Aqinarr City
Merchant's District - Side Alley
Three and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight
As Willow walks up to the shop, the conversation can be heard between the elderly merchant and the young customer.

"Oh wow, really?" The girl asks.

The man nods with a smile, "Yes, quite so. These new bracelets do have unique powers, but..."

Willow can see that even though the girl's eyes are momentarily caught by the bracelets the man holds up, she always looks back to the wooden box.

The man smiles, "You are still intent on getting these aren't you?"

The girl nods enthusiastically, "Yeah! I've been saving for almost two years now! I'm sure I'll get enough soon."

The man shakes his head, "Are you really sure you want these?" Then noticing Willow, the man straightens to look up at her, "Yes? Can I help you?"

"Could you tell me what is in that box?" Willow asks of the man.
However, before the man can answer, the little girl speaks up, "It holds four identical decks of cards, along with eight unique ones. Each deck has thirty four cards and each card is hand painted with a pretty picture. Once every week, you can use the deck to predict the future, but doing so requires another person."

The girl strains her neck, looking up at Willow, and smiles sheepishly, "Hehehe, I've kind of memorized how to use those cards."

The man nods, almost sadly, "Yes, this young one is quite keen on getting it."

As Willow inspects the one bracelet, the man follows her gaze, "Ah, you have a warrior's taste."

He picks up and offers the bracelet forward for Willow to see more clearly. Along the top and bottom of the band, the silver is folded in along itself, forming an intricate pattern of almost a woven silk rope along its edge. Along the back of the band, opposite the engraved design, is inscribed a single word in runelike script.

FRPCPEUAV
The man explains the bracelet's power, "Once each day, you can call upon this item's power, and it will grant you a small boon. It isn't very much, granted, since it is a lesser magic, but it is far better than nothing. It will slightly improve one's accuracy, and also the strength with which one wields a blade."

"If you are interested in purchasing it, its price is 360gp." The man says.

Fonhinqann
Guest Room
Four and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight

"Tenarr ... Would You Be Able to Create a Sheath for this Death Scythe ... That Would Allow Me To Transport This Weapon ... Without Cutting My Hands?"

Tenarr just takes one glance before he shakes his head. "As far as I know, the only way that scythe can be transported is on the back in a sling like how Xira always carried it. I tried making a case for it once... as soon as I put it on the scythe, the scythe's black aura blew it apart! Not to mention I've tried getting Xira to wear gauntlets, just to prevent further damage to her hands, and the scythe's aura totally destroyed those too!"

Tenarr shivers, "It is such a nasty piece of work... whoever made this definitely knew how to make something formidable... no one in their right mind would make such a thing; it hurts the wielder almost to the same degree as the one it is wielded against!"

Tenarr gingerly takes the scythe and puts it on a weapon stand, its black aura flickering for just a moment as it is put down.
"So Tell Me Friend Tenarr ... Are You Able To Provide Me A Better Sling ... For This ... Weapon?"

"Here Are The Five Gold Coins I Have Been Trying To Give You For Watching My Things ... And Another Five Gold Coins For A Proper Sling If You Can Manage!"

"Now While You Attend To That Special Sling ... If You Can ... I Will Take A Much Needed Nap!"

Manalagna Hammer settles in for a long overdue snooze depending upon what Tenarr is able to do about a custom made sling for the Death Scythe ... Getting Some Much Needed Rest Before Our DM Springs The Big Surprise On Us!

However, before the man can answer, the little girl speaks up, "It holds four identical decks of cards, along with eight unique ones. Each deck has thirty four cards and each card is hand painted with a pretty picture. Once every week, you can use the deck to predict the future, but doing so requires another person."

The girl strains her neck, looking up at Willow, and smiles sheepishly, "Hehehe, I've kind of memorized how to use those cards."
-The power to tell the future . . . - Willow entertained the idea for a moment. Such ability would most certainly something to covet. To know what might become of particular decisions, to see one's destiny, to foretell personal disaster. "Are you sure that knowing the future is something you really want?" Willow asked the girl pensively. -To see the future is really not something for me. I don't want any magic trinkets or cards that show me what isn't. I would rather let the future come to me, whatever may come with it.-
The man nods, almost sadly, "Yes, this young one is quite keen on getting it."
Willow glanced back at the girl one more time before continuing to examine the man's other wares, bracelets.

