(no subject)

[abbatis]

Who: Edgar and everyone else.
What: Local vampire does tarot reading for everyone.
Where: In public places.
When: 26th and 27th (before relocation.
Warnings: None so far.



The last Gods' mishap had passed and life at Hadriel returned back to normal. Or at least as 'normal' things could ever get in the city where manipulating emotions was regular occurrence. Edgar himself had been doing.. well, not as well as he wished. Before his arrival he had believed to understand the world, it was both unsure, capricious yet predictable. Here? Things were different and part of him felt like he could never learn the ways of this world, to understand it whims.

Maybe that's why the deck of tarot cards forgotten in one of the ruined shops caught his attention. It was old and used deck, some of the pictures were almost completely faded away.

Now, whether Edgar truly believed in the power of cards or not was... Well, complicated. He never consulted the cards in serious attempts but just to pass time. Then again, back in his world he rarely had matters that he wanted to ask from the cards --- or whatever higher power was behind them, black magic and such. Here things were different, of course.

He can be found from various places, doing readings just for fun mostly. He's sitting by the river bank, under the tree in the Orchards or in the Speakeasy during the silent nights. When he sees someone to close to him, were they either approaching him or just walking past him, he flashes them a friendly smile followed by an invitation:

"Hello. Ever wanted to have your future told for you?"

[ooc: Everyone come and get ic tarot readings. 1-3 decks only, sorry! I don't know much about tarot myself and I will be using random tarot card generation. If you want something more specific your character to find out/learn etc pm me or hit sparklepire]

Comments

orchard!

[pocketspa]

Taako ends up here a lot, to be frank. He's either collecting spices or herbs for a new dish, chasing Merle out of a tree to come home and take a fucking bath already, or just kind of enjoying being out of the sharp sunlight. Either or, he's distracted at first until Edgar's voice meets his ears, and he turns, his grin already sharp.

"Fortune? Really? Didn't take you for a, uh, divination type." He spins his finger just a bit Edgar's direction. "Unless you just want an excuse to touch my hands more."

[abbatis]

Well, Taako isn't the only one who's 'regular' to the Orchards. Edgar spends more time here among the flowers than he does at his so-called home but for different reasons than him.

So, it's not all too surprising to see the wizard-elf around the garden. Edgar recognizes him right away and doesn't hesitate to call him over. Their last meeting had been quite amusing, to say least. It's not every day that he finds someone with as bloated ego that they will melt just after hearing few nice words and adoring looks. Of course, that wasn't the only reason he sought his attention again. Or even the third.

He found him interesting and he still could taste that sweet blood on back of his tongue.

Laughing, Edgar rises his card deck up for him to see. "Sorry, there is no touching involved this time." A quick pause, "Unless that is what you want.

[pocketspa]

Taako earns a lot of his keep out of being interesting, so it's always a plus. But he chuckles, sliding down to where he is and setting a drawstring bag off to the side. He's not in a hurry. He's not wearing much; an oversized tank top above shorts and his wide brimmed wizard hat to block out the sun, even as freckles dot over his shoulders and cheeks from exposure. His long hair's tied back in it's customary braid, though tighter than it was at the party. Taako crosses his legs, resting his face on one arm, elbow pressed into knee.

"Eeh, wouldn't want to mess up your whole biz. So what'd'ya got? Card tricks?" He's seen this sort of magic performed before, quick readings for a coin or two in the back of most caravans or taverns. But it's never been his magical style- though after meeting (and technically being employed by) a goddess of fate, he's a little more inclined to believe them then others. "You givin' a ring to Istus or anything like that? 'Cause my fate's pretty whacked, my dude."

[abbatis]

"Something like that yes." That's where Edgar also first became familiar with the game, in taverns in some southern European country. At first he had seen men to play it to pass the time but then came the older ladies who saw the wisdom in the cards. Only after that he saw people using it to earn some money, haggling and stealing people blind. Which leads it only to be understandable for one to doubt the magic in them.

"I'm afraid I don't know who or what that is," he admits while spinning the card between his fingers. "But I would really be surprised if your fate wouldn't be exciting. So," he places card back on the deck and begins to shuffle. "Want to see if my card tricks could depict some of that. Friend."

[pocketspa]

He chuckles, settling in. Taako's one of the few people who knows his fate, intimately so, because he's lived it. But maybe that'll be a good test, to see if Edgar knows his stuff at all. He crosses his arms, looking plenty smug, and nods.

"Alright, my man. Show me what you got. Do you need some kinda question from me, or what?"

[abbatis]

"Sure, that would help."

And with that he starts to shuffle the deck. Once he's sure that he's done it thoroughly he sets three different cards on the ground between them. "Do you have something you'd like to know about your future? Or should I go in blindly."

[pocketspa]

He scoots a bit forward on the ground, bending his arms and pressing his elbows into his knees so he can hold up his head. "Nah, go ahead, my man. Tell me what I need to know now that I've beaten down the, uh, the literal apocalypse. 'Mm sure it'll be like, super exciting."

He's not expecting it to be exciting at all, frankly. But maybe that's the beauty of it? Eeh. He's not worried about that right now.

[abbatis]

"I'll do my best." And with that he starts turning the cards over.

The first card he turns has a picture of a man wearing bright colors, holding a staff with leaves growing on it. "Page of wands," he explains and moves to the next one -- which reveals to e much darker one. A woman sitting on bed in a dark room, face in hands and nine swords in the background. It's a depressing sight: "Nine of the swords." Now, the last card luckily reminds more of the first card than the second: another bright colored young man, holding a single white rose in his hand and head upright, face towards the sky. Edgar almost laughs when he speaks the name of the card: "The Fool."

