Reforge

Six and One? But there are only six High Gods?

Weeeeellllll, it depends on who you ask. Apparently the Sword-bearer, like most people by total numbers in the known world, would say 'six and one'. It's something or other about viewing them as a gestalt and as individuals at the same time? Geometry gets involved eventually? Listen. High God worship isn't big in Ogorath and you don't know that much about it. The point is, all sorts of different sects would count them very differently and that's supposedly extremely important to some people.

Maybe if the High Gods didn't want any confusion about it they shouldn't have all but vanished over a thousand years ago. Hmm! You'll take a god that's actually around, thanks.

Maybe start with basic info, like each Cursed One's name, before making a hard pivot and asking why Four Corners entered your private chambers on the day. If they're forthcoming, talk about Cyaan's bedrock magic and flight.
If they really seem to share everything, add the recruitment thing and your suspicions.

You start out with some basics to get their guard down. You run through the list of names you found and the few details you know about them; that they ritually assumed their position and names as a group, that they worked under an unnamed High Priest who you aren't sure is still around, and that they appear to be occupying what used to be your father's castlab...
Donnella: Much as YOU had infiltrated that same building not an hour beforehand!


...it doesn't get the reaction you wanted.
The Sword-bearer: With all due respect, Firstborn, I am only now visiting Edison for the first time. As far as I am aware the same is true for Morgan as well.
Donnella: No, not- not you specifically, necessarily, just- the mysterious boxes in my room? With the Four Corners logo!?
The Sword-bearer: I... am afraid I cannot profess to know anything about materials smuggled into the Edison estate. Of course I also lack actual membership in the organization in question- Morgan, do you... know what this is about?
Morgan: Why the fuck would I know?
The Sword-bearer: Well now, I was just asking! You know, espionage is somewhat of a speciality of yours, so...
Morgan: Yeah I fucking, I fucking snuck like a box of like, illicit goods into some foreign leader's kid's room, what the fuck are you talking about. I don't know anything about it just because I 'do espionage', c'mon. I have no clue what she's talking about.
You can tell that neither of them are lying. But there's something there, when Morgan says that- her expression shifting, a slight hesitation- you're sure! Morgan might not have anything directly to do with those boxes, but she knows something about the situation that she's not mentioning!


Donnella: Morgan. You are hiding something. You will tell me everything you know.
Morgan stares you dead in the eyes, wearing only the slightest frown, the most diluted imaginable bemused frustration.
Morgan: ...no?
Morgan: I'm not going to 'tell you' some ambiguous bullshit you've arbitrarily decided you think I know based on? What? No evidence?
Morgan: And, fuck, even if I did know something about whatever nonsense FC might have pulled, why would I tell you?
Morgan: We both know you don't have the time or resources to try and 'make me talk', either, which, again, fucking, really meaningless. There's some kind of roided up supergod a few miles away right now. You asked us to help you with it, remember? Which, also, great opening to negotiations, pulling this shit.
Morgan: This is stupid.
Morgan: Just, really, really, really, really fucking stupid-
The Sword-bearer: I think! What Morgan means is!
The Sword-bearer stays perfectly in place for several seconds as everyone in the room stares at him.
The Sword-bearer: Er. Well.
The Sword-bearer: If you would allow it, I can vouch for her, at least?

You try to bring your seething fury under control a little. You are the acting governor. You are authority and you are very rational and collected and not at all upset about anything because what would you even have to be upset about apart from being insulted directly multiple times and disrespect from your vizier and a national crisis and someone who you're pretty sure is at least partially responsible for your FATHER being DEAD- okay. Try again. You've got this. You simmer down to about forty-five percent seething? Good enough.

Donnella: You can assure me, given this ongoing conspiracy and her flimsy denials, that she's trustworthy?
The Sword-bearer: Perhaps I wouldn't go so far as to... that is...
The Sword-bearer: Trustworthy is a strong word.
The Sword-bearer: She's... trustworthy-adjacent?
The Sword-bearer: I have trusted her.


The Sword-bearer: Yes! That's just it. I have put my life in Morgan's hands many times and yet here I stand before you!
Morgan: Dude...
The Sword-bearer: I know her to be sturdy as the mountains, unflinching in the face of mortal peril. Her mind is sharper than any blade this land can bring to bear, and makes for a far more potent weapon, aha! In the attainment of knowledge, in manipulating the Dream, in plunging the fundamental nature of magic and reality, she stands proudly at the top of her field!
Morgan: Are you fucking serious.
The Sword-bearer: I know that she can be... abrasive, more often than not. But you may trust that, in whatever lies ahead, you will want her by your side.
The Sword-bearer: If my words carry any weight to you, then I politely ask that you take this into consideration.

And, speaking of consideration, you feel the court's focus shift to you. You have a small council of officials here- you can call on each to leverage whatever resources you need for you, or to lend their input to any topic. But, ultimately, they are all waiting for you to make the final call. Maybe not all of them are comfortable with it yet- grumble grumble your Vizier- but as of today it's you in charge. Time to exercise that inherited authority!

What will you do? Are you going to take the time to press Morgan now and pursue the truth of Four Corners' plans immediately, and if so, what threats or offers will you use to make her comply? Or will you put some, UGH, faith in her and move on to dealing with the Prism Beast, and if so, what precautions against more Four Corners meddling will you establish?

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ANI'm trying to make stuff more EXAGGERATED! or whatever, it's fun but idk if it's working? Also trying out using more abstract backgrounds! Also fun. Feedback appreciated!

Also, I'm realizing that I've kind of written like a Really Bad Day for Donna here, yikes