The Paths of Man

[Flecker]

@Pandora @SilverLongjohns

The sound of people talking, trading and laughing filled the air. There's of course some drunks at the street's corners, plenty of kids running around as well and the white bearded once legendary mages now reduced to making fireworks or lightshows at this lively night. It's not like the Harvest Festivals back in Connlaoth mind you but today sure is close. Walking through the various small shops in these small village sure felt different tonight, it's like swimming in a kiddie pool of people, there's lots of new faces as well. When he lifted his head he could see the pointy ears, the rough looking faces, the graceful smiles and features that you wouldn't see in such a small village. He couldn't blame them though, a clear night like this in La'marri is so great that some say breathing in the night air would clear any sinus or nasal infection. No wonder lots of visitors came at this clear night.

Ash cracks his neck as he walked by, his eyes darting from left to right looking for the right shop to enter

"Nah don't need em, nah boss's gonna be mad if I got them"

Then something else came to view.

"Swords?"

The male paused at a blacksmith placing his weapons on display.

"Lookin' fer swords maybe shields?"

A blademaster without a blade is certainly shameful, he reached for his pocket and pulled out two pieces of iron.

"Um, A blade for two iron pieces?"

The man laughed, his voice is as loud as the thunder and he kept on laughing as he pointed at Ash's two iron pieces.

"You're out of your luck kid, try the wooden sword section"

"Come on I'm.. I need something to protect myself"

The blacksmith slammed his fist on the display table.

"I said no kid and when I say no that means no, now scram"

As if those words aren't enough, the big fat man shoved his shoulder and continued placing his items for display.

"Go kid! Maybe take those worthless junk to a fortune teller or gamble 'em or something!"

Gambling? There's no chance he's doing that, those iron pieces are the only thing worth mentioning in his pocket and what's this about fortune telling? Ash looked around and saw a caravan unlike anything he ever seen before, there are some people around it but he could feel the air of mystery surrounding the place.

"I'm broke anyway.."

He's had enough of gambling, maybe this time he found something in his 'life line' or 'fortune line'. He approached the caravan and pulled his pieces of iron out

"It's not a scam right?"

The man muttered wondering if he's seriously going through with this or not.

[SilverLongjohns]

"A scam?" Came a voice from inside the caravan- The thundering sound of several heavy and delicate objects falling over in sequence drifted out the wooden doors, until finally the head of a dark-skinned man emerged. His eyes sparkled with the realisation that the man in front of him was a potential customer, and in an attempt to make himself presentable he dusted of some ash from his cloaked shoulders.

"Surely not! That is- A scam requires some amount of premeditation on the scammer's part. A certain degree of... conniving. And quite frankly my boy, I haven't the faintest clue what half of the things for sale do, exactly. So I wouldn't call that a scam. No, no, no. More of an enterprise," he put his arm around the other man's shoulder, sweeping his hand across the horizon. "An adventure!" He finished with a warm grin, and called back to the caravan's entrance: "Khalia! We have a customer!"

"My name's Hedvig, by the by," He held out a hand to shake, using the other to pick up a few of the objects on display. "Now. What can we do you for? All sorts of baubles-" He picked up a small dial that spun around wildly. "A compass that points to the nearest person who has recently eaten a healthy meal," putting it back down, he grabbed a small staff that leant against the side of the storefront and tapped it on the ground. A small little flag extended from the side, the sound of trumpets- One would almost think that it was in their head...- rang out, and a small voice called the name 'Hedvig'. "A rod of announcing? How does that sound? Quite practical, if you're into making an entrance. Or maybe--" He interrupted himself, clearing his throat and taking a deep breath. "Ahem. Well. We have many things, here at the Lyre. How may we be of service?"

[Pandora]

"A customer?!"

A silvery-haired, fair-skinned woman peeks her head from the opened door frame of the back room with a bright smile. Seeing Hedvig having his arm across the shoulder of a newcomer, already introducing him to some of the stuff they had for sale. She steps out into the shop, the veils attached to her body following her movements ever so gracefully.

