The Order Respond

7 Aval

Gaius of Satril's commandeering Maldaron of Satril's family chapel for a Speak with Dead is soon reported to Narsus VI. Realising that the Order of the Sun Diamond will be exposed and are therefore likely to face retribution from the Emperor's faction, he orders the other original 9 members of the Order who survived the Duel to evacuate Valdran, apart from Anna of Aven, who must remain at the Temple of the Sun Diamond. They are welcome to join him in Avenna, or they may go to their own power bases.

8 Aval

Narsus and Carsus both send identical polite messages declining Decus XXI's invitation for a "chat" at the Palace on the grounds they are "indisposed". They are both now in Avenna, and their secretaries are acting on orders.

Astor, Ector, Varrius, Constantia and Metullus of Aven have joined them at Avenna Castle, along with Roland of Mastrin. Gaius the Elder of Satril has returned to his family seat.

Tarquin, Brutus and Anna of Aven, Hector of Satril, Merlon of Jalaskir, Rufus of Gytrasan and Danton, Second Priest of the Temple of the Sun Diamond all remain in Valdran. Hector speaks to Gaius, when he urges his fellow Champions of Satril to put aside their differences and evacuate their families. Hector stresses the importance of maintaining order in Valdran.

Carsus, the new Champion of Aven, Director of Diplomacy and former Director of the Imperial Secret Service (L) has been compiling files on the leading Nobles. He is aware of Titus and Drusus of Jalaskir's homosexual relationship, but does not have sufficient evidence against them to stand up in a court of law (the word of servants and slaves not standing up against the denial of a Noble). He also knows that Gaius of Satril is heavily in debt to various bankers, and is in the process of investigating the financial dealings within the High Temple of KOROS but has not yet obtained anything sufficiently incriminating (a certain amount of lining one's own pockets being expected of Office-holders). On being replaced as Director of the I.S.S. by the new Emperor, he took these files away with him, and has brought them to Avenna, where the Order review the evidence.

So far they have not taken any action against the Emperor's faction. They are assured of the Triumph of the Law, despite the unexpected loss of the Duels, and have been content to wait for the new Emperor to make a mistake where they can catch him out on a legal technicality. Decus XXI's clear upper hand in the Duel has deterred them from launching a Challenge for the Lion Throne. But Gaius' action against Maldaron's body and the reports they have of secret meetings between the other Noble Champions prompt Narsus to propose action against Gaius, to split him from the other Champions.

They should be able to get the bankers to call in Gaius' debts. They could also send copies of the files on the financial irregularities in the Temple of KOROS to his under-Priests and to the Emperor, which should prove a distraction even if he may be able to talk himself out of it. They also suspect his affair with Castor's wife, Julia of Aven, but Narsus rules out spreading unsubstantiated rumours about this, especially as it would implicate his own sister.

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