Open Chronicles Reading people

[Asuego 'Susanna']

Rumours may be false, but plenty got some truth to them.
And when you might hear that a bad omen is upon you, oh what could you do but find the weavers of fate to dispel the lies from truth.



The ancient witch remained in a hut, small and haunted in a forest rarely explored by even the bravest of hunters. Yet the house was well marked, with a path clear of debris.
Waiting for any of the fated or curious to come.

 

[Harrier]

Asuego 'Susanna'

A walking stick rapped on the door. The door opened without the occupant's consent.

"So here you are, Susanna," Harrier said, ducking inside the forest hut. "I wondered where you were, cutter-witch. You should put up signs. One mile to the home of Susanna the White, abortionist and godslayer." The necromancer straightened up. "It's been too long."

Behind her, a couple of skeletons rustled enigmatically.

 

[Asuego 'Susanna']

Harrier

A strong incense imbued the room; and the only internal light source, the flame in the lamp on Sue's table burned brighter as the door knocked open in a fashion oh so familiar to it. Dare few people in this world walked like this to a witch but another of a craft not so quite unfamiliar.
Such people excited it.

»Darling Ha- « »HARRIER HARRIER WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN YOU AND YOUR GOLD-LOCK ADVENTURES TEE-HEE,« politely spoke Ardomma, the familial stove-sprite-now-stuck-on-a-glim-in-a-lamp. It's demonic little eyes peered in excitement at the necromancer.
Susana could only roll her eyes and briefly obscur the lamp with her hand.
Of course, Ardomma was not the only nuisance present as a raven-skull ward was about to let loose a tremendous cry in warning of the undead.
A snap of the finger landed the whole room in dead silence. No rattling or screaming from wards, no more Ardomma talking... for now.
...

»Oh, I've been here and there, dear. Never been much glum or hum-drum with the company I have,« she leaned back, pursing her pink lips.

The room was overwhelmingly dark, seemingly without bounds while her table; decorated by decks of cards. pages of parchment and stacks of books. Not so unusual for her current act of practice.

»Not hard to guess why you'd come here, unless you've come for some tea. « The witch gestured to Harrier to take a seat at the table.
There were some benches leaning against the walls if the skelletons found them.

 

[Harrier]

Harrier chuckled as she and the skeletons took the offered seats. "Tea would be lovely, old friend. I'm here for two reasons."

She grinned widely, baring slightly sharp teeth, and leaned her innocuous walking stick against the side of the chair. "Not hard to guess, you say - well, guess away."

 

[Asuego 'Susanna']

»You reach out to me for a demand most urgent,« Susanna held her breath for a moment.
»You want your horoscope reading for this month.«

 

[Harrier]

That got a genuine laugh out of Harrier. She settled into the comfortable armchair and fished what looked like half a dried lizard out from the edge of the cushion. It promptly skittered away from the necromancer.

"Close enough. I've been...far, far away the past year, Susanna. Voyaging up to the northeast, learning what I could. And I come back to find that Elbion - the home that exiled me, the home I'd hoped to regain someday - has been devastated by a colossal dragon and is now...floating in the air."

She leaned forward intently, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Fill me in."

 

[Asuego 'Susanna']

Asuego's eyes followed the little lizard as it skittered off. Though her lips pursed as she listened to Harrier.
»Has it been? Oh dear, I've not been up with the times.« The witch procured cards from the side of the table.
»Ah, I suppose you can't help Elbion, what's done's done. Now, what month and year was the time of your birth, where was Pneria when you cried out first? «
A small pencil shifted between her fingers as the placed the tip on parchment, while the other hand reached for an inconspicuous, yet heavily worn book.

 

[Harrier]

Harrier noted her birthdate as Elbion reckoned such things, but as for the astrology of it all, she shook her head. "I leave that interpolation to your expertise. I'm no astrologer. Guess, if you see fit. Let's tempt fate a little."

 

[Asuego 'Susanna']

That will do, she winked at Harrier.
Asuego slid the cards and other charlatanic knick-knacks away, in their stead she; with a pencil, procured a dodecagram on a thin slab of wood. » Born, in the gridelin year under the star sign of the... Dancers. « The witches lips slightly tensed into a brief smile as her gaze dipped down, marking a purple blot on the first position of the sigil. »Indeed, I've seen you as quite driven, « she said very matter-of-factly.

»Instead of the sun and moon, give me a word or phrase that most defines you, «
The witches pencil travelled across the dodecahedron, marking down a little 'starburst' shape on its opposite end, whispering some connections between the two signs.
»Then think again, and tell me what your shadow is.«

 

[Harrier]

Harrier's lip quirked. "A phrase that defines me? 'Hey witch, get back here with my father's skeleton.'"

She let that stand in place of a serious answer.

"My shadow is a precise little bird of prey, snaring a fat rabbit from a guarded hutch."

 

[Asuego 'Susanna']

Asuego let out a brief snicker, holding behind a potential break of facade. - Perhaps the most important asset for a 'fearsome witch'.
»Spirited. «

»Born under the mark of the Gridelin year, you are a tester, and as the second year of the seven-tone cycle, the gridelin year is yet inexperienced and carefree towards consequences. «

Asuego's pencil painted a path to the 10th mark upon the dodecagram, based on the answer given.
»Bold you are. « The witch mused slowly before locking eyes, »in your future I see a great risk to be taken, a choice to be made with consequences heavy or even unseen. It is unavoidable for your nature and no doubt of your own doing.«

​

Asuego then took a yellow pencil and began painting the latter half of the dodecagram that span from the 7th to the 12th point. At least by her expression, it seemed like a relatively good omen.
»For this year is the Aurulent year; following testing, wounding and learning, it is the year of growing.«

Her pencil then moved back to the first mark before drawing a little arch to the 9th mark. »Hmm...Though, free and successful to your own doing you may be...«
»Freedom comes with a cost, one can easily lose track of the danger left behind. And I see....that harm or an adversary from the past long forgotten will befall you. For it intersects with the aurulent year, you may still leave opposite of emptyhanded, despite the hurdle that may come.«

Asuego then slid forth the tablet to Harrier.
»Great things may indeed come, if only you make a move. «

​

In the back of the room, a horned owl chewed on the lizard.