The group assembled at the mess tent for supper, and Kaldalis took the opportunity to provide the chefs with the fresh fish he caught during the day in exchange for two dozen guild credits. Afterwards, he got his meal and sat down with Balrim and Myrin. Who immediately started to ask him how his campaigning had gone.

Kaldalis ignored them and looked around the tent. Haldir was nowhere to be found. Which didn’t help his mood at all. Balrim and Myrin pressed only once more, but Kaldalis declined to answer their questions. They got the picture quick enough to not pester him too much.

They ate in relative silence, or, at least, Kaldalis did. Balrim and Myrin talked low among themselves, but Kaldalis didn’t mind. Instead, he kept an eye open for Haldir, hoping for a chance to apologize.

But there was no sign of him. He tried not to worry about it.

They’d run into each other eventually.

After everyone had a chance to eat, Ikzoz got everyone’s attention and guided them to the central square of the town, where the vote would take place.

“Before we begin,” Ikzoz shouted over the crowd’s indistinct murmuring, quieting them and drawing everyone’s attention, “I have a few, smaller announcements. I am pleased to announce that we have rounded up all of Onirioago’s co-conspirators. We have yet to take any action against them, save for temporary containment. It’s regrettable that even those with the smallest contribution to her crimes must be imprisoned, but the nature of her transgression makes every precaution necessary.

“Their trial, judgment, and punishment will be one of the first duties of our new expedition leader,” Ikzoz continued, “and to that end, we have summoned everyone to help us fill that position in as fair and balanced a manner as possible.”

A little excited chatter began at that, and Ikzoz let it go for a few moments. Kaldalis heard those around him talking about who they wanted to vote for, and was a little gratified to hear Bangen nearby saying his name. It wasn’t much, but it was a nice reminder.

“To begin,” Ikzoz said, when the crowd made it clear they weren’t going to quiet down on their own, “we will be taking nominations. A few simple rules: you can’t nominate yourself, and the top five most-nominated people will go to a vote. Once we go to a vote, if you’re one of the top nominees, you will not be able to vote for yourself. With that all out of the way…”

Ikzoz paused and Kaldalis saw a quest enter the right side of his vision.

Interim Expedition Leader

Say a name aloud to nominate them for the vote for Expedition Leader.

With a moment’s attention, Kaldalis opened the quest’s description, and found that there was no additional text. Whatever NPCs did to generate quests, Ikzoz hadn’t wasted any time or effort on this one. It was utilitarian and to the point. Kaldalis didn’t like it as much as he had appreciated the subtle (and not-so-subtle) puns in the other quests, but he could respect that this was a matter to be taken seriously.

He didn’t exactly know who he wanted to nominate, though. Kaldalis just knew he didn’t want to say Garyung. He even felt himself wince as he heard that name from somewhere ahead of him in the crowd.

“Ikzoz,” Kaldalis said, not wanting to drag matters out.

The quest flashed and the bottom text changed.

Interim Expedition Leader

Your nomination has been counted. Please wait for the vote.

Kaldalis felt pretty good about his choice. It was kind of spontaneous, but Ikzoz had a good head on his shoulders for an NPC. Kaldalis had a very important part to play in Onirioago’s downfall, but Ikzoz had been the fulcrum around which the whole operation had rotated. He’d manuevered Bangen and Kaldalis during the council meeting in order to tighten the net around Onirioago and ensure she didn’t wiggle free.

Ikzoz was also already established in the Adventurers League command structure, meaning he knew what he was doing. He might go on to be a permanent leader instead of a temporary fill-in.

That meant he was also a good choice for Kaldalis’s specific needs.

The worst thing that Kaldalis could imagine was the interim leader being someone who might go easy on Onirioago and her confederates. She’d sworn revenge on everyone involved in her downfall, and Kaldalis couldn’t help but think he was the most central figure for her ire. She’d sworn revenge just as adamantly on Ikzoz as she had on anyone else. If Ikzoz was in charge, he would make sure that anyone who might carry out Onirioago’s vengeance - or who might aid her in an escape to allow her to do it herself - would stay contained.

Kaldalis couldn’t pick out voices in the crowd as everyone announced their nominations, but he heard his own name more than once. He didn’t want to hope that he might pull it off, but it seemed like he might have a chance.

“Your nominations have been gathered,” Ikzoz announced. “I will name the top five choices. If you wish to decline the nomination, you only have to say so.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Garyung?”

The bhogad waved his hand. There was a light applause from the crowd.

