#anywhere

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Cards are passed around a table, each card hand drawn on the new side, one is flipped over, resembling zara, holding pomengranetes and wearing almost priestly voile, "This one...she's already important. Consider her."

"We have considered, she favors her winter side a bit too much, my friend, and our organization is less prone to selfish ambition if we lean summer" A delicate hand touches the card, then flips one of its own , there's an image of a troll holding a cup, one who resembles Frank "What of him? He's not nearly as far along, but has the wisdom of grumphood"

"I know the man, I'm not sure he has time to be a student" The first voice says "Not to that degree. And he'd deny his wife nothing-not that I blame him. IT might expose us too much"

"Then the opposite end? " Another card, a childling redcap in dark robes holding scales. Those that knew snapper would recognize the resemblence, "young, and frighteningly skilled in Soothsay for one so young."

Another's voice "Power he uses near recklessly, even if he feels he's in the right. He's like a hammer smashing down on a knitting needle and getting lucky "

"Oh he's smarter than that, but the young can be redirected"

"Chancy..and besides, that's even more work" Cards flip through a skunk pooka in a jester outfit about to step off the edge of the world "I saw, that's a bit too spot on isn't it?"

"Far too much, but the Eiluned taught him more than most know"

"Let's face it, as our good friend might say, no one is exactly ready for Harvest" A flip of more cards , a card laid down, a poity eared devil white as snow, inverted with a moth on a chain "Too damaged. At least, so far."

"I hate that term, but agreed. And apologies, I seem to be projecting on the cards"

"We all do, patterns made, broken; results tell as much about the dealer as the dealt" One woman says "That's why we have our little games in private places like this, just for us. Go fish"

Chuckles around the table "I suppose you're right, the Circle has done fine for quite while now, it'l lhandle a dry spell if needed"

(end scene)