"Fazil said they seemed open to helping in Cheliax. It'd be unprecedented but, well, their world doesn't have a Cheliax."

Nod. "I will probably still need to ask Khemet to relay to Vanyel and request he find out if any of their strong Mindspeakers are willing to do this. And - I could use advice on how to propose the other idea to Vanyel, which I intend to do if my redesigned diamond-making spell works for him this afternoon. I think I can speak of it, since it is about the Worldwound and not even contingent on specific information Malduoni has told us about his plans, but - I would like a way to say it that is minimally awful. It occurred to me that if we have resurrection-grade diamonds, he can call Final Strike more than once. This would be fairly useless in Cheliax since we do not want excess civilian casualties - or military casualties, even - but it would be very effective against demons." 

" - huh."

"Is it, uh, awful - I guess no one has any way to know that -"

"My immortality method is based around surviving the 'death' of my body. Which means I have died, and several times it was by Final Strike. It does not hurt." 

"- damn. 

Uh. 

Does seem like the kind of thing that'd maybe let you clear your way all the way to the Worldwound and have breathing room to close it. Which would be a very big deal."

"I suspect he ought have enough control to at least point it in one direction, too - this is moderately but not absurdly difficult. Meaning that as long as he was in the front, the rest of the forces would not need to vacate the entire area in order to avoid the blast, and it would be even more effective at demon-destruction. ...They would die permanently, I suppose, since they are coming through an interplanar opening rather than being summoned. I am not sure whether or not I ought be bothered by that. If they are intelligent beings, even evil ones..." Sigh. 

"Unless Malduoni has a lot of tricks up his sleeve that he didn't have a couple hundred years ago we don't have a way to close the Worldwound without killing demons. I think you oughta be a little bit bothered about that. Lotsa them have probably been living there for eighty years, lotsa them might not be there willingly.

I don't see another way, though. And as long as the Worldwound is open there'll be tons of people dying every day on both sides."

Leareth nods. "I agree, we do not really have a choice here." 

"If we have a way to clear it does Malduoni have a way to close it. He might not have expected to have it clear, so it might not be in the plans, but if he would have worked out the wording for a Wish -"

"He did not brief me on plans but I am almost certain he would have some contingency, just in case, even if it seemed nearly impossible it would be relevant. I would." 

"Well, maybe tell him it'll be relevant. If Vanyel agrees. - maybe ask Yfandes how to ask Vanyel."

"That is a good idea." Leareth look thoughtful. "Anyway, the last piece is not one where I need to consult Vanyel, but I do need to think. And I suppose figure out if Vanyel ought be inconveniently elsewhere. The context is that Khemet - offered to help Malduoni with casting a contingent resurrection, and Malduoni is potentially interested, but of course he would need to travel. I am not sure where is reasonable for them to meet, possibly it ought be here." 

"I would be pretty surprised if the pharaoh's willing to leave Osirion. Especially when Malduoni totally kidnapped us."

"Reasonable of him. In Velgarth I am generally reluctant to travel to places not under my control, even to meet allies, but Malduoni may feel more secure about his ability to defend himself against almost-arbitrary threats. High level wizards in your world are absurdly powerful." 

"They are. And - they're both lawful heads of state, I assume there is some - set of procedures or guarantees that is standard here -"

"Right. Also he is not in a position where the gods have Foresight and wish him dead." 

"I didn't even know you could do a contingent resurrection but I guess if anyone would've figured out how to make Contingency more powerful and flexible it'd be him probably."

"I suppose he would not have expected to have access to divine magic for it, but it does seem like him to prepare for the option anyway." 

"Contingency is useful for lots of other things. If I'm knocked unconscious, Teleport me back to my base - if I am under the effect of a mind-affecting spell, cast Protection from Evil -"

"That does sound very useful. You can sometimes set up that kind of thing with artifacts in Velgarth, but not with very complex spells." 

"I'm a bit surprised he doesn't have some way to access divine magic anyway - no, I guess I'm not. If you kidnap a cleric and use mind control to make them raise your dead, that maybe works once, but then their god stops giving them spells and you have Their attention.

Do we know yet who - betrayed him -"

"No. I asked Khemet and he answered a different question; he thought he might be able to learn more from Abadar, but it seems he has not succeeded in that yet." 

He nods. 

"I assume, if you're moving your whole army through, then the plan for us mostly involves travelling with them as people who know the local magic and geography?"

"That would seem to make sense. Malduoni may have his own plan for logistics there, though."