High Roller's Last Gamble

Summary



Press the 'Yes' button

Slot Machine

You drop some more coins into the slot machine, but before you've even pulled the lever, the main display ligths up, with the word: 'JACKPOT!'. There's no rollign wheels or flashign lights, but the text on the screen begins to explain the game:

'Bonus Game: Council Crusher! Defeat all Council in base! Find plans for SUPERWEAPONS!!!

Would you like to play this game?'

The 'Yes' button glows expectantly.

A casino chip falls into your waiting hand. one side has a location, the other says:

'If you see High Roller, give him a hand.'

Part 1: Defeat all Council in base (4 weapon caches, lead High Roller to exit)
Council base @ St. Martial Council

The Slot Machine was acting kind of wierd, but this is a Council base, just the same.

Objective: You found something... Useless

CluePathetic Prototypes

Far from being the Super Weapons the Slot Machine mentioned, these prototypes are next to useless. The tornado gun barely generates a light breeze, and the laser-canon couldn't even sunburn an albino. All of them are tagged as a failure by the Council scientists.

Mission Complete: You took out all the council people, and examined the supposed super-weapons. They were all completely useless.

ClueHigh Roller's story

The former villain you freed from the Council was very thankful, and told you some of his story:

'You know, I used to be a villain once myself. They called me 'High-Roller' back then. That was an incredibly time. I was one of those super-science types. Built all my own stuff, based all around gambling themes. I was kind of obsessed with that. Called myself 'High Roller'.'

'Back then, all you needed to be a player in the villain biz was a pair of rocket-skates and a dream...'

'But, that's all over now. Sister Psyche burned out my mechanical skills to stop me from finishing a luck-destroyer bomb, and Positron blew up my last pair of rocket skates back in '98. So, I'm afriad I wont't be that much help to you.'

'Anyway, thanks for the gettin' me away from those guys. I tried to sell them some of my new superweapon designs, but, well, I ain't exactly the inventor I used to be. They were really angry, and I think they were gonna use me in some kinda alien experiment. And hey, I may want another shot at powers as much as any other guy, but I don't want some crazy alien thing in me.'

Slot Machine

Before you're even in front of the machine, it's screen changes to say:

'Poor weapons = poor payout!
Bigger payouts to come!
More prizes!
More Money!
Please play again!'


Press the 'Yes' button

Slot Machine

Before you're even done putting coins into the Slot Macihne, the screen lights up in a blazing orange glow with the words:

'BONUS GAME: Devouring Demolisher!
How to play:
Defeat all Devouring Earth in cavern nest! Find the massive gemstones!
Would you like to play this game?'

The screen dims down, and the 'YES' button seems to glow like a bright green beacon.

The Slot Machine spits out a single chip so quickly, you almost miss it. It has a location printed on one side, the other side reads:

'I know you can handle it!'

Part 2: Defeat all DE in cavern (4 jewels to find)
Cavern @ St. Martial

The cool air of the cave is filled with the heavy organic warmth of the Devouring Earth.

Objective: You found something... worthless

ClueWorthless Rocks

These worthless pieces of rubble and quartz are comletely valueless, if kind of petty. The Devouring Earth were probably just keeping them to line a nest or something.

Mission Complete: There were no jewels to be found, just angry Devouring Earth monsters and another run-in with High Roller.

ClueHigh Roller's desperation

High Roller looks at you glumly. It takes him a minute to say something, and every word is an apology:

'Aw, jeez. You must think I'm the biggest loser in the Isles. I guess, maybe I am. See, after that last run-in, I couldn't pay the bills on my workshop, so they closed it down. But I heard that there's this other scientist up in Grandville named Vernon von Grun who's paying big bucks for Devouring Earth specimens. I packed up the best of the new weapons I designed and figured this was it, I'd bag one of these things and sell t to von Grun. He's with Arachnos, if anyone knows how to get me new powers, he could do it.'

'It was a total failure. I don't even know why I tried. I know these damn things are useless. I can't invent anymore, I'm out of the game. I got nothing.'

'But you know what it's like! You're on top of the world! Power at your fingertips! I gotta try! I had to try. You'd do the same if you were like me. So don't you pity me! Don't! I'll get it all back. I gotta get it all back. I only got one shot left.'

Slot Machine

The moment you stand in front of the machine, the screen lights up. If text could read apologetically, you'd think it was trying to grovel:

'Poor paouts may occur due to poor information.
Please play again!
Pretty please?
Change your luck!
Big bonuses are certain soon!'


Press the 'Yes' button

Slot Machine

This time, you don't even get a chance to put a coin into the Slot Machine before the screen lights up:

'FINAL BONUS GAME!
Circle smash!
Defeat all Circle in Mu ruins.
Recover POWERFUL ARTIFACT!
Would you like to play this...
There is no POWERFUL ARTIFACT.
Only an old fool who needs help.
It will be worth your while.
This will be the big payout.
Just help High Roller before they kill him.
Or worse
PLEASE!'

The green 'YES' button glows in front of you.

The single chip shoots into the tray and ricochets right into your palm. One side has directions of where to go, the other just says:

'THANKYOU - THANKYOU - THANKYOU - THANKYOU - THANKYOU - THANKYOU - THANKYOU'

all the way around the edge.

Part 3: Save High Roller from Circle (Rescue High Roller, Lead Roller to exit)
Oranbega @ St. Martial

The Slot Machine is making big promises. Maybe this time it will finally keep them.

Objective: You really did find something this time!

Mission Complete: You saved High Roller's life for the Slot Machine one last time.

ClueHigh Roller's last gamble

High Roller looks at you sheepishly, and tries to explain himself:

'I don't even know why I tried this stupid magic thing anyway. I'm a science guy. Magic? What was I thinking?'

'That was rhetorical. I know what I was thinking. I wanted it all back, I wanted my old glory days back. When I was powerful. When I was worth something.'

'You know, I almost did it once. The big score. The big steal. I told you I was all gambling themed, right? Well, I 'd built these intelligent gambling machines. Slot machines, mostly. They were gonna monitor casinos all over the world, and then strike at once, hacking in and draining the casinos' funds dry in one shot. But that robot on the Freedom Phalanx, Citadel. He figured the whole thing out and shut 'em all down. The Phalanx cornered me, and I tried to threaten them with my quantum luck bomb, and well, I told you the rest.'

'You know, that was a pretty good shot, wasn't it? How many people can even say they came that close? Who else can say they faced down half the Freedom Phalanx, or nearly bankrupted the casinos of the world? My inventions are gone, sure, but when I had that gift, I used it. I really did.'

'You've helped me a lot. I guess it's time I stopped trying to hog the stage and stepped aside for the next generation. I got a sister in Poughkeepsie who says she can get me a job as a shop teacher. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up helping some kid build his first battlesuit.'

'Thanks, pal. I think I need to go book a flight out of here. Keep living the dream, and never let any jerk tell you what to do.'

Slot Machine

The lights on the Slot Machine build up to a crescendo, and then a clattering fountain of coins to pour into the tray. As you gather clattering fountain of coins start to pour into the tray. As you gather them in big handfuls, words slowly crawl across the orange screen:

'I'm sorry I had to lie to you like that.
But I had to try to save him.
Here's all that I owe you, and a little more.
I won't bother you again.'

As the last coin clinks into the reward tray, the jackpot sounds fade, the wheels slow to a stop, and the lights on the Slot Machine dim and go out.


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