Play@YSDC

The trunks are strapped with leather belts and padlocked--strong looking but old.

Santiago chuckles, "I'll be quick! Just cough if someone comes." He looks for old labels on the trunks for previous destinations that Lamarr may have gone to. There are a few worn out ones, but it's a bit too dark to make anything out. He then inspects the locks and uses his penknife to try opening them... and it almost works. "He whispers, "Not much luck, Henry. Do you want to try?"

I splutter and cough ... "Why I would not even know where to start ... how does one go about it? Oh I see!" as Santiago tries to explain the procedure "Sounds easy enough, but I just cannot seem to get the bally lock open!" I stifle my frustration as the lock refuses my attempts to open it.

"It was worth a try." Santiago climbs over the trunks and retrieves Mrs. Quan's food parcel which he passes to Renwick. He has a quick check over the rifles and other boxes of theirs before jumping back. "So Henry," He says with a smile, "Should we see if our luck is better with cards than locks? I can first run the food back to the ladies pronto."

"Yes I suppose it was worth a try, but the concept seems totally foreign to me - but then again, it's hardly like surgery now ... or disarming Japanese soldiers of their swords now is it?" I chortle conspiratorially to my friend. "Though the challenge was pretty exciting to try, nonetheless! Yes you return to the women while I engage the guards and see what I may learn of their game."

As Santiago scurries away with the food parcel I can feel my own stomach rumble and sigh secretly hoping that he remembers to bring something back for us to eat.

I approach the guards once more and try to watch them play a hand or two before I play to see if I can pick their game up. I gesture to the seat and try to ask them if I may join in once I pick the game up. I surprise myself at the fluency, at least to my western ears, of my speech and inflection. This coupled with the lack of them bursting out laughing or taking offence at my efforts means I must have got somewhere in the region right.

Speak other language - Mandarin (to guards for card game) /30% (1d100=1)

OOC,Why could I not get this roll when picking the lock - Damn it to hell!!! What a waste just to play a game of cards - ;-( lol

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Santiago returns to the girls.

[ooc: aine, pop back to topic "Peking-Hankow Express." Cearlan, I'll post the guards reaction soon.]

The conductor, who Renwick understands perfectly, motions the Doctor to sit with them. "I am Deng, and this good for nothing"--he nods at the guard--"is Bo." Bo smiles, exhibiting jagged yellow teeth. "You know the game Dou Dizhu?"

I give a slight bow in greeting to the conductor and then Bo in turn as he is introduced to me as I take the proffered seat. "Deng, Bo ... I am Henry, thank you. As for the game I am afraid it does not look familiar to me. Could you give me a quick run through of the rules please."

Deng replies: "Hmmm, how do I start to explain---"

"Poe-ka," interrupts Bo, in an unintelligible patois.

"Yes!" says Deng. "Shall we play poker?"

"Ah - I understand poker to an extent, though am not too good."

Throughout the game I will use all my acumen to quiz the guards about life in the interior

"'Not too good,'" repeats Deng, "oh, excellent!" Both he and Bo chuckle--obviously Bo understands the Doctor. Bo shuffles the cards and begins to deal five to each player; Deng tips over a mug of dried beans, "Chips," says he, "What have you got to pay for some Chips, Henwi?"

Bo

"Ah ... how much do they run to then Bo?" Henry asks, trying unsuccessfully to look naive.

Henry's persuade roll with guards to try and get them onside (1d100=98)

Bo looks at Deng and rattles off some gobbledygook, they argue, then Deng says: "$5 for 20 beans, okay?"

Renwick's cards,6D [6 of diamonds], 7S, 7C, 10H, KH

Deng throws a bean down (he's in), next it's Renwick's turn, then Bo.

"Going all the way to Hankow, Henwi?" asks Deng.

Santiago arrives, with the steward in tow. He smiles wryly and sits down next to Renwick, making room for the steward too. He puts some bags of food on the table; some seseme buns, rice and some strange brown stuff. "Hola, Señores." He says to the Chinese. To Renwick he says, "Are you winning, Henry? What game do they play here?"

OOC, can't see the cards Tabs - but I'll go blind this round.

"I'm in." After laying down the bean I turn to Santiago "An expensive game of poker my friend! We have just started - are the ladies alright?"

Renwicks cards,6D (6 of diamonds), 7S, 7C, 10H, KH It was the apostrophe what did it. :)

Bo nonchalantly tosses a bean on to the table.

Deng, the conductor, grins a welcome to Santiago and the steward. Bo dips a finger in the brown stuff and licks it appreciably in a vaguely disgusting manner; "Plum Sauce," says Deng in stilted English.

[ooc: Santiago, the conversation is in Chinese, succeed in a "Know" roll (65%) to gather the gist of the talk.]

Deng discards and then draws three cards. Renwick's turn. . . .

I'll go with the pair in the hand being better than the bird in the bush to totally destroy my metaphors. Keep the sevens - hand three and get three new cards.

Santiago leans over the table and rubs his chin. "Not really my game I'm afraid. Still, deal me in." He nods to the dealer. "What are we playing with -Beans?" He smiles, getting the general gist of the conversation. "Plum sauce, huh? Then I'll eat it". He opens the food bags and gestures for everyone to help themselves. "I brought a bit extra."