A young couple stroll the lanes of the Bazaar. The young woman seems to be in total control of her man, as she orders him to and fro.
Zaina flips her cards and lies out patterns for patrons. Sometimes she leads patrons into a brightly-colored travelling wagon parked in the open lot behind her table. The lot is a profusion of vegetables and herbs growing. A pair of horses lie tethered near the wagon, one black with a white chest blaze, one white with a black chest blaze.
After they finish their meal, Devlyn and Allura head back to the table where the woman with the cards is sitting.
"I'm sorry we had to leave earlier. Can you tell me please what these cards are for?"
After they finish their meal, Devlyn and Allura head back to the table where the woman with the cards is sitting.
"I'm sorry we had to leave earlier. Can you tell me please what these cards are for?"
Zaina smiles and looks up from the brightly-painted cards
Not at all! They tell your future, or at lease the What Will Be. The cards tell me what comes...
Zaina pauses
Would you like a reading?
Would you like a reading?
Allura smiles. "Yes, please. I must confess to being quite fascinated."
Zaina gestures to the empty chair across from her
Please, lady, Sit and I shall read your Harrow. Cross my palm with silver and we shall see what we shall see.
Zaina holds her hand out
Allura willingly hands over the money and sits in the seat, smiling back at Devlyn as she does. She waits eagerly to see what Zaina will do next.
Zaina takes the coin and shuffles her deck
She offers them to Allura
Please, Lady, take one. She offers, fanning the deck out
Allura takes a card, and then hesitates. Now what do I do? Am I supposed to look at it or not?
Allura takes a card, and then hesitates. Now what do I do? Am I supposed to look at it or not?
Zaina smiles.
Yes. Please look at it and show me. This is the card that represents you in the Harrowing.
Allura takes a card, and then hesitates. Now what do I do? Am I supposed to look at it or not?Zaina smiles.
Yes. Please look at it and show me. This is the card that represents you in the Harrowing.
Allura turns the card over and places it on the table. "The Big Sky," she read off the card.
Zaina brightens
Ah! Freedom from bondage. A strong card. You are independent and free from servitude. Please, place the card back in the deck.
When she does, Zaina shuffles out a nine-card spread.
Let us see what the Harrowing brings ...
The young couple wander over to watch the harrowing. The man seems to watch Devlyn's reactions to the fortunes.
Zaina flips the first card.
The Juggler: In the positive past fate has been on your side.
The second goes over with a snap.
The Peacock: There was sudden personal shift in your recent past. Its ramifications are unclear.
The third and the final in line is revealed.
The reverse Hidden Truth: There is a dangerous secret in your past.
Zaina leans back and steeples her hands
You have been at a transition. Things have recently shifted in your life. You are now unsure what is right, and you still have secrets from your previous circumstances.
Allura looks uncomfortable at the mention of secrets. She gives a nervous laugh and a small "thank you" before asking Devlyn if he would like to try.
Zaina smiles.
We have the rest of your Harrowing first, Lady.
Zaina flips the next three.
The next three cards reveal The Midwife, The Keep, and The Cyclone. Zaina looks to Allura:
You are unshakable when threatened. You have a new life emerrging from the ashes of your old. But plots and machinations swirl about you in a dark cloud.
She flips the last three. The Fiend, The Rakasha reversed, and The Anvalanche reversed are revealed.
The future holds many losses. There could be disaster, but The Avalanche reversed means it can be averted. Enslavement can be cast off for those that have the will.
Zaina looks at Devlyn.
You sir?
I played cards once.....it was this really groovy game called "Go Fish".
Zaina smiles.
We have the rest of your Harrowing first, Lady.
Zaina flips the next three.
The next three cards reveal The Midwife, The Keep, and The Cyclone. Zaina looks to Allura:
You are unshakable when threatened. You have a new life emerrging from the ashes of your old. But plots and machinations swirl about you in a dark cloud.
She flips the last three. The Fiend, The Rakasha reversed, and The Anvalanche reversed are revealed.
The future holds many losses. There could be disaster, but The Avalanche reversed means it can be averted. Enslavement can be cast off for those that have the will.
Zaina looks at Devlyn.
You sir?
Devlyn looks at Allura, then the woman and her cards, then looks at the couple watching the reading, his brow furrowing a bit. Then he says "Sure."
*Hobbles through the thread, brandishing his cane like a sword, and chasing some young whippersnappers*
*Hobbles through the thread, brandishing his cane like a sword, and chasing some young whippersnappers*
An old man yells to the hobbling curmudgeon
Cranky! Stop chasin' them whippersnappers and sit down over here! I got the chess board all set up! Times a-wastin' an' you ain't got much left to squander!
The old man cackles at his own joke
Dang it Harry! Them little bastards deserve a whuppin, an I'm just the fella to give it to em. I'll teach em to walk across my lawn.....
Let 'em be you durn fool! You ain't catchin' them nohow an' ye'll give yerself an aneurysm you keep chasin' them about. Now sit down and play some chess! I even gave you White today, so you go first.
Alright then! I sit a spell an play...for now. But I'm gonna get them little sumb#%$#es one of these days......you just wait an see.
You been saying that since Vecna had two eyes. Your move.
*Rides through thread, looking for a beautiful dame to rescue*
"Why don't we go look at that shop?" Allura says, pointing out a small shop advertising potions, wands, baubles, etc. "That looks like it might have something interesting."
