A Night With A Fateweaver

(Shard, Ilithi: 93 Lirisa 353)

I had heard rumors about this new festival. Rumors speaking of it’s allegiance to the death god, or one quite similar. Twas in my instincts to travel to Shard and inspect the fairgrounds. After all, if trouble should have happened to arise, I wished to prevent it. But I discovered something there of much more importance than a few rampaging dragon priests.

Throughout the day I patrolled the fairgrounds, never ceasing a watchful eye over the peaceful folk there to enjoy a good time. Well, perhaps I did stop for a brief period to catch a glimpse of the ‘fun house’… and perhaps a moment to enjoy a brief ride on the carousel…

Twas hours later, and some of the townsfolk were returning home before the sun did set. I enjoyed one quick stroll around before I decided to return home. As I sat myself down and drank a hearty mouthful of delectable frostwynne, a voice rang through my mind.

"Chaelen… come to the old prismatic tent near the darkened alleyway this ‘eve. I require your presence."

I did as I was told, even though I hath had quite a number of bad experiences with telepathic messages in the past. Of course, the sender did not wish me harm. She was the Fateweaver Amiss DeRhi, the former pupil of Demosel, and she wished to speak with me, at a secretive meeting held at her tent at the festival grounds. Though I had never met her before, she seemed to know me quite well, as well as the other guests she had invited: Rihaun the Enchanter, Raynedust, Grae the Battle Empath, Nishu, and Digmo. I had never met any of them before. And yet… they seemed so familiar to me.

Amiss, herself, was not at all like I suspected. She was… elderly. Well, for a halfling, anyway. She prided herself on her grand manners, and the manners of her guests. One would think, because of this, that she would be quite cross in some aspects, but she had a good sense of humor, and one would find himself comfortable in her presence. Amiss wore a cloak of thick, churning mists and a robe woven of prismatic strands of light. These things would fill thy eyes with awe. I respected her greatly. And this was our first meeting.

We spoke of the Mirror Wraith’s prophecy, at first. She made it clear to even I, that there is nothing anyone can do to prevent the prophecy from completion. The only thing that the people of the Dragon’s Realm can do is follow it through, and prepare themselves for what is to come. Amiss also spoke of the people that hath been involved with the prophecy. She told us much about Demosel. She explained that she was her apprentice for many years before she moved on to become one of the members of the council of moon mages. The odd thing is that she was completely baffled by the origins of Kellior, the undead hunter who slew Lady P. Lady Penelope was a good friend of Demosel’s, and, as Amiss explained, had only good in her soul. Many of us suspected Kellior was hired by someone else to assassinate Lady P… perhaps the shadowy figure that took P’s music box from Kellior after he threw it into the ravine north of Shard.

We were all confounded by Amiss’s words. But soon, our curiosity of ourselves was too overwhelming. Amiss was a skilled seer, and was able to tell each of our fortunes. She explained briefly afterwards that each of our fortunes might be connected somehow.

Amiss first began by reading her tarot cards, which she explained to me would become availible to all experienced moon mages in the future.

Amiss saw that Nishu’s magic would suffer greatly in the future, the effect hampered only slightly on the fact that he is a S’kra Mur.

Amiss drew my cards. She explained to me that I would have a great change in my life, either for worse, or for the better. Still, the mere mention of the cards she drew… The Jewel of Night and the Falling Star… sent shivers down my spine. I left the room momentarily to catch my breath. It was like a flash of memories had resurfaced, then vanished. I knew it had something to do with my fight against Sithsia all those years ago… but I felt there was something more to it than I remembered. When I returned, Amiss tried to assure me that the cards may have told about the end to my night. Alas, if only it were that simple.

Amiss saw that Raynedust was somehow connected with Demosel, and what is to come. The card of dawn was drawn, signifying a change, and the viper card, as Amiss explained, was telling how it would be swift, and deadly.

Digmo was next. His hand was most deadly, and Amiss advised him to keep his love close by.

Grae’s future was tied in with Raynedust’s. Something to do with the prophecy, and Demosel. But unlike Raynedust, Grae’s cards mostly indicated what would come would be slow and steady.

Amiss foretold that Rihaun would have a great encounter with magic in the future, for all cards drawn were magic related, in some way.

Amiss then foretold of her own future. She knew that she will loose someone very dear to her in the future. She told us that she will be able to help us, but will not be able to "predict the hidden lore until it is nearly over." She explained that Damaris, the god of thieves and master of the hidden, clouds her visions so that she cannot see too much of the truth into this matter, which led us to believe that the gods themselves were deeply involved with the prophecy. As she said herself, "I am not to become a player till the game is late."

We all swore then, as Amiss wished us to do, to spread out and help the realm prepare for whatever that is to come. That is why I tell ye this. Be warned, the prophecy is not to be taken lightly. Grave disaster may befall the realms. Tis our duty to minimize it as much as possible.

Before I left that night I asked Amiss why she invited me to this meeting. She turned to me and said, "Simply because I knew the information would not be wasted on someone such as you." They were good words, they were. I don’t think I ever felt at home in these western lands as I did right then.