A halfling goddess with a matron-like countenance was laying above a viewing pool lazily, a bemused look on her face. She was watching Sonny as he said the words, "…Whoever that goddess is, she's quite likely responsible for my transmigration into the Forgotten Realms."
The matron goddess said aloud to no one in particular, "Isn't that a problem for you?"
Out of her shadow, emerged a halfling goddess of a darker countenance. "Why would that be?"
She stepped out of the shadow, and plopped down right next to the matron goddess.
The matron goddess turned to the other. "Aren't you supposed to stay secret? Even the gods don't know of your existence."
The darker goddess shrugged. "Even you and I are not entirely sure I exist. So it hardly matters what the child suspects, does it?"
The matron frowned, then sat up, rubbing her chin. "I see. The young halfling is clever, far more clever than he ought to be. Yet, there is no conceivable way the young halfling could deduce who you are since there are no sources that could determine it."
"Precisely. Our secret is safe," the dark halfling goddess said with a wink.
They both watched the young halfling in question continue his meal in silence, pondering. The two goddesses themselves had been doing some pondering of their own, in fact.
"Concerning what we last discussed, have you had any success finding a way to secure the soul of this halfling?" the matron asked.
The dark goddess's face turned, well, dark. "No. The very essence of this one has been tainted in a way that defies the metaphysical laws of the cosmos. As soon as this one passes on, their soul shall be drawn to that god's realm."
The matron frowned. "The realm of a dead god still exists? In Gehenna?"
The other goddess shook her head. "No, it was sent adrift when He died. It's floating in the astral plane somewhere."
The matron goddess leaned forward, her eyes following the young halfling in the viewing pool. Moments passed.
Finally, the matron asked, "Is there no hope?"
The dark god smiled, a bitter smile. "There is hope, as a matter of fact. Against all odds, there is the slightest, slimmest chance of salvation. But, alas, it is far too soon to speak of such things. For now, the young halfling can only avoid death, push forward until he reaches that point. If he reaches that point. Only then, it may be possible for his immortal soul be saved from eternal damnation."
"Until then," the matron goddess replied.
"Until then." The dark goddess disappeared back into the shadow of the matron goddess. She had never existed, and this conversation never happened.
---
Meanwhile, Sonny was considering a difficult quandary. How exactly does one go about identifying a halfling goddess that no one knows exists?
The young halfling smiled to himself. Yeah, that should work. I'll make it a priority once I reach Baldur's Gate. If that somehow fails, I also could ask…