Pathfinder2e The Spurned hath no fury like alchemy

Emberskyes says:

Mara pushes her blue black hair back from her eyes, "I shall consult the cards tonight," she shrugs, "we will drink wine, tells stories and engage in the thlath haqayiq, the three truths to get to know each other better."

OOC:

GM: You have the time. I will draw my harrow deck and provide a spread for you to read.

Sudamon Carth

Qralloq

Feb 27, 2020 4:28 am

"We have concerns. Not to engage in rumour or speculation, but the cards may reveal what had been guarded from us. More on that later." Carth bites into the sticky bun and nods his pleasant surprise.

Feb 27, 2020 7:56 am

PART 0ne
The harrow spread, without interpretation by me. I will use the -> to show a link that contributes to the meaning of each card.
Note: in my tradition (orphan (psychic)), cards that are "Reversed" or "Upside down" can imply an explicitly nuanced meaning that has to be refined from what imagery that card contains; Shed options and narrow the meaning as much as possible/Be specific. This is important. It can be a very specific meaning that might be missed if one doesn't have the necessary perspective. Such Reversed cards should always remind us, that fortune telling is NOT wish fulfillment. Reversed cards can also hint at a REVERSED meaning, or one with NEGATIVE connotations...
This is outside of the Harrows' Miss-aligned card guidance. A card with an alignment in a position with a 1-axis opposed alignment, or a 2-axis opposition... has different guidance for interpretation. (The Axis' are defined thus: Morality (good, Neutral, Evil) vs. Conduct (Lawful, Neutral, Chaotic))

The six symbols are linked to the six attributes which can color each card's meaning subtly.
Hammer -> Strength -> War, battle, honor, a need for steadfast dedication or forcing application of a rule. "Staying strong".
Key -> Dexterity -> Trouble, children, entertainment, a need for precision, perceptiveness, and quick action!
Shields -> Constitution -> Health, Home, Pain, a Need for Endurance, potentially "Tough times".
Tome -> Intelligence -> money, school, literature, a memory, a clue, seek words of advice or pertaining to an adviser.
Star -> wisdom -> Ancient history, regarding morality, regarding consequence, discernment/judgement, the gods.
Crown -> Charisma -> Love, Family, Politics, negotiation, persuasion, seek an advantage (s), and keep your secrets.

Feb 27, 2020 8:25 am

Part 2wo
The Harrow Spread.
Nine cards are drawn at random, and laid one at a time in three columns of three.
LG | NG | CG Top row -> Good, positive meanings are dominant/stronger here.
LN | TN | CN Middle row -> "meh", not of concern, About the querant (person asking the question).
LE | NE | CE Bottom row -> Not good, bad, evil, cruel, any of the sins especially a lie.

LG
LN
LE
The first column; pertains to the past and elements of the past which have lead the querant to ask the current questions.

___NG
___TN
___NE
The Second column; describes the querent and the truths "about/circling" the question... which may be more reflective of the true question they should ask: opposed to the question they think they need to ask.

_______CG
_______CN
_______CE
The Third column; is chaos. This is representing that the future is not set. Even the gods can be astonished/surprised. This column deals with the potential "Outcome" which is not always to be the Future as we experience it. this has implications that our reality has a "Fourth wall", and that the described events is best understood from outside our box (reality), through a spiritual source not from the banality of anything in the mundane world. Not from an individual's experience (querant), but viewed by all others on the outside of that experience. "what others will recall of that instance."

Feb 27, 2020 8:32 am

RESERVED FOR GM --- THE CARDS I DREW, PLACEMENT, TEXT DESCRIPTION

Card Name___ (Card Alignment)___CARD SYMBOL_______
Placement (Spot ALIGNMENT) (misaligned?) (Reversed?)
Text DESCRIPTION: what the book lists as the card potential meanings/implications.
Find card meanings here

Here we go...

Column one
Card: The Cricket[NG] "Key" (*the only "key" suit card in the reading drawn)
Place: [LG] Miss-alignment: yes, 1-ax. Reversed: No.
TEXT: The Cricket is the neutral good card of dexterity. It represents the grig, quick travel, and the reward at the end of a journey.

Card: The Forge[LN] "Hammer"
Place: [LN] Miss-alignment: No. Reversed: yes.
TEXT: The Forge - This is the lawful neutral card of strength. It represents strength through diversity, or strength from many sources united against a single trial.

Card: The Twin[TN] "Crown" (*The only "CROWN" suit card in the entire drawing)
Place: [LE] Miss-alignment: yes, 2-ax. Reversed: No.
TEXT: The Twin - This is the neutral card of charisma. The doppelganger represents duality of purpose or identity, or indecision and fence-sitting for the subject or the entire spread.

Logrith Stormbrew

Windyridge

Feb 27, 2020 3:23 pm

Logrith is thrilled to eat a sticky bun. He has a prominent sweet tooth as does the bear. Thank you, from both of us, he says to Mara.

