"...I see."

"My fee to consult at present is—" He names a relatively modest sum. Not a lot of people want to pay for Abadaran counsel at the moment.

Is there any chance Thall is going to volunteer to cover this since it will maybe keep him alive. Probably not. "Very well."

The Inquisition confiscated everything but his clothes when they arrested him the first time, and unlike his spellbook it was not worth spending even a few extra moments retrieving his coin purse.

"Alright. What is your current proposed wording?"

He repeats it.

Wow he has a really good memory for details like that. Is that an Inquisitor thing. "I'd want definitions of several of the terms, most prominently 'escape', but also such details as whether the precise sentence already issued is the only lawful one and the Prelate's custody the only suitable or if a lengthier trial with other presiding parties and results would serve, and furthermore I'd be much more confident of my ability to prevent escape with Thall's cooperation and have not yet heard a clear affirmative on that."

"If I wanted to save my own skin and let the city burn I would have just left." Which is to say, he won't try to escape until after they've dealt with the Wardstone crisis, assuming the Iomedaeans are actually planning to do something about that.

Fiducia Rathimus expects that 'escape' would include any form of intentionally departing custody for another location, as well as covering situations where Thall permits himself to be removed to another location by another party (not including Kenabres law enforcement). Thall dying would not constitute escape if he is not subsequently resurrected, and Fiducia Rathimus does not understand this oath to require Blai to ensure that Thall is unresurrectable (though it would not permit him to intentionally orchestrate Thall's death and resurrection and then subsequently let him go). Thall being straightforwardly kidnapped would not constitute escape. If there are particular edge cases Blai is wondering about, Fiducia Rathimus would be happy to clarify.

The Prelate's sentence could be overridden by the Queen, in which case delivering him to whatever she prescribes instead would be acceptable. If the Mendevian inquisition were to rescind their sentence and replace it with an alternative one, that would also be acceptable. Rathimus does not understand the proposed wording to permit intentionally having the Eagle Watch sentence Thall to something more lenient and then delivering him to that, though it would permit handing him over to Eagle Watch custody if he expected them to then deliver Thall to the Inquisition.

"I had wondered in particular if he'd be permitted to sign on to an unrelated allied Worldwound-treaty-covered outfit, such as Crusader's Fort, thereafter to be subject to their usual discipline, but it sounds like that would not be acceptable?"

"I don't expect you would be permitted to intentionally hand them over to their custody in order to avoid him being punished in accordance with the Inquisition's judgment. If you'll allow me a moment..."

He retrieves a copy of the Worldwound treaty to confirm and looks through it for a minute.

"Prelate, what offenses was he... convicted... of?"

"Treason, trespassing in a military installation, sabotaging military infrastructure, unlawful flight from custody, and resisting arrest. The military installation being the area holding the Wardstone, and the military infrastructure being the Wardstone itself."

"Thank you. Select, if he were to somehow make it to Crusader's Fort on his own recognizance, this oath does not oblige you to retrieve him, but it does not permit you to intentionally facilitate this."

There probably just shouldn't be a city bordering the Wound. A civilian from anywhere else can in fact take Worldwound service in place of an awful lot of possible convictions. Maybe not treason. Might depend on the fort. Having a city here means there are civilians who can't do that and that seems fucked up. "Is the information about him being in the party, alive, convicted but execution postponed, information that I would have to avoid disclosing in any way that could make it back to his associates?"

"...I think it technically would, yes."

"I am willing to amend the proposed wording to permit you to discuss this in situations where this information could theoretically make it back to his confederates, provided that you do not intentionally cause it to do so." There is no chance that this tavern has avoided cultist infiltration, and everyone here has eyes.

Are any opinions emanating from Irabeth's face. Also he has a question for Thall - "Are a few days more of helping before you see Elysium worth it to you?"

"If I can make a difference, then obviously I want to help."

Irabeth looks kind of skeptical of Hulrun's account of the charges against Thull, but not like she thinks pressing the point is actually going to accomplish anything. There's a slight underlying nervousness to it that's been present since the moment she saw Hulrun.

Okay.

Maybe the horse will sing. Or maybe it won't. But if it's worth it to Thall, yeah, he'll buy a few days. He wants a written copy of the revised agreement that Rathimus can retain one of and then he'll read it off.

"Very well. Select, you mentioned earlier that you had something else you wished to discuss with me; do you require privacy for that?"

"Ser Tirabade wished you to be apprised of tomorrow's mission planning and I will defer to her on how much privacy she wants for disclosing it."

The meeting itself is secret but the fact that it's happening isn't; they'll sweep the room for observation insofar as they can. She provides the Prelate with the details of the meeting.

"Understood."