Cards Reshuffled

Normally, a Reading will be composed of a small number of cards, maybe four or five. Remember though, that it is the deck that guides the user, not the other way around. Under especially hectic circumstances, with the future pressing in heavily, there may be as much as seven cards, perhaps even eight. Possibly even more, though that would take a very tangled destiny indeed.

Excerpt from ‘The Chaltar Deck of Cards – An Introduction’

Once Zaerini woke up, it was getting dark in the room, so presumably evening was approaching. She was happy to notice that she was feeling much better – and also that she wasn’t alone. Edwina was sitting on the chair by the bedside that Anomen had previously vacated, with her spellbook in her lap. Presumably she had meant to study it, but her eyes weren’t paying any attention whatsoever to the pages. Instead, the bard felt a little jolt of happiness when she saw that the eyes in question were intently focused on her. Lovely dark eyes…but currently they also looked tired, and a little red around the edges. And Edwina’s hair was mussed too, as if she hadn’t been combing it in her normal meticulous fashion.

“You are awake?” the wizard blurted out. “How are you feeling? Do you hurt anywhere? Do you need anything?” She leaned closer, gingerly touching the half-elf’s red hair, smoothing it back a little, tucking it behind her lightly pointed ear. The sensation of fingers brushing against the sensitive skin of her ear was one that made Rini draw in breath quickly. Oh…I never knew that could feel so good. It’s not the same when I rub my ears.

“I’m fine I think,” she said, smiling up at Edwina. “Better than fine. I’m glad you’re here.”

“I would have been here sooner,” the wizard said, annoyance flashing in her dark eyes. “But that tree-hugger and the obnoxious Helmite wouldn’t let me in. (All-seeing Eye indeed…I know just what that priest wants to look at.) At least they managed to keep you alive.” She shook her head. “I see I must keep closer by you in the next battle, so that my immensely powerful magic will better be able to protect you from the folly of your own mistakes. What were you thinking? How could you let yourself get surprised like that? You could have been killed! I thought you had been killed…” Her voice caught, and it was a few seconds before she went on. “I really did.”

“I know,” Zaerini said, taking the wizard’s hand. “I’m sorry you were worried – but it’s not as if I did it on purpose, you know.”

“Well, just don’t do it again! Would you deprive me of the one person in this group capable of keeping up with my genius? (I lost her once. Losing her a second time would be more than I could bear.)”

“No…we couldn’t have that, now could we? How are you feeling, anyway? You look pretty exhausted. And your eyes are all puffy.”

“Ah…” Edwina said, flushing a little as she rubbed at her eyes. “I am perhaps just a little bit tired. I have been sitting here for a while after all, studying my spells. One of us has to be on guard after all.”

“If you say so,” Rini said, grinning a little. “I’m glad you did. And speaking of keeping guard against things, I think it’s about time I did another Reading. We need to decide what to do next, and with so many different jobs available, some advice will be good. Who knows, maybe this time I’ll even get lucky and get a tip about which horse will win at a race or something like that.”

“Just be careful,” the wizard hastily added. “I don’t want you to tire yourself out, you know. You’ve only just woken up. Perhaps I could fetch you something to eat first? I’m sure I can manage to conjure a glorious feast, with delicacies from all over Faerun! That will help you get your strength back. (As well as give me an opportunity to watch her pop various goodies in between those lovely lips of hers…)”

“Edwina, I’m fine! Honestly!”

“Ha! That’s what you say! Rogues…determined to run themselves into the ground, the lot of them. Yes, yes, all right! But I am staying right here, to watch you closely and make certain you don’t almost get yourself killed. Again, I might add.”

“Fine. If you want to help, then you can get my deck of cards out of my pack, and then come sit here on the bed.” She’s sweet when she’s being protective…but I’m not about to let her boss me about either.

Edwina suddenly went a little wide-eyed. “Sit? There? On the bed?”

