Just before midnight, the evening’s peace is shattered by a wooden screech, followed by the thunder of a trebuchet being fired. Again and again the sounds echo from the Wall of Eodred near North Bridge, waking nearly all of North Point. Across the river in Trail’s End, citizens wake just in time to see a sleek brig burn and swiftly sink into the wine-dark waters. The rest of the night passes in breathless anticipation of the wall-weapons’ further use, which fortuitously never comes.

Next morning, gossip buzzes through the city and fanciful tales run wild. Every tavern and street corner is abuzz with rumors of pirate raiders and ghost ships. The Crimson Throne remains quiet on the matter, though, with even the loosest-tongued politicos seemingly knowing nothing of the previous night’s incident. With so many far wilder and more interesting tales circulating, the facts of the matter become lost among the frenzied gossip.

OOC: If anyone would like, make a Diplomacy (Gather Information) check to hear the latest gossip about what happened the previous night.

Figus will spend some time gathering the latest gossip about what happened the previous night, but knows not to put too much stock into it.

15:16, Today: Figus Dva rolled 13 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 12.  Diplomacy (Gather Information).

OOC: Interestingly enough Favored Terrain Urban does not seem to aid in Gathering Information in an Urban area.

Despite the fact that many shun the Tengu, Kraw is surprisingly adept at ferreting out rumors.

12:22, Today: Kraw rolled 17 using 1d20-2 with rolls of 19.  Diplomacy, Gather Information

Almost a Nat 20!

Kyra listens to the city itself for information on what happened.

Ears of the City
23:09, Today: Kyra rolled 27 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 18.  Perception (Gather Information).

Over the course of the following day the rumors are wild. The most common theory is that it was a group of smugglers or pirates trying to sneak into the city. Other more radical theories abound like it was a secret Chelaxian invasion, a ghost ship, or even a mimic of colossal scale that devoured three ships before being sunk.

Through Kyra and their contacts on the guard, however, the group is able to get in contact with Grau Soldado, a guard who had actually been on watch over the harbor the last night. He had long been a friendly face to Figus and Kyra, a welcome drinking buddy and diversion from the corruption on their own patrol team.

"Yeah I was there, saw the whole thing. A lone ship came drifting in. Ignored all the signals and when a patrol boat went out to intercept it there didn't appear to be anyone onboard so when it neared the North Bridge and still hadn't responded the call was made to sink it. Don't know what happened to the crew but we watched the water all night long waiting for something to pop up but nothing ever did. It was creepy, I tell you. Never seen a ghost ship like that before.

I overheard the harbormaster saying that if it was hanging a single lantern like the boatsmen thought it was, then that's the signal for a ship under quarantine. Maybe everyone onboard got sick and died? Maybe a something ate everyone on board and then starved to death or drowned? Can't say but the guard says the matter is closed so I guess that's that."

"I can't believe that everyone onboard was dead. Someone would have had to steer the ship all the way to North Bridge. But, sinking it was probably the best course. Setting it on fire before hand would have been better. You know just fly above it and bombard it with fireballs. Its the only way to be sure."

The story was chilling, but it not seem to have anything to do with the current situation in the city.

After that burst of excitement the city seems to go back to normal. A couple days pass without much note going on. The group is activated a couple of times to track down problems that the guard wouldn't normally handle but they all turn out to be duds. Mysterious disappearances in the night turn out to just be a classic press gang. A monster in the sewer turns out to just be a sick dog whining in a pipe that provided unusual amounts of amplification and resonance.

Grau intercepts the group on patrol looking worried sick. He looks like hasn't slept since the last time they spoke to him

"My niece is sick. I don’t know what she has and neither does anyone in Trail’s End. She’s broken out all over in red pocks and can barely keep down food, or even the swill that good-for-nothing herbalist gave her. Her mother’s talking about going to the Bank of Abadar to afford some real medicine, but her family can’t afford to pay the prices their clerics would demand. Then I remembered how you and your friends handled yourselves during the riots,
and how you helped out the guard, and I figured maybe you all could help. A bunch of resourceful folk like you, I’d bet if you don’t already have a way to fix this you must know who can. Surely you can’t just sit by while a child suffers, can you?"

"Hmm, I been spending some time practicing some first aid and stuff, certainly no healing priest and all, but can take a look. So sure."

