Jinx

An encounter with Jinx

"Ah, young wanderer," he shouted to the girl rushing past him. "No need to exhaust yourself; you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the festival. It's still a bit of a walk, you know. Care to join an old gnome on his journey to town?"   She stopped.   The gnome looked at her, his hands holding onto a wooden staff. She could smell the ginger coming from his robes. He did not wait for an answer, nor did he need one; he just kept moving, expecting her to comply.   "My name is Jinx, but I'm more often called the Seer, and this here is my loyal companion, Misery." Jinx rolled up his sleeve, revealing the green cobra head emerging from under it.   He lifted his arm to show his skin to the wanderer, which seemed lighter in various parts. "I've succumbed to the Bleaching, looking for ways to combat it. I'm not done here, you know." Jinx gazed up at the sky, his third eye glinting mysteriously. "Beautiful day, isn't it?" he paused for a moment. "It's a good day to come to Sandpoint—the cathedral, the festival, and all that."   His hand slipped into his bag, pulling out a deck of cards. He shoved the deck towards her. "If you don’t mind," he said, "come on now, pick one."   He looked at the card she pulled.   "Hmm, interesting. This is what we call a Key Sign," he motioned for her to hand him the card. "Ah, the Juggler, to be specific." He showed her the card front with an image of a juggler. A mischievous smile covered his face. "You'll need to stop juggling. Your destiny lies straight ahead, but you need to make a choice."   He put the cards back into his bag. "Care for some ginger root, my child? It's good for your digestive system. I need to watch myself, and my mother told me ginger is good to fend off some of the Bleaching, so I drink a lot of ginger tea."   "Anyhow, I've been around here for a while. I have a small hut near the Tarandarok River on the riverbed side. There, I do my studies and prepare for my Harrow readings. I used to do them with my mother, but..." He focused for a moment.   "One day, about five years ago, Mother went out to do some Harrow readings in Sandpoint. She was gone longer than usual and returned late at night. She was silent and somber. She did a reading for me, which she had never done before, and told me something about Thassilonian history. I didn't think much of it and went to bed when she finished the reading. But that morning, she vanished without a trace, leaving me with an empty place in my heart and a mind buzzing with unanswered questions."   "So I've been studying this history with my friend, Brodert. You'll probably meet him one day. He lives close to that large tower you see ahead—the Old Light, they call it—but we believe it's not just an old light, it's an ancient artifact or weapon used by the Thassilonians.   "Anyways, around the time Mother disappeared, twenty-five people were killed in one month by someone they called 'Chopper.' I remember Jervis; he always had a weird aura surrounding him. But I guess I was distracted by my grief over Mother's disappearance and failed to warn the sheriff or the townsfolk of the looming dangers. After that period, my skin started to turn paler in some parts. I was kind of depressed, I think."   He stopped for a moment, looked at the wanderer, and started smiling. "You look like you could hold your own. You're a tough one, aren't you?" He looked her straight in the eyes, his third eye locked into an illusionistic gaze. His voice grew more determined. "You will have plenty of opportunities to prove your worth, and I will be watching..."   Jinx shook his head and continued walking as if the moment never happened.   "I always sit under the oak tree near Hagfish's Tavern. Jargie allows me to stay under the oak tree to do my Harrow readings and provides me with hot water to brew my ginger tea." He smiled warmly. "However, the Mayor, Kendra, is not typically a fan of me sitting under that oak tree, but she tolerates me."   The smile returned to his face. "Bethana is the main reason I'm still here. That beautiful halfling stole my heart since I laid eyes on her." He paused. "Yes, yes, I know we can't procreate, but we don't have to. I was raised by a mother who was not my biological mother anyway. She found me and raised me as her own, but she was known as 'the Hag' to many. Can you imagine? Bethana's employer, Ameiko, the tavern owner of the Rusty Dragon, she’s rooting for me. I like her; she used to be an adventurer herself. You should visit the Rusty Dragon—a nice place. I can show you if you like, young wanderer." He paused for a moment and sighed.   "Unfortunately, I am considering leaving town," he said with sadness on his face. "I need more excitement to stop the Bleaching. So I decided to take more risks in life. This festival, I will drink the Hagfish's slimy water, declare my love to Bethana, and join whatever adventuring party I can find to get some more excitement. I need to stop the Bleaching, so I've decided I will get some color back or die trying."   He smiled, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "See, young wanderer, this is the bridge to town. Welcome to Sandpoint."   He stopped. "Uh, apologies for my manners. What was your name again, young one?"