"Don't pretend you wouldn't ignore the warning and read it anyways.  I am saving us some time."

Aspexia Rugatonn does not really understand, on an intuitive level, why this Queen is not dead twelve times over.

The Queen reads the cover report, followed by the full transcript.

"Well this is fascinating material.  And optimistic in its news, I daresay.  If I am reading correctly, most dath ilani are too weak and indulged for them to make proper use of their own Law.  We may hope for Asmodeans of true faith to become stronger than their Kelthams, the equals of their Keepers who correct themselves without mercy."

"Really.  I would be tempted to read it, save that I could hardly tell the difference if Abrogail Thrune went madder, and so your continued beingness of yourself presents me with no proof about my own safety."

"Set that aside.  What of Pilar's curse's claim to her that the deed served Otolmens's interest - was there anything in the transcript which made sense of that?  That must be our most urgent question."

"In terms of what stands out within the transcript upon a glance - Keltham said that Keepers would be those responsible for closing the Worldwound, or for guarding such dangerous information as he thought had been created by Asmodia.  Fearing the dread consequence of mild unhappiness that might go along with seeking this benefit, he attempted to forbid his women from becoming Keepers or teaching others to become such.  Pilar chastised him for standing between his women and Asmodeus, at her curse's prompting, going into some detail on why our Lord would wish it so, and her own nature that seeks to be corrected by Him; and Keltham now seems on course to relent."

"Hm.  You think that it serves Otolmens's interest for there to be Keepers in Golarion?"

"That dath ilan's arts would inevitably destroy our world, absent their Keepers to contain them, is an obvious thought."

"Perhaps too obvious.  Cayden Cailean has played a very tight game, and I wonder if this obvious reading, seemingly all helpful compliance and mutual interest, is meant to conceal some deeper sting."

"I wonder if Asmodia would see the sting, already, as clearly as do I."

"Still not seeing it."

"This act could have advanced Asmodeus's interests in their sum by ensuring that Project Lawful brings the Keepers into existence here, thereby preserving Golarion.  While at the same time, for example, giving Keltham more information about Asmodeus than we would have wished."

"With His left hand, somewhere we are not looking, Cayden Cailean sets in motion events detrimental to Asmodeus but also threatening the world.  With His right hand, Cayden Cailean averts the greater threats and damages Asmodeus's interests further along the way.  And then reassures Pilar that Asmodeus will be better off in the end for her own deeds, compared to if she had never been made oracle."

"Ah.  I see.  Well, if it is that obvious to you, it may still not be the real sting."

"Yet perhaps you should inquire of Pilar about that."

"I shall enquire of Pilar's curse.  Or 'snack service', as they've now named it.  Pilar is an Asmodean in good standing, better indeed than yours."

"That cannot possibly be protectiveness that I hear."

"Possessiveness.  Pilar is mine.  Even as, I must now concede, Sevar is become yours."

The Queen smiles.  "I suppose I can agree with that division," she says pleasantly.  "But this Asmodia -"

"Must become able to teach my successor.  I will entertain proposals which do not interfere with that."

"Mm.  You know, if any man had ever successfully done to me, as Keltham did to Asmodia, I think I would wed that one."

"I have no idea where you're heading with this, yet am already certain that it is nowhere good."

"I want to try my hand at Asmodia's game against Keltham.  I really, really want to -"

"It has occurred to me more than once that it is a weakness of our entire system of government that no-one can assign you two hours of flaying.  Such lack of supervision cannot but have ill effects on a young lady."

"I was about to say that you should helpfully remind me of the compact I have signed forbidding me to meddle with Keltham, without the Church's consent, and tell me that the Church will not consent."

"It will not.  Stay home and fight your war."

"Why is everything in that faraway fortress so much more interesting than everything here in Egorian.  How dare they lead less predictable lives than mine?  It seems hardly fair I am not allowed to become a Project Lawful girl myself, when I am so much better qualified than all those other candidates."

"I can only hope one day we have a Chelish sovereign who considers it beneath her dignity to whine about unfairness like a child too young to remember her last correction for that."

"Show a little patience, your Infernal Majestrix.  If all goes according to plan, you will have your own dath ilani to play games against.  Better dath ilani, if all your immense optimism bears out about the meaning of today's transcript.  Perhaps even -"

"Don't say it!  The audience isn't supposed to know what we are talking about, at this point in the plot."

"I had intended to speak as circuitously as before, of course."

"And, it occurs to me to ask, does that ploy still work even if we speak aloud of the ploy itself?"