Figus nods to Kyra "Perhaps we should grab that book we found along. It may prove to be useful sooner than I certainly thought."

---

OOC: Too funny, just dropped a skill point into Heal and picked up some items for poison and disease.

Kyra shrugs. "I know little more than the basics myself. The books we found could help a little, but I am still not sure it would be wise to gamble a life of a child on that. Priests of Abadar, money grubbing bastards though they are, would still be be a safer bet. How much gold would they ask for?"

There's a whole shelf of book on the topic that Kyra carted to her home. Not very portable, though she did buy a small Bag of Holding from her cut of the loot. There are also some witch spells that could come in handy here, like Diagnose Disease. Kyra does not know them (of course), but she could go hunting for scrolls or other witches that do know them.

Grau nods and when everyone is ready he leads them out of the city towards Trail's End. On their way towards the North Bridge the party passes by several fliers posted prominently in major intersections: WANTED: BLACKJACK. In the days after the failed execution the Korvosan guard had been tasked with sweeping the city to find Blackjack and Trinia but the performance of the guard had been lackluster at best. Many in the city, the guard included, viewed Blackjack as a legendary guardian of the city and while everyone was confused why he had suddenly emerged after nearly a decade out of sight to rescue the woman accused of killing the king, many still viewed him as a hero.

Frustrated with the perception that the guard didn't really want Blackjack to be found, the Queen had issued a royal bounty on Blackjack of 5,000gp hoping some scoundrel or mercenary would deliver. Since then the rumors and stories have been fodder for gossip and by now the way the story of Trinia's rescue is told Blackjack single handedly defeated the entire Queen's guard, including Sabine, before planting a kiss on the Queen and absconding with her crown jewels. It has gotten to the point where the actual event bears very little resemblance to the stories being told.

---

Crossing over the North Bridge the party can see the giant trebuchets that defend the water but the river looks calm and still. Days later there seems to be no sign of any disturbance that might have once been a pirate or smuggler ship. Once over the bridge it is a short walk north to Trail's End, a small encampment of mainly Varisians, that cropped up across the river. While the rumors are that it is poor and dangerous where someone will just as likely mug you as say hello, the truth is it feels more like a small town in the countryside and from the way the townsfolk interact with one another seems to have a stronger sense of community than any district found in Korvosa. That being said there is definitely a criminal presence and it is impossible to ignore the faces of dozens of Sczarni thugs and brutes loitering on the street corners.

Grau explains about the family on his way there, his voice equal parts love and worry.

"My brother...he died a long time ago. Murdered by highwaymen. His wife, Tayce, was Varisian and her and her three young ones made a home for themselves here. I try to stop by when I can and help when I can. Tayce works as a washerwoman and the children help out when they can. My niece, Brienna, is the oldest and works as a maid. The two boys, Charlo and Rello, do odd jobs mainly for wheelwright friend of the family. I worry about them with...well...you know..."

He nods at the Sczarni thugs who are keeping a careful eye on the guardsmen walking in their midst. They recognize Grau though and don't make any moves of hostility but their show of force is on fully display as the group walks through Trail's End.

OOC: On the map you're heading to H5 in the upper right corner

Only a crooked block away from the Jeggare shore, the Soldado home is a squat, two-story wooden building in desperate need of repair and gardening. Overall, the building feels like the home of a family too busy living to bother with tedious chores. Grau doesn't hesitate, walking right up to the door and walking inside. The interior of the house is remarkably clean and well-kept, filled with worn, well-used furniture and decorated with the crafts and scribblings of children. Charlo and Rello are playing quietly in the living room while upstairs a mother's worried voice can be heard trying to talk around spams of ragged coughing that bark through the air.

An acolyte from the Bank of Abadar is in the kitchen with a bag of herbs brewing a concoction that smells like cinnamon and anise. Seeing the acoylte, Grau looks displeased and marches right up the stairs to the second floor.

Grau disappears but occasionally his muffled voice is heard from the second floor.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:40, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

The acolyte looks up from his brew and smiles awkwardly at the gathered crowd in the living room. His dark features mark him as coming from farther to the South, likely Vudrani and although he appears to be in his 30s his robes still mark him as a low-level priest among the church of Abadar.

