#bahavas

in times of need, the powers of shadow can accomplish what the Sun alone cannot

no, listen: why would sylens go to a recently deposed force that no longer controlled the territory hades needed access to?  he wouldn’t.  he would have asked avad’s forces first and they would have turned him down.  they had enough other shit to deal with and sylens wouldn’t have given them enough information to trust him.  the shadow carja are plan b.  bahavas and helis fall for the religious “buried shadow” story hook line and sinker, and they already have a vested interest in reconquering the territory the spire is in.  great!  no convincing necessary!  but, they don’t have the military might needed to reconquer meridian and can’t start an invasion until they do, and they won’t just sneak someone through avad’s borders, either because security around the spire is so tight that they can’t or because they won’t invade until they get their top priority, ie, meridian.