The day had gone from bad to worse.

	With a large *CRASH*, the figure lay motionless on Setzer's brand-new,
20,000-GP mahogany heartwood table.  Eyes tightening in frustration, Setzer
launched himself from his seat, spilling his half-drained glass across the
floor.
	"This man is no danger to anyone," said the odd-looking man who he had
lost that prime pot to.  "He seems to have some power to him.  He needs help.
I think we should give it to him."
	Setzer frowned, biting back the instinctive flash of anger which
overtook him.  "Remember.." he told himself silently, "a gambler may play the
odds, but he finds out all that he can about them first."
	Turning to the odd-looking man, he nodded briefly, gesturing toward a
half-hidden door.  "Take him in there." he said softly, wondering if he should
expend the effort to clean up the table, or leave it as an "art piece".  He
grinned, stepped up to the table, and spoke out loudly.  "That man just fell
from the heavens.  I have been there, and I have seen the Statues!  It was
their will that this man come to earth, and this table is the first sign of
that passage!  Now while I am not a particularly religious man, as you all
well know, I can see value when I am faced it.  The bidding will start at
20,000 GP."
	Mumbles from among the crowd.  No one looked terribly interested... or
at least, that's what they wanted him to think. One finally spoke up.  "I'll
give you 1000 GP."
	Normally, Setzer would have taken the offer, but his pride had been
trifled with.  "1000!  What is this?!  I have told you no lies!  And you all
know as well as I do that I could sell this for five times whatever you might
pay to those of the Cult of Kefka! However..." he said, his voice calming, "I
do not care to deal with them, and you are the clients of my establishment.
So I give you certain privileges.  Let me hear a /real/ bid." He held up a
hand, forestalling any bids for the moment.  "Let us start instead at...
50,000."
	Everyone gaped.  A few shuffled out, indignant looks on their faces.
But most stayed.