Ahead of the Storm - Day 34

Cauldron, Three Months Ago

A dark and sorrowful day this is, for I have just borne witness to some sad news - though sadder yet was the reaction this news brought onto its intended recipients.

What I speak of, in this sad tone, is a meeting that was held earlier today in my own church. A church that once was emblazoned with the symbols of St-Cuthbert, though today now falls under the watch of the Amalgamation - as do all the temples here in Cauldron.

The meeting was called by a visitor to this town named Pellegri - one of those three Harbingers of Faith that we all know as the saviors of this land against the forces of the Wormgod. And what brought her here was sad news, received from none other than her own god, Pelor himself.

Those called to here of this news were Eadfrid, Scatterspells, Meerthan and myself. Yet, despite the urgency of Pellegri's call, the response she got was quite honestly a disappointment to me. Here she came as a messenger of her God, yet that disgusting man this town calls a mayor could do nothing but mock her and scoff at her every word. To be true, the words of warning she spoke with regard to the Amalgamation were a bit alarmist and perhaps an overreaction... yet I trust in the guidance of Pelor, and surely he would not have sent us his most esteemed messenger, if this news were not of great consequence. She deserved a far more welcoming reception.

Thus, despite the arrogance of our Lord Mayor (and the frightened mummy, Eadfrid, who seemed convinced throughout the entire meeting that Pellegri was about to spring a trap upon him), I did my best to gather the essence of Pellegri's message, for I indeed believed it to be important... especially in light of my own recent dreams...

And what she had to speak of was dire indeed, a claim that three calamities were soon to befall these lands - this after three others had just passed, in the form of the volcanic eruption here in Cauldron, the planar junction with the Shadow Realm, and the epidemic of the Kyuss Worms.

She knew few details about the exact nature of these calamities, though she did believe that one of clearest concern had to do with the Amalgamation - stemming from the fact that the faith of the people was becoming blurred, and that the Gods might begin to dwindle in power as a result - especially if the Amalgamation continued to spread across the neighboring lands as it has threatened to do. We took this criticism to heart, after some debate, and agreed to see to the improvement of the instruction of the high priests and priestesses. We further thought it wise to emphasize that while it is good to learn about all the gods, worship is best reserved for one in particular, according to each's own personal beliefs.

Further conversation went to a fear that Lashonna, Kyuss' general (also known to be a vampiric silver dragon), might be planning a further scheme. Meerthan also shared with Pellegri his recent research into Orbius and his obsession with the Demon Lords of the Abyss. We debated for many moments over a possible link between the two - who had in turn escaped the grasp of the Outsiders and the Harbingers. Talk even turned to history, discussing the events of 100 years ago, when Mitheriana, Tippit, Gale and Gorgist saved the universe from the Demon-God, Omega. A query was raised as to whether the Demon Lords of today might be planning an attack on the Gods, as their destruction (and that of all the planes) was the prime goal of Omega. Could it not be that they sought to complete their fallen master's work?

All of this was debated and examined from every angle, though as I said, Verodemocrium was far from willing to listen to all Pellegri was trying to say. Yet, in the end, I am glad she came, for I believe I can use her words as a springboard for my own investigations, using Commune spells and the Star of Justice.

Indeed, the Star itself played a part in the meeting, called into use to confirm one of Pellegri's most serious accusations: that spies and manipulators had infiltrated the Amalgamation under disguise, plotting to uncover and reveal some great secret that even the Gods wished to keep hidden, which might threaten the faith of everyone. These "False Prophets" indeed were central to the Star of Justice's revelation:

"False Prophets do lurk within church and tower
Yet not under Orbius or Lashonna's power
Another from your pasts lurks behind all this
Serving a demon from the depths of the Abyss."

Such words shall be the core of my investigation in coming days. Meerthan has agreed to share with me the information he has gathered thus far on the Demon Lords. He believes that Orbius and his plot might be the key to uncovering everything else, and vows to double his efforts to translate and study the rest of the book. To date, he has deciphered information about six of the seventeen Demon Lords written about in the Demonomicon. He expects to be complete in perhaps another three months.

I can only pray that time is on our side...