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An adventuring party recruited from Osirion teleports into Azir on the 8th of Desnus. Rahadoum's recruiting contact in Osirion wrote ahead to note they were expected. Couple of guys he's known a long time - a wizard, a ranger - and a new guy, sorcerer, probably to replace the cleric they usually travel with. They spend two days in Azir getting oriented and head out to the front. The ranger wears an unusually high quality amulet of Nondetection; the sorcerer wears a headband for intelligence, which is a bit unusual as sorcerers usually don't need it to cast, but some variants do; they are otherwise unremarkable. Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, no reading, which could mean neutral or 'hiding it'. They work quickly and effectively, manage resources reasonably well, get recommended to higher-ups for a closer look on that account.
"Not a problem." He puts the mirror away. "I heard you kidnapped Leareth," he says, mostly so there's not five minutes of awkward silence.
"Hmmmm?
I think you can actually see the whole shape of it and are just pretending you cannot, as a game."
"I mostly cannot see the whole shapes of things, only what actually happens, in the same plane as reality as me, in front of my face."
"And you call yourself a godking! It's very silly. You should stop it. But enough of the shape of things has played out in front of your very face that I think you are playing games, calling it kidnapping. Putting people on a path they want to be on is a favor to them."
"You kidnapped Leareth knowing that he and Vanyel would reconcile, and discover the plan in Rahadoum, and be able to help with it?"
"You heard it! Even though it did not happen right in front of your face. There is hope for you yet. Sometimes you love him. Sometimes you love him even though you really shouldn't, and sometimes you love him and absolutely should. Have you not noticed?"
He desperately wishes Aroden would get back to them and this conversation would be over, that's what he thinks about that. "I am not expanding my harem for men because then I would neglect my wives even more," he says instead, which isn't what he meant to say at all but whatever.
Leareth goes to find Malduoni. Waits briefly until he's finished his current task. Gets his attention, signals that it's important.
"Nefreti will help with the Worldwound. But she wishes for an - apology? From you. She said that you would know what you did." He's very curious but is not going to ask, if his alt doesn't want to say it's up to him.
To his surprise, Malduoni breaks into a smile. Not a very wide one, but - gentle, fond.
He's silent for a long moment.
Leareth waits. He's very confused, which is not usually how he feels around Malduoni.
"- Well. She is not wrong. And - I had hoped we might speak again, someday, when I knew enough to judge it safe."
Is he going to say what he could possibly have done?
"So you will go to her and apologize, then?"
"If she is willing to come to Azir, that is of course ideal, but if not, I suppose another Gate to the winter palace is not too hard on you." He lets out his breath. "And - I could use a few moments to gather my thoughts."
Leareth nods, waits respectfully. When Malduoni acknowledges that he's ready, he contacts the pharaoh again to ask if Nefreti Clepati is willing to transport herself to Azir or if she would prefer that Malduoni Gate over to the shielded room in the palace they used before.
" - a minute before you contacted me she walked right out so I think probably she is willing to transport herself to Azir. Even she will have to leave the Dome first, so you'll have a little time, probably."
"Ah. Thank you. She is - disconcerting, that way." He's relieved not to have to do a Gate; he's very efficient, and he's got a lot of mages across now who are trained in Gates and doing the brunt of the troop transport, but he's still using magic a lot and it adds up.
