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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.
Vanyel sleeps in late, which according to Yfandes is NO SURPRISE, and he still feels not quite as rested as he should, but he gets up and goes and cranks out a diamond in one of the Work Rooms. The slight hollowness even after Lesser Restoration hints that he maybe shouldn't go for two this time.
Nefreti Clepati comes when summoned, which she doesn't always. She does a pitch-perfect illusion of herself prostrating herself on the floor, which he can see right through because she always does that but which leaves the guards none the wiser.
"Sit comfortably," he says tiredly, and illusion-Clepati joins real Clepati in one of the chairs in his throne room for this purpose. "I imagine you have a guess what I'm here to ask you about."
"Cheliax teaches every child with a spark of talent arcane magic, you know. Every little boy and girl. The best schools of arcane magic in the world."
"It's hard to see in the fog. He's very sure of himself, but he was very sure of himself last time, too. And he owes me an apology. I won't help without one."
"We had hoped that you might be willing to aid Vanyel in his plan to - explode a lot and take back the Worldwound."
"I have Nefreti Clepati here. She says she would love to help but wants an apology first."
"- From me? I would not have said the apologies owed went in that direction."
"I think she means your acquaintance in Rahadoum. I have no idea why he would owe her one either but she says he does."
"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?"
"I heard you said that I would love him. If not for - things we have taken up and cannot put down."
"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?"