Nagas, creatures with elements of both snake and man, are major figures in folklore—some benign, some belligerent, but all wise with the weight of centuries of accumulated life at their beck and call. The rare oracle naga, though, is different. Through some trick of reincarnation or transmigration of the soul, it is able to issue predictions of startling accuracy and scope with near infallibility.

One would think that, given this, oracle nagas would be the most sought-after of sages and advisors, highly placed at court despite their bestial nature and need for live prey. Instead, though, they are routinely hacked to death by angry mobs when found despite giving of their prophecies freely and willingly.

The reason seems to be that the oracle naga cannot control what it sees—random snatches of the future are its stock and trade. It also seems to have trouble controlling what it says, as the nagas will blurt out what they see regardless of the consequences. Many infidelities are laid bare, many stories revealed by their endpoint, and then comes the torch, the pitchfork, the stake, the rope.

High Inquisitor’s Note:
The Prince-Bishop Rudolf II of the Estuariate once kept an oracle naga in his menagerie, feeding it live chickens in exchange for prophecy. He had it fed to his lions when it predicted—correctly—that his lover and the secret of broken chastity that implies would be revealed. His nephew Rudolf III, though, reportedly paid close attention.

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