Rising close to seven feet tall, General Nasrith's entire body was thick with muscle and he carried an air of authority that made Hudson want to stand at attention. His serpentine half was covered in crimson scales and featured several scars that spoke of a lifetime of battle. He was clad in dark, metal armor that emanated an unmistakable aura of magic, and his chest plate bore the crest of Tal'Qamar, a stylized depiction of the Skyglass Spire.
The General's piercing eyes swept through the room, scrutinizing them all as he moved with a grace that belied his size. Once he reached the center of the room, the soldiers closed the doors behind him and he took a moment to gaze at each of them in turn.
When he finally spoke, the General's voice was unexpectedly aristocratic and carried a calm authority that demanded their full attention. "Greetings. I am General Nasrith, Commander of Tal'Qamar's forces and now its ruler. Let's not dwell on pleasantries, as I have little time for such. Our city finds itself in a sandstorm, and I have many other duties to attend to if I am to navigate us through it."
His gaze swept over them, his serpentine eyes unblinking. "The Conclave's treachery ran deep. Our Merchant Lord Raqasor fell victim to their machinations, and in their selfishness they sought to elevate themselves above our city and its people. For this, their dissolution was carried out immediately by my forces."
Hudson held his breath, feeling a shiver run down his spine at the eerie calm in Nasrith's tone as he spoke of the Conclave's destruction. While there were plenty of people in this world who only worshiped gods on a transactional basis, there were also many zealots. Those people wouldn't be pleased by this turn of events and would likely face violent suppression while those who were less zealous would be encouraged to choose new gods.
Tal'Qamar was bound to face a period of significant turmoil as a result of the General's decisions. Reconciling with the Conclave must have truly been impossible for him to go to such lengths.
"Allow me to be unequivocally clear," said General Nasrith, a hint of danger creeping into his voice as he locked eyes with each of them. "Raqasor's tragic demise was a consequence of his inability to manage the serpents among us. The Conclave's dissolution has opened a power vacuum you all are most capable of exploiting, and I refuse to repeat his mistakes. As such, you all have three paths to choose from."
The room was deathly silent as the General allowed his words to sink in before he continued. "First, you may be safely escorted from this city, never to return. Given that you all are here whilst others have already chosen to flee Tal'Qamar, I will assume this is a choice you all have dismissed. The second option available to you is to remain in this city but be forever forbidden from spreading your faith to any of its citizens. Are there any among you who wish to take this path?"
Hudson and the other people present with religious Classes traded somewhat nervous glances, but nobody seemed eager to accept the General's offer. Either because of the immense potential benefits it offered or out of devotion to their gods, all of them wanted the opportunity to expand their faiths with the Conclave gone.
Eventually, Hudson was the first one to break the silence. "What is the third path?"
"If you wish to reside in Tal'Qamar while preaching your religions, then you shall only be permitted to do so after swearing fealty to myself and the city," said General Nasrith, his voice filled with finality. "I will allow no authority to rise in this city other than my own. You will all serve under me, and your gods shall forward the interests of Tal'Qamar."
The ultimatum hung in the air for several moments before Farida chose to speak up, her voice steady in the face of the General's imposing presence. "Since you say that you don't have time for pleasantries, let's speak bluntly. I am willing to bend the knee if doing so allows me to spread the teachings of the Stern Wanderer, but I will not accept any interference in our faith or rituals. Explain explicitly what serving you would entail, General."
"I would like to hear more on that as well," said Kinta, her voice quiet as she sought to add her own concerns. "The teachings of the Serene Guide are precious to me. They are not to be manipulated or twisted for the benefit of others."
"I agree with the Priestess and the Monk," said Kassan, nodding toward his human counterpart. "You will need our help converting people away from the Conclave's gods and you need a new source of Boons for your soldiers. Tell us exactly what you wish from us and what you are willing to give in return."
Hudson watched quietly as General Nasrith and Kassan held each other's gaze for several moments. At that moment, he became certain that he was missing a great deal of context for the relationship between the two naga.
"Tal'Qamar's government will soon need to undergo a period of restructuring to create the bureaucratic bodies needed to administer this city," said Nasrith, his eyes not moving from Kassan. "One of which will be a replacement for the Conclave. The Tal'Qamari High Command will be responsible for directing this new organization on how it might further the city's interests. High Command will also distribute rewards to those of you who prove the most useful."
It only took a moment for Hudson to understand the General's true intentions. He intended to create a system that would instigate competition between them. By making the distribution of rewards dependent on their 'usefulness' to Tal'Qamar, he would be able to effectively pit them against each other and ensure they didn't collude to threaten his rule.