Memories of your past, realities of your present, and fears and hopes for your future suddenly overwhelm you with a torrent of emotion. So many choices you’ve made! So many more to go! Do they even matter? Are your choices yours, or are they always what you’d choose? Do you have a fate that’s set in stone, or do you get to decide your future? Suddenly, you’re standing on a street corner—one you somehow know is in the Grand Bazaar within the city of Absalom. Before you is a wooden building flanked by a flower shop and an open-air meat vendor. A sign above the building’s door reads “Three Moves Ahead,” and déjà vu washes over you. You’ve never been here... or have you? Will you? Should you? A blood-curdling scream shatters the building and, after a brief sense of pain and loss, the vision fades. As your senses return, you realize that clutched in your hand is something new. A single beautifully illustrated harrow card. You don’t remember finding it, but you instinctively know it has always been yours. Though you only now hold it, your fate has been tied to it for a long time...
Part 1: The Choosing
Chapter 1: Luck of the Draw
Absalom! The City at the Center of the World! It has stood at the geographic and metaphorical fulcrum of Inner Sea intrigue for 5 millennia. Indeed, Absalom’s continual influence has shaped not only the face of the planet but the very nature of the cosmos. In Absalom, a person can be whatever and whoever they want, and for the right price, it is said, they can procure anything in its grand markets.
You have traveled to reach the city, following the strange vision in the hopes of learning more about it and the strange Harrow card that suddenly appeared in your possession one day not too long ago.
The Starstone is the heart of Absalom, but commerce is its blood. Nowhere does that blood flow more freely than in the Coins. Carts full of goods, busy vendors, and merchants dressed in their finest clothes crowd the district from daybreak until well after dark, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the Coins can be overwhelming to out-of-town visitors. The Grand Bazaar in the center of the district draws shoppers from throughout the Inner Sea region in search of surprising bargains, one-of-a-kind services, and rare commodities.
This massive plaza at the heart of the Coins is one of the largest open markets in the Inner Sea region. The Grand Bazaar is a microcosm of the economic diversity of the Coins as a whole, with rag vendors’ carts parked rows away from pavilions dealing in Minkaian silks. The crowded booths, ramshackle shops, and fragrant stalls of the market are constantly changing, but you follow the directions imparted to you by the vision, and soon enough, you find yourself at your destination.
The wooden building, flanked by a flower shop and an open-air meat vendor, is caught between smells both floral and savory. A sign above the door reads “Three Moves Ahead,” with images of dice and game pawns. The shop appears to be closed.
You look around at the three other individuals who have gathered outside the shop. Three individuals, you instinctually realize, whose destinies are intertwined with your own...
Dimitrie strides into the scene with an air of cautious curiosity. His eyes, which always seem to be searching for something—knowledge, arcane secrets, or perhaps just an interesting diversion—scan the area around the Three Moves Ahead shop. He’s dressed in Varisian attire—vivid colors and flowing fabrics adorned with intricate designs that reflect his heritage. A scarf loosely wraps around his neck, and an ornate belt cinches his robe, which is otherwise open to reveal a fitted tunic and trousers underneath. His boots, well-worn from his many travels, make soft sounds on the cobblestones.
His brown hair is a tousled mass that looks as if he's just come from an intense Harrow reading or a magical experiment—perhaps both. Thassilonian runes etched into his skin faintly glow at intervals, lending an air of otherworldliness to his already enigmatic presence. His fingers tap lightly against his side, as if impatient to pull out a deck of Harrow cards and divine the meaning behind this sudden, unexplainable gathering.
Dimitrie looks at Elanna, offering her a subtle nod—mutual recognition of yet another strange turn in their entwined fates. Then his gaze falls upon the two strangers, his eyes narrowing slightly as he senses that their destinies are now, inexplicably, linked to his own.
"Seems we've all been dealt into the same game," he murmurs, more to himself than to anyone else. "Question is, who’s the dealer?"
