Oh she absolutely has an accent, but he can understand her fine when she's not muttering in exhaustion, so it's just interesting-sounding.  (It's great how many ways there are for people to not sound Taldan.  Of course the prevailing opinion in Taldor was that any other accent was a sign of inherent inferiority, which is what pushed him pretty far in the opposite direction.)

"Well. I'm glad it all worked out all right, when it so easily could've not.  And – you decided to stay, since you were here already?"

"Well, I hadn't yet been chosen, that was a few days later, but once then it was obvious- in truth, I suspect Nethys may've also affected the trap, so unlikely was it to send us where I should be needed instead of merely killing us?  But of course I'd no idea at the time."

"Oh!  That's very likely, if He only chose you afterward.  Though I can see what you mean about the mysterious ways, now." 

And he really shouldn't be talking only to her, even if she's by far the most talkative one of the bunch, so the next question can be for the rest of the squad.  "And so you ended up with two Good clerics?  ...Or positive-channeling ones, in any case."  Nethys isn't Good, and while Iomedae's people generally are, the ex-Asmodean might be an exception if anyone would.  "I'm glad the gods have been so helpful to you.  How is the fort doing, with everything that's been going on?"

They're perhaps not expecting this- there's half a moment of silent glances negotiating before the one who's apparently been nominated speaks up.  "We're holding.  Artigas's a good commander."  After another beat, he adds, "Sensible."

"I'd say it's best of the forts,"  Khalida volunteers, possibly to fill the silence, "and not merely that it saved my life."

Oh they're so cautious.  It makes sense that they would be, but he wonders what they think about him and the way he isn't at all.

"Yes – I expect I would've heard of it if all the Chelish forts were doing as well as it sounds like you are."

"Which makes me wonder why that is.  And I'm generally so curious about your commander's story, but I... don't get the impression you're much for... telling people things."  He doesn't sound like he's judging them for it, he sounds like he's trying to figure out how to act with them, and would maybe like some help with it.  

"Well, it's not a secret..."  Khalida glances at the impromptu spokesman.

"He said paladins don't lie, so he ain't," he confirms.

She nods, and continues, "But I don't know much further- he, um, had been dropped, as, um, all of them were, and then one day She chose him anew, same circle and all.  But what it was that drew Her attention, he hasn't said, it wasn't, ah, nearly so dramatic as mine."  It's transparent bait for a subject change, but hopefully it's clear it's not a demand for one?

He's not sure what it even is that he ain't lying about!  He doesn't think he's said anything particularly loadbearing?...  Besides being glad of various things going well, which he supposes would tell them he's not secretly ill-disposed to them in some way – even if it doesn't feel to him like something where it's important to know it's definitely true, because why in the world wouldn't it be.

"Wait, you mean he was an Asmodean cleric, before??  That's... ... that's incredibly strange.  Not impossible, even without an alignment change, but... he must be a fascinating sort of person, to match Them both."  He should... well, pray about it, before he sleeps, but presumably Iomedae already knows what's happening and doesn't need any of it to be different, so after that he should write to someone in the Church who'd know more about it – probably Lastwall – and see if they're any less surprised than he is.  Not that he's sure Lastwall will tell him anything, since he's not theirs and they probably don't even know for sure who he is.  (Mendev is an Iomedean country, but it's really not well organized or well supplied at it.)

He'll see if any of them will add something, but since the men let Khalida tell the story despite her not having been there for it, he doesn't really expect them to suddenly start talking. 

"Um.  Yes."  Fuuuuuck they've been here like ten minutes and she's already shocked the nice foreign paladin.  

"Cast Light with his table knife,"  one of the men offers eventually, after it's clear more words aren't happening.  "In the mess, so's no one could doubt it."

Ah, so it is possible to get them to talk!  For the price of making everyone look deeply awkward, so he probably shouldn't keep doing it.

"That must've really been something."  He shakes his head in amazement, trying to imagine what the situation must've felt like.

"So, is he in contact with anyone?  Lastwall, I'd guess?  Well, for all I know he's been talking with the Mendevian Church and it's just that nobody's had reason to tell me anything about it." 