"Hello, greetings. I suppose you are the help Grau promised? He...he does not like my presence here but please let me assure you I only care about healing the girl. If it is you or I that does so, it is of no matter."

He gives another smile and a nod before going back to his brew.

Grau soon comes back downstairs accompanied by an older woman. Appearing to be nearly 40 and possessing a simple beauty is the mother, Tayce. She appears haggard and likely has not slept in several nights judging by the dark circles under her eyes.

"Grau thinks you might be able to help my little girl? Are you clerics or some kind? Alchemists maybe? He...he didn't really tell me much before dashing off this morning."

Figus shrugs a bit, his appearance surely makes him stand out and many rumors, both true and false, even Figus is not always aware of which is which, abound about his father's people.

"Yes, mam. A little bit of both actually. We take help and use whatever works be it of divine, arcane or of mundane nature. Let us speak to Ishani here, then we examine the girl and decide on how we can help."

Turning to the acolyte "I am Figus Dva, a member of the guard and have some knowledge of the healing arts. You have examined the girl, what can you tell us of her sickness and what you have attempted so far?"

Kraw bows slightly. "I have no knowledge of healing, but perhaps I can find out a few things. If you'll excuse me?" Kraw exits the home and makes his way to speak to the Sczarni.

Ishani nods at Figus, looking to Grau and Tayce for permission to speak which they give.

"Yes. Her symptoms appear to be a rash on her arms and face as well as a bad cough. If she continues to worsen at the same rate I would imagine that she will...struggle within two or three days time. What is troubling is that it appears to be both an illness that I have not seen before and is proving resilient to traditional remedies."

He then goes on to describe a bit more of the disease.

OOC: For a translation into mechanical terms the disease appears to attack Constitution and Charisma which means that it can prove fatal if untreated. It has a DC 16 Fort save which makes it a lot harder for people to fend off compared to normal diseases. For reference the Black Death has a fort DC of 17.

Kraw tries to get some information.

Kyra has her own questions for the acolyte and the girl's relatives. "Do you know if anyone else has fallen ill with similar symptoms lately? As for the cure, traditional remedies aside, what of an actual spell to cure the illness? Can the church of Abadar provide one, and if yes, at what price? Keeping in mind that we are all here to help the girl, of course."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:36, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

Ishani shakes his head at Kyra.

"No, this is the first I've ever seen it and that is what troubles me. Korvosa is a big city and parts of it are quite unclean. I think we've had outbreaks of almost every known disease in the Inner Sea at one point or another. I've never seen it before but it might just be obscure or rare. Something that has come from farther away or maybe has laid dormant for ahwile."

At her follow up he looks down and sighs with frustration.

"If I had been sent for earlier perhaps I could, but I'm afraid that my duties at the Golden One's Vault required me to entreat him for similar miracles already this day. Even if I could, though, the tenets of my church force me to request a donation for Abadar's power, one that I suspect these simple folk could scarcely afford."

He nodded over to the pot simmering on the stove.

"The Vault is not so demanding when it comes to traditional remedies though. I had the boys run and gather some basic supplies so I can brew up something. It might not be magical but it might help give her the strength she needs to fight it."

OOC: He is preparing to make a Heal check, basically.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:40, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

Grau gives Tayce a nudge.

"Maybe we should let our heroes here see Breeze so they can formulate their own opinion instead of hearing it from this copper pincher."

He casts another dark look at the acolyte while Tayce nodes and turns to lead the party upstairs.

Having heard out the healer, Figus groans internally at the injustice of someones life being determined by their ability to pay the 'price'. But, he does not betrays his thoughts.

"Lets us go and see the girl. We can determine what to do after."

OOC: If the check is to be made once per day, how is it determined when it is to be made? Ideally would want to start helping her before she would need to make the next one.

The creaky steps open up into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of hte beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed's size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off her pillows. The spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing.

Tayce comes up to look at her daughter from the doorway.

"Yesterday she went to bed early not feeling very well and then the coughing started in the middle of the night. The rash has spread that far in less than a day."

OOC: Chances are she has already made her save but a dose of antiplague would trigger another one. Otherwise boosts and checks would get her prepared for the next day's check.

