Cards Reshuffled

The cards express themselves symbolically, and that means that their meanings can be difficult to ascertain. The cards never lie, but interpreting them properly is the task of the Reader. If you wish to become fully proficient with them, you should practice Reading frequently, and definitely do so in times of trouble.

Excerpt from ‘The Chaltar Deck Of Cards – Advanced Studies’

The deck of cards felt heavy in her hands, heavier than she recalled it. Zaerini frowned to herself as she watched the cards, dexterously shuffling the deck using only her left hand while the other stroked the soft fur of her familiar. She wasn’t entirely certain she wanted to do this, but she had to.

“Are you certain you are up to this, child?” Jaheira asked. The druid was sitting cross-legged on the bed, her green eyes filled with concern though her face remained impassive. “You still are not entirely recovered from our ordeal.”

“Maybe…but I don’t really have a choice. If I can learn anything through the cards, about where to find Immy or…or Irenicus…then I have to try. You understand that, don’t you?”

Jaheira nodded. “Yes. Yes, I do. Just…try to be careful.” She sighed. “Though I do not know why I even bother saying that. You never are anyway.”

“Sure I’m careful!”

“Really? When?”

“Well…er…I sure I must have been sometimes!”

The druid smiled briefly. “Just go on with it, child. You need your rest. I will keep watch.”

Rini nodded, trying not to show any of the nervousness she felt. “Right. In…in a moment then.” Irenicus…I wish I could remember that reading he forced me to do for him. I have a feeling it’s important…

Maybe, Softpaws said. But you can do nothing about it now. You can do this.

Yes. I know.

Taking a deep breath the half-elven bard picked the first few cards her fingers touched from within the deck, spreading them out on the tattered red cover on her bed. Holding her breath with excitement, she stared at the painted shapes in front of her. Show me what I need to know, whatever it may be. Help me find my way.

First lay the Moon, with the Hermit Inverted. Then the Star coupled with Justice Inverted. The Fool and the Knight of Rods with the Archmage. The Lovers. Finally The Rogue, coupled with the Road of Destiny.

As she stared at the cards with aching eyes, Rini felt her field of vision narrowing, until the painted figures started moving, spinning towards her as darkness reared all around. It’s working! I still can do this! Then the tiny bedroom in the Copper Coronet was gone, and she was in another place entirely.

Rini found herself floating in an empty void, with darkness all around her. She was weightless, and able to move freely, or so it seemed. But she could see nothing whatsoever, and she could sense no wind against her skin as she moved, so she might as well have been still. But then there was a light, a pale and sickly white light as the Moon rose above her, a narrow scimitar against a black and starless sky. She was standing on solid ground now, but the land was barren and lifeless. She shivered in air that was suddenly freezing cold, and watched the black silhouette of a bat flutter past the moon. I don’t much like this. The Moon isn’t a very good card and…hey! Who’s that? There was a figure coming towards her, cloaked and hooded, its face and even its gender impossible to discern in the concealing garment. The Hermit. The figure was carrying a tall staff, and a lantern was hanging from the staff, but the light was insignificant against the encroaching darkness.

“Do you know who I am?” the Hermit asked, in a low whisper. Rini didn’t recognize the voice, it was almost inaudible. And yet, she got the nagging feeling that she should recognize it, that there was something very familiar about it.

“The Hermit,” she said. “What have you come to tell me?”

“Wrong!” the Hermit hissed, and now there was definitely something malevolent in the voice. “The card was inverted, fool girl. Do you not know what that means?”

“Treachery,” the half-elf whispered. “Treachery and deceit.”

“Yessss…that is so. I am not who you think I am. I have secrets.”

“Everybody has secrets.”

“Little idiot! Do you forget the Moon? That card means danger. Danger from enemies unknown, from sweet and succulent lies poured into willing ears, danger from betrayal.”

“You will try to betray me then. And I suppose you won’t tell me whom you represent? Or if I have met you yet, in the waking world?”

“Of course not! Even now I plot and plan, and my plans are my own. But you will learn of them when the time is right. Oh yes. You will learn…” The cloaked figure started laughing quietly, a terrible high-pitched giggle, and as Zaerini watched, the Moon started laughing as well. Its voice was cold and inhuman, hurting her ears, and it was coming towards her, closer and closer. The Moon…it’s changing color! It’s red…as red as blood. She fought for breath, trying to scream, as the two cards melted away into the shadows and the laughter receded behind her.

Wow, Rini thought when all was finally quiet again. This isn’t starting too well, is it? But I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that somebody’s out to get me. Seems that’s been the case since I left Candlekeep.

Now another scene appeared before her. A slight female figure, sparkling with diamond-bright light, was kneeling on the floor. She was pretty, and there was an open smile on her lips. But the smile faded, her light dimmed, as a ring of swords appeared around her, their shadows forming prison bars. Behind them a stern figure stood, tall and with a cold and distant face, sexless in appearance. It held a shining sword in one hand, a set of balance scales in the other. But the scales were weighted down, a mass of glittering gold coins dragging them towards the ground. Justice Inverted. Injustice. And the Star… As if she had heard the half-elf’s thoughts, the Star turned her head towards Zaerini, and now her smile was sad. “You will try,” she said. “I know you will. But you will try in vain. This is not the way. If Justice is unjust, then the Unjust must bring justice.”

“What? I don’t understand…”

“You will, sister. You will. Now go! Others await you!” The light of the Star winked out completely, and as Rini stumbled forward she found herself elsewhere.