He picks up and offers the bracelet forward for Willow to see more clearly. Along the top and bottom of the band, the silver is folded in along itself, forming an intricate pattern of almost a woven silk rope along its edge. Along the back of the band, opposite the engraved design, is inscribed a single word in runelike script.

The man explains the bracelet's power, "Once each day, you can call upon this item's power, and it will grant you a small boon. It isn't very much, granted, since it is a lesser magic, but it is far better than nothing. It will slightly improve one's accuracy, and also the strength with which one wields a blade."
-More magic,- Willow thought with amusement, -Oh how we have come to be so attached to it. What is magic anyway? What does that mean? Magic?- She broke out of the digressive thought and looked the bracelet over. "There is a word enscribed here on the bottom, is that how you activate it? Frp-?" she asked the man, struggling to pronounce the arcane word.

-How fitting it is that even now, after surviving years of disaster, we produce objects of magic and weapons to better improve our ability to kill.- Willow's mind went off as she looked at the loop of silver that was thus infused with magic. -But then, there live monsters and beasts that would kill us out of nothing more than malicious intent. Against those we can protect our guardsmen and women with items such as these. Yin, whatever else he may be, is an honourable guardsman. This bracelet will do nicely.-
If you are interested in purchasing it, its price is 360gp." The man says.
"Yes, I am," Willow replies. She reaches for the purse in her bag of holding at first, but remembers before her hand embarks too far on its journey. It would have to be purchased in full with gold. This would lighten her money pouch significantly. Again she glanced at the golden-eyed child, staring longingly the box.

The way luck had treated her today, Willow followed a whim and decided to do something good to deserve it. Speaking softly to the man, making sure that the child was intent on her own business, she asked, "How much more does she need to buy the cards?"

(Assuming that Willow has it within her 140 odd remaining purchasing power to cover the gap to full price)

Willow paid the man for the bracelet and slipped it on her wrist. Then she reached overtly across the table and picked up the box, looking at it thoughtfully. After a moment, no doubt with the young girl watching her every move, she bends over and hands it to the girl, "Go ahead and pay the man."
(After incredulous response/dialogue)
"The only condition is that I get to see the future first. Does that sound fair to you?" Willow stated more than asked. Sure she was earning her luck, but the child need not think that this had been something for nothing.

If the cards require a question in order to be used, Willow will be tempted to ask about Joseph, but she is afraid of the idea that she may not like what she learns, afterall that was how the stories used to always go. Instead Willow shall ask about her 'stolen/lost and found' ring. Particularly what happened to it if possible, though if the story is beyond the cards' grasp, I'll settle for what you deem appropriate

(Finally, should Willow not have enough money to finish the purchase)
Willow gives the man one hundred pieces of gold to reserve for the girl's purchase, but not until she has come within 60 gold of actually attaining the purchase, at which point she would be given the money. She would still have to come up with most money, but she would have a bonus, for she will not have spent absolutely everything on this goal.

As for the band, she is keeping it on her wrist to guard against theivery. She will take it off and hold it behind her back just before giving it to Yin. (informing him of the command word and telling him that there is supposedly magic in the bracelet.)

Aqinarr City
Merchant's District - Side Alley
Three and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight
Willow paid the man for the bracelet and slipped it on her wrist. Then she reached overtly across the table and picked up the box, looking at it thoughtfully. After a moment, no doubt with the young girl watching her every move, she bends over and hands it to the girl, "Go ahead and pay the man.
"Oh wow! Really? Thank you soooo much!" The girl is almost ecstatic with happiness.

"The only condition is that I get to see the future first. Does that sound fair to you?" Willow stated more than asked. Sure she was earning her luck, but the child need not think that this had been something for nothing.
The girl nods and smiles, "That's fair. Do you have somewhere I can use these?"

(presuming Willow invites the girl back to the barracks)

"Alright! I'll follow you." The girl says.

(at the barracks, I apologize for kind of fastforwarding, but I'd like to move on to the future sight ^_^)

After a bit of pestering, Yin finally accepts the bracelet offered him by Willow.

"I really didn't expect to receive a gift in response." Yin stammers, "Really, thank you... for everything."

Yin takes the bracelet, and wanders off to his own room.

