Open Lucas, the (fake) fortune teller

[Lucas Arias]

Winter, 512 AV

Lucas decided that it was time for another round of fortune telling sessions. Telling people their fortune was much more fun than teaching at the university. Anselm, the Nuit who Lucas still believed to be a male Konti in disguise and who had given him his oracle book hadn’t been around for a while. Maybe he had decided to go back to Konti-land. Or maybe he had died. He had seemed to be quite old. Either way, there was an opening that had to be filled now. Lucas decided that he would take over the fortune telling market.

So he made his way to the marketplace and set up his tent. It was quite an interesting tent. It was red, poison green, blue and neon pink, with golden tassels, like some kind of circus tent on drugs. Inside the tent Lucas placed a small table with a nice, black silk cloth on top. Onto it he placed a bowl with some bones that he had gotten from a butcher (Anselm had probably had human bones, but Lucas didn’t want to have to murder somebody – murder was a messy affair and illegal on top of it). There were also cards and a glass ball.

Following that he decorated the walls of the tent with pictures that he had painted himself: a large, blue, muscular and naked woman that looked like a female Akalak, only that she had three rather big breasts and only one eye. A guy with a square head that was smoking a pipe, a creature with a fish head and a cat that was very obviously in love with a mouse. There was also what appeared to be a male Konti. Lucas had recently made it his goal to prove that male Konti and female Akalak existed.

Once he was done, Lucas put a sign outside his tent:

FORTUNE TELLING! 5 SILVER MIZAS (although you can pay more if you want to). I GIVE YOU GOOD NEWS, BETTER NEWS, BAD NEWS AND NEWS THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE RIGHT NOW!

And then he sat down inside behind the table. The people who entered the tent would be facing a red haired boy with bright blue eyes and lots of freckles that was eighteen at best, much too young to be a fortune teller (most fortune tellers were either old, creepy men or middle aged, slightly creepy, but somehow still attractive women). He wore a nice, black cloak with a hood because that kind of thing seemed to be a prerequisite for fortune tellers. The hood was down though because he couldn’t breathe under it.

[Nai'a]

Nai’a wondered around the market place, inhaling the tantalizing scents. She weaved through the sea of people, like she would if she were swimming. Walking with grace and confidence as she glanced around at all the merchants had to offer. As she was walking a weird colored tent caught her eyes. She wondered closer and looked at the fabulous colors of the tent, obviously meant to draw people near. The sign read that there was a fortune teller inside, that would read her fortune. Nai’a scoffed a little at that, but then again this world was full of magic and amazement to be experienced. She stood there with the hood up of her light gray cloak, smoothing out the wrinkles of her fine dress, casually rubbing the pink velvet. Nai’a preferred to keep her hair hidden when she walked in the crowds, so she could avoid any unwanted attention from individuals. The hood set low on her face, only revealing her dainty little nose, and her plump red stained lips.

Nai’a stood outside the tent, debating whether or not having her fortune read was worth five Silver Mizas. It could be all a hoax, than again it could possibly be real. Meka squeaked in restlessness on her shoulder, and Nai’a casually reached up stroking the little monkey’s belly to calm him. He obviously was tired of her standing in one place for so long, so to make him feel better she entered the weird painted tent.

The person sitting behind the table, dressed in a rather nice black cloak was a shock to Nai’a. She expected to see a withered old man, with cripple looking fingers. Even a mysterious old beauty, with slender fingers, and mystery dancing in her eyes, but instead she received a young boy. His skin was pale like that of the clouds in the sky; his light blue eyes twinkled with mischief of that of someone so young. His fiery red hair sat prominently on his head, in a slightly messy way, and freckles spotted his cute face, giving him an even more boyish disposition. Nai’a smiled at the cute youth sitting before her, and could not help the musical feminine giggle that came from her throat, and out her mouth.

So YOU are going to tell me my fortune. How precious is that! But I suppose looks can be deceiving, so I will go ahead and play your game. Nai’a smiled warmly at the young boy, her eyes danced with mirth, although that could not be seen under her hood. She sat down on the chair at the table, sitting in front of the red headed boy, with her hands crossed in her lap, and Meka squeaking softly at her shoulder. She was shocked that someone so young knew have to read fortunes, but even if it was a hoax; the boy was too endearing not to pay. Who knows, the young man may of needed the money to fill his belly, and she was not one to turn down helping others, even if their intentions were not truthful.

[Lucas Arias]

Nai'a, we'll continue in a new thread, so that this thread here doesn't get crowded and completely chaotic in case there are more people who want to have their fortune told. Could you please include the exact day of your visit in your next post?

[Ayatah]

|| 10th day of Winter, 512. || Midday, ||

The market of Zeltiva was entirely different to that of taloba. Where were the animals skins? The bone jewellery? The ornaments made of deceased enemies? It seemed all rather… bland to Ayatah. Rgeardless, though, she trudged on, investigating the varying spices and pictures people were selling, and paused over a stall with silks. I don’t know what to do with something so delicate she thought as she let a scarf run through her fingers like water.

