Cards Reshuffled

In an adventuring party, it is essential for the members to be able to work together as smoothly as possible, and when forming a new party this is one of the first things a leader should try to aim for. Of course, the matter is complicated when two party members want each other dead, and the rest all bicker with each other, but nobody ever said leadership was easy, did they?

Excerpt from ‘Ruminations Of A Master Bard’

Edwin watched as Zaerini slipped into that strange trance that always overcame her whenever she did a Reading, trying not to show his nervousness openly. No matter that he had seen it before, every time he feared that she might not come back to him, that her soul would be lost somewhere in the darkness, unable to find its way back. Or perhaps even worse, that something else might infest her body and come back instead of her. It is useful to know the future, but never at that cost. Without her, there is no future.

The half-elf’s eyes were closed, but the eyelids were twitching as she watched something that only she could see. Now and then her lips moved, but if she spoke it was in too quiet a voice for anybody else to hear. Her hands were spread out on the table, fingertips resting lightly against the cards, still for once. When she was awake they would be in constant motion, gesticulating eagerly, picking pockets with a touch as light as that of a butterfly, fiddling with her hair, gracefully weaving magic. He knew them well in every possible pose. And their touch. Her touch that burns like gentle fire. But right now those slender hands were still, something that made them look oddly vulnerable. She will come back to me, Edwin thought. She has to. I lost her once, I will not lose her again. Never again.

Jaheira had positioned herself next to the younger woman and was watching her carefully, ready to intervene in case it should be necessary. Edwin sincerely doubted that anything she could do would make any difference though. The druid wasn’t a bad healer, despite her annoying personality and tendency to interfere, but this would be beyond her, particularly now that she was unwell herself. And certainly beyond that accursed Helmite. If he doesn’t stop fawning over my Hellkitten soon I will…

But what could he do? As tempted as he was to kill Anomen, he knew that Zaerini wouldn’t forgive him for it, particularly if she had any feelings for the other man. I wish I could kill him though. I’d like to reduce him to a small puddle of molten flesh for daring to try to steal her from me. And then I’d disintegrate the remnants and bury the resulting dust seven feet underground, and heap rocks on top. And put up some warning signs. ‘Warning – Angry Tarrasque’ ought to be enough to keep anybody from trying to resurrect the pompous fool. Pity about the resulting contamination of the ground, but it’s a small price to pay.

The fact that Anomen was watching Zaerini intently, never taking his eyes off her face, didn’t make Edwin one bit happier. At least I managed to secure a chair next to her. Minsc was standing right behind Zaerini’s chair, presumably guarding against possible attacks. A Rashemite berserker. I cannot believe I’m traveling with a Rashemite berserker, not to mention his stupid hamster. Why did she have to go and promise to be his witch? Now we’ll never be rid of him. Well, at least the real Wychlaran managed to go and get herself killed, and good riddance. But still, if Teacher Dekaras finds out, he won’t be happy at all…

Then the unpleasant thought came to Edwin that if he ever were to see his mentor again, something that seemed a very remote possibility, then Minsc would be the least of his worries. How can I possibly explain to him why I acted as I did? He…he might even hate me for it, and I couldn’t blame him. Unconsciously he reached for the amulet hanging around his throat, stroking it. But…no matter if he wants to kill me for tricking him, I still miss him. I miss him so much. I bet he would be able to get rid of Anomen for me. Or at least give me some good advice. I bet he would never have to put up with somebody trying to steal the one woman he ever cared for away from him.

Edwin’s reverie was suddenly interrupted as Zaerini jerked violently, her eyes suddenly startlingly wide and open. “No!” she shouted, and then looked about herself wildly, as if searching for something. Then she grabbed hold of Edwin’s robe, clinging desperately to him as she stared into his face.

“What is it?” the wizard asked, trying to sound calm though his heart fluttered as he held onto her. “What is wrong?”

