Hall of Prophecy

The Hall of Prophecy is Avalir's oracular institution.

Description
The Hall of Prophecy is an order of clerics who can foretell the future, and who connect with the divine without being guided by a deity. The clerics are semi-cloistered, as the act of prophecy is difficult and requires much focus.

The inside of the hall is made of marble, and lit by fire as opposed to the more common arcane or alchemical lighting; the feeling within the building is that it is a very different place than the rest of Avalir. The interior also has rooms for the clerics, as well as bathing chambers.There is a strong association with the element of water within the space, and there are waterfalls over slate walls inside the personal chambers.

Exandria Unlimited
On the eve of the Replenishment, Patia Por'co was informed by Loras that the Hall of Prophecy had to be shut down, as the oracles were exhausted from their preparations. Later that evening, when Zerxus mentioned his dream to the rest of the Ring of Brass, Nydas recommended he speak to the members of the Hall of Prophecy, and Patia told the others about the Hall's closing. Loquatius and Laerryn found it strange that they had not heard of the Hall being shut down.

Still later that same night, Nydas and Zerxus went to the Hall of Prophecy to investigate the many strange goings-on in Avalir. They found the building heavily guarded, and were met by Sofyra, an oracle and friend of Zerxus's, who told them that the building was closed to all but those permitted entry by Loras. Nydas noticed that Sofyra seemed to have been crying heavily. He successfully deceived her into believing he and Zerxus had been given permission by Loras, and the two entered. Zerxus also noted that the guards seemed extremely uneasy as well.

While inside, Zerxus asked Sofyra what was wrong. She told him that Loras had closed the Hall after Volucia of Heart's Emblem had left Avalir permanently after renouncing magic. Sofyra explained that for the past two weeks, the prophets had begun going mad and giving false prophecies, starting with Karwen, and that any prophet who had tried to help had similarly gone mad. The Hall then contacted the Octothurge, who sent Volucia to help them. At that point, there were still enough clerics to continue prophesizing, but after an unspecified event during which they thought Karwen was recovered sufficiently, Sofyra remained the only sane oracle.

When Zerxus went into Karwen's room, he found a large crack in the mirror. He later saw Asmodeus in the mirror, and went through it to him. Zerxus also saw that Karwen, despite what Sofyra had said, appeared healthy and restful while sleeping.

Sofyra meanwhile told the prophecy to Nydas: "The stars are leaving us. Our hands cannot reach the limbs of the tree, can no longer scribe the name of our deliverance. We will soon be as broken as our promises. Avalir shall fall. All shall fall. And from our folly will the hands that forge the world banish themselves from the broken things they have made." She told Nydas that the Octothurge had assured them it was untrue.

Members

 * Karwen: A woman with dark skin and curly hair. The first oracle to allegedly fall mad.
 * Sofyra: A friend of Zerxus. As of the eve of the Replenishment, she was the only oracle left considered sane.