"Mind controlling people's not Evil but it's kind of - Asmodean? Long-term, I mean. It's about the shape they are not being useful enough and having the power to instead just make them a useful one. Obviously as a method of stopping them from getting in your way it's not any more Asmodean than a sword.

I'm still kind of confused about how the incentives work if you don't even much punish people who betray you but I am willing to try it out and see exactly how much betrayal ends up being invited."

"Yes, I think my methods in Velgarth were somewhat Asmodean. I was very ruthless because nothing else worked. ThoughI would not generally use long-term mind control to get useful things out of someone, it does not actually work that well; it is better for negative commands such as 'do not murder me'. Aroden and I both converged on a policy of using it voluntarily as a prerequisite for people joining our most sensitive projects, because we both noticed that no matter how trustworthy people are from an inside perspective - and this was even sometimes when I read people's minds during the vetting interview and they were genuinely very aligned - it is very hard for a secret to stay secret without that precaution, people can be suborned later on. But - I think part of what Iomedae means, when she says that Good paths are more available to me here, is that I ought consider doing less of those methods that would make Good people see me as comparable to Asmodeus. And I would prefer it if the best path toward winning, in the long run, did not require that kind of compromise." 

Nod. "Uh, in old Cheliax it'd have been harder for me to get away with the thing I did because they systematically make the servants submit to regular mindreading instead of just doing it when it comes up, where it's less noticeable if someone is shielding or just thinking the same song lyrics forty times in a row. I don't know if there's a nicer way to get that result."

"Better detection of magic items might have done it; it would have caught both your familiar in the conference room and if you had in fact had a weapon, which is the real threat I want to prevent. I can talk to Aroden about ways of doing that." 

Nod. "...anyway I think that's everything I wanted to talk about? Unless you had anything..."

"I think I have one more thing." He takes a deep breath. "Someone I know suggested I could come to trust you more quickly if I read your mind. I am reluctant, though, because of your previous associations with that, under Asmodeus. I am sure I can also get there the normal human way." 

" - I have been assuming that you and Aroden have been since I came to your attention - surely he didn't ask me four questions and then decide I wasn't a threat based on my tone of voice when I answered them -"

"Oh, Aroden did. I could not actually get past your hatpin, and in the demiplane I did not have magic either. Also most of what he read from you was that you were terrified he would torture you to death. I have not attempted it since I put together what Iomedae sent you for - it seemed like not the best foot to start out on, with someone I want to marry." 

" - but I could've been terrified he would torture me to death and also a real enemy! Real enemies are also terrified of that! I assume! If anything you'd expect people to be more terrified of it if given the information available to them it seems more likely!

Uh. You can read my mind to decide how far you can trust me, if you'd like, but only if you're nice and gentle and sweet about it, how's that."

"- I did not mean to imply that part was useful to him at all in deciding you were not a threat. It made it harder for him to find out what he wanted, I think. He was still, however, very confident that while he was reading your mind, he would be able to tell if you were lying, and you were not lying that Iomedae sent you, that was the relevant part."

Leareth ducks his head. "Maybe that ought be enough. It does give me a very strong prediction that you are not going to harm me and that I want you on my side, so I am quite motivated by that, but...it is apparently not the same kind of thing as being able to relax enough that I am capable of wanting physical intimacy beyond hugging you and holding your hand." 

"Well. I want you to relax around me, and I think the thing I have negative associations with is - more specific than just 'anyone reading my mind in any situation'. So, those are my conditions."

"I think I can be nice and gentle and sweet about it - well, as much as I can about anything, I would not expect people to list those foremost among my traits." He's silent for a moment. "Also, do you have Detect Thoughts? I - would not mind if you wanted to read me. Possibly not at the same time, it sounds distracting." He might need to avoid thinking about some topics but he's reasonably capable of that, and she won't be able to pull nearly as much information out of reading him as Aroden could. 

"I have it. At the same time gets you into circles chasing each others' thoughts around, it mostly just makes me dizzy."

"Yes, that seems unhelpful. One at a time, then." 

"Should we set a date?"

"Sure. Would you prefer before or after I take you to Absalom?" 

"Before. If it's all the same to you."

"Of course." Leareth gets out the little book he keeps on him with his scheduled commitments. "Tomorrow evening?" 

"Sure."

He squeezes her hand. Smiles a little. "And I do think you would find it valuable talking to Vanyel. We could go check if he is free tonight, or tomorrow for lunch?" 

"Sure."

Leareth takes her hand and walks with her to Vanyel's Work Room, where he stops and politely knocks. 

Vanyel stops singing to himself. "Mmm, come in?" 

Leareth opens the door. "Vanyel, this is Carissa. Carissa, Vanyel. I think you two ought to speak." 

Vanyel is trying so hard not to smirk. He's also holding a just-finished diamond the size of his head. "That sounds nice."