Destiny & Free Will, #7 [Period 1, Monday, August 18th]

[atreideslioness]

The students should have gotten a handwaved notice to dress nicely and meet at the Causeway, where they were met by a large portal and a disgruntled looking Ghanima. 

If you thought you heard her muttering nasty things in a variety of languages regarding "stupid brothers," "stupid Spacing Guild," "damned stubborn Naibs with more pride than sense," "crazy detectives," or "never taking Faith Lehane anywhere ever again," well, you might not be wrong. 

"Right."  Reaching inside her coat, Ghanima retrieved a deck of the Dune Tarot and fanned the cards at them.  "Step right up, and ask me what today holds for you.  Through there -" she gestured at the portal with the cards,  " - is Monaco.  Home to some of the most wonderful casinos this Earth holds.  Your mission is to take the future I forsee, and try to beat it.  If I tell you that you are destined to win big, sit outside and give away money.  If I say you fail, go cheat the casino by whatever means you choose.  The one rule is not to get caught, because I am not paying for bail.  I want to see how many of you manage to flaunt destiny." 

"After all," she grinned humorlessly, flipping up the Hanged Man with ease.  "Navigating the future is a family talent.  Who wants to try and beat the oracular Atreides?"


[OOC:  Please to be waiting for the OCD DONE!  Feel free to tag me ooc if there's a future you want Ghani to give your student!  Otherwise, it will be randomized.]

Comments

Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

Ask Ghanima for a prediction before you skip through the portal to Monaco!

Re: Get Your Future!

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

"What do the cards predict for me, ma'am?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima smiled at Savannah, quickly flipping out five of the cards and arranging them. "Five card spread today," she said smoothly, "in the interests of time."

"First up, the Six of Swords. Trusting in intelligence and intuition and setting off into the unknown. Leaving an untenable situation and charting a new course. Passage from difficulty and progress towards a solution."

"Next, we have The Emperor: Worldly authority and power." Ghani's smile widened. "What's more fun than subverting authority? The Emperor gives us the motive force of politics and society, and the ability to fulfill plans and use mental control over the emotions."

"These are your two possible outcomes for today. Nine of Pentacles draws you to the first outcome, a reversed Ten of Cups pulls towards the second." Ghanima flipped the last card and nodded. "A reversed Hermit is your deciding factor today, it seems. Beware detachment based on fear, irresponsibility or naiveté."

"Do you have any questions?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[raspberryturk]

Reno was all about cheating fate.

When there wasn't a dare involved.

"Okay. What do I gotta not do?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"Don't get caught," Ghanima reminded him dryly.

"Beyond that, well, let's see." She held out the cards, smiling. "Shuffle until they feel right to you."

Re: Get Your Future!

[withoutverona]

Romeo hoped this went better than his last experience with tarot cards.

"So what do the cards foresee in my case?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"Let's take a look, shall we?" Ghanima said, quickly laying out the cards. "Five bits of destiny, in what is called the Two Paths spread."

She looked them over and made a face. "Well now, this does not make much sense."

"Your first option today is the Queen of Swords: A person gifted with both keen logic and natural intuition, giving them uncanny powers of perception and insight. She is the embodiment of calm, forthrightness, and wit, in the face of even the most trying circumstances. However, it is a reversed Five of Wands that would bring you there. Pointless struggles motivated by the vain pursuit of recognition, financial reward, or base desires."

"The second option is Nine of Pentacles, which is good for you today. Good luck attending material affairs. The Magician aides you there, with the ability to turn ideas into actions, handle problems, and control one's life."

"You can try to spurn one future, or both, whatever suits your fancy," she said, tapping the last card. "Simply beware The Star, as it presents the crux where your paths diverge. Typically, it is a good card; new hopes and splendid revelations of the future. However for today, it should serve as a warning that one of the foretold futures is near."

Re: Get Your Future!