Thus, Dimitrie makes his entrance, filled with a blend of anticipation and wariness, ever the arcane seeker caught between the lines of destiny and free will.
Anna sees Natalya and her violet eyes crinkle up in a smile. And that's the only thing about the halfling that's exposed to view. That and some of her curly brown hair that escapes from underneath the dark cowl that's pulled over her head.
"Hey, Naty," she calls out in a birdlike, high pitched voice. There's just a bare trace of the halfling lilt in her tone, the cosmopolitan nature of the city having washed away most of the distinctiveness of her native halfling tongue. "Nice to see a friendly face."
She turns to the other two.
"Not to say we're not friendly," she continues, "But you can't blame a girl for being cautious. My name's Anna." In spite of the greeting, she doesn't hold out her hand in what would be considered simple urban politeness, but crosses her arms.
Underneath her dark cloak, her small frame is hugged tightly by linen clothes of a faded color that may have once been brown, but now are just this side of gray. One hand, wrapped in embroidered wraps, seems to summon a colorfully illustrated card out of thin air.
The Rabbit Prince
The card vanishes just as quickly and she tips her head. "I imagine that all of us have something similar?" She doesn't wait for a response before continuing. "The question is, as you put it, 'Who's the dealer?'"
A low rumble of a laugh escapes the lips of the heavily-freckled pale-skinned woman, as her lips curl cynically into a smirk under her deeply-hooded cloak.
"I had my suspicions." She replies, without elaborating further. "I'm Ela" The woman adds as her hand cautiously, almost habitually, gently tugs the tip of her hood, checking it was still fully covering her hair.
Her right hand delves into one of her deep pockets and she pulls out her own card, left hand still firmly stowed away. "The Brass Dwarf," she says and looks over towards the Rabbit Prince to compare the art styles and shrugs her shoulders, "I presume, given the wildly unusual situation, that they're all from the same deck - pretty though."
She takes a moment to sneak a calculating scan of Dimitrie. She had seen his previous skills with the Harrow but hadn't even considered she would be seeing him here outside the same shop of her vision. This certainly complicated her initial ideas at least.
"And yours?" She asks, gesturing the card towards Dimitrie and the other unexpected guest. "Perhaps a little knowledge might enlighten us all."
Dimitrie responds to Elanna's statement with a flourish of his wrist, "Ahh... Then enlightenment you shall have, my friend."
His eyes briefly flick to his card, The Empty Throne. The image of the ghostly figure and the sense of loss it represents weigh on his mind. He speaks thoughtfully, his voice tinged with a touch of melancholy.
"The Empty Throne," he begins, "it's a card that signifies loss, but also the idea that those who are gone still have a presence in our lives, that their teachings and wisdom linger. It's a card of ancient knowledge and distant sources, suggesting that something from the past might guide us in this unusual situation."
He then turns his attention to Anna's card, "The Rabbit Prince, a symbol of capriciousness in hand-to-hand combat. It reminds us that even the bravest and most skilled can fall in battle. It's interesting, isn't it? These cards seem to have meanings that could apply to our current circumstances. Hmm?"
Dimitrie's gaze shifts to Elanna's card, "And The Brass Dwarf, a representation of invulnerability in the face of danger, or perhaps a sacrifice that spares others from a greater peril. It's a card that speaks of resilience." A smile slowly spreads across his face, and he chuckles, "And I know that Ela is quite resilient!"
He pauses momentarily, contemplating these cards' significance and connection to their meeting in front of Three Moves Ahead. "It's almost as if these cards are trying to tell us something important about the choices we're about to make. Perhaps they hold the key to understanding why we've been brought together here."
Dimitrie's curiosity is piqued, and he can't help but wonder if these Harrow cards' mysterious vision and appearance are the threads of fate weaving a new story for him and his newfound companions.
"I'd be more interested in knowing who brought us here, rather than 'why'," Anna says, her eyes turning to the shop as well. "After all ... they're just cards. Even if they're enchanted, they're still just pasteboard and paint. My decisions are m' own, they're not controlled by some magical game piece."
