Fairly well. Two biggest things: I totally decided to do the Queen thing, I'm founding a city, I want you to build it, and Fingon wants you to diplomacy at people.

I know Fingon wants me to diplomacy at people. He told Maedhros who told Celegorm who told me. That's actually why I'm checking in now instead of at a different time. Details, please?

Illia sends her the memory of Fingon's summary of the different places.

"Nargothrond. Ruled by my cousin Finrod who adores mortals and will probably be slightly condescending towards Odette but happy to help her. Reluctant to go to war with us mostly because he doesn't like our odds, which she is a big factor in, so she can just talk about her capabilities a lot and act impressed when he makes obvious inferences about what they'll allow us to do in the fighting.

Doriath. Isolationist and paranoid as hell, but if she gets in the borders at all ruled by a Maia queen who knows magic when she sees it and could give Odette a sense of when/whether she can take a Vala.

Brithombar. Friendly, likable, reasonable, would commit resources if they had them, maybe she can give them some."

Gondolin. Location currently unknown. The King is my brother and would be super happy at the prospect of eventually getting his sister and his wife back."

Finrod has been explained to me.

Does it make you feel better if Fingon's original phrasing of "diplomacy" was "make scary faces"?

It might. I have already promised not to let my opinions of him interfere with the war effort, though.

And actually trying to scare people would be bad, just--let it be known that you are fantastically powerful. And yourself. Well, to whatever standards of yourselfness involve not alienating condescending people.

Reminding myself to be patient because his brother just died is going to help.

Oh. Yeah.

I have the feeling "I'm going to be able to raise the dead" is going to be a major diplomatic help.

Unfortunately, yes.

So. City. Tell me about it.

Emily pulls out her city plans and goes over them in telepathic detail.

Okay, I'll get started on that...at some point. Maybe after I talk to Doriath? I might as well grab the glass from the spiderdome since I'm replacing it anyway, and then head down. Oh, and I should ask the refugees if they want to live in a walled city instead of where they are. I made them some houses, but...

Sounds like a plan. Anyway, I'm kind of nervous about the actual, you know, ruling part--I've been reading these books, they're really helpful, and there's always Atennesi Cohen's example to draw from, but it's not the same thing.

Wait. Which books?

Telepathically transmitted reading list.

Odette bursts out laughing.

"Sister all right?"

"She decided to do the Queen thing, she's founding a city in Nevrast and making me build it, and she's been reading Andreth's books."

"Oh, lovely. ...the two of them should really meet."

"I'm going to ask if they want to move there when I go to check up on their magic progress. I made them houses but my sister's city is going to have walls around it."

"And be under human rule, which should appeal to them."

"Yeah, that was rather the point of the project in the first place, come to think of it."

Andreth is alive, well and de-aged. She's one of the refugees I got out of Dorthonion before everything went to hell there.

Yes!