[shyest-eyes.livejournal.com]

Hinata had to admit that she didn't mind this idea though. It would be nice, rather, to deliberately thwart destiny.

"A-And w-what is m-my a-apparent future, please?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"I'll give you two futures, Miss Hyuuga, and you can chose which to thumb your nose at, if not both of them," Ghanima said cheerfully.

She flipped the top cards and nodded. "Well now, it appears you have a particular suite!"

"Your first future holds the Queen of Coins: a cornucopia of delights and a rock of security. A rich field for new growth. Her Knight of Coins, reversed, is what draws you to this possibility. He has a stiff insistence on the concrete, but beware his lack on conviction in important matters, and his lack of frankness when it comes to things from the heart."

"Another path holds the Six of Coins, reversed; Pomposity and stinginess. Nine of Coins, also reversed, means that unstable circumstances and unseasonable activity dot this future." Ghanima looked up at Hinata and smiled reassuringly. "I think you should be able to beat this future without a problem."

"Last is your critical factor, the one that could decided between futures, or be the point where you make your own. The Lovers, when reversed: Love unrequited, star-crossed, soured, illicit, blind or foolish. That should be easy enough to avoid while at the casinos."

Re: Get Your Future!

[time-flyer-5.livejournal.com]

Jen drew a slow breath and stepped forward. "As they say at the blackjack table, hit me."

Beat.

"Ma'am."

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"Do not look quite so resigned, Miss Scotts," Ghanima teased gently, shuffling the cards. "Who knows? Perhaps destiny wants you to loose big, and some old gentleman is going to give you his winning lotto ticket."

"I have two futures for you today," she said, flipping out the cards. "You choose which, or both, to flaunt."

"First is the High Priestess, reversed: Being confused and led astray from the true path. Insecurity, conceit and self-destructiveness. The forces of nature unleashed. She is aided by The Emperor: Worldly authority and power, usually a patriarch or primary male influence with the motive force of politics and society. Not especially a future you should seek."

"Now for your second possible outcome." Ghanima tapped a card lightly. "The Hanged Man; pausing to reflect. Opening oneself to intuition and enhanced awareness and letting go of past patterns and growing beyond them. A reversed Queen of Wands signals what beckons you this direction. She is the natural embodiment of passion and sensuality, who will do anything to the be the center of attention. It can be a cocky and domineering person, who pushes anyone or anything aside to get what they want. One who is vengeful and quick to take offense without good cause. There's plenty of those at a casino, and they are easily avoided."

"Last is your critical factor, that decides what will come to pass. Four of Pentacles, reversed. Using your power freely for your own enjoyment and the betterment of others. Coming to grips with progress and using your position to help it along, and letting go and encouraging others to find their own path." Ghanima smiled up at Jen. "Use this as your marker to know when you need to make your choices today. Do you have any questions?"

[ooc: I randomized it, I SWEAR.]

Re: Get Your Future!

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

Helen politely waited her turn. "And what do the cards say for me?" she asked curiously.

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima hummed lightly as she laid out the cards. "Well now, let's see."

"The Judgment, reversed. Delay, procrastination, and indecision. Oddly, it is the World that guides you there, but perhaps under its aspect of focus and narrow pursuit of perfection, rather than synthesis and completion.

"Another option is heralded by the Eight of Swords, reversed. The lingering presence of a betrayal does not bode well, and you are drawn there by the reversed Hierophant." Ghanima's mouth twitched in amusement. "Dogmatic beliefs. Spiritual authoritarianism. Enfeebled philosophizing. Easy to find in a casino, and easy to avoid."

"Your critical factor is the Page of Staves, also reversed. An unstable, indecisive and perhaps malicious person. Avoid them, and you betray both fates to the void."

Re: Get Your Future!

[ihaveniceteeth.livejournal.com]

"Right," Gwen said. "If this involves water balloons, I'm going to expect a fix."

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"If it involves water balloons, Miss Cooper, I am blaming my brother, and we will both demand restitution," Ghanima said calmly.

