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  Esstrey had sent out a few orders using the bnk check, all with seals of approval from the duchess. Sofia was to g the o the kobolds, arey expected no problems on that side, as Sofia's child-like attitude to things fell in line nicely with that of the kobolds. The kobolds were to be informed that they would be in charge of anything diggied, and would make for excellent defensive sappers. All they needed was some slightly more official training from people who knew how to dig trenches. Cathy was told to ehe loyalty of the crafter guilds onews iably reached them, specifically the smiths, carpenters, and enters. Anyone else would have to fall in lihe old-fashioned way. el dell has been given roughly two dozen of the muskets and told to ehe adventurers don't cause any trouble, while Esstrey herself would be visiting one of the biggest churches to start the domino process.

  All this had to be done effectively during hunger riots, which would bring advantages and disadvao this situation. The military had already been informed of the paranormal division doing things, but they simply hoped that they wouldn't be forced into lethal as against the rioters soon.

  Floating with a small detail of bck marketeers loyal to money, Esstrey moves up the hill towards the church. There would be a brutal example made from them indeed, and she even brought some of Ronald's people to help supervise the ter stages.

  As the group arrives with minimal issues at the doors to the church, Esstrey simply opens without knog. A priest looks up from a book he was reading, while a group of nuns who were quietly talking with each other stare at the people entering. Out in the open it's harder to sense, but in a formerly holy pce like this, both Esstrey and Rond's people have the stench of heretical magi them. The goons of the bck market standing with the group deters the priest from attempting to chase them off with a broom, but their stature as professionals in shaking down people for cash does not deter the padi. The man takes heavy footsteps towards the group that entered, but he is only armored as bringing a on within the church is sidered bsphemy if it is dohout reason, or done by people not affiliated with the church. A memo that Esstrey's group didn't receive, as the goons carry blunt onry typical for their occupation. All that is not eveionirey herself, who is decked in her full war gear, she stares at the padin in front of her through her facepte for a bit, before reag into her armor for the greatest on she brought a long.

  "By order of the duchy this church has been requisitioned for a magical ritual, get out of the way." Esstrey shoves a piece of paper in the face of the padin, who snatches it out of her cw, all credentials seem legitimate.

  "The duchy has nht to cim a holy pce as its own, Vivifiia would strike the duchess down for this!" The padin crumples the piece of paper and throws it back at the monster in front of him, the piece of papers simply bounces off the helmet and falls to the ground pletely ignored.

  "Maybe if yoddess did something more than dispense idle threats, you opinion would be taken note of. As it stands, the people outside starve in a city that has remained loyal to the gods, their empty stomachs indicative that the goddess of life has failed. This church will now be used by something other than a cabal of glorified mobsters, and put irustworthy hands of someone who actually help humanity." Esstrey is having trouble holding in her ughter, half of what she said is utter bullshit and the other half was just to insult the entire church. The padin balls his fist, but is uo present a solid obstacle as he is pushed aside by the group. The priest present offers a small prayer wanting to know what to do about these heathens, but his prayer like every oes unanswered.

  Esstrey begins bloodletting herself at the le, and the priest rushes off to a ste closet rummaging for something. Ronald's people set about usirey's blood for drawing a pentagram, the unmistakeable signature of summoning The Infernal Host. The nuns reize it, and rush over to disrupt the setup, but are pushed aside by the bck market goons, a at bay, forced to watch. The padin rushes over preparing to soe of the men in the face, but instead finds himself staring directly at a massive crossbow pointing right at his face.

  "You will watch, or you will joiual. I heard padins like you make excellent material." The padin backs off at the threat of Esstrey, he may seem intimidating but losing e with the gods has hit all padins hard, now they are merely bundles of magic respective of their gods, without any of their god's dire to refi.

  The ritual tinues unoppossed, and soon enough a demonness emerges from the pentagram. A demonness with red skin, and fiery horns, her long white hair reaches to her midriff, and her bat-like wings terrify the nuns. Zha'klos, the trickster aiator for the Host in this region. She analyzes her surroundings, seeing her favorite trading partner pletely ign various church officials. Zha'klos takes a guess to Esstrey's iions, and switches from a business suit to something more official of the Infernal Host, not as skimpy as the usual clothes demons usually use, but skimpy enough to show the Infernal Host's... 'liberal' nature.

  Then a priest es out from the back, carrying a bucket of water. He charges, aies the bucket in the dire of Zha'klos, who sehat it's a bucket of holy water. Something very dangerous if allowed to e into tact with her skin, as it will start boiling her alive. However, the water stops before hitting Zha'klos, blocked by Esstrey's water magic. Esstrey herself still refuses to aowledge the priest, who is now scared shitless as his st ditch effort didn't work.

  "Zha'klos, what do you think of The Infernal Host setting a perma settlement here in Malencia? Malencia has been fag a ck of trade tely, and the regur troops are barely enough to keep order ireets. I dont believe people will be going hungry, but the death of the ey is iable without a healthy circution of goods." Esstrey holds out a rge folder tainiails oirity of Malencia, trade, popution, security, and infrastructure information is all included. As well as a small cuse that states that the one responsible for managing The Infernal Host outpost from the Malencia side would be Esstrey herself, not Ronald or the duchess. Zha'klos is all too familliar with ambition, and knowirey she knows she will be allowed to aplish The Host's no... her own objectives with no cult or bureacrats looking over her baake sure they are getting as much as possible out of the deal, as long as Zha'klos sticks to the few rules Esstrey has set. Rules such as no wantoru of Malencia assets, rules that are not bound by restraining tracts, allowing for some... leeway.

  "I am looking forward to this Esstrey." Zha'klos gives a big smile while shakirey's cw, and she knows the mermaid is smiling as well behind that facepte of hers.

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