Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of wizard students one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; his own superiors were quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"Most people in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of ordinary people."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"

Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of girls one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; his own superiors were quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"Most people in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of ordinary people."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"

Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of girls one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; his own superiors were quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"People in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of ordinary people."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"

Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of girls one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; his own superiors were quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"People in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of conducting yourself in ways not completely absurd."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"

Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of girls one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; his own superiors were quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"People in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of conducting yourself in ways not completely absurd."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"

Ferrer Maillol's first thought is the obvious one, that he hopes this new brilliant idea of Sevar's works out better for him than her one about providing Keltham with lots of girls one of whom gets oracled by Nethys - though, of course, that wasn't her decision, and the Church of Asmodeus is not confused about who bears the real responsibility.

His second thought is about a distinction he was warned about, that they've been instructed to prioritize Sevar as if she were Asmodeus's own fourth-circle cleric, not to answer as if she were one.  It rules out the obvious answer he'd give to a fourth-circle Asmodean cleric standing nearby and asking what Sevar was missing.  Still, Asmodeus's language to Sevar - if it wasn't just poorly translated by Hell - suggests that Sevar has the kind of soul that Asmodeus actually wants, if He can win it in this contest with Irori, or whatever is actually going on here.  (He is not to try to guess and be helpful in a way that pushes the edges of Hell's orders; the Grand High Priestess was quite clear on that.)

He will, then, answer as he might answer somebody who was considered to have enough potential that Asmodeus might choose them to be a cleric, perhaps, though not yet chosen; or as he might answer a promising heiress of Chelish nobility.

"People in Cheliax register as Lawful and as Evil, and worship no Lawful Evil god other than Asmodeus or his subordinates.  This suffices for much of Asmodeus's purpose, as it brings those souls to Hell's standard gate, which Asmodeus has already conquered, and so into His ownership for further refinement.  We do not ask most people to understand what Lawful Evil really is, let alone what would distinguish Asmodeus from Zon-Kuthon within Lawful Evil.  Most people do not, in fact, need to understand this.  They do not possess the nature that marks them as potentially one of Asmodeus's own, instead of just the masses who must be coerced to Lawfulness out of fear and who end up registering as Evil because that is what the rules make of conducting yourself in ways not completely absurd."

"You, Sevar, might have the potential to become one of Asmodeus's own, not just Lawful and Evil.  Or so our Lord's instructions to you suggest.  You are, I think, being invited to join the inner circle.  And I am not expecting you to already understand what that truly means, because it is not something we bother trying to teach most third-circle wizards.  So the question I am about to ask is not a test of loyalty, but a test for whether you belong in the beginner classroom or the advanced one.  What have you already grasped, if anything, of the difference between Lawful Evil and Asmodeanism?  What makes Cheliax an Asmodean country and not just a Lawful Evil one?"