"Well, lets see what we got here. Kyra, give me a had here. She will be more comfortable with ... a female actually doing the prodding and poking"

Figus examines the patient while trying to distract her.

"I am sorry you are sick little one. We will help to make things better. Tell, me have you done anything different in the last couple days? Been anywhere new? Met people you have not seen before?"

---

15:50, Today: Figus Dva rolled 17 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 12.  Heal for physical (+7 if Kyra aids).

The poor girl looks at Figus and tries to wheeze out an answer but her voice is so hoarse and weak she can't be understood.

Kyra digs out a book from her bag and tries her best to help Figus out.

"Here, this could help." She hands Figus a scroll.

Should be 10 if I can use the book bonus.
01:28, Today: Kyra rolled 8 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 4.  Aid (Heal).
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Tue 04 Aug 2020.

Figus takes the scroll "I can get this spell myself tomorrow, but I do not like the look of this and I am not sure we should wait."

Figus reads the scroll and concentrates on the girl. Armed with as much information* as could be gathered and with the cleric's and Kyra's aid, as well as a dose of Antiplauge and what could be gathered from the Books they have recently found, Figus tries to save the girl.

---

08:55, Today: Figus Dva rolled 25 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 16.  Long term Heal vs Disease (with aids +13).

* 'If there is disease present, you know what disease it is and its effects. If the target is a creature, you gain a +4 bonus on Heal checks to treat the creature’s disease.' 

The book recommends a variety of treatments as you try and treat each symptom. Luckily Ishani was already brewing a potent tonic to aid with the coughing and with the help of their healers kit Kyra and Figus are able to put together a salve to put on the rash.

The poor girl has a hard time drinking down the various elixers but after several hours her coughing starts to subside and while she looks like a mummy with her arms and face wrapped in gauze she appears to be sleeping comfortably.

There are still the occasional coughing spells but they aren't nearly as spasmatic or wracking as before. It is too early to tell but she does appear to be doing better.

---

Ishani had departed soon after the brew had finished.

"Sorry I cannot stay any longer but I do have other duties to attend to today."

He turned and bowed to Tayce.

"It seems like your brother-in-law has found great help, ones who are not bound by the dictates of the church. Your daughter will be in my prayers."

He turns to Figus and Kyra and bows to them as well.

"You seem to know what you are doing with this. Perhaps if I find any more outbreaks I will send word through Grau to get your attention. It can be...difficult to convince those in authority that there is a plague on our hand and inaction early on can lead to hundreds or thousands dying later on. Having seen the affliction yourself maybe you can act where others will not."

And with one final bow Ishani turns and departs.

---

Outside the Sczarni give each other sidelong looks. The meanest and toughest one of the lot though speaks to Kraw, shaking his head.

---

Seeing her little girl sleeping peacefully Tayce is overjoyed. Tears well up in her eyes even as she collapses with exhaustion into a chair.

"Thank you so much. Please, name your price. If you've cured my little Breeze I'll pay it."

Grau looks sideways at the party while comforting Tayce.

"Now now, not everyone demands gold before doing a good deed. I didn't go out of my way just to bring a pack of mercenaries to your doorstep..."

His voice is directed at Tayce but his eyes are looking around the room instead.

The scroll of Diagnose Disease provides magical divination. It reveals the effects of the disease and aids the caster by also providing the name for it.

How that name comes about is a bit of a mystery, like all divination spells are. Who is actually providing the answers? Where do they learn it from?

In Figus' mind he somehow gains an innate understanding of the disease afflicting the girl. It strikes fast, manifesting within a day of initial infection. It spreads through contact or blood which means that it is possible Figus might be infected from treating the girl.

In its initial stages, the disease is characterized by headache, fatigue, coughing, and the
a pronounced rash across the face. As it progresses, the cough becomes more obtrusive; the rash spreads to the neck, face, and limbs and develops into poxlike blisters and the lymph glands swell into painful buboes. At its most advanced stage, the blisters grow to the size of grapes or larger, internal bleeding creates black patches on the skin, and the victim expectorates blood. Ultimately, a bloody, wheezing death occurs. If left untreated, the disease kills the average human in 7 days.