"I'm giving everyone two possible outcomes for today, and I encourage you to somehow find a third," she said, dealing the cards. "Your first possible future for today is held by the Page of Cups: A young person of sensitive and meditative nature, capable of deep loyalty and profound affection. A date, perhaps?" she teased gently. "A reversed Three of Swords calls you to this future, a balance of forces in conflict and rest from struggle."

"Another potential future is held by a reversed Six of Swords. A bluff. Deceptive show of force and a desperate attempt to impress. Easy enough to do in a casino. Indeed, you'll be hard-pressed NOT to do that. The Lovers stand on that path to lure you in, possibly under the guise of passion, discovery, and flirtation, dalliance and delight." Ghanima grinned. "Too bad, Miss Cooper, it looks like you're going to have to avoid fun."

"The critical factor for you is the Fool. The personality in the primal state, the willful child in all of us. Liberation of the impulses and insight and wit from instinct rather than instruction. When you encounter your Fool, you will know that either destiny is close at hand, and you must try to pick a third path."

Re: Get Your Future!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"What's the damage this week?" John asked, smiling politely at the teacher.

Re: Get Your Future!

[atreideslioness]

"Damage? How depressing!" Ghanima answered, quickly drawing cards. "You make me think my TAs did something terrible last week."

"They did, didn't they?" It wasn't really a question, and Ghanima sighed before bending to look at the discs she had chosen. "I'm not quite sure I want to know."

"For you, however, we have two possible futures today, and I encourage you to find a third. The first possible outcome is a reversed Wheel of Fortune. Inauspicious atmosphere, strange omens and dark auguries. I would guess this would be a loss at the tables," she said sadly. "It's the Two of Coins that's luring you in that direction with unexpected difficulties and untried emotions."

"The second possible outcome is guarded by The Emperor. He brings worldly authority and professional success. A life of action and decision, especially in politics and business. It is the Five of Coins that marks that path, with impoverishment and barrenness, and yearning for one absent. Possibly you'd win after a major loss?"

"Your critical factor is the Queen of Swords. A person of sharp insight, persuasive, powerful and thorough. When she's in a good mood; extroverted, an administrator, an organizer, a firebrand, splendid as a summer's day - and sometimes as overwhelming. If turned inwards, she is a person of deep sentiment, susceptible to flights of ecstasy, of the flames of inner torment. Encountering her should be a warning that either future may be near, and you'll have to take steps to avoid them." Ghanima smiled at him reassuringly. "Perhaps try some modest winnings today, and avoid large losses."

Re: Get Your Future!

[likethegun]

Sam liked the sound of this quite a lot for once.

"What do the cards say for me?" he asked.

Re: Get Your Future!

[cheminthehead.livejournal.com]

"Last Week My Destiny Was To Learn To Dance," Gladys intoned, eyes flickering slightly as she stood in front of Ghanima. "I Would Like Another Destiny If There Is One Available"

Re: Get Your Future!

[imcalledandros.livejournal.com]

"So what's do the cards predict for my future?" Andros asked.

Re: Get Your Future!

[key-of-heart.livejournal.com]

Sora peered at the cards. "Those are really neat, what do they all mean?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[solo_sword]

Jaina had had enough destiny issues the last couple weeks to be sure whatever was predicted for her wasn't going to come true, so she didn't see the harm in it. "My turn," she said.

Re: Get Your Future!

[nottheclone.livejournal.com]

"All right, what's the damage?" Wes asks.

It can't be worse than last week's, right?

Re: Get Your Future!

[futureclone]

Alex stepped up and said, in a tone of voice that suggested he was seriously dubious about this, "What do the cards say?"

Re: Get Your Future!

[blackmagic-eve.livejournal.com]

"All righty, on with the predicting." Eve grinned. 'cause really, she couldn't end up with a future any weirder than... well, her present had been her future at some point.