What did He say? What did He say?

Why does public speaking better rattle him than dealing with devils? Oh, that's right, because it's much higher stakes.

The Archbishop wishes he put more ranks in Perform (oratory).

If it were anything good Reebs would just tell us.

"THE PRINCE OF HELL HAS HEARD OUR PRAYERS."

The Vault stills.

"People of Korvosa.

Your high degree of intelligence, and courage, permits me present to every ear those matters which in other lands are discussed by inner rings behind closed doors.

It is right for you to take pride in this.

As there is much to say, I will be brief.

There are dark days ahead for all Golarion.

The plague of shadows will not stop. Tens of thousands, every night. Kingdoms will fall, and nations.

We must put all our efforts into defending this Vault; there is nowhere else to go.

If Korvosa's wizards and nobles were to scatter to the winds, each would die in their time, hunted and alone.

Woven thread is stronger than a single strand; only together can we survive.

Shadows are not the only threat we face.

In the shadows' esurience I saw reflected that of the Worldbreaker. I suspected the hand of that most ancient foe, the Rough Beast, yes, even Rovagug.

Asmodeus has confirmed it. Our world's demise was plotted in the depths of the Dead Vault."

Pause for dramatic effect.

If you're going to pause for dramatic effect, we'll fill the silence ourselves.

Because that's the worst possible news.

"BUT THAT! PLAN! FAILED!

WE LIVE. WE WITHSTAND.

Today you will eat well.

Tonight you will sleep in comfortable beds.

In time we will reclaim our homes.

LET THE ROUGH BEAST THRASH WITHIN HIS CAGE!

All Golarion may crumble around us. We withstand.

But the Rough Beast did not act alone.

In this horror He was joined by the barbaric Prince of Pain, Zon-Kuthon!

By Milani, the bloody Everbloom!

And by unnamed others, even Lawful gods that throw in faithlessly with Chaos and Evil.

Better gods defend us. Iomedae. Asmodeus. Abadar. Pharasma.

Yes, even Iomedae, yes, even Asmodeus.

We are not alone!

Hell offers to support us, as it does Cheliax.

There are difficult days ahead for all of Golarion.

But by the strength of our Law, through commitment to order and discipline, we will prevail.

Korvosans are courageous, obedient, powerful, intelligent, and we act with one will.

Against the forces of Chaotic Evil, our victory is certain.

All I have said is true to my knowledge."

Not that he was particularly careful separating observation from inference.

"That is all."

Group huddle: the guy preaching Fascism with the big red pentagram on his shirt. That's a bad guy, right?

Oh, definitely. That's the Archbishop of Asmodeus in Korvosa, he's the Arch Megapope's number one rival.

Asmodeus, I mean.

Reebs is just some guy, whatever.

So, follow up question. Does that mean that these Everybloom and Prince of Pain characters are the good guys?

Everbloom is, Prince of Pain isn't. The confusing thing here is that there are apparently Good gods and Evil gods on both sides of the conflict.

Stating the obvious here, but the ones who look like villains at first are going to wind up the heroes we side with.

That's maybe too obvious. It could be a double bluff.

20 dollars against 2 says it's not.

Do we know which side Cayden and Ragathiel are on?

You want to outsource your moral reasoning to an NPC?

I'd at least hear Him out! He's 3 points smarter than I am, and 2 points more Wise.

But mostly I'm just curious.

What are the gods doing, anyway? I'd sort of expect having gods on our side to look at least a little different from the conspicuous absence of any and all gods on our side.

Surely they're not too busy to notice that the whole world is ending.

Am I the only person who read the setting document.

I read it!

The simplified version for mortals is that the gods are mostly in one big stalemate, because counterspelling each other's miracles takes a lower level spell with no material components. So if a god does something, that means that none of the other gods care enough to stop them and it was probably still hugely expensive to get through.

So, followup question. How did the big bug gug and his shadow-siding compeers get away with whatever it is they got away with?

Best not to pull that thread.

Why not?

You were listening?!

I am standing right here. Why is it best not to pull that thread?

Uh, I guess it's just that I didn't expect anything useful to come of it. Gods are confusing.

But maybe we should think about it anyways, if you think it's a good idea.