Alyndra Morningdrew approaches with a cautious look on her face. She has read the sign by the road which states that a certain Ickbar would be reading the fortune from cards. Usually she isn't interested in such fooleries.
As the wind, the trees and nature in general are more than enough to give her advice. But lately she feels a bit forlorn, unsure which path to go.
Ickbar sits by a waterfall and a small camp nearby and awaits his clients by the fire.
Alyndra frowns and asks: "You read the future? or so I heard..."
Ickbar nods: "That I do."
Azmodeth is whistling. She is clad in blue mostly. And she carries a big shield with her. Her face is hidden by a hood. She smiles but you can't see her eyes; it's hard to tell if she means it: "What the... people setup shop here?"
Alyndra frowns at Azmodeth: "I don't think it is a shop."
Azmodeth: "Figure of speech."
Alyndra squints her eyes: "Ah."
Ickbar looks around: "All are welcome around the fire."
Azmodeth: "Oh FIRE! My favorite.
Alyndra almost at the same time: "Alyndra - my name - I would like to know what the wind brings for me in the future."
Ickbar nods to her and pulls out a pack of cards.
Then Alyndra suddenly registers what Azmodeth has said: "Fire is dangerous, child."
Ickbar shuffles the cards then takes the top four cards putting them down one by one in a row.
Azmodeth: "It's just fire." adding "so Tarot readings. I'm willing to get one."
Another adventurer joins the three at the camp fire, greeting Azmodeth: "Hello Mentor..."
Azmodeth: "Hello Latch"
Latch Changehands nods at the others.
Alyndra still fed up with Azmodeth: "Aye, fire is just fire, but your eyes were aglow for a moment, that is the danger."
Ickbar nods briefly at Azmodeth and concentrates on Alyndra.
Latch Changehands: "Are you actually busy?" at Azmodeth.
Alyndra: "How does it work?"
Azmodeth: "Excuse me a moment."
Azomdeth: "You wanted a word."
Alyndra smiles lightly and briefly at Ickbar.
Ickbar: "Well, these cards symbolize different areas in your life, your past, preset, future and advice.
Latch Changehands: "Yes, please."
Azmodeth nods slowly.
Alyndra: "Hm, I asked the wrong question." adding "How do I start?"
Ickbar: "Oh, it has alreay begun. These cards hold your answers I layed out. If you are ready I shall reveal your past?" He hovers over the first card.
Alyndra: "Hm, of course." And watches Ickbar with an intense interest.
Ickbar turns over the first card, slowly: "The nine of Wands" and continues to explain it: "Your past... seems to tell me you have expected a difficult life ahead, and you have had great anticipation for the future..." adding: "You have had hidden enemies... and some time in your past you had some form of discipline, or in some form of order... be this schooled, or otherwise..."
Alyndra: "Hm, seems to be correct so far", looks at card: "Where do you read that in those nine staves?"
Ickbar holds up the card, it depicts 9 different people wearing different clothes holding what looks like wands: "Each card represent different aspects in life, it isn't always what the picture holds, for example "the death" card, although it can specify death, can also represetn death of your old life and moving onto another part in your life.
Adding: "It does take time to learn each of the cards as there are many." nodding slowly.
Alyndra: "I fled the discipline of my kin, their rituals and ancient thinking - but I left the beauty of it behind too."
Ickbar: "Interesting." nods.
Alyndra: "I hope not for good." closes her eyes for a moment and a sliver of a smile appears on her face for a brief moment.
Ickbar: "Shall we move on to see what your present holds?"
Alyndra: "Please".
Ickbar's hand hovers over the next card turning it over slowly and reveals: "The Nine of Swords."
Alyndra: "Another nine."
Azmodeth: "Hmmm."
Ickbar nods: "That is interesting... though the two together hold no values but could be hinting towards keeping an ey out for anything to do with the number nine in future... but the card itself...
Ickbar again: "It is a rather dull card... and represents..." he looks up slowly: "That you may be going through some hard times lately, where you may feel some misery, concern or have had some quarrels with others. Another area it is telling me is that you may have... some anxiety over loosing someone, a loved one more specifically... or memories of such."
Alyndra: "Well yes, there is an anguish of a lost home and all the kin I abandoned."
Ickbar nods: "I can understand, there also may be suspicion or gossip which may catch you off guard as well as some shady character..."
Ickbar gestures to a small man on the card at the bottom left curled up into a ball.
Alyndra: "Still... it is a dull pain now." closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, suddenly: "Shady character?" looks at Azmodeth.
Azmodeth quirks a brow.
Alyndra looses interest in Azmodeth and at Ickbar again: "So, this is the present?"
Suddenly Xermon: "Hey evening all."
Alyndra at Xermon: "Well met."
Xermon: "This is the place of tarrot reading?"
Alyndra looks sharply at Xermon: "He is reading."
Ickbar nods: "That is the present, it might be a slightly dull or unexciting moment to you, or you may feel you are in a place that seems to be going nowhere but let's see what the future brings?" he gestures to the next card.
Xermon: "Ohh, I didn't see you already read." adding: "Apology."
Alyndra dismises the interruption with a nod.
Ickbar turns the next card over and looks at it with a very surprised face: "The... Nine... of Coins..." adding: "I have not had this before, hmmm." He tilts his head.
Alyndra with a surprised look: "And... Now that has to hav a meaning..." adding: "3 nines... I wonder why."
Ickbar: "Indeed Something is definitely hinting for you to be aware of that number..." he continues: "But as for the meaning."