She approaches the shop and lifts up on her tiptoes to attempt to peer into one of the windows.
Dimitrie listens to Anna's words attentively, a thoughtful expression on his face. He's seen them before, the skeptics. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before responding.
"I understand your perspective, Anna," Dimitrie begins, his tone gentle and measured. "Indeed, on the surface, they are just cards, pasteboard and paint, as you say. But to me, and to many Varisians, the Harrow is more than that. It's a connection to the threads of fate, a way to glimpse the patterns of destiny that weave through our lives."
He gestures towards Three Moves Ahead, its enigmatic presence in their vision and the appearance of the Harrow cards still fresh in their minds. "In moments like this, when the cards appear to guide us, it's as if they're speaking a language only a few can understand. The Harrow is a tool, a mirror to reflect the world's mysteries. It doesn't control our choices but can offer insights, clues, or even warnings about the path ahead."
Dimitrie's eyes return to the closed shop, a sense of wonder and curiosity in them. "So, while I respect your skepticism, Anna, I can't help but feel that there's more to these cards than meets the eye. And perhaps, in this place and time, they have a role to play in unraveling the mystery of why we've been brought together."
He offers Anna a reassuring smile, hoping to convey his belief that their journey is just beginning and that the Harrow cards may hold the key to unraveling the enigma before them.
The woman Anna addressed as Natalya is a tall woman with rich brown skin and long flowing hair of red and gold which gives the impression of living flames cascading from her head as she looks down to grin at the much shorter woman greeting her.
"Hello Anna." She replies, before pulling a card of her own out of her flowing robes and showing it to the other two. A mighty figure in golden armor glowers from the surface of the card and Natalya grins behind it, teeth bright in her dark skinned face.
"I thought this was a joke." She says, casually flipping the card into the air. "Very funny. But then this happened." A ball of fire appears in one hand and she claps her hands together, slamming the card into the flame. There's a brief flash and then when she pulls her hands apart again the fire is gone and the card is utterly untouched.
"Interesting, no?" She asks. "It is good to meet you, Ela and stranger. May you always find water and shade." She inclines her head to both and then turns back to Anna. "How is Mavis? We should have drinks soon."
Dimitrie watches in amazement as Natalya joins the group, her display of magic with the Harrow card leaving him momentarily speechless.
Joke? Great. Two skeptics. Thanks, Fate.
The image of the mighty figure in golden armor on her card and her mastery over fire magic certainly pique his interest.
"Indeed, it is quite interesting," Dimitrie finally responds, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and curiosity. He extends a hand in greeting to Natalya. "I'm The Enigmatic Arcanus Harrowmaster, Dimitrie Starweaver of Fate's Illusion." he introduces himself with a Varisian flourish of his robes. "But for brevity's sake, you may simply call me Dimitrie, a name woven with the threads of the Harrow."
He takes a moment to glance at the card Natalya displayed, recognizing its significance in their current situation. " This unexpected gathering seems tied to these Harrow cards and a mysterious vision. It's a pleasure to meet you."
As Natalya and Anna exchange pleasantries about Mavis, Dimitrie turns to Elanna, reflecting his continued wonder. "These cards appear to be more than just pasteboard and paint, as Anna mentioned earlier. Each of us possesses one with such remarkable abilities... it's as if they have chosen us for a reason."
The fact that the shop appears closed is unusual, as it should be open at this time of day. The windows are shuttered, but as Anna listens closely, she can hear movement from within the building.
"She was down with a bit of it last week, but she's back on her feet now. I told her she needs to avoid dairy," Anna replies, still trying to catch a glimpse of what's inside the store. She finally turns back to the others. "Something or someone's inside. I say we ignore the sign and go in."
Moving to the door, she attempts to open it.
Elanna can't help roll her eyes at the Varisian's typical flamboyance and flourishes before playing around with the card in her own hands trying to fold and gently tear its edges. "Definitely worth taking this one seriously." Elanna says, responding to the others' cynical attitudes to the Harrow. "I used to not believe in them myself, but someone gave me reason to keep an open mind. We cannot understand everything on Golarion you know, sometimes you just need a little faith."