The girl pulls the corner desk out so that it is in the center of the room and not in line with the door. She angles the desk strangely, so that it is in line with the four directions. She sits in the desk's chair on the West side, indicating for Willow to sit on the East side (on her bed).

The girl lifts the top of the wooden box to reveal three stacks of cards, their backs, painted a royal red, showing on the top. Delicately, yet elegantly and unhesitantly, the girl takes each of the three stacks, and shuffles them on the table, spreading them out, all face down.

"Please shuffle these cards until you are satisfied." The girl begins.

When Willow does, she finds that despite the large number of cards, somehow they are easy to shuffle.

"Please take thirteen cards, any of them." The girl instructs once Willow stops.

When Willow does so, the girl sets the rest of the cards aside.

"Alright, now shuffle them." After this is done, the girl continues" Now, place three of them in a row in front of me, three in front of you, three towards the north, and three towards the south, leaving a single one in the middle."

At the end of this, the cards are arranged in a bizarre pattern.

	[] [] []
[] [] []	[]	[] [] []
	[] [] []

Looking at Willow directly in the eyes, calmly, almost reassuringly, the girl finishes, "Now, the only thing left is for you to ask a question, it doesn't even have to be aloud; leave the rest to me."

(Ohyeah... I forgot to put this earlier, but you have 40 abouts gp left (360 on the bracelet and 100 on the cards))

At the rustle in the grass, Dusk turned around to help remove the arrows that pierced the child. Breaking the one in her arm near the wound with a swift twist, Dusk pulled it out of the arm as best as possible. The other two would prove more difficult to remove without doing more damage to her flesh.

"Here," he said, touching the three pale gemstones that sat embedded in the otherwise simple belt that he wore. The elf could feel a healing warmth fill him each time he touched a gem, only to lightly touch each wound and let the magic leave him and do its work on the child.

"There. That should ease the pain and speed the healing a fair amount," he said as he stood. Dusk looked at the body that still lay in the dirt, silent and foreboding. Dusk looked back at the diary in his hand, going over the last few pages once again.

"In his quest for vengeance, hatred blinded this man," said the elf, half to himself and half an explanation to the child, now an orphan. "Werecreatures destroyed him and he felt it only fitting to destroy them in turn. Despite his blind hatred, he should not have to rot as a slain beast left to waste. Either find sufficient stone to create a cairn or we shall find enough fuel to burn the corpse and bury the weapons."

Stowing the journal in the sac inside his backpack, Dusk placed the locket back around the neck of the human, arranging the corpse as best he could also laying the weapons beside it. The ring he took and dropped into one of the pouches at his belt. It may have some use.

((If no stone or wood is available or there is a lot of wind, Dusk will decide to forsake the body after some simple, general rites and an apology before resuming his journey, whichever way that was lol)).

Fonhinqann
Guest Room
Four and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight
"So Tell Me Friend Tenarr ... Are You Able To Provide Me A Better Sling ... For This ... Weapon?"
Tenarr nods, "I've been meaning to improve the one Xira uses, but she never bothers listening to me, not that many people do apart from Ken anyway."

"Here Are The Five Gold Coins I Have Been Trying To Give You For Watching My Things ... And Another Five Gold Coins For A Proper Sling If You Can Manage!"
Tenarr gives a modest bow, "I thank you for your patronage." Formalities aside, Tenarr straightens and gives a smile, "Don't worry, I should have it ready for you by morning."

"Now While You Attend To That Special Sling ... If You Can ... I Will Take A Much Needed Nap!"
"Right!" Tenarr says, "I'll be back in the morning then."

With that, Tenarr leaves the room, letting Manalagna rest.

Somewhere Between Wanqir and Aqinarr
Plains of Tiancann
Three Hours before Twilight
As Dusk's hand glows whiter with each jewel he touches, the tiger looks onwards with a cautious interest.

"Here." Dusk intones, gently touching the tiger to allow the healing energies to transfer.

The effect is immediate. The arrows remaining simply fall out of the tiger's body, the wounds closing behind them. The tiger stands, testing her newly healed body. After a few leaps and strides, she turns back to Dusk, gratitude shining in her eyes.

