Hm. Happy new year. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]She means it, even if she doesn't sound it, I promisssse.[/color][/highlight] I'm tired. Battle in the blizzard has been dragging on. Progress toward the crack in the ice is slow going. Or it feels that way. Hard to tell with all the snow and hail blocking the view. Zephyr's suffering the worst of it in there, with this battlefield so at-odds with the Goddess of Spring. Kosmas is more than making up for it in his element. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]I've never seen Valeria so excited to be second-ranked in an arena![/color][/highlight] Hah. She's always happy to have competition. Still. Don’t feel bad. I saw her burst through an avalanche like a fireball in human form. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]There's nothing to be ashamed about needing a break! Besides, we have plansssss~[/color][/highlight] True. You all are welcome to join us, if you want. I've got one more trick to try before I lay down my weapons. As the Oracle, I can call upon the Fallen Goddess in times of need, instead of just waiting for random deities to speak up. At this point, I think it's worth the risk. So. You coming? You might want to consider wearing her colors for this one, especially around your head. These visions aren't for the weak of mind. I'll send a shipment to your [b][url=/npcs/7]Headmaster's Office[/url][/b] with a [b][premium_item]Star Reader's Badge Bundle[/premium_item][/b] and [b][premium_item]Pick A Part: Star Reader's Badge[/premium_item][/b] so anyone who wants to buy in can do so there. The easiest accessory to wear is the [b][item]Autumn Sky Star Reader's Circlet[/item][/b]. It fits with most hairstyles and headgear. If hair's not an issue, you can wear what I'm wearing, the [b][item]Autumn Sky Star Reader's Headwrap[/item][/b]. There are longer options in the [b][item]Autumn Sky Star Reader's Ruffled Veil[/item][/b] and [b][item]Autumn Sky Star Reader's Sleek Veil[/item][/b] if you like more coverage. If none of those feel right, fine. You might have a different preference for what kind of head accessory fits your faith better. Feel free to pick and choose. Or choose not to wear it at all, if you have some other kind of protection from magical visions. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]Like blindfoldssss![/color][/highlight] Pythia. Put that down. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet][size=10](Aw.)[/size][/color][/highlight] Prank later. Help me set up first. Can you blow out the candles? I'll get started drawing. Here, at the heart of her fallen temple, we begin ... [center][img]https://tatteredweave.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/npc_character_image/image/196/NPC_ORACLE_devoted1.png[/img][/center] [i]Fallen Goddess, hear the voice of your Oracle... I have always listened to your call. [/i][size=10]Whether I wanted to or not.[/size][i] I ask now, listen to mine. Share your grief with us. Show us the stars you threaten with darkness. Give us insight into your fury, that we may know your pain and take it as our own.[/i] Let us see that which drives you to destruction here... [quote] [i]The faint glow of stars around the Oracle become suddenly sharp with brightness. They shift and swirl into shapes, faint lines of constellations between the stars growing brighter as the magic takes hold. Rapidly the constellations began to move in a visible pattern, forming pictures that play out before the Oracle. A MISMATCHED PAIR OF MITTENS STRAINING THROUGH A CRACK, TOWARDS A WOODEN CRATE-- THE REPETITIVE MOTION OF A CHISEL TAPPING AWAY, LEAVING A SHINY PATCH OF ICE WHERE SKIN WOULD BE-- STRONG HANDS MOVING IN SHARP, SWIFT GESTURES OF ARGUMENT-- PAGES FRANTICALLY FLIPPING, REVEALING DOZENS OF COLOR-CODED SYMBOLS-- ELEGANT FINGERS FONDLY TRACING LONG NAILS ACROSS A TWISTED VISAGE IN A COLUMN OF CRYSTAL-- A PAIR OF FROZEN LIPS, WHITE AS SNOW, DEAD AS ICE, CURVING UPWARDS IN A SCORNFUL SMIRK AS THEY MOUTH A SINGLE, MOCKING SENTENCE…[/i] [/quote] Hmm. Pythia, did you catch that? What did it say? [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]At the end? It looked like… 'I warned you.'[/color][/highlight] Ominous. Sounds about right. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]Those lips kind of looked like the Everlasting Smile Snarl, don't you think? But I've never seen them actually speak like that in battle. Creeeeepy![/color][/highlight] Some believe that Snarls are made of that Remnant's nightmares. The Everlasting Smile could be based off a particularly nasty person who inspires said nightmares... We'll find out soon enough. There's no need to speculate when we're so close to breaking through. [highlight=#f0eaf5][color=violet]Wait, what? Did I miss something? What did you see that makes you so sure?[/color][/highlight] The flipping pages. Some of the symbols on it were phases of the moon. We wouldn't have seen them change unless that change was important. I suspect we’ll learn more on [b][u]January 12th[/u][/b] when the moon is full and the Fallen Goddess is at her weakest. Speaking of. I'm already feeling the effects of that prayer. It takes a lot out of me to read the stars like that. I need to rest. Pythia, tell the others. We're almost through.