OOC: Effect 1d4 CON damage, 1d4 Cha damage daily

But the name doesn't appear. The symptoms and effects of the disease do not trigger any memory of any disease from Figus' training or in the exhaustive reference books they have available at their disposal. If this is a new disease never seen by civilization before how could it have a name? And yet, after several moments of the spell straining and twisting upon itself, a name manifests inside Figus' mind from sources unknown: Blood Veil.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:19, Wed 05 Aug 2020.

Kraw nods to the Sczarni. Like the Tengu themselves, the Sczarni were often portrayed as the dregs of society. So Kraw did not judge by appearance alone. He replies [Language unknown: "Ai mo atiererom pahis ntnd ispope, lesatenti thomenesthisous ainherwhi peul wilundsan we paunil, asngng trres leun has ss nc lo la ateos lesithoer. Olmele andanycom li acec nite nitic be oveac hisal ribeic be ofsti tome'adwa, day andortant et arre waouwe moill......? At tedoerwit m ave etted prbeut eefo vorandthu om tinpo eewer enure n erome sero din foekro ai po re chfiar te thuck ngcano artreakor arha kor cononslesereame".]

"Blood Veil" Figus says out loud. "That is the name of this contagion. I have never heard of this name before and it is a potent illness. I fear we may see it again and soon."

Looking at the others "We should stock up on medicines and preventives before there is a run on them."

Kyra raises an eyebrow at the name Figus gives. "How contagious is this? Is the girl's family at risk or possibly already infected? Are we?"

She takes a worried look at the now sleeping girl. "As soon as she is able to talk, we should question the girl on where she was yesterday, who she talked to or came in contact with. We might be able to trace this back to the source that way."

Figus goes to wash his hands with soup ... at least till the count of twenty as he formulates his reply to Kyra.

"There is a risk of exposure, there is no denying that. This thing spreads through contact or blood ... I could be infected, but won't know until symptoms show up, or I can cast the spell.

We shall talk to her, as soon as she is able."

As the group convenes outside of the Soldado house a ghostly image of Zellara forms in everyone's minds. The Harrow deck she haunts is pulsing softly with a slight purplish glow.

"Who... oh, it's the harrow haunt. Eesh, now what?" Kyra connects the glowing card deck to the apparition before them.

If that's ok, I'll assume during our time together somebody informed a harrow witch about a haunted harrow deck in possession of the party.

The party makes their way to a private table where the spirit of Zellara can give them their Harrow reading. The haunted spirit had warned them, in her own way, about the dangers of the riots and the turmoil of the King's death and the Queen's rise to power so perhaps now she could once again provide some clue as to what was going to come to pass.

The glowing deck is placed on the table and suddenly Zellara appears like a genie summoned out of a lamp. She is suddenly sitting at the table, scooping up the cards and proceeding to handle them with great dexterity, demonstrating single hand cuts and fanning the cards out spectacularly as she shuffles the deck.

Eventually after demonstrating her skill with the cards she places nine cards on the table, face down, in a 3x3 grid and asks everyone else to point to a card.

As they do she flips the card over, noting whether it is right side up or down. As she studies the card her brow furrows in concentration.



"The Teamster, always aligned. It represents external forces pushing you forward, seemingly beyond your control. You might feel as if your path has been set before you, already written in the fabric of destiny."

She pauses, putting the card to her forehead.

"I see...purple. The color purple hanging in the air but the blue evaporates leaving just a red mist behind."

---

"The Brass Dwarf, always aligned. It represents an invulnerability to the current peril. Something about you makes you immune, or at least very resistant, to the trials that others will face."

She puts the card to her forehead and then quickly her eyes open up with a gasp.

"I see death, dancing in a ballroom. Lords and ladies without faces laughing and cheering and then...dying."

---

She pauses and considers Kyra and Figus.

"You...you are not the other two I met before and yet your spirits are just as entangled with them. I am...was...Zellara, a fortune teller. When I died the secrets of the future were revealed to me and they are haunting. I was able to maintain an anchor to this plane through my old harrow deck and through it I...we...can glimpse the future. If you would so kindly choose a card I can try and forsee your fate."

---

"The Waxworks...aligned unfortunately. It represents helplessness in the face of entropy and the decay. No matter how much you strive or work the things around you will still crumble and fall. Like trying to save a wax sculpture in a house fire."