“You accept the nomination?” Ikzoz asked when the clapping died down. “And please, if we could hold any celebration for the end? I’d like to get this done quickly; the new expedition leader will need to attend a council meeting immediately after, and the sooner we can accomplish that, the better.”

“Yes,” Garyung said. “I accept.”

“Thank you.” Ikzoz nodded. “Kaldalis?”

“Yes,” Kaldalis perked up and stood up on tip-toe to be seen. “I accept!” he called up to the Talsar at the head of the crowd.

“Thank you.” Ikzoz gave him a kind smile. “The third nomination is myself, and I accept.” He looked over the crowd. “Gabriel?”

“Who the fuck is Gabriel?” Kaldalis asked quietly.

A pale hand went up on the right side of the crowd. Kaldalis didn’t hear anything, but Ikzoz nodded. Kaldalis realized who that had to be. The imperious-looking finnian healer. The one who almost never spoke, hence the quiet.

“Thank you,” Ikzoz said. “And finally, Sivima?”

Kaldalis was surprised for a moment to hear the name of the blacksmith. But he figured a lot of people - especially those who had taken up crafting - probably looked up to her.

“No, no, no,” he heard her shout from the front. “I couldn’t.”

“So you decline?” Ikzoz asked, trying not to smile as a little chuckle went up at the front of the crowd, where Sivima was.

“Absolutely!”

“Alright. Understandable. Then the fifth option, and the sixth choice, is Sardol.”

“I accept,” the human said. He was actually standing nearby at Ikzoz’s side rather than in the crowd.

“Then these are your nominees,” Ikzoz said. “Please make your selections.”

On the right side of his vision, the quest updated again.

Interim Expedition Leader

Please say aloud your choice for expedition leader of the following options.

Garyung

Kaldalis

Ikzoz

Gabriel

Sardol

Kaldalis’s own name was greyed out, confirming what Ikzoz had said. He couldn’t vote for himself.

He didn’t want to vote for Garyung. He was still sour about that.

And while Ikzoz had been his nomination, he wanted to give it slightly more thought than just following through.

Kaldalis didn’t have a high opinion of Sardol personally, but he was a shrewd individual, and clearly exceptional at his job. He was also in the same boat of earning Onirioago’s ire at that council meeting, giving him a good chance of taking her threats seriously.

Gabriel was right out, though. It wasn’t that Kaldalis didn’t trust him. He just didn’t know him. The Finnian was an alpha player and probably one of the highest-level people in the expedition, and his healing had saved lives time and again. But Kaldalis just didn’t know who he was. Was he quiet because he was calm and rational, or was it due to crippling social anxiety that would render him unfit to lead?

“Ikzoz,” Kaldalis said at last, as the voices of the crowd started to grow around him. He didn’t have a reason not to vote for Ikzoz. He’d taken command of the Onirioago situation as soon as he’d become aware of it, and handled it with the deftness it required. The Talsar had the chops for the job, and proved it in the worst sort of sudden job interview.

There was a pause and the quest on the side of his vision changed again, instructing him to wait. With no other choice, he complied.

Eventually, the crowd fell silent as everyone’s votes were cast.

“Thank you all,” Ikzoz said, “we all appreciate your input and contributions to this matter. The council determined that this was the best way to make sure this matter was resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. Additionally, I ask that you all express my deepest regrets to those who were unable to be present here for whatever reason. It was obviously our wish to have everyone’s voice heard, and those who chose to be elsewhere did so at their own initiative against our wishes. And with that...”

With a gesture from Ikzoz, the quest on the right side of Kaldalis’s vision was updated.

Interim Expedition Leader

Garyung: 68

Ikzoz: 25

Gabriel: 12

Kaldalis: 6

Sardol: 5

Kaldalis wasn’t exactly floored, even if it felt like a punch to the gut. Considering what he’d heard from the people he’d talked to, he figured Garyung had a pretty good shot at the job. He was only surprised by the margin of the victory. Ikzoz had less than half of Garyung’s vote total.

It also kind of hurt to be so far to the bottom. He’d secretly hoped that maybe he’d made a good impression on people. Maybe not enough to win, but enough that he didn’t have more fingers than votes.

Despite the sudden damper on his mood, the crowd burst into cheers. Garyung was pushed to the front of the group, where Ikzoz shook his hand.

When people started shouting for a speech, Kaldalis turned and pushed his way out through the opposite side of the crowd.

He didn’t want to hear it. He was done with this mess.