Feb 27, 2020 5:43 pm

Column Two
Card: The Publican[CG] "Star"
Place: [NG] Miss-alignment: yes, 1-ax. Reversed: Yes
TEXT: The Publican (*Ancient word for Tax collector) -This is the chaotic good card of wisdom. It represents fellowship and refuge. The cyclops is a seemingly inconsequential figure who nonetheless has relevant insight.

Card: The Foreign Trapper[TN] "Tome"
Place: [TN] Miss-alignment: No... wow. Reversed: Yes
TEXT: The Foreign Trader - This is the neutral card of intelligence. It represents spies, merchants, and those who truck in information.

Card: The Vision[CN] "Tome"
Place: [NE] Miss-alignment: yes, 2-ax. Reversed: No.
TEXT The Vision - This is the chaotic neutral card of intelligence. It represents esoteric and arcane knowledge, or madness.

Feb 27, 2020 5:51 pm

Column Three - outcome...
Card: The Paladin[LG] "Hammer"
Place: [CG] Miss-alignment: yes, 1-ax. Reversed: No.
TEXT: The Paladin - The Paladin is the lawful good card of strength. It represents standing resolutely against trouble, without backing down.

Card: The winged serpent[LG] "Star"
Place: [CN] Miss-alignment: yes, 2-ax. Reversed: YES
TEXT: The Winged Serpent - This is the lawful good card of wisdom. It represents the couatl, the bridge of understanding between the towers of knowledge and judgement.

Card: The Owl[TN] "Star"
Place: [CE] Miss-alignment: yes, 2-ax. Reversed: YES
TEXT: The Owl - This is the neutral card of wisdom. It represents the harsh wisdom of the natural order. The owl holds a needle that can bind life together or pick it apart.

OOC:

GM: an oddity I note is that the first column seems to represent Logrith (the forge). The second column makes me envision the sorceress, Mara. (The imagery in "the foreign trapper") The third column seems to be all about Sudamon Carth. (The Paladin)
Could this imply that the adventure you share, depends on each of you using your Strengths? Expressing what is quintessential to each of you?

Okay, Emberskyes. you may "read" (*ONLY IF YOU WANT TOO)

Feb 27, 2020 6:16 pm

Windyridge says:

Logrith is thrilled to eat a sticky bun. He has a prominent sweet tooth as does the bear. Thank you, from both of us, he says to Mara.

OOC:

GM: Sorry for the interruption. Back to the game. Rolling for random: encounters, events, crew, and weird. and... again, nothing. Sigh,

Feb 27, 2020 10:24 pm

The ship has made a day of progress. An Elemental specialized wizard/druid, "Gus T." reads scrolls and cast spells to ensure swift sailing and good wind.

Feb 27, 2020 10:27 pm

The Halfling captain Cee-Cee She makes a round (patrolling) her ship, and let's each group of travelers know That before sun down they will reach the dock of "Salt-Shore".

Feb 28, 2020 12:17 am

OOC:

GM: emberskyes can't do the reading at this moment and may be delayed some for the next few days. We will keep going, and keep Emberskyes chair ready. I'll offer some basic platitudes and generalizations, but nothing that will reveal anything.

First column, Seems to be about Logrith.
1. The cricket- Do not worry about your reward, you have to earn it first!
2. The forge- Many unite to overcome! trust you allies, Logrith you can lead with your Strength.
3. The Twin- Do not try to straddle the fence. Do not debate courses of action in committee! BE LIKE YOUR BEAR!

I'M FLYING... LOGRITH, I'M FLYING!

https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/904f386e-b91e-456a-a269-2f5df470b222/ddrc5sf-9c826f35-e748-43a2-9521-886e192054b9.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzkwNGYzODZlLWI5MWUtNDU2YS1hMjY5LTJmNWRmNDcwYjIyMlwvZGRyYzVzZi05YzgyNmYzNS1lNzQ4LTQzYTItOTUyMS04ODZlMTkyMDU0YjkuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.fgr6YIGoVp4ge8yN0FuiFWW8XpT1ap-e_xz-DuQ5aKI

Sorry Bad Joke, I'm SORRY!

Second column, Seems to be about Mara.
You will lead in a search for the truth, for lore, but...
It is not yet her time.

Third Column, Seems to be Sudamon Carth.
You will lead with your untarnished honor; through strength, and Wisdom, but...
It is not yet his time.

Feb 28, 2020 3:37 am

When the halfling Captain Cee-Cee passes by you lot. She asks to see your writ again. Which you show her.

She scans over the document, "Ah, there it is." She rolls it back up and returns it to you.

Curious you ask the captain, "WTF? WTH?" or something much more civil but to that effect.

She Shrugs before turning to leave, "You'd better complete this contract before the new moon."

You ask, "Why, pray tell?"

She says over her shoulder as she leaves, "It is how long you have left to live."

Marra can confirm this with ease...
With a single casting of "detect magic" the Scroll flares with the blue flame of Arcane magic...
This does nothing, other than reveal that you all have signed a magical contract.