"In his quest for vengeance, hatred blinded this man," said the elf, half to himself and half an explanation to the child, now an orphan. "Werecreatures destroyed him and he felt it only fitting to destroy them in turn. Despite his blind hatred, he should not have to rot as a slain beast left to waste. Either find sufficient stone to create a cairn or we shall find enough fuel to burn the corpse and bury the weapons."
The young tiger nods her understanding, and dashes over a ways, her body language, even if not human, easily interpreted for Dusk to follow.

(presuming Dusk follows)

The young tiger takes Dusk over to a clearing, not far from where the hunter's body lay, where grass doesn't seem to want to grow very well. Pawing the ground, the tiger reveals the area to be well covered with stone, possibly a remnant of some ancient house. With a bit of pursuasion of the ground and picking at it, the tiger proceeds to dig up a large number of stone fragments. Easily enough to form a cairn.

Underneath the layer of stones, the young tiger's paws hit wood. It is a flat, rectangle rotting wooden piece, possibly a chest.

The child nodded in her understanding, bouncing off with renewed vigor now that her wounds had disappeared. She stopped and looked back at the elf until Dusk noticed her staring. This time, he nodded in his understanding and followed the tiger cub to a clearing full of stubble. She began pawing at the ground, revealing both the reason for the lack of grasses and a solution to their current problem.

The remains of a home, simply the foundation stones, were all that Dusk could see. The fine, dark earth reminiscent of ash, but Dusk found it simply to be dirt. Perhaps this home had once burned to the ground, its location long forgotten in the absence of inhabitants around it.

As the young tiger dug the thin layer of earth and short grass off of the stones, Dusk used a dagger to pry them up from their resting place and piled them up off to the side. However, as the forepaws dug through the first layer, in one spot, there was no base, only dirt. The tiger cub continued to dig and Dusk soon noticed that she hadn't shifted position and came over to see what she was doing. Soon, the sound of claws on wood, hollow wood, sounded.

Dusk knelt opposite of her and began to help her remove dirt from around the edges so as to remove whatever it was.

Somewhere Between Wanqir and Aqinarr
Plains of Tiancann
Three Hours before Twilight
The wooden chest is rotting and isn't stable; the lid is pulled up and apart from the rest of the box. Inside is a rusted blade. At first glance it doesn't appear to be much, because the blade is so rusted that it cannot be removed from its sheath. However, the engravings along the sheath seem bizarre, although they cannot truly be seen because it is covered in dirt. By the size, it can only be a short sword, but the mysteriousness about it... perhaps it would be worthwhile to restore the blade.

It takes a while, but finally, with a huge tug between Dusk and the tiger, the blade has come out of the sheath. It is indeed rusted, and looks a bit poor aesthetically, but for some reason, the blade is still in working order.

(Treat it as a +1 Short Sword for now)

Aqinarr City
Willow's Room
Three and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight
What will happen, regarding Casia assuming she is the thief? Willow asks internally.
In response to her unspoken question, the thirteen cards on the table seem to shimmer slightly.

The girl nods, "Alright, let's begin."

The girl holds out her handd, palm towards the cards, holding it above the center card.

"Ven uw geu uhiv vuwekhistth." She intones.

Halfway between the girl's palm and the cards, a magic circle appears, glowing white with power. Within this circle, around the outermost ring are twelve different runes, and a symetrical pattern within the circle connects these runes to another one at the center. With a burst of light, the circle fades, and you notice that on the backs of each of the thirteen cards, there is a similar, glowing circle. Unhesitantly, the girl flips over the center card, revealing a beautiful painting of a tortoise.

"The tortoise moves slowly, but it still gets to where it intends to go." The girl explains, "This implies that even though progress for you may appear slow, it is going to reach its conclusion eventually."

The girl reaches down, and flips the left card of the three directly in front of her. This one depicts a jade pendant.

"Jade is a stone that requires dedication in order to make it into something valuable, so this implies you are dedicated to your heart, which is as strong as stone."

Next, the girl flips the right card of the same threesome. This one has painted upon it an elegant blade, a symmetrical sword with engravings of flowers and vines.

"The sword is a weapon. It is used when other methods fail. However, in order to use it properly, one knows when to use it. This, along with the symmetry of the sword, indicates a sense of fairness and balance that you possess."

