat at every table that would sit him in the state. Once he had been banned from every casino in Statesoda, he used his winnings to found his own casino, the Crimson Clubhouse, which became very popular over a short period of time.

### Contemporary History

After a rival casino, the Black Diamond, became Ebwick's most popular gaming venue, Rivers employed underhanded techniques (staging a violent, heated argument at the venue) to tank the casino's value, and drive customers to his own venue. Rivers was apprehended by EISC operatives during case #037, where he was almost accidentally killed by Panny Boxxer.

After an incident involving an EISC Operative at the Ebony Box Cafe, Rivers violated the conditions of his parole, causing him to be apprehended and returned to the prison hospital.

## Powers

### Kit Features

Rivers' passive, **Card Counter**, allows him to keep track of when the odds are in his favor. Every time his or an ally’s, ability or basic attack fails, Rivers gain a point of Advantage. As an anytime action, he may cash out the totality of his Advantage to add it to an ability or basic attack roll.

Rivers has two talents: **High Roller**, which allows him to score a critical success on a roll of 19 or 20 (at the cost of critically failing on a 1 or a 2), and **Cards on the Table**, which allows him to deal extra damage to enemies who have used all of their abilities once this combat.

#### Abilities

* **Blind Deal (1)**: Rivers make three basic attacks, taking a -3 penalty to all three.
* **(!) Weighted Dice (2)**: Instead of rolling a d20 for anything, Rivers may instead roll a d10 and add 10. This can’t result in a critical success or failure.
* **(2RC) Up the Ante** **(3)**: Until the start of Rivers' next turn, all damage is doubled, and all attacks made by his enemies are rolled with disadvantage.
* **Crossing the River (3):** Rivers shuffles his **Deck of Cards**, and draws 5 of them face down. He then graciously allows a target to pick one of them. They take damage equal to the value of the card.

Rivers' outclass, **All In**, allows him to make up to 20 attacks at once, at the cost of up to 20 stamina. The number of attacks made using this ability is based on the ability roll.

#### Belongings

Rivers' **Deck of Cards** does a modest amount of damage from a respectable range. Some of Rivers' abilities require that he has the cards in his possession.

## Personality

Rivers is a suave, smooth-talking swindler. He loves nothing more than getting into tricky situations, and escaping them with trickier solutions. Cheating is honorable, but being caught is detestable. This is why he doesn’t pay his taxes.

### Relationships

#### Vegas Macau

Rivers thinks very little of Vegas, who has yet to best him in a hand of cards. Rivers does appreciate emptying his wallet, however.

## Trivia

* Rivers Harkness' character sheet can be accessed here.