:I know that Abadar became concerned they would be used again by Her as weapons. I guess it can be inferred that He hasn't been able to talk things out with Her.:

:I really wish my life involved fewer fights between gods: 

:That is a really understandable thing to want! I'm sorry for our part in it. I don't think Osirion or Cheliax are mad at Valdemar, for what it's worth. Just - confused about the lack of response, I guess.:

:Trust me, so am I! I - feel less like the crazy one, hearing your read on it: 

:It seems like the Companion system depends on the integrity of the gods. I'm sorry yours seem to include some that aren't worthy of that.:

:It does sort of - violate the entire premise Valdemar was founded on. King Valdemar supposedly prayed to every god he'd ever heard of, for a miracle, and got the Companions that way: Shrug. :But if the rest can do the thing 'Fandes did, if their Heralds are mad enough at gods, then...maybe it'll be all right: 

Nod. :At least we're not on fire.:

:There is that: 

Randi gets up and rejoins them a few minutes later. "Van, you might as well bring over the pharaoh's diplomats, we can't put them off for a week and - who knows how long it'll take for the Companions to - sort out their thing." He reaches to squeeze Shavri's hand. "I can manage until then." 

"Um, if you're sure." Vanyel gives Fazil a worried look. 

"I think they'll be okay waiting a couple of days if that's more comfortable for everyone here. ...unless Starwind and Moondance escape, that'd be very awkward. I don't know how to assess how plausible it is."

"They are under a set-command not to run away in general as well as not to Gate, and are being guarded, but - I am not sure what could happen." 

"Maybe we should wait one day. Also just in case anything really weird happens." 

"That sounds good. Uh," gods what's her title "Shavri, do they need me at Healers'?"

"Oh! Gods, this entire thing has been so distracting, I haven't done a shift there in ages. They can probably use a hand if you wanted to swing by?" 

:I think her formal title is 'Healer Shavri' if that's what you were unsure about: Vanyel prompts. :Not that anyone here will be very fussed, we're way less formal than Osirion, it's why all the Heralds are terrible at remembering the pharaoh protocols: 

:I have noticed that you're way less formal than Osirion!: He'll swing by there to see if anyone needs healing or anything.

Gemma could absolutely use his help with the patients who're there for injuries or who might benefit a lot from Lesser Restoration. 

Yfandes is out on her walk with Sondra for the rest of that day, occasionally Mindspeaking Vanyel to ask how Randi is doing. 

Randi does, in fact, seem to be managing; he's a little more distracted than usual but he has Shavri with him and plugs through some of the backlog of minor Karse-related decisions. 

Savil swings by Vanyel's guest room after handing off Tayledras-watching duty to another Herald, and reports that they have not tried to run away at all. She's a bit stiff and formal with him, compared to before. 

Fazil will come back once he's used his healing spells, hug Van, and try to distract them both with discussion of, uh....

"Did you grow up in Haven?"

"Oh, me?" Vanyel glances at his aunt. "No. We're both from Forst Reach, it's a landholding out at the western border - er, what used to be the western border, we've now officially annexed Lineas and Baires." 

"They used to be these two tiny kingdoms over there that went to war with each other every generation or so. Most recently, the entire royal family of Lineas got ripped apart by demons, and then Donni Final Strike'd the entire royal family of Baires because they were trying to take over and would've caused a giant earthquake - er, it's complicated, long story. And, while we're speaking of awkward events - Van, you'd said you suspected the dagger was Leareth, did you ever ask him?" 

"Oh, um, yes, he confessed to for some reason giving Vedric Mavelan a magic dagger that would cause someone's entire family to be attacked by demons, which he planned to use to take over Lineas some number of decades later. Leareth wanted all the Baires mages and all of Lineas' unused mage-energy to help out with invading Valdemar. Though apparently Vedric goddamned Mavelan was absolutely not supposed to trigger it when he did, and Leareth would have confiscated it if he'd known Vedric was scheming to do it before Leareth actually kicked off his invasion, but I guess he missed that one. Well, we did know he used to read as Evil."