The last of this threesome, the center card directly in front of the girl is flipped. This card depicts an elegant and ornate knot made out of silken rope, with the free ends of the knot woven into tassels.

"Knots can be used to describe many things. Sometimes they are ties between people, whether they are friendly or hostile. However, when the knot is inside, it is doubt or fear. Doubt ties one to a seen path, unwilling to stray, but, with the sword in hand, you can sever that tie."

The girl now moves to the threesome in the south, flipping the left card there. This card depicts a gentle pond or lake, with a few ripples in the water from a gentle rain. The girl goes to speak, but something seems to hold her back, so instead she flips the next card, the center of the south cards. This one depicts a raging bonfire, with intricate detail making it appear most lifelike. Again, the girl is about to speak, but she stops, and flips the last south card. This one is identical to the left southern card. The girl shakes her head, a bit sadly.

"Water and fire and water. These two elements are not very harmonious, and together represent some sort of disaster or catastrophe. Something is going to happen soon, and it is not going to be very good for anyone."

The girl now moves on to the three cards directly in front of Willow. She flips the left card, which happens to be a painting of a willow tree.

"The willow tree is flexible, bending with the winds. However, it only ever confronts them reluctantly. If there was a confrontation a little while in the past, perhaps you didn't assert yourself to the extent you should have?"

The question is rhetorical so, whether or not Willow answers, the girl moves on, this time flipping the right card of this threesome. This card is peculiar. It depicts the sun setting over an ocean, but it doesn't seem to specify either the sun or the ocean as the context of the card.

"This card represents the West." The girl explains, "It represents the objective, that which is strived towards, usually on the horizon, just in, yet out, of sight. However, its placement here indicates that there is an opposition to your actions and intentions."

The girl flips the center card directly in front of Willow. This card depicts a portion of the night sky, with seven stars shining brightly.

"The stars shine brightly through the night. So too, do your feelings and intuition. Trust them, and act upon them."

Finally, the three cards that remain are the northern cards. The girl flips the left one first. This card depicts a stringed musical instrument: a lute. Once more, the girl is about to speak, but something seems to bother her, and she flips the next card, the center one. This card depicts a peach fruit, ripe and ready to eat.

"The lute is a musical art, and the peach is often used in more of a dessert. These two cards, in these positions, seem to imply that what is done by one may have to change soon, likely..." Here, the girl points back towards the water-fire-water sequence, "because of this."

The girl flips the final card, the right card of the northern three cards. This card is blank.

"White, blank, and unknown." The girl says, "So, what will happen now isn't something that can easily be seen. Hmm, the way I can interpret these three cards is that, because of this disaster, what might have happened normally is now in question, and so one must be prepared to change course, into the unknown."

(The references of left or right are to the girl's perspective; not Willow's)

"Odd," said the elf as he examined the blade that the pair had worked diligently to remove from its sheath. The rust had nearly made the weapon and sheath one, but they had managed to pry it apart. Probably because when Dusk examined the blade, he still found it balanced and sharp. Mostly the hilt and sheath had been binding, rather than the blade. "This is definitely old and has seen better days, but the blade is still good. I shall keep this. It may have some use later."

"Let us go about our task. It should not take us long to build a cairn with the stone here," he said to the tiger cub, resuming the task of lifting stones dug out by the girl. As soon as most of the stone were ready, Dusk left the cub and walked back over to the hunter's body, lifting it and carrying it back to the pile of stone. Dusk laid the human with his blade, bow and quiver, removing the cloak from his back. Placing the cloak aside, and with a small utterance for the dead, Dusk put the locket back in the man's hand, closing the fingers around it. He would have no use for pictures of the dead.

"Take the cloak. You will need to wear something eventually," he said finally. The hunter was entombed and Dusk's mind at ease and it was time to resume his trek.

"It is time for me to go now," he said, looking around the horizon and noting the position of the sun. "There are only a few hours 'til dark and I would like to make progress yet."

Bowing slightly, Dusk turns and begins to walk.

((Continuing in whichever direction he was before this all started. He put the sword, resheathed, into his backpack.))

Somewhere Between Wanqir and Aqinarr
Plains of Tiancann
Three Hours before Twilight
"Take the cloak. You will need to wear something eventually," he said finally.
The young tigress tilts its head, slightly questioning whether or not that's true. It carefully takes picks up the cloak in its mouth regardless, nodding its thanks.