As Anna tries the door, Elanna ponders aloud. "Im presuming the person inside has either been directed here themselves or has bought us all here with this little trick of theirs."
As long as its not one of Dad's cronies. She cannot help but dread the consequences if it was.
"Either way, I agree, we need to head inside as dallying around here is not going to help anyone."
The door to the shop is not locked, but it is slightly stuck. Anna gives it a sturdy shove and the door gives way.
The shop consists of a single wide room. A few shelves hold dice games and card decks, while private gaming rooms to the west sit beyond open curtains. Chalk lines cover the floor of the room, some of them smeared beneath the body and blood of a dead Varisian woman.
Standing near the body is a ram-headed devil with flesh and wings of rusted metal. Further back is a larger, skeletal fiend with a long, scorpionlike tail. The devils hesitate a moment, giving you the advantage!
Natalya spreads her arms and a roar of wind surges around her, propelling her allies towards their foes!
As Natalya moves the air around her crackles with electricity and a sharp feeling of static builds up throughout the room.
As Dimitrie and his companions step into Three Moves Ahead, he surveys the environment. Just as his curiosity peaks at what might be inside, Anna forcefully swings the door open, unveiling a horrifying tableau he does not expect.
Dimitrie's eyes widen as he sees the lifeless body of a Varisian woman, and his expression shifts from curiosity to shock. The presence of the ram-headed devil and the larger skeletal fiend sends a chill down his spine. He instinctively reaches for his deck of Harrow cards, but seeing these otherworldly creatures leaves him momentarily speechless.
"I don't recognize them," Dimitrie finally murmurs, his voice tight with apprehension. "But perhaps someone else might. This is beyond my expertise."
As Natalya's gust of wind propels him forward, Dimitrie moves up behind the others with surprising speed, positioning himself at the group's rear while staying vigilant. He knows he needs to support his allies as best as he can. His Thassilonian runes begin to glow with a brilliant blue light, and he quickly flicks his wrists while muttering an incantation. "Cu graba!" he says in Varisian, enhancing her speed and agility.
As the spell quickens Elanna's movements , Dimitrie can't help but laugh heartily. "Just like old times, eh Ela!" he exclaims, the rush of nostalgia and camaraderie in the face of danger briefly lightening the tension of the moment.
Anna's eyes flash to the still body on the floor.
There's a chance ... she tells herself, pushing down the certainty that she's already too late.
Riding the forceful wind that nearly lifts her off her feet and causes her cloak to spread out like dark wings, the halfling dashes forwards past the ram-headed devil and to the other side of the skeletal one.
She takes a moment to slash at the otherworldly creature with claws that push through the material covering her hands.
She then leaps away towards the body of the Varisian woman.
Elanna's eyes widen in disbelief as she gives herself a split-second to survey the scene in front of her - fiends - proof that her current theories might be right. She throws back her head and lets out an almost primal roar of anger; the hood of her cloak falls around her shoulders revealing two horns nestled among coppery red hair.
Fortunately she moves faster than she ever has before, with Natalya's wind behind her and Dimitrie's haste, she manages to close the distance between her and the furthest fiend with no trouble at all.
"Focus on one!"
Natalya conjures gusting winds to boost the group and Dimitrie hastens Elanna. Anna rushes behind the bone devil, claws at its spine, then leaps away! As it snarls in pain, Elanna charges in from the front, delivering a critical hit with her icy blade! She lops the devil's head clean off, and it rolls across the room as its body collapses!
The rust devil bellows with rage as it lowers its horns and charges Elanna, slashing with its claws as well.
Closer to the woman, Anna can no longer fool herself with the idea that she might be able to offer aid. She turns back to the remaining devil and her eyes burn with ... something.
On small but silent feet, she quickly reaches Elanna's side and applies some quick battlefield patches to the woman's bleeding wounds before turning her claws on the ram-headed devil.