Three men stood in a circle, watching each other. The Knight of Rods was tall and strong, wearing armor that glittered like silver, and he carried a heavy club across his shoulder. Next to him the Archmage waited, the deep cowl of his robe concealing his face entirely. For that matter, Rini couldn’t see much of him at all, he was half-hidden in the shadows. The third was the Fool, a tiny figure in brightly colored clothing, resembling a miniature rainbow. He winked at her, gifting her with a twisted grin. “Finally!” he said. “Here I thought I was going to have to spend eternity coped up with these two, and they’re no fun company, let me tell you. Just keep glaring and sniping at each other, trading insults as if they were turnips.”

“Er…turnips?” Rini asked, feeling even more confused than before. “What turnips? And why are they insulting each other?”

The Fool chuckled to himself. “You know, that reminds me of a story. It concerns my second cousin Hilda, and her two eager suitors. One was a griffin and the other a dragon, and when they…”

“Shut up!” the Knight of Rods and the Archmage said in unison, and then they seemed even more put out about having agreed about something. “We have put up with this for long enough,” the Knight of Rods said. “One more word out of you and I shall be forced to teach you proper behavior in the presence of your betters!”

“Don’t tell me that includes you, Sir Abominable,” the wizard sneered. “The only creatures I might possibly classify as subordinate to you would be the lice crawling all over your unwashed body, getting slowly poisoned by your stench.”

“Why you….”

“Hey!” Zaerini interrupted, getting rapidly annoyed. “Is there a point to all of this?”

“Sure there is!” the Fool cheerfully said. “Despite what these two might like, you need us all. We’re all in this together for a long time. Won’t that be fun?”

The Knight and the Archmage groaned audibly, even as they faded. They didn’t sound as if they thought it was fun at all.

Rini hardly had the time to blink before yet another card appeared before her. This time it was the Lovers, and the card certainly lived up to its title. A male and a female form were entwined in a close embrace, one that started out tender but rapidly grew more and more…heated. It was funny though – their faces seemed fuzzy, as if they were covered in mist. What the…why am I being shown this? Not that it isn’t very interesting, it reminds me of some of those books Gorion never knew that I was reading… Suddenly the face of the female cleared and the bard gaped at it in surprise. The female Lover had her own determined face, with its glittering golden eyes, its mischievous smile and lightly pointed ears, her own flame-red hair, currently rather long and shaggy, and reaching her shoulders. It seemed to be her own body as well, and she had a very good view of it, from various angles as the Lovers shifted positions. The half-elf felt a hot blush creeping up her cheeks. I’m sure there’s some obscure, perfectly dull and dry symbolical meaning to this. It doesn’t have to mean that I…that I’m going to…and who is that I’m with, anyway? I want to see his face… She shifted about, trying to get a closer look at the man, but before she could do so the scene flickered and disappeared. Awwww…and it looked like I was having fun too…not that I intend to do anything like that of course. Not really. Not unless it happened to be with…well…him. Even if I’m still furious with him. And even if I’m never going to see him again. But somehow that makes no difference…

The bard was so lost in these thoughts that it took her a few moments to realize that another image had appeared before her. It was a road, a long and winding road of fine silver dust, and she was standing in the middle of it. Somebody could be seen in the distance, rapidly walking along the road in her direction. As the person came closer she recognized him, though she had no idea what it was supposed to mean. “Oh,” the Rogue said and stopped in front of her. “It’s you again.” He didn’t sound exactly hostile, but not quite friendly either. Rini watched him for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on. She saw a tall man wearing black, with no obvious weapons to be seen, but still with a sense of lethality about him that was rather unsettling. Currently, the look on his sharp face was one of mild annoyance. “Well?” he asked. “What do you want? In case you didn’t notice, I was quite busy.”

“Adahn?” Rini asked, rather annoyed with how the rogue had once again made her lose her composure. “Is that you? What are you doing here?” As she had noticed about him before, there was something annoyingly familiar about him, something that was just out of sight.

“That isn’t really my name, you know,” the Rogue said, smirking.

“It isn’t? Well, what is your name then?”

“Oh no. I’m not telling you that now. You’re simply going to have to wait until we can be properly introduced. I so look forward to that.”

Something about the way he said that made a cold shiver run down Rini’s back. “Properly introduced? By whom?”

“Really now, “ the Rogue said. “I thought you more clever than that. Let’s just say ‘by a mutual friend’, I wouldn’t want to strain your mind with too much information at once.”

“What’s your problem anyway? Why are you acting so snide? I never did anything to you.”

A cold look crept into the man’s eyes, and as he took a step forward she involuntarily took a step back. “Didn’t you?” he said, in a smooth voice dripping menace. “And why should I believe that? I’m really not the most trusting of people, you know, and definitely not these days. You have caused me a great deal of inconvenience, so for your sake I certainly hope that you didn’t intend to. But we will certainly have more time to speak about that later, at length.”

“But I don’t understand…”

“Obviously not,” the Rogue said, pointing at the silver road in front of him. “Then please allow me to explain. This, dear girl, is the Road of Destiny. You do remember picking that card, don’t you?”

“Yes, but…”

“And that means that we have an appointment at some point in the future.” He smiled at her, a smile uncomfortably reminiscent of fangs. “You, I, and our ‘mutual friend’. We have many things to discuss, so I’m sure it will please you to know that I always keep my appointments, unlike certain other people.”

For some reason, that didn’t really please Zaerini at all to know. She also seriously doubted that saying so would make much difference.