"-all the sounds? That was Celestial, the language which angels use to communicate to mortals. Celestial includes sounds that mortals could not produce, because angels can produce any sound that can be made."

"The ones that sounded like - animals or choirs or things, what did they mean?"

"Those were the sounds that, when accompanied by their epithets and the description of what they wish to do with or to you, best represent who those gods are. Cyrrollalee is best represented by the sound of a door opening and by my saying that she 'has come here to make a home for you', in addition to her epithets. Thus, that is what I said to you."

"Okay. They all sound great. Besides Celestian sending spellcasters what are they going to do?"

"Gods will rarely intervene directly, even if it is important, because it is costly. However, on Arcadia, some of the gods can operate without fear of retribution, as the Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia is a blessed plane of peace, kingship, and harmony. Cyrrollalee, Celestian, and Marthammor Duin will assist with portals and interplanar travel. Neselthia, Isharia, Deneir, and Shekinester will assist with trade and settlement. Ihehy and Iallanis will assist- in the future, in some way I do not understand, with the happiness of the people. They will help with babies and with castes."

"Would I understand it?"

"You may, but they cannot communicate directly with you. Perhaps you will find one of their priests helpful as your colonists begin to settle. In any case, they will not assist us at this stage. For now, worry not of those matters. We need only find a place for your settlement to form, where The Hearthkeeper can welcome Amentans."

"I have a list of recommendations but haven't scoped them out yet. - do formians have a god, my recommendations are near them."

"Formians do not have a patron god, and most of the gods they commonly worship are lawful-neutral. Such gods are not at home on Arcadia, but they include Helm, god of guardians and protectors, Hoar, god of revenge and justice, the Red Knight, goddess of strategy and tactics, Siamorphe, goddess of nobility and the right to rule, and Urogalan, god of earth and death."

"Are any of those going to be trouble if they notice through the formians early on?"

"Siamorphe," the angel says with a note of judgment, the first emotion of any kind Lintalai has detected in an angel's voice, "may interfere if she believes that Amentans have not rightfully taken power. As long as Amentans' legal systems are consistent and reliable, she will not even notice what they do. The rest will not get involved unless you endanger their followers. Be gentle with priests."

Lintalai nods. "Thank you very much."

The angel nodded, and with no one else to deliver messages to, walked awkwardly out of the spa to take off flying.

Lintalai has a few more appointments to mop up - like with the birdperson; just because gods plan to send her people doesn't mean she can assume she won't need any more.

The bird-person is happy to talk to her.

"I've just received word from my colleagues. I have five high-level wizards who are willing to come work for you, and, ah, as for their deficiencies..."

He summarizes them: former con artist (started a cult on the Prime, "wouldn't tell me more than that, sorry"), tiefling (much maligned-species mostly due to their fiendish ancestry, fiends are all evil), leatherhead (intelligent, but not wise, bad at picking up nuance), Sinker ("Thinking entropy is inevitable isn't a crime, but a lot of people don't take well to someone who wants to hasten it"), and tax evader.

"...how did the entropy hastening thing work out?"

"Oh, they believe that there is too much life in the universe, and activities that produce life are a countervailing force to entropy, the correct state of affairs. They took up a career in sterilizing people to prevent further reproduction, campaigned against the production of animals for consumption, and generally did things which were more annoying than dangerous, until a series of illegal abortions that got them executed. I'm told that the women consented to the procedures but that their husbands were not always informed."

"...I think I probably can't use that one but the others might be fine. Though I can't promise the tax evader won't get in trouble if they later evade taxes in an Amentan state. Same with the other ones with criminal histories."

Nod.

"Those four of my colleagues will happily come work for you in building a magical university. Thank you for your patronage of Arcadian magicians."

He gives her the names of the acceptable wizards, and bids her goodbye.

Later that day, Daernir returns. He tells her that his parents missed him and his sister annoyed him by asking him all about Lintalai and what they'd been doing but he only told her what he thought isn't officially a state secret, like talking to priests- which maybe everything else they did is?

They swing by Iozhe's room, letting her know that they're leaving but Lintalai is still interested in her bodyguarding services until they can find a replacement who tolerates spellcasters better.

Tyshvian Coppersmelter, the administrative assistant, is also available, if Lintalai wishes to make use of her.

Lintalai does! She's getting to be very busy and having an assistant to delegate some tasks to and keep her schedule organized will be helpful.

She'll happily follow them and they can get started. She might want one of those pocket everythings once they're around, too, but for now she'll manage without; she did it for centuries.

The quartet return to Abellio.

"Oh, by the way," Daernir says as soon as they step through, having nearly forgotten, "Intrepid wanted to make sure you were okay. Um, let me try to talk to him."

He tries. It doesn't work.

"Guess we have to let him know you're back."

"Hope he's not too hard to find."

"He's not. He's been waiting around here for two days, except at night, when he runs. It's not dark enough for that yet."

Daernir will- let Lintalai pay for her own room, since by playing music every day she's managed to earn more money than he has visiting his parents. While she's paying, he'll go find Intrepid.