Natalya cups her hands and crackling lightning builds between her fingers until she unleashes it in a brief, but powerful bolt.
Elanna, so fueled by adrenaline and hatred carries on without a pause or murmur of thanks to Ana - her focus completely and truly on eliminating the fiends in the room.
Empowered by the sorceror's haste, she hefts her greatsword into the ram-headed devil's torso.
The sorcerer wanted to down this creature quickly in case there was something to be done for the poor soul on the ground. Not willing to risk missing, he sent nine magic missiles hurtling towards it!
Natalya and Anna both fail to hit the devil. Elanna smites it once, and Dimitrie blasts it with magic missiles. The wounded fiend attacks Elanna again!
Elanna channels her pain into another loud primal roar, her face snarling as she pulls back her sword to swing yet again.
The sorcerer channels his arcane power, and with a flick of his wrist, a nearby chair levitates off the ground as if guided by unseen hands. "Accelera!" he shouts, and with a swift, controlled motion, he sends it hurtling through the air toward the bone creature. The chair spins and tumbles, a makeshift projectile aimed to distract the creature and give his allies a momentary advantage.
Dimitrie's spell continues as the chair sails toward its target, his voice carrying his magic power. He shifts his attention to Natalya, who stands ready to strike. He reaches out with his mystical senses, connecting with her aura and energy flowing around her. "Fii ghidat." he murmurs, enhancing her striking abilities with a subtle yet precise spell that imbues her weapon with a guiding force that promises accuracy and impact.
Hoping that Elanna is keeping the devil occupied, Anna continues to slash at it with her razor-sharp claws.
Single targets are not actually Natalya's preferred foes - especially inside buildings where she can't really let go. Instead she keeps her cool and continues firing off bolts of lightning.
Neither Anna nor Dimitrie are able to hit the nimble devil. Natalya zaps is with lightning, then Elanna delivers two powerful strikes, spilling rusty blood and guts onto the floor. The fiend falls to the floor and lies still.
With the threats neutralized, you have time to examine the room further. It seems that the dead Varisian woman was roughly searched, her possessions dumped in the blood pooling around her body. Her upper arm bears a very recent tattoo that looks like an architect being struck by lightning (an image often associated with the Harrow card known as The Vision).
The chalk lines on the floor form a rough map of Absalom. Your path through the city is immediately evident, tracing the route you took to Three Moves Ahead.
A door in the back of the shop leads into what appears to be an office.
Anna gives only a casual glance at the chalk map before returning her attention to the dead woman. She adjusts her coverings on her hands before examining the corpse thoroughly. With a final sigh of resignation, she covers the woman's face with a clean bandage and bows her head, quietly whispering something.
Her observances completed, she moves towards the office to search for any other explanation as to the woman's fate.
Dimitrie had clung to a sliver of hope as he entered the room, his heart heavy with the sight of the lifeless woman on the floor. However, a heavy sigh escaped his lips when Anna approached and confirmed what he had feared, that the woman was beyond saving. It was a somber moment, acknowledging the loss of a life they had stumbled upon.
Dimitrie turns his attention to the surroundings with a determined expression, determined to uncover any clues that might shed light on what had transpired in this grim scene. He begins his search methodically, scanning the room for any signs of struggle, any objects out of place, or anything that might reveal the deceased woman's identity.
He approaches the chalk lines on the floor, his fingers tracing their patterns as he contemplates their significance. Every detail could hold a piece of the puzzle, and Dimitrie is determined to piece together the mystery surrounding this tragic event.
As he investigates, his thoughts are with the woman and the unknown circumstances that brought her to this untimely end.
Demitrie is unable to determine much from his investigation of the chamber.
Anna heads into the office, which is a mess. Piles of paperwork and incomplete games cover every surface. A messy cot indicates that someone’s been sleeping here for the past few days.
