"I don't really know. Her dynamic with Conquest was interesting, in what little I saw of it, but... I'd guess she doesn't want to? Do you have more information about that than I do?"

"This is not exactly a secret, but those who know tend not to spread it around. Certainly not to Conquest.

She—and the major local practitioners in general, but this is mostly her—are well aware that a Lord is a target. Conquest is strong enough to defeat the inevitable outsiders who take long shots at the title, but does very little except to hold it. So they use him to occupy the Lordship. They get nearly as much free rein to act as they please as they would if on the throne of Toronto, and with less of a headache. He gets the title of rulership and a chance to conquer the occasional real enemy. He is not replaceable only because other figureheads might waste the authority less."

"Why was she okay with Jeremy then?"

"He'd be strong enough to hold the city. And the favor he would get from Dionysius for earning the Lordship would be ongoing, meaning she doesn't have to worry about his successors being equally stable like she would with most mortal practitioners. As for what he would actually do with it– he never strongly wanted the position. His god pushed him to reach for it, as my family pushed me to support him. He convinced the Sphinx he would make no unpredictable changes."

"How powerful is she, exactly?"

"Hard to say. It's not so much that she deploys powerful magic as that what she says comes to pass. And no one really knows how much of that is causation and how much is just knowing when to open her mouth. Her successful human students can become quite formidable quickly, but I've never heard of her calling on them as a network of allies."

"What do they do? Her students, that is."

"Order magic. Very fair, they work with karma and with spirits in the aggregate, and they can have quite a bit of power over anyone the spirits like less than them. Which is most people to some degree. Like Isadora, they're more studious than martial, but if they join it would probably be on Conquest's side. Jeremy left them neutral for that reason."

She nods. "Suppose I promised that, if I won, I'd give Jeremy the seat. Would she be willing to default on her previous agreement, do you think?"

Sandra frowns. "I don't think you could promise giving it to anybody. You control a Lordship by agreement of the city, not by removing the last one."

"I know, but presumably if it's common knowledge that a victory for me would result in my support for Jeremy these situations are pretty much the same as it was last time, no?"

"He had broad support then. The Sisters, the former Astrologer, even the Behaims said they'd vote for him. After a high-stakes defeat, it's not obvious they still will."

"It's not, but if I get their support..."

"That'd satisfy Isadora, assuming Jeremy is still up to holding off the outside challengers. Are you planning to try?"

"I have not definitively set on a specific plan, I'm collecting data and resources, but that one is my favourite at the moment."

"Just don't approach Jeremy, or let him find out enough that inaction becomes conspiracy. There is probably a point where he'd have to stop you."

"His oath forces him to act against people plotting against Conquest?"

"It shouldn't. But if you were to, say, plan in detail with him in the room and watch for involuntary reactions, he certainly couldn't just let you. And where the line is really depends on his standing with the jury at the moment."

"Can you think of a good way to check whether he's still onboard? It probably won't work very well if in the end he's given up on the idea."

"I can just tell you. He won't be excited about this. But Dionysus wants it. He'll obey his god."

"Sounds like a curious thing for a god of wine and fertility to want."

She shrugs. "I never found that part strange. Any god would benefit from having priests as Lords. Respect is not worship, but it has to help find followers."

"I suppose that makes sense. I think that was all I had to ask. Do you have any, you know, more general advice or anything?"

"If you're certain you need to pick this fight? Conquest can't surrender, and can't be killed. We planned to subdue him visibly and decisively enough that everyone accepted he was no longer Lord. You'll probably have to face him directly if you plan to do the same."

She nods. "Any strategies last time proved ineffective or harder than anticipated?"

Sadde has Doug but other perspectives are always welcome.