The hunter was entombed and Dusk's mind at ease and it was time to resume his trek.

"It is time for me to go now," he said, looking around the horizon and noting the position of the sun. "There are only a few hours 'til dark and I would like to make progress yet."

Bowing slightly, Dusk turns and begins to walk.
The tiger makes a motion almost equivilent to a bow, despite being quadrapedal, and wanders off.

The sun is just setting over the horizon when Dusk reaches the city gates of Wanqir.

((Dusk is now at Checkpoint 1 - further RP and posting is optional))

"Ven uw geu uhiv vuwekhistth.," the girl intones.
This startles Willow at first. She had never considered that the child might be one of those who study magic at the arcane schools."Are you a magic student?" Willow asks, as the ring appears, then departs just as suddenly.

"The tortoise moves slowly, but it still gets to where it intends to go." The girl explains, "This implies that even though progress for you may appear slow, it is going to reach its conclusion eventually."
Willow reserves her thoughts and holds her tongue until she has the whole divination to make sense of. She would not know before the end what it meant.

"Jade is a stone that requires dedication in order to make it into something valuable, so this implies you are dedicated to your heart, which is as strong as stone."

"The sword is a weapon. It is used when other methods fail. However, in order to use it properly, one knows when to use it. This, along with the symmetry of the sword, indicates a sense of fairness and balance that you possess."

"Knots can be used to describe many things. Sometimes they are ties between people, whether they are friendly or hostile. However, when the knot is inside, it is doubt or fear. Doubt ties one to a seen path, unwilling to stray, but, with the sword in hand, you can sever that tie."
Willow began to grow confused, not quite understanding the significance. I have to destroy a knot with a sword because my heart is stone? No, the pictures are but symbols. Each is only a representation of their true meanings. They are not literal, and I should not look at them so.
"Water and fire and water. These two elements are not very harmonious, and together represent some sort of disaster or catastrophe. Something is going to happen soon, and it is not going to be very good for anyone."
Creases appeared on Willow's forehead. She had heard no end of doomsayers in the past, particularly during the great storm, but this seemed to be an actual divination. Did that mean that the chaos would return? Would something else happen?

"The willow tree is flexible, bending with the winds. However, it only ever confronts them reluctantly. If there was a confrontation a little while in the past, perhaps you didn't assert yourself to the extent you should have?"
Maybe my name is Willow, she thought. About matters of a recent confrontation, she immediatelly thought of Casia. Was she guilty afterall? Well what does it matter, I promised to let her go should she return my ring, and I have it back now. I wish she didn't lie to me though, I hate liars.
"This card represents the West." The girl explains, "It represents the objective, that which is strived towards, usually on the horizon, just in, yet out, of sight. However, its placement here indicates that there is an opposition to your actions and intentions."

"The stars shine brightly through the night. So too, do your feelings and intuition. Trust them, and act upon them."
Perfect; instict and intuition are key tools on the fields of battle and deception, and Willow's gut rarely led her wrong. The girl reached for the last set of cards.

"The lute is a musical art, and the peach is often used in more of a dessert. These two cards, in these positions, seem to imply that what is done by one may have to change soon, likely..." Here, the girl points back towards the water-fire-water sequence, "because of this."

"White, blank, and unknown." The girl says, "So, what will happen now isn't something that can easily be seen. Hmm, the way I can interpret these three cards is that, because of this disaster, what might have happened normally is now in question, and so one must be prepared to change course, into the unknown."
"I've heard of doom prophecies before, but to doubt an actual divination such as this would be foolish. What do you think it means exactly? What kind of danger do you think it represents?" Willow stopped a second to take in the reality of predicted misfortune. Such was the way of foresight, it provoked much more questions than ever it answered.

Willow took stock of the cards. South told of approaching trouble, something not seen but much predicted for the last year. Those cards of which lay before the girl, the jade of dedication, the inner knot of doubt, and the sword of balance that could sever the knot. Could that mean that fairness and balance would cut the ties holding her with doubt to the seen path? What was this seen path, and how was the jade pendant incorporated?