She holds the card to her forehead and seems to study it for a long time, tilting her head back and forth as if viewing something from different angles in her mind.

"There is a man, dressed in black. He knows you, and you know him. You are both very angry with one another. Be careful for he will try to drain your soul. You must not let him."

---

"The Desert...aligned. How interesting that none of you had cards that were misaligned. Anyway the desert represents a long bleak journey coming to an end, but in a good way. If it had been misaligned that would have meant there would have been little hope at the end but with it aligned, despite the darkness you will face there will be a dawn."

Like the others she holds the card to her head and closes her eyes. Her face skews up in surprise and she seems to choke a little, as if gasping for breath.

"I saw you...underwater. You were swimming in and out of a sunken ship but there was something sinister in the water. I think you were chasing it...or maybe it was chasing you."

---

With the last card chosen she sweeps the cards back into her deck and begins shuffling them again for the next stage of the choosing.

OOC: Pausing here for any reactions briefly before moving on to the rest of it.

"Could be worse things than being immune, I suppose. Still Figus is right, we should try to stock up on medicine. I know we all have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better."

She smirked a little and nudged Kraw. "Gods know we made enough red mist going through the warrens, eh? Guess we're not done."

she looked around to ensure they were along then back at Zellara's shade and said what had been bothering her since the botched execution.

"Anything in the cards about our dear Queen? Or her escaped prey young Trinia?"

Kraw says "purple mists? That's.....really unhelpful. Now, the ship....that might be the ship that came into port without a crew and was sunk. I wonder if the ship carried this disease. If so, it may have been caught by the local seafood, and anyone eating those fish could be exposed to it."

"A man dressed in black that I know ... Well that narrows it down to ... half the population."

Figus does not put much stock in the reading. It is what it is.

Kyra knows enough about harrow reading to recognise an expert at work. "Interesting. And vague, of course. Not much of a swimmer, I'm afraid. Bad experiences involving water from a previous life."

"Right, I am kind off anxious to get to an apothecary and an alchemist shop. Can we go now?"

Zellara shuffles, fans, scoops and shuffles the cards again, the pieces of pasteboard dancing between her fingers. With a final flourish she starts flicking out cards face down onto the table, each flick of the wrist landing the card perfectly until it forms a three by three square.

"The Harrow is an ancient magic, one that has been passed from generation to generation. You have all been Chosen, let my words ring with reflection and I hope that they will come in hand when the time is right. The Choosing has been completed and now comes for the reading."

Her words flow with practiced ease, a phrase she has spoken hundreds of tiems before.

"The Harrow cards reveal the mysteries of the past, the present, and the future that yet may be. The cards closest to you represent all that is good for you while the cards closest to me represent the obstacles to be faced. The past is revealed first, for it is immutable. The past is always one of truth as it has been carved into the stones of the ages."


With practiced ease she flips each card over one by one.





"The Beating close to you, misaligned. It seems you have undergone great physical hardships and suffered grave injuries and yet you sit before me having overcome.

The Empty Throne, aligned, represents loss. This may have started out as bad, the loss of an item, a freedom, perhaps even a loved one, but through this love you have found something new. New purpose, or perhaps even new friendships.

The Carnival close to me represents shattered dreams. You might have once had plans, hopes, dreams. A life you wanted to live or a lifestyle to maintain but what has happened has altered that and your new life now is not what you once thought it would be. You have been set on a new course and those dreams will have to be put aside, if they can ever be achieved again at all."

---

She hovers her hand over the middle column, explaining it to those new to a Harrowing.

"The present is neither truth nor fiction, neither certain nor uncertain. It is exactly what it is as it transitions from the future to the past."

One by one with quick movements the cards are flipped.





<b><blue>"The Rakshasa, misaligned and close to you. You will soon be free of shackles or chains. These are likely metaphorical. Perhaps you will be given more allowance at work or even quit your job but something will happen that will set you free from entanglements that impede you.

The Inquisitor in the middle. Neither good or bad, it is a statement of what will be, will be. Whether you act or ignore what is going to happen will happen. There will be no ignoring it or avoiding it, what is coming...what is already here is going to become your life whether you run towards it or avoid it.

The Idiot, close to me and perfectly aligned. This goes beyond you and impacts everyone. It seems that a grave mistake has been made. Someone thought they had a brilliant idea but it will spiral out of control and damage not just their lives but the lives of everyone around."