As soon as she entesr the office, Anna feels the mental pull she experienced during the vision that lead you all to this place. That tug draws her to a specific business ledger jammed awkwardly onto a shelf. The ledger identifies the owner of the shop as a woman named All-Seeing Hajeck. Tucked between some pages of this ledger is an ornate Harrow card that matches those in your posession--The Vision. As soon as Ashe picks up the card, it imparts its powers to her
On the last few pages of the ledger that contained The Vision card, several notes have been jotted down. Included is a summary of the meaning of The Vision (that it’s the chaotic neutral card of Intelligence, and that it represents abstruse knowledge, sudden insight, or instability) and the shop owner's suspicions that more cards from the same deck must be somewhere out there in the world. She noted that one Dieral Myrnese, owner of the Harrow Barrow, might know more. The Harrow Barrow isn’t a shop but a traveling business whose proprietor wanders throughout the Grand Bazaar and (at times) elsewhere in Absalom. These notes also indicate a few nearby people who have a close connection with Dieral: Erikanesh runs a reliquary, Arhan owns a tattoo shop, and Clemeth owns a scrapyard. These seem to correspond to the locations on the chalk map in the other room.
With time to search the rest of the room, you pick through the confusing jumble. Amid various business records, unfinished puzzles, boxes of clothes, and incomplete or broken games, you can find several ordinary harrow decks. You also find four scrolls: a scroll of quench, a scroll of heroism, a scroll of slow (6th level), and a scroll of telepathic bond.
Elanna catches her breath and leans herself and her blade against the closest wall, watching as the others search the room for any hints and regaining her strength.
After a moment she closes her eyes, lets the world slip away from her mind, and mutters a prayer to her Goddess.
A few minutes later she opens her eyes again and returns her attention to the search in front seeing them finishing up.
"What's the assessment then? Any clues why we were all bought here simultaneously or are we out of the Good Lady's Luck?"
Dimitrie, concerned for Elanna's well-being after the recent battle, asks, "Elanna, are you holding up okay after that scuffle?"
In response to Elanna's question about clues and his assessment, Dimitrie offers, "We've gathered some valuable information from this ledger and the Vision card Anna found. It appears that All-Seeing Hajeck, the shop's owner, was on a quest to collect more cards from the same Harrow deck. The notes mention Dieral Myrnese and several individuals connected to him through various businesses. It's possible that we're here to continue Hajeck's search for these cards, but we lack the complete picture. The why and the how still elude us."
Regarding the card that Anna discovered, Dimitrie nods thoughtfully and says, "The Vision card's significance is not lost on me. It represents abstruse knowledge, sudden insight, or instability. In this context, it makes perfect sense. It's as if the cards themselves are guiding us, revealing fragments of a greater truth."
He takes the scrolls they found and stows them in his bag, assuring the group, "I'll keep these scrolls safe for now. They might prove useful in the future as we unravel this mystery.
Regarding Dieral, he inquires, "Does anyone know anything about Dieral Myrnese? I think should visit the individuals mentioned in the notes. It could lead us to more cards and explain why we've been brought here. Who do you think we should approach first?"
Studying his own runescarred arm for a moment, Dimitrie looks up at the group and proposes, "I'm particularly intrigued by the tattoo shop. It's possible they might have encountered these Harrow cards or have insights into their significance. Would any of you like to accompany me there?"
Natalya is used to the view from above, so when everyone else charges off to the backroom she stays put, taking slow steps around the room and staring intently at the floor. Occasionally she has to wipe away blood but that never elicits more than a tut.
She's so focused that Dimitrie's question doesn't actually get a response as she steps and mutters.
"Yes - I can join you. I'm getting myself back together thanks. If you wouldn't mind waiting another few minutes I'll be myself again." Elanna replies to Dimitrie with a grateful nod, happy someone noticed about her current condition.
"This whole situation feels...off. What is the chance that at the precise moment we all show up at the same time to this particular door looking for answers, that the person who might have given us answers was brutally murdered by these foul fiends? Slim to none, I'd say. But were they awaiting our arrival here so we would know? Or was something else playing a part?"
