Actually, one of my most interesting RP moments happened at the most recent event at Seattle. I was sitting down, chatting with a few friends when a gentleman (NPC) came up and asked if I'd like to play a game of cards. I wasn't sure why he thought I'd be interested, dressed as a gypsy and such, but I said "Of course!" A small game with 3 NPCs and 2 PC's began. At the beginning, he warned us that he was feeling lucky these days and shook a somewhat largish bag that he had on his hip.
Instantly, my conniving mind began to click away like a watch on a paranoia elixir. I had read earlier in a help wanted poster an almost laughable request for help finding a man's leg. Apparently he woke up and it was stolen. Normally I wouldn't have even thought of it but that day I had been using rather large and colorfully colored (latex) eggs as throwing weapons. I had told people that I had gotten them from a large, white, rabbit wyldkin that had been pushing idols of himself made out of fudge on small Biata children. And everythime I hit this guy (afterall, what a creep!) one of the eggs would pop out.
So with this image fresh in my mind, I thought. "Lucky? Missing Leg? Rabbit? It couldn't be..." But sure enough, a few hands into the game, when he lost one, he reached into the bag and pulled out a human sized rabbit leg/foot and gave it a rub for luck. I saw the connection now click in a couple of spectator's eyes between the leg and the help wanted poster but was happy that no one jumped into the usual "There it is! Beat him down for it!" mode. We continued to play and I had luck on my side. A couple hands later, I draw to a 10 high flush. I look over at him and am quite sure that he has either a high pair or even a straight.
I say to him, "You know, I could have some real interesting times if I had luck like that hanging around my neck. Tell you what. You seem rather interested in my eggs. Say I put up four of these most unique and colorful eggs against that leg of yours. If it is as lucky as you say it is, you'll win. If it isn't, I'll still give you one of these eggs if I win." He smiled and said "I call." I show the flush, take the leg from him and simply hold it over my shoulder. At which point one of the PC's who had been looking on and I could tell knew what the leg was about (I was in 'people reading' mode afterall) simply walked over and took it from me. The NPC gave me a look like it was all staged but stayed in character.
We thanked each other for a good game and he headed on home. The rest of us went off to find the person of the missing leg (which was a rabbit wyldkin) reattached it and was thanked for our help with the ordeal. Just to finish with a flourish, when he turned over a bunch of potions as a reward, one of the PC's still went ahead and paid him. He took the coin a little confused so I just held out my hand and he went "Oh!" and gave me the coin back.
Although a rather simple affair, I loved how everyone stayed in character during the game (One of the NPC's was scared that her husband was going to beat her for losing their tax money. I gave her a gold and said that if he did beat her, that I'd be sure to come collect one of his legs to replace my lost lucky charm) and the fact that an adventure was concluded in such a fun manner without requiring a single weapon to be swung.
Oh, and I should also note that I let the NPC personally keep the egg he won. I know how much fun it is to have a little token of such encounters.