"Welcome to the Wandering Lyre!" She holds her arms up wide towards him, before making a small bow. "My name is Khalia. We have many things for sale here. At least one would surely capture your interest! We have a massive collection of things from all over the world, and I'm most certain you have never seen before." She nods. "We're also a travelling caravan, should you wish to stay in one of our inns. We make our journey next to..." She briefly glances down at a gold and crystal apparatus floating on her hand. "... to Serendipity. Yes."

"But if rooms and curiosities are not what you came here for, we also offer fortunes and divination here in the Lyre!" She makes a small gesture to herself. "Care to look into what awaits for you with me?"

[Flecker]

Looks like business is quite slow today, he never received a treatment like this when he entered a shop, either that or the pair is just a bit.. off in their head, or maybe something else? The male directed his gaze to the dark skinned gentleman and he caught the sight of ears shaped like a sharpened end of a pencil. The male couldn't utter a single word as he's barraged by the gentleman's routine. Isn't this like a beginning of a scam? He pushed aside that thought though and reached his hand shaking it lightly "Pleased to meet y--" But he's not done yet, in seconds he's back to the sales pitch again. Ash saw the trinkets he pulled out and with each item he only repeatedly perked his brow or nodded as if his mind is being washed away by the heavy current of information he just knew "Well unless booze and ale are 'healthy' I guess it won't be pointing to me anytime soon" He chuckled. Ash also heard the man's name being called and shook his head, the man's tricks sure aren't just for child's play maybe this is the real deal?

"I uhh actually I'm looking for.."

Before he could finish from inside this magical caravan came a woman of similarly outlandish features, hardly anyone would call this couple a bunch of normal folks. But the question remains, will they accept low grade two pieces of iron?

"I'm actually looking for a reading, I'm not exactly feeling like I'm living to the fullest right now, maybe you guys could help me?"

The male reached into his pocket pulling out the two worthless metals.

"T-This is all I have.."

He spoke lowering his voice not wanting to be kicked out like back in the blacksmith's stand.

[SilverLongjohns]

"A reading?" Hedvig smiled, bowing lightly and holding both hands out towards Khalia. "Khalia here is the best there is. No guesswork, mind you. I don't have anything against the soothsayers in this country- Or anything else for that matter, but how do they know what they're saying really will come to pass?" He asked and paused for a moment, almost as if genuinely expecting an answer, and his face reflected his confusion. He offered up no explanation as to how Khalia could possibly know for sure, but continued nonetheless. "So I will leave you in her capable hands."

"Insofar as payment--" Hedvig plucked the coins from the man's hand. He took a pair of spectacles from inside his jacket and flicked them open, holding the small circles to the light. "Hmmm... Fairly good condition, no impurities..." He turned back to the man, blinking. "These are in very good condition, you know. I'm not surprised you were worried about a scam. I'm sure people would try anything to get their hands on a sample this fine." He handed the coins back to him and finished cheerily: "Pay Khalia when she's done!" At that, Hedvig began sniffing at the contents of an array of bottles on the storefront, wrinkling his nose every so often and throwing a vial on the ground, from which a lovely, sweet scent gently rose.

[Pandora]

A faint blush painted Khalia's cheeks as Hedvig complimented her, and she was left giggling. "I'll do my best! This way!"

Gesturing towards the corridor, she walked ahead for him to follow her. Leading him towards the end of the hall, a door stood, covered with a thick, black, velvety curtain. Parting the cloth with her hands, it reveals a peek of the room's interior.

As if detached from the rest of the inn, the walls inside were a deep shade of purple, transitioning to midnight blues, as if stepping into the velvety darkness of space. Small, tiny, delicate lights of silver and gold shine across the surface, mimicking the stars in the night sky. A heavy scent of lavender incense greets their nose, providing a sense of calm and serenity. In the middle of the room was a small round table, a glimmering cloth of blues and purples flowing elegantly from the surface of the table, to the carpeted floor. Above, on the ceiling, was a chandelier of gold and crystal, which resembled the sun, and the stars and planets which encircled it, moving in perpetual motion.

