...I think we might have jurisdictional issues for a trial, so I'm not sure if we can actually put him to work. Even though an eighth-circle magic item crafter would be incredibly useful. Do you want me to take over the dominate in the meantime, did you already ask him everything you need to know - "

We did. I would appreciate it if you took over the Dominate, I expect if anything gives him an opportunity to try to break it he will succeed even cursed, which he is. I can't put him to work under Korva, they don't have any rules for that at all.

Perhaps we can get the voluntary cooperation of a Baphomet cultist who wants to take over countries with soul-trapping magic items. Baphomet cultists hate Asmodeans, no?

I think the insane plan would only have worked - if it would have worked - because no one in Mendev has spellcraft worth speaking of but if you can work something out, I'd be delighted and if not you can at least hold him until I'm oriented in the other world and there'll be more flexibility to use a Gate to get the other clone.

She'll do that, then. Her enchantments are much harder to shake off than Marit's.

I assume the plan would need some modifications but - it'd be useful to at least have soul-trapping on hand, for a country full of Asmodeans.

Yep. Best of luck to you in sorting something out. 

I haven't had a chance to check out Iomedae's church in depth yet. No one in it has yet been revealed to actually work for Zon-Kuthon or Baphomet, so there's that.

I appreciate your work.

And more directly addressing Korva, We will negotiate with Sunhammer and see if there's a mutually agreeable solution of some kind here, and do what we can to ensure he doesn't threaten your crusade and your people regardless of whether we identify one. Thank you for bringing him.

While we're here, may I have a copy of the legal code, for occasional reference while the Fifth Mendevean Crusade drafts theirs?

Of course. She'll order it delivered.

This is honestly so embarrassing. Objectively they have had a terribly productive day and thwarted the forces of darkness at great risk to themselves and stopped a plot to throw Mendev into civil war, and subjectively it's really embarrassing that she wasn't already on this and her crusade is a disaster and this could have been avoided if Galfrey ever sent her remotely adequate support.

Also, this is petty, but they saved half of the Mendevian nobles from being soul trapped, and she's not even going to be able to use it to squeeze any kind of help or basic goodwill out of it, because they're probably not admitting it happened. She's telling herself that this isn't unfair, because Marit did pretty much all the work, but that in turn makes the embarrassment worse.

Thank you for taking him off our hands.

Of course. Thank you for bringing him here. I do not know if we'll be able to find anything better for the cause of a free and prosperous world than petrifying him, but I'm very grateful to have the chance to try. If he meaningfully adds to our capabilities here I'll send more people through to you accordingly.

Oh nice, she kind of wanted to ask about that. It just seemed like it might be taken as adversarial or otherwise being a dick, when Iomedae is arguably already doing her a favor by holding Sunhammer at all.

We'd appreciate it. Drezen is a mess, but Marit has been invaluable in beginning to clean it up.

(Iomedae will track to what degree she's doing a favor or deriving a benefit, and repay it fairly inasmuch as it's a favor. She will not try to benefit herself by pushing a frame where it was a favor beyond to whatever degree it actually was, and she doesn't need Korva to advocate for Korva's interests on that front except where they're very nonobvious. Lawful Good!) 

Marit relaxed slightly when Alfirin took the Dominate. He nods to Iomedae and Alfirin, accepts the code of laws of the Shining Crusade, and takes Korva's hand to depart.

Yep. Still lots more for her to do today; she can take them back. - which, hey, actually works, that's cool.

Which makes Iomedae's next project trying to recruit a Baphomet cultist.  She has actually never tried recruiting a Baphomet cultist before; she has no idea what makes people Baphomet cultists. But she's going to try, and, honestly, she thinks her odds are pretty good.

Sunhammer sneers at her. "Ah. Iomedae's paladins come to save the day, belatedly. If not for the freak of nature that is the Knight-Commander, your pathetic church and your pathetic country would be shambles. Even more than they already are."

"When cultists of Baphomet are criticizing your organizational competence, you know things have gotten pretty bad," she says agreeably. 

"I am no cultist, you airheaded suit of armor. Baphomet has been my teacher, and I his student, but I have never shown him the slavish devotion Iomedae's drooling slaves have for Her."

"My apologies. It is Baphomet's apprentice that criticizes us. I'm not sure if that says more or less about our organizational competence."

"You have a sense of humor. I thought that was against the paladin rules."

"A lot of people assume that, for some reason! Actually humor is permitted on Oathdays after four hours of prayer and reflection and another four hours of sword practice."

He considers her wonderingly for a moment, and then snorts. "You are still doomed, silly little girl, even if you're charming about it. Baphomet can crush your whole order and whole country in an instant as soon as he cares to."

"Well, I've been thinking that perhaps we could ally with him against our shared enemy, Asmodeus, and thereby avoid that. Or, you know, do it afterwards. I do understand that demon lords aren't big on keeping their deals."

"Your goddess will renounce you. Your order will reject you. Paladins can't be seen to get their hands dirty with the work of winning. See Evil, smite Evil, girl, you won't get anywhere proposing preposterous alliances with demon lords."