The Prophecy of Lygora
The prophetess Lygora appeared during the reign of Emperor Stefano XV, though none could say whence she had come. When Lygora had proven that she bore the true gift of prophecy, the Emperor imprisoned her in the interest of state security and set a legion of scribes to copy every word that spilled from her mouth. In all, they recorded twelve volumes of prophecy before she abruptly fell forever silent. Neither kindness, nor cajoling, nor the pain of torture could elicit even another sound from her lips. She was, in the end, sent away to the Western Beacon as a curiosity.
The Lygoran Prophecies revealed the future in thousands of small ways, from the outcome of inconsequential duels to the name of the next Emperor, so long as one had the patience and wit to unravel their riddles. Noble and commoner alike became fixated on discerning the hidden future, and vast resources were dedicated to this study. The Emperor instantly ennobled or promoted those most talented at deriving meaning from the Prophecy; a single confirmed outcome foretold in any one of the twelve volumes was worth a provincial governor’s villa. Those so bold and foolish as to attempt to deceive the Emperor on such matters were summarily executed.
As the First Age drew to a close, most of the specific pieces of the Prophecy had been accounted for in some manner. A thirteenth volume, previously unknown, was delivered to the hand of Empress Adona III. It offered answers about how the Empire could assure its everlasting greatness. After a year of careful study, and under heavy pressure from the Empress, the imperial scribes declared it a legitimate addition to the Books of Lygora.