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On Star Permutator

Gortiluk, Queen of the Black Palace, had given birth to a daughter, her heir apparent. This was a moment of great festivity. The child was her first successful birth, sired by a powerful darkness spirit she had taken as a lover before devouring, and seemed fated for greatness.
But, being pragmatic above all else, she wanted to be sure.
To her Great Hall, in the heart of the Black Palace, she called the greatest soothsayers of the land. The Mad Prophet of the Jankley Bore screamed "Doom! Doom!" and bashed open his own skull on the pavers. A sage from the Kingdom of Wisdom assured the Queen that her offspring was assured to greatness, and offered twenty proofs that it must be so. She listened to all of them without betraying her judgment.
The last to arrive was the High Priest of the Star Permutator. By this time, he was ancient, milky-blind in one eye, hobbling on a crutch. An acolyte helped him walk to the hall, and he sat before the Queen, who was gracious enough to permit him that breach of protocol.
At length, the High Priest consulted his charts, and asked questions about the omens surrounding the princess' birth. Finally, he addressed the room.
"These matters are of grave concern, and for the Queen's ears only. They must be kept secret from the court." Gortiluk agreed, and had her guards drive her attendants and courtiers from the hall.
"These matters are of grave concern, and for the Queen's ears only. Your guards should not overhear them." Gortiluk looked at the frail old man. "Guards, leave," she barked, "I can handle myself, keep the court in line out there."
In the now empty hall, the High Priest rose from his seat. He muttered a brief incantation under his breath, and in a burst of speed far beyond his years, he charged a shadow on the side of the room. The shadow crawled like a frog across the floor. The High Priest barked the killing word Pe. The shadow fell apart in the dim lantern light.
"These matters are of grave concern, and for the Queen's ears only." The High Priest hacked terribly, and staggered back to his seat. "They certainly must be kept secret from the listening spirits of your enemies."
Queen Gortiluk asked him now: "What do the stars tell of my child's destiny?"
The High Priest leaned forward, across his charts, and focused his one good eye on her.
"What do you want them to say?"

Thus, the cult of Star Permutator has served as the advisors and fortune tellers of kings, until Godunya's conquests broke everything good in the world.
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