“You wanted to stay close, didn’t you? That’s as close as you can get, you’ll be able to keep perfect watch over me.” I have to get her more used to being close to me without being embarrassed about her new body. And the best way should be to show her that I’m not. She gave Edwina an innocent smile. “Come on, you said you wanted to help.”

Edwina looked a little suspicious about this, but she did fetch the cards, and then sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed. “There,” she said. “Satisfied?”

Rini managed to pull herself into a sitting position against her pillows. She felt a little lightheaded, but it soon passed. “Almost,” she said. “But there’s one more thing…”

“Yes?”

“My latest Reading was pretty unpleasant. This one might well be just as bad.” She shuddered at the memory. It said I would bring murder to all of my friends, and worse. I’m afraid to see more…but I have to. I have to learn all I can. “When I come back…I want you to be there.” She looked the wizard straight in the eyes. “I want you to be there, really close, so that I know I’m not alone. Will you do that?”

Edwina nodded. “Yes,” she said, her voice a little strained. “Of course, Hellkitten. I will.”

The bard gave a small smile as she shuffled the deck of cards, letting them spin between her fingers like raindrops falling from the sky, spreading them out like a fan. “Thank you, Dread Wizard. I thought you would.” Then she concentrated on the cards, trying to focus as hard as possible. Show me what awaits me and those close to me in the near future; whatever is important for me to know. And…especially anything about murder, or death threatening them, and what I can do to prevent it. I will prevent if, if it is at all possible. Rapidly she selected a number of cards, laid them out on the bed and turned them over.

The Six of Coins, inverted, and coupled with the Hermit. Then the Queen of Swords and the Hanged Man. Then a group of several cards, in two sequences. First Temperance, The World and Death. Close by were The Lovers, coupled with the Three of Coins. Next the Queen of Rods, with Justice inverted. After that, the Fool. Another group came next, the High Priestess inverted, together with the Moon. And finally, the Rogue, together with the Queen of Cups, inverted. As she focused on the cards, the world shifted around her, and then it blurred as she felt her consciousness fading, and the cards rushing towards her.

This time around she was standing in a vast and dark hall, with torches gleaming down from the walls. The walls themselves were tall enough that she couldn’t even see the ceiling, for the shadows concealed it utterly. And speaking of shadows, there were plenty of those on the ground as well, and she had an uncomfortable feeling that unpleasant things might be lurking inside them. As she crossed the floor, she tried to walk as softly as possible, to avoid making any noise.

Zaerini was just approaching one of the walls, when she noticed that something had changed. She hadn’t seen them before, and was certain they hadn’t been there, but now there were statues all around her, standing in niches in the walls. Even as she turned to try to make them out better, they blurred, and she jumped a little as she suddenly found herself surrounded by a vast ring of statues, spread about on the floor in smaller groups. The floor was black and white, she noticed. It was patterned like a chessboard, and the statues increased the impression of a game underway. But who is playing, I wonder? And who is winning?

She stepped closer to the first group of statues, examining it. A man in a cowled robe was sitting on a throne, clutching a moneybag tightly. He held his hand out as if to offer alms to the beggars kneeling at his feet, but as she looked more closely she could see that his palm actually contained a dagger. Behind him stood another male shape, a tall and muscular man, and his face was also hidden by his cloak. She could make out the hint of a sword at his hip, though. He was holding a lantern aloft, and as she watched the statues, the lantern started glowing. The two men came alive, with the one on the throne beckoning her forwards, the one behind raising his hand as if to ward her off. I recognize the lantern, and the moneybag. The one on the throne is Six of Coins inverted, and the other must be the Hermit. Six of Coins inverted…that means too strong ambition, coupled with cruelty and greed. “Who are you?” Rini asked. “What can you do for me?”

“It is not what I can do for you, it is what you can do for me,” said the cowled man on the throne. “I have requested you to meet with me, yet you delay. You must seek me out, and then, later, you must seek him.” He made a derisive gesture in the Hermit’s direction.

