"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my sense is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."

"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of.  The game alter-Avaricia is playing with him is outside his ability to conceive."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my sense is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."

"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of.  The game alter-Avaricia is playing with him, with her lie, is outside his ability to conceive."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my sense is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"My guess is that Sevar vetoes the lie."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."

"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of.  The game alter-Avaricia is playing with him, with her lie, is outside his ability to conceive."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my sense is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  She's guided him through a lot of dangerous-sounding revelations successfully.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said, and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"My guess is that Sevar vetoes the lie."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."

"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of.  The game alter-Avaricia is playing with him, with her lie, is outside his ability to conceive."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my sense is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  She's guided him through a lot of dangerous-sounding revelations successfully.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said, and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next, not Sevar.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"My guess is that Sevar vetoes the lie."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."

"My model of your attempted flattery is that it would entirely fail; Keltham would neither be flattered nor understand that you were trying to flatter him.  The mindsets you describe for peasants, soldiers, and nobles will all sound equally alien to him.  None will sound like the careful Lawful structures that Civilization teaches.  Parts of all three will sound like things he was specifically trained out of.  The game alter-Avaricia is playing with him, with her lie, is outside his ability to conceive."

"My model of Keltham nods with a confused expression and heads off to ask Sevar a lot of questions."

"Sevar... can probably do a fairly good job of recovering Keltham's sense that alterCheliax makes sense as a consistent universe, even though what you told him made no sense to him... but my fear is that it builds up in him a sense over time, that there is a strange reality you exposed him to, and that Sevar is trying to put him back to sleep by soothing the sharp edges away..."

"Maybe I'm underestimating Sevar here; she knows that as well as I do, and can maybe not give the appearance of soothing him.  She's guided him through a lot of dangerous-sounding revelations successfully.  I'll send her the transcript of what you said, and Sevar will decide if that's a path of explanation she wants to send Keltham down."

"If Keltham was actually playing this game hard against us, he'd find Tonia and ask her next, not Sevar.  But that would be a new class of game moves from him; his suspicions haven't apparently risen that high."

"My guess is that Sevar vetoes the lie."

"Different pathway.  Keltham successfully reads the open contempt out of your voice when you talk about peasants.  He asks about that."