video @molly

[devilstongue]

[The camera clicks on, and is a little wonky and dark for a moment until a lavender hand corrects it to face the right way. An old dark-wood table comes to view, covered in dripping candles and shiny knick-knacks, and the room is covered in tapestries and drapery, like someone tumbled through a fabric shop and grabbed anything pretty or vaguely mystical.

You can almost smell the incense through the camera.

On the other side of the table is your friendly neighbourhood circus man, dressed about as colorful as the room and smiling coyly as he looks into the camera. (Or at least he fucking hopes he is, stupid modern technology.) Those solid red eyes reflect some of the candlelight, and the baubles and jewelry he wears glimmer as well - all to draw attention and make him look even more devilish.]

Good evening, gentlepeople of Riverview! I hope you are having a lovely time, working together in this little sanctum of ours until we find our way home.

I am Mollymauk Tealeaf, a not-so humble entertainer, here to bring you mystery and magic to your life!

[Leaning back, he flicks his hand and a fan of cards appear in it, the backs decorated with moons and suns. It looks old and expensive, and very well-used.]

Have you felt lost in this place? Uncertain were your life will take you after appearing here? Looking for guidance and signs on how to proceed?

[He sets the cards on the table, making a gesture with some quick sleight of hand to turn one up. It's a very intricately and finely drawn star.]

The cards are always here help you. Past, present and future lies in them, and at Cards of Curiosity, they can answer your questions.

[There's a bit of a movement again, and the cards all have turned over, showing different faces - a serpent, a sun, a tower. Molly smiles again - all fangs, this time. Some people liked a little goosebumps with their entertainment, and he knows how to work his lineage to his advantage.]

Come visit me as I interpret the mystique of the cards. For answers, for guidance or simply just for fun, I promise you an experience like never before!

[Insert Street Here], at the corner. Let your quest for answers lead you there!

[A little wave, and the camera turns off. Molly leans back against the beanbag and exhales. Things were easier in person, but hey. Baby's first commercial.]

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[tetherer]

[Teth has been excited about this new shop ever since they saw the advertisement on the network. They've never had the chance to indulge in divination before, and they are well acquainted with the fact that different worlds hold different forms of magic that are beyond their understanding.

Basically, they take everything at face value until proven otherwise, which may be a poor quality for a diplomat, but they're certainly not a diplomat or a god anymore. Fuck off, Nexus, the Tetherer is a crappy barista now.

So when they enter the very mystical looking building on their day off, they spend a little bit marveling at the surroundings before trying to peek around some colorful tapestries to find the equally colorful man they had seen on the network, a man whose appearance is hard to forget. They love the Quarantine for novelties like this.]

Hello? Is Mr. Tealeaf here?

[devilstongue]

[ By now he has actually put up that little bell on his door, and it makes a soft chime as the Tetherer enters. After a moment, the tiefling appears from behind a curtain that led to his miniscule kitchen and bathroom, smiling at his new visitor. ]

Mr. Tealeaf is certainly here! Welcome, my friend, to the Cards of Curiosity!

[ He bows a little, tail swishing dramatically. ]

What can I do for you? Are you in search of guidance? Fortune? A bit of fun?

[tetherer]

[He's even more impressive in person! The Tetherer can't help their little gasp and excited grin when they see him; he's all done up like a painting, a sort of larger than life individual, from his piercings and tattoos to his clothing, that even in the Quarantine you don't see every day.

He certainly looks the part of a mystic, if there's ever been a way for a mystic to look, at any rate.]

I could always use a little guidance, I think! But mostly I'm here for fun. I don't have any pressing questions, I'm just looking for... for the experience.

[devilstongue]

Oh, I can definitely promise you an experience.

[ Molly grins and gestures for them to take a seat at the table full of drippy candles and hazardous dried flowers. ]

All the energies of the worlds come here to whisper, to guide the cards in my hands for answers and mystique.

[ He starts lighting a few extra candles and some incense, the spade of his tail dragging along a few chimes and creating a 'vibe', as Taako would probably call it. ]

The future is so unsure and the past matters little, but sometimes we are just curious people.

[tetherer]

[He certainly knows how to work a rapt audience of one over here in the form of a tiny god with not enough skepticism for their own good. They're inwardly and outwardly delighted at his extremely "mystical" words.

And he's right, isn't he? The past doesn't matter and the future is daunting. That's exactly what they've been feeling since they arrived.]

Yes! Curious, that's what I am.

[They take a seat where he indicated, propping their chin up on their knuckles and watching him with stars in their eyes.]

How does it work?

[devilstongue]

[ He loves it when he has a captive audience that's excited to see what that cards might say. Moving back to the table, he takes a seat on a very tacky gold beanbag and produces his cards from somewhere in his jacket sleeve.

It's all very fluid and impressive. He didn't get a card stuck in there at all. (Pardon him as he smooths back this sleeve discreetly.) ]

Well, it depends on what kind of reading you want. Something in-depth? Guidance? Questions? Love~? The cards will answer, and even if the meaning of them might not make sense at first, you will understand it when ready.

[tetherer]

Hmm.

[They take a moment to consider what sort of thing they might need most. Love may be something Teth is inexperienced in, and they are somewhat curious about it now that they have more freedom in that arena, but they're also... a little embarrassed to admit that.

...Well, if they can't trust Mr. Tealeaf with something so personal, who can they trust? They flush a little red when they answer.]

I... suppose I am finding myself increasingly curious about love.

[Between Lucretia's teasing about their relationship back home with the Separator, their dance with Breq, and their general uneasiness during Carnivale while Finn comforted them, it's something that's been on their mind more and more lately, despite them still being single.

It's certainly not why they came here, but after he mentioned it...]