“He is untrustworthy,” the Hermit flatly stated. “He seeks to betray you, as is the way of his kind. Yet you must do as he says, for now. Through him you will find me, and through me you will acquire the means to do what must be done if you wish for your happiness to last.”

“What?” the half-elf asked, feeling very confused. “What is it that must be done?”

“You must pick the moon out of the sky,” the Hermit said, still in that terse, dark voice. “If you do not, then you will lose all, just when you think you have won. Do as you like – I have nothing else to say.”

The two statues disappeared, simply winking out of existence, and Rini stood still for a few moments, trying to think. The Six of Coins had worn clothes she recognized, the attire of a Cowled Wizard. It reminded her of something, but she couldn’t remember what it was at the moment. It would have to wait.

Another group of statues was before her now. There was a beautiful, regal woman, with a strong and determined face that still had minute traces of sadness to it. She was bound, chains encircling her, imprisoning her. By her side was the Hanged Man, a shapeless figure dangling from a rope, his features blurred and indistinct. “In this place, I am the Queen of Swords, though you should not expect to see me wield one,” the woman said. “It galls me to be in this humiliating position, but I require your help, or will soon do so.”

“What kind of help? And how will I know you?”

“You know me already,” the woman said with a small smirk. “You will know me when you see me, and know what kind of aid I need.” She spat at the Hanged Man. “Sacrifices…how dare they! If I can, I will tear their still beating hearts out of their chests and trample them beneath my feet!” Then she calmed herself. “You are the only one I can trust. Help me, and I will not forget it.”

With that, the statues faded away. Somebody I know? But who? And what’s all that about sacrifices? Well, she said I would know her when I met her, at least.

Next came a larger group of statues. A woman was standing in the middle, holding a balancing scale aloft with a concentrated expression on her face. The scale held a skull and a small replica of Toril itself, and it was teetering back and forth between them as the woman tried to hold them in balance.

A little distance away was the Lovers, a man and a woman entwined in a passionate embrace, and they were doing so in front of an oblivious craftsman working on another group of life-size statues. There were six of those, but so far no individual features could be recognized.

“You must be Temperance,” Rini said to the woman holding the skull and the world.

“I am,” the woman said in a neutral voice. “My task is to keep the balance – but the task has grown more difficult. Death has grown to heavy compared to Life, and there is a wrongness at work within the very core of my power. If you help restore the balance, then and only then will you be able to go on to them.” She pointed at the lovers, and then faded away.

“She is right,” the female of the two lovers said, and Rini felt herself flushing as she noticed that the woman resembled herself. “Do as she says, and the Three of Coins will be happy to serve you, helping you to get what you want.” She grinned. “Sometimes you have to make a public statement if you want to get anywhere.” The statues disappeared, still engaged in what seemed to be a very pleasurable activity.

Well, Rini thought. If I can get that sort of thing, then I’ll be happy to help I guess. She moved on, and soon reached the next group of statues. Here she saw another woman, one younger-looking than the previous one, who was leaning on a simple staff. She too, looked sad, but also kind. By her side was Justice Inverted, a man whose face seemed pleasant at first, until you noticed that he was actually raising a sword towards the woman’s unprotected back. “Here, I am the Queen of Rods,” the woman said. “I have never met you, and I fear we never shall meet. I have advice to give you, and a boon to ask of you.”

“All right,” Zaerini said, hesitating a little. “But if we’ve never met and never will meet, how can you have anything to say to me?”

“One dear to me is also dear to you,” the woman said with a sad smile. “For that one’s sake, I beg you to listen now, for dark times are coming. My advice is this: Do not trust in first appearances. Things are often different than they seem at first, especially when people have secrets to keep. Remember this when you are asked for advice, for sometimes rash actions will bring tragedy. I ask you to keep that in mind, and to give not only advice, but help, to one who will soon need it. He must learn many things, and I fear the lessons will be very painful.”

“But can’t you just tell me exactly what I need to know?”

