More People Hear Words
(Crossing, Zoluren: 305 Skullcleaver 355)
No whispers this time, the chilling words came into the minds of members of every guild. Not everyone heard them, and nobody could tell why some did not, and others did. But unlike the previous whispers some nights ago, this time, someone from every guild heard them.
"When cleric prayer fails to summon breath" "When bard songs never tune" "When empath’s touch brings death." "When traders all collapse in ruin." "When barbarians weep in fright." "When thieves themselves are bereft" "When moons align to aid annointed’s flight" "The feathers sink to ocean depths." "When paladin turns from right –" "When mage’s fire ceases bloom –" "When Ranger’s arrows fall in flight" "The feathers falling preludes thy doom."There was much confusion, in fact, I was told by several they thought they had heard the word "precludes" instead of "preludes" in the last line. (I would love to get this cleared up, consider that one letter makes the entire phrase mean the opposite.) It is also unclear from reports whether people who heard it this time heard the final single word like they did last time:
"death"Meanwhile, after these things were heard by people, sometimes several times, a group led by Dewsong, I believe, went below into the Lute Room, and there, hollow words formed in the air, clear but faint, and they heard:
"Visions anoint one among them all One too young to see the temple fall One who may still hear small bird’s call Will know by changing wind and darking pall."This same verse heard in the Lute Room was also heard at Berengaria’s altar.
Speculation was rampant. Is this a warning? Is it a threat? Is it a prophecy? What do all these verses mean? Are the words of the Alfar coming true? A slender alfar said, "Each listen, under the sky you may hear, when least you expect, the warning of your dooms."
Nobody knows yet, but one of the wisest pieces of advice I heard came from Alishana, "You might want to think about defluffing and getting stocked up on favors."