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Everyone receives this vision.
You sse a staircase leading up into darkness. A shimmering web of energy fills the stairway. An iron ring, two tiny inward-curving horns atop it, sits at the heart of the web. The walls and ceiling suddenly begin to shake. Dust falls from above, followed by a hail of stones that bury everything in view.
You sse a staircase leading up into darkness. A shimmering web of energy fills the stairway. An iron ring, two tiny inward-curving horns atop it, sits at the heart of the web. The walls and ceiling suddenly begin to shake. Dust falls from above, followed by a hail of stones that bury everything in view.
Daelin, seeming startled by such a realistic daydream, refocuses her eyes. Thinking to herself "The image of that stairway and iron ring are ingrained in my mind. Maybe some of the local scholars know something about the symbol?" She gets up from sitting by a fountain in the main square and makes her way towards the academy.
Catman
Entering the academy, Daelin approaches the the first person she sees, even if they don't work there. "Do you have a quill and parchment I can borrow?" she asks with a big smile on her face.
Diplomacy
Altheria opened her eyes, more than a little dazed from the strange dream. Groggily, she raised her head, managing to mouth a dry 'Where are we?' before having to lie down again.
"We're nearing Almas," Her aged companion said. "We'll be entering its gates by noontime if there is no delay."
"How long will you stay?"
"A week or two, at most. You'll be leaving us again, child?"
Altheria left her reply unspoken, and once more attempted to get up. This time successful, she peeked out of the wagon's window to see the bright morning sun, freshly risen on the horizon.
"We'll return in a year's time. Until then, you know where to find us." Her companion continued.
"Alika, have I ever needed it?"
"No child, you have not." Alika smiled mirthlessly. "But then again, I did promise your parents. Be sure tell the others that you're staying in Almas. Can't have that stunt in Elidir repeated again."
For a moment, Altheria thought back to her strange dream of the stairway and the hail of stones and shuddered.
"Cold, child?"'
"Just a dream Alika, just a dream."
A staircase leading up into darkness. A shimmering web of energy fills the stairway. An iron ring, two tiny inward-curving horns atop it, sits at the heart of the web. The walls and ceiling suddenly begin to shake. Dust falls from above, followed by a hail of stones that bury everything in view.
Emy awoke with a start, nearly falling from her seat next to her father at the front of the vardo. Guiltily, she glanced at her father from the corner of her eye, hoping that he hadn't noticed her lack of vigilance. She was supposed to be keeping an eye out for bandits and other dangers as their caravan traveled toward the southern edge of Darkmoon Wood, having left Falcon's Hollow earlier that morning.
"So, up late again last night, eh?" her father, Chaine, asked with a disapproving tone. "Still practicing the Prastonata? Or spending too much time with Arturi?"
"Oh, Father!" Emy replied exasperatedly. "How many times do I have to tell you that there is nothing between Arturi and me? He is just a boy!" Implying by her contemptuous tone that said boy was well beneath her notice. Although, at eighteen, he had turned into a rather handsome boy...
Soon they left the shadows of Darkmoon Wood and continued south through the rolling plains of northern Andoran, heading toward the next village. For several months the caravan had been traveling, leaving Varisia far to the northwest and wandering through the lands surrounding Lake Encarthan. All at the behest of Emy's grandmother Zenovia, the raunie of their tribe, who would say only that the Harrow dictated their path.
Emy pondered her strange dream as they rode along. Now that the caravan appeared to be out of danger, she decided to ask her grandmother about her dream. Jumping nimbly down from her seat, making sure not to let her brightly-patterned skirts get caught up in the wheel, she walked to the back of the vardo as it slowly rolled forward and, hopping up onto the back step, knocked lightly on the wooden door. "Babicka," she called softly, "may I enter?"
After a moment's pause, a faint voice answered, "Enter, vnucka." Holding onto the gently swaying vardo, Emy opened the low door and ducked inside. As always, she found her grandmother seated at a low table in the center of the small room, gazing at her Harrow cards spread before her as incense wafted through the air. And as always, the sway of the moving vardo seemed to disappear as she entered Zenovia's sanctum.
"Tell me, child, of this dream that disturbs you," Zenovia said by way of greeting, still gazing at the Harrow cards. Emy was not surprised, her grandmother always seemed to know what she was going to ask before she even knew herself. Plopping down on the cushion set across the table from her grandmother, Emy smiled mischievously as she replied, "Why don't you tell me about my dreams, oh wise and powerful seer?"
"Your dream is what has led us here," Zenovia answered mysteriously, pausing before she continued. "This is what you have been trained for. The Harrow shows that you will meet four companions: the Wild Man, the Fey Alchemist, and two of the Returned - the charming Dilettante and the wide-eyed Wanderer. Together, you five must make a stand against a darkness that threatens this land."
"Oh, is that all?" Emy facetiously asked in a small voice. After a moment, she asked in a stronger voice, "And where am I to meet these boon companions?"
"At our next stop," Zenovia replied solemnly. "Prepare yourself, my beloved girl. For your destiny awaits."
Enthralled by Daelin, the bookish old man took out a piece of parchment and handed her his quill.
"Will you be needing anything else my dear?"
Grabbing the parchment, Daelin sketches the iron ring with the two tiny inward-curving horns atop. "Actually there is something else. Can you ask among the scholars if any know of this symbol?" Daelin hands the sketch to the man. "I will return tomorrow with a gift for your trouble. Thank you Sir." As Daelin turns she thinks "Maybe I need to find a Harrow reader, a little mystical intervention may get me quicker results."
As the day goes on Daelin will make rounds at the local taverns to determine if any Gypsy caravans are known to be here or arriving soon.
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Enthralled by Daelin, the bookish old man took out a piece of parchment and handed her his quill.
"Will you be needing anything else my dear?"
Grabbing the parchment, Daelin sketches the iron ring with the two tiny inward-curving horns atop. "Actually there is something else. Can you ask among the scholars if any know of this symbol?" Daelin hands the sketch to the man. "I will return tomorrow with a gift for your trouble. Thank you Sir." As Daelin turns she thinks "Maybe I need to find a Harrow reader, a little mystical intervention may get me quicker results."As the day goes on Daelin will make rounds at the local taverns to determine if any Gypsy caravans are known to be here or arriving soon.
Daelin awakens as the sun's rays come through the small window in her room of the guild hall. A night of tavern stops turned into a lot of Dwarven mead. Not to many to forget the good information she received from her friend Balrun at the Three Moons Tavern though. According to her friend a caravan with a wise Varisian seer would be arriving soon. Excited at the chance of knowing what the vision meant Daelin remembered the old man at the academy. ”I should go see what the man has gathered for me.” she thought as she jumped out of bed and threw on her performing clothes. ”Hmmm, I told the man I would bring him something for troubling him. What do old bookish sorts like?” Daelin thought as she pushed through the door of the guild hall. Determined to find something good, she makes her way to the market district. Pacing by many carts she finally spots the perfect item. It is a silk bookmark adorned with images of angels. Feeling pleased with her purchase, Daelin makes her way to the academy. As she enters through the doors she stands and looks around for the man. Finally picking him out from the crowd, she makes her way towards him. ”I have a present for you! Now what did you find?”