“I fear not. It is important that you and he discover these things for yourselves, as I am certain you will. Farewell now, I place my trust in you.”

Not very helpful. I hope the next one’s less cryptic.

The next statue stood alone, a tall young man dressed in motley and wearing a masque. “Oho, the proud Raven finally descends from on high to circle this humble sparrow!” he said, grinning. “Is there merriment to come, I wonder, or perhaps disaster? Ah, it matters little, in the end we are all dust on the wind.”

“You would be the Fool, I take it?”

“Fool? Thy words sting like the poisonous tongue of the critic, my Raven! For shame. Say rather that I am an artist, much like yourself.”

“Another bard, is it?”

“’Tis so, Raven. You must encourage that side of yourself more, you know it’s true. You miss the thrill of the stage, the devotion of the crowd, the bright lights, the roar of applause heralding your arrival. You need it in order to thrive and flourish. Find me, and fame shall certainly find you.” He winked at her and bowed, then disappeared.

Wow. A nice foretelling for a change. Still cryptic, but at least nice.

Two more groups of statues remained. As Rini approached the first one, she felt crawling unease, and had to force herself to go on. The High Priestess stood there, a short woman with a cruel smile on her face, and she was holding a bloody sacrificial knife aloft over a gutted corpse on the ground. The Moon spread a pale light over the grisly scene, held in the jaws of a hideous tentacled beast. “You dare to approach?” the High Priestess sneered. “I am pleased to see it. Know that I have every intention to make you writhe with pain for the indignities visited upon me, and to serve my Mistress. And not only you, but my old foes as well. The wizard as well as the…other one.”

“Aerie,” Zaerini snarled, her hands clenching into fists. “If you do anything to hurt me, or Edwin, then I swear to you that you will be the one to suffer.” She gave the other woman a triumphant look. “But in this place, I rule. You are an image of yourself, and you must answer me. Tell me how you are threatening me.”

“I will tell only as much as I have to, ignorant half-breed! You cannot force me to reveal all. Know then, that forces will soon be arrayed against you, forces against which you have no proper defense, for they will use no weapons against you. And even should you prevail, it will not be our final meeting. A victory now will only make your failure later all the heavier to bear.” She wiped the bloody knife off on her robe, and her eyes glittered with pleasure as she faded away.

Rini shuddered, and she stood still for a few minutes as she considered the vision. The Moon signifies hidden enemies, I guess that’s what she was referring to. Not very clear, any of it, I’ll simply have to be on guard. Though I wonder…what did she mean by forces I can’t defend against? That has to be a clue.

Eventually she moved on, facing the final statues. One was a woman, the other a man. The woman was beautiful and alluring, her attractive curves barely concealed by the very revealing outfit she wore, but her eyes were cold and cruel, even as she pretended seductiveness. The Queen of Cups inverted. Sensual nature turned selfish and vicious…not a pretty sight. The man she recognized very well, it was the familiar shape of the Rogue, his hood pulled up so that it concealed most of his face. She thought she could see the hint of an amused smirk on his face though. “Adahn,” she said. “I should have expected you’d turn up, I guess.”

“Yes,” the Rogue agreed. “You really should have. I told you earlier that I was on my way, did I not? Our meeting approaches, though it is still some time in the future. Right now I’m about to become very busy with her.” He nodded towards the inverted Queen of Cups. “She’s thoroughly nasty, but it will help us all eventually, so I’ll have to put up with her for now.”

“Who is she then?”

“I am the Huntress,” the woman said in a sultry voice. “I am death for you, just as you are life for me. It matters not where you run…in the end I will be there.”

“I suppose I don’t have to tell you not to trust her?” the Rogue said. “No? Good. I will see you later then…I have things to attend to.” He turned towards the Queen of Cups again, watching her warily, and she snarled at him in return. “Oh yes,” the Rogue said as he started to fade from sight. “If she should ask you to come to her place for dinner, just decline unless you wish to be the main course…”