Koya doesn't even bother taking a copper or doing the choosing, instead shuffling and cutting the deck before making the 3x3 grid on the table. No fanfare, no elaborate flourishes she just puts the cards on the table and flips them over.


As she stares at the cards she turns her head to the side as if listening to something unheard being spoken behind her.

"It seems that your futures are all entangled. I don't know if you are working together at the moment but the cards seem to think you will be traveling together for quite some time. Similar pasts, similar present, and similar future. Normally we read a group but it seems the cards think you are already together."

In reply to Koya Mvashti (msg # 7):

The Harrow reading was a curiosity at first. But when Koya was able to surmise bits of his past, he smiled and nodded in agreement. But then he caught sight of the holy symbol on his chest. He dampened the enthusiasm he was feeling to focus on the next row of cards, then the second and the last. He found himself holding his breath as Koya explained what she thought was in store in his future. Tristen furrowed his brow as he tried to reinterpret the ideas behind the cards from his point of view.



"Fate? Not sure if I believe in fate. I believe in the teachings of Abadar and his divine authority." Tristen murmured in response that seemed to be more for his ears than hers. He sat there in silent contemplation. His eyes moved from one card to the other as if hoping for a sign.

---

Tristen was interrupted when Faeli got her Harrow reading. While he was about to dismiss the Harrow reading when she apparently flipped identical cards to his, Koya seemed to be surprised as well. And then the same cards were flipped when Razyll sat for his reading.

He turned to watch the two strangers and Koya in earnest, listening to what was being said. What could all of this mean...?

Faeli looked over in the direction of the gentleman that Koya suspected that she was in league with.

Arialis walked up behind Faeli tapping her on the shoulder. "You okay?" She asked softly.

"Huh?" Faeli said before looking around.

"Oh, yeah-I am fine. This is just weird. If it were any other card reader than Koya, I would think I was being had-but I typically and sniff out  a good con." the gnome said as she turned to Arialis.

"Me, Razyll and that guy..." Faeli pointed.

"...all received the same Harrow. That is like impossible for the same cards to come up for three people." Faeli didn't seem to be worried, it was more that her curiosity had gotten the better of her. She had to puzzle this out-the rabid little gnome wasn't going to let this go.

She chuckled a bit. "Probably just odds." Then she looked towards the one that Faeli had called Koya and smiled gently. "I am Arialis. Would you like to read mine?"

Razyll stepped back from the stand or seating area to allow more room for Arialis to approach. The half-orc was curious as well but he thought this was a scam of some type because he didn't have the relationship that Faeli did with Koya.

"Hmmmm."

Faeli looked back and forth between Arialis and Koya, she was sure, or so she thought, that Koya wouldn't be running a con to lure people into her Harrows but she curiosity was ravenous and need some type of solution, so answer to allow her to move on.

Was it the cards, were they a magic device? Ah, could that be it?

"Hmmm, is this magical? Lets see shall we?"

---

Faeli will attempt to cast Detect Magic to determine if the harrow deck is magical.

This message was last edited by the player at 12:08, Tue 20 Oct 2020.

The cards were not magical, it was just an ordinary set of cards and yet as Koya began flipping over the first few cards for Arialis it started to show the exact same array that she had turned over three times before.

Koya stopped midway through and just stared between the cards and the gathering group.

"Are the fates themselves broken?"

She turned to the stall next to hers and called out for the patron, a farmer selling their wares.

"Ven, let me perform a harrowing you, on the house."

The farmer seemed quite distrustful of the reading but Koya wouldn't take no for an answer. She quickly shuffled and laid out the cards flipping them over to reveal a completely different reading. With a sense of relief she started interpreting the cards with a typical pattern of a a hard upbringing, joy turning to tragedy in the present, and tough times ahead for the future. No hints of mystical adventures or grand journeys. With a relief Koya scooped up the cards and turned back to Arialis with a smile.

"My apologies. I suppose the fates must have gotten...stuck? Let's try this again."

When she laid out the cards and flipped them over she stared at the revealed cards dumbfounded.


After a few seconds she just points out the other three gathered.

"I suppose this means that your fate is now entwined with theirs...I guess? I've never seen anything like this."

Talitha looks very interested about the readings for the other members. She's curious about how much truth there is in it. So she asks Kota "How do you check afterwards that the readings are accurate? it would be interesting to do a reading of the past, not only the future. Do you do those?"
She seems really interested about that, as she leaves a coin on the table.

Koya just shakes her head and waves a hand dismissively at Talitha's concerns.

"The cards are always correct, from a certain point of view. This isn't some parlor trick. My family has been Harrowing for generations. I don't know who you are or why the fates or gods have brought you together but mark my words your fates have become entangled."

Razyll nodded.

"You are experienced in these things, so understand that we, as novices are somewhat-less confident." Razyll said in an attempt to be diplomatic.

"But we will mark your words well. Thank you for sharing your art with us."

Talitha smiles.
"I'm sorry if I offended you or your family. It was not intended. Please let me know what comes for me now that I've finished my current job and I have to pick my next step? Will it be adventure?
She sounds eager to hear it will. Her coin is still on the table.

Arialis frowned a bit, then began to looked around. "...well, that's interesting to say the least. And judging by your reaction and Faeli's trust of you, I am inclined to believe you. The question that needs to be answered now, is what is that fate..." The elven noble said in thought. "I assume Madam Koya that that falls outside what you can do?"

Koya gives a nod at Talitha.

"It will be...something memorable. I guess you could call it an adventure but..."

She taps a few of the "bad" cards on the table.

"There will be a price to pay. A terrible one. Perhaps, though, you will not be the one to pay it."

Talitha makes a face when she hears the words from Koya.
"Not the kind of reading I would expect during a festivity day like this one... But I think I trust it more than a you'll find the love of your life if you let people in reading. Thank you... I guess. Any further information will be appreciated."
She smiles again and hand over the coin to Koya.

"This is quite disturbing. I just met this kind folks. And yet, we are... no you believe that our fates are aligned?" Tristen looked troubled. He glanced at Koya and wondered if the Harrow reading was actually a curse or something... He shook his head of the notion. He passed another copper coin, "Perhaps this will help to change our fate. It doesn't hurt for me to try?"

Tristen stepped away from the table. He puffed his chest and took a deep breath. His eyes wandered to the cathedral, "How about we head over and get a good view for the ceremony? This dedication seems to be one for the entire town to witness."

"Thank you Madam Koya, I appreciate it." She said placing the coin on the table. She then looked down to Faeli and smiled. "So, now what?"

Tristen overheard the question to Faeli, "That reading was ominous. But I'm worried about the last part of her reading that one of us is doomed to die. What did you think about that?"

"She did say perhaps we'd not be the one to pay it. So maybe just someone we know?" Arialis added to what Tristen had said.

Faeli signed after thinking through the possibilities of the Harrowing.

"My head hurts." The genome said with a groan. "Oh well, I guess now is as good of a time as ever to trust in fate." Faeli said with another shrug.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 20:56, Thu 22 Oct 2020.

"Look at the bright side Faeli. You have three strong heavily armored people to stand around you to protect ya." She said with a reassuring smile to the gnome, indicating herself, Tristen, and Talitha. "And I'm sure Razyll will back us up, and Tristen's friend there too." She said indicating Kaddock. "So, we'll be alright."

Razyll nodded in agreement.

So does Talitha.

Kaddock stepped forward and put a hand on Tristen's shoulder.  "We will all be by your side.  I think if death is to be dealt it will require a good deal of effort to work through all of us."