A dark thought crosses her mind causing her brows to furrow. "You wouldn't think this was a set up would you? All of us would have been seen standing and staring at the front door for a few moments before entering. Then the shop owner is found murdered?"
When you are ready, you make your way through the crowded Bazaar to get to the tattoo parlor. Kraken’s Ink Tattoo is an old business in the Docks district, but the shop’s secondary stall in the Grand Bazaar sees a good deal of business. The timbers of the sturdy wooden shop retain the salty smell of the ocean, as they were mostly recovered from an old ship. The scent mingles with the earthy smell of tattoo ink.
Every surface in the shop glistens from regular cleaning. Art in simple frames lines the counters, mostly ink drawings filled in with bold color. The shop is well-made, with only two tattooing stations, and tucked in the corner sits the bartered goods counter. Generally six or seven objects appear on display at any given time, with their prices marked in elaborate calligraphy on small white placards. To the left of this counter is a desktop organizer with dozens of small compartments, each one containing a different type of pigment source, sorted by color. These range from charcoal to ruddy cinnabar and other minerals, each labeled meticulously. Various jars of clear alcohol sit alongside a number of mortars and pestles, each with the residue of a different color along the bottom.
A mild-mannered mastiff hound perks her head up from her bed near the front door and woofs softly. Behind the front desk is a handsome man who must be the proprietor, Arhan. A female kobold organizes the inks, while a deep sea azarketi hangs about, chatting with Arhan. All three turn towards you as you approach. "Welcome to Kraken's Ink. Looking to get some work done?" Arhan asks with a shy smile.
A dark thought crosses her mind causing her brows to furrow. "You wouldn't think this was a set up would you? All of us would have been seen standing and staring at the front door for a few moments before entering. Then the shop owner is found murdered?"
Dimitrie nods his head towards the door, "The thought occurred to me as well. Best we make hast then, eh?"
Once inside, Dimitrie confidently approaches Arhan, his arm bearing the intricate Thassilonian runes and other mystical tattoos on full display. He nods respectfully to the tattoo artist and says with a charming smile, "Ah, Kraken's Ink, a place of artistry and storytelling, much like the intricate tales woven by Harrow cards. You see, my friend, much like the way each tattoo tells a unique story, I find myself drawn to the stories behind certain individuals, those who may have a deep connection to the mysteries of the Harrow."
He gestures casually to his own runescarred arm, its pulsing blue hues catching the light. "You see, some of us are drawn to the enigmatic, the arcane, and the fateful. I've heard whispers of a certain Dieral Myrnese, a name that seems to dance on the edge of Harrowed fate. I wonder, have you had any dealings with individuals of such intriguing interests, perhaps those seeking something more than just ink on skin?"
Anna seems to notice Elanna's injuries for the first time as the woman is tending them with her own magic.
"Ah! I'm so sorry," she says, more of her halfling tone showing through the laundered, urban Taldane she normally uses. "I got so occupied with all of the rest that I forgot to see ta ya. Me mam would have a word or two to say about m' manners."
Elanna having healed her own wounds doesn't prevent the halfling from fussing a bit over the woman and checking to make sure there's nothing she missed.
Anna eyes the dog warily and gives the kobold a nod of recognition owing to the shared comradery of normal-sized folks in a world filled with giants.
Her eyes flit from one part of the room to the other, but finally turn to focus on the artist, himself.
Natalya finds the tattoo shop quite fascinating - she flits around, looking at powders, sniffing inks and generally having a whale of a time.
Unfortunately she's utterly useless at learning anything helpful.
Observing Arhan, Anna deduces that the man is very passionate about his craft. He also seems mild-mannered and somewhat overwhelmed by the the liveliness of the enormous market around him. Natalya is unable to glean any information, but the kobold glares at her as she sniffs the ink pots. ”Careful with the merchandise,” she cautions.
