2. Wyrm's Rock

As she speaks the words of the Prophecy, Stella begins to feel dizzy. Something like the feeling of being caught up in one of her visions, but mixed with motion-sickness. By the time she finishes speaking her piece to the council, however, the nausea has passed.

Aldous puts a hand on her elbow. "Are you alright? You looked sick for a moment there," he whispers.

Aiwe's words hang dead in the air for a moment as the Dukes and others contemplate this news.

Jaheira sits back in her seat, eyes narrowed. Next to her, Khalid looks pensive.

Duke Jannath breaks the silence. "In light of all that's been said, I believe Candlekeep may be our best option. Perhaps while there, I can perform some research to enlighten us on these matters."

"So you mean to be part of the lure team yourself, Liia? To meet with Anchev?" Duke Eltan muses. "What shall I do? I lead soldiers, not intrigues."

Belt's loud voice gives an answer. "Surely we'll need the Flaming Fist on standby, should things go awry in the Iron Throne compound. By then, our hand is played, and we might as well march in force."

Eltan nods. "I see the reasoning." He seems glad to have a more obvious part to play. "I'll make sure to begin a round of surprise drills and inspections, so that mobilizing my soldiers doesn't spark any alarms with the Iron Throne."

Stella exhales and slumps in her seat, disturbed, eye-stars shifting to indigo and icy blue.

She places a hand on his. "I...don't know. It felt almost like I do when I'm experiencing a vision...?" she whispers back uncertainly. "Perhaps reciting prophecy somehow connects me to my powers? Maybe that's why reading the markings in my tome triggers the portents I see? I need to speak with Duke Jannath after this..."

Liia Jannath smiles as some details of the plan come together. She looks over to the Harpers. "When can we expect you to contact Anchev on behalf of the Knights of the Shield? How soon?"

Jaheira's eyes go distant for a moment as she thinks. "We can have a message sent as soon as tonight, though we'll want to meet with Duke Silvershield first to go over some details about the Knights of the Shield."

Khalid clears his throat. "Assum... assuming you're available this afternoon, Y-y-your Grace."

Entar nods curtly. "Of course. I will have the rest of the day's schedule cleared."

Duke Belt claps his clawed hands together. "Well! Then we'll all be planning and anxiously awaiting word!"

He glances at Liia. "Agreed? Done? Those leftover refreshments are calling..."

Liia chuckles at Belt and nods. "We're finished. I expect updates from all of you as often as you can manage them. Thank you, all!"

She waves her hand and dismisses the illusory map and accompanying depictions and conjures a mage hand to collect her notes.

Stella stands when the meeting adjourns. "Duke Jannath," she says, approaching, bearing her old tome. "Might I ask for your...expertise on something?" She flips open to the page with Lily's flower, where she first noticed the writings. "You see, I have some writings, written in what the Ilmatari priests told me could be an ancient script, and I was wondering if you could tell me what you know about it? If anything, of course."

Liia Jannath is chatting with Xan when Stella approaches. She turns to Stella with her characteristic warm smile. "Please, call me Liia."

She tilts her head as she examines Stella's tome, running her dark fingers across the letters. "This..." Her breath catches. "Xan, come look at this!"

Xan steps close, eyes darting over the page. "This is... Not a soul has used this alphabet since..." The elf gapes. "Seldarine save us..." He looks at Stella with a great deal more than the usual degree of doom in his eyes. "Stella. Where did you get this?"

At Xan's near-horrified look, Stella's face flushes cold. "I—I think I have been writing these. It's my handwriting. Each evening I study the stars and my star charts. I found these in them. And I continue to find more in my tomes," she says, flipping through more pages. "But I don't remember writing any of this! I can glimpse their meanings by casting Comprehend Languages, but I can never hold onto what they say for very long. It's vast and beautiful! And can help me see possibilities or react to things before they happen the next day."

She swallows. "But...well, it's also sometimes frightening and terrible..." she says pulling out her new tome and tentatively flipping to the page with the sigil of Bhaal scrawled in blood. Next to it in a shaky handwriting is an annotation: Vision: Four stars in a circle, each consumed by darkness then corrupted by a red star. Screams of thousands dying.

Her voice drops to nearly a whisper and she closes her eyes and trembles. "I-i...it scares me."

Liia looks from the Xan to the tome, and back. "Is this language what I think it is? How can Stella have learned to write it?"

Xan shakily pulls a strand of dark hair from his pale face. His eyes are unfocused, as though viewing something else entirely. "The alphabet is called Hamarfae. I don't even know the name of the language it was used for. But... Stella." His grey-green eyes finally focus on hers. "This writing and its language were banned by Mystra, the Goddess of Magic herself."

His next words are the barest whisper:

"Hamarfae was used to write Elven High Magic."

Aiwë takes Stella's hand, having hung back to support her.