Oracle
Oracles Foresight and Sacrifice:
On the evening of Friday, December 7th, a small group of dreamers assembled in Gloom Peaks to follow up on what Kalideo had said about the First Steps being through Gloom. Mzchievs (AoE); Nathan (BoC); Arnaya (HC); Kailee (HC Seeker); and Cyborg512 (FrS) were the initial group, and had just assembled when smoke began seeping up from the direction of Harrow Glades. The group noticed that the Conclave was on sense, and proceeded down to investigate.
Upon arrival, Dakkoth (Frs); Zsa Zsa (HC Seeker); Starling (OoSM); and Arlyana Jax (HC) found Oracle of Asmyr standing in the ritual chamber. She greeted the group, and then explained that she'd finally understood her purpose in the dream. On Saturday, When Eldryck Venym had shattered the chains that she bore (an incident that had occurred after the Entropy Coalition members had been freed from the bubble), Oracle claimed to have had a vision about the location of the first piece of the heart...lying far below the pit at the heart of The Conclave Ritual Chamber. She also advised, that the only way to retrieve it, was if someone "Gave themselves to the flame", and that it was her reason for being. "It is my ultimate desire to be free. I want to do this, for you all." was one of her statements in regards to this.
Several people tried to persuade her that there must be another way, and one tried to take her place (being almost immediately grabbed and restrained by several others present). To which Oracle replied: "There is not. I witnessed the future and it does not end will, unless the Heart is repaired. This is why I am here. The City is so weak. I must give back what I learned, for those to come".
From there, Oracle began carving runes into her limbs..the flesh peeling from her body and falling to the floor as rune codices containing all of the quests that she had done since she began dreaming. Dripping her blood into the flames with each one. Collapsing and restoring spontaneously in the process.
Once all the runes had been carved from her, she spoke of the Heart and its pieces. Saying: "This is the first and the most difficult of all. The rest will require team effort. Be good to one another...". Then her soul sphere began to glow, the core flickering in an array of colors that danced upon the walls before she plunged down into the well and vanished. A moment or two later, The fire inside the pit wildly flared up with a roar! Slowly an object rose from the flames and dropped down in the spot Oracle had just standing. The first of the Heart fragments.
A diamond shaped item was swiftly retrieved by Zsa Zsa, who gave it to Arnaya. The Heart Fragment is a fractured segment of a pure jade stone. The jagged edges indicate missing elements on each end. A faint Dreamsoul aura crackles around the entirety of it. With the heart being weakened as it is... it's functionality seems limited (254 charges, flat +1 Dreamsoul). The heart fragment rests within Calenture's keeping at the time of this writing, and Calenture has offered to allow its examination by those who wish. Given the importance of the heart, security precautions will be taken (Rallied into a sealed area of the house, and abjured, to ensure it doesn't walk off. House Calenture has advised that these precautions will be taken with All that wish to examine the heart, without bias or prejudice).
Zsa Zsa has established a memorial to Oracle, in order to commemorate her dreams and sacrifice. It's been placed in "Aethimir's Vault" of the Forgers hall in The Conclave for a few days, before a more permanent memorial can be placed in in the appropriate location. Several others have stated their intention to also provide write ups to memorialize the sacrifice of Oracle of Asmyr. Rest in Peace, Oracle.
What further sacrifices will the search for the heart demand of the cities dreamers? Who will answer the call when the time comes to make those sacrifices?
~ Arnaya, Soulmistress
Oracle's Memorial Service:
The Memorial Service to Oracle of Asmyr was somewhat disrupted by the theft of her ashes a couple of dreams prior. The service itself was simple, and held in the Teaching Hall by Zsa Zsa (HC), with words spoken in her memory by many that had come to know her within the city. Luther Doth arrived during the ceremony and expressed some fair interest in whether the assemblage had enjoyed the cake he had made for the gathering. Afterwards, the group moved on to the Shadowlight for a final moment of silence, when it was revealed that Luther Doth had been the one to take Oracles Ashes and had been.... creative... in his use of them with the creation of the Cake that he had donated to the memorial.
He claimed that Oracle of Asmyr had been a "Dreamerling"... a rare, order inspired spontaneous creation of the chaos that took dreamer form and was the source of a great deal of power. Sort of the dreamer equivalent to a lesser mare. Though Luther apparently could not understand the attachment that many had formed to such a being, he expressed how impressed he was that one such as her had made such an impact on the city of dreams and the dreamers that dwelt within.
This was, needless to say, somewhat of a disruption to the conclusion of the memorial and has caused many to have significant concerns about the nature and character of Luther Doth... while re-affirming many dreamers regard and warm thoughts for the woman we all knew as Oracle of Asmyr.
A carefully done sketch of a young woman. A thick robe, wound around her petite form. The rich ivory material contrasting nicely against her smooth ebony skin. Chalk runes are tattooed up her arms and down her legs. A long hooded cloak trails behind her. Snowy-white eyes almost appear to glow beneath her hood.
Was Oracle of Asmyr a natural spawn of the Dreamscape instead of a dreamer? Would that change who she was, or what she did? Or how valued she was to many? Farewell, Oracle. The gratitude of all those who knew you, and the memories of your time among us, remain strong.
~ Arnaya, Soulmistress
Reference
https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3324&p=19971&hilit=Oracle#p19971