Alyndra: "What does the coin mean? I will find a dragon's treasure? I wouldn't be interested..."
Xermon: " Well, if you find a Dragon's treasure you probably will be dead within a few minutes."
Ickbar: "This card symbolizes accomplishment, so in the future you ill certainly be on the right path. You will have good safety, perhaps met some people that will guide you in the right way...
Alyndra at Xermon: "I wouldn't be that stupid, I hope..."
Xermon: "Hope? you have to be sure in yourself."
Ickbar: "You will own goods, or hold items that you will be proud of, perhaps finding something special..."
Xermon: "There is no hope just simple acting."
Alyndra at Ickbar sounding relieved: "Now that sounds about right - a silver lightning..."
Xermon: "Hope is for the weak souls." adding: "Hope is a mist..."
Alyndra at Xermon irritated: "Hope is the for every person... only weak people think they have to be sure of everything."
Ickbar "You will also be aware of your future at this point and know where you want to go, and also have a very strong connection and love for nature." He nods.
Alyndra: "Yes, indeed, but it doesn't say if I will return to Shilmista?"
Ickbar turns the card to show her a picture of a winding road with nine coins: "That is something hard to say, usually this card represents a jouney forward in your life andn ot usually going back... so it is hinting more likely no... but..." He grabs another card from the deck and places it over the nine of coin.
Alyndra squints her eyes.
Ickbar: "The Queen of Swords."
Alyndra relieved: "At least not another Nine.
Azmodeth listens and watches still in, not interrupting.
Ickbar nods: "This card in this situation is likely to hint that you will be unsure about what to do in the future... At that point you decide if you go back or not... It is telling me a lot of anxiety will hit you and you will struggle to make a decision..."
Azmodeth: "Umm."
Ickbar: "It is telling me you will understand that going back could cause some issues..."
Xermon leaves. Azmodeth shakes her head at him.
Alyndra closes her eyes and frowns: "Yes, it would... I would probably destroy my kin as they are now..."
Ickbar: "Hmm..." he looks at the card.
Alyndra looksup at te stars: "My hope is to transform our old ways andmake some new trails with the blessing of Oak Father."
Ickbar: "This card can symbolize mourning also... but overall it seems even yur future is uncertain mostly because you have many decisions to make before you get to that point." adding: "But the certain part of your futureis taht you will be advancig in yourself, and be on a stronger more certain route in your life..."
Alyndra: "But alas, it might not be my place to do so - may be I will find someting else - there is my curiosity about the written word, the other cultures - all things my kin wouldn't want - maybe with good reason..." Looks at Ickbar: "I will have to think about it."
Ickbar nods: "It will be a tough decision but by then you will be ready and make the choice that is right for you." He then hovers over the last card: "And are you ready for the outcome?"
Alyndra: "Ready or not, sometimes you don't have a choice but to be..."
Ickbar turns the last card over slowly: "The five of coins."
Alyndra is surprised: "Oh, I thought we were already finished."
Ickbar: "This is the card which is giving you advice... so this cad represents the areas yo should keep an eye out in the future..." andhe shakes his head briefly and smiling lightly.
Alyndra watches intently the card and her teeth chew on her upper lip.
Ickbar: "This is telling me in the future you need to be aware of material troubles, like the previous card tellung you will have good items, or land, or a home, this is telling you to be very aware of what you have, perhaps someone plans to steal..."
Alyndra frowns "But I don't own much, only my faith - do you think I will lose my faith?" and continues: "Or does it have to be something material? I wouldn't mind much - I think."
Ickbar shakes his head: "It is specifically for material items, perhaps in the future like the other card you will somehow own more than you expect, perhaps you are gifted a religious building or something similar..."
Alyndra smiles: "I doubt Oak Father would want me to build a church like for their self righteous gods in the town to the north (Baldur's Gate)." adding: "But I think I know what you mean - I will find something others will cover and lose it afterwards..."
Ickbar nods: "Well, perhaps a gift, or some other form of material item which means a lot, either way, just be wary of this in the future..." he nods: "There will also be a time you have a loss, or failure of some sorts, andthis could make you feel very low..." adding: "But let this not stop you from succeeding...".
Alyndra: "Loss and gain is like the wind - it's part of our life, I don't fear it."
Ickbar nods: "Excellen then that part will be fine. There is also a hint of... a lover."
Alyndra in thoughts: "Still, I miss my kin." suddenly aware of what Ickbar said, raising her eyebrows: "Another?" adding: "Ah,well, I guess that is part of life too."
Azmodeth takes this opportunity to wink at Alyndra.
Ickbar: "It might not be another... but a key word wit this cars is Mistress. Perhaps you might ahve to be very careful with them in the future, or maybe some troubled times with your relationship, so be aware of that." He nods.
Alyndra watches Azmodeth perplexed, stares back and smiles eventually and then at Ickbar: "Hm, this was interesting - I don't know your custom, is there a material price?" and continues: "I mean, you have to survive with your craft, is it usual to leave you gold for your services?"
Ickbar: "I usually ask the sum of 99 gold coins." He nods with a smile.
Azmodeth: "Another double nine..."
Alyndra: "I think that is fair." She reaches for her pack an rummages around: "I don't care much about coins." Grumbles: "Ah, here..." adding at Azmodeth: "You are right..."
Ickbar nods: "And be sure to be aware of the Nines in the future."
Azmodeth looks at the fortune teller...: "May I have my future past and present read too, the same as hers..."
Alyndra stands up and walks over to the waterfall, where she remains silent for a long time thinking about the fortune told.