The Jammest of Gates

Was it reasonable for them to know it wasn't the smart thing? No. They had every reason to believe the Emperor's help was exactly what they needed.

Probably only Ianthe could have told them why they shouldn't make that call. Palamedes sort of knew, but he didn't want to believe it.

Every theorem they're uncovering at Canaan House is forbidden knowledge. The necromancers are learning scary powerful tricks that they've been explicitly taught are impossible. Tricks the Lyctors have known for thousands of years, and that somehow the rest of their civilization has been prevented from knowing.

The communications blackout is not to help them focus, or to prevent them from getting outside help. It's to prevent leaks.

But what would have happened if the Second hadn't killed Teacher, and Ianthe ascended? If Cyth hadn't been there? At what point would it have become clear to the scions that the only way out 'alive' was as a lich? Maybe that's unfair. John tells us himself that he's not a monster, and promised to return those who didn't ascend "home in full honour, with trump and timbrel." And he does, after all, "know where remembrance lives in the brain".

my friend's oc Yana!!!

"Attend me."

Pilots and other transportation workers have absurd hours of service requirements that start your rest period as “the moment you shut the vehicle down” and can be as short as 9 hours in some cases.

Railroad workers have to be available on-call 6 days a week and be ready within two hours notice. They don’t get sick time.

Retail workers have to keep a veneer of politeness against any and all abuse or they can be fired.

Truck drivers get paid by mileage and rarely see pay for shipper or receiver delays.