On the other side, the stars, the willow tree, and the west told her that she had bowed under pressure where she should have stayed, that she will face further challenge, and that her intuition would see her through. Little mystery there, that Willow could see. The lute, peach, and blank unknown, however, were the least understandable. The girl whose name she did not know yet had said that they meant that change may soon have to occur in 'what is done by one'. One as in a person, or as in one of the aspects? Perhaps this change would be the event of the sword cutting the knot . . . caused by the dissonance of mixing fire and water? Every time it seemed that Willow understood the reading, other confusions arose.

The tortoise gave her comfort in this. While she had a grasp on most of the cards, there persisted other questions that remain unknown. The tortoise's meaning was that she would not have to worry about what was yet beyond her, as slowly but surely she would make her way to the answer. Though as for that, she would be busy enough committing precious time fretting over the meanings that were readily apparant.

Willow sighed and cast her gaze out her window. The sun was not long for this day. It was late, though as per usual for summer, the sun would not completely leave until mere hours before midnight. Even as the other girl sat there in the silence of the small barracks room. It took until an announcement was made by the guardswoman's stomach, informing all present that supper time was about due.

"Come, I'll treat you to supper then," Willow invited the golden-eyed child. "My name is Willow, may I ask what yours would be?"

Willow was just about to exit the room when she looked back at her room. Trust your intuition, she thought. On a gut impulse she went for her the magical bag that held much more than it's dimensions would indicate. She put her rings back on and strapped the bag to her waist again. A second time she stopped, on a gut feeling. She opened the trunk that contained her armour and a few other items. All went into the bag after a few seconds, carefully secured. She drew the string of the bag closed again, shutting off the connection to the other extradimensional space. Finally she returned the bag to her waist and gathered her wits. It wouldn't do to set loose her attention and find herself robbed again.

"Sorry I took so long, let's go," she told the child.

Aqinarr City
Willow's Room
Three and Three Quarter Hours before Twilight
The futuresight was successful, but its coming left more questions in Willow than answers.

"I've heard of doom prophecies before, but to doubt an actual divination such as this would be foolish. What do you think it means exactly? What kind of danger do you think it represents?" Willow stopped a second to take in the reality of predicted misfortune. Such was the way of foresight, it provoked much more questions than ever it answered.
The girl looks at Willow comfortingly, and suddenly she seems so much older than she actually is, "It just means something is going to happen that we have to be aware of and be ready to act. As for what exactly, I can't even try to guess. The fact that it's three of the cards when two would've had the same message implies that it is going to be something big, at least on the scale of the storms from the six years before this one."

Seeing Willow try to make sense of the cards, the girl adds, "The center card represents things on a whole. These three cards in front of me are ones that represent you. These three here," indicating the south with the water-fire-water combination, "represent the near future. These three in front of you show obsticles, and the middle one is a way through them. The final three are for the future beyond."

The girl smiles, "I haven't actually studied magic; the magic is in the cards. I just happened to memorize the words to activate them, and the meanings of the cards kind of come to me when I read them."

"Come, I'll treat you to supper then," Willow invited the golden-eyed child. "My name is Willow, may I ask what yours would be?"
The girl curtsies, "My name is Nintarra, and it's a pleasure to meet you Willow."

Something is strange. Nintarra's apparent age seems too young for her level of maturity. Did obtaining the cards change her in some way, or is this just a wisdom and grace that was dormant in her? Out of the corner of her eye, Willow can see the price tag still on the wooden box, and it is 1440gp, but Willow only gave 100gp for her to buy it. How exactly did Nintarra get the rest of the gold?

Seeing Willow try to make sense of the cards, the girl adds, "The center card represents things on a whole. These three cards in front of me are ones that represent you. These three here," indicating the south with the water-fire-water combination, "represent the near future. These three in front of you show obsticles, and the middle one is a way through them. The final three are for the future beyond."
"Taking pity on me already? I admit, though I usually can follow my instincts, magic is something I tend not to get involved in. I already have an idea about some of it, but these guidelines will help." Willow says to the girl, already looking back on her summation. So the Jade, the Knot, and the Sword are me, which means there is something that is going to need cutting soon, I could do without more inner turmoil. The West and the willow are obstacles, go figure, but my stars through it are my self trust. The far future is unknown for all that I really see. What I am worried about is that this major catastrophy is designated in the near future. How near is that?
(There, now you can finish up my checkpoint at long last, and get your Twilight post in)