“I…I thought you were dead.” The half-elf was shivering as she slowly eased herself back onto her own chair. Softpaws delicately navigated her way past the spread out cards on the table, then jumped onto her Mistress’ lap, and Zaerini stroked her gently, making Edwin wish that he could have been in the cat’s position. “I thought you were dead. Or going to die, I’m not sure anymore.”

“Child,” Jaheira said in a mild voice. “You are safe here. Do you need to rest some? Or can you tell us what you saw?”

The bard straightened up a little, clearly trying to regain control of herself. “I don’t have the time to rest. We need to break your curse, and I got at least a few clues that may help us do it.” She sighed loudly. “Not that I understand very much of what I saw. I won’t speak of it all at this time, only of what seems relevant at the moment.” She then went on to describe the Four of Coins and One of Cups, Rage, The Harp and Justice Inverted, The Archmage and Death, The Page of Cups and Death. “Of the final two cards I will say no more right now,” she said, and a haunted look crept into her golden eyes. “Let us think of the others instead. The Four of Coins ‘came to Ployer from Ployer’, Ployer ‘sleeps against his bosom every night’ and as for the Ace of Cups, ‘it has gone sour, the cup is empty, but it is still there’. Both the cards claimed that they would lead me to Ployer.”

Anomen frowned. “This man Ployer…was he a drunkard by any chance, Lady Jaheira?” he asked. “I…have seen such base behavior before, in one ravaged by drink.”

Edwin gave him a curious look. The cleric sounded as if what he was saying held some deeper meaning. Let’s hope so. If it is something really unpleasant, perhaps it will help give me the upper hand. Not that I need any aid of course but…but what if she has started to care for him? I was gone for quite some time, and she was hurt, and…and I’ll scoop his eyes out with a spoon if he doesn’t stop giving her those ingratiating puppy eyes soon!

Calm yourself, wizard! The voice that spoke inside his mind made Edwin startle a little, and as he turned his head he saw Softpaws watching him calmly, green eyes glowing. The cat had spoken to him before, in a time when Zaerini was in great danger, but he knew that she usually didn’t address others than her mistress, and that she had only been communicating with him due to his affinity for magic.

Did you hear me?

No. I only hear you if you speak to me directly, though it is easier now than before. That other time you needed to speak out loud, remember? Now your mind has grown more powerful, and so you can talk to me directly. A blind mouse could have recognized the look on your face. You must control your temper, or my Kitten will not be pleased with you at all. The cat wrinkled her nose in an oddly human gesture. I am on your side, you know. You are a tom, it is natural that you wish to fight and draw blood to win the right to mate, but my Kitten doesn’t quite understand this. So you must not attack the other male, or you may lose her. Softpaws cocked her head to one side. You really should get a familiar of your own you know. Then you wouldn’t be this helpless when it comes to mating. But since you haven’t got one, I will help you. I will talk to you later. Then she closed her eyes and settled down again on Zaerini’s lap to have her tummy rubbed, looking very content. The whole conversation had only lasted a few seconds.

“Ployer was not a drunkard when I knew him,” Jaheira said. The druid was looking very tired. Her skin was ashen, her eyes sunken into their sockets, her hair listless, and now and then she coughed heavily. “I cannot say what happened to him afterwards of course.”

“That’s true,” Jan agreed. “People do change. Why, my cousin George once tried to change himself into a female. He always was a bit odd, old George, but he looked very fetching in a dress.”

“Did it work?” Zaerini asked.

“Yes and no. You see, he didn’t become a female gnome, he became a female griffin, and then none of his dresses would fit him any longer, something that made him very upset. He tried to blame it on the manufacturers changing the sizes, and ate two seamstresses before the third one stabbed him to death with a darning needle. Brave lass that, and she made a lovely boa out of his wing feathers. So instead of enjoying high fashion George became it, you might say.”

