The Ninth Trial

[advisories]

Who: everyone
When: Day 18, starting just after dawn
Where: The Hermit's Tent, and all around

[This morning as the sun begins to pour through the train's windows, there's the tremor that signals a Trial.]

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth. Or something like that!

[It's the same older man's voice from the sixth trial, and outside is the same fortune teller's stall. Today the front flap is lifted to show a normal interior -- there's a wooden table, carved with geometric patterns and painted in bright colours, lit by teal-coloured carved candles.

At the table sits a man of indeterminate age, somewhere between 30 and 60. He's wearing what appear to be monk's robes, teal with patterned trimming. In front of him is a crystal ball and a stack of bingo cards, along with a stand-up sign bearing the rules of this Trial.

Across the top in large font, it says:

Icebreaker Bingo

Good luck and have fun!]

Comments

[bad_crowmance]

Nothing about me could ever possibly be alarming.

[desirestruth]

I have no choice but to take your word for it right now.

[bad_crowmance]

Do you know how to count cards?

[desirestruth]

Count cards?

[She tilts her head to the side. She clearly hasn't heard of this particular method of cheating.]

[bad_crowmance]

It's a card game strategy used primarily in the blackjack family of casino games to determine whether the next hand is likely to give a probable advantage to the player or to the dealer. Basically, the idea's to attempt to decrease the inherent casino house edge by keeping a running tally of all high and low valued cards seen by the player.

[desirestruth]

Ohh...

[She's considering this.] This would be useful in hold 'em and rummy, too, wouldn't it?

[bad_crowmance]

It sure would!

[desirestruth]

In the interests of full disclosure, I'd usually just mark the cards with a scent I can pick up.

[Since, you know, we're being honest about cheating methods here.]

[bad_crowmance]

That's a pretty good strategy for you. I think doesn't hurt to have a backup though.

[desirestruth]

Certainly. If this place can remove powers, then even once I buy back my senses, I could lose them again.

[A beat.]

Oh, we need a deck of cards, don't we?

[bad_crowmance]

It'd probably be easier with a deck but I can at least go over the theory now.

[desirestruth]

I should really buy a deck anyway...but, yes. Let's go over the theory, then.

[bad_crowmance]

Alright. Basically, you can break it down into four steps—

Step 1. Assign a value to every card
Step 2. Keep a “Running Count” based off of the values of the card dealt
Step 3. Use this information to calculate the count per deck or “true count”
Step 4. Change your bets as the true count rises.

[desirestruth]

[Well, naeva is good at math so she probably caught that. I, the player, am completely lost.]

...Oh, it's a logistics puzzle!

[bad_crowmance]

[ It's okay, math is my nemesis but Crow's totally got this. ]

Exactly!

[desirestruth]

That's easier than I expected...though, if you process slowly, you're more likely to get caught, huh?

[bad_crowmance]

Yeah, you've gotta be able to keep track of everything in your head and do it on the fly-- and you've gotta be real subtle about it so you don't get caught.

[desirestruth]

Which is really the hard part, hmm....especially since practicing is largely going to be unforgiving, huh?

[bad_crowmance]

Probably! I... don't really remember when I learned it.

[ He just sort of. Remembers how to do it? ]

[desirestruth]

Well, at the rate these trials are happening, you may well soon. No point wondering until then, mm?

[And no point dwelling on the topic of amnesia, either.]

[bad_crowmance]

I'm not really worried about that. I'll remember when I remember!

[desirestruth]

Fair enough.

[She's looking down at her card, and considering.]

Well, it's your turn to pick again.

[bad_crowmance]

Let's talk about a dream and/or a goal!

[desirestruth]

I'm working on breaking a century-old curse, does that count as a goal?

[She already told Eliza the mushy one, she's not making the mistake of telling you!]

[bad_crowmance]

[ Wow rude, you can totally trust Crow with that??? ]

I'd say that counts as a goal! A pretty good one, too.