A soothsayer’s words often carry many layers of meaning
Eldon Marrowwind
Session 14 – Eldon Marrowwind
Advice to the reader
In order to interpret the structure of my gaming session posts effectively, it is strongly suggested that you peruse A Readers Guide to Play Sessions on The Old Bard, if you haven’t already.
To better grasp what I mean when I bring up Fate questions, you might find it useful to keep the Mythic Fate Chart accessible, potentially in a new window or tab in your browser.
The Story So Far
The party (Except for Mara who is still in Dreadmere) awakes the next day at an Inn called The Bloody Body in the city of Athesa. They are here to seek out information regarding the location of a powerful sorcerer who would be key in aiding them.
Day 17 – Scene 55
ATGM: Scene 55 is about the party seeking out the sorcerer who will aid them in Athesa, so in Mythic when you move to a new scene, you establish what you decided your character(s) plans to do. This is called the Expected Scene. However, you won't know for sure whether that will happen or not until you test it. We'll use our current Chaos Factor of 6 and roll to test to see if our scene will start out this way.
ATGM: I roll 1d10 for a result of 8, so this is higher than our chaos factor so the scene will begin as expected. I've setup my adventure journal and added a new entry on the Adventure Lists "for "Lovely Soul". We don't know exactly who this Lovely Soul is just yet, but it's who Moody told us to connect with.
Thenelis wakes everyone and states “Rise up, we must be going.
Ulmog responds “Right, yeah we’re here but just who is it we are looking for?
To which Morn states “What was it that Moody said? ‘There you will find a lovely soul who would be helpful in aiding you to find the sorcerer should you provide protection against a common enemy.‘ I imagine someone in charge here is who we should seek out. We’ll head to the Town Hall and make our requests.”
The party makes their way to the town hall.
ATGM: I fed the following text into ChatGPT to generate the description below of the town hall:
"My D&D Characters Morn Bardigus who is a Human Bard, Thenelis Goltorah who is a high elf fighter and Ulmog who is a human Warrior are in the city of Athesa north of Dreadmere. They have arrived at the Town Hall seeking out what was described to them as a 'Lovely Soul' who would be helpful in aiding you to find a sorcerer that will aid them should they provide protection against a common enemy.' Describe the Town Hall"
The Town Hall of Athesa is a grand testament to the city’s rich history and cultural prosperity. Standing at the heart of the city, it is an impressive architectural marvel that beautifully blends functionality and aesthetics.
The building is predominantly constructed from local grey and white marble, quarried from the hills surrounding the city. It gleams brilliantly under the sunlight, appearing like a beacon of hope and unity to all who enter Athesa. The marble has been sculpted into detailed reliefs of significant events from the city’s history, interwoven with symbols of power and prosperity such as sheaves of grain, clusters of grapes, and pairs of crossed swords.
Three sets of broad stairs lead to the grand entrance, flanked by statues of Athesa’s past leaders and notable heroes, each holding a lantern that magically illuminates during the night, casting long, dramatic shadows that dance across the Town Hall’s facade. Twin wooden doors, each engraved with ornate designs and studded with polished bronze, serve as the building’s entrance. Above the door, etched into the stone, is the city’s motto: “Unity in Diversity.”
Inside, the Town Hall is a maze of winding corridors, vast chambers, and administrative offices, bustling with city officials, scribes, and servants. The heart of the building is a large, high-ceilinged hall adorned with banners of the city’s crest and colors. Here, the city council holds public meetings, announces new laws, and hears the grievances of citizens.
Tapestries hang on the walls, each telling tales of Athesa’s glorious past and the deeds of its people. Stained glass windows, vibrant with color and life, scatter motes of colored light across the polished stone floors during daylight hours, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere.
There is a palpable sense of energy and purpose in the Town Hall, with everyone busily attending to their tasks. Yet there is also a warm, welcoming atmosphere, indicative of a government that serves its people with dedication and genuine concern.
In the corner of the main hall, playing a soft, lilting tune on an aged lute, is a figure who stands out against the bureaucratic hustle and bustle. Their eyes are gentle, their smile inviting, a ‘lovely soul’ in the midst of the city’s administrative heart.
As our trio of adventurers approach, the figure sets aside his lute and rises to his feet, revealing an older man with silver hair and an elegantly trimmed beard. He’s dressed in a dark green velvet doublet, adorned with the city’s crest. His eyes, warm and inviting, belie the wisdom-earned scars etched into his face.
“Ah, welcome, travelers,” he calls out in a resonant voice that echoes gently through the grand hall. “I am Eldon Marrowwind, Chief Administrator of Athesa. News of your arrival has been a source of curiosity and excitement around the city, and it is my pleasure to meet you in person.”
He steps forward, extending a hand in greeting. “Athesa has always been a welcoming place for those carrying the spirit of adventure and bravery. From what I’ve heard, you all embody that spirit. I trust your journey was rewarding and your accommodations comfortable.”
There’s an unmistakable sincerity in his gaze as it meets each of theirs, an unspoken promise of his commitment to help. “I trust you’ve found sustenance and rest since you’ve arrived, but let’s find you some refreshments here. It’s always comforting to have a warm drink in hand when sharing tales.”
The party each introduce themselves accordingly.
With these words, Eldon guides them through the bustling hall, towards a quiet corner where a table is set with a variety of local drinks and light snacks. The anticipation of sharing stories and forging new alliances hangs in the air, building a tangible sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
ATGM: So we have a new character to add to our Characters List, so I add Eldon Marrowwind, Chief Administrator of Athesa to my characters list replacing the Lovely Sould entry.