“Enough!” Edwin snapped. “Stop your annoying chatter before we all die of old age. (I wonder if his tongue would run on its own if it was removed from his head? It is a very tempting thought…)”

“Why Eddie, dear boy! I think you would look quite charming in a boa, something in red naturally…”

“That’ll do,” Zaerini said. “Now, I have an idea of my own. The Four of Coins implies money, more specifically an inheritance, or a gift. A will, perhaps. And Amnians like to have such things properly documented. Anomen, you would know. Would it be possible for us to track down Ployer’s holdings, or what remains of them, and see if he ever received any important inheritance?”

“Certainly!” Anomen said, smiling. “And may I say that it was very clever of you to think of it, my Lady!”

No, you may not. And stop grinning at her like a stunned donkey.

“All right,” Zaerini said, smiling back at the cleric. “It seems another trip to the Government District is in order then. As for the Ace of Cups, it means ‘plenty’ or something ‘bountiful’. It is a good card, one of pleasure. But it could also be something more literal. We’ll have to keep our eyes open. Now, about the rest of the Reading…Jaheira, the Harp coupled with Inverted Justice is a bad sign. What do you know of the Harpers of Athkatla?”

“Belgrade was the one I knew best,” Jaheira said, “and it has been long since I had contact with any of them, but they were good people, some of them good friends. I had planned to make contact with them, to see if they could help us, but now I do not know where they may be found, not with Belgrade dead.”

“That may be for the best. I trust you, but I don’t trust them, and now less than ever. The Rage card and the Page of Cups are both people we should look out for apparently, and try to get on our side. I’d like you all to let me know if you see somebody you think might fit the bill.” Then the bard turned to Edwin, and he felt his mouth go dry as her eyes met his. “Eddie…you will be careful, won’t you? Death may not mean literally death, but I know you too well not to worry. I…don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

She cares! She really does care! Ha, wallow in envy, Helmite! Look, he’s practically green in the face already. “Of course I will be careful,” he said in as sincere a voice as he could muster, taking the half-elf’s hand in his, something that he was pleased to notice made Anomen literally grind his teeth. “I am always careful, as any truly Great Wizard should be, and at any rate my earth shattering magical prowess and razor-sharp intellect would see me through any troubles. But I think you are worrying needlessly. You said yourself that Death also means transformation to a higher stage, didn’t you? Clearly I am about to reach even more lofty pinnacles of power than before, and I have a feeling I know just how to go about it.” The Nether Scroll! It has to be it! I will find it at last, and bedazzle her with my skill! And if I am correct about it, it will also lengthen my natural lifespan. I will not have to grow old and feeble, my unparalleled body will remain young and eager forever, enabling her to enjoy it.

Zaerini didn’t seem exactly calmed by these words. “I hope you are right,” she said. “Because if you aren’t, and you go do something foolish to get yourself killed, I’ll…I’ll kill you myself, so there!” Then she got up from the table. “Apart from looking for Ployer’s paper trail, we should also search the slums, talk to people, see if anybody has seen the man. We’ll split into groups again, I think.”

“I will come with you,” Edwin said, and was very displeased to notice that Anomen spoke up at the same time with the same suggestion.

“No, this time Jaheira and Minsc will go with me, I think. You two and Jan will check out the slums together.”

“Jan?” Edwin protested.

“The gnome?” Anomen agreed. “But my lady, surely I would be better…”

“No,” Zaerini said in a flinty voice. “I want every member of this group to be able to work with every other member. You two boys will go with Jan, like I told you. And if you see Ployer, don’t attack him before the rest of us get there. Just trail him to his hideout and send word. Everybody got it?”

“Minsc is happy that he will get to go with his witch this time!” Minsc beamed. “No evil little paper carrying men will harm her with Minsc and Boo around, no sir!”

“It is well,” Jaheira agreed.

Both Edwin and Anomen nodded silently, neither of them looking particularly pleased.

“Oh, this will be fun, won’t it!” Jan said with a twisted grin. “The three of us, out on an adventure together…we’ll have lots of stories to tell afterwards I’m sure.”

Yes, Edwin thought. I’m very much afraid of it.