The sun is setting, looking at the moon... Mara determines you have ten days.
The Ship pulls into the dock at Salt-Shore; for once unmolested by sea-going dangers.
The plank-ways are extended; Passengers off first! is the shout.

Marashepsut Numara

Feb 28, 2020 6:32 am

Marashepsut scowled at the page, "Alqard safiq."

"I pondered this while shopping, why offer to pay as much as he did when the taxation is liable to be much greater, why impose a silly time line? I reasoned there was something magical about the contract, but 10 days, it is as if the alkalb has no wish to see the monies returned in the first place."

Mara pushes her hair back holding it in place with a crimson length of cloth, "We shall have to move swifty, I had hoped to scout the towns on our trip in and obtain the coin on our way back but it seems we shall have no such luxuries. We will need to check out the towns quickly, see how the people feel about the Laird and press forward quickly. We will also need to find that scroll reader if we are to return within a 10 day."

Last edited February 28, 2020 6:33 am

Feb 28, 2020 7:19 am

Emberskyes says:

Marashepsut scowled at the page, "Alqard safiq."Item A...
"I reasoned there was something magical about the contract, but 10 days, it is as if the alkalb has no wish to see the monies returned in the first place." Item B...

OOC:

GM's personal experience of the middle east.
Arabic insults can inspire GENERATIONS of enmity between tribes and so, they tend to be very... poetic, nuanced and complex. In fact, the hand gesture for "A-Okay" is VERY BAD to use in Islamic territories; as the gesture means, "I'm gonna Get you, (pinky- by killing) ONE, (ring- this many people) TWO, (Middle- you love) THREE Times, (with the ring of the index finger and thumb meaning) do you feel the fear? in your? Your As-ho!"
A. "Cheeky Monkey" (*an understatement, intended to hide an epic rude insult when said to another's face. it can mean, "You Monkey F-bleeper" or something like that.)
B. "Dog" (*in Arabic areas I have spent time in... this is the same as calling someone a Sh__eater, as dogs are known to eat S-stuff to survive in the desert. it is a cruel barbed insult.)

Mara must be VERY... ahem, put off, by this discovery.

Feb 28, 2020 3:09 pm

OOC:

I was going to go with Turkish for Osiriani as I figured the likelihood of someone speaking Arabic was high but I thought ah heck with it, lets just roll with it and see. I did like the cheeky monkey bit, and ya having us sign a magical contract without warning us was a pretty shitty thing to do, especially one with such a tight deadline.

We have ~200-300 miles to cover by horse (there and back again) and ~1,000 miles at sea to complete this. If everyone says sure here’s your cash off you go, which they’re unlikely to, the deadline is untenable at best. The nautical leg alone is 10 days at sea in a modern sailing ship with favourable winds and good weather. For reference San Fran to Taiohae in the Marquesaes Islands is ~3400miles, that’s 30 days at sea in a modern sailboat (personal knowledge). Now your pic of the ship is of a flying boat which would make the trip a lot faster but I don’t know how much of that image was pure fancy and how much was reality. The horse leg, if we were Roman couriers switching horses every 10 miles and riding like the wind we might be able to do the ride in 3 very long days. Best case scenario (no magical transportation) we need 15 or so days to do this and we have 10.

So yes, Mara’s knickers are in a bit of a bunch and this "Lord" is out of earshot and probably doesn’t speak Osiriani.

As a side note, flying sailing ships are something I’ve tried very hard to wrap my head around and going down wind they must be amazing but I can not for the life of me figure out how they go to wind. I have a game with flying ships in at and it makes my brain ache just thinking about this, I love the idea to death but I can’t square the circle of the physics, my best rationalization is the ships keel interacts with the magnetic field of the planet in such a way that it behaves like water.

Last edited February 28, 2020 3:14 pm

Logrith Stormbrew

Windyridge

Feb 28, 2020 3:17 pm

Lorgith raises an eyebrow at the seemingly impossible timeline. Without some kind of magical intervention, I don't see how we can succeed at the task we have accepted for ourselves. Perhaps we are missing some details? White Claw huffs as if in agreement.

OOC:

Speaking as a sailor myself, the keel magnetic field thing is the only way I can think of for going to wind.

Feb 28, 2020 4:03 pm

"Dekard mentioned a teleport scroll reader," Mara says saddling her mare, "we need to find them, or at the very least find their scrolls if we are to have any hope of saving our necks."

Tightening the straps on her saddle Mara mutters, "Remind me to get the Laird to sign a receipt when we finish this that compels him to loose 100 pounds."

Sudamon Carth

Qralloq

Feb 28, 2020 4:06 pm

"Well, we've been had. The sentence for attempted murder is death. Should we survive, I'll exact the king's justice. Now, where did the day go? I had hoped we would have time to discuss these matters with the crew, but I must have fallen asleep as we're at our first destination."

Marashepsut Numara

Feb 28, 2020 6:11 pm