The mastiff hound rises from her bed, yawns, stretches, and walks over to Arhan. The artist rubs the dog behind the ears as he chats with Dimitrie. "I am familiar with the Harrow. In fact, I did a design for All-Seeing Hajeck a few weeks back. She's the owner of the game store Three Moves Ahead. I got my inspiration for the design from Dieral Myrnese, who runs a mobile cart called the Harrow Barrow."
At the mention of Dieral's name, the azarkeri rolls his eyes. "Oh, don't get him started on Dieral. Arhan gets all starry-eyed every time that handsome elf comes around!"
Arhan blushes. "Brine! He's just a good friend!" the artist insists.
Brine chuckles. "Sure thing, lover boy! It's okay to have a crush, but you just remember who your actual boyfriend is, okay?" The azarketi points to himself with a mock stern expression.
The mastiff woofs loudly, and Arhan laughs. "Easy, Apple! Easy!" He rubs the dog again and looks back to Dimitrie. "Hmm, now that you mention it, I haven't seen Dieral in several weeks now. That's an unusually long time for him not to come around. You don't think something happened to him, do you?"
Elanna rolls her eyes at Dimitrie's round about way asking about Dieral but watches out for the reactions when Dieral's name is mentioned.
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"Handsome eh?" Elanna says, speaking up. "We don't think anything happened to him, but we've been pointed in his direction and would love to have a chat with him, apparently he has some answers we need." Elanna either not realising, or not caring, about Dimitrie's attempt at subtlety, asks the main question outright.
Dimitrie listens to the exchange on Dieral from the people in the shop before waving his hand dismissively "Ahhh, no. I'm sure it's nothing at all. In fact, when I leave here I'll track him down for you. Where might I find his cart in town? Does they have a normal schedule or pattern you know of?"
Anna continues to watch the man as Elanna and Dimitrie engage him in conversation.
Natalya accidentally puts a pot down too hard and inhales a small cloud of a dusty-smokey substance. She cocks her head for a moment and then lets out a terrific sneeze - thankfully away from the merchandise, before heading for the door.
Anna is unable to learn more about Arhan. The tattoo artist looks askance at Elanna’s blunt questioning, but Dimitrie’s smooth demeanor puts him at ease again. ”Dieral doesn’t really follow a set path through the city. He usually wanders.
“I know Dieral mentioned a couple of other contacts in Grand Bazaar in the past. There's Erikanesh at Historia Reliquary and Clemeth Falk at Reclaimed Paradise. I've had a few interactions with both them. I could give you some pointers on how to talk to them."
Customers are beginning to queue up outside of the tattoo parlor. It looks like you’ll only be able to question Arhan a little bit more before he gets too busy to chat.
Natalya, sensing an opportunity with the growing crowd, spreads out her outer robe to delineate her 'area' and sets to work performing feats of elemental magic!
It looks flashy - maybe too flashy...
Running out of ideas of things to deceive about, Dimitrie decides to try one last trick. He says "Thanks for all the information, Arhan. I was thinking about maybe getting some work done while in the city. I was thinking about adding another harrow card on my upper back. Here, let me show you."
Dimitrie slips off his robe and slides his shirt up over his head, revealing the massive network of interconnecting tattoos that span all of his arms and chest. Thassilonian runes create the foundation for the overall design, but numerous harrow cards weave in and out of the design both on his chest and his back.
"See, I was thinking right around here." he suggests, point to the spot. "Think you could get The Empty Throne in there, in this same style?"
Anna watches Dimitrie in stunned silence as his 'subtle' attempt at influencing Arhan. She then turns her eyes to Elanna, her expression clearly asking, 'Are you seeing the same thing I'm seeing.'
She turns back to the display in front of her.
"Yes, because Dimitrie can be quite appreciative if the occasion calls for it," she adds with a sly grin.
Ela lets out a sigh and shakes her head in disbelief at Anna before continuing on her own line.
"You must at least know which area of the city he's from right? Might have mentioned it once or twice? Know where he lives or his local tavern?"
She couldn't help but hope that he would be so distracted by Dimitrie's ridiculousness that he would answer the question without even thinking.