Various characters observe and attest to the oddities of the year leading up to the commencement of the story: unusual dragon migrations, bizarre weather patterns, fish walking out of ponds, ostriches giving up flight, a two-day solstice brought on by the sun stopping in its path, and meteors falling to earth and killing the Middenites. Of similarly unsettling note, the Morning Star fell to Earth and a cormorant was found in the orchard—both are later determined to be Lucifer. In addition to these supernatural occurrences, some events were intentionally caused, such as the abnormally large fires burning in the cities, and approval of human sacrifices at festivals of Baal and Mammon, which were rapidly growing out of control. Mrs. Noyes states that on the Sunday prior to the start of the story, the sky had turned bright red at noon and the Hymn to Baal was so loud it could be heard from a great distance away. Later, white, volcanic ash, which Noah deems to be a miracle of snow, falls over the land, only to be blown away by the hot wind. Japeth’s wolves also develop a bizarre fear of water. It’s clear from all these events, whether willfully caused or not, the status quo has been thoroughly disrupted.