"Mmhmm."  Okay, this is basically small talk again?  Assemble the sentence first.  "I know not who specifically, but he's corresponding with Lastwall, he got the Acts and their fort handbook.  And the insurance adjuster also."

"Oh good."  Well, part small talk and part checking who he can write to if he wants to verify this story and find out how they verified it, because surely it could be some more complicated thing going on, even if he doesn't really expect it to be.

"Well, do you want to tell me your dramatic story?  ...Or you could just finish your food and go rest and make travel plans," apologetic smile.  "I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrogate you, it just sounds like there's been so many interesting things going on over there."

"Oh, I'd not taunt you and then not share, though it's scarcely so dignified.  I, um-" no, strange paladins probably don't want the technical detail- fuck, she's stuck again on what to say instead- hopeful glance at Cambra?

"She exploded,"  he fills in helpfully, and that startles a giggle out of her even as it unsticks her words.  She nods embarrassed confirmation.

"I shan't do it again!  Never fear,"  she waves a hand in front of her as though to physically waft away the prospect of exploding someone else's fort.  "Not before I've my own laboratory, at any rate, I just- I truly did not know one might explode a spell hanging it and not just casting it."

He looks rather alarmed for a moment, but-- clearly she's all right, and it is funny.  He's laughing at her charmingly archaic reassurances a second later.  "Maybe I should back out of this shared travel arrangement!  I didn't know there was an explosion risk!"

"There isn't!  Really!", she protests, but- yes, he's clearly teasing, she offers a sidelong grin in return.  "Did no one warn you I was chosen of Nethys?  And after we came all this way..."

"No one did!  But if all these men were brave enough to risk being near you all day," a more restrained grin for the squad, "then maybe I can gather the courage for it.  They don't look very exploded."

"I may swear to you, I've exploded none but myself! ...and giant scorpions, or uh, medium larger than usual scorpions.  And some crockery when I was small."

"Who of us hasn't?" he replies solemnly. 

"So the average-sized scorpions are safe?"

"Well, average sized scorpions one can, um, I don't know the Taldane-"  she mimes squashing something, "oh, kill with a boot, one needn't use a spell.  And we're big enough they don't look to us as food, they shouldn't attack except startled or, um, cursed, or in one's clothes."

"Stomp," he supplies.  "Well, best of luck to them out here, in any case," grin, gesture out at the surrounding cold landscape through the fort's conspicuous lack of windows. 

"So... you made the exciting discovery that spells can explode when you hang them and not just cast them, and for this new knowledge Nethys gave you a cleric level?"

"Essentially?  I'd hit my head and took myself out, so I know not when precisely He chose me, I was only certain the next dawn."  She makes a bit of a face at this.  "I suppose it possible He approved of cleaning the dishes yet injured as much as experimenting, but one doesn't hear Him called the god of magic and stubbornness."

"Very true.  Well, congratulations to you as well, on the achievement and on making such good use of it."

Small smile.  "I thank you."  Okay no, it's operationally relevant, she has to tell him, what if there's a demon attack and he's expecting her to have a Cure in reserve... okay actually she's not sure what tactical difference one Cure Light would make compared to her channels, but still.  God of Knowledge.  Deep breath.

"I also, um.  It's not a full circle.  I- can't yet hang properly divine spells."

"Huh, strange! I didn't know gods did that.  I suppose Nethys might do all sorts of things just to see how they go."

"Hmm, do you think you're just not quite at a full circle, or might you be some unusual thing that's a bit different from a cleric, the way there are people who are something a bit different from a wizard and have their circles lined up differently?"

"I'm not certain- it's been some months since I got my extra second, so I might have expected my next wizard circle soon?  But Artigas hadn't heard of such a thing either.  I can channel fine, though, and create water and such."

"Which is really the important thing, here."

"...Wait, did you say you're nearly third circle??  That's-- either wildly impressive, not to mention a little concerning," he glances at her squad, wondering if they're also worried about just how much of a tendency to get into dangerous situations their rather young cleric apparently has, "or you're older than you look?"