“There must have been a moment, at the beginning, where we could have said -- no. But somehow we missed it.”
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
“There must have been a moment, at the beginning, where we could have said -- no. But somehow we missed it.”
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
She is, in truth, shocked, that events have turned out this way. Aspexia knows exactly one other person who has any kind of direct agreement with Asmodeus and her name is Abrogail Thrune. That the compact says nothing of probabilities is not lost on Aspexia. She's shocked anyways.
"I'll permit it of you, Pilar, but aside from that we shall be keeping this compact with Asmodeus private until there have been a great many consultations between Church and Crown upon the matter."
Actually Ione went around in disguise a week ago prophesying that Sevar would make approximately this compact with Asmodeus! To great rejoicing from Sevar cults all around Golarion! And the Lawful Evil faith directed at Sevar contributed to Asmodeus noticing and being amused and agreeing to the compact! And Ione Sala just reached her sixth oracle circle as a result!
Good luck keeping that one quiet, Church of Asmodeus!
"Now this is interesting. With you having become Mine, I can feel that there's already a noticeable amount of faith being directed at you from every continent in Golarion. You already have... something like a thousand hopeful worshippers in Kelesh cults, at least, and more in Vudra."
"....my lord I didn't even know the Church was permitted to operate in the Kelesh Empire. Or Vudra."
"We're NOT, which means that Lawful Evil people there can make up ANYTHING THEY WANT when it comes to telling each other about your purported mercy in Hell."
"I'm not promising them mercy! That wouldn't make any sense - why would it help me to do that? - well, actually, I can see why promising that would help me but why would offering mercy help me?"
"MAKING SENSE is not primarily what is going on here. People who MAKE SENSE don't start HERESIES about HELL when they will later GO TO HELL and run into devils being UNHAPPY ABOUT THEIR HERESIES."
" - right. Okay. I doubt anyone who presently believes in me is good material to be ilani, what with how you'd presently have to be an idiot. Or Pilar, good job Pilar.
...by your leave, my lord, I think I have work to do."
"This has been the most interesting negotiation I've undertaken in some short while. For now at least, I name you favored possession of Dispater, Carissa Sevar of Golarion, who venerated Me before she thought she had material benefits to gain thereby. None in the City of Dis shall hinder you or harm you, when you pass here upon My business or your own, and the devils of Avernus shall grant you entry."
" - thank you, my Lord."
She did pray to Him long before she was anyone of significance but she hadn't expected, particularly, that He'd noticed.
He didn't then. You get to know more about somebody after You own their soul.
"Pilar Pineda, does your parasite still claim to have business with Me, or some other reason I should not devour it here and now?"
"It continues to claim that it's here to offer You a deal, Lord Dispater. It says it's a super-amazing deal. It says that part of the conversation should just be the three of us, and wants You to tell me to guarantee its privacy too."
"Oh? And it doesn't even want Me to promise not to eat it afterwards? Acceptable, and consider yourself told."
"Be about your business with My subordinates then, Carissa Sevar, priestess. And you may find it amusing to know -"
"Sorry! But Carissa Sevar is super not allowed to know yet about how you got one over on her!"
"Priestess, Carissa Sevar, be about your business with My subordinates while I talk to this thing and then, possibly, eat it."
....yes absolutely though she is DEEPLY CURIOUS how Dispater got one over on her. Hopefully it wasn't about anything essential.
A lesser devil will appear for them, to escort them to where Counts of Hell and some lesser contract devils of Chelish affairs have gathered to sell souls and options on souls.
"It's really bad for Asmodeus's interests if Carissa Sevar knows about that trick you played on her."
"And your interests."
"And the plotting Carissa Sevar's interests."
"Pretty much everybody's interests, actually! Erastil? Gozreh? Calistria? Not in their interests either!"