Volshyenek Ornelos sits at his desk. "Hell draws closer."

Toff sighs. "Must you always be so dramatic."

"They've brought a host of devils and Ostenso's seventh circle cleric and the last living Arabasti to Korvosa via gate."

"I admit they are obviously going for the crown. That does not mean they will succeed."

"The Lord of the Ninth—"

"—does not know you still exist. The monarchy as an institution just collapsed. Cheliax is an empire doing what empires do. None of this is unexpected. Stop worrying."

He broods.

"You're in one of your moods again. This is beneath you. The more slaves Asmodeus sends to Korvosa, the more he loses when we destroy them. If it comes to that."

"If it comes to that, you must be prepared to evacuate the Acadamae through the mirror. If you care about any of them surviving."

"Please don't do anything rash. We don't need wide collateral damage. What Cheliax sent can be handled without such drastic measures."

"They haven't sent their truly dangerous forces yet. We do not know how far they will go if Korvosa rejects them."

"I am sure we can put something together to destroy even a pit fiend relatively safely. For now, I must worry about convincing the others to reject them in the first place."

"I do not like this. There are plots brewing beyond our awareness. We still can't confirm what happened to Ileosa and Togomor."

Volshyenek is quiet for some time. "Get the slaves of Hell out of my city, Toff."

"I will do my best. I believe we have allies in this. How many is yet to be seen."

Toff wanders to the edge of the room and cracks the door open. "Goodnight, grandfather."

"Goodnight."

The door shuts behind him.

KORVOSAN CARRIER
FIREDAY, SARENITH 19th, 4708

CHURCH OF ASMODEUS IMPORTS FOREIGN HIGH PRIEST AND HOST OF DEVILS WITH GATE FROM HELL

Ricard Santaren was the archbishop of Asmodeus in Ostenso. Now he's the archbishop of Asmodeus in Korvosa. The most notable change from Reebs is, of course, that Santaren is seventh circle instead of sixth. The papers don't like this, and they want everyone else to know they don't like this. Did you know how dreadful the censorship regime in Cheliax is? One might suspect there's some class interest going on here. The powers of Korvosa have not yet visibly responded to the new arrivals from Hell. The cure for the blood veil is making progress. It is now being tested on human subjects. Hopefully the deaths will stop soon.

Oh. So someone from Ostenso is making a claim on Korvosa, if they've decided Asmodeus needs to be one of the big religions rather than just scraping above Sarenrae. Unfortunately she has no idea what Chelish politics look like, but right now of all times? Claiming status as one of the Big Forces means they want something. (Could it just be for a week to they can loom and get concessions out of whatever ends up happening with the throne? That isn't impossible, and this isn't that large a commitment of forces for just a week... Unclear. Maybe.)

Good that the cure is progressing. If Morgethai is paying any attention, she should be happy with it, and soon the money should come in and she will be paying attention. 

And beyond that... any letters? If not, down to the Citadel. Large things happening doesn't bode well for a calmer shift today, so the Guard still seems like it will need her. And she doesn't have any more useful things to do lined up. (It's not really worth her time to investigate the painter right now.)

The Bank has no mail for her at this time.

Down to the Citadel to meet her squad, then.

Citadel Volshyenek is still busy and overworked. Captain Paras is in his usual spot. The squad will leave in a few minutes to patrol Citadel Crest along the same route as yesterday.

And maybe today will be calm! She gets updates from the squad members on how yesterday was for them (one Asmodean who is a little shaken by the loss of Reebs, one who just recently went to the Burning Blades and is wondering about whether this is a reaction to that somehow, one who is conspicuously not expressing any opinion, she makes sure the first two don't mention anything quite that blatant to each other), and by the time that's done they're ready to get Blessed and get moving.

They receive the afternoon's blessing of the watch and then they're off to the Heights. There's more people out in Citadel Crest than there were yesterday.

Hours pass. They don't spot any crime. They don't spot anything of note at all, really.

Tencednil gets a little worried after three hours with nothing happening, but... this is supposed to be a calm patrol. Lhín has her eyes all over again, they're not just missing something. (Or if they are, it's hopeless.)

So things are just calm, at least around the guards. What a reasonable way for things to be. Typical, boring, and with nothing out of the ordinary. That's why it's ordinary.

After a short break, the squad resumes their patrol. They pass the Temple of Asmodeus a few times. It looks as it always has.

Activity on the streets winds down as afternoon becomes evening and begins to become night. They return to the Citadel, having arrested one minor criminal.