Journal Entry 9.01 Aja's Interrogation
Aja is questioned by Kinsi. They rekindle their friendship. Aja does another reading, this time without Kinsi interferring. Aja gains a little clarity for future events. Gigi taunts Aja.
General Summary
Aja wakes up in a small windowless room lit by two glow orbs. The room contains a single comfortable bed, which Aja is on, a small nightstand, and a single piece of art on the wall above the bed. Sitting in a chair, dressed in a simple blue dress, is the small elf child Kinsi.
Kinsi briefly smiles when she sees Aja wake up, but then gets serious again. The chair is a little big for her. Her legs hang over, and while they look like they should be dangling, Kinsi is keeping them completely still. “Greetings Aja, you have had an interesting adventure. Fear not, we are merely holding you out of curiosity at this time. You’ve changed. We can no longer see your thoughts without using force and we find that odd. “
“However, I see the question in your eyes. It is I, still little Kinsi. I just understand much more now than I did before.” She smiles warmly for the briefest moment, “I remember our little card game, I remember you playing with me. Thank you for caring about my well being.” She then seems to remember she isn’t supposed to display emotion and her face resumes an expressionless quality. “I requested that I be the one to ask you want happened.”
Aja sits up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed to face Kinsi, a look of curiosity -- but not surprise -- plain on her face.
"Hello, Kinsi. I am very happy that you were able to reach Chrailis safely. I enjoyed playing with you before, too. I am glad you are here to see me. You are a special girl. Is it true that there are other special children like you here?"
"Yes," she says with a mischievous grin before remembering she is trying to remain serious. Aja can tell that the girl is delighted to see her. "Over the years, mother has gathered several of us."
“Is your 'Mother' the Lady Si'Nassa? Are you one of her brood, like the Dragonkin that help rule Chrailis?"
She looks at you sternly and leans in. Whispering, "You are not supposed to know that." Then in a normal voice, "She's not a mother like a mother, just a mother in that she cares for us and helps us manage our power as we grow so we don't hurt those around us."
Aja nods in solemn understanding and whispers, "It will be our secret. Do you know where my companions Graykar and Urik might be? I assume they are also here somewhere. Urik can be ... prickly ... I hope whoever is talking to him is patient."
Kinsi's eyes glaze over briefly. Then she focuses again, "Urik is fine. He is with some priests from his order. They are praying right now. He will be leaving with them for his temple shortly."
"That's good. He seems to pray a lot, even without a friend reminding him to do so." She eyes Gigi, who is at the foot of the bed rubbing his eyes with one clawed wing. "And Graykar?"
"Now Mr. Graykar is another matter. He's strange. Did you know he is under a death sentence from Mom herself if he ever returns to Chrailis? I guess that was centuries ago, but still."
"Oh ... no, I did not. Did he?" Aja looks concerned.
"He is ok for now. We are trying to figure out just what he is? We think he might be a medium and picking up on other’s past lives. However, others think he may be an actual reincarnate. And that would be a first for any of us as no one has ever seen a reincarnate before. Or it may be actually the same person who was banished. We just don't know right now."
Kinsi changes the subject, “I am supposed to find out about you, however. Can you tell me what happened after you left the elf village?”
Aja relates the story of her group's misadventures through the portal. She states that, given all of the information they were provided/acquired, it was the group's conviction that they had only two choices: complete the set of tasks laid before them by the seemingly benevolent sphinx or be enslaved/polymorphed until another group came along that could do so, possibly not for hundreds of years. At no point were they aware of the potential negative consequences of their actions. Upon becoming aware of their error, they did their best to redress it but were under-prepared to deal with a malevolent deity.
She leaves out the following details:
1. Morvion was warned not to enter the portal.
2. Morvion tried to stop the group from stopping the elves from capturing the Chrailis party.
3. Morvion is currently being hailed as some sort of savior figure by the elves.
She humorously exaggerates Graykar's encounter with the Kelpie. And she emphasizes the positive of returning with Sir Caladanis and of having freed several innocent bystanders by their actions.
Kinsi ponders all of this with big eyes, staring intently as only a child can do. "Sounds exciting, I would like to meet a sphinx one day. All I do is study since I got here. I learned a new spell this morning? Want to see it?"
She casts a rather complicated spell, one that Aja has been studying hoping to be able to cast someday. Wandering Star Motes. As Kinsi casts it, she makes it appear way too easy, in fact, Aja thinks her spellcasting looks sloppy, yet the spell works. The motes surround her bed, then jump to the nightstand, then jump to Aja. Aja is disoriented for a second before Kinsi dismisses the spell. "Oops, I guess they go where they want to. So sorry."
Kinsi looks at Aja worriedly thinking she might be in trouble and is relieved when Aja doesn't appear to be upset or mad.
For a brief second, the child side of Kinsi returns and she asks, "Can you show me any more card tricks? I think I may have interfered last time. I didn't mean too. Sorry if I did."
Blinking to clear the after-images from Kinis's star motes, Aja smiles and responds. "I would be happy to, but it would seem that you have found me without my deck. If you can find it, I would love to show you another card trick."
"Hmmm, I think it will be ok." Her eyes glaze over again and her brow furrows as well as it can on a child. She is obviously new to the idea of telepathic communication from the effort she makes to concentrate. She then looks back at Aja, "They are bringing all your gear. Do you need any food or anything else? Does you bat need some bugs? Or does it eat fruits?"