“We appreciate your kindness sir” Morn states to Eldon as he hands each of them a goblet filled with ale, and they all sit.
Eldon takes a seat opposite the group, pouring himself a goblet of a deep crimson wine before turning his attention back to them. He takes a moment to truly regard each of them, a thoughtful expression on his aged, kind face. With a nod, he places his goblet on the table, intertwines his fingers and leans in slightly, a signal of genuine interest.
“Well then,” Eldon begins, his tone informal but earnest. “The city of Athesa is not a common stop for those who tread the adventurous path, though we’re always delighted to welcome those who do. Tell me, what brings our esteemed Morn Bardigus, Thenelis Goltorah, and Ulmog to our fair city? Your stories precede you, but I would love to hear from your own lips.”
His gaze shifts between the three of them, inviting each to share their tale, to reveal the reason behind their arrival. The air around the table seems to grow still, the surrounding sounds of the Town Hall dimming into background noise as anticipation hangs in the balance. The room is filled with a sense of camaraderie, and the scent of shared stories yet untold.
Thenelis responds, “We were told by a soothsayer that we would find a lovely soul here in Athesa who would help us find a powerful sorcerer that would aid us should we provide protection against a common enemy.”
Eldon listens to Thenelis’s words attentively, his warm eyes reflecting the flickering light from the nearby lanterns as he considers the elf’s words. After a moment, he leans back, resting his goblet on the table, and strokes his beard thoughtfully.
“A soothsayer’s words often carry many layers of meaning,” he muses. “A ‘lovely soul,’ you say? Well, Athesa is indeed filled with kind-hearted and noble individuals.”
His gaze drops briefly to the table, lost in thought, before it springs back to life, flicking up to meet Thenelis’s eyes. “As for a ‘powerful sorcerer,’ there are a few in the city who could be described as such, though the assistance of such individuals often requires… particular motivations.”
He pauses for a moment, before adding, “And this common enemy… well, enemies are not so uncommon in our world, unfortunately. It would be beneficial to understand more about who or what you are to protect them from.”
Eldon’s expression softens, turning more serious. “But I am getting ahead of myself, I think. First, let’s try to understand more about this soothsayer’s prophecy, the specifics of your quest, and the kind of help you need. Perhaps then we can figure out who this lovely soul could be and which sorcerer would be best to aid you.”
ATGM: I like how this is going, and I kind of start thinking to myself, 'I wonder if Eldon here could in fact be the sorcerer we were sent to seek out?' I decide to leave this to Fate and that it is very likely, so I roll a 1d100. My result is 27, so per the Mythic Fate Chart, for a Very Likely outcome and chaos factor of 6 I need to roll 85 or less, so this indeed will be the sorcerer, but our party doesn't know this yet, but I think they've begun to suspect it.
Morn responds to Eldon “Our friend and companion Mara was cursed by an evil sorcerer. A Soothsayer we met, named Moody Cleves, performed a reading for us. He drew tarot cards and told us the following.”
“That we need to free our minds and lose our old ways of thinking,” Morn continued, “And seek out a powerful sorcerer who will be a key to aiding us. That our journey will be met with hardship, but not let these burdens and hardships remove us from seeking out the resolution to our quest. And then ultimately, we must return to him after we have met with the sorcerer, we were to seek out here in Athesa.”
Eldon attentively listens to Morn’s words, his face reflecting a deep understanding and an even deeper empathy. The faint glimmer of recognition flickers in his eyes as Morn speaks of Moody Cleves and the prophecy, but he masks it well behind a veil of stoic calm.
“Ah, a curse… A heavy burden indeed,” he murmurs, his fingers drumming lightly on the tabletop. “I see why you’ve come so far. And Moody Cleves… His readings are not to be taken lightly. The tarot often speaks in riddles and abstract images, but their meanings tend to reveal themselves when the time is right.”
The mention of needing to free their minds and let go of their old ways of thinking evokes a small nod from him. “The old ways of thinking… Yes, they can often shackle us and blind us to new possibilities.”
His gaze becomes distant for a moment, as though lost in a sea of memories, before he focuses once again on Morn and his companions. “I can see that you carry a great weight, the weight of your friend’s wellbeing and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. But the cards spoke true; we should not let these burdens deter us from our quest.”
Eldon pauses, studying each of the party’s faces before finally speaking. “I believe I may be the ‘powerful sorcerer’ you are meant to find in Athesa. However, as the soothsayer said, the journey will be met with hardship. We will need to face this adversity together if we are to succeed. Are you prepared for this journey?”
The party look at each other, with the sudden realization this is actually the sorcerer they were sent by Moody to find!
Bookkeeping
Well, what do you know. The Lovely Soul they were sent to help lead them to the sorcerer who would aid them, is in fact the one they seek all along! Perhaps the fate of the tarot cards wasn’t such fate? Moody must have planted the seeds to get them here with purpose and to bring Eldon back with them.
Not much for bookkeeping here, but I don’t think this scene is quite over yet! Stay tuned for the continuation.
Till next time!
Resources Used
- Dungeons & Dragons Core Rule Books
- Players Handbook (PHB)
- Dungeon Masters Guide (DMG)
- Monster Manual (MM)
- Mythic Game Master Emulator Second Edition (MGME2E)
- ChatGPT for generating a description of various elements as noted.
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