As she continued onwards, Ayatah received some strange looks, and some looks of disgust; such was the life of a Myrian in Zeltiva. Ayatah did not mind as such - though it bothered her when mothers would drag their children away from her as if she were a monster that would steal them. There was a small, sick part of her that even enjoyed the wonder and fear she saw in the eyes of others. It was almost… rewarding.

A tent caught her attention, and hovered by the entrance.

Her Common was coming along nicely, but words that she would not read in her text books made her squint her eyes and tilt her head to one side - an old habit that indicated that she was thinking. Fort…. Une? Her brain wracked for the Myrian equivalent; but her people were not the sort to tell futures; their lives were in the hands of Myri.

Ayatah peeped inside the tent, tempted by her interest in things that she didn’t understand. A young man sat behind a table, and although the set-up was… odd, she did not perceive it as threatening.

”Hello?” She said politely enough - thought her Myrian accent was thick and strong.

|| Ayatah's speech || Ayatah's thoughts || Others' speech ||

[Lucas Arias]

Here is your thread, Ayatah.

[Mak'Viri]

17th Day of Winter, 512; Early Afternoon

Mak'Viri saw the tent over the market. The bright colors were blinding, and painful to look upon when placed together. The gold tassels glimmered in the sun high overhead, while the vibrant pinks, greens, blues and reds stung the eyes of all who gazed upon it. Such an eyesore was something that interested the Konti, so she weaved through the crowd, her hood over her white hair, her cloak wrapped around her body tightly, concealing the ivory chemise that she wore as her dress was still not cleaned from sleeping on the ground the night before.

She saw the sign, but couldn't read a single word, as she had yet to learn how to. But it looked important enough. So, with a shrug, she ducked under the flap and went inside. When she stood back up, her hood fell down, revealing the white hair, pale skin, scales and gills all in one go. But her mind wasn't focused on that. She was looking around at the paintings hanging in the tent with fascination, seeing what appeared to be odd, mis-matched things that had no basis in reality. Like the male Konti, or the female Akalak. She giggled at the sight before turning to face the tent's only occupant other than her.

He was a red-haired human, freckled and had extremely blue eyes. She tilted her head, examining his youth and comfortable posture. ”Hello.” She said politely. She felt silly for not being able to read the sign, but she was ever so curious! What sort of thing needed such a garishly colored tent? She looked at the items on the table and raised her brows, now understanding. He was a fortune teller of some kind! ”Oh! How delightful! Perhaps you can give me clearer insight as to my own destiny. My intuition's being rather vague about it.” She said with a light pout, sitting down on the other side of the table.

”How much will it cost me?” She asks, knowing that people who told fortunes in markets were selling their ability. She would pay whatever he asked her for, especially as it appeared he needed it to make some sort of living for himself. Perhaps no one wanted his interesting paintings? She felt it impolite to ask.

[Lucas Arias]

Here is your thread, Mak'Viri.

[Esho]

Winter 7, 512 – Near Dusk The sun hung low over Matthews Bay, and most of the merchants buzzing around the marketplace had begun their daily closing rituals. The streets were becoming more and more desolate as denizens began to make their way towards bars and inns rather than shops. Yet, there were still a few souls meandering past the crowded little stores, trying to barter shopkeepers for a final purchase. However, one woman seemed rather distant from most of the hub around her. With her long white hair unbound and long dress trailing behind her, Esho seemed to float over the slowly dying crowd. She idly glanced here or there, but not at the wares so much as the people. Clearly, the woman was not out for any type of bargain but had her mind set elsewhere. But where? Esho drifted this way and that, slowly taking in the scene around her but not engaging in it. No one seemed to catch her fancy this day. To their benefit, no doubt. As the woman slid around the last corner of her trek, her eyes finally rested on a curious-looking tent at the end of an alley. It was garishly clad in a cacophony of colors, which in the light of the full sun would have appeared even harsher. With a smirk on her face, Esho ran her fingers over the equally loud sign posted outside of the tent. “Suicide?” she said with a little chuckle. “Well, let us hope so.” Slipping under the folds of the tent, Esho entered the small future-tellers shop. In the same fashion of its gaudy exterior, the smattering of odd and fanciful paintings lined its insides. And yet in contrast, the young fortune-teller himself was dressed plainly in the standard dark robes of the practice. This depressed her somewhat, but she did not let on to it. Instead, Esho gave the freckle-faced boy a demure smile and remarked, “I like this one.” She pointed over to the painting of the affectionate cat and its would-be sweetheart. “It is good to find love. No matter its form.” She held her smile and her gaze on the boy for just a moment, as if assessing him. “Now then,” Esho settled herself on the seat before the reading table. She gentle smoothed out the wrinkles in her velvet dress, the bangles on her wrist clinking as she did. “I understand it that you might be rather gifted in the way of fortunes. That’s very clever for someone so young! This old woman before you might not have too many years left under her belt, but I’m hoping that some of them might at least be somewhat interesting. Maybe you will shed some light on them for me?”

[Lucas Arias]

Esho, here is our thread.