In short order, all of Aja's gear is delivered by a young girl in a white smock. She never looks up or says anything. She bows to Kinsi and then waits for Kinsi's permission to leave.
Once she has her gear, Aja locates her cards quickly.
On a hunch, Aja asks Kinsi to cause the glow globes in the room to dim. With barely a blink, the globes dim. Aja then sets about lighting a few scented candles on the floor and then she sits on the floor having Kinsi sit across from her.
“Ok – this time, I am going to try a real reading. Last time was a game, and it didn’t go the way I was expecting. This time, I want to really use the cards the way they are intended. Please – try to focus on not interfering?”
Kinsi nods.
Aja turns the first card, “This is the signifier card.” The card she turns over is blank, no picture. It is just the tan face of an unpainted card.
Kinsi looks at it, “Too much?”
Aja agrees. “Yeah, maybe don’t try to focus as much.”
Starting again, the read goes as normal. Death comes up first as the signifier card. Kinsi gasps, however, calms when she sees Aja looking intently yet not disturbed. “Don’t worry – most people think the Death card is bad – it just represents major change more than anything. For us who know better, Death is never the end, just a transition to a different perspective.” Not really seeking a pattern, Aja just lets the cards come out as they may.
5 of Dragons
Rogue of Books
The Bridge
The Mirror in the smoky image of the mirror the 5 of Cups can be made out.
Seriat – Reversed The card beneath Seriat started to come out with it, meaning they were attached probably. Rather than lay it out separate, Aja turns it over slightly on top of Seriat.
Bard of Cups Aja lets out a, “Hmmmmm – I wonder if this represents my friend.” The cup in the picture looks a lot like Graykar’s Stein.
7 of Swords
As Aja starts to turn the next card, she stops. She senses that this reading is now complete.
Looking up at Kinsi, “Now the trick here is to translate this. Each card has a meaning, and the deck wants to tell me things, it is up to me to figure it all out. If you help, maybe we can put meaning to these cards.”
Working together, they come up with the following interpretation.
The death card likely represents a transition of activities. Possibly indicating that Kinsi’s goals should change. With Kinsi in the room, the reading should be about her. However, the mirror card later in the read makes Aja wander if this reading isn’t actually about herself instead. Regardless, both Aja and Kinsi agree that Aja should probably start focusing on goals other than addressing Morvion’s wrecked home life.
The 5 of dragons is somewhat useless, it just indicates that whatever change is about to happen, it will happen quickly. One note that Aja takes away is that now is a good time to take on difficult tasks. “Ok – whatever we do, I suppose we need to do it fast.”
Rogue of Books – a card that merely indicates keep going despite adversity. Keep trudging ahead, don’t try and take shortcuts. Slow and steady is the key when this card comes up. “Maybe not do it fast, rather start it fast and then see it though.”
The Bridge. Another card suggesting change. Big change. Kinsi comments that the cards are somewhat persistent in their own ambiguous way. Aja agrees, adding the word frustrating to her response.
The Mirror. She can see the 5 of cups in it and this makes Aja really think the whole reading might be about her. The mirror suggests that she should just accept events as they are. Aja says that maybe being held by the Coterie isn’t a bad thing. Kinsi instantly agrees, saying that the Coterie have everyone’s best interest at heart.
Thinking of the 5 of cups, she discusses the card with Kinsi. Kinsi really doesn’t remember her past, and if it is about Aja, who from her past can bring good tidings? Aja thinks long and hard and keeps thinking of her father. Maybe she should seek him out. If it is her father, the 5 of cups would fit.
Seriat followed by the bard of cups. If this does represent Graykar, then it suggests that Graykar will be able to help further Aja’s path. And to do so, possibly Graykar will find aid from an unsuspected source.
And finally the 7 of swords. If there was any doubt as to the union of this party working together, this card somewhat clarifies that Aja, Urik, and Graykar need each other. She also concludes that Morvion, despite having other priorities, will be necessary to the group.
After the reading, Aja and Kinsi play together in the room for a few more hours. Kinsi has lunch brought to the room, then invites Aja to tour some of the gardens of the central tier. Having never been to the central tier before, Aja is amazed by the beauty she beholds of the pure white marble plazas and vibrant gardens.
Upon leaving, Aja heads back to Dame Imokan’s to study and work on some of her skills. She still manages to visit Kinsi a few more times, each time visiting some of the elite sites of the inner tiers like the floating gardens, some of the marble veranda eateries hanging off of spindled buildings hundreds of feet off the ground, and exotic zoos. While she is in the company of Kinsi, she notices that no one ever interacts with Kinsi or her. While the sights are truly marvelous, she suspects that she is a tolerated visitor and has the distinct impression that she would never be welcome on her own. Gigi mischievously taunts Aja, “It’s like you’re her pet, or something. Wonder what that feels like?”
Still thinking of her father, she sends word to him to see how he is doing, unfortunately, he has not responded by the time Morvion returns and they head out to find the crystal ooze.
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Author's Notes
Events occur in the months of Autumn, 920th Year of Her Prominence. (1228 AC) The event happens on Ja Gorahz 4th and 5th.