[Trade] A Game of Lier's Dice

A cursed Oviraptor, Nocturne, sat at a wooden stump of a tree like it was a table. He was entirely black, except for the white skull and bone markings on his face, tail, claws, and feet. Next to him sat a styracosaurus, Nemesis, who was black and brown, with a white tail, and a white neck, and thick black bands down his body. The third in this dastardly group was a tall white shunosaurus with black bone-like markings, almost like a negative version of Nocturne. In front of each of this trio was a cup, the cups were full wooden, raccoon crafted “dice”. Even the cups were all made of wood. 

It was then that the fourth player emerged, a euoplocephalus named Talos. Talos was a dark blue with light fur-covering and white fawn spots. Talos sat at the rounded trunk table with a huff. “So, you wish to teach me this game and hope it will prove your worth?” He looked around like a warrior with experienced eyes. It was clear that he had seen much and had done much in his lifetime. “Very well, show me this game you call Lier’s Dice.”

Nocturne nodded his head. “Right then, everyone starts with a cup of six dice each. Each of these dice have six sides. You shake the cup and turn it over, but don't let your neighbor see your dice. In it you see what dice sides have turned up on the top. Those are your player dice. The idea is we each take turns with a bid and guess how many of one kind of dice is on the table. For example, if I roll and I get three fours and three fives, I might wager that there's eight hours on the field. Now, once you've made your bet, any player may call my bluff. If I am wrong, I lose a dice. If I am right, the person who called my bluff loses a dice and the game resets. When you run out of dice, you're out of the game. The game goes until there's one person left, who is declared the winner.” Nocturne explained the game and demonstrated what he was speaking about. Talos just nodded his head and watched the Oviraptor explain and demonstrate the game. 

“This seems easy enough.” Talos remarked. He grabbed the cup and shook it a little before turning it over. “I can see where this game might be a bit of fun.”

“If we win…” Nemesis started, “You let us into the sacred lands.” The bargain was being made clear. “All of us go in, no exceptions or delays."

“Alright,” Talos nodded his armored head. “If any of you win, I will let you through. If I should be declared the winner, you leave and never return to this part of the island. Is that clear?” The trio nodded their heads and all began to shake their dice and place them on the table. The game had begun. 

The dice were rolled and the stakes were high. Nocturne glanced between them all and cleared his throat. “ I bet there is one two.” He declared like he was proud. 

Talos chuckled and shook his head. “With this many dice? No, there's got to be way more. I call your bluff!”

Everyone lifted their cups to reveal what was on the table. Sure enough there were indeed five twos, which meant Nocturne 's bid was false. He tossed one of his dice into the center of the table and everyone shook their cups again. 

Nemesis glanced at his dice and looked up to proudly declare his water on the new round. “I wager there's two twos.”

This time it was Prometheus who spoke. “I wager that's false friend. Lift your cups and see if my call is correct.” Everyone would lift their cups to reveal that the bid was again wrong. There were five twos again. 

Nemesis placed a dice in the center of the table and everyone rerolled their dice again for the next turn. Talos glanced at his dice and cleared his throat. “I wager there's two sizes.” 

Nocturne shook his head. “No, there's definitely more. Correct me if I'm wrong.” Everyone would again lift their cups and see that Talos had indeed been correct. There were only two sixes. This meant Nocturne lost another dice. 

This game continued like this for a while. Each one losing a dice to either failed or a successful bluff call. Nocturne was the first to lose out. He didn't get a single good call. Next was Nemesis who had given it his best chance. It was now down to Prometheus who seemed to have the best luck with this game round. 

Prometheus was down to four dice left and and Talos was suddenly down to two himself. The tables had turned on the euoplocephalus and he was about to be bested by the shunosaurus. “I wager there's two sizes.” Talos called up to the taller herbivore. 

Prometheus just shook his head. “I think you're wrong again. Lift your cup, let's see.” Sure enough, there was indeed only one six on the playing field. Talos put his dice in the center along with the pile that was now there. He was down to his final dice. 

The two shook their cups and placed them down. Prometheus chuckled and glanced down at the smaller herbivore. “I bet there's two sixes.” He declared. 

Talos glanced at his dice and shook his head. “No, there's three sixes.” Prometheus chuckled loudly. 

“I think you're about to let in three new strangers. Your wager is false!” He called out. The two lifted their cups and to Talos’s dismay, he was right. There had only been two and it meant the trio had won their wager. Talos would have to let them in now.

“You have proven yourself worthy and bested me in this game.” Talos declared, humbly defeated. “Go forth and earn your prize, herbivores. You may enter these lands with no qualms.” With that, Nocturne, Nemesis, and Prometheus entered the lands.