Then he takes a brief break, finger softly mapping the edges of a card and expression calm yet focused.

"You're full of wonders, truly. I see lot of potential in you, both spiritually and in material world. But greatness comes with its shadows and demons. Is there something haunting you? A painful memory or fear, maybe. Something that keeps you awake during the nights and makes your stomach twist from anxiety whenever you think about it?" Edgar inquires and looks up from his cards for a bit, his blue eyes looking into his.

"But whatever it is, it's in your head. I'm not trying to belittle it but you're one holding yourself back. You need accept your fears and grief, embrace them and you will be unstoppable. Focus on future not in the past and you'll shape the world."

Pause.

"How did it sound, homie?"

[pocketspa]

Is there something haunting you?

It's been... days, since Lup came back. Since the liches in charge forced her to fly off the handle and almost kill their family. Since he lost his magic and had been useless to stop her. To do fucking anything. Of course he's carrying that. For it to be shoved in his face so soon--

Hm. Maybe these cards are better than he thought.

He hums, the only indication that he might be right is a lack of an overblown reaction and a little look in his eyes.

"Well, y'know, you coulda done worse. You're right, I am totally great. But my past, eeh, I'm about over it emotionally. Maybe back home me will have a harder time, but that's a future Taako problem." He's also a massive liar and horribly in denial. But he'll be thinking about this. Taako basically makes a living out of letting his past haunt him- this wouldn't be the first time someone's told him to let go.

[abbatis]

"I see. I'll try to do better next time." He says as he starts to pick up the cards back to his deck.

But Edgar isn't buying Taako's nonchalant and careless attitude all the way. He might think he's easy and simpleminded but he doesn't believe all his narcissism and hedonistic ways stem completely from arrogance or ignorance. Wizards, at least according to the myths, tend to be more complicated than that.

"But isn't that the reason why you wanted me to do this? To get advice for future-Taako since you've accomplished everything?"

[pocketspa]

If there was ever a way to describe Taako, it's complicated. But he's good at faking it, or at least keeping those barriers up to people who don't know him. It's better people don't know about him, think him a stupid, simple man. They won't know what hit them if they decide to wrong him. It's just a better way around, to stay safe.

He arcs an eyebrow at Edgar, trying to keep it cool. "I mean, I guess. Honestly, never been big into that people telling me what to do thing? Loved the parts about me being great though. But like, they're just cards, right?"

He leans in a little closer, forcing his own grin wider. "Unless you've got some pre-tty powerful magic you're hiding up your sleeve."

[abbatis]

"I have no magic." That one is one hundred percent true as far as he's concerned. He can do things that other living beings can't, true, and while he doesn't exactly know why or how or even what his existence is he's certain it's not magic. Just like some plants can eat other living creatures or like animals can see colors that humans can't.

"All the magic that is present comes from you and the cards." A fancy way to say that the all magic happening here is inside Taako's head. Whether the cards work or not tend to rely on the receiving end, how they want to take them in. Accept or reject.

[pocketspa]

He hums in response, rolling himself back on his ass to prop himself up with his hands behind him. "Yeah, yeah, I know the grift, the potion's water and the real magic was inside you all along, huh? Sure."

Taako doesn't look like he's prepared to give him a hard time about it, though, keeping his posture as loose as he can. "So then it's just a game. Unless you really think you've landed on something there. You believe what you said? About me?"

[abbatis]

Edgar can see what he's doing here. Fishing out for more complements from him. Either to boost his ego or to deflect. As tempting it'd be to serve his needs for attention and keep playing this weird game they have he decides to take the other route.

"It doesn't matter what I believe." He grins, "what you think is more interesting."

[pocketspa]

Deflect might as well be his middle name, okay. He's incredibly good at weasling out of emotional conversations he doesn't want to have, no matter what they are. But Edgar is coming for him, so he rolls his eyes.

"Uh, what I think is always more interesting, so jot that one down." He punctuates it with a little laugh, like it's just a regular joke. "But I dunno. I think you could see anything you want in those. It's like horascopes, right? Generic stuff so you think they're sayin' something about you. But it's designed so everyone sees somethin'."

Taako shifts himself up a bit to shrug. "But hey, I work for a goddess of fate kinda, so what so I know. Not that I think she'd care a bunch about some cards."

[abbatis]

Edgar stays quiet, smirk on his lips only widening at his laughter. The way he looks at Taako is knowing and amused -- but whether he's laughing with him or at him is a question.

"Something like that, yes." He nods. Well, it's not like the psychology behind the tarot cards and such were all too difficult to figure out. It's also the reason why he's interested in doing these readings in the first place. What others see from the cards and how they hear his words, how do they find themselves from all the hints placed in front of them. These little 'sessions' always reveals more than what people want.

"That so? Did she tell you about that you would come here, then?"

[pocketspa]

He may have been roped into this, but he's gaining his ground back. Regardless, this is a safer topic of conversation, so he just shrugs.

"I mean, nah, but just 'cause she's a god doesn't mean she knows everything. Kinda boxed in to that one world. She knew what could have happened back there real well, but I'm basically flying blind in this place. Not that it matters, she was super cryptic last time anyway." He knows Istus knows fate, not the future, but it does suck that he knows nothing really when he's still technically in her coterie. "She'll give a ring when I get back, probs, but I won't remember anyway."