"Why don't we go look at that shop?" Allura says, pointing out a small shop advertising potions, wands, baubles, etc. "That looks like it might have something interesting."
After Devlyn's Harrow reading:
"Sounds good to me. I was thinking about augment crystals for the sea elves' tridents anyway - maybe they have something like that..."
They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
Zaina shuffles the Harrow deck for Devlyn. She holds the fanned deck out to him:
Take a card, Sir, and then show me what you have drawn.
Devlyn draws a card showing a man on a throne surrounded by wraiths.
Zaina nods
The Survivor. You have been reborn many times through your ordeals. Please replace it in the deck.
When he does, Zaina shuffles the deck and lays out the Harrow pattern. She flips the leftmost three cards in the nine-card pattern. A man in golden armor, a woman holding a baby upside down and a rabbit dressed in fine clothing look up from the table:
The Paladin, The Midwife, and The Rabbit Prince. In the past you have been a steadfast defender of hearth and home, but you have recently embarked on a new path, in keeping with your Survivor card. Though you are a staunch defender, in the past you have relished your role too much, to the point where the combat became the ends rather than the means. In the past you have walked the narrow line of the berserker.
Zaina flips the middle three cards. A man with a backpack and a walking staff, a hooded man with a key and a Cyclops pouring ale from one mug to another lie revealed on the dark wood. Zaina nods:
The Wanderer, The Locksmith, and the Publican. In your present life you have found worth in what others have ignored or cast off. You have found good friends and camaraderie around you as you settle on your new path. These things hold the key to a new destiny, but you must fit the key into the lock for it to work.
Zaina flips the last three cards. An upside down card of a man being grasped by a dozen hands, A desert sphinx in a fez, and a scene of two men facing each other over a gaming table with a human-formed crow standing alongside them are exposed. Zaina frowns slightly:
The Beating reversed, The Desert and The Crows. Your future holds danger. You face a bleak path soon. Something personal of great value will be stolen by the forces arrayed against you. There will be attacks on you from all sides, but your strength in purpose holds the key to overcoming the evils that you will face.
Zaina reshuffles her deck, and looks at Devlyn sympathetically.
The cards’ predictions may seem harsh, but if you stay strong you will win through your coming trials.
Devlyn looks at Zaina for a long moment, then breaks the gaze and looks down at the cards arrayed across the table.
"Nothing ever worth doing is easy," he says quietly, then looks up and smiles at the Harrower as he stands. "Thank you for your time, ma'am. We'll do our best to take your words to heart."
He slides several coins over to her, with a little extra compensation for her trouble.
After Devlyn's Harrow reading:
"Sounds good to me. I was thinking about augment crystals for the sea elves' tridents anyway - maybe they have something like that..."They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
She'd seemed somewhat distracted after the Harrow reading, but now she brightens up again, setting aside whatever dark thoughts are troubling her.
"Yes, that sounds like a very good idea."
After Devlyn's Harrow reading:
"Sounds good to me. I was thinking about augment crystals for the sea elves' tridents anyway - maybe they have something like that..."They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
She'd seemed somewhat distracted after the Harrow reading, but now she brightens up again, setting aside whatever dark thoughts are troubling her.
"Yes, that sounds like a very good idea."
Devlyn takes hold of her hand as they head toward the shop, giving it a gentle squeeze as they walk in to show his thoughts are mirroring hers.
They head over to the shop of Mililani Deccubus.
Devlyn and Allura step into the shop, looking around at the merchandise.
"Hello," Allura says with a friendly smile.
Devlyn and Allura step into the shop, looking around at the merchandise.
"Hello," Allura says with a friendly smile.
The proprietress smiles in return.
Before you stands a half-elven woman, draped in a hodge-podge of colorful garments, scarves, and golden trinkets. Colorful as her sapphire blue eyes and her tresses of ebon long hair, she faces the Dalesman and Allura with rosy cheeks of delight.
"Customers. what a pleasure to meet you. How may I serve you."
Devlyn and Allura step into the shop, looking around at the merchandise.
"Hello," Allura says with a friendly smile.The proprietress smiles in return.
Before you stands a half-elven woman, draped in a hodge-podge of colorful garments, scarves, and golden trinkets. Colorful as her sapphire blue eyes and her tresses of ebon long hair, she faces the Dalesman and Allura with rosy cheeks of delight.
"Customers. what a pleasure to meet you. How may I serve you."
"Well, we were wondering if you happened to carry any augment crystals, and I was hoping you might carry a bracelet of friends? Hmmm, and healing potions wouldn't hurt either."
"Well, we were wondering if you happened to carry any augment crystals, and I was hoping you might carry a bracelet of friends? Hmmm, and healing potions wouldn't hurt either."
"I always have healing potions in stock but let's see what my scrying glass says shall we."
Moving to the front counter, she gestures her fingers across a flat surface, then again her with slender hand but just an inch above the colorless silicate.
"A braclet of friends, that will take some time but the augment crystals. Yes, I have them. What color or gemstone are you looking for?"
*Hops through the thread looking for some carrots or a kobold to beat the crap out of*
The fat alderman merchant stumps up the road, looking for likely merchants to check on. He pauses in front of Jyssill's shop
Ah! Maps and printing! A fine profession indeed! I say, proprietress? Do you have a map of the far eastern land of Tian Xia?
Allura looks at Devlyn. "I'm not sure what sort of crystals you have in mind."