She pauses tapping the Idiot card.

"This is bad. This is really bad. The die has been cast, especially when combined with the Inquisitor. Most likely a deadly decision has been made foolishly and there isn't any stopping it now."

Zellara keeps her eyes focused on those two cards for a few seconds before continuing in a whisper.

"I have not seen that combination in a long, long time. Even as I delivered the reading a fire ripped through Old Korvosa killing hundreds, maybe more."

---

She takes a deep breath to recollect herself.

"I'm sorry about that. We must continue..."

She gestures at the last column.

"The future is the most uncertain, always in flux, always changing, and the most difficult to see. It is what most come to me to seek answers for but I must confess that they are the hardest to read. The future has no concept of time so what I may Harrow may not come to pass for many years or decades, or could be this very night. The future is also ever changing and these cards represent a path that may yet be or may never come to pass."





"The Midwife close to you. While you might feel lost there will be new information or a new friend to guide you and point you in the right direction.

The Keep neither towards you nor me means that there can be a stubborness in the face of danger and uncertainty. It might not be the best choice but it does provide an option. Standing tall and facing the threat will be possible.

The Avalanche close to me. Unthinking and unrelenting disaster. Whatever dangers will present against you it will not be targeted at you. You are just in the path of something greater than yourself, a force of nature itself."

She pauses, looking over all nine cards for a moment before nodding and looking back up.

"Taken as a whole something dangerous is coming. Someone made a foolish decision and like a stone tossed along a mountainside it has turned into an avalanche threatening to engulf the whole area. You have the ability to try to stand against it but success is not guaranteed. Even with additional help or knowledge it might not be enough to save those that need saving but you can stand against it if you try, if you free yourselves from the shackles that hold you back and focus on the problem."

With a wave of exhaustion Zellara leans back against the bench. Her skin starts to sparkle and she gives off a small smile before she disappears into motes of magic that glitter in the air for a moment before fading away.

"Riiight." This reading is a bit too vague for Kyra's taste. Only with the benefit of hindsight could they make any sense of it, and by then it would not matter at all.

As Zellara fades, Kraw clears his throat. "I fear the foolish action was mine. I was outraged at Trinia's execution, and was certain of her innocence. I used connections in the Tengu community to contact Blackjack and inform him of this miscarriage of justice. It seems he got the message."

"The Tengu community? The whole Tengu community!? Both of you?" she laughed softly, teasing Kraw a little.

"I don't know if you can take it all on yourself. Arranging to get Trinia away safely doesn't even sound like a mistake to me. I'm ashamed I hadn't thought of it. And from the sounds of it, Zellara is thinking of a more impactful than the Queen's scapegoat getting away from 'justice'. I'm wondering if it might have something to do with this 'Blood Veil' Figus was talking about. And he's right. We should get moving to an apothecary's shop while we can."

Kraw looks puzzled. "What is Blood Veil? Does this have anything to do with whatever the girl has? I had a thought about that. What if the ship that was sunk in the harbor had some evil rot or disease aboard it? When it was sunk it may have affected the fish in the area. And if someone ate an affected fish?......" Kraw lets the thought play out in the others' minds.

"That's what the spell revealed the disease was called, yes. Though we have no idea who named it considering nobody here has seen anything like it before." Kyra responds to Kraw.

"As for it arriving with the ship, it's... possible. It could be just a coincidence that this thing started spreading right now, but if there is a link I'd put my money on either an infected survivor or a body washed up ashore when the ship was sunk. Anyway, we might know more after questioning the girl."
This message was last edited by the player at 09:24, Wed 12 Aug 2020.

"The ship is definitely a possibility. I am not so sure about the fish. If the fish were dying
 and spreading the infection, we would have a lot more people sick. If she got it from eating an infected fish, then the whole family would have it as well ... I doubt the girl eats alone and I doubt she would play with dead fish. If it was a body ... she would have reported it ... at least to her mother.

It is possible that someone, or something got off the ship ... unseen and infected the girl. We need to question her when she feels better."

Looking at Kraw

"I would help Trinia, if it was in my power. The girl deserves better and I feel we are responsible, at least in part, for her predicament"