Lluïsa isn't sure how old the firm is. Older than the tenure of the partners she worked under, she knows, and certainly younger than the Lodge or it would have been more centrally located (and, hence, she would likely be dead). Probably it began under the diabolist Thrunes, but maybe it predates their reign. She doesn't know; one doesn't go looking for information in the archived files. Though the traps won't kill you, mostly, just hold you for memory modification from a specialist.

Whatever its vintage, the summoning chamber is built for lawful outsiders, which is only sensible; what use does a diabolist lawyer have for a demon or daemon? Devils, obviously, and the occasional axiomite, have seen the inside of this room, and maybe it was intended primarily for consorting with Axis at first. Maybe not.

It does look evil, she thinks. It's hard to say why, it could just be mental associations, but she can't imagine it being welcoming to any being but devils or the damned, who are welcomed by being made aware of how little welcome is to be had.

It hasn't been used since the fall of the Thrunes. It's not dusty, but it's clear it hasn't been entered for a while, and it's poorly ventilated. The inlaid circle is as functional as ever.

...it's probably a good idea to drink some water first. And let it air out a bit. Can't take too long, though.

Well, it's time now.

Lluïsa has a spell prepared for inquiry, a streamlined calling and binding she can hang herself despite being agonizingly stunted in spell circles, a secret of the Lodge though not, she thinks, a unique one, just lesser-known. It doesn't support the outsider on the Material as well as more orthodox bindings; no extended engagement, no magic of the planes, but if things go poorly, she certainly doesn't want to have spent a scroll.

It takes time to cast. Time to think about magic, and planes, and Law, and not any Material concerns, as she reaches beyond reality to purer environs. It demands concentration and skill, and a mind set on the right sort of being to call; a knowledgeable one, of Heaven.

Magic doesn't demand one's reasons for bending Creation, just the will and ability to do it, to fix it in one's mind, a constraint here, a constraint there, satisfied one by one, or weakened, or strengthened, or—

The Evil binding is... well, it's almost timid and polite. Evil through and through, to be sure! Foreign and offensive to Heaven, though its Law outweighs. It's a small enough matter to shrug off, here in one of Heaven's safe places.

However, the armies of Heaven are filled with volunteers, and those volunteers are Lawful and Good outsiders.

When a young soldier is taught about the ways of wizards and their bindings, it isn't told sternly that it would be desertion to acquiesce, because its chain of command isn't fearful of any loss of discipline in the ranks.

It's taught accurate information, about the relevant properties of the magic, about the potential risk, and the potential reward, about how Heaven notices and accounts for the rare gaps in the ranks that may result, how the magic is warded against especially in Heaven's safer places, how one can take further precautions personally if one cares to.

It's taught elsewhere, too, what sorts of initiative are accounted for, and what would damage the ability of the Heavenly host to coordinate and marshal its resources.

So, as a practical matter, if a somewhat less young soldier is the target of an Evil binding it could choose to throw off, it may also choose to accept. Heaven may be diminished forever if it meets its end in some wizard's lair, but Heaven will not be diminished by keeping its own outsiders as slave-soldiers, and Heaven will not be diminished by foreclosing useful opportunities to advance the Good simply for being high-variance.

Its luminous planets spin and orbit; there is no center, mechanisms drawing out epicycles approaching a limit, the whole fitting awkwardly but not inelegantly into the Material.

"Hello, Evil wizard."

She's terrified and doesn't know any of the proper forms. Most of the purpose is accomplished and she could just send it back now and walk away.

She's excited and curious. What is this being like? What will it demand? Will it take on her task?

"Archon of Heaven."

"Such a polite binding, for an Evil wizard! Though your fine circle holds me quite fast."

Some planets whir experimentally at the circle, testing its edges.

"...I do not know the Proper Forms for Addressing an Archon of Heaven."

"I would appreciate efficiency, the lack of invocations of Evil Powers, and things along those lines. There are too many contexts to which one might find oneself called for me to make highly specific demands of you. I will not do Evil or countenance Evil being done with myself as a means and whatever you may ask of me I will turn within the letter of our agreement to the Good."

"I do not believe the Task which I would ask of you to tend towards Evil." Deep breath. "It is Neutral and I suppose whatever Payment you will Demand of me shall weigh towards the Good and I do not Object, being myself Desirous that the Good should be Advanced." Well, in a very abstract sense anyway.

"Please explain the task at hand, then." Interested spinning.

"I am an Attorney," she begins, and tells the tale of the Convention, and of how she came to represent a priest of Iomedae, as efficiently as she can think to manage.

"I have in Previous Years been Accustomed to the aid of Devils of Hell in certain matters and" miss it "feel the Lack of Planar Counsel quite Sorely. Owing to the Present Situation I have turned instead to an Archon of Heaven to Review the Construction of my Case."

"The 'aid' of devils! If you lack that you lack nothing of value. They will be sure to marry any help they give you to a greater harm to you."

A planet and its moons whir thoughtfully. "You propose a task difficult to price. I would take into account the extent to which it serves Good itself where permitted, the cost of the spell I assume you stand prepared to provide me, additional cost for the risk I have assumed by passing under the power of an Evil wizard, and so on. In all honesty my own desired price turns sharply on whether you prevail or lose and on this I do not care to speculate, but neither am I skilled in making any sort of actuarial determination."

"To the Extent that it is Within my Power," she admits, "I had not intended to demand a Fee of Select Wain beyond taking the Nominal Retainer I have already Charged. It is not entirely within my Power and this is a Decision made without Thought of my Engaging your Services, so any Service to Good arising therefrom should not Figure."

"Nonetheless if it would be your ordinary practice to bill the cost of my services onward to your client the forgiveness of such might still count in your favor. I am not ignorant of the practices of professional service firms."

A planet makes its circuit around another planet, the system reconfiguring.

"You will swear to call me again after the matter is concluded to settle the debt. And you will pledge now as my own retainer either..." some spinning as it ponders the concept of time "a full working day of legal services at the disposal of a Lawful and Good church, or the monetary fee you would charge for the same given to such a church."

That isn't a horrific fee at all, though who knows what it will demand later. "Those are Acceptable Terms," she agrees, and steps forward to share her language and make the documents of the case available for review. "I swear to them as you have stated them, by Iomedae as Guarantor."

"Then it is my pleasure to review your case file!" Pleased spinning as it accepts the spell. "And for my own amusement... hmm." It's not a humming sound so much as a wordless tinkling of bells, like a wind chime in a winter storm.

"Your own Amusement?"

"I will puzzle out why you called on outside counsel from Heaven and not Axis. Perhaps it is only that you hoped to merit a discount on my fee for having a priest of Iomedae for your client. Or perhaps you are scheming. I will be aggrieved if it is an Evil scheme, of course."

It's... a Neutral scheme, probably.

"I must find my way to a Meeting now," she says. "Are you able to Manipulate my Notes and Documents on your own?"

"I believe I'll manage; I am accustomed to many formats of information. Joyful duty to you."

Heart pounding, she leaves the office.