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Liath is the Demon Lord
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"Liath, of the Foot of the Red Throne," she says, using one of the most minor of her many, many titles. "I believe it is equivalent to a duchess here."

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Veloa Faroe deMont speaks into the rock pulled from her pocket and listens to the response. Evidently it's something like a magic phone.

The guardhouse's resting area is very... Plain, but after she shoos everyone else out and leaves herself, still talking to the sending stone, it is at least quiet and cool. Veloa fetches her a glass of ice water and apologizes for having nothing worthy for her to eat.

 

Veloa comes back a few minutes later. "The Captain is currently in the city and can see you soon, would you prefer an escort to his office or to rest and meet him here?"

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She drinks some water. "I would prefer a meeting in a private, secure location, so an escort to his office is more appropriate."

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"Of course. I'll- There will be a carriage shortly."

There is a carriage shortly. It's very comfortable and smooth, magic is probably involved.

She's escorted up to the top floor of a castle-like building that shares more in common with a fortress than a palace by guards in shinier armor. These ones seem much less impressed and overawed by her noble mien, but are still respectful.

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She saves every glance of this alien polity for reference. When she disembarks, she makes her own pace, neither hurried nor sedate but rather purposeful. Her heels clack on the castle stone.

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Observations of note:

There are slaves; They wear special collars and nobody acts as if they could disobey or run away.

Men and women seem to be equals, here, unlike so many societies in the multiverse.

There are a lot of different species here. Like, a lot. Most people are human, but there must be at least a dozen different kinds of not-quite-human, and a few weirder sorts - there was a talking horse they passed, and a bird the size of a Great Dane wearing clothes and running a shop.

Going by fashion and actions, there are four rough social classes (aside from slaves) - poor laborers, middle class craftsmen, rich and powerful people, and mercenaries/guards(?)

Dungeons are places that the mercenaries/guards(?) visit frequently for some reason(???)

The local ruler is a Governor, appointed by one King Aldonesphiel XVI, according to a plaque in the lobby.

 

"Captain Rousseau will see you now," the fancy-armored guards tell her as they reach a fancy oak door and open it for her.

Captain Rousseau is a large man with extremely defined muscles, a chiseled jaw, and slightly greying hair, wearing a fancier version of that green uniform over masterwork chainmail. His office is finely decorated; There is a tray of fancy confections and a tea set on his meeting table.

"Liath, of the Foot of the Red Throne. Welcome to Franzerl, I am Captain Rousseau. As far as I know, we have no relationship with anything called the Red Throne, and in fact my scholars have no knowledge of it either, so I'm sure you can imagine the possibilities I must consider here."

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Liath waits until the door closes before speaking selectively for Captain Rosseau only. 

"I understand, Captain. My tale is an unlikely one, more likely spoken by a charlatan than the genuine article. Nonetheless, I must regretfully inform you that I am in fact the Summoned Hero. The title is genuine: it simply does not originate from this world."

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He's a pretty cool character, but that unsettles him.

"...More likely spoken by a charlatan than the genuine article, indeed. Would you like a snack while I think for a moment?"

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"I would appreciate a tea service, if only so I can put my table manners on display for you." Her education is her proof she's of noble blood; ettiquette can be faked but it's a card she'll play.

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He nods and presses a button on the underside of his desk, then goes to sit at the table. He pulls out her chair for her before settling heavily into his own and, deliberately, to try to put her off balance, putting his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands in a thinking pose.

A demurely dressed maid appears in mere moments from a low profile servant's door and serves tea. It's good tea, some unfamiliar variety of black tea.

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She is unshaken. She lesiurely prepares tea with a teaspoon of sugar and a dash of cream, then drinks from the fine china cup. Her hands do not tremble. 

A calculating eye meets the Captain's gaze over the rim of the teacup.

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The table is quiet as they stare at each other.

Captain Rousseau is imperfect at hiding his actions. He's subvocalizing, and from his microexpressions, listening to someone talking back and not liking what he's hearing.

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She drops her spoon into her teacup. 

"Captain," she says. "I would prefer for you to include me in the conversation you are having."

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"A reasonable preference. I would prefer not to have to deal with a possible Summoned Hero."

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"A reasonable preference. I simply want directions to the nearest city and enough support to get me there. I have no intent to be persistently your problem."

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"You can't not be my problem anymore. Wherever you end up, you were here first."

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"That's fair, and I apologize inasmuch as I was responsible for that."

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"I don't suppose you'd be willing to agree to a Geas of some sort."

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"To speak truth? Yes. For anything else, no."

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"I intend to call someone I trust. I will ask 'do you swear to either answer my next question truthfully, or refuse to answer it'. The binding will take if you agree. Then I will ask, 'In the past hour, to the best of your knowledge have you deceived me in any way, whether through accident or design or side effect, or could you even possibly be under the influence of any Skills or effects which might make your internal experience inconsistent in order to defeat lie detection'. Acceptable?"

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"It's impossible for me to know for certain that I haven't been used by some third party with sufficiently scary mind control. But I can swear that my internal experience has been consistent ever since I arrived here south of your town in the desert."

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"If there is a third party with mind control that scary I'm utterly fucked anyway."

He gets up and presses another button under his desk. "Chee, send Senna up please. It'll just be a few."

"Right away, sir," comes a slightly echoey answer.

"Very good, thank you."

He starts pacing.

 

Senna knocks a minute later. She has blue hair, is wearing a blindfold, and is actually rather pretty - close to Liath herself. She doesn't react when he explains the Geas in question, and casts it without comment, and leaves immediately after it takes hold like a noose around Liath's heart, having said not a single word.

Captain Rousseau asks his question.

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"I have decieved you in that I claimed to only be a duchess of the country I ruled before I came here. I am a duchess but it is the least of my titles; I was a reigning Queen. Apart from this omission I have not decieved you by intent, design or side effect. I am in possession of a unique skill that improves my ability to lie as part of improving my overall presence, but it is not capable of memory editing or otherwise preventing me from realizing my own duplicity. As far as I know there is no outside agency that could be using me beyond those involved in summoning me here. Is that enough of an answer for you, sir?"

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...He seems to deflate.

"You understand I had to check. Let's get you taken care of. I'll give you an express trip to Liscor and a few gold pieces to see you off in exchange for a future favor. I'll declare that favor now- Leave this town and the whole Green Crater out of things as much as you can. Please."

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"Thank you," she says. "I'll remember you and do my best to leave you out of it." 

A promise of great weight, that one. She can't call up troops from here now, not without pushback. She's denied herself access to the local resources in the long term. But for this critical aid at this critical time, it's worth it.

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