"Welcome..." Khalia offered him a solemn bow. "Please take a seat." She smiles, and occupies the bigger cushioned armchair on the opposite side. Once settled, Khalia takes the deck of cards stacked neatly on the table, and began to shuffle the cards in her hands.

"I understand you have an inquiry for the cards. What is the question you need answered?" She smiles warmly, her hands skillfully manipulating the flow of cards as a display. "What is it that you seek guidance for?"

[Flecker]

"Oh they're good enough?"

That man sure is strange, he'd accept iron?  They're just pieces of worthless metals in his eyes, he could barely purchase a bread with those! Or maybe they worth more than he thought? Maybe he's being a fool for not pawning it off or trade them for a sword? Regardless there's no  turning back now, not after the gracious invitation to these folks' private reading with their finest mind boggler woman. He could be seen furrowing his brow quite a bit after getting his coins back, the male's eyes also shifted back and forth between the coins and the exit. Watching the woman entered deep into the caravan's deeper inner rooms he sighed pocketing the pieces and keeping his hands inside his pocket.

"Can't believe I'm doing this.."

A gulping sound could be heard coming from his swallowed saliva. Wiping away the faint cloud of aromatic smoke from the man's various mixtures he stepped forward following her footsteps. Upon entering this couple's backroom his doubts started to fade away, his eyes were lost in the sea of colors decorating the room, tilting his head to the other side and he could feel his worries being swept by this peaceful current, turning to the ceiliings he saw the celestial jewels hanged from above that reminded him of the time when he accidentally fell asleep on the tavern's roof, he could've sworn he's standing with the stars in the dark curtain of the night

"Wow.." He whispered lightly.

He sat across from the madam yet his eyes were still busy swiveling left and right with a slight gaping mouth. This trance however was broken when he heard the question, Ash lowered his gaze and met the woman's eyes

"Cards? Well I guess.." He clasped his hands forward "Oh great and mighty cards will I die if I leave La'marri? Please tell me my journey won't end here as a dishwasher!"

[Pandora]

The moment he called out his question, Khalia put the shuffled cards together again as one neat stack in her hands. Placing the stack in the middle, she cuts the cards into three, before putting them together again. Spreading the cards in a wide fan, she selects six cards, and lays them in the middle of the table in a sequence.

"Very well. Let us begin." Khalia takes the first card to the man's left. "This card reveals your past." Flipping over the card, it shows an artistic description of a wise old man, crook in hand, wearing long robes. "You have been granted ancient wisdom, to be used for the greater good. It is a secret knowledge, one that needs to be kept to yourself."

"Having made use of this knowledge, seeing for yourself what it has been capable of, you grew afraid and trapped." Showing him the second card, it showed a drawing of a man trapped high up in a tower, about to fall.

Flipping the third card, it shows a man on his knees in deep struggle, surrounded by empty sacks. "Financial troubles are strong in your current situation, and you feel trapped, as if your life will never go anywhere."

"But everything, and everyone trapped, deeply yearns for freedom in their hearts." She flips over the fourth card, showing a man running across the hills. "Once you break off everything that binds you, you will achieve the freedom you seek the most. You are not destined to remain where you are now."

The fourth card shows a boy trapped in a deep, dark forest, riled with all sorts of danger. "... Though it seems it will not be an easy task. Many dangers lie outside, surrounding the city, waiting patiently for the best moment to strike. Perhaps a certain shadow follows you... You need to be careful. It's best to avoid travelling on your own, or travelling in places where you would easily be seen."

Showing him the last card, it depicts a young boy atop a dragon, flying across the sky. "This card shows great things for your future. The boy riding the dragon... The dragon signifies the beasts in your life, the natures that needs be tamed. But if I do recall, there is the nation of Adela who holds dragons in high regard. It seems your fortune lies within that city!"

Now that all the cards have been laid out, the session soon comes to an end. Khalia clasps her hands together, smiling softly. "Well, what do you think?"