Communing

"Well," says Velendo, "enough of our own theories. Let's see what Calphas has to say on the subject." Velendo casts his prayers out towards heaven. They are filled with questions, and Calphas' divine will answers them.

• Was the pit fiend sent by Belle's family to collect Agar? YES.
• Was the pit fiend sent unwittingly by Belle's family to collect Agar? NO.
• Is Belle a devil? YES.
• Has Agar's family unwittingly contracted Agar to marry a devil? YES.

Velendo pauses. "Well, isn't that interesting."

"Indeed." Malachite leans forward in his chair. "My guess is that his parents made a bargain with an authentic halfling family, and the devils bought out the contract for some reason." The hunter of the dead drums his fingers on the table as he considers the problem; since he's wearing his gauntlets of aggression, the intimidation effect is quite distracting.

"Either that," objects Tao, "or the little halfling girl was a devil the entire time. That would be possible. Devious and sick, but possible."

Suddenly, Nolin chimes in via the mind link. "Either way, a halfling marriage contract should have some traditional clauses in it. For instance, it probably specifies that the bride and groom be halflings, and she certainly isn't. It also probably specifies that the union produce issue, which would probably not be accurate here, either. I'm expecting loopholes aplenty, if we get it examined by someone competent. We just need a copy."

"Nolin, aren't you supposed to be doing something?"

"We're coming into Akin's Throat now. Sorry for the interruption."

"All right then." Velendo feels the spell's magic starting to fade. "Let's ask about those omens."

• Do the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis indicate that the forces fighting the Necromancer Kings will lose if they continue their current course? NO.
• Are the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis related to the ominous occurrences we have experienced, such as worms falling from stone, fits of vertigo, and the early beetle run? YES.
• Would the Army of the Sun be better served by holding off on their attack? NO.
• Would Agar's plan involving Gates and the Beastlands work to get us back to our current location if we plane-travel elsewhere? YES.
• Is the Shrine of the Glass Pool near where our map indicates "gogglers"? YES.
• Are the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis in fact related to something that we've "stirred up"? YES.
• Are the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis indicative of a catastrophic event that will affect the armies fighting the Necromancer Kings? YES, INDIRECTLY.
• Are the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis indicative of a catastrophic event that will affect us? YES, INDIRECTLY.
• Will that event occur within the next week? YES.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Velendo thumps the table. "So something horrible is about to happen, we're responsible, and we don't know what it is or how to stop it!"

Tao accepts the news calmly, but for some reason her heart is thudding and her shoulder hurts, just as it did the night before she left the dwarven vault. "Looks that way."

"Let's see, what's next? Let's find out why the ghouls have blocked off that Rift from their own side, as someone said they had done." Velendo concentrates again.

• Are undead forces performing or preparing for some powerful ritual in the Deeping Rift? YES.
• Is that ritual to free the Worms that once devoured all life on Spira? NO.
• Are the bad omens spoken of by Father Whalter and Lord-Commander Coronis related to the ritual that, according to the earth weird, will make the sun go dim? NO.
• Are the rituals being done in the Deeping Rift related to the ritual that, according to the earth weird, will make the sun go dim? NO.
• Are the rituals being done in the Deeping Rift related to the impending catastrophe? NO.

The spell ends, and Velendo slumps forward, somewhat drained. "Well, that's good.. sort of. But confusing. At least the ritual that the ghouls are doing is different than whatever is causing these omens. But we still don't know about that, or how to stop it!"

"If we can stop it." Malachite looks worried. "There is no guarantee that we can. Tao, will you cast a sending for me, please?"

"Sure, give me fifteen minutes. Whom to?"

"Lord-Commander Coronis, of the Emerald Chapel. It should say, 'Calphas says catastrophe within week, though Army of Sun on right course. Nature of catastrophe unknown. We caused it; know not how. Describe omens! Malachite.'"

When Tao casts the spell, the reply comes back promptly from Malachite's commander. "Waves of vertigo, ten people died by falling - while asleep. Carrion birds at night, crawling bugs. Burning pain and depression. Stay the course - and triumph."

Velendo's face falls. "Died while asleep? That's really bad. Look, if the omens - just the stinkin' omens, mind you - can kill people, what's the catastrophe going to do?" He's interrupted by Malachite swaying under a sudden surge of vertigo. The paladin feels like he's plummeting at incredible speeds.. but when the dizziness passes, he's back in the Flickering Needle with nothing but a headache and a sore chest to show for the experience.

The old cleric gestures at the knight. "See? See?" He slaps the table in frustration and gets up to go find some tea.

Mara shakes her head as she helps Malachite to his feet. "I hope Nolin's having more luck than we are."

As it turns out, he is. And then some.